JPH085723A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a navigation system to make two-way communication of various kinds of data with an external information processor through an externally connected interface. CONSTITUTION:In order to relay internal and external data transfer containing internal data, an externally connected interface 12 is connected to a CPU 4 and nonvolatile memory 11 which stores internal data processed by the CPU 4 in connection with map processing. Any kinds of internal data can be transferred to an external information processor 13 when the data are processed by the CPU 4 in connection with map processing. In addition, a large quantity of internal data exceeding the capacity of the memory 11 can be stored in an external device and mark data which are added by users to the map data can be freely processed by using the information processor 13.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation device which enables bidirectional communication of various data with an external information processing device via an external connection interface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A navigation device which uses a radio wave from a satellite to determine the present location and displays it on a map read out from a map information storage medium such as a CD-ROM on a screen is designed for use in a vehicle or for personal use. It is becoming popular. The most popular navigation device at present is a CP equipped with input / output devices such as a keyboard and a display.
Connected to U is a GPS receiver that receives radio waves from GPS satellites and outputs positioning data of the current location, and a reader that reads map information stored in a map information storage medium such as a CD-ROM. By selecting the current location display mode, the accurate current location can be displayed on the wide area map or the detailed map, or by selecting the map search mode, the destination or other area can be searched on the map of any scale. You can do it. In addition, many of these navigation devices have a function of driving route points on a planned traveling route connecting a starting point and a destination up to a fixed number and displaying actual traveling trajectory data,
The map editing data such as the route point data and the trajectory data, that is, the additional data which is not originally stored in the map information storage medium is written in the ring buffer type RAM incorporated in the CPU and is overwritten within the storage capacity range. It is supposed to be saved.

[0003]

The conventional navigation devices have been developed as a single device for vehicle or personal use, and most of them have no external connection interface. For this reason, for example, when writing private information such as a person's name indicating a friend's house or a customer's company name as a character on a part of the map displayed on the display, first, the Japanese syllabary table is called on the display screen, Characters must be specified while moving the cursor, and the desired character string must be completed word by word. There was such a problem. Also, regarding route points that can be driven along the planned travel path, it is not possible to set a planned route that exceeds a certain limit because the capacity of the RAM that stores map editing data is limited. There was a problem that a limited route setting had to be performed under the constraint that a maximum of 5 routes, each with 16 points.

On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-53506 "Navigation apparatus", an RS-232C interface is provided as an external connection interface in a controller having a built-in MPU, and an RS232C interface is used to communicate with an external information processing apparatus. A navigation device that enables data communication between the devices is disclosed. When a personal computer is connected as an information processing device, it is possible to perform processing for storing traveling locus data to the outside and input processing from the outside. That is, by issuing an external save command of trajectory data from an externally connected personal computer, the MPU sequentially outputs the traveling trajectory data stored in the reference trajectory buffer to the outside via the RS-232C interface, and the personal computer refers to it. When the locus data input command is issued, the reference locus data transmitted from the personal computer is input to the reference locus buffer for each locus under the jurisdiction of the MPU.

However, in the above navigation device having an external connection interface, the data which can be communicated between the navigation device and the personal computer is used as reference trajectory data for referring to past traveling trajectory data or route guidance to a destination. It is limited, and because the communication protocol that exposes all the internal data or internal status information handled by the navigation device to the outside is not complete, edit the map data in the externally connected personal computer by adding the desired character string. Alternatively, parallel processing such as searching for a destination based on the map data read out from the map information storage medium to the personal computer side in parallel with the current position display on the display attached to the navigation device cannot be expected, and the personal computer Day The height of the processing capability of a problem such as not yet up to fully utilize.

[0006]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by displaying a map read from a map information storage medium on a screen and executing map processing in response to a display command from the outside. A CPU for displaying a current location or searching a map based on internal data accompanying the map processing;
U is connected to the memory for storing internal data processed in relation to the map processing, the memory and the CPU,
An external connection interface for relaying internal and external data transfer including the internal data is provided.

In addition, the CPU externally outputs the internal data and the status information of the internal data in response to a transfer request from an external information processing device connected through the external connection interface, or the internal data. Of the internal data that can be processed from the outside, the internal data is updated in response to an update request from an external information processing device connected via the external connection interface. At least one of the following: route data, arbitrary mark data, arbitrary mark pattern data, trajectory data, latitude / longitude coordinate data of the currently displayed map screen, and map data in an arbitrary range. To do.

Furthermore, the CPU is connected to a GPS receiver which receives GPS satellites and outputs positioning data, and receives a transfer request from an external information processing device connected via the external connection interface. Accordingly, the positioning current position is output to the outside, or the positioning data of the GPS receiver is output through, or an external information processing device is connected via the external connection interface, and a command from the information processing device, Direct movement of display position to any latitude / longitude, scroll movement of display position in any direction,
At least one of the display scale is changed to an arbitrary scale, the display direction is changed to an arbitrary azimuth, and at least one of the control of the screen display of the route point direction setting input process is executed.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a navigation device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining a transfer processing operation of status information of internal data by the CPU shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. C shown in FIG. 1 when the internal data is the guide route data
4 is a flowchart for explaining a transfer processing operation by the PU, FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an internal data update processing operation based on an external command by the CPU shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a navigation shown in FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining an external control processing operation for the device.

The navigation device 1 shown in FIG.
It has a CPU 4 to which a GPS receiver 2 that receives radio waves from the S satellite and outputs positioning data of the current location, a reader 3 that is used to read map information, and the like are connected. CPU4
Displays the map information on the screen, executes the map processing in response to a display command from the outside, and displays the current location or searches the map based on the internal data accompanying the map processing. The map data necessary for displaying the present location and for searching the map is read from the map information storage medium 5 such as a CD-ROM via the reader 3 called a media controller. To enable quick map scrolling, for example, screen display Nine screens of map data including the surrounding area outside the area are drawn in the buffer memory 6 and are necessary for displaying the current location and the search location from the nine screens of map data expanded in the buffer memory 6. A method of cutting out the map data for one screen and copying it to the display image memory 7 is used. The map data copied in the display image memory 7 is displayed on the screen of the display 9 via the display controller 8 so that the stored contents of the display image memory 7 can be switched momentarily according to the movement of the present location or the search location. Has become. Reference numeral 10 denotes a keyboard in which various keys necessary for displaying the present location or searching the map, such as a menu key, a decision key, a cursor key, and a scale changing key, are arranged.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a non-volatile memory, such as an SRAM, which stores internal data processed by the CPU 4 in connection with map processing, and is connected to the CPU 4 via a data bus and an address bus, and is used for route data and mark data. Internal data such as trajectory data, latitude / longitude coordinate data of the currently displayed map screen, and further map data in an arbitrary range is saved. 12 is an external connection interface for relaying internal and external data transfer including internal data,
It is connected to the CPU 4 via the I / O address bus, and is connected to the CPU 4 and the nonvolatile memory 11 via the data bus. In the case of the embodiment, the external connection interface 1
Although 2 is composed of a serial transmission interface such as RS-232C or RS-422, it may be composed using a parallel transmission interface such as a GPIB interface or a Centronics specification interface.

The CPU 4 externally outputs the internal data and the status information of the internal data in response to a transfer request from an external information processing device 13 connected via the external connection interface 12, or the internal data. Of the internal data that can be processed from the outside,
The operation program is stipulated so that appropriate communication can be performed in response to a predetermined command issued by the externally connected information processing apparatus 13 so that the information processing apparatus 13 can be updated in response to an update request. The operation program also defines a communication procedure for the CPU 4 to externally output the current position of the positioning or through the positioning data of the GPS receiver 2 in response to a request from the information processing device 13. is there. Furthermore, according to a command from the information processing device 13, the display position is directly moved to an arbitrary latitude and longitude, the display position is scrolled in an arbitrary direction, the display scale is changed to an arbitrary scale, and the display direction is changed to an arbitrary direction. It also includes an operation program that determines the master-slave relationship with the information processing device 13 so that the display of the path point direction setting input process can be controlled.

The information processing device 13 connected externally
However, there are five types of commands issued in connection with transfer of various information and remote control: status information acquisition command of internal data, internal data acquisition command, internal data update command, external control command of navigation device, positioning data acquisition command. Broadly divided. Specifically, the internal data status information acquisition command includes a "version request" command, a "version transfer" command, a "data status request" command, a "data set" command, a "display upper direction request" command, and a "map" command. "Display home coordinate request" command and the like are included. Further, the internal data acquisition command includes a "data request" command and a "data set" command. In addition, the internal data update command includes a "data transmission request" command and a "data set" command.
A command, a "map character request" command, a "map image request" command, a "map palette information request" command, etc. are included. The external control commands of the navigation device include a "map display move" command, a "map scroll start" command, a "map scroll stop" command, a "scale reduction" command, a "map rotation" command, a "approach direction display" command, Escape direction display command, map switching command, mark display switching command,
A “trajectory display switching” command, a “mark pattern switching” command, a “direction arrow deletion” command and the like are included. Further, as the positioning data acquisition command, "GPS
There are a "positioning data through output start request" command and a "GPS positioning data through output stop request" command.

Further, in the embodiment, the navigation device 1
Communication between the information processing apparatus 13 and the information processing apparatus 13 is performed by a handshake method in which communication is performed after waiting for the other side to respond to a command issued by one side. Also, the data to be transferred can be divided into two types, from the top of the data format, the format of only the control command character string and the format of adding data etc. to the control command character string. In this case, in response to the control command, it is classified into three types: one that only the information processing device 13 transmits, one that only the navigation device 1 transmits, and one that both transmit.

The bidirectional communication operation between the navigation device 1 and the external information processing device 13 will be described below from the operation of transferring the status information of the internal status. First, in step (101) of FIG. 2, the CPU 4 receiving the status information request command needs to perform different processing depending on whether the request data is non-volatile data, status data, or map information data. Therefore, the following judgment steps (110), (12
0) and (130) are divided into cases, and in the step (111) following the first judgment step (110), the data size of the corresponding nonvolatile data in the nonvolatile memory 11 is calculated and obtained by the calculation. The data size is transmitted in the following step (112). Next, when it is determined that the requested data is state data, in step (121) following the determination step (120), data such as the map orientation, the map scale, or the latitude and longitude of the center coordinates of the map is transmitted. Further, when it is determined that the request data is the map data stored in the map information storage medium 5 or the buffer memory 6, the bitmap data expanded in the buffer memory 6 in the step (131) following the determination step (130). Also, palette information for determining the display color is transmitted. However, the transmission of vector data which may lead to copying of the contents stored in the map information storage medium 5 is prohibited.

Next, when the internal data is the route data, after receiving the data request command in step (201) of FIG. 3, the type of the data request command is determined in the following judgment step (210). If data other than the route data is requested, the process proceeds to other data processing in step (211), but if route data is requested, the address is determined in the following determination step (220). To do. This address includes one for designating all routes registered in the non-volatile memory 11, one for designating one specific route, and one for designating one outside the unregistered range. The following steps are also divided into (230), (240), and (250) according to each case. In that case, if the address is out of the range, step (25
After returning to the main flow after the error processing in 0),
If the address is an address designating all routes, the contents of all routes are processed into transmission data in step (230), data transmission is performed in the following step (260), and further transmission end processing is performed in step (270). Return to the main flow. If the address is an address designating one specific route, the contents of the designated route are processed into transmission data in step (240), and the process following step (260) is performed.

Next, the update processing operation from the outside when the internal data is the route data. In this processing, first in step (301) of FIG. 4, after the data transmission request command is received, the subsequent judgment is made. In step (310), the type of data transmission request command is determined. Here, in response to a data request other than route data, the process proceeds to other data processing in step (311), but if it is a request for route data, the address is determined in the following determination step (320). . This address includes not only the one that specifies all routes and the one that specifies one specific route, but also the address that specifies a route outside the range. Therefore, the following step may also be performed depending on each case (330). , (340), (350). If the address is out of range, step (35)
After returning to the main flow after the error processing in 0),
If the address specifies all routes, the data is received in step (330), and the subsequent step (3
After converting the received data into route data in 31),
After receiving the error-free determination in the determination step (332), the internal data is updated in the step (360), and the reception end process is performed in the following step (370) to return to the main flow. If the address is an address designating one specific route, the data is received in step (340), the received data is converted into the designated route data in the following step (341), and then the determination step (342) is performed. ), It is determined that there is no error, and the process continues to step (360).

Finally, regarding the external control processing flow of the navigation device 1, when performing external control, the CPU 4 that has received the remote control command in step (401) of FIG.
It is determined whether or not the command is a command for direct movement, and if so, in the subsequent step (411), map drawing and display of the designated coordinate position are performed, and then the process returns to the main flow. If it is a relative movement rather than a direct movement, a step (4) following the judgment step (420) is performed.
In 21), after starting scrolling in the specified direction,
Return to the main flow. Furthermore, if the command is neither a direct movement nor a relative movement but a movement stop command, in step (431) following the judgment step (430), scrolling is stopped, and then the process returns to the main flow. If the movement is not stopped, it is determined in the next determination step (440) whether or not the scale is changed. If the scale is changed, the map is drawn at the designated scale in step (441). After displaying the drawn map, the process returns to the main flow. On the other hand, if the scale is not changed, in step (450), it is confirmed whether or not the command is another remote control command, a predetermined process is performed, and then the process returns to the main flow.

As described above, the navigation device 1 has the C
If the PU4 is internal data processed in relation to the map processing, it can be transferred to the external information processing device 13 regardless of the type of the data, and thus the storage capacity exceeding the storage capacity of the non-volatile memory 11 attached to the CPU4. By connecting an external information processing device having a large capacity memory, a large amount of internal data that could not be stored in the navigation device 1 itself can be stored outside. As a result, it is possible to store a large number of route data useful for guiding to a specific destination, and also to design mark data or mark patterns such as friend's house or company name of business partner added by the user to the map data. Etc. can be freely processed by using the external information processing device 13, and if a personal computer or the like is used as the externally connected information processing device 13, key input can be performed using a keyboard having excellent usability. Yes, you can easily input characters.

Further, the CPU 4 sends the internal data and the status information of the internal data to the external connection interface 12
Since the external output is performed in response to a transfer request from the external information processing device 13 connected via the, the arbitrary route data, the arbitrary mark data, the arbitrary mark pattern data, the trajectory data, and the currently displayed data are displayed. The latitude / longitude coordinate data of the map screen, the map data of an arbitrary range, and the like can be fetched from the navigation device 1 to the external information processing device 13 or the like as necessary, and the processing status of the internal data by the navigation device 1 can be internally read. Since the information can be grasped based on the status information of the data, the navigation device 1 and the external information processing device 13 cooperate to perform map processing, or the information processing device 13 is operated by the navigation device 1
It is also possible to monitor the presence or absence of abnormal operation of the.

Further, the CPU 4 updates internal data that can be processed from the outside out of the internal data in response to an update request from an external information processing device 13 connected via the external connection interface 12. Therefore, the route data that defines a specific route to the destination, the mark data added to the roads and structures described on the map as needed, the trajectory data that was left when traveling in the past, etc. It can be processed and updated arbitrarily from the connected information processing device side, for example, when a specific business office etc. with the same business area sets a standard sales route or wholesale route on the map A large amount of data can be processed efficiently in a short time by introducing a personal computer having excellent ability.

Furthermore, the CPU to which the GPS receiver 2 is connected responds to a transfer request from an external information processing device 13 connected via the external connection interface 12,
Since the positioning current position is output to the outside or the positioning data of the GPS receiver 2 is output through, the current position positioning operation of the navigation device 1 that measures the current position by the principle of triangulation using radio waves from GPS satellites is performed. It is possible to make a diagnosis with a personal computer or the like, or to analyze the positioning accuracy affected by the spatial arrangement of a plurality of satellites and the like in more detail outside the navigation device 1.

Further, from the externally connected information processing device 13, the display position is directly moved to an arbitrary latitude / longitude, the display position is scrolled in an arbitrary direction, the display scale is changed to an arbitrary scale, and the display direction is arbitrarily changed. Since it is made possible to execute the change to the azimuth and the control of the screen display in the direction setting input process of the route point, the functions provided in the navigation device 1 itself can be used as the command source of the externally connected information processing device 13. It can be utilized, for example, parallel processing such as searching for a destination based on the map data read from the map information storage medium 5 to the information processing device 13 side in parallel with the current position display on the display 9 attached to the navigation device 1. Various usages are possible.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the external connection interface is connected to the CPU and the memory for storing the internal data processed by the CPU in relation to the map processing and the internal and external data transfer including the internal data is relayed, the CPU is related to the map processing. If the internal data is processed in accordance with the above, it can be transferred to an external information processing device regardless of the type of the data, and therefore an external information processing device having a memory having a memory capacity exceeding that of the memory attached to the CPU. By connecting to, it is possible to store a large amount of internal data that could not be stored in the navigation device itself, and thus it is possible to store a large number of route data useful for guiding to a specific destination, for example. In addition, mark data such as friend's house or company name of business partner added by user to map data and mark pattern of favorite design can be selected. THine etc. can also be processed freely by using an external information processing device, and by using a personal computer etc. as an externally connected information processing device, it is possible to perform key input using a keyboard with excellent usability. It has an excellent effect such that characters can be easily input.

Further, the CPU outputs the internal data and the status information of the internal data to the outside in response to a transfer request from an external information processing device connected via the external connection interface. Route data, arbitrary mark data, arbitrary mark pattern data, trajectory data, latitude / longitude coordinate data of the currently displayed map screen,
Map data in an arbitrary range can be loaded from the navigation device into an external personal computer or the like as needed, and the processing status of internal data by the navigation device can be grasped based on the status information of the internal data. Therefore, the navigation device and the external information processing device cooperate to perform map processing, and the information processing device can monitor the presence or absence of an operation abnormality of the navigation device.

Further, the CPU updates internal data that can be processed from the outside among the internal data in response to an update request from an external information processing device connected via an external connection interface. To the destination, route data that defines a specific route to the destination, mark data added as necessary to roads and structures written on the map, trajectory data left when traveling in the past, etc. are externally connected. It can be processed and updated arbitrarily from the information processing device side, for example, when a specific business office etc. with the same business area sets a standard sales route or wholesale route on the map etc. It is possible to introduce an excellent personal computer or the like and efficiently process a large amount of data in a short time.

Furthermore, a C to which a GPS receiver is connected
The PU outputs the positioning current position to the outside or outputs the positioning data of the GPS receiver through in response to the transfer request from the external information processing device connected through the external connection interface. The positioning accuracy of the navigation device, which is affected by the spatial arrangement of multiple satellites, is used to diagnose the current position positioning operation of the navigation device that measures the current position using the principle of triangulation using radio waves from This has an effect such that it can be analyzed in more detail outside.

Further, from the externally connected information processing device, the display position is directly moved to any latitude / longitude, the display position is scrolled in any direction, the display scale is changed to any scale, and the display direction is any direction. Change, and at least one of the control of the screen display of the route point direction setting input process can be executed, so that the functions provided in the navigation device itself can be controlled by the external information processing device. It can also be used as a parallel processing usage method such as searching for a destination based on the map data read from the map information storage medium to the personal computer side in parallel with the current position display on the display attached to the navigation device. It also has the effect of being possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a navigation device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining a transfer processing operation of status information of internal data by the CPU shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram when internal data is guide route data.
7 is a flowchart for explaining a transfer processing operation by the CPU shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an internal data update processing operation based on an external command by the CPU shown in FIG.

5 is a flow chart for explaining an external control processing operation for the navigation device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Navigation Device 2 GPS Receiver 3 Reader 4 CPU 5 Map Information Storage Medium 6 Buffer Memory 7 Image Memory for Display 8 Display Controller 9 Display 10 Keyboard 11 Memory (Nonvolatile Memory) 12 External Connection Interface 13 Information Processing Device

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A map read from a map information storage medium is displayed on a screen, map processing is executed in response to a display command from the outside, and a current location is displayed or a map is searched based on internal data accompanying the map processing. And a memory for storing internal data processed by the CPU in relation to the map processing, and an external connection interface connected to the memory and the CPU for relaying internal and external data transfer including the internal data. A navigation device comprising: 2. The CPU externally outputs internal data and status information of the internal data in response to a transfer request from an external information processing device connected via the external connection interface. The navigation device according to claim 1. 3. The CPU updates internal data that can be processed from the outside out of the internal data in response to an update request from an external information processing device connected via the external connection interface. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The internal data includes arbitrary route data, arbitrary mark data, arbitrary mark pattern data, locus data, latitude / longitude coordinate data of a map screen currently displayed, and map data of an arbitrary range. 4. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one of the data is included. 5. The CPU is connected to a GPS receiver that receives GPS satellites and outputs positioning data.
2. The positioning current position is output to the outside or the positioning data of the GPS receiver is output to the through in accordance with a transfer request from an external information processing device connected via the external connection interface. The described navigation device. 6. The CPU is connected to an external information processing device via the external connection interface, and in response to a command from the information processing device, the display position is directly moved to any latitude / longitude, and the display position is arbitrarily selected. Scrolling in the direction,
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of changing a display scale to an arbitrary scale, changing a display direction to an arbitrary azimuth, and controlling a screen display of a route point direction setting input process is executed. Navigation device.