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

• US 20050140524A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsuo, Shigeru, Kato, Manabu, Okude, Mariko, Kawamata, Yukihiro, Atarashi, Yoshitaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,342,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/995.130
• 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 route information supply system comprising:

reception means which receives information on a current position and a destination from a terminal device by communication;

map data storage means storing at least detailed map data and summary map data;

traffic information storage means which stores traffic information;

route search means which searches for a guidance route based on the current position and the destination;

map information generation means which generates map information on an area containing the route found by the search by use of the map data storage means; and

output means which outputs the generated map information to the terminal device,

wherein when an event satisfying a prescribed condition regarding the traffic information exists in the area, the map information generation means generates map information on an area in the vicinity of a point where the event has occurred by use of the detailed map data.

2. The route information supply system according to claim 1, wherein the map information generation means further generates map information on an area in the vicinity of the current position, an area in the vicinity of the destination and an area in the vicinity of the searched guidance route by use of the detailed map data.

3. The route information supply system according to claim 2, wherein when an event satisfying a prescribed condition regarding the traffic information exists in the area, the route search means further searches for a detour route taking the event into consideration, and the map information generation means further generates map information on an area in the vicinity of the searched detour route by use of the detailed map data.

4. The route information supply system according to claim 2, wherein when an event satisfying a prescribed condition regarding the traffic information exists in the area and a prescribed instruction is received from the terminal device, the route search means further searches for a detour route taking the event into consideration, and the map information generation means further generates map information on an area in the vicinity of the searched detour route by use of the detailed map data.

5. The route information supply system according to claim 3, wherein the map information generation means generates map information on remaining part of the area by use of the summary map data.

6. The route information supply system according to claim 4, wherein the map information generation means generates map information on remaining part of the area by use of the summary map data.

7. A route information supply method for receiving information on a current position and a destination from a terminal device by communication and supplying map information on an area containing a route found by a search, comprising the steps of:

acquiring traffic information;

referring to a map data storage device storing at least detailed map data and summary map data and thereby generating map information on an area in the vicinity of a point where an event satisfying a prescribed condition has occurred by use of the detailed map data when the acquired traffic information indicates that the event satisfying the prescribed condition exists in the area; and

outputting the generated map information to the terminal device.

8. The route information supply method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of generating map information on an area in the vicinity of the current position, an area in the vicinity of the destination and an area in the vicinity of the searched guidance route by use of the detailed map data.

9. The route information supply method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of searching for a detour route taking the event satisfying the prescribed condition regarding the traffic information into consideration and generating map information on an area in the vicinity of the searched detour route by use of the detailed map data when the event satisfying the prescribed condition regarding the traffic information exists in the area.

10. The route information supply method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of searching for a detour route taking the event satisfying the prescribed condition regarding the traffic information into consideration and generating map information on an area in the vicinity of the searched detour route by use of the detailed map data when the event satisfying the prescribed condition regarding the traffic information exists in the area and a prescribed instruction is received from the terminal device.

11. The route information supply method according to claim 9, wherein map information on remaining part of the area is generated by use of the summary map data.

12. The route information supply method according to claim 10, wherein map information on remaining part of the area is generated by use of the summary map data.