Apparatus, method, and program for processing map data, and navigation apparatus, method, and program having the same

The present invention relates to a map database that does not affect the map drawing and guidance of the navigation device even if the map database is changed, and at the same time, supports differential update of map data of all standards.

In recent years, the spread of navigation devices has been remarkable with the progress of digital technology. In the navigation device, road map data that quantifies roads, place names, buildings, etc. on the map is stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM in the form of a database, etc., and based on this, the designation of the destination is accepted and the destination is reached. The optimum guide path for is searched and calculated and set. In addition, using road map data, the position of the own vehicle estimated and calculated from self-contained navigation using a gyroscope and vehicle speed pulse and radio navigation using GPS and FM multiplexing is map-matched, and the screen is displayed on the surrounding map together with the guide route. At the same time, guidance guidance such as the direction of travel is output by synthetic voice output or the like.

Map databases that include road map data or surrounding map data in such navigation devices are generally in a format that is uniquely determined by each company / organization that creates the data, but in recent years, industry groups have been used. A format called the KIWI standard, which is aimed at standardization, has also been proposed. However, many KIWI standards are extended standards that correspond to each company.<patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-145383</text></patcit>

<p> By the way, in the past, depending on the map database as described above, due to the structure of the database, it is necessary to search and find all the data from the top of the database in order to find the desired data, which is a large amount of data. In this case, it took a lot of time to search for the desired data.</p><p> In addition, when changing the map database to another one, the main part of the software of the navigation device must be modified, which causes problems in terms of quality and shortening of the development period.</p><p> Furthermore, with navigation devices that have a large amount of map data, such as navigation devices equipped with HDDs (hard disk drives) these days, it has become difficult to update the map database due to structural problems with HDDs. .. In order to solve this, it is effective to update the difference of the map database, but for example, the map database of the KIWI standard is structurally very difficult to update the difference.</p><p> The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to not affect the map drawing and guidance of the navigation device even if the map database is changed, and at the same time, the map data of all standards. It is to provide navigation technology that realizes a map database that supports differential updates.</p>

<p> In order to achieve the above object, in one aspect of the present invention (claims 1, 5, 9), a map data processing device, a method, and a map data processing device, a method, and a method capable of supporting each means of a navigation device such as route search, guidance, and map drawing. The program is characterized in that map data composed of a plurality of formats is replaced with a predetermined format, and the replaced map data is stored as virtual map data.</p><p> In these aspects, a map database composed of a plurality of formats is replaced with a predetermined unique format by the replacement processing unit, and this is stored in the database as virtual map data. Therefore, for example, the map data has a different format. Even if you change to another company's one, the format of the map data in the virtual database is the same even if the original map database is changed, so this map data will be used as the map data is updated. Since it is not necessary to change the software for map drawing or guidance guidance of the navigation device, the main part of the navigation device is not affected.</p><p> Also, for example, the structure of the original map database is complicated or it is difficult to retrieve data, and if you access this database one by one when drawing a map or guiding guidance, the processing speed will decrease. However, in the present invention, since the original database is always accessed without being influenced by the data structure of the original map database, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the reading speed.</p><p> In another aspect of the present invention (claims 2,6,10), further, when the computer is provided with updated map data, it is replaced with the predetermined format, and the virtual data stored by the storage process is performed. The database is compared with the updated map data to detect the difference map data, and the difference map data is replaced with the update corresponding portion of the virtual database based on the comparison result.</p><p> In these aspects, any map, even if the newly updated map data is compared with the currently existing virtual map data, the difference is detected, and the difference map data is replaced with the virtual map data. Since the data is also replaced in the original standard format in the replacement processing unit, it is possible to easily support the difference update of all map data.</p><p> In another aspect of the present invention (claims 3, 7, 11), further, when the difference map data is not detected by the computer, the entire updated map data is replaced with the virtual map data. To do.</p><p> In these aspects, when the map database to be updated is in a format different from the original map database of the virtual database and the difference data cannot be detected, the replacement processing unit replaces the map database with the standard format. , The update processing department replaces the new map database with a virtual database in its entirety. As a result, if a new map database format of another person is implemented in the replacement processing unit in advance, the replacement processing with the virtual map database is easy, and even if the new one is not implemented, the replacement processing is performed. It can be dealt with by changing only the part.</p><p> Another aspect of the present invention (claims 4,8,12) is further characterized in that the map data processing device, method and program described above are applied to a navigation device, method and program.</p><p> In these aspects, for example, even when the map data is changed to that of another company with a different format, the format of the map data in the virtual database is the same even if the original map database is changed. Since it is not necessary to change the software for map drawing and guidance guidance of the navigation device or the like that uses this map data with the update of the data, the main part of the navigation device is not affected.</p>

<p> As described above, in the present invention, even if the map database is changed, the map drawing and guidance of the navigation device are not affected, and at the same time, the navigation technique using the map database corresponding to the difference update of the map data of all standards is supported. That is, navigation devices, methods and programs can be provided.</p>

Next, a map data processing device (referred to as the device) according to the best embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This device can be realized by controlling a computer equipped with peripheral circuits and peripheral devices by a map data processing program, and can be grasped not only as a device but also as a method and a program. The device is also applicable to all types of navigation devices.

[1. Configuration] As shown in Fig. 1, this device basically provides a provided map database 1 composed of a plurality of types of formats provided in advance or provided from the outside, and map data composed of the plurality of formats. A virtual map database 2 that replaces the data with a predetermined format to create a virtual database, a newly provided map database 3 newly provided by the updated map database of this provided map database 1, and a part of the virtual map database 2. It is a database in which only the data of is updated, and is composed of a difference database 4 which is in the format of a virtual map database in advance.

The provided map database 1 is a database that includes map data necessary for navigation, such as road map data and surrounding map data created by each company from company A to company D in different data formats and formats.

On the other hand, the virtual map database 2 stores the data editing means 5 that replaces the format of the provided map database 1 composed of the plurality of formats with a predetermined original format, and the data of the replaced unified format as virtual data. It is composed of a storage means 6 to be used.

The data editing means 5 includes a replacement processing unit 5a that determines the format of the map database provided in each company's format and replaces it with its own format. Further, the data editing means 5 stores the updated map data replacement unit 5b that replaces the newly provided map database 3 with its own format when the newly provided map database 3 is added, and the replaced updated map data in the storage means 6. It is equipped with a comparison detection unit 5c that detects a difference map by comparing it with the virtual map data.

The storage means 6 is actually a large-capacity recording medium such as an HDD, and includes map data such as road data and background data representing a road map and a surrounding map as images, as well as lane information, landmark information, intersection information, and the like. Guidance data and search data, which is information such as route search and auto-reroute, are stored as virtual map data.

The data editing means 5 further includes an update processing unit 5d that replaces the difference map with respect to the update corresponding portion of the virtual map database 2 based on the difference map data detected by the comparison detection unit 5c. The update processing unit 5d is configured to replace the difference map with respect to the update corresponding portion of the virtual map database 2 as described above even when the difference database 4 is provided.

[2. Action / Effect] Next, the action of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described using the flowchart of FIG. First, when the provided map database 1 is provided, the replacement processing unit 5a determines the format of the map database 1 provided by each company in the data editing means 5 of the virtual map database 2, and this is used. With your own boilerplate format (step 201). At this time, the replacement processing unit 5a determines in which format the provided database was created, and then applies a conversion formula suitable for each format to perform conversion. Regarding this conversion formula, at the time of manufacturing this device, the conversion formula from a format that may be used as a map database is stored in advance in the replacement processing unit 5a, and the replacement processing unit 5a uses this to convert. To do.

Next, the replaced map data is stored as virtual map data in the storage means 6 for each data type such as road data / background data, guidance data, and search data (step 202). This storage destination is actually a large-capacity recording medium such as an HDD. As a result, a virtual map database based on the provided map data provided in advance is formed. In this state, the present device confirms whether or not a new map database is provided (step 203).

If the newly provided map database 3 or difference database 4 of another company (Company D) is provided (YES in step 203), whether the provided data is the newly provided map database 3 or the difference database 4. Is determined (step 204).

In the case of the difference database 4 (YES in step 204), the process proceeds to step 208, and the update processing unit 5d replaces the difference map with respect to the update corresponding portion of the virtual map data.

On the other hand, if the data is a newly provided map database, it is converted into data having a unique format in the updated map data replacement unit 5b provided in the data editing means 5 (step 205).

Next, the comparison detection unit 5c compares the replaced updated map data with the virtual map data stored in the storage means 6 to detect the difference map (step 206). Then, it is confirmed whether or not this difference map is detected (step 207). If the detection is confirmed (YES in step 207), the detected difference map is replaced with the difference map for the update corresponding part of the virtual map data based on the comparison result by the comparison detection unit by the update processing unit. (Step 208).

Here, FIG. 3 shows an image when the difference map data is replaced with the virtual map data. As shown in the figure, if the difference data detected by the comparison detection unit 5c among the new map data previously replaced with the original standard format is the data related to the f point, the format is unified in advance. Therefore, since the length and amount of data related to point f are the same as in the case of virtual map data, the data at point f can be updated as difference data by synthesizing so as to overwrite as it is.

On the other hand, if the detection of the difference map data cannot be confirmed (NO in step 206), the update processing unit updates all of the virtual map data to the updated difference map data (step 209).

According to the present embodiment as described above, the map database composed of a plurality of formats is replaced with a predetermined unique format by the replacement processing unit, and this is stored in the database as virtual map data, for example. Even if the map data is changed to that of another company with a different format, the format of the map data in the virtual database is the same even if the original map database is changed. Since it is not necessary to change the software for map drawing or guidance guidance of the navigation device or the like that uses this map data, the main part of the navigation device is not affected.

Also, for example, the structure of the original map database is complicated or it is difficult to retrieve data, and if you access this database one by one when drawing a map or guiding guidance, the processing speed will decrease. However, in the present embodiment, since the original database is always accessed without being influenced by the data structure of the original map database, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the reading speed.

Furthermore, even if the newly updated map data is compared with the virtual map data that currently exists, the difference is detected, and the difference map data is replaced with the virtual map data, any map data is replaced. Since it is replaced with a unique standard format in the processing unit, it is possible to easily support the differential update of all map data.

Also, if the map database to be updated has a format different from the original map database of the virtual database and the difference data cannot be detected, the replacement processing unit replaces it with the standard format and then the update processing. The department replaces the new map database with a virtual database in its entirety. As a result, if a new map database format of another person is implemented in the replacement processing unit in advance, the replacement processing with the virtual map database is easy, and even if the new one is not implemented, the replacement processing is performed. It can be dealt with by changing only the part.

[3. Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and includes other embodiments as illustrated below. The means for providing the difference database 4 in the above embodiment is not particularly mentioned in the embodiment, but for example, it may be stored in a recording medium such as a removable memory or a compact disk and provided to the user. It is possible. As a result, the user can update the data by a simple method.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the map data processing device of the present invention can of course be used as a map data processing device for a navigation device. According to this, when updating the map data in the navigation device, even if the map data is changed to that of another company with a different format, the format of the map data in the virtual database is changed even if the original map database is changed. Is the same, so it is not necessary to change the software for map drawing and guidance guidance of the navigation device etc. that uses this map data with the update of the map data, so it affects the main part of the navigation device. Never.

<figref num="1">The functional block diagram which shows the structure of embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="2">The flowchart which shows an example of the processing procedure in embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="3">The conceptual diagram which shows an example of the data in embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="4">The functional block diagram which shows the structure in another embodiment of this invention.</figref>

Code description

1 ... Provided map database 2 ... Virtual map database 3 ... Newly provided map database 4 ... Difference database 5 ... Data editing means 5a ... Replacement processing unit 5b ... Updated map data replacement Part 5c ... Comparison detection part 5d ... Update processing part 6 ... Storage means