JPH1090390A - Navigation device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the operation of an operating means by means of the driver of a vehicle by inhibiting displayed contents from being controlled by the operation of the operating means while the vehicle is run. SOLUTION: A GPS receiver 2 receives radio waves from satellites and a controller 10 performs various kinds of signal control based on the signal of a present location recognizing device 3 which recognizes the present location of its own vehicle from the received radio waves. The controller 10 also calculates the present location of the vehicle by means of an arithmetic circuit and indicates the location on a map showing the present location and its peripheral area drawn out from a CD-ROM 5 and displayed on a display 16. An operating device 7 is provided with a plurality of control keys and, when the driver of the vehicle operates some of the keys, the device 7 outputs the operation signals corresponding to the operated keys. The controller 10 decodes the key code outputted from the device 7 in accordance with the operated keys and discriminates whether or not the present running speed (Vc) of the vehicle is faster than a prescribed speed (Vm). When Vc>Vm, the controller 10 does not accept the key code, but, when Vc<=Vm, the controller accepts the key code and makes a necessary action to be taken. Therefore, the driver restrains himself from the operation of the operating means 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicular navigation apparatus used for an automobile or the like. The present invention relates to a vehicle navigation device capable of controlling display contents on a display means by operating the means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an automobile navigation device,
For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-70117, there is known an apparatus that displays a current position of a vehicle and a map of its surroundings on a screen of a display device to provide travel guidance. As a means for recognizing the current position of a vehicle in such a navigation device, a device utilizing a direction sensor such as a geomagnetic sensor has already been put to practical use. That is, the traveling distance and the direction of the vehicle from a certain reference point are detected by the vehicle speed sensor and the direction sensor, thereby recognizing the current position of the vehicle. However,
In such a conventional current position recognizing means, the current position of the vehicle is measured as a relative position with respect to a reference point, so that the accuracy is reduced due to a measurement error of a traveling distance or an azimuth.

Therefore, it is conceivable to measure the current position of the vehicle as an absolute position using radio waves emitted from a satellite. For example, a global positioning satellite system (Global Positioning System, hereinafter referred to as G
It is conceivable to measure the current position of the vehicle as an absolute position by using the PS. This GPS can measure the current position of the vehicle with a positioning accuracy of about 30 meters based on radio waves emitted from four artificial satellites (called NAVSTAR) (C / A whose use is generally open). Code).

In a car navigation system for recognizing the current position by the above-mentioned direction sensor, GPS or other methods and displaying the current position information together with map information on display means, for example, the navigation device is usually turned on and off. Various operation keys such as a NAVI key, a list key for displaying a position of a gas station or a parking lot on a map on the display screen, and an enlargement / reduction key for enlarging / reducing the display screen are provided. By operating these operation keys, the display contents of the display means can be appropriately controlled.

[0005]

As described above, since various operation keys are provided in the navigation device of the automobile, the driver is required to control the display contents while the automobile is running (during driving). It is also conceivable to operate those operation keys.

[0006] However, it is not preferable that the driver performs many key operations while the vehicle is running. The navigation device of the vehicle is such that the driver does not perform key operations as much as possible while the vehicle is running. Desirably.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular navigation apparatus capable of suppressing the driver's operation of operation means such as operation keys while the vehicle is running, in view of the above circumstances.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle navigation apparatus according to the present invention has a display means for displaying information including map information and current position information of a vehicle, and a display on the display means. It is characterized by having operation means provided for controlling the contents, which is operated by an occupant, and prohibition means for prohibiting control of display contents by operation of the operation means while the vehicle is running.

In the above navigation apparatus, it is possible to provide a vehicle speed detecting means, and as the prohibiting means, a means for prohibiting control of display contents by operating the operation means when the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value can be adopted.

[0010] In the navigation device, a device provided outside the display screen of the display means may be employed as the operation means.

In the above navigation device, the operation means is a display key displayed on a display screen of the display means, and the display content of the display means is controlled by pressing the display key. Things can be adopted.

[0012]

When the above navigation device is used, the control of the display contents by the operation of the operation means is prohibited while the vehicle is running. In this case, even if the driver operates the operation means, the display contents are controlled. Can not do. Therefore,
The driver will refrain from operating the operating means while driving,
As a result, the operation of the operating means by the driver is suppressed.

[0013]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of a vehicle navigation device according to the present invention. This navigation device has a GPS receiver 2 for receiving radio waves from satellites.
A vehicle speed sensor 4 for detecting a vehicle speed; a current position recognition device 3 for recognizing the current position of the vehicle from radio waves received by the GPS receiver 2; and various signals received from the current position recognition device 3. And a control device 10 for performing signal control. Further, a storage device 5 such as a compact disk or a ROM storing map information and the like and an operation device 7 for performing various key operations are connected to the control device 10 via a decoder 6 and an encoder 8, respectively. , A CRT or the like, and a video RAM 15 are connected via a display controller 14.

The GPS receiver 2 and the current position recognizing device 3 constitute a satellite-based positioning means 1, and the vehicle speed sensor 4 serves as a stop detecting means for detecting a stopped state of the vehicle. When the control device 10 that has received the signal from the vehicle speed sensor 4 detects the stop state, the change of the data of the current position is prohibited.

The storage device 5 stores a map or the like showing contents necessary for traveling guidance of vehicles such as roads and buildings. The operation device 7 is a key switch or the like that can be operated by a driver or the like, and can switch the content displayed on the display 16 as display means in accordance with the operation.

The control device 10 comprises a microcomputer having an arithmetic circuit 12 and a ROM 11a and a RAM 11b connected thereto. The arithmetic circuit 12 is connected to a current position recognition device 3 and the like as shown in FIG. ing.
In the control device 10, the current position recognition device 3
The current position of the vehicle is calculated based on the signal from
A map around the current position is retrieved from the storage device 5 and the current position is displayed on the display 16 or the video RAM 15 is displayed.
Or memorize it.

Here, the satellite-based positioning means 1 will be described first.

The satellite-based positioning means 1 controls, for example, in a GPS as schematically shown in FIG. 2 through a ground antenna 1b, for example, in which four main terrestrial control stations 1a are appropriately distributed and arranged. It constitutes a GPS user part that measures the current position of the vehicle based on radio waves transmitted from four satellites S1 to S4 within a receivable area (field of view) among the 21 satellites. This satellite-based positioning means 1
The positioning accuracy of satellites, satellite perturbations, ionospheric conditions, etc., will decrease the positioning accuracy, or will be unable to perform localization for a very short time, and will also be terrestrial, such as running in a tunnel. The required obstacles make it difficult or impossible to receive the required radio waves.

The degree of the decrease in the positioning accuracy in the satellite-based positioning means 1 varies depending on the deterioration coefficient and the electric field strength. That is, the deterioration coefficient is a value determined by the geometric relationship between the satellite used and the vehicle at the time of positioning, and as the deterioration coefficient increases, the positioning error increases and the positioning accuracy decreases. Other factors that reduce the positioning accuracy are:
It appears as a decrease in electric field strength. When the deterioration coefficient increases or the electric field intensity decreases, the positioning error increases. Since this deterioration factor is transmitted from each satellite based on the satellite tracking result by the ground antenna 1b and the reception data of the ground monitoring station 1c, the deterioration coefficient of the satellite used for positioning can be obtained from these data. It is possible, and the electric field strength can be detected by the strength of the radio wave received from the satellite.

The principle of positioning by GPS is as follows.

Assuming that there is a clock completely synchronized with the transmission point and the reception point of the radio wave and the transmission signal is controlled by the clock, if the reception timing is measured at the reception point, the propagation of the radio wave between the transmission and reception points The time can be obtained, and by multiplying the time by the light speed, the distance between the transmitting and receiving points can be obtained. Now, as shown in FIG. 3, there are three satellites S1, S2, S3 in the user's field of view (receivable area), and the respective satellites S1, S2, S3 transmit ranging signals by clocks synchronized with each other. Suppose you were. If the reception time of these signals is measured at the reception point P, the distance between each of the satellites S1, S2, S3 and the reception point P is obtained, and the reception point P is determined by each of the satellites S1, S2, S
It can be obtained as the intersection of three spherical surfaces centered at 3. However, synchronizing the clock at the receiving point P with that at the transmitting point is not only technically problematic but also disadvantageous in reducing the cost of the receiver. This problem is solved by increasing the number of satellites receiving the signal by one more. FIG. 3 shows this two-dimensionally for easy understanding. If the clock at the receiving point is behind the clock of each satellite by Δtu, the radius of the three measured circles is larger than the actual one by Δtuc (c is the speed of light), and is originally 1
The three circles that should intersect at the point no longer intersect (solid line diagram).
If the value of Δtuc is adjusted so that these three circles intersect at one point, Δtu can be obtained simultaneously with the position of the receiving point P. In the GPS, a measured value of a distance different from the true distance Ri to the satellite i by Δtuc in this way is called a pseudo distance. The pseudorange Ri for the satellite i is represented by Ri = Ri + c △ tai + c (△ tu- △ tsvi). Here, Δtai is the delay time of radio waves in the ionosphere and troposphere, and Δtsvi is the time offset of the clock of satellite i. The atomic clocks on the satellite measure their offset values instead of synchronizing with each other, make their predictions, and
Take the form that the value of svi can be calculated and transmitted from the satellite. In order to perform three-dimensional positioning, three position coordinates are calculated using four pseudorange measurements for four satellites i = 1 to 4, and △
A total of four unknowns called tu can be solved. Similarly, using the Doppler frequency of the signal from the satellite, that is, the measured value of the pseudorange change rate, the three-dimensional velocity of the user can be measured.

When the position of the user is obtained based on the position of the satellite, the user must know the position of the satellite that changes every moment and the state of the clock on the satellite. These data are also described later. Broadcast from satellite in this way.

Each satellite has a main antenna 1a to a ground antenna 1b.
A receiving circuit (not shown) for receiving a radio wave transmitted through the transmission circuit 20 and a transmitting circuit 20 shown in FIG. The transmission circuit 20 includes, for example, a reference frequency oscillating circuit 21 that outputs a reference frequency signal of 10.23 MHz, and a L1 carrier (1575.42) as a _first carrier by multiplying the frequency of the reference frequency signal to be output by 154 times. MHz)
And a multiplier 23 for multiplying the frequency of the reference frequency signal by 120 to form an L2 carrier (1227.6 MHz) as a _second carrier. The transmitting circuit 20 includes a clock forming circuit 24 that forms a clock signal having a predetermined period from the reference frequency signal, and two types of signals called a P code and a C / A code as ranging signals from the reference frequency signal and the clock signal. It has a code generation circuit 25 for forming a code signal, and a computer 26 which is controlled in timing by the clock signal and outputs data relating to the position of the satellite which changes every moment and the state of the clock on the satellite. The P code is a highly accurate secret code that can be used only by a user who has been specially recognized as a military, and is superimposed on data output from the computer 26 and then quadrature-modulates the L ₁ and L ₂ carriers. Transmitted at a repetition rate of 10.23 Mbit / s
, A long code lasting a week. The C / A code is used for coarse positioning (standard positioning) and capturing of the P code, and is a code that is publicly disclosed. The C / A code signal is superimposed on data output from the computer 26, and then transmitted in a form modulating both L ₁ and L ₂ carriers.
The repetition rate is 1.023 Mbit / s and the length is 1,023 bits, that is, it is repeated every 1 ms. The above C
The / A code generation circuit is constituted by, for example, a Gold code generation circuit using two shift registers of 10 stages. The data output from the computer 26 is measured and predicted by a control unit on the ground, stored in a storage circuit (not shown) of the satellite, and sequentially read. These data are for example
It is transmitted at a predetermined timing at a transmission speed of 50 bits / s. This data includes telemeter language, handover language, ionospheric correction parameters, delay correction for one frequency receiver, age of clock correction data, reference time for clock correction, G
PS system time, orbit prediction age, orbital element reference time, average periapsis at orbital element reference time, eccentricity, square root of major radius, ascending ascension, orbit inclination, perigee argument,
Includes data such as perturbation of the ascending intersection, correction of average motion, correction of tilt angle, correction term of orbital turbulence, satellite identification number, reference time of data subframe, satellite health, and the like. In addition, it predicts the period during which the user's receiver can receive the signals of each satellite, selects the combination of satellites that provides the highest positioning accuracy from the satellites in the field of view, and captures the signals from the satellite as soon as possible. The almanac of other satellites belonging to the system (almanac
) Data is also included.

The control part includes a main control station 1a, a ground antenna 1b arranged at a plurality of fixed points (four or more places are planned) on the ground, and a plurality of ground parts (four or more places are planned). Has a monitor station 1c arranged at a fixed point. The main control station 1a tracks the satellite via the terrestrial antenna 1b, predicts the clock on the satellite and the orbit of the satellite based on the result, and stores the data for putting them into the memory of the satellite so as to broadcast them from the satellite. It is a manned facility equipped with a large computer and a series of operation control consoles, which are provided to transmit and receive other telemeters and commands required for satellite control. The monitor station 1c is an unmanned station equipped with a receiver for a signal from a satellite, an atomic clock, and a meteorological instrument for calculating tropospheric delay.

The satellite-based positioning means 1, which is a user part,
As shown in FIG. 1, a GPS receiving a signal of a required satellite
The current position of the vehicle is measured from the receiver 2 and the received signal,
A current position recognition device 3 that outputs a position signal corresponding to the current position. As shown in FIG. 5, the satellite-based positioning means 1 has a crystal oscillator 38 for outputting a reference frequency signal, which is an overall timing control signal, and controls the operation timing of the signal processing means 37 from the reference frequency signal. A clock oscillation circuit 39 for forming a clock signal to be transmitted, and an antenna 31 connected to a preceding stage of the GPS receiver 2,
It has a preamplifier 32 and a bandpass filter 33.

The GPS receiver 2 is based on a reference frequency signal oscillated by the crystal oscillator 38 to generate a signal having the same pattern as the data on the carrier wave of the satellite transmitter 20 and the position of the satellite and the state of the clock on the satellite. Circuit 61
And a code generation circuit 62 which receives a clock signal output from the clock oscillation circuit 39 and forms a code signal having the same pattern as the distance measurement signal, and a satellite signal based on the output signals of the frequency synthesis circuit 61 and the code signal generation circuit 62. A data and carrier detector 63 for correlating and detecting the data relating to the orbit of the clock and the satellite above and the carrier, and the code generation circuit described above.
A code lock detector 64 that performs correlation detection of the distance measurement signal based on the code signal output from 62 is provided. The timing of the signal processing means 37 is controlled by the clock signal output from the clock oscillation circuit 39.

FIG. 5 shows the GPS receiver 2 having one reception channel. Two reception channels are provided, and the first reception channel is used for sequentially receiving signals from four satellites in the field of view. The second receiving channel is dedicated to switching reception, and the second receiving channel is used for acquiring broadcast data from each satellite and preliminarily acquiring signals from satellites to be received next. It is possible to eliminate the interruption of the positioning due to the sequential reception stop for data acquisition. In the case of a five-channel receiver, four satellites are simultaneously and continuously tracked on four channels.
In parallel with this, it is possible to perform preliminary acquisition of the next satellite on another channel and switch the satellite in use instantaneously.

By the way, in the GPS, all the errors caused by the measurement of the pseudo distance are converted into distances, and are called user equivalent range error (URE). The cause of the UERE and the nominal value of the size for each cause in the P code are as shown in Table 1 below. It is considered that both the error in the ionosphere and the error in the receiver in the CURE code are several times as large.

The positioning error value (positioning accuracy) of the GPS is
It is obtained simply by multiplying the ERE and the deterioration coefficient GDOP, and C
In the / A code, the positioning accuracy is the radius for stochastic error (CEP)
It is nominally 40m (50%).

[0031]

[Table 1]

The operation of recognizing the current position by the navigation device having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this operation, first, in step 71, it is determined whether or not the GPS receiver 2 is receiving a radio wave from a satellite. If not, no operation is performed since the current position cannot be recognized. The above judgment is repeated. On the other hand, if the GPS receiver 2 is receiving radio waves from the satellite, it is determined in step 72 whether or not the vehicle is stopped. This determination is made based on a signal from the vehicle speed sensor 4. When the vehicle is not stopped, that is, when the vehicle is running, the process proceeds to step 73, where the current position recognition device 3 receives the signal from the GPS receiver 2. The current position of the vehicle is recognized from the radio wave, and the recognized current position is read into the control device 10 and sent to the display 16 via the display control device 14 and displayed on the CRT as the display 16. Is done. In this case, since the recognition of the current position is continuously performed at predetermined time intervals, CR
A current position is displayed on T as a point that moves with the travel of the vehicle. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 72 that the vehicle is stopped, the current position is not read, and is kept as it is. Therefore, CR
The current position recognized immediately before the stop is displayed on T (display 16), and the displayed current position is kept stationary as long as the vehicle is stopped. For this reason, the inconvenience that the point indicating the current position on the CRT moves while the vehicle is stopped, as seen in the conventional navigation device, is eliminated.

The operating device 7 shown in FIG. 1 is disposed on the dashboard 9 of the vehicle as shown in FIG.
T16 has a plurality of operation keys provided on the navigation unit integrated therein, and when the driver presses these operation keys, an operation signal corresponding to each key is output to the control device 10. . There are various roles of the operation keys, for example, a key 91 is a NAVI key for turning on / off the navigation device, and a key 92 is a list key for changing a display screen content of the CRT 16 every time the key is pressed. By operating the list key 92, the position of the gas station or the position of the parking lot can be displayed on the map displayed on the CRT 16. Also key 9
3, 94 are keys for canceling and resetting the display, key 95 is an enlargement / reduction key for enlarging / reducing the screen, and key 96 is a scroll key for moving the screen up / down / left / right. is there. There are various keys other than the above, but the description is omitted. In addition, CRT
By displaying a key on the screen of 16 and pressing the display key by hand, it is possible to provide an operation key that detects this key operation and performs an operation corresponding to the display pressed by hand. .

Such a key operation is performed by the driver. However, it is not preferable that the driver selects and performs such many key operations during driving in view of driving safety. I can say. In particular, when driving at high speed, it is problematic to ask the driver to perform many key operations as described above. For this reason, in the navigation device of the present example, when the vehicle speed becomes high, a key operation that is not required so much is not accepted, and driving safety is taken into consideration. The control contents for this will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. In this control, when a key operation is performed during driving, the key code is decoded in step 81, and then in step 82, it is determined whether or not the current vehicle speed (Vc) is higher than a predetermined vehicle speed (Vm). When Vc> Vm (during high-speed running), this key operation is not accepted and this flow ends, and the flow returns to the beginning. On the other hand, when Vc ≦ Vm, since the vehicle speed is relatively slow and the driver has time to operate the keys, the routine proceeds to step 83, where the operated keys are received and the operation corresponding to the keys is performed. In this flow, an example has been described in which all key operations are not accepted when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined value. However, it is a matter of course that the minimum required key operation among the key operations may be accepted. That is.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the control of the display content by the operation of the operation means is prohibited while the vehicle is running, in this case, even if the driver operates the operation means, the display content cannot be controlled. Therefore, the driver refraines from operating the operation unit during driving, and as a result, the operation of the operation unit by the driver can be suppressed, and driving safety can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a GPS.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of GPS positioning.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a satellite transmission circuit.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of satellite-based positioning means.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the navigation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a key operation acceptance control in the navigation device.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a navigation unit including a CRT, operation keys, and the like arranged on a dashboard in the navigation device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Positioning means using satellite 1a Main control station 1b Ground antenna 1c Monitor station 2 GPS receiver 4 Vehicle speed sensor 7 Operating device 10 Control device 16 Display 20 Transmission circuit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. Display means for displaying information including map information and current position information of a vehicle, operation means provided for controlling display contents of the display means and operated by an occupant, Prohibiting means for prohibiting control of display contents by operation of the operation means during traveling. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle speed detecting unit, wherein the prohibiting unit includes:
2. The vehicular navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, control of display contents by operation of the operation means is prohibited. 3. The vehicular navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said operation means is provided outside a display screen of said display means. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the operation means is a display key displayed on a display screen of the display means, and the display content of the display means is controlled by pressing and operating the display key. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein