Route guidance system, route search server, route guidance method, and terminal

• US 8,200,432 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Uyama, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US12/989,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20110040479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 707/769, 707/770, 707/E17.018, 340/995.12, 340/995.18
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3446 Details of route searching algorithms, e.g. Dijkstra, A*, arc-flags, using precalculated routes

Abstract

First and second route guidance systems provided with country or region-specific map data or route search network data are linked. If the departure place and the destination are in different areas, a first route guidance system (A) extracts a candidate connection which is the border between the different areas to transmit it to a second route guidance system (B). The first and second route guidance systems search the optimum route from the departure place to the candidate connection and the optimum candidate route from the candidate connection to the destination, respectively and provide the required time and link data to their respective route guidance systems. The first or second route guidance system determines a recommended route with the smallest total of the required time out of candidate routes connected at the candidate connection and provides the recommended route data including the link data from the first route guidance system (A) to a terminal (20). The terminal (20) requests route guidance to the first or second route guidance system on the basis of the recommended route data depending on the area in which it is located.

Claims

1. A route guidance system configured from a first route search server, said route guidance system comprising:

a map database that has a predetermined area as a serviceable area and that stores map data of the area;

a route search network database for storing road network data and transportation network data of the area; and

a terminal connected to said first route search server via a network;

wherein

the first route search server has a candidate connection extractor for extracting point information of at least one candidate connection enabling arriving at a different area outside of the serviceable area, and a route searcher for searching for an optimum route as a candidate route between a departure place or a destination and the candidate connection;

in a case in which a route search request is received from said terminal such that a point inside said serviceable area is the departure place and a point inside the different area outside of said serviceable area is the destination, said first route search server searches for an optimum candidate route from the departure place to said candidate connection, transmits point information of said destination and point information of said candidate connection to a second route search server constituting a second route guidance system whose serviceable area is said different area, and requests that the second route search server search for an optimum candidate route from said candidate connection to the destination; and

said second route search server provides said first route search server with link data of said candidate route leading to said destination;

either said first route search server or said second route search server has a candidate route combiner for combining required times of said respective searched candidate routes on the basis of said candidate connection, and a recommended route determiner for designating as a recommended route the candidate route having the shortest required time on the basis of the required times of the candidate routes combined by said candidate route combiner; and

said first route search server transmits to said terminal the data of the recommended route from the departure place to the destination, including the link data of the candidate route provided from said second route search server, on the basis of the recommended route determined by said recommended route determiner.

2. The route guidance system according to claim 1, wherein based on the candidate connection information received from said first route search server and the required time of the candidate route of the first server, the candidate route combiner of said second route search server combines the required time of the candidate route searched by said first route search server with the required time of the candidate route from said candidate connection information to said destination;

and based on the required time of the combined candidate routes, the recommended route determiner of said second route search server designates the candidate route having the shortest required time as a recommended route, and provides said first route search server with data of the recommended route including link data of the candidate route from said candidate connection to said destination constituting the recommended route.

3. The route guidance system according to claim 1, characterized in that the candidate route combiner of said first route search server receives required times of candidate routes and link data from said second route search server, and combines the candidate route searched by the second route search server and the candidate route searched by said first route search server on the basis of said candidate connection;

the recommended route determiner of said first route search server designates the candidate route having the least required time as a recommended route on the basis of the required times of the combined candidate routes; and

recommended route data is transmitted to said terminal, the recommended route data including link data of the candidate route from said candidate connection to the destination constituting the recommended route.

4. The route guidance system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said second route search server has a candidate connection extractor, and when a candidate connection that is different from said candidate connection transmitted from said first route search server is extracted on the basis of the point information of said destination, the point information of the different candidate connection is transmitted to said first route search server.

5. The route guidance system according to claim 1, characterized in that, based on the recommended route data received from said first route search server, said terminal requests route guidance from said first route search server when the terminal is located in the area to which said first route search server provides service, and said terminal requests route guidance from said second route search server whose serviceable area is the different area when the terminal is located in said different area.

6. A route guidance method in a route guidance system configured from a first route search server, which comprises a map database that has a predetermined area as a serviceable area and that stores map data of the area, and a route search network database for storing road network data and transportation network data of the area;

and a terminal connected to said first route search server via a network;

the route search guidance method characterized in that;

the first route search server has a candidate connection extractor for extracting point information of at least one candidate connection enabling arriving at a different area outside of the serviceable area, and a route searcher for searching for an optimum route as a candidate route between a departure place or a destination and the candidate connection;

in a case in which a route search request is received from said terminal such that a point inside said serviceable area is the departure place and a point inside a different area outside of said serviceable area is the destination, the method has a step wherein said first route search server searches for an optimum candidate route from the departure place to said candidate connection, a step wherein point information of said destination and point information of said candidate connection is transmitted to a second route search server constituting a second route guidance system whose serviceable area is said different area and a request is made for a search for an optimum candidate route from said candidate connection to the destination, and a step wherein said second route search server provides said first route search server with link data of said candidate route leading to said destination;

either said first route search server or said second route search server has a candidate route combiner for combining required times of said respective searched candidate routes on the basis of said candidate connection, and a recommended route determiner for designating as a recommended route the candidate route having the shortest required time on the basis of the required times of the candidate routes combined by said candidate route combiner; and

the method has a step wherein, on the basis of the recommended route determined by said recommended route determiner, said first route search server transmits to said terminal the data of the recommended route from the departure place to the destination, including the link data of the candidate route provided from said second route search server.

7. The route guidance method according to claim 6, characterized in comprising a step wherein, based on the candidate connection received from said first route search server and the required time of the candidate route, the candidate route combiner of said second route search server combines the required time of the candidate route searched by said first route search server with the required time of the candidate route from said candidate connection to said destination;

a step wherein based on the required time of the combined candidate routes, the recommended route determiner of said second route search server designates the candidate route having the shortest required time as a recommended route; and

a step wherein said first route search server is provided with data of the recommended route including link data of the candidate route from said candidate connection to said destination constituting the recommended route.

8. The route guidance method according to claim 6, characterized in comprising a step wherein the candidate route combiner of said first route search server receives required times of candidate routes and link data from said second route search server, and combines the candidate route searched by the second route search server and the candidate route searched by said first route search server on the basis of said candidate connection;

a step wherein the recommended route determiner of said first route search server designates the candidate route having the least required time as a recommended route on the basis of the required times of the combined candidate routes; and

a step wherein recommended route data is transmitted to said terminal, the recommended route data including link data of the candidate route from said candidate connection to the destination constituting the recommended route.

9. The route guidance method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said second route search server has a candidate connection extractor, and the method has a step wherein, in case where a candidate connection that is different from said candidate connection transmitted from said first route search server is extracted on the basis of the point information of said destination, said second route search server transmits to said first route search server the point information of the different candidate connection.

10. The route guidance method according to claim 6, characterized in comprising a step wherein, based on the recommended route data received from said first route search server, said terminal requests route guidance from said first route search server when the terminal is located in the area to which said first route search server provides service;

and a step wherein said terminal requests route guidance from said second route search server whose serviceable area is the different area when the terminal is located in said different area.

11. A route search server configured from a route search server comprising a map database which has a predetermined area as a serviceable area and which stores map data of the area, and a route search network database which stores road network data and transportation network data of the area;

and a terminal connected to said route search server via a network;

the route search server characterized in that;

said route search server has a candidate connection extractor for extracting point information of at least one candidate connection enabling arriving at a different area outside of the serviceable area, and a route searcher for searching for an optimum route as a candidate route between a departure place or a destination and said candidate connection;

in a case in which a route search request is received from said terminal such that a point inside said serviceable area is the departure place and a point inside a different area outside of said serviceable area is the destination, said route search server searches for an optimum candidate route from the departure place to said candidate connection, transmits point information of said destination and point information of said candidate connection to a second route search server whose serviceable area is said different area, and requests that the second route search server search for an optimum candidate route from said departure place to the destination via said candidate connection; and

said second route search server provides said route search server with link data of said candidate route leading to said destination;

either said route search server or said second route search server has a candidate route combiner for combining required times of said respective searched candidate routes for designating as a recommended route the candidate route having the shortest required time on the basis of the required times of the candidate routes combined by said candidate route combiner; and

said route search server transmits to said terminal the data of the recommended route from the departure place to the destination, including the link data of the candidate route provided from said second route search server, on the basis of the recommended route determined by said recommended route determiner.

12. The route search server according to claim 11, characterized in that based on the candidate connection received from said route search server and the required time of the candidate route, the candidate route combiner of said second route search server combines the required time of the candidate route searched by said route search server with the required time of the candidate route from said candidate connection to said destination;

based on the required time of the combined candidate routes, the recommended route determiner of said second route search server designates the candidate route having the shortest required time as a recommended route, and provides said route search server with data of the recommended route including link data of the candidate route from said candidate connection to said destination constituting the recommended route; and

said route search server transmits to said terminal the data of the recommended route including link data of the candidate route provided from said second route search server.

13. The route search server according to claim 11, characterized in that the candidate route combiner of said route search server receives required times of candidate routes and link data from said second route search server, and combines the candidate route searched by the second route search server and the candidate route searched by said route search server on the basis of said candidate connection;

the recommended route determiner of said route search server designates the candidate route having the least required time as a recommended route on the basis of the required times of the combined candidate routes; and

recommended route data is transmitted to said terminal, the recommended route data including link data of the candidate route from said candidate connection to the destination constituting the recommended route.

14. The route search server according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said second route search server has a candidate connection extractor, and when a candidate connection that is different from said candidate connection transmitted from said route search server is extracted on the basis of the point information of said destination, the point information of the different candidate connection is transmitted to said route search server.

15. A terminal in a route guidance system configured from a route search server comprising a map database which has a predetermined area as a serviceable area and which stores map data of the area, and a route search network database which stores road network data and transportation network data of the area;

and a terminal connected to said route search server via a network;

the terminal characterized in that;

said route search server has a candidate connection extractor for extracting point information of at least one candidate connection enabling arriving at a different area outside of the serviceable area, and a route searcher for searching for an optimum route as a candidate route between a departure place or a destination and said candidate connection;

in a case in which a route search request is received from said terminal such that a point inside said serviceable area is the departure place and a point inside a different area outside of said serviceable area is the destination, said route search server searches for an optimum candidate route from the departure place to said candidate connection, transmits point information of said destination and point information of said candidate connection to a second route search server whose serviceable area is said different area, and requests that the second route search server search for an optimum candidate route from said candidate connection to the destination; and

said second route search server provides said route search server with link data of said candidate route leading to said destination;

either said route search server or said second route search server has a candidate route combiner for combining required times of said respective searched candidate routes on the basis of said candidate connection, and a recommended route determiner for designating as a recommended route the candidate route having the shortest required time on the basis of the required times of the candidate routes combined by said candidate route combiner;

said route search server is a route search server which transmits to said terminal the data of the recommended route from the departure place to the destination, including the link data of the candidate route provided from said second route search server, on the basis of the recommended route determined by said recommended route determiner; and

said terminal transmits to said route search server a route search request such that a point inside the serviceable area is the departure place and a point inside a different area outside of said serviceable area is the destination.

16. The terminal according to claim 15, characterized in that based on the recommended route data received from said route search server, said terminal requests route guidance from said route search server when the terminal is located in the serviceable area of said route guidance system, and said terminal requests route guidance from said second route search server whose serviceable area is the different area when the terminal is located in said different area.