Guiding a drive path of a moving object in a navigation system

• US 7,630,832 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Myung Hyun, Kim, Young In
• Primary Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US11/276,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/200, 701/206, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 701/216, 701/217, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995.1, 340/995.14, 340/995.17, 340/995.19, 340/995.2, 340/995.27
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence

Abstract

A navigation system, and a method for guiding a moving object having the navigation system, include a control unit which determines a current position of the moving object and whether the moving object has arrived at a guide point of a guide target. The control unit provides the drive path based on the current position of the moving object. Upon arrival of the moving object at the guide point, a first turn guide icon and a second turn guide icon are determined for the guide target, wherein the first turn guide icon and the second turn guide icon collectively represent suggested vehicle operations at the guide point and a drive direction at a position of the guide target from a plurality of previously stored turn guide icons. The guide icons are sequentially displayed relative to the drive path throughout the vehicle operation at the guide point.

Claims

1. A method of guiding a motor vehicle having a navigation system along a drive path, the method comprising:

determining a current position of the motor vehicle using a control unit of the navigation system and providing a drive path to a display unit of the navigation system based on the current position of the motor vehicle;

determining whether the motor vehicle has arrived at a complex guide point of a guide target, wherein the guide target includes a plurality of road interchanges within a predetermined distance of each other;

determining, upon arrival at the complex guide point, a turn angle for the motor vehicle based on suggested vehicle operation through the guide target;

determining two or more turn guide icons for the determined turn angle from a plurality of previously stored turn guide icons, wherein the two or more turn guide icons collectively represent the determined turn angle, and wherein the two or more turn guide icons differ from one another; and

sequentially displaying, on the display unit of the navigation system, the determined two or more turn guide icons relative to the drive path during the vehicle operation through the guide target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of road interchanges each include a road direction angle within a common angular range of approximately 15°

.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously stored turn guide icons each differ in directional angle by approximately 15°

.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sequentially displaying the determined two or more turn guide icons relative to the drive path during the vehicle operation through the guide target comprises sequentially displaying, at equally spaced distances, the determined two or more turn guide icons relative to the drive path during the vehicle operation through the guide target.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined turn angle is 90°

.

6. A method of guiding a moving object along a drive path, the method comprising:

determining a current position of the moving object using a control unit and instructing a drive path based on the current position of the moving object;

determining whether the moving object has arrived at a guide point of a guide target;

determining, upon arrival at the guide point, a turn angle for the moving object based on a suggested drive path through the guide target;

determining two or more turn guide icons for the determined turn angle from a plurality of previously stored turn guide icons, wherein the two or more turn guide icons collectively represent the determined turn angle, and wherein the two or more turn guide icons differ from one another; and

sequentially displaying, on a display unit, the determined two or more turn guide icons relative to the drive path.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the current position of the moving object is determined with hybrid navigation using the control unit, wherein hybrid navigation comprises receiving a navigation message with a GPS receiver and detecting a drive state detecting signal with a sensor unit.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

matching the determined current position of the moving object to map data; and

displaying the determined current position of the moving object and the map data on the display unit.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising searching a drive path between an origination and a destination of the moving object, wherein the guide target is located on the searched drive path.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein searching the drive path comprises inputting a search command to a command input unit.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the origination of the moving object is a position detected by hybrid navigation using the control unit, wherein hybrid navigation comprises receiving a navigation message with a GPS receiver and detecting a drive state detecting signal with a sensor unit.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein searching the drive path comprises referencing previously stored map data using the control unit, wherein the previously stored map data is stored in a map data storage unit.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of previously stored turn guide icons differ from one another in directional angle by a predetermined angle.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein sequentially displaying comprises:

determining a distance between a current position of the moving object and the position of the guide target; and

sequentially displaying the two or more turn guide icons according to the determined distance.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the distance between the current position of the moving object and the position of the guide target comprises determining the current position of the moving object with hybrid navigation using the control unit, wherein hybrid navigation comprises receiving a navigation message with a GPS receiver and detecting a drive state detecting signal with a sensor unit.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein the guide target comprises a complex guide target including a plurality of road interchanges within a predetermined distance of each other.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein the previously stored turn guide icons each differ in directional angle by approximately 15°

.

18. The method of claim 7, wherein sequentially displaying the determined two or more turn guide icons relative to the drive path comprises sequentially displaying, at equally spaced distances, the determined two or more turn guide icons relative to the drive path.

19. The method of claim 7, wherein the determined turn angle is 90°

.

20. A navigation system within a moving object for guiding the moving object along a drive path, the system comprising:

a satellite navigation system receiver;

a sensor unit for detecting a driving direction and operating state of the moving object independently from the satellite navigation system receiver;

a map data storage unit;

a display unit; and

a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to;

determine a current position of the moving object from data received from the satellite navigation system receiver;

instruct a drive path based on the current position of the moving object and the driving direction and operating state of the moving object;

determining determine whether the moving object has arrived at a guide point of a guide target;

determine, upon arrival at the guide point, a turn angle for the moving object based on a suggested drive path of the moving object through the guide target;

determine two or more turn guide icons for the determined turn angle from a plurality of previously stored turn guide icons, wherein the two or more turn guide icons collectively represent the determined turn angle, and wherein the two or more turn guide icons differ from one another; and

sequentially display, on the display unit, the determined two or more turn guide icons relative to the drive path during the vehicle operation through the guide target.

21. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein the guide target is a complex guide target including a plurality of road interchanges within a predetermined distance of each other.

22. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine whether the data received from the satellite navigation system receiver is reliable.

23. The navigation system of claim 22, wherein, based on a determination that the data received from the satellite navigation system receiver is not reliable, the control unit is further configured to determine the current position of the moving object from data received from the sensor unit.

24. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein the control unit is further configured to sequentially display, at equally spaced distances, the determined two or more turn guide icons relative to the drive path during the vehicle operation through the guide target.

25. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein the previously stored turn guide icons each differ in directional angle by approximately 15°

.

26. The navigation system of claim 20, wherein the determined turn angle is 90°

.