Navigation device, server device, navigation system and program

• US 9,080,884 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Nara, Norikazu, Abe, Noriyuki, Shioya, Takashi, Okamoto, Kimio, Takatsuki, Hiroaki, Ishii, Takaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US13/386,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20120209523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 701/400, 701/522, 701/537, 701/538, 340/5.61, 340/5.64
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application

Abstract

Provided is a navigation technique which allows a person other than a user who received a route guide to operate a navigation device through an interaction process. The navigation device is characterized by being provided with an instruction reception unit, a process unit, and an output unit. The instruction reception unit receives an instruction for a process from an external device. The process unit executes a process in accordance with the instruction received by the instruction reception unit. The output unit outputs output information which is obtained as the result of the process executed by the process unit.

Claims

1. A navigation device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, implement;

an instruction receiving unit adapted to receive, from an external device, a processing instruction;

a processing unit adapted to perform processing according to the instruction received by the instruction receiving unit; and

an output unit adapted to output information obtained as a result of the processing performed by the processing unit;

wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further implement a communication unit adapted to communicate with the external device through a communication network;

wherein the instruction receiving unit is adapted to receive a processing instruction from the external device through the communication unit;

wherein the output unit is adapted to send output information obtained as a result of the processing performed by the processing unit to the external device through the communication unit;

wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further implement a state notification unit adapted to send, to the external device, a judgment specifying whether the navigation device is in a state allowing receipt of a processing instruction from the external device;

wherein, once the navigation device has been turned on and has been in communication with the external device, the state notification unit is adapted to send the judgment independently of an action of a user of the navigation device; and

wherein, when the navigation device is in a process of performing a route guidance, the judgment sent from the state notification unit specifies that the navigation device is not in a state allowing receipt of a processing instruction from the external device.

2. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein:

the computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further implement an input receiving unit adapted to receive an input instruction; and

the processing instruction received by the instruction receiving unit is an instruction corresponding to the input instruction received by the input receiving unit.

3. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein:

the navigation device further comprises a display;

the output information sent by the output unit is information on screen display; and

the output unit makes the output information displayed on the display if a prescribed condition is satisfied, and inhibits the output information from being displayed on the display if the prescribed condition is not satisfied.

4. The navigation device of claim 3, wherein:

the prescribed condition is that display of the output information would not divert attention of a user of the navigation device.

5. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein:

when a prescribed condition is not satisfied, the processing unit refrains from performing the processing until the prescribed condition is satisfied; and

when the prescribed condition is satisfied, the processing unit performs the processing.

6. The navigation device of claim 1,

wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further implement a communication impossibility notification unit adapted to notify the external device of information to the effect that communication becomes impossible, at a time of entering an area where communication through the communication unit becomes impossible.

7. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein:

the state notification unit is adapted to monitor whether the navigation device is in a state allowing receipt of a processing instruction from the external device; and

the state notification unit is adapted to send the judgment based on a result of the monitoring.

8. The navigation device of claim 1, wherein the state notification unit is adapted to send the judgment in response to a state notification request received from the external device.

9. A program for a navigation device, wherein:

the navigation device comprises a control unit; and

the program makes the control unit carry out;

an instruction receiving step, in which a processing instruction is received from an external device;

a processing step, in which processing according to the instruction received in the instruction receiving step is performed; and

an output step, in which output information obtained as a result of the processing performed in the processing step is outputted;

wherein the program further makes the control unit carry out a communication step to communicate with the external device through a communication network;

wherein the instruction receiving step receives a processing instruction from the external device via the communication step; and

wherein the output step sends output information obtained as a result of the processing performed by the processing step to the external device via the communication step; and

wherein the program further makes the control unit carry out;

a state notification step to send, to the external device, a judgment specifying whether the navigation device is in a state allowing receipt of a processing instruction from the external device;

wherein, once the navigation device has been turned on and has been in communication with the external device, the state notification step sends the judgment independently of an action of a user of the navigation device; and

wherein, when the navigation device is in a process of performing a route guidance, the judgment sent by the state notification step specifies that the navigation device is not in a state allowing receipt of a processing instruction from the external device.

10. The program of claim 9, wherein:

the state notification step monitors whether the navigation device is in a state allowing receipt of a processing instruction from the external device; and

the state notification step sends the judgment based on a result of the monitoring.

11. The program of claim 9, wherein the state notification step sends the judgment in response to a state notification request received from the external device.