JP3899707B2 - Vehicle navigation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle navigation device that searches for a route to a destination and notifies a driver of the searched route.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, vehicle navigation devices that search for a route from a current position of a host vehicle to an input destination and notify the driver of the route have rapidly spread. The vehicle navigation device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-338735 further includes a reading device that reads the remaining amount of a prepaid card for a toll road or the like, and when the searched route includes a toll road or the like, The driver is notified of the difference between the toll road charge and the prepaid card balance.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the apparatus described in the above-mentioned publication, a charge for a toll road on the searched route and the balance of the prepaid card are compared, but the balance is not used as a route search element. That is, it does not search for a route to the destination within the card balance. Therefore, when the charge of the toll road etc. of the searched route exceeds the card balance, the search route cannot be traveled, and the search may be wasted.
[0004]
In recent years, a system for collecting tolls by communication between toll facilities such as toll roads and in-vehicle terminals has been developed. Even when this system is used, the search may be wasted if the fee of the pay facility exceeds the balance.
[0005]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle navigation apparatus that can perform route search based on a balance of prepaid paid facility charges.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problem, a vehicle navigation apparatus according to the present invention includes a means for obtaining a payable amount of a system for paying a fee for a toll facility, and each traveling section of an automatic toll collection road on the route. means for pre-calculating each Prices and Price for each combination of running section before searching for a combination of travel sections or travel route becomes the payable amount within a and the maximum amount, cheap order of pre calculated fee, travel A means for searching for a traveling section or a combination of traveling sections that is the highest amount within the payable amount by comparing the charge of the section or the combination of the traveling sections and the payable amount; If a search can be made for a travel section or a combination of travel sections, the travel section or combination of travel sections Auto as toll collection traveling section of the road, has a means for searching for a route of said to a destination charge of toll facilities is a notification object in the payable amount of money, the in the path of the in.
[0007]
Furthermore, the system for paying the fee for the toll facility is a system for collecting the fee by communication between the toll facility and the vehicle, and the means for obtaining the payable amount is from the in-vehicle device of this system, The amount can be obtained.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle navigation apparatus of the present invention. The navigation ECU 10 includes a map information storage unit 12 that stores map information and a toll road information storage unit 14 that stores toll road charges, and is known from information acquired from an antenna 16 for GPS (global positioning system). The present location of the vehicle can be calculated by the method. Further, by inputting a destination from the input unit 18, a route from the current location to the destination can be searched and this route can be output to the output device 20. In this case, the output device 20 is a display device, and the route is displayed superimposed on the map read from the map information storage unit 12. Moreover, a search route can be instructed to the driver as the vehicle travels. In this case, the output device 20 preferably includes an audio output device in addition to the display device.
[0009]
Furthermore, the vehicle navigation apparatus of the present embodiment can acquire information related to automatic fee collection from the in-vehicle device 22 of the automatic fee collection system (ETC). The automatic toll collection system is a system for collecting tolls on toll roads by communicating between a facility-side transmitter / receiver provided near a toll gate on a toll road and an in-vehicle device 22 mounted on the vehicle. Development is being promoted with the aim of eliminating traffic jams at toll booths and eliminating traffic congestion.
[0010]
In the automatic toll collection system, the driver purchases a card with a predetermined amount in advance and, when using a toll road, subtracts the amount from this card and collects the fee. It is also possible to register a financial institution account beforehand and withdraw the fee from here. In the following description, a system using the former card will be described, but the latter system can be processed in the same manner as a system using a card if a withdrawal limit is set in advance.
[0011]
The in-vehicle device 22 of the automatic fee collection system can read the information of the previously purchased card and write new information. The information read and written is, for example, a card balance. The in-vehicle device 22 preferably has a display unit that displays the read balance. Further, this balance is read into the navigation ECU 10.
[0012]
FIG. 2 shows a chart showing a control flow related to the route search of the present embodiment. First, it is determined whether the toll road priority route search mode is set (S100). This mode can be set by the operation of the driver or the operator. In the route search, if there is a toll road between the destination and the route, the route passing through this is searched. If this mode is set, the route search is performed with priority on the toll road (S102). If it is not set, a route that does not pass through the toll road is searched (S104).
[0013]
After the route search is performed in step S102, it is further determined whether or not a balance reference route search mode for searching for a route with reference to the balance of the advance payment of the automatic fee collection system is set (S106). If this mode is not set, the route searched in step S102 becomes the final route, and the route search is terminated. On the other hand, if the balance reference route search mode is set, it is further determined whether the route searched in step S102 includes a road (automatic toll collection road) where the automatic toll collection system is installed (S108). ). If this road is not included, the user (driver) is notified that there is no opportunity to use the automatic toll collection system (S110), and the route search is terminated.
[0014]
When the route searched in step S102 is a route using an automatic toll collection road, a combination of sections using the road and a charge for each combination are calculated (S112). This calculation will be described with reference to FIG.
[0015]
FIG. 3 shows a searched route from the current location P to the destination D. The automatic toll collection road is shown by the solid line. A route for using this road from interchange IC-A to interchange IC-D is shown. There are two interchanges IC-B and IC-C between the interchanges IC-A and IC-D, and sections between these four interchanges are defined as a section a, a section b, and a section c. The route searched in step S102 is a route that goes through all of the sections a, b, and c to the destination, but here, for a route that uses one or two of these three sections, Charges are calculated. That is, the charge for using only one section, that is, any one of section a, section b, and section c is calculated. Next, charges are calculated for three sections when using two sections, that is, sections a and b, sections a and c, and sections b and c. Finally, the charge for using all three sections is calculated. This fee calculation is performed based on the fee table stored in the toll road information storage unit 14.
[0016]
Next, card balance information is acquired from the ETC in-vehicle device 22 (S114). Of the charges calculated in step S112, the charge of the cheapest section (minimum charge) is compared with the balance of the card (S116). If the balance does not satisfy the minimum fee, the user (driver) is notified that the balance is insufficient even in the section of the minimum fee (S118), and the route search is terminated. At this time, the route search may be performed again or the user may be prompted to select. In step S116, if the balance is equal to or greater than the minimum fee, the balance is compared with the next cheapest section or combination of sections (S120). If the balance does not satisfy the charge for the target section or the combination of sections, the route is re-searched under the condition including the section or the combination of sections targeted for the previous comparison (S122). On the other hand, if the balance is higher in step S120, it is determined whether this charge is the highest combination (S124), and if it is the highest, the route searched in step S102 is determined as the searched route. If the maximum amount has not been reached, the process returns to step S120, and the inexpensive section or combination of sections is compared with the balance.
[0017]
Finally, when a route is determined in steps S104, S106, S110, S118, S120, and S124, route guidance is performed based on the route (S126).
[0018]
As described above, the toll road equipped with the automatic toll collection system has been described. However, a prepaid card balance reading device such as a conventional highway card is added to the navigation device, and the route search according to the card balance described above is performed. It can also be done. It is also possible to consider not only toll roads but also tolls such as car ferries and cart trains when searching for routes.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a chart showing a control flow of the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram regarding combinations of toll road sections;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 navigation ECU, 12 map information storage part, 14 toll road information storage part, 16 GPS antenna, 18 input part, 20 output device, 22 automatic toll collection system vehicle equipment.

Claims (2)

A vehicle navigation device mounted on a vehicle, searching for a route to a destination, and notifying the searched route,
A means of obtaining a payable amount for a system that pays for a toll facility;
Means for calculating in advance the charges for each travel section of the automatic toll collection road on the route and the charge for each combination of travel sections before searching for the travel section or combination of travel sections within the payable amount and the maximum amount. When,
By comparing the charge of the travel section or the combination of travel sections and the payable amount in the order of the pre- calculated charge, the travel section or the travel section that is within the payable amount and has the highest amount is calculated. A means of exploring combinations;
If you can find the maximum travel section or combination of travel sections, you can use the travel section or combination of travel sections as the travel section of the automatic toll collection road on the route to the destination. Means for searching for a route to the destination to be notified within a reasonable amount of money;
A vehicle navigation apparatus comprising:   The vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the system for paying the fee for the toll facility is a system for collecting the fee by communication between the toll facility and the vehicle, and obtains the payable amount. The means is a vehicle navigation device that obtains the amount of money from the in-vehicle device of this system.

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