Navigation apparatus and navigation method

• US 8,589,068 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Takayuki, Honda, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US12/922,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20120029816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 701408-412, 701/431, 701/436, 701/438, 701/454, 701/532, 701/533, 455/456.6, 455/550.1, 340/995.1, 340/995.14, 340/995.17, 340/995.19, 340/995.24
• US Class Current: 701/436
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/39 the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

In order to notify a user that a facility is present in the neighborhood of a route to a destination, a mobile phone includes a location obtaining portion to obtain a present location (S03, S09), a destination setting portion to set a point of destination (S02), a departure point setting portion to set a point of departure (S04), a facility extraction portion to extract facility information of a facility located in the neighborhood of a route from the point of departure to the destination from among facility information included in map information (S08), and a light emission control portion to give notification at a prescribed timing if at least one facility information is extracted by the facility extraction portion (S14).

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a location obtaining portion to obtain a present location;

a destination point setting portion to set a point of destination;

a departure point setting portion to set a point of departure;

a facility extraction portion to, at prescribed time intervals, extract facility information of a facility located in a neighborhood of a route from said point of departure to said point of destination from among facility information included in map information; and

a notification portion to give notification at a prescribed timing if at least one facility information is extracted by said facility extraction portion,

wherein said notification portion includes a light emission portion capable of emitting light and a light emission control portion to allow said light emission portion to blink at intervals determined based on a distance between said obtained present location and a facility, located in a neighborhood of the route, determined by said facility information extracted by said facility extraction portion.

2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said notification portion gives visual notification.

3. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said notification portion gives notification on condition that at least one facility determined by said extracted facility information is located in an area determined based on said obtained present location in a map included in said map information.

4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said notification portion gives notification on condition that at least one facility information that satisfies a prescribed condition exists in said extracted facility information.

5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said prescribed condition is to be located in a prescribed range from said point of departure or said point of destination.

6. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an instruction accepting portion to accept a user'"'"'s instruction, wherein said notification portion gives notification on condition that said facility information is extracted by said facility extraction portion, in response to acceptance of a first instruction by said instruction accepting portion.

7. The navigation apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a facility obtaining portion to obtain map information including said obtained present location and a facility in response to acceptance of a second instruction by said instruction accepting portion, if said facility information is not extracted by said facility extraction portion; and

a display control portion to display a map included in said obtained map information.

8. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first casing;

a second casing coupled to said first casing so as to be freely opened and closed; and

a display control portion to display an area determined based on said obtained present location in a state in which said first casing and said second casing are open and to stop display of said area determined based on said obtained present location in a state in which said first casing and said second casing are closed.

9. The navigation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said display control portion displays said area determined based on said obtained present location in a prescribed display manner, in said open state.

10. The navigation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said prescribed display manner includes three-dimensional display, display in an enlarged view, and a photograph.

11. The navigation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said display control portion includes a marking portion to mark said at least one facility.

12. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display control portion to display an area determined based on said obtained present location, wherein said light emission portion is provided separate from said display portion.

13. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emission control portion further allows said light emission portion to emit light in a predetermined color corresponding to a kind of facility determined by said facility information extracted by said facility extraction portion.

14. The navigation apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a display control portion to display an area determined based on said obtained present location, wherein said light emission portion is provided separate from said display portion.

15. A navigation method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a present location;

setting a point of destination;

setting a point of departure;

at prescribed time intervals, extracting facility information located in a neighborhood of a route from said point of departure to said point of destination from among facility information included in map information; and

giving notification at a prescribed timing, if at least one facility information is extracted as a result of extraction, by emitting light that blinks at intervals determined based on a distance between said obtained present location and a facility, located in a neighborhood of the route, determined from said extracted facility information.