Vehicle navigation system and method

Claim 2

A vehicle navigation system comprising: current-location determination means for determining the current location of a vehicle; input means for inputting a destination and for giving an instruction for executing route searching; a display unit for displaying an image at an initial scale; map-information storage means for storing map data including roads to be searched in a route search and minor streets not to be searched in a route search; and control means for searching for a route from the vehicle location, determined by the current-location determination means, to the destination, input through the input means, based on the roads searched in the route search, wherein the control means determines whether or not the vehicle has entered a minor street, and when the control means determines that the vehicle has entered a minor street, the control means searches for a route from the point of entry into the minor street to the destination using the minor street data and causes the display unit to display the map data at a predetermined scale.

Claim 3

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the control means determines that the vehicle has entered a minor street, the control means searches for a route from the point of entry into the minor street to the destination using the minor street data and causes the display unit to enlarge a map, being displayed thereon, to a predetermined magnification.

Claim 4

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the control means determines that the vehicle has entered a minor street, the control means searches for the point of entry into the minor street and the point of exit from the minor street, determines a scale at which the point of entry and the point of exit are both displayable on a single map image, and causes the display unit to display the map data at the determined scale.

Claim 5

A vehicle navigation system according to one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein, when the vehicle exits the minor street and enters one of the roads searched by the route search, the control means causes the display unit to display the map data at the initial scale.

Claim 6

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the control means determines that the vehicle has entered a minor street, the control means causes voice guidance for the entry to be output.

Claim 7

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the control means determines that the vehicle has entered a minor street, the control means searches for a route from the point of entry into the minor street to the destination using the minor street data and causes the display unit to display a portion corresponding to the minor street on the repeated searched route in a different form from the other portions.

Claim 8

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the vehicle leaves a minor street, the control means causes voice guidance for the exit to be output.

Claim 9

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the map data includes predetermined different types of facilities and the vehicle navigation system further comprises icon-drawing means for rendering a different icon for each of the facilities, and the control means searches for facilities located within a predetermined range along the searched minor street and causes the icon-drawing means to simultaneously display icons indicating the facilities found.

Claim 10

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 1 , wherein the control means causes the display unit to additionally display an arrow indicating a one-way regulation for a road having the one-way regulation in the map data at the predetermined scale.

Claim 11

A vehicle navigation system comprising: current-location determination means for determining the current location of a vehicle; input means for inputting a destination and for giving an instruction for executing route searching; a display unit for displaying an image; map-information storage means for storing map data including roads to be searched in a route search and minor streets not to be searched in a route search; and control means for searching for a route from the vehicle location, determined by the current-location determination means, to the destination, input through the input means, based on the roads searched in the route search, wherein the control means determines whether or not the vehicle has entered a minor street, and when the control means determines that the vehicle has entered a minor street, the control means searches for a route from the point of entry into the minor street to the destination using the minor street data and causes the screen of the display unit to be divided into two screens such that the map data on one of the divided screens is displayed at a predetermined scale.

Claim 12

A vehicle navigation system comprising: current-location determination means for determining the current location of a vehicle; input means for inputting a destination and for giving an instruction for executing route searching; a display unit for displaying an image; map-information storage means for storing map data including roads to be searched in a route search and minor streets not to be searched in a route search; and control means for searching for a route from the vehicle location, determined by the current-location determination means, to the destination, input through the input means, based on the roads searched in the route search, wherein the control means determines whether or not the vehicle has entered a minor street, and when the control means determines that the vehicle has entered a minor street, the control means searches for a route from the point of entry into the minor street to the destination using the minor street data and causes the screen of the display unit to be divided into two screens such that the map data on one of the divided screens is displayed at a predetermined scale.

Claim 13

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 10 , wherein, when the control means determines that the vehicle has entered a minor street, the control means searches for a route from the point of entry into the minor street to the destination using the minor street data; causes the screen of the display unit to be divided into two screens; and causes one of the divided screens to enlarge a map, being displayed thereon, to a predetermined scale.

Claim 14

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 10 , wherein, when the control means determines that the vehicle has entered a minor street, the control means searches for a route from the point of entry into the minor street to the destination using the minor street data; causes the screen of the display unit to be divided into two screens; determines a scale at which the point of entry to the minor street and the point of exit therefrom are both displayable on one of the screens; and displays the map data on the one of the screens at the determined scale.

Claim 15

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 10 , wherein the map data includes predetermined different types of facilities and the vehicle navigation system further comprises icon-drawing means for rendering a different icon for each of the facilities, and the control means searches for facilities located within a predetermined range along the searched minor street and causes the icon-drawing means to simultaneously display icons indicating the facilities found.

Claim 16

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 10 , wherein the control means causes the display unit to additionally display an arrow indicating a one-way regulation for a road having the one-way regulation in the map data at the predetermined scale.

Claim 17

A vehicle navigation system according to claim 10 , wherein the control means causes the display unit to additionally display a frame around the periphery of the screen on which the map data is displayed at the predetermined scale.

Claim 18

A vehicle navigation system according to one of claims 10 to 13 , wherein, when the vehicle exits a minor street and enters any one of the roads searched in the initial route search, the control means causes the display unit to switch from the divided screens back to the initial screen.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 17 , wherein the first location is a current location of the vehicle.

Claim 22

A method according to claim 17 , wherein the second guide route is communicated to the user by displaying a map including the second guide route.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 19 , wherein the map including the second guide route is displayed at a predetermined magnification.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 20 , wherein the predetermined magnification is sufficient to display the point of entry into the minor street and a point of exit from the minor street on a single map image.

Claim 25

A method according to claim 19 , wherein the first guide route is communicated to the user by displaying a map including the first guide route.

Claim 26

A method according to claim 22 , wherein the map including the first guide route is displayed on a first portion of a display, and the map including the second guide route is displayed on a second portion of the display.

Claim 27

A method according to claim 23 , wherein the map including the second guide route is displayed in an enlarged form relative to the map including the first guide route.

Claim 28

A method according to claim 23 , wherein the second display portion is visually distinct from the first display portion.

Claim 29

A method according to claim 25 , wherein the second display portion includes a frame displayed around its periphery.

Claim 30

A method according to claim 19 , wherein the displayed map including the second guide route includes an identification of at least some facilities along the minor street.

Claim 31

A method according to claim 27 , wherein a different icon is displayed for different types of facilities.

Claim 32

A method according to claim 27 , wherein facilities located in a predetermined range along the minor street are displayed.