Navigation method and system having improved arrival detection function for large scale destination

• US 7,603,231 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2005
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Tommy
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Algahaim; Helal A
• Application Number:
  US11/271,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,431 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/203, 701/209
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3605 Destination input or retrieval

Abstract

A navigation system guides a user to a destination with an improved arrival detection capability when the selected destination is a large facility or a natural place that occupies a relatively large area. When a particular destination is specified by the user, the navigation system calculates a route to the destination based on the address of the specified destination. The navigation system also checks whether the specified destination is associated with polygon data. When the specified destination is associated with the polygon data, the navigation system creates an arrival detection start range. After reaching the arrival detection start range, the navigation system detects the arrival at the destination when any part of the polygon of the destination comes within an arrival detection range of the navigation system.

Claims

1. A method of determining an arrival at a particular destination for use with a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

determining if a destination to be reached is associated with polygon data in map data where the polygon data shows a shape of the destination or other place related to the destination;

performing a route guidance operation to guide a user to the destination through a calculated route;

checking whether a current user position has reached an arrival detection start range where the arrival detection start range is a range that encompasses a whole shape of the destination or a range that derives from a particular shape of the destination where the destination includes a place related to the destination which is represented by the polygon data;

checking whether any portion of the shape of the destination defined by polygon data comes within an arrival detection range where the arrival detection range is a range defined by a predetermined distance from the current user position; and

notifying arrival at the destination when the current user position comes within the arrival detection start range and also when any part of the shape of the destination comes within the arrival detection range.

2. A method of determining an arrival as defined in claim 1, said step of checking whether any portion of the shape of the destination or the place related to the destination comes within the arrival detection range starts when the current user position comes within the arrival detection start range.

3. A method of determining an arrival as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of guiding the user to an address point of the destination when no polygon data is associated with the particular destination.

4. A method of determining an arrival as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of creating the arrival detection start range based on size and shape of the destination represented by the polygon data.

5. A method of determining an arrival as defined in claim 1, wherein the arrival detection start range is a circle defined by an address point of the destination as its center.

6. A method of determining an arrival as defined in claim 1, wherein the arrival detection start range is a circle defined by an address point of the destination as its center and a radius corresponding to a distance between the center and a far end of the shape of the destination defined by the polygon data.

7. A method of determining an arrival as defined in claim 1, wherein the arrival detection start range is a shape symmetrical to and larger than the shape of the destination represented by the polygon data where the arrival detection start range has a predetermined distance from an outer rim of the shape of the destination.

8. A method of determining an arrival as defined in claim 1, wherein the arrival detection start range is defined by two or more circles each having a center at a corner of the shape of the destination.

9. A method of determining an arrival as defined in claim 1, wherein the destination is a large scale place including a shopping mall, a stadium, a large building, airport, lake, and park.

10. An apparatus for of determining an arrival at a particular destination for use with a navigation system, comprising:

means for determining if a destination to be reached is associated with polygon data in map data where the polygon data shows a shape of the destination or other place related to the destination;

means for performing a route guidance operation to guide a user to the destination through a calculated route;

means for checking whether a current user position has reached an arrival detection start range where the arrival detection start range is a range that encompasses a whole shape of the destination or a range that derives from a particular shape of the destination where the destination includes a place related to the destination which is represented by the polygon data;

means for checking whether any portion of the shape of the destination defined by polygon data comes within an arrival detection range where the arrival detection range is a range defined by a predetermined distance from a current user position; and

means for notifying arrival at the destination when the current user position comes within the arrival detection start range and also when any part of the shape of the destination comes within the arrival detection range.

11. An apparatus for determining an arrival as defined in claim 10, said means for checking whether any portion of the shape of the destination or the place related to the destination comes within the arrival detection range starts when the current user position comes within the arrival detection start range.

12. An apparatus for determining an arrival as defined in claim 10, further comprising means for guiding the user to an address point of the destination when no polygon data is associated with the particular destination.

13. An apparatus for determining an arrival as defined in claim 10, further comprising means for creating the arrival detection start range based on size and shape of the destination represented by the polygon data.

14. An apparatus for determining an arrival as defined in claim 10, wherein the arrival detection start range is a circle defined by an address point of the destination as its center.

15. An apparatus for determining an arrival as defined in claim 10, wherein the arrival detection start range is a circle defined by an address point of the destination as its center and a radius corresponding to a distance between the center and a far end of the shape of the destination defined by the polygon data.

16. An apparatus for determining an arrival as defined in claim 10, wherein the arrival detection start range is a shape symmetrical to and larger than the shape of the destination represented by the polygon data where the arrival detection start range has a predetermined distance from an outer rim of the shape of the destination.

17. An apparatus for determining an arrival as defined in claim 10, wherein the arrival detection start range is defined by two or more circles each having a center at a corner of the shape of the destination.

18. An apparatus for determining an arrival as defined in claim 10, wherein the destination is a large scale place including a shopping mall, a stadium, a large building, airport, lake, and park.