JP2006275925A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To conduct a route guide for making a movable body surely arrive at a destination. <P>SOLUTION: Current position of the movable body is detected by a GPS 12, an autonomous navigation unit 15 and a current position calculation part 31 and a map corresponding to the displayed current position of the movable body is displayed by using map data and a route to the intended destination is guided. Then, when the distance from the current position of the movable body to the destination becomes equal to a predetermined distance, a control part 32 controls a display control part 33 to display feature information defining the position of the destination stored in a memory part 20 on the map. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device that detects a current position of a moving body and guides a route to a desired destination while displaying a map corresponding to the current position of the moving body drawn from map data. The present invention relates to a navigation device that more reliably guides a route of a moving body to a destination.

  Searches the optimal route to the destination specified by the driver, presents the optimal route, and matches the position of the vehicle measured with high accuracy by GPS (Global Positioning System), autonomous navigation, etc. on the map By presenting them, navigation devices that navigate a vehicle traveling to a destination on an optimal route have become widespread.

  The navigation device detects the position of the vehicle that is a moving object, displays the position of the vehicle on the display mounted on the vehicle by matching the map corresponding to this position, and uses voice guidance together Then, route guidance of the vehicle on which the user has boarded to a desired destination is provided.

  In order to make route guidance to the destination more reliable, such a navigation device shows the destination as an icon, and is a building such as a gas station, a convenience store, or a public facility that exists near the route to the destination. The icon is also displayed as a landmark on the map.

  As described above, when an icon is displayed on the map, the size of the icon is not changed so much even if the scale of the map is changed in consideration of user visibility. In particular, the icon indicating the destination is maintained at a substantially constant size regardless of the scale of the map so that the user can surely grasp the position of the destination.

  For example, if the scale is enlarged to get a detailed road display around the destination when the vehicle approaches the destination, the icon indicating the destination does not change the size of the map as described above. One point above is still shown. Therefore, when there is a destination at a place separated from the road, the destination may be off the display screen. At this time, even if the user is informed by the voice guidance of the navigation device that the destination is in the vicinity of the destination, it is difficult for the user to reach the destination because the user does not know where the destination is.

Therefore, in order to solve such problems, differentiation is achieved by changing the display form of the area that includes the destination and the area that does not include the destination, and it is clear which direction the destination is in. Thus, a technique has been disclosed in which route guidance is performed smoothly and the burden on the user reaching the destination is reduced (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-304901 A

  However, although the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 can suggest where the destination is, it cannot support movement until the user actually reaches the destination. There's a problem.

  That is, when the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 is applied, the user can reach “destination”, but is unlikely to finally reach “destination”. There is a problem such as.

  Therefore, the present invention has been devised to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that reliably supports a user's arrival at a desired destination.

  The navigation device of the present invention is a navigation device that detects a current position of a moving body, and displays a map corresponding to the current position of the moving body drawn from map data, while guiding a route to a desired destination. , Destination setting means for setting the destination, and feature information characterizing the position of the destination according to the distance from the current position of the moving body to the destination being a predetermined distance. The above-mentioned problem is solved by providing a control means for controlling to display on the map.

  The navigation device of the present invention displays feature information that characterizes the position of the destination on the map that has not been displayed in response to the mobile body reaching the vicinity of the destination. In this way, the navigation device can cause the user to clearly grasp the position of the destination by automatically displaying the feature information on the map in response to the moving body approaching the destination. It is possible to reliably reach the destination without confusing the user.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of a navigation device shown as an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device includes a GPS 12 to which a GPS (Global Positioning System) antenna 11 is connected, a distance sensor 13, an orientation sensor 14, an autonomous navigation unit 15, an input device 16, and a storage unit 20. The arithmetic processing device 30 and the display device 40 are provided. This navigation device is mounted on a vehicle that is a moving body, detects the current position of the vehicle, displays a map corresponding to the current position of the vehicle drawn from map data, and provides route guidance to a desired destination. To do.

  The GPS 12 receives a signal transmitted from a GPS satellite by the GPS antenna 11, thereby performing position measurement by GPS navigation and obtaining absolute position (latitude, longitude) information. The obtained absolute position information is output to the arithmetic processing unit 30.

  The distance sensor 13 is a sensor that detects the travel distance of the vehicle. The vehicle travel distance information detected by the distance sensor 13 is output to the autonomous navigation unit 15.

  The direction sensor 14 is a sensor that detects the traveling direction of the vehicle. For example, a geomagnetic sensor, a wheel sensor, a gyroscope, or the like can be applied. The traveling direction information of the vehicle detected by the direction sensor 14 is output to the autonomous navigation unit 15.

  The autonomous navigation unit 15 obtains the relative position of the vehicle by autonomous navigation based on the travel distance information output from the distance sensor 13 and the traveling direction information output from the direction sensor 14. The obtained relative position information is output to the arithmetic processing unit 30.

  The input device 16 is used by the user when inputting a command for the navigation device, changing the setting of the navigation device, or inputting a desired destination for which route guidance is desired. As the input device 16, for example, various input devices such as a keyboard, a touch panel used in combination with the display device 40 described later, a mouse, and a pointing device can be used. The input device 16 may be a remote controller that remotely operates the navigation device.

  The storage unit 20 stores various kinds of data necessary for navigation, such as various application software executed by the navigation device, map data of a map to be displayed, road data used for map matching, route guidance, and the like.

  Among various data stored in the storage unit 20, some data may be displayed on the map when the vehicle reaches the vicinity of the destination, thereby visually characterizing the position of the destination. it can. In this way, among various data necessary for navigation, data that can visually characterize the location of the destination is displayed by displaying it on the map when the vehicle reaches the area near the destination Called information.

  For example, among various data, facility icon data that forms a facility icon that characterizes what kind of facility exists on the map, usually not displayed but only when the map is enlarged Road-related information indicating information related to roads such as narrow road data that forms a narrow road image that shows a narrow road that is less than or equal to a predetermined road width, intersection name, road name, road type, etc. Information can be displayed on a map.

  The data that can be displayed on the map as the feature information is stored in the storage unit 20 in association with the position information that specifies the position on the map. That is, by using the position information, data associated with the position information can be searched from the storage unit 20 as feature information.

  Of the various data stored in the storage unit 20, the facility icon data is usually displayed or not displayed for each facility type (for example, gas station, convenience store, fast food store, public facility, etc.). Can be arbitrarily set by the user. In addition, whether narrow roads, road-related information, or the like is displayed or not is automatically switched according to the scale of the map displayed on the display device 40.

  When such various types of data are displayed on the map, the user is displayed on the display device 40 and the actual external environment viewed from inside the vehicle, compared to the case where a map with only roads is displayed. The association with the map can be strengthened. That is, it is possible for the user to clearly understand where the vehicle is traveling on the map displayed on the display device 40 and where the user is going to go based on the data displayed on the map. Become.

  Therefore, if such various data is forcibly displayed on the map when the vehicle reaches the vicinity of the destination, the location of the destination can be visually characterized. We can help you until the end of your arrival.

  The various data used as the feature information characterize the location of the destination when displayed on the map, and the current position shown on the map and the external environment that the user is actually viewing are firmly established. Any information can be used as long as the information can be linked, the destination can be relatively grasped, and the information can be used as a hint to reach the destination. It is not limited to road-related information.

  In such a storage unit 20, for example, a removable storage medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk-Read Only Memory), or a fixed storage medium is installed. An HD (Hard Disk) or the like can be used. Further, as the storage unit 20, various removable media equipped with a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory may be used.

  The arithmetic processing device 30 includes a current position calculation unit 31, a control unit 32, and a display control unit 33.

  The current position calculation unit 31 calculates the position on the map of the vehicle on which the navigation device is mounted from the absolute position (latitude, longitude) information output from the GPS 12 and the relative position information output from the autonomous navigation unit 15. calculate. The calculated current position information is output to the control unit 32.

  The control unit 32 is a control unit that comprehensively controls the navigation device. Further, the control unit 32 reads out various data necessary for navigation such as corresponding map data and road data from the storage unit 20 based on the current position information output from the current position calculation unit 31. Instruct.

  Further, the control unit 32 executes application software stored in the storage unit 20, and uses the destination input from the input device 16 and the current position information output from the current position calculation unit 31 to Route guidance is performed for presenting an optimal travel route from the position to the destination and performing route guidance (navigation) to the vicinity of the destination. At this time, the control unit 32 can also execute voice navigation by controlling a voice output unit (not shown) provided in the navigation device.

  Further, the control unit 32, in response to the fact that the vehicle has reached the vicinity area of the destination and the voice guidance has ended in the vicinity of the destination, among the various data described above, feature information existing in the vicinity area of the destination. Are extracted and forcibly displayed on the map displayed on the display device 40. At this time, the feature information to be displayed on the map is displayed by optimizing the feature information to be displayed by thinning out the feature information to be displayed, depending on the size of the display device 40, the scale of the map to be displayed, or the like. Let

  The display control unit 33 generates a display image to be displayed on the display device 40 in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 32. For example, the display control unit 33 reads map data, road data, and the like from the storage unit 20 in response to an instruction from the control unit 32, generates a navigation map as a display image, and further extracts it as feature information. A display image with data added is generated and displayed.

  The display device 40 is a display unit that displays the display image generated by the display control unit 33. The display device 40 is a liquid crystal display or the like, and is installed at a position that is easy for the user to visually recognize, for example, when it is mounted on a vehicle, it is mainly easy to see for the driver. Further, the display panel of the display device 40 may be a touch panel.

  The navigation device having such a configuration performs route guidance to the vicinity of the destination desired by the user. Then, after guiding the vehicle to the vicinity area, the feature information characterizing the position of the destination is automatically displayed on the map, thereby reliably supporting the arrival of the vehicle in the vicinity area to the destination.

  Next, the processing operation of the navigation apparatus having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG.

  In step S1, a user first activates the navigation device. When the navigation device is activated, the GPS 12, the autonomous navigation unit 15, and the current position calculation unit 31 of the arithmetic processing device 30 operate to obtain vehicle current position information and output it to the control unit 32. That is, the current position information of the vehicle is constantly updated in real time.

  When the navigation device is activated, the user inputs a desired destination from the input device 16 in accordance with an instruction of application software executed by the control unit 32.

  In step S2, the control unit 32 searches for an optimum route to the destination from the input destination and the current position information, and a route for navigating the vehicle to the destination based on the searched route. Start the guidance. When the route guidance is started, the display control unit 33 reads the map data from the storage unit 20, and further uses the current position information to display a map in which the current position of the vehicle and the input destination are displayed as icons. To display.

  For example, on the display screen of the display device 40, as shown in FIG. 3, the current position of the host vehicle is indicated by the host vehicle icon P, and the position of the input destination is indicated by the destination icon G.

  In step S3, the control unit 32 determines whether the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is equal to or less than a predetermined distance R. This is a process for detecting whether or not the vehicle has reached the vicinity area of the destination. The area having a radius R centering on the destination is set as the vicinity area of the destination, and the vehicle is in the vicinity area. Is a step for switching to a mode for displaying feature information to be described later. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a circular area surrounded by a dotted line is a vicinity area NF of the destination.

  The predetermined distance R may be arbitrarily determined by the user, or the navigation device may hold it as a default value.

  If the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is less than or equal to the predetermined distance R, the process proceeds to step S4, where the distance from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is greater than the predetermined distance R. If it is still long, continue route guidance.

  In step S4, the control unit 32 ends the route guidance in response to the arrival of the vehicle in the vicinity area of the destination. At this time, the control unit 32 instructs a voice output unit (not shown) to output by voice that the host vehicle has reached the vicinity of the destination.

  In step S5, the control unit 32 searches the storage unit 20 using the position of the destination and a predetermined distance R that defines the vicinity area of the destination, and the position of the destination is within the vicinity area of the destination. It is determined whether there is various data that is characteristic information that characterizes the.

  As described above, various data serving as the feature information is stored in the storage unit 20 in association with the position information indicating the position on the map. If the position of the destination and the predetermined distance R that defines the vicinity area of the destination are known, all the position information in the vicinity area can be known. Therefore, the control unit 32 stores the position information in the vicinity area, By comparing with the position information of the unit 20, it is possible to search for various data serving as the corresponding feature information.

  For example, in FIG. 3, in the neighborhood area NF, as the feature information, facility icons M1, M2, M5, and M6 indicating positions where some characteristic facilities exist, and narrow roads indicating roads having a predetermined width or less. An image M7 and road-related information M8 indicating the name of the intersection exist. In FIG. 3, the feature information displayed in dotted lines is in a non-display state, and the other feature information is in a display state.

  If the feature information exists in the vicinity area of the destination, the process proceeds to step S6, and if the feature information does not exist in the vicinity area of the destination, the process ends.

  In step S <b> 6, the control unit 32 determines whether there is feature information that is in a non-display state on the map displayed on the display device 40 among the feature information existing in the vicinity region of the destination. To do.

  For example, in FIG. 3, the facility icons M5 and M6 and the narrow road image M7 are in the non-display state in the feature information in the vicinity area NF of the destination.

  If there is feature information that is not displayed, the process proceeds to step S7. If there is no feature information that is not displayed, the process is terminated.

  In step S <b> 7, the control unit 32 controls the display control unit 33 to read out the feature information in the non-display state from the storage unit 20, and based on the position information associated with the feature information, the display device It is displayed at the corresponding location on the map displayed at 40.

  For example, in FIG. 3, the feature information in the non-display state, facility icons M5 and M6, and the narrow road image M7 existing in the vicinity area NF of the destination are set to the display state in this step.

  In addition, when the narrow road image used for forming the narrow road image exists as the feature information and the narrow road image formed based on the narrow road data is displayed, the scale relationship with the main road is supported. Therefore, the scale of the map that is the display image may be changed and enlarged.

  In addition, after step S7 is complete | finished, when a new destination is input and a route search is performed, or when the power supply of a navigation apparatus is once turned off, the feature information set to the display state is returned to the non-display state again.

  In this way, the navigation device displays the feature information that characterizes the position of the destination on the map that is in a non-display state in response to the fact that the vehicle that is the moving body has reached the vicinity region of the destination. By doing so, the position of the destination can be clarified on the map.

  As a result, the user who drives the vehicle can clearly grasp the position of the destination, and therefore, even after the route guidance is finished, he / she can get lost by referring to the feature information in the display state. It is possible to reach the destination without fail. That is, the navigation device can reliably perform navigation to a destination desired by the user.

  At this time, by displaying specific information such as facility icons, narrow path images, and road-related information as feature information at a predetermined position on the map, the current position can be relativized via the information. Therefore, the user can grasp the position of the destination more reliably.

 Furthermore, when displaying a narrow road image, by changing the scale ratio of the map and displaying it in an enlarged manner, the visual correspondence between the displayed map and the actual road can be maintained, and the user is lost. Can lead to the destination without

  The above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention. For this reason, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made depending on the design and the like as long as the technical idea according to the present invention is not deviated from this embodiment. Of course, it is possible to change.

It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the navigation apparatus shown as embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the processing operation of the said navigation apparatus. It is the figure which showed an example of the feature information displayed on a map.

Explanation of symbols

11 GPS (Global Positioning System) antenna 12 GPS
13 Distance Sensor 14 Direction Sensor 15 Autonomous Navigation Unit 16 Input Device 20 Storage Unit 30 Arithmetic Processing Unit 31 Current Position Calculation Unit 32 Control Unit 33 Display Control Unit 40 Display Device

Claims (6)

In a navigation device for detecting a current position of a moving body and displaying a map corresponding to the current position of the moving body drawn from map data while guiding a route to a desired destination.
Destination setting means for setting the destination;
Control means for controlling to display on the map feature information that characterizes the position of the destination according to the distance from the current position of the mobile body to the destination being a predetermined distance; A navigation device comprising: Storage means for associating and storing a plurality of the feature information and position information on the map of the feature information,
In response to the distance from the current position of the moving body to the destination being a predetermined distance, the control means,
Control is performed so that the feature information existing in the vicinity region of the destination is read from the storage unit, and the read feature information is displayed at a position on the map based on the position information associated with the feature information. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein: The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the feature information stored in the storage unit is facility icon data that forms a facility icon that identifies a facility when displayed on the map. The feature information stored in the storage means is narrow road data that forms a narrow road image indicating a road having a predetermined width or less when displayed on the map. The navigation device described. The control means, when displaying the narrow road image formed by the narrow road data read out as the feature information on the map, changes the scale ratio of the map and displays the map in an enlarged manner. 5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the feature information stored in the storage means is road-related information indicating information related to a road in the map.

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