Abstract: A navigation method and apparatus is designed to efficiently retrieve the information on the scenic byways and to visit such scenic byways through calculated routes. The navigation method and system performs a scenic byway mode in which operations and screen displays are specially designed for efficiently retrieving and selecting a desired scenic byway and scenic places to visit. The navigation method and system allows the user to efficiently search the information and select the scenic byway and scenic places to visit. The navigation method and system stores the information on the scenic byways in the map database and facilitates retrieval thereof in response to the request by the user. Alternatively, the information on the scenic byways and scenic places can be retrieved from the remote data server through wireless communication.

Abstract: A method of sharing a preset table between a vehicle infotainment system including a vehicle tuner, memory for storing a first preset table and a broadcast signal receiver that receives a broadcast signal based on the first preset table, and an external device coupled to the vehicle infotainment system, includes storing the first preset table in the memory, the first preset table including first regional information and at least one combination of first station identification information and a first tuning frequency corresponding to the first station identification information, receiving a second preset table from the external device, the second preset table including second regional information and at least one combination of second station identification information and a second tuning frequency corresponding to the second station identification information, comparing the first preset table with the second preset table, and making the first preset table and the second preset table identical, if the first pr

Abstract: In a disk drive device, a guide section is formed to protrude from the front surface of a guide top and face a front panel of a frame member with a detection pin therebetween. The guide section forms an inclined side that faces a free end of the detection pin with a gap therebetween. If a disk is shifted from the middle of a disk insertion slot in the right-left direction and is inserted into the disk insertion slot, the detection pin is flexibly deformed by a disk insertion force and is brought into pressure contact with the inclined side. A component force is exerted on the detection pin in a direction in which the detection pin is moved away from the middle of the disk insertion slot in the width direction. The component force smoothly rotates a detection lever from an initial position to an operating position.

Abstract: A map display apparatus and method for a navigation changes a map scale dynamically to help the driver visualize the environment of the destination when the vehicle is approaching the destination. The map scale is changed dynamically to display the destination along with at least one map attribute near the destination to provide more information to the driver. The navigation system includes, among others, a searching unit and a scale changing unit to change the map scale to display the destination along with at least one map attribute when the vehicle is approaching the destination. The navigation system also includes a priority table to prioritize the map attributes and the searching unit searches the map attributes near the destination according to order in the priority table.

Abstract: An audio setting application of a smart phone acquires tuning data from a tuning data setting server, which meets a search condition specified by a user. The audio setting application performs filtering of tuning parameters included in the tuning data. The tuning parameters are parameters of a plurality of acoustic characteristic items of an audio apparatus, and such parameters are excluded if the parameter cannot be expected to achieve an appropriate effect when the parameter is applied to the audio apparatus.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and devices for testing a connection between speakers and a power amplifier. The disclosed methods and devices solve a problem that, upon a connection test for a power amplifier which has a booster power source, when a midpoint potential of the power amplifier and the voltage of the speaker connection terminal are compared, and it is determined that short-circuiting occurs on a ground side when the potential of the speaker connection terminal is lower than the midpoint potential, a wrong test is conducted if a midpoint potential is higher than a battery voltage.

Abstract: There are provided an operation determining unit which, when a touch panel is pressed, determines whether or not the press on the touch panel has been an operation on a soft key for designating one of the plurality of functions assigned to the one hard key, and a state transition unit which, when it is determined that the press corresponds to an operation on the soft key, shifts a function acceptability state of the one hard key. Thus, when the soft key corresponding to the hard key is pressed, the function acceptability state of the hard key is shifted to a correct state, even without actually operating one hard key.

Abstract: This invention relates to a display method and apparatus in a navigation system. More specifically, this invention relates to a navigation-based method and apparatus to provide guidance information to a driver without repeatedly performing route recalculation when the driver makes slight deviation from the road he or she is travelling on. In one embodiment of the present invention, guidance information is displayed on a user interface without generating a route. For example, when a vehicle is travelling either on a freeway or a surface road, a distance indicator provides distance information to nearby freeway junctions or streets. In another embodiment, when the vehicle is deviated from a calculated route, a route deviation detecting unit may detect whether the vehicle is deviating from the calculated route to a predetermined extent. If not, the original calculated route will not be recalculated.

Abstract: A navigation system and method to utilize the internal geometry of the sensor position with respect to the vehicle's rear-wheel axis for maintaining high positioning accuracy even when GPS signals are lost for a long period of time are disclosed. One aspect is to use an analytical condition derived from a vehicle's mechanical condition so-called Ackermann Steering Geometry for enhancement in navigation accuracy. The analytical condition is a relationship between the vehicle's lateral directional velocity, the distance of the sensor position with respect to the rear wheel axis, and the angular rate with respect to the vehicle's z-axis. Another aspect is to incorporate the distance of the sensor position with respect to the rear wheel axis into the INS and Kalman filter's states as an auxiliary parameter.

Abstract: Disclosed is an installation structure for a loudspeaker system in a vehicle, the loudspeaker system being installed in a vehicle front space separated from a vehicle interior by a partition, the vehicle front space being anterior to the vehicle interior, the installation structure including a sound guide port extending through the partition. The sound guide port allows a sound output space of a diaphragm in the loudspeaker system to communicate with front part of the vehicle interior.

Abstract: A vehicle display apparatus includes a first partition member and a second partition member disposed in front of a display screen of a display panel. Each of the first and second partition members includes a window portion. The first and second partition members may be set in separated positions or in overlapping positions. In the separated positions, the first and second partition members are spaced apart from each other along the display screen. In the overlapping positions, the first partition member is separated forward from the display screen, the second partition member is located between the first partition member and the display screen, and the window portions of the first and second partition members overlap.

Abstract: A guidance system includes an SNS server that distributes guidance information, e.g., to a smartphone. The SNS server includes a post information DB, a map DB, and a guidance information DB. Pieces of post information and selected guidance information are transmitted to the smartphone via a communication unit. The smartphone displays the pieces of post information, and includes a setting unit that sets, as a destination, a location contained in a piece of post information among the displayed pieces of post information, and a guidance unit that provides, by using the guidance information, guidance on a guidance route to the destination.

Abstract: A monitor-light-emitting device and multiple light-emitting devices are mounted on a board, and a light-guiding member is disposed in front of these devices. Monitor light emitted from the monitor-light-emitting device is directly supplied to a light receiving device. Part of light emitted from the multiple light-emitting devices is incident on the light-guiding member and is used as reference light. The reference light is received by the light receiving device. Reflected detection light that has been reflected off a target object located in front of the optical sensor is transmitted through the light-guiding member and is received by the light receiving device. A condenser is disposed in front of the light receiving device and the reference light or the reflected detection light is efficiently supplied to the light receiving device.

Abstract: A sound field control apparatus includes at least two main microphones; for each main microphone, a set of at least two sub microphones arranged such that the at least two sub microphones are placed in different axis directions about each of the main microphones; a filtering unit; and a filter coefficient calculating unit configured to calculate a filter coefficient for the filtering unit. A filter coefficient used to control sound pressure levels and air particle velocities of an output audio signal is calculated on the basis of a sound pressure level detected by each main microphone and the difference between the sound pressure level detected by the main microphone and that detected by each of the corresponding sub microphones.

Abstract: A touch screen device includes a motor attached to a movable chassis to support the touch panel, a rotor fixed to the motor shaft, a driven rotor meshing with the rotor, a cam mechanism that converts the rotational driving force of the motor into a driving force in the thrust direction and transmits the driving force to the movable chassis, and a leaf spring elastically urging the touch panel moved by the cam mechanism toward the original position. The cam mechanism includes two wave cam portions that each have a cam surface having a series of wave-like recesses and protrusions arranged along a circumference and, and cam engaging portions that are provided at the axial ends of the rotors and that are in sliding contact with the cam surfaces.