JP2009092534A - Navigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide "a navigation apparatus" for performing support so that a vehicle can certainly arrive at a desired point around a destination. <P>SOLUTION: When the vehicle travels along a guidance route and reaches a position within a predetermined distance from the destination, the record of the travel track is started. Then, the map display contraction scale is changed to a predetermined contraction scale allowing clear visual inspection to a narrow street, and the guide image displayed on a display device 3 is obtained by enlarging and displaying a map image so as to allow clear visual inspection of the current position circumference, up to a narrow street (a). Display of the travel track on the map image is started, and the guide image displayed on the display device 3 is obtained by displaying, on the map image, the travel track 500 extending with the travel of the vehicle (b, c and d). Here, the travel track 500 is displayed as a display form different from the route diagram showing the guidance route so that it can be distinguished from the guidance route. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for guiding around a destination in a navigation device mounted on an automobile.

As a technique for performing guidance around a destination in a navigation device mounted on an automobile, a technique for enlarging and displaying a map around the destination when approaching the destination is known (for example, Patent Document 1).
In a navigation device mounted on an automobile, a technique is also known in which when the automobile deviates from a road registered in road map data, the traveling locus of the automobile is superimposed and displayed on a map ( For example, Patent Document 2).
JP-A-6-138202 JP 2003-181073 A

  A user may set a point that is easy to set as a destination near the point where the user really wants to arrive as a destination for the navigation apparatus. In this case, when the user reaches the vicinity of the set destination, the user searches for a point where he / she really wants to arrive while driving based on the map displayed on the navigation device and the surrounding scenery. However, in such a case, if the user remembers the exact position of the point where he really wants to arrive, or if the surrounding road network is complicatedly formed by narrow streets, according to Patent Document 1 Even based on the enlarged map, the user may not be able to correctly select a route to a point where the user really wants to arrive, and may get lost in the area.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to support the user so that the user can reliably arrive at a desired point around the destination set in the navigation device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a current position calculating means for calculating a current position, a destination setting means for setting a destination according to a user's specification, and the destination setting in a navigation device mounted on an automobile. The route to the destination set by the means is searched based on map data and set as a guide route, and the current position, the destination and the guide route are displayed on the map represented by the map data. Guidance means for displaying the represented guide image, and travel locus display means for displaying the travel locus of the automobile on the guide image, wherein the current position calculated by the current position calculation means is the travel locus display means. The display of the travel locus is started when the vicinity of the destination is reached.

  According to such a navigation device, when the vehicle approaches the vicinity of the destination, the travel locus of the automobile is displayed in the guide image representing the current position on the map. Therefore, the user can easily identify an untraveled road section from the travel locus on the displayed map, and can travel on each road section around the destination without omission. Even in the case of surrounding points, the desired destination point can be reliably found and reached.

  Here, in such a navigation device, when the current position calculated by the current position calculation means reaches the vicinity of the destination in the travel locus display means, a map display scale in the guide image is set to a predetermined scale. It is also preferable that the display of the travel locus is started after the scale is changed.

  Further, in such a navigation device, the destination setting means accepts designation of information specifying the area from the user, and the representative of the area set in advance for the area specified by the received information is designated. Only when the point is set as a destination and the destination is set by setting the representative point as the destination by the destination setting means in the travel locus display means, the travel locus You may comprise so that display may be performed. In this case, the information for specifying the area for which the destination setting means accepts the designation is the area name of the area or the area code or area code of the telephone number used in the area. It may be the area code or the postal code or the upper three digits of the postal code.

  By doing in this way, when it is clear that the destination desired by the user is not a point set as the destination, it is possible to display the travel locus, when unnecessary for the user It is possible to perform efficient destination periphery guidance that eliminates the complexity of displaying the travel locus.

  Further, in the above navigation device, when the current position calculated by the current position calculation means is in the vicinity of the destination, when approaching an intersection, the navigation device goes to an untraveled road section around the destination. It is preferable to further provide an untraveled road section travel guide means for guiding the passing direction of the intersection.

  In this way, the user can more efficiently and efficiently travel on each road around the destination without omission.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to support the arrival at a desired point around the destination set in the navigation device with certainty.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an in-vehicle system according to the present embodiment.
The in-vehicle system is a system mounted on an automobile, and includes a navigation device 1, an operation unit 2, a display device 3, a speaker 4, a vehicle state sensor 5, and a GPS receiver 6 as illustrated. Configured. Here, the vehicle state sensor 5 is various sensors that detect various states of the vehicle, 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 includes a recording device 11 such as a DVD drive or HDD that stores map data representing a map or data for various services, a current state calculation unit 12, a route search unit 13, a memory 14, and an audio output device 15. A control unit 16, a guide image generation unit 17, and a GUI control unit 18 that controls input / output with the user using the operation unit 2 and the display device 3.

  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.

Here, the service data recorded in the recording device 11 in addition to the map data includes a telephone number corresponding point database and an address corresponding point database used for destination setting.
As shown in FIG. 2a, the telephone number corresponding point database is a database in which the telephone numbers of the respective fixed telephone subscribers are hierarchically registered using the area codes of the area code, the local area code, and the subscriber number. For each number registered in each layer, the area where the number is used and the coordinates of the representative point of the address are registered as the representative point coordinates.

  That is, for 0246 registered in the area code area hierarchy, the coordinates (x01, point of the point representing the area where 0246 is used as the area code (for example, the point that is approximately the center of the area) y01) is registered as the coordinates of the representative point, and 0246-21 is used as the area code-city code for the area code 21 registered below the area code number 0246. The coordinates (x03, y03) of the point that is representative of the area (for example, the point that is approximately the center of the area) are registered as the representative point coordinates, and are subordinate to the city code 21 that is lower than the area code number 0246 For the subscriber number 0123 registered in, as the area code-city code-subscriber number, the coordinates (x05, y05) of the subscriber's address having 0246-21-0123 are the representative point coordinates. It is registered.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 2b, the address corresponding point database hierarchically divides each address using each level of address, such as prefecture, city, town, village, town square, letter chome, street address, and number. In the registered database, for each name / number registered in each level, the coordinates of the representative point of the area and address where the name / number is used are registered as the representative point coordinates.

  That is, for example, for Tokyo registered at the level of a prefecture, coordinates (x11, y11) of a representative point of Tokyo (for example, a point approximately in the center of Tokyo, the location of a Tokyo Metropolitan Government, or a Tokyo station) ) Is registered as the representative point coordinates, and for the city county: Chiyoda-ku registered in the subordinate of the Tokyo Metropolitan area, a point that is representative of Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (for example, approximately the center of the Chiyoda City) The coordinates (x13, y13) of the location and ward office location) are registered, and for the town large characters registered below the Chiyoda Ward: Kasumigaseki, the representative point of Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (for example, The coordinates (x15, y15) of the approximate center of Kasumigaseki and Kasumigaseki Station are registered, and for the letter chome registered at the lower level of the Kasumigaseki: 1 for 1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo A representative point (for example, an abbreviation of 1-chome) The coordinates (x17, y17) of the center point) are registered, and for the address registered at the lower level of the letter chome: 1, the point that is the representative of the first place in Kasumigaseki 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo The coordinates (x19, y19) of the location (for example, the point that is the approximate center of the first location) are registered, and for the issue: 1 registered below the address: 1, Chiyoda-ku, Kasumigaseki, Tokyo The coordinates (x21, y21) of the address point of Ichibanichi No. 1 are registered.

In addition, as with these phone number corresponding point database and address corresponding point database, the postal code corresponding points where the correspondence between the postal code and the representative point coordinates are registered hierarchically using the upper three digits and the lower four digits. A database or the like may be provided in the recording device 11.
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 recording device 11 with respect to the current position estimated from the outputs of the vehicle state sensor 5 and the GPS receiver 6. 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 are set in the memory 14.

In addition, the control unit 16 receives a destination setting from the user via the operation unit 2 and the GUI control unit 18, and sets it in the memory 14.
Here, the destination set by the control unit 16 is received from the user by receiving a point designated by the user on the map as a destination or by selecting a point selected from a list of points registered in advance. It is done by accepting it as the ground. Moreover, the control part 16 receives designation | designated of the point as a destination also by designation | designated of a telephone number, an address, and a postal code.

  The user can also specify the destination only by the numbers of only a part of the upper hierarchy of the telephone number corresponding point database. In this case, the control unit 16 accepts and sets the representative point coordinates registered in the telephone number corresponding point database for the number of the lowest layer in the hierarchy in which the number is designated as the destination.

  That is, when only the city code is designated by the user, the control unit 16 sets the representative point coordinates registered in the telephone number corresponding point database for the designated area code as the destination, If only the area code and local area code are specified, the representative point registered in the phone number corresponding point database for the specified local area code registered below the specified area code When the coordinates are set as the destination and the area code, local area code, and subscriber number are specified, the specified area code and the registered local area code are registered below the specified area code. For each subscriber number, the coordinates of the representative point registered in the telephone number corresponding point database are set as the destination.

  Similarly, the user can specify the destination only by the place name / number of only a part of the upper hierarchy in the hierarchy of the address corresponding point database. In this case, the control unit 16 accepts and sets the representative point coordinates registered in the address-corresponding point database for the place name / number of the lowest layer in the hierarchy in which the place name / number is designated as the destination.

  That is, for example, when only the prefecture is designated by the user, the control unit 16 sets, as the destination, the representative point coordinates registered in the address corresponding point database for the designated prefecture. If only the prefecture and city are specified by the user, they are registered in the phone number corresponding point database for the specified city registered in the lower level of the specified prefecture. Set the representative point coordinates as the destination. In addition, if only the prefecture, city, county and town letter are specified by the user, the phone number corresponding point for the designated town letter registered below the designated prefecture, city, county Set the representative point coordinates registered in the database as the destination. In addition, for other towns and villages, street addresses and issue numbers, if they are the lowest place names / numbers specified, they are registered with each place name / number of the higher layer specified as the higher order. Receiving and setting the representative point coordinates registered in the place-corresponding point database as the destination for the towns, villages and addresses.

Similarly, the control unit 16 designates only the upper three digits of the hierarchy of the above-described postal code correspondence point database from the user, or the upper three digits and the lower four digits, for a total of seven digits. It is also possible to set a destination by accepting designation of a number.
Now, the control part 16 makes the route search part 13 search for the guidance route to the destination. The route search unit 13 reads out map data in the necessary geographical range from the recording device 11, and sets a minimum cost route from the current position to the destination set in the memory 14 to a predetermined cost such as a minimum distance and a minimum time. A search is performed based on the model, and the searched route is set as a guide route, and route data of the guide route is set in the memory 14.

  Further, if the current position indicated by the current position information set in the memory 14 becomes a position deviating from the guidance route indicated by the guidance route data set in the current memory, the control unit 16 presents the current position at the time. Processing for resetting the guide route by causing the route search unit 13 to re-search the route with the lowest cost from the position to the destination, and updating the guide route data in the memory 14 with the route data of the searched route. Also do.

  Further, the control unit 16 periodically calculates a map display range, and displays a guide image of the calculated map display range on the navigation window set on the display screen of the display device 3 in the guide image generation unit 17. Repeat the requested process. The calculation of the map display range is a range around the current position where the map display range is set in the memory 14, and the size of the map representing the map display range at the display map scale selected by the user is determined by the navigation window. This is done by calculating the map display range so that the size matches the size.

  Now, the guidance image generation unit 17 requested to display the guidance image from the control unit 16 in this way generates a map image by drawing a map based on the map data. In addition, the guide image generation unit 17 draws a current position mark indicating the current position set in the memory 14 on the drawn map image, and the navigation window of the display device 3 via the GUI control unit 18 as a guide image. To display. In addition, when a guidance route is set, the guidance image generation unit 17 draws a route graphic indicating the guidance route within the map display range on the map image in the guidance image to be displayed. When the destination is included in the map display range, the destination mark indicating the destination is also drawn in the guide image displayed on the display device 3.

  FIG. 3a shows an example of a guide image displayed in the navigation window 300 on the display screen of the display device 3 when the guidance route is set as described above, and is set on the entire display screen of the display device 3. The guide image displayed in the navigation window 300 includes a map image 301 representing a current position mark 302 representing a current position and a route graphic 303 representing a guide route within a map display range on a map image 301 representing a map around the current position. It is shown above. Further, in this example, since the destination is included in the map display range, the guide image further shows a destination mark 304 representing the destination on the map image 301.

  Here, when the guidance route is set, the control unit 16 also performs voice guidance on the guidance route using the voice output device 15. That is, when the control unit 16 approaches the intersection to be turned left or right according to the guidance route, the control unit 16 outputs a sound for guiding the right or left turn direction from the sound output device 15 or the destination approaches within a predetermined distance (for example, 500 m). If so, the voice output device 15 outputs a voice indicating that it has arrived around the destination. If the control unit 16 outputs a voice indicating that the destination has approached within a predetermined distance and has arrived around the destination from the voice output device 15, the guidance set for the destination set this time End the voice guidance for the route.

When the control unit 16 sets a new destination in the memory 14 in addition to the above processing, the control unit 16 performs the following destination periphery guidance processing.
FIG. 4 shows the procedure of the destination periphery guidance process.
As shown in the figure, in this process, first, it is monitored that the current position becomes a position around the destination (for example, within 1 km from the destination) (step 402). Then, if the current position becomes a position around the destination (step 402), an area around the destination (for example, an area within 1 km from the destination) is set as a peripheral guidance area (step 404). Then, the map display scale is set to a predetermined scale (step 406). This predetermined scale is set to a relatively small scale so that a narrow street can be clearly seen in the guide image displayed as shown in FIG. 3a.

  Next, recording of the travel locus (the locus of the current position) is started (step 408). Then, by instructing the drawing of the travel locus on the map image, the travel locus from the start of recording to the present in the guide image displayed on the guide image generation unit 17 is displayed on the map image. As shown in a superimposed form, a process for drawing the travel locus is performed (step 410), whether a guidance end instruction is generated from the user (step 412), or the above-described voice guidance for the guidance route is terminated. (Step 414), the process is repeated.

If an instruction to end guidance is generated from the user (step 412), the process proceeds to step 422. If voice guidance on the guidance route is completed (step 414), the process proceeds to step 416.
Then, when the process proceeds to step 416, until the guidance end instruction is generated from the user (step 420), the travel image from the start of recording to the present is displayed in the guide image generation unit 17 as described above. The process of drawing inside is repeated (step 418).
Further, every time the vehicle approaches the intersection within a predetermined distance (for example, 200 m) (step 410) until the guidance end instruction from the user is generated (step 420), it is not in the peripheral guidance area set in step 404. Whether or not there is a travel link is checked based on the map data and the stored travel trajectory (step 426). If there is a travel link, the link closest to the reference position among the untraveled links is set as the target link. The direction of passage (straight forward, left turn, right turn, etc.) at an approaching intersection suitable for heading for the target link is voice-guided through the voice output device 15 (step 428).
If a guidance end instruction is generated from the user (step 420), the process proceeds to step 422.

  Here, in the map data, the road network is defined as a set of links connecting the intersections. In step 410, an untraveled link in the surrounding guidance area is searched for in units of this link. In step 428, the current position or the destination is set as a reference position, and an untraveled link closest to the reference position is set as a target link. Further, the passing direction at the approaching intersection suitable for heading to the target link is, for example, the route search unit 13 having the lowest cost from the current position to the temporary destination with the midpoint of the target link as the temporary destination. The route is searched, and it is obtained by setting the passing direction at an approaching intersection along the searched route.

  In step 412 or 420, if a guidance end instruction is issued from the user, in step 422, the recording of the travel locus is terminated, and the display of the travel locus is erased and terminated in the guide image generation unit 17. The map display scale is returned to the scale before changing to the predetermined scale in step 407, and the process is terminated (step 424).

The destination periphery guidance process performed by the control unit 16 has been described above.
Hereinafter, a processing example of such destination periphery guidance processing will be shown.
Now, for example, as shown in FIG. 3b, it is assumed that the destination G312 and the guide route 313 are set when the vehicle is located at the current position 311. At this time, the guidance image displayed on the display device 3 is as shown in FIG.
After that, when the vehicle travels along the guidance route 313 and proceeds to the destination G312 to a position 321 within a predetermined distance, a surrounding guidance area 320 is set around the destination and recording of the travel locus is started.
Then, the map display scale is changed to a predetermined scale that can be clearly seen up to the narrow street, and the guide image displayed on the display device 3 can be clearly seen around the current position up to the narrow street as shown in FIG. 5a. The map image 301 is enlarged and displayed.
In addition, the display of the travel locus on the map image 301 is started, and the guide image displayed on the display device 3 has a travel locus 500 that extends as the vehicle travels as shown in FIGS. 5b, 5c, and 5d. It will be displayed on the image. Here, the travel locus 500 is displayed in a different display form (for example, different display colors) from the route graphic representing the guidance route so that it can be distinguished from the guidance route.

  According to such a display of the travel locus 500, when the user has a desired arrival point around the destination, the user identifies an untraveled road section from the travel locus on the displayed map, and Therefore, it is possible to reliably find and reach a desired destination without straying or the like.

In addition, as described above, when the current position approaches the destination to some extent and the voice guidance on the guidance route ends, an approach suitable for heading to the untraveled link closest to the reference position whenever the vehicle approaches the intersection. The direction of passage at the intersecting intersection is voice-guided.
That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 6a, when the destination 602 is set and the travel locus 603 is stored, if the current position 601 approaches the intersection 610, the reference position is set to the current position 601. The direction (left turn) passing through the intersection along the route 622 toward the link 621 is guided by voice, and when the reference position is the destination 602, the direction passing through the intersection along the route 632 toward the link 631 (straight ahead) ) Is guided by voice.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 6b, when the destination 602 is set and the travel locus 603 is stored, and the current position 601 approaches the intersection 650, the reference position is set to the current position 601. The direction (right turn) passing the intersection along the route 662 toward the link 661 is guided by voice, and when the reference position is the destination 602, the direction passing the intersection along the route 672 toward the link 671 (left turn) ) Is guided by voice.

Therefore, based on the voice guidance in the direction passing through such an intersection, the user can more efficiently and efficiently travel on each road section around the destination without omission.
The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
Incidentally, in the above embodiment, when a new destination is set in the memory 14, the destination periphery guidance processing shown in FIG. 4 is always performed. Only when the representative point coordinates registered in the phone number-corresponding point database, the address point-corresponding database, and the postal code-corresponding point database are set for areas including multiple points and address points instead of points and address points, You may make it perform destination periphery guidance processing. In other words, when the destination setting is accepted by specifying the high-order phone number from the user to the area code or the city code, to the prefecture, city, town, village, town, or chome If the destination is set by specifying only the upper part of an address with a lower place name / number, etc., or the destination is specified by specifying the postal code or its upper three digits, and it corresponds to the specification. The destination periphery guidance process may be performed only when the representative point coordinates corresponding to the representative point of the area to be set are set as the destination.

  In this case, in the destination periphery guidance process, the representative point coordinates received as the destination represent the representative point (the upper part of the telephone number designated by the user or the upper part of the address when setting the destination). In step 402, when the current position has entered the area or the postal code or the upper part thereof, it is determined that the current position has approached the vicinity of the destination, and the process proceeds to step 404. Set the area where the representative point coordinates received as the destination represent the representative point, change the map display scale (step 406), display the travel locus (step 410), and the untraveled links in the surrounding guidance area You may make it perform the process (step 418) of the passing direction of the approaching intersection for heading. That is, in this case, for example, when the area code 0xy is specified by the user and the representative point coordinates registered for the area code 0xy in the telephone number corresponding point database are set as the destination, When the current position enters an area where the area code 0xy is used, the area is set as a surrounding guidance area, and the subsequent processing is performed. Also, for example, when x prefecture y city z town is designated by the user and the representative point coordinates registered for x prefecture y city z town are set as the destination in the address corresponding point database, x prefecture When the current position enters y city z town, x city y city z town is set as the surrounding guidance area, and the subsequent processing is performed. In this case, the identification of the area of each region is performed by, for example, representing the representative point coordinates with respect to the representative point coordinates registered in the telephone number corresponding point database, the address corresponding point database, or the postal code corresponding point database. The information for identifying the region of the area representing is registered in advance, and the region of each region is identified from the information in these databases.

  By doing so, it is possible to perform the destination periphery guidance process only when it is clear that the destination desired by the user is not the point set as the destination, This makes it possible to perform efficient destination periphery guidance that eliminates the complexity of displaying the travel locus even when unnecessary for the user.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle-mounted system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the telephone number corresponding | compatible point database and the address corresponding | compatible point database which the navigation apparatus which concerns on 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 destination periphery guidance process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the process example of the destination periphery guidance process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the process example of the destination periphery guidance process which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus, 2 ... Operation part, 3 ... Display apparatus, 4 ... Speaker, 5 ... Vehicle state sensor, 6 ... GPS receiver, 11 ... Recording apparatus, 12 ... Current state calculation part, 13 ... Route search part, 14 ... Memory, 15 ... Audio output device, 16 ... Controller, 17 ... Guide image generator, 18 ... GUI controller.

Claims (6)

A navigation device mounted on a car,
Current position calculating means for calculating the current position;
Destination setting means for setting the destination according to the user's specification;
A guidance route setting means for searching a route to the destination set by the destination setting means based on map data and setting as a guidance route;
Guidance means for displaying a guidance image representing the current position, the destination and the guidance route on a map represented by the map data;
Traveling locus display means for displaying a traveling locus of the automobile on the guide image;
The travel trajectory display means starts displaying the travel trajectory when the current position calculated by the current position calculation means reaches the vicinity of the destination. The navigation device according to claim 1,
The travel locus display means changes the display scale of the map in the guide image to a predetermined scale when the current position calculated by the current position calculation means reaches the vicinity of the destination, and then A navigation apparatus characterized by starting display of a trajectory. The navigation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The destination setting means accepts designation of information specifying a region from a user, sets a representative point of the region that is set in advance for the region specified by the specified information as a destination,
The travel locus display means displays the travel locus only when the destination is set by setting the representative point as a destination by the destination setting means. Navigation device. The navigation device according to claim 3,
The information for specifying the area where the destination setting means accepts designation is the place name of the area, or the area code or area code and local area code of the telephone number used in the area, or the zip code or A navigation device characterized by the upper three digits of a postal code. The navigation device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4,
When the current position calculated by the current position calculation means is in the vicinity of the destination, when the vehicle approaches the intersection, the vehicle is not traveling to guide the passing direction of the intersection toward the untraveled road section around the destination A navigation device comprising road section travel guidance means. In a navigation device mounted on an automobile, a destination periphery guidance method for guiding a periphery of a destination,
Calculating the current position;
Setting a destination according to user specifications;
A step for guiding a user to a route to a set destination;
Starting a travel locus display process for displaying a guide image representing a travel locus of the vehicle on a map represented by the map data when a current position reaches the vicinity of the destination. How to guide around the destination.