Abstract: A terminal device mounted on a movable body, includes: an image capturing unit; a determining unit which determines whether to preferentially display an actually captured guide image using a captured image captured by the image capturing unit or a map guide image using map information, based on a relationship between an image capturing direction of the image capturing unit and a traveling direction of the movable body; and a display controlling unit which displays either the actually captured guide image or the map guide image based on a determination by the determining unit. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately determine whether to preferentially display the actually captured guide image or the map guide image.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus is provided with: a first storing device for storing original data for a navigation based on a predetermined format and including map data, in such a manner that an empty area exists on the predetermined format in each processing unit for a predetermined kind of navigation processing; a second storing device for storing difference update data representing a data portion for the navigation that is updated with respect to the original data as a standard; and a re-writing device for generating updated data based on the format and including the original data and merge data, by re-writing the merge data at least partially into the empty area corresponding to the merge data. The merge data defines a relationship of the difference update data with respect to the original data. The navigation apparatus is also provided with a processing device performing the navigation processing on the basis of the original data and the difference update data.

Abstract: A navigation system and navigation equipment which reduce the time required for radio transmissions to implement fast navigational guidance. The navigation equipment communicates bi-directionally by radio with a navigation server, thereby providing navigational guidance. The navigation equipment transmits position data delivered by a GPS receiver to the navigation server through a communication device and acquires, from the communication device, map data for display indicative of a map of a surrounding area including a self-location provided by the position data sent back from the navigation server.

Abstract: When a moving body (e.g., a car) is entering a roundabout, a navigation machine extracts link data of the roundabout from road map data. The navigation machine detects a route entering the roundabout (i.e., a route the moving body is currently taking), a center of the roundabout, and an exiting route based on the link data to determine an angle of the exiting route with respect to the entering route. A direction mark having the exiting route angle is prepared as a heading direction guidance image. The navigation machine can show an appropriate route (direction) at the roundabout without increasing the amount of stored image data.

Abstract: Map data stored in a memory includes normal road data and additional road data for predetermined regions along a highway. A current location of a moving body is detected by sensor(s). The normal road data or additional road data is selected on the basis of the detected current location of the moving body. A map matching process is performed with the selected road data. Accordingly, the current location of the moving body is determined in the map matching process with high accuracy.

Abstract: A communication navigation system is provided with a communication center apparatus (3) and a communication navigation terminal (5), which perform two-way communication on a communication network (1, 2). The communication center apparatus is provided with: a search device (74) for searching for an optimum route with respect to the request of route search from the communication navigation terminal on the basis of information for route search and a communication device (73) for wirelessly transmitting coordinates information at a plurality of positions on this optimum route. The communication navigation terminal is provided with a communication device (38) for receiving the coordinates information and a display processing device (43) for displaying the optimum route on the basis of this received coordinates information.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus is provided with: a first storing device for storing original data for a navigation based on a predetermined format and including map data, in such a manner that an empty area exists on the predetermined format in each processing unit for a predetermined kind of navigation processing; a second storing device for storing difference update data representing a data portion for the navigation that is updated with respect to the original data as a standard; and a re-writing device for generating updated data based on the format and including the original data and merge data, by re-writing the merge data at least partially into the empty area corresponding to the merge data. The merge data defines a relationship of the difference update data with respect to the original data. The navigation apparatus is also provided with a processing device performing the navigation processing on the basis of the original data and the difference update data.

Abstract: An apparatus generates difference update data for navigation with respect to a plurality of road data for the navigation. Each of the plurality of road data indicates at least one of an existing road and a junction thereof in a preset road network. The difference update data includes one road data for the navigation. The one road data indicates at least one of a new road and a junction thereof and is updated versus the plurality of road data as a standard.

Abstract: There is provided a navigation apparatus capable of executing a guide corresponding to an inside structure of a building which even if a vehicle is running in the building. The apparatus determines whether or not a current position of the vehicle is located in the building. If it is determined that the current position is located in the building, a plan view of the building is displayed. Then, the displayed plan view is used to carry out a navigation process.

Abstract: When a moving body (e.g., a car) is entering a roundabout, a navigation machine extracts link data of the roundabout from road map data. The navigation machine detects a route entering the roundabout (i.e., a route the moving body is currently taking), a center of the roundabout, and an exiting route based on the link data to determine an angle of the exiting route with respect to the entering route. A direction mark having the exiting route angle is prepared as a heading direction guidance image. The navigation machine can show an appropriate route (direction) at the roundabout without increasing the amount of stored image data.

Abstract: A navigation system and navigation equipment which reduce the time required for radio transmissions to implement fast navigational guidance. The navigation equipment communicates bi-directionally by radio with a navigation server, thereby providing navigational guidance. The navigation equipment transmits position data delivered by a GPS receiver to the navigation server through a communication device and acquires, from the communication device, map data for display indicative of a map of a surrounding area including a self-location provided by the position data sent back from the navigation server.

Abstract: A car navigation apparatus for determining entry/exit of a vehicle into/from a parking area based on a running state of the vehicle without using a dedicated parking area database. Upon entry into a parking area, the entry is determined by totally checking the speed of the vehicle, the presence or absence of turn-round motion, an error in a forward and backward direction of the vehicle, estimated by map matching, the presence or absence of front and rear intersections, and the widths of intersecting roads. On the other hand, upon exit from a parking area, the exit is determined by totally judging the detected speed of the vehicle, the presence or absence of a straight running distance, the presence or absence of a nearby road extending in parallel with the course of the vehicle, and the width of the parallelly extending road.

Abstract: A navigation system includes sensors to detect a moving direction and location of a mobile body. The navigation system first presumes a first route pattern, which includes straight and curve ways, from data supplied from the sensors. The navigation system then determines a second route pattern, based on data supplied from the sensors. The navigation system compares the first route pattern with the second route pattern. When the first route pattern is substantially the same as the second route pattern, a current moving direction and location of the mobile body detected by the sensors are calibrated in accordance with the first route pattern. The navigation system can accurately determine a current location of the mobile body even if the mobile body moves in a roofed building and no driveway data is available for the building.

Abstract: A communication navigation system is provided with a communication center apparatus (3) and a communication navigation terminal (5), which perform two-way communication on a communication network (1, 2). The communication center apparatus is provided with: a search device (74) for searching for an optimum route with respect to the request of route search from the communication navigation terminal on the basis of information for route search and a communication device (73) for wirelessly transmitting coordinates information at a plurality of positions on this optimum route. The communication navigation terminal is provided with a communication device (38) for receiving the coordinates information and a display processing device (43) for displaying the optimum route on the basis of this received coordinates information.

Abstract: There is provided a navigation apparatus capable of executing a guide corresponding to an inside structure of a building which even if a vehicle is running in the building. The apparatus determines whether or not a current position of the vehicle is located in the building. If it is determined that the current position is located in the building, a plan view of the building is displayed. Then, the displayed plan view is used to carry out a navigation process.

Abstract: There is provided a navigation apparatus capable of executing a guide corresponding to an inside structure of a building which even if a vehicle is running in the building. The apparatus determines whether or not a current position of the vehicle is located in the building. If it is determined that the current position is located in the building, a plan view of the building is displayed. Then, the displayed plan view is used to carry out a navigation process.

Abstract: A navigation system includes sensors to detect a moving direction and location of a mobile body. The navigation system first presumes a first route pattern, which includes straight and curve ways, from data supplied from the sensors. The navigation system then determines a second route pattern, based on data supplied from the sensors. The navigation system compares the first route pattern with the second route pattern. When the first route pattern is substantially the same as the second route pattern, a current moving direction and location of the mobile body detected by the sensors are calibrated in accordance with the first route pattern. The navigation system can accurately determine a current location of the mobile body even if the mobile body moves in a roofed building and no driveway data is available for the building.

Abstract: A car navigation apparatus for determining entry/exit of a vehicle into/from a parking area based on a running state of the vehicle without using a dedicated parking area database. Upon entry into a parking area, the entry is determined by totally checking the speed of the vehicle, the presence or absence of turn-round motion, an error in a forward and backward direction of the vehicle, estimated by map matching, the presence or absence of front and rear intersections, and the widths of intersecting roads. On the other hand, upon exit from a parking area, the exit is determined by totally judging the detected speed of the vehicle, the presence or absence of a straight running distance, the presence or absence of a nearby road extending in parallel with the course of the vehicle, and the width of the parallelly extending road.

Abstract: Map data stored in a memory includes normal road data and additional road data for predetermined regions along a highway. A current location of a moving body is detected by sensor(s). The normal road data or additional road data is selected on the basis of the detected current location of the moving body. A map matching process is performed with the selected road data. Accordingly, the current location of the moving body is determined in the map matching process with high accuracy.

Abstract: There is provided a navigation apparatus capable of executing a guide corresponding to an inside structure of a building which even if a vehicle is running in the building. The apparatus determines whether or not a current position of the vehicle is located in the building. If it is determined that the current position is located in the building, a plan view of the building is displayed. Then, the displayed plan view is used to carry out a navigation process.