Navigation System for a Vehicle

• US 20090024322A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Tomita, Hiroshi, Igawa, Junichiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

When a vehicle is located within a coverage of a radio station, a navigation system for the vehicle outputs audio guidance on the basis of received traffic information, provided that the traffic information is to be output under a predetermined audio output condition according to a congested area or stores the traffic information in a storage section, provided that the traffic information is not under the predetermined audio output condition according to the congested area. Then, when the vehicle is located out of the coverage of the radio station, the navigation for the vehicle outputs traffic information stored in a storage section as audio guidance.

Claims

1. A navigation system for a vehicle, comprising:

a communication section for receiving traffic information from a radio station;

an audio output determining section for determining whether an audio output condition is met; and

an audio output processing section for outputting traffic information which is received from the radio station by the communication section, provided the audio output determining device determines that the audio output condition is met.

8. A navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the audio output determining section determines whether any one of the following audio output conditions is met,

there is a predetermined difference between current traffic information and statistical data stored in a data storage section;

the vehicle is stopped or is slowing down on an expressway or a toll-way as detected by a vehicle speed sensor or a GPS sensor;

an in-vehicle camera captures an image of a congestion information signboard mounted along a traveling route and information of traffic congestion, an accident, or road construction information is displayed thereon;

a beacon receiver of a communication section receives more current traffic information from a an information center, a radio FM multiplex broadcasting receiver receives more current traffic information, or the more current traffic information is received through the Internet by means of an information terminal device;

the vehicle enters a congested area, as determined from data for the congested area included in traffic information which is received from the information center by the beacon receiver of the communication section or included in traffic information stored as statistical data;

the communication section receives traffic information regarding a congested area, a traffic accident, or road construction from the information center, or from the FM multiplex broadcasting receiver; and

a current location of the vehicle which, as detected by a current location detector, is approaching a congested area, site of an accident, or road construction, based on traffic information received from the radio FM multiplex broadcasting receiver, the beacon receiver, or the Internet.

9. A navigation system according to claim 1 wherein the audio output condition that is determined by the audio output section is a predetermined difference between current traffic information and statistical data stored in a data storage section.

10. A navigation system according to claim 1 wherein the audio output condition that is determined by the audio output section is that, when an in-vehicle camera captures an image of a congestion information signboard mounted along a travel route, information indicating traffic congestion, an accident, or road construction is displayed on the signboard.

11. A navigation system according to claim 1 wherein the audio output condition determined by the audio output section is that a beacon receiver of the communication section has received more current traffic information from an information center, that a radio FM multiplex broadcasting receiver of the communication section has received the more current traffic information, or that the more current traffic information has been received through the Internet by means of an information terminal device of the communication section.

12. A navigation system according to claim 1 wherein the audio output condition determined by the audio output section is that the vehicle has entered a congested area, based on information of a congested area included in traffic information received from an information center by a beacon receiver of the communication section or based on traffic information stored in a statistical data file.

13. A navigation system according to claim 1 wherein the audio output condition determined by the audio output section is that a beacon receiver of the communication section has received traffic information regarding a congested area, a traffic accident, or road construction from an information center, or that a radio FM multiplex broadcasting receiver of the communication section has received traffic information regarding a congested area, a traffic accident, or road construction.

14. A navigation system according to claim 1 further comprising a data storage section and a traffic information deletion section for deleting traffic information stored in the storage section at certain intervals and for updating the traffic information to traffic information which is newly received by the communication section.

15. A navigation system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a coverage determining section for determining whether the vehicle is located within an area of coverage of the radio station, on the basis of reception from the radio station by the communication section.

2. (canceled)

3. A navigation system for a vehicle, comprising:

a current location detector for detecting a current location of the vehicle;

a data storage section for storing data for coverage of a radio station;

a communication section for receiving traffic information broadcast from the radio station and current traffic information from a road traffic information center;

a coverage determining section for determining whether the vehicle is located within the coverage of the radio station which is stored in the data storage section;

an audio output determining section for determining whether the current traffic information which is received from the road traffic information center by the communication section is to be output by determining whether or not a predetermined audio output condition specifying a traffic condition is satisfied; and

an audio output processing section for outputting traffic information which is received from the radio station by the communication section with audio guidance, provided that the coverage determining section determines that the vehicle is located within the area of coverage of the radio station and further provided that the audio output determining section has determined that the audio output condition is met.

16. A navigation system according to claim 3 wherein the audio output condition that is determined by the audio output section is a predetermined difference between current traffic information and statistical data stored in a data storage section.

17. A navigation system according to claim 3 wherein the audio output condition determined by the audio output section is that the vehicle is parked or is slowing down on an expressway or a toll-way on the basis of a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed sensor or a GPS sensor.

18. A navigation system according to claim 3 wherein the audio output condition that is determined by the audio output section is that, when an in-vehicle camera captures an image of a congestion information signboard mounted along a travel route, information indicating traffic congestion, an accident, or road construction is displayed on the signboard.

19. A navigation system according to claim 3 wherein the audio output condition determined by the audio output section is that a beacon receiver of the communication section has received more current traffic information from an information center, that a radio FM multiplex broadcasting receiver of the communication section has received the more current traffic information, or that the more current traffic information has been received through the Internet by means of an information terminal device of the communication section.

20. A navigation system according to claim 3 wherein the audio output condition determined by the audio output section is that the vehicle has entered a congested area, based on information of a congested area included in traffic information received from an information center by a beacon receiver of the communication section or based on traffic information stored in a statistical data file.

21. A navigation system according to claim 3 wherein the audio output condition determined by the audio output section is that a beacon receiver of the communication section has received traffic information regarding a congested area, a traffic accident, or road construction from an information center, or that a radio FM multiplex broadcasting receiver of the communication section has received traffic information regarding a congested area, a traffic accident, or road construction.

22. A navigation system according to claim 3 wherein the audio output condition determined by the audio output section is that a current location of the vehicle, as detected by a current location detector, is approaching a congested area, a location where an accident has not yet been cleared, or a road construction area, based on traffic information obtained from a radio FM multiplex broadcasting receiver, a beacon receiver, or Internet.

23. A navigation system according to claim 3 further comprising a traffic information deletion section for deleting traffic information stored in the storage section, at certain time intervals, and for updating the traffic information to that which is most recently received by the communicating section.

24. A navigation system according to claim 3 wherein:

the coverage determining section determines whether the vehicle is located within the area of coverage of the radio station on the basis of reception from the radio station by the communication section.

25. A navigation system according to claim 3 wherein:

the coverage determining section determines whether the vehicle is located within the area of coverage of the radio station on the basis of a detection signal from the current location detector.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. A navigation system for a vehicle, comprising:

a current location detector for detecting a current location of the vehicle;

a data storage section for storing map data for use in searching for a route and coverage data for a radio station along a route for which data is included in the stored map data;

a communication section for receiving traffic information which is broadcast from the radio station and current traffic information which is provided from a road traffic information center;

an audio output determining section for determining whether an audio output condition is met;

a coverage determining section for determining whether the current location of the vehicle is within an area of coverage of the radio station which is stored in the data storage section, in accordance with a detection signal from the current location detector;

a display device for displaying a message on a screen to let a driver know that the traffic information which is received from the radio station by the communication section is ready for output as audio guidance responsive to a request from the driver, provided that the audio output determining section has determined that the audio output condition is met;

a storage device for storing traffic information which is received from the radio station by the communication section, provided that the audio output determining section has determined that the current traffic information is not to be output because the audio output condition is not met;

a display section for displaying a message on the screen of the display device to let the driver know that traffic information received from the radio station by the communication section is ready for output as audio guidance responsive to a request from the driver, provided that the coverage determining section has determined that the vehicle is not located within the area of coverage of the radio station; and

an audio output section for outputting traffic information which is received from the radio station as audio guidance when the driver touches an operating area on the screen of the display device.

7. (canceled)