JP2544765B2 - Car navigation system track display device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a route display device for an automobile navigation system, and more particularly to a device for displaying a planned route of the automobile on a display device in conjunction with a winker of the automobile. .

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in order to provide convenience for driving, an automobile navigation system that provides various information to a driver has been proposed. This automobile navigation system mainly provides a driver with information about maps of roads, characters, symbols, railways, waterways, etc., and relates to a display device such as a CRT that stores map information stored in a map memory.

By the way, in the above-mentioned automobile navigation system, when displaying the route of the automobile, conventionally, only the current position or the past trajectory of the automobile is displayed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, there are cases where the driver wants to know not only the current position or the past trajectory of the automobile, but also the course to be followed. For example, it would be useful for the driver to know which path to take as a result of turning right or left when he or she turns out the turn signal and tries to turn right or left.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a route display device for an automobile navigation system capable of displaying a planned route on a map displayed on a display device in synchronization with a winker.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A route display device for an automobile navigation system according to the present invention includes a map information storage unit that stores map information in advance, and a current position detection unit for detecting the current position of the automobile. And a left / right turn information generating means for generating right / left turn information in conjunction with a winker of a vehicle, a display device, and a display control means for controlling display on the display device. The display control means reads the map information of the area including at least the current position of the vehicle detected by the current position detection means from the map information storage means and causes the display device to display the map information. Based on the right / left turn information generated from the information generating means, a judging means for judging in which direction the road is going to proceed at the next branch point of the road currently in progress, and a response to the judging means Then, a planned route display control means for causing the display device to carry out an identification display showing the planned route on the road which is to be traveled on the map displayed on the display device is included.

[Operation] In the present invention, the map information of the area including at least the current position of the vehicle detected by the current position detection means is read from the map information storage means and displayed on the display device. Further, based on the right / left turn information generated from the right / left turn information generation means, it is determined which direction the road is going to proceed at the next branch point of the road currently in progress, and based on the result of the determination. On the display device, an identification display indicating the planned course is displayed on the road to be traveled.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the map memory 1 stores fixedly in advance map information including roads, characters, symbols, railways, waterways, and the like. As such a map memory 1,
A semiconductor memory, a CD-ROM, a floppy disk device or the like is used. Here, the map memory 1 stores the road connection information in the form of a set of links expressed as XY coordinates on the map of the start node and XY coordinates on the map of the end node. The map information stored in the map memory 1 is read out at any time by the display control device 2 and displayed on the display device 3 such as a CRT display. Display control device 2
Is composed of, for example, a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. A current position detection device 4 is connected to the display control device 2. The current position detection device 4 detects the current position of the vehicle based on the outputs of, for example, a wheel sensor (sensor that detects the rotational speed and rotational direction of the wheel) 5 and a direction sensor (sensor that detects the traveling direction of the vehicle) 6. This is a device for detecting, and is configured to include a predetermined arithmetic circuit, for example. The current position detection device 4 may be configured to detect the current position of the vehicle by receiving the azimuth radio wave emitted from an artificial satellite with the antenna 7, for example. Further, a winker drive device 8 is connected to the display control device 2. This winker drive device 8
Drives the winker in conjunction with the operation of a winker switch provided in a driver's seat of an automobile and generates right / left turn information. The right / left turn information is given to the display control device 2.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the display control device 2 shown in FIG. Further, FIG. 3 is a schematic road diagram for explaining a method of determining a planned route of an automobile in this embodiment. The operation of the above embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

First, the display control device 2 reads the map information of a predetermined area from the map memory 1 so that the current position of the vehicle detected by the current position detection device 4 becomes the center, and displays it on the display device 3 (step S1). . At this time, the display control device 2 causes the display device 3 to display the mark M1 indicating the current position of the automobile on the link L in which the automobile is currently proceeding, as shown in FIG. Next, the display control device 2 inputs the current position of the automobile from the current position detection device 4 (step
S2), if the current position is changed, the display area is moved (step S3). The operations of steps S1 to S3 are repeated until the winker of the automobile is turned on.

When it is determined that the winker of the automobile is turned on (step S4), it is determined whether the right winker or the left winker is turned on (step S5).
At this time, if the right winker is turned on, the direction flag is turned on (step S6), and conversely, if the left winker is turned on, the direction flag is turned off (step S7). This direction flag is, for example, a memory (RAM) in the microcomputer that constitutes the display control device 2.
It is provided in.

Next, the display control device 2 determines (that is, searches) the planned route at the next branch point in subsequent steps S8 to S14.
To do. This search method will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the display control device 2 reads the coordinates of the nodes (nodes N1 and N2 in FIG. 3) before and after the current position of the automobile (step S8). Next, the display control device 2 calculates the equation of the straight line including the link (the link L in FIG. 3) in which the automobile is currently traveling (step S9). Then, a linear equation of each link (links l1 and l2 in FIG. 3) extending from the terminal node (node N2 in FIG. 3) is calculated (step S10). In the calculation of step S10,
The respective end nodes N3 and N4 of each link l1 and l2
Of course, the coordinate position of is also taken into consideration. Next, the display control device 2 forms an angle θ between the linear equation of the link L calculated in step S9 and the linear equation of the links l1 and l2 calculated in step S10 (angles θ1 and θ2 in FIG. 3). Is calculated (step S11). Here, in the calculation of the angle θ, the clockwise angle is given a + sign on the basis of the linear equation including the link L,
The angle of counterclockwise rotation shall be given a minus sign. Subsequently, the display control device 2 determines whether or not the direction flag is on (step S12), and when the direction flag is on, that is, when the turn signal for right turn is issued, the angle θ is positive. Is searched for (step S13). On the other hand, when the direction flag is off, that is, when the turn signal for turning left is issued, a link with a negative angle θ is searched (step S14). As a result, it is determined (searched) which one of the plurality of roads extending from the next branch point of the link L on which the vehicle is currently traveling, that is, the terminal node N2, is the next planned route.

Next, the display control device 2 uses the step S13 or S
A mark M2 indicating the planned course is displayed in a blinking manner on the link searched in 14 (step S15). As a result, the driver can clearly recognize the information about the road to proceed to. The blinking display of the mark M2 that indicates this planned course is
It is executed until the vehicle passes through the terminal node N2 of the link L which is currently in progress. When it is determined that the vehicle has passed the terminal node N2 (step S16), the mark M2 is erased (step S17), and the operation returns to the step S1.

In the above embodiment, the mark M2 is displayed blinking on the searched link to indicate the planned course, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the driver can clearly specify the planned course. Any display that can be identified can be used. For example, the searched link itself may be displayed in a blinking manner.

Further, in the above embodiment, as a method for determining the planned course, a case has been described where the determination is based on the angle between the linear equation including the link currently in progress and the linear equation including each link extending from the terminal node. However, the present invention is not limited to such a judgment method. For example, when the map memory 1 holds the road information in a form different from that of the above-described embodiment (for example, when the road information has angle information between the links in advance, etc.), the method for determining the planned course is obviously used. Will also be different. Such a determination method can be easily realized by those skilled in the art according to the design of the device, and therefore, description of other examples will be omitted here.

[Advantages of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to clearly display the planned course to be advanced on the display device in conjunction with the blinker of the automobile. Therefore, the driver can clearly recognize and confirm the planned course to proceed to. Therefore, the driver can quickly prepare for the turn before actually making a turn, and it is easy for the driver to avoid making a wrong turn and to select a path which is favorable for the progress.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the display control device 2 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic road diagram for explaining a method of determining a planned course, which is executed in the flowchart shown in FIG. In the figure, 1 is a map memory, 2 is a display control device, 3 is a display device, 4 is a current position detection device, 5 is a wheel sensor, 6
Is an azimuth sensor, 7 is an antenna, and 8 is a winker driving device.

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A map information storage means for storing map information in advance, a current position detection means for detecting the current position of an automobile, and a left / right turn for generating right / left turn information in conjunction with a winker of the automobile. An information generating means, a display device, and a display control means for controlling the display of the display device, wherein the display control means includes map information of an area including at least the current position of the vehicle detected by the current position detection means. Based on the left / right turn information generated from the right / left turn information generation means, and the next branch point of the road currently in progress, And a judgment means for judging in which direction the road is going to proceed, and, in response to the judgment means, the progress on the map displayed on the display device. And a planned route display control means for causing the identification display indicating the planned course on the constant of the road on the display device, route display apparatus for an automobile navigation system. 2. The map information storage means stores, as road information, a set of links represented by the orthogonal coordinate position on the map of the start node of each road and the orthogonal coordinate position of the end node on the map. The determining means includes means for calculating an angle between a link currently underway by the automobile and each link branching from a terminal node of the link, and searching for a link that will proceed next.
A route display device for an automobile navigation system according to claim 1. 3. The planned road display control means includes means for displaying a predetermined identification mark on the planned route as the identification display.
A route display device for an automobile navigation system according to the above item. 4. The navigation system for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the planned course display control means includes means for blinking and displaying the road itself of the planned course as the identification display. Track display device.