Navigation system, remote navigation device and method, and in-vehicle navigation device

• US 6,636,805 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2000
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Hironobu, Yurimoto, Masayuki, Tada, Akihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Donnelly, Arthur D.
• Application Number:
  US09/704,665
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 340/945, 340/990, 340/995, 731/78.R
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice

Abstract

A remote navigation device and navigation system which can reduce communications costs by minimizing route guidance data transmitted to an in-vehicle navigation device is configured so that it can obtain guide area information specifying areas where guidance is not needed. When generating route guidance data to be transmitted to an in-vehicle navigation device, the remote navigation device removes the routes which pass through areas where route guidance is not needed, and generates route guidance data for just the other routes. By transmitting only such route guidance data to the in-vehicle navigation device, the amount of transmitted data can be reduced.

Claims

1. A remote navigation device for transmitting route guidance data to an in-vehicle navigation device, said remote navigation device comprising:

guide area information obtaining means for obtaining guide area information which specifies a map area,

route guidance data generating means for generating first route guidance data for the map area specified by said guide area information and second route guidance data for map areas other than the map area specified by said guide area information, said second route guidance data differing from said first route guidance data in the degree of guidance, and

route guidance data transmitting means for transmitting said first and second route guidance data to said in-vehicle navigation device.

2. A remote navigation device according to claim 1, wherein,

said route guidance data generating means generates route guidance data excluding route guidance for either the map area specified by said guide area information or the map area not specified by said guide area information.

3. A remote navigation device according to claim 1, wherein

said guide area information obtaining means receives said guide area information from said in-vehicle navigation device.

4. A remote navigation device according to claim 1, wherein

said guide area information is information specifying an area around the user'"'"'s home.

5. A remote navigation device according to claim 1, wherein,

said guide area information is set based on the vehicle'"'"'s driving history.

8. An in-vehicle navigation device for receiving route a guidance data from a remote navigation device according to claim 1, said in-vehicle navigation device comprising,

guide area information setting means for setting guide area information for specifying a map area, and

guide area information transmitting means for transmitting said guide area information to said remote navigation device.

19. An in-vehicle navigation device which receives route guidance data from a remote navigation device according to claim 1, said in-vehicle navigation device comprising,

guide area information setter which sets guide area information which specifies a map area, and

guide area information transmitter which transmits said guide area information to said remote navigation device.

6. A navigation system including a remote navigation device and an in-vehicle navigation device, in which said in-vehicle navigation device executes route guidance based on route guidance data transmitted from said remote navigation device, wherein,

said in-vehicle navigation device includes means for transmitting a route pre-guide request to said remote navigation device, and

said remote navigation device, upon receiving said route pre-guide request from said in-vehicle navigation device, transmits route pre-guide data to said in-vehicle navigation device, said route pre-guide data including guidance content with less information than does a route guidance based on said route guidance data.

7. A navigation system according to claim 6, wherein,

said remote navigation device, upon receiving said route pre-guide request, reduces the amount of data in route guidance data by setting a scale for said route guidance data based on a distance from the current position of the vehicle to a characteristic point along the guided route.

9. Method for transmitting route guidance data to an in-vehicle navigation device, said method comprising:

obtaining guide area information which specifies a map area where route guidance is not needed,

generating first route guidance data for the map area specified by said guide area information and second route guidance data for the map area not specified by said guide area information, said first and second route guidance data differing in the degree of guidance, and

transmitting said first and second route guidance data to said in-vehicle navigation device.

10. A remote navigation device for transmitting route guidance data to an in-vehicle navigation device, said route guidance data being useable as a basis for route guidance at said in-vehicle navigation device, said remote navigation device comprising,

route pre-guide request receiving means for receiving a route pre-guide request from said in-vehicle navigation device, and

route pre-guide data transmitting means for transmitting, upon receiving a route pre-guide request from said in-vehicle device, to said in-vehicle navigation device, route pre-guide data containing less guidance content than contained in route guidance based on said route guidance data.

11. Method for transmitting route guidance data to an in-vehicle navigation device, said route guidance data being useable as a basis for execution of route guidance by said navigation device, said method comprising:

receiving a route pre-guide request from said in-vehicle navigation device, and

transmitting, upon receiving said route pre-guide request from said in-vehicle navigation device, to said in-vehicle navigation device, route pre-guide data which contains less guidance content than route guidance based on said route guidance data.

12. An in-vehicle navigation device, comprising:

route guidance data receiving means for receiving route guidance data,

route guidance means for executing route guidance using said route guidance data,

route pre-guide request transmitting means for transmitting a route pre-guide request to a remote navigation device,

route pre-guide data receiving means for receiving, in response to said route pre-guide request, a route pre-guide data containing less guidance content than route guidance based on said route guidance data, and

route pre-guidance means for executing route pre-guide based on said route pre-guide data.

13. A remote navigation device which transmits route guidance data to an in-vehicle navigation device, said remote navigation device comprising:

guide area information obtainer which obtains guide area information which specifies a map area,

route guidance data generator which generates first route guidance data for the map area specified by said guide area information and second route guidance data for map areas other than the map area specified by said guide area information, said second route guidance data differing from said first route guidance data in the degree of guidance, and

route guidance data transmitter which transmits said first and second route guidance data to said in-vehicle navigation device, wherein said guide area information is set based on a vehicle driving history.

14. A remote navigation device according to claim 13, wherein,

said route guidance data generator generates route guidance data excluding route guidance for either the map area specified by said guide area information or the map area not specified by said guide area information.

15. A remote navigation device according to claim 13, wherein

said guide area information obtainer receives said guide area information from said in-vehicle navigation device.

16. A remote navigation device according to any claim 13, wherein

said guide area information is information specifying an area around the user'"'"'s home.

17. A navigation system including a remote navigation device and an in-vehicle navigation device, in which said in-vehicle navigation device executes route guidance based on route guidance data transmitted from said remote navigation device, wherein,

said in-vehicle navigation device includes transmitter which transmits a route pre-guide request to said remote navigation device, and

said remote navigation device, upon receiving said route pre-guide request from said in-vehicle navigation device, transmits route pre-guide data to said in-vehicle navigation device, said route pre-guide data including guidance content with less information than does a route guidance based on said route guidance data.

18. A navigation system according to claim 17, wherein,

said remote navigation device, upon receiving said route pre-guide request, reduces the amount of data in route guidance data by setting a scale for said route guidance data based on a distance from the current position of the vehicle to a characteristic point along the guided route.

20. A remote navigation device which transmits route guidance data to an in-vehicle navigation device, said route guidance data being useable as a basis for route guidance at said in-vehicle navigation device, said remote navigation device comprising,

route pre-guide request receiver which receives a route pre-guide request from said in-vehicle navigation device, and

route pre-guide data transmitter which transmits, upon receiving a route pre-guide request from said in-vehicle device, to said in-vehicle navigation device, route pre-guide data containing less guidance content than contained in route guidance based on said route guidance data.

21. An in-vehicle navigation device, comprising:

route guidance data receiver which receives route guidance data,

route guidance portion which executes route guidance using said route guidance data,

route pre-guide request transmitter which transmits a route pre-guide request to a remote navigation device,

route pre-guide data receiver which receives, in response to said route pre-guide request, a route pre-guide data containing less guidance content than route guidance based on said route guidance data, and

route pre-guide portion which executes route pre-guide based on said route pre-guide data.