Navigation apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A navigation apparatus for storing and using information about a detour route that diverges from a branch point on the guidance route and merges into the guidance route at a junction point, comprising:
- a memory that;
stores path information for a path each time the path is traveled, the path being a segment of the guidance route from the branch point to the junction, the path information including a first required time to travel the path, a traffic condition of the path at the time the path is traveled, and a traffic condition of the detour route at the time the path is traveled; and
stores detour route information for the detour route each time the detour route is traveled, the detour route information including a second required time to travel the detour route, a traffic condition of the path at the time the detour route is traveled, and a traffic condition of the detour route at the time the detour route is traveled; and
a controller that;
receives current traffic conditions from an external system;
reads out, when arriving at the branch point, path information having a same or similar stored traffic condition as a current path traffic condition and detour route information having a same or similar stored traffic condition as a current detour route traffic condition; and
outputs information indicating the read out first required time, the read out second required time, and the existence of the detour route, on a display unit.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation apparatus and method that store route information, the stored route information including, for each of a plurality of routes starting at a first point and ending at a second point, a required travel time and a traffic condition. The apparatus and method determine whether a guidance route includes the first point and the second point of a stored route. The apparatus and method read out, if a guidance route includes the first point and the second point of a stored route, the stored route information for the stored route that shares the first point and the second point with the guidance route. The read out stored route information having a same or similar traffic condition as a current traffic condition. The apparatus and method output the required time to travel the stored route from the read route information.
13 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A navigation apparatus for storing and using information about a detour route that diverges from a branch point on the guidance route and merges into the guidance route at a junction point, comprising:
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a memory that; stores path information for a path each time the path is traveled, the path being a segment of the guidance route from the branch point to the junction, the path information including a first required time to travel the path, a traffic condition of the path at the time the path is traveled, and a traffic condition of the detour route at the time the path is traveled; and stores detour route information for the detour route each time the detour route is traveled, the detour route information including a second required time to travel the detour route, a traffic condition of the path at the time the detour route is traveled, and a traffic condition of the detour route at the time the detour route is traveled; and a controller that; receives current traffic conditions from an external system; reads out, when arriving at the branch point, path information having a same or similar stored traffic condition as a current path traffic condition and detour route information having a same or similar stored traffic condition as a current detour route traffic condition; and outputs information indicating the read out first required time, the read out second required time, and the existence of the detour route, on a display unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A navigation method for storing and using information about a detour route that diverges from a branch point on the guidance route and merges into the guidance route at a junction point, comprising:
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storing path information for a path each time the path is traveled, the path being a segment of the guidance route from the branch point to the junction, the path information including a first required time to travel the path, a traffic condition of the path at the time the path is traveled, and a traffic condition of the detour route at the time the path is traveled; storing detour route information for the detour route each time the detour route is traveled, the detour route information including a second required time to travel the detour route, a traffic condition of the path at the time the detour route is traveled, and a traffic condition of the detour route at the time the detour route is traveled; receiving current traffic conditions from an external system; reading out, when arriving at the branch point, path information having a same or similar stored traffic condition as a current path traffic condition and detour route information having a same or similar stored traffic condition as a current detour route traffic condition; and outputting information indicating the read out first required time, the read out second required time, and the existence of the detour route, on a display unit. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable storage medium storing a set of program instructions executable on a data processing device and usable to store and use information about a detour route that diverges from a branch point on the guidance route and merges into the guidance route at a junction point, the program comprising:
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instructions for storing path information for a path each time the path is traveled, the path being a segment of the guidance route from the branch point to the junction, the path information including a first required time to travel the path, a traffic condition of the path at the time the path is traveled, and a traffic condition of the detour route at the time the path is traveled; instructions for storing detour route information for the detour route each time the detour route is traveled, the detour route information including a second required time to travel the detour route, a traffic condition of the path at the time the detour route is traveled, and a traffic condition of the detour route at the time the detour route is traveled; instructions for receiving current traffic conditions from an external system; instructions for reading out, when arriving at the branch point, path information having a same or similar stored traffic condition as a current path traffic condition and detour route information having a same or similar stored traffic condition as a current detour route traffic condition; and instructions for outputting information indicating the read out first required time, the read out second required time, and the existence of the detour route, on a display unit.
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Specification