JPH10141977A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user to recognize by appealing to his sense of hearing, by reading out character string data to be read out for a registration point in a fixed distance range from a current point. SOLUTION: On a map called onto a screen from a map information storage medium 5, an arbitrary point which is to be registered is designated, and at that time, a position data for a designated point is added with a character string data to be read out and registered in an auxiliary storage medium 12, and when a current position is within a constant distance area from a registered point, the read-out character string data is informed in sound voice, so that the information about the place which a user itself registered is provided safely without affecting on driving, etc.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation device which can provide map information by appealing to hearing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A navigation apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 5 is a navigation apparatus developed for a main use for in-vehicle use, although it is possible to carry it personally. C from sensor 3 and gyro 4 sensor
The PU 9 determines the current position of the vehicle and displays the current position on the screen of the display 7 in the vehicle cabin by superimposing the current position on the peripheral map. The map displayed on the display 7 is a CD-ROM
And the like, are stored in a hierarchical manner in a plurality of layers in a map information storage medium 5, such as a keyboard 8 on which keys 8a, 8b,
By scrolling the screen by operating the above key, it is possible to arbitrarily read from a map near the current position to a map near the destination.

The navigation apparatus 1 has a function of registering a map called on the screen from the map information storage medium 5 by marking a point designated by the user. Apart from this, an auxiliary storage medium 6 for writing additional information is connected to the CPU 9.
The additional information may be, for example, a gas station that can use the same refueling card, a supermarket with a parking lot, or a road that is restricted by time of day, such as a road that is restricted by time of day. Although most of the useful personal information is used, since it can be freely added or deleted on the user side, various uses are expected.

To register additional information, a map including a point to be registered as a mark is first called on the screen of the display 7 as a detailed map having the smallest scale ratio. Next, scroll the screen using the scroll keys 8a,
The cursor always displayed at the center of the screen is matched with the point where the mark is to be registered. Next, the set key 8b is pressed, and a registration mark is entered at that point. As a result, the address data of the same point stored in the map information storage medium 5, that is, the longitude data and the latitude data, are written into the auxiliary storage medium 6, and each time a map including the same point is displayed, a registration mark is overwritten at that point. Is displayed. However, since the registration mark only means that the point has been registered on the map, several types of alternative marks with distinguishable features are prepared separately. The registration mark can be rewritten by specifying the object. Therefore, for example, in the case of a gas station, each gas station that can use a refueling card is changed to a double circle, and a gas station that cannot use a refueling card but has a discount privilege is changed to a red circle. Can be changed to a mark having a characteristic that can be easily identified.

[0005] In addition, a sound prepared by the system or a sound of a fixed phrase can be set in the registration mark so that a sound can be sounded or a voice phrase can be uttered when the current position approaches the vicinity of the mark. Has become. Furthermore, it is possible to utter a sound or a voice phrase only when entering from a designated direction by designating an approach direction.

[0006]

In the navigation device 1 in which the above-mentioned conventional additional information can be written, a mark and a voice phrase are registered as the additional information, and when the current position approaches the registered point, the information is displayed on the map. Reminders are provided by looking at the mark or by listening to a fixed phrase, and it is possible to provide route guidance that can be declared both visually and auditory. However, with regard to the auditory system, the sounds and voice phrases to be sounded are predetermined by the system, and thus the user cannot freely determine the phrases. Is not included in the fixed phrase prepared in advance, you can only substitute a similar fixed phrase, and you can not respond to place names and personal names unless you prepare innumerable words, so place names of places that come and go frequently There is a problem that voice registration cannot be performed at a friend's house or a customer's house.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has a positioning means for locating a current position and displaying it on a map called from a map information storage medium on a screen. A registration point designating means for designating an arbitrary point to be registered on the map called, and supplementing the position data of the point designated by the registration point designating means with an optional designated character string data. Registration means for registering in a storage medium, and when the current position measured by the positioning means is within a fixed distance from a point registered in the auxiliary storage medium, the read-out character string data attached to the position data of the point is stored in the storage medium. And a notifying means for reading the character string data read from the auxiliary storage medium and converting the read character string data into a voice or a sound for notification.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a navigation device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure of point registration by the navigation device shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a read operation of a registered point by the navigation device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an input screen for explaining character input by the navigation device shown in FIG. 1.

The navigation device 11 shown in FIG. 1 displays a point designated by the user and registered in the auxiliary storage medium 12 by sound or voice when the current position of the vehicle is within a certain distance range of the registered point. With additional functions,
In terms of the block configuration, it seems that only the sound generator 13 is added to the conventional navigation device 1, but the auxiliary storage medium 12 stores the registration point with the read-out character string data, New actions have been added to the operation itself. Regarding point registration, not only can a registered point be registered with voice reading data but also a mark can be registered in the same manner as in the past, in which case a desired mark can be designated at the time of registration. It has become.

As shown in FIG. 1, information registered in the auxiliary storage medium 12 at the time of point registration includes position data (longitude data and latitude data) of a registered point, mark type data indicating a mark type, and the like. Further, there are read-out control data used for controlling whether or not to read out, approach azimuth data indicating whether or not to set an approach azimuth, and read-out character string data to be read out when the current position approaches a mark. The character string data read at the time of point registration is
A character string displayed at a position closest to the registered point is registered so as to be useful when displaying the registered points in a list. In the recording format of the navigation CD-ROM, characters and symbol data displayed on a map are recorded in a character / symbol layer in accordance with a shift JIS code.
This shift JIS code can be extracted and registered in the auxiliary storage medium 12 as a mark name character string as it is.

The auxiliary storage medium 1 shown in the present embodiment
The nonvolatile memory 2 uses a non-volatile memory that keeps storing operation by a battery 12a separate from the vehicle-mounted battery so that the registered data can be maintained even if the vehicle is stopped and the power supply from the battery power supply is cut off. Also, the sound generator 13
Has a built-in sound generating circuit 13a, a voice synthesizing circuit 13b, and a speaker 13c, and receives a command from the CPU 14 to notify the sound generated by the sound generating circuit 13a and the voice synthesized by the voice synthesizing circuit 13b from the speaker 13c. .

Hereinafter, the procedure of point registration will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In the point registration, in step (101), the menu key 15a of the keyboard 15 is operated to call a menu on the screen, and mark registration is selected from the called menu. Thereby, the mark registration mode is selected. Next, in step (102), a map including the point to be registered is called on the screen of the display 7. Step (1
In 03), the map is scrolled up and down or left and right using the cursor keys 15b. When the point to be registered overlaps the cursor at the center of the screen, the enter key 1
Press 5c. Next, in step (104), it is displayed whether or not to read out the mark to be registered. If "No" is selected, step (108) is executed.

On the other hand, if "YES" is selected, a character input screen of the Japanese syllabary arrangement shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the screen in step (105), and a character string to be read out is input. When a character is selected with the cursor key 15b and the enter key 15c is pressed, the selected character is displayed in a reading character string display portion at the bottom of the screen. The displayed characters include not only normal characters but also fixed reading voices and onomatopoeic symbols that represent a buzzer, phonetic symbols, etc. in one character. Can be. By pressing the switching button on the screen, the character panel is switched, and another character can be input.
Input characters one after another in this manner, and when the character input is completed, press the registration button at the lower left of the screen. In addition, as a default of the read-out character string data, a character string of a place closest to the set point is set from the map information storage medium 5 to the auxiliary storage medium 12 at the time of setting the point.

Next, at step (106), it is displayed whether or not to set the approach direction to the mark to be registered.
If "No" is selected, step (108) is executed. If “Yes” is selected, step (10)
At 7), the cursor at the center of the screen becomes the approach direction mark, the approach direction mark is rotated using the cursor key 15b to determine the approach direction, and then the enter key 15c is pressed. Finally, in step (108), the set data is written into the auxiliary storage medium 12 composed of a volatile memory together with the position data of the registration point, and can be read out as needed at the time of route guidance or the like.

On the other hand, in the actual map display, first, in step (201) of FIG.
The PU 14 calculates the current position from the output of the GPS receiver 2, and draws a peripheral map including the current position in the following step (202) in order to display the current position and a map around the current position on the screen of the display 7. At this time, if there is a registration mark, the registration mark is superimposed and displayed on the map. However, if you are manually searching for a map, a map that does not include the current location is displayed. Next, in step (203), the registered location registered in the auxiliary storage medium 12 is compared with the current location,
When the distance between the two is reduced to a certain distance or less, it is determined in step (204) whether or not the approach azimuth has been registered. If not, step (206)
Execute Also, if the approach direction is set,
In step (205), the azimuth of the position of the vehicle is compared with the azimuth marked on the registration mark. If both azimuths are within a certain angle range, step (206) is executed.

In step (206), the read-out character string data assigned to the registration point is read from the auxiliary storage medium 12 by the CPU 14 and sent to the sound generator 13.
The sound generator 13 generates a sound generation circuit 13a for the onomatopoeic data.
Generates a synthesized voice, and the voice synthesis circuit 13b generates a synthesized voice for the read-out character string data. As a result, the speaker 13c emits an onomatopoeic sound such as "Boo Boo Boo ..." or "Peep Beep ..."
Say guidance sounds such as "I'm at Yoshida's home" or "Be careful." For this reason, the driver can hear the ear and know that the vehicle is near the registration point without directly looking at the screen of the display 4, and the registration point approaches the predetermined distance while continuing to look ahead necessary for safe driving. Can be recognized.

As described above, the navigation device 11
According to the above, the mark display is visually recognized as the additional information that can be selectively added by the user at the registered point where the mark has been superimposed on the map information read from the map information storage medium 12. not only,
When the registered point is within a certain distance from the current position, it can be recognized by sounding to the auditory auditory, so that the driver can safely and accurately obtain information about the registered point while observing the forward gaze can do. Further, since the auxiliary storage medium 12 is constituted by a nonvolatile memory which can read and write data at any time, a read-only memory used as the map information storage medium 5, for example,
The stored data such as D-ROM can be used without any processing, and especially in the case of an in-vehicle navigation device, the non-volatile memory stores the necessary data even when the battery power is cut off. Since the continuation is continued, there is no possibility that the data once registered will be lost, and additional information that is not in the map information storage medium 5 can be registered with confidence.

Further, for a point designated as a registration point, a character string composed of characters selected from a character list displayed on the screen is registered as read-out character string data. From the displayed Japanese syllabary character table, you can select the characters that make up the character string, and freely enter the character string data that is read out.
The user wants to utter as desired about restrictions based on traffic rules such as speed limits and temporary stops, or broad guidance data on incidental conditions such as dangers of landslides and lighting advice in dense fog, and personal home names at registered locations. Sound can be set, and point recognition that is very effective in attaining route guidance through hearing can be performed.

Also, a special symbol table in which special symbols that can be freely given meanings are collected is displayed on a screen, and the special symbol selected from the special symbol table is registered together with ordinary characters in the auxiliary storage medium. For example, at a gas station,
Special features with features that make it easy for individual users to identify, such as changing gas stations that can use refueling cards to double circles, and changing gas stations that cannot use refueling cards but have discount benefits to red circles. It is convenient to register character data with a sign, and to be able to recognize it on a map when the user passes near it, such as a supermarket with a parking lot or a road whose traffic is restricted depending on time of day. Such personal information can be registered by attaching a special symbol having a feature that is easy for the user to identify, and a display that is more intuitive than a display of characters alone can be made.

Further, the character string data at the location closest to the designated point is read from the map information storage medium 5 and registered in the auxiliary storage medium 12 as read-out character string data. Map information storage medium 5 using character string data of a place as default data
And registering it as read-out character string data, it is possible to notify the registered point by the nearest place name etc. without inputting the read-out character string data. Can be recognized as it is, and the effect of present location recognition or destination guidance by voice guidance can be obtained.

Further, since the direction of approach to the designated point is specified and the read-out character string data corresponding to the specified direction of entry is registered in the auxiliary storage medium, it is possible to turn the vehicle near a face-to-face traffic road where turning is prohibited. At points where it is clear that direct access is not possible from the opposite lane, such as a point facing the opposite lane, you can read out character string data only when approaching from an accessible approach direction. Can be avoided beforehand.

In the above embodiment, the character string composed of the kana characters selected from the character input screen of the Japanese syllabary arrangement is read aloud. However, in order to read the read character string data registered in the auxiliary storage medium 12, a word is read. By using a pronunciation device having a dictionary, it is possible to read out sentences mixed with kanji and kana. In this case, since the read-out character string data is registered as a sentence mixed with kanji and kana from the beginning, for example, a kanji conversion button is displayed in addition to a switching button or a registration button on a character input screen of a Japanese syllabary arrangement, and each time the kanji conversion button is pressed, Alternatively, the kanji of the idiom conversion candidate may be switched and displayed. Kanji can also be input by specifying the phonetic reading aloud not verbatim but verbatim. Thus, not only for the read-out character string data composed of only kana, but also for character string data mixed with kanji, the read-out character string data can be uttered according to the correct pronunciation obtained by referring to the word dictionary, and frequently. Voice registration and voice notification are also possible for character string data that cannot be handled unless an innumerable number of words are prepared, such as place names of places to go and places of friends and places such as customer houses and personal names.

The approach direction that can be designated as a registration point is
It is also possible to use not only one but also a plurality, and in that case, it is also possible to change the read-out character string data for each approach direction. Furthermore, the mark once registered can be erased freely by the user's will or displayed only when the user desires. The read-out character string data and approach direction can also be set after registration. Can be changed by changing.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention,
On the map called on the screen from the map information storage medium, an arbitrary point to be registered is specified, and at that time, the position data of the specified point is added to the optional reading character string data to the auxiliary storage medium. When the registered point is located within a certain distance from the current location, the read-out character string data is read out from the auxiliary storage medium and is notified as a voice or a sound. As additional information, not only is the mark displayed visually recognizable for the registered point that has been superimposed on the map information read from the map information storage medium, but also the registered point has reached a certain distance from the current location. Sometimes it can be recognized by appealing to the hearing with sound,
As a result, there is an excellent effect that the driver can safely and accurately obtain information on the location registered by the driver while observing the forward gaze.

Further, according to the present invention, since the auxiliary storage medium is constituted by a non-volatile memory capable of reading and writing data at any time, it can be used as a read-only memory used as a map information storage medium, for example, storage data such as a CD-ROM. It can be used without any processing, and when applied to an in-vehicle navigation device, it is registered once because the non-volatile memory keeps necessary data even when the battery power is cut off. There is no danger that data will be lost, and it is possible to register additional information that is not present in the map information storage medium without worry.

The registration means registers a character string composed of characters selected from a character list displayed on the screen as read-out character string data at the point designated by the registration point designation means. Therefore, the characters constituting the character string can be selected from the Japanese syllabary table or the Roman alphabet table displayed on the screen, and the character string data can be input freely. Users are asked about road types such as cul-de-sac, restrictions based on traffic rules such as speed limits and temporary stops, or road guidance data in a broad sense regarding incidental conditions such as dangers of landslides and lighting advice in dense fog, and personal home names at registered points. Can set the sound to be uttered as desired, and it is possible to recognize points that are very effective for guiding the route through hearing An effect.

Prior to registration, the registration means displays on a screen a special symbol table in which special symbols which can be freely given meanings are combined, and the special symbol selected from the special symbol table is combined with ordinary characters in the auxiliary storage medium. For example, if it is a gas station, change the gas station where a refueling card can be used to a double circle display, or change a gas station that cannot use a refueling card but has a discount privilege to a red circle display. To register character data with special symbols with features that are easy for individual users to distinguish, such as supermarkets with parking lots and roads that are restricted by time of day,
It is possible to register personal information, etc., which is convenient if the user can recognize it on the map when passing near it, by attaching special symbols with features that are easy for the user to identify. This also has the effect of enabling an intuitive display.

[0029] Furthermore, the registration means, prior to registration,
Since the character string data at the location closest to the designated point is read from the map information storage medium and registered as the read-out character string data in the auxiliary storage medium, the character string data at the location closest to the designated point is read. By reading out from the map information storage medium as default data and registering it as read-out character string data, it is possible to notify by the place name or the like closest to the registered point without inputting read-out character string data. This makes it possible to directly recognize a destination or a required passing point by sound, and achieve effects such as recognition of a current position by voice guidance or an effect of destination guidance.

Further, prior to registration, the registration means designates an arbitrary number of approach directions to the designated point, and registers read-out character string data corresponding to each of the designated approach directions in the auxiliary storage medium. Therefore, at points where it is clear that direct access is not possible from the opposite lane, such as a point facing the opposite lane near a turn-free facing traffic road, when approaching from an accessible approach direction This makes it possible to read out character string data only, and to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding or confusion due to excessive information.

The notifying means determines whether or not the current position measured by the positioning means is within a predetermined distance from the designated point and whether or not the vehicle has entered from a designated approach direction. A controller for outputting read-out character string data registered in the auxiliary storage medium, and a sounder for notifying the read-out character string data output by the controller by a synthetic sound or a synthetic voice. And sound generators corresponding to the peripheral devices thereof can provide an effect such that accurate voice guidance is possible.

Furthermore, the pronunciation device has a built-in word dictionary in which readings of words are registered, and reads out a sentence mixed with kanji kana by referring to the word dictionary. Not only character string data but also character string data mixed with kanji can be read aloud according to the exact pronunciation obtained by referring to the word dictionary, and the place name of a frequently visited place or friend's house or Even for character string data that cannot be handled unless innumerable words are prepared, such as a place name or a person name such as a customer's house, voice registration and voice notification can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a navigation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure of point registration by the navigation device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of reading a registered point by the navigation device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of an input screen for explaining character input by the navigation device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional navigation device.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 GPS receiver 3 Vehicle speed sensor 4 Gyro sensor 5 Map information storage medium 7 Display 11 Navigation device 12 Auxiliary storage medium 13 Notification means (sound generator) 14 Positioning means, registration means, notification means, controller (CP)
U) 15 Registration point designation means (keyboard)

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. Positioning means for positioning a current position and displaying it on a map called from a map information storage medium on a screen;
On a map called on the screen, a registration point designating means for designating an arbitrary point to be registered, and a character string data optionally designated to the position data of the point designated by the registration point designating means are added. Registration means for registering in the auxiliary storage medium, and when the current position measured by the positioning means is within a certain distance from a point registered in the auxiliary storage medium, the read-out character string attached to the position data of the point A notification device for reading data from the auxiliary storage medium and changing the read character string data into voice or sound to notify the user of the data. 2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary storage medium is a nonvolatile memory that can read and write data at any time. 3. The registration unit registers a character string composed of characters selected from a character list displayed on a screen as the read-out character string data for a point designated by the registration point designation unit. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein 4. The registration means, prior to the registration, displays on a screen a special symbol table in which special symbols that can be freely given meanings are gathered, and combines the special symbol selected from the special symbol table with normal characters in the auxiliary symbol table. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device is registered in a storage medium. 5. The registration means reads character string data of a location closest to the designated point from the map information storage medium prior to the registration, and reads the character string data as the read-out character string data. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device is registered in a storage medium. 6. The registration means, prior to the registration, designates an arbitrary number of approach directions to the designated point, and stores the read-out character string data corresponding to each of the designated approach directions in the auxiliary storage. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device is registered in a medium. 7. The notifying unit determines whether the current location measured by the positioning unit is within a predetermined distance from the designated point and whether the vehicle has entered from a designated approach direction,
A controller that outputs the read-out character string data registered in the auxiliary storage medium when the determination is affirmed; and a sounder that notifies the read-out character string data output by the controller by a synthetic sound or a synthetic voice. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device is provided. 8. The navigation device according to claim 7, wherein the pronunciation device has a built-in word dictionary in which readings of words are registered, and reads out a sentence mixed with kanji and kana by referring to the word dictionary. .