JP4368346B2 - Navigation system, route search server, portable terminal device, and guidance execution method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication type navigation system, a route search server, a mobile terminal device and a guidance execution method using a mobile terminal device such as a mobile phone provided with GPS positioning means, and in particular, operating control of the mobile terminal device. In a navigation system in which positioning information acquisition by a GPS positioning means is controlled by a module (OS: operating system), guidance information such as an intersection is used regardless of the timing at which positioning information is acquired from an OS that differs depending on the individual mobile terminal device. The present invention relates to a navigation system, a route search server, a mobile terminal device, and a guidance execution method capable of appropriately adjusting guidance execution timing.

  Conventionally, when visiting a destination place on an unknown land, the user arrives while checking the transportation, road, landmark and address drawn on the map by using a map book or the like. In a car equipped with a car navigation system (hereinafter simply referred to as a car navigation system), a guidance displayed on a monitor screen or a voice output guidance (navigation) by starting the car navigation system and inputting a destination. Information) was reached.

  The car navigation system uses a GPS (Global Positioning System), receives GPS signals transmitted from a plurality of GPS satellites orbiting the earth with a GPS antenna, and transmits the GPS signals to the GPS signals. The position is specified by analyzing the satellite position and clock information included. At least four GPS satellites are required. The single positioning accuracy of GPS is generally over 10 m, but it is improved to 5 m or less by adopting DGPS (Differential GPS). In particular, a positioning unit that is currently installed only in some mobile phones, for example, a GPS receiver that receives a signal from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite and performs positioning, is called the third generation. Mobile phones tend to be installed in all models.

  As a technique for using a terminal device having such a positioning function, technologies in various fields have been proposed. For example, a navigation device (car navigation) for automobiles has been developed, and map / route information is obtained using a mobile phone as a terminal. A communication-type navigation system for pedestrians distributed from a route search server has been proposed.

  In recent years, the performance of mobile communication terminal devices such as mobile phones and PHS has been dramatically improved, and multi-functionalization has been progressing. In particular, the data communication function is strengthened in addition to the call function, and various data communication services are provided to the user via the Internet. A navigation service is one of them, and a communication type navigation system that provides route guidance from a current position to a destination for not only a driver of a car but also a mobile phone user has been put into practical use. In such a system, even if a vehicle-mounted navigation system is not installed, a user who is on the passenger seat can easily receive route guidance using a mobile phone and can navigate the driver.

  A general navigation device, a route search device and a route search method used in a communication navigation system are disclosed in, for example, the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-165681). This navigation system is configured to send information of departure and destination from a portable navigation terminal to a route search server, and search and guide a route that matches a search condition from road network and traffic network data by the route search server. Has been. As the search condition, there are means for moving from the departure place to the destination, for example, walking, automobile, combined use of railroad and walking, and the route is searched as one of the search conditions.

  The route search server uses roads (routes) of map data as nodes and node positions as the nodes, links connecting the nodes as links, and cost information (distance and required time) for all links as a database. ing. Then, the route search server refers to the database, sequentially searches for links from the departure node to the destination node, and traces the node and link with the smallest cost information of the link as a guide route. The shortest route can be guided to the portable navigation terminal. As such a route search method, a method called label determination method or Dijkstra method is used. Patent Document 1 also discloses a route search method using this Dijkstra method.

Of the routes from the starting point to the destination obtained by route search using the road network data as described above, the route with the minimum total cost (distance or time) of the route is determined as the optimum guide route. Guide route data is created. The guide route data includes map data and guidance data in addition to the data of the optimum route, and the guide route data is read from the guide data storage unit as necessary and displayed on the display unit.
In general, a guide route and a mark indicating the current position of the navigation device are superimposed on a map of a certain scale and range including the current position of the navigation device measured using the GPS receiver of the navigation device. The current position mark is displayed at the center of the display screen. When the navigation system has a voice guidance function, the guidance data is voice data, and guidance to the user is performed by voice output.

  A navigation device provided with GPS positioning means is disclosed as, for example, “GPS navigation device” in the following Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 2-272380), and a navigation system using a mobile phone as a terminal device is: It is disclosed in the following Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-121531).

  The GPS navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 2 is a device configured to measure the current position only by the GPS positioning means without using the positioning means based on autonomous navigation, and the navigation system disclosed in Patent Document 3 is This is a system adapted to a case where a function such as a telephone call and a navigation application cannot be executed simultaneously in a mobile phone as a terminal device.

  That is, this navigation system includes a navigation device using a mobile phone having GPS means, a call control module for making a call with a navigation control module, another mobile terminal device, and an operation control module (OS) for controlling each module. When the OS detects a predetermined event during the operation of the navigation control module, the navigation control module sends a suspend command to the navigation control module to suspend, and when the OS detects the end of the predetermined event, the navigation control module The resume control command is sent to the navigation control module to resume.

  In the navigation system as described above, the guide route distributed to the terminal device by the route search server is data in which node numbers and link numbers to be followed by the user are arranged in order. In order to guide the direction to turn when a user should turn left or right such as an intersection node, the node is set as a guidance point node, and the user is notified by voice or display at the guidance point before the guidance point node. There is also known a navigation system that outputs a guidance to the user. For example, in front of the guidance point node, guidance data such as “Furthermore, at the intersection of 200m00-chome. Please turn left at the intersection” is delivered to the terminal device together with the guidance route for each guidance point. When the terminal device travels along the guidance route, the above-mentioned guidance is output for each guidance point, and the user can receive guidance on route progress.

  A navigation system that performs guidance such as turning right or left by voice output before a guidance point node such as an intersection on a guidance route is described in “Patent display device, intersection guidance device” in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-310705. It is disclosed as. In this intersection guidance device, the output point for voice output of guidance is set according to the distance to the intersection, and when the vehicle approaches the intersection that is the guidance point and the remaining distance to the intersection is set, It is configured to guide the direction of travel at the intersection (straight forward or left / right turn) by voice. Thus, even if the user misses the guidance at a certain output point, it is only necessary to pay attention to the next guidance, and convenience is improved.

  In a communication-type navigation system, the distribution method of guidance routes, guidance points, and guidance data (voice data, etc.) can take various forms, for example, disclosed in the following Patent Document 5 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-134209). In the route guidance system, the route search server searches for a guidance route according to the route search conditions transmitted from the mobile terminal, and the route creation means creates guidance route data in which a guidance point node is set, The guide route to the ground is collectively transmitted to the mobile terminal, and the map data is transmitted to the mobile terminal by the map information transmitting means based on the map request from the mobile terminal.

  That is, in the navigation system disclosed in Patent Document 5, route data and map data are separately delivered from the route search server to the mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal has a shortage of map data necessary for map display. From the route data, it is possible to request the route search server to deliver a unit map including the route. Usually, map data is distributed to nine mesh units of map data in the upper, lower, left, and right directions centering on mesh unit map data including the current position. Therefore, according to the configuration in which the guide route data and the map data are separately distributed to the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal can know the entire guide route from the data of the guide route, and the map data is transferred as the mobile terminal moves. When there is a shortage, it is possible to request only a shortage map along the direction of travel from the server, and guidance at guide points is possible without increasing the communication load associated with map data distribution between the route search server and the mobile terminal. Become.

JP 2001-165681 A (FIGS. 1 and 2) JP-A-2-272380 (FIGS. 1 and 2) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-121531 (FIG. 1) JP 2002-310705 A (FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-134209 (FIG. 2, paragraphs [0006], [0007], [0013], [0014])

  In a navigation system using a portable terminal device such as a cellular phone equipped with a GPS positioning means, a guidance execution point for outputting a guidance voice is set as a guidance point node (intersection or interchange) as in the in-vehicle navigator disclosed in Patent Document 4 above. ), When the vehicle approaches the guidance point and passes through the set guidance point (the set distance to the guidance point node), the direction of travel at the intersection (straight or right / left turn) ) By voice, the following considerations are necessary.

  That is, when a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone provided with GPS positioning means is used as a terminal device in a navigation system, as disclosed in Patent Document 4, the GPS positioning means as hardware is a navigation application (navigation). It is not possible to directly control from the control module), and the positioning information acquisition by the GPS positioning means is controlled by the operating control module (OS: operating system) of the mobile terminal device. The control here means that a positioning request (current position acquisition request) to the GPS positioning means and data of current position information measured by the GPS positioning means are transmitted to and received from the navigation control module via the OS. is doing.

  The current position acquisition request from the navigation control module is sent to the OS in the form of a function call, and the current position information (latitude / longitude), which is the positioning result by the GPS positioning means, is also navigation controlled as a result of the function call via the OS. Returned to the module. The reason for adopting such a configuration is that the mobile phone is not a terminal device dedicated to the navigation system, but the OS needs to centrally manage the operation control of the call control module, the navigation control module, and other application functions installed by the user. Because.

  The guidance execution point is set by the distance to the guidance point. For example, on an expressway, 5 km, 2 km, 1 km, and 700 m before the next guidance point node are set as guidance execution points 1 to 4. Similarly, on national roads, 2 km, 1 km, 500 m, and 300 m before the next guidance point node are set as guidance execution points 1 to 4, and on general roads, 2 km, 1 km, 500 m, and 200 m are guidance execution points. 1 to guidance execution point 4 are set.

  Whether or not the mobile terminal device has reached the guidance execution point is determined based on the information on the current position measured by the GPS positioning means, and the guidance is started at the guidance execution point. Guidance such as another right / left turn (voice guidance such as “Turn 200m ahead, turn right at the intersection”) is completed.

  However, a mobile terminal device such as a mobile phone is configured to acquire the current position information measured by the GPS positioning means. This position information is acquired via the OS as described above. Since the navigation application acquires, the timing differs depending on the model of the mobile terminal device. For this reason, even if the guidance execution point is set, the acquisition timing of the current position differs depending on the model of the mobile terminal device, and depending on the model, guidance execution cannot be started at the set execution point.

  If guidance cannot be executed at the set guidance execution point, there will be no major problem at guidance execution points with a long remaining distance to the guidance point, but at guidance execution points with a short remaining distance, the guidance point will be reached before the guidance ends. However, if the guidance point is reached immediately after the end of the dance, there is a problem that the user cannot afford to act according to the guidance.

  The relationship between the guidance execution point and the current position acquisition timing from the GPS positioning means is also related to the moving speed of the mobile terminal device. When a passenger in a front passenger seat guides a driver of a car using a mobile terminal device, the moving distance per unit time varies depending on the speed at which the driver is driving the driver. In general, when an elderly person drives, the average moving speed decreases, and in the case of a younger driver, the average moving speed increases. Accordingly, even if the current position acquisition timing from the GPS positioning means is constant in the same mobile terminal device, if the average moving speed is different, the arrival time to the guidance execution point is different. For this reason, the same problem as described above occurs.

  As a result of various studies to solve the above problems, the inventor of the present application has previously investigated the timing of obtaining positioning information from the OS for each model of the mobile terminal device and adjusted the guidance execution point. By preparing an adjustment value and making it possible to appropriately adjust the guidance execution timing at a guidance point such as an intersection based on this adjustment value, the inventors have conceived that the above problems can be solved, and the present invention is achieved. It has come to be completed.

  That is, according to the present invention, in a navigation system in which positioning information acquisition by a GPS positioning unit is controlled by an operating control module (OS: operating system) of a mobile terminal device, positioning information from an OS that differs depending on the individual mobile terminal device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a navigation system, a route search server, a mobile terminal device, and a guidance execution method that can appropriately adjust the guidance execution timing at a guidance point such as an intersection regardless of the acquisition timing.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is
A mobile terminal device comprising GPS positioning means, wherein the navigation control module obtains current position information from the GPS positioning means via the operating control module, and connected to the mobile terminal device via the communication means; A route search server that searches a route from a departure point to a destination based on the route and distributes a guide route including guidance route data and guidance points in the guidance route and guidance data in the guidance point to the mobile terminal device; In the navigation system provided,
The navigation system includes storage means for storing an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module obtains current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. ,
The portable terminal device includes guidance execution means for executing the guidance at a predetermined guidance execution point, and guidance execution point adjustment means, and the guidance execution point adjustment means executes guidance based on the adjustment value. The guidance execution point executed by the means is adjusted.

The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 1,
The route search server stores, for each model, an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning unit via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. The adjusted value database is provided.

The invention according to claim 3 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 1,
The mobile terminal device stores an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. Features.

The invention according to claim 4 of the present application is the navigation system according to claim 2,
The mobile terminal device has an adjustment value database based on an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. It is acquired from.

The invention according to claim 5 of the present application is the navigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The portable terminal device further includes guidance execution position estimation means for estimating a position where guidance is actually executed by the guidance execution means, and the guidance execution position is estimated based on the guidance execution position estimated by the guidance execution position estimation means. The point adjusting means adjusts the guidance execution point by changing the adjustment value.

The invention according to claim 6 of the present application is
A portable terminal device comprising GPS positioning means, wherein a navigation control module obtains current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module, wherein the portable terminal device is configured to perform the above-described operation at a predetermined guidance execution point. Guidance execution means for executing guidance, and guidance execution point adjustment means, the guidance execution point adjustment means, depending on the model of the mobile terminal device, the navigation control module via the operating control module, the GPS positioning An adjustment value based on a positioning interval for acquiring current position information from the means is stored, and is connected via a communication means to a portable terminal device that adjusts an execution point of guidance executed by the guidance execution means based on the adjustment value. On the route search server The route search server searches for a route from a departure place to a destination based on a route search condition transmitted from the mobile terminal device, and provides guidance route data, guidance points in the guidance route, and guidance in the guidance point. Based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. An adjustment value database storing the adjustment values for each model is provided, and the adjustment values are distributed to the mobile terminal device according to the model of the mobile terminal device.

The invention according to claim 7 of the present application is
A route from the departure point to the destination is searched based on the route search condition transmitted from the portable terminal device, and a guidance route including guidance route data and guidance points in the guidance route and guidance data in the guidance point is carried. A portable terminal device that is connected to a route search server that distributes to a terminal device via communication means, includes GPS positioning means, and a navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module. And
The mobile terminal device includes a guidance execution unit that executes the guidance at a predetermined guidance execution point, and a guidance execution point adjustment unit, and the mobile terminal device, depending on the model of the mobile terminal device, The navigation control module stores an adjustment value based on a positioning interval for acquiring current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module, and the guidance execution point adjustment means executes guidance based on the adjustment value. A portable terminal device characterized by adjusting an execution point of guidance executed by the means.

The invention according to claim 8 of the present application is the portable terminal device according to claim 7,
The route search server stores, for each model, an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning unit via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. Adjustment value database,
The mobile terminal device has an adjustment value database based on an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. It is acquired from.

The invention according to claim 9 of the present application is the portable terminal device according to claim 7 or claim 8,
The portable terminal device further includes guidance execution position estimation means for estimating a position where guidance is actually executed by the guidance execution means, and the guidance execution position is estimated based on the guidance execution position estimated by the guidance execution position estimation means. The point adjusting means adjusts the guidance execution point by changing the adjustment value.

The invention according to claim 10 of the present application is
A mobile terminal device comprising GPS positioning means, wherein the navigation control module obtains current position information from the GPS positioning means via the operating control module, and connected to the mobile terminal device via the communication means; A route search server that searches a route from a departure point to a destination based on the route and distributes a guide route including guidance route data and guidance points in the guidance route and guidance data in the guidance point to the mobile terminal device; A guidance execution method in the provided navigation system,
The navigation system includes storage means for storing an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module obtains current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. ,
The portable terminal device includes guidance execution means for executing the guidance at a predetermined guidance execution point, and guidance execution point adjustment means, and the guidance execution point adjustment means executes guidance based on the adjustment value. The method includes a step of adjusting an execution point of guidance executed by the means.

The invention according to claim 11 of the present application is the guidance execution method according to claim 10,
The route search server stores, for each model, an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning unit via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. Adjustment value database,
The mobile terminal device has an adjustment value database based on an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. Further comprising the step of obtaining from

The invention according to claim 12 of the present application is the guidance execution method according to claim 10 or claim 11,
The portable terminal device further includes guidance execution position estimation means for estimating a position where guidance is actually executed by the guidance execution means, and the guidance execution position is estimated based on the guidance execution position estimated by the guidance execution position estimation means. The point adjusting means includes a step of adjusting the guidance execution point by changing the adjustment value.

In the invention according to claim 1, the navigation control module stores an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the current position information is acquired from the GPS positioning means via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. A storage unit, and the mobile terminal device includes a guidance execution unit that executes guidance at a predetermined guidance execution point, and a guidance execution point adjustment unit. The guidance execution point adjustment unit performs guidance based on the adjustment value. The guidance execution point executed by the execution means is adjusted.
Therefore, by adjusting the guidance execution point according to the model of the mobile terminal device, the guidance can be executed at an appropriate timing according to the timing at which the current position information is acquired from the GPS positioning means, and the guidance ends. If the guidance point is reached before or the guidance point is reached immediately after the end of the dance, the problem that the user cannot afford to act according to the guidance can be solved. become.

In the invention according to claim 2, the route search server is arranged at a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. An adjustment value database storing the adjustment values based on each model is provided.
Therefore, the mobile terminal device can acquire the adjustment value from the route search server, and can execute the guidance at an appropriate timing according to the timing of acquiring the current position information from the GPS positioning means. In addition, when only the voice guidance data that is guidance data is updated and the guidance sentence becomes longer or shorter, the adjustment value in the adjustment value database of the route search server may be changed at the same time. There is no need to update the application itself.

Moreover, in the invention concerning Claim 3, according to the model of the said portable terminal device, the navigation interval which the said navigation control module acquires current position information from the said GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to the model of the said portable terminal device The adjustment value based on was stored.
Therefore, by adjusting the guidance execution point according to the model of the mobile terminal device 20, the guidance can be executed at an appropriate timing according to the timing at which the current position information is acquired from the GPS positioning means 24. If the guidance point is reached before the end or if the guidance point is reached immediately after the end of the dance, the problem that the user cannot afford to act according to the guidance may be solved. become able to.

In the invention according to claim 4, the mobile terminal device is based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. Obtain the adjusted value from the adjusted value database.
Therefore, the mobile terminal device can acquire the adjustment value from the route search server, and can execute the guidance at an appropriate timing according to the timing of acquiring the current position information from the GPS positioning means. In addition, when only the voice guidance data that is guidance data is updated and the guidance sentence becomes longer or shorter, the adjustment value in the adjustment value database of the route search server may be changed at the same time. No need to update the application itself.

In the invention according to claim 5, the portable terminal device further includes guidance execution position estimation means for estimating a position where the guidance is actually executed by the guidance execution means, and the guidance execution position estimation means estimates Based on the guidance execution position, the guidance execution point adjustment means adjusts the guidance execution point by changing the adjustment value.
Such a configuration makes it possible to adapt to driving trends. That is, the adjustment value of the silver layer that runs very slowly becomes smaller, and when the vehicle is lightly driven in a vacant suburb, the adjustment value becomes longer automatically and guidance can be executed at an appropriate timing. Even if the GPS satellite radio wave reception condition temporarily deteriorates and a retry occurs between the OS and GPS (running between buildings, mountains, etc.), the adjustment value automatically becomes longer and earlier. You will be able to give guidance.
In addition, even if the mobile terminal device 20 is changed (generally, the new model is often improved in performance and the positioning interval is shortened and the adjustment value is shortened). You can get the same feeling of use.

  Moreover, in the invention concerning Claim 6, the route search server which comprises the navigation system concerning Claim 1 and Claim 2 can be provided, In the invention concerning Claim 7 thru | or Claim 9, It becomes possible to provide a mobile terminal device constituting the navigation system according to claim 1, claim 3, claim 4, and claim 5.

  In the inventions according to claims 10 to 12, it is possible to provide a guidance execution method for realizing the navigation systems according to claims 1, 4, and 5, respectively.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples and drawings. However, the embodiments shown below illustrate a navigation system for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to specify the present invention for this navigation system. It is equally applicable to systems of other embodiments that fall within the scope.

  The navigation system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a mobile terminal device 20 and a route search server 30 connected via a network 12. The mobile terminal device 20 is a mobile phone, and can communicate with a desired partner (a fixed phone, a mobile phone, a PHS, etc.) via a mobile communication base station or a telephone network via a network 12 such as a mobile communication network. It is also possible to connect to the route search server 30 via the data communication service center and receive a route navigation service as described later.

  The mobile terminal device 20 is mainly configured by a control means (CPU) 21 composed of a microcomputer, and an operation control module 221 that is an operating system (OS), a call control module 222 for controlling telephone communication, A control program such as a navigation control module 223 for controlling the navigation service is stored.

  The operation control module 221 is a control program for controlling the overall operation of the mobile terminal device 20, and corresponds to an OS (operating system) of a general computer device. The navigation control module 223 is an application program that is generally referred to as a navigation application, and is incorporated in a mobile phone in the same manner as an application for other services. The operation control module 221 functions as an application platform that manages activation and termination of applications such as the call control module 222 and the navigation control module 223.

  The mobile terminal device 20 includes GPS positioning means 24 including a GPS receiver and the like, and can measure the current position of the user from the GPS satellite signal. The navigation control module 223 acquires the current position (latitude / longitude) information necessary for the navigation service from the GPS positioning means 24. The GPS positioning means 24 is controlled by the operating control module 221, and the current position acquisition request from the navigation control module 223 is sent to the operating control module 221 in the form of a function call, and current position information (latitude) as a positioning result by the GPS positioning means. (Longitude) is also returned to the navigation control module 223 via the operating control module 221 as a result of the function call.

  In addition, the mobile terminal device 20 includes a storage unit (RAM) 23, a communication unit 25, a power supply unit 26, an operation / input unit 27, a display unit 28, a guidance execution unit 29, and a guidance execution point adjustment, like a normal mobile phone. Means 291 are provided, and each of these elements is connected to the internal bus and operates under the control of the control means 21. That is, the control unit 21 operates the mobile terminal device 20 by executing control programs such as the call control module 222 and the navigation control module 223 under the control of the operation control module 221 stored in the control memory 22.

  The GPS positioning means 24 is configured around a receiver that receives signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, and is based on a function call for a current position request sent from the navigation control module 223 via the operating control module 221 for a predetermined time. Signals from a plurality of GPS satellites are received at intervals, and information on the current position (latitude and longitude) is calculated based on the distance to each satellite. The calculated current position information is returned to the navigation control module 223 via the operating control module 221 as a result of the function call, and the navigation control module 223 acquires information on the current position of the mobile terminal device 20 at a predetermined time interval. .

  The guidance execution means 29 provides guidance when the mobile terminal device 20 reaches an execution point for executing voice guidance based on the current position information acquired from the GPS positioning means 24 by the navigation control module 223 via the operation control module 221. Executes guidance such as voice guidance set according to points.

  As described above, when the navigation service of the automobile route is used with the mobile phone of the passenger on the passenger seat of the automobile, the movement speed is high, and thus the delay of guidance (guidance) becomes a problem. When the moving speed is 50 km / h, since the speed of the voice guidance is about 14 m / s, the voice guidance timing is delayed by 3 seconds, and guidance is provided at a different place by about 40 m.

  If that is the case, it seems like it would be good to create an application to give guidance earlier. For example, when it is desired to provide guidance before 50 meters, it is considered that the guidance point may actually be set 90 meters before. However, unlike the car navigation system having the dedicated hardware as described above, the navigation control module 223 cannot directly control the GPS positioning unit 24 during the sampling period for acquiring the current position information from the GPS positioning unit 24. Since it is mediated by the operating control module 221, there is a difference in processing speed depending on the model, and the same control cannot be taken regardless of the model.

Guidance execution points are determined by the attributes of the moving road (attributes such as expressways and ordinary roads). In the case of ordinary roads, the following guidance execution points are set as standard guidance before the guidance points (intersections). It is said that.
Standard guidance setting 2km before guidance: guidance starts 2050m before, guidance ends 2000m before,
Guidance before 1km: Guidance starts at 1050m before, guidance ends at 1000m before,
Guidance before 500m: Guidance starts at 550m before, guidance ends at 500m before,
Guidance for "Soon ..." 200m before: Guidance starts before 230m, and ends 200m before.

  Guidance determined when the current position acquired from the GPS positioning means 24 is less than or equal to this distance is performed. In the guidance 2km or 1km before, the distance error is not a problem because it is still very near, but the guidance "Soon" is assumed to be 200m, and it is difficult to use if it contains a lot of errors. In particular, when the model of the mobile phone is changed, the usability is different even in the same navigation application.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the adjustment value obtained by measuring in advance according to the model of the portable terminal device 20 is stored in the portable terminal device 20 or the route search server, and the guidance execution point adjusting means 291 is stored based on this adjustment value. Is configured to adjust the timing of guidance point execution.

  In FIG. 1, the route search server 30 includes an adjustment value DB 311 that is a database that stores adjustment values for each model of the mobile terminal device 20. When the mobile terminal device 20 makes a route search request to the route search server 30. The model ID of the mobile terminal device 20 is sent, the corresponding adjustment value is acquired and stored in the guidance execution point adjustment unit 291 or the storage unit 23, and the guidance execution point adjustment unit 291 performs guidance based on this adjustment value. Adjust the execution timing. For example, when the adjustment value is 50 m, the adjustment is performed as follows.

Guidance before 2km: Guidance before 2000m + 50m,
Guidance before 1km: Guidance before 1000m + 50m,
Guidance before 500m: Guidance before 550m + 50m,
Guidance of "Soon ..." 200m in front: Guidance in front of 200m + 30m,
Adjust as follows. Based on this, the guidance execution point adjusting means 291 executes guidance. In addition, when dealing with version upgrades such as when the guidance text is changed (for example, when the voice guidance becomes longer due to more detailed guidance), the adjustment value may be updated simultaneously with the version upgrade of the application. For example, if the guidance sentence becomes longer, an adjustment value that shifts the guidance execution point to the front may be used.

  Note that the adjustment value is not stored in the route search server 30 as a database, and the adjustment value for each model is stored in advance when the mobile terminal device 20 is shipped or when the application is installed. You can also If the adjustment value is stored in the route search server 30 as a database, only the voice guidance data is updated, and the route search server 30 delivers to the mobile terminal device 20 when the guidance sentence becomes longer or shorter. Since it is only necessary to change the adjustment value at the same time, it is not necessary to update the application itself.

  As described above, by adjusting the guidance execution point according to the model of the mobile terminal device 20, the guidance can be executed at an appropriate timing according to the timing at which the current position information is acquired from the GPS positioning unit 24. If the guidance point is reached before the end of the game, or if the guidance point is reached immediately after the end of the dance, the user will no longer be able to act according to the guidance. Will be able to.

  The route search in the route search server 30 is performed as follows. In other words, the route search server 30 includes road network data for route search, and road network data based on the route search conditions including the location information of the departure place and the location information of the destination transmitted from the mobile terminal device 20. Is searched for the optimum route, and the result is transmitted to the portable terminal device as guide route data.

  The road network data for searching for a route by a pedestrian or a car is configured as follows. For example, when the road is composed of roads A, B, and C as shown in FIG. 2, the end points, intersections, and inflection points of the roads A, B, and C are used as nodes, and the roads connecting the nodes are directed links. Link cost data and configuration, which is expressed as node data (node latitude / longitude), link data (link number), and link cost of each link (link distance or time required to travel the link) Is done.

  That is, in FIG. 2, ◯ and ◎ indicate nodes, and ◎ indicates a road intersection. Directional links connecting the nodes are indicated by arrow lines (solid line, dotted line, two-dot chain line). As for the links, there are links facing in the upward and downward directions of the road, but in FIG. 2, only the links in the direction of the arrows are shown for the sake of simplicity.

  When route search is performed using such road network data as a route search database, links linked from the starting node to the destination node are traced to accumulate the link cost, thereby minimizing the accumulated link cost. Search and guide the route. That is, in FIG. 2, when a route search is performed with the departure point as the node AX and the destination as the node CY, the road travels from the node AX to the road A, turns right at the second intersection, enters the road C, and reaches the node CY. The link cost is accumulated sequentially, and a route that minimizes the accumulated link cost is searched for and guided.

  Although other routes from the node AX to the node CY are not shown in FIG. 2, in reality there are other such routes, so a possible route from the node AX to the node CY is similarly searched. Of these routes, the route with the lowest link cost is determined as the optimum route. This method is performed by, for example, a known method called the Dijkstra method. Therefore, the searched guide route is expressed as the order of nodes and / or links that guide (guide) the user.

  When the route search server 30 searches for a route by referring to the road network data as described above and searches for an optimal guide route, a node requiring guidance, such as an intersection on the guide route, is set as a guidance point. The guidance data (instructions such as turning left and right) is added and distributed to the mobile terminal device 20, and the mobile terminal device 20 outputs the guidance data at the above-described guidance execution point to guide the user.

  A procedure of guidance processing in the navigation system 10 according to the first embodiment described above will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. First, in the process of step S <b> 10, the mobile terminal device 20 inputs the current value and the destination from the operation / input means 27. Next, in the process of step S11, a moving means (a vehicle route when the passenger on the passenger seat receives the navigation service), a time (departure time or destination arrival time), and the like are input.

  In step S12, the route search request data is transmitted to the route search server 30 by transmitting the route search condition data input in steps S10 and S11. At this time, the model ID of the portable terminal device 20 is added to the route search request and transmitted. The route search server 30 searches for the optimum route according to the route search condition and distributes it to the mobile terminal device 20. At this time, the route search server 30 reads the adjustment value corresponding to the model ID of the portable terminal device 20 from the adjustment value database 311 and distributes it to the portable terminal device 20 together with the guidance route data.

The mobile terminal device 20 receives the guidance route data and the adjustment value distributed from the route search server 30 in step S13, and the guidance execution point adjustment unit 291 adjusts the guidance execution point as described above in the process of step S14. In the process of step S15, the mobile terminal device 20 acquires information on the current position measured by the GPS positioning unit 24. Based on the information on the current position acquired in step S15, the guidance execution unit 29 compares the guidance execution point adjusted by the guidance point adjustment unit 291 in the process of step S15 and determines whether the point is a point for executing guidance. To do.

  If it is a point to execute guidance, the guidance execution means 29 executes guidance in the process of step S17, and if not a point to execute guidance, returns to the current position acquisition process of step S15. In step S18, it is determined whether or not the destination has been reached. If the destination has not been reached, the process returns to the current position acquisition process in step SS15. If the destination has been reached, the mobile terminal device 20 performs the process. finish.

  In the first embodiment, the route search server 30 or the mobile terminal device 20 stores an adjustment value for adjusting the current position information acquisition timing from the GPS positioning unit 24 that is different for each model of the mobile terminal device 20. The guidance execution point is adjusted based on this, but when the user actually receives the navigation service at the passenger seat for each portable terminal device 20, the actual guidance execution position data is calculated. The adjustment value can also be fed back. According to such a configuration, it is possible to adjust the guidance execution point in accordance with the difference in average moving speed between when an elderly person is driving and when a young driver is driving. A second embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described below.

  The navigation system 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is configured as shown in FIG. The navigation system 10 shown in FIG. 4 has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 except that the portable terminal device 20 includes a guidance execution point estimation unit 292. Therefore, in FIG. 3, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the following description, description of the same components as those in FIG.

  Note that the initial adjustment value is acquired by the mobile terminal device 10 by the same method as in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, in the mobile terminal device 20, the guidance execution point estimation unit 292 estimates the point where the guidance is actually performed, as described below, and feeds back to the initial adjustment value to change. I will do it.

  For example, FIG. 5 shows a setting at which the initial adjustment value is 30 m for guidance at a guidance execution point 200 m before the guidance point, and voice guidance (guidance) is made when the remaining 230 m is reached. . However, in the mobile terminal device 20, the position SP1 where the information on the current position measured by the GPS positioning means 24 can be acquired is the remaining 220m, and the information on the current position is acquired at the first positioning after the voice guidance is finished. It is assumed that the position SP2 is 140m remaining. In this example, it can be seen that the vehicle traveled 80 m during the current position acquisition interval (positioning interval) with voice guidance interposed therebetween. This processing is performed by the guidance execution point estimation means 292.

  Therefore, in the next guidance, the initial adjustment value “30” m is changed to “40” m which is 1/2 of the travel distance 80 m in the positioning interval obtained as described above, as shown in FIG. The guidance is performed 240 m before the guidance execution point expected value SP (set guidance execution point: 200 m). The travel distance from the start to the end of the guidance is 80 m measured in FIG. Instead of changing the adjustment value in this way every time, the estimation value may be estimated several times and the history may be stored, and the adjustment value may be changed gradually so as to take the moving average.

In this way, when the actual guidance execution position data is calculated and the adjustment value is fed back, it adapts to the driving tendency. The adjustment value of the silver layer which runs very slowly becomes smaller, and the adjustment value becomes longer automatically when lightly driving in the suburbs.
Or, even if the GPS satellite radio wave reception condition temporarily deteriorates and a retry occurs between the OS and GPS (running between buildings, mountains, etc.), the adjustment value automatically becomes longer and earlier. Guidance comes to be performed.

  In addition, even if the mobile terminal device 20 is changed (generally, the new model is often improved in performance and the positioning interval is shortened and the adjustment value is shortened). You can get the same feeling of use.

  The center of the position information acquisition interval from the GPS positioning means 24 may be close to the guidance execution point, or the end of the guidance may be close to the guidance execution point.

  A guidance process procedure in the navigation system 10 according to the second embodiment described above will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. In the flowchart of FIG. 7, the processing procedure from step S20 to step S27 is the same as the processing procedure from step S10 to step S17 in the flowchart of FIG.

  When the guidance execution means 29 executes guidance at the adjusted guidance execution point in the process of step S27, the guidance execution position estimation means 292 calculates the estimated value of the position where the guidance was executed in the process of step S28. When the actual guidance execution position is estimated in the process of step S28, the guidance execution point adjusting means 291 changes the adjustment value based on the estimated actual guidance execution position data in the process of step S29.

  The details of the processes in steps S28 and S29 are as described with reference to FIGS. It is determined whether or not the destination has been reached in the process of step S30. If the destination has not been reached, the process returns to the current position acquisition process in step S25, and if the destination has been reached, the mobile terminal device 20 performs the process. finish.

  As described above, when the navigation system is configured as in the embodiment of the present invention, route guidance (guidance) is performed at the same execution timing even when the length of different hardware or guidance text changes. As a result, the user can become familiar with the system continuously.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation system concerning Example 1 of this invention. It is a schematic diagram explaining the structure of the road network for a route search. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of guidance execution in the navigation system concerning Example 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation system concerning Example 2 of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the concept of the procedure which estimates a guidance execution point and an actual guidance execution position. It is a schematic diagram which shows the concept of the procedure which changes the adjustment value of a guidance execution point based on estimation of an actual guidance execution position, and performs guidance. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of guidance execution in the navigation system concerning Example 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Navigation system 12 ... Network 20 ... Mobile terminal device 21 ... Control means 22 ... Control memory 221 ... Operation control module 222 ... Call control module 223 ... Navigation control module 23 ... Storage unit (RAM)
24 .... GPS positioning means 25 ... Communication means 26 ... Power supply unit 27 ... Operation / input means 28 ... Display means 29 ... Guidance execution means 291 ... Guidance execution point adjustment means 292 ... Guidance execution position estimation means 30 ... Route search server 311 ... Adjustment value DB

Claims (12)

A mobile terminal device comprising GPS positioning means, wherein the navigation control module obtains current position information from the GPS positioning means via the operating control module, and connected to the mobile terminal device via the communication means; A route search server that searches a route from a departure point to a destination based on the route and distributes a guide route including guidance route data and guidance points in the guidance route and guidance data in the guidance point to the mobile terminal device; In the navigation system provided,
The navigation system includes storage means for storing an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module obtains current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. ,
The portable terminal device includes guidance execution means for executing the guidance at a predetermined guidance execution point, and guidance execution point adjustment means, and the guidance execution point adjustment means executes guidance based on the adjustment value. The navigation system characterized by adjusting the execution point of the guidance which a means performs.   The route search server stores, for each model, an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning unit via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. The navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustment value database.   The mobile terminal device stores an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system is characterized.   The mobile terminal device has an adjustment value database based on an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. The navigation system according to claim 2, wherein the navigation system is obtained from the following.   The portable terminal device further includes guidance execution position estimation means for estimating a position where guidance is actually executed by the guidance execution means, and the guidance execution position is estimated based on the guidance execution position estimated by the guidance execution position estimation means. The navigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the point adjustment means adjusts the guidance execution point by changing the adjustment value. A portable terminal device comprising GPS positioning means, wherein a navigation control module obtains current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module, wherein the portable terminal device is configured to perform the above-described operation at a predetermined guidance execution point. Guidance execution means for executing guidance, and guidance execution point adjustment means, the guidance execution point adjustment means, depending on the model of the mobile terminal device, the navigation control module via the operating control module, the GPS positioning An adjustment value based on a positioning interval for acquiring current position information from the means is stored, and is connected via a communication means to a portable terminal device that adjusts an execution point of guidance executed by the guidance execution means based on the adjustment value. On the route search server The route search server searches for a route from a departure place to a destination based on a route search condition transmitted from the mobile terminal device, and provides guidance route data, guidance points in the guidance route, and guidance in the guidance point. Based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. A route search server comprising an adjustment value database storing the adjustment values for each model, and distributing the adjustment values to the portable terminal device according to the model of the portable terminal device. A route from the departure point to the destination is searched based on the route search condition transmitted from the portable terminal device, and a guidance route including guidance route data and guidance points in the guidance route and guidance data in the guidance point is carried. A portable terminal device that is connected to a route search server that distributes to a terminal device via communication means, includes GPS positioning means, and a navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module. And
The mobile terminal device includes a guidance execution unit that executes the guidance at a predetermined guidance execution point, and a guidance execution point adjustment unit, and the mobile terminal device, depending on the model of the mobile terminal device, The navigation control module stores an adjustment value based on a positioning interval for acquiring current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module, and the guidance execution point adjustment means executes guidance based on the adjustment value. A portable terminal device characterized by adjusting an execution point of guidance executed by the means. The route search server stores, for each model, an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning unit via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. Adjustment value database,
The mobile terminal device has an adjustment value database based on an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. The mobile terminal device according to claim 7, wherein the mobile terminal device is acquired from the mobile terminal device.   The portable terminal device further includes guidance execution position estimation means for estimating a position where guidance is actually executed by the guidance execution means, and the guidance execution position is estimated based on the guidance execution position estimated by the guidance execution position estimation means. The mobile terminal device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the point adjustment unit adjusts the guidance execution point by changing the adjustment value. A mobile terminal device comprising GPS positioning means, wherein the navigation control module obtains current position information from the GPS positioning means via the operating control module, and connected to the mobile terminal device via the communication means; A route search server that searches a route from a departure point to a destination based on the route and distributes a guide route including guidance route data and guidance points in the guidance route and guidance data in the guidance point to the mobile terminal device; A guidance execution method in the provided navigation system,
The navigation system includes storage means for storing an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module obtains current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. ,
The portable terminal device includes guidance execution means for executing the guidance at a predetermined guidance execution point, and guidance execution point adjustment means, and the guidance execution point adjustment means executes guidance based on the adjustment value. A guidance execution method comprising the step of adjusting an execution point of guidance executed by the means. The route search server stores, for each model, an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning unit via the operating control module according to the model of the mobile terminal device. Adjustment value database,
The mobile terminal device has an adjustment value database based on an adjustment value based on a positioning interval at which the navigation control module acquires current position information from the GPS positioning means via an operating control module according to a model of the mobile terminal device. The guidance execution method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of acquiring from the following.   The portable terminal device further includes guidance execution position estimation means for estimating a position where guidance is actually executed by the guidance execution means, and the guidance execution position is estimated based on the guidance execution position estimated by the guidance execution position estimation means. 12. The guidance execution method according to claim 10, wherein the point adjustment unit includes a step of adjusting the guidance execution point by changing the adjustment value.

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