Communication navigation system, communication navigation method, map data transmitting device, and terminal unit

• US 20030028317A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Increment P Corporation, Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Increment P Corporation, Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Nagamune, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 6,892,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

A communication navigation system that performs navigation, using map data stored in a map database site and current position data about navigation terminals, by transmitting the map data to the navigation terminals via the Internet, wherein the map data includes data units respectively corresponding to a plurality of display elements for display on a map, and the data units are given respective priority levels. The map database site is provided with a server for transmitting the data units via the Internet according to the respective priority levels. Each navigation terminal is provided with a transmitter/receiver for sequentially receiving the data units transmitted from the server, and a display subsystem for sequentially displaying the display elements respectively corresponding to the data units received by the transmitter/receiver, on the map.

Claims

1. A communication navigation system that performs navigation, using map data stored in a map database site and current position data about navigation terminals, by transmitting the map data to the navigation terminals via a communication network,

wherein the map data includes data units respectively corresponding to a plurality of display elements for display on a map, and the data units are given respective priority levels,

the communication navigation system comprising:

a transmitting device in the map database site which transmits the data units via the communication network according to the respective priority levels;

a receiving device in each of the navigation terminals which sequentially receives the data units transmitted from the transmitting device; and

a displaying device which sequentially displays the display elements respectively corresponding to the data units received by the receiving device, on the map.

2. A communication navigation method for performing navigation, using map data stored in a map database site and current position data about navigation terminals, by transmitting the map data to the navigation terminals via a communication network,

wherein the map data includes data units respectively corresponding to a plurality of display elements for display on a map, and the data units are given respective priority levels,

the communication navigation method comprising:

a transmitting process for transmitting the data units via the communication network according to the respective priority levels, from the map database site;

a receiving process for sequentially receiving the data units transmitted by the transmitting process, the receiving process being performed by each of the navigation terminals; and

a displaying process for sequentially displaying the display elements respectively corresponding to the data units received by the receiving procedure, on the map, the displaying process being performed by each of the navigation terminals.

3. A map data transmitting apparatus that performs a communication navigation method for performing navigation, using map data stored in a map database site and current position data about navigation terminals, by transmitting the map data to the navigation terminals via a communication network,

wherein the map data includes data units respectively corresponding to a plurality of display elements for display on a map, and the data units are given respective priority levels,

the map data transmitting apparatus comprising:

a transmitting device which transmits the data units via the communication network according to the respective priority levels, to each of the navigation terminals comprising;

a receiving device for sequentially receiving the data units; and

a displaying device which sequentially displays the display elements respectively corresponding to the data units received by the receiving device, on the map.

4. A terminal unit that performs a communication navigation method for performing navigation, using map data stored in a map database site and current position data about navigation terminals, by transmitting the map data to the navigation terminals via a communication network,

wherein the map data includes data units respectively corresponding to a plurality of display elements for display on a map, and the data units are given respective priority levels,

the terminal unit comprising:

a receiving device which sequentially receives the data units transmitted by a transmitting device in the map database site for transmitting the data units via the communication network according to the respective priority levels; and

a displaying device which sequentially displays the display elements respectively corresponding to the data units received by the receiving device, on the map.