JP2003232646A - Car navigation system, radio communication equipment, on-vehicle terminal, setting method for destination, and map information obtaining method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a car navigation system capable of simply conducting destination setting after a user boards a car. <P>SOLUTION: This car navigation system has a map distribution server 104 for distributing map information; radio communication equipment 101 for conducting communication with the map distribution server 104 through a radio circuit; and an on-board terminal 105. The radio communication terminal 101 has a transmission means for transmitting the position information of the destination to the map distribution server 104; and a destination information storage means 1011 for storing the position information of the destination transmitted with the transmission means. The on-board terminal 105 has a connection means being connected to the radio communication terminal 101; and a destination information reading out means 1051 for reading out the position information of the destination from the destination information storage means 1011 through the connection means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a car navigation system using a map distribution server.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A car navigation system is generally a terminal mounted on a vehicle and usually has a built-in reproducing device for reproducing a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM. The reproduction device reads out map information stored in advance in a recording medium, displays the map on the display, and guides the user to the destination on the map. Specifically, the user sets the destination and route search conditions (distance priority, time priority, use of toll roads, etc.) using the attached remote control, and then requests route search, the car navigation device Determines an optimum route from the current vehicle position to the destination according to the search condition, reads map information including the optimum route from the recording medium, and displays it on the display. Then, it receives a radio wave from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite and guides the user to the destination while displaying the vehicle position on the route based on the position information obtained from the radio wave.

A method for a user to set a destination is, for example, from a menu displayed on a display to a restaurant,
A method to find out while selecting a likely item from genres with department stores, or an address within a range that can be understood,
If you enter a part of the destination name, it will be displayed in a list and you can select from there.

On the other hand, in recent years, wireless communication devices such as mobile phones have become widespread, and the data communication speed by mobile phones has been accelerating. Along with this, an information providing center has also been established that provides various information such as leisure information and weather information related to driving by using data communication of a mobile phone. Against the background of such an infrastructure, a car navigation device is also equipped with a CD-ROM, D
A technique for acquiring map information from a map information distribution server via a mobile phone via the Internet without using map information supplied by a recording medium such as a VD-ROM has been disclosed. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-251196, a map distribution request from an origin to a destination is made to an external server, the server performs a route search, and map information corresponding to the search result is transmitted via the Internet. The technology for distribution is open to the public. As a result, it is possible to reduce the user's cost burden related to updating map information such as replacing the recording medium for map recording, and obtain the latest map information at all times.

[0005]

Generally, since the car navigation system is mounted on the vehicle, the user must carry out operations such as destination setting necessary for route search after getting into the vehicle. However, if you want to set a place where you do not know the address as the destination, you can search for the destination while narrowing down the predetermined genre, or perform the operation of displaying the map near the destination on the display and searching. When it is difficult to find a desired destination, there is a problem that it takes time to depart. This problem is caused by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-251.
Even if the map information is acquired via the Internet as in Japanese Patent Publication No. 196, the same problem occurs.

The present invention solves such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a car navigation system in which a user can easily set a destination after getting in a car.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the following car navigation system is provided.

That is, it has a map distribution server that distributes map information, a wireless communication device that communicates with the map distribution server via a wireless line, and an in-vehicle terminal, and the wireless communication terminal is the map distribution server. A transmission means for transmitting the position information of the destination, and a destination information storage means for storing the position information of the destination transmitted by the transmission means,
The in-vehicle terminal includes a connection unit connected to the wireless communication terminal, and a destination information reading unit that reads out position information of the destination from the destination information storage unit via the connection unit. It is a car navigation system.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, an outline of the car navigation system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b).
Will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the car navigation system according to the present embodiment has a car navigation device 105 which is an in-vehicle terminal mounted on a vehicle and a mobile phone 10.
1 and the map distribution server 104. The mobile phone 101 and the map distribution server 104 are connected via the existing wireless communication station equipment 102 and the Internet 103. The wireless communication station facility 102 includes a base station 1021,
It has a switching center 1022 and a gateway 1023.

The map distribution server 104 is used for the mobile phone 10.
1 or a function of receiving a setting of a departure place or a destination from the car navigation device 105 via the Internet 103, a function of searching a route between the received departure place and the destination, and a route search result including the route. It has a function of distributing the map information of the area to the mobile phone 101 or the car navigation device 105 via the Internet 103.

The mobile phone 101 is, as shown in FIG.
By communicating with the wireless communication station equipment 102 using its own communication function, it is connected to the map distribution server 104 via the Internet 103. On the other hand, since the car navigation device 105 does not have a communication function, when connecting the car navigation device 105 to the map distribution server 104, the mobile phone 101 is connected by a connecting means 105a such as a cable as shown in FIG. 1B. Is connected to the car navigation device 105 and the communication function of the mobile phone 101 is used to connect to the map distribution server 104.

A major feature of the car navigation system of the present embodiment is that, as shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), a transmission information storage unit 1011 is provided in the mobile phone 101 and the car navigation device 105 is provided. Is provided with a portable transmission information read processing unit 1051 that performs a process of reading the data of the transmission information storage unit 1011. As a result, the user can check the mobile phone 101 before getting in the vehicle.
By independently communicating with the map distribution server 104,
As shown in (a), the destination is set, and the route is searched when the user desires, and the setting information (address, name or latitude / longitude information) of the destination is stored in the mobile phone 101.
It becomes possible to store in the internal transmission information storage unit 1011. After that, when going out by car, the user gets into the vehicle and connects the connecting means 105a as shown in FIG. 1 (b).
To the car navigation device 105 to the mobile phone 101
Connect. The mobile transmission information read processing unit 1051 in the car navigation device 105 performs a process of reading the destination setting information stored in the transmission information storage unit 1011 in the mobile phone 101 according to a user's instruction, and reads the read setting information. Display on the car navigation display.
The user can set the destination only by selecting the displayed destination information. When the destination is set, the car navigation device 105 performs data communication using the mobile phone 101 to make communication connection with the map distribution server 104 via the Internet.
4 is caused to perform a route search from the current position to the destination, and map information along this route is acquired and displayed.

Here, referring to FIG. 1A, the mobile phone 10
An outline of the communication operation in the case of communicating with the map distribution server 104 alone will be described.

The mobile phone 101 is a map distribution server 10.
When communicating with 4, the call is first made for data communication. Upon receiving an instruction to make a call from the user, the mobile phone 101 first negotiates with the base station 1021 of the wireless communication station equipment 102 to establish a wireless line, and establishes a wireless line. When the wireless line is established, the upper data communicates with the exchange 1022 and performs error processing in the wireless transmission section between the mobile phone 101 and the exchange 1022. The higher order communication data after this error processing is communicated with the map distribution server 104 via the gateway 1023 and the Internet 103.

Generally, the servers connected to the Internet 103 have their own IP (Internet P).
The map distribution server 104 communicates with the map distribution server 104 by using a unique IP address assigned to the map distribution server 104. Also in this embodiment, the communication data after error processing in the wireless transmission section is a packet (hereinafter referred to as an IP packet) including the IP addresses of the mobile phone 101 and the map distribution server 104, which are communication targets, and is used. Data related to map information acquisition shall be exchanged. The gateway 1023 of the wireless communication station equipment 102 checks the IP address included in the header of the IP packet to determine whether the data is data to be communicated using the Internet 103. Then, if it is an IP packet that communicates using the Internet 103, it is transferred to the Internet 103 and communicated with the map distribution server 104 in the present embodiment. As described above, the mobile phone 101
Communicates with the map distribution server 104 via the wireless communication station facility 102 and the Internet 103.

On the other hand, when the map distribution server 104 receives the map information acquisition request from the mobile phone 101, the map distribution server 104 shown in FIG.
As in (a), an input menu screen for inputting the destination name or position data is transmitted to the mobile phone 101. In the present embodiment, the setting method by the input menu transmitted by the map distribution server 104 is the same as the setting method performed by the user for the car navigation device 105. The map distribution server 104 receives the selection information of the input menu of the user, and sends the menu screen of the list of candidate sites to the mobile phone 101 as shown in FIG. 8B. The mobile phone 101 displays the list menu on the screen, accepts the selection of the candidate site on the list menu screen from the user, and returns the setting information to the map distribution server 104 again. As a result, the destination is set as shown in FIG. In addition, according to the user's request, the map distribution server 10
When the route search is to be performed by No. 4, the starting point is set in the same procedure.

When the destination is set, the map distribution server 104 displays the map including the destination in the form telephone 101.
To deliver to. When the user gives an instruction for route search, the map distribution server 104 searches for a route from the starting point to the destination and distributes the map information including the obtained route to the mobile phone 101. The user looks at the delivered map and confirms that the desired destination is set.
Further, the user can see the searched route and confirm the route before getting into the vehicle.

When the desired destination is displayed on the mobile phone 101, the user stores the setting information about the destination sent to the map distribution server 104 in the transmission information storage unit 1011 of the mobile phone 101. The map information and the route information distributed from the map distribution server 104 may be stored in the transmission information storage unit 1011.

As described above, the mobile phone 101 alone communicates with the map distribution server 104 to store the destination setting information in the mobile phone 101.

Next, the outline of the operation when the car navigation device 105 and the mobile phone 101 are connected and the map information is acquired from the map distribution server 104 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1B, the same components as those in FIG. 1A are designated by the same reference numerals.

First, the portable telephone 101 is connected to the car navigation system 105 using the connecting means 105a. The car navigation device 105 includes the connected mobile phone 1.
01, the process of reading the destination setting information from the transmission information storage unit 1011 is performed. This reading process is a process performed by the mobile transmission information reading processing unit 1051 in FIG. 1B. As the processing timing, the reading is performed when the mobile phone 101 is connected, and as shown in FIG. 9A. A menu screen for setting the destination is displayed on the display unit 407. When the user selects “mobile phone information” in the menu screen by the mobile phone 101, the destination read from the transmission information storage unit 1011 is displayed on the car navigation device 105 as shown in FIG. 9B. It is displayed on the section 407. If the user selects the displayed destination,
The mobile phone 101 is called so as to start communication with the map distribution server 104, and processing for data communication is performed.
The mobile phone 101 makes a call in response to an instruction from the car navigation device 105, and as described above, the wireless communication station equipment 10
2 and the map delivery server 104 via the Internet 103.

When the car navigation device 105 detects the completion of the communication connection with the map distribution server 104, the departure location information is the current location data detected by the GPS device, and the destination information is the transmission information of the mobile phone 101 first. The destination setting information read from the storage unit 1011 is transmitted. The map distribution server 104 performs a route search based on the received departure place and destination setting information, and delivers the map information including the obtained route to the car navigation device 105.

Next, the hardware configuration of the mobile phone 103 and the car navigation device 105 and the control software configuration using the same will be specifically described in detail.

First, the configuration of the mobile phone 101 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, FIG. 1 (a), (b)
The same components as those of are denoted by the same reference numerals. As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile phone 103 includes a CPU (Central P
processing Unit) 201, ROM (Re
ad Only Memory) 202, RAM (Ra
nodm Access Memory) 203, transmission information storage unit 1011, mobile display unit 204, mobile operation unit 2
05, external device connection unit 206, and peripheral I / F unit 2
And 07.

The CPU 201 is an overall mobile phone control unit which controls the entire mobile phone 103. The ROM 202 stores a program executed by the portable overall control unit 201. The RAM 203 is a memory used for work when executing the program. Transmission information storage unit 101
Reference numeral 1 denotes a storage unit that stores the destination setting information as described above. For example, an EEPROM that can retain the stored contents even when the power is off and can be rewritten.
(Electrical Erasable Read
Only Memory) is used. Mobile display 2
On 04, received data and the like from the map distribution server 104 are displayed. The mobile operation unit 205 includes a numeric keypad and the like, and receives an operation for making a call by the user and an operation for inputting destination setting information or the like to be transmitted to the map distribution server 104. The portable operation unit 205 includes a transmission information storage instruction unit 2051 and includes the transmission information storage unit 101.
A user's operation for instructing to store data in 1 is accepted. The external device connecting section 206 is a connecting means 105 such as a cable used for connection with the car navigation device 105.
a is connected. The peripheral I / F unit 207 performs interface matching between the portable overall control unit 201 and the portable display unit 204, portable operation unit 205, and external device connection unit 206 connected thereto.

In addition, the mobile phone 101 includes an antenna 208 for transmitting and receiving radio waves, a wireless I / F unit 209, a baseband processing unit 210, an audio signal processing unit 211, a speaker 213, and a microphone 212. Wireless I / F unit 2
09 performs modulation / demodulation of transmitted / received data so that digital data can be transmitted / received by the antenna 208. The baseband processing unit 210 performs packet generation and disassembly processing of communication data according to the data format transmitted and received in the wireless communication section. The audio signal processing unit 211 performs processing of compression / expansion of audio data and analog-digital conversion. The microphone 212 and the speaker 213 are used in a call during voice communication. In the baseband processing unit 210,
It is determined whether the data transmitted and received in the wireless section is voice or data, and if the data is voice data, the data is exchanged with the voice signal processing unit 211, and if it is non-voice data, the portable overall control unit 201 or the outside It operates so as to exchange data with an external device connected to the device unit 206.

Next, the operation of the mobile phone 101 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 according to the processing flow performed by the mobile phone overall control unit 201.

First, the portable overall control unit 201 performs a portable operation unit input check process (step 301). Information input by the user operating the mobile operation unit 205 is input to the mobile overall control unit 201 via the peripheral I / F unit 208, and the operation state is read in step 301. In step 302, as a result of step 301, it is determined whether or not the user has performed an operation indicating an internet connection request. Step 30 if not an internet connection request
Move to 3 and perform other processing as applicable. If it is an internet connection request, the internet connection negotiation process of step 304 is started.

In step 304, first, a call is made by data communication, data communication with the wireless communication station equipment 102 is established through a wireless line, authentication for connecting to the Internet, negotiation of an IP address to be used, etc. To do. When the negotiation is completed in step 304, the process proceeds to step 305, and internet connection establishment notification processing is performed. This process notifies the user that the Internet connection has been established, and a message is displayed on the mobile display unit 204 via the peripheral I / F unit 208. After that, in step 306 and thereafter, communication processing with the map distribution server 104 is performed.

In steps 306 to 309, after confirming the Internet connection, the IP of the map distribution server 104 is checked.
The destination information setting request data is transmitted with the address. Step 306 is a process for checking the transmission request to the map distribution server 104, and in the present embodiment, it is checked whether or not the user operates the mobile operation unit 205 to request the transmission of the destination information setting. It is a thing. Step 30 if there is no request from the user for transmission
In step 7, it is checked whether there is a request for ending communication. The user also makes a communication end request by operating the mobile operation unit 205. If not, return to step 306,
Wait for a transmission request from the user. When the communication end request is detected in step 307, the communication line disconnection process of step 308 is performed to end the process. When the user requests the map distribution server 104 to transmit the destination information setting in step 306, the data transmission process of step 309 is performed. In step 309 of the data transmission processing, the portable overall control unit 201 sends the transmission data to the baseband processing unit 210, performs packetization processing according to the format of the wireless transmission section, and wireless I / F unit 208 and antenna 208.
To send through.

After transmitting the data in step 309, in step 310, data reception from the map distribution server is waited. Then, when the data is received, the data is input to the baseband processing unit 209 via the antenna 207 and the wireless I / F unit 208 contrary to the transmission process, and the baseband processing unit 2 receives the data.
In 09, the actual data portion is extracted from the data in the format of the wireless transmission section, and the portable overall control unit 201 receives and analyzes this. Step 312 is a server data display process, in which the data after the process in step 311 is output to the mobile display unit 204. As a result, FIG.
As described above, the menu screen for setting the destination, specifically, the menu screen for selecting the input method is the mobile phone 101.
Is displayed on the display unit 204. If it is displayed, the process returns to step 306, and if the user selects one of the input methods on the menu screen of FIG. To 104. In response to this, if the data of the input screen corresponding to the input method selected from the map distribution server 104 is received in steps 310 and 311, this is displayed on the display unit 204 as shown in step 312 of FIG. 8B. Then, the process returns to step 306. When the user inputs the destination on the mobile operation unit 205 along the input screen, it is transmitted at step 309, and step 31
0, 311 receives the map data including the destination from the map distribution server 104, and step 312
It is displayed on the display unit 204 as shown in (c). The user
By looking at the map including the destination displayed on the display unit 204 as shown in FIG. 8C, it is confirmed whether or not the desired destination has been input. Further, when the user wants to confirm the route to the destination, steps 306 to 312 are further repeated, and after inputting the current location as well as the destination, the route search is instructed to perform the route search to the map distribution server 104. Then, the map information including the searched route is received in steps 310 and 311 and displayed as shown in FIG. In this case, the user can confirm whether or not the desired destination has been input and the route to the destination. When the desired destination is input, the user operates the transmission information storage instruction unit 2051 of the mobile operation unit 205 to issue an instruction to store the transmission information.

Step 313 is a process for detecting the presence / absence of a transmission information storage instruction, and it is checked whether or not the transmission information storage instruction section 2051 has been operated by the user. If it is detected in step 313 that an operation has been performed, step 3
14, the map distribution server 10 in step 309.
4 is written in the transmission information storage unit 1011.

Thereafter, the process returns to step 306 again, and the above processing is performed until the communication end request is received from the user, and the communication with the map distribution server 104 via the Internet 103 is continued.

Next, the structure of the car navigation system 105 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The car navigation system 105 includes a car navigation overall control unit 401, a ROM 402, a RAM 403,
Map information storage unit 404, GPS device 405, navigation operation unit 406, navigation display unit 407, navigation peripheral I / F unit 408,
Connection accepting unit 401 accepting connection with mobile phone 101
a.

The car navigation overall control unit 401 has a CPU as a core, and the car navigation device 105 shown in FIG.
It has a function of performing interface processing of each peripheral device. The car navigation overall control unit 401 includes the mobile transmission information read processing unit 1051 described above. The ROM 402 stores a control program executed by the car navigation overall control unit 401. The RAM 403 is used as a buffer and a work area when performing control processing.
The car navigation overall control unit 401 executes each process shown in the process flow described later while reading the program data from the ROM 402. The map information storage unit 404 stores the map information acquired from the map distribution server 104. G
The PS device 405 receives a radio wave transmitted from a GPS satellite and detects the current position of the own vehicle. The navigation operation unit 406,
This is a part that receives an operation instruction given to the car navigation device 105 by the user to execute a desired function. The navigation display unit 407 is a display unit that displays map information and the like. The navigation peripheral I / F unit 408 includes a car navigation overall control unit 401, a GPS device 405, and a navigation operation unit 40.
6. This is a part for matching the electrical interface with the navigation display unit 407.

Next, the operation of the car navigation system 105 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 by the processing flow performed by the car navigation overall control unit 401.

In FIG. 5, step 501 is a current position detection process, which reads the received data from the GPS device 405 and detects the current position (latitude / longitude) data. Step 502 is a process for checking whether or not the mobile phone 101 is connected. For example, a personal number display request command for reading the telephone number of the mobile phone 101 to be connected is sent, and if the response is received, connection is established. If there is no response, the determination process is performed such that there is no connection. As is generally known, the mobile phone 101 is provided with a control command so that an incoming / outgoing call can be controlled from an external connection device such as a car navigation device 105, and a personal number display request command is one of them. Is.

If it is determined in step 502 that the mobile phone 101 is not connected, in step 503 a notification process for requesting a mobile connection to the user is performed. Specifically, in the navigation display unit 407, for example, "a mobile phone is not connected."
Display a message such as. If it is determined in step 502 that the mobile phone 101 is connected, step 5
05, the mobile transmission information read processing unit 1051
A process of reading information in the transmission information storage unit 1011 of the mobile phone 101 is performed. Portable transmission information read processing unit 105
1 performs the process of step 505 using a command obtained by expanding the control command of the mobile phone 101 described above. Specifically, from the car navigation device 105 to the mobile phone 10
1, a transmission information read request command for notifying a read request to the mobile phone 101
Is newly provided with a transmission information read confirmation command that responds to the car navigation device 105 and a transmission information data command, and processing is performed using these three commands. The transmission information read confirmation command includes, for example, the number of data stored in the transmission information storage unit 1011. When the mobile phone 101 receives the transmission information read request command, it first sends the same confirmation command and then continues. Processing is performed so that the read data is transmitted as a transmission information data command. On the side of the car navigation device 105, in step 505, a transmission information read request command is sent to the mobile phone 101, and the reception of the response confirmation command is waited for. When the confirmation command is received, the number of data is checked, the process of receiving the subsequent transmission information data command for the number of data is performed, and when the reception is completed,
The destination setting screen is displayed on the navigation display unit 407 as shown in FIG.
To display.

Step 506 is a process for checking whether or not the user selects the destination stored in the mobile phone. In the destination setting screen displayed in step 505, the user navigates to "mobile phone information". It is checked whether the operation unit 406 has been operated to perform the selection process. When the user selects “mobile phone information” in step 506, the destination set in the mobile phone 101 is displayed on the screen on the display unit 407 as shown in FIG. 9B, and a map of the destination is displayed. Ask the user if they want to get it. If the user selects map acquisition, the process proceeds to step 508. If the mobile phone information is not selected in step 506, or if the map acquisition of FIG. 9B is not selected, in step 507, the destination setting method included in the car navigation device 105 as in the related art. By this, the destination setting is accepted, and if there is no destination setting in step 507 as well, this processing ends.

When the destination is set in step 506 or step 507, connection processing with the map distribution server in step 508 is performed. In the map distribution server connection step 508, the mobile phone 101 is called to make a communication connection with the map distribution server 104 via the wireless communication station facility 102 and the Internet 103 as described above. Step 509 is a process of waiting for a communication connection with the map distribution server 104. If a communication connection can be detected, a process of transmitting the current location and destination position information to the map distribution server 104 and instructing a route search is executed. To do. In step 510, when the mobile phone information is selected in step 506, the destination setting information read from the mobile phone 101 in step 505 is used as the destination position information. Moreover, the GPS information acquired in step 501 is used as the current location information.

In step 511, the map distribution server 10
4 is a process of waiting for the transmission of map information along the route searched for. When the map information is received, the map information storing process of step 512 is performed. In step 512, the received data is stored in the map information storage unit 404, and after the map information acquisition is completed, the navigation process is performed while reading the data from the map information storage unit 404. Step 513 and subsequent steps are navigation processing, and step 513 is processing for displaying the received map information and current vehicle position on the navigation display unit 407. Every time the vehicle moves, the current position of the vehicle is displayed on the map. Step 514 is a route guidance process, which performs a process of notifying the user of the traveling direction by voice or the like so that the vehicle position does not deviate from the search route on the map. It is checked whether or not the destination set in step 515 has been reached, and when the destination is reached, this processing ends.

As described above, according to the car navigation system of the first embodiment, the mobile phone 101 alone communicates with the map distribution server 104 to determine the destination before the user gets into the car. Can be set. Therefore, after the user gets in the vehicle, the mobile phone 101 is connected to the car navigation device 105 by the connecting means 1.
Connect with 05a, on the destination setting screen of Figure 9 (a),
By selecting the mobile phone information, you can set the destination easily and quickly. Therefore, it is possible to provide an easy-to-use car navigation system that allows the user to easily and quickly carry out the operations from getting in the vehicle to setting the purpose and departing.

In the first embodiment, the mobile phone 1
The transmission information storage unit 1011 of 01 has a configuration in which only the destination information is stored, but if there is a sufficient storage capacity,
It is also possible to store the route search result and map information. In this case, the car navigation device 105
Shows the route search result and map information together with the destination.
Since it can be displayed in (a) and (b), the user can easily confirm the destination on the display screen of the car navigation device 105. Since this map also includes the current location, it can be used as an initial screen for the route guidance processing in steps 513 and 514.

Next, a car navigation system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 (a), (b) and FIG.
Will be explained. However, in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 7, the same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the car navigation system according to the first embodiment, the transmission information storage unit 1011 is provided in the mobile phone 101.
The destination setting information is stored in the map delivery server 104 in the second embodiment.
The storage device 701 is arranged as shown in FIG.
The map data searched when the destination is set at 01 is stored in the recording device 701 for each user. The mobile phone 101 is provided with a map registration address storage unit 601 instead of the transmission information storage unit 1011 of the first embodiment, and the map distribution server 10
The storage device 701 of No. 4 stores the address where the map of the user is registered. Further, the car navigation device 105 is provided with a mobile map registration address read processing unit 602 instead of the mobile transmission information read processing unit 1051 of the first embodiment.

This will be described more specifically. Figure 7
3 schematically shows a directory structure of a storage device 701 in the map distribution server 104. A user who uses the map distribution server 104 performs registration in advance and provides directories (USER1, USER2, USER3) for registrants in the storage device 701, each of which has a search map information storage area (MAP). Has been secured. In such a configuration, for example, the map registration address of USER2 is represented as "USER2 / MAP". The notation of the map registration address is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that a storage location for storing the map information searched according to the user's search request is provided in the map distribution server 104 and the map information can be specified.

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the configuration of FIG. 1 of the first embodiment.
As in (a), the mobile phone 101 alone communicates with the map distribution server 104 to show a configuration example of a communication system at the time of access for setting a departure place and a destination. In the second embodiment, the mobile phone 101 is provided with a map registration address storage unit 601 that stores a map registration address. As a procedure, first, the mobile phone 101 establishes data communication alone, and communicates with the map distribution server 104 via the wireless communication station facility 102 and the Internet 103. When it becomes possible to communicate with the map distribution server 104, the destination is determined and transmitted to the map distribution server 104 as in the first embodiment. At this time, it is possible to set only the destination, but since the storage capacity of the recording device 701 is larger than that of the transmission information storage unit 1011 of the mobile phone 101, the departure place is also set and the route search is performed. All the maps along the route can be stored in the storage device 701. Map distribution server 104
Performs a route search from the departure point and destination information received from the mobile phone 101 and obtains map information including this route.
Here, since the user is USER2, the obtained map information is stored in the USER2 / MAP area of the storage device 701. And the map distribution server 104 is USER2
MAP area address (USER2 / MAP) of
Send it back to the mobile phone 101. For user confirmation,
It is also possible to transmit the map information and display it on the mobile phone as in the first embodiment.

When the car navigation device 105 detects that the user gets in the vehicle and connects the mobile phone 101 to the car navigation device 105 as shown in FIG. 6B, the registered address of the car navigation device 105 is read out. The processing unit 602 reads the stored data from the map registration address storage unit 601 in the mobile phone 101. The read map registration address is displayed on the display unit of the car navigation device 105 so that the user can select it. If the user selects the map registration address, the car navigation device 105
Controls the mobile phone 101 to perform data communication, communicates with the map distribution server 104, and transmits the selected map registration address. The map distribution server 104 reads out the map information stored in the corresponding location from the received map registration address and transmits it. The car navigation device 105 displays the received map information and route search information on the display unit, and performs a navigation process for guiding the user to the destination, together with the position of the own vehicle.

As described above, in the car navigation system according to the second embodiment, the user inputs the map registration address displayed on the display unit of the car navigation device 105 when the car navigation device 105 and the mobile phone 101 are connected. The map information from the starting point to the destination can be acquired from the map distribution server 104 only by selecting, and the map information can be acquired by a very simple operation.

In the first and second embodiments, the mobile phone 10 is used.
1 and the car navigation device 105 are both connected to the map distribution server 104 to acquire map information, but only the mobile phone 101 communicates with the map distribution server 104.
05 can read map information from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM. In this case, if the car navigation device 105 reads out the destination setting information stored in the mobile phone 101,
Using the destination information and the current position information obtained from the GPS device, the car navigation device 105 searches for a route to the destination and performs a process to read map information including the route from the recording medium. This is displayed on the navigation display unit 407.

As described above, according to the first and second embodiments, the destination setting information or the map registration address stored in advance in the mobile phone is connected to the car navigation device and the mobile phone. Since it can be displayed on the display unit of the car navigation system at any time, the user can set the destination by a simple operation of selecting the display. Therefore, it is possible to solve the problem that extra time is spent setting the destination before departure.

Further, according to the second embodiment, since the map information obtained when the cell phone is searched alone can be stored in the map distribution server, the car navigation and the cell phone can be connected again. When acquiring map information,
The map distribution server does not need to search the map again, it just reads the searched map information. Therefore, the user does not have to wait while searching the map distribution server, and the map information can be acquired faster.

[0056]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a car navigation system in which a user can easily set a destination after getting in a vehicle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is an explanatory diagram for explaining a communication operation when a mobile phone alone acquires map information from a map distribution server in the car navigation system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Is. FIG. 1B is a diagram for explaining a communication operation when acquiring map information from a map distribution server in a form in which a mobile phone is connected to the car navigation device in the car navigation system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining an internal configuration of a mobile phone 101 of the car navigation system according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of a portable overall control unit 201 in the mobile phone 101 of the car navigation system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining an internal configuration of a car navigation device 105 of the car navigation system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing the inside of the navigation device 105 of the car navigation system according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
7 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of the car navigation overall control unit 401.

FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram for explaining a communication operation when a mobile phone alone acquires map information from a map distribution server in the car navigation system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Is. FIG. 6B is for explaining a communication operation when acquiring map information from a map distribution server in a form in which a mobile phone is connected to the car navigation device in the car navigation system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a storage area in a storage device 701 in the map distribution server 104 in the car navigation system according to the second embodiment.

8 (a), (b), and (c) are all cases where a mobile phone alone sets a destination in a map distribution server in the car navigation system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of the display screen of FIG.

9 (a) and 9 (b) are diagrams showing a car navigation system according to the first embodiment of the present invention in which a mobile phone is connected to a car navigation device and a destination is set in a map distribution server. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a display of a display screen at the time of doing.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 mobile phone 1011 transmission information storage unit 102 wireless communication station equipment 1021 base station 1022 exchange 1023 gateway 103 Internet 104 Map distribution server 105 car navigation 1051 mobile transmission information read processing unit 201 Mobile control unit 202 ROM 203 RAM 204 Mobile display 205 Portable operation unit 2051 transmission information storage instruction unit 206 External device connection 207 Peripheral I / F section 208 antenna 209 Wireless I / F section 210 Baseband processing unit 211 Voice processing unit 212 microphone 213 speaker 401 Car navigation control unit 402 ROM 403 RAM 404 Map information storage unit 405 GPS device 406 Navigation operation unit 407 Navigation display 408 Navi peripheral I / F section 601 Map registration address storage unit 602 Mobile map registration address read processing unit 701 storage device

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yasuaki Takahara             292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Ceremony Hitachi Digital Media Development Book             Department (72) Inventor Yukio Takeuchi             Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki 1410 Inada Stock Association             Company H.C.X F term (reference) 2C032 HB02 HB22 HB25 HC05 HC08                       HC11 HC15 HD03 HD13 HD16                 2F029 AA02 AB07 AB13 AC02 AC09                       AC14 AC16 AC20                 5H180 AA01 BB13 CC12 FF05 FF22                       FF33                 5K067 AA34 BB04 BB36 DD57 EE03                       EE10 EE16 EE23 FF03 HH22                       HH23 JJ52 JJ56

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A map distribution server for distributing map information,
A wireless communication device that communicates with the map distribution server via a wireless line, and an in-vehicle terminal, the wireless communication terminal transmitting means for transmitting position information of a destination to the map distribution server; Destination information storage means for storing position information of the destination transmitted by means, the vehicle-mounted terminal, the connection portion connected to the wireless communication terminal, and the destination information via the connection portion. A car navigation system comprising: destination information reading means for reading the position information of the destination from a storage means. 2. The car navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle-mounted terminal transmits position information of the destination to the map distribution server via the wireless communication terminal, and the map distribution server transmits the position information of the destination to the map distribution server. A car navigation system, further comprising map information acquisition means for acquiring map information including a destination. 3. The car navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle-mounted terminal uses a reproducing means for reproducing the map information from a recording medium recording the map information, and a reproducing means for reproducing the map information including the destination. A car navigation system further comprising map information acquisition means for reproduction. 4. A map distribution server for distributing map information,
A wireless communication device that communicates with the map distribution server via a wireless line, and an in-vehicle terminal, the wireless communication terminal transmitting means for transmitting position information of a destination to the map distribution server, and address storage. Means for searching the map information for the map information including the destination received from the transmitting means, storage means for storing the searched map information, and the storing means. Means for notifying the address storing means of the wireless communication terminal of the address indicating the location where the searched map information is stored, and the map information is read from the designated address of the storing means and transmitted. Map information transmitting means, the vehicle-mounted terminal, the connection unit connected to the wireless communication terminal, and the address storage via the connection unit. And a map information acquisition unit for reading out the address stored in the column and transmitting it to the map information transmission unit of the map distribution server, and instructing to read out the map information of the address. Navigation system. 5. A wireless system comprising: transmitting means for transmitting position information of a destination to a map distribution server; and destination information storing means for storing position information of the destination transmitted by the transmitting means. Communication terminal. 6. A connection means for connecting to a wireless communication terminal, and a destination information reading means for reading out position information of the destination from the destination information storage means of the wireless communication terminal via the connection means. In-vehicle terminal characterized by. 7. A destination setting method for setting a destination in an in-vehicle terminal, comprising transmitting position information of a destination to a map distribution server that distributes a map by a wireless communication terminal, and transmitting the position of the destination. Information is stored in the destination information storage means of the wireless communication terminal, the wireless communication terminal is connected to an in-vehicle terminal, and the in-vehicle terminal reads position information of the destination from the destination information storage means. A destination setting method, wherein the destination is set. 8. A map information acquisition method for acquiring map information from a map distribution server that distributes a map, wherein position information of a destination is transmitted from a wireless communication terminal to the map distribution server, wherein the map distribution server comprises: The map information including the destination is searched from the map information, the searched map information is stored in the storage unit, the address indicating the stored position is notified to the wireless communication terminal, and the wireless communication terminal is The notified address is stored in an address storage unit, the wireless communication terminal is connected to an in-vehicle terminal, the in-vehicle terminal reads the address from the address storage unit, and transmits the address to the map distribution server, the map distribution server Is to read the map information of the address received from the vehicle-mounted terminal from the storage unit and transmit the map information to the vehicle-mounted terminal. Map information acquisition method to be.