JP2012093492A - Navigation device, navigation method, and navigation program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation device etc., capable of easily and speedily updating map information using even map information in different format.SOLUTION: A navigation device 10 includes a map information DB 41 which stores map information; a communication part 20 for receiving the map information; a conversion application storage part 42 which stores conversion applications 42a for converting the formats of the map information, for each combination of formats before and after conversion; and a map information update part 31 which selects the conversion application 42a corresponding to a combination of the format of the map information that the communication part 20 receives and the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41, converts the format of the map information that the communication part 20 receives to the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41 by the conversion application 42a, and updates the map information stored in the map information DB 41 based upon the map information after the conversion.

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device, a navigation method, and a navigation program.

  Conventionally, navigation devices that store map information including link data, facility data, and the like and perform route guidance and the like based on the map information have been used. In this navigation device, for example, when a road is newly established or a facility is abolished, the corresponding map information needs to be updated according to these changes.

  Therefore, for example, the map information of the navigation device is updated based on the new version of map information stored in a storage medium such as a DVD or USB memory, or the new version is obtained from the service center using wireless communication capable of two-way communication. It is known to acquire the map information. Furthermore, the latest map data distributed via the communication satellite from the map data management center is received to update the map data of the vehicle-mounted device, or the latest map using inter-vehicle communication from the vehicle-mounted device of another vehicle. There has been proposed a navigation device that updates the map data of the vehicle-mounted device of the host vehicle by acquiring data (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-93260 A

  By the way, in the car navigation device, map information of a different format is used for each manufacturer of the car navigation device, and it is necessary to use map information of the same format as the map information in order to update the map information. For this reason, in the conventional apparatus as described above, the map information in the same format as the map information used by the host vehicle is distributed via the communication satellite, or the map information in the same format is used. As long as there is no other vehicle within the range where vehicle-to-vehicle communication is possible, the map information cannot be updated, and there is a possibility that the map information cannot be updated in a timely manner.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and provides a navigation device, a navigation method, and a navigation program capable of easily and quickly updating map information using map information having different formats. The purpose is to do.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the navigation device according to claim 1 converts the map information storage means for storing the map information, the receiving means for receiving the map information, and the format of the map information. Conversion application storage means for storing a conversion application for each format combination before and after conversion, and map information stored in the map information storage means is updated based on the map information received by the reception means. Map information update means, wherein the map information update means, if the format of the map information received by the receiving means is different from the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means, The format of the map information received by the receiving means and the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means The conversion application corresponding to the matching is selected from the conversion applications stored in the conversion application storage means, and the format of the map information received by the reception means by the selected conversion application is the map The map information stored in the information storage unit is converted into the format of the map information stored therein, and the map information stored in the map information storage unit is updated based on the map information after the format conversion.

  Further, the navigation device according to claim 2 is the navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the conversion application storage means stores the conversion application for each combination of the format before and after conversion and the intermediate format. The map information updating means, when the format of the map information received by the receiving means is different from the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means, the format of the map information received by the receiving means And the conversion application corresponding to the combination of the intermediate format and the conversion application corresponding to the combination of the intermediate format and the map information format stored in the map information storage means, and the selected By the conversion application, It said map information storage means the format of the map information is credit means received via said intermediate format to a format of the map information stored.

  The navigation device according to claim 3 is the navigation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the map information storage means stores map information including point information, and the receiving means includes point information. When the map information is received, and the map information update means is different from the format of the map information received by the reception means and the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means, the selected conversion application Thus, only the format of the spot information included in the map information received by the receiving means is converted into the format of the spot information included in the map information stored in the map information storage means, and the spot information after the format conversion is converted into the spot information. Based on this, the point information included in the map information stored in the map information storage means is updated.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a navigation method comprising: a map information storage step for storing map information in the map information storage means; a reception step for receiving map information; and a conversion application for converting the format of the map information. The map information stored in the map information storage means is updated based on the conversion application storage step stored in the conversion application storage means for each combination of formats before and after conversion and the map information received in the reception step. A map information update step, and in the map information update step, if the format of the map information received in the reception step is different from the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means, the reception The format of the map information received in step and this The conversion application corresponding to the combination with the map information format stored in the map information storage means is selected from the conversion applications stored in the conversion application storage means, and the selected conversion application is selected. The map information format received in the receiving step is converted into the map information format stored in the map information storage means, and stored in the map information storage means based on the map information after the format conversion. Update map information.

  A navigation program according to claim 5 causes a computer to execute the method according to claim 4.

  According to the navigation device according to claim 1, the navigation method according to claim 4, and the navigation program according to claim 5, the format of the map information received by the receiving means and the map information storage means are stored. If the format of the map information is different, the conversion application corresponding to the combination of the map information format received by the receiving means and the map information format stored in the map information storage means is stored in the conversion application storage means. Is selected from the conversion applications, and the format of the map information received by the reception means by the selected conversion application is converted into the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means, and after the format conversion Based on the map information, the map information storage means Since updating the map information that is different map information of the format be used, it is possible to update the map information stored in the map information storage unit easily and quickly.

  According to the navigation device of the second aspect, the map information updating unit receives the map information when the format of the map information received by the receiving unit is different from the format of the map information stored by the map information storing unit. Select the conversion application corresponding to the combination of the format of the map information received by the means and the intermediate format, and the conversion application corresponding to the combination of the intermediate format and the map information format stored in the map information storage means Then, the selected conversion application converts the format of the map information received by the receiving means into the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means via the intermediate format. Thus, when a new format is developed, there is no need to develop an application for conversion between the new format and all other existing formats, only an application for conversion between the new format and the intermediate format is developed. Thus, format conversion between all other existing formats and the new format can be performed via the intermediate format, and the development cost of the conversion application can be reduced.

  According to the navigation device of the third aspect, the map information updating means converts the map information format received by the receiving means when the map information format stored in the map information storage means is different. Only the format of the point information included in the map information received by the receiving means is converted into the map information stored in the map information storing means by the conversion application selected from the conversion applications stored in the application storing means. Since the point information included in the map information stored in the map information storage means is updated based on the converted point information format and based on the point information after the format conversion, it is compared with node data, link data, etc. Only for point information that is easy to format. It is possible to perform the conversion.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a navigation system according to an embodiment. It is a flowchart of a map information update process. It is the conceptual diagram which showed the format conversion of the point information using the application for conversion.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a navigation device, a navigation method, and a navigation program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited by this embodiment.

(Constitution)
First, the configuration of the navigation device according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a navigation system 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation apparatus 10 is mounted on, for example, a vehicle 2 (vehicles 2A, B, and C in FIG. 1), and includes a communication unit 20, a control unit 30, and a data recording unit 40.

(Configuration-Communication Department)
The communication unit 20 is a receiving unit that receives map information. The communication unit 20 communicates, for example, with the map information distribution center 3 that distributes map information via the network 4 or when the other vehicle 2 (in FIG. 1, when the host vehicle 2 is the vehicle 2A, the vehicle 2B or the vehicle 2C), vehicle-to-vehicle communication is performed, and a known wireless communication device can be used.

(Configuration-control unit)
The control unit 30 is a control unit that controls the navigation device 10, and more specifically, a CPU, various programs that are interpreted and executed on the CPU (a basic control program such as an OS, and a specific function that is activated on the OS. And an internal memory such as a RAM for storing the program and various data. In particular, the navigation program according to the present embodiment is substantially installed in the navigation device 10 via an arbitrary recording medium or network, thereby substantially configuring each unit of the control unit 30.

  The control unit 30 includes a map information update unit 31 in terms of functional concept. The map information update unit 31 is a map information update unit that updates the map information stored in the data recording unit 40 based on the map information received by the communication unit 20. Details of the processing executed by the control unit 30 will be described later.

(Configuration-Data recording part)
The data recording unit 40 is a recording unit that records a program and various data necessary for the operation of the navigation device 10. The data recording unit 40 is configured using a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk (not shown) as an external storage device, for example. However, any other recording medium including a semiconductor storage medium such as a flash memory or an optical recording medium such as a DVD or a Blu-ray disk can be used instead of or together with the hard disk.

  The data recording unit 40 includes a map information database 41 (hereinafter, the database is abbreviated as DB) and a conversion application storage unit 42.

  The map information DB 41 is map information storage means for storing map information. “Map information” includes, for example, point information (position of each point, type of each point, name of each point, etc.), link data (link number, connection node number, road coordinates, road type, number of lanes, travel regulations, etc.) , Node data (node numbers, coordinates), feature data (signals, road signs, guardrails, buildings, etc.), target feature data (intersections, temporary stop lines, railroad crossings, curves, ETC toll gates, high-speed exits, etc.), topography Data and map display data for displaying a map on a display are included.

  The conversion application storage unit 42 is a conversion application storage unit that stores a conversion application 42a for converting the format of the map information. Here, “format” means a storage format of various data included in the map information stored in the map information DB 41. Further, the format includes, for example, an intermediate format in addition to a format that is different for each manufacturer of the navigation device 10. The intermediate format is a format that includes the data items included in each format. Information such as a name, location, and telephone number related to a point, link information related to a road, node information, etc., stored in each format. It is a format for storing together. When a new conversion application 42a corresponding to a new combination between different formats is developed, the new conversion application 42a is distributed from, for example, the map information distribution center 3 and is converted via the communication unit 20 into a conversion application storage unit. 42.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the conversion application storage unit 42 stores a conversion application 42a for each combination of formats before and after conversion and intermediate formats. That is, for example, as the format before and after conversion, the format P of the map information used in the navigation device 10 of company P, the format Q of the map information used in the navigation device 10 of company Q, and the map information used in the navigation device 10 of company R When the format R exists, the conversion application storage unit 42 includes an application 42a for converting between the format P and the intermediate format, an application 42a for converting between the format Q and the intermediate format, and an application for converting between the format R and the intermediate format. 42a is stored. Thus, when a new format is developed, there is no need to develop an application for conversion between the new format and all other existing formats, only an application for conversion between the new format and the intermediate format is developed. All that is required is a format conversion between all other existing formats and the new format via the intermediate format. That is, the development cost of the conversion application can be reduced.

(Processing-Map information update process)
Next, the map information update process executed by the navigation device 10 configured as described above will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the map information update process (in the following description of each process, step is abbreviated as “S”). This map information update process is executed after the navigation apparatus 10 is powered on, for example.

  When the map information update process is started, the map information update unit 31 searches for a connection destination for receiving map information via the communication unit 20 (SA1). For example, the map information update unit 31 searches the map information distribution center 3 on the Internet via the communication unit 20 or searches for the navigation device 10 of the other vehicle 2 that can communicate by inter-vehicle communication.

  At this time, the map information updating unit 31 may search for a connection destination having map information of a newer version than the map information stored in the map information DB 41 of the host vehicle 2. Alternatively, a connection destination having map information in a format that can be converted by the conversion application 42a stored in the conversion application storage unit 42 of the host vehicle 2 may be searched. When there are a plurality of connectable connection destinations, a connection destination having map information in a format that can be easily converted into the format of map information stored in the map information DB 41 may be selected. In this case, a table storing information for specifying ease of format conversion for each combination of formats before and after conversion is stored in the data recording unit 40 in advance, and the map information updating unit 31 refers to this table. Thus, a connection destination having map information in a format that can be most easily converted may be selected.

  Subsequently, the map information update unit 31 determines whether or not a connection has been established (SA2). As a result, when the connection is not established (SA2, No), it is assumed that the map information cannot be updated, and the map information update unit 31 ends the map information update process.

  On the other hand, when the connection is established (SA2, Yes), the map information update unit 31 causes the communication unit 20 to receive map information from the connection destination where the connection is established (SA3).

  Subsequently, the map information update unit 31 determines whether or not the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 is the same as the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41 (SA4). For example, the map information update unit 31 receives the communication unit 20 based on the extension added to the file name of the received map information, the magic number loaded on the map information to identify the format, or the like. The map information format is specified, and it is determined whether or not the format is the same as the map information format stored in the map information DB 41.

  As a result, when the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 is the same as the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41 (SA4, Yes), the map information and the map information received by the communication unit 20 Since the map information stored in the DB 41 is considered to be completely compatible, the map information update unit 31 uses the map information stored in the map information DB 41 based on the map information received by the communication unit 20. The whole is updated (SA5).

  On the other hand, when the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 and the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41 are not the same (SA4, No), the map information update unit 31 is received by the communication unit 20. The conversion application 42a corresponding to the combination of the map information format and the intermediate format, and the conversion application 42a corresponding to the combination of the intermediate format and the map information format stored in the map information DB 41 are for conversion. The application storage unit 42 is selected (SA6).

  Next, in the map information update unit 31, the map information DB 41 stores only the format of the point information included in the map information received by the communication unit 20 through the intermediate format by the conversion application 42a selected in SA6. Conversion to the format of point information included in the map information (SA7). That is, when the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 is not the same as the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41, the map information received by the communication unit 20 and the map information DB 41 are stored. Since it is considered that the map information is not completely compatible, only the format of the point information that can be easily converted as compared with the node data and the link data is converted.

  FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing format conversion of point information using the conversion application 42a. As shown in FIG. 3, the map information update unit 31 is included in the map information received by the communication unit 20 by the conversion application 42a corresponding to the combination of the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 and the intermediate format. First, the format of the location information is converted to an intermediate format. Next, the map information stored in the map information DB 41 is converted by the conversion application 42a corresponding to the combination of the intermediate format and the map information format stored in the map information DB 41. Is converted to the format of point information included in.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the map information update unit 31 updates the point information included in the map information stored in the map information DB 41 based on the point information after the format conversion in SA7 (SA8).

  After the process of SA5 or SA8, the map information update unit 31 disconnects the communication connection with the connection destination by the communication unit 20 (SA9), and ends the map information update process.

(effect)
Thus, according to this embodiment, when the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 is different from the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41, the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 And the conversion application 42a corresponding to the combination of the map information format stored in the map information DB 41 is selected from the conversion applications 42a stored in the conversion application storage unit 42, and the selected conversion application The format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 by the application 42a is converted into the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41, and the map information stored in the map information DB 41 is converted based on the map information after the format conversion. Since it is updated, map information in different formats is also used Te, it is possible to update the map information stored in the map information DB41 easily and rapidly.

  In particular, when the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 is different from the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41, the map information update unit 31 is intermediate between the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20. The conversion application 42a corresponding to the combination of the format and the conversion application 42a corresponding to the combination of the intermediate format and the map information format stored in the map information DB 41 are selected, and the selected conversion application 42a is selected. Thus, the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 is converted into the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41 via the intermediate format. Thus, when a new format is developed, there is no need to develop an application for conversion between the new format and all other existing formats, only an application for conversion between the new format and the intermediate format is developed. Thus, format conversion between all other existing formats and the new format can be performed via the intermediate format, and the development cost of the conversion application can be reduced.

  The map information updating unit 31 also converts the conversion stored in the conversion application storage unit 42 when the format of the map information received by the communication unit 20 is different from the format of the map information stored in the map information DB 41. Only the format of the spot information included in the map information received by the communication unit 20 is converted into the format of the spot information included in the map information stored in the map information DB 41 by the conversion application 42a selected from the application 42a. Since the point information included in the map information stored in the map information DB 41 is updated based on the point information after the format conversion, the point information that is easy to perform the format conversion compared with node data, link data, etc. Only, format conversion can be done reliably and easily

[Modifications to Embodiment]
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the specific configuration and means of the present invention can be arbitrarily modified and improved within the scope of the technical idea of each invention described in the claims. Can do. Hereinafter, such a modification will be described.

(About problems to be solved and effects of the invention)
First, the problems to be solved by the invention and the effects of the invention are not limited to the above contents, and may vary depending on the implementation environment and details of the configuration of the invention. May be solved, or only some of the effects described above may be achieved.

(Conversion application storage unit)
In the above-described embodiment, it has been described that the conversion application storage unit 42 stores the conversion application 42a for each combination of the format before and after conversion and the intermediate format. Each time, a conversion application 42a that directly converts the format between these formats may be stored. For example, as the format before and after conversion, the format P of map information used in the navigation device 10 of company P, the format Q of map information used in the navigation device 10 of company Q, and the format of map information used in the navigation device 10 of company R When R exists, the conversion application storage unit 42 includes a conversion application 42a between the format P and the format Q, a conversion application 42a between the format Q and the format R, and a conversion application 42a between the format P and the format R. You may make it memorize | store.

  When the other vehicle 2 has a conversion application that is not stored in the conversion application storage unit 42 of the host vehicle 2, the communication unit 20 acquires the conversion application from the other vehicle 2 through inter-vehicle communication. You may do it.

(About map information update processing)
In the above-described embodiment, in the map information update process of FIG. 2, the map information format received by the communication unit 20 and the map information format stored in the map information DB 41 are not the same (SA4, No. ), It has been described that the map information update unit 31 updates only the point information, but a different process may be performed. For example, each combination of formats before and after conversion and update target information for specifying information to be updated among the map information are stored in the data recording unit 40 in association with each other and received by the communication unit 20 Based on the update target information corresponding to the combination of the map information format and the map information format stored in the map information DB 41, the map information updating unit 31 updates only specific information included in the map information. May be.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Navigation system 2 Vehicle 3 Map information distribution center 4 Network 10 Navigation apparatus 20 Communication part 30 Control part 31 Map information update part 40 Data recording part 41 Map information DB
42 Conversion application storage unit 42a Conversion application

Claims (5)

Map information storage means for storing map information;
Receiving means for receiving map information;
A conversion application storage means for storing a conversion application for converting the format of the map information for each combination of formats before and after conversion;
A map information update unit that updates the map information stored in the map information storage unit based on the map information received by the reception unit;
If the format of the map information received by the receiving means is different from the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means, the map information updating means and the format of the map information received by the receiving means and the map information The conversion application corresponding to the combination with the map information format stored in the map information storage means is selected from the conversion applications stored in the conversion application storage means, and the selected conversion application is selected. The map information format received by the receiving means is converted into the map information format stored in the map information storage means, and the map information storage means stores the map information based on the map information after the format conversion. Update map information,
Navigation device. The conversion application storage means stores the conversion application for each combination of the format before and after conversion and the intermediate format,
If the format of the map information received by the receiving means and the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means are different from each other, the map information updating means A conversion application corresponding to a combination with the intermediate format, and a conversion application corresponding to a combination of the intermediate format and the map information format stored in the map information storage means are selected, and the selected conversion application The application converts the format of the map information received by the receiving means to the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means via the intermediate format.
The navigation device according to claim 1. The map information storage means stores map information including point information,
The receiving means receives map information including point information,
If the format of the map information received by the receiving means is different from the format of the map information stored in the map information storing means, the map information updating means is configured so that the receiving means Only the format of the spot information included in the received map information is converted into the format of the spot information included in the map information stored in the map information storage means, and the map information storage is based on the spot information after the format conversion. Update the point information included in the map information stored by the means,
The navigation device according to claim 1 or 2. A map information storage step for storing the map information in the map information storage means;
A receiving step for receiving map information;
A conversion application storage step for storing a conversion application for converting the format of the map information in the conversion application storage means for each combination of formats before and after conversion;
Updating the map information stored in the map information storage means based on the map information received in the receiving step, and a map information update step,
In the map information updating step, when the format of the map information received in the receiving step is different from the format of the map information stored in the map information storage means, the format of the map information received in the receiving step and the map information The conversion application corresponding to the combination with the map information format stored in the map information storage means is selected from the conversion applications stored in the conversion application storage means, and the selected conversion application is selected. The map information format received in the receiving step is converted into the map information format stored in the map information storage means, and stored in the map information storage means based on the map information after the format conversion. Update map information,
Navigation method.   The navigation program which makes a computer perform the method of Claim 4.

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