JP2011064628A - Navigation device and navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation device and a navigation system enhancing adherence rate of the route from a routing assistance. <P>SOLUTION: In the navigation device which includes: a route setting means setting a route of a routing assistance; and an incentives quantity setting means setting incentives quantity responding to users selective degree of the route set from the route setting means (for example, adherence rate the user travels following to the route or the user selects either route from a plurality of routes with different incentive quantities), the route setting means is suitable if an alternative route is set based on congestion information and the like as a route. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device and a navigation system.

  Road resources (road equipment) are shared assets and are finite. On the other hand, traffic demand using road resources fluctuates from moment to moment, sometimes causing traffic congestion beyond the capacity of the road. Therefore, even when the route guidance is performed according to the optimum (for example, the shortest) route searched for by the navigation device, the arrival time at the destination is delayed when the vehicle enters the traffic jam area. Therefore, some navigation devices search for a route that bypasses a traffic jam and provide route guidance according to the bypass route (see Patent Document 1). Further, the idea of TDM [Traffic Demand Management] is known, and it has been proposed to distribute vehicles over the entire road resource by time dispersion or space dispersion.

JP 2002-243480 A

  Even if the route guidance is performed by searching for a detour route as described above, the user (driver) may not follow the guidance because he does not want to depart from the shortest route. As a result, the congestion on the main road gets worse.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device and a navigation system that improve the compliance rate of route guidance.

  The navigation device according to the present invention includes route setting means for setting a route for route guidance, and incentive amount setting means for setting an incentive amount according to a user's selection degree for the route set by the route setting means. And

  In this navigation device, when a route for route guidance is set by the route setting means, the user's selection degree for the route is selected by the incentive amount setting means (for example, any one of a plurality of routes having different incentive amounts according to the degree of travel according to the route). Incentive amount is set based on whether the route is selected. In this way, in the navigation device, by setting the incentive amount according to the degree of selection by the user for the route, there is a high possibility that the user will travel according to the route recommended from the device side in order to acquire a larger amount of incentive. Thus, the compliance rate of the route guidance route can be improved.

  In the navigation device of the present invention, the incentive amount setting means may be configured to set the incentive amount based on a compliance rate that the user travels according to the route. As described above, in the navigation device, by setting the incentive amount according to the compliance rate that the user travels according to the route, the possibility that the user travels according to the route becomes high, and the compliance rate of the route can be further improved. .

  In the navigation device of the present invention, the route setting means sets a plurality of routes having different incentive amounts, and the incentive amount setting means is based on the route selected by the user from among the plurality of routes set by the route setting means. It is good also as a structure which sets the amount of incentives. In this way, in the navigation device, by setting the incentive amount based on the route selected by the user from a plurality of routes having different incentive amounts, the user is likely to select a route with a large incentive amount, and the large incentive Since the possibility that the user will follow the route in order to acquire the amount increases, the compliance rate of the route can be further improved.

  In the above navigation device of the present invention, it is preferable that the route setting means sets a detour route as a route. In the navigation device, the detour route is set as the route, and the incentive amount is set according to the degree of selection of the user with respect to the detour route, whereby the compliance rate with respect to the detour route can be improved. As a result, since the vehicle can be guided to a road that bypasses the main road, the traffic flow on the main road can be smoothed, and the entire road resource can be used effectively.

  In the above navigation device of the present invention, it is preferable that the route setting means sets a detour route based on traffic jam information. In this way, in the navigation device, by setting a detour route based on the traffic congestion state, the vehicle can be guided to a road that bypasses the traffic congestion area of the road where the traffic congestion has occurred, and the traffic congestion state can be alleviated.

  A navigation system according to the present invention is a navigation system that transmits and receives information between a navigation apparatus mounted on a vehicle and a center provided outside the vehicle, and the navigation apparatus sets a route for setting route guidance. Means, an incentive amount setting means for setting an incentive amount according to the degree of user selection for the route set by the route setting means, and a transmission means for transmitting the incentive amount set by the incentive amount setting means to the center. The receiving device includes a receiving unit that receives the incentive amount transmitted from the navigation device, and a managing unit that manages the incentive amount received by the receiving unit.

  In this navigation system, similarly to the navigation device described above, by setting the incentive amount according to the degree of selection of the route by the user in the navigation device, it is possible to improve the compliance rate of the route guidance route. Furthermore, in the navigation system, an incentive amount is transmitted from a navigation device mounted on an arbitrary vehicle to the center, and the center manages the incentive amount for each vehicle or for each user. Centralized management is possible, and each user can be reduced according to the incentive amount.

  The present invention can improve the compliance rate of the route for route guidance by setting the incentive amount in accordance with the degree of selection of the route by the user.

It is a block diagram of the navigation system which concerns on this Embodiment. It is an example of the time change of the traffic on a detour route. It is another example of the time change of the traffic volume in a detour route. This is an example of a route selection screen. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the route guidance process given in the navigation apparatus of FIG.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a navigation device and a navigation system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the element which is the same or it corresponds in each figure, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a navigation system that gives points as an incentive amount to a vehicle (user) traveling on a detour route that detours a traffic jam area. This embodiment comprises a center for managing points and a navigation device mounted on each vehicle, and the center and each vehicle can communicate with each other using a telephone line or the like. In the present embodiment, it means that a user who selects a detour route for detouring the main road as selected in a normal route search gives the other users a route through the main road. Then, the detour route is called “I will give you”.

  The navigation system 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a navigation system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an example of a temporal change in traffic volume on the detour route. FIG. 3 is another example of the time change of the traffic volume on the detour route. FIG. 4 is an example of a route selection screen.

  In the navigation system 1, when the center 2 detects that a traffic jam has occurred on the main road, the navigation system 1 avoids the traffic jam area for the vehicles V,... Approaching the traffic jam area from the center 2. Ask for route guidance. In the navigation system 1, when the vehicle user (especially the driver) gives an intention to give the route guidance, the navigation device 3 calculates a plurality of routes given by the navigation device 3, and the compliance rate of traveling according to the user-selected route is calculated. Calculate the points according to the compliance rate. Further, in the navigation system 1, the points are transmitted from the navigation device 3 to the center 2, and the points for each vehicle are collected and managed by the center 2. Note that the vehicle V that is the target of this system is a vehicle having a communication function for communicating with the center 2.

  The center 2 is a center that performs recruitment of route guidance and point management. The center 2 has a communication function for communicating with the vehicle V, and transmits / receives various information to / from the vehicle V. Examples of information transmitted from the vehicle V include point information and vehicle position information. Information to be transmitted to the vehicle V includes predicted traffic information, recruitment information for route guidance, and the like. The center 2 has a communication function for communicating with a VICS [Vehicle Information and Communication System] center, and receives VICS information from the VICS center at regular intervals. In the present embodiment, the communication function of the center 2 corresponds to the receiving means described in the claims, and the processing in the center 2 corresponds to the management means described in the claims.

  In the center 2, traffic jams occur every road (especially the main road selected by the route search in the navigation device) based on VICS information (especially traffic jam information) and information from the probe car at regular intervals. Detects the area where the error occurs. Here, not only the traffic congestion state in which the traffic jam has already occurred, but also the traffic volume before the traffic jam occurs may be detected. When the traffic jam area is detected, the center 2 extracts the vehicle V approaching the traffic jam area based on the position information transmitted from each vehicle V. Then, the center 2 transmits the predicted traffic information and the recruitment information to each vehicle V that is approaching the traffic jam area using the communication function. The predicted traffic information is current traffic jam information (such as a traffic jam area), and is the traffic jam information that is generated ahead on the traveling road for the vehicle V to which the predicted traffic information is transmitted. The solicitation information is solicitation information as to whether route guidance for detouring the traffic jam area is performed.

  After sending recruitment information to each vehicle V, the center 2 calculates the traffic volume (for example, the number of vehicles passing per unit time) for each road that bypasses the traffic jam area based on VICS information and information from the probe car. Monitor. Then, the center 2 determines whether or not the monitored traffic volume exceeds the detour upper limit traffic volume for each road detouring the traffic jam area at regular time intervals. The detour upper limit traffic volume is an upper limit traffic volume in which vehicles flow smoothly, and is set in advance for each road. When the traffic volume on a certain detour road exceeds the detour upper limit traffic volume, the center 2 stops sending the recruitment information for the route guidance for each vehicle V. As described above, if the traffic volume is not restricted even on the detour road, traffic congestion occurs on the detour road, and the effective use of the entire road resource deteriorates.

  Even after the transmission of the recruitment information is stopped, the center 2 monitors the traffic volume on the detour road based on the VICS information and information from the probe car. Then, the center 2 determines whether or not the traffic volume on the road exceeding the detour upper limit traffic volume is less than the detour lower limit traffic volume at regular time intervals. The detour lower limit traffic volume is a traffic volume that is smaller than the detour upper limit traffic volume and can sufficiently accept a vehicle, and is preset for each road. When the traffic volume falls below the detour lower limit traffic volume, the center 2 resumes sending the route route recruitment information for each vehicle V.

  Fig. 2 shows an example of the change over time in traffic volume (cars / h) on the detour road when there is a traffic jam on a main road. ing. When traffic jam occurs and recruitment starts ST, the traffic on the detour road is small. From the recruitment start time ST, the number of vehicles that detour with the intention to perform route guidance increases, so the traffic on the detour road increases. Eventually, the traffic volume on the detour road exceeded the detour upper limit traffic volume UL, so the recruitment is temporarily stopped. Since the number of vehicles that detour in the route guidance will decrease from the point SP when this recruitment is stopped, the traffic on the detour road will decrease. Eventually, since the traffic volume on the detour road fell below the detour lower limit traffic volume LL, recruitment is resumed. From the time RM when this recruitment is resumed, the traffic volume on the detour road increases again. Thus, by repeating the recruitment suspension and the recruitment restart, the traffic volume on the detour road can be adjusted to an appropriate amount.

  When the traffic volume on the detour road exceeds the detour upper limit traffic volume, the recruitment target vehicles may be narrowed as follows instead of temporarily stopping the recruitment as described above. When the traffic volume exceeds the detour upper limit traffic volume, the center 2 selects a vehicle that transmits the recruitment information from the vehicles V that are approaching the traffic jam area. As this selection method, for example, a random selection at a predetermined ratio or a vehicle having excellent fuel efficiency is selected. In addition, after narrowing down this recruitment, if the traffic volume on the detour road falls below the detour lower limit traffic volume, the recruitment may be performed again without narrowing the recruitment.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a change over time in the traffic volume (vehicles / h) on the detour road when a traffic jam occurs on a certain road and the route guidance recruitment starts and the recruitment is narrowed down. Similar to the example of FIG. 2, the traffic volume on the detour road increases from the recruitment start time ST, and the traffic volume on the detour road eventually exceeds the detour upper limit traffic volume UL. Here, the recruitment target is narrowed down and the recruitment is continued. Since the number of vehicles that detour in the route guidance will be reduced from the point LT when the recruitment is narrowed down, the traffic on the detour road will slightly decrease. Thus, by narrowing down the vehicles to be recruited, the traffic volume on the detour road can be adjusted to an appropriate amount.

  It should be noted that from the start of recruitment, it is also possible to narrow down the vehicles to be recruited for which route guidance will be given and send recruitment information only to those vehicles. By doing so, the number of vehicles that detour in the route guidance will be smaller than when not narrowed, and the increase in traffic volume on the detour road will be smaller, but it will be easier to adjust the traffic volume on the detour road to an appropriate amount .

  After the recruitment starts, the center 2 receives the points from the vehicle that gave the route guidance by the communication function. When the point is received from the database 2a, the points already accumulated for the vehicle are taken out and the received points are stored. In addition to the existing points, the points are re-stored in the database 2a. As described above, the center 2 manages points for each vehicle (may be for each user) using the database 2a. At this time, in addition to the points related to the route guidance, other eco points are also managed as personal information.

  The point is an index for evaluating whether the entire road resource is effectively utilized by detouring or whether it contributes to ecology. Therefore, the more points (vehicles) the vehicle contributes to the effective use of road resources and ecology. In order to improve the motivation for the user to acquire points, the ranking of evaluation results based on such points may be announced on the Internet or the like. Moreover, it is good also as a form (for example, cash, gift certificate) which can be used by shopping etc. according to the point. Also, HOV [High-Occupancy Vehicles] lanes implemented in the United States etc. (currently not implemented in Japan, but when implemented, it is also widely interpreted as a bus-only lane) The right to pass through a dedicated lane that allows only authorized vehicles to pass through may be granted.

  In addition, after recruiting for a large number of vehicles, the points may be made higher for vehicles that have been recruited earlier. This is because the main road becomes more congested unless it begins to be guided to the detour road as soon as possible, so that the traffic congestion can be alleviated earlier. Alternatively, the points may be higher for vehicles that consume less fuel as a whole even if they detour. In other words, taking into account such things as increasing the mileage by detouring (that is, making a detour), vehicles with better fuel efficiency, less fuel consumption, and idling can be stopped while traffic is stopped Therefore, even when detouring, the fuel consumption is reduced, and the higher the eco-friendly vehicle, the higher the points.

  The navigation device 3 is a device that, when a user sets a destination, calculates a route to the destination and guides the route with an HMI [Human Machine Interface] terminal (display, speaker, etc.). In particular, the navigation device 3 asks the user (especially the driver) whether or not the route guidance is given when the route guidance is requested from the center 2, and when the user decides to give the route guidance. I will give you route guidance. Below, only the process regarding the route guidance mentioned in the navigation apparatus 3 is demonstrated. Each process in the navigation device 3 is performed by a navigation ECU [Electronic Control Unit] (not shown). In the present embodiment, each process in the navigation device 3 (navigator ECU) corresponds to the route setting means and the incentive amount setting means described in the claims, and the communication function of the vehicle V is described in the claims. It corresponds to the transmission means.

  When the navigation device 3 receives the predicted traffic information and the recruitment information from the center 2 by the communication function of the vehicle V, the navigation device 3 notifies the HMI terminal that the traffic area is approaching based on the predicted traffic information, and performs route guidance. Is inquired at the HMI terminal. In this inquiry, for example, a merit of performing route guidance on the display and a decision button for performing the route are displayed on the screen. The route guidance inquiry may be performed when a route to the destination is searched and route guidance according to the route is performed or when route guidance is not performed.

  If the user decides to give route guidance (for example, if the route button is pushed), the navigation device 3 uses the predicted traffic information (congested area, etc.) to bypass the congested area ( In addition to calculating multiple detour routes), set the points when 100% of the following routes are observed. For example, the point setting method takes into consideration the distance (travel distance) from the main road of the route to be raised, the fuel consumption when traveling on the route to be raised, and the higher the overall contribution to eco, the higher the point set To do. The navigation device 3 displays a route selection screen showing the set points on the display. Although a plurality of routes are basically calculated, there may be a case where only one route is calculated when there are few surrounding roads on the main road or due to the degree of congestion of each detourable road.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of a route selection screen. In this example, three routes and their points are displayed, and the displayed part is a route selection button. In this example, it also serves as a screen for inquiring whether or not to give route guidance. By selecting one route, it is determined that the route guidance will be given. As described above, the inquiry of the route guidance and the selection of the route may be displayed together. In the case of this example, when the user presses the selection button for route 2 to be displayed, a road map showing the route 2 to be displayed on the next screen may be displayed to confirm whether or not this route is acceptable.

  When the user selects a route, the navigation device 3 performs route guidance using the HMI terminal according to the route. In addition, the navigation device 3 monitors whether the traveling locus is following the route that is being raised during the route guidance. Then, after completion of the route, the navigation device 3 calculates the compliance rate of traveling along the route. The calculation method is to calculate the percentage of the route that has been driven, assuming that 100% is the case where all the routes are driven. Further, the navigation device 3 calculates points according to the compliance rate, and displays the calculated points on the display. This calculation method will be given when the compliance rate is 100%. The point set for each route is given as it is, and when it is less than 100%, the set point is multiplied by the compliance rate. Give. In the navigation device 3, the point is transmitted to the center 2 by the communication function of the vehicle V.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the operation | movement of the route guidance mentioned in the navigation system 1 is demonstrated. In particular, the processing in the navigation device 3 will be described along the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of route guidance processing described in the navigation device of FIG.

  The center 2 monitors the degree of congestion for each road on the basis of VICS information and the like, and detects an area where traffic congestion occurs. When the traffic congestion area is detected, the center 2 extracts the vehicle V approaching the traffic congestion area, and transmits predicted traffic information and recruitment information for route guidance to each vehicle V.

  When the predicted traffic information and the recruitment information are received by each vehicle V (S1), the navigation device 3 notifies the driver that the vehicle is approaching the traffic jam area and inquires whether to give route guidance (the route guidance button (Presentation) is performed by the HMI terminal (S2). Then, the navigation device 3 determines whether or not the route guidance button given by the driver has been pressed (S3). If it is determined in S3 that the route guidance button has not been pressed, the navigation device 3 determines that the driver has no intention to perform the route guidance, and ends the process.

  If it is determined that the route guidance button given in S3 is pressed, the navigation device 3 calculates a plurality of routes that bypass the traffic jam area, and sets points when the given route is observed (S4). Then, the navigation device 3 presents each route associated with the point on the HMI terminal in a selectable state (S5). The navigation device 3 determines whether one of the routes given by the driver has been selected (S6).

  If it is determined that one of the routes given in S6 has been selected, the navigation device 3 provides route guidance according to the selected route, and monitors whether the traveling locus is following the route given during guidance (S7). . When the route to be raised ends, the navigation device 3 calculates a compliance rate for the route to be raised based on the monitoring result (S7). Further, the navigation device 3 calculates points according to the compliance rate (S8). Then, the navigation device 3 displays the point (S9). The navigation device 3 (vehicle V) transmits the point to the center 2 (S10).

  When the points are received from each vehicle V, the center 2 accumulates the current points to the points already stored for each vehicle (or each user) and manages the points in the database 2a.

  According to this navigation system 1, by setting the points according to the compliance rate with respect to the route given by the user and which route will be selected, the possibility of traveling according to the route given by the user increases, and the route ( The compliance rate of the detour route) can be improved. As a result, the vehicle can be guided to a road that bypasses the main road, the traffic flow on the main road can be smoothed (congestion can be reduced), and the entire road resources can be effectively used. At this time, the user who gave the route guidance pays the sacrifice of being out of his / her travel time and the shortest route, but instead, the travel time of other users is shortened and the vehicles are dispersed, resulting in the sacrifice. As a whole, the total travel time including the user who paid can be shortened.

  In addition, according to this navigation system 1, by asking the user whether or not to give route guidance (by providing a route guidance button), the user himself / herself will display when the route guidance is given. The compliance rate can be further improved. Further, according to the navigation system 1, the amount of vehicles for performing the route guidance can be adjusted by narrowing down the vehicles for which the route guidance is to be raised on the center 2 side, and the traffic on the detour road is also adjusted to an appropriate amount. be able to. By the way, when a detour route is provided for all vehicles approaching the traffic jam area, if many users respond to the detour route, the detour road is also crowded and cannot be effectively used as a whole road resource.

  In addition, according to this navigation system 1, aiming to obtain quantified points by quantifying the degree of contribution to ecology and the effective use of road resources (traffic flow smoothing) by points, It is possible to guide the user to implement eco-friendly driving and smooth traffic flow, and to effectively utilize limited road resources. In other words, even if the user sacrifices his / her travel time and the desire not to deviate from the shortest road, he / she can feel that he / she can make a detour in order to obtain more points.

  In addition, according to the navigation system 1, by centrally managing points from each vehicle V at the center 2, the points can be centrally managed at the center 2 for each vehicle and for each user. Benefits according to points can be reduced.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment which concerns on this invention was described, this invention is implemented in various forms, without being limited to the said embodiment.

  For example, although the present embodiment is applied to a detour route that avoids a traffic jam area, it may be a detour route that avoids other factors such as a construction section. Further, the route may not be a detour route that avoids a specific factor, but may be a route that effectively uses the entire road resource due to time dispersion or space dispersion.

  In this embodiment, points are applied as the incentive amount. However, any incentive amount may be used as long as the user can evaluate the degree of contribution by traveling on the detour route.

  In addition, in this embodiment, it is configured to confirm the user's will whether or not to perform route guidance according to the recruitment from the center. However, the navigation device detects the traffic congestion area in front and detects the traffic congestion area. In this case, the user's will confirmation of whether or not to perform route guidance, which is given on the navigation device side, may be performed. At this time, if the user decides to do it, a candidacy system may be adopted in which the navigation apparatus guides the route to the center. By adopting the candidacy system in this way, the possibility of traveling according to the route will be increased, and the compliance rate can be improved.

  1 ... navigation system, 2 ... center, 3 ... navigation device

Claims (6)

Route setting means for setting a route for route guidance;
A navigation apparatus comprising: an incentive amount setting unit that sets an incentive amount in accordance with a user's degree of selection for a route set by the route setting unit.   The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the incentive amount setting means sets the incentive amount based on a compliance rate that the user travels according to a route. The route setting means sets a plurality of routes with different incentive amounts,
The navigation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the incentive amount setting unit sets an incentive amount based on a route selected by a user from a plurality of routes set by the route setting unit. .   The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the route setting means sets a detour route as a route.   5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the route setting means sets a detour route based on traffic jam information. A navigation system for transmitting and receiving information between a navigation device mounted on a vehicle and a center provided outside the vehicle,
The navigation device includes: a route setting unit that sets a route for route guidance; an incentive amount setting unit that sets an incentive amount according to a user's selection degree for the route set by the route setting unit; and the incentive amount setting unit. A transmission means for transmitting the set incentive amount to the center;
The navigation system comprising: a receiving unit that receives an incentive amount transmitted from the navigation device; and a managing unit that manages the incentive amount received by the receiving unit.

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