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

• US 8,086,403 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US11/707,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 340/988, 340/995.13
• 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;

slice widths which represent predicted distances that the vehicle can travel in a predetermined time 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;

selects a plurality of the slice widths in temporal sequence for a current position of the vehicle and a current time;

defines, based on the selected plurality of the slice widths, a plurality of predicted distance ranges in temporal sequence that are centered at the current position of the vehicle, each of the plurality of predicted distance ranges representing an area;

searches for a recommended route from the current position of the vehicle to a destination by using the traffic data for the links that are contained with the respective predicted distance ranges 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 mesh being a section of the map data;

the memory stores the slice widths for each map mesh; and

the controller detects the map mesh that contains the current position of the vehicle and selects the plurality of the slice widths that correspond 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 position of the vehicle.

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

synchronizes the time period for the slice width closest to the current position of the vehicle with the current time; and

corrects the slice width closest to the current position of the vehicle based on the synchronization.

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

the slice widths 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 slice widths 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 vehicle has traveled, including a required travel time, a time period, and a speed; and

the controller creates or updates the slice widths 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. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

defines the plurality of predicted distance ranges in temporal sequence by;

defining a first predicted distance range that the vehicle having started from the current position of the vehicle can travel in the predetermined time, based on the slice width for a time period that corresponds to the current time; and

defining a next predicted distance range that the vehicle can travel having started from the outer boundary of the first predicted distance range can travel in the predetermined time, based on the slice width for a time period following the time period that corresponds to the current time; and

searches for the recommended route by;

using the traffic data for the links that are contained within the first predicted distance range for the time period that corresponds to the current time; and

using the traffic data for the links that are contained within the next predicted distance range for the time period following the time period that corresponds to the current time.

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

accessing stored slice widths which represent predicted distances that the vehicle can travel in a predetermined time for individual zones and individual time periods;

accessing stored traffic data that was created based on traffic circumstances in individual links and individual time periods;

selecting a plurality of the slice widths in temporal sequence for the current position of the vehicle and a current time;

defining, based on the selected plurality of the slice widths, a plurality of predicted distance ranges in temporal sequence that are centered at the current position of the vehicle, each of the plurality of predicted distance ranges representing an area; and

searching for a recommended route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination by using the traffic data for the links that are contained with the respective predicted distance ranges for the time periods that correspond to the predicted distance ranges.

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

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

storing the slice widths for each map mesh; and

detecting the map mesh that contains the current position of the vehicle and selecting the plurality of the slice widths that correspond to the detected map mesh.

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

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

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

synchronizing the time period for the slice width closest to the current position of the vehicle with the current time; and

correcting the slice width closest to the current position of the vehicle based on the synchronization.

14. The route search method according to claim 10, wherein:

the slice widths are created for individual zones, seasons, days, holidays, and consecutive holidays.

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

receiving, from outside the system, the slice widths or the traffic data.

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

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

creating or updating the slice widths or the traffic data based on the driving history.

17. The route search method according to claim 10, further comprising providing route guidance along the recommended route.

18. The navigation method according to claim 10, further comprising:

defining the plurality of predicted distance ranges in temporal sequence by;

defining a first predicted distance range that the vehicle having started from the current position of the vehicle can travel in the predetermined time, based on the slice width for a time period that corresponds to the current time; and

defining a next predicted distance range that the vehicle can travel having started from the outer boundary of the first predicted distance range can travel in the predetermined time, based on the slice width for a time period following the time period that corresponds to the current time; and

searching for the recommended route by;

using the traffic data for the links that are contained within the first predicted distance range for the time period that corresponds to the current time; and

using the traffic data for the links that are contained within the next predicted distance range for the time period following the time period that corresponds to the current time.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable route search program, the program comprising:

instructions for accessing stored slice widths which represent predicted distances that the vehicle can travel in a predetermined time for individual zones and individual time periods;

instructions for accessing stored traffic data that was created based on traffic circumstances in individual links and individual time periods;

instructions for selecting a plurality of the slice widths in temporal sequence for a current position of the vehicle and a current time;

instructions for defining, based on the selected plurality of the slice widths, a plurality of predicted distance ranges in temporal sequence that are centered at the current position of the vehicle, each of the plurality of predicted distance ranges representing an area; and

instructions for searching for a recommended route from the current position of the vehicle to a destination by using the traffic data for the links that are contained with the respective predicted distance ranges for the time periods that correspond to the predicted distance ranges.

20. A route guidance system that executes guidance for a route from a current position of a vehicle to a destination, the system comprising:

a controller that;

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

creates slice widths which represent predicted distances that the vehicle can travel in a predetermined time 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;

selects a plurality of the slice widths in temporal sequence for a current position of the vehicle and a current time;

defines, based on the selected plurality of the slice widths, a plurality of predicted distance ranges in temporal sequence that are centered at the current position of the vehicle, each of the plurality of predicted distance ranges representing an area;

searches for a recommended route from the current position of the vehicle to a destination by using the traffic data for the links that are contained with the respective predicted distance ranges for the time periods that correspond to the predicted distance ranges.

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

means for accessing stored slice widths which represent predicted distances that the vehicle can travel in a predetermined time for individual zones and individual time periods;

means for accessing stored traffic data that was created based on traffic circumstances in individual links and individual time periods;

means for selecting a plurality of the slice widths in temporal sequence for a current position of the vehicle and a current time;

means for defining, based on the selected plurality of the slice widths, a plurality of predicted distance ranges in temporal sequence that are centered at the current position of the vehicle, each of the plurality of predicted distance ranges representing an area; and

means for searching for a recommended route from the current position of the vehicle to a destination by using the traffic data for the links that are contained with the respective predicted distance ranges for the time periods that correspond to the predicted distance ranges.