JP4555161B2 - Navigation device, traffic information guide method and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device, a traffic information guidance method, and a program.

  The purpose of the navigation device is to calculate the route from the current position to the destination determined by the user using a search system or the like, and to guide the user to the route to the destination. The navigation device can also guide traffic information such as traffic jams and congestion existing on the route to the user using voice and images. If you want to reduce the time required for the user to arrive at the destination, use a navigation device to calculate a new route that avoids traffic jams and congestion. It is possible to use it and go to the destination. Further, the navigation device displays events such as traffic jam, congestion, and regulation as arrows and icons at the corresponding points on the map displayed on the display regardless of the presence or absence of the guidance route. If the user wants to see traffic information at a point that is not displayed on the screen, move the display position of the map or change the scale to see the point that the user wants to see. Traffic information can be referred to by displaying.

  According to the conventional navigation device described above, it is necessary to travel on the guidance route calculated by the navigation device in order to receive guidance such as traffic congestion on the road on which the user passes without the user's operation. However, for example, when commuting, setting a point where a user visits every day as a destination, calculating a route, and guiding the route are very troublesome for the user. Furthermore, since the user knows the route that can be moved efficiently using the road in the living area that is used every day, the navigation device rarely uses the guidance along the route derived from the general viewpoint. That is the current situation.

  When the destination is not set in the navigation device, that is, when the route guidance of the navigation device is not used, the user can indicate the congestion of the road that is scheduled to pass and the contents of the regulation, such as congestion, congestion, regulation, etc. displayed on the map. From traffic information. As a result, the user makes a determination such as detouring the road or passing as planned. However, the display area of the display on which the navigation device displays a map is very small. For this reason, it is often impossible to grasp the traffic information of the entire planned road that the user needs at a time. In order to grasp necessary traffic information, an operation such as moving the display position of the map or changing the scale is necessary. This operation not only imposes a burden on the user, but also has a problem that it interferes with safe driving when attention is paid to the operation.

  Even if the destination is not set, if the user can know in advance the congestion of the road that the user is interested in, it becomes possible to avoid the traffic jam and congestion in advance and arrive at the destination smoothly. However, the conventional navigation device cannot specify the road for which the user needs information when there is no guidance route. For this reason, there is a problem that the navigation device cannot actively guide traffic information. On the other hand, if the navigation device can identify the destination without presenting it by the user, it is possible to automatically guide the congestion situation.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a navigation device that can estimate a destination even when the user has not set a destination. The navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 1 sets an estimated travel destination based on information on the current position of the host vehicle and the current time when the travel destination is not input and is set. The guide route is set as a background route.

JP 2002-225617 A

  However, the destination estimated by the navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is one place at a time. For this reason, the congestion status guidance is limited to traffic information on the route to the estimated destination. Therefore, when the navigation apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a wrong destination estimation, there is a problem that redundant guidance is performed.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device, a traffic information guidance method, and a program for guiding traffic information required by a user without setting a destination.

  The object is to provide a parking spot storage means for storing a parking spot, a route calculation means for calculating a route from the current position to the parking spot stored by the parking spot storage means, and a route calculated by the route calculation means. It can be achieved by a navigation device characterized in that it is provided with guidance means for guiding traffic information including traffic jams and regulations.

  With this configuration, it is possible to guide the traffic information on the route from the current position to the past parked point without setting the destination.

  In addition, it includes an overlapping route selection means for selecting overlapping portions of routes to a plurality of parking spots calculated by the route calculation means, and the guiding means is a traffic of overlapping portions selected by the overlapping route selection means. This can also be achieved by a navigation device characterized by guiding information.

  With this configuration, it is possible to guide only traffic information on a route that is expected to have a high possibility of passing by the user.

  The parking spot storage means stores a parking spot and a parking time at the parking spot in association with each other, calculates an estimated arrival time at the parking spot based on the route calculated by the route calculator, and Destination candidate selection means for selecting a route to a parking spot that includes the estimated arrival time within a certain time including the time that has been recorded, and the guide means is on the route selected by the destination candidate selection means This can also be achieved by a navigation device characterized by guiding traffic information.

  Also with this configuration, it is possible to guide traffic information on a route that is likely to be passed by the user.

  Further, the guide means may guide the traffic information in the order from the current position.

  Further, when the distance from the current position to the event to be guided is approximately the same, the guiding means may preferentially guide a portion where more routes overlap.

  A parking spot storing step for storing the parking spot; a route calculating step for calculating a route from the current position to the parking spot stored by the parking spot storing step; and a traffic jam on the route calculated by the route calculating step. It can also be achieved by a traffic information guidance method characterized by comprising a guidance step for guiding traffic information including regulations and regulations.

  With this configuration, it is possible to guide the traffic information on the route from the current position to the past parked point without setting the destination.

  In addition, an overlapping route selection step for selecting overlapping portions of routes to a plurality of parking points calculated in the route calculating step is provided, and the guiding step includes traffic of overlapping portions selected in the overlapping route selection step. This can also be achieved by a traffic information guidance method characterized by guiding information.

  With this configuration, it is possible to guide traffic information on a route expected to have a high possibility that a user will pass.

  The parking spot storage step stores a parking spot and a parking time at the parking spot in association with each other, calculates an estimated arrival time at the parking spot based on the route calculated by the route calculation step, and A destination candidate selection step for selecting a route to a parking spot that includes the estimated arrival time within a predetermined time including the time that has been determined, and the guide step includes a step on the route selected by the destination candidate selection step. This can also be achieved by a traffic information guidance method characterized by guiding traffic information.

  Also with this configuration, traffic information on an expected route through which the user passes can be guided.

  A parking spot storing step for storing the parking spot; a route calculating step for calculating a route from the current position to the parking spot stored by the parking spot storing step; and a traffic jam on the route calculated by the route calculating step. It can also be achieved by a program for causing a computer to execute a guidance step for guiding traffic information including regulations and regulations.

  With this configuration, it is possible to guide the traffic information on the route from the current position to the past parked point without setting the destination.

  In addition, an overlapping route selection step for selecting overlapping portions of routes to a plurality of parking points calculated in the route calculating step is provided, and the guiding step includes traffic of overlapping portions selected in the overlapping route selection step. This can also be achieved by a program characterized by guiding information.

  With this configuration, it is possible to guide traffic information on a route expected to have a high possibility that a user will pass.

  The parking spot storage step stores a parking spot and a parking time at the parking spot in association with each other, calculates an estimated arrival time at the parking spot based on the route calculated by the route calculation step, and A destination candidate selection step for selecting a route to a parking spot that includes the estimated arrival time within a predetermined time including the time that has been determined, and the guide step includes a step on the route selected by the destination candidate selection step. It can also be achieved by a program characterized by guiding traffic information.

  Also with this configuration, it is possible to guide traffic information on a route that is likely to be passed by the user.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the navigation apparatus which guides the traffic information which a user needs, without setting the destination, the traffic information guidance method, and a program can be provided.

  The best mode of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the navigation device 1 according to the present embodiment. The navigation apparatus 1 includes a route calculation unit 10, a current position calculation unit 11, a route information storage unit 12, a parking determination unit 13, a parking point storage unit 14, a destination candidate selection unit 15, an overlapping route selection unit 16, and an overlapping route storage unit. 17 and guide means 18.

  The route calculation means 10 calculates a route from the current position calculated by the current position calculation means 11 to a past parking spot stored in the parking spot storage means 14. Also, the estimated arrival time at the parking spot is calculated.

  The current position calculation means 11 includes a vehicle speed sensor, a GPS receiver 32 (described later), an autonomous navigation sensor 33, and the like, and detects the current vehicle position and vehicle direction.

  The route information storage unit 12 stores the route calculated by the route calculation unit 10.

  When the parking determination means 13 detects the restart of the engine after detecting that the own vehicle has stopped by monitoring the state of the speed sensor or the side brake, etc., the parking point storage is stored as a parking point. Notify the means.

  The parking spot storage means 14 is configured by a storage device capable of storing information, such as an HDD (hard disk) 35, which will be described later, or a flash RAM. The parking spot information indicates the parking position and the parking start time (parking time) Remember as.

  The destination candidate selecting means 15 is a route calculating means that uses all the parking spots whose estimated arrival time calculated by the route calculating means 10 is within a certain time centered on the parking time of the parking spot as destination candidates. 10 is notified. At this time, the route calculation means 10 stores the calculation result in the route information storage means 12. This process is performed every time the current location changes.

  The overlapping route selection unit 16 searches for a road on the overlapping route among a plurality of routes stored in the route information storage unit 12.

  The overlapping route storage unit 17 is constituted by a RAM (Random Access Memory), a flash RAM, or an HDD, stores the route selected by the overlapping route selection unit 16 as an overlapping route, and notifies the guidance unit 18 of the route.

  The guidance means 18 receives traffic information such as traffic congestion, congestion, traffic regulation, etc. generated on a route by a VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) sensor 31 to be described later via a radio beacon, an optical beacon, FM multiplex broadcasting, or the like. Then, the traffic information is output to the audio output device 34 described later to guide the traffic information to the user. In particular, in the case of the present embodiment, the guiding means 18 guides traffic information such as traffic congestion / congestion / traffic regulation that occurs on the overlapping route stored in the overlapping route storage means 17.

  That is, the navigation device 1 calculates a route from the current position using a point parked in the past as a destination, and guides traffic information on the route under a predetermined condition.

  Next, a specific operation of the navigation device 1 when guiding traffic information of overlapping portions of routes to a plurality of parking spots will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a route from the current position calculated by the route calculating means 10 to a previously parked point and a traffic jam existing on the road. A solid line indicates a route to each parking spot calculated by the route calculation means 10. Moreover, the arrow indicates that the accompanying road is congested, and is congested at the congested points 1A to 5A. Moreover, the part enclosed with the broken line has shown the duplication part of a route, and the route has overlapped in the part of roads 1B-5B.

  First, the overlapping route selecting unit 16 searches for the overlapping roads 1B to 5B among the routes to the parking spot calculated by the route calculating unit 10. When the overlapping roads 1B to 5B are searched, the overlapping route storage unit 17 stores the overlapping roads 1B to 5B as the overlapping route and notifies the guidance unit 18 of it. The guide means 18 guides traffic information on the overlapping roads 1B to 5B in the order close to the current position. Therefore, after guiding the traffic information of the traffic jam point 1A, the guide unit 18 guides the traffic information of the traffic jam point 2A. After that, the traffic information of the traffic congestion point 5A is guided. The guidance means 18 does not provide guidance for traffic information at the traffic congestion points 3A and 4A.

  In addition, when the distance from the current position to the event to be guided is about the same, priority is given to traffic information of a portion where more routes overlap. Further, when performing guidance, information such as an intersection name, a road name, a distance to an event, and an event direction may be added so that the user can easily specify the position of the guidance event.

  Next, an example will be described in which the road to be guided changes with the change of the current position.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a change in the target road for guiding the current position, route, and traffic information. Points A, B, and C indicate parking points stored by the parking point storage unit 14, and thick lines indicate routes to the respective points calculated by the route calculation unit 10. The upper left diagram in FIG. 3 is the case where the current location is the point X, the upper right diagram is the case where the current location is the point Y, and the lower left diagram is the case where the current location is the point Z.

  In the upper left diagram of FIG. 3, the road 1C in the section where the routes to points A and B overlap is the target of traffic information guidance. However, when the current location is the point Y (upper right figure in FIG. 3), the routes to the points A and B have changed, so the roads targeted for the traffic information are the roads 2C and 3C. Furthermore, when the current location moves to the point Z (the lower left diagram in FIG. 3), the route to the point A changes, but the overlapping route remains the road 3C, so the road targeted for guidance does not change.

  Next, a method for selecting a destination candidate will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a parking spot, a time when the vehicle is parked at the parking spot, and an estimated arrival time from the current position to each parking spot. In FIG. 4, points A, B, and C indicate parking points stored by the parking point storage unit 14. In addition, the time when the vehicle is parked at each point stored in the parking point storage unit 14 is 13:00 at the point A, 12:00 at the point B, and 18:00 at the point C. Further, the route calculation means 10 calculates the estimated arrival time at each point based on the calculated route. The current time is 11:00, the estimated arrival time at point A is 12:30, the estimated arrival time at point B is 12:00, and the estimated arrival time at point C is 11:30. This is the example of FIG.

  Here, if the estimated arrival time calculated by the route calculation means 10 is within a certain time including the past parking time, the destination candidate selection means 15 sets the parking spot as the destination candidate. Assuming that a certain time including the parking time in the past is 30 minutes before and after the parking time in the past, the estimated arrival times at points A and B are within that range. It becomes a destination candidate. However, the point C is not a destination candidate because the estimated arrival time is not within 30 minutes before and after the parking time. Therefore, traffic information on the route to the point C is not guided.

  Next, changes in destination candidates will be described with examples.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the route to each point, where the current location of the vehicle is point X and the parking points stored in the parking point storage means 14 are points A to G. The points A to E connected to the point X by solid lines are candidates for destination because the estimated arrival time is within a certain time including the time when the vehicle stopped in the past. Further, the predicted arrival times at the points F and G are not within the predetermined time period including the time when the vehicle was parked in the past.

  FIG. 6 shows the destination candidates when a certain time has elapsed from FIG. Since the current position has moved from the point X in FIG. 5 to the point Y in FIG. 6, the routes to the points A and B indicated by the broken lines are changed. Here, the route to the point A and the point B is extended as compared with the route of FIG. 5, and the expected arrival time at the point A and the point B does not enter within a certain time including the time parked in the past. In this case, it is determined that the points A and B are no longer likely to arrive in the vicinity of the parking time in the past, and the destination candidate selection unit 15 excludes the points A and B from the destination candidates. Therefore, the guide means 18 does not guide traffic information on the route to the points A and B.

  On the other hand, the estimated arrival times at the points F and G come within a certain period of time including the time of parking in the past. In this case, it is determined that the point F and the point G can arrive in the vicinity of the parking time in the past, and the destination candidate selection unit 15 newly selects the point F and the point G as destination candidates. Therefore, the traffic information on the route to the point F and the point G is a target of guidance.

  In addition, when there is no point where arrival is possible in the parking time zone of the past parking spot from the current position (a certain period of time including the past parking time), there is no destination candidate. In this case, the guidance means 18 does not provide traffic information guidance.

  Next, the operation of the navigation device 1 will be described with reference to a flowchart. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operation of the navigation device 1. The flowchart of FIG. 7 shows the operation of the navigation device 1 after the parking spot storage means 14 stores the parking spot and the parking start time.

  First, the route calculation means 10 acquires the parking spot information stored in the parking spot storage means 14 via the destination candidate selection means 15, and from the current position calculated by the current position calculation means 11, the parking spot Routes to all parking points included in the information are calculated (step S10). The route calculation means 10 calculates the estimated arrival time at the parking spot based on the route (step S11).

  Next, the destination candidate selecting unit 15 determines that the estimated arrival time calculated by the route calculating unit 10 is within a certain time including the past parking time stored in the parking point storage unit 14. It performs (step S12).

  When there is no predicted arrival time included in a certain time including the past parking time stored in the parking point storage unit 14 among the plurality of predicted arrival times calculated by the route calculation unit 10 ( No in step S12), the traffic information is not guided by the method according to the present invention.

  If there is a predicted arrival time included in a certain time including the past parking time stored in the parking point storage unit 14 among the plurality of predicted arrival times calculated by the route calculation unit 10 (step S12). Yes), the destination candidate selecting means 15 selects a point of the expected arrival time included within the certain time as a destination candidate (step S13). The route calculation unit 10 calculates a route to the point selected by the destination candidate selection unit 15 and stores the route information in the route information storage unit 12.

  Next, the overlapping route selection means 16 searches for overlapping roads from a plurality of routes stored in the route information storage means 12 (step S14). If there is an overlapping road (Yes in step S14), the overlapping route storage unit 17 stores the overlapping road as an overlapping route and notifies the guidance unit 18 (step S15). The guiding means 18 guides the traffic information on the overlapping roads in the order close to the current position (step S16).

  If there is no destination candidate in step S12 (No in step S12), or if there is no overlapping road in step S14 (No in step S14), for example, after the vehicle has traveled a certain distance, etc. Routes from the current position to all parking spots included in the parking spot information are calculated (step S10). Therefore, when there is no overlapping road, traffic information is not guided. Thereby, silence and safety can be provided to the user.

  As described above, roads with a high possibility of passing are automatically identified and traffic information is guided, so users can easily obtain necessary road traffic information and use their own desired route. To reach the destination. In addition, since it is possible to automatically estimate a road that is likely to pass, the user does not need to perform an operation for setting a destination in the navigation system. In addition, it automatically changes the candidate parking spot where the user is heading and guides traffic information about the road that is likely to pass, so even if the user changes the destination while traveling, The user does not need to set the destination again. In addition, traffic information on roads that are close to the current location is preferentially guided, and the user's attention is distracted by guiding redundant traffic information that the user does not need. Less. In addition, by guiding the traffic information on the road by voice, it is possible to know only the traffic information that the user needs without looking at the map, so that driving can be performed more safely.

  Next, the hardware configuration of the navigation device 1 will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a hardware configuration diagram of the navigation device 1. The navigation device 1 includes a navigation controller 20, a VISC sensor 31 that receives traffic information from the VISC center, a GPS receiver 32 that detects the vehicle position and the vehicle direction, and an autonomous navigation sensor 33 that detects the relative position and direction of the vehicle. , A voice output device 34 for guiding traffic information by voice, an HDD 35 for storing parking spots and the like, and a disk reading device 36 for reading data stored in the HDD 35.

  The navigation controller 20 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 21, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 22, a RAM 23, and an I / F (interface) 24, and controls the entire navigation device 1.

  The CPU 22 uses the RAM 23 as a work area, and executes the program in the ROM 21, whereby each function of the route calculation means 10, the parking determination means 13, the destination candidate selection means 15, and the overlap route selection means 16 shown in FIG. Is realized.

  Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. Is possible.

It is the block diagram which showed the structure of the navigation apparatus 1 which concerns on a present Example. It is the figure which showed the route from the current position which the route calculation means 10 calculated to the point parked in the past, and the traffic jam which exists on a road. It is the figure which showed a mode that the road of the object which guides present position, a route, and traffic information changes. It is the figure showing the parking spot, the time parked at the parking spot, and the estimated arrival time from the current position to each parking spot. It is the figure showing the route to each point, with the current location of the vehicle as the point X and the parking points stored in the parking point storage means 14 as the points A to G. It is the figure which showed the destination candidate when fixed time passes from FIG. 3 is a flowchart regarding the operation of the navigation device 1. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the navigation device 1. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Navigation apparatus 10 Route calculation means 11 Current position calculation means 12 Route information storage means 13 Parking determination means 14 Parking spot storage means 15 Destination candidate selection means 16 Duplicate route selection means 17 Duplicate route storage means 18 Guiding means 20 Navigation controller 21 ROM
22 CPU
23 RAM
24 I / F
31 VISC sensor 32 GPS receiver 33 Autonomous navigation sensor 34 Audio output device 35 HDD
36 Disc reader 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A Congestion point 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B Road

Claims (7)

Parking point storage means for storing parking points parked in the past ;
Route calculation means for calculating a route from the current position to the parking spot stored by the parking spot storage means;
Guidance means for guiding traffic information including traffic jams and regulations on the route calculated by the route calculation means ,
The parking spot storage means stores the parking spot and the parking time at the parking spot in association with each other,
Based on the route calculated by the route calculating means, the estimated arrival time at the parking point is calculated, and the route to the parking point including the estimated arrival time within a certain time including the parking time is selected. Candidate selection means,
The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the guidance means guides traffic information on the route selected by the destination candidate selection means . An overlapping route selecting means for selecting overlapping portions of routes to a plurality of parking spots calculated by the route calculating means;
The said guidance means guides the traffic information of the overlapping part selected by the said overlap route selection means, and does not guide the traffic information other than the overlap part selected by the said overlap route selection means. The navigation device according to 1. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the guide unit guides traffic information in an order closer to a current position. A parking spot storage step for storing parking spots where the parking spot storage means has been parked in the past;
  A route calculating step in which a route calculating means calculates a route from the current position to the parking spot stored by the parking spot storing step;
  A guidance step for guiding traffic information including traffic jams and regulations on the route calculated by the route calculation step;
  The parking spot storage step stores the parking spot and the parking time at the parking spot in association with each other,
  Based on the route calculated by the route calculation step, the destination candidate selecting means calculates an estimated arrival time at the parking spot, and the destination candidate selecting means calculates the estimated arrival time within a certain time including the parking time. A destination candidate selection step for selecting a route,
  The traffic information guiding method characterized in that the guiding step guides traffic information on the route selected by the destination candidate selecting step. The overlapping route selecting means comprises an overlapping route selecting step for selecting overlapping portions of the route to the plurality of parking spots calculated by the route calculating step,
The guidance step guides traffic information of overlapping portions selected by the overlapping route selection step, and does not guide traffic information other than the overlapping portions selected by the overlapping route selection step. 4. The traffic information guidance method according to 4. A parking point storage step for storing parking points parked in the past ;
A route calculating step for calculating a route from the current position to the parking point stored by the parking point storing step;
A program for causing a computer to execute a guidance step for guiding traffic information including traffic jams and regulations on the route calculated by the route calculation step ,
The parking spot storage step stores the parking spot and the parking time at the parking spot in association with each other,
Based on the route calculated in the route calculating step, the estimated arrival time at the parking point is calculated, and the route to the parking point including the estimated arrival time within a certain time including the parking time is selected. A candidate selection step,
The guidance step guides traffic information on the route selected in the destination candidate selection step. An overlapping route selection step of selecting overlapping portions of routes to a plurality of parking spots calculated by the route calculation step;
The guidance step guides traffic information of overlapping portions selected by the overlapping route selection step, and does not guide traffic information other than the overlapping portions selected by the overlapping route selection step. 6. The program according to 6.

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