DE102006013387A1 - Navigation system operating method for motor vehicle, involves loading card data from card data memory into memory, and dividing card data into partitions that follow geometrical formation rule - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves loading card data from a card data memory (5) into a memory (2). The card data are divided into partitions that follow a geometrical formation rule. Meshes are formed within the partitions. Edges of the meshes are formed either from edges of the partitions or from edges representing roads. The meshes of adjacent partitions, which are separated by a partition boundary, are connected or joined to a continuous partition-overlapping mesh. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a navigation system with a memory (2) a storage medium comprising a digital card.

Description

technical area

The Invention relates to a method for operating a navigation system, in particular a navigation system for a motor vehicle, as well Such a navigation system and a storage medium with a stored digital map.

was standing of the technique

navigation systems use digital maps with map data to represent a Map section on a display, for route display and determination, for destination entry, destination determination and destination routing of one of a driver steered vehicle, such as motor vehicle.

When Map data is used in digital map data, with the Map data, for example, roads are represented as so-called edges and crossing points or Branches of roads be represented as so-called nodes. This is the real road approximated by the edges and nodes, for example, the edges by a juxtaposition of straight edge sections is described. The representation of road networks is thus directed by means of Realized graphs with edges and nodes. Depending on the complexity of a Crossing this is done by one node or by several nodes described. Also can be present within an intersection edges.

digital Cards become more common on storage media, such as on DCs, DVDs, or hard disks Way divided into individual territorial partitions, so that the in the memory, for example, a navigation system to load Data can be limited in terms of the amount of data since the amount of data the size of the required memory and affects the charging speed or processing speed. By partitioning the map data can be calculated from the total the map data a selection of data of some partitions are selected around for one or more applications, such as location or route calculation, to select a meaningful area.

typical Way is done by dividing the map data in the partitions a geometrically regular partitioning, as along lines of constant geographic length or Width, so that approximately rectangular areas are defined as partitions. It is too it is known that partitions are formed with an irregular size, where the shape of the partitions on the structure of the road network oriented.

The has geometrically regular partitioning Benefits for Applications that have data in a given coordinate range require predetermined size, such as map display or position determination. However, it is also detrimental to the calculation of routes, because of the geometrically exact cuts on borders also essential road connections interrupted could be.

The Partitioning with geometrically irregular boundaries has advantages for the Calculation of routes, as is a topologically closed subnetwork easier to assemble. However, there are also disadvantages for other applications because due the irregular size often superfluous data outside of the coordinate range of interest must be read.

A division of map data into partitions and a division of edges at partition boundaries is by the EP 1 076 808 A1 known.

presentation invention, object, solution, advantages

task The invention is a method for operating a navigation system which reduces the disadvantages of the prior art or even avoided and provided an improved method can be.

Farther It is an object of the invention to provide a navigation system, by means of which the method according to the invention can be carried out. Also It is an object of the invention to provide a storage medium with stored thereon Map data to create, which for the implementation of a inventive method create a foundation.

According to the invention Task solved by a method for operating a navigation system, in particular a navigation system for a Motor vehicle, with a memory, a display unit and at least a control element, wherein map data from a map data memory be loaded into the memory and the map data in partitions are split, where the partitions of a geometric formation rule follow and within the partitions meshes are formed, whose Margins either out of edges partitions or roads representing Edges are formed. As a result, it is advantageously possible to each geographical position the associated partition and its spatial To determine or calculate neighbor partitions.

Furthermore, it is useful if the edges are assigned a classification and to form the mesh only edges with a min classification or a higher classification. This is advantageous according to the invention since it only uses roads that also have sufficient traffic significance for routes.

There digital cards frequently are structured in several generalization levels, it is useful if the above method is applicable to all generalization levels, where it is particularly advantageous if the minimum classification with increasing generalization essentially increases until the maximum Classification is reached.

It It is also advantageous that meshes of adjacent partitions, which are separated by a partition boundary into a coherent mesh together become part of it Mesh can be formed.

to Unique identification of the stitches, it is advantageous if the mesh identifications are assigned, for example can be numerical identifications. By using a such clear identification can be a faster association the data of the stitches are made.

Also it is advantageous if an edge representing a road which has a Representing the edge of a mesh, which mesh is assigned to the right and left of the edge. Such an assignment is advantageous longitudinal the edge, where, for example, the assignment in digitization direction considered, can take place. This makes it possible at any time for the Identify edge relevant meshes and place this in a memory for the to store further use by applications.

Also it is particularly useful if for all Mesh of a partition is stored in which other partitions These meshes are also included. This can be up easy way to determine all the partitions needed to completely load the map data of a mesh into the memory.

A Route calculation can be such that of any Point or street section in the map starting a preferably nearby road section is sought as the edge section, the required minimum classification and for which also contains information about Meshes are present. To the stitches right and left of such Section, viewed in the digitization direction, can then on the Mesh information in the partition determines more partitions be in which street sections representing Edges of the same mesh are present. This can be a topological appropriate area for one Route determination between two or more points selected or be formed. This can advantageously also be avoided To load partitions in the memory that have no road sections representing Include edge sections for finding the route.

Especially advantageous is the method described above when using Route calculation methods that evaluate all edges in a graph, such as procedures to Dijkstra or Bellmann-Ford-Moore and for reasons of maturity need to extract meaningful subnets from the overall network.

The Task regarding of the navigation system is solved by a navigation system with a memory, a display element and at least one operating element, wherein the memory of the storage of selected ones Map data from a map data store serves and applications the memory and the map data stored there for access execution a method according to the invention described above.

The Task regarding the storage medium is released by a storage medium having a digital memory stored thereon Map, where the map data is divided into partitions and the partitions follow a geometric education rule and within Partitions meshes are formed whose edges are either out of edges of the Partitions or off roads representing Edges are formed.

advantageous Further developments are described in the subclaims.

short Description of the drawings

below The invention is based on an embodiment with reference to the drawings explained in more detail. It demonstrate:

1 a schematic representation of a navigation system according to the invention;

2 a map section with four partitions;

3 a table with links of meshes; and

4 a map section;

preferred execution the invention

The 1 shows a navigation system 1 in schematic representation with a memory 2 , a display element 3 such as monitor or display, and at least one control 4 , The memory 2 is used to store selected map data from a map data store 5 how storage medium, with applications on the memory 2 and access the map data stored there. The map data store 5 may advantageously be a hard disk space, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a semiconductor memory or other memory on which at least selected map data of a digital map are stored.

The navigation system 1 generates, for example, map representations on the display element 3 in which calculated routes can be displayed on the display element, for example in a map display.

By means of the control element 4 For example, a destination may be entered by the operator, a route calculation and route guidance may be started, or another application may be started or executed.

When Map data is preferably digital maps with digital map data used in the map data, for example, roads as so-called Edges are displayed and crossing points or junctions of roads be represented as so-called nodes. This is the real road is approximated by the edges and nodes, with the edges passing through, for example a sequence of straight edge portions described becomes. The representation of road networks is thus realized by means of directed graphs with edges and nodes. Depending on the complexity an intersection, this is by a node or by several Node described. Also can be present within an intersection edges.

cards and their data structures are used to represent the content of Maps, for example, on a display unit in regular partitions subdivided, whose boundaries, for example, lines of constant geographical length or Width can be. But according to the invention can also chosen other limits become. Also, the difference between the limiting geographical lengths and / or latitudes not for all partitions will be the same. This means that the expansion the same partition compared to other partitions can be or the partitions can at least occasionally have a different extent. Advantageous is that the extent of the partitions or the difference between the partitions Limits in geographic length or width of an algorithmic formation rule, so that all neighbor partitions of a partition are computed to this can.

At the boundaries of two partitions, non-point-like geometric contents such as edges or faces are shared. In this case, however, divisions can also be avoided if an edge or area exceeds a partition boundary only in a predetermined tolerance range, as determined by the EP 1 076 808 A1 has become known. In this regard, the content of the EP 1 076 808 A1 hereby expressly to the disclosure content of the present application.

In the reality are roads in streets divided into different types, such as in Germany, where roads in principle are divided into highways, motor roads, highways, highways, county roads etc.

Corresponding can the streets representing Edges according to the invention a classification after which the edges representing the roads are divided into classes different hierarchy can be divided. The classification gives thus a functional meaning of the streets. This has for example the advantage that a route calculation with specification of a minimum hierarchy the used roads carried out can be.

Advantageous is there if the classification is a numeric coding.

In a road network, which can be represented by an edge mesh, thus become different Assigned edges of different classification. From the resulting Mesh of classified edges will create a mesh of meshes within formed by partitions. The edges of the mesh are inside a partition of edges of a minimum classification and the edges the partitions themselves formed. By setting a minimum classification all edges present in the partition with this minimum classification or a higher quality Classification used to form stitches as edges of the stitches.

The 2 shows an example of such stitching on the basis of a section of a map 20 with four partitions 21 . 22 . 23 and 24 , In the four partitions 21 to 24 edges of a minimum classification are shown with solid lines and edges with a lower classification with broken lines. By means of the edges with the minimum classification and the edges of the partitions, meshes are formed within the partitions. The edges with a classification below the minimum classification are not included in the mesh formation. In the first partition 21 are four stitches 25 . 26 . 27 and 28 educated. In the second partition 22 are three stitches 29 . 30 and 31 educated. In the third partition 24 are five stitches 32 . 33 . 34 . 35 , and 36 educated. In the fourth partition 23 are four stitches 37 . 38 . 39 and 40 educated.

The meshes of the first, second and fourth partitions 21 . 22 and 24 are all each formed with the edges with the minimum classification and the edges of the partition. The meshes of the third partition are four of the five meshes with the edges with the minimum classification and the edges of the partition formed and a mesh 36 is formed only with edges with the minimum classification.

The stitch formation of the stitches of the 2 takes place in a planar plane or in a planar network. This means that for edges that are used for stitching and lying at different levels, because they cross at different heights, as in bridge crossing or tunnel passage, yet the intersections are used as vertices of the mesh. This is for example in the scam 23 of the 2 the case where the edges 41 and 42 at the intersection 43 do not hit at the same height, but the one edge crosses the other edge by means of a bridge. Nevertheless, the point of intersection forms 43 a corner from the mesh 37 . 38 . 39 and 40 ,

It is particularly advantageous if meshes in partitions containing partition edges form meshes with meshes of adjacent partitions which contain the same partition edges. This is for example in 2 the case with the stitches 25 . 31 . 35 and 38 , These stitches 25 . 31 . 35 and 38 form a cross-partition mesh. Also the mesh 28 and 30 or the stitches 26 and 34 , the stitches 32 and 37 and the stitches 29 and 40 form inter-partition meshes.

Farther the stitches are advantageously marked by means of identifications. These identifications can numerical identifications, such as numbering. Simplified It is the production of a digital card when a mesh in different Partitions do not have the same identifications. Advantageous is, however, if the parts of a mesh in different partitions are mutually identifiable.

To do this, a description is included or associated with each partition as the meshes of the partition are linked to meshes of other partitions. In addition shows 3 a table in which the links of the meshes of the first partition 21 with the stitches of the other neighboring partitions 22 . 23 and 24 are shown.

In the first line the partition identification is designated, after which the table of the 3 the joins of the meshes in the designated partition 21 represents. In the second line are the links of the mesh 25 the first partition 21 listed, according to which the mesh 25 with the mesh 31 the partition 22 , with the mesh 35 the partition 24 and with the mesh 38 the partition 23 is linked.

In the third line are the links of the mesh 26 the first partition 21 listed, according to which the mesh 26 with the mesh 34 the partition 24 is linked. Other links are for the mesh 26 in the partition arrangement of 2 not before. In the fourth line are no links of the mesh 27 expelled. In the fifth line are the links of the mesh 28 the first partition 21 listed, according to which the mesh 28 with the mesh 30 the partition 22 is linked.

Meshes that are completely in a partition, such as the mesh 36 the partition 24 of the 2 , have no links to adjacent partitions, so these meshes in a table do not have to be included with an entry.

According to the table of 3 a list or table can be formed, which contains all links of meshes of different partitions. If there are no edge sections in a partition that are used for meshing and if the partition is within a mesh formed across the partition, then it is not necessary to include this partition in the table, which could, however, also take place. Such a partition, which does not have loop-forming edges, is in 4 to recognize.

The 4 shows a map 100 with an array of new partitions 101 to 109 , In the partitions 101 to 104 and 106 to 109 are each edges 111 and partly nodes 112 arranged. The partition 105 has neither edges nor nodes on the other hand. The partitions are meshed as described 113 formed, with the partition 105 at the center of a cross-partition network. Therefore, as described above, the partition 105 disregarded in the list of links.

In addition, the edges or edge portions within the partitions may be associated with data regarding the stitches to the left and right of the edge, respectively edge portion, viewed along the edge in the digitizing direction. For example, the edge 50 in 2 be assigned to the right of the edge of the mesh 25 lies and left of the edge 50 the mesh 26 ,

by virtue of this associated data information about adjacent to an edge Stitches and by means of the table above with the listing the links, it is starting from an edge portion representing a road section possible decide which other partitions to read for an application, to a complete Description of all roads to get a stitch.

Claims (9)

Method for operating a navigation system ( 1 ), in particular a navigation system for a motor vehicle, having a memory ( 2 ), a display unit ( 3 ) and at least one operating element ( 4 ), wherein map data from a map data memory ( 5 ) in the memory ( 2 ) and the map data is divided into partitions, characterized in that the partitions follow a geometric formation rule and meshes are formed within the partitions whose edges are formed either of edges of the partitions or edges representing edges. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the edges are assigned a classification and education the mesh only edges with a minimum classification or a higher one Classification be used. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized that meshes of neighboring partitions, which by a partition boundary are separated into a coherent one interpartition Stitched together or linked. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the stitches are assigned identifications. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that an edge representing a road which has a Representing the edge of a mesh, which mesh is assigned to the right and left of the edge. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized marked that for all meshes of a partition is stored, in which further Partitions these meshes are also included. Navigation system with a memory ( 2 ), an indicator ( 3 ) and at least one operating element ( 4 ), wherein the memory of the storage of selected map data from a map data memory ( 5 ) and applications to the memory ( 2 ) and the map data stored there for performing a method according to at least one of the preceding claims. Storage medium with a digital map, the Map data is divided into partitions, characterized in that that the partitions follow a geometric formation rule and within the partitions stitches are formed, their edges either out of edges partitions or roads representing Edges are formed. Storage medium according to claim 8, characterized that with the card data stored on the storage medium a Method according to at least one of the preceding claims 1 to 6 feasible is.