Map information processing apparatus, map update information storage medium, map update information data structure, map update information creating system, and map information updating system

• US 20050049784A1
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auto Tech Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimotani, Mitsuo, Umezu, Masaharu, Mikuriya, Makoto, Ikeuchi, Tomoya
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3859 Differential updating map data

Abstract

A map information processing apparatus includes a map information storage unit (15) for storing map information, a map update information storage unit (8) for storing one or more pieces of map update information (30 to 32) used for updating yet-to-be-updated map information, a map update information selection unit (19) for selecting one or more pieces of map update information required to update the map information stored in the map information storage unit (15) from the one or more pieces of map update information stored in the map update information storage unit, and a map information updating unit (20) for updating the map information stored in the map information storage unit (15) by applying the one or more pieces of map update information selected by the map update information selection unit to the map information one by one in order of updating.

Claims

1. A map information processing apparatus comprising:

a map information storage means for storing map information;

a map update information storage means for storing one or more pieces of map update information which were created when updating processes were continuously performed and which are used for updating yet-to-be-updated map information;

a map update information selection means for selecting one or more pieces of map update information required to update the map information stored in said map information storage means from the one or more pieces of map update information stored in said map update information storage means; and

a map information updating means for updating the map information stored in said map information storage means by applying said one or more pieces of map update information selected by said map update information selection means to the map information stored in said map information storage means one by one in order in which the one or more selected pieces of map update information were created for updating of map information.

2. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises an updated map information storage means for storing the map information updated by said map information updating means, and said map update information selection means selects one or more pieces of map update information required to update either the map information stored in said map information storage means or the updated map information stored in said updated map information storage means from the one or more pieces of map update information stored in said map update information storage means, and wherein said map information updating means applies the one or more pieces of map update information selected by said map update information selection means to either the map information stored in said map information storage means or the updated map information stored in said updated map information storage means one by one in order in which the one or more selected pieces of map update information were created for updating of map information.

3. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the map information stored in said map information storage means has a data array which is identical to that of updated map information which said map information updating means creates by applying map update information, which was created when previous map information was revised and the map information stored in said map information storage means was created, to this map information.

4. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said map update information storage means stores, as map update information, difference information indicating a difference between yet-to-be-updated map information and updated map information, and replacement information which is latest map information, and, when said map update information selection means selects said difference information, said map information updating means applies said selected difference information to the map information stored in said map information storage means so as to update the map information, whereas, when said map update information selection means selects said replacement information, said map information updating means replaces a part of the map information stored in said map information storage means, said part corresponding to said selected replacement information, with said selected replacement information.

5. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said map update information storage means stores, as map update information, difference information indicating a difference between yet-to-be-updated map information and updated map information, and replacement information which is latest map information, and, when said map update information selection means selects said difference information, said map information updating means applies said selected difference information to either the map information stored in said map information storage means or the updated map information stored in said updated map information storage means so as to update either the map information or the updated map information, whereas, when said map update information selection means selects said replacement information, said map information updating means replaces a part of the map information stored in said map information storage means, said part corresponding to said selected replacement information, with said selected replacement information, and wherein said updated map information storage means stores the updated map information updated by using said difference information and said replacement information.

6. A map update information data structure wherein a variation between two different versions of map information is defined by one or more pieces of map update information each of which is created for updating yet-to-be-updated map information every time when revision is carried out between times of creation of said two different versions of map information.

7. The map update information data structure according to claim 6, wherein the one or more pieces of map update information, each of which is created for updating yet-to-be-updated map information every time when revision is carried out, as well as one or more pieces of management information respectively indicating versions of map information to which the one or more pieces of map update information are to be applied to update the versions of map information, respectively, are stored in one or more files, respectively, and the variation between the two different versions of map information is defined by said one or more files.

8. The map update information data structure according to claim 6, wherein the one or more pieces of map update information, each of which is created for updating yet-to-be-updated map information every time when revision is carried out, are stored in one or more files to which file names indicating versions of map information, to which the one or more pieces of map update information are to be applied to update the versions of map information, are given, respectively, and the variation between the two different versions of map information is defined by said one or more files.

9. The map update information data structure according to claim 6, wherein the one or more pieces of map update information, each of which is created for updating yet-to-be-updated map information every time when revision is carried out, are stored in one or more first files, respectively, and management information indicating versions of map information to which the one or more pieces of map update information are to be applied to update the versions of map information, respectively, is stored in a second file, and the variation between the two different versions of map information is defined by said one or more first files and said second file.

10. The map update information data structure according to claim 6, wherein the one or more pieces of map update information, each of which is created for updating yet-to-be-updated map information every time when revision is carried out, as well as one or more pieces of management information respectively indicating versions of map information to which the one or more pieces of map update information are to be applied to update the versions of map information, respectively, are stored in a single map update information file including one or more data units each of which has one piece of map update information and one piece of management information, and the variation between the two different versions of map information is defined by said map update information file.

11. The map update information data structure according to claim 6, wherein the one or more pieces of map update information, each of which is created for updating yet-to-be-updated map information every time when revision is carried out, as well as management information indicating versions of map information to which the one or more pieces of map update information are to be applied to update the versions of map information, respectively, are stored in a single map update information file.

12. A map update information storage medium for storing one or more pieces of map update information each of which is created for updating yet-to-be-updated map information every time when revision is carried out between times of creation of said two different versions of map information, said one or more pieces of map update information defining a variation between two different versions of map information.

13. The map update information storage medium according to claim 12, wherein each of the one or more pieces of map update information can be applied to revised map information, and can be also applied to updated map information which is acquired by applying one or more of the one or more pieces of map update information to yet-to-be-revised map information.

14. The map update information storage medium according to claim 12, wherein said medium stores a map information updating program for applying each of the one or more pieces of map update information to map information.

15. A map update information creating system comprising:

a map update information creating means for, in order to define a variation between two different versions of map information, creating map update information used for updating yet-to-be-revised map information every time when revision is carried out at intervals between times of creation of the two different versions of map information.

16. The map update information creating system according to claim 15, wherein the map update information created by said map update information creation means can be applied to revised map information, and can be also applied to updated map information which is acquired by applying the map update information to the yet-to-be-revised map information.

17. The map update information creating system according to claim 15, wherein said map update information creation means includes a primary map information storage means for storing primary map information which is acquired by actual measurement, a map information conversion means for converting the primary map information stored in said primary map information storage means into secondary map information which can be processed by a map information processing apparatus, a secondary map information storage means for storing the secondary map information acquired by said map information conversion means, and a secondary map update information creation means for outputting a difference between the secondary map information which is yet to be revised and is stored in said secondary map information storage means and revised secondary map information which is stored in said secondary map information storage means as secondary map update information, and wherein said map update information creation means outputs the secondary map update information as map update information which can be processed by a map information processing apparatus.

18. The map update information creating system according to claim 15, wherein said map update information creation means includes a primary map information storage means for storing primary map information which is acquired by actual measurement, a primary map update information creation means for outputting a difference between the primary map information which is yet to be revised and is stored in said primary map information storage means and revised primary map information which is stored in said primary map information storage means as primary map update information, and a map update information conversion means for converting the primary map update information created by said primary map update information creation means into secondary map update information which can be processed by a map information processing apparatus, and wherein said map update information creation means outputs the secondary map update information acquired by said map update information conversion means as map update information.

19. The map update information creating system according to claim 15, wherein said map update information creation means includes a primary map information storage means for storing primary map information which is acquired by actual measurement, a map information conversion means for converting the primary map information stored in said primary map information storage means into secondary map information which can be processed by a map information processing apparatus, a secondary map information storage means for storing the secondary map information acquired by said map information conversion means, and a secondary map update information creation means for outputting a difference between the secondary map information which is yet to be revised and is stored in said secondary map information storage means and revised secondary map information which is stored in said secondary map information storage means as secondary map update information, and wherein said system outputs the secondary map update information outputted by said secondary map update information creation means as map update information, converts primary map information which is created thereby by applying a change in the primary map information acquired by actual measurement to the primary map information which is yet to be revised and is stored in said primary map information storage means so as to create revised secondary map information by using said map information conversion means, and stores the revised secondary map information in said secondary map information storage means.

20. A map information updating system comprising:

a map update information creating system for, in order to define a variation between two different versions of map information, creating map update information used for updating yet-to-be-revised map information every time when revision is carried out at intervals between times of creation of the two different versions of map information;

a map information processing apparatus; and

a map update information providing system for providing one or more pieces of map update information created by said map update information creating system to said map information processing apparatus, and wherein said map information processing apparatus includes a map information storage means for storing map information, a map update information storage means for storing the one or more pieces of map update information provided by said map update information providing system, a map update information selection means for selecting one or more pieces of map update information used for updating the map information stored in said map information storage means from the one or more pieces of map update information stored in said map update information storage means, and a map information updating means for updating the map information stored in said map information storage means by applying the one or more pieces of map update information selected by said map update information selection means to the map information stored in said map information storage means one by one in order in which the one or more selected pieces of map update information were created for updating of map information.