MAP DATA, MAP DATA PRODUCTION METHOD, STORAGE MEDIUM AND NAVIGATION APPARATUS

• US 20110187719A1
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Usui, Yoshimasa, Matsunaga, Takayuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,214,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/441
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/387 Organisation of map data, e.g. version management or database structures
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A map data production method is disclosed. The method includes: dividing a record target map area into meshes; creating mesh-unit data elements as groups of mesh-unit data elements so that the groups respectively correspond to the meshes, and each group of mesh-unit data elements describes information on map components of a corresponding one of the meshes in such manner that mesh-unit data elements in the each group respectively describes the information on the map components; creating data files, through (i) organizing, according to map component type, the mesh-unit data elements into sets of mesh-unit data elements and (ii) respectively storing the sets of mesh-unit data elements, each set having a same map component type, in the data files; and creating map data from the plurality of data files.

Claims

1. A map data production method comprising:

dividing a record target map area into a plurality of meshes;

creating a plurality of mesh-unit data elements as a plurality of groups of mesh-unit data elements so that the plurality of groups respectively corresponds to the plurality of meshes, and each group of mesh-unit data elements describes information on map components of a corresponding one of the plurality of meshes in such manner that mesh-unit data elements in the each group respectively describes the information on the map components;

creating a plurality of data files, through

organizing, according to map component type, the plurality of mesh-unit data elements into a plurality of sets of mesh-unit data elements and

respectively storing the plurality of sets, each set of mesh-unit data elements having a same map component type, in the plurality of data files; and

creating map data from the plurality of data files.

5. The map data production method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing the created map data in a computer readable storage medium.

2. A map data production method comprising:

dividing a record target map area into a plurality of meshes;

creating a plurality of road component mesh-unit data elements on a mesh basis so that the plurality of road component mesh-unit data elements respectively corresponds to the plurality of meshes and each road component mesh-unit data element describes information on a road component of a corresponding one of the plurality of meshes;

creating a plurality of mesh-unit background component data elements on the mesh basis so that the plurality of mesh-unit background component data elements respectively corresponds to the plurality of meshes and each mesh-unit background component data element describes information on a background component of a corresponding one of the plurality of meshes;

creating a first data file and a second data file in such manner that the plurality of mesh-unit road component data elements is collected into the first data file and the plurality of mesh-unit background component data elements is collected into the second data file; and

creating map data from the first file and the second file.

6. The map data production method according to claim 2, further comprising:

storing the created map data in a computer readable storage medium.

3. Map data comprising:

a plurality of mesh-unit data elements, wherein;

the plurality of mesh-unit data elements is a plurality of groups of mesh-unit data elements;

the plurality of groups respectively corresponds to a plurality of meshes into which a record target map area is divided;

each group of mesh-unit data elements describes information on map components of a corresponding one of the plurality of meshes in such manner that mesh-unit data elements in the each group respectively describe the information on the map components; and

the plurality of mesh-unit data elements is retained in a form of a plurality of data files in such way that a set of mesh-unit data elements having a same map component type is collected in each data file.

7. A computer readable storage medium storing therein map data recited in claim 3.

9. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a map data input device storing therein map data recited in claim 3; and

a controller configured to read the map data from the map data input device to perform a navigation operation.

4. Map data comprising:

a plurality of mesh-unit road component data elements and a plurality of mesh-unit background component data elements, wherein;

the plurality of mesh-unit road component data elements respectively corresponds to a plurality of meshes into which a record target map area is divided;

each mesh-unit road component data element describes information on a road component of a corresponding one of the plurality of meshes;

the plurality of mesh-unit background component data elements respectively corresponds to the plurality of meshes;

each mesh-unit background component data element describes information on a background component of a corresponding one of the plurality of meshes;

the plurality of mesh-unit road component data elements is retained in a form of a first data file into which the plurality of mesh-unit road component data elements is collected; and

the plurality of mesh-unit background component data elements is retained in a form of a second data file into which the plurality of mesh-unit background component data elements is collected.

8. A computer readable storage medium storing therein map data recited in claim 4.

10. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a map data input device storing therein map data recited in claim 4; and

a controller configured to read the map data from the map data input device to perform a navigation operation.