Route setting device and navigation device

• US 6,542,815 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ishizaki, Takashi, Omi, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/675,210
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/213, 340/990, 340/995, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries

Abstract

The present invention provides a desirable route that avoids particular roads where a start point or the like has been set on a particular road type. In the present invention, route evaluation values of links A and B on a toll road are multiplied by, for example, 1.0 times. Therefore, the sum of route evaluation values of a route through links A→G→D→E→F becomes 5+2+5+20+15=47 and the sum of evaluation values of a route through links B→G→F becomes 20+2+15=37. Thus, a route passing link B having a small sum of evaluation value is set as a route to the destination.

Claims

1. A route-setting device for setting a route to a destination by calculating route evaluation values to nodes based on link data of links connecting the nodes and upon connection data of the links, and by connecting the links having a smallest total evaluation value from a start point to the destination, said route-setting device comprising:

a road-avoiding mode for setting a route to the destination that avoids roads of a particular type, wherein the road-avoiding mode uses a first route evaluation value for the particular road type to be avoided; and

wherein the route evaluation value of the particular road type is automatically set to a second route evaluation value that is relatively smaller than the first route evaluation value.

2. A route-setting device according to claim 1, wherein an annexed road is assigned a route evaluation value for the particular road type when there is an annexed road for entering into the particular road type.

3. A route-setting device according to claim 1, wherein the second route evaluation value is set to a value corresponding to an evaluation value when a start point, a destination point or a passing point is on the particular road type and the route setting device operates in the road-avoiding mode.

4. A route-setting device according to claim 1, wherein when the second route evaluation value is set to a relatively small value, links to be treated are picked up in advance based upon the predetermined condition, and in really calculating the route, route evaluation values, that are set larger than those of the normal condition, are set to be relatively small values for the links that are picked up.

5. The route-setting device of claim 1 wherein the second route evaluation value is determined due to a predetermined condition, said predetermined condition being a situation when a start point, a destination point or a passing point is on the particular road type.

6. A route-setting device for setting a complete route to a destination by calculating route evaluation values to nodes based on link data of links connecting the nodes and upon connection data of the links, and by connecting the links having a smallest total evaluation value from a start point to the destination, said route-setting device comprising:

a road-avoiding mode for setting a first route to the destination that avoids roads of a particular type, wherein the first route is set by using a node pertaining to a road other than the particular road type that is close to the start point as a temporary calculation starting point or ending point, destination point or passing point when the start point, destination point or passing point is on the particular road type;

said road avoiding mode forming a second route from a true starting point of the calculation to a temporary starting point of the calculation or from a temporary ending point of the calculation to a true ending point of the calculation when the temporary starting point or ending point of the calculation is obtained; and

the complete route to the destination is set by coupling the first route and the second route together.

7. A route-setting device according to claim 6, wherein the particular road type is a toll road.

8. A route setting device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a guide means for guiding traveling along a route set by the route-setting device.

9. A method for setting a route to a destination with a route setting device, said method comprising the steps of:

calculating route evaluation values to nodes based on link data of links connecting the nodes and upon connection data of the links, and by connecting the links having a smallest total evaluation value from a start point to the destination;

setting a route to the destination that avoids a particular road type by using a first route evaluation value for the particular road type to be avoided; and

setting the route evaluation value of the particular road type to a second route evaluation value that is relatively smaller than the first route evaluation value.

10. The method for setting a route to a destination with a route setting device according to claim 9, wherein the second route evaluation value is determined due to a predetermined condition, said predetermined condition being a situation when a start point, a destination point or a passing point is on the particular road type.

11. A method for arriving at a complete travel path to a destination with a travel path route-setting device comprising the steps of:

selecting a start point, intermediate points and a destination point along the complete travel path;

calculating evaluation values for travel roads connecting nodes between the start point and the destination point;

automatically assigning the evaluation values to roads of a particular road type by using a preselected-type road avoiding mode, the particular road type in the preselected-type road avoiding mode being user selected before leaving the start point, the evaluation values assigned to the roads of the particular road type with the preselected-type road avoiding mode being numerically larger than values assigned to the roads in a non-preselected-type road avoiding mode;

wherein, if the start point or the destination point is located on the preselected-type road, and the route-setting device receives instructions to search the route between the start point and the destination point under the preselected-type road avoiding mode, the evaluation values of the preselected-type road contained in the route will be smaller than a route evaluation value of a link, otherwise computed under the preselected-type road avoiding mode;

summing the evaluation values of the roads in the preselected-type road avoiding mode; and

connecting the travel roads that have a minimum sum value of the evaluation values.

12. A method for arriving at a complete travel path according to claim 11, wherein an annexed road is assigned a route evaluation value for the particular road type when there is an annexed road for entering into the particular road type.

13. A method for arriving at a complete travel path according to claim 11, wherein the particular road type is a toll road.

14. A method for arriving at a complete travel path according to claim 11, wherein when the route-setting device allows the user to set a passing point between the start point and the destination point, and if the passing point is located on the preselected-type road, and a route via the passing point can be computed, the calculated evaluation value of each link of the preselected-type road contained in the route is completed.

15. A route-setting device for setting a route to a destination by calculating route evaluation values to nodes based on link data of links connecting the nodes and upon connection data of the links, and by connecting the links having a smallest total evaluation value from a start point to the destination, said route-setting device comprising:

a road-avoiding mode for setting a route to the destination that avoids roads of a particular type, wherein the road-avoiding mode uses a first route evaluation value for the particular road type to be avoided;

wherein the route t evaluation value of the particular road type is automatically set to a second route evaluation value that is relatively smaller than the first route evaluation value if under a predetermined condition, said predetermined condition being a start point, a destination point or a passing point is on the particular road type;

wherein when the second route evaluation value is set to a relatively small value, links to be utilized are picked up in advance based upon the predetermined condition, and in calculating the route, route evaluation values, that are set larger than those of the normal condition, are set to relatively smaller values for the links that are picked up;

wherein the route-setting device further comprises guide means for guiding traveling along a route set by the route-setting device; and

wherein the particular is a toll road.