Patent · US Expired

Vehicular navigation apparatus

US5043902A · kind A · utility

95Cited by
11References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 23, 1989
Grant dateAug 27, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 23, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01C21/30
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A vehicular navigation apparatus includes a distance sensor (1), a steering angle sensor (3), a curve detecting unit (9) provided with inputs of a distance signal and steering-angle signal for calculating a change in vehicle travelling direction by referring to a steering angle - travelling direction conversion table (17), a course exploration unit (13) provided with inputs of present position and destination for performing course exploration based on intersection data, road data and node data, a comparison-decision unit (11) for comparing retrieved course data and results of curve detection, and a guidance processor (15) for executing predetermined guidance processing based on the results of comparison. Thus, it is determined whether the vehicle has turned at a guidance intersection or node on a predetermined course and whether the vehicle is on the predetermined course. If the vehicle has made a correct turn, present position is calculated by performing a distance correction using intersection position data or node data. When it is determined that the vehicle is off course, the driver is so informed and instructions can be given for measures to be taken subsequently.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.