Navigation system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for navigating a vehicle, comprising:
- an input device operable to set a destination;
a location detector operable to detect a current location of the vehicle;
at least one receiver operable to acquire traffic information, including an existence of a traffic obstacle on an optimum route from the current location to the destination; and
a controller operable to search for the optimum route from the current location to the destination and a detour having at least one of the shortest time to the destination and the shortest distance to the destination in order to detour around the traffic obstacle when the existence of the traffic obstacle is detected; and
the controller operable to perform guidance related to the detour a prescribed distance before a branching point that branches from the optimum route to the detour, wherein the detour having the shortest time to the destination is an optimum detour route; and
wherein the controller is further operable to search among a plurality of detours for detouring around the traffic obstacle for a last detour route to the destination branching from a branching site on the optimum route nearest the traffic obstacle, the controller further operable to select one of the optimum detour route and the last detour route based on a branching site distance between the branching point for the optimum detour route on the optimum route and the branching point for the last detour route and a required time difference between a required running time from the current location via the optimum detour route to the destination and a required running time from the current location via the last detour route to the destination.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation system comprising an apparatus and method for navigating a vehicle along a detour route when appropriate. A destination is set, and the current location, or site, is detected. Guiding is performed along an optimum route from the current location to the destination. When a traffic obstacle that requires a detour from the optimum route is detected, a detour to the destination that detours the traffic obstacle is searched. The detour is a route having the shortest time and/or the shortest distance from the current location to the destination. Guiding is performed for the detour route at a site located a prescribed distance from a branching point where branching is to be made from the optimum route to one of at least two detour routes.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for navigating a vehicle, comprising:
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an input device operable to set a destination; a location detector operable to detect a current location of the vehicle; at least one receiver operable to acquire traffic information, including an existence of a traffic obstacle on an optimum route from the current location to the destination; and a controller operable to search for the optimum route from the current location to the destination and a detour having at least one of the shortest time to the destination and the shortest distance to the destination in order to detour around the traffic obstacle when the existence of the traffic obstacle is detected; and
the controller operable to perform guidance related to the detour a prescribed distance before a branching point that branches from the optimum route to the detour, wherein the detour having the shortest time to the destination is an optimum detour route; and
wherein the controller is further operable to search among a plurality of detours for detouring around the traffic obstacle for a last detour route to the destination branching from a branching site on the optimum route nearest the traffic obstacle, the controller further operable to select one of the optimum detour route and the last detour route based on a branching site distance between the branching point for the optimum detour route on the optimum route and the branching point for the last detour route and a required time difference between a required running time from the current location via the optimum detour route to the destination and a required running time from the current location via the last detour route to the destination. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An apparatus for navigating a vehicle, comprising:
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destination setting means for setting a destination; current location detection means for detecting a current Location of the vehicle; traffic information acquisition means for acquiring traffic information; route search means for searching for an optimum route from the current location to the destination; detour search means for searching for a detour having at least one of a shortest time and a shortest distance to the destination to detour around a traffic obstacle when the traffic obstacle is detected on the optimum route by the traffic information acquisition means; and detour guidance means for performing guidance at a prescribed distance before a branching point that branches from the optimum route to the detour, wherein the prescribed distance is based on a preparation time for branching to the detour and the vehicle speed. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for navigating a vehicle, comprising:
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setting a destination; detecting a current location of the vehicle; acquiring traffic information; searching for an optimum route from the current location to the destination; searching for a detour having at least one of a shortest time and a shortest distance to the destination to detour around a traffic obstacle when the traffic obstacle is detected based on the acquired traffic information; performing guidance at a prescribed distance before a branching point that branches from the optimum route to the detour; and determining the prescribed distance based on a preparation time for branching to the detour and the vehicle speed at the branching point. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification