Pedestrian navigation device, pedestrian navigation system, pedestrian navigation method and program

• US 7,539,576 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2004
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsunaga, Takayuki, Ohnishi, Keisuke, Suzuki, Yusuke, Kikuchi, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/553,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 701/211, 701/213, 701/207, 701/209, 701/201, 340/944, 340/995.14, 340/995.23, 340/996
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3652 Guidance using non-audiovisual output, e.g. tactile, haptic or electric stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator

Abstract

A pedestrian navigation system provides distance information and travel directions to a destination. The system includes a pedestrian navigation device for navigating a pedestrian'"'"'s route by means of a vibration, a server for offering navigation information to the pedestrian navigation device, a network for connecting the pedestrian navigation device with the server to permit communication between each other, and a GPS for offering position information to the pedestrian navigation device. Further, the pedestrian navigation device can include a speaker for outputting a guide voice based on the user'"'"'s present position information, so as to start a voice guide after generating vibration, thereby facilitating verification of the guidance information provided.

Claims

1. A pedestrian navigation device constituted in a mobile phone for navigating a pedestrian route, comprising:

position information receiving means that acquires position information from a GPS system;

position information analyzing means that analyzes the position information received by the position information receiving means to calculate a present position;

map information storing means that stores map information received from a server that provides navigation information;

central processing means that calculates present position information based on the present position calculated by the position information analyzing means and the map information stored in the map information storing means;

vibrating means that generates a vibration guide based on the present position information calculated by the central processing means; and

voice guide output means that outputs a guide voice based on the present position information calculated by the central processing means, wherein;

the voice guide output means outputs the guide voice after a predetermined delay from the time the vibration guide is generated.

2. The pedestrian navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the voice guide output means adds either a soundless (voiceless) section, a sound effect, or a melody for a predetermined period at the onset of the guide voice.

3. A pedestrian navigation system comprising:

a pedestrian navigation device that is constituted in a mobile phone for navigating a pedestrian route;

a server that provides the pedestrian navigation device with navigation information; and

a network that permits the pedestrian navigation device and the server to communicate with each other, wherein;

the pedestrian navigation device is the pedestrian navigation device according to claim 1.

4. The pedestrian navigation system according to claim 3, wherein the network is the Internet or an intranet.

5. A pedestrian navigation system comprising:

a pedestrian navigation device that is constituted in a mobile phone for navigating a pedestrian route;

a server that provides the pedestrian navigation device with navigation information; and

a network that permits the pedestrian navigation device and the server to communicate with each other, wherein;

the pedestrian navigation device is the pedestrian navigation device according to claim 1, and downloads a voice pattern of the guide voice from the server.

6. A program stored on a computer-readable medium and executable by a computer processor that induces a mobile phone to navigate a pedestrian route, wherein the mobile phone performs the function of the pedestrian navigation device according to claim 1.

7. The pedestrian navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined delay is selectable by a user.

8. A pedestrian navigation method for navigating a pedestrian route, comprising the following steps:

(A) position information is acquired from a GPS system;

(B) the acquired position information is analyzed to calculate a user'"'"'s present position;

(C) present position information is calculated based on the calculated present position of the user and map information received from a server that provides navigation information;

(D) vibration is generated based on the calculated present position information; and

(E) a guide voice is outputted based on the calculated present position information after a predetermined delay from the time the vibration is generated.

9. The pedestrian navigation method according to claim 8, wherein delaying means is provided to start the voice guide after the predetermined delay from the time the vibration guide is generated.

10. The pedestrian navigation method according to claim 8, wherein either a soundless (voiceless) section, a sound effect, or a melody for a predetermined period is added at the onset of the guide voice.

11. A program stored on a computer-readable medium and executable by a computer processor that induces a mobile phone to navigate a pedestrian route, wherein the mobile phone performs the function of processing carried out by means of the pedestrian navigation method according to claim 8.

12. The pedestrian navigation device according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined delay is selectable by a user.