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US 6,445,397 B1Granted
Apparatus for guiding a vehicle allowing a route sweep
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorJean Philippe Boyer
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AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorJean Philippe Boyer
Estimating the term…
An apparatus for guiding a vehicle allowing a route sweep is disclosed. The apparatus includes a display which shows a portion of a map. The user may move the map on the display from a start point to a finish point. This movement is termed a route sweep. To carry out a route sweep allowing a user to take cognizance of a route proposed by the apparatus, the maximum rate of sweep of the map on a display screen, the so-called cruising rate (L), desirable to obtain a short sweep time, is first calculated. Then starting from a specified scale (R.S.), the map is moved at an increasing rate in such a way as to arrive at the cruising rate (L) after a predetermined time. Simultaneously, the scale (chain-dotted curve) is reduced so as to arrive after the same time at a scale which is compatible with the cruising rate. The central part of the sweep is then carried out at the cruising rate with compatible scale, and the sweep is terminated while reducing the rate and while enlarging the scale again so as to return to the initial scale.
An apparatus for guiding a vehicle comprising:
A process for carrying out a route sweep in the course of guiding a vehicle, the process comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Display of a road map: details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of…
Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids: using electronic means
Measuring distances, levels or bearings
Educational or demonstration appliances
Term ended 27 Jan 2019 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for guiding a vehicle, specifically a map display which scales the display according to the distance between a start point and a finish point.
Presently, devices for guiding a vehicle, are provided with a display screen-on which can be displayed, among other things, a specified portion of a map, with an input and control unit among other things for choosing a display scale and for requesting a route sweep. The present device has a processor provided with software, so as to manage the display and among other things define the map portion displayed. The processor has instructions for moving the map portion displayed from a start point to a finish point.
The present guidance devices carry out a route sweep in the course of a procedure for guiding a vehicle, according to which a specified portion of a map is displayed on a screen, a display scale is chosen, and the map portion displayed is moved from a start point to a finish point.
FIG. 1 diagrammatically depicts an apparatus according to the invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates the variation of the sweep rate and the scale of the map during the sweep of a route.
While the present invention is capable of embodiment in various forms, there is shown int he drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.
The apparatus of FIG. 1 has a processor 7 provided with software for generating monitoring signals and for processing the output signals from various devices. The various devices are linked to the processor 7 by a bus 21. The apparatus includes several memories: a so-called “RAM” volatile memory 9 for storing data valid at a given instant, and a nonvolatile memory 8, for example a “flash” type memory, and a “CD-ROM” disk drive, for storing descriptions and data which are written once. The memory 8 is designed to store, among other things, geographical data.
The apparatus has a means for informing a user, such as an audio amplifier system 4 coupled to a loudspeaker 5, to make it possible to deliver messages in voice form, and an input/output interface device 18 linked to a display screen 10. The display screen 10 may be a liquid crystal type display to make it possible to display plans or maps and messages in written form. To ensure interactivity with the user, the input/output interface 18 is linked to a control keypad 12, which constitutes an input unit for, among other things, receiving a route sweep request from a user.