JP2003083757A - Navigation system and method, and software for navigation - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide navigation technology without needing operation burden and consideration burden of a user by automatically setting an optimum course only by selecting a plurality of desired spots by the user. SOLUTION: A navigation system is provided with an absolute position and azimuth detector 1, a relative azimuth detector 2, a vehicle speed detector 3, a main CPU, its peripheral circuit 4, a memory group M, a user interface 9, a display unit 10a, an input 11, a CD-ROM control unit 12, and an FM multiple receiver and processor 13. A current position calculator 40, a destination designator 41, a route calculator 42, a guide part 43, a designation storing part 44 storing a plurality of destinations designated by the designation part 41, a plural inter-destination route calculator 45 calculating a route following the plurality of the destinations stored to the destination storing part 44, and a plotter 51 are installed in the main CPU and its peripheral circuit 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation technique, and more particularly to a navigation device and method having improved guidance function when there are a plurality of destinations, and navigation software.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the progress of digital technology, a navigation technique for guiding a moving body such as an automobile has become widespread. For example, an in-vehicle navigation system searches for an optimal route to a given destination based on data such as roads recorded in advance on a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, or the like, and calculates in real time by GPS navigation or the like. While displaying a map near the position of the vehicle to be calculated on the screen, route guidance such as turning left or right is performed on the display screen or synthesized voice.

The setting of the destination in such a vehicle-mounted navigation system is generally performed by selecting one facility required by the user by utilizing a facility search function or the like. At that time, it was possible to set a point to pass through to reach the destination. Further, recently, not only one facility is searched and set as a destination, but also a plurality of facilities are searched in advance with a cohesive concept, and one that can be set for each concept has been developed.

[0004] For example, as a cohesive concept, a course name such as "course for enjoying taste" is determined, and where and where the facilities that compose the course are located, or the order of visiting those facilities. What it is, etc. are defined in advance by the database. Then, when the user sets the course, a route is calculated in which all the defined facilities go around in a determined order. Furthermore, it is possible to delete a specific facility included in the course in the database or replace it with another facility.

[0005]

By the way, in the above-mentioned prior art, in addition to the facilities preferable to the user, the facilities constituting the course defined in advance in the database include the facilities not preferable. May have been. As described above, regarding an unfavorable facility, the facility is manually deleted from the course or replaced with another facility as described above, but such an operation is complicated. Even if it had a function to automatically set a course that goes to multiple facilities, in many cases the user had to make time-consuming edits and set a course of his choice.

[0006] In order to deal with this, it is conceivable to set a favorite destination and set a favorite facility as a waypoint to reach that destination without using the course setting function from the beginning. Navigation devices equipped with such functions have also been developed. However, such a function is troublesome because the user himself has to consider in what order the most efficient way to go around the facility.

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and the purpose thereof is to automatically select an optimum course only by the user selecting desired plural points. It is an object of the present invention to provide a navigation technology, that is, a navigation device and method, and navigation software that are set to the above and do not impose a user's operation burden or consideration burden.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 includes map information storage means for storing map information, and current position calculation means for calculating the current position of a moving body. A destination designating means for designating a destination, a first route calculating means for calculating a route for a moving body to reach the destination from the current position based on the map information, and the first route calculating means In a navigation device having a display means for displaying the route calculated by
It has a destination storage means for storing a plurality of destinations designated by the destination designation means, and a second route calculation means for calculating a route that follows the plurality of destinations stored in the destination storage means. It is characterized by

The invention described in claim 4 is the invention described in claim 1 from the viewpoint of a method, and includes a step of storing map information, a step of calculating a current position of a moving body, and a destination. In the navigation method, the step of designating, the step of calculating a route for the moving body to reach the destination from the current position based on the map information, and the step of displaying the calculated route on the screen are designated. And storing a plurality of destinations, and calculating a route that follows the plurality of destinations.

The invention described in claim 7 is the invention described in claims 1 and 4 from the viewpoint of software that can be executed by a computer. By controlling the computer, the map information is stored and the mobile object is stored. In the navigation software, the current position of the vehicle is calculated, the destination is designated, the route for the moving body to reach the destination from the current position is calculated based on the map information, and the calculated route is displayed on the screen. , On the computer,
It is characterized in that a plurality of designated destinations are stored and a route that follows the stored plurality of destinations is calculated.

In the inventions according to claims 1, 4, and 7 as described above, the user simply specifies a plurality of desired destinations, and the route that follows these destinations is automatically set. There is no burden of operation or consideration.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the first aspect, calculation method selection means for selecting which of the first route calculation means and the second route calculation means performs the route calculation. It is characterized by having.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation method according to the fourth aspect, a step of selecting whether to calculate a route to reach one destination or to calculate a route that follows a plurality of destinations It is characterized by including.

In the inventions according to claims 2 and 5 as described above, the user designates one destination and then designates a plurality of destinations by selecting a route calculation that follows a plurality of destinations. can do.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the first or second aspect, the map information includes information about facilities on a map, and the route calculation by the second route calculation means is performed. When selected, based on at least one destination out of a plurality of designated destinations, item display control means for causing the display means to display the information of the facility related to the destination, and the display. The facility selecting means selects the facility designated by the destination designating means from the facility information item-displayed on the means.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation method according to the fifth aspect, when the map information includes information about facilities on the map and route calculation for tracing the plurality of destinations is selected. And a step of displaying, based on at least one destination out of a plurality of designated destinations, information on facilities related to the destination.

In the inventions according to claims 3 and 6 as described above, after designating one destination, by selecting a desired facility from the facilities displayed in the item, the destinations are added one after another. It is possible to specify multiple destinations easily.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. Note that the part related to information processing in this embodiment is typically realized by controlling a computer with software. The software in this case realizes the action and effect of the present invention by physically utilizing the hardware of the computer, and the conventional technique is also applied to the common part with the conventional technique. However, in this case, the type and configuration of hardware and software, the range processed by software, etc. can be changed, so
In the following description, virtual circuit blocks that realize the functions of the present invention and the embodiments will be used.

[1. Configuration of Embodiment] First, the present embodiment will show a navigation device (referred to as this device) that is installed in a vehicle that is a moving body to guide a route, and a navigation method executed on this device. It can also be understood as a recording medium recording navigation software for realizing these.

[1-1. Overall Configuration] First, as shown in the functional block diagram of FIG. 1, the present apparatus includes an absolute position / azimuth detecting unit 1, a relative azimuth detecting unit 2, a vehicle speed detecting unit 3, and a main CPU.
And its peripheral circuit 4, memory group M, user interface unit 9, display unit 10a, audio output unit 10b, input unit 1
1, a CD-ROM control unit 12, an FM multiplex reception and processing unit 13, an optical / radio wave beacon reception and processing unit 14, and a voice recognition unit 15.

Of these, the absolute position / direction detecting unit 1 calculates the absolute position coordinates and direction on the ground surface for the current position of the automobile (referred to as the own vehicle) in which this device is mounted, that is, the own vehicle position. Therefore, for example, it is a part for receiving GPS radio waves sent from GPS satellites by an antenna or a receiver. The relative azimuth detecting unit 2 is a unit for detecting the relative azimuth of the vehicle using a gyro or the like. The vehicle speed detection unit 3 is a unit that calculates the speed of the vehicle by processing a vehicle speed pulse obtained from the vehicle.

Further, the main CPU and its peripheral circuit 4
Is a part that plays the role of a control circuit that controls the entire apparatus. The memory group M is various kinds of memory necessary for the operation of the present apparatus. For example, the program is stored, the ROM 5 accessed from the main CPU at the time of startup, the main program is loaded, and the DR for providing a work area and the like
AM (dynamic RAM) 6, SRAM (static RAM) 7 that backs up information such as settings even when the main power is off, VRAM for display (VideoRA)
M) 8 etc. are included.

The display unit 10a and the voice output unit 10b are also provided.
Is a part for outputting various information such as a guide map (including stereoscopic display and landmark display), a list of facilities on the map, an operation menu, etc. on a display screen (not shown), voice synthesis, or the like. The input section 11 is a section for the user to input information such as commands and numerical values from switches and joysticks on the front panel and remote control, and for example, desired points and landmarks on a map, list and menu buttons, etc. Selection, scroll operation input, display switching instruction input, and the like can be performed.

The display unit 10a, like the input unit 11, can function as an input unit by directly touching an arbitrary point on the map displayed on the screen, a menu button or the like with a finger. Also has a function as. The user interface unit 9 is a user interface that connects the display unit 10a, the voice output unit 10b, and the input unit 11 to the main CPU and its peripheral circuit 4 by using an I / O control circuit, a driver, and the like.

The CD-ROM control section 12 is a CD-ROM.
It is a means for reading the map database recorded in the ROM, and the contents of the map database are map data for display, route search data representing the network structure of the road,
It includes landmark display data, facility data on the map, menu and list display data and programs. Names for list display as data about facilities on the map, specific concepts (sports, meals, etc.)
Includes various attributes that are summarized in, the position information associated with the route search data, and the like.

The storage area for the information such as the above-mentioned data and programs can be freely set. For example, even if all or part of this information is stored in the ROM 5 side in advance, it is stored in the CD-ROM side. May be stored. further,
The recording medium is not limited to the CD-ROM. For example, a DV read by the DVD-ROM control unit
It may be a D-ROM.

Further, the FM multiplex reception and processing section 13 is
It is a part that receives M broadcast waves and VICS traffic information included in the broadcast waves. The light / radio wave beacon receiving / processing unit 14 is a unit that receives VICS traffic information when passing under a transmission facility installed on a highway or a general road. Furthermore, the voice recognition unit 15 is a part that receives a voice from the user and recognizes the voice.

[1-2. Role of main CPU and its peripheral circuits] Furthermore, the main CPU and its peripheral circuits 4 are
Due to the operation of the software as described above, the current position calculation unit 40, the destination designation unit 41, the route calculation unit 42, the guidance unit 43, the destination storage unit 44, the inter-destination route calculation unit 4
5, rearrangement processing unit 46, item display control unit 47, destination search unit 48, destination selection unit 49, calculation method selection unit 50,
It is configured to serve as the drawing unit 51.

Of these, the current position calculation unit 40 is means for calculating the current position of the vehicle, that is, the vehicle position,
Specifically, the vehicle position is calculated by combining GPS navigation positioning and autonomous navigation positioning. Here, the GPS navigation positioning calculates the current position by using the information obtained from the absolute position / azimuth detecting unit 1 based on the radio wave from the artificial satellite. Further, the autonomous navigation positioning calculates the current position using information obtained from the relative azimuth detecting unit 2 and the vehicle speed detecting unit 3 based on the geomagnetism and the speed of the vehicle.

The route calculation unit 42 is means for calculating an optimum route from the current vehicle position to the destination designated by the destination designation unit 41 based on the route search data. In addition, the guide unit 43 includes the route calculation unit 42.
For the route calculated by
Based on the current position and the like, which are sequentially calculated by, it is a means for providing directions by synthetic voice or screen display.

The destination storage section 44 is means for storing information when a plurality of destinations (facility, etc.) are designated by the destination designation section 41. The multi-destination route calculation unit 45 is a unit that calculates a route around the plurality of facilities designated by the destination designation unit 41. The route calculated in this way is the target of route guidance by the guide unit 43, similarly to the route calculated by the route calculation unit 42. The rearrangement processing unit 46 is a unit that rearranges the plurality of destinations designated by the destination designating unit 41 in the order in which the travel distance is the shortest.

The item display control unit 47 is means for controlling menu display of operation buttons and the like and list display of facility names and the like. The destination search unit 48 is a unit that searches for a facility or the like around the destination selected last by the user from the plurality of designated destinations. The destination selecting unit 49 is means for selecting a facility or the like according to a user's input operation from the facilities or the like searched by the destination searching unit 48.

The calculation method selection unit 50 selects whether the route calculation unit 42 calculates a route based on one destination or the inter-destination route calculation unit 45 calculates a route that follows a plurality of destinations. Is a means to do. Further, when the calculation by the multi-destination route calculation unit 45 is selected, the calculation method selection unit 50 calculates the routes followed by the plurality of facilities in the order in which the user inputs the facilities, or the rearrangement processing unit 46.
You can also select whether to sort by.

The user's input operation as described above is mainly performed by selecting an item of the menu or list displayed on the display section 10a by using the input section 11 under the control of the item display control section 47. The drawing unit 51
On the basis of the information passed from each of the other units.
It is a means for drawing the display content displayed in a.

[2. Operation of Embodiment] The operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2, the display screen examples of FIGS. 3 to 11 and the explanatory view of FIG. First, using the well-known facility search function,
The first facility is searched (step 201). That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the item display control unit 47 causes the display unit 10a to
A list of a plurality of facility names is displayed, and the user uses the input unit 11 to select a facility to be a destination from the facility names. Then, the positional coordinate information of the selected facility is read from the map database, and the peripheral map of the facility is displayed on the display unit 10a. The user confirms the position and confirms the position by the input unit 11 as shown in FIG. As a result, the destination specifying unit 41 stores the information about the confirmed facility and the position coordinate value thereof in the destination storing unit 44 (step 202).

When the position is determined, the item display control unit 47 causes the display unit 10a to display a pull-down menu with various command buttons, as shown in FIG. In this pull-down menu, there is a "calculate so far" button, and the user selects it from the input unit 11 (step 203). Then the absolute position
An optimum route from the vehicle position calculated by the current position calculation unit 40 to the facility specified by the destination specifying unit 41 based on the information from the direction detection unit 1, the relative direction detection unit 2, and the vehicle speed detection unit 3. Is calculated by the route calculation unit 42 based on the route search data (step 204), and the guide unit 43
Guides you through synthetic voice and screen display (Step 2
05).

On the other hand, when the user selects the "I want to go to other places" button prepared in the pull-down menu using the input unit 11 (step 206), the item display control unit 47 causes the item display control unit 47 as shown in FIG. A list of genres, which is one of the attributes of the facility, is displayed so that the facility that the user likes can be easily searched (step 207). Then,
The destination search unit 48 reads the coordinate value stored in the destination storage unit 44 most immediately before and searches for the facility of the designated genre around it (step 208). The retrieved facilities are displayed in a list on the display unit 10a in the order of closeness as shown in FIG. 7 by the item display control unit 47 (step 209). The user selects the facility of interest by using the input unit 11 from the facilities displayed in the list (step 210).

Then, the positional coordinate information of the selected facility is read from the map database as shown in FIG. 8, and the peripheral map of the facility is displayed on the display unit 10a. The user confirms the position and confirms the position using the input unit 11. As a result, the destination specifying unit 41 stores the information about the confirmed facility and the position coordinate value thereof in the destination storing unit 44 (step 211).

At the timing when the position is fixed, the item display control unit 47 displays a pull-down menu provided with a "create course" button and a "where else to go" button, as shown in FIG. , On the display unit 10a. When the user selects the "I want to go to another place" button from the input unit 11, the same processing as described above is performed (steps 206 to 211). When the "create course" button is selected (step 212), the item display control unit 47
However, as shown in FIG. 10, the display unit 10a displays a menu button for selecting whether or not to perform the rearrangement process. When the user selects a button for performing the rearrangement process from the input unit 11 (step 213), the rearrangement process unit displays the position coordinates of the destination stored in the destination storage unit 44 as shown in FIG. Based on this, the total travel distances of all the combinations are calculated, and the total travel distances are rearranged in the order of the shortest travel distance (step 214).

Then, the multi-destination route calculation unit 45
Based on the information from the absolute position / azimuth detecting unit 1, the relative azimuth detecting unit 2, and the vehicle speed detecting unit 3, a plurality of facilities specified by the destination specifying unit 41 from the vehicle position calculated by the current position calculating unit 40. The route that follows is calculated based on the route search data, and as shown in FIG. 11, the guide unit 43 guides the route by synthetic voice or screen display (step 21).
5, 216). At this time, when the rearrangement processing by the rearrangement processing unit 46 is performed, the route that follows the facilities in the rearranged order is calculated, and when the rearrangement processing is not performed, the route is selected by the user. The routes that follow the facilities are calculated in the order in which they are performed.

[3. Effect of Embodiment] According to the present embodiment as described above, the user can easily search and specify a plurality of facilities he / she wants to go to by simply selecting items, and follow those facilities. Since the route is automatically calculated, the user does not have to consider the order of going around the facility during the operation. With this, for example, if you decide one tourist destination that you are interested in at a travel destination, you can easily decide another tourist spot in the surrounding area, and another tourist spot in the surrounding area, or in the surrounding area. You can decide the facilities you are interested in one after another without considering the positional relationship, such as another tourist spot in. When everything is decided, the drive course at the travel destination is created in the most efficient form, so it is very easy to make a plan at the travel destination that meets the user's request.

[4. Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the display mode on the display unit is not limited to that shown in the above embodiment. For example, the genre list display in the above embodiment may be omitted.
Further, the various input operations described above may be performed by voice input. Further, the present invention can be applied to navigation devices other than those mounted on vehicles.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention, the optimum course is automatically set only by the user selecting a desired plurality of points, and the navigation technique does not impose a user's operation load or consideration load. That is, a navigation device and method and navigation software can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a list of facilities is displayed in the screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a map of a selected facility is displayed in the screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a pull-down menu is displayed in the screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which a genre list is displayed in the screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which a list of facilities around a destination is displayed in the screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which a map around a destination is displayed in the screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which a pull-down menu is displayed in the screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a selection button for sorting processing is displayed in the screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which a guide screen is displayed in the screen display example according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a rearrangement process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Absolute position / direction detector 2… Relative direction detector 3 ... Vehicle speed detector 4 ... Main CPU and its peripheral circuits M ... Memory group 5 ... ROM 6 ... Dynamic RAM (DRAM) 7 ... Static RAM (SRAM) 8 ... Video RAM (VRAM) 9 ... User interface section 10a ... Display section 10b ... voice output section 11 ... Input section 12 ... CD-ROM control unit 13 ... FM multiplex reception and processing unit 14 ... Optical beacon receiving and processing unit 15 ... Voice recognition unit 40 ... Current position calculator 41 ... Destination designation section 42 ... Route calculation unit 43 ... Information section 44 ... Destination storage 45 ... Route calculator between multiple destinations 46 ... Rearrangement processing unit 47 ... Item display control unit 48 ... Destination search section 49 ... Destination selection section 50 ... Calculation method selection section 51 ... Drawing unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A map information storage means for storing map information, a current position calculation means for calculating a current position of a moving body,
A destination designating means for designating a destination, a first route calculating means for calculating a route for a moving body to reach the destination from the current position based on the map information, and the first route calculating means In a navigation device having a display unit for displaying the route calculated by the screen, a destination storage unit for storing a plurality of destinations designated by the destination designation unit, and a plurality of destinations stored in the destination storage unit. And a second route calculating means for calculating a route that follows the destination of the navigation device. 2. The navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising calculation method selection means for selecting which of the first route calculation means and the second route calculation means performs the route calculation. 3. The map information includes information about facilities on a map, and when the route calculation by the second route calculation means is selected, at least one of a plurality of designated destinations is selected. On the basis of the destination, the item display control means for displaying the information of the facility related to the destination on the display means and the information of the facility displayed on the display means by the destination designating means. 3. The navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising: facility selecting means for selecting a designated facility. 4. A step of storing map information, a step of calculating the current position of the moving body, a step of designating a destination, and a step of moving the moving body from the current position to the destination based on the map information. A route for calculating the route, and a step of displaying the calculated route on a screen, a step of storing a plurality of designated destinations, and a step of calculating a route following the plurality of destinations And a navigation method comprising: 5. The navigation method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of selecting whether to calculate a route to reach one destination or to calculate a route that follows a plurality of destinations. 6. The map information includes information about facilities on a map, and when a route calculation that follows the plurality of destinations is selected,
The navigation method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of displaying information on a facility associated with the destination based on at least one destination among a plurality of designated destinations. 7. The computer controls the computer to store map information, calculate the current position of the moving body, specify a destination, and the moving body reaches the destination from the current position based on the map information. In a navigation software that causes a route to be calculated and displays the calculated route on a screen, causing the computer to store a plurality of designated destinations and calculate a route that follows the plurality of stored destinations. Navigation software characterized by.