JP2005265464A - Route calculation device and map data storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a route calculation device capable of calculating a route, while avoiding an impassable place such as a steep mountain or a deep river, even when setting a destination on a place where a roadway does not exist. <P>SOLUTION: Map data are constituted by arranging nodes so as to correspond to intersection points of a lattice having prescribed intervals even at the place where the roadway does not exist. When a vehicle can pass between nodes (the interval from one node to another node), a link is set between the nodes. Consequently, according to a navigation device using such map data, the route can be calculated, while avoiding the impassable place such as the steep mountain or the deep river. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

 The present invention relates to a route calculation device for calculating a route to a destination.

  As one specific application example of a route calculation device that calculates a route to a destination, a navigation device that is mounted on a vehicle and used is known. This navigation device calculates and guides a route from the current location to a destination designated by an occupant. In general, the route calculation performed by such a navigation device is performed based on map data (node data, link data, etc.) so as to satisfy the conditions specified by the user as much as possible.

For example, the in-vehicle navigation device described in Patent Document 1 stores altitude data for each node in a map information storage unit configured by a CD-ROM or the like, and for example, the user desires to avoid a steep route. In such a case, a travel route via a link having a gradient equal to or less than the designated gradient value is selected and displayed.
JP-A-8-247777

  By the way, conventional map data (node data, link data, etc.) has been set along the roadway. In other words, node data and link data are not set in places where there is no roadway.For example, if a route is calculated by setting a place where there is no roadway as a destination, the route near the final point of the route is The straight line from the node closest to the destination to the destination was calculated. For this reason, there is a problem that the route is calculated so as to pass through such a place even though there is an inaccessible place such as a steep mountain or a deep river along the route.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and even when a destination is set in a place where there is no roadway, a route is calculated while avoiding inaccessible places such as steep mountains and deep rivers. An object of the present invention is to provide a route calculation apparatus that can perform the above-described processing.

  The route calculation device according to claim 1, which has been made to solve the above-described problem, includes a map data acquisition unit and a route calculation unit. The map data acquisition means acquires map data in which a node, a link connecting the nodes, and a cost corresponding to the node or link are also set in a place where no roadway exists. This link is set only when traffic is possible based on the topography of the point. The term “passable” as used herein means that a person can normally walk if the route calculation device is supposed to calculate a route for walking. If it is assumed that a route is calculated, it means a case where the vehicle can normally pass. In addition, the route calculation means, based on the map data acquired by the storage means, a route that is a link string from the node of the designated departure point to the node of the designated destination point, and each node or each constituting the route The total cost corresponding to the link is calculated.

  According to such a route calculation device, even in a place where there is no roadway (for example, a mountainous area or a desert area), a route is calculated using map data in which costs related to the terrain corresponding to the place are set. In addition, the total cost for the route is also calculated. For this reason, the user can obtain a route based on the cost even in a place where there is no roadway in consideration of the calculated route and the cost of the route.

  In addition, since there is no link in an inaccessible place such as a steep mountain or a deep river, a route is calculated avoiding an inaccessible place such as a steep mountain or a deep river. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the calculation of a route that passes through an inaccessible place such as a steep mountain or a deep river in a place where there is no roadway, such as a conventional route calculation device. .

  In addition, the map data corresponding to the place where the roadway does not exist is specifically, for example, as described in claim 2, when nodes are arranged so as to correspond to the intersections of the lattices at predetermined intervals in the place where the roadway does not exist. Good. The term “lattice” as used herein means that a plurality of straight lines such as so-called grids are mixed at right angles, or a regular hexagon like a honeycomb is spread. If this is the case, since the target area is uniformly covered, it is possible to reduce the annoyance of the calculation route.

  Further, the specific “cost related to the terrain” may be based on the altitude of the position as corresponding to the node, as described in claim 3, for example. Here, “altitude” means a relative altitude difference from a specific reference point, for example, altitude. In this way, for example, it is possible to calculate a route so as to mainly pass a point with a high altitude, and it is also possible for a user to take a route with a good view. Also, if the change in altitude value is calculated and the calculated change in altitude value (that is, the gradient) is used as a cost, for example, it is possible to calculate a route with a small gradient change and use it. It is also possible for a person to take a route with little gradient change.

  In addition, at the time of route calculation, the gradient of the corresponding link may be obtained from the altitude set for the node. However, as described in claim 4, as corresponding to the link, at both ends of the link. The map data acquisition means may acquire the gradient between corresponding positions.

In this case, since it is not necessary to calculate the link gradient from the altitude value of the node, the total cost can be calculated at high speed.
Further, as described in claim 5, the cost corresponding to the node or link acquired by the map data acquiring means may be a weight obtained by classifying the features of the terrain near the position. This means, for example, setting a relatively low cost for a node or link along the river, setting a relatively low cost for a node or link at a point with good scenery, and the like. If it is in this way, the route which passes along a river will become a total value of a relatively low cost, and the route which passes a point with good scenery will become a comparatively low cost total value. If it becomes like this, it will become easy to obtain a route along a river or a route with a good view.

  By the way, it is more preferable to be able to select which type of cost is used for the map data to which such a cost is applied. That is, as in the route calculation device according to claim 6, the route calculation device is further configured to include a reception unit that receives a user's operation, and the route calculation unit costs the user based on the user's operation received by the reception unit. It is preferable that the total cost corresponding to the route is calculated for the selected type of cost.

With this configuration, the user can freely select the type of cost according to the user's preference and the like, and the utility value of the calculated route is improved.
Further, as in the route calculation device according to claim 7, the route calculation device may further include guidance means for guiding the route based on any one of the routes calculated by the route calculation means. In such a case, since guidance is executed based on the calculated route, the user can easily reach the destination only by following the guidance.

  The map data acquired by the map data acquisition means of such a route calculation device may be stored in a map data storage medium as described in claim 8 and used. If it becomes like this, map data can be updated only by exchanging a map data storage medium, and various kinds of map data can also be used properly only by exchanging a map data storage medium.

  Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the following examples, and can take various forms as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a navigation device 20 (corresponding to a route calculation device described in claims) according to an embodiment.
The navigation device 20 is mounted on a vehicle, and a position detector 21 that detects the current position of the vehicle, an operation switch group 22 for inputting various instructions from a user, and various instructions can be input in the same manner as the operation switch group 22. The remote control terminal (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller) 23a that is separate from the navigation device 20, the remote control sensor 23b that inputs a signal from the remote control 23a, and information from a device other than the navigation device 20 are provided. An external information input / output unit 24 capable of inputting and outputting information to another device; a map data input unit 25 for inputting map data and the like from a map storage medium storing map data and various types of information; A display unit 26 for displaying a map and various information, a voice output unit 27 for outputting various guide voices, and the like According to the input from the microphone 28 that outputs an electrical signal based on the spoken voice, the position detector 21, the operation switch group 22, the remote control sensor 23b, the external information input / output unit 24, the map data input device 25, and the microphone 28 described above. And a control unit 29 that controls the external information input / output unit 24, the display unit 26, and the audio output unit 27.

  The position detector 21 receives a radio wave transmitted from an artificial satellite for GPS (Global Positioning System) via a GPS antenna and is added to the vehicle and a GPS receiver 21a that detects the position, direction, speed, and the like of the vehicle. A gyroscope 21b for detecting the magnitude of the rotational motion, a distance sensor 21c for detecting the distance traveled from the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, and the like, and a geomagnetic sensor 21d for detecting the traveling direction from the geomagnetism are provided. Yes. Each of the sensors 21a to 21d has an error having a different property, and is configured to be used while complementing each other.

  The operation switch group 22 includes a touch panel configured integrally with the display surface of the display unit 26, mechanical key switches provided around the display unit 26, and the like. The touch panel and the display unit 26 are laminated and integrated. There are various types of touch panels such as a pressure-sensitive method, an electromagnetic induction method, a capacitance method, or a combination of these methods. It may be used.

  The external information input / output unit 24 is connected to other external devices and has a function of inputting / outputting information to / from these devices. As an example of another external device, a mobile phone, an in-vehicle LAN communication device, or the like can be considered.

  The map data input device 25 is a device for inputting various data stored in a map storage medium (not shown). The map storage medium stores map data (node data, link data, cost data, road data, terrain data, mark data, intersection data, facility data, etc.), guidance voice data, voice recognition data, and the like. Yes. As a type of storage medium for storing such data, a storage medium such as a hard disk or a memory card may be used in addition to a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM. In the map data input by the map data input device 25, nodes, links, costs, etc. are set even in places where there is no roadway such as a mountainous area or a desert area. Details of the map data at such a location will be described later.

  The display unit 26 is a color display device such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or a CRT, and any of them may be used. The display screen of the display unit 26 includes a mark indicating the current location identified from the current position of the vehicle detected by the position detector 21 and the map data input from the map data input device 25, a guidance route to the destination, and a name. Additional data such as landmarks and various facility marks can be displayed in an overlapping manner. Also, facility guides can be displayed.

The voice output unit 27 can output facility guides and various guidance voices input from the map data input device 25.
The microphone 28 outputs an electric signal (voice signal) based on the inputted voice to the control unit 29 when the user inputs (speaks) voice. The user can operate the navigation device 20 by inputting various sounds to the microphone 28.

  The control unit 29 is configured around a well-known microcomputer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, and a bus line connecting these configurations, and various control units 29 are based on programs stored in the ROM and RAM. Execute the process. For example, the current position of the vehicle is calculated as a set of coordinates and traveling directions based on each detection signal from the position detector 21, and a map or the like near the current position read via the map data input device 25 is displayed on the display unit 26. Display processing to be executed. Further, a route calculation for calculating an optimum route from the current position to the destination based on the map data stored in the map data input device 25 and the destination set according to the operation of the operation switch group 22 or the remote controller 23a. The process is executed (details will be described later). Further, a route guidance process for guiding the route is executed by causing the calculated route to be displayed on the display unit 26 or to be output as voice to the voice output unit 27.

  Here, correspondence between each part of the navigation device 20 and terms described in the claims is shown. The map data input device 25 corresponds to a map data acquisition unit, the control unit 29 corresponds to a route calculation unit, the operation switch group 22 and the remote controller 23a correspond to a reception unit, the control unit 29, the display unit 26, and the voice output unit. 27 corresponds to the guiding means.

  Next, among various processes executed by the control unit 29, a route calculation process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This process is started when the user operates the operation switch group 22 or the remote controller 23a.

When the execution is started, the control unit 29 first calculates the current position based on the signal obtained from the position detector 21 (S110).
Next, as the user inputs destination information, the fact is displayed on the display unit 26 and is also output as audio to the audio output unit 27. The user operates the operation switch group 22 or the remote controller 23a to input the information. The destination information is received (S115). As specific destination information, place names, facilities, latitude / longitude, and the like are conceivable. Moreover, when receiving destination information, map data is input from the map data input device 25 as needed, and the user's input is supported using the map data.

  Next, as the user inputs the route calculation condition, the fact is displayed on the display unit 26 and is also output as voice to the voice output unit 27. The user operates the operation switch group 22 or the remote controller 23a to input it. The route calculation condition is accepted (S120). Specific route calculation conditions include, for example, “route with less elevation difference”, “steep route”, “route along the river”, “route with a good view”, “route avoiding swamps”, etc. Conditions can be considered. In the description of the present embodiment, it is assumed that the route calculation condition “route with a small height difference” is selected.

  Next, map data required for route calculation is input from the map data input device 25 (S125). In the map data input by the control unit 29, data such as nodes, links, and costs are set along the roadway where the roadway exists, but in places where there is no roadway such as mountainous areas and desert areas, If nodes are set to correspond to the intersections of the grid at a predetermined interval (for example, every 10 m), and if the vehicle can pass between adjacent nodes (between one node and the other node), link between the nodes Is set. In addition, a cost is set for each link, which is used for route calculation.

  Here, an example of the map data of the mountainous area will be described with reference to FIG. The map data in FIG. 3 is set so that nine nodes from node A to node I correspond to the intersections of the grid for the sake of explanation. Each node has an altitude. Node A has an altitude of 90 m, node B has an altitude of 100 m, node C has an altitude of 50 m, node D has an altitude of 120 m, node E has an altitude of 70 m, and node F has an altitude of 30 m. G is set at an altitude of 90 m, node H is set at an altitude of 40 m, and node I is set at an altitude of 10 m. A link is set between nodes that can pass between nodes (between one node and the other node), and a cost is set for each link. This cost is based on the elevation difference between the nodes at both ends, and is set to a square obtained by dividing the difference by 10. Specifically, link AB is cost 1, link AD is cost 9, link AE is cost 4, link BD is cost 4, link BE is cost 9, link BF is cost 49, link CE is cost 4, link CF is Cost 4, link DG is cost 9, link GH is cost 25, link EH is cost 9, link EI is cost 36, link FH is cost 1, link FI is cost 4, and link HI is cost 9.

  Returning to FIG. 2, subsequently, route calculation is performed. The route calculation method uses the Dijkstra method or the like, performs route calculation according to the route calculation conditions accepted in S120 (S130), and ends this processing (route calculation processing). A specific example of route calculation will be described using the map data of FIG. 3 again. Here, when the route is calculated using the point of node I as the current location, the point of node A as the destination, and the route is calculated using the Dijkstra method, node I (altitude 10 m) → node F ( A route that rises gently in the order of altitude 30 m) → node C (altitude 50 m) → node E (altitude 70 m) → node A (altitude 90 m) is calculated. The cost of this route is 16.

  Since the map data used by the conventional navigation device has no node in such a mountainous area, the conventional navigation device only calculates a route in which the current location and the destination are connected by a straight line. Therefore, when compared with the map data of FIG. 3, a route connected in a straight line from the point of node I to the point of node A was calculated. With such a route, the altitude increases from 10 m to 70 m, and then arrives at a destination having an altitude of 90 m. Therefore, it can be said that the case of the present example matches the condition of “a route with a small height difference”.

  In addition, since the map data of this embodiment has nodes arranged so as to correspond to the intersections of the grids and no links are set between the inaccessible nodes, no traffic such as steep mountains or deep rivers is allowed. Routes are calculated avoiding possible locations.

  As described above, according to the navigation device 20 of this embodiment, as shown in the image diagram of FIG. 4, if the user selects “steep route” as the route calculation condition, If a route passing through a place where the contour lines are dense is calculated, and the user selects “route along the river” as a route calculation condition, a route passing along the river as much as possible such as the route 220 is calculated. In particular, when the route calculation condition is not set, for example, a route having a relatively small gradient and a relatively short route length as shown in the route 230 may be calculated. The route 210 is a route calculated by a conventional navigation device.

Other embodiments will be described below.
(1) In the above embodiment, the cost is set for the node and prepared as map data. However, from the information (for example, altitude) set for the node at the time of route calculation (during the processing of S130 in FIG. 2). The cost may be calculated and used. If it becomes like this, the size of map data can be made small.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the map data is input from the storage medium via the map data input device 25. However, the map data is acquired from the center server via the external information input / output unit 24. It may be. If it becomes like this, all the navigation apparatuses using the map data can use the updated map data only by updating the map data of the center server. Therefore, it becomes easy to update the map data. Further, since only necessary map data needs to be acquired from the center server, the map data stored in the center server can be further detailed, and the accuracy of route calculation is improved.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a navigation apparatus. It is a flowchart for demonstrating a route calculation process. It is an example of map data. It is an image figure of a calculation route.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Position notification system, 20 ... Navigation apparatus, 21 ... Position detector, 21a ... GPS receiver, 21b ... Gyroscope, 21c ... Distance sensor, 21d ... Geomagnetic sensor, 22 ... Operation switch group, 23a ... Remote control, 23b ... Remote control sensor, 24 ... external information input / output unit, 25 ... map data input device, 26 ... display unit, 27 ... audio output unit, 28 ... microphone, 29 ... control unit.

Claims (8)

Map data acquisition means for acquiring map data in which a node, a link connecting the nodes, and a cost corresponding to the node or the link are set even in a place where no roadway exists,
Based on the map data acquired by the storage means, the route that is a link string from the node of the designated departure point to the node of the designated destination point, and the cost corresponding to each node or each link constituting the route A route calculation means for calculating the total;
With
The route calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the link acquired by the map data acquisition unit is set only when the map is accessible based on the terrain of the point. In the route calculation device according to claim 1,
The route calculation device according to claim 1, wherein the nodes acquired by the map data acquisition means are arranged so as to correspond to intersections of lattices with a predetermined interval in a place where no roadway exists. In the route calculation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The route calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cost corresponding to the node acquired by the map data acquisition means is based on an altitude of the position. In the route calculation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The route calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cost corresponding to the link acquired by the map data acquisition means is based on a gradient between positions corresponding to both ends of the link. In the route calculation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The route calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cost corresponding to the node or the link acquired by the map data acquisition means is obtained by classifying and weighting features of the terrain near the position. In the route calculation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Furthermore, it has a receiving means for receiving user operations,
The map data acquisition means can acquire a plurality of types of the cost corresponding to the node or the link,
The route calculation unit selects the cost type based on a user operation received by the reception unit, and calculates a total cost corresponding to the route for the selected type of cost. Route calculation device. In the route calculation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The route calculation apparatus further comprises a guide unit that guides the route based on any one of the routes calculated by the route calculation unit.   The map data storage medium which memorize | stores the map data which the said map data acquisition means of the route calculation apparatus in any one of Claims 1-7 acquires.