Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-22
2004-07-06
Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
C701S207000, C701S209000, C340S990000, C340S995190
Reexamination Certificate
active
06760660
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a navigation apparatus which is used in a state where it is carried by a user or where it is mounted on a mobile object, for example, a vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The official gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 16992/1996, for example, discloses a navigation apparatus which is mounted on a vehicle as a route information display apparatus.
As shown in
FIG. 15
, the navigation apparatus comprises a reception device (positioning device)
1
which receives an electric wave from a GPS satellite and outputs the positional data of the current location, a read device
3
which reads map data from a map information storage medium
2
such as CD-ROM, a buffer memory
4
in which the map data is stored, a displaying image memory
5
in which image data forming the bases of depiction patterns to be stated below are held stored, a display controller
7
which causes a display device
6
, such as CRT or LCD, to display the depiction pattern corresponding to the map data by the use of the image data of the displaying image memory
5
, and a control device
8
, such as microcomputer, which controls the whole system, wherein the content of the displaying image memory
5
is updated in accordance with the change of the current position, and the display on the display device
6
is also changed accordingly. Incidentally, an input device
9
, such as keyboard, which enables a user, such as driver, to perform various operations such as setting a starting location and a destination location and recording drive data is connected to the control device
8
.
Besides, the official gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5721/1996 discloses an apparatus in which another buffer memory
4
a
is prepared, and map data different from that of the buffer memory
4
is copied, whereby a route selection spot, for example, an intersection having come near ahead is displayed in detail (for example, on enlarged scale) by the display device
6
, so as to indicate a running direction.
In setting any desired spot as a set location in the navigation apparatus of this type, there are the construction (the former) wherein the spot is sought on a map and is set as explained above, and also a construction (the latter) wherein, as disclosed in the official gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 257988/1999, the spot is set by inputting the values of “latitude” and “longitude” being terrestrial coordinate information as are introduced by various media such as magazines, television broadcasting and Internet sites.
The former is effective in case where the place of the set location is known, but the latter is employed in a case where only the coordinate information items are available.
The present invention has for its object to provide a navigation apparatus which realizes the facility of operations in setting the set location with the coordinate information.
Besides, in case of displaying the coordinate information, it is necessary for displaying the “latitude” to prepare a design which expresses the “north latitude” or the “south latitude”, and a design which consists of, at least, two-digit numeral expressive of the value of “degrees” and two-digit numeral expressive of the value of “minutes”, while it is necessary for displaying the “longitude” to prepare a design which expresses the “east longitude” or the “west longitude”, and a design which consists of, at least, three-digit numeral expressive of the value of “degrees” and two-digit numeral expressive of the value of “minutes”.
To prepare all of such designs within the display space of the identical display device
6
is liable to deteriorate in visibility because the size of each of the designs is liable to be limited and to become small. To the contrary, to set the size of each of the designs at a sufficient size in consideration of the visibility is unfavorable because a proportion for the coordinate information in the display space is increased to impose restrictions on the other displays.
The present invention has for its object to provide a navigation apparatus in which, in displaying the coordinate information, designs for the other displays are used in common, whereby a good visibility of the designs for the display of the coordinate information is ensured with the proportion of these designs suppressed.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In order to accomplish the objects, as defined in claim
1
, the navigation apparatus of the present invention consists in a navigation apparatus wherein “latitude” and “longitude” are used as coordinate information on a set location, characterized by comprising a display device which includes a design for numerically displaying values of, at least, “degrees” and “minutes” of each of the “latitude” and “longitude”, an input device which sets the values by employing the design of said display device, a storage device which stores therein the coordinate information on the set location, and a control device by which, in a case where the display of “degrees” by said design of said display device has been validated at a predetermined value by operating said input device, the display of “minutes” by said design of said display device is automatically changed to a preset value, and by which, when said display of “degrees” by said design of said display device has been validated at the predetermined value by said input device, said display of “minutes” by said design of the display device is validated at said preset value, and the respective values are stored in said storage device as said coordinate information on said set location.
Besides, as defined in claim
2
, the navigation apparatus of the present invention consists in a navigation apparatus wherein “latitude” and “longitude” are used as coordinate information on a set location, characterized by comprising a display device which includes a design for numerically displaying values of, at least, “degrees” and “minutes” of each of the “latitude” and “longitude”, an input device which sets the values by employing the design of said display device, a storage device which stores therein the coordinate information on the set location, and a control device by which, in a case where the display of “degrees” by said design of said display device has been inputted as a predetermined value by operating said input device, the display of “minutes” by said design of said display device is automatically changed to a preset value, and by which, when said display of “degrees” by said design of said display device has been validated at the predetermined value by said input device, said display of “minutes” by said design of the display device is validated at said preset value, and the respective values are stored in said storage device as said coordinate information on said set location.
Especially, in claim
1
or claim
2
, as defined in claim
3
, the navigation apparatus is characterized in that said predetermined value is “90” for said “latitude” and “180” for said “longitude”, while said preset value is “00” for both said “latitude” and said “longitude”.
Besides, as defined in claim
4
, the navigation apparatus of the present invention consists in a navigation apparatus wherein “latitude” and “longitude” are used as coordinate information on a set location, characterized by comprising a display device which includes a design for numerically displaying values of, at least, “degrees” and “minutes” of each of the “latitude” and “longitude”, an input device which sets the values by employing the design of said display device, a storage device which stores therein the coordinate information on the set location, and a control device by which, in a case where the display of “degrees” by said design of said display device has been inputted as or validated at a predetermined value having “0” as a value of a lowermost digit by operating said input device, the display of “minutes” by said design of said display device is automatically changed to “00”, and by which, when said display of “minutes” has been validated at a desired value by said in
Iwasaki Isao
Kariya Syunsuke
Kawada Shin-ichi
Matsuzaki Kouei
Morita Hiroyuki
Marc-Coleman Marthe Y.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Nippon Seiki Co. Ltd.
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