JP4457607B2 - Car navigation system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle navigation system.

  Conventionally, in vehicles equipped with in-vehicle devices in an automatic toll collection system (Electronic Toll Collection, hereinafter referred to as ETC), based on whether or not an automatic toll collection gate (hereinafter referred to as ETC gate) is installed and the IC card charge balance There is a device for determining whether or not an ETC system can be used to guide toll gates (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  According to the ETC system availability determination device disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, a toll gate on a toll road that continues to travel from the current position of an automobile can pay the fee with an IC card. To determine whether or not toll gates. That is, whether or not the toll booth where the toll is to be paid can receive automatic tolls, and if the toll can be received, whether the balance stored in the IC card satisfies the toll to pay Judgment of whether or not, etc., and traffic guidance according to the determination result is performed.

As a result, if it is determined that the toll booth to which the toll is to be paid cannot receive the automatic toll, the user is reported to pay the toll by cash or highway card, etc., or the toll booth to which the toll is paid is automatically If the toll can be collected and the toll can be paid according to the balance of the IC card, the user is notified to use a dedicated gate for automatic fee payment.
JP 2000-99785 A

  In the above-described conventional ETC system availability determination device, it is determined with reference to the toll gate data stored in the toll gate database whether the toll gate to which the toll is to be paid can receive the automatic toll. . This toll gate data is acquired via, for example, a road antenna or beacon installed at a toll road interchange, so when deploying infrastructure to provide these toll gate data to all toll roads, Enormous costs are expected.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object thereof is to provide an in-vehicle navigation system capable of providing data relating to a toll gate without incurring a huge cost for installing an infrastructure.

  The vehicle-mounted navigation system according to claim 1 is a vehicle using an automatic toll payment means for automatically paying a toll by means of communication with a roadside unit installed at an automatic toll collection gate on a toll road, and a public line. A center that collects and stores the communication module that connects to the outside of the toll gate, gate information of each tollgate on the toll road, and provides to the outside gate information and toll balance information that can be used for automatic payment of toll road tolls Communication control means for downloading gate information and charge balance information from the center via the communication module, and whether or not the automatic toll collection gate on the toll road can pass through automatic payment by the automatic fee payment means based on each information And a toll gate passage guidance means for guiding passage of a toll gate according to a determination result by the determination means And wherein the door.

  Thus, the in-vehicle navigation system of the present invention acquires gate information and fee balance information from the center via a public line. This makes it possible to provide the user with information necessary for guidance for passing through the toll gate without deploying infrastructure for providing information to the vehicle on the toll road. As a result, it is possible to perform toll gate guidance using the above-mentioned information without incurring enormous costs necessary for infrastructure deployment.

  In the in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 2, the center collects and stores gate information composed of the number of automatic toll collection gates, general gates, automatic toll collection / general use gates, and general use gates in operation. Features. This allows you to check not only the presence / absence of an automatic toll collection gate but also the presence / installation location of an automatic toll collection gate that is in operation, so the toll gate passage guide means a passable gate according to the actual toll gate situation. Can be provided.

  According to the in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 3, the determination means has an automatic toll collection gate that is operating at a toll booth where the toll is to be paid, and the toll can be paid according to the toll balance. It is characterized in that it is possible to pass through the automatic toll collection gate. As a result, it is determined whether or not the toll gate can actually be passed by automatic toll payment. If it is determined that the toll gate can be passed by automatic payment, the toll gate passage guidance means can accurately It is possible to guide you through the toll gate.

  In the in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 4, based on the position on the map corresponding to the detected current position, the position detecting means for detecting the current position of the vehicle, the map data storing means for storing the map data, Download determination means for determining whether or not to download at least one of gate information and charge balance information, and the communication control means is configured to download at least gate information and charge balance information when the download determination means determines to download. One feature is that one piece of information is downloaded.

  In this way, since it is determined whether or not to download the gate information and the charge balance information based on the current position of the vehicle, for example, when the vehicle approaches the toll gate, the gate information of the toll gate is downloaded. Then, it can be determined. Further, when the vehicle is traveling on a toll road, the latest gate information at the toll gate ahead of the route can be acquired by downloading the gate information in the traveling direction. In addition, the acquired gate information is memorize | stored, for example, the latest gate information is always acquired by acquiring gate information for every predetermined time, or acquiring passing gate information for every predetermined distance. be able to.

  According to the in-vehicle navigation system of the fifth aspect, the download determination unit includes a road / road identification unit that identifies the road / road from the history of the current position detected by the position detection unit, and the download determination unit includes the road When it is located within a predetermined distance from the toll gate in the traveling direction, it is determined that the gate information of the toll gate in the traveling direction is downloaded. Thereby, the gate information in the toll gate in the traveling direction of the vehicle can be acquired. As a result, it is possible to perform passage guidance based on the acquired gate information.

In the in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 6, the automatic fee payment means can automatically pay the toll when the power is turned on and an automatic fee collection system card is inserted into a predetermined insertion slot. The judging means is located within a predetermined distance from the toll gate in the direction of travel of the road where the vehicle is on the road. Further, the automatic fee payment means is turned on, and the automatic toll collection system card is inserted into the predetermined insertion slot. It is determined that the charge balance information is to be downloaded when it has been set .

Even if the vehicle is equipped with an ETC on-vehicle device, the automatic fee will be charged if the ETC on-vehicle device is not powered on or the ETC card is not inserted into the specified insertion port of the ETC on-vehicle device. Unable to make automatic payment by means of payment. Therefore, when automatic payment is possible by automatic fee payment means, it is possible to guide the passage of the toll gate on the road according to the downloaded fee balance by determining the execution of downloading of the fee balance information It becomes.

  The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 7, further comprising: a route calculation unit that calculates a route including a toll road from the departure point to the destination based on map data; and a route guide unit that guides the calculated route. When route guidance is being performed by the route guidance means, the download determination means downloads the gate information of the traveling toll gate when the vehicle is located within a predetermined distance from the traveling toll gate on the route. It is characterized by doing.

  Thereby, the gate information at the toll gate in the traveling direction on the guide route can be acquired. As a result, it is possible to perform passage guidance based on the acquired gate information.

In the in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 8, the automatic fee payment means can automatically pay the toll when the power is turned on and an automatic fee collection system card is inserted in a predetermined insertion slot. The determination means is such that the vehicle is located within a predetermined distance at the toll booth in the traveling direction on the route, the automatic fee payment means is turned on, and the automatic toll collection system card is inserted into the predetermined insertion slot In this case, it is characterized in that it is determined to download the charge balance information.

  As a result, when automatic payment is possible by the automatic fee payment means, it is possible to guide the passage of the toll gate on the guidance route according to the downloaded fee balance by determining the execution of downloading of the fee balance information It becomes.

  In the in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 9, the communication control means designates a toll road toll gate for downloading gate information to the center, and the center communicates gate information at the designated toll road toll gate. The control means downloads the data.

  Thereby, since the toll booth to be downloaded is limited, it is possible to suppress an enormous amount of information to be downloaded. In addition, when route guidance is performed, by specifying the toll gate information of the toll road on the toll road included in the route as the toll gate to download, the gate information of the toll gate that is not on the route is not acquired be able to.

  In the in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 10, the toll gate passage guiding means starts toll gate passing guidance at a timing when the vehicle is located on a side road toward the toll gate of the toll road ahead of the route. . As a result, it is possible to provide guidance for passing the toll gate from before the toll gate. As a result, the user can go to the target gate with a margin. In addition, as described in claim 11, the toll gate passage guide means changes the start timing of the passage guidance according to at least one of the speed of the vehicle, the number of gates at the toll gate, and the presence or absence of traffic jam at the toll gate. Thus, the passage guidance can be started at a timing according to the state of the vehicle and the situation of the toll gate.

  In the in-vehicle navigation system according to the twelfth aspect, the toll gate passage guidance means ends the passage guidance when the vehicle passes the toll gate. Thereby, when passing through the toll gate, the passing guidance can be promptly terminated. Note that the passing guidance may be terminated when the vehicle accelerates near the toll gate, or the passing guidance may be terminated when communicating with the ETC roadside machine at the toll gate.

The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 13 is an automatic toll payment means for automatically paying a toll by communication with a roadside unit installed at an automatic toll collection gate of a toll road, and a vehicle using a public line. A communication module that connects to the outside of the vehicle, a center that collects and stores gate information of each toll gate on the toll road, provides the gate information to the outside, and a communication control means that downloads the gate information from the center via the communication module , Based on the gate information, determination means for determining whether or not the automatic toll collection gate on the toll road can be passed by automatic payment by the automatic fee payment means, and guidance for passing the toll gate according to the determination result by the determination means There is a toll gate passing guidance means, and there is an automatic toll collection gate that is operating at the toll booth where the toll is to be paid And the power-on of the automatic payment means, a vehicle navigation system to determine that when the automatic toll collection gate can pass through the toll collection system for a card is inserted in a prescribed insertion opening, determining means When it is determined that the automatic toll collection gate can pass, the notification means for notifying the amount of the toll to be paid and whether to pass the automatic toll collection gate after the notification of the toll amount by the notification means is selected. The toll gate passage guidance means performs the toll gate passage guidance in consideration of the selection result by the selection means, and stores the position detection means for detecting the current position of the vehicle and the map data. Based on the map data storage means and the position on the map corresponding to the detected current position, it is determined whether to download the gate information. And the communication control means downloads the gate information when it is determined that the download determination means downloads, and the toll gate passage guidance means the vehicle heads for the toll road on the toll road ahead of the route Start toll pass guidance at the timing located on the side road, and change the start timing of pass guidance according to at least one of the vehicle speed, the number of gates at the toll gate, and the presence or absence of traffic jam at the toll gate It is characterized by that. Thereby, it is possible to provide guidance for passing through the toll gate based on the gate information downloaded via the public line.
Further, even if an automatic fee collection gate is installed, it cannot pass through the automatic fee collection gate if it is not operating. Furthermore, even if the vehicle is equipped with an ETC in-vehicle device, if the ETC in-vehicle device is not turned on or an ETC card is not inserted into a predetermined insertion port of the ETC in-vehicle device. The automatic fee payment by the automatic fee payment means cannot be made.
However, in the invention according to this claim, since it is determined whether or not the automatic toll collection gate can actually be passed, if it is determined that the toll gate can be passed by automatic payment, the determination result is Appropriate toll pass guidance can be provided.
Further, in the invention according to this claim, when it is selected to pass through the automatic toll collection gate, the guidance for passing through the automatic toll collection gate is provided, while when it is selected not to pass through the automatic toll collection gate. Can guide the passage of gates other than automatic toll collection gates.
In order to determine whether or not to download gate information based on the current position of the vehicle, for example, when the vehicle approaches a toll gate, it may be determined that the gate information of the toll gate is downloaded. it can. Further, when the vehicle is traveling on a toll road, the latest gate information at the toll gate ahead of the route can be acquired by downloading the gate information in the traveling direction. The acquired gate information may be stored, and for example, the gate information may be acquired every predetermined time, or the passing gate information may be acquired every time the vehicle travels a predetermined distance. Thereby, the latest gate information can always be acquired.
Furthermore, in the invention according to the present claim, it is possible to provide guidance for passing the toll gate from before the toll gate. As a result, the user can go to the target gate with a margin. By changing the start timing of the pass guidance according to at least one of the speed of the vehicle, the number of gates at the tollgate, and the presence or absence of traffic at the tollgate, the timing according to the state of the vehicle and the situation at the tollgate Passing guidance can be started.

  In the in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 14, the center collects and stores gate information including the number of automatic toll collection gates / general gates / automatic toll collection / general combination gates in operation and installation locations. Features. As a result, not only the presence or absence of an automatic toll gate, but also the presence and location of an automatic toll gate in operation can be checked at the center. It is possible to guide the passable gate.

The vehicle-mounted navigation system according to claim 15 , further comprising a road / road identification unit that identifies a road / road from a history of a current position detected by the position detection unit, wherein the download determination unit includes a vehicle traveling direction of the road / road. When it is located within a predetermined distance from the toll gate, it is determined that the gate information of the toll gate in the traveling direction is downloaded. Thereby, the gate information in the toll gate in the traveling direction of the vehicle can be acquired.

The vehicle-mounted navigation system according to claim 16 , comprising route calculation means for calculating a route including a toll road from the departure point to the destination based on map data, and route guidance means for guiding the calculated route, When route guidance is being performed by the route guidance means, the download determination means downloads the gate information of the traveling toll gate when the vehicle is located within a predetermined distance from the traveling toll gate on the route. It is characterized by doing. Thereby, the gate information at the toll gate in the traveling direction on the guide route can be acquired. As a result, it is possible to perform passage guidance based on the acquired gate information.

In the in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 17 , the communication control means designates the toll road toll gate for downloading the gate information to the center, and the center communicates the gate information at the designated toll road toll gate. The control means downloads the data. Thereby, since the gate information of the toll gate to be downloaded is limited, it is possible to suppress the amount of information to be downloaded from becoming enormous. In addition, when route guidance is provided, the gate information of toll roads included in the route is designated as the toll gate to download, so that gate information of toll gates not on the route is not acquired. Can do.

In the in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 18 , the toll gate passage guidance means ends the passage guidance when the vehicle passes the toll gate. Thereby, when passing through the toll gate, the passing guidance can be promptly terminated. Note that the passing guidance may be terminated when the vehicle accelerates near the toll gate, or the passing guidance may be terminated when communicating with the ETC roadside machine at the toll gate.

  Hereinafter, an in-vehicle navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an in-vehicle navigation system according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the in-vehicle navigation system of this embodiment includes an in-vehicle navigation device 100 having a communication function mounted on a vehicle 10, an ETC in-vehicle device 116 connected to the in-vehicle navigation device 100, and an in-vehicle navigation device 100. And a management center 20 that communicates with the ETC on-vehicle device 116 and an ETC roadside device 30 that communicates with the ETC in-vehicle device 116.

  The management center 20 is connected to the outside via a public line, and collects and stores information (hereinafter referred to as gate information) related to the gate of the toll gate from each toll gate on the toll road. This gate information is information composed of the number of ETC gates, general gates, ETC / general combination gates in operation at the toll gate and their installation locations, and whether the gate pays the toll when passing through the gate. Yes, the latest information is transmitted to the management center 20.

  The management center 20 collects the gate information described above from each toll gate on the toll road and stores the collected information in a lump. Furthermore, when an ID uniquely assigned to each toll gate is uploaded from the vehicle 10, the latest gate information of the toll gate corresponding to this ID is downloaded to the vehicle 10.

  The management center 20 is connected to an ETC center (not shown) that performs account deduction processing for tolls using a prepaid ETC card. For example, when an ID (user ID) assigned to each user received from the vehicle 10 is uploaded, the user ID is transmitted to the ETC center. The charge balance information corresponding to the user ID is transmitted from the ETC center that has received this user ID, and the charge balance information is downloaded to the vehicle 10.

  The ETC roadside machine 30 is provided at the ETC gate of each toll gate on the toll road, and the two-way communication with the ETC in-vehicle unit 116 performs processing such as authentication processing when passing through the ETC gate and automatic payment of tolls. Done.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the in-vehicle navigation device 100 according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the in-vehicle navigation device 100 of this embodiment includes a position detector 101, a map data input device 106, an operation switch group 107, an external memory 109, a display device 110, an audio output device 111, a remote control sensor 112, And a control circuit 108 connected thereto. Furthermore, a mobile phone 114 and an ETC in-vehicle device 116 are connected to the control circuit 108.

  The control circuit 108 is configured as a normal computer, and includes a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, and a bus line for connecting these configurations. In the ROM, a program to be executed by the control circuit 108 is written, and a CPU or the like executes predetermined arithmetic processing according to this program. This program can also be obtained from the outside via the external memory 109.

  The position detector 101 includes a known geomagnetic sensor 102, a gyroscope 103, a distance sensor 104, and a GPS receiver 105 for GPS (Global Positioning System) that detects the position of the vehicle based on radio waves from a satellite. Have. Since these have errors of different properties, they are configured to be used while being complemented by a plurality of sensors. Depending on the accuracy of each sensor, the position detector 101 may be configured as a part of the above-described ones, and a steering rotation sensor (not shown), a vehicle speed sensor for each rolling wheel, or the like may be used.

  The map data input device 106 is a device for inputting various data including so-called map matching data, map data, and landmark data for improving the accuracy of position detection. As a storage medium for storing various data, a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM is generally used because of the amount of data, but a writable storage medium such as a memory card or a hard disk may be used.

  The map data input device 106 stores a toll table for toll roads such as expressways. The toll table stores the toll between all interchanges on the toll road, and the toll between specific interchanges can be referred to by referring to this toll table. Further, it is possible to store the latest toll table acquired via the mobile phone 114 or the external memory 109.

  As the operation switch group 107, for example, a touch switch or a mechanical switch integrated with a display device 110 described later is used, and is used for various inputs.

  The display device 110 is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal display, and the vehicle position mark corresponding to the current vehicle position input from the position detector 101 and the map input from the map data input device 106 are displayed on the screen of the display device 110. A road map around the vehicle generated by the data can be displayed. The audio output device 111 includes a speaker, an audio amplifier, and the like, and performs audio guidance and the like.

  The in-vehicle navigation system according to the present embodiment inputs the position of the destination from the remote control sensor 112 or the operation switch group 107 via a remote control terminal (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller) 113, and the current position (or user It also has a so-called route guidance function that automatically searches for an optimum route from a departure point designated by (1) to a destination, and forms and displays a guidance route. As a method for automatically setting an optimum route, a known method such as the Dijkstra method is known.

  The mobile phone 114 is a mobile communication device for connecting to the external network 115, and the in-vehicle navigation device 100 of this embodiment is connected to the management center 20 described above from the mobile phone 114 via the external network 115. Can do. In this embodiment, a mobile phone is adopted as the mobile communication device, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a mobile PC (Personal Computer) having a communication function, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), etc. May be. Furthermore, the communication function may be built in the in-vehicle navigation device 100.

  The ETC in-vehicle device 116 automatically pays the toll by two-way communication with the ETC roadside device 30 installed at the toll gate on the toll road. The ETC in-vehicle device 116 can be used by inserting a prepaid ETC card (not shown), and the usable amount is reduced every time the toll is paid. The above-described user ID is assigned to the ETC card. When this user ID is uploaded to the management center 20 via the mobile phone 114, the charge balance information of the ETC card corresponding to this user ID is displayed in the management center 20. Can be downloaded from.

  The control circuit 108 calculates a route using the map data of the map data input device 106 according to the destination input from the operation switch group 107 or the remote controller 113. The guidance route searched by the control circuit 108 is displayed on the display device 110 together with the vehicle position mark indicating the vehicle position calculated using the information of the position detector 101 and the map data input device 106. To be highlighted on the road map.

  Next, the toll gate guidance process using the gate information and the charge balance information from the management center 20, which is a feature of the present embodiment, will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

  First, in step S100, the current position of the vehicle is acquired. Further, the road on which the vehicle is to travel is identified from the acquired history of the current position of the vehicle. As a method for identifying the road or road, for example, the direction in which the vehicle is going to travel is grasped from the history of the vehicle position, and the road extending in the grasped direction from the current position of the vehicle is identified as the road or road. Note that the method of identifying the road or road is not limited to this.

  In step S110, it is determined whether the vehicle has approached the toll gate on the toll road. As a method for determining whether or not a vehicle has approached the toll gate, there is a toll road toll gate in the traveling direction of the vehicle on the road specified in step S100, and the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the toll gate. Determine whether or not they are approaching. Alternatively, it may be determined whether a toll gate exists within a predetermined radius from the current position.

  If it is determined in step S110 that the toll gate is not approaching, the process proceeds to step S100. If it is determined that the toll gate is approaching, the process proceeds to step S120.

  In step S120, communication with the management center 20 is started using the mobile phone 114 connected to the in-vehicle navigation device 100. In step S130, after specifying the toll gate of the gate information to be downloaded, the ID of the designated toll gate is uploaded to the management center 20, and the latest gate information of the toll gate corresponding to the ID is downloaded from the management center 20. . As the toll booth to be uploaded from the vehicle, the nearest toll gate in the traveling direction of the vehicle on the road is designated, and the ID of this toll gate is referred to from the map data of the map data input unit 106. Thus, by specifying the toll gate for downloading the gate information, it is possible to suppress the amount of information to be downloaded from becoming enormous.

  In addition to this gate information, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, picture information of the gate displayed on the screen of the display device 10 to such an extent that the installation location and operation status of various gates can be grasped, as shown in FIG. When moving to the ETC gate / when moving to the general gate, the gate information is drawn at the same time, or the gate information is displayed so that a schematic picture is drawn on the screen of the display device 10 as shown in FIG. Information such as the type of gate (ETC / general gate) and the distinction between operation and closure may be acquired from the management center 20 in order from the right. Alternatively, a method may be considered in which it is determined whether the map data input device 106 of the in-vehicle navigation device 100 has information necessary for displaying the gate, and if there is no necessary information, picture information is obtained.

  As described above, in the in-vehicle navigation device of the present embodiment, not only the presence / absence of an ETC gate, but also the number of ETC gates in operation and the installation location can be acquired. You can give guidance specifying the gate to which the vehicle should go.

  In step S140, it is determined whether the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is ready for automatic payment. That is, whether the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is connected to the in-vehicle navigation device 100, the power of the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is turned on, or whether the ETC card is inserted into a predetermined card insertion slot, etc. It is determined whether communication is ready.

  Only when the ETC card is not inserted, the user may forget to insert the ETC card. As a warning method, for example, a message “No ETC card is inserted” is displayed on the screen of the display device 10, or this message is guided by voice. In step S140, if the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is not ready, the connection to the management center 20 is disconnected and the process proceeds to step S190. If the preparation is completed, step S150 is performed. Proceed to the process.

  In this way, by determining whether or not automatic payment of the toll is actually possible, it is possible to provide accurate toll guidance in the toll gate passage guidance described later.

  In step S150, it is determined whether toll payment is required at the toll booth nearest to the road. If it is not necessary to pay the toll, the connection with the management center 20 is disconnected, and the process proceeds to step S200. If the payment is necessary, the process proceeds to step S160. Whether or not it is necessary to pay the toll is determined by referring to the gate information whether or not the gate pays the toll when passing through the gate.

  In step S160, the ETC card charge balance information is downloaded from the management center 20. The management center 20 receives the user ID uploaded from the vehicle 10 and transmits it to the ETC center. The ETC center searches the received user ID from the DB of the ETC center, and extracts the ETC card fee balance corresponding to the user ID. Then, the extracted charge balance information is transmitted to the management center 20, and the management center 20 downloads this charge balance information to the vehicle 10. When this download is completed, the in-vehicle navigation device 100 disconnects from the management center 20.

  In step S170 shown in FIG. 4, the downloaded charge balance of the ETC card is compared with the toll to be paid at the nearest tollgate in the traveling direction of the vehicle. This comparison processing may be performed by the ETC in-vehicle device 116 or by the in-vehicle navigation device 100.

  Further, the toll to be paid at the toll gate may be obtained from the toll table of the map data input device 106, or information on the entrance toll gate stored when passing through the entrance gate of the toll road is transmitted to the management center 20. Then, the fee to be paid from the management center 20 at the nearest toll gate may be calculated.

  In step S180, if it is determined that the charge balance of the ETC card is insufficient as a result of the comparison in step S170, the process proceeds to step S190, and if it is determined that the charge balance is sufficient, The process proceeds to S200.

  In step S190, entry guidance to a general gate other than the ETC gate is notified to the user by voice or screen display. For example, display a simplified map of the toll gate as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 described above, or output a voice message “Proceed to the second or third general gate from the left”. .

  In step S200, the user is informed of entry guidance to the ETC gate by voice or screen display. For example, a simplified map of a toll gate as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 is displayed, or a voice message “Proceed to either the first or second ETC gate from the right” is output.

  As described above, since it is determined whether or not automatic payment can actually be performed at the ETC gate by the processing of step S140, step S150, and step S180, in step S200, detailed guidance of the gate to be passed is performed. Can do.

  In steps S190 and S200, the notification is started at the timing when the vehicle moves to the road that branches off from the main road of the toll road and heads for the toll gate. Thereby, since the passage guidance is started from the front of the toll gate, the user can head toward the target gate with a margin.

  It is desirable that the timing at which the guidance for entering the gate is started to be variable depending on the traveling speed of the vehicle, the number of gates at the toll gate, and the presence or absence of traffic at the toll gate. For example, when a vehicle approaches a toll gate at a speed higher than a predetermined speed or at a toll gate with a large number of gates, the user heads to the gate with sufficient time by starting notification at a timing earlier than usual. be able to.

  In addition, when the traffic information can be acquired via the mobile phone 114, when the traffic is in front of the toll gate, the notification is started at a later timing than usual. Thereby, the gate passage guidance can be started at a timing according to the situation of the toll gate.

  In step S210, it is determined whether or not to end the gate guidance. For example, when the vehicle passes the toll gate, that is, when the current position of the vehicle exceeds the toll gate position, or the vehicle accelerates near the toll gate and reaches a vehicle speed higher than a predetermined value. The gate guidance is ended when communication with the ETC roadside machine 30 at the toll gate is started.

  If it is determined that the gate guidance is to be terminated, the process proceeds to step S220, and the screen display of the gate guidance is erased in step S220. Thereby, the passage guidance can be erased at an appropriate timing. On the other hand, if it is determined not to end the gate guidance, the process proceeds to step S100 and the above-described process is repeated.

  As described above, the in-vehicle navigation system and the in-vehicle navigation device 100 of the present embodiment acquire the gate information and the charge balance information from the management center 20 via the public line. Thereby, it is possible to provide the user with information necessary for guidance for passing through the toll gate without deploying an infrastructure for providing various types of information to the vehicle 10 on the toll road. As a result, it is possible to provide guidance for passing through the toll gate without incurring the enormous cost required for infrastructure deployment.

(Modification 1)
In the in-vehicle navigation device 100 according to the present embodiment, in step S130, the nearest toll gate in the traveling direction of the vehicle on the road is designated as the ID of the toll gate to be uploaded, but the vehicle joins the toll road Alternatively, several toll gates in the traveling direction of the vehicle may be designated as toll gates for acquiring gate information, and the gate information of the designated toll gates may be downloaded.

  For example, when the toll gates for the gate information to be downloaded are designated as three toll gates from the current position, the gate information ahead of the nearest toll gate is downloaded. As a result, using the downloaded gate information, the road map showing the current position of the vehicle as shown in FIG. It can be displayed (right of the figure). Furthermore, as shown on the right side of the figure, fee balance information and toll fees may be added and displayed. It should be noted that the gate information is downloaded every time the vehicle travels over a predetermined distance or every time a predetermined time elapses, and the latest operating status of the ETC gate is displayed.

  As a result, not only the gate information of the nearest toll gate, but also the gate information of the toll gate up to a predetermined number ahead in the course, and using this acquired gate information, information on the operating status and the charge balance of the ETC gate is obtained. By displaying on the screen of the display device 10, the user can refer to the drive plan.

(Second Embodiment)
Since the second embodiment is often in common with that according to the first embodiment, a detailed description of the common parts will be omitted below, and different parts will be mainly described. In the first embodiment, a road or road is specified, and guidance for passing a toll booth on the road is provided. In this embodiment, while performing route guidance to a certain destination, It differs in that it provides toll road guidance.

  Hereinafter, the process of passing guidance for the toll gate during route guidance will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Note that a description of the steps for executing the same processing as in the first embodiment will be omitted.

  First, in step S10 shown in FIG. 9, a starting point and a destination are set. As for the departure place, the current position may be set as the departure place. The destination is input from the operation switch group 107 or the remote controller 113.

  In step S20, a guide route from the input departure point to the destination is calculated. In step S30, route guidance is started in accordance with the calculated guidance route.

  In step S100a, the current position of the vehicle is acquired. In step S110a, it is determined whether the vehicle has approached a toll gate on the guidance route. As a method for determining whether or not the vehicle has approached the toll gate, it is determined by whether or not the vehicle has approached the nearest toll gate on the guide route within a predetermined distance.

  If it is determined in step S110 that the toll gate is not approached, the process proceeds to step S100a. If it is determined that the toll gate is approached, the process proceeds to step S120.

  In step S120, communication with the management center 20 is started using the mobile phone 114 connected to the in-vehicle navigation device 100. In step S130, after specifying the toll booth to be downloaded, the ID of the designated toll booth is uploaded, and the latest gate information of the toll booth corresponding to the ID is downloaded from the management center 20. As the toll booth to be uploaded from the vehicle, the nearest toll booth in the traveling direction of the vehicle on the guide route is designated.

  In step S140, it is determined whether the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is ready for automatic payment. If the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is not ready, the connection to the management center 20 is disconnected and the process proceeds to step S190. If the preparation is completed, the process proceeds to step S150a.

  In step S150a shown in FIG. 10, it is determined whether toll payment is required at the nearest toll booth on the guidance route. If payment is not necessary, the connection with the management center 20 is disconnected, and the process proceeds to step S200. If payment is necessary, the process proceeds to step S160. Thereafter, in steps S160 to S220, the gate guidance process according to the charge balance described in the first embodiment is executed.

  As described above, the in-vehicle navigation system and the in-vehicle navigation device of the present embodiment, when performing route guidance to a certain destination, approach this nearest toll gate on the guidance route within a predetermined distance. The gate information and charge balance information of the toll gate are downloaded, and gate passage guidance is performed based on the downloaded information. Thereby, the passage guidance of the toll booth in the traveling direction on the guidance route can be accurately performed.

  In the present embodiment, as in the first modification of the first embodiment, when the vehicle joins a toll road on the guide route, the toll gate for acquiring gate information is on the guide route of the vehicle. It is also possible to specify several tollgates in the traveling direction and download the gate information of the designated tollgate. Then, display as shown in FIG. 5 may be performed based on the downloaded gate information.

(Third embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the entrance information to the general gate and the entrance guide to the ETC gate are provided based on the gate information, the automatic payment preparation status of the ETC in-vehicle device 116, and the charge balance of the ETC card. In the form, based on the gate information and the preparation status of automatic payment of the ETC in-vehicle device 116, the guidance for entering the general gate and the guidance for entering the ETC gate are performed. Hereinafter, the in-vehicle navigation system in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an in-vehicle navigation system according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the in-vehicle navigation system of this embodiment includes an in-vehicle navigation device 100 having a communication function mounted on a vehicle 10, an ETC in-vehicle device 116 connected to the in-vehicle navigation device 100, and an in-vehicle navigation device 100. A management center 20 that communicates with the ETC vehicle-mounted device 116, and an ETC road vehicle 30 that communicates with the ETC vehicle-mounted device 116, and is configured in the same manner as the vehicle-mounted navigation system in the first embodiment.

  The management center 20 is connected to the outside via a public line, and collects and stores toll gate information from each toll gate on the toll road. This gate information is composed of the number and location of ETC gates, general gates, ETC / general use gates in operation at the toll gate, and whether or not the gate pays the toll when passing through the gate. Each toll gate on the toll road transmits the latest gate information to the management center 20.

  The management center 20 collects the gate information described above from each toll gate on the toll road and stores the collected information in a lump. Furthermore, when an ID uniquely assigned to each toll gate is uploaded from the vehicle 10, the latest gate information of the toll gate corresponding to this ID is downloaded to the vehicle 10. In addition, the management center 20 is connected to an ETC center (not shown) that performs an account deduction process for tolls using an ETC card.

  The ETC roadside machine 30 is provided at the ETC gate of each toll gate on the toll road, and the two-way communication with the ETC in-vehicle unit 116 performs processing such as authentication processing when passing through the ETC gate and automatic payment of tolls. Done.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the in-vehicle navigation device 100 according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the in-vehicle navigation device 100 of this embodiment includes a position detector 101, a map data input device 106, an operation switch group 107, an external memory 109, a display device 110, an audio output device 111, a remote control sensor 112, And a control circuit 108 connected thereto, and is configured in the same manner as the vehicle-mounted navigation device 100 of the first embodiment. Furthermore, a mobile phone 114 and an ETC in-vehicle device 116 are connected to the control circuit 108.

  The control circuit 108 is configured as a normal computer, and includes a well-known CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, and a bus line for connecting these configurations. In the ROM, a program to be executed by the control circuit 108 is written, and a CPU or the like executes predetermined arithmetic processing according to this program. This program can also be obtained from the outside via the external memory 109.

  The position detector 101 includes a known geomagnetic sensor 102, a gyroscope 103, a distance sensor 104, and a GPS receiver 105 for GPS (Global Positioning System) that detects the position of the vehicle based on radio waves from a satellite. Have. Since these have errors of different properties, they are configured to be used while being complemented by a plurality of sensors. Depending on the accuracy of each sensor, the position detector 101 may be configured as a part of the above-described ones, and a steering rotation sensor (not shown), a vehicle speed sensor for each rolling wheel, or the like may be used.

  The map data input device 106 is a device for inputting various data including so-called map matching data, map data, and landmark data for improving the accuracy of position detection. As a storage medium for storing various data, a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM is generally used because of the amount of data, but a writable storage medium such as a memory card or a hard disk may be used.

  The map data input device 106 stores a toll table for toll roads such as expressways. The toll table stores the toll between all interchanges on the toll road, and the toll between specific interchanges can be referred to by referring to this toll table. Further, it is possible to store the latest toll table acquired via the mobile phone 114 or the external memory 109.

  As the operation switch group 107, for example, a touch switch or a mechanical switch integrated with a display device 110 described later is used, and is used for various inputs.

  The display device 110 is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal display, and the vehicle position mark corresponding to the current vehicle position input from the position detector 101 and the map input from the map data input device 106 are displayed on the screen of the display device 110. A road map around the vehicle generated by the data can be displayed. The audio output device 111 includes a speaker, an audio amplifier, and the like, and performs audio guidance and the like.

  The in-vehicle navigation system according to the present embodiment inputs the position of the destination from the remote control sensor 112 or the operation switch group 107 via a remote control terminal (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller) 113, and the current position (or user It also has a so-called route guidance function that automatically searches for an optimum route from a departure point designated by (1) to a destination, and forms and displays a guidance route. As a method for automatically setting an optimum route, a known method such as the Dijkstra method is known.

  The mobile phone 114 is a mobile communication device for connecting to the external network 115, and the in-vehicle navigation device 100 of this embodiment is connected to the management center 20 described above from the mobile phone 114 via the external network 115. Can do. In this embodiment, a mobile phone is adopted as the mobile communication device, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a mobile PC (Personal Computer) having a communication function, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), etc. May be. Furthermore, the communication function may be built in the in-vehicle navigation device 100.

  The ETC in-vehicle device 116 automatically pays the toll by two-way communication with the ETC roadside device 30 installed at the toll gate on the toll road. The ETC in-vehicle device 116 can be used by inserting an ETC card (not shown), and the usable amount is reduced every time a toll is paid. A user ID is assigned to the ETC card, and the user is identified in the management center 20 by uploading the user ID to the management center 20 via the mobile phone 114. Thereby, the account number when the toll is withdrawn is specified.

  The control circuit 108 calculates a route using the map data of the map data input device 106 according to the destination input from the operation switch group 107 or the remote controller 113. The guidance route searched by the control circuit 108 is displayed on the display device 110 together with the vehicle position mark indicating the vehicle position calculated using the information of the position detector 101 and the map data input device 106. To be highlighted on the road map.

  Next, toll gate guidance processing using gate information from the management center 20, which is a feature of the present embodiment, will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

  First, in step S100, the current position of the vehicle is acquired. Further, the road on which the vehicle is to travel is identified from the acquired history of the current position of the vehicle. As a method for specifying this road or road, it is as described in the first embodiment.

  In step S110, it is determined whether the vehicle has approached the toll gate on the toll road. As a method for determining whether or not a vehicle has approached the toll gate, there is a toll road toll gate in the traveling direction of the vehicle on the road specified in step S100, and the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the toll gate. Determine whether or not they are approaching. Alternatively, it may be determined whether a toll gate exists within a predetermined radius from the current position.

  If it is determined in step S110 that the toll gate is not approaching, the process proceeds to step S100. If it is determined that the toll gate is approaching, the process proceeds to step S120.

  In step S120, communication with the management center 20 is started using the mobile phone 114 connected to the in-vehicle navigation device 100. In step S130, after specifying the toll gate of the gate information to be downloaded, the ID of the designated toll gate is uploaded to the management center 20, and the latest gate information of the toll gate corresponding to the ID is downloaded from the management center 20. . As the toll booth to be uploaded from the vehicle, the nearest toll gate in the traveling direction of the vehicle on the road is designated, and the ID of this toll gate is referred to from the map data of the map data input unit 106. Thus, by specifying the toll gate for downloading the gate information, it is possible to suppress the amount of information to be downloaded from becoming enormous.

  In addition to this gate information, as described in the first embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the gate is displayed on the screen of the display device 10 so that the installation location and operation status of various gates can be grasped. The picture information of the gate as shown in FIG. 7 and the arrow when going to the ETC gate / going to the general gate are also drawn at the same time, or schematically shown on the screen of the display device 10 as shown in FIG. Information such as the type of gate (ETC / general gate) and the distinction between operation and closure may be acquired from the management center 20 in order from the right together with the gate information so that a typical picture can be drawn. Alternatively, a method may be considered in which it is determined whether the map data input device 106 of the in-vehicle navigation device 100 has information necessary for displaying the gate, and if there is no necessary information, picture information is obtained.

  As described above, in the in-vehicle navigation device of the present embodiment, not only the presence / absence of an ETC gate, but also the number of ETC gates in operation and the installation location can be acquired. You can give guidance specifying the gate to which the vehicle should go.

  In step S140, it is determined whether the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is ready for automatic payment. That is, whether the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is connected to the in-vehicle navigation device 100, the power of the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is turned on, or whether the ETC card is inserted into a predetermined card insertion slot, etc. It is determined whether communication is ready.

  Only when the ETC card is not inserted, the user may forget to insert the ETC card. As a warning method, for example, a message “No ETC card is inserted” is displayed on the screen of the display device 10, or this message is guided by voice. In step S140, if the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is not ready, the connection with the management center 20 is disconnected and the process proceeds to step S190. If the preparation is completed, step S200 is performed. Proceed to the process.

  In step S190, entry guidance to a general gate other than the ETC gate is notified to the user by voice or screen display. For example, display a simplified map of the toll gate as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 described above, or output a voice message “Proceed to the second or third general gate from the left”. .

  In step S200, the user is informed of entry guidance to the ETC gate by voice or screen display. For example, a simplified map of a toll gate as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 is displayed, or a voice message “Proceed to either the first or second ETC gate from the right” is output.

  In steps S190 and S200, the notification is started at the timing when the vehicle moves to the road that branches off from the main road of the toll road and heads for the toll gate. Thereby, since the passage guidance is started from the front of the toll gate, the user can head toward the target gate with a margin.

  It is desirable that the timing at which the guidance for entering the gate is started to be variable depending on the traveling speed of the vehicle, the number of gates at the toll gate, and the presence or absence of traffic at the toll gate. For example, when a vehicle approaches a toll gate at a speed higher than a predetermined speed or at a toll gate with a large number of gates, the user heads to the gate with sufficient time by starting notification at a timing earlier than usual. be able to.

  In addition, when the traffic information can be acquired via the mobile phone 114 and there is a traffic jam in front of the toll gate, the notification is started at a later timing than usual. Thereby, the gate passage guidance can be started at a timing according to the situation of the toll gate.

  In step S210, it is determined whether or not to end the gate guidance. For example, when the vehicle passes the toll gate, that is, when the current position of the vehicle exceeds the toll gate position, or the vehicle accelerates near the toll gate and reaches a vehicle speed higher than a predetermined value. The gate guidance is ended when communication with the ETC roadside machine 30 at the toll gate is started.

  If it is determined that the gate guidance is to be terminated, the process proceeds to step S220, and the screen display of the gate guidance is erased in step S220. Thereby, the passage guidance can be erased at an appropriate timing. On the other hand, if it is determined not to end the gate guidance, the process proceeds to step S100 and the above-described process is repeated.

  As described above, the in-vehicle navigation system and the in-vehicle navigation device 100 according to the present embodiment acquire the gate information from the management center 20 through the public line, and set the acquired gate information and the ETC in-vehicle device 116 in a preparation state for automatic payment. Based on this, the guidance to the general gate and the guidance to the ETC gate are performed.

  That is, for example, even if an ETC gate is installed, it cannot pass through the ETC gate unless the ETC gate is in operation. Further, when the power of the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is not turned on or the ETC card is not inserted into a predetermined insertion port of the ETC in-vehicle device 116, automatic fee payment cannot be made. Therefore, as described above, it is determined that it is possible to pass through the toll gate by automatic payment by determining whether or not the ETC gate can actually be passed based on the gate information and the preparation status of the ETC in-vehicle device 116. If it is, it is possible to provide guidance for passing through an appropriate toll gate according to the determination result.

(Modification 2)
In the in-vehicle navigation device 100 according to the present embodiment, in step S130, the nearest toll gate in the traveling direction of the vehicle on the road is designated as the ID of the toll booth to be uploaded, but the vehicle has joined the toll road. Alternatively, several toll gates in the traveling direction of the vehicle may be designated as toll gates for acquiring gate information, and the gate information of the designated toll gates may be downloaded.

  For example, when the toll gates for the gate information to be downloaded are designated as three toll gates from the current position, the gate information ahead of the nearest toll gate is downloaded. As a result, using the downloaded gate information, the road map showing the current position of the vehicle as shown in FIG. It can be displayed (right of the figure). Furthermore, as shown on the right side of the figure, fee balance information and toll fees may be added and displayed. It should be noted that the gate information is downloaded every time the vehicle travels over a predetermined distance or every time a predetermined time elapses, and the latest operating status of the ETC gate is displayed.

  As a result, not only the gate information of the nearest toll gate, but also the gate information of the toll gate up to a predetermined number ahead in the course, and using this acquired gate information, information on the operating status of the ETC gate is displayed. By displaying on the 10 screens, the user can refer to the drive plan.

(Modification 3)
The in-vehicle navigation device 100 of the present embodiment performs entry guidance to the general gate and entry guidance to the ETC gate based on the gate information and the automatic payment preparation status of the ETC in-vehicle device 116, but further pays the toll. When passing through a toll booth, the payment fee may be informed, the user may be allowed to select whether or not to pass through the ETC gate, and guidance for passing through the toll gate may be provided according to the selected result.

  Hereinafter, the gate guidance process at the toll gate in this modification will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Note that the processes in steps S100 to S130 in FIG. 13 and S190 to S220 in FIG. 14 are the same as the processes in the present embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  After the gate information is downloaded from the management center 20 in step S130 shown in FIG. 13, it is determined in step S140 whether the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is ready for automatic payment. Here, if the ETC in-vehicle device 116 is not ready, the connection to the management center 20 is disconnected and the process proceeds to step S190. If the preparation is completed, the process proceeds to step S150. Proceed.

  In step S150, it is determined whether toll payment is required at the toll booth nearest to the road. If it is not necessary to pay the toll, the connection with the management center 20 is disconnected, and the process proceeds to step S200. If the payment is necessary, the process proceeds to step S160a. Whether or not the toll payment is necessary may be determined by referring to the gate information as to whether or not the gate pays the toll when passing through the gate.

  In step S160a shown in FIG. 14, the amount of the payment fee is notified to the user. For example, the amount of the payment fee may be displayed on the display device 110, or the amount may be output by voice. Note that the amount of toll that needs to be paid at the toll gate may be obtained from the toll table of the map data input device 106, or the information on the toll gate stored at the time of passing through the entrance gate of the toll road is the management center 20. May be calculated by the management center 20 and paid to the nearest toll booth and downloaded to the vehicle 10.

  In step S170a, the user is allowed to select whether or not to pass through the ETC gate. Here, when the selection that passes through the ETC gate is performed, the process proceeds to step S200, and when the selection that does not pass through the ETC gate is performed, the process proceeds to step S190. Thereafter, in step S190, guidance for entering the general gate is provided, while in step S200, guidance for entering the ETC gate is provided.

  Note that the user's selection in step S170a may be, for example, a display for selecting whether or not to pass through the display device 110, and may be selected by the operation switch 107, or may or may not be passed by voice. You may enter.

  In this way, by allowing the user to select whether or not to pass through the ETC gate, and performing the gate entry guidance according to the selection result, it is possible to perform the entry guidance to the gate desired by the user.

(Modification 4)
In the present embodiment, a road or road is specified, and a toll booth is provided on the road or road. While the route guidance to a certain destination is being executed, the toll booth included in the guidance route is used. Guidance may be provided.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the vehicle-mounted navigation system concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus 100 concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the 1st half part of the passage guidance process of a toll gate concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the second half part of the passage guidance process of a toll gate concerning 1st Embodiment. It is an image figure of the screen display of the display apparatus 10 at the time of drive | working after joining a toll road concerning the modification 1 of 1st Embodiment. It is an image figure of the screen display in gate passage guidance concerning a 1st embodiment. It is an image figure which displayed the arrow which shows the direction of the gate which should advance in the gate passage guidance concerning 1st Embodiment. It is an image figure which displays a gate simply in gate passage guidance concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the first half part of the pass guidance process of the toll booth performed during route guidance concerning 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the second half part of the toll gate passage guidance processing executed during route guidance according to the second embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the first half part of the passage guidance process of a toll gate concerning 3rd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the second half part of the passage guidance process of a toll gate concerning 3rd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the first half part of the passage guidance process of a toll gate concerning the modification 3 of 3rd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the second half part of the passage guidance process of a toll gate concerning the modification 3 of 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle, 20 ... Management center, 30 ... ETC roadside machine, 100 ... Car-mounted navigation apparatus, 114 ... Mobile phone, 116 ... ETC vehicle-mounted machine

Claims (18)

Automatic fee payment means for automatically paying tolls by communication with roadside units installed at automatic toll collection gates on toll roads,
A communication module that connects to the outside of the vehicle using a public line;
A center that collects and stores gate information of each tollgate on the toll road and provides the gate information and toll balance information that can be used for automatic payment of tolls on the toll road to the outside,
Communication control means for downloading the gate information and fee balance information from the center via the communication module;
A determination means for determining whether or not the automatic toll collection gate of the toll road can pass through automatic payment by the automatic toll payment means based on the information;
An in-vehicle navigation system comprising: a tollgate passage guidance means for guiding passage of a tollgate according to a determination result by the determination means.   The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the center collects and stores gate information composed of the number of automatic toll collection gates, general gates, automatic toll collection / general use gates and installation locations in operation. system.   The determination means determines that the automatic toll collection gate in operation at the toll booth where the toll is to be paid exists and can pass through the automatic toll collection gate when the toll can be paid according to the toll balance. The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 1 or 2.   Position detection means for detecting the current position of the vehicle; map data storage means for storing map data; and at least one of the gate information and the charge balance information based on the position on the map corresponding to the detected current position. Download determining means for determining whether or not to download one piece of information, and the communication control means downloads at least one of the gate information and the charge balance information when the download determining means determines to download. The in-vehicle navigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   A road / road identification unit that identifies a road / road from a history of the current position detected by the position detection unit, the download determination unit, the vehicle being a predetermined distance from the toll gate in the traveling direction of the road / road The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 4, wherein when it is located within, it is determined that the gate information of the toll gate in the traveling direction is downloaded. The automatic fee payment means can automatically pay a toll when the power is turned on and a card for an automatic fee collection system is inserted in a predetermined insertion slot,
The download determination means is configured such that the vehicle is located within a predetermined distance with respect to the toll gate in the traveling direction of the road or road, and further, the automatic fee payment means is turned on, and an automatic fee collection system is installed at a predetermined insertion port. 6. The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 5, wherein it is determined that the charge balance information is downloaded when a business card is inserted. A route calculating means for calculating a route including a toll road from a starting point to a destination based on the map data;
Route guidance means for guiding the calculated route,
When route guidance is being performed by the route guidance unit, the download determination unit determines whether the traveling direction toll gate is located when the vehicle is located within a predetermined distance from the traveling direction toll gate on the route. 5. The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 4, wherein gate information is downloaded. The automatic fee payment means can automatically pay a toll when the power is turned on and a card for an automatic fee collection system is inserted in a predetermined insertion slot,
The download determination means is configured such that the vehicle is located within a predetermined distance at a toll booth in the traveling direction on the route, the automatic fee payment means is turned on, and an automatic fee collection system card is inserted in a predetermined insertion slot. 8. The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 7, wherein execution of downloading the charge balance information is determined when it is inserted. The communication control means designates a toll road toll gate for downloading gate information to the center,
The in-vehicle navigation system according to any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein the center causes the communication control means to download gate information at the toll gate on the designated toll road.   10. The toll gate passage guidance means starts toll gate passing guidance at a timing when the vehicle is located on a side road toward a toll gate on a toll road ahead of the route. In-vehicle navigation system.   The said toll gate passage guidance means changes the start timing of the passage guidance according to at least one of the speed of the vehicle, the number of gates at the toll gate, and the presence or absence of traffic jam at the toll gate. Car navigation system. The in-vehicle navigation system according to any one of claims 4 to 11, wherein the toll gate passing guidance means ends the passing guidance when the vehicle passes the toll gate. Automatic fee payment means for automatically paying tolls by communication with roadside units installed at automatic toll collection gates on toll roads,
A communication module that connects to the outside of the vehicle using a public line;
A center that collects and stores gate information for each tollgate on the toll road and provides the gate information to the outside,
Communication control means for downloading the gate information from the center via the communication module;
Based on the gate information, determination means for determining whether or not the automatic fee payment means can pass through the automatic toll collection gate of the toll road by automatic payment;
A toll gate passage guidance means for guiding passage of the toll gate according to the determination result by the determination means,
The determination means has an automatic toll collection gate in operation at a toll booth where the toll is to be paid, and the automatic toll collection means is turned on and an automatic toll collection system card is inserted into a predetermined insertion slot. a vehicle navigation system to determine that the automatic toll collection gates can pass if it is,
Informing means for informing the amount of the toll to be paid when the judging means judges that the automatic toll collection gate can pass through;
Selection means for selecting whether or not to pass through the automatic toll collection gate after the notification of the amount of toll by the notification means;
The toll gate passage guidance means performs the toll gate passage guidance in consideration of the selection result by the selection means,
Position detecting means for detecting the current position of the vehicle;
Map data storage means for storing map data;
Download determining means for determining whether to download the gate information based on the position on the map corresponding to the detected current position;
The communication control means is for downloading the gate information when the download determination means determines to download,
The toll gate passing guidance means starts toll gate passing guidance at the timing when the vehicle is positioned on the side road to the toll gate of the toll road ahead of the route, and further includes the speed of the vehicle, the number of gates of the toll gate, the toll gate An in- vehicle navigation system characterized in that the start timing of passage guidance is changed according to at least one of the presence or absence of traffic jams in the area .   The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 13, wherein the center collects and stores gate information including the number of automatic toll collection gates, general gates, automatic toll collection / general combination gates, and installation locations in operation. system. A road / road identifying means for identifying a road / road from the history of the current position detected by the position detection means,
The download determining means determines that the gate information of the traveling toll gate is downloaded when the vehicle is located within a predetermined distance from the toll gate in the traveling direction of the road or road. Item 15. The on-vehicle navigation system according to item 13 or 14 . A route calculating means for calculating a route including a toll road from a starting point to a destination based on the map data;
Route guidance means for guiding the calculated route,
When route guidance is being performed by the route guidance unit, the download determination unit determines whether the traveling direction toll gate is located when the vehicle is located within a predetermined distance from the traveling direction toll gate on the route. The in-vehicle navigation system according to claim 13 or 14, wherein gate information is downloaded. The communication control means designates a toll road toll gate for downloading gate information to the center,
The in-vehicle navigation system according to any one of claims 13 to 16 , wherein the center causes the communication control means to download gate information at the toll gate on the designated toll road. The in-vehicle navigation system according to any one of claims 13 to 17 , wherein the toll gate passing guidance means ends the passing guidance when the vehicle passes the toll gate.

Images