JP3630252B2 - Navigation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a navigation device that searches for a route from a current position to a destination and performs route guidance.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, navigation devices that provide route guidance to destinations for drivers who are not guided by geography have been put into practical use.
In this navigation device, a map is displayed on a display such as a liquid crystal display, on which an input destination, a route to a destination searched by route search, a position of a traveling vehicle, a traveling locus up to that point, etc. Are overlaid. The driver can obtain the route information that the driver should travel by sequentially referring to the display, and can reach the destination by moving in accordance with the direction instruction.
In such a navigation device, when the route information is obtained, the driver needs to move the line of sight from the front view to the display, and thus it is necessary to increase the recognition rate of the route. Therefore, simultaneously with the display on the display, the route direction and the intersection are guided by voice so that they can be recognized not only visually but also auditorily.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, regarding visually recognizing the course direction and the course change point on the display, it is necessary to move the line of sight from the front view to the display in the vehicle, which may impair driving safety. On top of this, there was a problem that it could not be recognized reliably, and an improvement was desired.
For this improvement, it is conceivable to use a head-up display, but even in this case, the driver must move his / her line of sight from the front direction to the head-up display in the car, and this improvement is desired. It was.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that can recognize route information such as a route direction and a route change point without moving the line of sight inside the vehicle, and can reliably recognize the route information.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the first aspect of the present invention, road information storage means for storing road information, current position detection means for detecting the current location of the vehicle, route acquisition means for acquiring a route to the destination, and the traveling direction of the route, Display means for irradiating and displaying the front of the vehicle with light according to the current location detected by the current location detection means, and the display means is provided on the front side of the vehicle when the traveling direction of the route is a left turn. The object is achieved by irradiating the left side and irradiating the right side of the front of the vehicle when turning right.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the first aspect, the display means irradiates light from a light source on a road surface in front of the vehicle or a front surface of the vehicle to display a course direction.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the first aspect, the display means changes the display position according to the speed of the vehicle.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the navigation device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
(1) Outline of the first embodiment In the first embodiment, while the vehicle is traveling on the route searched to the destination by the driver, the route information on the direction of the vehicle and the route change point is obtained. Display on the road surface in front of the vehicle according to the current location.
The road surface display of the route information is performed by displaying points and characters on the road surface using laser light.
[0007]
(2) Details of the First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the navigation apparatus.
The navigation device includes a calculation unit 10. The calculation unit 10 manages a display unit 11 including a display 11a functioning as a touch panel and an operation switch 11b provided around the display 11a, and inputs from the touch panel and the switch 11b of the display unit 11. Switch input management unit 12, current position measurement unit 13, speed sensor 14, map information storage unit 15, voice recognition unit 16, voice output unit 17, car phone 18, and telephone number table storage unit 19 and the vehicle outside display output unit 40 are connected.
[0008]
The current position measurement unit 13 detects the current position where the vehicle is currently running or stopped by detecting coordinate data based on latitude and longitude. The current position measuring unit 13 includes a GPS (Global Position System) receiver 21 that measures the position of the vehicle using an artificial satellite, a beacon receiving apparatus 20 that receives position information from beacons placed on the road, An azimuth sensor 22 and a distance sensor 23 are connected, and the current position measurement unit 13 measures the current position of the vehicle using information from these.
[0009]
The azimuth sensor 22 is, for example, a geomagnetic sensor that detects the azimuth of the vehicle by detecting geomagnetism, a gyroscope such as a gas rate gyroscope or an optical fiber gyroscope that detects the rotational angular velocity of the vehicle and integrates the angular velocity to determine the azimuth of the vehicle, A wheel sensor is used that calculates the amount of displacement in the azimuth by detecting the turning of the vehicle based on the output pulse difference (movement distance difference). For the distance sensor 23, various methods are used such as, for example, detecting and counting the number of rotations of the wheel, or detecting acceleration and integrating twice.
The GPS receiver 21 and the beacon receiving device 20 can measure the position independently, but both the direction sensor 22 and the distance sensor 23 are used in places where the GPS receiver 21 and the beacon receiving device 20 cannot receive the position. The current position is detected by dead reckoning navigation.
[0010]
The map information storage unit 15 includes a map data storage unit, an intersection data storage unit, a node data storage unit, a searched route data storage unit, and a road data storage unit.
The map information storage unit 15 further includes a photographic data storage unit, a destination point data storage unit, a guide point data storage unit, a detailed destination data storage unit, and various regions such as hotels, gas stations, and tourist information in each region. Various data storage units such as other data storage units storing the above information are provided.
In each of these storage units, route search is performed, a guide map is displayed along the searched route, characteristic photographs and frame diagrams in the middle of the intersection and the route are displayed, the remaining distance to the intersection, the next Various data for displaying the traveling direction at the intersection and outputting other guidance information are stored.
As each storage unit, for example, various storage devices such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical disk, a magnetic tape, an IC card, and an optical card are used. Each storage unit has a large storage capacity. For example, it is preferable to use a CD-ROM, but an IC card may be used for individual data such as other data storage units and data for each region.
[0011]
The map data storage unit stores, for example, map data hierarchized from the highest layer such as Japan, Kanto region, Tokyo, Kanda. These are the same map data as those conventionally used for the navigation process. Map data is assigned to each level of map data, and the display range is managed with the maximum and minimum values of east longitude and north latitude. As the map data of the lowest layer, for example, a map of 1/2000 is supported, and a map of the optimum hierarchy is displayed on the display 11a according to the current location of the vehicle and the request of the driver.
In the photo data storage unit, photographs taken of each intersection, a characteristic landscape seen straight ahead, and the like are stored in a digital, analog, or negative film format corresponding to the photograph number.
[0012]
Among the storage units of the map information storage unit 15, the storage units that store intersection data, node data, and road data are used for route search in normal navigation.
In the intersection data storage section, corresponding to each intersection number assigned to each intersection, the intersection name, the east longitude and north latitude of the intersection, and the road number with the smallest number among the roads starting from the intersection The road number having the smallest number among the roads whose end point is the intersection and the presence / absence of a signal are stored as intersection data.
[0013]
The node data storage unit stores node data including east longitude, north latitude, attributes, and the like.
The searched route data storage unit is composed of intersection row data and node row data for intersections that need guidance among routes set by route search. The intersection string data is composed of information such as an intersection name, an intersection number, a photo number of a characteristic landscape of the intersection, a turning angle, a distance, and the like. The node string data is composed of information such as east longitude, north latitude, intersection number, attribute, angle, and distance representing the node position.
[0014]
Corresponding to each road number, the road data storage unit has the next intersection number at the start point, the intersection number at the end point, the next number among roads with the same start point, and the next number among roads with the same end point. , Road thickness, prohibition information, guidance unnecessary information, photo number of photo data described later, number of nodes, start address of node sequence data, road length, and the like are stored.
[0015]
The voice recognition unit 16 is connected to a microphone 24 to which a human voice or a dial tone corresponding to a telephone number is input.
The audio output unit 17 includes an audio output IC 26 that outputs audio as an electrical signal, a D / A converter 27 that converts the output of the audio output IC 26 from digital to analog, and an amplifier 28 that amplifies the converted analog signal. It has. A speaker 29 is connected to the output end of the amplifier 28.
The car phone 18 is used for inputting a predetermined telephone number when performing various communications such as multimedia communications such as facsimile communications and personal computer communications, communications by ATIS, in addition to normal telephone communications. Various communication functions are realized by the communication management unit 37 and the communication management unit 38. Note that the telephone number, facsimile number, etc. can be entered using the numeric keypad displayed on the display 11a in addition to the car phone 18.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 2, the outside-vehicle display output unit 40 includes a laser light emitting device 42 that generates laser light, a modulation device 43 that modulates laser light generated by the laser light emitting device 42, and modulation by the laser modulation device 43. And a galvanometer mirror 44 for scanning the laser beam. For example, a YAG laser or a He—Ne laser is used as the laser light source used in the laser light emitting device 42.
Further, the galvanometer mirror 44 of the display output unit 40 is disposed at the forefront of the vehicle 50 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The galvanometer mirror 44 is configured to scan the laser beam in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the vehicle 50 and irradiate the road surface in front of the vehicle with the scanned laser beam. Accordingly, while the vehicle 50 is traveling, the laser light from the laser light emitting device 42 is scanned in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle by the galvano mirror 44 and also in the traveling direction of the vehicle. Information points and characters can be displayed.
[0017]
The calculation unit 10 includes a map data reading unit 31 connected to the speed sensor 14 and the map information storage unit 15, a map drawing unit 32, a map management unit 33 that manages the map data reading unit 31 and the map drawing unit 32, Connected to the map drawing unit 32 and the screen management unit 34 connected to the display unit 11, the input management unit 35 connected to the switch input type management unit 12 and the voice recognition unit 16, and the voice output IC 26 of the voice output unit 17. Voice output management unit 36, vehicle outside display output management unit 41 connected to vehicle outside display output unit 40, communication management unit 38 for managing various communication controls, map management unit 33, screen management unit 34, input management A unit 35, a sound output management unit 36, a vehicle outside display output management unit 41, and an overall management unit 37 that manages the communication management unit 38.
The arithmetic unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., and the CPU executes a program stored in the ROM using the RAM as a working area. Thus, each of the above-described configurations is realized.
[0018]
Next, the operation of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described.
First, when the destination is input by the driver of the vehicle from the display 11a or the microphone 24, the calculation unit 10 detects the current position based on the input data from the current position measurement unit 13, and the destination input from the current position. The search for the optimal route up to is started by each data in the map information storage unit 15. In the search for the optimum route, the overall management unit 37 searches for the optimum route from the intersection data, node data, and road data stored in the map information storage unit 15 to the destination.
When this search is completed, a map is displayed on the display 11a, and the input destination, the route to the destination searched by the route search, the vehicle position, and the like are superimposed on the map. When the vehicle starts to travel, the traveling locus and the like are further displayed on the display 11a. Accordingly, the driver can obtain the route information that the driver should travel by sequentially referring to the display 11a.
[0019]
When the vehicle 50 starts traveling, the laser light emitting device 42 starts generating laser light according to an instruction from the vehicle outside display output management unit 41 to the control device 45 of the vehicle outside display output unit 40. This laser light starts irradiation of the road surface ahead of the vehicle 50 via the modulation device 43 and the galvanometer mirror 44.
When the traveling direction of the vehicle 50 is straight, the control device 45 modulates the modulation device 43 so that the laser light irradiates the road surface in front of the traveling direction of the vehicle 50 at a point having a predetermined size (see FIG. 4). And the galvanometer mirror 44 is controlled.
[0020]
Next, the operation when the vehicle approaches the route change point and changes the route like an intersection will be described with reference to FIG.
When the calculation unit 10 determines that the vehicle 50 has approached the course change point such as an intersection, and the vehicle 50 reaches 300 m before the intersection 51, the control device 45 determines that the irradiation position of the laser light on the road surface is Then, the modulation device 43 and the galvanometer mirror 44 are controlled so as to be on the left side from the front in the traveling direction of the vehicle 50. Further, when the vehicle 50 reaches 100 m before the intersection 51, the control device 45 displays the intersection name on the road surface with the laser light after the laser light has shifted from continuous irradiation on the left road surface in the traveling direction to blinking irradiation. Thus, the modulation device 43 and the galvanometer mirror 44 are controlled.
[0021]
By the way, the route information displayed on the road surface as described above includes the remaining distance to the intersection, the name of the road after the left turn, the distance to the destination, and a name that serves as a mark, in addition to the above intersection name to be turned left. Etc. This road surface display may be selected according to the driver's request.
When the vehicle 50 makes a right turn, the vehicle 50 operates in the same manner as when the vehicle 50 makes a left turn. That is, when the vehicle 50 reaches 300 m before the intersection, the irradiation position of the laser light on the road surface is on the right side from the front in the traveling direction of the vehicle 50, and when the vehicle 50 reaches 100 m before the intersection, the laser light is emitted. Transition from continuous irradiation on the road surface on the right side in the course direction to flashing irradiation.
[0022]
When the road surface display with the laser beam for changing the route is started, when the vehicle reaches 300 m before the intersection from the speaker 29 connected to the sound output unit 17 according to the road surface display, “300 m until the intersection”. "When the vehicle reaches 100 meters before the intersection, it will similarly output" 100 meters until the intersection. "
In addition, when outputting the above contents by voice, a predetermined sound such as a chime sound is generated prior to the voice output of the contents, and the driver is alerted that there is a voice output. This is preferable in that the content can be prevented from being missed.
[0023]
As described above, in the first embodiment, the route information related to the route direction and the route change point is displayed on the road surface in front of the vehicle, so that the driver can view the line of sight from the front field of view to the display 11a in the vehicle. It is possible to visually recognize the course direction and the course change point without shifting each time. Even when the vehicle is traveling straight ahead, there is a light spot displayed on the road surface in front of the vehicle, so that a sense of security in traveling the vehicle can be obtained using that as a landmark.
Further, in the first embodiment, in addition to the road surface display of the route information, when the route change is to be made by voice, the route change and the route change point are both visually and auditorily. Can be recognized, and the recognition rate of course information can be dramatically improved.
[0024]
In the above-described operation, the case where the laser generator 42 is always driven to display the road surface information of the course information while the vehicle 50 is traveling has been described. However, only when the course needs to be changed due to approaching the intersection. You may make it perform the road surface display required for a course change in the vicinity.
Further, in the above description, the display position of the laser beam from the vehicle 50 has been described as being constant. However, it is preferable that the display position is changed according to the speed of the vehicle 50 because the driver can easily see the display contents. . That is, when the vehicle is at a high speed, the road surface is displayed at a position away from the vehicle. Conversely, when the vehicle is at a low speed, the road surface is displayed at a position close to the vehicle.
Furthermore, in the above example, the point is displayed on the road surface according to the direction of the course, but instead of this point display, an arbitrary shape that can be easily recognized by the driver may be displayed. For example, a forward arrow is used when going straight, a left arrow when turning left, and a right arrow when turning right. In addition, the angle of the arrow may be changed according to the angle of the road to turn right or left.
Also, in the above example, the route information is displayed on the road surface, but when the vehicle is traveling straight, the inter-vehicle distance is detected, and when the inter-vehicle distance becomes shorter than a predetermined value and a warning is required, The warning display may be displayed together with the road surface.
[0025]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the outside display output unit 40 shown in FIG. 2 is replaced with a light source driving circuit 46 and a light source having three directivities driven by the light source driving circuit 46. It replaces with the vehicle outside display output part 40a comprised from 47a, 47b, 47c.
These three light sources 47a, 47b, 47c are arranged at the center and left and right of the upper part of the windshield of the vehicle 50, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, so that the surface of the front part of the vehicle 50 is irradiated. .
Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, and thus the description thereof is omitted.
[0026]
The operation of the second embodiment having such a configuration is basically the same as that of the first embodiment, and only the operation of the outside display output unit 40a shown in FIG. 6 is different. Only the point will be described.
That is, while the vehicle 50 is traveling straight, the light source driving circuit 46 drives the light source 47b disposed at the upper center of the windshield of the vehicle 50 to irradiate the surface center of the front portion of the vehicle 50.
Then, the arithmetic unit 10 determines that the vehicle 50 should approach the route change point and turn left like an intersection, and when the vehicle 50 reaches 300 m before the intersection, the light source driving circuit 46 is connected to the light source 47b. At the same time as the driving is stopped, the driving of the light source 47a is started, and the left side portion of the front surface of the vehicle 50 is irradiated. Further, when the vehicle 50 reaches 100 meters before the intersection, the light source driving circuit 46 drives the light source 47b to blink, so that the irradiation section blinks.
On the other hand, when the vehicle 50 turns right at the intersection, when the vehicle 50 reaches 300 m before the intersection, the light source driving circuit 46 stops driving the light source 47b and starts driving the light source 47c. Irradiate the right side of the front surface. Further, when the vehicle 50 reaches 100 m before the intersection, the light source driving circuit 46 drives the light source 47c to blink, so that the irradiation section blinks.
[0027]
As described above, in the second embodiment, the route information is displayed outside the vehicle by selectively driving the three light sources 47a, 47b, and 47c, so that the configuration is simpler than that of the first embodiment. There is an advantage that the route information can be displayed outside the vehicle.
Note that the light sources 47a, 47b, and 47c are preferably different from each other in terms of colored light because the display can be easily distinguished.
[0028]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the light sources 48a, 48b, and 48c are directed to the driver's seat at the irradiation positions of the three light sources 47a, 47b, and 47c in the second embodiment, respectively. It is what was arranged. Here, the light sources 48a, 48b, and 48c do not necessarily have directivity like the light sources 47a, 47b, and 47c. Other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.
In the third embodiment having such a configuration, only the light source 48b is turned on when the vehicle goes straight. When the vehicle 50 makes a left turn, the lighting of the light source 48b is switched from the lighting of the light source 48b to the light source 48a as it approaches the left turn point, and finally the light source 48a is blinked. On the other hand, when the vehicle 50 makes a right turn, the lighting of the light source 48b is switched from the lighting of the light source 48b to the light source 48c as it approaches the right turn point, and finally the light source 48c is blinked.
The light sources 48a, 48b, and 48c are preferable in that the display can be easily distinguished if the colored light is different.
[0029]
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 10, in the fourth embodiment, a light source 49 having directivity is placed at the position of the light source 47b in the second embodiment, and light from the light source 49 is sent to the second embodiment. A light source changer (not shown) that changes the direction of the light source 49 by driving a motor or the like is arranged so that each irradiation position of the light sources 47a, 47b, and 47c in FIG. Other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.
In the fourth embodiment having such a configuration, when the vehicle 50 goes straight, the light from the light source 49 irradiates the center of the front surface of the vehicle 50. When the vehicle 50 makes a left turn, as the vehicle 50 approaches the left turn point, the light source 49 changes its direction to the left side, and the light irradiation position shifts from the center of the front surface to the left side. Become. On the other hand, when the vehicle 50 makes a right turn, the light source 49 turns to the right side as the vehicle approaches the right turn point, the light irradiation position shifts from the center of the front surface to the right side, and finally the flashing state is entered. .
[0030]
In the embodiment described above, the case where the driver of the vehicle searches for the optimum route from the current position to the destination by the calculation unit 10 using the display 11a and the microphone 24 has been described. However, the route searching means in the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, route search information may be obtained by requesting a route search from the ATIS center via the communication management unit 38, or the route search information may be obtained in the same manner from a predetermined base station. Further, route information may be searched in advance by a personal computer having a route search function, the searched route information may be stored in a floppy disk or an IC card, and the contents may be read and used.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the route guidance information searched for the route is displayed by light in front of the outside of the vehicle, so that the driver can move the line of sight from the front view to the display inside the vehicle. Guidance information can be visually recognized without being moved. Therefore, it is possible to reliably recognize the guidance information.
In the invention of claim 2, since the light from the light source is irradiated on the road surface in front of the vehicle or the surface of the front portion of the vehicle and the direction of the route is displayed, the route information concerning not only right / left turn but also straight ahead, Recognized with certainty.
In the third aspect of the invention, the display position is changed according to the speed of the vehicle, so that the driver can easily see the display contents.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an outside-vehicle display output unit in the navigation device.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing attachment of an outside display output unit to a vehicle.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing attachment of the vehicle outside display output unit to a vehicle. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a course changing operation in the vicinity of an intersection.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an outside-vehicle display output unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a front view showing an example of arrangement of light sources in a vehicle.
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an arrangement example of the light source in the vehicle.
FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a main part in a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a main part in a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Computation part 11 Display part 11a Display 15 Map information storage part 16 Voice recognition part 17 Voice output part 18 Automobile phone 19 Telephone number table storage part 24 Microphone 34 Screen management part 33 Map management part 35 Input management part 37 General management part 38 Communication Management unit 40, 40a Outside-vehicle display output unit 41 Outside-vehicle display output management unit 42 Laser light emitting device 43 Modulating device 44 Scanner device 45 Control device 46 Light source drive circuits 47a, 47b, 47c Light source 48a, 48b, 48c Light source 49 Light source 50 Vehicle

Claims (3)

Road information storage means for storing road information;
Current location detection means for detecting the current location of the vehicle;
A route acquisition means for acquiring a route to the destination;
Display means for irradiating and displaying the traveling direction of the route with light in front of the vehicle according to the current position detected by the current position detection means ;
The display device irradiates the left side of the front of the vehicle when the traveling direction of the route is a left turn, and irradiates the right side of the front of the vehicle when the turn is right. 2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means irradiates light from a light source onto a road surface in front of the vehicle or a surface of a front portion of the vehicle to display a course direction. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit changes a display position according to a speed of the vehicle .

Images