Navigation system

Abstract

In a main device, a processor receives information about a destination point, and further generates guide image data representing a guide image for guiding a user who is driving a vehicle. A display unit displays the guide image generated by the processor, thereby guiding the driving user to the destination point. When it is determined, while guiding the driving user, that the user is going to get off the vehicle, the processor generates navigation data Dnvg including the information about the destination point, and transfers the navigation data to a sub-device. In the sub-device, a processor generates, based on the received navigation data Dnvg, guide image data for outside of the vehicle representing a guide image for guiding the user who is traveling to the destination point on foot. A display unit displays the guide image generated by the processor. Thus, it is possible to provide a navigation system that is convenient to use.

1 . A navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, said navigation system comprising: 
 a main device fixed to a vehicle; and    a sub device operable to communicate with the main device, said sub-device being portable by the user, wherein    said main device comprises: 
 a receiving unit for receiving at least information about the destination point;  
 a first generating unit for generating vehicle guide image data for vehicle representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;  
 a first displaying unit for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data generated by the first generating unit;  
 an input unit for generating, in response to an operation by the user, a signal indicative when the user exits the vehicle;  
 a determining unit for determining whether the user exits the vehicle, said determining unit determining that the user has exited the vehicle when the signal is received; and  
 a generating/transferring unit for generating, when the determining unit determines that the user has exited the vehicle, navigation data including at least the destination point received by the receiving unit, and transferring the navigation data to the sub-device, and  
   the sub-device comprises: 
 a second generating unit for generating guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the user when using public transportation, a plane and/or a ship while traveling outside of the vehicle based on the navigation data transferred from the generating/transferring unit; and  
 a second display unit for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data generated by the second generating unit.  
   
   
   
       2 . A navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, said navigation system comprising: 
 a main device fixed to a vehicle; and    a sub device operable to communicate with the main device, said sub-device being portable by the user, wherein    said main device comprises: 
 a receiving unit for receiving at least information about the destination point;  
 a first generating unit for generating vehicle guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;  
 a first displaying unit for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data generated by the first generating unit;  
 an input unit for generating, in response to an operation by the user, a signal indicative of when the user exits the vehicle;  
 a determining unit for determining whether the user has exited the vehicle, said determining unit determining that the user has exited the vehicle when the signal is received; and  
 a generating/transferring unit for generating, when the determining unit determines that the user has exited the vehicle, navigation data including information indicative of at least the destination point and an identifier of a map around the destination point received by the receiving unit, and transferring the navigation data to the sub-device, and  
   the sub-device comprises: 
 a second generating unit for generating guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle based on the navigation data transferred from the generating/transferring unit; and  
 a second display unit for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data generated by the second generating unit.  
   
   
   
       3 . The navigation system according  claim 2 , wherein 
 said information included in the navigation data is created with POIX (Point Of Interest exchange language).    
   
   
       4 . A navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, said navigation system comprising: 
 a main device fixed to a vehicle; and    a sub device operable to communicate with the main device, said sub-device being portable by the user, wherein    said main device comprises: 
 a receiving unit for receiving at least information about the destination point from a base station located externally;  
 a first generating unit for generating vehicle guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;  
 a first displaying unit for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data generated by the first generating unit;  
 an input unit for generating, in response to an operation by the user, a signal indicative of when the user exits the vehicle;  
 a determining unit for determining whether the user has exited the vehicle, said determining unit determining that the user has exited the vehicle when the signal is received; and  
 a transferring unit for transferring, if the determining unit determines that the user has exited the vehicle, navigation data including at least the destination point received by the receiving unit to the sub-device, and  
   the sub-device comprises: 
 a second generating unit for generating guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle based on the navigation data transferred from the generating/transferring unit; and  
 a second display unit for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data for outside of the vehicle generated by the second generating unit.  
   
   
   
       5 . A navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, said navigation system comprising: 
 a main device fixed to a vehicle; and    a sub device operable to communicate with the main device, said sub-device being portable by the user, wherein    said main device comprises: 
 a first generating unit for generating vehicle guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;  
 a first displaying unit for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data generated by the first generating unit;  
 an input unit for generating, in response to an operation by the user, a signal indicative of when the user exits the vehicle; and  
 a determining unit for determining whether the user has exited the vehicle, said determining unit determining that the user has exited the vehicle when the signal is received; and  
   the sub-device comprises: 
 a second generating unit for generating, if the determining unit in said main device determines that the user has exited the vehicle, navigation data including at least the destination point;  
 a third generating unit for generating guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle based on the navigation data generated by the second generating unit; and  
 a second display unit for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data generated by the third generating unit.  
   
   
   
       6 . A navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, said navigation system comprising: 
 a main device fixed to a vehicle; and    a sub device operable to communicate with the main device, said sub-device being portable by the user, wherein    said main device comprises: 
 a first generating unit for generating vehicle guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;  
 a first displaying unit for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data generated by the first generating unit;  
 an input unit for generating, in response to an operation by the user, a signal indicative of when the user exits the vehicle; and  
 a determining unit for determining whether the user has exited the vehicle, said determining unit determining that the user has exited the vehicle when the signal is received; and  
   the sub-device comprises: 
 a receiving unit for receiving, if the determining unit in said main device determines that the user has exited the vehicle, navigation data including at least the destination point from a base station being located externally;  
 a second generating unit for generating guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle based on the navigation data received by the receiving unit; and  
 a second display unit for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data generated by the second generating unit.  
   
   
   
       7 . A navigation system for guiding a user from a starting point to a destination point, said navigation system comprising: 
 a main device fixed to a vehicle; and    a sub device operable to communicate with the main device, said sub-device being portable by the user, wherein    said main device comprises: 
 a first generating unit for generating vehicle guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the vehicle;  
 a first displaying unit for displaying the guide image represented by the vehicle guide image data generated by the first generating unit;  
 an input unit for generating, in response to an operation by the user, a signal indicative of when the user exits the vehicle; and  
 a determining unit for determining whether the user gets off the vehicle, said determining unit determining that the user has exited the vehicle when the signal is received; and  
   the sub-device comprises: 
 a first receiving unit for receiving, if the determining unit in said main device determines that the user has exited the vehicle, navigation data including at least the destination point via a storage device being portable by the user;  
 a second generating unit for generating guide image data representing a guide image for guiding the user traveling outside of the vehicle based on the navigation data received by the first receiving unit; and  
 a second display unit for displaying the guide image represented by the guide image data generated by the second generating unit.