JP5217969B2 - Navigation device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device that provides route guidance for a host vehicle.

As a conventional navigation device, for example, a device described in Patent Document 1 is known. The navigation device described in Patent Document 1 searches landmarks (marks) near a branch point from map data, and when there is a landmark, determines the landmark with the highest priority according to the landmark priority / priority time table. Then, the position at which the landmark is located at the branch point as seen from the driver is determined from the map data, and the landmark and its position are notified to the driver by voice.
JP 2000-131084 A

  However, since the priorities of landmarks to be voice-guided are determined in advance for each branch point in the above-described prior art, appropriate landmarks are not necessarily voice-guided depending on driving conditions, driver information, and the like. The driver may have difficulty recognizing landmarks.

  The objective of this invention is providing the navigation apparatus which can alert | report an appropriate mark when performing the left-right turn guidance of the own vehicle.

The present invention relates to a navigation device that performs route guidance of the vehicle, a storage means for storing information relating to the driver of the subject vehicle, when the vehicle reaches the front point of the branch point of the traveling path, the storage means Mark determining means for determining a mark at the branch point based on the stored information on the driver, and a mark notifying means for notifying the mark determined by the mark determining means when guiding the vehicle left or right at the branch point And a lane number determining means for determining whether or not the number of lanes of the traveling road on which the host vehicle is traveling is greater than a predetermined number, and the landmark determining means is a side corresponding to the direction in which the host vehicle makes a right or left turn. present in facilities comprising means for determining as a marker preferentially, when the number of lanes of the road is determined to more than a predetermined number by the number of lanes determination means corresponds to the direction in which the vehicle is turning right or left The side corresponding to the direction in which the host vehicle turns right or left when the lane number determination unit determines that the number of lanes on the road is equal to or less than the predetermined number by activating the means for preferentially determining the facilities existing on the side The facility for preferentially determining the facility existing in the site is not validated .

  In general, the driver of a vehicle tends to pay attention to the right side when turning right at the branch point of the road and to pay attention to the left side when turning left at the branch point of the road. For this reason, in the route guidance of the host vehicle, if the mark on the left side is guided when the vehicle turns right, or the mark on the right side is guided when the vehicle turns left, the driver feels uncomfortable, It becomes difficult to look for facility becoming. Therefore, in the present invention, the facility existing on the side corresponding to the direction in which the host vehicle turns right and left is preferentially notified as a mark. In other words, when a vehicle turns right, if there is a facility on the right side of the branch point, the facility on the right side is notified as a landmark, and when the vehicle turns left, there is a facility on the left side of the branch point. Notifies the facility on the left side as a landmark. Thus, an appropriate mark according to the traveling direction of the host vehicle can be notified to the driver.

  As the number of lanes on the travel path increases, the facility that is present on the right side of the host vehicle is farther from the driver. For this reason, for example, when a facility on the right side is guided as a mark when the vehicle turns to the left, the driver feels a sense of discomfort and the driver becomes more difficult to find the mark facility. Therefore, when it is determined that the number of lanes on the travel path is greater than the predetermined number, it is preferable to preferentially notify the facility existing on the side corresponding to the direction in which the host vehicle turns right or left as a landmark.

  Preferably, the apparatus further comprises the same facility judging means for judging whether or not there are a plurality of facilities having the same name in the vicinity of the branch point, and the landmark determining means has the same name in the vicinity of the branch point by the same facility judging means. When it is determined that there are a plurality of facilities, there is means for preferentially determining a facility other than the facility having the same name as a landmark.

  If there are a plurality of facilities with the same name in the vicinity of a branch point, informing the facility as a landmark may cause confusion for the driver. Therefore, when there are multiple facilities with the same name in the vicinity of a branch point, the driver can search for a facility that is a landmark without being confused by preferentially informing the facility other than the facility as a landmark. it can.

  Further, the present invention is a navigation device that performs route guidance of the host vehicle, and a landmark determination unit that determines a marker of a branch point when the host vehicle reaches a point before the branch point of the traveling path, and a branch point When performing left and right turn guidance for the vehicle at the same time, the landmark notifying means for notifying the landmark determined by the landmark determining means and the same facility determination for determining whether there are a plurality of facilities having the same name in the vicinity of the branch point If the same facility determination unit determines that there are a plurality of facilities with the same name in the vicinity of the branch point, the landmark determination unit preferentially selects a facility other than the facility with the same name as the landmark. It has the means to determine, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  As described above, when there are a plurality of facilities having the same name in the vicinity of the branch point, if the facility is notified as a landmark, the driver may be confused. Therefore, in the present invention, when there are a plurality of facilities having the same name in the vicinity of the branch point, a facility other than the facility is preferentially notified as a mark. As a result, it is possible to notify the driver of an appropriate mark without causing the driver to be confused.

  Further, the present invention is a navigation device that performs route guidance of the host vehicle, wherein the storage unit stores information relating to the driver of the host vehicle, and the branching is performed when the host vehicle reaches a point before the branch point of the traveling path. A mark determining means for determining a mark of the point, and a mark notifying means for notifying the mark determined by the mark determining means when the vehicle turns right and left at the branch point. The facility to be a mark is determined based on the information related to the driver stored in (1).

  In general, the age, sex, hobbies, and the like of a driver are completely different for each driver. Therefore, even if an arbitrary facility is guided as a landmark, the driver may not be able to pin. For example, when there are a plurality of different facilities that serve as landmark candidates, the ease of recognition of the type of facility differs depending on the driver. Therefore, in the present invention, a facility to be a mark is determined based on information (age, sex, hobby, etc.) related to the driver, and the mark is notified. In this way, an appropriate mark corresponding to the information related to the driver can be notified to the driver.

  Preferably, the mark notifying means has a notification form determining means for determining a notice form of the mark based on information about the driver stored in the storage means, and the notice form determining means becomes a mark as the notice form of the mark. This is means for selecting a facility naming method from either a facility name or a facility category.

  Depending on the driver, it may be easier to recognize the facility that is the landmark by the name of the facility than by the facility category. Therefore, based on information about the driver (age, gender, hobby, etc.), a facility naming method is selected from either the facility name or facility category, and the landmark is notified using the selected naming method. Is preferred.

  According to the present invention, since the appropriate mark is notified when the left and right turn guidance of the host vehicle is performed, the driver can easily recognize the mark.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a navigation device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a navigation apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a navigation device 1 includes a touch display 2, a speaker 3, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 4, a navigation ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 5, and a memory 6 (for example, HDD). .

  The touch display 2 has various input functions for setting and inputting a destination where the host vehicle travels and various display functions for displaying a travel route guide of the host vehicle on the screen. The speaker 3 performs voice guidance of the traveling route of the host vehicle. The GPS receiver 4 receives radio waves from GPS satellites and acquires the current position of the host vehicle as latitude / longitude coordinate data.

  The navigation ECU 5 includes a CPU, a memory such as a ROM and a RAM, an input / output circuit, and the like. The navigation ECU 5 sets the travel route to the destination set and input on the touch display 2 based on the output data of the GPS receiver 4 and the data stored in the memory 6, and performs the travel route guidance so as to perform the travel route guidance. And a function of controlling the speaker 3. When the navigation ECU 5 performs the travel route guidance for the host vehicle, the navigation ECU 5 shows the travel route on the map displayed on the touch display 2 and also displays a landmark ( The guide is voice-guided by the speaker 3.

  The memory 6 includes a map information database (map information DB) 7 in which map information is stored, and a driver characteristic information database (driver characteristic information DB) 8 in which information about the driver (driver characteristic information) is stored. Have. Driver characteristics include the age, sex, address, hobbies, etc. of the driver. The driver characteristic information is input in advance by the touch display 2, for example. In addition, the search history of the music and navigation played back in audio (history of stores etc. performed in the past) is accumulated in the driver characteristic information DB 8, the driver's hobby is determined from the search history, and the determination result is You may register into driver characteristic information DB8.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the details of the procedure for performing the left / right turn guidance while voice guiding the landmarks at the branch points of the traveling road in the route guidance processing executed by the navigation ECU 5.

  In the figure, first, based on the current position of the host vehicle acquired by the GPS receiver 4 and the set travel route of the host vehicle, it is determined whether or not the host vehicle has reached a route guidance point (step S51). . As shown in FIG. 3, the route guidance point is a point that is a predetermined length (for example, 200 m) ahead of the target branch point (intersection or the like) at which the host vehicle is to turn right or left.

  When it is determined that the host vehicle has reached the route guidance point, facilities such as stores and companies that are landmark candidates existing near the target branch point from the map information stored in the map information DB 7 (see FIG. 3). ) Is read (step S52).

  Subsequently, it is determined whether there is a landmark candidate near the target branch point (step S53). If it is determined that there are landmark candidates, it is subsequently determined whether there are a plurality of landmark candidates. (Procedure S54). When it is determined that the number of landmark candidates is one instead of plural, the only landmark candidate is determined as a landmark (step S55).

  If it is determined in step S54 that there are a plurality of landmark candidates, it is determined whether there are a plurality of landmark candidates having the same facility name (store name, company name, etc.) in the vicinity of the target branch point. (Procedure S56). When it is determined that there are not a plurality of landmark candidates having the same facility name near the target branch point, the process proceeds to step S59 described later.

  If it is determined that there are multiple landmark candidates with the same facility name in the vicinity of the target branch point, a landmark candidate with a facility name different from the same facility name is present in the vicinity of the target branch point. Is determined (step S57).

  If it is determined that there is no landmark candidate having a facility name different from the same facility name, the unique landmark candidate is determined as a landmark (step S55). On the other hand, when it is determined that there are landmark candidates with different facility names from the same facility name, there are a plurality of landmark candidates with the same facility name that are present (step S58). Then, the process proceeds to step S59 described later.

  Thereafter, based on the current position of the host vehicle acquired by the GPS receiver 4 and the map information stored in the map information DB 7, it is determined whether the road on which the host vehicle is traveling is two lanes or more on one side. (Procedure S59).

  When it is determined that the road on which the host vehicle is traveling is two lanes or more on one side, it is determined whether or not there is a landmark candidate on the side corresponding to the turning direction of the host vehicle at the target branch point (step S60). ). Specifically, when the host vehicle turns right at the target branch point, it is determined whether there is a landmark candidate on the right side of the target branch point. When the host vehicle turns left at the target branch point, the target branch point is determined. It is determined whether there is a landmark candidate on the left side of.

  When it is determined that there is a landmark candidate on the side corresponding to the turning direction of the host vehicle, it is determined whether the number of landmark candidates existing on the side corresponding to the turning direction of the host vehicle is one ( Procedure S61). When it is determined that the number of landmark candidates existing on the side corresponding to the turning direction of the host vehicle is one, the landmark candidate existing on the side corresponding to the turning direction of the host vehicle is the landmark. Is determined as (step S62).

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the number of landmark candidates existing on the side corresponding to the turning direction of the host vehicle is not one, but based on the characteristics of the driver (age, gender, address, hobby, etc.) Then, a landmark candidate suitable for the driver is selected from the plurality of landmark candidates as a landmark (step S63). For example, when there are a video rental store and a tombstone store as a plurality of landmark candidate facilities, the video rental store is easier to recognize for young people, and the tombstone store is easier for elderly people to recognize. For this reason, when the driver is a young person, the video rental store is selected as a landmark, and when the driver is an elderly person, the tombstone store is selected as a landmark.

  When it is determined in step S59 that the road on which the host vehicle is traveling is not more than one lane on one side, that is, one lane on one side, in step S60, there is no landmark candidate on the side corresponding to the turning direction of the host vehicle. If it is determined, it is determined whether or not there are a plurality of landmark candidates (step S64). When it is determined that the number of landmark candidates is one instead of plural, the only landmark candidate is determined as a landmark (step S55).

  If it is determined in step S64 that there are a plurality of landmark candidates, a landmark candidate suitable for the driver is selected as a landmark from among a plurality of landmark candidates based on the characteristics of the driver ( Procedure S65). The landmark selection method at this time is the same as in step S63.

  After executing any one of the procedures S55, S62, S63, and S65, the designation method of the facility to be a landmark is determined based on the characteristics of the driver (procedure S66). At this time, the designation method of the facility as the landmark is selected from either the facility name or the facility category (facility type).

  Specifically, for example, when a video rental store “KAGAWA (store name)” becomes a landmark, the naming method for young people is “KAGAWA”, and for elderly people the naming method is “video rental store”. " Also, for example, when the soba restaurant “Martha-tei (store name)” becomes a landmark, the name method is “Martha-tei” for local people, and the name method is “ Soba restaurant. For example, when a barber shop “Itakura barber (store name)” becomes a landmark, the naming method for men is “Itakura barber”, and for women, the naming method is “barber shop”. For example, when the surf shop “Hilux (store name)” becomes a landmark, the naming method is “Hilux” for those who are surfing hobbies, and the naming method is “ "Surf shop".

  Subsequently, a voice route guidance with landmarks in the right / left turn direction of the host vehicle is performed (step S67). At this time, the landmark voice guidance is performed by the naming method determined in step S67. For example, voice route guidance such as “Turn right at 100m. The landmark is a video rental store.” Or “Turn right at 100m. The landmark is KAGAWA.”

  On the other hand, when it is determined in step S53 that there is no landmark candidate, voice route guidance for the left / right turn direction of the host vehicle is performed without a landmark (step S68). For example, voice route guidance such as “turn right after 100 m” is performed.

  Here, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a travel route is set in which the vehicle P traveling on a two-lane road on one side turns left at the crossroads, and a convenience store “Endo 24” exists on the left side of the crossroads. Assume that there is a convenience store “Ohaku Mart” on the right side of the crossroads.

  In this case, when the host vehicle P makes a left turn on the crossroads and the “large angle mart” on the right side of the crossroads is voice-guided as a landmark, the driver feels uncomfortable. Moreover, since the road is two lanes on one side, the distance from the host vehicle P to the “large angle mart” is long, and it is difficult for the driver to find the “large angle mart”. Accordingly, the voice guidance is provided with “Endo 24” on the left side of the crossroads as a landmark (see steps S59 to S62 in FIG. 2).

  In addition, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a travel route is set such that the own vehicle P traveling on a one-lane road turns right at the crossroads, and a convenience store “Endo 24” exists on the left side of the crossroads. Suppose that there is a convenience store “Okaku Mart” on the right side of the crossroads, and there is also a “Okaku Mart” on the side (left side) of the inverted toroidal road several tens of meters (eg, 50 m) before the crossroads. .

  In this case, when the vehicle turns to the right on the crossroads, if the “large corner mart” is voice-guided as a landmark, the driver will place the “large corner mart” on the right side of the crossroads in front of the reverse “T”. It may be confused with “Ohaku Mart” and get confused. Therefore, even though the host vehicle turns right at the crossroads, the voice guidance is provided with “Endo 24” having only one near the crossroads as a landmark (see steps S56 to S58 in FIG. 2).

  In the above, the steps S51 to S55, S57, S58, S60 to S65 of the GPS receiver 4 and the navigation ECU 5 and the map information database 7 are branched when the own vehicle reaches a point before the branch point of the travel path. A mark determining means for determining the mark of the point is configured. The above steps S66 and S67 of the speaker 3 and the navigation ECU 5 constitute mark notifying means for notifying the mark determined by the mark determining means when guidance for turning the vehicle left and right at the branch point.

  Further, the above-described procedure S59 of the GPS receiver 4 and the navigation ECU 5 and the map information database 7 constitute lane number determination means for determining whether or not the number of lanes on the travel path on which the host vehicle is traveling is greater than a predetermined number. To do. The procedure S56 of the GPS receiver 4 and the navigation ECU 5 and the map information database 7 constitute the same facility judging means for judging whether or not there are a plurality of facilities having the same name near the branch point.

  Further, the steps S60 to S63 of the navigation ECU 5 constitute a means for preferentially determining a facility existing on the side corresponding to the direction in which the host vehicle turns right or left as a landmark. In the same procedure S55, S57, S58, S62, S63, S65, when it is determined by the same facility judging means that there are a plurality of facilities having the same name in the vicinity of the branch point, facilities other than the facility having the same name are selected. A means for preferentially determining the mark is configured. The procedure S66 constitutes notification mode determination means for determining the notification mode of the mark based on the information about the driver stored in the storage unit 8.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when performing route guidance for the host vehicle, when the road on which the host vehicle is traveling is two lanes or more on one side, the host vehicle turns right at the intersection. The facility on the right side of the vehicle is voice-guided as a landmark, and when the vehicle turns left at the intersection, the facility on the left side of the intersection is voice-guided as a landmark, so the driver of the vehicle is almost uncomfortable. Landmark can be recognized without feeling.

  However, if there are multiple facilities with the same name near the intersection, and there are other facilities with different names, the other facilities with the same name will not be spoken as landmarks, but different facilities. As a landmark, the driver can recognize the landmark without causing confusion.

  If there are multiple types of facilities that are landmark candidates, the facility that matches the driver's characteristics (age, gender, address, hobby, etc.) is selected as the landmark from among the multiple types of facilities. Since the landmark is voice-guided, the driver can easily recognize the landmark.

  Furthermore, when the landmark is voice-guided, the facility name and the facility category that are suitable for the driver's characteristics are selected as the naming method, so the landmark is named with a name that is easy for the driver to understand. . Therefore, it becomes easier for the driver to recognize the landmark.

  As described above, when performing left / right turn guidance for the host vehicle, an appropriate landmark is notified to the driver according to the driving situation and the driver's characteristics, so the driver can easily recognize the landmark. can do. As a result, the driver can perform comfortable driving.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the landmark 3 is guided (notified) by voice by the speaker 3 at the time of guiding the vehicle to turn left or right. However, the landmark may be notified by screen display.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, when the own vehicle drive | works the road more than two lanes on one side, the landmark candidate which exists in the side corresponding to the turning direction of the own vehicle was determined as a landmark, but the own vehicle is 1 side. Even when traveling on a lane road, if there is a landmark candidate on the side corresponding to the turning direction of the host vehicle, the landmark candidate may be preferentially determined as a landmark.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the facility other than the facility having the same name existing near the branch point is preferentially notified as a landmark rather than the facility existing on the side corresponding to the direction in which the host vehicle turns right or left. However, the facility existing on the side corresponding to the direction in which the host vehicle turns right or left may be preferentially notified as a landmark over facilities other than the facility having the same name existing near the branch point. good.

  Further, in the above embodiment, when the host vehicle is traveling on a road with one lane on one side, and even when the host vehicle is traveling on a road with two or more lanes on one side, the land on the side corresponding to the turning direction of the host vehicle is displayed. When there are multiple facilities that are mark candidates, the facility according to the driver's characteristics (age, gender, address, hobbies, etc.) is selected as a landmark. When there are a plurality of facilities in the vicinity of the branch point, the facility corresponding to the characteristics of the driver may always be selected as the landmark.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of one Embodiment of the navigation apparatus concerning this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of the procedure of the process which performs left-right turn guidance, carrying out the voice guidance of the landmark at the branch point of a driving path among the route guidance processes performed by navigation ECU shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the route guidance point and landmark candidate on a road. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the road of the one side 2 lane where the facility used as a landmark candidate exists in the right and left both sides of an intersection. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the road where the same facility used as a landmark candidate exists near the intersection.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus, 3 ... Speaker (mark notification means), 4 ... GPS receiver (mark determination means, lane number judgment means, same facility judgment means), 5 ... Navigation ECU (mark determination means, mark notification means, number of lanes) Judgment means, same facility judgment means), 7 ... Map information database (marking determination means, lane number judgment means, same facility judgment means), 8 ... Driver characteristic database (storage means).

Claims (3)

A navigation device that provides route guidance for the host vehicle,
Storage means for storing information relating to the driver of the host vehicle;
Mark determining means for determining the mark of the branch point based on the information about the driver stored by the storage means when the host vehicle reaches a point before the branch point of the travel path;
A mark notifying means for notifying the mark determined by the mark determining means when performing left and right turn guidance of the host vehicle at the branch point ;
Lane number determination means for determining whether or not the number of lanes of the travel path on which the host vehicle is traveling is greater than a predetermined number ;
The landmark determining means has means for preferentially determining a facility existing on a side corresponding to a direction in which the host vehicle turns right and left as the landmark .
When the lane number determination means determines that the number of lanes on the road is greater than the predetermined number, the facility existing on the side corresponding to the direction in which the host vehicle turns right or left is preferentially determined as the mark. When the lane number determination means determines that the number of lanes on the road is equal to or less than the predetermined number, the facility existing on the side corresponding to the direction in which the host vehicle turns right / left is given priority. A navigation device characterized by not enabling the means for determining the mark . The same facility judging means for judging whether or not there are a plurality of facilities having the same name in the vicinity of the branch point,
The landmark determination unit preferentially selects a facility other than the facility with the same name when the same facility determination unit determines that there are a plurality of facilities with the same name in the vicinity of the branch point. the navigation device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for determining a. The landmark notification means includes notification form determination means for determining a notification form of the landmark based on information about the driver stored in the storage means.
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the notification form determination means is a means for selecting a designation method of the facility to be the landmark from either a facility name or a facility category as the notice form of the landmark. .

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