Bar coded navigation system

In a vehicle navigation system,

• A plurality of fixed road signs spaced apart from each other within each zone of an extended region subdivided into a plurality of equal sized zones,
• Each sign containing a coded message identifying the zone in which it is located,
• A navigation receiver for a vehicle having a visual display screen and a reader for said coded signs,
• said receiver being energized by the reader to display the changeable zones of the vehicle as the different signs are read,
• entry means for the receiver for entering a selected destination zone into the receiver and visually displaying said destination zone on the receiver display,
• whereby the receiver displays the zone of the changeable location of the vehicle together with the zone of the selected destination, thereby to enable navigation of the vehicle by following the directional heading indicated on the display between the two displayed zones.

In an electronic navigation system for guiding a movable vehicle to a selected destination by incrementally communicating the actual location of the vehicle referenced to a selected destination, and wherein said navigation system includes an on-board navigation receiver for communicating the locations of the vehicle referenced to said selected destination,

• The improvement comprising:
• means for detecting the changing locations of the vehicle as the vehicle proceeds from location to location along a route of travel,
• a plurality of digital signs spaced apart from one another along said route, each digital sign containing information relating to that signs location,
• and a wireless reader associated with said receiver in the movable vehicle for remotely reading the information on the digital signs, and entering said information into the receiver to be communicated for navigating the vehicle.

A two phase vehicle navigation system for initially guiding a vehicle by heading direction from one area zone to a destination area zone, both within an extended region subdivided into a series of area zones, and wherein upon reaching the destination zone then guiding the vehicle locally within said destination zone to a specific location by communicating additional detailed information about said local destination zone,

• the improvement comprising distance determining means for determining the distance between the location of the vehicle and the location of the destination,
• an on-board navigation receiver having a display screen,
• said receiver displaying on the screen the location of the vehicle referenced to the location of the destination,
• and means for changing the scale of enlargement of the screen display of vehicle location referenced to destination location as the vehicle proceeds toward the destination location.

A digital guidance-system for movable vehicles traveling along streets and roads comprising:

• A plurality of digital information sources externally of the vehicle and dispersed along the streets and roads being traveled by the vehicle,
• A digital reader for said vehicle for detecting the information sources as the vehicle proceeds near each source and conveying digital information being detected within said vehicle,
• Communicating means within said vehicle for receiving the digital information from said reader and communicating messages to occupants within said vehicle related to the digital information being read by the digital reader,
• Said communicating means comprising one of a visual display of said messages and an audible announcement of said messages,
• Said information sources comprising one of G.P.S. signals received by the reader at different locations along said streets and roads and plural digitally coded street signs disposed along said streets and roads, and detected by said reader.