System for updating navigation information and apparatus for distributing updated navigation information

• US 6,970,782 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Tomo, Yamauchi, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US10/015,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 731/78.R, 340/988, 340/991, 705/16, 705/18, 705/26, 705/500, 705/50
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3822 Road feature data, e.g. slope data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A navigation information updating system G updates navigation information for use in a navigation process executed by navigation apparatus S that navigate respective vehicles. The navigation information updating system G comprises: the navigation apparatus transmitting an identifier Sid associated therewith to an updating center UC; the updating center UC that outputs updated navigation information which is generated on the basis of the transmitted identifier Sid for each associated navigation apparatus S, to a shop SP; and the shop SP that delivers the outputted updated navigation information to the associated navigation apparatus S.

Claims

1. A system for updating navigation information for navigation process executed by a navigation apparatus that assists in moving a mobile unit comprising:

the navigation apparatus, having an identifier uniquely associated therewith and provided with a transmitting device for transmitting the identifier to an updating center module;

the updating center module for generating updated navigation information corresponding to the navigation apparatus on the basis of the transmitted identifier to output the generated updated navigation information to a delivery terminal; and

the delivery terminal, which is separate and distinct from the mobile unit, for delivering the outputted updated navigation information into the navigation apparatus;

wherein the updating center module generates the updated navigation information using at least one of history information indicative of a history of the navigation process executed by the navigation apparatus and preference information indicative of preferences shown by the navigation apparatus during execution of the navigation process.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation information is recorded on a rewritable recording medium.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the recording medium is associated with preset authenticating information, and

wherein the navigation apparatus further comprises a determining device for determining whether the identifier coincides with the authenticating information, and only when the determining device determines that the identifier coincides with the authenticating information, the navigation information recorded on the recording medium can be read.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein when generating the updated navigation information corresponding to the navigation apparatus on the basis of transmitted identifier, the updating center module associates the identifier with the updated navigation information as the authenticating information.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the transmitting device further transmits an additional information additionally recorded on the recording medium based on an instruction given by a user, and

wherein the updating center module generates the updated navigation information on the basis of the identifier and transmitted additional information.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation apparatus transmits at least one of the history information and the preference information to the updating center module along with the identifier by the transmitting device.

7. A system for updating navigation information for navigation process executed by a navigation apparatus that assists in moving a mobile unit comprising:

the navigation apparatus, having an identifier uniquely associated therewith and provided with a transmitting device for transmitting the identifier to an updating center module;

the updating center module for generating updated navigation information corresponding to the navigation apparatus on the basis of transmitted identifier to output the generated updated navigation information to a delivery terminal; and

the delivery terminal, which is separate and distinct from the mobile unit, for delivering the outputted updated navigation information to the navigation apparatus;

wherein the delivery terminal is located in a production facility for producing the recording medium, the production facility comprising;

a recording module for recording the outputted updated navigation information on the recording medium; and

a shipping module for shipping the recording medium having the updated navigation information recorded thereon to a user of the navigation apparatus within which the updated navigation information is used.

8. A system for updating navigation information for navigation process executed by a navigation apparatus that assists in moving a mobile unit comprising:

the navigation apparatus, having an identifier uniquely associated therewith and provided with a transmitting device for transmitting the identifier to an updating center module;

the updating center module for generating updated navigation information corresponding to the navigation apparatus on the basis of transmitted identifier to output the generated updated navigation information to a delivery terminal; and

the delivery terminal, which is separate and distinct from the mobile unit, for delivering the outputted updated navigation information to the navigation apparatus;

wherein the delivery terminal is located in a production facility for producing the recording medium,

the production facility comprising;

a recording module for recording the outputted updated navigation information on the recording medium;

an incorporating module for incorporating the recording medium having the updated navigation information recorded thereon into the navigation apparatus which is brought into the production facility; and

wherein the updating center module further comprises a location transmitting device for transmitting location information about the delivery terminal to the navigation apparatus so that the navigation apparatus can be brought into the production facility.

9. A system for updating navigation information for navigation process executed by a navigation apparatus that assists in moving a mobile unit comprising:

the navigation apparatus, having an identifier uniquely associated therewith and provided with a transmitting device for transmitting the identifier to an updating center module;

the updating center module for generating updated navigation information corresponding to the navigation apparatus on the basis of transmitted identifier to output the generated updated navigation information to a delivery terminal; and

the delivery terminal, which is separate and distinct from the mobile unit, for delivering the outputted updated navigation information to the navigation apparatus;

wherein the delivery terminal is located in a sales facility comprising;

a recording module for recording the outputted updated navigation information on the recording medium; and

a shipping module for shipping the recording medium having the updated navigation information recorded thereon to a user of the navigation apparatus within which the updated navigation information is used.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the recording module is authenticated by the updating center module as an authorized recording module.

10. A system for updating navigation information for navigation process executed by a navigation apparatus that assists in moving a mobile unit comprising:

the navigation apparatus, having an identifier uniquely associated therewith and provided with a transmitting device for transmitting the identifier to an updating center module;

the navigation apparatus, having an identifier uniquely associated therewith and provided with a transmitting device for transmitting the identifier to an updating center module;

the updating center module for generating updated navigation information corresponding to the navigation apparatus on the basis of transmitted identifier to output the generated updated navigation information to a delivery terminal; and

the delivery terminal, which is separate and distinct from the mobile unit, for delivering the outputted updated navigation information to the navigation apparatus;

wherein the transmitting device transmits a location of the navigation apparatus to the updating center module; and

the updating center module further comprises;

a returning device for returning an instruction information indicative of the delivery terminal which is close to the location of the navigation apparatus on the basis of the transmitted location, to the navigation apparatus, in order to bring the navigation apparatus into the delivery terminal which is close to the location of the navigation apparatus; and

an outputting device for outputting the generated updated navigation information to the delivery terminal which is close to the location of the associated navigation apparatus; and

the delivery terminal is located in a sales facility for selling the recording medium, the sales facility comprising;

a recording module for recording the outputted updated navigation information on the recording medium; and

an incorporating module for incorporating the recording medium having the updated navigation information recorded thereon into the navigation apparatus which is brought into the sales facility.

12. An apparatus for distributing updated navigation information which is obtained by updating navigation information for navigation process executed by a navigation apparatus that assists in moving a mobile unit comprising:

an acquiring device for acquiring an identifier uniquely associated with the navigation apparatus from the navigation apparatus;

a generating device for generating the updated navigation information corresponding to the navigation apparatus on the basis of the acquired identifier; and

an outputting device for outputting the updated navigation information to a delivery terminal, which is separate and distinct from the mobile unit, for delivering the generated updated navigation information into the navigation apparatus;

wherein the generating device generates the updated navigation information using at least one of history information indicative of a history of the navigation process executed by the navigation apparatus and preference information indicative of preferences shown by the navigation apparatus during execution of the navigation process.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the generating device changes contents of the updated navigation information so as to correspond to contents of the acquired identifier, to generate the updated navigation information.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the generating device associates the acquired identifier with the updated navigation information to generate the updated navigation information.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a location information outputting device for outputting information about a location of the delivery terminal to the associated navigation apparatus.

16. A system for updating navigation information for navigation processes that assists in moving a mobile unit comprising:

a navigation apparatus, having an identifier uniquely associated therewith and provided with a transmitting device for transmitting the identifier to an updating center module, the identifier including information about a version of the navigation information;

the updating center module for generating updated navigation information corresponding to the navigation apparatus on the basis of the information about the version included in the transmitted identifier and outputting the generated updated navigation information to a delivery terminal; and

the delivery terminal, which is separate and distinct from the mobile unit, for delivering the outputted updated navigation information into the navigation apparatus;

wherein the updating center module generates the updated navigation information using at least one of history information indicative of a history of the navigation process executed by the navigation apparatus and preference information indicative of preferences shown by the navigation apparatus during execution of the navigation process.

17. An apparatus for distributing updated navigation information obtained by updating navigation information for navigation processes executed by a navigation apparatus that assists in moving a mobile unit comprising:

an acquiring device for acquiring an identifier uniquely associated with the navigation apparatus, the identifier including information about a version of the navigation information;

a generating device for generating the updated navigation information corresponding to the navigation apparatus on the basis of the information about the version included in the acquired identifier; and

an outputting device for outputting the updated navigation information to a delivery terminal, which is separate and distinct from the mobile unit, for the generated updated navigation information into the navigation apparatus;

wherein the generating device generates the updated navigation information using at least one of history information indicative of a history of the navigation process executed by the navigation apparatus and preference information indicative of preferences shown by the navigation apparatus during execution of the navigation process.