Abstract: Systems, methods, and programs store feature information relating to features existing on a road and on the periphery of the road, each piece of feature information being associated with a unique identification symbol, each piece of feature information including disposition information expressing a spatial disposition of each feature independently of the road network, form information expressing a form of each feature, accuracy information expressing an accuracy of the information, and acquisition timing information expressing an acquisition timing of the information. The systems, methods, and programs (1) output the feature information stored in the feature database and input map information constituting the map database, the map information being generated based on the output feature information, or (2) generate map information constituting the map database on the basis of the feature information stored in the feature database.

Abstract: The invention provides a vehicle data analysis method that enables quantitative analysis of characteristics of vehicle data indicating transition in a driver's driving operation, and a vehicle data analysis system using this analysis method. A plurality of vehicle data are collected based a plurality of types of driving operations. Based on an evaluation criterion as an index for evaluating levels of the driving operations, the collected vehicle data are grouped into at least two groups. Characteristic values of the vehicle data differing between these groups are extracted.

Abstract: Map information distribution systems and methods store map information and version information for each road category of the map information stored in a navigation device, the version information correlated with identification information identifying the navigation device. The systems and methods receive the identification information from the navigation device and obtain, based on the received identification information, the version information for each road category of the map information stored in the navigation device corresponding to the stored identification information. The systems and methods extract, based on the obtained version information for each road category, differential data for each road category with stored map information of a latest version, and transmit the extracted differential data for each road category to the navigation device corresponding to the received identification information.

Abstract: The invention provides a vehicle data analysis method that enables quantitative analysis of characteristics of vehicle data indicating transition in a driver's driving operation, and a vehicle data analysis system using this analysis method. A plurality of vehicle data are collected based a plurality of types of driving operations. Based on an evaluation criterion as an index for evaluating levels of the driving operations, the collected vehicle data are grouped into at least two groups. Characteristic values of the vehicle data differing between these groups are extracted.

Abstract: An information providing system includes an obtaining portion that obtains image information captured by a moving object traveling on a road, and an information providing portion that provides the obtained image information, and additional information related to the image information.

Abstract: There is provided a map information providing technology that can keep map information very fresh at all times.

Abstract: A data updating system includes a navigation device running according to a predefined application program; and a server providing the navigation device with a differential data file for updating a database containing road network data. The navigation device includes a navigation memory storing a local database in an updating data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of data types and to be updated with the differential data file; and a navigation controller that converts data stored in the local database so as to have the reference data format in which the road network data is arranged in the order of connection of the road network to be referenced to by the application program. The server includes a server controller that outputs the differential data file to be provided to the navigation device.

Abstract: A map information delivery system, including a navigation apparatus, is capable of preferentially receiving map updating information based on a host vehicle's state. The updating information may be preferentially received based on whether a destination has been set, a location of the updating information relative to an updating position or a destination, and/or the size of the updating information.

Abstract: A driving skill in input driving data is acquired from driving skill classification unit, driving data, which includes a driving skill higher than the driving skill in the input driving data and of which a similarity to the input driving data is at least a predetermined similarity, is selected from among driving data stored in a driving data storage unit, a difference between the selected driving data and the input driving data is detected, and a notice on the detected difference is issued as driving advice. As a result, it is possible to present suitable advice to improve a driving skill taking into account the skill and type of a driver.

Abstract: A driving support system for giving a support to a driving operation of a vehicle includes a drive history database and a drive teaching unit for specifying a travel route of a vehicle subjected to a driving support. Vehicle information including information about vehicle operation is associated with pertinent route information and is registered as a drive history in the drive history database. The drive teaching unit is configured to extract a drive history corresponding to the specified travel route from the drive history database. The drive teaching unit is further configured as a guide for the driving support to teach information about the extracted drive history to a driver of the vehicle subjected to the driving support.

Abstract: A driving support system for giving a support to a driving operation of a vehicle includes a drive history database and a drive teaching unit for specifying a travel route of a vehicle subjected to a driving support. Vehicle information including information about vehicle operation is associated with pertinent route information and is registered as a drive history in the drive history database. The drive teaching unit is configured to extract a drive history corresponding to the specified travel route from the drive history database. The drive teaching unit is further configured as a guide for the driving support to teach information about the extracted drive history to a driver of the vehicle subjected to the driving support.

Abstract: Navigation systems, methods, and programs acquire deviated point information regarding a deviated point where a vehicle traveling a set route has deviated the route, and acquire post-deviation travel history information regarding a travel history after a deviated vehicle has deviated the route at the deviated point. The systems, methods, and programs determine based on the post-deviation travel history information for each of the deviated vehicles whether the deviated vehicle has traveled along a reroute set after deviating the route at the deviated point, and judges whether a rate of the deviated vehicles which were determined as having traveled along the reroute is a first predetermined value or more. If the rate of the deviated vehicles which were determined as having traveled along the reroute is the first predetermined value or more, the systems, methods, and programs determine that guidance of the route is not appropriate.

Abstract: Data in an update data format for performing an update of reference map data is formed by storing in each data frame divided for each data type, at least one of: a first group of one or more common map data records to be stored according to the data type of each data frame in a common map data frame after a conversion by a conversion unit; a second group of one or more first map data records to be stored according to the data type of each data frame in a first map data frame after a conversion by a conversion unit; and a third group of one or more second map data records to be stored according to the data type of each data frame in a second map data frame after a conversion by a conversion unit.

Abstract: A map updating system that stores map data and a priority sequence table, acquires first update data and second update data of the map data according to the priority sequence table, and updates the map data based on the first update data and second update data according to the priority sequence table.

Abstract: Art is provided that is capable of easily performing update processing in a short time even when updating numerous data of a storage medium of a navigation device. A directory structure corresponding to a partition structure of a storage medium is created. Image files IF are generated for updated data content within partitions HDn (n=0, 1, 2, 4, 6). The generated image files IF of the partitions HDn are stored in directories DIR that correspond to the partitions HDn in the created directory structure. Data content of the image files IF read from the directories DIR that correspond to the partitions HDn is written to the partitions HDn of the storage medium.

Abstract: A map update data supply apparatus includes: isolation detection means for detecting the presence and the absence of an isolated state in which some of the roads are isolated from other roads in a road network of target map data due to updating of one or more update target segments of the target map data based on update map data; extraction means for extracting, as update required segments, segments of the update map data, other than the update target segments, that have a road that connects to the isolated some of the roads when it is detected that there is the isolated state; and update data file generating means for generating update data files for the update target segments and the update required segments based on the update map data.

Abstract: A CPU of a navigation apparatus stores public keys to which priorities are set and which are published by an information distribution center in a public key storage section. The CPU of the navigation apparatus extracts an electronic signature of distribution data which is distributed from the information distribution center and verifies the electronic signature by using only ‘valid’ public keys among the public keys in order of the priorities. The CPU of the navigation apparatus determines that the distribution data is valid information which is distributed from the information distribution center when the electronic signature passes verification.

Abstract: When updating means 24 for performing a differential update on map data M using update data U performs an update on the map data M using update data U stored on a recording medium R, update data U having section identification information that matches the section identification information of the map data M and a later update version than the update version of the map data M are extracted from the plurality of update data U stored on the recording medium R, and a differential update is performed on the map data M using the extracted update data U.

Abstract: Map information distribution systems, methods, and programs that update map information based and distribute the update information, send update request information for requesting the update information of the map information, receive the update request information, and obtain the update information corresponding to the received update request information. The systems, methods, and programs obtain updated content corresponding to the obtained update information, assign a score to the updated content based on factor information corresponding to the obtained updated content, assign an order of priority to the respective updated content based on the scores assigned to the respective updated content, distribute the update information and the prioritized updated content, update the map information based on the received update information, and notify a user of the received updated content based on the order of priority assigned to the updated content.

Abstract: A program update device includes: a first storage unit to retain a program of a first version; a second storage unit to retain a program of a second version equal to or later than the first version; an acquiring unit to acquire a difference between the program of the second version and a program of a third version later than the second version; and an update unit to generate the program of the third version from the program of the second version that is stored in the second storage unit and the difference acquired by the acquiring unit, and to store the generated program of the third version in the first storage unit.