In-vehicle navigation device

• US 7,437,238 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Koichi, Monde, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weiskopf; Marie A
• Application Number:
  US10/770,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20040172193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/201
• 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

An in-vehicle navigation device in which a route search block outputs a search result of a guiding route from an exit of the expressway to an entrance of the expressway by way of the selected facility to a display block to make the display block display the search result in a case where a present position detected by a present position detection block is on an expressway and where position of a target facility selected by a facility information selection block is outside the expressway.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle navigation device comprising:

a facility information designation unit in which a user selects information pertaining to one or more facilities to be searched;

a threshold value setting unit that sets a threshold value of a search criterion of the one or more facilities;

a present position detection unit that detects a present position of a vehicle;

a facility information selection unit that selects at least one facility satisfying the threshold value set by the threshold value setting unit from the information designated by the facility information designation unit; and

a display that displays a list including at least one selected facility, where said user can dynamically select from the list a specific facility;

a route search unit that, when the present position detected by the present position detection unit is on an expressway and the selected facility by the user is outside the expressway, outputs a search result of a guiding route from an exit of the expressway to an entrance of the expressway by way of each selected facility to a display unit to display the search result.

2. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route search unit provides the display unit a total running distance from the exit of the expressway to the entrance of the expressway by way of each selected facility.

3. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the route search unit provides the display unit a running distance from the exit of the expressway to each selected facility and a running distance from each selected facility to the entrance of the expressway in addition to the total running distance.

4. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route search unit provides the display unit a total predicted running time from the exit of the expressway to the entrance of the expressway by way of each selected facility.

5. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the route search unit provides the display unit a predicted running time from the exit of the expressway to each selected facility and a predicted running time from the selected facility to the entrance of the expressway in addition to the total predicted running time.

6. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route search unit provides the display unit a search result of all facilities selected by the facility information selection unit as a list.

7. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the route search unit provides the display unit running distances from the exit of the expressway to the respective facilities and running distances from the respective facilities to the entrance of the expressway as a list in addition to the search result of all facilities selected by the facility information selection unit.

8. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the route search unit provides the display unit predicted running times from the exit of the expressway to the respective facilities and predicted running times from the respective facilities to the entrance of the expressway as a list as a list in addition to the search result of all facilities selected by the facility information selection unit.

9. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a display content setting unit that sets a portion of search content of the search result displayed as a list by the display block according to an operation, wherein the display unit displays the set portion as a highlighted image on a screen of the search result displayed as a list.

10. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route search unit changes a threshold value set by the threshold value setting unit according to an area where the facility selected by each facility information selection unit is located.

11. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 10, wherein when a density of map information of the area where each facility is located is higher than a basic density, the route search unit changes the threshold value to a smaller value and when the density of map information of the area where each facility is located is lower than the basic density, the route search unit changes the threshold value to a larger value.

12. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the route search unit changes the threshold value set by the threshold setting unit according to a specific facility selected by the facility information selection unit.

13. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the vehicle, wherein the route search unit changes the threshold value set by the threshold value setting unit based on information regarding a remaining amount of fuel acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit.

14. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a display content setting unit that changes an order of display of a plurality of facilities displayed as a list by the display unit.

15. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the display content setting unit changes the order of display of a plurality of types of facilities for each type according to a setting operation.

16. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the display content setting unit changes the order of display of a plurality of facilities of the same type for each brand name of the facilities.

17. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when each facility selected by the facility information selection unit can not be reached within business hours of each facility, the route search unit changes each facility to another facility to perform a search for a guiding route.

18. The in-vehicle navigation device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

an extra-vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires information other than that on the vehicle, wherein the route search unit changes the threshold value of a total predicted running time set by the threshold value setting unit on a basis of road traffic information acquired by the extra-vehicle information acquisition part.

19. A method of providing in-vehicle navigation guidance, the method comprising:

selecting information by a user for one or more facilities to be searched;

setting a threshold value for a search criterion of the one or more facilities;

determining whether or not a current position of the vehicle is on an expressway;

selecting a facility that satisfies the threshold value;

displaying a list that includes at least one selected facility, where said user can dynamically select from the list a specific facility; and

when the current position is determined to be on an expressway and the selected user facility is outside the expressway, displaying a guiding route from an exit of the expressway to an entrance of the expressway by way of the selected facility.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

acquiring information regarding the vehicle, wherein the threshold value is set based on information regarding a remaining amount of fuel included in the acquired information.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

acquiring additional information, other than on the vehicle, wherein the threshold value is set based on road traffic information included in the additional information.