Route guidance device, method, and program

• US 20100185384A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Takashi, Naito, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects

Abstract

Route guidance devices, methods, and programs provide guidance for a vehicle that is provided with a drive motor and an engine as drive sources. The devices, methods, and programs acquire a departure point and a destination for the vehicle and specify one or more motor drive recommended links for which driving with the drive motor as the drive source is recommended. The devices, methods, and programs specify a route that includes only motor drive recommended links and by which the vehicle can drive from the departure point to the destination using only the drive motor as the drive source and output the specified route on a display.

Claims

1. A route guidance device for a vehicle that is provided with a drive motor and an engine as drive sources, comprising:

a controller that;

acquires a departure point and a destination for the vehicle;

specifies one or more motor drive recommended links for which driving with the drive motor as the drive source is recommended;

specifies a route that includes only motor drive recommended links and by which the vehicle can drive from the departure point to the destination using only the drive motor as the drive source; and

outputs the specified route on a display.

2. The route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

acquires an amount of energy remaining in a battery that supplies electric power to the drive motor;

estimates an amount of energy required by the vehicle to drive each motor drive recommended link; and

specifies the route based on the acquired amount of remaining battery energy and on the estimated amount of energy that is required for each link.

3. The route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

determines candidate links for the route;

estimates a driving force of the vehicle that is required for driving each candidate link; and

specifies each motor drive recommended link as a link for which the estimated driving force of the vehicle is not greater than a specified threshold value.

4. The route guidance device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data storage portion that stores;

a map database; and

a learning database including a record of each link traveled by the vehicle or a probe vehicle in the past, a driving force required to drive each link traveled by the vehicle or the probe vehicle in the past, and an amount of energy required to drive each link traveled by the or the probe vehicle in the past;

wherein the controller specifies the one or more motor drive recommended links based on the learning database.

5. The route guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

searches for an alternate route that includes at least one link that is not a motor drive recommended link when the route that includes only motor drive recommended links cannot be specified, or if an input is received requesting the alternate route.

6. The route guidance device according to claim 5, wherein the controller:

calculates an EV driving ratio for the alternate route; and

displays the EV driving ration on the display.

7. The route guidance device according to claim 1, further comprising the display.

15. The route guidance method according to claim 1, wherein each step of the method is performed by a controller.

8. A navigation device comprising the route guidance device according to claim

9. A route guidance method for a vehicle that is provided with a drive motor and an engine as drive sources, comprising:

acquiring a departure point and a destination for the vehicle;

specifying one or more motor drive recommended links for which driving with the drive motor as the drive source is recommended;

specifying a route that includes only motor drive recommended links and by which the vehicle can drive from the departure point to the destination using only the drive motor as the drive source; and

outputting the specified route on a display.

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

acquiring an amount of energy remaining in a battery that supplies electric power to the drive motor;

estimating an amount of energy required by the vehicle to drive each motor drive recommended link; and

specifying the route based on the acquired amount of remaining battery energy and on the estimated amount of energy that is required for each link.

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

determining candidate links for the route;

estimating a driving force of the vehicle that is required for driving each candidate link; and

specifying each motor drive recommended link as a link for which the estimated driving force of the vehicle is not greater than a specified threshold value.

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

accessing a map database;

accessing a learning database including a record of each link traveled by the vehicle or a probe vehicle in the past, a driving force required to drive each link traveled by the vehicle or the probe vehicle in the past, and an amount of energy required to drive each link traveled by the or the probe vehicle in the past; and

specifying the one or more motor drive recommended links based on the learning database.

13. The route guidance method according to claim 9, further comprising:

searching for an alternate route that includes at least one link that is not a motor drive recommended link when the route that includes only motor drive recommended links cannot be specified, or if an input is received requesting the alternate route.

14. The route guidance method according to claim 13, further comprising:

calculating an EV driving ratio for the alternate route; and

displaying the EV driving ration on the display.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer executable program usable to provide route guidance for a vehicle that is provided with a drive motor and an engine as drive sources, the program comprising:

instructions for acquiring a departure point and a destination for the vehicle;

instructions for specifying one or more motor drive recommended links for which driving with the drive motor as the drive source is recommended;

instructions for specifying a route that includes only motor drive recommended links and by which the vehicle can drive from the departure point to the destination using only the drive motor as the drive source; and

instructions for outputting the specified route on a display.