Navigation device

• US 7,634,356 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Uchida, Akinori, Oguchi, Junko, Arakawa, Akiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US11/514,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 701207-215, 340/995.13, 340/995.19, 340/995.16, 340/990
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

When there is an area (chargeable area) that may be avoided, a suitable bypass route is presented with suitable timing. When a retrieved recommended route passes through an area (for example, a chargeable area) that may be avoided, a navigation device searches in advance for a bypass route that starts from a branch point (such as an intersection) on the recommended route before the area and bypasses the area without taking a long way around the area. The navigation device presents the recommended route before the area is approached, and presents the bypass route for the first time when the branch point becomes near.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a storage unit adapted to store information concerning an area to be avoided;

a route search unit adapted to search for a recommended route to a destination, without regard to whether said recommended route passes through said area to be avoided;

a bypass route search unit adapted to search for a bypass route that avoids entering into said area to be avoided, if said recommended route passes through said area to be avoided; and

a guidance unit adapted to display said bypass route, when the present location moves to a predetermined distance before a branch point to said bypass route.

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

said area to be avoided is a chargeable area; and

said guidance unit is adapted to display a charge content when the present location moves to the predetermined distance before said branch point.

2. A navigation device comprising:

a detector unit adapted to detect a present location;

an avoidance area unit adapted to obtain information concerning an area to be avoided;

a setting unit adapted to set a departure point and a destination;

a route search unit adapted to search for a route A from said departure point to said destination;

a bypass route search unit adapted to search for a route B that starts from a branch point on said route A on a near side of said area to be avoided and bypasses said area to be avoided, if said route A passes through said area to be avoided; and

a guidance unit adapted to display said route B, when the present location moves to a predetermined distance before said branch point.

5. A navigation device according to claim 2, wherein:

said bypass route search unit is adapted to;

extract a predetermined number of branch points located before said area to be avoided on said route A;

search for bypass routes that respectively start from the extracted branch points and bypass said area to be avoided; and

take, as the route B, a bypass route whose distance or travel time is shortest among the bypass routes.

9. A navigation device according to claim 2, wherein:

said area to be avoided is a chargeable area; and

said guidance unit is adapted to display a charge content when the present location moves to the predetermined distance before said branch point.

12. A navigation device according to claim 5, wherein:

said area to be avoided is a chargeable area; and

said guidance unit is adapted to display a charge content when the present location moves to the predetermined distance before said branch point.

3. A navigation device comprising:

a detector unit adapted to detect a present location;

an avoidance area unit adapted to obtain information concerning an area to be avoided;

a setting unit adapted to set a departure point and a destination;

a route search unit adapted to search for a route A from said departure point to said destination;

a bypass route search unit adapted to search for a route B that starts from a branch point on said route A on a near side of said area to be avoided and bypasses said area to be avoided, if said route A passes through said area to be avoided; and

a guidance unit adapted to;

give guidance using said route A, until the present location moves to a predetermined distance before said branch point;

display that the area to be avoided exists, when the present location moves to a predetermined distance before said branch point;

give guidance using the route A when the present location is on the route A even after passing said branch point; and

give guidance using the route B when the present location is on the route B after passing said branch point.

7. A navigation device according to claim 3, wherein:

said bypass route search unit is adapted to;

extract a predetermined number of branch points located before said area to be avoided on said route A;

search for bypass routes that respectively start from the extracted branch points and bypass said area to be avoided; and

take, as the route B, a bypass route whose distance or travel time is shortest among the bypass routes.

10. A navigation device according to claim 3, wherein:

said area to be avoided is a chargeable area; and

said guidance unit is adapted to display a charge content when the present location moves to the predetermined distance before said branch point.

4. A navigation device comprising:

a detector unit adapted to detect a present location;

an avoidance area unit adapted to obtain information concerning an area to be avoided;

a setting unit adapted to set a departure point and a destination;

a route search unit adapted to search for a route A from said departure point to said destination;

a bypass route search unit adapted to search for a route B that starts from a branch point on said route A on a near side of said area to be avoided and bypasses said area to be avoided, if said route A passes through said area to be avoided; and

a guidance unit adapted to;

give guidance using said route A, until the present location moves to a predetermined distance before said branch point;

receive an instruction on whether the route B should be used for guidance, when the present location moves to the predetermined distance before said branch point;

give guidance using the route B when the instruction to use the route B for guidance is received; and

give guidance continuously using the route A when the instruction to use the route B for guidance is not received.

8. A navigation device according to claim 4, wherein:

said bypass route search unit is adapted to;

extract a predetermined number of branch points located before said area to be avoided on said route A;

search for bypass routes that respectively start from the extracted branch points and bypass said area to be avoided; and

take, as the route B, a bypass route whose distance or travel time is shortest among the bypass routes.

11. A navigation device according to claim 4, wherein:

said area to be avoided is a chargeable area; and

said guidance unit is adapted to display a charge content when the present location moves to the predetermined distance before said branch point.

13. A navigation device comprising:

a detector unit adapted to detect a present location;

an avoidance area unit adapted to obtain information concerning an area to be avoided;

a setting unit adapted to set a departure point and a destination;

a route search unit adapted to search for a route A from said departure point to said destination;

a bypass route search unit adapted to search for a route B that starts from a branch point on said route A on a near side of said area to be avoided and bypasses said area to be avoided, if said route A passes through said area to be avoided; and

a guidance unit adapted to display that the area to be avoided exists and for displaying said route B, when the present location moves to a predetermined distance before said branch point.

14. A navigation device according to claim 13, wherein:

said bypass route search unit is adapted to;

extract a predetermined number of branch points located before said area to be avoided on said route A;

search for bypass routes that respectively start from the extracted branch points and bypass said area to be avoided; and

take, as the route B, a bypass route whose distance or travel time is shortest among the bypass routes.

15. A navigation device according to claim 13, wherein:

said area to be avoided is a chargeable area; and

said guidance unit is adapted to display a charge content when the present location moves to the predetermined distance before said branch point.