Navigation system, navigation method, and navigation program

• US 9,074,909 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ozaki, Naokazu, Kurauchi, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US13/488,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 701/414, 701/420, 701/421, 701/423, 701/424, 701/465, 701/468, 701/533, 701/411, 701/426, 701/438, 701/16, 701/437, 701/117, 705/14.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects

Abstract

Systems, methods, and programs detect a current position of a movable body, identify a destination for the moveable body, and search for a going route from a departure point to the destination. The systems, methods, and programs search for a returning route from the destination to the departure point and select a landmark for a branch point along the returning route. While the current position is moving along the going route, the systems, methods, and programs provide returning-route guidance regarding the branch point using the selected landmark.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a current position detecting unit that detects a current position of a movable body; and

a controller that;

identifies a destination for the moveable body;

searches for a going route from a departure point to the destination;

searches for a returning route from the destination to the departure point;

selects a landmark for a branch point along the returning route; and

after the movable body passes the branch point on the going route and

while the movable body is still traveling the going route, provides returning-route guidance regarding the branch point using the selected landmark to help a user remember an importance of the selected landmark when later traveling the returning route

wherein the controller;

provides guidance regarding the branch point a plurality of times and provides the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route by using the selected landmark only when providing the guidance regarding the branch point a last time among the plurality of times of providing guidance regarding the branch point.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

provides the returning-route guidance notifying that the selected landmark is a landmark on the returning route at a timing after the current position passes the branch point on the going route.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

selects, as the landmark for the branch point on the returning route, a landmark along a road on which the movable body moves after passing the branch point on the going route.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

when the movable body is moving along the returning route, provides the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route based on a guidance standard different from a guidance standard for the branch point used when the movable body is moving along the going route.

5. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the controller:

when the movable body moves on the returning route, partially or totally skips the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route.

6. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the controller:

when the movable body moves on the returning route, provides the returning-route guidance only with the landmark for the branch point on the returning route.

7. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the controller:

sets a first distance or a first time from a guidance point at which the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point is provided when the movable body is moving along the returning route to the branch point shorter than a respective second distance or a second time from a guidance point at which the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point is provided when the movable body is moving along the going route to the branch point.

8. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

after the movable body passes the branch point on the returning route, provides returning-route guidance notifying whether a road on which the movable body is moving after passing the branch point is a road on the returning route.

9. A navigation method comprising:

detecting, with a detector, a current position of a movable body;

receiving, with a controller, an input identifying a destination for the moveable body;

searching, with the controller, for a going route from a departure point to the destination;

searching, with the controller, for a returning route from the destination to the departure point;

selecting, with the controller, a landmark for a branch point along the returning route; and

after the movable body passes the branch point on the going route and while the movable body is still traveling the going route, providing, with the controller, returning-route guidance regarding the branch point using the selected landmark to help a user remember the importance of the selected landmark when later traveling the returning route

providing, with the controller, guidance regarding the branch point a plurality of times and providing the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route by using the selected landmark only when providing the guidance regarding the branch point a last time among the plurality of times of providing guidance regarding the branch point.

10. The navigation method according to claim 9, further comprising:

providing the returning-route guidance notifying that the selected landmark is a landmark on the returning route at a timing after the current position passes the branch point on the going route.

11. The navigation method according to claim 9, further comprising:

selecting, as the landmark for the branch point on the returning route, a landmark along a road on which the movable body moves after passing the branch point on the going route.

12. The navigation method according to claim 9, further comprising:

when the movable body is moving along the returning route, providing the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route based on a guidance standard different from a guidance standard for the branch point used when the movable body is moving along the going route.

13. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising:

when the movable body moves on the returning route, partially or totally skipping the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route.

14. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising:

when the movable body moves on the returning route, providing the returning-route guidance only with the landmark for the branch point on the returning route.

15. The navigation method according to claim 12, further comprising:

setting, with the controller, a first distance or a first time from a guidance point at which the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point is provided when the movable body is moving along the returning route to the branch point shorter than a respective second distance or a second time from a guidance point at which the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point is provided when the movable body is moving along the going route to the branch point.

16. The navigation method according to claim 9, further comprising:

after the movable body passes the branch point on the returning route, providing, with the controller, returning-route guidance notifying whether a road on which the movable body is moving after passing the branch point is a road on the returning route.

17. A computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable navigation program, the program comprising:

instructions for detecting a current position of a movable body;

instructions for identifying a destination for the moveable body;

instructions for searching for a going route from a departure point to the destination;

instructions for searching for a returning route from the destination to the departure point;

instructions for selecting a landmark for a branch point along the returning route; and

instructions for, after the movable body passes the branch point on the going route and while the movable body is still traveling the going route, providing returning-route guidance regarding the branch point using the selected landmark to help a user remember the importance of the selected landmark when later traveling the returning route;

wherein the controller;

provides guidance regarding the branch point a plurality of times and provides the returning-route guidance regarding the branch point on the returning route by using the selected landmark only when providing the guidance regarding the branch point a last time among the plurality of times of providing guidance regarding the branch point.