JP4132724B2 - Navigation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention mainly relates to a vehicle-mounted navigation device, and more particularly to a navigation device having a genre-specific facility search function for searching a desired facility from a genre.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a navigation apparatus having a genre-specific facility search function capable of searching for a desired facility from genres classified in advance is generally known. In this navigation device, when the user selects this search function, first, a plurality of genres are displayed on the screen, and when the user selects a genre that seems to be applicable, the facility names belonging to the selected genre are then selected. It is supposed to be displayed.
[0003]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a facility search for each genre in a conventional navigation apparatus. Here, a case where a user searches for “Tokyo Dome” is taken as an example. When the genre-specific facility search function is activated using the navigation device remote control or the like, on the screen DSP of the display device provided in the navigation device, as shown in FIG. A genre name list GL is displayed. It should be noted that genre names that are not displayed in one screen can be displayed by scrolling up and down.
[0004]
Here, when the genre “stadium” to which “Tokyo Dome” is supposed to belong is selected, on the screen DSP of the display device, as shown in FIG. ) Is displayed as a region name list AL for narrowing down. Here again, region names that are not displayed in one screen can be displayed by scrolling up and down.
[0005]
Therefore, if the region “Tokyo” where the “Tokyo Dome” is supposed to be located is selected, the genre belongs to “stadium” and is located in Tokyo as shown in FIG. A facility name list EL indicating the names of all facilities is displayed. The list display of the facility name list EL allows the user to easily find the desired facility “Tokyo Dome”, and by selecting the item “Tokyo Dome”, the user can select “Tokyo Dome” as the destination. Can be set or registered as a point.
[0006]
In other words, this genre-specific facility search function allows the user to narrow down only to facilities belonging to the specified genre by specifying a genre that is considered to be applicable from among genres that have been classified in advance. Is made easier.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the navigation apparatus described above, facilities belonging to each genre are generally associated with each genre in a one-to-one relationship. For example, “Tokyo Dome” corresponds to the genre of “stadium”, and “Yokohama Arena” corresponds to the genre of “event hall”. In other words, the genre to which the facility belongs is set to one.
[0008]
However, the classification of which genre each facility belongs to is based on the classification criteria of the person who created the database related to the facility information. Therefore, the classification criteria of facilities may be different between database creators and users, especially when it is not a general genre (convenience store, gas station, etc.), it is impossible to find the desired facility from the genre selected by the user There is.
[0009]
For example, a user searches for the genre of “baseball stadium” because “Tokyo Dome” falls under the genre of “baseball stadium”, but “Tokyo Dome” is actually classified into the genre of “stadium”. Therefore, in the genre of “baseball stadium”, the item of “Tokyo Dome” cannot be found, and the genre that seems to be applicable (here “stadium”) is searched to find the item of “Tokyo Dome”. As a result, there is a problem that it takes time until the user searches for a desired facility.
[0010]
In addition, even if the desired facility is found by performing the above-described search operation, when searching for the same facility again, the user must remember the relationship between the facility and the genre to which it belongs, and forget it. As a result, the same search operation as before was performed, and there was a problem that it took time to search for the facility.
[0011]
From the above, the purpose of the present invention is to store the genre selected until the desired facility is found in the facility search by genre, and associate the desired facility with the selected genre. It is another object of the present invention to provide a navigation apparatus that can search for a desired facility even from a genre selected.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, the above-described problem is achieved by a facility information storage unit that stores facility information corresponding to a genre classified in advance, a genre display unit that displays a genre name based on the facility information storage unit, and a genre display unit. Genre selection means for selecting a desired genre from the displayed genre names, facility display means for displaying the names of facilities belonging to the genre selected by the genre selection means, and facilities displayed by the facility display means A facility selection unit that selects a desired facility from a name, and a genre storage unit that stores a genre selected in addition to a genre to which the desired facility belongs until the desired facility is finally selected by the facility selection unit; An association means for associating the desired facility with the genre stored in the genre storage means, and the facility display means It is solved by displaying a facility name on the basis of the information storage means and said associating means.
Thereby, even if the user does not remember all the associations between the facilities and the genre, the desired facility can be easily found from the next search even if the genre is selected according to the user's classification criteria.
[0013]
In addition, according to the present invention, the above-mentioned problem further comprises: a region display unit that displays a region name; and a region selection unit that selects a desired region from the region name displayed by the region display unit. The problem is solved by displaying the names of facilities belonging to the genre selected by the genre selection means and located in the area selected by the area selection means.
Thus, when displaying the facility name, it is possible to further narrow down to only the facilities located in the area selected by the user, so that the desired facility can be easily searched.
[0014]
In addition, according to the present invention, the above-described problem further includes a determination unit that determines whether or not the desired facility selected by the facility selection unit is associated with the genre storage unit, and the association unit is a result of the determination unit. It is solved by making an association based on.
As a result, it is possible to determine whether or not to associate the finally selected facility with the genre that has been selected so far, so that the database relating to the facility information is more adapted to the classification criteria of the user. Can do.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(A) Outline of the Present Invention FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the present invention. First, as a premise, in the facility information database of the navigation device, “Tokyo Dome” belongs to the genre “stadium”, and until the user finds “Tokyo Dome” by facility search by genre, “baseball stadium”, “sports” It is assumed that three genres of “facility” and “ball field” are selected, and finally “Tokyo Dome” is finally found in the genre of “stadium”, and the item of “Tokyo Dome” is selected.
[0016]
The navigation device stores the selected genre in a memory or the like until the item “Tokyo Dome” is selected. When “Tokyo Dome” is finally selected, the navigation device is shown in FIG. As described above, on the display screen DSP1 of the navigation device, the menu for asking whether or not to associate the finally selected “Tokyo Dome” with the genres “baseball field”, “sport facility”, and “ball game field” selected so far A menu MN2 for selecting MN1 and its availability is displayed.
[0017]
Here, if “No” is selected by the user, the association work is not entered, and if “Yes” is selected, the display screen DSP2 is finally selected as shown in FIG. The selected facility name EN, the genre GE selected until the facility is finally selected, the menu MN3 asking whether or not to associate the facility EN with the genre GE, and the menu MN4 for selecting whether or not the facility EN is selected are displayed.
[0018]
(B) In the figure, when “No” is selected, the association is not performed and this operation is completed. However, when “Yes” is selected, the navigation device associates the facility EN with the displayed genre GE. . In other words, “Tokyo Dome” is displayed not only in the genre of “stadium” but also in the genres of “baseball field”, “sport facility”, and “ball game field”. By doing so, the desired facility can be found from the next search even if the genre is selected according to the user's classification criteria.
[0019]
(B) Configuration of Navigation Device FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a navigation controller, 20 is a ROM disk such as a DVD-ROM for storing various information such as map data, road data, and a database relating to facility information. The facility information is based on a facility information table and a genre-specific facility number table described later. Composed. Reference numeral 30 denotes a display device that displays a map, a guide route, various menu screens, and the like. Reference numeral 40 denotes an operation unit that inputs various commands to the navigation controller 10 (for example, a remote control device having a joystick key that can be tilted up and down, left and right). , 50 is a GPS receiver that receives radio waves from a satellite and measures the current position and direction of the host vehicle, and 60 is a sensor for autonomous navigation.
[0020]
The GPS receiver 50 performs three-dimensional positioning or two-dimensional positioning processing to calculate the position and direction of the vehicle and outputs these together with the positioning time. The self-contained navigation sensor 60 includes a relative azimuth sensor (angle sensor) such as a vibrating gyroscope that detects a rotation angle of the vehicle, and a distance sensor that generates one pulse for each predetermined travel distance, although not shown.
[0021]
In the navigation controller 10, reference numeral 11 denotes a processor (CPU) that controls the entire navigation controller 10, and controls and instructions for each unit, judgments on input from the operation unit 40, and the like are processed here. Reference numeral 12 denotes a ROM for storing various programs such as a facility search by genre, a point search by telephone number, and a guide route search from the own vehicle position to the destination, and 13 a final desired result in each processing result and genre-specific facility search. The RAM that stores the history of the selected genre until the facility is selected, and 14 is the additional facility number that stores the association between the finally selected facility and the genre stored in the RAM 13 in the facility search by genre. It is an association storage unit configured with a table (described later), and is preferably configured with an EEPROM such as a flash memory that is rewritable and does not erase information even when the power is turned off.
[0022]
A ROM disk control unit 15 reads predetermined map data, facility information, and various information from the ROM disk 20 as necessary, and the various information read is stored in the RAM 13. For example, in the map data, a plurality of pieces (a plurality of units) of map data around the vehicle position or the cursor position are read so that the map can be scrolled.
[0023]
Reference numeral 16 denotes a display control unit that creates a map image around the vehicle position, a menu screen, and the like using various information such as map data and facility information stored in the RAM 13. The information is created based on the facility information stored in the ROM disk 20 and the genre history stored in the association storage unit 14.
[0024]
Reference numeral 17 denotes an interface (I / F) that receives a signal corresponding to the operation of the operation unit 40 by the user and transmits it to the CPU 11. Reference numeral 18 denotes a vehicle based on the GPS data of the GPS receiver 50 and the output data of the autonomous navigation sensor 60. It is a position measurement part which calculates a position and a vehicle direction.
[0025]
(C) Data structure of facility information FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure related to facility information. The database related to facility information includes the facility information table shown in FIG. It consists of a facility number table and an additional facility number table shown in FIG. Here, the facility information table in FIG. (A) and the facility number table by genre shown in FIG. (B) are configured on a medium (here, ROM disk 20) that can store a large amount of data. The facility number table is preferably configured on a rewritable non-volatile medium (here, the association storage unit 14), but the data configuration of the present invention is not limited to this example.
[0026]
(A) The facility information table in the figure is assigned a facility number ENR for each facility, the facility name ENE indicating the name of the facility as the facility detailed information, the address AD indicating the location of the facility, the telephone number TEL of the facility, The longitude and latitude LL indicating the absolute position on the map, landmark data RM indicating the facility, and the like are stored.
[0027]
(B) In the genre-specific facility number table shown in the figure, the facility numbers of facilities belonging to the genre are stored for each genre (for example, convenience stores, gas stations, etc.), and linked to the facility number ENR in the facility information table. Yes. Further, in each last table of the genre-specific facility number table, a dedicated address for adding a facility (facility number) for each genre and an additional facility number storage area address AA linked to an additional facility number table described later are stored. Has been.
[0028]
(C) The additional facility number table in the figure stores the facility (facility number) associated with the genre according to the present invention for each additional facility number storage area address AA stored in the genre-specific facility number table. . For example, the facilities with the facility numbers 2 and 10 belonging to the genre B are stored in the additional facility number table (address 1000) of the genre A so that they can be associated as facilities belonging to the genre A.
[0029]
(D) Facility / Genre Association Process FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a facility / genre association process in the facility search according to genre of the present invention. First, when the user operates the operation unit 40 to select the facility search function by genre, the CPU 11 of the navigation controller 10 issues a screen creation instruction to the display control unit 16. In response to this instruction, the display control unit 16 creates a screen composed of a genre list GL previously classified by genre as shown in FIG. 5A, and displays the created screen on the display device 30. From this, the navigation apparatus starts a facility search by genre (step 101).
[0030]
Next, the CPU 11 determines whether or not a genre is selected by the operation of the operation unit 40 by the user (step 102). If a genre is selected, the selected genre is stored in the RAM 13 (step 103). . Next, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the desired facility has been selected by the user's operation (step 104). If the desired facility is selected, the genre stored in the RAM 13 is finally deleted (step 105). That is, the genre when the desired facility is selected is a genre previously associated with the facility in the database, and there is no need to newly associate with the facility, so the genre when the desired facility is selected is the RAM 13. Erase more.
[0031]
If the genre is not selected in step 102, or if the desired facility is not selected in step 104, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the genre-specific facility search is ended by the input from the user (step 106). If completed, the process is terminated. If not completed, the process returns to step 102 and the subsequent processes are continued.
[0032]
When the last stored genre is deleted from the RAM 13 in step 105, the CPU 11 instructs the display control unit 16 to create a screen as to whether or not to associate the selected desired facility with the genre stored in the RAM 13. . In response to this instruction, the display control unit 16 creates menu screens MN1 and MN2 as shown in FIG. 1A and displays them on the display device 30 (step 107).
[0033]
When the menu screen is displayed, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the “Yes” item on the menu screen MN2 is selected by the user's operation (for example, the left / right operation and pressing operation of the joystick key provided in the remote control device) (step S1). 108). If the “Yes” item is selected, the CPU 11 reads the history of the genre stored in the RAM 13 and instructs the display control unit 16 to create a screen. As shown in FIG. 1B, the display control unit 16 selects the facility name EN of the selected desired facility, the genre name GE read from the RAM 13, and finally whether or not to associate the facility with those genres. Menu screens MN3 and MN4 are created and displayed on the display device 30 (step 109).
[0034]
Next, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the “Yes” item on the menu screen MN4 has been selected by the user (step 110), and if selected, associates the desired facility with the displayed genre (step 111). . More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, in the facility number table by genre shown in FIG. 3B, the additional facility number storage area address AA corresponding to each genre to be associated, that is, the association storage unit 14 is constructed ( c) The facility number corresponding to the desired facility finally selected by the user is stored in each additional facility number table in the figure.
[0035]
Thereafter, the CPU 11 reads out from the ROM disk 20 peripheral map data centered on the selected desired facility via the ROM disk control unit 15. The display control unit 16 creates the surrounding map based on the read map data and displays it on the display device 30 (step 112). When “No” is selected in steps 108 and 110, the association work is not performed and a map around the desired facility is displayed on the display device 30 in the same manner as described above. Thereafter, the user can set the facility as a destination or register it as a registration point.
[0036]
In the above description of the embodiment, the facility selected in step 109 is associated with all the displayed genres (genres stored in the RAM 13). For example, the genre displayed on this screen is Further, the user can select only a desired genre, and the facility can be easily associated with the selected genre.
[0037]
Although the embodiments according to the present invention have been described above, the present invention can be variously modified in accordance with the gist of the present invention described in the claims, and the present invention does not exclude these.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when a desired facility is found by searching various genres in the facility search by genre of the navigation device, the facility is also associated with the genre searched for. Can find the facility even in the genre selected by the user's classification criteria, and as a result, the time for finding the desired facility can be shortened.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a navigation device showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a data configuration related to facility information according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a facility-genre association process in a genre-specific facility search according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of facility search by genre in a conventional navigation device.
[Explanation of symbols]
10: Navigation controller 11: CPU
12: ROM
13: RAM
14: Association storage unit 15: ROM disk control unit 16: Display control unit 17: I / F
18: Position measurement unit 20: ROM disk 30: Display device 40: Operation unit 50: GPS receiver 60: Self-contained navigation sensor DSP, DSP1, DSP2: Display screen MN1, MN2, MN3, MN4: Menu EN, ENE: Facility Name GE: Genre ENR: Facility number AD: Address TEL: Telephone number LL: Coordinate RM: Landmark data AA: Additional facility number storage area address GL: Genre name list AL: Area name list EL: Facility name list

Claims (3)

Facility information storage means for storing facility information corresponding to pre-classified genres;
Genre display means for displaying a genre name based on the facility information storage means;
Genre selection means for selecting a desired genre from the genre names displayed by the genre display means;
Facility display means for displaying the names of facilities belonging to the genre selected by the genre selection means;
Facility selection means for selecting a desired facility from the facility name displayed by the facility display means;
Genre storage means for storing a genre selected in addition to the genre to which the desired facility belongs until the desired facility is finally selected by the facility selection means;
Association means for associating the desired facility with the genre stored in the genre storage means,
The facility display means displays a facility name based on the facility information storage means and the association means. An area display means for displaying the area name;
A region selection unit that selects a desired region from the region name displayed by the region display unit;
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the facility display means displays a facility name belonging to the genre selected by the genre selection means and located in the area selected by the area selection means. A determination unit for determining whether to associate the desired facility selected by the facility selection unit with the genre storage unit;
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the association unit performs association based on a result of the determination unit.

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