JP4085989B2 - Guide route search device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a guide route search device and a guide route search method.

Conventionally, for example, when searching for a guide route of an automobile as in the route search device disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, the signal state of each traffic signal on the searched route between the current position of the automobile and the destination is set. Some of them calculate the signal cost accordingly.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-239081

  By the way, in the route search apparatus described above, when calculating the signal cost, the signal cost is set according to the state of the traffic signal (hereinafter also referred to as a target traffic signal) for which the cost is to be set.

  On the other hand, in general, when a car turns left at an intersection with traffic lights, the car tends to have to stop due to a signal from the next traffic light after the left turn. In addition, when an automobile turns right at an intersection with a traffic light, the automobile does not need to stop at the signal of the next traffic light after the right turn.

  Therefore, simply by setting the same signal cost to the target traffic signal as in the route search device described above, the signal cost setting considering the traffic engineering tendency as described above is not made. This causes a problem that the calculation accuracy of the travel time in the route search is lowered.

  Therefore, in order to deal with the above, the present invention considers the passage form of the search path for the traffic signal immediately before the target traffic signal for which the signal cost is to be set, and the signal cost corresponding to the passage form. Is set as the signal cost of the target traffic signal, and a purpose is to provide a guide route search device and a guide route search method that appropriately search for a guide route.

To achieve the above object, the present invention is the input target current position and the current position detection means to detect an input means to input a destination, the input means from detecting the current position of the current position detecting means A guide route searching device that searches for a search route to the ground as a guide route while setting the cost of a traffic light , wherein the guide route search means sets the cost in the search process of the search route When setting the cost of the target traffic signal that is the target, the traversing form of the search route with respect to the transit traffic signal immediately before the target traffic signal on the search route is a straight traveling form, a form that curves to the opposite side of the oncoming lane And a passage form determining means for determining whether the vehicle is turning to the opposite lane side, and a straight traveling signal cost when the passage form determining means is determined to be a straight traveling form. The first cost setting means for setting the first cost as the target traffic signal cost, and when the passage form determining means is determined to be bent to the opposite side of the oncoming lane, A second cost setting means for setting the second cost set as a larger value as the cost of the target traffic signal, and when it is determined that the passage form determination means is a form that bends toward the oncoming lane, it is smaller than the signal cost for straight travel And a third cost setting means for setting the set third cost as the cost of the target traffic light. A guide route search device is provided.

In the guidance route search apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above,
If the passing form is straight, the first cost is calculated. If the passing form is bent to the opposite side of the opposite lane, the second cost is used. If the passing form is bent to the opposite lane, the third cost is set. And set as the signal cost of the target traffic light. In this setting, the second cost is set to be larger than the first cost in consideration of the tendency to stop by the signal of the target traffic signal when the vehicle turns the transit traffic signal to the opposite side of the oncoming lane. The In addition, when the vehicle turns the transit signal to the opposite lane, the third cost is set to be smaller than the first cost in consideration of the tendency not to stop by the signal of the target signal. Thus, by using the traffic lights set differently based on the difference in the passage form, the guide route can be appropriately searched. As a result, it is possible to calculate the travel time with higher accuracy in consideration of travel that is close to reality.

In carrying out the present invention, when the guide route searching means sets the cost of the target traffic signal in the search process of the searched route, whether or not the route signal is within a predetermined distance from the target traffic signal. A distance determination means for determining, when the distance determination means determines that the via signal is within the predetermined distance from the target signal, sets the cost of the target signal based on the passage form, When the distance determining means determines that the via signal is not within the predetermined distance from the target signal, the first cost, which is a straight traveling signal cost, is set as the cost of the target signal. desirable.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a symbol N indicates a navigation system mounted on an automobile, a symbol C indicates a dedicated information communication system provided in the dedicated information center, and a symbol T indicates a road provided in the road traffic information communication system center. A traffic information communication system (hereinafter also referred to as VICS) is shown. “VICS” is a registered trademark of the road traffic information center.

  The navigation system N includes a current position detection device 10, which is a GPS reception device that receives radio waves transmitted from an artificial satellite of a satellite navigation system (also referred to as GPS). Thus, the current position of the car is detected together with the current time.

  Further, the navigation system N includes an input device 20, and this input device 20 is a portable remote controller, and by operation thereof, necessary information is received by a receiving unit (illustrated) of a microcomputer 30 (described later). Do not send). Instead of the remote controller, for example, a touch panel attached to a liquid crystal panel (described later) of the output device 60 from the display surface side may be used as the input device 20.

  The navigation system N includes a microcomputer 30, a storage device 40, a wireless communication device 50, and an output device 60. The microcomputer 30 is configured by connecting a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like in addition to the receiving unit via a bus line. The microcomputer 30 is a computer that uses the CPU according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Run the program.

  During the execution of the computer program, the microcomputer 30 detects the output of the current position detection device 10, the operation output of the input device 20, the output of the storage device 40, the output of the wireless communication device 50, and the output of the dedicated information communication system C. On the basis of the above, various processes such as map display, guidance route search, route guidance, etc. are performed.

  In the present embodiment, the receiving unit is not limited to the one built in the microcomputer 30 but may be one externally attached to the microcomputer 30. The computer program is written in advance in the ROM of the microcomputer 30 so as to be readable by the microcomputer 30.

  The storage device 40 is a hard disk, and map data and traffic information data are stored in the storage device 40 as a database so as to be readable by the microcomputer 30.

  The wireless communication device 50 receives the traffic information data from the dedicated information communication system C and outputs it to the microcomputer 30. The dedicated information communication system C transmits various types of traffic information received from the VICST as traffic information data.

  The output device 60 is a display device, and this display device displays data necessary for the automobile as information under the control of the microcomputer 30. The output device 60 is disposed on an instrument panel provided on the front wall of the vehicle interior of the vehicle, such as a liquid crystal panel.

  In the present embodiment configured as described above, when the microcomputer 30 starts executing the computer program according to the flowchart of FIG. 2, if there is no display request from the input device 20 at this stage, NO is determined in step 100 of FIG. The determination is repeated.

  In such a state, if there is a request to display a desired map by the input device 20, it is determined as YES in Step 100. Thereafter, in step 110, the map data representing the desired map (hereinafter also referred to as desired map data) is read from the storage device 40. Accordingly, the desired map data is read from the database of the storage device 40. Then, in step 120, the desired map display process is performed. Accordingly, the output device 60 displays a desired map on the display panel based on the desired map data.

  When the processing in step 120 is completed as described above, destination setting processing is performed in step 130. In this setting process, the destination of the automobile is input to the microcomputer 30 by operating the input device 20.

  Next, in step 200, traffic information data request processing for the dedicated information communication system C is performed. Along with this, the traffic information data request is transmitted via the wireless device 50 together with the current position detected by the current position detection device 10 and the input destination by the input device 20. Thus, while the determination of NO is repeated in step 200, the wireless communication device 50 receives traffic information data relating to the route between the current position and the destination from the dedicated information communication system C and sends it to the microcomputer 30. When output, it is determined YES in step 200 because there is traffic information data. Thereafter, in step 300, the traffic information data is stored. Accordingly, traffic information data is stored in the storage device 40 as part of the database.

  Thereafter, the guide route search processing routine 400 (see FIG. 3) is performed as follows. That is, the search route is searched from the current position detected by the current position detecting device 10 to the input destination by the input device 20 by the Dijkstra method based on the map data and traffic information data read from the database of the storage device 40. Will start.

  After starting the search, when a search is made through the traffic signal immediately before the target traffic signal (hereinafter referred to as the via signal S (see FIG. 4)) to the target traffic signal for which the signal cost is to be set, In step 410, it is determined whether or not the target signal is within a predetermined distance (for example, 500 (m)). If there is no transit signal S within a predetermined distance from the target signal at the present stage, NO is determined in step 410.

  Thereafter, in step 421, straight signal cost setting processing is performed. Accordingly, the signal cost of the target traffic light (hereinafter referred to as signal cost Cs) is set to Cs = 1, for example.

In step 410 described above, if there is a transit signal S within the predetermined distance from the target traffic signal, it is determined YES, and in step 420, the passage form of the search route for the transit signal S is either straight, left turn, or right turn. Determined. Here, as shown in FIG. 4, if the searched route is a form in which the route signal S goes straight to the target signal device as indicated by the arrow R ₁ , it is determined in step 420 that the vehicle is going straight. In step 421, the straight signal cost setting process described above is performed.

In step 420 described above, passing the form of the search paths for through traffic signal S is, as shown in FIG. 4, as shown the search route by arrows R _2, and turn left through traffic signal S toward the target traffic form If so, it is determined in step 420 that the turn is left. Thereafter, in step 422, a left turn signal cost setting process is performed. Accordingly, the signal cost Cs of the target traffic light is set to Cs = 1.5, for example.

Further, in step 420 described above, passing the form of the search paths for through traffic signal S is, as shown in FIG. 4, as shown the search path by an arrow R _3, in the target traffic Turn right via traffic signal S If so, it is determined in step 420 that the vehicle is turning right. Thereafter, in step 423, a right turn signal cost setting process is performed. Accordingly, the signal cost Cs of the target traffic light is set to Cs = 0.75, for example.

  Here, the reason for setting the signal cost Cs in steps 421 to 423 described above will be described. As described above, in general, when a car turns to the left at an intersection with a traffic light, the car tends to stop due to a signal from the next traffic light after the left turn. In addition, when an automobile turns right at an intersection with a traffic light, the automobile does not need to stop at the signal of the next traffic light after the right turn. In other words, the signal cost when turning left tends to be higher than the signal cost when turning right. In addition, the above-mentioned trend in traffic engineering has been confirmed by actual measurement of automobiles under predetermined constraint conditions. Here, the predetermined constraint condition is that the signal of the target signal device that has made a left turn on the transit signal S and the target signal device that has made a right turn are linked, and the target signal device is within 500 (m) from the transit signal S. It is a constraint condition that it is the first traffic light.

  Therefore, when the passage form of the search route with respect to the transit signal S is a form in which the transit signal S is turned left and headed toward the target signal device, the signal cost Cs of the target signal device is determined as the processing of step 422 described above. It is set to be larger than the signal cost Cs of the target traffic signal when the vehicle travels straight through S toward the target traffic signal.

  In addition, when the passage form of the search route with respect to the transit signal S is a form in which the transit signal S is turned to the right and heading toward the target signal device, the signal cost Cs of the target signal device is determined as in the processing of step 423 described above. It is set to be smaller than the signal cost Cs of the target traffic signal when the vehicle travels straight through S toward the target traffic signal.

  Thereby, it is possible to set the signal cost Cs in consideration of the actual travel of the automobile, and to calculate a travel time with high accuracy.

  As described above, when the signal cost Cs is set in steps 421 to 423, it is determined in step 430 whether or not the route search is completed. If the searched route has not reached the input destination by the input device 20 and it is determined as NO, the processing of steps 410 to 430 is performed. Under the repetition of such processing, the route search based on the Dijkstra method and the setting process of the signal cost Cs are repeated until the searched route reaches the destination.

  In step 430, when the searched route reaches the input destination by the input device 20 and it is determined as YES, the guide route search processing routine 400 ends.

  Thereafter, in step 500 (see FIG. 2), route guidance processing is performed. Accordingly, based on the guidance route searched by the above-described guidance route search processing routine 400, the occupant can drive the vehicle toward the destination.

  As described above, for example, if the passing form of the search route to the transit signal S that is the traffic signal immediately before the target traffic signal is a left turn, it is larger than the signal cost when traveling straight; Since the signal cost is set so as to be smaller than the signal cost, it is possible to calculate a travel time with high accuracy in consideration of a more realistic travel. Accordingly, the travel time calculation accuracy can be improved in providing the optimum guide route, so that the travel time can be minimized.

In carrying out the present invention, the following various modifications are possible without being limited to the above embodiment.
(1) The signal cost Cs set in steps 421 to 423 is not limited to setting Cs = 1 when traveling straight, Cs = 1.5 when turning left, and Cs = 0.75 when turning right. It may be set in consideration of intersection characteristics such as the number, road type, number of lanes, and presence / absence of a right turn lane.
(2) When it is determined in step 420 described above that the vehicle is to turn left or right, in step 422 or step 423 described above, the left turn signal cost is set to be greater than the straight drive cost or the right turn signal cost is set to For example, in consideration of countries with right-hand traffic restrictions, the left turn signal cost is set to be smaller than the straight drive cost or the right turn signal cost is set to be smaller than the straight drive cost. It may be set so as to be larger than the straight running cost, and the process of step 422 or step 423 may be performed based on this set cost.

  In general, the following processing may be performed in consideration of both right-hand traffic regulation and left-hand traffic regulation. In step 420, it is determined whether the passing form with respect to the transit signal is a straight running form, a form turning to the opposite side of the oncoming lane, or a form turning to the oncoming lane.

If it is determined in step 420 that the vehicle travels straight, the first cost, which is the signal cost for straight travel, is set in step 421 as the cost of the target traffic light. Further, when it is determined in step 420 that the passing form is a form turning to the opposite side of the oncoming lane, the second cost set larger than the straight traveling signal cost in step 422 is set as the cost of the target traffic light. Further, when it is determined in step 420 that the passing form is a form turning to the oncoming lane, the third cost set smaller than the straight traveling signal cost in step 423 is set as the cost of the target traffic signal.
(3) Using the signal cost calculation method in the above-described guidance route search processing routine 400, each signal cost Cs for each passing signal S of all the traffic lights is calculated in advance, and each of these signal costs Cs is stored in the storage device 40. May be stored in the database as signal cost data.
(4) The wireless communication device 50 is not limited to receiving various types of traffic information data transmitted from the VICST via the dedicated information communication system C, but may receive the traffic information data directly from the VICST.

1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of an automobile navigation system according to the present invention. FIG. It is a part of flowchart which represents the computer program run with the microcomputer of FIG. It is a part of flowchart which represents the computer program run with the microcomputer of FIG. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a route signal and a search route.

Explanation of symbols

  Cs: Signal cost, S: Via signal.

Claims (3)

Current position detecting means for detecting the current position;
An input means for inputting a destination;
A guide route search device comprising a guide route search means for searching a search route from a detection current position of the current position detection means to an input destination of the input means as a guide route while setting a traffic light cost,
The guide route search means, when setting the cost of the target traffic signal for which the cost is to be set in the search process of the search route, the search route of the search route with respect to the transit signal immediately before the target signal on the search route Passing form determination means for determining whether the passing form is a straight traveling form , a form bending to the opposite side of the opposite lane, or a form bending to the opposite lane side;
First cost setting means for setting a first cost, which is a signal cost for straight traveling, as the cost of the target traffic light when it is determined that the passing form determining means is a straight traveling form;
Second cost setting means for setting, as the cost of the target traffic signal, a second cost set larger than the straight traveling signal cost when it is determined that the passage form determination means is a form that bends to the opposite side of the oncoming lane; ,
And a third cost setting unit that sets a third cost set lower than the straight traveling signal cost as the cost of the target traffic signal when it is determined that the passing mode determination unit is a mode of bending toward the opposite lane. A guide route search device characterized by that. The guide route searching means includes
When setting the cost of the target traffic signal in the search process of the search path, the distance determination means for determining whether the routed traffic signal is within a predetermined distance from the target traffic signal,
2. The cost of the target traffic signal is set based on the passage form when the distance determination means determines that the route signal is within the predetermined distance from the target traffic signal. The described guide route search device. When the distance determination unit determines that the route signal is not within the predetermined distance from the target traffic signal, the guide route search unit determines the first cost, which is a signal cost for straight traveling, as the cost of the target traffic signal. The guide route search device according to claim 2, wherein the guide route search device is set.

Images