Navigation system

• US 6,839,630 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Kiyomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US10/134,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20020173908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 701/211, 701/200, 701/201, 701/209, 731/78.R, 340/990, 340/995.4
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens

Abstract

In a main device, a processor receives information about a destination point, and further generates guide image data representing a guide image for guiding a user who is driving a vehicle. A display unit displays the guide image generated by the processor, thereby guiding the driving user to the destination point. When it is determined, while guiding the driving user, that the user is going to get off the vehicle, the processor generates navigation data Dnvg including the information about the destination point, and transfers the navigation data to a sub-device. In the sub-device, a processor generates, based on the received navigation data Dnvg, guide image data for outside of the vehicle representing a guide image for guiding the user who is traveling to the destination point on foot. A display unit displays the guide image generated by the processor. Thus, it is possible to provide a navigation system that is convenient to use.

Claims

1. A navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, said navigation system comprising:

a main device to be fixed to a vehicle; and

a sub-device operable to communicate with said main device, said sub-device being portable by the user, wherein

said main device comprises;

a receiving unit for receiving at least information about the destination point;

a first generating unit for generating vehicle guide image data for the vehicle representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;

a first displaying unit for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data generated by said first generating unit;

an input unit for generating, in response to an operation by the user, a signal indicative of timing when the user gets off the vehicle;

a determining unit for determining whether the user gets off the vehicle, said determining unit determining that the user gets off the vehicle when the signal is received; and

a generating/transferring unit for generating, when said determining unit determines that the user gets off the vehicle, navigation data including at least the destination point received by said receiving unit, and transferring the navigation data to said sub-device, and

said sub-device comprises;

a second generating unit for generating guide image data for outside of the vehicle representing a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle based on the navigation data transferred from said generating/transferring unit; and

a second display unit for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data for outside of the vehicle generated by said second generating unit.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein

said main device further comprises a calculating unit for calculating a current position of the vehicle,

said generating/transferring unit generates the navigation data further including, as a vehicle position, the current position of the vehicle calculated by said calculating unit when said determining unit determines that the user gets off the vehicle, and transfers the navigation data to said sub-device,

said sub-device further comprises a route searching unit for deriving an optimal route from the vehicle position to the destination point based on the navigation data transferred from said generating/transferring unit, and

said second generating unit further generates guide image data for outside of the vehicle by using the optimal route derived by said route searching unit.

3. A navigation system according to claim 2, wherein

said route searching unit further derives an optimal route from the destination point to the vehicle position.

8. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein

said sub-device further includes:

a calculating unit for calculating a current position of the user who travels outside of the vehicle; and

a non-volatile storage unit for storing, as travel data, one or more of the current positions calculated by said calculating unit while the user traveling outside of the vehicle is guided to the destination point, and

when the travel data is stored in said non-volatile storage unit, said second generating unit generates the guide image data for outside of the vehicle by using the travel data stored in said non-volatile storage unit.

4. A navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, said navigation system comprising:

a main device to be fixed to a vehicle; and

a sub-device operable to communicate with said main device, said sub-device being portable by the user, wherein

said main device comprises;

a receiving unit for receiving at least information about the destination point;

a first generating unit for generating vehicle guide image data for the vehicle representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;

a first displaying unit for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data generated by said first generating unit;

a generating/transferring unit for generating, when a determining unit determines that the user gets off the vehicle, navigation data including at least the destination point received by said receiving unit, and transferring the navigation data to said sub-device;

a storage unit for storing possible place data including a possible place as the destination point and an intermediate point through which the user goes to reach the destination point;

an extracting unit for extracting, from the possible place data stored in said storage unit, the intermediate point related to the destination point received by said receiving unit;

a calculating unit for calculating a current position of the vehicle; and

said determining unit for determining whether the user gets off the vehicle, said determining unit determining that the user gets off the vehicle when the current position calculated by said calculating unit coincides with the intermediate point extracted by said extracting unit, and

said sub-device comprises;

a second generating unit for generating guide image data for outside of the vehicle representing a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle based on the navigation data transferred from said generating/transferring unit; and

a second display unit for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data for outside of the vehicle generated by said second generating unit.

5. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein

said storage unit further stores cartographic data representing a map that depicts an optimal route from the intermediate point to the destination point included in the possible place data,

said generating/transferring unit generates the navigation data further including the cartographic data stored in said storage unit when said determining unit determines that the user gets off the vehicle, and transfers the navigation data to said sub-device, and

said second generating unit generates the guide image data for outside of the vehicle based on the cartographic data included in the navigation data transferred from said generating/transferring unit.

6. A navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, said navigation system comprising:

a main device to be fixed to a vehicle; and

a sub-device operable to communicate with said main device, said sub-device being portable by the user, wherein

said main device comprises;

a calculating unit for calculating a current position of the vehicle;

a receiving unit for receiving at least information about the destination point and an intermediate point through which the user goes to reach the destination point;

a first generating unit for generating vehicle guide image data for the vehicle representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;

a first displaying unit for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data generated by said first generating unit;

a determining unit for determining whether the user gets off the vehicle, said determining unit determining that the user gets off the vehicle when the current position calculated by said calculating unit coincides with the intermediate point received by said receiving unit; and

a generating/transferring unit for generating, when said determining unit determines that the user gets off the vehicle, navigation data including at least the destination point received by said receiving unit, and transferring the navigation data to said sub-device, and

said sub-device comprises;

a second generating unit for generating guide image data for outside of the vehicle representing a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle based on the navigation data transferred from said generating/transferring unit; and

a second display unit for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data for outside of the vehicle generated by said second generating unit.

7. The navigation system according to claim 6, wherein

when said determining unit determines that the user gets off the vehicle, said generating/transferring unit generates the navigation data that further includes, as a vehicle position, the current position calculated by said calculating unit, and transfers the navigation data to said sub-device,

said sub-device further includes a route searching unit for deriving an optimal route from the vehicle position to the destination point based on the navigation data transferred from said generating/transferring unit, and

said second generating unit generates the guide image data for outside of the vehicle by using the optimal route derived by said route searching unit.

9. A method for use in a navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, the navigation system including a main device to be fixed to a vehicle and a sub-device capable of communicating with the main device, the sub-device being portable by a user, said method comprising:

a receiving operation of receiving at least information about the destination point;

a first generating operation of generating vehicle guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;

a first transmitting operation of transmitting the vehicle guide image data generated in said first generating operation to a first display unit included in the main device for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data;

a signal generating operation of generating, in response to an operation by the user, a signal indicative of timing when the user gets off the vehicle;

a determining operation of determining whether the user gets off the vehicle, said determining operation determining that the user gets off the vehicle when the signal from said signal generating operation is received;

a generating/transferring operation of generating, when determined in said determining operation that the user gets off the vehicle, navigation data at least including the destination point received in said receiving operation, and transferring the navigation data to the sub-device;

a second generating operation of generating guide image data for outside of the vehicle that represents a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle to the destination point based on the navigation data transferred from the main device; and

a second transmitting operation of transmitting the guide image data for outside of the vehicle generated in said second generating operation to a second display unit included in the sub-device for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data for outside of the vehicle, wherein

said receiving operation, said first generating operation, said first transmitting operation, said signal generating operation, said determining operation, and said generating/transferring operation are executed by the main device, and said second generating operation and said second transmitting operation are executed by the sub-device.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

a calculating operation, executed by the main device, of calculating a current position of the vehicle; and

a route searching operation, executed by the sub-device, of deriving an optimal route from the vehicle position to the destination point based on the navigation data transmitted from the main device, wherein

in said generating/transferring operation, when it is determined in said determining operation that the user gets off the vehicle, generating and transferring the navigation data further including the current position calculated in said calculating operation as a vehicle position to the sub-device, and

in said second generating operation, by using the optimal route derived in said route searching operation, the guide image data for outside of the vehicle is generated.

11. A method for use in a navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, the navigation system including a main device to be fixed to a vehicle and a sub-device capable of communicating with the main device, the sub-device being portable by a user, said method comprising:

a receiving operation of receiving at least information about the destination point;

a first generating operation of generating vehicle guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;

a first transmitting operation of transmitting the vehicle guide image data generated in said first generating operation to a first display unit included in the main device for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data;

a storing operation for storing possible place data including a possible place as the destination point and an intermediate point through which the user goes to reach the destination point;

an extracting operation for extracting, from the possible place data, the intermediate point related to the destination point received in said receiving operation; and

a calculating operation for calculating a current position of the vehicle;

a determining operation of determining whether the user gets off the vehicle, said determining operation determining that the user gets off the vehicle when the current position calculated in said calculating operation coincides with the intermediate point extracted in said extracting operation;

a generating/transferring operation of generating, when determined in said determining operation that the user gets off the vehicle, navigation data at least including the destination point received in said receiving operation, and transferring the navigation data to the sub-device;

a second generating operation of generating guide image data for outside of the vehicle that represents a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle to the destination point based on the navigation data transferred from the main device; and

a second transmitting operation of transmitting the guide image data for outside of the vehicle generated in said second generating operation to a second display unit included in the sub-device for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data for outside of the vehicle, wherein

said receiving operation, said first generating operation, said first transmitting operation, said storing operation, said extracting operation, said calculating operation, said determining operation, and said generating/transferring operation are executed by the main device, and said second generating operation and said second transmitting operation are executed by the sub-device.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

said storing operation further comprises storing cartographic data representing a map that depicts an optimal route from the intermediate point to the destination point included in the possible place data,

in said generating/transferring operation, when it is determined in said determining operation that the user gets off the vehicle, generating and transferring the navigation data further including the cartographic data to the sub-device, and

in said second generating operation, generating guide image data for outside of the vehicle based on the cartographic data included in the navigation data transferred from the main device.

13. A method for use in a navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, the navigation system including a main device to be fixed to a vehicle and a sub-device capable of communicating with the main device, the sub-device being portable by a user, said method comprising:

a calculating operation of calculating a current position of the vehicle;

a receiving operation of receiving at least information about the destination point and an intermediate point through which the user goes to reach the destination point;

a first generating operation of generating vehicle guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;

a first transmitting operation of transmitting the vehicle guide image data generated in said first generating operation to a first display unit included in the main device for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data;

a determining operation of determining whether the user gets off the vehicle, said determining operation determining that the user gets off the vehicle when the current position calculated in said calculating operation coincides with the intermediate point received in said receiving operation;

a generating/transferring operation of generating, when determined in said determining operation that the user gets off the vehicle, navigation data at least including the destination point received in said receiving operation, and transferring the navigation data to the sub-device;

a second generating operation of generating guide image data for outside of the vehicle that represents a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle to the destination point based on the navigation data transferred from the main device; and

a second transmitting operation of transmitting the guide image data for outside of the vehicle generated in said second generating operation to a second display unit included in the sub-device for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data for outside of the vehicle, wherein

said calculating operation, said receiving operation, said first generating operation, said first transmitting operation, said determining operation, and said generating/transferring operation are executed by the main device, and said second generating operation and said second transmitting operation are executed by the sub-device.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising a route searching operation of deriving an optimal route from the vehicle position to the destination point based on the navigation data transferred from the main device, wherein

in said generating/transferring operation, when it is determined in said determining operation that the user gets off the vehicle, generating and transferring the navigation data further including the current position calculated in said calculating operation as a vehicle position to the sub-device, and

in said second generating operation, by using the optimal route derived in said route searching operation, generating the guide image data for outside of the vehicle.

15. A computer program for guiding the user from a starting point to a destination point used in a computer readable medium in a navigation system comprising a main device to be fixed to a vehicle and a sub-device capable of communicating with the main device, the sub-device being portable by the user, said computer program comprising:

a receiving operation of receiving at least information about the destination point;

a first generating operation of generating vehicle guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;

a first display operation of displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data generated by said first generating operation; and

a first transmitting operation of transmitting the vehicle guide image data generated in said first generating operation to a first display unit included in the main device for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data for the vehicle,

wherein the main device generates, in response to an operation by the user, a signal indicative of a timing when the user get off the vehicle,

said computer program further comprising;

a determining operation of determining whether the user gets off the vehicle, said determining operation determining that the user gets off the vehicle when the signal is received;

a generating/transferring operation of generating, when determined in the determining operation that the user gets off the vehicle, navigation data at least including the destination point received in said receiving operation, and transferring the navigation data to the sub-device;

a routing operation of deriving an optimal off-vehicular route from a position of the vehicle to the destination point using the navigation data received from the main device by said receiving operation;

a second generating operation of generating guide image data of the derived optimal off-vehicular route that represents a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle to the destination point; and

a second transmitting operation of transmitting the guide image data generated in said second generating operation to a second display unit included in the sub-device for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data, wherein

said receiving operation, said first generating operation, the first transmitting operation, the determining operation, and said generating/transferring operation are executed by the main device, and said routing operation, said second generating operation said second transmitting operation are executed by the sub-device.