Navigation system

• US 20040153241A1
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takamitsu
• Application Number:
  US10/729,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153241A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance

Abstract

In a navigation device, matching is executed between road shape data read from a map data storage medium and road shape data included in guidance route data received from a server. Road data relevant to that of the guidance route data is thereby designated from the road data stored in the map data storage medium. Connection relation of the road data between the map data storage medium and the guidance route is then established. This results in eliminating a problem that it is difficult for the navigation device to indicate a correct present position when the navigation device moves along a route different from the guidance route.

Claims

1. A navigation device comprising:

a storage medium managing unit for reading road data including road shape data from a storage medium;

a communications unit for receiving guidance route data including road shape data from a server via a communications network; and

a route guidance executing unit for executing route guidance by using the road data read by the storage medium managing unit and the guidance route data received by the communications unit,

wherein the route guidance executing unit designates road data relevant to the guidance route data from the road data read by the storage medium managing unit through executing matching between the road shape data received by the communications unit and the road shape data read by the storage medium managing unit, and

wherein the route guidance executing unit then executes the route guidance after reflecting the guidance route data on the road data relevant to the guidance route data.

2. The navigation device of claim 1,

wherein the communications unit receives the guidance route data including road attribute data, and

wherein the route guidance executing unit executes the matching by also using the road attribute data.

3. The navigation device of claim 1,

wherein the route guidance executing unit executes the route guidance after correcting the designated road data relevant to the guidance route data by using the guidance route data.

4. The navigation device of claim 1,

wherein the storage medium managing unit can execute rewriting on the storage medium, and

wherein the route guidance executing unit makes the storage medium managing unit correct, by using the guidance route data, the designated road data that is relevant to the guidance route data and is stored in the storage medium.

5. The navigation device of claim 1,

wherein, when no road data relevant to the guidance route data is designated from the road data read by the storage medium managing unit through executing matching, the route guidance executing unit executes the route guidance by adding the guidance route data to the road data read by the storage medium managing unit.

6. The navigation device of claim 1,

wherein, when no road data relevant to the guidance route data is designated from the road data read by the storage medium managing unit through executing matching, the route guidance executing unit makes the storage medium managing unit add the guidance route data to the storage medium.

7. A server comprising:

a computing unit for computing guidance route data for a guidance route based on a starting point and a destination; and

a communications unit for sending the computed guidance route data to a navigation device via a communications network,

wherein the computed guidance route data includes road shape data indicating a road shape.

8. The server of claim 7,

wherein the computed guidance route data includes road attribute data indicating a road attribute.

9. A computer program product including a computer readable medium used for executing route guidance in a navigation system having:

a storage medium managing unit for reading road data including road shape data from a storage medium; and

a communications unit for receiving guidance route data from a server via a communications network,

the computer program product comprising;

instructions for reading the road data including the road shape data from the storage medium;

instructions for receiving the guidance route data including road shape data from the server;

instructions for designating road data relevant to the guidance route data from the road data read from the storage medium through executing matching between the road shape data received from the server and the road shape data read from the storage medium; and

instructions for executing the route guidance after reflecting the guidance route data on the road data relevant to the guidance route data.