JP2675970B2 - Navigation device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention searches for a route by setting a detour point for a set route, passing through the detour route from the set route, and returning to the original route set from the detour route. Navigation device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Navigation devices provide route guidance so that they can visit a destination for the first time by car. In recent years, performance and functions such as navigation accuracy, operability, and visibility have been improved. Technology development for this is being actively carried out, and various types are proposed. This navigation device includes a display screen used when setting a route and a display screen that is opened automatically or in response to a driver's request when guiding a route. The display screen after the start of the guidance includes a section diagram that guides a wide area of several sections including the section currently being driven in at least the entire route including a plurality of sections in which a route is set, and an intersection for performing guidance at an intersection. It has figures etc.

[0003] These sections and intersections, as well as information on remaining distances, names, right and left turns, etc., are provided for intersections to be turned so that the route can be traveled without fail. Teach features, etc. so that they can be confirmed, provide guidance by voice as well as display, display the route on a map, guide on the route in actual running, and automatically follow the route You can scroll the map to check the route.

In such a navigation device,
In order to set a route, it is necessary to input a departure place and a destination. When the departure place and the destination are determined by this input, route search processing is performed from road information data around the departure place and the destination and between them. Is performed, and an optimum route is set from a plurality of routes. As an input method of the departure place and the destination, for example, the registration positions to be registered such as the departure place and the destination are divided into genres such as sightseeing, parking lots, restaurants, etc.
In addition, the code is divided into regions such as prefectures and cities, the code is entered, the code number is entered, the menu is displayed and the menu is selected sequentially, and the node data is available. , A method of connecting the node data to define a road network, and inputting a position by the coordinate place of east longitude and north latitude, a method of inputting a telephone number, etc. have been proposed. Furthermore, the current location or any departure location and destination
In addition to searching for routes between points, there is also a method in which a search is performed by designating a passing point, a priority of a toll road, and the like.

[0005] An example of this type of apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-1.
No. 87898 discloses a telephone number input method, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-173820 discloses a genre-specific or code number input method.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.
No. 3899 discloses a method of inputting a desired passing point.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional one, although the desired passing points and the like can be set as a condition for carrying out the search, the passing points can be increased later on the searched route. Or, if a part of the route is changed, the route search will be executed from the beginning again, so that it is practically impossible to add or partially change the passing point.
Similarly, while traveling on the searched route, a new detour cannot be set or the route cannot be changed, and the route search from the current position to the destination must be redone. When the searched route does not meet the user's wishes, it is possible to set the passing point and the like again and search again, but again the route search is restarted from the beginning. In this way, in any case, there is a problem that the route search is completely redone from the beginning, which not only takes time, but also the initial route is completely changed depending on the initial route, road conditions, and detour points.

The present invention solves the above problems and is provided with a detour search function capable of changing the route in a part of the search processing even when a detour is specified for a route that has been set once. Another object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device.

[0008]

To this end, the present invention has a map data, sets a route also based on the map data, and guides the set route in a navigation device. The route data storing information about the intersection row, the search area setting means for setting a search area from the detour point by designating the detour point, and the intersection existing in the search area set by the search area setting means The route is characterized by comprising a detour search means for executing a route search for returning to an intersection in the area through a detour point, and a route selecting means for selecting a route passing through the detour point based on the search result. The selection means is characterized by selecting the shortest route in the search area through the detour point,
Further, the navigation device has a current position detecting means for detecting the current position, and when the current position detected by the current position detecting means is within the search area, the route selecting means is located at the detour point. It is characterized in that the route to be headed is selected to be connected to an intersection existing ahead of the present position in the traveling direction.

[0009]

In the navigation device of the present invention, route data recording information about intersections of the set route, and search area setting means for setting a search area from the detour point by designating the detour point, For each crossing existing in the search area set by the search area setting means, a detour search means for executing a route search for passing through the detour point and returning to the intersection in the area, and a detour point based on the search result Since the route selecting means for selecting the route to be taken is provided, it is possible to perform the route search when detouring in a short time. Moreover, when the current position is in the search area, the route to the detour point is selected as the route connecting to the intersection existing ahead of the current position in the traveling direction. You can easily change the route even when you are driving and come up with a place to detour.

Further, if the initially set route does not match the user's wishes, for example, if there is a route that the user wants to follow in the district but it is not included, the point on that road is designated as a detour, You can change the route according to your wishes. In addition, even when the user has an ambiguous request to "pass through this area", it is possible to change the route according to the desire by designating near the center of the area. There is a virtual driving mode as a method to check the set route, but in this case also the route can be automatically changed by setting the detour, and the information such as mileage, running time, and fare is also updated You can check it. Therefore, the route that has been set once can be utilized to partially change the route, so that the route can be set more easily according to the user's intention in a short time.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of a navigation device having a detour search function according to the present invention, FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of route data in which information regarding an intersection row of a searched route is stored, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a detour setting search area on the searched route. In FIG. 1, the input / output unit 10 includes a display, a speaker, a touch panel, button switches, etc., and inputs / outputs information regarding route guidance. The current position detection unit 20 detects information about the current position of the vehicle using various sensors, a GPS receiver, and the like.
The information storage device 30 stores navigation data 6 including map data required for route calculation, calculated route data 7, display guidance data 8 required for guidance, and the like. The calculation unit 50 includes a route setting processing unit 1, a route guiding unit 2, a search area setting unit 3, a detour searching unit 4, a route selecting unit 5, and the like, and executes route setting processing and display guidance processing necessary for route guidance. With
It controls the entire system. Then, by inputting the present location or the starting point and the destination from the touch panel or button switch of the input / output unit 10, the route setting unit 1 of the calculation unit 50 sets the route to generate the route data 7, and the route guiding unit 2 The route guidance such as route display is performed from the display or speaker of the input / output unit 10. Route data obtained by route setting 7
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the number of intersections from the starting point to the destination, each intersection number, and the distance to the next intersection are stored as information about the intersection sequence of the searched route. The navigation device of the present invention allows the route around the route to be partially corrected by designating the detour point P for the route once set as shown in FIG. Is. Therefore, the search area setting means 3, the detour search means 4, and the route selection means 5 are provided. When the detour point P is designated by the input / output unit 10, the search area setting means 3 sets the search area from the detour point P as shown in FIG. 3, and the detour search means 4 sets the search area setting. Intersection C within the search area set by means 3
A route search to a detour is performed for each of i to Cj, and the route selecting means 5 selects a route which passes through the detour P and has the shortest distance (Loi + Ii + Ij + Ldj) in the search area. . Furthermore, when the current location is within the area, the route selection means 5 selects a route that selects only an intersection ahead of the current location in the traveling direction.

A more specific configuration of each part of the navigation device having the detour search function according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of each part of the navigation device, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the overall processing flow of the route guidance system, and FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the detour search processing flow.

In FIG. 4, the input / output unit 10 calculates the navigation processing according to the intention of the user so that the destination can be input and the driver can display the guidance information by voice and / or screen when necessary. It has a function of instructing 50 and printing out processed data and data of data communication. As a means for realizing the function, the input unit is a touch switch 11 for inputting a destination by a telephone number or coordinates or requesting route guidance, a voice recognition device 12, an IC card or a magnetic card. It comprises a recording card reader 13 for reading the recorded data, and the output unit displays the input data on the screen and automatically displays the route guidance on the screen in response to the driver's request.
A printer 15 for printing out data processed by 0, data stored in the information storage device 30, communication data sent from an information center, and a speaker 16 for outputting route guidance by voice are provided.

The display 14 is composed of a color CRT or a color liquid crystal display device, and has a route setting screen based on map data or guidance data processed by the calculation section 50.
All screens necessary for navigation such as section map screens and intersection map screens are output in color display, and on this screen, buttons for setting route guidance, guidance during route guidance, and switching screens are displayed. In particular, the passing intersection information such as the passing intersection name is displayed in color in a pop-up on the section map screen at any time.

This display is provided in the instrument panel near the driver's seat, and the driver can confirm the current position of the vehicle by looking at the section map and obtain information on the route from now on. . Also,
The display 14 is provided with the touch panel 11 corresponding to the display of the function buttons, and is configured to execute the above-described operation based on a signal input by touching the button. The input signal generating means including the touch panel and push button switch constitutes an input section.

The voice recognition device 12 constitutes an input signal generating means, and generates a signal for processing by the arithmetic unit 50 after the user recognizes the coordinate information input by voice through the microphone 12a. The current position detection unit 20 includes a GPS receiving device 21 and a beacon receiving device 22 using a satellite navigation system (GPS), for example, a data transmitting and receiving device 23 that receives a GPS correction signal using a cellar phone or an FM multiplex signal, for example, a geomagnetism. An absolute azimuth sensor 24 composed of a sensor or the like, a relative azimuth sensor 25 composed of, for example, a wheel sensor or a steering sensor, a distance sensor 26 for detecting a traveling distance from the number of rotations of a wheel, an acceleration sensor 27, and the like are provided.

The information storage device 30 stores map data, intersection data, node data, road data, photograph data, destination data, guidance point data, detailed destination data, road name data, branch point data, which are necessary for route guidance. It is a database in which address data, display guidance data, voice guidance data, route data, etc. are recorded.

The data communication unit 40 stores a large amount of route guidance information and transmits / receives data to / from an external information center provided by a user's request, or the user previously stores an information storage medium (digital data storage) such as an electronic notebook or IC card. Means) for storing destination information, and using this information to transmit / receive data for inputting point coordinates, and a telephone call for designating a point and acquiring surrounding information. After the destination is set, a telephone transmitting unit 42 for automatically making a telephone call for making a telephone contact with the destination is provided.

The arithmetic unit 50 is a CPU for executing arithmetic processing.
51, a program for performing processing such as route search, display control necessary for route guidance, a program for performing voice output control necessary for voice guidance, and the first ROM 52-1 in which necessary data is stored, RAM for temporarily storing route guidance information and data being processed
53, a second ROM 52-2 in which display information data necessary for route guidance and map display is stored, and an image memory 5 in which image data used for screen display on a display is stored
4. Image processor 55, which takes out image data from the image memory based on the display control signal from CPU 51, performs image processing and outputs to the display, and audio read from information storage device 30 based on the audio output control signal from CPU. , A speech processor 56 for synthesizing a phrase, a sentence, a sound, etc., into an analog signal and outputting the analog signal to a speaker, a communication interface 57 for exchanging input / output data by communication, and a sensor signal of a current position detector. Sensor input interface 5 for capturing
8. A clock 59 for entering the date and time in the internal diagnostic information is provided. Here, the route guidance is configured so that the driver can select either the screen display or the voice output.

Next, a processing flow of the navigation device having the detour search function according to the present invention will be described. CPU
When the program of the route guidance system is activated by 51, first, as shown in FIG. 5, the current position detecting unit 20 first recognizes the current position and displays a map around the current position, and then displays the name of the current position and the like (steps S1 to S1). S3). Next, a destination map is set by displaying a peripheral map from a place name index or a national map, and a route search from the current position to the destination is performed (steps S4 and S5). In step S5, the route from the current position to the destination may be designated on the displayed map, or the route may be set by another method.

When the route is determined, the current position detection unit 20 performs the current position tracking, and the route guidance is repeated until the destination is reached (steps S6 to S9). If there is a detour setting input before arriving at the destination,
A search area is set, a search is again performed in the search area, and similarly route guidance is repeated until the destination is reached (steps S6 to S10).

As shown in FIG. 2, the route data obtained by the route search process (step S5) comprises a list of the number of intersections n, each intersection number Cn, and the distance to the next intersection. Based on this route data, the intersections are indicated by ○, the roads that connect the intersections are represented by lines, and an example of the detour point P and its search area is shown in FIG. 3. Loi enters the search area from the departure point side. Indicates the distance to the previous intersection and the intersection (entrance intersection) Ci that entered the next search area, and the destination side that left the next search area from the intersection (exit intersection) Cj before Ldj left the search area Indicates the distance to the intersection. In addition, the entrance intersection Ci in the search area
The distance of the route searched from to the detour point P is indicated by Ii, and the distance of the route searched from the detour point P to the exit intersection Cj is indicated by Ij.

The detour search process (step S10) when such a detour point is set is executed according to the flow shown in FIG. That is, first, when the detour point P is set, for example, the search area is set by designating an intersection on the route, designating an arbitrary area, calculating the distance between the detour point and the intersection on the route, and the like (steps S11 to S1).
2). Next, look for an intersection on the route in the search area,
A search is made to the detour point P for each of these intersections, and the route and its distances Ii and Ij are stored (step S13).
~ S14). Further, the distances Loi and Ldj on the route from the intersection outside the search area to the intersection inside the area are calculated (step S15), and the total distance Loi + Ii +
Ij + Ldj is calculated (step S16), and a combination of i, j (i≤j) that gives the shortest total distance is obtained (step S17). And C1 → Ci → P → Cj
→ Set Cn as a new route (step S1)
8).

Next, a method of setting the search area will be described.
7 is a diagram for explaining an example of designating a search area by designating an intersection on a route, FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of designating a search area by designating an arbitrary area, and FIG. It is a figure for explaining an example which sets up a search area automatically.

As a method of setting a search area in the process of step S12, for example, when designating an intersection on a route, by setting two points a and b near the route as shown in FIG. The intersections Ca and Cb on the route closest to the two points a and b are searched, and the route between them is set as the search area. Further, when an arbitrary area is designated, by setting arbitrary two points a and b so as to include the detour point P as shown in FIG. 8, these two points a and b are apexes on a diagonal line. Then, a rectangle to be set is set, and the range is set as the search area. When the automatic setting is performed without specifying the intersection or the area as described above, the straight line distance r is set to the detour point P as shown in FIG.
Find the intersection Cp on the route closest to. Then, assuming a circle having a radius of a function f (r) having the distance r between P and Cp as a variable, the intersections Ca and Cb on the route that are closest to the circle centered at the detour point P are searched for. , Set a route on the route between them as a search area.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a subroutine for searching a detour, and FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a subroutine for selecting a search route. In the search for the detour point performed in the process of step S14, for example, when the search area is set two-dimensionally as described in FIG. 8, the route that leaves the area may not be set. As shown in FIG. 10, while checking whether or not the search route is within the area, a search is performed to the detour point P for each intersection within the area, and the route and its distance I are stored. In addition, in the selection of the search route performed in the process of step S17, when the vehicle is traveling by route guidance, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, it is checked whether or not the current position is within the search area, and the current position is within the search area. If not, the combination of i and j with which the total distance becomes the shortest is obtained as it is, but if the current position is within the search area, for Ii, only the intersection ahead in the traveling direction is selected, and Ij For, it suffices to select from all intersections in the search area and find the combination of i and j such that the total distance is the shortest.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the flow of processing including the detour search in the case of the virtual traveling system. When the virtual traveling system is activated, the starting point and the destination are first set from the initial screen display as shown in FIG. 12, and the route is searched between them. When the route is set, all the routes are displayed, and then virtual travel is started according to the route. And when it becomes a detour on the way,
The detour is searched in the same manner as described above, and the virtual running is continued on the corrected new route.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications can be made. For example, in the above embodiment, the search area is automatically set assuming a circle whose radius is the function of the distance between the detour point and the closest intersection on the route, but the distance from the closest intersection is used as a guideline on the route. The search area may be set by searching for an intersection. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a method of determining the shortest route is described as a route search method that passes through a detour point. However, in addition to distance information, data such as roads and intersection information stored in the information storage device, From various information such as the average congestion level and the number of lanes on the road, the optimum road may be determined using a method such as the Dijkstra method.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of a navigation device having a detour search function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of route data in which information regarding an intersection sequence of searched routes is stored.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a search area for setting a detour on a searched route.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of each unit of the navigation device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the overall processing flow of the route guidance system.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a flow of a detour search process.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of setting a search area by designating an intersection on a route.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of setting a search area by designating an arbitrary area.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of automatically setting a search area.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a sub-routine point search subroutine.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a search route selection subroutine.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a flow of processing including a detour search in the case of the virtual traveling system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Route search processing means, 2 ... Route guidance means, 3 ... Search area setting means, 4 ... Detour search means, 5 ... Route selection means, 6 ... Navigation data, 7 ... Route data, 8 ... Display guidance data, 10 Input / output section 20, current position detection section 30, information recording device, 50 calculation section

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-4-121677 (JP, A) JP-A-4-122978 (JP, A) JP-A-3-136197 (JP, A) JP-A-5- 127595 (JP, A) JP-A-6-66590 (JP, A)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A navigation device which has map data, sets a route based on the map data, and guides the set route, and stores route information in which information about an intersection row of the set route is stored. , A search area setting means for setting a search area from the detour point by designating a detour point, and an intersection in the area passing through the detour point for each intersection existing in the search area set by the search area setting means A navigation device comprising: a detour search means for performing a route search for returning; and a route selection means for selecting a route passing through a detour point based on the search result. 2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the route selection means selects the shortest route in the search area that passes through the detour point. 3. The navigation device has a current position detecting means for detecting a current position, and when the current position detected by the current position detecting means is within the search area, the route selecting means is configured to 3. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein a route connecting to an intersection existing ahead of the current position in the traveling direction is selected as a route to the detour point.