JP2008164830A - Map display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a map display device capable of displaying a map image immediately reflecting the latest map data. <P>SOLUTION: In a data storage device 2, a map data for updating storage area 22 for storing map data for updating is provided. When switching of the map data is instructed by a user, the map data used for displaying a map image is switched into the map data for updating stored in the map data for updating storage area 22 to continue display of the map image. Thus, even when all of the map data for updating can not be received from the outside, the map image immediately reflecting the latest map data can be displayed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a map display device having a map data update function.

Conventionally, a map display device that receives map data from the outside and updates the map data is known. For example, the device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is installed in a general vehicle, decodes map update information distributed from a broadcasting station using a decryption key purchased from a map distribution center, and maps data included in the decoded map update information. Use to update the map data.
JP 2005-121719 A

  By the way, with the recent development of information technology, the data capacity of map data is increasing, and it takes much time to receive map data for update. In the conventional apparatus, the map image display using the update map data cannot be performed until all the update map data is received.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a map display device capable of displaying a map image that immediately reflects the latest map data.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the map display device according to claim 1, the map data is displayed using the map data stored in the storage means, and the update map data is received from the outside to receive the map data. A map display device that updates the map data storage area for storing the update map data in the storage means, and when the preset condition is satisfied, the map data used for the map image display is displayed. The map image display is continued by switching to the update map data stored in the update map data storage area.

  Thus, in the map display device of the present invention, the update map data storage area for storing the update map data received from the outside is provided in the storage means for storing the map data. When the preset condition is satisfied, the map data used for the map image display is switched to the update map data stored in the update map data storage area, and the map image display is continued. In this device, the map data for update received from the outside is stored in the map data storage area for update different from the map data used for displaying the map image, so that all the map data for update is received from the outside. Even if not, if the preset condition is satisfied, the map image display using the update map data can be continued without interrupting the map image display. As a result, it is possible to display a map image that immediately reflects the latest map data.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the map display device of the first aspect further comprises receiving means for receiving map data for update distributed by broadcasting from an external broadcasting station. When the map data for update is distributed by broadcasting, the map display device is activated in the distribution time zone of the map data for update determined by the broadcasting station, and the vehicle must be located in the receivable area. is there. Therefore, in many cases, it takes a long time to receive the update map data until the data reception is completed. Therefore, it is significant that the present invention is applied so that the map image display using the update map data can be continued even when all of the update map data is not received.

  As described in claim 3, it is desirable that the preset condition is satisfied when a map data switching instruction is given based on a user operation. Accordingly, the user can display the latest map image using the received update map data regardless of the data amount of the received update map data.

  As described in claim 4, the preset condition may be satisfied when the update map data is received in a predetermined amount or more. Thus, when the update map data is received in a predetermined amount or more, the latest map image display using the update map data is started without any operation by the user, so that the usability is good.

  As described in claim 5, the update map data is composed of a plurality of data blocks and is received from the outside in units of data blocks, and the update map data storage area is provided in each of the plurality of data blocks. It is composed of a plurality of corresponding data block storage areas, data blocks received from outside are stored in the corresponding data block storage areas, and data set in advance in the data block storage areas corresponding to unreceived data blocks Is stored, and when the preset data is read from any of the plurality of data block storage areas when displaying the map image, it is desirable not to display the map image. Thereby, the present apparatus can identify the data block storage area storing the data block received from the outside and the data block storage area corresponding to the unreceived data block. Therefore, the map image display can be more reliably performed using only the data block received from the outside, and the malfunction caused by reading and using the unreceived data block can be prevented.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is an embodiment in which the preset data is predetermined initial value data.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a map display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The map display device operates by being incorporated in a vehicle navigation device.

  In FIG. 1, a position detector 1 includes a geomagnetic sensor 1A, a gyroscope 1B, a distance sensor 1C, and a GPS receiver 1D, and detects a current position and a traveling direction of a vehicle.

  The geomagnetic sensor 1A is an azimuth sensor and has a configuration in which, for example, an annular ferromagnetic body such as permalloy is wound with an excitation winding for exciting it and two orthogonal detection windings for direction detection. Have. And the voltage which generate | occur | produces in two detection windings by applying an alternating voltage to an excitation winding is measured, and the advancing direction of a vehicle is detected as an absolute direction based on this.

  The gyroscope 1B is an azimuth sensor that detects the traveling direction of the vehicle as a relative azimuth. For example, the gyroscope 1B includes a quartz crystal vibrator and generates a yaw angular velocity of the vehicle from vibration based on Coriolis force generated when the vibrator is vibrated. (Yaw rate) is detected.

  The distance sensor 1C detects the moving distance of the vehicle based on, for example, rotation signals of wheels and axles (not shown) mounted on the vehicle.

  The GPS receiver 1D receives a GPS signal for position measurement transmitted from a GPS satellite (not shown), which is an artificial satellite, and detects the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the point where the vehicle is currently traveling.

  The position detector 1 detects the current position and traveling direction of the vehicle with high accuracy by interpolating the detection results of the four devices described above. Of course, depending on the required detection accuracy, it is not necessary to provide all the four devices described above. Note that the current position and the traveling direction of the vehicle may be detected based on the detection result by detecting the acceleration in the left-right direction and the height direction of the vehicle using, for example, a three-dimensional gyro. Moreover, it is good also as performing based on the detection signal by other sensors, such as a steering sensor.

  The data storage device 2 has, for example, a hard disk as a storage medium. As shown in FIG. 2, the data storage device 4 has four storages, a map data storage area 21, an update map data storage area 22, a user setting storage area 23, and a music data storage area 24. Consists of regions. The map data storage area 21 stores integrated map data including road information, facility information, address information / phone number information of each area, and image data for displaying a map image. As shown in FIG. 3, the integrated map data includes three types of map data, that is, wide area map data, detailed map data, and fine map data, which are stored in corresponding blocks among a plurality of blocks linked in a tree shape. Data structure. The header of each block described above is a label for identifying the block, and the lower layer index is a pointer indicating a lower layer block linked to the block. Wide area map data, detailed map data, and fine map data indicate the types of map data stored in each block.

  The update map data storage area 22 is a storage area for storing update map data wirelessly distributed from an external broadcast station (not shown). As in the case of the integrated map data described above, the update map data corresponds to a block of a plurality of blocks in which three types of map data of wide area map data, detailed map data, and fine map data are linked in a tree shape. The data structure is stored in a block (data block storage area). Wide area map data, detailed map data, and fine map data distributed as update map data are stored in a block corresponding to the map data. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, in the initial state of the present apparatus, NULL data that is an initial value is stored in each of the above-described blocks. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example in which one wide area map data and two detailed map data are received and stored in the corresponding blocks.

  The user setting storage area 23 is a storage area for storing various settings made by the user to the apparatus. The music data storage area 24 is a storage area for storing music data of music that the user views with audio (not shown).

  In addition, regarding the storage of various data described above, a CD-RAM, a DVD-RAM, or the like may be used.

The display 3 is a small vehicle-mounted display, and performs various navigation displays including a map image display. Regarding the various navigation displays described above, an in-vehicle head-up display or the like may be used. The operation switch 4 is composed of a plurality of mechanical switches and instructs the start and end of various navigation operations. The operation switch 4 also instructs to switch map data. The various instructions described above may be configured by a touch switch including a display panel that displays operation keys and a touch panel that detects that the operation keys displayed on the display panel are pressed.

  The remote controller 5 is, for example, a multi-function remote controller including various function switches, and can perform almost the same operation as the operation switch 4 described above via the remote control sensor 6.

  The communication device 7 is an in-vehicle small communication device, and receives road traffic information such as traffic jam information and traffic regulation information transmitted from a VICS information center (not shown). Further, the communication device 7 has a function of receiving the latest update map data wirelessly distributed from an external broadcasting station in units of wide area map data, detailed map data, and fine map data. When update map data is distributed by broadcasting, it is necessary that this device is activated and the vehicle is located in a receivable area during the update map data distribution time zone defined by the broadcasting station. . Therefore, in many cases, it takes a long time to receive the update map data until the data reception is completed. Therefore, it is significant to apply the above-described function so that the map image display using the update map data can be continued even when the entire update map data is not received. The road traffic information and update map data described above may be received using a public line such as the Internet.

  The ECU 8 is composed of a known computer and executes various navigation operations including map image display in accordance with instructions from the operation switch 4 or the remote controller 5. Specifically, the ECU 8 is a pointer that points to each block of the integrated map data stored in the map data storage area 21 of the data storage device 2 based on the current position and traveling direction of the vehicle detected by the position detector 1. A certain first pointer is moved, and the map data of the block indicated by the pointer is read out. And the map image which superimposed the mark which shows the present position of a vehicle, traffic jam information, and traffic regulation information from the road traffic information which the communication apparatus 7 received is displayed on the display 3. FIG. Various voice guidance is performed from the speaker 9.

  Further, when the switching of map data is instructed from the operation switch 4 or the remote controller 5, the ECU 8 obtains the map data used for displaying the map image from the integrated map data stored in the map data storage area 21 of the data storage device 2. Then, switching to the update map data stored in the update map data storage area 22 of the data storage device 2 is performed, and various navigation operations including a map image display are executed. Specifically, the ECU 8 determines each block of the update map data stored in the update map data storage area 22 of the data storage device 2 based on the current position and traveling direction of the vehicle detected by the position detector 1. The second pointer, which is a pointer to be pointed, is moved, and the map data of the block pointed to by the pointer is read out. And the map image which superimposed the mark which shows the present position of a vehicle, traffic jam information, and traffic regulation information from the road traffic information which the communication apparatus 7 received is displayed on the display 3. FIG. Various voice guidance is performed from the speaker 9. If NULL data is stored in the block pointed to by the second pointer, the ECU 8 does not perform map image display and navigation operation, and provides voice guidance from the speaker 9 that map data corresponding to the block has not been received. . As a result, map image display can be performed more reliably using only map data distributed from an external broadcasting station, and malfunction caused by reading and using unreceived map data can be prevented. .

  The memory 10 is used as a temporary storage area when the ECU 8 performs various operations. For example, a memory card is used as the memory 10.

  Thus, in the map display device of the present embodiment, the update map data storage area 22 for storing the update map data is provided in the data storage device 2. Then, when switching of the map data is instructed by the user, the map data used for the map image display is switched to the update map data stored in the update map data storage area 22 and the map image display is continued. Thereby, even when not all of the update map data can be received from the outside, it is possible to display a map image that immediately reflects the latest map data.

  In the map display device of this embodiment, when switching of map data is instructed from the operation switch 4 or the remote controller 5, a map image display and a navigation operation are performed based on the update map data stored in the update map data storage area 22. Has started. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when a predetermined number of a plurality of blocks constituting the update map data (for example, 80% of the total number of blocks) is received, the update map data is automatically stored. The map image display and navigation operation may be started based on the update map data stored in the region 22.

  The map display device according to the present embodiment operates by being incorporated in a vehicle navigation device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any device that has a function of displaying a map image, such as a mobile phone, can be suitably used.

It is a block diagram which shows the whole structure of the map display apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. In the map display apparatus of this embodiment, it is a figure which shows four memory areas of a data memory. It is a figure which shows the data structure of integrated map data in the map display apparatus of this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the data structure of the initial state of the map data for update in the map display apparatus of this embodiment. In the map display apparatus of this embodiment, it is a figure which shows a mode that some data blocks were received and memorize | stored among several data blocks which comprise the map data for update.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Position detector, 1A ... Geomagnetic sensor, 1B ... Gyroscope, 1C ... Distance sensor, 1D ... GPS receiver, 2 ... Data storage, 3 ... Display, 4 ... Operation switch, 5 ... Remote control 6 ... Remote control sensor, 7 ... Communicator, 8 ... ECU, 9 ... Speaker, 10 ... Memory

Claims (6)

A map display device that performs map image display using map data stored in a storage means and receives update map data from the outside to update map data,
An update map data storage area for storing the update map data is provided for the storage means,
When the preset condition is satisfied, the map data used for the map image display is switched to the update map data stored in the update map data storage area and the map image display is continued. apparatus. The update map data is distributed by broadcasting from an external broadcasting station,
2. The map display device according to claim 1, further comprising receiving means for receiving the update map data distributed by broadcasting from the broadcasting station. The map display device according to claim 1, wherein the preset condition is satisfied when a map data switching instruction is given based on a user operation. The map display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the preset condition is satisfied when the update map data is received in a predetermined amount or more. The update map data is composed of a plurality of data blocks, and is received from the outside in units of data blocks.
The update map data storage area is composed of a plurality of data block storage areas corresponding to each of the plurality of data blocks, and the data block received from the outside is stored in the corresponding data block storage area and not received. In the data block storage area corresponding to the data block, preset data is stored,
5. The map image is not displayed when the preset data is read from any of the plurality of data block storage areas when displaying the map image. The map display device according to crab. 6. The map display device according to claim 5, wherein the preset data is predetermined initial value data.

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