JPH06331378A - Navigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the operation of a destination input in a navigation apparatus. CONSTITUTION:A regional data of a hierarchical structure is stored into a memory 12 and when a destination is inputted with an input device 13 corresponding to the regional data at an arbitrary hierarchy, a running path is searched with a CPU 11 to the destination from the current position to perform a path guidance. When a vehicle arrives near the destination, the inputting of the new destination is made possible within a range of the destination among the regional data stored in the memory 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation device, and more particularly, to a navigation device for performing route search and route guidance for an input destination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a navigation device for guiding a route to a destination for a driver who is not guided by geography has been actively developed. With this navigation device, when a destination or departure point is entered, the vehicle travel route between these two points is searched, and while displaying the route and the arrow indicating the traveling direction of the vehicle on the display together with the road map. It is designed to guide the route.

By the way, in the conventional navigation device, the final destination is input at one time at the departure point, the guidance route is searched, and the driver confirms this and starts.
In this case, it is difficult to input the destination when the name of the destination can only be vaguely understood. Therefore, JP-A-1
The 149200 publication has a list of prefecture names, a list of city names, and a list of town names as regional data, and data of representative intersections or characteristic features corresponding to each prefecture, city, and town as information data related to the region. Even if you enter an ambiguous destination such as a prefecture, city, town that is not limited to a specific place, you can call a concrete destination such as a representative intersection or a representative feature from the ambiguous destination. The technology that enables guidance to the destination is shown. With this technology, when entering a destination, the entered prefecture name, city name,
From the town name, the hierarchical structure data of the prefecture name list, the city name list, and the town name list are sequentially searched to obtain a specific destination.

[0004]

However, in the conventional navigation device, since the final destination is input at once before the departure, even when the accurate destination is checked and input, or the special destination is specified. Even when the destination is searched and selected using the hierarchical structure data as shown in Kaihei 1-149200, it takes time and effort to set the destination. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a navigation device capable of reducing the operation of inputting a destination.

[0005]

According to the present invention, storage means for storing area data having a hierarchical structure in which a range indicated by area data in an upper layer includes a range indicated by area data in a lower layer, and the storage means stores the area data. Destination input means for inputting a destination corresponding to the regional data of an arbitrary layer of the regional data, route search means for searching a traveling route to the destination input by the destination input means, Of the regional data stored by the storage means when the vehicle reaches the vicinity of the destination input by the destination input means and route guidance means for guiding the route according to the travel route searched by the route search means, The destination input permission means that enables the input of a new destination corresponding to the regional data that is lower than the regional data corresponding to the destination is By provided in Geshon device, to achieve the above object.

[0006]

In the navigation apparatus of the present invention, the storage means stores the regional data of a hierarchical structure, and the destination input means corresponds to the destination corresponding to the regional data of an arbitrary hierarchy among the regional data stored by the storage means. Is entered. Then, the route search means searches for a travel route from the starting point to the destination, and the route guidance means performs route guidance according to the travel route. Then, when the vehicle reaches the vicinity of the destination, the destination input permission means, among the regional data stored by the storage means,
It is possible to input a new destination corresponding to regional data that is lower than the regional data corresponding to the destination. Therefore, according to the present invention, a rough first destination is input to start, and when the vehicle approaches the first destination, a second finer destination is obtained within the range indicated by the first destination. It becomes possible to input a small destination in order while the vehicle is traveling, such as inputting a destination, and head toward the final destination.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the navigation device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the navigation device of this embodiment. As shown in this figure, the navigation device includes a CPU (central processing unit) 11 that functions as a route search means, a route guidance means, and a destination input permission means. A storage device 12, an input device 13, a voice processor 14, a display 15 and a current position recognition device 16 are connected to the CPU 11. A speaker 17 is connected to the voice processor 14. The input device 13 includes, for example, the keyboard 21 and the touch panel 2
2, a microphone 23, and a voice recognition device 24 connected to the microphone 23.

The storage device 12 stores a destination file 31, a prefecture name list 32, a city name list 33, a town name list 34, a ward name list 35, a village name list 36, an intersection list 37, a feature list 38, and genre name data 39. Data 40 such as destination genre data, large character name data 41, and map data 42 are stored. When the destination is input by the input device 13, the CPU 11 performs a route search using the information stored in the storage device 12, and maps the traveling route and the arrow indicating the traveling direction of the vehicle on the display 15 together with the road map. It is designed to guide the route while displaying. At the time of this route guidance, the current position of the vehicle is recognized by the current position recognition device 16 and is input to the CPU 11. The current position recognizing device 16 obtains the relative position of the vehicle by using, for example, a snake angle sensor, an azimuth sensor, a distance sensor, etc., and detects the absolute position of the vehicle by using GPS (Global Position System) or the like. . The user may input the current position without detecting the absolute position of the vehicle.

Further, the CPU 11 is a voice processor 14
Also, the speaker 17 is used to make an inquiry such as the selection of a route when there are a plurality of routes. In addition, the user inputs the destination etc. using the keyboard 2
1 and the touch panel 22 as well as voice input from the microphone 23. The voice information input from the microphone 23 is recognized by the voice recognition device 24 and input to the CPU 11.

Next, an outline of destination input and route guidance in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. In this embodiment, the destination can be entered by its official name as well as the area name. Area names are in multiple layers, Layer 1
It is divided into three. Layers may be divided by region, and in this case, for example, layer 1 is a prefecture unit and layer 2 is a unit.
Is for each municipality, Layer 3 is for each large character or museum,
It will be a feature of a museum. Further, the layers may be divided by roads. In this case, for example, layer 1 is a highway, layer 2 is a dedicated road, a road of 5.5 m or more, and layer 3 is a road of 5.5 m or less. To do.

The destination file 31 shown in FIG. 1 stores the official destination name, and for each official destination name, information on the area name of each layer to which the destination belongs is also stored. The prefecture name list 32 or the feature list 38 stores each region name of the prefecture or feature, and for each region name, information about which region name in the upper layer the region name belongs to is also stored. ing. Further, the genre name data 39 stores genre names of hotels, golf courses, ski resorts, museums, museums, etc., and for each genre name, the major names and telephone numbers of all the facilities included in the genre are also combined. Stored. The destination common name and the like data 40 stores the common name and the like of the destination together with its large name and telephone number. Further, the large-character name data 41 stores the large-character name together with information on the area name to which the large-character name belongs.

FIG. 2 shows an outline of destination input and route guidance in this embodiment. In FIG. 2, at the departure point (denoted by reference numeral 51), the first destination corresponding to layer 1 is input, route search and route guidance to the first destination are performed, and the first destination is approached. At a place (indicated by reference numeral 52), the second destination corresponding to layer 2 is input, route search and route guidance to the second destination are performed, and when the vehicle approaches the second destination (indicated by reference numeral 53). Show)
Then, the third destination is input, route search and route guidance to the third destination are performed, and when the third destination is approached (indicated by reference numeral 54), the final destination is input and the final destination is entered. It shows how to reach the final destination by performing route search and route guidance to the destination.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing how a user specifies a destination. As shown in FIG. 3, when the user inputs the first destination corresponding to layer 1, the second destination
When inputting the destination, the area name included in the range of the first destination among the area names corresponding to layer 2 is designated as the second destination. For example, when the first destination is “Kanagawa Prefecture”, the second destination is “Yokohama City”, “Kawasaki City”,
Specify from "Yamato City", "Fujisawa City", etc. Similarly,
When inputting the third destination, the area name included in the range of the second destination among the area names corresponding to layer 3 is designated as the third destination. In addition, it is not always necessary to input the destinations in the order of layers 1, 2, and 3. The destinations can be input from any layer, and the destination of the layer 3 can be input next to the destination of the layer 1. For example, the layers in the middle may be omitted.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of destination input and route guidance in this embodiment. This figure 4 shows "Kanagawa Prefecture" as the first destination, "Yokohama City" as the second destination, "Midori Ward" as the third destination, and "Ikebe Town" as the final destination.
In this example, voices are sequentially input to perform route search and route guidance. Here, when approaching each destination,
The navigation device of this embodiment makes inquiries and confirmations by voice. For inquiries, for example,
The content is "Please enter the next destination." Confirmation means confirmation of the destination input by voice,
At this time, the context of the destination is searched, that is, the destination is specified based on the context of the sequentially input destinations.

For example, in the example of FIG. 3, it is assumed that "green zone" in layer 3 is input as the third destination. This place name "Midori Ward" is found in both Aichi Prefecture and Kanagawa Prefecture, and cannot be identified by this alone. Therefore, the “midori ward” is specified based on the relationship with the previously input destination. That is,
If “Yokohama City” is entered as the second destination, it is set to “Midori Ward” in Kanagawa Prefecture. In this case, a voice inquiry such as "Is Midori Ward in Kanagawa good?" May be made. In addition, if you enter "green zone" in layer 3 as the destination from the beginning without inputting the destination in layer 1 and layer 2, you will be asked by voice "Which green zone?" Then, the user is prompted to input information, and the information is supplemented to specify the destination “Midori Ward”.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing an example of route search and route guidance in this embodiment. This FIG. 5 is a route searched when layer 1 for each prefecture is input to the first destination, layer 2 for each municipality is input to the second destination, and layer 3 for each large character is input to the third destination in order. Is shown. Here, when there are a plurality of routes to the destination, the plurality of routes are shown on the display 15 and the user is given the right to select a route. For example, if there are two routes to the first destination, Route A and Route B, in front of the junction of the two routes, "Left for Route A, right for Route B." The user is prompted to select a route. This reduces the initial input by the user.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of this embodiment. In the navigation device of this embodiment, when the destination is input by the user (step 101), it is determined whether or not the input is based on the area name (step 102), and the input is based on the official name of the destination instead of the input based on the area name. In the case of (step 102; N),
A normal search, which is a route search to the final destination, is performed (step 103). In case of input by area name (Step 10)
2; Y), it is determined whether or not the area name belongs to layer 1 (step 104), and if it belongs to layer 1 (step 104; Y), a first destination search is performed (step 105). ).

If the area name does not belong to layer 1 (step 104; N), it is judged whether or not the area name belongs to layer 2 (step 106), and if it belongs to layer 2 (step 106; Y). ), A second destination search is performed (step 107). If the area name does not belong to layer 2 (step 106; N), it is judged whether or not the area name belongs to layer 3 (step 108), and if it belongs to layer 3 (step 108; Y). , Search for a third destination (step 109). If it does not belong to Layer 3 (step 108; N), a voice inquiry such as "Please input the destination again" is made (step 110), and the process ends.

The navigation device normally searches (step 103), first destination search (step 105), second search.
When the destination search (step 107) or the third destination search (step 109) is completed, route guidance is performed according to the searched route (step 111). Next, it is determined whether or not the destination is approached (step 112), and if not approached (step 112; N), route guidance (step 111) is continued. When you approach your destination (Step 1
12; Y), if not during the normal search, an inquiry is made by voice prompting the input of the next destination (step 11).
3), end.

The destinations that can be input by the user include a word for which the search is started as it is and a word for which destination information needs to be supplemented. This will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, in FIG. 7, the ∘ mark indicates an item input by the user, the ∘ mark indicates an item of data which the item input by the user already has, and the * mark indicates the user according to the item input by the user. Indicates items that need to be supplemented with data.

As shown in FIG. 7, there are three types of words for which the search starts without inputting supplementary information: the official name of the destination, the name of the prefecture, and the name of the municipality. If the destination official name is specified, this destination official name has the information indicated by a circle in the destination file 31, so
You do not need to enter this information. Then, in this case, the CPU 11 supplements the necessary information from the destination file 31 and starts the normal search (step 10 in FIG. 6).
3). When the prefecture name is specified, this is the area name corresponding to layer 1, so the first destination search is started (step 105). After that, the user sequentially inputs the second destination, the third destination, and the final destination, so that the second destination search (step 107), the third destination search (step 109), and the normal search (step) 103) is sequentially performed. The second destination search and the third destination search may be omitted depending on the way the user inputs the destination. When the name of a city, ward, town, or village is specified, the information of this city, ward, town, or village has the information of the prefecture, so it is not necessary to input the information of the prefecture. In this case, the second
Start from the destination search, then the third destination search,
Normal search is performed sequentially.

On the other hand, there are three types of words for which it is necessary to supplement the destination information, such as genre name, destination profession name, and the like. The genre name data has, for each genre name such as a hotel, golf course, ski resort, museum, museum, etc., information on the large names and telephone numbers of all facilities included in the genre. Therefore, if the genre name is input and the user specifies the large-scale name and the telephone number, the facility is specified, and the normal search is started. When the user does not specify the large name and the telephone number, the user is required to enter the official name or the prefecture or city name of the location, and when the official name is entered, the normal search is started.
When the prefecture name is input, the search is started within the area of the prefecture name and includes the facility of the input genre (first destination search). Similarly, when the city name is input, the search starts within the area of the city name and includes the facility of the input genre (second destination search).

[0023] The destination genre name is a name different from the official name. Since these official names are not clear, it is necessary to clarify the place. Therefore, if the name of the destination is entered, the official name, genre name, or prefecture name or city name of the location is requested.
When the official name is entered, the normal search is started. When the genre name is input, it is similar to the case of the genre name input described above. When the prefecture name is input, the first destination search is started, and when the city name is input, the second destination search is started. Since the destination customs name data has the information of the large name and the telephone number, when the user specifies them, the normal search is started.

It is unclear as to the large name because there are many similar names in the whole country only by the name.
Therefore, when a large name is entered, the name of the prefecture or the name of the municipality of the location is requested in order to clarify the location. Then, when these are input and the place is specified, a normal search is started.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the destinations are not input by one operation, but the destinations in the rough range can be sequentially input to the destinations in the fine range as needed. it can. Therefore, at the departure point, it is possible to input a rough destination and depart, so that the operation for inputting the destination is reduced and the time for inputting the destination is shortened. Moreover, since the time for route search is shortened, it is possible to start quickly. Further, even when the final destination is unclear, a rough destination can be input to start.

Further, although the route to the destination desired by the user is not limited to one, in the past, only one route could be searched because the final destination was input at one time. According to the embodiment, it is possible to search for a route according to a user by sequentially inputting destinations while driving the vehicle. Further, in the conventional navigation device, there is a problem that it is difficult to determine the guidance when the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, but according to the present embodiment,
Since the guide route is formed by the user, it becomes easy for the user to grasp the traveling direction and position of the own vehicle, and it is easy to correct even if the user deviates from the guide route. In addition, in the present embodiment, since the destination and the like can be input by voice input, the operation during driving becomes easy.

Further, a procedure for inputting is provided when the destination is changed midway. For example, when it is desired to change the destination while guiding the route to the destination, the driver can cancel the operation by voice input or operation from the touch panel. When canceling,
Inquires for confirmation, but instead of simply canceling, you can choose to re-enter a different destination (regardless of the first, second, third, or final level) and continue the guidance. can do.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, a rough destination is input to depart, and thereafter, while the vehicle is traveling, the fine destinations are sequentially input to reach the final destination. This makes it possible to reduce the operation of inputting the destination.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of destination input and route guidance in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing how to specify a destination by a user according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of destination input and route guidance in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of route search and route guidance in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing search contents for each type of destination, which is input in an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 CPU 12 Storage Device 13 Input Device 14 Voice Processor 15 Display 16 Current Position Recognition Device 17 Speaker

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A storage means for storing area data having a hierarchical structure in which a range indicated by area data in an upper layer includes a range indicated by area data in a lower layer, and any one of the area data stored by the storage means. The destination input means for inputting the destination corresponding to the regional data of the hierarchy, the route search means for searching the travel route to the destination input by this destination input means, and the route search means for searching. Route guidance means for guiding the route according to the travel route, and when the vehicle reaches the vicinity of the destination input by the destination input means, corresponding to the destination among the regional data stored by the storage means The destination input permission means for enabling the input of a new destination corresponding to the regional data that is a subordinate of the regional data Navigation device to.