Road map data generation method, road map data update system, and road map data management device

• US 20070093960A1
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Atarashi, Yasutaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,912,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

A navigation device has a regional map data item for each of multiple regions, into which a nation is divided. A connection table is included in a regional map data item for a certain region and associates (i) a certain ID of a connection road in the certain region with a certain connection number. The connection road is connected with a paired connection road in an adjacent region. A connection table of a regional map data item for the adjacent region associates an ID of the paired connection road with the same connection number as the certain connection number. When the certain ID in the certain region is replaced with a different ID because of a road construction or the like, only the certain ID is replaced in the connection table with the certain connection number unchanged. This eliminates need of amending the connection table for the adjacent region.

Claims

1. A road map data generation method, comprising:

generating a regional map data item for each region of a plurality of regions, the regional map data item indicating road connections within the each region, the each region including a connection road connected with a paired connection road in an adjacent region, which is included in the regions and neighboring the each region;

assigning, to a pair of the connection road and the paired connection road, a pair of connection numbers to thereby provide the regional map data item for the each region with connection information, which indicates a correspondence between the connection road and one of the pair of connection numbers; and

generating wide area road map data, which covers the regions and indicates road connections between neighboring regions of the regions, by storing regional map data items of the regions in a storage medium such that a regional map data item for each region of the regions is provided with the connection information and position information of the each region.

2. The road map data generation method of claim 1, wherein the regional map data item for the each region includes main data indicating road connections within the each region using an ID of each road in the each region, and

wherein the regional map data item for the each region further includes, as the connection information, auxiliary data associating, with respect to each connection road in the each region, an ID of the each connection road with a connection number, the each connection road connected with a paired connection road in each adjacent region neighboring the each region.

3. The road map data generation method of claim 1,

wherein the one of the pair of connection numbers is identical to another of the pair of connection numbers.

4. A road map data update system comprising:

a communicating device that includes a road map data storage unit storing road map data, which includes regional map data items, each of which is for each region of a plurality of regions,

the each region including a connection road connected with a paired connection road in an adjacent region, which is included in the regions and neighboring the each region,

a pair of the connection road and the paired connection road being assigned a pair of connection numbers,

the regional map data item for the each region including main data and auxiliary data, the main data indicating road connections within the each region, the auxiliary data indicating a correspondence between the connection road and one of the pair of connection numbers; and

an update data provision device that includes an update data storage unit storing update data for updating the road map data in the communicating device, the update data including main update data for updating the main data and auxiliary update data for updating the auxiliary data so as to update the correspondence to meet the main data which has been updated, and

transmits the update data to the communicating device when a transmission condition is satisfied,

wherein the communicating device updates main data and auxiliary data in a regional map data item corresponding to the update data which is received from the update data provision device.

5. The road map data update system of claim 4, wherein the main data included in the regional map data item for the each region indicates road connections within the each region using an ID of each road in the each region, and

wherein the auxiliary data included in the regional map data item for the each region associates, with respect to each connection road in the each region, an ID of the each connection road with a connection number, the each connection road connected with a paired connection road in each adjacent region neighboring the each region.

6. A road map data management device comprising:

a road map data storage unit storing road map data, which includes regional map data items, each of which is for each region of a plurality of regions,

the each region including a connection road connected with a paired connection road in an adjacent region, which is included in the regions and neighboring the each region,

a pair of the connection road and the paired connection road being assigned a pair of connection numbers,

the regional map data item for the each region including main data and auxiliary data, the main data indicating road connections within the each region, the auxiliary data indicating a correspondence between the connection road and one of the pair of connection numbers;

update data obtaining means for obtaining, from an outside, update data for updating the map data, the update data including main update data for updating the main data and auxiliary update data for updating the auxiliary data so as to update the correspondence to meet the main data which has been updated; and

data updating means for updating main data and auxiliary data in a regional map data item corresponding to update data which is obtained by the update data obtaining means.

7. The road map data management device of claim 6,

wherein the main data included in the regional map data item for the each region indicates road connections within the each region using an ID of each road in the each region, and

wherein the auxiliary data included in the regional map data item for the each region associates, with respect to each connection road in the each region, an ID of the each connection road with a connection number, the each connection road connected with a paired connection road in each adjacent region neighboring the each region.