JP2751369B2 - Course guidance method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a course guidance method for guiding a traveling course of a vehicle.

(Conventional technology and problems to be solved) The current position is calculated by inputting the map information, the vehicle speed information, the azimuth information, and the like, and displayed on a display such as a television screen based on the current position. There is a course guidance method in which a traveling locus of the vehicle is displayed on a map screen to guide the vehicle to a destination.

However, such a course guidance method merely displays the traveling locus of the vehicle on a map screen displayed on a television screen, and does not display any information even when the vehicle is running off the planned course. As the deviation from the scheduled course, there are cases where errors due to input errors of the current position, accuracy of each sensor, and the like are accumulated. Therefore, the driver always checks whether the traveling locus of the vehicle displayed on the map screen is out of the expected course, and if it is off, how much distance is off the map screen from the map screen. It is necessary to judge, and there is a problem that it is troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and compares a prestored scheduled course with a traveling trajectory, displays a difference between the two over a predetermined value, and further displays the current position of the vehicle. It is an object of the present invention to provide a course guidance method that can be accurately estimated.

(Means for Solving the Problems) According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, vehicle speed information, distance information, and azimuth information are input to a signal processing device having map information at the request of a user. If the current position of the vehicle is calculated using the location function and the current position of the vehicle cannot be determined using the location function, the current position of the vehicle is calculated on the map displayed on the television display screen. The vehicle travels around an appropriate range to obtain a pattern of the traveled road based on the distance information and the azimuth information, and the same road pattern is searched from the map information based on the road pattern, and can be set as the current position of the vehicle. Characteristic locations are displayed on a map displayed on the television display screen.

(Function) When the location function is used, the vehicle makes a circuit around an appropriate range to obtain a pattern of the road on which the vehicle has traveled based on the distance information and the azimuth information, and searches the map information for the same road pattern as the road pattern. A possible location as the current position of the vehicle is displayed on a map displayed on the television display screen. This makes it possible to accurately estimate the current position of the vehicle, and facilitates setting of the initial position of the vehicle when using the location function in an unknown land.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of a vehicle equipped with a course guidance device for executing the course guidance method according to the present invention. A vehicle 1 has a course guidance device 2 mounted thereon. , A television main body 3, wheel speed sensors 4 for detecting rotation speeds of left and right rear wheels (drive wheels), a distance sensor 5 for detecting a traveling distance, a geomagnetic sensor 6 for detecting geomagnetism, a locator 7, and the like. It consists of. The locator 7 calculates a traveling distance based on a signal input from the distance sensor 5 and calculates an absolute azimuth (here, a traveling direction of the vehicle with respect to true north) based on an azimuth signal input from the geomagnetic sensor 6. The current position of the vehicle 1 is obtained from the travel distance and the absolute azimuth, and is output as a position signal.

The television body 3 has a television display screen as shown in FIG.
10, a touch panel switch 11, provided on the television display screen 10, for inputting variable information, a touch panel controller 12, an operation switch 13, for inputting fixed information,
CD player 14, speaker 15 for audio output, signal processing device
It has 16 mag. The CD player 14 includes a CD information disk 18 in which map information such as a nationwide road map and an expressway map is stored.

The signal processing device 16 includes a microcomputer, and displays a map screen on the television display screen 10 based on information input from the wheel speed sensors 4 and 4, the locator 7, the touch panel controller 12, the operation switch 13, the CD player 14, and the like. The current position of the vehicle 1, vehicle information, audio information, television broadcast, and the like are displayed.

Further, the signal processing device 16 includes a travel locus calculation circuit that calculates a travel locus based on the position information input from the locator 7 and the vehicle speed information input from the wheel speed sensor 4, and a travel locus memory that stores the calculated result. A display driver for displaying the running locus stored in the memory on the television display screen 10, a planned course memory for storing a planned course inputted from the touch panel switch 11 of the television display screen 10, and an output and schedule of the display driver. The output signal of the course memory is compared with the deviation (X,
It is provided with a comparison device which calculates a deviation in the Y direction), displays the deviation on a television display screen 10 when the deviation exceeds a predetermined value (threshold), and issues an alarm to the speaker 15.

The signal processing device 16 has a location function,
The current position of the own vehicle is calculated based on the current position information input from the locator 7, and the current position can be displayed on a map displayed on the television display screen 10. Further, the signal processing device 16 has a function of estimating the current position by running the vehicle 1 in a predetermined direction in an appropriate range, for example, counterclockwise when setting the initial position. In this method, a pattern of the traveled road is obtained from the travel distance and the azimuth by making a round around an appropriate range. Then, the same road pattern as the obtained road pattern is searched, and some possible locations as the current position are selected and displayed on the map. The driver estimates the current position of the vehicle from the displayed information and sets the current position as the initial position.

The details of the location function and the current position estimation function will be described below with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG.
When the location 10a displayed on the television display screen (map screen) 10 is pressed by (FIG. 2), the screen becomes the location display (DSP1), the signal processing device 16 starts the location function, and the cursor mark 10b is displayed on the television. Display screen 1
It is displayed at the center of 0 and four cursor movement keys 10c are displayed (DSP2). Although a map is displayed on the television display screen 10, it is omitted. The current position (initial position) of the vehicle 1 is set by appropriately operating each cursor movement key 10c to move the cursor mark 10b.

At this time, if the current position is known, in FIG.
Move 0b to set the initial position. Signal processing device 16
After the initial position (current position) is set, monitoring is performed while the vehicle travels for a certain distance to determine whether or not the vehicle deviates significantly from a planned course. If the determination result is affirmative (YES), the location function is continued. When the answer is negative (NO), the fact that the initial position is abnormal is displayed on the television display screen 10. Therefore, the driver sets the initial position again.

When it is difficult to specify the current position on a strange land or the like, the display 10 of “position unknown” displayed on the television display screen 10 as shown in FIG.
When d is pressed by the touch panel switch 11 (DSP4), "Please make the innermost circumference one turn (counterclockwise)" is displayed (DSP5). Note that the counterclockwise direction is easy to turn at an intersection. When the vehicle 1 makes a round, the signal processing device 16 obtains a pattern of the road on which the vehicle has just traveled from the traveling distance and the azimuth angle, searches for the same road pattern as the road pattern from the map information, and searches for the current position of the vehicle 1. Display multiple possible locations as indicated by crosses on the map (DS
P6). The driver selects one of the most suitable locations from the displayed locations, and moves the cursor mark 10b with the cursor movement key 10c to set a temporary initial position (DSP7). After setting the initial position, the signal processing device 16 monitors the fixed distance in the same manner as described above, and determines whether or not the signal deviates significantly from the planned course.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a current position estimating program executed in the case of “position unknown” in FIG. 3 (b). When a “position unknown” display 10d displayed on the television display screen 10 is pressed, an automatic The position HELP switch is turned on (step
S1), a message "Please go the innermost circumference counterclockwise" is displayed on the television display screen 10 (step S2). When the vehicle 1 runs according to this instruction, the signal processing device 16 determines whether the signal processor 16 has turned left. (Step S3), and the answer is negative (N
In the case of O), the determination is repeated until the vehicle turns left. To affirmative (YES) storing the distance L ₁ from the starting point of the vehicle 1 S (FIG. 5) to the first intersection P ₁ in the memory 17 (FIG. 2) in the case of (Step S4).

The signal processing unit 16, after storing the distance L _1, then determines whether the left (step S5), and the answer is negative (NO)
If this is the case (during straight traveling), the determination is repeated and the vehicle waits for a left turn. If affirmative (YES), the distance L ₂ from the first intersection P ₁ to the left intersection of the _second intersection P ₂ (fifth turn) Is stored in the memory 17 (step S6). Signal processing device 16
After storing the distance L _2, it is determined whether or not the left again (step S7), and if the determination answer is negative (NO), performs repeat determination, if the affirmative (YES) Stores the distance L ₃ (FIG. 5) from the intersection P ₂ to the intersection P ₃ in the memory 17
(Step S8). Similarly, it is determined whether or not the left turn at the intersection P ₄ (step S9), and the answer is affirmative (YE
Distance from the intersection P ₃ in the case of S) to the intersection P ₄ L ₄
(FIG. 5) is stored in the memory 17 (step S1).
0).

The vehicle 1 makes one round by turning left four times, and can return to the original start point S. Therefore, the signal processing device 16
Determines whether or not returned to its original starting position S-start from (step S11), and performs repeatedly the determination if the answer is negative (NO), the intersection P ₄ when the affirmative (YES) The distance L ₁ ′ to the point S (FIG. 5) is stored in the memory 17 (step S12). The driver turns on an end switch (not shown) when the vehicle returns to the start point S. The signal processing device 16 determines whether the end switch has been turned on (step S13), and the answer is affirmative (YES).
In the case of, the process proceeds to step S16.

If the answer to the determination in step S13 is negative (NO), the signal processing device 16 determines that the driver has overlooked the start point S, and determines whether the driver has made a left turn (step S14). . The left turn fifth time that is, a left turn at the first intersection P ₁ of the second round. In the case of this determination answer is affirmative (YES), stores the distance from the intersection P ₄ to the intersection P ₁ of (L ₁ + L ₁ ') in the memory 17 (step S15)
Proceed to the next step S16.

In this step S16, since the vehicle 1 has made one round on the innermost circumference from the start point S, the traveled road pattern is obtained from the travel distance information and the azimuth information, and the same road pattern as the road pattern is obtained. Is retrieved from the map information, and in step S17, a plurality of potential points as the current position are displayed on the map (DSP6 in FIG. 3).
finish. As described above, the driver determines the current position by judging from these displayed candidate points. As a result, the driver can accurately estimate the current position of the own vehicle even when a road is provided like a grid in a big city. It is possible to accurately set the initial position.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, vehicle speed information, distance information, and azimuth information are input to a signal processing device having map information at the request of a user to determine the current position of the vehicle. In the course guidance method having a location function of calculating and displaying the current position of the vehicle on a map displayed on a television display screen, if the current position cannot be determined when the location function is used, the vehicle is moved within an appropriate range. By making a round, a pattern of the traveled road is obtained based on the distance information and the azimuth angle information, the same road pattern is searched from the map information based on the road pattern, and a location that may be the current position of the vehicle is determined. When setting the initial position (current position) when using the location function by displaying it on the map displayed on the TV display screen, It is possible to accurately estimate the current position of the vehicle even on the ground, and there is an effect that the location function can be used effectively.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle to which a course guidance method according to the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a course guidance device for executing the course guidance method according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a course guidance method by the course guidance device of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing details of initial position setting in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing traveling of the vehicle at the time of initial position setting. 1 vehicle, 2 course guidance device, 3 television body, 4 wheel speed sensor, 5 distance sensor, 6 geomagnetic sensor, 7 locator, 10 television display screen,
11 ... Touch panel switch, 14 ... CD player, 16 ...
… Signal processor, 18… CD information disc.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A signal processing device (1) provided with map information (14).
6), the vehicle position information (4), the distance information (5), and the azimuth information (6) are input at the request of the user (DSP1), and the current position of the vehicle (1) is calculated. ) The current position of the vehicle is displayed on the map displayed on the TV display screen (10) (DSP2) If the current position cannot be determined when using the location function in the course guidance method with the location function (DSP4) (1) is circled in an appropriate range to obtain the traveled road pattern based on the distance information (5) and the azimuth information (6) (DSP5), (S2) to (5).
(S15), the map information (1
The same road pattern is searched from (4) (S16), and a possible location as the current position of the vehicle (1) is displayed on the map displayed on the television display screen (10) (DSP
6), (S17) A course guidance method characterized by the following.