JP2005172628A - Route guide device and route guide program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To guide a restoration road to a road traveling until now, even when a destination is not set. <P>SOLUTION: A branch determination part 12 determines whether a vehicle goes to a branched way from an imaginary advancing route determined by an imaginary advancing route determining part 11 or not, a route restoration estimation part 13 estimates whether the vehicle is going to be restored to the imaginary advancing route or not, when the vehicle goes branchedly from the imaginary advancing route, a restoration route calculating part 14 calculates a route for restoring the vehicle from the present position to the imaginary advancing route, when the vehicle has the high possibility of the restoration to the imaginary advancing route, and a restoration route drawing part 16 draws a restoration route calculated by the restoration route calculating part 14. A driver is not required to search, by himself or herself, the route for restoration to the road traveling until now, even when the destination is not set, so as to reduce a driving load in the driver. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a route guidance device and a route guidance program, and more particularly to a technology that makes it possible to guide a return route to a road that has been traveled up to now even when a destination is not set.

Conventionally, based on the acquired traffic information, according to determining that traffic conditions that are undesirable for the driver such as construction regulations and traffic jams have occurred on the route to the set destination, A navigation device that guides the detour when there is a detour that can detour the traffic situation as a result of recalculation by recalculating the travel route to the destination. For example, see Patent Document 1). And according to such a navigation apparatus, the driver | operator can go to the destination avoiding an unfavorable traffic condition by driving | running a detour.
JP 2000-39332 A (paragraphs [0020] to [0022])

  However, since the conventional navigation apparatus is configured to recalculate the travel route only when the driver sets the destination, traffic that is unfavorable for the driver without setting the destination. When detouring to avoid the situation, the driver must search for the return route to return to the road where he had been driving, using his own power, relying on map information and traffic information. The driving load on the driver becomes very large.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is a route capable of guiding a return route to a road that has been traveled up to now even when a destination is not set. It is to provide a guidance device and a route guidance program.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the route guidance apparatus according to the present invention determines whether or not the vehicle has branched without going along the road at the intersection, and the vehicle has branched without going along the road at the intersection. If it is determined, it is estimated whether the vehicle is about to return to the road on which the vehicle is traveling when the vehicle is traveling along the road, and if it is estimated that the vehicle is about to return, to return to that road The preferred return route is guided.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the route guidance program according to the present invention includes a process for determining whether or not a vehicle has branched without proceeding along the road at the intersection, and the vehicle does not proceed along the road at the intersection. If it is determined that the vehicle has branched, the process of estimating whether the vehicle is about to return to the road on which the vehicle is traveling when the vehicle is traveling along the road, and if the vehicle is estimated to return, The computer is caused to execute a process for guiding a suitable return route for returning to the road.

  According to the route guidance device and the route guidance program according to the present invention, when it is estimated that the vehicle is about to return to the road on which the vehicle has been traveling, the preferred return route for returning to the road is guided. Therefore, even when the destination is not set, it is possible to guide the return route to the road that has been running.

  The present invention can be applied to a navigation device that presents map information in the vicinity of the current position of a vehicle, for example, as shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Configuration of navigation device]
First, the configuration of a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention refers to a map database 4 according to information acquired from a GPS (Global Positioning System) 2 and a traffic information acquisition unit 3. In this embodiment, the virtual travel route determination unit 11, the branch determination unit 12, the route return estimation unit 13, the return route calculation unit 14, and the map image drawing unit 15 are presented. , And a return path drawing unit 16 as main components. Although the function of each component will be described later, the function of each component is defined by a computer program, and the function of each component is realized by software by causing the information processing apparatus to execute the computer program. It may be.

  The GPS 2 receives a radio wave transmitted from a positioning satellite via a GPS antenna, and specifies the current position of the vehicle based on the received radio wave. In addition, the traffic information acquisition unit 3 acquires traffic information using a medium such as an optical beacon or FM multiplex broadcast, and estimates traffic information around the vehicle according to the vehicle speed of a predetermined section. Further, the map database 4 is determined by node information indicating road position information, link information indicating road connection status, road size, road management and management source, etc. in order to draw map information on the display 5. Road search road that associates road level information for each road link, road name information, speed limit for each road link, and conditions such as travel distance or average travel time with cost for each node for route calculation Store network data.

  The “road level” is an index determined by the size of the road and the road management and management organization. The larger the road and the larger the road management and management organization (for example, the national road is more than the prefectural road). Etc.), the road level is set high. In this embodiment, the higher the road level, the smaller the numerical value of the road level (for example, road level 1 is higher in road level 1 and road level 2).

[Operation of navigation device]
The navigation device 1 having such a configuration can guide the return route to the road that has been traveled up to now even when the destination is not set by performing the route guidance processing described below. Hereinafter, with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 2, the internal operation of the navigation device 1 when this route guidance process is executed will be described.

  The flowchart shown in FIG. 2 starts when the engine of the vehicle is started or when the power of the navigation device 1 is turned on, and the route guidance process proceeds to step S1.

  In the process of step S1, the GPS 2 detects the current position information of the vehicle and inputs the detected position information to the virtual travel route determination unit 11. Thereby, the process of step S1 is completed, and the route guidance process proceeds from the process of step S1 to the process of step S2.

  In the process of step S2, the traffic information acquisition unit 3 determines whether or not the average value of the vehicle speed from the current position to the previous section is lower than the predetermined value. When the average value of the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined value, the traffic information acquisition unit 3 determines that the route when traveling along the currently traveling road is congested, and uses this information as predicted traffic information. Input to the return path calculation unit 14. The definition of “progress along the road” in this specification will be described later. Thereby, the process of step S2 is completed, and the route guidance process proceeds from the process of step S2 to the process of step S3.

  In the process of step S3, the virtual travel route determination unit 11 refers to the map database 4 and determines whether or not the vehicle has passed the intersection. Specifically, the virtual travel route determination unit 11 refers to the map database 4 and the road link number of the previous vehicle position is different from the road link number of the current vehicle position, and the previous vehicle position When two or more roads are linked to the road, it is determined that the vehicle has passed the intersection. And when it determines with the vehicle having passed the intersection, the virtual travel route determination part 11 advances this route guidance process to the process of step S6. On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle has not passed the intersection, the virtual travel route determination unit 11 advances the route guidance process to the process of step S4.

  In the process of step S <b> 4, the map image drawing unit 15 reads map data near the current position of the vehicle from the map database 4 and displays the read map data on the display 5. Thereby, the process of step S4 is completed, and the route guidance process proceeds from the process of step S4 to the process of step S5.

  In the process of step S5, the map image drawing unit 15 determines whether or not the vehicle engine is stopped or the navigation apparatus 1 is turned off. And when it determines with the engine of a vehicle stopping or the power supply of the navigation apparatus 1 not being in the OFF state, the map image drawing part 15 returns this route guidance process to the process of step S1. On the other hand, when it is determined that the vehicle engine is stopped or the power of the navigation device 1 is turned off, the map image drawing unit 15 ends the series of route guidance processing.

  In the process of step S6, the virtual traveling route determination unit 11 calculates a predetermined distance (for example, 2 km) when the vehicle is assumed to have traveled from the position before passing the intersection without branching, and the calculated route Is determined as a virtual travel route. Thereby, the process of step S6 is completed, and the route guidance process proceeds from the process of step S6 to the process of step S7.

  In the process of step S6, “proceeding along the road” means that the road name or road level of the vehicle traveling path and the exiting road with respect to the intersection are the same, or the connection angle between the traveling path and the exiting road is a predetermined angle Means that the following condition is satisfied. However, in this embodiment, the virtual travel route determination unit 11 uses that the road names are the same as the condition with the highest priority, and then the road level is the same and the road connection angle is within a predetermined angle. It is determined in turn whether the vehicle is traveling along a road.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3A, when an intersection is a branch point and there are two roads at the branch destination, a road with the same name as the name of the road currently running and a road with a different name. The virtual travel route determination unit 11 defines that traveling along the branch destination 1 road having the same name as the name of the currently traveling road is “traveling along the road”. In this case, the connection angle of roads with different names is smaller than that of roads with the same name, but the virtual traveling route determination unit 11 has the same name as the name of the road that is currently running according to the above-mentioned priority order. Driving on the road of the branch destination 1 is defined as “traveling along the road”.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 3B, there are two or more roads having the same name as the road that is currently running at the branch destination, and roads that have the same road level as the road that is currently running. Is present, even if there is a road having a higher road level than the currently traveling road, the virtual travel route determining unit 11 follows the condition that the road level is the same. Driving on the road of the branch destination 2 at the same road level is defined as “traveling along the road”.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3C, there are two or more roads having the same name as the name of the road that is currently running at the branch destination, and the road level of the branch destination road is that of the road that is currently running. When the road level is the same as or different from the road level, the virtual travel route determination unit 11 says that the vehicle travels along the branch destination 2 having a small connection angle with the road currently traveling on the road. Define. In this case, the road level of the road of the branch destination 1 is higher than the road level of the road of the branch destination 2, but the virtual travel route determination unit 11 does not respond to the superiority or inferiority of the road level.

  In the process of step S7, the branch determination unit 12 determines whether or not the vehicle has branched from the virtual travel route determined by the virtual travel route determination unit 11. Specifically, the branch determination unit 12 acquires the current position information of the vehicle from the GPS 2 and refers to the acquired current position information. If the current position of the vehicle does not exist on the virtual travel path, the branch determination unit 12 Judged as branched from the route. And when it determines with the vehicle not branching from the virtual travel route, the branch determination part 12 advances a route guidance process to the process of step S4. On the other hand, when it is determined that the vehicle has branched from the virtual travel route, the branch determination unit 12 advances the route guidance process to the process of step S8.

  In the process of step S8, the route return estimation unit 13 acquires the current position information of the vehicle from the GPS 2, refers to the acquired current position information, and determines whether the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance from the branch point with the intersection as a branch point. Determine whether or not. When it is determined that the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance from the branch point, the route return estimation unit 13 determines that the driver is unlikely to return to the virtual travel route, and performs this route guidance processing in step S4. Proceed to processing. On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle is not traveling a predetermined distance from the branch point, the route guidance process proceeds to the process of step S9.

  In the process of step S9, the route return estimation unit 13 determines whether or not the driver is returning to the virtual travel route by determining whether or not the branch angle is equal to or less than a predetermined angle. If the result of determination is that the branch angle is less than or equal to the predetermined angle, the route return estimation unit 13 determines that the driver is returning to the virtual travel route, and the route guidance process is changed from step S9 to step S12. Proceed to the process. On the other hand, if the branch angle is not less than the predetermined angle, the route return estimation unit 13 determines that the driver is unlikely to return to the virtual travel route, and performs this route guidance processing from the processing of step S9. The process proceeds to S10.

  Note that, in the process of step S9, the route return estimation unit 13, as shown in FIGS. 4 (b) and 4 (c), when the branch point and the current location are P0 and P1, respectively, A point P2 where the lengths (= L) of the line segments P0 and P1 and the line segments P0 and P2 are equal on the travel path B is defined as a predicted travel point, and the angle formed by the line segments P0 and P1 and the line segments P0 and P2 Is calculated as the branching angle θ. That is, the route return estimation unit 13 defines a point that has traveled the virtual travel route from the branch point by the distance from the branch point to the current location as the travel prediction point P2, and a line segment that connects the travel prediction point P2 and the branch point P0. The angle formed by the line segment connecting the current point P1 and the branch point P0 is calculated as the branch angle θ. Then, the route return estimation unit 13 determines that the driver is returning to the virtual travel route when the calculated branch angle θ is equal to or smaller than the predetermined angle.

  In the process of step S <b> 10, the map image drawing unit 15 reads map data near the current position of the vehicle from the map database 4 and displays the read map data on the display 5. Thereby, the process of step S10 is completed, and the route guidance process proceeds from the process of step S10 to the process of step S11.

  In the process of step S11, the map image drawing unit 15 determines whether or not the vehicle engine is stopped or the power of the navigation device is turned off. And when the engine of a vehicle stops or the power supply of a navigation apparatus is not OFF state, the map image drawing part 15 returns this route guidance process to the process of step S8. On the other hand, when the engine of the vehicle is stopped or the power of the navigation device is turned off, the map image drawing unit 15 ends the series of route guidance processing.

  In the process of step S <b> 12, the traffic information acquisition unit 3 acquires traffic information on the virtual travel route via the traffic information acquisition unit 3. In addition, when the traffic information on a virtual travel route cannot be acquired, the traffic information acquisition part 3 makes the predicted traffic information acquired in the process of step S2 the traffic information on a virtual travel route. Thereby, the process of step S12 is completed, and the route guidance process proceeds from the process of step S12 to the process of step S13.

  In the process of step S13, as shown in FIG. 4D, the return route calculation unit 14 defines a point that has traveled a predetermined distance on the virtual travel route from the branch point as a predicted return point P3, and is acquired in the process of step S12. The route from the current location to the predicted travel point P3 is calculated as the preferred return route by the Dijkstra method using the traffic information and the predicted traffic information of the currently running road reflected in the route search road network data. Note that “reflect traffic information and predicted traffic information in the route search road network data” here means to set a high cost for the route search network data of a congested road. The Dijkstra method is a route search method for calculating a route with the minimum link cost from the current location to the destination, but since it is already known at the time of filing, detailed description thereof is omitted. Further, the present invention is not limited to this Dijkstra method, and other route search methods can be used. Thereby, the process of step S13 is completed, and the route guidance process proceeds from the process of step S13 to the process of step S14.

  In the process of step S <b> 14, the map image drawing unit 15 reads map data near the current position of the vehicle from the map database 4 and displays the read map data on the display 5. Thereby, the process of step S14 is completed, and the route guidance process proceeds from the process of step S14 to the process of step S15.

  In the process of step S15, the return path drawing unit 16 creates an image of the preferred return path calculated by the process of step S13, and displays the created preferred return path image on the display 5, as shown in FIG. . Thereby, the process of step S15 is completed, and the route guidance process proceeds from the process of step S15 to the process of step S5.

  As is clear from the above description, according to the navigation device of one embodiment of the present invention, the branch determination unit 12 determines whether or not the vehicle has branched from the virtual travel route determined by the virtual travel route determination unit 11. If the vehicle branches off from the virtual travel route, the route return estimation unit 13 estimates whether or not the vehicle is about to return to the virtual travel route, and the vehicle is highly likely to return to the virtual travel route. Since the return route calculation unit 14 calculates a route for returning from the current location to the virtual travel route, and the return route drawing unit 16 draws the return route calculated by the return route calculation unit 14, the driver Even when the vehicle is not set, it is not necessary to search for a route for returning to the road that has been traveled so far, and the driving load on the driver can be reduced.

  In addition, according to the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the branch determination unit 12 has the same road name or road level of the vehicle traveling path and the exit path with respect to the intersection, or the traveling path and the exit path. Depending on whether or not the connection angle of the vehicle is within a predetermined angle, it is determined whether or not the vehicle has branched off from the virtual traveling route. For example, the vehicle is traveling on an annular road whose direction is not constant. Even in this case, it can be accurately determined whether or not the vehicle is traveling along a road.

  Furthermore, according to the navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the route return estimation unit 13 defines a point where the virtual traveling route has traveled from the intersection as much as the distance from the intersection to the current location as the predicted travel point P2, and the progress Whether the driver is returning to the virtual travel route depending on whether or not the angle formed by the line segment connecting the predicted point P2 and the branch point P0 and the line segment connecting the current point P1 and the branch point P0 is equal to or smaller than a predetermined angle. For example, the driver tries to return to the virtual travel path when the driver branches in the direction different from the destination, for example, if the driver branches without traveling along the road. It can be prevented that it is mistaken.

  Further, according to the navigation device according to one embodiment of the present invention, the return route calculation unit 14 defines a point that has traveled a predetermined distance on the virtual travel route from the branch point as the predicted return point P3, and road network data for route search. Since the route from the current position to the predicted travel point P3 is calculated as a preferred return route by using a route search method such as the Dijkstra method, it is possible to guide the shortest route for returning the road that has been traveling so far. .

  Furthermore, according to the navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the return route calculation unit 14 reflects the traffic information and the predicted traffic information of the currently running road in the route search road network data to obtain a preferred return route. Since the calculation is performed, it is possible to search for the most time-efficient guidance for returning to the road that has been running.

  As mentioned above, although the embodiment to which the invention made by the present inventors was applied has been described, the present invention is not limited by the description and the drawings that form part of the disclosure of the present invention according to this embodiment. That is, it should be added that other embodiments, examples, operation techniques, and the like made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation apparatus used as one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows operation | movement of the navigation apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the branch determination part shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the path | route return estimation part and return path | route calculation part which are shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the suitable return path | route calculated by the return path | route calculation part shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1: Navigation device 2: GPS (Global Positioning System)
3: Traffic information acquisition unit 4: Map database 5: Display 11: Virtual travel route determination unit 12: Branch determination unit 13: Route return estimation unit 14: Return route calculation unit 15: Map drawing unit 16: Return route drawing unit

Claims (9)

A route guidance device that detects vehicle position information and presents map information around the vehicle according to the detected position information,
Branch determination means for determining whether the vehicle has branched at the intersection in response to the vehicle passing through the intersection;
A virtual advancing route determination means for determining, as a virtual advancing route, a road when it is assumed that the vehicle has branched along the road after the intersection, when the branch determining means determines that the vehicle has branched at the intersection;
Route return estimation means for estimating the possibility that the vehicle will return to the virtual travel route determined by the virtual travel route determination means;
A return path calculation means for calculating a preferred return path for returning to the virtual travel path from the current position of the vehicle when the path return estimation means estimates that the vehicle is likely to return to the virtual travel path;
A route guidance device comprising: a return route drawing means for presenting a preferred return route calculated by the return route calculation means.   The branch determination means determines whether the road name of the approach path and the exit path of the vehicle with respect to the intersection are the same, whether the road types of the approach path and the exit path are the same, or the approach path and the exit path The route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not the vehicle has branched at an intersection according to at least one of the conditions as to whether or not the connection angle is within a predetermined angle.   The virtual advancing route determination means is configured such that a road having the same road name of the approach path and the exit path of the vehicle with respect to the intersection, a road having the same road type of the entrance path and the exit path, or a connection angle between the entrance path and the exit path is predetermined. 3. The route guidance device according to claim 2, wherein any one of roads within an angle is determined as a virtual travel route.   The route return estimation means includes a line segment connecting the current position of the vehicle and the intersection position, and a line segment connecting the vehicle position and the intersection position when the vehicle travels the distance between the intersection position and the virtual travel path from the current position. The route guidance device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a possibility that the vehicle returns to the virtual traveling route is estimated according to an angle formed by the two.   The route guidance device according to claim 4, wherein the route return estimation unit estimates that the vehicle is highly likely to return to the virtual travel route when the angle is equal to or less than a predetermined angle.   The route recovery estimation means ends the estimation process when the distance between the current position of the vehicle and the intersection position exceeds a predetermined distance. The route guidance device according to item 1.   The return route calculation means defines a position on the virtual travel route where the vehicle is likely to return as a predicted return point, and uses the route search network data to determine a route from the current position of the vehicle to the predicted return point. The route guidance device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the route guidance device calculates the preferred return route. Provide traffic information acquisition means for acquiring or estimating traffic information around the vehicle,
The route guidance device according to claim 7, wherein the return route calculation means calculates the preferred travel route by reflecting the traffic information acquired or estimated by the traffic information acquisition means. A route guidance program for detecting position information of a vehicle and presenting map information around the vehicle according to the detected position information,
A process of determining whether the vehicle has branched at the intersection in response to the vehicle passing through the intersection;
When it is determined that the vehicle has branched, a process of determining a road as a virtual travel route on the assumption that the vehicle has traveled along the road after the intersection;
A process for estimating the possibility that the vehicle will return to the virtual traveling path;
When it is estimated that the vehicle is likely to return to the virtual travel route, a process of calculating a preferred return route to return to the virtual travel route from the current position of the vehicle;
A route guidance program for causing a computer to execute a presenting process for guiding a calculated preferred return route.

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