JP3266096B2 - Moving object position detecting device, map display device, navigation device, and recording medium - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for detecting the position of a moving object, and more particularly to a VICS (VehicleInforma).
and the accuracy of position detection by determining the position of a moving object based on the received data using a system that receives various data from fixed stations located near the road, such as a communication and communication system. The present invention relates to a map display device and a navigation device using the position detection, and a storage medium for storing a program for realizing position determination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a navigation apparatus which estimates a position by a GPS or the like as a vehicle travels, and displays the position together with a road map on a display to smoothly reach a destination. Further, a navigation system that sets an appropriate route from the current location to the destination and uses the route as a guide is also known, which contributes to a smoother driving.

[0003] In this case, position estimation is known by a so-called map matching method. In this method, position estimation is performed by comparing vehicle travel information calculated based on one or both of radio navigation and dead reckoning navigation with road information based on map data.

On the other hand, in order to improve the position detection accuracy,
A so-called roadside beacon method is also known (Japanese Patent Publication No.
No. 39961). This is because a roadside beacon is arranged in a road traffic network, a beacon signal including the coordinates of the beacon installation position is transmitted from the roadside beacon to a relatively small area in the vicinity, and the beacon installation position is determined in a vehicle receiving the beacon signal. It is intended to correct a guessed position obtained by dead reckoning based on coordinates.

[0005]

However, in the above-described position estimation by the map matching method, since the estimation is based on the coincidence with the road map information, for example, an elevated road and a general road (ground road) thereunder run in parallel. In such a situation, it is not possible to distinguish the location of any of those roads, even if it is known.

Further, even when the beacon installation position coordinates are obtained from the roadside beacon and the position is determined thereby, the beacon installation position coordinates include installation conditions, installation position coordinate measurement errors, and the like. Therefore, in a situation where the elevated road and the general road run side by side as described above, the two cannot be distinguished from each other, and the appropriate position cannot be determined.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides a method of properly discriminating an elevated road and a general road from each other even in a situation where a plurality of roads are close to each other, such as when the elevated road and the general road run side by side. It is an object of the present invention to provide a moving object position detecting device capable of determining, a map display device and a navigation device provided with the moving object position detecting device, and a storage medium for storing a program for realizing the position fixing.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention In order to achieve the above object, in the moving object position detecting apparatus according to the first aspect, the moving object position estimating means includes one of radio navigation and dead reckoning navigation. The position of the moving object is estimated by performing a map matching process of comparing the moving object information calculated based on one or both of them with the road information based on the map data, and the position determining means outputs a signal from a fixed station arranged near the road. The estimated position of the moving object is determined based on predetermined information included in the predetermined signal received by the receiving means.

Here, the signal receiving means includes at least the first
Move the first arrangement of the fixed station has been on the road including the road specification information for specifying a road which is located in the fixed station
The first minimum reception area that can be received only by mobile
The first fixed station can be received from the first fixed station, and
And a moving body moving on a road on which a second fixed station is located.
And a second minimum receiving area that can receive other than
Road for specifying the road where the second fixed station is located
In addition to the road identification information, the road where the second fixed station is located
Other than the road and within the second minimum reception area,
An average indicating the presence or absence of a parallel road running parallel to the road on which it is located
A second signal including the road segment information can also be received.

[0010] The position determining means is provided in the first signal.
There is a moving object on the road identified by the road identification information
On the road where the first fixed station is located
The area estimated by the moving object position estimation means
The first fixed station receives and obtains when the moving object position exists.
Road identified by the road identification information in the first signal
The position of the moving object estimated above is determined, or the second fixed
Parallel road classification information in the second signal received from the fixed station
If it is determined that there is no parallel road,
A moving object exists on the road identified by the road identification information
To determine the estimated position of the moving object on the assumption that
It is.

[0011]

The above-mentioned signal receiving means has a first minimum receiving area which can be received as a predetermined signal only by a moving body moving on a road on which a first fixed station is arranged.
Because it is a signal receivable can be position determination means executes the determination of moving object position on the assumption that there is mobile on the road specified by the road specification information in the first signal . Here, the “first signal having the first minimum reception area” is specifically an optical beacon signal. For example, fixed stations for optical beacons in VICS are installed and managed by prefectural police, and are installed near important intersections on major routes nationwide. The beacon signal in this case uses an infrared ray as a medium, and the reception area is an area of about 3.5 m immediately below the beacon signal transmission source. Therefore, the signal is received only by a moving object such as a vehicle moving on a road on which the fixed station is provided. For example, even if the above-mentioned plurality of roads are running in parallel up and down, other roads Not received by the upper mobile. In other words, in this case, the "probability that the moving object is present on the road specified by the road specifying information" is considered to be 100%. Therefore, the fact that the signal receiving means has received the first signal indicates that the fixed station It can be concluded that there is a moving object on the road where is placed.

As described above, by using a point that can be determined that "when the first signal is received, a mobile object exists on the road where the fixed station is located", for example, an elevated road and a general road can be used. Even when multiple roads are close to each other, such as when running side by side up and down, based on the road identification information specified corresponding to the road, the two can be reliably distinguished from each other and the appropriate position Confirmation is possible. That is, in the related art, since the horizontal two-dimensional coordinates of the installation position of the fixed station are used as a reference, an error in measurement occurs, and it is not possible to cope with a difference in the vertical position. In contrast, in the case of the present invention,
Rather than capturing the position as a "point", which is a position coordinate that must originally be assumed to include an error, the position is generally determined in units of a road where no error occurs, so that appropriate correction can be realized. In other words, if there is a situation where an error is made on a road-by-road basis, this is because it is difficult to consider only a human error in data setting.

In the above-mentioned VICS, information transmission by not only an optical beacon signal but also a radio wave beacon signal is used. The fixed station for the radio beacon in this VICS is installed and managed by a road manager (for example, the Ministry of Construction), and is mainly used for entrances and exits of expressways,
Before the junction, service area and parking area,
It is set in front of the main line tollgate, in front of the tunnel position exit, in areas with heavy traffic, etc. The beacon signal in this case uses a radio wave as a medium, and the reception area can be received in an area of about 35 m before and after the traveling direction of the road centering on the beacon signal transmission source. This is because reception is possible even in a vehicle traveling at high speed. Therefore, like this radio wave beacon signal, the second
When a second signal having a second minimum reception area that can be received even by a mobile body other than a moving object moving on a road on which a fixed station is arranged is received, another road is included in the second minimum reception area. If there is a (parallel road), it is also received by a moving body on the parallel road. Therefore, it is necessary to change the content of the position determination depending on the presence or absence of the parallel running road. Specifically, only when there is no parallel road, that is, when it is determined that there is no parallel road from the parallel road segment information in the second signal, the road is specified by the road identification information in the second signal. Of the moving object on the assumption that the moving object exists on the road.

As a result, in a situation in which a plurality of roads run side by side up and down, a fixed station transmitting the second signal is located just because the second signal is received. The position cannot be determined on the assumption that the moving object exists on the road. However, in the present invention because it can receive both the first and second signals, even in a situation where not only can receive a second signal, can position fix if no parallel running road. Therefore, if the first signal cannot be received while basically assuming the position determination based on the first signal, the position determination based on the second signal is performed in a limited situation, and as a whole, This can contribute to more appropriate position detection. Since there are not many situations where a plurality of roads are running side by side in the vertical direction as a whole, it is practically effective to use such two types of beacon signals.

Considering this point, it is conceivable that the position determination by the position determination means is performed as follows. That is,
The moving body position estimated by the moving body position estimating means is:
The parallel road is found in the first signal or from the parallel road classification information.
If the vehicle is present on the road specified by the road specifying information in the second signal determined not to exist, the moving body position estimated by the moving body position estimating means is determined as the determined position.

This can be said to be the case where the moving object position estimated by the moving object position estimating means exists on the road on which the moving object is actually moving, that is, when the appropriate position detection is performed. The position is determined. As a result, the position determination in this case has a role of confirming that there is no error in the position estimation of the moving body by the position estimation means.

Further, even if the moving object position estimated by the moving object position estimating means exists on the road specified by the road specifying information in the signal, the first signal cannot be received. Although the second signal is received, it may be assumed that the second signal is determined to have a parallel road based on the parallel road classification information . In this case, for the above-mentioned reason, it is necessary to specify whether the moving object exists on the road where the fixed station for transmitting the second signal is located, or whether the moving object exists on the parallel road. Can not. Therefore, in this case, the moving body position determination is not executed.
Thus, it is possible to prevent an erroneous position from being determined and inappropriate position detection.

On the other hand, if the moving object position estimated by the moving object position estimating means does not exist on the road specified by the road specifying information in the signal received from the fixed station, the following position determination is performed. It is possible to do. In other words, if the received signal is the first signal or the second signal determined to have no parallel road based on the parallel road classification information, the road specified by the road identification information in the signal The position of the moving object that is relatively most likely to exist in the moving object existing area that is estimated based on the radio navigation and / or the dead reckoning navigation is set as the fixed position of the moving object.

As described above, the reception of the first signal or the second signal determined to have no parallel road from the parallel road section information indicates that the fixed station for transmitting the signal is located. The moving object exists on the road, that is, the road specified by the road specifying information. Therefore,
In this case, the position of the moving object estimated by the position estimating means is incorrect, so the position must be determined on the road on which the fixed station is located.

Therefore, the position on the road specified by the road specifying information, which is estimated to be relatively high in the mobile object existing area based on the radio navigation and / or the dead reckoning navigation, is relatively high. This is the fixed position of the moving object. More specifically, for example, when an absolute position is detected by GPS in radio navigation, an estimated moving object possible area is an elliptical area A as shown in FIG. 6 in consideration of a prediction error of GPS positioning. It is considered that the probability of existence in the elliptical area A is normally distributed with the center of the ellipse as a reference. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, it can be shown as a plurality of elliptical contour lines B1, B2,... for that reason,
The point P where the elliptical contour circumscribes the road R specified by the road specifying information is used to estimate the position of the moving object. In this case, the estimated position is used as the determined position.

In the case where the moving object position estimated by the moving object position estimating means does not exist on the road specified by the road specifying information in the signal, the received signal is based on the parallel road segment information . If it is the second signal determined that there is a parallel road , the following measures are taken. In other words, on a plurality of roads specified by the road specifying information and the parallel running road specifying information in the second signal, and in the mobile object existence possible area estimated based on the radio navigation and / or the dead reckoning navigation. A plurality of positions that are most likely to be present are assumed to be the estimated positions of the moving object. Then, the moving body position estimating means, based on the plurality of moving body estimated positions,
Estimation of the position of a moving object is performed by a map matching method that compares travel information based on radio wave navigation and / or dead reckoning navigation with road information.

According to the parallel road segment information, it is determined that there is a parallel road.
Receiving the disconnected second signal means that the moving object exists on the road on which the fixed station for signal transmission is located, that is, the road specified by the road specifying information, or that the parallel running road is specified. It is conceivable that a moving object exists on the road specified by the information. However, it cannot be specified whether it exists in any of them. Therefore, the correction to determine the position of the moving object is not performed, but only until the estimated position on the plurality of roads is specified. Regarding the specification of the estimated position, the first signal or the parallel road section described above is used.
The same method as in the case of receiving the second signal determined that there is no parallel road from the minute information may be adopted. Then, based on such an estimated position, a moving object position is estimated by a map matching method in which subsequent traveling information based on radio wave navigation and / or dead reckoning navigation is compared with road information. To prevent
This can contribute to early realization of appropriate position detection.

By the way, it is conceivable to perform various processes using the moving body position detected by the moving body position detecting device described above. For example, a map data storage unit that stores map data including road map data is provided, and road map data around the position of the moving object detected by the moving object position device is read from the map data storage unit and displayed as a road map. It can also be realized as a map display device including a map display means.

Further, the map display device is provided, and a route to a preset destination and a moving object position detected by the moving object position detecting device are identifiably displayed on the road map displayed on the map display means. However, the present invention can also be realized as a navigation device that performs predetermined road guidance in consideration of the relationship between the route to the destination and the position of the moving object.

The function of realizing the position determining means of such a moving object position detecting device in a computer system can be provided, for example, as a program activated on the computer system side. In the case of such a program, for example, it can be used by recording it on a computer-readable recording medium such as a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, or a hard disk, and loading and activating the computer system as needed. it can. Alternatively, the program may be recorded in a ROM or a backup RAM as a computer-readable recording medium, and the ROM or the backup RAM may be incorporated in a computer system and used.

[0027]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It is needless to say that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the following examples, and can take various forms as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle-mounted navigation device 10 according to this embodiment. The on-vehicle navigation device 10 includes a position detector 24, a map data input device 26, an operation switch group 28 corresponding to "moving object position estimating means", and "moving object position estimating means" and "position determining means" connected thereto. Navigation ECU3
0, "signal receiving means" connected to the navigation ECU 30
, A VICS receiver 31, a display device 34, and an external memory 35. The navigation ECU 30 is configured as a normal computer, and includes a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, and a bus line for connecting these components.

The position detector 24 is a GPS (Global Positioning System) for detecting the position of a vehicle based on radio waves from a well-known gyroscope 38, a vehicle speed sensor 40 and satellites.
g System). Each of these sensors 38, 40, and 42 has an error having a different property, and is configured to be used while interpolating with a plurality of sensors. It should be noted that, depending on the accuracy, a part of the above may be used.
It is also possible to use a device that determines the direction by accumulating the steering angles of the vehicle obtained from the geomagnetism or the rotation difference between the left and right steered wheels.

The map data input device 26 is a device for inputting various data including map data and so-called map matching data for improving the accuracy of position detection. As a storage medium corresponding to the "map data storage means", a CD-ROM or a DVD is generally used because of its data amount, but another medium may be used. Map data consists of road data related to roads, place names,
The road data is stored in units of links obtained by decomposing roads in a road map into straight lines at predetermined distances, and the link data is a link number "link". "ID", "node coordinates" which are coordinates of both ends of each link, "link direction" indicating the direction of each link, and "connection information" indicating a link ID of another link connected to each link, Each link is composed of a “link attribute” indicating the type of the road to which the link belongs (that is, the road formed by the link).

On the other hand, the VICS receiver 31 includes an optical beacon receiver 32 and a radio beacon receiver 33. Note that a general VICS is often provided with a receiver for FM multiplex broadcasting. Of course, in this embodiment, an FM multiplex broadcasting receiver may be provided,
As will be described later, the main focus is on position detection, and since this position detection does not use FM multiplex broadcasting, the description is omitted here and the description is continued.

The optical beacon receiving section 32 is provided from an optical beacon transmitter (fixed station) provided near a general road, and the radio beacon receiving section 33 is provided from a radio beacon transmitter (fixed station) provided on an expressway. The beacon signal including the traffic information in digital format is received. Information included in the beacon signal received by any of the receiving units 32 and 33 is sent to the navigation ECU 30 as digital data.
The data is written to a reception buffer set in a part of a RAM (not shown) in the navigation ECU 30.

The optical beacon signal uses an infrared ray as a medium, and the receiving area is about 3. immediately below the optical beacon transmitter.
This is an area of about 5 m, and can be received only when the vehicle runs below the optical beacon transmitter. The transmission cycle is 1 ms per frame, and information of about several tens of frames is transmitted. On the other hand, the radio wave beacon signal uses a radio wave as a medium, and the reception area can be received when the vehicle travels in an area of about 35 m before and after the traveling direction of the road with reference to immediately below the radio beacon transmitter. The transmission cycle is 16 ms per frame, and information of about several tens of frames is transmitted. When a beacon signal from the optical beacon transmitter or the radio beacon transmitter transmitting information is received, the contents of the reception buffer provided in the RAM in the navigation ECU 30 are rewritten.

The information included and transmitted in the beacon signal includes traffic information on expressways, general roads, parking lots and the like and information specific to fixed stations. This traffic information includes traffic congestion information such as traffic congestion points and congestion sections, information on the time required between major points, traffic obstruction information on accidents, malfunctioning vehicles, obstacles on the road, construction, work, etc., traffic closure, speed regulation, lane regulation And traffic regulation information including extraordinary regulations and the causes thereof, and parking lot information for notifying the vacant state of the parking lot, the service area, and the parking area.

On the other hand, information specific to a fixed station includes a VICS link ID as "road identification information", a VICS link direction, and parallel running road identification information. Among them, VI
The CS link ID and VICS link direction are always included in both the optical beacon signal and the radio beacon signal, but the parallel road identification information is included only in the radio beacon signal, and is also included in the radio beacon signal. May or may not be included. These will be described in order.

The VICS link ID is information for identifying a road on which a fixed station (optical beacon transmitter, radio beacon transmitter) is installed. As described above, the road data in the input map data from the map data input device 26 is, as described above, a link unit obtained by decomposing a road in the road map into a straight line for each predetermined distance, and is a link identification number “link” Since the “ID” and the like are stored, if both data systems are the same, the road corresponding to the VICS link ID can be determined as it is. However, it is also assumed that the two data systems are different. Therefore, in such a case, it is possible to easily cope with the case where a table such as a correspondence table between the link ID and the VICS link ID in the road data is stored in the map data and converted and used.

The VICS link direction is information for indicating the direction of the road (link) where the fixed station is installed. In addition, the parallel running road specifying information is information for specifying the parallel running road when there is a predetermined parallel running road. The presence or absence of the parallel running road is related to the characteristics of the radio wave beacon signal and the installation state of the road. In other words, the reception area of the radio beacon signal is about 35 m before and after the traveling direction of the road with reference to immediately below the radio beacon transmitter as described above.
Area of the degree corresponds. Since radio waves are basically radiated in all directions, for example, if there is another road within about 35 m, even a vehicle running on that road can receive this radio beacon signal. Therefore, in this way, close to where the radio beacon transmitter is located,
Another road that can receive the radio beacon signal is called a parallel running road. Therefore, this parallel running road may not exist, and conversely, there may be two or more running roads. As the specific information of such a parallel running road, the above-mentioned VIC
The S link ID is used. In addition, specifically, as "parallel road classification information" indicating presence or absence of a parallel road, "parallel road exists"
Or "No parallel road" is set, and only when there is a parallel road, the VICS link ID of the parallel road
Is set.

Returning to the description of the configuration of FIG.
Reference numeral 4 denotes a color display device.
A vehicle current position mark input from the position detector 24,
The map data input from the map data input device 26 and additional data such as a guide route and a mark of a set point to be displayed on the map can be displayed in a superimposed manner.

The operation switch group 28 is, for example, a touch switch or a mechanical switch integrated with the display device 34, and is used for various inputs. When the in-vehicle navigation device 10 inputs the position of the destination with the operation switches 28,
The navigation ECU 30 automatically selects an optimal route from the current position to the destination to form a guidance route, and the display device 3
4 is provided with a so-called route guidance function for displaying a guidance and displaying the current position of the vehicle on the map. It should be noted that, instead of such a route guidance to the destination, a process of simply displaying the current position of the vehicle on a map is always performed. In other words, in an unfamiliar area, a kind of navigating function will be exhibited even if only the current position of the vehicle is known.

When a power switch (not shown) is turned on, the navigation ECU 30 starts executing various processes according to a program preset in a ROM (not shown). The processing relating to the detection of the position of the vehicle will be described. In this embodiment, for example, before the vehicle starts moving, the current position is detected based on positioning information obtained by radio navigation received by the GPS receiver 42 of the position detector 24, and this position is displayed on the display device 34. Display over the map. When the vehicle starts traveling, a traveling distance obtained by integrating the traveling speed input from the vehicle speed sensor 40 and a traveling direction obtained from the gyroscope 38 are detected, and the detected traveling distance and the traveling direction are detected. Alternatively, the vehicle position is calculated based on the GPS positioning information as required, and the estimated vehicle position is determined and the position determination process is performed by a map matching process described later, and the determined vehicle position is displayed on the display device 34. It is displayed on the map that can be identified.

Next, a vehicle position detection process executed by the navigation ECU 30 to detect a vehicle position (current position of the vehicle) will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. Note that the process of FIG. 2 is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals. The navigation ECU 30 calculates a current position of the vehicle based on a detection signal from the vehicle speed sensor 40 and the gyroscope 38 or the GPS receiver 42 at predetermined time intervals shorter than the execution cycle of the vehicle position detection process. Processing is being performed. In the following description, such position calculation processing is referred to as “position calculation processing by dead reckoning navigation”.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the execution of the vehicle position detection processing is started, first, in step (hereinafter simply referred to as "S") 10, the calculation result of the above-described position calculation processing by dead reckoning navigation is calculated. The current estimated vehicle position is determined by performing a map matching process using the road data in the map data read from the map data input device 26. This map matching process is performed, for example, from road data.
A search is made for a road whose degree of coincidence (degree of approximation) of the road shape (road pattern) is within a predetermined range with respect to the traveling locus of the vehicle obtained by executing the position calculation processing. If there is, on the road having the highest degree of coincidence with the traveling locus among the roads, the position closest to the latest current position calculated by executing the position calculation processing is determined as the current position of the vehicle. If there is no road whose degree of coincidence is within a predetermined range with respect to the traveling locus of the vehicle obtained by executing the position calculation process, the latest current position calculated by executing the position calculation process is used as it is. Is determined as the current position.

In step S10, the current position of the vehicle determined as described above is sequentially accumulated, so that the traveling locus of the vehicle for a predetermined distance is updated and stored in a RAM (not shown). That is, in this embodiment, S
The calculation error of the position calculation process based on the detection signal from the vehicle speed sensor 40 and the gyroscope 38 or the GPS receiver 42 is corrected by the map matching process 10. Then, when the current estimated vehicle position is determined in S10, the position determination processing of S20 to S90 is executed. That is, in the present embodiment, the navigation ECU 30
Execution of the processing in S10 corresponds to the execution of the processing as “moving object position estimating means”, and
The execution of the process 90 corresponds to the execution of the process as “position determination means”.

In S20, it is first determined whether a beacon signal has been received. This beacon signal may be an optical beacon signal or a radio beacon signal.
Data corresponding to the reception of the beacon signal is transmitted from the S receiver 31 to the navigation ECU 30 and the RA in the navigation ECU 30 is transmitted.
The determination may be made based on whether or not the content of the reception buffer provided in M has been rewritten.

If the beacon signal has not been received (S20: NO), the process is terminated as it is. If the beacon signal has been received (S20: YES), the process proceeds to S30.
The VICS link ID is extracted from the beacon signal. Thereafter, in S40, it is determined whether or not the estimated vehicle position determined in S10 exists on the road (link) specified by the VICS link ID extracted in S30. If the estimated vehicle position is on the VICS link (S40: YES), the flow shifts to S50 to determine whether a radio wave beacon signal including parallel road section information of "no parallel road" is received. Alternatively, it is determined whether an optical beacon signal has been received, and if any of them has been received (S50: YES), the process proceeds to S60, executes the process relating to position determination A, and then ends this process. . S
The position determination A at 60 will be described later. However, if a negative determination is made in S50, that is, if a radio beacon signal is received and the parallel road section information included in the signal is "parallel road exists", this processing is performed as it is. finish.

On the other hand, if the estimated vehicle position does not exist on the VICS link (S40: NO), the flow shifts to S70 to include the parallel road segment information of "no parallel road" as in S50. It is determined whether the received radio wave beacon signal or the optical beacon signal has been received.
If any one of these beacon signals is received (S70: YES), the flow proceeds to S80 to execute the process relating to the position determination B, and the radio beacon whose parallel road section information is "parallel road exists". When a signal is received (S70:
NO), and the process proceeds to S90 to execute a process relating to position determination C. After executing the processing of the position determinations B and C, the processing is terminated.

Next, the detailed processing of the position determinations A, B, and C in S60, S80, and S90 described above and the intention of the determination will be described. First, position determination A in S60
Will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the position determination A routine shown in FIG. 3 starts,
A process for setting the estimated vehicle position determined in S10 of FIG. 2 to the determined vehicle position is performed (S110), and then the present routine is terminated. In this case, the estimated vehicle position other than the determined vehicle position is deleted. Position determination A in S60
Is executed in S50 in the affirmative determination, that is, the radio wave beacon signal including the parallel road segment information of “no parallel road” or the VI included in the optical beacon signal.
This is a case where the estimated vehicle position determined in S10 exists on the road specified by the CS link ID. Receiving the optical beacon signal is limited to the case where a vehicle is present on the road where the optical beacon transmitter is installed. Also, when a radio beacon signal is received, it can be received by vehicles on roads other than the road where the optical beacon transmitter is installed. Receiving the beacon signal is limited to the case where a vehicle is present on the road where the radio wave beacon transmitter is installed. Therefore, the determination is made on the premise that the vehicle exists on the road specified by the VICS link ID. In this case, the estimated vehicle position exists exactly on the road. Then, the estimated vehicle position existing on another road is deleted.

In connection with this, if a negative determination is made in S50, that is, if a radio beacon signal including parallel road segment information of “parallel road is present” is received, processing is performed without executing position determination at all. Has been terminated. In this case, it is not possible to specify whether the vehicle exists on the road specified by the VICS link ID or whether the vehicle exists on the parallel running road. Since incorrect position determination would result in improper position detection, the user decided to wait for the next determination opportunity.

Next, the details of the position determination B in S80 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This position determination B is executed when the determination in S70 is affirmative, that is, when a radio beacon signal or an optical beacon signal including parallel road segment information of "no parallel road" is received. As described above, such a beacon signal is received only when a vehicle is present on a road on which an optical or radio beacon transmitter is installed. However, in this case, since no vehicle exists on the road specified by the VICS link ID (S40: NO), the estimated vehicle position determined in S10 is incorrect, and VI
The position must be fixed on the road specified by the CS link ID. Therefore, in the position determination B routine of FIG. 4, the following position determination processing is executed.
First, the road identified by the VICS link ID and the G
An overlap with the vehicle possible area obtained by the PS positioning is searched (S210), and a position having the highest vehicle existence probability in the overlap portion is specified (S220). And
On the road specified by the VICS link ID, the position specified in S220 is determined as the vehicle position (S230). The processing up to this point will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

In dead reckoning navigation, the absolute position is detected using GPS. In this case, there is a prediction error in the GPS positioning, and in consideration of the prediction error, the vehicle possible area estimated as the vehicle position is an elliptical area A as shown in FIG. Then, it is considered that the height of the possibility of existence in the elliptic region A is normally distributed with the center of the ellipse as a reference. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of elliptical contour lines B1, B2,.
It can be illustrated as Therefore, the “position where the vehicle existence probability is the highest in the overlapping portion” in S220 is the point P at which the elliptical contour (B2 in this case) circumscribes the road R specified by the VICS link ID. Can be estimated as Therefore, the position of this point P is determined as the vehicle position (S230).

Although the position determination itself has been executed in the processing of S210 to S230, in S240, the VICS link direction included in the beacon signal is set as the vehicle traveling direction. When such a position is determined,
The above-described “position calculation processing by dead reckoning navigation” is executed based on the determined vehicle position and vehicle traveling direction as a reference, and the map matching processing using the calculation result of the position calculation processing by dead reckoning navigation and road data (S10) ) Is executed. Therefore, the vehicle position is properly detected.

Next, the details of the position determination C in S90 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This position determination C is executed when a negative determination is made in S70, that is, when a radio wave beacon signal including parallel road segment information of “parallel road is present” is received. As described above, such a beacon signal is received only when a vehicle exists on a road on which a radio beacon transmitter is installed or on a specific “parallel road” to the road. However, it is not possible to specify which of them exists.

Therefore, in the position determination C routine of FIG. 5, first, a plurality of roads specified by the VICS link ID indicating the road on which the radio beacon transmitter is installed and the VICS link ID indicating the parallel running road, and the GPS The overlap with the vehicle possible area obtained by positioning is searched (S
310), a position having the highest vehicle existence probability in the overlapping portion is specified for each road (for each link) (S320).
Then, on each road specified by the VICS link ID, each position specified in S320 is set as an estimated vehicle position (S330).

In the position determination B routine of FIG. 4 described above, the specific position on the road specified by the VICS link ID is determined as the vehicle position.
In the position determination C routine, there is a possibility that the vehicle may exist on a parallel running road, so that only a plurality of positions are determined as estimated vehicle positions without being associated with a road. That is,
As shown in FIG. 7, a road R1 on which the radio beacon transmitter is installed or a specific parallel road R2 with respect to the road R1.
In each case, the point at which the elliptical contour line of the elliptical area A circumscribes is the estimated vehicle position. In this case, the road R1
Is bounded by a contour line B2, and a contour line B3 is circumscribed by a road R2. In addition, here, it is described that the number of parallel running paths is one, but the same processing may be performed even when there are two or more parallel running paths.

At S340, the direction based on the GPS positioning is set as the vehicle traveling direction. In the position determination B routine of FIG. 4, the VICS link direction included in the beacon signal is set as the vehicle traveling direction. In this case, however, it cannot be determined on which road the vehicle is located. Has adopted.

When the position of the content for calculating the plurality of estimated vehicle positions is determined, the above-described "position calculation processing by dead reckoning" is performed with reference to the plurality of estimated vehicle positions.
Is executed, and a map matching process using the calculation result of the position calculation process by dead reckoning navigation and road data (S1)
0) is executed. Based on the estimated vehicle position based on such position determination, by performing vehicle position detection using the subsequent map matching process, it is possible to prevent an error in position detection from becoming large, and to realize an appropriate position detection early. Can contribute.

As described above, according to the on-vehicle navigation device 10, "when an optical beacon signal or a radio beacon signal without a parallel road is received, the vehicle is placed on the road where the beacon transmitter is located. Appropriate position determination is realized by using a point that can be determined as "existing". Although the measurement error could not be completely eliminated when the horizontal two-dimensional coordinates of the installation position of the fixed station were used as a reference as in the past, the in-vehicle navigation device 10 of the present embodiment originally had an error. Is generally not determined by "points", which are position coordinates that must be assumed to include
Appropriate position detection can be realized.

Further, when the optical beacon signal is received, even when a plurality of roads are close to each other, for example, when an elevated road and a general road run side by side,
Since it is possible to reliably determine that the vehicle exists on the road where the optical beacon transmitter is located, the VICS link ID
The appropriate position can be determined based on the. That is, conventionally, the horizontal two-dimensional coordinates of the fixed station installation position were used as a reference,
We couldn't deal with the difference in the vertical position,
In the case of the present embodiment, since the position is determined in units of roads,
Appropriate position detection can be realized.

When only a radio beacon signal with a parallel road can be received, it is not possible to determine whether the vehicle exists on the road where the radio beacon transmitter is installed or on the parallel road. do not do. But,
By performing the position determination including the calculation of the estimated vehicle position, it is possible to prevent an increase in position detection error in the vehicle position detection using the subsequent map matching process based on the estimated vehicle position, and This contributes to early realization of position detection.

Furthermore, since the position can be determined regardless of whether the optical beacon signal or the radio wave beacon signal is received, there are more opportunities to execute the position determination, and the position shift can be determined earlier. This is effective in improving the detection accuracy when viewed as a whole position detection. In the above embodiment, the present invention has been specifically described based on the in-vehicle navigation device. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a motorcycle,
The apparatus of the present invention can be applied to any moving body such as a person traveling along a road.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle-mounted navigation device as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle position detection process executed by the navigation ECU according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a position determination A routine executed during a vehicle position detection process.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a position determination B routine executed during a vehicle position detection process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a position determination C routine executed during a vehicle position detection process.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the contents of position determination B.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the contents of a position determination C.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... In-vehicle navigation device 24 ... Position detector 26 ... Map data input device 28 ... Operation switch group 30 ... Navi ECU31 ... VICS receiver 32 ... Optical beacon receiving unit 33 ... Radio beacon receiving unit 34 ... Display device 35 ... external memory 38 ... gyroscope 38 ... sensor etc. 40 ... vehicle speed sensor 42 ... GPS receiver

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-11-83505 (JP, A) JP-A-4-51400 (JP, A) JP-A-9-133538 (JP, A) JP-A-9-133 116447 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01C 21/00 G08G 1/0969 G09B 29/10

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] An apparatus for estimating a position of a moving body by performing a map matching process for comparing the moving body information calculated using radio navigation and / or dead reckoning navigation with road information based on map data. Moving object position estimating means; signal receiving means for receiving a predetermined signal between a fixed station located near a road; and moving object position based on predetermined information included in the predetermined signal received by the signal receiving means. A position determining means for determining the position of the moving object estimated by the estimating means; and a signal receiving means for identifying a road on which at least the first fixed station is located. wherein including road identification information
Only moving objects that move on the road where the first fixed station is located
A first signal having a first minimum reception area receivable by the
Signal from the first fixed station, and a second
Moving objects other than those moving on the road where fixed stations are located
Having a second minimum receiving area capable of receiving,
Roads to identify the roads where fixed stations are located
In addition to the fixed information, the road where the second fixed station is located
Road, and within the second minimum reception area,
Whether there is a parallel road running parallel to the road where the fixed station is located
Can also receive a second signal including parallel road segment information indicating
And the position determination means is configured to identify the road in the first signal.
The presence of a moving object on the road identified by the information
On the road on which the first fixed station is located
Estimated by the moving object position estimating means in the outside area
The first fixed station receives when a mobile location is present
From the road identification information in the first signal obtained
Determine the estimated moving object position on the specified road,
Alternatively, the second fixed station received from the second fixed station
In the traffic light, the parallel road is
If so, the road identification in the second signal
The presence of a moving object on the road identified by the information
A mobile object position detection device , wherein the estimated mobile object position is determined on the assumption that: 2. A moving object position detecting device according to claim 1, wherein
The position determination means may be a mobile object position estimated by the mobile object position estimation means.
From the first traffic light or the parallel road segment information.
In the second signal determined that there is no parallel road
Exists on the road identified by the road identification information
If there is, the
A moving body position detecting device , wherein the determined moving body position is set as a determined position . 3. A moving object position detecting device according to claim 1, wherein
In the above, the position deciding means is a moving object position estimated by the moving object position estimating means.
However, based on the parallel running road classification information, it is determined that the parallel running road exists.
According to the road identification information in the disconnected second signal
If it exists on the specified road, the position of the moving object
A moving body position detecting device , wherein the determination of the moving object is not performed . 4. The position of a moving object according to claim 1.
In the detection device, the position determination means may include a moving body position estimated by the moving body position estimation means.
From the first traffic light or the parallel road segment information.
In the second signal determined that there is no parallel road
Does not exist on the road identified by the road identification information
The road identified by the road identification information
And based on said radio navigation and / or dead reckoning navigation
Relative within the possible area of the moving object
The position that is most likely to exist in the
That, the moving position detecting device, characterized in that. (5) The moving body position according to claim 1.
In the detection device, The first signal is an optical beacon signal and the second signal
The mobile position characterized in that the signal is a radio beacon signal
Position detection device. 6. The position of a moving object according to claim 1.
A detection device and map data in which map data including road map data is stored.
Data storage means, and the vicinity of the moving body position detected by the moving body position detecting device.
Road map data from the map data storage means.
And a map display means for displaying the map as a road map . 7. A map display device according to claim 6, wherein said map display device is provided with a predetermined map on a road map displayed on said map display means.
Route to the destination and the moving object position detecting device.
The position of the moving object detected is displayed in an identifiable manner.
Considering the relationship between the route to the destination and the position of the moving object,
Navigation device that provides road guidance. 8. The position of the moving object according to claim 1.
A computer system as the position determination means of the detection device;
Computer that stores the program for operating the
Data readable recording medium.