On-vehicle navigation apparatus with automatic re-initialization function

• US 5,365,448 A
• Filed: 03/27/1992
• Issued: 11/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Araki, Morio, Nobe, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARK, COLLIN
• Application Number:
  US07/858,645
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 364/443, 364/444, 364/561, 364/449, 364/450, 364/424.01, 340/988, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3605 Destination input or retrieval

Abstract

An on-vehicle navigation apparatus in which destination coordinate data stored in a memory is erased when the distance from the present location to a destination is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value at the time the engine of a vehicle is started. The destination coordinate data will not therefore be erased while the vehicle is actually running toward the destination. The arrangement prevents display of navigation information such as the direction and distance from being stopped before the vehicle arrives at the destination.

Claims

1. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus for displaying navigation information from a present location of a vehicle to a destination, comprising:

detection means for detecting present-location coordinate data representing the present location of said vehicle;

means for acquiring destination coordinate data representing said destination in accordance with an operator input and storing said destination coordinate data in a memory;

means for computing a distance from said present location to said destination on the basis of said present-location coordinate data and said destination coordinate data;

discriminating means for discriminating whether the computed distance is greater than a predetermined value;

drive-source start detecting means for detecting start of a drive source of said vehicle and for generating a start detection signal;

means for erasing said destination coordinate data from said memory when said computed distance is judged to be not greater than said predetermined value upon generation of said start detection signal; and

display means for displaying at least one of said present location coordinate data and said destination coordinate data.

2. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive-source start detecting means generates the start detection signal in accordance with a level of a voltage to be supplied to a starter motor when said drive source of said vehicle is an engine.

3. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive-source start detecting means generates the start detection signal in accordance with a number of revolutions per minute of an engine, said engine being said drive source of said vehicle.

4. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive-source start detecting means generates the start detection signal in accordance with a coolant temperature of an engine, said engine being said drive source of said vehicle.

5. An on-vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive-source start detecting means generates the start detection signal in accordance with an amount of air intake of an engine, said engine being said drive source of said vehicle.