Apparatus and method for using a telephone while navigating

• US 20010046884A1
• Filed: 07/27/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshioka, Kazunori
• Granted Patent: US 6,633,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27 Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

A navigation device comprises a map database (12) for storing map data, and a telephone number database (13) for storing a plurality of locations and their telephone numbers, latitudes, and longitudes. The navigation device further includes an input unit (1) for allowing a user to select a desired location from among the plurality of locations stored in the telephone number database (13) and set the desired location to his or her destination, and to set a predetermined distance, and an automatically dialing unit (15) for automatically dialing a telephone number corresponding to the destination, which is stored in the telephone number database, when the distance from a current position to the destination is less than or equal to the predetermined distance while the navigation device guides the user to the destination.

Claims

1. A navigation device capable of dialing a mobile telephone connected to said navigation device, said device comprising:

a map database for storing map data;

a telephone number database for storing a plurality of locations and their telephone numbers, latitudes, and longitudes;

means for allowing a user to select a desired location from among said plurality of locations stored in said telephone number database and set the desired location to his or her destination, and to set a predetermined distance; and

automatically dialing means for automatically dialing a telephone number corresponding to said destination, which is stored in said telephone number database, when the distance from a current position to said destination is less than or equal to said predetermined distance while said navigation device guides the user to said destination according to said map database and said telephone number database.

2. The navigation device according to

claim 1

, wherein said automatically dialing means informs somebody on the other end of the connection of the remaining distance from the current position to said destination and the time required for the user to reach said destination, which are calculated according to said map database and said telephone number database.

3. A navigation device capable of dialing a mobile telephone connected to said navigation device, said device comprising:

a map database for storing map data;

a telephone number database for storing a plurality of locations and their telephone numbers, latitudes, and longitudes;

means for allowing a user to select a desired location from among said plurality of locations stored in said telephone number database and set said desired location to his or her destination; and

automatically dialing means for automatically dialing a telephone number corresponding to said destination, which is stored in said telephone number database, when the user enters an area whose area code agrees with the one of said destination while said navigation device guides the user to said destination according to said map data base and said telephone number database.

4. The navigation device according to

claim 3

, wherein said automatically dialing means informs somebody on the other end of the connection of the remaining distance from the current position to said destination and the time required for the user to reach said destination, which are calculated according to said map database and said telephone number database.

5. A navigation device comprising:

a map database for storing map data;

a telephone number database for storing a plurality of locations and their telephone numbers, latitudes, and longitudes;

means for allowing a user to select a desired location from among said plurality of locations stored in said telephone number database and set said desired location to his or her destination;

means for looking up the area code of a current position using said map database and said telephone number database;

means for retrieving one or more telephone numbers each including said looked up area code from said telephone number database if they are registered in said telephone number database; and

means for displaying said retrieved one or more telephone numbers and for displaying one or more marks indicating one or more locations respectively associated with said retrieved one or more telephone numbers on a map on-screen.