JP2006017504A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively utilize the information of running history of a vehicle capable of reducing the data size for storing in the storage means by limiting the area for storing the information of the running history. <P>SOLUTION: The navigation system for searching a route and guiding to the setup destination comprises the memory means for storing the map data including the searched data, the running history acquisition part for storing the running history information acquired in the area including registered spots of high priority, and the route searching part for searching the route while utilizing the stored running history information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device.

  Conventionally, in a navigation device mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, an optimum route from a set departure point to a destination is searched based on road map data and displayed on a display means. . In this case, the route is set so that the distance from the departure point to the destination is the shortest, or the route is set so that the required time is the shortest.

  However, in general, the navigation device sets the route so that it passes through a relatively large road, and since the actual traffic volume is not sufficiently reflected, the route with the shortest required time is always set. Not exclusively. Therefore, when the vehicle travels, the passage time of each road section is measured and stored in the storage means, and when searching for a route thereafter, the required time is calculated based on the passage time stored in the storage means. Thus, a technique for setting a route has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

As a result, a route with the shortest required time can be set based on the experience of the operator actually traveling.
JP-A-6-150189

  However, in the conventional navigation device, since the passage time of each road section is stored for all the roads on which the vehicle has traveled, the data size stored in the storage means becomes enormous, and the storage means Insufficient storage capacity.

  The present invention solves the problems of the conventional navigation device, limits the area for storing the travel history information, reduces the data size stored in the storage means, and makes the travel history information efficient. An object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that can be used in an automated manner.

  Therefore, in the navigation device of the present invention, a navigation device that searches for a route to a set destination and provides guidance, a storage unit that stores map data including the search data, and a high priority registration point A travel history acquisition unit that acquires travel history information and stores the travel history information in the storage unit, and a route search unit that searches for a route using the stored travel history information.

  In another navigation device of the present invention, a display unit for displaying a map screen including a road based on the map data, and a display indicating that the travel history information is being acquired are displayed on the display unit. A display control unit.

  In still another navigation device of the present invention, the navigation device further includes an area determination unit that determines an area from which the travel history information is acquired based on the use frequency of the registered points and the data size of the travel history information.

  In still another navigation device of the present invention, the area determination unit further divides an area including the registration spot based on a positional relationship of the registration spot, and acquires the travel history information from the divided area. Determine the target area.

  In still another navigation device of the present invention, when the area from which the travel history information is acquired is changed, the travel history information accumulated for the common area in the area before and after the change is taken over. .

  According to the present invention, the amount of data to be stored can be reduced, and travel history information can be used efficiently.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display screen of the navigation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a display screen of a display unit of a navigation device (not shown) in the present embodiment. The navigation device is a vehicle navigation device mounted on a vehicle such as a passenger car, a truck, a bus, or a motorcycle, and includes a calculation means such as a CPU and an MPU, a storage means such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk, and a communication interface. It is a kind of computer provided. The navigation device includes a GPS (Global Positioning System), a geomagnetic sensor, a distance sensor, a steering sensor, a beacon sensor, a gyro sensor, a current position detection processing unit that detects a current position, map data including road data, search data, and the like A data recording unit as a storage means for storing a route, a route search process for searching for a route to a set destination based on inputted information, a route guidance process, a POI (Point for searching a point or facility) of Interest) A navigation processing unit that performs various arithmetic processes such as a navigation process such as a search process, an input unit, a display unit, a voice input unit, a voice output unit, and a communication unit, and has a route to a set destination. Search and give guidance.

  The data recording unit stores map data including search data and the like. That is, the data recording unit includes a database composed of various data files, and displays a guide map along the searched route on the display screen 11 of the display unit in addition to search data for searching for a route. Or various data such as facility data is recorded in order to display other guidance information. Note that the data recording unit also includes information on links, which are units constituting a road. The data recording unit also records various data for outputting predetermined information by the audio output unit.

  The input unit is for correcting a position at the start of traveling or inputting a destination, such as an operation key, a push button, a jog dial, a cross key, etc. arranged in the navigation device body. However, it may be a remote controller. When the display unit is a touch panel, it is desirable that the display unit includes operation switches such as operation keys and operation menus displayed on the display screen 11 of the display unit. In this case, an input can be performed by pressing, that is, touching, the operation switch like a normal touch panel.

  The display screen 11 of the display unit displays operation guidance, operation menus, operation key guidance, a route from the current position to the destination, guidance information along the route, and the like. As the display unit, a CRT, a liquid crystal display, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display, a plasma display, a hologram device that projects a hologram on a windshield, or the like can be used.

  In the present embodiment, from the viewpoint of function, the navigation device is a vehicle speed and current position detection process acquired from a route search unit, a speedometer, a vehicle speed sensor, and the like that search for a route from the input departure point to the destination. A travel history acquisition unit that acquires travel history information including information such as vehicle position information and travel locus detected by the unit, a travel history storage unit as storage means for storing the travel history information acquired by the travel history acquisition unit, A comprehensive area determining unit that determines a comprehensive area as an area from which travel history information is acquired, and a display control unit that controls the operation of the display unit to display a map screen.

  Here, the route search unit searches for a route from the departure point to the destination as in a normal navigation device. Normally, the current location of the vehicle is automatically input as the departure location, but the operator can input an arbitrary location as the departure location. Then, the route search unit accesses a database stored in the data recording unit to search for a route so that the distance from the departure point to the destination is the shortest, or a route so that the required time is the shortest Explore. When the route is set as a guidance target, that is, as a guidance route, the guidance route or guidance information along the guidance route is displayed on the display screen 11 of the display unit, or an audio output unit. The route guidance is performed by outputting the guidance information by voice.

  The route search unit can search for a route using the travel history information stored in the travel history storage unit. For example, a link travel time pattern is created for each link constituting the road from which the travel history information is acquired, and an appropriate route with a short required time is searched with reference to the link travel time pattern. Therefore, for example, when a travel history is acquired while traveling on a congested road section, a route that avoids the congested road section is set when a route is searched after the next time. Further, for example, when travel history information is acquired while traveling on a road section with a low traffic volume and a high vehicle speed, a route that passes through the road section with a high vehicle speed is set when a route is searched after the next time.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the display control unit draws a map screen and displays a travel history acquisition mark 13 as a display indicating that the travel history information is being acquired on the display screen 11 of the display unit. Is displayed. Thereby, the operator can recognize that the travel history information is being acquired. Therefore, for example, even when traveling on a congested road section, if the travel history acquisition mark 13 is displayed, a route that avoids the congested road section that is currently traveling will be set from the next time. Therefore, the operator can drive the vehicle safely without feeling irritated. Also, for example, if the travel history acquisition mark 13 is displayed while traveling on a road section with a low traffic volume and a high vehicle speed, a route is set so as to pass through the road section with a high vehicle speed that is currently being traveled. Therefore, the operator does not need to use nerves to learn the road, and can concentrate on driving and drive the vehicle safely.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the travel history acquisition mark 13 is a model of the shape of an automobile, but may be a display having any kind of shape, pattern, and color. A still image where the mark is stationary may be used, a moving image of a pattern or mark may be displayed, a blinking display may be performed, or traveling history information is being acquired by text May be displayed. The travel history acquisition mark 13 may be displayed at any position on the display screen 11 and may have any size.

  Next, the operation of the navigation device having the above configuration will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a method for determining a comprehensive area according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating cluster analysis of a comprehensive area according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement which determines the comprehensive area of the navigation apparatus in 1st Embodiment of this.

  In the present embodiment, when acquiring and storing travel history information, the navigation device gives priority to an area with high use frequency and does not target the whole of Japan, and acquires travel history information for the area. It is like that. As a result, the data size stored in the storage means can be reduced to save the storage capacity.

  And when the said navigation apparatus starts the operation | movement which determines the comprehensive area as an area used as the object from which driving | running | working history information is acquired, first, it will group by the comprehensive area number about all the registration points. Here, the registration point is a point registered by the operator in advance by operating the input unit. Note that the operator's home is also a kind of registration point, but when deciding on a comprehensive area, the home has a higher priority than other registration points, and the area around the home, for example, a predetermined distance centered on the home, For example, an area having a radius of 5 [km] is always included in the comprehensive area. This is because the frequency of traveling around the home is considered to be the highest. The registered point may include a point that has been set as a destination for searching for a route in the past and has not been registered, that is, a point that has just been set as a destination.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 1, it is assumed that ten registered points are set in addition to the home. In FIG. 1, the numbers given to the respective registration points indicate the order of use frequency of the respective registration points, and the smaller the value, the higher the use frequency. In addition, the usage frequency of a registration point is the frequency which used the registration point as a destination or a departure place, in order to search a path | route.

  In addition, grouping can be performed by any method, but here, it is performed using cluster analysis. Cluster analysis is a method of collecting groups that are similar to each other from a group of objects with different characteristics mixed together, that is, a method of classifying objects by creating clusters, and various methods are known. Here, the hierarchical cluster analysis method generally used is used. Then, the distance between registered registration points as objects is set as a dissimilarity, and a tree diagram as shown in FIG. 3 is created using the dissimilarity as a clue. The dissimilarity is a numerical value indicating that the smaller the value, the higher the similarity. The tree diagram can be divided into small, medium, large, etc. according to the section to be cut, thereby grouping all registered points into small groups, medium groups, large groups, etc. be able to. That is, the registration points can be grouped based on the positional relationship of the registration points.

  Subsequently, the navigation device calculates a data size in a comprehensive area including all registered points. In the present embodiment, first, an area including all registered points is set as a comprehensive area. In addition, the outer peripheral line passes through a predetermined distance, for example, 5 [km] or more from the registration point located on the outermost side among the registration points included in the inclusion area. Is set. In addition, the shape of the outer peripheral line of the inclusion area may be any shape, may be a rectangular shape, may be a circular shape, or may be an elliptical shape. In addition, the shape may be along the boundary line of administrative divisions such as prefectures and municipalities, or may be indefinite, but in the example shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 1, since 10 registration points exist in Aichi Prefecture, Shizuoka Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture and Chiba Prefecture, the comprehensive area including all the registration points is It will be an area that includes the Chubu and Kanto regions. Here, the data size in the comprehensive area is the data size of the travel history information acquired when the vehicle travels in the comprehensive area and accumulated up to now.

  Subsequently, the navigation device determines whether the data size in the comprehensive area is equal to or smaller than an allowable value. Here, the allowable value is, for example, about 100 [megabytes], but can be set arbitrarily. If it is equal to or less than the allowable value, the process is terminated. If it is not less than the allowable value, the comprehensive area is divided into the current number + 1. That is, the comprehensive area is divided so that the number of comprehensive areas is one more than the current number. Therefore, the comprehensive area including the Chubu region and the Kanto region in the example shown in FIG. 1 is divided into two comprehensive areas. In this case, based on the tree diagram as shown in FIG. 3 already created, 10 registration points are divided into two groups, and an area including all the registration points belonging to each group is set. It is designed as a comprehensive area. Also in this case, the comprehensive area is set such that the outer peripheral line passes further outside by a predetermined distance or more from the registration point located on the outermost side among the registration points included in the comprehensive area. As a result, in the example shown in FIG. 1, a comprehensive area that includes registered points that exist in the Chubu region and a comprehensive area that includes registered points that exist in the Kanto region are set.

  Subsequently, the navigation device determines whether the data size in the comprehensive area is equal to or smaller than an allowable value. In this case, the data size is calculated for each of the divided comprehensive areas, and it is determined whether or not the total value is equal to or less than the allowable value. If it is equal to or less than the allowable value, the process is terminated. If it is not less than the allowable value, it is determined whether or not the total use frequency of the registered points in each comprehensive area is less than or equal to the allowable value. Here, the allowable value is, for example, about 10 times, but can be arbitrarily set. In this case, all the permissible values of the registration points included in each comprehensive area are acquired and added together and compared with the permissible value. If it is not less than the allowable value, the comprehensive area is divided again into the current number +1 and the above operation is repeated. If the value is equal to or smaller than the allowable value, the comprehensive area equal to or smaller than the allowable value is deleted from the accumulation target area. That is, the travel history information is not acquired when the vehicle travels within the inclusion area that is equal to or less than the allowable value. Then, it is determined again whether or not the data size in the comprehensive area is equal to or smaller than the allowable value, and the above-described operation is repeated.

  By performing such an operation, several inclusion areas are set. In the example shown in FIG. 1, a comprehensive area including homes and registered points with usage frequencies of 1, 2, 3 and 7, a comprehensive area including registered points with usage frequencies of 4 and 8, and a usage frequency of 5 A comprehensive area that includes only registered points and a comprehensive area that includes only registered points with a usage frequency of 6 are set. It should be noted that the inclusion area including only the registration point with the use frequency of 9 and the inclusion area including only the registration point with the use frequency of 10 are deleted from the accumulation target area because the use frequency is less than the allowable value. Yes.

  When the vehicle travels within these set inclusion areas, travel history information is acquired by the travel history acquisition unit, and the travel history information is stored in the travel history storage unit. Therefore, when a route passing through the set comprehensive area is searched, the route search unit searches for a route using the travel history information stored in the travel history storage unit. A simple route.

  The navigation device can maintain the data size of the travel history information stored in the travel history storage unit at an appropriate size by repeatedly performing the above-described operation of determining the comprehensive area every predetermined period. it can. In this case, when performing the operation of determining the comprehensive area for the second and subsequent times, the operation is started based on the comprehensive area determined last time.

Next, a flowchart will be described.
Step S1: Grouping is performed according to the number of comprehensive areas for all registered points.
Step S2: The data size in the comprehensive area including all registered points is calculated.
Step S3: It is determined whether or not the data size in the comprehensive area is less than or equal to an allowable value. If the data size in the comprehensive area is less than or equal to the allowable value, the process ends. If the data size in the comprehensive area is not less than or equal to the allowable value, the process proceeds to step S4.
Step S4: Divide the inclusion area into the current number + 1.
Step S5: It is determined whether or not the data size in the comprehensive area is less than or equal to an allowable value. If the data size in the comprehensive area is less than or equal to the allowable value, the process ends. If the data size in the comprehensive area is not less than or equal to the allowable value, the process proceeds to step S6.
Step S6: It is determined whether or not the total use frequency of the registered points in each comprehensive area is less than or equal to an allowable value. If the total value of the usage frequencies of the registered points in each comprehensive area is less than or equal to the allowable value, the process proceeds to step S7. If the total value of the usage frequencies of the registered points in each comprehensive area is not less than the allowable value, the process returns to step S4. .
Step S7: Delete the inclusion area below the allowable value from the accumulation target area.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, a comprehensive area including a registration point having a high priority is set, and travel history information is acquired and accumulated when the vehicle travels in the comprehensive area. Yes. Therefore, the data size of the travel history information stored in the storage unit can be reduced. In addition, when searching for a route using a frequently used registered point as a starting point or destination, the route can be searched using the travel history information accumulated with respect to the roads around the registered point. It is possible to search for an appropriate route that shortens the time. Therefore, the data size stored in the storage unit can be reduced while efficiently using the travel history information.

  In addition, since the comprehensive area is automatically set by the navigation device, it is not necessary for the operator to set an area for obtaining the travel history information by operating the input unit, thereby improving the operability of the navigation device. Can be increased.

  Furthermore, a travel history acquisition mark 13 indicating that travel history information is being acquired is displayed on the display screen 11 of the display unit. For this reason, the operator can recognize that the travel history information is being acquired, so that the driver does not feel frustrated even when traveling on a congested road section, and is traveling on a road section with a high vehicle speed. But you don't have to use your nerves to learn the road, and you can drive the vehicle safely.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, about the thing which has the same structure as 1st Embodiment, the description is abbreviate | omitted by providing the same code | symbol. The description of the same operation and the same effect as those of the first embodiment is also omitted.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of taking over the travel history information in the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of taking over the travel history information in the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, the navigation device may change the inclusion area when the location of the home is changed or the number of registration points is increased and the inclusion area as the area for which the travel history information is acquired is changed. The accumulated travel history information is inherited for areas common before and after the area change, and the accumulated travel history information is deleted for areas that are not common. As a result, even when the comprehensive area is changed, the data size stored in the storage unit can be reduced while efficiently using the travel history information already accumulated.

  For example, when the home position is changed from the position shown in FIG. 5A to the position shown in FIG. 5B, the comprehensive area including the home is changed from 15a to 15b. The When the accumulated travel history information is taken over, the comprehensive area can be managed in units of 1 [km] square, parcel area, region area, etc. to facilitate the management of the comprehensive area. desirable. And about the common area 15c which overlaps in the comprehensive area 15a before a change as shown to Fig.5 (a), and the comprehensive area 15b after a change as shown in FIG.5 (b), ie, The travel history information accumulated before the change is taken over, and the travel history information accumulated before the change is deleted for the area 15d other than the area 15c in the comprehensive area 15a before the change. As a result, even when the position of the home is changed due to moving or the like, an appropriate route is searched for using the accumulated travel history information immediately after the change so that the required time is shortened. can do.

  When the comprehensive area is changed and the operation of taking over the travel history information is started, the navigation device starts a loop and repeats the number of changed comprehensive areas. That is, the operation described later is repeated for all the changed comprehensive areas. And the said navigation apparatus judges whether the same comprehensive area as after a change exists before a change. In this case, for the comprehensive area after the change, it is determined whether or not there is an area in common with the comprehensive area in any of the comprehensive areas before the change.

  If the same comprehensive area after the change exists before the change, the data of the comprehensive area before the change is taken over by the comprehensive area after the change, that is, the travel history information accumulated before the change for the common area. , Take over as the travel history information of the comprehensive area after the change. Note that the accumulated travel history information for areas other than the common area in the comprehensive area before the change is not taken over. Further, it is determined whether or not the same comprehensive area as after the change exists before the change, and when it does not exist, the accumulated travel history information is not taken over. Then, the in-vehicle device repeats the above-mentioned operation for every number of the comprehensive areas after the change, that is, repeats the above-mentioned operation for all the comprehensive areas after the change, and when there is no changed comprehensive area, the loop end And

  Subsequently, the navigation device deletes the data of the comprehensive area before the change that has not been taken over, and ends the process. That is, the travel history information accumulated for the comprehensive area before the change, and the travel history information that has not been transferred to the comprehensive area after the change is deleted.

  Thereby, for example, there are five comprehensive areas A to E before the change, and five comprehensive areas C to G after the change (F and G have areas common to both A to E). In the case of the three comprehensive areas C to E, the travel history information is taken over as it is, and the travel history information is deleted for the two comprehensive areas A and B.

Next, a flowchart will be described.
Step S11 The operation up to Step S14 is repeated by the number of the comprehensive areas after the change.
Step S12: It is determined whether or not the same comprehensive area as after the change exists before the change. If the same comprehensive area after the change exists before the change, the process proceeds to step S13. If the same comprehensive area after the change does not exist before the change, the process proceeds to step S14.
Step S13: The data of the comprehensive area before change is transferred to the comprehensive area after change.
Step S14 The operation from step S11 is repeated for the number of the changed comprehensive area, and when the changed comprehensive area is exhausted, the process proceeds to step S15.
Step S15: The data in the comprehensive area before the change that has not been taken over is deleted, and the process ends.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, even when the comprehensive area is changed, if there is a common area in the pre-change and post-change comprehensive areas, the travel history information accumulated for the area is changed to the comprehensive area after the change. It is supposed to take over to the area. Therefore, even when the comprehensive area is changed, an appropriate route that requires a shorter time can be searched using a part of the travel history information that has already been accumulated immediately after the change. Thereby, the data size memorize | stored in a memory | storage means can be reduced, utilizing the accumulate | stored driving | running | working history information efficiently.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can change variously based on the meaning of this invention, and does not exclude them from the scope of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows the method of determining the comprehensive area in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the display screen of the navigation apparatus in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the cluster analysis of the comprehensive area in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement which determines the comprehensive area of the navigation apparatus in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the operation | movement which takes over the driving history information in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement which takes over the driving history information in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

13 Travel history acquisition marks 15a, 15b Comprehensive area 15c area

Claims (5)

A navigation device that searches and guides a route to a set destination,
(A) storage means for storing map data including search data;
(B) a travel history acquisition unit that acquires travel history information in an area including a registration point having a high priority and accumulates it in the storage unit;
(C) A navigation device comprising a route search unit that searches for a route using the accumulated travel history information. The display unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a display unit that displays a map screen including a road based on the map data; and a display control unit that displays on the display unit a display indicating that the travel history information is being acquired. Navigation device. The navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising an area determination unit that determines an area from which the travel history information is acquired based on a frequency of use of the registered points and a data size of the travel history information. The said area determination part divides | segments the area containing the said registration spot based on the positional relationship of a registration spot, and determines the area used as the object which acquires the said travel history information from the divided area. Navigation device. The area according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the area for which the travel history information is acquired is changed, the travel history information accumulated for the common area in the area before and after the change is taken over. Navigation device.

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