JPH10170298A - Route display, navigation device, and storage medium for computer programs used for route display process - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To promptly provide much geographic information, by dividing a screen on which a map is displayed and displaying maps with various contents simultaneously. SOLUTION: A route to a destination or a dropping-in position is searched. If it is detected that the present position is not on the searched route, a return route for returning from the present position to return position which leads to detected route, the destination or the dropping-in position is searched (step SR 4). A screen of a display for showing map information is divided into more than one window, the searched return route is displayed on at least one window (step SR 10), and the original route is displayed on a rest window (step SR 14). The scale for each divided window is the same as that for the original screen. In addition, the deviation route from the present position to the point where the present route deviates from the searched route is displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a route display device or a navigation device for searching for a moving route of a moving body based on map information and transmitting the moving route to a moving body operator. In particular, the present invention relates to a route display device or a navigation device having an improved way of displaying map information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional navigation device, a map of an area desired by a user is displayed on a display device. The destination desired by the user is set using the displayed map. Then, the optimal guidance route connecting the set destination and the current position of the vehicle is
The search is performed using the road information recorded in advance.

[0003] The searched guide route is clearly displayed on a map displayed on a display device. While the vehicle is traveling on the guide route, information necessary for traveling is notified to the user by a listening means such as a voice.

In a conventional navigation device, a route search from a current position of a vehicle to a destination is performed, and route guidance is performed based on the searched route. And
During traveling along this route, if a request to search for a route different from the route currently receiving guidance is input, a route search is performed under search conditions different from the current route. Then, the searched route is set as a new guide route. In this alternative route search, the search cost of the currently traveling road is increased, and the search condition (the weight of the road data at the time of the search) when searching for the route currently being guided.
Then, a re-search is performed under different conditions. As a result, a route constituted by a road that avoids the currently running road is searched for as a new guidance route.

[0005] Further, in the conventional apparatus, when a vehicle runs off a guide route, an automatic reroute that automatically re-searches for a new route from the current position of the vehicle when it is recognized that the vehicle deviates from the route. There is a function. Alternatively, there is a function of having a key for starting a re-search and executing the re-search when the key is operated. In this conventional device,
The first re-search route that deviates from the guide route displays a peripheral search route (a route searched to return to the original route), and further, an all-route search route (a new search to the destination) at the request of the user. Route) can be posted.

[0006]

In the conventional navigation device, one map is displayed on the entire screen of the display device. However, in recent years, the unit price of the liquid crystal display has decreased. Therefore, a display device having a wide display screen has become available. Thus, when a map is displayed on a display device having a wide display screen,
A wider range of geographic information can be obtained. Moreover, if a wide screen is used, a map including more detailed geographic information can be enlarged and displayed.

[0007] However, there are cases where a wide range of geographic information is not required in the operation state of a vehicle. For example, when the vehicle approaches the vicinity of the destination, it suffices if the geographical positions of the vehicle and the destination can be confirmed. No other geographic information is needed. In this case, necessary geographic information can be sufficiently displayed by using a part of the screen. That is, the enlarged screen of the display device may not be fully utilized.

[0008] Even with a display having a screen of the same size as the conventional one, there is a possibility that the same problem as described above may occur when displaying one map screen. That is, information that is not so necessary may be displayed on the screen in an arbitrary operating condition of the vehicle. Furthermore, when a plurality of recommended routes from the current position of the host vehicle to the destination can be searched, it is not easy to compare the routes if each guide route is displayed on one screen. Even if a plurality of guidance routes are simultaneously displayed on one screen, the entire screen is complicatedly displayed, and accurate and quick route comparison cannot be performed.

Further, in the above-described conventional apparatus capable of searching for another route, when another route is searched, route guidance is started based on a new route. Another route search is
For example, this is performed in response to a request from the user when traffic congestion occurs in front of the currently traveling route. Here, the route searched by another route search may become very large with respect to the original route. In addition, the conventional device automatically switches to the route searched by another route search, and cannot compare with the original route. Further, even in an apparatus capable of sequentially searching for a plurality of different routes under different search conditions, it is not easy to compare the routes.

In the above-described conventional re-search apparatus, the re-search is executed when the system recognizes that the vehicle has deviated from the route or when the user inputs a re-search start key. . Then, route guidance is automatically started based on the new route found. However,
As in the case of the above-described alternative route search, when the re-searched route is much larger than the original route, it may be felt that it is better to return to the original route and receive guidance. However, after the re-search, the guidance is automatically switched to the re-search route, and the original route and the re-search route cannot be compared. Also, the comparison between the peripheral search route and the all route search route could not be performed.

[0011] Further, during traveling on the guide route, the vehicle is temporarily driven to a place deviating from the guide route, and thereafter,
There is a case where the user wants to return the vehicle to the original guidance route again.
For example, the above situation is required in order to complete a sudden business or to bypass a road congestion ahead of the guide route. In particular, if the road configuration around the currently traveling guide route is known to the operator, a detour that is intentionally deviated from the guide route and is not a guide route in order to bypass the road congestion that has occurred in front of the vehicle. May be moved toward the destination. In addition, it is desired to quickly return to the original guide route after the detour.

However, in the conventional navigation device,
Since the map is always displayed so that the own vehicle is at the center of the screen, the original guide route may protrude from the screen depending on the map display scale, and the route may not be displayed at all. In this case, the direction and position of the original guide route cannot be immediately confirmed on the screen. Therefore, conventionally, it has been necessary to change the map scale. That is, the display scale of the map is gradually reduced until the original guide route can be displayed, and an operation of displaying a wider range of the road map is required.

[0013] Further, even in a conventional navigation device, when a deviation of the host vehicle from a conventional guide route is detected, a new guide route from the current position of the host vehicle to the destination is re-searched and displayed. The route does not always match the operator's request. Rather, it may be preferable to return to the original guide route. The current location of your vehicle,
Such a determination is difficult in a conventional navigation device in which a situation where the original guidance route is not displayed on one screen occurs. That is, the own vehicle and the original guidance route may not be displayed simultaneously depending on the map scale. In addition, it was not possible to compare the position of the vehicle with respect to the original guide route and the new guide route.

[0014] In addition, when the driver departs to a facility near the route while traveling along the guide route, it is conventionally required to display the route returning to the original guide route and to simultaneously display the surroundings of the own vehicle. Couldn't be done with this navigation device.

However, even if a wide screen is used, in the case of setting a destination or a stopover, necessary search condition information can be sufficiently displayed by using a part of the screen. It is hard to say that the screen is fully utilized.

If one of the necessary search conditions is specified, the screen changes, so if the user wants to check the last specified condition, the user must return to the previous screen or return to the first input screen. And the search operation was complicated.

[0017]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention divides a screen for displaying a map. Then, when the host vehicle deviates from the first searched guide route, a map showing the newly searched route is displayed on the first screen of the split screen. In addition, along with the display of the first screen, a map showing the previously searched guidance route is displayed on the second screen. The amount of information displayed on the map displayed on the second screen was adjusted according to the traveling state of the host vehicle. Thus, the direction in which the host vehicle should travel and the geographic information around the host vehicle can be checked at the same time.

Further, according to the present invention, a screen for displaying a map is divided. Then, a map including the current position of the own vehicle on the searched route is displayed on the first screen. Then, when a road map around the current position of the vehicle is displayed on the first screen, a road map connected to the guidance route on the first screen and also displaying the final destination is displayed on the second screen. Displayed on the screen.

Further, the first screen includes a right / left turn direction of a guide route, a direction of a destination,
Alternatively, information on a destination or the like is switched and displayed. A guide route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination, which has been searched for a different route, is displayed in parallel on the first screen and the second screen, and the guide route can be selected.

Furthermore, when the host vehicle deviates from the initially searched guide route, a map including the geographical area of the entire return route returning to the guide route and also including a part of the deviated guide route. Was displayed on the first screen. Moreover,
On the second screen, a map centering on the current position of your vehicle,
Or a new guidance route to the re-searched destination is displayed in parallel. In addition, the return route of the first screen is clearly indicated for the first time when the guidance start command is input, and always,
The maximum display is now displayed on the entire screen.

In order to solve the above problem, according to the present invention, when setting a destination or a stopover, a screen is divided and
On the first screen, facility search result information based on the first search condition is displayed. In addition, further search condition options are displayed on the second screen. After this, according to the new search conditions,
The facility extraction result is displayed on the second screen. In addition, options showing the new search condition are displayed on the first screen. That is, in extracting the facilities, the search conditions and the search results are displayed in parallel on the split screen.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

1. Summary of Embodiment A navigation device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention described below searches for a route to a destination or a stopover (steps SA4 and SA5 in FIG. 5). The position is detected to be deviated (step SQ2 in FIG. 34), and in response to this detection, the searched route and the return route to the return point returning to the destination or the stop-by place are searched again. (Step SR4 in FIG. 35), the display screen of the display means for displaying the map information is divided into two or more screens (Step SR10 in FIG. 35), and the re-search is performed on one or more of these screens. Display the return route (Step SR1 in FIG. 35)
0).

In a navigation device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention described below, in addition to the above features, the searched original route is displayed on the other divided screen (FIG. 35).
Step SR14), the display scale of each of the divided screens is
The display scale is the same as the display scale of the screen that has been displayed up to that time.

In a navigation device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention described below, in addition to the above features, the navigation device also displays a departure route from a departure point deviating from the current position to the current position from the search route. Then, the navigation device also displays a non-traveling route from the departure point to the return point in the search route, and the navigation device also displays a geographical relationship between the return route and the search route ( (See the description of the application of the embodiment.)

In the navigation apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention described below, in addition to the above features, display control is performed so that substantially the entire return route is displayed on the split screen. The display scale is determined so that almost the entire return path is displayed on the split screen (FIG. 3).
6, initial display of the second screen in FIG. 37), display control is performed so that almost the entire leaving path is also displayed on the split screen, and in this display control, almost the entire leaving path is displayed on the split screen. As a result, the display scale is determined, and display control is performed so that substantially the entire non-traveling route is also displayed on the split screen. In this display control, substantially the entire non-traveling route is displayed on the split screen. Thus, the display scale is determined (description regarding application of the sixth embodiment).

In a navigation device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention described below, in addition to the above features, the route displayed on the divided screen is displayed such that the current position is at the center of the screen ( (Initial display of the second screen in FIG. 36), the absolute azimuth of north is displayed so as to be substantially maintained in any direction of the screen, or the traveling direction of the current position is substantially maintained in any direction of the screen. It is displayed (initial display of the second screen in FIG. 37).

In a navigation device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention described below, in addition to the above-described features, the divided screens have been combined so far. Switch operation by the operator,
This is executed in response to a change in the traveling state of the current position, a change in the vehicle speed at the current position, a change in the azimuth of the current position, a change in the distance from the intersection or turning point to the current position, and a change in the distance from the destination or the stopover point. The divided screen includes a change in the distance to the search route, a switching operation by the operator, a change in the traveling state at the current position, a change in the vehicle speed at the current position, a change in the azimuth at the current position, and a change from the intersection or the turning point to the current position. Are merged according to the change in the distance to the destination or the change in the distance to the destination or the stopover, and the merged screen shows the map information displayed before the screen division, the original search route,
Alternatively, map information including the current position is displayed.

A medium storing a computer program for navigation processing or map information processing according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, which will be described below, is designed to search for a route to a destination or a stopover in addition to the above-described features. (Step SA4 in FIG. 5) to detect that the current position has deviated from the searched route (Step SQ2 in FIG. 34). In response to this detection, the searched route, the destination or The return route to return to the stopover location is searched again (step SR4 in FIG. 35), and the screen displaying the map information is divided into two or more screens (FIG. 3).
5 step SR10), one or more of these screens
The re-searched return route is displayed.

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 ROM 4, and a RAM (Ra).
and a communication interface 8, an image processor 9, an image memory 10, an audio processor 11, and a clock 14. The CPU 2 to the clock 14 are interconnected by a CPU local bus 15. Under the control of the CPU 2, various types of information data are exchanged between devices such as the flash memory 3.

The flash memory 3 is composed of an electrically erasable and writable memory (EEPROM) or the like. The flash memory 3 (internal storage medium / means) includes an information storage unit 3 such as an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk.
7 (external storage medium / means) is transcribed and stored (installed / transferred). In addition, the flash memory 3 is connected to an external device such as a main information processing device.
7 can be stored. The storage medium of the program 38b includes a communication medium.

If the program stored in the flash memory 3 is changed, processing by a new routine becomes possible. The program 38b is a program corresponding to each flowchart described below, and is a program of various processes executed by the CPU 2. For example, the program 38b includes information display control and voice guidance control. Another operating system, system program (OS), and other programs are stored in the apparatus in advance, and the program 38b may be executed together with the OS and other programs. The program 38b is only required to be able to execute the processing and functions described in the claims together with another program or independently when installed and executed in the present apparatus (computer body).

The installation (transfer / copy) is automatically executed when the information storage unit 37 is set in the navigation device or when the power of the navigation device is turned on. Alternatively, it may be installed by an operation by an operator. The information storage unit 37 stores disk management information 38a including a label, a file identifier, and the like, and the updated version of the program in the information storage unit 37 is determined based on the disk management information 38a. The information storage unit 37 can be replaced with another information storage unit 37. Therefore, whether or not the new information storage unit 37 has been set is determined based on the information content of the disk management information 38a.

For example, since a program and management information related to the program are stored in the flash memory 3, when a new information storage unit 37 is set, the management information of the flash memory 3 and the disk management information 38
a is compared. When it is determined that the information storage unit 37 including the new program has been set, the program 38b of the information storage unit 37
Installed in Thus, the latest program 38 b and data 38 are stored in the flash memory 3.
c will always be saved. As a result, the latest navigation device is realized by replacing the information storage unit 37.

The information stored in the flash memory 3 includes various parameters used in the navigation operation. The 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.

Further, part or all of the program 38b is stored and executed in one or more other devices other than the present device, and processing is to be performed between the present device and another device via communication means. The data / already processed data / program may be transmitted / received, and the present invention may be implemented as a whole of the present apparatus and another apparatus.

The RAM 5 stores data input from the outside, various parameters used for calculation, calculation results, a navigation program, and the like.
That is, the RAM 5 is also used as a cache memory or the like. The clock 14 has a counter and a battery backup R
It is composed of an AM or an EEPROM. From this clock 14, time information is output.

The sensor input interface 7 has an A / D
It is composed of a conversion circuit or a buffer circuit. Each sensor of the current position detecting device 20 is connected to the sensor input interface 7. Current position detection device 2
The sensor data of the analog signal or the digital signal is input to the sensor input interface 7 from each of the 0 sensors. The sensors of the current position detecting device 20 include an absolute direction sensor 21, a relative direction sensor 22, a distance sensor 23, and a vehicle speed sensor 24.

The absolute direction sensor 21 is, for example, a terrestrial magnetism sensor, and detects terrestrial magnetism. The absolute direction sensor 21 outputs data indicating the north-south direction as the absolute direction. The relative direction sensor 22 is, for example, a steering angle sensor using a gyro device such as an optical fiber gyro or a piezoelectric vibrating gyro. The steering angle of the wheel is detected by the steering angle sensor. Then, the relative direction sensor 22 outputs the relative angle of the traveling direction of the vehicle with respect to the absolute direction detected by the absolute direction sensor 21.

The distance sensor 23 is constituted by, for example, a counter linked to a traveling distance 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. The speed sensor 24 outputs data proportional to the traveling speed of the host vehicle.

An I / O data bus 28 is connected to the communication interface 8 of the central processing unit 1. This I /
The O data bus 28 includes the GPS of the current position detecting device 20.
The receiving device 25, the beacon receiving device 26, and the data transmitting / receiving device 27 are connected. Further, the I / O data bus 28 includes a touch switch 34 of the input / output device 30,
The printer 35 and the information storage unit 37 are connected. That is, by the communication interface 8, each attached device is
Various data are exchanged with the CPU local bus 15.

As described above, the current position detecting device 20 outputs data for detecting the current position of the host vehicle. That is, the absolute azimuth sensor 21 detects the absolute azimuth. The relative azimuth sensor 22 detects a relative azimuth with respect to the absolute azimuth. Further, the traveling distance is detected by the distance sensor 23. The traveling speed of the host vehicle is detected by the speed sensor 24. GPS receiving device 25
(Global Positioning System
m) (microwaves from a plurality of orbiting satellites), and geographical position data such as the latitude and longitude of the vehicle is detected.

Similarly, the beacon receiver 26 receives a beacon wave from an information providing system such as a VICS (road traffic information communication system). Then, from the beacon receiving device 26, the nearby road information data or G
The PS correction data and the like are output to the I / O data bus 28.

The data transmitting / receiving device 27 communicates with a bidirectional current position information providing system using cellular phones, FM multiplex signals, telephone lines, or the like, or with ATIS (traffic information service) or the like. Information about nearby road conditions is transmitted 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 not be provided. As the data transmitting / receiving device 27, a radio receiver, a television receiver, a mobile phone, a pager, or another wireless communication device is used.

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.

Further, as the display 33, 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. In this embodiment, a wide liquid crystal display having a wider screen is used as the display 33.

The display 33 may be composed of two or more separable liquid crystal displays. Each liquid crystal display is connected to the image processor 9 by an independent video signal cable. Moreover, each liquid crystal display may be installed at a different position.

The image processor 9 connected to the display 33 is connected to an image memory 10 such as a DRAM (Dynamic RAM) or a dual-port DRAM. The image processor 9 controls the image memory 10
The writing control of the image data to the CPU is performed. 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.

In accordance with the division of the display 33, the image memory 10 is also divided into one for the second screen and one for the third surface. According to this division mode, the address designation of each image memory element of the image memory 10 is also divided into the second screen and the third screen.

The image processor 9 converts map data and character data into display image data in accordance with a drawing command from the CPU 2 and writes the display data into 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.

When the display screen of the display 33 is divided, the memory area of the image memory 10 is also divided so as to conform to the screen division. Then, independent image data is written into each divided memory area of the image memory 10.

The audio processor 11 is connected to the speaker 13. The audio processor 11 is connected to the CPU 2 and the ROM 4 via the CPU local bus 15. Then, the voice waveform data for the guidance voice read from the ROM 4 is input to the voice processor 11 by the CPU 2. 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 is connected to the I / O data bus 28 via a data transmission / reception unit 39. The information storage unit 37 stores disk management information 38a and a program 3 for controlling the above-described navigation operations.
8b and data 38c such as map information are stored. The disk management information 38a includes the information storage unit 37.
The information about the data and the programs stored therein is stored. For example, it is version information of the program 38b. Data necessary for the navigation operation, such as road map data, is recorded in the data 38c in a nonvolatile manner. The information storage unit 37 performs data read control with the I / O data bus 28.
A data transmitting / receiving unit 39 is provided.

The information storage unit 37 of the present invention includes:
In addition to an optical memory such as a CD-ROM, the following devices may be used. For example, a recording medium such as an IC memory, a semiconductor memory such as an IC memory card, or a magnetic memory such as a magneto-optical disk or 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 of the information storage unit 37 includes map data, intersection data, node data, road data, photograph data, destination point data, guide point data, detailed destination data, and destination reading data necessary for the navigation operation. , House shape data, and other data. Further, 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. The navigation program is read from the information storage unit 37 by the data transmission / reception unit 39 and written in the flash memory 3. Other data include display guidance data, voice guidance data, simplified guidance route image data, and the like.

The data 38c of the information storage unit 37 stores map data of different scales and map data of one scale. That is, the data 38c
In addition, maps of the same area, each having a different scale, are recorded. Alternatively, map data of one scale is recorded in the data 38c. If map data of one scale is recorded, the scale is
It is assumed that the map is displayed largest.

It should be noted that only one map data is the data 38
When a small-scale map, that is, a map (wide-area map) displaying a wide geographical area is displayed on the display 33 in the case where the data is recorded in the data c, information is thinned out from the map data recorded in the data 38c. Is displayed. In the thinning-out display of the map data of the data 38c, not only the geographical distance of each road and the like is reduced, but also the thinning-out of display symbol information of facilities and the like.

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. On the road map,
The main roads, highways, narrow streets, and other roads and ground targets (facilities, etc.) are displayed. The house map is a city map on which a figure representing an outer shape of a ground building or the like and road names are displayed. The narrow street is a road that is not used in a route search process of FIG. 5 described later. For example, narrow streets having a width equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, and city roads and private roads other than national roads or prefectural roads are narrow streets.

The intersection data file F2 stores data on intersections such as geographical position coordinates and names of intersections. 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.

In the destination data file F6, data such as locations and names of places and facilities which are likely to become destinations such as corporations and offices described in main sightseeing spots, buildings, and telephone directories are stored. It is 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 main 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 / local station number list file F12 stores list data of only the area / local station numbers of the destination stored in the destination data file F6. The registered telephone number file F13 stores telephone number data to be remembered, such as business partners registered by a manual operation of the user. 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 point data file F15 stores detailed data of the landmark points stored in the landmark data file F14. 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 Content of RAM 5 FIG. 3 shows a part of a data group stored in the 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, and is obtained based on information from the absolute azimuth sensor 21. The relative azimuth data Dθ is angle data that the traveling direction of the host vehicle makes with respect to the absolute azimuth data ZD. The relative azimuth data Dθ is obtained based on information from the relative azimuth sensor 22.

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.
7 is input. 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 registered destination data TP is data on the destination registered by the user, such as the coordinate position and name of the destination. 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.

The guidance start point data SP uses the node coordinates on the guide road closest to the current position or the departure point of the vehicle. This guidance start point data SP
Is stored because the current position of the vehicle according to the current position data MP is, for example, in 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.

Guide route data MW stored in RAM 5
Is data indicating an optimal route to the destination or a recommended route, and is obtained by a route search process or a re-search process of step SA4 described later. Each road in the road map stored in the data 38c of the information storage unit 37 has a unique road number. The guide route data MW includes a row of road numbers from the guide start point data SP to the last guide point data ED.

The mode set data MD is data used in a destination setting process described later. The mode set data MD is set by a touch switch 34 laminated on the display 33. The mode content displayed on the display 33 is specified by the mode set data MD. The stopover DP is
This is information on facilities and the like that drop in during the guidance route.

The screen state GJ is data indicating the display state of the display 33. That is, the display screen of the display 33 is divided by the processing of a program described later. The screen state GJ data is
Indicates whether the display screen is divided or single screen. Therefore, every time the display state of the display 33 is switched, the data of the screen state GJ is rewritten.

The cross point CSP is data used in a route forward display process described later. Specifically, the screen of the display 33 is divided and displayed, and represents the geographical coordinates of the end point in the guide route displayed on one of the divided screens. Starting from the cross point CSP, a guide route is displayed on the other divided screen.

The scale WDA of the first screen is
3 represents a reduced scale of a map displayed on a single screen before division. The scale WDB of the second screen is a screen after the division of the display 33, and represents a scale of a map displayed on a screen closer to the auxiliary seat. Therefore, the second screen is a screen on the passenger seat side of the divided screen for convenience. Similarly, the scale WDC of the third screen represents the scale of the map displayed on the screen close to the driver after the division. That is, the third screen is a screen on the driver side of the divided screen. In the present invention, the second screen may be a driver-side screen of the divided screen, and the third screen may be a passenger-side screen.

The horizontal distance XLM represents a geographical straight line distance that can be displayed in the horizontal direction of the screen in the map displayed on the screen of the display 33 according to the designated scale.
Similarly, the vertical distance YLM represents a geographical straight line distance that can be displayed in the vertical direction of the screen in a map displayed on the screen of the display 33 according to the specified reduced scale.

The point node NDP is data used in a program “displayable range calculation processing” described later. Specifically, it is the coordinate value of a node displayed at the screen edge of the guide route displayed on the split screen. Details will be 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 roads having a certain width or more that exist in the area stored in the map data file. Assuming that the number of roads included in the road data file F4 is n, road data on n roads is included. Each road data is composed of road number data, guidance target flag, road attribute data, shape data, guidance data, and length data.

Each country road included in the map data in the information storage unit 37 is divided into the minimum units. The identification number given to each of the divided roads is road number data. In the guidance target flag of the road data file F4, "1" is stored for a guidance target road, and "0" is stored for a non-guide target road. The guidance target road is a predetermined width such as a main road or a general road that is equal to or larger than a prefectural road, for example, a width of 5.
It is a road that is 5 meters or longer and is a route search target. The non-guidance target road is a narrow narrow street having a width equal to or less than a predetermined width such as a road or an alley, for example, a width of less than 5.5 meters, and is a road that is not targeted for route search. Further, the guide target road may be set as a trunk road equal to or higher than a prefectural road, and the non-guide target road may be set as a trunk road equal to or lower than a prefectural road.

The road attribute data is data indicating attributes of an elevated road, an underpass, an expressway, a toll road, and the like. The shape data is data indicating the shape of the road. For example, the shape data is composed of the coordinate data of the start point and the end point of the road and the coordinate data of each node between the start point and the end point.

The guidance 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 relating to caution points 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 defined as a destination), and is composed of the number of destinations k and data for each destination. The data relating to the destination includes destination road number data, destination name data, destination name voice data, destination direction data, and travel guidance data.

The destination road number data indicates the destination road number. 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 is guidance data for guiding the user to approach the right lane, the left lane, or travel in the center of the road to enter the destination road. The length data is data on 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. Overall Processing FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing 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.

The initialization process in step SA1 in FIG. 5 is as follows. First, a navigation program is read from the information storage unit 37. The read navigation program is copied to the flash memory 3. Thereafter, the program of the flash memory 3 is executed. Further, the CPU 2 clears a general-purpose data storage area in each RAM such as the work memory of the RAM 5 and the image memory 10.

The copying of the program to the flash memory 3 is executed when a new program 38b is set in the navigation device by exchanging the information storage unit 37. That is, the copying of the program to the flash memory 3 is performed only when the new information storage unit 37 is set in the navigation device for the first time.

Then, the current position processing (step SA)
2), destination setting processing (step SA3), route search processing (step SA4), guidance / display processing (step SA3)
5) and other processing (step SA6) are cyclically executed. The destination setting process (step SA)
3) and the route search process (step SA4) are not performed repeatedly when the destination does not change or the vehicle departs from the route.

In the current position processing (step SA2), the geographical coordinates (latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the own vehicle, which is a ground moving body on which the navigation device is loaded, are detected. That is, the GPS receiver 25 receives radio waves from a plurality of satellites orbiting the earth. From the radio waves from each satellite, the coordinate position of each satellite, the radio wave transmission time at the satellite, and the radio wave reception time at the GPS receiver 25 are detected. From these information, the distance to each satellite is obtained by calculation. From the distance from each satellite, the coordinate position of the vehicle on the earth surface is obtained.
The obtained coordinate position of the vehicle is represented by the current position data M
It is stored in the RAM 5 as P. The current position data MP may be corrected by information input from the beacon receiving device 26 or the data receiving device 27.

In the current position process (step SA2), the absolute azimuth data ZD and the relative azimuth data Dθ
And the travel distance data ML are obtained 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, an arithmetic process for specifying the own vehicle position is performed. The position of the host vehicle obtained by this calculation process is compared with the map data stored in the data 38c of the information storage unit 37, and correction is performed so that the current position on the map screen is accurately displayed. 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.

In the destination setting process (step SA3),
The geographical coordinates of the destination desired by the user are set as the registered destination data TP. For example, the coordinates of the destination are specified by the user using a road map or a house map displayed on the display 33. Or, from the itemized list of destinations displayed on the display 33,
The destination is specified by the user. When the user performs a destination designation operation, information data such as geographic coordinates of the destination is stored in the RAM 5 as registered destination data TP.

In the route search processing (step SA4), an optimum route from the guidance start point data SP to the final guide 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 wider road. Alternatively, when a highway is used, the route may be a route that can reach the destination in the shortest time or the shortest distance using the highway.

The same data as the current position data MP is set in the guidance start point data SP, or
The node data of the guidance target road close to the current position data MP is set. Note that there is an auto reroute mode in which, when the current traveling position of the host vehicle deviates from the guide route, an optimal route from the deviated current position to the final guide point is automatically re-searched. If the auto reroute mode is not set, the route is not searched again. When a stopover point is set as the guide route, a route via the stopover point may be searched.

In the guidance / display processing (step SA5),
The guidance route obtained in the route search process (step SA4) is displayed on the display 3 with the current position of the vehicle as the center.
3 is displayed. The guidance route displayed on the display 33 is displayed on the display map so as to be identifiable. For example, on the map displayed on the display 33, only the guidance route is displayed in different colors. Further, according to this guide route, road guidance information is output from the speaker 13 so that the vehicle can travel favorably. Similarly, various kinds of guidance information are displayed on the display 33 at any time. 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.)
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 guide point is displayed on the display 33. Note that a simplified guidance route image may be displayed on the display 33 instead of the road map.
In the simplified guide route image, for example, display of geographical information is omitted, and only necessary minimum information such as a guide route, a direction of a destination or a stopover place, and a current position is displayed.

Further, the screen of the display 33 on which information such as a map is displayed is divided into two in response to the operation of the operator, as described later. The two screens display various types of guidance information and road information by independent operations.

After the guidance / display processing in step SA5, other processing (step SA6) is executed. In the “other processing” of step SA6, the nearest facility processing may be executed. The nearest facility process is a process of searching for and specifying a stopover place (facility, etc.) other than the registered destination data TP. The data relating to the drop-in place is determined using a map displayed on the display 33 or item information. The nearest facility processing is performed in the same manner as the destination setting processing in step SA3.

Further, in other processing, for example, it is determined whether or not the traveling position of the own vehicle is along the calculated guide route. Further, it is also determined whether or not a destination change command has been input by an operator's switch operation. When the processing in step SA6 ends, the processing is repeated from the current position processing (step SA2) again. In addition,
Even when the vehicle has arrived at the destination, the route guidance / display process is terminated, and the process returns to step SA2 again. In this manner, the processing from step SA2 to step SA6 is sequentially repeated.

7. Guide / Display Process of First Embodiment The guide / display process is an information notifying process for causing the own vehicle to travel along the guide route. That is, the guidance route is searched in step SA4. The searched guidance route is displayed on the display 33. Moreover, the displayed guidance route is always displayed such that the vehicle is at the center of the screen. In addition, information about a point to be turned right or left in the guide route is notified as needed. As described above, the process of informing or displaying various information at any time so that the vehicle can travel favorably along the guidance route is the guidance / display process.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the guidance / display processing performed in this embodiment. First, it is determined whether the display screen of the display 33 is in the split state (step SB2). For example, when the display screen of the display 33 is long in the horizontal direction, the display screen is divided into two left and right screens with the center of the screen as a boundary. Then, a unique map is displayed for each divided screen. In addition,
In the present embodiment, the passenger side screen of the split screen of the display 33 is defined as a second screen, and the driver side screen is defined as a third screen. Therefore, in a right-hand drive vehicle, the screen on the left side of the display 33 is the second screen. vice versa,
In a left-hand drive car, the screen on the right side of the display 33 is the second screen.

When the screen is determined to be in the divided state by the processing in step SB2, it is determined whether or not a screen division release request has been input (step SB4). The cancel request command is input when a specific switch of the touch switch 34 is pressed. Note that, instead of the touch switch 34, a push switch or the like provided at the lower part of the screen of the display 33 may be used.

If there is a screen division release request, a "single screen display process" of a subroutine is executed (step SB).
6). In the single screen processing, a map is displayed on the entire screen of the display 33 based on the scale of the first screen before division. This “single screen display process” will be described later in detail. When the single-screen display process is completed, a subroutine "other guidance / display process" is executed (step SB8). In this step SB8, information on the guide route on which the host vehicle travels is displayed or notified as needed.

When the "other guidance / display processing" processing is completed, the processing returns to the "whole processing" flow of FIG. On the other hand, if there is no screen division release request in step SB4, the “third screen display processing” of the subroutine
Is executed (step SB14). This “display processing of the third screen” will be described later.

If it is determined in step SB2 that the display screen of the display 33 is not in the split state, it is determined whether a screen split request has been input (step SB10). This screen division request is also input when a specific switch set on the touch switch 34 is pressed.

If there is no screen division request, step SB
8 "Other guidance / display processing" is executed. However, when there is a screen division request, a subroutine "screen division processing" is executed (step SB12). In this “screen division processing”, the display screen of the display 33 is divided into two screens with the center of the screen as a boundary. Then, an independent map or guidance information is displayed on each split screen. This “screen division processing” will be described later in detail.

When the “screen division processing” of step SB12 is executed, a subroutine “display processing of third screen” is further executed (step SB14). In the “display process of the third screen”, a process of switching the information displayed on the third screen according to the traveling state of the host vehicle is performed. This “display processing of the third screen” will be described later.

When the "display processing of the third screen" in step SB14 is completed, it is determined whether or not the route forward display mode has been selected by the operator (step SB1).
6). If the route forward display mode is selected, a "route forward display process" of a subroutine is executed (step SB18). In this “route forward display processing”, the upper end of the guidance route displayed on the third screen (cross point C
A process of displaying a guidance route leading to SP) on the second screen is executed. This “route front display process” will be described later in detail. When the “front route display processing” of step SB18 is completed, “other guidance / display processing” of step SB8 is executed. Then, the process returns to the flow of the “overall process” in FIG.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step SB16 that the route forward display mode has not been selected, it is determined whether the all route display mode has been selected (step SB20). The choice of this all route display mode is
Input is performed by pressing a specific switch set on the touch switch 34. When the all route display mode is selected, a subroutine "all route (front) display process" is executed (step SB22). If the all route display mode is not selected, the “other guidance / display processing” of step SB8 is executed.

In the above “all route (forward) display processing”,
A process of connecting to the upper end of the guidance route displayed on the third screen and displaying the guidance route to the destination on the second screen is executed. This subroutine "all route (front) display processing" will be described later in detail. After this all route (front) display processing, "other guidance / display processing" of step SB8 is executed. After that, the process returns to the flow of the “overall process” in FIG.

8. Single Screen Display Processing FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a subroutine of “single screen processing”. In the single screen process, a process of returning the split screen of the display 33 to a single screen is performed. at first,
The screen state GJ of the RAM 5 is read (step SH)
2). This screen state GJ represents the display mode of the map displayed on the third screen in the split state.

For example, when a map including a narrow street is displayed on the third screen in the divided state, information indicating the display mode is stored in the RAM 5 as the screen state GJ. Then, based on the screen state GJ, a map is displayed on the screen where the division has been canceled. Therefore, when the map including the narrow street is displayed on the third screen at the time of the division, the map including the narrow street is displayed on the first screen after the division is released. Note that the first screen means the entire screen of the display 33 that is not in the split state.

Thus, based on the read screen state GJ, it is determined whether or not the narrow street is included in the map displayed on the third screen (step SH4). If a narrow street is included, the “scale WDC of the third screen” in the RAM 5 is displayed.
Is read (step SH6). Then, a map based on the screen state GJ and having a reduced scale WDC is displayed on the entire screen of the display 33 (step SH).
8). That is, the map including the narrow street is displayed on the first screen after the division is released.

On the other hand, when the map including the narrow street is not displayed on the third screen, the “scale WD of the first screen” in the RAM 5 is displayed.
"A" is read (step SH10). Then, a map based on the screen state GJ and on the reduced scale WDA is displayed on the entire screen of the display 33 (step SH12). When a simplified diagram is displayed on the third screen at the time of division, the display mode is stored in the screen state GJ. Therefore, this simplified diagram is displayed on the first screen after the division is released. When the screen division of the display 33 is canceled in step SH8 or SH12, the flow returns to the guidance / display processing in FIG.

9. Screen Dividing Process FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of the subroutine “screen dividing process” of FIG. In this screen division processing, the entire screen of the display 33 is divided, and a second screen and a third screen are formed. This screen division is performed as follows.
Image data displayed on the display 33 is written to the image memory 10. Therefore, the memory area of the image memory 10 is divided according to the divided screen. Different map information is written by the image processor 9 in each memory area of the divided image memory 10. Thereby, the display screen of the display 33 is divided into two. Moreover, different map information is displayed on each screen.

Although the position of the screen division is not particularly limited in the present invention, in the present embodiment, it is set at the approximate center of the screen of the display 33.

At the beginning of the screen division processing, the display mode of the first screen, that is, the screen before division is detected (step SC).
2). Based on the detected display mode, it is determined whether or not a road map including a narrow street is displayed on the first screen (step SC4). If the map including the narrow street is displayed on the first screen, the road map excluding the narrow street is displayed on the second screen (passenger seat side screen) after the screen division (step SC).
6). Then, a road map having the same display mode as the first screen is displayed on the third screen (driver's seat side screen) after the screen division (step SC8). Here, a road map including narrow streets is displayed on the third screen.

On the other hand, if a road map that does not include a narrow street is displayed on the first screen before the screen division, a road map that includes a narrow street is displayed on the second screen (passenger seat side screen) (step SC18). ). Then, a road map not including the narrow street is displayed on the third screen (step SC20). As described above, a map different from the screen before the division is displayed on the second screen of the divided screen. Then, on the third screen of the divided screen, a map in the same mode as the screen before the division is displayed.

Thereafter, the display mode of the road map displayed on the third screen is stored in RAM 5 as screen state GJ (step SC10). If the road map including the narrow street is displayed on the third screen, data representing the mode is set in the screen state GJ. The other data set in the screen state GJ include a simplified diagram display mode or a diagram display mode showing only the right / left turn direction.

When a road map other than the simplified map is displayed on the third screen, the geographical coordinates of the guide route whose display is interrupted at the edge of the screen are detected. Then, the detected geographic coordinate values are stored in the RAM 5 as a cross point CSP (step SC12). Note that this cross point CS
P is a point on the guide route that is ahead of the current position of the own vehicle on the guide route and that is interrupted on the display map on the third screen.

Then, the reduced scale of the first screen before division is RA
M5 is stored as “scale WDA of first screen” (step SC14). Further, the “scale WD of the first screen”
"A" is stored in the RAM 5 as "scale WDB of the second screen".
Then, it is copied as “scale WDC of third screen” (step SC16). This is because the display screen of the display 33 is immediately after the division, and the maps of the same scale are displayed on both the second screen and the third screen. Therefore, the second
If the scale of each of the screen and the third screen is changed, each scale W
The values of DB and WDC are changed. When the data of the scale WDA is copied to the scale WDB and WDC, the flow returns to the guidance / display processing of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state of the map displayed on the display 33 before being divided. That is, the state of the first screen is shown. Symbol 100 indicates the current position of the vehicle and the traveling direction. On this screen 104, only the main arterial roads 102 are displayed. The symbol 130 indicates the north of the absolute bearing. The numerical value 132 of the symbol 130 represents the scale of the map displayed on the screen 104. In FIG. 9, the scale is 1
It can be seen from the numerical value 132 that the value is / 400.

FIG. 10 shows the display 3 shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state where a third display screen 104 is divided into two right and left parts. Symbol 112 in FIG. 10 indicates the current position of the vehicle and the traveling direction. On the second screen 108, the main highway 102 and the narrow street 116 are displayed. Also, the third
On the screen 110, only the main highway 102 is displayed. As described above, the road map having the same display mode as the first screen before the division is displayed on the third screen.

The symbols 134 and 138 in FIG. 10 indicate the north of the absolute bearing. Numerical value 136 indicates the contraction scale of the second screen.
Numerical value 140 indicates a contraction scale of the third screen. Information represented by the numerical value 136 is stored in the “scale WDB of the second screen”.
Information represented by the numerical value 140 is stored in the “scale WDC of the third screen”. In the above-described screen division processing, a map having a display mode different from that of the third screen is displayed on the second screen.
A map in the same mode as the third screen may be displayed on the second screen.

10. Third Screen Display Processing FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of “third screen display processing” in FIG. In the "third screen display process", a process of changing the scale of the road map displayed on the third screen and the like are executed.

First, it is determined whether or not the distance between the current position of the vehicle and the next right / left turn point on the guide route is within a predetermined value (step SD2). That is, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle that is traveling approaches the next right / left turn point on the guide route. If the distance between the host vehicle and the next turning point is within a predetermined value, a simplified diagram showing the turning direction of the host vehicle with respect to the straight traveling direction is displayed on the third screen (step SD4).

When a simplified diagram showing the right / left turn direction is displayed on the third screen, data indicating the map display mode of this third screen is stored in RAM 5 as screen state GJ (step SD22). Thereafter, the process returns to the flowchart of FIG.

If the distance between the host vehicle and the next turning point is not within a predetermined value, it is determined whether or not there is a request to change the scale of the map displayed on the third screen (step SD).
6). When there is a scale change request, a map of the changed scale is displayed on the third screen. Further, the changed scale is stored in the RAM 5 as "scale WDC of the third screen" (step SD8). In addition, change of scale is
The operation is performed by operating a specific switch provided on the touch switch 34. If a road map including a narrow street is displayed on the third screen before the scale change of the map, and the scale is changed to a scale that cannot sufficiently display the narrow street, the road map excluding the narrow street is displayed on the third screen. Will be displayed.

When the processing accompanying the request for changing the scale is completed, the traveling speed of the host vehicle is then reduced to a predetermined value (0 km / h)
(Stop) or several km (slow speed)) or less (step SD10). If the vehicle speed is lower than or equal to the predetermined value, the road map including the narrow street is displayed on the third screen (step SD12). If the vehicle speed is not lower than the predetermined value, a road map excluding narrow streets is displayed on the third screen (step SD14).

Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the vehicle has moved a predetermined distance (step SD16). If it has been moved by the predetermined distance, the "screen scrolling process" of the subroutine is executed (step SD18). In this screen scrolling process, the map is scroll-displayed such that the current position of the vehicle is at the center of the third screen.

After the scroll processing of the screen is executed (step SD18), or when the vehicle has not moved a predetermined distance (step SD16), the geographical coordinates at the screen edge of the guide route displayed on the third screen are displayed. It is detected (step SD20). That is, the guidance route displayed on the third screen is interrupted at the edge of the screen. Therefore, a point on the guide route that is interrupted at the end of the screen is detected.
The coordinate value of the detected point is stored in the RAM 5 as a cross point CSP.

Then, data representing the map display state of the third screen is stored in the RAM 5 as the screen state GJ (step SD22). Thereafter, the processing returns to the guidance / display processing of FIG.

11. FIG. 12 shows a flowchart of a subroutine "front route display process" in the guidance / display process of FIG. In this route front display processing, the remaining guide route following the guide route displayed on the third screen is displayed on the second screen.

First, it is determined whether or not the map displayed on the second screen is in the route forward display mode (step SE2). If it is not the route forward display mode, it is determined whether a forward display request has been issued (step SE1).
2). The front display request is input by operating a specific switch provided on the touch switch 34.

If there is no forward display request (step SE1)
2), the "route forward display process" is terminated, and the process returns to the guidance / display process of FIG. On the other hand, if there is a forward display request (step SE12), a subroutine "displayable range calculation process" is executed (step SE8).

If it is determined in step SE2 that the second screen is not in the front display state, it is determined whether there is a scale change request (step SE4). If there is no scale change request, a subroutine "displayable range calculation process" is executed (step SE8). Conversely, if there is a scale change request, the data value of "scale WDB of second screen" in RAM 5 is changed (step SE6). The process of changing the scale is also performed by operating a specific switch provided on the touch switch 34.

The subroutine "displayable range calculation processing" will be described later. The point node NDP is obtained by the displayable range calculation processing. Then, the guidance route is displayed on the second screen using the point node NDP and the cross point CSP. Note that the point node NDP
Is the geographical coordinate value of the end point of the guide route that can be displayed by the scale WDB.

That is, on the map which can be displayed by the reduced scale WDB, the cross point CSP and the point node ND
A guidance route to P is displayed. This point node N
DP is detected by a subroutine "displayable range calculation process".

A road map including a guide route such that the middle point of each east longitude coordinate value of the cross point CSP and the point node NDP is located substantially on the center perpendicular line of the second screen, and the cross point CSP is located at the lower end of the screen. Is displayed on the second screen (step SE10). When the remaining guide routes other than the guide route displayed on the third screen are displayed on the second screen in this way, the process returns to the guide / display process of FIG.

12. Displayable Range Calculation Process FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the subroutine “displayable range calculation process” in FIG. First, the scale WD
B calculates the geographical range of the map that can be displayed on the second screen (step SF2). That is, when the map of the reduced scale WDB is displayed on the second screen, the linear distance in the screen horizontal direction of the map displayed on the screen is calculated. The displayable horizontal distance in the horizontal direction of the screen is stored in the RAM 5 as the horizontal distance XLM. Similarly, the linear distance in the screen vertical direction that can be displayed is set as the vertical distance YLM in the RAM 5.
Is stored.

Next, the processing of steps SF6 to SF10 is repeated until the condition of step SF12 is satisfied.
These processes are processes for effectively displaying the guide route on the second screen starting from the cross point CSP of the guide route. That is, when the cross point CSP is used as the base point, the remote point of the guidance route that can be displayed by the reduced scale WDB is within a rectangular area constituted by the horizontal distance XLM and the vertical distance YLM.

Therefore, it is sequentially examined whether or not the coordinate value of each node on the guide route is within a rectangle defined by the cross point CSP as one vertex and surrounded by the horizontal distance XLM and the vertical distance YLM. Therefore, the value of the count value N in step SF4 indicates the Nth node on the guide route starting from the cross point CSP. Then, based on the number of times N incremented by "1", each processing of steps SF4 to SF22 is repeatedly executed.

The count value N is initialized to “1”, and the interval XN is initialized to “0”. Further, the east longitude coordinate value of the cross point CSP is stored in the horizontal position XP (step SF).
4). Next, the coordinate value of the N-th node of the guidance route connected to the cross point CSP is read from the road data file F4 and the node data file F3. The read coordinate value of the node is stored in the RAM 5 as a point node NDP (step SF6). The north latitude value of the cross point CSP is subtracted from the north latitude value of the point node NDP. The result of the subtraction is stored in the RAM 5 as the vertical value YM (step SF8).

Further, the value of the horizontal position XP is subtracted from the east longitude value of the point node NDP. Then, the absolute value of the subtraction value is stored in the RAM 5 as the horizontal value XM (step SF10). Next, it is determined whether or not the horizontal value XM is larger than the interval XN (step SF12). If the horizontal value XM is larger than the interval XN, the value of the horizontal value XM is substituted for the interval XN (step SF14).

On the other hand, when the horizontal value XM is equal to or less than the interval XN,
The east longitude value of the (N-1) th node of the guide route is stored in the horizontal position XP (step SF20). And
The interval XN is cleared to 0 (step SF22). These steps SF12, SF20 and SF22 are performed to detect that the guide route is curved in the east longitude direction.

That is, although the cross point CSP is displayed at the lower end of the second screen, if the guide route is curved in the east longitude direction, the guide route including the curved portion must be efficiently displayed on the second screen. No. Therefore, the point node NDP which is the displayable end of the guide route is sequentially searched using the curved portion of the guide route as a new base point (horizontal position XP).

Next, the horizontal value XM and the vertical value YM obtained in steps SF8 and SF10 are compared with the horizontal distance XLM and the vertical distance YLM in the following manner.

XM> XLM (A) 0>YM> YLM (B) That is, it is determined by the equation (A) whether the horizontal value XM is larger than the horizontal distance XLM. Whether the vertical value YM is smaller than “0” or larger than the vertical distance YLM is determined by the equation (B).

If either equation (A) or (B) is positive, a series of processing in steps SF6 to SF22 is completed. Then, the process returns to the route front display process of FIG. However, if both equations (A) and (B) are incorrect,
The count N is incremented by "1", and the process for the next node of the guide route is executed (step SF18).

By the processing in steps SF6 to SF22, the cross point CS is added to the point node NDP.
A coordinate value of an end point of the guide route which is a guide route starting from P and is efficiently displayed on the second screen is stored. Note that the guidance route displayed on the second screen is set such that the guidance route in the cross point CSP portion is oriented in the vertical direction of the screen.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which the front part of the guide route is displayed on the second screen by the route front display processing of FIG. The guidance route 144 on the second screen is connected to the cross point CSP of the guidance route 146 displayed on the third screen 110. Then, when a road map including the guide route 144 is displayed on the second screen by the scale WDB,
A point on the guide route, which can be effectively displayed, is a point node NDP. Further, the curved portion 148 in the east longitude direction of the guide route is detected by steps SF12 to SF22 in FIG. That is, the east longitude value newly stored at the horizontal position XP in step SF22 is the
Are coordinates.

13. All Route (Front) Display Process FIG. 15 shows a subroutine of all route (front) display process in FIG. In this all route (forward) display processing, the remaining guide route following the cross point CSP, which is the display break point of the guide route displayed on the third screen, and the entire guide route to the destination is displayed on the second screen. Will be displayed. In addition, in the entire route (forward) display processing, the display scale can be changed. That is, a wider range of road map including the remaining guide route can be displayed.

First, it is determined whether or not all routes are displayed on the second screen (step SG2). If all routes are displayed on the second screen, it is determined whether or not a scale change request has been made (step SG4). The process of changing the scale is executed when a specific switch provided on the touch switch 34 is operated by the user.

When a change in scale is requested, the value of the scale WDB is changed (step SG6). Then, a map is displayed on the second screen using the changed scale WDB (step SG8). When the scale is reduced and the guide route from the cross point CSP to the destination cannot be displayed on the entire second screen, the same process as the route forward display process in FIG. 12 is executed. That is, the display position of the guide route is adjusted so that the guide route is displayed most efficiently on the second screen.

If it is determined that there is no request to change the scale (step SG4), the processing in FIG.
The processing is returned to the guidance / display processing. Furthermore, if the display mode of the second screen is not in the all route display state (step SG2), it is determined whether an all route display request has been input (step SG10). This all route display request is input by operating a specific switch set on the touch switch 34.

If there is no all route display request, the processing of FIG. 15 is terminated, and the processing returns to the guidance / display processing of FIG. On the other hand, when the all route display request is input, the following processing is executed. In the coordinate values of each node in the guide route from the cross point CSP to the final guide point data ED, the maximum value and the minimum value of the latitude and longitude are detected (step SG12). A reduced scale that can display the geographical interval between the maximum value and the minimum value of each of the latitude and longitude on the second screen is obtained (step SG14). For this scale calculation, a numerical conversion table obtained in advance may be used.

A road map including a guide route is displayed on the second screen based on the obtained scale (step SG16). Further, the scale obtained in step SG14 is stored in RAM 5 as "scale WDB of second screen" (step SG18). Thereafter, the scale change processing of step SG4 and subsequent steps is executed.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a state in which a guide route from the cross point CSP to the destination 152 is displayed on the second screen 108 by the display processing of all routes (forward). As described above, in the entire route (forward) display processing, the entire guide route ahead of the cross point CSP, which is the end of the guide route on the third screen, is displayed on the second screen.

In the above embodiment, when a screen division is instructed, more important map information during traveling is displayed on the third screen. Moreover, the relatively insignificant map information is
Displayed on the screen. Important map information means information that is more necessary for the driver during traveling on the guide route. That is, when the vehicle approaches an intersection where the vehicle turns right or left while traveling on the guide route, the information indicating the direction of turning right or left is more important than the information regarding the entire guide route. Therefore, information indicating the direction of turning right or left is displayed on the third screen.

Then, road information having relatively low importance is displayed on the second screen. Here, a general road map including the guide route is displayed on the second screen. When the host vehicle is not approaching the right or left turn point, the processing automatically determines which screen displays the map including the narrow street and the map not including the narrow street. That is, if the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a certain value, the road map including the narrow street is not so important for the driver. Therefore, a road map of only the main highways is displayed on the third screen, and a road map including narrow streets is displayed on the second screen.

Note that the third screen in the above embodiment is on the right side of the display surface of the display 33. In a right-hand drive vehicle, the third screen is a split screen close to the driver.
That is, the third screen is a divided screen closer to the driver. Therefore, in a vehicle with a left-hand drive, the split screen on the left side of the display 33 becomes the third screen.

That is, when the split screen display is selected,
Guidance information with higher importance is preferentially displayed on a screen closer to the driver. Then, auxiliary guidance route information is displayed on the screen on the passenger seat side. In the above embodiment, the heading-up map is displayed on the first to third screens. However, a north-up map may be displayed. Heading-up is a state in which a map is displayed such that the traveling direction of the own vehicle is always above the screen. North-up is a state in which a map is displayed such that north in the absolute direction is always above the screen.

FIG. 17 is a simplified diagram displayed on the screen of the display 33. The screen 104 includes a symbol 120 indicating an absolute azimuth (north of geomagnetism), a symbol 126 indicating the current position of the vehicle, an arrow 122 indicating the direction of the destination, and a character information string 124 indicating the distance to the destination. Is displayed.
Such a simplified diagram may be displayed on any of the first to third screens.

The present invention is not limited to the simplified diagram shown in FIG. For example, the display may be such that the traveling direction of the host vehicle is always above the screen 104. In this case, the symbol 120 representing the absolute azimuth is rotated on the screen 104 according to the relative azimuth angle data Dθ.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a part of the circuit configuration of the image processor 9 inserted between the image memory 10 and the display 33. The circuit of FIG. 18 is also used when the screen of the display 33 is divided as shown in FIG. The output of the image memory 10 is a palette RAM
204 and the pallet RAM 208 are connected in parallel. That is, the same image data is input to the palette RAM 204 and the palette RAM 208. Palette RAM
The output of 204 is connected to terminal 22 of digital switch 214.
2 is connected. The output of the palette RAM 208 is connected to the terminal 224 of the switch 214. Switch 214
Output is a digital / analog converter (DAC) 218
It is connected to the.

The video signal of the analog signal output from the DAC 218 is input to the display control circuit of the display 33. The display control circuit of the display 33 generates various control signals for driving the liquid crystal display. The control signal 202 of the image processor 9 is input to the image memory 10. Digital switch 21
The four switching control signals 216 are generated by the image processor 9.

Although not shown, the palette RAM 20
4, 208 are connected to other circuits of the image processor 9 and write conversion table data. That is, the conversion table data written to the palette RAM 204 is different from the conversion table data written to the palette RAM 208. The difference between the conversion table data is data relating to the display color of the narrow street. For example, the conversion table of the pallet RAM 204 stores data for displaying narrow streets in a color different from the background color of the screen. On the other hand, the conversion table of the pallet RAM 208 stores data in which the narrow street has the same color or an approximate color as the screen.

The colors of the other map display items are the
It is almost the same in the conversion table of the AM 204. In such a circuit, digital image data read from the image memory 10 is input to the address terminals of the palette RAMs 204 and 208 after being subjected to serial / parallel conversion. Digital color signals output from the palette RAMs 204 and 208 are input to the switch 214. The switching control of the switch 214 is performed by the image processor 9. This switching is performed on the second screen 1
08 and the divided portion of the third screen 110. That is,
When the image data of the second screen 108 is being read from the image memory 10, the switch 214 is set to the palette RAM.
Switch to the 204 side. Thereby, the pallet RA
The color signal output from M204 is input to DAC 218.

When the image data of the third screen 110 is being read from the image memory 10, the switch 21
4 is switched to the pallet RAM 208 side. As described above, the conversion table of the palette RAM 204 includes:
Data for displaying the narrow street is written. In the conversion table of the pallet RAM 208, data in which a narrow street is not displayed is written. As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, the narrow street is displayed on the second screen 108, and the narrow street is not displayed on the third screen 110.

In FIG. 18, the palette RAM 20
Although only one of each of the palette RAMs 4 and 208 is shown, these palette RAMs are composed of three palette RAMs of red, green and blue.

14. Guide / Display Process of Second Embodiment FIG. 19 is a flowchart of a guide / display process according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the display screen of the display 33 is divided as in the first embodiment. Then, a north-up screen is displayed on one of the divided screens, and a heading-up screen is displayed on the other screen. On the north-up screen, a map is displayed such that north of the geomagnetism is always above the screen. On the heading-up screen, a map is displayed such that the traveling direction of the own vehicle always faces upward of the screen.

The processing in FIG. 19 will be described in detail. at first,
It is determined whether or not the sketch display selection has been instructed by the user (step SK2). The command of the schematic display is input by pressing a specific switch of the touch switch 34.

When the schematic display is selected, the display 3
3 is displayed on the entire screen (step SK1).
6). This schematic diagram is the same as the first embodiment, and FIG.
It is shown in FIG. If there is no selection of the simplified diagram display (step SK2), it is determined whether or not the split screen display is instructed (step SK4). This split screen display command is also
The input is performed when a predetermined switch of the touch switch 34 is turned on. If the split screen display is not selected, other guidance / display processing in step SK18 is executed. In this step SK18, information on the guide route on which the vehicle travels is displayed or notified as needed.
Thereafter, the subroutine of the guidance / display processing of FIG. 19 is terminated.

On the other hand, when the split screen display is selected (step SK4), the display state of the first screen is detected (step SK6). The first screen means a screen of the display 33 before the division. That is, the state of the map displayed on the entire display 33 is detected. The state of the displayed map means the display mode of the map displayed on the display 33. That is, it is determined whether the map is displayed on the display 33 based on the north-up screen or the heading-up screen.

If the heading-up map is displayed on the first screen, that is, the screen before the division of the display 33 (step SK7), the north-up map is displayed on the second screen (step SK8). Further, a heading-up map is displayed on the third screen (step SK10). Thereafter, other guidance / display processing is executed (step SK18). Then, the subroutine of FIG. 19 ends. When the subroutine in FIG. 19 ends, the process returns to the main process in FIG.

When the heading-up map is not displayed on the screen of the display 33 before the division (step SK7), the heading-up map is displayed on the second screen (step SK12). Further, a map of north-up is displayed on the third screen (step SK1).
4). In other words, the map that was displayed before the screen was split,
It is always displayed on the third screen. Then, on the second screen, a map in a display state that is paired with the third screen is displayed. Thereafter, other guidance / display processing is executed (step S).
K18). Then, the subroutine of FIG. 19 ends. When the subroutine of FIG. 19 is completed, the processing proceeds to FIG.
Is returned to the main process.

Note that the second screen and the third screen are the same as those of the first screen.
As in the embodiment, the screen of the display 33 is divided and provided. That is, the split screen closer to the driver is the third screen, and the split screen closer to the passenger seat is the second screen.

FIG. 20 shows the state of the divided screen according to the second embodiment. The first screen, that is, the display 3
The screen before the division of No. 3 is shown in FIG. That is, it is assumed that a heading-up map is displayed before the division. In this state, when a screen division is instructed, a north-up map is displayed on the second screen 108.
That is, the symbol 120 indicating the absolute azimuth of the second screen 108 faces upward on the screen. Moreover, the symbol 100 indicating the traveling direction of the own vehicle is turned sideways.

Further, on the third screen 110, a map of the heading up is displayed. That is, the symbol 100 indicating the traveling of the host vehicle is directed upward on the screen. This third screen 1
The north direction at 10 is the right-hand direction of the screen as indicated by the symbol 122.

15. Guide / Display Process of Third Embodiment FIG. 21 is a flowchart of a guide / display process according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, the same processes as those in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the third embodiment, the display screen of the display 33 is divided.
Then, the map displayed before the division is directly displayed on one of the divided screens. A schematic diagram is displayed on the other screen.

The processing in FIG. 21 will be described in detail. at first,
It is determined whether or not the sketch display selection has been instructed by the user (step SK2). The command of the schematic display is input by pressing a specific switch of the touch switch 34.

When the schematic display is selected, the display 3
3 is displayed on the entire screen (step SK1).
6). This schematic diagram is the same as the first embodiment, and FIG.
It is shown in FIG. If there is no selection of the simplified diagram display (step SK2), it is determined whether or not the split screen display is instructed (step SK4). This split screen display command is also
The input is performed when a predetermined switch of the touch switch 34 is turned on. If the split screen display is not selected, other guidance / display processing in step SK18 is executed. In this step SK18, information on the guide route on which the vehicle travels is displayed or notified as needed.
Thereafter, the subroutine of the guidance / display processing of FIG. 21 ends.

On the other hand, when the split screen display is selected (step SK4), the display state of the first screen is detected (step SK6). The first screen means a screen before the division of the display 33 as in the second embodiment. On the first screen, that is, the screen before the division of the display 33,
If a heading-up map is displayed (step SK7), a heading-up map is displayed on the second screen (step SK20). Further, a simplified diagram of FIG. 17 is displayed on the third screen (step SK24). Thereafter, other guidance / display processing is executed (step S).
K18). Then, the subroutine of FIG. 21 ends. When the subroutine of FIG. 21 is completed, the processing proceeds to FIG.
Is returned to the main process.

When the heading-up map is not displayed on the screen of the display 33 before the division (step SK7), the north-up map is displayed on the second screen (step SK22). Further, a simplified diagram as shown in FIG. 17 is displayed on the third screen (step SK).
24). That is, the map that was displayed before the division of the screen is always displayed on the second screen. Then, on the third screen, the minimum necessary guidance information such as the direction of the destination is displayed. Thereafter, other guidance / display processing is executed (step SK18). Then, the subroutine of FIG. 21 ends. When the subroutine in FIG. 21 ends, the process returns to the main process in FIG.

The second screen and the third screen are provided by dividing the screen of the display 33, as in the first and second embodiments. That is, the split screen closer to the driver is the third screen, and the split screen closer to the passenger seat is the second screen.

16. Guide / Display Process of Fourth Embodiment FIG. 22 is a flowchart of the guide / display process of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, in addition to the guide route initially obtained, another guide route is newly searched in response to a request from the operator (user). Then, the obtained new guide route and the previously obtained guide route are respectively displayed on the two divided screens. When a further search is instructed, another guide route is searched again. Then, when the newly searched guide route is displayed on one screen, another guide route is displayed on the other screen. Thus, in the split screen, the original route and the new route or a plurality of different routes can be compared. By comparing the routes, it is easy to select a guide route that matches the operator's desire.

The flowchart of FIG. 22 will be described. First, it is determined whether the screen of the display 33 is in the split state (step SL2). In the case of the divided state, a separate guide route searched independently is displayed on each screen. That is, in the present embodiment, if the operator does not determine a guide route after a re-search operation described later is commanded, 1
Each time, the process of FIG. 22 is terminated, and the flow returns to the main process of FIG. Then, when the subroutine of FIG. 22 is called again, the processing executed immediately before is repeated again. That is, even if the re-search operation is instructed by the operator, if the determination of the guide route is not input, the entire subroutine of FIG. 22 is repeatedly executed. Moreover, the split screen state of the display 33 is maintained until the operator performs a guide route determination operation.

If the screen is not in the divided state (step SL)
2) It is determined whether a search start command for another route has been input (step SL4). The search start command for the other route is “research” displayed on the display 33,
The determination is made based on whether an icon such as “another route” is touched by the operator. That is, display 3
An icon such as "Re-search" is displayed on the screen 3. Whether or not the operator has touched this icon display portion is detected by a touch switch 34 attached to the display surface of the display 33.

If an icon such as "research" is not touched, that is, if another route search is not instructed, "other guidance / display processing" is executed (step SL3).
8). In this "other guidance / display processing", the first guidance route or the selected re-search guidance route is
Various kinds of audio information and image information are notified so that the own vehicle can operate satisfactorily. Thereafter, the guidance / display processing of FIG. 22 is terminated, and the flow returns to the overall processing of FIG.

On the other hand, if there is another route search operation (step SL4), the number of routes N is initialized to 1 (step SL6). The number of routes N means the number of searched guidance routes. The alternative route search operation means, for example, that the operator touches a character portion of “another route” (FIG. 23) displayed on the screen of the display 33. Then, when another route search operation is performed, a new guide route from the current position of the host vehicle to the registered destination is searched (step SL8). The guidance route searched in step SL8 is different from the guidance route in the guidance process immediately before the re-search.

In the alternative route search at step SL8,
A process similar to the route search process of FIG. 5 is performed. That is, using the road data and the intersection data recorded in the information storage unit 37, a route from the current position of the vehicle to the final guide point is searched. For example, when the host vehicle is on the guidance target road, the intersection at the end point of the guidance target road is searched from the road data and the intersection data. Then, a search is made for a road that travels the shortest distance from each road starting from the intersection to the next intersection closer to the destination direction. As described above, the vehicle proceeds to the intersection existing in the direction of the destination, and the roads with shorter distances are sequentially selected, and the guide route is searched.

Here, the guide route search processing will be briefly described. Information on roads is stored in the information storage unit 37, for example, with a connection road connecting two branch points (intersections and the like) as one unit (FIG. 4). The information of each road includes length data of the road, shape data indicating the direction of the road, road attribute data indicating the type of the road, and the like. Therefore, a search cost to be converted into the length of the road is defined for these data values. For example,
The value of the search cost is set to be smaller as the road width of the road is wider. In other words, if the road has three lanes,
A search cost of “10” is provided. Conversely, if the number of lanes is 1
Then, a search cost of “30” is given. Therefore, if the width of the road is large, the search cost is small, and if the width is narrow, the search cost is large.

Similarly, a search cost is defined for road attribute data, shape data, and the like. The destination direction (geographical direction) of this road was connected to this road,
The determination is made based on the destination direction data included in the original road data. Therefore, the search cost is set to be smaller as the direction of the road based on the destination direction data is closer to the destination. Further, the search cost may be defined by a prefectural road, a city road, a national road, or the like. That is, the search cost may be defined such that a more general road is preferentially selected.

The calculation of the search cost uses a predetermined numerical value calculation table. In the case of the number of lanes, a numerical value correspondence table (hereinafter referred to as a table) such as a search cost of "10" for three lanes and a search cost of "30" for one lane is recorded in advance in the information storage unit 37 or the ROM 4. ing.

Then, the search cost for each value such as the attribute of the road and the destination direction is obtained from each table. The sum total of the calculated search costs is defined as a comprehensive search cost of the road (hereinafter, a comprehensive search cost). The length of the road may be directly used as the search cost, or the length may be multiplied by a coefficient. In other words, a coefficient value uniquely determined by the length of the road is multiplied by the value of the length to obtain a length search cost. Note that this coefficient may also be calculated by a numerical value correspondence table (table). That is,
A correspondence table of coefficients uniquely determined according to the length of the road is recorded in the information storage unit 37 or the ROM 4.

For example, if the length of the road is 10 km or less, a coefficient “1.0” is given. Then, the length search cost is set to 10 * 1.0 = 10. Similarly, 1
If the road is longer than 0 km and not longer than 20 km, the coefficient “3.
0 "is given. The search cost for the length of this road is set to 20 * 3.0 = 60. In this way, the coefficients according to the length of the road are sequentially given. This allows
It is easy to compare the search costs depending on the length of the distance.
It should be noted that these values are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these numerical values, and these search costs may be calculated using a calculation formula.

Thus, the total search cost of each road is calculated. When there are a plurality of roads connected to one search start point (node or intersection), the total search cost of each road is obtained. Then, the obtained total search cost value of each road is separately added to the accumulated value of the total search cost of each road of the route searched so far. Then, the road having the smaller accumulated value of the total search cost is selected as the optimal route.

Similarly, as the road connected to the selected road, the road having the smallest accumulated value of the total search cost is selected. That is, the roads are sequentially selected so that the accumulated value of the total search cost becomes smaller. The road that is searched in this way and that continues from the departure point (guidance start point) to the destination (guidance end point) is represented by R as the guidance route data MW.
Stored in AM4. In the above case, a road that is directed toward the destination and has a wider width is preferentially selected.

Further, the search cost may be made larger when each road is connected by making a right or left turn at an intersection. That is, the guide route may be selected such that a road that turns left or right at an intersection is eliminated as much as possible. Similarly, at an intersection, the search cost may be determined so as to increase or decrease depending on the presence or absence of a traffic light or the presence or absence of a name of the intersection. For example, an intersection without a traffic light is set to have a larger search cost value than an intersection with a traffic light. Thereby, an intersection having better conditions is preferentially selected as an intersection of the guidance route.

In the above description of the search cost, the total search cost of a road with better conditions is set to be small, but the total search cost of a road with good conditions is set to be large. May be. That is, the coefficient value by which the length value is multiplied may be set in inverse proportion so that the search cost value of the shorter road becomes large. Similarly, the setting is made so that the search cost for a road having a wider road width becomes larger.

For example, if the length of the road is 10 km or less, a coefficient “3.0” is given. Then, the length search cost is set to 10 * 3.0 = 30. Similarly, 1
If the road is longer than 0 km and shorter than 20 km, the coefficient “0.
1 ". The cost of searching for the length of this road is 20 * 0.1 = 2. In this case, the cost of searching for a short road becomes large.

In the route search, if the own vehicle is not on the guide target road, a node on the guide target road closer to the own vehicle is selected. That is, the node of the guide target road which is within a predetermined distance from the current position of the own vehicle is selected. In addition, when there are a plurality of nodes on the guidance target road close to the own vehicle, a node closer to the destination among the plurality of nodes is set as the guidance start point.
Also in the alternative route search in step SL8 (FIG. 22),
If the current position of the vehicle is not on the guide target road, a node on a nearby guide target road is set as a search start point. This is the same process as the route search process (step SA4) in FIG.

In step SL8, a process is performed in which the guide route searched in the route search process of FIG. 5 or the guide route currently being provided is not selected as a new guide route as much as possible. For example, a new search cost is added to the search condition of the road already used for the guide route obtained in the previous search processing. That is, for example, an extra value of the search cost “50” is added to each road constituting the guide route searched in the route search process of FIG. As a result, the conditions for selecting a road already used as a guide route are deteriorated. As a result, it is difficult to select this road when searching for a new guide route.

The new guide route searched in step SL8 is stored in the RAM 5 as the Nth guide route. When the new guide route is searched, the display screen of the display 33 is divided into right and left (step SL10). In this screen division processing, the display 33
Is divided into two parts on the left and right of the screen at the approximate center. Then, the screen on the left side toward the display screen is the second screen. The screen on the right is the third screen.

Then, the above-mentioned step SL8 is displayed on the second screen.
The N-th guidance route searched in is displayed (step SL12). The (N-1) th guidance route is displayed on the third screen (step SL12). Here, the (N-1) th guide route is the first guide route searched in the route search process of FIG. 5 or the route currently being provided. That is, N-1 = 0. The route of N = 0 is the route searched first or the route that is searched again during driving and is currently being guided. For example, in the route of N = 0, there is a route searched when a destination or the like is set before the guidance by the navigation system is started. Alternatively, it is a new guidance route that is searched again by the guidance / display processing of FIG. 22 and selected. That is, the route with the number of routes N = 0 corresponds to the route currently being guided.

However, if the re-search for the guidance route is repeatedly instructed by the operator, the latest guidance route will be the second guidance route.
The guidance route that is displayed on the screen and that is searched for immediately before is displayed on the third screen.

When the respective guidance routes are displayed on the second screen and the third screen, it is determined whether or not the icon “RETURN” displayed on the screen of the display 33 has been pressed (step SL16). Click on the "RETUR" icon
"N" is pressed or not.
Judged by off.

When "RETURN", that is, the return key is turned on, the guide routes displayed on the second screen and the third screen are each set to the previous guide route. By the way, FIG.
When another route search command of the second guide / display process is repeated, N guide routes are searched. Immediately before the return key is pressed, the latest N-th guidance route is displayed on the second screen, and the (N-1) th navigation route is displayed on the third screen.
The second guidance route is displayed.

In this state, when the return key is pressed, the second
The (N-1) th guide route is displayed on the screen, and the (N-2) th guide route is displayed on the third screen. That is, when the return key is pressed, the display 33
Is returned to the previous state. These series of processes are performed by steps SL12 to SL20.

That is, the value of the number of routes N is decremented by 1 (step SL18). Then, it is determined whether or not the value of the number of routes N has become smaller than 1 by the processing of step SL18 (step SL20). If the value of the number of routes N is not smaller than “1”, the process returns to step SL12 again to execute the processing. That is, the guidance route searched immediately before is displayed on the second screen. Similarly, the third screen displays the guidance route searched two times before.

Conversely, if the value of the number of routes N is smaller than "1", there is no search route older than the guide route of N = 0. Therefore, the first route searched in the route search process of FIG. 5 or the current route on which the guidance process has been executed is selected (step SL22). In this case, the screen display is also released from the divided state. Then, the map displayed before the division is displayed without changing the scale (step S).
L23). Thereafter, other guidance / display processing is performed (step SL38), and the guidance / display processing of FIG. 22 is ended once.

Alternatively, when the number of routes N becomes smaller than "1" (steps SL22 and SL23), another route first searched again is displayed on the second screen, and the original route is displayed on the third screen. The state may be maintained. In this case, the screen division may be canceled when any one of the routes of the second and third screens is selected.

Note that the processing of step SL16 is also performed when the subroutine of the guidance / display processing of FIG. 22 is called in the screen division state. That is, it is determined whether the return key is pressed or the route determination key described later is pressed in the divided display state of the screen. When another route search is instructed once, the screen of the display 33 is divided. In the divided state, the second screen or the third screen
If the “RETURN” key is not pressed repeatedly until the operator does not select a guide route on the screen or the number of routes N = 0, the divided state is continued.

However, if "RETURN" is repeatedly pressed until a guide route is selected or the number of routes N = 0, the divided state is released. And
Guidance processing is performed according to the determined guidance route. The guidance / display processing in FIG. 22 is repeatedly executed until the vehicle reaches the final guidance point. However, a search command for another route is not permitted unless the vehicle is in a stopped or slow-moving state.

If it is determined in step SL16 that the return key, that is, the "RETURN" key has not been turned on, it is determined whether or not another root key has been pressed (step S16).
L28). That is, whether or not the “other route” of the icon displayed on the display 33 has been touched by the operator is determined by turning on / off the touch switch 34.

When another root key is turned on, the number of roots N
Is added by "1" (step SL24). Then, a new guide route is searched again. The new guide route found is stored in the RAM 5 as the Nth guide route (step SL26). This step SL26
In the search for the guide route, the road used for the guide route searched in the past is hardly selected. In other words, if a road with a lower overall search cost is selected, the road that is selected as the road that constitutes the guidance route will be
A new search cost is added. Thereby, a plurality of guidance routes constituted by different roads are searched.

[0210] The search conditions for the guide route searched in steps SL8 and SL26 may be different from the search conditions for the guide route searched first. For example,
If the first search route is a route that preferentially uses a toll road (highway), the guide route searched second is:
A search is made so that the route does not use a toll road. If the first guide route is a guide route that reaches the destination in the shortest distance, the second search is performed so as to be a guide route that preferentially uses a wider road. Thus, in the repeated guidance route search, each route search condition may be changed.

[0211] The guide route searched in step SL26 is displayed on the second screen. In addition, the guidance route previously displayed on the second screen is displayed on the third screen (step SL12). Note that the third screen may always display the guide route first searched by the route search process of FIG. 5 or the guide route currently being provided. That is, on the second screen, the latest guidance route searched each time the “alternate route” key is pressed is displayed. On the other hand, the route currently being guided is always displayed on the third screen. This makes it possible to directly compare the original guide route with the new guide route that has undergone the re-search processing.

In the present invention, the guide route displayed on the third screen with the number of routes N = 1 is not limited to the guide route searched by the route search process of FIG. That is, in the guidance / display processing of FIG. 22, when a newly searched guidance route is selected as a guidance target route, the new guidance target road is set as a basic guidance route. Therefore, 1
If another route search is instructed again while the guidance process is being performed by a new guide route by another route search, the new guide route is displayed on the third screen of the split screen.

If it is determined in step SL28 in FIG. 22 that another route key has not been turned on, it is determined whether the route determination key has been turned on (step SL30). This route determination key is also displayed on the screen of the display 33 as an icon “route determination”. Then, the touch switch 34 determines whether or not the icon display portion has been touched by the operator.

If the route determination key is not pressed, the "other guidance / display processing" of step SL38 is executed.
Then, the process of FIG. 22 is terminated once. Conversely, when the route determination key is pressed, it is determined which of the second screen and the third screen has been selected (step SL3).
2). The selection of the guide route is also determined by turning on / off the touch switch 34. When the guidance route on the second screen is selected, the screen division state of the display 33 is released. Then, the guidance route displayed on the second screen is
It is displayed on the released single screen (first screen) (step SL34). Then, "other guidance / display processing" such as information display and notification for assisting the operation of the vehicle along the selected guidance route is executed (step SL38).

[0215] Also, when the guidance route on the third screen is selected, the split state of the display 33 is released. Then, the selected guidance route is displayed on the single screen of the display 33 (step SL36). Furthermore, "other guidance / display processing" such as information display and notification to assist the operation of the vehicle along the selected guidance route.
Is executed (step SL38). Thereafter, the process of FIG. 22 is terminated, and the process returns to the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 23 shows a display 33 before screen division.
Shows the state of the display screen. On the screen 104, the first guide route 162 searched by the route search process of FIG. 5 is displayed. Further, a symbol 100 indicating the current position and the traveling direction of the own vehicle traveling on the guide route 162
Is displayed. In addition, the screen SL has a step SL
The icon 160 of “Alternate route” to be determined in No. 4 is displayed.

FIG. 24 shows a screen division state of the display 33. This screen division state corresponds to step SL in FIG.
8 shows the state of the screen of the display 33 immediately after the first execution of step 8. On the second screen 108, a new guide route 170 searched by the route search process in step SL8 is displayed. On the third screen 110, the guidance route 162 displayed in FIG. 23 is displayed. The icons 164 and 16 are displayed on the second screen 108 and the third screen 110.
6, 168 are displayed. The icon 164 indicates “another route”. The icon 166 is displayed in step SL30.
Represents a "route determination" key to be determined. The icon 168 indicates “RET” to be determined in step SL16.
A "URN" key, that is, a return key.

FIG. 25 shows the state of the display screen of the display 33 immediately after the execution of step SL26 in FIG. Second
On the screen 108, a guidance route 172 newly searched in step SL26 is displayed. On the third screen, the guidance route 170 displayed on the second screen of FIG. 24 is displayed.
Is displayed. The icons 164, 166, 168
Has the same function as the icon in FIG.

FIG. 26 shows a state where the screen of display 33 has been returned to a single screen by step SL36 of FIG. For example, in FIG. 25, the icon 166 is pressed, and the guidance route 170 on the third screen 110 is selected.
When the guidance route 170 is selected, the split screen is released. Then, the guidance route 170 is displayed on the entire first screen 104 of the single screen. Note that an icon 160 is also displayed on the screen 104 after the screen division is released.

In the fourth embodiment, the route displayed on each of the second and third screens may be freely selected. That is, when another route is searched N times, any one of the N different routes is displayed on the second screen. Similarly, any one of the N different routes is
It may be displayed on the third screen. Furthermore, the route displayed on the second screen or the third screen may be fixed. For example, the original route immediately before an instruction to re-search for another route may be constantly displayed on the third screen. Moreover, the second and third
The scale of the map displayed on the screen is not particularly limited, and the scale may be adjusted so that the entire route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is displayed on each of the divided screens. Alternatively, a map display of each divided screen may be performed using the scale before division.

17. Guide / Display Process of Fifth Embodiment FIG. 27 is a flowchart of the guide / display process of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In the guidance / display processing of the fifth embodiment, when the vehicle deviates from the guidance route currently being guided,
The return route to return to the guide route and the newly searched different route or the original route are displayed on the split screen.

First, it is determined whether or not the traveling position of the vehicle deviates from the guide route (step SP2). RAM
5 and the guide route data M
The geographical coordinates of the roads constituting W are compared. Thereby, it is determined whether the own vehicle is traveling on the guide route. If the own vehicle is traveling on the guidance route, "other guidance / display processing" is executed (step SP4).
2). Then, processing such as notification and display of guidance information that assists the operation of the vehicle along the guidance route is performed. After this,
The processing in FIG. 27 ends, and the processing returns to the flowchart in FIG.

However, when the vehicle deviates from the guide route, it is determined whether or not the screen is in a divided state (step SP).
4). In the screen division state, the two guide routes that have already been searched are displayed on the left and right screens respectively. in this case,
The return key may be turned on, or the route determination key may be turned on. Therefore, in the case of the screen division state, the processing of step SP18 is executed.

However, if the screen is not divided, it is determined whether or not a re-search command has been input (step SP).
6). That is, it is determined whether or not an instruction to start a process of searching for a route that returns to the guide route currently being provided has been given. This re-search command is determined based on whether or not an icon such as “re-search” or “another route” displayed on the screen of the display 33 has been touched by the operator. The presence / absence of a touch is determined by turning on / off the touch switch 34.

[0225] If there is no re-search command, a map in which the own vehicle deviates from the guide route is continuously displayed on the display 33. In this case, information that warns that the vehicle has deviated from the guidance route may be notified as needed. If there is a re-search command, the number of routes N is initialized to "1" (step SP8). Then, a route that returns from the current position of the host vehicle to the guide route is searched. The search for the return route is a peripheral route search process. In this return route search,
Weighting is performed so that the condition for selecting the road toward the guidance route becomes more superior. For example, for a road traveling in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the host vehicle, a predetermined search cost value is added to the total search cost so that the total search cost increases. Similarly, on a road traveling in the opposite direction to the guidance route direction,
A predetermined value is added to increase the search cost. As a result, a road traveling in the guide route direction is preferentially selected.

When the return route returning to the guide route is searched in this way, this return route is set as the N-th (N = 1) -th route (step SP10). Then, the screen of the display 33 is divided (step SP1).
2). The Nth guidance route is displayed on the second screen of the divided screens (step SP14). Here, N = 1, and the return route to the guidance route currently being guided is displayed on the second screen. The Nth guide route is displayed in a different color or the like from the guide route from which the host vehicle has deviated. That is, the original guide route and the return route are displayed on the display 33 so that they can be identified.

Further, the (N-1) th guide route is displayed on the third screen. Here, N-1 = 0, and is the first guide route searched in the route search process of FIG. 5 or the guide route at the time when the host vehicle departs. Second screen, third
When each guidance route is displayed on the screen, the display 3
It is determined whether or not the icon "RETURN" displayed on the screen of No. 3 has been pressed (step SP18). Whether or not “RETURN” of this icon is pressed is determined by turning on / off the touch switch 34.

When "RETURN", that is, the return key is turned on, the guide routes displayed on the second screen and the third screen are each set to the previous guide route. Note that, when the all route search process of step SP30 described later is repeated, N guide routes are searched. Immediately before the return key is pressed, the latest Nth guide route is displayed on the second screen, and the (N-1) th guide route is displayed on the third screen.

When the return key is pressed in this state, the second
The (N-1) th guide route is displayed on the screen, and the (N-2) th guide route is displayed on the third screen. That is, when the return key is pressed, the display 33
Is returned to the previous state. These series of processes are performed in steps SP14 to SP22.

That is, when "RETURN", that is, the return key is turned on, the value of the number of routes N is decremented by "1" (step SP20). Then, it is determined whether or not the value of the number of routes N has become smaller than “1” by the processing of step SP20 (step SP22). If the value of the number of routes N is not smaller than “1”, step SP is performed again.
Returning to 14, the processing is executed. That is, the guidance route searched immediately before is displayed on the second screen. Similarly, the third screen displays the guidance route searched two times before.

On the other hand, if the value of the number of routes N is smaller than "1", there is no search route older than the guide route of N = 0. In this case, at the time when the host vehicle departs, the guidance route for which guidance has been performed is selected (step SP24). Then, the state before the division, that is, the original route and the own vehicle deviating from the route are displayed on one map screen (step SP2).
5). Thereafter, other guidance / display processing is executed (step SP42), and the guidance / display processing of FIG. 27 is temporarily terminated. In this case, the route guidance process is not performed, and the original route and the vehicle deviating from the route are displayed on a single screen.

In the state where the number of routes N = 1, "RET"
When the “URN” key is turned on, the state in which the return route is displayed on the second screen and the guidance route from which the own vehicle has deviated may be displayed on the third screen, instead of releasing the division. In this case, the screen split state only needs to be canceled for the first time when either the route of the second screen or the route of the third screen is selected. Further, in the state where the number of routes N = 1, “RE
When the “TURN” key is pressed, it may be determined that a return to the original guide route has been requested, and the return route on the second screen may be forcibly selected.

It should be noted that the own vehicle deviates from the original guide route,
Moreover, even when the guidance / display processing subroutine of FIG. 27 is called in the screen division state, the processing of step SP18 is performed first. That is, in the divided display state of the screen, it is determined whether the return key is pressed or a route determination key or the like described later is pressed. Also,
When the re-search command is input once, the screen of the display 33 is divided. In this divided state, the return key (RE) is pressed until the operator does not select the guide route on the second screen or the third screen or the number of routes N = 0.
If (TURN) is not repeatedly pressed, the divided state is continued. However, when the guidance route is selected, the divided state is canceled, the screen is set to a single screen, and the guidance process based on the determined guidance route is executed.

The guidance / display processing of FIG. 27 is repeatedly executed until the vehicle reaches the final guidance point. Further, the scale of the map displayed on the second screen and the third screen is
In the present embodiment, although not particularly limited, when another route that has been searched again is displayed, the entire route may be displayed on the screen. Alternatively, the map may be displayed on the second screen and the third screen at the reduced scale of the map displayed on the first screen before the division.

If it is determined in step SP18 that the return key, that is, the "RETURN" key has not been turned on, it is determined whether the re-search key has been pressed (step SP18).
32). That is, whether or not “re-search” of the icon displayed on the display 33 is touched by the operator is determined by turning on and off the touch switch 34.

When the search key is turned on, “1” is added to the number of routes N (step SP28). Then, a new guide route is searched. The searched new guide route is stored in the RAM 5 as the Nth guide route (step SP30). In the search for the guide route in step SP30, the road used for the guide route searched in the past is hardly selected. That is, when a road with a smaller total search cost is preferentially selected, a new search cost is added to the road that has already been selected as a road constituting the guide route. Thereby, a plurality of guidance routes constituted by different roads are searched.
In this all route search in step SP30, the same processing as that in step SL8 in FIG. 22 is executed.

Further, the search condition of the guide route searched in step SP30 may be different from the search condition of the guide route searched first. For example, the first
If the second search route is a route that preferentially uses a toll road (highway), the second searched guide route is searched so as to be a route that does not use a toll road. Also,
If the first guide route is a guide route that reaches the destination in the shortest distance, the second is searched so as to be a guide route that preferentially uses a wider road. in this way,
In the repeated guidance route search, each route search condition may be changed.

[0238] The guide route searched in step SP30 is displayed on the second screen. In addition, the guidance route previously displayed on the second screen is displayed on the third screen (step SP14). Note that the third screen may always display the guide route first searched by the route search process of FIG. 5 or the guide route currently being provided. That is, on the second screen, the latest guidance route searched each time the “research” key is pressed is displayed. On the third screen,
The guidance route from which the own vehicle has left is displayed. This makes it possible to directly compare the original guide route with the new guide route each time the search process is performed.

Furthermore, the routes displayed on each of the second and third screens may be freely designated and displayed according to the number of routes N. That is, when the re-search is performed N times, one of the N routes may be arbitrarily selected and displayed on each of the second and third screens.

In the present invention, the guide route displayed on the third screen in the state where the number of routes N = 1 is not limited to the guide route searched by the route search process of FIG. That is, in the guidance / display processing of FIG. 27, when a newly searched guidance route is selected as a guidance target route, the new guidance target road is set as a basic guidance route. Therefore, 1
If a new search route is instructed again while the guidance process is being performed by a new guide route by the re-search, the new guide route is first displayed on the third screen of the split screen.

If it is determined in step SP32 that the re-search key has not been turned on, it is determined whether the guidance start (route determination) key has been turned on (step SP34).
When the peripheral route search processing in step SP10 has been executed, a return route is displayed on the second screen. Further, the initial guidance route is displayed on the third screen, but the own vehicle is not on this guidance route. Therefore, when the guidance of the route by the guidance route on the third screen is requested,
Route guidance may be performed using the return route on the second screen. Therefore, when the return route is displayed on the second screen, the icon “guidance start” is displayed on the second screen. Then, in the determination target of step SP34, it is determined whether or not this guidance start key has been pressed.

If the third screen (a deviated guide route) is selected in the state where the number of routes N = 1, no guide start may be performed. In this case, the screen is returned to the single screen before the division. That is, the guidance route from which the own vehicle has deviated and the own vehicle are displayed on the screen. That is, in the state where the number of routes N = 1, the same processing as in the state where the “RETURN” key is pressed (steps SP24 and SP25) is performed.

However, when the entire route search in step SP30 is repeated, the icon “route decision” is displayed on the screen of the display 33 as in the fourth embodiment. Then, it is determined by the touch switch 34 whether or not the icon display portion has been touched by the operator (step SP34).

If the guidance start (route determination) key is not pressed, the "other guidance / display processing" of step SP42 is executed. Then, the process of FIG. 27 is terminated once.
Conversely, when the route determination key is pressed, the second screen, the third screen
It is determined which guide route has been selected on the screen (step SP36). The selection of the guide route is also determined by turning on / off the touch switch 34. When the guidance route on the second screen is selected, the screen division state of the display 33 is released. Then, the guidance route displayed on the second screen is displayed on the released single screen (first screen) (step SP38). Then, "other guidance / display processing" such as information display and notification for assisting the operation of the vehicle along the selected guidance route is executed (step S).
P42).

Also, when the guidance route on the third screen is selected, the divided state of the display 33 is released. Then, the selected guidance route is displayed on the single screen of the display 33 (step SP40). Furthermore, "other guidance / display processing" such as information display and notification to assist the operation of the vehicle along the selected guidance route.
Is executed (step SP42). Thereafter, the processing in FIG. 27 ends, and the processing returns to the flowchart in FIG. As for the display map scale after the division is released, the display scale before the division may be used or a different scale may be used.

FIG. 28 shows a display 33 before screen division.
Shows the state of the display screen. On the screen 104, the first guide route 162 searched by the route search process of FIG. 5 is displayed. Further, a symbol 100 indicating the current position and the traveling direction of the own vehicle deviating from the guide route 162 is displayed. Further, an icon 174 of “research” to be determined in step SP4 is displayed on the screen 104.

FIG. 29 shows a screen division state of the display 33. This screen division state corresponds to step SP in FIG.
10 shows the state of the screen of the display 33 immediately after step 10 is executed. On the second screen 108, the return route 178 searched by the peripheral route search processing in step SP10 is displayed. On the third screen 110, the guidance route 162 displayed in FIG. 28 is displayed. The icons 174 and 17 are displayed on the second screen 108 and the third screen 110.
6, 168 are displayed. The icon 174 represents “re-search”. The icon 176 represents a “guidance start” key to be determined in step SP34. Icon 16
8 is “RETUR” to be determined in step SP18.
"N" key, that is, a return key.

FIG. 30 shows the state of the display screen of display 33 immediately after step SP30 of FIG. 27 has been executed. On the second screen 108, a guide route 180 newly searched in step SP30 and a guide route 162 searched first are displayed. On the third screen, FIG.
9, the return route 178 displayed on the second screen is displayed. The icons 174 and 168 have the same functions as the icons in FIG. Icon 1
Reference numeral 66 denotes a route determination key, which is "guidance start" in FIG.
Corresponding to the icon. The second screen 108 in FIG.
Displays two guide routes, but only the guide route 180 may be displayed.

FIG. 31 shows a state where the screen of display 33 has been returned to a single screen by step SP40 of FIG. For example, in FIG. 30, it is assumed that the icon 166 has been pressed and the return route 178 on the third screen 110 has been selected. When the return route 178 is selected, the split screen is released. Then, the return route 178 and the guide route 162 are displayed on the entire first screen 104 of the single screen. Note that the icon 174 is displayed on the screen 104 after the screen division is released.
Is also displayed.

FIG. 32 is a sectional view of the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS.
FIG. 31 is a diagram showing another example of FIG. 30 of the fifth embodiment.
In this embodiment, distance and time information 186 is displayed in accordance with the display of the guide route. In the distance and time information, the distance along the route to the final guide point along the route and the time required to arrive at the final guide point are displayed. For example, in the case of FIG. 32, the distance along the route when the vehicle travels to the final guide point by the guide route 182 and the required time when the vehicle travels the distance at a legal speed are the information 18.
6 is displayed.

The third screen 110 shown in FIG.
The travel distance to the final guide point 84 and the time required to travel the distance are displayed in the distance and time information 186. FIG. 33 shows a state in which the display of the guidance route is switched from that of FIG. 32 by executing step SL26 in FIG. 22 and the like. The distance and time information 186 in FIG. 33 includes the travel distance to the final guide point of the guide route 188,
The required time required to travel the distance is displayed. The third screen 110 in FIG. 33 is a copy of the second screen in FIG.

In FIGS. 32 and 33, the following information may be displayed in the distance and time information 186 on which information such as the distance of the route is displayed. That is, VICS information (information of a congested road in a route, construction information, or the like) received by the data transmitting / receiving device 27, the number of right / left turns on the route, and the like may be displayed. The VICS information may include not only road congestion information and the like but also congestion information of a parking lot around the route.

Further, the names of the main roads (national roads, prefectural roads, etc.) constituting the guide route and the names of the main intersections (only intersections with names) may be displayed. Such road names, intersection names, and the like may be displayed in a list format when the “route information” key displayed on the screen is turned on. That is, the icon of “route information” is displayed on the screen. Then, when this icon "route information" is turned on by the operator, detailed information (road name etc.) of each guide route displayed on the second and third screens is displayed. This detailed information includes
The information may include a distance to the destination of the guide route, a required time, VICS information, and the like. As a result, more information that contributes to the selection of the route is displayed in a variety of ways, so that the comparison of the routes is facilitated.

Further, in each of the search processing of “different route search”, “surrounding route search”, and “all route search” in the fourth and fifth embodiments, the search cost received from outside such as VICS is added. Traffic information may be added. That is, based on the congestion information of the road received from the outside, it is possible to search for a route that bypasses the congested road by making it difficult to select the congested road.

In the fourth and fifth embodiments, each divided display screen is displayed such that the heading-up screen, the north-up screen, or the absolute azimuth is in one of the four directions of the screen. May be.

18. Guide / Display Process of Sixth Embodiment FIG. 34 is a flowchart of the guide / display process of the sixth embodiment. In the sixth embodiment, when the traveling position of the host vehicle deviates from the first guide route, the screen is divided into two. Second
On the screen, a road map including a part of the departure guide route and the vicinity of the current position of the vehicle is displayed. On the third screen, all the re-searched routes that are the original guidance route or the new guidance route to the destination, which were displayed before the division, are displayed. The original guidance route from which the host vehicle has deviated is the route searched by the route search process (step SA4) in FIG. 5 or the all route re-search (step SR20) described later. Also, on the second screen immediately after the screen division, a return route that returns to the original guidance route is not immediately displayed. However, when the start of guidance by the return route is instructed by the operator, the return route is clearly displayed on the screen. The scale of the road map displayed on the second screen is adjusted so that the entire return route is displayed on the second screen.

Referring to FIG. First, it is determined whether or not the current position of the vehicle is on the guide route (step SQ2). This determination process is performed as follows. The current position information PI and the guide route data MW are read from the RAM 5. It is determined whether or not the coordinates indicated by the current position information PI substantially match the geographic coordinates of the roads constituting the guidance route data MW. If they match, the vehicle is traveling on the guide route. Conversely, if they do not match, it means that the host vehicle is running off the guide route.

If the vehicle is on the guide route, it is determined whether or not the screen of display 33 is in the split state (step SQ14). The split state of the display 33 is stored in the RAM 5 as a screen state GJ. Therefore, whether or not the display 33 is in the split state is determined based on the data of the screen state GJ. Display 3
If the screen of No. 3 is in the split state, single screen processing is executed (step SQ16). In this single screen processing, the screen split state of the display 33 is released. And the third
The road map displayed on the screen is displayed on the entire screen of the display 33.

It should be noted that, although the own vehicle is on the guide route (step SQ2), the screen is in the split state when the own vehicle has once deviated from the guide route and then returned to the guide route again. Means the state. That is, when the host vehicle deviates from the guide route, the screen is divided by the route departure process described later. However, in the divided state, when an operation such as a route search or a route change is not performed by the operator and the operation is returned to the original guide route, the processes of steps SQ2, SQ14, and SQ16 are executed.

This is executed when the own vehicle is temporarily removed from the guide route by the operator's intention, but is returned to the guide route again by the operator's judgment. In other words, if a sudden business trip to a facility near the route can be made while the guide route is running, the route is temporarily removed from the guide route, but after the end of the business, the train may be returned to the guide route again. . By the way, in the conventional navigation device, with the auto reroute mode set,
When it is detected that the own vehicle has deviated from the guidance route, a new guidance route from the current position of the own vehicle to the destination is automatically searched again.

However, this new guide route cannot always be reached in the shortest distance toward the destination. Rather, it may be possible to return to the original guidance route more quickly to reach the destination. In such a case,
The guidance route is not automatically re-searched, and it is better that the own vehicle is returned to the original guidance route at the will of the operator. Therefore, in a state where the auto reroute mode is not set, if the own vehicle is returned to the original guide route again by the operator's will, the above steps SQ2, SQ14, SQ
Sixteen processes are executed. Note that the auto reroute mode is a mode in which it is detected that the own vehicle has deviated from the route being guided, and the route from the current position of the own vehicle to the destination is automatically re-searched.

In FIG. 34, if the screen is not in the screen division state (step SQ14) or if the screen division is canceled (step SQ16), other guidance / display processing is executed (step SQ26). In other words, the vehicle can travel well along the currently selected guidance route,
The display and notification of various information are performed. For example, when approaching an intersection that turns right or left, the distance to the intersection is displayed on the display 33. After such “other guidance / display processing” is performed, the processing in FIG. 34 ends, and the process returns to the main processing in FIG.

On the other hand, when the vehicle is off the guidance route (step SQ2), it is determined whether or not the guidance process is being performed on the return route (step SQ3). That is, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is returning to the original route based on the return route searched by the “route departure process” of a subroutine described later. If the return route guidance processing is being performed, the single screen selection and the display processing of the second and third screens after step SQ20 are executed. This determination in step SQ3 is made when the processing in FIG. 34 is repeatedly executed.
This is performed in order to prevent the “out-of-route processing” from being erroneously executed. The processing after step SQ20 will be described later.

If the guidance processing by the return route is not being performed, the "routine departure processing" of the subroutine is executed (step SQ4). This subroutine "route departure processing" will be described later in detail. In the “route departure process”, first, the screen of the display 33 is divided. The screen is divided into left and right screens with the boundary substantially at the center of the display screen of the display 33. The screen on the left side of the display screen is the second screen, and the screen on the right side is the third screen. In the division of the screen, the video memory in which the image data is written is divided into two areas according to the state of the screen division. Then, the display screen of the display 33 is divided and displayed by writing independent image data into each divided region. In addition,
The display 33 may be composed of two display devices from the beginning.

After the screen is divided into two, a return route that returns to the original guide route that has deviated is searched for. The return route is used when displaying a road map around the current position of the vehicle on one of the divided screens (second screen). In addition, if the mode of the navigation device is set to the auto reroute mode, the route from the current position of the own vehicle to the final guide point is automatically searched again. It should be noted that the return route is not specified on the second screen immediately after the division, and a road map around the current position of the host vehicle is displayed.

FIG. 40 shows the guide route 14 searched first.
6 shows the state of the display 33 immediately after the own vehicle has deviated from 6. A symbol 100 indicates the current position and the traveling direction of the host vehicle. The screen of the display 33 before the division is the first screen. At the bottom of the first screen, icons 250, 2 such as characters “reduced”, “enlarged”, and “all routes” are displayed.
56 and 252 are displayed. "Reduce" icon 2
When 50 is touched by the operator, the scale of the map displayed on the first screen is reduced, and a wide-area map is displayed.

When the “enlarge” icon 256 is touched by the operator, the scale of the map displayed on the first screen is increased, and a detailed map or a house map is displayed. When the operator touches the “all routes” icon 252, the guidance route from the current position of the vehicle to the final guidance point is searched again.

FIG. 41 shows the above-mentioned "route departure processing".
Shows the state of the display screen of the display 33 immediately after the execution of. On the second screen 108, the guide route 146 and the vehicle deviating from the guide route 146 are displayed as the symbol 100. On the third screen 110, the map displayed on the first screen, which is the screen before the division, is displayed at the same scale. At the bottom of the second screen 108, an icon 252 of "all routes", an icon 255 of "guidance start", an icon 250 of "reduction", and an icon 256 of "enlargement" are displayed. The “guidance start” icon 255 is used to instruct the start of guidance by the return route.

In FIG. 34, the "route departure process" of the subroutine is executed, and when the return route or all routes are searched, it is determined whether or not the guidance start key has been turned on (step SQ6). . This guidance start key is
As described above, the character “guidance start” is displayed as an icon on the second screen. Then, it is determined whether or not the “guidance start” display portion has been touched by the operator.
The determination is made based on the switch signal output from the touch switch 34.

The turning on of the "guidance start" key is used to determine whether or not to perform the guidance process by the return route returning to the original guidance route. Therefore, when the "guidance start" key is turned on, the processes after step SQ18 in FIG. 34 are executed. In other words, the return route is clearly displayed on the second screen,
A predetermined guidance process is executed. However, if the ON of the "guidance start" key is not detected (step SQ6), the next condition determination is executed. That is, it is determined whether all the re-searched routes from the current position of the own vehicle to the destination have been designated (step SQ8). The re-search of the entire route is performed in the auto-re-route mode or when a re-search is instructed by the operator.

When all the new routes are selected, the new guidance route is stored in the RAM 5 instead of the guidance route for which the guidance process has been executed (step SQ).
10). Further, the display 33 is released from the split state in order to display the new guide route on the entire screen (step SQ12). That is, the screen divided into two is returned to one screen, and a new guidance route is displayed on the single screen. After this, "other guidance and display processing" that informs and displays information along the new guidance route
Is performed (step SQ26). Then, the process of FIG. 34 is temporarily ended, and the flow returns to the entire process of FIG. Note that the scale of the new guidance route displayed on the single screen is the scale before the division (first screen).

On the other hand, when the "guidance start" key is turned on (step SQ6), the return route searched at the time of dividing the screen is specified on the second screen (step SQ18). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the return route is displayed on one screen (step SQ20). This is determined based on, for example, whether or not the “screen release” icon displayed on the screen of the display 33 has been touched by the operator. If screen release is selected, single screen processing is executed (step SQ12).

In the single screen processing, the display screen of the display 33 in the divided state is released, and the return route and the original guidance route are displayed on the single screen. In addition,
As the scale of the single screen display of the return route, the map scale at the time of displaying the second screen or the scale of the map displayed on the first screen before division is used. After the single screen processing, other guidance / display processing (step SQ26) is performed, and then the processing in FIG. 34 is temporarily terminated.

If single screen display of the return route is not selected (step SQ20), a subroutine "adjustment of display of second screen" is executed with the movement of the vehicle (step SQ22). In the "display adjustment of the second screen", the display position of the own vehicle displayed on the second screen or the map scale is adjusted. In other words, the return route and the host vehicle are displayed on the second screen, and the following two methods are provided for this display method. In the first display method, the return route is displayed on the entire second screen centering on the own vehicle.
In the second display method, the return route is displayed on the entire second screen, and the own vehicle is displayed so as to move on the return route. That is, in the second display method, the display position of the own vehicle is moved on the second screen as the own vehicle travels.
It should be noted that the “second display” according to the first or second display method is used.
"Screen display adjustment" will be described later.

After “display adjustment of second screen”, a subroutine “display processing of third screen” is performed (step SQ2).
3). In this subroutine "display processing of the third screen",
The map displayed on the first screen before the screen division is displayed on the third screen as it is. Note that, also on this third screen, scroll processing of the display map and the like are performed in accordance with the travel of the host vehicle. Thereafter, “guidance processing for voice and the like of the selected route”, which is processing for notifying voice information and the like on the return route, is executed (step SQ24).

On the third screen, the map is displayed in the north-up or heading-up state implemented in the second embodiment. After step SQ24 is executed,
“Other guidance / display processing” is executed (step S
Q26). Then, the process returns to the main flowchart of FIG. The map scale of the third screen may be changed according to the traveling position of the host vehicle.

[0277] 19. Route departure process of the sixth embodiment FIG. 35 shows a flowchart of the "route departure process" of the subroutine in FIG. First, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle deviating from the route being guided is traveling on a return route returning to this route (step SR2). That is, after the series of processing in FIG. 35 is executed, the return route has already been searched. After the return route search, if no operation such as route selection is performed by the operator,
The processing of FIG. 35 is repeatedly executed. If the host vehicle is not on the return route, “return route search processing” is executed (step SR4). The state where the host vehicle is not on the searched return route includes the state where the return route has not been searched at all. That is, this is a state immediately after the own vehicle deviates from the original route. However, if the own vehicle is on the return route already searched, the search processing of the return route is passed. In this "return route search process", the same process as the peripheral route search process in the fifth embodiment of the guide / display process is executed.

That is, a search is made for a route that connects to the guidance route from which the host vehicle has deviated. Moreover, in this return route search, weighting is performed so that the selection condition of the road heading to the original guide route becomes more superior. For example, for a road traveling in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the host vehicle, a predetermined search cost value is added to the total search cost so that the total search cost increases. Similarly, a predetermined value is added to the road going in the guide route direction and the road traveling in the opposite direction so that the search cost is increased. As a result, a road traveling in the guide route direction is preferentially selected.

[0279] Then, the shortest route connecting the intersection on the destination side closest to the point of the guide route from which the own vehicle has deviated and the current position of the own vehicle is searched. However, when a route connecting the current position of the own vehicle and the above-mentioned intersection cannot be found, a route connecting the next nearest intersection on the side of the destination and the own vehicle is searched. In this way, a return route connecting the current position of the own vehicle and the intersection of the original guide route on the destination side from the point where the own vehicle departs is searched for. This return route is
Depending on the re-search condition, the route may be a route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination or a stop-off point, and the return point P12 may coincide with the destination or the stop-off point.

If the return route is searched or if the own vehicle is already on the return route, it is determined whether or not the screen of display 33 is divided (step SR).
6). If the screen is not in the screen division state, the screen division processing of the display 33 is executed (step SR8). That is,
The image memory into which the image data to be displayed is written is divided into regions so as to be adapted to the screen division. Here, as in the above embodiments, the display 33 is divided into left and right parts with the center of the screen of the display 33 as a boundary.

The screen on the left is the second screen, and the screen on the right is the third screen. The screen before the division is the first screen. If the display 33 is in the split state, step S
The screen division process of R8 is not executed (step SR
6). That is, once the own vehicle deviates from the route being guided and the processes of FIGS. 34 and 35 are executed, the screen of the display 33 is divided. After that, if an operation such as selection of a route is not performed, the screen division state is maintained. In this case, the screen dividing process in step SR8 is not performed.

When the screen is divided by the processing in step SR8, a subroutine "initial display of second screen" is executed (step SR10). In the “initial display of the second screen”, the own vehicle and the departure guidance route are displayed on the second screen at the optimal scale. That is, step SR
The connection point (intersection, etc.) to the original guidance route and the own vehicle in the return route searched in 4 are displayed on the second screen at an appropriate scale. Note that the “initial display of the second screen” does not clearly indicate the return route itself. However,
When the guidance start key in step SQ6 of FIG. 34 is turned on,
For the first time, the return route is displayed on the second screen. This "second
"Initial display of screen" will be described later.

After the “initial display of the second screen”, it is determined whether or not the mode of the navigation device of this embodiment is the auto reroute mode (step SR12). In the auto re-route mode, it is determined whether or not the current position of the vehicle is on all the re-searched routes (step SR).
16). 34 and 35 are repeated unless the operator specifies a route after the navigation device is set to the auto reroute mode and all the new routes have been searched again. . Therefore, the process of step SR16 is executed to prevent the new entire route from being repeatedly searched again.

When the host vehicle is not on all the re-searched routes, a state where all the routes have not been re-searched is also included. Therefore, if the host vehicle is not on the re-searched new route, the entire route from the current position of the host vehicle to the final guide point is searched again (step SR2).
0). Then, on the third screen, all the re-searched new routes are displayed. Note that the original guidance route from which the host vehicle has deviated may be displayed on the third screen. The display scale of the third screen may be the scale of the first screen before division. Alternatively, when all new routes are displayed, the scale may be adjusted so that the entire route is displayed on the screen. Further, when all the new routes are displayed, unique information of a newly searched route may be displayed at the same time as in FIGS. 32 and 33 of the fifth embodiment. That is, information such as the total length of the route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination, the estimated travel time, the name of the main road, and the name of the main intersection may be displayed at the same time. The unique information of the new route may be displayed in a list format by an operator's selection.

When all the re-searched routes are displayed on the third screen, the process of FIG. 35 is terminated, and the process returns to the process of FIG. If the mode is not the auto reroute mode (step SR12), the map displayed on the screen (first screen) of the display 33 before the division is displayed on the third screen (step SR14). That is, a map is displayed in which the vehicle deviating from the original route is at the center of the third screen. The scale used for displaying the map on the third screen is the map scale before the division. Further, a map including the vehicle, the destination, and the original guidance route may be displayed on the third screen. That is, the map scale may be adjusted and the entire original route may be displayed. Alternatively, the map may be displayed on the third screen at the same scale as the scale used for displaying the map on the second screen.

When the map display on the third screen is completed (step SR14), it is determined whether or not all the route keys have been turned on (step SR18). The ON / OFF of the all route key is determined based on whether or not the operator has touched the icon “all route” displayed on the display 33. The touch switch 34
Is determined based on the detection signal. If the all route key is turned on, the above-described "all route re-search process" is executed (step SR20). Thereafter, all re-searched routes are displayed on the third screen (step SR22).

If all the route keys have not been pressed, the processing in FIG. 35 is terminated, and the flow returns to the processing in FIG.

20. First Example of Initial Display of Second Screen FIG. 36 shows a first example of "initial display of second screen" in FIG. In the “initial display of the second screen” in FIG. 36, the map is displayed on a scale capable of displaying the entire return route searched as map information for returning to the original route so that the current position of the own vehicle becomes the center of the screen. It is displayed on two screens. However, the return route itself is not specified on the second screen.

First, the node coordinate values of each road constituting the return route and a part of the original route from which the own vehicle has deviated are read from the node data file F3 or the like (step S).
T2). From the coordinate values of each node read in step ST2, the maximum value (Ema in the east longitude direction and the north latitude direction)
x, Nmax) and the minimum value (Emin, Nmin) are retrieved (step ST4). The maximum and minimum values in the east longitude and north latitude directions will be described with reference to FIG.

For example, in FIG. 47, assuming that the route PC10 connected from the node P20 to the node P24 is a part of the original guide route, the route PC12 indicated by the dotted line and the route PC11 indicated by the chain line are the return route. I do. That is,
The node P22 is a point where the vehicle deviates from the original route (hereinafter, a departure point (a departure point)). The node P12 is a junction (return point) of the searched return route and the original guidance route. The area from the current position P10 of the host vehicle to the node P12 at the junction is an untraveled road of the return route. Also,
It is assumed that the route PC11 from the node P22 at the departure point to the current position P10 of the own vehicle is the distance traveled by the own vehicle deviating from the original guide route. It is assumed that the destination in the original guide route is in the direction of the node P24. Further, the upper part of FIG. 47 is the north direction of the absolute direction. The return route is searched immediately when the vehicle deviates from the original route. Therefore, in practice, the route PC11 is also a part of the return route. Here, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the own vehicle has moved to the current position P10 on the return route.

When the return route shown in FIG. 47 is displayed on the second screen, the entire return route of the route PC 12 and the route PC 11 and the route connecting the next nodes are displayed.
That is, the original route connecting the node P28 on the departure side and the node P24 on the destination side on both sides of the confluence node P12 is displayed on the second screen together with the return route. In the display of the second screen of the return route, the original route from the node P22 at the separation point to the node P12 at the junction and the return route may all be displayed on the second screen.

The return route (route PC11) shown in FIG.
And the route PC 12), the node having the maximum coordinate value in the east longitude direction is the node P24. Therefore, node P
24 east longitude coordinate values are stored in the RAM 5 as the maximum value Emax. Similarly, if the node having the maximum coordinate value in the north latitude direction is the node P12, the north latitude coordinate value of this node P12 is stored in the RAM 5 as the maximum value Nmax.

If the node having the minimum coordinate value in the east longitude direction is the node P14, the east longitude coordinate value of this node P14 is stored in the RAM 5 as the minimum value Emin. If the node having the minimum coordinate value in the north latitude direction is the node P16, the north latitude coordinate value of this node P16 is stored in the RAM 5 as the minimum value Nmin.

When the original route is also displayed on the second screen, the following nodes and routes may be included. That is, the original route connecting the node P24 which is one destination side from the confluence point P12 and the node P26 which is on the departure side from the departure point node P22 is displayed on the second screen together with the return route. You may. In this case, the node having the maximum coordinate value in the east longitude direction is the node P24. Similarly, the node having the maximum coordinate value in the north latitude direction is the node P20. The node having the minimum coordinate value in the east longitude direction is the node P26. The node having the minimum coordinate value in the north latitude direction is the node P16. The coordinate value of each node is the maximum value in the east longitude direction and the north latitude direction (Emax, N
max) and the minimum value (Emin, Nmin)
Stored in M5.

As described above, the maximum value (Emax, N
When the maximum value (max) and the minimum value (Emin, Nmin) are detected, the following equation is calculated from the coordinates (GX, GY) of the current position P10 of the vehicle.

| GX−Emax | (1) | GX−Emin | (2) In (1) and (2), the absolute value of the calculation result is obtained. Then, the larger value of the expressions (1) and (2) is stored in the RAM 5 as the east longitude width WE (step ST6). Further, the following formula is calculated.

| GY-Nmax | (3) | GY-Nmin | (4) Note that the absolute value is also obtained by the equations (3) and (4). Then, the larger value in the expressions (3) and (4) is stored in the RAM 5 as the north latitude width WN (step ST).
8).

Then, the scale of the map on which the east longitude width WE and the north latitude width WN can be displayed is obtained using a numerical calculation table or the like recorded in the information storage unit 37 in advance. That is,
On the second screen, a road map in which a return route is included so that the own vehicle is at the center of the screen is displayed. The scale at which the road map is displayed is determined using the numerical calculation table (step ST10).

A specific description will be made with reference to FIG. FIG.
The state of the display 33 divided into eight is displayed. The effective display area of the second screen 108 has a horizontal width HC.
6 and a vertical height HC14. Then, a road map including a return route and the like is displayed in an area having an area smaller than the effective display area by about 5%.

Here, an area approximately 5% smaller than the effective display area is a range of the horizontal width HC4 and the vertical height HC10. The map scale is determined such that the east longitude width WE falls within half the width HC2 of the horizontal width HC4 and the north latitude WN falls within half the height HC8 of the vertical height HC10. The area for displaying the map of the range including the return route is made smaller than the effective display area, that is, the maximum area of the display screen, in order to prevent the display of effective information at the screen edge. is there. That is, when valid information is displayed at the edge of the screen, the information may be difficult to see.

[0301] The numerical value calculation table stores data representing the numerical correspondence between the values of the east longitude width WE and the north latitude width WN, and the map scale values. Therefore, when the east longitude width WE and the north latitude width WN are obtained by the above equations, the east longitude width W
The map scale values corresponding to E and the north latitude width WN are obtained from the numerical value calculation table. Note that the map scale may be obtained by a calculation such as a proportional expression.

For example, when the map scale is “MSA”, the geographic distance of the map that can be displayed is known from the actual size of the second screen. Therefore, when the map scale is “MSA”, the geographic distance in the vertical direction of the screen in the map displayed on the second screen is “MYA”, and the geographic distance in the horizontal direction of the screen is “MXA”.
A ". If the geographic distances that can be displayed with respect to these map scales are known, the appropriate scale for displaying the road map having the east longitude width WE and the north latitude width WN can be obtained by the following equation.

MSA * WE / MXA (5) MSA * WN / MYA (6) Larger value among the scales given by equations (5) and (6) Scale) is selected as the appropriate scale. In the numerical value calculation table, the map scale based on the calculation results of the equations (5) and (6) for each east longitude width WE and north latitude width WN is stored. Note that the calculations in (5) and (6) are used when a north-up map is displayed on the second screen.

When a heading-up map is displayed, a correction calculation based on the following values is performed for each east longitude width WE and north latitude width WN. That is, the cosine value is obtained from the relative azimuth data Dθ representing the traveling direction angle of the host vehicle with respect to the absolute azimuth. Then, the distance of the hypotenuse of the triangle having the east longitude width WE and the north latitude width WN is multiplied by the cosine value.
The map scale at which the multiplied value falls within the width HC2 and the height HC8 in FIG. 48 is obtained.

In FIG. 48, icons “all routes”, “guidance start”, etc. are displayed in the interval HC12 at the bottom of the second screen. A road map or the like may be displayed on the background of the icon of the interval HC12, or map information may not be displayed on the background of this area. Further, the area in which the return route is displayed is not limited to an area that is about 5% smaller than the effective display area of the second screen. That is, the area may be smaller than the effective display area by 5% or more, or may be 1 to 5% smaller.

When the map scale is determined in step ST10 of FIG. 36, a map including the return route is displayed on the second screen at the determined scale and with the vehicle at the center of the screen (step ST12). ). Here, the return route itself is not specified again. Thereafter, the flow is returned to FIG. That is, display processing of the third screen and the like are performed.

In the above embodiment, the return route P
When C12 is displayed on the second screen, the original route connecting the nodes P28 and P24 adjacent to the node P12, which is the junction, is also displayed at the same time. However, the node P1, which is the junction,
The return route PC 12 may be displayed on the second screen so that only the number 2 is included. Further, the node P22 at the separation point
Alternatively, a map of a range that completely includes the entire return route to the junction P12 may be displayed on the second screen.

21. Second Example of "Initial Display of Second Screen" FIG. 37 is a flowchart of a second example of "initial display of second screen" in FIG. In the second example of the “initial display of the second screen”, the current position of the host vehicle is not necessarily
The return route is not displayed at the center of the screen. That is, the map of the range including the entire return route obtained first is uniformly displayed on the second screen, and the state is maintained. Therefore, the own vehicle is displayed so as to move on the map displayed on the second screen.

First, the node coordinate values of each road constituting the return route are read (step SU2). From the coordinate values of each node read in step SU2 and the current position coordinate value of the host vehicle, the maximum value (Emax, Nmax) and the minimum value (Emin, N) in the east longitude and north latitude directions.
min) is retrieved (step SU4). This process is the same as step ST4 in FIG. Note that also in the present embodiment, the return route is the route PC11 and the route P.
C12. When the map including the return route is displayed on the second screen, a part of the original route between the nodes P28 to P24 (FIG. 47) is also displayed at the same time.

Note that the original route between the nodes P28 to P24 is not displayed, and a map of a range including only the route PC12 from the node P12 at the junction to the node P22 at the departure point or the current position P10 of the own vehicle is displayed. It may be displayed. Furthermore, the “initial display of the second screen” of the first embodiment.
Similarly to the above, a map of a range including the original route from the node P26 to the node P24 and the entire return route may be displayed on the second screen. In the following description, the node P
A case will be described in which the original route between 28 and P24 and the return route from the node P22 at the departure point to the node P12 at the junction are displayed on the second screen.

For example, the return route (route PC1) shown in FIG.
1 and the route PC 12), the node having the maximum coordinate value in the east longitude direction is the node P24. Therefore, the east longitude coordinate value of the node P24 is set as the maximum value Emax in the RAM 5
Is stored. Similarly, the node having the maximum coordinate value in the north latitude direction is the node P12. Therefore, the node P1
2 is stored in the RAM 5 as the maximum value Nmax.

The node having the minimum coordinate value in the east longitude direction is node P14 (or node P22). Therefore, the east longitude coordinate value of the node P14 is set to the minimum value Emin in the RAM.
5 is stored. The node having the minimum coordinate value in the north latitude direction is the node P16. Therefore, the north latitude coordinate value of the node P16 is stored in the RAM 5 as the minimum value Nmin.
Then, the following formula is calculated from the maximum value and the minimum value in each east longitude and north latitude direction (step SU6).

Emax-Emin = XE (7) Nmax-Nmin = YN (8) The scale of the map that can display the east longitude interval XE and the north latitude interval YN is stored in the information storage unit 37 in advance. It is obtained by using the recorded numerical calculation table (step SU8). As in the “initial display of the second screen” of the first embodiment, FIG.
The east longitude interval XE falls within the horizontal width HC4 of 8,
The map scale at which the north latitude interval YN falls within the vertical height HC10 is determined by the numerical calculation table.

In this numerical calculation table, when each east longitude interval XE and north latitude interval YN are given, the horizontal width H
In the display area of the second screen, which is surrounded by C4 and the vertical height HC10, a scale value that can correctly display the return route and a part of the original route is stored. That is, each east longitude interval X
Scale values corresponding to E and the north latitude interval YN are stored in the numerical value calculation table. Note that the map scale value may be directly obtained by calculation. For example, when a map is displayed on the second screen at an arbitrary scale, the displayed geographical distances, that is, the distance in the east longitude direction and the distance in the north latitude direction can be known from the actual size of the second screen. Therefore, the map scale at which the specific east longitude interval XE and north latitude interval YN can be correctly displayed on the second screen can be calculated by a proportional expression. The correspondence between the east longitude interval XE and the north latitude interval YN and the map scale is stored in the numerical value calculation table.

The area surrounded by the horizontal width HC4 and the vertical height HC10 is about 5% smaller than the effective display area, as in the case of the "initial display of the second screen" in the first embodiment. When the map scale is obtained in step SU8, the east longitude coordinate (Emin + XE / 2) and the north latitude coordinate (Nmin + YN /
A map of a range including the return route is displayed on the second screen such that 2) is at the center of the screen (step SU10). Thereafter, the flow is returned to FIG. In the second embodiment, the map including the return route is displayed in a north-up state.

FIG. 41 shows the state of the display 33 immediately after the vehicle deviates from the guide route. That is, on the second screen 108, the original route 146 and the symbol 100 representing the current position of the host vehicle are displayed. However, the searched return route itself has not been displayed yet, and route guidance based on the return route has not been performed. Icons 252 and 255 are also displayed at the same time. Icon 25
Reference numeral 2 denotes a switch for instructing the start of all route re-search processing in FIG. The icon 255 is
A switch for instructing the start of guidance by a return route is shown. The icons 250 and 256 are switches for manually changing the map scale of the third screen.

FIG. 42 shows how the return route 258 is displayed on the second screen. FIG. 42 shows the state of the display 33 when the guidance start key (icon 255) is pressed in the display state of FIG. That is,
From the state where the return route is not displayed as shown in FIG. 41, the return route is clearly indicated by a dotted line 258. In the actual display screen, the return route is displayed in a different color from the original guide route 146 or in the same color. 41 and 42, the node on the departure point side of the guide route next to the separation point (intersection 261 in FIG. 42) and the purpose of the guide route next to the junction (intersection 259 in FIG. 42). The original guidance route connecting the ground side node is also displayed.

FIG. 43 shows a case where the own vehicle further deviates further from the guide route in the display state of FIG. That is, in the state of FIG. 41, the return route is searched once. Thereafter, when the vehicle deviates again from the return route, a new return route is searched for by the processing of steps SR2 and SR4 in FIG. Then, a road map including the new return route is displayed on the second screen 108. However, also in FIG. 43, since the guidance start key has not been pressed, the return route is not specified, and
There is no route guidance based on the return route. When the guidance start key is pressed in the state of FIG. 43, the return route is clearly indicated by a dotted line 260 as shown in FIG.

FIG. 44 shows that the return route is indicated by a dotted line 2 on the second screen.
The state specified by reference numeral 60 is shown. This FIG.
In the display state of No. 3, the guidance start key (icon 25
The state of the display 33 when 5) is pressed is shown.
That is, from the state where the return route is not displayed as shown in FIG. 43, the return route is clearly indicated as a dotted line 260. In the actual display screen, the return route is displayed in a different color from the original guide route 146 or in the same color.

FIG. 45 shows a display application example of the return route 260. That is, when the guidance start key is pressed, only the return route 260 connecting the current position of the host vehicle (the position of the symbol 100) to the junction 263 and the guidance route 146 from the junction 263 to the destination are displayed on the second screen. Explicitly. Therefore, an unnecessary portion of the guide route, that is, a portion that has already traveled, is not displayed on the second screen.

22. First Embodiment of "Display Adjustment of Second Screen" (Step SQ22 of FIG. 34) FIG. 38 shows a second embodiment of the sixth embodiment (FIG. 34) of the present invention.
9 shows a flowchart of screen display adjustment (step SQ22). In “adjustment of display of second screen” in FIG. 38, adjustment of the return route display position of the second screen, etc., is performed in accordance with travel of the host vehicle. That is, when the host vehicle travels along the return route, the return route from the current position of the host vehicle to the junction, the guidance route near the junction, and the like are displayed on the second screen at the maximum. In the “adjustment of display of the second screen” in FIG. 38,
A road map including the return route is displayed with the own vehicle at the center of the screen.

First, the data of the remaining routes of the return route, that is, the data of each road constituting the untraveled route is stored in the information storage unit 3.
7 is read. Then, each node coordinate value of the read road data is read from the node data file F3 or the like (step SV2). From the coordinate values of each node read in step SV2, the maximum value (Emax, Nmax) and minimum value (Emax) in the east longitude and north latitude directions
min, Nmin) is retrieved (step SV4).

The processing in step SV4 is the same as step ST4 in FIG. Then, the current position coordinates (GX, GY) of the own vehicle and each maximum value (Emax, Nma)
x) and the minimum value (Emin, Nmin), the following equation is calculated.

| GX−Emax | (9) | GX-Emin | (10) In equations (9) and (10), the absolute value of the calculation result is obtained. Then, the larger value of the expressions (9) and (10) is stored in the RAM 5 as the east longitude width WE (step SV6). Further, the following formula is calculated.

| GY-Nmax | (11) | GY-Nmin | (12) In equations (11) and (12), the absolute value of the calculation result is obtained. Then, the larger of the values of the equations (11) and (12) is stored in the RAM 5 as the north latitude width WN (step SV8).

Also, the scale KAP of the map currently displayed on the second screen is identified (step SV10). Then, a geographic distance RE in the east longitude direction and a geographic distance RN in the north latitude direction that can be displayed by the identified scale KAP are obtained (step SV12). Note that this distance R
E and RN may be obtained by using a numerical calculation table stored in the information storage unit 37 or the ROM 4, or may be obtained by an arithmetic expression such as a proportional expression. The numerical value calculation table here is the same as the numerical value calculation table described in the above “Initial display of the second screen”. That is, at each map scale,
When the map is displayed on the screen, the displayable geographic distances in the vertical and horizontal directions on the second screen are stored in correspondence with the map scale. Then, the distances RE and RN are obtained using the numerical value calculation table (step SV).
12).

Next, a magnitude comparison between the east longitude width WE and the distance RE and a magnitude comparison between the north latitude width WN and the distance RN are performed.
And the east longitude width WE is greater than or equal to the distance RE, or the north latitude width W
If N is greater than or equal to the distance RN, the scale KAP is changed to a value that can display a map in a wider geographical range (step SV).
16). That is, when the remaining route of the return route cannot be displayed on the second screen due to the movement of the own vehicle,
The process of step SV16 is performed.

However, the east longitude width WE is shorter than the distance RE,
Also, if the north latitude width WN is shorter than the distance RN, whether the scale KAP can display the east longitude width WE and the north latitude width WN properly,
It is determined whether or not it is (step SV18). That is, the east longitude width WE is considerably shorter than the distance RE, or the north latitude width W
It is determined whether N is significantly shorter than the distance RN. East longitude width WE << distance RE or north latitude width WN
<< Distance RN indicates that the geographical range of the return route to be displayed on the second screen has become narrower with the movement of the host vehicle. In this case, the scale KAP value is changed to a scale value at which the map can display a smaller geographical range (step SV20). That is, the map scale is changed to the map scale at which the detailed map is displayed.

When the scale KAP is adjusted in steps SV16 and SV20, steps SV14 and SV1 are performed again.
8 is executed. That is, the value of the scale KAP is increased or decreased so that the east longitude width WE and the north latitude width WN can be displayed most appropriately. Then, when the appropriate scale KAP is obtained in steps SV14 and SV18, the remaining route of the return route is displayed on the second screen centering on the own vehicle (step SV22). Thereafter, the processing returns to the guidance / display processing of FIG. As described above, when the own vehicle is driven after the start of guidance by the return route is selected, the remaining portion of the return route to the junction decreases. Therefore,
In the first embodiment of the "adjustment of the display of the second screen", the map scale is adjusted according to the remaining portion of the returning route that decreases. For example, when the remaining portion of the return route is shortened and the geographic range to be displayed is narrowed, the scale of the display map on the second screen is reduced. As a result, a more detailed map is displayed on the second screen.

[0330] The map scale KAP may be obtained by using a table recorded in the information storage unit 37 in advance. That is, on the second screen, the reduced scale KAP in which the own vehicle is the center of the screen and the remaining return route is efficiently displayed on the map is obtained by using a numerical calculation table or the like stored in the information storage unit 37 or the like. It may be determined directly. The scale KAP is set to a value that allows the remaining return route and the like to be appropriately displayed in an area slightly smaller than the effective display area of the second screen. This is the same as the “initial display of the second screen” process in FIGS.

[0331] 23. Second Example of “Display Adjustment of Second Screen” (Step SQ22 in FIG. 34) FIG. 39 is a flowchart of a second example of “Display Adjustment of Second Screen”. The second of this "display adjustment of the second screen"
The embodiment corresponds to "initial display of second screen" in FIG. That is, the map scale for efficiently displaying the remaining portion of the return route, which decreases as the vehicle travels, on the second screen is obtained as needed. In FIG. 39, first, untraveled road data from the current position of the vehicle to the junction of the return route is read from the information storage unit 37. The node coordinate values of the roads constituting the route near the junction of the original return route and the remaining return route are stored in the node data file F3.
(Step SW2). Step SW
2, the maximum value (Emax, Nmax) and the minimum value (Emin, Nmi) in the east longitude direction and the north latitude direction are obtained from the coordinate values of each node read out in step 2 and the current position coordinate values of the vehicle.
n) is searched (step SW4). This process is shown in FIG.
7 is the same as step SU4.

Then, the maximum value in each east longitude and north latitude direction,
The following equation is calculated from the minimum value (step SW6).

Emax−Emin = XE (13) Nmax−Nmin = YN (14) The scale of the map that can display the horizontal distance XE and the vertical distance YN is stored in the information storage unit 37 in advance. It is obtained by using the recorded numerical calculation table (step SW8). That is, the scale at which the remaining portion of the return route is properly displayed on the second screen is required. Note that the calculation of the appropriate scale is performed in the same manner as the "initial display of the second screen" in FIG. In the present embodiment, the map displayed on the second screen is fixed, and the own vehicle is displayed so as to move on the return route on the display map. However, the scale of the map may change as the vehicle moves.

When the map scale is obtained in step SW8, the map is obtained at the obtained scale and the east longitude coordinates (Em).
(in + XE / 2), the untraveled return route and a part of the original guidance route centered on the junction are displayed on the second screen so that the north latitude coordinate (Nmin + YN / 2) is the center of the screen. (Step SU10). And the flow is shown in FIG.
Is returned to. In this embodiment, “display adjustment of second screen”
FIG. 34 shows that the return route displayed on the second screen is displayed by the “initial display of the second screen” in FIG.
Is performed as step SQ22. When the map including the return route is displayed by the process of “initial display of second screen” in FIG. 37, “display adjustment of second screen” in FIG. 39 may not be performed. In other words, the map including the return route or the like initially displayed on the second screen is displayed at a fixed scale, and the adjustment of the map scale accompanying the movement of the own vehicle may not be performed.

FIG. 46 shows an application example of the second screen display.
For example, the return route is displayed by an arrow 268. When the return route is not displayed on the second screen, only the junction where the return route intersects the original route may be clearly indicated by the mark 262. Also, even when the return route is specified, the junction may be displayed by the mark 262. Further, the direction of the destination in the original guide route may be displayed by the destination direction mark 264.

The display processing of the destination direction mark 264 will be briefly described. The intersection between the original guide route displayed on the second screen and the end of the map screen displayed on the second screen 108 of the display 33 is calculated. In this process, the road data included in the range of the coordinates displayed on the display 33 by the image processor 9 is read from the roads constituting the guide route data MW. Then, the road closest to the registered destination TP is obtained from the road data. Guidance route data M
W is configured such that road number data connecting the guidance start point to the registered destination is arranged in order. Therefore, the road number having the largest order (address number) is the road closest to the registered destination.

Further, the nodes within the coordinate range displayed on the display 33 are read from the nodes constituting the road. Then, among these nodes, the node ND1 having the largest order (address number) is selected. The coordinate data of the point where a straight line connecting the node ND1 and the node ND2 of the next address number intersects the screen edge of the display 33 is obtained. The obtained coordinate data is stored in the RAM 4 as intersection data CP.

Next, a process for obtaining the destination direction of the guide route displayed on the display 33 is performed. This processing can be considered in various ways. For example, the coordinates of the intersection data CP (or the coordinates of the node ND1) and the node ND2
Of the straight line connecting the coordinates of
θ1) becomes the direction of the destination.

Next, processing for displaying a destination direction mark 264 indicating the destination direction at the calculated intersection CP is performed.
This processing is executed, for example, as follows. The information storage unit 37 or the ROM 4 stores character pattern data of an arrow used for a destination direction mark.
Then, in accordance with the intersection data CP, the character pattern of the arrow is rotated so as to become the arrow indicating the destination direction. This character pattern data is sent to the image processor 9 and incorporated into the image data. Thereby, the destination direction mark 264 is displayed at the coordinates indicated by the intersection data CP. Actually, the coordinates of the destination direction mark have a deviation from the intersection data CP so that the tip of the arrow coincides with the coordinates of the intersection data CP.

As described above, in the sixth embodiment of the guidance / display processing, when the vehicle deviates from the guidance route,
A return route for returning to the guide route is once searched. Then, a road map near the host vehicle is displayed on the second screen at a scale at which the return route and the like are appropriately displayed. Then, guidance processing to the original guidance route using the return route is performed by the selection of the operator. Further, in the return route guidance processing, a two-screen display or a one-screen display is performed according to an operator's selection. If the return route does not meet the operator's desire, an entire route search is performed in which a guide route to the destination is newly searched in accordance with the instruction of the operator. That is, it is possible to select a guidance route according to the traveling position of the own vehicle.

The operations such as guidance start, return route search, and route determination in each of the above embodiments can be operated only when the vehicle is stopped or traveling at a speed lower than the slow speed in the present invention.

As described above, according to this embodiment, even if the host vehicle is temporarily deviated from the guide route by the operator's intention, the road map including the original guide route and the vicinity of the host vehicle can be obtained. Is displayed on one screen of the divided display 33. In addition, the road map near the own vehicle is displayed at an appropriate scale when a return route from a point deviating from the original route to a junction with the original route is displayed. The return route is a recommended route automatically searched by the navigation device from the current position of the own vehicle or a point deviating from the original route to a recommended junction of the original guide route.

Thus, the vehicle can be moved by the operator.
Necessary map information such as the positional relationship between the current position of the vehicle and the original guide route can be promptly confirmed even if the vehicle is intentionally deviated from the guide route. Moreover, when the guidance start is instructed, the guidance process for returning to the original route is started together with the display of the return route. Therefore, even if a temporary deviation from the route occurs due to an emergency or the like while the guide route is running, it is possible to quickly return to the guide route.

[0344] On the other screen of the divided screen, the map displayed before the division is displayed at the same scale.
The situation confusion caused by switching the map display can be prevented. That is, when the map displayed on the display 33 is changed, it usually takes more time to grasp the current position of the own vehicle and the map information being displayed, and the concentration of consciousness on the screen occurs. You. As a result, a lack of consciousness ahead of the vehicle may occur. However, in this embodiment, since the map displayed before the division is displayed on the other screen after the division as it is, concentration of the consciousness on such a screen can be prevented beforehand.

Further, when a map around the current position of the own vehicle is displayed on a conventional single screen, the guide route may completely disappear from the screen depending on the display scale. That is, when the detailed map is displayed on the screen before the division, a state in which the guide route disappears from the screen occurs as the own vehicle moves away from the guide route. in this case,
The direction of the original guide route with respect to the current position of the vehicle is not known, and it is not possible to quickly return to the original route. In such a case, even if the guidance route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is re-searched, the new guidance route takes more time to arrive at the destination and returns to the original guidance route. May be preferable. However, according to the present embodiment, the deviated original route and the relative position with respect to the own vehicle are accurately displayed on one of the divided screens. We can grasp accurately. That is, it is possible to easily return to the original route and compare conditions when a new guide route is used.

In the sixth embodiment, the type of map displayed on the second screen of the divided screen is not particularly limited. That is, a road map or a house map may be used. The house map is a road map including facility information such as a house. Further, in the sixth embodiment, the map scale of the second screen is determined so that the entire return route is displayed to the maximum, but the map scale may be larger than that. That is, a wider map including the return route may be displayed on the second screen. Furthermore, in the return route search, a route search may be performed in consideration of information transmitted from outside such as VICS information. That is,
Based on road congestion information or the like, the congested road may not be selected as the return route.

[0347] Furthermore, the travel route after the own vehicle deviates from the original route may be cumulatively stored, and a map of a range including the travel route and the return route may be displayed on the second screen. That is, after an arbitrary time has elapsed after the own vehicle deviated from the original route, the self-vehicle may not necessarily have traveled on the return route searched for immediately after deviating from the original route.
Then, when it is detected that the own vehicle deviates from the original route, the change in the current position of the own vehicle is sequentially stored in the RAM 5 as the movement coordinates in the east longitude and the north latitude direction. In addition, when the moving coordinates are stored, they are stored as the maximum coordinate and minimum coordinate in the east longitude direction, and the maximum coordinate and minimum coordinate in the north latitude direction. That is, the geographical movement range of the own vehicle is stored as the maximum value and the minimum value in the east longitude and the north latitude direction. Then, when a map including a return route or the like is displayed on the second screen, a map including a moving geographic range from a point deviating from the original route to the current position of the vehicle may be displayed.

In the above description, the scale at which the map information including the return route (return route) is displayed on the divided screen (second screen or the like) is a scale at which the entire return route can be displayed. In some cases, the scale may be reduced to a size smaller than the above range, clogged, or a part of the return route may be cut off.

24. FIG. 49 shows a flowchart of the nearest facility setting process in the seventh embodiment of the present invention. This nearest facility setting processing is executed in the destination setting processing of FIG. 5 or other processing. In the nearest facility processing, a search and a selection process of a drop-off facility other than the final destination near the current position of the vehicle or on the guide route are performed. Drop-off facilities include the following. For example, there are gas stations for refueling, restaurants for meals, banks, post offices, and supermarkets for shopping. In other words, various facilities other than the final destination for completing necessary business in daily life correspond to the facilities.

When the nearest facility setting process of FIG. 49 is requested, first, a genre for specifying the visiting facility is displayed on the display 33. Then, one genre is designated using the genre list. The facility corresponding to the specified genre is displayed on the map on the second screen. At this time, on the third screen, a list of sale item names, which are conditions for narrowing down the search facilities, is displayed. A specific item name is designated from the sales item name list on the third screen.

Then, the list of the sale item names is displayed on the second screen. Further, only the facility corresponding to the sale item name is displayed on the map on the third screen. In this way, when specifying the drop-in facilities, narrower categories are sequentially specified in order from the larger category. In addition, the search result according to the designation is displayed on the divided screen. In addition, the search result or search condition according to the category specified immediately before is also displayed.

Referring to FIG. First, it is determined whether a request for genre selection has been made by the operator (step SX2). The genre selection request is displayed on display 3
A character portion such as “stop-by place setting” of the icon displayed in 3 is pressed to be input. If there is no genre selection request, the processing in FIG. 49 ends. Then, the flow is returned to the overall processing of FIG. However, when a genre selection request is input, a genre selection list is displayed on the screen of the display 33 (step SX).
4).

FIG. 50 shows the first screen 1 of the display 33.
4 shows an example of a genre list displayed in 04. In each column of the list 270 shown in FIG. 50, the name of a genre (for example, a convenience store, a family restaurant, a gas station, etc.) is displayed.

When the genre list is displayed, it is determined whether one genre has been selected from the genre list (step SX6). If the genre is not selected, that is, the touch switch 34
If this operation is not performed, the process of FIG. 49 is forcibly terminated (step SX6). Then, the process returns to the entire process of FIG. However, when a specific genre is designated, the facility corresponding to the designated genre within a predetermined distance from the current position of the host vehicle is stored in the facility data file F1.
6 is retrieved (step SX8). That is, only the facilities corresponding to the specified genre are searched from the facilities in the facility data file F16. Further, a geographical linear distance from the current position of the vehicle is calculated from the searched east longitude coordinate SEO and north latitude coordinate SNO of each facility.

The identification number of each facility whose calculated straight-line distance is within a predetermined distance is R as the search facility number GBn.
It is temporarily stored in AM5. When the facility corresponding to the selected genre is extracted, the display screen of the display 33 is divided (step SX1).
0). Then, each facility extracted in step SX8 is displayed on the map on the second screen (step SX1).
2). Further, a list of sale item names and brand names is displayed on the third screen. For example, as shown in FIG.
If a gas station in the genre is selected on the screen, a list of gas station brands (sales product names), which are sale item names, is displayed on the third screen as shown in FIG. 51 (step SX14). .

If a bank is designated as the genre, the name of each bank company is changed to the third by the processing in step SX14.
Listed on the screen. If a restaurant is specified, before the name of each restaurant is listed,
A type list of Chinese, Japanese, and Western foods may be displayed first. In this case, the superposition of the search condition described later (step SX18 and the like) is repeated.

FIG. 51 shows a state where the screen of the display 33 is divided. On the second screen 108, facilities corresponding to the genre specified on the first screen are extracted and displayed on a map centered on the own vehicle. Also, on the third screen, a list 272 of brands (sales item names) of the gas stations specified on the first screen is displayed.

Next, it is determined whether or not there is a return request (step SX16). The return request is a process of returning the information displayed on the display 33 to the information content displayed immediately before. If it is determined in step SX16 that the return request has been input, step SX4
Is returned to the display of the genre list, that is, the first screen of FIG.

If the return request is input, the following may be performed. That is, the genre list displayed on the first screen in FIG. 50 may be displayed on either the second screen or the third screen in FIG. The input of the return request is performed by pressing an icon displayed on the display 33. If there is no return request, it is determined using the list 272 displayed on the third screen whether or not the brand designation of the gas station, which is the sales item, has been specified (step SX18).

Note that what is specified in step SX18 corresponds to the search condition used in the secondary search. By specifying this secondary search, a specific facility is narrowed down.

When the brand (sales item) of the gas station is designated in step SX18, a list of brands (sales item name) of the gas station is displayed on the second screen (step SX20). Then, only the facilities that handle the brand (sales item) of the designated gas station are displayed on the map on the third screen (step SX22).
The processing result of step SX20 is displayed on the second screen 108 of FIG. Similarly, the third screen 11 in FIG.
0 indicates the processing result of step SX22.
On the second screen 108, a list 272 of the third screen shown in FIG. 51 is displayed. On the third screen 110 in FIG. 52,
List 272 gas station brand (sales item) 2
Only the facility 279 corresponding to 78 is displayed on the map.

Next, it is determined whether or not there is a return request (step SX24). The return request is a process of returning the information displayed on the display 33 to the information content displayed immediately before. If it is determined in step SX24 that the return request has been input, step SX1
The process is returned to step 2. That is, when a return request is made in the display state of FIG. 52, the display state is returned to the display state of FIG.

However, if there is no return request, it is determined whether or not a facility designation operation has been performed (step SX2).
6). That is, it is determined whether or not the specific facility has been designated using the display on the third screen shown in FIG. When the facility is designated, information such as the coordinate value of the designated facility is read from the information storage unit 37 and stored in the RAM 5 as the stopover point DP (step SX28).

On the other hand, using the display on the third screen 110,
If one facility is not specified or the touch switch 34 is not operated for a predetermined time, a split screen release process or the like is performed (step SX30). That is, the nearest facility setting process shown in FIG. 49 is forcibly terminated. In addition,
As described above, even when the specific facility is specified, the split screen is released (step SX30).

As described above, in the nearest facility setting process of FIG. 49, in specifying facilities such as drop-in locations, narrowing down conditions for searching for facilities, such as genre specification and brand (sales item) name specification, are sequentially performed. . Moreover, when the search conditions are narrowed down, the facilities that match the conditions and the next search conditions (sales item list, etc.) are displayed in parallel on the split screen of the display 33. Therefore, the change of the search condition and the search result accompanying the change of the condition can be immediately confirmed on the split screen. Thus, the facility designation operation for the stopover place or the destination can be performed more quickly and accurately.

When the brand (sales item) of the gas station is designated in step SX18 in FIG. 49, the following may be performed. That is, as shown in FIG. 73, all facilities corresponding to the genre selected in step SX12 may be displayed on the second screen 108 as a map. Here, all the gas stations in the specific area are displayed on the second screen. Further, on the map on the third screen, only the stands that handle the specific brand (sales item) specified in step SX18 are displayed. This is shown in FIG.

In the above embodiment, the genre is specified as the first search condition. As a second search condition, a brand (sales item) name was specified. However, the present invention is not limited to such search conditions. For example, a search condition for extracting only facilities within a predetermined distance from the searched guide route may be replaced with the second search condition or may be a third search condition. Further, FIG.
The same processing as the nearest facility setting processing of No. 9 may be executed in destination setting and the like. That is, in specifying the destination, each facility may be specified according to various selection conditions such as genre selection, chain store name selection, and sale item selection. Furthermore, the following facility extraction along the route (FIG. 53) and / or the extraction based on the shortest linear distance between the guide route and the facility (FIG. 54) may be added to the search condition of each facility.

25. FIG. 53 shows a subroutine for extracting facilities along a route. In this subroutine, the geographical shortest linear distance from the facility to the guidance route is calculated based on the searched geographical coordinate data of each facility (step SX32). Then, only facilities whose shortest linear distance is within a predetermined value are extracted. The subroutine for calculating the shortest linear distance is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. The guide route is the guide route data M obtained by the route search process in the overall process of FIG.
Means W. FIG. 55 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the detected facility and the guidance route. The route from the guidance start point ε to the destination α is a route search process (step SA4).
Is the route determined by

In the process of extracting the facilities along the route shown in FIG. 53, first, the shortest straight line distance of each facility to the guide route is calculated (step SX32). Only facilities whose shortest straight line distance is within about 150 m are extracted (step SX3).
4). Then, it is determined whether each facility extracted in step SX34 is on the left or right with respect to the traveling direction of the guide route (step SX36). Figure 56
Is a diagram for explaining the processing in step SX36.

In FIG. 56, coordinates (X1, Y1) are
The coordinates of the node of the guide route near the facility existing at the target coordinates (Xb, Yb). The coordinates (X1, Y1) are shown in FIG.
5 corresponds to the node SAS1 of the guidance route. Further, the reference coordinates (X0, Y0) correspond to the coordinates of the node SAS2 of the guide route or the current position of the own vehicle, as shown in FIG. Therefore, a reference vector a = (a) connecting the coordinates (X1, Y1) and the reference coordinates (X0, Y0).
(x, ay) corresponds to the branch 300 in FIG. Note that the reference vector a is represented by a = (ax, ay) =
(X1-X0, Y1-Y0). These coordinates (X1,
Y1) and the reference coordinates (X0, Y0) correspond to the guidance route data M
Of the road data constituting W, the target coordinates (X
b, the node with the coordinates closest to Yb) is selected.

An orthogonal vector c = (− ax, ay) obtained by rotating the reference vector a 90 degrees counterclockwise.
Is defined. A target vector b connecting the reference coordinates (X0, Y0) and the target coordinates (Xb, Yb) of the facility;
It is assumed that there is a spread between the orthogonal vector c and the orthogonal vector c. Note that the target vector b is b = (Xb−X
0, Yb-Y0). The inner product of such an orthogonal vector c and the target vector b is defined as follows.

C · b = | c | × | b | × cos θ By the way, when −90 degrees <θ <90 degrees, 0 <cos θ
<1. Also, <−180 degrees <θ <−90 degrees, and
When 90 degrees <θ <180 degrees, −1 <cos θ <0. Therefore, if the value of the inner product of the vectors c and b is positive, the facility of interest is on the left side in the traveling direction in the guide route. Conversely, if the inner product value is negative, the facility is on the right side of the traveling direction. In this way, the relative left and right positions of each extraction facility with respect to the guide route are determined by the plus and minus of the inner product of the vectors (step SX3).
6).

Therefore, if only the sign of the inner product calculation result is determined, the left-right direction of the target can be easily determined. The determined left / right data RL is stored in the RAM 5. The reference coordinates (X0, Y0) shown in FIG.
Is always the coordinates of the node closest to the departure point (in the case of FIG. 55, the node SAS2) among the two nodes closest to the inspection target facility in the guide route. Conversely, the coordinates (X1, Y1) are the node coordinates on the side closer to the destination (node SAS1 in FIG. 55). The orthogonal vector c is 90 degrees clockwise with respect to the reference vector a.
It may be rotated by degrees. The relative position of each facility with respect to the traveling direction of the guide route may be detected by the cross product (| a | × | b | × sinE) of the reference vector a and the target vector b. Where sinE is a reference vector a and
The angle between the target vector b and the reference vector a
And the clockwise rotation angle is plus.

The direction of the reference vector a may be any one of the following: the traveling direction of the own vehicle at the current position, the direction from the own vehicle to the destination, north, south, east, west, or the direction set by the operator. It may be a direction. That is, it may be determined whether the position of each facility is on the left or right with respect to the specified linear direction.

When the left and right positions of each extraction facility with respect to the guide route are detected in step SX36 of FIG. 53, the facility-destination distance Zn from each extraction facility to the destination is calculated (step SX38). Here, the facility-destination distance Zn is a distance along the guide route. That is,
It means the distance along the route from the point PP1 shown in FIG. 55 to the destination α. Therefore, in the case of FIG.
To the node SAS1 from the branch 36
The sum of the straight line distances of 4, 365 and 366 is
The facility-destination distance Zn. Further, the distance Zn between the facility and the destination is added to the shortest linear distance (step SX in FIG.
32) may be added.

Then, the obtained facility-destination distance Z
The sorting of the extracted facility data is executed based on n (step SX40). For example, each facility is arranged from the largest facility-destination distance Zn. The facility extraction condition may be determined based on the facility-destination distance Zn. That is, the facility-destination distance Zn
By comparing the distance between the host vehicle and the destination, facilities that are more than a predetermined value from the current position of the own vehicle or more than a predetermined value from the destination may be excluded.

[0377] 26. Calculation of Shortest Linear Distance FIG. 54 shows a subroutine (step SX32) for calculating the shortest linear distance between the search facility in FIG. 53 and the guidance route. FIG. 55 is a diagram for explaining a relative geographical positional relationship between facilities along the guide route and the guide route. FIG. 57 is a diagram illustrating the calculation of the shortest linear distance. As described above, the route from the guidance start point ε to the destination α shown in FIG. 55 is the route obtained by the route search process (step SA4 in FIG. 5).

The nodes SAS1 and SAS1 shown in FIG.
The nodes SAS1 and SAS2 shown in FIG.
Corresponding to The geographically shortest linear distance between the searched coordinate PP2 of one facility and the guidance route is obtained as follows. In the guide route, the nodes SAS1 and SAS2 closest to the coordinates PP2 of the facility are selected (step SX42 in FIG. 54). In order to detect the two nodes closest to the facility of interest among the nodes on the guide route, the following processing is executed. First, the linear distance between each node of the guide route and the coordinates PP2 is calculated. Among the calculated linear distances, the node having the minimum value and the next smaller linear distance are detected. These two nodes are the nodes closest to the guidance route.

Next, the two nodes SAS1, SAS
Are calculated from the geographical coordinates of the nodes SAS1 and SAS2 (step SX44). Each intermediate point JJ1, J
A geographical straight-line distance between straight lines RR1, RR2,... Connecting each of J2 and the coordinates PP2 of the facility of interest is calculated (step SX46).

Next, as the initial value setting, the minimum value Rmin
Is set to the distance value of the straight line RR1. Further, an initial value “2” is set to the condition variable NS (step SX4).
8). The condition variable NS is determined by the above-mentioned straight lines RR1 and RR2.
... number. A comparison is made between the geographical distance of the NS-th straight line RR (NS) specified by the condition variable NS and the minimum value Rmin (step S).
X50). If the value of the straight line RR (NS) is smaller than the minimum value Rmin, the distance value of the straight line RR (NS) is set to the minimum value Rmin (step SX52). After the replacement of the numerical value, the condition variable NS is incremented by 1 (step SX54).

However, the minimum value Rmin is equal to the straight line RR (N
If the distance value is smaller than S), the process of step SX52 is not performed, and only one increment of the condition variable NS (step SX54) is executed. Thereafter, the condition variable NS
Is larger than the number of intermediate points at which the nodes SAS1 and SAS2 are divided at equal intervals (step SX).
56). If the determination in step SX56 is NO, the process is executed again from step SX50. However, if the condition variable NS is larger than the number of intermediate points obtained by dividing the nodes SAS1 and SAS2 at equal intervals, steps SX50 to SX50
The process of X56 ends.

By the processing in steps SX50 to SX56 described above, a value substantially equal to the shortest linear distance from the coordinate PP2 of the facility of interest to the straight line connecting the nodes SAS1 and SAS2 is set as the minimum value Rmin. Therefore, the minimum value Rmin obtained by the above processing is set as the shortest facility-route distance Rmin between the facility and the guide route. This minimum value Rmin is determined from the target facility by the nodes SAS1,
It represents the distance of a perpendicular to a straight line connecting SAS2. Note that the shortest linear distance calculation process may be performed as follows.
The linear distance between the node SAS1 or the node SAS2 and the target facility is calculated. Further, nodes SAS1 to SA1
An angle between a straight line connecting S2 and a straight line connecting the node and the facility is obtained. The angle between the two straight lines and the straight line distance between the node and the facility may be obtained using a trigonometric function.

Further, the following extraction conditions may be added according to the left and right positions with respect to the guide route obtained by the processing of FIG. That is, when the median strip exists at the center of the road, it is impossible to make a right turn except at an intersection.
Therefore, facilities on the right hand side of such a road portion where a left / right turn is not possible may be excluded. In this case, a road condition extracting means for extracting the road environment of each road in the searched guide route is provided. Based on the road condition read by the road condition extraction means, the facility exclusion means determines whether or not to exclude the extracted facility by using the result of step SX36 in FIG. That is, in step SX36, it is determined whether each facility is located on the left or right along the guide route. So, with the road environment,
The above-described extraction processing can be performed by comparing with the left and right positions of each facility.

The processing by the road condition extracting means is performed as follows. That is, road attribute data, caution data, and the like are read from the road data file F4 of each road. The road environment of the guide route closest to the extracted facility is determined using the read road attribute data and the like. That is, the facility exclusion means determines whether it is difficult to stop at the facility. Thus, it is possible to prevent a facility that is extremely difficult to drop in from being selected as a destination or a drop-in place.

[0385] Furthermore, information transmitted from an external device such as VICS or ATIS may be fetched and used as extraction conditions for drop-in facilities. For example, when a parking lot around the destination is extracted as a drop-in facility or the like, the following is performed. Based on external information sent by VICS, ATIS, or the like, the fullness or vacancy of each parking lot or the congestion state of the road near the facility is added to the facility extraction conditions. That is, an extraction condition based on information sent from outside, such as VISC and ATIS, may be added at the time of setting a destination or a stopover. As a result, a full parking lot or
Selection of a facility adjacent to a congested (congested) road can be prevented.
That is, errors in facility selection can be reduced. The start instruction of the nearest facility setting process and the destination setting process is executed so that the command cannot be executed when the host vehicle is running at a certain speed or higher.

[0386] As described above, when a place to drop in is found, for example, on the guide route to the initially set destination, the facility along the guide route is searched together with the distance in consideration of the current position of the own vehicle. You. Therefore, the extraction conditions for drop-in facilities are more accurate, and more optimal facilities can be selected. That is, it is generally difficult to stop at a facility far from the guide route. Therefore, information on the facility far from such a guide route is displayed on the display 33.
It is preferable not to be displayed above. Therefore, if the facilities along the route are extracted, it is possible to prevent such unnecessary information from being displayed on the screen, and prevent erroneous selection of facilities.

In the middle of the route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination, there may be the following states even if there is no drop-in facility that matches the purpose. That is, there is a facility that matches the purpose at the point where the guide route is slightly turned back to the departure place. Even in this case, according to the above embodiment, facilities that are along the guide route and that have already passed are also searched, so that such facilities can be selected.

When there are a plurality of drop-in facilities extracted, if the narrowing-down conditions (the straight-line distance from the guide route) are made strict as described above, only the drop-off facilities that match the user's desire are displayed. Therefore, the time required for the facility selection processing is reduced.

In the facility setting process, a facility search may be performed in the entire map information based on the guide route, or a search may be performed only in a specific area described later.
If you are along the guidance route,
It is possible to stop at a desired facility without greatly deviating from the route. In addition, by selecting and displaying facilities within a desired range from a reference point (current location, destination, cursor position, etc.), a user can quickly and clearly obtain required information and a search result thereof. Provided to Also,
When the facility extraction result is displayed on the screen, if various information such as the distance and positional relationship between each facility and the guide route or the distance between each facility and the destination is displayed at the same time, the desired facility for the guide route is displayed. The position can be grasped clearly.

[0390] 27. Postal Code Selection Data 50 In setting a drop-in facility or destination, a specific area may be designated by an area designation number such as the following zip code, and then facilities may be sequentially extracted within the designated area. FIGS. 58 to 63 show the structures of various data recorded in the information storage unit 37. FIG. These data are
This is used in the destination setting process of FIG. FIG. 58 shows postal code selection data 50. The postal code data 50 includes a postal code RDN, a street list address L
A, size LD, facility genre list address NA, size ND, representative point east longitude coordinate PEO, representative point north latitude coordinate PN
O and an area shape data address EA.
One postal code RDN specifies one local area. Various data relating to the specified area are stored in the information storage unit 37 specified by the street list address LA, the facility genre list address NA, and the like.
Are sequentially recorded from the storage address of the memory.

For example, the storage start address where the street list is recorded and the memory size are specified by the street list address LA and the size LD. Similarly,
The storage start address and the memory size where the genre list to which each facility belongs are recorded as the facility genre list address N
A and size ND. The genre refers to stations, museums, golf courses, bookstores, pharmacies, restaurants, etc., public facilities of such facilities, transportation facilities, sports and leisure facilities, shopping facilities, etc., classification of destinations or stopovers, fields, Indicates the type, purpose, use or business (sales) content.

The representative point east longitude coordinate PEO and the representative point north latitude coordinate PNO represent the approximate center of the area corresponding to the postal code RDN. When the map data in the information storage unit 37 is displayed on the display 33, the geographical coordinates specified by the representative point east longitude coordinate PEO and the representative point north latitude coordinate PNO are set substantially at the center of the display 33. As a result, an area corresponding to the designated zip code is displayed at substantially the center of the display 33. That is, the map data corresponding to the postal code area is displayed substantially at the center of the display 33 by the representative point east longitude coordinate PEO and the representative point north latitude coordinate PNO. Note that a part of the edge of the area may be cut depending on the display scale.

Data specifying the outer shape of the area specified by the postal code RDN is recorded from the storage start address of the information storage unit 37 specified by the area shape data address EA. Then, data is stored in a memory area specified by the size ED. That is, the latitude data and the longitude data (geographic coordinates) at a plurality of places where the outer edge of the area is plotted are recorded from the memory address of the information storage unit 37 specified by the address EA. By the latitude and longitude (geographic coordinates) of these multiple places,
One postal code area is specified in the map data in the information storage unit 37. If all the latitudes and longitudes are within the scale of the display 33, the designated postal code area is completely displayed on the display 33.

As described above, the postal code selection data 5 shown in FIG.
0 is zip code RDN, street list address L
A, a facility genre list address NA, a representative point east longitude coordinate PEO, a representative point north latitude coordinate PNO, and an area shape data address EA as one unit. In addition, the postal code RDN is used as index data. Therefore, if the postal code RDN is specified, one area is specified in the map data of the information storage unit 37. This designated postal code (phone number) area
The data is displayed almost at the center of the display output means (display 33) based on the representative point data of this area. When displaying the area, an optimal display scale may be selected based on the shape data of the area. That is, the scale may be adjusted so that the entire area is completely displayed on the display 33. Further, in the above description, the postal code RDN is used to specify the area, but this may be specified by a telephone number, a municipal administration management area number, or a uniquely determined number.

A specific area having the representative point east longitude coordinate and the representative point north latitude coordinate may be selected according to a part of the postal code and the telephone number (part of the upper digit). In other words, by entering part of the postal code and telephone number,
An area corresponding to the input postal code and telephone number is specified. For example, when the upper two digits “12” of the three-digit postal code “123” are input, an area corresponding to the higher postal code “12” of the input postal code may be displayed. Further, similarly to the postal code and the telephone number, the area may be designated by a specific identification number for each area that is distinguished, classified, or divided according to predetermined conditions. For example, a number for each prefecture, city, town or village, or a number for each state, a number for each time zone, or a number for each country of the European Community.

As described above, after the area is designated by the postal code or the like, the nearest facility setting process of FIG. 49 may be performed. Further, after the area is specified, the following street may be specified, and thereafter, the nearest facility setting process of FIG. 49 may be performed.

28. Street List Data 55 FIG. 59 shows the data structure of the street list data 55. The street list data 55 is composed of group data of the number of streets SS (m). The list data 55 is recorded from the head address of the information storage unit 37 specified by the street list address LA.
One street list data 55 includes a street name SSN, a display representative point east longitude coordinate SEO, a display representative point north latitude coordinate SNO, a shape data address SEA, and a size S.
It is composed of ED.

The street name SSN indicates, for example, the name of the m-th street. This street name is
A national road name (national road number), a local road name (local road number), or an expressway name (expressway number) may be included. Display representative point east longitude coordinate SEO and display representative point north latitude coordinate SNO
Represents the longitude and latitude (geographic coordinates) of the representative point of this street. The representative point is set to a point substantially at the center of the street, but may be set to a start point, an end point of the street, or a point at any one of east, west, south and north of the street.

The shape data address SEA specifies the storage start address of the geographic coordinate data of each node constituting this street. The size of the memory size in which the shape data of the street is recorded is designated by the size SED. The outer shape of this street is determined by the geographical coordinate data of each node. A street figure is displayed on the display 33 using the display representative point east longitude coordinate SEO, the display representative point north latitude coordinate SNO, and the geographic coordinate data of each node.

When one street extends over a plurality of postal code areas, the street list data 55 relating to this street is stored for each postal code area. However, since the partial shapes of the streets present in each area are different from each other, the display representative point east longitude coordinate SE
O, display representative point north latitude coordinate SNO, shape data address SEA, and size SED are different. That is, when one street straddles two areas, the streets existing in each area are different from each other. Therefore, the display representative point of the street in each area is also different. As a result, the display representative point east longitude coordinate SEO and the display representative point north latitude coordinate SNO of the street in each area are recorded as street data. In addition, each street name SSN
Is the same.

29. Facility genre list data 60 FIG. 60 shows the data structure of the facility genre list data 60. This facility genre list data 60
It is composed of NC (k) data groups of facility genres. One facility genre list data 60 is
Facility genre name NM and facility list address NLA,
It is composed of a size SED. Facility genre name NM
Represents the name of the genre.

From the memory start address specified by the facility list address NLA, the list data of the facilities belonging to this genre is stored in the memory area specified by the size NLD. Thus, the data read from the memory specified by the facility list address NLA and the size NLD identifies the geographical coordinates of each facility belonging to the facility genre name NM and the facility-specific name.

30. Street Shape Data 65 FIG. 61 shows the data structure of the street shape data 65. The street shape data 65 includes the number of nodes ES
It consists of (t) data groups. One street shape data 65 includes an east longitude coordinate EEO and a north latitude coordinate EN
O, an address ENO, and a street name SSN. The east longitude coordinate EEO and the north latitude coordinate ENO determine the geographical position of the node in the map data in the information storage unit 37. The address ENO indicates the address data of the address of this node. This address ENO is displayed along with the street (or node) when the street is displayed in the display 33. This allows
Each address along the street can be identified.

31. Facility List Data 70 FIG. 62 shows the data structure of the facility list data 70.
The facility list data 70 is composed of a data group of the number IS (u) of facilities. The facility list data 70 represents a plurality of facilities belonging to one genre of one facility genre list data 60 shown in FIG.

[0405] One facility list data 70 includes a facility name IM, east longitude coordinates IEO, north latitude coordinates INO, and an address IB. The facility name IM is a unique name of the facility. The east longitude coordinate IEO and the north latitude coordinate INO indicate the longitude and latitude (geographical position) of this facility. The location on the map of this facility is specified by the east longitude coordinate IEO and the north latitude coordinate INO. The address IB indicates the address of the address.

[0406] The street name SSN is the name of the road that this facility contacts. However, if there is no adjacent road, the name of the nearest street is used. Note that the street name SSN may be the name of a road that is the guide target closest to the facility. Therefore, when a plurality of streets (or guidance target roads) exist around the facility, a plurality of street names SSN are stored in one facility data. Also, this street name SSN is
This is the same as the street name SSN of the street list data 55 shown in FIG. In addition, guidance target road,
It means a road used in the above route search processing.

32. Area Shape Data 75 FIG. 63 shows the structure of a data string of the area shape data 75. The area shape data 75 specifies the outer edge of the postal code area on the map as described above. Therefore, the area shape data 75 specifies the area range on the map. The geographical position of the outer periphery of the geographic range of the area is specified by a plurality of nodes. One area shape data 75 is composed of longitude and latitude, that is, east longitude coordinate AEO and north latitude coordinate ANO. Also, the node number data ANC
(V) indicates the number of nodes. That is, the number of nodes that follow the outer periphery of the area is the node number data ANC (v).

33. Destination Setting Process (Step SA5) FIGS. 64 to 65 show flowcharts of the destination setting process executed by the navigation device of the present invention.
In FIG. 64, first, the screen of the display 33 is divided (step SX60). Then, a postal code input screen is displayed on the second screen (step SX62).
An example of the postal code input screen is shown in FIG.
It is shown in FIG. Further, an image for item selection is displayed on the third screen 110 (step SX64).

As shown in FIG. 68, the second screen 108
Above, an input numeral display column 402 and a numeral 40 from 0 to 9
8 and an “END” character 410 for selecting that the numerical input has been completed are displayed. Further, a mouse cursor 406 that can freely move within the screen 108 is also displayed. When the mouse cursor 406 is moved over each numeral 408 and the confirmation input key is pressed, the numeral is recognized by the navigation device. Note that the confirmation input key is a key switch provided on the navigation device.

[0410] The mouse cursor 406 may be moved by a small joystick. Confirm input key
The switching mechanism into which the joystick is pushed may be substituted. Further, the mouse cursor 406 may not be displayed on the third screen 110. In this case, each display item on the screen 110 is selected by vertically driving the joystick. The display color is changed in the frame of the selected display item so that the selected state can be identified. After this, by pressing the confirmation input key,
The selection of the highlighted item is confirmed.

[0411] The numerical value input using the input screen of the second screen 108 of Fig. 68 is used as the postal code RDN. When the postcode RDN is input, postcode selection data 50 (see FIG. 58) based on the postcode RDN.
Is retrieved from the information storage unit 37. That is, from the data group of the postal code selection data 50, the input postal code R
One piece of postal code selection data matching the DN is read from the information storage unit 37.

On the other hand, the item selection screen (FIG. 68) of the third screen 110 includes, for example, the characters 41 “display representative point map”.
8, characters 420 of "input street name", characters 422 of "input facility name", and characters 424 of "destination setting by another item" are displayed.

[0413] When the mouse cursor 406 displayed on the screen of the display 33 is moved by the operator, and then the enter key is pressed, the following processing is executed. The relative position of the mouse cursor 406 on the screens 108 and 110 at the time when the enter key is turned on is detected (step SX66). That is, the position of the mouse cursor 406 on the screen at the time when the enter key is pressed is identified by the CPU 2. Then, the information content displayed at the position of the mouse cursor 406 is selected. For example, suppose that the enter key is pressed when the mouse cursor 406 is displayed over the character 418 of “representative point map display”. In this case, the process of displaying the representative point map is selected.

Next, it is determined whether or not “destination setting by another item” is selected (step SX68). When the “destination setting by another item” is selected, the processing in FIG. 64 is terminated. That is, the process of setting the destination from the area specified by the postal code is canceled.
Therefore, if the decision result in the step SX68 is YES, a destination setting processing subroutine based on another item is executed (step SX70). The setting of the destination based on another item includes, for example, a process of directly selecting the destination from the address of the destination. When the subroutine of step SX70 ends, the process returns to the main flow in FIG.

However, if the result of the determination at step SX68 is N
In the case of O, the processing after step SX72 is executed. When any of the representative point map display processing, the street name input processing, and the facility name input processing is selected in the item selection processing in steps SX64 and SX66, the selection result is stored in the RAM 5 as the mode set data MD.

If “destination setting by another item” is not selected and another process, for example, “representative map display” is designated, the item selection image displayed on the third screen is displayed on the second screen. (Step SX72). After this,
The mode selected on the third screen in FIG. 68 is determined. That is, it is determined whether or not the mode for displaying the representative point map has been selected based on the data of the mode set data MD (step SX74). If it has been selected, a "representative point map display and destination setting" subroutine is executed (step SX76).

However, if the representative point map mode has not been selected, or if the processing of “representative point map display and destination setting” in step SX76 has been completed, the next step SX78 is determined. That is, it is determined whether or not the mode selection is the street input mode (step SX78). If the street input mode is selected, a "display of street name and destination setting" subroutine is executed (step SX80).

[0418] If the "display of street name and destination setting" subroutine is terminated, or if the decision result in the step SX78 is "NO", a step SX8 is executed.
The determination of 2 is performed. That is, it is determined whether the genre setting mode has been selected (step SX8).
2). In the case of the genre setting mode, a "genre list display and destination setting" subroutine is executed (step SX84). This subroutine of step SX84 is terminated, or the result of step SX82 is "N
In the case of "O", it is determined whether or not the return key has been pressed (step SX86). If the return key has been pressed, the processes in and after step SX62 are executed again. That is,
An image for inputting the postal code is displayed on the second screen. However, if the return key is not pressed, the process returns to the main flow of FIG. That is, when the return key is pressed, the display state of the display 33 is returned to the previous state.

[0419] 34. FIG. 65 shows a representative point map display and a destination setting subroutine. First, the postal code selection data 50 specified by the postal code RDN is read from the information storage unit 37. Note that this postal code RDN is stored in step SX62 in FIG.
Is entered. Further, the area shape data address EA and the size ED recorded in the postal code selection data 50
Is extracted.

From the memory area specified by the area shape data address EA and the size ED, the east longitude coordinate AEO and the north latitude coordinate ANO (see FIG. 63) of each node that determines the outer edge (outer circumference) of the area are sequentially read. Then, the maximum value and the minimum value are extracted at the east longitude coordinate AEO of each node (step SX90). Similarly, the maximum value and the minimum value of the north latitude coordinate ANO of each node are extracted.

Each of these east longitude coordinates AEO and each north latitude coordinate AN
The scale at which the map is displayed on the display 33 is obtained from the maximum value and the minimum value of each O (step SX).
92). For example, the geographic distance in the east longitude direction is calculated from the maximum value and the minimum value of the east longitude. Similarly, the geographic distance in the north latitude is calculated from the maximum and minimum values of the north latitude. At an arbitrary scale, the geographic distances in the east longitude and north latitude directions that can be displayed on the divided screen of the display 33 can be known from the actual size of the screen and the like. Therefore, the scale for displaying the geographic distance in the east longitude and the north latitude of the designated area can be calculated backward from the geographic distance that can be displayed on the screen. When the scale is obtained in this way, the designated area is completely displayed in the divided screen.

That is, the entire area is displayed on the third screen 110 of the display 33 without cutting off the end of the area specified by the postal code RDN (step SX9).
4). Note that the geographic range of the designated area of the postal code RDN is determined by the area shape data 75. Also,
The map data displayed on the display 33 is stored in the information storage unit 37.

FIG. 69 shows a display example of the designated area on the appropriate scale. In FIG. 69, the designated area is a range surrounded by a dotted line 456. FIG.
The turning points 460, 462, etc. shown in FIG. 9 represent nodes. Further, the symbol 452 indicates the current position of the host vehicle. Curves 458 and 459 represent roads.
In step SX94, the shapes of all streets or main streets in the designated area are simultaneously displayed. In this case, the street shape data 65 of each area in FIG. 61 is used.

[0424] The process of selecting the proper scale in step SX92 may be omitted, or the proper scale may be selected manually by the operator. When the process of step SX92 is omitted, the area map displayed on the display 33 is set so as to be displayed in the largest scale. In addition, the representative point east longitude coordinate PEO and the representative point north latitude coordinate PNO (see FIG. 58) of the designated area are set as the center of the third screen 110.

Thus, the third screen 1 of the display 33
When the area map is displayed in the area 10, the facilities are further displayed in the designated area using the graphic symbols stored in the flash memory 3 or the like (step SX96). In this facility display, the facility list data 70 of FIG. 62 is used. A specific symbol is displayed on the geographical coordinates of each facility. This symbol is, for example, a star, a circle, a triangle, a rectangle, a fork, a cup, a bag, a flag, a house, and the like. Note that this facility display may be performed only when the largest area map is displayed on the third screen of the display 33.

[0426] Thereafter, an arbitrary point in the display map area is designated using the mouse cursor 406 displayed in the display 33. That is, the mouse cursor 406 is moved by the operation of the operator, and the enter key is pressed. The mouse cursor 406 at the time when this confirmation key is pressed
Is displayed as the destination desired by the operator. Therefore, the display position of the mouse cursor 406 at the time when the enter key is pressed is obtained (step SX98). From the cursor display position, the actual geographic coordinate position is calculated by an operation using a map scale or the like. The geographic coordinate position obtained by this calculation is used as the registered destination data TP as R
It is stored in AM5 (step SX100).

When the process of step SX100 is completed, the process returns to the destination setting process of FIG. It should be noted that the setting of the drop-in place may be performed according to the same procedure as described above. When the stopover point is set by the same processing as the processing of FIG. 64, the geographical coordinates of the stopover point are stored in the RAM 5 as the stopover point DP.

35. Street Name Display and Destination Setting Subroutine FIG. 66 shows a street name display and destination setting subroutine. The processing in FIG.
This is executed when the result of the determination in step SX78 is YES. In FIG. 66, first, all the streets in the area specified by the postal code RDN are read (step SX110). The listing of all the streets is performed using the street list data 55 of FIG. The street list data 55 stores a street name in an area specified by the postal code RDN. Therefore, by extracting only the street name from the street list data 55, a list of streets is created.

The list of street names listed in step SX110 is displayed on third screen 110 of display 33 (step SX112). In addition,
If the number of streets SS (m) is large, the display 33
Cannot display all streets at once. In this case, by scrolling the screen of the display 33, the remaining street names are sequentially displayed. A display example of the street list is shown in FIG. In addition to the street list display, each street name may be notified by voice.

When the street list is displayed in step SX112, the mouse cursor 406 is also displayed on the screen 108 of the display 33. Then, the display position of the mouse cursor 406 at the time when the enter key is pressed is acquired (step SX114). This mouse cursor 4
Based on the display position 06, which street is selected is identified (step SX116).

[0431] The display representative point east longitude coordinate SEO and the display representative point north latitude coordinate SNO of the street selected in step SX116 are read from the street list data 55 (step SX118). Further, the street shape data 65 of the selected street is stored in the information storage unit 3.
7 is read. This street shape data 65
Is composed of the east longitude coordinate EEO and the north latitude coordinate ENO of each node, and the shape of this street is determined. Then, the maximum value and the minimum value are detected from the east longitude coordinate EEO and the north latitude coordinate ENO of each node (step SX120).

The detection of the maximum value and the minimum value of the node coordinates in the east longitude and the north latitude direction is the same processing as in step SX90 in the area map display described above. Therefore, the appropriate scale of the map displayed on the display 33 is obtained from the obtained maximum and minimum values in the east longitude and the north latitude direction. That is, a scale is required at which the entire designated street can be completely displayed on the split screen.
At this required scale, the street is displayed on the display 33.
Is displayed on the third screen 110 (step SX12
2). When this street is displayed, each address associated with this street is displayed together. In addition, this street name may be notified by voice along with this street display.

With the street display on the third screen, a street list is displayed on the second screen (step SX).
123). An example of a street displayed on the third screen 110 of the display 33 is shown in FIG. As shown in this figure, the selected street is the third screen 110
In, the road is identified and displayed. In FIG. 71, this is indicated by a thick line 500. The designated street may be displayed in a different color that can be identified from other roads. The name of the selected street is displayed as characters 504 in a display area 502 provided at the top of the third screen 110. The display street name is the street name SS of the street list data 55.
N is used. A character 506 in FIG. 71 indicates an address. For this address display, the data of the address ENO of the street list data 55 is used.

The calculation of the appropriate scale in step SX122 may be omitted. In this case, the map is displayed so that the street is enlarged most. In addition, the adjustment is performed so that the representative point of the street is substantially at the center of the screen 100. The representative point of this street is determined by the display representative point east longitude coordinate SEO and the display representative point SNO in the street list data 55.

[0435] When the specified street is displayed on the third screen 110, an arbitrary point along the street is designated as the destination by the mouse cursor 406. That is, the position of the mouse cursor 406 on the screen 110 at the time when the enter key is pressed is detected (step SX124). Further, it is determined whether or not the return key has been pressed (step SX125). If the return key is pressed, the display state of the display 33 is returned to the state before one process. That is, step SX7 in FIG.
The process is returned to 2. If the return key has not been pressed, the actual geographic coordinate position is calculated from the cursor display position at the time when the enter key was pressed. The geographic coordinate position obtained by this calculation is stored in the RAM 5 as the registered destination data TP (step SX126).

When the process of step SX126 is completed, the process returns to the destination setting process of FIG. It should be noted that the setting of the drop-in place may be performed according to the same procedure as described above. That is, the area is specified by the postal code RDN or the like. A specific street is selected from all the streets in the specified area, and a specific point is specified on the displayed street map. This designated point is called the stopover DP as RA
Stored in M5.

As described above, in the display of the street name and the destination setting in FIG. 66, all the streets in the designated area are listed. Then, one street where the destination exists is selected from the list of the street names. For the selected street, a map showing the entire street is displayed on the screen. Therefore, on the map representing this street, a specific point is designated as a destination by a mouse cursor. Thereby, the designation of the destination or the drop-in place can be easily specified from the name of the street. When the street is displayed in step SX122, the entire designated area including the street may be displayed.

36. Genre List Display and Destination Setting Subroutine FIG. 67 shows a genre list display and destination setting subroutine. In FIG. 67, first, the genres of the respective facilities in the area designated by the postal code RDN are listed up (step SX130). This genre listing is performed using the facility genre list data 60 of FIG. The memory area of the information storage unit 37 of the facility genre list data 60 stores the facility genre list address NA of the postal code selection data 50.
And size ND.

Next, from the facility genre list data 60, the number of facility genres NC (k) facility genre names NM
Is read. Then, the genre list is displayed on the third screen of the display 33 (step SX13).
2). FIG. 72 shows a screen display example of this genre list. Thereafter, when the confirm key is pressed,
The display position of the mouse cursor 406 on the screen 110 is obtained (step SX134). That is, the genre name of the display position of the mouse cursor at the time when the enter key is pressed is set as the selected genre. It is determined whether the return key is pressed (step SX13).
5). If the return key has been pressed, the process returns from the process in FIG. 67 to step SX62 in FIG.

If the return key has not been pressed, it is determined that the genre displayed at the position of the cursor 406 has been selected (step SX136). The facilities belonging to the specified genre are listed (step SX138). That is, the facility list data 7 in FIG.
By using 0, facilities corresponding to the selected genre are listed. The memory area of the facility list data 70 is specified by the facility list address NLA and the size NLD. The facility list address NLA and size NLD are
It is included in the facility genre list data 60. That is, as soon as the genre is specified, a list of facilities belonging to the genre and within the designated area is read from the information storage unit 37.

Next, the facility name I of the facility list data 70
Only M is extracted and displayed in a list on the third screen of the display 33 (step SX140). Further, a genre list is displayed on the second screen (step SX14).
1). Then, the display position of the mouse cursor 406 on the screen 110 at the time when the enter key is pressed is acquired (step SX142). The facility at the display position of the cursor 106 is set as the destination (Step S)
X144). That is, the selected facility is stored in the RAM 5 as the registered destination data TP.

[0442] It is determined whether the return key has been pressed (step SX145). If the return key has been pressed, the process returns to step SX72 in FIG. However, if the return key is not pressed, the processing after step SX146 is executed. That is, when the return key is pressed, the display state of the display 33 is returned to the previous display state.

If the return key is not pressed, step SX
The east longitude coordinate IEO and the north latitude coordinate INO of the facility selected in 144 are read from the facility list data 70. Based on the east longitude coordinates IEO and the north latitude coordinates INO, a map around the designated facility is displayed on the third screen of the display 33 (step SX146). In addition, the facility list is displayed on the second screen (step SX147).
The scale of the map display may be a scale at which the map is displayed at the maximum, or a scale selected by the operator.
In addition, along with the surrounding map display of this identified facility,
The facility name may be notified by voice. Note that the processing of steps SX146 and SX147 may be omitted.

After the display of step SX147 is performed,
It is determined whether the return key has been pressed (step SX1).
48). If the return key has been pressed, the process proceeds to step SX14.
The process of 0 is executed again. However, if the return key has not been pressed, the process returns to the destination setting process of FIG. Thus, in the genre list display and the destination setting of FIG. 67, the genre is specified from the designated area. Then, a desired destination is designated from the specified genre list.

As described above, in the destination setting process of this embodiment, after a specific area is designated by the postal code RDN, a plurality of types of information (three types,
3 modes). Then, a destination is specified from a map or a list displayed in each mode. For example, a specific street is designated in the designated area. Since the designated street is displayed on a map, a specific point is designated as a destination on the map of this street. As described above, the search for the destination is performed stepwise through area designation, street designation, genre designation, and the like, so that designation of the destination is easier. In each display state in the above embodiment, when the return key is pressed, the display is returned to the previous selection screen.

The destination setting processing may be performed as follows. First, a specific area is specified by a zip code. Next, a specific street is selected from all the streets in the area. Further, when the genre is designated, facilities that are around the selected street and that correspond to the designated genre are listed. Finally, a desired destination is selected from the listed facility names. As a result, the desired destination can be searched near the street and from a specific genre.

Further, the above-mentioned destination setting processing may be performed as follows. The specific area is specified by the postal code. Next, a specific street is selected from the streets in the area. In addition, facilities along the selected street are listed. Finally, a desired destination is selected from the listed facility names. Therefore, a desired destination is extracted along a specific street in a specific area.

Further, the destination setting processing may be performed as follows. First, a specific area is designated by the postal code RDN. Thereafter, a specific genre is selected. Next, the names of the streets where the facilities corresponding to the specified genre exist are listed. Then, a facility is selected based on the street name list.
Therefore, when setting a destination, a search can be made in the order of area, genre, and street.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, at the time of street selection in step SX116 in FIG. 66, the street list is displayed on the display 33 as shown in FIG. 70, but this may be performed as follows. That is, as in the second screen 110 of FIG. 69, the area is displayed on the divided screen of the display 33, and each street name is also displayed on the screen. When an arbitrary geographic coordinate on the display area is selected by the mouse cursor 406, an enlarged view centering on the selected portion is immediately displayed. At the time of displaying the enlarged view, facilities within the displayable range of the display 33 are also displayed at the same time. As a result, the operator can search for each facility along a specific street in a specific area while viewing the map.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the area is designated by the postal code. However, the postal code can be replaced with the whole or upper part of the telephone number.
That is, an area can be designated by only the area code, or the area can be designated by using the area code and the first few digits of the remaining telephone numbers excluding the area code. It should be noted that the postal code to be input may be a part of the upper part or the whole.

Further, in the above step SX94 or SX
After 96, the process may jump to the above step SX110 or step SX130. As a result, a list of streets or a list of streets or a list or location of facilities in the displayed area is displayed and / or output.
And voice output. Further, the processing of step SX94 may be executed in step SX112. Further, instead of displaying the facility list in step SX140, a map display of the facility in step SX96 may be performed, or the location of the facility may be displayed on a map along with the display of the facility list. Thereby, the figure of the street in the designated area or the position of the facility in the designated area is displayed. Note that the above step SX146
And the order of step SX144 may be changed.

Further, the selection by the mouse cursor may be executed by voice from the operator. in this case,
Desired items (genre, street name, facility name, etc.) from the display output and / or audio output list
Is specified by being pronounced by the operator.

In each of the above embodiments, the postal code RDN
A search process for a destination or a stopover location based on the input is performed before the route search process (step SA4).
However, these destination or drop-in search processes
It may be performed during the guidance / display processing in step SA5. That is, a new stopover or destination is set in the middle of the guide route according to the request of the operator.
However, these operations are performed with the host vehicle stopped or in a slow running state. As a result, the setting of the destination or the stopover location can be easily changed. Further, the selection of the destination and the stop-by place may be performed based on the business hours of each facility. For example, facilities that are open from 11 am to 11 pm may be extracted.

Further, an address such as a prefecture name, a state name, a municipal name, or the like may be used as a search condition for a destination or a stopover place. The genres of the above search conditions include fields, industries,
The brand of the item for sale and the item for sale may be used. Each facility may be categorized or searched according to the price, performance, and performance of a specific sale product at each store. In addition, the external information of the building, such as the number of floors, floor area, height, advertising body, color, site,
A search or extraction by section, planar shape or three-dimensional shape may be performed. In addition, at destination and drop-in place,
Above ground or underground structures such as facilities and buildings correspond to other places that can be provided with detailed place names or addresses. The current position of the host vehicle as a search start point of the guide route or a base point for displaying a map includes a departure place or a start point at which guidance can be started.

In each of the above embodiments, the division of the screen of the display 33, the release of the division (combination of the screens), or the switching of the navigation operation are performed by the selection operation of the operator and the change of the current position of the own vehicle. However, it may be performed by the following environmental changes. For example, a change in the traveling state of the own vehicle, a change in the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, a change in the direction of the own vehicle,
A change in the altitude of the own vehicle, a change in the distance to the destination or the stop-by place, or when the own vehicle goes out of or enters the range of the house map recorded in the information storage unit 37, the destination is changed. Changes in the running time, changes in the number of revolutions of the drive source (engine, motor) or the temperature of the drive source, changes in the time, changes in the remaining amount of fuel, changes in the voltage or current of the battery (storage battery, battery), Environmental changes (brightness (during the day, at sunset, after sunset), changes in temperature, humidity, wind pressure, precipitation (rainfall, snowfall, noise)).

In particular, in the sixth embodiment and the like, the screen is divided when the vehicle deviates from the route being guided. However, since the screen is divided due to the environmental change, the screen is divided during the guidance. The screen may be divided before the vehicle deviates from the route. In addition, various sensors are required for the above-mentioned environmental change. For example, an optical sensor including a photoelectric conversion element or the like is used to change the light in the surrounding environment.

As described in detail above, in the destination setting process of the present invention, a screen is divided and a search condition and a search result are displayed in parallel on each divided screen. As a result, the search condition of the destination can be narrowed down step by step, so that the effect of performing the search of the destination more easily can be achieved. In particular, even when the address of the desired destination is not clearly known, the destination can be searched based on the number specifying the area.

The division position on the display screen of the display 33 is not particularly limited in the present invention. In each of the above embodiments, the screen of the display 33 is divided in the vertical direction so that the second screen and the third screen have an equal area. However, the display area of the second screen may be smaller than the display area of the third screen. Conversely, the display area of the second screen may be larger than the display area of the third screen. Further, when the display screen of the display 33 is vertically long, the display screen may be divided in the horizontal direction, and the third screen may be an upper screen and the second screen may be a lower screen. Here, the third screen means a screen that displays map information that is more necessary for the driver. Further, in each of the above embodiments, the screen is divided into two, but may be divided into three or more screens. For example, the second screen in each of the above embodiments is divided in the horizontal direction, and is divided into upper and lower screens. Then, different geographic information may be displayed on each split screen.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, geographic information is displayed on each of the second screen and the third screen. This may be performed as follows. For example, a television image is displayed on the second screen. Map information or the like may be displayed on the third screen. In each of the above embodiments, when the user instructs to cancel the screen division, one map is displayed on the entire screen of the display 33. At the time of this division release, the map displayed on the third screen is
It may be displayed on the entire screen of the display 33.

(1) In addition to the above, the screen is divided into
In addition to left / right, top / bottom, diagonal top / diagonal bottom, etc., the display areas of both screens may be different. In this case, the image memory 10 is divided according to these division forms,
The addressing of each image memory element is also divided according to these division modes. Further, the number of divided screens may exceed two, and accordingly, the number of divisions of the image memory 10 is increased, and the palette RAMs 204 and 20 of FIG.
The number of 8 is also increased.

(2) In addition to the above (1), the information displayed on the third screen 110 (or the second screen 108) of FIG. 10 or FIG. 14 may be a simplified diagram of FIG. In this case, the above steps SC8, SC20, SD12, S
D14 or the above steps SC6, SC18, SB1
8, SB22, SK8, SK12)
The processing of K16 or SK24 is executed.

In addition to the above, in step SK4, the operation of the touch switch on the icon displayed on the display 33 or the switch corresponding to this icon may be determined. This icon is "map oriented".

In addition to the above steps SB4 and SB1
The operation performed by the operator according to the icon may be determined in any of 0, SE4, SE12, SG10, and SG4.
This icon is “divided” in step SB4, “divided screen” in step SB10, steps SE4, SG
4, "change scale", "step forward display" in step SE12, "all route display" in step SG10, and the like.

In the screen division processing of FIG. 8, a map displayed on each screen may be manually selected. In this case, when "Details" displayed by the icon is selected, the main screen is changed from the full screen mainly including only the main road (guided road) to the divided screen including the non-main road (small street or non-guided road) and the main road. The screen is switched to the divided screen only for the road (guide target road). Further, when the “summary” displayed by the icon is selected, the screen is switched from the entire screen including non-trunk roads to the divided screen including only trunk roads and the divided screen including non-trunk roads.

Also, step S of the third screen processing shown in FIG.
Also in D4, the mode of the display map may be manually selectable. In this case, when "intersection" displayed by the icon is selected, from the full screen of the road map,
The screen is switched between a split screen indicating the left / right turn direction at an intersection or a turning point and the split screen of the road map. As described above, the display content before screen division is displayed on one screen after division, and the content to be displayed is displayed on another screen after division by display switching.

(3) In addition to the above (1) and (2), switching to the split display may be in accordance with a change in the azimuth of the own vehicle. In this case, based on information from the absolute direction sensor 21 or the relative direction sensor 22, if the direction of the vehicle deviates from “north” by a predetermined angle (for example, ± 45 degrees, ± 30 degrees), the above steps SK12 → SK14 →. , Step SK8 → SK
.., Step SK20 → SK24 →, Step SK22 → SK24 →. Alternatively, what is determined in step SD2 in FIG. 11 may be whether or not the distance from the host vehicle to the destination or the stopover point is less than a predetermined distance. In this case, the above step SD4
Then, on the third screen, the type of business, brand,
The price, name, telephone number, etc. are displayed.

(4) In addition to the above (1), (2) and (3), the information displayed on the second screen 108 (or the third screen 110) of FIG. 10, FIG. 14 or FIG. However, a detailed road map including the narrow street may be displayed.

In addition to the above, step SK2 may be omitted, and the process of steps SK6 → SK7 →... May be entered while the divided screens of the respective processes of FIG. 6 are displayed. Alternatively, the process of step SD2 or step SD10 may be started while the divided screens by the processes of FIG. 19 or FIG. 21 are displayed. Thereby, the display contents of the divided screens are simultaneously switched.

In addition to the above, the above “details”, “overview”, “intersection”, “map orientation”, “screen division”, “scale change”, “route forward display”, “all route display” are provided for each divided screen. May be displayed, and a switch corresponding to the icon may be operated by the operator, and the display contents may be individually switched for each divided screen.

(5) In addition to the above (1), (2), (3), and (4), it is possible to return to the single screen display with the divided screen displayed by the processing of FIG. 6, FIG. 19, or FIG. Good. In this case, the map information displayed on this single screen is the map information displayed on any of the split screens, the map information not displayed on any of the split screens, or the original information before the split screen. Map information.

In this case, the switching to the single screen is performed by the above-described switching operation by the operator, a change in the traveling state of the own vehicle, a change in the speed of the own vehicle, a change in the azimuth of the own vehicle, and a change from the intersection or the turning point. It is based on a change in the distance to the car, a change in the distance to the destination or the stop-by place, and the like.

In accordance with the display switching, the above steps SK16, SK24, SD4, SC6, SC8, SC1
8, SC20, SK8, SK10, SK12, SK1
4, SK20, SK22 and SK24 are executed. In this case, the display information is not a split screen but a display 33.
Will be displayed on the full screen.

(6) The above (1) (2) (3) (4)
In addition to (5), FIG. 10, FIG. 14, FIG.
20, 24, 25, 30, 30, 32, 33, 41, 42, 43, 44, 51, 52, and 68 to 73, the screen closer to the driver is shown. Is the third screen 1
It was 10. However, the third screen 110 and the second screen 108 may be switched according to the left steering wheel and the right steering wheel or according to a change in the traveling state of the own vehicle.
In this case, the above-described switching operation by the operator, a change in the traveling state of the own vehicle, a change in the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, a change in the direction of the own vehicle, a change in the distance from the intersection or the turning point to the own vehicle, a destination or a stopover 6, 19, 21, 22, 27, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 49, and 49 based on changes in the distance to the ground and the like.
4. The computer programs in the flowcharts of FIGS. 65, 66 and 67 are changed.

In this change, steps SC6 and SC
8, SC18, SC20, SD12, SD14, SE1
20, SG16, SK12, SK14, SK8, SK1
0, SK20, SK22, SK24, SL12, SL3
4, SL36, SP14, SP38, SP40, SQ2
6, SQ28, ST12, ST14, SU12, SV2
2, SX12, SX14, SX20, SX22, SX6
2, SX64, SX72, SX94, SX112, SX
122, SX123, SX132, SX140, SX1
In the display processing in 41, SX146, SX147, and the like, information displayed on each divided screen is replaced between the third screen 110 and the second screen 108.

Alternatively, steps SC6 and SC8, steps SC18 and SC20, steps C18 and SC2
0, steps SK12 and SK14, steps SK8 and SK10, steps SK20 and SK22, steps SK20 and SK24, etc.
Is displayed on the third screen 110, and the information
The information displayed on the screen 110 is transferred to the second screen 108, and the two display screens are switched. As a result, the display contents of each divided screen can be exchanged with each other.

(7) The above (1) (2) (3) (4)
(5) In addition to (6), the map displayed on the second screen of the first embodiment is different from the map displayed on the third screen in the north, northeast, east, southeast, and south directions. , Southwest direction,
A map extending in the west or northwest direction may be used. In this case, for example, it is determined whether or not the mode determined in step SB16 of the first embodiment is the map display mode for connecting in the above-described direction. If the mode corresponds to step SB16, a map display suitable for the mode is performed in step SB18. For example, the third screen 1
The map displayed at 10 is a north-up screen.
In this case, it is assumed that the map display mode connected in the east direction is selected.

The detection of the geographic coordinates of the map connection portion is performed in step SD20 in FIG. 11 (third screen display processing) in which the cross point CSP at the end of the third screen is detected. That is, in this step SD20, the geographical coordinates of the eastern end of the map displayed on the third screen 110 are detected. Then, in response to the above mode selection, in step SB18 of FIG.
Map connected to the east end of the map displayed on the second screen 10
8 is displayed.

Further, the map display on the second screen may be performed by detecting the operation based on the operation of the operator, the operation of the installer, or the like. Further, the position of the driver may be detected by an object detection sensor provided on the surface near the navigation device, for example, an infrared sensor. Then, the second position depends on the position of the driver.
Map display processing on the screen may be performed. Further, the map display processing of the second and third screens may be performed based on a change in the traveling state of the own vehicle detected by a speed sensor or the like or a change in the vehicle speed of the own vehicle.

Further, the map display of the second and third screens may be performed by a change in the direction of the own vehicle detected by the relative direction sensor. The change in the distance from the intersection or the turning point to the own vehicle and the change in the distance to the destination or the stop-in place according to the traveling position of the guide route are detected, and the second and third screens are displayed according to the detection result. You may.

(8) The above (1) (2) (3) (4)
(5) In addition to (6) and (7), the map displayed on the third screen 110 is map information indicating the surroundings of the vehicle, the departure place, the destination, the drop-in place, or a selected arbitrary place. You may. Then, a map connected to one of all directions of the map displayed on the third screen may be displayed on the second screen 108. In other words, it is assumed that a map around the destination (stopping place, designated place, etc.) is displayed on the third screen 110. The second screen 108 may display a map that is connected to the map on the third screen 110 and that includes a guide route from the departure point to the destination. The processing in this case is also performed in step SD20 of the third screen display processing in FIG. 11, similarly to the above (7). That is, the geographical coordinates corresponding to the edges of the map displayed on the third screen 110 are detected in step SD20 and the like. Then, in step SB18 of FIG. 6, a map connected to the geographical coordinates of the edge of the third screen is displayed on the second screen.

Further, the third screen displayed on the second screen 108
The map connected to the screen 110 may be a map connected on an extension of the travel of the vehicle. That is, it is assumed that a map around the destination is displayed on the third screen when the vehicle is not traveling on the guide route. On the second screen 108, a map connected to the third screen 110 is displayed. However, since the vehicle is not traveling on the guide route, the second screen 108 may not include the guide route. In addition, the second screen 108 may display a map in a direction irrelevant to the position of the vehicle or the guide route.

Further, the second and third screens 108 and 11
The map displayed on each of the maps may be such that the display centers of the maps are shifted from each other. The display range of each map is 2nd, 3rd
The screens 108 and 110 may not overlap each other and may display a geographically distant map. Second screen 108,
Part of the map displayed on each of the third screens 110 may overlap.

(9) The above (1) (2) (3) (4)
(5) In addition to (6), (7) and (8), the first
Each map, each house map, a sign, or other information displayed on the screen 104 or / and the second screen 108 or / and the third screen 110 may be an image that looks three-dimensional. It is stored in the data 38c of the information storage unit 37. Such a three-dimensional map or image is a bird's-eye view in which the ground surface to be displayed and the angle of the viewpoint with respect to the surface are not perpendicular. If this viewpoint direction angle is vertical, a plan view like the above-mentioned map will be obtained.

When a plurality of such bird's-eye views are displayed on the first screen 104 or / and / or the second screen 108 / and / or the third screen 110, even if the viewpoint angles of the bird's-eye views are different. Good. As a result, bird's-eye views adjacent to the front, rear, left, and right, bird's-eye views with different viewpoint heights, and the like are displayed simultaneously or switched. Such a bird's-eye view is displayed as being continuously compressed on the screen, as the distance from the viewpoint increases, the accuracy of the map is relatively reduced.
In some cases, the horizon is also displayed.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the recording medium for storing various data shown in FIG. 2 may be a writable recording medium such as a floppy disk or an IC memory. Further, the navigation device may include a voice input device including an analog / digital converter. Each operation may be executed by a voice command input by the voice input device.

In each of the above embodiments, the screen of one display 33 is divided into two display surfaces. this,
It may be implemented by two display devices. That is, two liquid crystal displays are arranged adjacent to each other in one housing. Before the division, one map is displayed on the two liquid crystal displays. When division is instructed, different map information is displayed on each liquid crystal display.

Further, in the navigation device according to the present invention, all or part of the processing of the above-described flowchart may be executed in an information management center such as VICS or ATIS. This processing result (processing information) is received by the data transmitting / receiving device 27. For example, the destination setting process (step SA3) and the route search process (step SA4) in FIG. 5 are executed in the information processing center in which the map information is stored. Then, the searched guidance route data is transferred to the navigation device of the present invention via the data transmitting / receiving device 27.

In the navigation device of the present invention, guidance display processing is executed based on the transmitted guidance route data. That is, information such as a search condition for a destination or a drop-in facility and a route search condition is sent from the navigation device of the present invention to the information management center. In the information management center, a search for a desired facility and a search for a route to a destination are performed based on the transmitted conditions. And search and navigation from the information management center to the navigation device
Information on the extraction / search results is transmitted together with map information and the like.

[0489] In the navigation device, the search facility is displayed on the display 33 based on the received search / extraction / search results. In this way, it is possible to search, extract, and search for each facility based on the detailed and latest information of each facility related to the vicinity of 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, the information storage unit 37 storing the programs described in the present invention and information such as maps and display symbols may be made available to general computer devices. That is, the program stored in the information storage unit 37 is a program that can be executed by a general computer. If the information storage unit 37 is connected to a portable computer device together with a device whose current position can be detected by the GPS receiving device 25, the computer device can also perform navigation processing. In addition, the information storage unit 37 may store a program corresponding to a part of each of the above-described flowcharts, and the other necessary programs may be stored in the ROM 4 or the like.

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. Furthermore, the present invention may be applied not only to a navigation device mounted on a moving body such as a car, but also to a navigation device carried by a human. Thus, the navigation device can be used for cycling, travel, mountain climbing, hiking, fishing, and the like without using an automobile.

In the first embodiment according to the present invention described above, the screen for displaying the map information is divided into two or more screens (step SB12 in FIG. 6), and stored or stored in one or more of these screens. The received first map information is displayed (step SB14 in FIG. 6), and the second map information different from the displayed first map information and stored or received is displayed on a screen other than the displayed screen. The map information is displayed simultaneously (step SB18 or step SB22 in FIG. 6),
The first map information is map information displayed by a predetermined process (third screen 110 or FIG. 17), and the second map information is map information (FIG. 16) linked to the first map information. Of the second screen 108).

In the first embodiment of the present invention described above, the screen for displaying the map information is divided into two or more screens (step SB12 in FIG. 6), and stored or stored in one or more of these screens. The received first map information is displayed (step SB14 in FIG. 6), and the second map information different from the displayed first map information and stored or received is displayed on a screen other than the displayed screen. The map information is displayed simultaneously (step SB18 or step SB22 in FIG. 6),
The first map information is map information (third screen 110) representing the surroundings of the own vehicle, or a simplified diagram showing the geographic relationship between the vicinity of the departure point or current position of the own vehicle and the vicinity of the destination or stopover (FIG. 17), wherein the second map information is linked to the first map information, and furthermore, a map of the destination direction of the own vehicle, from the vicinity of the departure point or current position of the own vehicle to the vicinity of the destination or stopover point. 16 (the second screen 108 in FIG. 16).

[0494] Further, the map information of the first embodiment is characterized in that information on a guide target road and a non-guide target road for navigation is included in the first map information and / or the second map information. And

In the first embodiment of the present invention described above, in addition to the above-described features, switching of the display content of the screen for displaying the map information is detected (step SB in FIG. 6).
10, SB16, SB20), according to the detection result,
The first map information is used as the map information displayed before the switching (step SB1 in FIG. 6).
4) Similarly, according to the detection result, the second map information is set as map information to be displayed after the switching.

In the embodiment according to the present invention described above, in addition to the above features, the display screen before the switching of the display content is not divided or divided (step SB2 in FIG. 6). The switching of the display contents includes the switching operation of the operator, the change of the traveling state of the own vehicle, the change of the vehicle speed of the own vehicle (step SD10 in FIG. 11), the change of the azimuth of the own vehicle,
It is characterized by a change in the distance from the intersection or the turning point to the own vehicle (step SD2 in FIG. 11) and a change in the distance to the destination or the stop-by place.

In the first embodiment according to the present invention described above, in addition to the above features, the scale displayed on the divided screens is changed individually or in conjunction with each other (see FIG. 12). Step SE4 and step SG4 in FIG. 15).

The above-described first embodiment of the present invention provides the above-described first map information or second map information in addition to the above features.
Is further sequentially switched to another map information, whereby the display contents of a part or all of the divided screen are further sequentially switched individually or simultaneously, or the first map information or the second map information is switched. Single map information that is not divided according to further switching of the screen, or any of the map information different from the first map information and the second map information, or the original map information before the screen division. (Step SB6 in FIG. 6), and the displayed contents are switched by an operator's switching operation, a change in the traveling state of the own vehicle, a change in the vehicle speed, a change in the direction of the own vehicle, an intersection or a turning point. It is characterized in that it responds to a change in the distance from the vehicle to the own vehicle and a change in the distance to the destination or the drop-in place.

In the first embodiment according to the present invention described above, in addition to the above features, the screens on which the first map information and the second map information are displayed are exchanged with each other. The operation of the operator, the operation of the installer, the detection of the driver's position, the change in the running state of the own vehicle, the change in the speed of the own vehicle, the change in the direction of the own vehicle, The first map information or the second map information is displayed on a screen closer to the driver among the divided screens based on a change, a change in a distance to a destination or a stopover place. .

The above-described first embodiment according to the present invention is characterized in that the first map information and the second map information
One of the map information is a display by north-up (steps SK8 and SK14 in FIG. 19), the other is a display by heading-up (steps SK10 and SK12 in FIG. 19), or the first map information and One of the second map information is map information in which the absolute azimuth of north is substantially maintained in any direction of the screen, and the other is map information in which the traveling direction of the own vehicle is substantially maintained in any direction of the screen. Or the first map information and the second map information have the same scale or different scales, and the second map information is based on the first map information,
North, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, or northwest map information.
The operation of the installer, the detection of the driver's position, the change of the running state of the own vehicle, the change of the speed of the own vehicle, the change of the direction of the own vehicle, the change of the distance from the intersection or the turning point to the own vehicle, the destination or One is selected based on a change in the distance to the drop-in place.

[0501] In the above-described first embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the above features, the above-mentioned first map information includes information about the vehicle, a departure place, a destination, a stopover, or a selected place. And the second map information is:
This map information is linked to the first map information, and the map of the second map information is adjacent to the map of the first map information or the map of the own vehicle with respect to the map of the first map information. The display centers of the respective maps are adjacent to each other ahead or behind along the traveling direction or the search route, and the display centers of the respective maps are shifted from each other, and the display ranges of the respective maps do not overlap or partially overlap each other.

In the fourth and fifth embodiments according to the present invention described above, the display screen is divided into two or more screens (step SL10 in FIG. 22 and step SP12 in FIG. 27). The first guide route information is displayed on one or more of the screens (step SL12 in FIG. 22 and step SP14 in FIG. 27), and the first guide route information is displayed on one or more surfaces other than the screen on which the first guide route information is displayed. A second guide route information different from the first guide route information is displayed (step SL12 in FIG. 22, step SP14 in FIG. 27).

In the fourth and fifth embodiments according to the present invention described above, the navigation device performs route guidance according to a preset route (SA2 to SA6 in FIG. 5). When a command to search for a route is issued (step SL4 in FIG. 22, step SL28 in FIG. 22, step SP6 in FIG. 22, step SP32 in FIG. 27), a search is executed (step SL8 in FIG. 22,
SL26, steps SP10 and SP30 in FIG. 27), and divides the display screen into two or more screens (step SL in FIG. 22).
10, step SP12 in FIG. 27), displaying information of a route preset as first guidance route information on one or more of the divided screens (step SL1 in FIG. 22).
2. Step SP14 in FIG. 27), displaying information of a route different from the first guide route information as second guide route information on one or more screens other than the screen displaying the first guide route information. (Step SL12 in FIG. 22, FIG. 27
Step SP14).

In the fifth embodiment according to the present invention described above, the navigation device performs route guidance according to a preset route (SA2 to SA6 in FIG. 5). Is issued (steps SP2 and SP6 in FIG. 27), the search is executed (step SP10 in FIG. 27), and the display screen is set to 2
The screen is divided into the above screens (step SP12 in FIG. 27), and information of a route set in advance as first guide route information is displayed on one or more of the divided screens (step SP14 in FIG. 27). The new route searched as the second guide route information is displayed on one or more screens other than the screen displaying the first guide route information (step SP14 in FIG. 27).

[0505] The first and second guide route information includes information on a searched or received route from the vicinity of the departure point or the current position of the own vehicle to the vicinity of the input destination or stopover, or Information on a route connecting the guidance route from which the host vehicle has left and the current position of the host vehicle (steps SL8 and SL26 in FIG. 22, steps SP10 and S in FIG. 27)
P30).

In the fourth and fifth embodiments according to the present invention described above, each time a search command is input, the first guide route information and / or the second guide route information are replaced by another guide. Switching to path information (step SL2 in FIG. 22)
4, SL26, SL12, step SP28 in FIG. 27,
SP30, SP14).

In the embodiment according to the present invention described above, each time a search command is input, the first guide route information is
The second guide route information is used as the second guide route information, and the second guide route information is used as information of a new route searched or received (steps SL24, SL26, S26 in FIG. 22).
L12, steps SP28, SP30, SP1 in FIG.
4) It is characterized by the following.

In the fourth and fifth embodiments according to the present invention described above, the first and second guide route information may include the main name and / or the passing point name of the guide route and / or the total length of the guide route. And / or passing time (FIGS. 32 and 33).

In the fourth and fifth embodiments according to the present invention described above, when one of the first and second guide route information is selected, guidance by the selected guide route is started, and The screen is divided or a single screen displaying only the selected guidance route is set (step SL2 in FIG. 22).
3, SL34, SL36, step SP25 in FIG. 27,
SP38, SP40).

In the fourth and fifth embodiments according to the present invention described above, a display device for displaying guidance route information in a navigation device that performs route guidance according to a preset route (SA2 to SA6 in FIG. 5). And (image memory 1 in FIG. 1)
0, display 33), display processing means for outputting guidance information to the display device (image processor 9 in FIG. 1), and input means for inputting an instruction to search for a route different from a preset route (FIG. 22). Steps SL4, SL28,
27. Steps SP6 and SP32 in FIG. 27, route search means (steps SL8 and SL26 in FIG. 22, FIG. 27) for searching a route different from a preset route when an instruction to search for a route is given by the input means. Step S
P10, SP30), and the display processing unit divides a screen displayed on the display device into two or more screens when a route different from a route preset by the route searching unit is searched (FIG. 22; step SP12 in FIG. 27; and step SP12 in FIG. 27), displaying first guidance route information on a preset route on one or more of the divided screens (step SL12 in FIG. 22, FIG. 27 in FIG. 27). (Step SP14), displaying the second guide route information relating to a route different from the first guide route information on one or more screens other than the screen displaying the first guide route information (step SL12 in FIG. 22). , Step SP14 in FIG. 27)
It is characterized by the following.

In the above-described fourth and fifth embodiments of the present invention, a display device for displaying guidance route information in a navigation device that performs route guidance according to a preset route (SA2 to SA6 in FIG. 5) And (image memory 1 in FIG. 1)
0, display 33), display processing means for outputting guidance information to the display device (image processor 9 in FIG. 1), and deviated route detecting means for detecting that the vehicle has deviated from a preset route (FIG. 27). Step SP2), and a route searching means (step SP10 in FIG. 27) for searching for a new route when the vehicle deviating from the route is detected by the route deviating detecting means. When a new route is searched for by the route searching means, the screen displayed on the display device is divided into two or more screens (step SP12 in FIG. 27), and one or more of the divided screens are set in advance. The first guidance route information relating to the selected route is displayed (step SP14 in FIG. 27), and the route search means searches for one or more screens other than the screen displaying the first guidance route information. The second guide route information about the new route, which is to display the characterized (step SP14 in Fig. 27) that.

(A1) The sixth embodiment according to the present invention described above.
In the embodiment, a navigation device that searches for a guide route to an input destination (step SA4 in FIG. 5) and performs information guide according to the guide route (step S4 in FIG. 5).
In A5), the screen for displaying the map information is divided into two or more screens (step SR8 in FIG. 35).
The first map information stored or received is displayed on the above screen (step SR10 in FIG. 35), and the second map information stored or received is simultaneously displayed on a screen other than the displayed screen. (Steps SR14 and SR2 in FIG. 35)
2) The first map information is map information representing a map around the current position of the vehicle (step SR1 in FIG. 35).
4) The second map information is map information including a part or all of the guide route and the current position of the own vehicle (FIG. 36).
Step ST12 of FIG. 37 and step SU10 of FIG. 37).

The screen is divided when a deviation of the vehicle from the guide route is detected (step SQ2 in FIG. 34). When the host vehicle deviates from the guide route, a return route from the current position of the host vehicle to the guide route is searched (step SR in FIG. 35).
When the own vehicle deviates from the return route along with 4), the return route from the current position of the own vehicle to the guide route is searched again (step SR2 in FIG. 35), and the second map information is obtained. Is a geographical area in which the return route can be displayed in an enlarged manner on the split screen (step ST10 in FIG. 36).
Step SU8 in FIG. 37, step SV16 in FIG. 38,
SV20 or Step SW8 in FIG. 39).

Further, only when the return route is explicitly specified, the return route is displayed in the second map information (step SQ18 in FIG. 34). The second map information is a geographical range in which the area from the current position of the vehicle on the return route to the confluence with the guide route can be displayed in an enlarged manner on the split screen (step SU8 in FIG. 37).
Or, step SW8 in FIG. 39).

[0515] Also, the second map information is displayed so that the own vehicle is at the center of the divided screen, and the absolute azimuth is always upward or the traveling direction of the own vehicle is always displayed on the screen. It faces upward (step ST12 in FIG. 36 or step SV22 in FIG. 38).

[0516] Further, when a request for re-searching the guide route is made, a second guide route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is searched, and a part or all of the second guide route is determined by the first guide route. Is displayed together with or instead of the above-mentioned guide route (steps SR20 and SR2 in FIG. 35).
2).

When there is a screen division release request (FIG. 34)
Step SQ20), the split state of the screen displaying the map information is released (step SQ1 in FIG. 34).
2) Either the first or second map information is displayed on the screen after the division is released.

Further, when it is detected that the host vehicle has returned to the guide route (steps SQ2 and SQ2 in FIG. 34).
Q14), the screen division is canceled (step SQ in FIG. 34)
16), the first map information is displayed on the screen for releasing the division.

[0] A route to a destination or a stopover point is searched, and it is detected that the current position has deviated from the searched route. In response to the detection, the searched route, the destination or A process of re-searching a return route to a return point returning to a stopover location, dividing the display screen of the display means into two or more screens, and displaying the re-searched return route on one or more of the screens And a storage medium of a computer program for displaying a guidance route that causes a computer to execute at least a computer / communication method (device) / route display method (device) / map display method (device) /
Navigation method (device).

[1] The navigation apparatus of the above embodiment divides the screen for displaying map information into two or more screens, and stores or receives the first map information stored or received on one or more of the screens. Is displayed on a screen other than the displayed screen, and the second map information different from the displayed first map information is displayed simultaneously. 1
The second map information and the second map information are characterized in that display control of different map information of different road types is performed.

[2] In addition to the features of the above [1], the road type is information on a guide target road and a non-guide target road for navigation, and the first map information is a navigation target road and a non-guide target road. The second map information is information on only a guide target road for navigation.

[3] The navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention divides the screen for displaying the map information into two or more screens, and stores or receives the screen stored or received for one or more of the screens. 1 to display the map information,
The displayed first screen is displayed on a screen other than the displayed screen.
In the navigation device for simultaneously displaying the second map information different from the second map information, the map direction of the displayed first map information may be different from the map direction of the second map information displayed. The display is controlled.

[4] In addition to the above features, the first map information is displayed by north-up, and the second map information is displayed by heading-up.

[5] In addition to the features of the above [1], [2], [3] or [4], the navigation device detects a change in the display content of a screen displaying the map information, According to the detection result, the first map information is used as the map information displayed before the switching, and similarly, according to the detection result, the second map information is displayed after the switching. It is characterized in that map information to be used is set.

[6] In addition to the above [1], [2], [3], [4] or [5],
The display screen before the switching of the display content is not divided or divided, and the switching of the display content is performed by the switching operation of the operator, the change of the traveling state of the own vehicle, the change of the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, the change of the It is characterized by responding to a change in the direction of the vehicle, a change in the distance from the intersection or the turning point to the own vehicle, and a change in the distance to the destination or the stop-by place.

[7] In addition to the above [1], [2], [3], [4], [5] or [6], the navigation device of the above embodiment may be arranged so that the first map information or the second map information is obtained. Is further sequentially switched to another map information, whereby the display contents of a part or all of the divided screen are further sequentially switched individually or simultaneously, or the first map information or the second map information is switched. The information is converted into a single screen that is not divided according to further switching of the display content of the screen, and the map information displayed on the single screen includes the first map information, the second map information, The first map information and the second map information are different map information or original map information before screen division.
Switching operation by the operator, change in the running state of the own vehicle, change in the speed of the own vehicle, change in the direction of the own vehicle, change in the distance from the intersection or turning point to the own vehicle, change in the distance from the destination or drop-in place It is characterized by responding to changes.

[8] The navigation device according to the above embodiment has the above [1], [2], [3], [4], [5],
In addition to the features of [6] or [7], the screens on which the first map information and the second map information are displayed are exchanged with each other, and this exchange is performed by an operator's operation, an installer's operation, and driving. Detection of the position of the driver, changes in the running state of the own vehicle, changes in the speed of the own vehicle, changes in the direction of the own vehicle, changes in the distance from the intersection or turning point to the own vehicle, and changes in the distance from the destination or drop-off point. Based on the change, the first map information or the second map information is displayed on a screen closer to the driver among the divided screens.
Is displayed.

[9] The above navigation device is provided with the above [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6],
In addition to the features of [7] or [8], the above-mentioned map information searches for a route from near the departure place or current position of the own vehicle to near the destination or stop-by place, and is map information on the searched route. The first map information is information on a simplified map showing the geographical relationship between the vicinity of the departure point or current position of the own vehicle and the vicinity of the destination or stopover, and the second map information is information on the vicinity of the current position of the own vehicle. Or the first map information is travel information based on the travel information of the own vehicle on the searched route, and the second map information is the second map information.
Is the detailed geographic information around the current position of the vehicle, or the first map information is information on a main road and a non-main road or a target road and a non-target road for navigation, and Is mainly information about only the main roads or only the target roads for navigation, or the first map information is a display by north-up, the second map information is a display by heading-up, Alternatively, the first map information is information of a map in which the absolute azimuth of north is substantially maintained in any direction of the screen, and the second map information is that the traveling direction of the own vehicle is substantially maintained in any direction of the screen. It is characterized by the information of the maintained map.

[10] The navigation device of the seventh embodiment searches for a route to an input destination and provides a route guide based on the searched route, in which the display screen is divided into two or more. It is characterized in that desired point data can be searched hierarchically, and two or more pieces of different information among the search conditions and search results are simultaneously displayed on each of the divided screens.

[11] In the navigation apparatus of the seventh embodiment, in addition to the features of the above [10], among the two or more different pieces of information, the first information is an extraction result based on a first search condition, The second information is a second search condition.

[12] In the navigation apparatus of the seventh embodiment, in addition to the features of the above [11], among the two or more different pieces of information, the first information is an extraction result based on a first search condition, The second information is an extraction result based on a second search condition.

[13] In the navigation apparatus of the seventh embodiment, in addition to the features of [10], [11], or [12], the first search condition includes all of the identification numbers corresponding to the area. Or specify the area by a part and
The search condition of is to extract the streets in each of the above areas,
Conditions for extracting facilities located in the above streets by genre, business content, business hours, business items, distance from own vehicle, or distance from guidance route,
Each time a search command is input, the search command is superimposed on the second search condition.

[14] The navigation device according to the seventh embodiment is adapted to the above [10], [11], [12] or [1].
In addition to the feature of [3], an additional condition is superimposed or reduced on the first search condition and / or the second search condition according to a switching command.

[15] The displayed first map information, second map information, original map information before screen division or another map information is map information of a bird's-eye view or a plan view, or is mutually viewed. A bird's-eye view with a different angle or viewpoint height, a bird's-eye view with a different scale, and a bird's-eye view adjacent to each other are characterized.

[0535]

As described above, according to the present invention, the display screen on which the map is displayed is divided into at least two screens. Then, on one screen, more important information is displayed. Auxiliary information is displayed on the other screen. In addition, the map information displayed on each screen is changed according to the running state of the vehicle. This allows
Two different types of information can be obtained simultaneously. That is, according to the present invention, two pieces of information conventionally obtained with a time difference by switching the screen display state can be obtained at the same time. In addition, since the two types of displayed information can be compared with each other, it is possible to accurately know the geographical environment near the current position of the vehicle and the state of the guidance route. Further, the re-searched another route and the original route or another most searched other route are displayed on the split screen. Therefore, the comparison based on the judgment of the superiority of each route can be directly performed.

Even if the host vehicle deviates from the guide route, a map including the host vehicle and the deviated guide route is immediately displayed on one of the split screens, and the map before splitting is displayed on the other screen. Is displayed. As a result, the relative positional relationship between the original guide route and the own vehicle can be quickly grasped. Therefore, it is possible to easily return to the original route. In addition, a guidance process is performed according to the automatically searched return route as needed. In addition, it is possible to easily use the re-searched new guidance route and to easily compare conditions when returning to the original route. Also, in setting a destination or a stopover, each selection condition and the selection result are displayed on each of the divided screens, so that the selection condition can be changed and the result can be obtained quickly.

[Brief description of the 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 data stored in a RAM 5;

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

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flowchart of an overall process.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flowchart of guidance / display processing of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a single screen display processing subroutine of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a screen division processing subroutine of the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state of a screen displayed on a display 33.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state where the screen of the display 33 is divided.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a third screen display processing subroutine of the first embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a route forward display processing subroutine of the first embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a displayable range calculation processing subroutine of the first embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which the front of the guidance route is displayed.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an entire route (front) display processing subroutine of the first embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the rest of the guide route and the entire route to the destination are displayed.

17 is a diagram showing a simplified diagram displayed on a display 33. FIG.

18 is a diagram showing a circuit interposed between the image memory 10 and the display 33. FIG.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of guidance / display processing according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a state of a split screen on a display 33 according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of guidance / display processing according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a view illustrating a flowchart of guidance / display processing according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a state of a display screen of a display 33 before screen division.

24 is a diagram illustrating a screen division state of the display 33. FIG.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a screen division state of the display 33.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a state where the screen of the display 33 has been returned to a single screen.

FIG. 27 is a view illustrating a flowchart of guidance / display processing according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a state of a display screen of a display 33 before screen division.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a screen division state of the display 33.

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a screen division state of the display 33.

FIG. 31 is a diagram showing a state where the display 33 is returned to a single screen.

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing a screen division state of the display 33.

FIG. 33 is a diagram showing a screen division state of the display 33.

FIG. 34 is a view illustrating a flowchart of guidance / display processing according to the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 35 is a view illustrating a flowchart of a route departure process.

FIG. 36 is a view showing a flowchart of the first embodiment of the initial display of the second screen of FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is a view showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the initial display of the second screen of FIG. 35;

FIG. 38 is a view showing a flowchart of a first embodiment of display adjustment of the second screen in the guidance / display processing of FIG. 34;

39 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a second embodiment of the display adjustment of the second screen in the guidance / display processing of FIG. 34.

FIG. 40 is a diagram showing a state of the display 33 before division.

FIG. 41 is a diagram showing a state of a split screen on the display 33 immediately after a deviation from the guide route.

FIG. 42 is a diagram showing a state in which a return route 258 is displayed on the second screen.

FIG. 43 is a diagram showing a state of a split screen of the display 33 when the host vehicle is far away from the guide route.

FIG. 44 shows a return route 260 to the second screen in FIG. 43.
It is a figure which shows a mode that is displayed.

45 is a return route 260 to the second screen in FIG. 43.
It is a figure which shows a mode that is displayed.

FIG. 46 is a diagram illustrating a display application example of the display 33 immediately after the guide route has departed.

FIG. 47 is a diagram illustrating each node such as a guide route.

FIG. 48 is a diagram illustrating a display area when a map is displayed on the second screen.

FIG. 49 is a view showing a flowchart of a nearest facility setting process.

FIG. 50 is a diagram showing an example of a genre list.

FIG. 51 is a diagram showing a state where facilities corresponding to a designated genre are displayed on the split screen.

FIG. 52 is a diagram illustrating a state of a split screen.

FIG. 53 is a diagram showing a subroutine for extracting facilities along a route.

FIG. 54 is a diagram showing a subroutine for calculating the shortest straight-line distance between a search facility and a guidance route.

FIG. 55 is a diagram illustrating a positional relationship between a detected facility and a guidance route.

FIG. 56 is an explanatory diagram of step SX36.

FIG. 57 is a diagram for explaining calculation of the shortest linear distance.

58 is a diagram showing postal code selection data 50. FIG.

FIG. 59 is a diagram showing the contents of street list data 55.

60 is a diagram showing the contents of facility genre list data 60. FIG.

61 is a diagram showing the contents of street shape data 65. FIG.

62 is a diagram showing the contents of facility list data 70. FIG.

63 is a diagram showing the contents of area shape data 75. FIG.

FIG. 64 is a view illustrating a flowchart of a destination setting process (step SA3).

FIG. 65 is a diagram showing a representative point map display and a destination setting subroutine.

FIG. 66 is a diagram showing a display of a street name and a destination setting subroutine.

FIG. 67 is a diagram showing a genre list display and a destination setting subroutine.

FIG. 68 is a diagram showing a state of a postal code and item selection screen.

FIG. 69 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a designated area.

FIG. 70 is a diagram showing a street list.

FIG. 71 is a diagram showing a state of street display.

FIG. 72 is a diagram illustrating a screen display example of a genre list.

FIG. 73 shows facilities corresponding to a designated genre on a split screen,
It is a figure showing signs that facilities corresponding to a specific brand were displayed.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Central processing unit, 2 ... CPU, 3 ... Flash memory, 4 ... ROM, 5 ... RAM, 7 ... Sensor input interface, 8 ... Communication interface, 9 ... Image processor, 10 ... Image memory, 11 ... Sound processor , 13 ...
Speaker, 20: current position detecting device, 21: absolute direction sensor, 22: relative direction sensor, 23: distance sensor, 24
... speed sensor, 25 ... GPS receiver, 26 ... beacon receiver, 27 ... data transceiver, 30 ... input / output device, 33 ... display, 34 ... touch panel, 37 ...
Information storage unit, 38a: disk management information, 39: data transmission / reception unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. Searching for a route to a destination or a stop-over location, detecting that the current position has deviated from the searched route, and responding to this detection, The return route to the return point to return to the destination or the stopover point is re-searched, and the display screen of the display means is divided into two or more screens. A route display device for displaying a return route. 2. The searched original route is displayed on the other divided screen, and the display scale of each of the divided screens is the same as the display scale of the previously displayed screen. Claim 1.
A navigation device as described. 3. The navigation device also displays a departure route from a departure point at which the current position deviates from the search route to a current position, and the navigation device displays the departure point from the departure point in the search route and the return point. The navigation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the navigation device also displays a non-traveling route up to and / or the navigation device also displays a geographical relationship between the return route and the search route. 4. Display control is performed so that substantially the entire return path is displayed on the divided screen.
The display scale is determined so that substantially the entire return route is displayed on the split screen, and display control is performed so that substantially the entire exit route is also displayed on the split screen. The display scale is determined so that almost the entirety of the route is displayed on the split screen, or display control is performed so that substantially the entirety of the non-traveling route is also displayed on the split screen. The display scale is determined so that substantially the entire route is displayed on the split screen.
4. The navigation device according to 2 or 3. 5. The route displayed on the divided screen is displayed such that the current position is at the center of the screen, and is displayed such that the absolute azimuth of north is substantially maintained in any direction of the screen. 5. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device is displayed so as to substantially maintain the traveling direction of the current position in any direction on the screen. 6. The divided screen has been merged so far. When the current position deviates from the search path, the divided screen is divided by an operator's switching operation, a change in the traveling state of the current position, and a change of the current position. This is executed in response to a change in vehicle speed, a change in the azimuth of the current position, a change in the distance from an intersection or a turning point to the current position, and / or a change in the distance to a destination or a stopover. Change of the distance to the vehicle, changeover of the operator, change of the running condition of the current position, change of the vehicle speed of the current position, change of the azimuth of the current position, change of the distance from the intersection or turning point to the current position or / and purpose Merging is performed according to the change in the distance to the ground or the drop-in place, and the screen after merging displays the map information displayed before the screen division, the original search route, or the current position. Claim 1, 2, 3, characterized in that no map information is displayed,
The navigation device according to 4 or 5. 7. A process for searching for a route to a destination or a stop-over location, a process for detecting that the current position has deviated from the searched route, and in response to the detection, the searched route or the destination Or a process of re-searching for a return route returning to the stopover location, a process of dividing the display screen of the display means into two or more screens, and a process of displaying the re-searched return route on one or more of these screens. A medium storing a computer program for route display processing, comprising: