JP2011158287A - Navigation apparatus and navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically set reference spots for searching surrounding facilities displayed as widgets according to types of the facilities. <P>SOLUTION: A navigation apparatus includes: a current position detection means of detecting a current position; an operation input means of selecting types of desired information; and a display means. The navigation apparatus includes: a search reference spot setting means of setting a search reference spot according to types of the selected information; and an information search means of searching information that is within a prescribed range based on the search reference spot and corresponds to types of the selected information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device and a navigation system, and more particularly, to a navigation device and a navigation system having a function of searching for a desired facility and information and displaying the result as a widget on a screen.

  Conventionally, in a navigation apparatus, information around a current position and around a guide route has been acquired.

  For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-33272), facility information such as a gas station existing along the searched route is searched by the facility search means, and the searched facility information is displayed on the display means. A route search display device for display is disclosed. As a result, not only the route searched by the route search is displayed on the display device, but also the facility information required by a driver such as a gas station can be displayed.

  Further, in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-72751), the search means searches for registered spot information around the position of the vehicle based on a user instruction, and the position of the searched registered spot is displayed on the map data. A navigation device and a registration point search method for superimposing display are disclosed.

  Further, Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-107162) includes a receiving unit that receives facility data indicating the type and location of a facility, and the receiving unit is transmitted from a facility, a facility data transmitting station, a service center, or the like. A navigation device is disclosed that can receive incoming facility data and display the received facility data such as gas stations, restaurants, parking lots, etc. along with the current position.

  Furthermore, the following Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-357432) discloses a navigation device that includes facility search means, searches for facilities located around the current position, and displays them on the display means. Even when the vehicle is moving, information on facilities around the current position can be obtained every moment.

  Similarly, in the navigation device, information around the destination is searched and displayed.

  In recent years, it is known to use small-scale accessory software that displays a clock function, a calendar function, news, and the like on the desktop of a computer screen. Such accessory software is called a widget.

  By the way, Non-Patent Document 1 below discloses that such a widget function is applied to a navigation device so that the display of the navigation device can be viewed on a computer desktop so that the widget function can be used.

  The navigation device of Non-Patent Document 1 below searches for peripheral facilities belonging to the type selected by the user, and displays the search result as a widget on the map image on the display. This widget displays the number of searched nearby facilities, and the number changes in real time as the vehicle moves. That is, by operating the widget constantly or periodically, the facility and facility information can be acquired in real time, and the real-time information can be displayed. When the user selects a widget displayed on the screen, detailed information is provided by displaying a list of information associated with the map and the widget. For example, gas stations around the current position are displayed in ascending order of price, or restaurants are displayed in order of popularity.

  In the following description, the widget function is information obtained by periodically acquiring / searching information about facilities that are in the vicinity of the search reference point and corresponding to the type of facility selected / set by the user. It will be described as accessory software that displays.

  The widget is described as an icon for displaying acquired / searched information or an icon (see 321 in FIG. 4) for displaying acquired / searched information.

JP-A-9-33272 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-72751 JP 2002-107162 A JP 2002-357432 A

http://pioneer.jp/press/2009/0507-2.html

  In the navigation device disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, information on facilities around the current position is searched using the current position as a search reference point.

  However, facilities that are supposed to be used around the destination, such as parking lots and accommodation facilities, may be set not as the current position but as the search reference point for the widget function. However, if both the current position and the destination point can be set as the search reference point, the user has to set the search reference point, which causes a problem that the operation becomes complicated for the user.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide information necessary for the user by automatically setting the reference point of the widget function search on the display of the navigation device to the current position or the destination point according to the type of facility. The purpose is to do so.

In order to solve the above problems, the navigation device of the present invention provides:
In a navigation apparatus comprising a current position detecting means for detecting a current position, an operation input means for selecting a desired type of information, and a display means,
The navigation device includes search reference point setting means for setting a search reference point according to the type of the selected information,
And an information search means for searching for information within a predetermined range based on the search reference point and corresponding to the type of the selected information.

In order to solve the above problems, the navigation device of the present invention provides:
In a navigation apparatus comprising a current position detecting means for detecting a current position, an operation input means for selecting a desired type of information, and a display means,
The navigation device includes search reference point setting means for setting a search reference point according to the type of the selected information,
Communication means for transmitting at least the type of the selected information and receiving information corresponding to the type of the selected information within a predetermined range based on the search reference point. To do.

  In the navigation device according to the aspect of the invention, the search reference point setting unit may determine the search reference point according to the type of the selected information and whether or not the destination point is set by the operation input unit. It is characterized by setting.

  In the navigation apparatus according to the aspect of the invention, the search reference point setting unit may select the search reference point as a current position detected by the current position detection unit or a destination point set by the operation input unit. It is characterized by setting to either.

In addition, the navigation system of the present invention includes
A navigation apparatus comprising a current position detecting means for detecting a current position, an operation input means for selecting a type of desired information, and a display means, and an information providing server connected to the navigation apparatus via a communication means In a navigation system consisting of
The navigation device includes search reference point setting means for setting a search reference point according to the type of the selected information,
The information providing server includes an information search unit that searches for information corresponding to a type of the selected information within a predetermined range based on the search reference point.

  In the navigation system according to the aspect of the invention, the search reference point setting unit may determine the search reference point according to the type of the selected information and whether or not the destination point is set by the operation input unit. It is characterized by setting.

  In the navigation system according to the aspect of the invention, the search reference point setting unit may select either the current position detected by the current position detection unit or the destination point set by the operation input unit. It is characterized by setting to either.

  With the above configuration, the present invention has the following excellent effects. That is, according to the navigation device of the present invention, in the navigation device including the current position detection means for detecting the current position, the operation input means for selecting the type of desired information, and the display means, the selected information The search reference point that becomes the reference of the search target range is set (for example, set to the current position or the destination) according to the type of the facility (for example, the type of the facility selected from the widget setting item), so the necessary information is set by the user. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform an operation for setting a search reference point in order to obtain the information, and the operation is simplified.

  According to the navigation device of the present invention, the navigation device transmits search reference point setting means for setting a search reference point according to the type of the selected information, and at least the type of the selected information. And a communication means for receiving information corresponding to the type of the selected information within a predetermined range based on the search reference point. According to such a configuration, since necessary information can be acquired from an external information providing server, the user can obtain the latest information that the information providing server has.

  Further, according to one aspect of the navigation device of the present invention, the search reference point setting means determines the search reference according to the type of the selected information and whether or not a destination point is set by the operation input means. Since the point is set, it is not necessary to perform the setting operation of the search reference point in order for the user to acquire necessary information, and the operation is simplified. Further, when the search reference point is set as the destination point, once the search is performed, it is not necessary to perform the search again, so that the process becomes simple.

  Further, according to one aspect of the navigation apparatus of the present invention, the search reference point setting means sets the search reference point as a current position detected by the current position detection means or a destination point set by the operation input means. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user to perform a search reference point setting operation in order to obtain necessary information, and the operation is simplified.

  In addition, according to the navigation system of the present invention, a navigation device including a current position detection unit that detects a current position, an operation input unit that selects a type of desired information, and a display unit, the navigation device, A navigation system comprising an information providing server connected via communication means, and the navigation device includes search reference point setting means for setting a search reference point according to the type of the selected information, The information providing server includes information search means for searching for information corresponding to the type of the selected information within a predetermined range based on the search reference point. According to such a configuration, a search reference point serving as a reference for the search target range is set (for example, the current position or the purpose) according to the type of selected information (for example, the type of facility selected from the widget setting item). Therefore, the user does not need to perform a search reference point setting operation in order to acquire necessary information, and the operation is simplified.

  Further, according to one aspect of the navigation system of the present invention, the search reference point setting means determines the search reference according to the type of the selected information and whether or not a destination point is set by the operation input means. Since the point is set, it is not necessary to perform the setting operation of the search reference point in order for the user to acquire necessary information, and the operation is simplified. Further, when the search reference point is set as the destination point, once the search is performed, it is not necessary to perform the search again, so that the process becomes simple.

  Further, according to one aspect of the navigation system of the present invention, the search reference point setting means sets the search reference point as a current position detected by the current position detection means or a destination point set by the operation input means. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user to perform a search reference point setting operation in order to obtain necessary information, and the operation is simplified.

  As described above, according to the navigation device and the navigation system of the present invention, for example, when parking lot search is selected from the widget setting items, the search reference point serving as the reference for the search target is not set by the user. Set to a point. This eliminates the need for the user to set the search reference point as the destination point and simplifies the operation. In addition, when a normal destination point is set, a parking lot is required when the destination point is approached. Therefore, by searching in advance for a parking lot around the destination point, the user can park in advance. It becomes easy to grasp the situation. Furthermore, since the search reference point is the destination point, once a search is performed, there is no need to perform a search thereafter, so there is no need to repeatedly communicate and receive information from an external database or the like.

1 is a block configuration diagram of a navigation system 10 according to an embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the widget setting operation | movement in the navigation apparatus 100 concerning a present Example. The map image display screen of the present position periphery displayed on the display input means 125 is shown. The menu setting screen displayed on the display input means 125 is shown. The widget setting screen displayed on the display input means 125 is shown. The widget display screen displayed on the display input means 125 is shown. A state in which the user operates the menu icon on the widget display screen of FIG. 6 is shown. As in FIG. 4, a menu setting screen displayed on the display input unit 125 is shown. Similarly to FIG. 5, a widget setting screen displayed on the display input unit 125 is shown, and a state in which the user has selected “gourmet” is shown. A widget display screen that additionally displays a newly set widget is shown. The map display screen which displayed the position display icon showing the position of various facilities is shown.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. However, the embodiments described below illustrate and explain a navigation system for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to identify the present invention as this navigation system. The present invention can be equally applied to other navigation systems without departing from the technical idea described in the claims.

  With reference to FIG. 1, a navigation system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention and its configuration will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a navigation system 10 according to the present embodiment. The navigation system 10 includes an information providing server 200 connected to the navigation device 100 via a network.

  The navigation device 100 includes a control unit 110, a communication unit 120, a current position detection unit 121, a widget setting unit 122, a search reference point setting unit 123, a facility search request unit 124, a display input unit 125, a display control unit 126, and a route search unit. 127, a storage unit 128, and a map storage unit 129.

  The control unit 110 includes a CPU 111, a ROM 112, and a RAM 113. The CPU 111 executes a control program stored in the ROM 112 or the RAM 113, thereby controlling operations of each unit of the navigation device 100 described below. Supervise.

  The communication unit 120 is connected to the information providing server 200 via a wireless network, and transmits a facility search request described below to the information providing server 200 or receives a search result in the information providing server 200. It is.

  The current position detecting means 121 includes a GPS signal receiving means (not shown) and an autonomous navigation means (not shown), receives a GPS signal transmitted from a GPS satellite, or measures an output of a vehicle speed sensor or the like. Thus, the current position is calculated.

  The widget setting unit 122 causes the display control unit 126 to display on the display input unit 125 a widget setting screen that displays a list of a plurality of widget setting items displayed on the display input unit 125 when the user selects and sets. Send instructions. The widget setting unit 122 stores the facility type selected and set by the user from the widget setting items in the storage unit 128, and sets the stored facility type as a processing target in the widget function.

  The search reference point setting unit 123 sets a (search) reference point according to the type of the selected facility. For example, if the type of facility selected / set is a gas station, the current position is set as a search reference point, and if it is a parking lot, the destination point is set as a search reference point. Further, in the case of accommodation facilities, sightseeing, and weather, a destination point is set as a search reference point.

  The facility search request means 124 sends a facility search request using the selected facility type (type such as gas station, parking lot, accommodation facility, etc.) and a search reference point such as the current position or destination point as a search condition. This is performed on the information providing server 200 via 120.

  The display input unit 125 includes a liquid crystal display panel and a touch panel type input device provided on the surface thereof, and displays a map display screen, a route guidance screen, a widget setting screen, and the like created by the display control unit 126. , Accepts user's selection input. The display input means 125 corresponds to the operation input means and display means in the present invention.

  The display control means 126 creates a map display screen converted so that the map image stored in the map storage means 129 can be displayed on the display input means 125, or the guide route searched by the map image and the route search means 127. And a route guidance screen for displaying on the display input means 125 in a superimposed manner. In addition, a widget setting screen that displays a plurality of widget setting items in a menu format is created. Further, a widget display screen is created by superimposing the widget and the route guidance screen or the map display screen.

  The route search unit 127 stores an optimum guide route from the current position detected by the departure point or the current position detection unit 121 to the destination point set by the user using the display input unit 125 in the map storage unit 129. Search with reference to existing map information.

  The storage means 128 includes information on the current position detected by the current position detection means 121, information on the destination point set by the user, the type of facility selected / set by the user from the widget setting items, and facility search request means The search result from the information providing server 200 in response to the facility search request by 124, the guide route searched by the route searching means 127, and the like are stored.

  The map storage means 129 stores map information including road node data whose nodes are nodes such as road branch points and road link data whose links are links between the nodes. The road node data includes road node numbers, position coordinates, number of connection links, branch point names, etc., and route guidance that provides route guidance such as turning left and right and straight ahead at a guide point that is a predetermined distance away from the branch point. Data and position coordinates of the guide point are stored.

  The road link data includes a road node number as a start point and an end point, a road type, a link length (link cost) as distance information between nodes, a required time, the number of lanes, a road width, and the like. Further, data such as bridges, tunnels, railroad crossings, and toll gates are added to the road link data as link attributes. The road type is information including distinction between elevated roads and underpass roads, distinction between expressways and toll roads, distinction between national roads and prefectural roads.

  Further, the map storage means 129 stores background data consisting of water system data such as coastlines, lakes, and river shapes, administrative boundary data, facility positions including parking lots, facility shapes, and facility data including facility names. Yes.

  Further, the map storage means 129 stores map information for indicating a travel route of the vehicle, a guide route to the destination, a travel distance to the destination, and a travel time.

  The route search means 127 searches for a link and data from a road node corresponding to the current position or departure point to a road node corresponding to the destination point by a method such as the Dijkstra method, and calculates the link length (link cost) and required time. The route that accumulates and has the shortest total link length (travel distance) or total required time is set as a guide route, and road nodes and links belonging to the route are provided as guide route data.

  The information providing server 200 includes a control unit 210, a communication unit 220, a facility search unit 221, and a facility information DB 222.

  The control unit 210 includes a CPU 211, a ROM 212, and a RAM 213. The CPU 211 executes a control program stored in the ROM 212 or the RAM 213 to control the operation of each unit of the information providing server 200 described below.・ Oversee.

  The communication unit 220 is connected to at least one navigation device 100 via a wireless network, receives a facility search request transmitted from the navigation device 100, and transmits a search result corresponding to the facility search request to the navigation device 100. belongs to.

  When the facility search unit 221 receives a facility search request from the navigation device 100 via the communication unit 220, the facility search unit 221 searches for the facility by referring to the facility information DB 222 based on the search condition. The facility search means 221 corresponds to the information search means of the present invention. The search result is transmitted to the navigation apparatus 100 that made the search request via the communication unit 220.

  The facility information DB 222 stores and holds information on various facilities. The facility information includes, for example, restaurants, gas stations, lodging facilities, theme parks, event information, parking lots, etc., location information, names, business hours, holding periods, gas stations, etc. In the case of, the price is included, and in the case of a parking lot, vacancy information is included. This facility information can be updated or added as appropriate. Note that information such as the weather at each location may be included in the facility information DB 222.

  Next, the widget setting operation of the navigation system in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 to 11. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the widget setting operation in the navigation device 100 according to the present embodiment. 3 to 11 show display screens displayed on the display input unit 125 of the navigation device 100, respectively.

  First, the navigation apparatus 100 detects the current position by the current position detection unit 121. Based on the detected current position information, the control means 110 acquires a map image of a predetermined range centered on the current position from the map storage means 129, and the display control means 126 converts these map images into a predetermined format. And displayed on the display input means 125. FIG. 3 shows a map display of the current position. FIG. 3 shows a map display screen around the current position displayed on the display input means 125.

  The map display screen includes a map display area 310, a current time display area 330 provided at the lower end portion thereof, and a current position display area 331. In the map display area 310, a current position mark 311 and a menu icon 320 are displayed on a map, and a map image of a predetermined scale and a predetermined range centered on the current position mark 311 is displayed.

  Here, when the user selects the menu icon 320 by touching the menu icon 320 or bringing his / her finger close, the menu setting item stored in the storage unit 128 is referred to, and the display control unit 126 displays the menu shown in FIG. A setting screen 340 is displayed on the display input means 125. The menu setting screen 340 includes a menu display area that occupies most of the screen, a current time display area (not shown) provided at the lower end portion, and a current position display area 331.

  In the menu display area, a “return” icon 399 for displaying the previous display screen is provided at the top. The menu display area includes a plurality of menu setting icons 341 to 345. In FIG. 4, only two menu setting icons 341 and 342 are specifically displayed. The first icon 341 is a “destination” icon, and the second icon is a “widget setting icon”. When the first icon 341 is selected, the destination point can be set.

  When the user selects the “widget setting icon” 342 that is the second icon, the process of step S21 in FIG. 2 is started. In step S21, the widget setting means 122 instructs display of the widget setting screen based on the widget setting items stored in the storage means 128, and the display control means 126 displays and inputs a widget setting screen 350 as shown in FIG. It is displayed on the means 125.

  FIG. 5 shows a widget setting screen 350 displayed on the display input unit 125. The widget setting screen 350 includes a widget setting display area that occupies most of the screen area, a current time display area 330 and a current position display area 331 provided at the lower end of the widget setting display area.

  The widget setting display area includes a plurality of widget setting item icons 351 to 360. In FIG. 5, six widget setting item icons 351 to 356 are specifically displayed. The first icon 351 is “parking lot”, the second icon 352 is “gas station”, the third icon 353 is “accommodation”, the fourth icon 354 is “tourist information”, and the fifth icon 355 is “ “Weather” and “gourmet” are assigned to the sixth icon 356, respectively. In addition, a “return” icon 399 for displaying the previous display screen is provided at the top. The widget setting item icons 351 to 356 correspond to the type of facility, and when the widget setting item icon is selected, the type of facility corresponding to the selected widget setting item icon is selected. In the present embodiment, the description will be made assuming that weather, sightseeing information, and the like are one of the types of facilities.

  The process proceeds to step S22 in FIG. 2 and accepts an input by the user from the display input unit 125, and the widget setting unit 122 determines whether the user has selected a widget setting item. When it is determined that the user has not selected the widget setting item by selecting the “return” icon 399 or the like, the process returns to the menu setting screen of FIG. 4 or ends the process.

  When it is determined that the user has selected any one of the widget setting item icons 351 to 360, the widget setting unit 122 stores the type of facility corresponding to the selected widget setting item in the storage unit 128 and performs processing in the widget function. The target of. Next, the process proceeds to step S23 in FIG. 2, and the search reference point setting unit 123 determines whether or not the stored facility type corresponds to a preset specific facility type. Here, the specific facility type set in advance includes a parking lot, accommodation, sightseeing, weather, and the like.

  If the stored facility type corresponds to a preset specific facility type, the process proceeds to step S24, and the search reference point setting unit 123 refers to the storage unit 128 to determine whether or not the destination point is set. . If no destination is set, the process proceeds to step S27. When the destination point is set, the process proceeds to step S25. In step S25, the facility search requesting unit 124 sets the destination point as a search reference point, stores the type of facility, the location information of the destination point stored in the storage unit 128, a predetermined range (for example, the destination) The facility search request is transmitted to the information providing server 200 using a search condition such as a radius within 500 m around the point.

  When the information providing server 200 receives the facility search request from the navigation device 100, the information providing server 200 refers to the facility information DB 222 based on the search condition received by the facility search means 221 and is included in the search condition within a predetermined range from the destination point. The facility belonging to the type of facility to be searched and information on the facility are searched, and the search result is transmitted to the navigation apparatus 100 via the communication unit 220.

  When the navigation apparatus 100 receives the facility search result from the information providing server 200, the navigation apparatus 100 stores the search result in the storage unit 128. In the above description, the facility information DB is provided in the information providing server 200 different from the navigation device 100, and the navigation device 100 is connected to the information providing server 200 by communication to perform facility search. The present invention is not limited to the above, and the navigation device 100 itself may include a facility information DB. In that case, the navigation apparatus 100 includes a facility search unit, searches the facility information DB according to the set search condition, and stores the search result in the storage unit 128.

  In subsequent step S26, the display control means 126 creates a widget display screen in which the map image around the current position shown in FIG. 3, the set widget, and an image representing the number of searched facilities are superimposed. Are displayed on the display input means 125.

  FIG. 6 shows a widget display screen displayed on the display input means 125. The widget display screen is the same as the map image display screen of FIG. 3 in that it includes a map display area 310, a current time display area 330 provided at the lower end thereof, and a current position display area 331. It is different in that it is displayed. In FIG. 6, the widget 321 is displayed on the upper side of the current position display area 331, but is displayed including a mark indicating the type of facility that has been set and searched, and the number of searched facilities. In FIG. 6, as a mark indicating the set and searched facility type, a mark “P” indicating “parking lot” and “23” which is the number of searched parking lots 321 b are displayed. This number is the number of facilities corresponding to the above-described search conditions, that is, the type of facility and the range within a radius of 500 m centering on the destination point. Since there may be a large number of facilities that meet the search condition, the search condition may include an upper limit (for example, 25) of the number of facilities.

  The displayed widget includes a display indicating that the search reference point is around the destination point when the reference point is the destination point. For example, in FIG. 6, a “GOAL” display 321 a is included, so that it can be identified that the search result is a parking lot around the destination, and should not be confused with the search result around the current position. . In FIG. 6, “GOAL” is displayed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and characters such as “destination” and “goal” may be used.

  When the user selects the displayed widget 321, detailed information such as the location information, fee, and current situation regarding the searched facility (in the case of FIG. 6) is displayed on the destination point with reference to the storage unit 128. The list is displayed in a predetermined order such as close order or low price (not shown).

  After the widget 321 is displayed, the current position and the surrounding map image are displayed while being updated with the movement of the current position until the user next operates the menu icon 320 while the widget 321 is displayed. The process related to the widget setting is terminated.

  As a result, the user can easily search for facilities around the destination point without setting the search reference point as the destination point, and obtain the result.

  Next, if it is not a specific facility type set in advance in step S23, for example, processing in the case where it is not a parking lot, accommodation, sightseeing, weather, etc., and the search reference point setting means 123 sets the destination point in step S24. A process when it is determined that it has not been performed will be described. However, in order to deepen the understanding of the present invention, the processes in steps S21 to S23 are exemplified by the process performed when the user operates the menu icon 320 again with the parking lot search widget 321 displayed in FIG. Will be explained.

  FIG. 7 shows a state where the user is operating the menu icon 320 on the widget display screen of FIG. As in the case of FIG. 3, when the user selects the menu icon 320 by touching the menu icon 320 or bringing his / her finger close to the display, the control unit 110 refers to the menu setting item stored in the storage unit 128 and displays the menu setting item. The control means 126 displays the menu setting screen 340 shown in FIG. FIG. 8 shows a menu setting screen displayed on the display input means 125, as in FIG. The detailed description of the menu setting screen 340 is the same as in FIG.

  Here, as in FIG. 4, when the user selects “widget setting” which is the second menu setting icon 342, the process of step S <b> 21 in FIG. 2 is started. In step S21, the widget setting means 122 instructs display of the widget setting screen based on the widget setting items stored in the storage means 128, and the display control means 126 displays and inputs a widget setting screen 350 as shown in FIG. It is displayed on the means 125. FIG. 9 shows a widget setting screen displayed on the display input unit 125 as in FIG. 5, and shows a state where the user has selected “gourmet”.

  The widget setting screen 350 is the same as that described with reference to FIG. If it is determined in step S22 that the user has selected one of the widget setting item icons 351 to 360, the widget setting unit 122 stores the type of facility corresponding to the selected widget setting item in the storage unit 128, and the widget Set the function. Next, in step S23, the search reference point setting unit 123 determines whether or not the stored facility type corresponds to a specific facility type set in advance.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 9, consider a case where a user selects a type other than a predetermined specific facility such as a parking lot, accommodation, sightseeing, and weather, for example, “gourmet”. In this case, since it does not correspond to the preset specific facility type, the process proceeds to step S27. In step S27, the current position detection unit 121 detects the current position and stores the position information in the storage unit 128.

  Next, in step S28, the facility search requesting unit 124 sets the current position as a search reference point, the facility type stored in the storage unit 128, the position information of the current position stored in the storage unit 128, and a predetermined range. For example, a facility search request is transmitted to the information providing server 200 using a radius within 500 m centered on the current position as a search condition. In the present embodiment, the case where a search condition within a predetermined range centered on the current position is considered, but the present invention is not limited to this, for example, when a guide route is set. The search condition may be set within a predetermined range along the guide route.

  When the information providing server 200 receives the facility search request from the navigation device 100, the information providing server 200 refers to the facility information DB 222 based on the search condition received by the facility search unit 221 and is within a predetermined range from the current position and included in the search condition. The facility belonging to the type of facility to be searched is searched, and the search result is transmitted to the navigation device 100 via the communication means 220.

  When the navigation apparatus 100 receives the facility search result from the information providing server 200, the navigation apparatus 100 stores the search result in the storage unit 128. In the following step S29, the display control means 126 displays the map image around the current position shown in FIG. 6, the newly set widget in addition to the already set and displayed widget, and the number of searched facilities. A widget display screen in which images representing the above are superimposed is created and displayed on the display input means 125.

  FIG. 10 shows a widget display screen for displaying a new widget. Since the widget display screen is different from the widget display screen shown in FIG. 6 except for the newly displayed widget 322, the description of the same portion is omitted.

  In FIG. 10, the newly displayed widget 322 is displayed adjacent to the already displayed widget 321. The newly displayed widget 321 is displayed including a mark indicating the selected facility type and the number of searched facilities. In FIG. 10, the word “gourmet” and “4”, which is the number of searched restaurants 322a, are displayed as representing the selected facility type (gourmet). 6 is different from FIG. 6 in that the current position is set as the search reference point, and thus there is no display 321a such as “GOAL” unlike the widget 321 having the destination point as the search reference point.

  Next, in step S30, the display control means 126 refers to the storage means 128 for the positions of various facilities searched using the current position as a search reference point, and overlays a position display icon 325 on the map image in the map display area 310. Display together. FIG. 11 shows a map display screen on which position display icons representing the positions of various facilities are displayed. When the user selects the displayed position display icon 325, the detailed information regarding the selected facility is displayed (not shown) with reference to the storage unit 128.

  In step S31, it is determined whether or not the apparatus is turned off by turning off the power. If the operation is turned off, the process is terminated. If not, the process returns to step S27, and steps S27 to S31 are performed. Repeat the process. In other words, the facility information search related to the set widget function is updated while detecting the current position as the navigation device 100 moves, so that the user can grasp the surrounding facility situation in real time.

  In addition, in the case of NO in step S22 and after the process of step S26, it is determined whether or not the apparatus is turned off. If the operation is turned off, the process is terminated.

  Further, the process of step S31 may be a determination as to whether or not an operation for stopping the widget function has been performed, rather than a determination as to whether or not the device has been turned off.

  As described above, according to the navigation system 10, the search reference point serving as the reference of the search target range is set to the current position and the destination point according to the type of facility, so that the user can obtain necessary information. There is no need to perform a search reference point setting operation for acquisition, and the operation is simplified. Further, when the search reference point is set as the destination point, once the search is performed, it is not necessary to perform the search again, so that the process becomes simple. When a parking lot is selected as the widget setting item as described above, the parking lot is required when the destination is approaching, so by searching in advance for a parking lot around the destination, It becomes easy to grasp the situation of the parking lot. Furthermore, since the search reference point is the destination point, once a search is performed, there is no need to perform a search thereafter, so there is no need to repeatedly communicate and receive information from an external database or the like.

  In the above description, the case has been described in which the search reference point serving as the reference of the search target is set to the current position or the destination point, but the present invention is not limited to this. Further, according to the present invention, the route guidance means (not shown) is set at a point determined to pass at a predetermined time according to the type of facility corresponding to the selected widget setting item. As a result, when the target to use the searched information has a temporal element, for example, in the case of a restaurant or the like, it is effective to use it between 12:00 and 1 o'clock, and so on. Searches for available time zones.

  This can be set at a point determined to pass at a predetermined time on the guide route searched by the route search means 127, and further, when the guide route is not searched by the route search means 127. Alternatively, it may be a point determined to pass at a predetermined time on a road that is currently running or on a road in the vicinity thereof.

  The specific facility type may be specified by the user in addition to being predetermined.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Navigation system 100 Navigation apparatus 110 Control means 120 Communication means 121 Current position detection means 122 Widget setting means 123 Search reference point setting means 124 Facility search request means 125 Display input means 126 Display control means 127 Route search means 128 Storage means 129 Map storage Means 200 Information providing server 210 Control means 221 Facility search means 222 Facility information DB

Claims (7)

In a navigation apparatus comprising a current position detecting means for detecting a current position, an operation input means for selecting a desired type of information, and a display means,
The navigation device includes search reference point setting means for setting a search reference point according to the type of the selected information,
An information search means for searching for information within a predetermined range based on the search reference point and corresponding to the type of the selected information. In a navigation apparatus comprising a current position detecting means for detecting a current position, an operation input means for selecting a desired type of information, and a display means,
The navigation device includes search reference point setting means for setting a search reference point according to the type of the selected information,
Communication means for transmitting at least the type of the selected information and receiving information corresponding to the type of the selected information within a predetermined range based on the search reference point. Navigation device.   3. The search reference point setting unit sets the search reference point according to the type of the selected information and whether or not a destination point is set by the operation input unit. The navigation device described in 1.   The search reference point setting unit sets the search reference point to either the current position detected by the current position detection unit or the destination point set by the operation input unit. The navigation apparatus according to 1 to 3. A navigation apparatus comprising a current position detecting means for detecting a current position, an operation input means for selecting a type of desired information, and a display means, and an information providing server connected to the navigation apparatus via a communication means In a navigation system consisting of
The navigation device includes search reference point setting means for setting a search reference point according to the type of the selected information,
The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the information providing server includes information search means for searching for information within a predetermined range based on the search reference point and corresponding to the type of the selected information.   The search reference point setting unit sets the search reference point according to a type of the selected information and whether or not a destination point is set by the operation input unit. Navigation system.   The search reference point setting unit sets the search reference point to either the current position detected by the current position detection unit or the destination point set by the operation input unit. The navigation system according to 5 or 6.

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