Patent ID: 6321160
Filing Date: 2001-11-20
Classification: G01C,G09B

Abstract:
A car navigation apparatus, comprising:a display screen for displaying information;a map information storage unit for storing map information;route setting means for setting a route from a departure point to a destination point based on said map information;car position detection means for measuring a position of a car and for detecting said car position;advance direction detection means for detecting an advance direction of the car from a temporal change of said car position;turning intersection detection means for detecting an intersection where the car should turn next time, on said route located within a predetermined distance in said advance direction from said car position, based on said map information;turning intersection information acquisition means responsive to detection of said turning intersection to acquire a shape of said turning intersection from said map information;turning intersection display means for displaying the shape of said turning intersection acquired by said turning intersection information acquisition means and a direction to which the car should turn, on said display screen using figures; anddistance calculation means responsive to the detection of said turning intersection to calculate a distance between said car position and said turning intersection, wherein:said turning intersection information acquisition means acquires a shape and a name of said turning intersection from said map information when said turning intersection is detected; andsaid turning intersection display means displays the distance to said turning intersection which is calculated by said distance calculation means, and the name of said turning intersection which is acquired by said turning intersection information acquisition means, on said display screen using characters.