JP3218935B2 - Route search communication device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a travel position display device for displaying the current position of an automobile or the like together with a map on a display device, and more particularly to a route search communication device for searching for a route to a destination and transmitting the searched route to another vehicle. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle-mounted route search and display device.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a direction sensor, which uses a geomagnetic sensor for detecting the absolute running direction of the vehicle and a vibration gyro for detecting the relative running direction of the vehicle. Reference numeral 2 denotes a distance sensor that generates a pulse corresponding to the number of rotations of the wheels, and 3 denotes various sensor signals such as an on / off signal of a brake switch, a parking switch, and the like, and a power supply voltage monitoring signal. Reference numeral 4 denotes a direction sensor 1, a sensor signal processing unit for processing a sensor signal of a distance sensor 2 or the like, and 5, a GPS (Global Positionin).
g System) receiver, and the GPS receiver 5 receives and calculates radio waves transmitted from a plurality of satellites to obtain the position (latitude, mildness) of the receiving point. Reference numeral 6 denotes a CD-ROM drive. The CD-ROM drive 6 reads map data from a CD-ROM 7 in which map data is stored. Reference numeral 8 denotes a display / operation unit provided in the vehicle interior. The display / operation unit 8 is provided on a liquid crystal display 8A for displaying a map, a current traveling position, a direction, and the like of the automobile, and is provided on a front surface of the liquid crystal display 8A. And a touch panel 8B.
Is a switch for instructing enlargement / reduction of a display map, a switch for instructing a route search, a liquid crystal display 8
A switch for selecting a destination from among the place names displayed in A, a switch for inputting an address of the destination, a switch for moving in a direction to specify a display map, a switch for instructing display of another vehicle position, search It is provided with an instruction to transmit a route.

[0004] Also, reference numeral 19 denotes another vehicle information receiving unit which receives information such as the current position, destination, search route, and message transmitted from another vehicle, and 20 denotes information such as the own vehicle position, destination, search route, and message. Is transmitted to another vehicle. Reference numeral 9 denotes an apparatus main body, which is installed in a trunk room or the like.

Next, the configuration of the apparatus main body 9 will be described.
10 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) for performing various calculations, 11
Is a ROM (Read Only Memory) in which various arithmetic programs executed by the CPU 10 are stored, and 12 is data or CP from the direction sensor, the distance sensor 2, the GPS receiver 5, the CD-ROM drive 6, the position information receiving unit 19, etc.
A memory (DRA) for storing the operation result and the like in U10
M) and 13 are backup memories (SRAM) for holding necessary data even when the power supply to the apparatus main body 9 is stopped, and 14 is a pattern of characters and symbols displayed on the liquid crystal display 8A. Stored memory (Kanji / Font ROM), 15 is an image processor for forming a display image based on map data or current position data of the vehicle, etc., 16 is map data generated by the image processor 15, current position Data and Kanji / Font ROM1
A memory (VRAM) for storing image data to be displayed on the liquid crystal display 8A by synthesizing kanji and fonts such as street names and road names output from 4; 17 is an RGB conversion for converting output data of the VRAM 16 into color signals; The converted color signal is output from the RGB conversion circuit 17 to the liquid crystal display 8A. 18 is a communication interface.

FIG. 6 shows a format of data stored in the CD-ROM 7. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 21 denotes a disk label, 22 denotes a drawing parameter, 23 denotes map management information, and 24 denotes a map. The map stores background data, character data, road data, and the like. Is stored for each unit map obtained by dividing the topographic map by latitude and longitude. In the figure, a figure describing a wide area roughly and a figure describing a narrow area in detail are set. Each figure is composed of map display levels A, B and C describing the same area. Map display level A,
B and C describe B in more detail than A and C in more detail than B.

Each of the map display levels A, B, and C is composed of map display level management information and a plurality of units. Each unit describes a divided area obtained by dividing each map display area into a plurality of areas, and each unit includes a unit header, a character layer, a background layer, a road layer, an optional layer, and the like. The character layer stores the names of places, roads, and facilities displayed on the map, the background layer stores data for drawing roads, facilities, and the like. The road layer stores data shown in FIG. As described above, data on coordinate points (nodes) and lines (links) describing roads including intersections, for example, node numbers of nodes, latitude and longitude, link numbers of links, link distances, and the like are stored.

In FIG. 7, circles (○) indicate nodes, and lines between nodes indicate links. Nodes indicated by black circles (●) indicate intersection nodes.

[0009] The data stored in the road layer is not directly involved in map display, but is used as road network information such as map matching.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 25 denotes route search data. The route search data 25 includes search data for each layer from layer 0 for a narrow area to layer n for a wide area. . The search data of each hierarchy is composed of node connection data 26, link estimated transit time (link cost) data 27, and route display data 28.

As shown in FIG. 8, the node connection data 26 is data indicating which nodes a to g, x, and y are connected to. For example, for the node c, the nodes a, d , F, y. The link cost data 27 indicates the link cost of the link between the nodes as shown in FIG. 8. For example, the link cost of the link between the node a and the node c is “5”, and This indicates that the link cost of the link between a and the node d is “20”. The link cost is obtained from link cost = link distance / set speed, and the set speed is set according to the road type and the road width. The route display data 28 records data for displaying the route selected by the route search on the display map.

In FIG. 5, the output of the azimuth sensor 1 and the output of the distance sensor 2 are transmitted to the CPU 10 via the sensor processing unit 4.
Sent to The CPU 10 calculates the current position of the own vehicle and obtains the latitude and longitude of the current position. Further, the current position is corrected based on the data from the GPS receiver 5.

Based on the current position obtained in this way, the map data of the unit corresponding to the current position is stored in the CD-R.
The map data is read from the CD-ROM 7 by the OM drive 6 and stored in the memory 12 (DRAM) via the communication interface 18. A part of the map data stored in the DRAM 12 is read by the CPU 10, converted into image data by the image processor 15, and written into the image memory 16 (VRAM). At this time, D
Character codes are added to the map data read from the RAM 12,
If a symbol code is included, a pattern corresponding to the character code and the symbol code is stored in the kanji / font ROM1.
4 is read. The image data stored in the image memory 16 is converted into color signals by an RGB conversion circuit 17 and sent to the liquid crystal display 8A, where characters such as maps, place names and the like in a predetermined range centering on the current position, and symbols such as schools are displayed. . Further, the current position displayed on the liquid crystal display 8A is sequentially changed based on the traveling speed and the traveling azimuth sequentially obtained as the vehicle travels.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining a map display operation of the position of the own vehicle and the position of another vehicle in the conventional example.

In FIG. 9, in step S1, the display map data is read from the CD-ROM 7, and in step S2
In step S3, the read map data is converted into drawing data to be displayed on the liquid crystal display 8A.
In step 3, a map is drawn on the liquid crystal display 8A based on the drawing data. In step S4, road network data recorded in the road layer is read from the CD-ROM 7, and in the next step S5, the position and orientation of the own vehicle are determined based on the road network data and the current position data calculated by the CPU 10. Decide, step S
In step 6, the own vehicle mark is displayed on the map displayed on the liquid crystal display 8A.

In the next step S7, it is determined whether or not to display the position of another vehicle. If it is determined that the position of another vehicle is to be displayed, in step S8, the other vehicle information receiving section 19 is displayed.
Calculates the position of another vehicle based on the information from. The determination of the other vehicle position display in step S7 is performed by the touch panel 8 of the display device 8.
The determination is made based on whether or not the other vehicle position display switch B is operated. In the next step S9, it is determined whether or not the other vehicle position exists on the map displayed on the display 8A. If it is determined that the other vehicle position exists, the process proceeds to step S10, and the other vehicle mark is displayed on the map. I do.

FIG. 10 shows a conventional route search operation. When a route search switch on the touch panel 8B is operated, a route search process is executed.

First, as shown in FIG.
At 1, the destination is set. In the next step S12, it is determined whether or not to start a route search. This determination is made based on whether or not the route search switch on the touch panel 8B of the display device 8 has been operated. If it is determined in step S12 that the route search switch has been operated, the process proceeds to the next step S13, where a route search is performed. This route search is
As shown in FIG. 5, the departure point node (current position node) x
The link costs of all the routes from the route to the destination node y are added, and the route with the lowest link cost is selected. In the case of FIG. 5, the links x → a → c → d → f → g
→ Total link cost of y (10 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 =
35) is the smallest, so the link x → a → c → d →
A route connecting f → g → y is selected.

In step S14, the route selected in step S13 of FIG. 10 is displayed, for example, in red on the display map of the liquid crystal display 8A.

FIG. 11 shows the destination setting operation in step S11 of FIG.

In step S21, the other vehicle information receiving unit 19
It is determined whether the destination has been transmitted from the other vehicle side. If it is determined that the destination has been transmitted, the process proceeds to step S22, and the destination is calculated from the information of the other vehicle information receiving unit 19. .

If it is determined in step S21 that the destination has not been transmitted from the other vehicle, step S2
Proceed to 3 and select whether to set the destination on the own vehicle side. In step S23, when it is selected to set on the own vehicle side, the process proceeds to step S24, and the destination is input. The input of the destination is performed, for example, by inputting the address of the destination, or by inputting the address of the liquid crystal display 8A.
This is performed by designating a point on the map displayed in. In the next step S25, the destination determined in step S22 or S24 is displayed on the display map of the liquid crystal display 8A.

FIG. 12 shows a display example of the above-mentioned conventional display screen. In the above-described conventional example, as shown in FIG. 12, for example, while driving with two vehicles, the own vehicle mark 33 and the other vehicle mark 34 are displayed on the display map of the A car side, A route search from the car position 33 to the destination 35 is performed. The search route 36 can be displayed on a map.

The vehicle B displays the own vehicle mark 38 and the other vehicle mark 37 in the same manner as the vehicle A, and displays destination information 39 from another vehicle obtained from the other vehicle information receiving unit 19 on the display map. And a route from the vehicle position 38 to the destination 39 can be searched, and the searched route 40 can be displayed on the display map.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, since the search route searched by the other vehicle cannot be known, it is not possible to know what route the other vehicle aims at the destination.
When the route search function is not provided on the side of the vehicle A or the route search function on the side of the vehicle B is excellent, the current location 38 and the destination 39 are provided from the vehicle A to the vehicle B via the own vehicle information transmission unit 20.
Is transmitted, and a route search is performed on the side of the car B, and the search route 4
Even if 1 is obtained, the result cannot be known on the A side.

[0026]

As described above, in the prior art, while traveling to a destination with a plurality of vehicles, the search route of the other vehicle is not known, so that the route of the other vehicle through the destination Can not know whether to aim for. for that reason,
When the other vehicle position information cannot be received, it is difficult to estimate where the other vehicle is traveling. Further, even if a route search from the own vehicle position to the destination can be performed on the other vehicle side, the search result cannot be obtained.

[0027] The present invention is intended to solve the above prior art problems, and searches a route by setting the destination, and to provide a route search communication device that transmits the result to the other vehicle .

[0028]

[0029]

[0030]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A route search communication device according to the present invention.
Location, in order to achieve the above object, detects the vehicle position
Own vehicle position detecting means and position information for receiving information on the position of another vehicle.
Information receiving means, and the departure point is determined based on the own vehicle position and the other vehicle position.
Departure point setting means to set as a destination and an eye to set a destination
Destination setting means, from the plurality of departure points to the destination
Search multiple times according to the number of departure points
Route searching means; and a plurality of route searched by the route searching means.
Select which of the routes to send to other vehicles
A route selecting means and a route selected by the route selecting means;
And a search route transmitting means for transmitting to a car.
Was.

[0031]

[0032]

[0033]

According to the present invention, when a destination is designated by the destination setting means or the position information receiving means, the vehicle is automatically
The route to the destination is searched for multiple routes from other vehicles to the destination.
You can search and select this multiple search results to other vehicles
Can be sent.

[0034]

[0035]

[0036]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the overall configuration of a route search communication device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a vehicle position detecting means for detecting a vehicle position corresponding to the direction sensor 1, the distance sensor 2 and the GPS receiver 5 shown in FIG. 5, and 101 denotes a CD-ROM drive 6 shown in FIG. , Storage means for storing road map data corresponding to the CD-ROM 7, including a destination input means 102 for inputting a destination corresponding to the touch panel 8B of the display 8A shown in FIG. Position information transmitting means for transmitting the own vehicle position detected at 100 and the destination inputted by the destination input means 102 to another vehicle; 104, position information receiving means for receiving position information and destination information from another vehicle , 105 are the object input means 10 based on the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection means 100.
Route search means for searching for a route to the destination input in step 2 and the destination obtained from the position information receiving means 104;
6 is a search route transmitting means for transmitting the search route searched by the route search means 105 to another vehicle, 107 is a search route receiving means for receiving a search route from another vehicle, and 108 is a storage means 10
Display means (corresponding to the display 8A in FIG. 5) for displaying the road map, the own vehicle position, the position of the other vehicle, the searched route, and the searched route obtained by the searched route receiving means 104, respectively. is there. Reference numeral 109 denotes a route search selecting unit for selecting whether or not to search for a route from the own vehicle position to the destination and from another vehicle position to the destination. The route search selecting unit 109 includes a touch panel shown in FIG. 8
B. Reference numeral 110 denotes a search route transmission selection unit for selecting whether or not to transmit a search route from the own vehicle position and another vehicle position, and includes a touch panel 8B shown in FIG.

Next, the communication operation of the route search according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the route search communication in this embodiment. The map display operation in step S31 and the destination setting operation in step S32 are performed in the conventional example shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, respectively. Is the same as

First, in step S31, when a road map and the position of the own vehicle are displayed on the display means 108 corresponding to the display 8A of FIG. 5 and the position of another vehicle is to be displayed, the destination input means 102, ie, FIG. By operating the other vehicle position display switch of the touch panel 8B of the display device 8, the other vehicle position is displayed. In step S32, a destination is set. The destination may be set when the destination is designated by another vehicle or when the destination is set by the own vehicle.

In the next step S33, a route to be searched is selected by operating the route search and selection means 109 to activate the route search means 105. Here, the route search selection means 109, that is, whether to search for a route to the own vehicle position and the destination, to search for a route to the other vehicle position and the destination, to search both, or not to search, that is, FIG. 5 is determined by operating the route search switch on the touch panel 8B. If the search is selected in step S33, the process proceeds to step S34, and a route search is performed. The route search method is performed in the same manner as in step S13 in FIG. 10 of the conventional example. However, when searching for a plurality of paths, FIG.
In this case, a plurality of route searches are performed by setting the starting point nodes in Step 3 by the number of routes to be searched.

When the route search is completed, the route searched in step S34 is displayed on the display map of the display means 108 corresponding to the liquid crystal display 8A in FIG. 5 in step S36. At this time, each search route is displayed in a different color so that a plurality of search routes can be distinguished. In the next step S36, a route to be transmitted to another vehicle is selected from the search routes searched in step S35. This selection is determined by operating a search path transmission selection switch on the touch panel 8B of FIG. In step S37, the search route data selected in step S36 is transmitted to another vehicle by the search route transmitting means 106. The search route at this time is represented by, for example, a set of nodes {x, a, c, d, f, g, y} in order in FIG. Since these nodes are connected by a link, if only a set of nodes is transmitted, the receiving side can display a search path in a manner as connecting the received nodes. Therefore, it is assumed that a set of the latitude and longitude information of the node is used as transmission data and transmitted in the same manner as the current location information and the destination information.

In search route receiving means 107, step S
At 38, the search route data searched at step S34 is received, and at the next step S39, the search route is displayed on the display 8A of FIG. Since the received data is a set of location information having latitude and longitude information, the search route can be displayed on the display map in such a manner that the locations are sequentially connected from the current location side in accordance with the road shape. At this time,
A method of displaying the search route after all the search route data is received in step S38, and a method of displaying the search route in step S39 every time a certain amount of search route data is received are considered.

Here, this operation will be described with reference to the maps shown in FIGS. This operation is performed when a plurality of vehicles can communicate with each other, but here, for simplicity, two vehicles A,
13 shows an embodiment in a state where B can communicate.
FIG. 3A shows step S3 in FIG. 2 for both car A and car B.
Steps S1 to S35, the own vehicle position and the other vehicle position, and the search route 2 from the own vehicle position to the destination
This shows a state where 9 and 30 are displayed. In this state, when the other vehicle is to be informed of what route is going to reach the destination, the search route transmission selecting means 11
By operating the search route transmission selection switch on the touch panel 8B of FIG. 5 corresponding to 0, the search route is transmitted to another vehicle. A
When this operation is performed on both the car B and the car B, the search path 30 'of the car B is displayed on the side of the car A, and the search path 29' of the car A is displayed on the side of the car B as shown in FIG. 3B. .

When it is desired to know the position of the vehicle and the search route to the destination using the route search function of another vehicle, for example, B
FIG. 4 shows a case where the car wants to perform a route search using the route search function of the car A.

As shown in FIG. 4A, when the destination 31 is transmitted from the car B to the car A, the car A performs a route search from the current position of the car B to the destination 31. When the search route 32 is obtained, the vehicle A transmits the search route 32 to the vehicle B.

On the other hand, the car B sends the destination 31 and then the car A
After the route search on the vehicle side is completed, the search route is received from the vehicle A side, and the search route 3 is displayed on the display map as shown in FIG.
2 'is displayed. In FIG. 4, when the destination is determined on the side of the vehicle A, a route search is performed on the side of the vehicle A in the same manner as in the above example except that the destination 31 is set on the side of the vehicle A, and the searched route is determined on the side of the vehicle B. Send to

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when it is desired to notify another vehicle of the search route, the search route transmission selecting means 1
By operating 10, the search route can be transmitted to another vehicle. If the user wants another vehicle to search for a route, the own vehicle position and destination or only the own vehicle position is transmitted from the own vehicle information transmitting unit to the other vehicle, and the other vehicle performs a route search. Then, by having the search result transmitted, the search route can be known through the other vehicle information receiving unit. In the future, the dynamic situation such as traffic information and past driving data will be taken into the route search method, and as it develops into a more flexible one, the effectiveness of having other vehicles search the route will be effective. Is thought to improve.

[0050]

According to the present invention, as is apparent from the above embodiment, the position information can be obtained while traveling to the destination by a plurality of vehicles.
By receiving the position information of other vehicles through the receiving means
Ri, because you know the path of the other vehicle, it is possible to know whether the aim of the destination in any route other vehicles, in even if the vehicle position information has become the received non-performance, the per how the other vehicles traveling It can be guessed. In addition, by setting a common destination, the route from the vehicle to the destination can be changed.
It is possible to search for a plurality of routes from the car to the destination,
These multiple search results can be selected and sent to other vehicles
You.

[0051]

[0052]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a route search communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a search path communication operation in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a display diagram showing a display example of a display screen in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a display diagram showing a display example of a display screen in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing a conventional route search communication device.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a format of a CD-ROM.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of road data stored in a CD-ROM.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of road data showing a route search method;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a map display operation in a conventional example.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a route setting operation in a conventional example.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for setting a destination in a conventional example.

FIG. 12 is a display diagram showing a display example of a display screen in a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 direction sensor 2 distance sensor 5 GPS receiver 6 CD-ROM drive 7 CD-ROM 8 display / operation unit 8A liquid crystal display 8B touch panel 9 device body 10 CPU 15 image processor 19 other vehicle information reception unit 20 own vehicle information transmission unit 25 route Search data 26 Node connection data 27 Link cost data 28 Route display data 29 Search route 29 'Transmission search route 33 Own vehicle mark 34 Other vehicle mark 35 Destination 100 Own vehicle position detecting means 101 Storage means 102 Destination input means 103 Position information Transmission means 104 Position information reception means 105 Route search means 106 Search path transmission means 107 Search path reception means 108 Display means 109 Route search selection means 110 Search path transmission selection means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G08G 1/0969 G01C 21/00 G09B 29/10

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vehicle position detecting means for detecting a vehicle position, a position information receiving means for receiving information on another vehicle position, and a departure place setting for setting the own vehicle position and the other vehicle position as a departure place. Means, destination setting means for setting a destination,
Searching for a route from the plurality of departure points to the destination,
Route search means for performing a plurality of times in accordance with the number of departure places,
Route selecting means for selecting which of the plurality of routes searched by the route searching means to transmit to another vehicle; and a search route transmitting means for transmitting the route selected by the route selecting means to another vehicle. A route search communication device comprising: