Point search apparatus and in-vehicle navigation apparatus

• US 7,398,156 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Funato, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMIN, BHAVESH V
• Application Number:
  US11/511,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20070073478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 73/17.8, 116/32, 116/33, 116/35.R, 244/75.1, 244/76.R, 244/175, 244/189, 244/190, 318/581, 318/591, 340/853.1, 340/854.1, 340/855.1, 340/901, 340/902, 340/904, 340/905, 340/937, 340/988, 340/990, 340/991, 340/995.1, 340/995.24, 340/995.28, 340/425.5, 340/429, 340/426.12, 340/426.16, 340/426.18, 340/426.19, 340/436, 340/438, 340/471, 340/669, 340/467, 342/25.B, 342/61, 342/664, 342/64, 342/66, 342/175, 342/191, 342/356, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/357.13, 342/357.14, 342/457, 342/458, 701/9, 701/25, 701/28, 701/32, 701/65, 701/79, 701/200, 701/204, 701/207, 701/208, 701/213, 701/201, 701/202, 701/209, 701/211, 701/212
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence

Abstract

There are provided a point search apparatus and an in-vehicle navigation apparatus capable of searching destination candidates from which a user can view a visual target that he/she desires. A search means is formed so as to search destination candidates from which the user can see a visual target specified by visual target specifying means based on information regarding the three-dimensional position of the visual target and information regarding the three-dimensional position of a point that fulfills a search condition determined by a search condition determining means, and which exists around the visual target.

Claims

1. A point search apparatus provided with a search section, which searches destination candidates by using map information and provides the candidates to a user, said apparatus comprising:

a visual target specifying section for specifying a visual target; and

a search condition determining section for determining a search condition regarding destination candidates from which said user has an unobstructed view of said visual target when the user is located at a position specified by the destination candidate, said search condition calculated based on a path defined by three-dimensional coordinates of the visual target and three-dimensional coordinates of the destination candidate , wherein

said search section is formed so as to search destination candidates from which said user can have an unobstructed view of the visual target specified by said visual target specifying section, based on at least information regarding the position of said visual target and information regarding the position of a point that fulfills the search condition determined by said search condition determining section.

2. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the search condition determined by said search condition determining section includes a search condition regarding the type of said destination candidates.

3. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the search condition determined by said search condition determining section includes a search condition regarding a distance between said visual target and said destination candidate.

4. The point search apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said search condition determining section is formed so as to automatically determine the search condition regarding the distance between said visual target and said destination candidates in response to the size of said visual target.

5. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the search condition determined by said search condition determining section includes a search condition regarding a sight line angle of said user in a height direction when the user views said visual target.

6. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the search condition determined by said search condition determining section includes a search condition regarding a direction in which the user sees said visual target.

7. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

in the case where said visual target specified by said visual target specifying section is a type of visual target that is generally to be seen from a distance,

said search condition determining section automatically determines a search condition where weather is taken into consideration, and said search section is formed so as to obtain weather information based on the determination to search said destination candidates that exist within the range of distance at which said visual target can be seen, by taking the obtained weather information into consideration.

8. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said visual target specifying section is formed to be capable of specifying a desired range of an object as said visual target.

9. The point search apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said visual target specifying section is formed so as to provide a plurality of user selectable range options, which are organized into a plurality of steps to allow the area of said range to be different for each step, as options of range that can be specified as a visual target on said object.

10. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said search section is formed so as to preferentially search said destination candidates from which said visual target can be seen to the south.

11. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said search condition determining section is formed so as to automatically determine a search condition as to whether said visual target is seen from an upper position or a lower position in response to the type of said visual target.

12. The point search apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

information regarding the search condition as to whether said visual target is seen from an upper position or a lower position is previously registered in a database in a corresponding relationship with information regarding the type of said visual target, and

said search condition determining section is formed so as to determine the search condition as to whether said visual target is seen from an upper position or a lower position based on the previously registered information.

13. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said visual target includes at least one of a facility and a landscape.

14. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

in the case where said visual target is a moving object whose position changes depending on time,

said search condition determining section automatically determines that the time when said visual target is to be seen is taken into consideration as the search condition, and said search section is formed so as to search said destination candidates taking into consideration the time when said visual target is to be seen based on the determination.

15. The point search apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

said moving object is the evening sun.

16. The point search apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

said moving object is a train.

17. The point search apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the apparatus is formed to be capable of providing a departure time in order to allow the user to arrive at a destination in time to see said visual target.

18. The point search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the apparatus is formed to be capable of displaying an image, which simulates an image seen on the assumption that said visual target is viewed from said destination candidate searched by said search section, on a display section.

19. An in-vehicle navigation apparatus provided with a search section, which searches destination candidates by using map information and provides the candidates to a user, said apparatus comprising:

a visual target specifying section for specifying a visual target; and

a search condition determining section for determining a search condition regarding destination candidates from which said user can see said visual target without obstruction when the user is at the location of the destination candidate, said search condition calculated based on a path defined by three-dimensional coordinates of the visual target and three-dimensional coordinates of the destination candidate, wherein

said search section is formed so as to search destination candidates from which said user can have an unobstructed view of the visual target specified by said visual target specifying section when the user is at the location of the destination candidate, the search at least based on information regarding the three-dimensional position of said visual target, information regarding the three-dimensional position of a point that fulfills the search condition determined by said search condition determining section, and information regarding the height of an object that exists between said visual target and said point.

20. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

the search condition determined by said search condition determining section includes a search condition regarding the type of said destination candidates.

21. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

the search condition determined by said search condition determining section includes a search condition regarding a distance between said visual target and said destination candidate.

22. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

said search condition determining section is formed so as to automatically determine the search condition regarding a distance between said visual target and said destination candidate in response to the size of said visual target.

23. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

the search condition determined by said search condition determining section includes a search condition regarding a sight line angle of said user in a height direction when the user views said visual target.

24. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

the search condition determined by said search condition determining section includes a search condition regarding a direction in which the user sees said visual target.

25. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

in the case where said visual target specified by said visual target specifying section is a type of visual target that is generally to be seen from a distance,

said search condition determining section automatically determines a search condition where weather is taken into consideration, and said search section is formed so as to obtain weather information based on the determination to search destination candidates that exist within the range of distance at which said visual target can be seen, by taking the obtained weather information into consideration.

26. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

said visual target specifying section is formed to be capable of specifying a desired range of an object as said visual target.

27. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 26, wherein

said visual target specifying section is formed so as to provide a plurality of user selectable range options, which are organized into a plurality of steps to allow the area of said range to be different for each step, as options of range that can be specified as a visual target on said object.

28. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

said search section is formed so as to preferentially search said destination candidates from which said visual target can be seen to the south.

29. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

said search condition determining section is formed so as to automatically determine a search condition as to whether said visual target is seen from an upper position or a lower position in response to the type of said visual target.

30. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 29, wherein

information regarding the search condition as to whether said visual target is seen from an upper position or a lower position is previously registered in a database in a corresponding relationship with information regarding the type of said visual target, and

said search condition determining section is formed so as to determine the search condition as to whether said visual target is seen from an upper position or a lower position based on the previously registered information.

31. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

said visual target includes at least one of a facility and a landscape.

32. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

in the case where said visual target is a moving object whose position changes depending on time,

said search condition determining section automatically determines that the time when said visual target is seen is taken into consideration as the search condition, and said search section is formed so as to search said destination candidates taking into consideration the time when said visual target is to be seen based on the determination.

33. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 32, wherein

said moving object is the evening sun.

34. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 32, wherein

said moving object is a train.

35. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 32, wherein

the apparatus is formed to be capable of providing a departure time in order to allow the user to arrive at a destination in time to see said visual target.

36. The in-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

the apparatus is formed to be capable of displaying an image, which simulates an image seen on the assumption that said visual target is viewed from said destination candidate searched by said search section, on a display section.