JPH0737199A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a navigation system capable of inputting easily the name of a place. CONSTITUTION:A controller 10 retrieves the name of a place whose first character is the same as an input character from the place name list 121 of a storage device 12 on the basis of the first character inputted to an input device 11, and stores it in a buffer 102 for candidate data. Then, it sorts the name of a place stored in the buffer 102 for candidate data in turn on the basis of the character inputted successively to the input device 11, and specifies one name of a place. The controller 10 executes the setting of a destination or the search of a route to the destination on the basis of this name of a place, and executes guidance to the destination.

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 capable of facilitating input processing of place names and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A navigation system provides a route guidance to a desired destination for a driver who is not guided by geography, and in recent years, the navigation system has been actively developed. In the navigation device, first, a destination to be visited is input, and a route to the destination is searched from the input destination, the current position of the vehicle, road information, and the like.
Then, the vehicle is guided along the searched route by displaying the position of the own vehicle, the searched route, and arrows indicating the traveling direction on an image display device that draws a map around the current position of the vehicle. Various methods have been proposed for inputting the destination, but a typical method is to input the name and address of the destination from the touch panel. For example, in the case of a destination “Tokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo ...”, the user inputs “Tokyo and Chiyodakuso to Kanda ...” from the touch panel. Further, as another input method, there is a method of displaying the names of each prefecture, each city, ward, town, etc. prepared in advance on the image display device, and selecting from the image display device in the order of prefecture, city, town, village, etc. For example, in the case of inputting “Toga Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo”, “Tokyo” is selected from the prefecture names displayed in the order of the Japanese syllabary. Then, "Chiyoda-ku" is selected from the subsequently displayed municipalities, and "Sotokanda" is sequentially selected from the respective large-character names displayed subsequently.

[0003]

However, in the conventional navigation device, since the amount of information that can be displayed on the image display device is limited, it is not possible to display all the place names on one screen, and in general, a plurality of place names cannot be displayed. Displayed across pages (screens). For this reason, when selecting a destination, the driver needs to scroll through the screen for many pages until the place name of the desired destination is displayed, and it takes time to input the destination. I was there. Further, in a navigation device that does not have a device for detecting the absolute position of the vehicle such as GPS (Global Positioning System), the driver must input not only the destination but also the place name of the departure place,
Similarly, it took a long time to input.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device which can easily perform a place name input process.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a navigation device for searching a route to a destination to guide a driver's route, a name for specifying the destination is stored. A storage means, an input means for sequentially inputting a name for specifying the destination for each character or syllable, and comparing all data input from this input means with the name stored in the storage means The navigation device is equipped with a search unit that searches for a matching name and an output unit that outputs the name when there is only one name searched by this search unit.

[0006]

In the navigation device according to the first aspect, the name for specifying the destination is stored in the storage means. Then, when the name for specifying the destination is sequentially input from the input means for each character or syllable, the search means compares all the data input from the input means with the name stored in the storage means. , Search for a prefixed name. The output means is
If there is only one name retrieved by this retrieval means, that name is output.

[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 schematically shows the main configuration of the navigation device according to this embodiment. Navigation device
A control device 10 is provided. An input device 11, a storage device 12, a current position detection device 13, an image display device 14, and an audio output device 15 are connected to the control device 10 via various interfaces. The input device 11 is for inputting various data such as a destination and a place name of the present location, and is configured by a touch panel for performing an input operation by touching the screen of the image display device 14 and various input devices such as a keyboard. There is.

The storage device 12 is, for example, an IC card or a C
The place name list 121 is composed of a storage medium such as a D-ROM (read only memory) or a flexible disk.
Road data 122, map data 123 and voice data 1
24 and the like are stored. The voice data 124 is data for voice-outputting the characters and place names input from the input device 11, and is, for example, data for each syllable such as “a” and “ka” and for each word (place name) such as “Tokyo”. Is stored as data. The place name list 121 includes a prefecture name list 121a, a city name list 121b, and a large name list 121c.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of a prefecture name list 121a, a city name list 121b, and a large name list 121c. As shown in FIG. 2A, the prefecture name list 121a includes prefecture name data α corresponding to the number of prefectures all over Japan, and each data is represented by an index number α′n attached to each prefecture. Are distinguished. Similarly, the city / town / village name list 121b includes city / town / village name data β for cities / nations in Japan, and each index number β ′ includes the city / town / village number β′m.
And the prefecture number α'n to which the municipality belongs. In addition, the large character name 121c includes large character name data γ of large character names nationwide in Japan, and each index number γ ′ has the large character number γ′p and the municipality number β′m to which the large character belongs. , And the prefecture number α′n.

Although the current position detecting device 13 is not shown,
Receiving device for receiving transmission data from GPS satellites and beacons installed on the road, various direction sensors such as gyro sensor (light, gas, machine, vibration, etc.), geomagnetic sensor, vehicle speed sensor, wheel sensor ,
It is equipped with a steering sensor. Further, it is provided with a calculation unit that calculates the absolute position of the vehicle (coordinates determined by latitude and longitude) from the data received by the receiving device and the detection data of various sensors. This current position detection device 13
The absolute position is mainly determined by the reception data of the GPS receiver, but when traveling in the valley of a high-rise building or in a tunnel, the transmission data from the GPS satellites cannot be received, so the detection data of various sensors are used. The position is determined by combining the actual traveling distance and the azimuth data calculated on the basis.

The control device 10 searches the place name of the destination, searches the route to the destination, based on various data from the input device 11, the storage device 12, and the current position detection device 13.
Check the traveling position of the vehicle, judge the route at each traveling position,
The various data stored in the storage device 12 is supplied to the image display device 14 and the audio output device 15. The control device 10 includes an arithmetic processing unit 101 that performs these various processes, and a memory unit 102 including a ROM that stores various programs and data necessary for the processing of the arithmetic processing unit 101 and a RAM as a working memory. The RAM of the memory unit 102 has an input character buffer 10 for storing character data input from the input device 11.
2a and a candidate data buffer 102b for storing the place name data retrieved from the place name list 121 of the storage device 12.
And a search result storage buffer 102c for storing the place name data specified as one by the search.
The search result storage buffer 102c includes areas c1 and c.
The area is divided into 2 and c3, and each searched area stores the prefecture name, the city name, the city name, and the large name.

The image display device 14 is composed of a CRT display or a liquid crystal display. When the display unit of the image display device 14 is used for the touch panel as the input device 11, as shown in FIG. 4, a selection field A in which hiragana characters necessary for inputting a place name are displayed in the Japanese syllabary order.
And the input field B where the input character is displayed,
It is supposed to be displayed. Further, a map around the current position of the vehicle is drawn based on the map data 123 of the storage device 12, and an arrow or the like indicating the own vehicle position, the searched route and the course direction is displayed on the map. . The voice output device 15 synthesizes a predetermined voice based on the voice data 124 stored in the storage device 12 and outputs the synthesized voice.

Next, the operation of the embodiment thus constructed will be described. Outline of Operation FIG. 3 shows a place name search process performed by the control device 10. This place name search process is performed by the driver (operator)
Is a process for retrieving a required destination from each character representing the destination that is sequentially input. The control device 10 enters this place name search process when the driver touches a predetermined position on the screen of the image display device 14, and the image display device 14 displays 50 in the selection field A as shown in FIG. Sound is displayed.

In the place name search process, first, the prefecture mode is entered (FIG. 3; step 1). Now, let us explain about the case where the driver inputs the place name "Tokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo". In the prefecture mode, "Tokyo"
Is the search target. When the driver touches the first character “to”, the input character “to” is displayed in the input field B as shown in FIG. Then, the control device 10 selects from the prefecture name list 121a,
Search for prefectures with the first letter "to", but there are multiple target prefectures such as "Toyama prefecture" other than "Tokyo", and it is not possible to specify in one place, so the voice "to" Answer back only.

When the next character "U" is entered, "to" is entered in the input field B as shown in FIG. 4B.
Is displayed next to. In the control device 10, the prefecture in which the first character is “to” and the second character is “u” is
Since only "Tokyo" exists and can be specified in one place, "Tokyo" is displayed in the input field B without waiting for the input of the next "Ki", and the voice "Tokyo" is answered. Go back and end the search for prefecture mode. When the search is completed, the control device 10 stores the place name data of "Tokyo" in the search result in the prefecture name storage area c1 of the search result storage buffer 102c as shown in FIG.

When the place name search process in the prefecture mode is completed, the mode is similarly changed to the city / ward / ward mode (step 2) and the large character mode (step 3). That is, when the target “Chiyoda Ward” and “Tokanda” are specified by the characters sequentially input from the selection field A, the city / ward name storage area c2 and the large name of the search result storage buffer 102c are displayed. Store in the storage area c3.

Details of Operation FIGS. 5 and 6 show the place name search processing in each mode.
3 illustrates a flow of specific processing performed by the control device 10. First, when the driver selects each mode, the control device 10 sets the input character number counter n to 1 (step 11), and displays the place name input screen (see FIG. 4) on the image display device 14. (Step 12). When the driver inputs a predetermined character from the input device 11 (step 13), the control device 10 displays the input character in the input field B as shown in FIG. 4 (a) (step 14). Subsequently, the control device 10 reads the voice data corresponding to the input character from the storage device 12, and answers back from the voice output device 15 (step 15). Next, the input nth character data is stored in the nth storage area of the input character buffer 102a (step 16), and whether the input character counter number n is 1 or not,
That is, it is determined whether or not the input character is the first character (step 17).

If the input character counter number n is 1 (step 17; Y), the first character stored in the input character buffer 102a and the place name data in the place name list 121 (prefecture name data, city block) The first character of the town name data and the large character name data) is compared (step 18), and it is determined whether or not there is place name data having the same first character (step 19). If there is place name data with the first character matching (step 19; Y), all the matching place name data is copied to the candidate data buffer 102b (step 20), and the process proceeds to step 24.

On the other hand, when the input character counter number n is not 1 in step 17 (step 17; N), that is, when the input character is the second or subsequent character, it is stored in the candidate data buffer 102b copied in step 20. The characters corresponding to the counter number n of the given place name data are compared (step 21). If there is data in which the nth character matches (step 22; Y), n of the place name data stored in the candidate data buffer 102b
Delete the place name data that does not match the first character (Step 2
3) The place name data is narrowed down, and the process proceeds to step 24.

In step 24, it is determined whether or not the number of remaining data in the candidate data buffer 102b is one. When the number of remaining data is plural, that is, when the place name data is not narrowed down to one (step 24; N), 1 is added to the input character number counter n (shift to step 25, and the next character is input). Narrow down.

On the other hand, when the remaining data is one (step 24; Y), for example, as shown in FIG.
The specified place name is read from the candidate data buffer 102b and displayed in the input field B of the image display device 14 (step 26). Also, the voice data corresponding to the specified place name is read from the storage device 12 and output from the voice output device 15 (step 27). The driver looks at the output voice or the display place name of the input field B, and if the retrieved place name is correct, presses the "check" portion displayed in the input field B, and if it is wrong, "correction".
Correction is made by pressing the portion (step 28). When it is detected that the driver presses "inspect" (step 2)
9; N), the control device 10 determines whether or not the search processing mode is the prefecture mode (step 30). If it is in the prefecture mode (step 30; Y), the process proceeds to step 31, and the place name data in the candidate data buffer 102b is stored in the prefecture name storage area c1 of the search result storage buffer 102c, and the prefecture is stored. The place name search process of the mode ends.

On the other hand, when it is not in the prefecture mode (step 30; N), the prefecture name storage area c1 or the city / ward name storage area c2 of the search result storage buffer 102c has already been entered.
Check the consistency between the place name data stored in (1) and the retrieved place name data (step 32). This is a process performed because the place name data for each mode is stored independently, so that a place name such as “Nagoya City, Kanagawa Prefecture” is not finally retrieved. Specifically, this processing is performed as follows.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2B, the place name data α, β, γ are index numbers α ',
Since it has β ′ and γ ′, the consistency of the place name is checked based on the index number of each place name data. For example, if the search for the city name is completed,
As shown by the arrow X in (B), the prefecture number αn of the index number β ′ added to the retrieved city name data β and the prefecture name data already stored in the prefecture name storage area c1. It is determined whether or not the prefecture number αn in the index number α ′ of α matches. In addition, when the search for the large character name is completed, as shown by the arrows Y and Z in FIG. 7B, the city number and the prefecture number αn in the index number γ ′ of the large character name data γ are , Area that has already been searched and is stored in the city name c2
City number βm of city name data stored in
And the prefecture number αn.

When the consistency of the place name data is checked and it is normal (step 33; Y), the place name data is searched for in the predetermined areas c1, c2 of the search result storage buffer 102c.
Alternatively, it is stored in c3 (step 31). Then, the input character buffer 102a and the candidate data buffer 102
The data of b is erased (step 34), and the place name search processing routine ends.

On the other hand, in step 19 and step 22, if there is no place name data having the same nth character (N), and if there is an error in step 33, that is, if the search results are not consistent ( N) Since it is considered that the driver has made an input error, corresponding error messages are displayed on the screen of the display device 14 (step 35). After the output of the error message or when it is detected in step 29 that the driver presses "inspect", the latest character in the input character buffer 102a, that is, the nth character is cleared (step 36) and the display device is displayed. After clearing the corresponding character in the input field B 14 (step 37), the process proceeds to step 13.

As described above, in the navigation device according to the present embodiment, the place name data of the place name list 121 stored in the storage device 12 does not have a hierarchical structure, and the place name lists 121a, 121b and Since the destination name is stored in the directory 121c, it is possible to search for the place name of the destination, for example, by the city, ward, town, or village, without searching for the prefecture by name. The place name data may be stored in a hierarchical structure from prefecture names to large names. That is, the municipality name list is made to correspond to the existing prefecture list, and the large name list is made to correspond to the municipality list and stored. In this way, the hierarchical structure makes it impossible to directly search from the municipality, but the consistency check becomes unnecessary. Further, although the place name input is the character input by the touch panel, a voice recognition device may be used as the input device 11 and input by voice.
Also, in a navigation device that does not have a device for detecting the absolute position of the own vehicle, the place name search process of the present invention may be performed even when the place name of the departure place is input.

[0027]

According to the navigation device of the present invention,
The place name input process can be easily performed.

[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 a structure of place name data forming a place name list stored in a storage device of the same device and an index number included in each place name data.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of a place name search process performed by the control device of the device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a screen displayed on an image display device in a place name search process by the device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a part of a specific processing flow performed by a control device in a place name search process by the device.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the rest of the specific processing flow performed by the control device in the place name search processing by the device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 control device 101 arithmetic processing unit 102 memory unit 102a input character buffer 102b candidate data buffer 102c search result storage buffer 11 input device 12 storage device 121 place name list 121a prefecture name list 121b city / ward name list 121c large name list 122 road data 123 map data 124 audio data 13 current position detection device 14 image display device 15 audio output device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A navigation device for searching a route to a destination to guide a driver to a route, and a storage unit storing a name for identifying the destination, and a storage unit for identifying the destination. An input means for sequentially inputting a name for each character or a syllable; a search means for comparing all the data input from this input means with the name stored in the storage means to search for a prefix-matching name; A navigation device, comprising: an output unit which outputs the name when the name searched by the search unit is one.