JP2008096141A - Navigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation capable of heightening U-turn determination accuracy and enhancing own vehicle position accuracy and its display accuracy. <P>SOLUTION: When a navigation apparatus determines U-turns, the navigation apparatus determines the turning of a self-vehicle as not a U-turn, when the self-vehicle turns to the left in a road 100 in which vehicles travel on the left side and enters a parking lot 102, since the traveling direction matches the turning direction. Accordingly, this prevents a location A2 in the parking lot from matching a location in the road 100 in map matching so as to prevent degradation of accuracy in the succeeding computation of the position of own vehicle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device, and more particularly to a U-turn determination method for determining a U-turn of a vehicle.

  The navigation device detects the vehicle position, draws map data around the vehicle position on the display, displays the vehicle position mark superimposed on the map, and when the vehicle position changes, displays a map accordingly. It has a function of scrolling and guiding a road map. Further, the optimum route to the destination is searched, the searched route is displayed on the display, and the arrival time to the destination by the searched route is also displayed.

  As navigation devices, a self-contained navigation method for calculating the vehicle position from a distance sensor and a direction sensor mounted on the vehicle and a method for calculating the vehicle position by GPS positioning using a satellite have been put into practical use. A distance sensor for self-contained navigation uses, for example, a vehicle speed pulse, and the vehicle speed pulse outputs a pulse signal every time the vehicle travels a certain distance. In addition, for example, a gyroscope is used as the direction sensor. The calculation or update of the vehicle position by the self-contained navigation is calculated by combining the movement distance obtained by the distance sensor and the movement direction vector obtained by the direction sensor.

  In the self-contained navigation, the vehicle position can be calculated with a relatively simple configuration, but since it is a relative position detection, it is difficult to perform highly accurate position measurement. That is, as the vehicle travels, errors accumulate and the accuracy of the vehicle position deteriorates.

  On the other hand, GPS positioning measures the distance of a plurality of GPS satellites orbiting the earth and calculates the vehicle position based on the principle of triangulation. 3D positioning (longitude, latitude, altitude) using 4 satellites for one position measurement, and 2D measuring 2D position (longitude, latitude) using 3 satellites There is positioning. GPS positioning can measure the absolute position, but the positioning accuracy deteriorates when the positioning environment deteriorates.

  Therefore, in order to compensate for the respective shortcomings of self-contained navigation and GPS positioning, conventional navigation devices have mainly used a hybrid system that combines self-contained navigation and GPS positioning.

  However, the estimated vehicle position calculated using both self-contained navigation and GPS positioning also includes errors, especially during U-turns where the vehicle turns within a short time and within a short distance. It may not match the position you are traveling. In such a case, a map matching process for matching the estimated vehicle position with a road in the map database is performed to reduce an error included in the estimated vehicle position.

  As a technique related to U-turn detection, for example, Patent Document 1 calculates a turning angle from a turning start position of a vehicle to the position of the current vehicle, and calculates an average curvature in a turning portion. If the turning angle is within the set angle range and the average curvature is smaller than the set curvature, it is determined that a U-turn has been made.

JP 2006-30116 A

  However, the U-turn determination of the conventional navigation device has the following problems. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the host vehicle may turn to the left while traveling on a left-handed road 100 and enter a parking lot 102 along the left side of the road 100. If the travel locus at this time is T, the travel locus T turns left from the A1 point with the curvature R and reaches the A2 point. If the curvature R is equal to or less than the set curvature, the travel locus T is turned into the U-turn. It will be judged. If it is determined to be a U-turn, the vehicle position is map-matched to the road 100 and attracted to the point A3 even though the vehicle position is at the A2 point in the parking lot 102. Since the point A3 includes a large error due to a mismatch, the subsequent vehicle position accuracy may be deteriorated, and an incorrect map matching may be caused. For example, even though the vehicle has moved from the point A2 in the parking lot 102 to the road 104 by the actual travel route T1, the vehicle position on the navigation device is displayed on the display route T2 from the point A3 (indicated by a broken line). Furthermore, mismatching occurs as if turning left at the intersection and traveling on the road 106.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems described above, and to provide a navigation device that improves the U-turn determination accuracy and improves the vehicle position accuracy and its display accuracy.

  A navigation device according to the present invention is a navigation device having a function of displaying a road map around a host vehicle position, and includes a host vehicle position detection unit that detects the host vehicle position, and a detection result of the host vehicle position detection unit. And a U-turn determination means for determining whether or not the vehicle has made a U-turn on the road on which the vehicle is traveling. The means determines that the U-turn of the own vehicle is possible only when the traveling direction of the road and the turning direction of the own vehicle are different based on the lane information.

  Preferably, the U-turn determination means is only when the turning direction of the own vehicle is the right side when the road traveling direction is the left side, and when the driving direction of the road is the right side, Only when the vehicle is on the left, it is determined that a U-turn of the vehicle is possible. In addition, the U-turn determination means is configured such that when the road traveling direction is the left side and the turning direction of the own vehicle is the left side, and when the road traveling direction is the right side and the turning direction of the own vehicle is the right side, It is determined that no U-turn has been made. More preferably, the U-turn determination means compares the width curvature radius calculated based on the width included in the lane information with the turning curvature radius when the host vehicle turns when it is determined that the U-turn is possible. When the turning curvature radius is smaller than the width curvature radius, it is determined that the vehicle has made a U-turn.

  Preferably, the navigation device further includes display control means for displaying the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection means on a road map when the U-turn determination means determines that the vehicle has not made a U-turn. . Further, when the U-turn determining means determines that the U-turn has been made, the display control means displays the vehicle position detected by the own-vehicle position detecting means on the U-turned road by map matching.

  The U-turn determination method according to the present invention includes a step of detecting a vehicle position, a step of extracting lane information of a road on which the vehicle is traveling based on the detected vehicle position, and the vehicle turned. When the turning direction coincides with the traveling direction of the road obtained from the lane information, it is determined that the turning is not a U-turn, and when the turning direction is different from the traveling direction of the road, Turning comprises determining a U-turn. Preferably, the certain condition includes that the turning radius of curvature when the host vehicle turns is smaller than the width curvature radius calculated based on the width of the road included in the lane information.

  Furthermore, when the vehicle position display method according to the present invention is determined not to be a U turn by the U turn determination method, the detected vehicle position is displayed on a road map and determined to be a U turn. The map includes a step of displaying the detected vehicle position by map matching with the U-turned road.

  According to the present invention, it is determined that the U-turn of the own vehicle is possible only when the traveling direction of the road and the turning direction of the own vehicle are different, and the U-turn is performed when the traveling direction of the road and the turning direction of the own vehicle coincide. Since it is determined that the vehicle has not been detected, the U-turn determination accuracy of the host vehicle is improved, thereby improving the accuracy of the host vehicle position and the host vehicle position display.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle electronic device 10 includes a sensor unit 12 that is installed in each part of the host vehicle to detect the state of the vehicle, a bus communication control unit 14 that is connected to the sensor unit 12 via an external bus 13, and a bus communication control unit 14. And a navigation device 16 connected via an internal bus 15. In addition to the navigation device 16, the internal bus 15 is connected to an instrument display unit 17 incorporated in the front panel of the vehicle, an alarm unit 18 for notifying various alarms, an engine control unit (ECU) 19, and the like.

  The sensor unit 12 is a distance sensor that outputs a pulse signal each time the host vehicle travels a certain distance, a gyro sensor that detects the direction of the host vehicle, a sensor that detects an operation angle of the steering wheel, and a speed corresponding to the engine speed. It includes a rotation sensor that outputs a pulse signal, a parking sensor that indicates an on / off state of the parking brake, and the like. Various signals from the sensor unit 12 are supplied to the bus communication control unit 14. The bus communication control unit 14 includes travel distance information from the distance sensor, direction information from the gyro sensor, steering angle information from the steering wheel angle sensor, and the like. Is supplied to each unit such as the navigation device 16. The navigation device 16 calculates the position of the vehicle by self-contained navigation based on the travel distance information and direction information, and further makes a U-turn determination of the vehicle based on the steering angle information and the like.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the navigation device 16. As shown in the figure, the navigation device 16 is connected to an internal bus 15 via a bus interface 20, a GPS receiver 22 that receives radio waves from GPS satellites and measures the current position and current direction of the vehicle, and an antenna 24. VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) / FM multiplex receiver 26 for receiving current road traffic information outside the vehicle, an operation panel 32, a user input interface 30 including a voice input unit 34 and a remote control operation unit 36, a large-capacity hard disk Storage device 40, data communication control unit 42 that enables wireless or wired data communication, audio output unit 50 that outputs sound from speaker 52, display control unit 60 that displays an image on display 62, and a program Program memory 70, data memory for temporarily storing data It contains Li 80 and control unit 90.

  The storage device 40 stores a program and a database for executing various navigation functions. The database includes map data, facility data, and the like, and the map data includes road (link) data and intersection data related to roads. Link data is data related to roads connecting intersections, node data indicating the longitude and latitude of the starting point and ending point of the road, data indicating the type of road (national road, ordinary road, prefectural road, etc.), and road direction of the road It includes data such as (for example, left-side travel or right-side travel), width, regulations (for example, one-way), and the number of lanes.

  The program memory 70 loads a program stored in the storage device 40. For example, the vehicle position calculation program 72 for calculating the vehicle position based on the self-contained navigation based on the travel distance information and the direction information from the sensor unit 12 and the vehicle position based on the positioning result of the GPS receiver 22, U-turn when the vehicle turns based on the steering map information, the program 74 that maps the vehicle position on the road (link) of the map data, the route search program 76 that searches for the optimum route (optimum route) to the destination A U-turn determination program 78 or the like for determining whether or not it has been stored is stored. The control unit 90 controls the operation of each unit according to these programs.

  The data memory 80 temporarily stores travel distance information 82, azimuth information 84, steering angle information 86 obtained from the bus communication control unit 14, link information 88 read from the storage device 40, and the like.

  Next, the U-turn determination of the navigation device according to the present embodiment will be described. The U-turn determination operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, when traveling of the host vehicle is started (step S101), the control unit 90 detects the host vehicle position by self-contained navigation and / or GPS positioning (step S102). In accordance with the detected vehicle position, the control unit 90 reads map data from the storage device 40 and displays a road map around the vehicle position on the display 62. Further, the control unit 90 reads out the link information on which the host vehicle is traveling, and extracts the lane information of the road (step S103). The lane information here is the traveling direction and width of the road. The traveling direction of the road varies depending on the country or region. For example, the traveling direction on the left side is in Japan and the United Kingdom, and the traveling direction is on the right side in the United States. In addition, you may make it identify the information regarding the driving | running | working direction of a road from a country of use besides extracting from link information.

  Next, the control unit 90 sets a U-turn determination condition according to the extracted lane information (step S104). In the U-turn determination of the present embodiment, the movement in the turning direction that coincides with the traveling direction of the road is determined not to be a U-turn, and the movement in the turning direction different from the traveling direction of the road is U-turned under a certain condition. judge. The certain condition includes that the turning curvature radius when the host vehicle turns is smaller than the width curvature radius calculated based on the width. For example, the width curvature radius is a value half of the width. Accordingly, the control unit 90 selects either “left-side travel” or “right-side travel” based on the extracted lane information, and sets the width of the road. Since the width is constantly changed as the host vehicle travels, the width curvature radius is always changed accordingly. Instead of setting the width value, the width curvature radius is divided into several widths (for example, large width, medium width, small width), and the desired width is selected from among them. You may make it select.

  When the host vehicle makes a left or right turn or U-turn, the control unit 90 detects the turning of the host vehicle from the steering angle information and the direction information (step S105). When the turning is detected, the control unit 90 next determines the direction of the turning (step S106). That is, it is determined whether the turn of the host vehicle is a left turn or a right turn.

  Next, the control unit 90 determines whether or not the turning direction matches the traveling direction set in the U-turn determination condition (step S107). When it determines with matching, the control part 90 determines with the said turning not being a U turn (step S108). That is, if the vehicle turns left when the road is running on the left side, it is determined that the turn is not a U-turn. Similarly, if the vehicle turns right when the road is running on the right side, it is determined that the turn is not a U-turn.

  If it is determined that the turn of the vehicle is not a U-turn, the vehicle position is not matched with the road data map (step S109), and the vehicle position calculated by self-contained navigation and / or GPS positioning is displayed on the road map. indicate.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the turning direction and the traveling direction do not match (step S107), the control unit 90 determines whether or not the turning curvature radius of the host vehicle is equal to or less than the width curvature radius (step S110). When it is determined that the radius of curvature is equal to or less than the width curvature radius, the control unit 90 determines that the turn of the vehicle is a U-turn (step S111), and maps the vehicle position to the road data currently being traveled (step S112). In addition, the vehicle position mark is changed to the direction of traveling in the opposite direction to that before turning. When it is determined that the turning curvature radius of the own vehicle is larger than the width curvature radius, it is determined that the turning is not a U-turn.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the own vehicle position when the U-turn determination according to the present embodiment is performed. It is assumed that the host vehicle travels on the road 100 on the left side, turns left from there, and enters the parking lot 102. In this case, since the turning direction of the host vehicle matches the traveling direction, the navigation device determines that the turn is not U-turned. As a result, even if the own vehicle follows a route such as the trajectory T from the A1 point and moves to the A2 point, the vehicle position is not map-matched from the point A2 to the point A3 on the road. Thereafter, when the host vehicle travels along the actual travel route T1, the point A2 does not include an error due to map matching. Therefore, the display route is determined by self-contained navigation and / or GPS positioning along the actual travel route T1. T3 is calculated and displayed on the display. Thereby, the accuracy by the U-turn determination is increased as compared with the conventional case, and the display accuracy of the vehicle position is improved.

  In addition, although the process which does not perform map matching at the time of U-turn determination is included, map matching is restarted after progress for a fixed period or when the own vehicle travels a fixed distance.

  In the above embodiment, the radius of curvature when the host vehicle turns is used as the U-turn determination condition. In addition to this, the traveling speed of the host vehicle, the presence / absence of an intersection, and the restriction information included in the link information ( U-turn prohibition) can also be used as a judgment material. Furthermore, although the example which carries out left side driving | running was shown in the said Example, the same U-turn determination can be performed also when driving | running on the right side.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments according to the present invention, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. Deformation / change is possible.

  The navigation device according to the present invention is particularly used in an in-vehicle electronic device including a navigation function.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle electronic device which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation apparatus which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the U-turn determination operation | movement in a present Example. It is a figure explaining the example of a display of the own vehicle position by the U-turn determination operation | movement of a present Example. It is a figure explaining the conventional U-turn determination operation | movement and its example of a display.

Explanation of symbols

10: Electronic device for vehicle 12: Sensor unit 13: External bus 14: Bus communication control unit 15: Internal bus 16: Navigation device 17: Instrument display unit 18: Alarm unit 19: Engine control unit (ECU) 20: Bus interface 22 : GPS receiver 24: Audio output unit 26: VICS / FM multiplex receiver 30: Input unit 32: Operation panel 34: Audio input unit 36: Remote control 40: Storage device 42: Communication control unit 50: Audio output unit 52: Speaker 60 : Display control unit 62: Display 70: Program memory 80: Data memory 100, 104, 106: Road 102: Parking lot T: Traveling track T1: Actual travel route T2: Conventional display route T3: Display of this embodiment Route

Claims (9)

A navigation device having a function of displaying a road map around the vehicle position,
Own vehicle position detecting means for detecting the own vehicle position;
Extraction means for extracting lane information of the road on which the vehicle is traveling based on the detection result of the vehicle position detection means;
U-turn determination means for determining whether the vehicle has made a U-turn on the road that is running,
The navigation device, wherein the U-turn determination means determines that the U-turn of the own vehicle is possible only when the traveling direction of the road and the turning direction of the own vehicle are different based on the lane information. The U-turn determination means is provided only when the turning direction of the vehicle is the right side when the road traveling direction is the left side, and when the driving direction of the road is the right side, the turning direction of the vehicle is the left side. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein only when the vehicle is determined to be capable of making a U-turn. The U-turn determination means is configured such that when the road traveling direction is on the left side and the turning direction of the own vehicle is on the left side, and when the road traveling direction is on the right side and the turning direction of the own vehicle is on the right side, The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device is determined not to turn. The U-turn determination means is a case where it is determined that a U-turn of the host vehicle is possible, and further, the width curvature radius calculated based on the width included in the lane information and the turn when the host vehicle turns The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the navigation device compares the radius of curvature and determines that the vehicle has made a U-turn when the turning radius of curvature is smaller than the width radius of curvature. The navigation device further includes display control means for displaying the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection means on a road map when the U-turn determination means determines that the vehicle is not making a U-turn. The navigation device according to 1. The display control means, when it is determined by the U-turn determination means that a U-turn has been made, displays the vehicle position detected by the own-vehicle position detection means by map matching on a U-turned road. Item 6. The navigation device according to Item 5. A U-turn determination method in a navigation device,
Detecting the vehicle position;
Extracting lane information of the road on which the vehicle is traveling based on the detected vehicle position;
When the vehicle turns, when the turning direction matches the traveling direction of the road obtained from the lane information, it is determined that the turning is not a U-turn, and when the turning direction is different from the traveling direction of the road, And a step of determining that the turn is a U-turn under certain conditions. The U-turn determination method according to claim 7, wherein the certain condition includes that a turning curvature radius when the host vehicle turns is smaller than a width curvature radius calculated by a width of a road included in the lane information. When it is determined by the U-turn determination method according to claim 7 or 8 that it is not a U-turn, the detected vehicle position is displayed on a road map, and when it is determined that it is a U-turn, it is detected. The vehicle position display method in a navigation apparatus including the step of performing map matching and displaying the determined vehicle position on a U-turned road.

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