JP3393442B2 - Vehicle navigation system - 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 navigation device capable of properly displaying on a screen a street selected by a user in a navigation device capable of displaying map information of a desired area on the screen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicular navigation device for route guidance installed in an automobile or the like, particularly in Europe and America, street names are used to represent addresses.
It is considered to use a street name for inputting a destination, a present location, and the like. If you enter a street name to display a road map on the guidance screen, the representative point of the entered street,
For example, it is considered that the center of the street is made to correspond to the center of the screen and a map in the vicinity thereof is displayed.

[0003]

By the way, there are long streets and short streets in the street, and the method of simply displaying the vicinity of the representative point in the center of the screen is not suitable for long streets. The position to be displayed is not displayed outside the screen, or it is difficult to determine where the input street is or from where to enter, which makes it difficult to reach the destination.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle navigation device capable of inputting a street name to a destination or the like, in which the target street is properly displayed on the guide screen regardless of the length of the street, and the street is clearly identified. It is possible to display the street address on the street.

[0005]

According to the present invention, in a vehicle navigation device capable of inputting a street name, when a street name is input, a display representative point is read out from the street selection data and street shape data (node) is read out. , Then, if the display scale is set in advance, read it out, or if it is not set in advance, calculate the display scale and display it with the display scale so that the entire target street can be displayed on the guide screen. The feature is that the map is drawn. Also,
A plurality of addresses are displayed on the guide screen so that the display color can be changed so that the entered street can be easily identified, or the address can be blinked, or the address on the entered street can be selected. With this configuration, the entire street is displayed regardless of the length of the street, the entered street can be clearly identified, and since the street number is displayed, the destination by the street name is displayed. , It becomes easy to set the current location.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a navigation device according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a navigation device according to the present invention includes an input / output device 1 for inputting / outputting information regarding route guidance, a current position detecting device 2 for detecting information regarding the current position of the vehicle, and a navigation required for route calculation Information storage device 3 in which vehicle guidance data and display guidance data necessary for guidance and the like are recorded, and a central processing unit 4 that performs route search processing and display guidance processing required for route guidance, and that controls the entire system Has been done.

The input / output device 1 instructs the central processing unit 4 to perform navigation processing according to the driver's intention so that the driver can input the destination or output the guidance information by voice and / or screen when the driver needs it. In addition, it has a function of printing out the processed data. As a means for realizing the function, the input section has a touch switch 11 and an operation switch for inputting a destination by a telephone number or coordinates on a map, or for requesting route guidance, and an output section. The input data is displayed on the screen, the display 12 automatically displays the route guidance on the screen in response to the driver's request, the data processed by the central processing unit 4 or the data stored in the information storage device 3 is printed. A printer 13 for outputting and a speaker 16 for outputting route guidance by voice are provided.

Here, a voice recognition device for enabling voice input or a recording card reading device for reading data recorded in an IC card or a magnetic card can be added. In addition, an information center that stores data necessary for navigation and is provided via a communication line at the driver's request, and a computerized notebook in which driver specific data such as map data and destination data are stored in advance It is also possible to add a data communication device for exchanging data with an information source such as.

The display 12 is composed of a color CRT or a color liquid crystal display, and has a target name input screen based on map data and guidance data processed by the central processing unit 4, a route setting screen, a section diagram screen, and an intersection diagram. All screens necessary for navigation, such as screens, are output in color display, and on this screen, buttons for setting route guidance, guidance during route guidance, and switching screens are displayed. In particular, passing intersection information such as passing intersection names is displayed in color in a pop-up on the section diagram screen at any time, and in the middle of inputting the target name input screen, the number of remaining lists of all target names that have a common reading part, and A target name selection screen or the like is displayed, and when the target name is selected by the selection key or remote control operation, a map around the destination is displayed.

This display 12 is provided in the instrument panel near the driver's seat, and the driver can confirm the current position of the vehicle by looking at the section map and obtain information on the route from now on. it can. Further, the display 12 is provided with a touch panel 11 corresponding to the display of the function buttons, and is configured so that the above operation is executed based on a signal input by touching the button. The input signal generating means including the button and the touch switch constitutes an input section, but a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

The current position detecting device 2 is a GPS receiving device 21 using a satellite navigation system (GPS), a beacon receiving device 22, such as a cellular phone (automobile phone) or F.
A data transmission / reception device 23 for receiving a GPS correction signal using an M multiplex signal, an absolute direction sensor 24 including a geomagnetic sensor, a relative direction sensor 25 including a wheel sensor, a steering sensor, a gyro, and the like, wheel rotation. A distance sensor 26 for detecting the traveling distance from the number is provided.

The information storage device 3 includes map data, intersection data, photo data, registration point data, which are necessary for route guidance.
It consists of files such as guide point data, destination data, telephone number data, address data, and street selection data.
It is a database in which all the data necessary for the navigation device is recorded.

The central processing unit 4 is a CPU 40 for executing various arithmetic processes, a process such as a route search, a search process for retrieving position coordinates of input streets and map data, and a display necessary for route guidance. A program for performing output control and voice output control necessary for voice guidance, and a first ROM 41 in which data necessary for the program is stored, set route coordinates of destination, searched route guidance information such as street number, and arithmetic processing RAM 42 for temporarily storing internal data, second ROM 43 for storing display information data required for route guidance and map display, image memory 44 for storing image data used for screen display on display, CPU 40 The image data is taken out from the image memory 44 based on the display output control signal, subjected to image processing, and displayed. And displays the route guidance information, the audio read from the information storage device 3 based on the voice output control signals from the image processor 45, CPU to draw the map,
A voice processor 46 for synthesizing a phrase, a sentence, a sound, etc., into an analog signal and outputting the analog signal to the speaker 16, a communication interface 47 for exchanging input / output data by communication, and a sensor of the current position detecting device 2. Sensor input interface 4 for capturing signals
8. A clock 49 for entering the date and time in the internal diagnostic information is provided. Here, the route guidance is performed by screen display and voice output, but the driver can also select route guidance by either screen display or voice output.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the structure of a street selection data file stored in the information storage device 3 according to the present invention shown in FIG. FIG. 2A shows street selection data. For each number n of streets, the street name, the east longitude and north latitude coordinates of the display representative point, and the entire street are included in the screen or in a predetermined display area of the screen. It consists of preset display scale and street shape data address. The display representative point is
The same number is set for each street at equal intervals, or the number of representative points is changed according to the length of the street.

FIG. 2B shows street shape data, which is composed of east longitude / north latitude coordinates and addresses for each number n of nodes on the street. The street shape is determined from this node sequence, and the display scale is determined from the street shape data.

It should be noted that the display scale factor may not be set in advance as described above, but may be obtained by calculation when drawing the map. For example, since the coordinates of the nodes in the street shape data are known, the coordinates of all the nodes of the street are converted into the screen coordinates to calculate the display area capable of displaying all the streets, and the calculated display area is displayed on the screen or in the screen. It is possible to calculate and obtain the display scale factor so that the display scale factor can be displayed in the predetermined display area. Another way to find the display scale is to start the search from the most detailed display scale (small scale) until all the nodes on the street are within the screen or within a predetermined display area on the screen. The display scale factor may be increased, and the scale factor may be determined when it is determined that all are displayed. The detailed method of determining the display scale ratio will be described later.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the flow of the entire system of the navigation device according to the present invention. When the program of the route guidance system is started by the CPU 51 of the central processing unit 4, the current position detecting device 2 detects the current position and displays a map around the current position and the name of the current position. Yes (Step S
1). Next, a destination is set using a target name such as a place name or a facility name, a telephone number or an address, a registration point, a street name or the like (step S2), and a route search from the current position to the destination is performed (step S3). ). When the route is determined, the route guidance / display is repeated until the destination is reached while the current position is tracked by the current position detection device 2 (step S).
4). When the detour setting is input before reaching the destination, the search area is set, the search is performed again in the search area, and the route guidance is repeated until the destination is reached.

Next, the input processing by the street name input by the central processing unit 4 and the map drawing processing will be described with reference to FIGS.
Will be described. In the processing flow of FIG. 4, when a street name is first input, the input processing is performed (S1).
1). The street name is input, for example, on the alphabet input screen as shown in FIG. 5, and when the first character “A” and the second character “B” of the street name are input, the street selection data file of the information storage device 3 is input. The street selection data (Fig. 2 (a)) is read, the first two letters are searched for the street named "AB", and the letters and numbers following the letters "B, C, D," are shaded.
E, F, G, K, L, N, O, V, X, Z, 3, 4,
It is displayed that it is limited to 5, 6, 7 ". At the same time, the number of remaining lists is displayed like n, and here" LI
If you press "ST", all the street names starting from the first two letters "AB" will be displayed in a list and key operation, remote control operation etc. will be performed assuming that the shaded "ABCDEFG" is the target street name. If you select with, this street name will be entered. By the key operation, it is possible to return like a street input screen → list up display screen → character input screen. Also, if it is difficult to find the street name you are looking for on the list display screen because there are many remaining lists, the number of remaining lists will decrease as you increase the number of input characters.
When the number of remaining lists is low, a list is displayed and a street name can be selected. When characters are input until the number of remaining lists becomes one, the remaining street names are automatically selected or input by key operation.
It should be noted that the character input may be performed not only from the touch panel of the input screen but also by voice when a voice input device is added.

In the street input process, as shown in FIG. 6, when a character or a number is input on the alphabet input screen, a search process for the number of remaining lists is performed every time one character is input (S21). If the number is more than 1, the number of remaining lists is displayed on the screen (S22, S2).
3). Then, it is determined whether or not the list display key is operated (S24), and it is determined whether to perform the list display process or the input process. If the list display key is not operated, alphabet input processing is performed (S25). If the list display key is operated, the list display is instructed to display all relevant street names (S2).
6) Then, the street name is searched from among these and selected / input (S27, S28). When the number of lists becomes one, the street is input automatically or by key operation.

FIG. 7 shows a search process for the number of remaining lists by comparing the prefixes. When a character is input, the street selection data is searched (S31), and the names of the input alphabet and the search data are compared for prefix matching (S3).
2) If they do not match, the street selection data is further searched for forward match comparison. If there is a prefix match, the number of lists (L) is incremented by 1 (S33,
(S34), this process is executed until all data are searched, and the number of lists is output when the search for all data is completed (S35, S36).

In the above description, the case of inputting the target name in the alphabet has been described, but it is also possible to input in Japanese. Further, the input of streets is not limited to the above-mentioned character input. For example, it is possible to display a list of streets and input by list. , And may be displayed separately for selection according to the type.
Although not shown, if you use the map screen and move the cursor on the screen to select the desired street, the display mode of the entire selected street changes to be identifiable. You may make it input by operation.

Returning to FIG. 4, when the street name is input, the display representative point is fetched from the street selection data (FIG. 2 (a)) (S12), and at the same time from the street shape data (FIG. 2 (b)). , East node of each node on the street
The north latitude coordinate and the address are fetched (S13). Next, the display scale set in the street selection data is read, but if the display scale is not set,
The display scale is calculated from the street shape data. Based on the read or calculated display scale, the streets to be drawn on the screen are searched, the east longitude and north latitude coordinates of each node of the searched street are converted into screen coordinates, and a map is drawn (S15). Then, the retrieved street is drawn in a manner different from other streets so that it can be easily identified, and the address on the street is drawn (S16, S).
17).

FIG. 8A is an example of a display when the street is as short as several hundreds of meters, the display scale is 1/10000, and the corresponding street is displayed with a thick line. , The display color of the corresponding street may be changed or blinked. The addresses on this street are drawn as 10, 50, 100.

FIG. 8B shows a display example in the case where the street is as long as several km. The display scale is 1/40000, and the street is displayed in a manner different from other roads for easy identification. Addresses 100 and 20 on the street at the same time
Draw 0, 300, 400.

The address is drawn at the start point of the street,
Draw the end point, and draw the address consisting of numbers without fractions or the address of the display representative point between them, or make the adjacent display addresses have proper intervals according to the size of the numbers on the screen. Make an appropriate decision such as drawing.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining the display scale ratio. FIG. 9A shows a map with a scale of 1/10000, and in this map, two nodes N0 (coordinates (X0, Y0)) and a node N1 (coordinates (X1, Y1) on the street A are shown. It is out of the display area and it is not possible to display the entire street.
In the 1/40000 map shown in (b), all the streets enter the display area, so the display scale is determined to be 1/40000 and the screen is displayed.

In this case, the first method of determining the display scale factor is to find the area where the node exists from the position coordinates of all the nodes on the street so that the obtained area falls within the screen or a predetermined display area. Is the way to do it. For example, in FIG.
In (b), node N0 (screen coordinates (X0, Y
0)), node N1 (screen coordinates (X1, Y1)), node N2 (screen coordinates (X2, Y2))
On the other hand, the node existing area is obtained as a rectangular area S indicated by a broken line in the figure by the X and Y coordinates. Area S is (X
0, Y0), (X0, Y1), (X2, Y1), (X
2, Y0) is a rectangular area having an apex, and a display scale ratio having a display area in which this area falls is calculated.

The second method for determining the display scale ratio is to judge whether or not all the nodes on the relevant street are included in the display area from the most detailed map (for example, the map of 1/10000), and the map must be entered. For example, the display scale factor is, for example, 1/200.
The same determination is made as 00, and if it is not further entered, the scale reduction rate is sequentially increased, and it is determined that all the nodes are in the display area (for example, scale 1/40 in FIG. 9B).
000). When the display scale is gradually increased, the scale difference may be set appropriately. The method of determining the display scale factor described above is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this.

When deciding the display scale, depending on where the street is drawn at the same scale ratio,
It may fit into the display area or come off.
For example, FIGS. 10A and 10B show an example in which one street is displayed at the same scale and in the same size display area. However, in the case of FIG. Point (X mark in the figure) is set as the center coordinate of the display area, and FIG. 10B shows the center (X mark in the figure) outside the street.
Mark) is set, and this is matched with the center coordinates of the display area. In the case of FIG. 10A, both ends of the street are out of the display area.
In FIG. 10B, it fits in the display area. Therefore, when the display scale ratio is determined, a more accurate display process can be performed by calculating the street area with the screen coordinates and making the center of this area coincide with the center of the display area.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a vehicle navigation device capable of inputting a street name,
All the entered streets are displayed on the guide screen regardless of their length, and can be clearly distinguished from other streets, and the street number is displayed on the street, so the street name, the destination by the street number, and the current location are displayed. It becomes possible to easily set such as.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a navigation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating street selection data.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flow of the entire system.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating street name input processing and drawing processing.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an alphabet input screen.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating street input processing.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a search process for the number of remaining lists.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a street.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a display scale determination method.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a relationship between a display center and a display area.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Input / output device, 2 ... Present position detection device, 3 ... Information storage device, 4 ... Central processing unit, 11 ... Touch switch, 12
... display, 13 ... printer, 16 ... speaker, 2
1 ... GPS receiver, 22 ... Beacon receiver, 23 ...
Data transmitting / receiving device, 40 ... CPU, 41 ... First ROM,
42 ... RAM, 43 ... Second ROM, 44 ... Image memory,
45 ... Image processor, 46 ... Audio processor, 47 ...
Communication interface, 48 ... Sensor input interface, 49 ... Clock

Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-8-14924 (JP, A) JP-A-7-103785 (JP, A) JP-A-7-325543 (JP, A) JP-A-5-19687 (JP , A) JP-A-5-307355 (JP, A) JP-A-59-216016 (JP, A) JP-A-63-271109 (JP, A) Actual development 5-96868 (JP, U) Special table 62-501650 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G09B 29/00-29/14

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A processing means for accessing the map information and guidance information to read out necessary information, an input means for inputting a street name, and a position coordinate of the street input by the input means and map data around the same. Search method to search and the position of all nodes on the street searched on demand
The area where the node exists is calculated from the coordinates, and the total length of the street is
A vehicle navigation device comprising: a map drawing unit that calculates a displayable scale factor and draws a map of a street and its surroundings on a guide screen. 2. A processing means for accessing the map information and the guidance information and reading out necessary information, an input means for inputting a street name, and a position coordinate of the street input by the input means and map data around the street. Displays the search method to search and all the nodes on the street searched according to the request
Display step by step from detailed map to enter area
Raise to determine the scale ratio that can display the total length of the street
A vehicle navigation device comprising: a map drawing means for drawing a map of the street and its surroundings on a guide screen. 3. A street area is calculated by screen coordinates,
3. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the center of the area is matched with the center of the display area . 4. The vehicle navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the map drawing means draws the input street in a manner distinguishable from other streets. apparatus. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the map drawing means acquires an address on the street from the street selection data and draws the address along the street. Navigation device for vehicles.