Navigation device

• US 20010040505A1
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishida, Akira, Sakamoto, Kiyomi, Ueyama, Yoshiki
• Granted Patent: US 6,411,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

In a navigation device assisting a driver of a vehicle to drive safely by presenting accurate information at the right time what is going on around his/her vehicle, an obstacle detection part detects any obstacle with the help of external information monitored by an external monitor part. By utilizing the vehicle'"'"'s current position detected by an input part and a position detection part, and map data stored in a map data storage part, a route selection part searches for a route to a destination. Based on thus found route, current position, map data, and the external information from the obstacle detection part, a guiding part performs route guidance to the destination. A map data arranging part refers to the map data, information from the obstacle detection part and the input part, and object model display information from the object model display information storage part, and arranges any applicable object model onto a map data space. A display accordingly displays guidance information together with the resulting map image.

Claims

1. A navigation device of a vehicle-mounted type for detecting circumstances around a vehicle, and if considers warning a user is appropriate, arranging an applicable object model for display on a map image, and making a guidance to a destination, said device comprising:

an input part for receiving the user'"'"'s instruction;

a position detection part for detecting a current position of the vehicle;

a map data storage part for previously storing map data;

an object model display information storage part for previously storing object model display information for displaying said object model on said map image;

a route selection part for selecting a route to the destination based on said instruction provided by said input part, said current position detected by said position detection part, and said map data stored in said map data storage part;

an external monitor part for monitoring the circumstances around the vehicle, and outputting resulting monitor information;

an obstacle detection part for detecting an obstacle observed outside of the vehicle based on said monitor information provided by said external monitor part, and outputting resulting external information including position information of said obstacle;

a map data arranging part for creating said object model, if decided that warning the user is appropriate, based on drive assistant information including the position information as in the external information and the object model display information for said object model, and arranging the object model on said map image;

a guiding part for determining whether said obstacle requires the user'"'"'s attention based on said external information provided by said obstacle detection part, and if requires, generating said drive assistant information, and generating guidance information including resulting map image outputted from said map data arranging part in response to said route selected by said route selection part, said current position detected by said position detection part, and said map data provided by said map data storage part; and

a display part for displaying said guidance information generated by said guiding part.

2. The navigation device according to

claim 1

, wherein

said external monitor part includes an image capture device for capturing an image covering around the vehicle, and

said obstacle detection part detects, based on said monitor information including said image received from said external monitor part, said obstacle observed around the vehicle through the image.

3. The navigation device according to

claim 2

, wherein

said obstacle detection part determines a type of said obstacle, and outputting the external information including type information of said obstacle, and

said guiding part determines whether said obstacle requires the user'"'"'s attention based on said type information.

4. The navigation device according to

claim 2

, wherein

said obstacle detection part detects a predetermined sign attached to said obstacle, and outputting the external information including sign information of said obstacle, and

said guiding part determines whether said obstacle requires the user'"'"'s attention based on said sign information.

5. The navigation device according to

claim 2

, wherein

said obstacle detection part detects which side of blinkers is flashing on and off, and outputting the external information including directional information of said obstacle, and

said guiding part determines whether said obstacle requires the user'"'"'s attention based on said directional information.

6. The navigation device according to

claim 1

, wherein said guiding part determines whether said vehicle is in a with-care state by estimating any situational change possible for either the vehicle or said object or both, and based on the with-care state, determines whether said obstacle requires the user'"'"'s attention.

7. The navigation device according to

claim 6

, wherein said guiding part estimates said situational change by analyzing said route selected by said route selection part, and determines whether said vehicle is in said with-care state.

8. The navigation device according to

claim 1

, wherein

said guiding part generates said drive assistant information including a threat attribute for said obstacle requiring the user'"'"'s attention, and

said map data arranging part creates an object model corresponding to said threat attribute based on said drive assistant information and the object model display information for said object model provided by said object model display information storage part.

9. The navigation device according to

claim 1

, wherein said map data arranging part creates a vehicle object model corresponding to said vehicle and a nearby vehicle object model corresponding to said object.

10. The navigation device according to

claim 9

, wherein said map data arranging part selects a display scale for said map image so that said vehicle object model and said nearby vehicle object model are displayed on said display part with a predetermined space therebetween in consideration of a positional relationship therebetween.

11. The navigation device according to

claim 1

, wherein said map data arranging part comprises:

an object model creation part for creating said object model based on said drive assistant information and the object model display information for the object model provided by said object model display information storage part; and

a data arranging part for arranging said object model on said map image.

12. The navigation device according to

claim 11

, wherein

said map data arranging part further comprises a 3D map generation part for generating a 3D map based on 2D map data provided by said map data storage part, and

said data arranging part arranges said object model onto the 3D map generated by said 3D map generation part.

13. The navigation device according to

claim 11

, wherein

said map data arranging part further comprises a 2D/3D coordinate transformation part for transforming the object model, which is 2D, created by said object model creation part to a 3D object model, and

said data arranging part arranges the 3D object model transformed by said 2D/3D coordinate transformation part onto said map image.

14. A navigation method for detecting circumstances around a vehicle, and if considers warning a user is appropriate, arranging an applicable object model for display on a map image, and making a guidance to a destination, said method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving the user'"'"'s instruction;

a position detecting step of detecting a current position of the vehicle;

an external monitoring step of monitoring the circumstances around the vehicle, and outputting resulting monitor information;

an obstacle detecting step of detecting an obstacle observed outside of the vehicle based on said monitor information, and generating external information including position information of said obstacle;

a route selecting step of selecting a route to the destination based on said instruction provided in said inputting step, said current position detected in said position detecting step, and map data previously provided;

a map data arranging step of creating said object model, if decided that warning the user is appropriate, according to drive assistant information generated based on said external information and the object model display information for the object model, and arranging the object model on said map image;

a guiding step of generating guidance information including resulting map image outputted in said map data arranging step in response to said route selected in said route selecting step, said current position detected in said position detecting step, and said map data; and

a displaying step of displaying said guidance information generated in said guiding step.

15. The navigation method according to

claim 14

, wherein

in said external monitoring step, an image covering around the vehicle is captured, and

in said obstacle detecting step, based on said monitor information including said image captured in said external monitoring step, said obstacle observed around the vehicle is detected through the image thereof.

16. The navigation method according to

claim 14

, wherein in said guiding step, whether said vehicle is in a with-care state is determined by estimating any situational change possible for either the vehicle or said object or both, and based on the with-care state, whether the obstacle requires the user'"'"'s attention is determined.

17. The navigation method according to

claim 14

, wherein

in said guiding step, said drive assistant information including a threat attribute for said obstacle requiring the user'"'"'s attention is generated, and

in said map data arranging step, an object model corresponding to said threat attribute is created based on said drive assistant information and said object model display information for the object model.

18. The navigation method according to

claim 14

, wherein in said map data arranging step, a vehicle object model corresponding to said vehicle and a nearby vehicle object model corresponding to said obstacle are created, and a display scale for said map image is so selected that said vehicle object model and said nearby vehicle object model are displayed with a predetermined space therebetween in consideration of a positional relationship therebetween.

19. The navigation method according to

claim 14

, wherein said map data arranging step comprises:

an object model creating step for creating said object model based on said drive assistant information and said object model display information; and

a data arranging step of arranging said object model on said map image.

20. The navigation method according to

claim 19

, wherein

said map data arranging step further comprises a 3D map generating step of generating a 3D map based on 2D map data, and

in said data arranging step, said object model is arranged on said map image.

21. The navigation method according to

claim 19

, wherein

said map data arranging step further comprises a 2D/3D coordinate transforming step of transforming the object model, which is 2D, created in said object model creating step to a 3D object model, and

in said data arranging step, the 3D object model transformed in said 2D/3D coordinate transforming step is arranged onto said map image.

22. A computer readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon to be run on a navigation device of a vehicle-mounted type for detecting circumstances around a vehicle, and if considers warning a user is appropriate, arranging an applicable object model for display on a map image, and making a guidance to a destination, said program comprising:

a receiving step of receiving the user'"'"'s instruction;

a position detecting step of detecting a current position of the vehicle;

an external monitoring step of monitoring the circumstances around the vehicle, and outputting resulting monitor information;

an obstacle detecting step of detecting an obstacle observed outside of the vehicle based on said monitor information, and generating external information including position information of said obstacle;

a route selecting step of selecting a route to the destination based on said instruction provided in said inputting step, said current position detected in said position detecting step, and map data previously provided;

a map data arranging step of creating said object model, if decided that warning the user is appropriate, according to drive assistant information generated based on said external information and the object model display information for the object model, and arranging the object model on said map image;

a guiding step of generating guidance information including resulting map image outputted in said map data arranging step in response to said route selected in said route selecting step, said current position detected in said position detecting step, and said map data; and

a displaying step of displaying said guidance information generated in said guiding step.

23. A program to be run on a navigation device of a vehicle-mounted type for detecting circumstances around a vehicle, and if considers warning a user is appropriate, arranging an applicable object model for display on a map image, and making a guidance to a destination, said program comprising:

a receiving step of receiving the user'"'"'s instruction;

a position detecting step of detecting a current position of the vehicle;

an external monitoring step of monitoring the circumstances around the vehicle, and outputting resulting monitor information;

an obstacle detecting step of detecting an obstacle observed outside of the vehicle based on said monitor information, and generating external information including position information of said obstacle;

a route selecting step of selecting a route to the destination based on said instruction provided in said inputting step, said current position detected in said position detecting step, and map data previously provided;

a map data arranging step of creating said object model, if decided that warning the user is appropriate, according to drive assistant information generated based on said external information and the object model display information for the object model, and arranging the object model on said map image;

a guiding step of generating guidance information including resulting map image outputted in said map data arranging step in response to said route selected in said route selecting step, said current position detected in said position detecting step, and said map data; and

a displaying step of displaying said guidance information generated in said guiding step.