Path guidance apparatus and method of inputting execution command thereof

• US 8,275,543 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Sim, Jung-Sub
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US12/502,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 400/527, 701/411, 701/416, 701/425, 701/516, 340/995.19, 345/173
• US Class Current: 701/411
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures

Abstract

A method of controlling a navigation apparatus, and which includes displaying map information on a touch screen display unit of the navigation apparatus, receiving at least a first touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a first position on the display unit and a second touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a second position on the display unit while the first position is continuously touched, calculating, via a controller, a traveling route including the touched first and second positions, and displaying the calculated traveling route on the displayed map information to inform a driver of a vehicle including the navigation apparatus about the calculated traveling route including the first and second positions.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a navigation apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying map information on a touch screen display unit of the navigation apparatus;

receiving at least a first touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a first position on the display unit and a second touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a second position on the display unit while the first position is continuously touched;

calculating, via a controller, a traveling route including the touched first and second positions;

displaying the calculated traveling route on the displayed map information, wherein the calculated traveling route includes the first and second positions;

storing first information corresponding to the first touched position and second information corresponding to the second touched position;

receiving a touch release signal indicating one of the first and second touched positions has been released; and

deleting the first information if the touch release signal indicates the first touched position has been released and deleting the second information if the touch release signal indicates the second touched position has been released.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating step is performed only when the first and second touched positions are released from being touched.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least a third touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a third position on the display unit while the first and second positions are continuously touched,

wherein the calculating step further comprises calculating a traveling route including the touched first, second and third positions, and

wherein the displaying step displays the calculated traveling route on the displayed map information to inform the driver of the vehicle including the navigation apparatus about the calculated traveling route including the first, second and third positions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying step further comprises displaying information about the first and second touched positions as the first and second positions are touched.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the displayed information includes at least one of location information identifying locations of the first and second position and points of interest information identifying points of interest near the first and second positions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least a third touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a third position on the display unit while the first and second positions are continuously touched,

wherein the calculating step further comprises calculating a traveling route in sequential order from the first touched position to the second touched position and then to the third touched position, and

wherein the displaying step displays the calculated traveling route on the displayed map information to inform the driver of the vehicle including the navigation apparatus about the calculated traveling route in sequential order from the first touched position to the second touched position and then to the third touched position.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least a third touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a third position on the display unit while the first and second positions are continuously touched,

wherein the calculating step further comprises calculating a preferred traveling route irrespective of a sequential order from the first touched position to the second touched position and then to the third touched position, and

wherein the displaying displays the calculated preferred traveling route on the displayed map information to inform the driver of the vehicle including the navigation apparatus about the calculated preferred traveling route.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating step only calculates the traveling route including the touched first and second positions when the first touched position corresponds to a current location of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

magnifying or reducing the displayed map information based on the received first and second touch signals.

10. A navigation apparatus, comprising:

a display unit including a touch screen and configured to display map information;

a receiving unit configured to receive at least a first touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a first position on the display unit and a second touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a second position on the display unit while the first position is continuously touched;

a controller configured to calculate a traveling route including the touched first and second positions, and to control the display unit to display the calculated traveling route on the displayed map information, wherein the calculated traveling route includes the first and second positions; and

a memory unit configured to store first information corresponding to the first touched position and second information corresponding to the second touched position,

wherein the receiving unit is further configured to receive a touch release signal indicating one of the first and second touched positions has been released, and

wherein the controller is further configured to delete the first information if the touch release signal indicates the first touched position has been released and to delete the second information if the touch release signal indicates the second touched position has been released.

11. The navigation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate the traveling route only when the first and second touched positions are released from being touched.

12. The navigation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the receiving unit is further configured to receive at least a third touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a third position on the display unit while the first and second positions are continuously touched,

wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a traveling route including the touched first, second and third positions, and

wherein the display unit is further configured to display the calculated traveling route on the displayed map information to inform the driver of the vehicle including the navigation apparatus about the calculated traveling route including the first, second and third positions.

13. The navigation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the display unit is further configured to display information about the first and second touched positions as the first and second positions are touched.

14. The navigation apparatus of claim 13, wherein the displayed information includes at least one of location information identifying locations of the first and second position and points of interest information identifying points of interest near the first and second positions.

15. The navigation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the receiving unit is further configured to receive at least a third touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a third position on the display unit while the first and second positions are continuously touched,

wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a traveling route in sequential order from the first touched position to the second touched position and then to the third touched position, and

wherein the display unit is further configured to display the calculated traveling route on the displayed map information to inform the driver of the vehicle including the navigation apparatus about the calculated traveling route in sequential order from the first touched position to the second touched position and then to the third touched position.

16. The navigation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the receiving unit is further configured to receive at least a third touch input signal corresponding to a touching of a third position on the display unit while the first and second positions are continuously touched,

wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a preferred traveling route irrespective of a sequential order from the first touched position to the second touched position and then to the third touched position, and

wherein the display unit is further configured to display the calculated preferred traveling route on the displayed map information to inform the driver of the vehicle including the navigation apparatus about the calculated preferred traveling route.

17. The navigation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate the traveling route including touched first and second positions only when the first touched position corresponds to a current location of the vehicle.

18. The navigation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to magnify or reduce the displayed map information based on the received first and second touch signals.