JP2007079653A - Traffic information guidance method and system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide traffic information, weather information and the like to a vehicle even when there is no fixed information board. <P>SOLUTION: A virtual information board is installed in each of divided sections obtained by dividing a road 90 into a plurality of sections, and information about weather/traffic to be displayed on each of the virtual information boards is paired with each of the divided sections to be transferred from a center 100 to the vehicle 80 via a radio communication network 60. When entrance of the vehicle 80 into a specific divided section is recognized, the information paired with the specific division area is displayed on a monitor 821, which serves as the virtual information board, of a car navigation device 82 installed in the vehicle 80. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a road information guidance method and system for providing information such as road information and weather information to vehicle drivers and pedestrians.

  Currently, a road information guidance system that displays road information, weather information, and the like of a road by a fixed information board installed along the road is operated for a vehicle driver. As shown in FIG. 6, information boards 30A, 30B,... Are installed in advance along the road 90, and meteorological information (earthquake information, tsunami information, warning information) as shown in FIG.・ Alarm etc.) and road information (regulation information, weather sensor information, tunnel information, etc.) are periodically taken into the guidance server 10 ′, and provided information corresponding to each fixed information board is selected from these information, Display words corresponding to the information are edited and transferred to the fixed information board controller 20, and the fixed information board controller 20 displays them on the fixed information boards 30A, 30B,.

For example, if a location in the traveling direction of the road 90 is currently under construction, the information “work under regulation” will be displayed. If the wind is strong, the information “currently issued a strong wind warning” will be displayed. "Tsunami warning is being issued" is displayed. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe the display of road information and the like by a fixed information board.
JP-A-6-203294 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-21830

  However, the road information guidance system described above cannot provide information to a vehicle traveling on a road on which no fixed information board is installed. In addition, it is unclear whether the stopped vehicle travels in the upward direction or the downward direction of the road, and in this case as well, effective information cannot be provided.

  Further, even when traveling in a place where a fixed information board is installed, the information that can be notified on the fixed information board is only one piece of information that the road manager considers most important. May differ from the information that is required. For example, the road on which the vehicle is traveling is divided into two branches, and the construction regulation information for a road that is not scheduled to travel may be displayed with priority.

  Furthermore, in the case of a mobile information board that travels with an information board mounted on a specific vehicle, the road information guidance system is not compatible, and the information displayed on the mobile information board is set manually. There was a need.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a road information guidance method and system capable of providing optimal road information, weather information, and the like to the vehicle and pedestrians even in places where there is no fixed information board.

In the road information guidance method according to the first aspect of the present invention, a virtual information board is set for each divided section obtained by dividing a road into a plurality of sections, and information on weather or road to be displayed on each virtual information board is Paired with a divided section and transferred to a vehicle via a wireless communication network, and when the vehicle is identified as having entered a specific divided section, the vehicle can obtain information on the pair with the specific divided section. The display means provided is displayed there as the virtual information board.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the road information guidance method according to the first aspect, identification that the vehicle has entered the specific divided section is performed by a GPS system included in the vehicle. .
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the road information guidance method according to the first or second aspect, all the combinations of the plurality of divided sections and pairs of information are transferred to the vehicle.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the road information guidance method according to the first or second aspect, the present location and the traveling direction of the vehicle or the present location and the traveling direction and the rear of the combination of the plurality of divided sections and information. Only a combination of information and a pair of divided sections corresponding to directions is selected in advance and transferred to the vehicle.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the road information guidance method according to the first or second aspect, a combination of the plurality of divided sections and a pair of information is paired with a divided section of a road on which the vehicle is scheduled to pass. Only a combination of information is selected in advance and transferred to the vehicle.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the road information guidance method according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, a plurality of pairs of information combined with the divided sections are transferred to the vehicle as a plurality, and in a predetermined divided section, One of the plurality of pieces of information is selected according to a priority order set in advance in the vehicle.
The invention according to claim 7 is the road information guidance method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the divided section is set to become longer as the speed limit or average speed of the road increases. Characteristic law.
The invention according to claim 8 is the road information guidance method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the vehicle is replaced with a portable wireless communication device.
The road information guidance system of the invention according to claim 9 divides the road into a plurality of sections and sets a virtual information board in each divided section, and takes in information relating to the weather or road to be displayed on each virtual information board and A center that generates a combination of information for each divided section and a pair, and a combination of information that is paired with each divided section transferred from the center via a wireless communication network, and enters a specific divided section A vehicle that recognizes the information and displays information of a pair with the specific divided section as an internal display means as the virtual information board.
The invention according to claim 10 is the road information guidance system according to claim 9,
The vehicle is identified by a GPS system included in the vehicle to identify that the vehicle has entered the specific division section.
The invention according to claim 11 is the road information guidance system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the center transfers all combinations of information of the plurality of divided sections and pairs to the vehicle. .
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the road information guidance system according to the ninth or tenth aspect of the present invention, the center includes a current location and a traveling direction or a current location of the vehicle in a combination of information with the plurality of divided sections. It is characterized in that only a combination of divided sections and pairs of information corresponding to the traveling direction and the backward direction is selected in advance and transferred to the vehicle.
A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the road information guidance system according to the ninth or tenth aspect of the present invention, wherein the center divides a road on which the vehicle is scheduled to pass in a combination of information with the plurality of divided sections. Only a combination of information of a section and a pair is selected in advance and transferred to the vehicle.
According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the road information guidance system according to any one of the ninth to thirteenth aspects, the center transfers a plurality of pairs of information combined with the divided sections to the vehicle, and the vehicle Is characterized in that one of the plurality of pieces of information is selected in accordance with a preset priority order in a predetermined division section.
According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the road information guidance system according to any one of the ninth to fourteenth aspects, the center is configured so that the divided sections become longer as the speed limit or average speed of the road increases. It is characterized by doing.
The invention according to claim 16 is the road information guidance system according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the vehicle is replaced with a portable wireless communication device.

According to the first, second, ninth, and tenth aspects of the present invention, for a vehicle traveling on a road, information on the road, weather, and the like according to the divided sections to be passed, using the display means included in the vehicle as a virtual information board. Therefore, even if the road is not provided with a fixed information board along the road, information necessary for the vehicle can be provided.
According to the third and eleventh aspects of the present invention, the information on all the divided sections is transferred to the vehicle traveling on the road. Therefore, it is not necessary to select the information to be transferred on the center side, and the burden is small. .
According to the fourth and twelfth aspects of the present invention, since only the information necessary for the vehicle is transferred to the vehicle traveling on the road, the amount of information transferred to the vehicle can be reduced, and the usage cost of the wireless communication network can be reduced. Equipment costs provided on the vehicle side can be reduced.
According to the fifth and thirteenth aspects of the present invention, since only the information related to the divided sections along the scheduled passage of the vehicle is displayed, only the information on the road that is scheduled to pass is displayed even if divided into two branches. This eliminates wasteful display.
According to the inventions according to claims 6 and 14, one of the plurality of pieces of information taken in for the divided section on the vehicle side can be displayed according to the priority order, so that the vehicle driver can arbitrarily set the priority order. If it can be set to, it will be possible to provide road and weather information that the vehicle driver really needs.
According to the seventh and fifteenth aspects of the present invention, since the divided section is set to a distance that substantially corresponds to the speed of the vehicle, it is possible to appropriately switch the provided information using the virtual information board.
According to the invention concerning Claims 8 and 16, it is possible to provide necessary information regarding the weather and the road even to a pedestrian who is walking on the road while holding the mobile communication wireless device.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall schematic configuration of a road information guidance system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a guidance server that captures weather information (earthquake information, tsunami information, warnings / alarms, etc.) and road information (regulation information, weather sensor information, tunnel information, etc.) provided from an external system, and for fixed information boards The provision information and the provision information for the virtual information board are generated as described later.

  Reference numeral 20 denotes a fixed information board controller which inputs the provision information for the fixed information board selected by the guidance server 10 and outputs it as display information to the plurality of fixed information boards 30A, 30B,.

  Reference numeral 40 denotes a virtual information board information providing server that takes in the provision information for the virtual information board generated by the guidance server 10 through the firewall 50, and determines the current position of the vehicle, whether it is going up and down, whether it is running stop, etc. Accordingly, information necessary for monitoring a car navigation device (a device of a car navigation system using a GPS system) provided in the vehicle is output. Reference numeral 60 denotes a wireless communication network such as a Dopa network (packet data communication network using a cellular phone) or a Web network, which is connected to the virtual information board information providing server 40 via a router 70, and also has a plurality of vehicles 80A, 80B, ... are also connected.

  In the above, the guidance server 10, the fixed information board controller 20, the firewall 50, the virtual information board information providing server 40, and the router 70 constitute the center 100.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system related to the present embodiment of the vehicle 80. The vehicle 80 includes a GPS antenna 81 for detecting latitude and longitude, a current position on the map based on output information of the GPS antenna 81, and a car navigation device 82 that performs predetermined display on the monitor 821, and the car navigation device 82. The virtual information board information receiving device 83 for fetching the above information or sending weather information and road information to be displayed on the car navigation device 82, and the virtual information board information receiving device 83 exchange data with the wireless communication network 60. A mobile phone 84 is provided.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the guidance server 10 of FIG. The guidance server 10 divides the road into a plurality of sections for all the roads to which the road information guidance system of this embodiment is applied, and sets a virtual information board for each divided section (S11). This virtual information board is an information board realized by a monitor 821 provided in the vehicle 80, and the provided information is switched according to the divided section through which the vehicle 80 passes, and is opposed to the fixed information board. It is a concept to do.

  The road division algorithm in step S11 is as follows. (1). A road such as a national road is roughly divided based on the location where the fixed information board is installed and the intersection. (2). Divide the road up and down separately. (3). Based on the speed limit or average speed of the vehicle travel in the divided section divided by (2), it is determined how many km the further division should be performed, and the divided section is subdivided more finely. At this time, when dividing based on the speed limit, the divided section is always a fixed distance on the road, but when dividing based on the average speed, the distance varies depending on the morning, daytime, and night time zones. Sometimes it comes. Note that the faster the speed, the longer the distance between the divided sections. (Four). It is assumed that there is one virtual information board for each of the plurality of divided sections obtained as described above. As a result of the above, each road is divided into a plurality of sections for each up and down road, a fixed information board may be installed in a part of the divided section, and a virtual information board is installed in all the divided sections As a result, the fixed information board and the virtual information board overlap in some divided sections.

  Next, weather information (earthquake information, tsunami information, warning information / warning, etc.) and road information (regulation information, weather sensor information, tunnel information, etc.) are acquired from the external system (S12).

  Next, an event to be displayed on each fixed information board and each virtual information board is selected from the plurality of information acquired in step S12 (S13). For example, a plurality of events such as A, B, and C are selected as events to be displayed on a certain fixed information board, and a plurality of events such as D, E, and F are selected as events to be displayed on a certain virtual information board. The same applies to the remaining fixed information boards and virtual information boards. An event is a more detailed content of specific information.

  At this time, the range of information provided by each fixed information board and each virtual information board among a plurality of pieces of information taken in from the external system is determined in advance for each information board, and is selected from them. For example, information that does not relate to the tunnel is not necessary for the information board that displays the tunnel information, and is therefore excluded from the selection targets.

  Next, when the number of events to be displayed on each fixed information board and each virtual information board is 2 or more, the events to be displayed there are narrowed down to a predetermined number according to a preset priority (S14). ). For example, when 10 events to be displayed on a fixed information board are selected, for example, the events are narrowed down to one event according to the priority order. Further, when 10 events to be displayed on a certain virtual information board are selected, for example, the events are narrowed down to 5 events according to the priority order. Since the information on the fixed information board is displayed as it is, it is narrowed down to one event, but the information on the virtual information board is narrowed down to a plurality of events so that it can be further sorted on the vehicle side.

  Next, for each fixed information board and each virtual information board, the display words / phrases of the narrowed events to be displayed on them are edited (S15). For example, if one-lane traffic control is performed by construction at a fixed information board installation location or 5Km ahead of a divided section corresponding to a virtual information board, the display content on the information board is “5Km ahead construction” Edit and create a phrase such as “1 lane under control”.

  Next, the display phrase for each fixed information board created as described above is output to the fixed information board controller 20 in combination with each fixed information board (S16). Thereby, the display words / phrases of the pair combination are transferred to each fixed information board by the fixed information board controller 20 and displayed there.

  Moreover, the display phrase for each virtual information board created as described above is output to the virtual information board information providing server 40 in combination with each divided section (S17). Thereby, the virtual information board information providing server 40 transfers a plurality of display words / phrases in combination with each divided section to the vehicle 80.

  In the above, if the location where the fixed information board is installed overlaps with the divided section corresponding to the virtual information board, the contents displayed on those information boards will be the same event, or the priority on the vehicle side Depending on (to be described later), it will be a different event.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the virtual information board information providing server 40. First, the virtual information board information provision server 40 obtains a request message from the vehicle 80 such as the national road number of the road on which the vehicle 80 is currently traveling, the kilometer post, whether the vehicle is going up and down, and when the vehicle is stopped while traveling ( S41). This is a request message specific to each vehicle 80.

  The provision information for each virtual information board (for each divided section of the road) acquired from the guidance server 10 is stored in the memory 41 as a pair of information with each divided section, from which the request message of the vehicle 80 is transmitted. The provided information corresponding to is extracted (S42). That is, since the traveling direction of the vehicle 80 can be identified from whether it is up or down, information on pairs of a plurality of divided sections in the traveling direction is extracted as provision information. Similarly, the other direction is taken out. At this time, if the road is branched, information on both branched roads is extracted.

  The retrieved provision information is set in a response message as information to be displayed on the virtual information board for the road ahead in the traveling direction of the vehicle 80 when the vehicle 80 is traveling (S43). Is stopped, it is set in the response message as information to be displayed on the virtual information boards for the roads ahead and behind from the current position of the vehicle 80 (S44).

  Here, the response message is a message including information to be displayed in each divided section in the traveling direction of the vehicle 80, and each divided section and information to be displayed there are paired. The number of pieces of information set in the response message is a predetermined fixed number. For example, when the number of information is 10, the information is for 10 divided sections, and the number of road divisions is proportional to the speed of the vehicle. That is, all of the virtual information boards for a plurality of divided sections that will be passed when traveling for a certain period of time are set. After creating the response message as described above, the response message is transferred to the vehicle 80 that issued the request message (S45).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing in the vehicle 80. The car navigation device 82 of the vehicle 80 calculates the current vehicle position and the like based on the longitude / latitude information from the GPS antenna 81 (S81), and the virtual information board information receiving device 83 takes it in and creates the request message described above (S82). This is transferred to the virtual information board information providing server 40 via the mobile phone 84 (S83).

  When the virtual information board information providing server 40 receives this request message, it creates a response message by the process shown in FIG. 4, and the virtual information board information receiving device 83 receives it (S84). Since this response message includes a plurality of combinations of virtual information boards (divided sections) and pairs of information to be provided there, they are set in the car navigation device 82 (S85). Thereafter, the divided section is determined based on the vehicle current position information obtained by the GPS system, and information on the pair with the divided section included in the response message is displayed on the monitor 821 of the car navigation device 82. At this time, if the response message has two or more information paired with the segment, one of the information is selected according to the priority order set in advance in the car navigation device 82 and displayed on the monitor 821. As described above, in the vehicle 80, the monitor 821 becomes a virtual information board, and the provided information corresponding to the new divided section is displayed on the monitor 821 every time the switching of the divided section in which the vehicle 80 travels is determined by the GPS system. The

[Modification 1]
In the above description, the information to be provided on the specific virtual information board (specific division section) is only the guidance information necessary for the vehicle out of a plurality of information taken into the guidance server 10 from the external system. Since the data is sorted and transferred to the vehicle in step 10, the amount of data transferred to the vehicle is reduced, and the use cost of the wireless communication network and the equipment cost on the vehicle side can be reduced. However, all of the plurality of information imported from the external system to the guidance server 10 is transferred to all vehicles, and a response message is created on the vehicle side according to the request message created on the vehicle side, and provided on the vehicle side Information can also be selected and displayed. In this case, what is necessary is just to provide the structure corresponded to the virtual information board information provision server 40 in each vehicle side. In this way, although the use cost of the wireless communication network and the equipment cost on the vehicle side increase, the system on the center 100 side can be simplified.

[Modification 2]
In addition, in the above, every time a vehicle enters a divided section, information on the pair with the divided section is displayed on the virtual information board. However, a destination of the vehicle is set in advance, and a road (operation If a response message including information on each segmented section of the planned road) is transferred to the vehicle, even if the road is divided into two branches, it always responds to the segmented road along the destination. Information can be displayed.

[Modification 3]
In the above description, the monitor 821 of the car navigation device 82 is used as a virtual information board. However, a mobile information board installed on a vehicle bed or roof in a rearward direction can be used as a virtual information board. In this case, not the driver of the vehicle but the driver of the vehicle traveling behind the vehicle in the same direction displays information that may be switched when the vehicle passes through the divided section. Can be provided.

[Modification 4]
Further, in the above, the provided information is displayed on the monitor 821 of the car navigation device 82 of the vehicle 80 as a virtual information board. However, a person walking on the road is provided with a portable wireless communication device such as a cellular phone. The provided information can be displayed on the wireless communication device as a virtual information board.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the road information guidance system of an Example. It is a block diagram which shows the system configuration | structure on the vehicle side. It is a flowchart of the processing content in a guidance server. It is a flowchart of the processing content in a virtual information board information provision server. It is a flowchart of the processing content by the vehicle side. It is explanatory drawing of installation of the conventional fixed information board. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the road information guidance system which uses the conventional fixed information board.

Explanation of symbols

10: Guidance server 20: Fixed information board controller 30: Fixed information board 40: Virtual information board information provision server, 41: Memory 50: Firewall 60: Wireless communication network 70: Router 80: Vehicle, 81: GPS antenna, 82 : Car navigation device, 821: Monitor, 83: Virtual information board information receiving device, 84: Mobile phone 90: Road 100: Center

Claims (16)

  A virtual information board is set for each divided section obtained by dividing the road into a plurality of sections, and the weather or road information to be displayed on each virtual information board is paired with the divided sections and passed through the wireless communication network. When the vehicle is transferred to the vehicle and it is identified that the vehicle has entered a specific divided section, the display means that the vehicle has information paired with the specific divided section is displayed there as the virtual information board. A road information guidance method characterized in that In the road information guidance method according to claim 1,
The road information guidance method characterized in that identification that the vehicle has entered the specific division section is performed by a GPS system provided in the vehicle. In the road information guidance method according to claim 1 or 2,
A road information guidance method for transferring all of the combinations of the plurality of divided sections and pairs of information to the vehicle. In the road information guidance method according to claim 1 or 2,
Among the combinations of information of the plurality of divided sections and pairs, only the combination of information of the current section and the traveling direction of the vehicle or the divided sections and pairs according to the current position, the traveling direction, and the backward direction is selected in advance and transferred to the vehicle. A road information guidance method characterized by: In the road information guidance method according to claim 1 or 2,
Road information guidance characterized in that, among the combinations of information of the plurality of divided sections and pairs, only a combination of information of pairs of divided sections and roads on which the vehicle is scheduled to pass is selected in advance and transferred to the vehicle. Method. In the road information guidance method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A plurality of pairs of information combined with the divided section are transferred to the vehicle, and one of the plurality of information is selected in a predetermined divided section according to a priority order set in advance in the vehicle. A featured road information guidance method. In the road information guidance method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The road information guidance method, wherein the divided section is set to become longer as the speed limit or average speed of the road becomes higher. In the road information guidance method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A road information guidance method, wherein the vehicle is replaced with a portable wireless communication device. A center that divides a road into a plurality of sections and sets a virtual information board in each divided section, and takes in information on the weather or road to be displayed on each virtual information board and generates a combination of information on each divided section and a pair. When,
Acquires a combination of information of each divided section and a pair transferred from the center via a wireless communication network, recognizes it by entering a specific divided section, and recognizes the combination of the specific divided section and the pair A vehicle for displaying an internal display means as the virtual information board,
A road information guidance system characterized by comprising: In the road information guidance system according to claim 9,
The road information guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is identified by having entered the specific divided section by a GPS system provided in the vehicle. In the road information guidance system according to claim 9 or 10,
The center transfers all the combinations of information of the plurality of divided sections and pairs to the vehicle. In the road information guidance system according to claim 9 or 10,
The center selects, in advance, only a combination of information of the plurality of divided sections and a pair of information corresponding to the current position and the traveling direction of the vehicle or a divided section and a pair according to the current position, the traveling direction, and the backward direction. A road information guidance system for transferring to the vehicle. In the road information guidance system according to claim 9 or 10,
The center selects in advance only a combination of information divided into a plurality of divided sections and a pair of information and a pair of pieces of information on a road that the vehicle is scheduled to pass, and transfers the information to the vehicle. Road information guidance system. In the road information guidance system according to any one of claims 9 to 13,
The center transfers a plurality of pairs of information combined with the divided section to the vehicle,
The road information guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle selects one of the plurality of pieces of information according to a preset priority order in a predetermined divided section. In the road information guidance system according to any one of claims 9 to 14,
The said center sets the said division | segmentation area so that it may become so long that the speed limit or average speed of the said road becomes high. In the road information guidance system according to any one of claims 9 to 14,
A road information guidance system, wherein the vehicle is replaced with a portable wireless communication device.

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