Road map data generation method, road map data update system, and road map data management device

• US 7,912,639 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Atarashi, Yasutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kong; Sze-Hon
• Application Number:
  US11/541,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20070093960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/211, 701/212
• US Class Current: 701/212
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

A navigation device has a regional map data item for each of multiple regions, into which a nation is divided. A connection table is included in a regional map data item for a certain region and associates (i) a certain ID of a connection road in the certain region with a certain connection number. The connection road is connected with a paired connection road in an adjacent region. A connection table of a regional map data item for the adjacent region associates an ID of the paired connection road with the same connection number as the certain connection number. When the certain ID in the certain region is replaced with a different ID because of a road construction or the like, only the certain ID is replaced in the connection table with the certain connection number unchanged. This eliminates need of amending the connection table for the adjacent region.

Claims

1. A method for generating road map data in a center device for a navigation device in a vehicle, the road map data indicating a plurality of regions, each region including a connection road which is connected with a connection road included in an adjacent region, the method, comprising:

generating a regional map data item for each region of the plurality of regions, each region being associated with position information;

assigning each region with connection information which indicates a correspondence between a node ID and a link ID of the connection road in each region which is connected to the connection road in the adjacent region and a connection number, the connection number being identically assigned to the connection road in each region and the connection road in the adjacent region; and

generating wide area road map data, which covers the plurality of regions while indicating road connections between adjacent regions by storing regional map data items of the plurality of regions in a storage medium such that a regional map data item for each region is provided with connection information while being associated with the position information;

wherein

when the road map data is being updated, in each region, the node ID or the link ID of the connection road connected with the connection road in the adjacent region is changed, the corresponding connection number is not changed.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the regional map data item for the each region includes main data indicating road connections of roads within the each region using node IDs and link IDs of the roads in each region, and

wherein the regional map data item for each region includes the connection information which indicates the correspondence between the node ID and the link ID of the connection road connected with the connection road in the adjacent region and the connection number as auxiliary data.

3. A road map data update system comprising:

a communicating device configured to include a road map data storage unit storing road map data, which includes regional map data items, each of which is for each region of a plurality of regions,

each region including a connection road which is connected with a connection road included in an adjacent region at a border between each region and the adjacent region,

a pair of the connection road in each region and the connection road in the adjacent region being assigned a connection number,

the regional map data item for the each region including main data indicating road connections of roads within each region, using node Ds and link IDs of the roads within each region, and auxiliary data indicating a correspondence between a node ID and a link ID of the connection road connected with the connection road in the adjacent region and the connection number; and

an update data provision device configured to

include an update data storage unit storing update data for updating the road map data in the communicating device, the update data including main update data for updating the main data and auxiliary update data for updating the correspondence indicated by the auxiliary data, and

transmit the update data to the communicating device when a transmission condition is satisfied,

the communicating device being further configured to update the main data and the auxiliary data in a regional map data item corresponding to the update data which is received from the update data provision device, wherein the connection number is not changed even when the auxiliary data is updated.

4. A road map data management device comprising:

a road map data storage unit storing road map data, which includes regional map data items, each of which is for each region of a plurality of regions,

each region including a connection road which is connected with a connection road included in an adjacent region at a border between each region and the adjacent region,

the connection road in each region and the connection road in the adjacent region being assigned an identical connection number,

the regional map data item for the each region including main data indicating road connections of roads within each region, using node IDs and link IDs of the roads within each region and auxiliary data indicating a correspondence between a node ID and a link ID of the connection road in each region being connected with the connection road in the adjacent region and the connection number;

means for obtaining, from an outside source, update data for updating the map data, the update data including main update data for updating the main data and auxiliary update data for updating the correspondence indicated by the auxiliary data; and

means for updating the main data and the auxiliary data only in a regional map data item corresponding to update data which is obtained by the obtaining means, wherein

the connection number is not changed even when the auxiliary data is updated.