Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Employing position determining equipment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-28
2001-10-30
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Employing position determining equipment
C701S066000, C701S209000, C701S210000, C340S995190
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311125
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a road data specification method, a road data editing method, a map data editing apparatus, a map data editing system, a storage medium which stores a software program for specifying road data, and a storage medium which stores a software program for editing road data.
2. Description of Related Art
The Dijkstra method in a car-navigation system and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 1(1989)-260628, are examples of art where a shortest route between two points is found, and the search result is displayed in superimposed form on a map display.
Other art is known, in which information of traffic congestion on a road is acquired by a radio communication, or infrared-ray communication, a telephone or the like, and speed information relative to the road is updated.
A traveler often desires to navigate an optimal route from a geographical starting point to a geographical ending or terminal point by making use of road data containing road speed information and classification information indicating whether a road to be navigated is a general road or a superhighway. However, a specific road is always congested, so that a car cannot run at the speed limit of the road, and a point where traffic accidents frequently happen may exist. In this case, a traveling road user may not wish to drive through the point, and may wish to update the road attribute data items (road speed, distance, risk and the like) by specifying a specific block of a road. Also, in some cases, a user may wish to change road attribute data items for a predetermined range adjacent to a predetermined block of a road when the update of the road attribute data items for the specific block of the road is requested.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An advantage of the present invention is that it allows specification of a plurality of junctions on a map to define an editing object range, and specification of a predetermined block of a road for inputting modifying data items, thus modifying road attribute data items within a predetermined extent.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it minimizes a quantity of operations required of an operator in editing road attribute data items on a map.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a map data editing system, the operation of which is intuitively understood which makes it easier for an operator to edit road attribute data items on a map.
Still further advantage of the present invention is that it minimizes a quantity of resources required in editing road attribute data items on a map.
These and other advantages which will become apparent to a reader of the specification and drawings are obtained by the invention as follows. A plurality of junctions on a map are specified, thus defining an editing object range. By inputting modifying data items, a predetermined block of a road is specified, thus modifying road attribute data items within a predetermined extent.
Coordinates of a starting point and a terminal point of a predetermined block on a map are input. In addition, coordinates of relay points may be input. Road junctions closest to the starting point and the terminal point respectively, are then found in the data base. Searching for a route is executed based on the junction coordinate data items. This search identifies road data items in the block that are available to be modified and they are specified as being available to be modified. Stating this another way, from the junction coordinates data items included in the block to be modified, the road data items connected to each of the junctions within a predetermined extent are specified, and the specified road data items are made to be objects to be modified. Modification data for these specified road data items is then received from any of a number of possible sources, and road attribute data items of a road that is an object to be modified are updated based on the modification data.
In one embodiment, the road data specification method of the present invention specifies a road data item having a junction coordinates data item and a road attribute data item from a map database having a plurality of road data items, and receives modifying range data; and then specifies third and fourth road data items located within an extent specified by the first and second junction coordinates items and the modifying range data.
In the road data specification method of another embodiment of the present invention which specifies a road data item having a junction coordinates data item and a road attribute data item from a map database having a plurality of road data items, the extent specified by the modifying range data is displayed in emphasized form.
A road data editing method of another embodiment of the present invention, edits a road data item having a junction coordinates data item and a road attribute data item from a map database having a plurality of road data items by receiving first, second and third junction coordinates inputs; obtaining first, second and third junction coordinates data items corresponding to the first, second and third coordinates inputs and specifying at least first and second road data items having the first, second and third junction coordinates data items. Then the invention receives modifying range data input and modifying data input regarding the road attribute data item. This input is used to specify third and fourth road data items located within an extent specified by the first, second and third junction coordinates items and the modifying range data; and to update the road attribute data items of the third and fourth road data items based on the modifying data input.
In the road data editing method of another embodiment of the present invention which edits a road data item having a junction coordinates data item and a road attribute data item from a map database having a plurality of road data items, the road data items further comprise road classification data items, and the specification of any of the first and second road data items is executed based on the road classification data items.
A map data editing apparatus of another embodiment of the present invention, comprises an input apparatus and a display apparatus, and specifies predetermined road data items having junction coordinates data items and road attribute data items from a database having a plurality of road data items. It has a coordinates input section for receiving first and second coordinates inputs, a closest junction searching section for finding first and second junction coordinates data items corresponding to the first and second coordinates inputs and an inter-junction shortest route searching section for specifying at least first and second road data items having the first and second junction coordinates data items. It also has a road editing range input section for receiving modifying range data, and a reaching region searching section for specifying at least third and fourth road data items located within an extent specified by the first and second junction coordinates items and the modifying range data.
A map data editing apparatus of another embodiment of the present invention, edits a road data item having a junction coordinates data item and a road attribute data item from a map database having a plurality of road data items by displaying a plurality of road data items located on a predetermined extent and receiving first, second and third coordinates inputs. A closest junction searching section then searches for and obtains first, second and third junction coordinates data items corresponding to the first, second and third coordinates inputs and an inter-junction shortest route searching section specifies at least first and second road data items having the first, second and third junction coordinates data items. The apparatus also has a road editing range input section for receiving modifying range data and a road editing content input section for receiving modifying range data of the road at
Okano Hiroyuki
Yonezawa Takashi
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Hesse Karl O.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Marc-Coleman Marthe Y.
LandOfFree
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