Data Updating System, Navigation Device, Server, and Method of Data Updating

• US 20090177706A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Hironobu, Kodan, Tomoki, Takahata, Seiji, Sawai, Kimiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,892,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3859 Differential updating map data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

To provide a data updating system and the like for easily performing updating the difference for the database which contains a large amount of data, each piece of the data being highly correlated, such as a map database that contains road network data.

According to the present invention, the data updating system includes a terminal device running according to a predefined operating program, and servers providing the terminal device with a differential data file for updating a database. The terminal includes a local database in an updating data format differing from a reference data format to be referenced to by the operating program and being updated with the differential data file, and a conversion means converting data stored in the local database so as to have the reference data format. The servers include a differential data file output means outputting the differential data file to be provided to the terminal device.

Claims

1. A data updating system comprising:

a navigation device running according to a predefined application program; and

a server providing the navigation device with a differential data file for updating a database containing road network data;

the navigation device comprising;

a local database in an updating data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of data types and being updated with the differential data file; and

a conversion means converting data stored in the local database so as to have the reference data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of connection of the road network to be referenced to by the application program;

the server comprising;

a differential data file output means outputting the differential data file to be provided to the navigation device.

2. The data updating system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device further comprises a referential database storing data in the reference data format to be referenced to by the application program.

3. The data updating system according to claim 2, wherein the navigation device further comprises a referential database updating means updating the referential database with data after converted by the conversion means.

4. The data updating system according to claim 3, wherein the navigation device further comprises a parallel updating data storage means capable of storing data while the application program refers to the referential database, and

the referential database updating means sequentially stores data converted by the conversion means in the parallel updating data storage means while the application program is running, and replace data stored in the referential database with the data stored in the parallel updating data storage means so as to update the referential database after the conversion means completes conversion.

5. The data updating system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device further comprises a differential data file receiving means receiving the differential data file, and a local database updating means updating the local database based on the differential data file.

6. The data updating system according to claim 1, wherein the server further comprises a comparison local database having the same content as the local database, a new data receiving means receiving a new data entry, and a differential data file generating means generating, based on the comparison local database and the new data, the differential data file.

7. The data updating system according to claim 6, wherein the server further comprises a new local database generating means generating, based on the comparison local database and the new data, a new local database in the same data format as the comparison local database and updated with the content of the new data, and

the differential data file generating means generates the differential data file based on a difference between the comparison local database and the new local database.

8. The data updating system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device includes a plurality of application programs, and

the conversion means converts data stored in the local database so as to have the reference data format corresponding to each of the application programs.

10. The data updating system according to claim 1, wherein the differential data file contains data representing an updating status, and road network data for a portion to be updated in a data format in which the road network data for the portion to be updated is arranged in the order of data types.

11. The data updating system according to claim 2, wherein the referential database is a navigation map database containing road network data with guidance data linked to the road network data in addition,

the differential data file contains data representing an updating status, road network data for a portion to be updated, and guidance data to be updated, and

the guidance data contained in the referential database is updated with the differential data file.

9. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. A navigation device receiving a differential data file for updating a database containing road network data from a server and running according to a predefined application program, the navigation device comprising:

a local database in an updating data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of data types and being updated with the differential data file; and

a conversion means converting data stored in the local database so as to have the reference data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of connection of the road network to be referenced to by the application program.

15. The navigation device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a referential database storing data in the reference data format to be referenced to by the application program.

16. The navigation device according to claim 15, further comprising:

a referential database updating means updating the referential database with data converted by the conversion means.

17. The navigation device according to claim 16, further comprising:

a parallel updating data storage means capable of storing data while the application program refers to the referential database,

wherein the referential database updating means sequentially stores data converted by the conversion means in the parallel updating data storage means while the application program is running, and replace data stored in the referential database with the data stored in the parallel updating data storage means so as to update the referential database after the conversion means completes conversion.

18. The navigation device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a differential data file receiving means receiving the differential data file, and

a local database updating means updating at least the local database based on the differential data file.

19. The navigation device according to claim 14, wherein the application program includes a plurality of application programs, and

the conversion means converts data stored in the local database so as to have the reference data format corresponding to each of the application programs.

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. A server providing a navigation device with a differential data file for updating a database containing road network data, the server comprising:

a comparison local database having the same content as a local database included in the navigation device;

a new data receiving means receiving a new data entry;

a differential data file generating means generating, based on the comparison local database and the new data, the differential data file containing data representing an updating status and road network data for a portion to be updated in a data format in which the road network data for the portion to be updated is arranged in the order of data types; and

a differential data file output means outputting the differential data file to be provided to the navigation device.

24. The server according to claim 23 further comprising:

a new local database generating means generating, based on the comparison local database and the new data, a new local database in the same data format as the comparison local database and updated with the content of the new data;

wherein the differential data file generating means generates the differential data file based on a difference between the comparison local database and the new local database.

25. (canceled)

26. A method for updating data, the method using a server and a navigation device including a local database in an updating data format in which road network data is arranged in the order of data types, and a referential database storing data in a reference data format to be referenced to by a predefined application program, and running according to the application program, and the method providing a differential data file for updating a database containing the road network data from the server to the navigation device, the method comprising:

outputting the differential data file to be provided to the navigation device from the server, receiving the differential data file in the navigation device, updating the local database with the differential data file in the navigation device, converting data in the local database after updated so as to have the reference data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of connection of the road network in the navigation device, and updating the referential database with the data after converted in the navigation device.

28. The method for updating data according to claim 26, wherein the navigation device further includes a parallel updating data storage means capable of storing data during reference of the referential database by the application program, and

the method further comprising:

sequentially storing the data converted so as to have the reference data format in the parallel updating data storage means while the application program is running, and after completion of conversion to the reference data format, replacing data stored in the referential database with the data stored in the parallel updating data storage means so as to update the referential database.

29. The method for updating data according to claim 26, wherein the server further includes a comparison local database having the same content as the local database, and

the method further comprising:

receiving a new data entry, and generating the differential data file based on the comparison local database and the new data.

30. The method for updating data according to claim 29, wherein the server further includes a new local database updated, based on the comparison local database and the new data, with the content of the new data to have the same data format as the comparison local database, and

the method further comprising:

generating the differential data file based on a difference between the comparison local database and the new local database.

27. (canceled)

31. A data updating system comprising:

a navigation device running according to a predefined application program; and

a server providing the navigation device with a differential data file for updating a database containing road network data;

the navigation device comprising;

a local database in an updating data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of data types and being updated with the differential data file;

a data extraction means extracting necessary data from the local database in accordance with the request of the application program; and

a conversion means converting data extracted from the local database by the data extraction means so as to have the reference data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of connection of the road network to be referenced to by the application program;

the server comprising;

a differential data file output means outputting the differential data file to be provided to the navigation device.

32. The data updating system according to claim 31, wherein the navigation device further comprises a referential database referable by the application program, an extraction count judging means determining whether a predefined condition of extracting times extracted by the data extraction means for each of a plurality of data stored in the local database is met, and a referential database updating means storing the data which has been determined to meet the predefined condition by the extraction count judging means in the referential database after converted so as to have the reference data format by the conversion means.

33. The data updating system according to claim 31, wherein the navigation device further comprises a differential data file receiving means receiving the differential data file, and a local database updating means updating the local database based on the differential data file.

34. The data updating system according to claim 31, wherein the server further comprises a comparison local database having the same content as the local database, a new data receiving means receiving a new data entry, and a differential data file generating means generating, based on the comparison local database and the new data, the differential data file.

35. The data updating system according to claim 34, wherein the server further comprises a new local database generating means generating, based on the comparison local database and the new data, a new local database in the same data format as the comparison local database and updated with the content of the new data, and

the differential data file generating means generates the differential data file based on a difference between the comparison local database and the new local database.

36. The data updating system according to claim 31, wherein the navigation device includes a plurality of application programs, and

the conversion means converts data stored in the local database so as to have the reference data format corresponding to each of the application programs.

37. The data updating system according to claim 31, wherein the data extraction means extracts road network data in predefined blocks from the local database.

39. The data updating system according to claim 31, wherein the differential data file contains data representing an updating status, and road network data for a portion to be updated, and

the road network data for the portion to be updated has a data format in which data is arranged in the order of data types.

38. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

42. A navigation device receiving a differential data file for updating a database containing road network data from a server and running according to a predefined application program, the navigation device comprising:

a local database in an updating data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of data types and being updated with the differential data file;

a data extraction means extracting necessary data from the local database in accordance with the request of the application program; and

a conversion means converting data extracted from the local database by the data extraction means so as to have the reference data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of connection of the road network to be referenced to by the application program.

43. The navigation device according to claim 42, further comprising:

a referential database referable by the application program;

an extraction count judging means determining whether a predefined condition of extracting times extracted by the data extraction means for each of a plurality of data stored in the local database is met; and

a referential database updating means storing the data which has been determined to meet the predefined condition by the extraction count judging means in the referential database after converted so as to have the reference data format by the conversion means.

44. The navigation device according to claim 42, further comprising:

a differential data file receiving means receiving the differential data file, and

a local database updating means updating the local database based on the differential data file.

45. The navigation device according to claim 42, wherein the application program includes a plurality of application programs, and

the conversion means converts data stored in the local database so as to have the reference data format corresponding to each of the application programs.

46. The navigation device according to claim 42, wherein the data extraction means extracts road network data in predefined blocks from the local database.

47. (canceled)

48. (canceled)

49. (canceled)

50. A method for updating data, the method using a server and a navigation device including a local database in an updating data format in which road network data is arranged in the order of data types, and a referential database storing data in a reference data format to be referenced to by a predefined application program, and running according to the application program, and the method providing a differential data file for updating a database containing the road network data from the server to the navigation device, the method comprising:

outputting the differential data file to be provided to the navigation device from the server, receiving the differential data file in the navigation device, updating the local database with the differential data file in the navigation device, extracting necessary data from the local database in accordance with the request of the application program in the navigation device, and converting extracted data so as to have the reference data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of connection of the road network to be referable by the application program after converted in the navigation device.

51. The method for updating data according to claim 50, wherein the navigation device further includes a referential database referable by the application program, and

the method further comprising:

determining whether a predefined condition of extracting times extracted in accordance with the request of the application program for each of a plurality of data stored in the local database is met; and

storing the data which has been determined to meet the predefined condition in the referential database after converted so as to have the reference data format.

52. The method for updating data according to claim 50, wherein the server further includes a comparison local database having the same content as the local database, and

the method further comprising:

receiving a new data entry, and generating the differential data file based on the comparison local database and the new data.

53. The method for updating data according to claim 52, wherein the server further includes a new local database updated, based on the comparison local database and the new data, with the content of the new data having the same data format as the comparison local database, and

the method further comprising:

generating the differential data file based on a difference between the comparison local database and the new local database.