JP2008216225A - Navigation system and point searching support method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a "navigation system and a point searching support method" capable of simpler point searching. <P>SOLUTION: Search is made using "Iwaki-eki (station)" as conditions for a point to be searched (a), and "Iwaki station" is selected on a displayed point list window and set as the selected point (b). A restaurant button of a point information window for displaying information thus displayed on the "Iwaki station" is operated (c). Restaurants around the "Iwaki station" are searched, and the point list window including the list of the searched restaurants is displayed (d). A user can set any point in the list as the selected point and display the information of the selected point on the displayed point information window (e). In addition, by operating a destination button on an arbitrary point information window (b, e), a point corresponding to the point information window can be set as a destination. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for supporting a user's point search in a navigation device.

  As a technology for supporting a user's point search in a navigation device, a point having a name, an address or a telephone number input by the user is searched, or a point of a type input by the user is searched, and a list of searched points A technique for receiving selection of a point from the inside from a user is known (for example, Patent Document 1).

In addition, as a technology for supporting the user's point search in the navigation device, a point of the type specified by the user is searched, and the point that is estimated to be most suitable for the user's use from among the searched points A technique for automatically searching for such information is also known (for example, Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-271084 JP 2004-219270 A

  If the user remembers the name, address, and telephone number of the desired point, the user's desired point is searched depending on the above-described technique for searching for the point having the name, address, and telephone number input by the user. I can't. In addition, when searching for a point according to the type, if there are many points of the same type as the user's desired point, there is a difficulty in selecting the desired point from among the many points searched. Arise.

  In addition, the above-described technique for searching for a point of the type specified by the user and automatically searching for a point that is estimated to be most suitable for the user's use from among the points searched is desired by the user. If this point is a specific point, even if this point is applied, the point desired by the user cannot be searched.

Thus, conventionally, the user has not been able to easily search for a desired point with respect to a point where information that uniquely identifies the point such as a name, an address, or a telephone number is stored. .
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable a user to easily search for a desired point in a navigation device even if the user is a point of distraction.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides point information in which a point attribute including at least a point name indicating a point name and a point coordinate indicating a position of the point is registered for each of a plurality of points, and a map representing a map Search means for searching for a point that matches a search condition designated by a user in a navigation device that stores data in advance, and a point searched by the search means or searched by the search means In order to accept a point setting menu for receiving a point setting request for the selected point, and a surrounding point search request for the selected point, using a point selected according to a predetermined condition from among the points A menu display means for displaying a peripheral point search menu of the site, and when the location setting request is received by the location setting menu When the surrounding spot search request is received by the spot setting means for setting the selected spot targeted by the spot setting request as a user designated spot that is a spot used for a predetermined use, and the surrounding spot search menu. A peripheral point search means for searching for a point having point coordinates around the selected point targeted by the peripheral point search request with reference to the point information, and presenting information including the point name of the searched point; and a user From the point searched by the surrounding point search means, and in the menu display means, when the point selection reception means accepts the selection of the point, The point for accepting a point setting request for the selected point, with the point selected by the point selection receiving unit as the selected point. It is obtained so as to display the point setting menu.

  According to such a navigation device, even if the user remembers information for identifying a point such as a point name of a point to be searched, a user can search for a point around the point to be searched. If you know the name of the location, search for the location in the vicinity by the location name, etc., and search for the surrounding location of the searched location using the surrounding location search menu displayed with the search Thus, the target point of the search can be easily found.

  In such a navigation device, the user designated point may be a point used as a destination. In this case, a route to the user designated point is obtained by the route search means provided in the navigation device. Is searched and presented based on the map represented by the map data.

  In the navigation device, the menu display unit targets the selected point with the point selected by the point selection receiving unit as the selected point when the point selection receiving unit receives the selection of the point. The surroundings for displaying the location setting menu for accepting the location setting request and for accepting the neighborhood location search request for the selected location that is the location where the location selection accepting unit accepts the location selection It is also preferable that the point search menu is displayed.

By doing in this way, it becomes possible to repeatedly perform a search for points around the selected point while updating the searched point to the selected point.
Further, the navigation device described above assumes that the point information indicates that the point type indicating the type of the point is registered for each of the plurality of points, the menu display means, and the selected point in the peripheral point search menu. A peripheral point search request for the target is received for each type of point, and the peripheral point search means has a point type that matches the type of the point search request received around the selected point targeted by the point search request. A point may be searched with reference to the point information, and information including the point name of the searched point may be presented.

By doing in this way, it is possible to perform a search by narrowing down the search target based on the type of the target point of the search, so that the target point of the search can be found more easily.
Further, in the above navigation apparatus, the menu display means may display a map marked with the position of the selected spot together with the spot setting menu and the peripheral spot search menu.
Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention further includes: point information in which a point attribute including at least a point name indicating the name of the point and a point coordinate indicating the position of the point is registered for each of the plurality of points; In a map information processing apparatus that stores map data that represents a point search support method that supports a user's search for a specific point from the plurality of points, the search condition specified by the user is met. Search for a spot having an attribute to be performed by referring to the spot information, and use the searched spot or a spot selected according to a predetermined condition from the searched spots as a selected spot to request a neighboring spot search for the selected spot. A step of displaying a peripheral point search menu for accepting a request, and when the peripheral point search request is received by the peripheral point search menu A point search support including a step of searching for a point having point coordinates around the selected point targeted by the point search request with reference to the point information and presenting information including the point name of the searched point Provide a method.

  According to such a point search support method, even if the user remembers information for identifying a point such as a point name of the point to be searched, the user is in the vicinity of the point to be searched. If you know the location name etc. of the location, search for the location around the location by location name, etc., and search for the surrounding location of the searched location using the surrounding location search menu displayed with the search By doing so, it is possible to easily find the target point of the search.

  As described above, according to the present invention, in the navigation device, the user can easily search for a desired point even if it is a point of conceitment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a navigation system according to the present embodiment.
As shown in the figure, the navigation system includes a navigation device 1, an operation unit 2, a display device 3, a vehicle state sensor 4, and a GPS receiver 6. Here, the vehicle state sensor 4 is a sensor group that detects a vehicle state such as an azimuth sensor such as an angular acceleration sensor or a geomagnetic sensor, or a vehicle speed sensor such as a vehicle speed pulse sensor.

  The navigation device 1 communicates with a user using the map data storage unit 11, which is a storage device such as a DVD drive or HDD that stores map data representing a map, the current state calculation unit 12, the operation unit 2, or the display device 3. A GUI control unit 13, a route search unit 14, a memory 15, a control unit 16, and a guide image generation unit 17 that control input and output between the two.

  However, the above navigation apparatus 1 may be a CPU circuit having a general configuration including peripheral devices such as a microprocessor, a memory, and other graphic processors and geometric processors in terms of hardware. In this case, each part of the navigation device described above may be realized as a process embodied by a microprocessor executing a program prepared in advance. In this case, such a program may be provided to the navigation apparatus 1 via a recording medium or an appropriate communication path.

Next, FIG. 2 shows the contents of the map data stored in the map data storage unit 11.
As shown in the figure, map data consists of management data describing the date and time of production of map data, basic map data representing the map, route data representing route information such as route name and route type, service data, various types of data It is configured to include drawing resource data that summarizes drawing data shared for drawing map components.

  The service data has a point record provided corresponding to each of a plurality of points selected in advance by the map data producer and included in the map data. Each point record includes a type representing the type of parking lot, restaurant, gas station, station, etc., point name, point coordinates, point address, point phone number, point other information Detailed point information representing is registered in advance.

Now, in such a configuration, the current state calculation unit 12 of the navigation device 1 repeatedly performs the following processing.
That is, the current state calculation unit 12 has a map around the current position determined last time indicated by the map data read from the map data storage unit 11 with respect to the current position estimated from the output of the vehicle state sensor or the GPS receiver. The most likely coordinates as the current position and the most likely direction as the current traveling direction are determined as the current position and the current traveling direction, respectively, and set in the memory 15.

  In addition, the control unit 16 receives a destination setting from the user via the operation unit 2 and the GUI control unit 13, and sets the coordinates of the destination in the memory 15. Then, the route search unit 14 is made to search for a recommended route to the destination. The route search unit 14 reads out map data of a necessary geographical range from the map data storage unit 11, and sets a minimum cost route from the current position to the destination set in the memory 15 to a predetermined cost model such as a minimum distance. And the route data of the calculated recommended route is set in the memory 15.

In addition, when the current position set in the memory 15 becomes near the destination, the control unit 16 determines that the destination has arrived, and also performs processing for clearing the destination and the recommended route set in the memory 15. .
Then, the guide image generation unit 17 stores the map image of the map display range calculated by the control unit 16 in accordance with the current position set in the memory 15 and the map display scale set at that time in the map data recording unit. Draw based on the stored map data. Further, a guide image in which the current position, recommended route, and destination set in the memory 15 are drawn on the drawn map image is generated and displayed on the display device 3.

  Here, FIG. 3A shows an example of the guide image 300 displayed on the display device 3 in this way. The guide image 300 is a current position mark 301 representing the current position on a map around the current position. Is represented. When the recommended route is set, in the guidance image 300, the route graphic 302 representing the recommended route in the map display range is displayed on the map image, and the destination is included in the display range. In this case, the destination mark 303 representing the destination is also displayed on the map image.

Hereinafter, the operation | movement which assists a user's point search in such a navigation apparatus 1 is demonstrated.
First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the control unit 16 displays a menu including various buttons for receiving user operations in the lower part of the guide image 300 via the GUI control unit 13 while the guide image 300 is displayed. indicate. Here, as the buttons to be displayed, an enlargement / reduction button 311 for changing the display scale of the map displayed in the guide image 300, a point search button 312 and other menu buttons 313 for accepting other menu calls are provided. .

And the control part 16 will perform a spot search process, if the spot search button 312 is operated by the user via the operation part 2 and the GUI control part 13. FIG.
FIG. 4 shows the procedure of this point search process.
As shown in the figure, in this process, first, a search condition for a point to be searched is received from the user (step 402). Here, as a search condition, a search condition for items such as a spot name, an address, and a telephone number is accepted according to the user's selection. That is, for example, when the user selects a search condition for a spot name, the spot name search window shown in FIG. 5A is displayed on the display device 3 via the GUI control unit 13 in a form that is superimposed on the guide image 300, The input of the character string using the Japanese syllabary table 502 to the input box 501 is accepted, and the character string inputted to the input box 501 at the time when the search button 503 is operated is accepted as a point name search condition. . If the cancel button 504 of the point name search window in FIG. 5a is operated, the point search process is terminated. The delete one character button and delete all button 505 are buttons for correcting the character string input in the input box 501.

  Now, if the search condition is received from the user in this manner (step 402), the point record that matches the received search condition is searched with reference to the service data of the map data (step 404). That is, for example, when a point name search condition is accepted, a point record including a character string as a search condition as a name by a forward match search or an intermediate match search is searched.

  Then, the point list window shown in FIG. 5b is displayed on the display device 3 through the GUI control unit 13 in a form superimposed on the guide image 300, and the searched point record extracted from the searched point record in the point list window. A point list 511 which is a list of names and types of points corresponding to is displayed (step 406), and selection of a point on the point list is accepted.

  Then, it waits for the occurrence of a cancel operation due to the operation of the cancel button 513 (step 408) or the occurrence of a point selection operation due to the operation of the selection button 512 (step 410). The process ends. On the other hand, if a point selection operation occurs, the point list window is closed, and at that time, the point selected on the point list is set as the selected point, and the point information window shown in FIG. Is displayed on the display device 3 via the GUI control unit 13, and the spot information 521 of the selected spot is displayed in the spot information window (step 412). Here, the point information 521 includes the type, name, address, telephone number, detailed point information, and the like extracted from the point record of the selected point. The point information window is provided with a point processing menu 522 and a peripheral point search menu 523. Here, the point processing menu 522 includes a destination button 5221, a registration button 5222, and a return button 5223, and the peripheral point search menu 523 includes a plurality of buttons for selecting a type of the point. In the illustrated example, as a button for selecting a type of a point in the vicinity point search menu 523, a parking lot button, a gas station button, a convenience store button, a restaurant button, a store button, a hotel button, a station button, and other buttons Is provided.

  If such a point information window is displayed (step 412), whether a return operation is generated by operating the return button 5223 (step 414), or a destination setting operation is generated by operating the destination button 5221 (step 414). 416) Waits for the occurrence of a registration operation due to the operation of the registration button 5222 (step 418) or the occurrence of a peripheral point search operation due to the operation of any button of the peripheral point search menu 523 (step 420).

  If a return operation has occurred (step 414), the point information window is closed, the process returns to step 406, and the point list window displayed immediately before is displayed again. If a destination setting operation has occurred (step 416), the destination mentioned above is accepted. That is, the point information window is closed, the selected point is accepted as the destination, and the coordinates registered in the point record of the selected point are set as the coordinates of the destination (step 424). Then, the point search process ends. When a registration operation occurs (step 424), the point information window is closed, the selected point is accepted as a user registered point, the selected point is registered in the user registered point list in the memory 15 (step 426), and a point search is performed. The process ends. In addition, the spot record of the spot registered in the user registration spot list in this way can be called by the user by a predetermined operation at any time and used for destination setting or the like.

  Then, when a peripheral point search operation occurs (step 420), the point information window is closed, and a point record in which the type corresponding to the operated button of the peripheral point search menu 523 is registered, A point record in which peripheral coordinates (for example, coordinates in a circle having a radius of 500 m centered on the selected point) are registered is searched with reference to the service data of the map data (step 422).

  Then, returning to the processing from step 406, the above-described point list window is displayed on the display device 3 via the GUI control unit 13 in a form superimposed on the guide image 300, and the point list window is searched at step 422. A point list 511 which is a list of names and types of points corresponding to the searched point records extracted from the point records is displayed (step 406). However, in the point list window that displays a list of the names and types of points searched in step 422, as shown in FIG. 5d, the name of the selected point as the central point of the search in the previous step 422 or the previous step The type searched for the point in 422 may be displayed as the title 531, and the type of the point may not be included in the point list 511.

Thereafter, the processing after step 408 described above is performed for the points displayed in the point list 511.
The point search process performed by the control unit 16 has been described above.
According to such point search processing, the user can search for points as follows, for example.
That is, we know that we are now near “Iwaki Station”, but we want to set the sushi restaurant as the destination for the store name. The user does not know the telephone number or address of this sushi restaurant. The name of this sushi restaurant is actually “Sushi Murata”.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 5a, the user first searches for “Iwaki Eki” using the point name search window as a point name search condition. On the spot list 511, the spot name “Iwaki Station” that will be included in the spot list 511 by the search according to the search condition is selected and set as the selected spot.

  As a result, if the point information 531 in the point information window of “Iwaki Station” displayed as shown in FIG. 5C confirms that the selected point is a station near the sushi restaurant to be searched, “Iwaki In order to search for sushi restaurants in the vicinity of the “station”, a restaurant button which is a type to which the sushi restaurant belongs is operated in the peripheral point search menu 523 of the point information window.

  Then, restaurants in the vicinity of “Iwaki Station” are searched, and as shown in FIG. 5d, a point list window including a point list 511 representing a list of searched restaurants is displayed. Here, since the spot list 511 shown in FIG. 5d includes “Sushi Murata” which is a restaurant in the vicinity of “Iwaki Station”, the user wanted to search from this spot list 511. If it is recognized that the sushi restaurant is “Sushi Murata”, the point name “Sushi Murata” is selected on the point list 511 and set as the selected point. If the location information 531 of the location information window of “Sushi Murata” displayed as shown in FIG. 5E is confirmed, it can be confirmed that “Sushi Murata” is the sushi restaurant that the user surely wanted to search. The destination button 5221 is operated to set “Sushi Murata” as the destination. If the point information 531 in the point information window reveals that “Sushi Murata” is not the sushi restaurant that the user wants to search, the user operates the return button 5223 to display FIG. The point list window is displayed again, and another sushi restaurant is searched from the point list 511.

  In addition, when the point information 531 in the point information window of “Sushi Murata” shown in FIG. 5E can be confirmed that “Sushi Murata” is the sushi restaurant that the user surely wanted to search, “Sushi Murata” is used. In order to search for a parking lot near “Sushi Murata”, if the user operates the parking lot button of the peripheral point search menu 523 in the point information window of “Sushi Murata” shown in FIG. As shown in 5f, a point list window including a list of parking lots around "Sushi Murata" as a point list 511 is displayed, and the user selects a desired parking lot from the point list, and a point information window is displayed. Can be displayed or set as the destination.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
By the way, in the above embodiment, after receiving the type of the point with the peripheral point search menu 523 of the point information window representing the information of the selected point as shown in FIG. The point list window 511 of the searched point is displayed in the point list window as shown in FIG. 5d by searching, but when the number of point records around the selected point is small, as shown in FIG. 5g. In addition, when displaying the point information window 550 of the selected point, all types of points around the selected point are searched, and together with the point information window 550, points indicating the names and types of all types of points around the selected point A point list window 560 including a list 511 may be displayed and an operation for these windows may be accepted.

Further, in the point search process as described above, the position of the selected point may be shown on the map.
That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 5a, the user performs a search using the point name search window using “Iwaki Eki” as a search condition for the point name, and the point list of the point list window shown in FIG. If the location name “Iwaki Station”, which will be included in the location list 511 by the search based on the above search condition, is selected and set as the selected location on the map 511, as shown in FIG. The range is changed to a range centered on the coordinates of “Iwaki Station” indicated by the point record of the selected point, and the marker 320 is displayed at the coordinate position of “Iwaki Station”, and the position of “Iwaki Station” is displayed on the map. As shown. In the previous example, as shown in FIG. 5c, the spot processing menu 522 and the neighboring spot search menu 523 that are included in the spot information window are displayed as a spot processing menu window 321 and a neighboring spot search menu window 322, respectively. Display and accept the operation.

  Then, in the peripheral spot search menu window 322 shown in FIG. 3b, for example, if a restaurant button is operated, the spot list window shown in FIG. 5d is displayed, and “Sushi Murata” is displayed in the spot list 511 of the spot list window. 3 is selected and set as the selected point, as shown in FIG. 3c, the map display range of the guide image 300 is changed to a range centered on the coordinates of “Sushi Murata” indicated by the point record of the selected point. At the same time, the marker 320 is displayed at the coordinate position of “Sushi Murata”, the position of “Sushi Murata” is displayed on the map, the point processing menu window 321 and the peripheral point search menu window 322 are displayed, and the operation is accepted. To.

  If the destination button of the point processing menu window 321 is operated, the selected point at that time is set as the destination, and if the registration button of the point processing menu window 321 is operated, the selected point at that time is selected. Is registered in the user registration point list. That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 3b, when the destination button of the point processing menu window 321 is operated in a state where “Iwaki Station” is set as the selected point, “Iwaki Station” is set as the destination. If the destination button of the point processing menu window 321 is operated in a state where “Sushi Murata” shown in FIG. 3C is set as the selected point, “Sushi Murata” is set as the destination.

  When the number of point records around the point set as the selected point is small, the names of all types of points around the selected point are used instead of the peripheral point search menu window 322 as shown in FIG. 3d. Alternatively, a point list window 560 including a point list 511 indicating the type may be displayed, and operations for the point processing menu window 321 and the point list window 560 may be accepted.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if the user remembers information for identifying a point such as a point name of a point to be searched, the user is in the vicinity of the point to be searched. If you know the location name etc. of the location, by searching for the location in the vicinity, by searching for the surrounding location of the searched location using the surrounding location search menu displayed with the search, It is possible to easily find the target point of the search.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the map data which the navigation apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention hold | maintains. It is a figure which shows the example of a display screen of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the point search process of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the window used for the point search process of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus, 2 ... Operation part, 3 ... Display apparatus, 4 ... Vehicle state sensor, 6 ... GPS receiver, 11 ... Map data storage part, 12 ... Current state calculation part, 13 ... GUI control part, 14 ... Route Search unit, 15 ... memory, 16 ... control unit, 17 ... guide image generation unit.

Claims (6)

A navigation device that stores in advance point information in which a point attribute including at least a point name indicating the name of the point and a point coordinate indicating the position of the point is registered for each of a plurality of points, and map data representing a map. And
A search means for searching for a spot having an attribute that matches a search condition designated by a user with reference to the spot information;
A spot setting menu for accepting a spot setting request for the selected spot, with a spot selected according to a predetermined condition from the spot searched by the search means or the spot searched by the search means; Menu display means for displaying a peripheral point search menu for accepting a peripheral point search request for the selected point;
A point setting means for setting a selected point targeted by the point setting request as a user designated point that is used for a predetermined application when the point setting request is received by the point setting menu;
When the peripheral point search request is received by the peripheral point search menu, the point having the coordinates of the surroundings of the selected point targeted by the peripheral point search request is searched with reference to the point information, and A neighboring point search means for presenting information including the point name;
A point selection receiving unit that receives a selection of a point from among the points searched by the surrounding point searching unit from the user;
The menu display means, when the point selection accepting means accepts selection of a spot, accepts a point setting request for the selected spot, with the spot selected by the spot selection accepting means as the selected spot. A navigation device for displaying the location setting menu for the purpose. The navigation device according to claim 1,
The user designated point is a point used as a destination,
The navigation device includes route search means for searching and presenting a route to the user designated point based on a map represented by the map data. The navigation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The menu display means, when the point selection accepting means accepts selection of a spot, accepts a point setting request for the selected spot, with the spot selected by the spot selection accepting means as the selected spot. And displaying the surrounding spot search menu for accepting the surrounding spot search request for the selected spot, which is a spot where the spot selection accepting unit accepts the selection of the spot. A navigation device characterized by that. The navigation device according to claim 1, 2, or 3,
In the point information, a point type indicating the type of the point is registered for each of the plurality of points,
The menu display means accepts a peripheral point search request for the selected point for each type of point in the peripheral point search menu,
The surrounding spot search means searches for a spot having a spot type that matches the type of the spot search request received around the selected spot targeted by the spot search request with reference to the spot information, and A navigation device characterized by presenting information including a point name. The navigation device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4,
The navigation device characterized in that the menu display means displays a map marked with the location of the selected location, together with the location setting menu and a surrounding location search menu. A map information processing apparatus which stores in advance point information in which a point attribute including at least a point name indicating a point name and a point coordinate indicating the position of the point is registered for each of a plurality of points, and map data representing a map In the point search support method for supporting the search of the specific point from the plurality of points of the user,
A point having an attribute that matches a search condition specified by the user is searched with reference to the point information, and the selected point is a point selected according to a predetermined condition from the searched point or the searched point. Displaying a neighborhood search menu for accepting a neighborhood search request for a location;
When the peripheral point search request is received by the peripheral point search menu, a point having point coordinates around the selected point targeted by the point search request is searched with reference to the point information, and the point of the searched point And a step of presenting information including a point name.