JP6557572B2 - Navigation device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device.

In the navigation device, for example, a departure point and a destination are input from the route guidance device, and the input information is transmitted to the route search device. The route search device searches for a route (route) and guides on the route ( Or an object), for example, when approaching an intersection or the like, a travel guidance such as going straight or turning right or left when passing the intersection is transmitted by voice.
In addition to driving guidance, for example, information on the Orbis position is included in the information transmitted from the communication device of the information center to the navigation device, and when the vehicle approaches the Orvis position, the user is warned. A navigation device that prompts users is also known (Patent Document 1).

  Thus, in a conventional navigation device, when a vehicle approaches a certain distance from a predetermined point, guidance related to the point is performed. However, in this method, guidance is provided when a vehicle (vehicle equipped with a navigation device) approaches a certain distance regardless of the vehicle speed. Therefore, when the vehicle is actually traveling, the guidance point immediately after the vehicle speed is high. If the vehicle speed is low, it will be delayed to reach the guide point. In other words, the guidance start timing varies depending on the vehicle speed and is not constant. From the user side, guidance cannot always be provided at the best timing.

JP 2000-20891 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the conventional navigation device, and its purpose is not to start the guidance of the guidance object on the basis of only the distance as in the conventional navigation device, but to guide the guidance. By starting the guidance based on the arrival time (distance and speed) to the target, the guidance timing is made uniform regardless of the vehicle speed, and the convenience of the navigation device is improved.

The present invention is a navigation device including a route guidance device that guides a guidance target when approaching a guidance target on the searched route, and a route search device that is connected to the route guidance device in a wired or wireless manner. there, the route search device comprises a route searching means for searching for a route based on map information and route information, a communication unit for transmitting the searched route to the route guidance apparatus, a route guidance device, origin and destination An operation unit for inputting the position, a position detection unit, a display unit, an arrival time calculation means for periodically calculating the self-position on the route searched by the route search device and the arrival time to the guidance target, and the calculated arrival time it is determined whether within a predetermined time width, have a, a route guidance means for starting a guidance of the guide target when it is determined to be within the predetermined time width, the predetermined time width, Around the threshold and the threshold Is defined by the buffer amount delimiting the front and rear, the buffer amount is depending on the speed of the vehicle equipped with the route guidance unit, a navigation device that is set to a large value in accordance with speed increases.
In addition, the present invention provides a navigation system that includes a route guidance device that provides guidance for a guidance target when approaching a guidance target on the searched route, and a route search device that is connected to the route guidance device in a wired or wireless manner. The route search device includes route search means for searching for a route based on map information and route information, and a communication unit for transmitting the searched route to the route guide device. An operation unit for inputting a destination, a position detection unit, a display unit, an arrival time calculation means for periodically calculating the self-position on the route searched by the route search device and the arrival time to the guidance target, and calculation Route guidance means for determining whether or not the reached arrival time is within a predetermined time width, and starting the guidance of the guidance target when it is determined that the arrival time is within the predetermined time width, the predetermined time width Is the threshold and the threshold It is defined by the amount of buffer that defines the range before and after the heart, and the threshold is based on the facility size specified in a stepwise manner of the guidance target, in the case of a relatively large facility size than in the case of a relatively small facility size Is a navigation device set to a small value.

  According to the present invention, in the navigation apparatus, instead of starting the guidance of the guidance object based on only the distance as in the past, the guidance is started based on the arrival time (distance and speed) to the guidance object. The convenience of the navigation device can be improved by making the guidance timing uniform regardless of the vehicle speed.

It is a figure explaining the outline | summary of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 2A and 2B are block diagrams of components of the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 2A is a block diagram schematically showing a hardware configuration of the route search device, and FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the route guidance process in the navigation apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows typically the timing which a route guidance apparatus starts guidance in the vehicle in driving | running | working.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the outline of a navigation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The navigation device 1 includes a route search device (also referred to as a route search server) 10, a route guidance device (also referred to as a user terminal) 20, and a network 30 such as the Internet that connects them to each other as illustrated. .
Here, the route guidance device is used as a generic term for various portable terminal devices such as a mobile phone, a portable game machine, a PND (Personal Navigation Device), and a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). Note that the navigation device of the present invention can also be realized as a so-called stand-alone device such as a PND that is a portable navigation device that is portable, or a tablet terminal device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of each component of the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a block diagram schematically showing a hardware configuration of the route search device 10 and FIG. FIG.
Hereinafter, each component of the navigation device will be described.

"Route Search Device"
As shown in FIG. 2A, the route search device 10 is connected to the control unit 11 and the control unit 11, and communicates with the route guidance device 20 via the network 30 (for example, the Internet INT). A DB (database) 13 and a route DB 14 are provided.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory) (not shown). The CPU stores a program stored in the ROM into a work area. Run as. The control unit 11 includes a map search unit 15, a route search unit 16, a transmission data generation unit 17, and the like as function realizing units realized by a program.

  The communication unit 12 communicates with the route guidance device 20 via the network 30. The map DB 13 stores data (map information) representing a map image to be transmitted to the route guidance device 20. The route DB 14 stores network data and guidance data (guidance target guidance data) of roads existing in an area corresponding to the map image represented by the map information. Here, the network data includes link information representing road nodes (intersections) and links between the nodes.

  The route search means 16 searches the network data of the route DB 14 for the node information and link information of the searched route from the departure point to the destination based on the departure point information and the destination information included in the route search request signal. .

  The transmission data generation unit 17 generates transmission data to be transmitted to the route guidance device 20 from the map information searched by the map search unit 15 and the route information searched by the route search unit 16. Here, the transmission data includes the map information searched by the map searching means 15 and the route information searched by the route searching means 16, and a predetermined range near the destination and the current position of the route guidance device 20 and the destination. Is included.

"Route guidance device"
The route guidance device 20 is as shown in FIG. 2B. The control unit 21 includes a position detection unit 22, a display unit 23, an operation unit 24, a sensor unit 25, a communication unit 26, and the like each connected to the control unit 21.
The control unit 21 includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (not shown). The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM. The RAM provides a work area for the CPU to execute a program stored in the ROM.
The control unit 21 includes a search request unit 27, an arrival time calculation unit 28, and a route guide unit 29 which are function implementation units realized by a program. The route guide unit 29 further includes a display control unit 29a and a voice output control unit 29b. ing.

  The position detection unit 22 is composed of a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, for example. The GPS receiver receives and calculates radio waves transmitted from a plurality of satellites at a predetermined period, thereby measuring a reception point, that is, a current position (latitude, longitude) of the route guidance device 20, Generate location information. The position detection is not limited to this. For example, a method of calculating the position of the route guidance device 20 by a triangulation method based on the received electric field strength of the radio wave from the route guidance device 20 may be used.

The display unit 23 includes a display such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electroluminescence) display, and displays a map, a candidate route, a search route, and the like transmitted from the route search device 10.
The operation unit 24 includes numeric keys, cursor keys, a touch panel, and the like, and is means (input device) for inputting various commands when the user uses the route guidance device 20. It may consist of a touch panel, buttons on a device (not shown), or a combination thereof.
The communication unit 26 is means for communicating with the route search device 10 via the network 30.

  The search request unit 27 generates a route search request signal to be transmitted to the route search device 10. This route search request signal includes position information including departure point information and destination information for route search. The departure point information is current position information generated by the position detection unit 22, and the destination information is a destination input by the user from the operation unit 24.

The sensor unit 25 includes a known gyro sensor, acceleration sensor, direction sensor (geomagnetic sensor), speed sensor, and the like.
For example, the speed sensor detects the vehicle speed from the travel distance obtained by multiplying the number of vehicle speed pulses output at each predetermined rotation angle of the wheel by a distance coefficient representing the travel distance per vehicle speed pulse.

The arrival time calculation means 28 calculates the distance between the current position of the route guidance device 20 acquired from the position detection unit 22 and the guidance target on the searched route, and calculates the calculated distance from the speed sensor of the sensor unit 25, for example. The arrival time to the guidance target is calculated from the moving speed of the vehicle equipped with the route guidance device 20.
Instead of the speed sensor, the moving speed of the vehicle may be obtained from the moving distance and moving time of the latest predetermined section acquired from the position detection unit 22.

  The route guidance means 29 performs route guidance using map information, route information, and the like provided from the route search device 10 in response to a route search request as in the conventional case. That is, the display control unit 29a generates display image data in which the search route is superimposed on the map image from the map information and the route information transmitted from the route search device 10, and displays them on the display unit 23 (including the audio output unit). Send it out.

At that time, the route guidance unit 29 determines whether or not the arrival time to the vehicle guidance target calculated by the arrival time calculation unit 28 falls within a predetermined threshold value ± α (buffer amount). When this happens, voice guidance for the guidance target is started by the voice output unit.
Here, the audio output unit includes a speaker for outputting audio, a drive circuit for driving the speaker, and the like.

Next, a procedure of route guidance processing in the navigation device of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of route guidance processing in the navigation device according to the present embodiment.
The route guidance process is set by a user inputting a departure and destination, a search condition, and the like at the operation unit 24 of the route guidance device 20 while traveling on a route searched by a vehicle equipped with the route guidance device 20. Starting from (S101). The search request unit 27 of the route guidance device 20 creates a route search request signal including the set search condition, and the communication unit 26 transmits the created route search request signal to the route search device 10 (S102).

The route search device 10 that has received the route search request signal searches for a candidate route (S103), for example, candidate routes that satisfy preset search conditions such as distance priority (shortest distance) and time priority (shortest time). Are extracted based on the map DB 13 and the route DB 14 (S103), and transmitted to the route guidance device 20 as a candidate route list (S104).
The route guidance device 20 displays the received candidate route list on the display unit 23 (S105). Subsequently, the user selects one of the candidate routes (S106), and based on the candidate route selection selected by the user, the route search device 10 performs a route search (S107) to determine the route to the destination and the guidance target. The route information including at least the position information of is acquired (S108). The route search device 10 transmits the acquired route information to the route guidance device 20.

  Next, the route guidance device 20 that has received the route information uses the arrival time calculation means 28 to measure the position detected by the position detection unit 22, the distance to the guidance target on the searched route, and the vehicle speed sensor of the sensor unit 25. The arrival time to the guidance target is calculated from the speed of the vehicle equipped with the route guidance device 20 (S109). Here, the route guidance means 29 determines whether the arrival time from the current position to the guidance target is within a predetermined threshold + buffer amount (S110), and if it is within the threshold + buffer amount (S110, Yes). Guidance is started (S111), and this guidance process is terminated.

  In step S110, if the arrival time is not within the threshold + buffer amount (S110, NO), the guidance is not performed, the process returns to step S109, and the determination in step S110 is performed again at the next position detection timing of the position detection unit 22. . The processes in steps S109 and S110 are repeated until the arrival time is within the threshold value + buffer amount (that is, performed at predetermined time intervals at which the route guidance device 20 acquires its own position).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the self-position, the distance to the guidance target, and the vehicle speed are acquired at predetermined time intervals, the travel time to the guidance target enters the set (time) ± N seconds. To guide. As the control value, for example, the threshold value is set to 30 seconds, the buffer amount is set to ± 5 seconds, and the guidance is given when the arrival time to the guidance target of the vehicle falls within the time range of 30 ± 5 seconds, that is, 25 seconds to 35 seconds. Start.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating the timing at which the route guidance device 20 starts guidance in a traveling vehicle.
That is, for example, when it is desired to guide 30 seconds before reaching the guidance target, when the vehicle equipped with the route guidance device 20 is traveling at a speed of 100 km / h, guidance is started before 850 m, while the route guidance device When a vehicle equipped with 20 is traveling at a speed of 50 km / h, guidance may be started before 425 m.

Next, a modified example of the present embodiment will be described.
Second Embodiment In the first embodiment described above, a threshold for arrival time from the current position of the vehicle to the guidance target is set, and an arrival time width obtained by adding a width based on a certain buffer amount to the threshold. Is set, and the guidance is started when the current position of the vehicle on which the route guidance device 20 is mounted falls within the time range for reaching the guidance target.

On the other hand, the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the buffer amount that is constant in the first embodiment is variable. That is, in the present embodiment, not only the threshold value but also the buffer amount is made variable in accordance with the speed of the vehicle on which the route guidance device 20 is mounted, so that the amount of increase or decrease in the speed of the vehicle on which the route guidance device 20 is mounted can be increased. The guidance start timing can be adjusted flexibly.
Specifically, the buffer amount decreases as the speed of the vehicle on which the route guidance device 20 is mounted decreases from a predetermined speed (reference speed), and increases as the speed increases from the predetermined speed. The predetermined speed is arbitrarily set.

For example, if the arrival time width is narrow when the vehicle moves at a high speed, for example, when the route guidance device 20 obtains the current position and calculates the arrival time, the previous time was outside the arrival time width. When the arrival time is calculated again after a predetermined time, the arrival time width has already passed (for example, when the arrival time width is set to 30 to 36 seconds as described above, the arrival time is 29 seconds later) This is for the purpose of preventing calculation.
Thereby, guidance can be surely started regardless of the speed of the vehicle on which the route guidance device 20 is mounted.

Third Embodiment In the present embodiment, the threshold and the general road have fewer thresholds and buffers according to the road type, and the high-speed / toll road has a larger threshold and buffer.
That is, in both the first and second embodiments, the threshold value and the buffer amount are determined based only on the vehicle speed, regardless of whether it is a general road or a highway / toll road.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, when setting the threshold value and its buffer amount, the threshold value and its buffer amount are changed and set according to the road type on which the vehicle passes, not the vehicle speed.
In this way, by changing and setting the threshold and its buffer amount according to the type of road on which the vehicle passes, when temporarily driving at low speed on a highway / toll road, or temporarily on a general road Even when the vehicle is traveling, guidance for the guidance target can be started at an appropriate timing without being limited by such a temporary speed.

Fourth Embodiment In each of the above embodiments, when setting the threshold value and the buffer amount, the attribute of the guidance target, for example, the scale thereof is not considered.
In this embodiment, attributes such as the scale of the guidance target are taken into account when setting the threshold value and the buffer amount.
That is, here, the threshold value and the buffer are made variable according to the attribute (scale) of the guidance target. For example, if the guidance target is relatively large, such as a large commercial facility, IC (interchange), JCT (junction), etc., set a small threshold and buffer, convenience store, GS (gas station), orvis position, etc. When the guidance target is relatively small, the threshold value and the buffer value are set large.
In other words, the scale of facilities to be guided is specified in stages, and a relatively small-scale facility is set to have a larger threshold value and buffer value than a relatively large-scale facility at each specified stage.

As described above, changing the threshold value / buffer according to the scale of the guidance object makes it easy for large-scale facilities to stand out, and reduces the possibility of passing over. On the other hand, it is necessary to start guidance earlier because small facilities are less noticeable and are more likely to be overlooked than large facilities.
Therefore, by setting the threshold value and the buffer amount in this way, a guidance effect similar to that of a large-scale facility can be obtained even in a small-scale facility.
In either case, the guidance is preferably continued until the guidance target is reached.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus, 10 ... Route search apparatus, 11 ... Control part, 12 ... Communication part, 13 ... Map DB, 14 ... Route DB, 15 ... Map search means , 16 ... route search means, 17 ... transmission data generation means, 20 ... route guidance device, 21 ... control unit, 22 ... position detection unit, 23 ... display unit, 24. ..Operation part 25 ... sensor part 26 ... communication part 27 ... search request means 28 ... arrival time calculation means 29 ... route guidance means 29a ... display control Means, 29b ... voice output control means.

Claims (3)

A navigation device comprising a route guidance device for guiding a guidance target when approaching a guidance target on a searched route, and a route search device connected to the route guidance device by wire or wirelessly,
The route search device has route search means for searching for a route based on map information and route information, and a communication unit for transmitting the searched route to the route guidance device,
The route guidance device, periodically calculating an operation unit for inputting the starting point and destination, a position detection unit, a display unit, the time to reach the guidance target self position on the route searched by the route search device An arrival time calculating means for determining whether or not the calculated arrival time is within a predetermined time width, and route guidance means for starting guidance of the guidance object when it is determined that the arrival time is within the predetermined time width; Yes, and
The predetermined time width is defined by a threshold value and a buffer amount that defines a range before and after the threshold value, and the buffer amount increases as the speed increases according to the speed of the vehicle on which the route guidance unit is mounted. Navigation device set to . The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein
The threshold value is set to a larger value as the speed increases according to the speed of the vehicle on which the route guidance means is mounted . A navigation device comprising a route guidance device for guiding a guidance target when approaching a guidance target on a searched route, and a route search device connected to the route guidance device by wire or wirelessly,
The route search device has route search means for searching for a route based on map information and route information, and a communication unit for transmitting the searched route to the route guidance device,
The route guidance device periodically calculates its own position on the route searched by the route search device and the arrival time to the guidance target, the operation unit that inputs the departure point and the destination, the position detection unit, the display unit An arrival time calculating means for determining whether or not the calculated arrival time is within a predetermined time width, and route guidance means for starting guidance of the guidance object when it is determined that the arrival time is within the predetermined time width; Have
The predetermined time width is defined by a threshold value and a buffer amount that defines a range before and after the threshold value, and the threshold value is a relatively large facility size based on the facility size defined stepwise of the guidance target. In this case, the navigation device is set to a smaller value than in the case of a relatively small facility size .

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