Abstract: A navigation device includes a platform having hardware including at least a user operation unit and a map database, and basic functions to control the hardware. The navigation device also includes an application processing unit for providing navigation services using the basic functions of the platform, and a platform-dependent unit for, when transferring information from the platform to the application processing unit, transferring the information in a constant format, and for, when transferring information from the application processing unit to the platform, transferring it in a certain format which depends on the platform. The map database holds map data in a predetermined recording format. The navigation device can further include a map-database-dependent unit for receiving map data, which is read from the map database by the platform-dependent unit, and for supplying the received map data to the application processing unit in the constant format.

Abstract: The present invention is adapted for use with a navigation device which performs 3 dimensional display on approaching an intersection. The navigation device of the present invention comprises a direction-of -travel detection means which detects a direction in which a vehicle is travelling, a direction-to-intersection detection means which calculates the difference between the direction in which a vehicle is travelling and a direction to an intersection position, a viewpoint direction calculation means which calculates a direction to a viewpoint in order to perform 3 dimensional display based on a difference between a detected direction in which a vehicle is travelling and a calculated direction, and a display means which performs display based on a calculated viewpoint direction. In this way, even when there is a large difference between direction in which the vehicle is travelling and the direction to the position of the intersection, it is possible to display the intersection.

Abstract: The present invention is adapted to a navigation device which performs 3 dimensional display when approaching an intersection. The navigation device of the present invention comprises a map database which stores a number of vehicle lanes of a road which enters an intersection, a road width display database which decreases each vehicle lane width and increases the width of the total road depending on a number of vehicle lanes on a road, a road width display data extraction portion which extracts a number of vehicle lanes of a road which enters a corresponding intersection from a map database when approaching an intersection and which extracts road width display data corresponding to an extracted number of vehicle lanes from that road with display database a display which carries out display based on said extracted road width display data. In this way, it is easy to directly understand the number of vehicle lanes and such a display is easy to view.

Abstract: The present invention is adapted to a navigation device which performs 3 dimensional display when approaching an intersection. The navigation device of the present invention comprises a map database which stores a number of vehicle lanes of a road which enters an intersection, a road width display database which decreases each vehicle lane width and increases the width of the total road depending on a number of vehicle lanes on a road, a road width display data extraction means which extracts a number of vehicle lanes of a road which enters a corresponding intersection from a map database when approaching an intersection and which extracts road width display data corresponding to an extracted number of vehicle lanes from said road width display data base and a display means which carries out display based on said extracted road width display data. In this way, it is easy to directly understand the number of vehicle lanes and such a display is easy to view.

Abstract: The present invention is a navigation device comprising a map data base which stores map data relating to each target geographical point and a display data base which distinguishes between named intersections and general roads and expressways at the geographical point and stores display data for display. The attributes of roads entering the target intersection at the target geographical point are determined, display data stored in the display data base corresponding to the attributes of the determined roads are acquired and named intersections at the target geographical point are displayed based on acquired display data. In this way, it is easy for the user to understand named intersections of the expressway.

Abstract: A navigation device comprises a platform having hardware including at least a user operation unit and a map database, and basic functions to control the hardware. The navigation device also includes an application processing unit for providing navigation services by using the basic functions of the platform, and a platform-dependent unit for, when transferring information from the platform to the application processing unit, transferring it in a constant format, and for, when transferring information from the application processing unit to the platform, transferring it in a certain format which depends on the platform. The map database holds map data in a predetermined recording format. The navigation device can further comprise a map-database-dependent unit for receiving map data, which is read from the map database by the platform-dependent unit, and for supplying the received map data to the application processing unit in the constant format.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes a guide unit (4) to extract a guide target intersection located on a path and to which a driver should be guided depending upon map data stored in a map information storage unit (1) and the path set by a path setting unit (2), and detect a distance between the two adjacent guide target intersections so as to concurrently provide guides about the two guide target intersections together with a relationship therebetween when the distance is within a specified value, or a guide unit (55) to extract an intersection between the extracted guide target intersection and a current position detected by a current position detecting unit (3) so as to display the intersection concurrently with the guide target intersection.

Abstract: An in-car navigation apparatus produces a concept of a voice message such as a guide of an advancing route or a guide of an arrival to be informed at a point on a set drive route where voice information is to be given by means of the control section thereof, and produces a message sentence from a table defining a sentence pattern corresponding to the concept of a voice message and an device storing voice waveform information by means of a detachable voice information memorizing section. Thereby, the changes of the sentence patterns of voice messages and so forth can easily be done without varying the program of the apparatus.