US6026346A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Navigation system for indicating of optimum route
Assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-11-27
•
Granted: 2000-02-15
•
Expires: 2016-11-27
Abstract
Abstract A navigation method and apparatus and a navigation program are provided for guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route. An off-route detection unit detects an off-route condition when the vehicle is displaced from the guide route and a guide route searching unit searches or determines, when the off-route detection unit detects an off-route condition, a route from a present position of the vehicle to the destination or return point on the guide route. The guide route determining or searching unit includes a weight factor determining unit for determining a weighting value to modify or scale a road parameter used in determining the guide route, a modifying unit for modifying the parameter based on the weighting value, and a calculating unit for calculating a route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point on the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter. A display is provided for displaying the guide route to the operator of the vehicle.
Inventors
- 👤 Mikio Ohashi
- 👤 Kan Shishido
- 👤 Satoshi Tanimoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:35
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C21/00; G01C21/26; G01C21/34; G01C21/3407; G01C21/3415
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A navigation apparatus for guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route, comprising: (a) an off-route detection means for detecting an off-route condition when the vehicle is on a road displaced from the guide route; (b) a guide route searching means for searching when the off-route detection means detects an off-route condition, a route from a present position of the vehicle to the destination or a return point on the guide route; said guide route searching means including: (i) weight factor determining means for determining a weighting value to modify a road parameter used in searching for the guide route; (ii) modifying means for modifying the road parameter of a road on which the vehicle is traveling based on the weighting value; and (iii) calculating means for calculating a route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point on the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
A navigation apparatus for guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route, comprising: (a) an off-route detection means for detecting an off-route condition when the vehicle is on a road displaced from the guide route; (b) a guide route searching means for searching when the off-route detection means detects an off-route condition, a route from a present position of the vehicle to the destination or a return point on the guide route; said guide route searching means including: (i) weight factor determining means for determining a weighting value to modify a road parameter used in searching for the guide route; (ii) modifying means for modifying the road parameter of a road on which the vehicle is traveling based on the weighting value; and (iii) calculating means for calculating a route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point on the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
96 words
A navigation apparatus for guiding a vehicle to a destination comprising: a guide route searching means for searching for a route from the present position of the vehicle to a destination; weight factor determining means for determining a weighting value for modifying a road parameter used for searching a guide route; modifying means for modifying the road parameter, of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, based on the weighting value; and calculating means for calculating a guide route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination, in accordance with the modified parameter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
96 words
A navigation apparatus for guiding a vehicle to a destination comprising: a guide route searching means for searching for a route from the present position of the vehicle to a destination; weight factor determining means for determining a weighting value for modifying a road parameter used for searching a guide route; modifying means for modifying the road parameter, of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, based on the weighting value; and calculating means for calculating a guide route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination, in accordance with the modified parameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the weighting factor varies as a function of vehicle speed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said weighting factor is varied with respect to the vehicle speed so that the guide route extends straightforwardly to a location at a far distance in the advancing direction of the vehicle when the vehicle speed is high.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein the parameter of the road is distance.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said road has a plurality of intersections forward from said vehicle, said weight factor determining means determining a weighting value that modifies the distance between adjacent intersections to be shorter than their actual distances.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said navigation apparatus includes a display for displaying said guide route.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including end point determining means for determining the end point of said guide route when the vehicle is in off-route condition, as a function of the remaining distance from the present position to the destination.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said weight factor determining means determines a weighting value for said modifying means so that said calculating means calculates said guide route to take a more straightforward route.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
A navigation apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said road parameter is distance, said road has a plurality of intersections forward from said vehicle, said weight factor determining means determining a weighting value that modifies the distance between adjacent intersections to be shorter than their actual distances.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route, or to a return point on the guide route when the vehicle is in an off-route condition, said method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting an off-route condition of the vehicle when the vehicle is displaced from the guide route; and (b) determining upon detecting an off-route condition of the vehicle, a route from the present position of the vehicle to the return point on the guide route or the destination, wherein determining a route includes determining a weighting value, modifying a road parameter of a road on which the vehicle is traveling as a function of the weighting value, and calculating the route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point of the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route, or to a return point on the guide route when the vehicle is in an off-route condition, said method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting an off-route condition of the vehicle when the vehicle is displaced from the guide route; and (b) determining upon detecting an off-route condition of the vehicle, a route from the present position of the vehicle to the return point on the guide route or the destination, wherein determining a route includes determining a weighting value, modifying a road parameter of a road on which the vehicle is traveling as a function of the weighting value, and calculating the route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point of the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of guiding a vehicle as set forth in claim 11, wherein the weighting factor varies as a function of vehicle speed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method of guiding a vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein the road parameter is distance.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as set forth in claim 11, including the step of displaying the guide route.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
127 words
A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route, or to a return point on the guide route when the vehicle is in an off-route condition comprising determining upon detecting an off-route condition of the vehicle, a route from the present position of the vehicle to the return point on the guide route or the destination, wherein determining a route includes (i) determining a weighting value, (ii) modifying a road parameter of a road on which the vehicle is traveling as a function of the weighting value, and (iii) calculating the route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point of the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
127 words
A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for guiding a vehicle to a destination along a guide route, or to a return point on the guide route when the vehicle is in an off-route condition comprising determining upon detecting an off-route condition of the vehicle, a route from the present position of the vehicle to the return point on the guide route or the destination, wherein determining a route includes (i) determining a weighting value, (ii) modifying a road parameter of a road on which the vehicle is traveling as a function of the weighting value, and (iii) calculating the route from the present position of the vehicle to the destination or the return point of the guide route, as a function of the modified parameter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer program as set forth in claim 15, wherein the weighting factor varies as a function of vehicle speed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
A computer program as set forth in claim 15, wherein the road parameter is distance.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
A computer program as set forth in claim 15, including displaying the guide route.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
A computer program as set forth in claim 15, wherein the computer-readable medium is a CD-ROM.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4796191A
Cited
US4914605A
Cited
US5107433A
Cited
US5072395A
Cited
US5177685A
Cited
US5337244A
Cited
US5311195A
Cited
US5410486A
Cited
US5729217A
Cited
US5550538A
Cited
US5689423A
Cited
US5757289A
Cited
US5774073A
Cited
US5659476A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-02-14 | 2003-08-16 | 2004-02-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-14 | 2007-08-16 | 2008-02-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-14 | 2011-08-16 | 2012-02-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |