JP2007163348A - Map relevant information distribution system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inexpensively acquire map data reflecting the newest road situation or the like even in a state where the newest CD-ROM storing the map data is not obtained, and to prevent the illegal use such as illegal copy. <P>SOLUTION: A host system comprises an updating means for updating the map data stored in a map database, an updating part map database for adding position identifying information to the map data of the updated part and storing the map data, and a transmitting/receiving means for reading the map data of the updated part and transmitting it toward a fixed terminal device as a demand origin in response to the demand from the fixed terminal device. The fixed terminal device comprises a selecting method for selecting desired area and map relevant information, and a record medium writing means that demands the map data updated in the selected area and the map relevant information from the host system and writes the map data and map relevant information received from the host system into an external record medium. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a map-related information distribution system that distributes map data and related information from a host system to a fixed or mobile terminal device via another fixed terminal device.

With the development of vehicles and road traffic networks, it has become easy to move to remote locations. However, if you go to an unfamiliar area, information such as maps is indispensable.
Conventionally, map information is stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD medium, and a map around the current position is displayed on the display screen from the CD-ROM or DVD medium according to the current position detected using a satellite. GPS (Global Positioning System) -based navigation systems that guide to the ground are in widespread use.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the outline of this navigation system. An input unit 61 for inputting various instructions, a GPS unit 62 for receiving a radio wave from a satellite to detect a current position, and a CD storing map data. -It is comprised from the external memory | storage part 63 which reads map data from ROM, the data processing part 64 which controls the whole, and the display part 65 which displays a process result.

  In the navigation system having such a configuration, when the power is turned on, the GPS unit 62 receives radio waves from the satellite, starts detecting the latitude and longitude of the current position where the device is located, and processes the detection results as data processing. Input to the unit 64.

On the other hand, the data processing unit 64 performs initialization processing after power-on, and then obtains the current location from the CD-ROM of the external storage unit 63 based on the latitude and longitude information of the current location input from the GPS unit 62. Map data in a predetermined range centered on is read out, and a map obtained by visualizing the map data is displayed on the display unit 65.
At this time, a specific symbol indicating the current position and various command menus for receiving instructions from the user are displayed on the display screen. This command menu includes one for registering a destination, and one for tracing a specific symbol indicating the current position on a map while displaying the current position.

In addition, there exists the following patent document 1 as a well-known technical document relevant to this invention.
JP 7-6293 A

By the way, the road to the destination is not permanent, and is often changed temporarily for regional development or road condition improvement, or temporarily interrupted due to a natural disaster or a traffic accident.
However, a storage medium such as a CD-ROM storing map data is updated and sold, for example, on a yearly basis. Therefore, until a storage medium such as a CD-ROM reflecting the latest road conditions is obtained, the route to the destination is guided using the storage medium such as the CD-ROM before update. As a result, if there is a recently blocked road or a blocked road on the route to the destination, it will be guided to the blocked road or to a temporarily blocked road. The inconvenience has occurred.
In addition, a storage medium such as a CD-ROM has a limited storage capacity, and it is impossible to record the increasing map-related data, and the map information provider can suppress the recording area, for example, only in western Japan, In order to suppress map-related data such as suppressing leisure facilities such as, it is impossible to provide map information that is truly necessary for all map information users.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a map-related information distribution system that provides information that is really necessary when a map information user needs map information when using map information.

In order to achieve the above object, a map-related information distribution system of the present invention includes a host system including a map database, map data and map-related data received from the host system, and map data used in a mobile terminal device, and It consists of a fixed terminal device that creates an external recording medium that records map-related data,
The host system is
In response to a request from the fixed terminal device, an update means for updating the map data stored in advance in the map database, an update partial map database for storing the map data of the update portion with location identification information added thereto, Search processing means for reading out the update portion map data corresponding to the position identification information included in the request from the update partial map database, and transmission / reception means for transmitting the search result to the requesting fixed terminal device,
The fixed terminal device is
Selection means for selecting a desired region and map-related information; map data and map-related information updated in the selected region are requested to the host system; and the map data and map-related information received from the host system A map-related information distribution system comprising recording medium writing means for writing to an external recording medium.
The recording medium writing means reads the key information of the authentication key connected to the external connection terminal when writing the map data and the map related information to the external recording medium, writes the key information together with the map data and the map related information, and moves the movement When reading the map data and the map related information recorded in the external recording medium in the terminal device, the map data and the map only when an authentication key having key information that matches the key information is attached to the mobile terminal device It is characterized by permitting reading of related information.

The map related information distribution system of the present invention has the following effects.
(1) In mobile terminal devices, the creation of storage media such as CD-ROM can be done when the map information user wants it actively, so be aware of the date of issue of the storage media such as CD-ROM. There is no need to do. In other words, when the latest map information is required, the user can obtain it at any time.
(2) In the mobile terminal device, the creation of a storage medium such as a CD-ROM selects the area and the content that the map information user needs and navigates without leaving the content that the user really needs. Can be gated.
(3) Since the mobile terminal device requires the storage medium and the authentication key used when creating the recording medium to start the navigation system, the economic damage to the map information provider due to unauthorized copying of the storage medium is avoided. Can be prevented.
(4) Update information is generally distributed to mobile terminal devices such as a navigation system using a wireless device such as a mobile phone. However, when a mobile phone is used, a large amount of communication is required. There is a cost. In the case of the present invention, since an existing large-capacity network is used, communication costs are not incurred and the communication time is completed in a short time.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a map-related information distribution system to which the present invention is applied will be described.
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention. A map-related information distribution system according to this embodiment includes a host system 12 having a map database 11, and map data and data from the host system 12. The fixed terminal devices 13a, 13b, and 13n that receive map-related data such as tourist information are connected to the network 14 by a wired public line network. Is connected to the host system 12.

The host system 12 corresponds to, for example, a company that is a map information provider, and the fixed terminal devices 13a, 13b, and 13n correspond to, for example, personal computers installed in general private houses.
In the host system 12, in addition to the map database 11, a map update unit 121 that stores the update and update date of the map data and stores the update and update date of the map related information that accompanies the map data. And a transmission / reception unit 123 that receives an update map data transfer request from the fixed terminal device 13a and the like and transfers the map DB 11.
In the map database 11 of the host system 12, map-related information such as map data indicating road maps throughout Japan and tourist information for each region is registered.
The fixed terminals 13a, 13b, and 13n include an authentication key 131 having a unique key for preventing illegal creation of the recording medium, data reception from the host system 12, data creation to the recording medium, and recording medium A data processing unit 132 for writing data to the disk, an external recording device, and a recording medium 133 are provided.

  The mobile terminal 15 is, for example, a car navigation system installed in a car. The mobile terminal 15 includes a car navigation system 151 that guides a destination by an image or voice, and a fixed terminal for starting the car navigation system 151. The same authentication key 131 as the authentication key used when creating the recording medium 13a and the recording medium 133 created by the fixed terminal 13a are provided.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the fixed terminals 13a, 13b, and 13n, and the user of the car navigation system according to the present invention first uses this device.
That is, the map database 21 which is a DB on the fixed terminal side, the data processing unit 132 which is a device for creating the recording medium 133 with an application program incorporated in the fixed terminal, the input to the data processing unit 132 and the data processing unit 132 An authentication key 131 connected to an external connection terminal such as a USB port is provided, which is a key necessary for creating a recording medium in the input unit 23 and the data processing unit 132 which are selection items required from ing.
Further, the data processing unit 132 selects a region to be recorded in Japan and a recorded content selection unit 221 for selecting what kind of map-related information such as sightseeing spot guidance / leisure facility guidance is recorded, a map database After confirming whether the map database 11 newer than 21 exists, the authentication is performed while reading the data selected by the transmission / reception unit 222 that transfers to the map database 21 and the recorded content selection unit 221 in the map database 21 if it exists. There is provided a write data creation unit 223 that reads the key code stored in the key 131 and creates the recording medium write data in which the key code is embedded, and writes to the recording medium.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the mobile terminal 15, an input unit 31 for inputting various instructions, a GPS unit 32 for receiving a radio wave from a satellite to detect the current position, and a CD storing map data. An external storage unit 33 that reads map data from the ROM, a data processing unit 34 that controls the whole, and a display unit 35 that displays processing results exist as constituent devices, and these are the same as those in a conventional navigation system.
The navigation system according to the present invention further comprises an authentication key 131 such as an external storage device connected to a USB port, for example, necessary for starting the navigation system, and a recording medium 133 created by the fixed terminals 13a, 13b, 13n. Has been.

Hereinafter, the operation of the map-related information distribution system configured as described above will be described.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an outline of the data processing unit 132 of the fixed terminals 13a, 13b, and 13n.
The fixed terminals 13a, 13b, and 13n first display the map of the Japanese archipelago on the screen, for example, which area the navigation system user wants to guide, and select the area that wants the guidance (select the recording area). ) (Step 41).
Next, what kind of map related information the navigation system user wants is displayed, for example, a list of contents of map related information is displayed in a list format such as a table, and prompts the user to select the recorded content for which guidance is desired ( Step 42).
That is, by these steps 41 and 42, the navigation information that each car navigation user really wants can be selected, and unnecessary information is excluded, so that the recording capacity of a finite recording medium is unnecessary. In addition, it is possible to provide the map data content that the user really wants by recording the content that the user wants in the recording area that has been wasted with unnecessary information in the conventional navigation system. It is possible.

Next, the host system 12 (step 43) is inquired whether the map database 11 in the map database 21 is newer than the contents selected in the steps 41 and 42. If there is a new map database 11 (step 44), an inquiry is made to the fixed terminals 13a, 13b, and 13n as to whether or not to transmit data, and after confirming the intention to transfer data (step 45). ), Data is transferred to the map database 12 (step 46).
Thereby, the latest map database 21 at the time when the users of the fixed terminals 13a, 13b, and 13n desire can be acquired, and the data processing unit 132 can be used whenever the users of the fixed terminals 13a, 13b, and 13n desire. Since the data processing unit 132 is frequently used, the latest map data and map-related data can always be used.

In step 45 and step 46, charging associated with the update data provision may be performed. If this billing method is in the form of a contract that is valid only for one month from the time when the data processing unit 132 is executed, the figure-related information distribution system that accompanies monthly contract fee collection in the current map-related information distribution system Can be prevented.
Further, the host system 12 and the fixed terminals 13a, 13b, and 13n are wired to a network such as the Internet via a general public line. Accordingly, the data transfer time in the present invention can be overwhelmingly saved and superior to the data transfer time by the wireless device in the conventional map-related information distribution system.
Also, in the communication cost, if the charging method of the communication data of the wireless device in the conventional map-related information distribution system is a pay-as-you-go method, the communication cost in the present invention can greatly save the data transfer time, This is also an advantage.

Next, after creating data for recording medium recording (step 47), the capacity of the unwritten recording medium set in the external storage device is compared with the data capacity for recording medium recording (step 48). If the data capacity for recording medium is larger, the process returns to step 41 to display warning information so as to reduce the recorded content.
When the recording medium recording data fits in the recording medium, the authentication key 131 is read from the external connection terminal and added to the recording medium recording data.
This authentication key 131 is unique for each key, and can be anything as long as it can be connected from an external connection terminal and is portable, for example, a hardware authentication key inserted into a USB port. It is done.
Next, the final recording medium recording data is written to an unwritten recording medium, thereby forming a recording medium 133.

In order to operate the navigation function in the mobile terminal 15, an authentication key 131, a recording medium 133, and a navigation device are required.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an outline of the data processing unit 34 of the mobile terminal 15.
The mobile terminal 15 that has been turned on first reads the key of the authentication key 131 connected to the external connection terminal (step 51), and then reads the authentication key recorded on the recording medium (step 52).
It is determined whether or not these two keys match (step 53). If they do not match, the mobile terminal 15 is not activated (step 54).
An authentication key having the same key is required for both the creation of the recording medium and the activation of the navigation system, and the authentication key has a unique key. As a result, even if the recording medium is illegally copied, there is only one authentication key required for activation, so that loss of corporate property due to illegal copying can be rejected.
The authentication key 131 may be sold together with the data processing unit 132 of the fixed terminal or the mobile terminal 15, and this method can be applied to prevent unauthorized copying of various digital recording media.

  On the other hand, if the authentication keys match in step 53, activation processing is performed in the same manner as in a normal car navigation system (step 55), waiting for instructions from the user (step 56), screen display, etc. (step 58). This is repeated until the power is turned off (step 57).

As described above, according to the map-related information distribution system of the present embodiment, there are the following effects.
By recording the content desired by the user in the recording area that was wasted with unnecessary information in the conventional navigation system, the recording capacity of the navigation finite recording medium is not wasted with unnecessary information,
(1) It is possible to select the information that each individual car navigation user really wants and to provide map data content that the user really wants by excluding unnecessary information.
(2) The latest map data / map-related data can always be used if the condition that the data processing unit 22 in the fixed terminals 13a, 13b, and 13n must be frequently performed is satisfied.
(3) The map data transfer is superior to the data transfer by the conventional wireless device because both the data transfer time and the charge according to the present invention can be overwhelmingly saved.
(4) Since the updated map data is received in a batch at the time desired by the user, there is no need to make a monthly renewal contract as in the conventional method in the billing method, preventing the user from using the conventional method and using it. Can be expected to increase.
(5) Since the mobile terminal requires an authentication key for its activation, it is possible to reject the loss of corporate property due to unauthorized copying.
In the embodiment, the CD-ROM is described as an example of a storage medium to be mounted on the mobile terminal device. However, any portable storage medium that can store map data, such as a flash memory or a DVD medium. Needless to say, it doesn't matter.

1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. It is an internal block diagram of a fixed terminal. It is an internal block diagram of a mobile terminal device. It is a flowchart which shows the process of a fixed terminal device. It is a flowchart which shows the process of a mobile terminal device. It is a schematic block diagram of the conventional navigation system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Map database, 12 ... Host system, 13a, 13b, 13n ... Fixed terminal device, 14 ... Network, 15 ... Mobile terminal device, 121 ... Map data update part, 122 ... Map related data update part, 123 ... Transmission / reception part, 131: Authentication key, 133: CD-ROM.

Claims (2)

A host system having a map database and a fixed terminal device that receives map data and map-related data from the host system and creates an external recording medium that records the map data and map-related data used in the mobile terminal device. ,
The host system is
In response to a request from the fixed terminal device, an update means for updating the map data stored in advance in the map database, an update partial map database for storing the map data of the update portion with location identification information added thereto, Search processing means for reading out the update portion map data corresponding to the position identification information included in the request from the update partial map database, and transmission / reception means for transmitting the search result to the requesting fixed terminal device,
The fixed terminal device is
Selection means for selecting a desired region and map-related information; map data and map-related information updated in the selected region are requested to the host system; and the map data and map-related information received from the host system A map-related information distribution system comprising recording medium writing means for writing to an external recording medium.   The recording medium writing means reads key information of an authentication key connected to an external connection terminal when writing map data and map related information to an external recording medium, and writes the key information together with map data and map related information. When the map data and the map related information recorded in the external recording medium are read in the map data and the map related information only when an authentication key having key information that matches the key information is attached to the mobile terminal device The map-related information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein reading of the map is permitted.

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