WO2006067898A1

WO2006067898A1 - Map information updating device

Info

Publication number: WO2006067898A1
Application number: PCT/JP2005/016960
Authority: WO
Inventors: Koji Nakashima
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2004-12-24
Filing date: 2005-09-14
Publication date: 2006-06-29
Also published as: JP2006178358A

Abstract

A map information updating device for quickly acquiring the latest map information as necessary and efficiently updating the map information, comprising IC chip information receiving means (9) for receiving map update preliminary information representing update map information from an IC chip installed along a road, map update information acquiring means (2) for receiving map information from a host station, a CPU (1) for controlling the map update information acquiring means (2) to receive map information corresponding to the map update preliminary information, and map information updating means (4) for updating the map information stored in map intonation storage means (5) to the map information received by the map update information acquiring means (2).

Description

Map information update device

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a map information updating apparatus that receives the latest map information from the host station and updates the map information provided by itself.

Background art

[0002] A conventional navigation apparatus has a map information storage means using a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, and is stored in these storage media! Etc. and voice guidance. When updating map information, the user obtains the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM with the latest map information written on it, and replaces the storage medium installed in the device.

In addition, if the map information is updated by replacing the storage medium in this way, a considerable time lag occurs in the update of the map information. Some update the map information stored in the information storage means. This is because the navigation device has a communication means for performing data communication with the host station. When the navigation device periodically communicates with the host station and the latest map information is prepared in the host station, this map information is provided. Is transmitted from the host station and stored in the map information storage means provided for itself.

[0003] This navigation device is provided with a modem connected to an external mobile phone as a communication means, and the CPU of the navigation device controls the mobile phone via the modem to connect and disconnect the line with the host station, and to transmit data. Transmitting and receiving. It also has a hard disk controlled by the CPU and stores map information on this hard disk. Connection with the host station is performed, for example, every week or every day when the car key SW is in the OFF state, and it is checked whether the updated map information is available at the host station. If there is necessary map information, the information is transferred and recorded on the hard disk (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-95488 (pages 3, 4 and FIG. 1) [0005] Since the conventional navigation apparatus is configured as described above, the latest local map information is received and updated regardless of the CD-ROM or DV D-ROM. Even when map information does not exist, there is a problem that the processing load of the device increases because it performs communication with the host station periodically to perform some processing operation.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and receives information related to the update of the IC chip force map information installed along the road, and the latest map based on this information. An object of the present invention is to obtain a map information updating apparatus that receives information from a host station and updates map information provided in, for example, a navigation apparatus.

Disclosure of the invention

[0007] A map information updating apparatus according to the present invention receives IC chip information receiving means for receiving map update preliminary information indicating map information to be updated from an IC chip installed along a road, and receives map information from a host station. Map update information acquisition means, control means for controlling the map update information acquisition means to receive map information corresponding to the map update preliminary information, and map update information acquisition of map information stored in the map information storage means Map information updating means for updating the map information received by the means.

[0008] According to the present invention, the IC chip information receiving means receives the map update preliminary information indicating the map information for updating the IC chip force installed along the road, and the map update information is acquired by the control of the control means. Since the means receives the map information corresponding to the map update preliminary information from the host station and is stored in the map information storage means !, it is configured to update the map information. There is an effect that it can be acquired and updated efficiently at any time.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a map information updating apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing how a vehicle equipped with the map information updating apparatus according to Embodiment 1 travels on a road.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the map information updating apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing operation of the map information updating apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing map update preliminary information stored in an IC chip.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, in order to describe the present invention in more detail, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiment 1.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the map information updating apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The illustrated apparatus is configured as a navigation apparatus including, for example, a position detecting unit that detects a current position using a GPS signal or the like, a display unit that displays a current position in a map image, and the like. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a vehicle equipped with the map information updating apparatus according to the first embodiment travels on a road. The map information updating device shown in FIG. 1 is provided in the vehicle 20 in FIG. A CPU (control means) 1 for controlling the operation of this apparatus is connected to the map update information acquisition means 2. The map update information acquisition means 2 is connected to the antenna 3 and receives map information transmitted as radio communication data from the host station 21, for example, as shown in FIG. This map information can also be used as map image data and voice guide voice data. Further, the map update information acquisition means 2 is connected to the map information update means 4 and outputs the received map information to the map information update means 4. The map information update means 4 is connected to the map information storage means 5 and stores the map information input from the map update information acquisition means 2 in the map information storage means 5.

The CPU 1 is connected to a RAM 6 used as a data processing work area, a map information output means 7 to be controlled, an IC chip information receiving means 9, and a position detecting means 11. The map information output means 7 is connected to the map information storage means 5 and inputs the map information stored in the map information storage means 5. Further, the map information output means 7 is connected to the display means 8 made up of, for example, a liquid crystal display device, a sound reproduction device, etc., and performs image reproduction such as a map and sound reproduction such as sound guide.

The IC chip information receiving means 9 is connected to the antenna 10 and, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a map update described later from an IC chip 24 embedded below the road surface of the road 22 or in a curb or installed in a street light 23. Receive preliminary information. The IC chip 24 transmits the map update preliminary information stored therein as a radio signal. For example, the RF chip is provided in the RF tag. As described above, it is installed in underground facilities such as the ground below the road surface of the road 22, curbs, and street lamps 23.

The position detection means 11 is for detecting the current position.For example, the position detection means 11 is connected to the GPS antenna 12, receives GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, generates data indicating the current position from these signals, and outputs the data to the CPU 1. To do.

Next, the operation will be described.

The position detection means 11 controlled by the CPU 1 receives a GPS signal for each of a plurality of GPS satellite forces using the GPS antenna 12, and obtains data indicating the current position from the contents of each GPS signal by calculation, for example, a navigation device. The current position of the vehicle 20 equipped with is detected (step ST101).

The CPU 1 inputs data indicating the current position obtained by the position detection means 11 to the map information output means 7. The map information output means 7 controlled by the CPU 1 reads the map information of the area corresponding to the data indicating the current position from the map information storage means 5 and uses the read map information and the data indicating the current position. Image data indicating the current position in the map image with a pointer is generated, and the image data and the audio data included in the map information corresponding to the image data are output to the display means 8. Display images and play sound.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the processing operation of the map information updating apparatus according to the first embodiment.

For example, the CPU 1 monitors each element of the image data generated by the map information output means 7 and determines whether the current position of the vehicle 20 is off the road shown in the map as shown in FIG. Is determined (step ST102). This determination is made by comparing the data indicating the current position and the data indicating the road position included in the map information. If it is determined that the road is off the road shown on the map, the process returns to step ST101, and CPU 1 controls the operation of each means and repeats the subsequent processes. If it is determined that the road force shown in the map is off, the CPU 1 controls the IC chip information receiving means 9 and installs it along the currently traveling road 22 as shown in FIG. 2, for example. Has been Map update preliminary information is acquired from the IC chip 24 (step ST103). At this time, the IC chip information receiving means 9 controlled by the CPU 1 uses the antenna 10 to radiate a predetermined radio wave, for example, toward the curb of the running road 22 and is embedded in the curb. Read out the radio signal representing the map update preliminary information from chip 24. In addition, the IC chip information receiving means 9 is provided to a curb on the road as described above when the RF tag equipped with the IC chip 24 is equipped with a power source or the like to transmit signals such as radio waves. Receive radio signals transmitted from the RF tag without emitting radio waves.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing map update preliminary information stored in the IC chip. The map update preliminary information 30 illustrated in this figure also has a plurality of information capabilities related to the update of the map information used by the navigation device. For example, the installation position of the IC chip 24 is expressed by latitude, longitude, etc. "Location" information, "node number" information indicating the base of the map information including the area where the IC chip 24 is installed, for example, "link" information indicating the relationship with the map information of other areas, the IC chip 24 “Version” information indicating the map information describing the road 22 where the road is installed, “update date” information indicating the date and time when the map update preliminary information 30 was written in the IC chip 24, and the like. The map update preliminary information 30 indicates the latest map information to be transmitted from the host station 21 when it is necessary to update the map information stored in the map information storage means 5 to the latest one.

The CPU 1 inputs the map update preliminary information 30 from the IC chip information receiving means 9 and the data indicating the current position obtained from the GPS signal by the position detection means 11 to input the map update preliminary information 30 and the current position. The data shown is compared and collated, and whether or not the current position is a new road position is determined according to the result (step ST104). Specifically, it is determined whether or not the “position” information included in the map update preliminary information 30 and the data indicating the current position match. If they match, the current moving position is the position of the new road. It is determined that there is, and if it is not consistent, it is determined that it is new and not the position of the road.

[0015] If it is determined in step ST104 that the position is not a new road, the CPU 1 corrects the data indicating the current position, or controls the map information output means 7 to determine the position of the pointer pointing to the current position. The image is corrected so as to be overlaid (step ST105), the process returns to step ST101, and the subsequent processes are processed in the same manner. If it is determined in step ST104 that the position is a new road, the CPU 1 controls the map update information acquisition means 2 to start communication with the host station 21 (step ST106). The map update information acquisition means 2 establishes a communication path with the host station 21 via, for example, a wireless communication line. The CPU 1 sets the map information desired to be updated using the “node number” information, “version” information, etc. included in the map update preparation information 30 input from the IC chip information receiving means 9, for example. Signals such as codes for requesting map information are transmitted to the host station 21 by controlling the map update information acquisition means 2, and the latest map information is acquired from the host station 21 (step ST107). Note that the map update information acquisition means 2 performs the process of setting the map information to be requested to the host station 21 based on each information included in the map update preliminary information 30 based on the control of the CPU 1. Let's operate to request the host station 21 for the desired map information.

The map information update means 4 inputs the latest map information received by the map update information acquisition means 2, controls the map information storage means 5, and stores the map information stored in the map information storage means 5. Update to the latest one (step ST108).

Thereafter, the map information output means 7 reads the latest map information from the map information storage means 5 and uses the data indicating the current position output from the position detection means 11 based on the control of the CPU 1 as described above. Then, an image indicating the current position is displayed on the display means 8, and sound is output.

[0017] Of the operations of the map information updating apparatus described so far, steps ST101, ST102, ST 104, and ST105 can be omitted, and the latest map information can be received by operating from the step ST103. . In this operation, the IC chip information receiving means 9 is always installed along the road, and the map update preliminary information 30 is received from the IC chip 24 (step ST103). When the map update preliminary information 30 is received, the CPU 1 controls the map update information acquisition means 2 to communicate with the host station 21 (step ST106), acquire the latest map information (step ST107), and map The map information stored in the information storage means 5 is updated to the latest one (step ST108). As described above, when the map update preliminary information 30 is received without comparing the position of the road included in the map information with the current position, the latest map information may be acquired. As described above, according to the first embodiment, the IC chip information receiving means 9 receives the map update preliminary information 30 including the position information, the version information, etc. from the IC chip 24 installed along the road, Based on this map update preliminary information 30, the map update information acquisition means 2 is configured to receive the latest map information from the host station 21, so the latest map information is acquired promptly and when necessary. Thus, the map information stored in the map information storage means 5 can be updated efficiently.

Industrial applicability

[0019] As described above, the map information updating apparatus according to the present invention receives the updated preliminary information from the IC chip and receives the latest map information from the host station, so that the latest map information can be quickly obtained. Also suitable for getting and updating efficiently when needed.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] IC chip information receiving means for receiving map update preliminary information indicating map information to be updated from IC chips installed along the road;

Map update information acquisition means for receiving map information from the host station;

Control means for controlling the map update information acquisition means to receive map information corresponding to the map update preliminary information;

A map information update device comprising: map information update means for updating the map information stored in the map information storage means to the map information received by the map update information acquisition means.

[2] The control means controls the IC chip information receiving means to receive the map update preliminary information when the current position detected by the position detecting means does not exist at the position of the road included in the map information. The map information update device according to claim 1.

[3] When the control means compares the current position detected by the position detection means with the position information included in the map update preliminary information and determines that the current position is a new road, the control means 2. The map information update device according to claim 1, wherein the update information acquisition means is made to receive map information of a new road from the host station.