JP2007192562A - Device, system, and method for providing information for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To operate a proper recommendation route, when adding a new via-point to the recommendation route based on instruction from a user. <P>SOLUTION: When receiving from the user a request for adding a new via-point (hereafter referred to as the new via-point) to the recommendation route operated already, a plurality of recommendation routes passing the new via-point are operated based on the passing spot on the recommendation route operated already, a destination and the present place of a vehicle, and the optimum recommendation route is selected from among the operated plurality of recommendation routes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular information providing device, a vehicular information providing system, and a vehicular information providing method for calculating a recommended route and transmitting the calculated recommended route data to a navigation device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a system in which a user calls an information center to transmit information on a destination to be set in a navigation device to the operator, and the destination data searched by the operator on the terminal is transmitted to the navigation device and set. It is known (see Patent Document 1).

JP-A-10-253377

  In the system described above, the recommended route from the current location of the vehicle to the destination via the waypoint can be calculated on the information center side, and the data of the recommended route can be transmitted to the navigation device. However, in the conventional system, when the recommended route is set in the navigation device and the operator is requested to add a route point, the user adds the route point to any part of the recommended route already calculated. There is a problem that the burden on the user is heavy.

(1) The vehicular information providing apparatus and vehicular information providing method according to the present invention calculates a recommended route to a destination via a route desired by the user based on a request from the user, and calculates the recommended The route data is transmitted to the navigation device. When the user receives a request to add a new waypoint (hereinafter referred to as a new waypoint) to the already calculated recommended route, the route data is already calculated. Based on the waypoints, destinations, and current location of the vehicle on the recommended route, calculate multiple recommended routes that pass through the new route, and select the best recommended route from the calculated multiple recommended routes. And transmitting to the navigation device.
(2) The vehicle information providing system according to the present invention calculates a recommended route to a destination via a user-desired waypoint based on a request from the user, and uses the calculated recommended route data as a navigation device. To the navigation device, and when the user receives a request to add a new waypoint (hereinafter referred to as a new waypoint) to the already calculated recommended route, the calculation is already made. Based on the waypoints, destinations, and current location of the vehicle on the recommended route, multiple recommended routes that pass through the new waypoint are calculated, and the optimum recommended route is selected from the calculated recommended routes. Then, it is transmitted to the navigation device.

  According to the vehicle information providing apparatus, the vehicle information providing system, and the vehicle information providing method according to the present invention, when a request for adding a new waypoint is received from the user for the calculated recommended route, the calculation is already performed. Based on the route, destination, and current location of the vehicle on the recommended route, multiple recommended routes that pass through the new route are calculated, and the optimal recommended route is selected from the calculated multiple recommended routes. Since it is selected and transmitted to the navigation device, it is possible to eliminate the burden of telling the operator of the information center which part of the recommended route that the user has already calculated to add the waypoint to.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a vehicle information providing system according to an embodiment. A user who uses this vehicle information providing system calls the information center 20 (vehicle information providing apparatus) and informs the operator of information on the waypoints and destinations set in the navigation unit 2. The operator of the information center 20 searches for a waypoint and a destination using the processing terminal 32, calculates a recommended route to the destination via the searched waypoint, and installs the calculated recommended route data on the vehicle. Transmit to machine 1. In FIG. 1, only one in-vehicle device 1 is shown, but the same in-vehicle device 1 is mounted on many vehicles, and the information center 20 communicates with a plurality of in-vehicle devices 1 via radio. It can be carried out.

  The in-vehicle device 1 includes a navigation unit 2, a monitor 3, a communication adapter 5, a telephone harness 6 for connecting the mobile phone 4 and the communication adapter 5, a data communication phone 7, a microphone 8, and a speaker 9. The GPS unit 10, the operation switch 11, the operator call switch 12, and the vehicle speed sensor 16 are provided.

  The monitor 3 displays a map around the current location of the vehicle, a recommended route to the destination, and the like based on instructions from the navigation unit 2 described later. The mobile phone 4 is a phone used when a user has a conversation with an operator standing by at the information center 20, and the data communication phone 7 is a phone used when performing data communication with the information center 20. It is.

  The microphone 8 is used when a user (driver) has a conversation with an operator of the information center 20 using a hands-free system. The speaker 9 outputs a voice when the user talks with the operator using the hands-free system and voices when the navigation unit 2 performs route guidance. The GPS unit 10 receives GPS radio waves from a GPS satellite (not shown) and detects the current location of the vehicle. The vehicle speed sensor 16 detects the speed of the vehicle.

  The operation switch 11 is used to perform various operations such as an operation on a screen displayed on the monitor 3, an operation for using a hands-free system, and an operation for performing data communication. The operator call switch 12 is a switch used when a call is made to the information center 20.

  The communication adapter 5 performs communication control with the information center 20. The communication adapter 5 is registered with telephone numbers of an operation center 30 of the information center 20 and a vehicle information center 50, which will be described later. When the user presses the operator call switch 12, the mobile phone 4 automatically In addition, a call is made to the operation center 30 and a call is automatically made to the vehicle information center 50 via the data communication phone 7. The telephone number of the operation center 30 and the telephone number of the vehicle information center 50 are registered before the communication adapter 5 is shipped from the factory, for example.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the navigation unit 2. The navigation unit 2 includes a map data unit 18 and a memory 21, and a display processing unit 13, a communication control unit 14, a voice control unit 15, an input processing unit 19, and an integrated calculation unit 22 in terms of processing functions performed internally. Prepare.

  The display processing unit 13 issues a display instruction to the monitor 3 based on a command from the integrated calculation unit 22. The communication control unit 14 performs control for exchanging data with the communication adapter 5. The voice control unit 15 instructs the speaker 9 to output a voice for route guidance, for example, based on a command from the integrated calculation unit 22. The map data unit 18 is, for example, a hard disk device (HDD), and stores map data.

  The input processing unit 19 outputs a command input by the user through the operation switch 11 to the integrated calculation unit 22. The memory 21 stores data on the waypoints and destinations downloaded (received) from the information center 20. The integrated calculation unit 22 exchanges various data with the display processing unit 13, the communication control unit 14, the voice control unit 15, the input processing unit 19, the map data unit 18, and the memory 21, and also a navigation unit. 2 comprehensive processing is performed. Comprehensive processing of the navigation unit 2 includes calculation processing of a recommended route to a destination via a set waypoint.

  The information center 20 includes an operation center 30, an information database group 40, a vehicle information center 50, and a customer center 60. The operation center 30 includes a PBX / CTI 31 that controls a telephone line and a search system 34. The search system 34 includes a processing terminal 32, a telephone 33, a headset 36, a monitor 38, and an input device 39. The input device 39 includes a keyboard and a mouse.

  A PBX (Private Branch Exchanger) is usually installed in a corporate building or the like, and exchanges external telephones with internal telephones and between internal telephones. CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) integrates a telephone communication system such as PBX and an information system such as a computer and a database so that they can be linked to each other. In other words, the PBX / CTI 31 controls the telephone line such as connecting a call received from the user to a vacant operator or sending a waiting voice guidance when there is no vacant operator.

  An operator working at the operation center 30 obtains information on the waypoints and destinations set in the navigation unit 2 of the in-vehicle device 1 by talking with the user using the telephone 33 or the headset 36. Based on the information heard from the user, the operator uses the processing terminal 32 to search for a waypoint or destination desired by the user. The processing terminal 32 is a personal computer, for example. The search system 34 is connected to the information processing terminal 54 of the vehicle information center 50 and a plurality of databases 41 to 45, 56 constituting the information database group 40 through a network 37 such as a LAN.

  The information database group 40 includes a location / phone information database 41, a traffic information database 42, a weather forecast database 43, various information databases 44, a guidance voice database 45, and a user profile database 56. The position / phone information database 41 stores names of various facilities such as restaurants and public facilities, position information, telephone number information, and the like. The traffic information database 42 stores traffic information such as general roads and toll roads. The weather forecast database 43 stores weather forecast information for each location. The various information database 44 stores information such as map data for calculating a recommended route and a via-route genre table to be described later. The guidance voice database 45 stores voice data for voice guidance to the user. The user profile database 56 stores user information such as user names, addresses, and mobile phone numbers registered in advance. The user registration method will be described later.

  The vehicle information center 50 includes a PBX / CTI 52 that controls a telephone line, a communication device 53, and an information processing terminal 54. The communication device 53 performs data communication with the in-vehicle device 1 based on a command from the information processing terminal 54. The information processing terminal 54 performs various data processing such as transmitting information to the in-vehicle device 1 via the communication device 53. For example, when the recommended route to be set in the navigation unit 2 of the in-vehicle device 1 is calculated in the processing terminal 32, the retrieved recommended route data is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 1 via the communication device 53. The PBX / CTI 31 of the operation center 30 and the PBX / CTI 52 of the vehicle information center 50 are connected to the general telephone line network 55.

  The customer center 60 includes a customer registration system 62 and a customer management server 66. The customer registration system 62 performs user registration and changes of registered user personal information. A customer management server 66 connected to the customer registration system 62 is a server for managing user information.

  An Internet 63 is also connected to the network 37 to which the operation center 30, the information database group 40, the vehicle information center 50 and the customer center 60 are connected. Accordingly, the information center 20 exchanges various information with the content provider / application service provider group 64 via the Internet 63. Further, when the user performs user registration, which will be described later, it is possible to use a terminal 65 such as a personal computer connected to the Internet 63 without going through the operator of the customer center 60.

  A user who uses the vehicle information provision system in one embodiment needs to perform user registration in advance. As a first method for user registration, a mobile phone 4 and a data communication phone used when using the present system together with general information such as a user's name, address, date of birth, etc. in a predetermined application form. 7 is entered and mailed to the customer center 60 of the information center 20. After confirming the contents of the application form, the customer center 60 operator performs user registration processing on the customer management server 66 using the customer registration system 62. The registered user information is stored in the user profile database 56.

  As described above, the second method for user registration is a method of directly registering in the customer management server 66 using a terminal 65 such as a personal computer connected to the Internet 63. Further, when the in-vehicle device 1 has an online registration function, the in-vehicle device 1 can be used to directly register with the customer management server 66.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing contents respectively performed by the in-vehicle device 1 and the information center 20 in the vehicle information providing system according to the embodiment. The process of step S10 to step S40 is a process performed on the in-vehicle device 1 side, and the process of step S100 to step S200 is a process performed on the information center 20 side. In the following, a process will be described in the case where the user wishes to add a new waypoint when the waypoint and the destination are already set in the navigation unit 2.

  In step S <b> 10, the integrated calculation unit 22 of the navigation unit 2 determines whether the operator call switch 12 is turned on based on a signal input from the input processing unit 19. If it is determined that the operator call switch 12 is not turned on, the process waits in step S10 until it is turned on. If it is determined that the operator call switch 12 is turned on, the process proceeds to step S20.

  In step S20, a call is made to the operation center 30 of the information center 20 via the mobile phone 4 in the voice mode, and the vehicle information center 50 of the information center 20 is designated via the data communication phone 7 in the data mode. Make a call to The voice mode is a mode for conversation between the user and the operator, and the data mode is a mode for sending and receiving data by data communication.

  As described above, since the telephone number of the operation center 30 is registered in the communication adapter 5 in advance, when the user presses the operator call switch 12, the automatic operation is performed via the navigation unit 2, the communication adapter 5, and the mobile phone 4. A call is made to the operation center 30. At this time, the communication adapter 5 places the number “186” in front of the telephone number of the operation center 30 and makes a call. That is, since some mobile phones 4 have a function for notifying the caller number, the caller number is notified so that the information center 20 can identify the caller. Make a phone call in the form.

  Further, since the telephone number of the vehicle information center 50 is also registered in advance in the communication adapter 5, when the user presses the operator call switch 12, the navigation unit 2, the communication adapter 5, and the data communication telephone 7 A call is automatically made to the vehicle information center 50. Also in this case, the communication adapter 5 places the number “186” in order to notify the caller number before the telephone number of the vehicle information center 50 and makes a call.

  Of the processes performed on the information center 20 side, the processes of steps S100 to S140 and step S200 are performed by the PBX / CTI 31 of the operation center 30. In step S100, it is determined whether there is an incoming call from the user. If it is determined that there is no incoming call, it waits in step S100 until there is an incoming call. If it is determined that there is an incoming call, the process proceeds to step S110. In step S110, caller telephone number acquisition processing is performed. At this time, if a call is received with the caller non-notification setting, and there is no caller telephone number, for example, “Caller ID is not notified” registered in the guidance voice database 45 in advance. "Is played and the telephone line is disconnected.

  In step S120, the telephone number is authenticated based on the caller telephone number acquired in step S110. This authentication is performed based on whether or not the caller telephone number is registered in the user profile database 56. In step S130 following step S120, it is determined whether or not the authentication is OK based on the result of the telephone number authentication performed in step S120. If the acquired caller telephone number is registered in the user profile database 56 and the authentication is determined to be OK, the process proceeds to step S140. On the other hand, if it is determined that the authentication is NG, the process proceeds to step S200, and a message such as “Cannot receive the service because the telephone number is not registered” registered in advance in the guidance voice database 45 is reproduced. Disconnect the telephone line.

  In addition to the call in the voice mode, a call is made to the vehicle information center 50 in the data mode via the data communication telephone 7, and the same authentication as in step S120 is performed for the call in the data mode. Processing is performed. If the authentication is OK, data communication is started. Here, data relating to the recommended route set in the navigation unit 2 is transmitted from the in-vehicle device 1 to the vehicle information center 50. The data related to the recommended route includes data of the recommended route, the waypoints and destinations included in the recommended route, the current location of the vehicle, and the waypoint where the vehicle has already passed.

  The data regarding the recommended route transmitted to the vehicle information center 50 is stored (saved) in the user profile database 56 via the network 37. The data is stored in correspondence with the user information of the user who has requested data transmission.

  In step S140, the telephone call from the user is connected to the operator who has a free telephone line, and the process proceeds to step S150. When the telephone line is connected to the operator, the user starts a conversation with the operator, and informs the navigation unit 2 of information on the waypoint and destination desired to be set. However, when there is no available line, for example, a message such as “Now, the line is busy” is registered in advance in the guidance voice database 45.

  The processing of step S150 to step S180 is performed by the search system 34. In step S150, it is determined whether or not the operator has input information necessary to search for a waypoint and a search execution command has been issued. The operator listens to information such as an address for searching for a transit point, a facility name, and a nearby landmark by talking with the calling user, and inputs the information to the processing terminal 32.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a search screen displayed on the display of the processing terminal 32. As shown in FIG. 4, a name input field 71, an address input field 72, a genre input field 73, a map display field 74, and a search start button 75 are displayed on the display of the processing terminal 32. The name input field 71 is a field for inputting the name of a facility or the like, and the address input field 72 is a field for inputting an address. The genre input field 73 is a field for inputting the genre of the destination. For example, “restaurant”, “park”, “gas station”, and the like can be input. The operator may input only one of the information input columns 71 to 73, or may input two or all of the columns.

  The map display column 74 is a column for displaying a map around the place searched by the processing terminal 32. The search start button 75 is a button operated by an operator when starting a search for a destination.

  In step S150, information for searching for a destination is input to at least one of the name input field 71, the address input field 72, and the genre input field 73, and the search start button 75 is pressed. If it determines, it will progress to step S160, otherwise, it will wait in step S150.

  In step S160, the location / telephone information database 41 is referred to based on the input information to search for a waypoint where the user desires additional settings. When the waypoint is searched, the process proceeds to step S170. In step S170, a new recommended route passing through the waypoint searched in step S160 is calculated.

  A method for calculating a recommended route passing through a newly added waypoint will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the recommended route R0 already set in the navigation unit 2 and the waypoint 77 to be newly added. The recommended route R0 is a route from the starting point 70 to the destination 71, and four waypoints 73, 74, 75, and 76 are set. Further, the current location of the vehicle is indicated by a mark 72, and the vehicle has already passed through the waypoint 73.

As a method of adding a new waypoint 77 to the recommended route R0 that has already been calculated, there are the following five methods M1 to M5.
(M1) Add between the current location 72 and the waypoint 74 of the vehicle.
(M2) Add between route point 74 and route point 75.
(M3) It adds between the waypoint 75 and the waypoint 76.
(M4) Add between the waypoint 76 and the destination 71.
(M5) The route point 77 to be added is set as the final destination.

  The processing terminal 32 obtains recommended routes R1 to R5 when the waypoint 77 is added by the five addition methods described above. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the recommended routes R1 to R4 among the recommended routes R1 to R5. The recommended route R5 not shown in FIG. 6 is a route obtained by adding a route from the destination 71 to the waypoint 77 to the recommended route R0.

  When the recommended route is calculated in step S170, the process proceeds to step S180. In step S180, an optimum recommended route is determined from the plurality of recommended routes R1 to R5 calculated in step S170. For each recommended route R1 to R5, the processing terminal 32 first determines the time required to reach the destination, the required distance to the destination, the fee required to reach the destination (traffic fee), and the new waypoint 77. The urgency level and the passage time zone of the new waypoint 77 are obtained.

  A known calculation method can be used to calculate the required time to the destination, the required distance, and the required fee. The urgency level of the new waypoint 77 and the designated time zone of the new waypoint 77 are obtained by referring to the waypoint genre table stored in the various information databases 44. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the waypoint genre table. In the waypoint genre table, the degree of urgency according to the type of facility or the like serving as a waypoint and the designated time zone are recorded. As the degree of urgency, the higher the urgency to stop at a stopover, the higher the number assigned. Moreover, the designated time zone is a desirable time when the user stops by the waypoint, and in the waypoint genre table shown in FIG. 7, 12:00 and 19:00 are set as the designated time zone of the restaurant.

The processing terminal 32 calculates evaluation values T1 to T5 for each calculated recommended route R1 to R5 in order to determine an optimum recommended route. Evaluation value Tk (k = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) is calculated | required by following Formula (1).
Tk = (required route Rk required time / average required time) + (recommended route Rk required distance / average required distance) + (recommended route Rk required fee / average required fee) + (additional route urgency × vehicle The order of the insertion interval counted from the position / number of insertable intervals) + the degree of match between the expected transit time of the additional waypoint and the specified time zone of the additional waypoint (1)

  In the above formula (1), the average required time is an average value of required times of each recommended route R1 to R5, and the average required distance is an average value of required distances of each recommended route R1 to R5, and the average required fee Is an average value of the required fee for each recommended route R1 to R5. In addition, the order of the insertion section counted from the vehicle position is 1 when the stopover point 77 is added between the vehicle position 72 and the stopover point 74, and is added between the stopover point 74 and the stopover point 75. The order is 2, the order is 3 when added between the waypoints 75 and 76, the order is 4 when added between the waypoints 76 and the destination 71, and the waypoint 77 is the final destination. The order when set to the ground is 5. That is, for the recommended routes R1 to R5, the order of the insertion sections counted from the vehicle position is 1 to 5, respectively. The number of sections that can be inserted is five.

  The estimated transit time of the additional route point is calculated based on the distance on the recommended route from the current location of the vehicle to the additional route point and the legal speed of the recommended route. The degree of match between the estimated transit time of the additional transit point and the designated time zone of the additional transit point is set to +0.1 every 10 minutes. For example, if the designated time zone of the additional waypoint is 12:00 and the expected transit time is 11:40, the degree of match is +0.2, and if the expected transit time is 13:00, +0.6 It becomes.

  The processing terminal 32 determines the recommended route having the smallest evaluation value among the evaluation values T1 to T5 calculated for each recommended route R1 to R5 as the optimum recommended route. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the recommended route R1 using the toll road is selected as the optimum recommended route. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the recommended route R1 includes a toll road, and the required fee to the destination is higher than other recommended routes, but the required time to the destination is significantly shorter. Therefore, the evaluation value is the smallest value.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an optimal recommended route when a facility (convenience store) with a high degree of urgency is additionally set as a transit point. In this case, the evaluation value of the recommended route R1 that stops first at the transit point (convenience store) is the smallest value, and the recommended route R1 becomes the optimal recommended route.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an optimum recommended route when a restaurant whose designated time zone is set at 12:00 is additionally set as a transit point. As shown in FIG. 10, the estimated passage time of the restaurant is 11:00, 11:50, 12:30, and 13:30 for each recommended route R1 to R4. In this case, the recommended route R2 is the optimum recommended route because the estimated passage time of the recommended route R2 is closest to the designated time zone and the evaluation value is the smallest.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a route whose final destination is an additional waypoint is an optimal recommended route. As shown in FIG. 11, the route with the additional route point as the final destination has the shortest required time to the destination and the shortest required distance compared to other recommended routes. The smallest value.

  In step S180 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, when the optimum recommended route passing through the additional waypoint desired by the user is determined, the process proceeds to step S190. The calculated optimum recommended route is stored (stored) in the user profile database 56. The data is stored in correspondence with the user information of the user who has requested data transmission.

  The process of step S190 is performed by the information processing terminal 54. In step S190, the data of the optimum recommended route stored in the user profile database 56 is transmitted to the data communication telephone 7 of the in-vehicle device 1 via the communication device 53 in the data mode. Since the telephone number of the data communication telephone 7 is included in the user information registered in the user profile database 56, it is acquired from the user profile database 56 together with the data of the optimum recommended route.

  In step S30, the in-vehicle device 1 determines whether or not the optimal recommended route data transmitted by the vehicle information center 50 in step S190 has been received. Data transmitted in the data mode from the vehicle information center 50 is received via the data communication telephone 7. If it is determined that the data of the optimum recommended route has not been received, the process waits in step S30 until it is received, and if it is determined that it has been received, the process proceeds to step S40. In step S40, the received optimum recommended route data is set in the navigation unit 2. When the optimal recommended route setting process is completed, the communication between the in-vehicle device 1 and the information center 20 is disconnected. Thereafter, the navigation unit 2 of the in-vehicle device 1 performs route guidance to the destination based on the set recommended route.

  According to the vehicle information providing system in the embodiment, in the system that calculates the recommended route to the destination based on the request from the user and transmits the calculated recommended route data to the in-vehicle device 1, the calculation is already performed. If a user receives a request to add a new waypoint to the recommended route, the new waypoint is determined based on the waypoint, destination, and current location of the vehicle that have already been calculated. A plurality of recommended routes that pass through are calculated, an optimal recommended route is selected from the calculated plurality of recommended routes, and data of the selected optimal recommended route is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 1. Thereby, when the user requests the operator of the information center 20 to add a new waypoint, there is no need to tell which section the new waypoint is to be added, and the burden on the user is reduced. In addition, since it is not necessary to determine in which conversation a new waypoint is to be added by the conversation between the user and the operator, the conversation time between the user and the operator can be shortened. Further, the information center 20 calculates a plurality of recommended routes, selects an optimum recommended route from the calculated plurality of recommended routes, and transmits the selected recommended route to the vehicle-mounted device 1. Therefore, the vehicle-mounted device 1 calculates the recommended route. Compared with the case where it carries out, the calculation load of the vehicle equipment 1 can be reduced.

  In particular, according to the vehicle information providing system in the embodiment, between the already calculated waypoint on the recommended route and the current location of the vehicle, During the calculation of the recommended route when a new waypoint is added between the route and destination on the recommended route that has already been calculated, and the recommended route when the new route is set as the destination Since the optimal recommended route is determined after calculating the above, more appropriate recommended route data can be transmitted to the in-vehicle device 1.

  According to the vehicle information providing system in one embodiment, based on the required time to the destination of each recommended route, the required distance, the required fee, the importance of the waypoint, and the expected time when passing through the waypoint Since the evaluation value is calculated and the optimum recommended route is determined, an appropriate recommended route can be determined and transmitted to the in-vehicle device 1.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, the evaluation value is calculated on the basis of five factors: the required time to the destination of each recommended route, the required distance, the required fee, the importance of the waypoint, and the expected time when passing through the waypoint. The calculation can be based on at least one of the five elements, or can be calculated based on an element other than the five elements.

  The user may freely change the importance of the waypoints and the designated time zone included in the waypoint genre table.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the data communication telephone 7 for performing data communication is provided separately from the mobile phone 4 for the user to converse with the operator has been described. If it is a telephone that can communicate, only one phone need be provided. In addition, it has been described that communication in the voice mode is performed with the operation center 30 and communication in the data mode is performed with the vehicle information center 50. However, communication in the data communication mode is also performed with the operation center 30. You may make it carry out between.

  The correspondence between the constituent elements of the claims and the constituent elements of the embodiment is as follows. That is, the processing terminal 32 constitutes a recommended route calculation means, an optimum recommended route selection means, and an evaluation value calculation means, and the communication device 53 constitutes a transmission means. In addition, the above description is an example to the last, and when interpreting invention, it is not limited to the correspondence of the component of said embodiment and the component of this invention at all.

The figure which shows the whole structure of the vehicle information provision system in one embodiment. Diagram showing the detailed configuration of the navigation unit The flowchart which shows the processing content each performed by the vehicle equipment and information center in the vehicle information provision system in one embodiment The figure which shows an example of the search screen displayed on the display of a search processing terminal Diagram showing the recommended route already set in the navigation unit and the location relationship of the newly added waypoint Diagram showing recommended routes R1-R4 The figure which shows an example of a waypoint genre table The figure which shows the example which recommended route R1 using a toll road was chosen as the optimal recommended route Diagram showing the best recommended route when a facility with high urgency is additionally set as a transit point The figure which shows the optimal recommended route when the designated time zone is additionally set as a transit place at 12:00 The figure which shows the example where the route with the final stop as the final destination is the best recommended route

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle equipment, 2 ... Navigation unit, 3 ... Monitor, 4 ... Mobile phone, 5 ... Communication adapter, 6 ... Telephone harness, 7 ... Telephone for data communication, 8 ... Microphone, 9 ... Speaker, 10 ... GPS unit, 11 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Operation switch, 12 ... Operator call switch, 13 ... Display processing part, 14 ... Communication processing part, 15 ... Voice control part, 16 ... Vehicle speed sensor, 18 ... Map data part, 19 ... Input processing part, 20 ... Information center, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 ... Memory, 30 ... Operation center, 31 ... PBX / CTI, 32 ... Search processing terminal, 33 ... Telephone, 34 ... Information search system, 36 ... Headset, 37 ... Network, 39 ... Input device, 40 ... Information database group 41 ... Location / phone information database, 42 ... Traffic information database, 43 ... Weather forecast database, 44 ... Various information 45, guidance voice database, 50 ... vehicle information center, 52 ... PBX / CTI, 53 ... communication device, 54 ... information processing terminal, 55 ... general telephone network, 56 ... user profile database, 60 ... customer center, 62 ... Customer registration system, 63 ... Internet, 65 ... User PC, 66 ... Customer management server

Claims (8)

In the vehicle information providing device that calculates the recommended route to the destination based on the request from the user and transmits the calculated recommended route data to the navigation device.
When a user receives a request to add a new waypoint (hereinafter referred to as a new waypoint) to the recommended route that has already been calculated, the waypoint, destination, and vehicle on the recommended route that has already been calculated Based on the current location of the recommended route calculating means for calculating a plurality of recommended routes through the new waypoint,
An optimum recommended route selecting means for selecting an optimum recommended route (hereinafter referred to as an optimum recommended route) from a plurality of recommended routes calculated by the recommended route calculating means;
A vehicular information providing device comprising: a transmission unit that transmits data of the optimal recommended route selected by the optimal recommended route selection unit to a navigation device. The vehicle information providing device according to claim 1,
The recommended route calculation means is a recommendation that has already been calculated between the waypoint on the recommended route that has already been calculated and the current location of the vehicle, and between the waypoint and the waypoint on the recommended route that has already been calculated. A vehicle information providing apparatus that calculates a recommended route when a new waypoint is added between a waypoint and a destination on a route. The vehicle information providing apparatus according to claim 2,
The recommended route calculating means further calculates a recommended route when a new waypoint is set as a destination, and the vehicle information providing device. In the vehicle information provision device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Evaluation value calculating means for calculating an evaluation value for determining the optimum recommended route for each of a plurality of recommended routes calculated by the recommended route calculating means,
The vehicle information providing apparatus, wherein the optimum recommended route selecting unit selects the optimum recommended route based on the evaluation value calculated by the evaluation value calculating unit. The vehicle information providing device according to claim 4,
The evaluation value calculation means is based on at least one of the required time to the destination of each recommended route, the required distance, the required fee, the importance of the waypoint, and the expected time when passing through the waypoint The vehicle information providing apparatus calculates the evaluation value.   6. A navigation device that receives data of an optimum recommended route transmitted from the vehicle information providing device according to claim 1 and sets the optimum recommended route. Based on the request from the user, the recommended route to the destination via the waypoint desired by the user is calculated, and the calculated recommended route data is transmitted to the navigation device and is set in the navigation device. In the provision system,
When a user receives a request to add a new waypoint (hereinafter referred to as a new waypoint) to the recommended route that has already been calculated, the waypoint, destination, and vehicle on the recommended route that has already been calculated Based on the current location of the recommended route calculating means for calculating a plurality of recommended routes through the new waypoint,
An optimum recommended route selecting means for selecting an optimum recommended route (hereinafter referred to as an optimum recommended route) from a plurality of recommended routes calculated by the recommended route calculating means;
A vehicular information provision system comprising: a transmission unit that transmits data of the optimum recommended route selected by the optimum recommended route selection unit to a navigation device. Based on the request from the user, the recommended route to the destination via the waypoint desired by the user is calculated, and the calculated recommended route data is transmitted to the navigation device and is set in the navigation device. In the providing method,
When a user receives a request to add a new waypoint (hereinafter referred to as a new waypoint) to the recommended route that has already been calculated, the waypoint, destination, and vehicle on the recommended route that has already been calculated Based on your current location, calculate multiple recommended routes through new stops,
Select the optimal recommended route (hereinafter referred to as the optimal recommended route) from the calculated multiple recommended routes,
A vehicle information providing method, comprising: transmitting data of a selected optimum recommended route to a navigation device.

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