Map data access method for navigation and navigation system6233520Abstract There is provided a map data access method and device capable of reading out from a recording medium the map data requested by a navigation system and providing them to the system whether C language, etc. or JAVA (trademark), etc. is employed to constitute a processing program on the navigation system side. In the recording medium, the map data and a reading method of the data are recorded in pairs in a map data section and a method section, respectively. When a navigation function section requests the map data, a data access section reads out desired data in a method (program) read out from the method section according to a requested application programming interface (API). The data read out are supplied as a byte array object to the navigation function section. Claims What is claimed is: Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
TABLE 1
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 B1 Display data header
2 01 B2 Background data
frame
3 02 B3 Road data frame
4 03 B4 Name data frame
Table 1 shows an output format of the display data frame. Table 2 shows an output format of the background data frame. Table 3 shows an output format of the road data frame. Table 4 shows an output format of the name data frame. Further, in each of the output formats, the data length is a unit of two bytes, and the form of data is such that N is an integer and CC is a letter code. These output formats are rows of data in an array which can be accessed in byte units, and the navigation function section 12 receives the data as a byte array object. In the face configuration data frame and the line configuration data frame shown in Table 2, data size, number of classifications, and rows of classification data lists are included, and in the classification data lists, a number of element points and coordinate values of element points are included. Further, in the road classification data shown in Table 3, a classification code and an attribute code are included. The classification code covers superhighways, municipal expressways, general toll roads, national highways, main highways, or the like. On the other hand, the attribute code covers planned road identification flags, above-ground, tunnels, underground, overhead facilities, bridges, or the like. Further, the name data record shown in Table 4 covers data lists of display angle information and display character information, and the character information data list includes the classification code, a character data size, character strings, or the like. Second Embodiment In the first embodiment described above, the case of reading out the map data for display from the navigation function section 12 is described. On the other hand, in this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests the map data for position computation will be described. When a user of the navigation system requests position computation, the navigation function section 12 outputs a request for map data to be used for the position computation to the data access section 14. The position computation is specifically that after the assessment of a location of vehicle detected by a GPS or the like, superimposed display of the location of vehicle is performed. To designate, for example, coordinates at the bottom left-hand corner (latitude and longitude) and at the top right-hand corner (latitude and longitude) of a rectangular range similarly to the first embodiment is one of the forms of the requests made by the navigation function section 12 to the data access section. Specifically, a function "PositioningDataGet" is defined as an API function, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "PositioningDataGet (x1, y1, x2, y2)." Information of latitude and longitude may be expressed, for example, in each four bytes (32 bits). The first bit may be flagged for identifying the latitude and longitude, the next 20 bits may express the latitude and longitude in units of second, and the remaining one bit may express the latitude and longitude in units of 1/2048 seconds. The data access section 14 which has received such a request supplies the map data read out by the output formats as shown in Table 5, Table 6, and Table 7 to the navigation function section 12.
TABLE 5
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 B1 Positioning data
header
2 B2 Road data list
Incidentally, Table 5 shows a positioning data frame, Table 6 a positioning data header in Table 5, and Table 7 a road data list in Table 5, respectively. Further, the positioning class unit road data include rows of link string data records, and the link string data records include link string attribute information, link string shape information, or the like. The link string attribute information means a classification of the link string or the number of links within the link string, and the classification of the link string covers, for example, superhighways, municipal expressways, general toll roads, national highways, main highways, general roads, or the like. Third Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests the map data for route computation will be described. When a user of the navigation system requests a search of a route to destination, the navigation function section 12 outputs to the data access section 14 a request for the map data for route computation to be used for a route search. To designate, for example, coordinates of necessary map data for route computation in latitude and longitude is one of the forms of the requests made by the navigation function section 12 to the data access section 14. To be specific, a function "CheckRoutePlanningData" is defined as an API function, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "CheckRoutePlanningData (x, y)." Incidentally, x and y are latitude and longitude. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out a level structure which is preliminary information for obtaining route computation data of the designated coordinates, a classification of roads composed, a classification of roads set at each level, latitude and longitude for designating area at each level, a route computation data set ID, or the like, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. In Table 8, an output format is exemplified.
TABLE 8
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 2 N Number of route
computation data
levels
2 2 2 N Number of
classifications of
roads (rk)
3 4 2 N Number of regions
4 6 B1 Rows of road
classification
codes (#1 to #rk)
5 01 B2 Rows of
classifications of
road set at each
level
6 02 B3 Rows of region sizes
at each level
7 03 B4 Rows of route
computation data
information
Incidentally, the number of levels means the number of levels in hierarchical structure of maps, and the number of regions means the number of boundaries of maps. Further, to be specific, the size of a region at each level is outputted by coordinates in longitude and latitude at the bottom left-hand corner and at the top right-hand corner of the region. The route computation data information includes a route computation data level and a route computation data set ID. Fourth Embodiment In this embodiment, a case which the navigation function section 12 requests the map data for route computation, similarly to the third embodiment, will be requested. However, unlike the third embodiment, in this embodiment, to designate by latitude and longitude the route computation start coordinates and route computation finish coordinates of necessary map data for route computation is one of the forms of the requests for the map data for route computation made by the navigation function section 12. To be specific, a function "GetRouteDataSetID" is defined as an API function, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetRouteDataSetID (x1, y1, x2, y2)". Incidentally, the x1 and x2 are coordinates in latitude and longitude on the start side, whereas the x2 and y2 are coordinates in latitude and longitude on the finish side. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out the route computation data information (level structure, data set ID, or the like) necessary for route computation from the designated start coordinates and finish coordinates and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. In Table 9, an output format is exemplified.
TABLE 9
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 2 N Number of regions
2 2 B1 Rows of route
computation data
information
Incidentally, the route computation data information includes a route computation data level and a route computation data set ID. Fifth Embodiment In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the navigation function section 12 actually requests the level structure and the data set ID, which are obtained in the fourth embodiment (or the third embodiment), designating them as the map data for route computation. A function "GetRoutePlanningDataID" is defined as an API function, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetRoutePlanningDataID level DatasetID)". Incidentally, the level and the DatasetID are the level structure and the data set ID obtained in the fourth embodiment (or the third embodiment), respectively. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out the corresponding map data for route computation and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. In Table 10, output format is exemplified.
TABLE 10
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 B1 Route computation
data header
2 01 B2 Link data frame
3 02 B3 Node data frame
4 03 B4 Connection link
information data
frame
5 04 B5 Link form data frame
6 05 B6 Road reference data
frame
7 06 B7 Traffic code data
frame
8 07 B8 Upper link
correspondence
data frame
9 08 B9 Upper node
correspondence
data frame
Incidentally, the route computation data header includes a route computation level, the number of links of the route computation data, the number of nodes of the route computation data, the number of integrated nodes of the route computation data, offsets of connection link information data frame, offsets of link configuration data frame, or the like. Sixth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests guide map data designating a necessary rectangular range of the guide map data by latitude and longitude will be described. A function "GetGuidePointData" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the guide map data, and a request for a necessary rectangular range is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetGuidePointData (TargetNode, areax1, areay1, areax2, areay2)." Incidentally, TargetNode is a node (a fork of intersection or the like) number of a guide point, areax1 is a longitude coordinate at the top left-hand corner of the rectangular range, areay1 is a latitude coordinate at the top left-hand corner of the rectangular range, areax2 is a longitude coordinate at the bottom right-hand corner of the rectangular range, and areay2 is a latitude coordinate at the bottom right-hand corner of the rectangular range. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out guidance data within a range covering the rectangular range designated and supplies them to the navigation function section 12 same as FIG. 2. The guidance data are, for example, names of intersections, names of admission passages, names of escape roads, or the like. Table 11 exemplifies an output format.
TABLE 11
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 B1 Route guide data
header
2 01 B2 Intersection name
data record
3 02 B3 Direction name data
record
4 03 B4 Admission passage
name data record
5 04 B5 Escape road name
data record
6 05 B6 Pattern data record
7 06 B7 Configuration data
frame
8 07 B8 Landmark data frame
Incidentally, the route guide data header includes node numbers, x-coordinate and y-coordinate of the node to which attention is paid, guidance classification codes, admission passage classification codes, escape road classification codes, admission route codes, escape route codes, offsets of intersection name data record, or the like. Further, the guidance classification codes include intersections, junctures, forks, exits of tunnels, entrances of tunnels, exits of superhighways, interchanges, service areas, or the like. Seventh Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests a road link ID, a direction of the road link, a distance from an endpoint of the road link, and a compass direction designating them as the guide map data will now be described. A function "GetGuidePointDistance" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the guide map data, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetGuidePointDistance (linkID, linkDir, fromlinkTerm, dir)". Incidentally, linkID is a link ID, linkdir is a direction of the link, fromlinkTerm is a distance from the endpoint of the link, and dir is a compass direction (covering from 0 to 360 degrees in a clockwise direction letting due north be 0 degrees). The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 data about a distance from a designated location to a location which requires guidance, a node number of a guiding point, coordinates of the guiding point in latitude and longitude, and a classification of the admission passage, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Eighth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests a road link ID array designating it as the guide map data will be described. A function "GetGuidePointList" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the guide map data, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetGuidePointList LinkIDarray)." Incidentally, LinkIDarray is a road link ID array. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out guiding point data in a designated road link array from the recording medium 20, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Table 12 exemplifies an output format of the guidance node data.
TABLE 12
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 8 N Node number (link ID
to link ID)
2 8 4 LOC x-coordinate of
node
3 12 4 LOC y-coordinate of
node
4 16 2 N Admission passage
classification
code
5 18 2 N Escape road
classification
code
6 20 2 N Guidance
classification
code
7 22 4 N Route number
8 25 4 D Offset of
intersection name
data record
9 30 4 D Offset of admission
passage name data
record
10 34 4 D Offset of escape
passage name data
record
11 38 4 N Block distance up to
next quidance node
Incidentally, Table 12 shows an output format of the guidance node data record. To be specific, the guiding point data include the guidance node data size (overall data frame), the number of the data, or the like. Further, the intersection name data record includes a name character string data size, a voice file name size, or the like. Ninth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests a road link ID array and a map scale reduction code designating them as the highlighting guide map data will be described. A function "GetguideFormList" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the guide map data, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetGuideFormList (LinkIDarray, longscale)." Incidentally, LinkIDarray is a link ID array, and longscale is a reduced scale value. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 configuration data which highlights the designated road link ID array, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Table 13 exemplifies an output format of the configuration data.
TABLE 13
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 8 B1 Route
configuration data
header
2 01 B2 Guidance node data
frame
3 01 B3 Line configuration
data frame
Incidentally, the guidance node data include node numbers, admission passage classification codes, escape road classification codes, route numbers, or the like. The line configuration data frame includes data size, classification data, or the like. Tenth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests the map data for retrieval of locations will be described. A function "GetInitKeyList" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the map data for retrieval of locations, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetInitKeyList ( )." Incidentally, an argument of this function is not used. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 candidate character data for displaying on a display keys to retrieve the Japanese syllabary or to input alphabetic characters, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Table 14 exemplifies an output format.
TABLE 14
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 2 N Number of
characters
proposed to be
inputted (n)
2 2 2 N Number of vertical
arrangements of
switches
3 2 2*n N Number of
horizontal
arrangements of
switches
4 2 2*n C Characters
proposed to be
inputted (#1 to #n)
Eleventh Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests a string of characters to be inputted, such as the Japanese syllabary or alphabetic characters obtained in the tenth embodiment designating them as the map data for retrieval of locations will be described. A function "GetNextKeyList" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the map data for retrieval of locations, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetNextKeyList (Inputdata)." Incidentally, Inputdata means a string of characters to be inputted, such as, the Japanese syllabary or alphabetic characters and also a string of characters designated by a user. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 next retrieval character candidate string data of the designated string of characters to be inputted, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Table 15 exemplifies an output format.
TABLE 15
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 4 N Number of
characters left for
retrieval
2 4 4 N Corresponding data
record number
3 10 2 N Number of
characters
proposed to be
inputted (n)
4 12 2*n C Characters
proposed to be
inputted (#1 to #n)
Twelfth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests a string of characters to be inputted, such as the Japanese syllabary or alphabetic characters designating them as the map data for retrieval of locations will be described. A function "GetListData" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the map data for retrieval of locations, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetListData (Inputdata)." Incidentally, Inputdata means a string of characters to be inputted, such as the Japanese syllabary or alphabetic characters. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 location name list display data corresponding to the designated string of characters to be inputted, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Table 16 exemplifies an output format.
TABLE 16
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 2 N Number of
corresponding data
2 2 S Details of
corresponding data
(#1 to #n)
Incidentally, the details of corresponding data include location information IDs, data sizes of the location information IDs, names of the location information, the Japanese syllabary to be added for showing the reading of the location information names, classifications, prefectural codes, or the like. Thirteenth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests a telephone number and the number of its digits to be inputted designating them as the map data for retrieval of locations will be described. A function "GetPOITelNo" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the map data for retrieval of locations, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetPOITelNo (no, Inputnum)." Incidentally, no is a telephone number, and Inputnum is the number of digits to be inputted. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 display data and guide data of a location corresponding to the designated telephone number and the number of digits to be inputted, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Table 17 exemplifies an output format.
TABLE 17
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 2 N Number of location
data (n)
2 4 4*n D Location data
offset (#1 to #n)
5 01 B1 Location data
information data
frame (#1 to #n)
Incidentally, the location data information data frame includes rows of location information recording sections, and to be specific, the location information recording sections include x-coordinate and y-coordinate of a location to be displayed, a scale of map to be displayed, latitude and longitude of a representative guiding location, an ID number of the representative guiding location link, a direction of the representative guiding location link, a telephone number, a zip code, or the like. Fourteenth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests a zip code and the number of its digits to be inputted designating them as the map data for retrieval of locations will be described. A function "GetPOIZipcode" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the map data for retrieval of locations, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetPOIZipcode (zipcode, num)." Incidentally, zipcode is a zip code, and num is the number of digits to be inputted. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 display data and guide data of a location corresponding to the designated zip code and the number of digits to be inputted, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. The output format is same as that of Table 17. Fifteenth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests the map data for retrieval of locations designating a rectangular range of the map data for retrieval of locations by latitude and longitude will be described. A function "GetListDataArea" is defined as an API function to be used for the map data for retrieval of locations, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetListDataArea (x1, y1, x2, y2)." Incidentally, the x1 and the y1 are longitude and latitude at the bottom left-hand corner of the rectangular range, and the x2 and the y2 are longitude and latitude at the top right-hand corner of the rectangular range. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 location name list display data (list ID) within the designated rectangular range, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Sixteenth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests a location list ID designating it as the map data for retrieval of locations will be described. A function "GetListSearchData" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the map data for retrieval of locations, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetListSearchData (listID)." Incidentally, the listID is the list ID obtained in the fifteenth embodiment. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 list retrieval data corresponding to the designated list ID, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Table 18 exemplifies an output format.
TABLE 18
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 4 N Number of
characters
proposed to be
inputted (n)
2 4 4 N Previous list
retrieval ID
3 8 2 N Size of data record
proposed to be
inputted
4 10 48*n Data proposed to be
inputted (#1 to #n)
Incidentally, the data proposed to be inputted include characters of the name proposed to be inputted, the Japanese syllabary proposed to be inputted, an ID proposed to be inputted next, or the like. Seventeenth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests a range of retrieval based on position coordinates in latitude and longitude and a distance from the position coordinates designating the range as the map data for retrieval of locations will be described. A function "GetAddressList" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the map data for retrieval of locations, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetAddressList (x, y, width)." Incidentally, x and y are longitude coordinate and latitude coordinate, respectively, and width is a range of retrieval. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 address list data within a range corresponding to the designated position and range of retrieval, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Table 19 exemplifies an output format.
TABLE 19
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 4 N Number of
peripheral
candidate
addresses (n)
2 4 2 N Candidate address
data record size (s)
3 6 s*n Candidate address
data (#1 to #n)
Incidentally, the candidate address data include latitude and longitude, prefectural codes, administrative district (cities, towns, and villages) codes, avenue or street numbers, house numbers, or the like. Eighteenth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 requests position coordinates in latitude and longitude designating them as the map data for retrieval of locations will be described. A function "GetAddress" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the map data for retrieval of locations, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetAddress (x, y)." Incidentally, x and y are a longitude coordinate and a latitude coordinate. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out address data of the designated location from the recording medium 20, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Table 20 exemplifies an output format.
TABLE 20
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 8 1 N Prefectural code
2 9 2 N Administrative
district (cities,
towns, villages)
code
3 11 4 N Village section
code
4 15 1 N Avenue or street
number
5 16 1 N House number
6 17 2 N House number
Nineteenth Embodiment In this embodiment, a process to be performed when the navigation function section 12 designates an address hierarchy code and an address code as the map data for retrieval of locations will be described. A function "GetAddressName" is defined as an API function to be used for requesting the map data for retrieval of locations, and a request is made to the data access section 14 using the function "GetAddressName (addressid, addresscode)." Incidentally, addressid is the address hierarchy code, and for example, numeral 1 represents urban and rural prefectures and numeral 2 represents cities, towns, villages, and the like. Further, addresscode is the address code. The data access section 14 which has received such a request reads out from the recording medium 20 address character string data corresponding to the designated address hierarchy and address, and supplies them to the navigation function section 12. Table 21 exemplifies an output format.
TABLE 21
Data Form of
Item number Offset length data Name of item
1 0 2 N Code number
2 2 12 CC Character string
3 14 12 CC Japanese syllabary
As described above, in the present invention, map data are read out from a recording medium and outputted as a byte array object. Thus, the map data read out can be utilized similarly whether a program language (C language or assembly language) which relies on a particular hardware structure is used or a program language (Java or the like) which does not rely on a particular hardware structure is used for the description of the navigation system (navigation function section). Therefore, it is possible to maintain compatibility.
|
Same subclass Same class Consider this |
||||||||||