JP2009282832A - Onboard apparatus and traffic congestion reporting system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an onboard apparatus capable of reducing communication frequency between an information center and a vehicle, and moreover capable of eliminating a load of traveling time calculation in the information center. <P>SOLUTION: When a vehicle travels a traveling link at an average speed of a preceding link e.g. whose traveling has completed in a prescribed period and time required for traveling of the traveling link has elapsed (step S6), a navigation device transmits a value obtained by dividing a distance of the traveling link by an average speed from start of the traveling link up to a present position to the information center as estimated link traveling time during the traveling of one link (step S8). Namely, since the estimated link traveling time is transmitted from each vehicle only once in each link, transmission frequency from the onboard apparatus to the information center can be reduced, it is unnecessary for the information center to calculate the estimated link traveling time, and thereby the processing load of the information center can be reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle device that transmits time required for traveling on a road section from a vehicle to an information center, and a traffic jam notification system that detects and distributes a traffic jam occurrence section based on time information transmitted from the in-vehicle device. .

In recent years, the number of vehicles equipped with navigation devices has increased, and it is considered that the time required to pass through a traffic jam section is calculated and distributed using this navigation device (for example, Patent Document 1). ).
According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the vehicle position information such as the current vehicle position, the current time, and the traveling road section is transmitted from the navigation device to the information center at a constant time interval (for example, 30 seconds), Then, it is the structure of calculating the traffic section travel time required for passing a traffic jam section from the last vehicle position information of this time and this vehicle position information, and delivering to each vehicle.
JP 2007-272606 A

  In Patent Document 1, each time the own vehicle position information is transmitted from each vehicle, the current own vehicle position information and the previous own vehicle position information must be compared and calculated. Since this comparison calculation must be performed every time the vehicle position information is transmitted from the vehicle at a fixed time interval of about 30 seconds, considering that the number of vehicles connected to the information center is considerable, A large processing capacity of the information center is required.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the number of communications between the information center and the vehicle, and to avoid burdening the information center in calculating travel time. It is to provide a vehicle-mounted device and a status notification system that can be used.

  In claim 1, while the vehicle is traveling on one road section, the in-vehicle device calculates the estimated road section travel time at a predetermined time point and transmits it to the information center. For this reason, the estimated road section travel time is transmitted from each vehicle only once for each road section, so the number of transmissions to the information center can be reduced, and the estimated road section travel time is calculated at the information center. It is not necessary to reduce the processing load on the information center.

The estimated road section travel time is calculated from the distance of the road section and the vehicle speed. In this case, the vehicle speed may be obtained from the distance and the required time of the road section that has been traveled just before the road section being traveled, as in claim 2, and the vehicle speed as in claim 3. You may obtain | require from the travel distance and elapsed time from the starting point of a road area.
The predetermined time point for calculating the estimated road section travel time may be a time point when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of traveling on the road section. In this case, the predetermined time may be a required time assuming that the vehicle travels at a vehicle speed obtained from the distance and the required time of the road section immediately before the completion of travel, as in claim 5.

Furthermore, the predetermined time point at which the estimated road section travel time is calculated may be a time point when the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance from the start of traveling on the road section.
In claim 7, when the transmission of the estimated road section travel time of the road section cannot be completed by the time when the road section has been traveled, the travel of the road section is completed at the end of the travel of the road section. The required time is transmitted to the information center as the actual road section travel time. For this reason, the road section travel time can be transmitted to the information center at least once for one road section.

According to claim 8, when there is an error exceeding a predetermined range between the travel time required for the road section and the transmitted estimated road section travel time when the road section has been traveled, Since the required travel time is transmitted to the information center as the corrected road section travel time, it is possible to more correctly determine whether or not a traffic jam section has occurred or estimate the time required to pass through the traffic jam section.
In the ninth aspect, since the information center estimates the traffic jam section from the estimated road section travel time transmitted from the in-vehicle device and transmits it to the in-vehicle device as traffic jam information, the same effect as in the first aspect can be obtained.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to embodiments.
[First Embodiment]
1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the vehicle location information is transmitted from the vehicle to the information center, and the information center estimates the occurrence of a traffic jam section from the vehicle location information transmitted from each vehicle and transmits it to each vehicle as traffic jam information. This is applied to the traffic jam notification system.

  A schematic configuration of the traffic jam notification system is shown in FIG. 3, and as shown in FIG. 3, the information center 1 is connected to the navigation device (on-vehicle device) 3 shown in FIG. Thus, various types of information can be transmitted and received. The information center 1 is configured by connecting a communication device 6, a map database 7, a traffic information database 8, and a host vehicle information database 9 to a server 5.

  The server 5 includes a CPU 10 that performs overall control, a ROM 11 that records various control programs, and a RAM 12 that functions as a working memory. The communication device 6 is connected to the communication network 4 and communicates with the navigation device 3. The map information database 7 stores map data by version. The traffic information database 8 stores traffic information acquired from a VICS (registered trademark: Vehicle Information and Communication System) 10 connected via the communication network 4. The own vehicle information database 9 stores the estimated link travel time (estimated road section travel time) and the like transmitted from the navigation device 3.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device 3 includes a control device 14 as a control means, a position detection device 15 as a position detection means, a map data storage device 16 as a map data acquisition means, and a display as a display means. Device 17, operation unit 18, speaker 19, clock unit 20 as time measuring means, communication device 21 as communication means, VICS receiver 22, external memory 23 including flash memory, traffic information database 24, own vehicle information The database 25 is connected and configured.

  The control device 14 has a function of controlling the overall operation of the navigation device 3 and is mainly composed of a microcomputer. That is, the control device 14 temporarily stores a CPU 26 that performs overall control, a ROM 27 that stores an execution program for operating the navigation device 3, temporary data at the time of program execution, map data acquired from the map data storage device 16, and the like. A RAM 28 for storing data is provided.

  The position detection device 15 includes a gyroscope 29, a distance sensor 30, a GPS receiver 31, and the like. Since these sensors 29 to 31 have detection errors of different properties, combining these sensors 29 to 31 enables highly accurate position detection while correcting the detection errors. It should be noted that depending on the required detection accuracy level, it is not necessary to provide all the sensors 29 to 31, and a configuration in which they are appropriately selected can be provided. Furthermore, the position detection device 15 may be configured by combining a steering rotation sensor, a wheel sensor that detects the rotation of each tire, and the like.

  The map data storage device 16 is composed of, for example, an information recording medium such as a DVD-ROM and a reading device that reads data from the information recording medium, and reads data from the information recording medium by the reading device to the control device 14. input. Here, the data included in the map data storage device 16 includes map data, map matching data, data for guiding a route by voice, position search data for searching a position on a map from an address, Similarly, there are genre-specific data for making it possible to search destinations by genre.

  The display device 17 includes a liquid crystal display as a display screen for displaying map data, characters, symbols, and the like. The operation unit 18 is used as an input means for inputting data, inputting setting items, or performing various inputs for setting a destination, and is a push button switch provided around the liquid crystal display. It consists of a touch panel attached to the surface of a liquid crystal display.

  The control device 14 has a function of setting a route to the destination, and a travel guidance function for instructing a direction in which the vehicle should travel according to the route with a voice output from the speaker 19. The clock unit 20 performs a timekeeping operation and counts the current time. The communication device 21 is connected to the communication network 4 by radio and communicates with the information center 1. The VICS receiver 22 receives road traffic information transmitted from the VICS 13 by radio waves.

  The map data stored in the map data storage device 16 is data for displaying a map on the liquid crystal display of the display device 17 and includes link information, node information, and the like. As shown in FIG. 4 (a), the road on the map is indicated by a node indicating an inflection point such as an intersection, a branching point, a merging point, or a curve having a predetermined angle or more (circled in FIG. 4 (a)). The concept of defining a map by dividing each node into a plurality of links, defining each node as a link (indicated by a straight line connecting the nodes in FIG. 4A), and connecting these links. based on.

  The link information includes, for each link, a link unique ID (hereinafter referred to as a link ID), a link length (road length) indicating the link length, coordinates of the start and end of the link, road width of the link, road type (national road) , City roads, highways, etc.). The node information includes, for each node, node unique ID, coordinates, node attributes such as data indicating a three-dimensional intersection or a multi-lane intersection.

  The CPU 25 of the navigation device 3 has a function as display control means, calculates the current position of the vehicle 2 based on information input from the position detection device 15, and obtains the current position from the map data storage device 16. Center map data is acquired, and a road map around the current position is displayed on the liquid crystal display of the display device 17 based on the map data, and the current position and traveling direction of the vehicle are superimposed on the displayed road map. Display the pointer. The scale of the road map displayed on this display screen can be changed by operating the operation unit 18.

  In the present embodiment, the CPU 25 of the navigation device 3 assumes one link as one road section, estimates the time (travel time) required for the host vehicle 2 to travel on the link where the vehicle 2 is currently located, and sends it to the information center 1. The vehicle information including the estimated time is transmitted. Since the estimated travel time is an estimate of the travel time of one link, it is called an estimated link travel time (estimated road section travel time). Then, the information center 1 determines whether or not there is a traffic jam based on the vehicle information transmitted from the vehicle 2, and when the traffic jam occurs, Deliver the time it takes. Hereinafter, an operation when the navigation device 3 transmits the vehicle information to the information center 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  The CPU 26 of the navigation device 3 executes the flowchart of FIG. 2 every predetermined time. When entering the execution of this flowchart, the CPU 26 first acquires the current position of the host vehicle 2 from the position detection device 15 (step S1). Next, the CPU 26 refers to the map data around the current position stored in the RAM 28 from the acquired current position, and acquires the link ID that is being traveled (step S2). Then, it is determined whether or not the vehicle information about the traveling link has been transmitted to the information center 1 (step S3: transmitted determination means). If the vehicle information has already been transmitted to the traveling link, for example, the ID of the traveling link and the transmitted flag are written in a one-to-one relationship in the transmitted information storage area of the RAM 28. Therefore, it can be determined that transmission has been completed.

  If the vehicle information has not yet been transmitted for the traveling link (“NO” in step S3), and has not arrived at the end point of the traveling link (travel completed) (“NO” in step S4: travel) Completion judging means), calculating the average vehicle speed at the link that has been running until just before entering the currently running link, and assuming that the vehicle has run at the average vehicle speed of the previous link, it is necessary to run the currently running link Time (expected time required) is calculated (step S5).

  That is, as shown in FIG. 4B, the link between the nodes N0 and N1 is the link L0 (distance R0), the link between the nodes N1 and N2 is the link L1 (distance R1), and the link between the nodes N2 and N3 is the link L2. It is assumed that the travel of L0 has been completed and the vehicle is currently traveling on the link L1, and next, the vehicle will travel on the link L2. The travel required time T0 of the link L0 that has traveled immediately before is due to the clocking of the clock unit 20, and this actual required time T0 is stored in, for example, the RAM 28 when it arrives at the end point N1 of the link L0. In the form of FIG. 4B, the average vehicle speed of the immediately preceding travel link L0 can be obtained by R0 / T0. The required time when it is assumed that the vehicle travels on the link L1 that is currently traveling at the average vehicle speed of the immediately preceding travel link L0 can be obtained by R1 / (R0 / T0).

  Thereafter, the CPU 26 determines whether or not the estimated required time has elapsed since one point on the currently traveling link, in this embodiment, from the start of the starting point of the traveling link (step S6: temporary point determination means). ). When the estimated required time has not elapsed ("NO" in step S6), the CPU 26 ends the flowchart of FIG. 2, and again enters the execution of the flowchart of FIG. 2 after a predetermined time has elapsed. When the estimated required time has elapsed (“YES” in step S6), the CPU 26 is traveling when the currently traveling link travels at an average vehicle speed from the starting point of the traveling link to the current position. Is calculated as the estimated link travel time (step S7; calculation means).

  The calculation of the estimated link travel time will be specifically described with reference to the example of FIG. 4B. The CPU 26 calculates the remaining distance (distance from the current position to the end point) for the currently traveling link, for example, map data. Is based on the calculation. In the example of FIG. 4B, since the vehicle is currently traveling on the link L1, the CPU 26 continuously calculates the remaining distance r1 from the current position to the end point N2 of the link L1. Then, the CPU 26 obtains the travel distance from the start point N1 of the link L1 to the current position by the equation (R1-r1), and divides the travel distance by the elapsed time t1 from the start point N1 to the current position, thereby calculating the average vehicle speed (R1). -Find r1) / t1. Then, the total length R1 of the traveling link L1 is divided by the average vehicle speed, and the obtained value is set as the estimated link travel time [R1 / (R1-r1) / t1].

  When the estimated link travel time is calculated in this way, the CPU 26 calculates the estimated link travel time as the average speed of the traveling link, the number of stops, the current position, the ID of the traveling link, and the ID predetermined for the vehicle 2. Along with the version of the map data stored in the map data storage device 16 and the like, it is transmitted to the information center 1 as own vehicle information (Step S8), and the transmitted own vehicle information is stored in the own vehicle information database 25 (Step S8). Along with S9), the fact that the vehicle information has been transmitted is written in the RAM 28, for example. The number of stops refers to the number of times that the vehicle is determined to be stopped when the detection speed of a vehicle speed sensor (not shown) has become zero, and this stop is determined.

  If the estimated required time has not elapsed in step S6, the execution of the flowchart of FIG. 2 is terminated, and the execution of the flowchart is started again after a predetermined time. In addition, when the execution of the flowchart of FIG. 2 is started after transmitting the vehicle information, the CPU 26 determines “YES” in step S2, but in this case as well, the execution of the flowchart of FIG. Every time the flowchart is entered, an operation of determining “YES” in step S2 and ending the flowchart is repeated.

  By the way, the vehicle may arrive at the end point of the link before transmitting the vehicle information because the vehicle speed on the traveling link is faster than the average vehicle speed of the link that was traveling immediately before. In this case, the CPU 26 becomes “YES” in step S4 for determining completion of the link travel, and generates an actual link travel time (actual road section travel time) in the next step S11. The actual link travel time at this time is the required time from the start point to the end point of the link (T1 in the example of FIG. 4B). Then, the CPU 26 uses the acquired actual link travel time to calculate the average speed, the number of stops, the current position, the ID of the travel completion link, the ID of the vehicle 2 and the map data storage device 16 in the map data storage device 16 as described above. Together with the version of the map data, etc., it is transmitted to the information center 1 as own vehicle information (step S12), and the transmitted own vehicle information is stored in the own vehicle information database 25 (step S13).

  The vehicle information transmitted from the navigation device 3 as described above is received by the information center 1. Then, the CPU 10 of the information center 1 determines the link where the traffic jam occurs from the own vehicle information transmitted from each vehicle 2 and obtains the time required to pass the traffic jam link. In this case, the occurrence of traffic congestion is determined from the link length and the estimated link travel time for this link. If the estimated link travel time is abnormally long relative to the link length, for example, the unit length When the required time for traveling exceeds a predetermined congestion determination reference time, it is determined that a congestion has occurred. If the map version is different from the latest version of the vehicle information transmitted from the vehicle 2, the link may be different even with the same ID, so the CPU 10 of the information center 1 corrects the link to the latest version. Then get the estimated link travel time.

  When the CPU 10 of the information center 1 determines that a traffic jam has occurred, the link in which the traffic jam has occurred is defined as a traffic jam section, and the estimated link travel time required to travel the link is determined as the time required to exit the traffic jam section. The traffic jam section and the time required for the traffic jam to pass are transmitted to each vehicle 2 as traffic jam information. The CPU 26 of the navigation device 3 of the vehicle 2 that has received this traffic jam information displays the traffic jam information on the display device 17 and calculates a detour route for bypassing the traffic jam section on the map displayed on the display device 17. To display.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, the vehicle information including the estimated link travel time is transmitted from the navigation device 3 to the information center 1 only once for each link. For this reason, the number of times of the own vehicle information transmitted to the information center 1 is reduced as compared with the case where the own vehicle information is transmitted every predetermined time, and the information center 1 does not need to calculate the estimated link travel time. As a result, the processing load on the CPU 10 can be reduced.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the CPU 26 acquires the current position (step A1), acquires the ID of the link being traveled (step A2), and then determines whether the travel of the link has been completed (step A3). If the travel of the link has not been completed (“NO” in step A3), and the vehicle information on the link being traveled has not been transmitted (“NO” in step A4), the CPU 26 performs the first operation described above. Steps A5 to A9 having the same operation contents as Steps S5 to S9 in the embodiment are executed.

  If it is determined in step A3 that the link travel is completed ("YES"), the CPU 26 acquires the actual link required time required for the travel of the link (step A10), and then transmits the vehicle information for the link for which the travel is completed. (Step A11). If it has not been transmitted (“NO” in step A11), the CPU 26 calculates the actual link required time, the average speed at the travel completion link, the number of stops, the current position, the ID of the travel completion link, the ID of the vehicle 2, and the map. Along with the map data version of the data storage device 16 and the like, it is transmitted to the information center 1 as own vehicle information (step A12), and the transmitted own vehicle information is stored in the own vehicle information database 25 (step A13).

  When the own vehicle information has been transmitted ("YES" in step A11), the CPU 26 performs this implementation when the transmitted estimated link travel time is an error within a predetermined range with respect to the actual link travel time. In the embodiment, when the error is 3% or less (“NO” in step A14: error range determination means), the flowchart of FIG. When the error of the estimated link travel time with respect to the actual travel time (link travel time) exceeds 3% (“YES” in step A14), the CPU 26 sends the vehicle information including the actual link travel time to the information center 1. The information is transmitted (step A12), and the transmitted vehicle information is stored in the vehicle information database 25 (step A13).

  In this embodiment, when the estimated link travel time transmitted during the travel of the link has an error exceeding a predetermined range with respect to the actual link travel time, the actual link travel time is transmitted to the information center 1. The information center 1 can more accurately determine the occurrence of traffic congestion and the passage time of the traffic congestion section.

[Third Embodiment]
FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. This is because the estimated link travel time transmitted during the travel of the link is an error exceeding the predetermined range with respect to the actual link travel time acquired when the travel of the link is completed, in this embodiment, the actual link travel time The actual link travel time is transmitted to the information center 1 when it is longer than the estimated link travel time by more than 5 minutes (step B14), and the others are the same as in the second embodiment of FIG. It is.

[Fourth Embodiment]
FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This is an error that the estimated link travel time transmitted during the travel of the link exceeds the predetermined range with respect to the actual link travel time acquired when the travel of the link is completed. In this embodiment, the actual link time is more The actual link travel time is transmitted to the information center 1 when the estimated link travel time is longer than the estimated link travel time, and the others are the same as in the second embodiment of FIG.

[Other Embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, and can be expanded or changed as follows.
One road section is not limited to being equivalent to one link, and a plurality of links may be defined as one road section.
The vehicle speed in the case of calculating the estimated link travel time of the traveling link may be the average vehicle speed of the link that has been traveled immediately before the traveling link. In this case, it is preferable that the estimated link travel time is calculated and transmitted after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the link starting point or when traveling for a predetermined distance.
The estimated link travel time may be transmitted to the information center when the travel distance from the link start point reaches a predetermined distance, or after a predetermined time from the start of the link start point. In this case, it is preferable that the predetermined distance or the predetermined time can be changed, in particular, can be changed to the time or distance transmitted from the information center 1.

The time when the estimated link travel time is transmitted to the information center 1 may be the earlier of the time when traveling for the predetermined distance and the time when the predetermined time has elapsed.
The condition for transmitting the time (actual link travel time) actually required to travel the link to the information center 1 is not limited to the case where the estimated link travel time is shorter, but exceeds a predetermined error range when it is long. Sometimes it may be sent. For example, when the estimated link travel time is longer than the link travel time, that is, (R1 / (R1-r1) / t1) -T1> 0, the estimated link travel time exceeds 3% than the link travel time. [R1 / (R1-r1) / t1] -T1)] / [R1 / (R1-r1) / t1]> 0.03, and the estimated link travel time is the link travel time. Longer than 5 minutes, that is, R1 / (R1-r1) / t1-T1> 5.
In the own vehicle information, the time received on the information center 1 side may be added to the own vehicle information and stored without including the current time.

The block diagram which shows the electrical constitution of the navigation apparatus in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. Flowchart for sending inferred link travel time Block diagram showing the configuration of the traffic jam notification system It is for demonstrating the calculation content of presumed link travel time, (a) is a figure which shows a node and a link by attaching to an actual map, (b) is a figure which shows a running link and the link before and behind it FIG. 2 equivalent view showing the second embodiment of the present invention FIG. 2 equivalent view showing the third embodiment of the present invention FIG. 2 equivalent view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 1 is an information center, 2 is a vehicle, 3 is a navigation device (on-vehicle device), 5 is a server, 14 is a control device, 15 is a position detection device (position detection means), and 16 is a map data storage device (map data). (Acquisition means), 20 is a clock unit, 21 is a communication device (communication means), and 26 is a CPU (calculation means).

Claims (9)

Position detecting means for detecting the current position of the vehicle;
Map data acquisition means for acquiring map data obtained by dividing a road into a plurality of road sections;
Calculation means for calculating, as the estimated road section travel time, the time required to travel the road section from the distance of the road section and the vehicle speed at a predetermined time for each road section while traveling on each road section. When,
An in-vehicle device comprising: a communication unit that transmits the estimated road section travel time calculated by the calculation unit to an information center together with information for specifying a road section during travel.   The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle speed is obtained from a distance of a road section that has been traveled immediately before a road section that is being traveled and a required time.   The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle speed is obtained from a travel distance and an elapsed time from a starting point of a running road section.   The in-vehicle device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined time point for calculating the estimated road section travel time is a time point when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of traveling on the road section.   The vehicle-mounted vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined time is a required time assuming that the vehicle travels on a road section being traveled at a vehicle speed obtained from the distance and the required time of the road section immediately before the travel is completed. apparatus.   The in-vehicle device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined one time point for calculating the estimated road section travel time is a time point when a predetermined distance is traveled from a starting point on a traveling road section.   If the transmission of the estimated road section travel time of the road section cannot be completed by the time when the road section has been traveled, the travel time of the road section is calculated at the end of the travel of the road section. The in-vehicle device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a road section travel time is transmitted to the information center together with information specifying the road section.   When there is an error exceeding the predetermined range between the travel time of the road section and the estimated travel time of the estimated road section that has been transmitted when the road section has been traveled, the travel time of the road section is corrected. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the in-vehicle device transmits the road section travel time to the information center together with information specifying the road section. The in-vehicle device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
An information center,
The information center estimates a traffic jam section from the estimated road section travel time transmitted from the in-vehicle device, and transmits the traffic jam information to the in-vehicle device as traffic jam information.

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