JP2929930B2 - Route guidance device for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle route guidance device for displaying the current position of a vehicle and guiding the vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of vehicle route guidance device, for example, JP-A-3-137684 and JP-A-61-201286 are known.
Is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-203 (1995). The former is provided with a trajectory memory corresponding to a plurality of maps having different scales, so that the position data output from the current position detection means can be stored as trajectory data for a predetermined period according to the plurality of scales. The present invention is capable of displaying a running trajectory representing the current position of the vehicle every moment according to the map displayed on the screen of the display means. The latter calculates the azimuth signal of the azimuth sensor and the vehicle speed signal of the vehicle speed sensor to continuously display the current position of the own vehicle and the running locus representing the current position of the own vehicle every moment on the display unit. In the above apparatus, the display color or the type of the display line of the traveling locus displayed on the display unit is changed according to the traveling state signal from the traveling state sensor detected in the traveling state of the own vehicle.

[0003]

However, in the case of the above-described conventional vehicle route guidance device, the vehicle travels off the travel route set for route guidance, and the vehicle travels off the vehicle. When the positional relationship between the current position and the traveling route cannot be recognized from the display state on the screen, the traveling direction of the own vehicle is the traveling route, or the direction approaching the destination, It was not easy to determine whether the direction was away. Therefore, when the traveling route and the current position of the vehicle are not on the same screen,
There has been a problem that the route guidance becomes insufficient and the driver is anxious.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to determine whether the traveling direction of the own vehicle is equal to or smaller than the traveling direction of the own vehicle when the own vehicle runs off the traveling route. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle route guidance device that can always recognize on a screen whether the vehicle is approaching or away from the ground.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a current position detecting means 1 for detecting a current position of a host vehicle as shown in FIG. 1, and a destination setting for setting a destination. Means 2, a map information storage means 3 storing map information including position data, a current position detected by the current position detection means 1, and a destination set by the destination setting means 2. A recommended route calculating unit 4 for calculating a recommended route from a current position to a destination; and a map information on the current position detected by the current position detecting unit 1 and the recommended route calculated by the recommended route calculating unit 4. Display means 5 for superimposing and displaying the map on the map read from the storage means 3, the current position detected by the current position detection means 1 and the map information storage means 3. Current position data calculating means 6 for calculating data of the current position based on the stored position data of the map information, a recommended route calculated by the recommended route calculating means 4, and stored in the map information storing means 3. Recommended route position data calculating means 7 for calculating position data of the recommended route based on the obtained position data, and recommended route position data storing means 8 for storing the position data of the recommended route calculated by the recommended route calculating means. The recommended route based on the position data of the current position calculated by the current position data calculating means 6 and the position data of the recommended route stored in the recommended route position data storage means 8 while the vehicle is running. First determining means 9 for determining whether or not the own vehicle has deviated from the route; and determining whether the own vehicle has deviated from the recommended route by the first determining means. Based on the position data of the current position calculated by the current position data calculation unit and the position data of the recommended route stored by the recommended route position data storage unit, the own vehicle is located at the recommended route or the destination. A second means for judging whether the object is approaching or being distant; and a display control means for causing the display means to display the judgment results of the first and second judgment means on the display means. And

[0006]

With the vehicle route guidance apparatus according to the present invention, while the vehicle is traveling on the recommended route calculated by the recommended route position data calculation means and stored in the recommended route position data storage means, the vehicle is switched from the recommended route to the own vehicle. When it is determined by the first determination means 9 that the vehicle has deviated, the second determination means 10 determines whether the vehicle is approaching or away from the recommended route or the destination, and this determination result is displayed. It is displayed on the display means 5 by the control means 5A.

[0007]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a vehicle route guidance apparatus according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

The route guidance device for a vehicle according to this embodiment has a CRT display 3 as a display means for displaying the running state of the vehicle under the control of the microcomputer 11 based on the detection signals of the distance sensor 1A and the direction sensor 1B. Is displayed on the screen.

A microcomputer 11 operates as a control center of the entire system and performs various operations.
12 and a ROM 13 storing a system program
, A RAM 14 for temporarily storing various data, a VRAM 15 for image display, and an I /
The CRT display 3 is connected to the system bus of the microcomputer 11 via the I / F circuit 16.

I / F circuit 1 of microcomputer 11
6 has a keyboard 1 in addition to the CRT display 2.
7, external memory 18, distance sensor 1A, direction sensor 1B
Is connected.

The keyboard 17 is for inputting various information to the microcomputer 11. Also,
The keyboard 17 moves a cursor displayed on the map to display the current position and destination of the vehicle on the map displayed on the CRT display 2, scrolls the map, and scales the map. It has a switch that can be changed.

The external memory 18 is provided as map information storage means, and stores map data necessary for vehicle travel guidance, and stores map data of a specific area designated by the microcomputer 11 in the microcomputer 11. And the map can be displayed on the CRT display 3 under the control of the microcomputer 11.

The distance sensor 1A detects the traveling distance of the vehicle, and generates a pulse each time the vehicle travels a unit distance. The direction sensor 1B detects the direction of travel of the vehicle by detecting terrestrial magnetism, and converts the detected signal direction into a digital signal and outputs it. The distance sensor 1A and the direction sensor 1
B is used to detect the current position of the own vehicle, but the current position of the own vehicle may be detected using, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System).

The microcomputer 11 reads a map of a region where the vehicle is to travel from the external memory 18 in accordance with an input operation of the keyboard 17 and displays the map on the CRT display 3, and a CRT in response to the input operation of the keyboard 17. The current position of the own vehicle that starts traveling on the map displayed on the display 3 is displayed, and the traveling distance and the traveling direction of the vehicle when the vehicle travels from this traveling start position are sequentially determined by the distance sensor 1A and the direction sensor 1B. The current position of the vehicle is displayed on the map displayed on the CRT display 3 based on the detected traveling distance and moving direction. Further, when the destination is set in accordance with the input operation of the keyboard 17, the CRT display 3 is calculated under the control of the microcomputer 11 as a traveling path connecting the shortest distance from the current position of the vehicle to the destination. Recommended route is displayed.

Next, a first operation of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5 in accordance with the flowcharts of FIGS.

When the ignition switch is turned on and the engine of the vehicle is started, the system is activated simultaneously (step 101). When the destination D is inputted by the keyboard 17 and the coordinates of the destination D are determined, the coordinates of the recommended route are determined. Data is calculated (step 102) (corresponding to the calculating means). The calculated coordinate data of the recommended route is used to determine when the own vehicle deviates from the recommended route so that it can be determined.
Stored in the path storage area of M14 (step 103)
The trajectory of the stored recommended route is displayed on the CRT display 3 together with the current position of the own vehicle on the map (step 104). The vehicle can be guided along the displayed recommended route.

In the relationship shown in FIG. 6, when it is determined that the vehicle has deviated from the recommended route based on the detection signals of the distance sensor 8 and the direction sensor 9 while the vehicle is running (step 12).
0) (corresponding to the first judging means), and after resetting a storage area for storing a point off the route in the RAM 14 (step 1).
30), the coordinates on the recommended route of the point determined to have deviated from the route are stored as the route departure point D in this storage area (step 140). At the same time, the trajectory representing the changing state of the current position of the vehicle, which changes every moment, is started to be displayed (step 150).

Here, whether or not the vehicle has returned to the recommended route is determined based on the current position data of the vehicle and the coordinate data of the recommended route, based on the nodes on the recommended route (coordinates of intersections) or the interpolation points (representing the road shape. (Step 160) (corresponding to the second determination means), and if the vehicle has not returned, the vehicle has subsequently passed the destination and the recommended route has been determined. In order to determine whether or not the reference is necessary based on the current position data of the vehicle and the map data currently used for guiding the vehicle, a point O and a destination D where the vehicle deviates from the recommended route are determined. It is determined whether the radius is outside or in the middle of a semicircle R centered on the point O as the radius (step 170).

In this step 170, if it is determined that the inside of the semicircle R is inside based on the coordinates of the point O deviating from the recommended route and the coordinates of the current position of the vehicle, the predetermined time α elapses after the departure from the recommended route. The normal trajectory display is performed without determining the approach to the recommended route (step S-100). Thereafter, when a certain time α has elapsed (step S-20)
0) In order to determine the center of gravity line 1 (see FIG. 7), first, a straight line L passing through the point O and the destination D deviating from the recommended route is determined (step S-300), and this straight line L is deviating from the recommended route. Rotate clockwise around the point O, and search for a node or an interpolation point that minimizes the area surrounded by the recommended route and the straight line L (step S-400).

Next, the straight line L is moved in the opposite direction about the point O deviating from the recommended route, and the change amount of the area enclosed by the straight line L and the recommended route and the straight line n passing through the destination and perpendicularly intersecting with the straight line L is calculated. Determined (step S-500), the area surrounded by the straight line L, the recommended route, and the straight line n (hatched portion in FIG. 8)
Is changed from positive to negative (step S-60).
0), as shown in FIG. 8, the straight line L at that time is set as the barycentric line 1 (step S-700).

Next, in order to determine whether or not the vehicle is approaching the recommended route, in FIG. 5, under the condition that an angle .theta. Between the route center line l and a straight line k connecting the current position of the vehicle is assumed, the angle .theta. When the time change dθ / dt is positive or 0, it is determined that the vehicle is not approaching and, for example, a circular locus surrounding the current position of the own vehicle is displayed (step 180, step 200), and the time change dθ / When dt is negative, it is determined that the vehicle is approaching the recommended route, and for example, the circular locus is displayed in a different color, size, and the like (step 180, step 190).

When it is determined in step 170 that the current position of the vehicle is outside or in the middle of a semicircle R which is a radius of the point O and the destination D which deviate from the recommended route, When it is determined that the current position is outside the route, a time change dm / dt of a distance m between the destination D and the current position O of the vehicle is considered in order to determine whether the vehicle is approaching the destination. , Dm / dt is negative, it is determined that the vehicle is approaching the destination and, for example, the color, shape, size, and the like of the above-mentioned circular locus are changed and displayed (step 19).
0). When the current position of the vehicle returns to the route, the display of the circular locus is stopped (step 22).
0, step 260).

As described above, in the first example of this embodiment, when the vehicle runs off the recommended route, the driver knows whether the current traveling direction is approaching the recommended route or the destination or not. be able to.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6 in accordance with the flowcharts of FIGS.

First, in FIG. 6, points deviating from the recommended route are indicated by O.
And the center line of the recommended route from O to the destination is l. If the current position of the host vehicle has not yet returned to the recommended route in (the processing of step 220) in FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not a certain time α appropriately selected from the departure from the recommended route has elapsed (step 230). . When it is determined that a certain time α has elapsed, in order to determine whether or not the vehicle is approaching the recommended route, an intersection point with a perpendicular line lowered from the current position a of the own vehicle to the route center line l in FIG. Straight line a
The intersection between b and the recommended route is c. This point c is stored as a new off-route point, and a route barycenter line 11 from the point c to the destination is assumed.

Under this condition, the angle .theta.1 formed by the path center-of-gravity line l1 and the straight line bc is newly set to .theta., And the change is determined (step 180). If the change is negative, it is determined that the vehicle is approaching.
The display state of the circular locus is changed (steps 190 and 200). This process is repeated every time the predetermined time α elapses, until returning to the route.

As described above, in the second example of the present embodiment, the vehicle is returned to the recommended route as a starting point for determining whether a point deviating from the recommended route is approaching or leaving the recommended route. If the above is not appropriate, another point on the recommended route is used as a new point. As a result, it is easy to eliminate the unguided state of the vehicle in which the own vehicle remains away from the recommended route.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the straight line when the amount of change in the area surrounded by the recommended route and the straight line is reversed is specified as the route center-of-gravity line. The minimum value may be obtained by the least-squares method, and a reference line corresponding to the center-of-gravity line may be set.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the vehicle departs from the recommended route, the traveling direction of the own vehicle is determined to be the direction approaching or leaving the recommended route or the destination. The driver can be made to be on the same screen, and even if there is no driving route or destination on the same screen, the driver can know the driving route and the driving state of the vehicle with respect to the destination. Can be done.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram corresponding to claims of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a vehicle route guidance device according to one embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the entire processing flow of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing details of a main part of a processing flow according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram used to explain the operation of the first example of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram used to explain the operation of the second example of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram used to explain a process of obtaining a reference line serving as a reference for determining the current position of the host vehicle when the host vehicle deviates from the traveling route.

FIG. 8 is a diagram used to explain a process of obtaining a reference line serving as a reference for determining the current position of the host vehicle when the host vehicle deviates from the traveling route.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Current position detection means 2 Destination setting means 3 Map information storage means 4 Recommended route calculation means 5 Display means 5A display control means 6 Current position data calculation means 7 Recommended route position data calculation means 8 Recommended route position data storage means 9 First Determination means 10 second determination means

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G01C 21/00 G08G 1/0969 G09B 29/10

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A current position detecting means for detecting a current position of a vehicle, a map information storing means for storing map information, a destination setting means for setting a destination, and map information including position data. Map information storage means; and a recommended route calculation for calculating a recommended route from the current position to the destination based on the current position detected by the current position detection means and the destination set by the destination setting means. And display means for displaying the current position detected by the current position detection means and the recommended route calculated by the recommended route calculation means on the map read from the map information storage means. In the vehicle route guidance device, based on a current position detected by the current position detection unit and position data of map information stored in the map information storage unit, A current position data calculating unit for calculating position data; a recommended route calculated by the recommended route calculating unit; and a recommendation for calculating position data of the recommended route based on the position data stored in the map information storage unit. Route position data calculating means; recommended route position data storing means for storing the position data of the recommended route calculated by the recommended route calculating means; and a current position calculated by the current position data calculating means during running of the vehicle. First determining means for determining whether or not the own vehicle has deviated from the recommended route based on position data of a position and the position data of the recommended route stored in the recommended route position data storage means; If the determination means determines that the vehicle has deviated from the recommended route, the position data of the current position calculated by the current position data calculation means is determined. Second means for determining whether the vehicle is approaching or leaving the recommended route or the destination based on the data and the position data of the recommended route stored by the recommended route position data storage means. And a display control means for displaying the judgment results of the first and second judgment means on the display means. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second determining unit obtains a straight line connecting the point when the first determining unit deviates and the destination, and rotationally moves the straight line around the point. By setting a reference line that minimizes the area surrounded by the travel route and the straight line, and then obtains an angle between the reference line and a straight line connecting the point to the current position of the vehicle, and then determines the angle When the temporal change of the vehicle is positive or O, it is determined that the own vehicle is away from the traveling route,
2. The vehicle route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein when the time change of the angle is negative, it is determined that the own vehicle approaches the traveling route. 3. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second determining unit determines whether the vehicle is away from or approaching the destination based on a temporal change in a distance from the current position of the vehicle to the destination. The vehicle route guidance device according to claim 1. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second determining means obtains a straight line connecting the point when the first determining means deviates and the destination, and rotationally moves the straight line around the point. A reference line that minimizes the area surrounded by the traveling route and the straight line is set, and the current position of the host vehicle after a predetermined time has elapsed from the point when the first determination unit determines that the vehicle has deviated is detected. Then, the intersection with the traveling route on the extension of the perpendicular line dropped from the current position of the vehicle after the predetermined time to the reference line is stored as a new off-route point, and then the new off-route point is stored. A second reference line that minimizes the area surrounded by the travel route and the second straight line is set by rotating a second straight line connecting the travel route and the new route departure point as a center. ,
Next, a second angle between the second reference line and the perpendicular is determined. Next, when the temporal change of the second angle is positive or zero, the direction in which the own vehicle departs from the travel route. 2. The vehicle route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein when the time change of the second angle is negative, it is determined that the own vehicle approaches the traveling route. 3.