Navigation device

• US 8,649,971 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2009
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MEL NavIP LLC (Ni, Wang & Massand, PLLC)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Machino, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US12/918,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20110035148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 701400-541, 701/31.1, 701/32.4, 701/FOR.123, 701/32.5, 701/32.6, 340988-996, 340/995.27, 340/427, 340/476, 340/644, 340/5.31, 340/7.55, 340/12.27, 455/418, 455/456.1, 342/176, 342/374
• US Class Current: 701/411
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A navigation device includes a route searching unit for searching for a whole route leading to a destination via waypoints set by a setting unit, a route guidance unit for carrying out route guidance according to the whole route, an output unit for outputting a message showing that a vehicle has deviated from a route leading to a first next waypoint toward which the vehicle has been heading when the route guidance unit determines that the vehicle has deviated from the route to a predetermined distance or more and is traveling along a route after the first next waypoint, and an input unit for inputting a command indicating whether or not to travel via the first next waypoint in response to the message outputted by the output unit.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a setting unit configured to set waypoints and a destination;

a route searching unit configured to search for a whole route leading to the destination via the waypoints set by said setting unit;

a route guidance unit configured to carry out route guidance according to the whole route which is searched for by said route searching unit;

an output unit configured to output a message showing that a vehicle has deviated from a route leading to a first next waypoint toward which the vehicle has been heading when said route guidance unit determines that the vehicle has deviated from the route to a predetermined distance or more and is traveling along a route after said first next waypoint; and

an input unit configured to input a command indicating whether or not to travel via said first next waypoint in response to the message outputted by said output unit.

2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the command is inputted from the input unit, the output unit deletes the message which said output unit outputs and the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route.

3. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the command indicating that the vehicle does not travel via the first next waypoint is inputted, the output unit outputs a waypoint list in which a list of the waypoints set by the setting unit is shown, and the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route according to a new waypoint list which is acquired by changing the waypoint list outputted by said output unit by using said input unit.

4. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the command indicating that the vehicle does not travel via the first next waypoint is inputted, the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination via another waypoint when the other waypoint exists forward of the first next waypoint, or re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination when no other waypoint exists forward of the first next waypoint.

5. The navigation device according to claim 4, wherein the route searching unit checks a traveling direction of the vehicle and a section on the whole route in which the vehicle has entered, extracts waypoints via which the vehicle should travel except for waypoints existing backward of said section, and re-searches for a new waypoint leading to the destination via said extracted waypoints.

6. The navigation device according to claim 4, wherein when the vehicle continues to travel in a state in which the output unit outputs the message showing that the vehicle has deviated from the route leading to the first next waypoint, the route searching unit checks a traveling direction of the vehicle and a section on the whole route in which the vehicle has entered, extracts waypoints via which the vehicle should travel except for waypoints existing backward of said section, and re-searches for a new waypoint leading to the destination via said extracted waypoints.

7. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the command indicating that the vehicle travels via the first next waypoint is inputted, the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination via said first next waypoint.

8. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the output unit includes a display unit, and the input unit inputs the command according to either pushing down of a button displayed on a screen of said display unit, or voice.

9. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the command is not inputted from the input unit even if a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the output unit outputs the message showing that the vehicle has deviated from the route, the output unit deletes the message which said output unit outputs and the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route.

10. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the route guidance unit determines that the vehicle has deviated from the route to the predetermined distance or more in a state in which the output unit outputs the message showing that the vehicle has deviated from the route, the output unit deletes the message which said output unit outputs and the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route.

11. The navigation device according to claim 9, wherein the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination via the first next waypoint.

12. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination via the first next waypoint.

13. The navigation device according to claim 9, wherein the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination via another waypoint when the other waypoint exists forward of the first next waypoint, or re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination when no other waypoint exists forward of the first next waypoint.

14. The navigation device according to claim 10, wherein the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination via another waypoint when the other waypoint exists forward of the first next waypoint, or re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination when no other waypoint exists forward of the first next waypoint.

15. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the route guidance unit determines that the vehicle has returned to the route leading to the first next waypoint in a state in which the output unit outputs the message showing that the vehicle has deviated from the route, the output unit deletes the message which said output unit outputs.

16. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the command is not inputted from the input unit even if a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the output unit outputs the message showing that the vehicle has deviated from the route, the output unit deletes the message which said output unit outputs and the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination via the first next waypoint, a new whole route leading to the destination via another waypoint when the other waypoint exists forward of said first next waypoint, or a new whole route leading to the destination when no other waypoint exists forward of said first next waypoint.

17. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the command is not inputted from the input unit even if the vehicle travels a fixed distance after the output unit outputs the message showing that the vehicle has deviated from the route, the output unit deletes the message which said output unit outputs and the route searching unit re-searches for a new whole route leading to the destination via the first next waypoint, a new whole route leading to the destination via another waypoint when the other waypoint exists forward of said first next waypoint, or a new whole route leading to the destination when no other waypoint exists forward of said first next waypoint.

18. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the route guidance unit determines that the vehicle has reached the destination, the output unit deletes the message which said output unit outputs.

19. A navigation method performed by utilizing a navigation apparatus, comprising:

setting, by utilizing a setting unit of the navigation apparatus, waypoints and a destination;

searching, by utilizing a route searching unit of the navigation apparatus, for a whole route leading to the destination via the waypoints set by said setting step;

carrying out, by utilizing a route guidance unit of the navigation apparatus, route guidance according to the whole route which is searched for by said route searching step;

outputting, by utilizing an output unit of the navigation apparatus, a message showing that a vehicle has deviated from a route leading to a first next waypoint toward which the vehicle has been heading when, by said route guidance step, it is determined that the vehicle has deviated from the route to a predetermined distance or more and is traveling along a route after said first next waypoint; and

inputting, by utilizing an input unit of the navigation apparatus, a command indicating whether or not to travel via said first next waypoint in response to the outputted message.