JP5657912B2 - Navigation device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device technology.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a navigation apparatus uses a technique for searching for and presenting a rechargeable facility near a destination when there is no charging facility at the destination because the vehicle is powered by electric power. Patent Document 1 describes a technique regarding such a navigation device.

JP 2003-294463 A

  However, the navigation device as described above only guides the location of the charging facility even when various types of charging facilities exist.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a navigation technique for presenting a recommended charging facility to a user among various types of charging facilities.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a navigation device according to the present invention includes a storage unit that stores charging facility information related to a charging facility for each facility, and charge information that specifies at least a usage fee among information included in the charging facility information. And a recommendation level calculation means for calculating the recommendation level of the facility using the capability information for specifying the charging capability, and a display for displaying the recommendation level calculated by the recommendation level calculation means in association with the facility. And means.

  Moreover, in the navigation method of the navigation device according to the present invention, the navigation device includes storage means for storing charging facility information regarding the charging facility for each facility, and at least the usage fee is included in the information included in the charging facility information. Using the fee information to be identified and the capability information to identify the charging capacity, the recommendation level calculating step for calculating the recommendation level of the facility, and the recommendation level calculated by the recommendation level calculating step are associated with the facility. And a display step of displaying.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to provide the navigation technique which shows a user the recommended charging facility among various forms of charging facilities.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a navigation device. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the link table. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the facility table. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the recommendation degree determination table. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the equipment reference table. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the priority table. FIG. 7 is a functional configuration diagram of the arithmetic processing unit. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the charging facility search process. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the recommendation level calculation process. FIG. 10 is a screen display example of the charging facility search process. FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the peripheral charging facility search process. FIG. 12 is a screen display example of the peripheral charging facility search process.

  A navigation apparatus to which a first embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration diagram of the navigation device 100. The navigation device 100 is a so-called navigation device capable of displaying map information and indicating a point indicating the current location of the navigation device 100 and information for guiding a route to a set destination. The navigation device 100 can communicate with an external server (not shown) via a communication network (not shown), and various information such as map update information and charging facility service contents from the external server or the like. In addition, detailed information such as charging capability and charging unit price can be received regularly or in accordance with an instruction from the user.

  The navigation device 100 includes an arithmetic processing unit 1, a display 2, a storage device 3, a voice input / output device 4 (including a microphone 41 as a voice input device and a speaker 42 as a voice output device), an input device 5, and a ROM. The apparatus 6 includes a vehicle speed sensor 7, a gyro sensor 8, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 9, an FM multiplex broadcast receiver 10, a beacon receiver 11, and a communication device 12.

  The arithmetic processing unit 1 is a central unit that performs various processes. For example, the present location is detected based on information output from the various sensors 7 and 8, the GPS receiver 9, the FM multiplex broadcast receiver 10, and the like. Further, map data necessary for display is read from the storage device 3 or the ROM device 6 based on the obtained current location information.

  In addition, the arithmetic processing unit 1 develops the read map data in graphics, and superimposes a mark indicating the current location on the map data and outputs it to the display 2. Further, using map data or the like stored in the storage device 3 or the ROM device 6, an optimum connection between the departure point or current location instructed by the user and the destination (or a stopover or stopover) is performed. Search for a route (referred to as a recommended route). Further, guidance information for guiding the user is generated using the speaker 42 and the display 2, and the generated guidance information is output to the speaker 42 and the display 2.

  Further, as will be described later, the arithmetic processing unit 1 can perform a charging facility search process and a surrounding charging facility search process for displaying a recommendation level for each charging facility.

  The arithmetic processing unit 1 of the navigation device 100 has a configuration in which each device is connected by a bus 25. The arithmetic processing unit 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21 that executes various processes such as numerical calculation and control of each device, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that stores map data, arithmetic data, and the like read from the storage device 3. ) 22, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 23 for storing programs and data, and an I / F (interface) 24 for connecting various types of hardware to the arithmetic processing unit 1.

  The display 2 includes a screen for displaying characters and images, and is a unit that displays graphics information generated by the arithmetic processing unit 1 and the like on the screen. The display 2 is configured by a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or the like.

  The storage device 3 is composed of at least a readable / writable storage medium such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a nonvolatile memory card.

  This storage medium stores link table 200, which is map data (including link data of links constituting a road on the map) necessary for a normal route search device, and information on the charging service of the facility for each facility. Facility table 300, a recommendation level determination table 400 for determining the recommendation level of the facility according to various criteria, and an equipment standard table 500 in which information serving as a reference for evaluating the charging equipment of the facility is stored. And a priority table 600 for storing a priority standard specified by the user in advance.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the link table 200. The link table 200 includes, for each mesh identification code (mesh ID) 201, which is a partitioned area on the map, link data 202 of each link constituting a road included in the mesh area.

  For each link ID 211 that is a link identifier, the link data 202 includes coordinate information 222 of two nodes (start node and end node) constituting the link, a road type 223 indicating the type of road including the link, and a link length. Link length 224 indicating the link travel time 225 stored in advance, a start connection link that is a link connected to the start node of the link, and an end connection link that is a link connected to the end node of the link A start connection link, an end connection link 226, a speed limit 227 indicating a speed limit of a road including the link, and the like are included.

  Here, by distinguishing the start node and the end node for the two nodes constituting the link, the upward direction and the downward direction of the same road are managed as different links.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the facility table 300. The facility table 300 stores information related to the charging service for each facility received from a server or the like existing outside via a wireless communication network or the like. The facility table 300 stores information related to the charging service for each facility in advance, and is updated regularly according to the received information or according to an instruction from the user.

  The facility ID 301 stores a facility ID that is an identifier for identifying a predetermined facility. For example, an identifier that can identify a shopping mall, a gas station, a parking lot, and other facilities is stored. In the facility name 311 included in the facility information specified by the facility ID 301, information specifying the name or common name of the facility associated with the information stored in the facility ID 301 is stored. For example, “XX shopping center” is stored as the name of the facility associated with the facility ID 301.

  Similarly, the facility type 312 included in the facility information identified by the facility ID 301 stores information identifying the facility type associated with the information stored in the facility ID 301. For example, information such as “shopping center” is stored as information specifying the type of facility associated with the facility ID 301.

  Further, in the position information 313 included in the facility information specified by the facility ID 301, information for specifying the position of the facility associated with the information stored in the facility ID 301 is stored. For example, information such as the latitude and longitude of the facility is stored as information for specifying the location of the facility associated with the facility ID 301. The latitude / longitude of the facility is information on latitude / longitude determined in advance as a position representing the facility. The latitude / longitude of the facility is information for specifying the center position of the facility, the position of the entrance of the facility, and the like.

  In the charging facility presence / absence 314 included in the facility information specified by the facility ID 301, information specifying whether or not the facility associated with the information stored in the facility ID 301 includes a charging facility is stored. For example, information such as “present” or “absent” is stored as information for specifying the presence / absence of the charging facility of the facility associated with the facility ID 301.

  In the charging capability 315 included in the facility information specified by the facility ID 301, information for specifying the charging capability of the facility associated with the information stored in the facility ID 301 is stored. For example, information such as the charging capability of the charging facility provided in the shopping center is stored as information for specifying the charging capability of the facility associated with the facility ID 301. In the present embodiment, the charging capacity is indicated in kW (kilowatt) unit, and it can be said that charging can be performed more rapidly as the value expressed in the unit is larger.

  In the charge unit price 316 included in the facility information specified by the facility ID 301, information for specifying the charge unit price of the facility associated with the information stored in the facility ID 301 is stored. For example, information on the charging unit price of the charging facility provided in the shopping center is stored as information for specifying the charging unit price of the facility associated with the facility ID 301. In this embodiment, the unit price of charging is indicated by Yen / Ah (price per Ah), and it can be said that the larger the value expressed in the unit, the higher the unit price of charging.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the recommendation level determination table 400. The recommendation level determination table 400 stores information for determining the recommendation level of the charging service for each facility. The recommendation level determination table 400 stores determination information in which a recommendation level is associated with a combination of a remaining charge amount upon arrival at a charging facility, a charging capability of the charging facility, and a charging unit price. The recommendation degree determination table 400 stores the determination information in advance.

  In the remaining charge 401 upon arrival at the charging facility, the ratio of the remaining charge is stored according to a predetermined category. In the present embodiment, the remaining charge 401 upon arrival at the charging facility is classified into less than 0%, 0% or more and less than 30%, 30% or more and less than 60%, and 60% or more. Here, the remaining charge in this embodiment is a distance that can be traveled by the amount of electricity that can be taken out of the battery, that is, the rechargeable battery while maintaining a predetermined voltage (different for each battery management module), The ratio of the remaining travelable distance obtained by subtracting the distance traveled shall be said. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be, for example, the ratio of the remaining amount of electricity obtained by subtracting the amount of electricity consumed to the amount of electricity that can be taken out of the battery while maintaining a predetermined voltage. .

  In the charging capacity 402 of the charging facility, the charging capacity of the charging facility is stored according to a predetermined category. In the present embodiment, the charging capacity 402 of the charging facility is divided into quick charging, general charging, and low speed charging. Here, the charging capability in this embodiment refers to the speed required to charge the battery. That is, it can be said that charging capability is high because rapid charging can be performed more rapidly than general charging. On the contrary, if it is low speed charge, since charge time is slower than general charge, it can be said that charge capability is low. Note that, in the present embodiment, the standard charging as a reference refers to a charge corresponding to the charging capacity defined in the facility reference table 500 described later.

  The charging unit price 403 of the charging facility stores the charging unit price of the charging facility according to a predetermined category. In the present embodiment, the charging unit price 403 of the charging facility is classified as free, less than the average unit price, or more than the average unit price. Here, the unit charge price in this embodiment refers to the price per unit of the amount of electricity that charges the battery. That is, if it is free, there is no charge, and if it is a charge, that is, less than the average unit price or more than the average unit price, payment of an amount obtained by multiplying the charge amount by the unit price occurs. Note that, as the average unit price, the average unit price for each region defined in the facility standard table 500 described later is used.

  In the recommendation level 404, a recommendation level associated with a combination of the remaining charge amount at the time of arrival at the charging facility, the charging capability of the charging facility, and the charging unit price of the charging facility is stored. In the present embodiment, the degree of recommendation is expressed in four stages of 0 to 3, and the larger the value, the more recommended the facility. Basically, the higher the capacity of the charging facility, the higher the recommendation level, and the lower the charging unit price, the higher the recommendation level. Moreover, the degree of recommendation of a facility having a high charging capability increases as the remaining amount of charge upon arrival at the facility is estimated to decrease.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the equipment reference table 500. In the equipment standard table 500, standard charging capacity 501 that is information serving as a standard for evaluating the charging capacity of the facility and information on average charging unit price 502 for each region serving as a standard for evaluating the charging unit price are stored. . More specifically, in the equipment standard table 500, the charge capacity of general charge, which is information used as a reference when determining whether the charge capacity is quick charge, general charge, or low speed charge, is standard charge. It is stored as capability 501. In addition, in the equipment standard table 500, the regional average of the unit charge of general charge for each region, which is information used to determine whether the charge unit price is free, less than the average unit price, or more than the average unit price. Are stored as an average charge unit price 502 for each region.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the priority table 600. The priority table 600 stores conditions that are prioritized when the recommendation level is corrected. More specifically, the priority table 600 includes information on the reference 601 that is prioritized when the recommendation level is corrected. In this embodiment, the criteria 601 stores conditions such as charge priority, time priority (or capability priority), and the like. For example, when the information of the standard 601 is “charge priority”, it indicates that the recommendation degree of the facility whose charging fee is average or higher than the average is handled lower than the facility whose average is lower than the average. Further, when the information of the standard 601 is “time priority (or capacity priority)”, it indicates that the recommendation degree of the facility having a high charging capability is handled higher than the facility having a low charging capability.

  Returning to FIG. The voice input / output device 4 includes a microphone 41 as a voice input device and a speaker 42 as a voice output device. The microphone 41 acquires sound outside the navigation device 100 such as a voice uttered by a user or another passenger.

  The speaker 42 outputs voice information such as a message to the user generated by the arithmetic processing unit 1 as voice. The microphone 41 and the speaker 42 are separately arranged at a predetermined part of the vehicle. However, it may be housed in an integral housing. The navigation device 100 can include a plurality of microphones 41 and speakers 42.

  The input device 5 is a device that receives an instruction from the user through an operation by the user. The input device 5 includes a touch panel 51, a dial switch 52, and other hardware switches (not shown) such as scroll keys and scale change keys.

  The touch panel 51 is mounted on the display surface side of the display 2 and can see through the display screen. The touch panel 51 specifies a touch position corresponding to the XY coordinates of the image displayed on the display 2, converts the touch position into coordinates, and outputs the coordinate. The touch panel 51 includes a pressure-sensitive or electrostatic input detection element.

  The dial switch 52 is configured to be rotatable clockwise and counterclockwise, generates a pulse signal for every rotation of a predetermined angle, and outputs the pulse signal to the arithmetic processing unit 1. The arithmetic processing unit 1 obtains the rotation angle from the number of pulse signals.

  The ROM device 6 includes at least a readable storage medium such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM, or an IC (Integrated Circuit) card. In this storage medium, for example, moving image data, audio data, and the like are stored.

  The vehicle speed sensor 7, the gyro sensor 8, and the GPS receiver 9 are used by the navigation device 100 to detect the current location (own vehicle position). The vehicle speed sensor 7 is a sensor that outputs a value used to calculate the vehicle speed. The gyro sensor 8 is composed of an optical fiber gyro, a vibration gyro, or the like, and detects an angular velocity due to the rotation of the moving body. The GPS receiver 9 receives a signal from a GPS satellite and measures the distance between the mobile body and the GPS satellite and the rate of change of the distance with respect to three or more satellites to thereby determine the current location, travel speed, and travel of the mobile body. It measures the direction.

  The FM multiplex broadcast receiver 10 receives an FM multiplex broadcast signal transmitted from an FM broadcast station. FM multiplex broadcasting includes VICS (Vehicle Information Communication System: Registered Trademark) information, current traffic information, regulatory information, SA / PA (service area / parking area) information, parking information, weather information, and FM multiplex general information. As text information provided by radio stations.

  The beacon receiving device 11 receives rough current traffic information such as VICS information, regulation information, SA / PA (service area / parking area) information, parking lot information, weather information, emergency alerts, and the like. For example, it is a receiving device such as an optical beacon that communicates by light and a radio beacon that communicates by radio waves.

  The communication device 12 is connected to a wireless communication network (not shown). Such a communication device 12 is a device that connects to a mobile phone network and performs data communication with a server at a center such as an external information distribution center, for example, and can communicate with a user's mobile phone attached, for example. Including things.

  FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of the arithmetic processing unit 1. As illustrated, the arithmetic processing unit 1 includes a main control unit 101, an input reception unit 102, an output processing unit 103, a battery management unit 104, a recommendation level calculation unit 105, a charging facility search unit 106, a route, A search unit 107 and a route guidance unit 108 are included.

  The main control unit 101 is a central functional unit that performs various processes, and controls other processing units according to the processing content. In addition, information on various sensors 7 and 8, the GPS receiver 9, and the like is acquired, and a current location is specified by performing map matching processing and the like. In addition, the travel history is stored in the storage device 3 for each link by associating the travel date and time with the position as needed. Further, in response to a request from each processing unit, the current time included in the GPS information received by the GPS receiver 9 is output. Further, when the main control unit 101 is requested for information on a recommended route from another processing unit, the main control unit 101 outputs the information.

The input receiving unit 102 receives an instruction from a user input via the input device 5 or the microphone 41, and sends the received request content to the main control unit 101 so that processing corresponding to the request content is executed. Output. For example, when a user requests a search for a recommended route, the received request for a recommended route is output to the main control unit 101.
In addition, in a state where a predetermined function menu screen is displayed on the display 2, various operations in the menu are accepted through the touch panel 51.

  The output processing unit 103 receives screen information to be displayed such as graphics information, converts it into graphics information for drawing on the display 2, and instructs the display 2 to draw. Further, an instruction to output from the speaker 42 is given according to the processing content.

  The battery management unit 104 manages information related to the battery. Specifically, the battery management unit 104 monitors the remaining amount of the battery, and upon receiving a request for remaining amount information from another processing unit, outputs information indicating the remaining amount to the request source. In the present embodiment, the battery management unit 104 acquires information on the remaining amount of the battery from a battery management module (not shown) attached to the battery as a percentage, and manages it as remaining amount information. In addition, the battery management unit 104 maintains a predetermined voltage and can travel by the amount of power that can be extracted from the battery (hereinafter referred to as “full-charge travelable distance”) and average power consumption per predetermined distance The amount (hereinafter referred to as “average power consumption”) is held in advance as a set value. Then, when the battery management unit 104 receives a request for disclosure of information on the fully charged travelable distance or the average power consumption from another processing unit, the battery management unit 104 outputs the information to the request source.

  In response to an instruction from another processing unit, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 calculates and outputs recommendation levels of various types of charging facilities through the recommendation level calculation process. Details of the recommendation level calculation processing will be described later, but an outline thereof will be described below. The recommendation level calculation unit 105 applies, to the recommendation level determination table 400, the remaining battery level at the time of arrival at the facility, the charging capacity of the facility, and the charging unit price for each facility for which the recommendation level is calculated. To calculate the recommendation level. At that time, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 performs a process of correcting the recommendation level according to the priority reference 601 in the priority table 600. Then, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 outputs the calculated recommendation level to the instruction source.

  In response to an instruction from another processing unit, the charging facility search unit 106 performs a charging facility search process and a peripheral charging facility search process, which will be described later. Details of both processes are as described later. In the charging facility search process and the surrounding charging facility search process, the charging facility search unit 106 displays the charging facility and its recommendation level in association with each other. The charging facility search unit 106 requests the main control unit 101 to set one charging facility among the displayed charging facilities as a destination or a transit point. In addition, when the charging facility search unit 106 receives the charging facility information transmitted from the external server, the charging facility search unit 106 updates the facility table 300 based on the received information.

  The route search unit 107 searches for an optimum route (recommended route) that connects the starting point or current location instructed by the user and the destination. In the route search, a route is searched based on a link cost set in advance for a predetermined section (link) of a road using a route search logic such as Dijkstra method. Note that the route search unit 107 may perform a search using the link cost included in the statistical information corresponding to the arrival date / day type predicted based on the current date / time during the route search.

  The route guidance unit 108 generates guidance information and outputs it to the output processing unit 103 so that the current location of the vehicle does not deviate from the recommended route.

  Each functional unit of the arithmetic processing unit 1 described above, that is, the main control unit 101, the input reception unit 102, the output processing unit 103, the battery management unit 104, the recommendation degree calculation unit 105, the charging facility search unit 106, the route search unit 107, the route The guiding unit 108 is constructed by the CPU 21 reading and executing a predetermined program. Therefore, the RAM 22 stores a program for realizing the processing of each functional unit.

  In addition, each above-mentioned component is classified according to the main processing content, in order to make an understanding easy the structure of the navigation apparatus 100. FIG. Therefore, the present invention is not limited by the way of classifying the components and their names. The configuration of the navigation device 100 can be classified into more components depending on the processing content. Moreover, it can also classify | categorize so that one component may perform more processes.

  Each functional unit may be constructed by hardware (ASIC, GPU, etc.). Further, the processing of each functional unit may be executed by one hardware or may be executed by a plurality of hardware.

  [Description of Operation] Next, the operation of the charging facility search process performed by the navigation device 100 will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a charging facility search process performed by the navigation device 100. This flow is started when a predetermined function menu display screen is operated in a state where the navigation device 100 is operating.

  First, the input receiving unit 102 receives input information detected via the touch panel 51 or the like, receives a selection of “charging facility” that exists as a destination category on the menu, and is selected by the main control unit 101. Is output (step S001). Then, the main control unit 101 sequentially gives instructions to the input receiving unit 102, the output processing unit 103, the battery management unit 104, the recommendation level calculation unit 105, the charging facility search unit 106, the route search unit 107, and the route guidance unit 108. The following processing is executed.

  First, the main control unit 101 extracts facilities included in the category “charging facility” for which selection has been received from the facility table 300 (step S002). Then, the main control unit 101 instructs the recommendation level calculation unit 105 to calculate the recommendation level of the extracted facility.

  Then, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 calculates the recommendation level of each facility (step S003). After calculating the recommendation level, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 outputs the calculated recommendation level to the main control unit 101. In the process, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 calculates the recommendation level by regarding the remaining battery level at the time of the process as the remaining charge level when the charging facility arrives. Specifically, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 requests the battery management unit 104 for information on the remaining battery level. The battery management unit 104 acquires battery remaining amount information from the battery management module and outputs it to the recommendation level calculation unit 105. And the recommendation level calculation part 105 calculates a recommendation level by implementing the recommendation level calculation process mentioned later.

  Then, when the charging facility search unit 106 that has received the processing instruction from the main control unit 101 configures display information on a screen that displays a list of the charging facilities extracted in step S002 in association with the degree of recommendation, the display Information is output to the output processing unit 103 (step S004). The output processing unit 103 displays the received display information on the display 2.

  FIG. 10A shows an example of a screen 700 displayed on the display 2 in step S004. The screen 700 includes a charging facility list display area 701 and a narrowing button 702 for receiving an instruction to narrow down charging facilities. A list display area 701 displays a list of a plurality of charging facilities. The list display area 701 includes, for each charging facility, a charge type icon 703 indicating whether charging is charged or free, a capacity display area 704 indicating whether the charging capacity is rapid, general, or low speed, and a facility A name 705, a straight line distance 706 to the facility, and a recommendation level display area 707 that indicates the recommendation level by a numerical value or a graph are included. Here, the charging facility searching unit 106 refers to the charging unit price 316 of the facility table 300 as the charge type icon 703 and selects whether to display the “paid” or “free” icon. Further, the charging facility search unit 106 indicates whether the charging capacity 315 of the facility table 300 exceeds, falls below, or is within the reference in the capacity display area 704, whether or not the charging capacity 315 of the facility table 300 exceeds the standard indicated by the standard charging capacity 501 of the equipment standard table 500. Are selected, and display of “rapid”, “slow”, or “general” is selected. In addition, the charging facility search unit 106 configures the screen information to display the facility name 311 of the facility table 300 as the facility name 705. In addition, the charging facility search unit 106 acquires the current value from the main control unit 101 as the linear distance 706 to the facility, and calculates the linear distance from the current location to the position specified by the location information 313 of the facility. The screen information is configured to display the calculated distance. In addition, the charging facility search unit 106 configures screen information in the recommendation level display area 707 so that the recommendation level calculated in step S003 is displayed in a graph so as to be intuitively easy to understand such as displaying the number of stars. .

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. The input receiving unit 102 determines whether or not a designation input from the user to the narrow-down button 702 has been received on the screen 700 (step S005). If it has been received (“Yes” in step S005), the input receiving unit 102 further receives specification of a recommendation level to narrow down (step S006). The main control unit 101 narrows down the charging facilities under the recommendation degree conditions that have received the designation. Then, the charging facility search unit 106 displays the narrowed facility list on the screen (step S007).

  FIG. 10B is a diagram showing an example of the screen 710 displayed on the display 2 in step S007. The screen 710 includes a charging facility list display area 701 and a condition display area 711 for displaying the narrowed-down conditions. The list display area 701 has a display configuration similar to that shown in FIG. The charging facility search unit 106 configures the screen information so that the condition display area 711 displays the recommendation degree designation conditions received in step S006.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. When the designation input to the narrow-down button 702 is not accepted in step S005 (“No” in step S005), the charging facility search unit 106 advances the process to step S008.

  The input receiving unit 102 receives a selection input to the facility displayed in the list display area 701 on the screen 700 or the screen 710 (step S008). Then, the charging facility search unit 106 outputs a request to the main control unit 101 to perform a route search using the selected facility as a route search destination (step S009). When the main control unit 101 receives the request, the main control unit 101 causes the route search unit 107 to perform a route search, and sets the obtained route as a recommended route (step S010).

  The above is the processing content of the charging facility search processing. In this way, the route guidance unit 108 can generate and output route guidance information according to the recommended route. Therefore, it can be said that the navigation apparatus 100 can display the recommendation degree of the charging facility of various aspects, and can perform route guidance to the charging facility.

  Next, the recommendation level calculation process will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing recommendation level calculation processing performed by the navigation device 100. This flow is started in step S003 of the charging facility search process in a state where the navigation device 100 is operating.

  First, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 receives, from the main control unit 101, designation of one or a plurality of target facilities for which recommendation levels are calculated (step S101).

  Then, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 identifies the capability rank for each received target facility with reference to the charging capability of the facility (step S102). Specifically, the recommendation degree calculation unit 105 determines whether or not the facility charging capability 315 is included in the range of the standard charging capability 501 of the facility reference table 500, and if not included, whether the range is below or above the range. Is identified. Then, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 identifies the facility rank as “general” when the charging capability of the facility is included in the range, and identifies it as “rapid” when the facility rank exceeds it. In this case, it is specified as “low speed”.

  And the recommendation level calculation part 105 specifies a charge rank with reference to the charge unit price of a facility about each received target facility (step S103). Specifically, the recommendation degree calculation unit 105 refers to the charge unit price 316 of the facility table 300 for each facility, determines whether or not it is free, and if it is free, specifies the charge rank as “free”. To do. If it is not free, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 identifies an average charge unit price in a region where the location of the facility is included in the charge unit price average 502 in the equipment standard table 500. Then, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 refers to the charging unit price 316 of the facility table 300 for each facility, determines whether or not it is less than the specified average charging unit price, and if it is less than the average charging unit price, sets the charge rank. Identified as “less than average unit price”. The recommendation level calculation unit 105 identifies the charge rank as “average price or more” if the average charge price is equal to or higher.

  Then, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 refers to the recommendation level determination table 400 and specifies the recommendation level that matches the remaining charge level, the capability rank, and the charge rank for each charging facility (step S104). Specifically, for each charging facility, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 determines the remaining battery level acquired from the battery management unit 104 in step S003 of the charging facility search process and the capability specified in step S102 of the recommendation level calculation process. The recommendation level 404 corresponding to the combination of the rank and the charge rank specified in step S103 of the recommendation level calculation process is specified from the recommendation level determination table 400.

  Then, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 determines whether or not the priority charging facility is the quick charging priority (step S105). Specifically, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 determines whether or not the priority reference 601 in the priority table 600 is “time priority”.

  When priority is given to quick charging (“Yes” in step S105), the recommendation level calculation unit 105 determines the recommendation level of facilities whose capability rank does not exceed the standard, that is, facilities whose capability rank is “general” and “low speed”. A predetermined amount (for example, “1”) is reduced to obtain the final recommendation level (step S106). Then, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 ends the recommendation level calculation process.

  When the priority is not quick charge (“No” in step S105), the recommendation level calculation unit 105 determines the recommendation level of a facility whose rate rank is not lower than the standard, that is, a rate rank of “average price or more” by a predetermined amount ( For example, “1”) is reduced to a final recommendation level (step S106). Then, the recommendation level calculation unit 105 ends the recommendation level calculation process.

  The above is the processing content of the recommendation level calculation processing. By doing in this way, recommendation degree calculation part 105 can specify recommendation degree about charge facilities of various modes.

  Next, the operation of the peripheral charging facility search process performed by the navigation device 100 will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the peripheral charging facility search process performed by the navigation device 100. This flow is started when the peripheral charging facility search menu screen around the current location is operated while the navigation device 100 is in operation.

  First, the input receiving unit 102 receives input information detected via the touch panel 51 or the like, receives a selection of the peripheral charging facility search on the menu, and outputs the selected content to the main control unit 101 (step S201). . Then, the main control unit 101 sequentially gives instructions to the input receiving unit 102, the output processing unit 103, the battery management unit 104, the recommendation level calculation unit 105, the charging facility search unit 106, the route search unit 107, and the route guidance unit 108. The following processing is executed.

  First, the charging facility search unit 106 requests current location information from the main control unit 101 and acquires information for specifying the current value (step S202).

  Next, the charging facility search unit 106 extracts charging facilities around the current location (for example, within a predetermined distance from the current location) from the facility table 300 (step S203).

  Then, the main control unit 101 causes the recommendation level calculation unit 105 to calculate the recommendation level of the extracted facility (step S204). In this process, the charging facility search unit 106 estimates and calculates the remaining charge amount at the time of arrival at each charging facility, and uses the calculated remaining charge amount at the time of arrival to the recommendation degree calculation unit 105 to each facility. Let's calculate the recommendation degree.

  In the present embodiment, the charging facility search unit 106 estimates the remaining charge amount upon arrival at each facility using the following expression (1) in the process of step S204.

  Charge remaining amount upon arrival = Current charge remaining amount−Distance from current location to facility × Average power consumption per distance (1)

  In the above formula (1), the remaining charge is the remaining charge at the time of processing. That is, the charging facility search unit 106 inquires of the battery management unit 104 about the remaining charge amount, and acquires the response information to identify the remaining charge amount. The distance from the current location to the facility is a linear distance from the current location to the charging facility. That is, the charging facility search unit 106 acquires the current location from the main control unit 101, and calculates a linear distance from the current location to the position specified by the location information 313 of the facility. Further, the average power consumption per distance is a predetermined value in accordance with a predetermined standard or measurement method.

  Then, when the charging facility search unit 106 configures display information of a screen that displays a list in association with the recommendation level for each charging facility extracted in step S203, the display unit 106 outputs the display information to the output processing unit 103 (step S103). S205). The output processing unit 103 displays the received display information on the display 2.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a screen 800 displayed on the display 2 in step S205. The screen 800 includes a charging facility list display area 801, a narrowing button 802 for accepting an instruction to narrow down charging facilities, a map display area 810 on which a current location, a charging facility, and a remaining charge amount are displayed as a map, Is provided. A list display area 801 displays a list of a plurality of charging facilities. The list display area 801 includes a facility name 803 and a linear distance 804 to the facility for each charging facility. Here, the charging facility search unit 106 configures the screen information to display the facility name 311 of the facility table 300 as the facility name 803. In addition, the charging facility search unit 106 acquires the current location from the main control unit 101 as the linear distance 804 to the facility, calculates the linear distance from the current location to the position specified by the location information 313 of the facility, The screen information is configured to display the calculated distance. Further, the charging facility search unit 106 configures screen information so that the recommendation level calculated in step S204 is displayed in a graph so that it is easy to understand intuitively, for example, by displaying the recommendation degree calculated in step S204 with the number of stars.

  Here, in the map display area 810, a car mark 811 indicating the position of the current location, charging facility marks 812 and 813 indicating the position of the extracted charging facility, and an indicator 814 indicating the remaining charge amount are displayed. . The charging facility marks 812 and 813 each display a recommendation level for the charging facility. The charging facility search unit 106 graphs the recommendation degree calculated in step S204 so that it is easy to understand intuitively, such as displaying the number of stars, and attaches to the charging facility to configure display information. In addition, the charging facility search unit 106 configures display information by reflecting the remaining charge amount at the time of processing on the indicator 814. That is, the charging facility search unit 106 uses the remaining charge amount acquired from the main control unit 101 in step S204 to configure an indicator image so as to approximate the remaining charge amount.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. The input receiving unit 102 determines whether a designation input from the user to the narrow-down button 802 has been received on the screen 800 (step S206). If it is received (“Yes” in step S206), the input receiving unit 102 further receives specification of a recommendation level to narrow down (step S207). The main control unit 101 narrows down the charging facilities under the recommendation degree conditions that have received the designation. Then, the charging facility search unit 106 displays the narrowed facility list on the screen (step S208).

  When the designation input to the narrow-down button 802 is not accepted in step S206 (“No” in step S206), the charging facility search unit 106 advances the process to step S209.

  The input receiving unit 102 receives a selection input to the facility displayed in the list display area 801 on the screen 800 (step S209). Then, the charging facility search unit 106 outputs a request to the main control unit 101 to perform a route search using the selected facility as a route search destination (step S210). When the main control unit 101 receives the request, the main control unit 101 causes the route search unit 107 to perform a route search, and sets the obtained route as a recommended route (step S211).

  The above is the processing content of the peripheral charging facility search processing. In this way, the route guidance unit 108 can generate and output route guidance information according to the recommended route. Therefore, it can be said that the navigation apparatus 100 can search for facilities around the current location, display recommendation levels of charging facilities in various modes, and perform route guidance to the charging facility.

  The first embodiment of the present invention has been described above. According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the navigation device 100 can indicate a recommendation degree in accordance with a user's situation for a charging facility that is expected to be in various modes. This helps, for example, to appropriately select a charging facility in an area where the user is not familiar with geography, and leads to avoiding a trouble that the battery suddenly runs out of power.

  The present invention is not limited to the first embodiment. The first embodiment described above can be variously modified within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. For example, if it is expected that the remaining charge will be able to travel to a point (usually home) where the storage location (garage) of the vehicle is located, the degree of recommendation of the charging facility other than the home rather than the home It is good also as calculating recommendation so that may become low.

  Further, for example, the capacity of the charging facility at home and the charging fee may be additionally registered in the facility table 300. By doing in this way, the navigation apparatus 100 can present a recommendation degree considering charging at home.

  In the above, this invention was demonstrated centering on embodiment. In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to an in-vehicle navigation device has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to a navigation device, and is a general device that performs route guidance for a moving body that obtains power by consuming electric power. Can be applied to.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Arithmetic processing part, 2 ... Display, 3 ... Memory | storage device, 4 ... Voice output device, 5 ... Input device, 6 ... ROM device, 7 ... Vehicle speed sensor , 8 ... Gyro sensor, 9 ... GPS receiver, 10 ... FM multiplex broadcast receiver, 11 ... Beacon receiver, 12 ... Communication device, 21 ... CPU, 22 ... RAM, 23 ... ROM, 24 ... I / F, 25 ... bus, 41 ... microphone, 42 ... speaker, 51 ... touch panel, 52 ... dial switch, 100. ..Navigation device 101... Main control unit 102... Input reception unit 103... Output processing unit 104 .. Battery management unit 105. Charging facility search section 107, route search , 108 ... route guidance unit, 200 ... link table, 300 ... POI data table, 400 ... Average determination table, 500 ... facility reference table 600 ... priority table

Claims (4)

Storage means for storing charging facility information on charging facilities for each facility;
For each facility, a remaining amount identifying means for identifying a remaining charge amount at the time of arrival at the facility,
Of the information included in the charging facility information, at least the fee information for specifying the usage fee, the capability information for specifying the charging capability, and the information on the remaining charge at the time of arrival, the recommendation degree of the facility is determined. A recommendation calculation means to calculate,
Display means for displaying the recommendation degree calculated by the recommendation degree calculation means in association with the facility;
A correction means for correcting the recommendation degree calculated by the recommendation degree calculation means;
The storage means stores priority information that can specify which of the usage fee and the charging capacity should be prioritized when calculating the recommendation degree,
When the priority information gives priority to the usage fee, the correction means corrects the recommendation degree of the facility whose usage fee does not satisfy the predetermined standard by reducing the predetermined amount, and the priority information gives priority to the charging capacity. If it does, the recommended level of the facility whose charging capacity does not meet the predetermined standard will be reduced by a predetermined amount and corrected.
The display means displays the recommendation degree corrected by the correction means in association with the facility;
A navigation device. Storage means for storing charging facility information on charging facilities for each facility;
For each facility, a remaining amount identifying means for identifying a remaining charge amount at the time of arrival at the facility,
Of the information included in the charging facility information, at least the fee information for specifying the usage fee, the capability information for specifying the charging capability, and the information on the remaining charge at the time of arrival, the recommendation degree of the facility is determined. A recommendation calculation means to calculate,
Display means for displaying the recommendation degree calculated by the recommendation degree calculation means in association with the facility;
With
The storage means includes information on a usage fee that serves as a reference for each predetermined area,
The recommendation level calculation means determines the level of the usage fee by comparing with the reference usage fee, and calculates the recommendation level.
A navigation device characterized by that. Storage means for storing charging facility information on charging facilities for each facility;
Among the information included in the charging facility information, at least rate information for specifying a usage fee and capability information for specifying a charging capability, and a recommendation level calculating means for calculating a recommendation level of the facility,
Correction means for correcting the recommendation degree calculated by the recommendation degree calculation means;
Display means for displaying the recommendation degree corrected by the correction means in association with the facility,
The storage means stores priority information that can specify which of the usage fee and the charging capacity should be prioritized when calculating the recommendation degree,
When the priority information gives priority to the usage fee, the correction means corrects the recommendation degree of the facility whose usage fee does not satisfy the predetermined standard by reducing the predetermined amount, and the priority information gives priority to the charging capacity. If it is, the recommended level of the facility whose charging capacity does not meet the predetermined standard is reduced by a predetermined amount and corrected.
A navigation device characterized by that. Storage means for storing charging facility information on charging facilities for each facility;
Among the information included in the charging facility information, at least rate information for specifying a usage fee and capability information for specifying a charging capability, and a recommendation level calculating means for calculating a recommendation level of the facility,
Display means for displaying the recommendation degree calculated by the recommendation degree calculation means in association with the facility;
With
The storage means includes information on a usage fee that serves as a reference for each predetermined area,
The recommendation level calculation means determines the level of the usage fee by comparing with the reference usage fee, and calculates the recommendation level.
A navigation device characterized by that.

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