JPH11230761A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically provide detailed map information by a communication means, to quickly display the detailed map, and to perform optimization and fetching at the time of obtaining the detailed map information. SOLUTION: A telephone unit 5 is provided as the communication means, and in the case that the obtaining of the detailed map information is instructed or it is judged that the periphery of a destination is reached, a navigation server is automatically connected through the telephone unit 5. The optimization is performed so as to make downloading shortest and to reduce the opportunities of repeating downloading as much as possible and map information more detailed than the map information recorded on a disk side is downloaded from the navigation server. The detailed map information and a present vehicle position are displayed at the display part 44 of a display device 4 and road guidance or the like by voice is performed from a speaker 42 parallelly to a display processing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation system which is mounted on a moving body or carried when moving, and at least takes in map information and guides it to a destination by display or voice output.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a car navigation system for displaying effective information at the time of movement according to the movement of a user. This conventional car navigation system has a GPS that detects a current position by a signal from a satellite.
(Global Positioning System) The display unit includes a device, a display unit including a liquid crystal display panel, and the like, an operation unit, a CD-ROM playback device, and the like. In addition to a GPS device, a device having a vehicle speed sensor, a terrestrial magnetism, a direction sensor using a gyro, and a traveling sensor for autonomously correcting an error is also known.

In a conventional car navigation system, first, a user operates to register a destination based on map data read from a CD-ROM reproducing device. After the registration, the current position information is periodically obtained from the GPS device, the map data around the current position is appropriately read from the CD-ROM reproducing device based on the position information, and the map data is displayed on the display unit. At the same time, the current position is displayed, and at an intersection, an indication of a direction to be turned is also displayed.

[0004]

However, in the conventional car navigation system, detailed map data has a scale of 25 or 50 m due to restrictions on positioning accuracy and the like and storage capacity. In this case, in order to reach the destination in an apartment complex or the like, it is necessary to carry a commercially available residential map or to search for the location in reference to the street address display, and there is a problem that the usability is poor.

Further, in the case of the method of obtaining map information using a CD-ROM disk, it is necessary to purchase the disk every time the data disk is upgraded, and the data cannot be used quickly and efficiently. There was a point.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to obtain a detailed map by communication means automatically without arranging accurately when the vehicle reaches the vicinity of the destination or when instructed by the user, and quickly. Another object of the present invention is to provide a navigation system capable of displaying the detailed map.
Another object of the present invention is to obtain a detailed map in an optimized state and store it in a storage means, and the stored map information can be operated efficiently. And to provide a navigation system.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a navigation system which detects its own position, reads out map information recorded on a recording medium, and at least displays a current position. An information obtaining means for obtaining from the navigation server more detailed map information than the map information recorded on the recording medium by wireless communication, a first determining means for determining whether or not the destination is clear; Storage means for storing detailed map information taken in by the information obtaining means based on the determination result of the determination means.

According to the present invention, the telephone unit 5 is provided as a communication means, and when it is instructed to obtain detailed map information or when it is determined that the vehicle has reached the vicinity of the destination, the telephone unit 5 is disconnected. Automatically connected to the navigation server 56 via the Internet, the download time is minimized, and the opportunity for repeated download is optimized to be minimized, and the detailed map information around the current position is downloaded from the navigation server 56. Then, the display unit 44 of the display device 4 displays the detailed map information and the position of the vehicle, and in parallel with the display processing, provides road guidance or the like from the speaker 42 by voice.

According to the present invention, the data of the detailed map information taken in is stored and stored in the flash ROM 22, and the stored data is stored when a certain period of time has passed or when a certain amount of storage is required. If the number of accesses exceeds the number of times of access (the number of times of display), it is automatically deleted.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an entire configuration of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a car navigation system. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a navigation unit. The system shown in FIG. 1 is configured with the navigation unit 1 as a center, and in addition to the navigation unit 1, a display device 4, a telephone unit 5, an FM
A multiplex unit 6, a beacon unit 7, a remote control unit 8, and the like are provided.

The display device 4 includes an amplifier 41 to which a speaker 42 is connected, a controller / driver 43, and a display unit 44 composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display panel. Voice output and display are performed by the signal.

For example, arithmetic processing is performed in the navigation unit 1, and an audio signal formed by processing such as voice synthesis is supplied to the amplifier 41 of the display device 4. In the amplifier 41, the audio signal from the navigation unit 1 is amplified and supplied to the speaker 42. Therefore, from the speaker 42, operation guidance, road guidance, and the like are provided by voice.

[0013] A video signal formed by arithmetic processing in the navigation unit 1 is supplied to a controller / driver 43 of the display device 4. In the controller / driver 43, a display signal is formed based on the video signal. The display signal is supplied to the display unit 44, and the display unit 44 displays, for example, map information and the position of the vehicle.

The telephone unit 5 has a so-called PHS (Pers
onal Handy Phone System), a transmitting and receiving unit such as a mobile phone,
A transmission / reception operation in accordance with control information from the navigation unit 1.
To supply.

For example, the telephone unit 5 includes an antenna 51
, And a radio signal is transmitted from the antenna 51. FIG.
As shown in the figure, this radio signal is transmitted to the nearest wireless base station 53.
Is received by the antenna 52. Then, it is connected to a predetermined navigation server 56 via an exchange (not shown), a public line 54 and the Internet 55, so that data can be exchanged bidirectionally. The navigation server 56 searches for map information and the like in response to the received request from the navigation unit 1 and sends the map information and the like to the navigation unit 1. That is, the Internet 55, the public line 54, the wireless base station 5
Data such as map information is taken into the navigation unit 1 via the telephone unit 3 and the telephone unit 5. Note that other Web sites 57 and 58 are connected to the Internet 55, so that, for example, sightseeing information and town information can be imported.

The FM multiplexing unit 6 includes an FM antenna 6
1, an RF unit 62, a decoder 63, and a controller 64, which receive a multiplexed broadcast wave of a predetermined frequency channel on which road traffic information transmitted by an FM broadcast station is superimposed based on control information from the navigation unit 1. Then, by performing decoding processing and the like, road traffic information (congestion information, destination information, travel time information, road regulation information, etc.) is extracted from the FM multiplex signal, and the road traffic information is supplied to the navigation unit 1.

The beacon unit 7 includes a beacon antenna 71, an RF unit 72, a decoder 73, and a controller 74. By extracting a quasi-microwave band beacon signal and performing decoding processing, etc., road traffic information (position information, congestion information, destination information, travel time information, road regulation information, etc.) is extracted from the beacon signal, The traffic information is supplied to the navigation unit 1.

That is, VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication) is performed by the FM multiplex signal and the beacon signal.
n System: Road traffic information communication system).
Note that the FM multiplex unit 6 and the beacon unit 7
Are unitized separately from the navigation unit 1 for expansion, and are provided by the user as appropriate. The navigation unit 1 and the FM multiplex unit 6
As a communication means between the communication unit and the beacon unit 7, for example, UART (Universal Asynchronus Rec.)
eiver-Transmitter) communication (a bidirectional asynchronous communication circuit for a serial port) is used.

The remote control unit 8 has operation buttons, input keys, and the like. When the user operates the operation buttons, input keys, and the like, the remote control unit 8 forms an infrared control signal according to the operation state. A signal is transmitted to the navigation unit 1 side. The navigation unit 1 is provided with a light receiving unit 81 including a decoding circuit and an infrared light receiving element. When an infrared control signal from the remote control unit 8 is received, the light receiving unit 81
Control information is formed based on the infrared control signal, and the control information is supplied to the navigation unit 1 in a predetermined format.

For example, by operating the remote control unit 8, it is possible to set various modes, such as inputting a destination, taking in map information and displaying the position of the vehicle, and an FM multiplex unit. Settings such as comprehensive guidance display based on road traffic information taken in via the beacon unit 6 and the beacon unit 7, sightseeing information taken in through the telephone unit 5, town information and the like are made.

Further, a terminal indicated by 31 in FIG. 1 is supplied with a speed detection signal from a moving speed detecting section comprising a speed sensor and the like. Based on the speed information based on the speed detection signal and the azimuth information from the gyro sensor in the navigation unit 1 described later, even in the case where the GPS signal cannot be received, for example, in a tunnel, under a highway, in a building, etc., a certain degree of accuracy can be obtained. Position detection and autonomous traveling become possible.

Although the case where asynchronous communication UART communication is used as communication means between the FM multiplexing unit 6 and the beacon unit 7 has been described, other communication systems may be used. Also, a case has been described where an FM multiplex unit 6 and a beacon unit 7 corresponding to a radio beacon are provided as expansion units.
As other road traffic information communication means, for example, a unitized receiving device corresponding to an optical beacon may be further provided, and an FM multiplex unit 6, a beacon unit 7, a unit corresponding to an optical beacon, and the like may be provided. They may be used in combination.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of the navigation unit 1 in one embodiment of the present invention. Note that portions corresponding to those in FIG. 1 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 11 denotes a disk on which map information is recorded. As the disk 11, for example,
A CD-ROM disk is used. When the remote control unit 8 is operated to enter the navigation operation state, the disk 11 is rotated by a spindle motor 12 to read the map information recorded on the disk 11, and the optical pickup 13 is moved from the disk 11.
Reads the recorded information.

The optical pickup 13 includes a lens, a photodetector, a laser diode, and the like. In order to sequentially read information on recording tracks on the disk 11, a focus coil (not shown) for keeping the distance between the lens and the disk 11 constant and a lens driven in the radial direction of the disk 11 are provided on the optical pickup 13. A tracking coil is provided, and a sled mechanism for moving the entire optical pickup 13 in the radial direction of the disk 11 is provided.

The output of the optical pickup 13 generated by reading the information recorded on the disk 11 is output to the RF amplifier 14.
Supplied to The RF amplifier 14 has a function of an RF signal processing circuit, and forms an RF signal binarization, a tracking error signal, and a focus error signal. RF amplifier 1
The reproduction binary signal, tracking error signal, and focus error signal formed in step 4 are supplied to the digital servo processor 15.

The digital servo processor 15 performs various operations in accordance with control information from the system controller 18 and converts the formed control signals and the obtained various data into D / A signals.
The power is supplied to each unit such as the converter 16, the A / V controller 19, the system controller 18, and the servo driver 17. For example, in the digital servo processor 15, a control signal for tracking control and focus control is formed based on the tracking error signal and the focus error signal, and the control signal is supplied to the servo driver 17. In the servo driver 17, a drive output to each unit is formed based on a control signal from the digital servo processor 15, and the drive output drives a focus coil, a tracking coil, and a sled mechanism.

In the digital servo processor 15, the reproduced binary signal is decoded to form a control system signal or control data, digital data of map information, audio data, and the like. The audio data is supplied to the D / A converter 16 and converted into an analog audio signal. The analog audio signal is extracted through the terminal 32 and supplied to the amplifier 41 to which the speaker 42 of the display device 4 is connected. Is done.

Digital data such as map information is
It is supplied to the A / V controller 19 via the system controller 18. The A / V controller 19 has DS
P (Digital Signal Processor) 26, CPU 27, SRAM 20, DRAM 21, Flash ROM 2
2. A processing memory section comprising a program ROM 23 is connected. Various processes are mainly performed by the arithmetic processing of the CPU 27 while reading data from the memory unit.
The A / V controller 19 performs a drawing process on the display device 4 and controls the memory unit, and the DSP 26 performs a voice synthesis process based on the vehicle position information and the like.

The SRAM 20 connected to the A / V controller 19 stores various set values such as a destination mark and wake data as a user memory for navigation. Further, the program ROM 23 stores a program for executing a startup process and the like, and most other programs are stored in the flash ROM 22. Note that the flash ROM 22 can be rewritten and configured to be easily upgraded. The DRAM is used for storing a work area of a program and data for drawing.

The voice data obtained by voice synthesis processing based on the vehicle position information and the like is transmitted to the A / V controller 19.
Is supplied to the D / A converter 16 via the D / A converter and converted into an analog audio signal. Then, the analog audio signal is extracted via the terminal 32 and supplied to the amplifier 41 to which the speaker 42 of the display device 4 is connected.

A / V controller 19 forms a video signal based on digital data such as map information, and the video signal is taken out via terminal 33. Then, it is supplied to the controller / driver 43 of the display device 4 described above.

In FIG. 3, the GP is designated by 28.
It is a GPS antenna that receives radio waves from S (Global Positioning System) satellites. A radio signal from a GPS satellite is received by a GPS antenna, and the received signal is supplied to a demodulator 30 via an RF unit 29.
Demodulation processing and the like are performed in the demodulator 30 to form GPS data indicating an absolute position. The GPS data is supplied to the system controller 18.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 24 denotes a gyro sensor. The gyro sensor detects a direction and forms an output according to the direction. The output of the gyro sensor is converted into gyro data through the A / D converter 25, and the gyro data is supplied to the system controller 18.

Note that the system controller 18 is supplied with a speed detection signal from the moving speed detection unit including the speed sensor as described above via the terminal 31. The terminal 35 is connected to the telephone unit 5 and the terminal 3
The FM multiplexing unit 6 is connected to 6, and the beacon unit 7 is connected to the terminal 37. Therefore, the map information, the sightseeing information, the town information, and the like from the telephone unit 5 are supplied to the system controller 18, and the road traffic information from the FM multiplex unit 6 and the beacon unit 7 is supplied. Further, control information generated by operating the remote control unit 8 described above is supplied to the system controller 18 via a terminal 38.

For example, the remote control unit 8
Is operated to set the navigation operation state, the position information based on the map data read from the disk 11, the GPS data and the gyro data, the speed information based on the speed detection signal from the moving speed detection unit, and the FM
The CPU 27 performs arithmetic processing based on road traffic information and the like from the multiplex unit 6 and the beacon unit 7, and the display unit 44 of the display device 4 displays the map information and the position of the vehicle. In parallel with the display process,
From the speaker 42, operation guidance, road guidance, and the like are provided by voice.

When the user operates the remote control unit 8 to give an instruction to obtain a detailed map, or when it is determined that the user has arrived near the destination, the nearest wireless base station 53 is automatically set. , An exchange, a public line 54 and the Internet 55 to a predetermined navigation server 56.

The navigation server 56 searches for more detailed map information than the map information recorded on the disk 11 around the current position in response to a request from the navigation unit 1. The detailed map information is transmitted to the navigation unit 1 via the Internet 55, the public line 54, the radio base station 53, and the telephone unit 5.
Downloaded to Therefore, the display unit 4 of the display device 4
4, the display of the detailed map information and the position of the own vehicle is performed, and in parallel with the display processing, road guidance or the like is provided by voice from the speaker 42, and without carrying a commercially available residential map, It is possible to reach the destination without looking for the address on the spot.

Further, when downloading, the processing is optimized so as to minimize the download time and minimize the chances of repeated downloads. Specifically, for example, when it is determined that the destination is clear based on a telephone number, an address, and the like, the detailed map information of the minimum range including the destination is fetched, and when it is determined that the destination is not clear, , Detailed map information of, for example, eight adjacent areas around the destination is also captured. By this processing, only the necessary minimum detailed map is taken into the navigation unit 1 and used.

The captured detailed map information data is stored and stored in the flash ROM 22.
Then, the stored data is automatically deleted after a certain period of time or when the storage amount exceeds a certain storage amount, from the one with the smallest number of accesses (the number of times of display), and is operated efficiently.

The processing related to the download of the detailed map information described above will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a process relating to download of detailed map information. Note that the steps in the flowchart of FIG. 4 are denoted by reference numerals S1 to S9.

When the user operates the remote control unit 8 to give an instruction to obtain a detailed map or when it is determined that the vehicle has reached the vicinity of the destination, first, in step S1, it is determined whether the destination is clear. Is determined. The determination as to whether the destination is clear is made based on, for example, the address of the destination, the telephone number, and the like. When the destination is determined to be clear, the process proceeds to step S2, and the number of downloads is set to one. If it is determined that the destination is not clear and only the approximate location is known, the process proceeds to step S8, and the number of downloads is set to nine.

When the number of downloads is set in step S2 or step S8, a predetermined navigation server 5 is automatically automatically connected via the nearest wireless base station 53, exchange, public line 54 and Internet 55.
6 is accessed (step S3). Then, it is determined in step S4 whether the connection with the navigation server 56 has been completed. If it is determined that the connection with the navigation server 56 has been completed, the process proceeds to step S5, and the address of the map information required in detail is transmitted from the navigation unit 1 to the navigation server 56. When it is determined that the connection with the navigation server 56 is not completed,
The process proceeds to step S9, where error processing is performed.

Then, in the navigation server 56, detailed map information around the current position is searched according to the address transmitted from the navigation unit 1 side. The detailed map information is downloaded to the navigation unit 1 via the Internet 55, the public line 54, the wireless base station 53, and the telephone unit 5, and the data is taken in (step S6).

At this time, if it is determined that the destination is clear based on the address, telephone number, and the like of the destination, for example, a detailed map of the center where the destination is indicated by 101 in FIG. Only information is captured. If it is determined that the destination is not clear and that only the approximate location can be determined, for example, 8 shown in 102 to 109 in the drawing adjacent to the center range including the destination shown in 101 in FIG.
The detailed map information of the area is also taken in together with the map information of the range 101. Then, the captured detailed map information data is stored in the flash ROM 22 (step S7), and a series of processes related to download is completed.

In the above description of the processing relating to the download, the case where the number of downloads is fixedly set to 1 or 9 has been described. However, the number of downloads is appropriately changed according to the amount of free memory area. If there is enough space, more detailed map information may be fetched.

[0046]

According to the present invention, a detailed map is automatically obtained by communication means when the vehicle reaches the vicinity of the destination or when instructed by the user, without performing accurate positioning. And you can quickly view this detailed map. Therefore, it is not necessary to record detailed map information that is generally infrequently used on a medium such as a CD-ROM, and the cost of the medium can be reduced.
The number of version upgrades can be reduced. Further, since the map information is obtained by communication, it is possible to upgrade the map information in a short time.

According to the present invention, when a detailed map is obtained, it is fetched in an optimized state and stored in the storage means, and the stored map information is efficiently operated. You. For this reason, it is not necessary to use a large memory unit in the navigation unit, and it is possible to reduce the size and cost of the entire system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram used for describing communication means according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation unit in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart used to describe the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram used for describing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 navigation unit, 4 display device,
5 ... telephone unit, 6 ... FM multiplex unit, 7
... beacon unit, 8 ... remote control unit, 11 ... disk, 13 ... optical pickup, 15 ... digital servo processor, 1
8 ... system controller, 19 ... A / V controller, 20 ... SRAM, 21 ... DRAM,
22: Flash ROM, 23: Program R
OM, 24 ... Gyro sensor, 26 ... DSP,
27: CPU, 28: GPS antenna, 30
..Demodulators, 42 ... speakers, 44 ...
Display unit, 55: Internet, 56: Navigation server

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A navigation system for detecting its own position, reading map information recorded on a recording medium and displaying at least a current position, wherein the map information is more detailed than the map information recorded on the recording medium by wireless communication. Obtaining information from the navigation server, first determining means for determining whether the destination is clear, and details taken in by the information obtaining means based on the determination result of the first determining means. Storage means for storing detailed map information. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the first determination means determines that the destination is clear, only the detailed map information in the range of the minimum unit where the destination exists is fetched. A navigation system characterized in that when it is determined that the place is not clear, a detailed map information of a plurality of ranges adjacent to a center range including at least the destination is fetched and stored in the storage means. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second determination unit that determines the necessity of the detailed map information stored in the storage unit, and based on a determination result of the second determination unit. A navigation system for erasing detailed map information stored in storage means. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a third determination unit that determines an amount of a remaining area that can be stored in the storage unit, wherein the first determination unit and the third determination unit
A navigation system characterized in that the range of taking in detailed map information is varied based on the determination result of the above and stored in the storage means. 5. The navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising information obtaining means for obtaining road traffic information from an FM multiplex signal or a beacon signal.