JP5736215B2 - Pedestrian navigation device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a navigation device for pedestrians capable of performing route guidance with high accuracy in a place where current position measurement using GPS (Global Positioning System) such as an underground shopping street cannot be performed.

  In areas where GPS has been developed and radio waves can be received from positioning satellites, it is possible to measure one's position anywhere on the earth, and navigation devices using this GPS are widely used.

  However, GPS positioning cannot be performed in an underground mall or the like because radio waves transmitted from GPS satellites do not reach. Therefore, instead of GPS positioning, a technique for estimating an approximate position by measuring a movement distance from a reference point whose position is known is known.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, a route search is performed by setting a destination with an entrance of an underground shopping street as a starting point, and a user's movement is detected by an acceleration sensor or a pedometer when guiding the recommended route that has been searched. Describes a navigation device that measures the user's travel distance and estimates the position advanced on the recommended route from the starting point by the measured travel distance as the current position of the user for route guidance.

  However, in this navigation device, since the movement distance of one count of the pedometer is fixed (for example, 80 cm which is a general person's stride), if it does not match the user's stride, an error on the route as it progresses Will be accumulated.

  In addition, users do not always walk straight on the recommended route, especially in underground shopping streets, avoiding other pedestrians and stopping at the store, etc. .

  Therefore, in a navigation apparatus that performs route guidance by estimating the user's position on the recommended route, there may be a case in which high-precision route guidance cannot be performed as a result of a deviation between the estimated position and the actual position.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-3251

  The present invention has been made in order to solve such problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to estimate the position and actual position in a navigation device that performs route guidance by estimating the position of the user on the recommended route. It is to enable highly accurate route guidance by correcting the deviation from the position.

In the navigation device for pedestrians of the present invention, the position confirmation point set at a predetermined distance from the reference point on the route and the measured movement distance based on the user walking from the reference point have reached the predetermined distance. A navigation device for a pedestrian having a function of correcting the position shift at the position check point when there is a position shift due to a user's delay in progress between the estimated current position of the user and the user When the estimated current position reaches a distance from the reference point to the position confirmation point, means for obtaining an answer as to whether the position confirmation point can be confirmed or not, and the user's answer cannot be confirmed it on condition, to the user, an input request means for requesting to enter the arrival information when reaching the position check point, the arrival information Based on the detection of the estimated position correcting means for correcting the estimated current position on the localization point, a pedestrian navigation device having a.

  According to the present invention, in a navigation device that performs route guidance by estimating the position of a user on a recommended route, highly accurate route guidance is performed by correcting a deviation between the estimated position and the actual position. be able to.

It is a figure which shows the system configuration | structure of the navigation apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows schematic operation | movement of the navigation apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of the route guidance process in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of the guidance process in the underground shopping area mode in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of the estimation present position correction process in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
<System configuration of navigation device>
FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of a navigation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The navigation device of the present embodiment includes a navigation server 10 and a mobile terminal device 20 that can communicate via a network 1 such as the Internet. The mobile terminal device 20 is connected to the network 1 via the base station 2.

  The mobile terminal device 20 includes a control unit 21, a position measurement unit 22, an operation unit 23, a display unit 24, an audio output unit 25, a communication unit 26, and a storage unit 27 that are connected to the control unit 21.

  The control unit 21 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory) (not shown), and the CPU stores the programs stored in the ROM and the storage unit 27. As a function realized by executing as a work area, a search request unit 28 and a route guide unit 29 are provided. More specifically, the route guidance unit 29 includes a position estimation unit 29a and an estimated position correction unit 29b.

  The position measurement unit 22 includes a GPS receiver 22a and a movement sensor 22b. The GPS receiver 22a measures the reception point, that is, the current position (latitude, longitude) of the mobile terminal device 20 by receiving and calculating radio waves transmitted from a plurality of GPS satellites, and generates current position information. To do. The movement sensor 22b includes an acceleration sensor and a pedometer, detects movement of the body such as a walking state of the user of the mobile terminal device 20, and generates movement distance information.

  The operation unit 23 is a means for inputting various commands when the user uses the mobile terminal device 20, and includes a touch panel on the screen of the display unit 24, buttons on a device housing (not shown), or a combination thereof. Become. The display unit 24 includes a display such as liquid crystal or organic EL (Electroluminescence), and displays a map, a recommended route, and the like transmitted from the navigation server 10. The voice output unit 25 includes a speaker and outputs a voice message related to route guidance.

  The communication unit 26 is means for communicating with the navigation server 10 via the network 1. The storage unit 27 includes a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory, and can store map data downloaded from the navigation server 10, route guidance history information, various fixed information registered by the user, and the like.

  The search request unit 28 generates a route search request signal for transmission to the navigation server 10. This route search request signal includes position information including departure point information and destination information. The departure point information and the destination information are input from the operation unit 23 by the user. However, when the reception state of the GPS receiver 22a is good, the current position information generated by the GPS receiver 22a can be used as the departure point information.

  The route guidance means 29 performs route guidance using the map data and recommended route data provided from the navigation server 10 in response to the route search request signal. More specifically, display image data in which the recommended route is superimposed on the map image is generated from the map data and the recommended route data transmitted from the navigation server 10 and sent to the display unit 24.

  The position estimation unit 29a estimates the current position of the mobile terminal device 20 based on the output of the movement sensor 22b. That is, the movement sensor 22b is a point on the recommended route whose position is accurately known, such as an underground city where radio waves from GPS satellites cannot be received, for example, the nearest point where the reception state of the GPS receiver 22a is good. Since the measurement of the movement distance is started using the point input by the user from the operation unit 23 as the reference point, the position estimation unit 29a has moved the movement distance measured by the movement sensor 22b from the position of the reference point on the recommended route. Is the current position.

  The estimated position correcting means 29b is based on the current position estimated by the position estimating means 29a using the output of the movement sensor 22b (hereinafter referred to as "estimated current position") from the actual current position. The deviation is corrected for each position confirmation point on the predetermined recommended route.

  Here, the position confirmation point is a position facing a predetermined facility (POI) on the recommended route. As for the facility, any facility on the recommended route in the underground shopping street can be selected from the passage network data and the facility data indicating the location where the facility exists. For example, it is preferable to select a relatively easy-to-understand facility such as a store such as a convenience store or a monument that exists on the side (right side, left side) on the recommended route of the underground shopping street. In addition, the facility in the present embodiment may be a noticeable signboard or a meeting place (for example, an underground plaza). When the estimated current position on the recommended route reaches the position confirmation point, in other words, when the estimated current position reaches a position facing a predetermined facility, a confirmation message for confirming the presence of the facility is displayed to the user. The estimated current position is corrected based on the answer displayed on the display unit 24 and input by the user from the operation unit 23. Details of the correction processing will be described later.

  The navigation server 10 includes a control unit 11, a communication unit 12 connected to the control unit 11, a map DB (database) 13, and a route DB 14. The communication unit 12 is means for communicating with the mobile terminal device 20 via the network 1. The control unit 11 includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (not shown), and functions that are realized when the CPU executes a program stored in the ROM using the RAM as a work area. Search means 16 and transmission data generation means 17 are provided.

  The map DB 13 stores map data for displaying a map image on the display unit 24 of the mobile terminal device 20. The map data is constructed by using latitude and longitude, and includes graphic data such as roads, rivers, buildings, and underground street entrances. In addition, there is underground map data in the place where the underground shopping center exists, and the underground shopping map data includes graphic data relating to the underground shopping center and data of facilities such as various stores existing in the underground shopping center.

  The route DB 14 stores road network data existing in an area corresponding to the map image represented by the map data. The road network data includes node information representing road nodes (intersections), link information representing links between nodes, and link cost information.

  The map search means 15 of the control unit 11 maps the map data from the starting point to the destination based on the starting point information and the destination information included in the route search request signal transmitted from the mobile terminal device 20. Search from DB13. The route search unit 16 searches the route DB 14 for node information and link information of a recommended route from the departure point to the destination based on the departure point information and the destination information included in the route search request signal.

  The transmission data generation unit 17 generates transmission data to be transmitted to the mobile terminal device 20 from the map data searched by the map search unit 15 and the recommended route data searched by the route search unit 16. Here, the transmission data is a part of a predetermined range near the departure point of the mobile terminal device 20 among the map data searched by the map search unit 15 and the recommended route data searched by the route search unit 16. This transmission data is updated to map data in a certain range in the moving direction and recommended route data in response to a transmission request accompanying the movement of the mobile terminal device 20.

<Operation of navigation device>
The operation of the navigation device having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a schematic operation of the navigation apparatus. In this flowchart, the processing of the mobile terminal device 20 starts when an application for receiving a navigation service provided by the navigation server 10 is launched. Further, the processing of the navigation server 10 starts in response to reception of a route search request signal transmitted from the mobile terminal device 20.

As shown in the figure, in the mobile terminal device 20, a departure point and a destination for a route search request are input (step S1). That is, an input screen for the departure point and destination is displayed on the display unit 24, and the departure point and destination input by the user from the operation unit 23 are written into the RAM in the control unit 21 as departure point information and destination information. Here, when the reception state of the GPS receiver 22a is good and the GPS receiver 22a generates the current position information, it can be used as the departure place information. On the other hand, when the GPS receiver 22a cannot receive the signal, such as when in an underground shopping street, the user needs to input the departure place. If you are in an underground mall, enter that you are in an underground mall. Thereby, the underground shopping area flag is set in the RAM in the control unit 21.
Note that a positioning method other than GPS may be employed. For example, there is a method of acquiring position information from a base station installed at a predetermined location.

  Next, the search request means 28 reads the position information (departure point information and destination information) held in the RAM, generates a route search request signal including them, and causes the communication unit 26 to transmit it to the navigation server 10 ( Step S2).

  In the navigation server 10, the route search request signal transmitted from the mobile terminal device 20 is received by the communication unit 12 and sent to the control unit 11, whereby the route search process (step S <b> 11) starts.

  In this route search processing, the map search means 15 searches the map DB 13 for map data including the range from the departure point to the destination based on the departure point information and destination information included in the route search request signal. To do. In this route search process, the route search means 16 searches for a recommended route from the departure point to the destination based on the departure point information and the destination information included in the route search request signal.

  When the route search processing is completed, the transmission data generation means 17 is based on the map data searched by the map search means 15 and the recommended route data searched by the route search means 16, near the departure point of the mobile terminal device 20. Transmission data including map data and recommended route data in a predetermined range is generated and transmitted to the mobile terminal device 20 by the communication unit 12 (step S12). Here, when there is an underground mall, map data and recommended route data of the underground mall are transmitted together with the map data and recommended route data on the ground.

  In the mobile terminal device 20, when the map data and the recommended route data are received by the communication unit 26 and sent to the control unit 21 (step S3), the route guidance unit 29 performs route guidance processing (step S4).

<Route guidance processing>
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing details of the route guidance process. When the route guidance process is started, a map and a recommended route are displayed on the display unit 24. When the GPS receiver 22a generates current position information, the current position information is generated, and the GPS receiver 22a generates current position information. Instead, when the position estimation unit 29a generates estimated current position information, the estimated current position is displayed. Thereby, the estimated present position displayed with a user's walk is updated (step S21).

  Next, the route guidance unit 29 determines whether or not the underground shopping center has been reached (step S22). For example, since the reception state of the GPS receiver 22a is good in the previous determination, the current position based on the current position information generated by the GPS receiver 22a is the ground at a predetermined distance (for example, 20 m) from the entrance to the underground shopping area, In this judgment, if the GPS receiver 22a cannot receive or the radio wave intensity is below a certain reference value, an underground shopping center (actually, the stairs at the entrance of the underground shopping center, which is a conversion point from the ground to the underground, escalator) , Elevator, etc.).

  If it is determined that the underground city has been reached (step S22: Yes), the route guidance unit 29 sets the reference point, which is the point where the movement distance measurement by the movement sensor 22b is started, in the RAM, and the underground city mode flag in the RAM. Set (step S23), the process proceeds to step S24. If it is determined that the underground city has not been reached (step S22: No), the process directly proceeds to step S24.

  In step S24, it is determined whether or not it is an underground shopping mall mode, in other words, whether or not an underground shopping mall mode flag is set. As a result of the determination, if the underground mode is selected (step S24: Yes), guidance in the underground mode is performed (step S25). If the underground mode is not selected (step S24: No), guidance in the ground mode is performed. This is performed (step S26). Steps S21 to S25 or S26 are repeated until the destination is reached (step S27: Yes).

<Guide in underground shopping mall mode>
The guidance in the ground mode (step S26) in FIG. 3 uses a well-known technique, and thus the description thereof will be omitted. The guidance in the underground mall mode (step S25) will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, the position estimation unit 29a estimates the current position by advancing the movement distance measured by the movement sensor 22b on the recommended route with respect to the reference point previously set in step S23 (step S31). Here, it is assumed that the movement sensor 22b is a pedometer, and advances by a certain distance (for example, 80 cm) for each count, and “count number” × “constant distance” = “movement distance”.

  Next, the route guidance unit 29 determines whether or not the estimated current position has reached the position confirmation point (step S32). When it is determined that the estimated current position has reached the position confirmation point (step S32: Yes), the route guidance unit 29 displays a confirmation message for confirming to the user whether there is a facility facing the position confirmation point. 24 (step S33). A confirmation message by voice from the voice output unit 25 can be used together or substituted. Furthermore, it can also notify by vibration by vibration etc. which are not shown in figure.

  When the user inputs an answer to the confirmation message from the operation unit 23, the route guidance unit 29 determines whether or not the estimated current position matches the actual current position based on the answer (step S34).

  That is, for example, a confirmation message “Can you see a convenience store on the right side?” Is displayed, and an answer is prompted with two choices of “Yes” or “No”. If there is a XX convenience store on the right side of the estimated current location and the XX convenience store can be seen in the actual recommended route (“Yes” is answered), then “Estimated current location and actual current location Are in agreement. On the other hand, when the convenience store is not visible on the actual route (“No” is answered), it is determined that “the estimated current position does not match the actual current position”.

  If the answer is affirmative (visible) (step S34: Yes), the estimated current position matches the actual position (no deviation), so it is determined that correction is unnecessary and is not corrected. However, if the answer is negative (not visible) (step S34: No), since there is a difference between the estimated current position and the actual position, it is determined that correction is necessary, and the estimated current position correction process is performed. (Step S35) is executed.

  This confirmation message is a message that notifies the user that the estimated current position has arrived at the position confirmation point and requests that the arrival information be input when the position confirmation point is reached. The positive answer is the arrival information.

  A flowchart of the estimated current position correction process is shown in FIG. In general, when going through an underground shopping street, it is assumed that it is unlikely that the recommended route will be traveled straight in order to stop at nearby stores or avoid passers-by, and the actual current position is behind the estimated current position. This process is performed on the assumption that there is.

  As shown in the figure, the route guidance means 29 displays a message on the display unit 24 requesting that the “confirmation” button be pressed (input of arrival information) when the position confirmation point is reached (step S41). Next, it is monitored whether or not the “confirm” button has been pressed until a predetermined time has elapsed (steps S42 and S43). When it is determined that the button has been pressed (step S42: Yes), the estimated position correcting means 29b The estimated current position is corrected to a position confirmation point (step S44).

  On the other hand, if the “confirm” button has not been pressed until the predetermined time has elapsed (step S43: Yes), the route guidance unit 29 causes the display unit 24 to display a message indicating that the route is not within the recommended route. (Step S45).

  Here, if it does not deviate from the recommended route as the fixed time, it is set so as to be a time at which it is unlikely that the position confirmation point has not been reached. For example, the time after a certain time has elapsed since the message was displayed in step S41 is the time when about twice the time required to reach the position confirmation point from the time when the user was at the reference point has elapsed. Set a certain time.

  Returning to the description of FIG. When the estimated current position has not reached the position confirmation point (step S32: No), or when the position confirmation point has been reached and the estimated current position matches the actual current position (step S32: Yes → S34: Yes), or if the estimated current position does not match the actual current position and the estimated current position correction process is executed (step S32: Yes → S34: No → S35) It is determined whether or not it has exited (step S36). In the case where GPS positioning is continuously executed during navigation, and it is recognized that the current position is approaching the exit from the underground shopping center and that GPS radio waves can be acquired for a certain period of time. You may make it judge that it came out of an underground mall.

  This determination is based on the reverse of step S22 in FIG. That is, if the GPS receiver 22a cannot receive or the radio wave intensity is below a certain reference value at the time of the previous determination, and the reception state becomes good at the time of the current determination, it is determined that the vehicle has left the underground shopping street.

  And when it is judged that it came out of an underground mall (step S36: Yes), a reference point and an underground mall mode flag are cleared (step S37), and the flow of this figure is complete | finished. On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle is not out of the underground mall (step S36: No), the flow of this figure is finished as it is.

  In the above embodiment, a confirmation message is displayed when the estimated current position reaches the position confirmation point, and when the answer to the confirmation message is negative, it is answered that the position confirmation point has been reached. The message to be requested is displayed, but it is also possible to display only the message requesting to reply that the position confirmation point has been reached without displaying the confirmation message and judging the response content. it can. Further, this message may be displayed before the estimated position reaches the position confirmation point (for example, at the start of route guidance).

Moreover, although the above embodiment applies this invention to the system which consists of a portable terminal device and a navigation server, this invention can also be applied to the stand-alone type navigation apparatus provided with map DB and route DB. it can.
Moreover, although the above-mentioned embodiment demonstrated the underground shopping mall as an example, it is possible to apply this invention also to the large sized facility etc. which cannot acquire positioning information.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Network, 10 ... Navigation server, 11 ... Control part, 12 ... Communication part, 13 ... Map DB, 14 ... Route DB, 15 ... Map search means, 16 ... Route search means, 20 ... Portable terminal device, 21 ... Control , 22 ... Position measuring unit, 22 a ... GPS receiver, 22 b ... Movement sensor, 23 ... Operation unit, 24 ... Display unit, 26 ... Communication unit, 28 ... Search request means, 29 ... Route guidance means, 29 a ... Position estimation Means 29b ... Estimated position correcting means.

Claims (6)

Between the position confirmation point set at a predetermined distance from the reference point on the route and the estimated current position of the user when the measured moving distance based on the user's walk from the reference point reaches the predetermined distance In addition, when there is a position shift due to a user's progress delay, a pedestrian navigation device having a function of correcting the position shift at the position check point,
Means for obtaining an answer as to whether or not the position confirmation point can be confirmed when the estimated current position of the user reaches a distance from the reference point to the position confirmation point;
Input request means for requesting the user to input arrival information when reaching the location confirmation point, on the condition that the user's answer cannot be confirmed ;
A pedestrian navigation device comprising: estimated position correcting means for correcting the estimated current position to the position confirmation point based on detection of the arrival information. In the navigation apparatus for pedestrians described in Claim 1,
A pedestrian navigation device comprising notification means for notifying the user that the estimated current position has reached a distance from the reference point to the position confirmation point . In the navigation apparatus for pedestrians described in Claim 1 or 2,
Comprising position measuring means for measuring the current position of the user;
The pedestrian navigation device, wherein the reference point is a point that has changed from a state in which position measurement by the position measurement unit is possible to an impossible state. In the pedestrian navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The pedestrian navigation device, wherein the position confirmation point is a position facing a predetermined facility on a route . In the navigation apparatus for pedestrians described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4,
A travel time measuring means for measuring the travel time from the reference point, until the time measured by the travel time measuring means reaches a predetermined value, the arrival information based on the input request by the input request means Do is detected If it did, pedestrian navigation device and means for notifying that there is a possibility that the user is out of the route. In the pedestrian navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The navigation device includes a portable terminal device and a pedestrian navigation server that can communicate via a network,
The mobile terminal device, a moving distance measuring means for measuring a search request means for performing a search request route, the moving distance of the user based on the number of steps of the user to walk from the reference point,
And display means for displaying together before Kikei path the estimated current position,
A determination unit that determines whether or not there is a position shift between the position confirmation point and the estimated current position of the user when the measured moving distance of the user reaches the predetermined distance;
The input request means ;
Has a pre-Symbol estimated position correcting means, a
The pedestrian navigation server, in response to said search request, a pedestrian navigation system having a route searching means for performing search for routes.

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