Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.

Aisin-warner Limited

Toyota Jidosha K.k.

Syuzo Moroto

Koji Sumiya

Mitsuhiro Nimura

Yasunobu Ito

Kunihiro Yamada

Takeshi Yano

Yutaka Taga

Akira Hoshino

Kazuteru Maekawa

Kyomi Morimoto

Takenori Kano

Kazuaki Watanabe

Hiroyuki Kanemitsu

Yukiyoshi Suzuki

Hitoshi Asano

Yukihiro Kobayashi

Yasushi Ando

A vehicle navigation system includes a simulated run mode along with a normal navigation mode. In the simulated run mode, a simulated present position is calculated to move in accordance with simulated motion so that route guidance information is presented to the viewer in the same manner as during actual navigation. The simulated motion may be increased or decreased, may be stepped or continuous, and/or may be controlled in accordance with stored speed information on the roads of the route.

Vehicle navigation apparatus with route modification by setting detour

To improve the efficiency of a menu selecting operation, not only a menu of a predetermined hierarchy, but also at least one menu of a lower hierarchy corresponding to the predetermined hierarchy are displayed. If the lower hierarchy (first genre) menu is selected, the nationwide and individual state or region menus of the first genre are instantly displayed. If, on the other hand, the menu of predetermined hierarchy is selected from the main menu, individual genre menus of the same hierarchy as that of the lower hierarchy menu are displayed to enable selection of a different genre menu. The nationwide and state or regions menus of the selected genre are then displayed (at S8). As a result, the operation efficiency for selecting the first genre can be improved. Provision is also made for destination selection by input of a telephone number. A match of the input telephone number with prestored data calls up display of a map of the vicinity of the address corresponding to the input telephone number, which map display can be utilized to set a destination. On the other hand failure to match the input telephone number with prestored data results in a display of landmarks located within the larger area assigned to the local exchange portion of the input telephone number. One of the display listed landmarks may then be selected to call up a map of the vicinity of the selected landmark.

Vehicle navigation system with destination selection using hierarchical

Map display system

Mechanism for supporting transmission shafts of automatic transmission

Growing community of inventors

Nagoya, Japan

Syuzo Moroto