Navigation system

• US 7,970,536 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ando, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Kyung J
• Application Number:
  US11/830,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20080027638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209
• US Class Current: 701/209
• 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: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map

Abstract

A navigation system includes: a search unit that executes a search for a route from a start point to a destination; a display unit at which the route determined through the search is displayed together with a roadmap; and a specification unit that specifies a range on the roadmap. If an entrance interchange into an express highway, present on the route determined through the search executed by the search unit and the start point are contained within the range specified via the specification unit, the search unit executes a search within the range to determine a first route from the start point to the entrance interchange present within the range and also executes a search for a second route from the entrance interchange to the destination; and the first route and the second route having been searched by the search unit are displayed at the display unit.

Claims

1. A navigation system, comprising:

a search unit that executes a search for a route from a start point to a destination, wherein the route enters an express highway through a first entrance;

a display unit at which the route determined through the search is displayed together with a roadmap; and

a specification unit that specifies an area on the roadmap according to a user'"'"'s designation, wherein;

if a new entrance into the express highway, which is different from the first entrance, and the start point are contained within the area specified via the specification unit, the search unit executes a search to determine a first route from the start point to the new entrance traveling only within the area specified via the specification unit and also executes a search for a second route from the new entrance to the destination;

the first route and the second route having been searched by the search unit are displayed at the display unit; and

the specification unit includes a touch panel disposed on a display screen of the display unit and specifies the area contained in a line drawn by the user by touching the roadmap on the touch panel.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

if a plurality of entrances into the express highway are present in the area, the specification unit specifies an entrance closest to the destination to enter the express highway.

3. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the search unit searches for the first route by giving preference to regular roads as a search condition.

4. A navigation system according to claim 2, wherein:

the search unit searches for the first route by giving preference to regular roads as a search condition.

5. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the start point includes a current position.