Navigation apparatus

• US 6,574,550 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2002
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Hashida, Masaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/137,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20020193940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200-213, 701/214, 340/990, 340/995, 342/357.1, 342/357-1-3
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments

Abstract

A navigation system includes sensors to detect a moving direction and location of a mobile body. The navigation system first presumes a first route pattern, which includes straight and curve ways, from data supplied from the sensors. The navigation system then determines a second route pattern, based on data supplied from the sensors. The navigation system compares the first route pattern with the second route pattern. When the first route pattern is substantially the same as the second route pattern, a current moving direction and location of the mobile body detected by the sensors are calibrated in accordance with the first route pattern. The navigation system can accurately determine a current location of the mobile body even if the mobile body moves in a roofed building and no driveway data is available for the building.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a measurement unit for measuring a moving direction and current location of a mobile body in accordance with navigation parameters of the mobile body;

a presumption device for presuming a route pattern representing straight and curve ways along which the mobile body has moved, on the basis of the moving direction and current location of the mobile body measured by the measurement unit;

a comparison unit for determining whether an actual route pattern determined in accordance with the moving direction and current location of the mobile body measured by the measurement unit after presumption of the route pattern matches the presumed route pattern; and

a calibration unit for calibrating the moving direction and current location of the mobile body measured by the measurement unit on the basis of the presumed route patter, when the comparison unit determines that the actual route pattern matches the presumed route pattern.

2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calibration unit calibrates the moving direction of the mobile body on the basis of the presumed route patter when the current location of the mobile body measured by the measurement unit is present on the straight way.

4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mobile body is at least one of a car and a human.

5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1 further including at least one of a speed sensor, an angular velocity sensor and an acceleration sensor to provide the navigation parameters of the mobile body.

6. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1 further including a determination unit to determine whether the mobile body exists within confines of a predetermined structure.

7. The navigation apparatus according to claim 6 further including a GPS device to provide a moving direction and current location of the mobile body when the determination unit determines that the mobile body does not exist within the confines of the predetermined structure.

8. The navigation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the predetermined structure is a roofed building.

9. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the presumption unit presumes the route pattern when the mobile body exists in a structure for which no map data is available.

10. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the presumption unit presumes the route pattern when the mobile body exists in a roofed structure.

3. The navigation apparatus according to claim further including:

a map matching process unit for applying a map matching process on the current moving direction and current location of the mobile body measured by the measurement unit, using road data included in map data prepared beforehand, to determine a current location of the mobile body; and

a prohibition unit for prohibiting application of the map matching process when the presumption unit presumes the route pattern.

11. A method comprising the steps of:

A) measuring a moving direction and location of a mobile body using sensors;

B) presuming a first route pattern along which the mobile body has moved, on the basis of the moving direction and location of the mobile body measured at Step A;

C) repeating step A;

D) determining a second route pattern along which the mobile body has moved, on the basis of the moving direction and location of the mobile body measured at Step C;

E) determining whether a difference between the first route pattern and second route pattern falls within a predetermined range; and

F) calibrating the moving direction and location of the mobile body measured at Step C on the basis of the first route patter, when Step E determines that the difference between the first and second route patterns falls within the predetermined range.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein Step F calibrates the moving direction of the mobile body on the basis of the first route patter while the mobile body is moving straight.

13. The method according to claim 11 further including the step of prohibiting application of the map matching process when Step B presumes the first route pattern.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the mobile body is at least one of a car and a human.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined range is about 10 degrees.

16. The method according to claim 11 further including the step of G) determining whether the mobile body exists within confines of a predetermined structure.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined structure is a roofed building.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein Step B presumes the first route pattern when the mobile body exists in a structure for which no map data is available.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein Step B presumes the first route pattern when the mobile body exists in a roofed structure.

20. An apparatus comprising:

first means for measuring a moving direction and location of a mobile body;

second means for presuming a first route pattern along which the mobile body has moved, on the basis of the moving direction and location of the mobile body measured by the first means;

third means for measuring the moving direction and location of the mobile body at a different time than the first means;

fourth means for determining a second route pattern along which the mobile body has moved, on the basis of the moving direction and location of the mobile body measured by the third means;

fifth means for determining whether a difference between the first route pattern and second route pattern falls within a predetermined range; and

sixth means for calibrating the moving direction and location of the mobile body measured by the third means on the basis of the first route patter, when the fifth means determines that the difference between the first and second route patterns falls within the predetermined range.