Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Employing position determining equipment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-19
2001-06-26
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Employing position determining equipment
C701S023000, C701S025000, C701S200000, C180S170000, C340S901000, C340S988000, C340S990000, C340S995190
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253150
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile navigation system for guiding a driver of a vehicle from a present position to a destination place set by the driver. More particularly, the invention relates to a mobile navigation system having such a function that when the vehicle approaches a stop position at which a driver of a vehicle must stop the vehicle, the navigation system produces an acoustic or visual presentation informing the driver that the vehicle approaches the stop position to call the driver's attention to the vehicle approaching to the stop position.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mobile navigation system is widely used. In the navigation system, a driver of a vehicle enters a destination place to the navigation system. Upon entering the destination place into the navigation system, the navigation system looks up an appropriate route from an original point to the designation place in a road map data base (the route may be a route having the shortest distance from the start point to the destination, a route having the shortest time taken for the vehicle to reach the destination, or others), and guides the driver to the destination along the searched route by the utilization of a display or vocal guide.
In searching the appropriate route, some type of mobile navigation system utilizes traffic information (position data on traffic jam, road-closed information by accident or road construction or maintenance, lane-regulated locations) delivered from a traffic infrastructure system, in addition to the road map data base.
Conventionally, there is no mobile navigation system capable of notifying a driver of the stop positions located ahead of the traveling vehicle, such as an intersection with a stop road sign, an intersection with a yield road sign where a yielded road intersects the road where the vehicle is running, or a railroad crossing. When the driver first travels through a region with a number of intersections, although no traffic signal exists in particular, but the road signs instructing the driver to stop the vehicle and remain standing for watching around, he must frequently and carefully check whether the passing intersection is a stop position during his driving. As a result, heavy stress is imposed on the driver.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile navigation system which is capable of previously informing a driver of a vehicle that a stop position is located ahead of the vehicle, if the stop position is present ahead, thereby lessening stress of the driver driving the vehicle and calling a driver's attention to the stop position presence.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile navigation system which is capable of issuing to a driver of a vehicle a slow-down warning to instruct the driver to decrease a vehicle speed in preparation for stopping at the stop position, viz., so as to allow the driver to stop the vehicle just before the stop position without fail.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile navigation system which suppresses generation of a slow-down warning when the vehicle runs at such a speed as to allow the driver to safely stop the vehicle just before the stop position, thereby substantially eliminating troublesome in his driving and dullness of the driver's attention caused by his habituation of slow-down warnings frequently generated.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile navigation system which is capable of generating a slow-down warning, allowing for road conditions and driver's habits.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a mobile navigation system which enhances the effect of the slow-down warning by the utilization of screen display and voice, and other communication means.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5177685 (1993-01-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5844505 (1998-12-01), Van Ryzin
patent: 5847661 (1998-12-01), Ricci
Beaulieu Yonel
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Pearne & Gordon LLP
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