Method and device for reading navigation data

• US 6,512,977 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2001
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Kriegel, Dieter, Sievers, Stefan, Golisch, Frank, Dobberkau, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/873,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20020001260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 369/21, 386/105
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/16 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00

Abstract

Simplified navigation directions are provided when a navigation compact disk is not available in a shared compact disk reader. In a preferred arrangement, simplified navigation directions include heading to desired destination and/or distance to desired destination. An audio compact disk may be played while the simplified directions are provided. When a navigation compact disk is available in a shared compact disk reader, detailed directions may be calculated and provided.

Claims

1. In a system wherein a navigation device is coupled to receive navigation data from a compact disk reader and an audio device is coupled to receive recorded audio information from said compact disk reader, which can be operated in order to provide the driver with detailed directions to a desired destination, a method for providing navigation instructions to a driver while playing recorded audio from a compact disk, comprising:

reading navigation data from a navigation data disk in said compact disk reader and selecting destination coordinates using said navigation data;

storing said destination coordinates and removing said navigation data disk from said compact disk reader;

operating said compact disk reader to play recorded audio read from a compact disk containing prerecorded audio information;

deriving current position information, which denotes current position, using a navigation sensor; and

providing a display of simplified directions comprising at least direction information derived from said current position information and said destination coordinates, and wherein the display of said direction information includes displaying an arrow corresponding to said direction information during said play of recorded audio.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the distance between said current position and said destination coordinates is computed and displayed.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said distance is calculated using a direct path distance.

4. A navigation system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a position sensor for providing navigation data representing the current location of said motor vehicle;

a compact disk reader reading map data disks and audio disks;

an output device for displaying directions;

an audio system arranged to receive audio disk signals from said compact disk reader;

a data processor and a controllable switch, wherein said switch can be set in order to pass information from said compact disk reader to said data processor and to pass information from compact disk reader to the audio system, wherein said data processor is arranged to receive map data from said compact disk reader, and said navigation data from said position sensor and provide detailed directions to a selected destination on said output device while said compact disk reader supplies said map data, wherein said processor is further arranged to compute and store coordinates of said selected destination and to provide said output device with simplified directions specifying the direction of said selected destination while said compact disk reader supplies said audio signals to said audio system.

5. A navigation system as specified in claim 4 wherein said output device is a device selected from an acoustic device and a display device, and wherein said data processor is arranged to provide said simplified directions to said output device when a map data disk is not present in said compact disk reader.