JP4785484B2 - Navigation device and road information display method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle-mounted navigation device, and more particularly to a road information display method provided in the navigation device.

  In recent years, in-vehicle navigation devices tend to be provided with many functions. Particularly useful for the user is a route search function that automatically searches for a route from a departure point to a destination and displays the searched route as a guide route on a map. If this function is used, the departure route and the destination are input from the input device, and the guidance route connecting the departure location and the destination with the optimum route is automatically searched and displayed on an LCD (liquid crystal display) or the like. It can be displayed on the device.

  In addition, when the user travels according to the retrieved guidance route, there is a guidance function that guides the user to the destination by displaying the guidance route on a map and displaying the vehicle position. If this function is used, for example, when an intersection is approached while traveling, an enlarged view of the intersection (a map displayed within a predetermined display range of the display device with a reduced number of display elements) For example, it is possible to notify the user of various information related to the traveling route in real time.

  In addition, when there are toll roads (highways, etc.) on the searched guidance route, in order to smoothly settle tolls on toll roads, the on-board equipment installed in the vehicle and the roadside provided at the toll gate There is an automatic fee payment system called ETC (Electronic Toll Collection System) that performs fee settlement non-stop by transmitting and receiving information to and from an antenna. ETC transmits and receives various information (vehicle number, passing time, etc.) by performing short-range wireless communication between a roadside antenna provided at a payment place such as a toll booth and an in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle. This is a system for conducting toll payments.

  In the above ETC (automatic fee payment system), by inserting a dedicated credit card (commonly known as an ETC card) into the vehicle-mounted device installed in the vehicle, the short-range wireless communication automatically when the vehicle approaches the roadside antenna You can start to communicate and pay for tolls. When the user gets out of the vehicle, the ETC card is removed from the in-vehicle device and stored in order to prevent the ETC card from being stolen.

  In the conventional navigation device having the guidance route display function as described above, the position of the vehicle is detected based on radio waves from, for example, a geomagnetic sensor, a gyroscope, a vehicle speed sensor, and a satellite in order to detect the vehicle position. A GPS receiver for GPS (Global Positioning System) is used. However, in the conventional navigation device using GPS, the vehicle position is displayed so as to completely match the position of the node or link of the road information (information for processing representing the road as numerical data). When a city map is displayed in an overlapping manner, there is a problem that there is no guarantee that the vehicle position is accurately displayed on a road or an intersection of the city map.

  A city map is just a collection of line segments that represent the contours of roads and buildings. For this reason, the navigation device does not recognize which is a road and which is an intersection in a city map. For this reason, when a city map is displayed overlaid on road information, it can only be overlapped with the same latitude and longitude, and the roads and intersections of the city map are overlapped with the road information links and nodes. I can't. Therefore, there is a possibility that the roads and intersections in the city map and the roads and intersections in the road information are recognized as being displaced in position. As a result, there is a problem that the vehicle position is displayed at a position deviated from the road or intersection of the city map, for example, inside a building outside the road.

  In relation to the above problem, Patent Document 1 discloses a map display technique for the purpose of reliably displaying a measured current position or a searched route on a road of a city map. The map display technology of Patent Document 1 reads out map data that reads out city map data representing a city map in which the outer frame shape of a road or a building is drawn, and road polygon data representing roads and intersections of the city map in polygons. Means and position estimation means for estimating the current position of the user. In addition, the vehicle position adjustment means that corrects the estimated current position so that it falls within the area of the road polygon, and a city map image is created based on the city map data, and the corrected current position is displayed over the city map image. Current position display means is provided.

  According to the above-mentioned invention of Patent Document 1, the position of the estimated current position of the user (for example, a car) is adjusted with respect to road polygon data that accurately matches the complicated road shape of the city map. Therefore, the current position of the user can be displayed on the road of the city map with high accuracy, except in exceptional circumstances (such as a car entering a large parking lot).

However, in the map display technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the vehicle (user) is on the road, the current position can be displayed with high accuracy. When entering the area or parking area, the vehicle position is not adjusted, and the vehicle position is displayed at a position shifted from the facility (service area, etc.) on the city map as before. It was. Even if the vehicle position is adjusted, the vehicle position is corrected on the road even though the vehicle is located outside the road (service area, etc.). There was a problem that it would occur.
JP 2001-41754 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to ensure the measured current position, the searched route, etc. even when the vehicle is located outside the road. An object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that can display an accurate location on a city map.

In order to achieve the above object, the navigation device of the present invention provides:
Own vehicle position detecting means for detecting the current position of the own vehicle;
A city map data storage means for storing city map data including road and building outer frame shapes;
Polygon display means for polygonally displaying roads and buildings based on road shape data;
Vehicle position adjustment means for adjusting the vehicle position so that the vehicle position is positioned on a polygon indicating a road when the vicinity of the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection means is displayed using the polygon display means; ,
Current position display means for displaying the periphery of the vehicle position adjusted using the vehicle position adjustment means by the polygon display means and displaying a city map image created using the city map data in an overlapping manner; ,
In a navigation device comprising
Departure detection means for detecting that the vehicle has departed from the specific travel path while traveling on the specific travel path;
When the departure detecting means detects the departure, the vehicle position is adjusted so that the vehicle position is positioned on the polygon indicating the building to be removed, and the adjusted vehicle position is superimposed on the city map image. An off-road position display means for displaying;
It is characterized by having.

According to this configuration
When the control unit of the navigation device detects that the vehicle has left a specific road (for example, a toll road) while traveling on a specific road (for example, a toll road), polygonal data and road The map data is used to display and the current position of the vehicle is acquired. Check if the acquired current position is included in the range of the building of the departure destination on the road map data, and if not, in the polygon display and the city map image indicating the departure building The vehicle position is adjusted to include the current position of the vehicle.
In order to achieve the above object, the navigation device of the present invention provides:
Return detection means for detecting that the vehicle has returned to the specific travel path from the departure destination building;
A switching means for switching the means for displaying the vehicle position from the outside-road-position display means to the current-position display means when the return detection means detects a return to a specific traveling road;
It is characterized by having.

According to this configuration
When the control unit of the navigation device detects that the own vehicle has left the specific travel route and has returned to the travel route from the departure destination, the means for displaying the own vehicle position is displayed outside the travel route position according to the present invention. To the conventional current position display means. As a result, the current position of the host vehicle is acquired, the position of the acquired host vehicle position is corrected using a conventional host vehicle position adjustment function, and the host vehicle position is displayed on the travel path.

In order to achieve the above object, the navigation device of the present invention provides:
In the departure detection means, the traveling direction of the vehicle is stored in advance, and it is determined that the traveling direction has departed from the specific traveling path by detecting that the traveling direction has changed by a certain angle within a certain time;
In the return detection means, by detecting that the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance in the traveling direction stored in advance, it is determined that the return to the specific travel path has been performed;
It is characterized by having.

According to this configuration
When the host vehicle is traveling on a specific road (toll road, etc.), the advance direction is stored in advance, and the advance direction has changed abruptly (for example, a 90 degree left turn to enter the service area) In addition, it is determined that the vehicle has left the specific travel route. Conversely, by detecting that the vehicle has traveled a certain distance in the stored traveling direction, it is determined that the vehicle has left the service area and returned to the original specific travel route.

In order to achieve the above object, the navigation device of the present invention provides:
The specific traveling road corresponds to a toll road.

According to this configuration
The road information display method of the present invention is used when a toll road is left while traveling on a toll road or when a return destination (service area or the like) returns to a toll road.

According to the first configuration of the present invention,
When the vehicle leaves the specific road, when the building around the departure destination (for example, service area) is displayed using polygon data and road map data, the location of the vehicle Adjust and display so that it is included in the area. Thereby, when the own vehicle leaves the traveling road, there is no deviation between the actual current position and the own vehicle position indicated by the polygon display and the city map image. As in the case of being on the road, the vehicle position can be accurately displayed within a predetermined area (for example, within a service area).

According to the second configuration of the present invention,
When the control unit of the navigation device detects that the own vehicle has left the specific travel route and has returned to the travel route from the departure destination, the means for displaying the own vehicle position is displayed outside the travel route position according to the present invention. To the conventional current position display means. For this reason, even when the own vehicle returns from the traveling road to the traveling road, the position of the own vehicle is adjusted, so that accurate position information can be continuously displayed.

According to the third configuration of the present invention,
The traveling direction is stored in advance while the host vehicle is traveling on the specific traveling path, and it is determined that the host vehicle has left the specific traveling path in response to the rapid change of the traveling direction. Conversely, by detecting that the vehicle has traveled a certain distance in the stored traveling direction, it is determined that the vehicle has left the service area and returned to the original specific travel route. For this reason, it is possible to reliably and easily detect the departure of the host vehicle from the traveling path and the return to the traveling path.

According to the fourth configuration of the present invention,
The road information display method of the present invention is used when a toll road leaves while traveling on a toll road, or when the toll road returns to the toll road. For this reason, the road information display method of the present invention does not function on a road that is assumed to leave the driving road relatively frequently, such as a general road, and there is a charge that is relatively low to leave the driving road. Since the road information display method of the present invention functions only on roads, it is possible to prevent malfunctions.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[Embodiment]
<1. About the internal configuration of the navigation device>
Here, the configuration of the main part of the electric circuit system of the navigation device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

  As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2, the navigation apparatus 1 of the present invention includes at least a control unit 11, a memory 12, a storage unit 13, a ROM 14, a current position detection unit 15, an operation button group 16, and a display unit 17. It is configured as follows.

  The control unit 11 is a central processing unit for performing overall control of navigation processing (route search, road data display, etc.) by organically controlling the driving of each member of the navigation device 1. The control unit 11 is a central part that controls each device (for example, the storage unit 13 and the like), calculates data, processes, and the like. Moreover, the control part 11 is comprised so that the map matching (own vehicle position adjustment) process part 11a may be included. The map matching processing unit 11a is a processing circuit that performs map matching between a current position detected by a current position detecting unit 15 described later and road map data. The map matching processing unit 11a receives GPS position data from the current position detection unit 15, estimates the current vehicle position from the latest speed, traveling direction, locus, etc. of the vehicle, and displays the route information and the like. In addition, there is a function of correcting the vehicle position on the map so that it is always located on the road (even if the estimated position is outside the road, it is forcibly corrected on a nearby road).

  The memory 12 is a medium for temporarily storing various data held by the navigation device 1 and is configured by, for example, a writable RAM (Random Access Memory). The memory 12 serves as a buffer memory for temporarily storing, for example, processing data when various navigation processes are performed by the control unit 11 and instruction commands received from the user.

  The storage unit 13 is a storage medium for recording various data (road data, recording data, etc.) held by the navigation device 1. Note that the storage unit 13 is physically divided into a plurality of regions (partitions), and it is more desirable to store each region according to the type of data to be stored. The storage unit 13 includes at least a polygon data storage area 13a that is an area for storing polygon data (data for three-dimensionally showing the configuration shape of a road or the like), and a road map data storage area that is an area for recording road map data. 13b.

  A ROM (Read Only Memory) 14 is a medium for storing program data for performing various types of processing (for example, route search processing) using the control unit 11, for example, and the user can only read information. ing.

  The current position detection unit 15 is a circuit for specifying the current position of the navigation device (and thus the vehicle on which the navigation device is mounted). The current position detector 15 receives information from, for example, a geomagnetic sensor, a gyroscope, a vehicle speed sensor, and a GPS receiver for GPS (Global Positioning System) that detects the position of the vehicle based on radio waves from a satellite. . Based on the information acquired by these devices, the current position detector 15 identifies the current position of the vehicle.

The operation button group 16 is an input interface for the user to give a road search instruction, a road information display instruction, and the like to the navigation device 1. The display unit 17 is an output interface for displaying various information of the navigation device 1 to the user.
<2. About road information display process>
Here, the processing steps of the road information display processing in the navigation device 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 1 and the block diagram of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, for example, when the control unit 11 detects the start of travel on a toll road (specific travel road) by the user, the road information display process of the present invention is started (S110). The toll road traveling detection is performed, for example, by constantly monitoring the traveling route using the current position detecting unit 15 and the road map data stored in the storage unit 13.

  The control unit 11 that has detected the traveling on the toll road has a service area (hereinafter abbreviated as SA) or a parking area (hereinafter abbreviated as PA) in the traveling direction based on the route information. It is checked whether or not (S120). If PA or SA exists, the process proceeds to the next step S130. When PA or SA does not exist, monitoring of PA and SA is continued.

  In step S120, the control unit 11 that has detected PA or SA on the route reads the polygon data (road shape data) stored in the polygon data storage area 13a of the storage unit 13, and based on the read data, the own vehicle A polygon image of the peripheral route is created and displayed using the display unit 17 (S130).

  The control unit 11 checks whether the vehicle has entered the PA or SA detected in S120 (S140). If the vehicle has entered, the process proceeds to the next step S150. If the vehicle has not entered, the process proceeds to S120 and the PA or SA is continuously monitored. In addition, as a method of checking whether the own vehicle has entered PA or SA, for example, the traveling direction of the own vehicle is stored in advance, and the traveling direction changes rapidly (for example, the traveling direction changes by 90 degrees or more). In addition, it is conceivable to determine that the vehicle has entered the PA or SA after leaving the toll road. In addition, for example, a method may be used in which it is determined that the vehicle has entered the PA or SA when the speed changes abruptly (for example, below 20 km / h).

  When it is determined in S140 that the vehicle has entered the PA or SA, the vehicle position is displayed on the PA or SA with respect to the polygon image displayed on the display unit 17 in the process of S130. Then, the polygon image is corrected (S150). For example, when the vehicle is off the road, the position correction function (map matching function) according to the prior art becomes invalid, and the vehicle position is displayed based on rough position information obtained by GPS. . Since the position specified by GPS has a large error, the obtained position information may indicate a plain or a forest, for example, not on PA or SA. Even in such a case, since it is clear that the own vehicle has entered PA or SA in S140, the position of the own vehicle on the polygon image is forcibly moved into PA or SA and displayed. Displayed using the unit 17.

  After the host vehicle enters the PA or SA, the control unit 11 confirms whether or not the host vehicle leaves the PA or SA at regular intervals (S160). If it is determined as a result of the confirmation that the vehicle has left the PA or SA, the process proceeds to the next step S170. Conversely, if it is determined that the vehicle is still in the PA or SA, the process proceeds to S150. As a method of confirming whether or not the vehicle has left the PA or SA, for example, the traveling direction on the expressway immediately before entering the PA or SA is stored, and the same direction as the stored traveling direction. There is a method of determining that the PA or SA has been left when the vehicle has traveled a certain distance. Further, for example, a method may be used in which it is determined that the PA or SA has been released when the speed of the host vehicle exceeds a certain speed (for example, 20 km / h).

  If it is determined in S160 that the vehicle has left PA or SA, the control unit 11 moves the vehicle position into the toll road and performs position correction processing on the toll road. Note that the position correction process on the toll road is the same as in the prior art, and thus the description thereof is omitted here.

For example, the control unit 11 uses the current position detection unit 15 and the road map data stored in the road map data storage area 13b to check whether the vehicle is traveling on a toll road ( S180). If the vehicle is traveling on a toll road, the process proceeds to S120. On the other hand, when the departure from the toll road is detected, this process is terminated.
[Other embodiments]
The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments and examples. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above embodiments and examples, and various modifications may be made within the scope of the technical idea. Can be implemented.

  For example, a storage medium recording software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to the navigation apparatus 1, and a computer (for example, CPU) in the navigation apparatus 1 reads the program codes stored in the storage medium. Needless to say, it can also be achieved through implementation.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like is used. it can.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an OS (operating system) operating on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  In this embodiment, data stored in the storage unit 13 is used as road data for calculating tolls for toll roads. However, data obtained from an external organization by communication means such as wireless communication is used. The road data may be acquired.

  In the present embodiment, the processing is started when entering the toll road. However, the road information display method of the present invention is used on specific roads other than the toll road (for example, tunnels, automobile-only roads, etc.). Needless to say, the same effect is exhibited. Further, it goes without saying that the road information display method of the present invention can be used even if the vehicle enters a zone other than SA and PA as an approach destination when it departs from the toll road.

  In this embodiment, as a method for detecting entry from the toll road to SA or PA and departure from SA or PA, a detection method based on the traveling direction or traveling speed is used. However, a detection method other than the above is used. Needless to say, the same effects as those of the present invention can be obtained even when using the method of detecting entry and exit from the SA or PA.

It is a processing flowchart of the road information display process by the navigation apparatus of this invention. It is the block diagram which showed the principal part structure inside the navigation apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Navigation apparatus 11 Control part 12 Memory 13 Storage part 14 ROM
15 Current position detection unit 16 Operation button group 17 Display unit

Claims (8)

Own vehicle position detecting means for detecting the current position of the own vehicle;
A city map data storage means for storing city map data including road and building outer frame shapes;
Polygon display means for polygonally displaying roads and buildings based on road shape data;
Vehicle position adjustment means for adjusting the vehicle position so that the vehicle position is positioned on a polygon indicating a road when the vicinity of the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection means is displayed using the polygon display means; ,
Current position display means for displaying the periphery of the vehicle position adjusted using the vehicle position adjustment means by the polygon display means and displaying a city map image created using the city map data in an overlapping manner; ,
In a navigation device comprising
Departure detection means for detecting that the vehicle has departed from the specific travel path while traveling on the specific travel path;
When the departure detecting means detects the departure, the vehicle position is adjusted so that the vehicle position is positioned on the polygon indicating the building to be removed, and the adjusted vehicle position is superimposed on the city map image. An off-road position display means for displaying;
A navigation device characterized by comprising: Return detection means for detecting that the vehicle has returned to the specific travel path from the departure destination building;
A switching means for switching the means for displaying the vehicle position from the outside-road-position display means to the current-position display means when the return detection means detects a return to a specific traveling road;
The navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising: In the departure detection means, the traveling direction of the vehicle is stored in advance, and it is determined that the traveling direction has departed from the specific traveling path by detecting that the traveling direction has changed by a certain angle within a certain time;
In the return detection means, by detecting that the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance in the traveling direction stored in advance, it is determined that the return to the specific travel path has been performed;
The navigation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the specific traveling road corresponds to a toll road. A vehicle position detection process for detecting the current position of the vehicle;
A city map data storage step for storing city map data including road and building outer frame shapes;
A polygon display process for polygonally displaying roads and buildings based on road shape data;
A vehicle position adjustment step for adjusting the vehicle position so that the vehicle position is positioned on a polygon indicating a road when the vicinity of the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection step is displayed using the polygon display step; ,
A current position display step of displaying the periphery of the vehicle position adjusted by the vehicle position adjustment step by the polygon display step and displaying a city map image created using the city map data,
In the road information display method having
A departure detection step for detecting that the vehicle has left the specific travel path while traveling on the specific travel path;
When a departure is detected in the departure detection step, the vehicle position is adjusted so that the vehicle position is positioned on a polygon indicating a building to be removed, and the adjusted vehicle position is overlaid on the city map image. An off-road location display step for displaying;
A road information display method characterized by comprising: A return detection step of detecting that the vehicle has returned to the specific travel path from the departure destination building;
When the return to the specific travel path is detected by the return detection process, a switching process for switching the vehicle position display process from the travel path position display process to the current position display process,
The road information display method according to claim 5, further comprising: In the separation detection step, the traveling direction of the host vehicle is stored in advance, and it is determined that the traveling direction has departed from the specific traveling path by detecting that the traveling direction has changed more than a certain angle within a certain time;
In the return detection step, determining that the return to the specific travel path has been performed by detecting that the vehicle has traveled a certain distance in the traveling direction stored in advance,
The road information display method according to claim 5, wherein the road information is displayed. The road information display method according to claim 5, wherein the specific traveling road corresponds to a toll road.

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