JP4575493B2 - Navigation device, route guidance method and program - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
【Technical field】
  The present invention relates to route guidance in a navigation device.
[0002]
[Background]
  A car navigation device having a function of guiding a route to a destination is known. Generally, when a user designates a destination, a route to the destination is calculated and a guidance route is determined. When the user's vehicle approaches the guidance point on the guidance route, guidance information indicating a left or right turn at the guidance point is provided by display on the display and voice guidance (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003]
  When approaching a guide point during route guidance, you may notice that you cannot turn as it is due to traffic conditions such as traffic jams or missed route guidance. For example, it is necessary to enter a right turn lane to turn right at an intersection of a guide point, but the right turn lane cannot be entered because it is congested. In such a case, it is difficult to judge whether to enter a right turn lane and turn right according to route guidance or to go straight ahead.
[Patent Document 1]
JP 11-83524 A
[0004]
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
  The above is given as an example as a problem to be solved by the present invention. An object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that can execute route guidance so that a user can accurately determine whether or not to travel according to route guidance during route guidance.
[0005]
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the navigation device calculates a route to the destination and determines a guidance route, and a moving body among the guide points on the guidance route proceeds according to the guidance route. The guide point where the difference between the charges when traveling in a different direction from the guide route is an important guide point is a guide point other than the important guide point. Route guidance means for performing route guidance by a method different from the guidance point.
[0006]
Said navigation apparatus is comprised as a vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus, for example. The route to the destination determined by the user's designation is calculated, and the guidance route is determined. Here, among the guide points on the guide route, a guide point that has a difference in charge between the case where the moving body travels according to the guide route and the case where the mobile body travels in a different direction from the guide route is an important guide point. Is done. In the important guidance point, route guidance is performed by a method different from a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point. Therefore, the user tries to travel according to the route guidance at the important guidance point, and as a result, it is possible to prevent a loss of required time, distance, toll, etc. that occurs when the user does not travel according to the route guidance. .
[0007]
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the navigation device calculates a route to the destination, determines a guidance route, and determines an important guidance point from among the guidance points on the guidance route. In the important guidance point, route guidance is performed by a method different from a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point, and the direction in which the moving body travels according to the guidance route and the guidance route is different. Route guidance means for notifying at least one change amount of travel distance, required time, and fee when traveling to.
[0008]
In the above navigation device, the route guidance means includes a travel distance, a required time, and a charge when the moving body travels according to the route guidance and when the traveling body travels in a direction different from the route guidance at the important guidance point. Announce at least one amount of change. Therefore, the user can recognize in advance a loss when the user does not pass the route guidance at the important guidance point.
[0009]
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the navigation device calculates a route to the destination and determines a guide route, and a moving body among the guide points on the guide route is in accordance with the guide route. A guide point in which at least one of the travel distance, required time, fee, and route calculation cost when traveling in a direction different from that of the guide route is a predetermined guide value or more is designated as an important guide point. The guidance point includes route guidance means for performing route guidance at an earlier timing than a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point.
[0010]
In the above navigation apparatus, the route guidance means performs route guidance at the important guidance point at an earlier timing than the normal guidance point. This makes it easier for the user to travel according to the route guidance at the important guidance point.
[0011]
In one aspect of the above navigation device, the route guidance means notifies that the next guidance point is an important guidance point when the route guidance at the guidance point immediately before the important guidance point is finished. Thereby, the user can recognize that the next guidance point is an important guidance point at an early stage.
[0012]
In one aspect of the above navigation apparatus, the route guidance means determines a plurality of levels of important guidance points having different degrees of importance, and performs route guidance using different methods for the plurality of levels of important guidance points. By further classifying the important guidance points into a plurality of levels, it becomes possible to execute route guidance in a different manner for each level.
[0013]
In another embodiment of the present invention, a route guidance method executed in a navigation device includes a route search step of calculating a route to a destination and determining a guidance route, and a moving body among guide points on the guidance route. In the important guidance point, a determination step of setting a guidance point where a difference in charge between the case where the vehicle travels according to the guidance route and the case where the fee travels in a direction different from the guidance route is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, A route guidance step of performing route guidance by a method different from a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point.
[0014]
In another embodiment of the present invention, the route guidance method executed in the navigation device is important among a route search step for calculating a route to a destination and determining a guidance route, and a guide point on the guidance route. In the determination step of determining a guide point, and in the important guide point, route guidance is performed in a method different from a normal guide point that is a guide point other than the important guide point, and the moving body travels according to the guidance route And a route guidance step of notifying at least one change in travel distance, required time, and fee when traveling in a direction different from the guidance route.
[0015]
In another embodiment of the present invention, a route guidance method executed in a navigation device includes a route search step of calculating a route to a destination and determining a guidance route, and a moving body among guide points on the guidance route. Important guidance for a guide point where at least one of the difference in travel distance, required time, fee, and route calculation cost between when the vehicle travels according to the guide route and when travels in a different direction from the guide route A determination step of determining a point, and a route guidance step of performing route guidance at a timing earlier than a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point at the important guidance point.
[0016]
In another embodiment of the present invention, a route guidance program executed in a navigation device including a computer calculates a route to a destination and determines route guidance, among guidance points on the guidance route. A guide point where the difference in charge between the case where the mobile body travels according to the guide route and the case where the mobile body travels in a different direction from the guide route is an important guide point, and the important guide point The computer is caused to function as route guidance means for performing route guidance by a method different from a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the guidance point.
[0017]
In another embodiment of the present invention, a route guidance program executed in a navigation device including a computer calculates a route to a destination and determines route guidance, among guidance points on the guidance route. The important guidance point is determined from the route, and in the important guidance point, route guidance is performed by a method different from that of the normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point, and the moving body travels according to the guidance route and The computer is caused to function as route guidance means for notifying at least one change in travel distance, required time, and fee when traveling in a direction different from the guidance route.
[0018]
In another embodiment of the present invention, a route guidance program executed in a navigation device including a computer calculates a route to a destination and determines route guidance, among guidance points on the guidance route. A guide point in which at least one of a travel distance, a required time, a fee, and a route calculation cost is different from a predetermined value when a moving body travels according to the guide route and when travels in a direction different from the guide route. The computer is caused to function as a route guidance unit that performs route guidance at an earlier timing than a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point.
The above route guidance program can be suitably handled in a state of being recorded on a recording medium.
[0019]
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a navigation device.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration for executing route guidance.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display screen example and a configuration example of road data.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a route search method;
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an important guidance point determination method;
FIG. 6 is an example of a guide point list and an important guide point list.
FIG. 7 shows an example of route guidance at an important guidance point.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of route guidance processing.
[Explanation of symbols]
  1 Navigation device
  10 Independent positioning device
  18 GPS receiver
  20 System controller
  22 CPU
  36 Data storage unit
  40 display units
  60 input devices
  70 Speech recognition unit
[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following description shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a vehicle navigation apparatus.
[0021]
  (Navigation device)
  FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the navigation device 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device 1 includes a self-supporting positioning device 10, a GPS receiver 18, a system controller 20, a disk drive 31, a data storage unit 36, a communication interface 37, a communication device 38, a display unit 40, a voice output. A unit 50, an input device 60, and a speech recognition unit 70 are provided.
[0022]
  The autonomous positioning device 10 includes an acceleration sensor 11, an angular velocity sensor 12, and a distance sensor 13. The acceleration sensor 11 is made of, for example, a piezoelectric element, detects vehicle acceleration, and outputs acceleration data. The angular velocity sensor 12 is composed of, for example, a vibrating gyroscope, detects the angular velocity of the vehicle when the direction of the vehicle is changed, and outputs angular velocity data and relative azimuth data. The distance sensor 13 measures a vehicle speed pulse composed of a pulse signal generated with the rotation of the vehicle wheel.
[0023]
  The GPS receiver 18 receives radio waves 19 carrying downlink data including positioning data from a plurality of GPS satellites. The positioning data is used to detect the absolute position of the vehicle from latitude and longitude information.
[0024]
  The system controller 20 includes an interface 21, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 22, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 23, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 24, and controls the entire navigation device 1.
[0025]
  The interface 21 performs an interface operation with the acceleration sensor 11, the angular velocity sensor 12, the distance sensor 13, and the GPS receiver 18. From these, vehicle speed pulses, acceleration data, relative azimuth data, angular velocity data, GPS positioning data, absolute azimuth data, and the like are input to the system controller 20. The CPU 22 controls the entire system controller 20. The ROM 23 includes a nonvolatile memory (not shown) in which a control program for controlling the system controller 20 is stored. The RAM 24 stores various data such as route data preset by the user via the input device 60 so as to be readable, and provides a working area to the CPU 22.
[0026]
  A system controller 20, a disk drive 31 such as a CD-ROM drive or a DVD-ROM drive, a data storage unit 36, a communication interface 37, a display unit 40, an audio output unit 50, and an input device 60 are mutually connected via a bus line 30. It is connected to the.
[0027]
  The disk drive 31 reads and outputs content data such as music data and video data from a disk 33 such as a CD or DVD under the control of the system controller 20. The disk drive 31 may be either a CD-ROM drive or a DVD-ROM drive, or may be a CD and DVD compatible drive.
[0028]
  The data storage unit 36 is configured by, for example, an HDD and stores various data used for navigation processing such as map data and facility data.
[0029]
  The communication device 38 includes, for example, an FM tuner, a beacon receiver, a mobile phone, a dedicated communication card, and the like, and traffic congestion and traffic information distributed from a VICS (Vehicle Information Communication System) center via the communication interface 37. Receive road traffic information and other information.
[0030]
  The display unit 40 displays various display data on a display device such as a display under the control of the system controller 20. Specifically, the system controller 20 reads map data from the data storage unit 36. The display unit 40 displays the map data read from the data storage unit 36 by the system controller 20 on a display screen such as a display. The display unit 40 includes a graphic controller 41 that controls the entire display unit 40 based on control data sent from the CPU 22 via the bus line 30 and image information that can be displayed immediately, such as a VRAM (Video RAM). A buffer memory 42 that temporarily stores, a display control unit 43 that controls display of a display 44 such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) based on image data output from the graphic controller 41, and a display 44 are provided. . The display 44 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display device having a diagonal of about 5 to 10 inches, and is mounted near the front panel in the vehicle.
[0031]
  The audio output unit 50 performs D / A (Digital to Analog) conversion of audio digital data sent from the CD-ROM drive 31, DVD-ROM 32, RAM 24, or the like via the bus line 30 under the control of the system controller 20. A D / A converter 51 to perform, an amplifier (AMP) 52 that amplifies the audio analog signal output from the D / A converter 51, and a speaker 53 that converts the amplified audio analog signal into sound and outputs the sound into the vehicle. It is prepared for.
[0032]
  The input device 60 includes keys, switches, buttons, a remote controller, a voice input device, and the like for inputting various commands and data. The input device 60 is disposed around the front panel and the display 44 of the main body of the in-vehicle electronic system mounted in the vehicle. When the display 44 is a touch panel system, the touch panel provided on the display screen of the display 44 also functions as the input device 60.
[0033]
  The voice recognition unit 70 includes a voice recognition unit 71 and a microphone 72. The instruction by the voice uttered by the user is collected by the microphone 72 and input to the voice recognition unit 71. The voice recognition unit 71 recognizes a voice instruction from the user and supplies a recognition result to the system controller 20. Thereby, the user can input an instruction by voice instead of the input device 60 such as a remote controller or a touch panel.
[0034]
  [Route guidance]
  Next, route guidance according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 shows a functional configuration of a route guidance unit for performing route guidance. The route guidance unit 100 is substantially constituted by components of the navigation device 1. As illustrated, the route guidance unit 100 includes a current position acquisition unit 101, a road DB 103, a route search unit 104, and a control unit 105.
[0035]
  The current position acquisition unit 101 includes the GPS receiver 18 in FIG. 1 and acquires the current position of the vehicle, that is, the latitude and longitude.
[0036]
  The road database (hereinafter, “database” is expressed as “DB”) 103 stores road data (road network data). As will be described in detail later, the road data is basically composed of links corresponding to roads and nodes corresponding to intersections. The road DB 103 is typically provided in the data storage unit 36 in FIG.
[0037]
  The route search unit 104 calculates a route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination set by the user, and determines a guidance route. This process is called “route search”. In the route search, road data stored in the road DB 103 is used. The route search unit 104 is configured by the system controller 20.
[0038]
  The control unit 105 controls each component shown in FIG. 2 and executes route guidance. The control unit 105 includes the system controller 20 illustrated in FIG. 1, and is connected to the input device 60, the display unit 40, and the audio output unit 50. Specifically, the control unit 105 acquires the destination input by the user with respect to the input device 60, acquires the current position of the vehicle from the current position acquisition unit 101, and supplies the current position to the route search unit 104 to provide a route. Run the search. When the guidance route is determined by the route search, the display unit 40 and the voice output unit 50 are controlled based on the current position of the vehicle and the guidance route to output guidance information, that is, route guidance.
[0039]
  Next, the navigation screen will be described. FIG. 3A shows an example of the navigation screen. The navigation screen 110 includes a map around the current position of the vehicle, and a plurality of display buttons and operation buttons. In the example of FIG. 3A, the current position of the vehicle is indicated by a current position mark 111. The navigation screen 110 is an example of a screen during route guidance, and the guidance route 112 is indicated by a thick line of a predetermined color.
[0040]
  Next, road data will be described. FIG.3 (b) is a figure which shows the road data of the road in the map shown to Fig.3 (a). The road data is composed of a plurality of nodes and links. Nodes correspond to roads and links correspond to intersections. Node IDs and link IDs are assigned to the nodes and links, respectively. The node ID can be considered as an intersection ID, and the link ID can be considered as a road ID. In the example of FIG. 3B, a node ID starting with “N” (for example, “N00001”) is assigned to each node. Each link has a link ID (for example, “L10001”) starting with “L”. In the road DB 103, position coordinates of each node, position coordinates indicating each link, and the like are stored as road data.
[0041]
  Next, route search according to the present embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the guidance route is determined by so-called cost calculation. Specifically, the route having the smallest total cost among the plurality of routes from the current position to the destination is determined as the guidance route. Here, “cost” is a value assigned to each link and each node constituting the map data, and indicates the ease with which the link and node are selected. A link or node having a high cost value is not easily selected as a guide route, and a link or node having a low cost value is easily selected as a guide route. Specifically, the cost includes a link cost given to each link and a turn cost given to each node. The link cost is determined in advance for each link based on the length of the corresponding road, the road width, the time required for passage, the number of signals, and the like. The turn cost is determined in advance for each possible traveling direction at the intersection corresponding to the node. At a normal crossroad (four-way road) intersection, the straight turn cost is generally the lowest, and the right turn cost is larger than the left turn cost.
[0042]
  FIG. 4A shows an example of route search. FIG. 4A is a very simple route search example, and shows a case where a route from the starting node Ns to the destination node Ng is searched. The parenthesis for each link indicates the value of the link cost, and the parenthesis for each node indicates the turn cost when traveling in the direction of the destination Ng at each node. In this case, the following three routes can be considered as the route to the destination Ng.
      First route: node Ns → node N2 → node Ng: total cost = 400
      Second route: Node Ns → Node Ng: Total cost = 100
      Third route: node Ns → node N1 → node Ng: total cost = 250
  Therefore, the second route having the minimum cost is selected as the guide route.
[0043]
  Next, route guidance in the present embodiment will be described. “Route guidance” refers to notifying a user of a route to be traveled at a guidance point on a guidance route by display on the screen and / or guidance voice.
[0044]
  In this embodiment, particularly important guide points are extracted from a plurality of guide points on the guidance route. An “important guide point” refers to a guide point where a large loss occurs in distance, time, toll, etc. when the vehicle does not travel according to route guidance. In other words, the important guidance point is a guidance point with a large demand to travel according to route guidance. Of the guide points, guide points other than the important guide points are referred to as “normal guide points” for convenience. In the route guidance, at the important guidance point, the route guidance is executed by a method different from the normal guidance point, thereby urging the user to follow the route guidance as much as possible.
[0045]
  With reference to FIG. 5, the determination method of an important guidance point is demonstrated. FIG. 5 shows a map display example during route guidance. As the current position 111 indicates, the vehicle is traveling on the guidance route 112. According to the guidance route 112, the vehicle turns right at the next intersection (node) N001 according to the broken line arrow 121, further turns left at the intersection N002 according to the broken line arrow 122, and heads for the intersection 003. Here, it is assumed that the user does not turn right at the intersection N001 and goes straight for some reason. In this case, the user passes through the intersection N004, turns right at the intersection N005, as indicated by the dashed arrow 124, and heads for the intersection N003. This route can be obtained by performing a route search assuming that the current position of the vehicle is at a virtual position 127. In this embodiment, at each guidance point, a route that is to be traveled when the vehicle does not travel according to the route guidance is calculated. In the above example, it is assumed that the vehicle travels straight at the guide point. However, a case other than straight travel may be assumed. For example, it may be assumed that the vehicle travels along a road at a guidance point and travels in a direction different from the route guidance. Further, all patterns deviating from the guidance route at each guide point may be assumed.
[0046]
  Then, the route when it is assumed that the vehicle travels in a different direction from the route guidance and the route when the vehicle travels according to the route guidance are compared in terms of distance, required time, toll, and total cost. When comparing, the distance, required time, toll, and total cost in different parts of the two routes may be compared. For example, in the example of FIG. 5 described above, N001 → N004 → N005 → N003 of the route when it is assumed that the vehicle travels in a different direction from the route guidance, and N001 → N002 of the route when traveling according to the route guidance. → Compare the distance, required time, toll and total cost with N003. In addition, the distance, the required time, the toll, and the total cost from the starting point to the destination may be compared. As a result, when the vehicle does not travel according to the route guidance and any of these values increases by a predetermined value or more, the guidance point is determined as an important guidance point. When any of the distance, the required time, the toll, and the calculation cost increases by a predetermined value or more, it is desirable for the user to travel at the guidance point according to the route guidance. Therefore, route guidance is executed by a method different from the normal guidance point so that such a guide point is an important guide point and the user can travel as much as possible with route guidance.
[0047]
  In route guidance, the control unit 105 creates a guidance point list for guidance points existing on the guidance route determined by the route search unit 104. An example of the guide point list is shown in FIG. As illustrated, the guide point list includes “guide point number”, “position coordinates”, and “guidance content”. The “guidance point number” is an identification number assigned to a plurality of guidance points on the guidance route. “Position coordinates” are the position coordinates of the corresponding guide point, and are usually indicated by latitude and longitude. “Guidance content” is the content of route guidance provided at the guidance point, and indicates which method the vehicle should proceed at the guidance point. The control unit 105 extracts, as guide points, intersections that should make a right or left turn on the guidance route determined by the route search unit 104, and stores information about each guide point in the guide point list. At the time of route guidance, route guidance is executed with reference to the guidance point list.
[0048]
  In addition to this, in the present embodiment, the control unit 105 extracts an important guide point from a plurality of guide points stored in the guide point list, and creates an important guide point list. That is, as described above, the control unit 105 determines, for each guidance point stored in the guidance point list, the distance between the case where the vehicle travels according to the route guidance and the case where the vehicle travels along a route different from the route guidance, A difference in the required time, toll, and calculation cost is calculated, and when the difference is larger than a predetermined value, the guide point is set as an important guide point.
[0049]
  An example of the important guide point list is shown in FIG. The important guidance point list stores “guidance point number”, “position coordinates”, “guidance contents”, and “difference in case of mistake” only for important guidance points among a plurality of guidance points included in the guidance point list. . Here, the “difference at the time of error” includes differences in required time, distance, and toll, respectively, when the vehicle does not travel according to the route guidance and when the vehicle travels according to the route guidance. In the example of FIG. 6B, when the user does not pass the guidance point 3 according to the route guidance, the required time increases by 10 minutes and the distance increases by 5 km compared to the case where the user does not follow the route guidance. The toll will increase by ¥ 600. As described above, the control unit 105 creates the guide point list and the important guide point list after the guide route is determined. Then, route guidance is executed while referring to the guide point list and the important guide point list while the vehicle is traveling.
[0050]
  Next, a specific example of route guidance at important guidance points will be described. At important guidance points, route guidance is performed by the following several methods.
[0051]
  (1) On the display screen during route guidance, display indicating important guidance points is performed.
  FIG. 7A shows an example of a display screen during route guidance. The screen 130 includes a normal map 131 and an intersection enlarged view 132. In any area, the guide route 112 and the current position 111 of the vehicle are displayed. Further, in the enlarged intersection view 132, route guidance is given by the arrow 134 to instruct a right turn at the next guidance point 133. For example, at the important guidance point, the current position 111, the guidance route 112, the arrow 134, and the like are displayed in a color different from that of the normal guidance point. Further, at the important guidance point, the display frame of the enlarged intersection 132 may be displayed in a color or thickness different from that of the normal guidance point, or may be blinked.
[0052]
  (2) In the overall view of the guidance route, a display showing important guidance points is performed.
  FIG. 7B shows an overall view of the guide route. The entire guide route map 140 is a diagram schematically showing the guide route 112 from the departure point (current position) 141 to the destination 142, and is generally displayed when the route search is completed. In the example of FIG. 7B, a mark 145 indicating an important guidance point is displayed in the overall view of the guidance route.
[0053]
  (3) The guidance voice at the time of route guidance is made different from the normal guidance point.
  For example, when the guidance voice at the normal guidance point is a female voice, the guidance voice at the important guidance point is a male voice. Further, at the important guidance point, the volume and tone of the normal guidance point and the guidance voice may be changed. In addition, an important guidance point may be announced as “important guidance point”.
[0054]
  (4) A special warning sound is output.
  Usually, when a guidance voice is output, a warning sound such as a chime sound is often output immediately before that. At the important guidance point, the type, volume, and number of warning sounds can be changed.
[0055]
  (5) Announce changes in distance, required time, and toll if you do not follow the route guidance.
  As illustrated in FIG. 6B, how important distances, required times, and tolls change when important guide points do not travel according to route guidance is stored in the important guide point list. ing. Therefore, the control unit 105 can display at least one of these on the screen or notify the user by voice to call attention to the user. In the example of FIG. 7A, a change in required time is displayed by a message 136.
[0056]
  (6) The guidance timing is advanced.
  Usually, route guidance is executed when a vehicle enters within a predetermined distance from the guidance point. Therefore, route guidance is performed at an important guidance point at an earlier timing than the normal guidance point. For example, when the route guidance is started 700 m before the normal guidance point, the route guidance is started 2 km before the important guidance point.
[0057]
  (7) Immediately after the end of the previous route guidance, the fact that the next guidance point is an important guidance point is notified.
  For example, in the case where the intersection N002 is an important guidance point in FIG. 5, the screen indicates that the next guidance point N002 is an important guidance point immediately after the vehicle has passed the intersection N001 and the route guidance at the intersection N001 is completed. Announce by the above indication and / or audio.
  Note that the above methods (1) to (7) do not have to be executed all at the same time, and any one of them may be executed selectively.
[0058]
  [Route guidance processing]
  Next, route guidance processing according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of the route guidance process. This process is executed when the CPU 22 in the system controller 20 executes a program prepared in advance and functions as the current position acquisition unit 101, the route search unit 104, and the control unit 105 shown in FIG.
[0059]
  First, the control unit 105 sets a destination by detecting a user operation on the input device 60 (step S11). Next, the route search unit 104 performs a route search based on the destination specified by the user via the input device 60 and the current position of the vehicle acquired by the current position acquisition unit 101, and determines the guidance route. Set (step S12).
[0060]
  When the guide route is set, the control unit 105 creates a guide point list exemplified in FIG. 6A (step S13), and further creates an important guide point list exemplified in FIG. 6B (step S13). S14). Then, the control unit 105 starts route guidance (step S15). In addition, you may make it perform the process of guide point list preparation (step S13) and important guide point list preparation (step S14) simultaneously.
[0061]
  When the route guidance is started, the control unit 105 determines whether or not the vehicle has approached the guidance point (step S16). Specifically, it is determined whether or not the current position of the vehicle has reached within a predetermined distance from the guide point on the guidance route. When the vehicle approaches the guidance point (step S16; Yes), the control unit 105 refers to the important guidance point list and determines whether or not the guidance point is an important guidance point (step S16).
[0062]
  If it is an important guidance point, the control unit 105 performs route guidance for the important guidance point by the method described above (step S18). On the other hand, if it is not an important guide point, that is, if it is a normal guide point, the control unit 105 performs route guidance by a normal method (step S19).
[0063]
  Thereafter, the control unit 105 determines whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the destination (step S20). If the vehicle arrives at the destination, the process ends. On the other hand, when the vehicle has not arrived at the destination, the process returns to step S16, and the processes of steps S16 to S20 are repeated.
[0064]
  Thus, route guidance is continued until the vehicle arrives at the destination. Further, the route guidance method is changed depending on whether or not the guidance point is an important guidance point. Therefore, the user can prevent a loss in required time, distance, toll, etc. at an important guidance point such as entering a right turn lane and turning right according to route guidance even if there is a traffic jam. On the other hand, at the normal guidance point, if it is not possible to travel according to the route guidance, it is only necessary to proceed from another route to the destination, so that the user can relax and drive.
[0065]
  [Modification]
  In the above embodiment, when extracting important guidance points, the required time, distance, toll, calculation cost, etc. are calculated based on the route when not traveling according to the route guidance, and traveling according to the route guidance Compared with the value of. However, there may be a plurality of routes at the guidance point when the vehicle does not travel according to the route guidance. For example, when the route guidance indicates a right turn as at the intersection N001 shown in FIG. 5, there are a straight turn indicated by a broken line arrow 123 and a left turn indicated by a broken line arrow 125 as a route that does not travel according to the route guidance. . In such a case, the required time, distance, toll, calculation cost, etc. are calculated for each of the multiple routes, and either the maximum, minimum, or average value of those routes was run according to the route guidance. What is necessary is just to determine an important guidance point compared with the value of a case.
[0066]
  Further, in the above example, the guide points are classified into two, that is, an important guide point and a normal guide point. However, the important guide points may be classified into two or more stages and classified into three or more in total. For example, a guide point where the difference in required time between when not traveling according to route guidance and when traveling according to route guidance is within 5 minutes is a normal guide point, and a guide point within 6 minutes to 15 minutes is An important guide point may be a guide point that is 16 minutes or longer. In this case, route guidance is performed at the most important guidance point by a method different from that of the important guidance point. For example, in the most important guidance point, it is good also as employ | adopting more from the above-mentioned route guidance method of (1)-(7) compared with an important guidance point.
[0067]
  Further, as described above, the important guide point and the most important guide point may be distinguished depending on the type, not the required time. For example, when not traveling according to route guidance, a guide point where the toll does not increase even if the required time and distance are increased may be an important guide point, and a guide point where the toll increases is the most important guide point.
[0068]
  In the route guidance process shown in FIG. 8, the important guidance point list is created before the start of route guidance. Instead, after starting the route guidance, a process of determining an important guide point before the vehicle approaches the corresponding guide point may be executed.
[0069]
[Industrial applicability]
  The present invention can be used for a mobile navigation apparatus represented by a vehicle or the like.

Claims (9)

A route search means for calculating a route to the destination and determining a guidance route;
An important guidance point is determined from among the guidance points on the guidance route, and the important guidance point performs route guidance in a different method from a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point. Route guidance means for notifying at least one change in travel distance, required time, and fee when traveling according to the guidance route and when traveling in a direction different from the guidance route, Navigation device. A route search means for calculating a route to the destination and determining a guidance route;
Differences in at least one of travel distance, required time, fee, and route calculation cost between the case where the moving body travels along the guide route and the guide point on the guide route travels in a direction different from the guide route. A guide point having a predetermined value or more as an important guide point, and the important guide point includes route guide means for performing route guidance at a timing earlier than a normal guide point that is a guide point other than the important guide point. A navigation device characterized by that. Said route guidance means, wherein when terminating the route guidance at the guide point of the previous key guide point, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that announcing that the next guidance point is important guidance point The navigation device described in 1. The route guidance unit, severity determines key guide point of a plurality of different levels, the importance guide point of said plurality of levels, any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that to perform route guidance in different ways The navigation device according to claim 1. A route guidance method executed in a navigation device,
A route search process for calculating a route to the destination and determining a guidance route;
A determination step of determining an important guide point from the guide points on the guide route;
At the important guidance point, route guidance is performed by a method different from a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point, and the direction in which the moving body travels along the guidance route and the guidance route is different. A route guidance method comprising: a route guidance step for notifying at least one change in travel distance, required time, and fee when traveling. A route guidance method executed in a navigation device,
A route search process for calculating a route to the destination and determining a guidance route;
Differences in at least one of travel distance, required time, fee, and route calculation cost between the case where the moving body travels along the guide route and the guide point on the guide route travels in a direction different from the guide route. A determination step of determining, as an important guide point, a guide point that is greater than or equal to a predetermined value;
A route guidance method comprising: a route guidance step for performing route guidance at a timing earlier than a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point at the important guidance point. A route guidance program executed in a navigation device including a computer,
Route search means for calculating the route to the destination and determining the guidance route;
An important guidance point is determined from among the guidance points on the guidance route, and the important guidance point performs route guidance in a different method from a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point. Causing the computer to function as route guidance means for notifying at least one change in travel distance, required time, and fee when traveling according to the guidance route and when traveling in a direction different from the guidance route. Feature route guidance program. A route guidance program executed in a navigation device including a computer,
Route search means for calculating the route to the destination and determining the guidance route;
Differences in at least one of travel distance, required time, fee, and route calculation cost between the case where the moving body travels along the guide route and the guide point on the guide route travels in a direction different from the guide route. The computer is used as a route guidance means that performs route guidance at an earlier timing than a normal guidance point that is a guidance point other than the important guidance point at the important guidance point. A route guidance program characterized by functioning. A recording medium on which the route guidance program according to claim 7 or 8 is recorded.

Images