JP2004233368A - Navigation method and navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation method and device which notify to the driver by a voice or the like, to the effect that an assigned facility existing between the present vehicle position up to a destination became only one. <P>SOLUTION: In this navigation method for displaying a map in a periphery of the vehicle position and for displaying a guide route up to the destination on the map, a correspondence among facility names, business categories and positions is stored preliminarily, the business category or the facility name is assigned, the facility approaching to the guide route is retrieved out of the facilities in response to the assigned business category or facility name, and the approach to the last facility is notified by the voice or image display, when the assigned facility existing between the present vehicle position up to the destination is brought into only one, and when approached to the facility. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation method and a navigation device. In particular, by designating a facility to drop in, the fact that the designated facility has approached during actual guidance route travel and that the designated facility has one The present invention relates to a navigation method and a navigation device that allow a driver to recognize that there is only one.

  In a navigation device that guides a vehicle to arrive at a desired destination, the navigation device detects the position of the vehicle, reads map data around the vehicle position from a CD-ROM, and displays the map on a display screen. A vehicle position mark (own vehicle position mark) is superimposed and displayed on a predetermined location on the map. Then, as the current position changes due to the movement of the vehicle, the own vehicle position mark on the screen is moved, or the own vehicle position mark is fixed at a predetermined position such as the center of the screen and the map is scrolled. The surrounding map information can be understood at a glance.

  Such an in-vehicle navigation device has a route guidance function of inputting a destination, searching for a guidance route from a departure place to a destination, displaying a guidance route on a screen, and guiding a driver to travel. In addition, the in-vehicle navigation device searches for (1) a designated facility (convenience store, facsimile restaurant, gas station, etc.) within a predetermined distance from the vehicle position or any place, and (2) a search along with the distance and direction. There is a nearest search function that displays a list of facilities, and (3) registers the location of the facility selected from the list as a destination, a passing point, or a current location, or registers a location.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the nearest search function. When the menu key is pressed using the remote control, the navigation control device displays the main menu MMN and the submenu SMN on the map MP. Next, when the item "search" of the main menu MMN is selected using the joystick key, the navigation control device displays a submenu SMN of the item "search" (FIG. 6A). Since this sub-menu SMN has an item "nearest facility", when the item is selected using the joystick key, the navigation control device displays a genre (industry) name classified in advance as shown in FIG. 6B. Is displayed. The genre names that cannot be displayed on one screen are displayed by scrolling. In this state, when a gas station is selected, the navigation control device searches the database for all gas stations existing within a range of, for example, 10 km from the own vehicle position, and displays a list of search facilities along with the distance and direction (FIG. 6C). ). The remaining search facilities that cannot be displayed at one time are displayed by scrolling. In this state, when the gas station MG is selected, the navigation control device displays a map around the gas station as shown in FIG. 6D, displays a cursor CR over the gas station location, and A menu item MNA of destination / passing point / point registration / current location is displayed. In this state, when one of destination / passing point / point registration / current location is selected and the determination button is pressed, the location of the gas station is registered as destination / passing point / point / current location.

When the predetermined facility location is registered as a passing point by the above-described nearest search function, the navigation control device calculates a guidance route from the starting point to the destination via the passing point, and displays the guidance route on a map. Display identifiable.
As described above, in order to guide the vehicle to the searched facility in the conventional nearest search function, it is necessary to register the location of the facility as a passing point or as a destination. By the way, when a passing point is registered, there is a case where the driver passes through the facility without approaching the facility due to the mood at the time of actual traveling or inadvertently. In such a case, the conventional navigation control device performs re-route calculation (guidance route search) of a route for guiding the vehicle to the passing point, and displays the searched route (guidance route).

For example, on the way to the destination DP shown in FIG. 7, if the driver wants to stop at the Seven-Eleven a and registers the passing point of the Seven-Eleven a at the departure point SP, and inadvertently passes the Seven-Eleven a, he or she actually goes ahead. Despite the presence of Seven-Eleven, route guidance to Seven-Eleven a is performed.
The above-mentioned conventional route guidance function by waypoint registration is a useful function when it is necessary to always stop at a facility on the waypoint. However, if a similar facility at another location can be substituted without necessarily dropping in, it is a useless function, and instead it will continue to display the guidance route to the facility you no longer want to go to. is there. That is, in the example of FIG. 7, even if the user passes through the facility (Seven-Eleven a) on the registered passing point, there is Seven-Eleven b and Seven-Eleven c at other points to the destination, and these Seven-Eleven can be substituted. . Therefore, it is not necessary to guide the route to the passing facility (Seven-Eleven a).
The above conventional problem is caused by registering a passing point before departure.
From the above, it is an object of the present invention to enable a vehicle to be guided to a designated facility which is close to a guidance route during actual traveling, without having to register a passing point before departure, merely by specifying a facility to be stopped. It is to be.
Another object of the present invention is to allow a driver to be notified by voice or the like when there is only one designated facility between the current vehicle position and the destination.

According to the present invention, in a navigation method for displaying a map around a vehicle position and displaying a guidance route to a destination on the map, the correspondence between the facility name, the type of business, and the position is stored in advance. In addition, among the facilities corresponding to the specified business type or facility name, search for facilities that are close to the guidance route, and there is only one specified facility between the current vehicle position and the destination. In this case, this is achieved by notifying the user by voice or screen display. In this case, when the vehicle approaches the searched facility, the fact that the last facility has approached is notified by voice or screen display.
According to the present invention, a navigation device that displays a map around a vehicle position and displays a guidance route to a destination on the map stores the correspondence between the facility name, the type of business, and the position in advance. Means for specifying the type of business or facility, search means for searching for facilities close to the guidance route among facilities corresponding to the specified type of business or facility, between the current vehicle position and the destination This is achieved by means for monitoring whether only one of the designated facilities is present, and means for notifying by voice or screen display when only one of the designated facilities is present. When the vehicle approaches the searched facility, the notifying unit notifies by voice or screen display that the last facility has approached.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to guide a vehicle to a designated facility that is close to a guidance route during actual traveling, without having to register a passing point before departure, simply by specifying a facility to visit. . Further, according to the present invention, when only one designated facility is present between the current vehicle position and the destination, the fact is notified by voice or the like, so that this is the last facility. The driver can be notified of this fact and call attention.

  In the navigation method of displaying a map around the vehicle position and displaying a guidance route to the destination on the map, the correspondence between the facility name, the type of business and the position is stored in advance, and the type of business or the name of the facility is specified. Searching for facilities that are close to the guidance route among facilities corresponding to the designated business type or facility name, and there is only one designated facility between the current vehicle position and the destination. When the facility approaches, the fact that the last facility has approached is notified by voice or screen display.

(A) Outline of the present invention FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of the present invention. In FIG. 1 (a), SP is a departure place, DP is a destination, NVP is a guidance route, 101 to 103 are facilities (seven-eleven shops) existing close to the guidance route, and in FIG. The display screen of the apparatus, 105 is a blink for displaying the location of the designated facility, 106 is a menu for selecting whether to stop at or pass through the facility, and FIG. 1C is a designated facility (Seven-Eleven store) FIG. 1D shows an example of a guidance sound for notifying that the vehicle has approached, and FIG. 1D shows a guidance sound for notifying that only one designated facility (Seven-Eleven store) is present between the vehicle position and the destination. It is an example.

The correspondence between the facility name, the type of business, and the location is stored in a database in advance, and when the type of business or the name of the facility (for example, Seven-Eleven) is input, a search for a Seven-Eleven store close to the guidance route NVP is made. When the vehicle approaches the searched Seven-Eleven store 101 during traveling, the vehicle is notified by voice. For example,
"Seven-Eleven is on the left side of @m."
And announce by voice. In parallel with the above, (1) the location of the Seven-Eleven store 101 is displayed on the map displayed on the display screen 104 by blinking 105, and (2) whether or not to stop at the identified facility, A menu 106 for selecting whether to pass is displayed.
When the menu item "stop" is instructed, a guidance route from the current vehicle position to the Seven-Eleven store 101 is calculated and displayed on a map.

However, when the menu item “pass” is instructed, or when the vehicle passes through the Seven-Eleven store without going to the Seven-Eleven store 101, the blinking display is stopped and the menu 106 is deleted. Thereafter, the same processing is performed, and when only one designated facility (Seven-Eleven store) finally exists between the current vehicle position and the destination DP, the fact is notified by voice. For example,
"There is the last Seven-Eleven on the route at $ m."
And announce by voice.

(B) Configuration of navigation device
(b-1) Overall Configuration FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of the navigation system, 1 is a navigation control device, 2 is an input of various commands to the navigation control device, a guidance route setting operation, various data setting operations, and the like. An operation unit (for example, a remote controller) 3 is a display device that displays a map, a guide route, various menus, and the like. 4 is a CD-ROM that stores map information and town page data. Reference numeral 6 denotes a GPS receiver for measuring the current position and direction, reference numeral 6 denotes a self-contained navigation sensor, and reference numeral 7 denotes an audio unit that outputs a guidance voice for notifying that a designated facility has approached or a guidance voice at an intersection. The GPS receiver 5 performs a three-dimensional positioning or a two-dimensional positioning process to calculate a vehicle position and an azimuth, and outputs these together with the positioning time. The self-contained navigation sensor 6 includes a relative azimuth sensor (angle sensor) such as a vibrating gyroscope (not shown) that detects the vehicle rotation angle, and a distance sensor that generates one pulse for each predetermined traveling distance.

The map information stored in the CD-ROM 4 includes (1) a road layer, (2) a background layer for displaying objects on a map, and (3) a character layer for displaying characters such as city names. It comprises (4) an IIS layer for storing IIS (Integrated Information Service) information, and (5) town page data.
As shown in FIG. 3, the town page data includes (1) a facility name database 4a covering the facility names in alphabetical order, (2) a convenience store (convenience store), a family restaurant, a department store, an inn / hotel, a bank,. · Classification list by business of 52 genres, etc. 4b, (3) Facility database 4c covering the name, business (genre), position data (longitude and latitude), etc. for each facility, and other information including telephone numbers and facility names There is a telephone number database covering the correspondence.

(b-2) Navigation control device In the navigation control device 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a map readout control unit. (1) When a map moving operation or a map selecting operation is performed, a cursor position (longitudinal position at the center of the screen) is displayed. Calculate, (2) read out predetermined map information from the CD-ROM 4 based on the vehicle position or the cursor position and input it to the map buffer, and (3) read out the facility database information from the CD-ROM 4 and read the facility data. Fill the buffer.

  Reference numeral 12 denotes a map buffer for storing map information read from the CD-ROM. In the map buffer, map information of a plurality of sheets (a plurality of units) around the own vehicle position or the focus position, for example, map information of 3 × 3 units is read so that the map can be scrolled. A map drawing unit 13 generates a map image using map information stored in a map buffer. Reference numeral 14 denotes a VRAM for storing a map image, and reference numeral 15 denotes a reading control unit for changing the position of one screen cut out from the VRAM 14 based on the screen center position and scrolling and displaying the map in accordance with the movement of the vehicle position or the movement of the cursor.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes a voice guidance unit for outputting a guidance voice for notifying that a designated facility has approached from the audio unit 7, reference numeral 17 denotes a remote control unit which receives signals corresponding to operation of a remote controller and instructs each unit, and reference numeral 18 denotes GPS data. A vehicle position calculation unit for calculating the position of the vehicle based on the output of the self-contained navigation sensor; 19, a guidance route control unit; 20, a guidance route memory, which stores a guidance route to a destination; 21, a guidance route drawing unit; Denotes an image synthesis unit. The guidance route control unit 19 performs (1) a calculation process of a guidance route from a departure place to a destination, and (2) a navigation control process (described later) to a designated facility while traveling the guidance route. The guidance route memory 20 stores the position data of all nodes on the guidance route calculated by the guidance route control unit 19 from the starting point to the destination. The guide route drawing unit 21 reads out the guide route information (node sequence) from the guide route memory 20 and draws the guide route on the map so as to be identifiable.

  31 is a facility data buffer for storing facility database information read from the CD-ROM 4, 32 is a nearest facility search section for searching a designated facility existing within a predetermined distance from the guidance route from the facility database information, and 33 is a nearest facility search section. A nearest facility list storage unit 34 stores the name, latitude and longitude position, and the like of each facility searched, and a proximity facility display unit 34 is provided when a vehicle approaches the facility searched by the nearest facility search unit. The position is displayed by blinking 105 (see FIG. 1B), and a menu 106 for selecting whether to stop at or pass through the facility is displayed.

(C) Navigation Processing of the Present Invention FIG. 4 is a navigation processing flow of the present invention.
After the process of searching for the guidance route from the departure place to the destination is completed, a facility to be stopped during traveling to the destination is specified. The designation of such a facility is performed as follows. That is, the main menu is displayed on the display screen by operating the menu selection key on the remote controller 2. Since “specific genre information” is a main menu item (see FIG. 5), when the item is selected, a list of various tasks (genres) is displayed on the display screen as a first submenu. Next, when a desired business type, for example, a convenience store is selected, a list of convenience stores is displayed as a second submenu. Note that some businesses do not have the second submenu, and this second submenu is not necessarily an essential menu. Further, the first and second submenus can be integrated as one submenu.

Then, by selecting “Seven-Eleven” from the second submenu, the facility to be dropped in is designated as “Seven-Eleven”. As described above, when the drop-in facility is specified, the map reading control unit 11 reads the facility database information from the CD-ROM 4 and stores it in the buffer 31 (step 101).
When a facility (Seven-Eleven) to drop in is specified, the nearest facility search unit 32 refers to the facility database information and the guidance route information, has “Seven-Eleven” as the facility name, and is within a predetermined distance from the guidance route. Search for 7-Eleven stores. The nearest facility search unit 32 searches for a Seven-Eleven store within a predetermined distance from the guidance route from the departure point to the destination, adds a number in the search order, and stores the number in the nearest facility list storage unit 33 (step 102). ).

  Thereafter, the guidance route control unit 19 sets 1 → i (step 103), and after the traveling starts, executes control so that the vehicle travels along the guidance route (step 104). Further, a distance L from the vehicle position to the i-th Seven-Eleven store is calculated, and it is checked whether the distance L has become equal to or less than the set distance Ls (step 105). If L> Ls, the route guidance control after step 104 is continued. However, when L ≦ Ls, the guidance route control unit 19 instructs the proximity facility display unit 34 to display the identification of the i-th facility (the i-th seven-Eleven store) approaching. As a result, the proximity facility display unit 34 displays the location of the i-th Seven-Eleven store by blinking 105 (see FIG. 1B), and a menu for selecting whether to stop at / pass through the i-th Seven-Eleven store. 106 is displayed (step 106).

Next, the guide route control unit 19 checks whether the i-th Seven-Eleven store is the last Seven-Eleven store existing between the vehicle position and the destination (Step 107). If not, the voice guidance unit 16 is controlled. Then, as shown in FIG.
"Seven-Eleven is on the left side of @m."
(Step 108). On the other hand, if the i-th Seven-Eleven store is at the end, the voice guidance unit 16 is controlled and, as shown in FIG.
"〇〇 There is the last Seven-Eleven on the route ahead of m."
(Step 109).
In addition, in addition to the notification by voice, the similar content may be displayed on the screen by controlling the proximity facility display unit 34. Alternatively, for a person who is listening to music and does not like the notification of a sound that disturbs the music, only the display on the screen may be performed.

After the voice notification, it is checked whether "stop" or "pass" is selected in the menu 106 (step 110). If neither is selected, the own vehicle starts to move away from the i-seventh eleventh store, and then moves away by more than a set distance In other words, in other words, it is checked whether the vehicle has passed the i-th Seven-Eleven store (step 111). If not, the process returns to step 110. However, if it passes, the blinking display of the location of the i-th Seven-Eleven store is stopped, and the display of the menu 106 is ended (step 112).
Thereafter, i is incremented (i + 1 → i, step 113), and the processing from step 104 is repeated.
On the other hand, if "pass" is selected by the menu 106 in step 110, the blinking display of the location of the i-th Seven-Eleven store is stopped in step 112, the display of the menu 106 is terminated, and i is advanced. The processing after step 104 is repeated.

When “stop” is selected from the menu 106 in step 110, the guidance route control unit 19 recalculates a guidance route from the position of the vehicle to the destination via the i-th eleventh shop, and the new guidance route is calculated. The data is stored in the guidance route memory 20. The guidance route drawing unit 21 reads the guidance route data from the guidance route memory and displays it on the map so that it can be identified (step 114).
Thereafter, it is checked whether the vehicle has passed the i-th eleventh point (step 115). If not, the vehicle is guided to the i-th eleventh store along the guidance route. On the other hand, if it passes, step i is advanced in step 113 and the processing of step 104 and thereafter is repeated.
In the above description, the facility is specified by inputting the facility name, for example, Seven-Eleven, but the business type, for example, a convenience store is input, and the facility (Seven-Eleven / Lawson / ampm / ...) of the business type (convenience store) is set as the specified facility. You can also.
As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention can be variously modified in accordance with the gist of the present invention described in the claims, and the present invention does not exclude these.

  According to the present invention, the correspondence between the name of the facility, the type of business, and the location is stored in a database in advance, and among the facilities corresponding to the specified type of business or the name of the facility, a facility close to the guidance route is searched, and the vehicle is searched. When the vehicle approaches the searched facility, it informs the fact by voice, and the location of the facility is displayed on the map so that it can be identified. The vehicle can be guided to the designated facility near the guidance route only by specifying the facility to be dropped in by the facility name or the type of business. Further, according to the present invention, when only one designated facility is present between the current vehicle position and the destination, the fact is notified by voice or the like, so that this is the last facility. The driver can be notified of this fact and call attention.

It is a schematic explanatory view of the present invention. It is a block diagram of the navigation system of this invention. It is a database explanatory view. It is a processing flow figure of the navigation of the present invention. It is a menu explanatory view for performing navigation of the present invention. It is an explanatory view of a nearest search function. It is an explanatory view of a problem of conventional passing point registration.

Explanation of reference numerals

19 Guide route control unit 20 Guide route memory 21 Guide route drawing unit 31 Facility data buffer 32 Nearest facility search unit 33 Nearest facility list storage unit 34 Nearby facility display unit

Claims (4)

A navigation method for displaying a map around a vehicle position and displaying a guidance route to a destination on the map,
The correspondence between the facility name, industry, and location is stored in advance,
Search for facilities that are close to the guidance route among the facilities according to the specified industry or facility name,
If there is only one designated facility between the current vehicle position and the destination, the effect is notified by voice or screen display.
A navigation method characterized in that: When the vehicle approaches the searched facility, the fact that the last facility has approached is notified by voice or screen display,
2. The navigation method according to claim 1, wherein: A navigation device that displays a map around a vehicle position and displays a guidance route to a destination on the map,
Means for storing the correspondence between the facility name, the type of business and the location in advance,
Means to specify the type of business or facility,
Search means for searching for a facility that is close to the guidance route, among facilities corresponding to the specified business type or facility name,
Means for monitoring whether there is only one designated facility between the current vehicle position and the destination,
Means for notifying by voice or screen display that only one designated facility is present,
A navigation device comprising: The notifying unit, when the vehicle approaches the searched facility, notifies by voice or screen display that the last facility has approached,
The navigation device according to claim 3, wherein:

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