Map data transmitting apparatus, and computer readable recording medium having computer readable programs stored therein for causing computer to perform map data transmitting method

• US 6,320,518 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Saeki, Toshiaki, Saitou, Ken-ichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/737,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20010019309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995, 340/990, 340/988, 340/989, 340/991, 340/992, 340/993, 701/200, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/212, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/995.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096822 where the segments of the route are transmitted to the vehicle at different locations and times
• 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

Abstract

The present invention aims to implement a flexible transmission of the map data according to the performance of the mobile terminal of the receiver, the moving speed of the mobile terminal, or the communicating speed of the communication media. The dynamic priority setting unit determines and sets the priority to each of the parts constituting the map data with considering an improvement of readability of the guiding route, a necessity of real-time display, the static priority previously assigned to each part, and the user'"'"'s request. The data amount determining unit calculates a total transmittable amount of map data according to the performance of the mobile terminal of the receiver, the moving speed of the mobile terminal, the communicating speed of the communication media and so on. The data amount determining unit also dynamically updates the total transmittable amount of map data according to change of the status. The parts selecting unit selects the parts to be transmitted based on the priority, and the transmitting unit transmits the selected part.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein for causing a computer to perform a map data transmitting method, wherein the method comprises:

dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and storing the figure parts included in the map data;

setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored at the storing; and

transmitting the figure parts stored at the storing in the transmitting sequence according to the priority set at the setting, and wherein

the setting includes a priority setting table for specifying a standard for setting the priority and dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to the priority setting table.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the map data transmitting method is a map data transmitting method for transmitting the map data to a moving object for guiding a route of the moving object; and

the priority setting table is a priority setting table based on readability of route for setting a higher priority to a figure part which more improves readability of a guiding route of the moving object.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein

the priority setting table based on readability of route includes items of:

(1) a figure part for a road constituting the guiding route;

(2) a figure part for a road crossing the guiding route;

(3) a figure part for a road around the guiding route which does not cross the guiding route;

(4) a figure part for a traffic light on the guiding route;

(5) a figure part for facilities along the guiding route;

(6) a name for the road constituting the guiding route, a name of an intersection on the road constituting the guiding route, and a name for a building and facilities located around the guiding route;

(7) a figure part for a traffic light around the guiding route;

(8) background information around the guiding route; and

(9) a name for a road around the guiding route, a name for an intersection on the road around the guiding route, and a name for a building and facilities located around the road around the guiding route.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the map data transmitting method is a map data transmitting method for transmitting the map data to a moving object for guiding a route of the moving object; and

the priority setting table is one of a priority setting table based on distance from guiding route for setting a higher priority to a figure part which is located closer to the guiding route of the moving object and a priority setting table based on distance from present location of moving object for setting a higher priority to a figure part which is located closer to the present location of the moving object.

5. A map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data comprising:

a priority setting unit for setting a priority of transmitting sequence of the map data;

a transmitting unit for transmitting the map data by each of figure parts constituting the map data;

a data amount determining unit for determining a data amount which is a maximum value of transmittable amount of the data within a predetermined time; and

a parts selecting unit for selecting the figure parts to be transmitted according to the priority within the data amount, and wherein

the transmitting unit transmits the figure parts selected by the parts selecting unit in the transmitting sequence according to the priority.

6. The map data transmitting apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the map data transmitting apparatus further comprises a traffic status detecting unit for detecting a traffic status of a transmission channel for transmitting the figure parts by the transmitting unit; and

the data amount determining unit dynamically changes the data amount according to a change of the traffic status in case the traffic status of the transmission channel detected by the traffic status detecting unit is changed.

7. The map data transmitting apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the transmitting unit transmits the figure parts to a moving object for guiding a route of the moving object;

the map data transmitting apparatus further comprises a moving speed detecting unit for detecting a moving speed of the moving object; and

the data amount determining unit dynamically changes the data amount according to a change of the moving speed in case the moving speed of the moving object detected by the moving speed detecting unit is changed.

8. The map data transmitting apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the transmitting unit transmits the figure parts to a moving object for guiding a route of the moving object;

the map data transmitting apparatus further comprises a communication media detecting unit for detecting a kind of communication media of the moving object; and

the data amount determining unit dynamically changes the data amount according to a change of the kind of communication media in case the kind of communication media of the moving object detected by the communication media detecting unit is changed.

9. A map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data comprising:

a map database unit for dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and for storing the figure parts includes in the map data;

a priority setting for setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored in the map database unit; and

a transmitting unit for transmitting the figure parts stored in the map database unit in the transmitting sequence according to the priority by the priority setting unit, and wherein

the priority setting unit includes a plurality of the priority setting tables for specifying a standard for setting the priority, selects one of the plurality of the priority setting tables and dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to the priority table selected.

10. The map data transmitting apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the map data transmitting apparatus transmits the map data to a moving object; and

the priority setting unit dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to one of a priority setting table based on distance in moving direction for setting a higher priority to a figure part which is closer to a moving direction of the moving object and a priority setting table based on distance from route for setting a higher priority to a figure part which is located closer to the route on which the moving object is moving.

11. The map data transmitting apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the map data transmitting apparatus is a map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data to a map data receiving apparatus having a display unit for displaying the map data and a scrolling indicating unit for indicating a scrolling direction and for scrolling the map data displayed on the display unit; and

the priority setting unit dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to a priority setting table based on scrolling direction for setting a higher priority to a figure part which is located closer to the scrolling direction indicated by the scrolling indicating unit.

12. A map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data for guiding a route of a moving object comprising:

a route guiding request detecting unit for detecting a request for guiding the route from the moving object;

a map database unit for dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and for storing the figure parts included in the map data;

a priority setting unit for setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored in the map database unit; and

a transmitting unit for transmitting the figure parts stored in the map database unit in the transmitting sequence according to the priority by the priority setting unit, and wherein

the priority setting unit dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to the request for guiding the route from the moving object in case the route guiding request detecting unit detects the request for guiding the route.

13. The map data transmitting apparatus of claim 12, wherein the priority setting unit sets a higher priority to the figure part for a point which is located at a place easier to reach from a present location of the moving object.

14. A map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data for guiding a route of a moving object comprising:

a map database unit for dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and for storing the figure parts included in the map data;

a priority setting unit for setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored in the map database unit; and

a transmitting unit for transmitting the figure parts stored in the map database unit in the transmitting sequence according to the priority by the priority setting unit, and wherein

the priority setting unit dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to a priority setting table based on readability of route for setting a higher priority to a figure part which more improves readability of guiding route of the moving object.

15. The map data transmitting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the priority setting table based on readability of route includes items of:

(1) a figure part for a road constituting the guiding route;

(2) a figure part for a road crossing with the guiding route;

(3) a figure part for a road around the guiding route which does not cross the guiding route;

(4) a figure part for a traffic light on the guiding route;

(5) a figure part for facilities along the guiding route;

(6) a name for the road constituting the guiding route, a name of an intersection on the road constituting the guiding route, and a name for a building and facilities located around the guiding route;

(7) a figure part for a traffic light around the guiding route;

(8) background information around the guiding route; and

(9) a name for a road around the guiding route, a name for an intersection on the road around the guiding route, and a name for a building and facilities located around the road around the guiding route.

16. A map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data comprising:

a map database unit for dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and for storing the figure parts included in the map data;

a priority setting unit for setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored in the map database unit; and

a transmitting unit for transmitting the figure parts stored in the map database unit in the transmitting sequence according to the priority by the priority setting unit, and wherein

the priority setting unit includes a plurality of the priority setting tables for specifying a standard for setting the priority, arbitrarily combines at least two of the plurality of the priority setting tables and dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts.

17. A map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data for guiding a route of a moving object comprising:

a map database unit for dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and for storing the figure parts included in the map data

a priority setting unit for setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored in the map database unit; and

a transmitting unit for transmitting the figure parts stored in the map database unit in the transmitting sequence according to the priority by the priority setting unit, and wherein;

the transmitting unit comprises a traffic status detecting unit for detecting a traffic status of a transmission channel for transmitting the figure parts to the moving object by the transmitting unit; and

the priority setting unit dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to a change of the traffic status in case the traffic status of the transmission channel detected by the traffic status detecting unit is changed.

18. A map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data for guiding a route of a moving object comprising:

a moving speed detecting unit for detecting a moving speed of the moving object;

a map database unit for dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and for storing the figure parts included in the map data;

a priority setting unit for setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored in the map database unit; and

a transmitting unit for transmitting the figure parts stored in the map database unit in the transmitting sequence according to the priority by the priority setting unit, and wherein

the priority setting unit dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to a change of the moving speed in case the moving speed of the moving object detected by the moving speed detecting unit is changed.

19. A map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data for guiding a route of a moving object comprising:

a communication media detecting unit for detecting a kind of communication media of the moving object;

a map database unit for dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and for storing the figure parts included in the map data;

a priority setting unit for setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored in the map database unit; and

a transmitting unit for transmitting the figure parts stored in the map database unit in the transmitting sequence according to the priority by the priority setting unit, and wherein

the priority setting unit dynamically sets the priority of the transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to a change of the kind of communication media in case the kind of communication media of the moving object detected by the communication media detecting unit is changed.

20. A map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data for guiding a route of a moving object comprising:

a map database unit for dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and for storing the figure parts included in the map data;

a priority setting unit for setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored in the map database unit; and

a transmitting unit for transmitting the figure parts stored in the map database unit in the transmitting sequence according to the priority by the priority setting unit, and wherein

the priority setting unit dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to a priority setting table based on distance from guiding route for setting a higher priority to a figure part which is located closer to the guiding route of the moving object.

21. A map data transmitting apparatus for transmitting map data for guiding a route of a moving object comprising:

a map database unit for dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and for storing the figure parts included in the map data;

a priority setting unit for setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored in the map database unit; and

a transmitting unit for transmitting the figure parts stored in the map database unit in the transmitting sequence according to the priority by the priority setting unit, and wherein

the priority setting unit dynamically sets the priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts according to a priority setting table based on distance from specific point for setting a higher priority to a figure part which is located closer to the specific point in the map data.

22. A computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein for causing a computer to perform a map data transmitting method for transmitting the map data to a moving object for guiding a route of the moving object, wherein the method comprises:

dividing the map data into figure parts constituting the map data and storing the figure parts included in the map data;

setting a priority of transmitting sequence to each of the figure parts stored at the storing; and

transmitting the figure parts stored at the storing in the transmitting sequence according to the priority set at the setting, and wherein

the setting sets a higher priority to a figure part for a point which is easier to access from the present location of the moving object.