Tooling course forming apparatus and tooling course forming method

Abstract

To search a route including a touring course by setting the touring course which enables comfortable traveling according to a moving body.SOLUTION: The travel log information acquisition unit 111 acquires travel log information (including point sequence information of the current position) from a server device that accumulates the travel log information. Based on the acquired travel log information, the corresponding NW information acquisition unit 112 acquires corresponding network information (point sequence information of nodes), which is corresponding road network information, from the road NWDB. The touring course forming unit 113 specifies, as a touring course, a section in which the traveling speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed and the traveling distance is equal to or longer than a predetermined distance based on the traveling log information and the corresponding network information, and stores the touring course in the touring course information storage unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for forming (specifying) a suitable touring course when traveling on a mobile object such as a motorcycle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, various inventions have been made relating to devices that enable route search for road guidance, such as navigation devices installed in automobiles. For example, Patent Document 1, described below, discloses an invention relating to a drive plan creation device that can easily create a drive plan tailored to a user's preferences. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 accepts specifications, as conditions used to create a drive plan, such as the date and time of the drive, the starting point of the drive, stops to be made during the drive, the required time, whether or not meals are required, the attributes of passengers, and the purpose of the drive. Then, using movement history information, a drive plan that meets the specified conditions is created.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2, which will be described later, discloses an invention relating to an information distribution system or the like that can provide driving courses that highly satisfy users. In the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2, an information center collects posted information representing driving courses in advance from a group of posting devices in a database storage unit. When the current location of the vehicle and the available driving time are determined by the in-vehicle device, the information center obtains points to which the vehicle can return based on the current location and the available driving time, and combines driving courses consisting of the available returning points to create a new driving course.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses an invention relating to a navigation device or the like that can suggest routes that match the user's desired distance, etc., or routes that suit the weather. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 3 includes a map information storage unit and a reception unit that receives accumulation conditions, which are conditions related to accumulated information indicating the calories burned when traveling a route, the time required to travel a route, or the distance of the route. A route information acquisition unit acquires from the map information storage unit route information having one or more pieces of road information, and one or more pieces of route information whose accumulated information accumulated by traveling along roads indicated by the one or more pieces of road information matches the accumulation conditions.

[0005] As described above, the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 searches for a route based on the date and time of the drive, the starting point of the drive, stops during the drive, the required time, whether or not meals are needed, the attributes of passengers, and the purpose of the drive. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 2 obtains possible destinations for the vehicle based on the vehicle's current location and available driving time, and combines driving courses consisting of the possible destinations to create a new driving course. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 3 searches for a route that meets cumulative conditions, which are conditions related to cumulative information indicating the calories burned while traveling the route, the time required to travel the route, or the distance of the route. In this way, users can flexibly search for routes by setting various conditions. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-36653 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-38778 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-50405 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] As described above, conventional route searches accept input of various conditions and search for a route that meets the accepted conditions. They do not simply meet the demand for searching for a route that is comfortable to travel. This is a demand that is often made when touring using a vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle (two-wheeled vehicle equipped with an engine), or bicycle. The term "touring" refers to traveling long distances using a vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or bicycle, and can also be rephrased as "long-distance riding." The demand for searching for a route that is comfortable to travel is particularly common when touring using a motorcycle.

[0008] As is well known, a motorcycle rider sits astride a motorcycle and rides it at a speed similar to that of a car, balancing on the front and rear wheels. Therefore, when riding a motorcycle, the rider feels the wind with their entire body, experiencing the ride with their entire body. Given the characteristics of motorcycles, especially when going on a motorcycle tour, even if the starting point and destination are fixed, the route from the starting point to the destination should include a route that is as comfortable as possible, even if it means taking a detour.

[0009] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to enable a touring course that can be comfortably traveled according to a mobile object to be set, and to enable a route search that includes the touring course. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problem, the tooling course forming device of the invention described in claim 1 is: a travel log acquisition means for acquiring travel log information from a travel log information storage means that stores travel log information including current position point sequence information, the current position being a collection of current positions acquired at predetermined timings while the mobile body is traveling; a corresponding network acquisition means for acquiring, from a road network information storage means, corresponding network information that identifies roads traveled based on the current position point sequence information of the travel log information acquired by the travel log acquisition means; a touring course forming means for specifying a section where the vehicle was able to travel a predetermined distance or more at a moving speed equal to or greater than a predetermined speed as a touring course based on the travel log information acquired by the travel log acquiring means and the corresponding network information acquired by the corresponding network information acquiring means, and storing road network information for specifying the section in a touring course information storage unit; The present invention is characterized by comprising: [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to this invention, a touring course that can be traveled comfortably according to the mobile object can be set, and a route search that includes the touring course can be performed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of a usage environment of a touring course formation device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of driving log information accumulated by an information providing server device (driving log information accumulation server device). FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of SNS information stored in an information providing server device (SNS (Social Networking Service) management server device). [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of data stored in a road NWDB (Data Base). [Figure 5] 1 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration example of a touring course formation device according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of data stored in a touring course information storage unit. FIG. [Figure 7]4 is a flowchart for explaining a process performed by the touring course formation device of the embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart for explaining processing in a navigation device that uses touring course information formed by the touring course formation device of the embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart for explaining processing in a route search device that uses touring course information formed by a touring course formation device of an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An embodiment of the device and method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As mentioned above, the term "touring" refers to traveling long distances using a vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, or bicycle, and can also be referred to as "long-distance riding." This invention can be used for touring using any of an automobile, motorcycle, and bicycle. However, the following description will be given using an example of motorcycle touring, where, as mentioned above, the rider experiences the ride with the wind all over their body, and therefore, finding a comfortable route is particularly important.

[0014] Furthermore, when motorcycles (two-wheeled vehicles equipped with engines) are categorized according to the types of driver's licenses under the Road Traffic Act, for example, a moped license allows one to drive motorcycles with a total displacement of 50cc or less, and a small-size license allows one to drive motorcycles with a total displacement of more than 50cc and less than 125cc. A standard motorcycle license allows one to drive motorcycles with a total displacement of more than 125cc and less than 400cc, and a large motorcycle license allows one to drive motorcycles with a total displacement of more than 400cc. This invention can be applied to touring using motorcycles of any category. However, the following explanation will be given using a motorcycle with a total displacement of more than 125cc that can also be used on expressways as an example.

[0015] [Example of the environment in which the touring course formation device is used] Fig. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of a usage environment of a touring course formation device 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the touring course formation device 1, a map information providing server device 2, and information providing server devices 3(1), 3(2), ... are connected to a communication network 4. Furthermore, a traveling log formation device (not shown) mounted on a motorcycle 6(1) that is touring is connected to the communication network 4 via a base station 5(1) or the like. Furthermore, a mobile terminal 7(1), such as a smartphone, carried by a rider (driver) of the motorcycle that is touring is connected to the communication network 4 via a base station 5(2) or the like.

[0016] The travel log forming device mounted on the motorcycle 6(1) is equipped with a GPS function and a communication function, and while traveling, it uses the GPS function to determine its current location at predetermined intervals and transmits this information along with its own identification information, etc., to a target server device. The current location is current location information consisting of latitude and longitude. Here, the predetermined intervals are predetermined time intervals, such as every minute or every two minutes. The travel log forming device mounted on the motorcycle 6(1) also has a real-time transmission mode and a batch transmission mode.

[0017] The real-time transmission mode is a mode in which the determined current location is transmitted to a predetermined server device each time the current location is determined. The batch transmission mode is a mode in which the determined current location is accumulated and then the accumulated current locations are transmitted all at once to a predetermined server device. These modes can be set and changed by a predetermined mode setting operation on the traveling log forming device. When touring using the motorcycle 6(1), there are cases in which the user travels on roads far from base stations. For this reason, in this embodiment, the traveling log forming device mounted on the motorcycle 6(1) is set to the batch transmission mode.

[0018] The traveling log formation device mounted on motorcycle 6(1) continues to measure and store the current location as long as the engine is running, from the time the start button on the traveling log formation device is pressed until the stop button on the traveling log formation device is pressed. Therefore, if the engine is stopped, for example, for a break, after the start button on the traveling log formation device is pressed after the engine is started, the operation of the traveling log formation device will also stop. However, once the engine is started again, the operation of the traveling log formation device will resume. In this way, the current location stored in the traveling log formation device mounted on motorcycle 6(1) can be sent all at once to a specified server device by performing a specified operation, such as pressing the send button on the traveling log formation device after arriving at the destination.

[0019] Note that the positioning and storage of the current location is not limited to being performed in response to pressing the start button or the end button. For example, the execution / stop of positioning and storage of the current location may be controlled in conjunction with the start / stop of the motorcycle engine, such that when the motorcycle engine is running, positioning and storage of the current location is performed, and when the engine is stopped, positioning and storage is stopped. Also, by configuring the traveling log formation device to receive power from an external battery, it is possible to continuously perform positioning and storage of the current location while power is being supplied to the traveling log formation device. In other words, it is also possible to perform positioning and storage of the current location in a manner that is not linked to the start / stop of the motorcycle engine.

[0020] The mobile terminal 7(1) carried by the rider realizes the function of forming travel log information and transmitting it to a predetermined server device, similar to the travel log forming device mounted on the motorcycle 6(1). In other words, when touring using a motorcycle not equipped with a travel log forming device, the mobile terminal 7 realizes the function of forming travel log information and providing it to a predetermined server device. The mobile terminal 7(1) is equipped with a GPS function and a communication function, and by executing a travel log forming app, it uses the GPS function to determine its own current location at predetermined intervals while riding and transmits this information together with its own identification information, etc. to the target server device.

[0021] The term "app" is an abbreviation for application software. As described above, the current location is current location information consisting of latitude and longitude, and the predetermined timing is a predetermined time interval, such as every minute or every two minutes. The traveling log creation app of the mobile terminal 7(1) also has a real-time transmission mode and a batch transmission mode, similar to the traveling log creation device mounted on the motorcycle 6(1). In this embodiment, it is assumed that the batch transmission mode is set in the mobile terminal 7(1).

[0022] On the mobile terminal 7(1), the travel log creation app is launched, and the current location continues to be measured and stored from the time the start button displayed on the display screen is pressed until the end button displayed on the screen is pressed. Therefore, for example, if the motorcycle ride is interrupted to take a break, the measurement of the current location can be paused by, for example, pressing the pause button displayed on the screen. When the break is over and the motorcycle ride is resumed, the pause button can be pressed again to resume the measurement and storage of the current location at predetermined intervals. In this way, the current location stored in the mobile terminal 7(1) by the function of the travel log creation app is transmitted in bulk to a predetermined server device by, for example, performing a predetermined operation such as pressing a send button displayed on the display screen after arriving at the destination.

[0023] Note that even when using the mobile terminal 7(1), the positioning and storage of the current location is not limited to being performed in response to pressing the start button or the end button. The positioning and storage of the current location can also be performed continuously while the driving log creation app is running. Therefore, even if another app, such as a social networking app, is started after the driving log creation app is started, the positioning and storage of the current location can continue as long as the driving log creation app is running in the background.

[0024] Note that FIG. 1 shows only one motorcycle 6(1) and one mobile terminal 7(1). However, in reality, there are many motorcycles 6 equipped with a traveling log creation device, such as motorcycles 6(1), 6(2), 6(3), etc. In addition, there are many mobile terminals 7 equipped with a traveling log creation app, such as mobile terminals 7(1), 7(2), 7(3), etc. Motorcycle 6(1) and mobile terminal 7(1) are shown as representatives of the many motorcycles 6 and mobile terminals 7 that exist. For this reason, hereinafter, motorcycles 6(1), 6(2), 6(3), etc. will be collectively referred to as motorcycles 6, and mobile terminals 7(1), 7(2), 7(3), etc. will be collectively referred to as mobile terminals 7.

[0025] The communication network 4 is mainly the Internet, but also includes a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), a telephone network, a mobile phone network, etc. as paths connecting each device to the Internet. In Fig. 1, base stations 5(1) and 5(2) correspond to, for example, a base station of a mobile phone network or an access point of a wireless LAN.

[0026] The information providing server devices 3(1), 3(2), ... are server devices that provide various types of information, such as a driving log information accumulation server device, a SNS management server device, a weather information providing server device, and a traffic accident history information providing server device. The weather information includes current and past weather, future weather forecasts, etc. The traffic accident history information includes the location (place) of traffic accidents that have occurred in the past, the date and time of the accident, etc. Therefore, the information providing server devices 3(1), 3(2), ... constitute an open DMP (Data Management Platform) 3 that provides information accumulated and managed by various companies, organizations, etc. to the general public or to members who have signed a specified contract.

[0027] In this embodiment, the information providing server device 3(1) is a traveling log information accumulation server device. As described above, the information providing server device 3(1) receives and accumulates traveling log information transmitted from the traveling log formation device mounted on the motorcycle 6 or the mobile terminal 7, and realizes the function of providing the traveling log information in response to a request from the touring course formation device 1 described later. Figure 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of traveling log information accumulated by the information providing server device 3(1).

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the travel log information stored in the information providing server device 3(1) includes the user ID, the name and total engine displacement of the motorcycle, the date and time of travel, the acquisition date and time, latitude, and longitude. FIG. 2 shows typical information included in the travel log information. In addition to this, information detectable by a travel log generating device mounted on the motorcycle 6 or a 6-axis sensor mounted on the mobile terminal 7 can be added to the travel log information. Specifically, the travel log information can include the acceleration of the motorcycle in the three axes of "forward / backward," "left / right," and "up / down" while traveling, as well as the angular velocity of the motorcycle in the three axes of "pitch," "roll," and "yaw." This allows detailed understanding of the behavior of the motorcycle, such as in which directions (forward / backward, left / right, and up / down) the greatest force is being applied to move it, and in which direction (pitch, roll, and yaw) it is leaning.

[0029] 2, the user ID is identification information for the rider of the motorcycle 6 equipped with the travel log creation device or the rider who drives the motorcycle while carrying the mobile terminal 7, and the bike name and total displacement are the name, model number, and total displacement of the motorcycle driven by the rider. This information is registered in the installed travel log creation device when the motorcycle 6 is purchased, or is set when the travel log creation app is downloaded to the mobile terminal 7 and initial settings are performed.

[0030] 2, the traveling date is information indicating the current date obtained from the clock circuit provided in the traveling log forming device of the motorcycle 6 or the clock circuit provided in the mobile terminal 7 when an operation to start forming traveling log information is performed. The acquisition date and time is the time when the current position is measured and acquired through the GPS circuit provided in the traveling log forming device of the motorcycle 6 or the GPS circuit provided in the mobile terminal 7, and is obtained from the clock circuit provided in the traveling log forming device of the motorcycle 6 or the clock circuit provided in the mobile terminal 7. The example shown in FIG. 2 shows a case where the current position is measured every minute. The latitude and longitude are information (current position information) indicating the current position measured through the GPS circuit provided in the traveling log forming device of the motorcycle 6 or the GPS circuit provided in the mobile terminal 7.

[0031] In the riding log information in Figure 2, the current location is stored every minute from 8:30 AM when a rider with user ID "1234..." goes on a tour on July 29, 2024, using a motorcycle with a bike name of "XXX" and a total displacement of "250cc." Therefore, even if the rider rides the motorcycle for eight consecutive hours, by storing around 480 current locations, the rider's location throughout the entire eight-hour period can be determined as the current location at that time.

[0032] Although not shown in Fig. 2, in the case of a traveling log forming device mounted on motorcycle 6, speed information (kilometers) can be obtained from the speedometer of motorcycle 6 at the timing of positioning the current position, and this can be tracked together with the current position (latitude, longitude). Also, if mobile terminal 7 is capable of tracking its own moving speed, for example by having a function for calculating it using GPS information, it can calculate its own moving speed at the timing of positioning the current position, and track this together with the current position (latitude, longitude). That is, in Fig. 2, it is also possible to add and manage the moving speed at that time in association with the current position.

[0033] In this embodiment, the information providing server device 3(2) is an SNS management server device. The information providing server device 3(2) accumulates information posted by various users of the SNS (Social Networking Service), and those who have registered with the SNS and become able to use it can view the posts. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of SNS information accumulated by the information providing server device 3(2). The example shown in FIG. 3 is what is called a blog, and allows users to view text, photos, and videos posted by the posters.

[0034] In the example shown in Figure 3, the blog was posted by a poster with the handle name "Safe Rider" and is a report blog about a touring trip that took place on August 1, 2024. There are many blogs like this, and it is possible to understand who went on the trip, when, what route they took, and the situation at the time through text, photos, videos, etc.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 1, the map information providing server device 2 includes a map DB 201 and a road network DB (hereinafter referred to as road NWDB) 202. The "DB" in the map DB 201 is an abbreviation for "Data Base." The map DB 201 stores and holds map information such as city maps, road maps, wide-area maps, regional maps, and national maps that can also be used for route guidance. This map information includes detailed information such as elevation information, information indicating intersections with traffic lights, and information indicating roads designated as school routes, as well as vector data, raster data, and note (annotation) data for drawing the map.

[0036] The road NWDB 202 stores and holds road network information related to roads used in route searches (path searches). FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of data stored in the road NWDB 202. FIG. 4(A) shows an example of a network. The road network information consists of node data and link data. The node data represents points such as intersections and branching points. The link data represents roads such as national and prefectural roads and roads passable by mobile objects such as motorcycles, by using line segments connecting the node data. The example network shown in FIG. 4(A) is composed of four node data (N1 to N4) and four link data (L1 to L4).

[0037] FIG. 4(B) shows the configuration of node data for the example network shown in FIG. 4(A). Each node data item is associated with the identification information (N1, N2, ...) of each node and latitude and longitude information indicating the location of that node. In the example shown in FIG. 4(B), as shown in FIG. 4(A), nodes N1 to N4 are all intersections, being the intersecting points of links. Note that the node data can also be associated with a node type indicating whether each node is an intersection, a branch point, etc. In this case, the type of node each node is can be determined from the node type in the node data. It is also possible to configure the node data to manage information such as altitude and the presence or absence of traffic lights.

[0038] Figure 4(C) shows the configuration of link data for the example road network shown in Figure 4(A). Each link data item corresponds to the identification information of each link (L1, L2, ...), the identification information of the nodes that make up the link (N1, N2, ...), the link cost, the type, the road name, the road number, and other information. Usually, the link cost is determined by the length (distance) of the link or the time required to travel along it.

[0039] Link cost is referenced when searching for a route with the smallest link cost, for example, using Dijkstra's algorithm. Type indicates whether the link portion is a national highway, prefectural road, city road, private road, etc. Type also determines whether the road is an expressway, toll road, etc. Road name indicates the name given to the road that the corresponding link constitutes, such as "XX Highway," "XX Street," or "YY Road." Road number indicates the number given to the road that the corresponding link constitutes. Other necessary information can be stored, such as the number of lanes and traffic regulations.

[0040] Link data and node data as described with reference to Fig. 4 are stored in the road NWDB 202. The data stored in the map DB 201 and the road NWDB 202 are updated whenever a change occurs, enabling accurate information to be managed. Although road network information consisting of link data and node data has been described as an example of road network information, the data is not limited to this as long as it can be used for route searches and can store and retain information related to roads.

[0041] 1, the map information providing server device 2 is described as including a map DB 201 and a road NW DB 202, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured to include a building DB that stores and holds detailed information about each existing building, and a facility DB that stores and holds detailed information about each existing facility. In addition, the map information providing server device 2 may store various information associated with maps, such as geographical demographic data, and may also provide this information.

[0042] The touring course formation device 1 forms a touring course based on information acquired from the information providing server devices 3(1), 3(2), ... constituting the open DMP 3, and information acquired from the map DB 201 and road NW DB 202 of the map information etc. providing server device 2. To give an overview, the touring course formation device 1 acquires driving log information for each vehicle from the information providing server device 3(1). Based on point sequence information indicated by the current position in the order of acquisition (chronological order) of the acquired driving log information, the touring course formation device 1 refers to the road NW DB 202 of the map information etc. providing server device 2 to acquire corresponding network information corresponding to the point sequence information of the current position. This corresponding network information identifies a past driving route (path) identified by the node data of the road NW DB 202.

[0043] The touring course formation device 1 identifies as a touring course a section where the travel speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed and the travel distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, based on the travel log information acquired from the information providing server device 3(1) and the corresponding network information identified from the road NWDB 202. Generally, motorcycle touring starts from a home in an urban area and travels toward a destination such as a scenic spot. In this case, the initial travel is through an urban area, where there are many people and intersections with traffic lights. Therefore, in order to travel safely, the speed cannot be increased and the vehicle often has to stop temporarily, making it difficult to say that the ride is comfortable.

[0044] Once you leave the city and reach the suburbs, the traffic becomes lighter or even disappears, and there are fewer intersections. In this case, while it goes without saying that you must obey the legal speed limit, you can increase your speed and make fewer stops compared to when driving in urban areas, making for a more comfortable ride. For example, if you can travel 20 km at 60 km / h, the route from the start point to the end point of that 20 km can be identified as a touring course suitable for touring. The touring course formation device 1 stores information indicating the touring course identified in this way (node ​​point sequence information) in a specified storage unit.

[0045] This allows a user to select touring mode for their navigation system when touring on a motorcycle. By inputting a starting point and destination and searching for a route, the system can search for routes that include touring courses that have already been determined. This makes it possible to search for a touring route that includes a touring course that is comfortable and reliable, compared to determining a touring course by using a map and imagining the location of roads and surrounding conditions.

[0046] In this specification, when touring using a motorcycle, the entire process (entire route) from the departure point to the destination is referred to as a touring route. As described above, a route suitable for touring formed by the touring course formation device 1 is referred to as a touring course. Therefore, the touring course is included as a part of the touring route. Below, an example of the configuration and operation of the touring course formation device 1 of this embodiment will be specifically described.

[0047] [Configuration example of tooling course formation device 1] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a touring course formation device 1 according to an embodiment. In the touring course formation device 1 shown in FIG. 5, a connection terminal 101T and a communication I / F 101 realize a communication function via a communication network 4. The control unit 102 is a so-called microprocessor configured by connecting a central processing unit (CPU), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), non-volatile memory, etc. (not shown). The control unit 102 executes various programs to control each component of the touring course formation device 1. The storage device 103 is a device unit including a recording medium, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD), and its driver, and records, reads, modifies, and deletes various data from the recording medium. The storage device 103 stores and holds necessary data and programs, and is also used as a work area for temporarily storing intermediate data generated in various processes.

[0048] The driving log information storage unit 104, the corresponding NW information storage unit 105, and the touring course information storage unit 106 are each created on a recording medium, such as an HDD or SSD, that is an apparatus consisting of a recording medium and its driver, and store and hold predetermined information. In Fig. 5, the driving log information storage unit 104, the corresponding NW information storage unit 105, and the touring course information storage unit 106 are shown as being created on separate recording media, but if the recording media have a large storage capacity, they can also be formed in different storage areas on the same recording media.

[0049] The travel log information storage unit 104 stores and holds travel log information (FIG. 2) collected by a travel log information acquisition unit 111 (described later). The compatible NW information storage unit 105 stores and holds a plurality of node data as compatible network information acquired by a compatible NW information acquisition unit 112 (described later). The touring course information storage unit 106 stores and holds touring course information formed by a touring course formation unit 113.

[0050] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of data stored in the touring course information storage unit 106. As shown in Fig. 6, the data (touring course information) stored in the touring course information storage unit 106 includes, as header information, a course ID, an area, a distance, an average travel speed, a start point, and an end point. The course ID is identification information that can uniquely identify the touring course information, and is information that is automatically assigned by the touring course formation device 1 when the touring course information is generated. The area is information that indicates in which area the touring course identified by the touring course information is located, and is indicated, for example, as shown in Fig. 6, as "Pacific Ocean side of Tohoku."

[0051] The distance is the distance from the start point to the end point of the touring course specified by the touring course information, and is not the straight-line distance from the start point to the end point, but the distance along the road the motorcycle actually travels. The average travel speed is the average value of the travel speed when actually traveling the touring course specified based on the travel log information and corresponding network information. The start point and end point are information (latitude, longitude) of the node corresponding to the start position and the node corresponding to the end position of the touring course specified by the touring course information.

[0052] The node data is point sequence information of nodes constituting the corresponding network information extracted according to point sequence information of multiple current positions in the traveling log information. The SNS information of the touring course information is information such as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for accessing an SNS that has posted information that is thought to have traveled the touring course identified by the node data of the touring course information. The SNS information is information that is acquired and updated by the related information acquisition unit 114, which will be described later.

[0053] If necessary, other information can be added. For example, it is possible to accept an evaluation specifying a course ID from a rider who has traveled the touring course identified by the touring course information, and add this as other information. Similarly, it is possible to accept image data or text data specifying a course ID posted by a rider who has traveled the touring course identified by the touring course information, and add this to the touring course information. Furthermore, when a route search is performed to include the touring course identified by the touring course information, the number of searches can be updated and made available for reference as the number of searches.

[0054] The travel log information acquisition unit 111 acquires travel log information (FIG. 2) from the information providing server device 3(1) shown in FIG. 1 and stores (records) it in the travel log information storage unit 104. In this case, the travel log information acquisition unit 111 can acquire multiple pieces of travel log information, but the processing target is the travel log information for each sender of the travel log information, and is the travel log information formed in one tour from when the start button is pressed until the end button is pressed.

[0055] The corresponding NW information acquisition unit 112 acquires corresponding network information from the road NW DB 202 based on point sequence information of multiple current positions arranged in chronological order in the traveling log information acquired by the traveling log information acquisition unit 111 and stored in the traveling log information storage unit 104. This corresponding network information is information that identifies the roads (route) actually traveled by the motorcycle that provided the traveling log information. The current position of the traveling log information stored in the traveling log information storage unit 104 may contain a slight error. Therefore, the corresponding NW information acquisition unit 112 corrects the error, including the current position of the traveling log information, identifies the traveling road by, for example, referring to the map DB 201, and acquires node data on the identified traveling road. The corresponding NW information acquisition unit 112 stores the acquired multiple node data in the corresponding NW information storage unit 105.

[0056] The touring course formation unit 113 identifies, as a touring course, a section where the travel speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed and the vehicle can travel continuously for a predetermined distance or more, based on the travel log information stored in the travel log information storage unit 104 and the compatible network information stored in the compatible NW information storage unit 105. In this case, if the travel log information stored in the travel log information storage unit 104 includes the travel speed, this may be used. However, if the travel log information stored in the travel log information storage unit 104 does not include the travel speed, the travel speed is calculated using the distance between adjacent current positions arranged in chronological order in the travel log information and the time length of the timing interval at which the current positions are acquired.

[0057] As shown in Figure 2, if the current position is acquired every minute, the time interval of one minute is the time required to calculate the speed. In other words, the speed can be calculated by dividing the distance between adjacent current positions by the time interval of one minute between acquisitions of the current positions. The distance between adjacent current positions can be calculated by plotting those current positions on a map. For example, suppose the distance between adjacent current positions is 1 km (1000 m). In this case, the speed is 1 km / 1 minute = 1 km / 0.0166667 hours = 59.99 km / h, and the travel speed can be understood to be approximately 60 km / h.

[0058] Depending on the travel speed thus obtained at the time of obtaining the current position while traveling, a route where the travel distance is, for example, 20 km or more without dropping below 50 km / h is identified as the touring course. Point sequence information consisting of multiple node data, which is part of the road network information identifying the section, is stored in the touring course information storage unit 106. The touring course information stored in the touring course information storage unit 106 is that described using FIG. 6. For this reason, the touring course formation unit 113 adds each piece of information such as the course ID, region, distance, average speed, start point, and end point as header information and stores it in the touring course information storage unit 106.

[0059] Furthermore, the touring course formation unit 113 has been described as specifying as a touring course a section where the travel speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed and the vehicle can travel a predetermined distance or more. However, further conditions can also be taken into consideration. The touring course formation unit 113 refers to map information of the corresponding area in the map DB 201 based on the compatible network information stored in the compatible NW information storage unit 105. Then, from the sections where the travel speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed and the vehicle can travel a predetermined distance or more, sections that meet predetermined exclusion conditions can be excluded according to the referenced map information.

[0060] For example, sections with an uphill or downhill gradient greater than a predetermined value, sections with a distance between intersections less than a predetermined distance, sections with a distance between traffic lights less than a predetermined distance, sections with many residential and commercial facilities, and sections designated as school routes are excluded from the touring course. This allows the touring course to be narrowed down to sections where motorcycles can be ridden more comfortably. Note that the narrowing-down conditions shown here are merely examples. In addition, sections with a road width less than a predetermined length, sections with sharp curves, expressways and toll roads, and sections with a history of frequent traffic accidents can be excluded from the touring course.

[0061] As mentioned above, the riding log information can also include the acceleration of the motorcycle in three axes (forward / backward, left / right, and up / down) and the angular velocity in three axes (pitch, roll, and yaw) while riding. If this information is included in the riding log information, it can be used to exclude from the touring course areas where a lot of riding maneuvering of the motorcycle is required based on the motorcycle's body behavior, or conversely, to include in the touring course. In the former case, it is useful for setting a touring course that allows stable riding and does not require difficult control of the motorcycle body. In the latter case, it is useful for setting a touring course for advanced riders who need to properly control the motorcycle body.

[0062] Based on the touring course information stored in the touring course information storage unit 106, the related information acquisition unit 114 references, for example, SNS information in the information providing server device 3 (2) to find posts from riders who have ridden the same course. Then, it performs a process of adding information such as a URL that makes the post accessible to the corresponding touring course information in the touring course information storage unit 106. This not only makes it possible to provide touring course information, but also to provide useful information for each touring course. The touring course formation device 1 having such a configuration can form touring course information (FIG. 6) that identifies a touring course in the touring course information storage unit 106.

[0063] [Processing performed by tooling course formation device 1] 7 is a flowchart for explaining the processing performed by the touring course formation device 1 of the embodiment. The processing of the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 is processing performed by the control unit 102 controlling each unit when an instruction input to form a touring course is received via an operation unit not shown in FIG. 5. First, the control unit 102 controls the traveling log information acquisition unit 111 to acquire traveling log information from the information providing server device 3(1) provided on the communication network 4 (step S101). The acquired traveling log information is stored in the traveling log information storage unit 104.

[0064] As explained with reference to FIG. 2, the riding log information acquired in step S101 can be identified by the user ID, and includes a series of current positions formed using the riding log formation device or the mobile terminal 7 from the time the start button is pressed until the time the end button is pressed. Of course, riding log information may be formed repeatedly by the same rider at different dates and times, but different riding dates will result in different riding log information. When riding log information with the same user ID and riding date is formed, the control unit 102 of the touring course formation device 1 also has the function of linking these pieces of riding log information together into one piece of riding log information, provided that there is no discrepancy in the chronological order of the acquisition dates and times.

[0065] Next, the control unit 102 controls the corresponding NW information acquisition unit 112 to refer to the road NW DB 202 and acquire corresponding network information based on the traveling log information acquired in step S101 and stored in the traveling log information storage unit 104 (step S102). The traveling log information acquired here is point sequence information made up of multiple node data, and is stored in the traveling log information storage unit 104. Next, the control unit 102 controls the touring course formation unit 113 to first identify the traveling speed of the motorcycle that is the sender of the traveling log information based on the traveling log information stored in the traveling log information storage unit 104 (step S103).

[0066] In step S103, as described above, if the travel log information contains information indicating the travel speed, this information is used. If the travel speed is not present, the travel speed is determined based on the distance between adjacent current positions and the acquisition interval (time interval) of the current positions. This makes it possible to determine, for example, the travel speed of the motorcycle at the time the current position is acquired.

[0067] Next, the control unit 102 controls the touring course formation unit 113 to identify a touring course according to the travel speed, map information, and condition information (step S104). In step S104, as described above, a section where the travel speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed and where the vehicle can travel a predetermined distance or more is identified as the touring course. Furthermore, in accordance with predetermined conditions and with reference to the map information, sections that are not suitable as a touring course are excluded from the identified touring course.

[0068] For example, sections with an uphill or downhill gradient greater than a predetermined value, sections with a distance between intersections less than a predetermined distance, sections with a distance between traffic lights less than a predetermined distance, sections with many residential and commercial facilities, and sections designated as school routes may be excluded from the touring course. Furthermore, sections with a road width less than a predetermined length, sections with sharp curves, expressways, toll roads, and sections with a history of frequent traffic accidents may also be excluded from the touring course. As mentioned above, the travel log information may include the motorcycle's acceleration in three axes (forward / backward, left / right, and up / down) and angular velocity in three axes (pitch, roll, and yaw) while traveling. In this case, based on this information, sections with frequent vehicle operation based on the motorcycle's vehicle behavior may be excluded from the touring course, or conversely, included in the touring course. In this way, the predetermined conditions can be varied in various ways.

[0069] Thereafter, the touring course formation unit 113 configures the touring course identified in step S104 into touring course information in the format shown in FIG. 6 and stores this in the touring course information storage unit 106 (step S105). Furthermore, the control unit 102 controls the related information acquisition unit 114 to collect related information and add it to the touring course information (step S106). That is, the related information acquisition unit 114 refers to the information providing server device 3(2) or the like to identify SNS information, such as blog information, related to the identified touring course. The related information acquisition unit 114 adds information such as a URL for accessing the identified SNS information to the touring course information stored in the touring course information storage unit 106.

[0070] In this way, the touring course information storage unit 106 stores touring course information having the configuration explained with reference to Fig. 6. As will be described later, the touring course information stored in the touring course information storage unit 106 can be used when searching for a touring route, and it becomes possible to search for a touring route that includes the touring course.

[0071] [Processing on navigation device] Fig. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the processing in a navigation device that uses touring course information formed by the touring course formation device 1 of the embodiment. The processing shown in the flowchart in Fig. 8 is processing that is performed, for example, when a navigation application is executed on a navigation device mounted on a motorcycle 6 or on a mobile terminal carried by a motorcycle rider, and the mobile terminal is used as a navigation device.

[0072] That is, the navigation device first displays an input screen and receives input of search conditions, such as input of a departure point and destination and a selection input of whether to use touring mode (step S201). Next, the control unit of the navigation device determines whether the received search condition information indicates that touring mode is on (step S202). Assume that in the determination process of step S202, it is determined that the received search condition information indicates that touring mode is on. In this case, the control unit of the navigation device forms a route search request including information indicating that touring mode is on, in addition to the departure point and destination, and transmits this to a route search device on the network (step S203). That is, the process of step S203 is a process of requesting a search for a route from the departure point to the destination that includes a touring course.

[0073] In the determination process of step S202, it is determined that the touring mode is not turned on in the received search condition information. In this case, a normal route search request is formed and transmitted to a route search device on the network (step S204). That is, the process of step S204 is a process of requesting a search for a route from the departure point to the destination. Note that when requesting a normal route search in step S204, instructions such as distance priority, which searches for a route with a short driving distance, or time priority, which searches for a route with a short estimated arrival time, can be received and included in the input process of step S201, as in the past.

[0074] Thereafter, the navigation device receives the search results from the route search device and starts (executes) route guidance (step S205). Then, the control unit of the navigation device determines whether or not to end the route guidance (step S206). For example, if the user issues an instruction to end the route guidance or if the vehicle has reached the vicinity of the destination, it determines that the route guidance should be ended. If it is determined not to end in the determination process of step S206, the process from step S206 is repeated, and the system waits for an event to end the route guidance. If it is determined to end the route guidance in the determination process of step S206, it performs a predetermined end process, such as outputting a voice message or a display message indicating that the route guidance should be ended, and then ends the process shown in FIG. 8.

[0075] In this way, in a navigation device that uses a touring course formed by the touring course formation device 1, a selection input of touring mode on / off that indicates whether or not to search for a route including a touring course can be made on the search condition input screen. This allows the user to select and request the route search device to search for a route including a touring course or a normal route.

[0076] [Processing in route search device] Fig. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the processing in a route search device that can use touring course information formed by the touring course formation device 1 of the embodiment. The processing shown in the flowchart in Fig. 9 is processing that is executed, for example, in a route search device provided on the communication network 4. That is, the control unit of the route search device provided on the communication network 4 receives a route search request from a navigation device (step S301), and determines whether or not the route search request has been received (step S302).

[0077] If it is determined in the determination process of step S302 that a route search request has not been received, the process from step S301 is repeated to wait for the arrival of a route search request. If it is determined in the determination process of step S302 that a route search request has been received, the control unit of the route search device determines whether the touring mode is on or not in the received route search request (step S303).

[0078] In the determination process of step S303, it is determined that the received route search request indicates that the touring mode is on. In this case, the route search device searches for a route that includes a touring course between the departure point and the destination (step S304). In step S304, the route search device performs a route search by referring to the road NWDB 202 of the map information providing server device 2, and at the same time, it also refers to the touring course information in the touring course information storage unit 106 of the touring course formation device 1. This checks whether there is a touring course that can be used between the departure point and the destination, and if there is, it searches for a route that includes that touring course.

[0079] To determine whether there is a touring course available between the departure point and the destination, a rectangular area is set that includes the departure point and the destination, and if a touring course exists in this rectangular area, that touring course is used. In this case, the rectangular area can be defined in various ways, such as by setting the departure point and the destination as the two ends of a diagonal line.

[0080] Also, suppose that in the determination process of step S303, it is determined that the touring mode is not on (off) for the received route search request. In this case, the route search device executes a normal route search from the departure point to the destination (step S305). After the route search including the touring course in step S304 and after the normal route search in step S305, the search results are provided to the requesting navigation device (step S306). This ends the process shown in FIG. 9.

[0081] In this way, a route search device that uses a touring course formed by the touring course formation device 1 can switch between searching for a route that includes a touring course or searching for a normal route depending on whether the touring mode in the route search request is on or off. When searching for a route that includes a touring course, the touring course information formed by the touring course formation device 1 can be used to search for a route that includes the touring course.

[0082] [Effects of the embodiment] According to the touring course planning device of the above-described embodiment, when touring, a touring course that can be traveled comfortably according to the mobile object can be set based on travel log information. This makes it possible to search for a touring route that includes the set touring course. In other words, unlike the conventional route search that sets search conditions according to locations such as the destination and intermediate points, it is now possible to search for a route that includes a touring course that prioritizes "comfortable travel."

[0083] [Variations] In the above-described embodiment, a specific example has been described in which a route can be identified as a touring course if the route can be traveled 20 km at a speed of 60 km per hour. However, this is merely an example, and a section in which the average travel speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed and the route can be continuously traveled a predetermined distance can be identified as a touring course. In other words, the predetermined speed and predetermined distance can be changed in various ways. The predetermined speed and predetermined distance can also be set according to the request of the user, such as a motorcycle rider.

[0084] That is, the touring course formation device 1 can also specify a touring course using a predetermined speed and a predetermined distance determined by the operator of the touring course formation device 1. Furthermore, the touring course formation device 1 can accept instructions from a user and specify a touring course in accordance with the user's instructions using the speed and distance determined by the instructions as the predetermined speed and distance. In this case, the user can be provided with a course ID for the specified touring course and search for a route that includes the touring course specified by this course ID. Of course, the user can also be provided with the specified touring course information (FIG. 6), search for a route to the starting point, and then search for a route from the end point to the destination, thereby setting the entire touring route.

[0085] In addition, weather information for the date and time of travel and the location of travel specified by the travel log information can be acquired and used to create touring course information, which can then be used to identify touring courses that match previous touring trips under similar weather conditions to those at the time of the user's touring trip.

[0086] Furthermore, the touring course creation device 1 of the above-described embodiment can create a list of touring course information stored in the touring course information storage unit 106 and provide this to the user. For example, it is possible to request a list of touring courses on the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region, create a list of maps showing the touring courses, and provide this to the user.

[0087] In the above-described embodiment, the map information providing server device 2 is described as being provided in the communication network 4. However, the navigation device can be configured to have its own map DB and road NWDB and to refer to the touring course information in the touring course formation device 1. In other words, the information managed by the map DB, road NWDB, and information providing server devices 3(1), 3(2), ... can also be configured to be stored and managed in each device.

[0088] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a case where a rider goes on a motorcycle tour, in which the rider feels the riding condition with his or her entire body, has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to identify a touring course for an automobile using travel log information for a touring trip using an automobile, or to identify a touring course for a bicycle using travel log information for a touring trip using a bicycle. In this case, the travel log information may include information indicating the type of moving object used. Similarly, the touring course information may include information indicating the type of moving object depending on the travel log information used.

[0089] [others] The processing performed by the tooling course formation device 1 explained using the flowchart in FIG. 7 is realized by applying one embodiment of the tooling course formation method according to the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1...Touring course formation device, 101T...Connection end, 101...Communication I / F, 102...Control unit, 103...Storage device, 104...Driving log information storage unit, 105...Compatible NW information storage unit, 106...Touring course information storage unit, 111...Driving log information acquisition unit, 112...Compatible NW information acquisition unit, 113...Touring course formation unit, 114...Related information acquisition unit, 2...Map information etc. providing server device, 201...Map DB, 202...Road NW DB, 3...Open DMP, 3(1), 3(2)...Information providing server device, 4...Network, 5(1), 5(2)...Base station, 6, 6(1)...Motorcycle, 7, 7(1)...Mobile terminal

Claims

1. a travel log acquisition means for acquiring travel log information from a travel log information storage means that stores travel log information including current position point sequence information, the current position being a collection of current positions acquired at predetermined timings while the mobile body is traveling; a corresponding network acquisition means for acquiring, from a road network information storage means, corresponding network information that identifies roads traveled based on the current position point sequence information of the travel log information acquired by the travel log acquisition means; a touring course forming means for specifying a section where the vehicle was able to travel a predetermined distance or more at a moving speed equal to or greater than a predetermined speed as a touring course based on the travel log information acquired by the travel log acquiring means and the corresponding network information acquired by the corresponding network information acquiring means, and storing road network information for specifying the section in a touring course information storage unit; A tooling course forming device comprising:

2. The tooling course forming device according to claim 1, The touring course formation means refers to map information of the area specified by the corresponding network information of the map information storage means, and excludes from the touring course, from sections where the travel speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed and the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance or more, sections that meet predetermined exclusion conditions according to the referred map information. A tooling course forming device characterized by:

3. 3. The tooling course forming device according to claim 2, The exclusion conditions include one of an uphill or downhill section with a gradient equal to or greater than a predetermined value, a section where the distance between intersections is equal to or less than a predetermined distance, a section where the distance between traffic signals is equal to or less than a predetermined distance, a section where there are many private houses and commercial facilities, and a section designated as a school route. A tooling course forming device characterized by:

4. The tooling course forming device according to claim 1, The touring course generation means calculates the travel speed based on a distance between adjacent current positions in the current position point sequence information of the traveling log information and a time interval for acquiring the current positions. A tooling course forming device characterized by:

5. The tooling course forming device according to claim 1, The travel log information is added with a travel speed acquired at each predetermined timing, The touring course creation means uses the travel speed of the travel log information. A tooling course forming device characterized by:

6. a travel log acquisition step of acquiring travel log information of one mobile object from a travel log information storage means that stores travel log information including current position point sequence information, which is a collection of current positions acquired at predetermined timings while the mobile object is traveling; a corresponding network acquisition step of acquiring, from a road network information storage means, corresponding network information that identifies roads traveled based on the current position point sequence information of the travel log information acquired in the travel log acquisition step; a touring course formation step of specifying, as a touring course, a section where the vehicle was able to travel at a predetermined speed or more and a predetermined distance or more based on the travel log information acquired in the travel log acquisition step and the corresponding network information acquired in the corresponding network information acquisition step, and storing road network information that specifies the section in a touring course information storage unit; A tooling course forming method comprising the steps of:

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