Navigation apparatus and navigation system

• US 7,151,998 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2003
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• 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: Tajima, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/521,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20050267679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 26, 701200-201, 701207-209, 701/213, 705/1, 705/10, 705 16- 17, 705 20- 21, 705/400, 705/412, 705/401, 705417-418, 340/928, 340/933, 235375-378, 235/380, 235/382, 235/384
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

A navigation apparatus includes a position detecting device for detecting a current position of an automotive vehicle, an operation mode setting device for setting whether or not an electronic toll collection system is utilized on a toll road, and a communication device for performing communication with an in-vehicle apparatus provided in the automotive vehicle as part of the electronic toll collection system. The communication device is operative to transmit a signal to the in-vehicle apparatus to change an operation mode in which the electronic toll collection system is utilized.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus, comprising:

position detecting means for detecting a current position of an automotive vehicle;

destination setting means for setting a destination of said automotive vehicle;

travel route setting means for setting a travel route to said destination set by said destination setting means on the basis of said current position detected by said position detecting means, wherein an electronic toll collection system is situated on said travel route;

operation mode setting means for setting whether or not to utilize an electronic toll collection system on said travel route set by said travel route setting means; and

communication means for performing communication with an in-vehicle apparatus provided in said automotive vehicle as part of said electronic toll collection system, said communication means being operative to transmit a signal to said in-vehicle apparatus to change an operation mode of said in-vehicle apparatus between utilizing said electronic toll collection system and not utilizing said electronic toll collection system as said automotive vehicle travels on said travel route on which said electronic toll collection system is situated.

2. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which

said operation mode setting means includes toll road extracting means for extracting a toll road from the travel route set by the travel route setting unit, and toll road setting means for setting in each toll road extracted by said toll road extracting means whether or not an electronic toll collection system is utilized.

3. A navigation system, comprising:

a navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1; and

an in-vehicle apparatus provided in said automotive vehicle as part of said electronic toll collection system, and adapted to perform communication with said communication means of said navigation apparatus.

4. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said communication means is operative to produce an active state setting signal as said signal to be transmitted to said in-vehicle apparatus, and to allow said in-vehicle apparatus to perform communication with a roadside antenna located as part of said electronic toll collection system at a toll station on said travel route.

5. A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said communication means is operative to produce an inactive state setting signal as said signal to be transmitted to said in-vehicle apparatus, and to prevent said in-vehicle apparatus from performing communication with a roadside antenna located as part of said electronic toll collection system at a toll station on said travel route.

6. A navigation apparatus, comprising:

position detecting means for detecting a current position of an automotive vehicle;

on a travel route operation mode setting means for setting whether or not an electronic toll collection system is utilized by travel route setting means; and

communication means for performing communication with an in-vehicle apparatus provided in said automotive vehicle as part of said electronic toll collection system, said communication means being operative to transmit a signal to said in-vehicle apparatus to change an operation mode of said in-vehicle apparatus between utilizing said electronic toll collection system and not utilizing said electronic toll collection system as said automotive vehicle travels on said travel route on which said electronic toll collection system is situated.

7. A navigation system, comprising:

a navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 6; and

an in-vehicle apparatus provided in said automotive vehicle as part of said electronic toll collection system to perform communication with said communication means of said navigation apparatus.