Map database apparatus

• US 6,751,609 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nomura, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Application Number:
  US10/134,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20020129020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/1, 707/3, 707/6, 707/102, 707/205, 707/201, 701/1, 701/200, 701/210, 701/211
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/387 Organisation of map data, e.g. version management or database structures
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A map database apparatus according to the present invention manages roads by expressing the roads as link strings. Each of the link strings is constituted by connecting a plurality of links, each of the links has nodes at a front end and a rear end respectively, the map database apparatus has node information concerning the nodes, and the node information includes guide data to be used for route guidance. And, the guide data have directional characteristics corresponding to an order in which the links are connected.

Claims

1. A map database apparatus that manages roads by expressing said roads as link strings, each of said link strings being constituted by connecting a plurality of links, each of said links having nodes at a front end and a rear end respectively, said map database apparatus having node information regarding each of said nodes, said node information including guide data to be used for route guidance, wherein:

at an intersection of said link strings, when said guide data in said node information at each of said nodes in said link strings corresponding to said intersection are common to each other, said guide are provided only for one of said nodes in said link strings corresponding to said intersection without being provided for the rest of said nodes in said link strings corresponding to said intersection.

2. A map database apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said node information at said nodes in said link strings corresponding to said intersection includes information indicating that said nodes are related to each other.