Map update device and map update method

Abstract

The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a technology for updating map data used for an in-vehicle map system by using delivered map data stored in a server, even when a user is not using the in-vehicle map system. A map updating device (101) comprises: an update procedure decision unit (12) that determines, when an update trigger has been generated and in accordance with whether there is update selection data, whether to-be-updated data needs to be updated, and that decides, on the basis of procedure determination information, whether an update procedure for the to-be-updated data will be a query update or an unconditional update; and an update control unit (14) that updates the to-be-updated data with the update selection data if it is determined that the to-be-updated data needs to be updated. If the update procedure is a query update, the update control unit (14) sends an inquiry to a communication terminal (3) to inquire whether an update needs to be made, and updates the to-be-updated data after acquiring a response indicating that an update needs to be made from the communication terminal (3). If the update procedure is an unconditional update, the update control unit updates the to-be-updated data without sending an inquiry to the communication terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a technique for updating map data of an in-vehicle map system using distribution map data stored in a server.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a navigation device mounted on a vehicle that updates map data to the latest content using updated map data distributed from a distribution server (paragraphs 0007, 0008). The navigation device of Patent Document 1 is a type of in-vehicle map system that is mounted on a vehicle and performs processing using map data.

[0003] After a destination of a vehicle is set by a user operation, the navigation device of Patent Document 1 makes an inquiry to the distribution server about updating of map data for a map mesh including a recommended route from the current location of the vehicle to the destination, and receives information on an update target area from the distribution server (paragraphs 0022, 0023). The navigation device of Patent Document 1 classifies an update target area relatively close to the self-vehicle position as a manual update area, and an update target area relatively far from the self-vehicle position as an automatic update area (paragraph 0025).

[0004] For the manual update area, the navigation device of Patent Document 1 inquires the user whether to update the map data, and when the user permits the update, downloads the updated map data from the distribution server and updates the map data (paragraphs 0026 - 0028). For the automatic update area, the navigation device of Patent Document 1 downloads the updated map data from the distribution server and updates the map data without inquiring the user (paragraph 0028).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] In the navigation system described in Patent Document 1, after the user inputs the vehicle's destination, a determination is made as to whether or not the map data needs to be updated for the map mesh, including the recommended route. Furthermore, in the navigation system described in Patent Document 1, for map data in manually updated areas, an update confirmation screen is displayed on the display monitor (paragraph 0026), and the map data is updated when the user operates the input device to indicate that an update is necessary. Therefore, the user needs to operate the in-vehicle map system, and there was a problem that the map data would not be updated if the navigation system was not running.

[0007] This disclosure is made to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a technology that updates map data used in an in-vehicle map system using distributed map data stored on a server, even when the user is not using the in-vehicle map system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] This disclosure One aspectThe map update device updates the in-vehicle map data of an in-vehicle map system by distributing distribution map data stored on a server to the in-vehicle map system installed in the vehicle. The device includes a trigger generation unit that generates an update trigger for the in-vehicle map data, an information acquisition unit that acquires distribution candidate information indicating distribution candidate data which is the distribution map data to be distributed, update target information indicating update target data which is the in-vehicle map data to be updated, and procedure determination information for determining the update procedure for the update target data. When an update trigger is generated, the device determines whether or not the update target data needs to be updated, depending on whether or not there is update selection data which is the distribution candidate data corresponding to the update target data. The system includes an update procedure determination unit that determines, based on procedure determination information, whether the update procedure for the data to be updated is an inquiry update, which involves querying the communication terminal owned by the user before updating, or an unconditional update, which involves updating without querying the communication terminal; and an update control unit that updates the data to be updated using update selection data when it is determined that the data to be updated needs to be updated. The update control unit queries the communication terminal for the necessity of updating if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an inquiry update, updates the data to be updated after receiving a response from the communication terminal indicating that an update is necessary, and updates the data to be updated if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an unconditional update, without querying the communication terminal. Furthermore, the distributed map data includes multiple distributed map data of different types, the procedure determination information includes information on the type of update selection data, and the update procedure determination unit determines the update procedure according to the type of update selection data. do. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the map update device of this disclosure, the update procedure for the data to be updated is determined to be either an unconditional update or an inquiry-based update based on procedure determination information. If the update procedure is an unconditional update, the map data used in the in-vehicle map system is updated using the distributed map data stored on the server, even if the user is not using the in-vehicle map system. The purposes, features, aspects, and advantages of this disclosure will become clearer from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the map update device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the map update device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing the update target area of Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an overview of inquiry update. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing an example of an inquiry screen on a communication terminal. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of an inquiry screen on a communication terminal. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing the operation of the map update device according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing the update target area of Embodiment 2. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing the update target area in the high-precision map data of the modified example of Embodiment 2. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing the update target area in the normal-precision map data of the modified example of Embodiment 2. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a map update device 101 according to Embodiment 1. The map update device 101 updates the map data of an in-vehicle map system 4 using the map data stored in a distribution map database (DB) 22 provided in a server 2. In this specification, the map data stored in the distribution map DB 22 is referred to as distribution map data, and the map data of the in-vehicle map system 4 is referred to as in-vehicle map data. The map update device 101 causes the distribution map data to be transmitted from the server 2 to the in-vehicle map system 4 and replaces the in-vehicle map data with the distribution map data, thereby updating the distribution map data to the latest map data.

[0012] The in-vehicle map system 4 is a map system mounted on a vehicle. The in-vehicle map system 4 executes an application using the in-vehicle map data. Examples of the in-vehicle map system 4 include a car navigation system using normal-precision map data or an ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) using high-precision map data. In this specification, a vehicle equipped with the in-vehicle map system 4 is simply referred to as a vehicle.

[0013] The server 2 includes a distribution map DB 22, a latest map generation unit 21, and a communication unit 23. The latest map generation unit 21 updates the distribution map data in the distribution map database 22 to the latest data. Distribution map data that has been updated to the latest data but has not yet been distributed to the in-vehicle map system 4 needs to be distributed to the in-vehicle map system 4. Such distribution map data is referred to as distribution candidate data.

[0014] The communication unit 23 communicates with the communication terminal 3 and the in-vehicle map system 4.

[0015] Communication terminal 3 is a device held by the vehicle user, such as a smartphone. The procedure for updating the in-vehicle map data by the map update device 101 includes unconditional updates and query-based updates. In the case of a query-based update, server 2 queries communication terminal 3 whether or not the in-vehicle map data needs to be updated. When the user enters an answer to this query into communication terminal 3 indicating whether or not an update is necessary, the response is sent from communication terminal 3 to server 2, and according to the response, server 2 sends the update map data to the in-vehicle map system 4.

[0016] In Figure 1, the map update device 101 is located inside the server 2, but the map update device 101 may be located outside the server 2. For example, the map update device 101 may be located in a vehicle equipped with the in-vehicle map system 4.

[0017] The map update device 101 includes a trigger generation unit 11, an update procedure determination unit 12, an information acquisition unit 13, and an update control unit 14.

[0018] The trigger generation unit 11 generates an update trigger, which is a trigger for updating the in-vehicle map data of the in-vehicle map system 4. For example, when the latest map generation unit 21 updates the distributed map data to the latest data, the trigger generation unit 11 obtains information to that effect from the latest map generation unit 21 and generates an update trigger.

[0019] The information acquisition unit 13 acquires candidate distribution information from the latest map generation unit 21, acquires update target information from the in-vehicle map system 4 via the communication unit 23, and acquires procedural decision information from the communication unit 23, etc.

[0020] Distribution candidate information is information that indicates data that could be distributed.

[0021] The information to be updated is information indicating the update target data, which is the in-vehicle map data to be updated. The update target data may be predetermined. Alternatively, the user may define the conditions for the update target data. In this embodiment, map data distribution and updates are described as being performed on a mesh basis. However, the unit of map data distribution and updates is not limited to the mesh basis; it may be any unit, such as the attribute unit of map data for display, route search, POI, etc., or the link unit.

[0022] The procedure determination information is information used by the update procedure determination unit 12 to determine the update procedure for the in-vehicle map data. In this embodiment, the update procedure for the in-vehicle map data is either an unconditional update or an inquiry-based update. An unconditional update is an update procedure in which the in-vehicle map data is updated without an inquiry from the map update device 101 to the communication terminal 3. An inquiry-based update is an update procedure in which the map update device 101 makes an inquiry to the communication terminal 3, and the in-vehicle map data is updated only when the communication terminal 3 responds with permission to update the in-vehicle map data. For example, the procedure determination information is information acquired by the information acquisition unit 13 from the in-vehicle map system 4 via the communication unit 23, and includes information on where the vehicle is parked.

[0023] The update procedure determination unit 12 determines whether or not to update the in-vehicle map data based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 13. If the update procedure determination unit 12 determines that an update to the in-vehicle map data is necessary, it determines the update procedure for the in-vehicle map data.

[0024] When the update control unit 14 determines that the in-vehicle map data needs to be updated by the update procedure determination unit 12, it extracts the distribution candidate data for update from the distribution map database and transmits it from the communication unit 23 to the in-vehicle map system 4. Thus, the in-vehicle map data in the in-vehicle map system 4 is updated to the latest map data. In this specification, the in-vehicle map data that needs to be updated is referred to as update target data. The distribution candidate data corresponding to the update target data is the distribution candidate data used for update, and this is referred to as update selection data. The update selection data is, for example, distribution map data representing the same geographical range as the update target data. That is, the update target data is updated by the update selection data.

[0025] <A-2. Operation> FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the map update device 101 according to Embodiment 1. The flow of the map update device 101 shown in FIG. 2 is executed as part of the program of the server 2. Although the map update device 101 may perform map updates for a plurality of in-vehicle map systems 4 mounted on a plurality of vehicles, hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that map updates are performed for one in-vehicle map system 4 mounted on one vehicle used by the user. It is assumed that the position of the vehicle, the update target, the map distribution contract information, and the authentication information between the vehicle and the communication terminal 3 are stored in the update procedure determination unit 12.

[0026] Hereinafter, the operation of the map update device 101 will be described along the flow of FIG. 2. When the program starts, in step S101, the trigger generation unit 11 determines whether it is the update timing of the in-vehicle map data. The trigger generation unit 11 repeats the process of step S101 until the update timing of the in-vehicle map data, and generates an update trigger when the update timing arrives. Specifically, when the trigger generation unit 11 receives information indicating that the distribution map data has been updated from the latest map generation unit 21, it determines that it is the update timing of the in-vehicle map data and generates an update trigger.

[0027] When the update trigger is generated, in step S102, the information acquisition unit 13 acquires the distribution candidate information, the update target information, and the procedure determination information.

[0028] The procedure determination information is, for example, information on whether or not the vehicle is parked in the user's home parking lot. Whether or not the vehicle is parked in the home parking lot may be determined by the in-vehicle map system 4, or by the information acquisition unit 13, which has obtained the vehicle's location information from the in-vehicle map system 4, comparing the vehicle's location information with the home parking lot location information stored in the map update device 101.

[0029] Figure 3 shows the relationship between the candidate distribution area and the update target area. The candidate distribution area is the geographical area represented by the candidate distribution data, and the update target area is the geographical area represented by the update target data. In Figure 3, the overall area Eall is the geographical area represented by the entire distribution map data stored in the distribution map DB22.

[0030] Based on the distribution candidate information, distribution candidate areas C1, C2, C3, and C4 are identified. Based on the update target information, the update target area Eauto is identified. The update target area Eauto is, for example, an area with a radius of 50km centered on the user's home parking lot. For simplicity of explanation, the mesh set is represented by an ellipse here.

[0031] After step S102, in step S103, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines whether or not the data to be updated needs to be updated. Specifically, if at least a part of the update target area Eauto overlaps with the distribution candidate area, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines that the data to be updated needs to be updated for the portion of the update target area Eauto that overlaps with the distribution candidate area.

[0032] In the example shown in Figure 3, among the candidate distribution areas C1, C2, C3, and C4, candidate distribution area C4 completely overlaps with the update target area Eauto, and candidate distribution area C3 partially overlaps with the update target area Eauto. Therefore, it is determined that updating the update target data is necessary, and the candidate distribution data for candidate distribution areas C3 and C4 are selected as the update selection data to be used for updating the update target data. For candidate distribution area C3, the candidate distribution data for the entire area may be selected as the update selection data, or only the candidate distribution data for the portion overlapping with the update target area Eauto may be selected as the update selection data. In this embodiment, map updates are performed on a mesh basis, so area overlaps are determined on a mesh basis.

[0033] If it is determined in step S103 that updating the data to be updated is unnecessary, the processing of the map update device 101 returns to step S101. If it is determined in step S103 that updating the data to be updated is necessary, the processing of the map update device 101 proceeds to step S104.

[0034] In step S104, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines the update procedure for the data to be updated. Specifically, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines the update procedure depending on whether the vehicle is in a predetermined specific vehicle position or not.

[0035] For example, the specific vehicle location is set to the user's home parking lot. If the vehicle is not in the home parking lot, it is considered to be tripping, and it is desirable for the in-vehicle map system 4 to operate using the latest in-vehicle map data. Also, it is inconvenient for the user to receive inquiries about map updates on the communication terminal 3 while driving the vehicle. If the user does not respond to the map update inquiry, the map update will not be performed, and it would be inconvenient for the in-vehicle map system 4 not to be able to operate using the latest in-vehicle map data. Therefore, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines the update procedure to be an unconditional update.

[0036] On the other hand, if the vehicle is in the home parking lot, the vehicle is not in motion, so there is no problem with the vehicle's operation even if the in-vehicle map data is not updated at this time. Therefore, the update procedure determination unit 12 queries the update procedure and decides to update. This allows the user to choose not to perform unnecessary or non-urgent map updates. In addition, the user can determine whether or not an update is necessary depending on whether or not the data to be updated is related to the planned route. Furthermore, even if the data to be updated is related to the planned route, the user can decide to postpone the update this time, deciding that it will be better to update it all at once in the next update.

[0037] In this example, the specific vehicle location is set to the user's home parking lot. However, as another example, the update procedure determination unit 12 may set the update procedure to query and update if the vehicle is at a vehicle repair facility, such as a dealer or repair shop, within, for example, 10 km of the user's home, and to update unconditionally otherwise. This is because there is no need to immediately update the map when the vehicle is at a vehicle repair facility for inspection or repairs.

[0038] After step S104, in step S105, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines whether the update procedure is an inquiry update or not. If the update procedure is an unconditional update, the map update device 101 proceeds to step S106; if the update procedure is an inquiry update, the map update device 101 proceeds to step S107.

[0039] Figure 4 shows an overview of the update of in-vehicle map data. If the update procedure for the data to be updated is an inquiry-based update, in step S107, the update control unit 14 inquires with the user's communication terminal 3 via the communication unit 23 whether or not the data to be updated needs to be updated. The inquiry can be in any format that the user can respond to, such as an email containing an HTML URL with a question about whether or not the data to be updated needs to be updated.

[0040] Figure 5 shows an example of an inquiry email displayed on the communication terminal 3. When the user clicks the URL, an inquiry screen regarding the need for an update, as shown in Figure 6, is displayed. In the example in Figure 6, a parking icon 31 indicating the user's home parking lot, a vehicle icon 32 indicating the vehicle's location, and roads to be updated 33 and 34 are displayed on a map centered on the user's home parking lot, and icons 35 and 36 for entering whether an update is needed are also displayed.

[0041] As another example of an inquiry, a map update application may be pre-installed on the communication terminal 3, and the map update device 101 may inquire with the map update application whether or not the in-vehicle map data needs to be updated. In this case, the recording of unimplemented information, which is performed in step S109 described later, may be performed on the map update application on the communication terminal 3.

[0042] In the example shown in Figure 6, the in-vehicle map data for the Eauto area is updated all at once. However, the user may be allowed to select which data to update on an area-by-area or road-by-road basis.

[0043] After step S107, in step S108, the update control unit 14 obtains the response result of the inquiry from the communication terminal 3 via the communication unit 23 and determines whether or not the in-vehicle map data needs to be updated. If the user's response result indicates that the map needs to be updated, the processing of the map update device 101 proceeds to step S106.

[0044] In step S106, the update control unit 14 activates at least the part of the in-vehicle map system 4 that performs map updates, and updates the data to be updated among the in-vehicle map data held by the in-vehicle map system 4 with the update selection data.

[0045] If the user's response result in step S108 indicates that map update is not required, the update control unit 14 stores unexecuted information in step S109 indicating that the update of the update target data was not executed. The unexecuted information may be anything that indicates the content of the update target data. For example, information such as a map update ID, the inquiry time of the map update, and the map update area is included in the unexecuted information.

[0046] In addition, if there is no response from the communication terminal 3 even after a certain period of time has elapsed since the inquiry, the update control unit 14 may regard the user's response result in step S108 as not requiring map update. The certain period of time is, for example, one hour.

[0047] Also, if there is no response from the communication terminal 3 even after a certain period of time has elapsed since the inquiry, the update control unit 14 may inquire the communication terminal 3 again about whether the in-vehicle map data needs to be updated. And if there is no response to a certain number of inquiries, for example, three inquiries, the update control unit 14 may regard the user's response result in step S108 as not requiring map update.

[0048] In addition, when the update control unit 14 inquires about whether the in-vehicle map data needs to be updated in step S107, it may refer to the past unexecuted records, display the update selection data that was not updated in the past together with the current update selection data on the communication terminal, and inquire about whether the update is required.

[0049] <A-3. Effect> <I The map update device 101 according to Embodiment 1 is a map update device that updates the in-vehicle map data possessed by the in-vehicle map system by distributing the distribution map data stored in the server 2 to the in-vehicle map system 4 mounted on the vehicle. The map update device includes a trigger generation unit 11 that generates an update trigger for the in-vehicle map data, distribution candidate information indicating distribution candidate data that is distribution map data to be distributed, update target information indicating update target data that is the in-vehicle map data to be updated, and information acquisition unit 13 that acquires procedure determination information for determining the update procedure of the update target data. When an update trigger is generated, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines whether the update target data needs to be updated according to whether there is update selection data that is distribution candidate data corresponding to the update target data, and based on the procedure determination information, determines the update procedure of the update target data to be either inquiry update that updates after inquiring the communication terminal possessed by the user or unconditional update that updates without inquiring the communication terminal. The update control unit 14 updates the update target data with the update selection data when it is determined that the update target data needs to be updated. When the update procedure is inquiry update, the update control unit 14 inquires the communication terminal 3 about whether the update is necessary, and updates the update target data after acquiring a response of necessity to update from the communication terminal No. 3. When the update procedure is unconditional update, the update control unit 14 updates the update target data without inquiring the communication terminal 3. Therefore, for example, by setting the update procedure to unconditional update during the running of the vehicle, the in-vehicle map data can be updated even if the user is not using the in-vehicle map system 4 inside the vehicle. Also, when map update is not necessarily required, the update procedure is set to inquiry update, so that the in-vehicle map data is updated after confirming the user's update intention. Thereby, a user-friendly map update is realized for the user.

[0050] <A-4. Variation of Update Procedure Judgment> In Embodiment 1, the update procedure was determined based on whether the vehicle was parked in the user's home parking lot. The method for determining the update procedure is not limited to the above, and the following judgment logic may be adopted.

[0051] The update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure based on the location of the communication terminal 3. In this case, the procedure determination information includes the location information of the communication terminal 3. The update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure to be an unconditional update if the communication terminal 3 is located at a predetermined specific terminal location, and may determine the update procedure to be an inquiry update if the communication terminal 3 is not located at the specific terminal location. The specific terminal location is, for example, on or near a road. If the communication terminal 3 is on or near a road, it is determined that the user is on a trip in a vehicle. Alternatively, the update procedure determination unit 12 may determine that the user does not need to drive the vehicle immediately and decide to set the update procedure to an inquiry update if the communication terminal 3 is away from the road the vehicle is traveling on, or is traveling by train, and otherwise decide to set the update procedure to an unconditional update.

[0052] The update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure based on the positional relationship between the communication terminal 3 and the vehicle. In this case, the procedure determination information includes the positional information of the communication terminal 3 and the vehicle. For example, if the communication terminal 3 is located at the same location as the vehicle, the update procedure determination unit 12 may determine that the user is on a trip and decide on an unconditional update procedure if the communication terminal 3 has been at the same location as the vehicle for a predetermined time (e.g., 2 hours) or if the communication terminal 3 is within a predetermined distance (e.g., 500m) from the vehicle. Otherwise, the update procedure may be determined to be an inquiry-based update. In other words, the specific terminal location may be inside the vehicle.

[0053] The update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure according to the current time. For example, the update procedure determination unit 12 may set a predetermined time before the vehicle's scheduled departure time as the determination time T, and if an update trigger occurs before the determination time T, the update procedure may be set to query update, and if an update trigger occurs after the determination time T, the update procedure may be set to unconditional update. In this case, the procedure determination information includes information on the vehicle's scheduled departure time. Here, the vehicle's scheduled departure time may be registered by the user, or it may be estimated by the information acquisition unit 13 based on the vehicle's past driving history. Furthermore, the user may be able to set the time range for unconditional update and the time range for query update.

[0054] The update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure according to the vehicle's contract status. In this case, the procedure determination information includes information representing the vehicle's contract status. The vehicle's contract status indicates whether the vehicle is before or after new vehicle delivery. There is time between when a vehicle is manufactured at the factory and when it is delivered to the user, but it is desirable that the in-vehicle map data of the in-vehicle map system 4 be up-to-date when it is delivered to the user as a new vehicle. Therefore, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines the update procedure to be an unconditional update if the vehicle is before new vehicle delivery, and determines the update procedure to be an inquiry update if the vehicle is after new vehicle delivery. For example, when a vehicle is completed at the factory, the contract status is registered as "before new vehicle delivery" along with the vehicle ID in the map update device 101, and the contract status can be changed to "new vehicle delivered" by the dealer's information terminal when the new vehicle is delivered. Before new vehicle delivery, a mobile terminal owned by the automobile manufacturer or dealer should be registered with the map update device 101 as an inquiry communication terminal 3.

[0055] The update control unit 14 may decide whether or not to update the in-vehicle map data depending on the contract status of the map distribution contract between the server 2 and the in-vehicle map system 4. In this case, the procedure determination information includes information representing the contract status of the map distribution contract. For example, if a user registers the terminal ID of the communication terminal 3 with the map update device 101 and concludes a map distribution contract with the in-vehicle map system 4, the update control unit 14 updates the in-vehicle map data according to the update procedure. If the contract period has ended and the map distribution contract has become invalid, the update control unit 14 does not have to update the in-vehicle map data. Alternatively, if the map distribution contract is invalid, the update control unit 14 may inquire with the user's communication terminal 3 about concluding a contract, and if a contract is concluded, it may update the in-vehicle map data unconditionally.

[0056] The update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure according to the map type of the update selection data. For example, suppose the distribution map database 22 contains high-precision map data with road shape data on a lane-by-lane basis and normal-precision map data with road shape data on a road-by-road basis. The update procedure determination unit 12 may set the update procedure to unconditional update when the update selection data is high-precision map data, and query update when the update selection data is normal-precision map data. This is because high-precision map data is used for automatic driving control of vehicles and is of high importance, while normal-precision map data is used for car navigation applications and the like and is of relatively low importance.

[0057] The update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure according to the attributes of the update selection data. Map data includes data used for route searching, data used for guidance, data used for display, POIs, etc., and these are examples of map data attributes. For example, the update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure to be an unconditional update if the update selection data is any of the data used for route searching, data used for guidance, or data used for display, and may determine the update procedure to be an query update if the update selection data is a POI.

[0058] The update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure according to the status of communication establishment between the in-vehicle map system 4 and a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) such as WiFi (registered trademark). In this case, the procedure determination information includes information representing the status of communication establishment between the in-vehicle map system 4 and the wireless LAN. If communication between the in-vehicle map system 4 and the wireless LAN is established, map data can be delivered from the server 2 to the in-vehicle map system 4 at low cost via the wireless LAN. Therefore, in such cases, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines the update procedure to be an unconditional update. On the other hand, if communication between the in-vehicle map system 4 and the wireless LAN is not established, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines the update procedure to be an inquiry-based update.

[0059] The update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure depending on whether the vehicle is charging or not, if the vehicle is an EV vehicle. When an EV vehicle is charging, power is available for communication. Therefore, in such cases, the update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure to be an unconditional update.

[0060] When the in-vehicle map system 4 searches for the vehicle's planned route and the vehicle is traveling along that route, the update procedure determination unit 12 may unconditionally update the update procedure for the data to be updated in the area along the planned route.

[0061] If a vehicle is parked at a service area or parking area on a highway, and there is no planned route for the vehicle, the update procedure determination unit 12 may unconditionally update the update procedure for the update target data for the section from the vehicle's parking location to the next interchange, and query the update procedure for the update target data for sections further away.

[0062] The above describes several logics for determining the update procedure for in-vehicle map data. These multiple logics may be used in combination. For example, if any or more of the conditions for determining the update procedure to be an unconditional update as described above are met, the update procedure determination unit 12 may determine the update procedure to be an unconditional update.

[0063] <A-5. Variation Example of Information to Be Updated> In FIG. 3, the update target area Eauto was, for example, an area with a radius of 50 km centered on the user's home parking lot. That is, the update target data was, for example, the distribution map data of an area with a radius of 50 km centered on the user's home parking lot. However, the update target data is not limited to the distribution map data of such a fixed area. For example, the update target area may include the area where the vehicle has traveled in the past, the area where the vehicle is scheduled to travel in the future, or the area set by the user. The area where the vehicle has traveled in the past and the area where the vehicle is scheduled to travel in the future may be transmitted from the in-vehicle map system 4 to the map update device 101. Further, the user may use a communication terminal to register a specific area as the update target area with the map update device 101.

[0064] <A-6. Variation Example of Inquiry Update> In the inquiry update, the update control unit 14 may inquire the in-vehicle map system 4 about whether an update is necessary when the in-vehicle map system 4 is operating, and may inquire the communication terminal 3 when the in-vehicle map system 4 is not operating. When the in-vehicle map system 4 is operating, the user is in a situation of performing a driving operation of the vehicle. Therefore, it is easier for the user to notice the inquiry about whether an update is necessary by inquiring the in-vehicle map system 4 rather than the communication terminal 3.

[0065] <A-7. Variation Example of Unimplemented Record> If there is an unimplemented record, that is, if there is in-vehicle map data for which the user did not permit an update in response to an inquiry from the server 2 in the past, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous inquiry, the update control unit 14 may inquire the communication terminal 3 about an update again. Alternatively, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous inquiry, the trigger generation unit 11 may generate an update trigger again.

[0066] Also, when the user gets into the vehicle and activates the in-vehicle map system 4, the in-vehicle map system 4 inquiries the map update device 101 about the existence of unexecuted records. If there are unexecuted records, the map update area related to the unexecuted records may be displayed on the display unit of the in-vehicle map system 4. Then, by the user operating the in-vehicle map system 4, the update target data related to the unexecuted records may be updated while the vehicle is in use.

[0067] <A-8. Modification Example of Update Trigger> In Embodiment 1, the trigger generation unit 11 generated an update trigger based on the information from the latest map generation unit 21. However, the generation conditions of the update trigger are not limited to this. For example, the trigger generation unit 11 may refer to the latest map generation unit 21 or the distributed map DB 22 at regular intervals such as every hour, and generate an update trigger when it detects that the distributed map DB 22 has been updated.

[0068] Also, the trigger generation unit 11 may compare the version information for each mesh of the in-vehicle map data with the version information for each mesh of the distributed map data at regular intervals, and generate an update trigger when there is a difference between the two. The version information for each mesh of the in-vehicle map data may be acquired by the map update device 101 from the in-vehicle map system 4, or may be stored in the map update device 101 or the communication terminal 3. In this case, since the map update device 101 can confirm the update status of the in-vehicle map data from the version information, the recording process of the unexecuted information in step S109 of FIG. 2 is unnecessary.

[0069] <A-9. Modification Example of Installation Location of Map Update Device> In Embodiment 1, the map update device 101 was installed in the server 2. However, the map update device 101 may be installed in the vehicle. In this case, the map update device 101 is periodically activated to inquire the server 2 about the update status of the latest distributed map data. It is desirable that the frequency of this inquiry is higher when the vehicle is in motion than when it is not. For example, when the vehicle is in motion, the inquiry may be made at a 1-minute interval, every 100 m, or continuously.

[0070] The map update device 101 may be provided in the communication terminal 3. In this case, the map update device 101 is executed as an application on the communication terminal 3.

[0071] Moreover, each part of the map update device 101 may be distributed and arranged in the server 2, the vehicle, and the communication terminal 3.

[0072] <B. Embodiment 2> <B-1. Configuration> The configuration of the map update device 102 according to Embodiment 2 is as shown in FIG. 1 and is the same as the configuration of the map update device 101 according to Embodiment 1. However, this embodiment is different from Embodiment 1 in that the update target data represented by the update target information acquired by the information acquisition unit 13 includes first update target data and second update target data.

[0073] The first update target data is, similar to the update target data of Embodiment 1, update target data for which the update procedure is determined to be either inquiry update or unconditional update based on procedure determination information in the update procedure determination unit 12. The second update target data is update target data for which the update procedure is fixed to unconditional update.

[0074] <B-2. Operation> FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the map update device 102 according to Embodiment 2. The flow of the map update device 102 shown in FIG. 7 is executed as part of the program of the server 2. Although the map update device 102 may perform map updates for a plurality of in-vehicle map systems 4 mounted on a plurality of vehicles, hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that map updates are performed for one in-vehicle map system 4 mounted on one vehicle used by the user. It is assumed that the position of the vehicle, the update target, the map distribution contract information, and the authentication information between the vehicle and the communication terminal 3 are stored in the update procedure determination unit 12.

[0075] The flow in FIG. 7 is obtained by adding steps S110 to S112 between steps S103 and S104 of the flow in FIG. 2 described in Embodiment 1.

[0076] Figure 8 shows the relationship between the candidate distribution area and the update target area in Embodiment 2. The geographical area represented by the first update target data is designated as the first update target area E1, and the geographical area represented by the second update target data is designated as the second update target area E2. The update target area Eauto consists of the first update target area E1 and the second update target area E2.

[0077] The candidate distribution area C4 is included in the second update target area E2, and the candidate distribution area C2 is included in the first update target area E1. Therefore, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines that the update target data needs to be updated and selects the candidate distribution data for distribution candidate areas C2 and C4 as update selection data. The second update target area E2 is, for example, within a 5km radius from the vehicle or within a 10km radius from the user's home. The first update target area E1 is, for example, within a 50km radius from the vehicle or the user's home, excluding the second update target area E2. The first update target area E1 and the second update target area E2 may be set in advance by the user via the communication terminal 3, or default information may be stored in advance in the information acquisition unit 13.

[0078] In step S103 of Figure 7, if the update procedure determination unit 12 determines that it is necessary to update the data to be updated, in step S110 the update procedure determination unit 12 determines whether or not the distribution candidate area overlaps with the second update target area E2. If the distribution candidate area overlaps with the second update target area E2, the processing of the map update device 102 proceeds to step S111; otherwise, the processing of the map update device 102 proceeds to step S112.

[0079] In step S111, the update control unit 14 selects the distribution candidate data of the distribution candidate area overlapping the second update target area E2 as the update selection data, and updates the update target data of the second update target area E2 with the update selection data. Here, no inquiry is made to the communication terminal 3. In the example of FIG. 8, since the distribution candidate area C4 overlaps the second update target area E2, for the distribution candidate area C4, the distribution candidate data of the distribution candidate area C4 is used as the update selection data, and the update is performed without inquiry.

[0080] After step S111, or when no distribution candidate area overlaps the first update target area E1 in step S110, in step S112, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines whether a distribution candidate area overlaps the first update target area E1. If a distribution candidate area overlaps the first update target area E1, the processing of the map update device 102 proceeds to step S104; if not, the processing of the map update device 102 proceeds to step S101. In the example of FIG. 8, since the distribution candidate area C2 overlaps the first update target area E1, for the distribution candidate area C2, either inquiry update or unconditional update is performed according to the procedure determination information in the processing after step S104.

[0081] <B-3. Effect> In the map update device 102 according to the second embodiment, the update target data includes the first update target data and the second update target data whose geographical ranges are different from each other. The update procedure determination unit 12 determines the update procedure of the first update target data as unconditional update regardless of the procedure determination information, and determines the update procedure of the second update target data based on the procedure determination information. Thus, in this embodiment, the area where the first update target data should be unconditionally updated executes the update without determining whether to perform "inquiry update" or "unconditional update", so the determination process is reduced.

[0082] <C. Embodiment 3> <C-1. Configuration> The configuration of the map update device 103 according to Embodiment 3 is as shown in FIG. 1, and is the same as the configuration of the map update device 101 according to Embodiment 1. However, this embodiment is different from Embodiment 1 in that the update target data represented by the update target information acquired by the information acquisition unit 13 includes the first update target data and the third update target data.

[0083] Similar to the update target data in Embodiment 1, the first update target data is update target data for which the update procedure is determined to be either inquiry update or unconditional update based on the procedure determination information in the update procedure determination unit 12. The third update target data is update target data for which the update procedure is fixed to inquiry update.

[0084] <C-2. Operation> FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the map update device 103 according to Embodiment 3. The flow of the map update device 103 shown in FIG. 9 is executed as part of the program of the server 2. Although the map update device 103 may perform map updates for a plurality of in-vehicle map systems 4 mounted on a plurality of vehicles, for convenience of explanation below, it is assumed that map updates are performed for one in-vehicle map system 4 mounted on one vehicle used by the user. It is assumed that the position of the vehicle, the update target, the map distribution contract information, and the authentication information between the vehicle and the communication terminal 3 are stored in the update procedure determination unit 12.

[0085] The flow in FIG. 9 is provided with steps S113 to S117 in place of steps S110 and S111 in the flow of FIG. 7 described in Embodiment 2.

[0086] FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the distribution candidate area and the update target area in Embodiment 3. Let the geographical range represented by the third update target data be the third update target area E3. The update target area Eauto consists of the first update target area E1 and the third update target area E3.

[0087] The distribution candidate areas C2 and C4 are included in the first update target area E1, and the distribution candidate area C3 is included in the third update target area E3. Therefore, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines that the update of the update target data is necessary, and selects the distribution candidate data of the distribution candidate areas C2, C3, and C4 as the update selection data. The first update target area E1 is, for example, within a 50 km radius from a vehicle or the user's home. The third update target area E3 is, for example, within a 100 km radius from the user's home excluding the first update target area E1. Also, the third update target area E3 may be the same as the entire area Eall. The first update target area E1 and the third update target area E3 may be set in advance by the user via the communication terminal 3, or default information may be stored in the information acquisition unit 13 in advance.

[0088] In step S103 of FIG. 9, when the update procedure determination unit 12 determines that the update of the update target data is necessary, in step S113, the update procedure determination unit 12 determines whether a distribution candidate area overlaps with the third update target area E3. If a distribution candidate area overlaps with the third update target area E3, the process of the map update device 103 proceeds to step S114, and if not, the process of the map update device 103 proceeds to step S112. Steps S114 - S117 are the same as steps S107 - S109, S116, so the description is omitted. In the example of FIG. 10, since the distribution candidate area C3 overlaps with the third update target area E3, inquiry update is performed for the distribution candidate area C3 by the process after step S114.

[0089] For the first update target area E1, the same processing as in the second embodiment is performed after step S112. In the example of FIG. 10, since the distribution candidate areas C2 and C4 overlap with the first update target area E1, either inquiry update or unconditional update is performed for the distribution candidate areas C2 and C4 according to the procedure determination information by the process after step S112.

[0090] <C-3. Effect> In the map update device 103 according to Embodiment 3, the update target data includes first update target data and third update target data whose geographical ranges are different from each other. The update procedure determination unit 12 determines the update procedure for the first update target data based on the procedure determination information, and determines the update procedure for the third update target data as an inquiry update regardless of the procedure determination information. Thus, in this embodiment, since the inquiry update is executed without making a determination by the procedure determination information for the third update target data, the determination process is reduced.

[0091] <C-4. Modified Example> As a combination of Embodiments 2 and 3, the update target data represented by the update target information acquired by the information acquisition unit 13 may include first update target data, second update target data, and third update target data. In this case, the processing of the map update device is a combination of the flows of FIGS. 7 and 9.

[0092] The update target area may differ depending on the map type. When the distribution map DB 22 and the in-vehicle map system 4 have high-precision map data and normal-precision map data, the update target area may differ between the high-precision map data and the normal-precision map data. The update target area of the high-precision map data includes at least one of the first update target area EH1, the second update target area EH2, and the third update target area EH3, and the update target area of the normal-precision map data includes at least one of the first update target area EM1, the second update target area EM2, and the third update target area EM3.

[0093] Figure 11 shows an example where the update target area EHauto for high-precision map data includes the first update target area EH1 and the second update target area EH2. Figure 12 shows an example where the update target area EMauto for standard-precision map data includes the first update target area EM1 and the second update target area EM2. In these examples, the update target area EHauto for high-precision map data is larger than the update target area EMauto for standard-precision map data. Also, the first update target area EH1 for high-precision map data is larger than the first update target area EM1 for standard-precision map data. Furthermore, the second update target area EH2 for high-precision map data is larger than the second update target area EM2 for standard-precision map data. Thus, in this modified example, the update target area and the second update target area for high-precision map data used in ADAS systems are set to be wider than those for standard-precision map data.

[0094] Figure 13 shows an example where the update target area EHauto for high-precision map data includes the first update target area EH1, the second update target area EH2, and the third update target area EH3. Figure 14 shows an example where the update target area EMauto for standard-precision map data includes the first update target area EM1, the second update target area EM2, and the third update target area EM3. In these examples, the update target area EHauto for high-precision map data is larger than the update target area EMauto for standard-precision map data and is the same as the overall area Eall.

[0095] The size of the area to be updated, or each area within the area to be updated, may vary depending on the attributes of the map data. For example, the area to be updated and the third area to be updated may be larger in the order of route search data, map display data, and POIs.

[0096] Depending on the map type, the presence or absence of each area within the update target area may differ. For example, the update target area EMauto for standard accuracy map data may have only the first update target area EM1, while the update target area EHauto for high accuracy map data may have only the second update target area EH2.

[0097] According to the procedure determination information, at least one of the update target area, the first update target area, the second update target area, and the third update target area may change. For example, when the procedure determination information includes the position information of the communication terminal 3, the information acquisition unit 13 may set the third update target area wider as the communication terminal 3 is farther from the user's home. Also, when the procedure determination information includes the position information of the communication terminal 3 and the vehicle, the information acquisition unit 13 may set the third update target area wider as the communication terminal 3 is farther from the vehicle.

[0098] When the procedure determination information includes the information on the scheduled departure time of the vehicle, the information acquisition unit 13 may widen the update target area or the second update target area as the scheduled departure time is closer.

[0099] When the procedure determination information includes the information indicating the establishment state of the communication between the in-vehicle map system 4 and the wireless LAN, the information acquisition unit 13 may widen the update target area or the second update target area when the communication is established compared to when it is not established.

[0100] <D. Hardware Configuration> In the above-described map update apparatuses 101-103, the trigger generation unit 11, the update procedure determination unit 12, the information acquisition unit 13, and the update control unit 14 are realized by the processing circuit 81 shown in FIG. 15. That is, the processing circuit 81 includes the trigger generation unit 11, the update procedure determination unit 12, the information acquisition unit 13, and the update control unit 14 (hereinafter, referred to as "the trigger generation unit 11 etc."). Either dedicated hardware may be applied to the processing circuit 81, or a processor that executes a program stored in a memory may be applied. The processor is, for example, a central processing unit, a processing device, an arithmetic device, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or the like.

[0101] If the processing circuit 81 is dedicated hardware, it may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. Each function of the trigger generation unit 11 and other parts may be implemented by multiple processing circuits 81, or the functions of each part may be implemented together by a single processing circuit.

[0102] When the processing circuit 81 is a processor, the functions of the trigger generation unit 11, etc., are realized by a combination of software, firmware, or software and firmware. The software, etc., is written as a program and stored in memory. As shown in Figure 16, the processor 82 applied to the processing circuit 81 realizes the functions of each part by reading and executing the program stored in memory 83. In other words, the map update devices 101-103 are equipped with memory 83 for storing a program that, when executed by the processing circuit 81, will result in the execution of the processing of the trigger generation unit 11, etc. In other words, this program can be said to cause the computer to execute the procedure or method of the trigger generation unit 11, etc. Here, memory 83 may be, for example, non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), magnetic disk, flexible disk, optical disk, compact disk, minidisc, DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) and its drive device, or any storage medium that may be used in the future.

[0103] The above describes a configuration in which each function of the trigger generation unit 11, etc., is realized by either hardware or software. However, this is not the only configuration; some parts of the trigger generation unit 11, etc., may be realized by dedicated hardware, and other parts by software. For example, the update control unit 14 can be realized by a processing circuit as dedicated hardware, while the other functions can be realized by a processing circuit 81 as a processor 82 that reads and executes a program stored in memory 83.

[0104] As described above, the processing circuit can realize each of the above-mentioned functions through hardware, software, or a combination thereof.

[0105] Furthermore, it is possible to freely combine the embodiments, and to modify or omit them as appropriate. The above description is illustrative in all embodiments. It is understood that countless variations not illustrated are conceivable. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 2 Server, 3 Communication terminal, 4 In-vehicle map system, 11 Trigger generation unit, 12 Update procedure determination unit, 13 Information acquisition unit, 14 Update control unit, 21 Latest map generation unit, 22 Distribution map database, 23 Communication unit, 81 Processing circuit, 82 Processor, 83 Memory, 101-103 Map update device, C1, C2, C3, C4 Distribution candidate areas, E1, EH1, EM1 First update target area, E2, EH2, EM2 Second update target area, E3, EH3, EM3 Third update target area, Eall Overall area, Eauto Update target area.

Claims

1. A map update device that updates the in-vehicle map data of an in-vehicle map system by distributing distribution map data stored on a server to an in-vehicle map system installed in a vehicle, A trigger generation unit that generates an update trigger for the in-vehicle map data, An information acquisition unit that acquires distribution candidate information indicating distribution candidate data which is the distribution map data to be distributed, update target information indicating update target data which is the in-vehicle map data to be updated, and procedure determination information for determining the update procedure for the update target data. When the update trigger is generated, the update procedure determination unit determines whether the update target data needs to be updated, depending on whether or not there is update selection data which is the distribution candidate data corresponding to the update target data, and based on the procedure determination information, determines whether the update procedure for the update target data is either an inquiry update, which updates after querying the communication terminal owned by the user, or an unconditional update, which updates without querying the communication terminal. The system includes an update control unit that updates the data to be updated using the update selection data when it is determined that the data to be updated needs to be updated, The update control unit, if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an inquiry-based update, queries the communication terminal to determine whether an update is necessary, updates the data to be updated after receiving a response from the communication terminal indicating that an update is necessary, and updates the data to be updated without querying the communication terminal if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an unconditional update. The aforementioned distribution map data includes multiple distribution map data of different types, The procedure determination information includes information on the type of the update selection data, The update procedure determination unit determines the update procedure according to the type of update selection data. Map update device.

2. The aforementioned procedure determination information includes the location information of the vehicle. The update procedure determination unit determines the update procedure to the inquiry update when the vehicle is located in a predetermined specific vehicle location, and determines the update procedure to the unconditional update when the vehicle is not located in the specific vehicle location. The map update device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned specific vehicle location is the user's home parking lot. The map update device according to claim 2.

4. The procedure determination information includes the location information of the communication terminal. The update procedure determination unit determines the update procedure to be the unconditional update when the communication terminal is located at a predetermined specific terminal location, and determines the update procedure to be the inquiry update when the communication terminal is not located at the specific terminal location. The map update device according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned specific terminal location is inside the vehicle. The map update device according to claim 4.

6. A map update device that updates the in-vehicle map data of an in-vehicle map system by distributing distribution map data stored on a server to an in-vehicle map system installed in a vehicle, A trigger generation unit that generates an update trigger for the in-vehicle map data, An information acquisition unit that acquires distribution candidate information indicating distribution candidate data which is the distribution map data to be distributed, update target information indicating update target data which is the in-vehicle map data to be updated, and procedure determination information for determining the update procedure for the update target data. When the update trigger is generated, the update procedure determination unit determines whether the update target data needs to be updated, depending on whether or not there is update selection data which is the distribution candidate data corresponding to the update target data, and based on the procedure determination information, determines whether the update procedure for the update target data is either an inquiry update, which updates after querying the communication terminal owned by the user, or an unconditional update, which updates without querying the communication terminal. The system includes an update control unit that updates the data to be updated using the update selection data when it is determined that the data to be updated needs to be updated, The update control unit, if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an inquiry-based update, queries the communication terminal to determine whether an update is necessary, updates the data to be updated after receiving a response from the communication terminal indicating that an update is necessary, and updates the data to be updated without querying the communication terminal if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an unconditional update. The aforementioned procedure determination information includes information on the scheduled departure time of the vehicle. The update procedure determination unit determines the update procedure to be the query update if the update trigger occurs before a predetermined time prior to the scheduled departure time, and determines the update procedure to be the unconditional update if the update trigger occurs after the determination time. Map update device.

7. A map update device that updates the in-vehicle map data of an in-vehicle map system by distributing distribution map data stored on a server to an in-vehicle map system installed in a vehicle, A trigger generation unit that generates an update trigger for the in-vehicle map data, An information acquisition unit that acquires distribution candidate information indicating distribution candidate data which is the distribution map data to be distributed, update target information indicating update target data which is the in-vehicle map data to be updated, and procedure determination information for determining the update procedure for the update target data. When the update trigger is generated, the update procedure determination unit determines whether the update target data needs to be updated, depending on whether or not there is update selection data which is the distribution candidate data corresponding to the update target data, and based on the procedure determination information, determines whether the update procedure for the update target data is either an inquiry update, which updates after querying the communication terminal owned by the user, or an unconditional update, which updates without querying the communication terminal. The system includes an update control unit that updates the data to be updated using the update selection data when it is determined that the data to be updated needs to be updated, The update control unit, if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an inquiry-based update, queries the communication terminal to determine whether an update is necessary, updates the data to be updated after receiving a response from the communication terminal indicating that an update is necessary, and updates the data to be updated without querying the communication terminal if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an unconditional update. The aforementioned procedure determination information includes information indicating whether the vehicle is before or after new vehicle delivery. The update procedure determination unit determines the update procedure to be the unconditional update if the vehicle has not yet been delivered as a new vehicle, and determines the update procedure to be the inquiry-based update if the vehicle has already been delivered as a new vehicle. Map update device.

8. The aforementioned procedure determination information includes information indicating whether the map distribution contract between the server and the in-vehicle map system is valid or invalid. The update control unit will not update the data to be updated, even if it determines that the data to be updated needs to be updated, if the map distribution contract is invalid. The map update device according to claim 1.

9. The aforementioned distributed map data includes standard-precision map data having shape data for road units and high-precision map data having shape data for lane units. The update procedure determination unit determines the update procedure to the query update when the update selection data is the normal accuracy map data, and determines the update procedure to the unconditional update when the update selection data is the high accuracy map data. The map update device according to claim 1.

10. The procedure determination information includes information indicating whether the in-vehicle map system is connected to a wireless LAN, The update procedure determination unit determines the update procedure to be the unconditional update when the in-vehicle map system is connected to a wireless LAN, and determines the update procedure to be the query update when the in-vehicle map system is not connected to a wireless LAN. The map update device according to claim 1.

11. If the in-vehicle map system is operating during the query update, the update control unit, instead of the communication terminal, queries the in-vehicle map system regarding the necessity of the update, and updates the data to be updated after obtaining a response from the in-vehicle map system indicating that an update is necessary. The map update device according to claim 1.

12. A map update device that updates the in-vehicle map data of an in-vehicle map system by distributing distribution map data stored in a server to an in-vehicle map system installed in a vehicle, A trigger generation unit that generates an update trigger for the in-vehicle map data, An information acquisition unit that acquires distribution candidate information indicating distribution candidate data which is the distribution map data to be distributed, update target information indicating update target data which is the in-vehicle map data to be updated, and procedure determination information for determining the update procedure for the update target data. When the update trigger is generated, the update procedure determination unit determines whether the update target data needs to be updated, depending on whether or not there is update selection data which is the distribution candidate data corresponding to the update target data, and based on the procedure determination information, determines whether the update procedure for the update target data is either an inquiry update, which updates after querying the communication terminal owned by the user, or an unconditional update, which updates without querying the communication terminal. The system includes an update control unit that updates the data to be updated using the update selection data when it is determined that the data to be updated needs to be updated, The update control unit, if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an inquiry-based update, queries the communication terminal to determine whether an update is necessary, updates the data to be updated after receiving a response from the communication terminal indicating that an update is necessary, and updates the data to be updated without querying the communication terminal if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an unconditional update. The aforementioned data to be updated includes first data to be updated and second data to be updated, which have different geographical ranges. The update procedure determination unit determines the update procedure for the first data to be updated based on the procedure determination information, and determines the update procedure for the second data to be updated to the unconditional update regardless of the procedure determination information. Map update device.

13. A map update device that updates the in-vehicle map data of an in-vehicle map system by distributing distribution map data stored on a server to an in-vehicle map system installed in a vehicle, A trigger generation unit that generates an update trigger for the in-vehicle map data, An information acquisition unit that acquires distribution candidate information indicating distribution candidate data which is the distribution map data to be distributed, update target information indicating update target data which is the in-vehicle map data to be updated, and procedure determination information for determining the update procedure for the update target data. When the update trigger is generated, the update procedure determination unit determines whether the update target data needs to be updated, depending on whether or not there is update selection data which is the distribution candidate data corresponding to the update target data, and based on the procedure determination information, determines whether the update procedure for the update target data is either an inquiry update, which updates after querying the communication terminal owned by the user, or an unconditional update, which updates without querying the communication terminal. The system includes an update control unit that updates the data to be updated using the update selection data when it is determined that the data to be updated needs to be updated, The update control unit, if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an inquiry-based update, queries the communication terminal to determine whether an update is necessary, updates the data to be updated after receiving a response from the communication terminal indicating that an update is necessary, and updates the data to be updated without querying the communication terminal if the update procedure for the data to be updated is an unconditional update. The aforementioned data to be updated includes a first set of data to be updated and a third set of data to be updated, which have different geographical ranges. The update procedure determination unit determines the update procedure for the first data to be updated based on the procedure determination information, and determines the update procedure for the third data to be updated to the query update regardless of the procedure determination information. Map update device.

14. The aforementioned distribution map data includes multiple distribution map data of different types, Depending on the type of distribution map data, the geographical range represented by at least one of the update target data, the first update target data, and the second update target data will differ. The map update device according to claim 12.

15. The aforementioned distribution map data includes multiple distribution map data of different types, Depending on the type of distribution map data, the geographical range represented by at least one of the update target data, the first update target data, and the third update target data will differ. The map update device according to claim 13.

16. The aforementioned distributed map data includes standard-precision map data having shape data for road units and high-precision map data having shape data for lane units. The geographical range of the update target data, which is the high-precision map data, is wider than the geographical range of the update target data, which is the normal-precision map data. The map update device according to claim 14.

17. The update procedure determination unit modifies the geographical range represented by at least one of the update target data, the first update target data, and the second update target data based on the procedure determination information. The map update device according to claim 12.

18. The update procedure determination unit modifies the geographical range represented by at least one of the update target data, the first update target data, and the third update target data based on the procedure determination information. The map update device according to claim 13.

19. A map update method for updating the in-vehicle map data held by an in-vehicle map system, wherein the distribution map data stored on a server is distributed to the in-vehicle map system installed in the vehicle, The trigger generation unit generates an update trigger for the in-vehicle map data, The information acquisition unit acquires distribution candidate information indicating distribution candidate data which is the distribution map data to be distributed, update target information indicating update target data which is the in-vehicle map data to be updated, and procedure determination information for determining the update procedure for the update target data. When the update trigger is generated, the update procedure determination unit determines whether or not the data to be updated needs to be updated, depending on whether or not there is update selection data which is the distribution candidate data corresponding to the data to be updated. The update procedure determination unit, based on the procedure determination information, determines whether the update procedure for the data to be updated is an inquiry-based update, which updates after querying the communication terminal owned by the user, or an unconditional update, which updates without querying the communication terminal. If it is determined that the data to be updated needs to be updated, the update control unit updates the data to be updated using the update selection data. If the update procedure is an inquiry-based update, the update control unit queries the communication terminal to determine whether an update is necessary, updates the update target data after receiving a response from the communication terminal indicating that an update is necessary, and updates the update target data without querying the communication terminal if the update procedure is an unconditional update. The aforementioned distribution map data includes multiple distribution map data of different types, The procedure determination information includes information on the type of the update selection data, The update procedure is determined according to the type of the update selection data. How to update the map.

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