Navigation system and route setting method

• US 7,840,347 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Noguchi, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/593,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/202, 701/206, 701/211, 340/995.2, 340/995.27, 345/173
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map

Abstract

A navigation system comprises an image display unit at which various images including a map are displayed, a touch panel operation detection unit that detects a touch panel operation performed by a user based upon a contact position at which the user has touched the image display unit, a specified road detection unit that detects a road segment specified by the user by tracing a corresponding road portion present in the map, based upon a locus of the contact position resulting from the touch panel operation detected by the touch panel operation detection unit, and a route setting unit that extends the detected road segment along a direction in which the road portion has been traced by the user and sets the extended road segment as a route to follow.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

an image display unit at which various images including a map are displayed;

a touch panel operation detection unit that detects a touch panel operation performed by a user based upon a contact position at which the user has touched the image display unit;

a specified road detection unit that detects a road segment specified by the user by tracing a corresponding road portion present in the map, based upon a locus of the contact position resulting from the touch panel operation detected by the touch panel operation detection unit; and

a route setting unit that extends the detected road segment along a direction in which the road portion has been traced by the user and sets the extended road segment as a route to follow;

wherein;

if a length of the contact position locus resulting from the touch panel operation is equal to or greater than a predetermined specific value, the route setting unit sets the extended road segment as the route; and

if the length of the contact position locus is less than the specific value, the route setting unit sets the detected road segment as the route.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

if an intersection is present within a predetermined specific distance from the detected road segment, the route setting unit extends the detected road segment to the intersection and sets the extended road segment as the route; and

if no intersection is present within the specific distance from the detected road segment, the route setting unit extends the detected road segment by the specific distance and sets the extended road segment as the route.

3. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the route setting unit changes a distance by which the detected road segment is extended in correspondence to the type of the road.

4. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a destination setting unit that sets a destination; and

a route adjusting unit that adjusts the route by adding a new road segment to the route or clearing a redundant road segment from the route in correspondence to the destination having been set by the destination setting unit.

5. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pop-up display control unit that brings up at the image display unit a pop-up display of a selector button to allow the user to select to set a destination if the route setting unit extends the detected road segment in response to a touch panel operation by the user and the touch panel operation is sustained over a length of time equal to or greater than a predetermined length of time after the detected road segment is extended;

a destination setting unit that sets as the destination a contact point at which the touch panel operation is sustained over the length of time equal to or greater than the predetermined length of time if the user selects to set a destination via the selector button; and

a route clearing unit that clears an extended portion of the extended road segment in correspondence to the destination having been set by the destination setting unit.

6. A navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a corrected route setting unit that sets, based upon detection results provided by the specified road detection unit, a corrected route to which the route having been ultimately set by the route setting unit is corrected, wherein;

the corrected route setting unit sets either the detected road segment or the extended road segment as the corrected route.

7. A navigation system according to claim 6, wherein:

the corrected route setting unit completes setting of the corrected route when the corrected route is set to connect with the route having been ultimately set or to reach the destination.

8. A method for setting a route in a navigation system, comprising:

displaying any of various types of images, such as a map, at a display monitor;

detecting a touch panel operation performed by a user based upon a contact position at which the user has touched the display monitor;

detecting a road segment specified by the user by tracing a corresponding road portion present in the map, based upon a locus of the contact position resulting from the touch panel operation;

extending the detected road segment along a direction in which the road portion has been traced by the user; and

setting the extended road segment as a route to follow;

wherein;

if a length of the contact position locus resulting from the touch panel operation is equal to or greater than a predetermined specific value, the extended road segment is set as the route; and

if the length of the contact position locus is less than the specific value, the detected road segment is set as the route.

9. A method for setting a route according to claim 8, wherein:

if an intersection is present within a predetermined specific distance from the detected road segment, the detected road segment is extended to the intersection; and

if no intersection is present within the specific distance from the detected road segment, the detected road segment is extended by the specific distance.

10. A method for setting a route according to claim 8, wherein:

a distance by which the detected road segment is extended is changed in correspondence to the type of the road.

11. A method for setting a route according to claim 8, further comprising:

setting a destination; and

adjusting the route by adding a new road segment to the route or clearing a redundant road segment from the route in correspondence to the destination having been set.

12. A method for setting a route according to claim 8, further comprising:

bringing up at the display monitor a pop-up display of a selector button to allow the user to select to set a destination if the detected road segment is extended in response to a touch panel operation by the user and the touch panel operation is sustained over a length of time equal to or greater than a predetermined length of time after the detected road segment is extended;

setting as a destination a contact point at which the touch panel operation is sustained over a length of time equal to or greater than the predetermined length of time if the user selects to set a destination via the selector button; and

clearing an extended portion of the extended road segment in correspondence to the destination having been set.

13. A method for setting a route according to claim 8, further comprising:

setting a corrected route to which the route having been ultimately set is corrected based upon detection results of the road segment, wherein;

when setting the corrected route, either the detected road segment or the extended road segment is set as the corrected route.

14. A method for setting a route according to claim 13, wherein:

setting of the corrected route is completed when the corrected route is set to connect with the route having been ultimately set or to reach the destination.