Route search method, route guidance system, navigation system, and statistical processing server

• US 20070198179A1
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Hiroki
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

Systems, methods, and programs store predicted distance range data, in which distance ranges where a vehicle will be within a specified time are predicted for individual zones and individual time periods, and store traffic data that is created based on traffic circumstances in individual links and individual time periods. The systems, methods, and programs define, based on the predicted distance range data and using the current time as a reference, a temporal sequence of predicted distance ranges centered at the current host vehicle position. The systems, methods, and programs search for a recommended route from the current host vehicle position to the destination among links within each of the defined predicted distance ranges, the recommended route determined by using the traffic data for the time periods that correspond to the predicted distance ranges.

Claims

1. A navigation system to be installed in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a memory that stores;

predicted distance range data in which distance ranges where a vehicle will be within a specified time are predicted for individual zones and individual time periods; and

traffic data that is created based on traffic circumstances in individual links and individual time periods; and

a controller that;

defines, based on the predicted distance range data and using the current time as a reference, a temporal sequence of predicted distance ranges centered at the current host vehicle position; and

searches for a recommended route from the current host vehicle position to the destination among links within each of the defined predicted distance ranges, the recommended route determined by using the traffic data for the time periods that correspond to the predicted distance ranges.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the memory stores map data, the map data being divided into a plurality of map meshes, each map mesh being a section of the map data;

the memory stores the predicted distance range data for each map mesh; and

the controller defines the predicted distance ranges by detecting the map mesh that contains the host vehicle position and reading the predicted distance range data that corresponds to the detected map mesh.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller defines the predicted distance ranges as concentric circular areas centered at the current host vehicle position.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

synchronizes the time period for a predicted distance range closest to the current host vehicle position with the current time; and

corrects the predicted distance range closest to the current host vehicle position based on the synchronization.

5. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein

the predicted distance range data are created for individual zones, seasons, days, holidays, and consecutive holidays.

6. The navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver that receives, from outside the system, the predicted distance range data or the traffic data.

7. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the memory stores a driving history for a road on which the host vehicle has traveled, including a required travel time, a time period, and a speed; and

the controller creates or updates the predicted distance range data or the traffic data based on the driving history.

8. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller provides route guidance along the recommended route.

9. A route search method for searching for a route from a current host vehicle position to a destination, the method comprising:

storing predicted distance range data in which distance ranges where a vehicle will be within a specified time are predicted for individual zones and individual time periods;

storing traffic data that is created based on traffic circumstances in individual links and individual time periods;

defining, based on the predicted distance range data and using the current time as a reference, a temporal sequence of predicted distance ranges centered at the current host vehicle position; and

searching for a recommended route from the current host vehicle position to the destination among links within each of the defined predicted distance ranges, the recommended route determined by using the traffic data for the time periods that correspond to the predicted distance ranges.

10. The route search method according to claim 9, further comprising:

storing map data, the map data being divided into a plurality of map meshes, each map mesh being a section of the map data;

storing the predicted distance range data for each map mesh; and

defining the predicted distance ranges by detecting the map mesh that contains the host vehicle position and reading the predicted distance range data that corresponds to the detected map mesh.

11. The route search method according to claim 9, further comprising:

defining the predicted distance ranges as concentric circular areas centered at the current host vehicle position.

12. The route search method according to claim 9, further comprising:

synchronizing the time period for a predicted distance range closest to the current host vehicle position with the current time; and

correcting the predicted distance range closest to the current host vehicle position based on the synchronization.

13. The route search method according to claim 9, wherein:

the predicted distance range data are created for individual zones, seasons, days, holidays, and consecutive holidays.

14. The route search method according to claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, from outside the system, the predicted distance range data or the traffic data.

15. The route search method according to claim 9, further comprising:

storing a driving history for a road on which the host vehicle has traveled, including a required travel time, a time period, and a speed; and

creating or updating the predicted distance range data or the traffic data based on the driving history.

16. The route search method according to claim 9, further comprising providing route guidance along the recommended route.

17. A storage medium storing a set of program instructions executable on a data processing device, the instructions usable to implement the method of claim 9.

18. A statistical processing server for statistically processing data for route searching, the server comprising a controller that:

statistically processes road traffic information or probe information that is collected from individual vehicles;

creates predicted distance range data in which distance ranges where a vehicle will be within specified times are predicted for individual zones and individual time periods; and

based on the road traffic information or the probe information, creates traffic data based on traffic circumstances in individual links and individual time periods.

19. A route guidance system that executes guidance for a route from a current host vehicle position to a destination, the system comprising a controller that:

statistically processes road traffic information or probe information that is collected from individual vehicles;

creates predicted distance range data in which distance ranges where a vehicle will be within a specified time are predicted for individual zones and individual time periods;

creates, based on the road traffic information or the probe information, traffic data based on traffic circumstances in individual links and individual time periods;

defines, based on the predicted distance range data and using the current time as a reference, a temporal sequence of predicted distance ranges centered at the current host vehicle position; and

searches for a recommended route from the current host vehicle position to the destination among links within each of the defined predicted distance ranges, using the traffic data for the time periods that correspond to the predicted distance ranges.