JPH08233591A - Current position displaying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To easily recognize a current position and a relative positional relationship between the current position and the surroundings. CONSTITUTION: When a driver selects data of a general place name and data of a local place name of the surroundings a current position as data to be displayed on a display 161 by using a display map changing-over switch 162, a navigation operation section 11 fetches the current position detected by a current position detecting device 13, a road data 125 of circumference of the current position, background data 126, data of a rough place name 127 and data of a small place name 128 from a data storing section 12 to transmit them to a display control section 17. The display control section 17 displays only the current position and data of the general place name and local place name of the surroundings of the current position on the display 161 so as to clarify the relative position relationship thereof.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a current position display device for displaying the current position of a moving body such as an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a navigation system has been put into practical use which provides a route guidance to a destination for a vehicle driver who is not guided by a road. With this navigation device, when a destination or departure point is input, the vehicle travel route between these two points is searched, and the travel route, the current position of the vehicle, and arrows indicating the direction of travel are displayed on the display together with the road map. While guiding the route. However, the conventional vehicle-mounted navigation device has an advantage that detailed map information can be displayed on one screen of the display, but since the amount of information is excessive, the operator must search for the required information on the screen. There was the inconvenience of having to do it. Further, even in the operation of confirming the current position during driving or confirming whether or not the traveling route is correct, the screen with the map screen as a background has a lack of visibility.

In view of this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-36881 proposes a technique for improving the information recognition of a map by reducing the amount of information per map screen without deleting the information necessary for driving. Has been done. In this technology, only road data and intersection data are extracted from ordinary detailed map information, stored and displayed as new map information, and further approximated to the position near the intersection and the center of the road between the intersections. Only background data (facilities, railways, rivers, etc.) adjacent to these map information are superimposed and displayed on such a map information screen. In this way, when the road data and the intersection data are extracted and used as map information, if the operator has some preliminary knowledge about the road, the current position or the relative positional relationship between the current position and the destination is obtained. Is easily recognizable.

[0004]

However, when traveling on a completely unfamiliar land, the name of the intersection or the background data is read from the road information and the microscopic current position is recognized (for example, ... in the vicinity of the intersection. Such recognition) is possible, but it is difficult to recognize the current position macroscopically (for example, recognition that the player is in the ward or is heading toward the ward). In addition, such inconvenience also occurs when the vehicle accidentally deviates from the route while traveling according to the route guidance by the navigation device. In such a case, the driver is reluctant to return to the original route, but it is very reassuring if it can recognize that it is heading to the destination macroscopically even if it is traveling on a road other than the route. Is. Such a case tends to occur especially in long-distance driving.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a current position display device capable of easily recognizing the current position and the relative positional relationship between the current position and its surroundings.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided data storage means for storing at least road data necessary for displaying a map and place name data on the map.
Current position detecting means for detecting the current position of the moving body, display means for displaying the data stored by the data storing means, and road data and place name data for the current position detected by the current position detecting means and its surroundings. Map display control means for extracting from the storage means and displaying a map around the current position on the display means based on these data, and the current position detected by the current position detection means and the place name data around the data storage means Extract more,
These place name data, place name data display control means for displaying on the display means together with their relative positional relationship, and display selection means for operating at least one of the map display control means and the place name data display control means, The present position display device is equipped with the present position display device to achieve the above object. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the current position display device according to the first aspect, the destination input means for inputting the moving destination of the moving body and the destination input means from the current position detected by the current position detecting means are used. The map display control means further includes route search means for searching for an optimum route among the routes to the travel destination that has been input, and the map display control means provides information on the route searched by the route search means together with a map around the current position. The display means is configured to display. The invention according to claim 3 is the current position display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the place name data is rough place name data representing a place name according to a coarse division, and small place name data representing a place name according to a finer division than the coarse place name data. And the place name data display control means is configured to selectively display one or both of the rough place name data and the small place name data on the display means. The invention according to claim 4 is the current position display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising display screen direction control means for controlling the orientation of the screen displayed on the display means.

[0007]

In the present position display device according to the first aspect, the present position of the moving body is detected by the present position detecting means, and the road data and place name data of the present position and its surroundings are stored in the data storage means by the map display control means. The map around the current position is extracted and displayed on the display means based on these data. Further, the place name data display control unit extracts place name data of the current position and its surroundings from the data storage unit, and these place name data are displayed on the display unit together with their relative positional relationship. At least one of the map display control means and the place name data display control means is operated by the display selection means. In the present position display device according to claim 2, the route search means searches for an optimum route among the routes from the current position to the moving destination input by the destination input means, and the map display control means searches the present position. The route information is displayed on the display means together with the map around the. In the present position display device according to claim 3, the place name data display control means allows
One or both of the rough place name data and the small place name data are selectively displayed on the display means. In the present position display device according to the fourth aspect, the orientation of the screen displayed on the display means is controlled by the display screen direction control means.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present position display device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. The present embodiment is an example in which the current position display device of the present invention is applied to a navigation device. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a navigation device. This navigation device
The navigation processing unit 11 includes a data storage unit 12 and a current position detection unit 1.
3, a voice output unit 14, an input unit 15, a display unit 16 and a display control unit 17 are connected. The navigation processing unit 11 stores a CPU (central processing unit) 111 and various programs such as a navigation program.
OM (Read Only Memory) 112 and RAM (Random Access Memory) as working memory
It is equipped with 113.

For the data storage unit 12, various storage devices using storage media such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical disk, a magnetic tape, an IC card and an optical card are used. The data storage unit 12 has voice data 121, address data 122, and telephone number data 12
3 and map data 124 are stored. The voice data 121 is data of guidance information by voice output from the voice output unit 14. Address data 122 is address data used for inputting a destination, telephone number data 1
Reference numeral 23 is telephone number data used for inputting a destination. The map data 124 is data required to display a map, and road data 125, background data 126, and rough land name data 127 respectively associated with coordinates.
And small place name data 128. Road data 1
25 is data of intersections, nodes, roads, etc. used for route search. The background data 126 is background data of buildings, transportation facilities, rivers, etc. displayed on a map together with roads.

The rough place name data 127 is data representing a place name in a rough division of place names on a map, and is, for example, a prefecture, a city, or a ward. The small place name data 128 is data representing a place name according to a finer division than a coarse division of the place name on the map. For example, the name of a town, a building, the name of a transportation facility such as a station, the name of a landmark such as a river, etc. is there. The rough land name data 127 and the small land name data 128 may be classified in any method and in any data amount.

The current position detecting section 13 uses a GPS (Global Positioning) for measuring the position of the vehicle using an artificial satellite.
System) receiver 131, geomagnetic sensor 132 that detects the orientation of the vehicle by detecting the geomagnetism, distance sensor 133 that detects and counts the number of rotations of the wheels, or detects acceleration and integrates twice to detect distance, steering Steering sensor 1 for detecting the steering angle using an optical rotation sensor or a rotation resistance volume attached to the rotating part of the vehicle
34, a beacon receiver 135 that receives position information from beacons arranged on the road, a gyro sensor that uses a gas rate gyro, an optical fiber gyro, or the like to detect the rotational angular velocity of the vehicle and integrate the angular velocity to obtain the orientation of the vehicle 136 or the like is used. The GPS receiver 131
The position of the GPS receiver 131 and the beacon receiver 135 can be measured independently.
In the place where the reception by is impossible, the current position is detected by dead reckoning using other sensors.

Under the control of the navigation processing unit 11, the voice output unit 14 appropriately outputs voice guidance information for guiding the driver through the route. For example, if you go to the intersection 300m before the intersection or just before the intersection, "3
Output guidance information such as "turn right / turn left / go straight ahead at the intersection 00m ahead / next intersection". Further, operation explanations and comments at various operations such as destination setting are also output. For the voice guidance information from the voice output unit 14, a voice recorded on a tape in advance or a synthesized voice produced by a voice synthesizer is used. The input unit 15 is a joystick, a key, a touch panel, a mouse, a light pen, or a device that is combined with the screen of the display unit 16 to display keys and menus on the screen and input from the screen, various input devices such as a voice recognition device. Is used.

The display section 16 includes a display 161, a display map changeover switch 162, and a display direction changeover switch 1.
And 63. On the display 161, a route set in response to a user request is displayed, or a guide map is displayed along a traveling route. Further, the remaining distance to the intersection, an arrow indicating the traveling direction (straight, left turn, right turn) at the next intersection, etc. are displayed, and various other guidance information is also displayed. As the display 161, a CRT, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, a hologram device that projects a hologram on the windshield, or the like is used. Display map switch 1
Reference numeral 62 denotes a switch for selecting data in order to cause the display 161 to display the map around the current position, the rough place name data, and the small place name data individually or in an arbitrary combination. The display direction changeover switch 163 is provided in order to set the display screen of the display 161 so that the traveling direction of the vehicle is up or the north is up.
This is a switch for switching the display direction.

The display control unit 17 controls the display 161, and a display map selecting unit 171 for selecting data to be displayed on the display 161 according to the output of the display map changing switch 162, and a display direction changing switch 1.
A display direction switching unit 172 that switches the display direction of the display 161 according to the output of 63.

Next, the operation of the embodiment thus constructed will be described. First, a case where the navigation device is caused to perform route guidance while displaying a map around the current position on the display 161 will be described. In this case, the driver inputs the destination from the input unit 15 and selects the map around the current position as the data to be displayed on the display 161 by the display map changeover switch 162. The navigation processing unit 11 includes a current position detection unit 13
The road data 125, the background data 126, the rough place name data 127, and the small place name data 128 of the current position and its surroundings detected by are extracted from the data storage unit 12,
It is sent to the display controller 17 together with the data of the current position. Since the display control unit 17 has selected to display the map by the display map changeover switch 162, the map is displayed on the display 161 based on the current position and the road data and the background data around the current position, as shown in FIG. Is displayed, and the mark 2 showing the current position and the direction of travel is displayed on this map.
1 and the mark 22 showing the route to the destination are displayed,
Further, when a destination is present on the screen, a mark indicating the destination is also displayed. Note that, in FIG. 2, thin roads and backgrounds are omitted.

Next, an example will be described in which the driver memorizes the route to the destination and only needs to know the current position and the place names in the vicinity thereof. In this case, the driver selects the rough place name data and small place name data around the current position as the data to be displayed on the display 161 by the display map changeover switch 162. The navigation processing unit 11 includes road data 125, background data 126, rough place name data 127, and small place name data 128 around the current position detected by the current position detecting unit 13 and its surroundings.
Is extracted from the data storage unit 12 and sent to the display control unit 17. Since the display control section 17 has selected to display the rough land name data and the small land name data by the display map changeover switch 162, only the rough land name data and the small land name data of the current position and its surroundings are visible. Is displayed on the display 161 in a larger character.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, it is displayed so that the relative positional relationship between these rough land name data and small land name data can be understood. In FIG. 3, small area name data, for example, the name of the nearest station is displayed on the inner circumference (hereinafter referred to as small area name circle) 31, and the outer circumference (hereinafter referred to as coarse area name circle) 32 is displayed on the outer circumference. An example is shown in which place name data, for example, the names of cities, towns and villages are displayed, and the rough place name data and small place name data at the current position are displayed in the center of the screen. Further, if the rough place name data and the small place name data on the screen are made into three-dimensional characters, it will be easier to see. When the driver is inputting the destination, the rough place name data and small place name data including the destination are displayed in a different color from the other rough place name data and small place name data. You may make it show a direction.

Further, the driver selects the map around the current position, the rough ground name data and the small ground name data as the data to be displayed on the display 161 by the display map changeover switch 162 while the navigation device is performing the route guidance. In this case, the display control unit 17 causes the display 161 to display the map around the current position and the rough place name data and small place name data of the current position and its surroundings, as shown in FIG.

When displaying the rough land name data and the small land name data on the display 161, the direction of travel is displayed by a mark such as an arrow, or as shown in FIG. A method of displaying the mark 33 indicating the route corresponding to the place name data may be used, but it is also possible to select the display with the traveling direction upward by the display direction changeover switch 163. When it is selected to display the traveling direction upward, the small place name circle 31 and the rough place name circle 32 shown in FIG. 3 rotate in accordance with the change in the traveling direction. As shown in FIG. 4, when the map around the current position and the rough place name data and the small place name data are displayed on the display 161 while the route guidance is being performed, the route is displayed on the display 161. Therefore, it is not necessary to display the display with the traveling direction up, but it is possible to arbitrarily select whether the north is up or the traveling direction is up according to the map by the display direction changeover switch 163. Further, the display range may be changed by enlarging or reducing according to the distance from the current position to the destination.

In addition to the example described above, the display map changeover switch 162 is used to display only the rough land name data,
It is also possible to select display of only small place name data, superimposed display of map and rough place name data, and superimposed display of map and small place name data.
When the map is displayed on the display 161, the map based on only the road data may be displayed instead of the map based on all the road data and the background data around the current position.

As described above, according to this embodiment, by displaying the rough place name data and the small place name data on the display 161, the map information per sheet displayed on the screen can be significantly reduced, and it is necessary and sufficient. By displaying various types of information on the screen, the visibility of the displayed contents is improved and the safety while driving is also improved. In addition, the most important information to know during traveling (moving) is the current position. By displaying the place name of the current position in the center of the screen, the current position can be recognized and surrounding landmarks (station name, facility name, etc.) It is also easy to recognize the relative positional relationship of. In addition, the relative positional relationship between the current position, the destination, and the route can be easily recognized, which is recommended by the navigation device during long-distance driving, on unfamiliar roads, or on complicated branch roads that are difficult to distinguish. Even when the vehicle deviates from the route, only the traveling direction needs to be confirmed first, and then the recommended route can be returned to, so that the driver can deal calmly.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment,
For example, the road data 125, the background data 126, the rough place name data 127, and the small place name data 128 may be held as separate databases each having coordinate data. In this case, the display 16
When the road data 125, the background data 126, the rough place name data 127, and the small place name data 128 are superimposed and displayed on 1 in an arbitrary combination, the reference coordinates (for example, the point at the center of the screen displaying the place name at the current position) and The surrounding range (for example, radius 10 km) may be matched. Also, enlarge the screen with each data superimposed,
The reduction may be performed arbitrarily.

[0023]

According to the present position display device of the present invention, since the place name data of the present position and its surroundings can be displayed together with their relative positional relationship, the present position and the present position and its surroundings can be displayed. The relative positional relationship of can be easily recognized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation device to which a current position display device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen displaying a map of the above.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen displaying a place name in the same as above.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen on which a map and a place name are superimposed and displayed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Navigation Processing Unit 111 CPU 112 ROM 113 RAM 12 Data Storage Unit 121 Voice Data 122 Address Data 123 Telephone Number Data 124 Map Data 125 Road Data 126 Background Data 127 Rough Land Name Data 128 Small Land Name Data 13 Current Position Detection Unit 14 Voice Output Unit 15 input section 16 display section 161 display 162 display map changeover switch 163 display direction changeover switch 17 display control section 171 display map selection section 172 display direction changeover section

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A data storage means for storing at least road data necessary for displaying a map and place name data on the map, a current position detection means for detecting a current position of a moving body, and the data storage means. Display means for displaying the stored data, road data and place name data of the current position and its surroundings detected by the current position detecting means are extracted from the data storage means, and the periphery of the current position is based on these data. Map display control means for displaying the map of the above on the display means, and the place name data of the current position and its surroundings detected by the current position detecting means are extracted from the data storage means, and these place name data are compared with each other. Place name data display control means to be displayed on the display means together with the physical positional relationship, the map display control means and the place name data display means. Current position display device characterized by comprising a display selecting means for the operating state of at least one of the data display control means. 2. A destination input means for inputting a moving destination of a moving body, and a route from a current position detected by the current position detecting means to a moving destination input by the destination input means. A route search means for searching for an optimum route, wherein the map display control means causes the display means to display information on a route searched by the route search means together with a map around the current position. The present position display device according to claim 1. 3. The place name data includes coarse place name data representing place names according to coarse divisions and small place name data representing place names according to finer divisions than the coarse place name data, and the place name data display control means includes the coarse place name data. 3. The present position display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one or both of the data and the small place name data are selectively displayed on the display means. 4. The present invention according to claim 1, further comprising display screen direction control means for controlling a direction of a screen displayed on the display means. Position display device.