Navigation apparatus using radio communication device

• US 20010012782A1
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Published: 08/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masashi Hamada
• Original Assignee: Masashi Hamada
• Inventors: Hamada, Masashi
• Granted Patent: US 6,646,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

When a radio communication device inputs a target place, it receives information of a radio control apparatus at the target place and those on the route from a database or a radio control apparatus. Upon reception of identification information of the radio control apparatus, the radio communication device compares it with the information of the radio control apparatus, and notifies the comparison result, thereby confirming its current position.

Claims

1. A radio communication device which is connected to a radio control apparatus and performs predetermined control, comprising:

input means for inputting position information of a target place;

transmission means for transmitting the position information to said radio control apparatus;

reception means for receiving radio control apparatus information based on the position information and identification information of said radio control apparatus which has a control range including the current position of said radio communication device;

comparison means for comparing the radio control apparatus information and the identification information; and

notification means for performing notification in accordance with a comparison result of said comparison means.

2. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein said reception means receives the identification information when said radio communication devices enters a control range of a different radio control apparatus.

3. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein the radio control apparatus information is information associated with at least a route from said radio control apparatus which has the control range including the current position of said radio communication device to another radio control apparatus based on the position information input by said input means.

4. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein the position information is a dial number.

5. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein said notification means performs notification when the comparison result between the radio control apparatus information and the identification information by said comparison means indicates a coincidence.

6. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein said notification means performs notification by a visual display operation.

7. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein said notification means performs notification using an audible tone.

8. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein said notification means performs notification by a tactual indication by means of a vibration.

9. The device according to

claim 1

, further comprising speech communication means for performing a speech communication by radio.

10. A radio communication system having at least one radio control apparatus and a radio communication terminal,

wherein said radio control apparatus comprises:

connection means for connecting a database which manages radio control apparatus information based on the radio control apparatus accommodated in said radio communication system; and

first transmission means for transmitting identification information of the radio control apparatus and the radio control apparatus information to the radio communication terminal, and

said radio communication terminal comprises;

input means for inputting position information of a target place;

second transmission means for transmitting the position information to said radio control apparatus having a control range including the current position of said radio communication terminal;

reception means for receiving the radio control apparatus information based on the position information from the database and identification information of said radio control apparatus having the control range including the current position of said radio communication terminal;

comparison means for comparing the radio control apparatus information and the identification information received by said reception means; and

notification means for performing notification in accordance with a comparison result of said comparison means.

11. The system according to

claim 10

, wherein the radio control apparatus information to be managed by the database is information associated with at least a route from said radio control apparatus which has the control range including the current position of said radio communication device to another radio control apparatus based on the position information input by said input means.

12. The system according to

claim 10

, wherein said reception means receives the identification information each time said radio communication terminal enters a control range of a different radio control apparatus.

13. The system according to

claim 10

, wherein said notification means performs notification when the comparison result between the radio control apparatus information and the identification information by said comparison means indicates a coincidence.

14. The system according to

claim 10

, wherein said notification means performs notification by a visual display operation.

15. The system according to

claim 10

, wherein said notification means performs notification using an audible tone.

16. The system according to

claim 10

, wherein said notification means performs notification by a tactual indication by means of a vibration.

17. The system according to

claim 10

, wherein said radio communication terminal further comprises speech communication means for performing a speech communication by radio.

18. A control method for a radio communication device which is connected to a radio control apparatus and performs a predetermined operation, comprising:

the input step of inputting position information of a target place;

the transmission step of transmitting the input position information to the radio control apparatus;

the reception step of receiving radio control apparatus information based on the position information and identification information of the radio control apparatus which has a control range including the current position of the radio communication device;

the comparison step of comparing the radio control apparatus information and the identification information; and

the notification step of performing notification in accordance with a comparison result of the comparison means.

19. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein the reception step includes the step of receiving the identification information when the radio communication devices enters a control range of a different radio control apparatus.

20. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein the radio control apparatus information is information associated with at least a route from the radio control apparatus which has the control range including the current position of the radio communication device to another radio control apparatus based on the input position information.

21. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein the position information is a dial number.

22. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein the notification step includes the step of performing notification when the comparison result between the radio control apparatus information and the identification information in the comparison step indicates a coincidence.

23. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein the notification step includes the step of performing notification by a visual display operation.

24. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein the notification step includes the step of performing notification using an audible tone.

25. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein the notification step includes the step of performing notification by a tactual indication by means of a vibration.

26. The method according to

claim 18

, wherein the radio communication device can also perform a speech communication by radio.

27. A control method for a radio communication system having at least one radio control apparatus and a radio communication terminal,

wherein the radio control apparatus comprises:

the transmission step of connecting to a database which manages radio control apparatus information based on the radio control apparatus accommodated in the radio communication system, and transmitting identification information of the radio control apparatus and the radio control apparatus information to the radio communication terminal, and

the radio communication terminal comprises;

the transmission step of inputting position information of a target place, and transmitting the position information to the radio control apparatus having a control range including the current position of the radio communication terminal;

the reception step of receiving the radio control apparatus information based on the position information from the database and identification information of the radio control apparatus having the control range including the current position of the radio communication terminal;

the comparison step of comparing the radio control apparatus information and the identification information; and

the notification step of performing notification in accordance with the comparison result.

28. The method according to

claim 27

, wherein the radio control apparatus information to be managed by the database is information associated with at least a route from the radio control apparatus which has the control range including the current position of said radio communication device to another radio control apparatus based on the position information input by said input means.

29. The method according to

claim 27

, wherein the reception step includes the step of receiving the identification information each time the radio communication terminal enters a control range of a different radio control apparatus.

30. The method according to

claim 27

, wherein said notification means performs notification when the comparison result between the radio control apparatus information and the identification information by said comparison means indicates a coincidence.

31. The method according to

claim 27

, wherein the notification step includes the step of performing notification by a visual display operation.

32. The method according to

claim 27

, wherein the notification step includes the step of performing notification using an audible tone.

33. The method according to

claim 27

, wherein the notification step includes the step of performing notification by a tactual indication by means of a vibration.

34. The method according to

claim 27

, wherein the radio communication terminal can also perform a speech communication by radio.

35. A radio communication device comprising:

reception means for receiving map information from a radio control apparatus; and

display means for performing a display operation on the basis of the map information.

36. The device according to

claim 35

, wherein the map information represents a map of an area around the radio control apparatus.

37. The device according to

claim 35

, further comprising speech communication means for performing a speech communication by radio.

38. A radio communication system comprising having a radio control apparatus and a radio communication device,

wherein said radio control apparatus comprises:

first reception means for receiving an instruction signal for instructing transmission of map information; and

first transmission means for transmitting map information in accordance with the instruction signal received by said first reception means, and said radio communication device comprises;

second transmission means for transmitting the instruction signal;

second reception means for receiving the map information transmitted from said radio control apparatus; and

display means for performing a display operation on the basis of the map information.

39. The system according to

claim 38

, wherein the map information represents a map of an area around said radio control apparatus.

40. The system according to

claim 38

, wherein said radio communication device further comprises speech communication means for performing a speech communication by radio.

41. The system according to

claim 38

, wherein said radio control apparatus is connected to a database for managing the map information, and further comprises third reception means for receiving the map information from the database upon reception of the instruction signal.

42. The system according to

claim 38

, wherein said radio control apparatus further comprises storage means for storing the map information.

43. A control method for a radio communication device, comprising:

the reception step of receiving map information from a radio control apparatus; and

the display step of displaying the map information.

44. The method according to

claim 43

, wherein the map information represents a map of an area around the radio control apparatus.

45. The method according to

claim 43

, wherein the radio communication device can also perform a speech communication by radio.

46. A control method for a radio communication system comprising having a radio control apparatus and a radio communication device,

wherein the radio control device comprises:

the first reception step of receiving an instruction signal for instructing transmission of map information; and

the first transmission step of transmitting the map information in accordance with the instruction signal received in the reception step, and

the radio communication device comprises;

the second transmission step of transmitting the instruction signal;

the second reception step of receiving the map information transmitted from the radio control apparatus; and

the display step of performing a display operation on the basis of the map information.

47. The method according to

claim 46

, wherein the map information represents a map of an area around the radio control apparatus.

48. The method according to

claim 46

, wherein the radio communication device can perform a speech communication by radio.

49. The method according to

claim 46

, wherein the radio control apparatus is connected to a database for managing the map information, and further comprises the third reception step of receiving the map information from the database upon reception of the instruction signal.

50. The method according to

claim 46

, wherein the radio control apparatus stores the map information.

51. A database apparatus which is connected to a radio control apparatus for controlling a radio communication device, and stores map information on the basis of a control range of said radio control apparatus, comprising:

reception means for receiving an instruction signal which is output from said radio control apparatus to said radio communication device in accordance with an instruction; and

transmission means for transmitting the map information to said radio control apparatus in accordance with the instruction signal.

52. The apparatus according to

claim 51

, wherein the map information is stored on the basis of identification information of said radio control apparatus.

53. The apparatus according to

claim 51

, wherein the instruction signal includes at least identification information of the radio control apparatus.

54. A control method for a database apparatus which is connected to a radio control apparatus for controlling a radio communication device, and stores map information on the basis of a control range of the radio control apparatus, comprising:

the reception step of receiving an instruction signal which is output from the radio control apparatus to the radio communication device in accordance with an instruction; and

the transmission step of transmitting the map information to the radio control apparatus in accordance with the instruction signal.

55. The method according to

claim 54

, wherein the map information is stored on the basis of identification information of the radio control apparatus.

56. The method according to

claim 54

, wherein the instruction signal includes at least identification information of the radio control apparatus.