JP2006250659A - Navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a positioning error when detecting a position by an autonomous navigation. <P>SOLUTION: This navigation device is equipped with an autonomous navigation sensor 5 for detecting the azimuth variation and the moving distance of a vehicle, a vehicle position calculation part 20 for calculating the vehicle position by accumulating the detected azimuth variation and moving distance, an advancement detection part 7 for detecting that the vehicle advances into a specific facility, a traveling locus recording part 24 for recording a traveling locus of the vehicle after detecting advancement into the specific facility, a same locus traveling determination part 26 for determining whether the vehicle travels repeatedly on the same traveling locus or not based on the recorded traveling locus, and a vehicle position correction part 22 for correcting the vehicle position calculated by the vehicle position calculation part 20 corresponding to the traveling locus after the second circuit, in accordance with the traveling locus of the first circuit, when determined that the vehicle travels repeatedly on the same traveling locus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device using an orientation sensor.

In many navigation apparatuses, GPS navigation and autonomous navigation are used in combination, and it is possible to perform position detection with high accuracy by compensating for the shortcomings of mutual navigation. However, in indoor facilities such as underground parking lots and multi-story parking lots, it is difficult to receive radio waves from GPS satellites, so that the vehicle position detection using only autonomous navigation is performed. When such a turn is repeated in an indoor facility, angular errors of gyro sensors used for autonomous navigation accumulate. As a conventional technique for reducing such cumulative error, there is known a method of correcting the current traveling direction according to the road direction of the nearby map data when it is detected that the vehicle has moved linearly in the indoor facility. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-318122 A (page 3-5, FIG. 1-5)

  By the way, in the error correction method disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, it is possible to prevent the accumulation of heading errors in the parking lot, but the direction of the road in the parking lot is not parallel to the direction of the road in the map data. However, there is a problem that the correction error itself cannot be eliminated. For example, if the direction of the road on the map and the direction of the road in the parking lot have a predetermined angle, even if there is almost no heading error when driving on the road in the parking lot Since the direction is corrected so that the vehicle is traveling parallel to the road on the map, the positioning error is increased.

  The present invention has been created in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation apparatus that can reduce positioning errors when position detection is performed by autonomous navigation.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a navigation device according to the present invention includes an autonomous navigation sensor that detects an azimuth change amount and a movement distance of a vehicle, and an accumulation of an azimuth change amount and a movement distance detected by the autonomous navigation sensor. Vehicle position calculation means for calculating the position, entry detection means for detecting that the vehicle has entered the specific facility, and travel for recording the vehicle travel locus after the entry detection means has detected that the vehicle has entered the specific facility The trajectory recording means, the same trajectory travel determining means for judging whether or not the vehicle is repeatedly traveling on the same travel trajectory based on the travel trajectory recorded by the travel trajectory recording means, and the same trajectory travel determining means When it is determined that the vehicle is repeatedly traveling on the same traveling locus, the vehicle position calculation means calculates the traveling locus for the second and subsequent laps. The vehicle position in accordance with the travel locus of the first lap and a position correcting means for correcting that. Even when traveling with a positioning error of an autonomous navigation sensor, especially a azimuth error due to a gyro or the like, such as when traveling around a specific facility, it should be consistent with the traveling trajectory of the first lap. Since the travel positions for the second and subsequent rounds are corrected, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of cumulative errors, and it is possible to reduce positioning errors when position detection is performed by autonomous navigation.

  In addition, it is desirable that the shape of the travel locus to be determined whether or not the vehicle is repeatedly traveled by the same trajectory travel determination unit described above is a circular shape other than a circular shape. As a result, it becomes possible to minimize the angle error when detecting the travel position along the travel trajectory from the second round onward, and the positioning error related to the bearing can be reduced.

  The specific facility described above is preferably an indoor parking lot. Thereby, even in an indoor parking lot where GPS navigation cannot be used, a positioning error when positioning is performed only by autonomous navigation can be reduced.

The vehicle further comprises an exit detection means for detecting that the vehicle has exited the specific facility,
It is desirable that the travel locus recording means keeps a record of the travel locus of at least the first round until it is detected that the exit detection means has exited the specific facility. Thereby, the positioning error by the autonomous navigation sensor can be reliably reduced until the user leaves the specific facility.

  Further, it is desirable that the above-described travel locus recording means retains the travel locus of the first round regardless of whether the engine mounted on the vehicle is rotating or whether the ignition switch is disconnected. In this way, the state where the positioning error by the autonomous navigation sensor is reduced is maintained even after the driver leaves the vehicle by starting the engine or removing the ignition key in a specific facility and then starts driving the vehicle again. Can do.

  Hereinafter, a navigation device according to an embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a navigation device according to an embodiment mounted on a vehicle. The navigation device shown in FIG. 1 includes a navigation controller 1, a DVD 2, a disk reader 3, a GPS receiver 4, an autonomous navigation sensor 5, a display device 6, an entry detection unit 7, and an exit detection unit 8.

  The navigation controller 1 controls the overall operation of the navigation device. The navigation controller 1 realizes its function by executing a predetermined operation program using a CPU, ROM, RAM, or the like. The detailed configuration of the navigation controller 1 will be described later.

  The DVD 2 is an information recording medium that stores map data necessary for map display, facility search, route search, and the like. This DVD 2 stores map data in units of rectangular figure leaves divided into appropriate sizes by longitude and latitude. The map data of each leaf can be specified and read by designating the leaf number.

  The disc reader 3 can be loaded with one or more DVDs 2 and reads map data from any of the DVDs 2 under the control of the navigation controller 1. The loaded disc is not necessarily a DVD but may be a CD. Further, both DVD and CD may be selectively loaded.

  The GPS receiver 4 receives radio waves transmitted from a plurality of GPS satellites, performs a three-dimensional positioning process or a two-dimensional positioning process, calculates the absolute position and direction of the vehicle, and outputs these together with the positioning time. . The autonomous navigation sensor 5 includes an angle sensor such as a vibrating gyroscope that detects a change amount of the vehicle rotation angle, and a vehicle speed sensor that outputs a pulse for each predetermined travel distance, and detects the amount of change in direction of the vehicle and the movement distance. To do. The display device 6 displays various images such as a map image around the own vehicle position and an intersection guide image based on the drawing data output from the navigation controller 1.

  The entry detection unit 7 detects that the vehicle has entered an indoor parking lot (an underground parking lot or a three-dimensional parking lot) as a specific facility. Any method may be adopted as a detection method. For example, when an ETC antenna is installed near the entrance of a parking lot, and an ETC on-board device is installed in the vehicle, communication between the ETC antenna and the ETC on-board device allows the vehicle to enter the parking lot. The case where it detects is considered. In addition, the voice output from the ticketing machine provided at the entrance of the parking lot is analyzed by voice recognition processing to detect that the vehicle has entered the parking lot, or the “parking lot provided at the entrance of the parking lot” You may make it detect that it entered the parking lot by photographing the character of "entrance" or "ticketing machine" with a camera, and performing character recognition. Or, most simply, when an occupant of the vehicle operates an operation unit (not shown) provided in the navigation device, it may be detected that the entry detection unit 7 has entered the parking lot.

  The exit detection unit 8 detects that the vehicle has left the indoor parking lot as a specific facility. As with the approach detection unit 7, any detection method may be employed. For example, when an ETC antenna is installed near the exit of a parking lot and an ETC in-vehicle device is installed in the vehicle, communication between the ETC antenna and the ETC in-vehicle device causes the vehicle to leave the parking lot. The case where it detects is considered. In addition, the voice output from the settlement machine provided at the exit of the parking lot is analyzed by voice recognition processing to detect that it has left the parking lot, or the “parking lot provided at the exit of the parking lot” You may make it detect having withdrawn from the parking lot by photographing the character of "exit" or "settlement machine" with a camera and performing character recognition. Or when the passenger of a vehicle operates the operation part with which the navigation apparatus was equipped, you may make it detect that the exit detection part 8 left the parking lot.

  Next, a detailed configuration of the navigation controller 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation controller 1 includes a map buffer 10, a map readout control unit 12, a map drawing unit 14, a vehicle position calculation unit 20, a vehicle position correction unit 22, a travel locus recording unit 24, and a same locus travel determination unit. 26, the display processing unit 30 is included.

  The map buffer 10 temporarily stores map data read from the DVD 2 by the disk reader 3. The map reading control unit 12 outputs a request for reading a predetermined range of map data to the disk reading device 3 in accordance with the vehicle position calculated by the vehicle position calculating unit 20. Based on the map data stored in the map buffer 10, the map drawing unit 14 performs drawing processing necessary to display a map image and creates map image drawing data.

  The vehicle position calculation unit 20 calculates the vehicle position based on detection data output from the GPS receiver 4 and the autonomous navigation sensor 5. When it is difficult to calculate the vehicle position by GPS navigation using the GPS receiver 4 in an indoor parking lot or the like, the vehicle position is calculated by accumulating the directional change amount and the moving distance detected by the autonomous navigation sensor 5. The

  The vehicle position correction unit 22 corrects the vehicle position calculated by the vehicle position calculation unit 20. For example, as is conventionally done, when the vehicle position calculated by the vehicle position calculation unit 20 is not on the road on the map, it is based on the road shape on the map and the actual travel locus of the vehicle. Map matching processing for correcting the vehicle position is performed. In the present embodiment, the vehicle position correction unit 22 performs a specific matching operation in a specific facility in addition to such normal map matching. A portion 26 is provided.

  The traveling locus recording unit 24 receives the vehicle position calculated by the vehicle position calculating unit 20 and records the traveling locus of the vehicle after the entry detecting unit 7 detects that the vehicle has entered the specific facility. . For example, the vehicle position corresponding to a position with a constant distance and a large azimuth change amount is recorded. In the travel locus recording unit 24, at least the first track of the travel locus is recorded until the exit detection unit 8 detects that the vehicle has exited the specific facility. In addition, the traveling locus recording unit 24 maintains the traveling locus of the first lap regardless of whether the engine mounted on the vehicle is rotating or whether an ignition switch (not shown) is disconnected.

  The same trajectory travel determination unit 26 determines whether or not the vehicle is repeatedly traveling on the same travel trajectory based on the travel trajectory recorded by the travel trajectory recording unit 24. The shape of the traveling locus that is the object of determination as to whether or not the same locus traveling determination unit 26 is traveling repeatedly may be any shape other than a circular shape. This is because, in the case of a circular shape, the exact start point and end point position (position where one round has ended) of the circular shape cannot be determined due to the direction detection error of the autonomous navigation sensor 5. On the other hand, in the case of a circular shape other than a circle, the position of the start point and the end point can be accurately determined, so that it is possible to correct the azimuth detection error.

  The vehicle position correction unit 22 described above calculates the vehicle position in accordance with the travel trajectories for the second and subsequent laps when it is determined by the same trajectory travel determination unit 26 that the vehicle travels repeatedly on the same travel trajectory. A special matching operation is performed to correct the vehicle position calculated by the unit 20 in accordance with the traveling locus of the first round.

  The above-described entry detection unit 7 is an entry detection unit, the exit detection unit 8 is an exit detection unit, the vehicle position calculation unit 20 is a vehicle position calculation unit, the traveling locus recording unit 24 is a traveling locus recording unit, and the same locus traveling determination is performed. The unit 26 corresponds to the same locus traveling determination unit, and the vehicle position correction unit 22 corresponds to the position correction unit.

  The navigation device of this embodiment has such a configuration, and the operation thereof will be described next. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the navigation apparatus, and shows an operation procedure related to vehicle position correction from entering the indoor parking lot of the specific facility until exiting. Regardless of whether or not there is an entrance to the indoor parking lot, vehicle position calculation operation based on detection data of the GPS receiver 4 and the autonomous navigation sensor 5 or vehicle position correction operation such as normal map matching is performed. In parallel with these operations, the following specific vehicle position correcting operation in the indoor parking lot is started.

  The traveling locus recording unit 24 determines whether or not the entry detection unit 7 has detected entry into the indoor parking lot as the specific facility (step 100), and the host vehicle has not entered the indoor parking lot. A negative determination is made and this determination is repeated. When the vehicle enters the indoor parking lot, an affirmative determination is made in the determination of step 100, and the vehicle position correction unit 22 performs a normal map matching operation for correcting the vehicle position according to the road shape on the map. Disable (step 101). Further, the travel locus recording unit 24 starts an operation of recording the vehicle position calculated by the vehicle position calculation unit 20 (step 102).

  In parallel with the recording operation of the traveling locus, the same locus traveling determination unit 26 determines whether or not the vehicle is traveling repeatedly on the same traveling locus in the traveling locus recorded in the traveling locus recording unit 24. Based on the determination (step 103). If the vehicle does not travel repeatedly on the same travel locus, a negative determination is made, and the travel locus recording operation in step 102 is continued. If the vehicle is traveling repeatedly on the same travel locus, an affirmative determination is made in the determination of step 103, and the travel locus of the first round is held in the travel locus recording unit 24 (step 104).

  Further, the same locus traveling determination unit 26 notifies the vehicle position correcting unit 22 that the vehicle is repeatedly traveling on the same traveling route, and the vehicle position correcting unit 22 that has received this notification receives the notification for the second and subsequent laps. A position correction operation for adjusting the vehicle position on the travel locus to the travel locus of the first round is performed (step 105).

  Thereafter, the travel locus recording unit 24 determines whether or not the exit detection unit 8 has detected exit from the indoor parking lot (step 106). If the vehicle has not left the indoor parking lot, a negative determination is made, and the position correction operation in step 105 is repeated. When the vehicle leaves the indoor parking lot, an affirmative determination is made in the determination of step 106, and then the travel locus recording unit 24 deletes the travel locus for the first lap held (step 107). ) The vehicle position correction unit 22 validates the normal map matching operation for correcting the vehicle position according to the road shape on the map (step 108). Thereafter, returning to step 100, the operations after the determination of the presence / absence of entry into the indoor parking lot are repeated.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the vehicle position after the correction is performed in the navigation device of the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, GI is an entrance part of the indoor parking lot, and the approach of the vehicle to the indoor parking lot is detected in the vicinity of the entrance part GI. GO is the exit of an indoor parking lot. In addition, R1 to R4 respectively indicate the first, second, third, and fourth travel trajectories when the vehicle travels along the same travel trajectory. As shown in FIG. 3, in the navigation device of the present embodiment, the vehicle position is corrected along the traveling trajectories R2 to R4 from the second to the fourth lap in accordance with the traveling trajectory R1 of the first lap. The vehicle positions when traveling along each of the travel trajectories R1 to R4 coincide. For this reason, a small heading error is maintained when the vehicle leaves the exit part GO.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a vehicle position in a conventional navigation device in which correction is not performed. As the vehicle travels from the first round to the second round, from the second round to the third round, and from the third round to the fourth round, the vehicle position along the running trajectories R1 to R4 gradually shifts. For this reason, the azimuth | direction error at the time of a vehicle leaving from exit part GO increases, and the map display etc. from which the direction shifted | deviated largely will be performed.

  As described above, in the navigation device according to the present embodiment, even when traveling in which the positioning error of the autonomous navigation sensor 5, particularly the azimuth error due to a gyro or the like is likely to be accumulated, such as when circling in a specific facility, Since the traveling positions in the second and subsequent laps are corrected so as to coincide with the traveling trajectory in the first lap, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of cumulative errors and reduce positioning errors when detecting positions by autonomous navigation. It becomes possible. In particular, by setting the shape of the travel locus to be determined whether or not it is repeatedly traveling to a circular shape other than a circle, the angle error when detecting the travel position along the travel locus after the second round is minimized. It is possible to reduce the positioning error related to the bearing. In addition, when an indoor parking lot is considered as a specific facility, a positioning error can be reduced when positioning is performed only by autonomous navigation even in an indoor parking lot where GPS navigation is not possible. Until it is detected that the vehicle has left the specific facility, at least the first-round traveling locus record is retained, so that positioning errors caused by the autonomous navigation sensor can be reliably reduced until the vehicle exits the specific facility.

  In addition, the travel track recording unit 24 keeps the travel track of the first lap regardless of whether the engine mounted on the vehicle is rotating or the ignition switch is disconnected, so the vehicle is parked in a parking lot such as a department store. It is possible to continue the position correction operation for aligning the vehicle position with the traveling locus of the first lap even when the vehicle starts running after shopping and then travels in the indoor parking lot again. The state where the positioning error due to 5 is reduced can be maintained.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the navigation apparatus of one Embodiment mounted in the vehicle. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of a navigation apparatus. It is a figure which shows the vehicle position after correction | amendment was performed in the navigation apparatus of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the vehicle position in the conventional navigation apparatus with which correction | amendment is not performed.

Explanation of symbols

1 Navigation controller 2 DVD
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Disc reader 4 GPS receiver 5 Autonomous navigation sensor 6 Display apparatus 7 Approach detection part 8 Exit detection part 10 Map buffer 12 Map reading control part 14 Map drawing part 20 Vehicle position calculation part 22 Vehicle position correction part 24 Traveling track recording part 26 Same Trajectory Travel Determination Unit 30 Display Processing Unit

Claims (5)

An autonomous navigation sensor that detects the amount of azimuth change and travel distance of the vehicle;
Vehicle position calculation means for calculating the vehicle position by accumulating the azimuth change amount and the movement distance detected by the autonomous navigation sensor;
An entry detection means for detecting that the vehicle has entered a specific facility;
A travel locus recording means for recording a travel locus of the vehicle after it is detected that the entry detector has entered the specific facility;
The same trajectory travel determination means for determining whether the vehicle is repeatedly traveling on the same travel trajectory based on the travel trajectory recorded by the travel trajectory recording means;
When it is determined by the same trajectory travel determination means that the vehicle is repeatedly traveling on the same travel trajectory, the vehicle position calculated by the vehicle position calculation means corresponding to the travel trajectory from the second round onward is 1 Position correcting means for correcting according to the traveling locus of the lap,
A navigation device comprising: In claim 1,
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the traveling locus, which is a target for determining whether or not the vehicle is repeatedly traveling by the same locus traveling determination unit, is a circular shape other than a circular shape.   The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific facility is an indoor parking lot. In any one of Claims 1-3,
The vehicle further comprises exit detection means for detecting that the vehicle has exited the specific facility,
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the travel locus recording unit holds at least a record of the travel locus of the first round until the exit detection unit detects that the specific facility has exited. In claim 4,
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traveling locus recording means retains the traveling locus of the first lap regardless of whether the engine mounted on the vehicle is rotated or not and the ignition switch is disconnected.

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