JP2002181579A - Vehicle-mounted navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle-mounted navigation system for preventing various kinds of inconveniences caused by the continuation of an instruction for turning right or left in advance by preventing the unneeded continuation of the instruction for turning left or right at a branch path by voice guidance, display of a detailed screen, and the like. SOLUTION: When a vehicle reaches a branch path for turning right or left according to a guidance route (YES for step S4), it is judged whether winkers are operated in a direction according to the guidance route or not (step S6), and it is regarded that the driver has recognized right or left turn when the winker operation is made and the voice guidance and the display of the detailed screen are stopped immediately (step S10).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation device mounted on a vehicle for providing road guidance.

[0002]

2. Related Art As described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-209007, this type of vehicle navigation apparatus displays a searched guidance route on a display to provide road guidance, and allows the vehicle to provide guidance information. When the vehicle reaches an intersection or a Y-junction where the road should be turned right or left (both roads are diverged, these will be collectively referred to as branch roads in the following description). Switching is performed to display the right / left turn direction, and the right / left turn direction is instructed by voice from a speaker.

On the other hand, in this type of navigation device,
When the route of the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, the GPS
If a situation is detected based on information from the (Global Positioning System) and various sensors for self-contained navigation, and the vehicle travels a predetermined distance without the guidance route, there is no possibility of returning to the guidance route. Some have a function to re-search for a new guidance route.

[0004]

In the road guidance function for a forked road described in the preceding paragraph, the detailed screen is continuously displayed until the vehicle passes through the forked road, and the voice guidance is provided a predetermined number of times. It is set so as to be repeated, thereby preventing the driver from being overlooked or overlooked due to carelessness. However, if the driver recognizes a right or left turn on a fork at the beginning of the display of the detail screen or by the first voice guidance, the subsequent voice guidance will only add annoyance to the driver. Since the display does not return to the normal guidance route display from the screen, there is a problem that the driver cannot confirm the road condition in front.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to prevent the instruction of turning right and left at a forked road from being continued more than necessary by voice guidance and the display of a detailed screen, and to be caused by the continuation of the instruction of turning right and left. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular navigation device capable of preventing various problems that may occur. In the guidance route re-search function described later, even if the route of the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, re-search is not performed unless the vehicle travels a predetermined distance. Even if you intentionally deviate from the guidance route, a new guidance route will not be displayed immediately, and the driver in the meantime will have to drive without knowing the route, and time and labor will be wasted due to detours. I will.

Therefore, an object of the invention of claim 2 is to re-search and display a new guidance route immediately when the driver intentionally deviates from the guidance route, thereby wasting time and labor due to detours. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular navigation device capable of preventing the occurrence of a vehicle.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, road guidance is performed according to a searched guidance route, and when a vehicle reaches a forked road on the guidance route to make a right or left turn. In a vehicle navigation device for instructing a driver to make a right or left turn at the forked road, a turn signal operation detecting means for detecting a turn signal operation state of the driver preceding the right or left turn on the forked road, And an instruction stopping means for stopping a driver's right / left turn instruction when a turn signal operation in a direction matching the guidance route is detected by the means.

[0008] Therefore, when the vehicle reaches a fork to be turned right or left according to the guidance route and a turn signal operation is performed in a direction matching the guidance route, it can be assumed that the driver has recognized the right or left turn. Then, in this case, since the instruction to turn right and left to the driver is stopped, a trouble caused by continuing the unnecessary instruction to turn right and left is prevented. For example, when voice guidance is given as an instruction to turn right or left, the continuation of the voice guidance prevents a situation in which the driver is uncomfortable,
When the detailed screen of the forked road is displayed as a right / left turn instruction, the continuation of the display prevents the driver from being able to grasp the road condition based on the normal route display.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle navigation device performs road guidance according to a searched guidance route and, when the route of the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, re-searches and displays a new guidance route. A blinker operation detecting means for detecting a driver's blinker operation state, and a new blinker operation state assuming a direction based on the blinker operation state when the blinker operation state not matching the guidance route is detected by the blinker operation detection means. A guidance route changing means for re-searching the guidance route and displaying a new guidance route re-searched when the vehicle deviates from the original guidance route thereafter.

Therefore, if the turn signal is operated in a direction that does not match the guidance route before the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, this course change is based on the driver's intention, Thereafter, it can be estimated that the vehicle continues traveling along the deviated route without returning to the guidance route. Therefore, when such a blinker operation state is detected, a new guidance route is searched again based on the detected state, and thereafter, when the vehicle deviates from the original guidance route, a predetermined distance as in the related art is obtained. A new guidance route can be immediately displayed to the driver without waiting for the driver to drive.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, a first embodiment will be described.
A first embodiment of a vehicle navigation device embodying the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a vehicle navigation device of the present embodiment. Navigation ECU that performs comprehensive control of the navigation device
(Electronic control unit) 1 is installed in the vehicle interior, and an input / output device (not shown) and a storage device (ROM, RA
M), a central processing unit (CPU), a timer counter, and the like. On the input side of the ECU 1, an input unit 2 for operating a navigation device, a map database 3 storing map information, a GPS (global positioning system) receiver 4, a self-supporting device such as a wheel speed sensor and a yaw angle sensor are provided. Various sensors 5 for performing navigation are connected, and a blinker switch 6 (a blinker operation detecting means).
Is connected. The output side of the ECU 1 is connected to a liquid crystal display 7 and a speaker 8 provided in the driver's seat.

The ECU 1 executes various navigation processes. For example, when a destination is input to the input unit 2,
Provides road guidance to the destination. That is, the ECU in this case
1 is information and sensors 5 received by the GPS receiver 4
The position of the own vehicle is determined from the information and the like, and the optimum route from the position of the own vehicle to the destination is searched as a guidance route based on the map information of the map database 3. Further, an image in which the guidance route is superimposed on a map around the own vehicle position is created and displayed on the display 7, and the image is sequentially changed as the vehicle travels.

At the time of the above road guidance, the ECU 1 determines whether the vehicle should make a right or left turn on the guidance route (for example, at an intersection or Y
When the vehicle reaches the “junction”, the display on the display 7 is switched to a screen showing details of the forked road, the direction of right / left turn is displayed, and the right / left turn direction is instructed by voice from the speaker 8. Prevents inadvertently going straight on a fork. Note that the voice guidance is repeated at predetermined intervals for a preset number of times.

In the navigation device according to the present embodiment, the display of the voice guidance and the detailed screen of the branch road at this time is prevented from being continued more than necessary. Therefore, the road guidance function on this branch road will be described in detail. E
The CU 1 executes the branch road guidance routine shown in FIG. 2 at a predetermined control interval from the start of the voice guidance and the detailed screen display on the branch road as described above until the vehicle passes the branch road. Execute. First, in step S2, the ECU 1 determines the position of the vehicle based on information from the GPS receiver 4 and the sensors 5 and determines in step S4 whether the distance to a fork on the route to turn right or left is within 100 m. judge. When the determination is NO (negative), the aforementioned step S2
And the determination is YES as the vehicle approaches the fork
If (yes), the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S6, based on the ON / OFF state of the turn signal switch 6, it is determined whether or not the turn signal has been operated in the direction of right / left turn according to the guidance route for 3 seconds or more (turn signal operation detecting means). The reason for limiting the time to 3 seconds or longer is to exclude a lane change in which the turn signal operation time is short, and when the determination in step S6 is YES, the turn signal operation is performed for the purpose of turning right and left on a forked road. Is considered. When the process proceeds to step S6, a determination of NO is made because the turn signal has not been operated yet, and the display of the voice guidance and the detailed screen is continued in step S8, and then the routine ends.

When the driver recognizes the right or left turn on the forked road and performs the blinker operation by displaying the voice guidance or the detailed screen, the determination in step S6 becomes YES after 3 seconds, and the ECU 1 proceeds to step S10. The process returns to return the display on the display 7 to the normal guidance route display, and cancels the voice guidance (instruction canceling means).

If the turn signal operation is not performed in spite of the display of the voice guidance and the detailed screen, the voice guidance and the detailed screen are continued to be displayed in step S8 until the vehicle passes the forked road, and the driver's display is continued. Encourage awareness. As described above, in the vehicle navigation device of the present embodiment, when the vehicle reaches a fork to be turned right or left according to the guidance route, it is determined whether or not the driver recognizes the right or left turn based on the turn signal operation of the driver. However, if the user is aware, the display of the voice guidance and the detailed screen is immediately stopped. Therefore,
It is possible to prevent a situation in which a driver who has already recognized a right / left turn is disturbed by continuing to provide voice guidance,
The display immediately returns to the normal guidance route display, so that the driver can quickly understand the road condition ahead.

[Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of a vehicular navigation device according to the second aspect of the present invention will be described below. The configuration of the navigation device of the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and the difference between the two is that the first embodiment is characterized in the processing of the road guidance on the forked road. In contrast to this, the present embodiment has a feature in the re-search processing of the guidance route when the vehicle deviates from the guidance route. Therefore, the differences will be mainly described.

When the vehicle reaches the branch road, the ECU 1
The guidance route changing routine shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is executed at a predetermined control interval. First, the ECU 1 determines the position of the vehicle in step S22, and in step S24, the distance to the next fork to be turned right or left according to the guidance route is 30 m.
It is determined whether it is within. This 30 m is a distance set so that the turn signal operation is not performed to this extent even when turning right or left at a fork. That is,
If the determination in step S24 is NO, it means that the vehicle is traveling straight along the guidance route, and in this case, the process proceeds to step S26.

In step S26, it is determined whether or not the blinker has been operated to either the left or right (a blinker operation detecting means). In the following step S28, it is determined whether or not the distance to the next branch road is within 30 m. Here, the next branch road is not a branch road to be turned right and left in step S24, but a branch road that passes straight ahead when following a guidance route existing before the road, that is, a side road. Therefore, in the following description, the “branch to be turned right and left” will be referred to as “next fork” and distinguished. If the turn signal is not operated, a negative determination is made in step S26 and the routine is terminated. If the turn signal is operated and the distance to the next branch road is within 30 m, step S2 is performed.
A determination of YES is made in step 6 and step S28, and the process proceeds to step S30.

In step S30, a new guidance route to the destination is searched again, assuming that the vehicle turns right and left in the direction of the turn signal at the next branch road. In the following step S32, it is determined whether or not the vehicle has turned right or left in the direction of the turn signal in the next fork. If NO, the own vehicle position is determined again in step S34, and then the vehicle has passed the next fork in step S36. Determine whether or not. If the determination is YES, the routine is regarded as a mere erroneous operation of the turn signal and the routine ends. That is, when the vehicle goes straight without deviating from the guidance route in this way, the new guidance route searched again is not displayed as unnecessary, and the original guidance route is continuously displayed.

When the determination in step S36 is NO, the process returns to step S32. When the determination in step S32 is YES, it is deemed that the vehicle has deviated from the guidance route by actually turning right and left in the direction of operation of the turn signal. In step S38, the new guidance route re-searched in step S30 is displayed on the display 7, and the routine is terminated (guidance route changing means).

On the other hand, the determination in step S24 is YES
In other words, when the distance to the fork to be turned right or left according to the guidance route is within 30 m, it is determined in step S40 whether the blinker has been operated in the direction according to the guidance route (the blinker operation detection means). If the answer is YES, the routine ends. If the determination in step S40 is NO
When the turn signal is not operated or the turn signal is operated in the reverse direction, the process proceeds to step S42 to re-search the guidance route to the destination for all possible routes other than the current guidance route. I do.

Thereafter, in step S44, it is determined whether the forked road has been turned right or left in accordance with the guidance route. If YES, the routine is terminated on the assumption that the turn signal is merely an erroneous operation. When the determination is NO, the position of the own vehicle is determined again in step S46, and in subsequent step S48, it is determined whether or not the vehicle has passed a forked road to be turned right or left. Step S48
If the determination of step S48 is NO, the process returns to step S44, and if the determination of step S48 is YES, a route other than the guidance route (for example, when the vehicle turns straight or turns left or right in the opposite direction) is taken, and it is considered that the vehicle has deviated from the guidance route. At S50,
All the new guidance routes searched again in step S42 are displayed on the display 7.

Thereafter, in step S52, the position of the vehicle is determined again. In step S54, the path of the vehicle is estimated from the position of the vehicle, and the guidance route that does not match the vehicle route is deleted from all the guidance routes currently displayed. After displaying only the matching guidance route, the routine ends (guidance route changing means). As described above, in the vehicle navigation device according to the present embodiment, when the driver intentionally deviates from the guidance route to avoid traffic congestion, that is, when the driver turns right or left on a fork that should not be turned left or right (step S26). After that, and when a route other than the guidance route is taken at the fork to be turned right or left (step S40 or later), the guidance route is searched again at the time of the previous turn signal operation (including the case where no operation is performed). (Steps S30 and S42) Then, when the vehicle actually deviates from the guidance route (Steps S32 and S48), a new guidance route is displayed to the driver (Steps S38 and S5).
0).

In other words, if the turn signal is operated in a direction that does not match the guidance route before the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, this route change is based on the driver's intention. Thereafter, it can be estimated that the vehicle continues traveling along the deviated route without returning to the guidance route. Therefore, a new guidance route that has been re-searched immediately when the vehicle deviates from the guidance route is displayed without waiting for the vehicle to travel a predetermined distance after deviating from the guidance route as in the related art, and based on the display. The driver can accurately grasp the course of the vehicle, and as a result, waste of time and labor due to detour can be prevented.

Further, as described above, at the stage of the turn signal operation before the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, re-search for a new guidance route is started. Therefore, even if the re-search takes a relatively long time due to the processing capacity of the ECU 1, the re-search is completed when the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, and the new guidance route can be displayed without delay. There are advantages too.

Although the embodiment has been described above, aspects of the present invention are not limited to this embodiment. For example, the navigation device of each of the above embodiments uses the information of various sensors for self-contained navigation in addition to the GPS information to determine the position of the own vehicle, but the configuration is not limited to this. The present invention may be embodied in a navigation device that determines the position of the vehicle based on only the information or a navigation device that has a function of receiving traffic jam information or the like from a beacon installed on the road.

In the first embodiment, the voice guidance and the display of the detailed screen are stopped based on the turn signal operation of the driver. In the second embodiment, the guidance route is similarly controlled based on the turn signal operation of the driver. Although a re-search has been performed, other requirements may be added to the turn signal operation. For example, in the first embodiment, in addition to the turn signal operation in step S6, a condition that the vehicle speed is less than a predetermined value set as a speed capable of turning right and left is added, and even if the turn signal operation is performed, When the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the predetermined value, it may be considered that the driver does not recognize the right or left turn due to the erroneous operation of the turn signal, and the display of the voice guidance or the detailed screen may be continued. Similarly, in the second embodiment, in addition to the turn signal operation in step S26, a requirement that the vehicle speed is less than the above-described predetermined value is added, and even when the turn signal operation is performed, the vehicle speed is not less than the predetermined value. In this case, it may be determined that the driver has no intention to deviate from the guidance route, and the search may not be performed again.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the vehicle reaches the fork to be turned right or left, the driver is instructed to turn left or right by displaying the voice guidance and the detailed screen of the fork. It is not necessary to execute the processing described above. For example, the right / left turn direction may be instructed only by voice guidance.

[0031]

As described above, according to the vehicle navigation apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, the continuation of the right / left turn instruction at the branch road is prevented more than necessary, and the right / left turn instruction is caused by the continuation of the right / left turn instruction. Various problems can be prevented beforehand. According to the vehicle navigation apparatus of the second aspect of the invention, when the driver intentionally deviates from the guidance route, a new guidance route is immediately re-searched and displayed, and based on the display. By allowing the driver to accurately grasp the course of the vehicle, it is possible to prevent waste of time and labor due to detours.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a vehicle navigation device according to first and second embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a branch road guidance routine executed by an ECU according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a guidance route change routine executed by an ECU according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a guidance route change routine executed by an ECU according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

6 blinker switch (blinker operation detecting means) 1 ECU (blinker operation detecting means, instruction canceling means,
Guidance route change means)

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yoji Ito 5-33-8 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Motors Corporation F-term (reference) 2F029 AA02 AB01 AB07 AC02 AC14 5H180 AA01 CC12 FF04 FF05 FF22 FF27 FF32

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle that provides road guidance according to a searched guidance route, and instructs a driver to make a right or left turn at the fork when the vehicle reaches a fork on the guidance route where the vehicle should make a right or left turn. In the navigation device, a turn signal operation detecting means for detecting a turn signal operation state of a driver preceding a right or left turn on the forked road, and a turn signal operation in a direction matching the guidance route is detected by the turn signal operation detecting means. And a command stopping means for stopping the driver from turning right or left. 2. A vehicular navigation apparatus for performing road guidance according to a searched guidance route and re-searching and displaying a new guidance route when a route of the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, comprising: A blinker operation detecting means for detecting a state; and a blinker operation state that does not match the guidance route is detected by the blinker operation detecting means, and a new guidance route is searched again by assuming a direction based on the blinker operation state. And a guidance route changing means for displaying a re-searched new guidance route when the vehicle deviates from the original guidance route thereafter.