JPH07174573A - Poute to destination display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To smoothly perform a guidance up to a destination point by computing distances between set points by information on a set point which passes both a starting point and the destination point which are input by an input operating means and displaying on area guide map by using a crossing as a reference. CONSTITUTION:A starting point, a passage point and a destination point are input sequentially by an operating switch 12, a running route is set, and distances between individual set points which are displayed on a guide map are found. On the basis of the respective coordinates of the individual set points, a maximum value and a minimum value in X-axis direction and Y-axis direction are operated. By the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value which have been operated, the scale factor of a display range in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction on a display device 15 is operated. Then, the magnitude of the scale factor in the individual set points is compared, and a scale is changed, individual points after the scale of the individual set points has been changed are displayed around the display of designations of the individual set points. Lines which connect the individual set points and straight-line distances between the individual set points are displayed, and an area guide map in a crossing is displayed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides a road direction guidance from a starting point to a destination, for example, at each set point corresponding to an intersection so that the road can be smoothly guided to the destination. Regarding the destination display device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a navigation device mounted on an automobile or the like, a road map from the starting point to the destination is displayed on a display by, for example, designating and inputting a starting point and a destination. , The specified zone is specified and the map in that zone is displayed.

However, if the starting point, the destination, and the passing point are displayed on the usual map in this way to guide the traveling route, a lot of unnecessary information is needed as well as necessary information. Mixed. Therefore, in order to confirm the destination along with the passing point based on such a display map, it is necessary to gaze at the display screen and read the map, especially while driving a car. Staring at the display screen greatly hinders driving.
In addition, it is often difficult to display all the routes from the starting point to the destination on one screen, and it is difficult to grasp all the routes.

When such a navigation device is not relied upon, it is recognized by a direction guide plate installed along the road that the vehicle is traveling toward Nagoya, for example, while driving. Here, in the normally installed direction guide plate, one or two place names are displayed for one direction, and if the place name of the destination does not exist in the direction guide plate, The driver gets confused. Since such a direction guide plate has limited installation places such as specified intersections, it is impossible to know necessary information when necessary.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and enables a driver who is driving an automobile to receive necessary direction guidance when needed to reach a destination. An object of the present invention is to provide a destination display device in which a traveling route is sequentially instructed, and particularly at an intersection or the like, the traveling route is appropriately instructed in accordance with a driver's request so that the destination can be smoothly guided. It is a thing.

[0006]

The destination display device according to the present invention is a current display of a vehicle together with an external storage device in which map information including set point information corresponding to a number of intersection information corresponding to each intersection is stored. Current position detection device for finding the position,
And an input operation device for inputting a display command and the like, the distance between the set points is calculated based on the set point information that is input together with the departure point and the destination, which is input by the input operation means, and the guide map display means sets the departure point. The route from the ground to the destination is displayed as a guide map, and the direction guide control unit displays the direction guide map corresponding to the set point specified in the guide map and clearly indicating the destination direction based on the intersection. I will let you. Then, the destination instruction corresponding to the traveling route is sequentially performed by the direction guidance display.

Here, in the direction guidance control means, the direction guidance map corresponding to the inputted intersection is selected and displayed, and the progress of the own vehicle is confirmed by the current position detection means. So that the direction guide map corresponding to the intersection is displayed while approaching the intersection,
Alternatively, when the intersection is approached within a predetermined distance, this is indicated by voice.

[0008]

In the destination display device configured as above,
By inputting the destination together with the departure point, and further inputting the set points such as multiple intersections on the route to the destination, the route to the destination is displayed along with the name of the set point, etc. It becomes possible to easily and surely grasp a typical traveling route. Further, in the state of being close to a predetermined intersection, the direction guide map at the intersection can be selectively displayed, so that the traveling direction of the own vehicle at the intersection can be clearly known. In particular, in this direction guidance, the place name of the destination and the like can be set in a sufficient amount, so that the driver can promptly recognize the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the vehicle is guided smoothly. In particular, such guidance can be displayed at any timing on a display device that can be set at a position where the driver can easily visually recognize it while driving, which gives the driver a great sense of security.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration, which is provided with an external storage device 11 such as a CD-ROM storing map data, and an operation switch 12 as a user's input means.
Map data is read out and output from the external storage device 11 based on a command from an electronic control unit (ECU) 13 configured by a microcomputer or the like to which a command from the operation of the operation switch 12 is input. Also this ECU
The current position data from the current position locating device 14 including a GPS, an azimuth sensor, a distance sensor, and the like is input to 13 and the display device 15 displays a guide.

FIG. 2 shows the flow of the guidance display processing in the ECU 13. First, in step 101, the starting point, the passing point and the destination are input in this order with the operation switch 12, and in step 102. The input set point number n is set. In step 103,
In this way, when a plurality of set points for setting the travel route are input together with the departure place and the destination, the distances between the set points for displaying the guide map are respectively obtained. Then, in step 104, the number z of set points to be displayed on the screen is set to n, and the next step
At 105, the scale factor for display is calculated.

FIG. 3 shows the flow of this scale factor calculation processing. In step 201, the coordinates (X
_i , Y _i ) (where i = 1, 2, ..., Z, set in order from the starting point), the maximum values (X _max , Y _max ) and the minimum values (X _max , Y _max ) in the x-axis and y-axis directions. X _min , Y _min )
Is calculated.

In step 202, the existence ranges X and Y of the set point are obtained from the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the x-axis and the y-axis calculated in this way.
In 203, the values of 80% of the display range in the horizontal and vertical directions on the display device 15 are set as X _D and Y _D, and the scale ratios A and B for keeping each set point within 80% of the display range of the display device 15. Is calculated.

If the scale ratio is obtained in this way,
The process proceeds to step 106 shown in FIG. 2 to change the scale of the coordinates of each set point, and this scale change is performed according to the flow shown in FIG. That is, first, i is set to "1" in step 211, and then the scale factors A and B are compared in step 212. If it is determined that A is large, step 21 is performed.
If it is determined that B is larger, the process proceeds to step 214, and the coordinates of each set point are scaled down. Then, in step 215, i is incremented by "+1", and in step 216, "i-1" is determined to be within the range smaller than the set point number n, and this process is repeated.

In step 107 of FIG. 2, the coordinates of the display center point are calculated. In step 108, the display center point is set so that it comes to the center point (X _n , Y _n ) of the display screen of the display device 15. Each point after changing the scale of the set point is displayed as the display center of the name of each set point. Then, by displaying the line connecting each set point and the straight line distance between each set point, the guide map as shown in FIG. 5A is displayed.

In this way, at the passage point (set point) of the guide map displayed on the display device 15, particularly at the intersection, the direction guide map as shown in FIG. 5B is displayed. It is determined whether or not the direction guide map is displayed. Then, for example, when the direction guide map display is instructed by the operation switch 12, the process proceeds to step 110 to set an intersection, and in step 111 the direction guide map at this intersection is displayed.

Here, in this embodiment, when the distance between the set points is short, when displaying the name at each set point, it is conceivable that the displayed characters overlap and become difficult to see.

The second embodiment is made assuming such a case, and step 106 of the processing flow shown in FIG. 2 is performed.
The processing shown in FIG. 6 is added between steps 107 and 107. First step
After setting i to "1" in 121, the distances between two set points where the names of the set points do not overlap are determined as X'and Y'in the x-axis and y-axis directions, respectively, and step 122 And the distance in the x-axis direction between the two set points is X '
Determine if less than. Also in step 123,
It is determined whether or not the distance in the y-axis direction between the two set points is smaller than Y '.

In this way, if it is determined that the distance between the two set points is smaller than X'or smaller than Y ',
Proceeding to steps 124 and 125, respectively, by moving the respective coordinates of the two set points by ± X ′ / 2 or ± Y ′ / 2 in the directions of the x-axis and the y-axis, respectively,
The distance between each set point is set to be X'or Y'or more. In step 126, "+1" is added to i, and in step 127, it is determined that i is smaller than n, and this process is repeated.

When the number of set points is increased in the first embodiment, the guide map may not be displayed on one screen. Therefore, in the third embodiment, the process shown in FIG. 7 is executed instead of step 104 in FIG. Here, the number of set points that can be displayed on one screen is set to, for example, "6", and it is determined in step 131 whether the number n of set points is larger than "6", and n is larger than "6". If it is determined that the value is “z = 6” in step 132. Otherwise, in step 133, "z = n" is set. By doing so, the positional relationship of all six setting points is scaled so that they fit within 80% of one screen of the display device 15, and the remaining setting points are scaled similarly. To do so.

That is, a guide map corresponding to six set points is displayed on the first screen, and when the user wants to see the remaining set points, the operation switch 12 scrolls the screen. To do.

Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. Figure 8
(A) shows the flow of the process, and in this embodiment, it displays the proposal when the point is set in advance, and the user at step 401 searches the map screen or place name on the screen. From, set transit points and destinations. In step 402, the coordinates of the present position determined from GPS are obtained, and the distance from the present position to the set point is obtained from the coordinates of the present position and the coordinates of the set point.
At 3, it is determined whether the distance is, for example, 300 m. When it is determined that the distance is 300 m or more, the process returns to step 402. If it is determined that the distance has reached 300 m, proceed to step 404 to determine whether or not the set value is an intersection. If it is determined to be an intersection, proceed to step 405 to display the direction map. indicate.

That is, in the above-described embodiments, the direction map is displayed by a switch operation or the like when approaching a preset point or when the user desires. In that case, when the set point is approaching up to 300 m and the set value is an intersection, the direction guide map corresponding to the intersection is automatically displayed, and the route guidance to the destination is automatically provided especially at the intersection. To be done.

If the point is not set in advance, as shown in FIG. 8B, in step 411, the user desires to see the guide map from the map screen or place name search on the screen. select. After that, as in the case of Fig. (A), it is determined in step 412 whether the set point is an intersection,
If it is an intersection, a direction guide map is displayed in step 413.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a direction guide map. In order to create such a direction guide map, information on the intersection is first read from the external storage device 11 such as a CD-ROM from the coordinates of the specified intersection. . Here, for example, the data structure of the CD-ROM includes the name of the intersection with respect to the intersection coordinates, the direction and name of the road connected to the intersection (division of national roads, prefectural roads, etc.), and destination information of the road. It is linked, and by reading such intersection information,
All this information is available. This information is stored in the ECU 13
After that, the direction guide map as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed.

In the direction guide map of FIG. 9, first, the center of the screen is set as the center of the intersection, and a straight line is extended from the intersection according to the direction information of the road. Then, the destination is displayed in characters at the tip of the road displayed by this straight line. This destination is displayed by selecting, for example, four locations from a plurality of destination data read from the CD-ROM. When a destination and a passing point are set, the set place name is preferentially selected. If not set, the major cities are selected in order from the closest one.

In displaying such place names, it is effective to arrange the place names so that the place names are farther away from the display center. As a matter of course, the place name of the intersection displayed on this direction guide map is displayed on the upper part of the screen, for example. If the current position is near the displayed intersection, the current position mark is displayed along with the traveling direction on the road in the displayed direction guide map.

In the description of this embodiment, the place name is displayed when the destination of the direction guide map is displayed.
It is also possible to display the location of facilities and buildings. The data such as the name of the place is stored in the CD-ROM, and the name of the place can be displayed according to the type such as a ski resort or a hot spring. It can be specified by.

FIG. 10 shows a configuration for explaining the fifth embodiment. E shown in the first embodiment shown in FIG.
In addition to CU13, direction sensor 16 and distance sensor
The information from 17 is input, and the output from the ECU 13 allows a voice output from the speaker 18.

FIG. 11 shows the flow of the operation of this embodiment. In step 501, the present position is calculated and the present position is set as the starting point. Alternatively, the starting point is set by user input. Further, in step 502, the user inputs a passing point and a destination in the preceding order by inputting through the operation switch 12.

In step 503, the ECU 13 obtains the respective differences in the x-axis and y-axis directions from Xmax, Xmin, Ymax, and Ymin, which are maximum and minimum in the x-axis and y-axis directions, based on the coordinates of each set point. , The difference is 80% of the horizontal and vertical size of the screen of the display device 15.
The display position is calculated by reducing the size so that either By displaying each set point in this way,
Since the positional relationship of each set point is easy to understand, each point whose coordinate relationship is reduced is used as the display center of the name of each set point.

In step 504, the distance between each set point is obtained from the coordinates of each set point before reduction, and the next step 50
The guide as shown in (A) of Fig. 5 displaying the name of each set point, the line connecting the names of each set point, and the straight line distance between each set point on each point calculated in step 503 in step 4. The figure is displayed on the screen of the display device 15.

FIG. 12 shows the flow of processing for route guidance. First, in step 511, the current position is obtained, and in step 512, based on the detection signals from the azimuth sensor 16 and the distance sensor 17, etc., the direction of travel and the purpose. Calculate the remaining distance to the ground. Then, in step 513, on the screen of the display device 15, the distance to the destination is displayed as shown in FIG. 13 (A), and the guide map showing the current position mark on the line connecting the set points is displayed. To do. Here, the current position mark can be known to reach the set point by moving between the set points on the guide map in accordance with the movement of the vehicle.

In step 514, the distance to the set point obtained based on the current position of the vehicle is, for example, 300
It is determined whether or not m has been reached. If the distance between your vehicle and the set point is 300 m or more, step 511 as it is.
However, when the own vehicle approaches the set point at a distance of 300 m, the process proceeds to step 515 and the voice output is instructed. And, for example, "300m ahead is the set point"
The audio output such as is output from the speaker 18 and notified to the driver.

In step 516, it is determined whether or not the set point approaching up to 300 m is an intersection, and if it is not an intersection, the process directly returns to step 511, but if it is determined that the set point is an intersection, the process proceeds to step 517. Go to Figure 13
The direction guide map as shown in (B) is displayed. That is, the approach of the set value is notified to the driver by voice, and when the set value is an intersection, a direction guide map is displayed. In this direction guide map, the current position mark is displayed in the approach direction of the intersection. As a result, the traveling direction at this intersection can be reliably and easily recognized.

Also in this embodiment, for example, when the distance between the set points is short and overlaps when the names of the set points are displayed, when the positional relationship between the set points is reduced, the distance between the two points is reduced. The minimum value of the distances in the x-axis and y-axis directions may be determined, and the coordinates between the two points that do not overlap the names may be determined.

[0036]

As described above, in the destination display device according to the present invention, the road guide at the specified set point is displayed in a state in which the driver's request contents are met, and therefore the driver who is driving the automobile is required. Sometimes the necessary direction guidance is received and the travel route to the destination is sequentially instructed. Especially, the travel route is properly instructed at an intersection or the like so that the destination is smoothly guided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram illustrating a destination display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control flow of the display device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of scale processing in the control flow.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of processing for changing the scale of each set point coordinate.

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an example of a displayed guide map,
(B) is a figure which shows the example of a direction guide map.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the third embodiment of the same.

FIG. 8 (A) is a flowchart illustrating a direction guide map display process in the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 (B) is a flowchart illustrating another example of the direction guide map process.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a direction guide map.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram for explaining a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of processing in creating a guide map according to this embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart similarly illustrating route guidance.

13A is a diagram showing a guide map displayed in the above embodiment, and FIG. 13B is a diagram showing a same direction guide map.

[Explanation of Codes] 11 ... External storage device (CD-ROM), 12 ... Operation switch, 13 ... Electronic control unit (ECU), 14 ... Current position locating device, 15 ... Display device, 16 ... Direction sensor, 17 ... Distance Sensor, 18 ... speaker.

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Isamu Tateno, 1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Nihon Denso Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Saburo Hashima, 1-1, Showa-machi, Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Nihondenso Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takao Kawai, 1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya city, Aichi Prefecture, Nihon Denso Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Shinichi Hori, 1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya city, Aichi prefecture, Nihondenso Co., Ltd.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An external storage device for storing and setting map information including set point information of a large number of passage points corresponding to each intersection, and selectively reading and outputting the map information, and obtaining the present position of the own vehicle. Based on the map information stored in the external storage device, the present position detection device, the input operation device for inputting a display command, etc., and the set point information that is passed along with the departure place and the destination input by the operation input means. A distance calculation means for calculating a distance between the set points, a guide map display means for displaying a travel route from the departure place to the destination as a guide map configured with the set point as a reference, It is equipped with direction guidance control means that displays the direction guide map that clearly indicates the destination direction based on the intersection, corresponding to the specified setting point of the destination direction, and the destination instruction corresponding to the traveling route is displayed in the direction guide table. A destination display device characterized in that the display is carried out sequentially according to the indication. 2. The destination display device according to claim 1, wherein the guide map display means displays a name of the set point and a distance between the set points. 3. The destination display device according to claim 2, wherein the guide map display means displays a vehicle position mark obtained based on information from the current position detection device. 4. The guide map display means sets a means for displaying the name of the set point and a distance between the set points and a minimum distance between two set points where the name display does not overlap. 2. The destination display device according to claim 1, further comprising: means and means for expanding and setting an interval of display coordinates of the two setting points in a state where the distance between the two setting points is determined to be equal to or less than the minimum distance. 5. The guide display means includes means for determining a state in which the entire route cannot be displayed on one screen by comparing the number of set points that can be displayed on one screen with the number of set points that are actually set, 2. The destination display device according to claim 1, wherein the entire guide screen is divided into a plurality of parts according to the determination that the entire route cannot be displayed on this one screen, and the scroll display is sequentially performed. 6. The destination display device according to claim 1, wherein the direction guidance control means displays a direction guidance display corresponding to an intersection designated based on an input from the input operation device. 7. The direction guidance control means includes means for determining a state in which the position of the vehicle determined by the current position detection device is close to one of the set points which are intersections within a predetermined distance. The destination display device according to claim 1, wherein the destination guide map is configured to be selectively displayed based on the determination result. 8. The direction guidance control means determines a state in which the position of the vehicle determined by the current position detection device is close to one of the set points which are intersections within a predetermined distance, and 2. The destination display device according to claim 1, further comprising means for giving a voice instruction that the vehicle has approached the intersection based on the result of the determination.