JPH07182596A - Vehicle route introducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an optimum route with the consideration of jam information in a short period by calculating the route for evading a jam place concerning the optimum route. CONSTITUTION:This device is applied to a vehicle route introducing device having a bearing sensor 1, a vehicle speed sensor 2, a map storage memory 3, CPU 4, ROMM 5, RAM 6, V-RAM 7, a display 8, an operation board 9 and a receiving device 10. When jam information is received by the receiving device 10, CPU 4 decides whether or not the jam information has relation with the optimum route and executes weighing to data of the map storage memory 3 by jam information at the time of relation. Then, CPU 4 sets a nearest spot to a present position on the optimum route as a calculation start point and retrieves a route from the spot to a destination position. When the vehicle reaches the jam place in the midst of the route, the vehicle is introduced based on a route retrieving result to the point of time and the calculation start point is newly set so as to retrieve the route.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a route guide device for a vehicle which searches a route from a present location to a destination to find an optimal route and guides a vehicle to the destination according to the optimal route.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A route guidance device for a vehicle that searches a route from a current location of a vehicle to a destination to find an optimal route, displays the optimal route and the current location of the vehicle on a road map, and guides an occupant to the destination. It has been known. In addition, JP-A-2-129800
In the publication, traffic information is received by a receiver installed in a vehicle, and a calculation reference point (hereinafter, referred to as a node) on a map is weighted based on traffic congestion information in the received traffic information to search a route. There is disclosed a vehicle route guidance device that performs the above.

[0003]

However, since the device described in the above publication weights all the nodes on the map before performing the route search, it takes a lot of time until the optimum route is obtained. In addition, it is often the case that the vehicle receives the traffic information while the vehicle is traveling, and if the calculation with the traffic congestion information as described above is added from the point where the traffic information is received to the destination, before the calculation is completed. The vehicle has reached a traffic jam,
After all, the vehicle may get caught in traffic.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular route guiding apparatus which calculates an avoidance route of a congestion point related to the optimal route in a short time so as to obtain the optimal route in consideration of the congestion information. To do.

[0005]

The present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 showing an embodiment. In the present invention, a road map storage means 3 for storing road map data and a vehicle position for detecting a current position of a vehicle are provided. Detecting means 1 and 2, destination setting means 9 for setting a destination, first computing means 4 for performing a route search from the current location to the destination based on the road map data, and computing an optimal route, computed. It is applied to a route guidance device for vehicles provided with a display means 8 for displaying the optimum route and a traffic information receiving means 10 for receiving traffic information including traffic congestion information and whether or not the traffic congestion information is related to the optimum route. Based on the judgment means 4 for judging, the congestion information storage means 4 for storing the congestion information determined to be related by the judgment means 4, and the congestion information stored in the congestion information storage means 4, on the optimum route. Traffic congestion By configuring the display means 8 so as to display the avoidance route, it is provided with the specified congestion point specifying means 4 and the second calculation means 4 for calculating the avoidance route for avoiding the specified congestion point. Is achieved. The invention according to claim 2 is, in the vehicle route guiding apparatus according to claim 1, when the vehicle reaches any one of the specified congestion points, the second calculation means 4 arrives at the congestion point. Only when the calculation of the avoidance route has been completed, the display means 8 is configured to display the avoidance route of the congested place that has reached. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle route guiding apparatus according to the first or second aspect, when the vehicle reaches any of the specified congestion points, the traffic congestion point is closer to the destination than the arrived congestion point. The second calculating means 4 is configured to calculate the avoidance route of the congestion place that has not yet calculated the avoidance route.

[0006]

According to the invention described in claim 1, the judging means 4 judges whether or not the traffic congestion information received by the traffic information receiving means 10 is related to the optimum route calculated by the first calculating means 4. To be done. The traffic congestion information determined to be related by the determination means 4 is stored by the traffic congestion information storage means 4, and the traffic congestion location specifying means 4 identifies the traffic congestion location on the optimum route based on the stored traffic congestion information. The avoidance route for avoiding the identified congestion area is calculated by the second calculating means 4, and the avoidance route is displayed by the display means 8. As a result, the route that avoids traffic congestion is calculated in a short time. According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle arrives at any one of the traffic congestion points specified by the traffic congestion point specifying means 4, the traffic congestion is limited only when the calculation of the avoidance route for the traffic congestion point is completed. The avoidance route of the location is displayed by the display means 8. According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle reaches any of the congestion points specified by the congestion point specifying means 4, the avoidance route has not been calculated among the congestion points closer to the destination than the congestion point. The avoidance route of the traffic jam location is calculated by the second calculation means 4. As a result, the avoidance route for the congestion area is individually calculated.

Incidentally, in the section of means and action for solving the above problems for explaining the constitution of the present invention, the drawings of the embodiments are used for making the present invention easy to understand. It is not limited to.

[0008]

1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a vehicle route guiding apparatus according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an azimuth sensor, which detects the traveling azimuth of the vehicle by detecting the geomagnetism at the position where the vehicle exists. Reference numeral 2 denotes a vehicle speed sensor, which is attached to, for example, a transmission of the vehicle and outputs a predetermined number of pulse signals according to the vehicle speed. Three
Is a map storage memory for storing road map data including intersection network data, and 4 is a CPU for performing a route search according to the processes of FIGS. Reference numeral 5 is a ROM for storing a control program of the CPU 4, and 6 is a RAM for storing the result of the route search calculated by the CPU 4.
A V-RAM 7 stores the image data generated by the CPU 4, and the data stored in the V-RAM 7 is displayed on the display 8. Reference numeral 9 denotes an operation board for selecting a map to be displayed on the display 8, selecting a map scale, instructing to start a route search, correcting the current position display position, inputting a destination, and the like. Reference numeral 10 is a receiving device for receiving traffic information transmitted by a beacon transmitter or FM multiplex broadcasting. Direction sensor 1, vehicle speed sensor 2, map storage memory 3, CPU 4, ROM 5, RAM 6, V-RAM
7, display 8, operation board 9 and receiving device 10
Are mutually connected via the interface circuit 11.

In the vehicle route guiding apparatus configured as shown in FIG. 1, the CPU 4 measures the number of pulses per unit time or the pulse period output from the vehicle speed sensor 2 while the vehicle is traveling, thereby the traveling speed of the vehicle. And the traveling distance of the vehicle is detected by measuring the number of pulses. Next, the CPU 4 calculates the traveling locus of the vehicle based on the detected vehicle traveling distance and the traveling azimuth of the vehicle detected by the azimuth sensor, and performs map matching with the road map data stored in the map storage memory 3. To identify the vehicle's current location.

When the destination of the vehicle is input through the operation board 9, the CPU 4 uses the known Dijkstra method (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-8).
(See Japanese Patent Publication No. 6499), etc., is used to perform a route search from the current location to the destination to find the optimum route. The cost of each node (route length from the starting point to each node) obtained by this route search is stored in the RAM 6. Other RAM6
Is the node immediately before each node and has the shortest route from the departure point (hereinafter referred to as the immediately preceding node)
Are stored for each node. By tracing the immediately preceding node stored in the RAM 6 in order from the destination, the optimum route from the destination to the departure point can be obtained. The optimum route thus obtained is displayed on the display 8.

2 and 3 are diagrams showing an example of the route search result by the CPU 4, in which the optimum route from the starting point A to the destination I of the vehicle is indicated by a thick line and the other routes are indicated by a thin line. Points marked with "○" in Figs. 2 and 3 represent nodes,
The number displayed on the route between nodes (hereinafter referred to as a link) indicates the distance of each link. The numerical value enclosed in parentheses below each node indicates the cost of each node, and this cost indicates the shortest distance from the starting point. 2 and 3, the current position of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow. When the vehicle starts traveling, the receiving device 10 continuously receives radio waves transmitted from a beacon transmitter, FM multiplex broadcasting, or the like. The received information is sent to the CPU 4, and the CPU 4 extracts the traffic jam information from the traffic information by the reception code. When this traffic congestion information is extracted, the CPU 4 starts the avoidance route calculation process shown in the flowchart of FIG.

The avoidance route calculation process by the CPU 4 will be described below with reference to FIG. In step S1, it is determined whether the traffic congestion information received by the receiving device 10 is related to the optimum route. This determination is performed by comparing a digital code included in the transmitted radio wave for identifying a congestion location with a code stored in the map storage memory 3. If the determination is negative, the process returns, and if the determination is affirmative, step S
Move to 2. FIG. 2B shows an example in which the traffic information between the nodes D and E and between the nodes F and H is received while the vehicle is traveling between the nodes B and C (broken line portion in the drawing). Since this traffic congestion information is related to the node on the optimum route, step S1 of FIG. 4 is affirmed and the process proceeds to step S2. Step S
In 2, the optimum route data from the present location to the destination is RA
Save to M6. That is, the optimum route data before receiving the traffic congestion information is saved in the RAM 6 before the traffic congestion information is added and the route search is performed again.

In step S3, each link in the road map data is weighted by multiplying it by a coefficient according to the degree of traffic congestion based on the received traffic congestion information. For example, in FIG. 2B, the received congestion information indicates that the congestion coefficient between nodes D and E is 3, the congestion coefficient between nodes F and G is 2.5, and the congestion coefficient between nodes G and H is 4. When it is detected,
By the weighting process in step S3, the link between the nodes D and E is changed to 2 → 6, the link between the nodes F and G is changed to 2 → 5,
The link between the nodes G and H becomes 1 → 4. In step S4, the point where the avoidance route calculation is started is set. Specifically, the congestion point on the optimum route in the vehicle traveling direction and closest to the current position is detected, and this point is set as the calculation start point. In the example of FIG. 2B, the node D is set as the calculation start point (point “☆” in FIG. 2B).

In step S5, the destination I input by the operation board 9 is set as the calculation end point (see FIG. 2).
(*) Point in (b)). In step S6, avoidance route candidate points are set. Here, each node on the optimum route before receiving the traffic jam information is set as an avoidance route candidate point. Figure 2
In the example of (b), nodes E, F, G, and H are set as avoidance route candidate points (“●” points in the figure). In this case,
Since other nodes on the optimum route are not directly related to the avoidance route, they are not set as avoidance route candidate points. In step S7, the cost of each node in the avoidance route candidate points is changed to a value weighted by the congestion information. For example, FIG. 2 (b)
The cost of node E is 4 + 2 + 3 + 6 = 15, node F
Costs 15 + 3 = 18, node G costs 18+
5 = 23, the cost of the node H is 23 + 4 = 27, and the cost of the destination I is 27 + 1 = 28.

Next, in step S8, a route search is again performed from the calculation start point toward the destination by the Dijkstra method or the like according to the flowchart of FIG. 5 described later, and the cost of each node and the immediately preceding intersection are updated. In step S9,
It is determined whether or not the route search has been performed to the destination. As will be described later, the vehicle may reach the congestion start point during the process of FIG. 5, and in such a case, the vehicle is guided to the point where the optimum route is obtained for the time being, and the calculation start point is set again. And perform a route search toward the destination. Therefore, if the determination in step S9 is negative, the process proceeds to step S4, while if the determination in step S9 is positive, the process returns.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the details of the processing in step S8 of FIG. In step S21,
Set the calculation start point to the center node. In the example of FIG. 2B, the node D is first set as the central node. In step S22, it is determined whether the central node is the destination, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S23 and it is determined whether the central node is the avoidance route candidate point. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S24, the central node is set as the end candidate point, and the process proceeds to step S25.

Even when the determination is negative in step S23, the process proceeds to step S25, and the cost update processing is performed for all the nodes adjacent to the central node. In this cost update process, the cost of each node before receiving the congestion information is compared with the cost of each node after adding the congestion information, and if the latter has a smaller cost value, the cost of that node is If the former is smaller, the cost value is not changed.

For example, in the example of FIG. 2B, the cost of the node E before receiving the traffic congestion information was 4 + 2 + 3 + 2 = 11, but if the cost is calculated on the same route (D → E) after receiving the traffic congestion information. , "15". On the other hand, when traveling from the departure point to the node E through the route of D → J → K → E, the cost is 4 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 14,
The cost is lower than when the route of D → E is taken. Therefore, in this step S25, "14" is set as the cost of the node E and the node K is set as the node immediately preceding the node E.

In step S26, the node whose cost has been updated in the cost updating process of step S25 is added to the central node candidate list. That is, in the above case, the node E
Is registered in the core node candidate list. Step S27
Then, the node with the lowest cost is set as the central node among the nodes existing in the central node candidate list. In step S28, it is determined whether the vehicle has reached the calculation start point. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step S22.

Thereafter, by repeating the processing of steps S22 to S28, the central node gradually approaches the destination, and when the avoidance route is finally calculated to the destination, the determination at step S22 is affirmative and the process proceeds to step S29. To do. In step S29, the destination which is the central node is set as the end candidate point, and the process proceeds to step S30. In step S30, the optimum route is obtained by sequentially tracing the immediately preceding node from the destination, the result is stored in the RAM 6, and the process ends. For example, in the example of FIG.
The route indicated by the thick line in (c) is set as the optimum route.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S28 that the vehicle has approached the calculation start point, the process proceeds to step S31 and it is determined whether there is an end candidate point. The end candidate points can be nodes on the optimum route before receiving the congestion information, and the optimum route from the end candidate point to the destination has already been obtained before receiving the congestion information. That is, if the avoidance route calculation is performed from the calculation start point to the end candidate point, the vehicle can be guided to the destination by the optimum route before the reception of the traffic jam information. To judge.

If the determination in step S31 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S30 to detect the optimum route. For example, in FIG. 2B, when the vehicle approaches the calculation start point when the avoidance route calculation is performed up to the central node E, the node E
Is a termination candidate point, the optimum route detected in step S30 is the route indicated by the bold line in FIG. That is,
The avoidance route calculated in the process of FIG. 5 is selected from the node D to the node E, and the optimum route before the reception of the congestion information is selected from the node E and on.

On the other hand, if the determination in step S31 is negative, the process of FIG. 5 ends. That is, when there is no termination candidate point, the result of the process of FIG. 5 is not used and the vehicle is guided along the optimum route before the reception of the traffic jam information.

When the vehicle reaches the calculation start point during the processing of FIG. 5 and the bold line route of FIG. 3A is selected, for example,
Step S9 in FIG. 4 is denied and the process returns to step S4.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, the node F is newly added.
Is set as the calculation start point. Then, the cost of each node and the immediately preceding node are changed again, and as a result, FIG.
Is set as the route indicated by the thick line.

As described above, in the above embodiment, after obtaining the optimum route without adding the congestion information, the congestion point on the optimum route which is the closest to the current position of the vehicle is set as the calculation start point, and the target point is set from that point. Since the route search is performed after adding the congestion information to the ground, it is possible to obtain the optimum route in consideration of the congestion information in a relatively short time. Also, if the vehicle reaches a congestion point before the route search to the destination is completed, the vehicle is searched based on the avoidance route calculation result up to that point and the route search result performed before receiving the congestion information. Since the vehicle is guided, the vehicle can be guided to a route that avoids congestion even when there is not enough time to complete the avoidance route calculation processing, for example, even when the vehicle receives congestion information near a congestion location. Furthermore, when the vehicle reaches the congestion point during the avoidance route calculation process, the vehicle is guided to the avoidance route once, and the avoidance route calculation process is performed by setting the calculation start point again. It can also be used when there are many points and when congestion points change frequently.

In the above embodiment, the route that takes the shortest time to reach the destination is selected as the optimum route.
The route with the shortest distance to reach the destination may be selected. Further, when the optimum route obtained by the process of FIG. 5 is displayed on the display 8, it may be displayed in a color different from that of the optimum route before the reception of the traffic congestion information so as to alert the driver.

In the embodiment configured as described above, the map storage memory 3 serves as road map storage means, the direction sensor 1 and the vehicle speed sensor 2 serve as vehicle position detection means, and the operation board 9 is used.
Is the destination setting means, the CPU 4 is the first computing means, the display 8 is the display means, the receiving device 10 is the traffic information receiving means, step S1 of FIG. 4 is the determining means, and steps S3 and S7 of FIG. Corresponds to the traffic jam information storage means, step S4 of FIG. 4 corresponds to the traffic jam location specifying means, and FIG. 5 corresponds to the second computing means.

[0028]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is determined whether the received congestion information is related to the optimum route calculated before the reception of the congestion information. Since the congestion point on the optimum route is specified and the avoidance route for avoiding the specified congestion point is calculated, the route for avoiding the congestion can be obtained in a short time. According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle reaches the congestion point before the calculation of all the avoidance routes is completed, the avoidance route of the congestion point is limited only when the calculation of the congestion point is completed. Since it is displayed, the route where the avoidance route is not determined is not displayed and the driver is not confused. According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle reaches the traffic jam location, only the avoidance route of the traffic jam location can be displayed first. According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle reaches one of the congestion points during the calculation of the avoidance route, the avoidance route of the congestion point that has not been calculated yet is calculated. Even if the calculation of the avoidance route of the congestion point is not in time, the avoidance routes of the other congestion points can be calculated individually. As a result, it is possible to deal with a case where there are many congestion points and the calculation cannot be performed in time, or a case where the congestion points change frequently.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a vehicle route guide device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a route search result.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a route search result.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an avoidance route calculation process by a CPU.

5 is a flowchart showing details of step S8 in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Direction Sensor 2 Vehicle Speed Sensor 3 Map Storage Memory 4 CPU 5 ROM 6 RAM 7 V-RAM 8 Display 9 Operation Board 10 Receiver 11 Interface Device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A road map storage means for storing road map data, a vehicle position detection means for detecting a current location of a vehicle, a destination setting means for setting a destination, and a destination from the current location based on the road map data. A vehicle route guidance device comprising: a first computing means for performing a route search to a ground to compute an optimal route; and a display means for displaying the computed optimal route. Traffic for receiving traffic information including traffic congestion information. An information receiving unit, a determining unit that determines whether the congestion information is related to the optimum route, a congestion information storage unit that stores the congestion information that is determined to be related by the determining unit, Based on the traffic jam information stored in the traffic jam information storage means, a traffic jam location identifying means for identifying a traffic jam location on the optimal route, and an avoidance process for avoiding the identified traffic jam location. A second route calculation device for calculating a road, wherein the display unit displays the avoidance route. 2. The vehicle route guiding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle reaches any one of the specified traffic congestion points, the second arithmetic means is configured to detect the traffic congestion point which has arrived. The route guidance device for a vehicle, wherein the display means displays the avoidance route of the reached congestion area only when the calculation of the avoidance route is completed. 3. The vehicle route guiding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second computing means, when the vehicle reaches any one of the identified congestion points, the arrived congestion. A route guidance device for a vehicle, which calculates the avoidance route of a congestion place that has not yet calculated the avoidance route among the congestion places closer to the destination than the place.