Navigation apparatus and server apparatus

• US 20060080029A1
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Tottori Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Tottori Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sawada, Koji, Kodani, Kiyoshi, Iida, Susumu
• Granted Patent: US 7,684,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09685 where the complete route is computed only once and not updated

Abstract

A navigation apparatus acquires geographic information from a server apparatus. When the navigation apparatus does not store any geographic information that provides a continuous route from the starting point to a destination point, it transmits data of the starting point and destination point to the server apparatus to acquire therefrom geographic information that provides a continuous route from the starting point to the destination point. This efficient acquisition of geographic information realizes reduction of communication time and communication costs.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus comprising a map information storage section for storing map information acquired from a server apparatus,

wherein, if continuous map information from a start location to a destination location is not stored in the map information storage section, the navigation apparatus transmits the start location and the destination location to the server apparatus in order to acquire therefrom map information of unit areas that covers a rectangular area of which two diagonal vertices coincide with the start and destination locations. The navigation apparatus then storing the acquired map information in the map information storage section.

3. The navigation apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the acquired map information only contains map information that is not stored in the map information storage section.

4. The navigation apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the acquired map information contains map information that is not stored in the map information storage section and map information of which a version having an earlier creation date-time is stored in the map information storage section.

5. The navigation apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the navigation apparatus receives search data from the server apparatus and acquires therefrom guide data that fulfills a desired search condition.

6. The navigation apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the navigation apparatus receives date-time restricting data from the server apparatus and acquires therefrom guide data that fulfills a desired date-time condition.

7. The navigation apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the navigation apparatus receives time-restricting data and location data from the server apparatus, then predicts based on the time-restricting data and the location data a time at which a target location of route guiding will be reached, and then acquires from the server apparatus guide data that fulfills the time-restricting data.

8. The navigation apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the navigation apparatus acquires a route retrieved by the server apparatus.

9. The navigation apparatus of claim 1,

wherein a route is searched for by using the map information stored in the map information storage section, including map information acquired from the server apparatus.

2. (canceled)

10. A navigation apparatus comprising a map information storage section for storing map information acquired from a server apparatus,

wherein continuous map information from a start location to a destination location is stored in the map information storage section, and, if there exists any other continuous combination, the navigation apparatus transmits the start location and the destination location to the server apparatus in order to acquire therefrom map information consisting of unit areas that covers a rectangular area of which two diagonal vertices coincide with the start and destination locations, the navigation apparatus then storing the acquired map information in the map information storage section.

11. The navigation apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the acquired map information only contains map information that is not stored in the map information storage section.

12. The navigation apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the acquired map information contains map information that is not stored in the map information storage section and map information of which a version having an earlier creation date-time is stored in the map information storage section.

13. The navigation apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the navigation apparatus receives search data from the server apparatus and acquires therefrom guide data that fulfills a desired search condition.

14. The navigation apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the navigation apparatus receives date-time restricting data from the server apparatus and acquires therefrom guide data that fulfills a desired date-time condition.

15. The navigation apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the navigation apparatus receives time-restricting data and location data from the server apparatus, then predicts based on the time-restricting data and the location data a time at which a target location of route guiding will be reached, and then acquires from the server apparatus guide data that fulfills the time-restricting data.

16. The navigation apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the navigation apparatus acquires a route retrieved by the server apparatus.

17. The navigation apparatus of claim 10,

wherein a route is searched for by using the map information stored in the map information storage section, including map information acquired from the server apparatus.

18. A navigation apparatus comprising a map information storage section for storing map information acquired from a server apparatus,

wherein, if continuous map information from a start location to a destination location is stored in the map information storage section, a route is searched for, and the navigation apparatus acquires from the server apparatus map information consisting of unit areas that covers an area including and neighboring the retrieved route, the navigation apparatus then storing the acquired map information in the map information storage section

19. The navigation apparatus of claim 18,

wherein the acquired map information only contains map information that is not stored in the map information storage section.

20. The navigation apparatus of claim 18,

wherein the acquired map information contains map information that is not stored in the map information storage section and map information of which a version having an earlier creation date-time is stored in the map information storage section.

21. The navigation apparatus of claim 18,

wherein the navigation apparatus receives search data from the server apparatus and acquires therefrom guide data that fulfills a desired search condition.

22. The navigation apparatus of claim 18,

wherein the navigation apparatus receives date-time restricting data from the server apparatus and acquires therefrom guide data that fulfills a desired date-time condition.

23. The navigation apparatus of claim 18,

wherein the navigation apparatus receives date-time restricting data from the server apparatus and acquires therefrom guide data that fulfills a desired date-time condition.

24. The navigation apparatus of claim 18,

wherein the navigation apparatus acquires a route retrieved by the server apparatus.

25. The navigation apparatus of claim 18,

wherein a route is searched for by using the map information stored in the map information storage section, including map information acquired from the server apparatus.

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. A navigation apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving from a server apparatus one or more items of guide information containing time restricting data, location data, and guide data;

map information;

current location detecting means for detecting a current location;

controlling means for predicting, based on the time restricting data and location data received, a time at which a target location of route guiding will be reached, and for permitting only guide data of whichever item of guide information has time restricting data that fulfills the predicted time.

29. (canceled)

30. A server apparatus for transmitting map information to a navigation apparatus,

wherein, when the server apparatus receives from the navigation apparatus a start location and a destination location, the server apparatus transmits to the navigation apparatus map information consisting of unit areas that covers a rectangular area of which two diagonal vertices coincide with the start and destination locations.

31. (canceled)