JP3402248B2 - Vehicle navigation system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides a rescue signal in an emergency and notifies a message transmitted from a base station in response to the rescue signal to assist a vehicle occupant in an emergency. The present invention relates to a vehicle navigation device having an emergency support function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an emergency support system for assisting vehicle occupants in an emergency such as vehicle failure, when a rescue signal is transmitted from the vehicle to the base station side, a message is transmitted from the base station side to the vehicle. Such a system is known. According to this emergency support system, even if the vehicle becomes inoperable due to a breakdown, if the rescue signal is sent from the vehicle side, a message corresponding to it will arrive and the emergency process can be carried out quickly. As a result, passengers can be given a sense of security.

Further, in order to use such an emergency support system, it is necessary to mount a terminal device for the emergency support system on the vehicle side, but it is inefficient to mount such a dedicated terminal device on the vehicle. The function as the terminal device for the emergency support system is usually incorporated in the vehicle navigation device.

That is, the vehicle navigation system includes
A position detection device that detects the current position of the vehicle and a display device that displays images for driving guidance are already installed, and in order to function as a terminal device for the emergency support system, communication with the base station is required. Since it is sufficient to provide a communication device for performing the operation and an operation switch for inputting a command (emergency command) for transmitting a rescue signal in an emergency, as a terminal device for an emergency assistance system, normally, the terminal device A navigation device having a function is used.

As described above, in order to make the vehicle navigation device function as a terminal device for the emergency support system, a control device that executes various control processes for traveling guidance and the like in the navigation device is used for traveling guidance and the like. In addition to the normal control of the emergency control, an emergency assistance control (emergency control) that transmits a rescue signal according to an emergency command input via operation switches, etc. or displays a message on the display device in response to a response signal from the base station side. ) Needs to be able to be performed.

Therefore, conventionally, a program that can execute normal control and emergency control is incorporated into a microcomputer that operates as a control device for a vehicle navigation system, and the normal control and emergency control are performed by the microcomputer. It was realized by a single program executed by.

[0007]

However, although such a conventional vehicle navigation device can be made to function as a terminal device for an emergency support system, there is a problem that the reliability of the terminal device is low. It was

That is, as a terminal device of the emergency support system, when the user actually inputs an emergency command, it is necessary to always be able to reliably transmit a rescue signal. When both the normal control and the emergency control are executed by one program executed by the microcomputer that constitutes the control device of the vehicle navigation device, the operation of the normal control is interrupted or stopped when the emergency command is input. You must stop and perform emergency control. Therefore, in the above conventional vehicle navigation device, the microcomputer may malfunction due to the failure of switching from the normal control to the emergency control, and if a malfunction occurs in the normal control, However, an error may occur in the program executed by the microcomputer, and the emergency control itself may not function. Therefore, the terminal device for the emergency support system that needs to be operated reliably in an emergency is not reliable. It was low.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in a vehicular navigation device having a function as a terminal device of an emergency support system, when an emergency such as a vehicle failure occurs, the vehicle navigation device is connected to a base station of the emergency support system. The purpose is to ensure that transmission and reception of a rescue signal and a response signal can be performed.

[0010]

In the vehicular navigation device according to the first aspect of the present invention, which has been made to achieve the above object, each means constituting the control means operates independently. Therefore, in the control means, the normal control means may cause a program runaway or a hardware failure.
Even when the emergency control means, the communication control means, the command input means, and the signal input means can operate normally even when the normal operation is stopped, when the emergency command is input from the emergency command input means, The emergency control can be normally executed, and the message from the base station can be notified. Further, since the normal control means and the emergency control means independently execute the normal control and the emergency control, respectively, as compared with the conventional case where one control means executes each of these controls, the control means Can reduce the probability of malfunction. Therefore, according to the vehicle navigation device of the present invention, the reliability of the device can be improved and the function as the terminal device for the emergency support system can be sufficiently exerted.

Next, in the vehicle navigation device according to the second aspect, the command input means for inputting the command from the emergency command input means is divided into the first command input means and the second command input means, and the first command input means and the second command input means are provided. The command input means inputs the command from the emergency command input means to the normal control means, and the second command input means inputs the emergency command from the emergency command input means to the emergency control means.

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the command from the emergency command input means is input to the normal control means and the emergency control means via one command input means, the command input means malfunctions. This is because, in this case, each of these control means does not operate according to a command from the user. That is, in the apparatus according to the second aspect, the reliability of the apparatus is further enhanced by separating the command input system from the emergency command input means from the normal control means and the emergency control means. .

Next, in the vehicle navigation device according to the third aspect, the signal input means for inputting the position detection signal from the position detection means is the first signal input means and the second signal input means.
The first signal input means inputs the position detection signal from the position detection means to the normal control means, and the second signal input means
The signal input means inputs the position detection signal from the position detection means to the emergency control means.

Similar to the command input means, when the position detection signal from the position detection means is input to the normal control means and the emergency control means via one signal input means, the signal input means malfunctions. In this case, each control unit cannot capture the current position information of the vehicle. That is, in the apparatus according to the third aspect, the input system of the position detection signal from the position detection means is also separated by the normal control means and the emergency control means, respectively.
It makes the device more reliable.

On the other hand, in the vehicle navigation device according to the fourth aspect, instead of providing the normal control means in the control means, the normal / emergency control means capable of executing the normal control and the emergency control utilizing the communication control means, respectively. , Its operation is monitored, and when the normal / emergency control means is operating normally,
There is provided monitoring means for stopping the operation of the emergency control means and operating the emergency control means instead of the normal / emergency control means when the normal / emergency control means malfunctions.

Therefore, in the apparatus according to the fourth aspect, when the normal / emergency control means operates normally when the emergency command is input through the emergency command input means, this executes the emergency control, The emergency control means executes the emergency control only when the normal / emergency control means malfunctions.
Therefore, according to this device, the control means for executing the emergency control at the time of input of the emergency command can be set to two systems to further increase the probability that the emergency control can be executed, and the function as the terminal device for the emergency support system can be further improved. It can be demonstrated reliably.

Next, in the vehicular navigation device according to the fifth aspect, like the device according to the fourth aspect, the control means for executing the emergency control has two systems, that is, the normal / emergency control means and the emergency control means. In addition, the communication control means, the command input means, and the signal input means, which are other constituent elements of the control means, have two systems, and the monitoring means normally includes the normal / emergency control means and other constituent elements. While operating one of each, while monitoring the operating state, when the normal / emergency control means malfunctions, instead of this, the emergency control means is operated, when any of the other components malfunction Is
Instead of the malfunctioning component, the corresponding other component is operated.

Therefore, in the apparatus according to the fifth aspect, not only can the probability of executing the emergency control be increased by using two control means for performing the emergency control, but the emergency control and the normal control can be executed normally. The command signal and position detection signal necessary for the input and the communication control necessary for normally executing the emergency control can be more reliably performed, and the reliability of the device can be improved.

Here, the respective components such as the normal control means (or the normal / emergency control means), the emergency control means, the communication control means, the command input means, and the signal input means which constitute the control means are different from each other. Using parts or circuits,
Although each of them may be independently operated in terms of hardware configuration, as described in claim 6, the control means is configured by a computer operating with an operating system capable of executing a plurality of programs at the same time. Each component (means) may be configured by an independent program that operates on the operating system.

In this way, each component (means) described above is realized by the computer executing each program, and the present invention (claims 1 to 3) is realized.
Claim 5) can be realized with the same hardware configuration as the conventional vehicle navigation device.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle navigation device of an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device of this embodiment reads map data from a map data storage medium such as a CD-ROM or a position detection unit 10 for detecting the current position of a vehicle equipped with the device. A map data input unit 12, an operation unit 14 for a user to input various commands to the device by a switch operation, and a user also operates a transmitter (remote control transmitter) 16 for remote control (so-called remote control). In order to display a remote control receiver 18 for receiving a command signal transmitted from the remote control transmitter 16 by doing so, an image for various traveling guides including a road map and an image for setting an operation mode of the device. Display unit 20, a voice output unit 22 for outputting vehicle running guidance and the like by voice, and connected to each of these units to provide vehicle running guidance and the like. Control unit 30 for, and the control unit 3
The external memory 24 is connected to 0 and stores various information necessary for the operation of the control unit 30.

Further, in order to realize the function as the terminal device for the emergency support system, the navigation device of the present embodiment is provided with a ground station of a public telephone line network installed in various places in addition to the above-mentioned respective parts. A communication unit 26 for performing wireless communication between the two, and a transmitting / receiving unit 28 for making a call with the communication unit 26 and another telephone terminal connected via the public telephone line network are provided. Further, the operation unit 14 is provided with an operation switch (emergency command switch) for inputting an emergency command (not shown).

In the present embodiment, the position detector 10,
The operation unit 12, the remote control transmitter 16, the display unit 20, the communication unit 26, and the control unit 30 correspond to the position detection unit, the emergency command input unit, the display unit, the communication unit, and the control unit described in claim 1, respectively. . Next, the position detection unit 10 is composed of a GPS receiver 2, a geomagnetic sensor 4, a gyroscope 6, a distance sensor 8 and the like, and the control unit 30 interpolates an error of the current vehicle position detected using these units. While identifying the current vehicle position.

Further, the control unit 30 includes a CPU 30a, RO
It is composed of a microcomputer centering on M30b, RAM30c and the like. Then, the control unit 30 controls the position detection unit 1
Based on the current position of the vehicle obtained by the input signal from 0, map data for displaying the road map including this current position is fetched from the map data input unit 12 and the road map is displayed on the display unit 20 using this map data. Is displayed, and the current position of the vehicle is designated according to the current position display processing for displaying the current position of the vehicle on the road map and a command from the user input via the remote control transmitter 16 or the operation unit 14. The optimum route to the designated destination is automatically set, and the route display process for displaying the traveling route on the road map displayed on the display unit 20, various control processes for vehicle traveling guidance, etc. Normal control) is executed.

When an emergency command is input from the emergency command switch provided in the operation unit 14, the control unit 30 is the base station of the emergency support system via the communication unit 26 and the public telephone line network. A rescue signal including current position information and identification information of the vehicle is transmitted to the center, and then a response signal transmitted from the information center side is received and a message for emergency assistance included in the response signal is displayed on the display unit 20. Perform emergency control to be displayed.

On the other hand, in the ROM 30b of the control unit 30, as shown in FIG. 2A, a multitasking operating system (hereinafter simply referred to as OS) such as "ITRON" capable of executing a plurality of programs in parallel. Say)
An input processing program P1, a signal processing program P2, a normal control program P3, an emergency control program P4, a communication control program P5, and the like that operate on this OS are stored. The CPU 30a reads the OS from the ROM 30b at the time of startup, On this OS, each program P1
Execute P5.

The input processing program P1 shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the operation unit 14 and the remote control reception unit 1
8 is a program for inputting a command from the user, which is input from the CPU 8. When the CPU 30a executes this program, the function as command input means according to claim 1 is realized.

Further, the signal processing program P2 is a program for fetching the position detection signal from the position detecting section 10 and specifying the current position of the vehicle, and the CPU 30a executes this program so that the signal according to claim 1 is generated. The function as an input means is realized.

The normal control program P3 is a map data input unit based on a command from the user obtained by executing the input processing program P1 and the vehicle current position information obtained by executing the signal processing program P2. 1
2 is loaded from the map data storage medium via the display unit 2
The image such as the driving guide is displayed on 0, and the audio output unit 2
2 is a program for outputting a voice for driving guidance from 2 to perform normal control for vehicle driving guidance, and a CPU
When 30a executes this program, the function as the normal control means according to claim 1 is realized.

On the other hand, the emergency control program P4 is a program that is started when the input processing program P1 receives an emergency command from the user and executes emergency control, and the CPU 30a executes this program. Thus, the function as the emergency control means according to claim 1 is realized.

Further, the communication control program P5 controls the communication unit 26 in accordance with a command to be described later generated by the emergency control program P4 executing the emergency control, and sends a signal to or from the information center or another telephone terminal. This is a program for transmission / reception, and the function as the communication control means according to claim 1 is realized by the CPU 30a executing this program.

Among the programs P1 to P5, the operations of the signal processing program P2, the normal control program P3, and the communication control program P5 are executed by the navigation device having the communication function with the public telephone line network. Since it is substantially the same as the above, the description thereof will be omitted, and then the emergency control program P4 executed for emergency support and the input processing program P1 for activating this program will be described.
Will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3, the input processing program P
In step 1, in S100 (S represents a step), a command input process for accepting an operation command from the user input from the operation unit 14 or the remote control reception unit 18 is executed, and in this process, an operation command from the user is executed. Is accepted, S11 continues
At 0, it is determined whether the command is a command for emergency control.

If the operation command received in S100 is a command for emergency control, the command is output to the emergency control program P4 via the OS in S120, and conversely the operation command is emergency. If it is not a command for control, the command content is output to the normal control program P3 via the OS in S130.

The OS outputs a start command to the emergency control program P4 when the emergency command is accepted by the input processing program P1 while the emergency control program P4 is in a standby state, and the emergency control program P4 has already been issued.
When is activated, various commands for emergency control received by the input processing program P1 are output to the emergency control program P4 as they are.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, the emergency control program P4 is in a standby state until the start command is input from the OS (S210-NO), and when the start command is input from the OS. (S210-YES), in S220, the operation menu in an emergency is displayed on the display unit 20.
This operation menu is used to call an information center, call another telephone terminal, or
This is for allowing the user to select whether to cancel the emergency control.

Then, in S230, whether the user has selected to call the information center according to the operation menu displayed on the display unit 20 based on the command for emergency control input from the input processing program P1 via the OS. Determine whether or not. If the user has not selected the call of the information center, it is determined in S240 whether the user has selected the call of the other telephone terminal and the call of the other telephone terminal is selected. If not, continue S250
At S22, it is determined whether the user has canceled the emergency control. If the user has not canceled the emergency control, S22 is executed again.
Move to 0. That is, in S230 to S250, the process waits for the user to input any command according to the operation menu displayed on the display unit 20.

When it is determined in S230 that the user has selected to call the information center, S260
Then, the command for calling the information center is output to the communication control program P5. Then, the communication control program P5 calls the telephone terminal on the information center side via the communication unit 26, so in S270, the device is connected to the telephone terminal on the information center side by the operation of the communication control program P5. By determining whether or not it waits for connection to the telephone terminal on the information center side.

Next, when it is determined in S270 that the device is connected to the telephone terminal on the information center side, in S280, emergency transmission data to be transmitted to the information center side as a rescue signal, specifically, the transmission data. , The latest vehicle current position information obtained by executing the signal processing program P2, and the ROM
30b, various information (identification number, vehicle type information, user's personal information, etc.) for identifying the device stored in the external memory 24, etc. are collected, and these transmission data are saved in S290. As a signal, a transmission command to be transmitted to the information center is output to the communication control program P5.

Then, the communication control program P5 causes the communication section 26 to transmit a rescue signal to the information center side in accordance with this transmission command. Further, the information center that has received the rescue signal transmits a response signal including a message for assistance in an emergency, which is received by the communication unit 26, and the communication control program P5 restores the received response signal. Then, a message from the information center is output to the emergency control program P4.

Therefore, in the subsequent S300, a message (data) from the information center is sent by the communication control program P5.
Waits for the message to be received by determining whether or not
At 310, the message (received data) is displayed on the display unit 20. The message may be output by voice from the voice output unit 22. Further, the message may be notified by both display and voice. The voice may also announce the same message repeatedly.

Then, in the subsequent S320, it is judged whether or not the communication with the information center is completed by a command from the user or the operation on the information center side. If the communication is not completed, the S300 is executed again. When the communication is completed, the emergency control program P4 is temporarily terminated and S2
Return to the standby state of 10.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S240 that the user has selected to call a telephone terminal other than the information center, the process proceeds to S330, and a number input screen prompting the user to enter the telephone number of the telephone terminal to be called is displayed on the display unit. Display on 20. Then, in subsequent S340, the user inputs the telephone number and determines whether or not the telephone number of the telephone terminal to be called is determined, thereby waiting for the telephone number to be determined, and when the telephone number is determined, In S350, the telephone number is output to the communication control program P5 to output a telephone terminal calling command (calling command).

Then, the communication control program P5 calls the telephone terminal of the designated telephone number via the communication section 26, so that in the subsequent S360, the device is designated by the user by the operation of the communication control program P5. It waits until it is connected to a telephone terminal other than the information center by determining whether or not the telephone terminal has been connected. And S
When it is determined in 360 that the device is connected to the telephone terminal, in S370, a call process for causing the user to talk with another telephone terminal using the transmitter / receiver 28 is executed. . Then, in the following S380, it is determined whether or not the telephone line has been disconnected due to the instruction from the user and the telephone call has ended. If the telephone call has not ended, S370 is repeated.
When the call ends, the emergency control program P4 ends and the process returns to the standby state of S210.

When it is determined in S250 that the user cancels the emergency control, the emergency control program P4 is temporarily terminated and the process returns to the standby state in S210. As described above, in the vehicular navigation device of the present embodiment, the user inputs a command, the position detection signal is input from the position detection unit 10, normal control such as vehicle driving guidance, and emergency for emergency support. The control and the communication control for emergency support are executed by the programs P1 to P5 which are independently executable on the multitasking OS.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the probability that the control operation for emergency assistance cannot be executed is reduced as compared with the conventional apparatus, and the reliability as the terminal device for the emergency assistance system is improved. It is possible to give the user a sense of security that the emergency support system can be used at any time.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modes can be adopted. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the program for executing the normal control and the emergency control is divided into the normal control program P3 and the emergency control program P4, and each control is individually performed by each program. However, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, for the input processing program P1 and the signal processing program P2, the first input processing program P11, the second input processing program P12, the first signal processing program P21, and the first signal processing program P21, respectively. The two-signal processing program P22 is divided into two, and the first input processing program P11 and the first signal processing program P21 are used for normal control, and the second input processing program P12 and the second signal processing program P12 are used for emergency control. The two-signal processing program P22 may be used.

By doing so, even if the programs P11, P21, P3 for normal control all malfunction, when the user issues an emergency command, the emergency control program is executed. The programs P12, P22, and P4 can be activated to execute the emergency control more reliably, and the reliability of the emergency support system terminal device can be further enhanced.

In the program configuration shown in FIG. 5, the first
Input processing program P11 and second input processing program P
12 realizes the functions as the first command input means and the second command input means according to claim 2, and the first signal processing program P21 and the second signal processing program P22 respectively according to claim 3. The functions as the first signal input means and the second signal input means are realized.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, in the program configuration shown in FIG. 2, the normal control program P3
Is changed to a normal / emergency control program P30 capable of executing both normal control and emergency control, and the input processing program P1, the signal processing program P2, and the communication control program P5 are respectively changed to the first input processing program P11. Second input processing program P12, first signal processing program P21 and second signal processing program P22, first communication control program P
51 and the second communication control program P52, which are divided into two systems, and each of these programs P11, P12, P21, P2.
2, P51 and P52 are the respective programs P shown in FIG.
If it is made to function similarly to 1, P2, P5, the reliability of the apparatus can be further improved by selectively using the program that operates normally.

However, in this case, the operating state of each program is monitored, and if there is an abnormality in the operating program,
It is necessary to separately provide a monitoring program P0 that switches the operation to the other program. The monitoring program P0 in this case may be operated as shown in FIG. 7, for example.

That is, in the monitoring program P0, first, S4
At 00, the first programs P11, P21, P51 and the normal / emergency control program P30 are activated, and at S410, the second programs P12, P22, P52 and the emergency control program P4 are put in a standby state. To do. And then S4
At 20, the operating states of the programs P11, P21, P51, P30 are regularly monitored, and the subsequent S430, S450, S4 are monitored.
70, S490, each program P11, P21, P51, P
If it is determined whether 30 is operating normally and a malfunction is detected in any of the determination processes, S440, S460,
In S480 or S500, the other program P12, P22, P52 or P4 corresponding to the program P11, P21, P51 or P30 in which the malfunction was detected is started, and the malfunctioning program P11, P21, P51 or P30 is stopped, Such processing is repeatedly executed.

As a result, in the program configuration shown in FIG. 6, the processing other than the normal control including the emergency control can be executed by each of the two programs, and the emergency control can be executed more reliably. become able to. still,
The program configuration shown in FIG. 6 realizes the vehicular navigation device according to claim 5, the normal / emergency control program P30 realizes a function as a normal / emergency control means, and the monitoring program P0 monitors the function. The function as a means is realized.

Further, in S420 of the monitoring program P0, in order to monitor the operating states of the programs P11, P21, P51 and P30 in operation, for example, each of these programs P1
1, P21, P51, P30 are configured to periodically transfer predetermined data to the monitoring program P0, and from the programs P11, P21, P51, P30 whose operating state should be monitored on the monitoring program P0 side. It is sufficient to monitor whether or not the data transfer of is executed normally.

Next, in the program configuration shown in FIG. 2 or 5, the normal control program P3 is changed to the normal / emergency control program P30 shown in FIG. 6, and the operation of this normal / emergency control program P30 is monitored. It is also possible to monitor at P0 and activate the emergency control program P4 and stop the normal / emergency control program P30 when the normal / emergency control program P30 malfunctions. By doing so, the navigation device according to the fourth aspect can be realized, and also by this, the emergency control can be executed by the two programs of the normal / emergency control program P30 and the emergency control program P4. Therefore, the reliability as the terminal device for the emergency support system can be improved.

In the above description of the embodiments, the constituent elements (normal control means, normal / emergency control means, emergency control means, communication control means, command input means, etc., which constitute the control means described in the claims, The signal input means and the like) are all realized by a program that operates on a multitasking OS, but all or part of them are different from each other.
It may be realized by using a PU or an electronic circuit in which various gate circuits are combined.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the emergency command is input by an external operation such as an operation switch provided on the operation section 14, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, it is possible to provide detection means (emergency command input means) capable of internally detecting a failure in the case of a vehicle failure, and to automatically detect the vehicle failure by this detection means as an emergency command input. .

Further, as factors other than the vehicle failure, for example, the operation of the airbag (emergency command input means), the operation of a sensor for detecting an unintended impact applied to the vehicle (emergency command input means), etc. It can be regarded as command input. In addition, when an emergency command is input, FIG.
In S220, the operation menu in an emergency is displayed on the display unit 20 so that the operator can select the emergency response after that. However, such a function is omitted, and the predetermined operation is automatically performed when the emergency command is input. It may be directly transmitted to the information center.

According to such a structure, the emergency response can be performed quickly without relying on the operator, which is effective as an emergency response other than the vehicle failure described above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an entire vehicle navigation device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a program executed by a CPU in a control unit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of an input processing program.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of an emergency control program.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating another configuration example of a program executed by a CPU in a control unit.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing another configuration example of a program that is also executed by the CPU in the control unit.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a monitoring program.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Position detecting unit, 12 ... Map data input unit, 14 ... Operating unit, 16 ... Remote control transmitter, 18 ... Remote control receiving unit,
20 ... Display unit, 22 ... Voice output unit, 24 ... External memory,
26 ... communication section, 28 ... sending / receiving section, 30 ... control section, P0
… Monitoring program, P1… Input processing program, P2…
Signal processing program, P3 ... Normal control program, P4
… Emergency control program, P5… Communication control program, P
11 ... First input processing program, P12 ... Second input processing program, P21 ... First signal processing program, P22 ... Second signal processing program, P51 ... First communication control program, P
52 ... Second communication control program, P30 ... Normal / emergency control program.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --- Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-10-221090 (JP, A) JP-A-10-233844 (JP, A) JP-A-8-328880 (JP, A) JP-A-7- 85398 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01C 21/00 G08G 1/13

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. Wireless communication is performed between a position detecting means for detecting a current position of a vehicle, an emergency command inputting means for inputting an emergency command, a display means for displaying an image, and a base station outside the vehicle. Communication means and normal control for displaying an image such as driving guidance on the display means,
And, when the emergency command is input from the emergency command input means, a predetermined rescue signal is transmitted from the communication means, and a response signal from the base station received by the communication means after the rescue signal is transmitted. In a vehicle navigation device comprising: a control means for executing emergency control for capturing a message obtained from the response signal, and a normal control means for executing the normal control, Emergency control means for executing emergency control, communication control means for transmitting a rescue signal from the emergency control means from the communication means, and inputting the response signal received by the communication means to the emergency control means, Command input means for receiving an instruction from the emergency instruction input means and inputting an emergency instruction to at least the emergency control means; and the position detection means Signal input means for inputting a position detection signal from the normal control means and the emergency control means, respectively, the normal control means, the emergency control means, the communication control means, and the command input means And the signal input means can operate independently of each other, and in the control means, the normal control means operates normally.
Even if it disappears, the emergency command input means can
When an emergency command is input, the emergency control means
Note: A vehicle navigation device that enables normal execution of emergency control . 2. The control means includes, as the command input means, a first command input means for inputting a command from the emergency command input means to the normal control means, and an emergency command from the emergency command input means. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second command input unit that inputs the emergency control unit. 3. The control means includes, as the signal input means, a first signal input means for inputting a position detection signal from the position detection means to the normal control means, and a position detection signal from the position detection means. The second signal input means for inputting to the emergency control means, and the vehicle navigation device according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The normal / emergency control means capable of executing the normal control and the emergency control utilizing the communication control means, respectively, in place of the normal control means, and the normal / emergency control means. By monitoring the operation of the control means,
When the emergency control means is operating normally, the operation of the emergency control means is stopped, and when the normal / emergency control means malfunctions, a monitoring means for operating the emergency control means instead of the normal / emergency control means The vehicle navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: 5. The control means includes normal / emergency control means capable of executing the normal control and the emergency control using the communication control means, respectively, in place of the normal control means, and the communication The control means, the command input means, and the signal input means are provided in pairs, respectively. Further, among the respective means constituting the control means, the normal / emergency control means and the pair of command input means are always provided. One of the pair of signal input means and one of the pair of communication control means are operated to monitor the operation of each means, and the normal / emergency control means malfunctions. In this case, the emergency control means is operated instead of the normal / emergency control means, and when any of the command input means, the signal input means, and the communication control means malfunctions, the malfunctioning command Input means The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising: a monitoring unit that operates the other command input unit, the signal input unit or the communication control unit, instead of the signal input unit or the communication control unit. 6. The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is a computer operating with an operating system capable of simultaneously executing a plurality of programs, and constitutes the control unit. Each means comprises an independent program that operates on the operating system, and is realized by the computer executing each program.