JP2010210312A - Navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation device capable of designating surely a road section. <P>SOLUTION: The navigation device 1 includes a touch panel 2 for displaying map information and receiving contact input operation of a user, a communication device 4 for acquiring traffic information by communication with a center, and a navigation ECU 5. The navigation ECU 5 includes a designation mode switching part 51, and an optimum scale reduction changing part 52. The designation mode switching part 51 switches a road section designation mode by start point/end point designation to/from a road section designation mode by tracing, corresponding to a contact time of the user with the touch panel 2 at the start point designation time of a designated section. The optimum scale reduction changing part 52 changes a scale reduction on a screen of the designated section to a proper scale reduction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device that provides information according to a specified section on a map.

  Conventionally, as a navigation device, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-256032, when a road section is specified by tracing a route section on the screen of the touch panel, traffic information of the specified section is displayed on the screen. Things are known. According to this apparatus, it is possible to set a route taking into account traffic jams as a guide route.

JP 2007-256032 A

  However, in the above-described navigation device, in the case of a user who does not know that the input mode is the tracing, the user may release the finger from the touch panel after selecting the section start point, and the road section may not be specified well.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a technical problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that can reliably specify a road section.

  A navigation device according to the present invention is a navigation device that displays information according to a specified section on a map, displays a map information, and receives a touch input operation of a user, a start point of a specified section A designation mode switching means for switching between a road section designation mode by specifying the start and end points and a road section designation mode by sliding according to the contact time with the touch panel, and the designation mode switching means has a contact time of a predetermined time or less In this case, the road section designation mode is designated by the start point / end point designation, and when the contact time is a predetermined time or longer, the road section designation mode is selected by tracing.

  According to the present invention, the designation mode switching means performs switching between the road segment designation mode by the start point end point designation and the road segment designation mode by the sliding according to the contact time with the touch panel when designating the start point of the designated section. Can be specified reliably.

  In the navigation apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable to include a traffic information acquisition unit that acquires traffic information of a specified section through communication with the outside. In this case, traffic information such as traffic jam information for the designated section can be easily acquired.

  In the navigation apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the navigation apparatus further includes scale changing means for changing the scale of the screen of the designated section to an appropriate scale. In this case, the user can save the trouble of changing the scale, and the user is not bothered.

  In the navigation device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the information corresponding to the designated section is a travel time. In this case, the travel time required for the designated section can be provided to the user.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the navigation apparatus which can specify a road area reliably can be provided.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control processing of a communication apparatus. It is a figure which shows operation of the road section designation | designated mode by starting point end point designation | designated. It is a figure which shows operation of the road area designation | designated mode by a trace. It is explanatory drawing which shows the change of the screen scale of a designated area. It is a flowchart which shows the control processing of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The navigation device 1 provides a travel time corresponding to a designated section on a map, and includes a touch panel 2, a speaker 3, a communication device 4, a navigation ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 5, a memory 6, and a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor 7 is provided.

  The navigation ECU 5 controls the entire apparatus, and is mainly configured by a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The touch panel 2 includes, for example, a color liquid crystal screen, displays map information on a vehicle travel route, and accepts a user's contact input operation. The contact input operation of the user here includes an input operation using a tool such as a touch pen as well as an input operation by directly touching the touch panel 2 with a finger of the user.

  A plurality of buttons are displayed on the screen of the touch panel 2. These buttons accept a user input operation and select whether or not to execute a predetermined function by the input operation. The speaker 3 performs each voice guidance related to vehicle travel.

  The touch panel 2 and the speaker 3 are controlled by the navigation ECU 5. For example, when there is an input operation on the touch panel 2 by the user, the navigation ECU 5 transmits a control signal for executing a predetermined function corresponding to the input operation to the touch panel 2 and the speaker 3, respectively. The touch panel 2 and the speaker 3 receive the control signal, display map information on the screen, and perform voice guidance.

  The GPS sensor 7 receives a GPS satellite signal for detecting the position of the host vehicle, and detects the position of the host vehicle based on the received GPS satellite signal. The GPS sensor 7 is connected to the navigation ECU 5 and outputs the detected position information of the own vehicle to the navigation ECU 5.

  The memory 6 stores information such as map information and scale data that the user has operated in the past. The memory 6 has a function of receiving map control information corresponding to the travel route in response to a control signal from the navigation ECU 5.

  The communication device 4 is automatically connected to the center and acquires traffic information corresponding to the travel route of the host vehicle through communication with the center. The communication device 4 is connected to the navigation ECU 5 and transmits the acquired traffic information to the navigation ECU 5. Output to. The communication device 4 automatically communicates with the center to obtain the latest traffic information while the user sets a road section on the setting screen. Thereby, when the user finishes the setting operation of the road section, the navigation ECU 5 calculates the travel time required for the designated section based on the traffic information, and can quickly display the calculated travel time on the screen of the touch panel 2. Is possible.

  Whether or not the communication device 4 is connected to the center is determined based on the time for obtaining the traffic information. In addition, the communication device 4 limits the range in which the traffic information is obtained depending on whether the route is selected (a road is specified) or the traffic is jammed.

  Hereinafter, the connection to the center based on the traffic information acquisition time will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing control processing of the communication apparatus. As shown in FIG. 2, when the user presses the “required time” button displayed on the screen of the touch panel 2 (S11), whether or not the traffic information acquisition time is within a predetermined time (eg, 3 minutes). A determination is made (S12).

  When it is determined that the traffic information acquisition time is within 3 minutes, the control process ends without being connected to the center (S13). On the other hand, if it is determined that the traffic information acquisition time is not within 3 minutes, the control process proceeds to S14, and automatic connection to the center is performed. In the process of S15 following S14, the change of the traffic information range acquired from the center according to the changed scale is executed. At this time, the navigation ECU 5 changes the range of the traffic information acquired from the center according to the scale.

  The navigation ECU 5 further includes a designation mode switching unit 51 and an optimum scale changing unit 52. In the navigation apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, a road section designation mode by specifying a start point and an end point and a road section designation mode by tracing are set.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operation in a road section designation mode by designating a start point and an end point. When using the road section designation mode based on the start point / end point designation, first, the “required time” button 21 displayed on the touch panel 2 is pressed (FIG. 3A). Next, by touching the touch panel 2 with a finger, the start point and the end point of the road section on the map displayed on the touch panel 2 are selected. For example, when it is desired to check the travel time from point A (start point) to point D (end point) on the map displayed on the touch panel 2, first select point A by touching it (FIG. 3 (b)). Subsequently, the finger is moved and the point D is touched (FIG. 3C).

  When the designation of the start point and the end point is completed, the navigation ECU 5 calculates a route that can be reached in the minimum required travel time in the road section A → D based on the traffic information acquired through the communication device 4. For example, when the route required for the minimum travel time is A → B → D, the navigation ECU 5 displays the route A → B → D and the minimum travel time on the screen of the touch panel 2, and simultaneously the speaker 3. The user is informed via voice.

  As shown in FIG. 3D, when the minimum required travel time of the designated road section is 12 minutes, the calculated route A → B → D is indicated by a thicker line than the surrounding route, and the required travel time “ A message indicating “12 minutes” is displayed in a balloon from the route A → B → D. At the same time, a voice guidance saying “traveling time is 12 minutes” is played through the speaker 3.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation in the road section designation mode by tracing. When using the road section designation mode by tracing, first, the “required time” button 21 displayed on the touch panel 2 is pressed (FIG. 4A). Next, by touching the touch panel 2 with a finger, the start point of the road section on the map displayed on the touch panel 2 is selected, and the route to the end point of the designated section is traced with the finger.

  For example, when it is desired to designate a route section A → B → C → D displayed on the screen of the touch panel 2, first, a point A (starting point) is touched with a finger (FIG. 4B), and then the touch panel 2. The screen is traced in the order of A → B → C → D while touching the screen (FIG. 4C). Thereby, road section A-> B-> C-> D is specified. At this time, a trace line is displayed on the traced route A → B → C → D. As a display form of the trajectory line, a display color, a line width, or the like can be changed so that it can be distinguished from surrounding roads.

  Next, the navigation ECU 5 calculates the required time for traveling along the route A → B → C → D based on the traffic information acquired through the communication device 4. As shown in FIG. 4 (d), when the required time to travel along route A → B → C → D is 15 minutes, a message indicating the required travel time “15 minutes” is displayed from route A → B → C → D. Displayed in a balloon. At the same time, a voice guidance saying “traveling time is 15 minutes” is played through the speaker 3.

  The designation mode switching unit 51 performs switching between the road segment designation mode based on the start point / end point designation and the road segment designation mode based on the sliding according to the contact time with the touch panel 2. The designation mode switching unit 51 determines whether the road segment designation mode is based on the start point / end point designation or the road segment designation mode based on tracing based on the time when the finger is touched on the screen immediately after pressing the “Required Time” button 21. When the start point of the designated section is pressed, if the finger is released immediately, the road section designation mode is designated by specifying the start point and the end point.

  The optimum scale changing unit 52 functions as a scale setting means for setting the scale of the screen of the designated section to an appropriate scale. The optimum scale changing unit 52 automatically changes the scale depending on whether or not the destination (goal) has been entered on the screen, and if not, how much distance to the goal. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the user selects the “Required time” button 21 displayed on the screen of the touch panel 2 and designates a road section, the communication device 4 automatically communicates with the center. Get the traffic information of the road including the specified section.

  At this time, the optimum scale changing unit 52 first determines whether or not the goal G in the designated section is on the screen of the touch panel 2. When it is determined that the call G is not on the screen, the optimum scale changing unit 52 calculates the distance to the goal G and changes the scale so that the goal G enters the screen (FIG. 5B). . Then, the navigation ECU 5 calculates the required travel time for the designated section based on the traffic information acquired through the communication device 4, and displays the calculated required time on the screen (FIG. 5 (c)).

  Further, the optimum scale changing unit 52 performs learning, estimates a scale that is often operated by the user, and sets the scale. Further, the optimum scale changing unit 52 changes the scale when the host vehicle travels on a general road or a highway, and makes the setting screen a high-speed schematic diagram when traveling on the highway.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the control processing of the optimum scale setting unit. First, when the user selects the “required time” button displayed on the screen of the touch panel 2 (S21), it is determined whether the user is stuck in a traffic jam or the next link is traffic jam (S22).

  If it is determined that there is traffic jam or the next link is jammed, the control process proceeds to S23, where it is determined whether there is learning. At this time, the navigation ECU 5 makes the determination based on past data information stored in the memory 6.

  When it is determined that there is learning, the control process proceeds to S24, and it is determined whether or not the scale change up to the end of the traffic is always further changed. If it is determined that the scale change has always been further changed, the optimum scale change unit 52 changes the scale to the learning (S25). At this time, the navigation ECU 5 acquires the traffic information and the predicted traffic information of the link within the range of the predetermined angle (for example, 120 °) of the traveling direction fan at the scale suitable for the learning through the communication device 4. When S25 ends, a series of control processing ends.

  If it is determined in S24 that the scale change has not always been changed, or if it is determined in S23 that there is no learning, the control process proceeds to S26, and whether the current scale has reached the end of the traffic jam. A determination is made whether or not. When it is determined that the traffic congestion has been reached, the scale is not changed (S27), and the control process ends.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the current scale does not reach the traffic jam end, the scale is changed until the traffic jam end is entered (S28). At this time, the navigation ECU 5 acquires the traffic information and the predicted traffic information of the road link from the position of the host vehicle to the end of the traffic jam and the surrounding road link through the communication device 4. Then, when S28 ends, the control process ends.

  If it is determined in step S22 that the traffic is not jammed or the next link is not jammed, the control process proceeds to step S29, and it is determined whether the route is being pulled. When it is determined that the route is being pulled, it is determined whether or not there is learning (S30).

  When it is determined that there is learning in the process of S30, the control process proceeds to S31, and it is determined whether the one that has been changed to a scale that reaches the destination is always further changed. If it is determined that the changed one is always further changed, the change to the scale suitable for learning is executed (S32), and the control process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the one changed in the process of S31 is not always changed, or if it is determined that there is no learning in the process of S30, the control process proceeds to S33, and the scale to reach the destination is It is determined whether or not a predetermined reduction ratio (for example, 1/4000 figure) or more.

  When it is determined that the scale is 1 / 40,000 or more, the scale is changed to the scale to reach the destination (S34). At this time, the navigation ECU 5 acquires traffic information and predicted traffic information of all road links on the route along the route from the own vehicle position and the route through the communication device 4. When S34 ends, the control process ends.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the scale is not 1 / 40,000 or more, a change to 1/4000 is made (S35). At this time, the navigation ECU 5 acquires traffic information and predicted traffic information of all road links on the route along the route from the own vehicle position and the route through the communication device 4. When S35 ends, the control process ends.

  When it is determined that the route is not drawn in the process of S29, the control process proceeds to S36, and it is determined whether or not there is learning. When it is determined that there is learning, a change to the scale suitable for learning is performed (S37), and the control process ends. On the other hand, when it is determined that there is no learning, changing to the scale that is always used is executed (S38).

  Here, the scale that is always used is the scale that is most often used during driving. At this time, the navigation ECU 5 acquires the traffic information and the predicted traffic information of all the road links ahead from the own vehicle position through the communication device 4. When S38 ends, the control process ends.

  According to the navigation device 1 configured as described above, the road section designation mode by the start point / end point designation and the road section designation mode by the tracing are set, and the designation mode switching unit 51 determines the contact time with the touch panel 2 of the user. In response to this, the switching between the two designation modes is performed, so the road section can be designated reliably.

  Further, when the communication device 4 automatically communicates with the center, traffic information such as traffic information on the designated section can be easily acquired. Furthermore, since the optimum scale changing unit 52 changes the scale of the screen of the designated section to the optimum scale, it is possible to save the user from the trouble of changing the scale, and the user is not bothered. For example, in the signal waiting state, when it is desired to know the travel time of a specified section, the optimum scale changing unit 52 changes the scale of the screen of the specified section to the optimum scale. It is possible to omit and easily know the information that the user wants to know, and the user does not feel bothered.

  The embodiment described above is an example of the navigation device according to the present invention, and the navigation device according to the present invention is not limited to the one described in the embodiment. The navigation device according to the present invention may be obtained by modifying the navigation device according to the embodiment so as not to change the gist described in each claim, or by applying it to other devices.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus, 2 ... Touch panel, 4 ... Communication apparatus, 5 ... Navi ECU, 51 ... Designation mode switching part, 52 ... Optimum scale change part.

Claims (4)

A navigation device that displays information according to a specified section on a map,
A touch panel that displays map information and accepts a user's contact input operation;
A designation mode switching means for switching between a road section designation mode by specifying a start point and an end point and a road section designation mode by sliding according to a contact time with the touch panel when the start point of the designated section is designated;
With
The designation mode switching means sets the road section designation mode by specifying the start point and the end point when the contact time is less than or equal to a predetermined time, and sets the road section designation mode by tracing when the contact time is more than the predetermined time. A navigation device characterized by the above.   The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a traffic information acquisition unit that acquires the traffic information of the designated section through communication with the outside.   The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising scale changing means for changing a scale of the screen of the designated section to an appropriate scale.   The navigation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information corresponding to the designated section is a travel time.

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