JP2002202146A - Automobile navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform easy-to-understand and accurate guidance in the case that a guidance intersection is a rotary. SOLUTION: The navigation system for performing guidance along a route to a destination is provided with a present location detecting means for detecting the present location of a motor vehicle, a guidance intersection determining means for determining whether the guidance intersection is a rotary or not, a guidance information acquiring means for acquiring the direction of a withdrawal road to an entry road and the exit information of the withdrawal road on the rotary determined by the guidance intersection determining means, and a guidance control means for performing guidance on the direction of the withdrawal road acquired by the guidance information acquiring means and continuously on the exit of the withdrawal road. It is possible to perform accurate guidance on the location of the exit by direction and exit guidance according to the entry into the rotary when the rotary comes close.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation device for providing guidance along a route to a destination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle navigation system, a route search from a departure point, a current position to a destination through a pass point is performed based on input of points such as a current position, a departure point, a destination, and a pass point. Route guidance is provided using screens and voices based on the guidance route. In such route guidance, when the guidance intersection is a rotary, there are a plurality of exit roads, so that guidance cannot be performed in the same manner as a general intersection.

For this reason, information about a roundabout is provided as an attribute of an intersection of map data and its connecting road,
There has been proposed an apparatus which can determine whether or not a guidance intersection is a rotary, whether it is a link road of a rotary, an exit road, or the like, so that guidance of the rotary can be performed (for example, JP-A-6-36193). Gazette, JP-A-51684).

When the guide intersection is determined to be a roundabout, the conventional device calculates the angle between the approach road and the exit road of the searched route, and based on the angle, proceeds straight ahead, rightward, leftward or rightward. The direction of the rotary, such as the direction and the return direction, is provided.

[0005]

However, in the case of a rotary, the vehicle normally travels while curving in one direction with a constant curvature. However, there arises a problem that cannot be specified.

For example, especially when the rotary is large,
Even if the direction guidance is to the right, since the direction is determined on the condition that the exit road is within a certain angle range with respect to the approach road, other exit roads within that angle range, that is, within the range of the direction guidance In such a case, it is not possible to specify which one of the exit roads in the guided direction.

[0007] Further, since the vehicle travels continuously at a constant curvature after entering the rotary, the sense of direction with respect to the approach path gradually shifts or becomes ambiguous, and the direction guided as the approach path of the rotary is obtained. There is a problem that it is easy to mistakenly judge the exit route that has been guided by mistake.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is intended to provide easy-to-understand and accurate guidance when a guidance intersection is a roundabout.

For this purpose, the present invention relates to a navigation apparatus for performing guidance along a route to a destination, a current position detecting means for detecting a current position of a vehicle, and a guidance intersection determination for determining whether or not a guidance intersection is a roundabout. Means, guidance information acquiring means for acquiring the exit direction of the exit road with respect to the approach road and the exit information of the exit road related to the roundabout determined by the guidance intersection determining means, and the guidance information acquiring means based on the current position. Guidance control means for providing guidance in the direction of the exit road and subsequently providing exit guidance for the exit road.

The present invention further comprises a distance calculating means for calculating a distance between the current position and the rotary, wherein the guide control means guides the direction of the exit road when the calculated distance is a first distance. When the calculated distance is the second distance, the exit guidance of the exit road is performed, or the distance calculation means for calculating the distance between the current position and the rotary, and the distance calculation means Time predicting means for estimating a predicted time of arrival at the rotary based on the calculated distance between the current position and the rotary; and the guidance control means includes a first predictive time predicted by the time predicting means. At the time, the guidance of the direction of the exit road is performed, and when the predicted time predicted by the time prediction means is the second time, the exit guidance of the exit road is performed. It is an feature.

[0011] Further, there is provided a rotary approach determining means for determining whether or not the current position has entered the rotary, and the guide control means, when it is determined that the current position has entered the rotary, An exit guide is provided immediately before the exit road.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of a navigation device according to the present invention. An input device 1 for inputting information relating to route guidance, a current position detecting device 2 for detecting information relating to the current position of a vehicle, and a method for calculating a route. An information storage device 3 in which necessary navigation data and display guidance data necessary for guidance, a navigation program, and the like are stored. A central unit that performs route search processing and display guidance processing necessary for route guidance and controls the entire system. The processing device 4 stores data necessary for navigation, and an information center provided via a communication line at the request of the driver, or an electronic device in which driver-specific data such as map data and destination data are stored in advance. An information transmitting and receiving device 5 for exchanging data with an information source such as a notebook,
It comprises an output device 6 for outputting information relating to route guidance. First, each configuration will be described.

The input device 1 instructs the central processing unit 4 to perform a navigation process according to the driver's intention so that the driver can input a destination or output guidance information by voice and / or screen when necessary. It has a function, and includes a touch switch and an operation switch for inputting a destination by a telephone number or coordinates on a map and requesting route guidance as means for realizing the function. Of course, an input device such as a remote controller may be used. Here, a voice recognition device for enabling voice input and a recording card reader for reading data recorded on an IC card or a magnetic card can be added.

The information transmission / reception device 5 is a traffic information acquisition means VICS (Vehicle Information System).
ation & Communication Sistem) It consists of a receiving device and a data transmitting and receiving device. VICS transmits road traffic information to vehicles in real time using FM multiplexing (text broadcasting), radio beacons, and optical beacons. FM multiplexing transmits coarse information over a wide area. 10k radius around beacon
Detailed information on a narrow area within about m, which can be received when the vehicle passes a beacon. V
The ICS transmission data indicates the degree of congestion (for example, the degree of congestion such as impassability, congestion, congestion, heavy traffic, normal traffic, etc.), the congestion head position,
It is composed of a traffic jam length, traffic regulation (construction information, traffic closure, etc.), and travel time (time required at a predetermined speed). The data transmitting / receiving device is, for example, a mobile phone or a personal computer, and is operated by a traffic information center (for example, A
It exchanges information necessary for navigation with the TIS.

The output device 6 has a function of outputting guidance information by voice and / or screen when the driver needs it, and a function of printing out data processed by the central processing unit 4 and the like. Means for displaying input data on a screen or automatically displaying route guidance on a screen in response to a driver's request, data processed by the central processing unit 4 and stored in the information storage device 3. And a speaker for outputting route guidance by voice.

The display is constituted by a color CRT or a color liquid crystal display, and all necessary for navigation such as a route setting screen, a section map screen, an intersection map screen based on map data and guidance data processed by the central processing unit 4. Is displayed in color, and buttons for setting route guidance, performing guidance during route guidance, and performing a screen switching operation are displayed on this screen. In particular, the passing intersection information such as the passing intersection name is displayed in color in a pop-up on the section map screen at any time. This display is provided, for example, in an instrument panel near the driver's seat, and the driver can check the current position of the vehicle by looking at the section map and obtain information on the route from now on.

The current position detecting device 2 is a device for detecting information on the current position of the vehicle. For example, an absolute direction sensor including a geomagnetic sensor, a relative direction sensor including a steering sensor, a gyro, and the like, It is provided with a distance sensor for detecting the traveling distance from the rotation speed, and a GPS receiver using a satellite navigation system (GPS).

The information storage device 3 is an external storage device that stores navigation programs and data, and is a recording medium such as a CD-ROM. The program consists of a map drawing unit, route search unit, route guidance unit, current position calculation unit,
It is composed of an application part and an OS part, etc., which consist of a destination setting operation control part, etc., which performs navigation signal output processing. Here, programs for processing such as route search, display output control necessary for route guidance, and voice are provided. A program for performing voice output control necessary for guidance and data necessary for the program, and further, display information data necessary for route guidance and map display are stored. The data includes map data necessary for route guidance (road map, house map, building shape map, etc.), intersection data, node data, road data, photograph data, registered point data, destination point data, guide road data, Detailed destination data, destination reading data,
It consists of a file of telephone number data, address data, and other data, and stores all data necessary for the navigation device. For example, by giving a flag (rotary determination flag) indicating that the vehicle is a rotary to the node data or road data, it is possible to determine that the guidance intersection is a rotary or to determine that the current position has entered the rotary. it can.

The central processing unit 4 non-volatilely stores a CPU for executing various arithmetic processing and important information (for example, a program for executing route search and route guidance, data for setting conditions, data for various parameters, etc.). Rewritable ROM (rewritable nonvolatile storage means)
Flash memory (eg, electrically erasable E
EPROM: Electronically Erasable and Programmab
ROM, a non-volatile storage means storing a program (program reading means) for performing a program check and an update process of the flash memory,
Temporarily (volatilely) information stored for each individual, such as memory locations for registering information of arbitrary locations by the driver's operation, frequency information accumulated by the learning function, and error correction information for various detection means. (For example, an SRAM (Static RAM) capable of electrically storing temporarily stored information). Furthermore, an image memory that stores image data used for screen display on a display, an image processor that extracts image data from an image memory based on a display output control signal from a CPU, performs image processing, and outputs the processed image to a display. A voice processor for synthesizing voices, phrases, a single sentence, sound, and the like read from the information storage device 3 based on a voice output control signal from the CPU, converting them into analog signals, and outputting the analog signals to a speaker; I have.

The navigation program and data may be read from the outside via the information transmitting / receiving device 5. By reading necessary navigation programs and data from the outside via the information transmitting / receiving device 5 in this manner, the CD
-It is possible to use a recording medium such as a DVD in place of the ROM in the information storage device 3 so that necessary programs and the latest data can be appropriately updated and stored, and the information storage device 3 can be omitted and direct central processing can be performed. It can also be stored in the flash memory or RAM of the device 4.

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the flow of the entire system of the navigation device according to the present invention. In the navigation having the above configuration, when the program of the route guidance system is started by the CPU of the central processing unit 4, the current position is first detected by the current position detection device 2 as shown in FIG. Is displayed (step S1), and a destination is set using a telephone number, an address, a facility name, a memory point, and the like (step S2). Then, a route search from the current position to the destination is performed (step S3). When the route is determined, the route guidance / display is repeated until the vehicle arrives at the destination while tracking the current position by the current position detecting device 2 (step S4).

In the navigation device according to the present invention, when performing route guidance in step S4, it is determined whether or not the guidance intersection is a rotary by a rotary determination flag, and in the rotary, the angle of the exit road with respect to the approach road is determined. , Guidance for the direction of the exit road is performed, and then exit exit guidance is performed. For example, when the distance to the roundabout is 700m or 300m, guidance of the direction of the exit road is provided, and at 100m, the exit guidance of the exit road including the exit number of the exit road and the number of exits from the approach road to the exit road. I do. After entering the rotary, exit guidance is performed immediately before the exit road (for example, 100 m before the exit road junction).

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of a rotary guidance by the navigation device according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of intersection guidance processing by the navigation device according to the present invention.

Normally, when performing intersection guidance, on an ordinary road having a relatively slow vehicle speed, initial guidance is performed, for example, 700 m before the guidance intersection, intermediate guidance is performed 300 m, and immediately preceding guidance is performed 100 m. I have to. In the case of a roundabout as shown in FIG. 3 as the guidance intersection, when the guidance intersection is determined to be a rotary by the rotary determination flag, the navigation device according to the present invention uses the exit road guide information as the exit road guide information as the exit road guidance information. Guide direction of the rotary from the angle range "Right direction"
Is obtained, and the exit number and the exit road number "32
1 "and the number of exits" N "(= third) from the approach road to the exit road are acquired. Then, based on the guidance information on the exit road, the following guidance is provided as the vehicle approaches and enters the rotary.

When the guidance intersection is a roundabout, first, as an initial guidance, a guide is provided 700 m before the roundabout, "about 700 m ahead, turn right at the roundabout" so that the exit of the roundabout can be recognized for the exit direction.
As the car progresses, 300m before the roundabout, the driver will also be informed that "about 300m ahead, turn right at the roundabout."
When approaching to a position just before 00m, guidance "Rotary is to the right and N-th exit is to the left" will be provided, so that the route direction and exit exit can be accurately guided. Furthermore, when the vehicle enters the roundabout and there is a sufficient distance to the exit, guiding the user to "Soon, the exit is over" at a timing when the exit can be clearly identified prevents the driver from making a wrong exit.

The above-mentioned guidance will be described with reference to an example of an intersection guidance process shown in FIG. First, it is determined whether or not the distance to the guidance target intersection (the guidance intersection) is closer than 1000 m (step S11). If the distance to the guidance intersection is less than 1000m, it is determined whether or not the intersection data has been created (step S11). S12) If it has not been created, it is further determined whether or not the guidance intersection is a rotary based on a rotary determination flag (step S13). If it is not a roundabout, create intersection guidance data (step S1).
4) In the case of a rotary, as shown in FIG. 4 (B), the direction θ of the exit road is acquired for the extension of the approach road (step S15), and the exit number of the exit road is acquired (step S16). .

Next, it is determined whether the distance to the guidance intersection is within the distance of the initial guidance timing (step S1).
7) If it is within the distance of the initial guidance timing, it is further determined whether or not the initial guidance has been output (step S1).
8) If the initial guidance has not been completed, an initial guidance is performed (step S19). Similarly, it is determined whether or not the distance to the guidance intersection has entered the distance of the intermediate guidance timing (step S20). If the distance has entered the distance of the intermediate guidance timing, it is further determined whether or not the intermediate guidance has been output (step S20). In step S21), if the intermediate guidance has not been completed, intermediate guidance is performed (step S22). Further, it is determined whether or not the distance to the guidance intersection has entered the distance at the immediately preceding guidance timing (step S23). If the distance has entered the distance at the immediately preceding guidance timing, it is further determined whether or not the immediately preceding guidance output has been completed (step S23). Step S24), if the immediately preceding guidance has not been completed, the immediately preceding guidance is performed (step S19).

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the exit guidance is performed following the guidance in the direction of the rotary (the direction of the exit road relative to the approach road) with the immediately preceding guidance 100 m before the rotary, but the exit guidance is performed after entering the rotary. It may be performed. Also, after entering the rotary, guidance for passing or guidance of the remaining number to the exit may be provided for each exit road. In the present embodiment, the guidance content is changed according to the distance to the rotary. However, the time required for arrival at the rotary may be predicted, and the guidance content may be changed according to the predicted time. For example, when the estimated time to arrive at the rotary becomes two minutes (or more than two minutes), guidance is provided so that the direction of exit can be recognized with respect to the entry of the rotary. When the estimated time until arrival at the rotary becomes one minute (or within one minute), the exit guidance is performed following the guidance of the rotary direction. As a method of estimating the estimated time, for example, a method of estimating from the distance between the own vehicle position and the rotary, the own vehicle speed or the speed limit of the traveling road, or the like is possible.

[0029]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, in a navigation device for guiding along a route to a destination, a current position detecting means for detecting a current position of a vehicle, and a guidance intersection A guide intersection determining means for determining whether or not a roundabout, a guide information obtaining means for obtaining the exit information of the direction of the exit road and the exit of the exit road with respect to the rotary determined by the guidance intersection determination means, It provides guidance in the direction of the exit path acquired by the guidance information acquisition means based on the guidance information, and then provides guidance control means for guiding the exit of the exit path, so that the exit position of the rotary can be accurately determined by the direction of the rotary and the exit guidance. I can guide you.

Further, the distance calculating means calculates the distance between the current position and the rotary, and the guidance control means provides guidance in the direction of the exit road when the calculated distance is the first distance. When the distance is the second distance, guide the exit of the exit road, so when the distance to the rotary is relatively long,
A rough direction to be exited by the rotary can be guided, and the exit position of the exit road can be guided in addition to the direction guide immediately before entering the rotary. Therefore, before entering the rotary, the direction of the rotary and the exit position are accurately guided, and the driver can drive with a margin.

The rotary entry determining means determines whether or not the current position has entered the rotary, and the guidance control means determines that the current position has entered the rotary, and determines whether the current position has entered the rotary. Since guidance is provided, even after entering the roundabout, it is possible to accurately guide the timing of exit and prevent mistakes in exit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a map guidance display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the flow of the entire system of the map guidance display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of guidance of a rotary by the navigation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of an intersection guidance process by the navigation device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 input device 2 current position detecting device 3 information storage device 4 central processing device 5 information transmitting and receiving device 6 output device

Continuation of the front page (71) Applicant 000237592 Fujitsu Ten Co., Ltd. 1-2-28, Goshodori, Hyogo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo (71) Applicant 000005821 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Inventor Hideki Nakajima 6-18 Okamachi Harayama, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture Inside Aisin AW Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hidenobu Suzuki 1 Toyota Town, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Inside Toyota Motor Corporation (72) Inventor Ei Yamauchi Makoto Uemura 1-2-28, Goshodori, Hyogo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo Prefecture Fujitsu Ten Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Jun Ichimura Fujitsu Ten Co., Ltd., 1-2-2-28 Goshodori, Hyogo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo Prefecture (72) Inventor Ryuji Yaegashi 600, Saedo-cho, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroshi Tsuji Akira Matsushita-dori 600 Saedo-cho, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture Industry Co., Ltd. in the F-term (reference) 2C032 HB23 HB24 HC08 HC31 HD03 HD07 HD11 2F029 AA02 AA07 AB01 AB07 AC02 AC14 AC18 5H180 AA01 BB02 BB04 BB05 BB12 BB13 CC12 FF04 FF05 FF22 FF25 FF27 FF33

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A navigation device for providing guidance along a route to a destination, a current position detecting means for detecting a current position of a vehicle, a guidance intersection determining means for determining whether a guidance intersection is a roundabout, Guidance information acquisition means for acquiring the exit direction of the exit road with respect to the approach road related to the rotary determined by the guidance intersection determination means, and the exit path acquired by the guidance information acquisition means based on the current position. Guides you in the direction of
A navigation control device for guiding the exit of the exit road. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a distance calculation unit configured to calculate a distance between the current position and the rotary, wherein the guidance control unit includes:
When the distance calculated by the distance calculation means is the first distance, guidance is provided for the direction of the exit road, and when the distance calculated by the distance calculation means is the second distance, the exit guidance of the exit road is provided. 2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A distance calculating means for calculating a distance between the current position and the rotary, and an estimated time to arrive at the rotary based on the distance between the current position and the rotary calculated by the distance calculating means. And the guidance control means performs guidance in the direction of the exit road when the predicted time predicted by the time prediction means is a first time, and the guidance control means predicts the direction of the exit road. 2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the predicted time is the second time, the exit guidance of the exit road is performed. 4. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the exit guide of the exit road is an exit number or the number of exits of the exit road. 5. A rotary approach determining means for determining whether or not the current position has entered the rotary, wherein the guidance control means determines that the current position has entered the rotary by the rotary approach determining means. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when it is determined, exit guidance is performed immediately before the exit road.