JP2015087338A - Navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation device capable of reducing effort of searching an alternative facility of a distant facility when a part of facilities of a plurality of facilities is distant from the others.SOLUTION: A navigation device comprises: a facility search unit 30 for selecting a plurality of facilities; a remote facility identification unit 34 for identifying a distant part of the facilities when the part of the facilities of the plurality of facilities selected by the facility search unit 30 is distant from a rest of the facilities; and an alternative facility search unit 36 for searching an alternative facility that is another facility of the same industry as the part of the facilities and closer to the rest of the facilities than the part of the facilities when the part of the facilities is identified by the remote facility identification unit 34.

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device that is mounted on a vehicle and guides the traveling of the vehicle using a plurality of facilities as transit points or destinations.

  Conventionally, a map image around the location of the vehicle is displayed, and when the icon of a specific facility included in the map image is indicated by the user, the facility of this specific icon is another facility in the same industry. A navigation apparatus that performs similar facility search for searching for facilities existing around the vehicle position is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this navigation apparatus, a plurality of facilities around the vehicle position as a search result are displayed in a list format or displayed as icons on a map image around the vehicle position.

JP 2006-145330 A

  By the way, when planning a trip, a plurality of facilities to be visited are searched, set as a waypoint or destination, a route search is performed to set a travel route, and a plurality of route points or destinations are set together with this travel route. When a facility icon is displayed overlaid on a map image, some facilities may be located away from other facilities. In such a case, the facility located at a distant location is deleted from the transit point, etc., and the facility of the same industry is searched again. If this facility is near to another facility, it is registered. There is a problem that it is necessary to repeat the search, and it takes time to search for facilities in the same industry, which makes the operation complicated.

  On the other hand, in the search method in the navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, the user himself / herself points to the icon of a specific facility on the map image to search for another facility in the same industry around the vehicle position. Therefore, when a part of the facility is separated from the remaining facility, it cannot be used to search for another facility in the same industry as that part of the facility that is close to the remaining facility.

  The present invention was created in view of these points, and its purpose is to reduce the effort to find an alternative facility for a distant facility when some of the facilities are separated. An object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that can do this.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a navigation device according to the present invention includes a plurality of facility selecting means for selecting a plurality of facilities, and a part of the plurality of facilities selected by the plurality of facility selecting means is a remaining facility. Remote facility identification means for identifying a part of this remote facility, and when some facility is identified by the remote facility identification means when the remote facility is remote from An alternative facility search means for searching for an alternative facility that is a facility and is closer to the remaining facility than the partial facility is provided.

  When some facilities are away from the remaining facilities, it is possible to identify this facility and automatically search for alternative facilities in the same industry that are close to the remaining facilities. Can be reduced.

  Moreover, it is desirable to further include a map display means for displaying a map image that is included in a state where a plurality of facilities selected by the facility selection means described above can be identified. Thereby, the mutual positional relationship of a some facility can be confirmed, and it can be known how far some facilities are with respect to the remaining facilities.

  The facility further includes a part facility selecting unit that selects a part of the facility included in the map image displayed by the map display unit according to a user instruction, and the remote facility specifying unit includes the part facility selecting unit. When some of the facilities are selected by the above, it is desirable to identify this facility as a part of the distant facility. As a result, it is possible to search for alternative facilities for some facilities that the user himself / herself is distant from.

  In addition, the remote facility specifying means and the alternative facility are further provided with route search means for setting a plurality of facilities selected by the above-described multiple facility selection means as route points or destinations and performing route search processing to set a travel route. The processing by the search means is preferably performed after the travel route is set by the route search means. As a result, after the travel route is determined by route search, it is possible to replace some distant facilities with alternative facilities.

  In addition, a facility order changing means for changing the order of waypoints or destinations along the travel route set by the route searching means when a part of the facilities described above is replaced with an alternative facility. It is desirable to provide further. As a result, the positional relationship between the waypoints and the destinations is changed by replacing some of the facilities with alternative facilities, so that the travel route can be changed according to the changed positional relationship.

  Moreover, it is desirable that the alternative facility search means described above searches for an alternative facility from a predetermined range including the remaining facilities. In particular, it is desirable that the above-described alternative facility search means searches for an alternative facility whose location is within a predetermined range from the center of the remaining facilities. Thereby, it becomes possible to make the position of an alternative facility and the remaining facilities approach reliably.

  Further, it is desirable that the alternative facility search means described above searches for an alternative facility of a similar industry in addition to the same industry when the number of alternative facilities obtained by the search is small. Thereby, when there are no alternative facilities of the same industry or when there are few alternative facilities, it is possible to save the trouble of re-designating the facility and re-executing the facility search.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the navigation apparatus of one Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the operation | movement procedure which performs a route search process by using several facilities as a stopover and a destination. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the driving | running route containing a waypoint and the destination. It is a figure which shows the search range of an alternative facility. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the search result of an alternative facility. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the operation screen which changes a facility order.

  Hereinafter, a navigation device according to an embodiment to which a facility search device of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a navigation device according to an embodiment. The navigation device shown in FIG. 1 includes a navigation controller 1, a map data storage device 3, an operation unit 4, a vehicle position detection unit 5, a display device 6, and an audio unit 7. This navigation device is mounted on a vehicle.

  The navigation controller 1 implements various functions such as a map image display operation around the own vehicle position, a facility search operation, and a route search / guidance operation by executing a predetermined operation program using a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like. . The detailed configuration of the navigation controller 1 will be described later.

  The map data storage device 3 is a storage medium that stores map data necessary for map display, facility search, route search, and the like and a reading device thereof. The map data storage device 3 stores map data in units of rectangular figure leaves divided into appropriate sizes by longitude and latitude. The map data of each leaf can be specified and read by designating the leaf number. The map data storage device 3 is realized by a hard disk device or a semiconductor memory, or by a DVD and its reading device. Further, the map data storage device 3 may be replaced with a communication device to acquire map data from an external map distribution server (not shown).

  The operation unit 4 is for receiving user instructions (operations), and includes various operation buttons and operation knobs. In addition, the operation unit 4 includes a touch panel attached to the screen of the display device 6, and the user can directly perform an operation instruction by pointing a part on the screen with a finger or the like. Yes. The vehicle position detection unit 5 includes, for example, a GPS receiver, an orientation sensor, a distance sensor, and the like, detects the vehicle position (longitude, latitude) at a predetermined timing, and outputs a detection result.

  The display device 6 is composed of, for example, an LCD (liquid crystal display device), and is obtained by a map image around the vehicle position, an intersection guide image, or a facility search based on the video signal output from the navigation controller 1. A search result image including the facility and the surrounding parking lot is displayed. The audio unit 7 outputs a guidance voice or the like generated based on the voice signal input from the navigation controller 1 into the vehicle interior.

  Next, a detailed configuration of the navigation controller 1 will be described. 1 includes a map buffer 10, a map readout control unit 12, a map drawing unit 14, a vehicle position calculation unit 20, a route search processing unit 22, a route guidance processing unit 24, a facility search unit 30, and remote facility identification. Unit 34, alternative facility search unit 36, facility order change unit 38, input processing unit 40, and display processing unit 60.

  The map buffer 10 temporarily stores map data read from the map data storage device 3. The map reading control unit 12 sends a request for reading a predetermined range of map data in accordance with the vehicle position calculated by the vehicle position calculating unit 20 and the position designated by the user by operating the operation unit 4. Output to. Based on the map data stored in the map buffer 10, the map drawing unit 14 performs drawing processing necessary for displaying a map image on the display device 6 to create map image drawing data.

  The vehicle position calculation unit 20 calculates the vehicle position based on the detection data output from the vehicle position detection unit 5, and if the calculated vehicle position is not on the road of the map data, the vehicle position is calculated. Perform map matching processing to correct.

  The route search processing unit 22 searches for a travel route (guidance route) that connects the departure point, the waypoint, and the destination according to a predetermined search condition. The route guidance processing unit 24 creates guidance route drawing data for displaying the guidance route obtained by the search processing by the route search processing unit 22 so as to be superimposed on the map or displaying an enlarged view of the right / left turn intersection. Then, an audio signal such as intersection guidance necessary for guiding the vehicle along the guidance route is generated.

  The facility search unit 30 searches for a facility that satisfies the search conditions set using the operation unit 4. For example, as a search condition, there may be a case where a facility genre is specified and candidate facilities are narrowed down, or a case where a telephone number or an address is specified to narrow down facilities. In this way, a plurality of facilities are searched while changing the search conditions, and each of the plurality of facilities is used as a route point or destination for the route search process.

  The remote facility specifying unit 34 specifies a part of the distant facility when a part of the plurality of facilities obtained by the search by the facility searching unit 30 is away from the remaining facility. When the remote facility identification unit 34 identifies a part of the remote facility, the alternative facility search unit 36 is another facility in the same industry as this part of the facility. Search for alternative facilities that are close to the rest of the facility.

  The facility order changing unit 38 replaces a part of the distant facility with the alternative facility searched by the alternative facility searching unit 36, and the waypoint or destination along the travel route set by the route search processing unit 22 Change the order of the ground according to the user's instructions. Details of this changing operation will be described later. The input processing unit 40 outputs commands for performing operations corresponding to various operation instructions input from the operation unit 4 to each unit in the navigation controller 1.

  The display processing unit 60 receives the map image drawing data created by the map drawing unit 14 and displays a predetermined range of map images on the screen of the display device 6 based on the drawing data. Further, when drawing data indicating a travel route set by the route search processing unit 22, a facility obtained by a search by the facility search unit 30, or an alternative facility obtained by a search by the alternative facility search unit 36 is input. The display processing unit 60 displays these drawing data on the screen of the display device 6 so as to overlap the map image.

  The facility search unit 30 described above is a multiple facility selection unit, the remote facility specification unit 34 is a remote facility specification unit, the alternative facility search unit 36 is an alternative facility search unit, a map drawing unit 14, a facility search unit 30, a display processing unit. 60, the display device 6 as a map display means, the operation section 4 and the input processing section 40 as a part of facility selection means, the route search processing section 22 as a route search means, and the facility order change section 38 as a facility order change means, respectively. Correspond.

  The navigation device of this embodiment has such a configuration, and the operation thereof will be described next. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an operation procedure for performing a route search process using a plurality of facilities as transit points and destinations.

  First, the facility search unit 30 searches for a plurality of facilities based on the search conditions set by the user, and sets waypoints and destinations (step 100). The search for the plurality of facilities is performed by designating a search condition for each facility. Further, for example, each facility is associated with a waypoint in the search order, and the facility obtained by the last search is associated with the destination. Note that the order of the facilities corresponding to each of the waypoints and the destinations can be changed before the route search processing, and the user can extract the facilities by searching in an appropriate order.

  Next, the route search processing unit 22 performs route search processing using the plurality of facilities set in step 100 as a waypoint and a destination, and sets an optimal travel route that reaches the destination via the waypoint. (Step 102). Further, the route search processing unit 22 displays this travel route together with the waypoint and the destination (step 104).

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a travel route including a waypoint and a destination. In the example shown in FIG. 3, each of the route points, the destination point, and the travel route R are displayed in a superimposed manner on a map image whose display scale is set so that all the route points and the destination points are included in the display range. Yes. In addition, the name of each facility is shown in the display screen so that the user can roughly understand the contents of the facility corresponding to each waypoint and each destination.

  Next, the remote facility specifying unit 34 determines whether or not a remote facility has been specified (step 106). For example, when the user operates the operation unit 4 to select a part of a facility that is distant from other facilities from a plurality of facilities (route points or destinations) included in the display screen. The selected facility is identified as a remote facility. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the facility C (ΔΔ ramen) is only one away from other facilities, and the user can select the facility C by directly pointing it with a finger or the like. When the remote facility is specified in this way, an affirmative determination is made in the determination of step 106.

  Next, the alternative facility search unit 36 searches for an alternative facility for the specified remote facility (step 108). The alternative facility search unit 36 searches for an alternative facility that is another facility in the same industry as the remote facility and is closer to the remaining facilities A, B, D, and E than the remote facility. In the case of the facility C shown in FIG. 3, the “ramen shop” is the same industry, but if the number of alternative facilities extracted by the search is small, not only the same industry but also an alternative facility of a similar industry is selected. You may make it include in a search object. For example, “Chinese cuisine”, “Set meal”, “Soba / Udon”, etc. may be included in the search target as similar industries of “Ramen restaurant”. As a result, when there are no alternative facilities of the same industry or when there are few alternative facilities, it is possible to save the trouble of re-designating the industry and performing facility search again.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a search range of alternative facilities. In FIG. 4, P is the center position (center of gravity position) of the remaining facilities A, B, D, and E, and L is the facility farthest from the center position P among the remaining facilities A, B, D, and E (for example, The distance to E) is shown. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, a rectangular range in which the distance from the center position P to the top, bottom, left, and right is L is set as the search range for the alternative facility.

  Note that the setting example of the search range is an example, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the range from the center position P to the radius L may be used as a search range, the distance L may be changed, or the distance L may be increased when the number of facilities as a search result is small.

  Next, the alternative facility search unit 36 displays the searched alternative facility on the map image (step 110). FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a display example of search results of alternative facilities. In the example shown in FIG. 5, four alternative facilities c1 to c4 are extracted by the search within the search range shown in FIG. Note that the facilities A, B, D, and E are also displayed on the display screen shown in FIG. 5 so as not to disturb the visibility of the alternative facilities c1 to c4 (for example, with reduced brightness). ˜c4 and facilities A, B, D, E can be easily confirmed.

  Next, the alternative facility search unit 36 determines whether one alternative facility has been selected by the user (step 112). If one alternative facility is not selected, a negative determination is made and this determination is repeated. Further, when the user operates the operation unit 4 to select one alternative facility (for example, when one alternative facility is directly pointed with a finger), an affirmative determination is made in the determination of step 112. For example, the alternative facility c1 is selected.

  Next, the facility order changing unit 38 determines whether or not to change the facility order (the order of waypoints and destinations) (step 114). When the order is changed, an affirmative determination is made, and the facility order changing unit 38 changes the order in accordance with the user's instruction (step 116).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display example of an operation screen for changing the facility order. In FIG. 6, a1 and a2 indicate up and down movement buttons, and b indicates a determination button. As shown in FIG. 6, the state where the facility C is replaced with the alternative facility c1 as the third waypoint is shown. The user selects one of the facility facilities A, B, c3, D, and E (for example, the selected portion is highlighted), and then selects this by pointing to the movement button a1 or a2. You can change the order of the facilities by moving up and down. Thereafter, when the user points to the decision button b, the facility order changing process ends. If the determination button b is pointed without changing the facility order, a negative determination is made in the determination of step 114.

  After the facility order is changed or after the order change is unnecessary and a negative determination is made in the determination in step 114, the route search processing unit 22 performs the route search processing again and includes a transit place including the new alternative facility c1. The optimum travel route to the destination via is set (step 118). Thereafter, the route guidance processing unit 24 performs route guidance along this travel route (step 120).

  As described above, in the navigation device according to the present embodiment, when some facilities are separated from the remaining facilities, an alternative facility of the same industry that is close to the remaining facilities is automatically identified. Since it can search, the effort which searches an alternative facility can be reduced.

  In particular, since a map image including a plurality of facilities obtained by the search by the facility search unit 30 in an identifiable state is displayed, the mutual positional relationship between the plurality of facilities can be easily grasped. It is possible to know how far the facility is from the remaining facilities.

  In addition, the user can select facilities on the map image using the operation unit 4, and can search for alternative facilities by designating some facilities that the user thinks are separated. Become.

  In addition, after the travel route is determined by the route search, it is possible to replace some of the remote facilities with alternative facilities. In addition, since the positional relationship between the waypoints and the destination is changed by replacing some of the facilities with alternative facilities, it is possible to change the travel route according to the changed positional relationship.

  In addition, since the alternative facility is searched from the predetermined range including the remaining facility, specifically, the location is included within the predetermined range from the center of the remaining facility, the location of the alternative facility and the remaining facility Can be reliably approached.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation implementation is possible within the range of the summary of this invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a case where facility search or the like is performed in a navigation device mounted on a vehicle has been described. However, facility search is performed by executing predetermined application software on a personal computer or a mobile terminal called a smartphone. The present invention can also be applied when performing the above.

  In the above-described embodiment, the search range for the alternative facility is set within the predetermined range from the center position P of the remaining facility, but the alternative facility closer to the remaining facilities A, B, D, and E than the remote facility C. In addition, since the user selects one of the alternative facilities after that, the search range of the alternative facility may be expanded.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when some of the facilities are separated from the remaining facilities, the facility is automatically searched for an alternative facility of the same industry that identifies the part of the facility and is close to the remaining facility. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the trouble of searching for an alternative facility.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Navigation controller 3 Map data storage device 4 Operation part 5 Vehicle position detection part 6 Display apparatus 7 Audio part 10 Map buffer 12 Map reading control part 14 Map drawing part 20 Vehicle position calculation part 22 Route search process part 24 Route guidance process part 30 Search and retrieval unit 34 Remote facility identification unit 36 Alternative facility search unit 38 Facility order change unit 40 Input processing unit 60 Display processing unit

Claims (8)

Multiple facility selection means for selecting multiple facilities;
Remote facility specifying means for specifying a part of the separated facilities when a part of the plurality of facilities selected by the plurality of facility selecting means is away from the remaining facilities;
When the part of the facility is specified by the remote facility specifying means, an alternative facility that is another facility in the same industry as the part of the facility and closer to the remaining facility than the part of the facility is selected. Alternative facility search means to search,
A navigation device comprising: In claim 1,
A navigation apparatus, further comprising: a map display unit that displays a map image including the plurality of facilities selected by the facility selection unit in an identifiable state. In claim 2,
The facility further comprises a part facility selection unit that selects the part of the facility included in the map image displayed by the map display unit according to a user instruction,
The remote facility specifying means, when the part of the facility is selected by the partial facility selection means, specifies the facility as the part of the remote facility. In any one of Claims 1-3,
Further comprising route search means for setting the plurality of facilities selected by the plurality of facility selection means as a waypoint or destination and performing route search processing to set a travel route;
2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing by the remote facility specifying unit and the alternative facility searching unit is performed after a travel route is set by the route searching unit. In claim 4,
Facility order changing means for changing the order of waypoints or destinations along the travel route set by the route searching means when the part of the facilities is replaced with the alternative facility according to a user instruction. A navigation device further comprising: In any one of Claims 1-5,
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alternative facility search means searches for the alternative facility from a predetermined range including the remaining facilities. In claim 6,
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alternative facility search means searches for the alternative facility whose location is included within a predetermined range from the center of the remaining facilities. In any one of Claims 1-7,
The navigation apparatus characterized in that the alternative facility search means searches for the alternative facility of a similar industry in addition to the same industry when the number of the alternative facilities obtained by the search is small.

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