Positioning system

• US 5,541,592 A
• Filed: 08/08/1994
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shiihara, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/287,038
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 340/990, 340/995, 340/980, 340/988, 364/449, 364/424.01, 364/424.02, 434/62
• US Class Current: 340/990
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A positioning system has a position measuring mode and a simulated navigation mode. In the position measuring mode, the system measures an actual position of a movable body. On the other hand, in the simulated navigation mode, a simulated position of the movable body is derived using a determined route to be traveled by the movable body. The system derives the simulated position of the movable body as a position which moves along the determined route at a given speed. The system displays the derived simulated position of the movable body at a center of a display screen, along with a corresponding map and the determined route in a superimposed fashion. Accordingly, the system automatically scrolls the corresponding map and route at a given speed, with the derived simulated position of the movable body being constantly displayed at the center of the display screen.

Claims

1. A positioning system for a movable body, said positioning system having a first operation mode where a current position of the movable body is measured using sensor means, said positioning system further having a second operation mode, said positioning system comprising:

display means having a display screen;

map data storing means for storing map data;

route setting means for setting a route to be traveled by the movable body, said route having a start point and a destination point;

mode selecting means, manually operable, for selecting one of said first and second operation modes;

simulated position deriving means, responsive to said mode selecting means selecting said operation mode, for deriving a simulated current position of the movable body based on said route set by the route setting means, said simulated position deriving means deriving said simulated current position as a position which moves along said route at a given simulated speed from said start point toward said destination point; and

control means for displaying said derived simulated current position on the display screen of said display means, along with the corresponding map data and route, said control means controlling said display means to display said derived simulated current position at a given position on said display screen so that said corresponding map data and route is scrolled along said display screen at a given scroll speed with said derived simulated current position being constantly displayed at said given position, said given scroll speed being determined by said given simulated speed,

whereby display of movement of said simulated current position along said route at said given scroll speed is provided without scrolling of said corresponding map data and route by a user.

2. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor means includes a plurality of satellites and wherein said system measures said current position of the movable body using signals from said plurality of the satellites.

3. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means, manually operable, for setting said given simulated speed to a desired value.

4. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means, manually operable, for pausing said simulated position deriving means so as to bring the displayed image into a standstill.

5. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means, manually operable, for pausing said simulated position deriving means so that said control means controls said display means to display said corresponding map data and route in a static manner along with said derived simulated current position located at said center.

6. A positioning system for a movable body comprising:

display means having a display screen;

map data storing means for storing map data;

route setting means for setting a route to be traveled by the movable body, said route having a start point and a destination point;

mode selecting means, manually operable, for selecting a simulated navigation mode;

simulated position deriving means, responsive to said mode selecting means selecting said simulated navigation mode, for deriving a simulated current position of the movable body based on said route set by the route setting means, said simulated position deriving means deriving said simulated current position as a position which moves along said route at a given speed from said start point toward said destination point; and

control means for displaying said derived simulated current position on the display screen of said display means, along with the corresponding map data and route, said control means controlling said display means to display said derived simulated current position at a given position on said display screen,

whereby display of simulated movement of said simulated current position along said route is provided without scrolling of a displayed image by a user.

7. The positioning system as set forth in claim 6, further comprising means, manually operable, for variably setting said given speed.

8. The positioning system as set forth in claim 6, further comprising means, manually operable, for pausing said simulated position deriving means so as to bring the displayed image into a standstill.

9. The positioning system as set forth in claim 6, further comprising means, manually operable, for pausing said simulated position deriving means so that said control means controls said display means to display said corresponding map data and route in a static manner along with said derived simulated current position located at said center.