JPH11304520A - Route searching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To search a route to a destination again so as to be more suited to the intention of a user at the time of deviating from a recommended route. SOLUTION: In the case of deviating from the recommended route, and in the case that a judgement point on the recommended route set with a present position as a reference is not more on a destination side than a reference point on the recommended route set with a deviating spot as the reference, it is judged that the user is not advancing along the recommended route and intends to utilize the route other than the recommended route, and the route of a minimum cost is searched corresponding to a cost from the present position to the destination again. In the other case, returning from the present position to the route is promptly performed and the route to the destination is searched.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for re-searching a route to a destination when the vehicle deviates from a recommended route to the destination in a navigation device mounted on an automobile or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A navigation device mounted on an automobile searches for a recommended route from a set departure point to a destination based on road map data, and presents the recommended route to a user. The technology is already in practical use.

[0003] Such a recommended route search is performed, for example, by searching for a route with the minimum cost among possible routes from the departure point to the destination by a technique called the Dijkstra method. Is being done.
Here, as the cost of such a route, the total distance of the route, the required travel time, and the like are often used.

Further, in the navigation device, when the vehicle deviates from the recommended route searched by using the navigation device, a route returning from the current position at that time to the original route is searched, and this route and the vehicle are searched. There is known a technique called an auto-reroute, in which a part of the original route from which the route has been deviated is connected to a part on the destination side from a connection point with a route returning to the searched original route to make a route to the destination.

In this auto-reroute technique, as shown in FIG. 6, when a vehicle deviates from an original route 1000, a search range 1003 of a predetermined range including a current position 1001 of the vehicle on the original route 1000 is determined. Is set, the point on the original route 1000 existing in the search range 1003 from the most destination side is set as the target point 1002, and the route 1004 to the target point is searched in the search range 1003,
The route leading to the original route.

[0006] By searching for a route that returns to the original route by setting the target point as a point on the original route on the destination side that is somewhat distant from the current position, a route that returns to the destination can be obtained. In addition, it can be suppressed to some extent that a route that makes a detour from the current location to the destination is searched for as a route that returns to the original route. Also,
By limiting the search range for searching for a route returning to the original route, it is possible to quickly search for a route from the current position to the destination when deviating from the original route.

[0007]

According to the conventional auto-reroute technique, the user does not want to use the recommended route 1000 due to traffic congestion or the like, and intentionally deviates from the recommended route 1000. In addition, even when the vehicle is traveling on another route, there is a problem that a route returning to the original route 1000 is repeatedly searched.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to re-search for a route to a destination when a user deviates from a recommended route so as to more appropriately match the intention of the user.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a route search apparatus for searching for a route from a current position to a destination when the current position deviates from a recommended route to the destination. When the current position deviates from the recommended route, determining means for determining whether the current position is a position moved along the recommended route from a point deviating from the recommended route; and Means for searching for a route with the lowest cost from the current position to the destination as a new recommended route when it is determined that the current position is not the position moved along the route, and a position at which the current position has moved along the recommended route Means for searching for a route that returns from the current position to the recommended route when it is determined that

That is, according to such a route search device, when the current position is not a position along the recommended route from a point deviating from the recommended route, the user uses a route other than the recommended route. Assuming that there is intention, a route with the minimum cost from the current position to the destination is searched as a new recommended route, and the current position is a position moved along the recommended route from a point deviating from the recommended route. In such a case, it is presumed that the user intends to return to the recommended route, and by searching for a route that returns from the current position to the recommended route, a route that is more suitable for the user's intention can be searched. .

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a route search device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to an application to an in-vehicle navigation device.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a navigation device according to the present embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a processing device comprising a microprocessor and a memory; 2 a display device; 3 a drive device for accessing a storage medium such as a CD-ROM in which map data is stored; An input device 5 for receiving the input of the instruction is a sensor device including a vehicle speed sensor, a direction sensor, a GPS receiver, and the like.

In such a configuration, the processing device 1
The present position of the vehicle is calculated based on the traveling direction of the vehicle input from the direction sensor of the sensor device 5, the vehicle speed input from the vehicle speed sensor, the current position measured from the GPS receiver, and the like, or used via the input device 5. Based on the destination input by the user and the current position input by the user via the input device 5 or calculated from the input from the sensor device 5, a recommended route to the destination is calculated.

Further, the processing device 1 reads the map data by controlling the drive device 3 based on the calculated current position, the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the contents specified by the user via the input device 5. The map represented by the map data is displayed on the display device 2. The display of the map is, for example, to display a map of the area around the calculated current position at a predetermined scale, to display a map of a district specified by the user at a predetermined or specified scale, or to display from the current position. This is performed by displaying a map of a region including the destination at an appropriate scale together with the searched recommended route (route indicated by current route information described later). At this time, a mark indicating the current position and the traveling direction of the vehicle is superimposed on the map and displayed on the map.

Next, a CD-ROM mounted on the drive device 3
FIG. 2 shows map data recorded on a storage medium such as the like.

As shown, the map data is composed of road data provided for each road. The road data includes road information and link information.

The road information includes a road number uniquely indicating a road, a road name indicating a road name, a road type indicating a type of the road (a toll road, a national road, a prefectural road), and other road information. And other attributes that represent

The link information includes link data provided for each link constituting the road and representing link information. Here, the link is a line segment that approximates the shape position of the road as a set.

The link data includes a link number uniquely indicating a link and a link attribute indicating information on the link.

The link data includes, for each of the two nodes at both ends, a node number uniquely indicating the node, node coordinates indicating the position of the node, and all of the nodes connected to the node via the link. Includes a list of the adjacent node numbers, which is a list of the node numbers of the nodes of. Here, the connection between the links is always performed at the node. For example, at a crossroad, a node is provided at the center, and four links are connected to the node provided at the center. In this case, the node numbers of the four other nodes at the other end of the four links connected to the own node are described in the adjacent node number list of the node provided at the center.

The link data includes link shape data for specifying a link shape. Link shape data is
Consists of one or more subnode coordinates. If the link has two subnode coordinates, the first node coordinates of the link, the first subnode coordinates, the second subnode coordinates, and the second node coordinates of the link are sequentially drawn in a straight line in this order. Specified as a shape connected by.

Hereinafter, the search processing performed by the processing device 1 will be described.

Here, when a route is searched for in a normal search process described later, the processing device 1 extracts link data of each link included in the searched route and arranges the link data in the order of the routes as initial route information. Also, this route information includes
Include the cost of each link. As the link cost, for example, a value obtained by weighting the length of the link with a value corresponding to the type of the road to which the link belongs is used. Of course, the cost of the link may be described in the link data in advance, and this may be used.

Further, the processing device 1 holds, as current route information, route information on the route to the destination finally obtained. The items of the current route information are the same as the items of the initial route information. Here, immediately after the route is searched by the normal search process, the same information as the initial route information becomes the current route information. After that, when the route is obtained by the return route search process described later, the last return operation is performed. The route information of the route obtained by the route search processing becomes the current route information.

Further, as described later, the processing device 1 performs the above-described return route search process and the normal search process during the search process. The return route search process is a search process to which the above-described auto reroute technology is applied, searches for a partial route that returns to the route indicated by the initial route information, and indicates the searched partial route and the initial route information. This is a process of searching for a route connecting a portion of the route on the destination side from a connection point with the searched partial route. The normal search process is a normal route search process for searching for a route with the minimum cost from the current position to the destination.

FIG. 3 shows a processing procedure of the search processing.

As shown in the figure, the processing device 1 first performs a normal search process for searching for a route from a current position to a destination received from a user (step 31). And
The route information on the searched route is held as initial route information and current route information (step 32).

Thereafter, based on the stored current route information and the current position, the processing device 1 monitors whether the current position deviates from the route indicated by the current route information by a predetermined distance (for example, 100 m) (step 33).

When the current position deviates from the route indicated by the current route information by a predetermined distance (step 34), if the route indicated by the current route information is the same route as the route indicated by the initial route information, the current route information The point deviating from is stored as the departure point (step 35).

Next, a judgment point and a reference point are set (step 36). This judgment point is a predetermined distance (for example, 3 km) from the departure point to the destination on the route indicated by the initial route information.
Set to an advanced point.

Next, it is determined whether or not the determination point is on the departure point side on the route indicated by the initial route information from the reference point (step 37).

If the judgment point is not on the destination side on the route indicated by the initial route information from the reference point, a normal search process is executed (step 38), and the route information of the route searched by the normal search process is initially set. The route information and the current route information are updated (step 39). That is, in this case, as shown in FIG. 4, since the user does not proceed along the route indicated by the initial route information, the user intends to use a route other than the route indicated by the initial route information. And a new route is searched for in the normal search process.

On the other hand, if the judgment point is located on the destination side on the route indicated by the initial route information from the reference point, a return route search process is executed (step 40), and the return route search process is performed to the destination. The current route information is updated to the route information of the route (step 41). That is, in this case, as shown in FIG. 5, since the user is proceeding along the route indicated by the initial route information, the user intends to use the route indicated by the initial route information. Is determined, and a route that returns to the route indicated by the initial route information is searched for in the return route search process.

Then, the process returns to the step 33 for monitoring the deviation from the route indicated by the current route information.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when the user is traveling along the route indicated by the initial route information, the user intends to use the route indicated by the initial route information. It is estimated that the route that returns to the original route indicated by the initial route information is searched. If the user has not progressed along the route indicated by the initial route information, the user indicates the route indicated by the initial route information. Since it is presumed that the intended route is to be used, a route with the minimum cost from the current position to the destination is searched again. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to search for a route that matches the user's intention more when the recommended route deviates.

In the above embodiment, the reference point is determined based on the current position. However, the reference point may be determined based on the start point of the route indicated by the initial route information.

Further, in the present embodiment, the processing apparatus 1
May be an electronic computer having a CPU, a memory, and an appropriate OS. In this case, each of the processes performed by the
U is realized by executing a program describing the procedure of each process. In this case, these programs may be supplied to the processing device 1 via a storage medium such as a CD-ROM.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the user deviates from the recommended route, the route to the destination can be re-searched so as to be more suitable for the intention of the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of map data according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation example of the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an operation example of the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a return route search by a conventional auto reroute technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Processing device 2 Display device 3 Drive device 4 Input device 5 Sensor device

Claims (4)

[Claims] An apparatus for searching for a route from a current position to a destination when a current position deviates from a recommended route to a destination, wherein the current position deviates from the recommended route, Determining means for determining whether the position is a position moved along the recommended route from a point deviating from the recommended route; and determining that the current position is not a position moved along the recommended route, Means for searching for a route with the minimum cost from the position to the destination as a new recommended route; and, when the current position is determined to be a position moved along the recommended route, the current position is changed to the recommended route. Means for searching for a return route. 2. The route search device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit sets the recommended route based on a point deviating from the recommended route based on a current point. If the current position is not on the destination side from the reference point set above, it is determined that the current position is not the position moved along the recommended route, and if it is on the destination side, the position where the current position is moved on the recommended route A route search device characterized by determining that the route search is not performed. 3. A method for searching for a route from a current position to a destination when the current position deviates from a recommended route to the destination. When the judgment point set on the recommended route as a reference is not closer to the destination than the reference point set on the recommended route based on a point deviating from the recommended route, the current position has moved along the recommended route. If it is determined that it is not a position and it is on the destination side,
A step of determining that the current position is not the position moved along the recommended route; and a path of the least cost from the current position to the destination when it is determined that the current position is not the position moved along the recommended route. Searching as a new recommended route, and, if the current position is determined to be a position moved along the recommended route, a step of searching for a route that returns to the recommended route from the current position. Features method. 4. A storage medium storing a program which is read and executed by a computer, wherein the program is set on the recommended route based on a current position when the current position deviates from the recommended route. If the judgment point is not on the destination side from the reference point set on the recommended route based on the point deviating from the recommended route, it is determined that the current position is not the position moved along the recommended route, and If
A step of determining that the current position is not the position moved along the recommended route; and a path of the least cost from the current position to the destination when it is determined that the current position is not the position moved along the recommended route. Searching as a new recommended route; and, when it is determined that the current position is a position moved along the recommended route, searching for a route that returns from the current position to the recommended route. A storage medium characterized by being a program to be executed by a user.