JP2001091281A - Route guide control method, navigation device, and recording medium for route research control program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation device and a route guide control method capable of safely guiding an operator to a route, even when route search start conditions are satisfied near a route guide point. SOLUTION: When a vehicle, having thereon a navigation device set so as to perform a route searching when receiving route re-search condition information such as congestion information, is located at point C, if the vehicle comes to a point B when it is assumed to have been searched so as to be guided leftward as the result of preceding route search (a guide route Q shown by dotted line), the vehicle receives a distance between the points B and A (guide point) when receiving route re-search condition information from a light beacon, prohibits a route search when its distance is less than a specified distance δ, and after the vehicle runs and passes the point A, cancels the inhibition, and starts the route search using the congestion information received at the point B.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a route guidance technique for an on-vehicle navigation device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An on-vehicle navigation device displays a route (guidance route) from a current position of a vehicle to a destination on a map and displays it on a screen to assist a driver in driving. As a route guidance method of such a navigation device, a search is performed on a guidance route based on a database created by quantifying roads, place names, buildings, etc. on a map, and the obtained guidance route is compared with a gyroscope or a vehicle speed. Self-contained navigation using pulse and GPS
There is a well-known method of displaying a route on a screen while performing map matching with a position of the own vehicle estimated from radio navigation using a signal to perform route guidance. In this case, when the vehicle approaches the intersection or the entrance of the highway on the guidance route, the vehicle is guided by voice, or an arrow indicating the traveling direction of the intersection is displayed on a screen.

[0003] In addition, it receives route information given from outside such as VICS (trademark of traffic information service) optical beacon and displays roads with traffic regulation and congestion on a screen together with a map. In some cases, when a recommended route to the ground is received, the recommended road is changed in color and displayed together with a map.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional route guidance method (for example, when a re-search (recalculation) is performed when traffic congestion information is received from a VICS optical beacon), a guidance point such as an intersection is required. VIC even if the guidance point is near because it was not judged whether it was close)
When the traffic congestion information of S is received, a new route may be searched (calculation: hereinafter, search), and as a result, if the displayed route is different from the previous guide route, There was a problem that the driver could be confused. Further, in a navigation device that cannot perform guidance during route search, there is a problem that route guidance to a driver may not be performed if route re-search is started after receiving traffic jam information of VICS near a guidance point. Was.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a navigation apparatus and a navigation device that can safely guide a driver even when a condition for re-searching a route near a route guidance point is satisfied. It is intended to provide a route guidance control method.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a route guidance method according to a first aspect of the present invention includes route search means for searching for a route from a current position of a vehicle to a destination. The route searched by is superimposed and displayed on a map, and when information that requires a route re-search is received from the outside in a navigation device that assists driving, when the current position of the vehicle is in the vicinity of the next guidance point on the route If the current position of the vehicle is in the vicinity of the guidance point, the route re-search by the route searching means performed based on the received information is prohibited, and the route re-search is performed after the vehicle passes the guidance point. The prohibition is released.

The navigation apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a route search means for searching for a route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination, and superimposes and displays the route searched by the route search means on a map. In a navigation device for assisting travel, a route information obtaining means for obtaining route information toward a destination from outside the vehicle, and a route re-search by the route searching means among the route information obtained by the route information obtaining means. Extracting means for extracting the route re-search condition information, and re-searching the route by the route searching means performed based on the route re-search condition information extracted by the extracting means when the current position of the vehicle is the next guidance on the route. Route search control means for prohibiting when the point is near the point.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the route search control means is provided by the route search means when the distance between the current position of the vehicle and the route guidance point is equal to or greater than the first distance. It is characterized in that re-searching of a route is not prohibited.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the third aspect, the first distance is determined based on a vehicle speed of the vehicle.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to any one of the second to fourth aspects, the route search control means re-searches the route by the route search means after the vehicle has passed the route guidance point. The prohibition is released.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to any one of the second to fourth aspects, the route search control means includes, after the vehicle has passed the route guidance point, at least a second distance from the guidance point. It is characterized in that the prohibition of the re-search of the route by the route searching means is released when the user leaves.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [Route Guidance Control Method] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a route guidance control method according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, when a vehicle equipped with a navigation device set to perform a route search upon receiving route re-search condition information such as traffic congestion information is located at a point C, the route search of a route prior to this is performed. In the result (guidance path Q indicated by the dotted line), A
It is assumed that the calculation has been made so that a left turn is guided at the point.

When the vehicle arrives at the point B, when the route re-search condition information is received from the optical beacon, the distance between the point B and the point A (guide point) is checked. The search is prohibited (reserved), the prohibition is released after the vehicle has traveled and passed point A, and the route search is started using the previous received information (congestion information received at point B). Here, the predetermined distance δ is a value determined by a driving experiment or the like by a manufacturer or the like.

The predetermined distance δ is not limited to a fixed value (for example, the predetermined distance δ may be made variable according to the speed of the vehicle). Further, in the above description, the case where traffic congestion information is received is taken as an example, but the route search prohibition control is not limited to the case where traffic congestion information is received (for example, traffic regulation, etc.
This can be summarized when specific information for starting a route search (hereinafter, route re-search condition information) is received).

As described above, when the specific information for starting the route search is received, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle position is near the guidance point such as the intersection. By controlling so as to prohibit the restart, it is possible to prevent the driver from getting confused by changing the guidance route near the guidance point.

[Configuration Example of Navigation Apparatus] FIG.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a navigation device to which a route guidance method according to the present invention can be applied. The navigation device 100 includes an absolute position / direction detection unit 1, a relative direction detection unit 2, a vehicle speed detection unit 3, a control unit. 4, memories 5 to 8, user interface unit 9, display unit 10, input unit 11,
CD-ROM control unit 12 and FM multiplex reception and processing unit 1
3 is provided. Further, an audio output device 15 may be provided.

The absolute position / azimuth detecting unit 1 has an antenna 1a, receives a radio wave from a GPS (Global Positioning System) with the antenna 1a, detects an absolute position (absolute coordinate) and azimuth, and sends it to the control unit 4. .

The relative azimuth detecting unit 2 includes an azimuth detecting device such as a gyro, and sends the detected azimuth to the control unit 4. Further, the vehicle speed detection unit 3 obtains the vehicle speed from the rotation pulse obtained as the vehicle travels and sends it to the control unit 4. These detected values (azimuth and speed) are used by the control unit 4 to correct the absolute position and direction obtained from the GPS and determine the current position of the own vehicle.

The control unit 4 has a microprocessor configuration including a CPU, a timer, and a CPU peripheral circuit.
U is connected to each of the above-described circuits and the like via a bus line, and the navigation device 1 is controlled by a navigation control program stored in a memory (program storage ROM) 5.
Control of the entire navigation apparatus 100 in response to an input signal from the input unit 11 (for example, execution control of map matching, display control of a map and a route, etc., based on the present invention). Execution control of route guidance control, etc.).

The memory 5 is a ROM for storing programs, and the ROM 5 for storing programs is a PROM or FROM.
(Flash ROM) or the like is used to store a control program, a map matching program, a display program for maps and routes, a route search program, a route guidance control program of the present invention, and the like. Further, icons, menus, graphic patterns, and constants displayed on the display unit 10 can be stored in the program storage ROM.

The memory 6 is composed of a DRAM (Dynamic RAM). Under the control of the control unit 4, a required map among the maps stored on the CD-ROM via the CD-ROM control unit 12 and a wide area adjacent to the map are stored. Import a map. The memory 7 is composed of a high-speed memory such as an SRAM (Static RAM). When the navigation device 100 is started, the memory 7 loads a control program from a program storage ROM of the control unit 4 and also executes a map matching program and a map according to a control sequence of the control program. Also, a display program for a route, a route search program, a route guidance control program, and the like are fetched at appropriate times, and are used for executing navigation processes such as a map matching process and a route search process. The memory 8 is a display memory and is composed of a VRAM. A map for one screen extracted from the DRAM 6 under the control of the control unit 4, a guidance route searched by a route search, and a bit map such as a name and a menu. Keep the image.

The user interface unit 9 includes a display unit 10
And an interface connecting the input unit 11 and the control unit 4. The display unit 10 displays a map, a guideway, a name, a menu, and the like stored in the display memory 8.

The input unit 11 is a user's input for setting a departure point and a destination, selecting a map, and other necessary information input. The input unit 11 is provided with keys and buttons for input or keys for cursor movement and point (instruction). I have.

The CD-ROM control section 12 reads necessary information from a CD-ROM storing a database constructed so as to efficiently extract information for navigation. Further, in the embodiment, the database constructed so as to efficiently retrieve the information for navigation is a CD-RO.
Although stored in M, the present invention is not limited to this, and any recording medium that has a large capacity and is compact and that can be easily attached to and detached from the navigation device body by the user may be used.

The FM multiplex reception and processing unit 13 includes the antenna 1
3a, VICS (trademark of traffic information service)
An FM multiplex wave such as an optical beacon is received by the antenna 13a, and vehicle position information and route information on an expressway or the like are detected and transmitted to the control unit 4. The detected value is used by the control unit 4 to correct the absolute position and direction obtained from the GPS and determine the own vehicle position.
Used in

[Route Guidance Process] FIG. 3 is a process chart showing a basic route guidance process according to the present invention. Process P1: (Setting of Departure Point and Destination) When the user activates the navigation device 100, a setting screen (not shown) of the destination and departure point is displayed on the screen of the display unit 10. Operate the operation keys (buttons) of the input unit 11 to select (set) the starting point and destination.
Then, the corresponding input signal (data) is sent to the control unit 4.

Process P2: (Determination of current position) The control unit 4 includes the absolute position / direction detection unit 1, the relative direction detection unit 2, the vehicle speed detection unit 3, the position information and the direction obtained by the FM multiplex reception and processing unit 13. The current position of the vehicle based on the information (for example,
Determined by the map matching process) and stores the result in the memory 6
(Remember).

Process P3: (Route Search) The control unit 4 retrieves the destination set in the process P1 from the memory 6 and executes a route search algorithm.
Get the optimal route.

Process P4: (Determination of the presence / absence of reception of route re-search condition information) The control unit 4 receives the FM multiplex reception and the traffic information externally received by the processing unit 13 (for example, externally given by a VICS optical beacon or the like). It is checked whether it is re-search condition information (for example, traffic congestion information), and if it is route re-search condition information, the process transits to P5; otherwise, it transits to P9. The determination as to whether or not the received traffic information is the route re-search condition information includes, for example, providing a code table indicating the route search condition information in advance, and when the traffic information is received, the specific data code included in the traffic information is included. (Code representing the type of traffic information) and the code table.

Process P5: (Route re-search prohibition control (1)) The control unit 4 determines the position between the next route guidance point (= the guidance point closest to the current position) on the route obtained in the process P3 and the current position. It is determined whether or not route re-search is prohibited based on the relationship. If route re-search is not prohibited, received information (route re-search condition information) is stored in a memory (for example, DRAM).
6), the process proceeds to P6, and in the case of prohibition, a prohibition process is performed and the process transits to P10. In the embodiment, the distance between the next guidance point and the position of the own vehicle is within a predetermined distance δ, as described later (FIG. 4). The predetermined distance δ may be made variable according to the speed of the vehicle as in a modified example).

Process P 6: (Route re-search) When the control unit 4 acquires route re-search condition information (route change data) given from the outside, it re-searches the route based on the information and stores it in the memory 6.

Process P7: (Guidance Based on Route Information Re-Searched) The control unit 4 displays the guidance data (route) calculated in the process P6 on a screen and performs guidance (or guidance by voice output).
Perform

Process P8: (Guidance Data End Determination) The control unit 4 repeats the guidance of the process P7 until the route calculated in the process P6 ends, and
When the route calculated in 6 is completed, the process returns to P2, and the processes below P2 are executed.

Process P9: (Route re-search prohibition control (2)) If no route re-search condition information is received in process P4, the process directly transits to P10. When the route re-search prohibition control is performed in step P5, the control unit 4 determines whether or not the prohibition release requirement is satisfied in the next cycle (that is, after P10 and P2 to P4). If the prohibition release requirement is satisfied, the route re-search prohibition is released and the process transits to P6 to perform the route re-search. If the prohibition release requirement is not satisfied, the process transits to P10. In the embodiment, the requirement of the route re-search prohibition release is described below (FIG. 5) when the own vehicle passes through the guidance point detected at P5. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As described above, a case may be used in which the vehicle is separated from the guidance point by a predetermined distance φ.

Process P10: (guidance by own route) The control unit 4 displays a map including the departure place and / or destination on the screen of the display unit 10 and the optimal route connecting the departure place and destination obtained in step P3. In addition to displaying the nodes, the current position of the car and the destination point (or a guide point in the area) are discriminated and displayed so as to be easily understood by the user, and a guidance display such as an intersection (or guidance by voice output) is performed.
Return to P2.

In the above description, after the received information (route re-search condition information) is stored in the memory in process P5,
And the received information stored in the memory is extracted in the process P9. However, the received information may not be stored in the memory in the process P5. The route is searched again only when the search condition information exists, and when there is no search condition information, the process transits to P10).

[Route re-search prohibition control operation] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of the route re-search prohibition control operation (process P5) of the route guidance process chart of FIG.
A case where traffic congestion information is received in the process P4 is taken as an example. In this case, since the traffic congestion information is registered in the code table as the route re-search condition information, the process P5 (the following S1,
Transition to S2).

Step S1: (Prohibition control based on the positional relationship between the guidance point and the current position) The control unit 4 determines the guidance point (for example, point A in FIG. 1) closest to the current position on the route obtained in the process P3 and the current position. Is calculated, and if δ <R, the process returns to S2 to prohibit the re-search for the route, and if δ ≧ R, the process shifts to P6 to perform the re-search for the route. Where R
Is a distance derived from an experimental value or the like, and is a distance (safety distance) that is expected to be a distance (safety distance) that provides a margin for the driver even if the guidance route displayed by the route re-search changes.

Step S2: (Re-search prohibition processing) The control unit 4 stores the position of the guide point closest to the current position described in the process S1 in a memory (for example, the DRAM 6).
And the re-search prohibition flag is set to "1", and the process transits to P10. In the embodiment, the initial value of the re-search prohibition flag is set to “0”.

(Modification) In the above step S1, the distance δ is a constant value determined by experience (experiment).
As a modification, the condition of the route re-search prohibition control in this step may be based on whether or not there is a time (safety time) that allows the driver a margin even if the guidance route displayed by the route re-search changes. Good. In this case, it is determined whether or not to prohibit the route re-search based on the distance Δ between the guidance point and the current position and the vehicle speed v (that is, the distance Δ increases as the vehicle speed v increases, and the distance decreases as the vehicle speed v decreases). Δ may be short (that is, depending on the vehicle speed v, the distance Δ
Is variable). For example, assuming that the safety time is 10 seconds and the vehicle speed v is 36 km / H, the distance Δ = 100 m (3
6,000 / 3,600 = 100), and the vehicle speed v becomes 7
Assuming 2 km / H, the distance Δ = 200 m (73,000 /
3,600 = 200).

[Route re-search prohibition release operation] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of the route re-search prohibition release operation (process P9) in the route guidance process chart of FIG.
In the process P4, when the traffic information other than the route re-search condition information is simply received as the traffic congestion information, or when the cycle following the process P5 (P10, P2 to P4) is passed, the process transits to this process (P9).

Step T1: (Determination of presence / absence of re-search prohibition control) The controller 4 checks the value of the re-search prohibition flag, and if it is set to prohibit re-search (ie, the value of the re-search prohibition flag = “1”) "), The process transits to T2. If it is not set to prohibit the re-search (that is, if the value of the re-search prohibition flag is "0"), the process transits to P10.

Step T2: (Determination of whether or not re-search prohibition can be canceled) The control unit 4 compares the position of the own vehicle acquired in step P2 with the position of the guidance point stored in the memory, and the own vehicle passes through the guidance point. If so, the process transits to T3; otherwise, the process transits to P10. As a result, the re-search prohibition is continued until the own vehicle passes through the guidance point. Therefore, when the own vehicle is near the guidance point, the displayed guidance route does not change. There is nothing to confuse.

(Modification 1) In step T2 of FIG. 5, the prohibition of re-searching is canceled after passing through the passed guidance point. However, when there is a guidance point near the guidance point ( For example, if you have a "crank" or "U-shaped" intersection that is common in the city)
Since the re-search is started and the guidance route displayed on the screen may be changed and the driver may be confused, the distance between the guidance point and the own vehicle after the passage is determined between the steps T2 and T3. A step of comparing the distance δ ′, and after passing through the guidance point, if the distance between the guidance point and the own vehicle is less than the predetermined distance δ ′, a predetermined distance (or a predetermined time) elapses after passing through the guidance point. Makes a transition to P10 so as not to release the re-search prohibition. If the distance between the guidance point and the own vehicle after passing is longer than a predetermined distance δ ′, T3
May be made to transition.

(Modification 2) Even after passing the first guidance point, the re-search prohibition is released, so that if the guidance point is within the predetermined distance δ ', the re-search can be prohibited, after step T3. Steps similar to steps S1 and S2 in FIG. 4 (that is, the process P5 in FIG. 3) may be added (the numbers in parentheses in FIG. 4 indicate S3 after T3.
1, a transition number when the same steps as those in S2 are provided).

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made.

[0047]

As described above, according to the route guidance methods of the first and second inventions and the navigation device of the second invention, a route search (route calculation) is performed near a route guidance point such as an intersection. Since the search is not performed even if the condition is satisfied, the guide route on the screen is not changed, so that the driver can be guided safely.

According to the navigation device of the third aspect of the present invention, the distance (first distance) between the position of the vehicle and the guidance point is made variable (determined by the vehicle speed). Since the distance becomes longer and the prohibition time does not change, the safety is increased as compared with the case where the distance is fixed (fixed distance).

The navigation device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention enables the vehicle to search again after passing through the route guidance point, so that the safety at the guidance point is maintained, and the route is determined based on the route search conditions such as traffic congestion information. The search can be started, and route guidance that avoids traffic jams and the like can be performed.

According to the navigation device of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the route can be searched again when a predetermined distance or more has passed after passing through the guidance point. In such a case, since the prohibition of the re-search is continued, the guidance display is not changed by the re-search. Therefore, it is possible to safely guide the driver without confusion.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a route guidance control method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a navigation device to which a route guidance method according to the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a process chart showing a basic process of route guidance according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of a route re-search prohibition control operation of the route guidance process chart of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a route re-search prohibition canceling operation of the route guidance process chart of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 Navigation device A Point A (guide point) C Point C (current position of vehicle) Q Guideway (route searched)

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A navigation device which includes a route search means for searching for a route from a current position of a vehicle to a destination, and superimposes a route searched by the route search means on a map to provide driving assistance. When information that requires route re-search is received from
It checks whether the current position of the vehicle is in the vicinity of the next guidance point on the route, and if the current position of the vehicle is in the vicinity of the guidance point, performs a route re-search by the route searching means based on the received information. A route guidance control method, wherein the prohibition of the route re-search is canceled after the vehicle passes through the guidance point. 2. A navigation device comprising a route search means for searching for a route from a current position of a vehicle to a destination, wherein the route searched by the route search means is superimposed on a map to provide driving assistance. Route information obtaining means for obtaining route information from the outside to a destination, and extracting route re-search condition information for performing a route re-search by the route searching means from the route information obtained by the route information obtaining means. Extracting means; and prohibiting the re-searching of the route by the route searching means based on the route re-search condition information extracted by the extracting means when the current position of the vehicle is near the next guidance point on the route. A navigation device comprising: a route search control unit. 3. The route search control unit does not prohibit the route search unit from re-searching for a route when a distance between a current position of the vehicle and the route guidance point is equal to or greater than a first distance. The navigation device according to claim 2. 4. The navigation device according to claim 3, wherein the first distance is determined based on a vehicle speed of the vehicle. 5. The method according to claim 2, wherein said route search control means cancels the prohibition of re-searching the route by said route search means after said vehicle has passed said route guidance point. The navigation device according to the paragraph. 6. The route search control means, after the vehicle has passed the route guidance point, sets a second position from the guidance point.
The prohibition of re-searching for a route by the route searching means is released when the distance is equal to or greater than the distance.
The navigation device according to claim 1. 7. A navigation device comprising a route guiding means for searching for a route from a current position of a vehicle to a destination, wherein a route searched by the route searching means is superimposed and displayed on a map to provide driving assistance. A storage medium storing a route search control program for controlling a route search operation by a route search means, wherein when information that requires a route re-search is extracted from externally received information, a current position of the vehicle is determined by a route. It checks whether or not the vehicle is near the next guidance point above, and if the current position of the vehicle is near the guidance point, prohibits the route re-search by the route search means based on the information, and the vehicle A recording medium having recorded thereon a route guidance control program configured to release the inhibition of the route re-search after passing a point.