Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Employing position determining equipment
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-11
2002-11-12
Arthur, Gertrude (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Employing position determining equipment
C701S200000, C701S209000, C340S988000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06480786
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for route guiding. Particularly, the invention pertains to a navigation system capable of providing a guide route in response to questions posed by the user of the navigation system in association with institutions viewed by the user during a voice guiding process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Navigation systems are provided with a map/information storing medium such as CD-ROM or DVD-ROM containing map data for plotting a map and information data such as place names and institutions to be displayed on the map, a reproducing unit for reading data from the map/information storing medium, a display unit for displaying a map, and a vehicle position detecting unit for detecting the current position and the travelling direction of the vehicle utilizing a self-contained navigation system such as a distance sensor or a gyro and a GPS receiver. According to such a navigation system, map data including the current position of the vehicle is read from the map/information storing medium. A map image around the vehicle position is then plotted on the screen of the display unit utilizing the map data read. Further, a vehicle position mark is displayed on the display screen and a map image is displayed by scrolling as the vehicle travels or a map image is fixed on the screen while the vehicle position mark is shifted. In this way where the vehicle is presently traveling can be seen at a glance. The information storage medium stores other institution-related information data that the user can retrieve and display.
The navigation system possesses a route guiding function for permitting the user to drive the vehicle easily toward a desired destination without selecting a wrong road. According to the route guiding function, a route of the lowest cost from an origin to a destination is searched with use of the map information, the route thus searched is stored as a guide route, and while the vehicle is travelling, the guide route is plotted on the map image thickly using a color different from the color of other routes. Further, when the vehicle approaches an intersection on the guide route where the vehicle is to change its course, within a predetermined certain distance, the intersection is displayed on a larger scale and an arrow or the like which represents a course changing direction is plotted on the screen. In connection with the display of intersection there also has been developed a navigation system wherein an intersection is displayed, for example, in three dimensions in almost the same state as the state in which the driver actually sees road in front of the vehicle.
The driver, however, must make efforts to drive the vehicle safely while checking the front and surrounding conditions because it is dangerous for the driver to direct his or her eyes to the navigation system frequently. Particularly, in the vicinity of an intersection the driver should refrain from directing his or her eyes to the navigation system because the possibility of traffic accident occurrence is high. In the conventional navigation system, in view of this point, not only image display but also voice guide is conducted so that the driver can pass an intersection safely. For example, as the vehicle approaches an intersection, a voice guide is given such as “about 700 m, to the right.” According to such a voice guide function, by depressing “Voice Guide” button of the remote controller, a guide can be made at that point such as “Travel along the road for a while.” and “5 km more, to the right.”
As navigation systems become more popular, there is concern that there may be a greater number of accidents because the driver of a vehicle may look at the display portion of the navigation system too frequently or too long. For this reason there is a tendency to strengthening the restrictions on the navigation system. Consequently, a greater importance will be attached in future to such a voice guide.
When the above described voice guiding is conducted in the navigation system, particularly at an intersection where the vehicle concerned is to turn right or left, it is easier to understand the guiding process if the names of institutions as markers such as, for example, the names of gas stations, restaurants and convenience stores at or near the intersection are shown in addition to an approximate distance from the current position and right and left turn directions. In this case, for example, a guide is made such as “About 500 m ahead, to the right. Seven-Eleven is a marker.”
In this connection, the navigation system is usually set to guide institution names which will probably be known to many people, but the institution names thus guided are not always be known to all of the people guided. More particularly, at the time of recording institution names for a guide on a map/information storage medium for navigation, the navigation system is set to guide the names of gas stations, family restaurants and convenience stores known well to vehicular drivers, as well as public institutions such as post offices, police stations and firehouses. However, for example as to institutions heretofore called “Kominkan (community center)” which many people have utilized before, they are often expressed in various new names when newly rebuilt later. For example, an institution called “Kashiwa Kominkan” before is now called “Amuse Kashiwa.” This name change was made at the time of a recent reconstruction of the institution. In this case, at the time of setting the names of institutions for guide, the old “Kashiwa Kominkan is a marker.” Is updated to “Amuse Kashiwa is a marker.” However, at least for a fairly long period after that name change, many people will have no idea whether the institution is a restaurant or an amusement institution or a public institution.
In the above example, therefore, if a guide is made like “About 500 m ahead, to the right. Amuse Kashiwa is a marker.” and if the vehicular driver is not familiar with this institution, it will not be until approaching the intersection that the driver searches for the institution, and so much attention is paid to checking which is the institution. Because traffic accidents are apt to occur in the intersection and the driver's attention is distracted while driving the vehicle near the intersection, the guide by the navigation system rather becomes dangerous.
In making a software for a navigation system and when preparing guide data for intersections or the like, an attempt is made to select appropriate institutions as markers as referred to above, but such institutions as known to most people are extremely limited. Particularly, there are various persons, including men and women of all ages, who utilize the navigation system and the object of interest differs depending on people, so the selection of institution names for guide is extremely difficult and appropriate institutions are not always selected.
Taking the above point into account, it may be effective to merely display the distance from the current travelling position up to a right-left turn intersection and a right-left turn direction on the basis of the current position data without guiding any marker institution, like “About 500 m ahead, to the right”, or guide only the number of intersections and a right-left turn direction like “Turn left at the second intersection.” However, since a large number of institution information pieces are stored in a data storage medium, it is desirable to utilize them in route guide effectively in some form or other.
Map data and institution data stored in a map/information data storage medium such as CD-ROM or DVD-ROM used in the navigation system is updated to new information frequently for the supply as version-up data to users. Therefore, it is desirable for navigation system users to purchase, for maintenance, a new data storage medium at every update. Actually, however, since the purchase requires the users to pay a charge, most users continue to use the original data. It
Takahashi Katsunori
Takeda Hideaki
Watanabe Mitsuaki
Alpine Electronics Inc.
Arthur Gertrude
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
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