JP4418849B1 - Navigation system, route search server, route search method, and navigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

[PROBLEMS] To efficiently search for a route on which a vehicle is loaded on another transportation means and searching for a route on a normal road.
In a navigation system 10 that includes route search network data 35 expressing a road as a node and a link and searches for an optimum route using a label determination method, a route on which a vehicle is loaded on another transportation means and moves , Warp nodes expressed by the same node are set at both ends of one route section of the route, the warp nodes have no absolute position information, and both ends of the one route section in the road network of route search network data When the search by the label determination method reaches the warp node, the route search means 39 continues the search using the outgoing link from the warp node.
[Selection] Figure 7

Description

  The present invention is a navigation system that searches and guides an optimum route from a set departure point to a destination, and route data such as a car ferry is used as pseudo road data for road network data for route search. In addition, the present invention relates to an improvement in a navigation system in which a route section in which an in-vehicle navigation device is loaded and moved on another transportation means such as a car ferry is also a target of route search. Public transportation that is loaded and operated, and the starting point and waypoint of the transportation that travels over a long distance such as the port that is the terminal, the nodes of the waypoint, the node of the waypoint and the arrival point, Although connected to the road link, the road node is expressed as a warp node expressed by the same node that does not have absolute position information (latitude / longitude). In addition to the network, to a navigation system to perform efficiently route search.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an in-vehicle navigation device that provides an automobile driver with an optimal route from a departure place to a destination has been provided. A conventional navigation device is a map data storage device such as a CD-ROM or an IC card in which map data is recorded, a display device, a gyro, a GPS (Global Positioning System), a vehicle speed sensor, and other current positions and directions of vehicles. It has a vehicle movement detection device to detect, reads out map data including the current position of the vehicle from the map data storage device, and draws a map image around the vehicle position on the display device based on the map data. In addition, the vehicle position mark (location) is displayed superimposed on the map image on the display screen, the map image is scrolled according to the movement of the vehicle, the map image is fixed on the screen, and the vehicle position mark is moved. This allows you to see at a glance where the vehicle is currently driving.

  Usually, such a vehicle-mounted navigation device is equipped with a route guidance function that allows a driver to easily travel to a desired destination without making a mistake on the road. According to this route guidance function, the route with the lowest cost connecting from the starting point to the destination is searched using the map data by performing a simulation calculation using the Dijkstra method etc., and the searched route is the guide route. When driving, the guide route is drawn on the map image with a different color from other roads and displayed on the screen, or the vehicle is within a certain distance at the intersection where the route on the guide route should be changed. By drawing an arrow indicating the route at the intersection where the route should be changed on the map image and displaying it on the screen, the driver can easily grasp the optimum route to the destination. Yes.

  The in-vehicle navigation device is a stand-alone navigation device having a route search function and map data, but such a navigation device needs to have all the functions necessary for navigation, and the device is large. The price was high. Due to recent developments in communication and information processing technologies, so-called communication-type navigation systems that add communication functions via a network to vehicle-mounted navigation devices and communicate with a route search server to acquire guide route data and map data have become widespread. In-car and portable navigation devices are also provided. Furthermore, a system using a mobile phone as a navigation terminal has been put into practical use as a navigation system for pedestrians. Even a system using a mobile phone as a navigation terminal can be used as a passenger seat navigation in which an operator who gets on the passenger seat searches the route and guides the driver.

  A general navigation device, a route search device and a route search method used in a communication navigation system are disclosed in, for example, the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-165681). This navigation system is configured to send information on a departure point and a destination from a portable navigation terminal to an information distribution server, and the information distribution server searches and guides a route that matches a search condition from road network and traffic network data. Has been. As the search condition, there are means for moving from the departure place to the destination, for example, walking, automobile, combined use of railroad and walking, and the route is searched as one of the search conditions.

  The information distribution server has roads (routes) of map data as nodes and nodes as the positions of inflection points, links connecting the nodes as links, and cost information (distance and required time) of all links as a database. ing. Then, the information distribution server sequentially searches for a link from the departure node to the destination node with reference to the database, and traces the node and link with the smallest cost information of the link as a guide route. The shortest route can be guided to the portable navigation terminal. As such a route search method, a method called label determination method or Dijkstra method is used. Patent Document 1 also discloses a route search method using this Dijkstra method.

  Of the routes from the starting point to the destination obtained by the route search, the route with the minimum accumulated cost (distance or time) of the route is determined as the optimum guide route, and guide route data is created. The guide route data includes map data and guidance data in addition to the data of the optimum route, and the guide route data is read from the guide data storage unit as necessary and displayed on the display unit. In general, a guide route and a mark indicating the current position of the navigation device are superimposed on a map of a certain scale and range including the current position of the navigation device measured using the GPS receiver of the navigation device. The current position mark is displayed at the center of the display screen.

  Position information measured using a GPS receiver contains errors, so if the current position is off the guide route, the route matching process that corrects the current position on the guide route or the nearest road on the map A map matching process is performed to correct the image. In addition, guidance points such as intersections are set in the guidance route data, and voice guidance data (for example, a voice message such as “This is a 300m intersection, please turn left”) is added as guidance at the guidance points. In this case, a voice message is reproduced and output via a speaker to guide the user.

  In addition, when the navigation device is used for walking, a traffic network database is provided in addition to the road network data so that a route search including a route section using a transportation facility can be performed. In the traffic network data, each traffic route is treated like a road, each station on the traffic route is a node, and a section connecting each station is a link, but the data of the road network is different from the link data. The link in the data of the traffic network is formed by individual transportation means such as trains and buses determined by the timetable data of the transportation facility. Therefore, the link data in the traffic network data has a fixed departure time from the station that is the end node and a time that arrives at the station that is the other end node, and the difference between the departure time and the arrival time. The required time is the link cost.

  By the way, as a route that the navigation device can move, a route on which a vehicle equipped with a navigation device such as a car ferry or a cart train is loaded on a ship or a railroad vehicle in addition to a route using a road or a transportation system. Is also present. Accordingly, it is preferable that a route on which a vehicle on which a navigation device such as a car ferry or a cart train is mounted as a route search target is loaded and moved on a ship or a rail vehicle is searched together with a route on a general road. In general, in a car ferry or a car train, the total distance of links connecting end points (nodes) such as a harbor or a railway station as a boarding / exiting terminal is overwhelmingly longer than links connecting nodes of roads and traffic routes. In addition, the arrival and departure times of ships and trains at each end point are fixed, and the characteristics are closer to the traffic network data than the road network data.

  An in-vehicle navigation device that expresses a car ferry route as pseudo road data and is included in a route search target by being combined with road network data is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent No. 2556622) described below. And Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent No. 2623394).

  The invention of the in-vehicle navigator disclosed in Patent Document 2 refers to road data stored in storage means, obtains a travel guidance route from the current position to the destination by travel guidance route calculation means, and guides the route on a map image. In the in-vehicle navigator configured to display, the road data in the storage means includes in advance a traffic route on which the vehicle can move other than the actual road as a pseudo road. The travel guidance route is obtained for both the actual road and the pseudo road.

  The invention of the in-vehicle navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 3 is displayed on the screen based on digital map data composed of data on the position of each line segment and the connection state when the actual road shape is approximated by a line segment. In a vehicle travel guidance device that provides a vehicle travel guidance by searching for a route from a starting point set on a road map to a destination, such as a route connected to an existing road on the road map The data of the road outside the road is incorporated into the digital map data, and the route search is performed when the road outside the road such as the route is between the starting point and the destination. The route with the lowest cost is searched after the cost of the line segment outside the road is apparently increased.

JP 2001-165681 A Japanese Patent No. 2556622 Japanese Patent No. 2623394

  First, a general route search method using a label determination method represented by the Dijkstra method will be described. FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a basic configuration of a road network to be a route search target in the present invention. In FIG. 9, road intersections and inflection points are indicated by nodes 1 to 8 (numerically enclosed numbers), and arrow lines connecting the nodes 1 to 8 are indicated by links [1] to [8]. ing. The nodes 1 to 8 and the links [1] to [8] are road data, and are stored together with the map data or as network data for route search. Originally, the road on which the vehicle travels has an up and down lane, and links with directions in each direction should be described. However, in FIG. Only the unidirectional directed link (arrow line) is shown. Of course, this road network is not limited to a road, but may be a route network of public transportation such as a route bus or railroad.

  The numbers described across the arrow lines of each link [1] to link [8] indicate the cost of the link, and the link cost indicates, for example, the distance and required time of the link, In route search by the label determination method (Dijkstra method), the route with the shortest distance and required time is traced, and the route with the smallest cost value is taken as the optimum guide route (guide route with the shortest distance and time). Is to do. In FIG. 9, for example, the cost of the link [1] indicates that the required time is 4 minutes, and the cost of the link [2] indicates that it is 1 minute. Since time conditions are added to network data that uses transportation facilities, it is necessary to separately reflect timetable information in links and link costs.

  In such a route network, for example, when searching for an optimum route to move from the node 1 to the node 6, first, the node 1 is departed, and the link [1] is followed to reach the node 2. The cost (required time) of this link [1] is “4”. The outgoing links from node 2 are link [2] and link [7], and their costs are “1” and “4”. In this way, following the links that can reach the node 6 in order and calculating the total cost, the first route is a route that reaches the node 6 via the node 1, the node 2, the node 3, the node 4, and the node 5. Yes, the accumulated cost is “14”. The second route is a route that reaches the node 6 through the node 1, the node 2, and the node 5, and its cost accumulation is “13”. Therefore, the route with the shortest required time is the second route, and a normal route search is to output this as the guide route.

  FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining in detail the route search procedure in the road network as shown in FIG. 9 using the Dijkstra method (label determination method). As shown in FIG. 10A, it is assumed that the departure point is node 1 and the destination is node 6. Since node 1 is the departure place, the circle is shown with diagonal lines. Similarly, in the following route network diagrams, nodes for which a route search is in progress are indicated by hatching the circles. Then, the route search is started by setting the potential of the departure node 1 as “P = 0”.

The link that leaves node 1 (the outgoing link) is only link [1]. this
Extract
[1] 0 + 4 = 4
It expresses. The meaning of this expression is that the link [1] is a node where the link 1 reaches the potential obtained by adding the link cost “4” (hereinafter simply referred to as cost) of the link [1] to the potential “P = 0” of the node 1 It means to bring to 2.

  That is, the potential of a certain node indicates the cumulative cost of the link that has reached that node. The calculation means calculates the potential with reference to road network data, and the potential of the calculation result is stored in the work memory together with the link number of the link that brings about the result. That is, the working memory stores the link number and the cumulative value of the link cost of each link that has been reached until the link is reached.

  The sort portion of the working memory can store data in a so-called tree format called “heap” and can perform sort processing according to the magnitude relationship of the stored data (value). It is memory. In this specification, the process of storing the link cost accumulated value and link number of the searched link in the work memory is called “heap registration”, and the process of sorting the registered data to obtain the minimum value is called “heap sort”. To do. In the state of FIG. 10A, since there is only one element registered in the heap, the link [1] has the minimum value “4”, and the route to the node 2 is linked as shown in FIG. 10B. Determine [1]. That is, the potential of node 2 is determined as “P = 4”, which is the current minimum label.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10C, there are two arrows from the node 2 (out link: link [2] and link [7]). This outgoing link is a link that the route search unit will follow from now on. This outgoing link is called search diffusion, and an outgoing link from a certain reaching node is called a spread link. The state of this spreading link is
Extract
[7] = 4 + 4 = 8
[2] = 4 + 1 = 5
It is represented by The link [6] is not selected because it is an incoming link to the node 2. Similarly, each time a node is reached by following the node and link until reaching the destination node 6, the cost of the diffusing link is accumulated and the potential of the reaching node of the diffusing link is calculated. go.

In FIG. 10C, since the reaching node 3 and the node 5 are not destination nodes, the search further proceeds to the links [3], [5], and [8] spreading from the respective nodes 3 and 5. The search is performed until the links spread in this way reach the destination node, and when each link reaches the destination node (node 6 in this example), the destination when the route is the route is used. Node potential (cumulative cost) is determined. The route with the lowest determined potential is the optimum route. A link that spreads from a node (outgoing link) is also called “a sprouting link” using another terminology.

  Here, a memory configuration for heap registration and heap sort in the working memory and its operation will be described. 11A and 11B are conceptual diagrams showing the structure of data stored in the work memory. FIG. 11A shows the concept of data registered in a tree shape, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the arrangement | sequence memorize | stored in the memory for operation. As shown in FIG. 11A, the structure of the data to be registered in the heap is a tree shape, but in reality, it is an array on the working memory as shown in FIG. It is a pair. For example, in FIG. 11, A is the data that is the root of the tree, and data B and C related to this data A are connected. Furthermore, data D and data E are stored in data B, and data F and data are stored in data C. Although G has a continuous structure, the actual data A to G are arranged and stored on the working memory as shown in FIG.

  The data stored here is a pair of link number and cost, and the cost of route search is a non-negative number because it is time or distance. The heap sort is performed by comparing the heap registration costs in this way, and the minimum data is extracted from the root of the tree (the vertex of the tree). In this way, the route with the lowest cost is determined. In addition, using such a search method, it is also possible to adopt a method of searching a plurality of candidate routes from the first optimal route to the k-th optimal route in ascending order of cost, in addition to the optimal route, and presenting it to the user. .

  As in the navigation devices disclosed in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 described above, a route such as a car ferry is simulated as a road, and a departure port, a transit port, and an arrival port are used as nodes. By connecting the links with each other and adding the link cost to the road network data as the time required for the car ferry to travel, a route that travels using the car ferry can be targeted for route search.

  However, when the techniques disclosed in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 are applied, there is a problem that the processing load of route search is heavy. As described above, in the route search using the Dijkstra method, the search is diffused every time the node is reached, and the node link potential is determined by calculating the link cost accumulated value at the reaching node of the spread link. Map data and network data are divided into meshes having a predetermined latitude range and longitude range, and nodes are set at the boundaries of the meshes to divide links.

  When a car ferry route is simulated as a road and the departure port, transit port, and arrival port are nodes, the link between each node is logically a single link, but the port between ports such as a car ferry When the distance is long, the link when the route is simulated as a road is naturally classified by the nodes of the mesh boundary. For this reason, in the process of route search spreading from the node of the departure point, after reaching the port node where the car ferry starts, the node reaches, selects the link to spread, the potential of the link arrival node ( (Calculation of the total cost) must be repeated until it reaches the node of the port that is the destination. That is, there is a waste of carefully searching for a single road whose destination is known every time it goes to a sectioned node or link, which increases the processing load of route search and is extra for determining the optimum route. There is a problem that it takes time. In addition, the invention of Patent Document 3 merely sets a higher cost for the car ferry route and the like, and does not determine an accurate arrival time when the car ferry is used. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to know which land will arrive earlier.

  The inventor of the present application has conducted various studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, and as a result, public transportation such as a car ferry that loads and operates vehicles and travels a section of a terminal, such as a port, over a long distance. The nodes of the starting point and waypoint of the transportation system that is operated in this way are represented by the same node that is connected to the road link but has no absolute position information (latitude / longitude). In addition to the road network as a warp node, if the required time of the route is added to the link cost of the outgoing link of the warp node, it will arrive instantly when the route search spread reaches the node where the car ferry starts The present invention has been completed by conceiving that the route search process can be made more efficient by extending to the outgoing link of the node as the point.

  That is, the present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is a public transportation that loads and operates a vehicle such as a car ferry and operates over a long distance in a section such as a terminal port. A warp node that expresses the starting point and waypoint of the transported transportation, the nodes of the waypoints, and the node of the waypoint and the arrival point, which are connected to the road link, but are represented by the same node that does not have absolute position information (latitude / longitude) In addition to the road network, an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation system that efficiently searches for a route.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is
In a navigation system comprising at least route search network data expressing a road as a node and a link, and route search means for searching for an optimum route from a set departure point to a destination using a label determination method,
A warp node expressed by the same node is set at both ends of one route section of the route for a route on which the vehicle is loaded on another transportation means, and the warp node has no absolute position information, and the route Linked to roads near both ends of the one route section in the road network of the search network data,
The route search means is characterized in that, when the search by the label determination method reaches the warp node, the search is continued using the outgoing link from the warp node.

  The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system includes a link cost calculation unit, and the link cost calculation unit performs a search by a label determination method in the warp node. Upon arrival, in calculating the cost of the outgoing link from the warp node, a value obtained by adding the use cost of the transportation means to the link cost of the outgoing link is used as the link cost.

  The invention according to claim 3 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 2, wherein the link cost calculation means refers to the operation timetable of the transportation means when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node. Then, the use cost of the transportation means is calculated.

  Further, the invention according to claim 4 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 2, wherein the link cost calculation means has an operation timetable when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein, when the vehicle is operated at any time, an average required time of a route using the transportation means is used as a usage cost.

  Further, the invention according to claim 4 of the present application is the navigation system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the usage cost includes the arrival of the warp node and the departure of the transportation means. The waiting time is included.

The invention according to claim 6 of the present application is
Connected via a network to a terminal device that makes a route search request by setting route search conditions including a departure point and a destination, and at least the route search network data that expresses a road as a node and a link, and the set departure In a route search server comprising a route search means for searching for an optimal route from a place to a destination using a label determination method,
A warp node expressed by the same node is set at both ends of one route section of the route for a route on which the vehicle is loaded on another transportation means, and the warp node has no absolute position information, and the route Linked to roads near both ends of the one route section in the road network of the search network data,
The route search means is characterized in that, when a search by a label determination method reaches the warp node, the search is continued using an outgoing link from the warp node.

  The invention according to claim 7 of the present application is the route search server according to claim 6, wherein the route search server includes a link cost calculation unit, and the link cost calculation unit performs the warp search by the label determination method. When reaching the node, when calculating the cost of the outgoing link from the warp node, a value obtained by adding the use cost of the transportation means to the link cost of the outgoing link is used as the link cost.

  The invention according to claim 8 of the present application is the route search server according to claim 7, wherein the link cost calculation means calculates an operation timetable of the transportation means when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node. With reference to this, the use cost of the means of transportation is calculated.

  The invention according to claim 9 of the present application is the route search server according to claim 7, wherein the link cost calculation means calculates the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node, and the transportation means calculates the operation timetable. In the case where the vehicle is operated at any time without being provided, the average required time of the route using the transportation means is used as the use cost.

  The invention according to claim 10 of the present application is the route search server according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the transportation means starts after the arrival at the warp node at the usage cost. It is characterized by including the waiting time until.

The invention according to claim 11 of the present application is
Connected via a network to a terminal device that makes a route search request by setting route search conditions including a departure point and a destination, and at least the route search network data that expresses a road as a node and a link, and the set departure In a route search method in a route search server, comprising:
A warp node expressed by the same node is set at both ends of one route section of the route for a route on which the vehicle is loaded on another transportation means, and the warp node has no absolute position information, and the route Linked to roads near both ends of the one route section in the road network of the search network data,
The route search means is characterized in that, when the search by the label determination method reaches the warp node, the search is continued using the outgoing link from the warp node.

  The invention according to claim 12 of the present application is the route search method according to claim 11, wherein the route search server includes a link cost calculation unit, and the link cost calculation unit performs the warp search by a label determination method. When reaching the node, when calculating the cost of the outgoing link from the warp node, a value obtained by adding the use cost of the transportation means to the link cost of the outgoing link is used as the link cost.

  The invention according to claim 13 of the present application is the route search method according to claim 12, wherein the link cost calculation means calculates an operation timetable of the transportation means when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node. With reference to this, the use cost of the means of transportation is calculated.

  Further, the invention according to claim 14 of the present application is the route search method according to claim 12, wherein the link cost calculating means calculates the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node, and the transportation means calculates the operation timetable. In the case where the vehicle is operated at any time without being provided, the average required time of the route using the transportation means is used as the use cost.

  The invention according to claim 15 of the present application is the route searching method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the transportation means starts after the arrival at the warp node at the usage cost. It is characterized by including the waiting time until.

The invention according to claim 16 of the present application is
In a navigation device comprising at least route search network data expressing a road as a node and a link, and route search means for searching for an optimum route from a set departure point to a destination using a label determination method,
A warp node expressed by the same node is set at both ends of one route section of the route for a route on which the vehicle is loaded on another transportation means, and the warp node has no absolute position information, and the route Linked to roads near both ends of the one route section in the road network of the search network data,
The route search means is characterized in that, when the search by the label determination method reaches the warp node, the search is continued using the outgoing link from the warp node.

  The invention according to claim 17 of the present application is the navigation apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the navigation apparatus includes a link cost calculation unit, and the link cost calculation unit performs a search based on a label determination method on the warp node. Upon arrival, in calculating the cost of the outgoing link from the warp node, a value obtained by adding the use cost of the transportation means to the link cost of the outgoing link is used as the link cost.

  The invention according to claim 18 of the present application is the navigation device according to claim 17, wherein the link cost calculation means refers to the operation timetable of the transportation means when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node. Then, the use cost of the transportation means is calculated.

  The invention according to claim 19 of the present application is the navigation device according to claim 17, wherein the link cost calculation means has an operation timetable when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node. In the case where the vehicle is operated at any time, the average required time of the route using the transportation means is used as the use cost.

  The invention according to claim 20 of the present application is the navigation device according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the usage cost is from the arrival at the warp node until the transportation starts. The waiting time is included.

  In the invention according to claim 1, in a navigation system that includes route search network data that expresses a road as a node and a link and searches for an optimum route using a label determination method, the vehicle is loaded on another means of transportation and moved. A warp node expressed by the same node is set at both ends of one route section of the route, and the warp node does not have absolute position information, and the one route in the road network of route search network data. When the search by the label determination method reaches the warp node, the route search means continues the search using the outgoing link from the warp node.

  According to such a configuration, for example, the same warp node connected to the roads around Sendai and Tomakomai by links is set at both ends of the route section of the Sendai-Tomakomai car ferry. When the search arrives at the port node of the car ferry on the departure side, for example, the warp node on the Sendai side, it immediately spreads to the outgoing link of the port node of the car ferry on the arrival side, for example, the warp node on the Tomakomai side Thus, the route search can be performed efficiently.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the navigation system according to the first aspect, the navigation system includes a link cost calculation unit, and the link cost calculation unit is configured to perform a search by a label determination method when the search reaches the warp node. In calculating the cost of the outgoing link from the warp node, a value obtained by adding the use cost of the transportation means to the link cost of the outgoing link is used as the link cost.

  According to such a configuration, when the search reaches the warp node, the cost of the route link where the warp node is set, for example, Sendai − Since the value obtained by adding the car ferry usage cost between Tomakomai is used as the link cost, the cost of the route section where the warp node is set can be taken into account when calculating the potential of the arrival node of the outgoing link. When a search reaches a car ferry port node, for example, a Sendai side warp node, it can instantly spread to the arrival link of the arrival car ferry port node, for example, Tomakomai side warp node. Route search can be performed.

  In the invention according to claim 3, in the navigation system according to claim 2, the link cost calculation means refers to the operation timetable of the transportation means when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node, Calculate the use cost of transportation.

  According to this configuration, a route on which a vehicle is loaded on another transportation means can be searched in the same way as a route in a route section using a public transportation such as a general train or bus. Even when a time condition is set in the condition, it can be dealt with.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation system according to the second aspect, the link cost calculating means calculates the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node, and the transportation means does not have an operation timetable and operates at any time. In such a case, the average required time of the route using the transportation means is set as the use cost.

  According to such a configuration, even when other transportation means on which the vehicle is loaded is operated at any time because the operation time is not fixed, the use cost of the route section that moves using the transportation means is calculated. be able to.

  In the invention according to claim 5, in the navigation system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, the usage cost includes a waiting time from the arrival at the warp node to the departure of the means of transportation. Therefore, it is possible to calculate the usage cost of the route section that travels using the transportation means more accurately.

  In the invention according to claims 6 to 10, a route search server constituting the navigation system according to claims 1 to 5 can be configured, and in the invention according to claims 11 to 15, a claim is provided. The route search method in the route search server according to claims 6 to 10 can be provided. In the inventions according to claims 16 to 20, it is possible to provide a stand-alone type navigation apparatus to which the navigation system according to claims 1 to 5 is applied.

1 is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration of a navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the concept of the data of the road network accumulate | stored in the network database for route searches. It is a figure which shows the concept of the route network data of normal public transport, such as a railroad and a bus | bath, accumulate | stored in the network database for route searches. It is a figure which shows the concept of the data concerning this invention of the route network to which a vehicle is mounted on other transportation means and moves. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the concept of the route search in the network shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the concept of the route search between Sendai and Tomakomai shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the detailed structure of the navigation system concerning the Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the link cost calculation of the link germinated from a warp node. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the basics of the road network used as the object of a route search in this invention. In the network conceptual diagram of FIG. 1⇒9, FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a procedure when a route is searched with a node 1 as a departure point and a node 6 as a destination, and FIGS. It is a conceptual diagram shown in order. FIG. 11A is a conceptual diagram showing the structure of data stored in a working memory in the course of a route search. FIG. 11A shows the concept of nodes registered in a tree shape, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the arrangement | sequence where the data of a node and a link are actually memorize | stored in a working memory.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples and drawings. However, the embodiments shown below illustrate a navigation system for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to specify the present invention for this navigation system. The present invention can be equally applied to navigation systems of other embodiments included in the scope.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a configuration of a navigation system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation system 10 includes a terminal device 20 and a route search server 30 that are connected via a network 12. The navigation system 10 includes a POI information distribution server 50 that provides detailed information such as the location and service contents of POIs belonging to various categories, a traffic information distribution server 51 that provides information such as a route network and an operation timetable, and the like. It is configured. In general, such a traffic information distribution server is installed by each transportation company.

  The route search server 30 can acquire necessary data from the POI information distribution server 50 or the traffic information distribution server 51 via the network 12 and add it to its own database. Similarly, a search request can be transmitted to the POI information distribution server 50 or the traffic information distribution server 51 to obtain a desired search result.

  The navigation system 10 according to the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and the route search server 30 may have the function of a map distribution server that distributes the map of the POI location together with the navigation service function. The terminal device 20 can also use a mobile phone, and may be a portable device such as a PDA, a music player, a portable game machine, or a personal computer (PC). Further, the navigation system is not limited to a communication type navigation system, and may be a vehicle-mounted navigation system that operates stand-alone, or a vehicle-mounted and portable navigation system.

  The terminal device 20 shown in FIG. 1 sets a departure point and a destination as route search conditions and makes a route search request to the route search server 30. The route search server 30 includes a map database 34, a route search network database 35, and a timetable database 37. When there is a route search request from the terminal device 20, the route search server 30 searches for a route with reference to the route search network database 35. And it has the general navigation function which transmits the guidance route (recommended route) obtained from the result of route search to the terminal device 20. Further, when there is a request for obtaining map data by designating a desired point or POI from the terminal device 20, the corresponding map data is read with reference to the map database 34 and distributed to the terminal device 20.

  In the route search required network database 35, road network data and traffic network data are accumulated. The traffic network data includes not only route network data of public transportation such as railways, buses, airplanes and ships, but also vehicles. The data of the route traveled by being loaded on other transportation means is also accumulated. 2 and 3 are diagrams showing the concept of road network data stored in the route search network database 35 and the concept of data of a route network of ordinary public transportation such as railways and buses.

The road network data is structured as follows. For example, when the road is composed of roads A, B, and C as shown in FIG. 2, the end points, intersections, and inflection points of the roads A, B, and C are used as nodes, and the roads connecting the nodes are directed links. Link cost data with node data (node latitude / longitude), link data (link number) and link cost of each link (link distance or time required to travel the link) as data Composed.
That is, in FIG. 2, Nn (◯ mark) and Nm (◎ mark) indicate nodes, and Nm (◎ mark) indicates a road intersection. Directional links connecting the nodes are indicated by arrow lines (solid line, dotted line, two-dot chain line). As for the links, there are links facing in the upward and downward directions of the road, but in FIG. 2, only the links in the direction of the arrows are shown for the sake of simplicity.

  When route search is performed using such road network data as a route search database, links linked from the starting node to the destination node are traced to accumulate the link cost, thereby minimizing the accumulated link cost. Search and guide the route. That is, in FIG. 2, when a route search is performed with the departure point as the node AX and the destination as the node CY, the road travels from the node AX to the road A, turns right at the second intersection, enters the road C, and reaches the node CY. The link cost is accumulated sequentially, and a route that minimizes the accumulated link cost is searched for and guided.

  Although other routes from the node AX to the node CY are not shown in FIG. 2, there are actually other such routes, so that a plurality of routes that can be reached from the node AX to the node CY are displayed. A search is performed in the same manner, and a route with the lowest link cost is determined as the optimum route. This method is performed by a well-known method called a label determination method represented by the Dijkstra method described above.

  On the other hand, the traffic network data for route search of the transportation system is configured as follows. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in the case of traffic routes A, B, and C, each station (each airport on an aircraft route) provided on each traffic route A, B, and C is a node, and the nodes are connected. A section is represented by a directional link, and node data (latitude / longitude) and link data (link number) are network data. In FIG. 3, Nn (◯ mark) and Nm (◎ mark) indicate nodes, Nm (◎ mark) indicates a transit point (such as a transfer station) on a traffic route, and a directional link connecting each node. It is indicated by an arrow line (solid line, dotted line, two-dot chain line). As for the links, there are links facing in the upward and downward directions of the traffic route, but in FIG. 3, only the links in the direction of the arrows are shown for the sake of simplicity.

  However, the traffic network basically has a different link cost compared to the road network. In other words, in the road network, the link cost is fixed and static, but in the traffic network, as shown in FIG. 3, trains and airplanes (hereinafter referred to as individual trains and airplanes) that operate the traffic route. A plurality of means of transportation). The time of departure from one node and the time of arrival at the next node are determined for each means of transportation (specified by timetable data and operation data), and individual routes do not necessarily link to adjacent nodes. There is a case. This is the case, for example, with express trains and trains that stop at each station. In such a case, a plurality of different links exist on the same traffic route, and the required time between nodes may differ depending on the transportation means.

  In the transportation network illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of transportation means (routes) Aa to Ac... Exist on the same link of the transportation route A, and a plurality of transportation means (routes) Ca to Cc. Will do. Therefore, unlike a simple road network, the transportation network of a transportation facility has a data amount proportional to the total number of transportation means (routes such as individual aircraft and trains). For this reason, the data of the traffic network becomes a huge amount of data compared to the data amount of the road network.

  In order to search for a route from a certain departure point to a certain destination using such traffic network data, all the means of transportation that can be used (ride) when arriving from the departure point to the destination are searched. It is necessary to specify the means of transportation that matches the search conditions.

  For example, in FIG. 3, when performing a route search with the departure point as the node AX of the traffic route A and specifying a certain departure time and the destination of the node CY of the traffic route C, the route operates on the traffic route A. Of the transportation means Aa to Ac..., All transportation means after the departure time are sequentially selected as the departure route. Based on the arrival time at the transit node on the transit route C, among all the transit means Ca to Cc... Operating on the transit route C, all combinations of transit means after the time that can be boarded at the transit node. The total time required for each route, the number of transfers, and the like are guided.

  Road network data includes roads dedicated to vehicles such as expressways and roads that are not allowed to enter vehicles such as parks. Route search and route guidance for pedestrians require the latter type of road, but the former No need for a road. Conversely, a road like the former is necessary for route search and route guidance for vehicles, but a road like the latter is not necessary. Further, there are cases where the movement from the departure point to the destination by foot or vehicle and the movement by public transportation are used together or not. Although all of these network data can be combined and stored in the network database for route search, if unnecessary network data is included, the diffusion of route search by the label determination method will reach unnecessary links. .

  Therefore, the road network data for pedestrians, the road network data for vehicles, and the network data for transportation are stored separately, and the selection conditions for moving means (walking, vehicle, public transportation) during route search It may be configured to search for a route by combining necessary network data. Linking network data can be easily handled by specifying links connected to nodes. For example, the traffic network data is connected to the road link of the road network data leading to a station or a stop node. Accordingly, it is only necessary to specify which link of the road network data is connected to each node of the traffic network data.

  In the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned network data of normal public transportation, the network data is also stored for the route on which the vehicle is loaded on another transportation means. The route search network database 35 stores the data in a form different from the traffic network data. For example, in normal traffic network data, a car ferry route is simulated as a road and a traffic route, and a departure port, a transit port, and an arrival port are used as nodes, and the nodes are connected by links. However, if this is done, the link between each node is logically one link, but since the distance between the ports is long, the link is also divided by the nodes at the map mesh boundary, and the processing load of route search is reduced. Increase.

  Therefore, in the present invention, with respect to a route on which the vehicle moves while being loaded on another transportation means, nodes at both ends of one route section of the route are set as special concept nodes. The special concept node is, for example, set so that when the search reaches the port node of the car ferry on the departure side, the spread immediately reaches the port node of the car ferry on the arrival side. These two end nodes are the same nodes, have no absolute position information, and are nodes connected to road links near both ends of the route section in the route search network data.

  FIG. 4 shows an example in which such a node is set in a car ferry connecting Tomakomai and Nagoya. This car ferry has Sendai as a stopover. Therefore, node WN1 is set in Tomakomai and Sendai, and node WN2 is set in Sendai and Nagoya. Therefore, nodes WN1 and WN2 are set in Sendai. The nodes WN1 and WN2 do not have geographical (actual) position information represented by latitude and longitude. However, the nodes WN1 and WN2 are set so as to be connected to the road link leading to the arrival / departure wharf of the car ferry.

  For example, the Tomakomai node WN1 has a data structure connected to a road near the car ferry pier at Tomakomai, that is, a road link L200 connected to the node N200 of the road network. Further, the node WN2 in Nagoya has a data structure connected to a road near the car ferry pier in Nagoya, that is, a road link L300 connected to the node N300 in the road network.

  The same applies to Sendai nodes WN1 and WN2, which have a data structure connected to road links L100 and L101 connected to a road near the Sendai car ferry pier, that is, a node N100 of the road network. Expressing the arrival and departure locations of the car ferry as such a node, when the search reaches the port node of the car ferry on the departure side, the diffusion can instantaneously spread to the port node of the car ferry on the arrival side.

  Here, the reason why Sendai's nodes are divided into WN1 and WN2 is that all ferry terminals are made the same node, and at the moment when the route search spread using the Dijkstra method arrives at this node, all the same It will be searched as if the diffusion had struck the node. However, since such a search spread is not realistic, it is a separate node. However, the car ferry “Tomakomai-Sendai-Nagoya” in this example is a direct flight, and it does not matter that the search spreads in Tomakomai (WN1) -Sendai (WN1, WN2) -Nagoya (WN2). Therefore, when nodes are divided like Sendai, the data structure is such that both warp nodes WN1 and WN2 are connected to the road node N100 (links L100 and L101) of the ferry terminal.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the concept of a route search from the departure point S in the vicinity of Sendai to a certain destination. In the course of the route search progress (diffusion), the search is performed by the car ferry shown in FIG. It is a figure explaining the mode before and after reaching the node of Sendai. When the search reaches the road links L100 and L101 (see FIG. 4) connecting to the Sendai car ferry arrival and departure nodes WN1 and WN2, these nodes WN1 and WN2 are the same as the Tomakomai and Nagoya nodes. Therefore, the link spreading from the nodes WN1 and WN2 is a link L200 (see FIG. 4) that connects the node WN1 on the Tomakomai side and the node N200 of the road network. Also, the link L300 (see FIG. 4) connecting the node WN2 on the Nagoya side and the node N300 on the road network, and the search instantaneously reaches the Tomakomai side and the Nagoya side that are the arrival side of the car ferry. The road links to which the Sendai warp nodes WN1 and WN2 are connected are different links L100 and L101 in the above example, but they may be the same road links.

  That is, when the diffusion from the departure point S reaches the nodes WN1 and WN2 in Sendai (dotted line circle image), the diffusion is equivalent to reaching the node WN1 in Tomakomai and the node WN2 in Nagoya. As the diffusion further progresses, the diffusion from the starting point S reaches a solid circle, and the diffusion also grows from the node WN1 in Tomakomai and the node WN2 in Nagoya. This is the operation of search using nodes in the present invention. If the destination is reached as it is, the route except for the car ferry route is known. In order to distinguish from nodes in normal road network data and traffic network data from the nature of the nodes WN1 and WN2, the nodes WN1 and WN2 are referred to as “warp nodes” in the present invention.

  Next, when expanding the diffusion from the warp node on the arrival side, the cost of the route (route section) of the car ferry is adjusted and taken into account. As a result, the link cost of the car ferry is reflected and the route search proceeds. Specifically, the arrival side road links L200 and L300 to which the warp nodes WN1 and WN2 are connected have the cost of the road link (for example, cost X), but reach the search warp nodes WN1 and WN2. The cost of the links L200 and L300 when spreading is the cost X as a road link, the car ferry use cost between Sendai and Tomakomai (for example, cost Y), the car ferry use cost between Sendai and Nagoya (for example, , Cost Z).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram focusing on one warp node, and is a diagram illustrating a case where a route section of a car ferry from Sendai to Tomakomai is a search target in FIG. 5. The warp node WN1 set at the end point (harbour or wharf) of the Sendai car ferry is connected to a node N100 of a nearby road network by a road link L100. The warp node WN1 is connected to a road network node N200 in the vicinity of the end point (port or pier) of the Tomakomai car ferry via a road link L200.

  When the departure point S is in the vicinity of Sendai (see FIG. 5), when the search reaches the node N100 of the road network, the search spreads to the link L100 sprouting from the node N100 and reaches the warp node WN1. Link L100 is an incoming link of warp node WN1. When the spread of the search reaches the warp node WN1, the link that germinates from the warp node WN1 becomes the link L200 that is the outgoing link. Since link L200 is a road link connected to the end point (harbour or wharf) of Tomakomai's car ferry, when the search arrives at warp node WN1, it immediately starts from the vicinity of the Sendai port on the departure side. It spreads near the Tomakomai port.

  The Tomakomai link L200 has a link cost X as a road link, and the link cost X is used in normal cost calculation. However, since the link L200 is a link sprouting from the warp node WN1, the usage cost Y of the route section of the car ferry between Sendai and Tomakomai is added. As a result, the potential of the node N200 on the Tomakomai side takes into account not only the link cost X of the road link L200 but also the use cost Y of the route section of the car ferry between Sendai and Tomakomai.

  This can be achieved by setting a warp node represented by the same node that is connected to a nearby road link but has no absolute position information (latitude / longitude) at the end point of the route section of the car ferry. As described in FIG. 6, it is shown that a result equivalent to searching using a link in the case where a car ferry route section between Sendai and Tomakomai is simulated as a road can be obtained instantaneously. That is, according to the present invention, there is no waste in searching for a car ferry route link. In addition, when the search reaches the warp node, it is possible to make a determination to switch to a cost calculation procedure using a car ferry timetable, and a search based on an actual operation timetable becomes possible.

  Here, the use cost of the car ferry is a required time calculated by referring to the operation timetable of the corresponding car ferry, and when the car ferry does not have an operation timetable and is operated at any time. , The average required time of the route section using the car ferry. More precisely, the usage cost includes the waiting time from the arrival at the warp node to the departure of the car ferry. In this way, a route search including a car ferry use section can be performed without wasteful processing as well as a normal route search using a road.

  If the required time calculated with reference to the operation timetable of the relevant car ferry is used as the usage cost, public transportation such as general trains and buses will also be used for the route on which the vehicle is loaded on other transportation means. A search similar to a route in a route section using an engine can be performed, and a case where a time condition is set as a search condition can be handled. Even in the case of a transportation means that is operated at any time because the operation time is not fixed, the use cost of the route section using the car ferry can be calculated if the average required time is used as the use cost.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the navigation system of FIG. 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, which performs the route search process described above.

  The terminal device 20 is a terminal capable of receiving a navigation service, and includes a control unit 201, a communication unit 21, a GPS reception unit 22, a route re-search request unit 23, a condition setting unit 24, a guide route data storage unit 25, and a display unit. 26 and operation input means 27 are provided.

  In the terminal device 20, the control means 201 is a microprocessor having a RAM, a ROM, and a processor (not shown), and controls the operation of each unit by a control program stored in the ROM. The communication means 21 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving communication data with the route search server 30 and the like via the network 12.

  The GPS receiving means 22 receives a signal from a GPS satellite and calculates the current position by latitude and longitude. The operation input means 27 is composed of keys, dials and the like, performs input for operating the terminal device 20, and is also used as an input function for a departure place, a destination, and the like. The display means 26 comprises a liquid crystal display panel or the like, and is used for displaying a guidance route, a recommended route, or a map distributed (transmitted) from the route search server 30. The display means 26 also functions as an input means for displaying the menu screen and operating the terminal device 20. Further, the display means 26 may be provided with a touch panel function so as to function as an input means for touching and inputting a desired portion on the displayed image.

  Guidance data such as a guidance route and a recommended route transmitted from the route search server 30 to the terminal device 20 is stored in the guidance route data storage means 25 together with the map data, and guidance information such as a guidance route stored in the guidance route data storage means 25 is stored. Data and map data are read out as necessary and displayed on the display means 26.

  The terminal device 20 sets a departure point, a destination, a departure time, a desired arrival time, or the like as a route search condition by the condition setting unit 24. The present invention further adopts a configuration for setting whether or not a route using a public transportation such as a car ferry that is loaded with a vehicle and operated is set as a route search target. In this way, since it is expected that the frequency of using the car ferry is not high for the user, it does not hinder normal route search. Of course, such a route can be automatically set as a route search target in all route searches.

  On the other hand, the route search server 30 includes control means 301, communication means 31, guidance route data editing means 32, cost calculation means 33, map database 34, route search network database 35, warp node setting means 36, timetable database 37, and the like. It is configured with. The route search network data 35 stores road network data, traffic network data, and warp node data set by the warp setting means 36 as described above, and these network data are appropriately combined according to the route search conditions. A route search is performed.

  When there is a route search request from the terminal device 20, the route search server 30 temporarily stores it in the search request storage unit 38. The route search means 39 searches for a plurality of candidate routes from the departure point to the destination with reference to the route search network database 35 according to the route search request stored in the search request storage means 38. When the route search request is a normal route search request, the guide route data obtained as a result of the route search is transmitted to the terminal device 20 together with the map data read from the map database 34. This route search method uses a label determination method typified by the Dijkstra method, like a route search server in a normal navigation system.

  The guidance route data obtained as a result of the route search is transmitted to the terminal device 20 together with the map data. As the map data, unit map data in a predetermined range including the current position of the terminal device 20 (map data divided into areas of a predetermined size by latitude and longitude) is read from the map database 34. The guide route data editing unit 32 edits map data and guide route data into guide information (data) for transmitting to the terminal device 20.

  The timetable database 37 stores route data and timetable data of public transportation such as trains, buses, airplanes, and ships. In addition to public transportation systems on which people ride, there are also stored routes (routes) and timetable data of routes on which vehicles such as car ferries and cart trains are loaded and moved.

  The warp node setting means 36 is based on route data (route) of a route on which a vehicle such as a car ferry or a car train is loaded and moved, for example, both end points of the route section, for example, a departure point and a transit point, via A warp node is set for the place and the waypoint, and the waypoint and the place of arrival. This warp node is represented by the same node that is connected to a road link in the vicinity of each end point but does not have absolute position information (latitude / longitude). Specific examples of the warp node have already been described with reference to FIGS. The network data of the set warp node is stored in the route search network database 35.

  When the route search condition set in the route search request from the terminal device 20 includes a route section in which a vehicle is loaded and moved, such as a car ferry, as a search target, the route search means 39 determines whether the route is from the departure point to the destination. When searching for a route, the route search is performed by combining the warp node data with the road network data stored in the route search network database 35. The warp node is set as the same node at both end points of the car ferry route section, and is connected to the road link in the vicinity of each end point, so it can be easily combined with road network data (for example, (See FIG. 4).

  In the process of the route search by the route search means 39, when the search reaches WN1 from a warp node, for example, the link L100 (Sendai side) in FIG. The link cost of the link, for example, the link L200 (Tomakomai side) in Fig. 6 is calculated, and the link cost calculated here is the link cost X of the link L200 plus the car ferry use cost Y between Sendai and Tomakomai. When the route search means 39 proceeds with the route search from the warp node WN1, the link cost of the link L200 is calculated by the link cost calculation means 33 as described above (the link cost X of the link L200 is sent to Sendai). -Cargo ferry usage cost Y between Tomakomai and the destination node (for example, N200 in FIG. 6) To calculate the potential.

  Here, as described above, the use cost of the car ferry is a required time calculated by referring to the operation timetable of the corresponding car ferry, or an average required time of a route section using the car ferry. The usage cost may include a waiting time from the arrival at the warp node to the departure of the car ferry. Therefore, a route search including a car ferry use section can be performed without wasteful processing as well as a normal route search using a road.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure for calculating the link cost of a link that germinates from a warp node. The route search means 39 shows the process at the time of memorize | storing the link which the search reached in memory (heap: refer FIG. 11) according to Dijkstra method. The route search means 39 checks whether or not the route search arrival node is a warp node, for example, warp nodes WN1 and WN2 (see FIG. 5). If it is a warp node, it is determined whether or not the search spreads from the warp node (step D101). Normally, in this step, a determination to spread from the warp node is obtained, but if not (NO in step S101), the process returns without doing anything. If it is a warp node (YES in step S101), the process proceeds to step S102, where the link cost calculation means 33 calculates the link cost of the outgoing link (sprouting link) of the warp node, and returns that value as the link cost of the outgoing link. To do.

  As described above, for example, in the case of the warp node WN1 shown in FIG. 6, the link cost calculated here is the link cost X as the road link of the link L200, and the car ferry use cost Y between Sendai and Tomakomai. Is added. The route search means 39 continues the search from the warp node on the arrival side using the link cost calculated in this way.

For example, the time required for the car ferry route may be substituted into the cost, and more precisely, the time from the arrival time at the warp node to the departure link of the warp node from the arrival time to the warp node Obtain by referring to the timetable. Specifically, the arrival time of Warp node WN1 in Sendai is 16:00. The next car ferry that can be on board is 19:40. Arrived at Tomakomai at 11:00 the next day. When the original outgoing link L200 cost is 1 minute, the cost of the outgoing link L200 is changed to “19 hours 1 minute” and the process returns. When there are a plurality of outgoing links from the warp node, the link cost is calculated (step S102) for each. In addition, for those that do not have a timetable and are operated at any time, such as a ferry, the average required time is adopted as the cost.

  In the description of the above embodiment, the example in which the warp node setting unit 36 previously sets a warp node at the end point of a route section such as a car ferry and stores it in the route search network database 35 has been described. However, the warp node setting means 36 is stored in the timetable database when there is a route search request that includes a route search condition such as a car ferry as a route search target. A warp node may be set based on the obtained data and combined with the road network data in the route search network database 35.

  In the embodiment, the link cost calculation unit 33 calculates the link cost of the link sprouting from the warp node. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the process of the route search unit 39 performing the route search, After calculating the link cost, the potential of the node reached by the link may be calculated. In addition, the specific form of distribution / integration of the apparatus is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and all or a part of the apparatus can be configured to be functionally or physically distributed / integrated in arbitrary units. .

  As described above in detail, according to the navigation system of the present invention, a route on which a vehicle is loaded on another transportation means is the same node at both ends of one route section of the route, and is absolutely By setting warp nodes that do not have position information and are connected to road links near both ends of the route section, the route is searched on a normal road, and the vehicle is loaded on another means of transportation. It is possible to efficiently search for a route to be performed. That is, when using a car ferry or when going by land only, the search proceeds with the same search, so an optimum route is obtained. Since the cost of the outgoing link increases, it remains in the memory (heap) for a while, but when searching for a remote island or the like, it cannot be reached by land, so it will eventually be taken out from the heap and become the search route.

  The present invention can be applied not only to a vehicle-mounted navigation system but also to a communication-type mobile navigation system, a vehicle-mounted navigation system and a portable navigation system. The route search of the present invention can also be applied to the case where only the user moves using a transportation means such as a car ferry without actually loading a vehicle.

10 .... Navigation system 12 ... Network 20 ... Terminal device 201 ... Control means 21 ... Communication means 22 ... GPS reception means 23 ... Route re-search request Means 24 ... Condition setting means 25 ... Guide route data storage means 26 ... Display means 27 ... Operation input means 30 ... Route search server 301 ... Control means 31 ... communication means 32 ... guide data editing means 33 ... link cost calculation means 34 ... map database 35 ... route search network database 36 ... warp node setting means 37 ... Timetable database 38 ... Search request storage means 39 ... Route search means

Claims (20)

In a navigation system comprising at least route search network data expressing a road as a node and a link, and route search means for searching for an optimum route from a set departure point to a destination using a label determination method,
A warp node expressed by the same node is set at both ends of one route section of the route for a route on which the vehicle is loaded on another transportation means, and the warp node has no absolute position information, and the route Linked to roads near both ends of the one route section in the road network of the search network data,
The route search means, when the search by the label determination method reaches the warp node, continues the search using the outgoing link from the warp node.   The navigation system includes a link cost calculation unit, and the link cost calculation unit calculates a cost of the outgoing link when calculating a cost of the outgoing link from the warp node when a search by a label determination method reaches the warp node. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein a value obtained by adding a use cost of the transportation means to the link cost is used as the link cost.   The link cost calculation means calculates the use cost of the transportation means by referring to the operation timetable of the transportation means when calculating the utilization cost of the outgoing link from the warp node. The described navigation system.   The link cost calculation means calculates the average required time of the route using the transportation means when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node when the transportation means is operated at any time without an operation timetable. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein a usage cost is set.   The navigation system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the usage cost includes a waiting time from the arrival at the warp node to the departure of the transportation means. Connected via a network to a terminal device that makes a route search request by setting route search conditions including a departure point and a destination, and at least the route search network data that expresses a road as a node and a link, and the set departure In a route search server comprising a route search means for searching for an optimal route from a place to a destination using a label determination method,
A warp node expressed by the same node is set at both ends of one route section of the route for a route on which the vehicle is loaded on another transportation means, and the warp node has no absolute position information, and the route Linked to roads near both ends of the one route section in the road network of the search network data,
The route search server, wherein when the search by the label determination method reaches the warp node, the route search means continues the search using an outgoing link from the warp node.   The route search server includes a link cost calculation unit, and the link cost calculation unit is configured to calculate an outgoing link cost from the warp node when a search by a label determination method reaches the warp node. The route search server according to claim 6, wherein a value obtained by adding the use cost of the transportation means to the link cost is used as a link cost.   The link cost calculation means calculates the use cost of the transportation means by referring to the operation timetable of the transportation means when calculating the utilization cost of the outgoing link from the warp node. The described route search server.   The link cost calculation means calculates the average required time of the route using the transportation means when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node when the transportation means is operated at any time without an operation timetable. The route search server according to claim 7, wherein the route search server is used cost.   The route search server according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the usage cost includes a waiting time from the arrival at the warp node to the departure of the means of transportation. . Connected via a network to a terminal device that makes a route search request by setting route search conditions including a departure point and a destination, and at least the route search network data that expresses a road as a node and a link, and the set departure In a route search method in a route search server, comprising:
A warp node expressed by the same node is set at both ends of one route section of the route for a route on which the vehicle is loaded on another transportation means, and the warp node has no absolute position information, and the route Linked to roads near both ends of the one route section in the road network of the search network data,
The route search method, wherein when the search by the label determination method reaches the warp node, the route search means continues the search using an outgoing link from the warp node.   The route search server includes a link cost calculation unit, and the link cost calculation unit is configured to calculate an outgoing link cost from the warp node when a search by a label determination method reaches the warp node. The route search method according to claim 11, wherein a value obtained by adding the use cost of the transportation means to the link cost is used as the link cost.   The link cost calculation means calculates the use cost of the transportation means by referring to the operation timetable of the transportation means when calculating the utilization cost of the outgoing link from the warp node. The described route search method.   The link cost calculation means calculates the average required time of the route using the transportation means when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node when the transportation means is operated at any time without an operation timetable. The route search method according to claim 12, wherein a usage cost is set.   The route search method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the usage cost includes a waiting time from the arrival at the warp node to the departure of the transportation means. . In a navigation device comprising at least route search network data expressing a road as a node and a link, and route search means for searching for an optimum route from a set departure point to a destination using a label determination method,
A warp node expressed by the same node is set at both ends of one route section of the route for a route on which the vehicle is loaded on another transportation means, and the warp node has no absolute position information, and the route Linked to roads near both ends of the one route section in the road network of the search network data,
The route search means, when the search by the label determination method reaches the warp node, continues the search using the outgoing link from the warp node.   The navigation device includes a link cost calculation unit, and the link cost calculation unit calculates a cost of the outgoing link when calculating a cost of the outgoing link from the warp node when a search by a label determination method reaches the warp node. The navigation apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a value obtained by adding a use cost of the transportation means to the link cost is used as the link cost.   18. The link cost calculating means calculates the use cost of the transportation means with reference to the operation timetable of the transportation means when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node. The navigation device described.   The link cost calculation means calculates the average required time of the route using the transportation means when calculating the use cost of the outgoing link from the warp node when the transportation means is operated at any time without an operation timetable. The navigation device according to claim 17, wherein the navigation device has a usage cost.   The navigation device according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the usage cost includes a waiting time from the arrival at the warp node to the departure of the transportation means.

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