In-vehicle navigation system

• US 8,086,395 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Mino, Kosei
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T
• Application Number:
  US12/488,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20090319179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/200, 701/207, 701/213
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

An in-vehicle navigation system includes a navigation device that further includes a receiving unit configured to receive information, a storage unit configured to store the received information, and a guidance unit. The navigation system further includes: a battery voltage detector; a temperature sensor; and a control device. The control device includes: a determination unit and a start-up control unit configured to periodically start the navigation device while the vehicle'"'"'s engine is off, or cancel start-up of the navigation device based upon the detected battery voltage, a predetermined voltage level, and current and/or predicted temperatures.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle navigation system comprising:

a navigation device that includes a receiving unit configured to receive information, a storage unit configured to store the received information, and a guidance unit;

a battery voltage detector;

a temperature sensor; and

a control device comprising;

a determination unit configured to receive a voltage detection output from the battery voltage detector and a temperature output from the temperature sensor, the determination unit configured to determine whether the received voltage detection output is lower than a predetermined value, and whether the temperature output is lower than a predetermined value, and

a start-up control unit configured to periodically start the navigation device based upon an output of the determination unit.

2. An in-vehicle navigation system comprising:

a navigation device that includes;

a receiving unit configured to receive information;

at least one storage unit configured to store the received information and seasonable temperature information;

a current position detection unit; and

a guidance unit configured to output status of the received information; and

a control device that includes;

a determination unit configured to receive stored temperature information from the navigation device and generate a determination result of whether or not the current geographic location of the navigation system, detected by the current position detection unit, is in an area where a predicted temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature; and

a start-up control unit configured to receive the determination result and periodically start the navigation device while the vehicle in which the in-vehicle navigation system is installed is parked in an engine-off state;

wherein the control device is configured to cancel start-up of the navigation device if a current geographic location of the navigation system is in an area where a predicted temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature.

3. The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 2, wherein seasonal temperature information and geographical information is stored in the storage unit, and the determination unit is configured to predict that the temperature of the current position is lower than the predetermined temperature if the seasonal lowest temperature information corresponding to the current position and a current date is lower than the predetermined temperature.