Navigation device

• US 20040204847A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yanai, Tatsumi
• Granted Patent: US 6,898,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application

Abstract

A navigation device is configured to provide a suitable route that appropriately guides a vehicle to a user outside the vehicle even when the user has moved. The navigation device detects a current vehicle position using a GPS signal receiving section that temporarily stores the vehicle position. The navigation device is configured to receive a signal containing position information from a portable telephone terminal. Then, the navigation device sets the stored position of the portable telephone terminal as the current destination, and calculates a recommended route to the destination. The navigation device communicates with the portable communication terminal to acquire updated position information. Then, the navigation device updates the destination based on the updated position information, and recalculates the recommended route from the current position to the updated destination.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a communication exchange section configured to exchange signals with an external communication terminal;

a memory section configured to store position information of the external communication terminal contained in a signal received from the external communication terminal;

a vehicle position detecting section configured to detect a current position of a vehicle equipped with the navigation device;

a route calculating section configured to set a destination based on the position information of the external communication terminal stored in the memory section and calculates a recommended route for traveling from the current position detected by the vehicle position detecting section to a destination;

a communication control section configured to control communications between the communication exchange section and the external communication terminal that sent the position information, and to acquire an updated position information of the external communication terminal; and

a recalculating section configured to reset the destination to an updated destination based on the updated position information of the external communication terminal that was acquired, and to recalculate the recommended route to travel from the current position recently detected to the updated destination.

2. The navigation device as recited in claim 1, wherein

the recalculating section is configured to acquire detailed map data of an area surrounding the updated destination specified by the updated position information, and to reset the updated destination using the map data that was recently acquired.

3. The navigation device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the recalculating section is configured to use the map data to search for a stopping position where the vehicle can stop, and to reset the destination from the updated destination to the stopping position.

6. The navigation device as recited in claim 3, wherein

the communication control section is configured to acquire traffic information regarding the calculated route, to calculate an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the destination using the traffic information, and to send the estimated arrival time to the external communication terminal.

7. The navigation device as recited in claim 2, wherein

the communication control section is configured to acquire traffic information regarding the calculated route, to calculate an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the destination using the traffic information, and to send the estimated arrival time to the external communication terminal.

9. The navigation device as recited in claim 1, wherein

the communication control section is configured to acquire traffic information regarding the calculated route, to calculate an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the destination using the traffic information, and to send the estimated arrival time to the external communication terminal.

20. The navigation device as recited in claim 1, wherein

the communication control section is configured to acquire the updated position information of the external communication terminal when it detects that the vehicle is within a prescribed distance from the destination specified by the position information stored in the memory section.

21. The navigation device as recited in claim 9, wherein

the communication control section is configured to acquire the updated position information of the external communication terminal when the estimated arrival time approaches.

4. A navigation device comprising:

a communication exchange section configured to exchange signals with an external communication terminal;

a memory section configured to store position information contained in a signal received from the external communication terminal;

a vehicle position detecting section configured to detect a current position of a vehicle equipped with the navigation device;

a route calculating section configured to set a destination based on the position information stored in the memory section and calculates a recommended route for traveling from the current position detected by the vehicle position detecting section to a destination;

a communication control section configured to control communications between the communication exchange section and the external communication terminal that sent the position information and to acquire an updated position information when it detects that the vehicle is within a prescribed distance from the destination specified by the position information stored in the memory section; and

a recalculating section configured to reset the destination to an updated destination based on the updated position information that was acquired, and to recalculate the recommended route to travel from the current position recently detected to the updated destination

the recalculating section being further configured to acquire detailed map data of an area surrounding the updated destination specified by the updated position information, and to reset the updated destination using the map data that was recently acquired

the recalculating section being further configured to use the map data to search for a stopping position where the vehicle can stop and to reset the destination from the updated destination to the stopping position,

the recalculating section being further configured to select a suitable position for the vehicle to meet with a person possessing the external communication terminal, and to set the suitable position as a new destination.

5. The navigation device as recited in claim 4, wherein

the communication control section is configured to acquire traffic information regarding the calculated route, to calculate an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the destination using the traffic information, and to send the estimated arrival time to the external communication terminal.

8. A navigation device comprising:

a communication exchange section configured to exchange signals with an external communication terminal;

a memory section configured to store position information contained in a signal received from the external communication terminal;

a vehicle position detecting section configured to detect a current position of a vehicle equipped with the navigation device;

a route calculating section configured to set a destination based on the position information stored in the memory section and calculates a recommended route for traveling from the current position detected by the vehicle position detecting section to a destination;

a communication control section configured to control communications between the communication exchange section and the external communication terminal that sent the position information, and to acquire an updated position information when it detects that the vehicle is within a prescribed distance from the destination specified by the position information stored in the memory section; and

a recalculating section configured to reset the destination to an updated destination based on the updated position information that was acquired, and to recalculate the recommended route to travel from the current position recently detected to the updated destination,

the recalculating section being further configured to acquire detailed map data of an area surrounding the updated destination specified by the updated position information, and to reset the updated destination using the map data that was recently acquired,

the recalculating section is configured to select a suitable position for the vehicle to meet with a person possessing the external communication terminal, and to set the suitable position as a new destination.

10. A navigation device comprising:

communication exchange means for exchanging signals with an external communication terminal;

memory means for storing position information of the external communication terminal contained in a signal received from the external communication terminal;

vehicle position detecting means for detecting the current position of a vehicle equipped with the navigation device;

route calculating means for setting a destination based on the position information of the external communication terminal stored in the memory means and calculating a recommended route for traveling from the current position detected by the vehicle position detecting means to the destination;

communication control means for controlling communications between the communication exchange means and the external communication terminal that sent the position information and acquiring the updated position information of the external communication terminal; and

recalculating means for resetting the destination to an updated destination based on the updated position information of the external communication terminal that was acquired and recalculating the recommended route to travel from the current position recently detected to the updated destination.

11. A route guiding method, comprising:

detecting a current position of a vehicle is being guided along a route;

setting a destination based on position information of an external communication terminal contained in a signal received from the external communication terminal;

calculating a recommended route for traveling from the current position to the destination;

acquiring an updated position information of the external communication terminal by communicating with the external communication terminal that sent the position information;

resetting the destination to an updated destination based on the updated position information of the external communication terminal that was acquired; and

recalculating the recommended route to travel from the current position recently detected to the updated destination.

12. The route guiding method as recited in claim 11, further comprising

acquiring a detailed map data of an area surrounding the position specified in the updated position information, and resetting the destination using the map data, after the recommended route has been recalculated.

13. The route guiding method as recited in claim 12, further comprising

indicating a stopping position where the vehicle can stop using the map data and the position that is set as the destination, after the recommended route has been recalculated.

16. The route guiding method as recited in claim 13, further comprising

acquiring traffic information regarding the calculated route, calculating an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the destination using the acquired traffic information, and sending the estimated arrival time to the external communication terminal.

17. The route guiding method as recited in claim 12, further comprising

acquiring traffic information regarding the calculated route, calculating an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the destination using the acquired traffic information, and sending the estimated arrival time to the external communication terminal.

19. The route guiding method as recited in claim 11, further comprising

acquiring traffic information regarding the calculated route, calculating an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the destination using the acquired traffic information, and sending the estimated arrival time to the external communication terminal.

22. The route guiding method as recited in claim 11, wherein

acquiring the updated position information when it is detected that the vehicle is within a prescribed distance from the destination specified in the position information that was received from the external communication terminal and stored.

23. The route guiding method as recited in claim 19, wherein

acquiring the updated position information when the estimated arrival time approaches.

14. A route guiding method comprising:

detecting a current position of a vehicle is being guided along a route;

setting a destination based on position information contained in a signal received from an external communication terminal;

calculating a recommended route for traveling from the current position to the destination;

acquiring an updated position information by communicating with the external communication terminal that sent the position information when it is detected that the vehicle is within a prescribed distance from the destination specified in the position information that was received from the external communication terminal and stored;

resetting the destination to an updated destination based on the updated position information that was acquired;

recalculating the recommended route to travel from the current position recently detected to the updated destination;

acquiring a detailed map data of an area surrounding the position specified in the updated position information, and resetting the destination using the map data, after the recommended route has been recalculated;

indicating a stopping position where the vehicle can stop using the map data and the position that is set as the destination, after the recommended route has been recalculated; and

selecting a suitable position for the vehicle to meet a person possessing the external communication terminal and setting the suitable position as a new destination after the recommended route has been recalculated.

15. The route guiding method as recited in claim 14, further comprising

acquiring traffic information regarding the calculated route, calculating an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the destination using the acquired traffic information, and sending the estimated arrival time to the external communication terminal.

18. A route guiding method comprising:

detecting a current position of a vehicle is being guided along a route;

setting a destination based on position information contained in a signal received from an external communication terminal;

calculating a recommended route for traveling from the current position to the destination;

acquiring an updated position information by communicating with the external communication terminal that sent the position information when it is detected that the vehicle is within a prescribed distance from the destination specified in the position information that was received from the external communication terminal and stored;

resetting the destination to an updated destination based on the updated position information that was acquired;

recalculating the recommended route to travel from the current position recently detected to the updated destination;

acquiring a detailed map data of an area surrounding the position specified in the updated position information, and resetting the destination using the map data, after the recommended route has been recalculated; and

selecting a suitable position for the vehicle to meet a person possessing the external communication terminal and setting the suitable position as a new destination after the recommended route has been recalculated.