WO2014076861A1

WO2014076861A1 - Destination search device

Info

Publication number: WO2014076861A1
Application number: PCT/JP2013/005604
Authority: WO
Inventors: 藤本　英俊
Original assignee: 株式会社デンソー
Priority date: 2012-11-14
Filing date: 2013-09-23
Publication date: 2014-05-22
Also published as: JP2014098624A

Abstract

In the present invention, a destination search device is provided with: a display unit (20); a destination setting means (40, S1, S11, S11-1) for setting a user set destination, which is a destination that is set on the basis of the user's inputted operation; a separate destination searching means (40, S3-S8) for searching for a separate destination of equivalent value to or greater value than the user setting destination; and a display control means (40, S9) for displaying the separate destination on the display unit. It is therefore possible for the user to find out about waypoints or separate final destinations deemed to be better than the user setting destination.

Description

Destination search device

Cross-reference of related applications

This disclosure is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-250455 filed on November 14, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein.

The present disclosure relates to a destination search apparatus that searches a destination that a user wants to go including a route and displays the searched destination.

A destination search apparatus that searches a destination including a route and displays the searched destination is widely known. A device called a navigation device usually has a function as the destination search device.

As a destination setting method in a navigation device, a method of directly specifying a destination by a name or the like, and a method of narrowing down by a facility genre, a distance, and an area are widely known. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for presenting a route via a detour spot when it is estimated that the vehicle will arrive at the destination with a time margin when heading directly to the destination.

It is not always easy to set a satisfactory destination by the usual destination search method using facility genre, distance, and area. For example, the facility itself is a facility that is attractive to the user, but is a facility that takes a long time because it is far away or the route is congested, and a facility that is less attractive but can be reached in a short time It is not easy to compare them with a normal destination search method. For this reason, when a normal destination search method is used, the destination search is often ended without sufficiently comparing the destinations.

In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, when there is a time margin before the desired arrival time, a detour spot can be presented without a user's search operation. The route that reaches the destination via the detour spot when there is enough time before the desired arrival time is more likely to be a valuable route for the user than to go directly to the destination. The detour spot is a destination on the way. Therefore, there is a high possibility that the detour spot presented in Patent Document 1 is a destination having a higher value than a destination that can be set by the user performing an input operation.

However, the technique of Patent Document 1 can only search for a detour spot under the condition that there is a sufficient time when there is a time margin before the desired arrival time. On the other hand, the user wants to set a higher-value destination not only when there is a margin in the desired arrival time.

JP 2003-139553 A

The present disclosure provides a destination search device that allows a user to know a destination with higher value than a destination that can be set by an input operation by himself / herself, not only when the arrival time at the destination is sufficient The purpose is to do.

In the aspect of the present disclosure, the destination search device includes a display unit, destination setting means for setting a user setting destination which is a destination set based on a user input operation, the user setting destination and the value Is provided with another destination search means for searching for another destination equal to or greater than, and display control means for displaying the different destination on the display section.

According to the above-described apparatus, another destination having a value equal to or greater than the user-set destination set based on the user's input operation is searched, and the other destination is displayed on the display unit. Since another destination is searched by comparing the values, it is possible to search for another destination even when there is a margin in the arrival time at the destination. Therefore, the user can know a destination having a higher value than the user-set destination that can be set by performing an input operation, not only when the arrival time at the destination has a margin.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawing
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation device having a function as a route search device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a destination determination process performed by the navigation ECU at the time of departure, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing in detail the process of step S8 of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of step S9 in FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a destination determination process performed when the navigation ECU detects a traffic jam. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of step S9 in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a navigation device 1 having a function as a destination search device of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle, and includes a storage unit 10, a display unit 20, a GPS receiver 30, a navigation ECU 40, a radio device 50, An input unit 60 is provided.

The storage unit 10 stores road map data. The road map data includes a node indicating a road shape, a link, various costs for each link (distance cost, time cost, etc.), toll road fee, and various information related to facilities (hereinafter, facility information). The facility information includes the facility name, the location of the facility, the entrance fee, the facility genre, the presence / absence of a parking lot, the number of parking spaces, business hours, regular holidays, and the like. The facility genre is classified into a plurality of hierarchical structures such as large-medium-small. For example, eating / drinking as a large classification, a restaurant as a medium classification, and a family restaurant as a small classification are examples of classification according to a hierarchical structure.

The display unit 20 is arranged at a position that is easy for the driver to visually recognize, and a road map, a screen for performing a destination search, and the like are switched and displayed.

The GPS receiver 30 receives a signal transmitted from a GPS artificial satellite, and sequentially determines the coordinates of the current position based on the received signal. The wireless device 50 performs wireless communication with the outside of the vehicle and receives various information. As information to be received, for example, there is traffic jam information. Moreover, the update data of road map data may be received.

The input unit 60 is, for example, a touch panel superimposed on the display surface of the display unit 20 or a mechanical switch disposed around the display unit 20.

The navigation ECU 40 includes a CPU that performs various arithmetic processes, a ROM and flash memory that store programs used for the arithmetic processes, and a RAM that functions as a calculation work area. In addition, an input / output interface for exchanging data with an external device and a bus for connecting them are also provided. As processing executed by the navigation ECU 40, there are data reading processing from the storage unit 10, display processing of the display unit 20, destination determination processing, route guidance processing, and traffic jam information acquisition processing. The traffic jam information acquisition process is a process of communicating with the outside using the wireless device 50 to acquire the current traffic jam condition on the road.

Also, the navigation ECU 40 sequentially acquires the coordinates determined by the GPS receiver 30 to determine the current position of the vehicle. The current position of the vehicle may be determined by using the coordinates determined by the GPS receiver 30 as the current position of the vehicle, or by applying a correction technique such as map matching.

(Processing at departure)
Next, the destination determination process performed by the navigation ECU 40 will be described. FIG. 2 is a process executed at the time of setting a destination for starting route guidance, that is, at the time of departure.

In step S1, the user performs a predetermined input operation for setting a destination from the input unit 60 to set a destination (hereinafter referred to as a user setting destination). Examples of the input operation include facility name input and facility telephone number input. In this case, one facility is directly designated. In addition, an operation for setting the facility genre and an input operation for setting a distance or an area from the departure place are also possible.

In step S2, the route to the user setting destination set in step S1 is searched. The route search method is a well-known method using the cost assigned to each link in the road map data. The link is given a plurality of costs such as a distance cost and a time cost, and the time cost is used when searching for a route that can be reached in the shortest time.

In step S3, it is determined whether or not a transit point is proposed. The user can set whether or not to propose a waypoint. If the setting by the user is not to propose a waypoint, the answer is NO. If the setting is to suggest a waypoint, the answer is YES. Further, it is determined that a waypoint is proposed also when the route calculated in step S2 is a route including a congested road. If the determination in step S3 is NO, the process proceeds to step S6, and if YES, the process proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, the value of the user setting destination set in step S1 is calculated. This value is calculated by the following formula (1).
(Expression 1) Value = Benefit / Cost Benefit indicates the attractiveness of the user-set destination, and is determined by adding numerical values determined for each of a plurality of preset items. Items include facility scale, facility genre, and the presence or absence of parking. However, the item “facility genre” is a numerical value that fluctuates when a value is calculated for another destination described later. In the case of a user-set destination, the item “facility genre” is a specified value. Costs include monetary items such as toll road fees and facility admission fees, but also include non-monetary burdens such as time to reach the destination. What items the cost includes is also set in advance.

In step S5, a waypoint search is performed. The waypoint search also uses the above formula 1 to find a waypoint that is greater than or equal to the value calculated in step S4. The benefit for the waypoint is the total value of the benefit of the waypoint and the benefit of the user setting destination. The cost is a total value of the cost to the transit point, the cost at the transit point, and the cost from the transit point to the user setting destination. The transit point for calculating the value is, for example, a facility such as a cafe, which is generally a short break, and is located in an area determined based on the departure place and the user-set destination.

However, facilities of other genres may be used. For example, when the genre of the user-set destination is shopping, a facility that sells the same type of product as the user-set destination can be used as a transit point candidate. In this case, the user can compare commodities in both the facility that is the transit point and the facility that is the user-set destination by passing through the transit point. When the genre is specified as described above, the item “facility genre” for calculating the benefit is set as the specified value.

Also, the user's preference may be learned, and a genre facility where the user often stops may be used as a transit point candidate. When the user's preference is over a plurality of genres and the degree of user's preference is different among the plurality of genres, the value of the item “facility genre” is varied according to the degree of preference.

In step S6, it is determined whether or not another final destination is proposed. This determination is to determine whether or not the user setting destination set in step S1 can be changed. For example, in the following case, it is determined that the user setting destination cannot be changed. If the user-set destination is a specific hotel, it is highly likely that the user-set destination is reserved, so it is determined that the user-set destination cannot be changed. Also, if the user-set destination is a hospital and it can be determined from the destination setting history or travel history that the user has visited the hospital within a certain period in the past, In this case, it is determined that the user setting destination cannot be changed. Of course, even when the destination is home, it is determined that the user-set destination cannot be changed.

When it is determined that the user-set destination cannot be changed, another final destination is not proposed (S6: NO). In this case, the process proceeds to step S10. If it is determined that the user-set destination can be changed, another final destination is proposed (S6: YES). In this case, the process proceeds to step S7.

In step S7, the value of the user setting destination set in step S1 is calculated. This process is the same as step S4. Therefore, if the value of the user-set destination has been calculated in step S4, step S7 is not executed and the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S8, another final destination having a value equal to or greater than the user-set destination is searched. Details of this processing are shown in FIG.

In step S81, the genre search is performed by limiting the area. This step S81 searches for a destination of the same genre as the user-set destination or a similar genre, limited to an area that can be reached in a shorter time than the user-set destination.

However, since the required time varies depending on the degree of road congestion, complicated calculations are required. Therefore, instead of time, limitation is made in the area. If calculation time is not a problem, facilities may be narrowed down by the required time. In the present embodiment, the area to be limited is a circle whose radius is a distance obtained by adding a predetermined value to the distance of the route searched in step S3 and whose origin is the starting point. Alternatively, a mesh (unit of road map data) determined by the circle may be used as the area here.

Then, search for a destination of the same or similar genre as the user-set destination among the facilities in the limited area. Here, the same genre means that the above-mentioned small classification matches. Similar means that the minor classification does not match but the middle classification matches. Alternatively, it may be similar when the major classifications match. Further, similar genres may be determined for each genre without using the genre hierarchical structure.

Whether the genre to be searched in step S81 is limited to the same genre as the user-set destination or whether a similar genre is included is set in advance. However, the same genre as the user-set destination is selected. However, when the following steps S82 and S83 are executed, if a specified number of different final destinations cannot be determined, the genre is similar to the user-set destination. The target may be expanded.

In step S82, a value is calculated for each facility extracted in step 81 using the above-described equation 1. In that case, first, in order to calculate time which is one of the costs in Formula 1, route calculation is performed for each facility. Route calculation is performed using the cost of time. Further, “facility genre”, which is one of the benefits of the formula 1, is set to the same prescribed value as that of the user setting destination when the genre is the same as the user setting destination. On the other hand, in the case of similar genres, the value is smaller than the specified value. Specific values may be the same as long as they are similar, or may be closer to the same case as the degree of similarity is greater (closer to the same). The degree of similarity is, for example, in the case where it is determined that the classification is similar when the major classifications match, and the user-set destination and the middle classification match the facilities set by the user rather than the facilities that do not match the middle classification. There is a method that is similar to. In addition, a similar genre and a similar degree may be individually set for each genre, and a value of a benefit item “facility genre” corresponding to the similar degree may be determined in advance.

In step S83, the facilities whose values are calculated in step S82 are narrowed down to facilities that are equal to or greater than the user-set destination value. When step S83 is completed, the process returns to FIG. 2, and step S9 is executed.

In step S9, a plurality of destinations and routes to the destinations are simultaneously displayed on the display unit 20. The above destinations include transit points that are intermediate destinations. That is, in step S9, if the waypoint is searched in step S5, the route point to be searched and the route to the user setting destination via the waypoint are also displayed. If another final destination is searched in step S8, the other final destination and the route to that destination are also displayed. In addition to these destinations and routes, various information comparing the routes is also displayed. Information to be displayed includes, for example, the name of another final destination / intermediate location, the estimated arrival time at another final destination / intermediate location / user-set destination, and information on the facility that is the transit location / different final destination (facility Size, service provided, parking availability, etc.).

FIG. 4 is a display example of step S9, where A is the departure place. In the example of FIG. 4, a route r1 directly toward the user setting destination B1, a route r2 toward the user setting destination B1 via the waypoint C, and routes r3, r4 toward another final destination B2, B3, B4, r5 is displayed. In FIG. 4, various information comparing each route is omitted for simplification.

In step S10, it is determined whether or not the destination has been determined. The destination is determined based on a user input operation from the input unit 60. If step S10 is NO, the determination in step S10 is performed again. If YES, the process proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the destination determined in step S10 is set as the destination for route guidance, and route guidance is started. In addition, the user setting destination after step S10 becomes YES points out the destination determined by the user operation in step S10.

(Processing during route guidance)
During route guidance, it is successively confirmed whether or not there is traffic jam ahead of the vehicle in the guidance route. This confirmation is performed by the navigation ECU 40 using the wireless device 50 to acquire traffic jam information from a center outside the vehicle. And when the information that traffic congestion has occurred ahead of the own vehicle in the guidance route is obtained, another destination is searched again.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another destination search process executed when a traffic jam is detected during route guidance. In addition, another destination here also means the waypoint in the middle.

When executing FIG. 5, since the user setting destination has been set and the route to that point has been calculated, there is no processing corresponding to steps S1 and S2 of FIG. 2 in FIG. . Further, in the present embodiment, since there is a setting for searching for a transit point in a traffic jam, there is no processing corresponding to step S3 in FIG.

In FIG. 5, first, step S4-1 is executed. Step S4-1 is a process executed instead of step S4 in FIG. In step S4-1, the value of the user setting destination is recalculated. The value of the user-set destination is also calculated in FIG. 2, but the value of Equation 1 changes depending on the occurrence of traffic congestion. Therefore, the value of the user setting destination is recalculated. In step S4-1, if the departure place is at home, the value of the user-set destination is recalculated including the cost caused by the return route.

After step S4-1 is executed, the waypoint is searched in step S5. Step S5 in FIG. 5 is the same process as step S5 in FIG. However, when the departure point is home and the value of the user-set destination is recalculated including the cost generated by the return route in step S4-1, the cost generated by the return route is also calculated in step S5. The value of the waypoint is also calculated.

In step S6, it is determined whether or not another destination is proposed. This determination is the same as step S6 in FIG. If step S6 is YES, the process proceeds to step S7-1, and if NO, the process proceeds to step S10.

Step S7-1 is a process executed instead of step S7 in FIG. 2, and recalculates the value of the user-set destination. However, as in step S7 in FIG. 2, if the value of the user-set destination is recalculated in step S4-1, the process proceeds to step S8 without executing step S7-1.

In step S8, another destination having a value equal to or higher than the user-set destination is searched. However, as in step S5, when the departure place is home, and the value of the user-set destination is recalculated including the cost caused by the return route in step S4-1, the return is also performed in step S8. Calculate the value of the candidate site for another final destination, including the cost generated by the route.

In step S9, a plurality of destinations and routes to the destinations are simultaneously displayed on the display unit 20. If the return route is also calculated, the route is also displayed. Also, as in the case of FIG. 2, various information comparing the routes is also displayed.

FIG. 6 is a display example of step S9 in FIG. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 70 denotes a current position mark, and it is indicated that a route r1 from the current position mark 70 to the user setting destination B1 has a traffic jam due to a line intersecting the route r1.

In FIG. 6, in addition to the route r1 that goes directly to the user setting destination B1, the route r6 that goes to the user setting destination via the waypoint D and the routes r7 and r8 that go to other destinations B2 and B5 are shown. It is shown. In FIG. 6, each of the routes r1, r6 to r8 is shown including the route to return to the home A.

In step S10, as in step S10 of FIG. 2, it is determined whether the destination has been determined. If step S10 is NO, this step S10 is repeated, and if YES, the process proceeds to step S11-1. In step S11-1, the destination is reset and route guidance to the destination is started. In addition, until step S10 becomes YES, the route guidance by the route until then is continued.

As described above, according to the present embodiment described above, a waypoint having a value equal to or greater than the user-set destination and another final destination are searched (S3-S8 in FIG. 2, S4-1 to S8 in FIG. 5), and these are searched. A waypoint and another final destination are displayed on the display unit 20 (S9). Since another destination is searched by comparing the values, it is possible to search for another destination even when there is a margin in the arrival time at the destination. Therefore, not only when the arrival time at the destination is sufficient, but the user may determine that the user is better than the user-set destination that can be set by performing an input operation. You can know the route to the set destination and the final destination.

For example, this embodiment is useful when a user frequently goes to a certain facility but wants to go to another facility in the same genre or a similar genre this time. In other words, in this embodiment, if a frequently-used facility is set as a destination for the time being, the genre is the same as or similar to a frequently-used facility, and the value considering the time required and the attractiveness of the facility is equal to or better than the frequently-used facility. The facilities are automatically displayed. Therefore, even if the user does not perform a troublesome search, the user has the same value as a frequently-used facility, but can set a facility that has not been known so far as a destination.

The above value will decrease if the attractiveness of the facility itself is low, but will increase if the required time is short. Therefore, there is a large facility that goes a little far away, but even if there is not enough time to go there, if you set that large facility as the destination, it will not be as large as that facility, A nearby facility is automatically proposed.

Also, in this embodiment, when it is determined that there is a traffic jam, the value of the user-set destination is recalculated, and a transit point or another final destination that is equal to or greater than the value is automatically displayed. Therefore, in a situation where the route to the user setting destination is congested, the user can know a better waypoint to go directly to the user setting destination or another final destination that is better than the user setting destination. .

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the departure place is home, the value including the cost of the return route is calculated. Therefore, even when a traffic jam occurs and the time is later than planned, it is possible to know the destination and route that can return to the home without delay.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, The following embodiment is also contained in the technical scope of this invention, and also the summary other than the following is also included. Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope.

(Modification 1)
In the above-described embodiment, both the waypoint and another final destination are searched, but only one of them may be searched.

(Modification 2)
In the above-described embodiment, both the stopover point and another final destination are displayed together with the user-set destination. First, the stopover point is displayed together with the user-set destination, and then the user's requested operation Thus, another final destination may be displayed. On the other hand, first, another final destination may be displayed together with the user-set destination, and then the waypoint may be displayed by a user's requested operation.

Although the present disclosure has been described based on the embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and structures. The present disclosure includes various modifications and modifications within the equivalent range. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms including only one element, more or less, are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

Claims

A display (20);
Destination setting means (40, S1, S11, S11-1) for setting a user setting destination which is a destination set based on a user input operation;
Another destination search means (40, S3-S8) for searching for another destination having a value equal to or greater than the user-set destination;
A destination search device comprising display control means (40, S9) for displaying the different destination on the display unit.
The different destination search means searches for the different destination based on determining that there is traffic on the route in a state where the route to the destination is set.
The destination search apparatus according to claim 1.
A route guide unit (40) configured to be detachable and performing route guidance to a set destination is further provided,
The different destination search means searches for the different destination based on the fact that the destination setting means has set the user-set destination when the destination is set for the route guidance unit to start route guidance. To
The destination search device according to claim 1 or 2.
The different destination search means searches for at least one of an intermediate waypoint and a final different final destination different from the user-set destination as the different destination,
The destination search apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
When it is determined that the user-set destination is a final destination that cannot be changed, the different destination search means searches for an intermediate route as the different destination, and Does not search for a different final destination,
The destination search apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The different destination search means determines the value of the different destination based on the charm of the different destination and the cost required to reach and stay at the different destination.
The destination search device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
The different destination search means includes:
Search for waypoints along the way,
Determining the value of the transit point based on the cost required to reach and stay at the transit point and the cost from the transit point to the user-set destination;
The destination search device according to claim 6.
The different destination search means includes:
When searching for another final destination, which is a final destination different from the user-set destination, when starting from home and going to the user-set destination, the value of the other final destination is , Based on the sum of the cost required to reach and stay at another final destination and the cost to return home from that final destination,
The destination search apparatus according to claim 6 or 7.
The different destination search means determines the attractiveness of the different destination based on the genre similarity with the user-set destination, and the higher the genre similarity is, the higher the attractiveness of the different destination is.
The destination search device according to any one of claims 6 to 8.