JP2009257940A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To correctly set a road intended by a user when the user touches a desired road link on a displayed map image to designate a point and set a via-point. <P>SOLUTION: This navigation system includes a point setting means for specifying a road link corresponding to the point input by an inputting means and setting the road link as a destination or a via-point, a road comparing means, a scale changing means, and a display controlling means. The road comparing mean determines whether the road link specified by the point setting means is the road link corresponding to a road that is not displayed by the displaying means. When it is determined that it is the road link corresponding to the road that is not displayed, the scale changing means changes the scale to a scale allowing display of the road that is not displayed, and the display controlling means displays the road that is not displayed on the displaying means based on the changed scale. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device that searches for a guidance route from a departure point to a destination, displays a guidance route and a current position on a map displayed on a display unit, and performs route guidance. When setting a destination or waypoint by specifying a desired point on the displayed map with a touch panel, the road link corresponding to the specified point is a road link corresponding to the road not displayed on the display unit In some cases, the present invention relates to a navigation device that can accurately set a point by displaying a road that has not been displayed on the display unit by changing the scale of the map.

  Conventionally, when driving on a road with a car or the like, the current position is always obtained until reaching the destination, and the current position is displayed on the display screen together with the road map so that the user can reach the destination without getting lost. An in-vehicle navigation device that guides to a vehicle is known. In such a navigation apparatus, a GPS (Global Positioning System) positioning system using an artificial satellite is used to measure the current position. The GPS positioning system receives radio waves from a plurality of artificial satellites orbiting over the earth, and specifies the current position by calculating the received data.

  The current position specified by the GPS is compared with the map data stored in the map storage means or the like of the navigation device. For example, a matching process is performed on the road closest to the current position, and this position is used as the current position subjected to the matching process. Displayed on the display screen. As a result, even when there is a slight error in GPS positioning, it is possible to correct the current position on the road and display without a sense of incongruity.

  In addition, as a navigation device, a route search from the departure point specified by the user to the destination is performed, the guide route is displayed on the display screen, and the current position measured is compared with this guide route and the matching process is performed. There is also.

  In general, an in-vehicle navigation device includes a map storage unit that stores map data for displaying a route search and a map image, a route search unit, a current position detection unit, and the like. It is configured to search for the optimum route connecting the starting point and destination set by, and display the searched guidance route and the current position of the vehicle together with the map image on the display unit to guide the route to the destination Yes.

  In-vehicle navigation devices are also provided that include a touch panel on the display unit so that they can be operated without interfering with driving operations, and are considered to allow various operations. In such a navigation device, a desired selection item is selected on a menu screen displayed on the display unit to perform function selection or switching processing, or a desired point is touched on a map displayed on the display unit The destination and waypoints can be set by specifying the destination.

  For example, the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-328028) discloses an invention of a navigation device capable of generating a mark by an intuitive operation. This navigation device displays control buttons such as a mark setting button, a destination setting button, a waypoint setting button, and an erasing button associated with a specific process together with a map on the display unit. Then, when a specific mark setting button and arbitrary coordinates on the map M are designated by a drag operation on the touch panel, the mark generation processing unit places a mark object at a position on the map M corresponding to the designated coordinates. A desired point can be set by generating and displaying.

  Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-132777) below discloses an invention of a navigation device that guides a vehicle to a destination according to a route input by a touch panel operation. This navigation device is based on a trajectory of a user's touch position in a touch panel operation, and a road section (designated) specified by a user on a specific road among roads represented on a map displayed on a touch panel display monitor. Road section) is detected, and the length of the trajectory of the touch position is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and if the distance to the intersection is greater than or equal to the predetermined distance, the length is determined in the direction traced by the user along the specific road. An extended road section obtained by extending the designated road section by the distance is set to at least a part of the route.

  Furthermore, the following Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-35548) discloses an invention of a navigation device that can specify a road with high accuracy by a simple operation when it is desired to avoid the guided road. ing. In this navigation device, when a point on the map is designated using the touch panel, the avoidance road setting unit specifies a road existing at or near the designated point, and sets a link corresponding to the road. It was made to specify.

Then, the map drawing unit draws a map image whose display scale is set to be larger than the current set value, and then, when one point on the map is newly designated, the above-described process of specifying the link When the process of drawing a map image with a large display scale is repeated, and when an operation instruction for confirming a road identified based on one point as an avoidance target is performed, the avoidance road setting unit The link ID of the link corresponding to the identified road is configured to be stored in the avoidance road memory.
JP 2002-328028 A JP 2007-132777 A JP 2003-35548 A

  If the techniques disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are applied, in a vehicle-mounted navigation device, a destination, a waypoint, or a desired road can be specified using a touch panel without hindering driving operation. Can be operated easily.

  In general, the map image displayed on the display screen is displayed using map data of a scale that is determined so that a predetermined rectangular area is displayed on the screen. For this reason, roads and intersections that are not displayed are generated depending on the scale. Therefore, when specifying a specific point or road on the map image displayed on the display screen using the touch panel, whether or not the point touched with the finger accurately points to the point or road intended by the user. The problem arises that it is not always clear.

  The road information of the map data is added with attribute information such as the type of highway and national road and the width of the road, and depending on the scale when displaying the map, the road with a narrow width may be omitted. Therefore, when specifying a specific road on the displayed map image and setting the destination or waypoint, even if the displayed road is specified, it is actually not displayed and is not close to a narrow road with a narrow width. May be set.

  However, even if the techniques disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are applied, the above-described problems cannot be solved. Further, according to the technique of Patent Document 3, the map drawing unit draws a map image in which the display scale is set to be larger than the current setting value. On the other hand, since an avoidance road for avoiding traffic congestion is selected, it is sufficient that a desired avoidance road can be selected from the surrounding roads, and whether there is a road that is not displayed near the selected road. There is a problem that the road desired by the user cannot be accurately set as the destination or waypoint.

  As a result of various studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of the present application corresponded to the designated point when specifying the desired point on the displayed map and setting the destination or waypoint. When the road link is a road link corresponding to a road that is not displayed on the display section, it is possible to display the road that was not displayed on the display section by changing the map scale, so that the point can be set accurately. The present invention has been completed by conceiving that the above-mentioned problems can be solved if the above can be performed.

  That is, the present invention has an object to solve the above-described problems, and includes a touch panel on a display unit, which is used when setting a destination or waypoint by specifying a desired point on a displayed map. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a navigation device capable of accurately setting a road intended by a person.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is
An input means for designating a point on the map displayed on the display means, and a function for specifying a road link corresponding to the point inputted by the input means and setting the road link as a destination or a transit point In navigation devices,
The navigation device identifies a road link corresponding to the point input by the input unit, sets a road link as a destination or waypoint, a road comparison unit, a scale change unit, a display Control means,
The road comparing means determines whether or not the road link specified by the point setting means is a road link corresponding to a road not displayed on the display means, and a road corresponding to the road not displayed When it is determined that the link is a link, the scale changing means changes the scale to a scale that can display the road that is not displayed, and the display control means displays the display based on the changed scale. A road that has not been displayed is displayed on the display means.

  Further, the invention according to claim 2 of the present application is the navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the map is displayed on the map image displayed based on the scale change, and is set to a point corresponding to the road link specified by the point setting means. A point mark is displayed.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the first or second aspect, the road link specified by the point setting means by the road comparison means is not displayed on the display means. When it is determined that the road link corresponds to the point, the point setting means suspends the process of setting the identified road link as a destination or waypoint, and when the point is specified again, the point setting means The road link corresponding to the designated point is determined as the destination or waypoint.

  In the invention according to claim 1, the road comparing means determines whether or not the road link specified by the point setting means is a road link corresponding to a road not displayed on the display means, and the display When it is determined that the road link corresponds to a road that has not been made, the scale change means changes the scale to a scale that can display the road that is not displayed, and the display control means Based on the scale, the road that has not been displayed is displayed on the display means.

  According to such a configuration, when a desired point is specified on the displayed map and a destination or waypoint is set, a road link corresponding to the specified point is not displayed on the display means. Since the road that is not displayed can be displayed by changing the scale, the point intended by the user can be correctly set as the destination or the waypoint.

  In the invention according to claim 2, in the navigation device according to claim 1, on the map displayed based on the scale change, a set point mark is displayed at a point corresponding to the road link specified by the point setting means. To do.

  According to this configuration, if the user identifies the set point mark position, the user can know whether or not the desired point is correctly recognized as the set point. A point can be set as a destination or waypoint.

  In the invention according to claim 3, in the navigation device according to claim 1 or 2, the road corresponding to the road where the road link specified by the point setting means is not displayed on the display means by the road comparing means. When it is determined that it is a link, the point setting means suspends the process of setting the specified road link as a destination or waypoint, and when the point is specified again, the point setting means Confirm the corresponding road link as the destination or waypoint.

  According to such a configuration, if the user identifies the set point mark position, the user can know whether or not the desired point is correctly recognized as the set point. Since a desired point can be designated again and a set point can be determined, the point intended by the user can be correctly set as a destination or a waypoint.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples and drawings. However, the embodiments shown below exemplify a navigation device for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to specify the present invention for this navigation device. The present invention is equally applicable to navigation devices of other embodiments included in the scope.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an in-vehicle navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The navigation device 1 may be a navigation device that is used on a vehicle by being placed on a dashboard of a vehicle such as an automobile, and is of a type that can be removed from the vehicle and carried by the user. There may be. In the following description, these are collectively referred to as the navigation device 1.

  The navigation device 1 includes a control unit 10, a current position detection unit 11, a map storage unit 12, an input unit 13, a display unit 14, a route search unit 15, a point setting unit 16, a road comparison unit 17, and a scale change unit 19. The control means 18 is provided.

  The control means 10 is constituted by a processor including a CPU, RAM, and ROM (not shown), and controls the operation of each part of the navigation device 1 according to a control program recorded in the RAM and ROM.

  The current position detection means 11 is composed of, for example, a GPS receiver and receives radio waves including time information from a plurality of GPS satellites orbiting the earth and calculates current position information based on the received radio waves. It is.

  Further, the current position detection means 11 may be used in combination with a self-contained navigation means comprising a rudder angle sensor, an acceleration sensor, a distance sensor, a direction sensor, and the like. In this case, the travel distance and travel direction of the vehicle are detected, and the current position is obtained by adding these values to the reference position. This current position detection method, when combined with GPS reception, is effective in tunnels where GPS radio waves cannot be received or in high-rise buildings where errors are likely to occur.

  The map storage means 12 stores road node data including road node data and road link data in which nodes such as intersections and branch points of roads are nodes and links between the nodes are links. The road node data includes road node numbers, position coordinates, the number of connection links, intersection names, and the like. The road link data includes the number and position coordinates of road nodes as starting and ending points, road type, link type (link cost), required time, number of lanes, road width, and the like. Further, data such as bridges, tunnels, railroad crossings, and toll gates are added to the road link data as link attributes. The road type is information including a distinction between an expressway and a toll road and a distinction such as a national road or a prefectural road.

  The road data includes the location information of a specific area such as a parking area and a service area provided on each expressway in an expressway, an entry path to the specific area, and an exit path from the specific area for each specific area. Information is also included.

  The road data includes attribute information such as road types such as highways, national roads, prefectural roads, municipal roads, road widths, and the number of lanes, and is stored as map data according to the traveling direction of up and down.

  The map data stored in the map storage means 12 can be updated by downloading the latest map data from the server by connecting to the server via the Internet using a communication means (not shown).

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of road data included in the map data. As shown in FIG. 2, the road data stores, for each road (road name or road ID), the link ID of each road link, the start point node, the end point node, and road attribute information. The attribute information stores information such as the type of road such as an expressway, a national road, a prefectural road, and the width of the road.

  The map storage means 12 further stores background data including facility data including water system data such as coastline, lake and river shape, administrative boundary data, facility location, shape, and name.

  Further, the map storage means 12 may include map image data stored in a vector format in order to display the map image in an easy-to-see manner, in addition to road data and background data.

  When the navigation device 1 is used, the road data, background data, and map image data are extracted from the map storage means 12 in a predetermined range including the current position of the navigation device 1, and a current position mark indicating the current position. And the guide route image are superimposed and displayed on the display means 14.

  The input unit 13 includes various keys, switches, and the like, and performs input operations in the navigation device 1. Moreover, the input means 13 can also perform input operation using this touch panel by providing a touch panel in the display means 14 mentioned later.

  In this embodiment, the description will be made assuming that an input operation using a touch panel is performed.

  The display unit 14 displays a map image or a guide route on the map image so as to be distinguishable from other roads at the time of route guidance, and includes, for example, a liquid crystal display.

  The route search means 15 searches for the optimum route from the departure place to the destination by referring to the road data stored in the map storage means 12 when the departure place and the destination are designated by the user via the input means 13. The guide route data is created. The search for the optimum route is performed by using various methods such as Dijkstra's method to link and nodes from the road node corresponding to the current position or the starting point designated by the user to the road node corresponding to the destination designated by the user. Search, accumulate link length (link cost) and required time, etc., provide the route with the shortest total link length or total required time as a guide route, and provide road nodes and links belonging to the route as guide route data Is.

  The searched route is displayed on the display means 14 together with the map image, and a current position mark indicating the current position of the vehicle is superimposed on the map image. The map image is scrolled as the vehicle travels, and the current position is displayed at the center of the display screen.

  Since the position information detected by the current position detection unit 11 includes an error, when the current position is deviated from the road, matching processing is performed by a matching processing unit (not shown) to correct the position on the road or the route. Is done.

  When the user operates the touch panel to specify a desired point on the map image displayed on the display unit 14, the point setting unit 16 compares the point on the touch panel specified by the user with road data. The road link on the map corresponding to the designated point is specified, and the specified road link is set as the destination or waypoint.

  At this time, the user performs a touch panel operation with the intention of designating a point on the map image displayed on the display unit 14, for example, a point on the road displayed on the display unit 14 as a transit or destination. However, when there is a road that is close to the road displayed on the display means 14 and is not displayed on the display means 14, for example, a road that is narrow in width and that is not displayed due to the scale. The user intends to designate a point on the road displayed on the display unit 14, but there is a case where a point on the road that is not actually displayed on the display unit 14 is set.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a concept of processing for designating a desired point by operating the touch panel.

  First, the user selects a spot setting mode, displays a map image such as the display screen 31a on the display means 14, and operates the touch panel to designate a desired spot on the map image. On the display screen 31a, the scale 32 of the displayed map (scale 200m on the display screen 31a) and the road 33 are displayed. In order to facilitate understanding, an example in which only the national highway No. 20 (road 33) is displayed on the display screen 31a is used.

  If the user designates a desired point 34 on the road 33, the display screen changes from 31a to 31b, and a set point mark 39 is displayed at the position of the designated point 34 on the road 33. The setting means 16 compares the point on the touch panel designated by the user with the road data, and specifies the road link corresponding to the designated point 34.

  At this time, when a narrow road exists near the road 33 and the road is not displayed on the display screens 31a and 31b due to the display scale, the position designated by the user is slightly shifted, It is assumed that the point setting unit 16 recognizes a road link corresponding to a point on the touch panel designated by the user as a road link corresponding to a narrow road not displayed on the display unit 14.

  In such a case, if the road link recognized by the point setting means 16 is set as it is, a road link different from the user's intention is set as a waypoint or destination, The user cannot know that it is in such a state, and there arises a problem that the user is aware that the intended road is not guided only after receiving the route guidance.

  Therefore, the road comparison unit 17 has a scale relationship that includes a road on which the road link corresponding to the point 34 specified by the user specified by the point setting unit 16 is not displayed on the display unit 14, for example, a narrow road. It is determined whether or not the road is omitted from the display.

  In the general navigation apparatus 1, the scale at the time of map display and the road that is actually displayed on the display screen at each scale are determined in advance according to certain rules. For example, roads with narrow widths are displayed at the scale of the city map, but expressways, national roads, and prefectural roads are displayed at the scale of the mid-range map. Prefectural roads that are more than the width are selected and displayed.

  Therefore, the road comparison unit 17 detects the scale of the map displayed on the display unit 14 and refers to the map data in the map storage unit 12 based on the range of the displayed map image. It is determined whether or not the road link corresponding to the point is a road that is not displayed on the display means 14.

  Then, the road comparison unit 17 determines that the road link corresponding to the point on the touch panel specified by the user is, for example, a road link that has a narrow width and is not displayed due to the scale. The point setting unit 16 holds the point setting, the scale changing unit 19 included in the display control unit 18 changes the display scale of the map, and the display control unit 18 displays on the display unit 14 based on the changed scale. The road that has not been displayed is displayed, and the user is requested to confirm the designated point.

  FIG. 4 shows a display screen 31c of the map image displayed by shifting from the map image display of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the scale 32 is changed (scale 25 m), and in addition to the road 33, a road 37 that is close to the road 33 is displayed. A road link corresponding to the road 37 is set as a set point, and a point mark 39 is displayed on the road 37 on the map image.

  Further, it is assumed that the point setting means 16 recognizes a road link corresponding to the road 37 as a road link corresponding to the designated point.

  If the user identifies the position of the set point mark 39 on the display screen 31c, the user knows that the desired point is not correctly recognized as the set point. As a result, the user operates the touch panel again to designate a desired point (a point on the road 33) on the map image displayed on the display unit 14, and performs an operation of confirming the set point. In this way, the point setting means 16 can accurately determine the road link intended by the user and set the road link as a waypoint or destination.

  When the waypoint is set in this way, the route search means 15 refers to the road data stored in the map storage means 12 and determines the destination set from the departure place or the waypoint set from the departure place. It searches for the optimal route to the destination via. The starting point can be the current position detected by the current position detecting means 11, but can also be set by the same method as the destination.

  Next, the procedure of the point setting process of the navigation apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure when setting a point in the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  When the user of the navigation device 1 operates the touch panel to select a desired point on the road on the map image displayed on the display unit 14 and sets a waypoint or destination, in the process of step S101, First, the user selects a point setting mode via the input means 13. When the spot setting mode is selected, the spot setting unit 16 determines whether or not a touch panel operation has been performed in the process of step S102. If no operation is detected, the process of step S102 is repeated.

  When the touch panel operation is determined in the process of step S102, the point setting unit 16 compares the point on the touch panel specified by the user with the road data stored in the map storage unit 12 in the process of step S103. The road link corresponding to the designated point is specified.

  Next, in step S104, the road comparison means 17 omits the display because of the scale of a road where the road link corresponding to the designated point is not displayed on the display means 14, for example, a road with a narrow width. It is determined whether or not the road link corresponds to the road that has been set. If it is determined in this determination that the road is not displayed on the display unit 14, the process proceeds to step S108, and the point setting unit 16 sets a point with the identified road link as the destination or waypoint.

  If it is determined in the process of step S104 that the road comparison means 17 is a road link corresponding to a road that is not displayed on the display means 14, the spot setting by the spot setting means 16 is suspended in the process of step S105. The scale change means 19 of the display control means 18 is instructed to change the map display scale, and the display control means 18 displays the map image displayed on the display means 14 on the display means 14 based on the changed scale. The road that has not been displayed is displayed (see FIG. 4), and the user is requested to confirm the designated location.

  Next, the spot setting unit 16 determines whether or not a spot setting changing operation (an operation for designating a spot again on the touch panel) has been performed in the process of step S106. If no change operation is detected, the process proceeds to step S108, and the road link specified in step S103 is determined as the set point.

  When it is determined that there has been a change operation in the determination process of step S106, the point setting means 16 compares the point specified by the change operation with the road data in the process of step S107, and sets the specified point. Identify the corresponding road link and confirm the set point.

  In the process of step S109, the control means 10 determines the end of navigation. If the navigation process has not ended, the process of step S109 is repeated, and if the navigation process ends, the process ends.

  In addition, although the navigation apparatus 1 demonstrated above was provided with the touch panel as an input means and demonstrated the example which touches and inputs the desired point on the displayed map image as an Example, this invention is a touch panel as an input means. It is not restricted to what uses. For example, the present invention can also be applied to the navigation device 1 configured to input a designated point by a cursor operation or a remote control operation using infrared rays.

  As described above in detail, according to the navigation device of the present invention, when setting a destination or waypoint by designating a desired point on the road on the displayed map image, the map scale being displayed is displayed. Then, when the road link corresponding to the designated point is not displayed on the display means, such as a narrow road, the map scale is changed and the road that has not been displayed is displayed. The intended road link can be set correctly as the setting point.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation apparatus concerning the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the data structure of the road data contained in map data. It is a figure which shows the concept of the process which operates a touch panel and selects a desired road link. When a road link is selected by operating the touch panel, if a road that is not displayed is close to the selected point, the map scale is changed and the screen is displayed on which the road is displayed. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure at the time of the map data update of the navigation apparatus concerning the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: Navigation device 10: Control means 11: Current position detection means 12: Map storage means 13: Input means 14: Display means 15: Route search means 16: Point setting means 17: Road comparison means 18: Display control means 19: Scale Change means

Claims (3)

An input means for designating a point on the map displayed on the display means, and a function for specifying a road link corresponding to the point inputted by the input means and setting the road link as a destination or a transit point In navigation devices,
The navigation device identifies a road link corresponding to the point input by the input unit, sets a road link as a destination or waypoint, a road comparison unit, a scale change unit, a display Control means,
The road comparing means determines whether or not the road link specified by the point setting means is a road link corresponding to a road not displayed on the display means, and a road corresponding to the road not displayed When it is determined that the link is a link, the scale changing means changes the scale to a scale that can display the road that is not displayed, and the display control means displays the display based on the changed scale. A navigation device, characterized in that a road that has not been displayed is displayed on the display means.   The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein a set point mark is displayed at a point corresponding to the road link specified by the point setting unit on the map displayed based on the scale change.   When the road comparison unit determines that the road link specified by the point setting unit is a road link corresponding to a road not displayed on the display unit, the point setting unit uses the specified road link. 2. The process of setting as a destination or waypoint is suspended, and when a point is designated again, a road link corresponding to the designated point is determined as the destination or waypoint. Or the navigation apparatus of Claim 2.

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