Map data utilization apparatus

• US 20080082260A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kimura, Hiroki
• Granted Patent: US 8,655,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3859 Differential updating map data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases

Abstract

A map data utilization apparatus retrieves a version information of map data for a specific area when a current position of a vehicle is updated. Then, the version information of the map data of the specific area is compared with a version information of the map data of an identical area in a version list that is retrieved in advance for map data updating. When the version of the map data in the version list is different from the one of the map data of the specific area, an inquiry screen is displayed on a display unit for inquiring a user whether the map data is updated. When an update is instructed by the user, map data update data is acquired from an information center, and the map data of the specific area is updated by using the map data update data.

Claims

1. A map data utilization apparatus comprising:

a storage that stores map data to be utilized in a process that is executed in the map data utilization apparatus, wherein the map data is capable of being updated by an area of a predetermined range in a map;

a communication unit that communicates with an external information center;

a list acquisition unit that acquires a version list of the map data for updating respective areas in the map;

a map data acquisition unit that acquires map data from the external information center by the communication unit, wherein the map data acquisition unit compares a version of the map data of a specific area with a version of the map data in the version list for map data updating so as to acquire the map data of the specific area when the version of the map data of the specific area is different from the version of the map data of a same area in the version list for map data updating; and

a map data update unit that updates the map data of the specific area stored in the storage based on map data that is acquired by the map data acquisition unit for map data updating.

2. The map data utilization unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a position detector that detects a current position of a mobile body of the map data utilization apparatus for a mobility of the apparatus,

wherein the map data acquisition unit compares the version of the map data of an area that includes the current position of the mobile body with the version of the map data of a same area in the version list for map data updating when the current position is updated based on a detection result of the position detector.

3. The map data utilization unit of claim 1,

wherein the map data includes POI information that specifies attributes of a point of interest (POI),

the map data is capable of being utilized in a predetermined process regarding the POI,

the map data acquisition unit compares the version of the map data of an area that includes a position of the POI with the version of the map data of a same area in the version list for map data updating when a user provides an instruction of specifying the POI.

4. The map data utilization unit of claim 1 further comprising:

a display unit that displays a map image based on the map data,

wherein, when a geographical area of a map to be displayed on the display unit is changed, the map data acquisition unit compares the version of the map data of a display area after display area change with the version of the map data of a same area in the version list for map data updating.

5. The map data utilization unit of claim 4,

wherein, when the geographical area of the map to be displayed on the display unit is changed by scrolling, the map data acquisition unit compares the version of the map data of the display area after display area change with the version of the map data of a same area in the version list for map data updating.

6. The map data utilization unit of claim 1,

wherein, when the version of the map data of the specific area is different from the version of the map data of the same area in the version list for map data updating, the map data acquisition unit inquires a user whether to update the map data of the specific area, and

when the user allows an update of the map data of the specific area, the map data acquisition unit acquires the map data for map data updating of the specific area from the information center through the communication unit.

7. The map data utilization unit of claim 6,

when the version of the map data of the specific area is different from the version of the map data of the same area in the version list for map data updating, the map data acquisition unit inquires a user whether to update the map data of the specific area, and

the map data acquisition unit allows the user to select one of an automatic update mode for automatically updating the map data through acquiring the map data and an inquiry update mode for updating the map data after making an inquiry about map data updating to the user.

8. A navigation apparatus having the map data utilization unit of claim 1,

wherein a function of route navigation that provides a navigation route towards a specified destination based on the map data is provided.

9. A program product stored in a storage medium for operating a computer comprising steps of:

controlling the computer to be utilized as the map data utilization apparatus of claim 1,

providing a function of the list acquisition unit by controlling the computer,

providing a function of the map data acquisition unit by controlling the computer, and

providing a function of the map data update unit by controlling the computer.

10. A method of utilizing map data in a map data utilization apparatus comprising:

storing map data in a storage to be utilized in a process that is executed in the map data utilization apparatus, wherein the map data is capable of being updated by an area of a predetermined range in a map;

communicating with an external information center for data communication;

acquiring a version list of the map data for updating respective areas in the map;

acquiring the map data from the external information center by the communication unit, wherein the version of the map data of a specific area is compared with a version of the map data in the version list for map data updating so as to acquire the map data of the specific area when the version of the map data of the specific area is different from the version of the map data of a same area in the version list for map data updating; and

updating the map data of the specific area stored in the storage based on the acquired map data for map data updating.