JPH064025A - Navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To widely display a travel-directionally forward display map that a driver is highly interested in by the navigation device which displays the current position of its vehicle on a map on a display unit mounted on the vehicle by displaying a vehicle marker at a position behind the center of the display screen in the travel direction at all times. CONSTITUTION:This navigation device is equipped with scroll switches 24, a determination switch 26, a display mode control means 25 which supplies a display layout change instruction to a display control means 23 according to the scroll command generated with the scroll switches 24 and sends a command for displaying the vehicle marker fixedly at the position at the end of the scrolling of a display means 22 to the display control means 23 according to the command made with the determination switch 26. Screen touch switches 27 are usable instead of the scroll switches 24 and determination switch 26.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation device for displaying the present position of a vehicle on a map of a display mounted on the vehicle.

[0002]

[Prior art]

[Configuration Example of Navigation Device] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the navigation device. The components of the navigation device are roughly classified into the following items.

Map data storage unit 2 for storing map data 2 Location detection unit 3 for detecting the position of the own vehicle 3 Display 6 for drawing the map and the position of the own vehicle and its drive circuit 5 Each of the above sections 2, Main-Microcomputer 1 for performing integrated control of 3,5 and displaying the target map and the vehicle position on the display 6 For operating the navigation device 14 by giving a command to the main microcomputer 1 Operation switch 4 Communication bus 7 which is a communication medium between the main microcomputer 1 of the map data storage unit 2 and the location detection unit 3 of the above * Configuration of the map data storage unit In the navigation device illustrated in FIG. CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read-Only Mem
ory) is used to read the map data via the decoder 9. In addition, access control of map data is CD
-ROM control microcomputer 10 does. That is, when the main microcomputer 1 accesses the map data, the map data is read and transmitted to the communication bus 7.

* Configuration of Location Detection Unit The navigation device illustrated in FIG. 7 uses a dead reckoning method (a method of obtaining a position at a given time from a moving speed and a moving direction of a moving body with an origin position as a starting point). This is a system that detects the vehicle position.

That is, the wheel speed sensor 11 detects the traveling speed of the vehicle, and the geomagnetic sensor 12 detects the traveling direction of the vehicle. Then, they are integrated with respect to time to calculate the moving direction and moving distance from the starting position which is the origin position. This calculation is performed by the location calculation microcomputer 13.

Then, the calculation result is transmitted to the communication bus 7 periodically (for example, every 1 sec). By the way,
The main microcomputer 1 receives the calculation result indicating the vehicle position and displays the vehicle position on the map displayed on the display 6 in an overlapping manner.

When a GPS (Global Positioning System) is used as a location detecting unit, a GPS (Global Positioning System) is used to obtain position information by using radio waves emitted from a plurality of artificial satellites. It will be used instead of the wheel speed sensor 11 and the geomagnetic sensor 12. Note that GPS can be used together.

* Configuration of operation switch FIG. 8 is a view for explaining an example of switch arrangement and a display edit screen.
(A) is an example of the layout of the scroll switch on the keyboard.
A view from the front, (b) shows a display edit screen and a display output screen.
Of the relationship between the logical model on the map data space on the memory
It is a diagram expressed in le. The operation switch illustrated in Fig. 8 (a)
Switch 4 is a switch 16 for scrolling the map screen.
_-1, 16_-2… 16_-8Etc. and these scrolls
Switch 16 _-1, 16_-2… 16_-8Is the key outside the screen as shown
On the map on the screen when using it
Some are displayed.

The scroll switches 16 _{-1 to} 16 _-8 are
This is a specification example in which the map screen can be scrolled in four directions of north, south, east, west, and north, southeast, southwest, and northwest, and a total of eight directions can be scrolled.

By the way, if the upward direction of the operation switch 4 is defined as the north direction N, the scroll switch 16
_-1 is an operation switch that gives a command to scroll the map screen in the north direction.

FIG. 9 shows the scroll switch means.
This is an example using a screen touch switch. If the screen touch switch is of an optical type, for example, light emitting elements are arranged on the upper and left sides of the screen, and light receiving elements are arranged on the right and lower sides of the screen. Then, the display screen 18 is divided into nine areas vertically and horizontally, and when each area 15 _-1 , 15 _-2 ... 15 _-8 is touched with a finger, the position signal of the area where the light is blocked by the finger becomes the scroll switch signal. It will be scrolled in the direction indicated by the chain line. For example, if you touch the area of 15 _-1 , the map screen will scroll to the north.

Structure of Image Editing Memory FIG. 8B shows a display editing memory space provided on the memory space of the main microcomputer 1 (FIG. 7). That is, the memory space is equal to the map data space. In this specification example, the display edit screen 17 is logically composed of nine blocks 17 _-1 , 17 _-2 ... 17 _-9 , and each block 17 _-1 ,
17 _-2 ... The size of 17 _-9 is made equal to the size of the display output screen 18A (18B).

That is, the access of map data to the map data storage unit 2 (FIG. 7) is performed by each logical block 17 _-1 ,
17 _-2 … 17 _-9 is done in 1 block units, and those blocks
17 _-1 , 17 _-2 ... 17 _-9 are connected in the memory space of the main microcomputer 1 to form one display edit screen 17.

Then, the target coordinate position portion of the display editing screen 17, that is, the coordinates (X ₀ , Y ₀ ) or (X _1,
The map data is read around Y ₁ ) and the display output screen 18A or 18B is obtained. Also, because of that,
The scroll control of the map screen can also be performed in real time within the range of the display edit screen 17.

Incidentally, normally, the position 19 of the vehicle is displayed / arranged at the center (coordinates X ₀ , Y ₀ ) of the display output screen 18 _A , and the displayed map is moved relative to the movement of the vehicle so that the vehicle can be moved. Display the position of.

[Operation of Navigation Device] (See FIG. 7 and FIG. 8) The operation of the navigation device can be represented by the overall control by the main microcomputer 1 and the display control of the map and the vehicle position. That is, when the map display is designated by the function key F of the operation switch 4, the main microcomputer 1
Accesses the map data storage unit 2, reads the map data of the area, and causes the display 6 to display the map data via the drive circuit 5. In addition, the current position of the vehicle is displayed and operated on the map.
By setting, a vehicle marker indicating the position of the vehicle is output and displayed on the map.

When the vehicle moves, the wheel speed sensor 11 detects the moving distance and the geomagnetic sensor 12 detects the moving direction. Therefore, by integrating these values with the elapsed time in the location calculation microcomputer 13, the moving direction and the moving distance from the starting position are obtained. Then, the location information is periodically transmitted to the communication bus 7, while the main microcomputer 1 updates the vehicle position on the displayed map based on the received location information,
The displayed map is relatively moved, and the current position of the vehicle is displayed in real time on the displayed map.

FIG. 10 is a YAC II chart explaining the main routine of the main microcomputer. When the navigation device is activated, a map is first displayed in step S101, a vehicle marker indicating the vehicle position is displayed in the center, and the process proceeds to step S102.

In step S102, it is determined whether or not the operation switch 4 has been operated, and if it is operated, the step
In S103, the processing defined and set by the operation switch 4 is performed, and the process proceeds to step S104.

In step S104, it is determined whether or not the location information of the own vehicle has been transmitted from the location detection unit 3, and if the location information of the own vehicle is received, in step S105, based on the location information. Update the vehicle marker position on the displayed map.

[0021]

As described above, in the conventional navigation device regardless of dead-reckoning or GPS, as shown in FIG. 11 (a), the vehicle marker 19 indicating the position of the own vehicle is displayed. However, since it is located at the center of the display map m, it is possible to uniformly refer to the state of the surrounding road centering on the host vehicle.

Also, as shown in FIG. 11 (b), in order to see the map ahead of the vehicle, scroll the map screen m downward to display the upper map wide and refer to the nearby road map. After that, the vehicle marker 19 will be 19a →
As in 19b → 19c, gradually return to the center of the displayed map m,
The state shown in FIG. 11 (a) is obtained.

By the way, the vehicle driver has a strong interest in the traveling direction forward of the vehicle he is going to go, and he often sees the display map in front of the traveling direction, but he needs to look far behind the display map behind, that is, after passing. Often there is no. If the order ahead in the traveling direction of the map does not appear on the display screen, as shown in FIG. 11 (b), the driver operates the scroll switch 16 ₁ of the north, on-screen map display in the traveling direction It will be necessary to scroll to see.

However, as described above, even if the map ahead in the traveling direction is widely displayed by scrolling the map screen, it returns to the original center position with the lapse of time, so it is necessary to repeat the scroll operation frequently. for that reason,
The operation is troublesome, and repeating the scroll operation while the vehicle is traveling is an obstacle to safe driving. Therefore, the conventional navigation device is inconvenient because the map on the traveling direction side of the vehicle, which is of great interest to the vehicle driver, cannot be used sufficiently.

The technical problem of the present invention is to pay attention to such a problem, so that the vehicle marker indicating the position of the own vehicle is always displayed at the position retracted to the rear side in the traveling direction from the center of the display screen. Thus, the display map in the forward direction, which is of great interest to the driver, is widely displayed.

[0026]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the basic configuration of a navigation device according to the present invention. As shown in this figure, the navigation device of the present invention is a map data storage means 20 storing map data, a vehicle position detecting means 21 for detecting the position of the vehicle, and a display for drawing at least a map and a vehicle marker. The means 22 and the map data storage means 20 are accessed to read out the necessary map data, and the map is displayed on the display means 22, and at the same time, the own vehicle vehicle obtained from the own vehicle position detecting means 21. Display control means (23) for displaying a vehicle marker indicating a position on the map displayed on the display means (22).

According to the invention of claim 1, in such a device, a scroll switch 24 for giving a command for scrolling the map screen displayed on the display means 22, and a scroll operation to a screen designated position by the scroll switch 24. The confirmation switch 26 for giving a command to display the map screen fixedly at the scroll position, and a display layout change command to the display control means 23 based on the scroll command by the scroll switch 24, together with the confirmation switch 26. Display mode control means for giving a command to the display control means 23, based on the command, for fixedly displaying the vehicle marker at the position at the end of scrolling of the display means 22.
25 and. The scroll switch 24 may be one displayed on the screen, one provided on a keyboard outside the outer surface, or the like.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device as described above, when a predetermined position on the map screen of the display means 22 is touched, a command for scrolling the displayed map in a designated direction is given to the map screen. When the touch of is finished, the screen touch switch 27 that gives a command for fixed display at the scrolled position, and the screen touch switch 27
A display layout change command is given to the display control means 23 on the basis of a scroll command by, and the vehicle marker is fixedly displayed at the position at the end of scrolling on the display means 22 by touching the screen touch switch 27. Display mode control means 25 for giving a command to the display control means 23
and a. That is, the screen touch switch is used as the scroll switch means.

[0029]

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2 (1), the map data is read from the map data storage means 20, and the display means is displayed.
The vehicle marker 19 is displayed on the display map m based on the location information of the vehicle from the vehicle position detecting means 21.

[0030] Then, according to the invention of claim 1, by operating the scroll switches 16 _-1 to 16 _-8, instructions for scrolling the map screen m displayed on the display unit 22, for example, on the lower side Is given, the map screen m is scrolled downward as shown in FIG. 2 (2). Then, the confirmation switch 26
When is operated, the map screen m is fixed to the state when the scrolling is completed.

As a result, the vehicle marker 19 is fixedly displayed at the position at the end of scrolling, and the display map m moves relative to the vehicle marker 19 as the vehicle advances. As described above, according to the present invention, the map screen is always scrolled to the rear of the vehicle so that the front of the vehicle in the traveling direction is widely displayed. It never returns to the center of the screen.

Therefore, the map in front of the traveling direction, which is of great interest to the driver, can be displayed widely and can be effectively used, and since it is not necessary to repeat the scroll operation as in the conventional case, the driver can concentrate on driving and can drive safely. It is also effective from the point of view.

[0033] According to a second aspect of the invention, instead of the scroll switch 24, the screen touch switch 15 _-1 to 15 _-8 in FIG. 9
To use, as shown in FIG. 3 (1), when the traveling direction ahead of the host vehicle is touched by a finger, the position is detected by the touch screen switch 15 _1, so as to scroll the position of the screen center direction, A command is given to the display control means 23, and as shown in FIG.
As in (2), the map screen m is scrolled to the bottom of the figure. The screen touch switch may be configured such that when the rear side of the vehicle marker 19 is touched, the vehicle marker 19 and the display map scroll to the rear side.

[0034] Releasing the map screen m, command is given to the display control unit 23 from the screen touch switch 15 _1, the scroll position, by the map screen is fixed, vehicle marker 19 also scroll ends Fixed at the hour position.

Therefore, in this case, the display position of the vehicle marker 19 can be freely selected only by touching the map screen, and the touch operation is terminated by releasing the finger from the map screen, whereby the invention of claim 1 can be achieved. As with the operation of the confirm switch, the vehicle marker 19 is fixedly displayed by fixing the map screen at the position at the end of scrolling. for that reason,
It is not necessary to search for the scroll switch or the confirmation switch and operate the position thereof, which simplifies the operation, reduces the burden on the driver, and contributes further to safe driving.

[0036]

Next, practical examples of how the navigation device according to the present invention is embodied will be described. In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied by using the configuration of the navigation device illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10.
Therefore, the control program of the main microcomputer 1 of FIG. 7 is changed accordingly. The programs that need to be changed are a part of the main routine and the switch process.

In this embodiment, a microcomputer system is adopted as the main microcomputer 1, and the display mode control means 25 (25a) shown in FIG. 1 is realized by the software of the microcomputer system. Therefore, the display control means 23 and the display mode control means 25 (25a) surrounded by broken lines in FIG. 1 are realized on the main microcomputer 1 in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation in the embodiment, and YAC for explaining the main routine of the main microcomputer.
This is the II chart. The main routine of this embodiment is shown in FIG.
The difference from the conventional program shown in FIG. 0 is that steps S202 to S206 are added to step S102 in FIG.

That is, when the scroll switch is operated in step S202, the center coordinates of the display output screen are updated in step S203, and the map screen is updated so that the updated coordinates are centered in step S204. . Then, when the confirmation switch is operated in step S205, the vehicle marker indicating the position of the own vehicle is displayed in step S206.
It is fixedly displayed on the scrolled display screen.

FIG. 6 is a YAC II chart for explaining the switch processing in the embodiment, which is an example of the processing operation using the screen touch switch. However, steps S301 to S303 showing the vehicle marker position setting process are a part of step S102 in the conventional main routine process shown in FIG. That is, when the screen touch switch is operated in step S301, the center coordinates of the display output screen are updated in step S302, and the map screen is updated so that the coordinates updated in step S303 come to the center.

Next, the processing of the scroll switch and the confirmation switch in FIG. 4 will be described. Steps S202 to S206 of the main routine are executed when the scroll switch (16 _{-1 to} 16 _-8 ) shown in FIG. 8 (a) is operated. Hereinafter, an example of the procedure will be described.

At the start of vehicle operation, the vehicle marker 19 on the display map is always displayed at the center position of the display output screen, as shown in the display output screen 18a of FIG. 4 (b). At this time, if the center coordinates of the display output screen are (X ₀ , Y ₀ ), the coordinates of the vehicle marker are (X ₀ , Y ₀ ), which coincides.

Now, the scroll amount in the X coordinate direction is s
When the scroll amount in the X and Y coordinate directions is sY, the scroll switch is selectively operated to give a command to move the map screen by sX in the X coordinate direction and sY in the Y coordinate direction (step S202). The center coordinates of the output screen are calculated as X ₁ = X ₀ + sX Y ₁ = Y ₀ + sY and updated to the coordinates X ₁ and Y ₁ (step S203).
).

The scroll amounts sX and sY are determined by the direction of the selected scroll switch and the time of pressing the scroll switch or the number of times of repeated pressing. The map screen is updated with the coordinates X ₁ and Y ₁ as the screen center coordinates (step S204). That is, the display map and the vehicle marker scroll.

Next, when the confirmation switch is operated, sX and sY are initialized to constant values thereafter (step
S205). Therefore, the relational expression between the coordinates (X ₀ , Y ₀ ) of the vehicle marker and the center coordinates (X ₁ , Y ₁ ) of the display output screen is as follows: X ₁ = X ₀ + sX Y ₁ = Y ₀ + sY Confirm as in the display output screen 18b (step S206).

Next, scroll processing using the screen touch switch will be described. Step S301 to step in FIG. 6
S303 is a screen touch switch (15 _-1 to 1 shown in FIG. 9).
It is executed when _5-8 ) is operated. Hereinafter, an example of the procedure will be described.

During the vehicle operation, the vehicle marker is normally displayed at the center position of the display map on the display output screen, and the coordinates of the vehicle marker at that time are X ₀ , Y ₀ , and the display output screen is displayed. The center coordinates are also X ₀ , Y ₀ .

When an arbitrary position of the screen touch switch is touched with a finger in this state, the vehicle marker and the display map are scrolled by sX and sY in the direction designated by the touched position. Then, when the finger is released from the screen, a confirmation signal is output, and the fixed display is performed at the position where the scroll ends. When the user wants to change the scroll direction or the scroll amount, he or she can touch or touch the screen touch switch in the same direction to change or correct the scroll direction or the scroll amount.

As described above, in the method using the screen touch switch, the user can touch the desired position on the screen while looking at the screen where the vehicle marker is displayed, and the area desired by the driver can be displayed on the screen. It can be fixed by scrolling so that it always appears, and the displayed map can be used effectively.

[0050]

According to the navigation device of the first aspect of the present invention, the vehicle driver can fix and display the vehicle marker at a desired position on the display screen by a simple operation at the start of driving, which is more efficient. It is possible to utilize the displayed map.

According to the navigation device of claim 2,
The vehicle driver can easily display the vehicle marker at a desired position on the display screen with a simple operation even while driving, so the vehicle marker position can be set flexibly and always displayed efficiently. Can be utilized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a navigation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining the operation of the invention of claim 1, (1)
Is before the scroll operation, and (2) is after the scroll operation.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the invention of claim 2, wherein (1)
Is before the scroll operation, and (2) is after the scroll operation.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation in the embodiment, (a) is a diagram showing a map data space and the position of the vehicle on the space in a logical model, and (b) is a diagram for explaining the scrolling process. is there.

FIG. 5 is a YAC II chart illustrating a main routine of the main microcomputer, which is a flow chart for explaining the operation in the embodiment of the invention of claim 1;

FIG. 6 is a YAC II chart explaining a scroll process in an embodiment of the invention (screen touch type) of claim 2;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional navigation device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement example of scroll switches and a display edit screen. (A) is a diagram of an arrangement example of scroll switches as seen from the front of the keyboard, and (b) is a display edit screen and a display output screen. It is the figure which expressed the relationship with the logical model on the map data space on memory.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a screen touch switch and a scroll direction of a map screen.

FIG. 10: YA for explaining the operation of the conventional main microcomputer
It is a figure which shows a main routine in a CII chart.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a problem of the conventional vehicle marker center display, (a) is a normal state, and (b) is a diagram showing a state after scrolling the map screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Main Microcomputer 2 Map Data Storage Section 3 Location Detection Section 4 Operation Switch 5 Drive Circuit 6 Display 7 Communication Bus 8 CD-ROM 9 Decoder 10 CD-ROM Control Microcomputer 11 Wheel Speed Sensor 12 Geomagnetic Sensor 13 Location Calculation Microcomputer 15 _-1 ~ 15 _-8 Screen touch switch sections 16 _{-1 to} 16 _-8 Scroll switch F Function key 17 (17 _{-1 to} 17 _-9 ) Display edit screen (memory space for display edit) 17a Map data space 18,18A, 18B display output screen 18a, 18b display output screen 19,19a, 19b, 19c Vehicle marker (position of own vehicle) 20 Map data storage means 21 Own vehicle position detection means 22 Display means 23 Display control means 24 Scroll switch 25, 25a display Mode control means 26 Confirmation switch 27 Screen touch switch

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A map data storage means (20) for storing map data, a vehicle position detection means (21) for detecting the position of the vehicle, and a display for drawing at least a map and a vehicle marker representing the vehicle position. Means (22) and the map data storage means (20) are accessed to read out the necessary map data, and the map is displayed on the display means (22), and at the same time, the vehicle position detection means (2
1) a vehicle marker representing the vehicle position obtained from, display control means (23) to display on the map displayed on the display means (22), and the map screen displayed on the display means (22). A scroll switch (24) for giving a command for scrolling, a map screen scrolled to a screen designated position by the scroll switch (24), a confirmation switch (26) for giving a command for fixed display at the scroll position, and the scroll A display layout change command is issued based on a scroll command from the switch (24), and the display control means (23)
In addition, based on the command from the confirmation switch (26), a command for fixedly displaying the vehicle marker at the position at the end of scrolling of the display means (22) is displayed control means (2).
A navigation device comprising: a display mode control means (25) provided to 3). 2. A map data storage means (20) for storing map data, a vehicle position detection means (21) for detecting the position of the vehicle, and a display means (22) for drawing at least a map and a vehicle marker.
And accessing the map data storage means (20) to read out the necessary map data and displaying the map on the display means (22), and at the same time, the own vehicle position detection means (2
Vehicle marker representing the vehicle position obtained from 1), the display control means (23) to display on the map displayed on the display means (22), and a predetermined on the map screen of the display means (22). Touching the position gives a command to scroll the displayed map in a specified direction, and when the touch on the map screen is finished, a screen touch switch (27) which gives a command to fixedly display at the scrolled position, and the screen touch switch. The display layout change command based on the scroll command by (27) is the display control means (23).
In addition, when the touch of the screen touch switch (27) is finished, a command for fixedly displaying the vehicle marker at the position at the end of scrolling of the display means (22) is given to the display control means (23). A navigation device comprising display mode control means (25a) and.