Map Data Providing Method

• US 20080015770A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nomura, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,396,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096733 where a selection of the information might take place
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/02 sectional
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

A map data providing method for providing map data to be used in a navigation system includes: dividing an area over which the map data are available into a plurality of blocks by using each of a plurality of division patterns set so that blocks resulting from divisions with the plurality of division patterns are not identical to one another; generating map data in correspondence to each of the blocks resulting from the divisions achieved with the plurality of division patterns; and providing the map data corresponding to the individual blocks resulting from the divisions achieved with the plurality of division patterns to a user so as to allow the user to freely select map data corresponding to any block.

Claims

1. A map data providing method for providing map data to be used in a navigation system, comprising:

dividing an area over which the map data are available into a plurality of blocks by using each of a plurality of division patterns set so that blocks resulting from divisions with the plurality of division patterns are not identical to one another;

generating map data in correspondence to each of the blocks resulting from the divisions achieved with the plurality of division patterns; and

providing the map data corresponding to the individual blocks resulting from the divisions achieved with the plurality of division patterns to a user so as to allow the user to freely select map data corresponding to any block.

2. A map data providing method according to claim 1, wherein:

the blocks resulting from the divisions achieved with the plurality of division patterns are determined by taking into consideration connections related to everyday life activities.

3. A map data providing method according to claim 1, wherein:

the blocks resulting from the divisions achieved with the plurality of division patterns are determined by taking into consideration a vehicular traffic volume.

4. A map data providing method according to claim 1, wherein:

sizes of the blocks resulting from the divisions achieved with the plurality of division patterns are determined by taking into consideration ranges over which users of the navigation system typically travel as part of daily routines.

5. A map data providing method according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of division patterns include a first division pattern with which a first block centered on a first major city is defined and a second division pattern with which a block centered on a second major city, present in the first block closer to a boundary of the first block, is defined.

6. A map data providing method according to claim 1, wherein:

the map data corresponding to the individual blocks resulting from the divisions achieved with the plurality of division patterns are stored and provided in separate recording media.

7. A map data providing method according to claim 1, wherein:

the map data corresponding to the individual blocks resulting from the divisions achieved with the plurality of division patterns are separately provided to the navigation system via a communication line.

8. A map data providing method according to claim 1, wherein:

the map data provided in correspondence to the individual blocks resulting from the divisions achieved with the plurality of division patterns are updated in units of the individual blocks in which the map data are initially provided.

9. A map data providing apparatus that executes a map data providing method according to claim 1.