Navigation apparatus

• US 7,472,019 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hara, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peche; Jorge O
• Application Number:
  US10/844,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20050209773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/201
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

In a navigation apparatus, via-point setting data indicating a history in terms of setting of via-points is recorded in a point database. Via-point setting data described in a point record stored in the point database indicates points that were specified as via-points when a point of the point record was specified as a destination in the past. In a setting operation, a list of points registered in advance is displayed. If the user selects a destination from the list, points registered in the via-point setting data in the point record of the point selected as the destination are set as candidates for via-points, and the point names thereof are displayed together with the point name of the destination in a via-point editing area. If an apply button is clicked, the points displayed as the candidates for via-points are determined as via-points, and a route to the destination through the determined via-points is searched for.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus for, in accordance with a destination and one or more via-points specified by a user, searching for a route to the specified destination through the specified one or more via-points and presenting a detected route, comprising:

a point database in which a plurality of point combinations are recorded, each combination comprising a previously set destination point that is a point specified as a destination in the past by a user and one or more previously set via-points that are points that were specified as via-points to the previously set destination point;

a destination acceptance unit for accepting a point entered by the user as the destination; and

a via-point acceptance unit for accepting one or more via-points, wherein if the point accepted as the destination by the destination acceptance unit is included as a previously set destination point in the combinations of previously set destination points and via-points that are recorded in the point database, then previously set via-points included in the combinations having a matching destination are presented to the user as candidate via-points, and via-points specified by the user from the presented via-point candidates are accepted by the via-point acceptance unit as the one or more via-points.

2. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the destination acceptance unit includes:

a previously set via-point presentation unit for displaying a previously set via-point list such that when a point is selected by the user as a destination from a registered point list which is a list of a plurality of points registered in advance, if the selected point is included as a previously set destination point in a combination recorded in the point database, then one or more previously set via-points included in that combination are displayed as the previously set via-point list; and

a point selection acceptance unit for accepting a point such that if a point is selected by the user from the presented registered point list, the selected point is accepted as the destination specified by the user.

3. A navigation apparatus for, in accordance with a destination and one or more via-points specified by a user, searching for a route to the specified destination through the specified one or more via-points and presenting a detected route, comprising:

a point database in which a plurality of points and relations among those points are recorded, where a recorded relation between points in the point database indicates the frequency of occurrence of the points having been specified previously as a destination and an associated via-point;

a destination acceptance unit for accepting a point as a current destination when the user enters the point as the destination; and

a via-point acceptance unit for accepting a point as a candidate for a via-point if the relation of said point to the point accepted as the current destination by the destination acceptance unit is recorded in the point database to indicate the points have been specified previously as a destination and an associated via-point;

wherein the navigation apparatus further comprises a via-point setting unit for presenting, to the user, one or more candidates for via-points accepted by the via-point acceptance unit, accepting one or more points selected by the user from the presented candidates for via-points, and setting the accepted one or more points as via-points specified by the user in association with the current destination.

4. A navigation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a point database update unit for updating the point database such that when a destination and one or more via-points are specified by the user, relations of the points specified as the via-points to the point specified as the destination are recorded in the point database,

wherein the via-point acceptance unit accepts a point as a candidate for a via-point if the relation of said point to the point accepted as the destination by the destination acceptance unit is recorded in the point database.

5. A navigation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a point database update unit for updating the point database such that when a destination and one or more via-points are specified by the user, a correlation between the point specified as the destination and each point specified as a via-point is recorded in the point database.

6. A navigation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the point database update unit updates the point database such that when a destination and a plurality of via-points are specified by the user, relations among the points specified as the via-points are recorded in the point database.

7. A navigation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the via-point acceptance unit accepts a point as a candidate for a via-point if the relation of said point to the point accepted as the destination by the destination acceptance unit is recorded in the point database, and wherein the navigation apparatus further comprises:

a via-point editing unit for presenting, to the user, candidates for via-points accepted by the via-point acceptance unit, and performing editing including at least addition and/or deletion of a candidate for a via-point in accordance with an editing operation performed by the user; and

a via-point setting unit for setting a via-point such that when a via-point decision operation is performed by the user, one or more points, which are presented as candidates for via-points at the time at which the via-point decision operation is performed, are set as via-points.

8. A navigation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the destination acceptance unit includes:

a related point presentation unit for presenting a recorded point list which is a list of points recorded in the point database, and presenting a related point list which is a list of points whose relation to a point selected by the user from the recorded point list is recorded in the point database; and

a point selection acceptance unit for accepting a point such that if a point is selected by the user from the presented registered point list, the selected point is accepted as the destination specified by the user.

9. A navigation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

relation levels among the plurality of points are recorded in the point database, and the via-point acceptance unit accepts a point as a candidate for a via-point if the relation of said point to the point accepted as the destination by the destination acceptance unit is recorded in the point database, and wherein the navigation apparatus further comprises:

a point database update unit for updating the point database such that when a destination and one or more via-points are specified by the user, the relation level of the point specified as the destination to each point specified as a via-point is increased; and

a via-point setting unit for setting one or more via-points such that candidates for via-points accepted by the via-point acceptance unit are presented to the user in the form of a list arranged in descending order of level of relation to a point accepted as a destination by the destination acceptance unit, and one or more points selected by the user from the presented candidates for via-points are accepted and set as via-points specified by the user.

10. A method, in a navigation apparatus for searching for a route to a destination specified by a user through one or more via-points specified by the user and presenting a detected route, for specifying a point as a destination of a route to be navigated or a via-point on the route, the method comprising:

accepting a point entered by a user as a current point of interest from points recorded in a point database in which a plurality of points and relations among the plurality of points are recorded, where a recorded relation between points in the point database indicates the frequency of occurrence of the points having been specified previously as a destination and an associated via-point;

presenting, as a candidate for a via-point, a point whose relation to the point accepted as the current point of interest is recorded in the point database to indicate the points have been specified previously as a destination and an associated via-point; and

setting one or more via-points on the route such that one or more points selected as via-points from the presented candidate points are accepted, and the accepted one or more points are set as the via-points.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

updating the point database such that when a destination and one or more via-points are specified by the user, the relation of each point specified as a via-point to the point specified as the destination is recorded in the point database,

wherein in the presentation act, each point whose relation to a point accepted as a selected point of interest is recorded in the point database is presented as a candidate point to the user, and

in the setting act, the point of interest is set as the destination, and one or more points selected as via-points from presented candidate points are accepted and set as via-points.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

updating the point database such that when a destination and one or more via-points are specified by the user, a correlation between the point specified as the destination and each point specified as a via-point is recorded in the point database.

13. A computer program that is read and executed by a computer, the program causing the computer to execute the acts of:

in accordance with a destination and one or more via-points specified by a user, searching for a route to the specified destination through the specified one or more via-points and presenting a detected route;

accepting a point entered by the user as a current point of interest from points recorded in a point database in which a plurality of points and relations among the plurality of points are recorded, where a recorded relation between points in the point database indicates the frequency of occurrence of the points having been specified previously as a destination and an associated via-point;

presenting, as a candidate for a via-point, a point whose relation to the point accepted as the current point of interest is recorded in the point database to indicate the points have been specified previously as a destination and an associated via-point; and

setting one or more via-points on the route such that one or more points selected as via-points from presented candidate points are accepted, and the accepted one or more points are set as the via-points.

14. A computer program according to claim 13, for causing the computer to further execute the act of updating the point database such that when a destination and one or more via-points are specified by the user, the relation of each point specified as a via-point to the point specified as the destination is recorded in the point database,

wherein in the presentation act, each point whose relation to a point accepted as a selected point of interest is recorded in the point database is presented as a candidate point to the user, and

in the setting act, the point of interest is set as the destination, and one or more points selected as via-points from presented candidate points are accepted and set as via-points.

15. A computer program according to claim 13, for causing the computer to further execute the act of updating the point database such that when a destination and one or more via-points are specified by the user, a correlation between the point specified as the destination and each point specified as a via-point is recorded in the point database.

16. A storage medium on which a computer program that is read and executed by a computer is stored, the computer program causing the computer to execute the acts of:

in accordance with a destination and one or more via-points specified by a user, searching for a route to the specified destination through the specified one or more via-points and presenting a detected route;

accepting a point entered by the user as a current point of interest from points recorded in a point database in which a plurality of points and relations among the plurality of points are recorded, where a recorded relation between points in the point database indicates the frequency of occurrence of the points having been specified previously as a destination and an associated via-point;

presenting, as a candidate for a via-point, a point whose relation to the point accepted as the current point of interest is recorded in the point database to indicate the points have been specified previously as a destination and an associated via-point; and

setting one or more via-points on the route such that one or more points selected as via-points from presented candidate points are accepted and the accepted one or more points are set as the via-points.