JPH0887698A - On-vehicle navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To cut the information of unwanted roads by providing an exact voice output even for any place name, of which the reading is difficult, while combining the navigation system and FM multiplex broadcasting. CONSTITUTION: A tuner 2 for FM multiplex broadcasting also receives and demodulates VICS data, those data are inputted from a GPS receiver 4 to a navigation controller 10 together with vehicle position data or the like, and the position of a vehicle itself or traffic information is displayed on the map around the present position read from a CD-ROM 3. A road traffic information guide part 10 retrieves the VICS data around the position of the vehicle and displays graphics showing the positions of traffic jamming and symbols showing the positions of attention/regulations while overlapping them on the image of the map and a road traffic information voice signal is generated by voice synthesization based on the VICS data while being interlocked with this display but concerning the place name or road name of which the reading is difficult, the exact information can be provided as voices by referring to a data base 11. Besides, the guide of road traffic information performed by synthesizing voices is displayed on a display device 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle-mounted navigation device, and more particularly to a vehicle-mounted navigation device capable of providing a user with road traffic information based on VICS data received from FM multiplex broadcasting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The current position of a vehicle is detected by self-contained navigation or satellite navigation, map data around the current location is read from a map data storage means such as a CD-ROM, an IC memory card, etc., and map information is displayed on the screen together with the vehicle position mark. Vehicle-mounted navigation devices that provide the driver with map information around the vehicle position by displaying the map have been widely used. According to this device, even when traveling on the first route, it is possible to easily determine where the own vehicle is currently, and which route can be selected to reach the destination.

However, only by displaying a map image on the screen based on the map data, it is not possible to know the occurrence of traffic congestion or traffic regulation, and it is not possible to take an appropriate detour route in advance. Therefore, by providing the vehicle with various information such as current location, destination information, parking lot information, traffic congestion, cautions / regulations, required time, etc. by wireless communication such as quasi-microwave beacon and FM multiplex broadcasting, the driver can Development and commercialization of a road traffic information communication system (VICS) that allows a user to quickly travel to a destination on an appropriate route while making comprehensive judgments on various types of information are being advanced.

[0004]

The various information described above, for example, traffic information such as traffic congestion, is provided to the driver by displaying characters on the display or painting on the map. However, all of these cannot obtain information unless the driver visually reads them while driving, and they are not necessarily optimal for vehicle use.

Therefore, a system is conceivable in which VICS traffic information is generated by voice synthesis and the information is transmitted by listening to the driver. In this case, although the character information must be read by the system, a place name or Some road names are very difficult to read, and since the correct reading is not known, an unnatural voice is output, which is not useful as information.
The problem remains that the driver is confused because information that is not related to the vehicle position is also expressed. An object of the present invention is to provide a voice guidance system that solves these problems.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an FM multiplex receiving means for receiving and demodulating VICS data relating to road traffic information from FM multiplex broadcasting, and a VIC.
The temporary storage means for temporarily storing the S data, the map data storage means for storing the map data, the vehicle position detection means for detecting the vehicle position, and the map image around the vehicle position are displayed on the screen of the display means together with the vehicle position mark. When the VICS data is found by the searching means, the map drawing means for making a reference, the means for searching the map data and the temporary storage means for searching whether or not the VICS data is received for the link where the vehicle is located, A road traffic information guide means for displaying road traffic information including a positional relationship with a vehicle position on the display means based on the VICS data, and at the same time performing voice synthesis output, and a place name and / or road referred to when the voice synthesis output is performed. This can be solved by providing a database that stores how to read the name.

Further, the above problem can be solved by performing the voice synthesis output only for the place name and / or road name on the map displayed on the display means in the preceding paragraph.

[0008]

The vehicle position detecting means detects the vehicle position, the map drawing means displays the map image around the vehicle position together with the vehicle position mark on the screen of the display means, and the FM multiplex broadcast receiving means displays the road traffic information. The VICS data is received, demodulated, and temporarily stored. The search means refers to the map data and the temporary storage means for VICS for links around the vehicle position.
When the data is received, the road traffic information guide means displays the road traffic information based on the VICS data on the screen of the display means, and stores the reading of the place name and the road name. Refer to for voice synthesis output. As a result, road traffic information around the vehicle position can be obtained easily and accurately as a voice.

Further, since the voice output is performed only for the place name and the road name on the map displayed on the display means, information unrelated to the position of the own vehicle is expressed and the information may be confused. There is no.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a vehicle-mounted navigation device compatible with VICS according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 is an antenna, 2 is an FM multiplex broadcasting tuner which receives FM multiplex broadcasting and outputs a stereo audio signal, and which receives and demodulates VICS data as FM multiplex data, and 3 is a CD-ROM storing map data. Reference numeral 4 is a GPS receiver for detecting the vehicle position and vehicle direction by satellite navigation, and 5 is an operation panel, which is an operation key for selecting a tuner for FM multiplex broadcasting, a key for switching between a navigation mode and a road traffic information program mode, and a road. A program selection key for selecting a desired program from among the traffic information is provided. Reference numeral 6 denotes a display device for displaying a vehicle position mark and various symbols on a map image.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a navigation controller which inputs each data of the vehicle position and the vehicle direction detected by the GPS receiver 4 in the navigation mode, and the CD-R.
A map image around the vehicle position is drawn using the map data stored in the OM3, a vehicle position mark is superimposed on the map image, and the vehicle position is included in the VICS data received and demodulated by the FM multiplex broadcasting tuner 2. A graphic showing a traffic jam location on the map image using the data about the links around,
A symbol or the like indicating a caution / regulation point is overlaid and drawn, and the screen is displayed on the display device 6. When the navigation mode is switched to the road traffic information program mode, the road traffic information image related to the program selected by the program selection operation is displayed on the screen.

Reference numeral 10a is a buffer memory for temporarily storing VICS data received and demodulated by the FM multiplex broadcasting tuner 2, 10b is a buffer memory for temporarily storing map data read from the CD-ROM 3, and 10c is a map image. Video RAM for storing road traffic information images 10
Reference numeral d denotes a map drawing unit, which inputs vehicle position data and vehicle direction data from the GPS receiver 4 and reads map data around the vehicle position from the CD-ROM 3 to the buffer memory 10b and uses the read map data. A map image centered on the vehicle position is drawn in the video RAM with the north facing upward, and a vehicle position mark with the vehicle azimuth direction oriented at the center of the map image.

Reference numeral 10e designates map data stored in the buffer memory 10b when in the navigation mode,
From the VICS data stored in the buffer memory 10a and the vehicle position data, a link around the vehicle position (link within the range of the map image drawn in the video RAM) is specified, and the specified link is V
A search unit that searches for and outputs ICS data, and checks which link in the map data the VICS data corresponds to by using the secondary mesh code and the reference link number in the VICS data. . The search unit 1
In the road traffic information program mode, 0e retrieves and outputs VICS data related to a program desired by the user in accordance with the program selection operation.

Reference numeral 10f denotes a road traffic information guide section, which is searched by the search section 10e in the navigation mode.
Based on the CS data, a graphic indicating traffic congestion and a symbol indicating caution / restriction are overlaid and drawn on a corresponding portion of the map image of the video RAM 10c. Also, in the road traffic information program mode,
Video RA of road traffic information images related to user-desired programs
Draw on M10c.

Further, the road traffic information guide section 10f
Includes a voice synthesizing circuit (not shown), and based on the VICS (character) data searched by the search unit 10e,
It outputs the road traffic information voice signal that has been voice-synthesized. 10 g
Is a conversion unit that reads out the image drawn in the video RAM 10c, converts it into a video signal of a predetermined system and outputs it to the display device 6, 7 is an amplifier that amplifies road traffic information audio signals, and 8 is a speaker that acoustically converts the amplifier output Is.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a place name database, CD-R
It is a database composed of a CD-ROM or the like in which the readings of the place names and road names having difficult readings in the section are stored in association with the area divisions of the map data stored in the OM3.

The operation of the above configuration will be described below. When the power is turned on, the FM multiplex broadcasting tuner 2 tunes to the desired station, outputs the stereo audio signal received from the desired station, and the receiving station is an FM multiplex broadcasting station compatible with the VICS system. , VICS data is also received and demodulated and output to the navigation controller 10. The navigation controller 10 causes the buffer memory 10a to temporarily store the VICS data by interrupt processing. Further, when the power is turned on, the GPS receiver 4 periodically detects the vehicle position and the vehicle direction by satellite navigation,
The vehicle position data and the vehicle direction data are output.

After the power is turned on, the navigation controller 10 enters the navigation mode and the GPS receiver 4
The vehicle position data and the vehicle direction data are input from. Then, the map drawing unit 10d reads the map data around the vehicle position from the CD-ROM 3 into the buffer memory 10b, and uses the read map data to display a north-facing map image for one screen centered on the vehicle position. Drawing in the RAM 10b. Next, the search unit 10e uses the buffer memory 10b.
Using the map data and the vehicle position stored in, the link around the vehicle position is specified, and the VICS data stored in the buffer memory 10a is searched for the data for each specified link, If they exist, they are output to the road traffic information guide unit 10f for each link.

The road traffic information guide section 10f is a search section 10
When VICS data around the vehicle position is found in e,
Based on the data, a figure indicating a traffic jam location, a symbol indicating a caution / restriction location, etc. are drawn on the map image in the video RAM 10c. Next, the map drawing unit 10d draws a vehicle position mark with the vehicle direction facing the center of the map image of the video RAM 10e based on the vehicle direction data. Video RA
The image drawn on M10c is read by the conversion unit 10g, converted into a video signal of a predetermined system, output to the display device 6, and displayed on the screen. After that, the navigation controller 10 checks whether a key operation has been performed on the operation panel 5, and if there is no particular operation, inputs the next vehicle position data and vehicle azimuth data from the GPS receiver 4 again, and performs the same processing. repeat.

In the previous section, the road traffic information guide unit 10f searches the VICS data around the vehicle position with the search unit 10e,
When the data is found, the video R
A figure indicating a traffic jam location, a symbol indicating a caution / restriction location, etc. are drawn over the map image of the AM 10c. In conjunction with this, a road traffic information voice signal is generated by voice synthesis based on the VICS data. , To the amplifier 7.

This situation is shown in the flow chart of FIG.
The road traffic information guide unit 10f searches the search unit 10e for VICS data around the vehicle position and checks whether or not the traffic information to be voice-guided has been input (step 21).
If there is no input, it waits for input, and if there is input, it stores the reading of place names and road names that have difficult readings.
The database 11 composed of a ROM or the like is searched (step 22), the reading of the place name on the database 11 is loaded (step 23), a road traffic information voice signal is generated by voice synthesis (step 24), and then the amplifier 7 is supplied. Output.

In the above case, the road traffic information guidance provided by voice synthesis is performed only for the traffic information having the road name in the map data around the vehicle position read from the CD-ROM 3 and displayed on the display device 6. , Delete unnecessary data for the driver.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the VICS
When guiding traffic information by voice, place names and road names having difficult readings are stored in advance as a database, VICS data around the vehicle position is searched, and when there is traffic information to be voice-guided, Since this database is used for voice synthesis output, it is possible to obtain accurate information about a place name or the like with a difficult reading, and this output is a map around the vehicle position displayed on the display device. Since only the traffic information having the place name and the road name in the data is used, the driver can obtain the road traffic information without confusion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a vehicle-mounted navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 FM multiple broadcast tuner 3 CD-ROM 4 GPS receiver 5 operation panel 6 display device 7 amplifier 10 navigation controller 10a buffer memory (VICS data) 10b buffer memory (map data) 10c video RAM 10e search unit 10f road traffic information guide Part 11 database (place name, road name)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. V related to road traffic information from FM multiplex broadcasting
FM multiplex broadcast receiving means for receiving and demodulating ICS data, temporary storage means for temporarily storing VICS data, map data storage means for storing map data, vehicle position detecting means for detecting vehicle position, and vehicle position periphery Means for displaying the map image of the vehicle together with the vehicle position mark on the screen of the display means, and means for searching whether the VICS data is received for the link where the vehicle is located by referring to the map data and the temporary storage means. And the search means V
When the ICS data is found, the road traffic information including the positional relationship with the vehicle position is displayed on the display means based on the VICS data, and at the same time, the road traffic information guide means for synthesizing and outputting the voice and the synthesizing and outputting the voice. An in-vehicle navigation device, comprising: a database that stores how to read a place name and / or a road name that is referred to in FIG. 2. The in-vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the voice synthesis output is performed only for a place name and / or a road name on a map displayed on the display means.