JP4591595B2 - Destination user number prediction system and center - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a destination user number prediction system and a center, and more particularly to a system for predicting the number of users for a destination to which a user goes and a center used in such a system.

Conventionally, an in-vehicle device that obtains the degree of congestion of a parking lot from the outside is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This in-vehicle device displays a parking lot mark on a display screen on which a surrounding map is displayed so that the degree of congestion of the acquired parking lot can be identified. For this reason, according to this in-vehicle device, it is possible to know whether or not the parking lot is full before the driver of the vehicle reaches the parking lot, and as a result, the parking lot is full. In this case, the vehicle can be advanced to a parking lot that is in an empty state while avoiding the parking lot.
JP-A-10-89989

  However, in the device described in Patent Document 1, the degree of congestion sent from the outside indicates the status of the parking lot at that time. For this reason, even if the parking lot is empty when information is sent from the outside, the parking lot may already be full when the vehicle arrives at the parking lot. Therefore, in the above-described conventional apparatus, it is difficult to say that information sent from the outside has a value that can be used effectively and reliably for the vehicle occupant.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a destination user number prediction system and a center capable of counting the number of users heading to the same destination.

The above object, a vehicle, a mobile phone, or mounted on the information terminal, a navigation device that transmits the destination data is a facility on the map that are set by the user, the object to be transmitted from the navigation devices receives land of data, and a center to aggregate the number of users for each facility may be set as the destination, a purpose land ridership prediction system Ru Tona, the center is aggregated by the facility Storage means for storing the predicted number of users scheduled to arrive in the future, providing means for providing the predicted number of users for each facility stored in the storage means to the outside, and transmitted from the navigation device Total number reading means for reading out the predicted number of users of the facility at the destination from the storage means when the data of the destination is received; and the navigation device After the data of the destination transmitted from is received, "1" or the number of users is added to the predicted number of users of the destination facility read by the total number reading means, A predicted user number incrementing unit for incrementing the predicted user number of the facility at the destination; and the predicted user number of the facility at the destination obtained by the increment by the predicted user number incrementing unit. And a storage updating unit that stores the number of predicted users in the storage unit as the predicted number of users.

  In the invention of this aspect, when the destination is set by the user, the navigation device on the user side transmits the data of the destination to the center. When the center receives the transmission data, the center increments the predicted number of users for the destination. In this case, the number of users heading to the same destination can be totaled.

By the way, in the above-mentioned destination user number prediction system, the storage means stores the predicted number of users tabulated for each facility and for each time zone, and the navigation device uses the destination data as a user. the sending to the current position the center together with the data of the center, when the data of the data and the current position of the destination transmitted from the navigation device has been received, the said destination and said current position the user will have the arrival time predicting means for predicting an arrival time to arrive at the destination based on the positional relationship, the predicted number of users incrementing means, data of the destination transmitted from the navigation device and After the data of the current position is received, the arrival time prediction unit of the destination facility read by the total number reading unit By adding only "1" or use the number of people in the predicted number of users in a time zone that belongs measurement has been the arrival time, along with the increments the number of the predicted user in the time zone of The destination of the facility, The storage updating means uses the predicted user number in the time zone of the facility at the destination obtained by the increment by the predicted user number increment means as the predicted user number in the time zone of the facility. If stored in the storage means, the number of users heading to the same destination can be counted for each arrival time zone.

Further, the destination user number prediction system described above, the providing means, after the data of the navigation device or we transmit to said destination is received, obtained by incrementing by the predicted number of users incrementing means If the data on the predicted number of users of the facility at the destination is transmitted to the navigation device, the predicted number of users at the destination to be provided to the user is effective for the user. can do.

In the above-described destination user number prediction system, when the user arrives at the destination, the navigation device sends a destination arrival signal indicating that the user has arrived at the destination to the center. The storage means stores the predicted number of users and the actual number of actual users that have actually arrived for each facility, and the providing means stores the information for each facility stored by the storage means. The estimated number of users and the actual number of users are provided to the outside, and the total number reading means also receives the destination arrival signal transmitted from the navigation device from the storage means when the destination arrival signal is received. reads the predicted number of users and the number of the actual user of the destination facility, the center, after the destination arrival signal transmitted from the navigation device has been received, prior to By subtracting only said predicted from the number of users "1" or Occupancy content destination facility read by aggregate number reading means, predicting that decrements the number of predicted user of The destination facility After the user number decrement means and the destination arrival signal transmitted from the navigation device are received, the actual number of users of the destination facility read by the total number reading means is “1”. "Or an actual user number increment means for incrementing the actual user number of the facility at the destination by adding only the number of users, and the storage update means also includes the predicted user number The predicted number of users of the destination facility obtained by decrement by the decrement means is used as the predicted number of users of the facility, and the number of actual users is incremented. The actual number of users of the destination facility obtained by incrementing by stage as the actual number of users of the facility may be the be stored in each of the storage means.

Further, in the above-described destination user number prediction system, the navigation device includes a transmission unit that transmits data of the destination to the center when the destination is set by a user. Just do it .

In the above destination user number prediction system, receiving means for receiving destination data which is a facility on a map set by each user and transmitted from each of a plurality of navigation devices ; Storage means for storing the number of predicted users scheduled to arrive in the future that are aggregated for each facility that can be set, and providing means for providing the predicted number of users for each facility stored by the storage means to the outside, When the data of the destination transmitted from the navigation device is received by the receiving means, the total number reading means for reading out the predicted number of users of the facility at the destination from the storage means, and the receiving means After the destination data transmitted from the navigation device is received, the schedule of the destination facility read by the total number reading means is read. By adding “1” or the number of users to the number of users, the number of predicted users is incremented by the predicted number of users incrementing means for incrementing the number of predicted users of the facility at the destination, and by the increment by the predicted number of users incrementing unit It is also possible to use a center provided with storage update means for storing in the storage means the predicted number of users of the facility at the destination as the predicted number of users of the facility .

  According to the present invention, the number of users heading to the same destination can be totaled.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the system of the present embodiment includes a navigation unit 20 mounted on a vehicle on which each user is boarded, and a center 22 that predicts the number of users for each destination to which the user goes. ing.

  In this embodiment, the navigation unit 20 includes a control unit 30. An input unit 32 and a position detection unit 34 are connected to the control unit 30. The input unit 32 is provided in the passenger compartment. For example, the input unit 32 sets a destination, instructs a route search to the destination, and confirms the use status of the destination with respect to the center 22. It is operated by a vehicle occupant to make various inputs. The position detector 34 has a GPS receiver and a self-contained navigation sensor (both not shown), and outputs a signal corresponding to the current position where the vehicle travels based on the radio wave signal from the GPS satellite and the output signal of the self-contained navigation sensor. Output. The input unit 32 supplies a signal corresponding to the operation of the vehicle occupant, and the position detection unit 34 supplies the control unit 30 with a signal corresponding to the current position of the vehicle (that is, the current position of the vehicle occupant). The control unit 30 detects an operation by the vehicle occupant and also detects the current position of the vehicle occupant based on the output signals of the input unit 32 and the position detection unit 34.

  A destination setting processing unit 36 and a facility information search processing unit 38 are also connected to the control unit 30. The destination setting processing unit 36 performs a process of setting a destination to which the vehicle occupant heads by an operation on the input unit 32 by the vehicle occupant. In addition, the facility information search processing unit 38 operates a genre (tourist attraction) on main facilities on a map stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD of the navigation unit 20 by an operation of the input unit 32 by a vehicle occupant. , Hot springs, golf courses, ski resorts, amusement parks, campsites, etc.) to search for detailed facility information (facility overview, available time, usage fee, facility exterior photo, map, telephone number, etc.).

  The navigation unit 20 also includes a transmission / reception unit 40. The transmission / reception unit 40 of the navigation unit 20 is configured by, for example, a mobile phone so that two-way wireless communication with the center 22 can be performed. For this reason, the navigation unit 20 can transmit its own identification ID code and acquired information (specifically, current position, destination, etc.) to the center 22 and transmit it from the center 22. It is possible to receive information.

  The control unit 30 of the navigation unit 20 is further provided with a video output unit 42 for controlling a display screen disposed at a position visible to the vehicle occupant in the vehicle interior, and a voice instruction to the vehicle occupant in the vehicle interior. An audio output unit 44 for controlling a speaker to be performed is connected. When the vehicle occupant sets a destination or searches for facility information, the control unit 30 controls the video output unit 42 and the audio output unit 44 so that display guidance and audio guidance are provided to the vehicle occupant. In addition, the control unit 30 controls the video output unit 42 and the audio output unit 44 so that the use situation of the destination provided from the center 22 is guided to the vehicle occupant as will be described later.

  The center 22 includes a transmission / reception unit 50. The transmission / reception unit 50 of the center 22 is configured to perform wireless communication with the navigation unit 20 in both directions. For this reason, the center 22 can transmit the information acquired by itself to the navigation unit 20 and can receive the information transmitted by the navigation unit 20.

  A destination use status management unit (hereinafter simply referred to as a management unit) 54 is connected to the transmission / reception unit 50 via a bus 52. The management unit 54 has a data storage unit 56 configured by a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD. As will be described later, the management unit 54 collects and stores the predicted number of users in the data storage unit 56 for each facility that can be set as a destination by the vehicle occupant based on information received by the transmission / reception unit 50. The actual number of users is collected and stored in the data storage unit 56.

  An arrival time calculation unit 58 is also connected to the transmission / reception unit 50. The arrival time calculation unit 58 stores a position on the map for each facility that can be set as a destination by a vehicle occupant. The arrival time calculation unit 58 calculates the positional relationship between the vehicle occupant destination and the current position based on the vehicle occupant destination and the current position data received by the transmission / reception unit 50, and determines the type and size of the road between them. The arrival time at which the vehicle occupant is predicted to arrive at the destination is calculated from the weather and the weather. Based on the calculation result of the arrival time calculation unit 58, the management unit 54 collects the number of users at the destination for each arrival time zone of the vehicle occupant and stores it in the data storage unit 56.

  When the center 22 receives predetermined information from the navigation unit 20 in response to a request from the vehicle occupant, the center 22 indicates the usage status of the destination that the vehicle occupant is going to go to. The data is read from the storage unit 56, and the read data is transmitted / provided to the navigation unit 20 of the vehicle occupant via the transmission / reception unit 50.

  A user authentication unit 60 is further connected to the transmission / reception unit 50. Based on the identification ID code included in the information received by the transmission / reception unit 50, the user authentication unit 60 authenticates and specifies the navigation unit 20 (that is, the vehicle occupant) that transmitted the information.

  Next, the operation of the system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a process of registering a destination to which a vehicle occupant goes in the center 22 and receiving provision of usage status of the destination from the center 22 in the system of the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the navigation unit 20 and the center 22 in the system of this embodiment in order to realize the above function. The routine shown in FIG. 2 is a routine that is repeatedly activated in the navigation unit 20 every predetermined time. When the routine shown in FIG. 2 is started, first, the process of step 100 is executed. Note that the processing in steps 100 to 104 and 112 and 114 is performed in the navigation unit 20, and the processing in steps 106 to 110 is performed in the center 22.

  In step 100, it is determined whether or not a destination to be headed is set by an operation on the input unit 32 of the vehicle occupant. This setting includes a setting by input to the vehicle occupant input unit 32 and a setting by facility information search. The processing in step 100 is repeatedly executed until it is determined that the destination has been set. As a result, if it is determined that the destination has been set, the process of step 102 is executed next.

  In step 102, a process of detecting the current position of the vehicle occupant using the position detector 34 is executed. Then, in step 104, a process of transmitting data of the destination set by the vehicle occupant and the current position of the vehicle occupant from the transmission / reception unit 40 is executed together with the identification ID code of the vehicle. Once the processing of this step 104 is executed, the processing in the navigation unit 20 is terminated. Information transmitted from the navigation unit 20 is received by the center 22.

  In step 106, a process of receiving the destination data set by the vehicle occupant transmitted by the navigation unit 20 and the current position data of the vehicle occupant in the transmission / reception unit 50 is executed. In step 108, the arrival time of the vehicle occupant at the destination is calculated based on the destination and current position data of the vehicle occupant received in step 106, and the management unit 54 performs the operation based on the destination data. A process of reading the predicted number of users in the entire time zone of the destination from the data storage unit 56 and then incrementing the predicted number of users in the calculated arrival time zone by “1” is executed. When the processing of this step 108 is executed, the destination to which this vehicle occupant is directed is registered in the center 22 thereafter.

  In step 110, the vehicle occupant who has set the destination for the center 22 related to the information received in step 106 from the transmission / reception unit 50 from the transmission / reception unit 50 calculates the predicted number of users calculated in step 108 above. The process which transmits toward the navigation unit 20 of the vehicle to perform is performed. When the process of step 110 is executed, the process in the center 22 is thereafter terminated.

  Information transmitted from the center 22 is received by the navigation unit 20. That is, in step 112 of the navigation unit 20, processing is performed in which the transmission / reception unit 40 receives the predicted number of users of the destination transmitted by the center 22 in response to the destination setting by the vehicle occupant.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a time transition of the predicted number of users at one destination. In step 114, the estimated number of users of the destination received in step 112, specifically, the number of users of the destination to which the vehicle occupant is heading from now on, according to the time zone as shown in FIG. The band is displayed on the display screen of the video output unit 42 by color-coding it with other time zones, and the voice instruction by the voice output unit 44 is executed. When the processing of step 114 is finished, the current routine is finished.

  According to the routine shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle occupant can add the vehicle occupant as a user of the destination by registering the destination to which the vehicle occupant will go in the center 22 and add himself / herself as a user. Then, the predicted number of users at the destination can be provided from the center 22 to the vehicle occupant via the navigation unit 20.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 4, a process for deleting a destination once registered in the center 22 from the center 22 at the request of a vehicle occupant will be described.

  FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the navigation unit 20 and the center 22 in the system of this embodiment in order to realize the above function. The routine shown in FIG. 4 is a routine that is repeatedly activated every predetermined time. When the routine shown in FIG. 4 is started, first, the process of step 120 is executed. Note that the processing of steps 120, 122, and 130 is performed in the navigation unit 20, and the processing of steps 124 to 128 is performed in the center 22.

  In step 120, it is determined whether or not an operation for canceling the destination setting once registered in the center 22 has been performed in the vehicle occupant input unit 32. The process of step 120 is repeatedly executed until it is determined that the above condition is satisfied. As a result, if it is determined that an operation for canceling the destination setting has been performed, the process of step 122 is performed next. In step 122, a process of transmitting a signal for canceling destination setting registration (hereinafter referred to as a cancel signal) from the transmission / reception unit 40 to the center 22 is executed together with its own identification ID code.

  In step 124, a process of receiving information (specifically, an identification ID code and a release signal) transmitted by the navigation unit 20 in the transmission / reception unit 50 is executed. In step 126, based on the identification ID code and the release signal, the predicted number of users in the arrival time zone in which the destination is registered is read from the data storage unit 56, and the number of users is decremented by “1”. Processing is executed. When the processing of this step 126 is executed, the destination to which this vehicle occupant goes is deleted from the center 22 thereafter.

  In step 128, a signal indicating that the destination setting registration for the center 22 has been canceled (hereinafter referred to as a cancellation completion signal) is sent from the transmitting / receiving unit 50 to the center 22 related to the information received in step 124. Then, the process of transmitting the release signal to the navigation unit 20 of the vehicle on which the vehicle occupant who has transmitted the release signal is executed. When the processing of step 128 is executed, the processing in the center 22 is thereafter terminated.

  Information transmitted from the center 22 is received by the navigation unit 20. That is, in step 130 of the navigation unit 20, processing is performed in which the transmission / reception unit 40 receives the release completion signal transmitted by the center 22 in response to the transmission of the release signal by the vehicle occupant. When the process of step 130 is executed, the navigation unit 20 thereafter stops executing the process at the destination registered in the center 22 and allows a new destination to be set. Then, when the processing of step 130 is completed, the current routine is terminated.

  According to the routine shown in FIG. 4, the destination once registered in the center 22 can be deleted from the center 22 at the request of the vehicle occupant.

  Next, referring to FIG. 5, when the vehicle occupant arrives at the destination registered in the center 22, the vehicle occupant is deleted from the predicted number of users at the destination, and the number of users as a result is obtained. The process to add is demonstrated.

  FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the navigation unit 20 and the center 22 in the system of this embodiment in order to realize the above function. The routine shown in FIG. 5 is a routine that is repeatedly activated every predetermined time. When the routine shown in FIG. 5 is started, the process of step 140 is first executed. The processes in steps 140, 142, and 150 are performed in the navigation unit 20, and the processes in steps 144 to 148 are performed in the center 22, respectively.

  In step 140, it is determined whether or not a vehicle occupant has arrived near the set destination. The process of step 140 is repeatedly executed until it is determined that a vehicle occupant has arrived near the destination. As a result, if a positive determination is made, the process of step 142 is then executed. In step 142, a process of transmitting a signal indicating that the vehicle has arrived near the destination (hereinafter referred to as a destination arrival signal) to the center 22 from the transmission / reception unit 40 is executed together with its own identification ID code. .

  In step 144, processing for receiving information (specifically, an identification ID code and a destination arrival signal) transmitted by the navigation unit 20 in the transmission / reception unit 50 is executed. In step 146, based on the identification ID code and the destination arrival signal, the predicted number of users in the arrival time zone in which the destination is registered is read from the data storage unit 56, and the predicted number of users is set to “1”. At the same time as decrementing, the number of actually arrived users in the current time zone is read from the data storage unit 56, and a process of incrementing the number of actual users by “1” is executed. When the processing of this step 146 is executed, the vehicle occupant will be added to the actual number of users thereafter.

  In step 148, a signal indicating that the arrival processing of the vehicle occupant at the destination in the center 22 is completed (hereinafter referred to as an arrival completion signal) is transmitted from the transmitting / receiving unit 50 to the center related to the information received in step 144. A process of transmitting the destination arrival signal to the navigation unit 20 of the vehicle on which the vehicle occupant who has transmitted the destination arrival signal is executed is executed. When the processing of step 148 is executed, the processing in the center 22 is thereafter terminated.

  Information transmitted from the center 22 is received by the navigation unit 20. That is, in step 150 of the navigation unit 20, processing is performed in which the transmission / reception unit 40 receives the arrival completion signal transmitted from the center 22 in response to the destination arrival signal due to the arrival of the vehicle occupant at the destination. When the process of step 150 is executed, the navigation unit 20 thereafter stops executing the process at the destination registered in the center 22. When the process of step 150 is completed, the current routine is terminated.

  According to the routine shown in FIG. 5, when a vehicle occupant arrives near the set destination, the vehicle occupant is deleted from the expected number of users at the destination and added to the actual number of users. it can.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a description will be given of a process of receiving the use status of the destination from the center without registering the destination that the vehicle occupant is going to the center.

  FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the navigation unit 20 and the center 22 in the system of this embodiment in order to realize the above function. The routine shown in FIG. 6 is a routine that is repeatedly activated in the navigation unit 20 every predetermined time. When the routine shown in FIG. 6 is started, the process of step 160 is first executed. The processing of steps 160, 162, 170, and 172 is performed in the navigation unit 20, and the processing of steps 164 to 168 is performed in the center 22.

  In step 160, it is determined whether or not an instruction to confirm the usage status of the destination to be headed is made by an operation of the vehicle occupant on the input unit 32. The process of step 160 is repeatedly executed until it is determined that the above condition is satisfied. As a result, if the determination is affirmative, it can be determined that the vehicle occupant desires to confirm the usage status of the destination that the vehicle occupant intends to go to, so the process of step 162 is executed next. In step 162, together with the self-identification ID code, a signal (hereinafter referred to as a usage status confirmation signal) for confirming the usage status of the destination to which the vehicle occupant is going is sent from the transmission / reception unit 40 to the center 22. The transmission process is executed.

  In step 164, a process of receiving information (specifically, an identification ID code and a usage status confirmation signal) transmitted by the navigation unit 20 in the transmission / reception unit 50 is executed. In step 166, based on the usage status confirmation signal, a process of reading the predicted number of users in the entire time zone of the destination from the data storage unit 56 is executed. Then, in step 168, a process of transmitting the predicted number of users by time zone read in step 166 from the transmission / reception unit 50 to the navigation unit 20 related to the identification ID code received in step 164 is executed. Is done. When the processing of this step 168 is executed, the processing in the center 22 ends thereafter.

  Information transmitted from the center 22 is received by the navigation unit 20. That is, in step 170 of the navigation unit 20, a process is executed in which the transmission / reception unit 40 receives the predicted number of users of the destination transmitted by the center 22 in response to the instruction to confirm the use status of the destination by the vehicle occupant. . In step 172, the predicted number of users of the destination received in step 170 is displayed on the display screen of the video output unit 42 for each time period, and a process of performing a voice instruction by the voice output unit 44 is executed. When the processing of step 172 is completed, the current routine is terminated.

  According to the routine shown in FIG. 6, the predicted number of users at the destination can be obtained from the center 22 via the navigation unit 20 at the request of the vehicle occupant without registering the destination to which the vehicle occupant is going to the center 22. Can be provided to vehicle occupants.

  Thus, according to the system of the present embodiment, the number of users heading to the same destination is achieved by each occupant of the vehicle carrying the navigation unit 20 performing the process shown in FIG. Can be tabulated. In addition, when a destination is set by a vehicle occupant or when an instruction is given to confirm the usage status of the destination, the user is not in the actual usage status of the destination. It is possible to provide a usage situation that is expected to occur. For this reason, for example, even when congestion is predicted at the destination that the user is going to, the user can know the congestion status by observing the predicted usage status provided in advance without arriving at the destination. be able to. Therefore, in the system of the present embodiment, the usage status of the destination having a high utility value is provided to the user. That is, in the system of the present embodiment, the number of users at the destination to which the user is heading is effectively collected, and the usage status of the destination is effectively provided to the user.

  In this embodiment, the number of users heading to the same destination is counted for each arrival time zone (for example, between 10 am and 11 am) when the user arrives at the destination. And the utilization condition according to time slot | zone is provided with respect to a user. For this reason, the user can know the congestion situation and popularity degree for every time zone which arrives at the destination. Therefore, in the system of the present embodiment, it is possible to provide the usage status of the destination with higher utility value for the user.

  Further, according to the system of this embodiment, when the vehicle occupant wants to change the destination or cancels the setting of the destination, the processing shown in FIG. Thus, the expected number of users at the destination can be reduced by “1”. In this way, by reflecting the situation when the vehicle occupant stops going to the registered destination in the expected number of users at the destination, other users can accurately predict the destination at the destination. The number can be provided.

  Furthermore, the system of the present embodiment increases the expected number of users at the destination by “1” when the destination to which the occupant boarding the vehicle is registered in the center 22, and the vehicle occupant is near the destination. When it arrives at the destination, the number of expected users is decreased by “1” and the actual number of users is increased by “1”, so it is particularly effective for empty parking guidance provided at the destination. It is possible to use.

  In the above embodiment, the navigation unit 20 mounted on the vehicle is the “navigation device” described in the claims, and the data storage unit 56 is the “storage means” described in the claims. The transmission / reception unit 50 of the center 22 is included in the “reception unit” described in the claims, and the transmission / reception unit 40 of the navigation unit 20 is included in the “transmission unit” and the “reception unit” described in the claims. It corresponds. The center 22 executes the process of step 108 in the routine shown in FIG. 2 to realize the “predicted user number calculating means” described in the claims.

  By the way, in the above embodiment, when the destination is set or an instruction is given to confirm the use status of the destination, the predicted number of users of the destination is provided to the vehicle occupant. However, the number of actual users who actually arrived at the destination may also be provided. In this case, the vehicle occupant can easily determine whether or not to change the destination by comparing the predicted number of users with the actual number of users, so that a more effective purpose for the vehicle occupant The land use situation will be provided.

  In the above embodiment, when the destination is registered in the center 22, the expected number of users at the destination is increased by “1”. However, the destination data is transferred from the navigation unit 20 to the center 22. It is also possible to increase the expected number of users at the destination by the number of passengers who are on the vehicle when transmitting the data. In this case, it is possible to accurately count the expected number of users in facilities such as amusement parks and theme parks.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the center 22 counts the predicted number of users for each destination based on the destination data transmitted from each navigation unit 20, and the predicted number of users is determined by the vehicle via the navigation unit 20. Although it is provided to the occupant, the number obtained by multiplying the number of predicted users counted by the center 22 by a predetermined multiplier determined from an empirical rule may be provided to the vehicle occupant as the predicted number of users at the destination. Good. This multiplier is set to the reciprocal of the ratio of the number of users who receive the usage status using this system out of the total number of users heading to the destination. In this case, the vehicle occupant is provided with the total number of users including the occupant of the vehicle equipped with the navigation unit 20 of the present embodiment, so that the vehicle occupant can accurately know the usage status of the destination.

  In the above embodiment, the destination is set on the vehicle side by the operation of the vehicle occupant. However, the center 22 sets the destination according to the preference of the vehicle occupant according to the request of the vehicle occupant. It may be applied. In this case, the center 22 has the same configuration as the destination setting processing unit 36 and the facility information search processing unit 38 included in the navigation unit 20.

  In the above embodiment, the center 22 calculates the arrival time of the vehicle occupant at the destination, but the navigation unit 20 may calculate the arrival time.

  Further, in the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, it is necessary to specify the destination when receiving the usage status of the destination that the vehicle occupant intends to go to. These facilities may be simultaneously specified as the destination, or an area or district including a plurality of facilities may be specified as the destination. In this case, convenience when the vehicle occupant specifies the destination is improved, and the predicted number of users at each destination is simultaneously provided to the vehicle occupant as shown in FIG. In this case, convenience when the vehicle occupant confirms the number of users at the destination is improved.

  In the above embodiment, the vehicle side determines whether or not a vehicle occupant has arrived near the destination registered in the center 22, but the center 22 side may determine. In this case, the vehicle side always transmits its current position to the center 22, and the center 22 transmits the vehicle based on the positional relationship between the current position and the destination of the vehicle registered in itself. The arrival at the destination will be determined.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the use status of the destination is provided from the center 22 to the navigation unit 20 mounted on the vehicle. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the in-vehicle navigation unit. Instead of 20, it is also possible to apply to a configuration using a mobile phone with an information display / voice guidance function, a personal computer with a communication function, an information terminal installed in a convenience store, or the like.

It is a block diagram of the system which is one Example of this invention. 5 is a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the navigation unit and the center in order to register the destination to which the user is going to the center and to provide the usage status of the destination from the center to the user in the system of the present embodiment. . It is a figure which shows an example of the time transition of the prediction user number in one destination. 5 is a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the navigation unit and the center in order to delete the destination once registered in the center from the center in response to a user request in the system of the present embodiment. 5 is a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the navigation unit and the center in order to delete the user from the predicted number of users and arrive at the actual number of users by arrival at the destination in the system of the present embodiment. 5 is a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the navigation unit and the center in order to provide the user with the usage status of the destination that the user is about to go to in the system of the present embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen at the time of displaying the usage condition of a several destination on a navigation unit.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 20 Navigation unit 22 Center 34 Position detection part 36 Destination setting process part 40, 50 Transmission / reception part 54 Destination utilization condition management part 58 Arrival time calculation part

Claims (6)

Vehicle, mobile phone, or mounted on the information terminal, receiving a navigation apparatus for transmitting a destination of the data is a facility on the configured map, the data of the destination are transmitted from the navigation device by the user to, a center and, their destinations ridership prediction system Ru Tona to aggregate the number of users for each facility that can be set as the destination,
The center is
Storage means for storing the estimated number of users scheduled to arrive in the future, totaled for each facility;
Providing means for providing the predicted number of users for each facility stored by the storage means to the outside;
When the destination data transmitted from the navigation device is received, the total number reading means for reading the predicted number of users of the facility at the destination from the storage means;
After the destination data transmitted from the navigation device is received, “1” or the number of users is added to the predicted number of users of the destination facility read by the total number reading means. Thus, a predicted user number increment means for incrementing the predicted user number of the facility at the destination,
Storage updating means for storing the predicted user number of the facility at the destination obtained by the increment by the predicted user number increment means in the storage means as the predicted user number of the facility;
A destination user number prediction system characterized by comprising: The storage means stores the predicted number of users tabulated for each facility and by time zone,
The navigation device transmits the data of the destination to the center together with the data of the current position of the user,
The center, in the case where data of the data and the current position of the destination transmitted from the navigation device has been received, the user the destination based on the positional relationship between the destination and the current position arrival time to arrive and have the arrival time prediction means for predicting the in,
The predicted user number increment means receives the destination data and the current position data transmitted from the navigation device, and then receives the destination facility read by the total number reading means. by adding only "1" or use the number of people in the predicted number of users in a time zone that belongs predicted the arrival time by the arrival time prediction unit, the prediction user in the time zone of the destination of the facility along with the increments the number,
The storage updating means uses the predicted user number in the time zone of the facility at the destination obtained by the increment by the predicted user number increment means as the predicted user number in the time zone of the facility. 2. The destination user number prediction system according to claim 1, wherein said destination user number prediction system is stored in a storage means . The providing means, after the data of the navigation device or transmit to said destination is received, the predictive number of users incrementing means The destination of the facility obtained by incrementing by the predicted number of users 3. The destination user number prediction system according to claim 1, wherein the data is transmitted toward the navigation device. The navigation device, when a user arrives at the destination, transmits a destination arrival signal indicating that the user has arrived at the destination toward the center,
The storage means stores the predicted number of users and the actual number of actual users that have actually arrived for each facility,
The providing means provides the predicted user number and the actual user number for each facility stored by the storage means to the outside,
When the destination arrival signal transmitted from the navigation device is received, the total number reading means also obtains the predicted user number and the actual user number of the facility at the destination from the storage means. As well as read
The center is
After the destination arrival signal transmitted from the navigation device is received, subtract only said predicted from the number of users "1" or Occupancy content destination facility read by the aggregate number reading means A means for decrementing the predicted number of users for decrementing the predicted number of users of the facility at the destination ;
After the destination arrival signal transmitted from the navigation device is received, “1” or the number of users is added to the number of actual users of the destination facility read by the total number reading means. it allows has a real user number increment means for incrementing the number of actual users of the destination facility, and
The storage update means also uses the predicted user number of the destination facility obtained by decrementing by the predicted user number decrement means as the predicted user number of the facility, and the actual usage. The number of actual users of the destination facility obtained by incrementing by the number increment means is stored in the storage means as the number of actual users of the facility, respectively . The destination number-of-users prediction system as described in any one of Claims. The navigation device, when the destination is set by the user, any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a transmitting means for transmitting the data The destination to the center Destination user number prediction system described. Receiving means for receiving data of a destination which is a facility on a map set by each user, each transmitted from a plurality of navigation devices;
Storage means for storing the predicted number of users scheduled to arrive in the future, aggregated for each facility that can be set as a destination;
Providing means for providing the predicted number of users for each facility stored by the storage means to the outside;
When the data of the destination transmitted from the navigation device is received by the receiving means, the total number reading means for reading out the predicted number of users of the facility at the destination from the storage means;
After the data of the destination transmitted from the navigation device is received by the receiving unit, the predicted number of users of the destination facility read by the total number reading unit is “1” or the number of users A predicted user number incrementing unit for incrementing the predicted user number of the facility at the destination by adding only the minutes,
Storage updating means for storing the predicted user number of the facility at the destination obtained by the increment by the predicted user number increment means in the storage means as the predicted user number of the facility;
A center characterized by comprising.

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