JP2004125446A - Navigation device and navigation program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation device and its program capable of displaying the circumferential map information in detail, while grasping a situation of a point relating to a route. <P>SOLUTION: When a user performs the scenic image reading-out operation or in a case when a vehicle is close to a predetermined distance from a positional coordinate of the scenic image stored in the memory, and the photographing direction and the vehicle traveling direction are approximately agreed with each other, the scenic image of the close position is read out form a memory. On the other hand, the map data of the circumference of a vehicle position to be displayed on a display part is obtained from a camera through the memory by a map data processing part, the processing for transparency is performed on a background part of a map, so that a backing image is transmitted through the background part of the map when the map is superposed to the scenic image, and an image composing part superposes the map processed by the map data processing part to the camera image taken out from the memory to create a composite image, and displays the image on the displaying part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a navigation device that detects a vehicle position and displays the vehicle position on a map, and in particular, to a navigation device and a navigation program that can display map data superimposed on an image indicating a road condition at a predetermined point on a map. .
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of digital technology and automobiles, in-vehicle navigation technologies such as navigation devices and programs have rapidly advanced. The navigation technology calculates and sets an optimal guide route (also simply referred to as a “route”) to a set destination by weighting conversion of each section road based on road map data prepared in advance, and as the vehicle travels. Guidance such as turning right or left at an important point in the route is provided on a screen or the like.
[0003]
Then, when the vehicle approaches the right or left turn point on the route to a predetermined distance, the landscape image for each intersection prepared in advance or the image in front of the vehicle from the camera set for the vehicle is displayed on a monitor instead of a map display. In addition, an arrow indicating a right / left turn direction is combined with the intersection scenery display and displayed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-7-63572 (Paragraph 0010, etc., FIGS. 7, 8 and 9)
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional technology in which an intersection image in front of the vehicle and an arrow indicating the vehicle traveling direction are displayed on a screen instead of a map, when approaching an intersection to be turned left or right, a map of the surrounding area can be displayed. However, there is a problem that it is not possible to grasp in advance the situation immediately after the end of a right or left turn. As one solution to this problem, a far right method of displaying a landscape image and a map of a right / left turn intersection on two screens is also conceivable. However, the size of a monitor installed in a vehicle is limited. There is a problem that the landscape image of the intersection where the vehicle should make a right or left turn becomes smaller, making it difficult to grasp the situation of the right / left turn intersection itself.
[0006]
The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation system capable of displaying the map information of the surrounding area in detail while grasping the situation of the point on the route in detail. It is to provide devices and programs.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle position detecting unit that detects a vehicle position, a storage unit that stores map data including road data, and a display unit that displays the vehicle position together with the map. Display control means for reading a map from the storage unit in accordance with the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection unit, and superimposing the vehicle position on the read map and displaying the vehicle position on the display unit. A navigation device for storing road condition image storage means for storing image data including a camera image of a road condition, wherein a background image is transmitted through a background portion of the map when a map is superimposed and displayed on the camera image. A map data processing means for transmitting a background portion of the map, a command signal generating unit for generating a command signal, and a map data processing process when the command signal is generated. And the processed map as a subject matter to be provided with an image synthesizing means for synthesizing overlapped on the stored camera images to the road condition image storage means by stages.
[0008]
The invention of claim 4 captures the invention of claim 1 from the viewpoint of a computer program, detects a vehicle position, displays the vehicle position along with a map, and detects the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection unit. In the navigation program that reads the map in accordance with the above, and displays the vehicle position on the read map in a superimposed manner, stores video data including a camera video of a road condition, and when a command signal is generated, The gist is that the background portion of the map is transparently transmitted so that the background image is transparent to the background portion of the map, and the camera image stored on the transparently processed map is overlaid and synthesized.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the first aspect, the command signal generating unit generates the command signal when the vehicle position enters a predetermined range from a predetermined position, and the camera image is displayed. It is a scene in front of the vehicle taken in advance, and the gist is that the video data stores position data and a shooting direction.
[0010]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation program according to the fourth aspect, the command signal is generated when the vehicle position enters a predetermined range from a predetermined position, and the camera image is captured in advance in the vehicle. It is a landscape, and the gist of the camera image is that position data and a shooting direction are stored.
[0011]
In these modes, when the vehicle approaches the predetermined point, the image of the camera corresponding to the predetermined point is automatically combined with the map information and displayed.
[0012]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the first aspect, the map data processing means causes the background image to pass through a background portion of the map when the map is superimposed on the camera image, and The gist is that the periphery of the background portion is bordered, and the border color is set to a color opposite to the color of the camera image.
[0013]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation program according to the fourth aspect, when the map is superimposed on the camera image, the background image is transmitted through a background portion of the map, and the periphery of the background portion is bordered; The gist is that the border color is set to the opposite color to the color of the camera image.
[0014]
In these aspects, when the map is superimposed on the camera image, the background portion of the map is bordered around the background portion, and the border color is set to the opposite color to the color of the camera image, and the boundary portion between the camera image and the map is emphasized, The map does not become difficult to see due to the camera image.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as “embodiments”) will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present embodiment can be realized by controlling a computer with a program. However, in this case, the hardware and the embodiment of the program can be variously changed. Therefore, in the following description, each of the present invention and the present embodiment will be described. A virtual block diagram that realizes functions is used.
[0016]
[1. Constitution]
This embodiment shows the navigation device of the present invention, and can be grasped as a program, a recording medium on which such a program is recorded, and such a program is transmitted to a navigation device of each vehicle via a communication network such as the Internet. Downloading and executing is also an aspect of the present invention.
[0017]
First, the present navigation device is a navigation device that searches and sets a route to a purpose set by a user based on road data prepared in advance, and performs each guidance along the route. Each component shown is provided.
[0018]
In other words, the absolute position / azimuth detecting unit 1 calculates, for example, the absolute position coordinates and the azimuth on the ground surface of the current position of the vehicle (referred to as the own vehicle) on which the present device is mounted, that is, the own vehicle position. , For receiving GPS radio waves transmitted from GPS satellites with an antenna or a receiver. The relative azimuth detecting unit 2 is a part for detecting the relative azimuth of the own vehicle using a jay mouth or the like. The vehicle speed detection unit 3 is a part that calculates the speed of the own vehicle by processing a vehicle speed pulse obtained from the vehicle.
[0019]
The main CPU and its peripheral circuit 4 are parts that serve as a control circuit for controlling the entire device. The memory group M is various memories necessary for the operation of the present apparatus. For example, the ROM 5 for storing programs is accessed by the main CPU when the present apparatus is started. A main program is loaded into a dynamic RAM (DRAM) 6 which provides a work area and the like. The SRAM (static RAM) 7, which backs up information such as settings, is battery-backed up while the main power is off, and provides memory contents when the main power is turned on. An image from the camera 16 described later is stored in the SRAM 7 together with the shooting date and time, shooting coordinate data, and shooting direction data. A display VRAM (video RAM) 8 stores bitmap data of an image to be displayed on the display unit 10.
[0020]
The display unit 10 is a part for displaying various information such as a map and an operation menu on a liquid crystal display screen (not shown), and is desirably used together with speech synthesis. The input unit 11 is a part for the user to input information such as a command from a switch or the like, and includes a touch sensor function, a remote control unit, an infrared transmitting / receiving unit, and the like. The user interface unit 9 is a user interface that connects the display unit 10 and the input unit 11 to the main CPU and its peripheral circuits 4 using an I / O control circuit, a device driver, and the like.
[0021]
The CD / DVD-ROM control unit 12 is a means for reading various data such as map data recorded on a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM from a database, and stores road data representing a road network structure and surrounding buildings. This is storage means for storing in advance.
[0022]
The FM multiplex reception and processing unit 13 is a part that performs processing for receiving FM broadcast waves and extracting desired data such as VICS service traffic information from the broadcast waves, and the traffic information includes congestion information. The light / beacon receiving and processing unit 14 is a part that receives and processes information such as identification information of each beacon and traffic information of a VICS service from an optical beacon or a radio beacon installed on a road shoulder or the like. The voice recognition unit 15 is a part that recognizes a word such as a command word from an input utterance of the user. The camera 16 is a CCD camera that is installed on a dashboard of a vehicle or the like and captures a road scene ahead of the vehicle.
[0023]
[1-2. Role of main CPU and its peripheral circuits]
Further, the main CPU and its peripheral circuit 4 are configured to realize the role of each of the following parts shown in FIG. 1 by the autonomous control processing of the computer based on the above-mentioned program. That is, the current position detection unit 40 is a means for sequentially calculating the current position (own vehicle position) of the own vehicle. Specifically, the current position detecting unit 40 detects the own vehicle position by combining GPS navigation positioning and autonomous navigation positioning. Configured to calculate.
[0024]
Here, in the GPS navigation positioning, the current position is calculated using information obtained by the absolute position / azimuth detecting unit 1 based on radio waves from artificial satellites. In the autonomous navigation positioning, the current position is calculated using information obtained from the relative azimuth detecting unit 2 and the vehicle speed detecting unit 3 based on the geomagnetism and the speed of the own vehicle.
[0025]
The destination specifying unit 41 is a means for receiving an input of a destination by searching for a facility from a database or specifying a cursor on a map, and the like. Means for calculating and setting based on In addition, the map display unit 43 displays two-dimensional or tertiary information on the display unit 10 based on the calculated vehicle position and the road data, and displays the vehicle position on a surrounding map and at least a part of the route. The guide section 44 is a means for displaying the original display or the like, and the guide section 44 is a means for determining a portion to be displayed in the route or an element such as blinking emphasis, or controlling the guidance by using a combined voice. The map data processing unit 45 is means for performing a transparency process on the background portion of the map so that the background image passes through the background portion of the map when the map is superimposed on the video obtained from the camera 16. Further, the image synthesizing unit 46 is means for superimposing and synthesizing the map processed by the map data processing unit 45 on the camera image captured by the camera 16 and stored in the SRAM 7.
[0026]
[2. Action]
This embodiment configured as described above operates as follows. First, a landscape image in front of the vehicle is stored in the memory group M along with the shooting position coordinates, the shooting direction, and the shooting date and time data according to the operation of the user. When the user approaches the scenery image reading operation or when the vehicle approaches within a predetermined distance from the position coordinates of the scenery image stored in the SRAM 7 and the photographing direction and the vehicle traveling direction substantially match, the scenery image at the approached position is displayed. Read from SRAM7. On the other hand, map data around the vehicle position to be displayed on the display unit is obtained by the map data processing unit 45 from the camera 16 via the SRAM 7, and when the map is superimposed on the landscape image, the background image passes through the background portion of the map. The background portion of the map is transparently processed so that the map processed by the map data processing unit 45 is superimposed on the camera image called from the SRAM 7 by the image synthesizing unit 46, and is synthesized on the display unit 10 as shown in FIG. Such a display is performed.
[0027]
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 17 denotes a road, 18 denotes a river, which is displayed in a predetermined color, 23 denotes an outline, 19 denotes a mark indicating a vehicle position, and 20 denotes a landscape image position which has been photographed and stored in a memory. It is a camera mark shown. In addition, the background portions 21 and 22 other than the road 17 and the river are subjected to transmission processing, and a landscape image corresponding to the camera mark 20 called from the memory is displayed in that portion. The map data processing unit 45 sets the boundary between the map data background and roads and rivers in a color opposite to the color of the background scenery. For example, the road boundary of a bright portion such as the sky has a black border, and the background scenery has a ground surface. In the dark boundary portion, after performing white border processing on the map data, the image data is combined with the background video by the image combining unit 46, so that the background and the map can be easily distinguished.
[0028]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a first mode for realizing the function of the present invention. When the user operates the screen selection button from the input unit 11 and selects the camera background mode, the process proceeds to step 2 and the memory group M Is read out, and the brightness of the color of the landscape image is recorded for each screen dot (step 2a). Based on the brightness of the color of the landscape image recorded in step 2a, the outline of the map road is colored so as to have the opposite brightness (step 2b). Subsequently, the ground portion (background portion) other than the roads, rivers, railways, and facilities in the map data is made transparent, and the map data is superimposed on the previously read landscape image and synthesized (step 2c). Then, after the processing of step 2, the combined map and landscape image are displayed on the display unit 10 (step 3).
[0029]
FIG. 4 shows step 2b in FIG. 3 in detail. The screen dot position of the map road to be drawn is obtained (step 21), and the camera side screen dots near each dot of the road obtained in step 21 are obtained. The brightness of each color is obtained (step 22). Then, it is determined whether the camera-side dots close to the screen dot position of the road to be drawn are bright (step 23). If the dots are bright, the road is bordered with a dark color (step 24). Performs a road bordering process (step 25).
[0030]
[3. effect]
As described above, in the present embodiment, since map data with a transparent background portion is superimposed and displayed on a landscape image in front of the vehicle, the road condition in front of the vehicle can be grasped in detail together with the display of the map. .
[0031]
Further, in the present embodiment, when map data with a transparent background portion is superimposed and displayed on a landscape image in front of the vehicle, the border color of the road is set to the opposite color according to the brightness of each dot position of the landscape image. Therefore, it is possible to clearly distinguish a landscape image from a road.
[0032]
[4. Other Embodiments]
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but includes other embodiments as exemplified below. For example, instead of step 1 in FIG. 3, the current position of the vehicle is acquired (step 1a) as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5, and the coordinates of the scenery image acquired from the camera 16 in the area 300 m ahead of the vehicle are displayed. It may be determined whether or not there is (step 1b), and if there is, the process may shift to step 2 in FIG.
[0033]
In this case, the scenery image located in front of the vehicle is automatically combined with the map and displayed, so that the driver can grasp the situation of the destination area together with the surrounding map data with a comfortable driving.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a navigation device and a program that can display surrounding map information in detail while grasping the situation of points related to a route in detail.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen display according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of coloring a border of a map road according to the embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Absolute position and direction detection part 2 Relative direction detection part 3 Vehicle speed detection part 4 Main CPU and its peripheral circuit 5 ROM
9 User interface unit 10 Display unit 11 Input unit 13 FM multiplex broadcast reception and processing unit 14 Optical beacon and radio beacon and processing unit 15 Voice recognition unit 16 Camera

Claims (6)

A vehicle position detection unit that detects a vehicle position;
A storage unit in which map data including road data is stored;
A display unit for displaying the vehicle position together with the map,
Display control means for reading a map from the storage unit in accordance with the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection unit, and superimposing the vehicle position on the read map and displaying the vehicle position on the display unit. In the device,
Road condition image storage means for storing video data including a camera video of a road condition,
Map data processing means for transmitting the background portion of the map so that the background image is transparent to the background portion of the map when the map is superimposed on the camera image and displayed;
A command signal generator for generating a command signal;
Image composing means for superimposing a map processed by the map data processing means on a camera image stored in the road condition image storing means when the command signal is generated. Navigation device. The command signal generating unit generates the command signal when the vehicle position enters a predetermined range from a predetermined position,
2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the camera image is a scene in front of the vehicle which has been photographed in advance, and the image data stores position data and a photographing direction. The map data processing means causes the background image to pass through the background portion of the map when the map is overlaid on the camera image, and borders the periphery of the background portion, and sets the border color to the color of the camera image. 2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device has an opposite color. Navigation for detecting a vehicle position, displaying the vehicle position together with a map, reading the map in accordance with the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection unit, and displaying the vehicle position on the read map in a superimposed manner. In the program,
Image data including a camera image of a road condition is stored, and when a command signal is generated, the background portion of the map is transmitted through the background portion of the map so that the background image is transmitted through the background portion of the map. A navigation program characterized by overlapping and synthesizing camera images stored on a map. The command signal is generated when the vehicle position enters a predetermined range from a predetermined position, the camera image is a scene in front of the vehicle taken in advance, and the camera image stores position data and a shooting direction. The navigation program according to claim 4, wherein When the map is superimposed on the camera image, the background image is made to pass through the background portion of the map, the periphery of the background portion is bordered, and the border color is set to a color opposite to the color of the camera image. The navigation program according to claim 4, wherein

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