Abstract: A GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver and a navigation device and system utilizing the same includes a receiver which sequentially generates GPS data including current position information, based on signals received from GPS satellites. The GPS receiver further includes at least one filter which performs filtering with respect to the GPS data sequentially generated by the receiver and generates positioning data including the current position information, and a positioning data output device which selects a filter according to a selection signal and outputs the positioning data in accordance therewith.

Abstract: The navigation apparatus includes: a current position detection device that detects a current position; a display device; a storage device having stored therein position information related to points used as guidance points when providing route guidance; and a control device that controls the route guidance provided along a guided route which includes a plurality of predetermined guidance points based upon the current position detected by the position detection device and the position information related to the points stored in the storage device, wherein: as the current position approaches a first guidance point closest to the current position, the control device engages the display device to bring up display of an arrow indicating an angle corresponding to a direction to follow to advance toward a second guidance point after the first guidance point.

Abstract: A map data transmitting method for transmitting a map through communication comprises steps of setting a specific route, specifying map data contained in a slicing range within a predetermined distance from the route having been set based upon map data that include road data and background data, newly creating new polygon data if an original polygon data contained in the background data included in the specified map data is partially contained in the slicing range and another portion of the polygon is outside the slicing range, by removing polygon data corresponding to the portion outside the slicing range from the original polygon data and transmitting a road map specified in conformance to the map data and background data containing the new polygon data.

Abstract: An information device for on-vehicle use, includes: a CPU which is capable of normal operation and of standby operation which achieves low power consumption; a first power supply for use during the normal operation of the CPU; a second power supply for use during the standby operation of the CPU; and a power control device which performs ON-OFF control of the first power supply and the second power supply.

Abstract: In a navigation system using a bird's-eye view display mode, map data on a plan view map are subjected to a perspective projection conversion to obtain drawing data on a bird's-eye view map. An input of the position of a view point is accepted, and a projection plane for a bird's-eye view is determined so that the display positions of the two points which have been subjected to perspective-projection conversion are coincident with predetermined positions. Alternatively, an input of a scale is accepted, so that the display positions of the two points after the perspective projection conversion are coincident with predetermined positions and the drawing scale is coincident with the input scale. In a further alternative, an input of the projection angle is accepted, and the projection plane is determined on the basis of the projection angle and the position of the view point.

Abstract: A map display apparatus includes a map data memory which stores map data necessary for plotting a map of a predetermined region; a map display which reads map data out of the map data memory and plots a bird's-eye view display by projecting the map data read out from the map data memory onto a projection plane which makes a projection angle with a plane of the map data read out from the map data memory, the projection angle being greater than 0° and less than 90°, the bird's-eye view display including identifying marks which identify items in the bird's-eye view display; and an identifying mark overlap preventer which prevents identifying marks from overlapping one another in the bird's-eye view display.

Abstract: A map database apparatus according to the present invention manages roads by expressing the roads as link strings. Each of the link strings is constituted by connecting a plurality of links, each of the links has nodes at a front end and a rear end respectively, the map database apparatus has node information concerning the nodes, and the node information includes guide data to be used for route guidance. And, the guide data have directional characteristics corresponding to an order in which the links are connected.

Abstract: In a data access method for accessing data in an on-vehicle information device having an on-vehicle memory unit that allows data stored therein to be read out and overwritten by an external apparatus and an on-vehicle control unit that executes a data read and a data overwrite by controlling the on-vehicle memory unit, supplying power to the on-vehicle information device from the external apparatus when a power switch at the on-vehicle information device is in an OFF state, and reading out the data in the on-vehicle memory unit and overwriting the data through control implemented by the external apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a stereoscopic map displaying method beneficial for a navigation system in which map information is selected from a database according to a current location of a mobile object. The map database for storing map information comprises a plurality of types of information regarding a first map mesh provided with height information and a second map mesh with no height information wherein there is provided information for identifying that the second map mesh has no height information. A mode of a mark representing the moving display device is switched in accordance with a result whether first map data or second map data is utilized and displayed on the display apparatus superposing graphics data.

Abstract: In a navigation system using a bird's-eye view display mode, map data on a plan view map are subjected to a perspective projection conversion to obtain drawing data on a bird's-eye view map. In this case, an input of the position of a view point is accepted, and a projection plane for a bird's-eye view is determined on the basis of the coordinates of a current position and a destination and the position of the view point so that the display positions of the two points which have been subjected to perspective-projection conversion are coincident with predetermined positions. Alternatively, an input of a scale is accepted, and the position of the view point and the projection plane are determined on the basis of the coordinates of the two points and the scale so that the display positions of the two points after the perspective projection conversion are coincident with predetermined positions and the drawing scale is coincident with the input scale.

Abstract: The map database device according to the present invention is employed to display a bird's eye view map achieved by converting a two-dimensional map into a display format adopting a bird's eye view method. And the map data base device includes: a height data portion in which height data respectively corresponding to altitudes of a plurality of areas into which the two-dimensional map is divided are respectively stored in correspondence to the areas.

Abstract: In a broadcasting type information providing system, a moving body 10 includes a bidirectional communication unit 13 which performs communication with an information providing center 21, an information processing unit 11 which communicates request information necessary for a user via the bidirectional communication unit 13 to the information providing center 21 as well as presents answer information with respect to the request information to the user and a broadcast receiving unit 14 which receives the answer information broadcasted from a broadcasting station 22, and the information providing center 21 generates the answer information with respect to the request information being transmitted from the moving body 10 as well as selects a broadcasting station 22 of which service area covers the position of the moving body 10 depending on the position of the moving body 10 detected either at the side of the moving body 10 or at the side of the information providing center 21 and causes the selected broadcasting

Abstract: A map display apparatus includes a map data memory which stores map data necessary for plotting a map of a predetermined region; a map display which reads map data out of the map data memory and plots a bird's-eye view display by projecting the map data read out from the map data memory onto a projection plane which makes a projection angle with a plane of the map data read out from the map data memory, the projection angle being greater than 0° and less than 90°, the bird's-eye view display including identifying marks which identify items in the bird's-eye view display; and an identifying mark overlap preventer which prevents identifying marks from overlapping one another in the bird's-eye view display.

Abstract: The view point-setting part calculates the position of the view point V to be set behind the current position of the car and up in the air, based on the current position calculated by the current position-measuring part and the position correcting part. The data reading part reads out map data M about map elements such as buildings, which are located around the current position. The representing method-changing part calculates the distance or level difference between the viewpoint and each of the map elements, and, for example, changes the representation shapes of ones of the map elements near the view point, that is, in the region within a predetermined distance from the view point, to detailed shapes, and the rest ones far from the view point, that is, outside the region within a predetermined distance from the view point, to simple shapes, respectively.

Abstract: A display drive mechanism for vehicle slidingly moves a display assembly between a stored position and a projected position by the drive force of a motor. The display drive mechanism comprises a rotating body which is rotationally driven by the motor. A projecting portion for example projects from the rotating body at a position eccentric to its axis of rotation. A long slot in the display assembly is engaged with the projecting portion. The display assembly is driven to and fro in both directions between the stored position and the projected position, as the rotating body rotates.

Abstract: A road traffic information output apparatus includes: a road traffic information obtaining device that obtains road traffic information; a decision-making device that determines in advance a specific area for which road traffic information will need to be output; and a control device that implements control to output road traffic information that has been obtained by the road traffic information obtaining device for the specific area determined in advance, when the road traffic information for the specific area determined in advance by the decision-making device is required.

Abstract: A vehicle cruising control device has a vehicle-position/traveling-direction calculating circuit 21 which receives data from a GPS signal receiver 11, a vehicle speed sensor 12, an angular-velocity sensor 13 and a map data base 30 to specify a road on which the vehicle is traveling and a road property gain circuit 23 which gains a sort of road from the map data base 30, as road property. In the device, a driving force control unit 40 controls a vehicle driving unit 50 on the ground of the sort of road. If the map matching becomes to be improper, then the road property gain circuit 23 operates to maintain the road property just before malfunction of the map matching until a traveling-distance after malfunction of the map matching reaches a predetermined distance. The traveling-distance is calculated by a traveling-distance calculating circuit 22.

Abstract: Frequent execution of auto-rerouting in the vicinity of a junction where a current-position skipping of a vehicle due to map-matching is likely to occur is prevented. When the current position of the vehicle calculated by a current position calculating unit 11 is in the vicinity of a junction on a recommended route set by the route searching unit 13 and even if the current position of the vehicle is off the recommended route as a result of correction by a map matching unit 12, a route guidance unit 132 does not request a route searching unit 131 to search a newly recommended route extending from the corrected current position of the vehicle to a destination.

Abstract: A map database apparatus according to the present invention manages roads by expressing the roads as link strings. Each of the link strings is constituted by connecting a plurality of links, each of the links has nodes at a front end and a rear end respectively, the map database apparatus has node information concerning the nodes, and the node information includes guide data to be used for route guidance. And, the guide data have directional characteristics corresponding to an order in which the links are connected.

Abstract: A processor calculates an estimated travel time required to travel from a current point to a destination or a passing point on a route on the basis of a travel time represented by traffic-jam information for a traffic-jam place which is represented by the traffic-jam information received by a traffic information receiver, and on the basis of a traffic-jam time calculated on the basis of map data for the other places; accordingly, the travel time required can be calculated in consideration of traffic-jam conditions.