Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Masao Sugimura

Katsutoshi Tagami

Tsuneo Takahashi

Shinichiro Yasui

Fumitaka Takahashi

Katsusuke Komuro

Nobuhiko Suzuki

A fixed range indicating system is provided for the vehicle travel path indicating apparatus. The vehicle travel path indicating apparatus includes a locational data source having a pulse generator and producing vehicle locational data, memories for successively storing the vehicle locational data, a data reader for reading the travel path data from the memories, and a display unit for displaying a travel path of the vehicle on a display screen based on the travel path data read out by the data reader. The fixed range indicating system in such apparatus comprises a pulse counter for counting the pulses from the pulse generator, a data extractor for extracting a fraction of the locational data each time the travel distance is increased by a predetermined distance and for delivering the extracted data fraction as stored locational data to the memories to form stored travel path data, and a data restoring circuit for preparing restored travel path data based on the stored travel path data read out by the data reader from the memories and the locational data issued from the locational data source, the display means displaying the travel path of the vehicle on the display screen based on the restored travel path data.

Fixed range indicating system for use in a vehicle travel path

An improved fixed range or distance indicating system for use in a visual travel route indicating apparatus of a vehicle. The fixed range indicating system minimizes memory capacity by discretely storing locational data obtained from discrete arithmetical calculation made at a suitable predetermined interval to present relatively short vector segments optimized in accordance with the given scale of indication on the display and at the same time provides a relatively high accuracy in approximating a current locational indication of the vehicle. A plurality of basic scales of indication varying with doubled denominators in accordance with a given variety of basic scales of indication are presented, the locational data are picked-up discretely at a rate corresponding to the plurality of basic scales of indication, and the thus picked-up locational data is stored into prescribed memory tables within a given limit of indication by way of an endless store mode. The current indicated path of travel on the display is erased at the interval of a fixed range travelled by the vehicle corresponding to the basic scales of indication, and refreshed points of indication are determined for a new location of the vehicle in accordance with a given scale of indication from the current points of indication for the current location at the time of erasing on the basis of the locational data read out from the memory table.

A visual travel route indicating apparatus, for use in an automotive vehicle or the like, including a distance sensor for detecting a current distance of travel of the vehicle, a gas rate sensor for detecting a current azimuthal deviation generated by the vehicle during a turning motion, a thermostatic control chamber for enclosing the gas rate sensor hermetically from external temperature fluctuations, and a signal processing unit for arithmetically obtaining a current location plotted on two-dimensional coordinates per a given unit travel distance of the vehicle from the outputs of the two sensors and storing the thus-obtained location data in sequence so as to be read out subsequently for a continuous visual indication of a current locus of the vehicle on a display. The power supply to the thermostatic control chamber is optimally controlled in conjunction with the on/off state of the ignition switch of the vehicle. The visual indication of a current travel route of the vehicle is inhibited until the atmospheric temperature of the thermostatic chamber reaches a desired constant level, whereupon the offset adjustment of the gas rate sensor output is automatically normalized so as to present a precise visual indication of the vehicle's travel route on the display. Further, the occurrence of an abnormal temperature within the atmosphere of the thermostatic control chamber is detected so as to provide a warning to a driver of the vehicle.

Apparatus for visually indicating a current travel route of a vehicle

A visual travel route indicating apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle. The apparatus comprises a distance sensor for detecting a current distance of travel of the vehicle, a gas rate sensor for detecting a current azimuthal deviation generated during travel of the vehicle, a closed thermostatic chamber for hermetically enclosing the gas rate sensor such that it is isolated from external temperature fluctuations, and a signal processing unit for arithmetically obtaining a current location or point plotted on two-dimensional coordinates per a given unit travel distance from the outputs of the two sensors. A travel path store is provided for storing the thus-obtained data so as to be read out subsequently for a continuous visual indication of a current path of travel or locus of the vehicle on a display unit for visually indicating a continuous path of travel of the vehicle. A manual operating unit is provided for setting and modifying the visual indication pattern to be displayed on the display unit. The closed thermostatic chamber is positively heated to a desired constant temperature level by a suitable heater so that the gas rate sensor may be protected from a possible temperature fluctuation in the external environment.

A vehicle travel route indicating apparatus comprising detectors for detecting current travel distance and bearing of a vehicle, respectively; a signal processor for obtaining a current location of the vehicle on two-dimensional coordinates; a memory for storing continuous locational information; a display for indicating a path of travel and a sense mark; and a manual selector for optionally changing the manner of visual indication settings. With such simplified construction, the driver of the vehicle can incessantly determine the status of travel of the vehicle in terms of both distance and bearing aspects during the travel by following the first-hand information displayed at his seat with greater ease and reliability.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Masao Sugimura