JP2914111B2 - Route guidance device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to determining arrival at a destination point or a waypoint when a vehicle is guided to the destination point.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a navigation device developed for displaying the position and orientation of a vehicle on a map screen to facilitate traveling on an unknown land or the like. The navigation device has a display, a GPS receiver, a road map memory, a computer, and the like mounted on a vehicle,
The vehicle position is detected based on the coincidence between the traveling position data input from the GPS receiver and the road pattern stored in the road map memory, and this vehicle position is displayed on a display together with the road map.

[0003] By the way, in the navigation device,
A function is provided in which a traveling route from the departure point to the destination point is selected in advance, and the driver is guided along the route by voice or screen display. For this guidance, the driving route must be selected, but for the automatic selection of the driving route, it is set on the screen from the current departure point through the via point set on the screen. It has been proposed to calculate a route to a destination by a computer using the Dijkstra method or the like (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-277200).

[0004] When the travel route is selected as described above, the navigation device displays the distance and direction to the next waypoint or destination point along the travel route while “turning left at the next intersection. The driver can be guided to the destination by announcing a guidance message such as "Please."

[0005]

By the way, during the route guidance, whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination is determined based on whether the distance from the vehicle to the destination is within a reference distance. In this case, depending on how to set the reference distance, an intersection to be guided may still remain even if the distance from the vehicle to the destination is within the reference distance. Therefore, even if the driver is informed that the vehicle has arrived at the destination point and the guidance is terminated, the driver still does not know how to pass the intersection and cannot find the destination point.

If the reference distance is set too short,
If the destination is set at a location distant from the road, it will not be determined that the vehicle has arrived at the destination even if the vehicle passes the road beside the destination. Therefore, the driver continues to travel without guidance, and eventually deviates far from the optimal route, and must travel at his own discretion without relying on the navigation device.

[0007] The above problem is a problem not only in determining a destination point, but also in determining whether or not the vehicle has passed through a waypoint when the waypoint is set during traveling. For example, if you set a waypoint away from the road,
Even if the vehicle passes the road near the waypoint, it is not determined that the vehicle has passed the waypoint, and the azimuth and distance to the next waypoint are not displayed forever.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to reliably determine whether or not a driver has arrived at a destination point or has passed a waypoint, and accordingly, the driver has to travel along the route. It is an object of the present invention to provide a route guidance device that can guide a vehicle.

[0009]

Means and Action for Solving the Problems

(1) The route guidance device according to claim 1 for achieving the above object, a distance calculation unit that calculates a distance from a position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detection unit to a destination point or a waypoint, When it is determined that the distance calculated by the distance calculation means is within the reference value and the vehicle is traveling on the link to the destination point or the waypoint or the link closest to the destination point or the waypoint, Determination means for determining that the vehicle has arrived at the point or has passed the waypoint.

According to this route guidance apparatus, the distance from the position of the vehicle to the destination or the waypoint is calculated, and the conventional determination whether or not this distance is within the reference value is performed. It is also determined whether the vehicle is traveling on a link (referred to as a final link) or a link closest to a destination point or a waypoint (referred to as a nearest link). Therefore, even if the distance from the vehicle to the waypoint or destination point is within the reference distance, unless the vehicle is traveling on the nearest link or the last link,
Since the arrival is not determined, guidance omission can be prevented. (2) The route guidance device according to claim 2, a nearest point calculating unit that obtains a nearest point on a link closest to the destination point or the waypoint by dropping a perpendicular to the optimal route link from the destination point or the waypoint, Distance calculating means for calculating a distance from the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting means to the nearest point, the distance calculated by the distance calculating means is within a reference value, and the vehicle is at the destination or When it is determined that the vehicle is traveling on the link closest to the via point, the vehicle has a determination unit that determines that the vehicle has arrived at the destination point or passed through the via point.

According to this route guidance device, instead of calculating the distance from the position of the vehicle to the destination point or the waypoint, the distance from the position of the vehicle to the nearest point on the nearest link is calculated. It is determined that the vehicle has arrived at the destination or passed through the waypoint when is within the reference value. Therefore, even if the destination point or waypoint is set at a position away from the road, it is determined that the vehicle has arrived at the destination point or passed through the waypoint if the vehicle approaches the nearest point,
The judgment omission is eliminated.

[0012]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a route guidance apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. This route guidance device is mounted on a vehicle and used to support traveling by the vehicle. This device includes, as sensors, a distance sensor 2 for detecting the traveling distance of the vehicle and a shift sensor 3 for detecting whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward. These two sensors 2,
The detection output of 3 is given to locator 5. Further, a vibration gyro sensor 6 for detecting a turning angle of the vehicle is provided, and a detection output of the vibration gyro sensor 6 is also provided to the locator 5.

The locator 5 is for calculating the current position of the vehicle. The locator 5 calculates the azimuth change amount of the vehicle based on the turning angle of the vehicle detected by the vibration gyro sensor 6.
The moving distance of the vehicle is obtained by taking into account the forward or backward movement of the vehicle given from the shift sensor 3 to the distance detected by the distance sensor 2. Therefore, for example, if accurate initial position data of the vehicle is given to the locator 5 before the vehicle starts moving, the locator 5 calculates the current position of the vehicle thereafter. The case where the vehicle position is determined only in this way is called “free mode”.

The locator 5 calculates travel locus data on the basis of the current position data of the vehicle and compares the travel locus data with the road pattern stored on the disk D (so-called map matching method). And has a function of detecting a road and a vehicle position on the road in consideration of the existence probability of the vehicle. The case where the vehicle position on the road is obtained by the map matching in this way is called a “matching mode”. When performing map matching, the road from which the vehicle position is determined is not always a single road.
For example, when the roads meet or are parallel,
There may be a plurality of candidate roads. In such a case, the road having the highest pattern similarity is output as the first candidate, but the second and lower candidate roads are also stored (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-148115). Such a case where there are a plurality of candidate roads is referred to as a “temporary return mode”.

Data representing the current position of the vehicle calculated by the locator 5 is provided to a controller 7 which is a control center of the route guidance device. The controller 7
It includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc., and is connected to the locator 5 and the memory drive 8 described above.
And the like, and a remote controller key 13. The controller 7 controls the memory drive 8 based on the current position data of the vehicle calculated by the locator 5 and the like. The memory drive 8 reads display road map data corresponding to the current position of the vehicle from the disk D loaded in advance in response to a control signal given from the controller 7 and outputs the read road map data to the controller 7. The controller 7 supplies the display device 12 with the current position data calculated by the locator 5 and the display road map data provided from the memory drive 8 to generate and display a map and a vehicle current position mark on the map. Let it.

In response to a control signal given from the controller 7, the memory drive 8 reads path calculation link data for path calculation from the disk D loaded in advance and outputs the link data to the controller 7. The controller 7 calculates an optimal route from the current position to the destination, obtains coordinates on a road map, and displays the optimal route.

The link data for route calculation is obtained by dividing a road map (including highway national roads, motorways, national roads, prefectural roads, city roads in designated cities, and other living roads) into meshes. Data composed of combinations of nodes and links are stored in units. Here, the node is generally a coordinate point for specifying a road intersection, a road bending point, a mesh boundary, a dead end point, and the like.

What connects the nodes is a link.
The link data includes the link number, the address of the start node and the end node of the link, the distance of the link, the direction passing through the link, the required time in that direction, the type or type of road, the road width, one-way traffic, right turn prohibition, left turn prohibition, Includes data such as toll roads. A beacon receiver 17 is further connected to the controller 7. The beacon receiver 17 is for receiving data such as position information and road information (intersection name, destination guidance) radiated from a beacon antenna installed on the road side of a road or the like. The beacon data received by the beacon receiver 17 is provided to the controller 7 and is finally displayed on the display device 12 to display beacon information to the driver.

As an optional device, a locator 5
Is connected to a GPS receiver 19. GPS receiver 1
When the device 9 is provided, a signal from a GPS satellite can be received, and the absolute azimuth can be accurately detected, or the current position of the moving object can be directly detected. The GPS receiver 19 is designed to receive radio waves from four or more GPS satellites so that three-dimensional positioning is always possible. The GPS reception mode when receiving radio waves from four or more GPS satellites is referred to as a “three-dimensional positioning mode”. However, when entering a shadow of a building, the number of GPS satellites that can be received decreases. The GPS reception mode when receiving radio waves from three GPS satellites is referred to as “two-dimensional positioning mode”. A GPS reception mode in a case where a radio wave from a GPS satellite cannot be received after entering a tunnel or the like is referred to as a “positioning impossible mode”.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the inside of the controller 7. The controller 7 reads out a predetermined range of display road map data and route calculation link data from the memory drive 8, and a remote control key. 13 based on the destination point information, the waypoint information and the current position information of the vehicle input from the locator 5,
An optimum route calculation processing unit 72 for calculating an optimum route using the link data for route calculation, a memory 75, and a display control unit 7
6, a voice control unit 77, and a route guidance processing unit 71 that controls all processes.

The route guidance processing section 71 finds the nearest point F from the destination point or the waypoint to the optimum route link, and stores the coordinates in the memory 75. Here, how to find the nearest point F will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), a perpendicular is dropped from a via point to a link constituting an optimal route, and the foot of the perpendicular is set as the nearest point F. The same applies when searching for the nearest point F from the destination point (see FIG. 4B). If the perpendicular foot is not on the link, Fig. 4 (c)
The end point closer to the destination point among the end points of the link as shown in FIG.

The route calculation procedure performed by the optimum route calculation processing section 72 and the like will be described below with reference to a flowchart (FIG. 5). 5 will be described. For example, if the destination is set based on the destination information input from the remote controller key 13 attached to the display device 12 shown in FIG. 2 (step S91), the route guidance processing unit 71 sets the route It is determined whether a calculation request has been input (step S92).

When it is determined that there is a request for route calculation, the route guidance processing unit 71 operates the memory drive 8 to read a route calculation program from the disk D, and stores the calculation program in the SRAM in the optimum route calculation processing unit 72. Load (step S93). Next, the optimum route calculation processing unit 7
Numeral 2 calculates an optimal route from the current position to the destination by the Dijkstra method or the like (in the embodiment, a potential method which is a kind of the Dijkstra method) based on the link data for route calculation read from the disk D. Is performed (step S94). In this potential method, the link closest to the destination or departure point is set as the calculation start link,
The link closest to the departure point or the destination point is set as the calculation end link, the link costs from the calculation start link to the calculation end link are sequentially added to form a link tree, and all branches of the tree are searched to complete the calculation. This is a method of selecting only the route with the lowest link cost to reach the link. Here, when estimating the link cost, it is necessary to consider the driving distance, driving time, whether or not to use the highway, the number of right and left turns, the probability of running on the main road, avoiding accident-prone areas, and other factors according to the driver's preference. There is a set item. At this time, if the driver sets a waypoint using the remote control key 13, the cost of a link passing through the waypoint (called a waypoint link) is calculated as minus infinity. You will always pass through the waypoint link.

The link constituting the optimum route obtained in this manner is converted into a coordinate sequence for display (step S95), and displayed by the display control unit 76 together with the road map (step S96). Then, although not particularly shown in the flowchart, when the vehicle starts traveling, the route guidance processing unit 71 always calculates and displays the straight-line distance and direction to the nearest waypoint, and when approaching the intersection, Please turn right. " When the vehicle travels in accordance with the guidance and passes through the intersection, the straight-line distance and direction to the next waypoint are displayed, and traveling guidance at the next intersection is performed. By repeating such operations, the vehicle can be guided to the destination.

Next, the route guidance processing section 71 according to the present invention.
Will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the outline of the entire process. This process is performed every time the vehicle travels a certain distance after the vehicle starts. First, the moving distance from the previous processing is calculated (step S1), and every time the moving distance exceeds 100 m (step S2), the route following / deviation determination is performed (step S3). Then, according to the result of the route following / deviation determination, the process of determining the passage of the waypoint and the process of determining the arrival at the destination are performed (step S4). When the vehicle passes through a waypoint or reaches a destination, an announcement to that effect is made through the voice control unit 77.

[0026] Figure 1, pass determining the transit point in step S4, a detailed flowchart of arrival determination processing to the destination point, first, it obtains a distance d ₁ from the vehicle position to the destination or transit point (step S11 ). Next, the coordinates of a point (nearest point F) closest to the optimum route from the destination point or the waypoint are read from the memory 75 (step S).
12), determining the distance d ₂ from the vehicle position to the nearest neighboring point F (step S13). Then, it is determined whether the vehicle is traveling along the optimal route (step S1).
4). This confirmation may be made by determining a vertical distance by dropping a perpendicular from the vehicle to the optimum route and determining whether the distance is within a predetermined value.

If the vehicle is traveling along the optimal route, it is determined whether the vehicle is traveling on the last link or the nearest link (step S15). This determination may also be made by determining the distance between the vehicle and the final link or the nearest link and determining whether or not this distance is within a certain value. If the vehicle is traveling on the last link or the nearest link, it is determined whether or not the distance d ₁ from the vehicle position to the destination or waypoint is within a reference value D ₁ (for example, D ₁ = 400 m) (step S16). D ₁ above value, if recently from the vehicle position closest point F to the distance d ₂ is the reference value D ₂ (e.g., D ₂
= 200 m) is determined (step S
17). If the distance d ₁ is within D ₁ or the distance d ₂ is within D _2, it is determined that the vehicle has passed the waypoint or reached the destination (step S18). Distance d
_{If 1} is greater than or equal to D ₁ and the distance d ₂ is also greater than or equal to D ₂ , no determination is made.

Further, in step S14, if the vehicle is determined not to travel along the optimal path, the distance d ₁ from the vehicle position to the destination or transit point is determined whether within D ₁ . If is within D _1, it determines that the vehicle is even when not traveling along the optimal path, the vehicle passes through the via-point, or has reached the destination point (step S18).

The above-described series of determination conditions will be described with reference to the drawings. 7, the distance PF between the transit point or destination point P and nearest neighbor link or last link is smaller than D _1, shows the case where there is an intersection within a circle of a distance D ₁ around the destination point or transit point P . The nearest link or the last link is the link L starting from the intersection node. When the vehicle is in the position of C ₁ it is determined that the vehicle is not recently passing through the near links or final link L. Therefore, the passage and the arrival are not determined. When the vehicle is in the position of C _2, the distance d ₁ from the vehicle position to the destination or transit point is within D _1. However, also at this time, since the vehicle is not passing through the nearest link or the last link L, the vehicle does not judge the passage or arrival. When the vehicle is in the position of C _3, the vehicle is recently being passes by links or final link L, and since the distance d ₁ from the vehicle position to the destination or transit point is within D _1, this time Makes a pass or arrival decision and announces to the driver to that effect. Therefore, the purpose of driving assistance to the driver can be achieved. When it is determined that the vehicle has passed through the via point, the vehicle starts from the link next to the nearest link or the last link L, and guides the user to determine whether to pass or arrive at the next via value or destination point.

As described above, according to the embodiment, until the vehicle passes through the nearest link or the last link L, even if the distance d ₁ from the vehicle position to the destination or the waypoint is within D _1. , pass, does not the arrival determination, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, if there is an intersection within a circle of a distance D ₁ around the destination point or transit point P, the guide at the intersection is ensured.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a route point or a destination point and the nearest neighbor location.
Is the reference value D₁Is over
Show the case. Vehicle is C₁The vehicle position when
Distance d from the destination point or waypoint₁Is D₁Above
Yes, distance d from vehicle position to nearest point F_TwoAlso the reference value
D_TwoAs described above, the passage and the arrival are not determined. vehicle
Is C_TwoWhen the vehicle is located at
Distance d to waypoint ₁Is D₁That is all, but the vehicle position
From the distance to the nearest point F_TwoIs D_TwoWithin
In this case, the passage and arrival are determined.

As described above, according to the embodiment, the vehicle position
From the distance to the nearest point F_TwoBased on passing, arrival
Is set, so the transit point or destination point is far away from the road
Even if it is in a place, make sure to pass and arrive
be able to. If the vehicle is traveling along the optimal route
No, C_FourIf the vehicle is located at
Whether it is passing through the nearest link or the last link L "
Or the distance d from the vehicle position to the nearest point F_TwoIs D_Two
It is not possible to determine whether
Distance d from vehicle position to destination or via point₁Is D
₁The vehicle passes the waypoint only if it is within
Or determine that the vehicle has reached the destination.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the embodiment, the route guidance device is provided with the route calculation function, but without the route calculation function, for example, a route is calculated by an external personal computer, and the result is input to the pre-driving route guidance device. You may.

[0034]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the conditions for arriving at or passing through a destination point or a transit point are set so that the distance to the destination point or the transit point is within a reference value and is the nearest. The link is running. Therefore, as long as there are still links to be passed (intersection entry links, etc.), no matter how close you are to the destination point or waypoint, the passage or arrival determination is not made, so the driver must be sure to provide guidance on the links to be passed. Can receive.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the conditions for arriving at or passing through the destination point or the waypoint are determined such that the distance to the nearest point is within the reference value and the nearest link is running. Therefore, even if the destination point or the waypoint is set far away from the road, if the vehicle approaches the nearest point, it is determined that the vehicle has arrived at the destination point or passed through the waypoint. The accurate travel guidance can be continued.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a detailed flowchart of a process for determining passage of a waypoint and a process for determining arrival at a destination according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a route guidance device according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram inside a controller.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method of calculating a nearest point F.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a route calculation procedure performed by an optimum route calculation processing unit and the like.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an outline of pass-through point determination processing and arrival determination processing at a destination point, which are performed each time the vehicle travels a predetermined distance.

[7] the distance between the via-point or destination point P and nearest neighbor links or final link L is within D _1, in the case where there is an intersection within a circle of a distance D ₁ around the destination point or transit point P FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a determination condition.

Distance 8 and through value or destination point P recently the neighbor link or last link L is a diagram for explaining the determination condition in the case is D ₁ or more.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 Locator 7 Controller 8 Memory Drive 12 Display Device 13 Remote Control Key 17 Beacon Receiver 19 GPS Receiver 71 Route Guidance Processing Unit 72 Optimal Route Calculation Processing Unit 75 Memory 76 Display Control Unit 77 Voice Control Unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-5-108995 (JP, A) JP-A-4-328789 (JP, A) JP-A-2-69617 (JP, A) JP-A-61- 100900 (JP, A) JP-A-58-216911 (JP, A) JP-A-2-107018 (JP, U) JP-A-60-15619 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G01C 21/00 G08G 1/0968

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vehicle position detecting means, and a series of optimal routes when a road is divided between sections and a start point and a destination point on a road map are traveled from links defined corresponding to each section. means the distance calculation means, said distance calculating means the distance d ₁ which is calculated by reference to calculate the distance d ₁ to the destination or transit point from the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting means for obtaining a link The vehicle arrives at or passes through the destination point when it is determined that the vehicle is traveling on the link to the destination point or via point or the link closest to the destination point or via point. A route guidance device comprising: a determination unit that determines that 2. A vehicle position detecting means, and a series of optimum routes for traveling between start points and destination points on a road map from links defined for each section by dividing the road into sections. Means for acquiring a link, means for calculating a nearest point F on a link closest to the destination point or waypoint from the destination point or waypoint with respect to the optimal route link, and a vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting means distance calculation means for calculating the distance d ₂ to the nearest neighbor F from the position of the distance is within the distance d ₂ is the reference value obtained by the calculating means, and the vehicle is most to the destination point or transit point When it is determined that you are traveling on a close link,
Determining means for determining that the vehicle has arrived at the destination or passed through the waypoint.