Navigation system

• US 7,577,518 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ishii, Takaaki, Yoshimaru, Takashi, Owaki, Tsugumichi, Matsuoka, Yoji, Ishida, Teruyuki, Mutou, Keisuke, Nomura, Mami
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US11/393,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes

Abstract

A navigation system includes: a roadmap display unit that displays a roadmap at a display monitor; a current position detection unit that detects a current position of the navigation system; a setting unit that sets a right turn instruction or a left turn instruction for an intersection displayed in the roadmap; and a guidance unit that provides guidance based upon the right turn instruction or the left turn instruction having been set, as the detected current position moves to a point at or within a predetermined distance to the intersection having been set via the setting unit.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a roadmap display unit that displays a roadmap at a display monitor;

a current position detection unit that detects a current position of the navigation system;

a touch panel disposed over the display monitor that outputs a positional signal based on a position at which the touch panel is pressed;

a specifying unit that specifies an intersection displayed in the roadmap by receiving the positional signal output from the touch panel;

a setting unit that sets a right turn instruction or a left turn instruction for the intersection specified by the specifying unit; and

a guidance unit that provides guidance based upon the right turn instruction or the left turn instruction having been set, as the detected current position moves to a point at or within a predetermined distance to the specified intersection.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the navigation system is installed in a vehicle; and

the current position detection unit detects a current position of the vehicle in which the navigation system is installed.

3. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a disp1ay control unit that displays a right turn input button and a left turn input button on the display monitor; and

a selection unit that selects one of the right turn input button and the left turn input button by receiving the positional signal from the touch panel;

wherein;

the setting unit sets the right turn instruction and the left turn instruction at the specified intersection according to the selected button.

4. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the setting unit sets a right turn instruction or a left turn instruction for each intersection at which a right turn or a left turn is to be made.

5. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the setting unit displays a mark indicating a right turn or a left turn at the intersection having been set.

6. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

as the detected current position moves to a point at or within a predetermined distance to the intersection having been set via the setting unit, the guidance unit displays a mark indicating a right turn or a left turn based upon the right turn instruction or the left turn instruction having been set.

7. A navigation system according to claim 6, wherein:

if a display direction of the roadmap is adjusted to set an advancing direction of the vehicle pointing upward at the display monitor, the guidance unit displays the mark indicating the right turn or the left turn so that the direction of the right turn or the left turn indicated by the mark remains unchanged regardless of the advancing direction of the vehicle, and if the display direction of the roadmap remains unchanged, the guidance unit displays the mark indicating the right turn or the left turn so that the direction of the right turn or the left turn indicated by the mark matches a direction along which the vehicle turns right or left at the intersection.

8. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

as the detected current position moves to a point at or within a predetermined distance to the intersection having been set via the setting unit, the guidance unit provides audio guidance indicating a right turn or a left turn based upon the right turn instruction or the left turn instruction having been set.