JP2008190941A - Navigation device and destination setting method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To readily allow a user to set a destination, using a simple device constitution. <P>SOLUTION: This device is equipped with a map information storage means 308 for storing correlatively map data, name data of a plurality of spots in the map data, and position data corresponding to each piece of the name data; an image reception means 302 for receiving image data on the map; a character data extraction means 303 for extracting character data from the received image data; a name retrieval means 304 for collating the extracted character data with the name data stored in the map information storage means 308, and reading out position data that correspond to the name data in a coincident case from the map information storage means 308; and an output control means 311 that reads the map data containing the read-out position data from the map information storage means 308, and making a display means 313 display the map, based on the read-out map data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device and a destination setting method that allow a user to easily set a destination with a simple device configuration.

  A navigation device provided in a vehicle provides a function of measuring a current position of the vehicle and performing route guidance from the measured current position to a destination set by a user. This function allows the user to reach the destination easily and reliably. Here, in order to receive route guidance by a conventional navigation device, it is necessary for the user to set a destination in advance before the start of traveling.

  As the destination setting method, two methods are generally known. The first method is a method in which the user sets a destination by pointing a desired position on the map displayed on the navigation device with a cursor or the like, and the second method is a method in which the user sets the destination. There is a method in which an address and attributes (name, telephone number, etc.) are input, and a destination is set by a user narrowing down from options corresponding to the input conditions.

  The first method is mainly used when the user knows the positional relationship between the current location and the destination to some extent, and the second method is used when the user knows the positional relationship between the current location and the destination at all. Mainly used when not.

  However, in the first method, it is necessary to expand the screen many times to search for the destination, which is troublesome for the user.

  That is, the display screen size normally used for navigation devices is about 7 inches, and the range that can be displayed on the display screen at a time is limited. Therefore, it is difficult for the user to search for a destination on the map displayed in the narrow display screen. Therefore, the user must search for a destination while developing the screen from a large scale enlarged view to a detailed view and from the detailed view to the enlarged view, and these operations are very troublesome for the user. It was.

  In the second method, the user needs to know the destination address and attributes accurately. Also, inputting a destination address or attribute requires a number of character input operations, which are very cumbersome for the user.

  Therefore, Patent Document 1 proposes a navigation system that inputs a destination by using a map display unit and an electronic pen to indicate a position on the map display unit with the electronic pen.

Further, in Patent Document 2, a dot dense point is confirmed from the vicinity of the center of the stored map data, the data of the dense point is extracted, the place name data is picked up, a map corresponding to the picked up place name data, and a scanned map In-vehicle route guidance devices that perform destination setting in comparison with are proposed.
JP 2003-287432 A JP-A-8-54251

  However, in the navigation system described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to prepare a map display means and an electronic pen dedicated to this navigation system. For this reason, there is a problem of storage space in the vehicle and a problem that the device configuration becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost increases.

  Further, in the in-vehicle route guidance device described in Patent Document 2, the device itself confirms a dot dense point from the vicinity of the center of the stored map data, extracts the dense point data, and picks up place name data. Therefore, when a map where the place name is not described in detail is used, the in-vehicle route guidance device picks up place name data of a name that is not the place name intended by the user, and the destination setting is appropriately performed. There was a problem that I could not. In addition, this on-vehicle route guidance device compares the image corresponding to the picked place name data with the scanned map by matching the image image of the intersection or road direction, so the processing load increases and the response There was a problem of being bad.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device and a destination setting method capable of easily setting a destination for a user with a simple device configuration. .

  In order to solve the above-mentioned object, the first feature of the navigation device according to the present invention is to display a map on the display means based on the map data and to set a point selected from the displayed map as a destination. A navigation device that provides route guidance for the host vehicle from the current location to the destination, and stores map data, name data of a plurality of points in the map data, and position data corresponding to each name data. Map information storage means, image receiving means for receiving image data relating to the map, character data extracting means for extracting character data from the image data received by the image receiving means, and character data extracted by the character data extracting means Is compared with the name data stored in the map information storage means, and the position data corresponding to the name data in the case of coincidence is obtained. Name control means for reading out from the figure information storage means, and output control for reading out the map data including the position data read out by the name search means from the map information storage means and displaying the map on the display means based on the read out map data Means.

  In order to solve the above-described object, the second feature of the navigation device according to the present invention is that the output control means determines the display range and scale of the map to be displayed based on the read map data, and determines these. The map is displayed on the display unit based on the display range and scale, and the image based on the image data received by the image receiving unit is displayed on the displayed map so as to be superimposed on the child screen.

  According to the navigation device and the destination setting method of the present invention, the user can easily set the destination with a simple device configuration.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<< First Embodiment >>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device 1 includes an input device 2, a navigation main body device 3, and a vehicle sensor 4.

  The input device 2 includes a camera unit 201 that captures an image, a display unit 202 that displays an image captured by the camera unit 201, and a control switch unit that generates various operation signals such as an image capture request signal by a user operation. 203, a temporary storage unit 204 that temporarily stores image data of an image captured by the camera unit 201, and an input-side communication unit 205 that transmits the image data stored in the temporary storage unit 204 to the navigation main body device 3. Is provided.

  The vehicle sensor 4 includes sensors such as a vehicle speed sensor 401, an orientation sensor 402, a gyro sensor 403, and a GPS sensor 404.

  The navigation main body device 3 includes a current position detection unit 301, a main body side communication unit 302, a character data extraction unit 303, a name search unit 304, a pointing unit 305, a destination registration unit 306, a storage unit 308, a route A search unit 309, a guidance generation unit 310, an output control unit 311, an audio output unit 312, and a display unit 313 are provided.

  The vehicle speed sensor 401, the direction sensor 402, and the gyro sensor 403 of the vehicle sensor 4 detect the vehicle speed, the heading direction, and the rotation direction, respectively, and transmit the detected signals to the current location detection unit 301 of the navigation main body device 3. To do.

  The GPS sensor 404 of the vehicle sensor 4 receives a GPS signal from a GPS satellite for detecting the position of the vehicle, and transmits the received signal to the current location detection unit 301 of the navigation main body device 3.

  The current location detection unit 301 of the navigation main unit 3 calculates the current location and traveling direction of the host vehicle at predetermined time intervals from detection signals such as the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle sensor 4, the heading direction, and the rotation direction. To the route search unit 309.

  The main body side communication unit 302 is a communication interface, and transmits image data received from the input side communication unit 205 of the input device 2 to the character data extraction unit 303 and the output control unit 311.

  The character data extraction unit 303 extracts character data from the image data received by the main body side communication unit 302, and the name search unit 304 extracts the character data extracted by the character data extraction unit 303 and the name stored in the storage unit 308. The data is collated, and if they match, the position data corresponding to this name data is extracted.

  The pointing unit 305 detects a point selection operation by the user on the display screen displayed on the display unit 313 by the output control unit 311, and the destination registration unit 306 detects the point data on the screen detected by the pointing unit 305. Position data on the map is calculated and transmitted to the route search unit 309 as destination position data.

  The route search unit 309 calculates a route from the current position indicated by the current position data detected by the current location detection unit 301 to the destination indicated by the destination location data received by the destination registration unit 306.

  The guidance generation unit 310 performs route guidance based on the route calculated by the route search unit 309.

  The storage unit 308 is a storage medium such as a memory or an HDD, and stores various data necessary for executing the navigation program in addition to the navigation program. For example, the storage unit 308 stores map data, name data of points in the map data, and position data corresponding to the name data in association with each other.

  The output control unit 311 determines a map display range and a map scale so as to include all position data corresponding to the name data searched by the name search unit 304, and sets the determined map display range and map scale to the determined map display range. Based on this, a map is displayed on the display unit 313. In addition, the output control unit 311 displays a child screen in the display screen of the display unit 313 and displays an image based on the image data received from the main body side communication unit 302 in the child screen display. Further, the output control unit 311 displays the current location calculated by the current location detection unit 301 and the route calculated by the route search unit 309 on the map displayed on the display unit 313 in an overlapping manner.

  The display unit 313 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays a map, a route, instruction guidance, and the like based on an output signal from the output control unit 311.

  The voice output unit 312 outputs a route voice guidance at an appropriate timing during traveling based on a signal from the guidance generation unit 310.

<Operation of Input Device 2>
Next, a processing procedure in the input device 2 of the navigation device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, a user searches for a destination from, for example, an owned map book, and photographs the vicinity of the destination on the map. Specifically, the control switch unit 203 generates an image capture request signal by a push button operation of the input device 2 by the user, and the camera unit 201 that receives the image capture request signal captures an image (step S1). At this time, the user selects an area on the map where several names such as an intersection name, a facility name, a river name, or a bridge name around the destination are entered.

  The camera unit 201 supplies the captured image data to the temporary storage unit 204, and the input-side communication unit 205 reads the image data temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit 204, and reads the read image data of the navigation main body device 3. It transmits to the main body side communication unit 302 (step S2).

<Operation of the navigation main unit 3>
Next, a processing procedure in the navigation main body device 3 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The main body side communication unit 302 of the navigation main body device 3 monitors whether or not image data has been received from the input side communication unit 205 of the input device 2, and determines that the received image data has been received. It transmits to the character data extraction part 303 (step S11).

  Then, the character data extraction unit 303 that has received the image data extracts the character data included in the image data (step S12), and transmits all the extracted character data to the name search unit 304. For the extraction of character data, a general character recognition method (for example, a character recognition method from a color document described in JP-A-2002-042055) can be used.

  Upon receiving the extracted character data, the name search unit 304 searches the storage unit 308 for position data corresponding to the character data for each received character data, and outputs the position data acquired by the search to the output control unit 311. Transmit (step S13).

  Next, the output control unit 311 determines the display range and scale of the map to be displayed on the display unit 313 from the map data stored in the storage unit 308 so as to include all received position data (step S14).

  Then, the output control unit 311 reads the map based on the determined map display range and map scale, and causes the display unit 313 to display the map. Furthermore, the output control unit 311 displays a child screen in the display screen of the display unit 313, and displays an image photographed by the user based on the image data received from the main body side communication unit 302 in the child screen display. It is displayed (step S15).

  Next, the pointing unit 305 detects a point selection operation by the user on the map displayed by the display unit 313, and transmits the detected point data on the map to the destination registration unit 306.

  The destination registration unit 306 calculates position data on the map indicated by the point data based on the received point data, and transmits the calculated position data to the route search unit 309 as destination position data.

  The route search unit 309 that has received the destination position data calculates a route from the current location detected by the current location detection unit 301 to the destination.

  Then, the route generation is started based on the route calculated by the route search unit 309 by the guidance generation unit 310.

  The output control unit 311 reads the map data stored in the storage unit 308, and superimposes the current location detected by the current location detection unit 301 on the map displayed based on the map data and the route calculated by the route search unit 309. These are displayed on the display unit 313.

  As a result, a map including the destination is read out based on the photographed map and displayed on the display unit 313, and an image of the photographed map is displayed on the sub-screen. Can be searched.

  Therefore, the user can easily reach the desired map without performing operations related to complicated map selection, and can set the destination with a simple operation.

  Next, operations of the input device 2 and the navigation main body device 3 will be described using specific examples shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a selection range of an image captured by the camera unit 201 of the input device 2.

  As shown in FIG. 4, first, the user searches for a destination 501 from a map 500 of a map book, for example. Then, the user uses the camera unit 201 of the input device 2 so that several names such as intersection names, area names, facility names, river names, and bridge names around the destination 501 on the map 500 are entered. Select the appropriate area and shoot.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, the user has “AB ironworks” as the facility name 502 around the destination, “M Mart” as the facility name 503, “Nishiyamate” as the region name 504, and the region name. The shooting range 506 is determined so as to include “Yamashita”, which is 505.

  When the user operates the push button on the input device 2, the control switch unit 203 generates an image capture request signal, and the camera unit 201 that receives the image capture request signal captures an image in the shooting range 506.

  Then, the camera unit 201 supplies the image data of the shooting range 506 to the temporary storage unit 204, and the input side communication unit 205 reads the image data temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit 204, and the main body side communication of the navigation main body device 3. To the unit 302.

  When the main body side communication unit 302 of the navigation main body device 3 receives the image data of the shooting range 506 from the input side communication unit 205 of the input device 2, the main body side communication unit 302 transmits the received image data to the character data extraction unit 303 and the output control means 311. .

  The character data extraction unit 303 that has received the image data extracts the character data included in the image data, and transmits all the extracted character data to the name search unit 304.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, the image of the shooting range 506 includes “AB Ironworks” as the facility name 502, “M Mart” as the facility name 503, “Nishiyamate” as the region name 504, and the region name. Since the character data “Yamashita” 505 is included, the character data extraction unit 303 extracts these character data and transmits them to the name search unit 304.

  Then, the name search unit 304 that has received the extracted character data searches the storage unit 308 for position data corresponding to the character data for each of the received character data, and outputs the position data acquired by the search to the output control unit. 311 is transmitted.

  Next, the output control unit 311 determines the display range and scale on the map from the map data stored in the storage unit 308 so as to include all received position data, and the determined map display range and map A map is read based on the scale, and the map is displayed on the display unit 313.

  Further, the output control unit 311 causes the display unit 313 to display an image captured by the user.

  FIG. 5 is an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit 313 of the navigation main body device 3.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a map generated based on the map display range and map scale determined by the output control unit 311 is displayed on the display screen 601 of the display unit 313. Further, an image of the shooting range 506 is displayed on the sub-screen 602.

  Then, when the user selects the destination 501 from the display screen 601 displayed by the display unit 313, the destination is set.

  As described above, according to the navigation device 1 of the present embodiment, a map including a destination is read out based on the photographed map and displayed on the display screen 601 of the display unit 313, and the photographed map image is displayed on the child screen. Since the information is displayed in 602, the user can search for the destination 501 while comparing these.

  Therefore, the user can easily reach the desired map without performing operations related to complicated map selection, and can set the destination with a simple operation.

  Further, for example, when the user uses the M mart as one of the destinations of the destination and the M mart is a chain store that exists in many places throughout the country, the destination setting by the navigation device 1 in the present embodiment is performed. According to the method, place names such as AB ironworks and Yamashita existing in the vicinity of the destination are searched as AND conditions, so that the store intended by the user can be easily narrowed down from a large number of M-marts.

  Furthermore, according to the navigation device 1 of the first embodiment, character data is extracted from the photographed map, and a map including the destination is extracted based on the extracted character data. It is also possible to extract a map including the destination using the deformed map used.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an image selection range when the map taken by the camera unit 201 of the input device 2 is a deformed map (for example, advertising paper or a signboard).

  As shown in FIG. 6, first, the user uses the camera unit 201 of the input device 2 on the deformed map 700 on the intersection name, area name, facility name, river name around the destination 701, or Select an area where several names such as the name of the bridge can be entered.

  In the example shown in FIG. 6, the user has “AB ironworks” as the facility name 702 around the destination, “M Mart” as the facility name 703, “Nishiyamate” as the region name 704, and the region name. The imaging range 706 is determined so as to include “Yamashita”, which is 705.

  Then, when the user operates the push button of the input device 2 so that the photographing range 706 can be photographed, the control switch unit 203 generates an image capture request signal, and the camera unit 201 that has received the image capture request signal captures the image. An image in the range 706 is captured.

  The camera unit 201 temporarily saves the image data of the shooting range 706 taken in the temporary storage unit 204, and the input-side communication unit 205 stores the image data temporarily saved in the temporary storage unit 204 in the main body of the navigation main body 3. To the side communication unit 302.

  When the main body side communication unit 302 of the navigation main body device 3 receives the image data of the shooting range 706 from the input side communication unit 205 of the input device 2, the main body side communication unit 302 transmits the received image data to the character data extraction unit 303.

  Upon receiving the image data, the character data extraction unit 303 receives “AB Ironworks” as the facility name 702, “M Mart” as the facility name 703, and “West” as the area name 704 from the image in the shooting range 706. Character data of “Yamate” and “Yamashita” which is the area name 705 are extracted, and all the extracted character data is transmitted to the name search unit 304.

  Then, the name search unit 304 that has received the extracted character data searches the storage unit 308 for position data corresponding to the character data for each of the received character data, and outputs the position data acquired by the search to the output control unit. 311 is transmitted.

  Then, the output control unit 311 determines the display range and scale on the map from the map data stored in the storage unit 308 so as to include all received position data, and the determined map display range and map scale. The map is read based on the above and the map is displayed on the display unit 313.

  Further, the output control unit 311 causes the display unit 313 to display a deformed map image photographed by the user on the child screen 802.

  FIG. 7 is an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit 313 of the navigation main body device 3.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a map generated based on the map display range and map scale determined by the output control unit 311 is displayed on the display screen 701 of the display unit 313. Further, a deformed map image of the shooting range 706 is displayed on the sub-screen 802 of the display unit 313.

  Then, when the user selects the destination 701 from the display screen 801 of the display unit 313, the destination is set.

  As described above, according to the embodiment navigation apparatus 1 which is the first embodiment, character data is extracted from a photographed map, and a map including a destination is read based on the extracted character data. It is also possible to read out a map including a destination by using a deformed map used for advertisement or the like and set the destination.

  As a result, a map including the destination is read out based on the photographed map and displayed on the display unit 313, and an image of the deformed map is displayed on the sub screen. Can be searched.

  Therefore, the user can easily reach the desired map without complicated operations, and can set the destination with a simple operation.

<< Second Embodiment >>
FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the navigation device 1a according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  Although the navigation main body device 3 of the first embodiment includes the main body side communication unit 302 that receives image data from the input device 2, the transmission source of the image data is not necessarily limited to the input device 2.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the navigation main body device 3 a may include a main body side communication unit 302 a that receives image data from the external communication terminal 5 such as a mobile phone with a camera function via the network 6.

  For example, the external communication terminal 5 attaches the captured image to an e-mail and transmits it to the navigation device 1a via the network 6.

  Then, the main body side communication unit 302 a of the navigation device 1 a that has received the e-mail via the network 6 takes in the image data attached to the e-mail and transmits the taken-in image data to the character data extraction unit 303.

  Since the subsequent processing is the same as the processing of the navigation device 1 according to the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  In this way, by receiving image data from the external communication terminal 5 such as a mobile phone with a camera function via the network 6 and performing destination setting using the received image data, the general-purpose external communication terminal 5 is It can be used as an input device, the device configuration can be further simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

It is the block diagram which showed one Embodiment of the navigation apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a follow chart which shows the process sequence in the input device 2 of the navigation apparatus 1 which is 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence in the navigation main body apparatus 3 in 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing about the selection range of the image which the camera part of an input device image | photographs. It is an example of the display screen displayed on the display part of the navigation main body apparatus. It is explanatory drawing about the selection range of an image in case the map which the camera part of an input device image | photographs is a deformed map. It is an example of the display screen displayed on the display part of the navigation main body apparatus. It is the block diagram which showed the structure of the navigation apparatus which is 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a ... Navigation apparatus 2 ... Input apparatus 3, 3a ... Navigation main body apparatus 4 ... Vehicle sensor 5 ... External communication terminal 6 ... Network 201 ... Camera part 202 ... Display part 203 ... Control switch part 204 ... Temporary storage part 205 ... Input Side communication unit 301 ... Current location detection unit 302, 302a ... Main body side communication unit 303 ... Character data extraction unit 304 ... Name search unit 305 ... Pointing unit 306 ... Destination registration unit 308 ... Storage unit (map information storage means)
309 ... Route search unit 310 ... Guidance generating unit 311 ... Output control unit 312 ... Audio output unit 313 ... Display unit 401 ... Vehicle speed sensor 402 ... Direction sensor 403 ... Gyro sensor 404 ... GPS sensor

Claims (4)

A navigation device that displays a map on display means based on map data, sets a point selected from the displayed map as a destination, and guides the route of the host vehicle from the current location to the destination. And
Map information storage means for storing the map data, name data of a plurality of points in the map data, and position data corresponding to each name data;
Image receiving means for receiving image data relating to the map;
Character data extracting means for extracting character data from the image data received by the image receiving means;
Name search means for collating the character data extracted by the character data extraction means with the name data stored in the map information storage means and reading out the position data corresponding to the name data in the case of matching from the map information storage means When,
Output control means for reading map data including the position data read by the name search means from the map information storage means and displaying the map on the display means based on the read map data. Navigation device. The output control means includes
A display range and a scale of a map to be displayed are determined based on the read map data, and the map is displayed on the display unit based on the determined display range and scale, and the displayed map is displayed on the displayed map. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image based on the image data received by the image receiving unit is superimposed and displayed as a child screen. Map information storage means for associating and storing map data, name data of a plurality of points in the map data, and position data corresponding to each name data, and causing the display means to display a map based on the map data A destination setting method applied to a navigation device that sets a point selected from the displayed map as a destination and performs route guidance of the host vehicle from the current location to the destination,
An image receiving step for receiving image data relating to the map;
Character data extraction step for extracting character data from the image data received by the image reception step;
A name search step of collating the character data extracted in the character data extraction step with the name data stored in the map information storage means, and reading out the position data corresponding to the name data when they match from the map information storage means When,
An output control step of reading out map data including the position data read out in the name search step from the map information storage unit, and causing the display unit to display a map based on the read-out map data. Destination setting method. The output control step includes
A display range and a scale of a map to be displayed are determined based on the read map data, and the map is displayed on the display unit based on the determined display range and scale, and the displayed map is displayed on the displayed map. 4. The destination setting method according to claim 3, wherein an image based on the image data received in the image receiving step is superimposed and displayed as a sub-screen.

Images