JP2007147515A - Navigation apparatus for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation apparatus for vehicle capable of detecting precisely a current position of the vehicle to continue a navigation operation, by simple constitution, even when incapable of using a GPS. <P>SOLUTION: An ECU 8 images a distance indicator installed in the periphery of an express way where a vehicle travels thereon, by a camera 7, to acquire a picked-up image, and recognizes a distance displayed by the distance indicator included in the picked-up image, by image recognition. A start point position in the express way where the vehicle travels is confirmed based on a map data stored in a map data storage device 2, and a position moved by the distance recognized from the start point position is detected as the current position of the vehicle to execute the various navigation operations. The current position of the vehicle is thereby detected highly precisely to continue the navigation operation, even when the current position of the vehicle cannot be detected by a position detector 1 using the GPS. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle navigation apparatus.

Conventionally, a device for detecting a current position without using GPS is known. For example, in the device of Patent Document 1, a mobile phone and a location information providing server are connected via the Internet. When the captured image taken by the mobile phone is transmitted to the location information providing server, the location information providing server extracts the block display and the house number that appear in the transmitted captured image, and the latitude / longitude of the location where the image was taken And return it to the mobile phone. The mobile phone superimposes and displays a pointer indicating the latitude and longitude transmitted from the position information providing server on the map image.
JP 2004-226170 A

  Thus, in the conventional apparatus, the current position can be detected without using GPS. In a vehicle navigation device, the GPS may become unavailable while the vehicle is traveling, such as when the vehicle enters a tunnel. In such a case, it may be possible to use the function of the conventional device. Since each mobile phone is configured to be accessed via a network, the configuration of the apparatus becomes complicated, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of design and cost. Although a method of calculating the current position of the vehicle by map matching or the like can be considered, it is not preferable from the viewpoint of accuracy.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has a simple configuration and can detect the current position of the vehicle with high accuracy and continue the navigation operation even when GPS cannot be used. The purpose is to provide a navigation device.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, a recognizing unit for recognizing a distance indicated by a distance indicator installed around a road on which the vehicle is traveling, and a distance indicator recognized by the recognizing unit The first position detecting means for detecting the current position of the vehicle based on the distance shown in FIG. 2 is used, and the navigation operation is performed using the current position of the vehicle detected by the first detecting means.

  Thus, in the vehicle navigation device of the present invention, the recognition means recognizes the distance indicated by the distance sign installed around the road on which the vehicle is traveling. The first position detection means detects the current position of the vehicle based on the distance indicated by the distance sign recognized by the recognition means. Thus, even when the vehicle's current position cannot be detected by GPS or the like, for example, when the vehicle enters a tunnel or when the vehicle is traveling on a mountain road, the first position detecting means Since the current position of the vehicle can be detected with high accuracy based on the distance indicated by the distance sign recognized by the recognition means, the navigation operation can be performed using the detection result. In addition, the configuration of the apparatus can be simplified, which is preferable from the viewpoint of design and cost.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the second position detecting means for detecting the current position of the vehicle using GPS is provided, and the current position of the vehicle by the first position detecting means is detected by the second position detecting means. It is desirable to be performed when the current position cannot be detected. As a result, even when the current position of the vehicle cannot be detected by the second position detection means using GPS, the current position of the vehicle can be detected by the first position detection means, and the navigation operation can be continued.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the recognition unit includes a photographing unit that photographs the distance sign, and recognizes a distance indicated by the distance sign from a photographed image photographed by the photographing unit. Thereby, the recognition means can reliably recognize the distance indicated by the distance sign from the captured image.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided map data acquisition means for acquiring map data, and the first position detection means identifies the starting position of the distance sign from the map data acquired by the map data acquisition means, and It is desirable to detect the current position of the vehicle from the position and the distance indicated by the distance sign recognized by the recognition means. As a result, the current position of the vehicle can be reliably detected with higher accuracy.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided position information acquisition means for acquiring position information where the distance sign is installed, and the first position detection means includes the position information where the distance sign acquired by the position information acquisition means The current position of the vehicle may be detected from the distance indicated by the distance sign recognized by the recognition means. Even in this case, the current position of the vehicle can be reliably detected with higher accuracy.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle navigation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the position detector 1 includes a geomagnetic sensor 1A, a gyroscope 1B, a distance sensor 1C, and a GPS receiver 1D, and detects a current position and a traveling direction of the vehicle.

  The geomagnetic sensor 1A has a configuration in which an exciting winding for exciting the annular ferromagnetic material such as permalloy, for example, and two orthogonal detection windings for direction detection are wound. And the voltage which generate | occur | produces in two detection windings by applying an alternating voltage to an excitation winding is measured, and the advancing direction of a vehicle is detected as an absolute direction based on this.

  The gyroscope 1B includes, for example, a crystal resonator, and detects the yaw angular velocity (yaw rate) of the vehicle from vibration based on Coriolis force generated when the resonator is vibrated.

  The distance sensor 1C detects the moving distance of the vehicle based on, for example, rotation signals of wheels and axles (not shown) mounted on the vehicle.

  The GPS receiver 1D receives a GPS signal for position measurement transmitted from a GPS satellite (not shown), which is an artificial satellite, and detects the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the point where the vehicle is currently traveling.

  The position detector 1 performs highly accurate position detection and traveling direction detection by interpolating the detection results of the four devices described above. Of course, depending on the required detection accuracy, it is not necessary to provide all the four devices described above. Note that the detection of the current position and the traveling direction of the vehicle may be performed based on detection signals from other sensors such as a steering sensor. The position detector 1 cannot receive a GPS signal when the vehicle enters a tunnel while traveling on a highway or when the vehicle is traveling on a mountainous highway. Therefore, the current position of the vehicle cannot be detected.

  The map data storage device 2 has, for example, a hard disk as a storage medium, and stores map data including road information, building information, address information and location information of each area, and map image data for displaying a map image. . Map data and map image data may be stored in a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or the like.

  The display 3 is a small vehicle-mounted display, and performs various navigation displays including display of map images. For the various navigation displays described above, an in-vehicle head-up display or the like may be used.

  The operation switch 4 includes a plurality of mechanical switches, and instructs the car navigation device to start and end various navigation operations. The above-described instruction may be configured by a touch switch including a display panel that displays operation keys and a touch panel that detects that the operation keys displayed on the display panel are pressed. Further, it may be performed using voice recognition.

  The remote controller 5 is, for example, a multi-function remote controller provided with various function switches, and can perform almost the same operation as the operation switch 4 described above via the remote control sensor 6.

  The camera 7 is a CCD camera, for example, and shoots a distance indicator installed around the highway where the vehicle is traveling to generate a captured image (see FIG. 2). For the above-described shooting, for example, a CMOS camera or the like may be used.

  ECU8 is comprised from a well-known computer and performs various navigation operations including a map image display. Specifically, the ECU 8 reads map image data around the current position of the vehicle from the map data storage 2 based on the current position and the traveling direction of the vehicle detected by the position detector 1, and indicates the current position of the vehicle. A map image on which the mark is superimposed is displayed on the display 3 and various voice guidance is performed from the speaker 9.

  Furthermore, when the vehicle enters the tunnel while traveling on the highway, or when the vehicle is traveling on the highway in the mountainous area, the GPS receiver 1D cannot receive the GPS signal, and the position detector 1 The current position of the vehicle cannot be detected. In such a case, the ECU 8 causes the camera 7 to capture a distance indicator installed around the highway where the vehicle is traveling, obtains a captured image, and uses the map data and the captured image stored in the map data storage 2 as the captured image. Based on the distance indicated in the included distance sign, the current position of the vehicle is detected (see FIG. 3). Then, various navigation operations are continued using the detected current position of the vehicle.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart relating to processing in which the vehicle navigation device of this embodiment performs a navigation operation. The processing of this flowchart is executed at predetermined time intervals during the operation of the vehicle navigation device.

  In step 401, the ECU 8 determines whether or not the vehicle is traveling on a highway. If the vehicle is traveling on a highway, the process proceeds to step 402. Otherwise, go to step 404. In step 402, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is traveling in the tunnel. If the vehicle is traveling in the tunnel, the process proceeds to step 403. Otherwise, go to step 404.

  In step 403, it is determined whether or not the GPS receiver 1D can receive a GPS signal. If the GPS signal can be received, the process proceeds to step 404, the navigation operation is continued using the current position of the vehicle detected by the position detector 1, and the process ends. If the GPS signal cannot be received, the process proceeds to step 405.

  In step 405, the camera 7 captures a distance indicator installed around the highway where the vehicle is traveling. In step 406, image recognition is performed on the distance indicator included in the image captured in step 405, and the distance indicated in the distance indicator is recognized. Thus, the distance indicated by the distance sign can be reliably recognized from the captured image. In step 407, the starting position of the highway on which the vehicle is traveling is confirmed from the map data stored in the map data storage unit 2.

  In step 408, the current position of the vehicle is detected from the distance recognized in step 406 and the starting position confirmed in step 407. As a result, the current position of the vehicle can be reliably detected with higher accuracy. In step 409, the navigation operation is continued using the current position of the vehicle detected in step 408, and the process ends.

  As described above, in the vehicle navigation apparatus of the present embodiment, the ECU 8 causes the camera 7 to capture a distance indicator installed around the highway where the vehicle is traveling, acquires a captured image, and stores it in the map data storage 2. The current position of the vehicle is detected based on the stored map data and the distance indicated by the distance indicator included in the photographed image, and various navigation operations are executed. Thereby, even when the current position of the vehicle cannot be detected by the position detector 1 using GPS, the current position of the vehicle can be detected with high accuracy and a navigation operation can be performed. In addition, the configuration of the apparatus can be simplified, which is preferable from the viewpoint of design and cost.

  Next, a modification of this embodiment will be described. In the vehicle navigation device of the present modification, the current position of the vehicle is detected based on the distance indication included in the captured image taken by the camera 7 and the position information of the distance indication stored in the map data storage 2. . The point mentioned above is the point of this embodiment.

  In addition to the functions of the above-described embodiment, the map data storage device 2 of the present modification stores the position where each distance sign is installed as position information.

  The ECU 8 of this embodiment is in the above-described embodiment. The camera 7 stored in the map data storage 2 is used instead of the operation of detecting the current position of the vehicle from the distance indicated by the distance sign included in the photographed image of the camera 7 and the starting position of the highway on which the vehicle is traveling. The current position of the vehicle is detected from position information indicating the position of the distance sign included in the captured image.

  Other configurations and operations are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart relating to a process in which the vehicle navigation device of this modification performs a navigation operation. The process of this flowchart replaces the process of confirming the starting position of the highway on which the vehicle is traveling in the process of the flowchart of FIG. 4 described above, and obtains position information corresponding to the recognized distance indication from the map data storage 2. Add reading process. In other words, all processes other than step 507 are the same as those in the flowchart of FIG.

  In step 507, position information corresponding to the distance sign recognized in step 506 is read from the map data storage device 2.

  As described above, in the vehicle navigation device according to the present modification, the current vehicle position is based on the distance indication included in the captured image captured by the camera 7 and the position information of the distance indication stored in the map data storage 2. Detect position. Even in this case, the current position of the vehicle can be detected with high accuracy, and the navigation operation can be continued.

  In the above-described embodiment, when the vehicle is traveling on the highway and position detection by the position detector 1 is impossible, the current position of the vehicle is detected by photographing the distance sign installed around the highway. did. However, the present invention is not limited to a highway, and the present apparatus can be suitably used on any road as long as a distance sign is installed around the road on which the vehicle is traveling.

  In the embodiment described above, the present apparatus operates as a vehicle navigation apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any apparatus that operates by detecting the current position of the vehicle can be suitably used. However, it is to be noted that the most preferable case is when the apparatus is installed and operated in the car navigation apparatus.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a vehicle navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example which image | photographs a distance sign from the camera mounted in the vehicle in the vehicle navigation apparatus of this embodiment. In the vehicle navigation apparatus of this embodiment, it is a figure which shows an example of the starting point position of a highway, and a distance sign. It is a flowchart regarding the process which the navigation apparatus for vehicles of this embodiment performs navigation operation. It is a flowchart regarding the process in which the navigation apparatus for vehicles of this modification performs navigation operation.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Position detector 1A ... Geomagnetic sensor 1B ... Gyroscope 1C ... Distance sensor 1D ... GPS receiver 2 ... Map data storage 3 ... Display 4 ... Operation switch 5 ... Remote control 6 ... Remote control sensor 7 ... Camera 8 ... ECU
9 ... Speaker

Claims (5)

Recognizing means for recognizing a distance indicated by a distance sign installed around a road on which the vehicle is traveling;
First position detection means for detecting the current position of the vehicle based on the distance indicated by the distance indicator recognized by the recognition means;
A vehicle navigation apparatus that performs a navigation operation using the current position of the vehicle detected by the first detection means. Providing a second position detecting means for detecting the current position of the vehicle using GPS;
2. The vehicle navigation according to claim 1, wherein the current position detection of the vehicle by the first position detection means is performed when the current position detection of the vehicle by the second position detection means is disabled. apparatus. The recognizing means has photographing means for photographing the distance sign,
The vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a distance indicated by the distance sign is recognized from a photographed image photographed by the photographing means. A map data acquisition means for acquiring map data is provided,
The first position detecting means identifies the starting position of the distance sign from the map data acquired by the map data acquiring means, and from the starting position and the distance indicated by the distance sign recognized by the recognizing means, The vehicle navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a current position of the vehicle is detected. Providing a position information acquisition means for acquiring the position information where the distance sign is installed;
The first position detecting means detects the current position of the vehicle from the position information of the distance sign obtained by the position information obtaining means and the distance indicated by the distance sign recognized by the recognition means. The vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle navigation apparatus is a vehicle navigation apparatus.

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