Method and apparatus for communicating map and route guidance information for vehicle navigation

• US 8,179,287 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2008
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kato, Manabu, Matsuo, Shigeru, Okude, Mariko, Kawamata, Yukihiro, Atarashi, Yoshitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US11/969,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20080103693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.1, 34099511-99523, 701208-212
• US Class Current: 340/995.15
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA

Abstract

A route information supply system comprises a reception module which receives information on a current position and a destination from a terminal device by communication, a map data storage module storing at least detailed map data and summary map data, a traffic information storage module which stores traffic information, a route search module which searches for a guidance route based on the current position and the destination, a map information generation module which generates map information on an area containing the searched route by use of the map data storage module, and an output module which outputs the generated map information to the terminal device. When an event satisfying a prescribed condition regarding the traffic information exists in the area, the map information generation module generates map information on an area in the vicinity of a point where the event has occurred by use of the detailed map data.

Claims

1. A navigation system having a server apparatus with a route search module for searching a route to a destination and a client apparatus including a communication module for communicating with said server, wherein;

said server apparatus comprising;

a map generation module for generating a route periphery map which is a map of a route peripheral vicinity including said route;

a map modification module for modifying said route periphery map generated at said map generation module; and

a map data base being referenced while generating said route periphery map;

said client apparatus comprising;

a vehicle position detection apparatus for detecting a position of the vehicle; and

a display module for displaying said route periphery map, wherein

said map generation module generates said route periphery map by dividing said route periphery map into a plurality of vicinities having different degrees of fineness,

said map modification module modifies a shape of at least one map element that intersects a boundary between a first vicinity and a second vicinity having different degrees of fineness, at connecting points provided on said boundary, so that said shape of said map element is continued between said first and second vicinities,

if said map element comprises road data, said map modification module divides said road data intersecting with said boundary at a common node in said first and second vicinities located closest to said boundary, and

if said map element comprises background data, said map modification module retains all of a first portion of said background data for which a degree of fineness of the map element is simpler than a second portion of said background data.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said map modification module detects whether name data of said map elements included in said first and second vicinities are overlapped or not, and displays either one of overlapped names.

3. A server apparatus utilized in navigation system including a route search module for searching a route to a destination in accordance with a request from a navigation terminal apparatus, comprising;

a map generation module for generating route periphery map which is a map of a route peripheral vicinity including said route;

a map modification module for modifying said route periphery map generated at said map generation module; and

a map data base being referenced while generating said route periphery map;

wherein

said map generation module generates said route periphery map by dividing said route periphery map into a plurality of vicinities having different degrees of fineness,

said map modification module modifies a shape of at least one map element that intersects a boundary between a first vicinity and a second vicinity having different degrees of fineness, at connecting points provided on said boundary, so that said shape of said map element is continued between said first and second vicinities,

if said map element comprises road data, said map modification module divides said road data intersecting with said boundary at a common node in said first and second vicinities located closest to said boundary, and

if said map element comprises background data, said map modification module retains all of a first portion of said background data for which a degree of fineness of the map element is simpler than a second portion of said background data.