JP2002048577A - Car navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a car navigation system capable of searching an optimum route when a plurality of facilities of the same kind or same series as an original designation is present even if straying from the route to this designation. SOLUTION: In this navigation system, the route from the present position of a vehicle to the designation is searched on the basis of all searched road candidates, and a route obtained as the search result is displayed to guide the vehicle. This system comprises a straying judgment means 1 for judging the straying from the route, a searching means 1 for searching the route from the stray point to the designation to obtain a first recommended route and searching a facility of the same kind or same series as the designation as a new designation from the straying point to provide a second recommended route; and a route selecting means 1 for comparing the first recommended route with the second recommended route to select a preferred route shorter in time or distance; and a display means 7c for displaying the preferred route.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a car navigation system for displaying a traveling position of an automobile on a map and performing traveling guidance to a destination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a recent car navigation system, when a user selects an arbitrary facility genre as a destination, a nearest facility near a vehicle position is searched from a map database, and a facility name and a vehicle position are searched. Can be displayed in a list on the screen of the display device.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a list display displayed on the screen of the display device. FIG. 4 shows the petroleum company name, the branch name, and the distance from the own vehicle position of the gas station from the shortest distance to the fourth distance from the own vehicle position when the genre of the gas station is selected as the destination.

Further, by selecting an arbitrary item displayed in the list as a destination, a route search or route guidance to a nearest facility corresponding to the destination can be performed.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation for guiding the route to the above-mentioned nearest facility. First, when the user selects a facility type to be searched for nearest on the screen of the display device, facility data near the current location is read from the map database (step S21). Next, only facility data corresponding to the facility selected by the user is picked up from the read data (step S22).

Next, for each of the picked-up facility data, a straight-line distance between two points is calculated from the longitude-latitude information included as an attribute and the longitude / latitude information of the current location, and the facility data is rearranged according to this distance. As shown in (2), a list is displayed in order from the facility with the shortest distance (step S23).
Next, the user selects a facility to be a destination from the list (step S24). Next, a route from the current location to the selected facility is searched, and a recommended route as a search result is displayed on the map screen of the display device (step S).
25), route guidance is started (step S26).

When the recommended route is departed during the route guidance, the reroute function shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is automatically operated. First, the process is started when the recommended route is departed during the guidance. First, the recommended route from the current location after the departure to the original destination is searched again (step S31). Next, the recommended route obtained as a result of the re-search is displayed (step S32), and the route guidance is restarted (step S3).
3).

FIG. 7 is an example of a screen display showing a recommended route before leaving the route. In FIG. 7, a recommended route from a marker (a black triangle surrounded by a circle) indicating the current position of the own vehicle to a facility as a destination, for example, a ○ petroleum gas station (that is, a route that turns left at an intersection (node) a) )
Is indicated by a thick solid line.

FIG. 8 is an example of a screen display showing a recommended route by the reroute function after leaving the route. In FIG.
If you accidentally pass the intersection a where you should make a left turn and leave the route, the recommended route that is the result of a re-search from the marker indicating your current location to the original petroleum gas station as the original destination is indicated by a thick solid line. Indicated by This recommended route is shown as a route to reach the original destination by turning left at the next intersection b and then left at intersections c and d.

As described above, when a destination is selected from the above-mentioned nearest facility list and search guidance is performed, if the user departs from the recommended route at the time of guidance, a reroute function is activated, and a return route is drawn. Is often the best route.

[0011]

However, as shown in FIG. 9, when the original destination is set as the destination at the time of rerouting search, the routes (intersection b, intersection c, and intersection d) calculated by the reroute function are determined. The left turn route) increases the number of turns at the intersection. Therefore, in a city center or downtown area, another similar facility (intersection b) is located near the original destination.
And a route that goes straight through intersection e)
Not the best route.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a car navigation system capable of searching for an optimal route even if the route to the original destination is departed, when there are a plurality of facilities of the same type or the same series as the destination. The purpose is to:

[0013]

In view of the above, the car navigation system of the present invention searches for a route from the current position of the own vehicle to the destination based on all searched road candidates, and as a search result, A car navigation system for displaying and guiding an obtained route, comprising a departure determining means for determining that the vehicle has departed from the route, and re-searching a route from the departure point to the destination to obtain a first recommended route. At the same time, the first recommended route and the second recommended route are compared with a search unit that searches for a facility similar to or the same as the destination from the leaving point as a new destination and obtains a second recommended route. , A route selection unit for selecting a priority route close in time or distance, and a display unit for displaying the priority route. As a result, it is possible to search for and guide an optimal route to a facility of the same type or the same series without making a large turn when leaving the route.

Further, in another car navigation system according to the present invention, the destination change setting permitting means for permitting change setting of the destination and the destination change setting permitting means after recognizing the departure of the route by the departure discriminating means. A determination is made as to whether or not the destination is changeable. If the determination is valid, a destination change determination unit that operates the search unit is provided. As a result, it is possible to select whether or not to search for a new destination according to the preference of the operator.

Further, the car navigation system according to another aspect of the present invention further comprises a destination type setting means for presetting a relation between the new destination and the initially set destination, and the search means comprises a destination type setting means. A new destination associated by the setting means is searched for as a second recommended route. Thus, the same effect as that obtained at the original destination can be obtained according to the type of the destination or the preference of the operator.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a car navigation system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a car navigation system includes a main controller 1 including a microcomputer and the like.
The vehicle includes a vehicle position processing device 2, a map database 3, a storage medium reading device 4, a main storage memory 5, an input device 6, a video processing device 7, and an audio output device 8.

The vehicle position processing device 2 comprises an autonomous navigation sensor 2a, a GPS receiver 2b, and a vehicle position calculation device 2c. The vehicle position processing device 2 includes an autonomous navigation sensor 2
The own-vehicle position calculating device 2c calculates the own-vehicle position based on the own-vehicle-related sensor information from a and the current position information of the own vehicle by receiving GPS satellite radio waves from the GPS receiver 2b.

The storage medium reading device 4 is a CD-ROM
The map data is read from the map database 3 and supplied to the main controller 1. Main controller 1
Functions as a departure determination unit, a search unit, a route selection unit, a destination change setting permission unit, and a destination change permission / prohibition determination unit.

The main controller 1 includes link data (including a cost parameter of the link) of the road network in the map data from the storage medium reading device 4;
Based on the current position data of the own vehicle from the own vehicle position processing device 2 and the position data relating to the destination input from the input device 6, it is determined whether the vehicle has departed from the initially set route. Further, the main controller 1 searches for a route from the current position of the own vehicle to the destination, and a first recommended route when the route departs. Further, the main controller 1 searches for a facility that is the same as or similar to the destination as a new destination from the departed point. And the main controller 1
Selects a superior route that can be reached without making a large turn from the plurality of routes obtained by the above search. Further, the main controller 1 stores the search data in the main storage memory 5.

The main controller 1 determines whether a switch (not shown) provided on the car navigation main body is turned on, and allows the destination to be changed. When the switch is off, the main controller 1 does not change the destination. In addition, the main controller 1 supplies the map data from the storage medium reading device 4 for reading the map database 3 and the route search data read from the main storage memory 5 to the video processing device 7.

The input device 6 functions as destination type setting means. That is, the input device 6 is a portion that can set in advance the relationship between the destination set first and the new destination according to the preference of the person who operates. The video processing device 7
It comprises a graphic controller 7a, a video RAM 7b and a display device 7c as display means. The video processing device 7 causes the graphic controller 7a to store map data and route search data in the video RAM 7b. Further, the video processing device 7 supplies the map data read from the video RAM 7b and the searched route data to the display device 7c, and causes the display screen of the display device 7c to display the map data.

Next, a route search operation in the car navigation system according to the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described. In the present invention, when the route is departed during the route guidance based on the recommended route A to the destination, the main controller 1 sets facilities (or stores) similar to the original destination from the departure point before restarting the guidance. Performs a local search to see if there is

That is, the process is the same as that of the conventional method until the search for the original destination is performed again. However, if the setting of "automatic change of destination" is enabled, the nearest facility near the point (current location) where the user left is searched. Among them, a route search is newly performed for a facility (or store) of the same type or the same series that is closest in time or distance, and a recommended route B is obtained. Then, the recommended route A by the re-search to the original destination is compared with the newly calculated recommended route B. If the recommended route B is more optimal in time or distance than the recommended route A, the recommended route is changed to the nearest facility of the route B as a new destination, and the route guidance is restarted.

FIG. 2 is an example of a screen display showing a recommended route after leaving the route according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, while traveling along the recommended route of turning left at intersection a, accidental intersection a
If the vehicle deviates from the route after passing, another marker that is the same as or similar to the petroleum gas station is used as the original destination from the marker indicating the current location of the vehicle.
The recommended route B (straight through intersections b and e), which is the result of the re-search to the petroleum gas station, is indicated by a thick solid line as the optimal recommended route B. In FIG. 2, the recommended route B is compared with the recommended route A (a route that turns left at the intersection b, the intersection c, and the intersection d) from the current location to the original destination, and is closer in time or distance than the recommended route A. This indicates that the route was selected as the recommended route.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the above-described route search and route guidance operations.

The process is started from the point when the user leaves the route during the route guidance based on the recommended route to the destination. First, the main controller 1 determines that the vehicle has left, and re-searches for the recommended route A to the original destination with the leaving point as the current location (step S1). Next, the main controller 1
It is determined whether the setting of “automatic change of destination” is input by the input device 6 and is valid (step S).
2). If the answer is yes, the main controller 1
Reads the facility data near the current location (leaving point) from the map database 3 via the storage medium reading device 4 (step S3).

Next, the main controller 1 searches the read facility data for a recommended route B for a facility that is closest to the current location and is similar to or similar to the original destination (step S4).

Next, the main controller 1 determines whether or not the search condition input by the input device 6 is a time-first search (step S5). If the answer is yes, then the main controller 1 determines whether or not the required time required for traveling satisfies the recommended route A <the recommended route B (step S
6) If the answer is no, the recommended distance is A <
It is determined whether or not the route is the recommended route B (step S7).

If the answer in step S2 is no, or if the answer in step S6 is yes, or if the answer in step S7 is yes, then the main controller 1 returns to the display device 7c as a result of re-searching for the recommended route A. (Step S8).

On the other hand, if the answer to step S6 is no or the answer to step S7 is no, then the main controller 1 displays the recommended route B on the screen of the display device 7c as a result of the re-search (step S9). .

Then, following step S8 or S9, the route guidance is restarted according to the screen display on the display device 7c (step S10), and the process is terminated.

As described above, when the vehicle departs from the route during route guidance, the recommended route A as a result of the re-search to the original destination is set as the departure point as the current position, and the recommended route A is different from the original destination. Route B with new facilities as new destinations
Are searched again. Then, of the recommended route A and the recommended route B, the one that is closer in time or distance is displayed as the re-search result and the route is guided, so that the route is automatically changed so that it is not necessary to make a large turn when leaving the route. , Optimal route search and route guidance

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications and applications are possible. For example, in the automatic destination change setting, chain stores are classified as "same facility", such as "Lotteria" and "McDonald",
As “similar facilities”, for example, it is possible to classify genre levels such as “convenience store” and “gas station”, and to set up to what level a destination to be changed is taken into consideration.

In another embodiment, the closest recommended route as a time-first search result and the closest recommended route as a distance-first search result may be displayed simultaneously. Further, a plurality of routes may be displayed as the second recommended route.

[0035]

According to the present invention, even if the route to the original destination is departed, the optimum route can be searched for when there are a plurality of facilities of the same type or the same series as the destination.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a car navigation system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a screen display showing a recommended route after leaving the route according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the car navigation system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a list display displayed on a screen of a display device in a conventional car navigation system.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of performing a route guidance to a nearest facility in a conventional car navigation system.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a reroute function in a conventional car navigation system.

FIG. 7 is an example of a screen display showing a recommended route before leaving a route in a conventional car navigation system.

FIG. 8 is an example of a screen display showing a recommended route by a reroute function after leaving a route in a conventional car navigation system.

FIG. 9 is another example of a screen display showing a recommended route by a reroute function after leaving the route in a conventional car navigation system.

[Description of Signs] 1 Main Controller (Leaving determination means, search means,
Route selection means, destination change setting permission means, destination change permission / prohibition determination means) 2 own vehicle position processing device 3 map database 4 storage medium reading device 5 main storage memory 6 input device (destination type setting means) 7 video processing device 7c display device (display means) 8 audio output device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A car navigation system that searches for a route from a current position of a vehicle to a destination based on all searched road candidates, and displays and guides the route obtained as a result of the search. A departure discriminating means for discriminating departure from the route; re-searching a route from the departure point to the destination to obtain a first recommended route; A search means for searching for a facility as a new destination to obtain a second recommended route; comparing the first recommended route with the second recommended route to determine a priority route that is temporally or distance-wise closer A car navigation system comprising: a route selection unit for selecting; and a display unit for displaying the priority route. 2. A destination change permitting means for permitting change setting of a destination, and after the departure discriminating means recognizes the departure of the route, it is determined whether the destination change setting permitting means is enabled. 2. The car navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising: a destination change enable / disable judging unit that operates the search unit when it is valid. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: destination type setting means for presetting a relationship between the new destination and the first set destination, wherein the search means includes a new destination type associated with the destination type setting means. The car navigation system according to claim 1, wherein a destination is searched for as the second recommended route.