JP2005083864A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation system which can set a route, considering the meeting for public transportation and the user. <P>SOLUTION: The navigation system sets a destination and a specific operation of a public transportation (circled figure 1), obtains information concerning the specific operation of the set public transportation (encircled figure 2), and based on the information concerning the present point and the specific operation of the public transportation, determines the user of the specific operation of the public transportation and a drop-in facility as the course points between the present point and the destination (encircled figure 3). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device that sets a guide route from a current location to a destination via a transit point, and guides according to the set guide route.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, navigation devices that set a guide route from a current location to a destination via a waypoint and perform route guidance according to the set guide route are widely known.

In addition, as a route search using public transportation, destinations and waypoints are set, and public traffic to be used for each section from each waypoint and from the last waypoint to the destination. There is a route search device that sets a type of an institution and searches for a route to a destination from both a route and a road of a set type of public transportation (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-161978 A

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1 described above, the user sets a destination and a waypoint. For example, when the user waits at a station on the way with a friend using the train, the train used by the friend is used. If you specify a flight, you will not be able to decide on a stop by considering the meeting.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that determines a stop by considering a meeting with a user of public transportation.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a navigation device that sets a guide route from a current location to a destination via a waypoint, and performs route guidance according to the set guide route, Setting means for setting a specific flight of public transport, acquisition means for acquiring information regarding the specific flight of the public transport set by the setting means, the current location and the public transport acquired by the acquisition means Determination means for determining, as the waypoint, a stop-in facility that waits with a user of a specific flight of the public transportation between the current location and the destination based on information on the specific flight of the institution It is characterized by that.

  In this way, the determining means uses the specific flights of the public transport between the current location and the destination based on the information on the current location and the specific flights of the public transport acquired by the acquiring means. Since the stop-by facility that waits for a person is determined as the waypoint, it is possible to set a route in consideration of meeting with a user of public transportation.

  Further, as in the invention described in claim 3, the determining means includes the current location, position information of a plurality of stopping facilities where a specific flight of public transport stops, and a plurality of stops where a specific flight of public transport stops Based on the arrival time at the facility, waiting times at a plurality of stopping facilities can be obtained, and a stop-by facility can be determined based on these waiting times.

  Further, as in the invention described in claim 4, the determining means stops at the stopping facility with the shortest waiting time, determines the facility, and when there are a plurality of stopping facilities with the shortest waiting time, the expected arrival time is early. A stop facility can be determined as a stop-in facility.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 5, the stop-in facility determined by the determining means via the communication means that communicates with a communication terminal owned by a user of a predetermined flight of the public transport is the public transport facility. And a contact means for contacting a user of a predetermined flight. Therefore, the drop-in facility determined by the determining means can be automatically notified to a user of a predetermined flight of public transport.

  In the invention according to claim 6, the determining unit periodically determines the stop-off facility, and the contact unit is configured to communicate via the communication unit when the stop-by facility is changed by the determining unit. It is characterized by contacting the changed facility.

  As a result, even if the stop-by facility is changed due to road construction or traffic jams, the changed stop-down facility can be notified to a user of a predetermined flight of public transportation.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a navigation apparatus according to the present invention. The navigation device 1 is mounted on a vehicle and performs wireless communication with the information center 2 and the mobile phone 3. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a friend on the train meets at a station on the way, and the friend rides on the vehicle driven by the user at that station and goes to the destination. The mobile phone 3 shown in the figure is owned by this friend.

  The position detector 11 has a known geomagnetic sensor 12, a gyroscope 13, a distance sensor 14, and a GPS receiver 15 for detecting the position of the vehicle based on radio waves from a satellite. Since these sensors 12 to 15 have errors of different properties, a plurality of sensors are used while being interpolated.

  The map data input device 16 is a device for inputting various data including so-called map matching data, map data, addresses, and telephone numbers for improving the position detection accuracy. As a storage medium for storing these various data, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a hard disk drive, or the like is generally used based on the data amount, but other media such as a memory card may be used.

  The operation switch group 17 includes input devices such as a plurality of push button switches (mechanical switches) provided around the display screen of the display device 20 and a touch panel provided so as to overlap the display screen. A signal based on the depression of the touch panel and the touch on the touch panel is output to the control circuit 18.

  The external memory 19 is a storage unit provided separately from the inside of the control circuit 18, and is configured from a ROM, a RAM, or the like, and stores various data, programs, and the like.

  The display device 20 has a display screen such as a liquid crystal display, and displays the video on a display screen such as a liquid crystal display in accordance with a video signal from the control circuit 18.

  The remote control sensor 22 outputs to the control circuit 18 a signal received from the remote control 23 that transmits a radio signal using infrared rays or the like based on a user operation.

  The communication circuit 25 is used for wirelessly communicating with the mobile phone 3 and the information center 2, and exchanges various data with the mobile phone 3 and the information center 2. The communication circuit 25 is specifically constituted by a mobile phone, and the mobile phone and the control circuit 18 are connected by a connection cable. The communication circuit 25 and the mobile phone 3 and the communication circuit 25 and the information center 2 are connected via a base station (not shown).

  The audio output device 26 includes a speaker, and causes the speaker to output the sound according to an audio signal from the control circuit 18.

  The control circuit 18 is configured as a normal computer, and includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, an I / O, and a bus line for connecting these configurations. The control circuit 18 executes a program for the operation of the navigation device 1 read from the ROM and the external memory control device 19, and writes information to the ROM, RAM, and flash memory at the time of execution. Signals are exchanged with the position detector 11, the map data input device 16, the operation switch group 17, the external memory 19, the display device 20, the remote control sensor 22, and the audio output device 26 via the I / O.

  More specifically, when the navigation device 1 is activated, the control circuit 18 reads out and executes a boot program, an operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) from the ROM, and processes that operate on the OS include: There are menu programs, route search programs, map display programs and other programs.

  The menu program hierarchically displays various programs operating on the OS according to the function and purpose of the program, and starts execution of the program selected by the user from those displayed on the menu. The menu is displayed by outputting image data of the menu on the display screen of the display device 20, and the user selects a selection operation (cursor movement) on the remote control 22 or the operation switch group 17 via the remote control sensor 21. , Based on a signal input to the control circuit 18 by pressing a confirmation button or the like.

  When a destination is set by the operation switch group 17 or the remote controller 23, the route search program automatically selects an optimum route from the current location to the destination, forms a guidance route, and displays it on the display device 20. . As means for automatically setting an optimum route, the Dijkstra method or the like is known.

  The map display program calculates current location information based on various signals input from the sensors 12 to 15 of the position detector 11, a vehicle current location mark based on the calculated current location information, map data read from the map data input device 16, and The additional data such as the guide route formed by the route search program is superimposed and displayed on the display screen.

  The information center 2 is provided with a storage device (not shown) in which transportation information regarding various transportation means is stored. This transportation information includes various types of transportation, information on routes, information on departure and arrival times, position information on stop stations and stops, and the like.

  The mobile phone 3 has functions such as mail and the Internet in addition to voice calls.

  Next, the operation of the navigation device 1 described above will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram when an optimal stop station is set in the route in the navigation device 1, and FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram when an optimal stop station in the navigation device 1 is set in the route.

  When the power of the navigation device 1 is turned on, the control circuit 18 operates according to the program for the operation of the navigation device 1 and the route search program is activated, so that the optimum stop station shown in FIGS. The process of setting the to the route is started.

  Before the control circuit 18 starts the process of setting the optimum stop station shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in the route, the user determines in advance which station the train used by the friend departs at what time. Be informed. Here, it is assumed that a friend uses the “train T” in FIG. 2 and this “train T” is known to leave a predetermined starting station (not shown) at AM 9:00.

  First, when the route search program is activated by the operation of the operation switch group 17 by the user or the operation of the remote controller 23, the display device 20 performs a process of setting an optimum stop station in the route together with setting of the destination. A screen for setting whether or not is displayed. This screen is hierarchized, and if it is set to set the optimal stop station in the route, it will be used by people who wait, such as the type of public transport, the route, the stop time at the stop or stop, etc. A new screen for setting conditions for specifying a public transportation flight is displayed.

  In accordance with the screen display of the display device 20, the user inputs a condition for specifying “train T” used by a friend who waits together with setting of the destination by operating the operation switch group 17 or operating the remote controller 23. Specifically, a train that departs from a predetermined starting station at 9:00 AM is input together with the route of “Train T” and the like. In addition, when an optimal stop station is determined by the process of determining an optimal stop station, which will be described later, that is, when a station to which a friend gets off is determined, the user contacts the friend here to contact the station to get off. The mail address of the mobile phone 3 owned by is set.

  The control circuit 18 of the navigation device 1 sets a “train T” that departs a predetermined starting station at 9:00 AM as a specific flight of public transportation, and connects to the information center 3 via the communication circuit 25. , A condition for specifying the “train T” is transmitted to the information center 3, and detailed information regarding the stop station of the “train T” is requested (circled number 1). For example, a request is made to the information center 3 such as “please give detailed information regarding the stop station of a train that departs a predetermined starting station at AM 9:00”.

  Then, the information center 3 reads necessary information from the transportation information related to the transportation of various transportations stored in the storage device, and returns detailed information about the stop station of the “train T” to the navigation device 1 (circled). Number 2).

  In addition, as detailed information regarding the stop station of “train T”, as shown in FIG. 4, arrival times at stations A and C to E, which are the stops of “train T”, and “train T” The location information (latitude and longitude) of each station is included. Further, the position information (latitude X, longitude Y) of each stop station of the “train T” is, for example, for each “stop position” corresponding to a parking space provided at the north exit of the station, the south exit of the station, or a rotary. Is defined. Further, in order to reduce the amount of communication information, the detailed information related to the stop station of “Train T” does not include arrival time and position information about a station where “Train T” does not stop, such as B station. Yes.

  In this way, the control circuit 18 acquires detailed information related to the stop station of the “train T” returned from the information center 3 by the communication circuit 25, and based on the received detailed information related to the stop station of the “train T”, FIG. A selection screen for selecting a stop station candidate at each stop station as shown in FIG.

  The user indicates that the selection of the stop station has been completed after selecting the stop station of the desired stop station from the stop station candidates shown in FIG. 5 by operating the operation switch group 17 or the remote controller 23. Specify "Complete".

  And the control circuit 18 performs the process which determines the optimal stop station from the stop stations selected by the user (circled number 3). Here, with reference to FIG. 6, the optimal stop station determination process by the control circuit 18 will be described.

  The control circuit 18 calculates each estimated arrival time to each stop station selected by the user, with each stop station selected by the user from among the stop station candidates as a destination. Specifically, the current location is obtained based on various signals input from the position detector 11, and the Dijkstra method or the like is calculated based on the current location and the coordinates (latitude X, longitude Y) of the stop position returned from the information center 3. Use to set the route to each stop station selected by the user. Then, based on the distance from the current location to each stop station selected by the user and the average vehicle speed, the required time to each stop station selected by the user is calculated, and the current time and the required travel time to each stop station are calculated. From the time, the arrival time to the stop station is calculated in minutes (S100).

  In FIG. 5, the north exit of station A, the east exit of station D, and the south exit of station E are selected by the user's operation, and the north exit of station C, the south exit of station C, and the west exit of station D are not selected. That is, for station C, since neither the north exit nor the south exit is selected, the expected arrival time at station C is not calculated.

  Next, the control circuit 18 determines whether or not there are a plurality of stations with the shortest waiting time based on the arrival time of the “train T” at each station and the estimated arrival time of the vehicle equipped with the navigation device 1 at each station. Determine (S101).

  FIG. 7 shows an example of the arrival time of each “train T” at each station and the estimated arrival time of each vehicle equipped with the navigation device 1 at each station. As shown in the figure, when waiting at station A, the waiting time of the person on the “train T” is 5 minutes, and when waiting at station D, the waiting time of the person on the vehicle is 10 minutes. When waiting, the waiting time of the person on the vehicle is 5 minutes. In such a case, the control circuit 18 determines that there are a plurality of stations with the shortest waiting time because the waiting time for waiting at the A station and for waiting at the E station is 5 minutes, respectively (YES in S101). ) Select the station with the earliest arrival time. Here, since the estimated arrival time at station A is earlier than the estimated arrival time at station E, station A is determined as the stop station (S102).

  Then, using the Dijkstra method or the like, a guidance route to the destination is set using A station determined as a stop station between the current location and the destination, and the screen by the display device 20 is set according to the set guidance route. Route guidance is performed by display or voice output by the voice output device 26, and this process is terminated.

  In S101, it is determined whether there are a plurality of stations having the shortest waiting time. If it is determined that there is one station having the shortest waiting time (determined as NO in S101), the station having the shortest waiting time is determined. Is determined as a stopover station (S103). Then, using the Dijkstra method or the like, a guidance route to the destination is set using the station determined as a stop station between the current location and the destination as a transit point, and screen display by the display device 20 is performed according to the set guidance route. And route guidance is performed by voice output from the voice output device 26, and this processing is terminated.

  2 and 3, the control circuit 18 of the navigation apparatus 1 notifies the friend of the stop station determined by the optimal stop station calculation process (circled number 3). Specifically, an email message such as “Get off at station A. Waiting at the north exit” is sent to a friend's mobile phone 3 on the “train T” (circled number 4).

  Further, the control circuit 18 periodically repeats the process of determining the optimal stop station shown in FIG. 6 until it arrives at the optimal stop station, and the optimal stop station is changed due to road construction or traffic congestion. In such a case, a display for confirming whether or not to change the optimum stop station is displayed on the screen of the display device 20. When a signal permitting the change of the optimum stop station is input by the operation of the user operation switch group 17 or the operation of the remote controller 23, the guide route is set using the changed optimum stop station as a transit point. In addition, route guidance is performed according to the set guidance route. For example, when the optimal stop station is changed from station A to station E, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. Send an e-mail message to the mobile phone 3 that says “Get off at station E. Waiting at the south exit” (circled number 5 in FIG. 2).

  Then, the control circuit 18 performs route guidance to the destination by voice from the display screen of the display device 20 and the speaker of the voice output device 26 according to the set guidance route.

  As described above, the navigation device sets a specific flight of the destination and public transportation (circled number 1), and acquires information on the set specific transportation of the public transportation (circled number 2). Based on information on the current location and specific flights of public transport, a stopover facility that can meet with users of specific flights of public transport between the current location and the destination is determined as a stopover (circled number 3) . Thereby, it is possible to set a route in consideration of meeting with a user of public transportation.

  In the present embodiment, the setting means corresponds to a process (circled number 1) for inputting a condition for specifying “train T” used by a friend who waits together with setting of the destination. The acquisition means corresponds to a process (circled number 2) in which the control circuit 18 acquires detailed information on the stop station of the “train T” returned from the information center 3 by the communication circuit 25. The determining means corresponds to a process of determining an optimal stop station from the stop stations selected by the user by the control circuit 18. In addition, a communication terminal owned by a user of a predetermined public transport facility corresponds to the mobile phone 3, and the communication means is a friend of the stop station determined by the optimal stop station calculation process (circled number 3). Corresponds to the process of contacting (circled number 4).

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various forms based on the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the embodiment, an example of a railway is shown as various types of transportation. However, the present invention is not limited to a railway, and may be applied to, for example, a monorail or a bus.

  Further, in the above embodiment, as a method of setting a specific flight of the transportation facility, the transportation facility is set according to the condition for identifying the “train T” input by the user's operation of the operation switch group 17 or the operation of the remote controller 23. An example of setting a specific flight is shown. For example, a received mail describing a condition for specifying “Train T” from a user of “Train T” who is waiting for is sent via the communication circuit 25. A condition for identifying “Train T” may be extracted from the received mail, and a specific flight of the transportation facility may be set, and a voice recognition device that recognizes the user's voice is provided. The user's voice may be recognized as characters via the voice recognition device to set a specific flight of the transportation facility.

  In the above embodiment, an example in which the detailed information related to the stop station of the “train T” is returned from the information center 3 to the navigation device 1 has been described. In addition to the detailed information related to the stop station “”, information related to “train T” may be returned. For example, the current location information of “Train T” is periodically transmitted from the information center 3 as information on “Train T”, and the control circuit 18 receives the current location information of “Train T” as shown in FIG. In addition, the current location of “Train T” may be displayed on the screen of the display device 20 with an icon or the like to visually notify the user of the position of the train.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the control circuit 18 periodically repeats the process of determining the optimal stop station shown in FIG. 6 until it arrives at the optimal stop station so that road construction and traffic jams can be taken into consideration. Although the example to perform was shown, when the traffic information acquired by the means which acquires traffic information, such as a VICS receiver, and this traffic information was changed, the optimal shown in FIG. You may make it perform the process which determines a stop station.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, when a specific flight of the transportation facility is set by the user's operation, the control circuit 18 causes the display device 20 to display the selection screen for the stop station candidate shown in FIG. Although an example of performing the process of calculating the estimated arrival time to the selected stop station candidate when the stop station candidate is selected, the user's operation is performed without displaying the stop station candidate selection screen. When a specific flight of a transportation facility is set, an estimated arrival time of each “specific flight” at each stop station may be automatically calculated.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the detailed information related to the stop station of the “train T” is returned from the information center 3 to the navigation device 1 has been described. For example, various transportation facilities stored in the storage device of the information center 3 The transportation information related to transportation may be stored in the external memory 19 of the navigation device 1 or the storage medium of the map data input device 16. In this case, without passing through the information center 3, the control circuit 18 stops the “train T” from the transportation information on transportation of various transportations stored in the storage medium of the external memory 19 or the map data input device 16. Detailed information about the station may be read out.

  Further, the detailed information on the stop station of “Train T” returned from the information center 3 includes the time required to move from the platform etc. to the stop position at each stop station, and from the home etc. to the stop position at each stop station. Considering the time required to move, it may be possible to perform a process of determining a stop-by station. In this case, the control circuit 18 may perform the processing of S101 and S102 in FIG. 6 based on the arrival time at which the person who is to meet arrives at the stop position and the estimated arrival time at which the vehicle arrives at the stop station. Good.

  Further, in the above embodiment, an example of performing the process of determining the optimal stop station when meeting with people on the “train T” has been shown, but for example, with people who have boarded a plurality of trains separately It can also be applied when waiting. In this case, the control circuit 18 may calculate the estimated arrival time of each train at each stop station, and determine a station with a short waiting time at each stop station as a stop-by station.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the navigation apparatus 1 performs the process of determining the optimum stop station has been described. However, the information center 3 performs the process of determining the optimal stop station, and the navigation apparatus 1 starts the navigation apparatus. You may make it transmit the optimal stop station to 1.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the example which contacts a mobile station 3 of a navigation device 1 with a mail from a stop station was shown, the user stopped by the display screen of the display device 20 as an optimal stop station. Confirm that the setting has been made, and contact the mobile phone 3 owned by the friend by e-mail or voice from the user's mobile phone (communication circuit 25), such as “Please get off at station A”. Also good.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the navigation apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the process which calculates the optimal stop station in the control circuit of a navigation apparatus. It is a sequence diagram of the process which calculates the optimal stop station in a navigation apparatus. It is explanatory drawing about the detailed information regarding the stop station of the "train T" returned from an information center. It is a figure which shows an example of the selection screen which selects the stop station candidate. It is a flowchart which shows the determination process of the optimal stop station in the control circuit of a navigation apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the arrival time to each station of "train T", and the estimated arrival time of a vehicle to each station. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which the current location of “Train T” is displayed on the screen of the display device 20.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus, 2 ... Information center, 3 ... Cell-phone, 11 ... Position detector,
12 ... Geomagnetic sensor, 13 ... Gyroscope, 14 ... Distance sensor,
15 ... GPS receiver, 16 ... Map data input device, 17 ... Operation switch group,
18 ... Control circuit, 19 ... External memory, 20 ... Display device, 22 ... Remote control sensor,
23 ... Remote control, 25 ... Communication circuit, 26 ... Audio output device.

Claims (6)

A navigation device that sets a guide route from a current location to a destination via a waypoint and performs route guidance according to the set guide route,
Setting means to set specific flights for public transport,
Obtaining means for obtaining information on a specific flight of the public transport set by the setting means;
Based on the current location and the information related to the specific flight of the public transport acquired by the acquisition means, a stop-off facility that waits with the user of the specific flight of the public transport between the current location and the destination A navigation device comprising: a determination unit that determines a waypoint. The information relating to the specific flight of the public transport includes at least position information of a plurality of stop facilities where the specific flight of the public transport stops and arrival times at the plurality of stop facilities. The navigation device according to claim 1. The determination means is based on the current location, positional information of a plurality of stop facilities where specific flights of the public transport stop, and arrival times at a plurality of stop facilities where specific flights of the public transport stop. The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein waiting times at a plurality of stopping facilities are obtained, and the stop-off facility is determined based on these waiting times. The determining means determines the stopping facility as the stopping facility with the shortest waiting time, and when there are a plurality of the stopping facilities with the shortest waiting time, the stopping facility with the earliest expected arrival time is set as the stopping facility. 4. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein the navigation device is determined. Contact means for contacting the user of a predetermined flight of the public transport via the communication means that communicates with a communication terminal owned by a user of the predetermined flight of the public transport by the determination means. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: The determining means periodically determines the stop-in facility, and the contact means notifies the changed stop-in facility via the communication means when the stop-by facility is changed by the determining means. The navigation device according to claim 5.

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