Navigation apparatus, navigation server, and navigation system

• US 8,209,116 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sugawara, Aiko, Imai, Takeshi, Nogawa, Tadafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US12/377,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20100223001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/209, 701/117, 701/408, 455/412.1, 709/203, 340/995.21, 340/988, 340/990
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

Provided is a navigation system capable of outputting situation information of a specified area according to real-time traffic information including a traffic regulation. A navigation apparatus can make a user recognize the moment when a vehicle (Q) enters a specified area (A) where a situation which affects the travel of the vehicle (Q) along a navigation route (r) is generated and the situation (inf(A)) indicating the situation by using an icon (x) indicating an entry position (p_in) and having a design decided according to the situation information (inf(A)). The navigation apparatus also can advice the user to instruct the navigation apparatus to perform an appropriate countermeasure in accordance with the situation such as re-search of the navigation route (r) or detour from the navigation route (r) being outputted.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprised of a navigation apparatus which is configured to guide a mobile subject and a navigation server which is configured to support the guiding of a mobile subject performed by the navigation apparatus on the basis of communication with the navigation apparatus, wherein:

the navigation apparatus includes

a first processing element which is configured to define a navigation route joining a present position and a destination position of the mobile subject on the basis of navigation map information stored in a navigation map storing element and road traffic information distributed or broadcasted from the navigation server; and

a second processing element which is configured to

recognize a specified area surrounded by a frame encompassing a road as a part of the specified area, and situation information representing a situation which affects the movement of the mobile subject in the specified area and relates to at least one of weather, natural phenomenon, and man-made disaster on the basis of communication with the navigation server,

determine whether an entry position to the specified area is present in the navigation route defined by the first processing element, wherein the entry position is an intersection of the navigation route and the frame where the navigation route enters the specified area, and

display on a navigation display an icon as a mark having a design in relation to the situation information only at the entry position on a map based on the navigation map on a condition that the presence of the entry position is determined; and

the navigation server includes

a first support processing element which is configured to recognize a specified area surrounded by a frame encompassing a road as a part of the specified area, and situation information representing a situation which affects the movement of the mobile subject in the specified area and relates to at least one of weather, natural phenomenon, and man-made disaster, both of which are stored in a situation information storing element; and

a second support processing element which is configured to enable the navigation apparatus to recognize the specified area and the situation information recognized by the first support processing element on the basis of communication with the navigation apparatus.