Map data processing apparatus and method of the same

• US 20020091485A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimotani, Mitsuo, Umezu, Masaharu, Mikuriya, Makoto, Ikeuchi, Tomoya
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/387 Organisation of map data, e.g. version management or database structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3893 Transmission of map data from distributed sources, e.g. from roadside stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

There are disclosed a map data processing apparatus and a method thereof, designed to obtain updating operation information indicating the updating content of map data, and update the map data according to the obtained updating operation information.

Claims

1. A map data processing apparatus comprising:

storing means for storing map data;

information obtaining means for obtaining updating operation information indicating an updating content of the map data stored in said storing means; and

updating means for updating the map data stored in said storing means according to the updating operation information obtained by said information obtaining means.

2. A map data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information obtaining means obtains updating operation information containing updating position information, a part to be updated being represented by an offset from a predetermined reference position in the map data therein.

3. A map data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information obtaining means obtains updating operation information containing, among data included in the map data, data specifying information for specifying data to be updated, and updating position information indicating a record having the data stored therein.

4. A map data processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said information obtaining means obtains updating operation information containing updating position information indicating at least one or more updating positions in the record.

5. A map data processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said information obtaining means obtains updating operation information containing update type information indicating update types of at least one or more parts to be updated in the record.

6. A map data processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

data storing means for storing the updating operation information obtained by said information obtaining means when updating time by said updating means exceeds a predetermined reference time, and storing map data after updating by said updating means when the updating time is less than the predetermined time.

7. A map data processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

data storing means for storing the updating operation information obtained by said information obtaining means when estimated updating time by said updating means exceeds a predetermined reference time, and storing map data after updating by said updating means when the estimated updating time is less than the predetermined reference time.

8. A map data processing apparatus comprising:

storing means for storing map data;

information obtaining means for obtaining updating information the map data stored in said storing means; and

updating means for updating the map data stored in the storing means according to the updating information obtained by said information obtaining means,

wherein said information obtaining means obtains corresponding node information indicating a correspondence between identical nodes of respective versions when said storing means stores map data, where a version of a certain area is different from that of the other area.

9. A map data processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said information obtaining means obtains corresponding node information only when versions of areas adjacent to each other are different, the corresponding node information obtained regarding identical nodes present in the areas adjacent to each other.

10. A map data processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said information obtaining means obtains only corresponding node information of the same nod present in an overlapped part of the areas adjacent to each other.

11. A map data processing method comprising the steps of:

obtaining updating operation information indicating an updating content of stored map data; and

updating the map data according to the obtained updating operation information.

12. A map data processing method according to claim 11, wherein updating operation information is obtained, containing updating position information, a part to be updated being represented by an offset from a predetermined reference position in the map data therein.

13. A map data processing method according to claim 11, wherein updating operation information is obtained, containing data specifying information for specifying data to be updated, and updating position information indicating a record having the data stored therein, among data included in the map data.

14. A map data processing method according to claim 11, wherein updating operation information is obtained, containing updating position information indicating at least one or more updating positions in a record.

15. A map data processing method according to claim 14, wherein updating operation information is obtained, containing update type information indicating update types of at least one or more parts to be updated in the record.

16. A map data processing method according to claim 11, wherein the obtained updating operation information is stored when updating time of the map data exceeds a predetermined reference time, and the map data after updating is stored when the updating time is less than the predetermined reference time.

17. A map data processing method according to claim 11, wherein the obtained updating operation information is stored when estimated updating time of the map data exceeds a predetermined reference time, and the map data after updating is stored when the estimated updating time is less than the predetermined reference time.

19. A map data processing method according to claim 18, wherein corresponding node information is obtained only when versions of areas adjacent to each other are different, the corresponding node information obtained regarding identical nodes present in the areas adjacent to each other.

20. A map data processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein only corresponding node information of the same node present in an overlapped part of the areas adjacent to each other is obtained.

18. A map data processing method comprising the steps of:

obtaining updating information of stored map data; and

updating the map data according to the obtained updating information,

wherein if there is map data stored, where a version of a certain area is different from that of the other area, corresponding node information indicating a correspondence between identical nodes of the respective versions is obtained.