JP2012093119A - Route searching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a search for a grouped facilities area according to the type (genre) of facilities designated as a condition of facilities search and setting of a representative geographical point in the grouped facilities area searched for as the destination.SOLUTION: A route searching device 10 comprises map memory means 150 that stores map information; input means 120 for selecting the type of facilities; route searching means 140 that searches for a route to a destination with reference to the map memory means; and facilities searching means 180. The facilities searching means 180 searches for, with the map memory means 150, a grouped facilities area congested with facilities of the same type as the type of facilities selected with the input means 120, and the route searching means 140 searches for a route to a representative geographical point as the destination in the grouped facilities area searched for by the facilities searching means 180.

Description

  The present invention relates to a route search apparatus that searches for a desired facility, searches for a route using the facility as a destination, and guides the route. In particular, the type of facility (genre of facility) specified as a facility search condition According to the route search apparatus, a facility group area (a region where a plurality of facilities belonging to the same genre are concentrated) is searched, and a representative point in the searched facility group area is set as a destination.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a route search device (navigation device) that guides a user by setting a desired departure point and destination, searching for an optimum route or a plurality of candidate routes, has been used. The route search device includes an on-vehicle route search device mounted on a vehicle, a portable route search device that is carried by a pedestrian and comprehensively searches and guides a route using a walking route and a transportation system, or on-vehicle and portable A route search apparatus is provided. Such a route search device has map information and facility information for route search, a stand-alone type device with a built-in route search engine, and communication means, and makes a route search request to the route search server. There is also provided a communication type route search apparatus that receives information of a route searched for from the Internet.

  Generally, the departure point is the current location of the route search device or a specific point specified by the user, such as a home or work place. When specifying a home or work place as the departure place, an address or telephone number is used. By inputting, the latitude and longitude of the point are specified. When the current position is the departure place, the point is specified by the latitude and longitude calculated (positioned) by receiving GPS satellite signals.

  On the other hand, a method for specifying a destination is to specify the latitude and longitude of a specific point designated by the user, for example, by inputting an address or telephone number of a travel destination hotel, inn or event venue, etc. There is a way. There is also a method in which the user searches for a desired facility and specifies the latitude and longitude of the searched facility. Furthermore, a method is also known in which a route history used in the past is accumulated and an arrival point on a specific route selected by the user from the route history is set as a destination.

  When searching for a desired facility and setting a destination, it is preferable that the procedure for searching for the facility is simple. In general, there are various types of facilities that can be searched for such as inns, hotels, event venues, museums, art galleries, various public facilities, hospitals, restaurants, convenience stores, gas stations, shopping malls, parks, amusement parks, theme parks, etc. It is. For this reason, the facility information is classified for each type (genre) of the facility, and a search is performed according to a predetermined geographical range condition (area condition) based on the genre input by the user.

  The condition of the geographical range is, for example, that a map of a desired area is displayed on the route search device, and a facility list of the corresponding genre in the area of the displayed map is displayed so that the user can select. It is common. For example, the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-322370) specifies and specifies a geographical area where facilities of the same genre are concentrated using facility information in which the genre to which each facility belongs is stored as attribute information. A map display device is disclosed in which the geographical area thus displayed is displayed on a display screen of a route search device.

  By the way, when a user searches for a desired facility, selects a specific facility, sets the selected facility as a destination, and receives a route search and route guidance, the time of arrival at the set facility However, there were problems such as being out of business hours of the facility, or being crowded even during business hours and requiring a long waiting time. In order to solve such a problem, for example, the following Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-142174) not only displays and teaches the road route to the destination but also automatically calls the destination facility. An invention of a navigation system that allows prior confirmation and contact through the use of the system to improve convenience is disclosed.

  This navigation system not only displays and teaches the road route to the destination, but also stores additional information such as telephone number information and Internet homepage address related to the destination in advance to correspond to the specified destination. The phone number and Internet homepage address to be accessed can be inquired for necessary information (regular holidays, business hours, fees, etc.).

JP 2007-322370 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-142174

  According to the navigation system disclosed in Patent Document 2, it is possible to confirm business days and business hours (necessary information) by automatically calling a facility set as a destination. If it is within business days or business hours, the route search to the facility is continued to provide route guidance.

  However, it is conceivable that it takes time to call a facility and find the facility desired by the user (for example, a restaurant + within business hours + a non-congested facility). In that case, since the position of the destination facility is not determined until the desired facility is found, the user cannot move and wastes time.

  In addition, while calling a certain facility, it may be possible to guide the facility as a destination, but the facility is a facility desired by the user but cannot be used (for example, outside business hours) ), Calling another facility and searching for a route to the other facility. Therefore, if the facility that has been initially guided and the facility that is to be guided next are facilities in the opposite direction, there is a problem in that unnecessary travel (detour) is forced.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and searches for a facility group area according to the type of facility (facility genre) specified as a facility search condition, and represents the representative of the searched facility group area. An object of the present invention is to provide a route search device that can set a point as a destination.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application provides a map storage means for storing map information and facility information, an input means for selecting a facility type, and a route to a destination. A route search means for searching with reference to a map storage means, and a facility search means, wherein the facility search means is a collection of facilities of the same type as the type of the facility selected using the input means. The facility search area is searched using the map storage means, and the route search means searches for a route with a representative point in the facility group area searched by the facility search means as a destination.

  The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the facility search means includes an area specifying means, and the area specifying means includes the route search among the searched facility group areas. The facility group area closest to the current position of the apparatus is specified, and the route searching means searches for a route with a representative point in the facility group area specified by the area specifying means as a destination.

  The invention according to claim 3 of the present application is the invention according to claim 2, wherein the area specifying means belongs to the specified facility group area and is selected by using the input means. When it is determined that all facilities of the same type are unavailable, a facility group area close to the current position of the route search device is specified next.

  The invention according to claim 4 of the present application is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the route search means includes destination setting means, and the destination search means includes the facility search means. The center point of the searched facility group area is set as a destination as the representative point.

  The invention according to claim 5 of the present application is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the route search means includes destination setting means, and the destination search means includes the facility search means. Among the facilities belonging to the retrieved facility group area, the location of the facility that is the same type as the facility selected using the input means and is closest to the current location of the route search device is used as the representative point. It is set to the ground.

  The invention according to claim 6 of the present application is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the route search device includes a communication unit and a control unit, and the control unit includes the communication unit. The facility search means determines whether a facility belonging to the facility group area searched by the facility search means and the same type as the facility type selected using the input means can be used, and the route search The means is characterized by searching for a route with a facility determined to be usable by the control means as a destination.

According to the configuration of claim 1, the facility group area is searched according to the facility type (facility genre) specified as the facility search condition, and the representative point in the searched facility group area is set as the destination. In addition, since it becomes possible to search for a route having the facility group area as the destination, even if one facility cannot be used, other facilities exist nearby, and useless movement (useful time elapses) According to the configuration according to claim 2, the facility group closest to the current position among the facility group areas searched according to the facility type (facility genre) specified as the facility search condition The route can be searched using the area as the destination.

  According to the configuration of claim 3, if no facility in the specified facility group area is available, the next facility group area is specified from the current position of the vehicle and the new facility group is specified. Since the optimum route to the area is searched and guided, even if all the facilities belonging to a certain facility group area are not available, even if the destination is changed to another facility group area, The traveling direction of the optimum route to the next facility group area is not completely opposite to the direction of traveling on the optimum route.

  According to the configuration of claim 4 or claim 5, it is possible to search for a route having the facility group area as the destination, with the facility closest to the center point or the current position in the searched facility group area as a representative point. become able to.

  According to the structure concerning Claim 6, it communicates with the facility which belongs to a facility group area, it is judged whether it is in a usable state, and if it is usable, the route to the facility is searched and guided. Therefore, it is not necessary to waste time until an available facility is found, and the vehicle is not made to travel wastefully.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the route search apparatus concerning the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the data structure of the facility information in a present Example. It is a schematic diagram which shows the concept of the facility search, destination setting, and route search in a present Example. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of the facility search, destination setting, and route search in a present Example. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure following the flowchart shown in FIG. 4. FIG.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples and drawings. However, the following embodiments are described by exemplifying a route search device for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to specify the present invention as this route search device. The present invention is equally applicable to other route search devices without departing from the technical idea shown in the claims.

  A route search apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the route search apparatus 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The route search apparatus 10 includes a control means 100, a current position detection means 110, a display input means 120, a communication means 130, a route search means 140, a storage means 150, a route guidance means 160, a map storage means 170, and a facility search means 180. Configured.

  The control unit 100 includes a CPU 101, a RAM 102, and a ROM 103. The CPU 101 executes a control program such as firmware stored in the RAM 102 and / or the ROM 103 to control the operation of each unit described below.・ Oversee.

  The current position detection unit 110 includes a GPS reception unit 111, and a radio wave (GPS satellite signal) including time information received by the GPS reception unit 111 from a plurality of GPS satellites orbiting the earth at predetermined time intervals. Based on the vehicle position information (GPS positioning position) is calculated.

  The current position detection means 110 is also provided with an autonomous navigation means 112 such as an acceleration sensor or a gyroscope, and is calculated based on the GPS satellite signal received by the GPS reception means 111 based on the output from the autonomous navigation means 112. It is also possible to complement the position information.

  In addition, by providing the autonomous navigation means 112, a tunnel, an underground mall, an underground parking lot, a parking lot in a building, or a skyscraper street where GPS satellite signals cannot be received, or a place that is affected by multipath due to reflection of GPS satellite signals However, the current position of the route search device 10 (a mobile body (for example, a vehicle, a motorcycle, a pedestrian, etc.) provided with the route search device 10) can be calculated from the output from the autonomous navigation means 112.

  In the following description, a vehicle is illustrated as an example of a mobile body provided with the route search device 10.

  The display input unit 120 includes a display unit 121 and an input unit 122. The display means 121 is, for example, a liquid crystal display unit, and the input means 122 is a touch panel attached on the liquid crystal screen of the liquid crystal display unit. The display unit 121 displays a map image displayed by the route search apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, a display image indicating the optimum route, and the like, and the input unit 122 is operated by the user to start, destination, arrival time, and the like. It is used to input / set the route search condition of the user, and to input / set the facility search condition for searching the desired facility and setting the destination. Note that the input unit 122 is not limited to the above, and may be configured by a remote controller, a hard key, or the like.

  The display unit 121 displays a map image based on the map information extracted from the map storage unit 170 based on the current position. At that time, a display image indicating the optimal route and a current position mark indicating the current position of the route search device 10 (vehicle) are displayed in a superimposed manner on the map image. In addition, when the required time of the route from the departure point to the destination, and when the user inputs the arrival time using the input means 122, the departure time based on the required time of the route to the destination is displayed in a predetermined manner. It can also be configured to.

  The communication means 130 is a means for performing communication between the route search apparatus 10 and the outside. Here, it is assumed that connection control to a public telephone line network for performing a call with a mobile phone connected hands-free to the route search apparatus 10 is performed. explain. That is, the communication means 130 is connected (hands-free connection) to a mobile phone (not shown) by a short-range wireless communication or the like, and the mobile phone connects to a public telephone line, thereby making a call from the route search device 10 to a specific facility. be able to. In addition to the above, the communication means 130 may be provided with a network connection interface for performing communication with various external servers using the Internet or the like.

  The map storage means 170 stores map information for route search and various facility information (facility information). The map information includes road node data whose nodes are nodes such as branch points of roads, road link data whose links are links between the nodes, and topographic map data. The road node data includes road node numbers, position coordinates, the number of connection links, branch point names, and the like. 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) which is 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, toll booths, speed limits, and the like are given as link attributes to the road link data. The road type is information including distinction between highways and toll roads, distinction between national roads and prefectural roads. Topographic map data includes water system data such as coastlines, lakes, and river shapes, administrative boundary data, and the like. In addition to the above map information, the map storage means stores facility information including the positions and types, facility names, and sales information of major landmarks and various facilities. Note that the map information and facility information may be acquired and updated from the external server as appropriate via the communication means 130.

  The route searching unit 140 includes an optimum route searching unit 141 and a destination specifying unit 142. The optimum route searching unit 141 is based on a representative point (destination) of a desired type of facility group obtained by facility search according to the present invention, which will be described later, or a departure point or destination input by the user from the input unit 122. The shortest route (optimum route) from the starting point (the current position may be the starting point) to the destination is searched with reference to the map storage unit 170. The route search is actually performed using an algorithm such as the Dijkstra method, and each link and node are sequentially traced from the starting node until reaching the destination while accumulating the link cost. The smallest route is set as the optimum route.

  The destination specifying unit 142 specifies a representative point representatively indicating the position of the facility group area for the facility group area for each facility type obtained as a result of the facility search according to the present invention described later. Is set as

  The searched optimum route is temporarily stored in the storage unit 150, and the route guidance unit 160 reads out the optimum route to be guided stored in the storage unit 150, and the map information around the current position from the map storage unit 170, Guidance information (voice data, enlarged intersection map, etc.) for guiding the optimum route is extracted, and those images (map image based on map information, enlarged intersection map, etc.) are displayed on the display means 121. The voice guidance is output from the voice output means (consisting of a speaker or the like) that does not, and route guidance is performed. For example, guidance information such as right / left turn, straight ahead, intersection name, etc. is displayed and / or outputted as voice guidance at a guidance point set a predetermined distance from a branch point such as an intersection.

  In addition, the guidance information includes not only voice data for voice guidance such as right / left turn, straight ahead, intersection name, etc., but also an enlarged intersection image that is a detailed map image around a branch point such as an intersection, as well as a guidance point or intersection, etc. Landmarks of facilities such as gas stations, parking lots, shopping centers, museums, etc. in the vicinity of the branching point, information such as facility name, facility location, facility type, and tourist information (facility description information) Good.

  The facility search unit 180 includes a facility group search unit 181 and an area specifying unit 182. The facility group search unit 181 refers to the facility information stored in the map storage unit 170 together with the map information for the facility group area of the same type as the facility type selected (designated) by the user using the input unit 122. Search for. The facility search means 180 is for performing facility searches according to the present invention, and the details thereof will be described below.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of the data configuration of the facility information stored in the map storage unit 170. The facility information according to the present invention is classified so that the data of each facility belongs to a facility group area where the same type of facilities are concentrated for each facility type (genre). For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the type of facility (genre) is classified as Western food, Chinese, etc. in restaurants, and facilities of the same type are densely packed (two or more predetermined numbers or more). The facility group area is located in a certain distance range (see the facility group areas 1 to 4 in FIG. 2). In addition, although the example classified into Western food, Chinese, Japanese food, etc. is shown as the type of facility, it is not limited to this, and the type of facility is “restaurant”, and restaurants are densely packed The area may be a facility group area.

  In the facility group area, the coordinates (latitude / longitude) of the center position of the area are stored, and the number of facilities in the area is stored. In the example of FIG. 2, seven facilities belong to the facility group area 1 for “Western food”, and information such as facility position (latitude / longitude) facility name, telephone number, and the like regarding each facility A is stored. . The same applies to the facility group areas 2 to 4 and the like. Further, the data structure is the same for other facility types (Japanese food, Chinese ... hospital).

  When the user specifies the type (genre) of the desired facility as a search condition, the facility group search unit 181 searches the facility group area where the facilities of the corresponding type are crowded with reference to the facility information shown in FIG. . For example, when “Western food” is specified as a search condition as the type of facility, the facility group areas 1 to 4 are searched. Based on the retrieved facility group areas, the area identifying unit 182 first identifies one facility group area. The facility group area specified first may be, for example, the facility group area closest to the current position of the vehicle (route search device). The facility group area closest to the current position is identified by, for example, comparing the center positions of the facility group areas.

  When one of the facility group areas is specified by the area specifying unit 182, the destination specifying unit 142 specifies the representative point by latitude / longitude coordinates in order to set the facility group area as the destination. The representative point can be the latitude / longitude of the center position of the specified facility group area. The center position of the facility group area may be a midpoint between the east-west direction and the north-south direction of the area, or may be the center of gravity of the area. The representative point may be specified by another method. For example, among the facilities belonging to the specified facility group area (for example, when the facility group area 1 in FIG. 2 is specified for the western food genre, the vehicle A to the facility C belonging to the facility area group 1) The location (latitude / longitude) of the facility closest to the current location may be used as the representative location.

  When the representative point indicating the facility group area is specified by the destination specifying unit 142, the optimum route searching unit 141 searches for the optimum route from the departure point or the current position using the representative point as the destination. The searched optimum route is temporarily stored in the storage unit 150, and the route guidance unit 160 is based on the optimum route to be guided stored in the storage unit 150 and the current position detected by the current position detection unit 110. Map information around the current position, guidance information for guiding the optimum route, and the like are extracted from the map storage unit 170, the images are displayed on the display unit 121, and voice guidance is output from a voice output unit (not shown). To guide the route.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the concept of facility search, destination setting, and route search in the route search device 10 according to the present embodiment described above. In FIG. 3, reference sign S indicates a departure place. Here, it is assumed that the departure place S is the current position of the vehicle, and the facility type “Western food” is designated as the facility search condition. As a search result of the facility group area by the facility group search means 181, the facility group areas 1 to 3 whose facility type is “Western food” are searched (facility group areas indicated by Δ). 3 represent the type (genre) of the facility, and the area where the same type is dense is the facility group area. The area specifying unit 182 specifies the facility group area 3 whose type of facility closest to the current position (departure point) S is “Western food”. The destination specifying means 142 sets the representative point (center position) of the specified facility group area 3 as the destination G, and the optimum route searching means 141 finds the optimum route R from the departure place S (current position) to the destination G. Explore.

  In this way, while the optimum route with the facility group area as the destination is guided, the control means 100 sequentially communicates with the facilities belonging to the specified facility group area via the communication means 130 and can be used. Whether or not the facility can be used, such as whether it is within business hours or full. If the facility is available, the optimum route searching means 141 searches the optimum route again using the facility as the destination, and guides the vehicle to the facility. If the facility is not available, repeat the same decision for the next facility. The order of facilities for determining whether or not the vehicle can be used may be the order close to the current position of the vehicle.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the facility group area is searched according to the facility type (facility genre) specified as the facility search condition, and the representative point in the searched facility group area is set as the destination. It is possible to set and search for a route having the facility group area as the destination.

  In addition, a facility group area in which facilities corresponding to the selected facility type are densely searched, a route searched for with a representative point representing the facility group area as a destination is guided, and for each facility belonging to the facility group area Communicating with the facility to determine whether it is in an available state, and if it is available, it can search and guide the route to that facility, so it is useless until an available facility is found Time is not required and the vehicle is not made to run wastefully. In other words, because the facilities corresponding to the selected facility type are guided to a dense facility group area, even if one facility cannot be used, other "facility corresponding to the selected facility type" Therefore, there is no possibility of sudden guidance in the reverse direction or guidance to another facility far away because one facility is unavailable.

  The communication means 130 can make a call to a specific facility (facility closest to the current position in the specified facility group area) via a mobile phone or a mobile phone device connected hands-free. At this time, if there is an environment in which the automatic voice response function can be used on the route search device side and the facility side, it can be configured to automatically determine whether or not the facility is available using this. If the automatic voice response function cannot be used, a specific facility is automatically set and an icon for selecting whether or not the display means 121 can be used is displayed, and the user inputs from the result obtained by telephone response. It may be determined whether or not the facility is available by selecting whether or not the facility is available using the means 122. In addition, if the facility side is in an environment that provides facility vacancy information, business hours information, and the like through Internet communication, Internet communication may be used.

  As a result of determining whether or not all facilities belonging to the specified facility group area can be used, if no facility is available, the next closest facility group area is identified from the current position of the vehicle, and The optimum route to the new facility group area is searched and guided using the representative point of the facility group area as the destination. For example, the facility group area 2 whose facility type shown in FIG. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the facility group area is searched for a facility group area that exists within a certain geographical range, for example, within a certain distance range in the same direction as viewed from the current position of the vehicle. Is preferred. By doing so, even if not all the facilities belonging to a certain facility group area are available and the destination is changed to another facility group area, the vehicle travels on the optimum route toward the certain facility group area. The traveling direction of the optimum route to the next facility group area does not become the opposite direction.

  Next, facility search, destination setting, and route search processing procedures according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

  First, the user selects a destination setting from the menu screen (FIG. 4, step S101). Next, the facility search according to the present embodiment is selected (step S102), and the genre (type) of the facility is selected (step S103).

  When the genre of the facility is specified in the process of step S103, the facility group search unit 181 searches the facility group area where the corresponding type of facility is crowded with reference to the facility information shown in FIG. For example, when “Western food” is designated as the search condition as the facility type, the facility group areas 1 to 4 are searched, and the area specifying unit 182 first specifies one facility group area (step S104). The facility group area specified first may be, for example, the facility group area closest to the current position of the vehicle (route search device) (see FIG. 3).

  When one of the facility group areas is specified by the area specifying unit 182, the destination specifying unit 142 then specifies the representative point by the latitude / longitude coordinates in order to set the facility group area as the destination (step S 105). ). The representative point can be the latitude / longitude of the center position of the specified facility group area.

  When the representative point indicating the facility group area is specified by the destination specifying means 142, the optimum route searching means 141 searches the optimum route from the departure point or the current position using the representative point as the destination (step S106). ), The route guidance means 160 guides the searched route (step S107). For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the facility group area 3 closest to the current position (departure point) S is specified, the destination specifying unit 142 displays the representative point (center position) of the specified facility group area 3. Is the destination G, and the optimum route searching means 141 searches for the optimum route R from the departure point S (current position) to the destination G.

  In step S107, the route search device 10 performs route guidance by the route guidance unit 160, while proceeding to step 201 in FIG. 5, and the control unit 100 communicates with the facility belonging to the specified facility group area. Communication is performed sequentially through 130 (here, an example of automatic transmission to the facility using a mobile phone connected hands-free to the route search apparatus 10 will be described). For example, the communication is performed in order from the facility closest to the current position of the vehicle.

  When a call is automatically sent to a facility, the control means 100 determines whether or not the facility is in a usable state (whether the facility can be used such as during business hours or full). Step S202). If the facility is available (YES in step S202), the optimum route searching unit 141 sets the facility as the destination (step S203), searches for the optimum route again (step S204), and the route guiding unit 160 The vehicle is guided to the facility (step S205), and the process ends.

  If the facility is not available (NO in step S202), the control means 100 performs communication (telephone for determining whether or not all facilities in the specified facility group area are available. ) Is completed (step S206). If processing for all facilities has not been completed (NO in step S206), the same determination is repeated for the next facility (step S208).

  When processing for all facilities has been completed (YES in step S206), that is, as a result of determining whether or not all facilities belonging to the specified facility group area can be used, no facilities have been used. In this case, the area specifying unit 182 specifies the next closest facility group area from the current position of the vehicle, returns to the process of step 105 in FIG. 4, and uses the representative point of the facility group area as the destination as the new location. The optimal route to the facility group area is searched, and the searched route is guided.

  In the description of the above embodiment, the case where the facility group area and the information of the facility belonging to the facility group area are previously stored in the map storage unit 170 together with the map information has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. When facility search conditions are set and facility searches are performed, information on individual facilities stored together with map information in the map storage unit 170 is referred to, and areas where facilities that match the facility search conditions are dense (predetermined An area in which a predetermined number or more of the same type of facility exists in the range can be determined as a facility group area, and the facility group area can be searched. In addition, the predetermined range or the predetermined number of areas in which a predetermined number or more of the same type of facility exists in the predetermined range may be changed according to the situation. For example, since there are many facilities in cities such as Tokyo, it is desirable to narrow the predetermined range, or increase the predetermined number, and reduce the number of facilities in the countryside, so that the predetermined range is widened or the predetermined number is reduced. .

  In the description of the above embodiment, it is determined whether or not a specific facility (facility in the specified facility group area) can be used via the communication unit 130. Information is included, the arrival time is calculated based on the current time and the time required to reach the facility, and it is determined whether it can be used based on whether the arrival time is included in business hours. May be.

  In addition to the facility type, the search range may be included as the facility search condition. For example, a radius within 3 km centered on the current position or a radius of 1 km centered on a specific position (for example, Shibuya Station) may be designated. As a result, the user is not guided to an undesired facility group area (for example, a very far facility group area). In addition, when the search range is also input as a facility search condition, or when the search range is determined in advance, and there is no facility group area corresponding to the specified facility type in the search range , General facility search, that is, display a list of facilities that fall within the search range and correspond to the specified facility type, and set the facility closest to the current position among the corresponding facilities as the destination, etc. May be performed.

  The present invention searches an area where facilities of the same type are concentrated, sets a representative point indicating the area as a destination, searches for a route to the destination, and identifies a facility that can be used while performing route guidance. This happens when there is no wasted time until an available facility is identified, or when the destination facility is found to be unusable after moving to another facility. Since the route to the target facility is efficiently searched without unnecessary movement, it is particularly suitable for transporting an emergency patient by an ambulance or other ambulance transport vehicle with the target facility type being a hospital. be able to.

10 route search device 100 control means 101 CPU
102 RAM
103 ROM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110 Current position detection means 111 GPS receiving means 112 Autonomous navigation means 120 Display input means 121 Display means 122 Input means 130 Communication means 140 Route search means 141 Optimal route search means 150 Storage means 160 Route guide means 170 Map storage means 180 Facility search means 181 Facility group search means 182 Area identification means

Claims (6)

Map storage means for storing map information and facility information; input means for selecting a type of facility; route search means for searching a route to a destination with reference to the map storage means; and facility search means; With
The facility search means uses the map storage means to search a facility group area where facilities of the same type as the type of the facility selected using the input means are concentrated, and the route search means includes the A route search device characterized in that a route is searched using a representative point in a facility group area searched by a facility search means as a destination. The facility search means includes an area specifying means,
The area specifying means specifies a facility group area that is closest to the current position of the route search device among the searched facility group areas, and the route search means includes a facility group area specified by the area specifying means. The route search apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a route is searched for using a representative point as a destination.   The area specifying means belongs to the specified facility group area, and if it is determined that all facilities of the same type as the type of the facility selected using the input means are unusable, then The route search device according to claim 2, wherein a facility group area close to the current position of the route search device is specified. The route search means includes destination setting means,
The route search according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the destination setting means sets a center point of the facility group area searched by the facility search means as a destination as the representative point. apparatus. The route search means includes destination setting means,
The destination setting means is the same type as the type of the facility selected using the input means among the facilities belonging to the facility group area searched by the facility search means, and the current position of the route search device The route search device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a location of a facility closest to the destination is set as a destination as the representative point. The route search apparatus includes a communication unit and a control unit,
Whether the facility belonging to the facility group area searched by the facility search means and the same type as the facility type selected using the input means can be used via the communication means. 6. The route search according to claim 1, wherein the route search unit searches for a route with a facility determined to be usable by the control unit as a destination. apparatus.

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