JP2006125871A - Navigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user to acquire easily explanation about various functions and display of a navigation apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: When a help button displayed on a screen of the navigation apparatus is selected, equipment type information of the navigation apparatus, version information, condition information such as an operation button, and an on-line help center URL are acquired and converted into to a two-dimensional bar code to be displayed. When imaging it by a cellular phone, the cellular phone analyzes the imaged two-dimensional bar code to display the original information. When a displayed server URL is selected, the cellular phone transmits the condition information such as the operation button in the navigation apparatus to an on-line help center, and operation explanation (manual information) for the each displayed button is acquired to be displayed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device, and for example, relates to an operation description of each function.

Navigation devices are widely used as devices for assisting vehicle travel. For example, various techniques described in Patent Document 1 have been proposed.
This navigation device has various functions such as displaying the current position of a vehicle together with a map, searching for a travel route to an input destination, displaying it on map information, and guiding the travel route.
When using these various functions, the user can perform operations according to the functions, for example, input of a destination, registration of a point to be used as a destination, directions for route search, changing the size of a displayed map, display format Operations such as changes are made.

JP-A-9-330025

  The explanation of the handling of the navigation device is generally based on the printed instruction manual, but the thickness has increased due to the recent increase in functionality and functionality of the navigation device, making it difficult for users to see, and limited in-car interiors. It has become difficult to secure a storage location.

On the other hand, there is a navigation device in which an instruction manual is converted into data and stored, and a necessary operation explanation is displayed on a navigation screen.
According to this navigation device, the storage location of the instruction manual becomes unnecessary, but there is a problem that the instruction manual becomes obsolete because it cannot cope with subsequent function addition or function change.
In general, since navigation devices have a small screen, the screen during operation and the instruction manual screen cannot be displayed at the same time, or even if one can be displayed, the display on one screen is restricted on the other screen, resulting in operability and visual recognition. The sex was decreasing.

  A first object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that allows a user to easily obtain descriptions of various functions and displays of the navigation device.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is determined that the storage means for storing the communication address of the information center, the determination means for determining whether or not the help button is selected, and the help button is selected by the determination means. If there is an acquisition unit that acquires what the operation button is displayed on the display unit, and a communication address where the operation explanation information of the acquired operation button is viewable is acquired from the storage unit, the acquired A navigation device includes conversion means for converting information for specifying an operation button and a communication address into an encoded image by a predetermined conversion method, and display means for displaying the converted encoded image on the display unit. The above-mentioned purpose is achieved.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the information for identifying the operation button displayed on the display unit and the communication address where the operation explanation information can be browsed are converted into an encoded image by a predetermined conversion method. For example, the user can easily obtain an operation explanation of the operation button from the online help center by capturing the encoded image with an information processing terminal such as a mobile phone and analyzing the original information. it can.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the navigation device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.
(1) Outline of Embodiment In the present embodiment, help buttons are arranged in various display screens of the navigation device.
When the user selects the help button, the model information of the navigation device, the version information, the status information such as the operation buttons, and the online help center URL are acquired and converted into a two-dimensional barcode (encoded image). Display on the display device.

When the user captures the displayed two-dimensional barcode with a portable information terminal such as a cellular phone, the cellular phone analyzes the captured two-dimensional barcode to obtain the original information (model information, version information, and operation of the navigation device). Status information such as buttons and online help center URL) are displayed.
When the user selects the displayed server URL, the mobile phone transmits the model information of the navigation device, version information, and status information such as operation buttons to the online help center center, which are displayed from the online help center center. The operation explanation (manual information) for each operation button is acquired and displayed.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, the operation explanation (manual information) for each operation button can be confirmed on a separate screen from the navigation display screen through the mobile phone without adding a special communication function to the navigation device. Can do.

(2) Details of Embodiment FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a navigation device according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation apparatus includes a CPU 10 that controls the entire navigation apparatus according to various programs and data. The CPU 10 includes a current position detection device 11, a storage device 12, a display device 13, an input device 14, An audio output device 15 and other devices (such as a clock as a time measuring means) are connected.

  The current position detection device 11 is for detecting the current position (absolute coordinate value consisting of latitude and longitude) of a vehicle on which the navigation device is mounted, and is a GPS (measurement of vehicle position using artificial satellites). One or more of a global positioning system (receiver 111), a geomagnetic sensor 112, a gyro sensor 113, a vehicle speed sensor 114, and the like that detect geomagnetism and determine the direction of the vehicle are used.

The storage device 12 includes a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic recording medium such as a flexible disk, a hard disk, and a magnetic tape, a semiconductor recording medium such as a memory chip and an IC card, a CD-ROM, an MO, and a PD (phase change rewritable optical disk). Recording media on which information is optically read, and recording media on which computer programs and data are recorded by various methods.
Different recording media may be used depending on the recording contents.

  The storage device 12 includes a POI (facility information) DB 121, a map database (DB) 122, a model-specific information storage unit 123, a version information storage unit 124, a status information storage unit 125, an online help server URL storage unit 126, and a route guidance program. 127, a navigation state monitoring program 128, a barcode conversion program 129, and other various programs and data are stored.

The POI (facility information) DB 121 is used when setting a destination, and stores facility information related to a facility that is a destination setting target.
The POI (facility information) DB 121 includes facility information numbers, names, genres, telephone numbers, addresses, location coordinates, e-mail addresses, mobile site URLs (hereinafter simply referred to as URLs), etc. Stored for each facility.

  The map DB 122 relates to various maps and roads such as map information for displaying various maps and roads around the current location of the vehicle and around the destination on the display device 13 and road information used for route search to the destination. A database that stores data.

The model specific information storage unit 123 stores the model number of the navigation device, the serial number, model information of the optional device configuration, and the like.
The version information storage unit 124 stores the versions of all programs in the storage device acquired by the navigation state monitoring program 128, the history of version upgrades, etc. The target programs include, for example, a destination setting program, This includes route guidance programs such as route search programs and point registration programs.

In the state information storage unit 125, the display state of the navigation screen displayed on the display device 13, for example, the operation buttons C1 to Cn and the display of D1 to Dn on the screen B in the operation A are displayed. Status information such as the current display screen is stored.
The state information stored in the state information storage unit 125 is acquired by the navigation state monitoring program 128.
The operation buttons C and D displayed on the display screen are not limited to the navigation function. For example, when an operation button or display for using the audio function is displayed, the operation buttons C and D are displayed. The display state is also stored in the information information storage unit 125 as state information.

The URL storage unit 126 of the online help server stores a URL necessary for connecting to the online help center.
This URL stores a URL connectable from a portable information terminal such as a mobile phone.

The route guidance program 127 is a program that includes a destination setting function, a route search function, an expected arrival time calculation function, and other functions necessary for various route guidance.
The destination setting function is a function that performs destination setting processing based on user input (functions as destination setting means).
The route search function uses the road data stored in the map DB 122 and uses the recommended route recommended by the device as the travel route to the set destination, the toll priority route that preferentially travels on the toll road, the toll road This is a function of searching for a plurality of travel routes such as a general priority route that gives priority to a general road, a distance priority route with a short travel distance, and another route route (functions as a route search means).
The predicted arrival time calculation function is a function that calculates the estimated time to arrive at the destination when traveling to the destination through the route set by the route search function. Comprehensively calculated from presence / absence, presence / absence of signal, distance, and the like.
Other programs are programs necessary for various guidance such as changing the display of the map according to the travel route, displaying the detailed map of the route change point on the screen before the route change point, and guiding the route change by voice. It is.

  The navigation status monitoring program 128 and the upgrade of each program in the navigation device are monitored, the version and the upgrade history are stored in the version information storage unit 124, and the operation status of the navigation device is collected and the status information storage unit 125 is collected. It is a program to be stored in.

The barcode conversion program 129 is a two-dimensional barcode for transmitting information to a mobile phone from the model information, version information and status information (hereinafter referred to as help location specifying information) of the navigation device and the URL of the online help server. This is a program for creating (encoded image).
The encoded image conversion program 129 functions as conversion means in the present embodiment in cooperation with the CPU 10.
In the present embodiment, a two-dimensional barcode is used as the encoded image.

Two-dimensional barcodes are either “stacked two-dimensional codes” in which normal barcodes with information in only one direction are stacked or “matrix-type two-dimensional codes” shaped like a grid. It is also possible to adopt a format.
Creation and analysis of a two-dimensional barcode is realized by various well-known methods described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2004-164532, 2002-137394, 10-55420, and 11-306272. .

The display device 13 includes a map around the vehicle and the searched travel route, a searched route, and an encoded image created by the present embodiment (hereinafter, the two-dimensional barcode will be described in the description of the present embodiment). Is displayed.
Further, the display device 13 displays each operation button displayed on the screen and a help button for the user to obtain a display instruction from the mobile phone.
When this help button is selected, a two-dimensional barcode is created by the barcode conversion program 129.

As the display device 13, various display devices such as a liquid crystal display device and a CRT are used.
The display device 13 may have a function as the input device 14 such as a touch panel.

The input device 14 is used when performing various operations such as inputting a destination, selecting a searched travel route, and instructing conversion to a two-dimensional bar code using a “help” button.
As the input device 14, various devices such as a touch panel (functioning as a switch), a keyboard, a mouse, a light pen, a joystick, an infrared remote controller, and a voice recognition device can be used.

  The voice output device 15 includes a plurality of speakers arranged in the vehicle, and outputs voice controlled by the voice control unit, for example, guidance voice when performing route guidance by voice. The audio output device 15 may also be used as an audio speaker.

FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration of a mobile phone as an example of the mobile terminal device.
This mobile phone includes a CPU 30, a storage device 31, a display device 32, an imaging device (camera) 33, a voice input device 34, a voice output device 35, an input device 36, a communication device 37, and other devices (a clock as a time measuring means, etc. ).
The CPU 30 controls the entire mobile phone according to various programs and data stored in the storage device 31.

  The storage device 31 is composed of a ROM, a RAM, or a semiconductor storage device depending on the case, and stores an encoded image recognition program 311, a communication program 312, and other programs and data.

The encoded image recognition program 311 is a program that analyzes the two-dimensional barcode imaged by the imaging device, recognizes original information (help location specifying information, URL), and displays the screen on the display device 32.
In accordance with the encoded image recognition program 311, the CPU 30 analyzes the two-dimensional barcode by a method corresponding to various methods used when a two-dimensional barcode is created by the encoded image conversion program of the navigation device.

The communication program 312 is a program having a browser function based on the server URL included in the original information displayed on the screen.
When the server URL included in the original information is selected, the analyzed help location identification information (model information, version information, status information) is transmitted to the online help server of the corresponding URL by the browser function. The manual information transmitted from the online help server is received and the content is displayed on the display device 32.

  Although various display devices can be used as the display device 32, in this embodiment, a liquid crystal display device, a plasma display, or the like is used to display various information such as facility information and contents of a home page specified by a URL. The

The imaging device (camera) 33 functions as an imaging means, and is configured by a camera including a CCD (charge coupled device) for capturing an image.
The imaging device 33 captures images, external scenery, and the like. In the present embodiment, it is used for imaging a two-dimensional barcode displayed on the display device 13 of the navigation device.

  The voice input device 34 and the voice output device 35 function as a voice input / output device when using a call function as a mobile phone.

The input device 36 includes various input keys such as a numeric keypad. The input device 36 is used for inputting a telephone number, inputting text when using the mail function, and selecting an e-mail address or URL displayed on the display device 32. Used when.
The communication device 37 performs communication when using the mobile phone function and various data communication between a target specified by a URL or a mail address by connecting to a communication network such as the Internet.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of an online help server that provides manual information corresponding to the model information, version information, and status information of the navigation device to the mobile phone according to the present embodiment.
The online help server is composed of a server system including a CPU and various storage devices, and is an electronic manual (operation manual) corresponding to each model of mobile phone communication device 41 and each navigation device model and each program version. A manual DB 42 in which digitized data is stored is provided.

  The online help server server also includes a manual search device 44, and in cooperation with the CPU, help location specifying information (model information, version information, status received from the mobile phone via the mobile phone communication device 41) Manual information corresponding to (information) is searched.

Next, the navigation apparatus configured as described above passes the help location specifying information and the URL to the mobile phone via the two-dimensional barcode, and the system operates to acquire manual information corresponding to the help location specifying information using the mobile phone. Will be described.
FIG. 4 shows a display screen of the display device 13 in a certain state of the navigation device.
In the display screen illustrated in FIG. 4, the current position of the vehicle (displayed by a dotted circle and an isosceles triangle mark in the figure, and the apex direction is the traveling direction) is displayed at substantially the center of the screen.

A map around the current vehicle location is displayed on the display device 13, and a “wide area” button for changing the display area (reduction ratio) of the map is specified at the lower periphery of the screen, and an arbitrary point is designated. "Register location" button when registering as a destination or waypoint, "Re-search" button to search again the route to the destination, "Change display" button to change the display format of the map, and other "Details" Operation buttons 130 a such as a button and an “OFF” button are arranged.
Further, on the display device 13, various displays such as an azimuth display, a scale display, a VICS status display, an estimated arrival time display, and a remaining distance display until the target are displayed on the left side of the display screen.

Further, the display device 13 is provided with a “?” Button (help button) 131 at the top of the display screen.
The help button 131 is a button that is selected when the user acquires manual information corresponding to the display screen of the display device 13 from the online help server via the mobile phone. By selecting this button, the two-dimensional bar is selected. Code is created.

FIG. 5 illustrates the processing operation of the navigation device and the processing operation by the mobile phone when the help button 131 is selected.
When the user selects the help button 131, the CPU 10 reads out the help location specifying information (model information, version information, status information) and the URL of the online help server from the storage device, and in accordance with the encoded image conversion program 129, the two-dimensional barcode Is generated and displayed on the display device 13 as shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 5A, the two-dimensional barcode 132 is displayed at the center of the screen, but within a range that can be recognized by the mobile phone at a position shifted from the center of the screen, such as below the travel route determination button 130. You may make it display small. This prevents the display area of the map screen from being temporarily reduced.

When the user selects the help button 131, the selected button is converted into a “return” button 131 ′.
When the “return” button 131 ′ is selected, the screen before the display is returned from the state in which the two-dimensional barcode 132 is displayed, and the button also returns to the original help button 131.

In a state where the two-dimensional barcode 132 is displayed on the display device 13 of the navigation device, when the user takes an image with a mobile phone having an imaging function (FIG. 5B), the CPU 30 of the mobile phone uses the captured image data. Is stored in the RAM.
Next, the CPU 30 analyzes the original information of the two-dimensional barcode 132 from the image data stored in the RAM, temporarily stores it in the RAM, and displays the original information on the display device 32.

FIG. 5C illustrates a state in which original information obtained by imaging the two-dimensional barcode 132 created by the navigation device after being imaged is displayed on the display device 32.
As shown in FIG. 5C, the URL (http: ˜.jp /) of the online help server and help location specifying information are displayed on the display device 32.

When the user selects the URL displayed on the mobile phone, the CPU 30 connects to the online help server of the URL, and among the original information stored in the RAM, the help location specifying information (model information, version information, status information) ).
And CPU30 acquires the manual information corresponding to the help location specific information transmitted from an online help server, stores it in RAM, and displays it on the display apparatus 32. FIG.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5D, the CPU 30 displays a list of headings for displaying an operation manual (usage method) for each operation button of the state information in accordance with the received manual information.
By selecting an item displayed in the list, for example, if the user selects “1. Usage method of [wide area] button”, the “wide area” button displayed on the display device 13 of the navigation device (see FIG. 4). Is displayed on the display device 32 of the mobile phone.

  As a result, the user can easily confirm the operation explanation of the operation button while separating from the display screen of the navigation device regardless of the presence or absence of the communication function of the navigation device.

Next, each processing operation of the navigation device, the mobile phone, and the online help center in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, the process of converting into an encoded image in the navigation device will be described.
The CPU 10 of the navigation apparatus monitors the navigation information and collects model information, version information, and status information by monitoring various operations according to the user's operation according to the navigation status monitoring program (step 21).

That is, the CPU 10 monitors whether or not the model has been changed or the version of the program has been upgraded. If the change has been made, the changed information is stored in the model-specific information storage unit and the version information storage unit.
Further, the CPU 10 reads navigation type specific information such as purpose setting and route search selection by the user (step 23).
Further, the CPU 10 reads the version information from the version information storage unit 124 (step 24), reads the status information from the status information storage unit 125 (step 25), and reads the URL from the URL storage unit 126 of the online help server (step 26). ).

Then, the CPU 10 creates a two-dimensional barcode from the read model information, version information, status information (help location specifying information) and URL according to the encoded image conversion program and displays it on the display device 13 (step 27).
Then, the CPU 10 monitors whether or not the “return” button 131 ′ (see FIG. 5A) is operated by the user from the state where the two-dimensional barcode is created and displayed (step 28). (Step 28; N) Returning to Step 27, the display of the two-dimensional barcode is continued.

On the other hand, if the “return” button 131 ′ is operated (step 28; Y), the CPU 10 returns the display to the screen (see FIG. 4) before displaying the two-dimensional barcode (step 29), and the power is turned off. It is determined whether or not (step 30).
If the power is not turned off (step 30; N), the process returns to step 21 to continue the process. If the power is turned off (step 30; Y), the process is terminated.

Next, processing operations of the mobile phone and the online help server will be described.
When the two-dimensional barcode is displayed on the display device 13 of the navigation device (FIG. 5A) (step 27), the user takes a picture of the displayed two-dimensional barcode using the camera function of the mobile phone. (See step 41, FIG. 5 (b)).
When the two-dimensional bar code is photographed, the CPU 30 of the mobile phone decodes the captured image, stores the analysis result in the RAM, and displays it on the display device 32 (see step 42, FIG. 5C).

  When the user selects the online help server URL displayed on the screen in this state, the CPU 30 connects to the server of the selected URL, and reads the analyzed help location specifying information (model information, version information, status information) from the RAM. (Step 43).

When the online help server receives the help location specifying information from the mobile phone via the mobile phone communication device 41 (step 51), the manual search device 43 searches for the manual page (step 52).
That is, the manual search device 43 searches the manual DB for the optimum manual page corresponding to the received model information, version information, and status information (various operation buttons and display on the display screen).

  Then, the online help server transmits the searched manual page as manual information to the mobile phone (step 53), and ends the process.

On the other hand, when receiving the optimum manual information corresponding to the help location specifying information from the online help server, the CPU 30 of the mobile phone displays the received manual information on the display device 32 (step 44) and ends the process.
That is, the CPU 30 displays a list of headings for displaying an operation manual (usage method) for each operation button of the state information in accordance with the received manual information (see FIG. 5D).
By selecting an item displayed in the list, for example, if the user selects “1. Usage method of [wide area] button”, the “wide area” button displayed on the display device 13 of the navigation device (see FIG. 4). Is displayed on the display device 32 of the mobile phone.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
(1) In a navigation device, an encoded image (2) that can be recognized and decoded by a mobile phone with information (model information, version information, status information) specifying the state displayed on the navigation device and the URL of the online help server. Dimensional barcode) and display it on the display device.
(2) The user transmits the state information of the navigation device and the URL of the online help server to the mobile phone by a simple operation of photographing the two-dimensional barcode with the camera attached to the mobile phone,
(3) The user can check manuals (operation descriptions) such as operation buttons displayed on the navigation device on the display device 32 of the mobile phone.

Thus, even if the navigation device does not have a communication function, the user can easily explain the operation of the navigation device by using an information portable terminal having a photographing function such as a mobile phone that has already been widely used. The explanation of the other display 130b can be easily obtained and confirmed.
That is, according to the present embodiment, no special hardware for communication is used in the navigation device, and no complicated mobile phone operation is required, and information transmission from the navigation device to the mobile phone can be performed with simple user operation. Can be realized.

Although one embodiment of the information processing apparatus of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope described in each claim. .
For example, in the embodiment described above, the case where a two-dimensional barcode is created as a coded image created from original information by a coded image conversion program has been described. However, a digital watermark is created as another coded image. Also good.

In this case, various well-known digital watermark techniques such as a direct embedding method and a frequency component embedding method can be used for the digital watermark icon in this case.
The direct embedding method uses the characteristic that humans are difficult to recognize dark pixels near bright pixels, and embeds facility information in sample values (icons) of data, dividing the pixels into multiple blocks, This is a method of embedding a watermark by directly processing bit information representing luminance. In the present embodiment, this direct embedding method is adopted because of the advantage that processing time is short.
On the other hand, the frequency component embedding method, as represented by Fourier transform (FET), spread spectrum, discrete cosine transform (DCT), etc., converts the image data into frequency components and does not affect the image quality. This is a method of embedding watermark information.

  In the embodiment described above, the case where the operation button 130a displayed on the display device 13 of the navigation device and the other display 130b are converted into two-dimensional barcodes as state information has been described. Only the button 130a may be subject to two-dimensional barcode.

In addition, this embodiment can also be comprised as follows.
(1) A navigation device that provides vehicle travel guidance,
A storage means for storing a communication address of an information center that provides operation explanation information of the navigation device and unique information of the navigation device;
Conversion means for converting the communication address and unique information stored in the storage means and state information representing the operation state of the navigation device into an encoded image by a predetermined conversion method when the operation explanation key is selected. When,
Display means for displaying the converted encoded image;
A navigation device comprising:
(2) The conversion means acquires operation specifying information for specifying each operation key displayed on the display device as state information representing an operation state, and converts the operation specifying information into state information ( The navigation device according to 1).

It is a block diagram of the navigation apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the mobile telephone as an example of a portable terminal device. It is a block diagram of the online help server which provides the mobile phone with manual information corresponding to the model information, version information, and status information of the navigation device. It is explanatory drawing showing the display screen of the display apparatus in a certain state of a navigation apparatus. It is explanatory drawing showing the processing operation of the navigation apparatus and the processing operation by a mobile telephone when a help button is selected. It is a flowchart showing each processing operation of a navigation apparatus, a mobile phone, and an online help center.

Explanation of symbols

10 CPU
11 Current position detection device 12 Storage device 121 POI (facility information) DB
122 Map DB
123 Coded image conversion program 124 Route guidance program 13 Display device 14 Input device 15 Audio output device

Claims (1)

Storage means for storing the communication address of the information center;
A determination means for determining whether or not the help button is selected;
If the determination means determines that the help button has been selected, an acquisition means for acquiring what the operation button is displayed on the display unit;
The communication address where the operation explanation information of the acquired operation button can be browsed is acquired from the storage means, and the information for specifying the acquired operation button and the communication address are converted into an encoded image by a predetermined conversion method. Conversion means;
Display means for displaying the converted encoded image on the display unit;
A navigation device comprising:

Images