JPH0996539A - Navigation device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a navigation device to guide a proper estimated arrival time by calculating a required time up to a destination from average vehicle speed for every kind of set road and a calculated remaining distance. SOLUTION: When a program of a path guiding system is started by a CPU 40 in a central processing device 4, a present position is detected by a present position detecting device 2, a surrounding map is displayed with the present position as the center, at the same time, for example, the name of the present position is displayed. Then, a destination is set using, a land name, an address, and a facility name, etc., thus searching path to the destination. When the path is determined, a present position is traced by the device 2, the path guide/ display are repeated until a vehicle arrives at the destination, arrival estimation time is calculated as the present position moves based on average vehicle speed which is set according to, road type and condition, the arrival estimation time, etc., is displayed using a clock at a position which can be easily seen at the upper portion of a display 12, and a voice is outputted from a speaker 16 as required.

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 inputting a destination such as a destination or a passing point, searching for a route from a current position or a place of departure, and providing route guidance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, various route guidance devices have been proposed for smoothly driving on an unguided road. In these devices, by inputting a destination, the driver can drive to the destination. There is a route guidance device that guides an appropriate road. In this route guidance device, a device that displays the distance to the destination and the required time on the screen is known.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional route guidance device, the arrival time from the departure place to the destination can be calculated by the preset average vehicle speed. However, depending on the road conditions and road conditions during the traveling, There is a problem that the arrival time information may be misaligned. The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device for a vehicle that can appropriately respond to traveling conditions of a vehicle and can provide appropriate arrival time guidance.

[0004]

According to the present invention, in a vehicular navigation device for inputting a destination, searching for a route, and performing route guidance, a predicted arrival time at the destination is calculated along with the movement of the current position. The feature is to guide. Also, a vehicle speed setting means for setting an average vehicle speed for each road type,
The current position detecting means for calculating the current position of the vehicle, the route, and the route calculating means for calculating the distance for each road type in the route, and the remaining distance for each road type on the route are calculated and set. A guide control means is provided for calculating the required time to the destination from the average vehicle speed for each road type and the calculated remaining distance, adding it to the current time to obtain the estimated arrival time, and displaying it.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the estimated arrival time at the destination is calculated and guided as the current position moves. Further, by setting the average vehicle speed appropriately for each road type, it is possible to accurately predict the arrival time by changing the average vehicle speed based on the driver's feeling. In addition, the remaining distance from the current position to the destination is calculated for each road type, and the estimated arrival time is calculated based on the remaining distance,
Since the guidance is provided, even when the vehicle is unavoidably stopped, such as when the vehicle is stopped due to a signal waiting or a traffic jam, the arrival time does not deviate, and the expected arrival time can be appropriately guided.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a navigation device according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a navigation device according to the present invention includes an input / output device 1 for inputting / outputting information regarding route guidance, a current position detecting device 2 for detecting information regarding the current position of the vehicle, and a navigation required for route calculation. Information storage device 3 in which data for travel and display guidance data necessary for guidance and the like are recorded, and a central processing unit 4 which performs route search processing and display guidance processing required for route guidance and controls the entire system Has been done.

The input / output device 1 inputs a destination, sets and inputs an average vehicle speed for each road type in order to know the estimated time of arrival at the destination, or according to road conditions, etc. In order for the driver to output the guidance information by voice and / or screen when necessary, the driver has a function to instruct the central processing unit 4 to perform navigation processing and print out the processed data and the like. . As a means for realizing the function, a touch switch 1 for inputting a destination by a telephone number, coordinates on a map, or requesting route guidance in an input unit.
A display 1 having an operation switch 1 and an operation switch, and on the output unit, input data is displayed on the screen, and route guidance, estimated arrival time, etc. are automatically displayed on the screen in response to a driver's request.
2. Data and information storage device 3 processed by the central processing unit 4
A printer 13 for printing out the data stored in, a speaker 16 for outputting route guidance, estimated arrival time, etc. by voice are provided.

Here, a voice recognition device for enabling voice input or a recording card reading device for reading data recorded in an IC card or a magnetic card can be added. In addition, an information center that accumulates data necessary for navigation, provides traffic congestion information, etc. via communication lines at the driver's request, and driver specific data such as map data and destination data is stored in advance. It is also possible to add a data communication device for exchanging data with an information source such as an existing electronic notebook.

The display 12 is composed of a color CRT or a color liquid crystal display, and has a target name input screen based on map data and guidance data processed by the central processing unit 4, a route setting screen, a section diagram screen, and an intersection diagram. All screens necessary for navigation such as screens and intersections are output in color display, and on this screen, buttons for setting route guidance, guidance during route guidance, and switching screens are displayed. In particular, passing intersection information such as the name of a passing intersection is displayed in a pop-up color on the section map screen at any time.

This display 12 is provided in the instrument panel near the driver's seat, and the driver can confirm the current position of the vehicle by looking at the section map and obtain information on the route from now on. it can. Further, the display 12 is provided with a touch panel 11 corresponding to the display of the function buttons, and is configured so that the above operation is executed based on a signal input by touching the button. The input signal generating means including the button and the touch switch constitutes an input section, but a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

The current position detecting device 2 is a GPS receiving device 21 using a satellite navigation system (GPS), a beacon receiving device 22, such as a cellular phone (automobile phone) or F.
A data transmission / reception device 23 for receiving a GPS correction signal using an M multiplex signal, an absolute direction sensor 24 including a geomagnetic sensor, a relative direction sensor 25 including a wheel sensor, a steering sensor, a gyro, and the like, wheel rotation A distance sensor 26 for detecting the traveling distance from the number is provided.

The information storage device 3 is a file of map data, intersection data, node data, road data, photograph data, registration point data, guidance point data, destination data, telephone number data, address data, etc. necessary for route guidance. It is a database that consists of all the data required for navigation devices.

The central processing unit 4 moves the current position based on the CPU 40 that executes various arithmetic processes, route search, and the average vehicle speed set for each road type or for the searched route according to the road conditions. A program for performing processing such as calculation of estimated arrival time, display output control required for route guidance, voice output control required for voice guidance, and data required for that. 1 ROM 41, RAM 42 for temporarily storing route guidance information such as set destination coordinates, road numbers, etc. and data being processed, display information data necessary for route guidance and map display are stored. Second RO
M43, an image memory 44 in which image data used for screen display on the display is stored, an image processor for extracting image data from the image memory 44 based on a display output control signal from the CPU 40, performing image processing, and outputting to the display 45, a voice processor 4 for synthesizing a voice, a phrase, a sentence, a sound, etc. read from the information storage device 3 based on a voice output control signal from the CPU, converting the synthesized voice into an analog signal, and outputting the analog signal to the speaker 16.
6. A communication interface 47 for exchanging input / output data by communication, a sensor input interface 48 for taking in a sensor signal of the current position detecting device 2, a clock 49 for entering date and time in internal diagnostic information, and the like. There is. Here, the route guidance is performed by screen display and voice output, and the presence or absence of voice output can be selected by the driver.

2 to 4 show examples of the structure of main data files stored in the information storage device 3 according to the present invention shown in FIG. FIG. 2A shows a guide road data file in which data necessary for calculating a route and performing route guidance by the route calculating means is stored. For each of the number n of roads, a road number, a length, a road Address of attribute data, shape data, address of size and guidance data,
It consists of each data of size. The road number is set for each direction (outbound and return) for each road between the branch points. As shown in FIG. 3 (A), the road attribute data as the road guidance assistance information day is data showing information on the number of lanes, whether the road is an elevated road, an elevated road, an underpass, an underpass, or the like. is there. As shown in FIG. 2B, when the road is divided into a plurality of nodes, the shape data has coordinate data of east longitude and north latitude for each m node number.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the guidance data includes intersection (or branch) name, caution data, road name data, road name voice data address, size and destination data address, size. It consists of each data. As shown in FIG. 4 (A), the caution data is data indicating information such as a railroad crossing, a tunnel entrance, a tunnel exit, a width reduction point, or a missing point. Is data for calling attention to the driver. As shown in FIG. 3B, the road name data includes information on road types of highways, urban highways, toll roads, general roads (national roads, prefectural roads, etc.), highways, urban highways, and toll roads. It is data indicating information indicating whether the road is a main line or an installation road, and is composed of road type data and an in-type number which is individual number data for each road type.

As shown in FIG. 2D, the destination data is composed of a destination road number, a destination name, an address of destination name voice data, a size, a destination direction data, and travel guidance data. The destination name includes a direction name. In addition, destination direction data is invalid (do not use destination direction data), unnecessary (do not guide), go straight,
It is data indicating information on the right direction, diagonally right direction, right returning direction, left direction, diagonally left direction, and left returning direction. As shown in FIG. 4B, the travel guidance data stores data for guiding which lane to travel when there are a plurality of lanes. ,
This is data indicating no information.

Next, the flow of processing of the vehicle navigation device of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the flow of the entire system of the vehicle navigation device according to the present invention.

When the program of the route guidance system is started by the CPU 51 of the central processing unit 4, the current position detecting device 2 detects the current position, displays a map around the current position, and displays the name of the current position. Etc. are displayed (step S1). Next, a destination is set using a target name such as a place name or a facility name, a telephone number, an address, a registered point, and the like (step S2), and a route search from the current position to the destination is performed (step S3). When the route is determined, the current position is traced and displayed repeatedly until the destination is reached while the current position is tracked by the current position detection device 2.
The estimated arrival time is calculated and guided along with the movement of the current position based on the average vehicle speed set for each road type or according to the road condition or the like (step S4). When the detour setting is input before reaching the destination, the search area is set, the search is performed again in the search area, and the route guidance is repeated until the destination is reached. FIG.
It is a figure which displays a vehicle speed setting screen, and it pops up below the guidance map screen by operation of the operation key provided in the input / output device of FIG.
The vehicle speed is displayed as a graph up to 60 km / h, and the shaded area in the figure can be changed with the vehicle speed setting key to select the speed.
The user sets a vehicle speed that is realistic while taking into consideration the road conditions, such as the case where the traffic information on the road and the required time can be received in real time by communication means such as VICS. For example, the vehicle speed is set in consideration of driving conditions such as unexpected traffic congestion caused by a traffic accident or road construction. In the example of the figure, highway 80 km / h, general road 30
It is set to Km / h. When the setting is completed and the vehicle speed setting pop-up screen is returned, the route guide map is displayed. In this way, when the average vehicle speed is set for each road type such as highway and general road, the estimated time of arrival at the destination is calculated by the processing described later. In this way, the vehicle speed is set for each road type in consideration of the road conditions, so that the estimated arrival time is appropriately calculated according to the driving conditions. The estimated arrival time calculated in this way is displayed as a clock at an easy-to-see position on the upper part of the guide screen as shown in FIG. 7, and is also output as voice if necessary. Next, the estimated arrival time display processing will be described with reference to FIG. When a destination is input from the input / output device 1 of FIG. 1, the central processing unit 4 searches for a route from the current position to the destination, and calculates a highway distance and a general road distance in the searched route (S1). ~ S3). Next, the current position detecting device 2 calculates the current position and determines whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the destination (S4, S5). Next, the road name data in the information storage device 3 is referred to determine whether the road being traveled is a highway or a general road, and the distances that have been respectively advanced are subtracted from the initially calculated highway distance and the general road distance. Then, the remaining distance is obtained (S6 to S8). Next, by dividing the obtained remaining distance by the average vehicle speed on the expressway and the general road set on the screen of FIG. 6, the time required for traveling on the expressway and the general road is calculated, and these are added to calculate the time from the current position. Calculate the time required to reach the destination (S9, S
10). Then, the estimated time required for arrival is calculated by adding the required time calculated at the time ticked by the clock 49 of the central processing unit and displayed (S11). Such processing is executed until the destination is reached, and when the destination is reached, the processing ends.

In this way, the accuracy of the required time can be secured by calculating the remaining distance on the route for each road type such as highway distance and general road and setting it for each average vehicle speed road type. By providing a means by which the user can operate and set the average vehicle speed, the required time corresponding to the desired traveling can be calculated.

As a method of calculating the estimated arrival time, the traveling time can be calculated at an average vehicle speed suitable for each road by performing weighting processing in advance according to the type of road, the road width, and the number of intersections. , It is possible to more appropriately calculate the estimated arrival time and provide guidance. As a weighting method, by adding or integrating a predetermined value to the distance of each road, for example, the actual distance of 1 km on a prefectural road is 1.5 times the actual distance of 1 km on a national road. Therefore, apparently, the prefectural road can calculate the arrival time at 1.5 km. Further, instead of the distance, the average vehicle speed itself may be changed by adding or subtracting a predetermined value to calculate the estimated arrival time.

As a method of calculating the estimated arrival time, the estimated arrival time may be automatically calculated using external information obtained by the beacon receiving device 22 and the data transmitting / receiving device 23. Alternatively, the estimated arrival time may be calculated by manual operation according to the obtained external information. In particular, when an external organization such as VICS or ATIS is used, it is possible to provide the estimated arrival time in consideration of the road conditions at the destination, and to improve the accuracy.

Even if external information such as VICS and ATIS is available, it is not always possible to obtain information about all roads. Therefore, by configuring the estimated arrival time based on the remaining distance as in the present invention, it is possible to appropriately guide the estimated arrival time even when external information cannot be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a navigation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a main data file according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a main data file according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a main data file according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the entire system.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a vehicle speed setting screen of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an estimated arrival time display screen.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an estimated arrival time display processing flow of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Input / output device, 2 ... Present position detection device, 3 ... Information storage device, 4 ... Central processing unit, 11 ... Touch switch, 12
... display, 13 ... printer, 16 ... speaker, 2
1 ... GPS receiver, 22 ... Beacon receiver, 23 ...
Data transmitting / receiving device, 40 ... CPU, 41 ... First ROM,
42 ... RAM, 43 ... Second ROM, 44 ... Image memory,
45 ... Image processor, 46 ... Audio processor, 47 ...
Communication interface, 48 ... Sensor input interface, 49 ... Clock

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location G09B 29/00 G09B 29/00 A

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method of calculating a route from a current position to a destination, appropriately calculating an estimated time of arrival at the destination based on the calculated route as the current position moves, and providing guidance. Navigation device for vehicles. 2. A current position detecting means for detecting a current position of a vehicle, an input means for inputting information necessary for calculating a destination and a route, and all data necessary for performing route guidance are stored. The information storage means, a route calculation means for calculating a route to the destination based on the information input by the input means and the data stored in the information storage means, and the route calculated by the route calculation means Route information storage means, arrival time calculation means for calculating the estimated arrival time to the destination based on the route calculated by the route calculation means, and notifying the estimated arrival time calculated by the arrival time calculation means The arrival time calculation means has a vehicle speed setting means for setting a calculation vehicle speed for each road type, and the arrival time calculation means Flip the vehicle navigation device, characterized in that to calculate the expected arrival time to the destination to calculate the time required for each road type. 3. A current position detecting means for detecting a current position of a vehicle, an input means for inputting information necessary for calculating a destination or a route, and all data required for route guidance are stored. The information storage means, the route calculation means for calculating a route to the destination based on the information input by the input means and the data stored in the information storage means, and the route calculated by the route calculation means Route information storage means for storing each type, arrival time calculation means for calculating an estimated arrival time to the destination based on the route calculated by the route calculation means, and arrival prediction calculated by the arrival time calculation means The arrival time calculation means calculates the required time for each road type along with the movement of the current position and predicts the arrival at the destination. Vehicle navigation system and calculates between.