Navigation system for vehicle

• US 6,751,551 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Morita, Hiroyuki, Katayama, Mutsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/127,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20020177949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 701/211, 701/201, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 340/995.1, 340/995.2, 340/995.23, 340/995.27, 340/995.28
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence

Abstract

To provide a navigation system for a vehicle in which guidance information necessary for the driver can be provided while using a small display space. A guidance pattern indicating the direction toward a WP is formed of an arrow pattern including a center point segment with a rhombic segment as a tip. When the vehicle approaches a crossing and the turning direction at the crossing is to the right, the display pattern is changed over to an elongate rhombic segment extending rightwards from the center point segment, thereby indicating that the turning direction is to the right. Alternatively, the rhombic segment indicating the turning direction is displayed in addition to the guidance pattern for the direction toward the WP, whereby the direction toward the WP and the turning direction are displayed in combination so that they can be differentiated from each other.

Claims

1. A navigation system for a vehicle for displaying a plurality of kinds of guidance patterns differing in intrinsic meaning, comprising:

a sole display having a plurality of display regions, at least one of said plurality of display regions for displaying said plurality of kinds of guidance patterns simultaneously or selectively,

wherein said plurality of kinds of guidance patterns are displayed in each of said at least one display region in visually different display modes according to their intrinsic meaning and said at least one of said plurality of display regions is a direction display region, said direction display region displaying a guidance pattern indicating a direction toward a WP which coincides with a guidance pattern indicating a turning direction.

2. The navigation system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein a part of one of said guidance patterns coincides with at least a part of another of said guidance patterns.

3. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said guidance patterns differ in shape according to their intrinsic meaning.

4. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said guidance patterns are turned on differntly according to their intrinsic meaning.

5. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said guidance patterns differ in display color according to their intrinsic meaning.

6. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said guidance patterns differ in display density according to their intrinsic meaning.

7. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said guidance patterns differ in shape according to their intrinsic meaning.

8. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said guidance patterns are turned on differently according to their intrinsic meaning.

9. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said guidance patterns differ in display color according to their intrinsic meaning.

10. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said guidance patterns differ in display density according to their intrinsic meaning.

11. A navigation system for a vehicle for displaying a plurality of kinds of guidance patterns, each of the guidance patterns for identifying a different guidance parameter, comprising:

a display having a plurality of display regions, at least one of said plurality of display regions for respectively displaying said plurality of kinds of said guidance patterns simultaneously or individually,

wherein said plurality of kinds of guidance patterns are displayed in each of said at least one display region in visually different display modes according to the guidance parameter being identified and said at least one of said plurality of display regions is a direction display region, said direction display region displaying a guidance pattern indicating a direction toward a WP which coincides with a guidance pattern indicating a turning direction.

12. The navigation system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 11, wherein a part of one of said guidance patterns coincides with at least a part of another of said guidance patterns.

13. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said guidance patterns differ in shape according to the guidance parameter being identified.

14. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said guidance patterns are turned on differently according to the guidance parameter being identified.

15. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said guidance patterns differ in display color according to the guidance parameter being identified.

16. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein said guidance patterns differ in display density according to the guidance parameter being identified.

17. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said guidance patterns differ in shape according to the guidance parameter being identified.

18. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said guidance patterns are turned on differently according to the guidance parameter being identified.

19. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said guidance patterns differ in display color according to the guidance parameter being identified.

20. The navigation system for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said guidance patterns differ in display density according to the guidance parameter being identified.