Information providing system and navigation apparatus

• US 7,561,958 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagase, Kenji, Tomita, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US11/406,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20060267801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

In an information providing system insertion of a card into a navigation apparatus is detected, and information about a facility specifically related to the card is provided. If one of a wireless communication card, a memory card, an ETC card, an HDD card, and a credit card is inserted into a card slot or an ETC card slot, traffic information or facility information related to the inserted card is transmitted from an information center to the navigation apparatus, and the traffic information or the facility information specifically related to the inserted card is provided to a user, in addition to normal route guidance information.

Claims

1. An information providing system for a vehicle, including an information providing apparatus and a navigation apparatus, and card reading means for reading information stored in a card or information transmitted to the card, wherein:

the information providing apparatus comprises;

information storage means for storing information; and

information transmission means for transmitting the information stored in the information storage means to the navigation apparatus; and

the navigation apparatus comprises;

information reception means for receiving information transmitted from the information providing apparatus;

information providing means for providing the information received by the information reception means to a user;

card detection means for detecting card type of the card and readiness for the information stored in or transmitted to the card to be read by the card reading means;

information acquisition means for, when the card detection means detects readiness to read the information, acquiring information about a facility associated with the detected card type from the information providing apparatus; and

associated facility information providing means for providing, via the information providing means, the information about the facility acquired by the information acquisition means.

2. An information providing system for a vehicle including an information providing apparatus, a navigation apparatus, and ETC card reading means for reading information stored in an ETC card, wherein:

the information providing apparatus comprises;

information storage means for storing information; and

information transmission means for transmitting the information stored in the information storage means to the navigation apparatus; and

the navigation apparatus comprises;

information reception means for receiving information transmitted from the information providing apparatus;

information providing means for providing the information received by the information reception means to a user;

ETC card detection means for detecting readiness for the information stored in or transmitted to the card to be read by the ETC card reading means;

information acquisition means for, when the ETC card detection means detects readiness to read the information by the ETC card reading means, acquiring traffic information for an expressway associated with the ETC card from the information providing apparatus; and

associated traffic information providing means for providing, via the information providing means, the traffic information for the expressway acquired by the information acquisition means.

3. An information providing system for a vehicle including an information providing apparatus, a navigation apparatus, and ETC card reading means for reading information stored in an ETC card, wherein:

the information providing apparatus comprises;

information storage means for storing information; and

information transmission means for transmitting the information stored in the information storage means to the navigation apparatus; and

the navigation apparatus comprises;

information reception means for receiving information transmitted from the information providing apparatus;

information providing means for providing the information received by the information reception means to a user;

ETC card detection means for detecting readiness to read the information by the ETC card reading means;

information acquisition means for, when the ETC card detection means detects readiness to read the information by the ETC card reading means, acquiring information associated with a parking area for which the ETC card provides access, from the information providing apparatus; and

associated parking lot information providing means for providing, via the information providing means, the information associated with the parking area acquired by the information acquisition means.

4. A navigation apparatus comprising:

card detection means for detecting card type of a card and readiness to read, by card reading means, information stored in the card or information transmitted to the card;

information acquisition means for, when the card detection means detects readiness to read the information by the card reading means, acquiring information about a facility associated with the detected card type; and

associated facility information providing means for providing the information about the facility acquired by the information acquisition means.

5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

information reception means for receiving information transmitted from an information providing apparatus; and

wherein the information acquisition means acquires the information from the information providing apparatus via the information reception means.

6. A navigation apparatus comprising:

ETC card detection means for detecting readiness to read information stored in an ETC card by ETC card reading means;

information acquisition means for, when the ETC card detection means detects readiness to read the information by the ETC card reading means, acquiring traffic information for an expressway associated with the ETC card; and

associated traffic information providing means for providing the traffic information for the expressway acquired by the information acquisition means.

7. The navigation apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

information reception means for receiving information transmitted from an the information providing apparatus; and

wherein the information acquisition means acquires the information from the information providing apparatus via the information reception means.

8. A navigation apparatus comprising:

ETC card detection means for detecting readiness to read information stored in an ETC card by ETC card reading means;

information acquisition means for, when the ETC card detection means detects readiness to read the information by the ETC card reading means, acquiring information associated with a parking area where access is obtainable by use of the ETC card; and

associated parking lot information providing means for providing the information associated with the parking area acquired by the information acquisition means.

9. The navigation apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

information reception means for receiving information transmitted from an information providing apparatus; and

wherein the information acquisition means acquires the information from the information providing apparatus via the information reception means.