In-vehicle apparatus and map data updating system

• US 20100228470A1
• Filed: 02/18/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sakakibara, Hiroaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3893 Transmission of map data from distributed sources, e.g. from roadside stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

An in-vehicle apparatus includes: a memory for storing a map data; a center communication element for obtaining a latest map data from a center; an inter-vehicle communication element for communicating with another in-vehicle apparatus; an input element for receiving an input signal of a specific area from an user; and a controller for setting the specific area as an initial main area. The inter-vehicle communication element receives another map data from another in-vehicle apparatus. The controller compares the map data with another map data. When another main area includes an area not included in the initial main area, the controller adds the area as a new main area, and updates the map data with another map data. The controller updates the map data corresponding to the initial main area with the latest map data.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle apparatus for updating a map data mounted on a vehicle comprising:

a memory for storing the map data, which is defined in each area;

a center communication element for obtaining a latest map data from an external information center via a communication network;

an inter-vehicle communication element for transmitting data to and receiving data from another in-vehicle apparatus mounted on another vehicle with an inter-vehicle communication method;

an input element for receiving an input signal from an user, the input signal specifying a specific area; and

a controller for setting the specific area as an initial main area,

wherein the inter-vehicle communication element receives another map data corresponding to another main area set in another controller of another in-vehicle apparatus,

wherein the controller compares the map data corresponding to the initial main area with another map data,

wherein, when the controller determines that another main area includes an area, which is not included in the initial main area, the controller adds the area as a new main area into the initial main area, and the controller updates the map data with another map data corresponding to the new main area, and

wherein the controller updates the map data corresponding to the initial main area with the latest map data from the external information center.

2. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the initial main area is a dairy living area of the user.

3. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller sets an area around the initial main area as a standard area,

wherein, when the inter-vehicle communication element can communicate with a plurality of other vehicles with the inter-vehicle communication method, the controller selects one of the plurality of other vehicles in such a manner that the one of the plurality of other vehicles provides another main area, which overlaps with the standard area set in the controller,

wherein the inter-vehicle communication element preferentially receives another map data corresponding to another main area provided by the one of the plurality of other vehicles, and

wherein the controller compares the map data corresponding to the initial main area with another map data provided by the one of the plurality of other vehicles.

4. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller eliminates the new main area from the initial main area when a predetermined time has elapsed since the controller adds the new main area into the initial main area.

5. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the memory further stores update information, which shows a date when the map data is updated,

wherein, when the controller determines that another main area and the initial main area have a common main area, the controller determines whether the map data corresponding to the common main area in the initial main area is newly updated than another map data,

wherein, when the controller determines that the map data corresponding to the common main area in the initial main area is newly updated than another map data, the inter-vehicle communication element transmits an instruction to another in-vehicle apparatus, the instruction for updating another map data corresponding to the common main area in another main area, and

wherein, when the controller determines that the map data corresponding to the common main area in the initial main area is not newly updated than another map data, the controller updates the map data corresponding to the common main area in the initial main area with another map data corresponding to the common main area in another main area.

6. A map data updating system comprising:

an external information center for storing a latest map data; and

a plurality of in-vehicle apparatuses, each of which is provided by the in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1.