JP3832105B2 - Map information update system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a map information update system, and more particularly to a map information update system that receives the latest map information from a center and updates the map information of a terminal.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, a GPS device that stores map information in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM and displays a map centered on the position of the vehicle on a display device using radio waves transmitted from a satellite is being installed in many vehicles. . Some GPS devices can automatically calculate the shortest route, standard route, and the like from the current position to the destination by inputting the destination. According to such a device, the driver can surely reach the destination even on unguided land.
[0003]
However, since the roads and roadside facilities to the destination change every day due to regional development, there is no guarantee that the map information held by the vehicle is always new. Therefore, if the driver trusts the route calculated based on such old map information, the vehicle may be strayed instead.
[0004]
In this regard, in the map-related information distribution system according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-90869, the center returns updated partial map data to the requesting mobile terminal in response to a request from the mobile terminal, and updates the map data of the mobile terminal is doing. According to this prior art, since only necessary map information is transmitted from the center to the mobile terminal, it is possible to reduce the communication data amount and the communication cost and communication time.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, even if the map information held in the vehicle is partially updated by adopting the above-mentioned conventional technology, it is not sufficient for the route search in the vehicle, and the wrong route search is based on the new and old map information. There is a risk of being made.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to perform an accurate route search based on the latest map information, and to transmit a small amount of data from the center to the terminal. The object is to provide a map information update system capable of updating map information.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, a map information update system according to the present invention is a map information update system including a terminal and a center, and the terminal displays the map information display means and the map information display means. Map information storage means for storing map information for display, route search condition information transmitting means for transmitting route search condition information representing a route search condition in which at least a current position and a target position are designated, to the center; Map information update means for updating at least part of the map information stored in the map information storage means, and the center stores the latest map information storage means for storing the latest map information composed of secondary mesh data; And at least one route on the map satisfying the route search condition transmitted from the terminal from the latest map information stored in the latest map information storage means. A route searching means for search by the route search unit, and a map information transmitting means for transmitting only the secondary mesh data including the route retrieved based on the latest map information to the terminal, the map information updating means Is characterized in that the map information stored in the map information storage means is updated with secondary mesh data transmitted from the center.
[0008]
According to the present invention, search condition information such as the current location and destination location information of a terminal is transmitted from the terminal to the center, and one or more routes are searched based on the latest map information. Then, the map information on the searched route is transmitted to the terminal, and is used for updating the map information at the terminal. In this way, the route search can be performed based on the latest information. Further, since map information that is of interest to the user of the terminal is transmitted from the center to the terminal, it is possible to reduce the amount of transmission data and reduce the communication cost and communication time.
[0009]
Moreover, in one aspect of the present invention, the map information transmission means includes each creation date and time of secondary mesh data including the route searched by the route search means, and the map to be updated with the secondary mesh data. Only the secondary mesh data that has not yet been transmitted is transmitted by comparing each creation date and time of the map information stored in the information storage means. Thereby , for example, only new map information is transmitted from the center to the terminal, and the amount of data transmitted from the center to the terminal can be further reduced.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a map information update system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the map information update system 10 includes a navigation device 12 mounted on a vehicle and a center 14 connected via a communication line 16. Here, the center 14 includes a map information storage unit 26, a route search unit 28, and a map information transmission unit 30, and the map information storage unit 26 always stores the latest map information. .
[0012]
On the other hand, the navigation device 12 includes a search condition input unit 18, a search condition information transmission unit 20, a map information update unit 22, and a map information storage unit 24. The search condition input unit 18 includes a GPS receiver (not shown) and a touch panel pasted on the display, and can input search conditions including a current position, a via position, and a target position. ing. The search condition information transmission unit 20 transmits the search condition information output from the search condition input unit to the center 14 via the communication line 16. The navigation device 12 and the center 14 can transmit and receive data using a car phone or satellite subband communication.
[0013]
In the center 14, when the search condition information is transmitted from the navigation device 12, a route search process is performed based on the search condition information and the latest map information stored in the map information storage unit 26. Then, the map information transmitting unit 30 reads out map information along one or more routes searched by the route searching unit 28 from the map information storage unit 26 and transmits it to the navigation device 12 via the communication line 16. In the navigation device 12, the map information update unit 22 updates the map information stored in the map information storage unit 24 of the navigation device 12 based on the map information transmitted from the center 14.
[0014]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the map information update system having the above configuration. As shown in the figure, in the map information update system 10, when the user of the navigation device 12 instructs to update the map and inputs various search conditions such as the current location, waypoint, and destination (S101), the search conditions The information transmission unit 20 transmits the information to the center 14 (S102). Thereafter, the center 14 performs route calculation based on the latest map information stored in the map information storage unit 26 based on the received data (S103).
[0015]
Next, the map information transmission unit 30 transmits secondary mesh data (map information) including the searched route to the navigation device 12. Then, the navigation device 12 updates the map information stored in the map information storage unit 24 using the secondary mesh data received by the map information update unit 22 (S105).
[0016]
According to the map information update system 10 described above, since the route calculation is performed based on the latest map information at the center 14, accurate route calculation can be performed. Further, since the map information transmitted from the center 14 to the navigation device 12 is only on the route, the amount of data transmitted from the center 14 to the navigation device 12 can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to reduce the communication cost and communication time required for updating the map information.
[0017]
The map information update system 10 described above can be variously modified. For example, instead of transmitting all the map information on the route searched by the route search unit 28 to the navigation device 12, the map information transmission unit 30 generates the map information and the map information storage unit 24 of the navigation device 12. It is also possible to compare the creation date and time of the map information stored in the table in advance and transmit only the latest map information not yet stored on the navigation device 12 side. In this way, the amount of data transmitted from the center 14 to the navigation device 12 can be further reduced.
[0018]
Further, in the map information update system 10 described above, the route search is performed only on the center 14 side. However, the navigation device 12 may perform the route search again based on the updated map information.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a map information update system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the map information update system according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Map information update system, 12 Navigation apparatus, 14 Center, 16 Communication line, 18 Search condition input part, 20 Search condition information transmission part, 22 Map information update part, 24, 26 Map information storage part, 28 Route search part, 30 Map information transmitter.

Claims (2)

A map information update system comprising a terminal and a center,
The terminal
Map information display means;
Map information storage means for storing display map information for display by the map information display means;
Route search condition information transmitting means for transmitting to the center route search condition information representing a route search condition in which at least the current position and the target position are designated ;
Map information update means for updating at least part of the map information stored in the map information storage means;
With
The center is
Latest map information storage means for storing the latest map information composed of secondary mesh data;
Route search means for searching at least one route on the map that satisfies the route search condition transmitted from the terminal, from the latest map information stored in the latest map information storage means;
Map information transmitting means for transmitting only secondary mesh data including a route searched based on the latest map information to the terminal by the route searching means;
With
The map information update system updates the map information stored in the map information storage unit with secondary mesh data transmitted from the center. In the map information update system according to claim 1,
The map information transmission means includes each creation date and time of secondary mesh data including the route searched by the route search means, and map information stored in the map information storage means to be updated with the secondary mesh data. A map information update system that transmits only the secondary mesh data that has not yet been transmitted by comparing the creation dates and times.

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