Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-10
2004-08-31
Nguyen, Tan Q. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
C701S208000, C340S988000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06785607
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technical field of communication navigation and, more particularly, to the technical field of switching movable bodies to be a subject of the navigation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a vehicle navigation apparatus for guiding travel of a vehicle by displaying a map on a display such as a liquid is crystal display panel mounted on the vehicle is widespread, and a research is underway lately toward practical use as to a communication navigation terminal apparatus for using an information server apparatus having a database of map information and a mobile communication line to distribute the map information to the vehicle navigation terminal apparatus so as to navigate the vehicle with vehicle data (movable body data) such as positional information obtained by the vehicle navigation terminal apparatus.
On the other hand, a research is also underway lately toward practical use as to a portable navigation terminal apparatus for, in a portable terminal apparatus such as a portable telephone, using a radio wave for performing communication to measure distances to a plurality of fixed telephone base stations and thereby obtain a position of the portable terminal apparatus so as to navigate a user having the portable terminal apparatus as with the vehicle communication navigation terminal apparatus.
On the other hand, while there is no problem in the case of navigating a user to a destination by the above-mentioned vehicle communication navigation terminal apparatus and portable communication navigation terminal apparatus as discrete apparatuses, there is presumably a problem that, in the case of using the vehicle communication navigation terminal apparatus or portable communication navigation terminal apparatus by switching between them, it is necessary to perform data setting such as destination setting for performing navigation for each apparatus and so it is not easy to switch between the apparatuses.
For instance, in the case where a parking lot is distant from an entrance of a destination and so the user has to walk to the final destination since an automobile cannot get there, or in the case of changing from walking to driving halfway to the destination, it is necessary to switch the communication navigation terminal apparatus for performing the navigation from the vehicle communication navigation terminal apparatus to the portable communication navigation terminal apparatus, or vice versa.
However, as for the vehicle communication navigation terminal apparatus and the portable communication navigation terminal apparatus in the past, the mutual communication navigation terminal apparatuses cannot operate in synchronization so that each of them required the data setting such as the destination setting to be performed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been conducted in consideration of the above problems, and its object is to provide the navigation terminal apparatus capable of, without inputting navigation data such as the destination setting each time the terminal apparatus to be used is switched, operating a plurality of the navigation terminal apparatuses in synchronization and easily switching between them.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a navigation system of the present invention comprising a fixedly installed information server apparatus and communication terminal apparatuses mounted one by one on a plurality of movable bodies for communicating with the information server apparatus via a mobile communication network, the system changing the movable bodies performing navigation by switching a connection between each of the communication terminal apparatuses and the information server apparatus. The information server apparatus is provided with: a receiving device for receiving information notifying at least either a start or a stop of any one of the plurality of communication terminal apparatuses; a connection controlling device for; based on the received information, performing at least any one of: connecting, as the communication terminal apparatus mounted on the movable body to be a subject of the navigation, any one of the communication terminal apparatuses to the information server apparatus; and disconnecting the communication terminal apparatus from the information server apparatus; and when performing the navigation with the connected communication terminal apparatus, data on the navigation before switching the connection is continuously used.
According to the present invention, the information server apparatus switches a communication terminal apparatus for performing the navigation based on a start or a stop of any one of a plurality of the communication terminal apparatuses, and when performing the navigation with the communication terminal apparatus switched from the information server apparatus, data on the navigation before switching the communication terminal apparatus is continuously used.
Thus, the data on the navigation before switching can be continuously used on the switched communication terminal apparatus, and so the navigation such as route searching and route guidance can be continuously performed in the case of having changed the movable body to another movable body before arriving at the destination so as to accurately guide the user to the destination without necessity to perform a troublesome operation such as setting data for performing the navigation when the movable body is changed.
In one aspect of the present invention, the system comprises a plurality of the information server apparatuses mutually connected; and each of the communication terminal apparatuses performs communication with any one of the information server apparatuses and also performs the navigation of the movable body, on which the connected communication terminal apparatus is mounted, by connecting to the information server apparatus for performing the communication.
According to this aspect, in the case where the communication terminal apparatus wherein the movable body is changed and the connection is switched is the one for communicating with other information server apparatuses, the communication terminal apparatus is connected to the other information server apparatuses by a connection device.
Therefore, in the case where the communication terminal apparatus having the connection switched and the information server apparatus for performing the navigation are different from the information server apparatus before switching the connection, that is, in the case where the navigation is performed for each information server apparatus by the communication terminal apparatus for communicating with the information server apparatus, the data on the navigation before switching can be continuously used on the switched communication terminal apparatus so as to accurately guide the user to the destination without necessity to perform a troublesome operation such as setting data for performing the navigation when the movable body is changed.
In another aspect of the present invention, the data includes at least any one of route searching data and destination data.
According to this aspect, at least either route searching data or destination data can be continuously used, and the route searching and route guidance can be continuously performed without necessity to perform a troublesome operation such as setting data for performing the navigation in the case of having changed the movable body to another movable body before arriving at the destination.
In further aspect of the present invention, the plurality of communication terminal apparatuses at least includes a vehicle communication terminal apparatus and a portable communication terminal apparatus.
According to this aspect, it is possible to perform the navigation with at least either the vehicle communication terminal apparatus or the portable communication terminal apparatus and the information server apparatus and also to switch the communication terminal apparatus for pe
Oda Tamami
Saito Yukitaka
Sato Tsuyoshi
Watanabe Tomo
Nguyen Tan Q.
Pioneer Corporation
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
Tran Dalena
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