JP2006010639A - NAVI DEVICE, NAVI SERVER, AND NAVI SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a navigation device or the like that allows a user to grasp an optimum guide route from the viewpoint of shortening the travel time to a target position of a mobile body while reducing the troublesomeness of stopping the mobile body for paying a fee. .
According to a navigation apparatus 100 of the present invention, a payment method determination unit 130 determines whether or not an automobile 10 has an automatic payment function for a toll road usage fee. Further, the mode setting unit 140 sets a “normal mode” that equalizes the toll road and the general road or a “priority mode” that gives priority to one of the toll road and the general road according to the determination result. Further, the guide route setting unit 160 sets the route having the shortest estimated travel time based on the road traffic information recognized by the road traffic information recognition unit 150 as the “guide route” according to the setting mode by the mode setting unit 140. Then, the navigation device 100 displays a guidance route and the like.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device mounted in an automobile, a navigation server that assists navigation by the navigation device through communication with the navigation device, and a navigation system including the navigation device and the navigation system.

  A navigation device (car navigation system) that displays a guide route from a current position measured by GPS or the like to a target position set by a user (driver) is widely used.

Guidance routes may include toll roads such as expressways that require payment of usage fees, as well as ordinary roads that do not require payment of usage fees. Has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-2185050 (paragraphs 0028-0033, FIG. 2)

  However, according to the conventional navigation device, when a toll road is included in the guidance route, the guidance route is set so that the toll road is preferentially included over the general road. Therefore, although it is more appropriate to reduce the mileage and travel time, it is appropriate to drive only on the toll road after the car is once off the toll road and travels on the general road and then travels on the toll road again. A guide route that includes a toll road that is a toll road while the latter half is a general road is set. In this case, even cars that are originally inappropriate to travel on toll roads will travel on toll roads according to the guidance route displayed on the navigation device, and toll roads (especially urban expressways) ) Will cause problems such as traffic congestion.

  On the other hand, the toll gate of many toll roads is included in the guidance route, and the user (driver) will stop paying the usage fee by stopping the car every time he passes the toll gate before reaching the target position. This is not preferable because it causes annoyance.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a navigation device that allows the user to grasp the optimum guide route from the viewpoint of shortening the travel time to the target position of the mobile body, while reducing the inconvenience of stopping the mobile body for fee payment, It is an object of the present invention to provide a navigation server and a navigation system.

  A navigation device for solving the above-mentioned problem is a navigation device having a function of displaying a guide route of a mobile object, and payment for determining whether or not the mobile object has a function of automatically paying a toll road usage fee Based on the communication between the method determination means and the navigation server, the road traffic information recognition means for recognizing the road traffic information and the payment method determination means determine that the mobile body has the function. A mode for setting a priority mode in which one of a toll road and a general road is given priority over the other when a mobile unit determines that the function is not provided by the payment method determination unit while the normal mode in which both are equivalent is set. The moving time to the target position of the moving body predicted based on the road traffic information recognized by the road traffic information recognition unit according to the setting mode by the setting unit and the mode setting unit Characterized in that it comprises a guiding route setting means for setting a route having the shortest as a guide route.

  According to the navigation apparatus of the present invention, the payment method determination means determines whether or not the mobile body has an automatic payment function for toll usage fees. The moving body includes a user himself / herself in addition to a vehicle driven by the user such as an automobile and a bicycle. Further, when the mobile body is the user himself, the mobile body having the function means that a device having the function is carried by the user.

  Further, the road traffic information recognition means recognizes the road traffic information based on communication with the navigation server.

  Further, when the payment method determination means determines that the mobile body has an automatic payment function for toll road usage charges, the mode setting means sets “normal mode” in which both the toll road and the general road are equivalent. To do. On the other hand, when it is determined by the payment method determination means that the mobile body does not have the automatic payment function for the toll road usage fee, the mode setting means gives priority to one of the toll road and the general road in the “priority mode”. "Is set.

  Further, the route in which the guide route setting means has the shortest travel time to the target position of the moving body predicted based on the road traffic information recognized by the road traffic information recognition means according to the setting mode by the mode setting means Is set as the “guide route”. The navigation device displays the guidance route set by the guidance route setting means.

  From the viewpoint of shortening the estimated travel time, toll roads and general roads are selected as equal or substantially equal as roads constituting the guide route set according to the “normal mode” without priority being given to one of them. The For this reason, the number of times of use of the toll road is not suppressed, and if it is originally, the user may be bothered to stop the moving body for payment of the toll road usage fee. However, the “normal mode” is set when the mobile body has an automatic payment function for toll usage fees. Therefore, a user can use a navigation device to provide a guidance route that can guide the mobile body to the target position in the shortest time in a state in which this trouble is inherently eliminated by the automatic payment function of the toll road usage fee possessed by the mobile body. Can be grasped.

  In addition, when the mobile body does not have an automatic payment function for toll road usage fees, the user is inconvenienced to stop the mobile body for payment of toll road usage fees. In this case, however, the guide route is set according to the “priority mode” in which one of the toll road and the general road is given priority over the other. As a road constituting the guide route set according to the priority mode, one of the toll road and the general road can be selected with priority over the other. Therefore, as a result, the number of times of switching from one to the other of the toll road and the general road, and hence the number of times the toll road is used, is suppressed. Then, while reducing this annoyance, the user can be made aware of the guidance route through which the moving body can move to the target position in a short time.

  As described above, according to the navigation device of the present invention, the user can grasp the optimum guidance route from the viewpoint of shortening the travel time to the target position of the mobile body while reducing the trouble of stopping the mobile body for payment. Can be.

  In the navigation device of the present invention, the guidance route setting means sets the coefficient ratio of the first weighting coefficient to the second weighting coefficient to a value within the normal range including 1 according to the normal mode, while in the priority mode. Accordingly, the coefficient ratio is set to a value out of the normal range, and the product of the first weighting coefficient and the travel time of the toll road section included in the road traffic information is calculated as the road section of the toll road. The travel time is predicted by calculating the product of the second weighting factor and the travel time required for each road section of the general road included in the road traffic information as the travel time of the road section of the general road. It is characterized by predicting the movement time to the target position of the body.

  According to the navigation apparatus of the present invention, the guide route setting means calculates the product of the “first weighting factor” and the “travel time” of the road segment of the toll road included in the road traffic information, as the road segment of the toll road. Predict the travel time of Further, the guide route setting means predicts the product of the “second weighting factor” and the “travel required time” of the road segment of the general road included in the road traffic information as the travel time of the road segment of the general road. Further, the guidance route setting means sets the coefficient ratio of the first weight coefficient to the second weight coefficient according to the mode set by the mode setting means.

  Specifically, according to the “normal mode”, the coefficient ratio is set to a value within a normal range including “1”. Thereby, the first and second weighting coefficients in the normal mode are equivalent or substantially equivalent. Therefore, if the required travel time of the road sections included in the road traffic information is the same, the travel time of the toll road and the predicted time of the general road are predicted to be equivalent or substantially equivalent. And, from the viewpoint of setting the guide route with the shortest estimated travel time, the toll road and the general road are given priority over the other as the roads constituting the guide route set according to the “normal mode”. It can be selected equally or approximately equally without.

  On the other hand, the coefficient ratio is set to a value out of the normal range according to the “priority mode”. As a result, the first weighting factor in the priority mode is smaller or larger than the second weighting factor. Therefore, if the required travel time of each road segment included in the road traffic information is the same, the travel time of the toll road is predicted to be shorter or longer than the travel time of the general road. And from the viewpoint of shortening the estimated travel time, as a road constituting the guide route set according to the “priority mode”, one of the toll road and the general road is selected more preferentially than the other. .

  The navigation device of the present invention further includes priority road recognition means for recognizing one of the toll road and the general road selected by the user as a priority road, and the mode setting means determines that the toll road is a priority road by the priority road recognition means. If it is recognized, the normal mode is set according to the determination result by the payment method determination unit, or the first priority mode is set to prioritize the toll road over the general road, while the general road is prioritized by the priority road recognition unit. When the road is recognized as a road, a second priority mode is set in which a general road is given priority over a toll road.

  According to the navigation apparatus of the present invention, the priority road recognition means recognizes one of the toll road and the general road selected by the user as the priority road. In addition, when the toll road is recognized as the priority road by the priority road recognizing means, the mode setting means sets “normal mode” according to the determination result by the payment method determining means, or the toll road is set as a general road. The priority mode to be prioritized is set as the “first priority mode”. On the other hand, when the “general road” is recognized as the priority road by the priority road recognition unit, the mode setting unit sets the priority mode in which the general road is given priority over the toll road as the “second priority mode”. Then, as described above, the guide route setting means sets the guide route according to the mode set by the mode setting means.

  That is, when the toll road is set as the priority road and the mobile body has an automatic payment function for the toll road usage fee, the guide route is set according to the “normal mode”. From the viewpoint of shortening the estimated travel time, toll roads and general roads are selected as equal or substantially equal as roads constituting the guide route set according to the “normal mode” without priority being given to one of them. The For this reason, the number of times of use of the toll road is not suppressed, and if it is originally, the user may be bothered to stop the moving body for payment of the toll road usage fee. However, the “normal mode” is set when the mobile body has an automatic payment function for toll usage fees. Therefore, a user can use a navigation device to provide a guidance route that can guide the mobile body to the target position in the shortest time in a state in which this trouble is inherently eliminated by the automatic payment function of the toll road usage fee possessed by the mobile body. Can be grasped.

  Further, when the toll road is set as the priority road and the mobile body does not have the automatic payment function of the toll road usage fee, the guide route is set according to the “first priority mode”. If the mobile body does not have an automatic payment function for the toll road usage fee, it would be inconvenient for the user to stop the mobile body for the toll road usage fee payment. In this case, however, the guide route is set according to the “first priority mode” in which the toll road is given priority over the general road. A toll road can be preferentially selected over a general road as a road constituting the guide route set according to the first priority mode. Therefore, as a result, the number of times of switching from one to the other of the toll road and the general road, and hence the number of times the toll road is used, is suppressed. Then, the user can grasp the guide route through which the moving body can move to the target position in a short time while reducing the annoyance of stopping the moving body for payment of the toll road usage fee.

  Furthermore, when a general road is set as a priority road, a guide route is set according to the “second priority mode”. A general road can be preferentially selected over a toll road as a road constituting the guide route set according to the second priority mode. Therefore, as a result, the number of times of switching from one to the other of the toll road and the general road, and hence the number of times the toll road is used, is suppressed. Then, the user can grasp the guide route through which the moving body can move to the target position in a short time while reducing the annoyance of stopping the moving body for payment of the toll road usage fee.

  As described above, according to the navigation device of the present invention, the user can grasp the optimum guidance route from the viewpoint of shortening the travel time to the target position of the mobile body while reducing the trouble of stopping the mobile body for payment. Can be.

  In the navigation apparatus of the present invention, the guidance route setting means sets the coefficient ratio of the first weighting coefficient to the second weighting coefficient to a value within a normal range including 1 according to the normal mode, and the first priority mode The coefficient ratio is set to a value smaller than the lower limit value of the normal range according to the second priority mode, and the coefficient ratio is set to a value larger than the upper limit value of the normal range according to the second priority mode. Is estimated as the travel time of the road segment of the toll road, and the road class of the general road included in the second weighting factor and the road traffic information. It is characterized in that the travel time to the target position of the mobile object is predicted by predicting the product of each required travel time as the travel time of the road segment of the general road.

  According to the navigation apparatus of the present invention, the guide route setting means calculates the product of the “first weighting factor” and the “travel time” of the road segment of the toll road included in the road traffic information, as the road segment of the toll road. Predict the travel time of Further, the guide route setting means predicts the product of the “second weighting factor” and the “travel required time” of the road segment of the general road included in the road traffic information as the travel time of the road segment of the general road. Further, the guidance route setting means sets the coefficient ratio of the first weight coefficient to the second weight coefficient according to the mode set by the mode setting means.

  Specifically, according to the “normal mode”, the coefficient ratio is set to a value within a normal range including “1”. Thereby, the first and second weighting coefficients in the normal mode are equivalent or substantially equivalent. Therefore, if the required travel time of the road sections included in the road traffic information is the same, the travel time of the toll road and the predicted time of the general road are predicted to be equivalent or substantially equivalent. And, from the viewpoint of setting the guide route with the shortest estimated travel time, the toll road and the general road are given priority over the other as the roads constituting the guide route set according to the “normal mode”. It can be selected equally or approximately equally without.

  Further, the coefficient ratio is set to a value smaller than the lower limit value of the normal range according to the “first priority mode”. As a result, the first weighting factor in the first priority mode is smaller than the second weighting factor. Therefore, if the required travel time of each road segment included in the road traffic information is the same, the travel time of the toll road is predicted to be shorter than the travel time of the general road. From the viewpoint of shortening the predicted travel time, the tendency that the toll road is preferentially selected over the general road as the road constituting the guide route set according to the “first priority mode” is strengthened.

  Further, the coefficient ratio is set to a value smaller than the lower limit value of the normal range according to the “second priority mode”. As a result, the first weighting factor in the second priority mode is greater than the second weighting factor. Therefore, if the required travel time of each road segment included in the road traffic information is the same, the travel time of the toll road is predicted to be longer than the travel time of the general road. Then, from the viewpoint of shortening the predicted travel time, the tendency that a general road is preferentially selected over a toll road as a road constituting a guide route set according to the “second priority mode” is strengthened.

  The navigation server according to the present invention for solving the above-described problems includes position recognition means for recognizing a current position and a target position of a moving body through communication with the navigation device, and a current position of the moving body recognized by the position recognition means. Area setting means for setting the target area based on the position and the target position, and causing the road traffic information recognition means to recognize the road traffic information included in the target area set by the area setting means by communicating with the navigation device And a road traffic information management means.

  According to the navigation server of the present invention, the position recognition means recognizes the current position and the target position of the moving body through communication with the navigation device. The area setting means sets the target area based on the current position and the target position of the moving body recognized by the position recognition means. Then, the road traffic information management means causes the road traffic information recognition means to recognize the road traffic information included in the target area set by the area setting means by communication with the navigation device.

  Thus, from the viewpoint of setting a guide route that minimizes the predicted travel time of the moving object from the current position to the target position, the road traffic information of the navigation device is based on the target area corresponding to the current position and the target position of the moving object. The road traffic information recognized by the recognition means can be appropriately narrowed down. Then, the information processing amount when the guide route setting means sets the guide route can be suppressed, and the processing speed can be increased. In addition, through the navigation device, as described above, the optimum guide route from the viewpoint of reducing the complexity of the user such as stopping the moving body for paying the fee and moving the moving body from the current position to the target position in a short time Can be grasped by the user.

  The navigation server of the present invention further includes route setting means for setting a route connecting the current position and the target position of the moving body recognized by the position recognition means, and the area setting means determines the route set by the route setting means. An area to be included is set as a target area.

  According to the navigation server of the present invention, from the viewpoint of setting a guide route that minimizes the predicted travel time of the moving object from the current position to the target position, the navigation device is based on the route connecting the current position and the target position of the moving object. The road traffic information recognized by the road traffic information recognition means can be appropriately narrowed down. Then, the information processing amount when the guide route setting means sets the guide route can be suppressed, and the processing speed can be increased. In addition, through the navigation device, as described above, the optimum guide route from the viewpoint of reducing the complexity of the user such as stopping the moving body for paying the fee and moving the moving body from the current position to the target position in a short time Can be grasped by the user.

  Furthermore, the navigation server of the present invention comprises mode recognition means for recognizing the mode set by the mode setting means through communication with the navigation device, and the route setting means is adapted to the mode recognized by the mode recognition means. A route from the current position of the moving body to the target position is set.

  According to the navigation server of the present invention, from the viewpoint of setting a guide route that minimizes the predicted travel time of the moving body from the current position to the target position according to the mode set by the mode setting means of the navigation device, the mode Based on the above, the road traffic information recognized by the road traffic information recognition means of the navigation device can be appropriately narrowed down. Then, the information processing amount when the guide route setting means sets the guide route can be suppressed, and the processing speed can be increased. In addition, through the navigation device, as described above, the optimum guide route from the viewpoint of reducing the complexity of the user such as stopping the moving body for paying the fee and moving the moving body from the current position to the target position in a short time Can be grasped by the user.

  A navigation system according to the present invention for solving the above-described problems is a navigation system including a navigation device having a function of displaying a guidance route of a moving body and a navigation server that manages road traffic information. The apparatus includes a payment method determination unit that determines whether or not the mobile body has an automatic payment function for a toll road usage fee, and one of the navigation device and the navigation server has the function of the mobile body by the payment method determination unit. If it is determined that the mobile unit does not have the function, the toll road and the general road are set in the normal mode in which both the toll road and the general road are equivalent. Mode setting means for setting a priority mode in which one of them is given priority over the other, and the road traffic recognized by the road traffic information recognition means according to the setting mode by the mode setting means. Wherein the travel time to the target position of the moving body to be predicted and a guiding route setting means for setting a guidance route the route having the shortest based on the information.

  According to the navigation system of the present invention, the user can grasp the optimum guidance route from the viewpoint of shortening the travel time to the target position of the mobile body while reducing the trouble of stopping the mobile body for payment. Can be.

  Further, the navigation system of the present invention includes priority road recognition means in which one of the navigation device and the navigation server recognizes one of the toll road and the general road selected by the user as a priority road, and the mode setting means includes When the toll road is recognized as the priority road by the priority road recognition means, the normal mode is set according to the determination result by the payment method determination means, or the priority mode for giving priority to the toll road to the general road is the first priority mode. On the other hand, when a general road is recognized as a priority road by the priority road recognition means, a priority mode that prioritizes the general road over a toll road is set as a second priority mode.

  According to the navigation system of the present invention, while reflecting the user's intention to prioritize which of the toll road and the general road of the moving body, while reducing the trouble of stopping the moving body for the fee payment From the viewpoint of shortening the moving time to the target position of the moving body, the user can be made aware of the optimum guidance route through the navigation device.

  Embodiments of a navigation device, a navigation server, and a navigation system including the navigation device and the navigation server according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory diagram of a navigation device and a navigation server as an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a functional explanatory diagram of the navigation device and the navigation server of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram in the navigation device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a mode setting procedure, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of road conditions, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a route and a target area according to a normal mode, and FIG. 6 is a route according to a first priority mode. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the route and the target area according to the second priority mode, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the guidance route according to the normal mode, and FIG. 9 is the first priority. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the guidance route according to the mode, and FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the guidance route according to the second priority mode.

  First, the configuration of the navigation device and the navigation server will be described with reference to FIG.

  A navigation device 100 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on an automobile (mobile body) 10 and includes an operation button 102 for setting a target position and the like by a user, and a monitor 104 on which a map and a guidance route are displayed. In addition, the navigation device 100 includes a position recognition unit 110, a priority road recognition unit 120, a payment method determination unit 130, a mode setting unit 140, a road traffic information recognition unit 150, a guidance route setting unit 160, image control, and the like. Unit 170. Each unit includes a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, electronic circuit, and the like as hardware, and software that gives the microcomputer an information processing function according to the purpose.

  The position recognition unit 110 recognizes (measures) the current position PP of the automobile 10 based on a measurement signal from a gyro sensor (not shown) using GPS as necessary (see FIG. 4). Further, the position recognition unit 110 recognizes the target position TP set by the user through the operation buttons 102 (see FIG. 4).

  The priority road recognition unit 120 recognizes one of the toll road such as an expressway and a general road selected by the user through the operation button 102 as a priority road.

  The payment method determination unit 130 determines whether or not the automobile 10 has an automatic payment function for a toll road usage fee. Specifically, when the ETC device 11 is mounted on the automobile 10, the payment method determination unit 130 detects whether or not a signal generated by the ETC device 11 when a charging card 12 such as a credit card or a prepaid card is inserted is detected. The presence or absence of the function is determined according to

  The mode setting unit 140 sets a later-described mode based on the priority road recognized by the priority road recognition unit 120 or the determination result by the priority road and the payment method determination unit 130.

  The road traffic information recognition unit 150 recognizes “road traffic information” based on communication with the navigation server 200.

  The guide route setting unit 160 has the shortest travel time to the target position of the mobile body predicted based on the road traffic information recognized by the road traffic information recognition unit 150 according to the mode set by the mode setting unit 140. Is set as a “guide route”.

  The image control unit 170 causes the monitor 104 to display the current position and the target position recognized by the position recognition unit 110, the guide route, etc. by the guide route setting means 160.

  A navigation server 200 shown in FIG. 1 includes a position recognition unit 210, a mode recognition unit 220, a route setting unit 230, an area setting unit 240, and a road traffic information management unit 250. Each unit includes a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, electronic circuit, and the like as hardware, and software that gives the microcomputer an information processing function according to the purpose.

  The position recognition unit 210 recognizes the current position PP and the target position TP of the automobile 10 recognized by the position recognition unit 110 through communication with the navigation device 100.

  The mode recognition unit 220 recognizes the mode set by the mode setting unit 140 through communication with the navigation device 100.

  The route setting unit 230 sets a route connecting the current position PP and the target position TP of the automobile 10 recognized by the position recognition unit 210 according to the mode recognized by the mode recognition unit 220.

  The area setting unit 240 sets an area including the route set by the route setting unit 230 among a plurality of areas as a “target area”.

  The road traffic information management unit 250 causes the road traffic information recognition unit 150 to recognize the road traffic information included in the target area set by the area setting unit 240 through communication with the navigation device 100.

  Functions of the navigation device and the navigation server having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The position recognition unit 110 uses the GPS as necessary, recognizes the current position PP of the automobile 10 based on the measurement signal of the gyro sensor (not shown), and sets the target position TP set by the user through the operation button 102. Recognize (see FIG. 2 / S110, FIG. 4).

  Further, the priority road recognition unit 120 recognizes one of the toll road and the general road selected by the user through the operation button 102 as a “priority road” (S120 in FIG. 2).

  Further, the payment method determination unit 130 determines whether or not the automobile 10 has a function for automatically paying a toll road usage fee (FIG. 2 / S130). Specifically, when the ETC device 11 is mounted on the automobile 10, the payment method determination unit 130 detects whether or not a signal generated by the ETC device 11 when a charging card 12 such as a credit card or a prepaid card is inserted is detected. The presence or absence of the function is determined according to

  Further, the mode setting unit 140 sets the mode according to the priority road recognized by the priority road recognition unit 120 or the determination result by the priority road and the payment method determination unit 130 (FIG. 2 / S140).

  Specifically, the priority road recognition unit 120 recognizes that the priority road is a “toll road” (FIG. 3 / S141... A), and the payment method determination unit 130 causes the car 10 to pay the toll road usage fee. When it is determined that “it has an automatic payment function” (FIG. 3 / S142... YES), “normal mode” in which both the toll road and the general road are equivalent is set (FIG. 3 / S143). Further, the priority road recognition unit 120 recognizes that the priority road is a “toll road” (FIG. 3 / S141... A), and the payment method determination unit 130 allows the automobile 10 to automatically pay the toll road usage fee. Is determined to be “not present” (FIG. 3 / S142... NO), the “first priority mode” is set to prioritize the toll road over the general road (FIG. 3 / S144). Further, when the priority road recognition unit 120 recognizes that the priority road is a “general road” (FIG. 3 / S141... B), a “second priority mode” is set to prioritize the general road over the toll road ( FIG. 3 / S145).

  Position information specifying the current position PP and the target position TP recognized by the position recognition unit 110 is transmitted from the navigation device 100 to the navigation server 200 (FIG. 2 / arrow A1) and recognized by the position recognition unit 210 (FIG. 2). / S210). Also, mode information specifying the mode set by the mode setting unit 140 is transmitted from the navigation device 100 to the navigation server 200 (FIG. 2 / arrow A2) and recognized by the mode recognition unit 220 (FIG. 2 / S220). An identifier for identifying the vehicle 10 or the navigation device 100 together with the position information and the mode information is transmitted from the navigation device 100 to the navigation server 200, so that the navigation server 200 can determine which vehicle 10 or navigation information the position information and the mode information are. It is determined whether the data is transmitted from the device 100.

  Further, the route setting unit 230 sets a route connecting the current position PP of the automobile 10 recognized by the position recognition unit 210 and the target position TP according to the mode recognized by the mode recognition unit 220. Specifically, according to the “normal mode”, one of the toll road and the general road is not given priority over the other, and the route is set equally. Further, according to the “first priority mode”, a route is set by giving priority to the toll road over the general road. Further, according to the “second priority mode”, a route is set by giving priority to a general road over a toll road.

  For example, according to the “normal mode”, as shown in FIG. 5, the current position PP leads to a position P1 via a general road (broken line), and from the position P1 to a position P2 via a toll road (solid line), A route R1 is set from the position P2 through the general road to the position P5, from the position P5 through the toll road to the position P6, and from the position P6 through the general road to the target position TP. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5, the current position PP leads to a position P1 via a general road, the position P1 passes a toll road to a position P3, the position P3 passes a general road to a position P4, A route R2 is set from the position P4 via the toll road to the position P6 and from the position P6 via the general road to the target position TP. As roads constituting the routes R1 and R2 set according to the “normal mode”, one of the toll road and the general road is selected equally without giving priority to the other.

  Further, according to the “first priority mode”, as shown in FIG. 6, the current position PP passes through a general road (broken line) to the position P1, and the position P1 passes through a toll road (solid line) to the position P6. Thus, a route R from the position P6 to the target position TP via the general road is set. A toll road is preferentially selected over a general road as a road constituting the route R set according to the “first priority mode”.

  Furthermore, according to the “second priority mode”, as shown in FIG. 7, routes R1 and R2 from the current position PP to the target position TP via the general road (broken line) are set. A general road is preferentially selected over a toll road as a road constituting the routes R1 and R2 set according to the “second priority mode”.

  In addition, the area setting unit 240 includes a mesh including a route set by the route setting unit 230 among a plurality of rectangular meshes as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 (thicknesses in FIGS. 5 to 7). An area composed of a frame) is set as a target area A (S240 in FIG. 2).

  Further, the road traffic information management unit 250 causes the navigation server 200 to transmit the road traffic information included in the target area A set by the area setting unit 240 to the navigation device 100 (FIG. 2 / arrow A3). This road traffic information includes the estimated travel time of the automobile 10 for each road section such as a link (a road section sandwiched between intersections). In response to this, the road traffic information recognition unit 150 recognizes the road traffic information (FIG. 2 / S150). In addition to the information collected from the VICS center (not shown), the road traffic information managed by the road traffic information management unit 250 includes the time change of the position of the car 10 based on the communication with the car 10 traveling on the road. The information shown is collected and collected and processed statistically.

  Further, the guidance route setting unit 160 predicts the vehicle 10 from the current position PP to the destination position TP based on the road traffic information recognized by the road traffic information recognition unit 150 according to the mode set by the mode setting unit 140. The route with the shortest travel time is set as the “guide route” (FIG. 2 / S160).

In setting the guide route, the guide route setting unit 160 travels the link cost included in the road traffic information, that is, the link (meaning a road segment defined by an intersection or the like) from one end to the other end of the vehicle 10. Based on the time required for the route, the travel time of the route is predicted. At this time, the product of the first weight coefficient c ₁ and the link cost t _1i (i = 1, 2,...) Of the toll road is predicted as the travel time of the link on the toll road. Further, the product of the second weight coefficient c ₂ and the link cost t _2j (j = 1, 2,...) Of the general road is predicted as the travel time of the link on the general road. Finally, the movement time t to the target position TP in the route is predicted according to the following equation (1).

t = c ₁ Σ _i t _1i + c ₂ Σ _j t _2j (1)
The first term Σ _i t _{1i on} the right side of equation (1) is the total link cost of toll road links included in the route from the current position PP to the destination position TP, and the second term Σ _j t _2j is this route. Is the sum of the link costs of the links of general roads.

Further, the guidance route setting unit 160 sets a coefficient ratio r (= c ₁ / c ₂ ) of the first weight coefficient c ₁ to the second weight coefficient c ₂ according to the setting mode by the mode setting unit 140. Specifically, the coefficient ratio r is set to a value within the normal range [1-ε ₁ , 1 + ε ₂ ] such as “1” in accordance with the “normal mode” (for example, ε ₁ = 0.2, ε ₂ = 0.25). Further, according to the “first priority mode”, the coefficient ratio r is set to a value smaller than the lower limit value 1−ε ₁ of the normal range (for example, “0.6”). Further, according to the “second priority mode”, the coefficient ratio r is set to a value (for example, “1.67”) larger than the upper limit value 1 + ε ₂ of the normal range.

  Then, the guide route setting unit 160 sets a route that has the shortest estimated travel time t as a “guide route” according to each mode.

Specifically, the coefficient ratio r is set to a value in the normal range [1-ε ₁ , 1 + ε ₂ ] such as “1” according to the “normal mode”. Thereby, the first weight coefficient c ₁ and the second weighting factor c ₂ becomes equal or approximately equal. Therefore, if the link cost is the same, the movement time of the link is predicted to be equivalent or substantially equivalent. From the viewpoint of setting the guide route with the shortest estimated travel time, the toll road and the general road can be selected as equal or substantially equal as the road included in the guide route.

  For example, according to the normal mode (see FIG. 3 / S143), as shown in FIG. 8, the current position PP passes through the general road (broken line) to the position P1, and the toll road (solid line) from the position P1. After that, a guide route RR is set from the position P3 via the general road to the position P4, from the position P4 via the toll road to the position P5, and from the position P5 via the general road to the target position TP. The guidance route RR set according to the normal mode includes the same amount of toll roads and general roads, and the number of uses of toll roads is “2”. This is because the toll road and the general road are selected as equal or substantially equal as the roads constituting the guide route RR set in accordance with the “normal mode” as described above. Note that the guide route RR shown in FIG. 8 may match the route R1 or R2 shown in FIG. 5 set by the route setting unit 230 of the navigation server 200.

Further, according to the “first priority mode”, the coefficient ratio r is set to a value smaller than the lower limit value 1−ε _{1 of the} normal range. Thereby, the first weight coefficient c ₁ is set smaller than the second weighting factor c _2. Therefore, if the link cost is the same, the travel time of the toll road link is predicted to be shorter than the travel time of the general road link. From the viewpoint of shortening the predicted travel time, the tendency that a toll road is preferentially selected over a general road as a road constituting the guide route RR set according to the “first priority mode” is strengthened.

  For example, in accordance with the first priority mode (see FIG. 3 / S144), as shown in FIG. 9, the current position PP passes through a general road (broken line) to the position P1, and the position P1 starts from the toll road (solid line). ) To reach an intermediate position P5 ′ between positions P5 and P6, and a guide route RR is set from position P5 ′ to the target position TP via a general road. The guide route RR set according to the first priority mode is mainly composed of toll roads, and the number of uses of toll roads is “1”. This is because the tendency that the toll road is preferentially selected over the general road as the road constituting the guide route RR set according to the “first priority mode” as described above is strengthened. However, depending on the situation of the road, the number of times that the toll road is used is “2” or more because the guide route includes a general road with both ends connected to the toll road or a continuous but different toll road. obtain. Note that the guide route RR shown in FIG. 9 may coincide with the route R shown in FIG. 6 set by the route setting unit 230 of the navigation server 200.

Further, since the coefficient ratio r is set to a value larger than the upper limit value of the normal range in accordance with the “second priority mode”, the first weight coefficient c ₁ is set larger than the second weight coefficient c ₂ . Therefore, if the link cost is the same, the travel time of the toll road link is predicted to be longer than the travel time of the general road link. Then, from the viewpoint of shortening the predicted travel time, the tendency that a general road is preferentially selected over a toll road as a road constituting a guide route set according to the “second priority mode” is strengthened.

  For example, according to the second priority mode (see FIG. 3 / S145), as shown in FIG. 10, a guide route RR is set from the current position PP to the destination position TP via a general road (broken line). . The guide routes RR set according to the second priority mode are all configured by general roads, and the number of uses of toll roads is “0”. This is because the tendency that a general road is preferentially selected over a toll road as a road constituting the guide route RR set according to the “second priority mode” as described above is strengthened. However, depending on the road opening situation, the toll road may be slightly included in the guide route RR set according to the second priority mode, and the number of times of use may be “1” or more. The guide route RR shown in FIG. 10 may match the route R1 or R2 shown in FIG. 7 set by the route setting unit 230 of the navigation server 200.

  Then, the image control unit 170 displays a map including the current position PP and the target position TP of the automobile 10 and the guidance route RR as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 on the monitor 104 (FIG. 2 / S170). ).

  According to the navigation device 100 of the present invention that exhibits the above function, when the toll road is set as the priority road and the ETC device 11 can automatically pay the toll road usage fee, the guidance route according to the “normal mode” RR is set (see FIG. 2 / S130, S160, FIG. 3 / S141, S142, S143, FIG. 8). From the viewpoint of shortening the predicted travel time from the current position PP to the target position TP, one of the toll roads and the general roads is given priority over the other as the roads constituting the guide route RR set according to the “normal mode”. It is selected as equal or substantially equal without. For this reason, the frequency | count of use of a toll road is not suppressed, and if it is original, the user may be annoyed that the automobile 10 is stopped for payment of a toll road usage fee. However, the “normal mode” is set when the automobile 10 has an automatic payment function for toll usage fees (see YES in FIG. 3 / S142). Therefore, in a state where this trouble is inherently eliminated by the automatic payment function of the toll road use fee (by the ETC device 11) that the automobile 10 has, the automobile 10 can be moved from the current position PP to the target position TP in the shortest time. The guidance route RR that can be guided can be grasped by the user through the navigation device 100 (see FIG. 8).

  In addition, if automatic payment of toll road usage charges by the ETC device 11 is possible, if the usage charges are charged to the user according to the distance traveled rather than the number of times the toll road is used, the toll is charged from the general road. Even if the number of times of switching to a road or the number of times of switching from one toll road to another toll road, that is, the number of toll road usage increases, automobiles avoid excessive increases in toll road usage fees. In order to prevent 10 from being involved in a traffic jam on a toll road, a guide route RR including a general road in the middle of the toll road or a guide route RR including switching from one toll road to another toll road can be set. it can.

  Further, when the toll road is set as the priority road and the automobile 10 does not have the automatic payment function of the toll road usage fee by the ETC device 11, the guide route RR is set according to the “first priority mode” (FIG. 2). / S130, S160, FIG. 3 / S141, S142, S144, see FIG. 9). If the automobile 10 does not have an automatic payment function for the toll road usage fee, it would be troublesome to stop the automobile 10 for payment of the toll road usage fee. In this case, however, the guide route RR is set according to the “first priority mode” in which the toll road is given priority over the general road. A toll road can be selected preferentially over a general road as a road constituting the guide route RR set according to the first priority mode. Therefore, as a result, the number of times of switching from one to the other of the toll road and the general road, and hence the number of times the toll road is used, is suppressed. Then, a user can obtain a guidance route RR through which the automobile 10 can move from the current position PP to the destination position TP in a short time while reducing the trouble of stopping the automobile 10 for paying the toll road usage fee. (See FIG. 9).

  Further, when the general road is set as the priority road, the guide route RR is set according to the “second priority mode” (see FIG. 2 / S130, S160, FIG. 3 / S141, S145, FIG. 10). A general road can be preferentially selected over a toll road as a road constituting the guide route RR set according to the second priority mode. Therefore, as a result, the number of times of switching from one to the other of the toll road and the general road, and hence the number of times the toll road is used, is suppressed. Then, a user can obtain a guidance route RR through which the automobile 10 can move from the current position PP to the destination position TP in a short time while reducing the trouble of stopping the automobile 10 for paying the toll road usage fee. (See FIG. 10).

  Thus, according to the navigation device 100 of the present invention, it is optimal from the viewpoint of shortening the travel time from the current position PP of the automobile 10 to the target position TP while reducing the annoyance of stopping the automobile 10 for payment. It is possible to allow the user to grasp the correct guide route RR (see FIGS. 8, 9, and 10).

  Further, according to the navigation server 200 of the present invention that exhibits the above function, a route R (R1, R2) that connects the current position PP and the target position TP of the vehicle 10 is recognized according to the mode, and the target includes the route. Only the road traffic information included in the area A is transmitted to the navigation device 100 (see FIG. 2 / S210 to S240, arrow A3, and FIGS. 5 to 7).

  As a result, the route R connecting the current position PP and the target position TP from the viewpoint of setting the guide route RR that minimizes the predicted travel time of the vehicle 10 between the current position PP and the target position TP according to the setting mode, this route R The road traffic information recognized by the road traffic information recognition unit 150 of the navigation device 100 can be appropriately narrowed down based on the target area A including the setting area and the setting mode. Then, the information processing amount when the guide route setting unit 160 sets the guide route RR can be suppressed, and the processing speed can be increased. Further, through the navigation device 100, it is optimal from the viewpoint of reducing the travel time of the automobile 10 from the current position PP to the target position TP while reducing the user's troublesomeness of stopping the automobile 10 for the fee payment as described above. The user can be made to understand the guide route RR.

  In the above embodiment, the mode is set in the navigation device 100 (see FIG. 2 / S140, FIG. 3), but the priority road recognized in the navigation device 100 as another embodiment and the presence / absence of the automatic payment function are as follows: The mode may be set in the navigation server 200 after being recognized by the navigation server 200 through communication with the navigation device 100.

  In the embodiment described above, the guidance route RR is set in the navigation device 100 (see FIG. 2 / S160, FIG. 8 to FIG. 10). As another embodiment, the navigation server 200 sets the guidance route RR. The guidance route may be recognized by the navigation device 100 through communication with the server 200 and displayed on the monitor 104.

  In the embodiment, when the priority road is a toll road, the normal mode or the first priority mode is set according to the presence or absence of the automatic payment function (see FIG. 3), but there is no automatic payment function as another embodiment. Depending on whether the priority road is a toll road or a general road, the first priority mode or the second priority mode may be set.

  In the above-described embodiment, whether or not the automobile 10 has an automatic payment function for toll usage charges depends on whether or not a signal generated by the ETC device is detected when the card 12 is inserted into the ETC device 11 mounted on the automobile 10. Although determined, the presence or absence of the automatic payment function for the toll road usage fee in the automobile 10 as another embodiment may be determined by various methods depending on the automatic payment method. For example, when the user can automatically pay the toll road usage fee without stopping the automobile 10 by using a mobile phone owned by the user or an IC card with an IC chip built in, the navigation device 100 allows the user to The presence or absence of the automatic payment function may be determined by detecting whether or not the mobile phone has an IC card or the like.

Configuration explanation diagram of navigation device and navigation server as one embodiment of the present invention Functional explanatory diagram of navigation device and navigation server of the present invention Explanatory drawing of the mode setting procedure in the navigation apparatus of the present invention Illustration of road conditions Illustration of route and target area according to normal mode Explanatory drawing of the route and target area according to the first priority mode Explanatory drawing of the route and target area according to the second priority mode Illustration of guidance route according to normal mode Explanatory drawing of the guide route according to the first priority mode Explanatory drawing of the guide route according to the second priority mode

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Motor vehicle (mobile body), 11 ... ETC device, 12 ... Card, 100 ... Navigation device 112 ... Operation button, 104 ... Monitor, 110 ... Position recognition unit, 120 ... Priority road recognition unit, 130 Payment method judgment unit, 140 Mode setting unit 150 Road traffic information recognition unit 160 Guide route setting unit 170 Image control unit 200 Navigation server 210 Position recognition unit 220 Mode recognition unit 230 Route setting unit 240 Area setting unit, 250 Road traffic information recognition unit

Claims (9)

A navigation device having a function of displaying a guidance route of a moving body,
Payment method determination means for determining whether or not the mobile body has an automatic payment function for toll road usage charges;
Road traffic information recognition means for recognizing road traffic information based on communication with the navigation server;
When it is determined by the payment method determining means that the mobile body has the function, the normal mode in which both the toll road and the general road are equivalent is set, whereas the mobile body does not have the function by the payment method determining means. If determined, a mode setting means for setting a priority mode that prioritizes one of the toll road and the general road over the other;
A guide route that sets, as a guide route, a route with the shortest travel time to the target position of the moving body predicted based on the road traffic information recognized by the road traffic information recognition unit according to the setting mode by the mode setting unit A navigation device comprising setting means.   The guide route setting means sets the coefficient ratio of the first weighting coefficient to the second weighting coefficient to a value within the normal range including 1 according to the normal mode, while the coefficient ratio deviates from the normal range according to the priority mode. The product of the first weighting factor and the required travel time of the road segment included in the road traffic information is predicted as the travel time of the road segment of the toll road, and the second By predicting the product of the weighting factor and the required travel time for each road segment of the general road included in the road traffic information as the travel time of the road segment of the general road, the travel time to the target position of the mobile object is calculated. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein prediction is performed. A priority road recognition means for recognizing one of the toll road and the general road selected by the user as a priority road;
When the mode setting means recognizes the toll road as the priority road by the priority road recognition means, the mode setting means sets the normal mode according to the determination result by the payment method determination means, or gives priority to the toll road over the general road. 2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the priority mode is set, and when the general road is recognized as the priority road by the priority road recognition means, the second priority mode is set to give priority to the general road over the toll road. apparatus.   The guidance route setting means sets the coefficient ratio of the first weighting coefficient to the second weighting coefficient to a value within the normal range including 1 according to the normal mode, and sets the coefficient ratio of the normal range according to the first priority mode. The road of the toll road included in the first weighting factor and the road traffic information is set to a value smaller than the lower limit value and the coefficient ratio is set to a value larger than the upper limit value of the normal range according to the second priority mode. The product of the travel time of the section is predicted as the travel time of the road section of the toll road, and the product of the second weighting factor and the travel time for each road section of the general road included in the road traffic information is 4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the travel time to the target position of the mobile body is predicted by predicting the travel time of the road section of the general road. Position recognition means for recognizing the current position and the target position of the mobile body by communication with the navigation device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4;
Area setting means for setting a target area based on the current position and the target position of the moving body recognized by the position recognition means;
A navigation server comprising road traffic information management means for causing the road traffic information recognition means to recognize road traffic information included in the target area set by the area setting means by communication with the navigation device. . Route setting means for setting a route connecting the current position and the target position of the moving body recognized by the position recognition means,
6. The navigation server according to claim 5, wherein the area setting means sets an area including the route set by the route setting means as a target area. Comprising mode recognition means for recognizing the mode set by the mode setting means by communication with the navigation device;
7. The navigation server according to claim 6, wherein the route setting means sets a route from the current position of the moving body to the target position according to the mode recognized by the mode recognition means. A navigation system including a navigation device having a function of displaying a guidance route of a moving body and a navigation server that manages road traffic information,
The navigation device includes a payment method determination means for determining whether the mobile body has a function of automatically paying a toll road usage fee,
When one of the navigation device and the navigation server determines that the mobile body has the function by the payment method determination unit, the payment mode determination unit sets the normal mode in which both the toll road and the general road are equivalent. Mode setting means for setting a priority mode that prioritizes one of the toll road and the general road over the other when it is determined that the mobile body does not have the function,
Guidance route setting means for setting, as a guidance route, a route having the shortest travel time to the target position of the moving body predicted based on road traffic information managed by the navigation server according to the setting mode by the mode setting means A navigation system characterized by comprising: One of the navigation device and the navigation server includes priority road recognition means for recognizing one of the toll road and the general road selected by the user as a priority road,
When the mode setting means recognizes the toll road as the priority road by the priority road recognition means, the normal mode is set according to the determination result by the payment method determination means, or the priority mode that gives priority to the toll road over the general road Is set as the first priority mode, on the other hand, when a general road is recognized as a priority road by the priority road recognition means, a priority mode that prioritizes the general road over the toll road is set as the second priority mode. The navigation system according to claim 8.

Images