Destination prediction device and destination prediction method

• US 7,630,828 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1 (IP Bridge, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tajima, Takashi, Ozawa, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa; Jaime
• Application Number:
  US12/159,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20090105934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 701/118, 701/201, 701205-213, 340/955, 340/995.1, 340/995.13, 340/995.21, 340/995.23, 340/995.24, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 701/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases

Abstract

A destination prediction device having a map information accumulation unit that accumulates map information including at least positions of a plurality of points on a map and routes between the plurality of points; a start position acquisition unit that acquires a start position of the mobile body; a current position acquisition unit that acquires a current position of the mobile body; a destination candidate position acquisition unit that acquires positions of a plurality of destination candidates that may potentially become destinations of the mobile body; a circuitousness calculation unit that calculates a circuitousness which is a deviation of a route from the start position to the position of the destination candidate and a destination prediction unit that predicts, as a destination, a destination candidate whose calculated circuitousness is the smallest among the destination candidates.

Claims

1. A destination prediction device that predicts a destination, comprising:

a map information accumulation unit configured to accumulate map information including positions of a plurality of predetermined points and road information between the plurality of positions;

a start position acquisition unit configured to acquire a start position of a mobile body;

a current position acquisition unit configured to acquire a current position of the mobile body;

a destination candidate position acquisition unit configured to acquire, based on the acquired start position and the current position, positions of a plurality of destination candidates that may potentially become destinations of the mobile body from said map information accumulation unit;

a circuitousness calculation unit configured to calculate a circuitousness that is a deviation in route cost between (1) a route from the start position to the position of the destination candidate which passes through the current position and (2) a route capable of arriving at the position of the destination candidate from the start position at a minimum route cost; and

a destination prediction unit configured to predict, as the destination, a destination candidate whose calculated circuitousness is the smallest among the destination candidates.

2. The destination prediction device according to claim 1,

wherein said destination prediction unit is configured to predict as the destination, in addition to the destination candidate whose circuitousness is the smallest, a destination candidate whose circuitousness is equal to or less than a first threshold among the destination candidates.

3. The destination prediction device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a current position-to-candidate position route cost calculation unit configured to identify a route between the current position and the position of the destination candidate by using the map information, and to calculate a current position-to-candidate position route cost that is the route cost with respect to the identified route;

a start position-to-current position route cost calculation unit configured to identify a route between the start position and the current position by using the map information, and to calculate a start position-to-current position route cost that is the route cost with respect to the identified route; and

a start position-to-candidate position route cost calculation unit configured to identify a route between the start position and the position of the destination candidate by using the map information, and to calculate a start position-to-candidate position route cost that is the route cost with respect to the identified route,

wherein said destination candidate position acquisition unit is configured to acquire a position of a destination candidate that lies within a predetermined range from the current position of the mobile body,

said current position-to-candidate position route cost calculation unit, said start position-to-current position route cost calculation unit, and said start position-to-candidate position route cost calculation unit are configured to respectively calculate the current position-to-candidate position route cost, the start position-to-current position route cost, and the start position-to-candidate position route cost using any one of a distance of a route between a start point and an end point and an amount of time required for movement between the start point and the end point, and

said circuitousness calculation unit is configured to calculate the circuitousness by subtracting the start position-to-candidate position route cost from the sum of the current position-to-candidate position route cost and the start position-to-current position route cost.

4. The destination prediction device according to claim 3,

wherein said circuitousness calculation unit is configured to calculate, as the circuitousness, a value which is proportional to a value obtained by subtracting the start position-to-candidate position route cost from the sum of the current position-to-candidate position route cost and the start position-to-current position route cost and which is inversely proportional to the start position-to-candidate position route cost.

5. The destination prediction device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a road width acquisition unit configured to acquire a road width at the current position of the mobile body;

an event occurrence detection unit configured to detect a position at which the road width has decreased compared to the acquired road width as an event occurrence position; and

a distance limiting unit configured to remove, from destination candidates subsequent to the event occurrence position, a destination candidate that does not lie within an area which is surrounded by roads whose road widths are greater than the event occurrence position and which includes the event occurrence position,

wherein said destination prediction unit is configured to predict the destination from destination candidates that lie in the area surrounded by roads whose road widths are greater than the event occurrence position.

6. The destination prediction device according to claim 5,

wherein said destination candidate position acquisition unit is configured to acquire a position of the destination candidate by using a traffic volume detection point that is a point where a traffic information provider detects a traffic volume of mobile bodies as the destination candidate,

said destination prediction device further comprises:

a traffic volume acquisition unit configured to acquire a traffic volume of each movement direction at each of the traffic volume detection points from the traffic information provider,

said current position-to-candidate position route cost calculation unit is configured to calculate the current position-to-candidate position route cost according to the current movement direction of the mobile body for each direction in which the mobile body passes through each of the traffic volume detection points;

said start position-to-candidate position route cost calculation unit is configured to calculate the start position-to-candidate position route cost for each direction in which the mobile body passes through each of the traffic volume detection points; and

said destination prediction unit is configured to predict, as the destination, the traffic volume detection point whose circuitousness is the smallest and for which the acquired traffic volume is the largest.

7. The destination prediction device according to claim 5, further comprising

a movement history accumulation unit configured to accumulate a history of positions previously visited by the mobile body,

wherein said destination candidate position acquisition unit is configured to acquire positions of the destination candidates by using the positions accumulated by said movement history accumulation unit as the destination candidates, and

said destination prediction unit is configured to predict, as the destination, a destination candidate whose circuitousness is the smallest among the positions accumulated by said movement history accumulation unit.

8. The destination prediction device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a destination acquisition unit configured to acquire a destination of a mobile body from a user; and

a via point judgment unit configured to judge that a via point exists through which the mobile body intends to pass before heading towards the destination, when the circuitousness with respect to the destination is equal to or greater than a second threshold,

wherein said destination candidate position acquisition unit is configured to acquire, when it is judged that the via point exists, a position of a destination candidate that lies in a predetermined range from the current position of the mobile body and which may potentially become the via point, and

said destination prediction unit is configured to predict, as the via point, a destination candidate whose circuitousness is the smallest among the destination candidates.

9. The destination prediction device according to claim 8,

wherein said destination prediction unit is further configured to predict, as the via point, a destination candidate for which the route cost from the current position to the destination when passing through the destination candidate is the smallest among the destination candidates whose circuitousness is the smallest.

10. destination prediction device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a branch calculation unit configured to calculate a position of a branch of a route connecting the start position and the destination and a route connecting the start position and the current position;

a junction prediction unit configured to predict a position of a junction of a route connecting the start position and the destination and a route connecting the current position and the destination;

a traffic jam information acquisition unit configured to acquire traffic jam information of the periphery of a route connecting the start position and the destination; and

a traffic jam avoidance judgment unit configured to judge whether a traffic jam exists between the branch position and the junction position among the route connecting the start position and the destination,

wherein said destination prediction unit is configured to predict that a via point exists when the circuitousness with respect to the destination is equal to or greater than the second threshold and said traffic jam avoidance judgment unit judges that a traffic jam does not exist.

11. destination prediction device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a destination history accumulation unit configured to accumulate a history of destinations acquired by said destination acquisition unit, in association with respective arrival times and dates at the destinations,

wherein said destination prediction unit is configured to predict, as the via point, a destination that was reached immediately before a currently acquired destination among the destinations accumulated in said destination history accumulation unit.

12. destination prediction device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a destination acquisition unit configured to acquire a destination of a mobile body from a user; and

a destination erroneous setting detection unit configured to judge that the acquired destination is erroneous when the circuitousness with respect to the destination is equal to or greater than a third threshold,

wherein said destination candidate position acquisition unit is configured to acquire, when it is judged that the acquired destination is erroneous, a position of a destination candidate by using, as the destination, a similar position that lies in a predetermined range from the current position of the mobile body and which is confusable with the destination, and

said destination prediction unit is configured to predict, as a correct destination, a destination candidate whose circuitousness is the smallest among the destination candidates.

13. destination prediction device according to claim 12, further comprising:

an information provision unit configured to provide at least information regarding the destination and routes to the destination,

wherein said information provision unit is configured to provide, when said destination erroneous setting detection unit judges that the acquired destination is erroneous, information related to the destination in a form that is increasingly simplified as the circuitousness with respect to the destination increases.

14. destination prediction device according to claim 12,

wherein said map information accumulation unit is configured to accumulate landmark information in which points are represented by at least one of a landmark name, a landmark position, a telephone number, and a map code,

said destination prediction device further comprises:

a destination setting method acquisition unit configured to acquire a type of landmark information representing the destination acquired by said destination acquisition unit and a character string related to the destination;

a retrieval formula creation unit configured to create a retrieval formula including the landmark information type and the character string which is used for retrieving the similar position according to the landmark information type of the destination and the character string; and

a similar position calculation unit configured to retrieve the similar position from the landmark information according to the retrieval formula, and

said destination prediction unit is configured to predict, as the correct destination, a destination candidate whose circuitousness is the smallest among the similar positions.

15. A destination prediction method for a destination prediction device that includes a map information accumulation unit and predicts a destination, the map information accumulation unit accumulating map information including positions of a plurality of predetermined points and road information between the plurality of positions, said destination prediction method comprising:

acquiring a start position of a mobile body, performed by a start position acquisition unit;

acquiring a current position of the mobile body, performed by a current position acquisition unit;

acquiring positions of a plurality of destination candidates that may potentially become destinations of the mobile body from the map information accumulation unit, based on the acquired start position and the current position and performed by a destination candidate position acquisition unit;

calculating a circuitousness that is a deviation in route cost between (1) a route from the start position to the position of the destination candidate which passes through the current position and (2) a route capable of arriving at the position of the destination candidate from the start position at a minimum route cost, said calculating being performed by a circuitousness calculation unit; and

predicting a destination candidate whose calculated circuitousness is the smallest among the destination candidates as the destination, performed by a destination prediction unit.

16. A program for a destination prediction device that includes a map information accumulation unit and predicts a destination, the map information accumulation unit accumulating map information including positions of a plurality of predetermined points and road information between the plurality of positions, said program causing a computer to execute:

acquiring a start position of a mobile body, performed by a start position acquisition unit;

acquiring a current position of the mobile body, performed by a current position acquisition unit;

acquiring positions of a plurality of destination candidates that may potentially become destinations of the mobile body from the map information accumulation unit, based on the acquired start position and the current position and performed by a destination candidate position acquisition unit;

calculating a circuitousness that is a deviation in route cost between (1) a route from the start position to the position of the destination candidate which passes through the current position and (2) a route capable of arriving at the position of the destination candidate from the start position at a minimum route cost, said calculating being performed by a circuitousness calculation unit; and

predicting a destination candidate whose calculated circuitousness is the smallest among the destination candidates as the destination, performed by a destination prediction unit.