JP2004085301A - Portable navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable navigation device capable of guiding to a destination if there is a printed map.
An image input unit inputs map image data. The operation input unit 3 inputs information such as a pedestrian's stride, a moving range, and scale data of a map. The walking motion detection unit 4 measures the number of steps of the pedestrian. The moving direction detector 5 detects a direction in which the pedestrian moves. The image display unit 6 displays the image data input from the image input unit 1 based on the scale data of the map input from the operation input unit 3 under the control of the signal processing unit 7. The signal processing unit 7 sets the information of the step and the starting point of the pedestrian input from the operation input unit 3 as internal data. In addition, the number of steps of the detected pedestrian, the moving distance in the moving direction, and the current position including the starting point of the pedestrian on the map are calculated.
[Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a portable navigation device that can provide travelers with convenience.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, many people have traveled abroad, and many travel agencies have organized package tours, and accompanying tour operators have been trying to make travel more convenient. Tour operators on such package tours are not only extremely demanding, but also have to fulfill their needs in order to ensure the safety of the travelers and meet the needs of the travelers within a limited time. There is a limit to the amount of human resources that can be achieved. Also, from the viewpoint of the traveler, such a package tour tends to be more expensive than an individual tour, and is inconvenient in that the freedom of the traveler is lost, so that it is not always satisfactory.
[0003]
On the other hand, in the case of a private trip, the traveler himself must obtain various information from a guidebook, the Internet, etc. and create a schedule. There is an advantage that it is possible to reduce the cost and to set a schedule of your choice. However, since traveling on an unknown land is anxious for individual travelers, it can be said that this has a major disadvantage in comparison with a package tour.
[0004]
Against this background, there has recently been an increasing need for portable devices that can be used by individuals to perform part of the work performed by tour operators. For example, it has been desired to provide a portable navigation device that enables a traveler or the like to check the current location.
[0005]
For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-185609, a self-position is grasped using a GPS (Global Positioning System) or the like, and nearby tourist information or the like is displayed in association with the grasped position. A portable information device having means for translating and displaying in a foreign language or outputting by voice has been disclosed.
[0006]
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-109764, data in which travel schedule information and travel destination location information are associated is provided to a traveler. This allows the traveler to store this data in his or her mobile device in advance, and provide information that can obtain the longitude and latitude information of a place corresponding to the travel itinerary and other sightseeing information when going out on a trip. A system or position location system is disclosed.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the case of a personal trip, the schedule may be changed during a trip to travel to a place that was not originally planned. The information could not be provided to the user.
[0008]
For example, since the mobile device does not store the map data or the sightseeing data of the destination and its surroundings, the destination cannot be displayed on the map or the sightseeing data cannot be obtained even if the location information is obtained using the GPS. There is a problem that can not be. In that case, they had to get maps and tourist guides at the tourist information center. Note that since latitude and longitude are not described on such commonly available maps, even if the latitude and longitude information of the current location can be obtained by utilizing GPS, the location of the current location on the map is not determined. Can not judge.
[0009]
In addition, there is a problem that a portable device using GPS has a complicated configuration and the portable device itself is expensive. Further, there is a problem that the accuracy of the latitude and longitude information obtained by using the GPS greatly depends on the reception condition of radio waves.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a portable navigation device capable of specifying a current position of a user who has moved from a starting point if there is a printed map. It is aimed at.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a portable navigation device according to the present invention is a portable navigation device that provides information on a current position of a user who has moved from a starting point based on a printed map, Data storage means for storing map image data obtained from a map reading means for electronically reading a printed map and converting it into map image data, and a stride length of a user, and a step number measuring means for measuring the number of steps of the user Moving direction detecting means for detecting the moving direction of the user; calculating a moving distance from the step length of the user and the number of steps measured by the step number measuring means; detecting the moving distance and the moving direction detecting means Current position specifying means for specifying the current position of the user based on the moved direction, Serial and a display means for displaying the current position identified by the current position determining means.
[0012]
Therefore, if there is a printed map, the current position of the user who has moved from the starting point can be specified. For this reason, even if map image data is not available in an unknown land, if there is a printed map, it is possible to smoothly move to the destination.
[0013]
Further, in the portable navigation device according to the present invention, the current position specifying unit specifies a trajectory of the user moving from the departure point, and the display unit superimposes the trajectory on the map. It is desirable to display.
[0014]
Further, in the portable navigation device according to the present invention, the map reading means is integrally formed.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of a portable navigation device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a portable navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the portable navigation device according to the present embodiment includes an image input unit 1 corresponding to a map reading unit, an image storage unit 2 corresponding to a data storage unit, and an operation input unit 3. A walking motion detecting unit 4 corresponding to a step number measuring unit, a moving direction detecting unit 5 corresponding to a moving direction detecting unit, an image display unit 6 corresponding to a display unit, and a signal processing unit corresponding to a current position specifying unit. 7 are provided.
[0017]
Hereinafter, each component of the portable navigation device of the present embodiment will be described.
First, the image input unit 1 reads a printed map electronically and converts it into map image data. For example, an image scanner capable of scanning a printed map available at a tourist information center or a guidebook. It is. However, an interface of map image data transmitted using a network or data communication via a wire or wirelessly may be used. The image storage unit 2 stores the map image data transmitted from the image input unit 1.
[0018]
Further, the operation input unit 3 is for inputting, by an operation of the operator, a stride of the pedestrian, a moving range, a departure point, and a scale of a map necessary for displaying a map image. The walking motion detection unit 4 measures the number of steps of the pedestrian, and is, for example, a pedometer or a shock meter. In addition, the walking motion detection unit 4 is attached to a pedestrian's waist (belt) or the like. The moving direction detecting unit 5 detects a direction in which a pedestrian moves, and has, for example, a geomagnetic sensor having a two-axis configuration of XY axes sensitive to a horizontal component of the geomagnetic field. The image display unit 6 displays the map image data input from the image input unit 1 based on the scale data of the map input from the operation input unit 3 under the control of the signal processing unit 7.
[0019]
The signal processing unit 7 controls the other components as a whole, and calculates the moving distance from the pedestrian's stride input from the operation input unit 3 and the number of steps measured by the walking motion detection unit 4, or The trajectory of the pedestrian moving from the starting point and the current position are specified from the registered position information of the starting point and the moving direction and moving distance detected by the moving direction detecting unit 5. The moving distance and the current position can be displayed on the image display unit 6 in real time, and the trajectory from the starting point and the route to the destination can be displayed. The departure point and the pedestrian's stride may be displayed. In addition, these data may be stored in the image storage unit 2.
[0020]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the portable navigation device according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the portable navigation device of the present embodiment includes a main unit 8 and the image input unit 1 shown in FIG. The main body device 8 has the other components shown in FIG. 1 except for the image input unit 1, the image storage unit 2 has a memory control circuit 21 and an image memory 22, and the walking motion detection unit 4 has The moving direction detecting unit 5 has a direction sensor 16, and the image display unit 6 has a display circuit 61 and a display screen 62. The memory control circuit 21 included in the image storage unit 2 sequentially stores data input from the guide roller encoder 13 of the image input unit 1 and image data input from the line sensor 12 in the image memory 22. .
[0021]
The image input unit 1 includes an illumination device 10 for illuminating a document, a light guide 11 for guiding light reflected from the document, and a line sensor 12 including a phototransistor array for reading light passing through the light guide 11. And a guide roller encoder 13 for detecting a distance moved along the document to constitute an image scanner.
[0022]
In the portable navigation device shown in FIG. 2, the main body device 8 and the image input section 1 are separated, but they may be integrated. In particular, when there is no particular limitation on the size of the map to be input, as shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to cope with the input of a larger map by separating them from each other. After the map is scanned by the image input unit 1 and the map image data is transmitted to the main unit 8, if the image input unit 1 can be separated from the main unit 8, the portability of the main unit 8 is further improved. Can increase.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a front view of the portable navigation device of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and a map scanned by the image input unit 1. In order to use the portable navigation device of the present embodiment, a map 90 on which a required area is printed is prepared in advance, and the map 90 is scanned and the map image data is transmitted to the main unit 8.
[0024]
When scanning the map 90 using the image input unit 1, the map 90 is scanned while being shifted in parallel, and the output data of the line sensor 12, that is, the map image data is synchronized with the output from the guide roller encoder 13. Are sequentially stored in the image memory 22. The main device 8 displays a map based on the map image data obtained in this manner on the display screen 62 of the image display unit 6.
[0025]
In the initial state, the size of the map displayed on the image display unit 19 is the same size as the size of the map 90 scanned by the image input unit 1. However, if the scale data of the map 90 is input from the operation input unit 3 and registered as internal data of the signal processing unit 7, after the registration, the map is enlarged or reduced at the registered scale. Can be easily seen.
[0026]
When the pedestrian moves on foot, the number of steps is measured by the number-of-steps sensor 15 of the walking motion detecting unit 4 and the moving direction is detected by the moving direction detecting unit 5, and is input from the operation input unit 3 and stored as internal data. The signal processing unit 7 calculates the walking distance of the pedestrian from the current step length. As the pedestrian moves, the signal processing unit 7 determines the distance from the starting point to the trajectory or the destination on the map displayed on the display circuit 61 of the image display unit 6 based on the walking distance, the moving direction, and the starting point. Displays the route etc.
[0027]
If the trajectory of the pedestrian on the map described above is displayed as it is on the map, the pedestrian can avoid wasteful movement of the same road over and over, and can provide an estimate of the traveling speed. You can also know.
[0028]
As described above, according to the portable navigation device of the present embodiment, even if the map image data is not stored in the image storage unit 2 in advance, it can be easily obtained from a local tourist information center or a guidebook. If there is an available map, the current position of the pedestrian, the route to the destination, and the trajectory from the starting point can be displayed so as to be superimposed on the scanned map. Therefore, for example, even if map image data is not available in an unknown land, if there is a printed map, the pedestrian can move smoothly to the destination. In addition, since it is possible to know the moving direction, the moving speed, the trajectory that has progressed in the past, and the like, it is possible to arrive at the destination without hesitation by setting a temporal guide.
[0029]
Further, unlike the portable device using the GPS, the above-mentioned effect can be achieved even when the latitude and longitude are not described on the map obtained at the destination. Further, since the configuration is simpler than that of a portable device using the GPS, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Furthermore, there is no problem that the accuracy is greatly affected by the GPS reception status.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the portable navigation device of the present invention, if there is a printed map, the current position of the user who has moved from the starting point can be specified. For this reason, even if map image data is not available in an unknown land, if there is a printed map, it is possible to smoothly move to the destination.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a portable navigation device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of a portable navigation device according to one embodiment; FIG. Explanatory diagram showing a front view of the portable navigation device of one embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and a map scanned by an image input unit.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image input part 2 Image storage part 3 Operation input part 4 Walking movement detection part 5 Moving direction detection part 6 Image display part 7 Signal processing part 8 Main unit 10 Lighting device 11 Light guide 12 Line sensor 13 Guide roller sensor 15 Step sensor 16 Direction sensor 21 Memory control circuit 22 Image memory 61 Display circuit 62 Display screen

Claims (3)

A portable navigation device that provides information on a current position of a user who has moved from a starting point based on a printed map,
Data storage means for storing the map image data obtained from the map reading means for electronically reading the printed map and converting it into map image data and the stride of the user;
Step counting means for measuring the number of steps of the user,
Moving direction detecting means for detecting a moving direction of the user,
Calculating a moving distance from the step length of the user and the number of steps measured by the step number measuring means, and specifying a current position of the user based on the moving distance and the moving direction detected by the moving direction detecting means; Location identification means;
Display means for displaying the current position specified by the current position specifying means superimposed on a map based on the map image data;
A portable navigation device comprising: The current position specifying means specifies a trajectory from which the user has moved from the departure point,
The portable navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays the trajectory so as to overlap the map. 3. The portable navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said map reading means is integrally formed.

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