JP4159974B2 - Navigation system and traffic information presentation method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technology for presenting traffic information in a navigation system that provides route guidance to a user who has boarded an automobile.

  As a technology related to a navigation system that performs route guidance for a user boarding an automobile, a navigation system is configured from a navigation device mounted on the automobile and a server that communicates with the navigation device via wireless communication. The current position and destination are transmitted to the server, and the server searches the route from the current position received from the navigation device to the destination using the map data, and notifies the route that has been searched and the route guidance of the determined route. For example, a technique is known in which map data is sent to a navigation device, and route guidance for a user is performed in accordance with the map data sent by the navigation device and the notified route (for example, Patent Document 1).

  As a technology for presenting traffic information in a navigation system, a technology for receiving traffic information by VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) and displaying the received traffic information in a navigation device mounted on an automobile is known. Yes. In addition, an information center that communicates with the navigation device via wireless communication is provided, the presence or absence of current traffic jam is predicted from the history of past traffic jam occurrence in the information center, and the prediction result is transmitted to the navigation device. A technique for displaying a prediction result of occurrence of traffic jam in an apparatus is also known (for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior art document information related to the invention of this application includes the following.
JP-A-11-153443 JP 2002-365074 A

  According to the technology for presenting the traffic information to a user who has boarded a car, a traffic-intensive traffic jam that has occurred regardless of an accident or road construction is caused by a vehicle heading to a specific facility such as a theme park or a shopping center. The user cannot know whether it is a traffic jam due to concentration or a normal so-called natural traffic jam that occurs with an increase in the amount of traffic passing through the traffic jam occurrence section.

  On the other hand, traffic jams due to the concentration of vehicles heading to a specific facility and so-called natural traffic jams have different aspects of traffic jams, and the effects of bypassing them and the user behavior suitable for bypassing them. The aspects are also different. In addition, the determination as to whether or not to detour the traffic is different depending on the user's preference.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to present the occurrence of a traffic-intensive traffic jam along with the cause of the traffic jam.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of navigation devices mounted on each automobile for guiding traveling along a guide route set between a current position and a destination, and the plurality of navigation devices. In a navigation system including a server device that communicates with the vehicle, vehicle information collection means for collecting the current position and destination of each navigation device in the server device, and occurrence of traffic jams and sections where traffic jams occur The traffic jam information acquiring means for acquiring traffic jam information indicating the traffic jam information, the traffic jam factor facility estimation means for estimating the traffic jam factor indicating the occurrence of the traffic jam information as a traffic jam factor facility, and the traffic jam information are estimated. Congestion information distribution means for distributing to each navigation device together with information on the congestion factor facility is provided. And the traffic information provided from the said server apparatus is provided in the said navigation apparatus with the information regarding the said traffic factor facilities distributed with the said traffic information, and the traffic information factor estimation means of the said server apparatus is provided. In the case where the destinations of the navigation devices having the current position at least in the vicinity of the traffic congestion section indicated by the traffic congestion information are concentrated in the vicinity of the specific point, the facility near the specific point is used as the traffic congestion factor facility. This is what we estimated.

  According to such a navigation system, based on the current position of the navigation device and the destination, whether or not the generated traffic jam is a traffic jam due to the concentration of vehicles heading to a specific facility, and causes the traffic jam. Can be estimated with high accuracy and presented to the user of each navigation device.

  More specifically, the congestion factor facility estimation means of the server device is configured such that the destinations of the navigation devices having the current position on the congestion section indicated by the congestion information are concentrated near a specific point. In this case, a facility near the specific point may be estimated as the congestion factor facility. Alternatively, the traffic congestion factor facility estimation means of the server device may be configured such that the destinations of the navigation devices having the current position on the traffic congestion section indicated by the traffic congestion information are concentrated near a specific point near the traffic jam starting point. The facility in the vicinity of the specific point may be estimated as the congestion factor facility.

By doing in this way, it is possible to estimate whether the traffic congestion occurring with higher accuracy is a traffic congestion due to the concentration of vehicles heading to a specific facility and the facility causing the traffic congestion Become.
In the above navigation system, in the server device, for each navigation device, a route from the current position of the navigation device to the destination is searched and set as the guidance route in the navigation device. May be. In this case, the destination of each navigation device can be shared by the server device for searching the guidance route and estimating the congestion factor facility.

  Further, in the above navigation system, when the navigation device has a portion overlapping the guidance route installed in the own vehicle and the traffic jam section indicated by the delivered traffic jam information, the route for avoiding the traffic jam zone It is also preferable to provide a traffic jam avoidance guidance means for guiding the user so as to select. Alternatively, for a navigation device that has overlapping portions in the traffic route section indicated by the guidance route and the traffic congestion information in the server device, the traffic congestion avoidance guidance that guides the user of the navigation device to select a route that avoids the traffic congestion interval Means may be provided.

By doing so, it is possible to assist the user in avoiding traffic jams and to alleviate traffic jams.
In the above navigation system, the congestion information presenting means of the navigation device indicates the occurrence of the congestion along with the information regarding the congestion factor facility when the current position is in the vicinity of the congestion section indicated by the distributed congestion information. It may be presented, or if there is a section that overlaps the guidance route set in the vehicle and the traffic congestion section indicated by the distributed traffic congestion information, the occurrence of the traffic congestion It may be presented together with information regarding.

  Further, in the traffic information presenting means of the navigation device, an image including a map and a traffic congestion section graphic representing the traffic congestion section indicated by the distributed traffic congestion information on the map is displayed and associated with the traffic congestion section graphic Thus, it is also preferable to display information on the congestion factor facility in order to intuitively grasp the user's congestion section and the facility causing the congestion in the congestion section.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the occurrence of a traffic-intensive traffic jam can be presented together with the cause of the traffic jam.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a navigation system according to the present embodiment.
As shown in the figure, the navigation system includes a navigation device 1 mounted on each vehicle, a WAN 2 accessible by the navigation device 1 via wireless communication, a navigation service server 3 connected to the WAN 2, and a VICS network 4. It consists of a VICS center 5 that collects various traffic information such as traffic jams, accidents, construction, and parking space availability and provides them to various locations.

  Here, this navigation system is a so-called communication type in which a navigation device 1 equipped with an automobile acquires necessary map data while communicating with a navigation service server 3 that stores map data and performs route guidance for a user. It is a navigation system.

  Next, the navigation service server 3 stores the service provision control unit 31, the guidance route calculation service unit 32, the map data provision service unit 33, the destination setting service unit 34, the VICS information provision service unit 35, and the map data. A map database 36, a facility management database 37 that stores information about various facilities, and a user management table 38 that manages information of each user of the navigation service server 3 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the navigation device 1 includes a control device 10, a traveling state sensor 11 that detects a traveling state of the vehicle such as an orientation sensor, an angular acceleration sensor, and a vehicle speed sensor, and a GPS receiver 12 (Global Positioning System Receiver). , A wireless communication device 13 for connecting to the WAN 2, a remote controller 14 (remote controller) for receiving input from the user, and a display device 15.

  Further, the control device 10 calculates the current position by the map data memory 101 holding the map data and route information provided from the navigation service server 3 and the map matching process using the map data stored in the map data memory 101. The map matching processing unit 102, the navigation image generation unit 103, the data update processing unit 104 for updating the map data in the map data memory 101, the main control unit 105, the GUI control unit 106, the memory 107, and the wireless communication device 13 And a wireless communication interface 108 for processing input / output between them.

  However, the navigation service server 3 and the control device 10 described above are hardware-based computers having a general configuration including peripheral devices such as a CPU, a memory, an external storage device, and a communication device. In this case, each unit of the control device 10 and the navigation service server 3 described above may be realized as a process realized by the CPU executing a program prepared in advance. In this case, such a program may be provided to the control device 10 or the navigation service server 3 via a storage medium or a communication path.

Next, user management information stored in the user management table 38 of the navigation service server 3 and facility management information stored in the facility management database 37 will be described.
FIG. 3a shows the contents of the user management information.
As shown in the figure, the user management information has an entry for each navigation device 1 that receives the service provided by the navigation service server 3, and each entry corresponds to the user ID of the user of the corresponding navigation device 1. The navigation apparatus 1 stores the current position of the navigation apparatus 1, the destination of the corresponding navigation apparatus 1, and the data of the guidance route that is the path that provides guidance to the user in the corresponding navigation apparatus 1. However, the destination and the guide route are stored only when the corresponding navigation device 1 guides the route to the destination. In the map data, the road network is expressed as a set of links that are straight lines representing road portions, and the guide route is also expressed using the links.

Next, FIG. 3B shows the contents of the facility management information.
As shown in the figure, the facility management information includes an entry for each major facility such as a theme park, an amusement facility, a shopping center, and a tourist attraction. Each entry includes a facility ID of the corresponding facility and a representative of the facility. Facility location indicating the location of a typical vehicle entrance, facility name indicating the name of the facility, attached parking lot information, and whether the corresponding facility is a facility that frequently causes congestion in the surrounding area A congestion frequent occurrence factor flag indicated by ON / OFF (ON in the case of a facility causing frequent congestion) is stored. In the attached parking lot information, for each parking lot attached to the corresponding facility, a parking lot ID indicating the identification of the parking lot, the number of parking possible parking lots, and the parking lot entrance position are described.

Hereinafter, the operation of such a navigation system will be described.
A route guidance operation for the user of the navigation device 1 will be described.
First, the operation when the destination is not set in the navigation device 1 will be described.
The main control unit 105 of the navigation device 1 checks whether the map data around the current position calculated by the map matching processing unit 102 is stored in the map data memory 101. If not stored, the map matching processing unit 102 The calculated map data request around the current position is issued to the service providing control unit 31 of the navigation service server 3 via the wireless communication device 13 and received from the navigation service server 3 as a response to the map data request. Is repeatedly stored in the map data memory 101 in the data update processing unit 104. However, if the calculation of the current position of the map matching processing unit 102 fails because the map data required for the map matching process is not stored in the map data memory 101, the current position calculated by the GPS receiver 12 is used. A request for peripheral map data is issued, and the map data received as a response is stored in the map data memory 101 in the data update processing unit 104.

  On the other hand, when the service provision control unit 31 of the navigation service server 3 receives a request for map data from the navigation device 1, the service provision control unit 31 requests the map data provision service unit 33 to obtain the received map data around the current position, and provides the map data provision service. The unit 33 extracts the requested map data from the map database 36 and responds to the service provision control unit 31. Then, the service providing control unit 31 sends the received map data to the requesting navigation apparatus 1. Further, the current position of the entry of the user management information corresponding to the navigation device 1 is updated to the current position received from the navigation device 1.

  Now, the map matching processing unit 102 of the navigation device 1 maps the measurement position measured by the traveling state sensor 11 and the GPS receiver 12 with respect to the map data around the current position previously calculated, which is stored in the map data memory 101. A matching process is performed, and the most likely position on the road as the current position is calculated as the current position. If the map data required for the map matching process is not stored in the map data memory 101, the current position calculation at that time fails, and the current position calculated by the GPS receiver 12 is used as the current position. Further, the map data around the current position calculated by the GPS receiver 12 is stored in the map data memory 101, and the stored map data is used for the next map matching process to calculate the current position. .

  Then, the navigation image generation unit 103 displays the current position calculated by the map matching processing unit 102 on the map image 401 represented by the map data stored in the map data memory 101 as shown in FIG. A navigation image displaying the current position mark 402 shown above is generated and displayed on the display device 15 via the GUI control unit 106. Note that the guide route graphic 403 in the figure is not included in the navigation image because the destination and the guide route are not set here.

Next, destination setting and route guidance operations in the navigation device 1 will be described.
When receiving a destination setting request from the user via the remote controller 14 and the GUI control unit 106, the main control unit 105 accesses the service provision control unit 31 of the navigation service server 3 via the wireless communication device 13. Upon receiving the destination setting information provided by the destination setting service unit 34 (for example, a list of destination candidates and map data of a user desired area), the destination setting service unit 34 displays the information on the display device 15 via the GUI control unit 106. The destination setting is received from the user via the remote controller 14. When receiving the destination setting, the main control unit 105 sends a guidance route calculation request including the current position calculated by the map matching processing unit 102 and the destination received from the user as parameters via the wireless communication device 13. And issued to the service provision control unit 31.

  When receiving the guidance route calculation request, the service provision control unit 31 of the navigation service server 3 requests the guidance route calculation service unit 32 to calculate the guidance route from the current position indicated as the parameter of the guidance route calculation request to the destination. . The guidance route calculation service unit 32 refers to the map data in the map database 36, searches for the guidance route from the requested current position to the destination, generates route information indicating the route of the searched guidance route, and provides the service Responds to the control unit 31. The service provision control unit 31 causes the map data provision service unit 33 to extract map data around the guidance route indicated by the route information received from the guidance route calculation service unit 32, and the extracted map data and route information around the guidance route. To the navigation device 1 as guidance route data. In addition, the service provision control unit 31 stores the guidance route that responded to the destination received earlier in the entry corresponding to the navigation device 1 that requested the guidance route calculation request in the user management table 38.

On the other hand, the main control unit 105 of the navigation device 1 causes the data update processing unit 104 to store the guide route data sent from the navigation service server 3 via the wireless communication device 13 in the map data memory 101.
When the guidance route data is stored in the map data memory 101, the navigation image generation unit 103 stores the guidance data in the map data memory 101 as shown in FIG. 4a based on the guidance route data stored in the map data memory 101. On the map image 401 represented by the stored map data, a navigation image displaying a current position mark 402 indicating the current position calculated by the map matching processing unit 102 on the map and a guidance route graphic 403 representing the guidance route is displayed. It is generated and displayed on the display device 15 via the GUI control unit 106.

  When the calculated current position reaches the vicinity of the destination, the navigation device 1 terminates the route guidance, discards the guidance route data stored in the map data memory 101, and terminates the route guidance with the wireless communication device 13. To the service provision control unit 31 of the navigation service server 3. Receiving this, the service provision control unit 31 of the navigation service server 3 deletes the destination and the guidance route of the entry of the user management information corresponding to the navigation device 1 that is the transmission source of the route guidance end.

The operation of presenting traffic jam information in the navigation system will be described below.
First, the traffic information distribution process performed by the VICS information provision service unit 35 of the navigation service server 3 will be described.
FIG. 5 shows the procedure of the traffic information distribution process.
As shown in the drawing, in this process, first, newly generated traffic information is acquired from the VICS center 5 (step 502). If the acquired traffic information is not traffic jam information indicating traffic jam (step 504), the traffic information is distributed to each navigation device 1 via the service provision control unit 31 and WAN 2 (step 530).

On the other hand, if the acquired traffic information is traffic jam information (step 504), the following processing is performed on the traffic jam information.
That is, first, the facility entrance position of the facility of one of the entries in which the head of the traffic congestion section indicated by the traffic congestion information (corresponding to the position of the first vehicle in the traffic congestion section) is set to ON in the frequent traffic congestion factor flag of the facility management information It is determined from the facility position of the entry whether it is in the vicinity (for example, within 20 m) (step 506), and if so, it is determined that the vehicle heading to the facility of the entry is a factor of traffic jam and the step 536 The facility of the entry is set as the target facility, and the process proceeds to step 522. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step 508. Then, in step 508, an area having a predetermined size centered on the facility position of any entry whose ON is set in the congestion frequent occurrence factor flag of the facility management information (for example, 2km square area), if it is not included, the process proceeds to step 510 as it is, and if it is included, the facility location vicinity of the entry (for example, within 200 m) Is determined with reference to the user management information whether the number of vehicles in the area of the predetermined size centered on the facility location is m or more (step 534). It is determined that the vehicle heading to the facility of the entry is a cause of the traffic jam, and the facility of the entry is set as the target facility in step 536 and then the step is performed. Proceeds to flop 522, if it is less than m stand directly proceeds to step 510.

  Next, in step 510, a vehicle having a current position on a link included in a traffic jam section is extracted with reference to the user management information, and it is determined whether n or more vehicles have been extracted (step 512). If only n vehicles are extracted, the process proceeds to step 530. On the other hand, when n or more vehicles are extracted, referring to the user management information, the ratio of the number of vehicles whose destination is the vicinity of the congestion start position in the extracted vehicles to the number of extracted vehicles If the calculated ratio is less than h (for example, 25%) (step 514), the process proceeds to step 530, and if the calculated ratio is equal to or greater than h, the process proceeds to step 516.

  In step 516, a facility having the vicinity of the congestion start position as the facility entrance position is searched with reference to the facility management table, and if such a facility can be searched (step 518), the facility can be searched. The facility is set as a target facility (step 520), and the process proceeds to step 522. On the other hand, when such a facility cannot be searched, the address of the traffic jam head position is added to the traffic information which is traffic jam information (step 532), and the process proceeds to step 530.

  However, in step 514, the ratio of the number of vehicles whose destinations are in the vicinity of the same point among the vehicles extracted in step 510 is calculated with reference to the user management information. If the calculated ratio is less than h, Proceeding to step 530, if the calculated ratio is equal to or greater than h, the process proceeds to step 516 with the position obtained by averaging the destinations of the vehicles with the ratio equal to or greater than h as the target position. You may make it search the facility which makes a position vicinity the facility entrance position with reference to a facility management table.

  In step 522, referring to the entry of the target facility of the facility management information, the facility information such as the facility position and the facility name of the target facility is extracted, and the extracted facility information is added to the traffic information that is traffic congestion information. To do. In addition, the facility-attached parking lot information of the target facility entry of the facility management information is acquired (step 524), and the acquired facility-attached parking lot information indicates that the target facility has a plurality of parking lots. In the case (step 526), the facility-attached parking lot information is added to the traffic information that is the traffic jam information as the parking lot information (step 528), and the process proceeds to step 530. On the other hand, if a plurality of parking lots are not attached to the target facility, the process proceeds to step 530 as it is.

And finally, in step 530, traffic information is delivered to each navigation apparatus 1 via the service provision control part 31 and WAN2.
Next, traffic information presentation processing performed by the main control unit 105 in each navigation device 1 will be described.
FIG. 6 shows the procedure of the traffic information presentation process.
As shown in the figure, in this process, when traffic information is received from the navigation service server 3 via the wireless communication device 13 (step 602), first, it is checked whether or not the traffic information is traffic information indicating traffic congestion. (Step 604) If the traffic information is not traffic congestion, non-traffic traffic information presentation processing for presenting the traffic information is performed (Step 636), and the process returns to Step 602. In this non-traffic congestion information presentation process, for example, if the traffic information represents the occurrence of an accident or construction in the geographical range corresponding to the currently displayed map image 401 included in the navigation image, Processing for displaying a mark indicating an accident or under construction at a position on the map image 401 corresponding to the accident or under construction is performed.

  On the other hand, if the traffic information is information representing traffic congestion (step 604), first, at least a part of the traffic congestion section represented by the traffic information is included in the navigation image and corresponds to the map image 401 currently displayed. If it is not included, the map data memory 101 is checked whether a guidance route including a link included in the traffic jam section is currently set (step 606). Step 630), if not set, return to Step 602 as it is. On the other hand, when a guidance route including a link included in the traffic jam section is set, an information display window 410 is set on the navigation image via the GUI control unit 106 as shown in FIG. 7a (step 632). ) The distance from the current position to the end position of the traffic jam section (corresponding to the position of the last vehicle in the traffic jam section) is calculated and displayed on the information display window 410 via the GUI control unit 106 (step 634). Proceed to

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step 606 that at least a part of the traffic jam section is included in the geographical range corresponding to the currently displayed map image 401 included in the navigation image, As shown in FIG. 4b, a traffic jam section graphic 404 representing a traffic jam section on the map image 401 is drawn on the navigation image via the GUI control unit 106 (step 608). Then, the information display window 410 having the shape of a balloon from the traffic jam section graphic 404 drawn via the GUI control unit 106 is set (step 610), and the process proceeds to step 612.

  Next, in step 612, it is checked whether or not the facility information is added to the traffic information. If the facility information is added, as shown in FIGS. 7a and 4b, the vehicle heading for the facility whose facility name is indicated by the facility information. The information display window 410 is displayed via the GUI control unit 106 that there is a possibility that a traffic jam has occurred (step 638), and the process proceeds to step 618. On the other hand, when an address is added to the traffic information instead of the facility information (step 614), the GUI control unit 106 displays in the information display window 410 that there is a possibility that traffic congestion has occurred in the vehicle heading to the address. (Step 640), and the process proceeds to step 618. On the other hand, if neither the facility information nor the address is added to the traffic information, only the occurrence of traffic congestion is displayed on the information display window 410 via the GUI control unit 106 (step 616), and the process proceeds to step 618.

  In step 618, it is checked whether or not a guidance route including a link included in the traffic congestion section is set. If a guidance route including a link included in the traffic congestion section is not set, the information display window 410 displays a fixed amount. After the elapse of the period, the information display window 410 is deleted (step 628), and the process returns to step 602.

  On the other hand, if the guidance route including the link included in the traffic jam section is set (step 618), the facility information or address is further added to the traffic information, and the facility or address indicated by the added facility information is added. Is in the vicinity of the destination (step 620). If it is not in the vicinity of the destination, as shown in FIG. 4c or 7b, an instruction as to whether or not to bypass the traffic jam section is accepted by displaying the button 411 on the information display window 410 (step 622) and detour is performed. When this is instructed by the button 411 (step 624), a service route control request 31 is sent via the wireless communication device 13 to the guidance route calculation request on the condition that the traffic congestion section corresponding to the information display window 410 is detoured. (Step 626). Then, the information display window 410 is deleted (step 628), and the processing returns to step 602. On the other hand, if it is not instructed by the button 411 to bypass, the information display window 410 is deleted after a certain period of time has elapsed from the display of the information display window 410 (step 628), and the process returns to step 602. .

  Here, when the service provision control unit 31 of the navigation service server 3 receives this guidance route calculation request, the guidance route from the current position shown as a parameter of the guidance route calculation request to the destination is indicated to the guidance route calculation service unit 32. By requesting the calculation of a guidance route that does not pass through the traffic jam section that is detoured by the calculation request, a guidance route that bypasses the designated traffic jam section is obtained and set in the user management information and responds to the navigation device 1 To do. The navigation device 1 that has received the response updates the guidance route by updating the guidance route data in the map memory with the guidance route data that has been answered as described above.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step 620 that the facility information or address is added to the traffic information and the facility or address indicated by the added facility information is near the destination, a parking lot is included in the traffic information. It is checked whether or not information is added (step 642). If it is not added, the information display window 410 is erased after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the display of the information display window 410 (step 628), and step 602. Return to processing from. When the parking lot information is added, as shown in FIG. 4d or 7c, a button 412 for accepting the change of the destination parking lot is displayed on the information display window 410, and the parking lot as the destination is displayed. When changing the parking lot is accepted by displaying a button (step 644) and when changing the parking lot as the destination is accepted (step 646), a map near the destination is acquired from the navigation service server 3. In addition to displaying the acquired map, the current destination and the location of the multiple parking lots indicated by the parking lot information and the congestion section are displayed on the displayed map, and any parking lot is displayed on the displayed map. By accepting it as a new destination, a change in the destination is accepted. And the guidance route calculation request | requirement which makes the destination the designated parking lot is issued to the service provision control part 31 via the wireless communication apparatus 13 (step 648). Then, the information display window 410 is deleted (step 628), and the processing returns to step 602. On the other hand, when the button 412 is not instructed to change the parking lot as the destination (step 646), the information display window 410 is deleted after a certain period of time has elapsed from the display of the information display window 410 ( Step 628), returning to the processing from Step 602.

  Here, when the service provision control unit 31 of the navigation service server 3 receives this guidance route calculation request, the guidance route calculation service unit 32 notifies the guidance route calculation service unit 32 of the guidance route from the current position shown as a parameter of the guidance route calculation request to the destination. By requesting the calculation, a guidance route detouring the designated traffic jam section is obtained and set in the user management information, and the navigation device 1 is responded. The navigation device 1 that has received the response updates the guidance route by updating the guidance route data in the map memory with the guidance route data that has been answered as described above.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
By the way, in the above embodiment, the main control unit 105 of the navigation device 1 may further perform the following processing.
That is, when traffic information indicating traffic congestion is received at a predetermined frequency or more or a frequency more than a predetermined frequency for a facility or address near a frequently visited location such as a user's home or user's work location, A section where traffic congestion occurs in the vicinity of the facility or address indicated by the facility information is always set as a caution section, and when traffic information including the section is received, this is displayed unconditionally. In addition, when issuing a guide route calculation request or issuing a guide route calculation request for frequent stopovers, a guide route calculation request is always issued under the condition of detouring the attention section.

By the way, in the above embodiment, when the navigation device 1 prompts the user to detour the user's traffic jam section or change the destination by displaying the buttons 411 and 422, and the user gives such an instruction. The guidance route is changed according to the instructions, but this is not a parking lot that automatically bypasses the traffic jam section or the destination is the current destination without receiving an instruction from the user. You may make it change the guidance route used as other parking lots. That is, for example, in the traffic information presentation process of FIG. 6, when the determination at step 642 is true, the process proceeds to step 648 as it is, or when the determination at step 622 is false, the process proceeds to step 626 as it is. Also good. In addition, when the above destination is automatically changed to a parking lot different from the parking lot that is the current destination, a new parking lot is considered in consideration of the parking lot availability indicated by the traffic information received from the navigation service server 3. It is preferable to select a parking lot as a destination.
In addition, such a change in the guidance route is a factor of a traffic congestion facility among vehicles having a portion overlapping the traffic jam section and the guidance route by determining the state of each navigation device 1 on the navigation service server 3 side. For vehicles that do not have a destination as a destination, use a guidance route that bypasses the traffic congestion section. It is also possible to automatically search for a guidance route as a destination and transmit the searched guidance route to the navigation device 1 for setting. Similarly, when the above destination is automatically changed to a parking lot that is different from the parking lot that is the current destination, the vacant state of the parking lot indicated by the traffic information obtained from the VICS center 5 is considered. It is preferable to select a parking lot as a new destination.

  Moreover, although the above embodiment demonstrated the case where the navigation service server 3 searched the guidance route of each navigation apparatus 1, the estimation of the facility which is a factor of the traffic jam in the navigation service server 3 of this embodiment and The technique of presenting each navigation device 1 to the user is that each navigation device 1 searches the navigation service server 3 from the navigation device 1 to the navigation service server 3 even if it searches for its own guidance route. It can be similarly applied by notifying the guide route.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the content of the user management information and facility management information used in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display screen of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the traffic information delivery process of the navigation service server which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the traffic information presentation process of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display screen of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus, 2 ... WAN, 3 ... Navigation service server, 4 ... VICS network, 5 ... VICS center, 10 ... Control apparatus, 11 ... Running condition sensor, 12 ... GPS receiver, 13 ... Wireless communication apparatus, 14 ... Remote control unit, 15 ... display device, 31 ... service provision control unit, 32 ... guidance route calculation service unit, 33 ... map data provision service unit, 34 ... destination setting service unit, 35 ... VICS information provision service unit, 36 ... map database 37 ... Facility management database, 38 ... User management table, 101 ... Map data memory, 102 ... Map matching processing unit, 103 ... Navigate image generation unit, 104 ... Data update processing unit, 105 ... Main control unit, 106 ... GUI Control unit 107 ... memory 108 ... wireless communication interface.

Claims (10)

A navigation system including a plurality of navigation devices mounted on each automobile for guiding traveling along a guidance route set between a current position and a destination, and a server device communicating with the plurality of navigation devices. Because
The server device
Vehicle information collecting means for collecting the current position and the destination of each navigation device;
A traffic jam information acquisition means for acquiring traffic jam information indicating the occurrence of the traffic jam and the section where the traffic jam occurs;
A congestion factor facility estimation means for estimating a facility that is a factor of the congestion indicating the occurrence of the congestion information as a congestion factor facility;
Congestion information distribution means for distributing the congestion information to each navigation device together with information on the estimated congestion factor facility,
The navigation device
Congestion information presenting means for presenting the congestion information distributed from the server device together with information on the congestion factor facility distributed together with the congestion information,
The traffic congestion factor facility estimation means of the server device, when the destination of each navigation device having a current position around at least the traffic congestion section indicated by the traffic congestion information is concentrated in the vicinity of the specific point A navigation system characterized in that a nearby facility is estimated as the congestion factor facility. The navigation system according to claim 1,
The traffic congestion factor facility estimation means of the server device, when the destination of each navigation device having a current position on the traffic congestion section indicated by the traffic congestion information is concentrated in the vicinity of the specific point, A navigation system, wherein a facility is estimated as the congestion factor facility. The navigation system according to claim 1,
The traffic congestion factor facility estimation means of the server device, when the destination of each navigation device having a current position on the traffic congestion section indicated by the traffic congestion information is concentrated near a specific point near the traffic congestion start point, A navigation system characterized by estimating a facility near a specific point as the congestion factor facility. The navigation system according to claim 1, 2, or 3,
The server device includes guidance route setting means for searching for a route from the current position of the navigation device to the destination for each navigation device and setting the navigation device as the guidance route. A featured navigation device. The navigation system according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4,
The navigation device guides the user to select a route that avoids the traffic congestion section when there is an overlapping portion between the guidance route installed in the vehicle and the traffic congestion section indicated by the distributed traffic congestion information. A navigation device comprising traffic jam avoidance guidance means. The navigation system according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4,
The server device
A navigation device having a traffic jam avoidance guidance unit for guiding a user of the navigation device to select a route that avoids the traffic jam section with respect to the navigation device having an overlapping portion in the traffic jam section indicated by the traffic route information and the guidance route, Navigation device. The navigation system according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6,
The traffic jam information presenting means of the navigation device,
A navigation system characterized by presenting the occurrence of a traffic jam together with information on the traffic congestion factor facility when the current position is in the vicinity of the traffic jam section indicated by the delivered traffic jam information. The navigation system according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6,
The traffic jam information presenting means of the navigation device, when there is an overlapping section between the guidance route set for the vehicle and the traffic jam section indicated by the distributed traffic jam information, A navigation system characterized by presenting the information together with the information. The navigation system according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6,
The traffic information presenting means of the navigation device displays an image including a map and a traffic congestion section graphic representing the traffic congestion section indicated by the distributed traffic congestion information on the map, and is associated with the traffic congestion section graphic. A navigation system characterized by displaying information related to the congestion factor facility. A navigation system including a plurality of navigation devices mounted on each automobile for guiding traveling along a guidance route set between a current position and a destination, and a server device communicating with the plurality of navigation devices. A traffic information presentation method for presenting traffic information to a user of the navigation device at
In the server device, collecting the current position and destination of each navigation device;
In the server device, obtaining traffic information indicating occurrence of traffic and a section where traffic is occurring;
In the server device, when the destinations of the navigation devices having the current position at least around the traffic congestion section indicated by the traffic congestion information are concentrated in the vicinity of the specific point, the facility near the specific point is designated as the traffic jam. Estimating as a factor facility;
In the server device, the traffic information is distributed to each navigation device together with information on the estimated traffic factor facility,
The navigation device includes a step of presenting the traffic information distributed from the server device together with information on the traffic congestion factor facility distributed together with the traffic information.

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