JPH10281797A - Vehicle-mounted navigation device and peripheral facility searching method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To search a facility that matches a purpose from a plurality of categories easily by grouping a plurality of facilities that are classified into each category into each application and storing them, examining the category of the group corresponding to the application, and searching a facility that exists in a set range. SOLUTION: A navigation device body 10 has, for example, a map buffer 11, a control part 15, and a table storage part 16, and the table storage part 16 stores categories that are grouped for each application. When a peripheral search mode is set by operating an operation part, the control part 15 controls an operation screen generation part 22 and displays an input screen for each category or application on a display device 7. When a category selection or an application selection button is pressed, the control part 15 refers to a table being stored at the table storage part 16. Then, the category of a corresponding group is set to a category where a peripheral search should be made. Then, the data of the facility of a set category are read from a CD-ROM 1 and are displayed in the order where the data are closer from a current position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an on-vehicle navigation device for displaying a map image on a display screen and guiding a vehicle to a destination, and a method for searching for peripheral facilities.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An on-vehicle navigation device includes a map information storage device such as a CD-ROM or an IC card in which map information is recorded, a display device, a self-contained navigation sensor such as a gyro, and a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. A vehicle position detecting device that detects the current position and current direction of the vehicle, reads map information including the current position of the vehicle from the map information storage device, and displays a map image around the vehicle position based on the map information. Draw on the screen of the device and mark the vehicle position (location cursor)
Is displayed on the display screen, and the map image is scrolled according to the movement of the vehicle, or the map image is fixed on the screen and the vehicle position mark is moved, so where the vehicle is currently traveling Or at a glance.

[0003] In addition, usually, a car navigation system is equipped with a route guidance function that allows a user to easily travel to a desired destination without making a mistake on a road. According to this route guidance function, the lowest cost route from the departure point to the destination is automatically searched by performing a simulation calculation such as the horizontal search method or the Dijkstra method using the map information, and the searched route is guided. The route is stored as a route, and during driving, the guidance route is drawn on the map image in a different color from the other roads and displayed thicker, or displayed on the screen, or a certain distance to the intersection where the vehicle should change the route on the guidance route When approaching the inside, the user is guided to the destination by drawing an arrow indicating the course at the intersection where the course is to be changed on the map image and displaying the arrow on the screen.

The cost is a value obtained by multiplying a constant according to a road width, a road type (such as a general road or an expressway), a right turn, a left turn, and the like based on the distance, a predicted traveling time of the vehicle, and the like. , The degree of appropriateness as a guidance route is quantified. Even if there are two routes having the same distance, the cost differs depending on whether the user specifies, for example, whether to use a toll road, or gives priority to distance or time.

[0005] Conventionally, facilities are called "restaurants",
A database classified into categories such as "convenience store" and "gas station" is stored in the CD-ROM, and when a user selects a desired category, for example, "convenience store", a convenience store near the current position of the vehicle is selected. There is also a navigation device provided with a peripheral search function for searching for a convenience store and displaying the position of a convenience store on a display screen in a manner superimposed on a map image, and guiding a vehicle to a nearest convenience store.

Maps stored in a map information storage device such as a CD-ROM are 1/12500, 1/25000, 1/50000 and
It is divided into longitude and latitude widths of appropriate sizes according to the scale level such as 1/100000, and roads and the like are stored as a coordinate set of vertices (nodes) expressed by longitude and latitude. A road is formed by connecting two or more nodes, and a portion connecting the two nodes is called a link. The map information includes (1) a road layer including a road list, a node table, an intersection configuration node list, and the like, and (2) a background layer for displaying roads, buildings, facilities, parks, rivers, and the like on a map screen. (3) Character / symbol layers for displaying characters such as administrative division names such as municipal names, road names, intersection names, and building names, and map symbols.

[0007] In a vehicle-mounted navigation device having a peripheral search function, a database in which various facilities are classified by category is stored in the map information storage means.

[0008]

However, the conventional navigation apparatus having the peripheral search function has the following disadvantages. For example, while the user is traveling along the guide route to the destination, the user selects the category of "restaurant" and performs a search around the area while trying to eat, and as a result, a restaurant along the road deviating from the guide route is searched. , Goes off the route and goes to the restaurant. However, the purpose of the user is to eat,
You may eat at a place other than a restaurant, for example, a hotel or a fast food restaurant.As a result, you may find that there is a hotel along the guidance route, and that you could arrive at your destination faster by eating at that hotel. is there.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an on-vehicle navigation device and a peripheral facility search method which can easily search for a facility according to the purpose from a plurality of categories and have excellent operability. I do.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle-mounted navigation device that displays a map image around a vehicle on a display device and guides the vehicle to a destination. , A grouping table storing means for storing a table in which a plurality of categories are grouped by use, an input means for a user to input a use, and an input through the input means. A search unit for checking a category of a group corresponding to a use by referring to a table stored in the grouping table storage unit, and searching for a facility existing in a set range among facilities of these categories. The problem is solved by an in-vehicle navigation device characterized by the following.

[0011] The above-mentioned problem is caused by a facility information recording means for storing a plurality of facilities classified by category and additional information indicating a use, an input means for a user to input a use, and the facility information storage. Means for searching for facilities existing within a set range among facilities to which additional information corresponding to a use input from the means via the input means is added. To solve.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of searching for a peripheral facility of a vehicle-mounted navigation device having facility information storage means for recording positions of a plurality of facilities classified by category, using a table in which the categories are grouped by use. When a use is input by the user, the facility information is searched for from the facility information storage unit by referring to the table and searching for a facility in a group category corresponding to the input use and within a set range. The problem can be solved by a method of searching for peripheral facilities of a vehicle-mounted navigation device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for searching for a peripheral facility of an on-vehicle navigation device having facility information storage means for storing additional information indicating positions and uses of a plurality of facilities classified by category. When a use is input, the problem is solved by a peripheral facility search method for a vehicle-mounted navigation device, wherein a facility having additional information corresponding to the input use is searched from the facility information storage means.

The operation of the present invention will be described below. In the present invention, a table is prepared in advance in which a plurality of categories are grouped by use. Then, when the use (purpose) is input by the user, the in-vehicle navigation device specifies the category of the group corresponding to the use input using the table, and is set among the facilities of these categories. Search for facilities that exist within the range. As a result, the user can search for an optimum facility according to the purpose from a plurality of categories by one operation, and the operability is significantly improved as compared with the related art.

In another invention of the present application, additional information indicating a use is added to information on each facility included in the facility information storage means. For example, additional information indicating that meals are possible is added to facilities where meals are possible regardless of the category. In this case, when the user inputs “eat meal” as a use, the navigation device searches a plurality of facilities stored in the facility information storage unit for a facility to which additional information indicating that a meal is available is added. In this way, the facility corresponding to the purpose can be searched from a plurality of categories, and the operability is significantly improved as compared with the related art.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an on-vehicle navigation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a CD-ROM storing map information. The CD-ROM 1 includes a road layer, a background layer, a character / symbol layer, a restaurant, a convenience store, a gas station, a hotel, a station, a department store, and an amusement park. Are classified by category, and facility information is stored using a database of the name and position (longitude / latitude) of each facility.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a navigation device body 10 to be described later.
The operation unit 3 includes, for example, a touch panel attached on a screen of a display device 7 described later. Thereby, the user can operate the navigation device main body 10 by touching the button displayed on the screen. Reference numeral 3 denotes a GPS receiver that receives position information sent from a GPS satellite. Reference numeral 4 denotes a self-contained navigation sensor. The self-contained navigation sensor 4 includes an angle sensor 4a such as a gyro that detects a vehicle rotation angle, and a traveling distance sensor 4b that generates a pulse for each predetermined traveling distance. Reference numeral 7 denotes a liquid crystal display device.
The display device 7 displays a map near the current position of the vehicle, a guidance route from the departure point to the destination, a vehicle position mark, and other guidance information.

The navigation device main body 10 comprises the following. Reference numeral 11 denotes a map buffer for temporarily storing map information read from the CD-ROM 1. Reference numeral 12 denotes an interface connected to the operation unit 2;
Is an interface connected to the GPS receiver 3, and 14 is an interface connected to the self-contained navigation sensor 4.
Reference numeral 15 denotes a control unit. The control unit 15 detects the current position of the vehicle based on various types of information input from the interfaces 12 to 14, reads predetermined map information from the CD-ROM 1 into the map buffer 11, Search for the optimal route from the departure point to the destination under the set search conditions. Reference numeral 16 denotes a table storage unit. As shown in Table 1 below, the table storage unit 16 stores categories that are grouped by use.

[0020]

[Table 1]

Reference numeral 17 denotes a map drawing unit for generating a map image using the map information stored in the map buffer 11, and reference numeral 18 denotes a VRAM for storing the map image generated by the map drawing unit 17.
It is. 19 is a VRAM according to an instruction from the control unit 15.
An image reading unit that reads a map image in a range to be displayed on the display device 7 from among the map images stored in the display device 18;
The control unit 15 can smoothly scroll the map image displayed on the display device 7 by controlling the image reading unit 19.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a guidance route memory for storing the guidance route searched by the control unit 15, and reference numeral 21 denotes a guidance route drawing unit for drawing the guidance route. The control unit 1 is provided in the guidance route memory 20.
5, the position data of all the nodes of the guide route searched for from the starting point to the destination are recorded. Guidance route drawing unit 2
When displaying a map, 1 reads out guidance route information (node sequence) from the guidance route memory 20 and draws the guidance route in a color and line width different from those of other roads.

Reference numeral 22 denotes an operation screen generator for generating various menu screens (operation screens) according to the operation status, and reference numeral 23 denotes a mark generator for generating various marks such as a vehicle position mark and a cursor. Reference numeral 24 denotes an image synthesizing unit, and an image reading unit 19
In the map image read out from the VRAM 18, various marks generated by the mark generation unit 23 and the operation screen generation unit 2
The operation screen generated in step 2, the guidance route drawn by the guidance route drawing unit 21, and the like are superimposed and displayed on the display device 7.

Hereinafter, a method of searching for peripheral facilities in the vehicle-mounted navigation device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The user operates the operation unit 2
Is operated to enter the peripheral search mode (step S11).
Then, the control unit 15 controls the operation screen generation unit 22 to cause the display device 7 to display an input screen for each category or application. On the input screen for each category or use, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, together with category selection buttons 31 such as “hotel”, “station”, “restaurant”, “convenience store”, “department store”, “ramen shop”,
A use selection button 32 such as “rent a toilet” or “eat a meal” is displayed.

Next, in step S12, when the user presses the category selection button 31 or the application selection button 32 on this screen, the process shifts to step S13 and the control unit 15
Checks whether a category is input or a use is input. If a category is input, the category is set as a category to be searched around, and the process directly proceeds from step S13 to step S16.

On the other hand, when the use is input in step S12, the process proceeds from step S13 to step S14,
The control unit 15 refers to a table stored in the table storage unit 16. Then, the category of the group corresponding to the purpose is checked, and in step S15, the plurality of categories are set as the categories to be searched around, and then the process proceeds to step S16. In this example, it is assumed that the user has selected "meal" in step S12. In this case, the control unit 15 sequentially shifts from step S13 to steps S14 and S15, and sets "restaurant", "fast food", "convenience store", and "hotel" as the categories to be searched around (Table 1). reference).

In step S16, the controller 15 controls the CD-
The data of the facility of the set category is read from the ROM 1, and the process proceeds to step S17 to search for a facility of the category existing within a preset range (for example, within 50 km) from the current position of the vehicle. In this case, the search range may be arbitrarily set by the user.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, the control unit 15 arranges the searched facilities in ascending order from the current position of the vehicle, and displays the name of the facility and the distance from the current position of the vehicle on the screen. (Step S18). On this screen,
When the user presses the "map display" button 33, as shown in FIG. 5, the current position of the vehicle and the position of the searched facility are displayed on the map image. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 35 denotes a vehicle position mark. Pressing the "return" button 34 on this screen returns to the screen shown in FIG.

When the user selects a desired facility on the screen shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, that is, presses a portion on the display screen on which the desired facility is displayed (step S19), the process shifts to step S20. The control unit 15 searches for a guidance route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination with the selected facility as the destination. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S21, and the navigation device guides the vehicle along the guidance route.

As described above, when the user presses the use selection button 32, the navigation device of this embodiment
The category of the group corresponding to the use is set as the category to be searched around, and the facilities of these categories are searched and the search result is displayed on the screen of the display device 7, so that the user can select the most suitable facility for fulfilling the purpose. It is easy to know and the operability is significantly improved.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
It is a block diagram which shows the vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus of embodiment. 6, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In the present embodiment, the data structure of the facility information stored in the CD-ROM 1a is different from that of the first embodiment. That is, C
The D-ROM 1a stores, as facility information for each category, the name, location (longitude / latitude) of each facility, and the name of the road to which the facility contacts, in the same manner as in the related art, and as shown in FIG. Is added. In FIG. 7, only the information on the availability of the toilet is added as the additional information. However, in addition to this, for example, the availability of the meal may be added at the same time.

In the navigation device of the present embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, when the peripheral facility search mode is set, an operation screen as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed. If the user selects, for example, "rent a toilet", the operation unit 15 checks the additional information on the availability of the toilet at each facility stored in the CD-ROM 1a, and the additional information becomes available. Search for facilities that are Then, as in the first embodiment, facilities existing within a set range from the current position of the vehicle are displayed on the display device 7 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

Also in this embodiment, the user only needs to input the purpose of use, and the most suitable facility for the purpose can be easily known from a plurality of categories, and the operability is remarkably improved.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It has grouping table storage means for storing a table in which a plurality of categories are grouped by use, and when a use is input by a user, a category constituting a group corresponding to the input use is used by using the table. The user searches and searches for facilities existing within a predetermined range from the current position of the vehicle among the facilities of the corresponding category, so that the user can easily search for an optimum facility from a plurality of categories according to the purpose. As a result, an effect is obtained that the operability at the time of searching for the periphery of the navigation device is significantly improved as compared with the related art.

In another invention of the present application, since additional information indicating the use is added to the location information of the facility of each category, when the use is input by the user, the input item corresponds to the input purpose item. You can easily know the facilities. As a result, an effect is obtained that the operability at the time of searching for the periphery of the navigation device is significantly improved as compared with the related art.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a vehicle-mounted navigation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a peripheral search method by the vehicle-mounted navigation device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an input screen for each category or application.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a search result.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of a search result display screen.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle-mounted navigation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of facility information stored in a CD-ROM.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1a CD-ROM 2 operation unit 3 GPS receiver 4 self-contained navigation sensor 7 display device 10 navigation device body 11 map buffer 12 to 14 interface 15 control unit 16 table storage unit 17 map drawing unit 18 VRAM 19 readout unit 20 guidance route Memory 21 Guidance route drawing unit 22 Operation screen generation unit 23 Various mark generation units 24 Screen synthesis unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] An in-vehicle navigation device for displaying a map image around a vehicle on a display device and guiding the vehicle to a destination, wherein facility information storage means for storing a plurality of facility positions classified by category; Grouping table storage means for storing a table in which a plurality of categories are grouped by use; input means for a user to input a use; and group category corresponding to the use input through the input means. An in-vehicle navigation device comprising: a search unit that searches by referring to a table stored in a grouping table storage unit and searches for a facility that exists within a set range among facilities of these categories. 2. Facility information recording means for storing positions of a plurality of facilities classified by category and additional information indicating use, input means for a user to input use, and the facility information storage means A vehicle navigation apparatus comprising: a search unit that searches for a facility that exists within a set range among facilities to which additional information corresponding to an application input via an input unit is added. 3. A method for searching for a peripheral facility of an in-vehicle navigation device having facility information storage means for recording positions of a plurality of facilities classified by category, wherein a user uses a table in which categories are grouped by use. When a use is input, the facility information is searched from the facility information storage means for facilities existing within a set range in a category of a group corresponding to the use inputted with reference to the table. A method for searching for surrounding facilities of a navigation device. 4. A method for searching for a surrounding facility of an in-vehicle navigation device comprising facility information storage means for storing a plurality of facilities classified by category and additional information indicating a use, wherein a use is input by a user. Then, a facility searching for a facility having additional information corresponding to the input purpose is searched from the facility information storage means.