Map information processing apparatus, map information processing method, and method for adjusting update data

• US 9,851,210 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kaneshiro, Hironobu, Kanazawa, Seigo, Shimotani, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US15/103,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20160313131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 701 14
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3819 Road shape data, e.g. outline of a route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3859 Differential updating map data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/108 involving the optical projection of slides, microfilm or the like

Abstract

The present invention has an object to provide a technique capable of reducing the size of update data. A map information processing apparatus includes a data extractor that extracts a difference between a shape of a past road link and a shape of a current road link as update data for updating predetermined map information. The data extractor does not extract the difference as the update data in a case where one road link of the past road link and the current road link is included in a buffer region obtained by extending the shape of the other road link by a predetermined distance.

Claims

1. A map information processing apparatus comprising:

a receiver that receives past map information including a past road link and current map information including a current road link; and

a data extractor that extracts a difference between a shape of said past road link and a shape of said current road link as update data for updating predetermined map information,

wherein at least one of the current road link and the past road link is characterized with finite width of greater than zero representative of a buffer region, wherein said data extractor does not extract said difference as said update data in a case where one road link of said current road link falls within the path of the other of the current road link and the past road length considered with the finite width representative of the buffer region and only extracts the difference when the current road link of the update data falls outside of the path of the past road link when considered with the buffer region.

2. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data extractor creates said buffer region on the basis of a circle having a radius equal to said predetermined distance, with the center of said circle being located on said other road link.

3. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display controller that causes a display to display said past map information updated on the basis of said update data in such a manner that a first road link from which said difference has been extracted as update data, a second road link from which said difference has not been extracted as update data, and a road link other than said first road link and said second road link are distinguishable from one another.

4. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a distance setting controller that changes said predetermined distance.

5. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said distance setting controller sets, as said predetermined distance, a distance received.

6. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said past map information or said current map information includes additional information on said other road link, and

said distance setting controller changes said predetermined distance on the basis of said additional information on said other road link.

7. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said additional information on said other road link includes at least one of area attribute information associated with said other road link and road attribute information associated with said other road link.

8. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said distance setting controller changes said predetermined distance on the basis of a distance between parallel road links out of plurality of said other road link.

9. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data extractor extracts said difference as said update data, even though said data extractor does not extract said difference as said update data with reference to said buffer region, in a case where the number of turnaround points of said current road link is smaller than the number of turnaround points of said past road link, said turnaround points being defined as nodes that link a plurality of road links adjacent to each other in such a manner that an angle formed by said plurality of road links is equal to or greater than a predetermined angle.

10. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data extractor extracts said difference as said update data on the basis of the buffer region obtained by extending the shape of said past road link by the predetermined distance and the buffer region obtained by extending the shape of said current road link by the predetermined distance.

11. The map information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said data extractor extracts said difference as said update data, even though one road link of said past road link and said current road link is included in a buffer region obtained by extending the shape of the other road link by a predetermined distance, in a case where said other road link is not included in a buffer region obtained by extending the shape of said one road link by a predetermined distance.

12. A method for adjusting update data by said map information processing apparatus according to claim 3, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) causing said display to display said past map information updated on the basis of said update data in such a manner that a first road link from which said difference has been extracted as update data, a second road link from which said difference has not been extracted as update data, and a road link other than said first road link and said second road link are distinguishable from one another;

(b) receiving a distance different from said predetermined distance after said step (a) and setting, by distance setting controller, the distance received as said predetermined distance;

(c) extracting said update data by said data extractor, using said predetermined distance set in said step (b); and

(d) causing said display to display, as in said step (a), said past map information updated on the basis of said update data extracted in said step (c).

13. A map information processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring past map information including a past road link and current map information including a current road link; and

(b) extracting a difference between a shape of said past road link and a shape of said current road link as update data for updating predetermined map information,

wherein at least one of the current road link and past road link is characterized with finite width of greater than zero representative of a buffer region, wherein in said step (b), said difference is not extracted as said update data in a case where one road link of said past road link and said current road link falls within the path of the other of said current road and said past road length considered with the finite width representative of the buffer region and only extracts the difference when the current road link of the update data falls outside of the path of the past road link when considered with the buffer region.