Current location indication apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle

Abstract

A current location indicating apparatus for use in an automotive vehicle which comprises a current travel distance detection unit adapted to detect a current cumulated travel distance of the automotive vehicle, a bearing detection unit adapted to detect a current bearing or heading of the vehicle following the current travel distance of the vehicle, a signal processing unit adapted to obtain a current locational point in terms of two-dimensional coordinates of the moving vehicle in accordance with the outputs from the detection unit and control the entire system, a path of travel store unit adapted to sequentially store the locational data in terms of the two-dimensional coordinates varying from time to time which are obtained from the signal processing unit and hold the contents thereof as current continuous locational information on the moving vehicle, a map or geographic image information store medium unit adapted to preliminarily store the map information prepared pixel by pixel in the raster mode, a store medium regeneration unit adapted to read out the required map information from the store medium unit, a display unit adapted to visually indicate a map or geographic image in accordance with the current read-out map information and display with a marking showing the state of travel of the vehicle on the same display screen in accordance with the locational data stored in the path of travel store unit, and a manual operating unit adapted to selectively specify an area map desired to be shown on the display screen of the display means and properly initialize the marking of indication on the display.