JPH09292251A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To successively store the traveling route of one's own vehicle in the traveling to a designation and search a route by use of the stored track data. SOLUTION: The present position of one's own vehicle is detected every prescribed time. In the detection of the present position, the traveling direction of its own vehicle is calculated from a relative azimuth data D. When the angle of the traveling direction is changed by a fixed quantity (step SB5) while the vehicle travels for a prescribed time (step SB1), the traveling track of the vehicle is formed and stored (step SB11).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation device for searching a moving route of a ground moving body on the basis of map information and transmitting this moving route to an operator of the moving body. Regarding navigation system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional navigation device, for example, there is an on-vehicle navigation device disclosed in JP-A-61-194473. In this vehicle-mounted navigation device, a map of the area desired by the user is displayed on the display device based on the map information stored in the nonvolatile information storage device. Along with the map display, the conditions for searching the facility set as the destination are presented on the screen. Then, the facility desired by the user is specified as the destination by the stepwise selection of the search condition.

The location of the specified facility is displayed as an identification mark on the map screen. Furthermore, a recommended travel route from the current position to the specified facility is searched by the navigation device based on the map information,
Displayed on the screen. While the moving body is moving on the recommended moving route, necessary ground environment information (advance road information) is notified to the user by a listening means such as voice.

[0004]

By the way, in such a navigation device, the recommended travel route searched is composed of road information stored in the non-volatile information storage device. Therefore, the recommended travel route searched based on the road stored in the nonvolatile information storage device is, for example,
It was a route with the shortest distance that could be reached with the shortest possible mileage, and a detour route with a relatively small number of right and left turns centered on a relatively wide road. However, even if the driver requests a search route that utilizes the road that he or she normally travels or a route that mixes the favorite roads, it is not always reflected on the recommended travel route that was searched. There wasn't. In addition, roads that are not stored in the non-volatile information storage device are not included in the recommended travel route searched by the navigation device. However, on each actual road, new roads are being constructed one after another, and in some cases, the best recommended travel route cannot be searched for in the road information of the non-volatile information storage device.

That is, when a road not stored in the non-volatile information storage device is newly constructed, a route using the new road may be able to move to a desired destination more quickly and satisfactorily. However, the navigation device cannot include such a new road in the recommended travel route. Therefore, the conventional navigation device may not be able to flexibly respond to changes in the road environment such as an increase or decrease in lanes on an existing road or the construction of a new road.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention detects the current position of a vehicle, compares the detected current position data with the road or intersection data, and compares the data. Based on the result, the passing amount of the road or intersection was changed and output.
Furthermore, when searching for a route from near the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to near the destination, the intersection or road with the large amount of passage is preferentially used for the search route based on the above passage information of the intersection or road. I did it.

Further, when the current position of the vehicle is detected and the data relating to the detected current position is compared with the data relating to the road or the intersection, and the current position does not correspond to the relevant road or the intersection in this comparison. In, a new road or intersection is stored.
As a result, roads or intersections where vehicles often pass are preferentially used as guide routes, and even on newly constructed roads, once run and stored, route searches that utilize the new roads in subsequent route searches. Will be feasible.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Summary of Embodiments An embodiment of the present invention described below detects a current position when a vehicle moves from a designated point, and the detected current position is within a predetermined range based on the designated point. If so, the data on the detected current position is compared with the data on the moving road or intersection, and in this comparison, it is determined whether or not the current position corresponds to the road or intersection. The present position is stored as a new road or intersection, or the passing amount of the road or intersection is changed based on the comparison result.

Further, the designated point is a point designated by the operator, or the drive start or end of the drive source of the vehicle is detected, and the detected drive start / end point of the drive source of the vehicle is set.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the number of times the vehicle has passed or the number of times the vehicle drive source has been started to be detected is stored for each of the designated points. I changed the size.

Furthermore, the storage of the new road or the intersection, or the change of the passage amount of the road or the intersection is executed after or before the passage of the designated point, after the start of driving the drive source of the vehicle, or It is executed before, or before or after the driving of the drive source of the vehicle ends.

2. 1. Overall Circuit FIG. 1 shows an overall circuit of a navigation device according to the present invention. The central processing unit 1 controls the operation of the entire navigation device. The central processing unit 1 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 2, a flash memory 3, a second ROM 4, a first RA
M (Random Access Memory) 5,
Second RAM 6, sensor input interface 7, communication interface 8, image processor 9, image memory 1
0, an audio processor 11 and a clock 14. The CPU 2 to the clock 14 are connected to each other by a CPU local bus 15. Under the control of the CPU 2, various information data are exchanged between the devices.

The flash memory 3 is composed of an electrically erasable and writable memory (EEPROM) or the like. The program stored in the flash memory 3 is the program 38b stored in the information storage unit 37.
Is copied. The program 38b includes programs for various processes executed by the CPU 2 according to each flowchart described later. For example, there are information display control and voice guidance control.

The information stored in the flash memory 3 includes various parameters used in navigation operations (route search, route guidance). The second ROM 4 stores display graphic data and various general-purpose data. The display graphic data is data necessary for route guidance and map display displayed on the display 33. The various general-purpose data is data used at the time of navigation, such as voice waveform data obtained by synthesizing a guidance voice or recording a real voice.

The first RAM 5 stores data input from the outside, various parameters used for calculation, calculation results, navigation programs, and the like. The clock 14 has a counter and a battery backup R
It is composed of an AM or an EEPROM and outputs time information at any time.

The sensor input interface 7 is an A / D
It is composed of a conversion circuit or a buffer circuit. This sensor input interface 7 is used for the current position detection device 2
0 is connected to each sensor, and sensor data transmitted as an analog signal or a digital signal is input. The sensor of the current position detection device 20 includes an absolute azimuth sensor 21,
Relative azimuth sensor 22, distance sensor 23 and vehicle speed sensor 2
There are four.

The absolute azimuth sensor 21 is, for example, a geomagnetic sensor, and detects the absolute azimuth. The absolute azimuth sensor 21 outputs data indicating the north-south direction that is the absolute azimuth. The relative direction sensor 22 is, for example, a steering angle sensor, and the steering angle of the wheel is detected by a gyro device such as an optical fiber gyro or a piezoelectric vibration gyro. Then, the relative angle of the vehicle advancing direction with respect to the absolute azimuth detected by the absolute azimuth sensor 21 is
Output from

The distance sensor 23 is composed of, for example, a counter or the like linked with a mileage meter. From the distance sensor 23, data indicating the traveling distance of the host vehicle is output. The speed sensor 24 is constituted by a counter or the like connected to a speed meter. Data proportional to the traveling speed of the host vehicle is output from the vehicle speed sensor 24.

An I / O data bus 28 is connected to the communication interface 8 of the central processing unit 1. This I /
The GPS of the current position detection device 20 is connected to the O data bus 28.
The receiving device 25, the beacon receiving device 26, and the data receiving device 27 are connected. Further, the touch switch 34 of the input / output device 30, the printer 35, and the information storage section 38 are connected to the I / O data bus 28. In other words, by the communication interface 8, each auxiliary device and C
Various data is exchanged with the PU local bus 15.

As described above, the current position detection device 20 outputs data for detecting the current position of the host vehicle. That is, the absolute azimuth sensor 21 detects the absolute azimuth indicated by the geomagnetism. With the relative direction sensor 22,
The relative azimuth with respect to this absolute azimuth is detected. further,
The traveling distance is detected by the distance sensor 23. Vehicle speed sensor 2
At 4, the traveling speed of the host vehicle is detected. GPS receiver 2
5, GPS (Global Positioni)
ng System) signal (microwaves from a plurality of earth-orbiting satellites) is received, and geographical position data such as the latitude and longitude of the vehicle is detected.

In order to detect the current position of the vehicle, GPS is used.
At least one of the receiving device 25 and the absolute direction sensor 21 or the relative direction sensor 22 may be provided. For example, GP
With the S reception device 25 and the absolute direction sensor 21, the current position of the host vehicle can be detected. Further, the current position of the host vehicle can be detected only by the GPS receiver 25 and the relative direction sensor 22. Furthermore, the GPS receiver 2
5, even if all of the absolute azimuth sensor 21 and the relative azimuth sensor 22 are provided, the current position of the host vehicle can be detected.

Similarly, the beacon receiving device 26 receives a beacon wave from an information providing system such as VICS (road traffic information communication system), and outputs neighboring road information data or GPS correction data to the I / O data bus. 28 is output. In the data transmitting / receiving device 27, a bidirectional current position information providing system using a cellular phone, an FM multiplex signal, a telephone line, an ATIS (traffic information service) or the like, or current position information or a road near the vehicle. Information about the situation is sent and received. These pieces of information are used as position detection information of the own vehicle or operation assistance information. The beacon receiving device 26 and the data transmitting / receiving device 27 may be omitted.

The input / output device 30 includes a display 33, a transparent touch panel 34, a printer 35 and a speaker 13.
Consists of The display information is displayed on the display 33 during the navigation operation. Touch panel 34
Is attached on the screen of the display 33, and is provided with a transparent touch switch (a contact switch formed of a transparent electrode or
A plurality of piezoelectric switches) are arranged in a planar matrix. Information necessary for setting a destination such as a departure point, a destination, and a passing point is selected and input from the touch panel 34 to the navigation device.

The printer 35 prints various information such as maps and facility guides output via the communication interface 8. Each information is transmitted from the speaker 13 to the user by voice. Note that the printer 35 may not be provided.

The display 33 is a CR
A device capable of displaying image information such as a liquid crystal display or a plasma display is used. However, a liquid crystal display with low power consumption, high visibility, and light weight is preferable as the display 33. The image processor 9 connected to the display 33 includes a DRA.
M (Dynamic RAM) or dual port D
An image memory 10 such as a RAM is connected. The image processor 9 controls writing of image data to the image memory 10. Further, under the control of the image processor 9, data is read from the image memory 10 and an image is displayed on the display 33.

The image processor 9 converts the map data and the character data into display image data according to the drawing command from the CPU 2, and writes the display image data in the image memory 10. At this time, an image around the screen, which is displayed on the display 33 for scrolling the screen, is also formed and simultaneously written into the image memory 10.

The voice processor 11 is connected to the speaker 13. The audio processor 11 is connected to the CPU 2 and the second ROM 4 via the CPU local bus 15. Then, the CPU 2 causes the second ROM
The voice waveform data for guidance voice read from 4 is input to the voice processor 11. The audio waveform data is converted into an analog signal by the audio processor 11 and output from the speaker 13. The audio processor 11 and the image processor 9 may be configured by a general-purpose DSP (digital signal processor) or the like.

An information storage unit 37 connected to the I / O data bus 28 via a data transmission / reception unit 39 has a disk management information 38a, a program 38b for controlling each navigation operation described above, map information, and the like. Data 38c is stored. The disc management information 38a stores information about the data and programs stored in the information storage unit 37. For example, it is version information of the program 38b. Data 38
In c, data necessary for navigation operation such as road map data is recorded in a nonvolatile manner. The information storage unit 37 is provided with a data transmission / reception unit 39 that controls data reading with the I / O data bus 28. The program 38b stores the programs shown in the flowcharts described in the embodiments.

Further, as the information storage unit 37 of the present invention,
In addition to an optical memory such as a CD-ROM, the following devices may be used. For example, a storage data rewritable recording medium such as an IC memory, a semiconductor memory such as an IC memory card, a magnetic memory such as a magneto-optical disk and a hard disk may be used. When the recording medium of the information recording unit 37 is changed, the data transmitting / receiving unit 39 is provided with a data pickup adapted to the changed recording medium.
For example, if the recording medium is a hard disk, the data transmission / reception unit 39 includes a magnetic signal writing / reading device such as a core head.

The data 38c in the information storage unit 37 includes map data, intersection data, which are necessary for navigation operation.
Node data, road data, photograph data, destination point data, guide point data, detailed destination data, destination reading data, house shape data, and other data are stored.
In addition, the navigation operation is executed by the program 38b stored in the information storage unit 37 using the road map data of the data 38c. Note that the navigation program is read from the information storage unit 37 by the data transmission / reception unit 39, and is written and loaded into the flash memory 3. Other data include display guidance data, voice guidance data, simplified guidance route image data, and the like.

The map data recorded in the data 38c of the information storage unit 37 may be map data corresponding to a plurality of scale ratios or map data of the minimum scale ratio. Therefore, when a map with a large scale is displayed on the display 33, the information may be thinned out and displayed from the map data of the minimum scale of the data 38c in the information storage unit 37. In the reduced scale display of the map data of the data 38c of the information storage unit 37, not only the geographical distance of each road or the like is reduced,
Decimation of display symbol information such as facilities is also performed.

Further, the I / O data bus 28 is connected with a locus data storage device 40 for storing and saving locus data formed by a program described later. The locus data storage device 40 is an information storage device in which the stored data can be rewritten and the stored data is not lost even when the power supplied to the device is stopped. This locus data storage device 40
For example, an IC memory card, a hard disk, a rewritable optical disk, or a non-volatile memory such as EEPROM is used.

The locus data stored in the locus data storage device 40 is composed of data for identifying the road on which the vehicle is traveling on a map. That is, the information data of the roads, intersections, and the like on which the vehicle loaded with the navigation device has traveled is stored as trajectory data. This trajectory data includes node data 55, link data 60, and intersection data 65. Then, the program 38b stored in the information storage unit 37 uses the trajectory data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 to search for a new guide route in the navigation device of the present invention.

3. FIG. 2 shows the contents of each data file stored in the data 38c of the information storage unit 37. The map data file F1 stores map data such as a national road map, a local road map, or a house map. The intersection data file F2 stores data related to the intersection, such as geographical position coordinates and names of the intersection. The node data file F3 stores, for example, geographic coordinate data of each node used for a route search on a map. The road data file F4 stores data on roads, such as the position and type of road, the number of lanes, and the connection relationship between roads. The photograph data file F5 stores image data of photographs of places where visual display is required, such as various facilities, sightseeing spots, and major intersections.

The destination data file F6 includes data such as locations and names of facilities, which are likely to be destinations such as major tourist destinations, buildings, companies and offices listed in the telephone directory. Remembered Guide point data file F7
Stores guidance data of points where guidance such as the contents of guidance display boards installed on roads and guidance of junctions is required. The detailed destination data file F8 stores detailed data relating to the destination stored in the destination data file F6. The road name data file F10 stores name data of major roads among the roads stored in the road data file F4. The branch point name data file F11 stores name data of main branch points. The address data file F11 stores list data for searching a destination stored in the destination data file F6 from an address.

The area / city code list file F12 stores the list data of only the area / city code of the destination stored in the destination data file F6. The registered telephone number file F13 stores telephone number data that is registered by a user's manual operation and that should be remembered, such as business partners. The landmark data file F14 stores data such as the position of a landmark on the way of travel and the position and name of a place to be remembered, which are input by the user through a manual operation. The spot data file F15 is a landmark data file F14.
The detailed data of the landmarks stored in the are stored. In the facility data file F16, data such as the position and description of a target such as a place to visit other than the destination such as a gas station, a convenience store, or a parking lot is stored.

4. Data Contents of First RAM 5 FIG. 3 shows a part of a data group stored in the first RAM 5. The current position data MP is data representing the current position of the vehicle detected by the current position detection device 20. The absolute azimuth data ZD is data indicating the north-south direction due to geomagnetism, and is obtained based on the information from the absolute azimuth sensor 21. The relative azimuth data Dθ is angle data formed by the advancing direction of the host vehicle with respect to the absolute azimuth data ZD. This relative azimuth data Dθ is used by the relative azimuth sensor 2
It is calculated based on the information from 2.

The traveling distance data ML is the traveling distance of the own vehicle and is obtained based on the data from the distance sensor 23. The current position information PI is data relating to the current position, and is stored in the beacon receiving device 26 or the data transmitting / receiving device 2.
Input from 7. The VICS data VD and the ATIS data AD are data input from the beacon receiving device 26 or the data transmitting / receiving device 27. Using the VICS data VD, the error correction of the own vehicle position detected by the GPS receiver 25 is executed. In addition, the local traffic regulation and traffic congestion are determined based on the ATIS data AD.

The VICS data VD or ATIS
When map data is exchanged between the navigation device and the area monitoring center by the data AD, the guide route may be searched using the data.

The registered destination data TP stores data about the destination such as the coordinate position and the name of the destination registered by the user. In the guidance start point data SP, map coordinate data of a point where the navigation operation is started is stored. Similarly, the final guide point data ED stores the map coordinate data of the point where the navigation operation ends.

As the guidance start point data SP, the node coordinates on the guide road closest to the current position or the departure point of the vehicle are used. This guidance start point data SP
Is stored because the current position of the host vehicle according to the current position data MP is, for example, on a site such as a golf course or a parking lot, and is not necessarily on the guide road. Similarly, the guidance final point data ED also stores the node coordinates on the guidance road closest to the registered destination data TP. The reason why the guidance final point data ED is stored is that the coordinates of the registered destination data TP may not be on the guidance road.

The guide route data MW stored in the first RAM 5 is data indicating an optimum route to the destination or a recommended route, and is obtained by the route search process of the program described later. A unique road number is attached to each road in the road map stored in the data 38c of the information storage unit 37. The guide route data MW includes the road number from the guide start point data SP to the final guide point data ED or a link number described later.

The position data PQ1 and PQ2 store the geographical position coordinate data of the own vehicle and the absolute time when the position of the own vehicle is detected, which is used in a program described later. The absolute value of the increase / decrease value of the above-mentioned relative azimuth angle data Dθ is stored in the angle change data RZ. General data used in a peripheral link search process described later is temporarily stored in the start point cost VA, the end point cost VB, the link running cost VL, and the intersection running cost VC. Here, the cost is a time required for the vehicle to pass through each link or intersection of the stored trajectory data, or a weighting function value indicating the frequency of use. The links constituting the guide route are selected according to the magnitude of this cost. The detailed contents will be described later.

Trace route KT (S), trace route KR
(P) and the locus route KU (H) represent the route of the guide route composed of a plurality of link numbers. Route distance KT
L (S), route distance KRL (S), route distance KUL
(S) is each of the locus routes KT (S), KR (P),
KU (H) represents each distance value. Calculation register UW
Is used as a storage area for temporarily storing the calculation result in the calculation of the route distance. Evaluation value K
CS (GM) is used as a numerical value for selection of locus data deleted in the locus data deletion processing described later.

5. Road Data FIG. 4 shows a part of the road data in the road data file F4 stored in the information storage unit 37. The road data file F4 includes information on all roads having a certain width or more existing in the entire area range stored in the map data file. This road data file F
If the number of roads included in 4 is n, the road data of each road related to n roads is stored in the information storage unit 37. Each road data is composed of road number data, guidance flag, road attribute data, shape data, guidance data, and length data.

The road number data is an identification number assigned to each of the divided roads by dividing all the roads included in the map data into branch points such as intersections. In the guidance target flag, "1" is stored for the guidance target road, and "0" is stored for the non-guidance target road. The guidance target road is a road having a predetermined width or more, such as a main road or a general road, which is a road search target. The non-guidance target road is a narrow narrow road having a predetermined width or less such as a road or alley, and it is not preferable to include it in the route search target.

The road attribute data is data indicating attributes of an elevated road, an underpass, a highway, a toll road, and the like. The shape data is data indicating the shape of the road, and includes the start point of the road,
The end point and coordinate data of each node between the start point and the end point are stored. And the coordinate data of each node is
It is stored as shape data together with the coordinate data of the start point and the end point.

The guide data is composed of intersection name data, caution point data, road name data, road name voice data, and destination data. The intersection name data is data representing the name of the intersection when the end point of the road is an intersection. The caution data is data on cautions on the road such as railroad crossings, tunnel entrances, tunnel exits, and width reduction points. The road name voice data is voice data representing a road name used for voice guidance.

The destination data is data on a road connected to the end point of the road (this is the destination), and is composed of the number of destinations k and data for each destination. The data regarding the destination includes destination road number data, destination name data, destination name voice data, destination direction data, and travel guidance data.

The road number of the destination is indicated by the destination road number data. The name of the destination road is indicated by the destination name data. The destination name voice data stores voice data for voice guidance of the destination name. The direction of the destination road is indicated by the destination direction data. The travel guidance data stores guidance data for guiding the user to approach the right lane, the left lane, or the center of the road to enter the destination road. The length data is data of the length from the start point to the end point of the road, the length from the start point to each node, and the length between each node.

6. Node Data FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the node data 55 stored in the trajectory data storage device 40. The shape data of the road data file F4 has the same structure as the node data 55. This node data 55 represents each junction when each road on the map is approximated by a straight line. This node data is sequentially formed and stored for the road on which the vehicle on which the navigation device of the present invention is loaded travels. FIG. 32 shows the relative relationship between each node, the straight line link connecting each node, and the actual road on the map.

The road 70 shown in FIG. 32 is a curved road having a radius of curvature RSC. When the road 70 is approximated by a straight line, a plurality of straight lines are formed like a line graph.
Connected. These straight lines are links RB1, RB2, ...
And the connection point between the links is the node NOD12,
NOD14 ... That is, the actual road 70 shown in FIG. 32 is composed of trajectory data of links RB1, RB2, and RB3. Then, each link RB1, R
B2 and RB3 are connected to each other by nodes NOD12 and NOD14.

The node data 55 stored in the locus data storage device 40 is a collection of data relating to each of the above nodes. That is, the number of nodes nn is the locus data storage device 4
Represents the number of nodes stored in 0.

One node data is composed of a node number NB, an east longitude coordinate NPE, a north latitude coordinate NPN, and an intersection number NPB described later. The node number NB is used to identify each node.
The east longitude coordinate NPE and the north latitude coordinate NPN represent geographical coordinates of the node. The coordinate values of this node data are used when the road formed by each of the links is displayed on the screen together with the map stored in the information storage unit 37.

That is, since each link is connected by a node, if the coordinate position of each node is specified, the road approximated by the link can be displayed on the map. As the intersection number NPB, the same number as the number NPB (see FIG. 7) of each intersection of the intersection data 65 described later is used. Therefore, if the node is not an intersection, this intersection number NPB is expressed as "0", that is, there is no intersection number. Conversely, a node having an intersection number NPB that is a numerical value other than "0" is an intersection node. In addition,
The intersection means a node to which three or more links are connected.

Further, the length of each link when the actual road 70 is approximated by a plurality of straight lines is determined as follows. For example, when the host vehicle is moving along the road 70, a new node and a link are formed when the angle change in the advancing direction of the host vehicle becomes a predetermined value or more.

That is, the node NOD12 is formed such that the angle RMθ1 formed between the two adjacent links RB1 and RB2 is always constant. Therefore, the angle RMθ2 between the link RB2 and the link RB3 is equal to the angle RMθ1. In this way, when the curved road is represented by a plurality of links, the links and nodes are formed so that the elevation angle between adjacent links is always constant. Further, the length of each link may be expressed so that it is always constant. In this case, a curved road is approximately represented by using a plurality of links having the same length.

7. Link Data FIG. 6 shows the structure of the link data 60 stored in the trajectory data storage device 40. One piece of link data 60 includes a link number RB, a start node number SNB, an end point node number ENB, a start point → end point traveling count SEK, an end point → start point direction traveling count ESK, and a user operation registration count Y.
T, link length LR, average vehicle speed AS, running date / time data SND, road identification information LD, road number MB in map data, start position MSP, and end position MEP in road of map data. .

Number of links in link data 60 NL
Represents the number of links stored in the trajectory data storage device 40. The link number RB is used as a number for identifying each link from each other. Starting node number SN
B is the number of the node connected to one end of the link, that is, the node number NB of the node data 55. Based on the node number NB, the east longitude coordinate NPE, the north latitude coordinate NPN and the intersection number NPB are read from the node data 55.

The end point node number ENB is the node number NB of the node data 55 connected to the other end of the link.
It should be noted that the nodes at both ends of the link are not particularly defined as to which is the start point or the end point. Therefore, either one of both ends of the link is set as a start point node, and the other end is freely set as an end point node.

The number of times SEK of traveling from the start point to the end point is a cumulative value of the number of times the own vehicle has traveled on the link from the start point node number SNB to the end point node number ENB direction which is expediently determined. Similarly, the number of times ESK of traveling from the end point to the starting point direction is a cumulative number of times the vehicle has traveled on the link from the end point node number ENB to the starting point node number SNB. The number of registrations YT by the user operation is a designated cumulative value in which the link is used as a route to the destination designated by the user. Based on the number of times of registration YT, a specific link is preferentially searched in a route search to be described later. Link length L
R represents the geographical length of the link, that is, the distance of the link.

The average vehicle speed AS is the average speed of the host vehicle when traveling on the link and is calculated based on the data from the vehicle speed sensor 24. Therefore, this average vehicle speed AS
Is the average value of the entire number of times when the vehicle is traveling on the link multiple times. This average vehicle speed AS
May be calculated by dividing the distance of the link and the transit time of the link. The date and time data SND that the vehicle has traveled is all the dates and times that the vehicle has traveled the link.

The road identification information LD is the road type of the formed link and is detected from the road data file F4 based on the road number MB described later. For this type,
Information for identifying a road used as a guide route in the road data stored in the information storage unit 37, a road not used for the guide route (a narrow street), or a road not stored at all in the information storage unit 37 included. Roads not stored in the information storage unit 37 correspond to newly constructed roads, expanded roads, and the like.

The road number MB in the map data is a number unique to each road stored in the information storage unit 37. Therefore, the road number MB determines whether or not the road including the link is stored in the information storage unit 37.

The start position MSP represents the geographical positional relationship of the start point node of the link with respect to the start point coordinates of the road data in the information storage unit 37 designated by the road number MB. Similarly, the end position MEP is the above road number MB.
Represents the geographical position of the end point node of the link with respect to the end point coordinates of the road data specified by. This start position M
The SP and the end position MEP are, for example, geographical distances.

FIG. 33 shows the relationship between the start position MSP and the end position MEP. Road 72 shown in FIG. 33
Represents roads stored in the information storage unit 37. A part of this road 72 corresponds to the link RB4. Then, the starting point node NOD18 and the starting point 74 of the road 72
The distance interval data between and is the start position MSP. The distance interval between the end point node NOD20 and the end point 76 of the road 72 is the end position MEP. Based on the start position MSP and the end position MEP, the relative position of the link on the road with the road number MB is determined.

8. Intersection Data FIG. 7 shows the data structure of the intersection data 65 stored in the trajectory data storage device 40. The number of intersections nc represents the number of intersections stored in the trajectory data storage device 40. Each intersection is given a number unique to the intersection, that is, an intersection number NPB. This intersection number NPB
Matches the intersection number NPB of the node data 55.
This intersection data represents the road data or link data branching or joining in the node data 55.

One piece of intersection data is composed of a combination of each link number IRB of an entrance link that can enter the intersection and a link number ORB of an exit link that can make an exit from the intersection to another node. In other words, in the case of entering the intersection by the link that can enter at the intersection and the entry link,
It is composed of data showing a relationship with an exit link that can be advanced from this intersection.

FIG. 34 is a diagram showing the relative relationship between each link and each node. Node NOD shown in FIG. 34
Although 1 is an intersection, links IRB6, IRB7, and IRB8 can enter the intersection. For example, by the approach link IRB8, the intersection node NOD
Suppose your vehicle enters 1. In this case, if the only links that can go out through the intersection node NOD1 are the going-out links ORB6 and ORB7, the number of going-out links N
OUT = “2” is stored in the intersection data 65. That is, the approach link IR at the intersection node NOD1
Right turn is prohibited for B8.

In this way, at each intersection, the number of each exit link that can exit from each entry link is stored. Number of incoming links NIM included in intersection data 65
Represents the number of links that can enter the intersection. The intersection node NOD1 shown in FIG. 34 is "3".
become. The number of outgoing links NOUT represents the number of outgoing links that can be advanced from one incoming link.

The exit link number ORB represents the number of a link that can enter from one entry link IRB through this intersection node. Number of trips NVC from entry to exit
In, the number of times of travel from the approach link IRB to the exit link ORB is cumulatively stored. For example, the cumulative number of times of travel from the approach link IRB8 to the exit link ORB7 of FIG. 34 is the number of travel NVC. Average time for transit stations TSU
Is, for example, from the exit link IRB8 to the exit link OR
It is the cumulative average value of the time required to pass through the intersection NOD1 when traveling in the B7 direction.

The average time TSU for passing places is obtained as follows. Own vehicle is the entry link IRB8
The relative azimuth angle data Dθ1 when the vehicle is traveling on the road is obtained from the data from the relative azimuth sensor 22. Further, the relative azimuth data Dθ2 when the vehicle is traveling on the advance link ORB7 is also obtained by the relative azimuth sensor 22 in the same manner.

When the host vehicle passes the intersection node NOD1, the relative azimuth sensor 22 sequentially monitors changes in the relative azimuth angle data Dθ. Then, the time required for the relative azimuth data Dθ to change from the relative azimuth data Dθ1 to the relative azimuth data Dθ2 is measured.
The time required for the change of the relative azimuth angle data Dθ corresponds to the transit time from the approach link IRB8 to the exit link ORB7 at the intersection node NOD1.

The time required for the change of the relative azimuth angle data Dθ, that is, the intersection node NOD1 passage time is always measured when the intersection node NOD1 passes. And
The total average with the past passing time is calculated at any time and stored as the average passing time TSU. Driving date and time DTS
Is the date and time of passage in the direction of each incoming link → exit link, and all the dates and times of passage are stored.

The average time TSU for passage may be obtained as follows. For example, ingress link IRB8
The time required to travel each link may be subtracted from the total time traveled from the start node NOD5 to the end node NOD4 of the outgoing link ORB7. In addition,
The travel time of each link is measured when the average vehicle speed AS is calculated.

As described above, each intersection data 65 is composed of data representing a combination of the number IRB of each entry link that can enter the intersection and the exit link number ORB that can exit from each of the entry links via the intersection node. Has been done. Therefore, referring to the intersection data 65,
It is possible to determine the approachable direction and the approachable direction at the intersection node. These pieces of information are used in the peripheral link search processing described later.

9. Point List PT FIG. 8 shows the data structure of the point list 66 used in the trajectory data deletion process described later. In addition, point list 6
6 is stored in the first RAM 5, the locus data storage device 40, or the like. This point list 66 includes a plurality of points P.
Composed of T. Each point PT has a point number 67, and includes a storage range RP, an east longitude coordinate PTE, a north latitude coordinate PTN, and a position recognition count HTP. This point PT is data regarding the geographical position where the ignition key of the vehicle is turned on.

The point PT also includes the geographical position registered by the user. For example, there is a specific position such as a parking lot near the company. Further, as the automatically registered points, there are points where the ignition key is frequently turned on and off, such as a garage at home.

The storage range RP is a numerical value used in the locus data storage confirmation process (step SA21) described later. Specifically, any geographic location and point PT
It is used as a threshold value for perspective determination in a straight line distance between and. The east longitude coordinate PTE and the north latitude coordinate PTN are used to specify the relative position of the point PT on the map displayed on the display 33. Number of position recognition HTP
Is the number of times the geographical position where the ignition key is turned on is identified as the point PT.

10. Overall Processing FIG. 9 shows the CPU 2 of the navigation device according to the present invention.
2 shows a flowchart of the entire process executed by the control unit. This process starts when the power is turned on and ends when the power is turned off. The turning on and off of the power is executed when the power of the navigation device itself is turned on and off, or when the engine start key (ignition switch) of the vehicle is turned on and off.

First, initialization processing is executed (step SA1). The initialization process is as follows. The navigation program is read from the data 38c of the information storage unit 37 and copied to the flash memory 3. Thereafter, the program of the flash memory 3 is executed. After this, the CPU 2
R for the work memory of the first RAM 5, the image memory 10, etc.
The general-purpose data storage area in the AM is cleared.

Subsequent to step SA1, each process after the current position process (step SA3) is executed. In the current position process (step SA3), the geographical coordinates (latitude, longitude, altitude, etc.) of the vehicle, which is the ground moving body on which the navigation device is loaded, are detected. That is, the GPS receiver 25 receives signals from a plurality of satellites orbiting the earth. By the radio waves from each satellite, the coordinate position of each satellite, the radio wave transmission time in the satellite,
And the radio wave reception time at the GPS receiver 25 is detected. From these information, the distance to each satellite is obtained by calculation.

The coordinate position of the own vehicle is calculated from the distance to each satellite, and the current position of the own vehicle is acquired. The obtained geographical coordinate data of the own vehicle is the current position data M
P is stored in the first RAM 5. The current position data MP may be corrected by information input from the beacon receiving device 26 or the data receiving device 27.

Further, in the current position processing (step SA3), the absolute azimuth data ZD and the relative azimuth angle data Dθ are set.
And the traveling distance data ML are simultaneously obtained by using the absolute direction sensor 21, the relative direction sensor 22 and the distance sensor 23. From the absolute azimuth data ZD, the relative azimuth data Dθ, and the traveling distance data ML, a calculation process for identifying the own vehicle position is performed. The own vehicle position obtained by this arithmetic processing is the data 38c of the information storage unit 37.
Is corrected so that the current position on the map screen is accurately displayed by collating with the map data stored in. By this correction processing, even when a GPS signal cannot be received in a tunnel or the like, the current position of the own vehicle can be accurately obtained.

The data indicating the current position obtained by the current position processing in step SA3 is stored in the first RAM 5 as position data PQ1 (step SA5).
The position data PQ1 also includes time information. That is, the position data PQ1 stores the position information of the host vehicle and the time information in association with each other. Next, point registration processing is executed (step SA6). In this point registration process, it is determined whether or not the current position of the host vehicle corresponds to each point PT in the point list 66.

Thereafter, the route search process is executed (step SA7). In this route search process, destination setting (step SF1 in FIG. 15), link search process for configuring a route (step SF9), etc. are executed.

In setting the destination, the geographical coordinates of the destination desired by the user are set as the registered destination data TP. For example, on the road map or the residential map displayed on the display 33, the user specifies the coordinate position. Alternatively, the destination is specified by the user from the itemized list of destinations displayed on the display 33. When the destination designating operation is performed by the user, the central processing unit 1 stores the information data such as the geographical coordinates of the destination in the first RAM 5 as the registered destination data TP.

Further, in the route search processing, the optimum route from the guidance start point data SP to the final guidance point data ED is searched. Note that the optimum route here is, for example, a route that can reach the destination in the shortest time or the shortest distance, or a route that preferentially uses a road that the user has frequently used in the past. In addition, when using a highway, there is a route that can reach the destination in the shortest time or the shortest distance by using the highway, or a route that preferentially uses a wider road such as a national road. The route search process (step SA7) will be described later in detail.

When the route search process of step SA7 is completed, the current position of the host vehicle is detected again by using the current position detection device 20 (step SA9). Then, it is determined from the current position of the own vehicle whether or not the own vehicle has arrived at the destination of the route searched in step SA7 (step SA11).

The traveling position processing (step SA) is performed based on the amount of shift between the position of the host vehicle detected in step SA3 and the latest position of the host vehicle detected in step SA9.
Various processes are executed in 15). This step SA9
In the current position processing in, the relative azimuth of the host vehicle is also measured using the relative azimuth sensor 22. This relative azimuth is used in the process of step SB5 of FIG. 11 described later. In the determination of step SA11, it is also determined whether or not the setting of the destination has been changed during the movement of the guide route.

If it is determined in step SA11 that the host vehicle has arrived at the destination or the setting of the destination has been changed, the processing from step SA1 is started again. However, if the result of determination in step SA11 is that the host vehicle has not arrived at the destination or the setting of the destination has not been changed, the next route guidance / display process (step SA13) is executed.

In this route guidance / display process, the guide route searched in the route search process is displayed on the display 33 centering on the current position of the vehicle. The guidance route displayed on the display 33 is displayed on the display map so as to be identifiable. For example, the roads other than the guide route and the guide route are displayed in different colors so that they can be distinguished from each other. Further, according to this guide route, the guide information is audibly produced from the speaker 13 or the guide information is displayed on the display 33 at any time so that the own vehicle can travel satisfactorily. As the image data for displaying the guidance route, the road map data around the current position in the data 38c in the information storage unit 37 or the house map data around the current position is used.

The switching between the road map data and the house map data is performed under the following conditions. For example, a guide point (destination, drop-in place, intersection, etc.) from the current position
Distance, the speed of the host vehicle, the size of the displayable area, the switch operation of the operator, or the like. In addition, guidance points (destinations, stopovers, intersections, etc.)
In the vicinity, an enlarged map around the point is displayed on the display 33.
Displayed above. Instead of the road map, the geographical information display is omitted, and a simplified guide route image that displays only the minimum necessary information such as the guide route and the direction of the destination or stop-by place and the current position is displayed on the display 33. May be displayed in.

After the route guidance / display process, the traveling position process (step SA15) and other processes (step S)
A17), trajectory data deletion processing (step SA19), and trajectory data storage confirmation processing (step SA21) are sequentially executed.

The traveling position processing (step SA15) is
This is processing for newly adding trajectory data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 or updating information. The newly stored locus data is temporarily stored in the second RAM 6. Here, the locus data is information regarding links, nodes, and intersections on which the vehicle has traveled.
This traveling position process (step SA15) will be described later.

In other processing (step SA17),
For example, it is also determined whether or not a destination change command is input by the operator's switch operation. In the trajectory data deletion process (step SA19), the following process is executed. For example, the amount of information of new trajectory data or the amount of information of updated trajectory data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is calculated. Then, it is determined whether or not this increasing amount of information can be stored in the trajectory data storage device 40. That is, it is determined whether or not the size of the free memory area of the trajectory data storage device 40 is equal to or larger than the increasing amount of information. When there is a shortage, predetermined locus data is selectively deleted according to each deletion condition described later.

After this, the locus data storage confirmation process (step SA21) is executed. The locus data storage confirmation process is a process in which the new locus data temporarily stored in the second RAM 6 is stored in the locus data storage device 40. After this, the current position processing is performed again (step SA
The processing from 9) is repeated.

When the host vehicle reaches the destination, the series of processes from the initialization process of step SA1 is executed again. When the current traveling position of the host vehicle deviates from the guidance route, the optimum route from the deviated current position to the final guidance point is automatically re-searched by the route search process in step SA7.

11. Point Registration Processing FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of the point registration processing in FIG. In FIG. 10, first, the coordinate values of the position data PQ1 determined in steps SA3 and 5 in FIG. 9 are compared with the coordinates of each point PT in the point list 66 (step SM1). In the comparison of the coordinate values, it is determined whether or not the corresponding point PT exists at the coordinate position indicated by the position data PQ1 (step SM).
3). If the corresponding point PT exists, the coordinate position of the position data PQ is already registered in the point list 66.

However, when there is no point PT corresponding to the coordinate position of the position data PQ1, the point indicated by the coordinate value of the position data PQ1 is registered in the point list 66 as a new point PT (step SM5). In the comparison process of step SM1, the straight line distance interval on the map between the coordinates of the position data PQ1 and the coordinates of each point PT in the point list 66 is calculated. When it is determined that the straight line distance is within the predetermined error range, the point indicated by the position data PQ1 is determined to be the point registered in the point list 66.

In step SM3, position data PQ1
When it is determined that the point is a point PT registered in the point list 66, “1” is added to the position recognition number HTP of the corresponding point PT (step SM7).

Next, it is judged whether or not the user has issued a registration request for a new spot in the spot list 66 (step SM9). This registration request is generated by operating the touch switch 34. For example, on the map displayed on the display 33, the cursor is moved and a specific point is designated. The specified cursor position is input to the navigation device as the registration-requested point PT.

In this way, the coordinates designated by the user are registered in the spot list 66 as a new spot PT (step SM11). When the registration of the new spot is completed or when the user does not request the registration of the new spot, the following step SM13 is executed. In this step SM13, it is judged whether or not the user has requested a numerical value increase or numerical value decrease of the storage range RP of the specific point PT desired.

The storage range RP is used as a condition for determining whether or not to store the locus data of each link, node, etc. in the locus data storage device 40 in the locus data storage confirmation process (step SA21). That is, only the respective locus data within the circle of the storage range RP from the point PT is processed so as to be stored in the locus data storage device 40. This storage range RP is also used in the third embodiment of the trajectory data deletion processing (step SA19). The detailed contents of these steps SA19 and SA21 will be described later.

Therefore, increasing or decreasing the storage range RP value means increasing or decreasing the number of locus data stored in the locus data storage device 40. When it is determined in step SM13 that a request to change the numerical value of the storage range RP has been input, an area within a circle surrounded by the radius of the storage range RP around the point PT is displayed on the display 33. (Step SM15). When the circled area is displayed on the display 33, it is determined again whether the increase or decrease of the storage range RP value is desired (step SM1).
9).

In step SM19, the storage range RP
If it is determined that there is a request to increase or decrease the value, the area within the circle defined by the newly set storage range RP of the numerical value is displayed on the display 33.
It is redisplayed above (step SM15). The touch switch 34 is used to specify the increase / decrease amount of the storage range RP value. For example, when the ascending key provided on the touch switch 34 is pressed, the numerical value of the storage range RP is increased. However, when the decrease key provided on the touch switch 34 is pressed, the numerical value of the storage range RP is decreased.

Further, when the increase / decrease request for the storage range RP value is not made in step SM13, it is determined whether or not an arbitrary numerical value has already been set in the storage range RP by the user (step SM17). ). When the value of the storage range RP has not been set by the user at all, the processing of the next step SM21 is executed.

At step SM21, the storage range RP is
A numerical value determined by the value of the number HTP of position recognition at the point PT is set. That is, the position recognition count HTP
If the value of is larger, the numerical value of the storage range RP is increased. On the contrary, when the value of the position recognition count HTP is small, a smaller value is set in the storage range RP.

A large value of the position recognition number HTP indicates that the ignition key of the own vehicle is frequently turned on and off at the point PT having the position recognition number HTP. This indicates that there is a high frequency of traffic to and from that point PT. Therefore, the area around the point PT is an area where the user often moves.

Therefore, the locus data around the point PT having the larger number of times of position recognition HTP are concentrated,
Since the data is stored in the trajectory data storage device 40, a numerical value corresponding to the number HTP of position recognitions is set in the storage range RP. In this way, if the user has not specified the numerical value of the storage range RP in the past, the position recognition count HT
The numerical value determined by P is automatically set in the storage range RP (step SM21). On the contrary, when the user sets a specific numerical value in the storage range RP, the numerical value continues to be held. That is, the process of step SM21 is ignored. Further, once the user sets a specific numerical value in the storage range RP, the numerical value of the storage range RP is permanently retained unless it is newly changed by the user.

As described above, when the storage range RP is set to a value desired by the user or a value corresponding to the value of the position recognition number HTP, the flow is returned to the overall processing of FIG. 9 (step SM23). ).

12. Travel Position Processing This travel position processing is a series of processing for detecting the travel locus of the host vehicle and storing it as locus data in the locus data storage device 40, as described above. However, the updated trajectory data or the new trajectory data is once stored in the second RAM 6. After that, after the size of the free memory area of the locus data storage device 40 is confirmed (step SA19), the process of whether or not to store the locus data storage device 40 is performed for the first time (step SA21).

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the entire traveling position processing. This traveling position processing (step SA1
In 5), it is first determined whether or not the increment of the traveling time is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (step SB1). The change amount of the traveling time is measured by steps SA3 and SA5 in FIG. 9 based on the elapsed time from the absolute time of the vehicle position stored in the position data PQ1 to the current absolute time. A clock built in the clock 14 or the GPS receiver 25 is used for measuring the elapsed time.

When the increment of the traveling time is not more than the predetermined value,
The process after step SB5 is ignored, and the process returns to the whole process of FIG. However, if the elapsed running time is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the determination result of step SB1 is YES, and the next step SB5 is executed. By the way, FIG.
In the current position processing in steps SA3 and SA9, the relative azimuth angle of the host vehicle is measured using the relative azimuth sensor 22. Therefore, the relative azimuth angle of the host vehicle at the time when the information regarding the host vehicle position is stored in the position data PQ1,
The current relative azimuth is compared (step SB
5). This comparison of the relative azimuth angles is performed by detecting the difference between the relative azimuth angle data Dθ stored in the first RAM 5 and the latest relative azimuth angle data detected in step SA9.

If the absolute value of the difference between the relative azimuth data Dθ stored in the first RAM 5 and the latest relative azimuth data at the current position of the host vehicle is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the processing from step SB7 is executed. In step SB7,
This absolute difference value is the angle change data RZ of the first RAM 5.
Is stored. Further, the current position coordinate data of the own vehicle detected in step SA9 of FIG. 9 and the absolute time when the current position is detected are stored in the position data PQ2 (step SB9).

Next, a locus storing process is executed (step SB11). By the processing of step SB11, the traveling locus data of the own vehicle such as a newly generated link is
It is temporarily stored in the second RAM 6. The locus data stored in the second RAM 6 is selected and stored in the locus data storage device 40 in the locus data storage confirmation process (step SA21) after the locus data deletion process (step SA19) in FIG.

After the trajectory storing process of step SB11 is executed, the data of the position data PQ2 is changed to the position data PQ1.
Is copied (step SB13). Then, the processing of FIG. 11 is terminated, and the processing returns to the overall processing of FIG. 9 (step SB15). The trajectory storage processing in step SB11 is processing for detecting a change in the traveling direction of the host vehicle and storing the traveling trajectory as trajectory data in the second RAM 6. In addition, in the determination of the above step SB5, when the change amount of the relative azimuth angle is detected to be less than or equal to the predetermined value, the processing of FIG.

Incidentally, under the judgment conditions of the above step SB1,
Although the traveling time of the vehicle is used, this may be used as the traveling distance. In other words, it may be determined whether or not the vehicle has traveled for a certain distance, and when the vehicle has traveled a certain distance, the processing of step SB5 and subsequent steps may be executed. In this case,
A distance sensor 23 is used to detect the traveling distance. Then, when the numerical value output from the distance sensor 23 changes by a predetermined amount, it is determined that the vehicle has moved a certain distance.

13. Trajectory Storage Processing FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the trajectory storage processing. In the trajectory storage process of FIG. 12, first, it is determined whether the position coordinates stored in the position data PQ2 match the coordinates on the link stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 (step SC1). . That is, it is determined whether or not the link data or the node data regarding the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling is stored in the trajectory data storage device 40.

If the position coordinate of the position data PQ2 is the coordinate on the locus stored in the locus data storage device 40, the position coordinate of the own vehicle stored in the position data PQ1 is also stored in the locus data storage device 40. It is determined whether or not it matches the stored locus (step SC3). That is, it is determined whether or not the host vehicle is traveling on the trajectory of the trajectory data storage device 40 at the time when the vehicle position is stored in the position data PQ1.

If the position coordinates stored in the position data PQ1 are not the coordinates on the locus stored in the locus data storage device 40, the first intersection registration process is executed (step SC5). However, when it is determined that the position coordinates of the position data PQ1 coincide with the locus stored in the locus data storage device 40, the host vehicle is set to the locus data storage device 4
Whether or not the node stored in 0 is passed is determined using the node data 55 and the link data 60 (step SC7). The details of the first intersection process will be described later.

The determination as to whether or not this node has passed is made, for example, as follows. That is, it is determined whether or not the relative straight line distance between the east longitude coordinate NPE and the north latitude coordinate NPN of the node subject to the passage determination and the coordinate value of the position data PQ2 (the latest current position of the vehicle) is within a predetermined value. To be done.

If it is determined in step SC7 that the host vehicle has passed the node stored in the trajectory data storage device 40, it means that the host vehicle has passed one link. Then, each data of the passed link is updated (step SC9). This update of the link data means addition of the number of times of driving SEK or the number of times of running ESK,
The updating of the average vehicle speed AS, the addition of the date and time data SND of traveling, and the like are applicable (see FIG. 6). As described above, according to the determinations in steps SC1 and SC3, it is determined that the host vehicle is traveling on the link stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 both shortly before and at the present time. in this case,
Whether or not the vehicle has traveled one link is indirectly determined depending on whether or not the node has passed.

Even when the link data is updated, the changed data is once stored in the second RAM 6. Then, step SA19 and step SA in FIG.
By each process of 21, the trajectory data update of the trajectory data storage device 40 is selectively executed. When the processing in step SC9 is completed, it is determined whether or not the passed node is an intersection node (step SC1).
1). Whether or not this is an intersection node is determined by whether or not a numerical value other than "0" is stored in the intersection number NPB of the node data 55.

That is, the intersection number N of a numerical value other than "0"
If it passes a node having PB, it means that it has passed an intersection node. Therefore, when it is determined that the intersection has been passed, the update processing of the data regarding the passed intersection is executed (step SC13). Also in this update process of intersection data, the trajectory data to be changed once,
It is stored in the second RAM 6. After that, step S in FIG.
By A19 and SA21, the data update of the locus data storage device 40 is selectively performed based on the accumulated data of the second RAM 6. The updating of the intersection data includes addition of the number of times NVC of traveling in the approach-to-exit direction, updating of the average time TSU for passing places, addition of the traveling date DTS, etc. (see FIG. 7).

The above-mentioned first intersection registration processing (step SC
5) After the end, or when the determination result of steps SC7 and SC11 is NO, the trajectory storing process of FIG. 12 is ended and the flow is returned to the traveling position process of FIG. 11 (step SC25).

When it is determined in step SC1 that the position coordinates stored in the position data PQ2 do not match the link stored in the track data storage device 40, the position coordinates of the position data PQ1 are set in the track. It is determined whether or not there is a match on the link stored in the data storage device 40 (step SC15).

If the position coordinates of the position data PQ1 match the coordinates on the link of the locus data storage device 40, the second
Intersection registration processing is executed (step SC23). That is, it means that the latest position of the host vehicle is not on the link already stored in the trajectory data storage device 40, but the host vehicle position a short time ago is on the link stored in the trajectory data storage device 40. To do.

That is, the host vehicle is the locus data storage device 4
Run on the links and nodes stored in 0,
Indicates that you have left the link or node. In this case, the second intersection registration process is executed, and the process returns to the traveling position process of FIG. 11 (step SC25). In addition,
The contents of the second intersection registration process will be described later.

However, if the position coordinates stored in the position data PQ1 do not match the link of the locus data storage device 40, it is determined whether the angle change data RZ is greater than or equal to a predetermined value (step SC17). That is, this is a case where none of the position coordinates of the position data PQ1 and PQ2 match the link data of the trajectory data storage device 40. This means that the vehicle is traveling on an unregistered road.

If the angle change data RZ is equal to or larger than the predetermined value, formation and storage of new node data is executed (step SC19). That is, as shown in FIG. 32, when the change in the advancing direction of the host vehicle exceeds a predetermined amount, the host vehicle is traveling on a curved road. Therefore, new node data is formed using the geographical coordinate data stored in the position data PQ1.

Then, the newly generated node data is temporarily stored in the second RAM 6 (step SC
19). Further, new link data 60 connected by this newly generated node data is formed, and the second RA
It is stored in M6 (step SC21).

After that, the process returns to the traveling position process of FIG. 11 (step SC25). If the angle change data RZ is smaller than the predetermined value, steps SC19, SC
The processing of 21 is not performed, and the processing immediately returns to the processing of FIG.

The node data and link data newly created in steps SC19 and SC21 are once stored in the second RAM 6. After that, FIG.
By the locus data deletion process (step SA19) and the locus data storage confirmation process (step SA21), the new locus data is selected and stored in the locus data storage device 40.

14. First Intersection Registration Process FIG. 13 shows a flowchart of the first intersection registration process (step SC5) in FIG. In the processing of FIG. 13, the own vehicle is moved from the unregistered road to the trajectory data storage device 40.
It is executed when traveling on the link stored in. In the first intersection registration process, it is first determined whether or not the geographical position on the link is a node (step SD1). This is because the position of the position data PQ2 (latest current position of the vehicle) is determined to be on the link recorded in the trajectory data storage device 40 in the determination in step SC1 of FIG. This corresponds to the case where it is determined that the position of the position data PQ1 is not on the storage link of the trajectory data storage device 40.

That is, when it is determined that the host vehicle is not traveling on the recorded link when the position data PQ1 is recorded, and that it is traveling on the recorded link when the position data PQ2 is recorded. is there. Specifically, this is a case where the vehicle has traveled from an unregistered road to a registered road.

If it is determined in step SD1 that the point on which the vehicle is on the link recorded in the trajectory data storage device 40 is not the node, the link division already recorded in the trajectory data storage device 40 is With that division,
A process of forming new node data is executed (step SD11). In other words, the recorded link on which the own vehicle is mounted is divided into two links with the point on which the vehicle is mounted as a boundary. Further, each data of the divided recorded links on which the own vehicle travels is updated (step SD1).
3). This data can be updated, for example, by the number of running times SEK,
ESK addition, average vehicle speed AS update, running date / time data S
ND accumulation processing is performed.

The update of this link data is also performed by the second R
After the data is once stored in the AM 6, it is selectively stored in the locus data storage device 40 by the locus data storage confirmation process (step SA21) of FIG.

In the case of the above example, since the vehicle has traveled on the new road just before the own vehicle gets on the recorded link, new link data up to the new node is formed (step SD15). Furthermore, since the node formed in step SD11 becomes an intersection, intersection data 65 is newly formed for this new node (step SD17).

This newly formed intersection data 65
Then, the newly created link numbers RB are respectively registered as the ingress link number IRB and the ingress link number ORB. Moreover, the number of times NVC traveled and the average time TS for passing stations
U and the traveling date / time DTS are stored (step SD9).
After that, the process returns to the trajectory storage process of FIG. 12 (step SD19). The newly created intersection data is also once stored in the second RAM 6 and then selectively recorded in the locus data storage device 40 through the locus data storage confirmation process (step SA21).

If it is determined in step SD1 that the geographical position on the recorded link on which the vehicle is on is the node, new link data regarding the unregistered road is formed (step SD3). In other words, the road that the vehicle has traveled to immediately before being loaded in the storage link of the trajectory data storage device 40 is not stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 at all, so the link data 60 for the new road is formed.

Then, it is determined whether or not the node on the link of the locus data storage device 40 on which the own vehicle is riding is an intersection node (step SD5). If it is not an intersection node, new intersection data 65 is formed so that the node becomes an intersection node (step SD7). Then, regarding the newly formed intersection node, the link number RB and the like of the new link data is registered as the ingress link number IRB and the outbound link number ORB. Further, the number of times NVC of travel, the average time TSU for passing places, and the date and time of travel DTS of the new intersection data 65 are stored (step SD9). After that, the process returns to the trajectory storage process of FIG. 12 (step SD19).

[0143] If the node on which the host vehicle has been recorded and recorded in the locus data storage device 40 is an intersection node, the link number RB of the new link data is used as the approach link number IRB and the exit link number ORB. be registered. In addition to this, the number of trips NV of the intersection data 65
C, the average time TSU for passing places, and the running date / time DTS are added (step SD19). The newly created link data and intersection data, or the updated data of the recorded trajectory data is once stored in the second RAM 6. After that, the locus data is selectively stored in the locus data storage device 40 by the locus data deletion process (step SA19) and the locus data storage confirmation process (step SA21) in FIG.

15. Second Intersection Registration Process FIG. 14 shows a flowchart of the second intersection registration process (step SC23) in FIG. In FIG. 14, first, it is determined whether or not the point where the host vehicle deviates from the road stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is a node (step SE1).

This is because it is determined that the position coordinate of the position data PQ2 (the latest current position of the vehicle) is not on the link recorded in the trajectory data storage device 40 in the judgment of step SC1 of FIG. Based on. That is, it is the case where it is determined that the vehicle is traveling on an unregistered road.
Moreover, this corresponds to the case where it is determined in step SC15 of FIG. 12 that the geographical position of the position data PQ1 is on the storage link of the trajectory data storage device 40.

That is, when the position data PQ1 is recorded, the host vehicle is traveling on the recorded link of the locus data storage device 40, and when the position data PQ2 is recorded, it is traveling on an unregistered road. This is the case when it is judged. Specifically, this is a case where the host vehicle travels from a registered road to an unregistered road.

If it is determined in step SE1 that the point where the vehicle has deviated from the link recorded in the trajectory data storage device 40 is not a node, the recorded link in the trajectory data storage device 40 is divided, With that division,
A process for forming new node data is executed (step SE13). That is, the link data of the trajectory data storage device 40 from which the vehicle has deviated is divided into two pieces of link data at the deviated point. Then, each data of the recorded links of the locus data storage device 40 on which the vehicle has traveled is updated (step SE15). For example,
Number of times of driving SEK, addition of ESK, update of average vehicle speed AS,
The additional processing of the traveling date / time data SND is performed.

Since the road currently running, which is out of the stored links of the trajectory data storage device 40, is a new road, the newly created node is used as the starting point node.
New link data is formed (step SE1
7). Furthermore, since the node formed in step SE13 becomes an intersection, intersection data 65 is newly formed for this new node (step SE1).
9).

This newly formed intersection data 65
In addition, each newly created link number RB is registered as the approach link number IRB and the exit link number ORB, and the number of times NVC, the average time TSU for passage, and the date and time DTS are stored (step SE11). After that, the process returns to the trajectory storage process of FIG. 12 (step SE21).

If the geographical position on the stored link of the locus data storage device 40 where the vehicle has deviated as a result of the judgment in step SE1 is a node, the vehicle has traveled to the deviated point, registration. Each data of the completed link is updated (step SE3). In addition, the road currently traveling from the deviated point is the locus data storage device 4
Since the link is not recorded in 0, new link data is formed (step SE5).

Then, it is judged whether or not the node on the link of the locus data storage device 40 from which the own vehicle has deviated is an intersection node (step SE7). If it is not an intersection node, new intersection data 65 with that node as an intersection node is formed (step SE9). Then, regarding the newly formed intersection node, the link number RB of the new link data is the ingress link number IR.
B, advance link number ORB is registered. further,
The number NVC of traveling times, the average time TSU for passing places, and the date and time DTS of the intersection data 65 are stored (step SE1).
1). After that, the process returns to the trajectory storage process of FIG. 12 (step SE21).

If the node from which the host vehicle deviates from the recording link is the intersection node of the trajectory data storage device 40, the link number RB and the like of the new link data will be used as the approach link number IRB and the exit link number ORB. It is additionally registered. In addition to this, the number NVC of times of travel of the intersection data 65, the average time TSU for passing places, and the date and time of travel DTS are added (step SE11). After this, the process is shown in FIG.
It returns to the locus storing process of No. 2 (step SE21).

In the recording process of the newly created link data and intersection data or the updating process of the locus data, the locus data is once stored in the second RAM 6. After that, the trajectory data deletion process of FIG. 9 (step SA19)
The new locus data is selectively stored in the locus data storage device 40 by the locus data storage confirmation process (step SA21).

16. First Example of Route Search Process FIG. 15 shows a flowchart of a first example of the route search process (step SA7) in the overall process of FIG.
In this route search process, first, a destination setting process for setting a destination desired by the user is executed (step SF1). This destination setting is performed by the user based on the map information displayed on the display 33. When this destination setting process is completed, the departure point node closest to the current position of the vehicle detected by the current position process (step SA3) of FIG.
Is retrieved from the node data 55 stored in.

If there is no recorded node closest to the departure node in the trajectory data storage device 40, the following process is executed at the same time. That is, the information storage unit 37
In the coordinates of the road data stored in, the coordinate point closest to the current position is searched as the starting point.

Then, the retrieved departure node is registered as a search start point (step SF3). Next, the node on the link closest to the destination set in step SF1 is searched from the trajectory data storage device 40 (step SF5). Then, the node closest to this destination is the first RAM as the final destination node.
5 is registered as the final guidance point data ED.

Also in this destination node search, if there is no node closest to the set destination among the nodes stored in the trajectory data storage device 40, it is stored in the information storage unit 37. The closest node is searched from the existing node data.

In this way, when the destination node is searched, whether or not the route search processing has been performed for all the link data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 with the search start point as the starting point. Judged (Step SF
7). If the route search processing is not executed for all the trajectory data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40, the peripheral link search processing is executed (step SF).
9).

In this peripheral link search process, the search cost of each link extending from one node is calculated. Then, a link having a smaller search cost is selected, and the end point node of the selected link is set as the search start point of the next route. This peripheral link search processing will be described in detail later. When the peripheral link search process of step SF9 is performed, it is next determined whether or not a route to the destination node has been searched (step SF13).

If the route search has not been completed, the process returns to step SF7. However, if it is determined that the route search to the destination has been completed, the flow returns from the process of FIG. 15 to the process of FIG. 9 (step SF
15). As described above, the node data 55, the link data 60, and the intersection data 65 stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 are used in the series of route searches in steps SF3 to SF13. Therefore, if sufficient loci are not stored in the locus data storage device 40, the route from the current position of the vehicle to the set destination may not be connected by locus data.

In this case, the route search processing is executed by using the respective stored information of the information storage unit 37 in order to supplement the shortage route (step SF11). In other words, the search process is completed for all the link data in the trajectory data storage device 40 by the determination in step SF7, but step SF13
This is the case when it is determined that the route to the destination has not been formed by the process of. Then, from the end point portion of the route formed by the trajectory data to the destination, the information storage unit 3
The route using the road data of No. 7 will be searched.

As described above, it is possible to search the route around the current position of the host vehicle by using the trajectory data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40. However, the trajectory data is not always stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 around the set destination. Therefore, for the area where the trajectory data does not exist, the route search is performed based on the storage information of the information storage unit 37.

When the route search process from the current position of the own vehicle to the destination is completed, the process returns to the process of FIG. 9 (step SF15).

17. Peripheral Link Search Process FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the peripheral link search process (step SF9) in FIG. First, the search cost value of the search start node is stored in the start point cost VA (step SG1). The search cost of the search start node is a cumulative value of the search costs of the links searched up to the search start node by the route search of FIG. By comparing the search costs of the links, the link with the smallest value is selected, and that link is set as the optimum route. In this way, the link with the lowest search cost is sequentially selected as one of the routes, but the search cost of the end node of this link is the accumulated search cost of each link and each node searched up to that point. It is regarded as a value.

That is, in step SG1, the search cost stored in the starting point cost VA is the cumulative value of the respective search costs of the links and nodes that form the already searched route. For example, in FIG. 34, the node NO
Let D1 be the current search start node. That is, it is assumed that the route having the minimum search cost is determined in order of the links IRB11, IRB10, and IRB8 based on the route search results up to immediately before. In this case, the starting point cost VA in step SG1 is the link IRB11, IRB10,
Travel cost of each IRB8 and each node NOD5, NO
It is a value obtained by accumulating the passing costs of D7 and NOD8.

After the processing of step SG1, it is judged whether or not this search start node is an intersection node (step S).
G3). The node NOD1 in FIG. 34 is an intersection node. If this search start node is an intersection node, the next step SG5 is executed. However, if the search start node is not an intersection node, step SG2
The link cost calculation process of No. 1 is executed.

When the search start node serving as the search starting point is an intersection node, the approach link number IRB to the intersection node is determined from the route search result executed immediately before. That is, the link number RB is assigned to the link selected as one of the guide routes by the route search up to now.
Is attached. The approach link number IRB that matches this link number is detected from the intersection data 65, and the approach link is determined. In the case of FIG. 34, the ingress link is the link IRB8.

Then, from the incoming link number IRB, which is one of the guide routes,
It is read from the intersection data 65 (step SG
5). In the example of FIG. 34, the number nout of links that can advance to the outgoing link IRB8 is “3”. The value of the end point cost VB (nout) at the end point node of each of the advance links that can advance is initialized to an infinite value (step SG7). That is, the nodes NOD2, N
The end point cost VB of each of OD3 and NOD4 is initially set to an infinite value.

Then, it is judged whether or not the search cost has been calculated for each of the outgoing links read in step SG5 (step SG9). If the search cost calculation has not been completed for all exit links, the number of times of travel from the entrance link IRB8 to each exit link ORB5, ORB6, ORB7 at the intersection node is read (step SG11). Then, it is determined whether or not the number of times of travel from the approach link to each exit link is "0" (step SG13).

If the number of times of travel is not "0", the respective intersection travel costs VC for advancing from the approach link IRB8 to the respective exit links ORB5, 6, 7 via the intersection node NOD1 are obtained (step SG25). . A value that is inversely proportional to the number of times of travel from the approach link IRB8 to each of the exit links ORBs 5, 6, and 7 is substituted into this intersection travel cost VC. That is, the greater the number of times of traveling, the smaller the intersection traveling cost VC is determined.

The sum of the intersection travel cost VC and the start point cost VA is the end point cost VB of the outgoing link ORB.
(Nout) (step SG27). If the number of times of running is “0”, the determination in step SG13 is YE.
The flow returns to S, and the flow returns to the process of step SG9.
It should be noted that the fact that the number of times of travel is "0" means that it is impossible to travel to the entry link or the exit link, or that the vehicle has never traveled in the past.

Next, the link length L of the outgoing link ORB
R and the number of times of traveling SEK or the number of times of traveling ESK are read from the link data 60 (step SG2).
9). The sum of a value inversely proportional to the number of times of link travel and a value proportional to the length of the link is substituted into the travel cost VL of the outgoing link ORB (step SG15). That is,
The higher the number of times of travel, the traveling cost VL of the outgoing link ORB
Is reduced, and the longer the link length, the higher the traveling cost VL. The running cost VL
The number of times of travel used in the calculation is the number of times of travel in the link search direction, that is, the direction of travel that matches the search start node to the end node direction. Further, as the number of running times, a numerical value obtained by combining the number of running times SEK and the number of running times ESK may be used.

[0173] The exit link ORB obtained in this way
The traveling cost VL is the end point cost VB (nout)
Is added to (step SG17). The end point cost VB (nout) obtained in this way is the ingress link OR
The final search cost at the end point node of B is set (step SG19). Then, the process of step SG9 is executed again.

When it is determined in step SG9 that the end point costs VB (nout) have been calculated for all the outgoing links ORBs at the intersection node NOD1, the process of step SG23 is executed. In this step SG23, the exit link ORB having the smallest end point cost VB is selected as the next search route at the intersection node.

For example, in the intersection node NOD1 of FIG. 34, it is assumed that the number of times of travel from the approach link IRB8 to the exit link ORB7 is the largest and the link length of the exit link ORB7 is the shortest. In this case, the exit link ORB7 has the smallest final cost VB at the intersection node NOD1. Therefore, the advance link ORB7
Is selected as the next guide route.

Then, the end node NOD4 of the outgoing link ORB7 is set as the next search start node. Therefore, in the next peripheral link search process, the value of the end point cost VB which is the search cost of the node NOD4 is substituted for the start point cost VA (step SG1). In addition, if the value of the final cost VB (nout) is an infinite value, it is forcibly excluded so as not to be selected as the guide route.

If it is determined in step SG3 that the search start node is not the intersection node, link cost calculation processing is executed (step SG2).
1). In FIG. 34, the node NOD7 or the like corresponds. When this link cost calculation process is executed, step SG2
Step 3 is executed. In this case, since there is only one calculated end point cost VB, comparison of cost values is omitted. Therefore, when the search start node is the node NOD7 by the processing of step SG21, the link IRB1
The running cost VL of 0 is calculated, and only the end point cost VB of the node NOD5 is calculated.

When the peripheral link search process of FIG. 16 is completed and the links forming the optimum route are selected, the process shown in FIG.
The flow returns to the route search process of step 5 (step S
G31). Although the link with the smallest search cost is selected in the above, the method of calculating the search cost may be reversed. That is, the greater the number of times the link travels or the shorter the link length, the greater the value of the link travel cost VL. Then, the link with the largest traveling cost may be selected.

Furthermore, in the above-described search cost calculation, the travel date / time DTS and the date / time data S are set for the travel cost VC of the intersection node and the travel cost VL of the link, respectively.
The date of ND may be considered. That is, the date / time data S
If the latest date of ND is newer, the value of the running cost VL of the link becomes smaller. As a result, in the route search, the link having the latest traveling date and time is preferentially selected.

Furthermore, the right and left turns may be taken into consideration in the traveling cost of the intersection node. That is, the traveling cost of turning right and traveling further is larger, and the traveling cost of traveling straight ahead is smaller. It is not so smooth to make a right turn at a general intersection than to go straight. Especially when making a right turn, it may be extremely difficult depending on the number of oncoming vehicles. Therefore, in order to avoid turning right at such an intersection as much as possible, the traveling direction at the intersection may be influenced by the magnitude of the traveling cost VC.

18. Link Cost Calculation Process FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the link cost calculation process. First, the data regarding the link connected to the search start node is read from the trajectory data storage device 40 (step SH1). For example, the node N in FIG.
If OD7 is the current search start node, node N
The link IRB10 connected to OD7 is read from the trajectory data storage device 40.

From the read link data, the link length LR of the link IRB10 and the number of times of running are read (step SH3). The value of the end point cost VB of the link IRB10 is initialized to an infinite value (step SH5). Next, it is determined whether or not the number of times the link has run is "0" (step SH7). If the number of times of travel is “0”, the link cost calculation process is terminated, and FIG.
The process is returned to step SG23 (step SH1).
5).

However, if the number of times of travel is not "0", the travel cost VL of the link is calculated (step SH).
9). The traveling cost VL is obtained as a sum of a value inversely proportional to the number of traveling times and a value proportional to the link length LR. The sum of the traveling cost VL and the start point cost VA of the search start node is set as the end point cost VB (step SH11). This end point cost VB is the link IR
It is set as the search cost of the end node NOD5 of B10 (step SH13). When the search cost of the end point node is obtained, the process is returned to step SG23 in FIG.

By the processes of FIGS. 16 and 17, the search cost at the end node of the link is calculated. And
The route to the end point node with the smaller search cost is selected as the guide route. In the peripheral link search process, the calculated intersection travel cost VC may be made to consider the transit time average TSU of the intersection node and the travel date / time DTS. That is, the shorter the transit time average TSU, the smaller the value of the intersection travel cost VC. Also,
Even when the latest date and time of the traveling date and time DTS is newer and later, the intersection traveling cost VC may be defined to be smaller.

Similarly, regarding the traveling cost VL of the link, the average vehicle speed AS and the traveling date / time data S of the link.
You may make it increase / decrease according to ND, registration frequency YT, and road identification information LD. For example, the value of the traveling cost VL is defined to be smaller when the average vehicle speed AS is faster. Even when the date / time data of the traveling date / time data SND is newer, the traveling cost VL is defined to be smaller. Further, depending on the time when the route search processing is executed, the running cost VL of the link having more time data matching the time may be defined to be smaller.

When the time zone indicated by the date / time data SND is concentrated in a fixed time zone in the morning, for example, the link related to the date / time data SND is used only in that time zone. It may be preferred. Therefore, in order to preferentially use the link of the date / time data SND in which the data of the specific time zone is stored depending on the time zone in which the route search process is executed, the travel cost VL of the link is set to You may make it add the function value which increases and decreases by.

Further, as the number of registrations YT increases, the value of the traveling cost VL may decrease. Even if the link is a road that is not stored in the information storage unit 37, the value of the traveling cost VL may be defined to be small by the road identification information LD. In particular, if it is defined that the value of the link travel cost VL changes significantly depending on the value of the number of registrations YT that the user makes by operation, the road that the user prefers will be selected as the guide route in a concentrated manner. .

Further, in the destination setting process (step SF1 in FIG. 15), external information by signal transmission / reception such as VICS or ATIS may be taken in and used as a condition for selecting a stop-off facility or destination. For example, when a parking lot around a destination is extracted as a final destination, external information transmitted by VICS, ATIS, or the like can be used to determine whether each parking lot is full or empty, or the road congestion near the facility. Also, the facilities should be selected in consideration. As a result, it is possible to further reduce an error in selecting a facility. The start command of the destination setting process is executed so that it cannot be executed while the host vehicle is running.

Further, the road data, intersection data, and node data in the information storage unit 37 are all stored in the locus data storage device 4.
It may be copied to 0. Moreover, when these road data are stored in the locus data storage device, the number of running times SEK, E
SK, traveling date / time data SND, and average vehicle speed AS are added. However, these values are initially stored as "0". Then, in the route search process, these road data and intersection data are set as search targets together with the trajectory data. As a result, it is possible to search for a guide route in which locus data and road data coexist. The locus data storage device 4
The number of times of travel, the date and time of travel, etc. of the road data stored in 0 are rewritten in the following cases. That is, while the vehicle is traveling, the current position is detected, but road data having coordinate values corresponding to this current position is detected. And
The road corresponding to the current position is detected from the locus data storage device, and each of the above data is updated.

Furthermore, the search cost calculation method used in FIGS. 16 and 17 is applied to the information storage unit 37 (CD-R).
Guide route search processing (step SJ1) performed using road data stored in the OM, magneto-optical disk, etc.
May be used in. That is, the link data 60
Further, the road number MB of the road stored in the information storage unit 37 is stored. Therefore, in the route search based on the road data, the number of travels SEK and ESK of the link data 60 having the road number MB of the road data is referred to. Then, the search cost of the road data is calculated based on the number of running times SEK,
Increase or decrease according to the value of ESK. As a result, even in the guide route searched by using the road data, the road having the larger number of times of travel is preferentially selected.

Further, in the route search using the road data, the value of the search cost may be determined in consideration of not only the number of times of traveling but also the average vehicle speed AS, the traveling date and time data SND, the number of times of registration YT by the user operation and the like. In this case, these values are arithmetically processed and the traveling cost (search cost) VL is calculated.
Computed by operation.

19. Second Embodiment of Route Search Processing FIGS. 18 to 25 are diagrams showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the route search processing. First, a destination setting process for setting the destination desired by the user is executed (step S
F1). Note that this destination setting process is the same as the destination setting process of FIG. The user searches for and specifies the desired destination from the facility list displayed on the display 33 according to various search conditions.

When the destination for route guidance is set by the destination setting process, a guide route from the departure place (current position of the vehicle) to this destination is searched (step S).
J1). The search for the guide route is performed using the road data file F4 stored in the information storage unit 37. In step SJ1, when all the guide routes from the starting point to the destination are searched using the road data in the information storage unit 37, the next step SJ3 is executed. In the guide route search process in step SJ1, the route may be searched using the same search method as the peripheral link search process (step SF9) described later. In this case,
Rewritable data such as the number of running times and average vehicle speed are not used. Therefore, in the guide route search,
The length of the road, the width of the road, the main trunk road such as a national road, and the road environment such as an expressway are used as information for determining the size of the search cost.

FIG. 35 shows the guide route 88 searched by only the road data in the information storage unit 37. The searched guide route 88 is composed of road numbers attached to each road on the map stored in the information storage unit 37. Then, the link data including each road number of the guide route data is searched from the locus data stored in the locus data storage device 40 (step SJ3). In addition, a link having a road number of a road forming the guide route is defined as an overlapping link here.

Next, a node near the departure place (geographical position at the start time) is set as the search start node (step SJ5). The node here is the locus data stored in the locus data storage device 40. And
The locus route search from the search start node to the start point node of the overlapping link is performed as follows.

First, it is determined whether or not the trajectory route search has been completed for each of the retrieved duplicate links (step SJ7). This is the condition determination of the processing end in FIG. If not ended, it is determined whether or not the start point node of the overlapping link is an intersection node (step SJ9). In the guide route 88 of FIG. 35, for example,
If the links RB20, RB22, RB24 are overlapping links, it is determined whether the node NOD26 of the overlapping link RB22 is an intersection node. If the start point node of the overlapping link is an intersection node, it is determined whether or not it is possible to enter the guide route from this overlapping link (step SJ1).
1).

The determination as to whether or not the starting point node in step SJ7 is an intersection node is made for the following reason. If the start point node is not an intersection node, it may not be possible to enter the duplicate link from another link. In this case, it may not be possible to change the route from the overlapping link to the guide route 88. Therefore, it is determined whether the start node is the intersection node.

The determination in step SJ11, that is, whether or not it is possible to proceed from the overlapping link to the guide route is made for the following reason. That is, the traveling direction of the overlapping link may conflict with the traveling direction of the guide route toward the destination. In this case, it may be necessary to make a U-turn to enter the guide route 88 composed of only road data from the overlapping link. Therefore,
In order to avoid such an inconvenience, the process of step SJ11 is executed.

If the processing for all duplicated links has been completed by the determination in step SJ7, the process shown in FIG.
The process shifts to the process of FIG. If it is determined in steps SJ9 and SJ11 that the starting point node of the overlapping link is not an intersection node or it is difficult to move from the overlapping link to the guide route 88, the trajectory route search using the overlapping link is not performed. . In this case, the process is returned to the determination of step SJ7, and the process for the next overlapping link is started.

However, if it is determined in steps SJ9 and SJ11 that the starting point node of the duplicated link is an intersection node and it is possible to enter the guide route 88 toward the destination from the duplicated link, this duplicated link is selected. A route search using the trajectory data as the end point node is started.
In this trajectory route search, first, the start point node of the overlapping link is set as the search end node (step SJ1).
2).

Next, it is judged whether or not the locus route search has been carried out by using all the locus data stored in the locus data storage device 40 (step SJ13). If the search has not been performed for all the locus data, the end point node of the link connected to the end of the already searched locus route is set as the further search start node. Then, the peripheral link search processing is performed starting from this new search start node (step SJ15). Note that this peripheral link search processing is the program shown in FIG. As a result of the peripheral link search processing, a new search link is added to the end of the trajectory route searched up to that point.

Next, it is judged whether or not the newly added search link is the above-mentioned duplicate link (step SJ).
17). If the search link does not coincide with the duplicate link, the processing from step SJ13 onward is executed again. But,
If the additional search link matches the duplicate link, it means that the trajectory route from the departure place to the duplicate link has been searched. Therefore, the searched route is stored in the first RAM 5 as the locus route KT (S) (step SJ21). The variable (S) of the trajectory route KT (S) indicates that it is the S-th trajectory route KT. After that, the determination in step SJ7 is executed again, and the process for the next overlapping link is restarted.

If the search of the locus route is completed for all the locus data in the locus data storage device 40 by the determination in step SJ13, it is determined whether the route from the place of departure to the relevant duplicate link is completed by the locus data. It is determined whether or not (step SJ19). This assumes that the trajectory data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is only in the vicinity of the overlapping link and the vicinity of the departure place.
In other words, there is a case where there is no route based on the locus data that connects the departure point and the overlapping link, and such a route is not set as the locus route KT (S).

FIG. 35 shows a state of the trajectory route KT1 searched by the series of processing shown in FIG. Locus route K
T1 is a route composed only of trajectory data from the departure node 82 to the overlapping link RB22. That is, in the processing of FIG.
Trajectory route KT to each of the above duplicate links
(S) is searched.

When the search for the trajectory route KT (S) in FIG. 18 is completed, the search for the trajectory route KR (P) in FIG. 19 is started. In FIG. 19, first, the node of the trajectory data storage device 40 closest to the destination is set as the destination node 80 (step SJ23). Next, it is determined whether the traveling direction of the overlapping link detected in step SJ3 matches the traveling direction of the guide route 88 toward the destination (step SJ25). Note that the duplicate link used here is the same as the duplicate link used in FIG.

Whether the traveling direction of the link and the traveling direction of the guide route 88 coincide with each other depends on the number of traveling times ES of the link data 60
It is determined that K and SEK are not "0". For example, if the traveling count SEK is “0”, it is determined that traveling from the start node to the end node of the duplicated link is impossible. Then, if the traveling from the start point to the end point is traveling toward the destination on the guide route 88, the determination result of step SJ25 is NO. In other words, the traveling direction of the overlapping link and the traveling direction of the guide route 88 do not match.

If the decision result in the step SJ25 is YES, it is decided whether or not it is possible to change the route from the guide route 88 to the overlapping link (step SJ27). Whether or not the course can be changed is the same as in step SJ9 of FIG.
It is determined whether the end node of the overlapping link is an intersection node. Further, at the intersection node, it is determined whether or not it is possible to advance to the link of other trajectory data from the duplicate link. These determinations are made using the intersection data 65 stored in the trajectory data storage device 40. If it is possible to advance to another link from the guide route 88 via the duplicate link, the end node of the duplicate link is set as the search start node (step SJ29).

When the search start node is set, it is determined whether or not the locus route search processing has been executed for all the link data stored in the locus data storage device 40 (step SJ31). If all the link data have not been checked, a peripheral link search process starting from the search start node is executed (step SJ35). The determination as to whether or not the search processing has been completed for all the link data in step SJ31 also includes the case where the search link does not include the next link to be newly connected. That is,
It is assumed that the locus data storage device 40 stores only locus data near the departure point and no locus data around the destination. In addition, even when the link search processing up to the destination node is completed, the condition of this step SJ31 is YES.

If the decision result in the step SJ31 is YES, a route search process is executed with the end point node of the locus route searched up to that point as a new search start node (step SJ33). That is, the trajectory data storage device 4
There is a case where the locus data of 0 is insufficient and the locus route searched for does not reach the destination node. Therefore, the shortage route is to be searched using the road data of the information storage unit 37.

If it is impossible to form a locus route connecting the overlapping links to the destination node, step SJ33.
It may be prohibited to continue the route search using the road data. That is, when the locus data stored in the locus data storage device 40 is only in the vicinity of the overlapping links, it is impossible to search the locus route up to the destination node 80 using only the locus data. The trajectory route may be forcibly discarded.

When the process of step SJ33 or step S35 is performed, it is determined whether or not the last end point node of the currently searched trajectory route has reached the destination node (step SJ37). In addition, this step SJ
In the judgment of 37, the final link of the trajectory route under search is
It is also determined whether or not the duplicated links on the guide route 88 match again. That is, in FIG. 35, the overlapping link RB2
From 4, it is determined whether or not the locus route KR3 that has started the search reaches the overlapping link RB20.

If the decision result in the step SJ37 is YES, that is, if it is decided that the search for the locus route has been completed, then the newly searched route is the locus route KR.
(P) is stored in the first RAM 5 (step SJ
41). After that, it is determined whether or not the locus route has been searched for all the overlapping links (step SJ3).
9). If not completed, the processing is returned to step SJ29 in order to start the trajectory route search for the new overlapping link. Then, if the trajectory route search for all the overlapping links is completed, then the process of FIG. 20 is started.

As described above, the trajectory routes KR1 and KR3 shown in FIG. 35 are searched for by the series of processes shown in FIG. That is, the trajectory route KR that starts from the middle of the guide route 88 that is composed of the road data of the information storage unit 37
(P) is searched.

In the route search based on the locus data of FIG. 20, it is judged whether or not the route from the starting point to the destination node 80 has a locus route which is entirely composed of the locus data. First, the departure point node 82 is set as the search start node (step SJ43). Starting from this search start node, the optimum next link is searched by the peripheral link search processing (step SJ45). It is determined whether or not the link searched in this step SJ45 is the same as the first link in each track route KT (S) searched in the process of FIG. 18 (step SJ47).

That is, if the first link searched in step SJ45 coincides with the start link of any trajectory route KT (S), the trajectory route starting from that link is the same as the trajectory route KT already searched. I will do it. Therefore, in order to prevent the duplicate search process, step S
J47 judgment is executed.

If the first search link does not match the start link of the trajectory route KT (S), the process of step SJ49 is performed. That is, this first
The end node of the th search link is set as the next search start node. Then, it is determined whether or not the processing is completed for all the link data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 (step SJ51). If not completed, the peripheral link search processing is executed with the end point node of the latest search link as a new search start node (step SJ55).

Next, it is determined by the peripheral link search processing of step SJ55 whether or not the end point node of the newly searched link has reached the destination node 80 (step SJ57). If not, step S again
The processing from J51 is repeated. However, if the end node of the searched link is the destination node 80, it means that the locus route from the departure node 82 to the destination node 80 has been searched, so that the route is a new locus route. It is stored in the first RAM 5 as KR (P) (step SJ59).

However, if the end point of the search link does not coincide with the destination node 80 and the search processing for all link data has been completed, the processing of FIG. 20 is forcibly terminated. That is, the determination result of step SJ57 is NO, and the determination result of step SJ51 is YES.
Is the case. This means that there is no trajectory route from the origin node 82 to the destination node 80. That is, it is assumed that the link data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is only around the departure node 82 or around the destination node 80.

The locus route KR (P) obtained by the processing of FIG. 20 corresponds to the locus route KR2 of FIG.
As described above, the trajectory route KR2 is a trajectory route that does not have a link overlapping the guide route 88.

In the route search using the trajectory data of FIG. 21, the following routes are searched. That is, it is determined whether or not the route from the departure point to the destination node 80 is a trajectory route that is composed entirely of trajectory data, and there is a trajectory route other than the trajectory route searched for in FIG. .

First, the departure node 82 is set as the search start node (step ST1). Starting from this search start node, the optimum next link is searched by the peripheral link search processing (step ST3). It is determined whether or not the link searched in this step ST3 is the same as the first link of each trajectory route searched by the processing of FIGS. 18 to 20 (step ST).
5).

In other words, the first link searched in step ST3 is the trajectory route KR (P), KT
If it coincides with the start link of (S), the trajectory route starting from that link will coincide with the trajectory route already searched. Therefore, the determination in step ST5 is executed to prevent the duplicate search process.

If the first search link does not match the start link of another trajectory route, the process of step ST7 is performed. That is, the end point node of this first search link is set as the next search start node. Then, it is determined whether or not the processing has been completed for all the link data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 (step ST9). If not completed, the peripheral link search processing is executed with the end node of the latest search link as a new search start node (step ST
11).

Next, by the peripheral link search processing in step ST11, it is determined whether or not the newly searched link does not match the link of the trajectory route that has already been searched (step ST13). When they match, this matching link is excluded (step ST15), and the peripheral link search processing by the remaining links is executed.

When the newly searched link is not used in another trajectory route by the judgment in step ST13, it is judged whether or not the end node of the link coincides with the destination node (step). ST17).

If the end point node has not reached the destination node 80, the processing from step ST9 is repeated again. However, if the end node of the searched link is the destination node 80, it means that the locus route from the departure node 82 to the destination node 80 has been searched, so that the route is a new locus route. It is stored in the first RAM 5 as KR (P) (step ST19).

However, when the end point of the search link does not coincide with the destination node 80 and the search processing for all the link data is completed, the processing of FIG. 21 is forcibly ended. That is, this is the case when the determination result of step ST17 is NO and the determination result of step ST9 is YES. This means that there is no trajectory route from the origin node 82 to the destination node 80. In this case, the trajectory route up to the halfway searched for in FIG. 21 is discarded.

The locus route KR obtained by the processing of FIG. 21 is different from the locus route KR searched for in FIG. Specifically, the peripheral link search process (step SF
Each search cost obtained in 9) becomes a locus route in which the second smallest link is sequentially selected. Therefore, in the method of calculating the search cost, when the length of each link is set so as to influence the magnitude of the value of the traveling cost VL most, the shortest trajectory from the departure point node 82 to the destination node 80 The route is searched by the process of FIG. 20, and the shortest locus route is searched by the process of FIG.

When each locus route KT (S) and locus route KR (P) are searched by the processing of FIGS.
The processing of FIG. 22 is executed. First, each locus route KT
(S) In each overlapping link, the trajectory route KR
It is investigated whether or not there is a match with the overlapping link on the starting point side of (P) (step SJ61). In the example of FIG. 35, the overlapping link RB22 of the trajectory route KT1 is also the overlapping link on the starting point side of the trajectory route KR1. It is determined whether or not there is such a combination of the locus route KT (S) and the locus route KR (P) (step SJ6).
3).

[0230] When there is a compatible locus route KT (S) and locus route KR (P), the route consisting of the two locus routes becomes the first locus route KU (H).
It is stored in AM5 (step SJ65). Next, it is determined whether or not the distance calculation of the entire newly formed trajectory route KU (H) has been completed (step SJ6).
7). Here, the distance of the trajectory route KU (H) is the sum of the total distances of the trajectory route KT and the trajectory route KR that form the trajectory route KU (H).
In the example of FIG. 35, the length of the locus route KT1 + the length of the locus route KR1 = the distance of the locus route KU (H). However, it is assumed that the distances of overlapping link portions are not accumulated and accumulated.

If the distance calculation has not been completed for all trajectory routes KU (H), the calculation register U
W is initialized to "0" (step SJ69). Next, it is determined whether the end point node of the trajectory route KU (H) matches the destination node 80 (step SJ7).
1). The end point node of the locus route KU (H) is also the end point node of the locus route KR that constitutes this locus route KU (H). Therefore, when the end point node of the trajectory route KR is not the destination node 80, the guide route 88 is used from the end point node to the destination node 80. In FIG. 35, for example, the end point node NOD29 of the locus route KR3 corresponds.

Therefore, the distance from the end point node of this trajectory route KU (H) to the destination node 80 is the guide route 8
8 is calculated and stored in the calculation register UW (step SJ73). Then, the distances of the links forming the trajectory routes KT and KR are read from the link data 60 of the trajectory data storage device 40 and accumulated (step SJ75). This locus route KT,
The sum of the link distances of KR is the route distance KUL (H)
Stored in.

Further, the value of the calculation register UW is added to the route distance KUL (H) (step SJ77). Thereby, the route distance KUL (H) of the trajectory route KU (H) from the departure point node 82 to the destination node 80 is obtained.

When the trajectory route KU (H) does not exist or the distance calculation of all the trajectory routes KU (H) is completed, the processing of FIG. 22 is ended and the processing of the next FIG. 23 is started. To be done.

In the processing of FIG. 23, each trajectory route KT
(S), trajectory route KR (P), and guide route 8
The route distances when 8 and 8 are used together are calculated. That is, the length of each link forming the trajectory route KT0 (S) is read from the trajectory data storage device 40,
Accumulated. Then, the distance of the link portion of the trajectory route KT (S) is stored in the route distance KTL (S) (step SJ79).

Next, the distance from the end point node of the trajectory route KT (S) to the destination node 80 by the guide route 88 is calculated by using the road data file F4 of the information storage unit 37 (step SJ81). . The distance from the end node to the destination node 80 is stored in the calculation register UW (step SJ81). The calculated value of the calculation register UW is added to the route distance KTL (S) (step SJ83).

In FIG. 35, the distance from the node NOD24 of the overlapping link RB22 of the trajectory route KT1 to the destination node 80 is calculated using the guide route 88. The calculated distance is stored in the calculation register UW. On the other hand, the distance of the trajectory route KT1 is determined by the trajectory data storage device 4
Calculated using the link data 60 of 0, the route distance K
It is stored in TL (1).

[0238] Then, the origin node 82 to the destination node 80 using each of all the trajectory routes KT (S) are used.
It is determined whether or not the route distance KTL (S) has been calculated (step SJ85). If not completed, the processing is repeated from step SJ79 so that the distance calculation for the next trajectory route KT (S) is started.

If the route distances KTL (S) for all the trajectory routes KT (S) have been calculated, then the route distance KRL (P) for the trajectory routes KR (P) is calculated. First, it is determined whether or not the distance calculation has been completed for all the trajectory routes KR (P) (step S
J87).

When completed, the processing of FIG. 23 is completed and the processing of FIG. 24 is performed. However, if the distance calculation of all the trajectory routes KR (P) has not been completed, the processing from step SJ89 is repeatedly executed. First, "0" is set in the calculation register UW (step SJ89).

Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the end point node of the trajectory route KR (P) matches the destination node 80 (step SJ91). If the end point node is not the destination node 80, the distance from the end point node of the trajectory route KR (P) to the destination node 80 is calculated as the distance of the guide route 88 (step SJ93). The calculated distance value from the end point node to the destination node 80 is stored in the calculation register UW.

Furthermore, the distance from the origin node 82 to the end node of the trajectory route KR (P) is the route distance KR.
It is calculated as L (P) (step SJ95). At this time, if the starting point node of the trajectory route KR (P) does not match the starting point node 82, the starting point node 8
The guide route 88 is used from 2 to the starting point node of the trajectory route KR (P). Therefore, the origin node 82
To the starting point node of the trajectory route KR (P) is calculated using the guide route 88.

The route distance KRL thus obtained
The value of the calculation register UW is added to (P). After this, the determination of step SJ87 is executed again. In this way, by repeating the processing of steps SJ87 to SJ97, the route distance KRL (P) from the departure point node 82 to the destination node 80, which uses each trajectory route KR (P), is calculated.

18 to 23, the trajectory route search using the trajectory data is performed, and the distance from the departure point node 82 to the destination node 80 when each trajectory route is used is calculated. It After this, FIG.
The process of is started. In FIG. 24, first, it is determined whether the locus route selection mode has been set by the user (step SJ99). When the trajectory route selection mode is set by the user, step SJ10
The process 1 is executed. However, if the locus route selection mode is not set, the process of step SJ109 is executed.

In the locus route selection mode by the user, each route distance KTL (S), route distance KRL
(P) and the route distance KUL (H) are all displayed on the display 33 together with the guide route 88. Moreover, the distance of only the link portion of each trajectory route and the time required to run the link portion are displayed (step SJ10).
1).

Also, the display 33 of this locus route
In the display, the first locus route is displayed blinking. Then, it is determined whether or not the trajectory route has been selected (step SJ103). The presence or absence of this selection is
This is performed by determining whether or not the decision key provided on the display 33 has been pressed. Then, when the enter key is pressed, the track route that is blinking is selected. When this locus route is selected, step SJ in FIG.
The processing of 111 is executed. The selected locus route is the locus route KV.

However, if the locus route is not selected, it is determined whether or not the cursor is operated (step SJ105). When the cursor is operated, the next locus route blinks. However, if there is no cursor operation, the process of step SJ103 is repeated again. Therefore, when the cursor operation is sequentially repeated, the trajectory route blinking on the display 33 is cyclically changed.

On the other hand, in the processing of step SJ99,
When the locus route selection mode is not set by the user, the process of step SJ109 is executed. In this step SJ109, one guide route is automatically selected from the locus routes searched by FIGS. 18 to 23. For example, of the values of the route distance KTL (S), the route distance KRL (P), and the route distance KUL (H), the one having the shortest distance is selected (step SJ109 in FIG. 24). Then, the selected locus route having the smallest distance value is set as the locus route KV. That is, one of the searched locus route KT (S), locus route KR (P), and locus route KU (H) is substituted for the locus route KV.

Next, it is determined whether or not each link forming the trajectory route KV has the road number of the road data stored in the information storage unit 37 (step SJ11).
1, SJ113). A link without a road number is not a guidance target road. In other words, it is a newly constructed road or a narrow street. Therefore, the trajectory route KV cannot be displayed on the map displayed on the display 33 by using the road data file F4.

Therefore, the locus route KV without the road number
Using the locus data of the locus data storage device 40 to replace the links of the geographical coordinate points (step SJ1).
15). After this, the locus route KV is displayed on the display 33.
And the guide route 88 are both displayed (step SJ1).
19). The locus route KV portion may be displayed so as to be distinguishable from the guide route 88. For example, two paths are displayed in different colors.

The determination result of step SJ113 is YE.
In the case of S, that is, all the links of the trajectory route KV are
If it has a road number, the locus route KV can be displayed by the road data in the information storage unit 37. Therefore,
Each link of the locus route KV is replaced with a data string represented by a road number (step SJ117).

In FIG. 35, when the trajectory route KV is the trajectory route KT1, the trajectory route KT1 and the node NOD24 to destination node 80 portion of the guide route 88 are displayed on the display 33. That is, the locus route using the locus data of the locus data storage device 40 is preferentially displayed. In this route display, all the guide routes 88 may be displayed. Also in this case, the trajectory route KV and the guide route 88 may be displayed so as to be distinguishable from each other.

A locus route KV is displayed on the display 33.
When the entire guide route 88 is displayed in parallel, the decision as to whether or not to use this trajectory route KV is made on the display 33.
Is displayed to ask the user (step S
J121). If the use of the trajectory route KV is selected, the trajectory route KV is used in the route guidance display.
In this case, the guide route 88 is used as the remaining route other than the trajectory route KV. In FIG. 35, the node NOD2
It is a part of the guide route 88 from 4 to the destination node 80. In this step SJ121, if the trajectory route KV and the guide route 88 are different, the trajectory route KV may be preferentially selected. However, the route distance of the trajectory route KV and this trajectory route K
In the magnitude comparison with the partial distance of the guide route 88 corresponding to V, the guide route 88 may be automatically selected only when the distance of the guide route 88 is extremely short.

In FIG. 25, when the trajectory route KV is the trajectory route KT1, the portion of the guide route 88 corresponding to the trajectory route KV corresponds to the node NOD26 to the departure point node 82. Therefore, the locus route KT1
Since the guide route 88 and the guide route 88 are different, the trajectory route KT1
Is forcibly selected.

As described in detail above, the trajectory route KT1 of FIG. 35 is searched by the processing shown in FIG. The trajectory routes KR1 and KR3 in FIG. 35 are searched by the processing shown in FIG. The locus route K of FIG.
R2 is searched by the processing shown in FIG. 20 or FIG.

As described above, in the second embodiment of the route search process, the road data file F4 of the information storage unit 37 is set as the route from the departure node 82 to the destination node 80.
Guide route 88 using the or the trajectory data storage device 4
A trajectory route that preferentially uses the trajectory data of 0 is searched. For example, in FIG. 35, the guide route 88 is searched using the road data file F4 of FIG. The locus routes KR1, KR2, KR3, KT1 are the results searched using the locus data of the locus data storage device 40.

Of these plural locus routes,
It is determined which of the locus routes is used, the distance from the origin node 82 to the destination node 80 is short, and the locus route with the shortest distance is positively used. Therefore, it is possible to search for a route that positively utilizes an unguided road (a road that is not stored in the information storage unit 37) that the user frequently uses. In particular, in the peripheral link search process, the number of times of travel on the link is added to the travel cost of the link, so that the link is actively used for the route route with higher frequency of use.

Furthermore, the data 38 of the information storage unit 37
The guide route search process (step SJ1 in FIG. 15) using the road data stored in c may be executed a plurality of times. Moreover, in the guide route search processing of the second time and thereafter, the road once used for another guide route is changed to this new guide route search, as was done in the trajectory route KR (P) search of FIG. Avoid using it. Note that the route search conditions may be changed in each of the guide route search processes executed a plurality of times as described above.

That is, in the guide route search using the road data of the information storage unit 37, the search cost whose value is increased or decreased is defined depending on the distance of each road, the road width, the right / left turn frequency, and the like. That is, in determining the value of this search cost, the weighting added to each information is changed greatly. For example, in the first guide route search, the search cost is largely moved up and down depending on the length of the road. As a result, the searched route is the total distance from the origin to the destination,
The shorter path is searched. In the second guide route search, the search cost is increased when the vehicle makes a right or left turn at an intersection. As a result, the guide route
Roads with fewer turns will naturally be preferentially selected. That is, the straight route is preferentially selected as the guide route.

As described above, after the guide route using the road data in the information storage unit 37 is searched a plurality of times, the route shown in FIG.
21 to 23, the locus routes formed by the locus data in the locus data storage device 40 are searched for. Then, each trajectory route is displayed on the display 33 together with the plurality of previously searched guide routes. When this locus route is displayed, a point where each locus route and the guide route intersect each other is displayed as a branch point, and a route from an arbitrary branch point to another branch point is displayed as one route. Moreover, in order to distinguish each of the routes thus divided from the other routes, each of them is displayed in a different color.

For example, in FIG. 35, the node NOD2
7 to node NOD26 as one route, and node NOD26
The node NOD22 is set as another route from D24. Then, each route represented as one road is displayed in different colors. Alternatively, the display form of each route may be changed, such as a dotted line, a one-dot chain line, and a two-dot chain line. And
Allow each route to be freely selected as the guide route. That is, the guide route that has gone through various routes is selected and designated by the user.

For example, in FIG. 35, the departure point node 8
The guide route 88 portion is used from 2 to the node NOD27, and the locus route KR3 is used from the node NOD27 to the node NOD22. And node N
A route returning to the node NOD24 is selected from the OD22, and a locus route KR1 is selected from the node NOD24 to the destination node 80, and a route constituted by these routes is set as a guide route used during navigation. In the calculation of the traveling cost, the time required for passing the link may be calculated and determined by the time required. Then, the required travel time of each link and the required transit time TSU of each intersection are accumulated to obtain the required travel time of the entire searched locus route. Then, this travel time may be displayed on the screen when the route is displayed.

As described above, a plurality of guide routes searched by using the road data of the information storage unit 37 and a plurality of trajectory routes by route search using the trajectory data of the trajectory data storage device 40 are free routes. Is selected by the user. As a result, various routes can be selected as the guide route, and it becomes possible to form a guide route that better matches the taste of the user.

20. First Example of Trajectory Data Deletion Processing FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a flowchart of the trajectory data deletion processing (step SA19) in FIG. at first,
The amount of information of new trajectory data to be stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is calculated. In this case, in the second RAM6,
The locus data to be newly stored is temporarily stored. Therefore, the amount of new data is measured by measuring the amount of information stocked in the second RAM 6.

Next, based on this calculation result, it is judged whether or not the new locus data can be stored in the free memory area of the locus data storage device 40 (step SK3). That is, it is determined whether or not the newly created locus data or the locus data that increases as the locus data is updated can be stored in the locus data storage device 40. When new data can be additionally stored in the trajectory data storage device 40, the trajectory data deletion processing of FIG. 26 is terminated and the processing returns to the processing of FIG. 9.

However, if the locus data storage device 40 does not have the memory free area required to store the new locus data, the process of step SK7 is executed. Step SK
In 7, the predetermined value for the threshold value ZZ is unconditionally substituted. This threshold value ZZ is stored in the locus data storage device 40,
It is used as a condition value in the automatic selection and deletion processing of the already stored locus data.

When the processing of step SK7 is performed, the next step SK11 is executed. Locus data storage device 4
Each of the link data 60 stored in 0 is rearranged in the ascending order of the traveling date / time data SND. Then, the weighting function value CD corresponding to the date of the date / time data SND is obtained as follows.

FIG. 36 shows how the function value CD changes with respect to the date / time data SND. In FIG. 36,
The origin side of the X-axis shows the case where the date of the date / time data SND is newer. The function value CD is, for example, CD = constant PD ÷
The date and time data SND is required. The constant PD is a numerical value of "0" or more. As another function, an exponential function such as CD = constant PE to the power of (SND) may be used. The constant PE is a numerical value that satisfies 0 <α <1.

Therefore, the newer the date / time data SND, the larger the function value CD. The evaluation value KCS (SND) is obtained by multiplying the function value CD by the number of times the link has traveled corresponding to the date / time data SND (step S).
K13). The number of times of running used when obtaining this evaluation value KCS is a value obtained by adding the number of times of running SEK and the number of times of running ESK.

The function value CD has a larger value as the date and time data SND is newer. Therefore, even if the number of times of running is small, if the running date / time data SND is new, the evaluation value KCS
(SND) has a relatively large value. Conversely, if the traveling date / time data SND is old, the evaluation value KCS (SND) is relatively small even if the number of traveling times is large. When the evaluation value KCS is obtained for each link data 60, the size comparison between each evaluation value KCS and the threshold value ZZ is performed.

Then, the link data 60 whose evaluation value KCS is smaller than the threshold value ZZ is deleted from the locus data storage device 40 (step SK15). When the link data is deleted in step SK15, the node data 55 connected only to the deleted link data 60 is deleted (step SK17).

As shown in FIG. 34, the link is a straight road connecting two nodes. Therefore, if an arbitrary link is deleted, the nodes connected to both ends of the link become unnecessary data. Therefore, the node data that has become unnecessary data is deleted. The nodes connected to the link are determined by the start point node number SNB and the end point node number ENB, which are the constituent data of the link data 60.

Then, it is judged whether or not the node designated by the start point node number SNB and the end point node number ENB is an intersection node. If it is an intersection node, it is changed to link data as necessary (step SK).
19). Whether or not the nodes at both ends of the link are intersection nodes is determined by the intersection number NPB included in the node data 55.
Is determined by That is, if the node is not an intersection, the intersection number NPB of the node data is "0".
Is remembered.

On the contrary, if the node is an intersection, the intersection data NPB of the node data 55 is set to the intersection data 65.
Is stored. Therefore, based on the value of the intersection number NPB, it is determined whether or not the node is an intersection. If it is an intersection node, based on the number of incoming links (NIM) and the number of outgoing links (NOUT) of the intersection data 65,
The number of remaining links connected to the intersection node is counted. Here, the number of remaining links is a link connected to this intersection node other than the link to be deleted. If the number of remaining links is "3" or more, this node is continuously stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 as an intersection node.

However, if the remaining links are "2" or less,
This intersection node is modified into a general node.
In addition, the intersection node is changed to a general node,
The intersection data 65 regarding the node is deleted.
Further, the value of the intersection number NPB of the node data 55 is set to "0".

When the data correction of the intersection node is completed in step SK19, the size of the free memory capacity of the trajectory data storage device 40 and the newly added information amount are compared again (step SK21). If it is determined in step SK21 that the free memory capacity of the trajectory data storage device 40 is not yet secured, the value of the threshold value ZZ is changed (step SK2).
3).

That is, the value of the threshold value ZZ set in the above step SK7 is increased. Then, the link having the evaluation value KCS equal to or less than the new threshold value ZZ is set as a new deletion target (step SK27). When a new deletion target link is selected in step SK27, the process of step SK17 is executed again. That is, the adequacy of deletion of the nodes at both ends of the deletion target link is determined based on the data content of the node data 55 (step S17). Then, the unnecessary intersection data 65 is deleted (step SK19).

As described above, each time the new locus data temporarily stored in the second RAM 6 is stored in the locus data storage device 40, it is determined whether or not the locus data storage device 40 has a sufficient free memory area. To be judged. Moreover, when it is determined that the locus data storage device 40 does not have a sufficient free memory area, the data relating to the link having the older running date and time and the smaller number of running times is preferentially deleted from the locus data storage device 40. To be done. That is, locus data having a relatively low use frequency is preferentially deleted from the locus data storage device 40.

Moreover, by deleting the trajectory data once,
When the increased free memory area of the locus data storage device 40 is not sufficient, the conditions for selecting the link to be deleted are made stricter, and the locus data is further deleted.

In this way, when the additional storage processing of new trajectory data is executed in the trajectory data storage device 40, the size of the empty memory area of the trajectory data storage device 40 is constantly checked. As a result, it is possible to easily prevent the omission of recording of the additional trajectory data in the trajectory data storage device 40.

21. Second Example of Track Data Deletion Process FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second example of the track data deletion process (step SA19) in FIG. In the trajectory data deletion processing of the second embodiment, the user is required to forcibly delete trajectory data. That is,
It is determined whether or not a trajectory data deletion command for the trajectory data storage device 40 has been input to the navigation device via the touch switch 34 (step SK31).

When the locus data deletion command is input, a value suitable for the forced deletion processing is substituted for the threshold value ZZ.
The threshold value ZZ used here is different from the value of the threshold value ZZ used in the first embodiment. Then, each of the link data 60 stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is rearranged in the ascending order of the traveling date / time data SND (step SK35).

Further, the traveling date / time data SND of each link
Also, the evaluation value KCS (SND) is obtained based on the running count ESK and the running count SEK (step SK37).
In the calculation of this evaluation value KCS, first, the date / time data SN
The weighting function value CD corresponding to the date of D is obtained.

FIG. 36 shows how the function value CD changes with respect to the date / time data SND. In FIG. 36,
The origin side of the X-axis shows the case where the date of the date / time data SND is newer. The function value CD is, for example, CD = constant PD ÷
The date and time data SND is required. The constant PD is a numerical value of "0" or more. As another function, an exponential function such as CD = constant PE to the power of (SND) may be used. The constant PE is a numerical value that satisfies 0 <α <1.

Therefore, the newer the date / time data SND, the larger the function value CD. The evaluation value KCS (SND) is obtained by multiplying the function value CD by the number of times the link has traveled corresponding to the date / time data SND (step S).
K37). It should be noted that the number of times of travel used when obtaining the evaluation value KCS is a value obtained by adding the number of travels SEK and the number of travels ESK.

The newer the date / time data SND, the larger the function value CD. Therefore, even if the number of times of running is small, if the running date / time data SND is new, the evaluation value KCS
(SND) has a large value. On the contrary, if the traveling date / time data SND is old, the evaluation value KCS
(SND) becomes smaller. When the evaluation value KCS is obtained for each link data 60, the size comparison between each evaluation value KCS and the threshold value ZZ is performed.

The number of links whose evaluation value KCS is smaller than the threshold value ZZ is displayed on the display 33.
Is displayed (step SK39). That is, the number of links to be forcibly deleted is displayed on the display 33. Depending on the displayed number of links to be deleted, it is determined whether or not the user has requested to delete a further number of links (step SK41). That is, it is determined whether an increase in the number of links to be deleted has been requested. The command to increase / decrease the quantity is input by the cursor key of the touch switch 34 or the like.

If it is determined in step SK41 that the increase in the number of links to be deleted is selected, the process in step SK43 is executed. However, step S
If the determination result of K41 is NO, it is determined whether or not reduction of the link quantity to be deleted is selected (step S).
K45). If the decrease in the number of links to be deleted is selected as a result of the determination in step SK45, step S
The process of K47 is executed.

At step SK43, the threshold value ZZ is increased. Thereby, the evaluation value KC equal to or less than the threshold ZZ
The number of links with S will increase. Therefore, the number of links having the evaluation value KCS equal to or less than the threshold value ZZ is displayed on the display 33 (step SK39). And
The process of step SK41 is executed again.

In step SK47, the threshold value Z
The value of Z is reduced. As a result, the number of links having the evaluation value KCS equal to or less than the threshold value ZZ is reduced. Then, the number of links having the evaluation value KCS equal to or less than the threshold value ZZ is displayed again on the display 33 (step SK).
39). Then, the process of step SK41 is executed again.

Furthermore, if the user does not specify the increase / decrease in the number of links to be deleted as a result of the determination in step SK45, the process of step SK49 is executed. That is, the link having the evaluation value KCS equal to or smaller than the currently set threshold value ZZ is deleted (step SK4).
9). When the link data having the evaluation value KCS equal to or less than the threshold value ZZ is deleted, the data 55 of the node connected only to the deleted link is deleted (step SK5).
1). The node connected to the link is the link data 6
Start node number SNB and end node number E included in 0
Identified by NB.

Then, it is determined whether or not the nodes designated by the start node number SNB and the end node number ENB are intersection nodes. If it is an intersection node, it is changed to link data as necessary (step SK).
53). Whether or not the nodes at both ends of the link are intersection nodes is determined by the intersection number NPB included in the node data 55.
Is determined by That is, if the node is not an intersection, the intersection number NPB of the node data is "0".
Is remembered.

On the contrary, if the node is an intersection, the intersection number NPB of the node data 55 is set to the intersection data 65.
Is stored. Therefore, based on the value of the intersection number NPB, it is determined whether or not the node is an intersection. If it is an intersection node, based on the number of incoming links (NIM) and the number of outgoing links (NOUT) of the intersection data 65,
The number of remaining links connected to the intersection node is counted. Here, the remaining link is a link connected to this intersection node other than the link to be deleted. If the number of remaining links is "3" or more, this node is continuously stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 as an intersection node.

However, if the number of remaining links is "2" or less,
This intersection node is modified into a general node.
In the data correction to the general node, the intersection data 65 regarding the focused node is deleted. Further, the value of the intersection number NPB of the node data 55 is set to "0". When the data correction of the intersection node is completed in step SK53, the trajectory data deletion process of FIG. 27 is ended (step SK55).

As described above, in the second embodiment of the trajectory data deletion processing of FIG. 27, the link deletion processing is performed depending on the presence / absence of the link deletion command by the user regardless of the free memory capacity of the trajectory data storage device 40. Is started. When displaying the display 33 of the number of links to be deleted in step SK39, the total number of links stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 may be displayed at the same time.

22. Third Example of Track Data Deletion Processing FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a flowchart of the third example of the track data deletion processing (step SA19) in FIG. In the trajectory data deleting process of the third embodiment, the propriety of the trajectory data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is determined by the geographical position of the trajectory data. That is, one node of the link, which is each trajectory data,
Radius storage range RP (P around the point PT (Pn)
Whether or not it is within n) determines whether to permit registration in the trajectory data storage device 40.

First, the information amount of the locus data temporarily stocked in the second RAM 6 is measured (step SR
1). Then, this amount of information and the locus data storage device 40
Is compared with the free memory capacity (step SR3).
The free memory capacity of the trajectory data storage device 40 is equal to the second RA
If it is equal to or larger than the information amount of M6, the process of step SR5 is executed. However, if the free memory capacity of the trajectory data storage device 40 is not sufficient to store the data of the second RAM 6, the process of step SR7 is executed.

In step SR5, it is determined whether or not the start of the trajectory data deletion process is input by the user (step SR5). If it is determined in step SR5 that the forced deletion processing command has not been input, the processing in FIG. 28 ends. (Step SR1
7).

However, if the forced deletion processing command is input or the free memory capacity of the locus data storage device 40 is not sufficient, one node of each link stored in the locus data storage device 40 will cause one of the points list 66 to be deleted. It is determined whether each point PT is within the radius of the storage range RP (step SR7). Then, the link existing in the area outside the radius of the storage range RP (Pn) from each point PT (Pn) is deleted (step SR9).

Then, the data 55 of the node connected only to the deleted link is deleted (step SR1).
1). The node connected to the link is the link data 6
Start node number SNB and end node number E included in 0
Identified by NB.

Then, it is judged whether or not the nodes designated by the start point node number SNB and the end point node number ENB are intersection nodes. If it is an intersection node, it is changed to link data if necessary (step SR
13). Whether or not the nodes at both ends of the link are intersection nodes is determined by the intersection number NPB included in the node data 55.
Is determined by That is, if the node is not an intersection, the intersection number NPB of the node data is "0".
Is remembered.

On the contrary, if the node is an intersection, the intersection number NPB of the node data 55 is set to the intersection data 65.
Is stored. Therefore, based on the value of the intersection number NPB, it is determined whether or not the node is an intersection. If it is an intersection node, based on the number of incoming links (NIM) and the number of outgoing links (NOUT) of the intersection data 65,
The number of remaining links connected to the intersection node is counted. Here, the remaining link is a link connected to this intersection node other than the link to be deleted. If the number of remaining links is "3" or more, this node is continuously stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 as an intersection node.

However, if the number of remaining links is "2" or less,
This intersection node is modified into a general node.
In the data correction to the general node, the intersection data 65 regarding the focused node is deleted. Further, the value of the intersection number NPB of the node data 55 is set to "0". When the data correction of the intersection node is completed in step SR13, it is determined whether or not the processing has been executed for all the links stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 (step SR15). If processing has not been performed for all links, the processing is executed again from the determination of step SR7.

If it is determined in step SR7 that one node of the target link is within the storage range RP radius of the point PT, the link is stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 as it is. And step SR
Fifteen decisions are executed.

For all the links stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 by the judgment in step SR15, FIG.
When the process of is executed, the flow is returned to the process of FIG. As described above, in the process of FIG. 28, the trajectory data only around the specific point is stored, and the specific point includes a point where the ignition key is turned on or off. Therefore, the traveling locus data only around the point where the ignition key is turned off may be stored. The point where the ignition key is turned off is also the point where the ignition key is turned on substantially. Fourth Embodiment of Track Data Deletion Processing FIG. 30 shows a flowchart of a fourth embodiment of the track data deletion processing. The entire process including the trajectory data deletion process of the fourth embodiment is slightly different from that of the above embodiment. FIG. 29 shows a flowchart of the entire process including the trajectory data deletion process of the fourth embodiment.

The entire processing of FIG. 29 is started by turning on the power and ended by turning off the power, as in the above-described embodiments. The power is turned on and off when the navigation device is turned on or off, or the vehicle engine start key (ignition switch) is used.
Is turned on and off. The point where the ignition switch is turned off is substantially the same as the point where the ignition switch is turned on.

In FIG. 29, initialization processing is first executed (step SA1). In this initialization processing, the navigation program is read from the data 38c of the information storage unit 37 and copied to the flash memory 3. Thereafter, the program of the flash memory 3 is executed. Further, the CPU 2 causes the first R
The general-purpose data storage area in each RAM such as the work memory of the AM5 and the image memory 10 is cleared.

Then, a current position process for detecting the current position of the own vehicle is executed (step SA3). That is, the geographical current position of the vehicle is detected using the GPS receiving device 25 and the like. The geographical coordinate data of the own vehicle is stored in the first RAM 5 as the current position data MP. The current position data MP may be corrected by information input from the beacon receiving device 26 or the data receiving device 27.

Also, in the current position processing (step SA3), the absolute azimuth data ZD and the relative azimuth data Dθ are set.
And the traveling distance data ML are simultaneously obtained by using the absolute direction sensor 21, the relative direction sensor 22 and the distance sensor 23. From the absolute azimuth data ZD, the relative azimuth data Dθ, and the traveling distance data ML, a calculation process for identifying the own vehicle position is performed. The own vehicle position obtained by this arithmetic processing is the data 38c of the information storage unit 37.
Is corrected so that the current position on the map screen is accurately displayed by collating with the map data stored in. By this correction processing, even when a GPS signal cannot be received in a tunnel or the like, the current position of the own vehicle can be accurately obtained.

The data indicating the current position obtained by the current position processing of step SA3 is also stored in the position data PQ1 of the first RAM 5 (step SA5). The position data PQ1 also stores time information. That is, the position data PQ1 stores the position information of the host vehicle and the time information in association with each other. Next, a route search process is executed (step SA7). In this route search process, the destination is set (step SF in FIG. 15).
1), a link search process (step SF9) for configuring a route is executed.

In setting the destination, the geographical coordinates of the destination desired by the user are set as the registered destination data TP. For example, on the road map or the residential map displayed on the display 33, the user specifies the coordinate position. Alternatively, the destination is specified by the user from the itemized list of destinations displayed on the display 33. When the destination designating operation is performed by the user, the central processing unit 1 stores the information data such as the geographical coordinates of the destination in the first RAM 5 as the registered destination data TP.

In the route search process, the optimum route from the guidance start point data SP to the final guidance point data ED is searched. Note that the optimum route here is, for example, a route that can reach the destination in the shortest time or the shortest distance, or a route that preferentially uses a road that the user has frequently used in the past. In addition, when using a highway, there is a route that can reach the destination in the shortest time or the shortest distance using the highway.

When the route search process in step SA7 is completed, the current position of the host vehicle is detected again by using the current position detection device 20 (step SA9). Then, it is determined from the current position of the own vehicle whether or not the own vehicle has arrived at the destination of the route searched in step SA7 (step SA12).

If it is determined in step SA12 that the vehicle has arrived at the destination, the locus data deleting process is executed (step SA20). However, if it is determined from the determination result of step SA12 that the own vehicle has not arrived at the destination, the next route guidance / display process (step SA13) is executed.

In this route guidance / display process, the guide route searched in the route search process is displayed on the display 33 centering on the current position of the vehicle. The guide route displayed on the display 33 is displayed on the displayed map so as to be easily distinguishable from other roads. For example, roads are displayed in different colors. Further, according to this guide route, the guide information is audibly produced from the speaker 13 or the guide information is displayed on the display 33 at any time so that the own vehicle can travel satisfactorily. The image data for displaying the guidance route is
The road map data around the current position of the data 38c in the information storage unit 37 or the house map data around the current position is used.

Switching between the road map data and the residential map data is performed under the following conditions. For example, a guide point (destination, drop-in place, intersection, etc.) from the current position
Distance, the speed of the host vehicle, the size of the displayable area, the switch operation of the operator, or the like. In addition, guidance points (destinations, stopovers, intersections, etc.)
In the vicinity, an enlarged map near the guidance point is displayed on the display 33. Instead of a road map, the display of the geographical information is omitted, and a simplified guide route image that displays only the minimum necessary information such as the guide route and the direction of the destination or stopover and the current position is displayed. 33 may be displayed.

After the route guidance / display process of step SA13, the traveling position process (step SA15) and other processes (step SA17) are executed. The traveling position process (step SA15) is a process of temporarily storing in the second RAM 6 the data indicating the locus along which the vehicle has traveled. That is, the traveling locus of the host vehicle is compared with the locus data stored in the locus data storage device 40. When it is determined that new locus data needs to be added or locus data needs to be updated, the new locus data is stored in the second RAM 6.

The locus data stored in the second RAM 6 is stored in the locus data storage device 40 through the processing of steps SA20 and SA21. Note that step SA2
At 0, the new trajectory data stored in the second RAM 6 is
Selected. That is, the deletion of the locus data newly created or created for correction and stored in the second RAM 6 is selected. Therefore, even the newly created locus data may not be stored in the locus data storage device 40. This step SA20 is the fourth embodiment of the trajectory data deletion processing.

When the traveling position process of step SA15 is executed, other processes (step SA17) are executed next. In step SA17, for example, it is also determined whether or not a destination change command has been input by the switch operation of the operator.

Further, when the processing of storing the new trajectory data remaining in the second RAM 6 in the trajectory data storage device 40 is performed by the processing of step SA21, step SA1
The process from is started again.

Next, the trajectory data deletion process of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, it is determined whether or not a command for starting the trajectory data deletion process has been input by the user (step SL1). When the processing start command is input, the determination of the next step SL3 is executed. However, if the user does not input a process start command, the process of FIG. 30 is not performed and the flow returns to the overall process of FIG.

When it is determined in step SL1 that a processing start command has been input, it is determined whether the running locus of the vehicle and the guide route match (step SL3). That is, the locus data indicating the locus along which the vehicle is traveling is stored in the second RAM 6. On the other hand, the guide route is searched by the route search process (step SA7) of FIG. This guide route is stored in the information storage unit 3
7 and each link of the locus data stored in the locus data storage device 40.

Therefore, it is determined whether or not the road number or the link number forming the guide route and the link number of the current running locus data stored in the second RAM 6 match. If they match, it means that the current traveling locus matches the guide route. However, if the roads and the link numbers forming the guide route do not match the link numbers stored in the second RAM 6, the current traveling locus is different from the guide route.

Thus, according to the judgment in step SL3,
If it is determined that the trajectory along which the vehicle has traveled and the guide route do not match, the link of the mismatched portion is investigated (step SL5). The link investigation of the non-coincidence portion is to extract a link stored in the second RAM 6 that does not match the link number forming the searched guide route. Then, the link of the non-matching portion and the guide route are distinguished and displayed simultaneously on the display 33 (step SL7). In this distinctive display, for example, the guide route and the unmatched link are displayed in different colors.

When the links are displayed in step SL7, the past accumulated traveling numbers of the displayed links are simultaneously displayed (step SL9). Then, it is designated whether or not to delete the data of each displayed link (step SL11). The designation of this delete link is performed as follows. For example, each link in the traveling locus from the departure point to the destination is displayed in blinking one by one.

Then, the display 3 prompts the user to enter a command as to whether or not to delete the blinking link.
3 is made on. The command input permitting deletion is, for example, a display such as "deletion OK = Y, N". When a command permitting deletion is input, the data regarding the blinking link is erased from the second RAM 6. It should be noted that the user can determine whether or not to delete the trajectory data regarding the link, based on the number of times each link is displayed on the display 33.

[0327] If the guide route and the current running locus do not match, and the number of times the link has run is displayed as only one running this time, the following processing is possible. That is, this new locus data can be processed as permission to register in the locus data storage device 40.

[0328] Further, the traveling locus different from the guide route is the second R
If it is temporarily stored in the AM 6, the locus data corresponding to the traveling locus stored in the second RAM 6 is retrieved from the locus data storage device 40. Then, if the corresponding trajectory data is stored in the trajectory data storage device 40,
At the time of the link display in step SL9, information about the trajectory data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 may be displayed. Moreover, step S
The locus data of the locus data storage device 40 relating to the link selected to be deleted may be deleted by L11.

If it is determined from the determination result of step SL3 that the guide route and the route traveled this time match, the following processing is performed. In this case, all the guide routes are once stored in the second RAM 6 as the traveling locus data. All the links of the trajectory data stored in the second RAM 6 are displayed on the display 33 (step SL9). That is, each link that constitutes the guide route is displayed on the display 33. When displaying each link, the number of times each link has traveled is simultaneously displayed on the display 33.

Then, it is designated whether or not to delete the data of each displayed link (step SL11).
In the designation of this deletion link, for example, each link in the traveling locus from the starting point to the destination is displayed in blinking one by one. Then, the display 33 prompts the user to input a command as to whether or not to delete the blinking link. In response to this, when a command permitting deletion is input, the data regarding the blinking link is erased from the second RAM 6. Moreover, when the number of times of travel is two or more, the link data 60 related to the link stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is also deleted.

In this way, when the deletion of the link data temporarily stored in the second RAM 6 is selected, the data relating to the node connected only to the deleted link is stored in the second RAM 6
Deleted from Even when the node data is erased, only the node data in the second RAM 6 will be erased if the node data is newly formed. However, when the locus data storage device 40 also stores data relating to the node, the node data in the locus data storage device 40 is also deleted.

The nodes connected to the link are identified by the start point node number SNB and the end point node number ENB included in the link data 60.

Then, it is judged whether or not the node designated by the start point node number SNB and the end point node number ENB is an intersection node. If it is an intersection node, it is changed to link data if necessary (step SL
15). Whether or not the nodes at both ends of the link are intersection nodes is determined by the intersection number NPB included in the node data 55.
Is determined by That is, if the node is not an intersection, the intersection number NPB of the node data is "0".
Is remembered.

On the other hand, if the node is an intersection, the intersection number NPB of the node data 55 is set to the intersection data 65.
Is stored. Therefore, based on the value of the intersection number NPB, it is determined whether or not the node is an intersection. If it is an intersection node, based on the number of incoming links (NIM) and the number of outgoing links (NOUT) of the intersection data 65,
The number of remaining links connected to the intersection node is counted. Here, the remaining link is a link connected to this intersection node other than the link to be deleted. If the number of remaining links is "3" or more, this node is continuously stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 as an intersection node.

However, if the number of remaining links is "2" or less,
This intersection node is modified into a general node.
In the data correction to the general node, the intersection data 65 regarding the focused node is deleted. Further, the value of the intersection number NPB of the node data 55 is set to "0". When the data correction of the intersection node is completed in step SK53, the trajectory data deletion process of FIG. 30 is ended (step SL19).

As described above, in the fourth embodiment of the trajectory data deletion process of FIG. 30, the trajectory data storage device stores the trajectory data regarding the traveling trajectory formed this time at the navigation operation end point (near the destination). It is possible to approve whether or not to register in 40. Moreover, if each link related to the current travel path is a link that has traveled in the past, the cumulative number of times of travel up to that time is also displayed.

Therefore, the user can freely determine whether or not to delete the data relating to the link from the trajectory data storage device 40, based on the numerical value of the number of times of travel. As a result, it is possible to positively delete a link which has a small number of running times and which is less required to be stored. Therefore, the trajectory data storage device 40 can preferentially store only the link (road) desired by the user.

The following are conditions for deleting links in the above-described trajectory data deletion processing. For example, although there are generally roads with a time limit for passage, roads with such a time limit may be preferentially deleted. That is, it is possible to preferentially delete a link in which the traveling date / time data is concentrated only at a specific time or other than the specific time. As a result, it is possible to prevent erroneous search for a route having such a travel time limitation depending on the traveling time zone of the host vehicle. Furthermore, the links whose average vehicle speed AS is less than or equal to a predetermined value or more than a predetermined value may be preferentially deleted.

By the above described description data deleting process, the deleted links and intersections are excluded from the guidance target roads for route search. However, the deleted links and intersections or links and intersections that are not passed may be included in the guidance target road for route search. In this case, in the calculation of the traveling cost, traveling distance or traveling time of the above-mentioned route search,
The number of running times of "0" is changed to a value other than "0" such as "0.5" and "0.1".

24. Trajectory Data Storage Confirmation Process FIG. 31 shows a flowchart of the trajectory data storage confirmation process (step SA21) in FIG. This FIG.
First, a storage geographic range limitation request for limiting the trajectory data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is
It is determined whether or not it has been set by the user (step SQ1). If there is no storage geographic range limitation request, the process of step SQ11 is executed.

However, when the request for limiting the storage geographic range is set, the determination processing of the next step SQ3 is executed. In this step SQ3, the starting point node of each link, which is the locus data stored in the second RAM 6, is centered at each point PT of the point list 66, and the radius is the storage range R.
It is determined whether or not it is in the garden surrounded by P. The starting point node here is a node closer to each point PT.

The starting point node of each link stored in the second RAM 6 is the radius of each point PT (storage range RP).
If not, the node is deleted from the second RAM 6. Therefore, even with each locus data detected by the locus storing process in FIG. 12, the radius RP from each registration point PT.
If it does not exist within (= storage range RP), it may not be recorded in the trajectory data storage device 40.

Then, in step SQ5, the second R
Nodes related only to links deleted from AM6
Similarly, it is deleted from the second RAM 6 (step SQ).
7). Whether or not the node is associated with only the deleted link is determined by the start node number SNB and the end node number ENB of the link data.

Then, it is judged whether or not the nodes designated by the start node number SNB and the end node number ENB of the link to be deleted are intersection nodes. If it is an intersection node, it is changed to link data as necessary (step SQ9). Whether or not the nodes at both ends of the link are intersection nodes is determined by the intersection number NPB included in the node data 55.

If the node is an intersection node,
Based on the number of incoming links (NIM) and the number of outgoing links (NOUT) of the intersection data 65, the number of remaining links connected to the intersection node is counted. Here, the remaining link is a link connected to this intersection node other than the link to be deleted. If the number of remaining links is "3" or more, this node is continuously stored in the second RAM 6 as an intersection node.

However, if the remaining links are "2" or less,
This intersection node is modified into a general node.
In the data correction to the general node, the intersection data 65 regarding the focused node is deleted. Further, the value of the intersection number NPB of the node data 55 is set to "0". When the data correction of the intersection node is completed by step SK53, the process of step Q11 is executed.

At step SQ11, the node coordinate values at both ends of each link stored in the second RAM 6 are stored in the second RAM 6.
Is read from. Then, the coordinate value of the corresponding node stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is also read from the trajectory data storage device 40. The geographical linear distance between the coordinate value read from the locus data storage device 40 and the coordinate value stored in the second RAM 6 is calculated (step SQ11). Geographical straight line distance between these two coordinate values,
The deviation is ΔL. Further, with the calculation of the deviation ΔL,
The number of times the link has run with the node as a start point or an end point node is read from the trajectory data storage device 40 (step SQ13).

Then, the deviation ΔL is calculated as
The geographical coordinate position of the node stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is corrected by the numerical value divided by 1) (step SQ15). That is, the position coordinate of the node is detected by the current position detection device 20 every time the vehicle passes through the node, but the detected coordinate position does not always have the same value. If there are variations in the position coordinates of the nodes, when the link is displayed on the display 33, the link may not always be displayed at the optimum position. Therefore, the coordinate position of each node stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 is averaged by the detected coordinate value every time the host vehicle passes through the node. Also,
All the detected coordinate positions may be stored together with the averaged coordinate values. That is, every time the node passes through, the detected coordinate value is stored as the coordinate value of this node. However, the average value of the coordinate values is also stored. If the deviation ΔL between the detected coordinate value of the current position and the coordinate value of the node stored in the trajectory data storage device is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the current position is stored as a new node. , A new link connecting to this node may be formed.

When the processing in step SQ15 is completed,
It is determined whether or not the processing has been performed for all links temporarily stored in the second RAM 6 (step SQ).
17). When the unprocessed link is in the second RAM 6, the process for the link is started via step SQ19. According to the determination result of step SQ17, when the process is performed for all the links of the second RAM 6, all the locus data temporarily stored in the second RAM 6 are
It is stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 (step SQ2
1). Then, the flow is returned to the overall processing of FIG. 9 (step SQ23).

As described above, in the trajectory data storage confirmation process of FIG. 31, among the links stored in the second RAM 6, only the links whose radius from each point PT is within the circle of the storage range RP are stored in the trajectory data. It is stored in the device 40.
Therefore, it is possible to prevent the trajectory data stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 from being stored in the trajectory data storage device 40 without limitation. Moreover, each point PT and storage range RP
Can be freely set and registered by the spot registration process of FIG. As a result, it is possible to add an area limitation to a certain specific area, for example, the storage range of the locus data such as only around the home.

As described above, by adding the area limitation to the stored locus data, it is possible to prevent the route including the unnecessary link from being searched in the route search using the locus data.

As described above, the navigation device of the present invention uses the locus data stored in the locus data storage device 40 while the traveling route of the host vehicle is stored as locus data in the locus data storage device 40. Since the guide route is searched, the road that the user prefers is preferentially searched as the guide route. Further, even if a road not stored in the information storage unit 37 is newly constructed, the route data storage device 40 has a route storage function, so that the guide route search considering the latest road situation can be realized.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the recording medium for storing various data stored in the first RAM 5 may be a writable recording medium such as a floppy disk. further,
The navigation device may include a voice input device including an analog / digital converter.
Then, the command input to the navigation device may be executed by a voice command input by the voice input device.

Further, in the navigation device according to the present invention, the function of the trajectory data storage device 40 may be provided in an information management center such as VICS, ATIS or the like, which is communicated by the data transmitting / receiving device 27. That is, each locus data regarding the route traveled by the host vehicle is sent to the main storage device of the information management center via the data transmission / reception device 27 and sequentially stored. Then, the route search process in step SA7 is performed at the information management center using the stored locus data.

[0355] The search conditions for the destination such as the nearest facility,
Information such as route search conditions is sent from the navigation device to the information management center. At the information management center, a desired facility is searched or a route to a destination is searched based on the search condition or the search condition sent from the navigation device. Then, the information on the search / extraction / search result is transmitted from the information management center to the navigation device together with the map information and the like. In the navigation device, the search facility is displayed on the display 33 based on the received search / extraction / search result. In this way, the facility can be searched, extracted, and searched based on the detailed and latest information about each facility around the current position of the vehicle. Further, in the facility search, it is possible to perform a search in consideration of an environmental change of a surrounding road (new construction of a one-way road or the like). In this case, the information on each facility stored in the information management center needs to be constantly updated.

Further, all the processing except the route guidance / display processing (step SA13) in FIG. 9 is not performed by the program 38b stored in the information storage unit 37, but the information management center such as the above-mentioned VICS. May be executed at. In this case, the map information is also
The map information stored in the information management center is used instead of the data 38c in the information storage unit 37. Moreover,
The data regarding the traveling locus of the own vehicle is also stored and stored in the information management center.

Moreover, the current position of the own vehicle can be detected by the VIC.
This is performed by an information signal transmitted / received to / from the information management center such as S. Therefore, the navigation device executes only route guidance / display processing, travel locus data formation processing, and locus data transmission processing to the information management center based on the map information sent from the information management center. It By doing so, route search and the like can always be executed based on the latest road information and map information, and more locus data can be accumulated. Moreover, the number of constituent members of the entire navigation device can be reduced.

Furthermore, the information storage unit 37 and the locus data storage device 40 may be used as one information rewritable storage medium. For example, the information storage unit 3 of the above embodiment is previously stored in a storage medium such as a PC card or a magneto-optical disk.
The road data F4 and the program stored in FIG. 7 are stored in the rewritable storage medium of the traveling locus information in advance, and the locus not stored in the rewritable storage medium is updated. Create the data.

Furthermore, the present invention relates to vehicles other than automobiles,
The present invention can be applied to a navigation device such as a ship, an aircraft, a helicopter, and the like, and a map used for navigation may be a nautical chart, a submarine map, or the like in addition to a road map.

Another embodiment of the present invention is as follows. (1st invention) [1] A current position of a vehicle is detected, data on the detected current position is compared with data on an intersection, and the passing amount of the intersection is changed based on the comparison result. And then
A navigation system characterized by outputting the changed passing amount of the intersection.

[2] The navigation system further compares the detected current position data with the road data, and also changes the passage amount of the road based on the comparison result. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the changed passage amount of the road is also output, and the intersection is a junction or a junction of the road.

[3] The navigation system further searches for a route from the origin of the vehicle or near the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination, and in this search, the amount of passage at the intersection or the passage of the road. 3. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein an intersection or a road having a large passing amount is prioritized to search for the route based on the amount.

[4] The current position of the vehicle is detected, and the data about the detected current position is compared with the data about the road or the intersection. In this comparison, the current position and the road or the intersection are compared with each other. A navigation system characterized in that it is determined whether or not they correspond, and the current position is output as a new road or intersection according to the result of this determination.

[5] The navigation system further searches for a route from the vicinity of the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination, and in this search, in addition to the road or intersection, the new route. The navigation system according to claim 4, characterized in that a road or an intersection is also searched.

[6] The navigation system further compares the detected current position data with the road or intersection data as well as the new road or intersection data, and based on the comparison result, 5. The amount of passage of a road or an intersection is changed, and the amount of passage of the changed road or intersection is also output, and the intersection is a junction or a junction of the road. Or the navigation system according to item 5.

[7] The navigation system further searches for a route from the departure point of the vehicle or near the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination, and in this search, in addition to the passing amount of the road or intersection, 7. The navigation system according to claim 6, wherein a route or an intersection having a large passage amount is preferentially searched for the route based on a passage amount of a new road or intersection.

[8] The navigation system repeatedly performs the above determination, and if the current position and the road or intersection correspond to each other last time, and this time the current position does not correspond to the road or intersection this time, the previous or The current position of this time is output as a new intersection so that the current position does not correspond to the road or the intersection last time, and the current position does not correspond to the road or the intersection this time. 8. The navigation system according to claim 4, 5, 6 or 7, wherein if the change in direction exceeds a predetermined amount, the previous and present current positions are output as a new road.

[9] The navigation system calculates the passing amount of the road or the intersection or the passing amount of the new road or the intersection for each of the approach direction, the exit direction, the traveling direction or the traveling direction of the road or the intersection. 7. An approaching direction, an approaching direction, a traveling direction or a traveling direction is separately changed, and the passing amount of the changed road or intersection is output. Or the navigation system according to 7.

(2nd invention) [1] Based on the map information stored in advance, the first route from the vicinity of the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination is searched (see the above map). Based on the information and the data about the roads or intersections that have been traveled, a second route from the departure point of the vehicle or near the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination is searched, and the first route and the second route. The navigation system is characterized in that the route guidance from the vicinity of the departure point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination is given priority when the second route is different.

[2] Based on the map information stored in advance, the first route from the departure place of the vehicle or near the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination is searched (the above map information and) When a second route from the vicinity of the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination is searched based on the data about the road or the intersection where the first route and the second route are different from each other. , A navigation system characterized by outputting both of these routes in different forms.

[3] The difference between the first route and the second route is that the road to be searched for the route and the road not to be searched for the route are further distinguished and output. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein:

[4] The navigation system further compares the detected current position data with the road or intersection data, and changes the passing amount of the road or intersection based on the comparison result. Thus, the intersection is a junction or a confluence of the road, and when searching for the route, the road or the intersection with the large passage amount is prioritized to search the route based on the passage amount of the road or the intersection. The navigation system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that.

[5] The navigation system calculates the passing amount of the road or the intersection or the passing amount of the new road or the intersection for each of the approach direction, the exit direction, the traveling direction or the traveling direction of the road or the intersection. 5. The navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the navigation system is changed for each of the approach direction, the advance direction, the traveling direction, and the traveling direction, and the passing amount of the changed road or intersection is output.

[6] The stored data relating to roads or intersections are divided into different classes, and the data relating to the roads or intersections for each class is routed from near the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to near the destination. The navigation system is characterized in that the route for each category is searched, and if the routes for each category searched do not overlap, the route for each category is output separately.

[7] Each of the above categories is divided into roads subject to the route search and roads not subject to the route search, categories classified according to the width of the road, Data that is divided into data related to a certain road or intersection and roads that have never been visited, or data related to an intersection A type that is divided into pre-stored data related to a road or intersection and newly stored data related to a road or intersection 7. The navigation system according to claim 6, wherein the data on roads or intersections for each of the types are at least partially overlapped or not overlapped.

[8] The navigation system further compares the detected current position data with the road or intersection data, and changes the passing amount of the road or intersection based on the comparison result. Thus, the intersection is a junction or a confluence of the road, and when searching for the route, the road or the intersection with the large passage amount is prioritized to search the route based on the passage amount of the road or the intersection. The navigation system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein

[9] The navigation system can further select a route for each class that has been separately output, and the selection is based on the distance, time, or the passing amount of each searched route, or the selection operator. Navigation system according to claim 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that it is based on the selection of:

(Third invention) [1] A current position of a vehicle is detected, data corresponding to the detected current position and data on a road or an intersection are stored, and these stored new roads are stored. Alternatively, the navigation system is characterized in that the intersection is deleted according to a predetermined condition.

[2] The navigation system further compares the data on the detected current position with the data on the road or intersection,
The passing amount of the road or intersection is changed based on the comparison result, and the stored new road or intersection is deleted based on the passing amount and / or the storage time of the new road or intersection. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system is configured to do so.

[3] Selecting and deleting the new road or intersection means storing the new road or intersection, storing the new road or intersection, storing the road or intersection when the vehicle reaches the vicinity of the destination. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system is executed when the capacity is insufficient, or when the operator selects and specifies the deletion.

[4] The navigation system calculates the passing amount of the road or the intersection or the passing amount of the new road or the intersection for each of the approach direction, the exit direction, the traveling direction or the traveling direction of the road or the intersection. 4. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system is changed for each of the approach direction, the advance direction, the traveling direction, and the traveling direction, and the passing amount of the changed road or intersection is output.

(Fourth Invention) [1] The current position when the vehicle moves from the designated point is detected, and if the detected current position is within a predetermined range based on the designated point, the above-mentioned Data about a road or an intersection corresponding to the detected current position is stored as trajectory information, or if the detected current position is within a predetermined range based on the designated point, the data about the detected current position and movement are stored. The data about the road or intersection to be stored is compared, and in this comparison, it is determined whether the current position corresponds to the road or the intersection, and the current position is stored as a new road or intersection. Alternatively, the navigation system is characterized in that the passing amount of the road or intersection is changed based on the comparison result. Temu.

[2] The current position when the vehicle moves from the designated point is detected, and if the detected current position is within the predetermined range based on the designated point, the detected current position is detected. A navigation system characterized by changing the passing amount of a road or an intersection corresponding to.

[3] The designated point is a point designated by the operator, or the driving start or end of the driving source of the vehicle is detected, and the detected driving start / end point of the driving source of the vehicle is detected. The navigation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that:

[4] The navigation system stores the number of times the vehicle has passed or the number of times the driving source of the vehicle has started to be driven for each designated point, and the predetermined range based on the designated point is stored in accordance with the number of detections. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the size of the navigation system is changed.

[5] The storage of the new road or the intersection, or the change of the passage amount of the road or the intersection is executed after or before the passage of the designated point, after the driving start of the drive source of the vehicle, or The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system is executed before, or before or after the driving of the driving source of the vehicle is ended.

[6] The navigation system calculates the passing amount of the road or the intersection or the passing amount of the new road or the intersection for each of the approach direction, the exit direction, the traveling direction or the traveling direction of the road or the intersection. 6. The navigation according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein each of the approach direction, the exit direction, the traveling direction, and the traveling direction is separately changed and the passing amount of the changed road or intersection is output. system.

(Fifth Invention) [1] At least one first route from the departure place of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination is searched based on the map information stored in advance. , At least one second route from the vicinity of the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination is searched based on the map information and the data on the roads or intersections that have been passed, The navigation system is characterized in that the route can be selected and the route guidance from the vicinity of the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination is performed based on the selected route.

[2] The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of routes is a single route from the vicinity of the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination.

[3] The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein, in the selection of the plurality of routes, a section connecting intersections of the respective routes, that is, each section from a branch point to a confluence point is selected.

[4] The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the route is based on the distance, time or passing amount of each searched route, or based on the selection by the operator.

[5] The navigation system calculates the passing amount of the road or the intersection or the passing amount of the new road or the intersection for each of the approach direction, the exit direction, the traveling direction or the traveling direction of the road or the intersection. The navigation system according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein each of the approaching direction, the approaching direction, the traveling direction, and the traveling direction is separately changed, and the passing amount of the changed road or intersection is output. .

(Sixth Invention) [1] The current position of the vehicle is detected, and it is determined whether or not the data on the detected current position and the data on the road or the intersection correspond to each other. According to the determination result, the current position is stored as a new road or intersection, and the stored new road is determined from the correspondence relationship between the stored new road or intersection and the detected vehicle current position. Alternatively, the navigation system is characterized in that the position information of the intersection is corrected.

[2] The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the correction amount of the position information corresponds to the passage amount of the road or intersection to be corrected.

[3] The corrected position information corresponds to an average position of the current position of the vehicle detected for each passage of a road or an intersection to be corrected. Navigation system.

[4] The navigation system calculates the passing amount of the road or the intersection or the passing amount of the new road or the intersection for each of the approach direction, the exit direction, the traveling direction or the traveling direction of the road or the intersection. The navigation system according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein each of the approaching direction, the approaching direction, the traveling direction, and the traveling direction is separately changed, and the passing amount of the changed road or intersection is output. .

[0397]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the traveling route of the host vehicle is stored as trajectory data at any time. Moreover,
In the route search from the current position to the destination etc., the stored locus data can be preferentially used. Therefore, the road frequently used by the user can be preferentially used as the route search route. Further, even if a new road is constructed, a guide route using the new road can be searched flexibly. Moreover, the search cost utilized in the route search is determined by a function that takes into account the link running frequency, link length, link running average vehicle speed, running date and time, road type, and the like. This can prevent a road that is congested depending on the time of day from being used as a guide route.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall circuit diagram of a navigation device.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data structure stored in data 38c of an information storage unit 37.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing various data stored in a first RAM 5.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a structure of a road data file F4.

5 is a diagram showing a data structure of node data 55. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a data structure of link data 60.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a data structure of intersection data 65.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a data structure of a point list PT.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a flowchart of overall processing.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flowchart of location registration processing.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a traveling position process.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a trajectory storage process.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a first intersection registration process.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a flowchart of second intersection registration processing.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a first embodiment of a route search process.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a flowchart of peripheral link search processing.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a flowchart of link cost calculation processing.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the route search processing.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the route search processing.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the route search processing.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the route search processing.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the route search processing.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the route search processing.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the route search processing.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the route search processing.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a first embodiment of the trajectory data deletion processing.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second example of the trajectory data deletion processing.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a flowchart of overall processing in the third embodiment of the trajectory data deletion processing.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a flowchart of overall processing in the fourth embodiment of the trajectory data deletion processing.

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a fourth example of trajectory data deletion processing.

FIG. 31 is a diagram showing a flowchart of processing for confirming storage of trajectory data.

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing a curved road 70 approximately represented by each link RB.

FIG. 33 is a diagram showing a relative positional relationship between roads stored in the information storage unit 37 and links stored in the trajectory data storage device 40.

FIG. 34 is an explanatory diagram of connection between each link and a node.

FIG. 35 is a diagram showing each locus route searched by the second example of the route search processing.

FIG. 36 is a diagram showing a weighting function used in the trajectory data deletion process.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Central processing unit, 2 ... CPU, 3 ... Flash memory, 4 ... ROM, 5 ... First RAM, 9 ... Image processor, 10 ... Image memory, 11 ... Voice processor, 13 ...
Speaker, 20 ... Current position detection device, 21 ... Absolute direction sensor, 22 ... Relative direction sensor, 23 ... Distance sensor, 25
... GPS receiving device, 26 ... Beacon receiving device, 27 ... Data transmitting / receiving device, 30 ... Input / output device, 33 ... Display, 34 ... Touch panel, 37 ... Information storage section, 38a ...
Disk management information, 39 ... Data transmitting / receiving unit, 40 ... Locus data storage device.

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 17, 1996

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0008

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Summary of Embodiments An embodiment according to the present invention described below detects the current position of the vehicle (steps SA3 and SA in FIG. 9).
9) The data on the detected current position and the data on the intersection are compared (step SC11 in FIG. 12), and the passing amount at the intersection is changed based on the comparison result (step in FIG. 12). SC1
3) Output the passing amount of this changed intersection (Fig. 9)
The navigation system is characterized by performing step SA21). The navigation system also compares the detected current position data (position data PQ1, position data PQ2 in FIG. 3) with road data (step S in FIG. 12).
C1, SC3, SC15), and based on this comparison result, the passage amount of the road is also changed (step SC9 of FIG. 12, step SD13 of FIG. 13, step SE3, SE15 of FIG. 14), and this change is made. The amount of passage of the road is also output (step SA21 in FIG. 9), and the intersection is a junction or a junction of the road. Furthermore, the navigation system is
A route is searched from the departure point of the vehicle or near the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination (step SA in FIG. 9).
7) In this search, based on the passage amount of the intersection or the passage amount of the road, the intersection or the road having the large passage amount is preferentially searched for the route (step SF9 in FIG. 16). Characterize. Further, in the embodiment according to the present invention described below, the current position of the vehicle is detected (steps SA3 and SA9 in FIG. 9),
The detected data regarding the current position (position data PQ1, position data PQ2 in FIG. 3) is compared with the data regarding the road or the intersection (steps SC1, SC3, SC15 in FIG. 12), and the current position is compared in this comparison. It is determined whether or not the road and the intersection correspond to each other (steps SC3 and SC1 in FIG. 12).
5) According to this determination result, the current position is output as a new road or intersection (step SC in FIG. 12).
5, SC21, SC23). Further, the navigation system searches for a route from the vicinity of the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination (step SA7 in FIG. 9), and in this search, in addition to the road or the intersection, the new route. It is characterized in that a road (link data 60 in FIG. 6) or an intersection (intersection data 65 in FIG. 7) is also searched (step SF9 in FIG. 16). Furthermore, the navigation system compares the detected current position data (position data PQ1, position data PQ2 in FIG. 3) with the road or intersection as well as the new road or intersection ( Step SC of FIG.
3, SC15), the passing amount of the road or intersection is changed based on the comparison result (steps SC9 and SC13 in FIG. 12), and the changed passing amount of the road or intersection is also output ( Step SA in FIG.
21), The intersection is a junction or a junction of the road. Further, the navigation system further searches for a route from the vicinity of the departure point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination (step SA7 in FIG. 9), and in this search, the passage amount of the road or intersection. Besides, based on the passing amount of the new road or intersection, the road or the intersection having the large passing amount is preferentially searched for the route (step SF9 in FIG. 16). Further, the navigation system repeatedly performs the above determination, and if the current position and the road or intersection correspond to the previous time (step SC1 in FIG. 12) last time and the current position and the road or intersection do not correspond to each other this time. (Steps SC3 and SC15 in FIG. 12), the current position at the previous time or this time is output as a new intersection (step S in FIG. 12).
The first intersection registration process shown in C5, the second intersection registration process shown in step SC23 of FIG. 12), the previous time, the current position does not correspond to the road or the intersection, and the current position also corresponds to the road or the intersection this time. Does not correspond, and if the change in the direction of the current position exceeds the predetermined amount (step SC17 in FIG. 12), the current positions of the previous time and this time are output as new roads (step SC21 in FIG. 12). It is characterized by doing. In addition, the navigation system determines the amount of passage of the road or intersection or the amount of passage of the new road or intersection for each of the approach direction, the exit direction, the traveling direction, and the traveling direction of the road, or the approach direction and the exit of the intersection. The change is made separately for each direction, traveling direction, or traveling direction (step SC13 in FIG. 12, step SD9 in FIG. 13, step SE11 in FIG. 14), and the changed passage amount of the road or intersection is output (see FIG. Step SA21 of 9). The embodiment according to the present invention described below is to detect the current position when the vehicle moves from a specified point, and if the detected current position is within a predetermined range based on the specified point, The data on the detected current position and the data on the moving road or intersection are compared with each other. In this comparison, it is determined whether or not the current position and the road or intersection correspond to each other and the current position is determined. It is characterized in that it is stored as a new road or intersection, or the passing amount of the road or intersection is changed based on the comparison result.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A current position of a vehicle is detected, the detected current position data is compared with the intersection data, and the passing amount of the intersection is changed based on the comparison result. A navigation system characterized by outputting the changed passing amount of the intersection. 2. The navigation system further compares the detected current position data with the road data, and also changes the passing amount of the road based on the comparison result. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the passing amount of the road is also output, and the intersection is a junction or a junction of the road. 3. The navigation system further searches for a route from near the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to near the destination, and in this search, the passing amount of the intersection or the passing amount of the road. 3. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the route is searched by giving priority to an intersection or a road having a large passage amount based on the above. 4. The present position of the vehicle is detected, and the detected current position data is compared with the road or intersection data. In this comparison, the present position corresponds to the road or intersection. A navigation system, characterized in that it is determined whether or not the current position is present, and the current position is output as a new road or intersection according to the determination result. 5. The navigation system further searches for a route from near the starting point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to near the destination, and in this search, in addition to the road or intersection, the new road. Alternatively, the navigation system according to claim 4, wherein an intersection is also searched. 6. The navigation system further compares the detected current position data with the road or intersection data as well as the new road or intersection data, and based on the comparison result, the road. Alternatively, the passing amount of the intersection is changed, and the changed passing amount of the road or the intersection is also output, and the intersection is a junction or a junction of the road. The navigation system according to 5. 7. The navigation system further searches for a route from the vicinity of the departure point of the vehicle or the current position of the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination, and in this search, in addition to the passing amount of the road or intersection, the new route. 7. The navigation system according to claim 6, wherein a route or an intersection having a large passage amount is preferentially searched for the route based on the passage amount of the road or the intersection. 8. The navigation system repeats the above determination, and if the current position and the road or intersection correspond to each other last time and this time, and the current position and the road or intersection do not correspond to each other, the previous time or this time. The current position of is output as a new intersection, the previous time, the current position does not correspond to the road or intersection,
Also this time, if the current position does not correspond to the road or intersection, and if the change in the direction of the current position exceeds a predetermined amount, the previous and current current positions are output as a new road. The navigation system according to claim 4, 5, 6, or 7. 9. The navigation system uses the amount of passage of the road or intersection or the amount of passage of the new road or intersection as an approach direction, an exit direction of the road,
It is characterized in that it is changed separately for each traveling direction or traveling direction, or for each approaching direction, exiting direction, traveling direction or traveling direction of the intersection, and the passing amount of the changed road or intersection is output. The navigation system according to claim 1, 2, 3, 6, or 7.