JP5285538B2 - Navigation system, navigation device, navigation server, and stored data deletion method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation system, a navigation device, a navigation server, and a stored data deletion method.

  Conventionally, a technique for deleting a cache whose file size has reached a certain amount in accordance with the data download order, the number of accesses, the use date, and the like has been disclosed.

  For example, in the navigation device described in Patent Literature 1, the number of accesses, the number of times the vehicle has traveled on the map related to the information, the necessity of information set by the user, and the destination on the map related to the information By using the deletion priority set based on the setting of the information, etc., the information stored in the map information storage unit is deleted and the information for notification related to the road and its guidance is deleted, thereby utilizing the limited storage area Technology is disclosed.

  In addition, in the navigation device described in Patent Document 2, a technique is disclosed in which the map data in the storage unit is erased to create a free space based on the use frequency and the latest use date and time information for each map data.

  In a general navigation device, the acquired information is stored in a storage area, and when a certain amount or more of information is accumulated, the information stored first is deleted or overwritten with new information in order. Technology is used.

JP 2007-163166 A JP 2003-302225 A

  However, in the conventional navigation devices (Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2), the map data is deleted based on the number of accesses to the map data, the latest use date and time, in order from the oldest, the order stored in the storage area, or the like. In areas of high importance to users, cache data may be deleted in a worm-eating state, and the map that was originally held by the navigation device and the map that has been downloaded to the cache are mixed. There were problems such as the road not being connected.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and when map data downloaded and cached reaches a certain amount and needs to be deleted, the degree of change in map data or Navigation system, navigation device, navigation server, and saved data deletion that can be deleted from map data with low importance according to the importance of each map data given in advance based on the reroute occurrence status during navigation, etc. It aims to provide a method.

  In order to achieve such an object, the navigation system of the present invention connects a navigation server having at least a storage unit for storing map data and a navigation device having at least a control unit and a storage unit so that they can communicate with each other. In the navigation system, the storage unit of the navigation device includes map data storage means for storing the map data transmitted from the navigation server, and the control unit of the navigation device stores the map data. An importance level setting means for setting an importance level, and a deletion means for deleting the map data from the map data storage means based on the importance level set by the importance level setting means, To do.

  In the navigation system of the present invention, in the navigation system described above, the storage unit of the navigation device stores reroute position information about a point where a reroute request is generated when performing route guidance. Storage means, wherein the importance level setting means sets the importance level of the map data based on the reroute position information stored in the reroute position information storage means.

  In the navigation system of the present invention, in the navigation system described above, the storage unit of the navigation device further includes local map data storage means for storing local map data locally held by the navigation device. The importance setting means is based on the degree of change detected by comparing the map data stored in the map data storage means with the local map data stored in the local map data storage means. The importance of the map data is set.

  The navigation device of the present invention is a navigation device including at least a control unit and a storage unit, which is communicably connected to a navigation server including at least a storage unit that stores map data, the storage unit being Map data storage means for storing the map data transmitted from the navigation server, and the control unit is set by importance setting means for setting the importance of the map data and the importance setting means. And deleting means for deleting the map data from the map data storage means based on the importance.

  The stored data deletion method of the present invention is executed in a navigation system in which a navigation server including at least a storage unit that stores map data and a navigation device including at least a control unit and a storage unit are connected to be able to communicate with each other. In the stored data deletion method, the storage unit of the navigation device includes map data storage means for storing the map data transmitted from the navigation server, and is executed in the control unit of the navigation device. The map data is determined based on the importance set in the importance setting step executed in the control unit of the navigation apparatus and the importance set in the importance setting step for setting the importance of the map data. A deletion step of deleting from the map data storage means; Characterized in that it contains.

  The stored data deletion method of the present invention is stored data executed in a navigation device having at least a control unit and a storage unit that is communicably connected to a navigation server having at least a storage unit that stores map data. A deletion method, wherein the storage unit includes map data storage means for storing the map data transmitted from the navigation server, and is executed in the control unit, and sets importance of the map data And a deletion step of deleting the map data from the map data storage unit based on the importance set in the importance setting step.

  According to this invention, the importance of map data can be set, and map data can be deleted from a memory | storage part based on the set importance. As a result, the present invention can delete the map data whose file size has reached a certain amount and needs to be deleted according to the importance of the map data set in advance. There is an effect that communication charges can be reduced. In particular, when the present invention is applied to a navigation device that does not have a large-capacity storage or memory on the local (navigation device) side, map data having high importance in route guidance is stored in a cache memory or the like on the local (navigation device) side. For example, when the navigation device is out of the communication range, it is possible to perform smooth route guidance, screen display, and the like even when the navigation server cannot communicate with the navigation server and the map data cannot be downloaded.

  Moreover, according to this invention, the importance of map data can be set based on the reroute position information memorize | stored in the memory | storage part. As a result, the present invention does not delete the latest map data of the map including the point where the reroute request has occurred on the guide route such as the point where the user is easily lost due to the change in the shape of the road from the cache memory. There is an effect of ending.

  According to the present invention, the importance of the map data is set based on the degree of change detected by comparing the map data stored in the storage unit and the local map data stored in the storage unit. can do. Thus, the present invention has an effect that it is not necessary to delete the latest map data of the map including the point where the shape such as a new road is changed from the cache memory.

  In the above description, the navigation system of the present invention has been described as an example. However, the navigation apparatus and the stored data deletion method have the same effect.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the navigation system in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the navigation system in the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of importance setting in the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of importance setting in the present embodiment.

  Embodiments of a navigation system, a navigation device, a navigation server, a stored data deletion method, and a program according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[Navigation system configuration]
First, an example of the configuration of the navigation system in the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. Here, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the navigation system in the present embodiment, and conceptually shows only the portion related to the present invention in the configuration.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation system according to the present embodiment schematically includes a navigation server 200 including at least a control unit 202 and a storage unit 206, a position acquisition unit 112, and an output unit (display unit 114 and audio). The navigation device 100 including at least the output unit 118), the input unit 116, the control unit 102, and the storage unit 106 is communicably connected. As an example, the communication includes remote communication such as wired / wireless communication via the network 300. Each part of these navigation systems is communicably connected via an arbitrary communication path.

[Configuration of Navigation Server 200]
Here, in FIG. 1, the navigation server 200 has a function of transmitting the map data stored in the storage unit 206 to the navigation device 100. The navigation server 200 is connected to the navigation apparatus 100 through the communication control interface unit 204 via the network 300 so as to be communicable with each other, and includes a control unit 202 and a storage unit 206. The control unit 202 is a control unit that performs various processes. The communication control interface unit 204 is an interface connected to a communication device (not shown) such as an antenna or a router connected to a communication line, a telephone line, etc., and performs communication control between the navigation server 200 and the network 300. Has the function to perform. That is, the communication control interface unit 204 has a function of communicating data with the navigation device 100 or the like via a communication line. The storage unit 206 is a storage unit such as a fixed disk device such as an HD (Hard Disk) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), and includes various databases and tables (a road network database 206a, a map database 206b, a route search information database 206c, A guidance database 206d).

  Of these components of the storage unit 206, the road network database 206a is road network data storage means for storing road network data. Here, the road network data stored in the road network database 206a is network data that defines a road network. For example, node data of nodes that are nodes on the road network expression such as intersections, and roads between nodes. This is network data expressed by a combination with link data of a link that is a section. The node data may include a node number, position coordinates such as latitude and longitude, a node type, the number of links to be connected, a connection node number, an intersection name, and the like. The link data includes link number, type of road to be connected, route number of national road, prefectural road, city road, etc., important route information, attribute information of administrative area where link exists, link length, road service status, abnormal Traffic restrictions such as traffic restrictions, vehicle weight restrictions, vehicle height restrictions, width, road width classification, number of lanes, speed limit, in-link attributes such as overpasses, tunnels and bridges, and names etc. Good. These road network data are stored in advance in the road network database 206a, and the control unit 202 of the navigation server 200 periodically downloads the latest data via the network 300 and stores the road data in the road network database 206a. Network data may be updated.

  The map database 206b is map data storage means for storing map map data. Here, in the present invention, the map data stored in the map database 206b is, for example, an outdoor map such as map data meshed according to a scale (for example, 1st to 4th regional division mesh data, 100m mesh data, etc.). It may be data. Here, the meshed map data stored in the map database 206b may be mesh data having a region where adjacent meshes partially overlap each other. The map database 206b may store outdoor map data such as road maps and route maps in the whole country and each region. Further, the map database 206b further stores indoor map data such as a floor guide map relating to a building having height information (for example, a multilevel parking lot) and an underground structure (for example, an underground parking lot). Also good. The map data stored in the map database 206b includes features displayed on the map (for example, buildings, houses, stations, buildings, roads, railways, bridges, tunnels, contour lines, coast lines, lake shore lines, etc.). Lifeline, sea, river, lake, pond, swamp, places such as parks and outdoor facilities, administrative boundaries, administrative districts, districts, etc.) shape data, notes displayed on the map (for example, place names, addresses, Telephone numbers, names of facilities such as shops, parks and stations, names including landmarks, historic sites, rivers, lakes, bays, mountains and forests, names of roads, bridges, tunnels, route names, point information, word-of-mouth information Etc., and symbols displayed on the map (for example, map symbols such as mountains, historic sites, temples, schools, hospitals, factories, cemeteries, gas stations, convenience stores, supermarkets, restaurants, banks, post offices) Etc. stores Symbols, road signals, toll road entrances, toll gates, service areas, parking areas, interchanges, symbols of parking lots, stations, hotels, museums, museums, etc.) May be included. The map data stored in the map database 206b may be map drawing image data in a raster format, a vector format, or the like. These outdoor map data and indoor map data are stored in advance in the map database 206b, and the control unit 202 of the navigation server 200 periodically downloads the latest data via the network 300 and stores it in the map database 206b. Outdoor map data and indoor map data may be updated.

  The route search information database 206c stores route search information including traffic regulation data, transportation timetable data, and usage fee data used when the control unit 202 creates a guide route that satisfies the route search condition. Route search information storage means. Here, the traffic regulation data stored in the route search information database 206c is data that defines various traffic regulations. For example, in order to ensure road safety, traffic closure, road traffic, etc. Information such as prohibition of entry of ordinary vehicles by a community zone or the like, or prohibition of entry of ordinary vehicles due to a connection path to private land may be included. In addition, the timetable data stored in the route search information database 206c may be information representing timetables of transportation facilities such as trains, airplanes, buses, streetcars, ropeways, monorails, cable cars, and ships. Good. The usage fee data stored in the route search information database 206c includes, for example, usage fees generated when using each transportation such as trains, airplanes, buses, streetcars, ropeways, monorails, cable cars, and ships, and automobiles. Information indicating fuel charges consumed when traveling on a motorcycle or the like may be used when the control unit 202 calculates transportation costs. Further, the route search information database 206c may store position information such as latitude and longitude information of facilities and the like existing on a map used for route creation when traveling by car, motorcycle, bicycle, walking, or the like. These traffic regulation data, timetable data, and usage fee data are stored in advance in the route search information database 206c, and the control unit 202 of the navigation server 200 periodically downloads the latest data via the network 300. Then, the route search information stored in the route search information database 206c may be updated.

  The guidance database 206d is guidance data storage means for storing guidance data (voice guidance data, display guidance data, etc.) output on the guidance route. Here, the guidance database 206d is associated with “turning to the left at the next intersection” associated with the direction of travel at a branching point or the like on the guidance route, or “when the current position approaches the destination” Voice guidance data such as “Nearly around the destination” is stored, and this voice guidance data is used when the control unit 102 of the navigation device 100 executes voice guidance as will be described later. The guidance database 206d stores display guidance data such as a turn-by-turn (TBT) associated with the traveling direction at a branch point on the guidance route, a guidance that the current position is close to the selected facility, and the like. The display guidance data is used when the control unit 102 of the navigation device 100 executes the display guidance as will be described later. Here, the TBT is an arrow navigation that displays guidance such as a right or left turn on the screen.

  The control unit 202 has an internal memory for storing a control program such as an OS (Operating System), a program that defines various processing procedures, and necessary data. And the control part 202 performs the information processing for performing various processes with these programs. The control unit 202 includes a route search condition reception unit 202a, a route search unit 202b, and a map data transmission unit 202c in terms of functional concept.

  Among these, the route search condition reception unit 202a is route search condition reception means for receiving a route search condition including at least a departure place and a destination transmitted from the navigation device 100. Here, the route search condition may include a waypoint.

  Further, the route search unit 202b searches for a guide route from the starting point to the destination that satisfies the route search condition including at least the starting point and the destination using the road network data stored in the road network database 206a, This is route search means for generating guide route data. Here, the route search unit 202b further uses the route search information stored in the route search information database 206c for the guide route from the departure point to the destination that satisfies the route search condition including at least the departure point and the destination. You may search. In addition, when the route search condition further includes a transit point, the route search unit 202b may search for a guide route that passes through the transit point.

  The map data transmission unit 202c is a map data transmission unit that transmits the map data stored in the map database 206b to the navigation device 100. Here, the map data may be map data including a guide route. Further, the map data transmission unit 202c may further transmit the guide route data generated by the route search unit 202b. Further, the map data transmission unit 202c may further transmit guidance data output on the guidance route stored in the guidance database 206d.

[Configuration of Navigation Device 100]
In FIG. 1, the navigation device 100 has a function of setting the importance of map data and deleting the map data from the storage unit based on the importance. The navigation device 100 is, for example, a commercially available information processing device such as a desktop or notebook personal computer, a portable navigation device such as a mobile phone, PHS, or PDA. In the present embodiment, the navigation device 100 may be an in-vehicle information processing terminal that performs car navigation. Here, for example, the navigation device 100 is supplied with electric power from the vehicle, is detachably fixed to the vehicle main body such as a dashboard by an attachment or the like, and does not have a large-capacity storage in the device main body (local). Signals (for example, vehicle speed pulse, fuel consumption, etc.) can also be acquired, a communication module is built in, and communication is possible with the navigation server 200 and the like via the network 300 within the communication range. It may be a device that can be downloaded from the navigation server 200 and updated. In addition, the navigation device 100 includes a position acquisition unit 112 having a GPS function, an IMES function, and the like so that the current position can be acquired in real time. In addition, the navigation device 100 includes an output unit including at least a display unit 114 and an audio output unit 118. Here, the display unit 114 is a display unit (for example, a display or a monitor composed of a liquid crystal, an organic EL, or the like) that displays a display screen such as guide route data received from the navigation server 200. The voice output unit 118 is voice output means (for example, a speaker) that outputs voice guidance data received from the navigation server 200. In addition, the navigation device 100 includes an input unit 116 (for example, a key input unit, a touch panel, a keyboard, a microphone, etc.) for inputting route search conditions. The input / output control interface unit 108 controls the position acquisition unit 112, the display unit 114, the input unit 116, the audio output unit 118, and the like.

  Here, the position acquisition unit 112 may be, for example, a position acquisition unit that receives a position information signal transmitted from the position transmission device 500. Here, the position transmitting device 500 may be a GPS device that transmits a position information signal (GPS signal), and IMES that enables indoor positioning using a position information signal having characteristics similar to those of the GPS signal. It may be an IMES device that implements (Indoor Message System) technology. The IMES technology is a system developed from the framework of the quasi-zenith satellite, which is a positioning satellite system. Further, the position transmission device 500 may be a GPS repeater that transmits a GPS signal received outdoors indoors. Further, the position transmission device 500 may be a small transmission device that is arbitrarily installed on each floor of a building (for example, a multilevel parking lot) or an underground structure (for example, a tunnel, an underground parking lot). Good. In addition, self-position information (position ID etc.) according to an installation place is allocated to this small transmitter. When the navigation device 100 enters the communicable range, the navigation device 100 receives the self-position information transmitted from the small transmitter as a position information signal. The communication method at this time may be, for example, various short-range wireless methods such as an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag system and Bluetooth (registered trademark), an infrared communication method, and the like. Further, the position transmission device 500 may be a wireless LAN access point. In the present embodiment, the control unit 102 may calculate position information including latitude, longitude, and height information from the position information signal acquired by the position acquisition unit 112. Further, the position acquisition unit 112 may acquire access point identification information by receiving a wireless LAN signal or the like. In the present embodiment, the control unit 102 may acquire the position information by specifying the position of the access point from the identification information unique to the access point acquired by the position acquisition unit 112.

  In addition, the position acquisition unit 112, for example, based on the direction information such as the traveling direction of the navigation device 100 detected by the direction sensor, the distance information detected by the distance sensor, and the map data, the user of the navigation device 100 You may acquire the positional information which shows a present position. Here, a geomagnetic sensor that detects the absolute traveling direction of the navigation device 100 and an optical gyro that detects the relative traveling direction of the navigation device 100 may be used as the direction sensor. In addition, the direction sensor may be an electronic compass that can acquire information on the direction and inclination by combining a geomagnetic sensor and an acceleration sensor. Further, when the navigation device 100 is an in-vehicle information processing terminal, the distance sensor may generate a pulse signal in proportion to the number of rotations of the axle and detect a movement distance in proportion to the number of pulse signals. Further, when the navigation device 100 is an in-vehicle information processing terminal, the position acquisition unit 112 may acquire position information indicating the own vehicle position from inter-vehicle communication of a communication device mounted on each vehicle.

  The communication control interface unit 104 is an interface connected to a communication device (not shown) such as an antenna or a router connected to a communication line, a telephone line, etc., and communicates between the navigation device 100 and the network 300. It has a function to perform control. That is, the communication control interface unit 104 has a function of communicating data with the navigation server 200 or the like via a communication line. The network 300 has a function of mutually connecting the navigation device 100 and an external device such as the navigation server 200, and includes, for example, the Internet, a telephone line network (including a mobile terminal line network and a general telephone line network), and the like. It may be an intranet, power line communication (PLC), or the like.

  The storage unit 106 is a storage means such as a small-capacity high-speed memory (for example, a cache memory) configured using SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) or the like, and various files (guide route data file 106a, map data). File 106b, guide data file 106c, etc.) may be stored. Here, the storage unit 106 may further include a large-capacity storage unit such as a fixed disk device such as an HD or an SSD, and various databases and files (reroute location information file 106d, local map database 106e, and Further, road network data and route search information used when a route search or the like is performed by the control unit 102, a database storing guide data used for route guidance, or the like may be stored.

  Among these, the guide route data file 106 a is guide route data storage means for storing guide route data received by the control unit 102.

  The map data file 106 b is map data storage means for storing map data received from the control unit 102 and transmitted from the navigation server 200. Here, the map data file 106b may store the importance of the map data set by the control unit 102 in association with the map data.

  The guidance data file 106 c is guidance data storage means for storing guidance data received by the control unit 102.

  The reroute position information file 106d is a reroute position information storage unit that stores reroute position information about a point (reroute point) where a reroute request is generated during route guidance.

  The local map database 106 e is a local map data storage unit that stores local map data held locally in the navigation device 100.

  The control unit 102 includes an internal memory for storing a control program such as an OS, a program defining various processing procedures, and necessary data. And the control part 102 performs the information processing for performing various processes by these programs. The control unit 102 is functionally conceptually configured as a current position information acquisition unit 102a, a route search condition transmission unit 102b, a map data reception unit 102c, an area determination unit 102d, a deletion unit 102e, an importance setting unit 102f, a route guidance unit 102g, The reroute position information storage unit 102h is provided.

  The current position information acquisition unit 102a is current position information acquisition means for acquiring the current position information of the user of the navigation device 100. Here, the current position information acquisition unit 102a may acquire the current position information of the user of the navigation device 100 every predetermined period (for example, every second). In addition, the current position information acquisition unit 102 a is the navigation apparatus 100 detected by the position information calculated from the position information signal received from the position transmission device 500 by the position acquisition unit 112 and / or the direction sensor of the position acquisition unit 112. Direction information such as the traveling direction of the user may be acquired as the current position information of the user of the navigation device 100. Further, the current position information acquisition unit 102a may acquire the position coordinates and the like of the current position input by the user via the input unit 116 as the current position information of the user of the navigation device 100. Here, the current position input by the user via the input unit 116 may be a position where the user actually exists, and a virtual current position arbitrarily selected by the user (for example, Tokyo It may be an arbitrary point such as a station or an airport in Osaka selected by a user in the area. Specifically, the current position information acquisition unit 102a designates on the display screen of the map data displayed on the display unit 114 by the user via the input unit 116 (for example, designation operation on the touch panel type display unit 114). Etc.) and / or orientation information may be acquired as the current position information of the user of the navigation device 100. The current position information acquisition unit 102a may acquire the position information of the vehicle as the current position information of the user of the navigation device 100.

  The route search condition transmission unit 102b is route search condition transmission means for transmitting a route search condition including at least a departure place and a destination to the navigation server 200. Here, the departure point may be the current position of the user of the navigation device 100 based on the current position information acquired by the current position information acquisition unit 102a.

  The map data receiving unit 102 c is a map data receiving unit that receives map data transmitted from the navigation server 200. Here, the map data may be map data including a guide route. Further, the map data receiving unit 102c may further receive guide route data transmitted from the navigation server 200. Further, the map data receiving unit 102c may further receive guidance data output from the navigation server 200 on the guidance route. The map data receiving unit 102c may further store the received guide route data in the guide route data file 106a. Further, the map data receiving unit 102c may further store the received map data in the map data file 106b. Further, the map data receiving unit 102c may further store the received guide data in the guide data file 106c.

  The area determination unit 102d is a determination unit that determines whether or not the map data file 106b has a storable area of a predetermined size.

  The deletion unit 102e is a deletion unit that deletes the map data from the map data file 106b based on the importance of the map data set by the control unit 102.

  The importance setting unit 102f is importance setting means for setting the importance of map data. Here, the importance setting unit 102f may set the importance of the map data based on the reroute position information stored in the reroute position information file 106d. Here, when the reroute request is input via the input unit 116 by the user, the importance setting unit 102f is stored in the map data file 106b of the map including the point where the reroute request is generated (reroute point). You may raise the importance of map data. In addition, the importance setting unit 102f generates map data based on the number of reroute requests based on the reroute position information stored in the reroute position information file 106d on the map based on the map data stored in the map data file 106b. You may set importance of. In addition, the importance setting unit 102f generates map data based on the degree of change detected by comparing the map data stored in the map data file 106b and the local map data stored in the local map database 106e. You may set importance of. Here, the degree of change refers to the addition and renovation of roads due to completion of expressways and bypass roads, and addition and renovation of road networks due to the disappearance of roads due to natural disasters (landslides, land collapses, etc.) and land readjustments The degree of deletion or the like may be used. The importance setting unit 102f may store the importance in the map data file 106b in association with the map data stored in the map data file 106b.

  Further, the route guidance unit 102g outputs route guidance information based on the guidance route data received by the map data receiving unit 102c and the current location information of the user of the navigation device 100 acquired by the current location information acquisition unit 102a. This is route guidance means for executing route guidance by outputting via. Here, the route guidance unit 102g may execute route guidance by causing the route guidance information to be output via the output unit until a reroute request is input via the input unit 116. In addition, the route guidance unit 102g is a route including a display screen in which the current location information of the user of the navigation device 100 acquired by the current location information acquisition unit 102a is superimposed on the guidance route data received by the map data reception unit 102c. Route guidance may be executed by displaying guidance information on the display unit 114. In addition, the route guidance unit 102g includes the guide route data received by the map data receiving unit 102c and / or the current position information acquisition unit on the map data of the map including the guide route received by the map data receiving unit 102c. The route guidance may be executed by causing the display unit 114 to display route guidance information including a display screen on which the current position information of the user of the navigation device 100 acquired in 102a is superimposed. Further, the route guidance unit 102g may output the guidance data received by the map data receiving unit 102c via the output unit. Specifically, the route guidance unit 102g sends the voice guidance data associated with the traveling direction at the branch point on the guidance route included in the guidance data received by the map data receiving unit 102c via the voice output unit 118. By outputting, route guidance may be executed, or route guidance may be executed by causing the display unit 114 to display a display screen of display guidance data such as TBT included in the guidance data.

  The reroute position information storage unit 102h is a reroute position information storage unit that stores the reroute position information in the reroute position information file 106d. Here, the reroute position information storage unit 102h is configured to acquire the current position information acquisition unit 102a when a reroute request is input by the user via the input unit 116 when the route guidance is performed by the route guide unit 102g. The current position information of the user of the navigation device 100 obtained by the above may be stored in the reroute position information file 106d as reroute position information. When the same reroute position information as the reroute position information stored in the reroute position information file 106d is stored again, the reroute position information storage unit 102h associates the reroute position information with the number of reroutes, or You may store as information of another point.

  Above, description of an example of a structure of the navigation system in this embodiment is finished.

[Navigation system processing]
Next, an example of the processing of the navigation system according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the navigation system in the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, first, the route search condition transmission unit 102b of the navigation device 100 transmits a route search condition including at least a departure place and a destination input by the user via the input unit 116 to the navigation server 200. Transmit (step SA-1). Here, the departure point may be the current position of the user of the navigation device 100 based on the current position information acquired by the current position information acquisition unit 102a. The route search condition may include a waypoint.

  Then, the route search condition receiving unit 202a of the navigation server 200 receives the route search condition including at least the departure place and the destination transmitted from the navigation device 100 (step SA-2).

  Then, the route search unit 202b of the navigation server 200 obtains the guide route from the starting point to the destination that satisfies the route search condition including at least the starting point and the destination received by the route searching condition receiving unit 202a. A search is performed using the road network data stored in 206a and the route search information stored in the route search information database 206c to generate guide route data (step SA-3). Here, when a route point is further included in the route search condition, the route search unit 202b may search for a guide route that passes through the route point.

  The map data transmission unit 202c of the navigation server 200 stores the guide route data generated by the route search unit 202b, the map data of the map including the guide route stored in the map database 206b, and the guide database 206d. Guide data output on the guide route is transmitted (step SA-4).

  Then, the map data receiving unit 102c of the navigation device 100 receives the guide route data transmitted from the navigation server 200, stores it in the guide route data file 106a, receives the map data of the map including the guide route, and the guide route. The guide data output above is received and stored in the guide data file 106c (step SA-5). Here, if there is no storable area of a predetermined size in the guide route data file 106a or the guide data file 106c, the map data receiving unit 102c overwrites the already stored data with the received guide route data or guide data. May be stored.

  Then, the area determination unit 102d of the navigation device 100 determines whether or not the map data file 106b has a storable area of a predetermined size (step SA-6). Here, the predetermined size may be the data size of the map data received by the map data receiving unit 102c.

  Then, the deletion unit 102e of the navigation device 100 determines that there is no storable region of a predetermined size in the map data file 106b by the region determination unit 102d in Step SA-6 (Step SA-6: No). The map data with the lowest importance is deleted from the map data file 106b based on the importance of the map data set by the importance setting section 102f and stored in association with the map data in the map data file 106b (step SA-7).

  Then, the map data receiving unit 102c of the navigation device 100 determines that the map data file 106b has a storable area of a predetermined size by the area determining unit 102d in Step SA-6 (Step SA-6: Yes), or if the map data is deleted from the map data file 106b by the deletion unit 102e in step SA-7, the received map data is stored in the map data file 106b (step SA-8). Here, when the map data corresponding to the received map data (for example, in the same region) is stored in the map data file 106b, the map data receiving unit 102c already stores the received map data in the map data file 106b. It may be stored by overwriting the map data.

  Then, the importance setting unit 102f of the navigation device 100 stores the map data stored in the map data file 106b by the map data receiving unit 102c in step SA-8 and the local map database 106e in the same area as the map data. Added by the completion of highways, bypass roads, etc., and the disappearance of roads due to natural disasters (landslides, land collapses, etc.) and land readjustment, Of the map data stored in the map data file 106b on the basis of the degree of change in the road network (for example, the number of roads added, modified, deleted, etc., the length of the roads added, modified, deleted, etc.) The importance is set and stored in the map data file 106b in association with the map data (step SA- ).

  Here, an example of importance setting in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of importance setting in the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the importance setting unit 102f of the navigation device 100 includes, for example, map data 1 to 9 such as mesh data stored in the map data file 106b, and mesh data stored in the local map database 106e. Based on the degree of change in accordance with the number of roads added to the road network detected by comparing the local map data 1 to 12 and the like, two roads were added from the local map data 6 The importance of map data 3 is set to 2 and the importance of map data 7 in which one road is added from local map data 10 is set to 1 and the road is added from local map data 11 The importance of the map data 8 is increased by one.

  Returning to FIG. 2 again, the route guidance unit 102g of the navigation device 100 is received by the map data receiving unit 102c until a reroute request is input by the user via the input unit 116 or until the route guidance is completed. On the map data of the map including the guide route stored in the map data file 106b, the guide route data received by the map data receiving unit 102c and stored in the guide route data file 106a, and the current position information acquiring unit 102a The route guidance is executed by causing the display unit 114 to display route guidance information including a display screen on which the current position information of the user of the navigation device 100 acquired at predetermined intervals (for example, every second) is displayed. (Step SA-10). Here, the route guidance unit 102g receives the voice guidance data associated with the traveling direction at the branch point on the guidance route included in the guidance data received by the map data receiving unit 102c and stored in the guidance data file 106c. The route guidance may be executed by outputting via the voice output unit 118, or the route guidance is executed by displaying a display screen of display guidance data such as TBT included in the guidance data on the display unit 114. May be.

  Then, the control unit 102 of the navigation device 100 determines whether the route guidance executed by the route guidance unit 102g in step SA-10 is terminated by the reroute request input by the user via the input unit 116. It is determined whether or not (step SA-11).

  In step SA-11, the control unit 102 of the navigation apparatus 100 does not end the route guidance due to the reroute request input by the user via the input unit 116 (eg, current position information). When the current position of the user of the navigation device 100 based on the current location information acquired by the acquisition unit 102a matches the destination input by the user via the input unit 116 in step SA-1, If it is determined that the route guidance by the route guidance unit 102g has been completed (step SA-11: No), the process is terminated.

  On the other hand, when the reroute position information storage unit 102h determines in step SA-11 that the route guidance has been completed by the control unit 102 through a reroute request input by the user via the input unit 116 (step SA- 11: Yes), when the route guidance is executed by the route guidance unit 102g in step SA-10, the current position information acquisition unit 102a is obtained when a reroute request is input via the input unit 116 by the user. The current position information of the user of the navigation device 100 acquired by the above is stored in the reroute position information file 106d as reroute position information (step SA-12).

  Then, the importance setting unit 102f is stored in the map data file 106b of the map including the reroute point based on the reroute position information stored in the reroute position information file 106d by the reroute position information storage unit 102h in step SA-12. The degree of importance of the map data is increased, the map data file 106b is stored in association with the map data, and the process proceeds to step SA-1 (step SA-13).

  Here, an example of importance setting in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of importance setting in the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the importance setting unit 102f of the navigation device 100 stores the reroute position information file 106d on the map based on the map data 1 to 9 such as mesh data stored in the map data file 106b. Based on the number of reroute requests based on the stored reroute position information (numbers in the arrows), the map data 1 is set with an importance increased by 2 and the map data 4 is set with an importance increased by 4 (3 + 1) Then, the importance of the map data 6 is set up by one, and the importance of the map data 8 is set up by one. Here, the arrow has shown the reroute point.

  Above, description of an example of the process of the navigation system in this embodiment is finished.

[Other embodiments]
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described so far, the present invention can be implemented in various different embodiments within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims other than the above-described embodiments. It may be done.

  In addition, among the processes described in the embodiment, all or part of the processes described as being automatically performed can be performed manually, or the processes described as being performed manually can be performed. All or a part can be automatically performed by a known method.

  In addition, unless otherwise specified, the processing procedures, control procedures, specific names, information including registration data for each processing, parameters such as search conditions, screen examples, and database configurations shown in the above documents and drawings Can be changed arbitrarily.

  Further, regarding the navigation device 100 and the navigation server 200, each illustrated component is functionally conceptual and does not necessarily need to be physically configured as illustrated.

  For example, the processing functions provided in each device of the navigation device 100 and the navigation server 200, in particular, the processing functions performed by the control unit 102 and the control unit 202 are all or any part of the processing functions. (Central Processing Unit) and a program interpreted and executed by the CPU, or can be realized as hardware by wired logic. The program is recorded on a recording medium to be described later, and is mechanically read by the navigation device 100 and the navigation server 200 as necessary. That is, the storage unit 106 such as the ROM or the HD, the storage unit 206, and the like store computer programs for giving instructions to the CPU in cooperation with the OS and performing various processes. This computer program is executed by being loaded into the RAM, and constitutes a control unit in cooperation with the CPU.

  The computer program may be stored in the navigation apparatus 100 and an application program server connected to the navigation server 200 via an arbitrary network 300, and the computer program may be wholly or partially stored as necessary. It can also be downloaded.

  The program according to the present invention can also be stored in a computer-readable recording medium. Here, the “recording medium” is an arbitrary “portable physical medium” such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a CD-ROM, an MO, a DVD, a Blu-ray Disc, or the like. It includes a “communication medium” that holds a program in a short period of time, such as a communication line or a carrier wave in the case of transmitting a program via a network 300 typified by a LAN, WAN, or the Internet.

  The “program” is a data processing method described in an arbitrary language or description method, and may be in any format such as source code or binary code. Note that the “program” is not necessarily limited to a single configuration, and functions are achieved in cooperation with a separate configuration such as a plurality of modules and libraries or a separate program represented by the OS. Including things. Note that a well-known configuration and procedure can be used for a specific configuration for reading a recording medium, a reading procedure, an installation procedure after reading, and the like in each device described in the embodiment.

  Various databases stored in the storage unit 106 and the storage unit 206 (guide route data file 106a, map data file 106b, guide data file 106c, reroute location information file 106d, local map database 106e, road network database 206a, The map database 206b, the route search information database 206c, the guidance database 206d, etc.) are storage means such as a memory device such as RAM and ROM, a fixed disk device such as a hard disk, a flexible disk, and an optical disk. Stores various programs, tables, databases, web page files, etc. to be used.

  Further, the navigation device 100 and the navigation server 200 connect information processing apparatuses such as known personal computers and workstations, and software (including programs, data, etc.) that allows the information processing apparatus to implement the method of the present invention. It may be realized by mounting.

  Furthermore, the specific form of distribution / integration of the devices is not limited to that shown in the figure, and all or a part of them may be functional or physical in arbitrary units according to various additions or according to functional loads. Can be distributed and integrated.

  As described in detail above, according to the present invention, when the map data downloaded and cached reaches a certain amount and needs to be deleted, the map data change degree or navigation time is required. A navigation system, a navigation device, a navigation server, and a stored data deletion method that can be deleted from map data of low importance according to the importance of each map data given in advance based on the reroute occurrence status, etc. Since it can be provided, it is extremely useful in various fields such as an information device that supports navigation and an information processing field.

100 Navigation device 102 Control unit
102a Current position information acquisition unit
102b Route search condition transmitter
102c Map data receiver
102d area determination unit
102e Deletion part
102f Importance setting part
102g Route guide
102h Reroute position information storage unit 104 Communication control interface unit 106 Storage unit
106a Guide route data file
106b Map data file
106c Guidance data file
106d Reroute location information file
106e Local map database 108 Input / output control interface unit 112 Position acquisition unit 114 Display unit 116 Input unit 118 Audio output unit 200 Navigation server 202 Control unit
202a Route search condition receiver
202b Route search unit
202c Map data transmission unit 204 Communication control interface unit 206 Storage unit
206a Road network database
206b Map database
206c route search information database
206d Guide database 300 Network 500 Position transmitter

Claims (6)

A navigation system in which a navigation server having at least a storage unit for storing map data and a navigation device having at least a control unit and a storage unit are communicably connected,
The storage unit of the navigation device includes:
Map data storage means for storing the map data transmitted from the navigation server ;
Local map data storage means for storing local map data held locally in the navigation device;
With
The control unit of the navigation device includes:
Importance setting means for setting importance of the map data by comparing the map data stored in the map data storage means with the local map data stored in the local map data storage means; ,
Deleting means for deleting the map data from the map data storage means based on the importance set by the importance setting means;
A navigation system characterized by comprising: The navigation system according to claim 1,
The storage unit of the navigation device includes:
Reroute position information storage means for storing reroute position information about a point where a reroute request is generated when performing route guidance;
Further comprising
The importance setting means is
A navigation system, wherein the importance of the map data is set based on the reroute position information stored in the reroute position information storage means. The navigation system according to claim 1 or 2 ,
Above Symbol importance of setting means,
Based on the degree of change detected by comparing the map data stored in the map data storage means and the local map data stored in the local map data storage means, the important of the map data A navigation system characterized by setting the degree. A navigation device including at least a control unit and a storage unit, connected to a navigation server including at least a storage unit that stores map data.
The storage unit of the navigation device includes:
Map data storage means for storing the map data transmitted from the navigation server ;
Local map data storage means for storing local map data held locally in the navigation device;
With
The control unit
Importance setting means for setting importance of the map data by comparing the map data stored in the map data storage means with the local map data stored in the local map data storage means; ,
Deleting means for deleting the map data from the map data storage means based on the importance set by the importance setting means;
A navigation device comprising: A stored data deletion method executed in a navigation system in which a navigation server including at least a storage unit that stores map data and a navigation device including at least a control unit and a storage unit are connected to be communicable,
The storage unit of the navigation device includes:
Map data storage means for storing the map data transmitted from the navigation server ;
Local map data storage means for storing local map data held locally in the navigation device;
With
By comparing the map data stored in the map data storage means and the local map data stored in the local map data storage means, which is executed in the control unit of the navigation device , the map Importance setting step to set the importance of data,
A deletion step of deleting the map data from the map data storage unit, based on the importance set in the importance setting step, executed in the control unit of the navigation device;
A method for deleting stored data, comprising: A stored data deletion method executed in a navigation device having at least a control unit and a storage unit, which is communicably connected to a navigation server having at least a storage unit for storing map data,
The storage unit of the navigation device includes:
Map data storage means for storing the map data transmitted from the navigation server ;
Local map data storage means for storing local map data held locally in the navigation device;
With
Executed in the control unit,
An importance setting step for setting the importance of the map data by comparing the map data stored in the map data storage means with the local map data stored in the local map data storage means ; ,
A deletion step of deleting the map data from the map data storage means based on the importance set in the importance setting step;
A method for deleting stored data, comprising:

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