JP4531271B2 - Navigation method, route providing device, route guidance device, and system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a navigation method, a route (navigation information) providing device, a route guidance device, and a system suitable for dividing data necessary for route guidance and providing the data to a moving body from a center.
[0002]
[Background]
As a system for providing route / guide data (route data indicating a recommended route searched for and route guidance data) from a center (base) to a mobile unit, there is a navigation system disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-19588. . This is a navigation system in which map images and recommended route data (or optimal route data) necessary for guiding a vehicle to a destination are transmitted from the center side to the vehicle side. According to this system, communication is performed between a data transmission system as a center and a vehicle-side navigation device as a mobile body. The data transmission system has a database that stores data necessary for guiding a vehicle to a destination.
[0003]
And based on the request from the navigation apparatus by the side of a vehicle, while reading required data from a database, a map image is created. In addition, route search is performed to create optimum route data. The created map image and data indicating the optimum route are transmitted from the data transmission system to the navigation device on the vehicle side. In the navigation device on the vehicle side, the corresponding display is performed based on the map image and the optimum route data transmitted from the data transmission system.
[0004]
However, in such background technology, recommended route / guidance data for all the searched routes to the destination is downloaded, and therefore there is a disadvantage that it is not possible to deal with the case where the memory of the navigation device on the vehicle side is insufficient. Therefore, in order to cope with the memory shortage of the navigation device on the vehicle side, the route information to the destination is divided into a plurality of routes based on a predetermined reference, and the information is transmitted to the navigation device on the vehicle side for each of the plurality of divided routes. What to do has been proposed.
[0005]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-258172 discloses an information providing system that can receive a map information service even when the vehicle-side navigation device has a small amount of memory. This includes means for determining whether the vehicle has reached a preset position using the position of the host vehicle detected by the position detection means, and the host vehicle has reached the preset position. When it is determined, the information providing system is characterized in that information including at least the map data is downloaded from the server device to the vehicle terminal.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the prior art, even if the amount of data is reduced, the amount of audio data and image data is enormous as compared with the data of the path normally composed of vector data. Therefore, if these enormous amounts of data are transmitted together with the route data from the center side, the route data cannot be used until the vehicle side has received all the data, and the timing for displaying the route data is delayed. This means that, particularly when starting the guidance, the user needs guidance on which direction to proceed immediately after inputting the destination, but in the prior art, the guidance is required until audio data and image data are received. The problem arises that the user cannot wait until the data has been received.
[0007]
The present invention pays attention to the above points, and a navigation method capable of starting route guidance without waiting for completion of reception of a large amount of data such as voice data and image data, its route providing device, and its route guidance. The object is to provide a device and its system.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention transmits route / guidance data obtained by performing a route search at the center to the mobile body, and when performing route guidance at the mobile body, (1) Of the guidance data, Image data or sound For data, specify the data instead of the data Contains an identifier At the same time, handle information specifying the timing at which the mobile body uses the data on the guide route is given to the route / guide data. (2) The mobile body analyzes the received handle information, and At the timing determined from the current position of the moving body, Specified by an identifier included in the handle information The data is requested to the center, and the corresponding data is transmitted from the center to the mobile unit.
[0009]
One of the main forms is the above The center determines whether image data or audio data is included in the route / guide data. If the data is included, the handle information is added to the route / guide data instead of the data. It is characterized by that. Other forms are When the route / guidance data does not include image data or audio data, route / guidance data without handle information is transmitted from the center to the moving body, and the vehicle moves based on the route / guidance data without the handle information. Route guidance with your body It is characterized by that. Still another form is the above Image data or audio data is image data at a point that serves as a guide for guidance on the route, or audio reproduced at a point on the route to be guided by voice It is characterized by being data. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
[0011]
<Overall Configuration of System> First, the overall configuration of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a navigation system according to the present embodiment. The navigation system according to this embodiment includes an information center 10 and an in-vehicle device 100 that is a vehicle-side navigation device that is a moving body. Note that there are usually a plurality of in-vehicle devices 100.
[0012]
First, from the information center 10, the transmission / reception unit 12 is a communication device including a transmission device and a reception device, and performs data transmission / reception with the in-vehicle device 100. A communication system such as a car phone, a mobile phone, or a PHS may be used. The arithmetic processing unit 14 includes a CPU 16 that performs arithmetic processing, and is provided with a memory 18 in which various programs and data are stored.
[0013]
The memory 18 includes a route search program 20 for searching for a route from the current position of the vehicle (starting position or starting point of navigation) to a destination (ending position of navigation), and a segment processing program for dividing the searched route into segments. 22, guide data extraction program 24 for retrieving and extracting guide data included in the route data divided by this with reference to route guidance data 36, system control program 26 for controlling and managing the entire operation, large capacity Information center 10 such as a handle information adding program 27 for giving an identifier for identifying the large-capacity data, which is handle information of voice and image data (voice data or image data), and timing information for using the data on the guide route Stores various programs to be executed in There. The memory 18 also has a working area used for executing these programs.
[0014]
The database 32 includes route search data 34 for searching for a recommended route, route guidance data 36 such as voice and image, and destination setting data 38 such as a telephone number and an address for setting a destination. Data necessary for route guidance is stored. The route search data 34 includes data on intersections, data on roads, data on node points, and the like. The route guidance data 36 includes various guidance data such as voice data for performing route guidance by voice, image data for guiding each intersection or high-speed branching point using images, and landmark data representing major facilities. Yes.
[0015]
Furthermore, an external information collection unit 40 is connected to the database 32. The external information collecting unit 40 collects the latest road / traffic information such as road works, traffic regulations, new roads and facilities using a telephone line, and updates various data stored in the database 32 as needed. Is for.
[0016]
Next, the in-vehicle device 100 will be described. The arithmetic processing unit 102 is configured around the CPU 101. The memory 104 displays a route, a landmark, an intersection map, and the like on the display unit 110 based on route data and guidance data transmitted from the information center 10, and outputs route guidance sound from the voice output unit 112. Route guidance program 150, handle information analysis program 152 for determining the timing for requesting data corresponding to the identifier included in the handle information by detecting and analyzing the handle information of the audio and image data included in the received route data A data request program 154 for requesting data corresponding to the identifier at the determined timing, or requesting route / guide data for the next route by comparing the vehicle position and the received route data, and a control program 156 for controlling the overall operation For storing a program executed by the arithmetic processing unit 102, etc. It is.
[0017]
Further, the memory 104 functions as a working area that is appropriately used when the CPU 101 executes the program, and is measured by the route / guidance data 160 transmitted from the information center 10, the vehicle-specific ID data 162, and the position measurement unit 106. There is also a function of storing vehicle position data (longitude / latitude) 164 and the like.
[0018]
The vehicle position data 164 includes a plurality of past position data in addition to the current position data measured at predetermined time intervals by the position measurement unit 106. For example, position data of measurement points included in a certain distance or position data of a certain number of measurement points is stored. When a new measurement is performed by the position measuring unit 106, the latest position data is stored and the oldest stored position data is deleted. By connecting the plurality of position data, a travel locus of the vehicle can be obtained. This travel locus is used for so-called map matching for specifying the road on which the vehicle is traveling.
[0019]
Next, the position measuring unit 106 is for measuring the position of the vehicle by using a so-called GPS, and receives a signal from a plurality of GPS satellites to measure the absolute position of the vehicle. Are provided with a speed sensor, an orientation sensor, and the like. Speed sensors and azimuth sensors are used for autonomous navigation. The relative position measured by these sensors is used to obtain the position in tunnels where the GPS receiver cannot receive radio waves from satellites, or to correct measurement errors in the absolute position measured by the GPS receiver. .
[0020]
The input unit 108 includes various switches, a touch panel attached to the display surface of the display unit 110, a remote controller, an input device using voice recognition, and the like. On the touch panel, when a user touches an icon or the like displayed on the display unit 110 with a finger, corresponding data and commands are input. In an input device using voice recognition, when a user utters a voice, corresponding data and commands are input.
[0021]
The display unit 110 is a display using liquid crystal, CRT, or the like, and includes a touch panel as described above. The transmission / reception unit 114 is a communication device for transmitting / receiving data to / from the information center 10, and is configured by communication equipment including a transmission device and a reception device. Similarly to the center, a system such as a car phone, a mobile phone, and a PHS may be used.
[0022]
<Route Search> ... Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. First, the route search operation will be described. 2 shows the operation of the information center 10 as a flowchart, and FIG. 3 shows the operation of the in-vehicle device 100 as a flowchart. First, in the in-vehicle device 100, the control program 156 stored in the memory 104 is executed by the arithmetic processing unit 102. In this operation state, when the data request program 154 stored in the memory 104 is executed based on the user's input operation, each information such as the current vehicle position and the destination measured by the position measuring unit 106 is displayed in the information center 10. Is transmitted by the transmission / reception unit 114 (step S50). At this time, an ID for identifying the own vehicle and the other vehicle is transmitted simultaneously. Then, the information center 10 receives each piece of information received from the in-vehicle device 100 by the transmission / reception unit 12 (Yes in step S10) and sends it to the arithmetic processing unit 14. The communication mode between the information center 10 and the in-vehicle device 100 is performed by packet communication, for example.
[0023]
In the arithmetic processing unit 14 of the information center 10, a system control program 26 stored in the memory 18 is executed. Then, upon receiving the information, the route search program 20 stored in the memory 18 is executed by the CPU 16 to perform route search. That is, the vehicle current position information and the destination information are first extracted from the received information (step S12), and the destination is determined from the information (step S14). For example, when information such as a telephone number or an address is received as the destination information, the destination is determined using the destination setting data 38 in the database 32.
[0024]
Next, a route from the current vehicle position to the destination is searched (step S16). The route search is performed with reference to route search data 34 in the database 32, that is, intersection data, road data, and node data, and is stored in the memory 18 as searched route data 28. This route search processing is known, and is performed by the method disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 1-173297 and 1-173298, and the condition that the route having the shortest distance is the optimum route is used. To set the recommended route. Thereafter, the guidance data extraction program 24 is executed, and the guidance data 30 in the searched route is extracted (step S17). The extraction guide data 30 is also stored in the memory 18.
[0025]
In this embodiment, every time the information center 10 receives a request from the in-vehicle device 100, a route from the current vehicle position to the destination is searched. In the information center 10, road information and traffic information are acquired from the outside by the external information collection unit 40, and the database 32 is updated to the latest information. For this reason, by conducting route search for each request from the vehicle side, the recommended route based on the latest data is always provided to the vehicle side, such as avoiding traffic jams, and guidance data such as voice / image data corresponding to it is provided to the vehicle side. The
[0026]
<Segment Processing>... Next, the CPU 16 of the arithmetic processing unit 14 executes the segment processing program 22 stored in the memory 18 and divides the searched route into segments that are units of navigation (step S18). . The unit to be divided may be a constant data size (for example, one segment is 1024 bytes) or a road length (for example, one segment is 2000 meters). All the searched routes are divided into segment 1, segment 2, segment 3,... As shown in FIG. A plurality of segments gather to form one division path. As shown in FIG. 4B, each segment includes a data head, intersection information, road information, and the like.
[0027]
Advantages of segmenting data in this way are as follows: (1) Even if the communication between the information center 10 and the in-vehicle device 100 is interrupted, the route guidance can be performed as it is for the segment whose transmission has been terminated at the time of the interruption. (2) Retransmitting from the segment that was being transmitted at the time of interruption. In other words, the segment is an information unit that can be decoded by the in-vehicle device 100. For example, if route data of 10 km is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 100 as a file as a whole and cannot be decoded by the in-vehicle device 100, route guidance cannot be performed for all of the 10 km. However, when a file is divided into 2 km segments, the route can be guided by decoding the file for each segment.
[0028]
<Handle information addition / transmission>... Next, in the arithmetic processing unit 14, a handle information addition program 27 is executed. In other words, if the extracted guidance data 30 includes a large volume of voice and image data (Yes in step S20), the voice or image data identifiers or flags instead of them, and the data on the route are used instead. Information for specifying a place to be used is given as handle information of sound and image data (step S21). FIG. 4 (C) shows an example in which voice data is included, for example, and voice guidance handle information QS is given in addition to the data head, intersection information, road information,... .
[0029]
The route / guidance data 160 (searched route data 28 and extracted guidance data 30) subjected to the division processing and the handle information assignment as described above is the vehicle ID of the requested ID in order from the segment closest to the current vehicle position. The data is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 100 by the transmission / reception unit 12 (step S22). If the route data provided to the in-vehicle device 100 does not include voice data or image data (No in step S20), route / guidance data without handle information QS shown in FIG. 4B is transmitted. (Step S24). As described above, when the guidance data includes large-capacity audio data or image data, the extracted guidance data 30 such as landmarks excluding those, search route data 28 representing the route, and handle information The QS is transmitted as the route / guide data 160 to the in-vehicle device 100. If the extracted guidance data 30 does not include large-capacity voice data or image data, the original search route data 28 and the extracted guidance data 30 are transmitted to the in-vehicle device 100.
[0030]
<Route Guidance> Next, the route guidance operation in the in-vehicle device 100 will be described. When the transmission / reception unit 114 receives the route / guidance data 160 from the information center 10 (Yes in step S <b> 52), the arithmetic processing unit 102 stores the received route / guidance data 160 in the memory 104. Then, the route guidance program 150 stored in the memory 104 is executed, and route guidance using the received route / guidance data 160 is started (step S54). That is, a route map or landmark is displayed on the display unit 110.
[0031]
During route guidance, when the arithmetic processing unit 102 detects handle information of voice and image data included in the received route / guidance data 160 by the handle information analysis program 152 (Yes in step S56), the handle information is analyzed. Then, it is determined whether it is necessary to transmit an acquisition request for the corresponding data to the information center 10 together with the information on the current location of the vehicle (step S58). As a result, for example, when the data becomes necessary, such as when approaching a predetermined distance to the point where guidance is started at the timing included in the handle information using the audio and image data corresponding to the identifier included in the handle information (Yes in step S58), an acquisition request is made by executing the data request program 154. By making an acquisition request to the information center 10 including the identifier, the information center 10 can easily search for corresponding voice and image data.
[0032]
When the information center 10 receives a voice / image data acquisition request from the in-vehicle device 100 (Yes in step S26), the guidance data extraction program 24 stored in the memory 18 is executed, and the route guidance data 36 in the database 32 is executed. In step S28, sound and image data corresponding to the identifier are extracted. The extracted voice and image data is transmitted by the transmission / reception unit 12 to the vehicle-mounted device 100 of the IC vehicle that has made the request (step S30).
[0033]
The search and extraction of the sound and image data corresponding to the identifier may be performed whenever there is a request from the in-vehicle device 100 as described above, or extracted in advance and temporarily stored in the memory 18 of the information center 10. You may keep it. In the case of temporary storage, the stored audio and image data is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 100 at the timing of the request based on the identifier from the in-vehicle device 100.
[0034]
When the in-vehicle device 100 receives the voice and image data extracted by the information center 10 by the transmission / reception unit 114 (Yes in step S60), the in-vehicle device 100 temporarily stores the route / guide data 160 in the memory 104. Then, by executing the route guidance program 150, the image data is supplied to the display unit 110 and the audio data is supplied to the audio output unit 112, and an image is displayed and an audio guidance is output.
[0035]
For example, taking a branch point on an expressway as an example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, an image near the corresponding high-speed branch point is displayed on the display unit 110, and voice guidance at the corresponding branch point is voice output unit 112. (Step S62). For example, the voice guidance “Please proceed in the right lane” is performed. Then, when the vehicle passes through the branch point, the display of the image is terminated, and the sound and image data are deleted. These processes are repeatedly performed for all the voice and image guidance for the segment (step S64).
[0036]
The above operation is repeated between the information center 10 and the in-vehicle device 100 until the vehicle arrives at the destination. That is, the arithmetic processing unit 102 of the in-vehicle device 100 refers to the current vehicle position in the position measurement unit 106 and executes the data request program 154. For example, when the current position of the vehicle is a certain distance (for example, 200 m before) from the end of the received route, a request for the next route / guidance data is made (Yes in step S66). Then, the information center 10 performs processing such as route search and segment division based on the transmission in step S50 described above, and transmits the obtained route / guide data 160 to the in-vehicle device 100. Then, it is determined whether or not all the route / guidance data 160 up to the destination has been received (step S58).
[0037]
<Specific Example> The above operation will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, the route searched for from the departure point P1 to the destination P10 is indicated by a solid line. Further, P3 in the figure is the current position of the vehicle, and is traveling in the direction indicated by the arrow FA on the road R3. It is assumed that the route / guidance data includes guidance voice and image handle information regarding the intersection C3. When the vehicle passes through the position PH, audio and image data related to the intersection C3 is requested from the in-vehicle device 100 to the information center 10 based on the steering wheel information. Then, the voice and image data regarding the intersection C3 are transmitted from the information center 10 to the in-vehicle device 100. Based on the sound and image data, the vehicle turns right at the intersection C3 and enters the road R4 as indicated by an arrow FB in the figure. The route / guidance data received from the information center 10 is deleted from the memory 104 of the in-vehicle apparatus 100 when it becomes unnecessary, including voice and image data. Therefore, according to the present example, the sound and image data may be held by the in-vehicle device 100 from the reception point after the position PH until the right turn at the intersection C3.
[0038]
Next, an example of route / guidance data will be specifically described. For example, it is assumed that the route and guidance data (including route information and intersection enlarged view) of all routes from the departure point to the destination is about 1.5 KB / km, and the data is transmitted every 5 km. A single transmission is about 7.5KB. If the voice data of 10 to 15 KB per division path is added to this twice, the data amount of 20 to 30 KB increases and the transmission data amount becomes 30 to 40 KB. That is, the amount of data that must be transmitted is three to five times. Therefore, for example, even if there is a transmission capability of 64 kbps, what can be transmitted in about 1 second at 7.5 KB is 3 to 5 seconds. On the other hand, assuming that the handle information QS of audio data can be defined by several bytes as in the present embodiment, the amount of data is not much different from that when there is no audio data.
[0039]
In this way, it is possible to perform route guidance without waiting for completion of reception of audio data or image data. In particular, when a large volume of voice data or image data is included near the start point of guidance, the user can enjoy route guidance immediately after receiving a relatively small amount of route data without waiting for reception of these large volumes of data. be able to. Furthermore, for route data, the amount of data to be transmitted is small, so the time required for transmission is shortened, the risk of error occurrence is small, and even when a transmission error occurs, the time loss due to it is reduced, Delay of guidance start is improved. Further, in this case, the in-vehicle device 100 requests the information center 10 for the substance of the data corresponding to the identifier included in the handle information based on the handle information of the voice data, and the transmission / reception unit 114 buffers the data. After that, so-called streaming that is passed to the display unit 110 and the audio output unit 112 which are data reproduction areas may be performed. In this case, the buffer memory is necessary, but it is not necessary to save the entire audio data and image data in the memory 104 in advance. That is, memory management for voice and image data is not necessary, and the terminal memory capacity of the in-vehicle device 100 can be reduced, and the efficiency of the CPU can be improved.
[0040]
<Procedure for Data Transmission / Reception> FIG. 7 shows an example of data transmission / reception between the information center 10 and the in-vehicle device 100 described above. First, as shown by the arrow F1, the in-vehicle device 100 notifies the information center 10 of the current position and the destination. As shown by the arrow F2, the information center 10 performs route search and segment division based on the received data. Then, as shown by the arrow F3, the divided route / guide data (including voice and image data identifiers) is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 100. The in-vehicle device 100 performs route guidance based on the received route / guidance data as shown by an arrow F4, and detects handle information of voice and image data. Then, as indicated by an arrow F5, the information center 10 is requested to acquire voice and image data. The information center 10 extracts voice and image data corresponding to the requested identifier as indicated by an arrow F6, and transmits the extracted voice and image data to the vehicle side as indicated by an arrow F7. As shown in F8, the in-vehicle device 100 performs route guidance based on the received voice and image data. Note that audio and image data are discarded when they are no longer needed after the output or display ends. Here, when continuation data for route guidance becomes necessary, the current center and the destination are notified again to the information center 10, as indicated by the arrow F9. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated until the destination is reached. Similarly, the route / guidance data is discarded when it is no longer needed.
[0041]
<Effects of the Embodiment> As described above, according to the present embodiment, the following effects are obtained.
(1) Route data including handle information of audio and image data is divided and transmitted, and the actual audio and image data is downloaded each time at a necessary point. The communication time of the route data can be shortened to shorten the guidance start time, and the memory capacity of the in-vehicle device can be reduced.
(2) Since the route / guidance data is segmented and transmitted, even if the communication between the information center and the in-vehicle device is interrupted, the data of the segment whose transmission is terminated at the time of interruption can be used as it is for route guidance. When retransmitting, it may be transmitted from the interrupted segment.
(3) Since the database is updated and route search and guidance data are extracted for each request from the in-vehicle device, route guidance based on the latest road information and traffic information is always possible. In addition, it can flexibly respond to changes in destinations.
(4) Since a route search from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is performed for each request, for example, even when the vehicle deviates from the route, route / guidance data from the current position on the deviated road to the destination can be obtained. Yes, you can drive with confidence.
[0042]
Other Embodiments There are many embodiments of the present invention, and various modifications can be made based on the above disclosure. For example, the following are included.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the destination is transmitted from the in-vehicle device to the information center every time. However, if the destination transmitted first is stored in the information center, the in-vehicle device first transmits the information to the information center once. It is only necessary to transmit the destination, and the communication time can be shortened and the destination setting process can be omitted.
(2) In the above embodiment, the segment division is performed to a predetermined size determined by the information center. However, for example, the segment division may be set based on the memory capacity of the in-vehicle device that stores the received data. It should be noted that application of the present invention is not prevented when route division is not performed.
(3) The numerical values such as the segment, the data amount, and the transmission capability shown in the above embodiment are all examples, and may be appropriately changed as necessary. In addition, audio data and image data are shown as large-capacity data, but these are examples, and the processing target based on the handle information may be set as appropriate.
(4) In the above-described embodiment, the route search from the current vehicle position to the destination is performed for each request. However, the route search from the end of the route transmitting the data to the destination may be performed.
(5) Although the said form applies this invention to vehicles, such as a motor vehicle, it is applicable to various mobile bodies, such as a portable mobile terminal.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
As explained above, according to the present invention, Of route / guide data, Audio data Or Image data To About them Includes an identifier that identifies the data and determines when to request these data Handle information is given to the route / guide data, and whenever necessary, Requests the data specified by the identifier included in the handle information on the mobile body from the center at the timing determined by the handle information, and applies Since data is transmitted from the center to the mobile unit, it is possible to reduce the time to start guidance by shortening the communication time of route / guide data, and further reduce the memory capacity of the mobile unit. There is an effect of becoming.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing operations of route search and route data transmission processing on the center side.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing operations of request and route guidance in the in-vehicle device.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of segment division and contents of each division path data.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of guidance image display and voice guidance at a highway branch.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a search route.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state of data exchange between the in-vehicle device and the information center.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 ... Information Center
12 ... Transmitter / receiver
14 ... arithmetic processing unit
16 ... CPU
18 ... Memory
20 ... Route search program
22 ... Segment processing program
24 ... Guide data extraction program
26. System control program
27 ... Handle information giving program
28 ... Search route data
30 ... Extraction guidance data
32 ... Database
34 ... Route search data
36 ... data for route guidance
38 ... Destination setting data
40 ... External information collection department
100: In-vehicle device
101 ... CPU
102 ... arithmetic processing unit
104 ... Memory
106: Position measuring unit
108: Input unit
110 ... display section
112 ... Audio output unit
114 ... transmission / reception unit
150 ... Route guidance program
152 ... Handle information analysis program
154 ... Data request program
156: Control program
160 ... Route / Guide data
162 ... ID data
164 ... Vehicle position data

Claims (15)

In the navigation method in which route / guidance data obtained by performing route search at the center is transmitted to the mobile body and route guidance is performed by the mobile body,
In the center, image data or audio data among the route / guide data includes an identifier for identifying the data instead of the data, and specifies the timing at which the moving body uses the data on the guide route. Giving handle information to the route / guide data;
Determining a timing for requesting image data or audio data from the center from the received handle information and the current position of the moving body at the moving body;
Requesting the data specified by the identifier included in the handle information at the mobile unit to the center at the determined timing;
Transmitting from the mobile when there is a request for data identified by based on the said identifier, from the center to extract the appropriate data to the mobile;
A navigation method comprising: In the navigation method in which route / guidance data obtained by performing route search at the center is transmitted to the mobile body and route guidance is performed by the mobile body,
In the center, upon request of the route data from the mobile, Step 1 for route search;
Step 2 for extracting guidance data of the route searched in Step 1;
Among the route / guidance data obtained in Steps 1 and 2, image data or audio data includes an identifier for identifying the data instead of the data, and the mobile body transmits the data on the guidance route. Step 3 of assigning handle information for specifying use timing to the route / guide data;
Dividing the route obtained by the route search in step 1;
Sending the route / guide data of the divided route obtained in the step 4 to the mobile unit;
Step 6 of determining a timing for requesting image data or audio data from the center from the received handle information and the current position of the mobile body at the mobile body;
Requesting the center for the data specified by the identifier included in the handle information at the mobile unit at the timing determined in step 6;
Extracting at the center the data requested by said step 7; 8;
Transmitting the data extracted in step 8 from the center to the moving body;
A navigation method comprising: The center determines whether the route / guide data includes image data or audio data. If the data is included, the center uses the handle information instead of the data as the route / guide data. The navigation method according to claim 1, wherein the navigation method is provided. 4. The center according to claim 3, wherein when the route / guide data does not include image data or audio data, the center transmits route / guide data without the handle information to the mobile body. The described navigation method. 5. The image data or audio data is image data of a point that is a guide mark on a route or audio data that is reproduced at a point to be guided by voice on the route . The navigation method according to any one of the above. In the route providing apparatus that provides the mobile unit with the route / guidance data obtained by performing the route search,
Among the route / guidance data, for image data or voice data, handle information that includes an identifier that identifies the data instead of the data and that identifies when the mobile body uses the data on the guidance route. Handle information giving means for giving to the route / guide data;
When data specified on the basis from the mobile to the identifier included in the handle information is requested, the transmission extracting and transmitting relevant data to the moving body means;
A route providing apparatus comprising: In the route providing apparatus that provides the mobile unit with the route / guidance data obtained by performing the route search,
When a request for route data from the mobile, the route searching means for performing a route search;
First data extraction means for extracting guidance data of the route searched by the route search means;
Route dividing means for dividing the route obtained by the route searching means;
Among the route data obtained by the route search means and the guidance data obtained by the guidance data extraction means, the image data or voice data includes an identifier for identifying the data instead of the data, and includes information on the guidance route. Handle information giving means for giving handle information specifying the timing of using the data;
When data specified by have based from the mobile to the identifier included in the handle information is requested, the second data extracting means for extracting the relevant data;
Transmitting means for transmitting the route / guide data divided by the route dividing means and provided with the handle information and the data extracted by the second data extracting means to the mobile body;
A route providing apparatus comprising: The handle information providing means determines whether the route / guide data includes image data or audio data. If the data is included, the handle information is replaced with the route information. The route providing device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the route providing device provides the guidance data. The transmission means transmits the route / guidance data without the handle information to the mobile body when the route / guidance data does not include image data or audio data. 9. The route providing device according to 8. The image data or audio data, to one of the claims 6-9, characterized in that the audio data to be reproduced at a point to be guided by voice over the image data or path point as a landmark for guidance The route providing apparatus according to the description. Receiving means for receiving , from the center, route / guide data including an identifier for specifying image data or audio data and handle information specifying timing for using the data on the guide route ;
Route guidance means for performing route guidance based on the data received by the receiving means;
A handle information included in the received data by the receiving unit, from the current position of the moving body, handle information analysis means for determining a timing to request the image data or audio data to the cell pointer;
Makes requests route guidance to the center, at a timing determined by said handle information analyzer, request means for requesting the data that is identified by the identifier included in the handle information to the center;
A route guidance device comprising: Whether the route / guide data includes image data or audio data at the center is determined. If the data is included, the handle information is included in the route / guide data instead of the data. The route guidance device according to claim 11, wherein the route guidance device is given. When the route / guide data does not include image data or audio data,
  13. The route receiving device according to claim 12, wherein the receiving unit receives route / guide data without the handle information, and the route guide unit performs route guidance based on the route / guide data without the handle information. Route guidance device. The image data or audio data, in any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the audio data to be reproduced at a point to be guided by voice over the image data or path point as a landmark for guidance The route guidance apparatus described. A navigation system comprising the route providing device according to any one of claims 6 to 10 and the route guiding device according to any one of claims 11 to 14 .

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