Patents by Inventor Akinori Asahara

Akinori Asahara has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20090171976
    Abstract: There is disclosed a map data delivering system for providing consistent road network information from supplement map information and map update information. The map data delivering system includes a navigation terminal and a map distribution server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Kiyohiro Obara, Akinori Asahara, Kishiko Maruyama, Hideki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20090157296
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus comprises a map display control unit that displays a map on a display monitor, a voice information outputting unit that outputs voice information related to traveling of a vehicle, and a highlighting unit that highlights a part of the map that corresponds to the voice information in synchronization with output of the voice information by the voice information outputting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Xanavi Informatics Corporation
    Inventors: Yuta KOBAYASHI, Noriyuki ABE, Katsuya ASADA, Shigeru SHIMADA, Kishiko MARUYAMA, Akinori ASAHARA
  • Publication number: 20090157295
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus comprises a route setting unit that sets a route, a route characteristic point setting unit that sets a plurality of route characteristic points to the route set by the route setting unit, a priority setting unit that sets priority to each of the route characteristic points set by the route characteristic point setting unit, a selecting unit that selects any of the route characteristic points based upon the priority set by the priority setting unit, and a display control unit that displays the route and the route characteristic point selected by the selecting unit on a display monitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: Xanavi Informatics Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuya Asada, Noriyuki Abe, Yuta Kobayashi, Shigeru Shimada, Kishiko Maruyama, Akinori Asahara
  • Patent number: 7522997
    Abstract: A controller of a navigation terminal (navigation apparatus) is configured to find a plurality of paths from a current position of a vehicle and a destination based on a plurality of different and prioritized path-finding conditions, respectively, and causes a display to show the plurality of paths which includes a navigating path found on the basis of a top-priority path-finding condition and at least one alternative path found on the other path-finding condition(s). In response to detection of deviation of the vehicle, the priority assigned to a path-finding condition based on which a specific alternative path along which the vehicle is running is changed into a top priority, and path-finding operation is performed again for paths from the current position of the vehicle to the destination to show a new navigating path and at least one new alternative path in the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation
    Inventors: Akinori Asahara, Shigeru Shimada, Kishiko Maruyama
  • Patent number: 7493212
    Abstract: This abridged map generating apparatus includes an abridged map generation unit that generates an abridged map in which a shape of a road is simplified based upon road map data, wherein the road map data specifies the shapes of the road by shapes of links set for each predetermined road section, and the abridged map generation unit generates the abridged map by simplifying a shapes of a link or link series with fixed positions of both end points of the link or link series made by lining up a plurality of the links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Manabu Morita, Atsushi Hiroike, Kishiko Maruyama, Akinori Asahara
  • Publication number: 20090019095
    Abstract: A map data distribution system includes a server which distributes map data and a mobile terminal which receives the map data. The server stores, for each area, the difference data between pieces of map data obtained before and after updated, and sends the difference data of map data of an area requested by the mobile terminal to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal includes a database for storing map data and an updated-data store part for storing updated map data, generates updated data by using the received difference data, stores the updated data in the updated-data store part and then in the database. To fetch map data while the updated data is being stored from the updated-data store part to the database, when the map data to be fetched is stored in the updated-data store part, the mobile terminal fetches the map data from the updated-data store part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Akinori Asahara, Kenji Naka, Michio Morioka, Hirokazu Inayoshi, Takanari Tanabata
  • Publication number: 20090019057
    Abstract: Disclosed herewith is a terminal for receiving data distributed from a host computer. The terminal includes a database for storing data distributed from the host computer and a schedule manager for managing the schedule of the terminal. Upon receiving an update request for the data stored in the database, the terminal extracts a time band in which the usage frequency of the terminal is kept low as an updatable time through the schedule manager and sends an update request to the host computer in response to the received request. The terminal calculates a processing time required to update object data, as well as a value denoting the usefulness of the object data according to the update information received from the host computer and including the object data, then decides a processing order for the object data according to the processing time and the usefulness value calculated respectively for the object data, thereby updating the data stored in the database according to the decided processing order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Hideki Hayashi, Daisuke Ito, Akinori Asahara, Shigeru Shimada
  • Patent number: 7477269
    Abstract: An abridged map generating apparatus includes a polygon shape data extraction unit that extracts from map data polygon shape data specifying the shape of a polygon, a polygon shape simplification unit that simplifies the shape of the polygon based upon the polygon shape data which is extracted by the polygon shape data extraction unit, and a polygon drawing unit that draws upon a map the polygon whose shape has been simplified by the polygon shape simplification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Manabu Morita, Atsushi Hiroike, Kishiko Maruyama, Akinori Asahara
  • Publication number: 20080275631
    Abstract: This on-vehicle map display apparatus comprises a map scale setting unit that sets a map scale, a summary map generation unit that generates a summary map by abbreviating road shapes if a map scale that is less than a predetermined scale is set by the map scale setting unit, a summary map display control unit that displays the summary map generated by the summary map generation unit upon a display monitor, a congestion information acquisition unit that acquires congestion information, and a congestion information display control unit that displays the congestion information acquired by the congestion information acquisition unit as superimposed upon the summary map displayed upon the display monitor by the summary map display control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: Xanavi Informatics Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Akihiro Kaneko, Shigeru Shimada, Kishiko Maruyama, Akinori Asahara
  • Publication number: 20080086262
    Abstract: In the case that a road is updated in units of specific areas in order to reduce the amount of communication data, the quality may degrade; for example, a network of roads is disconnected. To solve this problem, alterations to map data are grouped into map update data of the unit in which a network of links to update connects, and an ID is assigned to each map update data. Also, the map update data that may cause disconnection and the map update data that connects the connected components are detected from among all the past map update data, and these map update data are distributed so that they are always applied at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Inventors: Akinori Asahara, Kenji Naka, Michio Morioka, Hirokazu Inayoshi
  • Patent number: 7327366
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes a route searching unit that searches for a plurality of routes from a departure point to a destination and a map display control unit that displays a map of the plurality of routes searched out by the route searching unit upon a display monitor, and, if any two or more among the plurality of routes overlap upon and pass along a same road, the map display control unit displays the overlapping portions as shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Wataru Oikubo, Hiroshi Minagawa, Kishiko Maruyama, Akinori Asahara, Atsushi Hiroike
  • Publication number: 20070244635
    Abstract: A controller of a navigation terminal (navigation apparatus) is configured to find a plurality of paths from a current position of a vehicle and a destination based on a plurality of different and prioritized path-finding conditions, respectively, and causes a display to show the plurality of paths which includes a navigating path found on the basis of a top-priority path-finding condition and at least one alternative path found on the other path-finding condition(s). In response to detection of deviation of the vehicle, the priority assigned to a path-finding condition based on which a specific alternative path along which the vehicle is running is changed into a top priority, and path-finding operation is performed again for paths from the current position of the vehicle to the destination to show a new navigating path and at least one new alternative path in the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventors: Akinori ASAHARA, Shigeru SHIMADA, Kishiko MARUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20060184317
    Abstract: In each of the divided regions of the map, a redundancy of the region is estimated from the characteristics quantity such as fractal dimension of line segments of road. Then, regions with the same redundancies are combined to form a larger area so that the map is divided according to the redundancy. The areas thus formed are summarized by the summarization methods conforming to their redundancies and are combined into one map. In the map thus generated, only necessary information can be presented, with redundant information eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Akinori Asahara, Masaaki Tanizaki, Kishiko Maruyama, Shigeru Shimada, Akio Sumizawa
  • Publication number: 20060092179
    Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes a route searching unit that searches for a plurality of routes from a departure point to a destination and a map display control unit that displays a map of the plurality of routes searched out by the route searching unit upon a display monitor, and, if any two or more among the plurality of routes overlap upon and pass along a same road, the map display control unit displays the overlapping portions as shifted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Applicant: XANAVI INFORMATICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Wataru Oikubo, Hiroshi Minagawa, Kishiko Maruyama, Akinori Asahara, Atsushi Hiroike
  • Publication number: 20060089795
    Abstract: This abridged map generating apparatus includes a route searching unit that searches for a plurality of routes from a departure point to a destination which has been set, an abridged map generation unit that generates an abridged map in which road shapes of the routes which are searched out by the route searching unit are simplified, based upon road map data which specifies shapes of roads by shapes of links set for each predetermined road section, and a link compactification unit that compactifies links of the routes based upon relative positional relationships of the routes before the abridged map generation unit generates the abridged map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Publication date: April 27, 2006
    Applicant: XANAVI INFORMATICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Manabu Morita, Atsushi Hiroike, Kishiko Maruyama, Akinori Asahara
  • Publication number: 20060085122
    Abstract: This abridged map generating apparatus includes an abridged map generation unit that generates an abridged map in which a shape of a road is simplified based upon road map data, wherein the road map data specifies the shapes of the road by shapes of links set for each predetermined road section, and the abridged map generation unit generates the abridged map by simplifying a shapes of a link or link series with fixed positions of both end points of the link or link series made by lining up a plurality of the links.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Applicant: XANAVI INFORMATICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Manabu Morita, Atsushi Hiroike, Kishiko Maruyama, Akinori Asahara
  • Publication number: 20060085126
    Abstract: An abridged map generating apparatus includes a polygon shape data extraction unit that extracts from map data polygon shape data specifying the shape of a polygon, a polygon shape simplification unit that simplifies the shape of the polygon based upon the polygon shape data which is extracted by the polygon shape data extraction unit, and a polygon drawing unit that draws upon a map the polygon whose shape has been simplified by the polygon shape simplification unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Applicant: XANAVI INFORMATICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio Sumizawa, Manabu Morita, Atsushi Hiroike, Kishiko Maruyama, Akinori Asahara
  • Patent number: 5412532
    Abstract: A polygonal capacitor including a polygonal capacitor case having an engaging portion at an inner surface thereof; a capacitor element accommodated in the polygonal capacitor case; a plurality of terminals respectively connected to a plurality of electrodes of the capacitor element through a base portion of each terminal; an insulating terminal base to which the terminals are fixed; and a resin filled in the polygonal capacitor case. An engaging member formed at the insulating terminal base is in pressure contact with the engaging portion of the polygonal capacitor case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Nishimori, Akinori Asahara