Route searching arrangements (e.g., method, process) in navigation system

• US 7,801,678 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sano, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US11/165,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 701209-211, 340/995.13, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• 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

Abstract

In a navigation system mounted on a moving object, when the current position exists on a road with time-based regulation on map data, route search is retried ignoring the time-based regulation. It is further possible to conduct the route search ignoring only the time-based regulation on the road where the current position is located.

Claims

1. A route search method for searching for a plurality of interconnected links to set as a multi-link trip route to be traveled from a departure position to a final destination, the method being implementable in a navigation system provided in a moving object and carried out via a processor, and comprising:

when a route search is conducted with respect to roads having a time-based road-rule-regulation on map data, conducting the route search by ignoring at least the time-based road-rule-regulation pertaining to a road on which the moving object currently exists, to ensure that the road on which the moving object currently exists is taken as a first link of the plurality of interconnected links to set as the multi-link trip route to be traveled from the departure position to the final destination.

2. A route search method for searching for a plurality of interconnected links to set as a multi-link trip route to be traveled from a departure position to a final destination, the method being implementable in a navigation system that is provided in a moving object having a current position detecting function, the method carried out via a processor and comprising:

accessing a storage device that stores time-based road-rule-regulation information relating to time-based road-rule-regulations of respective links constituting roads on a map,

performing a route search step which searches for a route which avoids links having the time-based road-rule-regulation, by using said time-based road-rule-regulation information, and

performing a route search retrying step which conducts a retry route search which ignores said time-based road-rule-regulation information of a link upon which the moving object presently exists to ensure that the link is taken as a first link of the plurality of interconnected links to set as the multi-link trip route to be traveled from the departure position to the final destination, when said moving object deviates from the route searched by said route search step and the current position exists on the link having the time-based road-rule-regulation.

3. A route search method for searching for a plurality of interconnected links to set as a multi-link trip route to be traveled from a departure position to a final destination, the method being implementable in a navigation system that is provided in a moving object having a current position detecting function, the method carried out via a processor and comprising:

accessing a storage device that stores time-based road-rule-regulation information relating to time-based road-rule-regulations of respective links constituting roads on a map,

performing a route search step which searches for a route which avoids links with the time-based road-rule regulation, by using said time-based road-rule-regulation information, and

performing a deviation determination step which determines whether or not said moving object deviates from the route searched by said route search step, and

performing a route search retrying step which ignores at least said time-based road-rule-regulation information of the link on which the moving object currently exits in conducting a retry route search, even if it has a time-based road-rule according to a map data, to ensure that the link is taken as a first link of the plurality of interconnected links to set as the multi-link trip route to be traveled from the departure position to the final destination, when said moving object is determined to be deviated from the route and onto the link having the time-based road-rule-regulation.

4. The route search method according to claim 3, wherein,

if the search fails in said route search retrying step, the retry route search is conducted ignoring said time-based road-rule-regulation information of all links.

5. The route search method according to claim 3, wherein,

said route search step searches for a route which avoids links having the time-based road-rule-regulation in a time zone determined by a departure time, by using said time-based road-rule-regulation information.

6. A route search method for searching for a plurality of interconnected links to set as a multi-link trip route to be traveled from a departure position to a final destination, the method being implementable in a navigation system that is provided in a moving object having a current position detecting function, the method carried out via a processor and comprising:

accessing a storage device that stores time-based road-rule-regulation information relating to time-based road-rule-regulations of respective links constituting roads on a map,

performing a route search step which searches for a route which avoids links with the time-based road-rule regulation, by using said time-based road-rule-regulation information,

performing a deviation determination step which determines whether or not said moving object deviates from the route searched by said route search step;

performing a renewed route search step which again searches for a renewed route which avoids a link with the time-based road-rule regulation, by using said time-based road-rule-regulation information, when said moving object is determined to deviate from the route searched by said route search step, and

performing a route search retrying step which ignores at least said time-based road-rule-regulation information of the link on which the moving object currently exists in a retrying to determine a new route, even if it has a time-based road-rule according to a map data, to ensure that the link is taken as a first link of the plurality of interconnected links to set as the multi-link trip route to be traveled from the departure position to the final destination, when said moving object is determined to be deviated from the route and onto the link having the time-based road-rule.

7. The route search method according to claim 6, wherein,

if the search fails in said route search retrying step, the retry route search is again conducted ignoring said time-based road-rule-regulation information of all links.

8. A computerized navigation system for searching for a plurality of interconnected links to set as a multi-link trip route to be traveled from a departure position to a final destination for a moving object provided with a current position detection function, the navigation system configured to perform operation(s) of:

when a route search is conducted with respect to roads having a time-based road-rule-regulation on map data, conducting the route search by ignoring at least the time-based road-rule-regulation pertaining to a road on which the moving object currently exists to ensure that the road on which the moving object currently exists is taken as a first link of the plurality of interconnected links to set as the multi-link trip route to be traveled from the departure position to the final destination.

9. A computerized navigation system for searching for a plurality of interconnected links to set as a multi-link trip route to be traveled from a departure position to a final destination for a moving object provided with a current position detection function, the navigation system configured to perform operation(s) of:

accessing a storage device that stores time-based road-rule-regulation information relating to time-based road-rule-regulations of respective links constituting roads on a map,

performing a route search operation which searches for a route which avoids links having the time-based road-rule-regulation, by using said time-based road-rule-regulation information, and

performing a route search retrying operation which conducts a retry route search which ignores said time-based road-rule-regulation information of a link upon which the moving object presently exists to ensure that the link is taken as a first link of the plurality of interconnected links to set as the multi-link trip route to be traveled from the departure position to the final destination, when said moving object deviates from the route searched by said route search operation and the current position exists on the link having the time-based road-rule-regulation.

10. A computerized navigation system for searching for a plurality of interconnected links to set as a multi-link trip route to be traveled from a departure position to a final destination for a moving object provided with a current position detection function, the navigation system configured to perform operation(s) of:

accessing a storage device that stores time-based road-rule-regulation information relating to time-based road-rule-regulations of respective links constituting roads on a map,

performing a route search operation which searches for a route which avoids links with the time-based road-rule regulation, by using said time-based road-rule-regulation information, and

performing a deviation determination operation which determines whether or not said moving object deviates from the route searched by said route search operation, and

performing a route search retrying operation which ignores at least said time-based road-rule-regulation information of the link on which the moving object currently exits in conducting a retry route search, even if it has a time-based road-rule according to a map data, to ensure that the link is taken as a first link of the plurality of interconnected links to set as the multi-link trip route to be traveled from the departure position to the final destination, when said moving object is determined to be deviated from the route and onto the link having the time-based road-rule-regulation.

11. The computerized navigation system according to claim 10, wherein the navigation system configured to perform operation(s) of:

if the search fails in said route search retrying operation, the retry route search is conducted ignoring said time-based road-rule-regulation information of all links.

12. The computerized navigation system according to claim 10, wherein the navigation system configured to perform operation(s) of:

said route search operation searches for a route which avoids links having the time-based road-rule-regulation in a time zone determined by a departure time, by using said time-based road-rule-regulation information.

13. A computerized navigation system for searching for a plurality of interconnected links to set as a multi-link trip route to be traveled from a departure position to a final destination for a moving object provided with a current position detection function, the navigation system configured to perform operation(s) of:

accessing a storage device that stores time-based road-rule-regulation information relating to time-based road-rule-regulations of respective links constituting roads on a map,

performing a route search operation which searches for a route which avoids links with the time-based road-rule regulation, by using said time-based road-rule-regulation information,

performing a deviation determination operation which determines whether or not said moving object deviates from the route searched by said route search operation;

performing a renewed route search operation which again searches for a renewed route which avoids a link with the time-based road-rule regulation, by using said time-based road-rule-regulation information, when said moving object is determined to deviate from the route searched by said route search operation, and

performing a route search retrying operation which ignores at least said time-based road-rule-regulation information of the link on which the moving object currently exists in a retrying to determine a new route, even if it has a time-based road-rule according to a map data, to ensure that the link is taken as a first link of the plurality of interconnected links to set as the multi-link trip route to be traveled from the departure position to the final destination, when said moving object is determined to be deviated from the route and onto the link having the time-based road-rule.

14. The computerized navigation system according to claim 13, wherein the navigation system configured to perform operation(s) of:

if the search fails in said route search retrying operation, the retry route search is again conducted ignoring said time-based road-rule-regulation information of all links.