Navigation device

• US 7,693,657 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Amaya, Shinichi, Endo, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/815,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20090018759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 701/210, 701/117, 701/208, 340/995, 340/995.11, 340/995.14, 340/995.13
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/006 Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes

Abstract

A navigation device displays predicted traffic information downloaded from a server device and statistical traffic information stored in a storage unit, on the same screen. Both information items may be displayed in such a manner that at least a part of them is overlaid (a superimposed display). The predicted traffic information may be superimposed on the statistical traffic information. When traffic information of the same time band of the same object (link, mesh area) exists in both the information items, one thereof may be selected to be displayed.

Claims

1. A navigation device for providing real-time navigation guidance with respect to any of a plurality of selectable time bands, including a current time band and at least one future time band, where each time band corresponds to a range of time in a day, the navigation device comprising,

a setting unit adapted to selectably set a focused time band indicating one future time band of the at least one future time band,

a control info obtaining unit adapted to obtain from a remote source, in real-time in advance of the focused time band, current control information at a current time,

a congestion info obtaining unit adapted to obtain from the remote source, in real-time in advance of the focused time band, traffic congestion information for the focused time band, and

a display unit adapted to display, on one screen, the obtained current control information and the traffic congestion information for the focused time band.

8. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a parking info obtaining unit adapted to obtain parking lot information including business hours, wherein,

the display unit uses the parking lot information to display a parking lot that is open for business in the focused time band.

9. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising an options display unit adapted to display time options for setting the focused time band, wherein,

time intervals of the time options are narrower, the closer the time is to the current time.

2. A navigation device for providing real-time navigation guidance with respect to any of a plurality of selectable time bands, including a current time band and at least one future time band, where each time band corresponds to a range of time in a day, the navigation device comprising,

a control info obtaining unit adapted to obtain current control information at a current time for a road,

a congestion info obtaining unit adapted to obtain traffic congestion information for each time band,

a setting unit adapted to selectably set a focused time band indicating one future time band of the at least one future time band,

a control info extracting unit adapted to extract, from the current control information, a control information item that includes a control time that is within the focused time band,

a congestion info extracting unit adapted to extract, from the traffic congestion information, in real-time in advance of the focused time band, a traffic congestion information item of the focused time band, and

a display unit adapted to display the current control information item and the extracted traffic congestion information item of the focused time band, on screen.

3. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein,

when a control information item and a traffic congestion information item concerning the same road are extracted, the display unit selects one of either of the information items, and displays the selected information item concerning the road.

4. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein,

when a control information item and a traffic congestion information item concerning the same road are extracted, the display unit displays the current control information concerning the road.

5. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein,

when a control information item and a traffic congestion information item concerning the same road are extracted, the display unit displays the control information item concerning the road without displaying the traffic congestion information item, if the control information item indicates that passing through the road is prohibited.

6. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein,

the control information item is downloaded or received from a server device that distributes traffic information, or is stored beforehand in a storage unit of the navigation device, and

the traffic congestion information item is downloaded from the server device, or stored beforehand in the storage unit of the navigation device.

7. The navigation device according to claim 6, wherein,

if a control information item received from the server device and a control information item stored beforehand in the storage unit, concerning the same road, exist, the control information received from the server device is displayed.

13. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein,

when displaying of the current traffic information is switched to displaying of predicted congestion information after the current time, the display unit does not display the current control information.

14. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein,

when a cursor is placed on a display of the current control information, the display unit displays details of control.

10. A navigation device for providing real-time navigation guidance with respect to any of a plurality of selectable time bands, including a current time band and at least one future time band, where each time band corresponds to a range of time in a day, the navigation device comprising,

a setting unit adapted to selectably set a focused time band indicating one future time band of the at least one future time band,

a current info obtaining unit adapted to obtain from a remote source, in real-time in advance of the focused time band, current control information at the current time, for the focused time band,

a congestion info obtaining unit adapted to obtain from the remote source, in real-time in advance of the focused time band, traffic congestion information for the focused time band, and

a display unit adapted to display, on one screen, the obtained current control information and the traffic congestion information for the focused time band.

11. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein,

when a difference between the current time and the focused time band is less than a predetermined value, the display unit displays, on the same screen, the obtained current control information and the traffic congestion information.

12. The navigation device according to either of claim 10 or claim 11, wherein,

the traffic congestion information is downloaded or received from the server device that distributes the traffic information.