Map information supply device for mobile units

• US 20050102097A1
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanizaki, Masaaki, Shimada, Shigeru, Maruyama, Kishiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,248,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635

Abstract

Disclosed is a arrangements of map information supply device for mobile units.

Claims

1. A map information device comprising:

a storage unit for map data recorded in a rectangular coordinate system;

a route search unit for searching for a route based on information on two geographical points;

an area generator unit to set an area along the route between the two geographical points; and

a map search unit to search for and output the map data of the area,

wherein the area generator unit establishes the area by adding corrections to correct a width of the area based on latitude values of the route.

2. A map information device comprising:

a storage unit for map data;

a route search unit for searching for a route between two geographical points;

an area generator unit to set an area along the route between the two geographical points;

an processor unit to simplify the figure of the area; and

a map search unit to search for and output the simplified area map data,

wherein the processor unit reduces a number of nodes consisting the route from the nodes included in the area generated by the area generator.

10. A map information device according to claim 2 wherein the map search unit subdivides said area into multiple area units, and determines map data that intersects or is included in the areas by subdivided area unit.

12. A map information device according to claim 2, with the map data based on rectangular coordinates, wherein the area generator unit establishes the area by adding corrections to correct a width of the area based on latitude values of the route.

3. A map information device connected to a terminal, comprising:

a route search unit for searching for a route based on information for two geographical points from said terminal;

an route area predictor for predicting enroute stopping points along the route;

an area generator unit to set an area along the route between the two geographical points; and

a map search unit to search for and output the map data of the area,

wherein the area generator unit establishes an expanded range for the area along the route in the vicinity of the enroute stopping points as the area.

4. A map information device according to claim 3, wherein said route area predictor establishes the enroute stopping points based on the predicted trip time schedule along the route.

5. A map information device according to claim 3, wherein the route area predictor establishes the enroute stopping points based on the remaining fuel value information received from the terminal.

6. A map information device according to claim 4, wherein the route area predictor establishes the enroute stopping points based on the specified rest break time period or a continuous driving time.

7. A map information device according to claim 3 comprising:

a processor unit to simplify the line figure of the route searched by the route search unit,

wherein the processor unit reduces a number of node consisting of the line figure of the route and the map area generator unit sets an area based on a simplified line figure.

8. A map information device according to claim 7:

wherein the processor omits the nodes whose distance to next nodes are equal or less the predetermined value.

9. A map information device according to claim 4 comprising:

a processor unit to simplify the line figure of the route searched by the route search unit,

wherein the processor unit reduces a number of nodes included in the line figure of the route and the map area generator unit sets an area based on a simplified line figure.

11. A map information device according to claim 7, wherein the map search unit subdivides said area into multiple area units, and determines map data that intersects or is included in the area by subdivided area units.

13. A map information device according to claim 7, with the map data based on rectangular coordinates, wherein the area generator unit establishes the area by adding corrections to correct a width of the area based on latitude values of the route.