Lane guidance display method, and navigation device and recording medium for realizing the method

• US 20010013837A1
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Published: 08/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Atsushi, Hamada, Hiroyuki, Sakamoto, Kiyomi, Ata, Teruaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,388,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

Based on searched route information and map data, a target intersection for guidance is specified S11. For the specified target intersection, lane data regarding the number of lanes and lane control of roads being connected thereto is read, and then recommended lane information which indicates which lane to take when entering the target intersection and to exit therefrom is generated S12. Based on information about the target intersection and the lane data, generated is a simplified intersection image of the target intersection for lane guidance S13. Based on the recommended lane information, a running path which passes through the recommended lanes for entering into and exiting from the target intersection is generated, and is combined with the intersection image S14. Then, lane guidance information for displaying the resultant intersection image is outputted with a predetermined timing S15.

As such, guidance can be visually made on a screen indicating which lanes to take to enter into and exit from the intersection.

Claims

1. A lane guidance display method for guiding, on a screen, a vehicle which lane to take to go through an intersection, said method comprising the steps of:

searching for a guidance route from a departure point to a destination or a stopover based on map data including lane data, which is regarding the number of lanes and lane control of roads to be connected to the intersection;

specifying an intersection for guidance (hereinafter, refers to as a target intersection) located on said guidance route;

determining, based on said guidance route and said lane data, the recommended enter lane for entering said target intersection and the recommended exit lane for exiting therefrom; and

guiding the vehicle by displaying said recommended enter and exit lanes on the screen.

2. The lane guidance display method according to

claim 1

, wherein said guiding step comprises the steps of:

generating an intersection image of said target intersection for lane guidance based on said lane data;

generating a running path for said target intersection which passes through both said recommended enter lane and said recommended exit lane; and

displaying, on the screen, a lane guidance intersection image which is a combination of said intersection image and said running path.

3. The lane guidance display method according to

claim 2

, wherein,

when said target intersection is plurally in proximity in a row, said intersection image generated in said intersection image generating step is a combination of the target intersections in proximity, and

said running path generated in said running path generating step passes through said target intersections in proximity.

4. The lane guidance display method according to

claim 2

, wherein,

specified as said target intersection in said specifying step are all of the intersections found on said guidance route;

and

displayed plurally and collectively in said displaying step is said lane guidance intersection image in order of said target intersections on said guidance route.

5. The lane guidance display method according to claim 2, wherein

said running path generated in said running path generating step is represented by one or more successive arrows directing from said recommended enter lane to said recommended exit lane.

6. The lane guidance display method according to

claim 2

, wherein,

in said determining step, additionally calculated for each exit lane is a lane level of recommendation, which is represented by discrete or successive numbers, and

said running path generated in said running path generating step is represented, in various manners depending on said lane level of recommendation, by one or more successive arrows directed from said recommended enter lane to said recommended exit lane.

7. The lane guidance display method according to

claim 5

, wherein,

in said determining step, a ground for said recommended enter and exit lanes is additionally found, and

in said displaying step, an image based on said ground is displayed together with said lane guidance intersection image.

8. The lane guidance display method according to claim 6, wherein,

in said determining step, a ground for said recommended enter and exit lanes is additionally found, and

in said displaying step, an image based on said ground is displayed together with said lane guidance intersection image.

9. A navigation device for guiding a vehicle on a screen from a departure point to a destination or a stopover, said device comprising:

a map data storage part for storing map data including lane data, which is regarding the number of lanes and lane control of roads to be connected to an intersection;

a route search part for searching for, based on said map data, a guidance route from the departure point to the destination or the stopover;

a vehicle position detection part for detecting a vehicle position on said map data;

a target intersection operation part for searching for and specifying, based on said guidance route and said map data, an intersection for guidance on said guidance route (hereinafter, refers to as a target intersection);

the recommended lane operation part for determining, based on said guidance route, said lane data, and said target intersection, the recommended enter lane and the recommended exit lane for said target intersection;

a guidance part for generating, based on said recommended enter and exit lanes and said lane data, lane guidance data required for display on the screen; and

an output part for displaying guidance on the screen according to said lane guidance data.

10. The navigation device according to

claim 9

, wherein, as said lane guidance data, said guidance part

generates an intersection image for lane guidance based on said lane data for said target intersection,

generates a running path which passes through said recommended enter lane and said recommended exit lane for said target intersection, and

generates a lane guidance intersection image which is a combination of said intersection image and said running path.

11. The navigation device according to

claim 10

, wherein,

when said target intersection is plurally in proximity in a row, said intersection image generated by said guidance part is a combination of the target intersections in proximity, and said running path generated thereby passes through said target intersections in proximity.

12. The navigation device according to

claim 10

, wherein

said target intersection operation part specifies all of the intersections found on said guidance route as said target intersection, and

said guidance part outputs said lane guidance data to said output part to plurally and collectively display said lane guidance intersection image in order of said target intersections on said guidance route.

13. The navigation device according to

claim 10

, wherein

said running path generated by said guidance part is represented by one or more successive arrows directing from said recommended enter lane to said recommended exit lane.

14. The navigation device according to

claim 10

, wherein

additionally calculated by said recommended lane operation part is a lane level of recommendation for each exit lane represented by discrete or successive numbers, and

said running path generated by said guidance part is represented, in various manners depending on said lane level of recommendation, by one or more successive arrows directed from said recommended enter lane to said recommended exit lane.

15. The navigation device according to

claim 13

, wherein

said recommended lane operation part additionally finds a ground for said recommended enter and exit lanes, and

said guidance part outputs said lane guidance data to said output part to display an image based on said ground together with said lane guidance intersection image.

16. The navigation device according to

claim 14

, wherein

said recommended lane operation part additionally finds a ground for said recommended enter and exit lanes, and

said guidance part outputs said lane guidance data to said output part to display an image based on said ground together with said lane guidance intersection image.

17. A recording medium on which a lane guidance display method for guiding, on a screen, a vehicle which lane to take to go through an intersection is recorded as a program executable on a computer, said program at least carries out the steps of:

searching for a guidance route from a departure point to a destination or a stopover based on map data including lane data, which is regarding the number of lanes and lane control of roads to be connected to the intersection;

specifying an intersection for guidance (hereinafter, refers to as a target intersection) located on said guidance route;

determining, based on said guidance route and said lane data, the recommended enter lane for entering said target intersection and the recommended exit lane for exiting therefrom;

generating an intersection image of said target intersection for lane guidance based on said lane data;

generating a running path for said target intersection which passes through both said recommended enter lane and said recommended exit lane; and

displaying, on the screen, a lane guidance intersection image which is a combination of said intersection image and said running path.

18. The recording medium according to

claim 17

, wherein

said running path generated in said running path generating step is represented by one or more successive arrows directing from said recommended enter lane to said recommended exit lane.

19. The recording medium according to

claim 17

, wherein,

in said determining step, additionally calculated for each exit lane is a lane level of recommendation, which is represented by discrete or successive numbers, and

said running path generated in said running path generating step is represented, in various manners depending on said lane level of recommendation, by one or more successive arrows directed from said recommended enter lane to said recommended exit lane.

20. The recording medium according to

claim 18

, wherein,

in said determining step, a ground for said recommended enter and exit lanes is additionally found, and

in said displaying step, an image based on said ground is displayed together with said lane guidance intersection image.

21. The recording medium according to

claim 19

, wherein,

in said determining step, a ground for said recommended enter and exit lanes is additionally found, and

in said displaying step, an image based on said ground is displayed together with said lane guidance intersection image.