Patent ID: 6064323
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: G01C,G08G

Abstract:
Navigation apparatus for use within a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:recognition means mounted within the vehicle for recognizing a voice signal, said recognition means includinga directional microphone constructed and mounted to detect speech preferentially from a user of the apparatus situated at a predetermined location within the vehicle, said predetermined location being selected from the group consisting of a plurality of locations within the vehicle;a voice recognition data memory for storing character data including place names, operation commands, and information relating to frequently mistaken place names, for allowing said recognition means to match said voice signal with said character data; anda conversion data memory for storing longitude/latitude data and incidental data including display scale data corresponding to each place name stored in said voice recognition data memory,display means for displaying a map of at least one of said place names in a predetermined display scale, androute search means for setting a predetermined position in said map being displayed as a destination point in response to a predetermined operation by the user or a recognized signal that is matched with one of said place names stored in said voice recognition data memory and converted to lonqitude/latitude data and incidental data stored in said conversion data memory, and for searching for a route on said map to said destination point,wherein said voice signal recognized by said recognition means includes a navigational command or one of said operation commands.