Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Yoshisada Mizutani

Masaharu Umezu

Hiroaki Ideno

Toshiki Kusama

Fumio Matsukawa

Takeshi Inoue

Hirotsugu Arai

A navigation apparatus includes a guide unit (4) to extract a guide target intersection located on a path and to which a driver should be guided depending upon map data stored in a map information storage unit (1) and the path set by a path setting unit (2), and detect a distance between the two adjacent guide target intersections so as to concurrently provide guides about the two guide target intersections together with a relationship therebetween when the distance is within a specified value, or a guide unit (55) to extract an intersection between the extracted guide target intersection and a current position detected by a current position detecting unit (3) so as to display the intersection concurrently with the guide target intersection.

Navigation apparatus with relationship between guide target intersections

An in-car navigation apparatus produces a concept of a voice message such as a guide of an advancing route or a guide of an arrival to be informed at a point on a set drive route where voice information is to be given by means of the control section thereof, and produces a message sentence from a table defining a sentence pattern corresponding to the concept of a voice message and an device storing voice waveform information by means of a detachable voice information memorizing section. Thereby, the changes of the sentence patterns of voice messages and so forth can easily be done without varying the program of the apparatus.

In-car navigation apparatus with voice guidance

The present invention relates to a traffic information display system mounted on a vehicle to provide a map which is easy to see and which permits the driver of the vehicle to recognize the present position of the vehicle, etc. A control means used in this system determines a road on which the vehicle is present, on the basis of an output provided from a present position and direction detecting means, and fetches plural road data including the said road from a map information memory means. Then, the control means transforms the coordinates of start and end points of each road present in the road data into coordinates on a display screen, and provides those coordinates and a command to connect the start and end points using a straight line to a deformed map preparing means. The deformed map preparing means displays the road between each start point and each end point using a straight line, thereby providing a map which is easy to understand for the driver.

Traffic information display system

A switch system for an automotive vehicle enables the driver to properly operate various devices mounted on the vehicle without reducing or limiting the driver's field of view to any practical extent. In one form, the switch system includes a plurality of switches for operating various devices mounted on the vehicle; a switch selection detector for detecting which one of the switches is selected by a driver; a display for displaying the result of a driver's switch selection detected by the switch selection detector as well as the operating conditions of the devices as a result of the driver's switch selection; and a reflector in the form of a half mirror provided at a location above a dash board for reflecting the contents of the display so that the driver can watch the displayed contents of the display as reflected on the reflector. In another form, the reflector is omitted and the display is provided at a location above a dash board and below the driver's sight line through a front windshield so as not to reduce the driver's forward viewing field through the windshield so that the driver can watch the displayed contents of the display while watching the road ahead.

Switching system for automotive vehicle including a reflector positioned

A route guidance display device for an automotive vehicle capable of displaying route patterns with a three-dimensional effect to enhance the viewer's comprehension of the road route situation being encountered. The display device includes a plurality of intersecting display segments indicative of corresponding possible route configurations. A depth-enhancing segment is included in a portion indicating the straight-ahead route. An intersection name display section may be separately included to display the name and related information regarding an intersection laying ahead.

Growing community of inventors

Hyogo, Japan

Yoshisada Mizutani