Navigation apparatus

• US 8,756,008 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Funato, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): SEOH, MINNAH L
• Application Number:
  US12/356,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20090216440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,973 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-217, 340/908, 704/448
• US Class Current: 701/448
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635

Abstract

A navigation apparatus includes a satellite positioning section for calculating a present position, and a route setting section for searching for a route to a destination based on map data, and sets a detected route as a recommended route. A satellite positioning disable time guiding section sets as a focus point, a candidate point through which a vehicle first passes when traveling along the recommended route, and displays point guide information for guiding the focus point among candidate points as a route change point, when the satellite positioning section is incapable of calculating the present position.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus having a satellite positioning section for calculating a present position, the apparatus comprising:

a route setting section for searching for a route to a destination based on map data and setting a detected route as a recommended route; and

a GPS-disabled guiding section configured to provide alternate guidance to a user while the satellite positioning section is incapable of calculating a present position, the GPS-disabled guiding section configured to;

set as a focus point, a candidate point through which a vehicle first passes when traveling along the recommended route;

display point guide information for guiding the focus point among one or more candidate points as a route change point, wherein the point guide information includes information representing characteristics of shapes of the road section or characteristics of a landscape visible from the road section, between a reference position and the focus point;

wherein the location corresponding to the characteristic of shape of the road section or the visible landscape is set as the reference position by manual operation of the user when the user recognizes the characteristic of shape or the visible landscape.

2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a guide for a next point is requested from the user, the GPS-disabled guiding section changes a focus point to the candidate point through which the vehicle passes just after a present focus point when traveling along the recommended route, and displays point guide information for guiding the focus point after the change.

3. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when a guide for a previous point is requested from the user, the GPS-disabled guiding section changes a focus point to the candidate point through which the vehicle passes just before a present focus point when traveling along the recommended route, and displays point guide information for guiding the focus point after the change.

4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the point guide information includes a point guide map representing conditions of the focus point with a passing direction along the recommended route during passage of the focus point.

5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the point guide information includes information on a distance between a reference position and the focus point, setting as the reference position a present position calculated when the satellite positioning function becomes disabled.

6. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the point guide information includes information representing characteristics of shapes of the road section between a reference position and the focus point, setting as the reference position a present position calculated when the satellite positioning function becomes disabled.

7. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the point guide information includes information representing characteristics of a landscape visible from the road section between a reference position and the focus point, setting as the reference position a present position calculated when the satellite positioning function becomes disabled.

8. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the point guide information includes information of at least any one of a plurality of intersections and traffic signals present between a reference position and the focus point, setting as the reference position a present position calculated when the satellite positioning function becomes disabled.

9. A navigation apparatus having a satellite positioning section that performs satellite positioning for calculating a present position, the apparatus comprising:

a route setting section for searching for a route to a destination based on map data and setting a detected route as a recommended route; and

a GPS-disabled guiding section configured to provide alternate guidance to a user while the satellite positioning section is incapable of calculating a present position, the GPS-disabled guiding section configured to;

set as a focus point, a candidate point through which a vehicle first passes when traveling along the recommended route;

display point guide information for guiding the focus point among candidate points as a point on the recommended route at which a traffic signal is detected or an intersection on the recommended route at which a traffic signal is detected;

wherein the location corresponding traffic signal is set as the reference position by manual operation of the user when the user recognizes the traffic signal or by automatic operation when the traffic signal is detected.

10. The navigation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when a guide for a next point is requested from a user, the GPS-disabled guiding section changes a focus point to the candidate point through which the vehicle passes just after a present focus point when traveling along the recommended route, and displays point guide information for guiding the focus point after the change.

11. The navigation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein when a guide for a previous point is requested from a user, the GPS-disabled guiding section changes a focus point to the candidate point through which the vehicle passes just before a present focus point when traveling along the recommended route and displays point guide information for guiding the focus point after the change.

12. The navigation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the point guide information includes a point guide map representing conditions of the focus point with a passing direction along the recommended route during passage of the focus point.

13. The navigation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the point guide information includes information on a distance between a reference position and the focus point, setting as the reference position a present position calculated when the satellite positioning function becomes disabled.

14. The navigation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the point guide information includes information representing characteristics of shapes of the road section between a reference position and the focus point, setting as the reference position a present position calculated when the satellite positioning function becomes disabled.

15. The navigation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the point guide information includes information representing characteristics of a landscape visible from the road section between a reference position and the focus point, setting as the reference position a present position calculated when the satellite positioning function becomes disabled.

16. The navigation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the point guide information includes information on the number of intersections present between a reference position and the focus point, setting as the reference position a present position calculated when the satellite positioning function becomes disabled.

17. The navigation apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a camera for photographing a front view of a traveling direction of a vehicle; and

an image recognition section for recognizing a traffic signal taken out to an image photographed by the camera, wherein;

when the satellite positioning function becomes disabled, the satellite positioning section sets as the candidate point a point on the recommended route at which a traffic signal is installed; and

the GPS-disabled guiding section detects, based on recognition of the traffic signal by the image recognition section, an arrival at the point at which the traffic signal is installed, changes, when detecting the arrival, a focus point to the candidate point through which the vehicle passes just after a present focus point when traveling along the recommended route, and displays point guide information for guiding the focus point after the change.

18. The navigation apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a wireless communication device for communicating with a transmitting device located proximate the installed traffic signal, wherein;

when the satellite positioning function becomes disabled, the satellite positioning section sets as the candidate point a point on the recommended route at which the traffic signal is installed; and

the GPS-disabled guiding section detects, based on the communication generated between the wireless communication device and the transmitting device, an arrival at the point at which the traffic signal is installed, changes, when detecting the arrival, a focus point to the candidate point through which the vehicle passes just after a present focus point when traveling along the recommended route, and displays point guide information for guiding the focus point after the change.