JP2009041926A - Route searching device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To search for a guide route by limiting the direction of a road leading to a destination by user's operation. <P>SOLUTION: In the route searching device, a direction leading to a destination is limited as an area based on the destination according to user's operation (S110), and a guide route is searched for so as to reach the destination via a road connected to the destination and included in the limited area (S112). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a route search device that searches for a guide route from a departure point to a destination.

  Conventionally, the area around the user's home is taken as a guidance-unnecessary area, and the route passing this guidance-unnecessary area is excluded from all guidance routes and route guidance is performed using the route guidance data generated for the remaining routes. There is an in-vehicle navigation device (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Further, when a welcome route from the periphery of the destination to the destination is additionally registered in the information registration computer by an administrator of an accommodation facility, a leisure facility or a store set as the destination, the registered welcome route information becomes the center Is added to and stored in the welcome route information database, and when the information indicating the destination is transmitted from the navigation device to the center, the center searches for the route to reach the destination via the welcome route, There is a device in which a searched route is transmitted to a navigation device (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2001-208562 A JP 2003-97960 A

  By the way, the conventional navigation device cannot search for a route by limiting the direction of the road arriving at the destination according to the user's operation. For example, because the road on the south side of the destination is congested, even if the user wants to search for a route arriving at the destination from the road on the north side of the destination, the user may arrive at the destination from the road on the north side of the destination. The route cannot be specified.

  In such a situation, by setting a passing point on the north side of the destination, a route to reach the destination from the road on the north side of the destination may be searched. For example, the route is set on the north side of the destination. Since the route that reaches the destination may be searched from the road on the south side of the destination after passing through the passing point, the route that reaches the destination from the direction desired by the user is not always searched. .

  Note that the device described in Patent Document 1 excludes a route that passes through a guidance unnecessary area from all the guidance routes, and generates route guidance data for the remaining routes, and a direction of arrival at a destination by a user operation. The route search cannot be limited.

  Similarly, the device described in Patent Document 2 cannot perform a route search by limiting the direction of arrival at the destination by a user operation.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to search for a guidance route by limiting the direction of a road arriving at a destination by a user operation.

  A first feature of the present invention is a route search device that searches for a guide route from a departure place to a destination, where the direction of arrival at the destination according to a user's operation is defined as an area based on the destination. A destination arrival direction limiting means for limiting and searching for a guide route so as to arrive at the destination from a road connected to the destination and included in an area limited by the destination arrival direction limiting means.

  In such a configuration, the direction of arrival at the destination according to the user's operation is limited as an area based on the destination, connected to the destination, and from the road included in the limited area. Since the guide route is searched so as to arrive at the destination, it is possible to search for the guide route by limiting the direction of the road arriving at the destination by the user's operation.

  Further, the second feature of the present invention is that the destination arrival direction limiting means includes a direction specifying means for specifying a direction based on the destination, and a direction specified by the direction specifying means based on the destination. An angle designating unit for designating a specified angle, and a distance designating unit for designating a radius based on the destination, and a direction designated by the direction designating unit, an angle designated by the angle designating unit, and a distance designating unit. It is to specify an area for limiting the direction of arrival at the destination by the specified radius.

  In this way, it is possible to specify an area for limiting the direction of arrival at the destination by the direction specified by the direction specifying means, the angle specified by the angle specifying means, and the radius specified by the distance specifying means.

  The third feature of the present invention is that the passing point specifying means for specifying the passing point and the passing point arrival direction that limits the direction of reaching the passing point according to the user's operation as an area based on the passing point. The route search means is connected to the passing point and reaches the passing point from the road included in the area limited by the passing point arrival direction limiting means, and passes through the passing point. The guide route is searched so as to arrive at the destination from the road that is connected to the ground and included in the area limited by the destination arrival direction limiting means.

  In such a configuration, the passing point is specified, the direction to reach the passing point according to the user's operation is limited as a region based on the passing point, the passing point is connected, and the passing point arrival direction is limited. After reaching the passing point from the road included in the area limited by the means, passing through the passing point, connected to the destination and from the road included in the area limited by the destination arrival direction limiting means The guide route is searched so as to arrive at. In other words, the route search can be performed not only in the direction arriving at the destination but also in the passing point and the direction reaching the passing point.

  Further, the fourth feature of the present invention is that the passing point arrival direction limiting means includes a direction specifying means for specifying a direction based on the passing point, and a direction specified by the direction specifying means based on the passing point. An angle designating unit for designating a specified angle, and a distance designating unit for designating a radius with reference to the passing point, and a direction designated by the direction designating unit, an angle designated by the angle designating unit, and a distance designating unit. It is to specify a region for limiting the direction to reach the passing point with a specified radius.

  In this way, it is possible to specify a region for limiting the direction to reach the passing point by the direction designated by the direction designation means, the angle designated by the angle designation means, and the radius designated by the distance designation means.

  A configuration of a route search apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The route search device in this embodiment is configured as a navigation device 1. The navigation device 1 includes a position detector 10, a map data input device 15, an operation unit 16, an external memory 20, a display device 21, a speaker 22, and a control unit 23.

  The position detector 10 has sensors such as a well-known geomagnetic sensor 11, a gyroscope 12, a distance sensor 13, and a GPS receiver 14, and information for specifying the current position and direction of the vehicle from these sensors. Is output to the control unit 23.

  The map data input device 15 is a device for acquiring map data for map display and route search. The map data input device 15 reads necessary map data from a nonvolatile storage medium such as a hard disk drive in which the map data is stored in response to a request from the control unit 23.

  The operation unit 16 includes an operation switch group 17 including a push button switch provided around the display screen of the display device 21 and a touch switch provided in front of the display screen, and infrared rays based on a user operation. And the like, and a remote control sensor 19 for outputting a signal received from the operation remote control 18 to the control unit 23.

  The external memory 20 is a memory provided separately from a RAM and a ROM provided in the control unit 23 described later, and is configured by a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory.

  The display device 21 has a display screen such as a liquid crystal, and displays a video corresponding to the video signal input from the control unit 23 on the display screen. The speaker 22 outputs a sound corresponding to the sound signal input from the control unit 23.

  The control unit 23 is configured as a computer including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, an I / O, and the like, and the CPU performs various processes according to a program stored in the ROM.

  As processing of the control unit 23, current position specifying processing for specifying the current position and direction of the vehicle based on information for specifying the current position and direction of the vehicle input from the position detector 10, Map display processing for acquiring map data from the map data input device 15 and displaying a vehicle position mark on a map around the vehicle position, and destination search processing for searching for a destination according to the operation of the operation unit 16 by the user In addition, there are a route search process for searching for a guide route from a departure place (current position) to a destination using the Dijkstra method, a route guide process for performing route guidance according to the guide route, and the like.

  The navigation device 1 according to the present embodiment has a function of searching for a guidance route by limiting the direction of a road arriving at a destination according to a user operation.

  Next, a route search process by the control unit 23 will be described with reference to FIG. When the ignition switch of the vehicle changes from OFF to ON according to the user's operation, the navigation device 1 enters the operating state, and the control unit 23 starts processing such as current position specifying processing and map display processing. Further, when a signal instructing execution of the destination search process is input from the operation unit 16 in accordance with a user operation, the control unit 23 starts the process illustrated in FIG.

  First, the user is prompted to select a destination (S100). Specifically, a destination search process is performed according to the user's operation to display the searched facility on the display screen of the display device 21 and to prompt the user to select a destination.

  Next, a destination is determined (S102). Of the facilities displayed on the display screen of the display device 21, the facility specified by the user's operation of the operation unit 16 is determined as the destination. Note that a map around the determined destination is displayed on the display screen of the display device 21.

  Next, the user is prompted to select a search condition (S104). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a guidance start instructing unit S1 for instructing the start of route guidance on the display screen of the display device 21 and a direction designation for instructing the direction of the road arriving at the destination The instruction unit S2 is displayed, and the user is prompted to select each of the instruction units S1 and S2.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the direction designation is selected based on whether the guidance start instruction section S1 is selected or the direction designation instruction section S2 is selected (S106).

  If the guidance start instruction unit S1 is selected and operated without selecting the direction designation instruction unit S2, the determination in S106 is NO and after searching for a guidance route from the departure point (current position) to the destination ( S107), route guidance is started according to the guidance route (S108). Then, when arriving at the destination, this process is terminated.

  If the direction designation instruction unit S2 is selected and operated in accordance with the display screen shown in FIG. 3, the determination in S106 is YES, and then the conditions for the destination are set (S110). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, direction designation switches A1 and A2, angle designation switches B1 and B2, and distance designation switch C1 for limiting the direction of arrival to the destination as an area based on the destination. , C2 is displayed on the display screen, and the direction of arrival at the destination is limited according to the operation on these switches.

  The direction designation switches A1 and A2 are switches for designating a direction based on the destination. The angle designation switches B1 and B2 are switches for designating an angle around the direction specified according to the operation of the direction designation switches A1 and A2 with the destination as a reference. The distance designation switches C1 and C2 are switches for designating a radius based on the destination.

  By operating these designation switches A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2, an area based on the destination G as indicated by the hatched portion in FIGS. 5A and 5B is specified. ing.

  Each time the direction designation switch A1 is operated, the direction moves clockwise by a certain angle (for example, 30 °) with respect to the destination G. Each time the direction designation switch A2 is operated, the direction becomes the destination. It moves by a certain angle (for example, 30 degrees) counterclockwise with respect to the ground G.

  Each time the angle designation switch B1 is operated, the angle increases by a certain angle (for example, 5 °), and each time the angle designation switch B2 is operated, the angle is a certain angle (for example, 5 °). It gets smaller.

  Each time the distance designation switch C1 is operated, the radius is increased by a certain distance (for example, 100 meters), and each time the distance designation switch C2 is operated, the radius is a certain distance (for example, 100 meters). It gets shorter.

  In FIG. 5A, the direction of arrival at the destination G is designated north (upward in the figure) by the direction designation switches A1 and A2, and the direction designation switches A1 and A2 are operated by the angle designation switches B1 and B2. Accordingly, an area in which the angle based on the specified direction is designated as 60 ° and the distance designated from the destination G by the distance designation switches C1 and C2 is designated as 2 kilometers (km) is indicated by the hatched portion. .

  In FIG. 5B, the direction of arrival at the destination G is designated east (right direction in the figure) by the direction designation switches A1 and A2, and the direction designation switches A1 and A2 are designated by the angle designation switches B1 and B2. The area specified by the direction specified by the operation as 30 ° and the distance specified by the distance specification switches C1 and C2 as the distance from the destination G as 1.5 kilometers (km) is the shaded area. It is represented.

  As described above, the direction of arrival at the destination according to the operation on the direction designation switches A1 and A2, the angle designation switches B1 and B2, and the distance designation switches C1 and C2 displayed on the display screen is a region based on the destination. As specified.

  Next, a route search is performed (S112). Specifically, a guide route from the departure point (current position) to the destination is searched so as to arrive at the destination G from the road included in the area specified in S110.

  In this embodiment, first, a road that is connected to the destination G and is included in the region is extracted, and a route that arrives at the destination G from the extracted road is specified. When the area indicated by the shaded area in FIG. 5A is set, as shown in FIG. 6, first, the road R1 connected to the destination G and included in the area is extracted. The route that directly arrives at the destination G from the extracted road R1 is specified. Then, a route R2 connecting the starting point (current position) and this route is searched, and a guide route (indicated by a dotted line in the figure) from the starting point to the destination is specified. When a plurality of routes satisfying the above conditions are found, the route with the lowest route cost is determined as the guide route.

  Next, the entire route diagram is displayed (S114). This all route map display is a process of displaying all guide routes from the departure point to the destination on the map.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the condition is to be corrected (S116). Specifically, a display screen for confirming whether or not the condition setting set in S110 is corrected is displayed on the display screen of the display device 21 and whether or not there is an operation for instructing correction for the condition setting. Whether to correct the condition is determined based on the above.

  When the user performs an operation for instructing correction of the condition setting, the process returns to S110, the condition setting is changed according to the user's operation, and the route search is performed again in S112 according to the changed condition.

  If the user does not perform an operation for instructing correction of the condition setting, the determination in S116 is NO, and then it is determined whether or not a passing point is to be added (S118). Specifically, a screen for confirming whether or not to set a passing point is displayed on the display screen of the display device 21, and the passing point is determined based on whether or not an instruction to add a passing point is operated according to the screen display. It is determined whether or not to set.

  When an instruction to add a passing point is operated, a passing point is set (S120). This passing point is set by designating a specific point on the map by a user operation.

  Next, conditions are set for the passing point (S122). The condition setting for this passing point is performed by the same operation as the condition setting for the destination in S110. That is, the operation is performed by operating the direction specifying switches A1 and A2, the angle specifying switches B1 and B2, and the distance specifying switches C1 and C2 as shown in FIG.

  As a result of such an operation, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the direction of arrival at the passing point P is set as an area (shown by hatching) with respect to the passing point P, the process returns to S110, and the process returns to S122. The guide route is searched for in S112 so that both the condition set in step S110 and the condition set in S110 are satisfied.

  FIG. 8 shows how a route search is performed when a passing point P and a direction to reach the passing point P are set in order to avoid the congested section C. As a result of a user operation, the area indicated by the shaded area in FIG. 5A is set as a condition for the destination G, and the area indicated by the shaded area in FIG. . In this case, the vehicle reaches the passing point P from the road included in the region set for the passing point P, and passes through the passing point P, and is included in the region set for the destination G. The guide route is searched so as to reach the destination from the road.

  In the present embodiment, first, a road R3 connected to the passing point P and included in the region set with respect to the passing point P is extracted, and the passing point P is extracted from the road R3 extracted from the current position as a departure point. Identify the route to reach. Next, after passing through this passing point P, the guide route is connected so as to arrive at the destination G directly from the road R4 that is connected to the destination G and included in the area set for the destination G. Explore. In this way, a guide route (indicated by a dotted line in the figure) from the departure point to the destination G via the passing point P is searched.

  If the user performs an operation for instructing a change in the condition setting, the determination in S116 is NO. If the user does not operate the instruction to add a passing point, the determination in S118 is NO, and the process proceeds to S108. The route guidance is started in accordance with the searched guidance route.

  According to the configuration described above, the direction of arrival at the destination according to the user's operation is limited as an area based on the destination, and the destination is connected to the destination and from the road included in the limited area. Since the guide route is searched so as to arrive at the ground, the guide route can be searched by limiting the direction of the road arriving at the destination by the user's operation.

  In addition, by specifying the passing point and limiting the direction to reach the passing point according to the user's operation as an area based on the passing point, the direction to reach the destination is limited. To reach the passing point from the road included in the area, pass through the passing point, connect to the destination, and reach the destination from the road included in the area where the direction of arrival at the destination is limited The guide route is searched for. In other words, the route search can be performed not only in the direction arriving at the destination but also in the passing point and the direction reaching the passing point.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Based on the meaning of this invention, it can implement with a various form.

  For example, in the above embodiment, in S110 and S122, an example in which a region for limiting the direction to reach the destination or the passing point is set according to the user's operation is shown. However, for example, the setting is performed in S110 and S122. If the guide route that satisfies the conditions is not searched, the conditions of S110 and S122 are gradually relaxed, that is, the area for limiting the direction to reach the destination and the passing point is gradually increased, and S110, A function of re-searching for a guide route that satisfies the conditions set in S122 may be provided.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, as shown to Fig.5 (a), (b), FIG. 7, although the example which designates the destination and the direction which arrives at a passing point was shown as a fan-shaped area | region, this was shown. It is not limited to the designation by such a shape, but the area may be designated by another shape.

  The correspondence relationship between the configuration of the above embodiment and the configuration of the claims will be described. S110 corresponds to a destination arrival direction limited hand, S112 corresponds to a route search means, and direction designation switches A1 and A2 Corresponding to direction specifying means, angle specifying switches B1 and B2 correspond to angle specifying means, distance specifying switches C1 and C2 correspond to distance specifying means, S120 corresponds to passing point specifying means, and S122 reaches the passing point. It corresponds to the direction limiting means.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the route search apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the route search process by a control part. It is a figure for demonstrating a guidance start instruction | indication part and a direction designation | designated instruction | indication part. It is a figure for demonstrating a direction designation | designated switch, an angle designation | designated switch, and a distance designation | designated switch. It is a figure which shows the example of a setting of the area | region for limiting the direction which arrives at the destination. It is a figure for demonstrating route search. It is a figure which shows the example of a setting of the area | region for limiting the direction which arrives at a passing point. It is a figure for demonstrating route search.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus, 10 ... Position detector, 11 ... Geomagnetic sensor,
12 ... Gyroscope, 13 ... Distance sensor, 14 ... GPS receiver,
15 ... Map data input device, 16 ... Operation part, 17 ... Operation switch group,
18 ... Operation remote control, 19 ... Remote control sensor, 20 ... External memory, 21 ... Display device,
22 ... Speaker, 23 ... Control part.

Claims (4)

A route search device for searching for a guide route from a starting point to a destination,
Destination arrival direction limiting means for limiting the direction of arrival at the destination according to a user operation as an area based on the destination;
Route search means for searching the guide route so as to arrive at the destination from a road included in the area that is connected to the destination and limited by the destination arrival direction limiting means. A route search device characterized by the above. The destination arrival direction limiting means includes direction specifying means for specifying a direction based on the destination,
Angle designating means for designating an angle centered on the direction specified by the direction designating means with reference to the destination;
Distance specifying means for specifying a radius with respect to the destination, and
The region for limiting the direction of arrival at the destination is specified by the direction specified by the direction specifying means, the angle specified by the angle specifying means, and the radius specified by the distance specifying means. The route search apparatus according to claim 1. A passing point specifying means for specifying a passing point;
Passing point arrival direction limiting means for limiting the direction of reaching the passing point according to a user's operation as an area based on the passing point;
The route searching means is connected to the passing point and reaches the passing point from a road included in the area limited by the passing point arrival direction limiting means, and passes through the passing point. 3. The guide route is searched for so as to arrive at the destination from a road that is connected to the ground and is included in the area limited by the destination arrival direction limiting means. The described route search device. The passing point arrival direction limiting means includes direction specifying means for specifying a direction based on the passing point;
Angle designating means for designating an angle centered on the direction specified by the direction designating means with respect to the passing point;
A distance designating unit for designating a radius based on the passing point;
The region for limiting the direction to reach the passing point is specified by the direction specified by the direction specifying means, the angle specified by the angle specifying means, and the radius specified by the distance specifying means. The route search apparatus according to claim 3.

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