Route setting method and route setting apparatus in navigation system, and navigation system

Claim 2

A computer-implemented method in a navigation system for obtaining a shortest route via a plurality of positions, interconnected by a plurality of links, from a starting position to a destination position, wherein each of said plurality of links connects two said positions and has an associated length, said link information being stored in a memory accessible by said computer, comprising: using a computer, performing the steps of: choosing, using said computer, a confirmed link from amongst said plurality of links which are connected to said starting position, said confirmed link having a shortest said associated length; selecting, using said computer, candidacy links from said plurality of links, said candidacy links being connected to at least one said confirmed link at one of said plurality of positions; judging, using said computer, whether or not each of the candidacy links selected by said selecting step is allowable according to link judgement information, said link judgement information including a connection relationship between each of the candidacy links and the confirmed link connected to each of the candidacy links, said link judgement information being set in advance; confirming, using said computer, one of the candidacy links judged to be allowable by said judging step, said confirmed link having a shortest integrated route distance from the starting position; and repeating said selecting, judging and confirming steps with respect to the confirmed links until said shortest route is determined, and reporting said shortest route to a user.

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the link judgement information into a memory device.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1, wherein the link judgement information comprises an information flag which indicates whether or not each of the links in the corresponding connection relationship is allowable under a traffic regulation thereof.

Claim 5

A route setting apparatus in a navigation system for obtaining a shortest route via a plurality of positions, interconnected by a plurality of links, from a starting position to a destination position, wherein each of said plurality of links connects two said positions and has an associated length, comprising: a choosing means for choosing a confirmed link from amongst said plurality of links which are connected to said starting position, said confirmed link having a shortest said associated length; a selection means for selecting candidacy links from said plurality of links, said candidacy links being connected to at least one said confirmed link at one of said plurality of positions; a judgement means for judging whether or not each of the candidacy links selected by said selecting step is allowable according to link judgement information, said link judgement information including a connection relationship between each of the candidacy links and the confirmed link connected to each of the candidacy links, said link judgement information being set in advance; and a confirmation means for confirming one of the candidacy links judged to be allowable by said judgement means, said confirmed link having a shortest integrated route distance from the starting position, said selection means selecting said candidacy links from said confirmed links.

Claim 6

A route setting apparatus in a navigation system for obtaining a shortest route via a plurality of positions, interconnected by a plurality of links, from a starting position to a destination position, wherein each of said plurality of links connects two said positions and has an associated length, comprising: a choosing means for choosing a confirmed link from amongst said plurality of links which are connected to said starting position, said confirmed link having a shortest said associated length; a selection means for selecting candidacy links from said plurality of links, said candidacy links being connected to at least one said confirmed link at one of said plurality of positions; a judgement means for judging whether or not each of the candidacy links selected by said selecting step is allowable according to link judgement information, said link judgement information including a connection relationship between each of the candidacy links and the confirmed link connected to each of the candidacy links, said link judgement information being set in advance; and a confirmation means for confirming one of the candidacy links judged to be allowable by said judgement means, said confirmed link having a shortest integrated route distance from the starting position, said selection means selecting said candidacy links from said confirmed links.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said judgement means comprises a memory means for storing the link judgement information in advance.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 4, wherein the link judgement information comprises an information flag which indicates whether or not each of the links in the corresponding connection relationship is allowable under a traffic regulation thereof.

Claim 9

A navigation system for a movable body comprising: a route setting apparatus for obtaining a shortest route via a plurality of positions, interconected by a plurality of links, from a starting position to a destination position, wherein each of said plurality of links connects two said positions and has an associated length, and a guidance means for generating a message to guide said movable body from the starting position to the destination position on the basis of the shortest route obtained by said route setting apparatus, said route setting apparatus comprising: a choosing means for choosing a confirmed link from amongst said plurality of links which are connected to said starting position, said confirmed link having a shortest said associated length; a selection means for selecting candidacy links from said plurality of links, said candidacy links being connected to at least one said confirmed link at one of said plurality of positions; a judgement means for judging whether or not each of the candidacy links selected by said selecting step is allowable according to link judgement information, said link judgement information including a connection relationship between each of the candidacy links and the confirmed link connected to each of the candidacy links, said link judgement information being set in advance; and a confirmation means for confirming one of the candidacy links judged to be allowable by said judgement means, said confirmed link having a shortest integrated route distance from the starting position, said selection means selecting said candidacy links from said confirmed links.

Claim 10

A navigation system for a movable body comprising: a route setting apparatus for obtaining a shortest route via a plurality of positions, interconected by a plurality of links, from a starting position to a destination position, wherein each of said plurality of links connects two said positions and has an associated length, and a guidance means for generating a message to guide said movable body from the starting position to the destination position on the basis of the shortest route obtained by said route setting apparatus, said route setting apparatus comprising: a choosing means for choosing a confirmed link from amongst said plurality of links which are connected to said starting position, said confirmed link having a shortest said associated length; a selection means for selecting candidacy links from said plurality of links, said candidacy links being connected to at least one said confirmed link at one of said plurality of positions; a judgement means for judging whether or not each of the candidacy links selected by said selecting step is allowable according to link judgement information, said link judgement information including a connection relationship between each of the candidacy links and the confirmed link connected to each of the candidacy links, said link judgement information being set in advance; and a confirmation means for confirming one of the candidacy links judged to be allowable by said judgement means, said confirmed link having a shortest integrated route distance from the starting position, said selection means selecting said candidacy links from said confirmed links.

Claim 11

A navigation system according to claim 7, wherein said guidance means comprises a display means for displaying the message.

Claim 12

A navigation system according to claim 7, wherein said guidance means comprises a voice outputting means for outputting the message by a synthetic voice.

Claim 13

A navigation system according to claim 7, further comprising: a measurement means for measuring a present position of said movable body; and a setting means for setting the destination, said guidance means generating the message to guide said movable body from the measured present position to the destination on the obtained shortest route.