JP2002352395A - Approach alarm method, approach alarm system, navigation system and its computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately and appropriately provide a pedestrian with the approach alarm of a vehicle. SOLUTION: The navigation system 1 mounted on the vehicle computes the current position of its own system and estimates the location of its own system (the vehicle) after a prescribed time on the basis of the computed current positional information. Further, when determining that the relative distance between the navigation system 2 and a portable unit 3 is smaller than a prescribed distance, on the basis of the estimated result and the current position information received from the portable unit 3. the navigation system 1 provides the portable unit 3 with alarm information for alarming the approach of the vehicle and the pedestrian. The portable unit 3 informs the pedestrian carrying the portable unit 3, of the alarm information received from the navigation system 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field of alarming between moving bodies such as pedestrians and vehicles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, in the field of automobiles, which are typical vehicles, an alarm device for giving an alarm to a pedestrian has been proposed. There has been proposed an alarm device that emits an alarm when a light is on and a vehicle speed is within a predetermined range.

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-273098 discloses that in a pedestrian detection area in which a plurality of current collecting sensors are arranged in a matrix, the moving direction and speed of a pedestrian passing through the pedestrian detection area are determined. There has been proposed an alarm system that detects using the current collection sensor and issues an alarm according to the detection result.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional alarm device, the former has a problem in the accuracy of the alarm, and it is impractical to arrange a plurality of alarm systems like the latter in the city.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a proximity warning method, a proximity warning system, a navigation device, and a computer program for providing a proximity warning of a vehicle to a pedestrian accurately and appropriately.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an approach warning system according to the present invention has the following features.

[0007] That is, an approach warning system in which a portable device carried by a pedestrian and a navigation device mounted on a vehicle are connected by wireless communication.
Calculating the current position of the own device, and transmitting the calculated current position information to the vicinity of the portable device; and transmitting the information received from the outside to a pedestrian carrying the portable device. Notifying means, wherein the navigation device calculates a current position of the own device, and based on the calculated current position information, a position position estimating device for estimating a position of the navigation device after a predetermined time. An estimating result obtained by the location estimating means and a current position information received from the portable device, when it is determined that a relative distance between the navigation device and the portable device is shorter than a predetermined distance, The portable device is provided with alarm output means for providing alarm information for alarming that the vehicle and the pedestrian approach each other.

Further, for example, in the portable device, the current position transmitting means is configured to transmit information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian stored in advance to the vicinity of the portable device together with the current position information. In the navigation device, the alarm output unit receives the current position information and the information on the physical feature from the portable device, and sets a relative distance between the navigation device and the portable device to a predetermined distance. When it is determined that the length is shorter, the output mode of the warning information may be changed according to the information on the physical characteristics.

In the above case, for example, the navigation device further includes pedestrian information notifying means for notifying the physical characteristics of the pedestrian in the vehicle based on the information on the physical characteristics received from the portable device. Good to have.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, information relating to the physical characteristics of the pedestrian is stored in the portable device in advance, and the notifying means transmits alarm information received from the navigation device to the portable device. When notifying the pedestrian who carries the machine, the output mode may be changed according to the information on the physical characteristics.

Further, for example, in the portable device, the current position transmitting means is configured to transmit information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian stored in advance together with the current position information to the vicinity of the portable device. And when the navigation device can communicate with an information center in which information on the physical characteristics of the person to be searched is stored, the navigation device displays the information on the physical characteristics received from the portable device. It is preferable that the information center further includes a pedestrian information notifying means for notifying the information center of a person to be searched and notifying a result of the inquiry in the vehicle.

In the above case, for example, the pedestrian information notifying means may transmit the current position information of the vehicle when inquiring the information center about the person to be searched.

The above object is also achieved by an approach warning method corresponding to the approach warning system having each of the above-described configurations.

[0014] The object of the present invention is to provide a program code for instructing the operation of a device corresponding to a navigation device, which constitutes an approach warning system having the above components.
The present invention is also achieved by a computer-readable storage medium storing the program code.

[0015]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an approach warning method, an approach warning system, a navigation device, and a computer program for accurately and appropriately providing an approach warning of a vehicle to a pedestrian.

That is, according to the first, second, and eighth aspects of the present invention, the location of the vehicle (navigation device) after a predetermined time and the current position of the portable device (pedestrian) are determined in the determination of the necessity of the alarm output. Since the position is taken into consideration, an accurate and appropriate alarm can be issued.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3, according to the information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian received from the portable device,
For example, a headlamp blinks for a hearing-impaired person, and a horn sounds for a blind person. A more efficient alarm according to the characteristics of the above is realized.

Further, according to the invention of claim 4, the information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian received from the portable device can be recognized by the driver of the vehicle, and the driver can be alerted.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a pedestrian carrying a portable device can be efficiently alerted.

Further, according to the invention of claim 6, it is possible to efficiently search for a pedestrian having special circumstances such as dementia or memory loss, with the cooperation of a driver of a vehicle equipped with a navigation device. it can.

Further, according to the invention of claim 7, it is possible to easily specify the location of the person to be searched at the information center.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the approach warning system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of the approach warning system according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 1, an on-vehicle device 1 is a navigation device 2 having a communication function with an information center 4,
As an example of a short-range wireless communication system adopted within a distance range of about a degree, a Bluetooth component 11 for performing wireless communication of a Bluetooth system is provided. The navigation device 2
The device configuration will be described later.

The portable device 3 carried by a pedestrian is, for example, an information terminal such as a wristband type or a mobile phone type.
Bluetooth component 12, information providing unit 1
3. GPS (Global Positioning System)
The unit 14 includes a storage medium 15 such as a semiconductor memory. The storage medium 15 stores in advance information about the physical characteristics of the pedestrian who carries the portable device, such as name, hearing difficulty, visual difficulty, behavior difficulty, age, medical condition, dementia, memory loss, and other special circumstances. It is remembered.

The information providing unit 13 includes a microcomputer (not shown), and as described later, notifies the owner (pedestrian) of the portable device 13 of an alarm by sound, character display, vibration, or the like. Do.

The information center 4 includes the navigation device 2
A computer 16 capable of communicating with the user, and a database 17 storing information on persons to be searched. In the database 17, information items such as names, physical characteristics, information on physical characteristics, contact information, and the like are stored in advance as information on a search target person (a lost person).

The information center 2 has the following structure.
Since a general server computer and communication interface can be applied, detailed description in the present embodiment will be omitted.

Here, the communication between the navigation device 2 and the information center 4 may include at least a wireless communication line. In a preferred embodiment, the Internet may be included in addition to the wireless communication line.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the navigation device 2 according to the present embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 22 denotes a display such as a liquid crystal display, and 23 denotes an input device including a key switch, various pointing devices, and the like. A ROM 24 stores a boot program and the like. Reference numeral 25 denotes a RAM for temporarily storing various processing results. Reference numeral 26 denotes a hard disk drive (HDD) for storing vehicle information relating to the vehicle, map information for navigation, programs, and the like.
And the like. Reference numeral 27 denotes a communication interface (wireless transceiver) for communicating with the information center 4 via the wireless communication line 30. And 28 is the G received from outside.
This is a GPS unit that detects the current position based on a PS (Global Positioning System) signal. These components are connected via an internal bus 29, and a CPU (central processing unit) 21 controls the entire navigation device 2 according to a program stored in a storage device 26. The internal bus 29 is connected to the Bluetooth component 11 not shown in FIG.

Next, a specific warning process performed in the approach warning system having the above-described hardware configuration will be described.

<Navigation Apparatus 2> FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an alarm information output process performed by the navigation apparatus 2 in the present embodiment, and shows an execution procedure of software executed by the CPU 21.

Referring to FIG.
2: Wait until the Bluetooth component 11 connected to the navigation device 2 receives a wireless signal from the Bluetooth component 12 provided in the portable device 3 existing within a predetermined distance range of about several tens of meters (Step S)
1) When a wireless signal is received, information on the current position of the portable device 3 and information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian carrying the portable device are acquired from the wireless signal (step S2).

Step S3: The current position information of the vehicle-mounted device 1 (navigation device 2) is calculated using the GPS unit 28, a gyro (not shown), and the like, and the position after a predetermined time has elapsed is estimated. In the estimation of the location, the navigation device 2 estimates the traveling direction of the vehicle based on the past current position information calculated up to the current control cycle, and the predetermined time at the current vehicle speed in the estimated traveling direction. What is necessary is just to estimate the movement over.

Step S4: The communication between the navigation device 2 and the portable device 3 is performed based on the location information after the lapse of the predetermined time estimated in step S3 and the current position information of the portable device 3 acquired in step S2. The relative distance L is calculated (Step S4).

Step S5, Step S6: Step S
It is determined whether the relative distance calculated in step 4 is shorter than a predetermined distance LA determined to be dangerous (step S5). When the distance is shorter than the LA, alarm information that warns that the vehicle equipped with the navigation device 2 is approaching the pedestrian carrying the portable device 3 is transmitted to the Bluetooth component 12 provided in the portable device 3. (Step S6).

Step S7, Step S8: Step S
In step S7, if the information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian has not been obtained in step S2, the process returns to step S1, and if it has been obtained, the output mode according to the information on the physical characteristics in step S8. Then, the alarm information is notified.

Here, as a mode of the alarm, for example, in the case of a hearing-impaired person, a headlamp blinks and a roof light is turned on, and in the case of a visually-impaired person, a horn is sounded. Good.

Steps S9 and S10: In accordance with the information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian obtained in step S2, it is determined whether or not the information center 4 needs to be searched for a person to be searched (step S9). If it is determined that is unnecessary, the process returns to step S1,
If it is determined that an inquiry is necessary, information indicating that an inquiry request including the information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian and the current position information of the navigation device 2 calculated in step S3 is made to the information center 4 (Step S
10).

FIG. 6 is a diagram exemplifying a screen displayed on the display 22 of the navigation device 2 in the present embodiment, and is displayed when information for making an inquiry request is transmitted to the information center 4 in step S10. FIG.

That is, in FIG. 6, above the map display area, information indicating that an inquiry request is to be transmitted to the information center 4, information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian obtained in step S3, and step S6 , Each block indicating that the alarm information has been transmitted to the portable device 3 is displayed.

Step S11, Step S12: In step S11, the process waits until an inquiry result for the inquiry in step S10 is received from the information center 4,
If it has been received, the received information and step S2
The information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian acquired in step (1) is displayed on the display 22 (step S12), and the process returns to step S1.

FIG. 7 is a diagram exemplifying a screen displayed on the display 22 of the navigation device 2 in the present embodiment, and exemplifies a display screen displayed in step S12.

That is, in FIG. 7, instead of the block in which the information indicating that the inquiry request is to be transmitted to the information center 4 in the display example of FIG. , Each block indicating that the owner of the portable device 3 that transmitted the alarm information is a person to be searched.

In step S12, the physical characteristics of the person carrying the portable device 3 (whether it is a cautionary age such as a child or an elderly person, or a pedestrian with special circumstances such as dementia, memory loss, hearing loss, etc.) are determined. The driver can be alerted by notifying the driver by displaying the information in the vehicle or the like, and the search target person can be searched efficiently with the cooperation of the driver.

<Portable Device 3> FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an alarm notification process performed by the portable device 3 in the present embodiment, and shows an execution procedure of software executed by a microcomputer (not shown) of the information providing unit 13. .

In the figure, steps S21 and S22: It is determined whether or not a vehicle exists within a predetermined distance range of about several tens of meters of the portable device 3 by a Bluetooth device provided in the portable device 3.
The h component 12 and the vehicle-side Bluetooth component 11 determine whether a wireless communication line can be established (step S21). If it is determined that a vehicle exists due to the wireless communication line being established, the GP
The current position information is calculated by the S unit 14 using the portable device 3, and the calculated current position information and pre-stored information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian (owner of the portable device 3) are transmitted to the navigation device 2. Is transmitted to the Bluetooth component 11 provided in (step S22).
Here, the transmission of the information in step S22 corresponds to step S1 in FIG. 3 described above.

Step S23: It is determined whether alarm information has been received from the Bluetooth component 11 provided in the navigation device 2, and if alarm information has been received corresponding to step S6 in FIG. 3 described above, the flow proceeds to step S24. .

Step S24: The warning information received in step S23 is notified according to the information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian (owner of the portable device 3) stored in advance, and the process returns to step S21. Here, as a mode of the alarm, for example, the portable device 3 is vibrated in the case of a person with hearing impairment, and displayed on a display in the case of a person with hearing impairment. In the case of a strange person, it is sufficient to give an alarm by voice.

FIG. 8 is a diagram exemplifying a mode of an alarm displayed on the display when the portable device 3 is a portable telephone type. In the display example of FIG. On the other hand, in FIG. 8B, below the map display area,
A symbol for warning of the approach of the vehicle is displayed, and a symbol indicating that a vibration module (not shown) is vibrating is displayed.

<Information Center 4> FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a search process performed by the information center 4 in the present embodiment, and shows an execution procedure of software executed by the computer 16 of the information center 4.

In the figure, step S31, step S32: corresponding to step S10 in FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not information for requesting an inquiry has been received from the navigation device 2 (step S31). The database 17 is searched using the information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian included in the information as a search key, and the search result (inquiry result) is transmitted to the navigation device 2 (step S32), and the process returns to step S31. .
Transmission of the search result in step S32 corresponds to step S11 in FIG.

Here, since the information received in step S31 includes the current position information of the navigation device 2, the information center 4 can easily specify the location of the person to be searched.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the position of the vehicle (navigation device 2) after a predetermined time and the current position of the portable device (pedestrian) are considered in the determination of the necessity of the alarm output. Therefore, an accurate and appropriate alarm can be issued.

Also, in the above-described embodiment, the navigation device 2 and the information center 4 communicate at least via a wireless communication line, and Bluetooth is employed as a communication means between the navigation device 2 and the portable device 3. .
Thereby, the portable device 3 is compared with the communication system configuration in which the portable device 3 and the information center 4 perform direct wireless communication.
Cost can be reduced.

Further, according to the information on the physical characteristics of the pedestrian received from the portable device 3, the navigation device 2
For example, in the case of a hearing-impaired person, the headlamp blinks, and in the case of a visually-impaired person, the mode of the alarm is optimized, such as sounding a horn.
A more efficient warning according to the characteristics of the pedestrian is realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an overall configuration of an approach warning system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the navigation device 2 according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an alarm information output process performed by the navigation device 2 in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an alarm notification process performed by the portable device 3 in the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a search process performed by the information center 4 in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram exemplifying a screen displayed on a display 22 of the navigation device 2 in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram exemplifying a screen displayed on a display 22 of the navigation device 2 in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram exemplifying a mode of an alarm displayed on a display when the portable device 3 is of a mobile phone type.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: on-vehicle device, 2: navigation device, 3: portable device, 4: information center, 11, 12: Bluetooth component, 13: information providing unit, 14, 28: GPS unit, 15: storage medium, 16: computer, 17 : Database, 21: CPU, 22: display, 23: input device, 24: ROM, 25: RAM, 26: storage device, 27: communication interface, 29: internal bus, 30: communication line,

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G08B 25/04 G08B 25/04 K 25/10 25/10 D H04B 7/26 H04B 7/26 F (72 ) Inventor Naoyuki Hikita 3-1 Shinchi, Fuchu-cho, Aki-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture Inside Mazda Co., Ltd. Mitsuda, Inc. 3-1 Fuchu-cho, Shinchu, Aki-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture (72) Inventor Mitsuhiro Yoshimoto 3-1 Shinchi, Fuchu-cho, Aki-gun, Hiroshima Mazda Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) BB14 BB21 BB72 BB74 DD03 DD14 DD31 EE05 EE14 EE18 FF01 FF02 FF04 FF17 FF19 GG07 GG11 GG19 GG46 GG66 GG70 5H180 AA21 BB04 FF05 FF22 FF27 FF33 LL01 LL07 5K067 AA34 BB21 EE12 FF03 FF23 JJ56

Claims (9)

[Claims] An approach warning method using a communication system in which a portable device carried by a pedestrian and a navigation device mounted on a vehicle are connected by wireless communication, wherein a current position of the portable device is calculated. And a current position transmitting step of transmitting the calculated current position information to the vicinity of the portable device, and calculating a current position of the navigation device,
Based on the calculated current location information, a location estimation step of estimating the location of the navigation device after a predetermined time, based on the estimation result in the location estimation step, and the current location information received from the portable device. When it is determined that the relative distance between the navigation device and the portable device is shorter than a predetermined distance, the portable device is provided with alarm information that warns that the vehicle and the pedestrian are approaching. An alert output step, and an alerting step of alerting the alert information received from the navigation device in the alert output step to a pedestrian carrying the portable device by the portable device. Approach warning method. 2. An approach warning system in which a portable device carried by a pedestrian and a navigation device mounted on a vehicle are connected by wireless communication, wherein the portable device calculates a current position of its own device. And a current position transmitting means for transmitting the calculated current position information to the vicinity of the portable device; and a notifying device for notifying information received from the outside to a pedestrian carrying the portable device. The device calculates a current position of the own device, and based on the calculated current position information, a position estimation unit that estimates a position of the navigation device after a predetermined time, and an estimation result obtained by the position estimation unit. Determining that the relative distance between the navigation device and the portable device is shorter than a predetermined distance based on the current position information received from the portable device. A warning output means for providing, to the portable device, warning information for warning that the vehicle and the pedestrian are approaching when the vehicle approaches. 3. The portable device, wherein the current position transmitting means is configured to transmit information on physical characteristics of the pedestrian stored in advance to the vicinity of the portable device together with the current position information. In the navigation device, the alarm output unit receives the current position information and the information on the physical feature from the portable device, and a relative distance between the navigation device and the portable device is greater than a predetermined distance. The approach warning system according to claim 2, wherein an output mode of the warning information is changed in accordance with the information on the physical characteristics when it is determined that the distance becomes shorter. 4. The navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising:
The approach warning system according to claim 3, further comprising a pedestrian information notifying unit that notifies a physical feature of the pedestrian in the vehicle. 5. The portable device has stored therein information about physical characteristics of the pedestrian in advance, and the notifying means transmits alarm information received from the navigation device to a pedestrian carrying the portable device. 3. The approach warning system according to claim 2, wherein an output mode is changed in accordance with the information on the physical characteristics when informing the user of the proximity alert. 6. The portable device, wherein the current position transmitting means is configured to transmit information on physical characteristics of the pedestrian stored in advance to the vicinity of the portable device together with the current position information. In a case where the navigation device can communicate with an information center in which information on a physical feature of a person to be searched is stored, the navigation device may be configured to perform a search according to the information on the physical feature received from the portable device. 3. The approach warning system according to claim 2, further comprising a pedestrian information notifying unit that inquires the information center of a search target person and notifies a result of the inquiry in the vehicle. 7. The approach warning according to claim 6, wherein the pedestrian information notifying unit transmits current position information of the vehicle when inquiring the information center about a person to be searched. system. 8. A navigation device mounted on a vehicle, wherein a current position of the navigation device is calculated, and a position of the navigation device after a predetermined time is estimated based on the calculated current position information. Estimating means, based on the estimation result by the location estimation means, and the current position information received from the portable device carried by the pedestrian,
When it is determined that the relative distance between the navigation device and the portable device is shorter than a predetermined distance, an alarm output for providing the portable device with alarm information that warns that the vehicle and the pedestrian approach each other. Means, and a navigation device. 9. A computer program for instructing the operation of the navigation device according to claim 8.