JP2013205156A - Navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation device which automatically proposes, when a destination meets meteorological and environment conditions set by a user to avoid an encounter therewith at the destination, an alternative sightseeing spot and facility with no influence of the meteorological and environmental conditions.SOLUTION: A navigation device 1: receives meteorological and environmental information around a destination from an external information server 22; searches, when weather and an environment as well as degrees thereof at the destination at an expected arrival time meet avoidance conditions, an alternative facility which is similar to an original destination and is not affected by influence of the avoidance conditions; and propose the alternative facility by displaying the same in a search result list of a display device 8.

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device that searches for and proposes a new destination that is not affected by the information obtained when the weather is worsened by weather / environment information at the destination compared to the time of departure.

In recent years, with the development of information devices, there is an increasing need for driving support systems that use communications, such as those that use real-time traffic information stored in servers for route search to a destination. . In addition to the traffic jam information, a technique has been proposed in which the driver is informed of weather conditions such as rain and snow in the traveling direction in advance and assists the driver to drive comfortably and comfortably (for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, a technique has been proposed in which position information of a departure place and a destination is sent to a server, and a route search result calculated by the server based on weather conditions is displayed on a terminal through a communication line (for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2007-163442 A JP-A-6-235389

  However, the conventional navigation device only changes the route to a predetermined destination, and does not consider the influence of the weather and environment of the destination. Therefore, even if weather change information such as rainfall is acquired on the way to an outdoor leisure facility, the route will change, but it will guide the outdoor leisure facility where it rains as it is, so the user's purpose may not be achieved. there were.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves these problems, and an object thereof is to provide a navigation device capable of proposing an appropriate alternative facility in accordance with a user's request when there is a change in weather and environment.

  In order to achieve the above object, the navigation device of the present invention is a navigation device capable of searching for a route using information acquired by communicating with an external information server, and a current position detecting means for detecting a current position; Storage means for storing map data and facility data, route search means for searching for a route from an arbitrary position to a destination, route guide means for guiding a route searched by the route search means, and the external information server Destination information, expected arrival time, and weather / environment information to be acquired, receiving means for receiving weather / environment information around the destination from the external information server, and acquired by the receiving means Control means for controlling to search for a new destination similar to the destination using the route search means based on information.

  The navigation device of the present invention configured as described above acquires the above-mentioned weather / environment information by communication after setting the destination, and the weather / environment (for example, rain, snowfall, pollen, photochemical smog) that the surroundings of the destination should avoid. Etc.), if it meets the conditions (hereinafter referred to as avoidance conditions), it is possible to propose an alternative facility that is not affected by weather / environmental information similar to the initially set destination. .

  Further, the control means of the navigation device of the present invention comprises an operation input means for performing operations and inputs to the navigation device, and the weather / environment phenomenon acquired from the external information server input from the operation input means. The route search means is controlled based on conditions.

  According to the navigation device of the present invention configured as described above, the user can set the conditions of the weather / environment phenomenon acquired from the external information server.

  According to the present invention, when a weather / environment change occurs at a destination set first, a new facility similar to the destination set first by the user is automatically proposed, thereby reducing the number of operations. An alternative facility can be determined safely.

The block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of the navigation apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computer network according to an embodiment of the present invention. Block diagram showing the main functions of the present invention Flowchart diagram showing the operation when the navigation device uses weather / environment information when setting the destination Flowchart diagram showing the operation when the navigation device uses weather / environment information during route guidance Schematic diagram showing the display of alternative facilities

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a navigation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device 1 of the present invention comprises a CPU 2, an operation input means 3, an interface (abbreviated as I / F in FIG. 1) 4, a GPS receiver 4a, a GPS antenna 4b, A self-contained navigation unit 4c, a storage device 5, a ROM 6, a RAM 7, a display device 8, an audio output control device 9, a speaker 10, a data communication unit 11, and a bus line 12 are configured. Yes.

Here, the CPU 2 is configured to be able to control the operation of each unit constituting the navigation device 1.
The operation input means 3 is configured to be used for user operation and data input with respect to the navigation device 1 such as a touch panel and a remote controller.

  The interface (I / F) 4 is connected to a GPS receiver 4a and a self-contained navigation unit 4c. The GPS receiving unit 4a is a positioning system typified by GPS (Global Positioning System), receives radio waves from an artificial satellite with a GPS antenna 4b, and outputs position information indicating the current position of the moving body to the interface 4. It is configured to be able to. The self-contained navigation unit 4 c includes an acceleration sensor and an angular velocity sensor, and is configured to output acceleration information and angular velocity information representing the acceleration and angular velocity of the moving body detected from the acceleration sensor and the angular velocity sensor to the interface 4. Yes. Further, the interface 4 is configured to be able to transfer the input position information, acceleration information, and angular velocity information to the CPU 2.

  The storage device 5 is generally a recording medium represented by an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). Map data necessary for navigation is recorded on this storage medium, and necessary map data is read and transferred to the RAM 7. It is configured to be able to. Examples of storage media other than the HDD include CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, BD, SSD, and memory card.

  The ROM 6 stores a computer program 6a that defines the operation of the navigation device 1 of the present invention.

  The RAM 7 can store information transferred from each part of the configuration of the navigation device 1 of the present invention and can erase information as necessary.

  The display device 8 is configured to be able to display a map or a recommended route in the navigation device 1, and is specifically a liquid crystal display or the like.

  The audio output control device 9 is configured to control sound and audio output to the speaker 10.

  The data communication unit 11 includes a transmission / reception unit that performs communication with the mobile phone 13 by radio waves, typically Bluetooth (registered trademark) (Bluetooth) communication, and the navigation device 1 is connected to an external network via the mobile phone 13. Information can be transmitted and received. The data communication unit 11 can send information generated by the information transmitting / receiving unit 101 of the CPU 2 to the external computer network 21 (see FIG. 2) via the mobile phone 13. The data communication unit 11 is configured to receive information sent from the computer network 21 via the mobile phone 13 and pass it to the information transmission / reception unit 101 of the CPU 2.

  The bus line 12 is configured so that the components constituting the navigation device 1 of the present invention can be communicably connected.

  Here, the configuration of a computer network according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computer network according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the computer network has a configuration including a computer network 21, an external information server 22, and a navigation device 1 connected via a mobile phone 13.

  The external information server 22 includes a weather / environment information database 23, a control unit 131, and an information transmission / reception unit 132. Based on the information received from the navigation device 1 by the information transmission / reception unit 132, the control unit 131 reads out the weather / environment information at the designated time and place from the weather / environment information database 23, and sends the navigation device from the information transmission / reception unit 132. 1 is configured to control the transmission to 1. The external information server 22 always stores the latest weather / environment information data in the weather / environment information database 23 via the computer network 21.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing main functions of the navigation apparatus and the computer network shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 3, the main functions of the navigation device 1 can be realized by the CPU 2 reading and executing the computer program 6a recorded in the ROM 6 (see FIG. 1). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the CPU 2 of the navigation apparatus 1 includes an information transmission / reception unit 101, a current position detection unit 102, a route search unit 103, a route guide unit 104, and a facility search unit 105. ing.

  The information transmission / reception unit 101 of the navigation device 1 connects to the computer network 21 via the data communication unit 11 and the mobile phone 13 and transmits the location information of the destination and the expected arrival time to the destination to the external information server 22. To do. As a response, weather / environment information around the destination is received from the external information server 22 and stored in the RAM 7.

  The current position detection unit 102 of the navigation device 1 is configured to be able to periodically detect the current position of the mobile object. Specifically, the radio wave can be received from the GPS artificial satellite by the GPS antenna 4b. In such a case, position information including the current position of the moving body can be acquired from the GPS receiver 4a. If radio waves from the artificial satellite cannot be received, acceleration information and angular velocity information from the autonomous navigation unit 4c. It is comprised so that the present position of a moving body can be detected using.

  The route search unit 103 uses the destination (position) set by the user operating the operation input means 3 as the target point of the recommended route, and uses the current position detected by the current position detection unit 102 as a starting point. The recommended route from the starting point to the target point at the departure time set by the user can be searched by the route search unit 103 using the map data read out to the RAM 7 and stored in the RAM 7. ing.

  The route guidance unit 104 uses the route result searched by the route search unit 103, displays the route to the destination on the display device 8 based on the current location information obtained by the current position detection unit 102, The route can be guided by the output to the speaker 10 via the audio output control device 9.

  The facility search unit 105 is configured to be able to search for similar alternative facility candidates when the destination set by the user matches the avoidance condition.

  The CPU 2 causes the facility search unit 105 to search for alternative facility candidates, and causes the route search unit 103 to calculate the estimated arrival time of the searched alternative facility candidates. Next, the CPU 2 transmits the location information of the alternative facility candidate and the estimated arrival time from the information transmitting / receiving unit 101 to the external information server 22, and acquires the weather / environment information of the alternative facility candidate from the external information server 22. The CPU 2 is configured to be able to extract an alternative facility that does not match the avoidance condition using the weather / environment information in the acquired alternative facility candidate.

Next, a detailed operation of the navigation device 1 when the user sets a facility as a destination will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6.
As shown in FIG. 4, the navigation apparatus 1 of the present invention determines whether or not a destination has been set by the user (S101). If it is determined that the destination is set by the user in S101 (S101, YES), the CPU 2 determines whether there is an avoidance condition set by the user (S102). If it is determined in S102 that the avoidance condition is set (S102, YES), the route search unit 103 calculates the route search and the estimated arrival time to the destination set in S101 (S104). Next, the CPU 2 transmits the estimated arrival time calculated at S104 and the location information of the destination from the information transmitting / receiving unit 101 to the external information server 22 via the mobile phone 13 connected to the data communication unit 11 (S105). Here, the external information server 22 searches the destination position information and weather / environment information at the estimated arrival time transmitted from the navigation device 1, and transmits the search result to the navigation device 1. The navigation device 1 receives weather / environment information from the external information server 22 (S106). Next, the CPU 2 compares the weather / environment information received in S106 with the avoidance condition (S107). It is determined whether or not the destination set by the user after the comparison in S107 matches the avoidance condition (S
108). If the CPU 2 determines that the avoidance condition does not match in S108 (S108, NO), the route guidance unit 104 starts route guidance to the destination (S109).

  Next, processing when it is determined in S108 that the avoidance condition is met will be described. If the CPU 2 of the navigation device 1 determines that the avoidance condition is matched in S108 (S108, YES), the facility search unit 105 searches for an alternative facility candidate similar to the destination set by the user (S110). Next, the equivalent process shown to S104-S107 is performed with respect to the alternative facility candidate searched by S110 (S111). In the process of S111, the CPU 2 determines whether there is an alternative facility candidate that does not match the weather / environment information and the avoidance condition at the estimated arrival time of the alternative facility candidate acquired from the external information server 22 (S112). If it is determined in S112 that there is an alternative facility candidate (S112, YES), the alternative facility is displayed on the display device 8 in the schematic diagram shown in FIG. 6 (S113). Next, the CPU 2 determines whether or not the user has selected from the alternative facilities displayed on the display device 8 in S113 (S114), and determines that the facility has been selected (S114, YES), the selected alternative facility. The destination is changed to (S115), and the route search unit 103 searches for a route to the destination changed in S115 (S116). Then, the CPU 2 starts route guidance to the destination by the route guidance unit 104 for the route searched in S116 (S109).

  Next, processing when it is determined in S11 that there is no alternative facility candidate that does not match the avoidance condition will be described. If it is determined in S112 that there is no alternative facility whose weather / environment information does not match the avoidance conditions (S112, NO), the CPU 2 displays the weather / environment information of the destination on the display device 8 (S117). Next, although the weather / environment information matches the avoidance condition, the CPU 2 displays an option on whether to start the guidance as it is on the display device 8 (S118). The CPU 2 determines whether or not the user has selected the guidance start from the options displayed on the display device 8 in S118 (S119). If the CPU 2 determines that the guidance start is selected (S119, YES), the CPU 2 searches for it in S104. For the route, the route guidance unit 104 starts route guidance to the destination (S109). If the CPU 2 determines that the guidance start is not selected by the user in S119 (S119, NO), the route guidance unit 104 does not start the route guidance to the destination for the route searched in S104 (S120). .

  Next, processing when the CPU 2 determines in S114 that an alternative facility has not been selected by the user will be described. If the CPU 2 determines that the facility is not selected in S114 (S114, NO), it displays the weather / environment information of the destination on the display device 8 (S117). Next, although the weather / environment information matches the avoidance condition, the CPU 2 displays an option on whether to start the guidance as it is on the display device 8 (S118). Next, the CPU 2 determines whether or not the user has selected the guidance start from the options displayed on the display device 8 (S119). If the CPU 2 determines that the guidance start is selected (S119, YES), the CPU 2 searches for it in S104. The route guidance unit 104 starts route guidance to the destination with respect to the route (S109). If it is determined that the guidance start is not selected by the user in S119 (S119, NO), route guidance to the destination by the route guidance unit 104 is not started for the route searched in S104 (S120).

If it is determined in S101 that the user has not set a destination (S101, NO), the process is terminated. If the CPU 2 determines that the avoidance condition is not set in S102 (S102, NO), the CPU 2 prompts the user to set the avoidance condition, and determines whether the avoidance condition is set by the user (S103). . When the CPU 2 determines that the avoidance condition is set in S103 (S103, YES), the processing after S104 is performed. If it is determined in S103 that the avoidance condition is not set (S103, NO), the route search unit 103 searches for a route for the destination set by the user in S101 (S116), and the CPU 2 determines in S116. The route guidance unit 104 starts route guidance to the destination for the searched route (S109).

  According to the navigation device 1 of the present invention configured as described above, an alternative facility can be guided when a set destination matches an environment / weather condition that the user does not want to go to. Specifically, when the user sets the destination, the weather / environment information at the arrival time of the set destination is acquired, and whether or not the avoidance conditions set in advance by the user are automatically determined from the acquired information. If they agree with each other, it is possible to automatically search for an alternative facility similar to the initially set destination and provide route guidance.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 4-6, the detailed operation | movement of the navigation apparatus 1 when a weather condition changes during route guidance is demonstrated.
As shown in FIG. 5, the navigation apparatus 1 of the present invention determines whether or not the CPU 2 is in the route guidance to the destination by the route guidance unit 104 (S201). If it is determined in S201 that the route is being routed to the destination (S201, YES), it is determined whether there is an avoidance condition set by the user in the CPU 2 (S202). If it is determined in S202 that an avoidance condition is set (S202, YES), the route search unit 103 calculates an estimated arrival time to the destination being guided (S203). Next, the CPU 2 transmits the estimated arrival time calculated at S203 and the location information of the destination from the information transmitting / receiving unit 101 to the external information server 22 via the mobile phone 13 connected to the data communication unit 11 (S204). Here, the external information server 22 searches the destination position information and weather / environment information at the estimated arrival time transmitted from the navigation device 1, and transmits the search result to the navigation device 1. The navigation device 1 receives weather / environment information from the external information server 22 (S205). Next, the CPU 2 compares the weather / environment information received in S205 with the avoidance condition (S206). After the comparison in S206, it is determined whether or not the destination set by the user matches the avoidance condition (S207). When the CPU 2 determines that the avoidance condition does not match in S207 (S207, NO), the route guidance unit 104 continues the route guidance to the destination (S208).

  Next, processing when it is determined in S207 that the avoidance condition is met will be described. If the CPU 2 of the navigation device 1 determines that the avoidance condition is matched in S207 (S207, YES), the facility search unit 105 searches for an alternative facility candidate similar to the destination set by the user (S209). Next, the equivalent process shown in S104 to S107 of FIG. 4 is performed on the alternative facility candidate searched in S209 (S210). Next, the CPU 2 determines whether there is an alternative facility candidate that does not match the weather / environment information and the avoidance condition at the estimated arrival time of the alternative facility candidate acquired from the external information server 22 in the process of S210 (S211). If it is determined in S211 that there is an alternative facility candidate (S211, YES), the alternative facility candidate as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the display device 8 (S212). Next, the CPU 2 determines whether or not the user has selected from the alternative facilities displayed on the display device 8 (S213). If the CPU 2 determines that the facility has been selected (S213, YES), the CPU 2 selects the target for the selected alternative facility. The ground is changed (S214), and the route search unit 103 searches for a route to the destination changed in S214 (S215). Then, the CPU 2 starts route guidance to the destination by the route guidance unit 104 for the route searched in S215 (S216).

Next, in S211, if the CPU 2 determines that there is no alternative facility whose weather / environment information does not match the avoidance condition (S211, NO), the weather / environment information of the destination is displayed on the display device 8 (S217). Next, although the weather / environment information matches the avoidance condition, the CPU 2 displays an option on whether to continue the guidance as it is on the display device 8 (S218). Next, the CPU 2 determines whether or not the user has selected to continue guidance from the options displayed on the display device 8 (S219). If the CPU 2 determines that guidance has been selected (S219, YES), the route guidance unit 104 is determined. The route guidance to the destination being guided is continued (S208). If it is determined that the guidance continuation is not selected by the user in S219 (S219, NO), the route guidance to the destination being guided by the route guidance unit 104 is stopped (S220).

Next, processing when the CPU 2 determines that an alternative facility has not been selected by the user in S213 will be described.
When the CPU 2 determines that the facility is not selected in S213 (S213, NO), it displays the weather / environment information of the destination on the display device 8 (S217). Next, although the weather / environment information matches the avoidance condition, the CPU 2 displays an option on whether to continue the guidance as it is on the display device 8 (S218). Next, the CPU 2 determines whether or not the user has selected to continue guidance from the options displayed on the display device 8 (S219). If the CPU 2 determines that guidance has been selected (S219, YES), the route guidance unit 104 is determined. The route guidance to the destination being guided is continued (S208). If it is determined that the guidance continuation is not selected by the user in S219 (S219, NO), the route guidance to the destination being guided by the route guidance unit 104 is stopped (S220).

  If it is determined in S201 that the CPU 2 is not guiding the route to the destination (S201, NO), the process is terminated. If the CPU 2 determines in S202 that the avoidance condition has not been set by the user (S202, NO), the route guidance to the destination being guided by the route guidance unit 104 is continued (S208).

  According to the navigation device 1 of the present invention configured as described above, an alternative facility is automatically guided during route guidance to a destination when the destination matches an environment / weather condition that the user does not want to go to. be able to. Specifically, during route guidance to the destination, weather / environment information at the arrival time of the set destination is periodically acquired, and whether or not it matches the avoidance conditions set in advance by the user from the acquired information. If it is determined automatically and they match, it is possible to automatically search for an alternative facility similar to the destination being guided and provide route guidance.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The navigation device according to the present invention is applied to the use of a navigation device that can search for and display a new alternative facility when there is a change in weather and environment around the target facility while heading to the destination. it can.

1 Navigation device 2 CPU
3 Operation Input Means 4 Interface 4a GPS Receiver 4b GPS Antenna 4c Autonomous Navigation Unit 5 Storage Device 6 ROM
7 RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 8 Display apparatus 9 Audio | voice output control apparatus 10 Speaker 11 Data communication part 12 Bus line 13 Mobile phone 21 Computer network 22 External information server 23 Weather / environment information database 101 Information transmission / reception part 102 Current position detection part 103 Route search part 104 Route guidance part 105 Facility Search Unit 131 Control Unit 132 Information Transmission / Reception Unit

Claims (2)

  A navigation device capable of searching for a route using information acquired by communication with an external information server, a storage unit storing road map data and facility information representing a network structure of a road, and a current position for detecting a current location A detection means; a display means capable of reading and displaying a current position detected by the current position detection means and a map corresponding to the current position from road map data in the storage unit; an operation input means for performing an input operation; Based on route search means for searching for a route to the destination input from the operation input means, information acquisition means for acquiring weather / environmental phenomenon information from an external information server, and information acquired by the information acquisition means Control means for controlling the route search means to search for alternative facilities similar to the destination input by the operation input means, Navigation apparatus and displaying the alternative facility searched by the route searching means on the display means by the control means.   2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the route search unit based on a condition of the weather / environment phenomenon acquired from the external information server input from the operation input unit. .

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