Navigation system

• US 7,689,352 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2006
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ishizaki, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US11/524,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/201, 701/211, 340/995, 340/988, 340/995.19, 342/357.08
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

When a user turns on an ignition switch at a parking lot so as to restart travel to a destination, a navigation system computes a distance from the parking lot to an intermediate position included in a guide route currently designated. When the computed distance is within a predetermined distance, whether the user has visited the intermediate position or not is inquired of the user. When the user inputs that the intermediate position has been visited, the navigation system re-designates a new guide route to the destination without need to pass by the intermediate position.

Claims

1. A navigation system for designating a guide route from a start position via an intermediate position to a destination to perform a route guidance by using map data obtaining means for obtaining map data and position obtaining means for obtaining a current position of the vehicle,

the navigation system comprising:

a route storage unit configured to store the guide route including the intermediate position and the destination, the stored guide route being kept stored even in case that an ignition switch of the vehicle is turned from an on state into an off state;

distance measuring means for measuring using the map data, when the ignition switch is turned from the off state into the on state, a distance to the intermediate position, which is included in the guide route stored in the route storage unit, from a current position where the ignition switch is turned from the off state into the on state;

determining means for determining whether the measured distance to the intermediate position is within a predetermined distance;

inquiring means for inquiring of a user, when the measured distance is determined to be within the predetermined distance, whether or not the intermediate position is regarded as having been passed by;

an input unit configured to be used for the user to indicate a response to the inquiring by the inquiring means; and

re-routing means for executing a re-routing to retrieve, while excluding the intermediate position, a new guide route from the current position to the destination in the guide route stored in the route storing unit when the user indicates that the intermediate position is regarded as having been passed by via the input unit,

wherein when the user indicates that the intermediate position is not regarded as having been passed by, the route guidance is started based on the guide route stored in the route storage unit.

2. A navigation system provided in a vehicle for designating a guide route from a start position to a destination to perform a route guidance by using map data obtaining means for obtaining map data and position obtaining means for obtaining a current position of the vehicle,

the navigation system comprising:

a route storage unit configured to store the guide route including the destination, the stored guide route being kept stored even in case that an ignition switch of the vehicle is turned from an on state into an off state;

distance measuring means for measuring using the map data, when the ignition switch is turned from the off state into the on state, a distance to the destination, which is included in the guide route stored in the route storage unit, from a current position where the ignition switch is turned from the off state into the on state;

determining means for determining whether the measured distance to the destination is within a predetermined distance;

inquiring means for inquiring of a user, when the measured distance to the destination is determined to be within the predetermined distance, whether or not the destination is regarded as having been arrived at;

an input unit configured to be used for the user to indicate a response to the inquiring by the inquiring means; and

re-routing means for executing a re-routing to retrieve a new guide route from the current position to the destination in the guide route stored in the route storing unit when the user indicates that the destination is not regarded as having been arrived at via the input unit,

wherein when the user indicates that the destination is regarded as having been arrived at, the route guidance to the destination in the guide route stored in the route storage unit is ended.

3. A navigation system provided in a vehicle, the navigation system comprising:

a map data obtaining unit for obtaining map data;

a position detector for detecting a current position of the vehicle;

a route designating unit for designating a route from a start position to a target position as a guide route;

a guiding unit for guiding the vehicle based on the guide route;

a route storage unit configured to store the guide route including the target position, the stored guide route being kept stored even in case that an ignition switch of the vehicle is turned from an on state into an off state;

a distance measuring unit for measuring using the map data, when the ignition switch is turned from the off state into the on state to thereby park the vehicle at a parked position, a distance from the parked position to the target position, which is included in the guide route stored in the route storage unit and has not been arrived at; and

an inquiring unit for inquiring of a user whether the user accepts an assumption that the vehicle has arrived at the target position, when the measured distance to the target position is within a predetermined distance,

wherein when the user accepts the assumption that the vehicle has arrived at the target position, the guiding unit ends the guiding of the vehicle based on the guide route up to the target position, the guide route up to the target position being stored in the route storage unit.

4. The navigation system of claim 3,

wherein the target position is included in a plurality of target positions that include a destination and an intermediate position, via which the vehicle is to travel to the destination.

5. A method used in a navigation system provided in a vehicle, the method comprising:

designating a route from a start position to a target position as a guide route;

storing the guide route including the target position in a route storage unit, the stored guide route being kept stored even in case that an ignition switch of the vehicle is turned from an on state into an off state;

measuring using map data, when the ignition switch is turned from the off state into the on state to thereby park the vehicle at a parked position, a distance from the parked position to the target position, which is included in the guide route stored in the route storage unit and has not been arrived at;

inquiring of a user whether the user accepts an assumption that the vehicle has arrived at the target position, when the measured distance to the target position is within a predetermined distance; and

re-designating a route from the parked position to the target position so as to update the guide route stored in the route storage unit, based on a re-routing instruction arising when the measured distance is not within the predetermined distance or when the user does not accept the assumption.