JPH116740A - Path-guiding device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a path-guiding device for a vehicle that efficiently perform rerouting processing for reducing the operation load of the device itself based on the latest traffic information related to a calculated recommendation movement path, and at the same time can perform the positive rerouting. SOLUTION: A controlling device 14 recognizes the position of an own vehicle based on information from a sensor 18 or a GPS receiver 20 and calculates a recommended movement path from a current position to an objective. Also, the controlling device 14 calculates the distance between a position that is the nearest to the position of the own vehicle on the recommended movement path and has poor traffic conditions and the position of the own vehicle, based on traffic information being obtained by an information-acquiring device 12, at the same time, a rerouting area is set at the own vehicle side in reference to the above position with poor traffic conditions, and the rerouting processing of the path is performed, based on the result where the distance is compared with the rerouting area only when the own vehicle enters the rerouting area.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle route guidance apparatus, and more particularly to an improvement of a dynamic route guidance (DRGS) for re-searching a moving route in response to a change in traffic information obtained from outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, VICS (Vehicle Informa)
(Traffic Communication System) to obtain traffic information such as link travel time from the information center, and to reach the destination in the shortest time based on this traffic information (recommended)
A dynamic route guidance system (DRGS) that searches for a moving route and provides the route to a driver has been proposed. In such a system, the driver recognizes a moving route and various information provided by the system by a display or voice guidance, and performs a driving operation in accordance with the route guidance information, thereby providing a more comfortable and less fatigued driving. It can be performed.

[0003] By the way, since the information provided to such a system changes every moment, even if a travel route to a destination is searched based on traffic information at a certain time, the travel along the travel route is not possible. With the acquisition of new information (for example, accident information and regulation information), the current travel route may not be effective. For this purpose, the system automatically re-searches for a new travel route when acquiring new traffic information affecting the travel route, and always drives the best recommended travel route based on the latest information. Some have a function to provide to the user. Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-209005 discloses a recommended route guidance device that executes the re-search processing only when a change in traffic information (change in traffic condition) on a moving route is large. In addition, this apparatus limits the timing of starting the re-search, so that the re-search is not started excessively for traffic information that changes every moment, thereby reducing the calculation load of the apparatus itself.

[0004]

However, the re-searching process of the moving route by each of the devices described above starts the re-searching when a large change in traffic condition occurs on the moving route. There is a possibility that a re-search process is performed for a change in the traffic condition that has occurred at a position far from the position. In this case, the traffic condition is improved before the vehicle arrives at the traffic condition change point (deterioration point), route guidance on the recommended travel route calculated first becomes possible, and the re-search process itself is meaningless. There is a problem that it becomes something.

[0005] Further, when re-searching is performed when a change in traffic conditions occurs within a predetermined range from the position of the own vehicle, there is a case where there is no way to detour already when the change in traffic conditions is recognized. Re-search may not be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and a re-search process is efficiently performed based on the latest traffic information on a moving route to reduce the operation load of the apparatus itself. It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle route guidance device capable of performing a reliable re-search.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an information acquiring means for acquiring traffic information, a position acquiring means for acquiring a current position of a vehicle, Route search means for searching for a movement route from a current position to a destination based on traffic information; extraction means for extracting a traffic condition deterioration position existing on the movement route and closest to the current position; Re-search means for re-searching a moving route based on a traffic condition that has deteriorated when entering a predetermined area in front of the traffic condition deterioration position; and guidance means for performing route guidance based on the searched moving route. Features.

Here, the information acquisition means acquires information from various information providing centers in addition to an optical beacon, a radio beacon, an FM multiplex broadcast provided on the roadside. Further, the predetermined area in the front is, for example, several hundred meters when there are many detours such as an urban area or a residential area, and when there are few detours such as an expressway or a suburban road, It is several kilometers. Further, the deterioration of the traffic condition is, for example, occurrence of traffic congestion or expansion of the traffic congestion range.

According to this configuration, the route re-search for avoiding the traffic condition is performed only when the vehicle arrives at the predetermined area immediately before the point where the traffic condition is deteriorated. The operation load of itself is reduced, and efficient re-search processing is performed. In addition, since the re-search process is performed based on the latest traffic information generated at the position closest to the own vehicle, a highly reliable re-search process can be performed.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the configuration of the present invention is the above-mentioned apparatus, wherein the extracting means compares the link cost acquired initially on the moving route with the link cost based on the latest traffic information. It is characterized by extracting the deterioration of the traffic condition by using

Here, the link cost refers to the time required to divide a road into predetermined units (for example, each intersection) and to pass through the predetermined unit of road, the number of lanes of the road, the road shape, and the like. It shows the ease of the road.

According to this configuration, it is possible to easily grasp whether or not the traffic condition of the searched route has deteriorated, and it is possible to perform a quick and efficient re-search process.

[0013] In order to achieve the above object, the configuration of the present invention is characterized in that, in the device, the predetermined area is set to include a detour before the traffic condition deterioration position.

Here, the detour is an intersection connected to a road that can reach the destination in front of the traffic situation deteriorating position, and the road is a road completely different from the original search route. , Or a road that returns to the search route and arrives at the destination, bypassing only the traffic condition deteriorating position. When the detour is a road for stopping the use of a highway or a toll road, or a road for using the detour, the detour is a road including an entrance in front of a traffic condition deterioration position.

According to this configuration, it is possible to perform a re-search process for reliably avoiding a position where the traffic condition deteriorates immediately before.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle route guidance device 10 according to the present embodiment. The information acquisition device 12 acquires information necessary for route guidance such as traffic information and facility information by communicating with an optical beacon or a radio beacon provided on the roadside. Specifically, detailed traffic information of a forward 10 km radius is acquired from an optical beacon, and traffic information of an expressway or a road belonging thereto is acquired from a radio beacon. The traffic information includes a degree of congestion of each link (a reference unit obtained by dividing a road according to a predetermined rule, for example, a unit divided at each intersection), a travel time (required travel time) for each link, and an accident or construction. This is regulation information such as closing roads and closing entrances such as expressways, and the degree of congestion is represented by a plurality of evaluation levels (for example, congestion, congestion, and vacancy).
The information acquisition device 12 also receives traffic information and facility information transmitted by FM multiplex broadcasting. This information is wide area information in the FM reception area. Further, the information acquisition device 1
2 can obtain various information by communicating with a predetermined information providing center using a communication means such as a mobile phone.

The obtained information is transmitted via the control device 14
The information is transferred to the data storage device 16 and stored mainly on information relating to the destination to which the vehicle will travel. The control device 14 includes a control unit that performs overall control of the vehicle route guidance device 10, a route search unit that performs a route search, and an extraction unit that extracts specific traffic information (deteriorated position described later) from the acquired information. And a guidance processing unit that performs guidance based on the searched recommended travel route. The data storage device 16 has map data including a map display link and a route search link therein, guide data for performing facility and road guidance, and traffic information (traffic congestion) received by the information acquisition device 12. Information, traffic regulation information, etc.) are divided and stored.

The control device 14 is connected to various sensors 18 such as a wheel speed sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and a gyro.
And the GPS receiver 20 is connected,
GPS information is received from GPS satellites. The control device 14 receives information from the sensor 18 and a GPS receiver 20.
The current position (absolute position based on latitude and longitude) of the vehicle is specified by comparing and comparing the information from the vehicle with the map data in the data storage device 16.

Further, an output device 22 such as a display device or a speaker is connected to the control device 14, and outputs various information such as map data display, information for route guidance and facility guidance, and traffic information in the form of video and audio. Presented to the user. In addition, an input device 24 such as a keyboard, a joystick, and a microphone is connected to the control device 14 to input a destination and conditions of various arithmetic processing. Note that the input device 24 may be a touch switch incorporated in the display of the output device 22.

When the control device 14 actually operates,
The route search unit included in the control device 14 reads out the route search link stored in the data storage device 16 and takes the traffic information input from the information acquisition device 12 into consideration in order to reach the destination in the shortest time. To explore. At this time, for a link for which no traffic information is obtained among the route search links, a calculation for estimating the traffic information of a link having no information is performed based on the link from which the traffic information is obtained. The travel route obtained by the search is displayed on the display of the output device 22 as a recommended travel route to the destination. Further, the control device 14 outputs the route guidance and the information accompanying the route guidance by voice from the speaker of the output device 22. At the time of departure of the own vehicle, since traffic information from beacons or the like is not obtained, only the information obtained by FM multiplex broadcasting or the like or the shortest course without considering traffic information is calculated as the first recommended travel route. .

The characteristic feature of this embodiment is that when a recommended travel route is calculated once and then re-searched for a recommended travel route in consideration of traffic information that can be sequentially received, the closest travel route to the own vehicle is obtained. The necessity of starting the re-search is determined based on the traffic information.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the timing of starting the re-search. Normally, when the route search unit of the control device 14 obtains the current position O of the vehicle and the destination D, as described above, the route search unit stored in the data storage device 16 and using the route search link to reach the destination. The shortest course is calculated as the recommended movement route R and is displayed on the display of the output device 22. Note that the current position O may be input using the input device 24 in the case of a departure point, or may be automatically input based on information from the GPS receiver 20 or various sensors 18. The destination is input by an input device 24 such as a keyboard or a microphone.

Next, the re-search processing of the recommended movement route R will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 and the subsequent explanatory diagrams. The re-search processing is performed by the control device 1
The search may be performed by the route search unit that first calculated the recommended movement route R in step 4, or may be performed by a separately provided re-search processing unit.
In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the same route search unit performs a re-search.

When the route guidance device 10 starts operating, the route search section of the control device 14 determines the starting position (the current position of the vehicle) and the destination position (if traffic information is available, the traffic information is considered). To calculate the recommended moving route R (S10).
0), route guidance based on the calculated recommended movement route R is performed (S101). The extraction unit of the control device 14 constantly monitors traffic information obtained from the information acquisition device 12 at the same time,
It is determined whether or not there is a portion where the traffic condition has deteriorated on the previously calculated recommended movement route R (S102). Here, whether or not the traffic condition has deteriorated is recognized by comparing the link cost on the recommended travel route R acquired earlier with the link cost of the recommended travel route R based on the latest traffic information. The link cost is obtained by comprehensively evaluating the time, the number of lanes, the road shape, and the like required to divide a road into predetermined units (for example, at each intersection) and to pass through the road in the predetermined unit. It indicates ease of passage. Specifically, in order to go through any link in the first situation,
Minutes, while the latest traffic information requires 20 minutes to go through the same link,
Judge that the traffic situation has deteriorated. Note that the link transit time in the link cost in the first situation is a necessary time when the vehicle travels at the standard speed without traffic congestion.

In (S102), when no deterioration of the traffic condition is recognized on the previously calculated recommended travel route R, that is, when there is no update of the traffic information, or when there is no change in the content even if it is updated. Performs route guidance based on the previously calculated recommended movement route R, and continuously monitors for deterioration (S101 to S102). On the other hand, when the deterioration of the traffic condition is recognized, the extracting unit sequentially sets the deterioration positions S0, S1, S2,... Sn from the traffic condition deterioration position closer to the own vehicle position C as shown in FIG. While setting
From the own vehicle position C to the deteriorated positions S0, S1, S2,... Sn
The distances d0, d1, d2,... Dn are set (S1).
03). Furthermore, the closest deteriorated position S0 from the vehicle position C
A re-search area L is set as a predetermined area where the re-search is started from the last part of the search (S104). The re-search area L is a range including a road detouring around the deteriorating position S0 and a range in which the time required for the route search unit of the control device 14 to complete the re-search is considered. For example, the distance is determined according to the traveling speed of the vehicle.
This re-search area L is, for example, several hundred meters when there are many detours such as an urban area or a residential area, and there are few entrances for detours and detours such as highways and suburban roads. In this case, the distance is, for example, several kilometers.

Then, the route search section compares the distance d0 to the deteriorated position S0 with the re-search area L, and determines whether or not the own vehicle has entered the re-search area L (S10).
5). If d0 ≦ L is not satisfied, that is, as shown in FIG. 2, if the own vehicle position C does not enter the re-search area L in the state of d0> L, the position where the traffic condition is deteriorated is still the own vehicle. Since it is far from the position, it is determined that re-search of the route is not necessary, the re-search process is suspended, and the process returns to (S101) to perform the route guidance based on the previously calculated recommended travel route R and continue to reduce the traffic condition. A determination is made as to whether the condition has deteriorated.
If there is a change between the deterioration situation of the traffic situation in the previous judgment (S102) and the current deterioration situation (when the deterioration progresses or improves), the deterioration positions S0, S
, Sn are reset, but if there is no change, that is, if the information has not been updated from the previous traffic information (information indicating deterioration of the traffic situation), (S10
In 3), only the distances d0, d1, d2,... Dn to the deteriorated positions S0, S1, S2,. The re-search area L also uses the previous set value.

On the other hand, in (105), when d0 ≦ L, that is, when the own vehicle position C enters the re-search area L as shown in FIG. Using the detour, from the vehicle position C to the destination position D
Of the new recommended moving route R _NEW leading to (S10)
6). This re-search processing is performed by a known method based on the traffic information that has deteriorated the traffic situation. At this time, the re-search route includes all the deteriorated positions S0, S1, and S as shown in FIG.
2,... Sn may be calculated, or the calculation may be performed so as to avoid only the deteriorated position S0 that has triggered the re-search. The new recommended moving route R _NEW is, by presenting the case to avoid all the case to avoid the only worse position S0, may be allowed to select the driver, you set how to choose in advance And may be automatically selected.

When the new recommended travel route R _NEW is determined, the new recommended travel route R _NEW is replaced with the recommended travel route R (S10).
7). Then, returning to (S101), based on the recommended movement route R after replacement, (S101) to (S107).
Is repeated.

FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of FIG. 3 during the processing of (S101) to (S105), that is,
While determining whether or not the own vehicle has entered the re-search area L, the initially recognized deteriorated position of the traffic condition is eliminated (S0 in FIG. 4 indicated by a broken line S in the figure), and FIG. In (S103) of the flowchart of FIG. 3, a state in which the deteriorated positions S0, S1, S2,... Sn are newly set is shown. In this case, the re-search is suspended until the vehicle enters the re-search area L based on the newly set deteriorated position S0. In this way, the worse location (congestion, accident,
Even if the construction is canceled during the traveling, efficient processing can be performed without unnecessary re-searching. FIG. 6 further shows the deteriorating positions S0, S1, S of the traffic situation.
2,... Sn are eliminated one after another during running,
Although the worsened traffic situation temporarily appeared on the recommended route that was initially searched, it was resolved one after another while running. The case where the movement of the vehicle to the target position D is completed without performing the search processing is shown.

Further, in the case of FIG. 7, it is determined in the flowchart of FIG. 3 during the processing of (S101) to (S105), that is, whether or not the own vehicle has entered the re-search area L. In the meantime, the position S0 where the traffic condition deteriorates initially recognized further worsens, and the worse position S0 spreads to the own vehicle position C side. FIG. 8 is an example in which a new deteriorated position (traffic jam or the like) occurs further on the own vehicle position C side than the deteriorated position shown in FIG. Also in these cases, in (S103) of the flowchart of FIG. 3, only the set position of the deteriorating position S0 and the distance d0 to the deteriorating position S0 are corrected and set, and the own vehicle moves to the re-search area L based on the corrected deteriorating position S0. Until the vehicle enters, the re-search is suspended and the deteriorated position S
Only when the own vehicle enters the re-search area L based on 0, the re-search for the recommended route for avoiding the bad position S0 is performed. Further, the example shown in FIG. 9 is an example in which a new deteriorating position (traffic jam or the like) occurs immediately before the own vehicle position C, and the re-search processing is immediately performed.

As described above, since the start of the re-search process is determined by whether or not the own vehicle has entered the re-search area L based on the traffic situation deterioration position S 0 closest to the own vehicle position C. A route guidance device that is generated at an extremely distant position and that does not start re-searching for a route that may become useless in the future due to worsening traffic conditions that may be resolved by the time the vehicle arrives at that position is eliminated. 10 can reduce the operation load. In addition, since the re-search process is performed based on the latest traffic information generated at the position closest to the vehicle, the re-search process is performed with high reliability to efficiently avoid the position where the traffic condition deteriorates. The searched recommended travel route can be provided to the driver.

On ordinary roads and the like, there are enough detours, and the value of the re-search area L is several hundred meters to several kilometers as described above.
On a highway, a local road, or a road such as a mountainous area, since there are few detours, it is necessary to set the re-search area L in consideration of the presence or absence of a detour. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the setting of the re-search area L in consideration of the detour. As shown in FIG. 10, the re-search area L includes a distance L 1 from the deteriorating position S 0 with respect to the own vehicle position to an intersection P with the nearest detour R 0 and a distance L 0 required for the re-search from the intersection P. The added distance L (L0 + L1) is defined as the re-search area. If the current road is a road with an exit, such as an expressway or a toll road, and you descend on a general road to bypass the deteriorating point S0, the exit will be an intersection P with the detour. If the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling is a general road and enters an expressway or toll road to bypass the deteriorating point S0,
The entrance becomes an intersection P with the detour. The comparison between the distance d0 from the vehicle position C to the deteriorating point S0 and the re-search area L is performed in the same manner according to the processing of the flowchart shown in FIG.

Thus, the deteriorating point S with respect to the own vehicle position
By determining the re-search area L in consideration of the distance L1 from 0 to the intersection P with the nearest detour R0 and the distance L0 required for the re-search from the intersection P, the re-search of the route is minimized. It is possible to reduce the operation load on the control device and the like, and to perform an efficient re-search process for surely avoiding the deteriorated point S0 based on the latest traffic information.

In this embodiment, the value of the re-search area L and the value between the own vehicle position C and the deteriorating point S0 are shown as distances. However, if the two values can be compared. Anything may be used, and the same effect can be obtained, for example, by comparing with time.

[0036]

According to the present invention, the route re-search for avoiding the traffic condition is performed only when the vehicle arrives at the predetermined area immediately before the point where the traffic condition has deteriorated, so that the number of times of re-search is reduced. Since the operation load of the device itself is reduced, efficient re-search processing is performed, and re-search processing is performed based on the latest traffic information generated at the position closest to the vehicle, so reliability is improved. High re-search processing can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where a re-search is suspended in a re-search process of the vehicle route guidance device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a re-search process of the vehicle route guidance device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where a re-search is performed in the re-search process of the vehicle route guidance device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where a traffic condition is improved and the re-search processing is suspended in the re-search processing of the vehicle route guidance device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where the traffic condition is further improved and the re-search processing is suspended in the re-search processing of the vehicle route guidance device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where the traffic condition is deteriorated in the re-search processing of the vehicle route guidance device according to the embodiment of the present invention, but the re-search processing is suspended.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case in which the re-search processing of the vehicle route guidance device according to the embodiment of the present invention deteriorates the traffic condition, but the re-search processing is suspended.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where the traffic condition is deteriorated and the re-search processing is performed in the re-search processing of the vehicle route guidance device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the setting of a re-search area when a detour is considered on a highway or the like in the re-search processing of the vehicle route guidance device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 vehicle route guidance device, 12 information acquisition device, 14
Control device, 16 data storage device, 18 sensors, 2
0 GPS receiver, 22 output devices, 24 input devices.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An information obtaining means for obtaining traffic information, a position obtaining means for obtaining a current position of a vehicle, a route searching means for searching a moving route from a current position to a destination based on the traffic information, Extracting means for extracting a traffic condition deterioration position existing on the movement route and closest to the current position; and a movement route based on the traffic condition deteriorated when the vehicle enters a predetermined area in front of the traffic condition deterioration position. A route guidance device for a vehicle, comprising: re-search means for performing a re-search; and guidance means for performing route guidance based on a searched travel route. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said extracting means extracts a deterioration in traffic condition by comparing the link cost obtained initially on the moving route with the link cost based on the latest traffic information. Vehicle route guidance device. 3. The vehicle route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined area is set to include a detour in front of the traffic condition deterioration position.