JP2005308460A - Vehicle recovery system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle recovery system which can reduce the occurrence of a case in which a return of a vehicle is late for a lending limit. <P>SOLUTION: A control circuit 1 calculates a shortest route from a present position to a return place and calculates a scheduled time of arrival at the return place for the vehicle by calculating the time required from the present position to the return place on the basis of the shortest route (a step S1 to a step S2). The control circuit 1 cautions a user that the arrival at the return place is likely to be late for a return time considering that there is a possibility that he/she is late for the return time when the scheduled time of arrival is predetermined time prior to the return time (a step S3 to a step S4). The control circuit 1 warns the user that he/she should head for the return place promptly when the vehicle does not arrive at the return place and the recalculated scheduled time of arrival is beyond the return time (a step S7 to a step S12). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle collection device for a rental vehicle such as a rental car.

  Conventionally, as shown in Patent Document 1, a vehicle in which a map providing device that provides route guidance to a destination or the like is mounted on a vehicle such as a rental car whose rental deadline is determined is known.

The map providing device described in Patent Document 1 is stored in a storage device when information related to a map search such as a destination and a use (sightseeing, moving, business, etc.) is input by a rental car user (hereinafter also referred to as a user). The selected map data file is searched, and the optimum map, optimum route, optimum road periphery information, etc. are selected according to the user's request. Then, the map providing device 1 displays the optimum route from the departure point to the destination and the optimum road periphery information on the selected map.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-16171

  However, in the above map providing device, the vehicle rental deadline is not taken into consideration, and although it is possible to arrive at the destination, the loan deadline has passed when trying to return to the return place. Things can happen.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle collection device that can reduce delays in returning a vehicle to a rental deadline.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the vehicle collection device according to claim 1, the vehicle collection device is mounted on a vehicle for which a lending time limit is set, and a position detection means for detecting the current position of the vehicle, a return place of the vehicle, A return place setting means for setting, a return time setting means for setting a return time to the return place of the vehicle, an output means for outputting sound and / or an image, and calculating a required time from the current position to the return place And a control means for performing a return guidance notification by the output means based on the required time and the return time.

  In this way, the required time from the current position of the vehicle to the return location is calculated, and the return guidance notification is made based on the calculated required time and the return time to the return location, so the vehicle driver can be returned within the time limit And the delay in returning the vehicle to the rental deadline can be reduced.

  Further, as to the time required from the current position to the return place, as described in claim 2, the map data storage means for storing map data relating to the road map is provided, and from this current position to the return place using this map data. It is possible to calculate by setting the route.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the control means performs route guidance by the output means using the route.

  In this way, by performing route guidance using the route from the current position to the return location, it is appropriate to avoid getting lost due to getting lost even in places where the driver passes for the first time etc. You can be guided to the return place.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the vehicle collection apparatus according to the fourth aspect, wherein the vehicle-mounted communication means that is mounted on the vehicle and communicates with the outside; And a portable device having an output means, and the control means performs a return guidance notification to the portable device.

  In this way, by providing a return guidance notification to the portable device, the driver can be urged to return within the time limit even when the driver arrives at the destination or the like and gets off the vehicle. .

  The vehicle collection device according to claim 5 further includes time acquisition means for acquiring the current time, and the control means calculates the estimated arrival time at the return place from the current time and the required time, and the estimated arrival time. When the return time and the return time satisfy a predetermined relationship, a return guide notification is performed.

  In this way, by calculating the estimated arrival time at the return place from the current time and the required time, and when the estimated arrival time and the return time satisfy a predetermined relationship, the return guidance notification is further performed. The driver can be urged to return it on time.

  The vehicle collection device according to claim 6 further comprises destination setting means for setting a destination, and when the destination is set, the control means calculates a route from the current position to the return place via the destination. In addition, the estimated arrival time at the return place is calculated from the required time of the route and the current time, and if the estimated arrival time exceeds the return time at the time when the route is calculated, a warning is given by the output means It is what.

  In this way, when the route from the current position to the return location including the destination is calculated, if the estimated arrival time exceeds the return time, a warning is issued in advance to prevent setting a route that is delayed by the lending deadline. can do.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the present embodiment, the vehicle collection device according to the present invention will be described using an example in which the vehicle collection device is applied to a navigation device 100 mounted on a rental car (hereinafter also referred to as a vehicle). FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a navigation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device 100 in this embodiment includes a control circuit 1, a position detector 2, a map data input device 7, an operation device 8, an external memory 9, a display device 10, an audio output device 11, and a remote control sensor. 12, remote control 13 and the like.

  The control circuit 1 that controls the entire navigation device 100 is configured as a normal computer, and includes a known CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, a bus line that connects these configurations, and the like. The control circuit 1 performs arithmetic processing such as setting a guide route to the destination and calculating a required time from the current position to the return place according to a program stored in the ROM.

  The position detector 2 includes various sensors such as a gyroscope 3, a geomagnetic sensor 4, a distance sensor 5, and a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 6 as devices for detecting the current position of the host vehicle. The current position detected by the position detector 2 is input to the control circuit 1. The GPS receiver 6 receives GPS signals including navigation data such as GPS satellite orbit information (ephemeris almanac) and time information.

  Since these sensors have detection errors having different properties, they perform position detection with high accuracy while complementing the detection errors. Further, depending on the level of detection accuracy required, it is not necessary to provide all sensors, and a configuration can be adopted in which necessary ones are appropriately selected and provided.

  The map data input device 7 is for inputting map data such as map data, landmark data, or various search information for setting a destination to the control circuit 1. As this storage medium, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM or the like is generally used from the viewpoint of data capacity or handling, but a memory card or a hard disk may be used.

  The operation device 8 outputs an operation signal or the like associated with a function such as setting a guide route from the current position to the destination executed by the navigation device 100 to the control circuit 1. The operation device 8 includes a touch switch configured integrally with the display device 10 and set on a display screen, or a mechanical key switch provided around the display device 10.

  The external memory 9 is used to store data handled in the control circuit 1 as necessary. For example, a non-volatile memory unit such as an EEPROM or a storable memory such as an IC card is used.

  The display device 7 is configured by a color liquid crystal panel or the like. The display device 7 displays a road map around the vehicle generated by the map data stored in the map data input device 7 and the like. The audio output device 11 includes a speaker, an audio amplifier, and the like, and is used for audio guidance and the like.

  The remote control sensor 12 is for inputting an operation signal to the control circuit 1 instead of the operation device 8, receives an infrared signal from the remote control 13, converts it into an electrical signal, and inputs it to the control circuit 1. .

  Here, the processing operation of the route guidance system in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the navigation device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The flow shown in FIG. 2 starts when the return location and return time of the vehicle are set. That is, when an operation signal indicating the setting of the return location and an operation signal indicating the return time are output from the operation device 8 to the control circuit 1, the control circuit 1 stores the signal indicating the return location and the return time in the RAM and processes them. Start.

  In step S1, the control circuit 1 calculates a route from the current position to the return place in order to calculate the arrival time of the vehicle at the return place. The route calculated here is not a route in which a destination, a passing point, or the like is set by the user, but a shortest route from the current position to the return place automatically calculated by the control circuit 1.

  In step S2, the control circuit 1 calculates the required time from the current position to the return place based on the route calculated in step S1, and calculates the estimated arrival time at the vehicle return place from the required time and the current time. calculate.

  In step S3, the control circuit 1 compares the estimated arrival time at the return location calculated in step S2 with a preset return time, and the estimated arrival time is a predetermined time before the return time (for example, 10 minutes before).

  The estimated arrival time is calculated based on the required time when traveling on the shortest route from the current position to the return location, so if the estimated arrival time is a predetermined time before the return time, there is a possibility of delaying the return time The process proceeds to step S4. On the other hand, if the estimated arrival time is not a predetermined time before the return time, it is determined that there is no possibility of being late for the return time and the process returns to step S1.

  In step S4, the control circuit 1 outputs an image signal and / or audio signal to the display device 10 and / or the audio output device 11, and the arrival at the return place is likely to be delayed from the return time as a return guidance notification. Be careful.

  In step S <b> 5, the control circuit 1 determines whether or not to perform route guidance from the current position to the return place according to the operation signal output from the operation device 8. When the operation signal indicating the execution of the route guidance is output from the operation device 8, the control circuit 1 regards that the route guidance is executed and proceeds to step S <b> 6, and the operation signal indicating the execution of the route guidance is output from the operation device 8. If not, it is considered that route guidance is not executed, and the process proceeds to step S9.

  In step S6, the control circuit 1 performs route guidance using the route from the current position calculated in step S1 to the return place (hereinafter also referred to as a guidance route). When performing route guidance, the control circuit 1 reads out map data including the current position of the vehicle corresponding to the calculated guidance route from the map data input device 7, and draws and displays a map image around the vehicle based on the map data. Display on the device 10.

  Then, the control circuit 1 displays the vehicle position mark superimposed on the map image, scrolls the map image according to the movement of the vehicle, etc., and at a glance shows where the vehicle is currently traveling. Make it understandable.

  In addition, the control circuit 1 draws the guide route on the map image thickly by changing the color from other roads and displays it on the screen, or the vehicle approaches within a certain distance to the intersection where the route on the guide route should be changed. When it happens, an arrow indicating the course is drawn at the intersection to be changed and displayed on the screen. Further, the control circuit 1 may perform voice guidance in addition to guidance on a map image by outputting a voice signal indicating intersection guidance or the like to the voice output device 11.

  In this way, by conducting route guidance from the current position to the return place, it takes time to return to the return place, such as getting lost in a place that is coming for the first time or an unfamiliar place. Can be prevented.

  In step S7, the control circuit 1 checks the current position of the vehicle in order to determine whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the return place. In step S8, the control circuit 1 determines whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the return location based on whether or not the current position of the vehicle confirmed in step S7 matches the return location. If the current position matches the return location, the control circuit 1 considers that the vehicle has arrived at the return location and terminates the process. If the current location does not match the return location, the vehicle still arrives at the return location. If not, return to step S6.

  On the other hand, if the route guidance is not executed, in step S9, the control circuit 1 again calculates the route from the current position of the vehicle to the return place in order to check whether the estimated arrival time exceeds the return time. . In step S10, the control circuit 1 calculates a required time from the current position to the return place based on the route calculated in step S9, and arrives at the return place of the vehicle from the required time and the current time. Calculate the scheduled time.

  In step S11, the control circuit 1 compares the estimated arrival time at the return location calculated in step S10 with a preset return time, and determines whether the estimated arrival time exceeds the return time. judge. If the estimated arrival time exceeds the return time, it is considered that the vehicle needs to be returned immediately, and the process proceeds to step S12. If the estimated arrival time does not exceed the return time, the return time may still be in time. The process proceeds to step S13.

  In step S12, the control circuit 1 outputs an image signal and / or an audio signal to the display device 10 and / or the audio output device 11, and warns the user to go to the return place promptly as a return guidance notification.

  In step S13, the control circuit 1 checks the current position of the vehicle in order to determine whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the return location. In step S14, the control circuit 1 determines whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the return location based on whether or not the current position of the vehicle confirmed in step S13 matches the return location. If the current position matches the return location, the control circuit 1 considers that the vehicle has arrived at the return location and terminates the process. If the current location does not match the return location, the vehicle still arrives at the return location. If not, the process returns to step S9.

  Although the present embodiment has been described using an example in which route guidance with a destination, a passing point, etc. is not performed, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to a case where route guidance is performed by setting a destination or a passing point at the time of departure or the like.

  In this case, when the destination or the passing point is instructed by the operation device 8, the control circuit 1 calculates the route to the return place via the destination or the passing point, and the vehicle is similar to the above description. Calculate the estimated arrival time at the return location.

  Then, if the estimated arrival time exceeds the return time at the time when the route is calculated, the control circuit 1 indicates that the route cannot be returned to the return place by the return time on the display device 10 and / or the audio output device. 11 warn.

  In this way, if the estimated arrival time exceeds the return time when the route from the current position to the return location including the destination and passing point is set, a warning is given to the route that is delayed from the return time. Setting can be prevented in advance.

  Moreover, although the return guidance notification has been described using an example in which the display device 10 and the audio output device 11 output, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the return guidance notification may be output to a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone or a PDA held by the user. In this case, the navigation device 100 is provided with a communication device that can communicate with the mobile terminal.

  When the scheduled arrival time at the return location is a predetermined time before the return time, the control circuit 1 outputs an image signal and / or an audio signal to the mobile terminal held by the user as a return guidance notification. Note that arrival at the return location is likely to be late for the return time. Also, if the estimated arrival time at the return location exceeds the return time, an image signal and / or audio signal is output to the mobile terminal held by the user as a return guidance notification and the user promptly goes to the return location. To warn you.

  In this way, by sending a return guidance notification to the mobile terminal held by the user, even if the user arrives at the destination and the user gets off the vehicle, it is returned to the user by the return time Can be encouraged.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the navigation apparatus 100 in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the navigation apparatus 100 in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 control circuit, 2 position detector, 3 gyroscope, 4 geomagnetic sensor, 5 distance sensor, 6 GPS receiver, 7 map data input device, 8 operation device, 9 external memory, 10 display device, 11 sound output device, 12 Remote control sensor, 13 Remote control

Claims (6)

It is installed in a vehicle with a fixed loan term,
Position detecting means for detecting a current position of the vehicle;
Return place setting means for setting a return place of the vehicle;
Return time setting means for setting a return time to the return place of the vehicle;
Output means for outputting sound and / or images;
Control means for calculating a required time from the current position to the return place, and performing a return guidance notification at the output means based on the required time and the return time;
A vehicle recovery apparatus comprising:   Map data storage means for storing map data relating to a road map is provided, and the control means sets a route from the current position to the return location using the map data, and calculates the required time based on the route The vehicle collection device according to claim 1, wherein:   The vehicle recovery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs route guidance by the output unit using the route.   A vehicle-mounted communication means mounted on the vehicle for communicating with the outside; a portable communication means for communicating with the vehicle-mounted communication means; and a portable device having a portable output means for outputting sound and / or images, The vehicle recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control means performs the return guidance notification to the portable device.   Time obtaining means for obtaining a current time, and the control means calculates a scheduled arrival time at the return place from the current time and the required time, and has a predetermined relationship between the scheduled arrival time and the return time. The vehicle collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the condition is satisfied, the return guidance notification is performed.   A destination setting means for setting a destination, and when the destination is set, the control means calculates a route from the current position to the return place via the destination, and a time required for the route; The estimated arrival time at the return location is calculated from the current time, and if the estimated arrival time exceeds the return time at the time when the route is calculated, a warning is given by the output means. The vehicle collection device according to claim 5.

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