Map data updating system

• US 7,710,421 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Muramatsu, Toshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Sajous; Wesner
• Application Number:
  US11/599,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20070109303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701 23- 25, 701/26, 701/200, 701208-210, 345/619, 345/522, 345/440, 345/520, 345/555, 340/995.1, 340988-991, 340/993, 340/995.14, 340/995.12, 340/995.22, 382/173, 382/305
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3859 Differential updating map data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases

Abstract

A map data updating system is basically provided with a map distribution system and at least one map data updating device. The map distribution system includes a map data generating section and an information distributing section. The map data updating device is configured to process the distribution map data from the map distribution system, and includes a map data updating determining section and an update map data requesting section. The map data generating section configured to generate distribution map data including at least one target map data unit of a map that has been divided into a plurality of map units, with the distribution map data including map data version information for a target map unit to be updated and at least one perimeter map unit existing along a perimeter of the target map unit to be updated. The information distributing section configured to electronically distribute the distribution map data. The map data updating determining section configured to determine whether to update previously stored map data corresponding to the target map unit based on the map data version information included with the distribution map data. The update map data requesting section configured to send an update map data delivery request to the information distributing section when the map data updating determining section determines previously stored map data version information of the map data updating device relating to the at least one perimeter map unit does not match the map data version information included with the distribution map data.

Claims

1. A map data updating system comprising:

a stationary map distribution system including

a map data generating section configured to generate distribution map data including at least one target map data unit of a map that has been divided into a plurality of map units, with the distribution map data including map data version information for a target map unit to be updated and at least one perimeter map unit existing along a perimeter of the target map unit to be updated, and

an information distributing section configured to electronically distribute the distribution map data; and

at least one mobile map data updating device configured to process the distribution map data from the map distribution system, the mobile map data updating device being mobile with respect to the stationary map distribution system and including

a map data updating determining section configured to determine whether to update previously stored map data corresponding to the target map unit based on the map data version information included with the distribution map data, and

an update map data requesting section configured to send an update map data delivery request for requesting a delivery of an update map data to the information distributing section, the update map data delivery request being sent in response to the map data updating determining section determining that previously stored map data version information of the mobile map data updating device relating to the at least one perimeter map unit does not match the map data version information included with the distribution map data.

4. The map data updating system according to claim 1, wherein

the information distributing section is further configured to distribute the distribution map data via a digital broadcast.

5. The map data updating system according to claim 1, wherein

the map data generating section is further configured to automatically update previously stored map data when receiving latest map data for generating the distribution map data.

6. The map data updating system according to claim 1, wherein

the map data generating section is further configured to manually update previously stored map data when receiving latest map data for generating the distribution map data.

2. A map data updating system comprising:

a map distribution system including

a map data generating section configured to generate distribution map data including at least one target map data unit of a map that has been divided into a plurality of map units, with the distribution map data including map data version information for a target map unit to be updated and at least one perimeter map unit existing along a perimeter of the target map unit to be updated, and

an information distributing section configured to electronically distribute the distribution map data; and

at least one map data updating device configured to process the distribution map data from the map distribution system, the map data updating device including

a map data updating determining section configured to determine whether to update previously stored map data corresponding to the target map unit based on the map data version information included with the distribution map data,

an update map data requesting section configured to send an update map data delivery request to the information distributing section when the map data updating determining section determines previously stored map data version information of the map data updating device relating to the at least one perimeter map unit does not match the map data version information included with the distribution map data, and

a transmitting section configured to transmit an update completion message to the information distributing section when the map data updating determining section completes the updating of the target map unit to be updated,

the map distribution system further including an update rate calculating section configured to calculate an update completion rate of the target map unit to be updated based on the update completion message received from the transmitting section when the distribution map data is transmitted to a plurality of the map data updating devices, and

the map data updating device further including a distribution ratio determining section configured to determine a distribution ratio of the distribution map data when the distribution map data of a plurality of update target map units are distributed to the map data updating determining section based on the update completion rate calculated by the update rate calculating section.

3. The map data updating system according to claim 2, wherein

the information distributing section is further configured to distribute the distribution map data via a digital broadcast.

7. A map data updating system comprising:

a map distribution system including

a map data generating section configured to generate distribution map data including at least one target map data unit of a map that has been divided into a plurality of map units, with the distribution map data including map data version information for a target map unit to be updated including a target map unit data version indicator for the target map unit to be updated and a plurality of perimeter map units existing along a perimeter of the target map unit to be updated including a perimeter map unit data version indicator for each of the perimeter map units to be updated;

an information distributing section configured to electronically distribute the distribution map data; and

at least one map data updating device configured to process the distribution map data from the map distribution system, the map data updating device including

a map data updating determining section configured to determine whether to update previously stored map data corresponding to the target map unit based on the target map unit data version indicator included with the distribution map data, and to determine if previously stored perimeter map unit data version indicators match the perimeter map unit data version indicators included with the distribution map data, and

an update map data requesting section configured to send an update map data delivery request to the information distributing section when the map data updating determining section determines the previously stored perimeter map unit data version indicators of the map data updating device do not match the perimeter map unit data version indicators included with the distribution map data.

8. A map data updating method comprising:

generating distribution map data in a stationary map distribution system, the map data including at least one target map data unit of a map that has been divided into a plurality of map units, with the distribution map data including map data version information for a target map unit to be updated and at least one perimeter map unit existing along a perimeter of the target map unit to be updated;

electronically distributing distribution map data from the stationary map distribution system to at least one mobile ma data updating device which is mobile with respect to the stationary map distribution system;

updating the map data of the same map unit as the update target map unit for which map data was previously stored based on the version information of the map data of the update target map unit included in the map data for electronic distribution;

updating previously stored map data corresponding to the target map unit based on the map data version information included with the distribution map data; and

sending an update map data delivery request from the mobile map data updating device to the stationary map distribution system for requesting a delivery of an update map data, the update map data delivery request being sent in response to determining that previously stored map data version information relating to the at least one perimeter map unit of the map data updating device does not match the map data version information included with the distribution map data.