JP2007315851A - On-board navigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To evade long waiting time and danger for a right turn by stopping turning right at an intersection in a pre-searched route where a right turn is intended, when the intersection in the route is ahead and the opposite lane in the intersection is congested. <P>SOLUTION: An on-board navigation apparatus reads road map information in from a storage medium by a memory controller 6, detects the present position of its vehicle and outputs current location information with a vehicle position detection part 7, and acquires congestion information of roads contained in the road map information by a congestion information processing part 8. Based on the road map information and the congestion information, the apparatus searches an optimal route up to a destination, displays the searched route on a display 13 and performs route guidance. When an intersection where the vehicle is to turn right exists ahead in the searched route, and the congestion information shows that the opposite lane of the intersection is congested, a right turn at an intersection other than that intersection is selected and an optimal route is searched again. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is mounted on a vehicle or the like and displays a current position based on map information and current position information such as GPS information, and is optimal based on map information and route search conditions such as a departure place and a destination. The present invention relates to an in-vehicle navigation device that searches and provides a route, and in particular, in an in-vehicle navigation device that searches for a route in consideration of a traffic jam condition based on road traffic information, a route having an intersection with a right turn ahead is searched. The present invention relates to a vehicle-mounted navigation device that re-searches a route that avoids a right turn at the intersection when traffic congestion occurs in the oncoming lane.

  Conventionally, there are known navigation devices and navigation systems that guide a user by searching for a route from a desired departure point to a destination using map data and road data. Such navigation devices and navigation systems are known. As an in-vehicle navigation device that is installed in an automobile and guides the route to the driver, a communication type that uses a mobile phone as a navigation terminal to send a route search request to the route search server, receives the result, and receives route guidance Navigation systems have been put to practical use.

  Such a navigation device and navigation system use GPS (Global Positioning System) and receive GPS signals transmitted from a plurality of GPS satellites orbiting the earth with a GPS antenna. Then, the position of the satellite is specified by analyzing the satellite position and clock information included in the GPS signal. At least four GPS satellites are required. The single positioning accuracy of GPS is generally over 10 m, but it is improved to 5 m or less by adopting DGPS (Differential GPS).

  The navigation device includes a road network database for route search. This road network database includes roads (routes) of map data, node data with nodes such as knots and inflection points as nodes, link data with routes connecting each node as links, and cost information for all links. Link cost data having (distance and required time) is accumulated. The navigation device refers to this database and sequentially searches for a link from the starting node to the destination node, and traces the node having the smallest cost information of the link and the link as a guide route, thereby shortening the shortest. Search and guide the route. As a route search method using such a database, a method called label determination method or Dijkstra method is used.

  Also equipped with communication devices that receive traffic information from VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System), such as FM multiplex receivers and beacon receivers, and the ability to search for optimal routes according to traffic congestion A vehicle-mounted navigation device is also proposed. Such a vehicle-mounted navigation device is disclosed in, for example, the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-8385).

That is, the in-vehicle navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 1 searches for an optimal route to a destination based on map information, displays the searched route, and performs route guidance. A receiving means for receiving information, a route re-searching means for re-searching the optimum route to the destination based on the received traffic information, and a result when a new route different from the current display route is obtained by the re-search. An informing means for informing, a detecting means for detecting the driver's intention to change the route, and a route changing means for changing the route display to a new route when the intention to change the route is confirmed, based on traffic jam information The optimum route is re-searched, and when a new route that avoids traffic congestion is found, the guide route is changed to the new route.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-8385 (FIGS. 1, 3, and 9)

  By the way, there are various states of traffic congestion in vehicles. For example, when a road is divided into an up direction and a down direction, there is a case where only one of the directions is congested when there is traffic in both the up and down directions. The latter is a phenomenon that is often experienced, for example, when traffic jams occur due to accidents, when a specific homecoming season or a holiday continues for several days. In this case, for vehicles traveling in the opposite lane, if a route that turns right across a congested lane is guided as the optimal route, the oncoming vehicle will always pass the opposite lane, making it difficult to turn right In addition to taking time to cross the intersection, it may be dangerous to try to make a right turn.

  However, the in-vehicle navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not have a function for re-searching the route in consideration of traffic congestion in the oncoming lane. In the above case, even if it takes time, the vehicle must turn right at the intersection. There was a problem of not getting.

  In view of such a problem, the present invention cancels the right turn at the intersection when there is an intersection that requires a right turn in front of the route and the opposite lane is congested, and waits for a long time. The purpose is to be able to rediscover routes that can avoid time and danger.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is
Map information reading means for reading road map information from a storage medium; current position detection means for detecting the current position and outputting current position information; and receiving traffic congestion information included in the road map information from the road traffic information communication system Traffic information receiving means, current position display means for displaying a current position on a map based on the road map information and current position information, and an optimum route to a destination based on the road map information and traffic information A vehicle-mounted navigation device having a route search means for performing a search and a guidance means for displaying the searched route and performing route guidance, wherein the route search means turns right in front of the searched route If there is a power intersection and the traffic congestion information indicates that the opposite lane of the intersection is congested, select a route other than a right turn at the intersection to re-search for the optimum route. It is characterized in.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 2 of the present application, in the invention according to claim 1, when the traffic information receiving unit cannot receive traffic information from the road traffic information communication system, the past traffic stored in the storage device is stored. It is characterized by reading information and determining whether or not the oncoming lane is congested.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 3 of the present application, in the invention according to claim 1 or claim 2, information related to signals at each intersection is stored in a storage device, and the route search means is configured to store the information from the storage device. When information relating to signals is read and there is a right turn dedicated signal at the intersection to be turned right, the route is not searched again.

  The vehicle-mounted navigation device of the present invention has the following effects.

  That is, in the invention according to claim 1, map information reading means for reading road map information from a storage medium, current position detecting means for detecting current position and outputting current position information, road traffic information communication system from the road Traffic information receiving means for receiving road traffic information included in map information, current position display means for displaying a current position on a map based on the road map information and current position information, the road map information and traffic congestion A vehicle-mounted navigation device comprising: route search means for searching for an optimum route to a destination based on information; and guide means for displaying the searched route and performing route guidance. If there is an intersection to turn right in front of the searched route and the traffic information indicates that the opposite lane of the intersection is congested, the intersection Optimal path by selecting other than turn right to re-explore the.

  According to such a configuration, when there is an intersection to turn right in front of the route and the opposite lane of the intersection is congested during traveling, it is not necessary to make a right turn at the intersection. Will be able to avoid the long wait and danger for.

  Further, in the invention according to claim 2, in the in-vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, when the traffic information receiving unit cannot receive traffic information from the road traffic information communication system, the past stored in the storage device Since the traffic information is read and acquired, it is possible to cope with a place where the traffic information cannot be received from the road traffic information communication system.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the in-vehicle navigation device according to the first or second aspect, information relating to signals at each intersection is stored, and a right turn dedicated signal is present at the intersection to be turned to the right Since the route is not re-searched, it is unnecessary to re-search for the route at an intersection where there is a right turn dedicated signal and the vehicle can easily turn right.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples and drawings. However, the embodiments shown below exemplify a navigation device for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to specify the present invention for this navigation device. The present invention is equally applicable to navigation devices of other embodiments included in the scope.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an in-vehicle navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The navigation apparatus body 1 is generally controlled by the controller 2. The controller 2 includes a CPU 3, a ROM 4 that stores a program for operating the CPU 3, and a RAM 5 that provides a work area for the CPU 3.

  The controller 2 reads a predetermined range of map information from the CD-ROM via the CD drive 12 and the memory control unit 6, and causes the display control unit 9 to display a road map on the display 13. Further, the vehicle position detection unit 7 detects the current position of the vehicle based on data from the GPS receiver 15, the vehicle speed sensor 16, the direction sensor 17, and the like, and the controller 2 displays it on the display 13. The current position of the vehicle is displayed on the map. The traffic jam information processing unit 8 receives various road information including traffic jam information and regulation information from the beacon receiver 18 and the FM multiplex receiver 19, discriminates the traffic jam situation of the road on the map, and sends it to the controller 2.

  Further, the controller 2 receives the position data of the destination inputted from the input device 14 via the input control unit 10, calculates the optimum route from the current position to the destination, and puts it on the map of the display 13. Display. Furthermore, a voice signal is output to the speaker 20 via the voice control unit 11, and a voice guidance of the route is performed during driving of the vehicle.

  In such an in-vehicle navigation device, in the present invention, when there is an intersection to turn right in front of the searched route and the opposite lane of the intersection is congested, stop turning right at the intersection. In this case, the optimal route is re-searched by selecting straight or left turn at the intersection.

  Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG. 2, a description will be given of processing in the case of re-searching for a route during traveling in the in-vehicle navigation device of the present invention.

  When the destination is inputted in advance and the optimum route is searched for and displayed, when the vehicle departs toward the destination, first, the vehicle position detector 7 detects the current position of the vehicle (step S1). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not there is an intersection to turn right within a predetermined distance (for example, 3 km) ahead of the current position on the route (step S2).

  If there is an intersection to turn right in front of the current position, the traffic information of the corresponding intersection is acquired from the traffic information processing unit 8 (step S3), and it is determined whether or not the opposite lane of the intersection is congested ( Step S4). If the oncoming lane is congested, it is determined whether there is a signal for turning right at the intersection (step S5). If there is a signal for turning right, there is no problem because the signal can be easily turned right. If there is no right turn signal, the vehicle will continue to pass the oncoming lane, so it is difficult to turn right and it is very dangerous to try to turn right.

  Therefore, the right turn is canceled at the intersection, and other than the right turn such as straight turn or left turn is selected, and the optimum route from there to the destination is searched again (step S6). Then, the display 13 is switched to the route searched again, and the subsequent voice guidance is also switched.

  As a method of excluding a right turn when performing a route re-search in step S6, there is a method of performing a re-search by attaching a right turn prohibition flag to intersection node data. Furthermore, when the route search condition is distance, a method of performing a re-search by setting the cost of the link that turns right at the intersection node, that is, the distance to the next branch point in the link to a much longer distance than the actual one can be adopted. . For example, the distance from the right turn to the next branch point is actually 100 m, but the distance in that section is set to 5 km and the search is performed again. In that case, a turn other than a right turn is almost always selected. On the other hand, if it is not possible to make a right turn, it is possible to make a right turn.

  In this way, if you check the traffic situation at the right turn intersection during driving and re-search when the oncoming lane is congested, you can also make the best judgment based on the latest traffic information .

  As described above, the case of re-searching during the operation has been described, but the present invention can also be applied when performing the first route search. Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG. 3, a process when performing the first route search will be described.

  First, a starting point and a destination are input (step S7). At that time, the departure point is the current position obtained by the vehicle position detection unit 7, and the destination is input by designating the place on the road map displayed on the display 13 by the input device 14. Subsequently, the traffic information is acquired from the traffic information processing unit 8 (step S8), and the route search from the departure place to the destination is started (step S9).

  During the route search, it is determined whether or not there is an intersection to turn right in the middle (step S10). If there is an intersection to turn right, the traffic information acquired in step S8 is referred to and the opposite lane of the intersection is congested. It is discriminate | determined whether it is (step S11). As a result, if the oncoming lane is congested, it is determined whether or not there is a right turn signal at the intersection (step S12). If there is no right turn signal, the vehicle does not turn right at the intersection, A left turn or the like is selected, and the optimum route from there to the destination is searched again (step S13). Such processing is repeated until there is no right turn intersection where the oncoming lane is congested and there is no right turn dedicated signal. When there is no such right turn intersection, the route is determined and guidance is started along the route (step S14).

  In addition, when the opposite lane of the right turn intersection is congested, whether or not to re-search for the route as described above may be set in advance by the user, and may be performed in accordance therewith. Further, it is possible to display how much the distance (or required time) changes depending on whether the vehicle turns right or not at the intersection, and allows the user to select whether to perform a re-search. .

  In addition, depending on the location, information from VICS by FM multiplexing or beacon may not be received. In preparation for such a case, past traffic information by road and time zone is stored and VICS is stored. If the information from the terminal cannot be received, it may be determined whether or not to perform route re-search using such past traffic jam information.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of a vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the process in the case of re-searching for a route during driving | running | working. It is a flowchart which shows the process at the time of performing the first route search.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation apparatus main body 2 ... Controller 6 ... Memory control part 7 ... Vehicle position detection part 8 ... Congestion information processing part 9 ... Display control part 10- ..Input control unit 11 ... Voice control unit

Claims (3)

Map information reading means for reading road map information from a storage medium; current position detection means for detecting the current position and outputting current position information; and receiving traffic congestion information included in the road map information from the road traffic information communication system Traffic information receiving means, current position display means for displaying a current position on a map based on the road map information and current position information, and an optimum route to a destination based on the road map information and traffic information A vehicle-mounted navigation device having route search means for performing a search and guidance means for displaying the searched route and performing route guidance,
The route search means, when there is an intersection to turn right in front of the searched route and the traffic jam information indicates that the opposite lane of the intersection is congested, other than a right turn at the intersection A vehicle-mounted navigation device characterized by re-searching for an optimal route by selecting   When the traffic jam information receiving means cannot receive traffic jam information from the road traffic information communication system, it reads past traffic jam information stored in a storage device and determines whether or not the oncoming lane is jammed. The in-vehicle navigation device according to claim 1. Information related to signals at each intersection is stored in a storage device, and the route search means reads the information related to the signals from the storage device, and if there is a right turn dedicated signal at the intersection to be turned right, the route search means The in-vehicle navigation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein no search is performed.

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