Vehicle navigation device and method of displaying POI information using same

• US 7,286,931 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2003
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Shingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/354,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20030167120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 26, 701200-202, 701208-211, 701/28, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 340/995.1, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

A vehicle navigation device is provided for permitting the display of the current POI (Point of Interest) information about points of interest which serve as landmarks near a guidance route to the destination, thereby improving visibility when a user identifies the guidance route. A vehicle navigation device 50 is connected in communication with a provider 60 for offering transmission service of map information which includes the current POI information pertaining to locations on a map where the points of interest are located. The navigation device 50 includes a display unit 6, information input means 2, communications means 3, and control means 17. The control means 17 accesses the provider 60 through the communications means 3 when the guidance route to the destination is set by the information input means 2, to obtain the current POI information about an area near the set guidance route from the map information, so that the obtained current POI information is displayed on a screen of the display unit 6, together with the guidance route and a vehicle position mark for designating a present position of a vehicle.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle navigation device that is adapted to be connected in communication with a remote provider offering transmission service of current POI (Point of Interest) information comprising landmarks that designate the locations on a map where points of interest are located, the in-vehicle navigation device comprising:

a display unit for providing guidance information to a user;

an information input section for entering information to set a destination;

a communications section for communicating with said remote provider; and

a controller operably connected to said display unit, said information input section, and said communications section;

wherein, when a destination is set through said information input section, said controller searches for a guidance route to the destination and accesses the remote provider through the communications section to obtain current POI information included in a predetermined area covering a present position of a vehicle, and then said controller displays said obtained current POI information as landmarks designating POI locations together with said guidance route and a vehicle position mark designating the present vehicle position on a map image on a screen of the display unit, so that the user can recognize landmarks along the actual guidance route during travel; and

wherein, in a case where POI information set by the user through said information input section has remained set for a predetermined interval, said controller identifies said set POI information as POI information corresponding to user preference, and then transmits said identified POI information to the remote provider when said guidance route is searched, thereby to obtain the current POI information corresponding to said identified POI information from the remote provider.

2. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein, when the controller displays the obtained current POI information together with the guidance route and the vehicle position mark on the screen of the display unit, said controller displays an updated portion of said current POI information in a different form from the other portions not updated.

3. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising an identified POI storage section for storing the POI information identified as that corresponding to the user preference by said controller.

4. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 3, wherein the identified POI information stored in said identified POI storage section includes updating-time information which is assigned to the corresponding identified POI information based on the communication between the controller and the remote provider.

5. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising a POI drawing section for performing drawing processing of the current POI information obtained from said remote provider through the communications section under control of the controller.

6. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising a speaker for providing a notice that, if the current POI information displayed on the screen of the display unit by the controller includes an updated POI information portion, said POI information has been updated.

7. An in-vehicle navigation device that is adapted to be connected in communication with a remote provider offering transmission service of current POI (Point of Interest) information comprising landmarks that designate the locations on a map where points of interest are located, the in-vehicle navigation device comprising:

a display unit for providing guidance information to a user;

an information input section for entering information to set a destination;

a communications section for communicating with said remote provider; and

a controller operably connected to said display unit, said information input section, and said communications section;

wherein, when a destination is set through said information input section, said controller searches for a guidance route to the destination and accesses the remote provider through the communications section to obtain the current POI information included in a predetermined area covering a present position of a vehicle;

wherein, when displaying said obtained current POI information as landmarks designating POI locations together with said guidance route and a vehicle position mark designating the present vehicle position on a map image on a screen of the display unit so that the user can recognize landmarks along the actual guidance route during travel, said controller displays an updated portion of said current POI information in a different form from the other portions not updated; and

wherein, in a case where POI information has been set by the user through said information input section, said controller identifies said set POI information as POI information corresponding to user preference, and then transmits said identified POI information to the remote provider when said guidance route is searched, thereby to obtain the current POI information corresponding to said identified POI information from the remote provider.

8. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 7, further comprising an identified POI storage section for storing the POI information identified as that corresponding to the user preference by said controller.

9. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 8, wherein the identified POI information stored in said identified POI storage section includes updating-time information which is assigned to the corresponding identified POI information based on the communication between the controller and the remote provider.

10. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 7, further comprising a POI drawing section for performing drawing processing of the current POI information obtained from said remote provider through the communications section under control of the controller.

11. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 7, further comprising a speaker for providing notice that, if the current POI information displayed on the screen of the display unit by the controller includes the updated POI information portion, said POI information has been updated.

12. A method of displaying POI (Point of Interest) information in an in-vehicle navigation device that is adapted to be connected in communication with a remote provider offering transmission service of current POI information comprising landmarks that designate the locations on a map where points of interest are located, the method comprising:

accessing said remote provider when a guidance route to a destination is searched by the in-vehicle navigation device;

obtaining from the remote provider current POI information included in a predetermined area covering a present position of a vehicle; and

displaying to a user said obtained current POI information as landmarks designating POI locations together with said guidance route and a vehicle position mark designating the present vehicle position on a map image on a screen of the navigation device, so that the user can recognize landmarks along the actual guidance route during travel;

wherein, in a case where POI information set by a user has remained set for a predetermined interval, identifying said set POI information as POI information corresponding to user preference, and transmitting the identified POI information to the remote provider when the guidance route is searched, thereby to obtain the current POI information corresponding to the identified POI information from the remote provider.

13. The method of displaying POI information according to claim 12, further comprising displaying an updated portion of said current POI information in a different form from the other portions not updated when said obtained current POI information is displayed together with said guidance route and said vehicle position mark.

14. The method of displaying POI information according to claim 12, further comprising storing the POI information identified as that corresponding to the user preference.

15. The method of displaying POI information according to claim 14, wherein the stored identified POI information includes updating-time information which is assigned to the corresponding identified POI information based on the communication with the remote provider.

16. The method of displaying POI information according to claim 12, further comprising performing drawing processing of the current POI information obtained from said remote provider.

17. The method of displaying POI information according to claim 12, further comprising providing a notice by a speaker that, if the current POI information displayed to the user includes an updated POI information portion, said POI information has been updated.