Navigation apparatus, navigation method, route data creation program, and server in navigation system

• US 7,136,749 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Sugie, Shinichi, Yamazaki, Osamu, Inoue, Hiroto, Shioda, Takehiko, Ichihara, Naohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAULIEU, YONEL
• Application Number:
  US10/817,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20040260466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-202, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701 24- 26, 701/23, 340988-990, 340/995.1, 340/995.19, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047

Abstract

A system controller 115 includes a table data storage 131 storing table data for calculating the order of priority of each destination, and a priority destination list creator 132 for creating a priority destination list based on the table data in such a manner that priorities of destinations that suit the preferences of the user will set high based on destination conditions set by the user and the stored table data.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a departure point data acquiring device which acquires departure point data including at least position data on the departure point of a movable body;

a destination data storage device which stores multiple pieces of destination data indicating destinations to be visited in such a manner that the destination data will be associated with characteristic information indicating the characteristics of each destination;

a registration device which registers destination conditions upon visiting each destination;

a setting device which sets the order of visiting priority of the stored destination data on each destination based on the characteristic information and the registered destination conditions;

a presentation device which presents the destination data based on the order of priority set out above;

a selection device which selects a destination among the presented destination data;

a map data storage device which stores map data;

a creation device which creates route data from the departure point to the destination based on the departure point data, the registered destination conditions, the selected destination, and the map data; and

a route guiding device which provides route guidance from the departure point to the destination based on the created route data.

2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said setting device sets the order of visiting priority of each of the stored destination data based on the priority preset for each kind of destination condition and each kind of attribute information and indicating whether each destination is suitable for visiting according to the attribute information on each kind of destination condition, and the attribute information stored in association with each piece of destination data.

3. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, after said registration device sets the multiple destination conditions,

said setting device further comprises:

a calculation device which calculates priority of each piece of destination data for each of the destination conditions based on the priority preset for each kind of destination condition and each kind of attribute information, and on the attribute information stored in association with each piece of destination data; and

a priority order setting device which sets the order of visiting priority of each destination based on the priority of each destination calculated for each of the destination conditions.

4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a determination device which determines, upon presetting of the priority, whether visiting of each destination included in the route data created by said creation device will end up or has ended up successful either during route guidance or after completion of the route guidance; and

a priority setting device which presets the priority based on the registered destination conditions, the attribute information, and the advisability of visiting the destination.

5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising

a detection device which detects the number of times the user has visited the destination from the characteristic information on the destination visited, when said determination device determines that the user visited a destination included in the route data,

wherein said priority setting device sets the priority based on the registered destination conditions, the attribute information, and the number of visiting times.

6. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said registration device registers, as each of the destination conditions, at least one of the departure date and time, a fellow passenger, the destination area, user'"'"'s age, and weather information indicating the weather condition at each visiting destination.

7. The navigation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

when said registration device registers the departure date and the destination area as the destination conditions, said setting device specifies a sense of season indicating the season in the destination area based on the departure date and the destination area, and sets the order of priority of each piece of stored destination data based on the sense of season specified.

8. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the characteristic information stored in said destination data storage device for each piece of destination data includes at least one of attribute information indicating the attributes of each destination, genre information indicating the type of each destination, fellow passenger information indicating a fellow passenger suitable for visiting the destination with, cost information indicating the cost for visiting the destination, and weather information indicating the weather condition suitable for visiting the destination.

9. The navigation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the multiple destination data are stored in said destination data storage device in association with keyword data indicating keywords as the attribute information.

10. A navigation method comprising:

a departure point data acquiring process which acquires departure point data including at least position data on the departure point of a movable body;

a destination data acquiring process which acquires multiple pieces of destination data that are stored in a destination data storage device and that indicates destinations to be visited together with characteristic information indicating the characteristics of each destination;

a registration process which registers destination conditions upon visiting each destination;

a setting process which sets the order of visiting priority of the stored destination data on each destination based on the characteristic information and the registered destination conditions;

a presentation process which presents the destination data based on the order of priority set out above;

a selection process which selects a destination from among the presented destination data;

a creation process which creates route data from the departure point to the destination based on the departure point data, the registered destination conditions, the selected destination, and map data stored in a map data storage device; and

a route guiding process which provides route guidance from the departure point to the destination based on the created route data.

11. A computer-readable recording medium on which a route data creation program for creating route data relating to route guidance on a computer is recorded so as to be readable through the computer, wherein the route data creation program instructs the computer to function as:

a departure point data acquiring device which acquires departure point data including at least position data on the departure point of a movable body;

a destination data acquiring device which acquires multiple pieces of destination data stored in a destination data storage device and indicating destinations to be visited together with characteristic information indicating the characteristics of each destination;

a setting device which sets the order of visiting priority of the stored destination data on each destination based on the characteristic information and destination conditions registered by a registration device upon visiting the destination;

a presentation device which presents the destination data based on the order of priority set out above;

a creation device which creates route data from the departure point to a destination based on the departure point data, the registered destination conditions, a destination selected from among the presented destination data, and map data stored in a map data storage device; and

a route guiding device which provides route guidance from the departure point to the destination based on the created route data.

12. A server in a navigation system comprising:

a first receiving device which receives, from a terminal, departure point data including at least position data on the departure point of a movable body in which the terminal is mounted, and destination conditions upon visiting each destination;

a destination data storage device which stores multiple pieces of destination data indicating destinations to be visited in such a manner that the destination data will be associated with characteristic information indicating the characteristics of each destination;

a setting device which sets the order of visiting priority of the stored destination data on each destination based on the characteristic information and the registered destination conditions;

a sending device which sends the destination data to the terminal so that the destination data will be presented on the terminal in order of priority set out above;

a map data storage device which stores map data;

a second receiving device which receives, from the terminal, an instruction to select a destination from among the presented destination data;

a creation device which creates route data from the departure point to the destination based on the departure point data, the registered destination conditions, and the selected destination received by said receiving devices, and the map data; and

a route guiding device which provides route guidance from the departure point to the destination based on the created route data.