JP2007322183A - In-vehicle navigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable any danger to be avoided due to unreasonable lane change, when the lane selected after changing is congested when lane change is required, because there is a diverging point ahead, on a previously searched route. <P>SOLUTION: In an in-vehicle navigation apparatus, road map information is read by a memory control section 6, and the current position of its vehicle is detected by lanes, by a vehicle position detecting section 7, and congestion information of a road is acquired by a congestion information processing section 8, and searching the optimal route reaching a destination is carried out, based on the road map information and the congestion information, and a route guidance is carried out by displaying the searched route on a display 13. Furthermore, guidance of changing the lane is carried out, when a lane change determining means determines that the lane change is required. For such an in-vehicle navigation apparatus, when the diverging point at which the vehicle should turn to the left or to the right, exists ahead on the route, the in-vehicle navigation apparatus once again searches for the optimal route that does not require lane change, when the area from the current position up to the diverging point is congested, even if the lane change determining means determines that the lange change is required. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is mounted on a vehicle or the like, displays a current position based on map information and current position information such as GPS information, and searches for and provides an optimum route based on map information and traffic jam information. In particular, in an in-vehicle navigation device that searches for a route in consideration of traffic jam conditions based on road traffic information, when performing lane change guidance while traveling on a route that needs to be changed, The present invention relates to an in-vehicle navigation device in which the route search means re-searches a route that avoids a lane change when the current position indicates that there is a traffic jam.

  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 an in-vehicle navigation device that is installed in an automobile and guides the route to the driver, a communication type that uses a mobile phone as a navigation terminal to send a route search request to the route search server, receives the result, and receives route guidance Navigation systems have been put to practical use.

  Such a navigation device and navigation system use GPS (Global Positioning System) and receive GPS signals transmitted from a plurality of GPS satellites orbiting the earth with a GPS antenna. Then, the position of the satellite is specified by analyzing the satellite position and clock information included in the GPS 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).

  The navigation device includes a road network database for route search. This road network database includes roads (routes) of map data, node data with nodes such as knots and inflection points as nodes, link data with routes connecting each node as links, and cost information for all links. Link cost data having (distance and required time) is accumulated. The navigation device refers to this database and sequentially searches for a link from the starting node to the destination node, and traces the node having the smallest cost information of the link and the link as a guide route, thereby shortening the shortest. Search and guide the route. As a route search method using such a database, a method called label determination method or Dijkstra method is used.

  Also equipped with communication devices that receive traffic information from VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System), such as FM multiplex receivers and beacon receivers, and the ability to search for optimal routes according to traffic congestion A vehicle-mounted navigation device is also proposed. Such a vehicle-mounted navigation device is disclosed in, for example, the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-8385).

  That is, the in-vehicle navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 1 searches for an optimal route to a destination based on map information, displays the searched route, and performs route guidance. A receiving means for receiving information, a route re-searching means for re-searching the optimum route to the destination based on the received traffic information, and a result when a new route different from the current display route is obtained by the re-search. An informing means for informing, a detecting means for detecting the driver's intention to change the route, and a route changing means for changing the route display to a new route when the intention to change the route is confirmed, based on traffic jam information The optimum route is re-searched, and when a new route that avoids traffic congestion is found, the guide route is changed to the new route.

  Furthermore, as shown in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-313291), a lane that is currently running is detected, and if a lane change is required in front of the route, a lane change guidance is provided. A vehicle-mounted navigation device has also been proposed in which if there is a traffic jam ahead, the lane change guidance is provided before the traffic jam.

In the in-vehicle navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 2, when a desired destination is input to the input unit, the current position estimating unit detects detection data of a positioning sensor including an angle sensor, a speed sensor, a road, a river, and the like. The current position of the vehicle is estimated based on the background information including the above information and the information data of the map data storage means for storing the related character / symbol information. The route guidance means displays and guides the optimum route from the current value to the destination. In this case, on the basis of the current position of the vehicle obtained from the current position estimation means and the information data in the map data storage means, the lane determination means determines the optimality of the lane in which the current vehicle is traveling, and changes the lane. Is determined to be necessary, lane change guidance is performed by lane change guidance means for performing lane change guidance.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-8385 (FIGS. 1, 3, and 9) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-313291 (FIG. 1)

  By the way, even if the vehicle-mounted navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2 is installed, the vehicle travels without changing the lane immediately after the lane change guidance due to a driver's error or road condition. This can lead to traffic jams and crowded intersections. In such a case, it is very dangerous to hurry and change the lane. However, the conventional in-vehicle navigation device does not have a function to change guidance in consideration of the difficulty of driving as directed, and in such cases, it is related to whether or not lane change is dangerous. However, there was a problem of continuing to guide the lane change.

  In view of such a problem, the present invention has a branch point ahead of a route searched in advance, and even if a lane change is necessary, if the lane to be changed is congested, there is a danger due to an unreasonable lane change. It is intended to be able to avoid.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is
Map information reading means for reading road map information from a storage medium, current position detecting means for detecting the current position in units of road lanes and outputting current position information, and roads included in the road map information from a road traffic information communication system Traffic information receiving means for receiving traffic information, current position display means for displaying a current position on a map based on the road map information and current position information, and a purpose based on the road map information and traffic information Route search means for searching for the optimum route to the ground, guidance means for displaying the route searched by the route search means for route guidance, the road map information, current position information, and searched route information Lane determination means for determining the optimality of the currently running lane based on the lane change, and lane change for guiding the lane change when the lane determination means determines that the lane change is necessary The in-vehicle navigation device having an inner means,
The route search means does not need to change the lane when the traffic information indicates that the current position is in traffic when the lane determination means determines that the lane change is necessary. It is characterized by re-searching a good optimal route.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 2 of the present application, in the invention according to claim 1, when there is a plurality of lanes on one side of the road, the congestion information includes congestion information for each lane, and the route search means includes the lane determination The optimum route is searched again only when the change destination lane determined by the means is congested.

  In the invention according to claim 3 of the present application, in the invention according to claim 1 or 2, when the congestion information receiving means cannot receive the congestion information from the road traffic information communication system, the past stored in the storage device It is characterized in that it is determined whether or not it is in a traffic jam.

  The vehicle-mounted navigation device of the present invention has the following effects.

  That is, in the invention according to claim 1, the route search means may not need to change the lane even if it is determined that the lane change means needs to change the lane, but the current position is in a traffic jam. Since the route is re-searched, it is possible to avoid the danger caused by forcibly changing lanes on a congested road.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 2, in the in-vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, traffic jam information is acquired in lane units, and the optimum route is searched again only when the change destination lane is in traffic jam. Therefore, even if the lane being traveled is congested, if the change destination lane is not congested, it is not necessary to re-search for an unnecessary optimum route.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 3, in the in-vehicle navigation device according to claim 1 or 2, when the traffic jam information receiving means cannot receive the traffic jam information from the road traffic information communication system, it is stored in the storage device. Since the past traffic jam information is read and it is determined whether or not the traffic jam is occurring, it is possible to deal with a place where traffic jam information cannot be received from the road traffic information communication system.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples and drawings. However, the embodiments shown below exemplify a navigation device for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to specify the present invention for this navigation device. The present invention is equally applicable to navigation devices of other embodiments included in the scope.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an in-vehicle navigation device. The navigation apparatus body 1 is generally controlled by the controller 2. The controller 2 includes a CPU 3, a ROM 4 that stores a program for operating the CPU 3, and a RAM 5 that provides a work area for the CPU 3.

  The controller 2 reads road map information in a predetermined range from the CD-ROM via the CD drive 12 and the memory control unit 6, and causes the display control unit 9 to display the road map on the display 13. The road map information includes information in units of road lanes. The vehicle position detection unit 7 detects the current position of the vehicle based on data from the GPS receiver 15, the vehicle speed sensor 16, the direction sensor 17, and the like. In response to the detection in units, the controller 2 displays the current position of the vehicle on the map displayed on the display 13. The traffic jam information processing unit 8 receives various road information including traffic jam information and regulation information from the beacon receiver 18 and the FM multiplex receiver 19, discriminates the traffic jam situation of the road on the map, and sends it to the controller 2.

  Further, the controller 2 has route search means for receiving the position data of the destination input from the input device 14 via the input control unit 10 and calculating the optimum route from the current position to the destination. Thereby, the searched route is displayed on the map of the display 13. Furthermore, it has a guidance means for outputting a voice signal to the speaker 20 via the voice control unit 11 and performing voice guidance of the route during driving of the vehicle.

  The controller 2 further determines the optimality of the currently running lane based on the road map information read from the CD-ROM, the current position information obtained by the vehicle position detector 7 and the calculated optimum route information. Lane determining means for determining The vehicle also has lane change guidance means for guiding lane change when it is determined by the lane determination means that a lane change is necessary.

  The lane determining means is information on the currently traveling lane from the vehicle position detection unit 7 when there is a branch point that should make a left turn or a right turn within a predetermined distance (for example, 3 km) on the route. Is obtained, and it is determined whether or not it coincides with the lane to be driven when making a left turn (or right turn). When the currently traveling lane does not coincide with the lane to be traveled, the lane change guidance means guides the lane change. At this time, if it is found from the information from the traffic jam information processing unit 8 that there is a traffic jam in the vicinity of the branch point, the lane change guidance is provided before the traffic jam is reached.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the vehicle C ₁ is traveling along the optimal route searched earlier, there is a branch point to turn left in front of the vehicle C ₁ , and the vehicle C ₁ is traveling in the right lane, In order to turn left, it is necessary to change to the left lane in advance. Therefore, the lane determining means causes the lane change guiding means to guide the lane change. At that time, when the shaded portion in the figure is congested, guidance for changing lanes is given before reaching the congested area.

In such an in-vehicle navigation device, in the present invention, the lane determination means determines that a lane change is necessary, and the lane change guidance means provides guidance for lane change. in and Shisokona' lane change, as the vehicle C _2, if you've entered in a traffic jam, hardly a lane change, it is very dangerous when you try to use excessive lane change. Therefore, in order to avoid having to change the lane forcibly, the lane change is given up at the intersection and the optimum route is searched again on the assumption that the vehicle goes straight or turns right.

  Next, processing related to lane change guidance in the in-vehicle navigation device of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the destination is inputted in advance and the optimum route is searched and displayed, when the vehicle 2 departs toward the destination, the controller 2 first detects the current position of the vehicle by the vehicle position detector 7 ( Step S1). Subsequently, it is determined whether there is a branch point that requires traffic other than straight traveling, such as a left turn or a right turn, within a predetermined distance (for example, within 3 km) in front of the set optimum route (step S2). If such a branch point does not exist, the process returns to step S1.

  If there is a branch point in step S2, the current lane of the vehicle is detected (step S3), and it is determined whether or not a lane change is required to pass the front branch point (step S4). . As a result, when it is determined that the lane change is necessary, the traffic information is acquired from the traffic information processing unit 8 (step S5), and it is determined whether or not there is traffic from the current position to the branch point (step S6). ).

  If there is no traffic jam in step S6, a guidance for changing lanes is displayed and guided (step S7). On the other hand, if there is a traffic jam, it is difficult to change lanes. Therefore, the optimum route when the vehicle passes the branch point without changing lanes is re-searched (step S8), and the searched route is displayed to guide the new route. Is started (step S9).

  As a method of excluding the left turn (or right turn) at the branch point when performing the route re-search in step S8, the left-turn (or right turn) prohibition flag is added to the branch point and the re-search is performed. There is. In addition, when the route search condition is distance, the cost of the link after the left turn (or right turn), that is, the distance to the next branch point of the link is set to be much longer than the actual distance, and the search is performed again. it can. For example, the distance from the left turn (or right turn) to the next branch point is actually 100 m, but the distance in that section is set to 5 km and the search is performed again. In that case, a turn other than a left turn (or a right turn) is selected in most cases, but a left turn (or a right turn) can also be permitted if it makes a detour without a left turn (or a right turn). .

  Also, in the above embodiment, even when there are multiple lanes on one side of the road, it has been described in the case where the congestion situation is determined collectively for all the lanes on one side, but when there are multiple lanes on one side, the congestion information for each lane is displayed. If it can be acquired, the optimum route can be re-searched only when the lane to be changed is in a traffic jam.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, there are two lanes on one side of the road, and the vehicle C ₁ is traveling along the optimum route searched earlier. Suppose that the right lane is congested, but the left lane is not congested, as shown by the hatched lines in the figure. At that time, the lane change guidance means guides the lane change before the vehicle C ₁ reaches the traffic jam area. However, the driver changes the lane for some reason, and the vehicle C ₂ is in a traffic jam like the vehicle C _2. If you enter, you can change lanes without any problem because the left lane is not congested. In such a case, the shortest route that is the initial optimum route can be maintained without performing unnecessary route re-search.

  Further, when there is a traffic jam from the current position to the branch point, whether or not to re-search for the route as described above may be set in advance by the user and performed according to it. In addition, it displays how much the distance (or required time) changes depending on whether the vehicle branches at that branch point or goes straight without branching, and allows the user to select whether to perform a re-search. May be.

  Also, depending on the location, it may not be possible to receive information from VICS by FM multiplexing, beacons, etc. In order to prepare for such a case, statistical traffic congestion information for each past road and time zone is stored. When information from the VICS cannot be received, it may be determined whether or not to perform route re-search using such past traffic jam information.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of a vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the process relevant to the lane change guidance in the vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of lane change guidance when traffic congestion information is not obtained according to lane. It is explanatory drawing of a lane change guidance in case traffic information is obtained according to lane.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus main body 2 ... Controller 6 ... Memory control part 7 ... Vehicle position detection part 8 ... Congestion information processing part 9 ... Display control part 10- ..Input control unit 11 ... Voice control unit

Claims (3)

Map information reading means for reading road map information from a storage medium, current position detecting means for detecting the current position in units of road lanes and outputting current position information, and roads included in the road map information from a road traffic information communication system Traffic information receiving means for receiving traffic information, current position display means for displaying a current position on a map based on the road map information and current position information, and a purpose based on the road map information and traffic information Route search means for searching for the optimum route to the ground, guidance means for displaying the route searched by the route search means for route guidance, the road map information, current position information, and searched route information Lane determination means for determining the optimality of the currently running lane based on the lane change, and lane change for guiding the lane change when the lane determination means determines that the lane change is necessary The in-vehicle navigation device having an inner means,
The route search means does not need to change the lane when the traffic information indicates that the current position is in traffic when the lane determination means determines that the lane change is necessary. An in-vehicle navigation device characterized by re-searching a good optimum route.   When there is a plurality of lanes on one side of the road, the congestion information includes traffic congestion information in lane units, and the route search means re-searches the optimum route only when the change destination lane determined by the lane determination means is congested. The in-vehicle navigation device according to claim 1. When the traffic information receiving means cannot receive traffic information from the road traffic information communication system, it reads past traffic information stored in a storage device and determines whether or not it is in traffic. The in-vehicle navigation device according to claim 1 or 2.

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