Navigation system

• US 9,239,241 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Sumizawa, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US14/106,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20140100772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 701/31.4, 701/423, 701/425, 340/995.1, 340/995.13, 340/994
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases

Abstract

A navigation system includes: a storage unit having stored therein roadmap data, first statistical traffic information data pertaining to a first area which are created based upon a first standard related to a time applicable to the first area, and second statistical traffic information data pertaining to a second area which are created based upon a second standard related to a time applicable to the second area; a search unit that searches for a recommended route; and an estimated time of arrival calculation unit that calculates an estimated time of arrival based upon the roadmap data, the first statistical traffic information data and the second statistical traffic information data. The estimated time of arrival calculation unit executes calculation processing of the estimated time of arrival in compliance with the first standard and the second standard.

Claims

1. A navigation system, comprising:

a current position detector that detects a current position of a subject vehicle;

a storage that stores statistical traffic information including a first length of time which is required to travel through a road segment on a first day category and a second length of time which is required to travel through the road segment on a second day category different from the first day category;

a route searcher that searches for a recommended route from a start point to a destination of the subject vehicle; and

an estimated time of arrival calculator that;

for a road segment constituting the recommended route;

if a day category corresponding to a traveling date on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel is the first day category, extracts the first length of time as a length of traveling time which is required to travel through the road segment when the subject vehicle travels through the road segment, and, for another road segment constituting the recommended route,

if a day category corresponding to the traveling date on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel is the second day category, extracts the second length of time as a length of traveling time which is required to travel through the another road segment when the subject vehicle travels through the another road segment, and

calculates an estimated time of arrival at which the subject vehicle is expected to arrive at the destination based on a current time point and a sum of lengths of traveling times, each of which is the length of traveling time having been respectively extracted for the road segments constituting the recommended route, wherein;

the first length of time is based on statistics of past traffic information on the first day category and the second length of time is based on statistics of past traffic information on the second day category; and

the estimated time of arrival calculator identifies the day category on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel for each road segment constituting the recommended route.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

when a road segment not located in a first area in which the start point is located but located in a second area corresponding to a different day category from the first area constitutes the recommended route, the estimated time of arrival calculator calculates a date and a time on which the subject vehicle is expected to start traveling the road segment located in the second area, and, based on the date and the time calculated, the estimated time of arrival calculator identifies the day category corresponding to the road segment located in the second area.

3. A navigation system according to claim 2, wherein:

the estimated time of arrival calculator calculates the estimated time of arrival by assuming a date and a time on which the subject vehicle is expected to end traveling road segments located in the first area as a date and a time on which the subject vehicle is expected to start traveling road segments located in the second area.

4. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display that displays the estimated time of arrival.

5. A navigation system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a display that displays the estimated time of arrival.

6. A navigation system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a display that displays the estimated time of arrival.

7. A navigation system, comprising:

a current position detector that detects a current position of a subject vehicle;

a storage that stores statistical traffic information including a first length of time which is required to travel through a road segment on a first day category and a second length of time which is required to travel through the road segment on a second day category different from the first day category; and

a route searcher that;

for a road segment;

if a day category corresponding to a traveling date on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel is the first day category, extracts the first length of time as a length of traveling time which is required to travel through the road segment when the subject vehicle travels through the road segment, and, for another road segment constituting the recommended route,

if a day category corresponding to the traveling date on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel is the second day category, extracts the second length of time as a length of traveling time which is required to travel through the another road segment when the subject vehicle travels through the another road segment, and

searches for a recommended route from a start point to a destination of the subject vehicle based on a sum of lengths of traveling times, each of which is the length of traveling time having been respectively extracted for the road segments, wherein;

the first length of time is based on statistics of past traffic information on the first day category and the second length of time is based on statistics of past traffic information on the second day category; and

the route searcher identifies the day category on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel for each road segment constituting the recommended route.

8. A navigation system according to claim 7, wherein:

the route searcher calculates a date and a time on which the subject vehicle is expected to start traveling a road segment not located in a first area in which the start point is located but located in a second area corresponding to a different day category from the first area, and, based on the date and the time calculated, the route searcher identifies the day category corresponding to the road segment located in the second area.

9. A navigation system according to claim 7 further comprising:

a display that displays an estimated time of arrival at which the subject vehicle is expected to arrive at the destination.

10. A navigation system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a display that displays an estimated time of arrival at which the subject vehicle is expected to arrive at the destination.

11. A route search method, comprising:

detecting, by a current position detector, a current position of a subject vehicle;

searching, by a route searcher, for a recommended route from a start point to a destination of the subject vehicle;

identifying, by an estimated time of arrival calculator, a day category on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel, for each road segment constituting the recommended route;

for a road segment constituting the recommended route;

extracting, by the estimated time of arrival calculator, by referencing statistical traffic information in a storage, a first length of time which is required to travel through the road segment on a first day category based on statistics of past traffic information on the first day category as a length of traveling time which is required to travel through the road segment when the subject vehicle travels through the road segment if a day category corresponding to a traveling date on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel is the first day category, and, for another road segment constituting the recommended route,

extracting, by the estimated time of arrival calculator, by referencing the statistical traffic information in the storage, a second length of time which is required to travel through the another road segment on a second day category based on statistics of past traffic information on the second day category as a length of traveling time which is required to travel through the another road segment when the subject vehicle travels through the another road segment if a day category corresponding to the traveling date on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel is the second day category; and

calculating by the estimated time of arrival calculator, an estimated time of arrival at which the subject vehicle is expected to arrive at the destination based on a current time point and a sum of lengths of traveling times, each of which is the length of traveling time having been respectively extracted for the road segments constituting the recommended route.

12. A route search method according to claim 11, wherein:

when a road segment not located in a first area in which the start point is located but located in a second area corresponding to a different day category from the first area constitutes the recommended route, a date and a time on which the subject vehicle is expected to start traveling the road segment located in the second area are calculated, and, based on the date and the time calculated, the day category corresponding to the road segment located in the second area is identified.

13. A route search method according to claim 12, wherein:

the estimated time of arrival is calculated by assuming a date and a time on which the subject vehicle is expected to end traveling road segments located in the first area as a date and a time on which the subject vehicle is expected to start traveling road segments located in the second area.

14. A route search method according to claim 11, further comprising:

displaying the estimated time of arrival on a display.

15. A route search method according to claim 12, further comprising:

displaying the estimated time of arrival on a display.

16. A route search method according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying the estimated time of arrival on a display.

17. A route search method, comprising:

detecting, by a current position detector, a current position of a subject vehicle;

identifying, by an estimated time of arrival calculator, a day category on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel, for each of a plurality of road segments;

for a road segment;

extracting, by the estimated time of arrival calculator, by referencing statistical traffic information in a storage, a first length of time which is required to travel through the road segment on a first day category based on statistics of past traffic information on the first day category as a length of traveling time which is required to travel through the road segment when the subject vehicle travels through the road segment if a day category corresponding to a traveling date on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel is the first day category, and, for another road segment constituting the recommended route,

extracting, by the estimated time of arrival calculator, by referencing the statistical traffic information in the storage, a second length of time which is required to travel through the another road segment on a second day category based on statistics of past traffic information on the second day category as a length of traveling time which is required to travel through the another road segment when the subject vehicle travels through the another road segment if a day category corresponding to the traveling date on which the subject vehicle is expected to travel is the second day category; and

searching by a route searcher, for a recommended route from a start point to a destination of the subject vehicle based on a sum of lengths of traveling times, each of which is the length of traveling time having been respectively extracted for the road segments.

18. A route search method according to claim 17, wherein:

a date and a time on which the subject vehicle is expected to start traveling a road segment not located in a first area in which the start point is located but located in a second area corresponding to a different day category from the first area are calculated, and, based on the date and the time calculated, the day category corresponding to the road segment located in the second area is identified.

19. A route search method according to claim 17, further comprising:

displaying, on a display, an estimated time of arrival at which the subject vehicle is expected to arrive at the destination.

20. A route search method according to claim 18, further comprising:

displaying, on a display, an estimated time of arrival at which the subject vehicle is expected to arrive at the destination.