Satellite navigation system of which map data are partially updateable

• US 6,704,649 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PIP Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Increment P Corporation (Pioneer Corporation), Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Miyahara, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/202,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/210, 701/213, 701/214, 707/10, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering

Abstract

In a satellite navigation system, map data stored in a server is partially updateable. The map data is produced to be divided into a plurality of sets of map data mutually-independent set by set, and stored in the server. The map data is updated every set of the divided map data, according to necessities. Such update operations are addition of a new set of map data, deletion of a certain set of map data, and replacement of a certain set of map data with a new set of map data. The map data is formed into a layered structure composed of data of layers, blocks, and objects. For reloading the map data, it is sufficient that only one or more sets of map data that has been updated are delivered from the server to each terminal. Hence an amount of map data to be downloaded can be reduced.

Claims

1. A method of updating map data in a server of a satellite navigation system comprising a server storing map data to be displayed on a terminal, the method comprising:

producing the map data divided into a plurality of sets of map data that are mutually-independent set by set, the divided map data being stored in the server; and

updating the sets of map data stored in the server,

wherein the updating is one process selected from a group of processes including adding a new set of map data to the map data, deleting a certain set of map data from the plurality of sets of map data, and replacing a certain set of map data of the plurality of sets of map data with a new set of map data.

2. The updating method of claim 1, wherein the map data consists of different kinds of map data formed into a layered structure of map data.

3. The updating method of claim 2, wherein the layered structure of map data includes a first layer formed by data of a plurality of objects, a second layer formed by a plurality of blocks, each block consisting of one or more objects of the same kind, and a third layer formed by a plurality of layers, each layer consisting of data of a plurality of blocks for the same type of depiction of map data.

4. The updating method of claim 3, wherein each set of the map data is composed of one of each layer of map data, each block of map data, and each object of map data.

5. A server for storing map data to be displayed on a terminal, both of the server and the terminal being incorporated in a satellite navigation system, the server comprising:

a storage for storing the map data divided into a plurality of sets of map data that are mutually-independent set by set, the divided map data being stored in the server; and

an updating unit configured to update the sets of map data stored in the server,

wherein the updating unit is configured to perform one process selected from a group of processes including adding a new set of map data to the map data, deleting a certain set of map data from the plurality of sets of map data, and replacing a certain set of map data of the plurality of sets of map data with a new set of map data.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein the map data consists of different kinds of map data formed into a layered structure of map data.

7. The server of claim 6, wherein the layered structure of map data includes a first layer formed by data of a plurality of objects, a second layer formed by a plurality of blocks, each block consisting of one or more objects of the same kind, and a third layer formed by a plurality of layers, each layer consisting of data of a plurality of blocks for the same type of depiction of map data.

8. The server of claim 7, wherein each set of the map data is composed of one of each layer of map data, each block of map data, and each object of map data.

9. A recording medium for storing map data, which is incorporated in a server of a satellite navigation system, the map data being divided into a plurality of sets of map data that are mutually-independent set by set, updateable for every set of the divided map data, and configured to have different kinds of map data formed into a layered structure of map data,

wherein the map data is updated by one process selected from a group of processes including adding a new set of map data to the map data, deleting a certain set of map data from the plurality of sets of map data, and replacing a certain set of map data of the plurality of sets of map data with a new set of map data, and

wherein the layered structure of map data includes a first layer formed by data of a plurality of objects, a second layer formed by a plurality of blocks, each block consisting of one or more objects of the same kind, and a third layer formed by a plurality of layers, each layer consisting of data of a plurality of blocks for the same type of depiction of map data.