Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Employing position determining equipment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-01
2001-07-31
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Employing position determining equipment
C701S223000, C701S211000, C701S208000, C701S207000, C342S070000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269304
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a navigation system that searches a route according to an input of a point as a destination and executes route guidance along the searched route.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, there are navigation systems that display arrows indicating “straight”, “turn right” and “turn left”, etc., on a display screen, and perform guidance by audibly outputting the contents thereof when a vehicle comes close to an intersection, etc., during the route. If a road has a plurality of lanes, the driver needs to change lanes in advance before making a right or a left turn at an intersection, so the arrows draw his attention prior to the intersection so that he can change lanes.
In Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. S62-93617A, direction arrows for respective lanes are displayed as lane information (the same one as applied to the actual road) when the vehicle only reaches a predetermined distance before the guidance intersection. Further, in the Japanese Patent Laid Open Patent Application No. H5-92636A, arrows indicating a right or a left turn are displayed, the phrase “Travel on right lane” or “Travel on left lane” is displayed, and “come near to the right” or “come near to the left” is audibly output when the vehicle reaches a predetermined distance before an intersection at which the vehicle must turn.
However, in a method according to the Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. S62-93617A, since the same display method is always applied even to the passing intersection and guidance intersection, it holds a problem that the driver can not distinguish between lane display guidance of the passing intersection and lane display guidance of the guidance intersection which is more important than the passing intersection. In either of the above methods, since lane information is displayed when the vehicle reaches a predetermined distance, for example 200 m, before the guidance intersection, if the passing intersection exists on a road that includes many traffic lanes at the guidance intersection, it brings a result that the vehicle changes lanes for a left or right turn only lane before the passing intersection. It further brings a result that the driver feels the stress due to the uneasiness about the lane change if the number of lanes increases or decreases between the vehicle present position, the passing intersection and the guidance intersection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a navigation system and storage medium in which a lane change can be made correctly even if passing intersections exist within a predetermined distance prior to the guidance intersection on a road with many traffic lanes.
In particular, the navigation system searches a route according to the input of a point, such as a destination, and performs route guidance along the searched route, and may include an information memory device for storing lane information data of the intersections, a display for displaying the lane information, and a display controller for displaying lane information of the intersection on the display on the basis of lane information data stored in the information memory device. The display controller determines whether the passing intersections exist within a predetermined distance before the guidance intersection, such that if passing intersections exist, the display controller controls the lane information of the passing intersection and guidance intersection being displayed.
The invention may also include a present position detector for detecting information regarding the vehicle's present position. The display controller determines whether passing intersections exist from the vehicle present position to the guidance intersection when the vehicle present position comes close to the predetermined distance from the guidance intersection.
The display controller controls the deletion of lane information of the passing intersection when the vehicle present position passes the passing intersection.
The lane information may include a number of lanes of the access road and a number of lanes of the departure road at the intersection and travel lane information of each lane. The display controller controls such that travel direction arrows are displayed only on the lane which the vehicle can travel.
The display controller may determine whether lane information is displayed on the basis of the priority given to the guidance intersections when guidance display sections for the plurality of the guidance intersections fall into the same section.
The invention may also include a drawing unit for drawing a bird's eye view by changing a viewpoint thereof The display controller controls so that a bird's eye view is changed every time the vehicle passes a passing intersection.
The present invention also may include a storage medium in which programs of the navigation system searches a route according to the input of a point, such as a destination, and performs route guidance along the searched route. The programs controls so that lane information of the intersection stored in the information memory device is read out, determines whether the passing intersections exist within a predetermined distance before the guidance intersection, and displays the stored lane information of the passing intersection and the guidance intersection if the passing intersection exists.
According to the invention, the passing intersection and the guidance intersection is displayed if the passing intersections exists within the predetermined distance before the guidance intersection, and lane information of the passing intersection is deleted when the vehicle passes the passing intersection. Therefore, the driver is able to certainly keep up with lane changes even if the passing intersections exist on a road with many traffic lanes when approaching to the guidance intersection. At the same time, the driver is able to understand a number of intersections which the vehicle is to pass and also the sense of distance to the guidance intersection in real time since only the necessary information is displayed to him. Thus, the vehicle is capable of traveling correctly without feeling the stress. Further, by updating the bird's eye view as it changes every time the vehicle passes a passing intersection, the guidance intersection can be distinguished more easily.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5684696 (1997-11-01), Rao et al.
patent: 5902350 (1999-05-01), Tamai et al.
patent: 6055467 (2000-04-01), Mehring et al.
patent: 6061628 (2000-05-01), Hayashi et al.
patent: 6076040 (2000-06-01), Akutsu
patent: 6076041 (2000-06-01), Watanabe
patent: 6107939 (2000-08-01), Sorden
patent: 6115652 (2000-09-01), Sato et al.
patent: 6134501 (2000-10-01), Oumi
patent: 6138062 (2000-10-01), Usami
patent: S62-93617A (1987-04-01), None
patent: H5-92636A (1993-12-01), None
Kaji Takanori
Masuda Hiroyoshi
Aisin AW Co., Ltd
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Hernandez Olga
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
LandOfFree
Navigation system and method and storage medium in which... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Navigation system and method and storage medium in which..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Navigation system and method and storage medium in which... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2442405