JP2006018086A - Car navigation device, and system and server for updating map data thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To update the map data of a car navigation device by delivering only the updated map data that a user requires by a simple operation. <P>SOLUTION: The car navigation device has a map database storing segment maps and a planned road list. The map information server has an updated map database and a planned road database. The planned road ID desired to be updated is assigned from the car navigation system and whether the delivery of the updated map data relating to the segment map data ID desired to be updated is possible or not is inquired. The map information server sends a reply as to whether the delivery of the updated map data relating to the required planned road ID is possible or not. In the case the delivery is possible, the server notifies the map data ID. When the user desires the updating, the car navigation device requests the updated data attached with the version information of the notified segment map data ID. When the map information server receives the request, the server sends the necessary updated map data after taking the sent version information into consideration. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for updating electronic map data held by a car navigation device that detects a current position of a vehicle and guides a route to a destination through communication with a server that distributes the updated map.

  In recent years, car navigation devices that display the current position of a vehicle on a map or search for an optimal travel route to a destination and guide a driver have become widespread. In order to perform such current position display, route search, and route guidance, the car navigation device holds detailed electronic map data that is divided. This map data includes map data for drawing for drawing a map within a predetermined range centered on the own vehicle position detected using a GPS receiver or the like, and road data for searching for an optimum travel route to the destination. It consists of marks indicating the locations of various facilities on a map, facility data for introducing these facilities, and the like.

  Such map data is obtained by a recording medium such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or HDD (Hard Disc Drive), or a recording device, and is also recently obtained by downloading to a HDD via a communication line. However, the actual road network is constantly changing as new roads are opened and closed. Therefore, it is necessary to update the map data once obtained in order to reflect such a latest road condition. If neglected, there will be inconveniences such as guidance of a conventional roundabout route or guidance of a route through a closed road in spite of a newly opened shortcut.

  Such updating of map data is usually performed by exchanging the storage media in an apparatus that uses map data while being stored in a CD (Compact Disc) or DVD. On the other hand, an apparatus that stores and uses map data in an HDD often employs a method of acquiring and updating map data of a category requiring update from a map information center via a communication line. As a map updating technique using such a communication line, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a car navigation device periodically receives and updates updated map data from a map information center. However, in the method of regularly receiving updated map data in this way, the amount of map data is large, so that communication takes time and communication cost increases. In addition, there is a problem that the expense of the user is increased by receiving update data that is less necessary.

  Further, in Patent Document 2, map data is classified according to type and stored separately for each region, and the map data type, region classification, and current version information required by the user are stored in the map information center. And a technique for sending back updated map data. However, if the map data type, the region classification, and the current version information are specified and transmitted in this way, the update operation becomes complicated. Further, when it is desired to obtain updated map data relating to a newly opened road, it is often difficult to determine which region segment map data should be updated in the first place.

Further, in Patent Document 3, the latest version information regarding map data is received from the map information center at a predetermined timing, and only the new version of map data is compared with the version of map data in the navigation device. The technology that has been sent from is disclosed. However, receiving all of the new version of map data has a problem that the communication time becomes long and unnecessary map data is also obtained, resulting in high costs.
JP-A-08-95488 JP 11-257975 A JP 2004-108834 A

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems of the prior art, and the problem is that a map data update system for car navigation that distributes only updated map data required by a user by a simple operation. Another object is to provide a car navigation device and a map information server used therefor.

  The invention described in claim 1 for achieving the above object is a map data update system for updating and distributing updated map data required by a car navigation device from a map information server, wherein the car navigation device An update that inquires the map information server about the update possibility of the associated map data by attaching a map database storing a plurality of segmented map data, a planned road list, and a planned road ID selected by the user from the planned road list Inquiry means, update data request means for requesting transmission of related update map data in response to a user instruction when an update-response is received in response to the inquiry, and update map data sent in response to the request And a map data updating means for updating the map database, and the map information server comprises: An updated map database storing new map data, a planned road database storing information indicating whether or not update map data related to each planned road can be provided, and the planned road in response to the update possibility inquiry An update availability answering means for determining update possibility based on the information in the database and transmitting a determination result, and extracting and transmitting related update map data from the update map database in response to the update map data transmission request And an update map transmission means for performing a map data update system.

Here, “planned road” means a road that is currently under construction and is scheduled to be opened, is currently closed due to a landslide, but is scheduled to be opened soon, and on the contrary, it is currently open. It means a road that is possible but will be closed soon. The “plan road ID” refers to a number, symbol, code, etc. that identifies the planned road.
According to such a map data update system, the only operations required for updating by the user are the selection of a planned road ID for inquiring update possibility and the push button operation for requesting transmission of updated map data. . Therefore, the user can finish updating the necessary map with a very simple operation. Further, the map data to be updated is only the map data that becomes necessary when the planned road selected by the user is completed, and the map data that is not related thereto is not updated. Therefore, since the amount of map data to be obtained is small, there is an effect that the map purchase cost and the communication cost associated with the update can be reduced.

The invention according to claim 2 relates to the map data update system according to claim 1, wherein the stage where the updated map data can be provided is in a state where the planned road is completed and usable. The update map data is ready to be transmitted.
Here, the “state where the planned road is completed and usable” refers to a state where the planned road is closed and cannot be used when the planned road is closed.

  Since the updated map data transmitted to the car navigation device is used for route search and the like immediately, it is not permitted to transmit the updated map data before the planned road is completed. Even if the planned road is completed, it cannot be provided unless the updated map data is ready. Therefore, it is possible to optimize the provision time of the update map data by adopting the above configuration.

The invention according to claim 3 is the map data update system according to claim 1, wherein the planned road database further holds information on the plan progress status of each planned road, and the update availability reply means includes: When the determination result is transmitted, a new planned road list is created based on the information on the planned progress status, and transmitted together.
New roads are planned one after another. Therefore, if the latest planned road list is transmitted to the car navigation device, the user can obtain information on new planned roads, and the updated map data can be obtained when the information is completed.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the map data updating system according to the first aspect, the update availability answering means needs to be updated together when transmitting an updatable result as the determination result. And the update data requesting means sends version information of each of the map map data in the map database corresponding to the ID of the map map data when requesting transmission of the related map map data. The update map transmission means determines the version of each update division map data to be transmitted based on the received version information.

Here, “ID of segmented map data” refers to a number, symbol, code or the like that identifies segmented map data. “Version information” refers to information representing the version number.
New versions of the section map data are created one after another as the planned road is completed. Each segmented map data has a strong relationship with the adjacent segmented map data. Therefore, it is not always necessary to send the latest version of map data when receiving an update request, and it is necessary to determine the version to be sent in consideration of the current version of the segmented map data held by the car navigation device. . With the configuration as described above, the map information server can know the current version information of the related map on the car navigation device side, so that the version of the updated map data to be transmitted can be determined based on the information. As a result, it is possible to transmit the correct version of the updated map data.

  The invention according to claim 5 is a car navigation device having an electronic map for navigation, wherein a map database storing a plurality of segmented map data, a planned road list, and a user from the planned road list An update inquiry means that inquires the server that distributes the map information about the update possibility of the associated map data with the selected planned road ID attached, and receives an instruction from the user when an update response is received in response to the inquiry. Update data request means for requesting transmission of related update map data, and map data update means for receiving the update map data sent in response to the request and updating the map database. Car navigation device.

  According to the car navigation apparatus having such a configuration, as in the case of the invention described in claim 1, the user can obtain only the updated map data required by a very simple operation. Accordingly, there is an effect that the map purchase cost and communication cost associated with the update can be reduced.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the car navigation device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a new planned road list sent from a server that distributes the map information is received and the planned road list is updated. It further comprises planned road list updating means.
According to such a configuration, the planned road list of the car navigation device can be updated to the latest one.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the car navigation device according to the fifth aspect, the update inquiry means updates at the same time as an updatable answer to the inquiry about the updatability of the related map data. When the ID of the required segmented map data is received, the update data requesting unit, when requesting transmission of the related updated map data, stores the ID in the map database corresponding to the ID of the segmented map data. The version information of each segmented map data is transmitted together.

  According to such a configuration, the car navigation device can receive the updated map data of the version that takes into consideration the version of the current segmented map data held by itself, and can perform the correct update.

  The invention described in claim 8 is a map information server that distributes updated map data to a car navigation device having an electronic map, and includes an updated map database that stores the updated map data, and updates related to each planned road. A planned road database that stores information on whether or not map data can be provided, and the planned road database in response to an inquiry about the possibility of updating related map data that is performed by attaching a planned road ID from a car navigation device. An update availability answering means for judging update possibility based on the information and transmitting a judgment result, and responding to a request for sending related update map data made by attaching a planned road ID from the car navigation device Update map transmission means for extracting and transmitting update map data from the update map database; A map information server, wherein the obtaining.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to transmit only the updated map data required by the user to the user, and there is an effect that the map purchase cost and the communication cost of the user can be reduced.

  Further, the invention according to claim 9 is the map information server according to claim 8, wherein the planned road database further holds information on the plan progress status of each planned road, and the update availability answering means When the determination result is transmitted, a new planned road list is created based on the information on the planned progress status and transmitted together.

  According to such a configuration, the latest planned road list can be provided to the user. Moreover, the provision amount (sales amount) of the update map provided to the user can thereby be increased.

  Further, the invention according to claim 10 is the map information server according to claim 8, wherein the update availability reply means needs to be updated when transmitting the update possible result as the determination result. When the ID of the division map data is transmitted, and the update map transmission means receives the transmission of the version information of the division map data corresponding to the ID of the division map data together with the transmission request of the related update map data. The version of each update division map data to be transmitted is determined based on the received version information.

  According to such a configuration, as in the case of the invention described in claim 4, the map information server can know the current version information of the related map on the car navigation device side, so that an updated map is transmitted based on the information. The data version can be determined. As a result, it is possible to transmit the correct version of the updated map data.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a map data update system according to the present invention. The map data update system 1 includes a car navigation device 2 and a map information server 20. Although only one set of car navigation devices is shown in the figure, there are usually a plurality of car navigation devices.
The map information server 20 and the car navigation device 2 are connected via a communication line 15 so that they can communicate wirelessly. As the communication line 15, in this embodiment, a cellular phone network 16 and the Internet 17 connected thereto are used.

The car navigation device 2 includes a control circuit 3, a GPS receiver 4, an operation switch group 5, a display device 6, an audio output device 7, a communication device 8, and a magnetic disk device (hereinafter referred to as HDD) 9. .
The control circuit 2 has a function of controlling the overall operation of the car navigation device 2 and is mainly composed of a microcomputer. Inside the CPU, RAM, ROM, I / O interface (not shown) are connected. A bus, power supply, etc. are provided.

The GPS receiver 4 receives signals from GPS artificial satellites and transmits them to the control circuit 3, and based on the information, necessary arithmetic processing is performed in the control circuit 3 to calculate the current position of the vehicle. The The operation switch group 5 is a means for inputting various information to the control circuit 3, and is composed of, for example, a touch switch or a remote control switch formed on a color liquid crystal display.
The display device 6 is for displaying a road map, the current position of the vehicle, route guidance, a planned road list, which will be described later, and the like, and is constituted by a color liquid crystal display, for example. The voice output device 7 is used to transmit output information from the control circuit 3 to the driver instead of artificial voice, and is used, for example, to transmit route guidance by voice.

  The communication device 8 is for wireless communication with the map information server 20 described above, and communicates with the map information server 20 via the antenna 10, the base station 18 of the mobile phone network, the mobile phone network 16, and the Internet 17 connected thereto. To do.

  In the HDD 9, a map database and a planned road list are stored in advance. Details of these will be described later. In addition, various programs for operating the car navigation device 2 are stored in the HDD 9 in advance. This program includes a program for executing a general car navigation function in addition to a program for exerting the functions of the present invention described later, for example, a function for calculating a current position based on a signal from the GPS receiver 4 A map matching processing function that positions the calculated current position on the map, a route search function that searches for a route from the current position to the destination in response to designation of the destination or waypoint, and a guidance route according to the route search result A program for executing a route guidance function for displaying and guiding on a map screen, a function for receiving road traffic information from VICS (Vehicle Information & Communication System) and notifying a driver is included.

  In addition to the devices as described above, the car navigation device 2 is attached with a distance sensor for detecting the moving distance, a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the vehicle speed, a gyroscope for detecting the direction of the vehicle, and the like as necessary.

  The map information server 20 includes a control device 21 and an HDD 22. In the HDD 22, an updated map database and a planned road database are stored. These will be described later. In addition, the HDD 22 also stores a program for operating the control device 21 configured by a computer.

  Next, a map database and a planned road list stored in the HDD 9 of the car navigation device 2 will be described. The map database is composed of a partitioned map data table shown in FIG. 2 and a partitioned map data file shown in FIG. The section map data table includes three fields of “section map ID (index)”, “version number”, and “section map data file name”. The division map ID is an index for specifying the division map, and the version number represents the version number. The section map data file name represents a file name in which map data stored in correspondence with the section map ID is recorded.

  Map data is stored as a collection of a large number of segmented map data obtained by dividing a national map into rectangular areas by straight lines parallel to meridians and latitudes. The division is performed in three sizes, and the same national map is stored as a collection of three-level partitioned map data having different division sizes. From the one with the larger division size, it will be referred to as upper division map data, middle division map data, and lower division map data. The division map ID for identifying each division map data is expressed by a combination of a hierarchy to which the division map belongs and a serial number in the hierarchy. For example, “higher 01” and “higher 02” are used for the upper division map data. Further, the middle segment map data is represented as “middle 01” and “middle 02”, and the lower segment map data is represented as “lower 01” and “lower 02”.

  The version number is represented by the letter “V” followed by a number, and the smaller number represents the older version. The section map data file name is a name including the section map ID and its version number. For example, the name “higher 01V1.file” represents a file that stores map data having a division map ID “higher 01” and a version number “V1”.

  FIG. 3 shows the contents of the file of the division map data file name “higher 01V1.file” described at the top of the division map data table of FIG. 2 as an example, the map drawing data file name, the road data file. Three file names, a name and a facility data file name, are described.

The map drawing data file is a file that stores data for drawing the map of the classification on the display device 6.
The road data file is a file that stores road data used for route search and route guidance to a destination. In the road data, intersections, turning points, dead ends, and the like of each road are defined as nodes, roads between the respective nodes are defined as links, and road links are configured by connecting the links. Each link stores information such as connection information with previous and subsequent links and road regulations as attributes.
The facility data file is a file that stores marks indicating the locations of various facilities such as gas stations and restaurants on a map and data introducing these facilities. The contents of each file are stored in the map database.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the planned map list stored in the HDD 9 of the car navigation device 2. Planned roads are roads that are currently under construction and are scheduled to be opened soon, roads that are currently closed due to landslides, etc., but are scheduled to be opened soon. A road that is scheduled to be closed soon. As shown in the figure, the planned map list is a list in which “planned road ID”, “planned road name”, “section”, “scheduled opening date”, and “map update” are described. This planned map list is attached together when the user first purchases the map data. Further, as will be described later, an update list is also sent from the map information server 20. The reason why “opened” in the “scheduled opening date” column is that the update list has been updated. Further, “completed” in the “map update” column indicates that the necessary segmented map data has already been updated.

  Next, the update map database and the planned road database stored in the HDD 22 of the map information server 20 will be described. First, the update map database is composed of an update segment map data table shown in FIG. 5 and a segment map data file shown in FIG. The update segment map data table has the same table configuration as the segment map data table shown in FIG. The difference is that in the segmented map data table of FIG. 2, only the segmented map data file name of one version number is described for one segmented map ID, whereas the updated segmented map data table of FIG. Then, one or more version numbers and corresponding map data file names are described for one map ID.

For example, for the segmented map data whose segmented map ID is “top 01”, segmented map data file names corresponding to three versions whose version numbers are “V1”, “V2”, and “V3” are described. Three versions of segmented map data corresponding to are stored.
On the car navigation device 2 side, it is sufficient to hold the segment map data corresponding to the version number currently in use, so the segment map data with the old version number is deleted by updating. Therefore, only one section map data file name of the version number held is described for one section map ID. On the other hand, on the map information server 20 side, when there is a request from the car navigation device 2, it is necessary to determine the version of the updated map data to be transmitted in consideration of the version number currently held by the car navigation device 2. . For this reason, the section map data file names of all versions are described for each section map ID.

  FIG. 6 shows the contents of the segmented map data file, which has the same configuration and the same contents as those shown in FIG. 3 for the car navigation device 2 side. There are as many segmented map data files as the number of segmented map data file names described in the updated segmented map data table. The contents of these files are stored in the updated map database.

  The next planned road database includes a planned road table shown in FIG. 7, an updated map table shown in FIG. 8, a related map ID file shown in FIG. 9, and an updated map data file shown in FIG. The planned road table in FIG. 7 has four fields of “planned road ID”, “planned road name”, “section”, and “scheduled opening date”, which are shown in FIG. 4 on the car navigation device 2 side. It is the same as the item in the planned road list. Data is added to the planned road table every time a new road is planned.

  The updated map table shown in FIG. 8 has five fields of “plan road ID”, “opening date”, “update data presence / absence”, “related map ID file name”, and “update map data file name”. This updated map table is associated with the planned road table of FIG. 7 by the “planned road ID” field. The date of actual opening is registered in the “opening date” field. The “update data presence / absence” field is a field for registering the presence / absence of update map data.

  In the “related map ID file name” field, the name of the file storing the ID of the segmented map data that needs to be updated is registered. FIG. 9 shows the contents of the related map ID file “A01.id” of the planned road ID “A01” as an example. When the planned road ID “A01” is opened, the division map ID is “medium 01”. ”,“ Lower 01 ”, and“ Lower 02 ”need to be updated.

  In the “update map data file name” field, the name of a file that stores the correspondence between the version number before the update and the version number after the update is registered for each divided map ID that needs to be updated. FIG. 10 shows the contents of the updated map data file “A01.file” for the planned road ID “A01” as an example. In the updated map data file “A01.file”, the map as shown in FIG. 11 (1) is changed as shown in FIG. 11 (2) by the opening of the planned road ID “A01” shown in the figure. In this case, the relationship between the pre-update version number and the post-update version number of the classification map ID that needs to be updated is shown.

  The map of (1) in FIG. 11 shows a state where a bypass road with the planned road ID “A01” is planned between the road 28 and the road 29. The bypass road with the planned road ID “A01” connects both the map 31 with the section map ID “lower 01” and the version number “V2” and the map 32 with the section map ID “lower 02” and the version number “V1”. Is planned. The segmented map data with the segmented map IDs “lower 01” and “lower 02” are included in the segmented map data with the segmented map ID “middle 01” and the version number “V1”. Also in the map data, the bypass road with the planned road ID “A01” is described as the planned road. However, since the bypass road of the planned road ID “A01” is a local road, it is assumed that it is not described as a planned road in the higher-level segmented map data.

  When the bypass road with the planned road ID “A01” is opened, it is necessary to update the map of (1) in FIG. 11 as shown in (2) of FIG. The map 31 with the division map ID “lower 01” and the version number “V2” needs to be updated to the map 34 with the version number “V3”. The map 32 with the division map ID “lower 02” and the version number “V1” It is necessary to update to the map 35 of the version number “V2”. Furthermore, the map 30 with the classification map ID “middle order 01” and the version number “V1” needs to be updated to the map 33 with the version number “V2”. Since the upper-level classified map data does not include the bypass road of the planned road ID “A01”, the upper-level map data need not be updated.

  The updated map data file shown in FIG. 10 represents the relationship of such updates accompanying the opening of the bypass road with the planned road ID “A01”. In the figure, “updated map number: 3” indicates that the number of segmented map data that needs to be updated is 3, and “updated intermediate map number: 1” means that the updated map number needs to be updated. Indicates that the number of is 1. “Intermediate before update 01-V1” indicates that the ID of the intermediate segment map data that needs to be updated is “intermediate 01” and the version number is “V1”. “V2” indicates that the data before the update needs to be updated to the version number “V2” with the division map ID “middle order 01”. Similarly, “Number of updated lower maps: 2” indicates that the number of lower map data that needs to be updated is two, and the four columns below the two sub-categories that need to be updated The relationship between the version number before update of map ID and the version number after update is shown.

Next, the device configuration as described above, the operation for updating the map data held by the car navigation device 2 using each database, and the processing performed by the control circuit 3 and the control device 21 in accordance therewith. Will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.
First, the user operates the operation switch group 5 to select a menu of the planned road list display from the menu screen of the car navigation device 2 (step S1). The pointing mark outside the frame in step S1 indicates that the operation is performed by the user.

  Thereby, the planned road list shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the display device 6 (step S2). The user selects a desired planned road ID from the list (step S3). In the present embodiment, instead of requesting transmission of updated map data from the beginning, first, the update map server 20 is requested to determine whether or not update map data can be updated, and thereafter, transmission of updated map data is requested 2 The stage method is adopted. Therefore, the selection in step S3 is to select a planned road for which a determination of the update possibility is to be made. The selection is performed by operating the transmission button in the operation switch group 5 after selecting the desired planned road ID in the displayed planned road list by the operation switch group 5.

  When the planned road ID is selected and a transmission operation is performed, the process proceeds to step S4, and the control circuit 3 transmits the selected planned road ID to the update map server 20. At the same time, the planned road ID in which “map update” is “completed” in the planned road list of FIG. 4 is also transmitted. This is a measure for preventing the already updated planned road from being transmitted again as the planned road when the updated map server 20 transmits the updated data of the planned road list to the car navigation device 2 later.

  When the transmission information is received by the updated map server 20, the control device 21 starts operating. The control device 21 first prepares update data for the planned road list (step T1). This update data is data for informing the car navigation device 2 of the opening and non-opening of the new planned road and the previous planned road. The update data is obtained by adding the planned road table shown in FIG. 7 stored in the update map database of the update map server 20 and the opening date in the update map table of FIG. However, as described above, the data of the planned road ID reported as updated from the car navigation device 2 is excluded.

  In the subsequent step T2, it is determined whether or not the update division map data for the transmitted planned road ID is ready. This determination is made with reference to the updated map table of FIG. In order to transmit the update map data, it is necessary to prepare update map data corresponding to the selected planned road ID. This can be confirmed by the data in the “update data presence / absence” field. In addition to this, the planned road must already be open. The data sent to the car navigation device 2 as updated map data is used immediately for route search and the like. Therefore, it is not allowed to send updated map data before opening. Whether it is open or not can be confirmed by the data in the “opening date” field.

  If either of these two conditions is not satisfied, it is determined that the update is impossible. In that case, the reply that the update is not possible and the update data of the planned road list prepared in step T1 are sent to the car navigation device 2 (step T3). When the information is received by the car navigation device 2, a display indicating that the information cannot be updated is displayed on the display device 6 (step S5). In this case, it is preferable to simultaneously display the reason that the map has not been opened yet or has been opened but the updated map data is not ready.

Thereafter, the planned road lithos shown in FIG. 4 are updated based on the received update data of the planned road list (step S6). The data of “scheduled opening date” for the existing planned road ID is updated with the update data. For new planned roads, data for all fields is added.
If it is determined in step T2 that the road with the designated planned road ID has already been opened and updated map data is ready, the process proceeds to step T4. In step T4, an answer that update map data can be provided and the update data of the planned road list are transmitted to the car navigation device 2. At this time, the contents of the related map ID file shown in FIG. 9 are also transmitted. The related map ID file is a file in which the ID of the section map data that needs to be updated when the road is opened as described above.

The car navigation device 2 receives the transmitted data, and first temporarily stores the related map ID file in the HDD 9 (step S7). Subsequently, it is displayed that necessary segmented map data can be updated (step S8). Thereafter, the planned road list is updated in the same manner as in step S6 (step S9).
In subsequent step S10, the user determines whether or not to request transmission of updated map data for the planned road ID that has been notified that update is possible. When not requesting, the fact is input from the operation switch group 5 to end the process without updating. When requesting, the fact is input using the operation switch group 5.

  In subsequent step S11, the control circuit 3 transmits to the updated map server 20 a request for transmission of updated map data related to the previously-planned road ID. At the same time, the version number of the section map data that needs to be updated is also transmitted. The ID of the segmented map data that needs to be updated is described in the related map ID file sent in step T4. The control circuit 3 reads the version number of the segment map data corresponding to the segment map ID from the segment map data table of FIG. 2 and transmits it.

  The updated map server 20 checks the sent version number. Then, it is determined whether or not updating is possible based on those version numbers (step T5). As described in the update map data file of FIG. 10, for the segmented map data to be updated, the version number before update and the version number after update are defined in the update map data file of FIG. Because it is necessary.

  For example, when the planned road ID is “A01” and the map of FIG. 11 (1) is updated to the map of FIG. 11 (2) by the opening, the update is performed as shown in the update map data file of FIG. The version number of the map data of the previous division map ID “middle order 01” is “V1”, the version number of the map data of the division map ID “low order 01” is “V2”, and the map data of the division map ID “low order 02”. The version number must be “V1”. The control device 21 checks whether or not the version number of each segmented map ID sent from the car navigation device 2 is so.

  If the version number of any of the division map IDs does not match, it cannot be updated, so that information is transmitted (step T6). Such a case where the version numbers do not match occurs, for example, when the version number representing the whole of the initially purchased map data is different from the overall version number considered by the updated map server 20 side. On the car navigation device 2 side, the fact that it cannot be updated is displayed (step S12), and the process ends.

If it is determined that all the version numbers match and can be updated, the process proceeds to step T7.
In step T7, the updated map data file shown in FIG. 10 is referred to, and the version number of each updated divided map is determined. Then, the segment map data file name in which segment map data corresponding to these version numbers is stored is read from the update segment map data table shown in FIG. 5, and the file is read from the update map database. And it transmits to the car navigation apparatus 2.

The car navigation device 2 side receives the updated map data sent and updates the segmented map data (step S13). The update is performed by replacing the section map data of the previous version number with the section map data of the new version number. At the same time, the corresponding version number in the segmented map data table shown in FIG. 2 is updated.
Subsequently, the data in the “map update” field corresponding to the updated planned road ID in the planned road list in FIG. 4 is updated to “completed” (step S14). Since the necessary update of the segment map data is completed as described above, the completion of the update is displayed on the display device 6 (step S15), and the process is terminated.

  As described above, according to the map data updating system of the present invention, the user selects the planned road list display menu (step S1), selects the planned road ID (step S3), and performs a button operation for requesting update data transmission (step S3). The update map data can be received and updated by only three simple operations such as step S10). In addition, since the updated map data received is only data related to the planned road required by the user and does not include extra data, there is an effect that the cost for obtaining the updated map data and the communication cost can be reduced.

  Note that the update inquiry means, update data request means, map data update means, and planned road list update means described in the claims are the control circuit 3, the operation switch group 5, the display device 7, and the communication means 8 in the embodiment described above. And a map database, a planned road list, and a program for executing the flow on the car navigation device 2 side in FIGS. 12 and 13. The update availability reply means and the update map transmission means are realized by the control device 21, the update map database, the planned road database, and a program that executes the flow on the map information server 3 side in FIGS.

It is an example of the whole structure of a map data update system. It is an example of the division map data table in a car navigation apparatus. It is an example of the division | segmentation map data file in a car navigation apparatus. It is an example of the planned road list in a car navigation apparatus. It is an example of the update division map data table in a map information server. It is an example of the division map data file in a map information server. It is an example of the planned road table in a map information server. It is an example of the update map table in a map information server. It is an example of the related map ID file in a map information server. It is an example of the update map data file in a map information server. It is a figure explaining the relationship between the version number of the division | segmentation map ID before update and after update. It is a flow of operation and control of division map data update. It is a continuation part of the flow of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 1 is a map data update system, 2 is a car navigation device, 3 is a control circuit, 4 is a GPS receiver, 5 is an operation switch group, 6 is a display device, 7 is an audio output device, 8 is a communication device, 9 Denotes an HDD, 15 denotes a communication line, 21 denotes a control device, 22 denotes an HDD, and 20 denotes a map information server.

Claims (10)

A map data update system for updating and delivering updated map data required by a car navigation device from a map information server,
The car navigation device attaches a map database storing a plurality of segmented map data, a planned road list, and a planned road ID selected by the user from the planned road list to indicate whether the map data can be updated. An update inquiry means for making an inquiry to the information server, an update data request means for requesting transmission of relevant update map data in response to an instruction from the user when an update possible response is received in response to the inquiry, and sending in response to the request Map data update means for receiving the updated map data and updating the map database,
The map information server includes an updated map database storing updated map data, a planned road database storing information indicating whether or not update map data relating to each planned road can be provided, and the update possibility. In response to the inquiry, update possibility determination means for determining update possibility based on the information in the planned road database and transmitting a determination result; and updating map data related to the update map data in response to the transmission request for the update map data Update map transmission means for extracting and transmitting from the database;
A map data update system comprising:   The step of providing the updated map data is a step in which the planned road is completed and usable, and preparation for transmission of related updated map data is completed. The map data update system described.   The planned road database further holds information on the planned progress status of each planned road, and the update availability answering means generates a new planned road list based on the information on the planned progress status when transmitting the determination result. The map data update system according to claim 1, wherein the map data update system is created and transmitted together.   The update availability response means transmits an ID of the segmented map data that needs to be updated together with the update result as the determination result, and the update data request means When requesting transmission, the version information of each segmented map data in the map database corresponding to the ID of the segmented map data is also transmitted, and the updated map transmitting means transmits each based on the received version information. The map data update system according to claim 1, wherein a version of the update division map data is determined.   A car navigation device having an electronic map for navigation, which is associated with a map database storing a plurality of segmented map data, a planned road list, and a planned road ID selected by the user from the planned road list An update inquiry means for inquiring the update possibility of the map data to the server that distributes the map information, and when the update response is received in response to the inquiry, it requests the transmission of the related update map data in response to a user instruction. A car navigation apparatus comprising: update data requesting means; and map data updating means for receiving updated map data sent in response to the request and updating the map database.   6. The car navigation device according to claim 5, further comprising planned road list update means for receiving a new planned road list sent from the server for distributing the map information and updating the planned road list. .   When the update inquiry means receives the ID of the segmented map data that needs to be updated at the same time as the update availability answer to the inquiry about the update possibility of the related map data, the update data request means The version information of each segmented map data in the map database corresponding to the ID of the segmented map data is transmitted together when requesting transmission of the related updated map data. Car navigation device.   A map information server that distributes updated map data to a car navigation device having an electronic map, and whether or not it is in a stage where it is possible to provide an updated map database storing updated map data and updated map data related to each planned road In response to an inquiry about the updatability of the planned road database storing the information of the map and the related map data attached by attaching the planned road ID from the car navigation device, the updatability is determined based on the information in the planned road database. An update availability answering means for transmitting the determination result, and extracting related update map data from the update map database in response to a request for transmission of the related update map data performed by attaching a planned road ID from the car navigation device. Update map transmission means for transmitting the map information, Over server.   The planned road database further holds information on the planned progress status of each planned road, and the update availability answering means generates a new planned road list based on the information on the planned progress status when transmitting the determination result. The map information server according to claim 8, wherein the map information server is created and transmitted together. The update availability reply means transmits the ID of the segmented map data that needs to be updated when sending the update possible result as the determination result, and the update map transmission means When the version information of the segment map data corresponding to the ID of the segment map data is received together with the transmission request, the version of each update segment map data to be transmitted is determined based on the received version information. The map information server according to claim 8.

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