Systems and programs, etc.

Abstract

To provide a technique to notify a user of information for supporting driving a vehicle that is easy to understand for the user.SOLUTION: A system displays a map within a predetermined range from the position of a vehicle and notifies a user of information. The system displays an entry inhibition image I3 related to an exit of the one-way road present at a predetermined point on the map M, in association with the point. When the distance between the vehicle and the point becomes equal to or less than a threshold, the system performs control of further displaying a first guide image G1 related to the exit of the one-way road.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to systems, programs, and the like.

Background Art

[0002] There are known systems that assist a user in safely driving a vehicle. Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose techniques for notifying a driver so that a vehicle does not accidentally enter from an exit of a one-way road.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since the user is driving a vehicle, it is desirable that the information for assisting driving is easy for the user to understand.One object of the present invention is to provide a technique for notifying information that supports the driving of a vehicle and is easy for the user to understand.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the applicant intends to obtain rights through divisional applications, amendments, etc., for configurations that aim to obtain the effects derived from the components disclosed in this specification and the drawings. For example, problems that can be described as "can be achieved" in this specification are disclosed here if they are reinterpreted as "the problem is...". Each problem is described independently, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to each configuration for solving each problem individually through divisional applications, amendments, etc. Even if a problem is implicitly understood from the description in the specification, the applicant intends to include a part of the configuration described in this specification in the claims through amendment or divisional application. Furthermore, configurations that solve problems by combining these independent problems are also disclosed, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A system is provided that displays a map within a predetermined range from the location of a vehicle and notifies information, and has a display control unit that displays first information relating to a first notification target object located at a predetermined point on the map in association with the point, and when the distance between the vehicle and the point falls below a threshold, further displays second information relating to the first notification target object.

[0007] The user can understand the location of the first notification target object and the first information related to the first notification target object. When the vehicle approaches the first notification target object, the user can further understand the second information related to the first notification target object. Thus, the content and timing of the display of the first and second information differ. In this way, it is possible to provide technology that notifies information that is easy for the user to understand and that supports vehicle driving.

[0008] (2) The first information may be provided to show information regarding traffic rules at the said location.

[0009] In this way, users can understand the traffic rules they need to pay attention to from the first piece of information.

[0010] (3) The second information may be such that it indicates information relating to the operation of the vehicle at the location.

[0011] In this way, when the vehicle approaches the first notification target, the user can obtain second information regarding the vehicle's operation at that point.

[0012] (4) The first notification target object indicates the exit of the one-way road closest to the vehicle among the exits of one-way roads on the road on which the vehicle is traveling, and the second information indicates at least one of the information of the shape of the road to which the nearest one-way road exit is connected and the distance to said exit.

[0013] In this way, users can identify the existence and location of an exit on a one-way street that their vehicle is approaching, and further, when they approach it, they can obtain additional information about that one-way street exit.

[0014] (5) The display control unit may, when the road connected to the exit satisfies predetermined conditions, perform control to display the second information indicating a warning regarding the operation of the vehicle instead of the shape of the road.

[0015] In this way, even when the road shape is not displayed, if certain conditions are met, such as the road shape near the exit of a one-way street exhibiting a special pattern, information regarding vehicle operation can be provided to the user.

[0016] (6) The first object to be notified may be the intersection with a traffic light that is closest to the vehicle, among the intersections with traffic lights that are located on the road on which the vehicle is traveling.

[0017] In this way, users can identify the existence and location of intersections with traffic lights, and further, when approaching them, they can obtain additional information about the intersection.

[0018] (7) The first information may be configured to show an enlarged image of a traffic signal on the map.

[0019] In this way, it becomes easier for the user to visually recognize the intersection where the traffic signal that the vehicle is approaching is installed.

[0020] (8) The display control unit may be configured to change the threshold value according to the driving speed defined for the road on which the vehicle is traveling.

[0021] In this way, the second information can be notified to the user at an appropriate timing according to the driving speed of the vehicle.

[0022] (9) It may have a setting unit for setting a language or region, and the display control unit may be configured to display the second information using a language corresponding to the set language or region.

[0023] In this way, when the vehicle approaches the first notification target, the second information regarding the first notification target can be notified using a language that the user can understand.

[0024] (10) The display control unit may be configured to perform control to display the second information when the vehicle turns in a predetermined direction.

[0025] When the vehicle turns in a predetermined direction, the driver needs to pay particular attention to driving. In this way, when the vehicle is about to actually turn at an intersection where a traffic signal is actually installed, information regarding that intersection can be displayed.

[0026] (11) The display control unit may be configured to perform control to display the second information when the speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed.

[0027] When a vehicle's speed decreases, it is more likely that the vehicle is about to turn than when it is not. In this way, when there is a high probability that the vehicle is about to turn, the second piece of information regarding the first object to be notified at that location can be notified.

[0028] (12) The display control unit may perform control to enlarge and display the map when the distance between the vehicle and the point falls below the threshold.

[0029] This makes it easier for users to visually understand that the first notification target is nearby.

[0030] (13) The designated point may be a point on or along the road on which the vehicle travels.

[0031] This makes it easier for users to visually grasp information about the first notification target, which is most likely to be approached by a vehicle.

[0032] (14) The display control unit may perform control to reduce the size of the map and display third information relating to the second object if the second object to be notified is located within a predetermined range from the position of the vehicle.

[0033] In this way, information regarding a second notification target object, which is different from the first notification target object, can be transmitted over a wide distance range from the vehicle's location.

[0034] (15) A program is provided to enable a computer to implement the functions of any of the above systems.

[0035] In this way, it is possible to provide technology that notifies users of information that is easy to understand and assists in driving a vehicle.

[0036] The inventions described in (1) to (14) above can be combined in any way. For example, one could combine all or part of the configuration of the invention described in (1) with at least part of the configuration of at least one of the inventions described in (2) and onward. In particular, one could combine the invention described in (1) with at least part of the configuration of at least one of the inventions described in (2) and onward. Alternatively, one could extract any configuration from the inventions described in (1) to (14) and combine the extracted configurations. The applicant of this application intends to obtain rights to inventions that include these configurations. Furthermore, even if there are descriptions such as "in the case of..." or "when...", these are not meant to indicate that the configuration is limited to that case or time. These are merely examples of better configurations, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to configurations that do not fall under these cases or times. Also, even if there is a sequence of descriptions, the order is not limited to that sequence. Configurations with some parts deleted or the order rearranged are also disclosed, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to them as well. [Effects of the Invention]

[0037] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology that provides information to support vehicle driving in a way that is easy for the user to understand.

[0038] The effects of the present invention are not limited thereto, and the effects produced by the components of the structure disclosed in this specification and the drawings are also disclosed. The present invention intends to obtain rights to the components that produce such effects through divisional applications, amendments, etc. For example, the phrases "can do..." in this specification are descriptions that specify the effects produced, and there are components that produce effects even without such descriptions. Furthermore, there are effects that can be grasped by the component even without such descriptions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0039] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating the overview of a system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows an overview of the system screen according to one embodiment. [Figure 3]This block diagram shows the configuration of a system according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows the operation of the language settings of a system according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the driver assistance function of a system according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the one-way entry prohibition guidance function of a system according to one embodiment of the system. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of a screen display related to the one-way entry prohibition guidance function of a system according to one embodiment of the system. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of a screen display related to the one-way entry prohibition guidance function of a system according to one embodiment of the system. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a screen display related to the one-way entry prohibition guidance function of a system according to one embodiment of the system. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of a screen display related to the one-way entry prohibition guidance function of a system according to one embodiment of the system. [Figure 11] This flowchart shows the operation of the intersection oncoming vehicle warning function of a system according to one embodiment. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of a screen display related to the intersection oncoming vehicle warning function of a system according to one embodiment. [Figure 13] This figure shows an example of a screen display related to the intersection oncoming vehicle warning function of a system according to one embodiment. [Figure 14] This flowchart shows the operation of the second notification target object notification function of the system according to one embodiment. [Figure 15] This figure shows an example of the screen display related to the second notification target object notification function of a system according to one embodiment. [Figure 16] This figure shows an example of the screen display of a system according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0040] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments shown below are examples of embodiments of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. In the drawings referenced in these embodiments, the same parts or parts having similar functions are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals (simply a number followed by A, B, etc.), and repeated explanations may be omitted. In addition, in the drawings referenced in the following description, the scale may be different from that of the actual parts in order to make each component, area, etc. recognizable.

[0041] The following describes the application of the present invention to a system 10 installed in a vehicle. System 10 displays a map within a predetermined range from the vehicle's location and provides information. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the overview of system 10. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the overview of the system 10's screen.

[0042] As shown in Figure 1, System 10 is a monitor-type electronic device that is roughly rectangular in shape. System 10 is placed inside the cabin of a vehicle 40. Vehicle 40 is a four-wheeled automobile or other vehicle. Vehicle 40 is, for example, a rental car or a user's private car. System 10 is fixed to the dashboard 41, for example, using double-sided tape. An opening is provided on the front of the housing of System 10. System 10 has a display unit 12 for displaying an image at the location of this opening. The housing is made of resin or other material.

[0043] System 10 broadcasts information using one of several languages. System 10 supports five languages ​​(Japanese, English, Korean, and Chinese (simplified and traditional)). System 10 also supports four languages ​​(Japanese, English, Korean, and Chinese) for voice output. System 10 may support other languages ​​as well. System 10 broadcasts various types of information using sound and display.

[0044] As shown in Figure 2, the system 10 divides the display area of ​​the display unit 12 into two sections, left and right. The system 10 controls the display unit 12 to display screen SC1 related to the route guidance function in the left section when viewed from the front, and screen SC2 related to the driving assistance function in the right section. The route guidance function is a function that guides the user along a route (road) from a starting point to a destination using sound and displays. Screen SC1 displays information such as a map of the area around the current location, an icon indicating the current location of the vehicle 40, the route to be taken, the current location, and the current time.

[0045] The driver assistance function is a driver assistance function that assists the user in driving the vehicle 40. Screen SC2 displays a map of the area around the current location, an icon indicating the current location of the vehicle 40, and information about objects that should be notified to the user. The driver assistance function includes a one-way street no-entry guidance function, a one-way street no-entry guidance function, and a second object notification function. Details of these functions will be described later. The map used for the route guidance function should be multi-color (color), while the map used for the driver assistance function should include parts that are displayed in black and white (monochrome).

[0046] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of system 10. The control unit 11 controls various parts of system 10. The control unit 11 is, for example, a computer including an arithmetic processing circuit and memory. The arithmetic processing circuit includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or other arithmetic processing circuits. The memory includes, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory) or other volatile memory. The arithmetic processing circuit performs various controls by temporarily reading data into memory and performing arithmetic processing. The control unit 11 functions as a setting unit for setting the language used to display information, and as a display control unit for controlling the display of information on the display unit 12.

[0047] The display unit 12 displays an image. The display unit 12 may be, for example, a 3.2-inch color TFT liquid crystal display, but it may also be an organic EL display or other type of display device. The speaker 13 outputs sound. The microwave receiver 14 includes an antenna and a receiving circuit and receives microwaves. The control unit 11 detects the presence of a speed enforcement device (e.g., a speed camera) based on microwaves of a predetermined frequency received by the microwave receiver 14. The GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 15 includes an antenna and a receiving circuit and receives signals from GPS satellites. The GPS receiver 15 processes the received signals and outputs location information. The location information indicates the current location of the system 10. The location information indicates the current location of the vehicle 40 on which the system 10 is installed. The location information may include at least latitude and longitude information, and preferably also include altitude information. The communication unit 16 communicates with an external device. The communication unit 16 performs wireless communication, for example, Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, or other types of wireless communication.

[0048] The memory unit 17 stores data. The memory unit 17 stores, for example, programs for the control unit 11 to perform various controls. The control unit 11 reads the programs from the memory unit 17 into memory and executes them. The memory unit 17 stores map data showing maps, data showing the types and locations of various facilities, data for notifying the existence of notification targets, data for realizing route guidance functions, etc. Notification targets may be a first notification target and a second notification target. The first notification target is the exit of a one-way road and an intersection with traffic lights. The second notification target is a notification target different from the first notification target, and may be, for example, the following. The second set of targets for notification includes locations of accidents caused by drowsy driving, speed measuring devices (radar type, loop coil type, H system, LH system, photoelectric tube type, mobile type, laser type, etc.), speed limit change points, enforcement areas, checkpoint areas, parking violation monitoring areas, N systems, traffic monitoring systems, intersection monitoring points, red light violation prevention systems, police stations, accident-prone areas, car break-in-prone areas, sharp / continuous curves (expressways), junction / merging points (expressways), ETC lane advance notices (expressways), service areas (expressways), parking areas (expressways), highway oases (expressways), smart interchanges (expressways), gas stations within PA / SA (expressways), tunnels (expressways), highway radio reception areas (expressways), prefectural border notices, roadside stations, and viewpoint parking areas. The memory unit 17 stores information on the type of object to be notified, location information indicating the location where the object exists, image data (for example, a schematic diagram or photograph) to be displayed on the display unit 12, and audio data in association with each other.

[0049] The storage unit 17 may also include a storage medium for permanently storing data. The storage unit 17 may include, for example, an optical recording medium, a magnetic recording medium, a semiconductor recording medium, or other recording media.

[0050] The control unit 18 receives user input. The control unit 18 includes, for example, a touch sensor, volume control buttons, and operation buttons. The touch sensor is provided on the surface of the display unit 12 and detects the position touched by the user. The volume control buttons are operated to adjust the volume of sound output from the speaker 13. The operation buttons are for performing various tasks.

[0051] The sensor unit 19 includes various sensors. For example, the sensor unit 19 includes a geomagnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an illuminance sensor. The geomagnetic sensor detects the Earth's magnetic field to determine which direction north is relative to the direction of travel. The acceleration sensor detects the acceleration of the vehicle in the forward, backward, left, right, and up and down directions. The illuminance sensor detects the illuminance, which indicates the brightness inside the vehicle.

[0052] The mounting section 20 is a mounting section into which an external storage medium is mounted. The external storage medium is, for example, a memory card. In this case, the mounting section 20 is a memory card slot. The data stored in the storage section 17 may be acquired via the external storage medium. This data may include updated information on new notification targets (location information such as longitude and latitude, type information, etc.).

[0053] The power supply unit 21 supplies power from the power source to each part of the system 10. The power supply unit 21 includes, for example, a power switch and a DC jack. The DC jack is for connecting a cigarette lighter plug cord, which is connected to the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket to receive power. The power switch is a switch for turning the power of the system 10 on or off.

[0054] The light-emitting section 22 emits light in various colors. The light-emitting section 22 includes, for example, a light-emitting diode.

[0055] The cable terminal section 23 is a terminal to which an external connection cable is connected. For example, the connection cable is one that connects the system 10 to the OBD-II connector installed in the vehicle. The OBD-II connector is also called a fault diagnosis connector and is connected to the vehicle's ECU, and various vehicle information is output from it.

[0056] Furthermore, System 10 should also have functions that are commonly found in car navigation systems and radar detectors, in addition to those mentioned above.

[0057] Next, we will explain the operation of system 10.

[0058] <1. Language setting function> The language setting function is a function that allows system 10 to set the language used for disseminating information. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the language setting function of system 10.

[0059] In system 10, the control unit 11 displays a screen for accepting language setting input (step S101). The control unit 11 may display buttons corresponding to Japanese, English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese on the display unit 12 and accept the user's operation to select one of the languages ​​using the operation unit 18. The control unit 11 sets the language selected by the user's operation of the operation unit 18 as the language to be used for information notification (step S102). The control unit 11 may store the language setting data in memory or storage unit 17. Based on this setting data, the control unit 11 provides information notification in the specified language.

[0060] <2. Safety Driving Support Functions> Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system 10's safe driving support function. In system 10, the control unit 11 executes the one-way street entry prohibition guidance function, the intersection oncoming vehicle warning guidance function, and the second notification target object notification function in parallel while the safe driving support function is in operation (steps S1, S3, S5). The period during which the safe driving support function is in operation may be, for example, the period when the system 10 is powered on, the period from when the user instructs the safe driving support function to be activated until it is terminated, or other periods.

[0061] <2-1. One-way entry prohibited guidance function> The one-way entry prohibition guidance function will be explained with specific examples. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the one-way entry prohibition guidance function of system 10. Figures 7 to 10 show examples of screen displays related to the one-way entry prohibition guidance function.

[0062] The control unit 11 displays one-way street images and no-entry images on the map (step S11). The one-way street image shows a traffic sign indicating that it is a one-way street. The one-way street image is an image with a white arrow drawn on a blue background. The arrow indicates the direction in which vehicles are permitted to travel. The one-way street image is placed at a point on the one-way street. The no-entry image shows a traffic sign prohibiting vehicle entry. The no-entry image is an image with a white "-" pattern drawn inside a red circular shape. The no-entry image is placed at a point on the map where the exit of the one-way street exists. The no-entry image provides information about the exit of the one-way street and shows first information regarding the traffic rules of the road.

[0063] In the example shown in Figure 7(a), the control unit 11 displays a vehicle position icon I1 indicating the current location of the vehicle 40 and a one-way street image I2 on the map M. In the example shown in Figure 7(a), the no-entry image is not displayed. The map M is scaled so that, for example, an area within a distance range of 300m (upper limit of the right scale) in the vertical direction of the display unit 12 is displayed on the display unit 12. Hereafter, this will be expressed as setting the scale to 300m. The control unit 11 uses different colors for the road on which the vehicle 40 is traveling (hereinafter referred to as the "traveling road") and one-way streets. One-way streets may be colored green, which is a dedicated color, and the traveling road may be colored white. The vehicle position icon I1 is placed at a point on the traveling road R1. The position of the vehicle 40 is determined by the position information generated by the GPS receiver 15. The traveling road R1 is determined by the road on which the vehicle 40 is currently traveling. The control unit 11 may perform a map matching function to correct the current location indicated by the location information based on map data. In this way, even if there is a GPS positioning error, the vehicle's position icon I1 will be placed on the road R1. The control unit 11 displays the one-way street image I2 in association with each of the one-way streets present on the map M.

[0064] Figure 7(b) shows the state after vehicle 40 has moved forward from the state shown in Figure 7(a). In the example of Figure 7(b), the control unit 11 displays the vehicle's position icon I1, a one-way street image I2, and a no-entry image I3 on ​​the map M. The control unit 11 displays the no-entry image I3 at the exit of the one-way street R2 connected to the road the vehicle 40 is traveling on, which is closest to the vehicle 40's current position. Here, "closest" means closest in the direction of travel of the vehicle 40 on the road. The control unit 11 does not display the no-entry image I3 at any other exits of one-way streets. The control unit 11 does not display the no-entry image for one-way streets that are connected to the road R1 but can be accessed from the road R1.

[0065] Next, the control unit 11 determines whether the distance from the current position to the exit of a one-way street on the road is less than or equal to a first threshold (step S12). The control unit 11 determines whether the distance to the nearest one-way street exit on the road R1 is less than or equal to the first threshold. The first threshold is preferably 40m, but it may be less than 40m or longer than 40m. If the result in step S12 is "NO", the control unit 11 proceeds to step S20. In this case, the control unit 11 determines whether to terminate the one-way street entry prohibition guidance function (step S20), and if it does not terminate (step S20; NO), it returns to step S11. The user can then understand the existence and location of the one-way street exit that the vehicle 40 is approaching.

[0066] If the control unit 11 determines "YES" in step S12, it enlarges and displays the map (step S13). For example, the control unit 11 sets the scale to 150m and doubles the original size. Next, the control unit 11 determines whether the shape of the road connected to the exit of the one-way road follows a predetermined pattern (step S14). The predetermined pattern is, for example, a predetermined road shape pattern such as a crossroads or a T-junction. The predetermined pattern is a simple and typical shape that can be seen in a relatively large number of places. In this case, the control unit 11 determines "YES" in step S14.

[0067] If "YES" is determined in step S14, the control unit 11 determines whether the speed of the vehicle 40 is below a threshold and whether the distance from the current position to the exit of the one-way road on the road is greater than or equal to a second threshold (step S15). The threshold for the speed of the vehicle 40 may be, for example, 50 km / h, but it may also be less than 50 km / h or greater than 50 km / h. The second threshold may be 40 m, but it may also be less than 40 m or greater than 40 m. The second threshold may be the same as the first threshold, but it may also be different. The control unit 11 may obtain speed information from the vehicle 40 via the cable terminal unit 23 to determine the speed of the vehicle 40. The control unit 11 may also determine the speed of the vehicle 40 using the speed measured by the sensor unit 19.

[0068] If "YES" is determined in step S15, the control unit 11 displays the first guidance image G1 on the map M. As shown in Figure 8(a), the first guidance image G1 includes display elements G11, G12, and G13. Display element G11 is an image of a simplified intersection diagram that shows the shape of the road to which the exit of the one-way road connects, with an arrow indicating the direction in which the vehicle can proceed. Display element G12 is an image of a traffic sign indicating that entry is prohibited, and is the same as the no-entry image I3. Display element G13 is the distance from the current position to the exit of the one-way road (in this case, 93m). The first guidance image G1 is positioned in the upper right corner of the map M and does not overlap with the no-entry image I3; they are displayed simultaneously. When the vehicle 40 approaches the exit of the one-way road, the user can obtain additional information about the exit of that one-way road from the first guidance image G1.

[0069] For example, if vehicle 40 is moving slowly, it is more likely that the vehicle is about to turn than if it were moving faster. In this way, when there is a high probability that the user is about to enter the exit of a one-way street, the control unit 11 displays the first guidance image G1, which includes display elements G11 to G13, so that the user can grasp various pieces of information. The user can grasp the relevant information. Also, if the distance is greater than the second threshold, it may be difficult to visually confirm the exit of the one-way street, so the control unit 11 displays the display element G13 indicating the distance.

[0070] After the processing in step S16, the control unit 11 determines whether the exit of the one-way road has been passed (step S17). If it determines "NO" in step S17, the control unit 11 returns to the processing in step S14.

[0071] If "NO" is determined in step S15, the control unit 11 displays the first guidance image G1a on the map M. As shown in Figure 8(n), the first guidance image G1 includes display elements G11 and G12, but does not include display element G13. In this way, if the speed of the vehicle 40 is greater than the threshold, or if the distance to the exit of the one-way road is less than the second threshold, the control unit 11 does not display the distance from the current position to the exit of the one-way road. In such a case, the vehicle 40 is unlikely to turn the road and enter the exit of the one-way road. Therefore, the control unit 11 does not display display element G13. After processing in step S18, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S17.

[0072] If "NO" is determined in step S14, the control unit 11 displays the second guidance image G2 on the map M (step S21). The second guidance image G2 is displayed to warn the driver about vehicle operation when the road connecting to the exit of the one-way street does not fall under the predetermined pattern, for reasons such as having a complex intersection shape. The second guidance image G2 includes information to encourage caution when driving the vehicle, and in this case, "NO ENTORY" is displayed. If a language other than Japanese is set as the language, it will be displayed in English, and if it is in Japanese, a string of characters such as "No Entry" may be displayed. In this way, the control unit 11 can provide the user with information to support vehicle driving even when predetermined conditions are met, for example, when the shape of the road near the exit of the one-way street is special. After processing in step S21, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S17. During all or part of the display period of the guidance image in steps S16, S17, or S21, the control unit 11 may output a "beep beep" sound from the speaker 13 to provide notification.

[0073] In step S17, if the control unit 11 determines that the exit of the one-way road has been passed (step S17; YES), the control unit 11 restores the map scale to its original size and stops displaying the guidance image (step S19). The control unit 11 then determines whether to terminate the one-way entry prohibition guidance function (step S20), and if it does terminate it (step S20; YES), it terminates the execution of the one-way entry prohibition guidance function.

[0074] The first guidance images G1 and G1a show information regarding vehicle operation and are second information regarding the exit of a one-way street. The second guidance image G2 shows information regarding vehicle operation and is second information indicating a warning regarding vehicle operation.

[0075] The control unit 11 should change the first threshold according to the driving speed specified for the road on which the vehicle 40 is traveling. Figure 10 shows the display screen when the vehicle 40 is traveling on highway R3. The control unit 11 should use different first thresholds for general roads and highways. In this case, the first threshold should be greater than 40m, for example, 100m. The control unit 11 should also use different map scales for general roads and highways. For example, the control unit 11 should set the scale to 150m when driving on general roads and to 300m when driving on highways. In this way, information can be notified to the user at an appropriate timing according to the vehicle's driving speed, and the user's safe driving can be supported. The control unit 11 should not use a special color display for one-way roads on highways on the map, and should only display general roads.

[0076] The first guidance image G3 includes display elements G31 and G32. Display element G31 is an image with a simplified intersection diagram showing the shape of the road to which the exit of the one-way street connects, and an arrow indicating the direction in which vehicles can proceed. Display element G32 is an image of a traffic sign indicating that it is a no-entry road, and is the same as the no-entry image I3. Here, the distance from the current position to the exit of the one-way street is not displayed. The control unit 11 may change the threshold according to the speed limit if information on the road's speed limit is available.

[0077] <2-2. Intersection warning function for oncoming vehicles> The intersection oncoming vehicle warning function will be explained with specific examples. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the intersection oncoming vehicle warning function of system 10. Figures 12 and 13 show examples of screen displays related to the intersection oncoming vehicle warning function.

[0078] The control unit 11 determines whether or not there is an intersection with traffic lights on the road (step S31). If it determines "YES" in step S31, it enlarges the traffic light image showing the traffic lights of the nearest intersection and displays the traffic light image of the intersection (step S32).

[0079] Figure 12(a) shows an example of the display when "NO" is determined in step S31. The road R4 is the road on which the vehicle 40 is traveling. The control unit 11 displays the vehicle's current position icon I1 on the map M on the road R4, but does not display a traffic light image because there are no traffic lights nearby. The map M is, for example, set to a scale of 300m (upper right end of the scale).

[0080] Figure 12(b) shows an example of the display when the vehicle 40 moves forward from the state shown in Figure 12(a) and the system determines "YES" in step S31. In the example of Figure 12(b), the control unit 11 displays the vehicle's current position icon I1 and traffic light images I4 and I5 on the map M. Both traffic light images I4 and I5 are images of traffic lights. Among the traffic light images on the road R4, the traffic light image I5 closest to the vehicle 40's current position is larger than the other traffic light images I4. The control unit 11 also makes the traffic light image I5 blink, but it is preferable to display the traffic light image I4 without blinking. This makes it easier for the user to visually grasp the presence of the traffic light that the vehicle 40 is approaching. The enlarged traffic light image in this way is information about the intersection where the traffic light is installed and shows the first information regarding the traffic rules of the road.

[0081] If the result is "NO" after processing in step S32 or in step S31, the control unit 11 determines whether the distance from the current position to the intersection with a traffic light on the road is less than or equal to the third threshold (step S33). The control unit 11 determines whether the distance from the position of the vehicle 40 to the nearest intersection with a traffic light is less than or equal to the third threshold. The third threshold is preferably 100m, but it may be less than 100m or longer than 100m. If the result is "NO" in step S33, the control unit 11 proceeds to step S41. In this case, the control unit 11 determines whether to terminate the intersection oncoming vehicle warning guidance function (step S41), and if it does not terminate (step S41; NO), it returns to step S31.

[0082] If "YES" is determined in step S33, the map is enlarged and displayed (step S34). For example, the control unit 11 sets the scale to 150m, which is twice the original scale.

[0083] Next, the control unit 11 determines whether the speed of the vehicle 40 is below a threshold and whether the distance from the current position to the intersection where traffic lights are installed is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold (step S35). The threshold for the speed of the vehicle 40 may be, for example, 50 km / h, but it may also be less than 50 km / h or greater than 50 km / h. The fourth threshold may be 40 m, but it may also be less than 40 m or greater than 40 m. The fourth threshold may be the same as the third threshold, but it may also be different. The method for determining the speed may be as described above.

[0084] If "YES" is determined in step S35, the control unit 11 displays the third guidance image G4 on the map M (step S36). As shown in Figure 13(a), the third guidance image G4 includes display elements G41 and G42. Display element G41 displays the message "RIGHT TURN ATTENTION TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC," which is a message to warn when turning right. For example, foreigners who are not familiar with Japanese traffic rules are prone to making lane mistakes when turning right, so this message warns them to be careful when turning right. Below display element G41, the distance from the vehicle's position to the intersection (in this case, 67m) is shown. During all or part of the display period in step S34, the control unit 11 may output a "shan" sound from the speaker 13 to provide notification. The control unit 11 may also change the characters of display element G41 according to the set language.

[0085] After processing in step S36, the control unit 11 determines whether the vehicle has passed an intersection with traffic lights (step S37). If it determines "NO" in step S37, the control unit 11 returns to processing in step S35. If it determines "YES" in step S35, the control unit 11 displays the third guidance image G41a on the map M (step S38). As shown in Figure 13(b), the third guidance image G41a does not include the display element G13. In this way, if the speed of the vehicle 40 is greater than the threshold, or if the distance to the intersection is less than the fourth threshold, the control unit 11 does not display the distance from the current position to the intersection. This is because in such cases, the vehicle 40 is unlikely to turn the road. After processing in step S38, the control unit 11 proceeds to processing in step S37.

[0086] The third guidance images G4 and G41a show information regarding vehicle operation and are second information regarding intersections with traffic lights. When a vehicle is turning in a predetermined direction, the driver needs to pay particular attention to their driving. In this way, system 10 can display information when the vehicle is actually about to turn at an intersection with traffic lights.

[0087] In step S37, if the control unit 11 determines that the intersection has been passed (step S37; YES), the control unit 11 restores the map scale to its original size and stops displaying the third guidance image (step S39). Furthermore, the control unit 11 restores the display of the enlarged traffic signal image to its original size (step S40). The control unit 11 then determines whether to terminate the intersection oncoming vehicle warning guidance function (step S41), and if it decides to terminate it (step S41; YES), it terminates the execution of the intersection oncoming vehicle warning guidance function.

[0088] <2-3. Second Notification Target Object Notification Function> The second notification target notification function will be explained with specific examples. Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second notification target notification function of system 10. Figure 15 is a diagram showing an example of the screen display related to the second notification target notification function.

[0089] The control unit 11 determines whether a second notification target object exists within a predetermined range from the current location (step S51). If it determines "YES" in step S51, the control unit 11 determines whether a one-way road exists on the road (step S52). If it determines "NO" in step S52, the control unit 11 determines whether an intersection with traffic lights exists on the road (step S53). If it determines "NO" in step S53, the control unit 11 zooms out the map and displays information about the second notification target object (step S54). The predetermined range is determined by the points displayed on the display unit 12 when the map is zoomed out. For example, the display when there is no second notification target object is as shown in Figure 15(a), and the display when there is a second notification target object is as shown in Figure 15(b). The map M has a scale of 600m to 2100m. The information about the second notification target object is represented by icons I61, I62, and I63. Furthermore, the strip-shaped information display area T1 at the bottom of the display unit 12 displays "Checkpoint Area 1076m". This is third information regarding the second notification target object. In this way, if the first notification target object is not nearby, information regarding a different second notification target object can be displayed, covering a wide distance range from the vehicle's position.

[0090] If the control unit 11 has executed the process in step S54, or if it has determined "NO" in step S51, it decides whether to terminate the second notification target object notification function (step S56). If it does not terminate the function (step S56; NO), it returns to the process in step S51.

[0091] If "YES" is determined in step S52 or S53, the control unit 11 displays information about the second notification target (step S55). In step S55, without reducing the map size as in step S54, the information about the second notification target is displayed on a map at the scale specified by the one-way street entry prohibition guidance function and the intersection oncoming vehicle warning guidance function.

[0092] Figure 16 shows an example of the display on the system 10 screen in step S55. The control unit 11 displays information about the second notification target object together with information about the first notification target object. Figure 16 shows an example where a vehicle 40 approaches the exit of a one-way road and a second notification target object is within a predetermined range. Here, in addition to the vehicle position icon I1, the one-way road image I2, and the no-entry image I3, the control unit 11 displays an information display area T2 that says "Enforcement Area 192m" and an information display area T3 that shows the type of warning target object. The control unit 11 shifts the position of the first guidance image G1 below the information display area T3 so that it does not overlap with the information display area T3. In this case, the control unit 11 should only consider notification target objects that are ahead of the vehicle's position as the object to be judged as being present or absent.

[0093] If the decision in step S56 is "YES", the control unit 11 terminates the execution of the second notification target object notification function.

[0094] According to the embodiments described above, it is possible to provide a technology that displays information to assist in driving a vehicle in a way that is easy for the user to understand. The system 10 displays at least first information relating to a first notification target object located at a predetermined point on a map, in association with the point, and when the distance between the vehicle and the point falls below a threshold, it performs control to further display second information relating to the first notification target object. Thus, the fact that the content and timing of the display of the first and second information are different also helps the user to easily understand the information related to driving assistance.

[0095] Furthermore, system 10 targets first notification targets located on or along the road where the vehicle is traveling. In this way, system 10 makes it easier for the user to visually grasp information about first notification targets that are likely to be approached by the vehicle.

[0096] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0097] The intersection oncoming vehicle warning function is a function that informs the user of the presence of an intersection when the vehicle is about to turn into that intersection. Whether or not the vehicle is about to turn into an intersection may be determined, for example, by indicating that the route specified by the route guidance will turn at the nearest intersection. In the intersection oncoming vehicle warning function, the control unit 11 may notify the user if there is a road to turn to the right, and not notify the user if there is no such road.

[0098] The control unit 11 may control whether or not to notify the oncoming vehicle at intersections according to the set language. The control unit 11 may notify if the language setting is language A (e.g., English) used in countries with right-hand traffic, but not if the language setting is language B (e.g., Japanese) used in countries with left-hand traffic. It is preferable to only notify if it is estimated from the language setting that the country has right-hand traffic. This reduces the amount of information that may be cumbersome for the user to receive. Also, since lane errors are more likely to occur when making a right turn to change lanes, the control unit 11 may notify when making a right turn but not when making a left turn.

[0099] System 10 may disable some or all of the safety driving assistance functions according to the user's settings. Furthermore, System 10 may not display the safety driving assistance function screen when information related to the route guidance function is displayed on screen SC2. The display and sound of the safety driving assistance function screen can also be turned on or off in the settings.

[0100] Some of the configurations and operations described in each of the embodiments above may be omitted or modified. For example, dual-screen display may not be necessary, and some of the driving assistance functions, such as the one-way street entry prohibition guidance function, the intersection oncoming vehicle warning guidance function, and the second notification target function, may be omitted. The first notification target may relate to traffic rules at a point on the map, or it may be something else. Traffic rules are not limited to prohibiting entry from the exit of a one-way road, but may also include speed limits, stop signs, no overtaking, or other traffic rules. In addition, the guidance image may include a more detailed explanation of how to operate the vehicle at a point on the map.

[0101] In the language setting function, the language used for information dissemination may be set according to the region set by the user (for example, a country or a region within that country). The region set by the user may be, for example, the country of origin or country of residence (or region of residence) in which the language typically used is understood. The control unit 11 may set the language used for information dissemination based on the region set by the user according to predetermined conditions. In this way, when a vehicle approaches the first notification target, the system 10 can disseminate information about the first notification target in a language that the user understands.

[0102] The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations explicitly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of various aspects of the present invention disclosed herein. While the configurations for which patent protection is sought are specified in the appended claims, the present inventors intend to include configurations not currently specified in the claims within the scope of the claims in the future.

[0103] The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the embodiments above. The components of each embodiment and modification described above may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Furthermore, any component of each embodiment and modification may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the means for solving the invention or any component that embodies any component described in the means for solving the invention. The present invention intends to obtain rights to these as well through amendments or divisional applications of this application. Even if there are descriptions such as "in the case of" or "when," the description is not limited to that case or time. Configurations that do not fall under these cases or times are also disclosed, and the present invention intends to obtain rights to them. Also, even if there is a sequence of descriptions, it is not limited to that order. Configurations with some parts deleted or the order rearranged are also disclosed, and the present invention intends to obtain rights to them.

[0104] Furthermore, the applicant intends to obtain rights to the overall design or a partial design by filing an application for amendment to the design application. The drawing depicts the entire device with solid lines, but it is a drawing that includes not only the overall design but also partial designs claimed for parts of the device. For example, it is a drawing that includes not only a partial design for a part of the device, but also a partial design for a part of the device regardless of whether it is a part or not. A part of the device may be a part of the device's components, or a part of a component. The applicant intends to obtain rights not only to the overall design, but also to a partial design in which any part of the solid lines in the drawing is represented by dashed lines. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 10: System 11: Control Unit 12: Display section 13: Speaker 14: Microwave receiver 15: GPS receiver 16: Communications Department 17: Storage part 18:Operation section 19: Sensor section 20: Mounting part 21: Power supply section 22: Light-emitting part 23: Cable terminal section 40: Vehicles

Claims

1. It has a control unit that controls the notification, The control unit includes a function to control whether or not to provide notification of the oncoming vehicle warning function at intersections, according to the set language. A system characterized by having a function that notifies the oncoming vehicle at intersection when the language setting is language A, which is used in countries with right-hand traffic, and does not notify the oncoming vehicle at intersection when the language setting is language B, which is used in countries with left-hand traffic.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit has a function in the intersection oncoming vehicle warning function that notifies when turning right but not when turning left.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit has a function to turn on and off the display and sound of the safety driving support function screen, respectively, according to the settings.

4. A program for a computer to implement the functions of the control unit of the system described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

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