JP2002310685A - Parking lot search system and parking lot search program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a parking lot information display system, enabling a person to efficiently find out a parking lot around a set place. SOLUTION: In the search for parking lot, a parking lot search area screen 18 is displayed by the operation to a car navigation device, and a desired retrieval area of the displayed search areas is touch-operated. The car navigation device then searches parking lots located in the selected retrieval area, and displays parking lot data therefor. Accordingly, the retrieval area is selected properly, whereby the displayed parking lot data can be narrowed down to quickly find out a desired parking lot.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a parking lot information display system for displaying information on a parking lot located in a predetermined range based on a set point set by a user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as a car navigation system, a positional relationship between a destination and a current position is displayed together with map data, and parking data around a destination is searched from parking data in accordance with a user operation. In addition, there is known an apparatus that displays the searched parking lot data around the destination. In other words, by providing means for searching and displaying parking data (position, parking fee, etc.) around the destination from the stored parking data, the user can confirm in advance whether there is a parking lot. And arrive at the parking lot from the destination without any time loss.

[0003]

However, in the case of the above, since the search range from the destination is fixed to a predetermined set range, when the destination is in the city center and the parking lot is dense, However, the number of parking lot data to be displayed increases, and the amount of information becomes enormous. On the other hand, when the destination is far from the city center and the parking lot is sparse, there may be no parking lot data to be displayed. For this reason, there is a problem that the user cannot instantaneously determine which parking lot is closer and more economical, and cannot even find the parking lot.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a parking lot information display system that can efficiently find a parking lot around a set place.

[0005]

According to the present invention, when a user searches for a parking lot, a desired search range is set by the search range setting means. Then, the display control means displays the information on the parking lots present in the set range set by the search range setting means, so that by appropriately setting the search range, the number of parking lots displayed on the display means is set to an appropriate number You can narrow down and find a parking lot efficiently.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the display control means sorts and displays the information on the parking lots based on the predetermined priority, so that the user can quickly find the target parking lot.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the display means displays the information on the parking lots in ascending order of the parking fee, so that the user can quickly find the parking lot with the lowest parking fee.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the display means displays the information on the parking lot in the order of decreasing distance from the set point to the parking lot. You can quickly find the parking lot.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when one of the parking lots displayed on the display means is selected by the user,
Since the route from the point input by the input means to the selected parking lot is displayed, the user can easily reach the target parking lot from a desired point.

According to the invention of claim 6, when the user executes the parking area search program and the user inputs the search range, the computer performs the search based on the parking area information stored in advance. Since the parking lot existing in the range is searched and the parking lot information is output, the user can obtain the parking lot information existing in the search range.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, by executing the parking lot search program, when the user inputs the search conditions, the parking lot information is output in descending order of the degree of satisfaction of the input search conditions. The user can obtain parking lot information existing in the search range.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a car navigation device will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1 schematically showing the entire electrical configuration, a car navigation apparatus 1 includes a control circuit 2 (corresponding to a search range setting unit and a display control unit) and positions connected to the control circuit 2 respectively. Detector 3, map data input device 4,
Operation switch group (corresponding to input means) 5, external memory 6,
The display device (corresponding to display means) 7, a remote control sensor 8, and a remote control 9 are provided.

The control circuit 2 includes a car navigation device 1
And has a function of controlling the overall operation of the microcomputer, and is mainly configured by a microcomputer. That is, the control circuit 2 has a configuration including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an I / O interface, a bus connecting these, and the like (none is shown). Among them, the ROM stores program data for car navigation and the like, and the RAM temporarily stores data necessary for executing the program, map data obtained from the map data input device 4, and the like.

The position detector 3 includes a well-known geomagnetic sensor 10, a gyroscope 11, a distance sensor 12, and a GP.
It has an S receiver 13 and is a part for calculating current position information of the vehicle. In the position detector 3, since each component has a detection error having a different property, the control circuit 2
By using the input signals from the position detector 3 while interpolating each other, the current position, traveling direction, speed, traveling distance, and the like of the vehicle are detected with high accuracy.
Note that the position detector 3 does not need to include all components as long as the current position can be calculated with the required detection accuracy. Further, the position detector 3 may be configured by combining a rotation sensor of the steering wheel, a wheel sensor for detecting the rotation of each tire, and the like.

The map data input device 4 is, for example, a CD-RO
It is for reading data from a map disk 14 composed of an information recording medium such as M or DVD-ROM. In this case, the map disk 14 includes various types of road map data (map drawing data), map matching data for improving the position detection accuracy, a facility name database in which the facility names are arranged in, for example, the order of the Japanese syllabary. In addition to a facility database covering specific information about each facility in the name database, a phone number database indicating correspondence between phone numbers and facilities, etc., as additional information related to the gist of the present invention, for example, characteristic information along roads Text data expressing various landscapes, buildings, road information, and the like, and image data corresponding to photographs of the landscapes, the buildings, and the like are stored in association with a number of points on a map.

The external memory 6 is constituted by a flash memory card or the like, and stores, for example, guidance route data to a destination calculated by a route search operation by the control circuit 2 to be described later, or an arbitrary route prepared by a user. To store additional information (for example, text data expressing characteristic scenery along roads, buildings, road information, etc., image data captured by digital cameras, etc. of those scenes, buildings, etc.) Have been. The function of the external memory 6 can be realized by a storage element in the control circuit 2. In this case, the external memory 6
May be provided as needed. However, when the external memory 6 is not provided, it is necessary to provide an interface for inputting data such as additional information.

The display device 7 includes, for example, a color liquid crystal display (not shown) for displaying a map screen, and is installed near the driver's seat of the vehicle. Also,
The operation switch group 5 includes mechanical switches and touch switches formed on a color liquid crystal display of the display device 7, and is provided to give operation inputs such as various data and setting items to the control circuit 2. The remote control sensor 8 is also provided as operation input means.
An operation input from the remote controller 9 is received and given to the control circuit 2.

The control circuit 2 has a function of executing a map matching process for locating the current position on the map. When point data such as a destination or a waypoint is inputted through the operation switch group 5 or the remote controller 9, the point data is displayed. And performing a route search operation of calculating guidance route data from the current position to the destination based on the road map data,
A function of displaying the route indicated by the guidance route data on a map screen by the display device 7, storing the guidance route data as registration data, recalling the registration data as necessary, and displaying the registration data on the map screen, etc. It has the function of In this case, the control circuit 2 stores, in addition to each control function as described above, additional information related to the guidance route indicated by the registration data in association with the registration data in response to a user operation. It has an editing function and a display function of selectively calling and displaying additional information corresponding to the registration data displayed on the map screen.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a parking lot search / display process of the control circuit 2, and a program for executing this flowchart is stored in the ROM of the control circuit 2. In FIG. 2, the control circuit 2 determines whether a destination has been set (S101).

When a user sets a destination in the car navigation system 1, the user inputs a desired destination. The destination may be a route search destination or a mere set place.

When the destination is set (S101: YES), the control circuit 2 displays a peripheral map screen 15 (the display of the map is omitted) around the destination as shown in FIG. 3 (S102). ). In this case, the center of the cross mark 16 shown on the peripheral map screen 15 indicates the set destination.

Here, when the user wants to know the data of the parking lot around the destination, he touches the "parking lot" button 17 displayed on the surrounding map screen 15. When the “parking lot” button is touch-operated as shown in FIG. 2 (S103: YES), the control circuit 2 displays a parking lot search area screen 18 as shown in FIG. 4 (S10).
4). On the search area screen of the parking lot, a search area radius centering on the destination is displayed so as to be selectable. Therefore, the user performs a touch operation on a desired radius display unit.
In this case, if it is expected that the destination is in the city center and there are many parking lots in the vicinity, a smaller search area radius is selected. If the destination is far from the city center and it is expected that there are few parking lots in the vicinity, a larger search area radius is selected.

When the radius display section of the search area is touch-operated as shown in FIG. 2 (S105:
YES), a parking lot existing within the selected radius is searched based on the parking lot database (S106), and the searched parking lot data screen 19 is displayed as shown in FIG. 5 (S106).
107). The parking lot data screen 19 shows a display example of parking lot data in which the search area radius is, for example, 100 m with the destination at the center. In this case, a “P” mark is displayed on the parking lot data screen 19 corresponding to the searched position of each parking lot, and a parking fee (charge / unit time) and a destination are displayed corresponding to each parking lot position. Parking data indicating the distance from the vehicle is displayed. At the top of the parking lot data screen 19, a "rate order" button 20 and a "distance order" button 21 are displayed.

Here, if the user wants to search for a parking lot with a low parking fee prior to the distance, the user touches the "order by fare" button 20 to change the parking lot with a short distance from the destination to the fare. If you want to give priority to search, "Distance order" button 2
Touch operation of 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control circuit 2 performs a touch operation on the "rate order" button 20 (S108:
YES), based on the parking fee stored in advance for each parking lot, a fee order list screen 22 showing the parking list in the order of the parking fee with the lowest parking fee is displayed as shown in FIG. 6 (S).
109). When the “distance order” button 21 is touch-operated (S112: YES), as shown in FIG. 7, the distance from the destination is shorter based on the parking lot position stored in advance for each parking lot. The distance order list screen 23 indicating the parking lot list is displayed (S113). Therefore, the user
As described above, a desired parking lot is selected from the parking lot list displayed in order of fares or distances and touch operation is performed.

By the way, if the number of searched parking lots is too large as described above, the parking lot data screen 1 shown in FIG.
9, the parking lot data displayed becomes huge, and the parking lot cannot be selected instantaneously. If the number of parking lots displayed on the parking lot data screen 19 is too small, the parking lot cannot be selected properly.

In such a case, by returning to the display state of the parking lot search area screen 18 shown in FIG. 4 and changing and selecting the search area, the number of searched and displayed parking lots can be made appropriate. . Then, when the parking lot displayed in the parking lot list is touch-operated as shown in FIG. 2 (S110: YES), the control circuit 2 searches for a route from the destination to the parking lot (S111). .

Now, when the user operates the car navigation system 1
When the vehicle is parked in the parking lot after arriving at the destination by the route guidance by the user, the display device 7 displays the guidance route from the destination to the parking lot selected as described above. According to the route guidance by the device 1, the vehicle is driven to the parking lot and parked according to the guidance route from the destination to the parking lot. In this case, since the guidance route from the destination to the parking lot has already been set, it is possible to immediately go from the destination to the parking lot.
The guidance route may be output by voice.

According to such an embodiment, when searching for a parking lot existing around the destination set by the user and displaying the data of the parking lot, the user can input the radius of the search area. Conventionally, when the search area radius is input, the parking area data located within the search area radius centered on the destination is searched and displayed, so that the search area from the destination is constant. Unlike those of
By appropriately setting the search area according to the overcrowding of the parking lots existing around the destination, the parking lots to be searched can be narrowed down and the parking lots can be found efficiently. In addition, since the parking lots are displayed in a list according to the order of the parking fee or the distance, the parking lot can be appropriately found according to the priority order of the user.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified or expanded as follows. Instead of displaying the searched parking lot in the display form shown in FIG. 5,
A list of parking lots may be displayed. The search area may have a shape other than a circle centered on the destination, such as a polygon, and a plurality of search areas may be set at the same time. Further, a search area may be set for each administrative district, and further, a user may be allowed to set a search area arbitrarily. The present invention may be applied to a case of searching for a parking lot existing around the current location.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an overall electrical configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of a control circuit;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a map screen around a set destination;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a parking lot search area screen.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a parking lot data screen.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a charge order list screen.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a distance order list screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a car navigation device, 2 is a control circuit (search range setting means, display control means), 5 is an operation switch group (input means), and 7 is a display device (display means).

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) G09B 29/00 G09B 29/00 F 29/10 29/10 A F term (reference) 2C032 HB06 HB22 HC08 HC31 HD07 2F029 AA02 AB01 AB07 AC01 AC02 AC04 AC18 AD01 5B075 PQ38 UU16 5H180 AA01 BB13 FF04 FF05 FF07 FF22 FF25 FF27 FF33 FF38

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A display means, a search range setting means for setting a search range, and a display control means for displaying, on the display means, information on a parking lot present in the search range set by the search range setting means. Parking search system characterized by the following. 2. The parking lot search system according to claim 1, wherein said display control means sorts information relating to the parking lot based on a predetermined priority and displays the information on said display means. 3. The parking lot search system according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined priority order is a parking fee in ascending order. 4. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an input means for inputting a point, wherein the predetermined priority is set in ascending order of a distance from the set point to the parking lot input by the input means. Parking search system. 5. An input means for inputting a point, and when one of the parking lots displayed on the display means is selected,
The parking lot search system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a route from the point input by the input means to the selected parking lot is output. 6. A step of causing a computer to input a search range, a step of, when the search range is input, searching for a parking lot existing in the search range based on parking lot information stored in advance. And a step of outputting parking lot information. 7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: a step of inputting a search condition; and a step of, when the search condition is input, outputting parking lot information in descending order of satisfaction of the input search condition. Parking search program.