JP2001243595A - Electronic map distribution system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic map distribution system by which electronic map data surely usable on a client side is distributed and which has the reduced capacity of a data base on a server side regarding the electronic map distribution system for distributing an electronic map from a server provided with the data base storing the plural electronic map data of an original format to a client. SOLUTION: In an electronic map data base 10, the plural electronic map data of the original format are stored. The server 12 reads prescribed electronic map data from the electronic map data base corresponding to a request from the client, converts them to the electronic map data of a common format and transmits them to the client.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic map distribution system for distributing electronic map data via a communication line, and more particularly to an electronic map distribution system suitable for distributing electronic map data used in a vehicle-mounted navigation device. About the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in-vehicle navigation devices for guiding a vehicle to a destination using an electronic map have been widely used. The electronic map can also be used with a personal computer or the like. Generally, electronic maps are 1/12
It is divided into longitude and latitude widths of appropriate size according to the scale level such as 500, 1/25000, 1/50000, 1/100000, etc. Roads etc. are represented by longitude and latitude points (hereinafter, (Referred to as a node). A road consists of a connection of a plurality of nodes, and the connection of the nodes is called a link. The electronic map includes (1) a road layer used for drawing a road, (2) a background layer including polygon data for drawing buildings, various facilities, parks, rivers, and the like on the map; Administrative division names such as municipalities, road names,
It is composed of a character / symbol layer for displaying characters such as intersection names and building names, map symbols, and the like.

In recent years, services for distributing the latest electronic maps via communication lines have been provided. For example,
The latest electronic map data is stored in the server of the service center, and when the user (client) requests the electronic map via the communication line, the server reads the electronic map data of the corresponding area from the database, Send to client.

[0004]

However, the electronic map data provided by the manufacturer of the in-vehicle navigation device is:
Each company has a different data format. Also,
Even in the case of the same manufacturer, the format may be different depending on the type of the navigation device and the version of the electronic map. As described above, since the electronic map has a plurality of unique formats according to the maker, the version, and the model of the map data reading device (navigation device, etc.), the electronic map data sent from the server is used for the in-vehicle navigation. A problem that the device cannot be used may occur.

On the other hand, on the server side, it is necessary to store electronic map data for each unique format in order to support a large number of clients having different manufacturers, versions, models of map data reading devices, etc. It will be huge. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic map distribution system for distributing an electronic map from a server having a database storing a plurality of electronic map data in a unique format to a client. ,And,
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic map distribution system capable of reducing the capacity of a database on a server side.

[0006]

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic map database which stores a plurality of electronic map data in a unique format different from each other, and a predetermined electronic map data from the electronic map database in response to a request from a client. And a server that reads the data, converts the data into electronic map data in a common format, and transmits the data to the client.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be described. In general, an electronic map includes data of lines and planes in order to draw shapes of roads, parks, buildings, and the like by lines or planes. In addition, the electronic map includes character data in order to display administrative section names, road names, intersection names, building names, and the like.

According to the present invention, electronic map data in a common format including data of these lines and planes and character data which are basically included in any electronic map are transmitted to the client. That is, a plurality of electronic map data in a unique format is stored in the map database on the server side. The server reads predetermined electronic map data from these electronic map data in response to a request from the client, extracts basic data such as lines, planes, and characters, and converts the data into electronic map data in a common format. Then, the converted electronic map data in the common format is transmitted to the client.

Thus, on the client side, if an electronic map in a common format is supported, the electronic map can be used irrespective of the unique format of each electronic map stored in the server. However, in an electronic map, a license (license) may be given only to a specific user. In that case, it is not possible to distribute an electronic map without a license, so it is necessary to read electronic map data corresponding to the license.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electronic map distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The service center includes an electronic map database 10 and a server (computer) 12. The electronic map database 10 includes a plurality of electronic map data 11a,
11b and 11c are included. These electronic map data 11a, 11b, and 11c are data in unique formats different from each other. The server 12 is provided with format converters 13a, 13b, 13c respectively corresponding to the respective electronic map data 11a, 11b, 11c. These format converters 13a, 1
3b and 13c are realized by software.

On the other hand, the client is a personal computer 2 that can be connected to a service center via a communication line.
1a and a navigation device 21b mounted on the vehicle. Hereinafter, distribution of an electronic map in the map distribution system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. However, here, it is assumed that the client is the navigation device 21b mounted on the vehicle.

First, the in-vehicle navigation device 21b is
The service center is connected to the service center via an in-vehicle telephone or the like, and data indicating the license of the client 21b and data indicating a transmission request of the electronic map are transmitted to the server 12 (step S11). The license is, for example, the electronic map media (CD-ROM or DVD-ROM) purchased by the user.
Etc.) is confirmed by transmitting the ID code assigned thereto. For example, the navigation device 21b has an I-ROM written in a CD-ROM loaded in the device.
The D code is automatically read and transmitted to the server 12.

The navigation device 21b also transmits, if necessary, data indicating the requested scale of the electronic map, the area, the type of the map database, the display request item, the current version of the electronic map, and the like. For example, the navigation device 21b is a GPS (Global Positioning Sys
tem), the data indicating the current position of the vehicle
The server 12 stores the data indicating the area of the electronic map requested.
Send to

Upon receiving the data from the client (navigation device 21b), the server 12 determines whether the license of the client is valid (step S12). If the license is not valid, the processing is stopped. On the other hand, if it is determined that the license is valid, the server 12 reads electronic map data (data in a unique format) corresponding to the license from the map database 10 (step S13). The server 12 converts the electronic map data read from the electronic map database 10 into map data in a common format by the format converters 13a to 13c corresponding to the data format (step S14).

For example, when data is read from the electronic map data 11a, the data is converted by the format converter 13a into electronic map data in a common format. When data is read from the electronic map data 11b, the format conversion unit 13b converts the data into electronic map data in a common format. When data is read from the electronic map data 11c, the format conversion unit 13c converts the data into electronic map data in a common format. Convert to

Thereafter, the server 12 transmits the electronic map data converted into the common format to the client (navigation device 21b) (step S15). The navigation device 21b that has received the electronic map data in the common format draws a map image using the received electronic map data and displays it on the display device (step S1).
6). Further, the navigation device 21b guides the vehicle to the destination using the received electronic map data.

In the present embodiment, by providing functions (map drawing function, route guidance function, etc.) corresponding to the electronic map data in the common format on the client side, the common format sent from the service center is provided. Electronic map data can be used. In this case, the server selects the electronic map data based on the data indicating the license sent from the client, so that the electronic map data can be prevented from being transmitted to the user without the license, and the client can use the predetermined electronic map data from the predetermined electronic map data. You can get the read regular data. In addition, if licensed, the client will be able to access multiple unique formats of electronic map data,
Multiple versions of electronic map data can be used without changing or updating the model.

In the present embodiment, the electronic map data in the unique format is read out, converted into the electronic map data in the common format, and transmitted. The service can be provided without taking any action. Therefore, the capacity of the electronic map database 10 can be reduced. Furthermore, since the electronic map data in the original format is not transmitted to the outside of the service center as it is, it is possible to prevent the know-how unique to the manufacturer from leaking outside.

Further, when electronic map data of a new original format is added, the license determination algorithm may be changed on the server side, and a format conversion unit corresponding to the new format may be added. In this case, if the license permits the use of the new format of electronic map data, the client uses the new format of electronic map data without changing the model or software version. Becomes possible. Furthermore, since roads, buildings, parks, and the like are drawn from the same electronic map data, there is no deviation in coordinates between them when these are displayed.

Hereinafter, an example of the common format will be described. In any format, an electronic map basically includes data for displaying lines, planes, and characters, and draws a map image from the data of these lines, planes, and characters. Has become. Therefore, by preparing software (format conversion unit) for extracting these lines, planes, and character data from the electronic map data in each unique format and converting them into a common format, the minimum necessary for the electronic map is prepared. Is obtained.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing the structure of electronic map data in a common format. As shown in FIG. 3A, the electronic map data in the common format is composed of metadata and graphic data. Metadata is
As shown in FIG. 3B, the information is unique to each level (display scale). The graphic data is, as shown in FIG.
It consists of a data identification code, the number of stored records, and drawing data. The data identification code makes it possible to understand the validity of the map data, the type of the database, and the like. For the number of stored records,
The number of stored records is stored.

The drawing data is, as shown in FIG.
The number of figures (M), line color or character color, background record or character record. Further, as shown in FIG. 4A, the background record includes a fill color, a line width, and a plurality of background data. As shown in FIG. 4B, the background data includes the number of element points, a multiplier,
It is composed of a starting point position (X coordinate and Y coordinate) indicated by normalized longitude and latitude, and a relative coordinate value from the immediately preceding point.

For example, N line data (the number of records N)
If it is included, the drawing data includes data indicating the number (M) of line segments included in one line, the color of the line, the line width, and the position of each point constituting the line. . In the case of plane data, the drawing data includes data such as the fill color, the number of points that define the outline of the plane, the width of the outline, and the position of each point.

A character record is composed of a plurality of character data as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4D, each character data is composed of a position of an object (for example, an intersection or a building), data of a relative position from the object, a character string length (the number of bytes), and character string data. . The server 12 converts the data in the unique format that differs for each electronic map data into the data in the common format as described above, and transmits the data to the client. However, the structure of the above-mentioned common format is an example, and the common format in the present invention is not limited to this.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention,
There is no need to change the client program according to the change or version upgrade of the electronic map, and an electronic map in a new format can be used. Further, since the conversion from the unique format to the common format is performed on the server side, the data structure of the unique format does not leak to the outside. Further, by simply changing the server-side program, the types of corresponding electronic map formats can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an electronic map distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing distribution of an electronic map in the map distribution system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram (part 1) illustrating a structure of electronic map data in a common format.

FIG. 4 is a diagram (part 1) illustrating a structure of electronic map data in a common format;

[Explanation of symbols]

10: electronic map database, 11a to 11c: electronic map data (independent format), 12: server, 13a to 13c: format converter, 21a: personal computer (client), 21b: in-vehicle navigation device (client).

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Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electronic map database storing a plurality of mutually unique electronic map data, and a predetermined electronic map data read out from the electronic map database in response to a request from a client, the electronic map data having a common format. And a server for converting the data into a data and transmitting the data to the client. 2. The electronic map data in the common format includes at least line data and plane data for drawing lines and planes, and character data for displaying characters. Electronic map distribution system. 3. The server according to claim 2, wherein the server reads predetermined electronic map data from the plurality of electronic map data according to a license of the client, converts the read electronic map data into electronic map data in the common format, and transmits the electronic map data. The electronic map distribution system according to claim 1.