JP2006177856A - Navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine whether a vehicle enters a spot where attention of speed limit is to be aroused by using map data for navigation, and to inform a vehicle driver of the speed limit. <P>SOLUTION: A control device 18 acquires the vehicle location, determines whether a city polygon X exists or not in a prescribed range M centered at a spot ahead of own vehicle as long as a prescribed distance on a traveling road based on the acquired vehicle location and the map data for navigation, and informs the vehicle driver of the speed limit when determining that the city polygon exists in the prescribed range M. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device having a speed limit notification function.

  The speed limit of the road varies depending on the type of road (highway, arterial road, general road, etc.), area (suburbs, urban areas, etc.), country, state, etc. May be restricted.

As an apparatus for informing such a speed limit, for example, when the host vehicle exceeds a boundary (state boundary) with a different state such as a traffic regulation, a database in which traffic regulation information such as a speed limit for each region is stored. In some cases, the traffic regulation information of a newly traveling state is read out to notify the user of the speed limit of the state (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 11-108685 A (paragraph number 0079)

  The apparatus shown in Patent Document 1 reads out the traffic regulation information of the state from the database in which the traffic regulation information such as the speed limit for each region is stored. Because it is not always registered in the database, for example, the speed limit is reported even if there is a point to call attention to the speed limit, such as an entry point or an intersection from the suburbs to the city area at the destination of the vehicle. Not necessarily.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and when there is a point to call attention to the speed limit at the destination of the vehicle, the speed limit is notified to the driver of the vehicle before the point to be warned of the speed limit. The purpose is to do.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, in a navigation device that detects a current position of a vehicle and performs travel guidance based on map data of an area including the detected current position of the vehicle and the current position of the vehicle. Based on the current position of the vehicle and the map data, it is monitored whether there is a point where the speed limit should be alerted on the road where the vehicle is traveling, and the point where the speed limit should be alerted is identified Monitoring means for performing, notification point setting means for setting a notification point for informing the speed limit before the point where the speed limit specified by the monitoring means should be alerted, and that the current position of the vehicle has reached the notification point And determining means for informing the driver of the vehicle of the speed limit.

  According to the present invention, it is monitored whether or not there is a point to call attention to the speed limit at the destination of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, and a point to call attention to the speed limit is specified, Since the speed limit is notified to the driver of the vehicle in front of the point, the driver recognizes that there is a point to call attention to the speed limit at the destination of the vehicle by the notification and is notified. You can drive while paying attention to the speed limit.

  FIG. 1 shows a block configuration of a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The navigation device 1 includes a position detector 11, a map data input device 16, an operation switch group 17, an external memory 19, a display device 20, a speaker 21, a remote control sensor 22, and a control device 18.

  The position detector 11 includes sensors such as a geomagnetic sensor 12, a gyroscope 13, a distance sensor 14, and a GPS receiver 15, and specifies the current position and direction of the vehicle based on the characteristics of each of these sensors. Information is output to the control device 18.

  The map data input device 16 is a device for inputting various information from a storage medium in which map data for navigation is stored.

  This map data includes map matching data for improving location accuracy, intersection information (node information) including the position of the intersection (latitude, longitude) and presence / absence of traffic lights at the intersection, type of road (link) (highway, Link information including arterial roads, general roads), road data including connection information between intersections and roads, telephone number data in which location information and telephone numbers of various facilities are associated, location information and symbols of various facilities Are associated with POI (Point of Interest) data, population data in which the population of each region is recorded, polygon data, and the like. The polygon data includes city polygon data indicating a city area, green polygon data indicating a green area, pond polygon data indicating a pond area, and the like.

  The operation switch group 17 includes a plurality of mechanical switches provided in the navigation device 1 and an input device such as a touch panel provided so as to overlap the display surface of the display device 20, and is based on pressing of the mechanical switch or touch of the touch panel by the user. The signal is output to the control device 18.

  The external memory (storage means) 19 is configured by a nonvolatile storage medium such as an HDD and stores various data. The external memory 19 stores information for informing the vehicle driver of the speed limit in advance. For example, a message such as “Be careful about the speed limit as you approach the city area. The speed limit in the city area is 30 km per hour” to notify you when the vehicle is located at the entrance to the city area, or the vehicle has no traffic light. Information for displaying a message such as “Please pay attention to the speed limit as you approach the intersection. The speed limit at the intersection is 60 km per hour” for notification when passing through the intersection, and information to be output by voice are stored. Yes.

  The display device 20 displays a video corresponding to the video signal input from the control device 18 on the display screen, and the speaker 21 outputs a sound corresponding to the audio signal input from the control device 18. The remote control sensor 22 receives a signal transmitted from the remote control 23 and outputs it to the control device 18.

  The control device 18 is configured as a computer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, flash memory, I / O, and the like, and performs various processes according to programs stored in the ROM. The control device 18 detects the current position of the vehicle based on the information for specifying the current position and direction of the vehicle from the position detector 11, and also detects the vicinity of the vehicle position (the vehicle's position) from the map data input device 16. Map data of the area including the current position), and the vehicle position mark indicating the current position is displayed on the map of the display screen of the display device 20 based on the vehicle position and the map data around the vehicle position ( In addition, when the vehicle is located at an intersection with a traffic light, map display processing for displaying an enlarged view of the intersection is performed (see FIG. 3B). FIG. 3A shows a display example of a map display on the display screen of the display device 20, in which A is an intersection with a traffic light, B is an entry point to an urban area Y, and C is a traffic light. An intersection D with no symbol indicates an entry point D to the city area Z. In addition, the control device 18 performs a route guidance process using the display device 20 when performing route guidance to the destination. In this way, the control device 18 executes a process for performing travel guidance based on the current position of the vehicle and the map data around the vehicle position.

  Further, the control device 18 monitors whether or not there is a point (for example, an entry point to an urban area or an intersection) where the speed limit should be alerted at the destination of the road on which the vehicle is traveling. The vehicle is equipped with a speed limit notification function that identifies a point where the attention should be drawn and notifies (warns) the speed limit to the driver of the vehicle before the point. Specifically, the control device 18 first uses the information for specifying the current position and orientation of the vehicle from the position detector 11 and the map data around the vehicle position acquired via the map data input device 16. A predetermined range centered at a predetermined distance point on the road where the vehicle is traveling is defined as a monitoring range M. In the example of FIG. 2, the monitoring range M is a circular range having a radius of 50 m centered on a point 2 km ahead of the vehicle position mark P. Then, it is monitored whether or not there is a point in the monitoring range M where attention should be paid to the speed limit. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, it is determined whether or not the city polygon X is included in the monitoring range M based on the city polygon data included in the map data around the vehicle position, and the city polygon X is included in the monitoring range M. If it is determined that the vehicle is included, the entry point to the urban area of the road on which the vehicle is traveling is identified as a point to call attention to the speed limit, and the speed limit is given to the driver of the vehicle before that point. Is notified.

  The speed limit notification process will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The control device 18 is configured to repeatedly perform the speed limit notification process shown in FIG. 4 in parallel with various processes necessary for navigation such as the map display process described above. The following processing is performed based on information for specifying the current position and direction of the vehicle and map data around the vehicle position acquired via the map data input device 16.

  First, a predetermined range centered on a predetermined point ahead of the road on which the vehicle is traveling is set as a monitoring range M, and it is determined whether or not there is an intersection in the monitoring range M (S100). The position of the intersection is obtained based on the intersection information included in the map data.

  If it is determined that there is no intersection in the monitoring range M (when NO is determined in S100), it is next determined whether there is a city polygon in the monitoring range M (S110). Specifically, it is determined whether there is a city polygon in the monitoring range M based on polygon data included in map data around the vehicle position.

  If it is determined that there is no city polygon in the monitoring range M, the processes of S100 and S110 are repeated.

  Here, for example, if the vehicle advances from the position shown in FIG. 3B in the direction of the urban area Y and the city polygon is present in the monitoring range M, the determination is YES when it comes to S110. Next, the entry point of the vehicle into the urban area is specified (S112). Specifically, the point where the city polygon first intersects with the road on which the vehicle is traveling is set as a point where the vehicle enters the urban area, and that point is specified as the point where the speed limit should be alerted. Next, a speed limit notification point is set a predetermined distance before the entry point of the vehicle into the city (S114). Specifically, a point on the traveling road before a predetermined distance (for example, several hundred meters) from the entry point of the vehicle into the city is stored in the RAM as a speed limit notification point.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the vehicle has reached the speed notification point based on the current position of the vehicle and the speed notification point stored in the RAM (S116). Here, when it is determined that the current position of the vehicle has reached the speed notification point (YES in S116), information for notifying the speed limit is read from the external memory 19, and the limit is displayed from the display device 20 and the speaker 21. The vehicle driver is notified of the speed (S118). For example, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), a message “Please pay attention to the speed limit as you approach the city area. The speed limit in the city area is 30 km per hour” is displayed on the display screen of the display device 20 for a certain period of time. The message is also output from the speaker 21 by voice.

  Such notification of the speed limit allows the driver to recognize that he is approaching the city and to drive while paying attention to the notified speed limit.

  Further, assuming that the vehicle advances from the position shown in FIG. 3B in the direction of the city Z, not in the direction of the city Y, and an intersection exists in the monitoring range M, the determination is made when the vehicle arrives at S100. YES, and then it is determined whether there is a traffic light at this intersection (S102). Whether there is a traffic light at the intersection is determined based on the intersection information included in the map data.

  Here, when it is determined that there is no traffic signal at the intersection (when NO is determined in S102), the intersection is specified as a point where attention should be paid to the speed limit. Next, a speed limit notification point is set a predetermined distance before the entry point of the vehicle into the city (S104). Specifically, a point on the traveling road before a predetermined distance (for example, several hundred meters) from the entry point of the vehicle into the city is stored in the RAM as a speed limit notification point.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the vehicle has reached the speed notification point based on the current position of the vehicle and the speed notification point stored in the RAM (S106), and it is determined that the vehicle has reached this speed limit notification point. Then (if YES is determined in S106), information for notifying the speed limit is read from the external memory 19, and the speed limit speed is notified to the driver of the vehicle from the display device 20 and the speaker 21 (S108). For example, as shown in FIG. 3 (d), a message such as “Be careful with the speed limit as you approach the intersection. The speed limit at the intersection is 60 km / h” is displayed on the display screen of the display device 20 for a certain period of time. The message is also output from the speaker 21 by voice.

  By notifying the speed limit in this way, the driver can recognize that he is approaching an intersection of traffic lights and can drive while paying attention to the notified speed limit.

  Note that when it is determined in S102 that there is a traffic light at the intersection (when it is determined YES), the above speed limit notification is not performed. This is because the driver pays attention to the traveling speed at the intersection where there is a traffic light without reporting the speed limit. However, the speed limit notification as described above may be performed also at an intersection where such a traffic signal is present.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 3 (e), when the own vehicle travels to the entry point D to the city area Z, as in the case of proceeding to the entry point B to the city area Y shown in FIG. 3 (c), A message such as “Be careful of the speed limit as you approach the city area. The speed limit of the city area is 30 km / h” is displayed from the display device 20 and the speaker 21.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the control device 18 monitors whether or not there is a point (an entry point to an urban area or an intersection) where the speed limit should be alerted at the destination of the road on which the vehicle is traveling. Therefore, the point where the speed limit should be alerted is identified and the speed limit is notified to the driver of the vehicle before that point. It is possible to recognize that there is a point to call attention and to drive while paying attention to the notified speed limit.

  In the above embodiment, the processes of S100, S102, S110, and S112 in FIG. 4 monitor whether there is a point where the speed limit is to be alerted at the destination of the road on which the vehicle is traveling. The monitoring means for identifying the point where the speed limit is to be alerted is configured, and the processing of S104 and S112 constitutes the reporting point setting means for setting the reporting point before the point where the speed limit is to be alerted. , S108, S118, the display device 20, and the speaker 21 constitute notification means for notifying the driver of the vehicle of the speed limit.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be implemented in various forms based on the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in S110 of FIG. 4, the control device 18 in the above embodiment determines whether or not there is an entry point to the urban area at the destination of the vehicle based on whether or not there is a city polygon in the monitoring range M. Although an example is shown, as shown in the following (1) to (5), it may be determined whether or not there is an entry point of the urban area at the destination of the vehicle.

  (1) Whether or not the number of intersections included in the monitoring range M is greater than the reference value based on the positions of the intersections around the own vehicle position in the node information included in the map data around the own vehicle position and the own vehicle position. If the number of intersections included in the monitoring range M is greater than a reference value (for example, 10), it is determined that there is an urban approach point at the destination of the vehicle, and the number of intersections included in the monitoring range M If is smaller than the reference value, it may be determined that there is no entry point in the urban area at the destination of the vehicle. If it is determined that there is an entry point in the urban area at the destination of the vehicle, the intersection closest to the intersection included in the monitoring range M may be specified as the entry point in the urban area in S112. Since there are a large number of intersections per unit area in an urban area, it is possible to determine whether there is an entry point in the urban area at the destination of the vehicle based on the number of intersections included in the monitoring range M in this way.

  (2) From the node information included in the own vehicle position and the map data around the own vehicle position, for example, to the next intersection (intersection 1) on the road ahead and the third one ahead as shown in FIG. The positions of the intersections (intersections 2 to 4) are obtained, and the distance between intersection 1 and intersection 2, the distance between intersection 2 and intersection 3, and the distance between intersection 3 and intersection 4 are calculated. If each calculated distance is less than a predetermined distance (for example, 500 m), it is determined that there is an entry point in the urban area at the destination of the vehicle. If at least one of the calculated distances is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance, the vehicle It may be determined that there is no entry point in the urban area at the destination of the travel. If it is determined that there is an urban approach point at the destination of the vehicle, the next intersection on the destination road may be specified as the approach point of the urban area in S112.

  (3) The POI data in which the position information and symbols of various facilities included in the map data are associated with each other is read from the map data input device 16, and the symbols included in the monitoring range M are read based on the POI data and the vehicle position. If the number is greater than or equal to the reference value, it is determined that there is an entry point in the city at the destination of the vehicle. If the number of symbols included in the monitoring range M is less than the reference value, the entry point of the city at the destination of the vehicle It may be determined that there is no. If it is determined that there is an entry point in the urban area at the destination of the vehicle, the symbol closest to the symbol included in the monitoring range M may be specified as the entry point in the urban area in S112.

  (4) The telephone number data in which the location information and the telephone number of various facilities included in the map data are associated with each other is read from the map data input device 16, and the monitoring range M is called based on the telephone number data and the vehicle position. If the facility registered in the number data is greater than or equal to the reference value, it is determined that there is an entry point in the urban area at the destination of the vehicle, and if the facility registered in the telephone number data is not greater than the reference value in the monitoring range M It may be determined that there is no entry point in the city area at the destination of the vehicle. If it is determined that there is an entry point in the urban area at the destination of the vehicle, the facility closest to the monitoring range M may be specified as the entry point into the urban area in S112.

  (5) Read out population data in which the population of each region included in the map data is recorded from the map data input device 16, and based on this population data and the vehicle position, the population of the region included in the monitoring range M is the reference value In the above case, it is determined that there is an entry point to the urban area at the destination of the vehicle. If the population of the area included in the monitoring range M is less than the reference value, there is no entry point to the urban area at the destination of the vehicle. May be determined. If it is determined that there is an entry point in the urban area at the destination of the vehicle, a point where the boundary of the area included in the monitoring range M and the traveling road intersect in S112 may be specified as the entry point into the urban area.

  Moreover, although the example which calculates | requires the point which should call attention of speed limit based on the own vehicle position and map data was shown in the said embodiment, the point which should call attention of this speed limit is memorize | stored in external memory 19 grade | etc., If the vehicle passes through the same point again, the speed limit may be notified based on the information stored in the storage medium of the external memory 19.

  In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the speed limit is notified to the driver of the vehicle regardless of the type of road on which the vehicle travels (general road, main road, etc.). Notification may be restricted. For example, when the vehicle travels on a main road with a relatively high speed limit such as a bypass in the suburbs, the speed limit is notified and the vehicle travels on a general road with a relatively low speed limit such as a residential area. May not notify the speed limit.

  In the above-described embodiment, the point of entry to the urban area and the intersection are shown as points to call attention to the speed limit. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be a point of entry to a residential area, for example.

  In addition, the predetermined distance and the predetermined range in the above-described embodiment are not limited to fixed values and may be variable values. For example, the predetermined distance and the predetermined range may be changed in consideration of the traveling speed of the vehicle.

  Further, the processing of each step in the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is grasped as means for realizing each function, and the control device 18 is configured by software as shown in the above-described embodiment. Not limited to this, it may be configured by hardware.

It is a figure which shows the block configuration of the navigation apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the speed alerting | reporting function of a navigation apparatus. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the map display screen of a display apparatus. It is a flowchart of the speed limit alerting | reporting process by a control apparatus. It is explanatory drawing about determination of the presence or absence of the city area of the advancing destination of the vehicle in other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus, 11 ... Position detector, 12 ... Geomagnetic sensor,
13 ... Gyroscope, 14 ... Distance sensor, 15 ... GPS receiver,
16 ... Map data input device, 17 ... Operation switch group, 18 ... Control device,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 19 ... External memory, 20 ... Display apparatus, 21 ... Speaker, 22 ... Remote control sensor.

Claims (6)

In a navigation device that detects a current position of a vehicle and performs travel guidance based on map data of an area including the detected current position of the vehicle and the current position of the vehicle,
Based on the current position of the vehicle and the map data, the destination of the road on which the vehicle is traveling is monitored to see if there is a point where the speed limit should be alerted, and the speed limit is alerted. Monitoring means to identify points to be
Notification point setting means for setting a notification point for notifying the speed limit before the point where the speed limit specified by the monitoring means should be alerted;
A navigation device, comprising: a notification means for notifying a driver of the vehicle of a speed limit when it is determined that the current position of the vehicle has reached the notification point. The monitoring means sets a predetermined range centered on a predetermined distance point on the road on which the vehicle is traveling as a monitoring range, and whether or not there is a point to call attention to the speed limit in the monitoring range The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device is monitored. The monitoring means specifies a target intersection as a point to call attention to the speed limit, and the notification means notifies a speed limit set for the intersection. The navigation device according to claim 1 or 2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the monitoring unit specifies an intersection having no traffic signal as an intersection to be a target of a point where the speed limit should be alerted. The monitoring means specifies an entry point to an urban area as a point to call attention to the speed limit, and the notification means notifies the speed limit set for the entry point to the urban area. The navigation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The map data includes polygon data specifying an area of an urban area, and the monitoring means determines whether or not there is an urban area specified by the polygon data at a destination of a road on which the vehicle is traveling. 6. When it is determined that there is an urban area, an entry point to the urban area on a road on which the vehicle is traveling is specified as a point where attention should be paid to the speed limit. The navigation device described.

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