JP2007183216A - Navigation system, personal digital assistant, and mode control method in personal digital assistant - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To continue a route guide in a region out of a communication range where the personal digital assistant cannot communicate with a route retrieval server, in a communication type navigation system. <P>SOLUTION: The route search server 20 supplies, to the personal digital assistant 30, map data of a predetermined range demanded from the personal digital assistant 30 and guide data including the guide route obtained by retrieving a route from a start point to a destination based on the route retrieval condition transmitted from the personal digital assistant 30, and the personal digital assistant 30 displays a map and/or guide route on a displaying means. The personal digital assistant 30 has a GPS positioning means 35 that has a plurality of operation modes including a map mode for displaying a map and a turn mode for displaying a guide without displaying the map and positions the current position individually, and a mode switching means 38. When the map data cannot be received from the route search server 20, the mode switching means 38 switches the operation mode to the turn mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation system that searches for a route from a departure place to a destination and provides guidance route data. In particular, a mobile terminal device such as a mobile phone communicates with a route search server to obtain required map data. In a communication-type navigation system that obtains the route guidance and performs the route guidance, the navigation system, the portable terminal device, and the mobile phone that can continuously perform the route guidance outside the communication area where the portable terminal device cannot communicate with the route search server. The present invention relates to a mode control method in a terminal device.

  Conventionally, there are known navigation devices and navigation systems that guide a user by searching for a route from a desired departure point to a destination using map data and road data. Such navigation devices and navigation systems are known. As a car navigation device that is installed in a car and guides the route to the driver, a mobile phone is used as a navigation terminal to send a route search request to the route search server, receive the result, and receive route guidance Navigation systems have been put into practical use.

  The car navigation device uses a GPS (Global Positioning System), receives GPS signals transmitted from a plurality of GPS satellites orbiting the earth with a GPS antenna, The position is specified by analyzing the satellite position and clock information included in the signal. At least four GPS satellites are required. The single positioning accuracy of GPS is generally over 10 m, but it is improved to 5 m or less by adopting DGPS (Differential GPS). In particular, a positioning unit that is currently installed only in some mobile phones, such as a GPS receiver that receives a signal from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite and performs positioning, is called a third generation mobile phone. There is a tendency to be installed in all models of telephones.

  In recent years, the performance of mobile communication terminal devices such as mobile phones and PHS has been dramatically improved, and multi-functionalization has been progressing. In particular, the data communication function is strengthened in addition to the call function, and various data communication services are provided to users via the Internet. Mobile phones with a positioning function have also been realized, and as a technology for use, the in-vehicle navigation device (car navigation system) has been developed. Navigation systems have also been put into practical use.

  A general navigation device, a route search device and a route search method used in a communication navigation system are disclosed in, for example, the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-165681). This navigation system is configured to send information of departure and destination from a portable navigation terminal to a route search server, and search and guide a route that matches a search condition from road network and traffic network data by the route search server. Has been. As the search condition, there are means for moving from the departure place to the destination, for example, walking, automobile, combined use of railroad and walking, and the route is searched as one of the search conditions.

  For example, when the road network data for route search in the pedestrian navigation system or the car navigation system includes roads A, B, and C as shown in FIG. 3, the end points, intersections, and bending points of the roads A, B, and C The road connecting each node is represented by a directional link, and node data (node latitude / longitude), link data (link number) and link cost (link distance or link travel) of each link The road network data is composed of link cost data using the required time required for the data).

  That is, in FIG. 3, Nn (◯ mark) and Nm (◎ mark) indicate nodes, and Nm (◎ mark) indicates a road intersection. Directional links connecting the nodes are indicated by arrow lines (solid line, dotted line, two-dot chain line). As for the links, there are links facing in the upward and downward directions of the road, but in FIG. 3, only the links in the direction of the arrows are shown for the sake of simplicity.

  When route search is performed using such road network data as a route search database, links linked from the starting node to the destination node are traced to accumulate the link cost, thereby minimizing the accumulated link cost. Search and guide the route. That is, in FIG. 3, when a route search is performed with the departure point as the node AX and the destination as the node CY, the road travels from the node AX to the road A, turns right at the second intersection, enters the road C, and reaches the node CY. The link cost is accumulated sequentially, and a route that minimizes the accumulated link cost is searched for and guided.

  Although other routes from the node AX to the node CY are not shown in FIG. 3, there are actually other such routes, so that the routes that can be reached from the node AX to the node CY are the same. And the route having the lowest link cost is determined as the optimum route. This method is performed by, for example, a known method called the Dijkstra method.

  The optimal guide route data searched by the route search server includes a map including the current position of the terminal device, route data of the guide route, guidance point data such as intersection nodes and branch point nodes on the guide route, and the guidance point. It consists of related guidance (traveling direction guidance such as going straight and turning left and right), etc., and sent to the terminal device. The terminal device receives the guidance route data, and displays the guidance route, guidance points, and guidance at the guidance points together with the map on the display means. Guidance is displayed as an arrow or the like, but a system that outputs voice guidance is also known.

  In a communication type navigation system, the distribution method of guidance routes, guidance points, and guidance data (voice data, etc.) can take various forms, for example, disclosed in the following Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-134209). In the route guidance system, the route search server searches for a guide route according to the route search conditions transmitted from the mobile terminal device, the route creation means creates guide route data in which guidance points are set, The guide route to the ground is collectively transmitted to the mobile terminal device, and the map data is transmitted to the mobile terminal device by the map information transmitting means based on the map request from the mobile terminal device.

  That is, in the navigation system disclosed in Patent Document 2, route data and map data are separately delivered from the route search server to the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal has a shortage of map data necessary for map display. The route search server can be requested to deliver the unit map including the route from the route data. Normally, the map data is distributed to the mobile terminal as nine mesh units of top, bottom, left, and right centering on the mesh unit map data including the current position.

  Therefore, according to the configuration in which the guide route data and the map data are separately distributed to the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal can know the entire guide route from the data of the guide route, and the map data is transferred as the mobile terminal moves. When there is a shortage, it is possible to request only a shortage map along the direction of travel from the server, and guidance at guide points is possible without increasing the communication load associated with map data distribution between the route search server and the mobile terminal. Become.

  Upon receiving map data, guidance route data, or guidance data (voice data, etc.) added to the guidance route data distributed from the route search server, the mobile terminal device uses the current position as a map image, guidance route image, or current position. Is displayed superimposed on the display means. Such a navigation system is disclosed in the following Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-208095).

  In a communication type navigation system that uses a mobile phone or the like as a terminal device and receives route guidance by communicating with a route search server, communication of the mobile terminal device is required to receive distribution of guide route data and map data from the route search server. Use the net. In addition, it is necessary to acquire the current position of the mobile terminal device at a predetermined cycle using a GPS receiver.

However, in order to download routes and maps, it is necessary to be within the communication range of the mobile phone.
In Japan, the cellular phone communication network has spread to over 90 percent in terms of population coverage, but enormous investment is required to reach 100% in area coverage because the area outside the service area is still large. Accordingly, it cannot be expected that the communication range is 100%, and the probability of traveling outside the communication range is still high particularly when moving in a mountainous area. For this reason, there are still areas where routes and maps cannot be downloaded.

  Techniques for predicting and notifying that the mobile terminal device passes outside the communication range are disclosed in the following Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-364223) and Patent Document 5 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-142258). ing. In addition, when the mobile terminal device passes outside the communication range, techniques for receiving a wide range of map data in advance are disclosed in Patent Document 6 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-323324) and Patent Document 7 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-2005). No. 55286).

  The inventor of the present application has already filed a patent application for the invention of the international application PCT / JP2005 / 000150 for the purpose of making it easy to identify guidance during driving. In the invention of PCT / JP2005 / 000150 (hereinafter referred to as “Prior Application 1”), as a guidance display mode, a map mode for displaying a map and a guidance route, and a progress at the next guidance point without displaying a map. A turn mode for displaying a direction guidance image is provided, and guidance is provided in one of the display modes depending on the use state of the navigation system.

  FIG. 4 is a view showing a display image of the guide route in the map mode disclosed in the prior application 1. FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the map mode display is a mode for displaying a relatively large map 212 including the current position 211 of the mobile terminal device. In this operation mode, a guidance point 213, a guidance image 214 indicating guidance at the guidance point, and a direction image 215 indicating a direction are displayed on the display screen. The guidance image 214 is displayed as a large arrow image indicating the traveling direction in FIG. The map display in the map mode is the same as the route display in the conventional navigation system. In addition, this map mode is a display mode that is used when the driver stops at the time of departure or is used by a passenger on the front passenger seat, and even if a detailed map is displayed, it may affect driving operations. Absent.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display image of the turn mode guidance disclosed in the prior application 1. The turn mode is displayed so that the driver can instantly identify the guidance point and the guidance at the guidance point simply by looking at the display screen during the driving operation. For this reason, in the display in the turn mode, map information is not displayed as shown in FIG. 5, and a large arrow image indicating guidance at the guidance point is displayed as the guidance image 414. The distance from the current position to the guidance point is displayed by a character image 416, a bar display 417, and a total travel distance bar display 419. Therefore, when the mobile terminal device is in the operation mode of the turn mode, the mobile terminal device does not need to send a map transmission request for requesting new map data to the route search server even if the map data is insufficient.

  In the turn mode display, the image that occupies the largest display area is the background image 418, which is an image that the driver does not need to pay attention to. The point that the display color of the background image 418 is changed in accordance with the distance from the current position to the guidance point is a main characteristic point of the invention in the prior application 1. The background image 418 can be a pseudo three-dimensional image that gives an image of a road, not a map or a road. When the driver glances at the display image, it can give a feeling of traveling on the road. In addition, the color of the background image 418 occupying the largest image on the screen changes depending on the distance from the current position to the guidance point.

JP 2001-165681 A (FIGS. 1 and 2) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-134209 (FIG. 2, paragraphs [0006], [0007], [0013], [0014]) JP 2003-208095 A (FIGS. 1 and 6) JP 2004-364223 A JP 2002-142258 A JP 2002-323324 A JP-A-2005-55286

  However, the communication range is affected by the difference in performance of each type of mobile terminal device, the type of car that carries the mobile terminal device (ease of entering radio waves), and the holding attitude of the mobile terminal device at that time. Therefore, there is not always a fixed fixed communication range. According to the worst case, the outside of the communication range becomes wide, and there is a problem that a large-capacity map must be stored in the portable terminal device in the conventional technology. Particularly in a communication type navigation system in which a mobile phone is used as a terminal device, it is not easy to store a large-capacity map.

  If the map data is insufficient outside the communication range and the map data for the shortage cannot be downloaded from the route search server, the route guidance cannot be continued.

There are GPS methods for position acquisition, such as an Autonomous method that allows positioning by a terminal alone, and a MS-BASED method that is supported by a server. In the MS-BASED system, there is also a problem that positioning is not possible without communication with the server.
However, autonomic chip sets that can be mounted in narrow housings such as mobile phones and operate with low power consumption tend to become widespread. Use autonomic GPS positioning for mobile terminal devices. For example, GPS is always functioning as long as it is in an environment where GPS satellite signals can be received. Therefore, the current position can be acquired without using the communication network of the mobile terminal device for GPS positioning.

  The inventor of the present application has conducted various studies to solve the above-described problems, and as a result, can obtain the current position without using a communication network of the mobile terminal device if the GPS positioning is an autonomous system. In view of the above, the present invention has been conceived that, outside the communication range, the route guidance can be continued even when the map data for the shortage cannot be downloaded by displaying the turn mode in the prior application 1 based on the current position. Has been completed.

  That is, the present invention aims to solve the above-described problems, and in a communication-type navigation system, it is possible to continuously perform route guidance outside the communication area where the mobile terminal device cannot communicate with the route search server. It is an object of the present invention to provide a navigation system, a route search server, a mobile terminal device, and a mode control method in the mobile terminal device.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is
The route search server includes a route search server and a mobile terminal device, and the route search server is a route from a departure place to a destination based on map data in a predetermined range requested from the mobile terminal device and a route search condition transmitted from the mobile terminal device. A navigation system in which guidance data including a guidance route obtained by searching for is sent to the portable terminal device, and the portable terminal device displays a map and / or a guidance route on a display means,
The portable terminal device has a plurality of operation modes of a map mode for displaying a map and a turn mode for displaying guidance without displaying a map, and a GPS positioning means for positioning the current position independently, and a mode switching means When the map data cannot be received from the route search server, the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode.

The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 1,
The mode switching means is capable of receiving the map data when the mobile terminal device cannot receive the map data from the route search server while operating in the map mode, and the mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode. In this case, the map mode is restored.

The invention according to claim 3 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 1,
The portable terminal device further includes timer means, and when the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means, the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode. Features.

The invention according to claim 4 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 3,
When the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, the mode switching means changes the operation mode when the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means. It is characterized by switching to the turn mode and returning to the map mode when map data can be received.

The invention according to claim 5 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 1,
The portable terminal device further includes a communication range determination unit that determines whether or not the communication range is within a communication range, and the mode switching unit sets the operation mode to the turn mode when the communication range determination unit determines that the communication range is out of the communication range. It is characterized by that.

The invention according to claim 6 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 5,
The mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode when the communication area determination means determines that the communication area is outside the communication area while the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, and the communication area determination means determines the communication area. It is characterized by returning to the map mode.

The invention according to claim 7 of the present application is
The portable data includes map data in a predetermined range requested from the portable terminal device and guidance data including a guidance route obtained by searching a route from the departure point to the destination based on the route search condition transmitted from the portable terminal device. A mobile terminal device connected to a route search server to be sent to a terminal device,
The portable terminal device has a plurality of operation modes of a map mode for displaying a map and a turn mode for displaying guidance without displaying a map, and a GPS positioning means for positioning the current position independently, and a mode switching means When the map data cannot be received from the route search server, the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode.

The invention according to claim 8 of the present application is the portable terminal device according to claim 7,
The mode switching means is capable of receiving the map data when the mobile terminal device cannot receive the map data from the route search server while operating in the map mode, and the mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode. In this case, the map mode is restored.

The invention according to claim 9 of the present application is the portable terminal device according to claim 7,
The portable terminal device further includes timer means, and when the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means, the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode. Features.

The invention according to claim 10 of the present application is the portable terminal device according to claim 9,
When the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, the mode switching means changes the operation mode when the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means. It is characterized by switching to the turn mode and returning to the map mode when map data can be received.

The invention according to claim 11 of the present application is the portable terminal device according to claim 7,
The portable terminal device further includes a communication range determination unit that determines whether or not the communication range is within a communication range, and the mode switching unit sets the operation mode to the turn mode when the communication range determination unit determines that the communication range is out of the communication range. It is characterized by that.

The invention according to claim 12 of the present application is the portable terminal device according to claim 11,
The mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode when the communication area determination means determines that the communication area is outside the communication area while the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, and the communication area determination means determines the communication area. It is characterized by returning to the map mode.

The invention according to claim 13 of the present application is
The portable data includes map data in a predetermined range requested from the portable terminal device and guidance data including a guidance route obtained by searching a route from the departure point to the destination based on the route search condition transmitted from the portable terminal device. A mode control method in a mobile terminal device connected to a route search server to be sent to a terminal device,
The portable terminal device has a plurality of operation modes of a map mode for displaying a map and a turn mode for displaying guidance without displaying a map, and a GPS positioning means for positioning the current position independently, and a mode switching means When the map data cannot be received from the route search server, the mode switching means has a step of setting the operation mode to the turn mode.

The invention according to claim 14 of the present application is the mode control method in the portable terminal device according to claim 13,
When the mode switching unit cannot receive map data from the route search server while the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, the mode switching unit switches the operation mode to the turn mode, and receives the map data. And a step of returning to the map mode when completed.

The invention according to claim 15 of the present application is the mode control method in the mobile terminal device according to claim 13,
The portable terminal device further includes timer means, and when the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means, the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode. It is characterized by having.

The invention according to claim 16 of the present application is the mode control method in the mobile terminal device according to claim 15,
When the mode switching means cannot receive map data from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means while the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, the mode switching means changes the operation mode to the mode. The method includes a step of switching to a turn mode and a step of returning to the map mode when map data can be received.

The invention according to claim 17 of the present application is the mode control method in the mobile terminal device according to claim 13,
The portable terminal device further includes a communication range determination unit that determines whether or not the communication range is within a communication range, and when the mode switching unit determines that the communication range determination unit is out of the communication range, the operation mode is set to the turn mode. It has a step.

The invention according to claim 18 of the present application is the mode control method in the portable terminal device according to claim 17,
The mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode when the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode and the communication area determination means determines that the communication area is out of the communication area; and the communication area determination means determines the communication area. And a step of returning to the map mode.

In the invention according to claim 1, the route search server obtains a route from the departure place to the destination based on the map data in a predetermined range requested from the mobile terminal device and the route search condition transmitted from the mobile terminal device. Guidance data including the guide route obtained by searching is sent to the mobile terminal device, and the mobile terminal device has a map mode for displaying a map and a plurality of operation modes of a turn mode for displaying guidance without displaying a map. And a GPS positioning unit that independently measures the current position and a mode switching unit, and when the map data cannot be received from the route search server, the mode switching unit sets the operation mode to the turn mode.
By configuring the navigation system in this manner, even when the map cannot be received from the route search server, the mobile terminal device can switch to the turn mode and display the guidance, and the route guidance can be continued. become.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the navigation system according to the first aspect, the mode switching means switches the mode when the mobile terminal device cannot receive map data from the route search server while operating in the map mode. The means switches the operation mode to the turn mode and returns to the map mode when map data can be received.
According to such a configuration, when the map can be received, the map mode is automatically restored, so that no special operation is required and the convenience can be improved.

In the invention according to claim 3, in the navigation system according to claim 1, the mobile terminal device further includes timer means, and the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means. In addition, the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode.
According to such a configuration, even when the map cannot be received from the route search server due to a failure of the route search server, the mobile terminal device can display the guidance by switching to the turn mode and continue the route guidance. Will be able to.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation system according to the third aspect, the mode switching means is connected to the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means while the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode. When the map data cannot be received, the mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode, and returns to the map mode when the map data can be received.
According to such a configuration, when the map can be received, the map mode is automatically restored, so that no special operation is required and the convenience can be improved.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation system according to the first aspect, the mobile terminal device further includes a communication range determination unit that determines whether or not the mobile terminal device is in a communication range, and the mode switching unit includes a communication range determination unit. When the means discriminates out of the communication range, the operation mode is set to the turn mode.
According to such a configuration, even when the mobile terminal device is out of the communication range and the map cannot be received from the route search server, the mobile terminal device can switch to the turn mode and display the guidance. Will be able to continue.

In the invention according to claim 6, in the navigation system according to claim 5, when the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, the mode switching unit changes the operation mode when the communication range determination unit determines that the communication range is out of the communication range. The mode is switched to the turn mode, and when the communication range determination means determines the communication range, the map mode is restored.
According to such a configuration, since the mobile terminal device automatically returns to the map mode when it returns to the communication range and can receive the map, it is possible to improve convenience without requiring any special operation. become able to.

  Moreover, in the invention concerning Claims 7-12, the portable terminal device which comprises the navigation system concerning Claims 1-6, respectively can be provided now.

  In the inventions according to claims 13 to 18, a mode control method in the mobile terminal device according to claims 7 to 12 can be provided, respectively.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples and drawings. However, the embodiments shown below illustrate a navigation system for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to specify the present invention for this navigation system. The present invention can be equally applied to navigation systems of other embodiments included in the scope.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The navigation system 10 in this embodiment includes a mobile terminal device 30 and a route search server 20 that communicate via a network 11 such as the Internet. For example, a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone can be used as the mobile terminal device 30, and the user transmits route search conditions such as a departure place, a destination, a departure time and an arrival time to the route search server 20 from the mobile terminal device 30. To do. The route search server 20 searches for the optimum route from the departure point to the destination in accordance with the route search conditions sent from the mobile terminal device 30, creates searched guide route data, and transmits the data to the mobile terminal device 30.

  The guidance route data sent from the route search server 20 to the portable terminal device 30 is the same as in the previous application 1, such as a map including the current position, guidance route route data, and guidance information such as intersection nodes and branch point nodes on the guidance route. It consists of point data and guidance related to the guidance point (guidance in the direction of travel such as going straight and turning left and right). The mobile terminal device 30 receives the guide route data sent from the route search server 20 and displays it on the display screen.

  As map data, a unit map including the current position of the mobile terminal device 30 is mainly sent to the surrounding 8 unit maps, and a total of 9 unit maps are sent to the mobile terminal device 30. When the mobile terminal device 30 moves and the unit map becomes insufficient, the mobile terminal device 30 transmits a map transmission request to the route search server 20 so as to transmit the data of the unit map that is not sufficient for the route search server.

  The route search server 20 includes control means 21, communication means 22, route search means 23, guidance data creation means 24, guidance point setting means 25, road network DB (database) 26, map data DB (database) 27, and the like. It is configured. Although not shown, the control unit 21 is a microprocessor having a RAM, a ROM, and a processor, and controls the operation of each unit by a control program stored in the ROM. The communication unit 22 is an interface for communicating with the mobile terminal device 30 via the network 11.

  The route search means 23 searches the optimum route from the departure point to the destination with reference to the road network DB 26 based on the route search condition sent from the mobile terminal device 30. This route search uses a technique such as the aforementioned Dijkstra method. The guidance route data searched by the route searching means 23 is sent to the guidance data creating means 24 and the guidance point setting means 25, and the guidance point setting means 25 sets intersections and branch points in the guidance route as guidance points.

  Then, the guidance point setting means 25 sends the set guidance point position information to the guidance data creating means 24, and the guidance data creating means 24 guides each guidance point and guidance (straight, right / left turn) data related to the guidance point. The route data is generated and transmitted to the mobile terminal device 30 that has requested the route search via the communication unit 22.

  The route search server 20 transmits map data in a predetermined range including the current position of the mobile terminal device 30 to the mobile terminal device 30 that has requested the route search via the communication unit 22.

  On the other hand, the mobile terminal device 30 includes a control unit 31, an input unit 32, a display unit 33, a communication unit 34, a GPS positioning unit 35, a map / guide data storage unit 36, an image creation unit 37, a mode switching unit 38, and a communication range determination. Means 39 and the like are provided. Although not shown, the control unit 31 is a microprocessor having a RAM, a ROM, and a processor, and controls the operation of each unit by a control program stored in the ROM.

  The input means 32 is an input means composed of numbers, alphabet keys, other function keys, selection keys, etc., and selects a desired menu from a menu screen displayed on the display means 33 or operates numbers and alphabet keys. Then, a route search condition is input. The communication unit 34 is an interface for communicating with the route search server 20 via the network 11.

  The route search condition input by the mobile terminal device 30 is sent to the route search server 20, and the route search server 20 searches for the optimum route based on the route search condition. The guidance route data searched by the route search server 20 includes the guidance points on the guidance route and the guidance information related to the guidance points as described above, and is sent to the mobile terminal device 30. When receiving the guide route data, the portable terminal device 30 temporarily stores it in the map / guide data storage means 36.

  The GPS positioning unit 35 is an autonomous type positioning unit that receives a GPS satellite signal and calculates the current position of the mobile terminal device 30 using latitude and longitude. The image creating means 37 reads necessary map data and guide route data from the map / guide data storage means 36 based on the current position of the portable terminal device 30 detected by the GPS positioning means 35, and displays it on the display means 33. Create an image.

  The display image is created by developing a predetermined range of map data and guide route data in the VRAM in the image creation means 37 with the current position as the center of the display screen. In addition, the first guidance point in the guidance route and the guidance information of the guidance point are displayed on the display means 33. When the guidance information is audio data, it is output via audio output means (not shown) such as a speaker.

  The map data is distributed from the route search server 20 to the portable terminal device 30 together with the guide route data, and is temporarily stored in the map / guide data storage means 36. As described above, the range of the map data distributed from the route search server 20 is nine unit maps in the upper, lower, left, and right directions with the current position of the mobile terminal device 30 as the center. When the mobile terminal device 30 moves and the map data is insufficient, the mobile terminal device 30 requests the route search server 20 to distribute the insufficient unit map.

  In the present invention, the mobile terminal device 30 has a plurality of operation modes. There are two types of operation modes: map mode and turn mode. The map mode is, for example, an operation mode for the driver (user) to grasp the route from the departure point to the destination geographically on the map at the time of departure, and the current position of the mobile terminal device 30 as shown in FIG. In this mode, a map 212 in a relatively large range including 211 is displayed.

  The turn mode displays the guidance point and the guidance at the guidance point so that they can be instantly identified by simply looking at the display screen during the driving operation. For this reason, in the display in the drive mode, map information is not displayed as shown in FIG. 5, and a large arrow image indicating guidance at the guidance point is displayed as the guidance image 414.

  This operation mode can be set by the user selecting and inputting a mode from the input means 32, and the mode switching means 38 switches the portable terminal device 30 to the set operation mode. Accordingly, the mobile terminal device 30 operates in any one of the operation modes depending on the usage situation.

  Here, the communication area determination unit 39 determines whether the mobile terminal device 30 is in the communication area of the base station or out of the communication area. When the mobile terminal device 30 is a mobile phone, the strength of the received radio wave from the base station installed by the subscribing communication carrier is determined to determine whether the mobile terminal device 30 is within the communication range or out of the communication range.

  When the mobile terminal device 30 is out of the communication range, the mobile terminal device 30 cannot communicate with the route search server 20 and cannot acquire map data from the route search server 20 even if the map data is insufficient. In such a case, in the present invention, the mode switching means 38 forcibly switches the operation mode to the turn mode.

  Since the portable terminal device 30 stores the guidance route data in the map / guidance data storage means 36, the guidance of the next guidance point is displayed without displaying the map data by displaying the turn mode. be able to.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure in the mobile terminal device 30. This process is a display process that is repeatedly performed during the route guidance.
The portable terminal device 30 first calculates the current position by the GPS positioning means 35 in the process of step S11. The GPS positioning unit 35 is an autonomous type positioning unit as described above. If the positioning by the GPS positioning means 35 ends with an error, the current position has not been updated.

  Subsequently, the mobile terminal device 30 determines whether the currently set operation mode is the turn mode or the map mode. If it is operating in the turn mode, the turn mode display is continued in the process of step S18 and the process returns.

  If it is determined that the map mode is operating in the determination process in step S12, the display range of the map is obtained from the current position of the positioning result in the process of step S13, and whether the map necessary for display is insufficient. Determine. If the map is not insufficient, the process proceeds to step S16, and the display of the map mode is continued and the process returns. When there is a shortage of maps, the communication range determination unit 39 determines whether or not the mobile terminal device 30 is in the communication range in the process of step S14.

  If the mobile terminal device 30 is in the communication range in the determination process of step S14, the map data for the shortage is downloaded from the route search server 20 in the process of step S15, and the display of the map mode is continued in the process of step S16 and returned. To do. If it is not within the communication range, the process proceeds to step S17, where the mode switching means 38 switches the operation mode of the portable terminal device 30 to the turn mode, the turn mode is displayed in the process of step S18, and the process returns.

  In the procedure described with reference to FIG. 2, the example in which the communication area determination unit 39 determines whether or not the mobile terminal device 30 is in the communication area in the process of step S <b> 14 has been described, but other procedures can be taken. . For example, if the process of step S14 is deleted and the map is insufficient in the determination process of step S13, the map search is requested to the route search server 20 in the process of step S15, and the map for the shortage within a predetermined time is requested. When the download is not completed, the process of step S17 may be performed so that the mode switching means 38 switches to the turn mode. Time monitoring can be performed by general timer means.

  In addition to the case where the map could not be downloaded outside of the communication range, the cause of the map shortage is that there is a failure on the route search server 20 side within the communication range, or the map on the route search server 20 side is missing although it is usually impossible. It is also included. Whether it is in the communication range or not may be determined directly as in the procedure of FIG. 2, but it may be determined indirectly by the map download result in this way. According to the method of determining indirectly, it is possible to cope with a failure on the route search server 20 side.

  Moreover, if the map which is insufficient can be downloaded from the route search server 20, since the map mode setting is not changed, the display of the map mode is continued.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is effective in a place outside the communication range. Fortunately, places outside the communication range are mountainous areas where people do not live, and such places have few roads and can be sufficiently guided in turn mode. Therefore, even if the map mode is automatically switched to the turn mode, the user does not feel inconvenience. If the normal operation mode setting is the map mode, it automatically returns to the map mode when it enters the communication range, so it is convenient without requiring any special operation.

  If the navigation system is configured as in the present invention, navigation can be performed without a sense of incongruity even if the portable terminal device 30 does not have a large storage area for storing map data. In particular, the present invention is effective not only for mobile phones but also for navigation systems that use other mobile devices with limited memory as mobile terminal devices for navigation.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation system concerning the Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure in the portable terminal device concerning the Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the structure of the road network data for a route search. It is a figure which shows an example of the guidance display screen of the map mode disclosed by the prior application. It is a figure which shows an example of the guidance display screen of the turn mode disclosed by the prior application.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Navigation system 11 Network 20 Route search server 21 Control means 22 Communication means 23 Route search means 24 Guidance data creation means 25 Guidance point setting means 26 Road network DB
27 Map data DB
30 mobile terminal device 31 control means 32 input means 33 display means 34 communication means 35 GPS positioning output means 36 map / guide data storage means 37 image creation means 38 mode switching means 39 communication area discrimination means

Claims (18)

The route search server includes a route search server and a mobile terminal device, and the route search server is a route from a departure place to a destination based on map data in a predetermined range requested from the mobile terminal device and a route search condition transmitted from the mobile terminal device. A navigation system in which guidance data including a guidance route obtained by searching for is sent to the portable terminal device, and the portable terminal device displays a map and / or a guidance route on a display means,
The portable terminal device has a plurality of operation modes of a map mode for displaying a map and a turn mode for displaying guidance without displaying a map, and a GPS positioning means for positioning the current position independently, and a mode switching means And the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode when map data cannot be received from the route search server.   The mode switching means is capable of receiving the map data when the mobile terminal device cannot receive the map data from the route search server while operating in the map mode, and the mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation mode is returned to the map mode.   The portable terminal device further includes timer means, and when the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means, the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system is characterized.   When the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, the mode switching means changes the operation mode when the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means. 4. The navigation system according to claim 3, wherein the navigation system is switched to the turn mode and returned to the map mode when map data can be received.   The portable terminal device further includes a communication range determination unit that determines whether or not the communication range is within a communication range, and the mode switching unit sets the operation mode to the turn mode when the communication range determination unit determines that the communication range is out of the communication range. The navigation system according to claim 1.   The mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode when the communication area determination means determines that the communication area is outside the communication area while the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, and the communication area determination means determines the communication area. The navigation system according to claim 5, wherein the navigation system is returned to the map mode. The portable data includes map data in a predetermined range requested from the portable terminal device and guidance data including a guidance route obtained by searching a route from the departure point to the destination based on the route search condition transmitted from the portable terminal device. A mobile terminal device connected to a route search server to be sent to a terminal device,
The portable terminal device has a plurality of operation modes of a map mode for displaying a map and a turn mode for displaying guidance without displaying a map, and a GPS positioning means for positioning the current position independently, and a mode switching means When the map data cannot be received from the route search server, the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode.   The mode switching means is capable of receiving the map data when the mobile terminal device cannot receive the map data from the route search server while operating in the map mode, and the mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode. The mobile terminal device according to claim 7, wherein the mobile terminal device is returned to the map mode.   The portable terminal device further includes timer means, and when the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means, the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode. The portable terminal device according to claim 7, wherein   When the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, the mode switching means changes the operation mode when the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means. The mobile terminal device according to claim 9, wherein the mobile terminal device is switched to the turn mode and returned to the map mode when map data can be received.   The portable terminal device further includes a communication range determination unit that determines whether or not the communication range is within a communication range, and the mode switching unit sets the operation mode to the turn mode when the communication range determination unit determines that the communication range is out of the communication range. The mobile terminal device according to claim 7.   The mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode when the communication area determination means determines that the communication area is outside the communication area while the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, and the communication area determination means determines the communication area. The mobile terminal device according to claim 11, wherein the mobile terminal device is returned to the map mode. The portable data includes map data in a predetermined range requested from the portable terminal device and guidance data including a guidance route obtained by searching a route from the departure point to the destination based on the route search condition transmitted from the portable terminal device. A mode control method in a mobile terminal device connected to a route search server to be sent to a terminal device,
The portable terminal device has a plurality of operation modes of a map mode for displaying a map and a turn mode for displaying guidance without displaying a map, and a GPS positioning means for positioning the current position independently, and a mode switching means A mode control method in a portable terminal device, comprising: a step in which the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode when map data cannot be received from the route search server.   When the mode switching unit cannot receive map data from the route search server while the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, the mode switching unit switches the operation mode to the turn mode, and receives the map data. The mode control method in the portable terminal device according to claim 13, further comprising a step of returning to the map mode when it is possible.   The portable terminal device further includes timer means, and when the map data cannot be received from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means, the mode switching means sets the operation mode to the turn mode. The mode control method in the portable terminal device according to claim 13.   When the mode switching means cannot receive map data from the route search server within a predetermined time counted by the timer means while the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, the mode switching means changes the operation mode to the mode. 16. The mode control method for a portable terminal device according to claim 15, further comprising a step of switching to a turn mode and a step of returning to the map mode when map data can be received.   The portable terminal device further includes a communication range determination unit that determines whether or not the communication range is within a communication range, and when the mode switching unit determines that the communication range determination unit is out of the communication range, the operation mode is set to the turn mode. The mode control method in the portable terminal device according to claim 13, further comprising steps.   The mode switching means switches the operation mode to the turn mode when the communication range determination means determines that the mobile terminal device is operating in the map mode, and the communication range determination means determines the communication range. 18. The mode control method in the portable terminal device according to claim 17, further comprising a step of returning to the map mode.

Images