JP2010054197A - Navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a convenient navigation device, capable of automatically switching a preferential route according to time zone. <P>SOLUTION: The navigation device for performing route search and guide is configured to perform the route search and guide, reflecting a preferential route set on a setting screen 40 according to time zone. The preferential route can be selected from general road precedence, express way precedence, and distance precedence by a user, and the time zone can be also optionally set by the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device that performs route search and guidance.

  Conventionally, a route search in a navigation device can output different guidance routes according to the user's preference, such as general road (main road) priority, highway priority, and distance priority. Various such techniques have been proposed.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an in-vehicle navigation device capable of providing guidance close to a user's intention when a user sets route priority and toll road priority and performs route search and route guidance. Has been.
JP 2003-322536 A

  By the way, in many cases, the user knows empirically what is crowded at what time zone in the area where he lives. For example, during the morning and evening commuting rush hour, there are many people and bicycles on the general road, and the general road is empty at midnight in the city. In such a situation, the user changes the road to be used with priority according to the time zone, such as wanting to use the highway avoiding ordinary roads in the morning and evening, and wanting to use cheaper roads at midnight. It is my heart that I want to. However, in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to manually change the priority route setting each time, and the operation becomes complicated and lacks convenience.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a highly convenient navigation device that automatically switches a priority route according to a time zone.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that in a navigation device that performs route search and guidance, the route search and guidance is performed reflecting the priority route set according to the time zone.

  According to this configuration, the priority route can be automatically switched according to the time zone, and guidance can be provided using different guidance routes.

  In the navigation device, the time zone and the priority route are preferably set by a user.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to reflect the road condition that the user has empirically grasped in the route search.

  In the navigation device, the priority route is specifically a general road priority, a highway priority, or a distance priority.

  In the navigation device, when a home is set, it is desirable to reflect a priority route set according to the time zone in a route search performed within a predetermined distance from the home.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to make use of the user's experience by narrowing down the route search in the area near the home where the user is well aware of the congestion of the road, and thus more accurate route search is possible.

  According to the present invention, by performing the route search and the guidance guidance by reflecting the priority route set according to the time zone, the road situation that the user has grasped empirically is reflected, and according to the time zone It is possible to provide a highly convenient navigation device that automatically switches the priority route.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the navigation apparatus of the present invention.

  The navigation device 10 is for mounting on a vehicle, specifies a vehicle position based on radio waves received from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite, displays a guidance screen showing a map of the vicinity along with the vehicle position, The main function is to guide the vehicle to the destination along the guide route.

  The navigation device 10 includes a GPS unit 11, a gyro sensor 12, a vehicle speed sensor 13, an interface unit 14, a control unit 15, a recording medium 19, a drive unit 20, a drawing unit 21, and a display control unit 22. , A display unit 23, a sound source circuit unit 24, a speaker 25, a hard key 26, a touch panel 27, a position detection unit 28, and an interface unit 29.

  The GPS unit 11 includes a receiving antenna, a tuner, and the like. The GPS unit 11 processes radio waves received from GPS satellites and extracts positioning data. The retrieved positioning data is sent to the control unit 15 via the interface unit 14. The control unit 15 specifies the current location of the vehicle based on the positioning data sent from the GPS unit 11. The navigation device 10 employs a so-called hybrid system, and also uses a gyro sensor 12 for detecting the direction of the vehicle and a vehicle speed sensor 13 for detecting the speed of the vehicle. Detection signals from the gyro sensor 12 and the vehicle speed sensor 13 are sent to the control unit 15 via the interface unit 14, and the control unit 15 identifies the direction and speed of the vehicle based on these signals.

  In addition, the control unit 15 performs overall control of the navigation device 10 and executes various operations and processes such as vehicle position specification and route search. The control unit 15 is configured by, for example, a microcomputer, and is read from a CPU 16 that executes various programs in which control and operation procedures are described, data used by the CPU 16, and a recording medium 19 to be described later, and the CPU 16. RAM 17 for temporarily storing the program to be executed in (1), and ROM 18 for storing a program, font data, and the like that describe basic control relating to startup, input / output, and the like. The CPU 16, RAM 17, ROM 18 and the like are connected via a bus (not shown).

  As the recording medium 19, a hard disk, a memory card, an optical disk or the like can be adopted. The recording medium 19 stores a map database necessary for displaying a guidance screen, searching for a route, and the like, and a program describing various operations of the navigation device 10. Then, the control unit 15 reads this program from the recording medium 19 via the drive unit 20 and executes it. The map database contains map data including information on roads, facilities, backgrounds, drawing parameters referenced when drawing maps and guidance screens based on map data, index data referenced in various searches, route guidance Audio data used to generate audio for use and other purposes. And the control part 15 takes out data required for operation to perform partially from a map database, and refers it.

  The drawing unit 21 is an IC chip that includes a drawing-dedicated CPU or the like, and creates guidance screen image data, operation screen image data, and the like based on instructions from the control unit 15. The image data created by the drawing unit 21 is sent to the display control unit 22 and stored in a RAM included in the display control unit 22. The display control unit 22 sends an image display signal to the display unit 23 based on the stored image data, and causes the display area of the display unit 23 to display a screen related to the image data. For the display unit 23, an LCD, an organic EL display, or the like is used.

  The sound source circuit unit 24 generates an analog audio signal for route guidance and other uses based on the audio data sent from the control unit 15. The generated analog audio signal is reproduced by the speaker 25.

  The hard key 26 includes a power key for turning on / off the power, a volume adjusting key, and the like. When one of the keys constituting the hard key 26 is pressed, a signal notifying that the key is pressed is sent to the control unit 15 via the interface unit 29.

  The touch panel 27 is, for example, a pressure-sensitive panel having transparent electrodes arranged in a grid pattern, and is disposed on the display area of the display unit 23. When the touch panel 27 is pressed, the position detection unit 28 generates a signal for notifying the coordinate information of the pressed position based on the voltage signal sent from the touch panel 27. This signal is sent to the control unit 15 via the interface unit 29.

  Next, functions of the navigation device 10 will be described. In the route search, the navigation device 10 outputs different guidance routes according to the user's preference, such as general road (main road) priority, highway (toll road) priority, and distance priority, according to the time zone. Can do. General road priority means that if there is a main road, the route is searched so as not to use the expressway and alley as much as possible. Highway priority is that if there is an expressway, the route search is actively used. The distance priority is to search for a route so as to be the shortest distance including a narrow road such as an alley.

  In order to realize this function, the navigation device 10 stores a list of priority routes set according to the time zone, for example, in the recording medium 19, and the contents are preset by the user. Note that some initial state may be set at the time of manufacture.

  FIG. 2 is an example of a screen for setting a priority route according to a time zone. On the setting screen 40, it is possible to set whether to give priority to the general road, the expressway, or the distance with respect to the three time zones A to C and the normal priority that is a time other than those time zones. ing. In the setting screen 40, the set priority routes are displayed by being surrounded by square frames 41a to 41d, and the frames 41a to 41d can be arbitrarily moved by the user to select a desired priority route. Also, the user can arbitrarily set the time periods A to C in units of one minute. In the setting screen 40, three time zones A to C are set, but the number of time zones can be increased or decreased by the user according to preference.

  Next, the operation of the navigation device 10 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation related to the route search of the navigation device 10. In the following, it is assumed that the navigation device 10 has specified the current location in a timely manner, and description of the processing operation will be omitted.

  In performing the route search, the navigation device 10 waits for the destination to be set in step S10. The destination is set by the user selecting from a map, searching from an address, or searching from a telephone number.

  FIG. 4 is an example of a screen for setting a destination. FIG. 4 shows an example of setting the destination from the map. On the destination setting screen 50, a cursor 51 is displayed at the center of the map over the map, and a setting button 52 is displayed at the lower right. The scale of the map can be arbitrarily changed, and the cursor 51 can be moved in a desired direction by operating the touch panel 27 or the hard key 26. Actually, the cursor 51 is always at the center of the destination setting screen 50, and the map scrolls. Then, when the cursor 51 is moved to a desired destination and the setting button 52 is pressed, the position of the cursor 51 is set as the destination.

  Thus, when the destination is set in step S10, the process proceeds to step S11 to acquire the current time. The current time can be acquired by processing radio waves received from GPS satellites or from a watch (not shown) of the navigation device 10.

  Next, it progresses to step S12 and it is discriminate | determined whether the present | current time is included in any time slot | zone in the list | wrist of the priority path | route set according to the time slot | zone. In step S12, if the current time is not included in any time zone, the process proceeds to step S13, and a route search is performed reflecting the priority route set with normal priority. For example, when a highway is set with normal priority as shown in FIG. 2, a route search that preferentially uses the highway is performed.

  On the other hand, if the current time is included in any time zone in step S12, the process proceeds to step S14, and the user's intention to prompt the user to select whether or not the route search may be performed with priority on the set priority route. Display confirmation telop.

  FIG. 5 is an example of the intention confirmation telop 60. FIG. 5 shows a case where the current time is included in the time zone C of FIG. 2, a confirmation message “Do you prefer the general road in this time zone?”, And “ A “Yes” button 61 and a “No” button 62 are displayed. The user sets the “Yes” button 61 with normal priority when he / she thinks that the route search may be performed with priority given to a general road which is a preset preferential route according to the current time zone according to this message. When it is desired to search for a route with priority given to the priority route (the expressway in FIG. 2), the “No” button 62 is pressed.

  Proceeding from step S14 to step S15, it is determined whether or not the route search may be performed by reflecting the priority route set according to the time zone. For example, in the case of the intention confirmation telop 60 of FIG. 5, it is determined whether or not the “Yes” button 61 is pressed.

  If it is determined that the priority route set in step S15 is acceptable, that is, if the "Yes" button 61 is pressed in FIG. 5, the process proceeds to step S16 and the priority set in advance according to the current time zone. Route search reflecting the route. For example, when the current time is included in the time zone C in FIG. 2, a route search that preferentially uses a general road is performed. Note that there is no problem even if step S14 and step S15 are omitted.

  Then, both step S13 and step S16 proceed to step S17, and the guidance route that is the result of the route search is displayed. FIG. 6 is a guidance screen showing an example of a guidance route with a general road as a priority route, and FIG. 7 is a guidance screen showing an example of a guidance route with a highway as a priority route.

  The guidance screen 70 in FIG. 6 shows a guidance route 73 from the current location 71 to the destination 72 when the current time is included in the time zone C in FIG. The guidance route 73 is a route that uses the general road 75 while avoiding the highway 74.

  The guidance screen 80 in FIG. 7 shows, for example, a guidance route 81 from the current location 71 to the destination 72 when the current time is not included in any of the time zones in FIG. Yes. This guidance route 81 is a route that uses the highway 74 while avoiding the general road 75.

  After the screens of FIGS. 6 and 7 are displayed, the process shifts to guidance guidance, and guidance such as a traveling direction at a corner is started according to the movement of the current location. And at the time of guidance guidance, it switches to the screen which is easy to see suitably.

  In this way, by performing route search and guidance guidance reflecting the priority route set according to the time zone, the road situation that the user knows empirically is reflected and given priority according to the time zone. A highly convenient navigation device that automatically switches the route can be provided.

  In the navigation device 10 described above, when the position of the home is set in advance by the user, in the route search performed within a predetermined distance from the home, the priority route set according to the time zone (for example, FIG. 2). ) May be reflected to search for a route. The predetermined distance may be set in advance at the time of manufacture, or the user may be able to set an arbitrary distance.

  For example, when the predetermined distance is 30 km and the current location and the destination are within a circle with a radius of 30 km from home, the route search is performed by reflecting the priority route set according to the time zone. Also, if there is no current location or destination within a circle with a radius of 30 km from home, a route search reflecting the priority route set according to the time zone within the circle with a radius of 30 km from home is performed. Outside the circle with a radius of 30 km, the route search is performed by reflecting the priority route set with normal priority. If neither the current location nor the destination is within a circle with a radius of 30 km from home, the route search is performed by reflecting the priority route set with normal priority.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to make use of the user's experience by narrowing down the route search in an area near the home where the user is well aware of the congestion of the road, and thus a more accurate route search is possible.

  Further, in the navigation device 10 described above, when the current location deviates from the guidance route during the guidance guidance, the route search may be automatically performed again from the current location. In that case, it is desirable to search for a route reflecting the priority route set according to the time zone corresponding to the first route search. As a result, even when the current time is in a different time zone from when the route search is first performed, it is possible to prevent a sudden change of the priority route, and the user can accept without a sense of incongruity.

  Further, the navigation device 10 described above may have a function of calculating a scheduled passage time at a passing point when searching for a route. In this case, when it is necessary to compare the scheduled passage time with the time zone shown in FIG. 2 during route search and guide guidance across multiple time zones, the priority route for each time zone is reflected in the middle of the route. The route search may be performed.

  For example, an example in which a route search is performed using FIG. 2 and a route search to a destination that takes about one hour when the current time is 17:30 will be described. In this case, first, a route search is performed by giving priority to the general road which is the priority route of the time zone C, and this route is adopted from the current location to the passing point scheduled to pass at 18:00, and the subsequent route, that is, 18:00 As for the subsequent routes, the route search is performed with priority on the expressway, which is the normal priority route.

  According to this configuration, the feature of the priority route set according to the time zone can be used to the maximum, and thus a more accurate route search is possible.

  The navigation device of the present invention can be mounted on a vehicle, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone, and the like.

It is a block diagram which shows the main structures of the navigation apparatus of this invention. It is an example of the screen which sets a priority path | route according to the time slot | zone of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the navigation apparatus of this invention. It is an example of the screen which sets the destination of this invention. It is an example of the intention confirmation telop of this invention. It is a guidance screen which shows an example of the guidance route which used the general road of this invention as the priority route. It is a guidance screen which shows an example of the guidance route which used the expressway of this invention as the priority route.

Explanation of symbols

      10 Navigation device

Claims (4)

In a navigation device that performs route search and guidance,
A navigation device characterized in that a route search and guidance are performed reflecting a priority route set according to a time zone.   The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the time zone and the priority route are set by a user.   3. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the priority route is any one of general road priority, highway priority, and distance priority. If your home is set up,
The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a priority route set according to the time zone is reflected in a route search performed within a predetermined distance from a home.

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