JPH1183525A - Navigator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable displaying all of the roads having particular intersections in an enlarged map by making the scale of an enlarged map small as compared with a general intersection, when a guidance point is a particular intersection such as the inside of a loop type road. SOLUTION: An important intersection, a branch road, etc., are previously set as guidance points 32, 33 on a recommended road 31 selected out of a plurality of routes connecting a present spot with a destination. When self car positions 34, 35 approach 300 m point from the guidance point 32, an enlarged map of peripheries of the points 32, 33 is displayed on the right half of a display monitor. When guidance points 32, 33 are particular guidance points existing in a loop road such as a rotary 30, a junction of automobile exclusive road and an interchange, the effect displaying the enlarged map is decreased if the whole is not included in an enlarged image plane frame. Hence the scale is set to be 1/10000, and in the case except particular guidance points, it is set to be 1/6000. Thereby the whole of the loop type road containing the guidance points 32, 33 can be surely displayed in the enlarged map.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation system that displays a recommended route for performing route guidance at a guidance point on a searched recommended route, and displays a map in which a periphery of the guidance point is enlarged at the guidance point. Related to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an on-vehicle navigation device which searches for a recommended route from a departure point to a destination and sets a guide point at a main intersection or the like. In this conventional in-vehicle navigation device, when approaching the guidance point, the area around the guidance point is enlarged and displayed, and the direction in which the vehicle proceeds at the guidance point is instructed on the screen or notified by voice. . On this enlarged map, the guidance point is set at the center of the enlarged map.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, for example, when the area around the rotary which is a loop road is enlarged, or when an intersection such as a general crossroad is used,
The scale of the enlarged map is common. Therefore, when the rotary that is the loop road is a large rotary, a part of the rotary protrudes from the enlarged map. Such problems also occur at junctions and interchanges on motorways. If these loop-shaped roads are partially missing, the driver may feel uncomfortable and erroneously determine the traveling direction.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a navigation device in which the scale of an enlarged map of a special intersection is made smaller than that of a general intersection so that all the roads on which the special intersection exists are displayed in the enlarged map. It is in.

[0005]

A navigation device according to the present invention comprises: a route search means for searching for a recommended route from a departure point to a destination; and a route guidance means for guiding a route at a guide point on the searched route. A display device that displays the recommended route on the road map and displays the enlarged map at the guidance point, and increases the scale of the general intersection more than the scale of the enlarged map when the guidance point is a special intersection. And a screen control means for displaying an enlarged map. The special intersection is an intersection existing on a loop-shaped road such as a rotary, a junction of a motorway, or an interchange.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a navigation device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a current position detection device that detects the current position of a vehicle, for example, a direction sensor 1a that detects the traveling direction of the vehicle,
Vehicle speed sensor 1b that detects vehicle speed, GPS (Global Posit
ioning System) GP that detects GPS signals from satellites
It comprises an S sensor 1c and the like. Reference numeral 2 denotes a map storage memory for storing data relating to a road map, for example, a CD-ROM.
And its reading device.

The road map data stored in the map storage memory 2 mainly comprises road data on a map, route search data, name data, background data, and the like. Road data is
The data includes link data obtained by dividing a road into a plurality of lengths, coordinate value data of the start node and end node of each link, required time between the start node and end node, road type data such as national roads and prefectural roads, and the like. Also, as road data,
Data for identifying a rotary, a junction, an intersection, etc. having a loop road is also provided.
Alternatively, the intersections in these loop roads may be stored as special intersections and other intersections as general intersections as intersection information. The route search data includes branch point information and intersection information.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a control circuit for controlling the entire apparatus.
It consists of a microprocessor and its peripheral circuits. Reference numeral 4 denotes an input device having various switches for inputting a destination of the vehicle and the like. The detail / wide area switches 4a and 4b are switches for displaying the display map in detail or for wide area display, and the scroll switch 4c is a switch for scrolling the display screen up, down, left and right. The map switch 4d is a switch for setting the display screen to the current position of the vehicle.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a map data memory for storing road map drawing data for displaying a road map, which is created based on the road map data read from the map storage memory 2. Reference numeral 7 denotes an image memory for storing image data to be displayed on a display monitor 8 described later. The image data stored in the image memory 7 is read out as appropriate and displayed on the display monitor 8. The display monitor 8 has a touch panel switch provided at an appropriate position. The operator presses a start point, a stopover point, and an end point (destination) at an arbitrary point on the map displayed on the monitor 8 with a finger. , Can also be instructed. The start point, waypoint, and destination can also be input by other operations. The ROM 9 stores various programs to be described later, and the ROM temporarily stores data in a calculation process such as a route search.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a main process of the control circuit 3, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a recommended route search process of the control circuit 3, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing a route guidance process. The operation of the present embodiment will be described based on FIG. The control circuit 3 starts the processing of FIG. 2 when, for example, a key of the vehicle is operated to an ignition on position.

In step S10 of FIG. 2, a recommended route search process is executed. In step S20, the current position detection device 1
The current position of the vehicle is detected based on the signal from the vehicle. In step S30, a map display process is performed to display a map on a monitor. At this time, the recommended route searched as described later is also displayed.

In step S40, the current position is detected in the same manner as in step S20. In step S50, a route guidance process is performed, and when the own vehicle position approaches the guidance point, a map in which the vicinity of the guidance point is enlarged is displayed on the screen, and the traveling direction is notified by voice. Details of the route guidance processing will be described later.

In step S55, it is determined whether or not to update the road map on the screen, that is, whether or not to rewrite the road map. Here, based on the detected current position, it is determined that the road map displayed on the screen is updated when the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance or more since the last map update. The enlarged map indicating the guidance point is also updated when the vehicle travels a predetermined distance or more.

If the determination in step S55 is affirmative, the process returns to step S30, and if the determination is negative, step S60.
Proceed to. In step S60, it is determined whether to continue the main process of FIG. For example, when a power switch (not shown) is turned off or when a switch for stopping the process is operated, the determination in step S60 is denied, and the main process in FIG. 2 ends.

If the determination in step S60 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S70 to update the display of the own vehicle position mark, and then returns to step S40. Although the own vehicle position mark is displayed so as to be superimposed on the current position on the map, the own vehicle position mark is moved on the map according to the traveling distance until the map is scrolled by a predetermined distance in step S50. The display of the position mark is updated. Other additional information is also updated in this step.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the details of the recommended route search process in step S10 of FIG. In step S11, the process waits for the input of the destination of the route search. When the destination is input, the process waits for the input of the search condition of the recommended route search in step S12. For example, conditions such as whether to use a toll road or not. When a search condition is input, step S1 is performed.
Proceed to 3 to search for a plurality of recommended routes from the current location to the destination. This route search is based on the well-known die crust method or the like, and a specific description will be omitted.

In step S14, one of a plurality of searched recommended routes is determined according to a predetermined algorithm.
Choose the two best recommended routes. In step S15, the selected recommended route is displayed on the monitor 8. FIG.
Is an example, and a road map is displayed with the north facing upward at the screen. The recommended route 31 is indicated by a thick line, and the guidance points 32 and 33 are indicated by pole-shaped symbol marks. The vehicle position is displayed as a triangular arrow 34 at the center of the screen. The rotary 30 exists on the recommended route 31.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show steps S50 in FIG.
It is a flowchart which shows the detail of the route guidance process. The process proceeds to each step according to the state of the flag determined in step S501. If it is determined in step S501 that there is no flag, the process proceeds to step S502. If it is determined that the own vehicle position has reached 300 m before the preset guidance point, the process proceeds to step S503. Step S50
In step 3, the traveling direction at the guidance point is notified by voice, and the flag 300 is set in step S503A. In step S504, it is determined whether the guidance point is a special guidance point. The special guidance point is, for example, a guidance point located in a rotary having a loop road, or a guidance point located at a junction or an interchange having a loop road of an exclusive motorway. As described above, information as to whether such a special guidance point is stored in the road map data as attribute information in advance.

If it is determined in step S504 that the guidance point is a special guidance point, in step S505, the guidance point is determined based on the map data called level 1 having the largest scale among the road maps stored in the map storage memory 2. Then, map data of a rectangular area having a predetermined size centered on is extracted, and road map image data having a scale of 1/10000 is created and developed on the memory 5. An enlarged map around the guidance point is displayed on the right half of the display monitor 8 based on the image data. FIG. 7 shows an example of the monitor screen in that case. As shown in FIG. 7, the enlarged map is displayed such that the direction from the vehicle position to the guidance point points upward on the monitor screen. Note that the circle 35 in FIG. 7 is a vehicle position mark, and hatching on the recommended route 31 indicates a road that has already traveled.

If it is determined in step S504 that the point is not a special guidance point, the process proceeds to step S506, and the level 1
The map data of a rectangular area of a predetermined size centered on the guidance point is extracted based on the map data of the largest scale of, and road map image data of a scale of 1/6000 is created. Based on this image data, an enlarged map around the guidance point is similarly displayed on the right half on the display monitor 8.

If it is determined in step S507 that the point is 50 m before the guidance point, the flow advances to step S508 to notify the traveling direction at the guidance point by voice. Step S
At 509, the flag 50 is set and the flag 300 is reset. If it is determined in step S510 that the vehicle has passed the guidance point, the flag A is set, the flag 50 is reset in step S511, and the process proceeds to step S512.
Proceed to. If it is determined in step S512 that there is another guidance point, the flag B is set and the flag A is reset in step S513. When a guide point next to the guide point closest to the own vehicle position exists within a predetermined range, this is called another guide point.

Thereafter, the flow advances to step S514, and the level 1
The map data of a rectangular area of a predetermined size centered on another guide point is extracted based on the map data of the largest scale of.
Road map image data is created at a scale of 1/6000 for a guidance point that is not a special guidance point at a scale of 000. Based on this image data, an enlarged map around the other guidance point is displayed in the right half on the display monitor 8. FIG. 8 shows an example of the monitor screen in that case.

FIG. 8 shows a state immediately after the vehicle has passed the first guidance point 32. The direction from the vehicle position 35 to another guidance point 33 is to the left and not to the upper part of the screen. This is because a special guidance point is located in the rotary 30 in FIG. If the guidance point is not a special guidance point, after passing through the first guidance point, the enlarged map is rotated so that the direction from the own vehicle position to another guidance point is directed to the top of the screen.

That is, in the situation shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, two guide points 32,
At 33, after passing through the first guidance point 32, when the enlarged map rotates so as to face the top of the monitor screen from the own vehicle position 35 to another guidance point 33, the vehicle is traveling in the rotary 30. Sometimes, the enlarged map is rotated, and the driver may feel uncomfortable and erroneously determine the traveling direction. Therefore, when the area around the special guidance point is enlarged and displayed, if there are two or more guidance points in the display area, the direction of the enlarged map displayed first is not changed. That is, the other guidance points 33 are enlarged and displayed in the direction in which the first guidance point 32 is enlarged and displayed. Then, at this time, the display is performed such that the other guidance point 33 is located substantially at the center of the enlarged map. As a result, the enlarged map of FIG. 7 is displayed as if it were translated downward in the figure.

Next, in step S515, the traveling direction at another guidance point is notified by voice. Step S
If it is determined at 516 that the guidance point is 50 m before another guidance point, the process proceeds to step S517, and the traveling direction at the guidance point is notified by voice. In step S518, the flag C is set, and the flag B is reset. Step S5
If it is determined in 19 that the vehicle has passed another guidance point, the flag C is reset in step S520, and the process returns to step S55 of the main program shown in FIG. Step S
502, S507, S510, S511, S516, S
When the result in 519 is negative, the program returns and returns to step S55 of the main program shown in FIG.

If it is determined in step S501 that there is no flag, the flow advances to step S531. If it is determined in step S503 that the flag 300 has been set, the process proceeds to step S507; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S532. In step S532, the flag 50 is set.
Is set, and if it is set, the process proceeds to step S510. If not, the process proceeds to step S533. In step S533, it is determined whether the flag A has been set. If the flag A has been set, the process proceeds to step S512; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S512.
Proceed to 534. In step S534, it is determined whether or not the flag B has been set.
Proceed to S16, and if not set, step S519
Proceed to.

In the navigation device according to the first embodiment, one of the plurality of routes connecting the current position and the destination is selected according to a previously input algorithm. Guidance points are set in advance on the recommended route at major intersections and branch roads, and when approaching the guidance point up to 300 m, an enlarged map is displayed on the display monitor 8. If the guidance point is a special guidance point, the scale of the enlarged map is 1/10000. If the guidance point is not a special guidance point, the scale of the enlarged map is one.
/ 6000. This is because the effect of displaying the enlarged map is diminished unless all the junctions of the special guidance point, for example, the junction of the rotary and the motorway, can fit within the enlarged screen frame. This is to ensure that everything is displayed in the enlarged map.

As described above, if the guidance point is not a special guidance point, after passing through the first guidance point, the direction from the own vehicle position to another guidance point is directed to the upper part of the screen. Rotate the enlarged map, but if the guidance point is a special guidance point, even if the direction from the vehicle position to the other guidance point after passing the first guidance point does not match the top of the monitor screen, once The orientation of the enlarged map is such that all of the special guidance points do not change until the vehicle passes.

In the above description, when there are two guidance points located on a loop-shaped road such as a rotary, a junction, an interchange, etc., even if the vehicle position progresses on the enlarged map, the first guidance point becomes the first guidance point. The direction of the enlarged map displayed when approaching is not changed. However, such an enlarged map rotation prohibition process is also effective when two or more guidance points are present in a predetermined area, for example, 300 m square.

Further, in the above description, when a loop-shaped road such as a rotary, a junction, or an interchange is displayed in an enlarged manner, it is not necessary to determine whether or not the loop-shaped road fits in the enlarged map, and it is always 1/10000. When a road other than a loop road is displayed in an enlarged scale, the road is displayed at a scale of 1/6000. However, it is determined whether or not the loop road protrudes from the enlarged map at a scale of 1/6000, and is displayed at a scale of 1/10000 only when the loop road protrudes, and when the loop road does not protrude from the enlarged map. May be displayed on a scale of 1/6000. Further, the case where there are two special guidance points has been described above. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to a case where there are three or more guidance points. Furthermore, although the enlarged map is displayed when the own vehicle position approaches the nearest guidance point, the enlarged map may be displayed as a divided screen at all times.

FIG. 9 shows another example of the route guidance processing shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and is a flowchart of a procedure for displaying an enlarged map and a procedure for switching the approach direction to an intersection at a special intersection and a general intersection. It is. The process of FIG. 9 is executed by interruption in response to an enlarged map display request, and the enlarged map display request is issued when the own vehicle position approaches the nearest guidance point.

In step S551, the type of intersection is obtained from the map data, and in step S552, the type of intersection is determined. If it is determined that the intersection is a general intersection (ordinary guidance point), the scale is set to 1/6000 in step S553. If it is determined that the intersection is a special intersection (special guidance point), step S553 is performed.
At 554, the scale is set to 1/10000. Step S
The intersection type is determined again at 555, and if it is determined that the intersection is a general intersection, at step S556, the intersection entry angle is always set to match the upper part of the screen. Then, step S5
At 60, an enlarged map is displayed. If it is determined that the intersection is a special intersection, it is determined in step S557 whether or not the intersection to be entered is the first (first) intersection. If it is the first intersection, the entry angle of the first intersection (the angle at which the intersection entry angle matches the upper part of the screen) is set in step S558. Even if it is determined that the intersection is the second intersection, in step S559, in step S558, The approach angle of the set first intersection is set.

Even in such a processing procedure, FIGS.
The same processing as the route guidance processing described in (1) can be performed.

[0034]

According to the present invention, when the guidance point on the searched recommended route is approached and the surrounding area is enlarged and displayed on the display monitor, the guidance point may be a special intersection such as a loop road. Because the scale of the enlarged map is smaller than that of a general intersection such as a crossroads, all the roads where special intersections exist can be displayed in the enlarged map, and there is no risk of missing some of the roads. However, there is no risk of making a misjudgment about the traveling direction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a vehicle-mounted navigation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an outline of a main process performed by a control circuit;

FIG. 3 is a detailed flowchart of a recommended route search process of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detailed flowchart of a route guidance process of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detailed flowchart of a route guidance process continued from FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of a display monitor.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display example in which an enlarged map is displayed on a display monitor.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example in which an enlarged map is displayed on a display monitor.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the route guidance processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Current location detecting device 2 Map storage memory 3 Control circuit 4 Input device 5 Map data memory 7 Image memory 8 Display monitor 30 Rotary 31 Recommended route 32, 33 Guidance point 34, 35 Own vehicle position mark

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A route search means for searching for a recommended route from a departure point to a destination, a route guidance means for guiding a route at a guide point on the searched route, and displaying the recommended route on a road map. A display device for displaying the enlarged map at the guidance point, and a screen for displaying the enlarged map at a larger scale when the guidance point is a general intersection than when the guidance point is a special intersection. A navigation device comprising a control unit. 2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the special intersection is an intersection on a loop road.