JP2007256149A - Navigation system and map display method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce an operation burden for a user, when setting, as a destination, a point that is difficult or cannot be set directly as the destination. <P>SOLUTION: This navigation system is provided with a position correction means for position-correcting the destination, in response to the prescribed user or a prescribed operation, a correction information storage means for storing correction position information for the destination by the position correction means, while being correlated with positional information before corrected, and a correction information determination means for determining, whether the correction position information correlated with the destination of a search object is stored in the correction information storage means, when searching a map data, the correction position is used as the destination, when the correction position information is determined to be stored by the correction information storage means, to extract a map in the periphery thereof, and the map is displayed therein. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is capable of searching map data including a plurality of destination data each having unique identification information and position information, and extracting and displaying a map around the destination selected by the user. The present invention relates to a navigation system for performing route guidance. The present invention also relates to a map display method for searching predetermined map data and extracting and displaying a map around a destination selected by a user.

Navigation systems that provide route guidance from the current position of a vehicle to a destination are widely known and put into practical use. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a navigation system that can realize highly accurate position detection by automatically correcting a vehicle position using image-recognized road facility information or the like.
Japanese Patent Application No. 7-8389

  In various navigation systems including the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a route to a destination is generally set by the user inputting a destination address, telephone number, facility name, or the like. It is also possible to set a route by gradually narrowing down and searching a database of each facility managed hierarchically.

Here, it is assumed that the user moves to the station by vehicle and then gets on the train. In this case, the user searches for a destination station. However, in reality, you may want to go to the parking lot to park the vehicle. If there is a parking lot on the way to the station, there is no problem even if the station is set as the destination. However, when there is a parking lot only on the opposite side of the station, not on the way to the station, the route on the navigation system with the station as the destination and the route to be actually traveled (that is, the route to the parking lot) ) May make a big difference. For this reason, for example, the user sequentially performs the operations (1) to (3) shown below. Thereby, the route set on the navigation system is reset to the route to be actually traveled.
(1) After searching for a station, a cursor is moved around the station on the screen to search for a parking lot.
(2) When you find a parking lot, place the cursor there.
(3) A route search using this parking lot as a destination is executed.

  When the user is placed again in the same situation as described above, the user performs the operations (1) to (3) to reset the route to be actually traveled. In addition, a series of such user operations must be performed each time the same situation as described above is applied. This can be said to be extremely complicated for the user.

  As a method for avoiding such complicated operations, for example, a parking lot is registered in a registration list. However, the registration list has a drawback that the number of registrations is limited. In addition, if the number of registrations increases, the search is difficult (that is, it is difficult for the user to find a desired destination from the registration list). Further, when the destination registered in the registration list is the destination, the user needs to perform an operation for calling the registration list. In other words, in order to set a point registered in the registration list as the destination, the user needs to remember that the point has been registered in the registration list. If the user forgets it, the above-described complicated operation is eventually required, which is not desirable.

  In addition, the method of directly inputting the name of a parking lot etc. and searching a route is also assumed. However, in general, the user remembers the names of things that can be landmarks such as stations, but often does not remember the names of common things such as parking lots. From such a viewpoint, it can be said that it is difficult to search for a desired parking lot by the above method.

  Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a navigation system and a map display method suitable for reducing a user's operation burden when setting a point that is difficult or impossible to set directly as a destination as a destination. The issue is to provide.

  A navigation system according to an aspect of the present invention that solves the above-described problem is a search for map data including a plurality of destination data each having unique identification information and position information, and a destination periphery selected by the user It is a system for performing route guidance that can extract and display the map. The navigation system includes a position correcting unit that corrects the position of the destination according to a predetermined user operation, and a correction that stores the corrected position information of the destination by the position correcting unit in association with the position information before the correction. An information storage means; and a correction information determination means for determining whether or not correction position information associated with a destination to be searched at the time of map data search is stored in the correction information storage means. When it is determined by the means that the corrected position information is stored, the system is characterized by extracting and displaying a map around the corrected position as a destination.

  According to the navigation system configured as described above, once the position correction according to the user operation is performed, the position correction is not performed again even if the search is performed with the point as the destination. Then, the map around it is extracted and displayed with the corrected position as the destination. That is, according to the navigation system, a user operation for correcting the position of the destination is not necessary, and the burden on the user is reduced.

  In the navigation system, the correction information storage means obtains unique identification information of the destination from the map data when the position correction is performed by the position correction means, and the identification information and the correction position are obtained. Information can be stored as a single piece of data.

  Further, the navigation system may have a function of displaying the destination before correction as an icon when the destination before correction is included in the extracted map around the correction position.

  In addition, the navigation system according to another aspect of the present invention that solves the above-described problem is to search map data including a plurality of destination data each having unique identification information and position information, and to select a target selected by the user. It is a system for performing route guidance that can extract and display a map around the ground. This navigation system updates position information of the destination according to a predetermined user operation, and position information of the destination data of the destination to position information corrected by the position correction means. It is a system characterized by comprising position information updating means.

  In addition, a map display method according to an aspect of the present invention that solves the above-described problem is a method for retrieving predetermined map data and extracting and displaying a map around a destination selected by a user. The map display method includes a position correction step for correcting the position of the destination according to the first user operation, and a correction for storing the position information corrected in the position correction step in association with the position information before the correction. An information storage step, a search step for searching for map data in accordance with the second user operation, and correction information for determining the presence or absence of correction position information stored in association with the destination to be searched in the search step And a map display step of extracting and displaying a map of the surrounding area with the correction position as a destination when it is determined that the correction position information is present in the correction information determination step. It is.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the navigation system and map display method suitable for reducing the user's operation burden when setting as a destination the point where it is difficult or cannot set as a destination directly are provided.

  The configuration and operation of the navigation system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The navigation system 100 has a navigation function for guiding a user to a destination.

  The navigation system 100 includes a control unit 1, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 2, a gyro sensor 3, a vehicle speed sensor 4, a recording medium 5, an input unit 6, a display unit 7, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 8, a DRAM (Dynamic Random An access memory (SRAM) 9, a static random access memory (SRAM) 10, a video random access memory (VRAM) 11, an FM signal processing unit 12, a beacon processing unit 13, a user interface 14, and an image processing unit 15. The control unit 1 operates to control the entire system in an integrated manner. Each component of the navigation system 100 executes various processes under the control of the control unit 1.

  The GPS receiver 2 captures and tracks some of the plurality of GPS satellites that orbit the earth. Then, position and velocity positioning is executed using the GPS signals from the respective GPS satellites received during acquisition / tracking. The GPS receiver 2 passes the calculated positioning result (hereinafter referred to as “GPS positioning” for convenience) to the control unit 1.

  The gyro sensor 3 and the vehicle speed sensor 4 are sensors for known dead reckoning (hereinafter abbreviated as “DR”). The gyro sensor 3 measures an angular velocity related to the direction of the vehicle on which the navigation system 100 is mounted, and outputs the measurement result to the control unit 1. The vehicle speed sensor 4 detects the rotational speeds of the left and right drive wheels of the vehicle, generates a vehicle speed pulse signal corresponding to the average speed, and outputs the vehicle speed pulse signal to the control unit 1. For convenience, these sensor outputs are referred to as “DR sensor outputs”.

  The recording medium 5 contains, for example, a CD (Compact Disc) or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) or a built-in HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The recording medium 5 stores map data required when the navigation system 100 performs navigation, for example. Such map data includes, for example, background data representing terrain, road data composed of polylines, symbol data of restaurants, convenience stores, ICs, smart ICs, stations, and the like. In addition, each symbol data includes at least the position information of the symbol. These symbol data have a hierarchically managed structure and constitute a search database.

  FIG. 2 shows a conceptual diagram of a search database made up of each symbol data. As shown in FIG. 2, each symbol data has a data structure in which the “index part” is an upper hierarchy and the “real data part” is a lower hierarchy.

  In the index part, all symbol data is managed for each category. Examples of the category include “convenience store”, “supermarket”, “discount store”, and the like. In addition, “convenience store”, “supermarket”, and “discount store” are managed with index numbers “1”, “2”, and “3”, respectively.

  In the actual data part, detailed data of each symbol is managed by being classified into categories. For example, under the “convenience store” category of the index part, that is, in the actual data part, the convenience store data of all regions covered by the map data is managed. As an example of data constituting each symbol in the actual data part, an actual data number (“1”, “2”...), Location data of the symbol (here, “prefecture code” indicating the prefecture name) , Names (“A mart K store”, “B mart Y store”, etc.), coordinates (here, XY coordinate system), and the like.

  Returning to the description of FIG. The input unit 6 is for performing a user operation, and is, for example, a mechanical input key installed on a front panel (not shown) of the navigation system 100. Alternatively, it is a remote control device (not shown) that realizes user operation by performing infrared communication with the user interface 14. For example, the power switch is one element constituting the input unit 6.

  The display unit 7 is for displaying a navigation screen, for example. An image displayed on the display unit 7 is generated by the image processing unit 15. In addition, the display unit 7 is a known touch panel such as a pressure-sensitive type or an electrostatic type, and also serves as an input unit. When the input unit 6 or the display unit 7 is operated, a signal corresponding thereto is input to the control unit 1 via the user interface 14. And the control part 1 controls each component so that the process corresponding to user operation may be performed.

  The ROM 8 stores programs and various data for realizing the navigation function. The DRAM 9 and the SRAM 10 are development destinations of programs and data stored in, for example, the recording medium 5 and the ROM 8. For example, the control unit 1 reads out a program stored in the recording medium 5 or the ROM 8 and develops the program in a predetermined area of the DRAM 9 or the SRAM 10 for execution. Thereby, for example, a navigation function is realized. The SRAM 10 is backed up by a battery when the power is turned off, and can retain the memory contents. The VRAM 11 is an image memory for holding an image displayed on the display unit 7.

  The FM signal processing unit 12 is an apparatus that receives, for example, FM multiplex broadcasting, extracts a desired signal from the received signal, and processes the extracted signal. The beacon processing unit 13 is a device that receives and processes a signal transmitted from, for example, an optical beacon installed on a main road or a radio beacon installed on an expressway. The signal received by the FM signal processing unit 12 or the beacon processing unit 13 is, for example, road traffic information (VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) signal) distributed by the road traffic information communication system center.

  Here, the processing of the control unit 1 when receiving the GPS positioning result from the GPS receiver 2 and the DR sensor output from each sensor will be described.

  The control unit 1 performs DR positioning calculation based on the DR sensor output output by each sensor, and obtains the traveling direction and the moving distance of the vehicle. Next, the control unit 1 compares the calculated DR positioning result and the GPS positioning result with the error estimation value for each positioning result. And based on this comparison result, the positioning result determined to be highly accurate is selected, and the selected positioning result is map-matched. Further, the control unit 1 extracts map data around the current position from the recording medium 5 based on each positioning result. Next, the image processing unit 15 is operated so that the vehicle position mark indicating the current position of the vehicle is superimposed on the extracted map data. As a result, various information including navigation information is output and displayed on the display unit 7.

  The map matching here means correcting an error such as a vehicle position mark being displayed at a position off the road in the map displayed on the display unit 7. By performing map matching, the vehicle position can be matched with the map, and the user can accurately grasp the current position of the vehicle. Map matching is always performed regardless of the execution of navigation.

  Next, processing when a navigation execution user operation is performed in the navigation system 100 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing this process.

  The flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is started when a user operation is performed such that a navigation function toward a desired destination is realized. That is, for example, when a destination name is input and a search start operation is performed, the control unit 1 searches the map data and extracts data around the destination. Then, the image processing unit 15 superimposes a predetermined menu item on the map image centered on the destination, outputs the image, and displays it on the display unit 7 (step 1, step in the following specification and drawings). Abbreviated "S").

FIG. 4 shows an example of an image displayed on the display unit 7 in the process of S1. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the point G is searched as the destination. As a search result, a point G and a cursor C are displayed at the center of the screen. Also the right side of the screen to display the menu item B ₁ to B ₄ for realizing each function. For example the menu item B ₁ represents an item for confirming the destination. Process of this flowchart is terminated when the menu item B ₁ is the destination has been determined is selected. When this flowchart ends, a well-known route search process is executed. When the searched route is confirmed, navigation is started. The selection of each menu item (“press” in another expression) can be achieved by either an operation using the input unit 6 or a touch of a desired menu item.

In the navigation system 100 of the present embodiment, for example, an algorithm that sets a position on the road that is closest to the destination as the end point of the route is employed. Setting the point G as the destination in the example of this for 4, point E on the road R ₁ is set as the end point of the route. However, since there is no parking space at the point G, the user assumes the parking lot P in the vicinity thereof as the original destination of the vehicle. In this case, the point E and the parking lot P are located apart from each other, and it may be difficult to reach the parking lot P from the point E due to the surrounding terrain and buildings. This problem can be solved by the processing after S2 in this flowchart.

The control unit 1 after processing S1, the process proceeds to a state of waiting for pressing of the menu item B ₄ (S2). When the menu item B ₄ is determined to have been depressed (S2: YES), the control unit 1, the mode for correcting the position of the destination (hereinafter, abbreviated as "position correction mode") and proceeds to the user operation The movement of the cursor C according to is permitted (S3). Thereby, for example, when the user operates a direction key (not shown) provided in the input unit 6, the cursor C moves relative to the map accordingly. In addition, the cursor C is always located at the center of the screen. Therefore, when the operation is performed to move the cursor C, the map scrolls on the screen. At this time, as auxiliary information for the operation, for example, a message for urging correction of the position of the destination may be displayed on the screen.

FIG. 4B is an example of an image displayed on the display unit 7 in the position correction mode. The position correction mode as shown in FIG. 4 (b), the menu item B ₅ is to be displayed replaced with the menu item B _4.

Controller 1 Following the process of S3, the process proceeds to a state of waiting for pressing of the menu item B ₅ (S4). When the menu item B ₅ is determined to have been depressed (S4: YES), the control unit 1, the cursor C is determined whether the moved relative to the map (S5). In the process of S5 is to Fugen, the cursor C is determined whether to move relative to the map during the period from being allowed to move the cursor C in the process of S3 to the menu item B ₅ is pressed The

When it is determined in step S5 that the cursor C has not moved (S5: NO), the control unit 1 cancels the position correction mode (S7) and returns to step S1. Menu item B ₅ together with the position correction mode is released also returned to the menu item B _4.

  On the other hand, when it is determined in step S5 that the cursor C has moved (S5: YES), the control unit 1 proceeds to step S6. At this time, the cursor C has moved to a position away from the point G. Here, as described above, since the user wants to stop the vehicle at the parking lot P, it is assumed that the cursor C is moved onto the parking lot P (more precisely, the point G ′).

  FIG. 5 shows a diagram for explaining the processing of S6. In the process of S6, the control unit 1 generates search correction data and stores it in a predetermined area of the SRAM 10 as shown in FIG. This search correction data includes data of “index number”, “actual data number”, and “coordinates”. For example, in the example of FIG. 4, position correction for the point G is performed. Therefore, in the process of S6, the control unit 1 searches the search database made up of each symbol data, and extracts the “index number” and “actual data number” of the point G. Next, the coordinate data of the point G ′, that is, the data of the position where the cursor C is currently pointing is acquired. The coordinate data and the extracted data are stored in a predetermined area of the SRAM 10 as a set of data (that is, search correction data). After storing the search correction data, the control unit 1 cancels the position correction mode (S7) and returns to the process of S1.

  The above example is for the case where the storage medium 5 is a CD or a DVD. When the storage medium 5 is an HDD, the control unit 1 can store the search correction data in a predetermined area of either the SRAM 10 or the HDD.

  In the description of the processing of the flowchart, a user operation such as movement of the cursor C is required. However, once the position correction operation is performed in this process, the cursor is moved to the parking lot P even if a search is performed using that point (that is, the position corrected point, in the above example, the point G). Route search with the vicinity of the parking lot P as the end point is realized without moving C.

  Here, FIG. 6 shows a subroutine of the map display process of S1 of FIG.

  When the name of the destination is input and a search start operation is performed, the control unit 1 searches for map data (more precisely, a search database including each symbol data) (S11). The corresponding symbol data is extracted (S12).

  Next, the control unit 1 refers to a predetermined area of the SRAM 10 (or HDD), compares the symbol data extracted in the process of S12 with each search correction data, and determines whether there is matching data ( S13). In other words, the control unit 1 determines whether there is search correction data having the same “index number” and “actual data number” as the symbol data.

  When it is determined that there is no coincidence data in the process of S13 (S13: NO), the control unit 1 operates the image processing unit 15 and a map image centered on the coordinates of the symbol data extracted in the process of S12. Each menu item is displayed on the display unit 7 (S14). On the other hand, when it is determined that there is coincidence data in the process of S13 (S13: YES), the control unit 1 operates the image processing unit 15 to center the coordinates of the search correction data for which the coincidence determination is made. The map image and each menu item are displayed on the display unit 7 (S15).

Specifically, for example, when the position correction process of FIG. 3 is not performed with respect to the point G, when the point G is set as the destination, the control unit 1 determines “NO” in the process of S13. For this reason, the image of FIG. On the other hand, when the position correction process of FIG. 3 is performed with respect to the point G, the control unit 1 determines “YES” in the process of S13. Then, the image shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the display unit 7 using the search correction data of the point G ′. The image shown in FIG. 7 is an image composed of a map image centered on the point G ′ and menu items B _{1 to} B ₄ .

  In the example of FIG. 7, the control unit 1 controls the image processing unit 15 so that an icon is also displayed at the point G by referring to the search database. By displaying the icon in this way, it is expected that the user can easily grasp the positional relationship between the parking lot P and the point G. In addition, there is an effect of notifying the user that the position correction of the point G has already been performed. The user can also set the icon to non-display according to his / her preference.

When the destination is determined by the selected menu item B ₁ in the example of FIG. 7, the route search processing is executed a point E on the road R ₂ 'is set as the end point of the route. That is, according to the present embodiment, a route search with the vicinity of the parking lot P as an end point can be achieved without performing complicated user operations such as moving the cursor C. Thereby, according to the navigation by the navigation system 100, the user can reliably reach the desired destination (here, the parking lot P) without hesitation.

Further, in the example of FIG. 7, when the user presses the menu item B ₄ , the position of the point G ′ can be further corrected. When the position G ′ is corrected, the control unit 1 does not add the search correction data to a predetermined area of the SRAM 10 (or HDD) but updates only the coordinate data of the existing search correction data of the point G ′. . Therefore, even if the position correction of the point G ′ is repeatedly performed, the search correction data does not increase unnecessarily.

In addition, the user may want to cancel the position correction despite moving the cursor C in the position correction mode. In this case, the user may press the menu item B ₁ instead of the menu item B ₅ . Thereby, the process of this flowchart is complete | finished and position correction mode is cancelled | released with it. Then, a route search process is executed with the point where the cursor C was placed before the shift to the position correction mode as the destination. That is, the movement of the cursor C is canceled and processing is performed.

  The above is the embodiment of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to these embodiments and can be modified in various ranges. For example, in another embodiment, when the position correction is executed, the coordinates themselves included in the actual data portion of the search database may be updated. In this case, since it is not necessary to generate search correction data, for example, resource reduction or the like can be realized.

It is the block diagram which showed the structure of the navigation system of embodiment of this invention. The conceptual diagram of the search database which consists of each symbol data is shown. It is the flowchart which showed the process performed when the user operation of navigation execution was performed in the navigation system of embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed an example of the image displayed on a display part by the process of S1 of FIG. It is the figure which showed search correction data. It is a subroutine which showed the map display process of S1 of FIG. It is the figure which showed an example of the image displayed on a display part by the process of S15 of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control part 2 GPS receiver 3 Gyro sensor 4 Vehicle speed sensor 5 Recording medium 6 Input part 7 Display part 8 ROM
9 DRAM
10 SRAM
11 VRAM
12 FM signal processing unit 13 Beacon processing unit 14 User interface 15 Image processing unit 100 Navigation system

Claims (5)

Search for map data including a plurality of destination data each having unique identification information and position information, and perform route guidance capable of extracting and displaying a map around the destination selected by the user In the navigation system for
Position correction means for correcting the position of the destination according to a predetermined user operation;
Correction information storage means for storing the correction position information of the destination by the position correction means in association with the position information before the correction;
Correction information determination means for determining whether or not correction position information associated with a destination to be searched at the time of map data search is stored in the correction information storage means,
A navigation system characterized in that, when the correction information determination means determines that the correction position information is stored, a map around the correction position is extracted and displayed.   The correction information storage means acquires unique identification information of the destination from the map data when the position correction of the destination is performed by the position correction means, and obtains the identification information and the correction position information. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system is stored as a single data.   3. The navigation according to claim 1, wherein when the destination before correction is included in the extracted map around the correction position, the destination before correction is displayed as an icon. system. Search for map data including a plurality of destination data each having unique identification information and position information, and perform route guidance capable of extracting and displaying a map around the destination selected by the user In the navigation system for
Position correction means for correcting the position of the destination according to a predetermined user operation;
A navigation system comprising: position information update means for updating position information of destination data of the destination to position information corrected by the position correction means. In a map display method for searching predetermined map data and extracting and displaying a map around a destination selected by the user,
A position correcting step for correcting the position of the destination in response to a first user operation;
A correction information storage step for storing the position information corrected in the position correction step in association with the position information before the correction;
A search step for searching map data in response to a second user operation;
A correction information determination step for determining the presence or absence of correction position information stored in association with the destination to be searched in the search step;
A map display step for extracting and displaying a map of the surrounding area using the corrected position as a destination when it is determined that the corrected position information is present in the corrected information determining step. Method.

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