JPH11344355A - On-vehicle navigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove a psychological uneasiness in an unfamiliar district by outputting a direction and an area to advanced in a voice guide by referring to a guide table from the relationship between a road link now running and a branch link to be guided for a route. SOLUTION: A guide information processor 31 of a controller 30 draws right and left turn display data and area voice guide information from the relationship between a road link now running and a next road link (a branch road link to be a guide road) by referring a guide table in a CD-ROM 8 according to map data obtained from the CD-ROM 8 and a route searched by a route searching unit 28 in the case the vehicle approaches an intersection or a branch point to be turned next, and outputs the data and the information to a voice output unit 7 via a user interface unit 30. Thus, since 'guides for a direction and an area to advance' are outputted in a voice guide, the area to advance can be recognized without watching the screen.

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 system for providing vehicle route guidance according to an optimal route.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an on-vehicle navigation device is
It has a map data storage device such as a CD-ROM or IC memory card that stores map data, a display device, a GPS receiver, a mileage sensor, and a vehicle position detection device that detects the current position of the vehicle, such as a direction sensor. Read map data including the current position of the vehicle from a CD-ROM or the like, draw a map image centered on the vehicle position based on the map data, display the map image on the display screen, and display the vehicle position mark on the display screen. Fix the screen at a predetermined position,
Scroll the map image as the vehicle moves,
By fixing the map image on the screen and moving the vehicle position mark, it is possible to see at a glance where the vehicle is currently traveling.

A map stored on a CD-ROM or the like is 1/1250
Depending on the scale level such as 0, 1/25000, 1/50000, 1/100000, etc., it is divided into longitude width and latitude width of appropriate size, roads etc. are vertices (nodes) expressed in latitude and longitude. Indicated by a set of coordinates. A road is formed by connecting two or more nodes, and a portion connecting the two nodes is called a link. Map data includes (1) road matching, road table for node search, node list, intersection configuration note list, intersection netlist, etc., road layers for route search, (2) roads, buildings, facilities, parks, Background layer for displaying rivers, etc., (3) Characters for displaying administrative division names such as municipal names, road names, building names, etc., characters for displaying map symbols, etc.
It is composed of a symbol layer and the like.

[0004] These navigation devices also calculate an optimal route from a departure place to a destination before departure, and calculate guide information according to the current position of the vehicle based on the optimal route after departure. Then, by sequentially displaying the guidance information according to the current position of the vehicle or by voice guidance,
Route guidance from the departure point to the destination is provided.

[0005] The form of the guidance includes an angle, a direction, and the like of the next road link to be turned with respect to the current road link.
Judge the distance to the intersection, according to / angle, / direction,
From the fixed voice guidance table, for example, "approximately 300M ahead / diagonal / left direction" or "approximately 100M ahead / front /
It is to the right. "And voice guidance from a speaker. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 6, right and left turn arrow display data is output, and an arrow is displayed at the corner of the display screen. Further, on a branch of the highway, a direction guide is displayed on the screen as shown in FIG.

[0006]

However, the route guidance by voice of the right / left turn information described above does not know at all where the driver is being guided, especially in an unfamiliar area. Had to give to. On the other hand, in the route guidance that displays a direction on the display screen, it is quite difficult for the driver to distinguish the direction in which the route is to be advanced and the direction in which the driver intends to proceed because the direction is displayed regardless of the road that branches. Met.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a navigation device that can eliminate a psychological anxiety even when driving in an unfamiliar area by guiding the direction and direction to be traveled by voice.

[0008]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a navigation apparatus that calculates a route by setting a destination and guides information on right / left turn branching to the destination. A current position calculating means for calculating the current position, a next right / left turn based on the route calculation, a distance determining means for determining whether the distance to the branch point has reached a predetermined value,
A guidance table consisting of a voice number based on the current link number and the destination link number, and voice guidance means for performing voice guidance including guidance direction guidance based on the current link number, the destination link number and the distance determination means, It is characterized by having.

According to the first aspect of the present invention having the above configuration, the following operation can be obtained. That is, when the vehicle approaches an intersection or a forked road after the route is set, the guidance table is referred to based on the relationship between the road link where the vehicle is currently located and the forked road link that is the target of the route guidance, and based on this, "go forward" Since the "guidance regarding the direction to be taken and the direction" is output as voice guidance, the direction to be proceeded can be recognized without looking at the screen, so that it is possible to concentrate on driving and to eliminate anxiety when guiding a route in an unfamiliar land.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a navigation device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Each function of the embodiment described below is realized by a predetermined mechanism or software controlling a computer and a peripheral device. The invention and the embodiments have been described assuming virtual circuit blocks such as ". Therefore, for each block, each hardware element or software element that realizes this does not correspond one-to-one.

[1. Configuration] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle-mounted navigation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a position detecting unit, which is constituted by, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, and detects the latitude / longitude of the current position of the vehicle, that is, position data, based on a signal received by the antenna 2. It has become. Reference numeral 3 denotes an azimuth detecting unit which detects a change in azimuth accompanying the traveling of the own vehicle, and is constituted by, for example, a geomagnetic sensor or a gyro. Reference numeral 4 denotes a speed detection unit for detecting the speed of the own vehicle.

A display unit 5 has a display screen such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display, and has an initial setting menu, a road map, a mark indicating the position of the vehicle, a recommended route, and the like on the display screen. Is displayed. Reference numeral 6 denotes an input unit, which comprises a key-in boat or the like, or a display unit 5
Is configured as a touch panel provided on the display screen. The input unit 6 allows the driver to set a destination and parameters required for route calculation (hereinafter, referred to as route mode) at the time of initial setting. Reference numeral 7 denotes a voice output unit which instructs a driver on a recommended route by voice. For example, when a vehicle approaches an intersection, a left turn or right turn instruction is notified by voice.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a CD-ROM, which stores map data including various road information such as intersection position data, and data such as a guide table for performing voice guidance for the area, which will be described later in detail.

First, the map data stored in the CD-ROM 8 is obtained by dividing a Japan road map into meshes, and road data consisting of a combination of nodes and links for each mesh unit, and background data of buildings and the like. . Here, a node is a point that divides a road into a number of sections, and a route connecting the nodes is a link. Each link is shown in Figure 3
As shown in the schematic diagram of the road link, each is assigned a unique number and managed. Here, an ID for specifying each road may be set and added to the map data as ID data.

[0015] On the other hand, a CD-ROM 8
Stores a guidance management table of voice data to be uttered with road link data, and voice data in which a guidance voice signal corresponding to the guidance management table is in a format suitable for a voice output device.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a CD-ROM control unit.
From the map data. 10 is a ROM,
Stores a route calculation program. Reference numeral 11 denotes an internal memory, a recommended route storage unit 12 for temporarily storing a recommended route calculated by a route calculating unit 27 described later, a high speed / toll road flag, a ramp flag, a SA / PA flag, and ramp coordinate data. Flag / data storage unit 1 for storing data
And 3.

The recommended route is constituted by data of a plurality of nodes separated from each other, that is, a plurality of nodes scattered from the current position to the destination. And
By connecting each node with multiple links,
A polygonal pseudo route can be obtained on the road constituting the recommended route. As mentioned above, CD-RO
When ID data is added to each road in the map data in M8, it is assumed that ID data is set for roads on the pseudo route.

Each of the flags is a flag for determining the current position of the own vehicle at the time of calculating the route. When the current position is on a highway / toll road, in a SA / PA parking lot, It is set corresponding to each case when the vehicle is on the road leading into PA. Further, the ramp coordinate data is data indicating the current position when the current position is on a road leading into SA / PA. When ID data is added to the road as described above, the ID data is also stored.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a nonvolatile memory, for example, an SR
It is configured by backing up AM with a battery or the like. The same data as the data in the flag / data storage unit 13 is set in the nonvolatile memory 14.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a control unit, which includes a map matching unit 25 including a map matching processing unit 21, a matching result determination unit 22, a flag / data setting unit 23, and a flag determination unit 24, an initial setting unit 26, and a route calculation unit. 27, and a route search unit 28 having the same. The map matching processing unit 22 collates the estimated position estimated from the azimuth data and the speed data detected by the azimuth detection unit 3 and the speed detection unit 4 with the positioning position detected by the position detection unit 1, A process is performed to match the current position of the vehicle to be displayed on the display screen with the road on the map. For example, with reference to a recommended route stored in the recommended route storage unit 12, the current position of the vehicle detected from the estimated position and the positioning position is matched with the above-described pseudo route.

Based on the result of the map matching by the map matching processing unit 21, the matching result determination unit 22 determines whether the current position of the vehicle is a highway / toll road, a road into SA / PA, or any other road. Is determined as matching. Flag / data setting unit 23
Is determined according to the determination result of the matching result determination unit 22 described above.
The highway / toll road flag, the SA / PA flag, and the ramp flag stored in the flag / data storage unit 13 are set and cleared. The flag / data setting unit 23 sets the highway / toll road flag when it is determined that the current position of the vehicle is on the highway / toll road, and sets the SA / PA when it is determined that the current position is on SA / PA. The / PA flag is set, and if it is determined that the vehicle is on the lead-in road, the ramp flag is set. Also, as a result of the above determination, when the current position of the own vehicle matches the entrance road to SA / PA, the coordinates of the current position are used as lamp coordinate data in the flag / data storage unit 1.
Remember in 3. Further, the flag / data setting unit 23 stores the state of each flag and the lamp coordinate data set in the flag / data storage unit 13 in the nonvolatile memory 144.

The flag determination unit 24 determines whether the highway / toll road flag and the ramp flag set in the flag / data storage unit 13 are set. In addition, the initial setting unit 26 causes the display unit 5 to display a road map or the like for setting a destination via the user interface unit 30. When the driver sets a destination using the input unit 6, the destination is set in the route calculation unit 27. When the power is turned on from the power-off state, the initial setting unit 26
Each flag and lamp coordinate data stored in the nonvolatile memory 14 are read out and set in the flag / data storage unit 13.

The route calculation unit 27 calculates a recommended route based on a route calculation program stored in the ROM 10. That is, based on the current position detected by the position detection unit 1 and the azimuth detection unit 3 and the destination input by the driver, the current position is set as the start node and the destination is set as the end node with reference to the map memory. Then, using a parameter corresponding to the route mode set by the driver as a condition, a recommended route from the start node to the end node is calculated based on, for example, the Dijkstra method or the like. In addition, the route calculation unit 27
Prior to the calculation of the recommended route, it is determined whether or not the SA / PA flag is set by referring to the flag / data storage unit 13. If the SA / PA flag is not set, the route is calculated as it is. On the other hand, if it is set, the CPU reads out the lamp coordinate data stored in the flag / data storage unit 13 and performs a route calculation using the lamp coordinates as the start point node.

Numeral 31 indicates the current position of the vehicle obtained from the position detecting unit 1, the map data obtained from the CD-ROM 8, and the route searched by the route searching unit 28. In this case, the guidance information processing unit extracts the right / left turn display data and the direction voice guidance information from the guidance table in the CD-ROM 8 based on the current road link and the next road link, and outputs the data to the user interface unit 30. .

[2. Operation and Effect] The operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to the drawings shown in FIGS.

Now, it is assumed that the vehicle is traveling on the road with the link number X shown in FIG. Then, it is assumed that the route is calculated by the route search unit 28 in FIG. 1 so as to proceed on the road of the road link number x → x + 1 → x + 2. On the other hand, the guidance management table stored in the CD-ROM 8 has a content that, as shown in FIG. 5, which voice is uttered when proceeding from which road link to which road link. In the example of the figure, when going from x + 1 to x + 2, the 100th voice is uttered. Alternatively, when going from x + 1 to x + 3, it is defined as uttering the 101st voice.

First, when the vehicle is traveling on the road with the link number x in FIG. 4 and goes to read the road number in accordance with the flow chart of FIG. 2, the road traveling with the number x is determined (step 60).
1). Subsequently, the management table is read, and it is determined whether there is a corresponding road number (step 602). In this case, nothing is performed because there is no corresponding road number in the management table.

Next, when the vehicle arrives at the road number x + 1 and goes to read the road number at step 601 in FIG. 2, it is determined that the vehicle is traveling on the road of the number x + 1. Similarly, when the management table is read in step 602, there is a corresponding road number.
Proceed to 3. Then, in step 603, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle position is in a place to be guided. In this case, the point at which the voice is uttered is set within 1 km of the branch point, but this value may be any value that seems appropriate. Subsequently, if it is determined in step 603 that the vehicle is within 1 km of the branch point, the process proceeds to step 604, in which it is determined in step 604 whether voice output has already been performed while the vehicle is traveling on the current road. Although not shown, branching / turning left / right is displayed until the vehicle passes a junction or an intersection from this timing, or until the traveling road escapes from the route. Next, in step 604, if the voice has not been output yet, the destination link is read (step 60).
5) The voice numbers corresponding to the current road number and the destination link number are read from the guidance table (step 60).
6) Then, the audio signal of the address corresponding to the audio number is reproduced from the CD-ROM 8 and output to the audio output unit 7 in FIG.

After that, when returning to step 601,
The process proceeds to steps 602, 603, and 604 in sequence, but since the voice has already been output in step 605, the same voice is not uttered many times.

[3. Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but also includes the following other embodiments. That is, the medium for storing the map data and the guidance table is not limited to the CD-ROM, but may be an IC card, a DVD, or the like. Further, if the voice for guiding the direction is matched with the signboard installed on the actual road, the guidance is more effective.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a vehicle is approaching an intersection or a branch road after setting a route, the link between the road link where the vehicle is currently located and the branch road link subject to route guidance is determined. The guide table is referred to from the relationship, and based on this, "guidance regarding the direction and direction to go" is output as voice guidance, so that the direction to go can be recognized without looking at the screen, and it is possible to concentrate on driving and Ease of anxiety during route guidance on land can be eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for detecting entry into a parking lot according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a road link in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining route guidance near a junction in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a voice data guidance management table and voice numbers according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing conventional route guidance using voice and arrows.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining a conventional direction display.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Position detection part 2 ... Antenna 3 ... Direction detection part 4 ... Speed detection part 5 ... Display part 6 ... Input part 7 ... Audio output part 8 ... CD-ROM 9 ... CD-ROM control part 10 ... ROM 11 ... Internal memory DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Recommended road storage part 13 Flag / data storage part 14 ... Non-volatile memory 20 ... Control part 21 ... Map matching processing part 22 ... Matching determination part 23 ... Flag / data setting part 24 Flag determination part 25 ... Map matching part 26 ... Initial setting unit 27: Route calculation unit 28: Route search unit 31: Guidance information processing unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A navigation device that calculates a route by setting a destination and guides the right / left turn / branch information to the destination, a current position calculating means for calculating a current position, and a next right / left turn / branch based on the route calculation. Distance determining means for determining whether the distance to the point has reached a predetermined value; a guidance table comprising voice numbers based on the current link number and the destination link number; a current link number, a destination link number and a distance An in-vehicle navigation device comprising: voice guidance means for performing voice guidance including guidance for guidance based on the determination means.