Navigation system

A navigation system for providing a host vehicle with guidance for merging into a main thoroughfare from an access road, through an acceleration lane, the navigation system comprising:n(a) a computer-readable data storage portion containing map data including location data for location of a guide zone located between an end portion of the access road and the main thoroughfare, the guide zone having an end where the access road ends and the acceleration lane begins;(b) a current position detection portion that detects a current position of the a host vehicle;(c) a vehicle periphery monitoring portion, including an image capture device, for capturing an image of a vicinity of the host vehicle, for recognizing the guide zone in a captured image and for recognizing a vehicle traveling on the main thoroughfare in a captured image;(d) a position information correction portion that corrects the detected current position of the host vehicle based on the location data for the recognized guide zone;(e) an acceleration lane entry detection portion that judges whether or not the corrected current position of the host vehicle has passed the end of the guide zone and entered the acceleration lane; and(f) a guidance execution portion that, responsive to a judgment that the corrected current position of the host vehicle has passed the end of the guide zone and entered the acceleration lane, executes merging support guidance to guide the driver in merging of the host vehicle from the acceleration lane into the main thoroughfare, based on the corrected current position of the host vehicle and on information for the recognized vehicle.

A navigation method for providing a host vehicle with guidance for merging into a main thoroughfare from an access road, through an acceleration lane, comprising:n(a) determining the current position of the host vehicle;(b) capturing an image of a vicinity of the host vehicle;(c) recognizing, in the captured image, a guide zone located between an end portion of the access road and the main thoroughfare, the guide zone having an end where the access road ends and the acceleration lane begins;(d) obtaining, from a computer-readable database, location data for location of the recognized guide zone;(e) correcting the determined current position of the host vehicle based on the location data for the recognized guide zone;(f) judging whether or not the corrected current position of the host vehicle has passed the end of the guide zone and entered the acceleration lane; and(g) outputting merging support guidance, responsive to a judgment that the corrected current position of the host vehicle has passed the end of the guide zone and entered the acceleration lane, to guide the driver in merging of the host vehicle from the acceleration lane into the main thoroughfare, based on the corrected current position of the host vehicle and on the acquired information for the recognized vehicle.

A navigation system for providing a host vehicle with guidance for merging into a main thoroughfare from an access road, through an acceleration lane, the navigation system comprising:nimage determination means for determining the current position of the host vehicle;image capture means for capturing an image of a vicinity of the host vehicle;image recognition means for recognizing, in the captured image, a guide zone located between an end portion of the access road and the main thoroughfare, the guide zone having an end where the access road ends and the acceleration lane begins;means for obtaining, from a computer-readable database, location data for location of the recognized guide zone;means for correcting the determined current position of the host vehicle based on the location data for the recognized guide zone;means for judging whether or not the corrected current position of the host vehicle has passed the end of the guide zone and entered the acceleration lane; andmeans for outputting merging support guidance, responsive to a judgment that the corrected current position of the host vehicle has passed the end of the guide zone and entered the acceleration lane, to guide the driver in merging of the host vehicle from the acceleration lane into the main thoroughfare, based on the corrected current position of the host vehicle and on information for the recognized vehicle.