JPH11230769A - Method of transferring data for navigator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of transferring data for a navigator whereby the data transfer time can be reduced, by transferring only required data in a method of transferring map data for a navigator from an information center through a communication circuit. SOLUTION: Map data stored on a memory in an information center are classified in basic data necessary for navigators, extended data but unnecessary for providing more high-degree map writing and guidance, and additional data providing further more high-degree map writing and guide information. Any of the basic data only, basic data plus extended data, basic data, extended data and additional data, are transferred.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation system for detecting a current position of a vehicle and guiding the vehicle to a destination, and for inputting map data from outside the vehicle (information center) via a communication line. Regarding the transfer method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An on-vehicle navigation device is a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM (hereinafter, referred to as a map-ROM) on which map data is recorded.
A map data storage device such as a “CD-ROM”, a display device, and a GPS (Global Positioning)
System) A sensor that detects the current position and current direction of the vehicle such as a receiver, a gyro, and a vehicle speed sensor, etc., reads map data including the current position of the vehicle from a map data storage device, and executes the vehicle The map image around the position is drawn on the display screen, and the vehicle position mark (location) is displayed on the display screen in a superimposed manner. By moving the vehicle position mark, it is possible to see at a glance where the vehicle is currently traveling.

[0003] In addition, usually, a car navigation system is equipped with a route guidance function that allows a user to easily travel to a desired destination without making a mistake on a road. According to this route guidance function, the lowest cost route from the starting point to the destination using the map data is automatically searched by performing a simulation calculation such as the horizontal search method or the Dijkstra method, and the searched route is guided. The route is stored as a route, and during driving, the guidance route is drawn on the map image in a different color from the other roads and displayed thicker, or displayed on the screen, or a certain distance to the intersection where the vehicle should change the route on the guidance route When approaching the inside, the user is guided to the destination by drawing an arrow indicating the course at the intersection where the course is to be changed on the map image and displaying the arrow on the screen.

The cost is a value obtained by multiplying a constant according to a road width, a road type (such as a general road or an expressway), a right turn, a left turn, and the like based on the distance, a predicted traveling time of the vehicle, and the like. , The degree of appropriateness as a guidance route is quantified. Even if there are two routes having the same distance, the cost may be different by specifying, for example, whether or not to use a toll road, whether to prioritize the traveling distance or traveling time, or the like. Become.

A map stored in a map data storage device such as a CD-ROM has a longitude width of an appropriate size according to a scale level such as 1/12500, 1/25000, 1/50000, and 1/100000. Roads and the like are stored as a coordinate set of vertices (nodes) represented by longitude and latitude. A road is formed by connecting two or more nodes, and a portion connecting the two nodes is called a link.

[0006]

In recent years, it has been proposed to send map data from outside the vehicle to a navigation device via a communication line. For example, it is conceivable that the latest map data is stored in a storage device of a predetermined organization (hereinafter, referred to as a traffic information center), and the map data is transferred to a navigation device via an automobile telephone or the like. But,
If all the map data is always transferred, the transfer takes a long time, the communication fee increases, and communication traffic is congested.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a data transfer method for a navigation system for transferring map data from an information center via a communication line or the like, in which only necessary data is transferred and the data transfer time can be reduced. Is to provide a data transfer method.

[0008]

An object of the present invention is to provide a data transfer method for a navigation device for transferring map data from an information center having storage means for storing map data to a navigation device via a communication line. In the information center, the map data is classified into data essential to a navigation device and other additional data, and the navigation device sends the first or second map data according to the content of the requested map data. A request signal is transmitted, and when the first map data request signal is sent from the navigation device, the information center transfers only the essential data, and the second map request signal is sent. In this case, both the essential data and the additional data are transferred. Solved by the data transfer method.

In this case, the navigation device includes:
A signal indicating a current position is transmitted to the information center together with the first or second map data request signal, and the information center transfers only map data within a certain range from the current position of the navigation device. Is preferred. Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be described.

In the method of the present invention, the map data stored in the storage means of the information center is classified into data essential for the navigation apparatus and other additional data. Then, for example, in response to a request from the user, either a first map data request signal requesting only essential data or a second map data request signal requesting both essential data and additional data is provided as information. Send to the center.

The information center transfers only the essential data to the navigation device when the first map data request signal is transmitted from the navigation device, and transmits the second map data request signal when the second map data request signal is transmitted. Transfer both the essential data and the additional data to the navigation device. Thereby, transfer of unnecessary data can be omitted, and transfer time can be reduced. Further, in the present invention, regardless of whether the signal output by the navigation device is the first or second map data request signal,
Since at least essential data is transferred, the navigation device can use display of a map image according to the new map data, guidance of route guidance, and the like.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a data transfer method of a navigation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

The vehicle 30 is equipped with a navigation device 31 and a communication device (such as a car phone) 3. on the other hand,
The traffic information center 40 includes a storage device 41 that stores the latest map data. The navigation device 31 transmits and receives data to and from the traffic information center 40 via the communication device 3. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the navigation device 31.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a navigation device main body.
Is a CD-ROM storing map data. Reference numeral 2 denotes an operation unit provided with various operation buttons and the like for operating the navigation device body 10. The operation unit 2 is provided with a joystick used for moving a cursor, a “menu” button, a “decision” button, and the like. 3
Is a communication device described above, and 4 is a GPS receiver that receives a GPS signal transmitted from a GPS satellite and detects the longitude and latitude of the current position of the vehicle. Reference numeral 5 denotes a self-contained navigation sensor. The self-contained navigation sensor 5 includes an angle sensor 5a such as a gyro for detecting a rotation angle of the vehicle, and a traveling distance sensor 5b for generating a pulse at every constant traveling distance. Reference numeral 7 denotes a liquid crystal display device, and the navigation device body 10 displays a map around the current position of the vehicle on the display device 7, guides a route from a departure place to a destination, a vehicle position mark, and other guidance information. Is displayed. Reference numeral 8 denotes a speaker, and the navigation device body 10 transmits various kinds of guidance information to the user via the speaker 8 by voice.

The navigation apparatus main body 10 comprises the following. Reference numeral 17 denotes an update data storage unit for storing map data sent from the traffic information center 40. Reference numeral 11 denotes a buffer memory for temporarily storing map data read from the CD-ROM 1 or the update data storage unit 17. Reference numeral 12 denotes an interface connected to the operation unit 2, 13 denotes an interface connected to the communication device 3, 14 denotes an interface connected to the GPS receiver 4, and 15 denotes an interface connected to the self-contained navigation sensor 5. Reference numeral 16 denotes a control unit. The control unit 16 detects the current position of the vehicle based on information input from the interfaces 14 and 15, and controls the CD-ROM.
1 or predetermined map data from the update data storage unit 17 to the buffer memory 11,
A search is made for a guidance route from the departure place to the destination under the search conditions set by using the map data read out at step (a).

Reference numeral 18 denotes a map drawing unit that generates a map image using the map data read into the buffer memory 11. Reference numeral 20 denotes a guide route storage unit that stores the guide route searched by the control unit 16, and reference numeral 21 denotes a guide route drawing unit that draws a guide route. In the guidance route storage unit 20, all the nodes of the guidance route searched by the control unit 16 are recorded from the starting point to the destination. When displaying the map, the guide route drawing unit 21 reads the guide route information (node sequence) from the guide route storage unit 20 and draws the guide route in a color and line width different from those of other roads.

Reference numeral 19 denotes an operation screen / mark generation unit for generating various menu screens (operation screens) and various marks such as a vehicle position mark and a cursor according to the operation status. Reference numeral 22 denotes an audio signal generator. A plurality of voice messages are recorded in the voice signal generating unit 22 in advance.
A predetermined voice message is output to the speaker 8 according to the signal from the speaker 8.

Reference numeral 23 denotes an image synthesizing unit, which is a map drawing unit 18.
The operation screen / mark generation unit 19 is added to the map image drawn by
Mark, operation screen, and guidance route drawing unit 21 generated by
Are superimposed on the guidance route drawn in the above step and displayed on the display device 7. In the navigation device configured as described above, the control unit 16 detects the current position of the vehicle from the GPS signal received by the GPS receiver 4 and the signal input from the self-contained navigation sensor 5. Then, map data around the vehicle is read from the update data storage unit 17 or the CD-ROM 1 and stored in the buffer memory 11. In this case, the control unit 16 gives priority to the map data stored in the update data storage unit 17 and reads the map data from the CD-ROM 1 when there is no corresponding data in the update data storage unit 17. The map drawing unit 18 generates a map image based on the map data read into the buffer memory 11, and displays a map image around the vehicle on the display device 7.

The control unit 16 detects the position of the vehicle based on signals input from the GPS receiver 4 and the self-contained navigation sensor 5 as the vehicle moves, and displays the position on the display device 7 in accordance with the result. The vehicle position mark is superimposed on the map image and displayed, and the vehicle position mark is moved with the movement of the vehicle, or the map image is scroll-displayed. Further, when the user operates the operation unit 2 to set a destination,
The control unit 16 sets the current position of the vehicle as a departure point, and stores map data from the departure point to the destination in the update data storage unit 17 or
The data is read from the D-ROM 1 to the buffer memory 11. Also in this case, the control unit 16 gives priority to the map data stored in the update data storage unit 17, and reads the map data from the CD-ROM 1 when there is no corresponding data in the update data storage unit 17. Then, the control unit 16 uses the map data read to the buffer memory 11 to search for a guidance route from the departure place to the destination. After that, the search result is stored in the guidance route storage unit 20, and the guidance route is superimposed on the map image and displayed. Then, guidance information is output as appropriate as the vehicle travels, and the vehicle is guided along the guidance route to the destination.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of map data stored in the traffic information center. As shown in FIG. 3, the map data is divided into rectangular regions (hereinafter, referred to as “regions”) divided by straight lines parallel to the meridian and the latitude line, and the map data of each region includes a different mesh code ( In the example shown in FIG. 3, A11 to A44) are added. Similarly, the map data stored in the CD-ROM 1 is divided for each area represented by the mesh code. When transferring the map data, the traffic information center 40 performs the data transfer using the map data for each area as one unit. The map data of each area is classified into basic data, extended data, and additional data. The basic data includes the data shown in Table 1 below, the extended data includes the data shown in Table 2 below, and the additional data includes the data shown in Table 3 below. Similarly, the map data stored in the CD-ROM 1 is classified into basic data, extended data, and additional data.

[0021]

[Table 1]

The basic data shown in Table 1 is essential data for a navigation device, and is used for providing map drawing data used for map drawing, search data used for searching for a guide route, and various kinds of guidance information during vehicle running. Guide data is included. Based on these data, the navigation device can draw a map image and display it on the display device 7, search for a guidance route, and display guidance information on a screen while the vehicle is running.

In Table 1, the road shape is node data (indicating a position and a link state) for drawing a road. IC / SA / PA / JCT respectively
The data indicates the positions of an interchange, a service area, a parking area, and a junction. The road type is data indicating a highway, a national road, a general road, or the like, and the type change code is data indicating a change in the road type (for example, a change from a national road to a general road). The traffic light and the intersection are data indicating the positions of the traffic light and the intersection.
The time regulation and the season regulation are data indicating the time or the period when the traffic on the road is regulated by the time or the season. VICS (VEHICLE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICAT
ION SYSTEM: Road Traffic Information Communication System) Information and VI
The CS link is data for displaying VICS information transmitted via FM multiplex broadcasting, an optical beacon, or a radio beacon on a display screen.

[0024]

[Table 2]

The extended data shown in Table 2 is not essential data for the navigation device, but is additional data for drawing a more advanced map or performing more advanced route guidance. By inputting the extension data, the navigation device can display, for example, the name and shape of a building, more detailed place names, the position and shape of a parking lot, the shape of a grade separation, and the like when drawing a map.

In Table 2, the terrain indicates data indicating the shape of a building or the like, the area polygon indicates data indicating the shape of a lake or the like, and the lane information indicates information for each lane of a road having two or more lanes (lanes). Data. In addition, POI (Positi
on Of Interest) is data for each property, for example,
It contains data of stores on each floor of the building. Further, the extended data includes data of a town page, and it is possible to search for a destination or a stopover from a telephone number or an address.

Further, the navigation device is an ADPCM.
By inputting (Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation) data, voice guidance becomes possible. Also, by inputting the enlarged intersection data, an enlarged view of the intersection is displayed when the vehicle turns at the intersection.

[0028]

[Table 3]

The additional data shown in Table 3 is not essential data for the navigation device, but is additional data for using the navigation device more conveniently and enjoyably. By inputting additional data, the navigation device displays, for example, photographs or illustrations of sightseeing spots, displays a detailed city map or a three-dimensional map, and displays a width of 3.3 to 3.0.
A 5.5 m narrow street, a pedestrian bridge, an entrance of a parking lot, and the like can be displayed on a map image.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing data levels defined in the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, only the basic data is referred to as level 1, the basic data and extended data are collectively referred to as level 2, and the basic data, extended data and additional data are collectively referred to as level 3. The control unit 16 of the navigation device 31 transmits a map data request signal corresponding to the level specified by the user to the traffic information center 40 via the communication device 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a data transfer method according to the present embodiment. First, when updating the map data, the user presses the “Menu” button of the operation unit 2 to display a menu screen (not shown) on the display device 7, selects a predetermined item, and presses the “Enter” button. push. Then, for example, a data transfer setting screen shown in FIG. 6 is displayed.

On the data transfer screen, the user selects a desired data level (step S11). For example, when only the basic data of the navigation device needs to be changed, level 1 is selected. When only data for realizing a more advanced map display function, search function, or the like needs to be updated, level 2 is selected. When updating data for realizing all functions of the navigation device, level 3 may be selected.

When the level of the requested map data is selected and the "OK" button of the operation unit 2 is pressed in this way, the control unit 16 starts communication with the traffic information center 40 via the communication device 3 ( Step S12, Step S21). When the communication protocol is established with the traffic information center 40, the control unit 16 transmits a map data request signal indicating the data level selected by the user (Steps S13 and S22).

When receiving the map data request signal from the navigation device 30, the traffic information center 40 searches the storage device 41 for the corresponding map data according to the level indicated by the map data request signal (step S2).
3), and transmit it to the navigation device 31 (step S)
14, step S24). That is, when the level indicated by the map data request signal is level 1, only the basic data is read from the storage device 41 and transmitted to the navigation device 31. When the level indicated by the map data request signal is level 2, the basic data and the extension data are read from the storage device 41 and transmitted to the navigation device 31. Further, when the level of the map data request level signal is level 3, the basic data, the extension data, and the additional data are read from the storage device 41 and transmitted to the navigation device 31.

The map data sent from the traffic information center 40 is stored in the update data storage unit 17. When the transfer of the map data from the traffic information center 40 to the navigation device 31 is completed, the control unit 16 disconnects the communication line (steps S15 and S25). After the latest map data is stored in the update data storage unit 17 in this manner, the control unit 16
Is used preferentially, and data not stored in the update data storage unit 17 is
Using the data stored in the D-ROM 1, it searches for a guidance route, draws a map, and provides various types of guidance information as the vehicle travels.

In this embodiment, when the user specifies a desired data level, the latest map data of the specified level is transferred from the traffic information center 40 and stored in the update data storage unit 17. In this case, since only the data of the level specified by the user is transferred, transfer of unnecessary data is omitted. Thereby, communication time and communication fee can be saved. The traffic information center also has the advantage that unnecessary data transfer is eliminated and communication traffic is reduced.

(Second Embodiment) Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
A data transfer method of the navigation device according to the embodiment will be described. Note that, in the present embodiment, FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment,
As in the first embodiment, the user specifies a data level desired to be transferred. Then, when transmitting the map data request signal to the traffic information center 40, the control unit 16 of the navigation device 31 determines the position of the own vehicle detected by the GPS receiver 4 and the self-contained navigation sensor 5 in the traffic information center 40.
Send to

Upon receiving the information on the current position of the vehicle from the navigation device 31, the traffic information center 40 searches for a mesh code of an area included in a certain range (for example, within 100 km) from the current position of the vehicle. For example, FIG.
As shown in the figure, the mesh code is A12, A13, A22, A within a certain range (shown by a circle in the figure) from the current position of the vehicle.
It is assumed that areas 23, A24, A32, A33, A34, A42, A43, and A44 are included. Then, traffic information center 4
0 transfers only the map data of the level specified by the map data request signal to the navigation device 31 among the map data of these areas.

In the present embodiment, since only the data of the designated level, which is the map data around the current position of the vehicle, is transferred, the communication time is shorter than that of the first embodiment. Already, communication traffic can be further reduced.

[0040]

As described above, according to the method of the present invention, the map data stored in the information center is classified into data essential for the navigation device and additional data other than the data. Since the data to be transferred is determined according to the map data request signal, unnecessary data need not be transferred, and the transfer time can be reduced. As a result, communication charges can be kept low, and congestion of communication traffic can be prevented. In this case, at least essential data is always transferred to the navigation device, so that the navigation device can display a map image or provide guidance route guidance according to the new map data.

Further, a signal indicating the current position is transmitted to the information center together with the map data request signal, and the information center transmits only map data within a certain range from the current position and data corresponding to the map data request signal. By transferring, the data transfer time can be further reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a data transfer method of a navigation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a navigation device that implements a data transfer method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of map data.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing data levels defined in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a data transfer method according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data transfer setting screen.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a data transfer method according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CD-ROM, 2 operation unit, 3 communication device, 4 GPS receiver, 5 self-contained navigation sensor, 7 display device, 10 navigation device body, 11 map data storage unit, 12-15 interface, 16 control unit, 18 map drawing Unit, 19 operation screen / mark generation unit, 20 guidance route storage unit, 21 guidance route drawing unit, 23 image synthesis unit, 30 vehicle, 31 navigation device, 40 traffic information center, 41 storage device.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A data transfer method for a navigation device for transferring map data from an information center having storage means for storing map data to a navigation device via a communication line, wherein the information center stores the map data. The navigation device classifies the data into data essential to the navigation device and other additional data, the navigation device transmits a first or second map data request signal according to the content of the requested map data, Transfers only the essential data when the first map data request signal is transmitted from the navigation device, and transmits the essential data and the additional data when the second map request signal is transmitted. A data transfer method for a navigation device, wherein both data and data are transferred. 2. The navigation device transmits a signal indicating a current position to the information center together with the first or second map data request signal, wherein the information center is fixed from a current position of the navigation device. The data transfer method for a navigation device according to claim 1, wherein only the map data within the range is transferred.