JP2000018953A - Vehicle service information acquisition device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the detection accuracy of position information by estimating the position information, based upon service information in the neighborhood of the position information when the position information cannot be detected normally. SOLUTION: When position information from a GPS cannot be detected (S10), service information is being detected (S11, S12) until the position information is detected, and estimated value of the position information is calculated (S14), based upon detected service information and the latest service information stored (proximate service information). Then, estimated position information and detected time and vehicle velocity are stored into a memory device (S15). Meanwhile, when position information can be detected from the GPS (S10), detected position information, time and vehicle velocity are stored in a storage device (S16). Also, then the service information is a first data, estimated value of the position information is calculated, based upon two pieces of service information continuously detected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to vehicle operation information,
For example, a vehicle operation information collection device that collects time information, position information, speed information, and the like, particularly relates to a technique for improving detection accuracy of position information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a system for automatically collecting various kinds of operation information of a vehicle to contribute to operation management and the like has been known (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-68436). In such a system, time information, position information, and the like are mainly collected. As a method of detecting position information, a Global Positioning System (hereinafter referred to as “GP”) is used.
S ”) is used. The GPS calculates a three-dimensional position (latitude, longitude, altitude) of a vehicle based on a time difference between radio waves arriving from a plurality of GPS satellites.

[0003]

However, if there are tall buildings, mountains, tunnels, etc. in the surrounding area, the radio waves are reflected or cut off, so that the radio waves from the GPS satellites cannot be accurately received and an error occurs in the position information. May occur. For this reason, the collected location information cannot be used as it is, and after the operation manager checks the location information,
Various operation management was performed based on the operation information. That is, in the conventional operation information collecting apparatus, there is a problem that the work of checking the position information is required, which leads to an increase in the number of work steps.

In view of the above problems, the present invention estimates the position information based on the operation information before and after the position information cannot be detected. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle operation information collection device that improves the vehicle operation information.

[0005]

Therefore, the invention according to claim 1 comprises a vehicle position detecting means for detecting a vehicle position based on a difference in arrival time of radio waves emitted from a plurality of satellites,
Time detecting means for detecting time, vehicle speed detecting means for detecting vehicle speed, operation information accumulating means for accumulating operation information including at least the vehicle position, time and vehicle speed, and vehicle position normal by the vehicle position detecting means Detection status determination means for determining whether or not the vehicle position has been detected, and when the detection status determination means determines that the vehicle position has been normally detected, the detected vehicle position, time and vehicle speed are stored in the operation information storage means. First accumulation control means for accumulating the vehicle position, vehicle position estimating means for estimating the vehicle position when the detection situation judging means judges that the vehicle position has not been normally detected, and estimating by the vehicle position estimating means. Vehicle location,
And a second accumulation control means for accumulating the detected time and vehicle speed in the operation information accumulation means to constitute an operation information collection device for the vehicle.

With this configuration, when the detection status determination means determines that the vehicle position has been normally detected, the detected vehicle position, time, and vehicle speed are stored in the operation information storage means. On the other hand, when the detection status determination means determines that the vehicle position has not been normally detected,
The vehicle position is estimated by the vehicle position estimating means. Then, the estimated vehicle position and the detected time and vehicle speed are stored in the operation information storage unit.

Therefore, even when the vehicle travels in a situation where the radio waves from the satellite do not arrive normally, the vehicle position is estimated by the vehicle position estimating means. Detection accuracy is improved. According to a second aspect of the present invention, the vehicle position estimating unit determines whether the operation information is stored in the operation information storing unit, and the operation information is not stored by the storage state determining unit. When it is determined that the operation information is accumulated by the first estimating means for estimating the vehicle position based on the two vehicle positions, the time, and the vehicle speed detected after a predetermined time thereafter, and the accumulation status judging means A second estimating means for estimating the vehicle position based on the latest operation information accumulated in the operation information accumulating means and the vehicle position, time and vehicle speed detected again when it is determined that And a configuration including

According to this configuration, when it is determined that the operation information is not stored in the operation information storage means, the vehicle position, the time, and the vehicle speed detected after a predetermined period of time are determined. Is assumed. On the other hand, when it is determined that the operation information is stored in the operation information storage unit, the vehicle information is stored based on the latest operation information stored in the operation information storage unit and the vehicle position, time, and vehicle speed detected again. The position is inferred. That is, when the position information is not normally detected, if it is the first data, the position information is estimated based on the two pieces of operation information detected thereafter, and if not the first data, the position information is accumulated. The position information is estimated based on the latest operation information, the vehicle position detected again, and the like.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the operation information storage means stores the operation information in ascending order using time as a key. According to this configuration, since the operation information is stored in the operation information storage unit in a time-series manner, for example, in a post-process, the trouble of creating an operation daily report or the like based on the accumulated operation information is greatly reduced. You.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. FIG. 1 shows one configuration of a vehicle operation information collection device (hereinafter, referred to as “operation information collection device”) according to the present invention. The operation information collecting device includes a GPS (vehicle position detecting means) 10 and a clock (time detecting means) 1 for detecting time.
2, a speedometer (vehicle speed detecting means) 14 for detecting a vehicle speed,
It includes a control unit 16 and a storage device (operation information storage means) 18. As described above, the GPS 10 detects position information by calculating a vehicle position based on a time difference between radio waves arriving from a plurality of GPS satellites. The control unit 16 includes at least a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory, and controls the operation information collecting device according to a program on the memory. The control unit 16 includes software for detecting state determining means, first storing control means, vehicle position estimating means, second storing control means, storing state determining means, first estimating means, and second estimating means. It is realized by. The storage device 18
For example, it is composed of a removable memory card or the like.
As shown in (1), at least operation information including time information t, position information (x, y), and vehicle speed information v is stored.

Next, the operation information collecting apparatus having the above configuration
The operation of the arrangement is based on the flowcharts of FIGS.
A description will be given below. Step 1 (abbreviated as “S1” in the figure)
You. In the following, the clock 12 sends the time information t_n, GP
From S10, the position information (x_n, Y_n), Car from speedometer 14
Speed information v _nIs detected.

In step 2, it is determined whether the detected time information or the like is the first data, that is, start data. The determination as to whether or not the data is the first data is made, for example, by using the number (FIG.
Reference) and the like. If it is determined that the data is the first data, the process proceeds to step 3 (Ye
s) If it is determined that the data is not the first data, step 10
(No in FIG. 4). Note that the processing in step 2 corresponds to an accumulation status determination unit.

In step 3, it is determined whether or not the position information has been normally detected from the GPS 10, that is, whether or not an error has occurred in the position information. The determination as to whether an error has occurred in the position information may be made by, for example, a function of the GSP 10 (for example, output of an error signal), or the operation information stored in the storage device 18 (particularly, , Position information). If an error has occurred, the process proceeds to step 4 (Yes), and if no error has occurred, the process proceeds to step 9 (N
o). Note that the process of step 3 corresponds to a detection status determination unit.

In step 4, the time information t
_{n + 1}, GPS 10 and location information (x _{n + 1}, Y_{n + 1}), Speed
Speed information v from the degree meter 14_{n + 1}Is detected again. Steps
5, an error occurs in the position information detected from the GPS 10.
It is determined whether or not it is produced. And an error occurs
If yes, return to step 4 (Yes) and an error occurs
If not, proceed to step 6. That is, step 4
And the position information is normally detected by the processing of step 5.
Wait until

In step 6, the time information t
_{n + 2}, GPS 10 and location information (x _{n + 2}, Y_{n + 2}), Speed
Speed information v from the degree meter 14_{n + 2}Is detected again and again. In addition,
The processing in step 6 is performed after the processing in step 4 is performed.
It is desirable to be executed after a fixed time (for example, several seconds) has elapsed.
New In step 7, the estimated value (x_n’, Y
_n’). That is, as shown in FIG.
4 (x_{n + 1}, Y_{n + 1}) To A
Point, the position information (x_{n + 2}, Y
_{n + 2}) Is point B, the estimated value (x_n’, Y
_n′) The barrel C point is calculated as follows. In addition,
Steps 4 to 7 are performed by the vehicle position estimating means.
It corresponds to a part and a first estimating means.

[0016]

(Equation 1)

In step 8, as start data,
The detected time information t _n, inferred location information _{(x n ', y n'} ) to register and detected vehicle speed information v _n in the storage device 18. Registration of operation information is performed in chronological order.
That is, they are registered in ascending order using the time as a key. By doing so, there is no need to rearrange the operation information in a time series in a post-process, and the work efficiency can be improved (the same applies hereinafter). Note that the processing in step 8 corresponds to a second accumulation control unit.

In step 9, as start data,
The detected time information t _n , position information (x _n , y _n ) and vehicle speed information v _n are registered in the storage device 18 in time series. Note that the processing in step 9 corresponds to first accumulation control means. In step 10, it is determined whether or not the position information has been normally detected from the GPS 10, that is, whether or not an error has occurred in the position information. If an error has occurred, the process proceeds to step 11 (Yes), and if no error has occurred, the process proceeds to step 16 (No).

In step 11, time information t _{n + 1} from the clock 12, position information (x _{n + 1} , y _{n + 1} ) from the GPS ₁₀ ,
The vehicle speed information v _{n + 1} is detected again from the speedometer 14. In step 12, it is determined whether an error has occurred in the position information detected from the GPS 10. If an error has occurred, the process returns to step 11 (Yes), and if no error has occurred, the process proceeds to step 13 (No).
In other words, the process waits until the position information is normally detected by the processing of steps 12 and 13.

In step 13, the latest operation information (t _n−1 , x
_n-1 , y _n-1 , v _n-1 ). In step 14, it calculates the estimated value of the position information _{(x n ', y n'} ).
That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the position information (x _n−1 , y _n−1 ) read in step 13 is stored at point A,
The position information (x _{n + 1} , y _{n + 1} ) detected at is point B,
When, estimated value of the position information _{(x n ', y n'} ) serving C
Points are calculated as follows. Step 11
The processing from Step 14 to Step 14 corresponds to a part of the vehicle position estimating means and the second estimating means.

[0021]

(Equation 2)

In step 15, as the n-th data, the detected time information t _n and the estimated position information (x
_n ', y _n') and the detected vehicle speed information v _n to the storage device 18 in time series registered. Note that the processing in step 15 corresponds to a second accumulation control unit. In step 16, the detected time information t _n ,
Position information (x _n, y _n) and the storage device of the vehicle speed information v _n 1
8 in time series. Note that the processing in step 16 corresponds to first accumulation control means.

According to this control, even if the vehicle travels in a situation where the radio waves are not normally transmitted from the GPS satellites, the vehicle position is estimated based on the operation information before and after the vehicle, so that it is stored in the storage device 18. The accuracy of the obtained position information can be improved. In other words, it is possible to avoid a state in which inaccurate position information is accumulated or a state in which position information is not accumulated as in the conventional operation information collection device, and it is possible to accumulate highly reliable operation information. For this reason, it is not necessary to check the position information in a subsequent process, and the number of work steps can be significantly reduced.

The operation information collecting device described above is
This is for collecting operation information that contributes to operation management. However, if such a technical idea is applied to, for example, a navigation system, it is also possible to improve the accuracy of marking a traveling locus.

[0025]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, even when the vehicle travels in a situation where the radio wave from the satellite does not normally arrive, the vehicle position estimating means can be used to determine the vehicle position. Is estimated, the detection accuracy of the position information accumulated in the operation information accumulation means is improved. Therefore, it is not necessary to check the position information in the subsequent process, and the number of work steps can be significantly reduced. Further, the accumulated operation information can be used as it is as operation efficiency study data.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the position information is not normally detected, if it is the first data, the position information is estimated based on two operation information detected thereafter. If it is not the first data, the position information is estimated on the basis of the accumulated latest operation information and the operation information detected again. Therefore, position information can be estimated by a simple method, and an increase in load on the operation information collection device can be suppressed as much as possible.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the operation information is accumulated in chronological order, for example, in a later process, the trouble of preparing an operation daily report or the like based on the accumulated operation information is greatly reduced. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an operation information collection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of operation information stored in a storage device of the above.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing control contents of the above.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing control contents of the above.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the principle of estimating position information as start data.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the principle of estimating position information as n-th data.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 GPS 12 clock 14 speedometer 16 control unit 18 storage device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle position detecting means for detecting a vehicle position based on an arrival time difference between radio waves emitted from a plurality of satellites, a time detecting means for detecting a time, a vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed, Operation information storage means for storing operation information including the vehicle position, time, and vehicle speed; detection status determination means for determining whether or not the vehicle position is normally detected by the vehicle position detection means; First storage control means for storing the detected vehicle position, time and vehicle speed in the operation information storage means when it is determined that the vehicle position has been normally detected by the means; Vehicle position estimating means for estimating the vehicle position when it is determined that the vehicle position has not been normally detected; a vehicle position estimated by the vehicle position estimating means; A second accumulation control means for accumulating the time and vehicle speed in the operation information accumulation means, and an operation information collection device for a vehicle. 2. The vehicle position estimating means includes: a storage status determining means for determining whether operation information is stored in the operation information storing means; and a determination that no operation information is stored by the storage status determining means. Then, the first estimating means for estimating the vehicle position based on the two vehicle positions, the time and the vehicle speed detected after a predetermined time has elapsed, and the operation information has been accumulated by the accumulation status judging means. Is determined, the latest operation information stored in the operation information storage means, and the vehicle position detected again,
2. The vehicle operation information collection device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second estimation unit configured to estimate a vehicle position based on the time and the vehicle speed. 3. 3. The vehicle operation information collecting device according to claim 1, wherein the operation information storage means stores operation information in ascending order using time as a key.