Navigation system with licensing function

• US 7,260,475 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US11/100,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20050228582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

When a navigation system is started for the first time, a time/position information item unique to each navigation system is generated based on a position and time detected for the first time by a GPS receiver of a position detector. This generated time/position information item is stored both in a hard disk of a map data storage device and in an internal memory. When a starting process performed at starting of the system, it is determined whether time/position information items stored in the hard disk and the internal memory accord with each other. When both information items are determined to be according with each other, map data stored in the hard disk is given a license for use.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a storage medium interfacing unit that interfaces with a storage medium that stores data;

a detection unit that detects a detection item including at least one of a time and a position;

an information item generation unit that generates an information item based on the detected detection item;

a writing unit that writes the generated information item in the storage medium and in an internal memory of the system when the detection unit first detects the detection item after the system is started for a first time;

a use determination unit that determines whether an information item written in the storage medium and an information item written in the internal memory accord with each other, when data stored in the storage medium is used; and

a licensing unit that gives a license for use of the data stored in the storage medium when it is determined that the information item written in the storage medium and the information item written in the internal memory accord with each other.

2. The navigation system of claim 1,

wherein the information item is generated by the information item generation unit based on the detection item first detected by the detection unit when the system is started for the first time.

3. The navigation system of claim 1,

wherein the detection unit detects the detection item including the time that includes hours, minutes, and seconds.

4. The navigation system of claim 1, farther comprising:

an update obtaining unit that obtains an update from an update storage medium storing the update including an information item that is used for updating data stored in the storage medium; and

an update determination unit that determines whether an information item written in the storage medium and an information item stored in the update storage medium accord with each other, when data stored in the storage medium is updated,

wherein the licensing unit gives a license for use of the update when it is determined that the information item written in the storage medium and the information item stored in the update storage medium accord with each, other.

5. The navigation system of claim 4, further comprising:

an update-disabled notification unit that indicates that the update is not able to be used when the update determination unit determines that the information item written in the storage medium and the information item stored in the update storage medium do not accord with each other.

6. The navigation system of claim 4,

wherein the storage medium interfacing unit stores the storage medium that stores map data,

wherein the use determination unit determines when the map data is used, and

wherein the update determination unit determines when the map data is updated.

7. The navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

an input unit that inputs an information item;

an update obtaining unit that obtains by using communicating means an update that includes the inputted information item and is used for updating data stored in the storage medium; and

an update determination unit that determines whether an information item written in the storage medium and an information item included in the update accord with each other, whew data stored in the storage medium is updated,

wherein the licensing unit gives a license for use of the update when it is determined that the information item written in the storage medium and the information item included in the update accord with each other.

8. The navigation system of claim 7, further comprising:

an update-disabled notification unit that indicates that the update is not able to be used when the update determination unit determines that the information item written in the storage medium and the information item included in the update do not accord with each other.

9. The navigation system of claim 1,

wherein the detection unit includes:

a GPS receiver that receives signals from GPS satellites; and

an information item computation unit that computes at least one of a time and a position based on the received signals.

10. The navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a map code conversion unit that converts the detection item including the position to a map code,

wherein the information item generation unit generates an information item based on at least one of the map code and a detection item including the time.

11. The navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a use-disabled notification unit that indicates that the data stored in the storage medium is not able to be used when the use determination unit determines that the information item written in the storage medium and the information item written in the internal storage do not accord with each other.