JP2009204591A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved navigator for solving the problem of a poorer visibility in conventional navigation systems, which occurs owing to smaller intersection closeup displayed on a monitor screen during route guidance. <P>SOLUTION: By using this new navigation system, a distance from one's own car J to the intersection K, and an approaching status to the intersection K are instantaneously viewed, because a screen coverage ratio of the intersection closeup displayed on the indicator is varied as the car approaches the intersection K. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device that displays the position of a host vehicle or a moving body on a screen.

  Conventionally, in a car navigation apparatus, route guidance is performed in response to setting of a destination. When an intersection that should be turned during route guidance (a so-called intersection of interest) approaches, it is generally performed that the distance to the intersection is guided by voice or a screen.

In addition, when the vehicle approaches the attention intersection, a split screen (or window) is provided in the entire screen displaying the map, and the attention intersection is enlarged and displayed on the divided screen. An apparatus for changing the scale of enlarged display is known (Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-54936 A

  However, the navigation device described in Patent Document 1 has poor visibility due to the fact that the enlarged view of the intersection divided and displayed on the display screen is small. As a result, there was a problem that the distance to the intersection could not be recognized instantly.

The invention according to claim 1 is a navigation device that displays an enlarged view including the attention intersection on the screen of a display when the current position of the moving body reaches within a predetermined distance until it reaches the attention intersection. When displaying an enlarged view on the screen of the display, the display area occupancy ratio of the enlarged view with respect to the screen of the display is changed according to the distance between the current position of the moving object and the intersection of interest. It has a display control means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the first aspect, the display control means increases the display area occupancy ratio of the enlarged view with respect to the screen of the display as the moving body approaches the attention intersection. Change stepwise or continuously.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the first or second aspect, the display area occupancy ratio of the enlarged view with respect to the screen of the display unit is the display length in the horizontal direction of the enlarged view, and the vertical direction. Is determined by changing one or both of the display lengths.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the display control means reaches a specific distance until the current position of the moving body reaches the attention intersection. Then, an enlarged view including the noted intersection is displayed on the entire screen of the display.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the display control means is responsive to a distance between the current position of the moving object and the intersection of interest. The scale of the enlarged view is also changed.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the display control means changes the color of the specific display part on the screen of the display unit to the current of the moving body. It changes according to the distance between a position and the said attention intersection.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the sixth aspect, the specific display portion on the screen of the display unit is a background on the display screen of the display unit and / or a route in the enlarged view. It is a guide arrow and / or road and / or own vehicle position mark.

  According to the present invention, the screen occupancy ratio of the enlarged intersection displayed on the display unit changes as the intersection is approached, so that the distance to the intersection and the approach situation to the intersection can be visually recognized instantaneously.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a navigation apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In this figure, the navigation apparatus 1 can designate a desired position on the road map by pressing the touch panel 18. The navigation device 1 includes a control circuit 11, ROM 12, RAM 13, current location detection device 14, image memory 15, display monitor 16, input device 17, touch panel 18, and disk drive 110.

  The touch panel 18 is a transparent touch switch laminated on the surface of the display monitor 16, and an image displayed on the display monitor 16 is displayed through the touch panel 18. The touch panel 18 sends a signal corresponding to the operation position on the touch panel 18 to the touch panel control unit 19, and the touch panel control unit 19 calculates the pressed position of the touch panel 18.

  The control circuit 11 includes a microprocessor and its peripheral circuits, and performs various controls by executing a control program stored in the ROM 12 using the RAM 13 as a work area. When the control circuit 11 performs a predetermined route search process based on the map data stored in the DVD-ROM 111, the processing result is displayed on the display monitor 16 as a recommended route. The processing of the flowchart described in detail later is executed by the control circuit 11.

  The current position detection device 14 is a device that detects the current position of the vehicle. For example, a vibration gyro 14a that detects the traveling direction of the vehicle, a vehicle speed sensor 14b that detects the vehicle speed, and a GPS signal from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite. It consists of GPS sensor 14c and the like. The navigation device 1 determines a map display range, a route search start point, and the like based on the current location of the vehicle detected by the current location detection device 14, and displays the current location on the map.

  The image memory 15 stores image data to be displayed on the display monitor 16. The image data includes road map drawing data and various graphic data, which are appropriately generated based on the map data stored in the DVD-ROM 111 read by the disk drive 110. The navigation device 1 can perform map display and the like by using the image data generated in this way.

  The disk drive 110 reads map data for displaying a map on the display monitor 16 from the loaded DVD-ROM 111. The map data includes map display data, route search data, and the like. The map display data and the route search data include road link information and node information stored in the map data. The map display data has map data of a plurality of scales from a wide area to details, and the scale of the display map can be changed according to a passenger's request. The map data may be read from a recording medium other than the DVD-ROM 111, such as a CD-ROM or a hard disk.

  The display monitor 16 provides the occupant with various information such as a road map near the vehicle position as a screen display based on various information such as map data. The input device 17 has an input switch for a passenger to set various commands, and is realized by a remote controller or the like. The occupant selects and sets the destination by manually operating the input device 17 in accordance with instructions on the display screen of the display monitor 16.

  As described above, the touch panel 18 is a transparent panel provided on the monitor screen of the display monitor 16, and the display screen displayed on the display monitor 16 is displayed through the touch panel 18. Further, when the display screen of the display monitor 16 is pressed, the touch panel 18 is pressed. The touch panel 18 has an input function like the input device 17. When the map screen, various buttons, display menu, etc. displayed on the display monitor 16 are pressed with a finger, the touch panel 18 is pressed, and the touch position is calculated by the touch panel control unit 19. Then, the calculated pressing position is input to the control circuit 11, and a destination is set, or functions corresponding to various buttons and display menus are executed.

  When the destination is set by the occupant, the navigation apparatus 1 performs a route calculation from the current location detected by the GPS sensor 14c to the destination based on a predetermined algorithm. Hereinafter, this route calculation is called a search calculation. The route obtained in this way (hereinafter referred to as a recommended route) is displayed on the screen separately from other roads by changing the display form, for example, the display color. Thus, the passenger can recognize the recommended route on the map on the screen. In addition, the navigation device 1 displays the recommended route on the road map displayed on the display monitor 16 so that the vehicle can travel according to the recommended route, and instructs the occupant in the traveling direction by a screen, voice, etc. Route guidance (hereinafter referred to as route guidance).

  When approaching an intersection that makes a right turn or a left turn during route guidance (hereinafter referred to as an intersection of interest), an enlarged view of the intersection is displayed on a part of the road map displayed on the display monitor 16. Specifically, the display monitor 16 is divided into two, a road map is displayed on the left side, and an enlarged view of the intersection including the target intersection and the vehicle position mark is displayed on the right side.

  In the present embodiment, there is a feature in the display form of this enlarged intersection view. Therefore, the relationship between the progress status of the host vehicle and the display screen will be described with reference to FIGS.

After the route guidance is started, when the position of the vehicle is further than 500 m from the intersection of interest, a road map including the recommended route and the vehicle position mark are displayed on the display screen of the display monitor 16. Thereafter, when the distance between the host vehicle and the intersection of interest reaches 500 m, an enlarged view of the intersection is displayed on the right side of the display screen of the display monitor 16 as shown in FIG. Here, K in the figure is the attention intersection, and _J500 is the vehicle position mark. Further, the horizontal length of the display screen is A, the vertical length of the display screen is B, and the horizontal length of the enlarged intersection view is a1. Here, A: a1 = 10: 3. The longitudinal length of the intersection enlarged view is B.

Until the own vehicle travels toward the noticeable intersection K and the distance to the noticeable intersection K reaches 300 m, an enlarged view of the intersection as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed. Of course, with the progress of the vehicle, the vehicle position mark J ₅₀₀ in enlarged intersection is sequentially display position will change.

When the distance between the vehicle and the intersection of interest K reaches 300 m, the display screen of the display monitor 16 changes as shown in FIG. That is, a larger intersection enlarged view is displayed on the right side of the display screen of the display monitor 16. Here, _J300 is a vehicle position mark. The horizontal direction length of the intersection enlarged view is a2 (a2> a1). Here, A: a2 = 10: 7. There is no change in the longitudinal length B of the intersection enlarged view.

Further, until the vehicle advances toward the noticeable intersection K and the distance from the noticeable intersection K reaches 100 m, an enlarged view of the intersection as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed. However, with the progress of the vehicle, the vehicle position mark J ₃₀₀ in enlarged intersection is sequentially display position will change.

When the distance between the host vehicle and the target intersection K reaches 100 m, the display screen of the display monitor 16 changes as shown in FIG. That is, only the enlarged intersection view is displayed on the entire display screen of the display monitor 16. _{Here, J 100} is a self-vehicle position mark. As a result, the horizontal length of the intersection enlarged view is A (the vertical length B of the enlarged intersection view is not changed). Thereafter, when the own vehicle passes the noticeable intersection K and passes 50 m, the enlarged enlarged view of the intersection disappears and a normal road map with a recommended route is displayed on the display monitor 16.

As described above, in this embodiment, as the vehicle approaches the target intersection during route guidance, the screen occupancy ratio of the intersection enlarged view displayed on the display monitor gradually increases. Such display control is executed by the control circuit 11.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for setting the screen occupancy ratio of the enlarged intersection view displayed on the display monitor 16.

  In step S1, the distance between the vehicle position detected by the current position detection device 14 (see FIG. 1) and the intersection of interest is compared, and it is determined whether or not there is an intersection of interest within 500 meters ahead of the vehicle. If an affirmative determination is made in step S1, control proceeds to step S2.

  In step S2, the width occupancy ratio of the intersection enlarged view is set to 30%, and the display as shown in FIG. 2 is performed (the vertical width of the intersection enlarged view is unchanged).

  In step S3, the distance between the vehicle position and the target intersection is compared, and it is determined whether or not there is a target intersection within 300 m ahead of the host vehicle. If an affirmative determination is made in step S3, control proceeds to step S4. On the other hand, when a negative determination is made in step S3 (that is, when the vehicle position is between 500 m and 300 m to the intersection of interest), the enlarged display as shown in FIG. 2 is continued. However, the display position of the vehicle position mark in the enlarged intersection map is changed as the vehicle travels.

  In step S4, the display of FIG. 3 is performed with the horizontal occupancy ratio of the intersection enlarged view set to 70% (the vertical width of the intersection enlarged view is unchanged).

  In step S5, the distance between the vehicle position and the intersection of interest is compared, and it is determined whether or not there is an intersection of interest within 100 meters ahead of the vehicle. If an affirmative determination is made in step S5, control proceeds to step S6. On the other hand, when a negative determination is made in step S5 (that is, when the vehicle position is between 300 m and 100 m up to the intersection of interest), the enlarged display as shown in FIG. 3 is continued. However, the display position of the vehicle position mark in the enlarged intersection map is changed as the vehicle travels.

  In step S6, the width occupancy of the enlarged intersection view is set to 100%, and the display as shown in FIG. 4 is performed (that is, the full screen display is performed on the display monitor). However, the display position of the vehicle position mark in the enlarged intersection map is changed as the vehicle travels.

In step S7, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle has passed the attention intersection. If an affirmative determination is made in step S7, the intersection enlarged display is turned off when 50 m has passed from the target intersection. On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step S7 (that is, when the vehicle position is between 100 m and 0 m to the intersection of interest), the enlarged display as shown in FIG. 4 is continued. However, the display position of the vehicle position mark in the enlarged intersection map is changed as the vehicle travels.
The intersection enlarged display control by the control circuit 11 is thus completed.

-Effects of the embodiment-
According to the present embodiment, the following actions and effects can be achieved.

(1) As the distance between the vehicle position and the intersection of interest gets closer, the enlarged view of the intersection displayed in the display monitor gradually increases in size, so intuitive attention without gazing at the display screen Is aroused.
(2) In order to drive according to the route guidance, the driver usually pays attention to the surrounding situation and the display monitor as he approaches the attention intersection, but in this embodiment, the driver approaches the attention intersection. A magnified view of the intersection is displayed. As a result, the display content of the monitor screen can be viewed in a shorter time, and driving errors such as failure to turn right can be reduced.
(3) In this embodiment, the state near the intersection is forcibly displayed in a large size, so even if the user misses the voice guidance during route guidance or underlooks the monitor screen, More reliable route guidance can be provided to the driver.
(4) In this embodiment, when a short distance of 100 m is reached to the intersection of interest, normal map display is prohibited and only the enlarged intersection map is displayed on the display monitor. As a result, the driver can see a more detailed display near the intersection.

-Modification-
The navigation device to which the present invention is applied can adopt a modified configuration as listed below in addition to the configuration described above.
(1) When the screen occupancy ratio of the enlarged intersection view is changed stepwise as the host vehicle approaches the intersection, only the lateral width of the enlarged intersection view is not changed, but as shown in FIG. The horizontal width An and the vertical width Bn can be changed simultaneously.
(2) When the screen occupancy ratio of the enlarged intersection map changes stepwise as the host vehicle approaches the intersection, the scale of each enlarged intersection map can be changed as appropriate. As a result, it is possible to provide route guidance screens adapted to various display monitor screen sizes.
(3) When changing the screen occupancy ratio of the enlarged intersection view according to the distance between the vehicle position and the intersection of interest, it is not always necessary to change the screen occupancy ratio step by step. It is also possible to continuously change the screen occupancy ratio of the enlarged intersection view according to the use of the navigation device.
(4) Although the in-vehicle navigation device has been described so far, the present invention is not limited to the in-vehicle type, and can be incorporated into devices for various purposes. For example, it can be applied to a portable information terminal or an outdoor compass.
(5) In order to further improve the visibility of the user, it is also possible to change the color of a specific display part. For example, according to the distance between the current position of the mobile body (the own vehicle or portable information terminal) equipped with the navigation device and the intersection of interest,
i) Background color on the display screen of the display monitor
ii) Color of the arrow for route guidance in the enlarged intersection map
iii) Road color in the enlarged intersection map
iv) Visibility can be improved by changing the color of the vehicle position mark in the enlarged intersection map.

  The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications unless the features of the present invention are impaired. Further, other forms conceivable within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention.

The correspondence between the constituent elements described in the claims and the embodiment is as exemplified below.
The navigation device described in claim 1 corresponds to the navigation device 1 of FIG. The enlarged view including the noted intersection corresponds to the enlarged intersection shown on the right side of FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 6. Display control means for changing the display area occupancy of the display on the screen in accordance with the distance between the current position of the moving object and the intersection of interest corresponds to the control circuit 11 of FIG.
It should be noted that the above correspondence relationship is not limited in interpreting the present invention.

It is a block diagram which shows the whole structure of the navigation apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the progress condition of the own vehicle, and the display screen during route guidance. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the progress condition of the own vehicle, and the display screen during route guidance. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the progress condition of the own vehicle, and the display screen during route guidance. It is a flowchart which shows the display control procedure for setting the screen occupation rate of the intersection enlarged view currently displayed on the display monitor. As another modification, it is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the progress condition of the own vehicle, and the display screen during route guidance.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Navigation apparatus 11 Control circuit 16 Display monitor 18 Touch panel 19 Touch panel control part K Interesting intersection J Own vehicle position mark

Claims (7)

A navigation device that displays an enlarged view including the noted intersection on the screen of a display when the current position of the moving body reaches within the predetermined distance until reaching the noted intersection,
When displaying the enlarged view on the screen of the display, the display area occupancy of the enlarged view with respect to the screen of the display is changed according to the distance between the current position of the moving object and the intersection of interest. A navigation apparatus comprising display control means for causing the display control means to operate. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control means changes the display area occupancy ratio of the enlarged view with respect to the screen of the display stepwise or continuously as the moving body approaches the attention intersection. The navigation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The display area occupation ratio of the enlarged view with respect to the screen of the display device is determined by changing either or both of the display length in the horizontal direction and the display length in the vertical direction of the enlarged view. A navigation device characterized by the above. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The display control means displays an enlarged view including the attention intersection on the entire screen of the display when the current position of the moving body reaches a certain distance until reaching the attention intersection. A navigation device. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the display control means changes the scale of the enlarged view in accordance with the distance between the current position of the moving object and the intersection of interest. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control means changes a color of a specific display portion on the screen of the display device according to a distance between a current position of the moving body and the intersection of interest. The navigation device according to claim 6, wherein
The specific display area on the display screen is a background on the display screen of the display and / or a route guidance arrow and / or a road and / or a vehicle position mark in the enlarged view. A featured navigation device.

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