JP2003240588A - Navigation device and information center - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To enable to immediately obtain specific data such as a destination and a traveling route by turning on an ignition. SOLUTION: A user registers a destination set on a PDA in an information center before departure. Then, when the user gets on the vehicle and turns on the ignition, the navigation device checks whether the destination is set in the information center. If the vehicle destination of the corresponding ID is set, the information center searches for a route from the current position transmitted from the navigation device to the set vehicle destination, and transmits a recommended travel route. Since the driving route to the destination set in advance by the PDA or the like can be acquired from the information center immediately after the ignition is turned on, the user can perform a series of operations from turning on the power of the navigation device to setting the destination and transmitting the destination. There is no need to do it within.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation device, an information center, which provides guidance for reaching a destination,
The present invention relates to a guidance system and a route transmission device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Navigation devices for searching a driving route to a destination and guiding the driver are widely used. This navigation device sets the destination from the telephone number, the name of the facility, the genre, the address, etc. (destination setting processing), and searches for the recommended travel route from the current vehicle position or departure point to the set destination ( (Route search processing), while detecting the current position by a GPS receiving device or the like, a route to a destination is guided by voice or image according to the searched traveling route (route guidance processing).

On the other hand, recently, the navigation device is equipped with only the minimum programs and data, the navigation device sets the destination and guides the route, and the information center collectively searches the route to the destination. A communication navigation system based on the above has been developed. In this system, car phones, mobile phones connected to the device, PHS (Pe
rsonal Handy-phone System
By wireless communication means such as m), the information is transmitted to the information center at the destination and the recommended traveling route searched at the information center is received.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional navigation device or the like, when setting the destination, it is necessary to operate the remote controller, the touch panel or the like in the vehicle. That is, the user who gets in must turn on the power of the navigation device and set a telephone number, an address, a facility name, etc. with a remote controller, a touch panel, etc. as a destination or a waypoint (passing point) while referring to the menu. Not
It was not possible to acquire the destination immediately after boarding or to acquire the travel route to the destination. Therefore, in the conventional navigation device or the like, it takes time from getting on the vehicle to receiving route guidance to the destination. Further, even when a plurality of members travel to the same destination by their own vehicles, each member needs to individually set a destination as his or her own destination or acquire a search route.

Therefore, the first object of the present invention is to achieve such a problem, and it is a first object of the present invention to make it possible to immediately obtain specific data such as a destination and a traveling route by turning on the ignition. A second purpose is to enable setting information such as a destination for another navigation device.

By the way, the navigation device is premised on the guidance of the traveling route by displaying the traveling route and the current position on the display device in the vehicle and outputting the guidance voice from the speaker in the vehicle. Therefore, it is assumed that the destination to be set can be reached by the vehicle.
However, the destination that the user finally tries to reach is not a point reachable by a vehicle (vehicle destination), but a means (non-vehicle means) other than the vehicle such as walking or a cable car from the vehicle destination. It may be the point to reach. For example, the final destination may not be reachable without passing through a pedestrian road where vehicles cannot pass. In this case, the route from the departure place to the vehicle destination is set, but the route from the vehicle destination to the walking destination is not set. In addition, even if there is no parking lot at the vehicle destination (when the vehicle destination and the walking destination are the same) and a parking lot around the destination is set as the vehicle destination, the vehicle destination and the walking destination are different. When moving to such a destination by walking, etc., the mobile information terminal that grasps the route to the walking destination by downloading and displaying the map from the current position to the destination on the mobile information terminal (PDA) It has been proposed (JP-A-9-26968).

However, in the case of such a portable information terminal,
Since both the current position and the destination are displayed, the destination cannot be set in a place other than the departure place in advance, and the final destination set before the vehicle travels after arriving at the departure place (vehicle destination). It is necessary to set the location again and download the map data. Therefore, after reaching the vehicle destination, it was not possible to immediately move to the final destination. In addition, the mobile information terminal needs to be equipped with a GPS receiver for detecting the position of the user. Furthermore, when using the vehicle to reach the vehicle position by traveling or the like, if the vehicle position is unknown, it is not possible to set the vehicle position as a walking destination on the mobile information terminal or display a map to the vehicle position. could not.

Therefore, immediately after reaching the destination of the vehicle,
The third purpose is to be able to acquire the final destination or map data to the final destination. A fourth object is to make it possible to acquire a map and travel route data up to the vehicle position using the portable information terminal even if the vehicle position is unknown.

Further, in a navigation device that transmits and receives data to and from the information center, when the destination of the vehicle is a parking lot or the like, the current position of the vehicle and arrival of the destination can be notified to the information center by communication. There is a problem that you can not do it. Therefore, a fifth object of the present invention is to make it possible to notify the information center of the arrival position or arrival using the portable information terminal, even if the arrival position of the vehicle is the communication impossible point.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a detecting means for detecting an ignition on of a vehicle,
Confirmation means for confirming the presence or absence of setting information preset in the information center when the ignition is detected by the detection means, and specific data transmitted from the information center based on the confirmation by the confirmation means. Receiving means, a specific processing means for performing a specific process based on the specific data received by the receiving means, an arrival determining means for determining whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the destination, and an arrival determining means. When it is determined that the vehicle has arrived at the destination, the navigation apparatus is provided with a destination arrival transmitting means for transmitting the destination arrival and the current vehicle position to the information center to achieve the first objective. According to the second aspect of the invention, the detection means for detecting the ignition on of the vehicle, and the confirmation for confirming the presence or absence of the setting information registered to the information center when the ignition on is detected by the detection means. Means and an acquiring means for acquiring the setting information from the information center when it is confirmed by the checking means that the setting information is registered to itself, and a specifying process based on the setting information acquired by the acquiring means. Specific processing means to perform, arrival determination means for determining whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the destination, and if the arrival determination means determines that the vehicle has arrived at the destination, the arrival at the destination and the current vehicle The destination arrival transmitting means for transmitting the position and the navigation device are provided to achieve the first purpose. Claim 3
In the navigation device according to claim 2, in the navigation device according to claim 2, the setting information registered for the self is destination information for setting a destination, and the specific processing means is the acquisition means. It is characterized in that a search of a travel route to a destination set by the acquired destination information or guidance of the searched travel route is performed as the specific processing. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the second aspect, the setting information registered to the self is guide information of a travel route, and the specific processing means is acquired by the acquisition means. Guidance based on guidance information of the travel route is performed as the specific processing. In the invention described in claim 5, claim 1, claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4
In the navigation device described in [1], the setting information is setting information transmitted from an information processing device such as a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, and a navigation device. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the arrival determining means determines whether the current vehicle position matches the destination, or It is characterized in that it is determined that the vehicle has arrived at the destination when the distance between the current vehicle position and the destination is less than a certain distance. In the invention described in claim 7, claim 1 to claim 6
In the navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, when a vehicle arrives at a vehicle destination and cannot communicate with the information center at the vehicle destination,
The current vehicle position is transmitted to the portable information terminal.

According to an eighth aspect of the invention, setting information receiving means for receiving destination information for setting a destination transmitted from an information processing device such as a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, and a navigation device, Setting information storage means for storing the destination information received by the setting information receiving means for the particular destination, and whether or not the destination set by the received destination information can be reached by the vehicle And a vehicle arrival determining means that sets a vehicle reachable point around the destination when the vehicle arrival determination means determines that the destination is a point that cannot be reached by the vehicle. Existence of destination information registered for itself from the vehicle destination setting means and the navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. Based on the confirmation request, and a center-side check means for checking whether the destination information is stored in the setting information storage means, in this center-side check means,
When it is confirmed that the destination information for the navigation device that has made the confirmation request is stored, the destination information, or the vehicle destination information when the vehicle destination is set, is displayed. And a transmitting means for transmitting to the navigation device in the information center. According to a ninth aspect of the invention, in the information center according to the eighth aspect, the information processing device, the setting information storage area in the setting information storage means, and the navigation device are associated with each other by an ID for each user. If the contents received by the setting information receiving unit include a setting request for another user, the setting information storage unit stores the received setting information in the setting information corresponding to the ID of the requested other user. Store in the storage area of the means. According to a tenth aspect of the invention, in the information center according to the eighth or ninth aspect, the setting information is destination information for setting a destination. In the invention according to claim 11, in the information center according to claim 9, the ID of another user requested by the setting information storage means
When the received setting information is stored in the storage area of the setting information storage means corresponding to, the notification means is provided to notify the other user to that effect. In the invention according to claim 12, in the information center according to claim 8, when the sender of the setting information is different from the specific destination, the setting information is registered to the specific destination. It is characterized by comprising a notifying means for notifying that the setting has been performed or the contents of the setting information. According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the information center according to the eleventh aspect, the notification means is an electronic mail, a facsimile, or a data communication,
It is characterized in that the other user is notified to that effect by voice communication using voice data that has been voice-synthesized.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, a destination information receiving means for receiving destination information transmitted from an information processing device such as a portable information terminal, a personal computer and a navigation device, and this destination information receiving means. The vehicle arrival determination means for determining whether or not the destination set by the destination information received by the vehicle can be reached by the vehicle, and the vehicle arrival determination means determines that the destination is a location that cannot be reached by the vehicle. In the case of, the vehicle destination setting means for setting a vehicle reachable point around the destination as a vehicle destination, and from the vehicle destination set by the vehicle destination setting means to the destination The non-vehicle movement route search means for searching a movement route for arrival by the non-vehicle movement route other than the own vehicle and the information of the movement route searched by this non-vehicle movement route search means To and a movement path transmitting means for transmitting the band information terminal to the information center. According to a fifteenth aspect of the invention, in the information center according to the fourteenth aspect, the destination arrival receiving means for receiving the destination arrival information and the current vehicle position transmitted from the navigation device is provided, and the movement route transmitting means When the current vehicle position received by the destination arrival information receiving means is the vehicle destination set by the vehicle destination setting means, the travel route is transmitted to the portable information terminal. In the invention according to claim 16, in the information center according to claim 14, the non-vehicle moving means are public vehicles such as taxis and buses, cable cars, monorails, ropeways, trains, trains, ships, moving walkways, And at least one of walking. According to the invention of claim 17, a vehicle current position storage means for receiving and storing the vehicle current position from the navigation device, a mobile information terminal position receiving means for receiving the current position from the mobile information terminal, and the mobile information terminal position. A non-vehicle movement route search means for searching a movement route for arriving by the non-vehicle movement means other than the vehicle from the current position received by the reception means to the vehicle current position stored in the vehicle current position storage means; The information center is provided with a moving route transmitting unit that transmits the moving route searched by the non-vehicle moving route searching unit to the portable information terminal.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 30. (1) Outline of Embodiment In this embodiment, a screen and data for setting a destination are received from an information center, a destination is set by a mobile information terminal such as a mobile phone, and the information center and the user ID are stored in the information center. Send. The destination does not necessarily have to be a point that can be reached by a vehicle, and may be a point that cannot be reached unless a non-vehicle means such as walking or a cable car is used midway. In this way, there are cases where the vehicle cannot reach (regardless of whether or not it is recognized). Therefore, when setting the destination, set the data and screen for the parking lot request that the parking lot is the guidance end point of the vehicle. A parking lot request is also transmitted to the information center when received from the information center and selected. Then, in the information center, when the destination set by the user is received, the received destination is stored as the final destination in the user data corresponding to the ID, the presence or absence of a parking lot request, and the final destination has a parking lot. Whether or not the vehicle can travel to the final destination is set and the vehicle destination is set and stored in the user data.

On the other hand, when the user gets in the vehicle and turns on the ignition, an in-vehicle device (navigation device)
Starts communication with the information center (establishes communication) and confirms whether the destination has already been set in the information center. If the vehicle destination is set in the user data of the corresponding ID, the information center searches for a route from the current position transmitted from the navigation device to the set vehicle destination and transmits the recommended travel route. . In this way, the user can immediately acquire the travel route to the destination preset by the portable information terminal by turning the ignition on from the information center after the ignition is turned on. It is not necessary to perform a series of operations up to transmission in the vehicle. In addition, the traveling route to be transmitted does not transmit the entire traveling route from the starting point to the vehicle destination, but only the traveling route for a predetermined distance from the current position, which shortens the communication time (reduces the communication data amount). The vehicle can start early. Then, when the navigation device again sends a request for a travel route at a predetermined distance (for example, 200 m) from the end of the received travel route, the information center changes the travel route from the current vehicle position to the destination. It searches again and transmits the travel route for the predetermined distance to the navigation device. In this way, each time there is a request, a new travel route to the destination is searched and transmitted by a predetermined distance, so that the optimal travel route considering the latest traffic information at the time of the request is transmitted. You can

When the navigation device arrives at the destination of the vehicle (end of route guidance by voice), the navigation device transmits the current position of the vehicle to the information center. The information center searches for a moving route from the current vehicle position to the final destination in the non-vehicle mode, creates a map picture according to the moving route, and transmits the map picture to the mobile information terminal corresponding to the ID. The mobile information terminal guides the user to the final destination by sequentially displaying the received map pictures in accordance with the user operation.

(2) Details of First Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a navigation system according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation system of the present embodiment includes an information center 10
And a navigation device 100, which is an in-vehicle device mounted on the moving vehicle V, and a personal digital assistant (PDA) 200 that is carried by a user of the navigation device 100 to assist the functions of the navigation device 100. It Information center 10 and navigation device 100
Wireless communication is carried out between and, and the communication form is mainly packet communication, but depending on the navigation device 100, there is also a case where circuit switching is used. On the other hand, the navigation device 100 and the portable information terminal 200 are connected mainly by circuit switching or packet communication when the portable information terminal is outside the vehicle, and infrared communication, SS (spread spectrum) communication and the like when the portable information terminal is inside the vehicle. Wireless communication, or wired communication such as serial communication or parallel communication.

FIG. 2 shows the configurations of the information center 10, the navigation device 100, and the portable information terminal 200 in these navigation systems. The information center 10 includes various devices such as a communication control unit 12, an arithmetic processing unit 14, a database 40, an external information collecting unit 70, and an input / output unit. Communication control unit 1 of information center 10
A communication device 2 includes a transmission device and a reception device, and is for transmitting and receiving data to and from the navigation device 100 and the portable information terminal 200. Various communication systems such as a car phone, a mobile phone, and a PHS may be used.

The arithmetic processing unit 14 is a CP for performing arithmetic processing.
It is provided with a U 16 and a memory 18 in which various programs and data are stored. The memory 18 stores various programs executed by the information center 10, such as a route search program 20, a segment processing program 22, a guidance data extraction program 24, a destination determination program 25, and a system control program 26. The route search program 20 is a route search program in a vehicle mode for searching a traveling route by a vehicle from a vehicle departure point (current vehicle position or a designated departure point) to a vehicle destination, and a vehicle destination to final goal. There is a non-vehicle mode route search program for searching a route (a route using a walking route, a monorail, etc.) to reach the ground without using a vehicle. The segment processing program 22 is a program that sets the segment length of the route searched for in the vehicle mode and the road length to be transmitted to the vehicle side. The guidance data extraction program 24 is the segment processing program 2
It is a program for searching, extracting and editing the guidance data corresponding to the road length set by 2. The destination determination program 25 is a program that determines a vehicle destination and a final destination from the destinations received from the mobile information terminal 200 or the navigation device 100. The system control program 26 is a program for controlling and managing the operation of the entire information center 10.

The memory 18 also secures working areas for the requested road length data 27, the searched route data 28, the extraction guide data 29, etc., which are used to execute those programs. Regarding the required road length data 27, the value received from the navigation device 100 is stored in the working area, but a predetermined initial value is separately stored in the memory 18 in case the value is not transmitted from the navigation device 100. As the initial value of the required road length, for example, 10 km is stored, but other values of 5 km and 15 k are stored.
It may be a constant value such as m or 20 km. Further, it may be changed according to the remaining distance from the current vehicle position to the vehicle destination (distance on the searched travel route or straight line distance). For example, the longer the remaining distance, the larger the initial value, and the shorter the remaining distance, the smaller the initial value. Further, the initial value of the required road length may be changed according to the road type of the route to be transmitted to the navigation device 100 among the searched traveling routes. For example, the initial value is the largest when it is a highway (including a dedicated road such as the Metropolitan Expressway),
The initial values for national roads and prefectural roads are the next highest, and the initial values for city roads should be the smallest. The remaining distance to the vehicle destination and the road type may be combined.

The search route data 28 stores the travel route to the vehicle destination searched by the route search program 20 and the divided route data obtained by dividing the travel route into predetermined segments by the segment processing program 22. To be done. FIG. 3 conceptually shows the data stored in the search route data 28. As shown in FIG. 3, in the search route data 28, the entire travel route to the vehicle destination is divided into segment units such as a divided route 1, a divided route 2, ... As illustrated in FIG. Will be divided. As shown in FIG. 3B, each divided route data includes a data head, intersection information, road information, node information, mark information, and the like.

The database 40 includes route search data 42 for searching for a recommended route, guidance data 44 for accumulating route guidance data, communication area data 46 for accumulating communication area data, and a telephone for setting a destination. Destination setting data 48 such as numbers and addresses, user data 50 that collects various types of information about the user, parking lot data 52 that collects parking lot locations and congestion situations, and routes to the final destination searched in the non-vehicle mode. It stores data necessary for route search and route guidance such as map picture creation data 54 that collects map pictures for simple display. The route search data 42 includes data regarding intersections, data regarding roads, data regarding node points, and the like.
In addition, the route search data 42 includes pedestrian-only roads such as pedestrian bridges and pedestrian crossings that are used in non-vehicle mode search, and transportation means other than vehicles and walking (cable car, monorail,
Data (station names, station names, etc.) about movable routes such as ropeways, trains, trains, ships, buses, taxis, moving walkways, etc.
Point data, distance between points, timetable, etc.) are also included.
The guidance data 44 includes map data of each intersection and road,
Includes various types of guidance data such as landmark data indicating major facilities and voice guidance data. Communication area data 4
6 includes data regarding the communication status such as areas where the radio waves do not reach, and areas where the radio waves are weak even if they reach but are inappropriate for communication.

The destination setting data 48 includes destination names, destination code numbers, coordinates (latitude, lightness), telephone numbers, addresses, and postal codes of facilities, places, and points that can be set as destinations. The destination data consisting of is stored. The stored destinations that can be set are not only facilities that can be reached by vehicles, but facilities such as a mountain hut in Oze where vehicles are regulated from the viewpoint of nature conservation and shuttle buses and walks are required on the way. It is also stored for places such as ropeways and places where you need to walk from the middle, such as Owakudani in Hakone. These destination data are stored in a database with a hierarchically structured destination list. As destination-related information necessary for setting destinations for that purpose, all destinations are categorized by genre data and classified by region. Area data etc. are also stored. In addition, the destination setting data 48 includes descriptive information about the destination, such as commentary information about the presence or absence of hot springs and the effects of hot springs if the destination is an inn, and parking lot information if the destination is an amusement park. The size (the number of cars that can be parked), the target age (for children over 3 years old, for elementary school students and over, for adults, etc.) If so, commentary information such as a play fee is also stored corresponding to each destination.
In this way, by collecting and storing a wealth of commentary information,
It is possible to receive a search condition such as "a place where children under 5 can play in nature in Kamakura" from the user of the navigation device 100, search for a corresponding facility or place, and set a destination. . In the case of such a destination setting, a request for the destination (search condition) may be acquired by voice call, and the operator may assist to perform the appropriate destination setting.

Further, in the destination setting data 48, a portable information terminal or a navigation device having no destination setting program or destination setting data is WWW (W
ord Wide Web) browser (brows)
Web information for destination setting (destination setting screen) transmitted when a destination setting request is made via the Internet. Further, in the destination setting data 48, parking lot presence / absence data indicating whether or not there is a parking lot corresponding to the data of each destination is also stored as auxiliary data.

FIG. 4 conceptually shows the data stored in the user data 50. User data 50
Is a user name, user identification number (ID), navigation device connection destination, mobile information terminal connection destination, vehicle current position, vehicle destination, final destination, passing point, departure date and time, for each user who uses the navigation system. A parking lot request, a personal identification number, an email address, etc. are stored. The navigation device connection destination stores the telephone number of a car phone connected to the navigation device 100, a connected mobile phone, PHS, or the like. The portable information terminal 200, which may communicate with the information center 10, is connected to the portable information terminal 200.
The telephone number and so on are stored. Among the telephone numbers stored in the portable information terminal connection destination, there is one telephone number for calling when the information center 10 makes a calling request, and a telephone number for user authentication that receives a calling request from the portable information terminal ( One or more) are stored. The departure date and time is stored in association with the vehicle destination and the final destination. If the departure date and time is specified, a plurality of destinations (vehicle destination and final destination) are set. Is able to. The user data 50 may store various other data such as a password used for user authentication.

As shown in FIG. 2, the database 40
An external information collecting unit 70 is connected to the. The external information collected by the external information collecting unit 70 includes traffic congestion information (congestion location and distance, degree of congestion), construction information (construction section and construction period), accident occurrence location (accident occurrence location, accident extent, There are various types of traffic information such as whether or not the vehicle can pass, the estimated processing end time, etc., and all are used in the route search processing in the route search program 20 of the arithmetic processing unit 14. The external information collecting unit 70 also newly establishes or changes roads, intersections, traffic rules (route search data 42), newly establishes facilities (guidance data 44, destination setting data 48), and changes communication areas (communication). Area data 46), information such as full or empty parking lots, congestion, etc. (parking lot data 52) are collected, and the data stored in the database 40 is updated at any time. The external information collecting unit 70 collects these external information using communication means such as a telephone line or a dedicated line.

Next, the structure of the navigation device 100 will be described. The navigation device 100 includes an arithmetic processing unit 101, a memory 102, a position measuring unit 104, an input unit 105, a display unit 106, a voice output unit 107, and a communication control unit 108. The arithmetic processing unit 101 is composed of a microcomputer system including a CPU and a ROM and a RAM, and a program storage area 1 of the memory 102.
Control using various data stored in the data storage area 102B is performed according to various programs stored in 02A.

Program storage area 102 of memory 102
A is a destination setting confirmation program 142 executed by the ignition ON, a destination setting program 144 for setting a destination which is a final destination, and a route data and guidance data transmitted from the information center 10 based on the route and the guide data. A route guidance program 150 for displaying a landmark on the display unit 106 or outputting a voice for route guidance from the voice output unit 107, comparing the current vehicle position with the received route / guidance data, and route / guidance data for the next route. It is a storage medium for storing programs executed by the arithmetic processing unit 101, such as a data request program 152 for requesting a request and a control program 154 for controlling the overall operation.

A data storage area 102B of the memory 102
Functions as a working area that is appropriately used when executing the program, and also includes, for example, route / guidance data (route data and guidance data) 160 transmitted from the information center 10, vehicle destinations transmitted from the information center 10, Final destination data 161, vehicle-specific ID data 162 transmitted to the information center 10, vehicle position data (longitude / latitude) 164 measured by the position measuring unit 104, destination setting data 166, requested road length data 168, etc. Is a storage medium for storing. The destination setting data 166 includes destination data, destination-related information, commentary information, etc., which are similar to the destination setting data 48 except for the data collected and changed by the external information collecting unit 70 of the information center 10. It is stored. Note that the destination setting data 166 may be changed by newly establishing a facility or the like. As the required road length data 168, the initial value normally stored in the memory 18 of the information center 10 is used.

The vehicle position data 164 includes the position measuring unit 1
A plurality of past position data are included in addition to the current position data of the vehicle measured at a predetermined time interval by 04.
For example, position data of measurement points included in a fixed distance or position data of a fixed number of measurement points is stored. When a new measurement is performed by the position measuring unit 104, the latest position data is stored and the oldest stored position data is erased. By connecting the plurality of pieces of position data, it is possible to obtain the traveling locus of the vehicle. This traveling locus is used for so-called map matching for identifying the road on which the vehicle is traveling.

The position measuring unit 104 is for measuring the position of the vehicle by utilizing so-called GPS or the like, and is a GPS receiver for receiving signals from a plurality of GPS satellites and measuring the absolute position of the vehicle, the vehicle. It has a speed sensor and a direction sensor for measuring the relative position of the. Speed sensors and direction sensors are used for autonomous navigation. The relative position measured by these sensors is used to obtain the current vehicle position in a tunnel where the GPS receiver cannot receive radio waves from satellites, or to correct the positioning error of the absolute position measured by the GPS receiver. To be done.

The input unit 105 includes various switches, a touch panel attached to the display surface of the display unit 106, a remote controller, a data input device using voice recognition, and the like. On the touch panel, the user touches an icon or the like displayed on the display unit 106 with his / her finger to input corresponding data or commands. In a data input device using voice recognition, when a user utters a voice, the corresponding data or command is input.

The display unit 106 is a display such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT, and the touch panel is arranged on the surface as described above. The voice output unit 107 includes a voice synthesizing device and a speaker, and provides a guidance voice when performing route guidance to a destination, for example, a guidance voice such as “A right at an intersection 100 m ahead.” 102B
It is designed to be synthesized based on the route guidance data of and output from the speaker. The speaker that outputs such a guidance voice may also be used as a speaker for in-vehicle audio, and a dedicated speaker should be placed above the driver's seat or the windshield (top center, driver side). You may The communication control unit 108 controls the information center 10
It is a communication device for transmitting and receiving data to and from the communication side, and is composed of communication equipment including a transmission device and a reception device.
This is also similar to the center side, such as car phones, mobile phones, P
A system such as HS may be used.

Next, the configuration of the portable information terminal 200 will be described. The mobile information terminal 200 is mainly used for data communication with mobile phones, PHS, electronic organizers, and handheld P.
C (Handheld PC), other personal digital assistants (PDA; Personal Digital As)
(sistants) are applicable. The mobile information terminal 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 represents a configuration common to these various devices when performing various processes in the present embodiment, and requests only functions specific to each supply such as a mobile phone and an electronic notebook. The configurations that are performed are omitted as appropriate.

The portable information terminal 200 includes an arithmetic processing section 20.
1, a memory 202, an input unit 205, a display unit 206, a voice output unit 207, and a communication control unit 208. The arithmetic processing unit 201 of the portable information terminal 200 is composed of a microcomputer system including a CPU and a ROM and a RAM, and a program storage area 202A of the memory 202.
Control using various data stored in the data storage area 202B is performed in accordance with various programs stored in.

Program storage area 202 of the memory 202
A sets the destination as the final destination and sets the information center 10
Destination setting program 250, information center 1 to be sent to
The display unit 20 receives a non-vehicle route such as a map picture from 0.
6, a non-vehicle route display program 252 displayed on the control program 25, and a control program 25 controlling the overall operation of the portable information terminal 200.
4 is a storage medium for storing a program executed by the arithmetic processing unit 201. Data storage area 202B
Functions as a working area that is appropriately used when the program is executed, and, for example, information corresponding to the route / guidance data (non-vehicle route data and guidance data) 260 and the mobile information terminal 200 transmitted from the information center 10. Navigation device 10 registered in the center 10
It is a storage medium for storing ID data 262 of 0 and destination setting data 266. Destination setting data 26
6 stores destination data, destination-related information, and the like, which are similar to the destination setting data 48, except for the data collected and changed by the external information collecting unit 70 of the information center 10. It should be noted that the destination setting data 266 may store only a part of the genre information and the destination data, for example, in order to reduce the data amount of the portable information terminal 200. As part of the destination data, for example, only the destination name and destination code number, only the telephone number and destination name,
Store only the telephone number and destination code number. Furthermore,
In order to reduce the amount of retained data, some or all of these data may be stored only in some areas. The destination setting data 266 does not store the commentary information of the destination.

For the input unit 205, in addition to various dedicated switches, switches such as a numeric keypad that can select a soft switch displayed on the display screen are used. Depending on the portable information terminal 200, the display screen of the display unit 206 may be used. There may be a case where a touch panel attached to, a remote controller, or an input device using voice recognition is used.

The display unit 206 is a display made of liquid crystal or the like, and a touch panel may be arranged on the surface depending on the portable information terminal 200 as described above. The communication control unit 208 is a communication device for transmitting and receiving data to and from the information center 10 side, and is composed of communication equipment including a transmitting device and a receiving device.

The navigation device 100 illustrated in FIG.
And the portable information terminal 200 has the configuration described above,
The navigation device and the portable information terminal that can communicate with the information center 10 by the navigation system can have different configurations depending on the version and the model. For example, the W from the information center 10 does not have the destination setting data and the destination setting program.
It is also possible to use the simple navigation device 100 or the portable information terminal 200 that sets the destination based on the eb information. Further, in the navigation device 100 described above,
It does not have route search data and route search programs, but has the same level of data and programs as the information center, simple route search data and route search programs, or limited areas (Kanto It is also possible to provide a route search data of a region, Tokai region, etc.) and a route search program of the same level as the information center 10.
Although the portable information terminal 200 does not include the position measuring unit, it may be possible to independently measure the position by including a GPS receiving device.

Next, the operation of the navigation system configured as above will be described. First, as an outline of the operation, a representative series of operations according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 shows a typical example of data exchange between the information center 10, the navigation system 100, and the portable information terminal 200. In the example of FIG. 5, typical route guidance by the navigation system includes pre-destination setting processing, navigation start processing by ignition,
There is non-vehicle movement route guidance processing to the final destination. The pre-destination setting process is a process of setting a destination at a point other than the place of departure and registering it in the information center 10 in advance before leaving the information center 10 for the destination (E0 to E2, Es,
Ee). The navigation start process by turning on the ignition is a process of checking whether or not a destination is set by turning on the ignition and guiding the route to the vehicle destination while dividing and acquiring the searched route from the information center 10 (F
0 to Fn, Fs, and Fe). The non-vehicle movement route guidance process to the final destination is a process (G0 to G2, Gs, Ge) for guiding the non-vehicle movement route from the arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle destination to the final destination.

In FIG. 5, communication between the portable information terminal 200 and the information center 10 is indicated by a dotted line, and communication between the navigation device 100 and the information center 10 is indicated by a dashed line. E
Communication is started by s, Fs, and Gs (call request packet CR is transmitted in the case of packet communication, call is made (off-hook) in the case of circuit switching), and communication is terminated by Ee, Fe, and Ge ( In case of packet communication, reception of disconnection confirmation packet,
In case of circuit switching, disconnect (on-hook).

When the destination is pre-registered in the information center 10, the destination is set in advance in the portable information terminal 200 as shown by an arrow E0. Then, as indicated by an arrow E1, the installed destination, passing point, parking lot request, and ID of the corresponding navigation device 100 are transmitted to the information center 10. The passing point and the parking lot request are transmitted when the destination is selected and are not transmitted when the destination is not selected. Note that, as shown in FIG. 5, a typical case is that the destination or the like is transmitted from the portable information terminal 200 to the information center 10. However, in addition, the destination is set in advance by the navigation device 100 and the information center 10 is set. When sending to a device (whether it is sent from its own device or from another navigation device), when setting a destination on an information processing terminal such as a personal computer or a word processor at home or office, and then sending ,Also,
In some cases, the destination is set and sent from a public telephone capable of data communication. In the information center 10, when the destination and the ID set by the destination setting process are transmitted, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 8, the final destination and the vehicle destination are determined from the received destination, Register in the user data corresponding to the ID. It should be noted that this destination determination processing is executed not only when the destination is set in advance, but also when the destination is set by the navigation device 100 of the vehicle when the vehicle departs.

When the vehicle equipped with the navigation device 100 is turned on, the route guidance to the vehicle destination is started. That is, as shown by an arrow F0 in FIG. 5, when the ignition of the vehicle equipped with the navigation device 100 is turned on, communication between the navigation device 100 and the information center 10 is established (F
s), the destination setting confirmation processing of F1 to F4 (FIGS. 9 and 10) is performed in both devices. When the destination is registered in the information center 10 in advance, the navigation device 100 requests the information center 10 for the current position, the ID, the requested road length, and the route guidance acquisition request (see FIG. 5). Not shown). Regarding the required road length, the data storage area 102 of the navigation device 100
Sent when the requested road length data 168 is stored in B. As will be described later with reference to FIG. 11, the information center 10 performs route search (vehicle mode), segment division, and requested guidance data extraction based on the received data, as indicated by arrow F6. Then, as indicated by an arrow F7, the obtained route / guidance data is displayed on the navigation device 100.
Send to.

The operation of the information center 10 described above will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, when the information center 10 receives the destination from the portable information terminal 200 or the navigation device 100, the received destination is set as the final destination PT, and the vehicle cannot reach the final destination PT. In this case (including the case of guiding to the surrounding parking lot based on the parking lot request), the vehicle destination PA is set.
Then, L1 indicated by a thick solid line is a travel route searched (vehicle mode) from the end position PD of the received divided route to the vehicle destination PA, and L2 indicated by a thick dotted line is the vehicle destination PA.
It is a route searched (non-vehicle mode) from to the final destination PT. M is a mark indicating the vehicle position displayed corresponding to the current position of the vehicle. The search route L1 is divided into five segments S1 to S5 when a predetermined distance (for example, 2 km) is used as a unit, and segment division points are P1 to P4. If the requested road length is LR, the transmission road length> the requested road length in the segments S1 and S2, so the route data and the guidance data of the segments S1 and S2 are transmitted to the navigation device 100.

On the other hand, in the navigation device 100, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 12, route guidance is performed on the basis of the route / guidance data received separately as shown by an arrow F8 in FIG. Note that route / guidance data that is no longer needed is discarded. When the route guidance continuation data is needed, the information center 10 is again notified of the current position and the route guidance acquisition request (request), as indicated by arrow F9. After that, the same operation is repeated until reaching the destination, and when the vehicle arrives at the destination, the information center 10 indicates that the vehicle arrives at the current position and the destination as shown by an arrow Fn.
To the navigation device 100 and the information center 1
The communication between 0 is ended.

When receiving the arrival of the vehicle destination from the navigation device 100, the information center 10 stores the current position of the vehicle which is also received, as indicated by an arrow G0, according to the non-vehicle mode from the current position to the final destination. A route search is performed (described later in FIG. 13). And as shown by the arrow Gs,
The communication with the mobile information terminal connection destination corresponding to the user data 50 of the corresponding ID is started, and the guidance data by the map picture to the final destination created by the route search is transmitted to the mobile information terminal 200 as shown by an arrow G1. . In the portable information terminal 200 that has received the map picture, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 14 and FIG. Guide the route by (G2).

Incidentally, in FIG. 5, the pre-destination setting process,
The case where the navigation start process by the ignition and the non-vehicle movement route guidance process to the final destination are executed as a series of processes has been described, but they can be executed independently. That is, when the final destination and the vehicle destination match, the non-vehicle movement route guidance processing to the final destination is not executed. Further, the destination set in the preliminary destination setting process is always used in the navigation start process by the ignition on, but the preliminary destination setting process itself is not necessarily the process necessary for the navigation start process by the ignition on. It is possible to execute the navigation start process by the ignition on without the advance destination setting process. That is, in the first embodiment, the pre-destination setting process and / or the non-vehicle movement route guidance to the final destination are incidentally executed with the navigation start process by the ignition on as an essential process.

Next, the details of each operation of the above-mentioned devices constituting the navigation system will be described in order. (A) Destination setting operation (a) First, the destination setting processing in the portable information terminal 200 and the navigation device 100, which include the destination setting programs 250 and 144 and the destination setting data 266 and 166, will be described. In the following description, the processing by the mobile information terminal 200 will be described.
The same operation is performed by each part having the same digit. When the destination setting is selected, the destination setting process is executed, and the arithmetic processing unit 201 (corresponding to the arithmetic processing unit 101 in the case of the navigation device 100. The same applies to other units below).
Displays an image of an input method such as "designation from area list", "designation from genre list", "input of telephone number", "input of address" as a destination setting screen on the display unit 206. Then, from among the four input methods displayed by the input of the setter, the cursor is moved to the display of the desired input method by the input unit 205 (joystick or key), and then the enter key is pressed, The input method of the destination is selected by, for example, inputting by voice. Then, when “designate from area list” or “designate from genre list” is selected, a division list of areas and genres is read from the destination setting data 266 and displayed on the display unit 206. Here, after the selection of the area or genre selected by the setter is acquired, the names of the destinations classified within the selected area or genre are displayed, and the destination is acquired. Further, when “input of telephone number” or “input of address” is selected as the selection method, the input unit 20
A telephone number or an address is acquired by inputting from 5 (voice input or numeric keypad) or the like, and a destination is acquired from the correspondence between the telephone number or address and the destination stored in the destination setting data 266.

Once the destination is acquired, the arithmetic processing unit 20
1 confirms whether or not there is a parking lot request and whether or not a departure date and time is specified. That is, a confirmation screen for the presence / absence of a parking lot is displayed to confirm the presence / absence of a request to the setter, and then an input screen for the departure date / time is displayed to confirm the departure date / time. If the setting key selects the transmission key when the destination is determined, the parking lot request and the departure date and time are not specified.

After the destination and, if selected, the parking lot request and / or the departure date and time are confirmed, the data such as the destination is sent to the information center 10 together with the ID of the corresponding navigation device by selecting the transmission key. Sent. In addition,
In the case of the destination by the mobile information terminal 200, the ID of the corresponding navigation device 100 may be registered in the mobile information terminal 200 in advance, or the ID may be individually input when setting the destination. . On the other hand, when the destination is set by the navigation device 100, the ID
The ID read from the data 162 is transmitted, but another ID may be designated by the input of the configurator. By making it possible to specify another ID, when two vehicles (and the navigation device 100) are owned, the destination when traveling with one vehicle can be set from the other vehicle. it can.

(B) Next, the destination setting program 25
The destination setting process in the portable information terminal 200 and the navigation device 100 that do not include the data 0, 144 and the destination setting data 266, 166 will be described. Also in this case, the portable information terminal 200 will be described, but the navigation device 100 operates similarly. Figure 7
In the mobile information terminal 200 (often a mobile phone or PHS) that does not have the destination setting program 250, etc.
This is a process for setting a destination in the information center 10 via the Internet by using WW browser software. As a premise that the destination setting process shown in FIG. 7 is executed, a menu screen specific to each mobile information terminal is displayed on the display unit 206 of the mobile information terminal 200. This menu screen and other screens are displayed. The function key can be used to select the destination setting. Then, a navigation menu key (any name may be used as long as it is a key for setting a destination) is selected on a menu screen or the like. As a menu screen unique to each mobile information terminal 200, for example, in the case of a mobile phone, a “telephone menu” key, a “data communication menu” key, etc. are displayed in addition to the “navi menu” key, and in the case of an electronic notebook. In addition to the "Navi menu" key, "Schedule" key, "Address book" key, etc. are displayed. In some cases, a dedicated key for setting a destination (a hard key such as a switch, not a soft key to be selected by software from the display screen) is used for selection.

Arithmetic processing section 201 of portable information terminal 200
Monitors the selection of the "navi menu" in the destination setting process, and when the navigation menu is selected (step 10; Y), starts communication with the information center 10 to send the navigation menu. 10, and obtains the navigation menu screen (Web information) transmitted in response to this request (step 11). Then, the arithmetic processing unit 201 displays the acquired navigation menu screen on the display unit 206 (step 12). In this navigation menu screen, for example,
"1. Decide destination" key, "2. Search" key,
Keys for selecting various operations such as "3. Setting" key are displayed on the screen. Each of these keys is a soft key that can be selected by software, and after selecting one of the keys displayed on the screen with the scroll key or after specifying the number displayed before each key with the numeric keypad, press the select button. A key is selected by pressing it.

When the "determine destination" key is selected on the navigation menu screen (step 13; Y), the destination setting process is continued, and the arithmetic processing unit 201 sends the destination list to the information center 10. Request the destination list and receive the destination list sent in response to the request (step 1
4). Then, the arithmetic processing unit 201 displays the acquired destination list on the display unit 206 (step 15) and monitors and confirms the selection of the destination by the setter (step 1).
6; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 201 determines the determined destination (and the passing point if selected) and the navigation device 1 registered in association with the mobile information terminal 200.
The ID of 00 is transmitted to the information center 10.

Next, the arithmetic processing unit 201 receives the parking lot request confirmation screen transmitted from the information center 10 by transmitting the destination etc. and displays it on the display unit 206 to determine whether or not to set the destination. Ask the configurator whether or not (Step 1
8). When the parking lot request is selected on the parking lot request confirmation screen (step 18; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 201 transmits the parking lot request to the information center 10 (step 1).
9). Then, the departure date / time setting screen transmitted from the information center 10 when the parking lot request is transmitted or when the parking lot request is not issued is displayed on the display unit 206, and the setter is informed whether to set the departure date / time. Inquire (Step 2)
0). When it is selected to set the departure date and time (step 20; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 201 displays the departure date and time designation screen on the display unit 206 (step 21), and the setter inputs the departure date and time. Monitor (step 22).
When the departure date and time or the departure date is entered and the confirm key is pressed, the entry of the departure date and time is confirmed (step 22; Y),
The arithmetic processing unit 201 determines the confirmed departure date (or departure date).
Is transmitted to the information center 10 (step 23), and the destination setting process ends.

In the destination setting process described above,
Although the case where the destination list is displayed on the screen of the display unit 206 has been described, since there are a large number of destinations that can be set, the conditions for selecting the destinations are sequentially acquired as Web information and selected to create a hierarchy. The final destination may be set by sequentially narrowing down the selected destination information. For example, request, get, display,
After selecting, requesting, obtaining, displaying, and selecting the genre list, and then requesting, obtaining, displaying, and displaying the narrowed-down destination list
You may make a selection. In this case, when the selected genre is further hierarchized, the genre may be requested a plurality of times until the genre of the lowest layer is reached. Further, the genre may be narrowed down from the beginning without requesting the area list. Furthermore, as a list of methods for determining the destination, “determine by genre”, “determine by phone number”, “determine by address”, “determine by name”, “determine by purpose” are requested, acquired, and displayed, and one of them is selected. The destination may be selected according to the method. When "Determine by name" is selected, destinations in the order of Japanese syllabary are transmitted and displayed in sequence. This "determine by name" may be an item that can be selected after the genre or region is specified. When “Determine by purpose” is selected, the purpose of vehicle travel such as “one night trip”, “date”, “meal” is displayed.

(C) Destination determination processing FIG. 8 shows the portable information terminal 200 and the navigation device 10.
Information center 1 when destination and ID are sent from 0
6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the destination determination processing performed at 0. This destination determination processing is executed when the destination is received, and when the destination is set in advance before the vehicle departs, or when the destination is set in the vehicle immediately before the departure, etc. It is executed including the case of.

The arithmetic processing unit 14 of the information center 10 monitors the transmission of the destination from the user via the communication control unit 12 (step 31), and when the destination is received (step 3).
1; Y), the received destination is applicable as the final destination, etc. I
It is stored in the user data 50 of D (step 32). That is, the received destination is stored in the final destination of the user data 50, and when the passing point, the parking lot request, and the departure date / time designation are also received, these are also stored in the user data 50 of the corresponding ID.

Then, the arithmetic processing section 14 judges whether or not there is a parking lot request in the received data, and if there is a parking lot request (step 33; Y), the parking lot is further set at the final destination (received destination). Whether or not there is any is determined from the auxiliary data of the destination setting data 48 (step 34). When there is no parking lot at the final destination (step 34; N), the arithmetic processing unit 14
Searches the parking lot existing in the vicinity of the parking lot with the parking lot data 52 (step 35), stores the retrieved parking lot as the vehicle destination in the user data 50 of the corresponding ID (step 36), and executes the system control program. It returns to the main routine by 26.

On the other hand, when there is no parking lot request in the data received from the user (step 33; N), the arithmetic processing unit 14
Determines whether or not the vehicle can travel to the final destination (step 37). When it is possible to travel to the final destination (step 37; Y) and when there is a parking lot request and there is a parking lot at the final destination (step 33; Y, step 34; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 14 Final destination, that is, mobile information terminal 200 or navigation device 10
The destination received from 0 is stored in the user data 50 of the corresponding ID as the vehicle destination (step 38) and the process returns to the main routine. When the final destination is a point where the vehicle cannot travel (step 37; N), the arithmetic processing unit 14 stores the closest drivable point from the final destination as the vehicle destination in the user data 50 of the corresponding ID. Then (step 39), the process returns to the main routine. The arithmetic processing unit 14 determines whether or not there is a parking lot (step 34).
When it is determined whether or not the vehicle can travel to the final destination (step 37) and when a nearby parking lot is searched from the parking lot data 52 (step 35), the vehicle is subject to vehicle regulation or vehicle regulation. It will be judged including whether it corresponds to the area and period in which it is located.

As described above, the information center 10 stores the received destination as the final destination and automatically sets the vehicle destination separately from the final destination. Therefore, it is not necessary to check the presence or absence of a parking lot when setting a destination, or to search for a surrounding parking lot and set a destination when there is no parking lot. Can be set as a destination. For example, if you want to go to Myokojin Pond in Kamikochi, the destination setter only needs to set Myokojin Pond as a destination without checking whether there is a car regulation or parking lot in Kamikochi. Since the Sawatari parking lot is set as the vehicle destination (or the parking lot), the destination can be easily set. Then, the movement from the vehicle destination to the final destination by means other than the vehicle (own vehicle) can be reached by receiving the map picture created in the final destination search processing described later on the portable information terminal 200. It will be possible.

(B) Route Guidance to Vehicle Destination Next, the entire process of performing route guidance to the vehicle destination set at the information center will be described. (A) Destination Setting Confirmation Process (In-Vehicle Device; Navigation Device) FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the destination setting confirmation process when the ignition is turned on in the vehicle device. The navigation device 100 is automatically turned on in association with the ignition being turned on, and when the ignition is turned on (step 41; Y), the information center 10 is immediately sent to the information center 10 via the communication control unit 108. The destination confirmation request and ID are transmitted (step 42), and the information center 1
It waits for the destination confirmation result to be transmitted from 0. Then, when the destination unset as a destination confirmation result is received from the information center 10 (step 43; N), the arithmetic processing unit 101 monitors whether or not the destination setting process is selected by the input unit 105 ( Step 44). When the destination setting process is selected (step 44; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 10
1 executes the destination setting process by the in-vehicle device described above (step 45), and transmits the destination (and the parking lot request and / or departure date and time if set) to the information center 10 (step 46). ). When this destination or the like is transmitted, the information center 10 executes the above-described destination determination processing (FIG. 8). Then, the arithmetic processing unit 101 receives the vehicle destination and final destination data 166 continuously transmitted from the information center 10 and stores the data in the data storage area 102B.
(Step 47), and thereafter, the request / route guidance process described later with reference to FIG. 12 is executed (step 4).
8) Return to the main routine by the control program 154.

On the other hand, when the processing unit 101 receives the destination setting completion as the confirmation result for the destination confirmation request (step 43), the destination has already been set, and therefore the information center 10 continues to transmit. The vehicle destination / final destination data 166 is received and stored in the data storage area 102B (step 47), and the request / route guidance process is immediately executed (step 48). When the destination is set in advance in the information center 10 in this way, the user riding in the vehicle turns on the navigation device 100 by turning on the ignition without fail before starting traveling.
It is possible to immediately execute the request / route search process and start traveling while receiving route guidance toward the destination without performing a series of operations from power-on to setting the destination.

(B) Destination Setting Confirmation Process (Information Center) FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the destination setting confirmation process in the information center 10. Information center 10
The arithmetic processing unit 14 monitors the destination confirmation request from the navigation device 100, and if there is a request (step 50; Y), confirms the user data 50 of the corresponding ID (step 51) and determines the vehicle destination. It is confirmed whether the departure date and time is stored (step 52, step 53). When both the vehicle destination and the departure date and time are stored (step 52; Y, step 53; Y), it is further confirmed whether or not the stored departure date is today (step 54). When the departure date is today (step 54; Y), or when the vehicle destination is stored but the departure date is not specified (step 53; N), the arithmetic processing unit 14 performs the destination setting confirmation processing. As a confirmation result, the destination setting completion is transmitted to the navigation device 100 (step 55), and the vehicle destination and the final destination already set are transmitted to the navigation device 100 (step 59). Then, the route search
Execute the guidance data transmission process (Fig. 11) (step 6).
0) and returns to the main routine by the system control program 26.

On the other hand, when the vehicle destination is not stored in the user data 50 of the corresponding ID (step 52), and when the vehicle destination and the departure date and time are stored but the departure is not today (step 54; N). ), Arithmetic processing unit 14
Transmits the destination unset as a destination setting confirmation result to the navigation device 100 (step 56). The arithmetic processing unit 14 executes the destination setting process (step 45 of FIG. 9) in the navigation device 100 by the transmission of the destination unset, and the destination is transmitted (step 46).
It is monitored whether or not it has been done (FIG. 10; step 57). Then, when the destination is received (step 57; Y), the destination determination processing described in FIG. 8 is executed (step 5).
8) Then, the vehicle destination and the final destination set in this destination determination processing are transmitted to the navigation device 100 (step 59). After that, the route search / guidance data transmission process is executed (step 60) and the process returns to the main routine. If the destination is not received (step 57; N), the vehicle can determine that the vehicle does not need route guidance, and therefore the arithmetic processing unit 101 terminates communication with the navigation device 100 without performing route search or the like. After that (step 61), the process returns to the main routine.

Next, a route search / guidance data transmission process (FIG. 11) on the side of the information center 10 which divides the traveling route searched to the vehicle destination into predetermined units for transmission, and sequentially requests transmission of the divided routes. The request / route guidance process (FIG. 12) on the side of the navigation device 100 that guides the route to the vehicle destination will be described.

(C) Route search / guidance data transmission processing As shown in FIG. 11, the arithmetic processing unit 14 of the information center 10
Monitors whether or not a route guidance data acquisition request (request) has been received from the navigation device 100 (vehicle-mounted device) (step 65), and if received (Y), extracts the vehicle current position included in the received information. (Step 66).
Next, if the requested road length is specified in the received information (step 67; Y), the specified requested road length is stored in the memory 1
Stored in the required road length data 27 of No. 8 (step 68),
If not specified (step 67; N), an initial value prepared in advance as the required road length is set and stored in the required road length data 27 (step 69).

Next, the arithmetic processing section 14 searches for a route from the current vehicle position to the vehicle destination (step 70). The route search is performed by the route search data 42 of the database 40,
That is, it is performed with reference to intersection data, road data, and node data. This route search processing is known, and is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 1-173297 and 1-173.
The method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 298, and the recommended route is set under the condition that the route with the shortest overall distance is the optimal route. In the present embodiment, the navigation device 100
Each time a request is received from (step 65; Y),
A route from the current vehicle position to the vehicle destination is searched.
In the information center 10, the external information gathering unit 70 obtains from outside the road information and traffic information such as traffic congestion status and distance, impassable traffic due to an accident, and construction section, and the database 40 is updated with the latest information. ing.
Therefore, by performing a route search for each request from the vehicle side, a recommended route and its guidance data based on the latest data such as avoiding traffic congestion are always provided to the vehicle side.

Next, the arithmetic processing unit 14 executes the segment processing program 22 stored in the memory 18, and divides the travel route to the searched vehicle destination into segments as navigation units (step 71). ). The unit of division is a constant data size (for example, 1 segment is 1024 bytes), a constant road length (for example, 1 km, 2 k).
m) etc. are considered. All the searched routes are, for example, as shown in FIG. 3A, a divided route 1, a divided route 2, ...
It is divided into ... Each divided path is one segment. As shown in FIG. 3B, each divided route data includes a data head, intersection information, road information, node information, mark information and the like.

By segmenting such data, (i) the information center 10 and the navigation device 1
Even if the communication with 00 is interrupted, the route guidance can be performed as it is for the segment that has been transmitted at the time of the interruption, and (ii) the segment that was being transmitted at the time of the interruption can be retransmitted. is there. In other words, the segment is an information unit that can be decoded on the vehicle side.
For example, if the route / guidance data of 10 km is transmitted as one file to the vehicle side as a whole and cannot be decoded on the vehicle side, route guidance cannot be performed for all of the 10 km. However, by dividing each 2 km segment into a file, it becomes possible to decode the file for each segment and provide route guidance.

Next, the arithmetic processing unit 14 sequentially adds one segment closest to the vehicle position within the range of the searched route (step 72) and calculates the road length of the transmission road (step 73). That is, transmission road length (total road length of segment) = transmission road length before segment addition + road length of added segment is repeatedly calculated to add segments one by one. Then, the total transmission road length obtained by adding the lengths of the roads included in each segment is
The segment is added until the requested road length stored in the user data 50 of the ID becomes longer (step 74; N).

As a result, when the transmission road length> the required road length (or the transmission road length ≧ the required road length) (step 7)
4; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 14 executes the guidance data extraction program 24 stored in the memory 18 and refers to the guidance data 44 in the database 40 to obtain the guidance data in the range corresponding to the transmission road length. Search and extract, memory 1
It is stored in the extraction guidance data 29 of No. 8 (step 75).
The route data and the guidance data obtained as described above are transmitted to the navigation device 100 having the requested ID via the communication control unit 12 (step 76). At this time, the segmented route / guidance data is transmitted to the vehicle side in order from the vehicle closest to the current vehicle position.

(D) Request / Route Guidance Processing Next, the navigation device 100 corresponding to the route search / guidance data transmission processing by the information center 10 described above.
Request / Route Guidance Processing Executed in Figure 12
It will be described in accordance with the flowchart of. As shown in FIG. 12, the arithmetic processing unit 101 of the navigation device 100 is
A current vehicle position, a request (route guidance data acquisition request), and a requested road length are transmitted to the information center 10 (step 80). Here, the requested road length is transmitted only when the requested road length data 168 is stored and at the first time.

The arithmetic processing unit 101 is connected to the information center 1
It is monitored whether or not the route / guidance data (divided road data) divided corresponding to the required road length from 0 is received (step 81), and when received (; Y), the route / guidance data 1
60 is stored in the memory 102, and route guidance is executed by the route guidance program 150 in the memory 102 (step 82). The arithmetic processing unit 101 uses, for example, as route guidance,
While displaying the route map and landmarks on the display unit 106 and referring to the current position of the vehicle in the position measurement unit 104, “At an intersection about 200 m ahead is in the right / left direction” at a predetermined distance before the intersection where the route should be changed. A voice guidance such as "." Is output from the voice output unit 107.

In the present embodiment, the route / guidance data received from the information center 10 is not the data of all the traveling routes to the vehicle destination, but the division extracted from the traveling route newly searched for each request of the divided route. Receive the route. Then, in the route search newly performed in response to the request, the latest traffic information and road information collected by the external information collection unit 70 are always used. Therefore, a route different from the traveling route searched at the time of departure may be extracted as a divided route due to changes in road conditions during traveling (congestion, occurrence of accident, etc.). In this way, even if the road conditions change during traveling, by receiving the divided routes, it is possible to always receive and guide the optimum route at the present time. Further, it is possible to flexibly deal with the change of the destination. Further, only the divided route having the route length (transmission road length) corresponding to the required required road length can be received from the information center 10, and data can be received according to the memory capacity of the navigation device 100. In addition, receiving a divided route corresponding to the required road length reduces the amount of received data and completes the reception of the divided route in a short time. Can start faster. In addition, since a route search from the current vehicle position to the vehicle destination is performed for each request, even if the vehicle deviates from the route, for example,
By requesting at the current position on the deviating road, the route / guidance data to the vehicle destination can be obtained, and the driver can drive safely.

During the route guidance, the arithmetic processing unit 101 acquires the current position of the vehicle from the position measuring unit 104 at every predetermined time interval, and the vehicle has a certain distance (distance from the end of the divided route stored in the route / guidance data 160). Whether the position before 200 m) has been reached is monitored (step 83), and if not reached (; N), the process returns to step 82 to continue route guidance. Then, when the vehicle reaches the position before the above-mentioned fixed distance from the end of the divided route (step 83;
Y), the arithmetic processing unit 101 determines whether the end of the divided route matches the vehicle destination (step 84). If the end of the divided route does not match the vehicle destination (step 8)
4; N), the process returns to step 80 and the vehicle current position and request (route guidance data acquisition request) are sent again to the information center 10.
And continue to receive the next divided route and route guidance.

When the end of the divided route coincides with the vehicle destination (step 84; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 101 determines whether the vehicle has arrived at the vehicle destination (step 85),
If the vehicle has not arrived at the destination (step 85;
N), return to step 82 and continue route guidance. On the other hand, when the vehicle arrives at the destination (step 85; Y),
The arithmetic processing unit 101 transmits the current vehicle position and arrival at the vehicle destination to the information center 10 (step 86),
The process returns to the main routine by the control program 154. Whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the vehicle destination is determined when the vehicle actually arrives at the vehicle destination, the travel distance to the vehicle destination is within 500 m, and the last route guidance point by voice. It is determined that the vehicle has arrived at the vehicle destination when the vehicle reaches the position after passing (around the vehicle destination).

(C) Route Guidance to Final Destination Next, the guidance to the final destination after the vehicle arrives at the vehicle destination will be described. (A) Final destination search processing FIG.
6 is a flowchart showing the operation of a final destination search process in the information center 10. The arithmetic processing unit 14 of the information center 10 monitors the transmission of the arrival of the vehicle destination from the navigation device 100 (step 90), and when the arrival of the vehicle destination is received (step 90; Y), the current vehicle information transmitted simultaneously. The position is stored in the user data 50 of the corresponding ID (step 91). Here, even though the vehicle destination is stored in the user data 50, it is not always necessary to store the vehicle current position separately in the vehicle destination set in the destination determination processing (FIG. 8) of the information center 10. This is because it is not always arriving, and for example, it may be arriving at another parking lot or the like. Also, because the vehicle destination is deleted at a predetermined time (vehicle destination arrival time, final destination arrival time, etc.) for the next destination setting, the vehicle current position should be stored separately from the final destination. At the information center 10
This is to enable the vehicle to recognize the vehicle position.

The arithmetic processing section 14 judges whether or not the stored current vehicle position matches the final destination (step 9).
2) If they match (step 92; Y), the process returns to the main routine by the system control program 26. On the other hand, when the current vehicle position is not the final destination (step 92; N), the arithmetic processing unit 14 searches for a route from the current vehicle position to the final destination in the non-vehicle mode (step 93). That is, the arithmetic processing unit 14
Is a pedestrian-only road such as a pedestrian bridge or pedestrian crossing used in non-vehicle mode search, or transportation other than vehicles or walking (cable car, monorail, ropeway, train, train,
Move to the final destination by using the route search data 42 that includes data (station name, point data, distance between points, timetable, etc.) regarding routes that can be moved by ship, bus, taxi, moving sidewalk, etc. Search for a route.

Then, the arithmetic processing unit 14 follows the map picture creation data 54 in accordance with the searched travel route to the final destination.
A moving route is created by using the map picture of (step 94). FIG. 14 exemplifies a map picture created by the information center 10 to a final destination that can be moved only by walking. As shown in FIG. 14, as a map picture, an overall route map including the current vehicle position M (displayed with a black symbol ▲ in a circle) and the final destination PT (displayed with a symbol mark ☆) ( (a) and the intersection diagram (b) of the main intersection and the intersections that turn left and right
(D) and are created. The road to be displayed is displayed as a straight line passing through each intersection. In addition, the road is displayed with a thickness according to the actual road width. Facilities (stations, hospitals, police boxes, schools, gas stations, hotels, etc. that serve as guides for route guidance along the route (a) and intersections (b) to (d)
A symbol mark and / or name of a restaurant, shrine, park, etc.) is displayed in the map picture. The landmark of the guidance data 44 may be used as the symbol mark of the facility as the mark. Also, on the entire route map, the intersection numbers given in the order of passing from the current vehicle position are displayed as circled numbers, and by designating these numbers with the numeric keypad, etc., the intersection diagram of the specified number is displayed. . In the intersection diagram, the same intersection numbers as the intersection numbers in the overall route map (a) are displayed in circled numbers. The direction of travel after passing through each intersection is indicated by an arrow P. in this way,
By creating a simple map picture consisting of straight roads and symbol marks instead of a detailed road map, the amount of data transmitted to the mobile information terminal 200 can be reduced, and
Display unit 206 with a narrow image display area (small number of dots)
Can be displayed. In addition, the symbol mark facilitates intuitive recognition of the travel route to the final destination.

FIG. 15 exemplifies a map picture in the case of moving to the final destination by using non-vehicle means such as a train other than walking. In the example in this figure, the final destination is Tokyo E
This is an example of QR (Equus Research Co., Ltd.) where a vehicle from Hamamatsucho Station to the vicinity of Ochanomizu cannot be moved by a vehicle due to road restrictions and a parking lot in front of Hamamatsucho Station is set as the vehicle destination. . In such a case, FIG. 15 (a)
15B, an overall route map of FIG. 15B, and an intersection map (not shown) (for example, FIGS. 14B to 14B). In the movement outline diagram of FIG. 15 (a), it is displayed that the vehicle is moved from Hamamatsucho station, which is a vehicle destination, to Ochanomizu on the JR Yamanote line, and that it is a walk from Ochanomizu station to Tokyo EQ-R, which is the final destination. As shown in FIG. 15A, a movement outline diagram is created when a means other than walking is used, and the movement means and the movement section (moving facility name) by the movement means are displayed. Then, for the moving section by walking, the entire route map of FIG. 15B and an intersection diagram (not shown) are created if necessary. In addition, each map picture is hierarchized and is hierarchized in the order of a movement conceptual diagram, an entire route diagram, and an intersection diagram. As for the movement conceptual diagram and the overall route diagram, as in the case of the intersection diagram, there are multiple diagrams in the same hierarchy,
For example, there are cases where layers are further hierarchized such as a movement conceptual diagram (overall view) and a movement conceptual diagram (details).

When the above map picture is created, the arithmetic processing unit 14
Connects the line with the mobile terminal connection destination stored in the user data 50 of the corresponding ID (for example, by making a phone call), and transmits the created map picture to the final destination to the mobile information terminal 200. (FIG. 13; step 95),
Return to the main routine by the system control program.

(B) Route Guidance by Map Picture of Portable Information Terminal 200 Upon receiving the route / guidance data (map picture) 260 transmitted from the information center 10, the portable information terminal 200 stores it in the data storage area 202B, The topmost map picture among the received map pictures is displayed on the display unit 206. The display unit 206 may display only the fact that the map picture has been received, and may display the map picture display when the input unit 205 selects the map picture display. Mobile information terminal 2
00 displays the next screen when the next key or the next screen selection key (“→” key, “▽” key, etc.) is designated by the user after displaying the map picture of the uppermost layer. Further, when a number corresponding to the number displayed on the screen (circled number in FIG. 14A) is designated by a ten key or the like, the corresponding intersection diagram is displayed.

The user checks the display screen of the portable information terminal 200, moves in the direction P of the traveling direction displayed on the screen while making the correspondence between the actual target object and the symbol mark, and displays the next screen according to the movement. By doing so, it becomes possible to reach the final destination.

The case where the navigation device 100 in the first embodiment described above does not include the route search data and the route search program has been described, but the navigation device 100 includes the route search data and the route search program. Alternatively, guidance data may be further provided (Modification 11). When the ignition is turned on, the navigation device 100 in this case transmits the destination confirmation request and the ID to the information center 10 and confirms whether or not the destination is set in advance. In the information center 10, when the destination is not set in the user data 50 corresponding to the ID (including the setting but the condition of the departure date is not satisfied), the destination is not set in the navigation device 100. Send to end communication. When the destination is set, the destination (or the vehicle destination and the final destination) is transmitted to the navigation device 100 and the communication ends.

When the navigation device 100 receives the destination unset or the destination (or the vehicle destination and the final destination), the communication is terminated. When the destination (or the vehicle destination and the final destination) is received, the navigation device 100
Searches the travel route from the current vehicle position to the destination,
Route guidance is provided according to the travel route searched. Also in this modified example 11, when the vehicle destination and the final destination (vehicle destination ≠ final destination) are received, the navigation device 100 arrives at the destination and the vehicle when the route guidance to the vehicle destination is completed. The current position is transmitted to the information center 10, and when the arrival of the destination is received, the information center 10 searches the non-vehicle movement route from the current vehicle position to the final destination in the non-vehicle mode and creates the map picture of the corresponding ID. Mobile information terminal 20
Send to 0.

In this modified example 11, the navigation device 100 may be made selectable between a mode in which the route search to the destination is carried out in the device itself and a mode in which the information center is carried out (modified example 12). In this case, the navigation device 1
00 is, for example, in the case of a relatively close destination, a route search is performed by the device itself, and a distant place (for example, a straight line distance of 100 km is used).
In the case of the destination (in the above cases), the travel route is received from the information center 10 for early acquisition of the travel route. When receiving the traveling route, by requesting the information center 10 to sequentially receive the divided routes as described in the first embodiment, it is possible to reflect the latest traffic information and the like on all routes to the distant destination. It is possible to guide various routes.

Depending on the navigation device 100, a preset destination (or vehicle destination and final destination) is received from the information center 10 when the ignition is turned on, and a route search to the destination or the like is performed within the own device. Navigation device 100 with the data used to guide the travel route.
The data may be received from the information center 10 for the purpose of supplementing the data that is not held (Variation 13). For example, in order to reduce the size of the memory 102, the navigation device 100 does not retain the data such as the intersection enlarged view. And the navigation device 10
0 is received from the information center 10 for the purpose of supplementing data such as an enlarged view of an intersection on the travel route to the searched destination.

In the first embodiment described, the information center 1
As the navigation device 100 that has been registered as a user with 0 and is given an ID, the case of the navigation device 100 described in FIG. 1 has been described. However, the configuration of each navigation device does not necessarily have to be the same, and the first embodiment Navigation device described in the form, and modification 1
Navigation device and other programs described in 1.
Various navigation devices having different data and functions may be used (Modification 14). In this case, the navigation device 100 transmits to the information center 10 the desired transmission information designating data for designating the information desired to be transmitted after confirming the destination setting by turning on the ignition. In the information center 10, the destination, the vehicle destination and the final destination, the entire traveling route to the destination or the final destination, the divided route to the destination or the final destination (first (Sending according to a request through the divided route described in the first embodiment), etc.

The destination determination process (FIG. 8) described in the first embodiment has been described as executed when the information center 10 receives the destination and the ID. However, the destination determination process is performed when the destination is received. When the processing is performed, if the destination is set in advance, there is a possibility that the set vehicle destination cannot be reached before the departure date and time due to changes in traffic regulations or the like. Therefore, the destination determination process may be executed when the first request is met or when the destination confirmation request is met (Modification 15). This makes it possible to determine the optimal vehicle destination and final destination at the departure date and time.

Even in the case of the modified example 15, for example, there is a possibility that the parking lot set as the vehicle destination becomes full and cannot be parked. In such a case, the modified example 15
Even at, the vehicle destination cannot be reached. Therefore, the information center 10 may perform the destination determination processing including the full-occupancy information of the parking lot based on the traffic information and the like collected by the external information collecting unit 70 every time the divided route is requested. Good (Modification 16). In addition, the destination determination processing is performed at a predetermined distance (for example, 10 k) from the vehicle destination that is initially set.
It may be executed when it reaches within m) (Modification 16 ').

In the first embodiment described above, in the final destination search process (FIG. 13), the travel route from the current vehicle position to the final destination is searched in the non-vehicle mode (step 9).
3) Create a map picture of the travel route (step 94),
Although the data is transmitted to the portable information terminal 200 (step 95), the map data including the vehicle destination and the final destination,
You may make it transmit the data of the vehicle destination point and the final destination point to the portable information terminal 200 (modification 17).

In the final destination processing (FIG. 13), when the arrival of the vehicle destination is received and the current vehicle position does not match the final destination, the route search in the non-vehicle mode (step 9).
3) and the map picture creation (step 94) are performed every time, but a pictorial map for a frequently used vehicle destination (current vehicle position) and final destination is created in advance, and the vehicle destination and the final destination are created. It may be stored in the database 40 together with the ground combination (Modification 18). In this case, the information center 10 searches the database 40 for a combination of the vehicle destination and the final destination corresponding to the received vehicle current position, and if not, steps 93 and 9 in FIG.
4, the pictorial map stored together with the combination is read out and transmitted to the portable information terminal 200 (step 95).

In the final destination processing (FIG. 13), when the map picture is created, the arithmetic processing section 14 connects the line with the connection destination of the mobile terminal of the corresponding ID (for example, by making a phone call) and creates it. Although the map picture up to the final destination is directly transmitted to the portable information terminal 200 (step 95), the created map picture data may be transmitted to the e-mail address of the corresponding ID as an e-mail. (Modification 19). In this case, the portable information terminal 200 or other information processing device can be used to download and display data such as a map picture from its own mail address.

(3) Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. In addition, the information center 10, the navigation device 100 in each of the second and subsequent embodiments,
Since the configuration of the mobile information terminal 200 is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, the configuration different from that of the first embodiment will be described, and the same portions will be appropriately omitted. In the first embodiment, the destination can be set in advance in the information center 10 before the vehicle departs, but the setting destination is only for the user data 50 of one person (mainly their own ID). Only set the destination. However, as in the case of playing golf with a plurality of members, a plurality of vehicles may travel toward the same destination at the same date and time. In such a case, according to the first embodiment, it is necessary to repeat the presetting of the same destination for each member, which results in redundant useless operations.

Therefore, in the second embodiment, one person
The destination can be set for a plurality of members by once setting the destination. That is, in the second embodiment, the destination is set by broadcast communication. Therefore, the portable information terminal 200 and the navigation device 100 according to the second embodiment are provided with the destination transmission member setting processing program according to the present embodiment and also provided with candidate list data of members for setting the destination, or the information center. W to select the member candidate list screen to select the destination transmission member from 10
It has WWW browser software for acquiring it as eb information. On the other hand, in the information center 10 according to the second embodiment, the destination determining program for the second embodiment is stored in the memory 18 instead of the destination determining program 25, and the member candidate list is stored in the database 40. . The member candidate list is stored in the corresponding user data 50 for each user of each ID.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the operation of the destination transmission member setting process executed in the portable information terminal 200 and the navigation device 100. It should be noted that in the following description of the operation, the processing is performed by the mobile information terminal 200, but the navigation apparatus 100 also performs the same processing. In this case, similarly to the processing for setting the destination in the first embodiment, the description of the operation of each unit of the mobile information terminal 200 is the operation of each unit of the navigation device 100 in which the last two digits are the same. For example, the arithmetic processing unit 201 in the mobile information terminal 200 corresponds to the arithmetic processing unit 101 in the navigation device 100.

The arithmetic processing unit 201 first executes a destination setting process (step 101). This destination setting process is the same as the destination setting process described in the first embodiment,
When the portable information terminal 200 includes the destination setting program 250 and the destination setting data 266, the destination selected from the destination setting data (including the parking lot request and the departure date) is the information center. Sent to 10. on the other hand,
If there is no such program or data, the destination setting process based on the Web information described in FIG. 7 is performed. In this case, including other processing, a selection screen displaying keys and items for selecting necessary items, a user list, and the like are also acquired from the information center 10 by the Web information, and the selected items and data are acquired. Will be sent to. Less than,
I will explain the case of having programs and data,
The same applies to the case of using Web information. When the destination is broadcasted according to the present embodiment, the normal departure date and time is set in this destination setting process.
Since there are cases where the date of departure is set on the day of departure, the setting of the departure date and time is not necessarily an essential setting item.

After that, the arithmetic processing unit 201 determines whether or not "member setting" is selected from the display screen by the user (step 102). The display of the selected key may be another display such as "send to other person". If the member setting is not selected (step 10)
2; N), and returns to the main routine by the control program 254. On the other hand, when the eye case setting is selected (step 102; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 201 acquires the candidate list of members from the data storage area and displays the display unit 20.
6 is displayed (step 104). FIG. 17 shows an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit 206 in the present embodiment. (A) is a destination transmission member setting screen in which a candidate list of members is displayed, and (b) is a new member. The setting screen (c) shows a mail screen transmitted to a user whose destination has been set by another person. Figure 1
As shown in 7 (a), on the destination transmission member setting screen, a user list unique to the destination setter is displayed. In other words, if the destination is set for another person in the past, or if the destination is set by another person, or if another member is set as a member, It is registered in the data storage area 202B as a member candidate. The candidate list of registered members is displayed.
Then, in the destination transmission member setting screen, as shown in FIG.
As shown in, the user name and user ID are displayed. Then, a number is displayed in front of each user name, and by designating this number with a ten-key or the like, by touching the corresponding display location or by operating the cursor movement key, the corresponding display location is highlighted and selected. As a result, when the user name is selected, a check mark (displayed with a check mark) indicating that the user name has been selected is displayed in the frame on the left side of the selected user name.

In this way, the destination setter selects the member who sets the destination on the destination transmission member setting screen. If no member is displayed in the currently displayed member candidates, similarly perform "0
Other member candidates are displayed in the same manner by selecting "Next screen". Then, when selecting a new member not registered in the member candidate list of the destination setter, the “#new member” key illustrated in FIG. 17A is selected. The arithmetic processing unit of the portable information terminal 200 is
When the selection of the "new member" key is detected (step 10
5; Y), the new member setting screen shown in FIG. 17B is displayed on the display unit 106 (step 106). The destination setter specifies a new member who sets the destination on the new member setting screen. The input items for identifying the new member are the ID, name, and
Although there are an email address, a telephone number, and a code number, it is not necessary to input all of these items in the present embodiment, and I is used to identify a member (user) in the information center 10.
Input of at least two items of D and the other item is required.
However, in order to make user certification more accurate, 3 items or more,
It is possible to request four or more items or all items.
Further, input of only one item may be accepted, and if the user cannot be specified by this one item, input of another item may be requested.

In the above destination transmission member setting screen or new member setting screen, when the destination setter selects the “* confirm” key after selecting the destination transmission member, the arithmetic processing unit detects this. (Step 10
7; Y), the ID of the destination transmission member selected at the time of confirmation is transmitted to the information center 10 (step 10).
8). When a new member is set, other items input together with the ID are also transmitted. Further, the set new member is automatically registered in the user candidate list for the destination setter.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing the destination setting process of this embodiment performed in the information center. The arithmetic processing unit 14 of the information center 10 performs processing from reception monitoring of the user destination (step 31) to storage of the vehicle destination (steps 36, 38, 39). The processes of steps 31 to 39 are the same as the steps 31 to 39 of the destination determination process described in FIG. After the above processing,
The arithmetic processing unit 14 confirms whether or not the member ID is transmitted together with the destination or after the destination, and if there is the member ID (step 120; Y), the user data 50 of each member ID indicates the vehicle destination. The final destination is stored (step 121).

Then, the arithmetic processing section 14 determines each member ID
The user's data 50 regarding the destination configurator,
And, the data such as the received destination is automatically created and transmitted (step 122). When sending a mail, the mail address stored in the user data 50 of the corresponding ID is used. FIG. 17C shows an example of an email created by the arithmetic processing unit 14. This FIG. 17 (c)
As illustrated in, the name of the destination setter is used in the "Takahashi Takahashi" part of the first line, the departure date and time is used in the third line date and time, and the fourth line is in the place part. The destination name is used, the destination setting person "Mr." is used in the "Takahashi" part of the 5th line, and the "current home" of the user data is used for the "home" of the 5th line. The scheduled departure time is the date and time of departure. Also, the description below "Details" in the last line is the URL (Uniform Resource) for acquiring the target file and displaying it in the Web browser.
e Locators). A user who has received a mail from the information center 10 (the receiving device is the form information terminal 200
Alternatively, it may be a personal computer, a navigation device 100, or the like. By specifying this URL, the user can edit the setting contents of the destination set by another person (Takashi Takahashi in FIG. 17C) for himself. For example, when another member's instep is placed on the way between the set destinations, the home of the member instep can be set as the passing point. In this way, the data related to the destination edited for the user after designating the URL displayed in the mail is stored in the edited user data 50 of the corresponding ID by the information center 10.

After sending the mail to the user of each member ID, the arithmetic processing unit 14 determines whether or not a new member has been set for the destination setter (step 12).
3). As for whether you are a new member, I
It is determined from whether or not a member ID not included in the member candidate list stored in the user data 50 corresponding to D is received. When the new member is set (step 123; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 14 stores the name and ID of the new member in the member candidate list of the destination setter (step 124), and the control program 254.
To return to the main routine.

By the above processing, the user (user B) whose destination has been set by another person can confirm that the destination is set by checking the mail addressed to himself. Then, this user B turns on the ignition on the day set by another person, as in the case where the destination is preset in the information center 10 by himself / herself, and thereby the destination setting confirmation processing (FIG. 9), the request / route guidance process (FIG. 12) is executed, and if the vehicle destination and the vehicle destination are different points, the mobile information terminal 200 further receives the map picture of the non-vehicle route. Thus, according to the second embodiment, the destinations for a plurality of members including self are registered in the user data 50 of the information center 10 by one destination setting by one destination setter. You can

In the second embodiment described above, the information center 10 receives the member IDs shown in FIG.
Although the email illustrated in (c) is sent, when there is a member who cannot send the email, there is a member who could not send the email and the member ID and name are set to the portable information terminal 200 or the destination. You may make it notify to the navigation apparatus 100 (the modification 21). In the mobile information terminal 200 or the like that has received this, the fact that there is a member who could not send an email and the name and ID of that member are displayed on the display unit. By confirming this display, the destination setter can inform the member that the destination has been set or that the e-mail could not be sent, by means other than mail, for example, by telephone.

In the second embodiment described above, the destination set by another person and the destination set by the user are stored in the same area of the user 50 without distinguishing between them. It may be stored in another area (Modification 22). In this case, the information center 10 performs the destination setting confirmation processing, and if the set destination is set by another person, the information center 10 sets the purpose set by the other person for the user who requests the destination setting confirmation. Being the ground,
Confirm whether the route / guidance data to the destination (vehicle destination) can be transmitted. Information center 10
Performs the route search / guidance data transmission process (FIG. 11) when the navigation device 100 transmits a confirmation that the destination is set by another person.

(4) Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment described, the information center 10 searches for a non-vehicle route from the vehicle destination to the final destination and transmits the map picture to the mobile information terminal 20,
The user of the mobile information terminal 20 can reach the final destination by walking or the like. In addition to this or in addition to the first embodiment, in the third embodiment, the current position of the vehicle in which the navigation device 100 is mounted is determined from the current position of the portable information terminal 200 that presets the destination. Search the non-vehicle route to and display the map picture on the mobile information terminal 2
00 is transmitted. Note that the destination setting process performed in advance can include the case where destinations of other users described in the second embodiment are also set in advance at the same time.

FIG. 19 shows the information center 10, the navigation system 100, and the portable information terminal 2 in this embodiment.
00 shows an example of data exchange with 00.
As shown by the arrow E0 ′ in FIG. 19, the portable information terminal 2
00 sets the destination and the current position by the operation described in the first embodiment. The current position setting is
When the mobile information terminal 200 includes a GPS receiving device, the coordinate value specified by the latitude and longitude specified by the GPS receiving device is set as the current position. When the position measuring unit such as GPS is not provided, the address or telephone number of the place, which is input by the user (destination setter), is set as the current position. Further, in the case of the portable information terminal 200 including the destination setting data 266,
In the same way as the destination setting process by the destination setting program 250, the current facility or the like is designated from the destination setting data 266, and this is set as the current position. In the destination setting program in this case, one of “set to destination”, “set to transit point”, and “set to current position” is performed after designating the facility etc. by the genre and the like as described in the first embodiment. By selecting, the destination, the waypoint (passing point), or the current position is set. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, when the portable information terminal 200 uses the WWW browser software to set the destination for the information center 10 via the Internet, similarly, the facility etc. currently specified via the Internet is designated. This will set the current position.

The portable information terminal 200 has an arrow E in FIG.
As shown by 1 ', when the destination and the current position are set by any of the above methods, the set destination, the current position and the ID are transmitted to the information center 10. Upon receiving the data such as the destination, the information center 10 determines whether or not the current position of the mobile information terminal 200 is included in the received data, as indicated by an arrow E2 '. The destination determination process (FIG. 8) is executed as in the first embodiment, and the final destination and the vehicle destination are stored in the user data 50 of the corresponding ID.

On the other hand, if the received data includes the current position, it is determined that the request for the movement route to the vehicle destination has been made, and the vehicle current position is determined from the user data 50 corresponding to the received ID. Is read out and the route search from the current position of the mobile information terminal 200 received to the current vehicle position is executed in the non-vehicle mode. That is, the information center 10
The processing unit 14 of the pedestrian includes a pedestrian-only road such as a pedestrian bridge and a pedestrian crossing used for non-vehicle mode search, and transportation means other than vehicles and walking (cable car, monorail, ropeway, train, train, ship, bus). , Taxi, moving sidewalk, etc.) Moves from the current position to the current vehicle position by using the route search data 42 including the data (station name, point data, distance between points, timetable, etc.) regarding the movable route. Search for a route. Then, the arithmetic processing unit 14 of the information center 10 follows the travel route to the final destination searched.
The map picture of the map picture creation data 54 is used to create a movement route by the map picture illustrated in FIGS.
As indicated by 3 ', the created guide data by the map picture to the vehicle destination is transmitted to the portable information terminal 200. The mobile information terminal 200 that has received the map picture guides the route to the vehicle destination by the non-vehicle means by sequentially displaying the received map picture in accordance with the operation of the user (E
4 ').

Incidentally, the information center 1 in the third embodiment.
In 0, it is necessary to be able to always recognize the current vehicle position. Therefore, the navigation device 100 measures the current vehicle position when the vehicle ignition is off.
It is acquired from 04 and transmitted to the information center 10. The information center 10 can always recognize the current vehicle position by storing the transmitted vehicle current position in the user data of the corresponding ID.

As described above, according to the third embodiment, the user of the portable information terminal 200 sets the destination for the navigation device 100 and receives the map picture from the current position to the current vehicle position. The current vehicle position can be easily reached. In this way, the map picture (non-vehicle movement route) up to the current vehicle position can be received, so that even if the user goes to an unfamiliar place, he can move away from the vehicle with peace of mind.

In the third embodiment described above, the portable information terminal 200 transmits the current position to the information center 10 instead of the movement route search request. You may make it transmit to the information center 10 (Modification 31). In this case, the information center receives the travel position search request data together with the current position of the portable information terminal 200 to execute the travel route search in the non-vehicle mode up to the current vehicle position.

In the third embodiment described above, the case where the destination for the navigation device 100 is set in advance from the portable information terminal 200 has been described as an example, but it is related to the presence or absence of the destination setting for the navigation device 100. Instead, the moving route from the current position of the portable information terminal 200 to the current vehicle position may be searched for in the non-vehicle mode (Modification 32). In this case, the portable information terminal 200 transmits to the information center 10 the current position, which is a request for a non-vehicle movement route search up to the current position and the vehicle current position, or a request for a non-vehicle movement route search up to the vehicle current position. . on the other hand,
When the information center 10 receives a request for a non-vehicle movement route search up to the current position and the vehicle current position, or a current position that also serves as a request for a non-vehicle movement route search up to the vehicle current position, the destination determination process Without performing (FIG. 8), the non-vehicle mode movement route from the current position to the vehicle current position described above is searched, and a map picture is created and transmitted to the mobile information terminal 200.

Furthermore, a facility or point other than the current vehicle position may be set as the destination of the portable information terminal 200, and the movement route to this destination may be searched in the non-vehicle mode (Modification 33). In this case, the mobile information terminal 200, the destination, the data indicating that the destination is the destination of the mobile information terminal 200, the current position, and the request for the travel route search in the non-vehicle mode (the current position is Request may be combined) may be sent to the information center. The setting of the destination by the mobile information terminal 200 is performed by any of the methods described in the first embodiment. At the information center 10, the destination determination process (FIG. 8)
Without performing the above, a search for the non-vehicle mode movement route from the current position to the current vehicle position and the creation of a map picture are transmitted to the mobile information terminal 200.

(5) Fourth Embodiment Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment described above, when the vehicle (navigation device 100) notifies the information center 10 of the current vehicle position when the vehicle arrives at the vehicle destination when the vehicle arrives at the vehicle destination and walks toward the destination. , Based on that, the server provides a simplified guide map (map picture) to the final destination.
Is sent to a mobile phone. However, if the arrival point of the vehicle (usually the vehicle destination) is a place where radio waves for communication do not reach, such as an underground parking lot, the navigation device 100 indicates the current vehicle position and arrival of the vehicle destination at the information center 1.
It may not be possible to notify 0. In the fourth embodiment, the information center 1 is thus set at the final vehicle arrival point.
When it is not possible to communicate with 0, the current vehicle position is transmitted to the portable information terminal 200, and after moving to a communicable point, the arrival of the vehicle and the current vehicle position are transmitted from the portable information terminal 200 to the information center 10. It is a thing.

FIG. 20 shows an example of data exchange between the information center 10, the navigation system 100, and the portable information terminal 200 in the fourth embodiment. From the portable information terminal 200 to the navigation device 100
To set the destination of the information in the information center 100 (arrow E0
~ E2), and after the ignition on (arrow F0) of the vehicle equipped with the navigation device 100, the destination setting confirmation process (arrows F1 to F4; FIGS. 9 and 10), the request for the divided route (navigation device 100). Route /
Processing for sending guidance data (information center 10) (arrow F5
~ F9, ...) Are the same as in the first embodiment.

When data cannot be transmitted to the information center 10 when the navigation device 100 arrives at the destination, the arithmetic processing unit of the navigation device 100 measures the position as shown by the arrow Fn-2 'in FIG. Part 10
The current vehicle position measured in 4 is transmitted to the portable information terminal 200. This vehicle current position is transmitted by infrared communication, SS
(Spread spectrum) Wireless communication such as communication, wired communication such as serial communication or parallel communication, or packet switching system or circuit switching system. Navigation device 10
In 0, when the communication with the information center is based on the packet switching method, the communication with the information center 10 is unilaterally terminated when the current vehicle position is transmitted to the portable information terminal 200.

Upon receiving the vehicle current position from the navigation device 100, the portable information terminal 200 stores the received vehicle current position in the data storage area 202B as shown by the arrow Fn-1 'in FIG. Then, the user carries the portable information terminal 200, moves away from the vehicle, moves to a place where communication with the information center 10 is possible, and then the arrow Fn ′.
As shown in FIG.
Notify the current vehicle position, ID, and arrival of the vehicle destination.

On the other hand, when the information center 10 receives the current vehicle position, the ID, and the arrival at the vehicle destination from the portable information terminal, as shown by an arrow G0, the user data 5 of the corresponding ID is sent.
The current vehicle position is stored in 0, and a travel route from the current vehicle position to the final destination is searched for in the non-vehicle mode. The search for the travel route is the same as the final destination search process (FIG. 13) described in the first embodiment. Then, as shown by an arrow G1, the map picture created in the final destination search process is transmitted to the mobile information terminal 200. In the information center 10, if the communication with the navigation device 100 is based on the packet switching method, the mobile information terminal 20
When the current vehicle position or the like is received from 0, the communication is unilaterally terminated.

The mobile information terminal 200, which has received the map picture from the information center 10 to the final destination, displays the map picture on the display unit 206 as shown in the arrow G2 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Guidance to the ground.

FIG. 21 shows the request / route guidance processing in the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 21, the request / route guidance processing in the fourth embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment (see FIG. 12) in the processing from step 80 to step 85. When the vehicle arrives at the vehicle destination (step 85; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 101 of the navigation device 100 determines whether or not communication with the information center 10 is possible (step 13).
0) If communication is possible (step 130; Y), the vehicle current position and arrival at the vehicle destination are transmitted to the information center 10 as in the first embodiment (step 86),
The process returns to the main routine by the control program 154. On the other hand, if communication with the information center 10 is not possible,
The arithmetic processing unit 101 transmits the current vehicle position measured by the position measuring unit 104 to the portable information terminal 200, and the information center 1
The communication with 0 is forcibly terminated (step 131), and the process returns to the main routine.

As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, the current position (current vehicle position) can be obtained even with a portable information terminal that is not equipped with a current position detecting device such as a GPS receiving device. The vehicle current position acquired from the navigation device 100 can be used as the current position of the portable information terminal 200 in the modification 33 of the third embodiment (modification 41). The portable information terminal 200 requests the information center 10 for a travel route based on a map picture from the current position (= current vehicle position) to an arbitrary destination (a destination moved by non-vehicle means).

In the third embodiment, the current vehicle position is transmitted from the navigation device 100 to the information center 10 when the ignition is off, but the fourth embodiment can be applied to the third embodiment. (Modification 4
2). That is, when the communication with the information center 10 cannot be performed when the ignition is off, the navigation device 10
0 transmits the current vehicle position to the mobile information terminal 200. Then, the user transmits the current vehicle position from the portable information terminal 200 to the information center 10 after moving to a place where communication is possible. As a result, the information center 10 can store and recognize the current vehicle position even when the ignition is turned off in an area where the vehicle cannot communicate.

Further, in the fourth embodiment, the navigation device 100 transmits the current vehicle position to the portable information terminal 200 when the vehicle arrives at a destination or the like. , Every n minutes (n is a changeable natural number) or the like, the vehicle current position may be transmitted to the portable information terminal 200 at a necessary timing or in response to a user's request (Modification 43). . The necessary timing is, for example, a predetermined distance (for example, 100 m,
200m, 500m, etc.), the timing of changing the course at an intersection, the timing of turning off the ignition, etc. In this case, even when the vehicle is temporarily parked in the middle of the travel route and goes to a specific destination (a destination that is moved by a non-vehicle means), the current position of the portable information terminal 200 in the modification 33 (= the current vehicle position) ) Can be used as. Each modification of the fourth embodiment including this modification 43 is the same as that of the navigation device 10.
The present invention can be applied even when the route guidance by 0 is not performed (Modification 44).

(6) Fifth Embodiment Next, a fifth embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment described, the navigation device 100 includes the display unit 106.
Starting from 06, the destination is set, and the traveling route and current position for route guidance are displayed. In the first embodiment, the mobile terminal is used for setting the destination in the information center 10 and / or for receiving and displaying the non-vehicle movement route (map picture), and for displaying the traveling route of the vehicle. Not used for. On the other hand, in the fifth embodiment, the portable information terminal 200 can be connected to the navigation device 100 by wire or wirelessly and can be used as a display unit and an input unit of the navigation device 100 and / or as a part of the display unit and the input unit. It was done like this.

By using the display function and / or the input function of the portable information terminal 200 as a part of the navigation device 100 as described above, the navigation device 100 can be constructed at a low cost or the function can be expanded. That is, by using the portable information terminal 200 as a display device, the display device of the navigation device 100 is unnecessary,
Further, by using the mobile information terminal 200 as a part of the input device, the configuration of the input unit of the navigation device 100 can be simplified. Further, the display function can be expanded by using the display function of the portable information terminal 200 in the navigation device 100 having the display device.

Specifically, by using the display unit 206 of the portable information terminal 200 in the navigation device 100,
The display device (display unit 206) of the portable information terminal 200 outputs various display data from the navigation device 100.
To display. For example, near the guidance target intersection (for example,
200), the map screen that has been displayed until then is switched to the intersection guide map, or the intersection guide map is displayed on a part of the screen, but the display screen of the portable information terminal 200 is displayed. By using the map screen, only the intersection guide map can be displayed on the display unit 206 of the mobile information terminal 200 while the map screen is displayed on the display unit 106 of the navigation device 100 as it is. In addition, a vehicle-mounted display (display unit 106) for the navigation device 100
Even if the user does not have a portable information terminal 200
The navigation guide map (route guide map) can be viewed only by itself. Further, various menus selectable by the navigation device 100 are displayed on the display unit 206 of the portable information terminal 200.
When the menu is displayed, the map can be viewed on the display unit 106 of the navigation device 100. On the other hand, when the input unit of the mobile information terminal 200 is used in the navigation device 100, by transmitting a signal from the mobile information terminal 200 to the navigation device 100 by communication, the navigation device 100 does not need an input interface.

In the case of the fifth embodiment, the portable information terminal 2
00 and the navigation device 100 are dedicated
Alternatively, it is provided with a data transmission / reception unit and a data transmission / reception buffer, which are also used as the communication control units 208 and 108. Both data transmission / reception units use infrared communication (IrDA standard, IrTran-
Communication interfaces for wireless communication such as P standard), SS (spread spectrum) communication, and wired communication such as serial communication and parallel communication are arranged. In addition, when a mobile phone is used as the mobile information terminal 200, a hands-free call is configured, and the display unit 206 is provided.
Even when the guide screen is displayed on, you can call safely by hands-free. The navigation device 100 according to the fifth embodiment has a function of searching a route to a destination, and has a route search program for that purpose, route search data, and guidance data. Further, the case where the portable information terminal 200 of the fifth embodiment does not have the destination setting program and the destination setting data and does not have the function of setting the destination independently will be described.

Next, the operation of the fifth embodiment will be described. FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the operation of the destination setting process by the mobile information terminal 200. The arithmetic processing unit of the portable information terminal 200 displays the mode selection screen on the display unit 2
It is displayed in 06 (step 141). That is, the arithmetic processing unit 201 is a data communication menu for setting specific data communication, as illustrated in FIG. 23A, as a mode selection screen unique to each mobile information terminal 200, i.
"Mode" key, "telephone menu" to select the telephone function
A key and a “navi menu” key for selecting the function of this embodiment are displayed on the display unit 206. In addition, if the mobile information terminal 200 is a mobile phone, a "telephone menu" key, a "data communication menu" key, and the like in addition to the "navi menu" key, and an electronic notebook in addition to the "navi menu" key A “schedule” key, an “address book” key, etc. are displayed on the display unit 206. Although these mode selection keys have been described as the soft keys displayed on the screen, they may be hard keys such as switches.

The arithmetic processing unit 201 of the portable information terminal 200
When the navigation menu is selected on the mode selection screen (step 141; Y), the activation signal is supplied via the interface to activate the connected navigation device 100 (step 143). Then, the arithmetic processing unit 201 transmits a navigation menu request signal to acquire the navigation menu from the navigation device 100 (step 144), and displays the acquired navigation menu on the display unit 206 (step 145). In this navigation menu screen, as shown in FIG. 23B, for selecting various operations such as "1. Decide destination" key, "2. Search" key, "3. Setting" key, etc. The key is displayed on the screen. Each of these keys is a soft key that can be selected by software, and after selecting one of the keys displayed on the screen with the scroll key or after specifying the number displayed before each key with the numeric keypad, press the select button. A key is selected by pressing it.

When the "determine destination" key is selected on the navigation menu screen (step 146; Y), the arithmetic processing section 201 transmits a destination list request signal and acquires the destination list from the navigation device 100. Then, the destination list is displayed on the display unit 206 of the portable information terminal 200 (step 147) (step 148). When the setting person monitors and confirms the selection of the destination (step 149; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 201 transmits the confirmed destination (and the passing point if selected) to the navigation device 100 ( (Step 150), the navigation flag is turned on (step 151), and the control program 254
To return to the main routine.

FIG. 24 shows a route setting process by the navigation device 100 in the fifth embodiment. The arithmetic processing unit 101 of the navigation device 100 is
When the destination is acquired from the mobile information terminal 200 and the destination is acquired (step 161; Y),
The current vehicle position is acquired from the position measuring unit 104 (step 162). Then, the travel route from the acquired vehicle current position to the destination is searched and stored in the route guidance data 160 in the data storage area 102B (step 163). Note that when the navigation device 100 has a destination determination processing (FIG. 8) function, it determines the vehicle destination and the final destination when the destination is received from the portable information terminal 200, and FIG. In the route setting process, the route from the current vehicle position to the vehicle destination is searched. Arithmetic processing unit 101
After the route search is completed, turns on the route setting flag indicating that the route search has been completed (step 164) and returns to the main routine by the control program 154.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a process of transmitting route guidance data from the navigation device 100. Arithmetic processing unit 101 of navigation device 100
Confirms from the route setting flag whether or not the route search is completed, and if the flag is on (step 171; Y),
The current vehicle position is acquired from the position measuring unit 104 (step 172). Then, the arithmetic processing unit 101 determines whether or not there is guidance data to be transmitted to the mobile information terminal 200,
If there is guidance data to be transmitted (step 173), the guidance data is transmitted to the mobile information terminal 200 (step 1).
74). The data transmitted to the portable information terminal 200 includes the current vehicle position, a map, an enlarged view of an intersection, a travel route, and the like.

Arithmetic processing unit 1 of navigation device 100
01 timely transmits route guidance data to the portable information terminal 200 until the vehicle arrives at the destination and the route guidance ends (step 175; N), and when the vehicle arrives at the destination and the route guidance ends ( In step 175; Y), the navigation flag OFF is transmitted to the portable information terminal 200, the route setting flag set in step 164 of the route setting process is turned OFF, and the process returns to the main routine.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing the processing of the mobile information terminal 200 for displaying the guidance data acquired from the navigation device 100 on the display unit 206. The arithmetic processing unit 201 of the portable information terminal 200 monitors the transmission of the guidance data from the navigation device 100 (step 181). When the arithmetic processing unit 201 receives the guidance data (step 181; Y), the received current vehicle position,
The map, the enlarged view of the intersection, the guidance data such as the traveling route are displayed on the screen of the display unit 206 (step 182). When displaying the guidance data, the arithmetic processing unit 201 can make the guidance data easy to recognize by turning on the backlight when necessary at night or the like. Arithmetic processing unit 201
The navigation device 10 receives the guidance data and displays the guidance data, and when the vehicle arrives at the destination, the navigation flag is turned off.
It continues until it is transmitted from 0 (step 183; N),
When the instruction to turn off the navigation flag is received (step 183;
Y), turn off the navigation flag (step 184), and return to the main routine.

FIG. 27 shows a screen for route guidance displayed in the fifth embodiment. FIG. 27 (a)
Shows an outline of the guidance screen displayed when the navigation device 200 includes the display device 206, and the vehicle position M and the travel route L are displayed on the map screen. Then, as shown in FIG. 27b, the next vehicle position reaches a guidance intersection at a predetermined distance (for example, 500 m, 70
0 m, 1 km, etc.), the navigation device 1
00 to the mobile information terminal 200, the distance B1 to the next guidance intersection and the arrow B2 indicating the change direction of the course change direction are transmitted and displayed as guide data. FIG. 27 (b)
Then, the distance B1 and the course change direction arrow B2 are displayed so as to turn right 2 km ahead. When the distance to the guidance intersection is a predetermined distance or more, as shown in FIG. 27 (b), the distance B1 and the course change direction arrow B2 are displayed, and the traveling route, the landmark, etc. are not displayed. Then, when the distance to the guidance intersection is less than the predetermined distance, FIG.
As illustrated in, the enlarged intersection view in which the arrow B4 displayed along the map screen B3 and the traveling route is displayed is transmitted from the navigation device 100 to the mobile information terminal 200 and displayed. Although not displayed in FIG. 27C, landmarks and the like are displayed as appropriate in the intersection enlarged view.

Next, with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 28, description will be given of processing when a mobile phone is used as the mobile information terminal 200 and an incoming call is received during route guidance. Mobile phone (mobile information terminal 200)
The arithmetic processing unit 201 monitors whether there is an incoming call, and when there is an incoming call (step 191; Y), determines whether the navigation flag is turned on (step 19).
2). When there is no incoming call (step 191; N), and when there is an incoming call but the navigation flag is off (step 19)
2; N), the process returns to the main routine. When the navigation flag is on (step 192; Y), the mobile information terminal 200 determines that the navigation device 1 includes during a call.
The guide map of the guide data transmitted from 00 is continuously displayed without switching, and the ring tone for hands-free communication is output (step 193). Then, when the switch for hands-free call is turned on or when a predetermined time has passed after the incoming call (step 194; Y), the arithmetic processing unit 201 starts the hands-free call (step 195).
The portable information terminal 200 is connected to the navigation device 100 by a cable and is fixed in the vehicle (fixed at a communicable position in the case of wireless communication), so that a dedicated hands-free unit is used, or a vehicle-mounted microphone is used. And the speaker is used as a hands-free unit. The arithmetic processing unit 201 continues the call until the hands-free call ends (step 196; N), and when the call ends by selecting the call end key or the like (step 196;
Y), and returns to the main routine.

In the fifth embodiment described above, the destination (including the passing point) is set and the navigation device 100 is set.
The case of transmitting to the mobile information terminal 20 has been described.
As in the first embodiment, 0 indicates a parking lot request (when the navigation device 100 has a destination determination process (FIG. 8) function) and / or a departure date and time (preliminary destination setting is performed by the navigation device 100). May be set) and transmitted to the navigation device 100 (variant 51).

The case where the navigation device 100 of the fifth embodiment described above has a function of searching for a route to a destination and the portable information terminal 200 does not have a function of setting a destination independently has been described. Similar to the form, the navigation device 100 may not have the route search function and / or the mobile information terminal 200 may have the independent destination setting function. For example, when the navigation device 100 does not have a route search function and the information center 10 performs a route search or the like, the mobile information terminal 200 sets the destination (the passing point, the parking lot request, the departure date and time) as set.
And the ID of the navigation device 100 to the information center 10
To the device (Variation 52). In this modified example 52, the information center 10 recognizes the received destination (vehicle destination) as I
The user data 50 of D is stored. Then, similarly to the first embodiment, the destination determination processing (FIG. 8) and the destination confirmation determination processing (FIGS. 9 and 10) are executed. After that, information center 1
At 0, the travel route to the vehicle destination is searched, and the navigation device 10 is directly or via the portable information terminal 200.
Send to 0. In this case, the travel route transmitted to the navigation device 100 may be the entire travel route to the vehicle destination, and the navigation device 10 may be the same as in the first embodiment.
It may be a divided route according to a request from 0. The received guidance data according to the entire travel route or the divided route and the current vehicle position is transmitted from the navigation device 100 to the mobile information terminal 200, and the display unit 20 of the mobile information terminal 200 is transmitted.
6 is displayed.

Further, when the advance destination setting described in the first embodiment is performed for the information center 10, the set destination or the like is set in the information center 10 regardless of the presence or absence of the route search function of the navigation device 100. You may make it transmit to 10.

(7) Sixth Embodiment Next, a sixth embodiment will be described. In the sixth embodiment, for example, the information center 10 performs point search, route search, travel schedule setting, etc., and the user moves to a parking lot or the like near the destination by the guidance of the navigation device 100 mounted on the vehicle.
It is applied to a system (seamless navigation system) that guides the user to a destination using the portable information terminal 200 from there. In the first embodiment to the fifth embodiment and each modification, the case where the portable information terminal 200 is connected to the navigation device 100 by wireless or wired is used, but in the sixth embodiment, each of these is used. In the embodiment and the modified example, when the user moves out of the vehicle together with the mobile information terminal 200, the problem caused by forgetting to transmit necessary data to the mobile information terminal 200 is solved.

The navigation device 100 according to the sixth embodiment includes a wireless or wired communication device with the portable information terminal 200, and a position supplementing device (position supplementing means) for supplementing the position of the portable information terminal 200. . The mobile information terminal 200 is a web browser software that displays various information, a communication device with the navigation device 100,
In addition, the information center 10 is provided by mobile communication such as a mobile phone.
A communication control unit 208 that mediates communication between the navigation device 10 and the navigation device 10 is provided.

FIG. 29 is a flow chart showing the processing operation for the navigation device 100 in the sixth embodiment to supplement the position of the portable information terminal 200. The arithmetic processing unit 101 of the navigation device 100 monitors the mobile terminal (step 201) and determines whether or not the mobile information terminal 200 is moving from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle (step 20).
2). That is, when the mobile information terminal 200 is wirelessly connected by infrared communication or the like, the arithmetic processing unit 101 of the navigation device 100 periodically exchanges data for position confirmation with the mobile information terminal 200, thereby the mobile information terminal 200. Is calculated, and it is recognized that the vehicle moves "outside the vehicle" when the distance is larger than a predetermined fixed distance. As the position confirmation data, data including an identification code is transmitted and received in order to identify each other, and the distance of the mobile information terminal 200 is calculated based on the intensity of the radio wave (infrared ray) or the intensity change amount. To be done. In addition to the identification code, the electric field strength and the error rate may be exchanged, and the detailed data format conforms to the data communication standard used between the two. Further, when the portable information terminal 200 is connected to the navigation device 100 by wire for charging or power feeding, the arithmetic processing unit of the navigation device 100 detects that the wired connection is released, thereby "moving outside the vehicle". Recognize.

When the movement of the portable information terminal 200 from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle is detected (step 202; Y), the arithmetic processing section 101 acquires the current position from the position measuring section 104 (step 203), and the portable information terminal The specific data is transmitted to 200 (step 204), and the process returns to the main routine by the control program 154. Here, the navigation device 100 wirelessly transmits, as the specific data, the vehicle current position, or the vehicle current position and map data of the vehicle current position, to the portable information terminal 200. Depending on the user's selection operation or preset option settings,
The current vehicle position may be transmitted to the information center 200 through the portable information terminal 200.

As described above, the portable information terminal 200 always automatically acquires the current vehicle position and stores it in the data storage area. Therefore, for example, by applying the present embodiment to the first embodiment, the information center 10 When the vehicle and the navigation device 100 cannot communicate with each other, the vehicle current position is always stored in the mobile information terminal 200, so that the user can avoid transmitting the vehicle current position and the like to the information center 10 after reaching the communicable place. To be done. In addition, when the user leaves the vehicle, the current vehicle position is always automatically detected by the portable information terminal 20.
Since it is stored in 0, when the information center 10 is requested to search the travel route to the vehicle in the non-vehicle mode after leaving the vehicle, the stored vehicle current position is the final purpose of the non-vehicle mode travel route search. The data can be transmitted to the information center 100 as the ground, and even if the land is unfamiliar, the user can safely leave the vehicle. The current position transmitted from the portable information terminal 200 to the information center 10 is set by the facility name, telephone number, address, etc. when the user is present.

As described above, according to the sixth embodiment, the current vehicle current position is automatically transferred to the portable information terminal 200 wirelessly without any special operation by the user, so that the data by the user can be obtained. The transfer operation load can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to prevent the data transfer from being canceled because the connection is released before the data transfer, which often occurs in a wired connection.

The sixth embodiment described above can be configured as follows. (A) An in-vehicle device and a portable information terminal, wherein the in-vehicle device determines whether or not the portable information terminal is moving from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle; From the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle, the portable information terminal is provided with transmitting means for transmitting specific data, and the portable information terminal is provided with a storage device and the transmitting means. A vehicle data processing system comprising: a receiving unit that receives the data of 1. and stores it in the storage device. (B) The determining means determines that the portable information terminal is moving from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle when the distance between the portable information terminal and the vehicle exceeds a threshold value. Vehicle data processing system. (C) When the portable information terminal and the vehicle are connected to each other by a power supply cable or a data communication cable, the determination means causes the portable information terminal to be removed from the vehicle by disconnecting the cable. The vehicle data processing system according to (A), wherein it is determined that the vehicle data processing system is about to move outside the vehicle. (D) The mobile information terminal includes a processing unit that executes a specific process by using the data stored in the storage device by the receiving unit (A),
The vehicle data processing system according to (B) or (C). (E) The specific data is vehicle position data, and the specific process is to display the vehicle position together with a map on the screen of the mobile information terminal. The vehicle data process according to (D). system.

(F) The judging means for judging whether or not the portable information terminal is moving from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle, and the judging means are judged to be moving of the portable information terminal from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle. In this case, the in-vehicle data processing device is provided with a transmitting means for transmitting specific data to the portable information terminal. As the in-vehicle data processing device, for example, a navigation device is applied. (G) The determining means determines that the portable information terminal is moving from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle when the distance between the mobile information terminal and the vehicle exceeds a threshold value. In-vehicle data processing device. (H) When the portable information terminal and the vehicle are connected to each other by a power supply cable or a data communication cable, the determination means disconnects the connection by the cable, so that the portable information terminal is removed from the vehicle. The in-vehicle data processing device according to (F), characterized in that it is determined that the vehicle is moving outside the vehicle. (I) The in-vehicle data processing device according to (F), (G), or (H), wherein the specific data is vehicle position data.

(J) A portable information terminal characterized by comprising a storage device and receiving means for receiving specific data transmitted from the in-vehicle data transmission device when moving from the inside of the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle and storing it in the storage device. . (K) The portable information terminal according to (J), further including a processing unit that executes a specific process using the data stored in the storage device by the receiving unit. (L) The mobile information terminal according to (K), characterized in that the vehicle position is displayed on the screen of the mobile information terminal together with the map in the specific process.

(8) Seventh Embodiment Next, a seventh embodiment will be described. In the seventh embodiment, for example, the information center 10 performs point search, route search, travel schedule setting, etc., and the user moves to a parking lot or the like near the destination according to the guidance of the on-vehicle navigation device 100, and carries it from there. It is applied to a system (seamless navigation system) that guides a user to a destination using the information terminal 200. In the first embodiment, the navigation device 100 is configured to acquire preset data such as the destination from the information center 10 when the ignition is turned on. However, in the seventh embodiment, the portable information terminal 200 is installed from outside the vehicle. It is designed to detect that the vehicle is about to move into the vehicle or that the vehicle has moved, and automatically obtain the destination data and the like registered in advance in the information center 10.

The navigation device 100 according to the seventh embodiment comprises a wireless or wired communication device with the portable information terminal 200, and a position supplementing device (position supplementing means) for supplementing the position of the portable information terminal 200. . The mobile information terminal 200 is a web browser software that displays various information, a communication device with the navigation device 100,
In addition, the information center 10 is provided by mobile communication such as a mobile phone.
A communication control unit 208 that mediates communication between the navigation device 10 and the navigation device 10 is provided. The navigation device 100 of this embodiment is adapted to communicate with the information center 10 via the portable information terminal 200.
0 does not include the communication control unit 108 that communicates with 0 independently.

FIG. 30 is a flow chart showing the processing operation for the navigation device 100 in the seventh embodiment to supplement the position of the portable information terminal 200. The arithmetic processing unit 101 of the navigation device 100 monitors the mobile terminal (step 211) and determines whether the mobile information terminal 200 is moving from outside the vehicle to inside the vehicle (step 21).
2). That is, when the mobile information terminal 200 is wirelessly connected by infrared communication or the like, the arithmetic processing unit 101 of the navigation device 100 periodically exchanges data for position confirmation with the mobile information terminal 200, thereby the mobile information terminal 200. The distance is calculated, and it is recognized that the vehicle moves “inside the vehicle” when the distance is shorter than a predetermined fixed distance. As the position confirmation data, data including an identification code is transmitted and received in order to identify each other, and the distance of the mobile information terminal 200 is calculated based on the intensity of the radio wave (infrared ray) or the intensity change amount. To be done. In addition to the identification code, the electric field strength and the error rate may be exchanged, and the detailed data format conforms to the data communication standard used between the two. Further, when the portable information terminal 200 is connected to the navigation device 100 by wire for charging or power feeding, the arithmetic processing unit of the navigation device 100 detects that the wired connection is connected, and thus, “moves into the vehicle”. Recognize.

When the movement of the portable information terminal 200 from the outside to the inside of the vehicle is detected (step 212; Y), the arithmetic processing section 101 acquires the set destination information from the information center 10 (step 213). That is, the arithmetic processing unit 1
01 requests the portable information terminal 200 to acquire the set destination information from the information center 10. In response to this request, the mobile information terminal 200 acquires the set destination information from the information center 10 and sends it to the navigation device 100. The arithmetic processing unit 101 of the navigation device 100 is
The set destination information acquired from the information center 10 via the portable information terminal 200 is stored in the data storage area 102B, and the process returns to the main routine.

The information center 1 via the portable information terminal 200
The navigation device 100 that has acquired the set destination information from 0 searches the travel route from the vehicle current position to the acquired destination, and provides travel guidance.

As described above, according to the seventh embodiment, the target information previously set and stored in the information center 10 is automatically used for the portable information terminal 200 by wireless without any special operation by the user. By transferring, it is possible to reduce the burden of the destination setting operation on the user. In addition, it is possible to prevent the failure of forgetting the connection of the data transfer cable or the like, which is likely to occur in the wired connection, and the inability to transfer the data due to the connection error or the like. Furthermore, since the most time-consuming communication is performed when getting into a vehicle, it is possible to start traveling route guidance and the like by the navigation device 100 immediately after getting on the vehicle.

In the embodiment described above, the navigation device 100 communicates with the information center 10 via the portable information terminal 200, and the communication control unit 108 that communicates with the information center 10 independently. The case where the navigation device 10 is not provided has been described.
0 is a communication control unit 10 that independently communicates with the information center 10.
8 may be provided (modification 71). In this case, when the arithmetic processing unit 101 of the navigation device 100 detects the movement of the portable information terminal 200 from the outside to the inside of the vehicle (step 212; Y), the set destination information is directly sent to the information center via the communication control unit 108. Get from 10.

Further, in the seventh embodiment described, the navigation device 100 acquires the set destination information from the information center. However, the information center 10 transmits the current vehicle position and sets the travel route to the set destination. Alternatively, the searched route / guidance data may be acquired from the information center 10 (Modification 72). In this case, the travel route acquired by the navigation device 100 may be the entire travel route to the vehicle destination, or a divided route in response to a request from the navigation device 100 may be acquired as in the first embodiment.

The seventh embodiment described above can be configured as follows. (A) Whether or not an information center capable of transmitting specific data and a portable information terminal are going to be brought into the vehicle from the outside of the vehicle, or whether the portable information terminal is brought into the vehicle from the outside of the vehicle When the portable information terminal is about to move from the outside of the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle, or the portable information terminal is brought into the vehicle from the outside of the vehicle, A transmission unit that transmits specific data from the information center to the in-vehicle device, a storage device in the in-vehicle device, and a reception unit that receives the specific data transmitted by the transmission unit and stores in the storage device. Vehicle data processing, comprising: means and processing means for executing specific processing by using specific data stored in the storage device by the receiving means. Stem. (B) The determining means determines that the portable information terminal is about to move from the outside of the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle when the distance between the mobile information terminal and the vehicle becomes equal to or less than a threshold value (a ) Vehicle data processing system described in. (C) The determining means determines that the portable information terminal has been brought into the vehicle from outside the vehicle when the portable information terminal and the in-vehicle device are connected by a power supply cable or a data transmission cable. The vehicle data processing system as described in (a) above. (D) The specific data is guidance data for guiding the vehicle to the destination, and the processing means guides the vehicle to the destination as the specific processing. The vehicle data processing system described. (E) The specific data is destination data, and is provided with a road data storage device that stores road data for route setting, and the processing means performs road data and destination data as the specific processing. The vehicle data processing system according to (a), (b), (c), or (d), characterized in that the vehicle data processing system comprises:

(F) Storage means and judging means for judging whether or not the portable information terminal is brought into the vehicle from the outside of the vehicle, or whether or not the portable information terminal is brought in from the outside of the vehicle into the vehicle, and the determination. When it is determined by the means that the portable information terminal is moving from the outside of the vehicle to the inside of the vehicle, or the portable information terminal is brought into the vehicle from the outside of the vehicle, the specific data is received from the information center, and An in-vehicle data processing device, comprising: a receiving unit that is stored in a storage unit; and a processing unit that executes a specific process using specific data stored in the storage device. For example, a navigation device is used as the on-vehicle data processing device. (G) The determining means determines that the portable information terminal is about to move from the outside to the inside of the vehicle when the distance between the portable information terminal and the vehicle is equal to or less than a threshold value (f ) In-vehicle data processing device described in (1). (H) the determination means is configured to connect the portable information terminal with a power supply cable or a data transmission cable,
The in-vehicle data processing device according to (f), characterized in that it is determined that the portable information terminal has been brought into the vehicle from outside the vehicle. (I) The specific data is guidance data for guiding the vehicle to the destination, and the processing means guides the vehicle to the destination as the specific processing (f). The in-vehicle data processing device according to (g) or (h). (J) The specific data is destination data, and includes a road data storage device that stores road data for route setting, and the processing unit performs the specific data as road data and destination data. And a setting means for setting a route to a destination by using the vehicle-mounted data processing device according to (f), (g), (h) or (i).

In each of the embodiments and modifications described above,
Destination setting confirmation process by turning on the ignition (Fig. 9)
However, the destination setting confirmation process may be performed by switching on the navigation device 100.

The navigation system of the present invention can also be applied to a system for transmitting and receiving data by a unique communication network such as a taxi, a bus, a vehicle for transportation, and a center for delivering them.

In each of the described embodiments and modified examples, the case where the destination data and the like are transmitted when the destination is set in the information center 10 has been described, but with the user of the navigation device 100 or the portable information terminal 200, The operator may set the destination in the corresponding user data 50 of the information center 10 by talking with the operator of the information center 10. Further, the destination or waypoint transmitted from the portable information terminal 200 to the information center 10 may be a telephone number, the Japanese syllabary of an address, a genre, a facility name, a postal code, or the like. Alternatively, the destination or waypoint may be transmitted to the center by voice, the transmitted voice may be recognized by the center, and the recognition result may be registered as the destination or waypoint.

Further, in each of the embodiments and the modified examples described above, when the navigation device and the portable information terminal are connected by the data communication cable, the user can change There is a possibility that the data communication cable may be disconnected or that it may come off by contact. Therefore, when communication is performed via the data communication cable, means for preventing the data communication cable from being removed from the mobile information terminal may be provided. For example, in the connector of the cable for data communication,
By inserting this connector itself into the socket of the portable information terminal, the connector is engaged with the portable information terminal, and in this engaged state,
Two claws are provided that are elastically deformed when they are brought close to each other by the user to release the engagement. An elliptical cam whose rotation is controlled by a motor is provided between the two claws. During data communication, the rotation of the motor is controlled so that the elliptical long sides of the cams come into contact with the respective claws so that they cannot be brought close to each other even by the user's operation. On the other hand, when data communication is not in progress, the rotation of the motor is controlled so that the short side of the ellipse of the cam faces the respective claws,
A user's proximity operation to two nails is made possible. Further, for example, a light emitting element such as an LED is embedded in the connector of the data communication cable so that it does not emit light when data communication is not in progress. For example, the user may be notified that data communication is in progress. Further, a two-color LED or the like may be used to change the display color when data communication is not being performed and when data communication is being performed.

Although the respective embodiments and modifications have been described above, these embodiments and modifications can be executed independently, but in combination with other embodiments and modifications, other embodiments are possible. It is possible to add to the modified example or replace the corresponding part of the other embodiment or modified example.

Further, (1) a detecting means for detecting the ignition on of the vehicle, and a confirming means for confirming the presence or absence of setting information previously set in the information center when the ignition on is detected by the detecting means. A navigation device comprising: receiving means for receiving specific data transmitted from the information center based on confirmation by the confirming means; and specific processing means for performing specific processing based on the specific data received by the receiving means. A setting information receiving means for receiving setting information transmitted from an information processing device such as a portable information terminal, a personal computer, and the navigation device, and a setting information storing means for storing the setting information received by the setting information receiving means. And setting information is stored in the setting information storage means based on a confirmation request from the navigation device. An information center including a center side confirmation means for confirming whether or not the setting information is stored, and a specific data transmission means for transmitting specific data to the navigation device when the storage of the setting information is confirmed by the center side confirmation means. It is also possible to use a guidance system consisting of. (2) The guidance system according to (1) above may be configured such that the setting information is destination information and the specific data is destination information or guidance information on a travel route. . (3) A route transmitting device provided outside the portable information terminal, which transmits a route from a vehicle destination to a final destination to the portable information terminal before the vehicle reaches the vehicle destination. It is also possible to provide a route transmission device characterized by including means. (4) A route transmission device provided outside the portable information terminal, which transmits a route from a vehicle destination to a final destination to the portable information terminal when the vehicle reaches the vehicle destination. It is also possible to provide a route transmission device characterized by including means.

[0166]

According to the present invention, specific data such as the destination and the traveling route can be immediately obtained by turning on the ignition. Also, setting information such as a destination for another navigation device can be set. In addition, immediately after reaching the vehicle destination, the final destination or map data up to the final destination can be acquired. In addition, even if the vehicle position is unknown, it is possible to obtain a map and travel route data up to the vehicle position using the portable information terminal. Further, even if the arrival point of the vehicle is an incommunicable point, the arrival position and arrival can be notified to the information center by using the portable information terminal.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a navigation system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an information center in the navigation system,
It is a block diagram of a navigation device and a portable information terminal.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram conceptually showing search route data in an information center.

FIG. 4 conceptually shows user data in an information center.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a typical example of data exchange between an information center, a navigation system, and a portable information terminal.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a search route in an information center and how the segments are divided.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process when a destination is set in an information center via the Internet by a WWW browser software in a mobile information terminal having no destination setting program or the like.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation of a destination determination process performed in an information center when a destination and an ID are transmitted from a mobile information terminal or a navigation device.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation of a destination setting confirmation process in the navigation device when the ignition is turned on.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation of a destination setting confirmation process in the information center.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of route search / guidance data transmission processing on the information center side, which divides the traveling route searched to the vehicle destination into predetermined units and transmits the divided routes.

FIG. 12 is a request for a navigation device for guiding a route to a vehicle destination while sequentially requesting transmission of divided routes.
It is a flow chart of route guidance processing.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an operation of final destination search processing in the information center.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a map picture created at an information center to a final destination that can be moved only by walking.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram exemplifying a map picture created in an information center when moving to a final destination using a non-vehicle means such as a train other than walking.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an operation of destination transmission member setting processing executed in the mobile information terminal and the navigation device in the second embodiment.

FIG. 17 illustrates an example of a display screen displayed on the display unit in the second embodiment, in which (a) is a destination transmission member setting screen on which a candidate list of members is displayed;
(B) shows a new member setting screen, and (c) shows a mail screen sent to a user whose destination has been set by another person.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a destination setting process of the information center in the second embodiment.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of data exchange between the information center, the navigation system, and the portable information terminal in the third embodiment.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of data exchange between an information center, a navigation system, and a portable information terminal according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a request / route guidance process in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing an operation of destination setting processing by the mobile information terminal of the fifth embodiment.

23 is an explanatory diagram exemplifying a display screen of the portable information terminal in the destination setting process of FIG.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing route setting processing by the navigation device in the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a process of transmitting route guidance data from a navigation device in the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing processing of the mobile information terminal for displaying the guidance data acquired from the navigation device on the display unit in the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram showing a screen for route guidance displayed in the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing a process when an incoming call is received during route guidance when a mobile phone is used as a mobile information terminal.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the navigation device according to the sixth embodiment to supplement the position of the portable information terminal.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the navigation device according to the seventh embodiment to supplement the position of the portable information terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Information Center 12 Communication control unit 14 Arithmetic processing unit 18 memory 20 Route Search Program 22 segment processing program 24 Guide data extraction program 25 Destination Judgment Program 26 System Control Program 27 Required road length data 28 Search route data 29 Extraction guidance data 40 databases 42 Route search data 44 Guidance data 46 Communication area data 48 Destination setting data 50 user data 52 Map drawing data 70 External Information Collection Department 100 Car navigation system 101 arithmetic processing unit 102 memory 102A program storage area 102B data storage area 104 Position measurement unit 105 Input section 106 display 107 voice output unit 108 communication control unit 142 Destination Setting Confirmation Program 144 Destination setting program 150 route guidance program 152 Data request program 154 Control program 160 Route / guidance data 161 Vehicle destination, final destination data 162 ID data 164 Vehicle position data 166 Destination setting data 168 Required road length data 200 Personal Digital Assistant 201 arithmetic processing unit 202 memory 202A Program storage area 202B data storage area 204 Position measurement unit 205 Input section 206 display 208 Communication control unit 250 Destination Setting Program 252 Non-Vehicle Route Display Program 254 Control program 260 route / guidance data 262 ID data 266 Destination setting data

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Takashi Sugawara             2-19-12 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Stock             Inside the company Equus Research (72) Inventor Satoshi Kitano             2-19-12 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Stock             Inside the company Equus Research (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Yamakawa             2-19-12 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Stock             Inside the company Equus Research (72) Inventor Shoji Yokoyama             2-19-12 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Stock             Inside the company Equus Research F term (reference) 2F029 AA02 AB01 AB07 AB13 AC02                       AC09 AC14 AC19                 5H180 AA01 AA21 BB05 CC12 EE02                       FF04 FF05 FF22 FF25 FF27                       FF33 FF35 FF38

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. A detection means for detecting an ignition on of a vehicle, and a confirmation means for confirming the presence or absence of setting information preset in the information center when the ignition on is detected by this detection means, and this confirmation. The receiving means for receiving the specific data transmitted from the information center based on the confirmation of the means, the specific processing means for performing the specific processing based on the specific data received by the receiving means, and the vehicle arrived at the destination. An arrival determining means for determining whether or not the destination is reached and a destination arrival transmitting means for transmitting the destination arrival and the current vehicle position to the information center when the arrival determining means determines that the destination is reached. A navigation device characterized by: 2. A detecting means for detecting an ignition on of a vehicle, and a confirming means for confirming the presence or absence of the setting information registered to the information center when the ignition on is detected by the detecting means. When it is confirmed by the confirmation means that there is the setting information registered for itself, an acquisition means for acquiring the setting information from the information center, and a specific processing means for performing the specific processing based on the setting information acquired by the acquisition means And arrival determining means for determining whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination, and when the arrival determining means determines that the vehicle has arrived at the destination, the arrival of the destination and the current vehicle position are transmitted to the information center. A destination arrival transmitting means, and a navigation device. 3. The setting information registered for the self is:
It is destination information for setting a destination, wherein the specification processing means specifies the travel route search to the destination set by the destination information acquired by the acquisition means or guidance of the searched travel path. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein the navigation device is performed as a process. 4. The setting information registered for the self is:
The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein the navigation device is guidance information of a travel route, and the identification processing unit performs guidance based on the travel route guidance information acquired by the acquisition unit as the identification process. 5. The setting information is the setting information transmitted from an information processing device such as a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, and a navigation device, claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, or The navigation device according to claim 4. 6. The arrival determination means determines that the vehicle has arrived at the destination when the current vehicle position matches the destination or when the distance between the current vehicle position and the destination is less than a certain distance. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: 7. When a vehicle arrives at a vehicle destination and cannot communicate with the information center at the vehicle destination,
The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the current vehicle position is transmitted to the portable information terminal. 8. Setting information receiving means for receiving destination information for setting a destination transmitted from an information processing device such as a portable information terminal, a personal computer, and a navigation device, and the setting information receiving means for receiving the setting information. Setting information storage means for storing destination information addressed to the specified destination, vehicle arrival determination means for determining whether or not the destination set in the received destination information can be reached by a vehicle, Vehicle destination setting means for setting, as a vehicle destination, a point reachable by a vehicle in the vicinity of the destination when it is determined by the vehicle arrival determination means that the destination cannot be reached by the vehicle, Based on a confirmation request from the navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 as to whether or not there is destination information registered for itself. A center side confirmation means for confirming whether or not the destination information is stored in the setting information storage means, and the center side confirmation means stores the destination information for the navigation device which has made the confirmation request. If it is confirmed, the destination information, or the vehicle destination information if the vehicle destination is set,
An information center, comprising: a transmitting unit for transmitting to the navigation device. 9. The information processing device, a storage area of the setting information in the setting information storage means, and the navigation device are associated with each other by an ID for each user, and the setting information storage means includes the setting information receiving means. 7. When the received content of the includes a setting request for another user, the received setting information is stored in the storage area of the setting information storage unit corresponding to the ID of the requested other user. Information center described in 8. 10. The information center according to claim 8, wherein the setting information is destination information for setting a destination. 11. When the setting information storage unit stores the received setting information in a storage area of the setting information storage unit corresponding to the ID of another user who has been requested, the other user is notified of that fact. The information center according to claim 9, further comprising notification means for notifying. 12. When the sender of the setting information and the specific destination are different, a notification means for notifying the specific destination that the setting information has been registered or the contents of the setting information is provided. The information center according to claim 8, further comprising: 13. The notification means according to claim 11, wherein the notification means notifies the other user of the fact by electronic mail, facsimile, data communication, or voice communication using voice-synthesized voice data. Information center. 14. A destination information receiving means for receiving destination information transmitted from an information processing device such as a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, and a navigation device, and destination information received by the destination information receiving means. Vehicle arrival determining means for determining whether or not the set destination is a vehicle reachable point, and the destination if the vehicle arrival determining means determines that the destination is a vehicle unreachable point Vehicle destination setting means for setting a point that can be reached by a vehicle around the vehicle as a vehicle destination, and non-vehicle movement other than the own vehicle from the vehicle destination set by the vehicle destination setting means to the destination Non-vehicle movement route search means for searching a movement route for arrival by means, and information of the movement route searched by this non-vehicle movement route search means is transmitted to the portable information terminal Information center, characterized by comprising a dynamic path transmission means. 15. A destination arrival receiving means for receiving destination arrival information and a vehicle current position transmitted from the navigation device, wherein the travel route transmitting means is the vehicle current position received by the destination arrival information receiving means. 15. The information center according to claim 14, wherein when the vehicle destination is set by the vehicle destination setting means, the travel route is transmitted to the mobile information terminal. 16. The non-vehicle moving means is at least one of public vehicles such as taxis and buses, cable cars, monorails, ropeways, trains, trains, ships, moving sidewalks, and walking. The information center according to claim 14. 17. A vehicle current position storage means for receiving and storing a vehicle current position from a navigation device, a mobile information terminal position receiving means for receiving the current position from a mobile information terminal, and a mobile information terminal position receiving means for receiving the mobile information terminal position receiving means. A non-vehicle movement route searching means for searching a movement route for arriving at the vehicle current position stored in the vehicle current position storage means by the non-vehicle movement means other than the vehicle, and the non-vehicle movement route An information center, comprising: a moving route transmitting unit that transmits the moving route searched by the searching unit to the portable information terminal.