Portable terminal with the function of walking navigation

• US 6,430,498 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2000
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Shimada, Shigeru, Maruyama, Kishiko, Sasaki, Toshiichirou
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/613,634
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/211, 701/212, 701/213, 701/214, 340/988, 340/995, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/443, 342/147, 367/118
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

A portable terminal has a function of walking navigation. The direction of the destination is displayed by an indicating arrow that always points in the direction of the destination. In the navigation processing, the user enters data to select a menu and/or set retrieving conditions on the setup screen. At first, the user gets the location information of the portable terminal, represented by a latitude/longitude or coordinates and an altitude, for example. Then, the user gets the direction information of the portable terminal, which is the direction of the tip of the portable terminal as determined by a compass, a gyro, or a clinometer. The location information and the direction information are set as terminal information for the retrieving conditions. The system controls retrieving of the database and retrieves the information corresponding to the selected menu, such as route guidance.

Claims

1. A portable terminal with the function of walking navigation, comprising:

a device for getting location information denoting a present place of said portable terminal; and

a device for getting direction information denoting an orientation of said portable terminal,

wherein a direction and a distance of a destination from said present place are denoted with an orientation and a length of a line that is distinguished between starting and ending points to supply route guidance information as said walking navigation information.

2. A portable terminal with the function of walking navigation according to claim 1,

wherein said device for getting direction information gets information of a direction pointed by the tips of said portable terminal, as well as an angle of elevation.

3. A portable terminal with the function of walking navigation according to claim 1,

wherein said device for getting direction information gets orientation information of a display of said portable terminal.

4. A portable terminal with the function of walking navigation according to claim 1,

wherein location of a user is of said portable terminal is determined according to said location information and said direction information, and

wherein location of partner of the user is determined according to a location information from the partner'"'"'s portable terminal.

5. A portable terminal with the function of walking navigation, comprising:

a device for getting location information denoting a present place of said portable terminal; and

a device for getting direction information denoting an orientation of said portable terminal,

wherein a local route around said present place is shown with a bent line and a direction of movement is shown with an arrow on said bent line to supply route guidance information as said walking navigation information.

6. The portable terminal with said function of walking navigation according to claim 5,

wherein said device for getting direction information gets information of a direction pointed by the tip of said portable terminal, as well as an angle of elevation.

7. The portable terminal with said function of walking navigation according to claim 5,

wherein said device for getting direction information gets orientation information of a display of said portable terminal.

8. The portable terminal with said function of walking navigation according to claim 5,

wherein neighborhood guidance information is retrieved in a direction form said present place so as to supply said neighborhood guidance information as said walking navigation information.

9. The portable terminal with said function of walking navigation according to claim 5,

wherein location of a user is of said portable terminal is determined according to said location information and said direction information, and

wherein location of partner of the user is determined according to a location from the partner'"'"'s portable terminal.

10. A portable terminal with the function of walking navigation, comprising:

a device for getting location information denoting a present place of said portable terminal; and

a device for getting direction information denoting an orientation of said portable terminal,

wherein location of a user is of said portable terminal is determined according to said location information and said direction information,

wherein location of a partner of the user is determined according to a location information from the partner'"'"'s portable terminal, and

wherein a full route from said starting point to said destination is shown with a bent line that is distinguished between starting and ending points and said present place is shown with a symbol on said line to supply said route guidance information as said walking navigation information.

11. The portable terminal with said function of walking navigation according to claim 10,

wherein said device for getting direction information gets information in a direction pointed by the tip of said portable terminal.

12. The portable terminal with said function of walking navigation according to claim 10,

wherein said device for getting direction information gets information of a direction pointed by the tip of said portable terminal, as well as an angle of elevation.

13. The portable terminal with said function of walking navigation according to claim 10,

wherein said device for getting direction information gets orientation information of a display of said portable terminal.