Abstract: A map information processor includes a map information storage unit 13 for storing map display information including a set of pieces of mesh-by-mesh map information managed on a mesh-by-mesh basis and including road information, background information, and in-mesh image information, an image processing unit 15 for generating a map image on a basis of image data included in the road information, the background information, and the in-mesh image information included in the mesh-by-mesh map information read from the map information storage unit, and a display device 5 for displaying the map image generated by the image processing unit.

Abstract: A map information providing system has a map information providing apparatus 1 and an onboard information terminal 3. The map information providing apparatus 1 selects a road represented by the coordinate point string data indicating a newly established road in accordance with distribution request information obtained from the onboard information terminal, and distributes the distribution road information containing the coordinate point string data about the road selected to the onboard information terminal.

Abstract: A map information processing apparatus includes a map information storage unit (15) for storing map information, a map update information storage unit (8) for storing one or more pieces of map update information (30 to 32) used for updating yet-to-be-updated map information, a map update information selection unit (19) for selecting one or more pieces of map update information required to update the map information stored in the map information storage unit (15) from the one or more pieces of map update information stored in the map update information storage unit, and a map information updating unit (20) for updating the map information stored in the map information storage unit (15) by applying the one or more pieces of map update information selected by the map update information selection unit to the map information one by one in order of updating.

Abstract: In a map information processing apparatus including a processor 5 for updating map information containing map data stored in a map information storage device 3, road network data contained in the map data stored in the map information storage device has a data structure in which the road network data is composed of link strings each of which represents a series of roads in a road network as a series of links connecting nodes, the road network being represented by the nodes and the links; each of the link strings is represented by a link string record in which link records defining the links are arranged in order of the series of the links; each link constituting the link strings is provided with an invariable link identifier proper to each link; and node indication information for designating each node included in the link strings is represented by the link identifier of the link having the node as its one end.

Abstract: A map information processing apparatus includes a map information storage unit (15) for storing map information, a map update information storage unit (8) for storing one or more pieces of map update information (30 to 32) used for updating yet-to-be-updated map information, a map update information selection unit (19) for selecting one or more pieces of map update information required to update the map information stored in the map information storage unit (15) from the one or more pieces of map update information stored in the map update information storage unit, and a map information updating unit (20) for updating the map information stored in the map information storage unit (15) by applying the one or more pieces of map update information selected by the map update information selection unit to the map information one by one in order of updating.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes an unregistered road detecting means for setting up a detection start point and a detection end point for an unregistered road on registered roads which are respectively located before and behind sections in which matching result data indicates a free state, respectively, the matching result data indicating a matching state when the vehicle is traveling each of the registered roads, for performing a coordinate transformation on a traveling path which is created from positioning data and which is extending between the two points so that the traveling path has coordinates which match with the coordinates of a registered road between them, and for detecting the coordinates of the unregistered road from a portion of the coordinate-transformed traveling path which does not overlap any registered road, and a road data generating means for creating road data about the unregistered road from the coordinates of the unregistered road.

Abstract: A map information providing system has a map information providing apparatus 1 and an onboard information terminal 3. The map information providing apparatus 1 selects a road represented by the coordinate point string data indicating a newly established road in accordance with distribution request information obtained from the onboard information terminal, and distributes the distribution road information containing the coordinate point string data about the road selected to the onboard information terminal.

Abstract: A map information processing apparatus includes: a new road detecting unit (19) for, when information about a road corresponding to a position detected does not exist in road information, detecting the road as a new road, and generating new road running history information showing a history of running along the detected new road; a new road generating unit (20) for generating new road information from the new road running history information generated by the new road detecting unit; a new road information storage unit (16b) for storing the new road information generated by the new road generating unit; a new road editing unit (23) for editing new road information acquired from the new road information storage unit; and a road information updating unit (21) for updating the road information by adding the new road information edited by the new road editing unit to the map information storage unit.

Abstract: A map information processing apparatus includes: a vehicle position calculation unit 12 for calculating a vehicle position; a traveling locus data generation unit 21 for generating traveling locus data on the basis of the calculated vehicle position when the vehicle position deviates from a road indicated by road data that are included in map data read from a map data storage unit 1; a temporary registration unit 23 for registering the traveling locus data generated by the traveling locus data generation unit in a temporarily registered road list as a temporarily registered road; an operation unit 11 for selecting one of temporarily registered roads registered in the temporarily registered road list; and an official registration unit 24 for registering the temporarily registered road selected by the operation unit in an officially registered road list as an officially registered road in accordance with an instruction from the operation unit, generating road data on the basis of traveling locus data relating t

Abstract: A map information processing apparatus includes a road matching means (143) for comparing road data with current position data to carry out map matching, an input unit (130) for inputting both a specified detection start point and a specified detection end point, an unregistered road detection means (144) to which both the specified detection start point and the specified detection end point are inputted, for detecting, as an unregistered road, a section between a detection start point and a detection end point of the unregistered road which are acquired on the basis of either the map matching carried out by the road matching means or the result of comparison between running track data and the road data, and a road data generating means (145) for generating road data corresponding to the detected unregistered road and storing the road data in a map data storage means.

Abstract: A map information processing apparatus includes a map information storage unit 111 for storing map information which is separated into multiple layers, a layer-to-be-updated-with-addition determination processing unit 118 for determining one or more layers which are to be updated with addition of an unregistered road which has been detected during travel of a vehicle, and an unregistered road adding and updating unit 117 for adding the unregistered road to the map information storage unit to update the map information with the addition being aimed at the one or more layers determined by the layer-to-be-updated-with-addition determination processing unit.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes an unregistered road detecting means for setting up a detection start point and a detection end point for an unregistered road on registered roads which are respectively located before and behind sections in which matching result data indicates a free state, respectively, the matching result data indicating a matching state when the vehicle is traveling each of the registered roads, for performing a coordinate transformation on a traveling path which is created from positioning data and which is extending between the two points so that the traveling path has coordinates which match with the coordinates of a registered road between them, and for detecting the coordinates of the unregistered road from a portion of the coordinate-transformed traveling path which does not overlap any registered road, and a road data generating means for creating road data about the unregistered road from the coordinates of the unregistered road.

Abstract: A map data processing unit includes a batch update section and dynamic update section. A type of update data fed from an update data input section is decided using header information. If the update data is route search data, the batch update section collectively updates all the map data to latest version map data according to the update data from the update data input section. If the update data is not the route search data, the dynamic update section updates the map data to the latest version map data according to the update data every time the map data becomes necessary. Thus performing the collective or dynamic update according to the type of the update data enables the update to the latest map data without affecting the operation speed of a navigation function, with minimizing the time precluding the use of the navigation function.

Abstract: For map data, a road system is represented by using node data, which is information concerning nodes representing points along a road, and link data, which is information concerning a link representing a road between the points. A link row is a series of links representing a series of roads in a road system, and as link row data, link data for the links that constitute the link row are arranged in the order in which the links are connected. The node data for the individual nodes of the road system are provided separately from the link row data, and to identify nodes, node identifiers are provided for the nodes of the road system. The link data includes information indicating a node identifier for a node that is located at one link end defined in the direction of the link row.

Abstract: A map information processing apparatus includes an intersecting determining means (20) for determining intersection points where a new road detected by a new road detecting means (19) intersects either roads included in map information or roads previously detected by a new road detecting means, other than start and end points of the new road, a road update information generating means (21) for generating road update information including information for updating new road information and road information included in the map information based on new road information about the detected new road and intersection information indicating the intersection points determined by the intersecting determining means, and a road information updating means (24) for updating the road information included in the map information based on the road update information, and for writing the new road information into a new road information storage means (16b).

Abstract: In a road data frame for displaying road maps, each node/link data record describing a link corresponding to a road part includes link identification information identifying an original link, and auxiliary link identification information used for identifying a plurality of alternative links which substitute for any of the original links in the map data. In a route planning data frame for route planning, each connection record describing the interconnection of nodes also includes corresponding link identification information identifying an original link, and corresponding auxiliary link identification information used for identifying a plurality of alternative links which substitute for any of the original links in the map data. By means of identification information of the original link and auxiliary links, it is facilitated to identify the correlation among links in the road data frame and the route planning data frame having different versions.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a map information storage section (16) for storing map information on an area by area basis formed in meshes; a positioning section (15) for measuring its own present location; a new road detecting section (19) for deciding that a new road is detected when the present location measured by the positioning section is on a road not included in the map information stored in the map information storage section; a new road registration decision section (20) for deciding that the new road is additionally registrable to the map information stored in the map information storage section when the road density in the area including the new road detected by the new road detecting section is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and a new road registration section (21) for making additional registration of the new road, as to which the new road registration decision section makes an additionally registrable decision, to the map information stored in the map information storage section.

Abstract: In a map information processing apparatus including a processor 5 for updating map information containing map data stored in a map information storage device 3, road network data contained in the map data stored in the map information storage device has a data structure in which the road network data is composed of link strings each of which represents a series of roads in a road network as a series of links connecting nodes, the road network being represented by the nodes and the links; each of the link strings is represented by a link string record in which link records defining the links are arranged in order of the series of the links; each link constituting the link strings is provided with an invariable link identifier proper to each link; and node indication information for designating each node included in the link strings is represented by the link identifier of the link having the node as its one end.

Abstract: In a road data frame for displaying road maps, each node/link data record describing a link corresponding to a road part includes link identification information identifying an original link, and auxiliary link identification information used for identifying a plurality of alternative links which substitute for any of the original links in the map data. In a route planning data frame for route planning, each connection record describing the interconnection of nodes also includes corresponding link identification information identifying an original link, and corresponding auxiliary link identification information used for identifying a plurality of alternative links which substitute for any of the original links in the map data. By means of identification information of the original link and auxiliary links, it is facilitated to identify the correlation among links in the road data frame and the route planning data frame having different versions.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes an unregistered road detecting means for setting up a detection start point and a detection end point for an unregistered road on registered roads which are respectively located before and behind sections in which matching result data indicates a free state, respectively, the matching result data indicating a matching state when the vehicle is traveling each of the registered roads, for performing a coordinate transformation on a traveling path which is created from positioning data and which is extending between the two points so that the traveling path has coordinates which match with the coordinates of a registered road between them, and for detecting the coordinates of the unregistered road from a portion of the coordinate-transformed traveling path which does not overlap any registered road, and a road data generating means for creating road data about the unregistered road from the coordinates of the unregistered road.