JP5317469B2 - Navigation device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for performing direction guidance in a navigation device mounted on an automobile.

As a technique for performing direction guidance in a navigation device mounted on an automobile, a technique is known in which when a road approaches a branch point, the user guides the user to the direction to which each branch at the branch point heads ( For example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-241492

  According to the technology that guides the direction of each branch at the branch point to the user, when the number of branches and the number of lanes is large, the correspondence between the lane and the direction of travel becomes complicated, and the user Immediately, it may not be possible to confirm whether the currently running lane is a lane toward the intended direction.

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to enable a user to grasp | ascertain easily the direction where the running lane heads.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a navigation device mounted on an automobile, including a current position calculation means for calculating a current position, a lane recognition means for identifying a running lane, and a direction guidance means. In the direction guidance means, in response to the direction guidance request from the user, the direction to which the running lane identified by the lane recognition means is directed, the current position and the direction to which each lane constituting the road is directed. Is calculated based on the road map data including the above information, and a message for guiding that the direction in which the traveling lane is heading is the calculated direction is output.

  According to such a navigation device, the direction to which the traveling lane is directed is directly guided, not as a part of the direction to which each lane is directed. Therefore, the user only makes a direction guidance request, and the currently traveling lane It is possible to easily and immediately grasp which direction is going.

  Here, in such a navigation device, in the direction guidance means, in response to the direction guidance request, a direction in which the lane adjacent to the running lane identified by the lane recognition means is defined as the current position. Based on the road map data, it may be calculated as an adjacent lane direction, and a message for guiding that the direction toward the lane adjacent to the traveling lane is the calculated adjacent lane direction may be output.

By doing in this way, a user can grasp | ascertain now immediately also about the direction where the lane adjacent to the running lane heads.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a navigation device mounted on an automobile, a current position calculation means for calculating a current position, a lane recognition means for identifying a running lane, and a road at the current position. The lane recognition means identified in response to the detection of the approach to the road branch of the branch detection means in the direction guidance means, comprising a branch detection means for detecting approach to the branch and a direction guidance means. The direction to which the traveling lane is headed is calculated based on road map data including information on the current position and the direction to which each lane constituting the road heads, and the direction to which the traveling lane heads is the calculated direction. A message that guides this is output.

According to such a navigation device, when approaching a road branch, the direction to which the traveling lane is directed is automatically guided directly, so that the user can easily view the direction to which the currently traveling lane is directed before the branch. And it becomes possible to grasp immediately.
Here, in such a navigation apparatus, in response to the detection of the approach to the road branch by the branch detection unit, the lane adjacent to the running lane identified by the lane recognition unit Based on the current position and the road map data, the direction toward the vehicle is calculated as an adjacent lane direction, and a message is output that indicates that the direction toward the lane adjacent to the traveling lane is the calculated adjacent lane direction. You may comprise.

  By doing in this way, a user can grasp | ascertain now immediately also about the direction where the lane adjacent to the running lane heads.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the user can easily grasp the direction in which the traveling lane is headed.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an in-vehicle system according to the present embodiment.
The in-vehicle system is a system mounted on an automobile, and as shown in the figure, a navigation device 1, a camera 2 for photographing the front or rear of the vehicle, a speaker 3, an operation unit 4, a display device 5, and a vehicle state. A sensor 6, a GPS receiver 7, and a beacon receiver 8 that acquires various types of information from a beacon device installed on the roadside are configured. Here, the vehicle state sensor 6 is various sensors that detect various states of the vehicle, such as an azimuth sensor such as an angular acceleration sensor or a geomagnetic sensor, or a vehicle speed sensor such as a vehicle speed pulse sensor.

  The navigation device 1 is photographed by the current state calculation unit 11, the route search unit 12, the map data storage unit 13, which is a storage device such as a DVD drive or HDD that stores map data representing a map, the memory 14, and the camera 2. An image recognition processing unit 15 that performs various image recognition processes such as lane recognition and other vehicle recognition on an image, a voice generation unit 16 that generates synthesized speech and outputs it from the speaker 3, a control unit 17, a guidance image generation unit 18, an operation And a GUI control unit 19 that controls input / output with the user using the unit 4 and the display device 5.

  However, the above navigation apparatus 1 may be a computer having a peripheral device such as a microprocessor, a memory, and other graphic processor or geometric processor in hardware. In this case, the navigation described above Each part of the apparatus may be realized as a process realized by a microprocessor executing a program prepared in advance. In this case, such a program may be provided to the navigation apparatus 1 via a recording medium or an appropriate communication path.

Next, FIG. 2 shows the contents of the map data stored in the map data storage unit 13.
As shown in the figure, the map data includes management data describing the version of the map data, route data in which various information such as route names of each route is registered, and basic map data representing a map.
The basic map data includes a road unit representing a road network and a drawing unit representing drawing objects (such as place names and topographical figures) other than roads included in the map.
Here, the road unit defines a road network as a set of nodes and links connecting the nodes, and the road unit includes node data provided for each node and link data provided for each link. And have. A link is provided for each of the upward and downward directions of the same road section.

  Each node data includes a node number serving as an identifier of the corresponding node, node attributes indicating various attributes of the corresponding node, node coordinates indicating the position of the corresponding node, and node connection information. The link number of the link connected to the corresponding node and the node number of the other node connected to the corresponding node via one link are registered.

  Each link data includes a link number that is an identifier of the corresponding link, a link attribute that represents various attributes of the corresponding link, an end node number that represents the node numbers of the two nodes that are the end points of the corresponding link, and an end point of the link Link connection information and lane information representing other links connected to each node are registered.

  In the lane information, the number of lanes indicating the number of lanes existing on the corresponding link, the lane direction information indicating the direction to which each lane existing on the corresponding link is directed, and the corresponding link exist. Lane-by-lane adjacent link connection lane information that indicates which lane on the link connected to the corresponding link is a continuous lane is registered. However, the lane direction information may be registered only for the link data of the link in the section immediately before the branch point of the road. In addition, for example, the first link, the second link, and the third link are connected in this order, and a road that is one lane in the section corresponding to the first link is the second link. If the right lane increases to become two lanes and remains in the second lane even in the section corresponding to the third link, the adjacent link connection lane information for each lane in the link data of the second link The start point of the left first lane is connected to the end point of the left first lane of the first link, and the end point of the left first lane is connected to the start point of the left first lane of the third link And are registered. In the adjacent link connection lane information for each lane of the link data of the second link, the start point of the second lane on the left is the start point of the lane, and the end point of the second lane on the left is the second left side of the third link. It is registered that it is connected to the starting point of the 2nd lane.

Now, in such a configuration, the current state calculation unit 11 of the navigation device 1 repeatedly performs the following processing.
That is, the current state calculation unit 11 reads from the map data storage unit 13 the temporary current position and the temporary current traveling direction that are the current position and the traveling direction estimated from the outputs of the vehicle state sensor 6 and the GPS receiver 7. Map matching processing is performed with links around the current position previously determined by the map data, and the position on the link that most closely matches the temporary current position or the temporary current travel direction and the direction of the link are the current position and current travel. Calculate as direction. Then, current position information indicating the calculated current position and the current traveling direction is set in the memory 14.

  The control unit 17 receives a destination setting from the user via the operation unit 4 and the GUI control unit 19, and sets the destination setting in the memory 14. And the route search part 12 is made to search for the guidance route to the destination. The route search unit 12 reads out map data of a necessary geographical range from the map data storage unit 13 and sets a minimum cost route from the current position indicated by the current position information set in the memory 14 to the destination at a minimum distance, A search is performed based on a predetermined cost model such as a time minimum, the searched route is set as a guidance route, and route data of the guidance route is set in the memory 14 as guidance route data.

In addition, when the current position indicated by the current position information set in the memory 14 is near the destination, the control unit 17 determines that the destination has arrived, and determines the destination and the guidance route set in the memory 14. Perform the clearing process.
In addition, the guide image generation unit 18, under the control of the control unit 17, draws a drawing object (such as a place name or a terrain figure) within the map display range indicated by the map data drawing unit and a map indicated by the link data of the road unit of the map data. A map image is generated by drawing a link within the display range. Further, the guide image generating unit 18 stores the current position indicated by the current position information set in the memory 14 on the drawn map image, the guide route indicated by the guide route data set in the memory 14, and the memory 14. A process of drawing a graphic representing the set destination and displaying it as a guide image on the display device 5 via the GUI control unit 19 is repeated.

And in such a structure, the control part 17 performs the direction guidance process shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, in this process, a direction guidance request generated by a predetermined operation of the user operation unit 4 is generated (step 302), and within a predetermined distance to a branch point such as an intersection of the current position (for example, within 400 m). The occurrence of an approach to (step 304) is monitored. Here, the approach of the current position to the branch point is detected based on the current position information and map data set in the memory 14.

  If a direction guidance request is generated (step 302), the currently running lane is identified (step 312). Here, the currently traveling lane is indicated by the lane recognition result of the lane recognition processing performed in the image recognition processing unit 15 on the image captured by the camera 2 and the lane information of the link data of the link where the current position is located. Identify based on the number of lanes. Alternatively, when the beacon receiver 8 can receive the identification information of the running lane from the beacon device installed for each lane on the road side, the current information is based on the identification information of the lane received by the beacon receiver 8. Identify the driving lane.

  Based on the map data, the direction in which the currently traveling lane is headed is calculated (step 314). If the direction information for each lane is registered in the link data of the currently running link, the direction of the current running lane is the same as the direction of the currently running lane indicated by the relevant lane direction information. Calculated as the direction to the inside lane. On the other hand, if the lane direction information is not registered in the link data of the currently running link, the link is in the traveling direction from the current position on the currently running route, and the lane direction information is Of the registered links, the direction indicated by the lane direction information of the lane that is the continuation of the currently running lane of the nearest link indicated by the lane direction information of the link data of the link closest to the current position, Calculated as the direction to which the current lane is headed. In this case, the lane continuous to the currently running lane of the nearest link can be obtained based on the adjacent link connection lane information for each lane of each link data.

  Then, when the direction to which the currently traveling lane is headed is calculated in this way, a voice message for guiding the direction to which the currently traveling lane is heading is output from the speaker 3 to the voice generating unit 16 (step 316). The processing returns from step 302. Here, this voice message is, for example, a voice message such as “This lane heads for Mukojima” if the requested direction is “Mukojima”.

  On the other hand, when the occurrence of approach to the branch point is detected in step 304, the currently running lane is identified (step 306), and the direction to which the currently running lane is headed based on the map data, The direction in which the lane adjacent to the traveling lane is headed is calculated (step 308). Here, when the currently traveling road section is one lane in the traveling direction, there is no adjacent lane. In other cases, if the current lane is the leftmost lane and there is a second lane from the left, the second lane from the left corresponds to the adjacent lane, and the currently running lane If there is a rightmost lane and the second lane from the right, the second lane from the right corresponds to the adjacent lane. In addition, when there are lanes on the left and right of the currently traveling lane, each of the lanes adjacent to the left and right is an adjacent lane. The direction of the adjacent lane is calculated in the same manner as the calculation of the direction of the traveling lane.

  Then, if the direction to which the currently traveling lane is headed and the direction to which the lane adjacent to the currently traveling lane is headed is calculated in this way, a voice message for guiding the direction to which each lane is headed 16 is output from the speaker 3 (step 310), and the process returns to step 302. Here, for example, this voice message is “Mukojima” in the direction to which the lane that is currently traveling is directed, and “Ginza, Shinjuku” is the direction in which the lane that is adjacent to the left of the lane that is currently traveling is directed. If there is no adjacent lane to the right of the middle lane, a voice message such as “This lane heads for Mukojima, the left lane heads for Ginza and Shinjuku” is used.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
By the way, in step 316 and step 310 of the above-mentioned direction guidance processing, instead of outputting the voice message, or together with the output of the voice message, a display for guiding the direction of the obtained lane is displayed via the GUI control unit 19. 5 may be performed.
That is, for example, in the case of guiding the direction to which the currently traveling lane is headed in step 316, as shown in FIG. 4a, the current traveling on the road graphic 400 representing the number of lanes corresponding to the number of lanes of the currently traveling link. For example, an image in which a current position mark 401 indicating the currently traveling lane and a display 402 ("Mukojima" in the illustrated example) indicating the destination of the currently traveling lane is displayed with respect to the middle lane portion, etc. It's okay.

  Further, in step 310, when guiding the direction to which the currently traveling lane is directed and the direction to which each adjacent lane is directed to the currently traveling lane, as shown in FIGS. 4b and 4c, A current position mark 401 indicating the currently traveling lane and a display 402 indicating the destination of the currently traveling lane with respect to the currently traveling lane portion on the road graphic 400 representing the lanes corresponding to the number of lanes of the link. “Mukojima” in FIG. 4B and “Shinjuku, Ginza” in FIG. 4C) are arranged, and for the lane portion adjacent to the currently traveling lane on the road graphic 400, a display 403 (destination of the adjacent lane) is displayed. 4b may display an image in which “Shinjuku, Ginza” and “Mukojima” and “Hakozaki” in FIG. 4c are arranged.

Further, in the display of FIGS. 4a, 4b, and 4c as described above, when a guidance route is set, a lane that can proceed in accordance with the guidance route is displayed in a distinguishable manner at a branch point that passes next. You may do it.
That is, for example, in order to pass the next branch point in the direction of travel according to the guidance route in the lane toward the “Mukojima” direction, If you need to drive the lane heading for “Ginza” in the section just before the next branch point, as shown in FIG. A graphic 404 representing the traveling direction according to the guidance route is arranged for the lane to which the vehicle heads.

  Further, in the above-described direction guidance processing, the direction to which the lane that is adjacent to the lane that is currently traveling is calculated in step 314, and in the same way as step 310, the direction that the lane that is currently traveling is directed to You may make it output the voice message which guides the direction which the lane to which the adjacent lane heads. Conversely, in step 308, the direction to which the lane is directed may be calculated only for the currently traveling lane, and only the direction in which the currently traveling lane is directed may be guided in step 310.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a user's direction guidance request is generated or when approaching a fork, a direction to which a traveling lane is directed is not a part of the direction to which each lane is directed. Since direct guidance is provided, the user can easily and immediately grasp the direction in which the currently traveling lane is headed. In addition, when the direction to which the adjacent lane is directed is also guided, the user can easily and immediately grasp the direction to which the adjacent lane is directed.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle-mounted system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the map data which the navigation apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention hold | maintains. It is a flowchart which shows the direction guidance process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of a display which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus, 2 ... Camera, 3 ... Speaker, 4 ... Operation part, 5 ... Display apparatus, 6 ... Vehicle state sensor, 7 ... GPS receiver, 8 ... Beacon receiver, 11 ... Current state calculation part, 12 ... Route search unit 13 ... Map data storage unit 14 ... Memory 15 ... Image recognition processing unit 16 ... Sound generation unit 17 ... Control unit 18 ... Guide image generation unit 19 ... GUI control unit 401 ... Current position mark.

Claims (8)

A navigation device mounted on a car,
A camera for photographing the front or rear of the automobile;
Current position calculating means for calculating the current position;
Lane recognition means for identifying a lane in which the automobile is traveling based on an image captured by the camera ;
Direction guidance means,
In response to a direction guidance request from a user, the direction guidance means includes information on a direction to which the traveling lane identified by the lane recognition means is directed, the current position and a direction to which each lane constituting the road is directed. A navigation device characterized in that it calculates based on road map data including and outputs a message for guiding that the direction to which the traveling lane is heading is the calculated direction. The navigation device according to claim 1,
In response to the direction guidance request, the direction guidance unit further adjoins the direction toward the lane adjacent to the traveling lane identified by the lane recognition unit based on the current position and the road map data. A navigation device characterized in that it calculates a lane direction and outputs a message for guiding that the direction toward the lane adjacent to the traveling lane is the calculated adjacent lane direction. A navigation device mounted on a car,
A camera for photographing the front or rear of the automobile;
Current position calculating means for calculating the current position;
Lane recognition means for identifying a lane in which the automobile is traveling based on an image captured by the camera ;
A branch detection means for detecting an approach to the road branch at the current position;
Direction guidance means,
The direction guidance means responds to the detection of the approach to the road branch by the branch detection means, the direction to which the traveling lane identified by the lane recognition means is directed to the current position and each lane constituting the road. A navigation device that calculates based on road map data including information on a direction to which the vehicle heads, and outputs a message for guiding that the direction to which the traveling lane is heading is the calculated direction. The navigation device according to claim 3,
In response to the detection of the approach to the road branch by the branch detection means, the direction guidance means further, the direction toward the lane adjacent to the running lane identified by the lane recognition means, the current position, A navigation device that calculates an adjacent lane direction based on the road map data and outputs a message for guiding that the direction toward the lane adjacent to the traveling lane is the calculated adjacent lane direction . A direction guidance method for performing direction guidance in a navigation device,
The navigation device calculating a current position;
In response to a direction guidance request from a user , the navigation device identifies a lane in which the automobile is traveling based on an image captured by a camera that captures the front or rear of the automobile , and the identified traveling lane Is calculated based on the road map data including information on the current position and the direction to which each lane of the road is headed, and guides that the direction to which the traveling lane is headed is the calculated direction. And a step of outputting a message. The direction guidance method according to claim 5,
In response to the direction guidance request , the navigation device calculates a direction toward a lane adjacent to the identified running lane as an adjacent lane direction based on the current position and the road map data, A direction guidance method comprising a step of outputting a message for guiding that a direction toward a lane adjacent to the traveling lane is a calculated adjacent lane direction. A direction guidance method for performing direction guidance in a navigation device,
The navigation device calculating a current position;
The navigation device detecting the approach of the current position to a road branch;
In response to detection of approach to the road branch, the navigation device identifies a lane in which the vehicle is traveling based on an image captured by a camera that captures the front or rear of the vehicle, and the identified traveling The direction to which the lane in the direction is headed is calculated based on the current position and road map data including information on the direction to which each lane constituting the road is headed. And a step of outputting a message for guiding the direction. The direction guidance method according to claim 7,
In response to detection of approach to the road branch, the navigation device defines a direction toward a lane adjacent to the identified traveling lane as an adjacent lane direction based on the current position and the road map data. A direction guidance method comprising a step of calculating and outputting a message for guiding that the direction toward the lane adjacent to the traveling lane is the direction of the calculated adjacent lane.