JPH1026537A - Navigator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigator which can urge the driver of a vehicle to refuel before the fuel tank of the vehicle gets out of fuel when the driver drives the vehicle for a long distance. SOLUTION: A navigation controller 10 is provided with an automatic refueling setting section 26, a refueling discriminating section 27, a refueling message plotting section 28, and an interrupt control section 29 so as to urge the driver of a vehicle to refuel at regular intervals. The setting section 26 sets the presence/absence of automatic refueling, refueling interval, etc., an the discriminating section 27 discriminates whether or not the vehicle reaches a refueling point at the time of guiding the route. The control section 29 discriminates whether or not the vehicle runs a prescribed distance when no refueling point is set in advance and the plotting section 28 plots a prescribed message picture for urging the driver to refuel at the refueling timing discriminated by means of the discriminating section 27 or control section 29. Therefore, the driver can refuel after driving a prescribed distance when the driver is guided to a preset refueling point or follows the message picture urging refueling.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation apparatus for urging a driver to refuel while a vehicle is running.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a navigation device that displays a current position of a moving body, particularly a vehicle on a map, and provides guidance by voice or the like so that a driver can easily reach a destination has been widely used. In such a navigation device, the position of the vehicle is detected and map data in the vicinity of the vehicle is stored in the C.
It is read from the D-ROM and displayed on the display. A vehicle position mark indicating the position of the vehicle is displayed at the center of the display, and map data in the vicinity is scrolled around the vehicle position mark as the vehicle advances. Therefore, the map information around the own vehicle can always be understood.

In some conventional navigation devices, facilities around the road, such as a gas station, a restaurant, or a convenience store, are preset in a CD-ROM. It can also be set as a point. Further, the above-mentioned CD-ROM stores the length of each link constituting the road on the traveling route,
Some show the cumulative distance to the destination.

[0004]

By the way, the above-mentioned conventional navigation device automatically performs an automatic search under certain conditions so as to connect a current position and a preset destination when setting a route. A route can be set and the distance between the current location and the destination can be displayed as needed. However, refueling halfway when the distance to the destination is long has not been considered. Therefore, it is necessary for the driver himself to drive in consideration of the position of the gas station. However, there are almost no gas stations in the suburbs or mountainous areas, and there is a risk of running out of fuel.

[0005] The gas station itself is a CD-RO.
M can be searched based on the map data of M. However, even if refueling when traveling a certain distance, there is no easy way to search for a gas station located at a point corresponding to the certain distance. It was difficult to set the refueling point at the time.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that can prompt a driver to refuel before running out of fuel when driving a long distance. To provide.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a navigation device according to the present invention sets a refueling point as a waypoint to perform refueling at a predetermined distance interval in an automatic route search, and performs route guidance. A predetermined message is output when the vehicle approaches the refueling point. When performing the above-described route guidance, when the actual traveling route deviates from the guidance route including the refueling point, the route search is performed again so as to include the new refueling point.

Specifically, a refueling setting means for setting a refueling interval, and a route connecting the departure point and the destination while setting the refueling point as a waypoint at each refueling interval set by the refueling setting means. A route calculating means for performing a search, and a message output means for outputting a predetermined message when approaching a refueling point when performing route guidance according to the route searched by the route calculating means. Also, when performing the above-described route guidance, when it is detected that the actual traveling route deviates from the guidance route including the refueling point, the route re-establishment for resetting the guidance route to include the new refueling point is performed. There is further provided setting means. The apparatus further includes refueling facility selection means for selecting a series of gas stations that can be set as a refueling point, and the route calculation means performs a route search to set a predetermined guidance route. A gas station of the selected series located at a position along is searched and set as a refueling point.

As described above, when a route search is performed in advance to set a guidance route, a refueling point is set as a transit point at a predetermined distance interval, and in the subsequent route guidance, when the refueling point approaches the refueling point, Is output,
The driver can reliably refuel before running out of fuel. Further, even when the actual traveling route deviates from the guidance route, refueling can be reliably performed by resetting the guidance route including the refueling point.

Further, the navigation device of the present invention outputs a message prompting refueling at predetermined distance intervals when performing route guidance. When performing the above-described route guidance, a message prompting refueling is output at predetermined distance intervals, and a route search is performed again so as to include a nearby refueling point.
More specifically, when refueling setting means for setting a refueling interval, route calculating means for performing a route search so as to connect a departure point and a destination, and when performing route guidance according to the route searched by the route calculating means, Message output means for outputting a predetermined message at each refueling interval set by the refueling setting means. Further, the apparatus further includes a route resetting means for resetting the guidance route so as to include a nearby refueling point when the message is output.

As described above, even when a refueling point is not set at the time of route search, a message prompting refueling is output at a predetermined distance interval set in advance, or in addition to this, a nearby refueling point is determined. If the route search is re-executed so as to include the fuel, the driver can surely refuel before running out of fuel.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The navigation device of the present invention
It is characterized in that the driver is prompted to refuel before running out of fuel when the vehicle is driven for a long distance. The timing for prompting refueling may be a case where the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance after the last refueling, and the method for prompting refueling may be to automatically guide to a gas station, or to refuel by screen display or voice. A method of outputting a prompt message may be considered. Hereinafter, a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a navigation device according to one embodiment. The navigation device shown in FIG. 1 includes a CD-ROM 1 for storing map data,
A disk reading device 2 for reading map data stored in the ROM 1, an operation panel 3 having various operation keys operated by a user, a vehicle position detection device 4 for detecting a vehicle position and a direction by a predetermined navigation, A liquid crystal display device 5 that displays map data around the vehicle and various route guidance information, and registers destinations and waypoints for route guidance according to various key inputs from the operation panel 3, refueling intervals, and refueling gasoline. The navigation controller 10 performs a route designation based on the designation of a stand or the output of the vehicle position detection device 4.

The above-described disk reader 2 can be loaded with one or a plurality of CD-ROMs 1, and can control any one of the CD-ROMs 1 under the control of the navigation controller 10.
Reading of map data from the D-ROM 1 is performed.
This map data includes road layers, background layers,
The road layer includes various tables and lists such as a node table necessary for route guidance, which will be described later, and the character / symbol layer includes various gas station marks. include. The operation panel 3 includes a route guidance mode key used for setting the route guidance mode, a destination input key, left, right, up, and down cursor keys used for inputting a via intersection, keys for map search and enlargement / reduction, and display. A setting key or the like for fixing an item at a cursor position on the screen is provided. This operation panel 3
In addition to having various keys provided on the front of the housing of the navigation device, it shall also include a remote control unit that can give operation instructions by infrared rays etc., and operate various keys on the front of the housing or use various keys provided on the remote control unit. The user can appropriately select whether to perform the operation.

The vehicle position detecting device 4 detects a vehicle position and a vehicle direction by self-contained navigation using a speed sensor or a direction sensor or satellite navigation using GPS or the like. Hybrid vehicle navigation combining these self-contained navigation and satellite navigation is used. Thus, the position and direction of the vehicle may be detected with high accuracy. Also, when only GPS satellite navigation is used, the vehicle direction cannot be directly detected.
Navigation controller 1 based on two vehicle positions
The vehicle direction is obtained by calculation using 0.

The liquid crystal display 5 displays, based on the video signal output from the navigation controller 10, map information around the own vehicle together with the own vehicle position mark, departure point mark, destination mark, via intersection mark, and the like. And a guidance route is displayed on this map. Further, the liquid crystal display device 5 displays a predetermined setting screen for inputting an interval of refueling by a driver at the time of route guidance or selecting an affiliated store name when designating a gas station to be refueled. indicate. A specific example of this setting screen will be described later.

The above-described navigation controller 10
The buffer memory 11, the map image drawing unit 13, and the like create various images to be displayed on the liquid crystal display device 5 based on the map data read from the CD-ROM 1 and convert the created images into video signals. Guidance route drawing section 19, intersection traveling guidance image drawing section 20, first and second V-RAMs 21, 22, combining section 23, video converting section 24.
In order to perform predetermined route guidance or route display based on destination data input from the operation panel 3 or vehicle position data detected by the vehicle position detection device 4,
Cursor position calculator 12, route calculator 14, route information memory 15, intersection distance calculator 16, existing link detector 1
7, a pass determination unit 18 and a destination input unit 25.

The buffer memory 11 is for temporarily storing map data read from the CD-ROM 1 by the disk reader 2. The cursor position calculator 12 calculates and outputs cursor position data corresponding to a cursor operation on the operation panel 3.

Before starting traveling, the map image drawing section 13 reads desired map data selected by a map search key or an enlargement / reduction key on the operation panel 3 from the CD-ROM 1 to the buffer memory 11 by the disk reading device 2. And draws a map image for one screen on the first V-RAM 21 with the north direction facing upward (or the vehicle traveling direction facing upward). When any of the cursor keys on the operation panel 3 is pressed when the map image thus drawn is displayed, the map image drawing unit 13 stores new map data in the CD-ROM 1 as necessary. From buffer memory 1
1, the map image in the first V-RAM 21 is updated so that the cursor position is always at the center of the screen, and a predetermined cursor mark is drawn at the center of the screen. In addition, the map image drawing unit 13 appropriately stores new map data in the CD-ROM as the vehicle position data and the vehicle azimuth data output from the vehicle position detection device 4 change during traveling.
1, the current vehicle position becomes the center of the screen,
In addition, drawing is performed while rewriting the map image in the first V-RAM 21 so that the north direction or the traveling direction of the vehicle is directed upward, and a departure point mark, a destination mark, a waypoint mark, and the like are drawn at corresponding locations on the display screen. .

The route calculator 14 controls the operation panel 3 before starting traveling.
When the route guidance mode setting key is pressed to enter the route guidance mode, the cursor on the display screen is adjusted to the desired destination by the cursor operation of the operation panel 3 and the destination input key is pressed at that time. And the vehicle position data detected by the vehicle position detection device 4 at that time are stored in the route information memory 15 as destination data and departure point data. Further, the route calculation unit 14 controls the operation panel 3 in the above-described route guidance mode.
When the intersection input key is pressed after the cursor at the center of the display screen is set to the desired intersection by the cursor operation, the node table and the intersection configuration node list stored in the buffer memory 11 are referenced, And the route intersection node corresponding to the intersection closest to the output of the cursor position calculation unit 12 and the route intersection configuration node, which is a set of links at the other end of the route intersection node at one end, are route information as route intersection data. It is stored in the memory 15.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a part of the map data stored in the buffer memory 11. In the figure, the road list RDLT includes the type of road, the total number of nodes forming the road, the position of the node configuring the road on the node table NDTB, the width to the next node, and the distance of the node (total length). ). The intersection configuration node list CRDT is, for each intersection on the map, a set of positions on the node table NDTB of the other end node (referred to as an intersection configuration node) of the link connected to the noted intersection. The node table NDTB is a list of all nodes on the map, and includes position information (longitude and latitude) for each node, an intersection identification flag indicating whether or not the node of interest is an intersection, and an intersection configuration node list CRDT for an intersection. If it is not an intersection, it includes a pointer indicating the position of the road to which the node of interest belongs on the road list RDLT. The above-described route calculation unit 14 includes the node table NDTB and the intersection configuration node list CRDT shown in FIG.
Is calculated by referring to.

In this way, all the waypoints can be designated by the user, but the destination and the departure place or, in addition to these, a few waypoints and waypoints are specified, and the route on the way is automatically set. Can also be set manually. In this case, the route calculation unit 14 determines that the distance between the departure point and the destination or the route connecting several transit points in addition thereto is the shortest or that the required time is the shortest. Is calculated, and the route intersection data obtained by the calculation is stored in the route information memory 15.

The route information memory 15 stores a route intersection node and a route intersection configuration node for each route intersection in the order set by the user or in a predetermined order obtained by automatic route search. For example, when the intersections CP1 to CP3 are set as the first to third intersections in consideration of the traveling route shown in FIG. 3, each of the intersection information is stored in the route information memory 15 as shown in FIG. Is done. It should be noted that a passing identification flag PF is set for a passing intersection through which the vehicle has passed. As described above, the route information memory 15 stores
Departure place data and destination data are stored.

The intersection distance calculation unit 16 determines a non-passing intersection that is closest to the departure point among the transit intersections as a guidance target intersection, and calculates a distance between the guidance target intersection and the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection device 4. Is calculated. Based on the map data stored in the buffer memory 11, the vehicle position data detected by the vehicle position detection device 4, and the vehicle direction data, the presence link detection unit 17 determines the traveling direction of the vehicle on the traveling road. A set of a node closest to the vehicle (front node) existing ahead and a node closest to the vehicle (rear node) existing rearward in the traveling direction of the vehicle is detected as an existing link. Based on the information stored in the route information memory 15 and the presence link data detected by the presence link detection unit 17, the passage determination unit 18 determines whether the intersection node at which the vehicle is currently heading and the rear node match. It is determined whether or not the route information is correct, and the passage identification flag PF for the corresponding intersection in the route information memory 15 is set.

The guidance route drawing section 19 includes the route information memory 1
Based on the data stored in No. 5, the route that follows the departure point, the first intersection, and the second intersection, and finally connects to the destination with a polygonal line, in which the vehicles that have passed Except for this, the portion included in the map image drawn on the first V-RAM 21 is drawn so as to be superimposed on the map image using a dashed line of a predetermined color.

The intersection travel guidance image drawing unit 20 uses the intersection node and the intersection configuration node registered in the route information memory 15 for the above-mentioned guidance target intersection, and
For example, an intersection shape graphic is drawn on the V-RAM 22 with the traveling direction upward, and a line of a predetermined length is drawn from the center of the intersection shape graphic in the direction of the immediately preceding intersection and in the direction of the immediately following intersection. At the same time, the intersection traveling guidance image is drawn by overlapping the arrow in the direction of the next via intersection. Further, the intersection traveling guidance image drawing unit 20 displays the distance between the vehicle position and the guidance target intersection at that time in a part of the intersection traveling guidance image based on the distance data obtained by the intersection distance calculating unit 16. Displays the character that indicates. For example, "After ○
○ km ”,“ あ と m ”, or a bar graph indicating the distance instead of or together with these characters.

The first V-RAM 21 has an area corresponding to one display screen of the liquid crystal display device 5, and stores a map image drawn by the map image drawing unit 13. Second
The V-RAM 22 has an area corresponding to a 1/9 display screen of the liquid crystal display device 5, and stores an intersection traveling guidance image drawn by the intersection traveling guidance image drawing unit 20. The combining unit 23 controls the first V during driving in the route guidance mode.
-A second VR is added to a part of the map image stored in the RAM 21.
The intersection driving guidance images stored in the AM 22 are superimposed to synthesize an image, and the synthesized image data is output. The video conversion unit 24 converts the image data output from the synthesizing unit 23 into an analog video signal for each display line, and outputs the analog video signal to the liquid crystal display device 5.

The destination input section 25 is for inputting a destination directly without using the cursor keys of the operation panel 3. For example, by operating the operation panel 3, a telephone number, a building name, When a company name, a tenant name, and the like are input, the address of a building or a business specified by the input data is set as destination data by searching the buffer memory 11. The destination data set in this way is stored in the route information memory 15 by the route calculation unit 14 and used for automatic route search and the like. When searching for a destination by using a telephone number or the like, it is necessary to use a CD-ROM 1 in which correspondence data between a telephone number or the like and a building address or the like is stored in advance.

The navigation controller 10 shown in FIG. 1 has an automatic refueling setting section 2 for prompting the driver to refuel when traveling a predetermined distance, in addition to the above-described configuration.
6, a refueling determination unit 27, a refueling message drawing unit 28, and an interruption control unit 29. The automatic refueling setting unit 26 sets the presence or absence of automatic refueling, the refueling interval, and the like in accordance with a predetermined key operation of the operation panel 3. At the time of these various settings, an image corresponding to a predetermined setting screen is drawn by the automatic refueling setting unit 26 and stored in the second V-RAM 22,
Various settings can be made while referring to the settings on the display screen.

The refueling judging section 27 is for calculating the timing of refueling after the start of traveling. When a refueling point is set in advance during automatic route search, whether or not the vehicle has approached the refueling point is determined. Is determined based on the information stored in the path information memory 15. Refueling message drawing unit 28
Draws a predetermined message image prompting the driver to refuel when approaching a preset refueling point, based on the monitoring result by the refueling determination unit 27, and stores the image in the second V-RAM 22. Therefore, for example, a driver who has traveled a predetermined distance refuels when looking at the message screen of the liquid crystal display device 5 displayed based on the image stored in the second V-RAM 22.

Further, when no refueling point is set on the guidance route, the interruption control unit 29 determines whether the traveling distance of the vehicle reaches a predetermined fixed distance (or approaches a predetermined distance). ), To determine whether or not to search for a refueling point in the vicinity. A predetermined message image for allowing the driver to select whether or not to search is drawn by the refueling message drawing unit 28, and the second VR is displayed.
Stored in AM22. Therefore, a predetermined message screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display device 5, and the driver who sees the message screen instructs whether or not to search for a refueling point, and the above-described interrupt control unit 29 makes the determination.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of a setting screen drawn by the automatic refueling setting section 26. When an optional function is selected by a key operation of the operation panel 3, FIG.
The automatic refueling setting screen shown in FIG.
Is drawn and displayed. By this setting screen,
Specify whether to set the automatic refueling point, the full tank distance, that is, how much the distance that can be traveled between refueling after filling the tank is full, and the gas station of which affiliated store as the refueling point The user can set any item by operating a cursor key on the operation panel 3.

For example, by setting the cursor mark on the automatic lubrication point “Yes” and pressing the setting key of the operation panel 3 and pressing the setting key the required number of times while positioning the cursor mark on “+” or “−” 400km ton distance
Set to. Also, by setting the cursor mark on the stand series “setting” and pressing the setting key, FIG.
The selection screen of the stand series shown in (B) is displayed. This selection screen is used to select what kind of gas station is to be set as a refueling point when automatically setting a traveling route by performing an automatic search for a route. For example, “Company A”, “ Each candidate of "any company" is prepared for cases where "company B", "company C", or a series is not specified. By placing the cursor mark on "↑" or "↓" in the selection screen and pressing the setting key as many times as necessary, one of the above-described stand series is selected. After the selection is completed, the user returns to the setting screen shown in FIG. 5A by moving the cursor mark to "Return" and pressing the setting key. If there is no part to be changed in the contents set in this way, the setting of the automatic refueling point ends.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the navigation device having the above-described configuration. The full tank distance is set in advance, and an operation procedure until a refueling point that can be reached within the full tank distance during the automatic route search is set is shown. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of various display screens at the time of setting a route and running the vehicle.

When the power of the navigation device is turned on, a destination and a stopover are specified as necessary prior to the automatic route search (steps 601 and 602).
Each data of the designated destination, the waypoint, and the own vehicle position at that time is stored in the route information memory 15.

As described above, a number of methods for setting the destination can be freely selected. For example, when the cursor mark on the display screen is set to a desired destination by operating the cursor on the operation panel 3, the destination is designated by pressing the destination setting key. Alternatively, by operating the operation panel 3 and inputting a telephone number, a building name, a company name, a tenant name, and the like, the address of a building or a business specified by the input data is specified as a destination. If you want to stop at one or more places before you reach the destination, specify one or more waypoints and set a travel route that always includes these waypoints in automatic route search. Can also be performed. For example, similarly to the designation of the destination described above, when the cursor mark on the display screen is set to the desired transit point by operating the cursor on the operation panel 3, the transit point is designated by pressing the transit point setting key. Will be Alternatively, by operating the operation panel 3 and inputting a telephone number, a building name, a company name, a tenant name, and the like, the address of a building, a business or the like specified by the input data is designated as a transit point.

When each of the destination and the stopover is specified, if necessary, the route calculation unit 14 starts an automatic route search (step 603). First, the route calculation unit 14 determines whether one or more stop points are set when a stop point other than the refueling point is set so as to connect the current location (departure point) and the destination regardless of whether or not the refill point is set. A predetermined route search is performed to set a traveling route so as to include (step 604). Once the automatic route search has been completed, the route calculation unit 14 next determines whether or not an automatic refueling point has been set (step 605). The setting of the presence / absence of the automatic refueling point is performed by setting the automatic refueling point “present” or “not present” in the setting screen (FIG. 5) displayed by the automatic refueling setting unit 26.
Is specified, the above-described determination is performed based on the specified situation. If the automatic refueling point has not been set, the automatic route search ends (step 6).
06).

If an automatic refueling point has been set, the route calculation unit 14 checks whether or not there is a gas station of the series selected as the refueling point on the travel route searched for (step 607). If it exists, a refueling point corresponding to the middle of the traveling route is set as a waypoint (step 608). Once the traveling route is determined, the road list RDL included in the map data stored in the buffer memory 11
Since the distance of each road is known on the basis of T, it is possible to calculate to which point on the traveling route the vehicle can travel with one refueling based on a preset full tank distance. The route calculation unit 14 calculates the traveling point corresponding to the full tank distance in this manner, and determines whether or not there is a designated series gas station within a certain distance before the traveling route on the traveling route. Search based on data. Place names and facility names to be displayed on the map screen are stored in a character symbol layer included in the map data. In the character symbol layer, marks for gas stations are also stored at the beginning of each facility name. Therefore, the route calculation unit 14 searches for a mark corresponding to a gas station in a very narrow range along the travel route by examining the character symbol layer.
When a mark of a designated series gas station is found, this gas station is set as a refueling point.

If a specified series of gas stations cannot be searched within a certain range on the travel route, the route calculation unit 14 next slightly widens the search range and designates a designated area around the travel route. It is checked whether or not there is a gas station of the series concerned (step 609). Unlike the first search, a search for the mark corresponding to the desired gas station is now performed by examining the character symbol layer over a relatively wide range along the travel route (eg, a few hundred meters from the road). . If the corresponding gas station mark is found, the route calculation unit 14
The gas station is set as a refueling point, and the travel route set in the first automatic route search is partially changed (step 610). The travel route data after the change is stored in the route information memory 15.

If a desired gas station cannot be found even if the search range is expanded, a predetermined message indicating that fact is displayed and the user of the navigation device is notified (step 611). For example, the route calculation unit 1
4, the search result is sent to the refueling message drawing unit 28,
The refueling message drawing unit 28 draws a message image such as "Please select another gas station because there is no designated gas station" and the second V-RA
The message is stored in M22, and a predetermined message screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display device 5. Thereafter, when another user sees this message screen and selects another gas station, and the refueling facility is changed (step 61).
2) Then, the process returns to step 607 (search for a gas station on the traveling route) and the process is repeated.

By presetting the refueling interval and the series of gas stations for refueling in this way, a refueling point is searched for within a certain range along the traveling route, and the retrieved refueling point is traveled. It is set as one of the route stop points. For example, if “Kyoto” is set as the destination as shown in FIG. 7A and the current location is “Tokyo”, the setting of the automatic refueling point is instructed and the route search is performed. As shown in (B), these current locations "Tokyo"
A refueling point is automatically set at a point between the destination "Kyoto" and a full distance from Tokyo, 400 km.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the navigation device when performing automatic route guidance along a preset traveling route. When the operation panel 3 is operated to instruct the route guidance mode, predetermined route guidance is started (steps 801 and 802). Specifically, the guide route is displayed on the displayed map image by drawing by the guide route drawing unit 19, and the vehicle position mark is displayed at the traveling position of the vehicle by the map image drawing unit 13, so that the driver Tell your current location. When there is an intersection ahead of the traveling direction, the distance to the intersection and an enlarged image of the intersection are displayed by the intersection traveling guidance image drawing unit 20, and the direction in which to turn at this intersection is instructed.

In parallel with such a route guiding operation, the refueling determination section 27 determines whether or not an automatic refueling point has been set (step 803). It is determined whether or not the current position is approaching the set refueling point (step 804). If the refueling point is set but the vehicle is not approaching the refueling point, the process returns to step 802 and the predetermined route guidance operation is continued. Also, a refueling point is set, and when the vehicle approaches this refueling point, the refueling message drawing unit 28
Draws a message image indicating that it is about to arrive at the next refueling point and stores it in the second V-RAM 22. In this way, for example, a message screen shown in FIG. 7C is displayed from the liquid crystal display device 5 based on the message image stored in the second V-RAM 22 (step 805).

When the automatic refueling point is not set (in the case where the automatic refueling point "None" is selected on the setting screen shown in FIG. 5, in this case, as shown in FIG. 7 (E)). , The refueling point is not set during the guidance route),
Instead of determining whether or not the refueling point is approached by the refueling determination unit 27, the interrupt control unit 29 determines whether or not the distance to be refueled has been reached, that is, because it is necessary to refuel before reaching the full tank distance, for example, It is determined whether or not (full tank distance-5 km) has been reached (step 806). When the refueling distance is reached, a predetermined interrupt message image for instructing the driver whether to search for a nearby refueling facility is drawn by the refueling message drawing unit 28, and the second V
-Stored in RAM 22; Thus, the second VR
Based on the message image stored in the AM 22, the liquid crystal display device 5 displays, for example, an interrupt message screen shown in FIG. 7F (step 807).

"YES" in this interrupt message screen
When the setting key of the operation panel 3 is pressed when is pointed by the cursor, the interrupt control unit 29 next displays the interrupt message screen within a predetermined distance on the traveling route (5 km before the full tank distance). In this case, the predetermined distance is set to 5 km), and it is automatically searched whether or not a gas station of a previously selected series exists, and the searched gas station is set as a refueling point (steps 808 and 80).
9). For example, when a desired gas station exists on the traveling route, the gas station is set as a refueling point without changing the traveling route. If there is no desired gas station on the traveling route, a desired gas station located at a position deviating from the traveling route is searched, and a part of the traveling route is changed so as to bypass this gas station, and the refueling point is changed. Is set. After setting the refueling point in this way, or when the setting key is pressed when “NO” in the interrupt message screen is pointed by the cursor, the above-described refueling point setting is not performed ( Step 808), returning to step 802 to continue the predetermined route guidance.

As described above, when the refueling point is set in advance on the guidance route, a predetermined message prompting refueling is displayed when approaching the refueling point, and the driver is requested to enter a desired system. If a gas station or a system is not specified, the vehicle is guided to an arbitrary gas station, so that the fuel can be reliably supplied before running out of fuel during long-distance driving. In addition, when a refueling point is not set on the guidance route, a predetermined message prompting refueling is displayed before a certain distance that can be traveled after the tank is full, and if desired, the message is displayed. Since a nearby gas station is searched and guided, even if the refueling point is not set in advance, refueling can be reliably performed before running out of fuel.

When the driver refuels according to the above-mentioned message display and route guidance, the route guidance is continued to the next refueling point (destination if there is only one refueling point). For example, when the vehicle reaches the refueling point, or in the setting screen shown in FIG.
When the "refueling" mark displayed on a part of the message screen shown in (D) is pointed by the cursor and the setting key of the operation panel 3 is pressed, refueling is performed and the fuel tank becomes full. Judge that

By the way, a recent navigation device has a function of automatically performing a route search and setting a new guidance route each time the vehicle runs off the guidance route (so-called auto-reroute function). There is something. When the guidance route is changed by the auto reroute function and the refueling point is set along the guidance route before the change, it is necessary to reset the refueling point simultaneously with the change of the guidance route. .

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the navigation device when the guidance route is changed by the auto reroute function. Basically, the operation procedure relating to the route guidance shown in FIG. 8 can be applied as it is, and the automatic reroute function is used between the route guidance operation of step 802 and the operation of determining whether or not there is a refueling point setting in step 803. If the processing is inserted. In FIG. 9, steps different from those in FIG. 8 are extracted and shown, and other common steps are omitted. FIG.
Is a diagram showing a specific example of the positional relationship between the guide route and the refueling point, and shows before and after the change of the guide route.

When the predetermined route guidance is started (step 802), the route calculation unit 14 determines whether or not the guidance route stored in the route information memory 15 includes the existing link detected by the presence link detection unit 17. Is checked to determine whether the actual traveling route deviates from a preset guidance route (step 901). If the vehicle has not deviated from the guidance route, the processing after step 803 (determination as to whether or not the refueling point is set) shown in FIG. 8 is continued.

When the vehicle deviates from the guidance route, the route calculation unit 14 performs a route search again so as to include the currently traveling route and sets a new guidance route (step 9).
02), it is determined whether or not a refueling point is set at a position along the guidance route before the change (step 90).
3). If the guidance route before the change does not include the refueling point, the processing from step 901 (determination as to whether or not the vehicle has deviated from the guidance route) is repeated. If the guide route before the change includes a refueling point, a new refueling point is set along the newly set guide route (step 90).
4) Then, the processing of step 901 and subsequent steps is repeated.

For example, as shown in FIG. 10A, when the vehicle deviates from the first guidance route indicated by the broken line,
As shown in (B), a new guidance route is automatically calculated and set. Therefore, for example, if the refueling point A in FIG. 10A is set, it is not possible to refuel at the refueling point A when traveling on the changed guidance route. For example, a refueling point B in FIG. 10B is newly set. If there is no gas station of the specified series on the newly set guidance route, a candidate gas station is searched in a wide range along the guidance route, and the new guidance route is partially changed. .

As described above, even when a new guidance route is set by the automatic rerouting function, an alternative refueling point is set, and when approaching this refueling point, a predetermined refueling point for urging the driver to refuel is set. Since the message screen is displayed and the route is guided, refueling can be reliably performed.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.

The above-described navigation device sets a refueling point for each full tank distance when performing an automatic route search.
The description has been made on the assumption that the fuel tank is full at the time of automatic route search (at the start of traveling). However, since it is not always the case that the fuel tank is full at the time of automatic route search, it is shown in FIG. The travel distance from the previous refueling point may be set at the time of the automatic route search along with the full tank distance on the setting screen. For example, if there is a so-called trip meter that the driver can reset freely, if this trip meter is reset at the time of the last refueling, the displayed distance at the time of the automatic route search will be the traveling distance from the previous refueling point as it is. Become. As described above, when the traveling distance from the previous refueling point during the automatic route search is set, instead of setting the first refueling point to a position where the vehicle has traveled the full distance from the departure point, the full refueling point from the previous refueling point is set. What is necessary is just to set to the position where the vehicle has traveled to the tang distance.

When the route guidance is performed and the refueling point has not been set in advance, the interruption control unit 29 determines whether or not the refueling distance has been reached. Is performed by measuring the actual traveling distance. However, depending on the engine load and the degree of congestion on the road, the distance that can be traveled after refueling is full, so the actual remaining amount of gasoline (or other fuel) is detected and refueling is required. If it is determined whether or not the gasoline remaining amount has been reached, more accurate determination of the refueling timing can be made.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a modified example of a navigation device which determines the refueling timing according to the remaining amount of gasoline. The navigation controller 10 shown in FIG. 2 shows a configuration. The interrupt control unit 29 shown in FIG. 11 does not issue an instruction to display a message prompting the driver to refuel according to the traveling distance based on the vehicle position detection device 4 as shown in FIG. This instruction is performed based on the output of the subroutine 30. The gasoline remaining amount sensor 30 detects that the gasoline remaining amount in the fuel tank has reached a certain amount, for example, 5 liters. The gasoline remaining amount sensor 30 is provided with one or a plurality of dedicated detectors in a gasoline tank to detect that the gasoline remaining amount is less than a predetermined amount. Since a fuel (FUEL) lamp is provided to notify the driver that the remaining amount is low, a switch for turning on the fuel lamp can be used instead. When the detection signal of the gasoline remaining amount sensor 30 is input, it is determined that the refueling timing is reached by the interrupt control unit 29, and a predetermined message screen shown in FIG. 7 (F) is displayed and the driver is instructed to refuel. You. Specifically, in step 806 of FIG. 8, instead of determining the refueling timing according to the actual traveling distance, the fueling timing may be determined according to the detection result of the gasoline remaining amount sensor 30.

Also, as described above, the gasoline remaining amount sensor 30
The determination of the refueling timing using is not limited to the case where the refueling point is set on the guidance route, and may be used together when the refueling point is set. FIG. 12 shows a case where a predetermined message is output to the driver and a new refueling point is output when the gasoline level becomes low before arrival at the refueling point even if the refueling point is set in advance. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an operation procedure of the navigation device configured to perform the above setting, in which the order of the operation procedure shown in FIG. 8 is partially changed. As shown in FIG.
At 4, it is determined by the refueling determination unit 27 whether or not the refueling point has been reached during the route guidance. If the refueling point has not been reached, whether or not the gasoline remaining amount is less than the predetermined amount and the refueling time has come is reached. The determination is made by the interrupt control unit 29. Therefore, the fuel is normally refueled at a desired gas station set in advance as a refueling point, and is set in advance when gasoline is consumed earlier than planned, for example, when traveling in an urban area with heavy traffic or a mountainous area with many hills. A different refueling point can be set before reaching the refueling point, and refueling can be reliably performed before running out of fuel.

In the above-described navigation device, the driver is prompted to refuel by displaying a predetermined message screen, but the notification may be made by voice.

[0060]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a route search is performed in advance and a guidance route is set, a refueling point is set as a stopover at a predetermined distance interval, and in the subsequent route guidance, Since a message prompting refueling is output when approaching the refueling point, the driver can surely refuel before running out of fuel. Further, even when the actual traveling route deviates from the guidance route, refueling can be reliably performed by resetting the guidance route including the refueling point.

According to the present invention, even when a refueling point is not set at the time of route search, a message prompting refueling is output at a predetermined distance interval set in advance, or in addition to this, If the route search is re-executed so as to include the refueling point, the driver can surely refuel before running out of fuel.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a part of map data stored in a buffer memory.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a traveling route.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of viaway data.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of a setting screen drawn by an automatic refueling setting unit.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a navigation device for setting a refueling point during automatic route search.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of various display screens when a route is set and when the vehicle is running.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the navigation device when performing automatic route guidance along a preset traveling route.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the navigation device when the guidance route is changed by the auto reroute function.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of a positional relationship between a guidance route and a refueling point.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing a modified example of the navigation device that determines the refueling timing according to the remaining amount of gasoline.

FIG. 12 is an operation of a navigation device that outputs a predetermined message to a driver and sets a new refueling point when the gasoline level becomes low before arrival at a preset refueling point. It is a flowchart which shows a procedure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 operation panel 4 vehicle position detection device 5 liquid crystal display device 10 navigation controller 11 buffer memory 12 cursor position calculation unit 13 map image drawing unit 14 route calculation unit 15 route information memory 21, 22 V-RAM 26 automatic refueling setting unit 27 refueling judgment Unit 28 refueling message drawing unit 29 interrupt control unit 30 gasoline remaining amount sensor

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A method for setting a refueling point as a transit point in order to perform refueling at a predetermined distance interval in an automatic route search, and outputting a predetermined message when approaching the refueling point when performing route guidance. A featured navigation device. 2. The route search according to claim 1, wherein, when performing the route guidance, when an actual traveling route deviates from the guidance route including the refueling point, a route search is performed again so as to include a new refueling point. A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned. 3. A navigation device which outputs a message prompting refueling at predetermined distance intervals when performing route guidance. 4. When performing route guidance, at a predetermined distance interval,
A navigation device that outputs a message prompting refueling and re-executes a route search to include a nearby refueling point. 5. A refueling setting means for setting a refueling interval, and a route search so as to connect a departure place and a destination while setting a refueling point as a waypoint for each refueling interval set by the refueling setting means. And a message output unit that outputs a predetermined message when approaching the refueling point when performing route guidance according to the route searched by the route calculation unit. Navigation device. 6. The guidance route according to claim 5, wherein, when performing route guidance, when it is detected that an actual traveling route deviates from the guidance route including the refueling point, a new refueling point is included. A navigation device further comprising a route resetting means for resetting a route. 7. The refueling facility selecting means according to claim 5, further comprising a refueling facility selecting means for selecting a series of gas stations that can be set as a refueling point, wherein said route calculating means performs a route search and performs a predetermined guidance route. The navigation apparatus is characterized in that when setting is made, a gas station of the selected series located at a position along the searched guidance route is searched and set as the refueling point. 8. A refueling setting means for setting a refueling interval, a route calculating means for performing a route search so as to connect a departure place and a destination, and performing route guidance according to the route searched by the route calculating means. And a message output means for outputting a predetermined message at each refueling interval set by the refueling setting means. 9. The navigation device according to claim 8, further comprising a route resetting means for resetting a guidance route so as to include a nearby refueling point when the message is output.