Abstract: A curve-shape modeling device that divides multiple sampling points along a route into a linear section, a relaxation curve section and a steady section, and models a curve shape of the route, includes: a curve extraction unit that extracts a curve from the sampling points based on a curvature of the sampling points; a steady section curvature determination unit that determines a curvature of the steady section based on a curvature of sampling points included in an extracted curve; and a curve entry and exit determination unit that sets a predetermined curvature range including the curvature of the steady section, and determines a start point and an end point of the steady section based on the curvature range.

Abstract: A chain guide includes a curved guide base extending along the direction in which a torque transmitting chain moves. The guide base includes, on its surface opposed to the chain, a rolling guide portion including a plurality of roller element bearings which are rotatable and configured to guide the chain while kept in rolling contact with the chain, and a sliding guide portion in the form of a curved surface. The rolling guide portion reduces a loss in torque transmission, while the sliding guide portion reduces flapping of the chain, thus reducing noise and vibrations of the chain.

Abstract: In a living area data generation section, a road link having the number of times of traveling not less than a predetermined number of times is acquired based on travel history data, and a predetermined area including the road link is determined as a living area. In a user model generation section, based on the travel history data, the number of outings is acquired by necessary time for outing, according to whether the destination is in a living area or non-living area, and model data of user's outing pattern is generated. In a search condition determination section, based on the model data, a facility search range is determined, and a ratio between the numbers of facilities to be searched for from the living area and non-living area is determined as a search condition. In a facility search section, search is conducted for facilities conforming to the condition and to be presented.

Abstract: A chain guide includes a curved guide base extending along the direction in which a torque transmitting chain moves. The guide base includes, on its surface opposed to the chain, a rolling guide portion including a plurality of roller element bearings which are rotatable and configured to guide the chain while kept in rolling contact with the chain, and a sliding guide portion in the form of a curved surface. The rolling guide portion reduces a loss in torque transmission, while the sliding guide portion reduces flapping of the chain, thus reducing noise and vibrations of the chain.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus transmits current position information to a server. The server transmits course data to the navigation apparatus; the course data indicates a course that is predicted based on the current position information. The navigation apparatus corrects a subsequently measured current position on the course specified by the course data. The navigation apparatus transmits corrected position information indicating the corrected position to the server. The server distributes map data to the navigation apparatus; the map data corresponds to a specified area containing the corrected position specified by the corrected position information. Based on the received map data, the navigation apparatus displays a map near the corrected position on a screen of a display portion.

Abstract: When an internal storage device or an output device does not have a sufficient free space, predetermined part of the unstored subject data in an external storage device is stored into the internal storage device; the subject data having been stored in the internal storage device is output then the area where the subject data is stored in the internal storage device is released. When the internal storage device has a free space in which all the unstored subject data can be stored, all the unstored subject data is stored into the internal storage device; a communication condition between the communication unit and the external storage device is detected; and the subject data is output except for at least part of the subject data to be output lastly. The subject data is output only when the communication condition has been changed to the non-communicatable condition.

Abstract: A curve modeling device includes a curvature calculation unit, a curvature correction unit, and a node information generation unit. The curvature calculation unit calculates a curvature of each sampling point on a route based on location information of each sampling point. The curvature correction unit corrects the curvature at each sampling point and approximates the route by a straight line interval, an arc interval, or a smooth curve interval. The node information generation unit builds a shape model of a curve included in the route by generating node information indicative of a node location on a road corresponding to the route based on the corrected curvature of the sampling point. The curvature correction unit corrects the curvature under a condition that an orientation difference defined by the calculated curvatures maintains a constant value.

Abstract: A destination recommendation system includes a map database storing facility data, a travel history database storing travel history data, a trip destination determination section, a calculation section, a search section, and an output portion. The trip destination determination section determines plural trip destinations corresponding to a hub position when the number or a frequency of a plurality of visits from the hub position to each of the trip destinations satisfies a predetermined condition. The calculation section calculates a distance or necessary travel time from the hub position to each trip destination, and calculates a mode value of the distance or the necessary travel time. The search section searches for a target facility that is located within a range of the mode value of the distance or the necessary travel time. The output portion outputs the target facility to a user.

Abstract: A travel trace storage apparatus includes a location detection device, a positioning trace generation device, a movement distance detection device, a travel direction detection device, a dead reckoning trace generation device for generating a dead reckoning trace, in which each vector determined by a vehicle movement distance and a vehicle travel direction is chronologically arranged, a correction positioning trace generation device for generating a correction positioning trace obtained by removing a location distant from the dead reckoning trace by a predetermined distance or more, a correction dead reckoning trace generation device for generating a correction dead reckoning trace obtained by correcting the dead reckoning trace, an absolute trace generation device for generating an absolute trace obtained by synthesizing the correction positioning trace and the correction dead reckoning trace, an absolute trace memory for storing the absolute trace.

Abstract: A curve-shape modeling device that divides multiple sampling points along a route into a linear section, a relaxation curve section and a steady section, and models a curve shape of the route, includes: a curve extraction unit that extracts a curve from the sampling points based on a curvature of the sampling points; a steady section curvature determination unit that determines a curvature of the steady section based on a curvature of sampling points included in an extracted curve; and a curve entry and exit determination unit that sets a predetermined curvature range including the curvature of the steady section, and determines a start point and an end point of the steady section based on the curvature range.

Abstract: A curve modeling device includes a curvature calculation unit, a curvature correction unit, and a node information generation unit. The curvature calculation unit calculates a curvature of each sampling point on a route based on location information of each sampling point. The curvature correction unit corrects the curvature at each sampling point and approximates the route by a straight line interval, an arc interval, or a smooth curve interval. The node information generation unit builds a shape model of a curve included in the route by generating node information indicative of a node location on a road corresponding to the route based on the corrected curvature of the sampling point. The curvature correction unit corrects the curvature under a condition that an orientation difference defined by the calculated curvatures maintains a constant value.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus transmits current position information to a server. The server transmits course data to the navigation apparatus; the course data indicates a course that is predicted based on the current position information. The navigation apparatus corrects a subsequently measured current position on the course specified by the course data. The navigation apparatus transmits corrected position information indicating the corrected position to the server. The server distributes map data to the navigation apparatus; the map data corresponds to a specified area containing the corrected position specified by the corrected position information. Based on the received map data, the navigation apparatus displays a map near the corrected position on a screen of a display portion.

Abstract: In a living area data generation section, a road link having the number of times of traveling not less than a predetermined number of times is acquired based on travel history data, and a predetermined area including the road link is determined as a living area. In a user model generation section, based on the travel history data, the number of outings is acquired by necessary time for outing, according to whether the destination is in a living area or non-living area, and model data of user's outing pattern is generated. In a search condition determination section, based on the model data, a facility search range is determined, and a ratio between the numbers of facilities to be searched for from the living area and non-living area is determined as a search condition. In a facility search section, search is conducted for facilities conforming to the condition and to be presented.

Abstract: When an internal storage device or an output device does not have a sufficient free space, predetermined part of the unstored subject data in an external storage device is stored into the internal storage device; the subject data having been stored in the internal storage device is output then the area where the subject data is stored in the internal storage device is released. When the internal storage device has a free space in which all the unstored subject data can be stored, all the unstored subject data is stored into the internal storage device; a communication condition between the communication unit and the external storage device is detected; and the subject data is output except for at least part of the subject data to be output lastly. The subject data is output only when the communication condition has been changed to the non-communicatable condition.

Abstract: To improve accuracy of determining whether route elements stored as a history are route elements familiar to the user, a navigation apparatus 100 includes: a passage history storage unit 9a that stores a history of route elements passed in the past; a memory cost determination unit 84 that determines memory costs indicative of how less likely a user still has in mind the route elements stored in the passage history storage unit 9a based on the history stored in the passage history storage unit 9a; a route search unit 85 that searches for a route leading to a destination by combining the route elements to minimize a route cost of the entire route including the memory costs determined by the memory cost determination unit 84; and a navigation unit 86 that performs a route guide in accordance with the route searched by the route search unit 85.

Abstract: To improve accuracy of determining whether route elements stored as a history are route elements familiar to the user, a navigation apparatus 100 includes: a passage history storage unit 9a that stores a history of route elements passed in the past; a memory cost determination unit 84 that determines memory costs indicative of how less likely a user still has in mind the route elements stored in the passage history storage unit 9a based on the history stored in the passage history storage unit 9a; a route search unit 85 that searches for a route leading to a destination by combining the route elements to minimize a route cost of the entire route including the memory costs determined by the memory cost determination unit 84; and a navigation unit 86 that performs a route guide in accordance with the route searched by the route search unit 85.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to improve the accuracy of estimating a destination in a destination estimating apparatus. A destination estimating apparatus 100 includes: a learning data storing unit 9b that stores a history of a location specified as a destination in the past; a destination estimating unit 83 that estimates a destination from among a plurality of destination candidates including a location stored in the learning data storing unit 9b; and a candidate excluding unit 84 that, based on the history stored in the learning data storing unit 9b, excludes a destination candidate for which it is determined that a certainty factor of being a destination is lower than a predetermined threshold value from destination candidates that are estimated as being a destination by the destination estimating unit 83.

Abstract: A travel trace storage apparatus includes a location detection device, a positioning trace generation device, a movement distance detection device, a travel direction detection device, a dead reckoning trace generation device for generating a dead reckoning trace, in which each vector determined by a vehicle movement distance and a vehicle travel direction is chronologically arranged, a correction positioning trace generation device for generating a correction positioning trace obtained by removing a location distant from the dead reckoning trace by a predetermined distance or more, a correction dead reckoning trace generation device for generating a correction dead reckoning trace obtained by correcting the dead reckoning trace, an absolute trace generation device for generating an absolute trace obtained by synthesizing the correction positioning trace and the correction dead reckoning trace, an absolute trace memory for storing the absolute trace.

Abstract: A destination recommendation system includes a map database storing facility data, a travel history database storing travel history data, a trip destination determination section, a calculation section, a search section, and an output portion. The trip destination determination section determines plural trip destinations corresponding to a hub position when the number or a frequency of a plurality of visits from the hub position to each of the trip destinations satisfies a predetermined condition. The calculation section calculates a distance or necessary travel time from the hub position to each trip destination, and calculates a mode value of the distance or the necessary travel time. The search section searches for a target facility that is located within a range of the mode value of the distance or the necessary travel time. The output portion outputs the target facility to a user.

Abstract: A map updating system, which includes a navigation apparatus in a vehicle and a map server, includes a driving history database storage storing driving history data on the vehicle. The map updating system determines, based on the driving history data, a location visited a predetermined number of times or more as a first destination; determines, based on the driving history data, a route which was used a predetermined number of times or more among routes used to visit the first destination as a first route; determines a second route that is to be used to visit the first destination when a part of the first route is unusable; and updates map data in the navigation apparatus in order of (i) data on the first route and second route and (ii) other data.