Map Information Processing Apparatus for New Road Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing map information processing systems face issues with adding new roads with positioning errors to their database, particularly in urban areas where GPS signals are affected by multipath problems, leading to adverse effects on navigation functions.
Innovation Solution
A map information processing apparatus that decides whether to register a new road based on road density in an area divided into meshes, using metrics such as map information size, number of links, total link length, or route calculation validity to minimize the impact of positioning errors on existing map data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS receiving conditions are used to estimate positioning error for new road registration, then new roads with large positioning errors can be prevented from being added, but new roads in urban areas with multipath problems cannot be effectively filtered despite having sufficient GPS signal count
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for positioning error estimation from GPS receiving conditions (number of satellites) to road density. By using road density as a new parameter, the system can effectively identify and filter out new roads with large positioning errors in urban areas with multipath problems, while maintaining the ability to register valid new roads that were previously missed due to insufficient GPS signal count-based filtering.
2Productivity
If all detected new roads are added to map information, then map information remains up-to-date, but positioning errors adversely affect navigation functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces road density as an intermediary parameter between new road detection and registration. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to quickly process and evaluate detected new roads by calculating road density, then use this intermediate result to filter out unreliable new roads before final registration, thereby maintaining both fast map updates and reliable navigation functions.
3Device complexity
If GPS signal count is used as the sole criterion for new road registration, then processing is simple, but new roads in areas with multipath problems are incorrectly registered despite having sufficient signal count
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the new road registration decision process into two stages: first, a quick initial judgment based on GPS signal count, and second, a more precise road density calculation for final confirmation. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simple processing for most cases while applying more sophisticated analysis only when needed, thereby improving positioning error detection accuracy without excessively increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a map information storage section (16) that stores map information on an area by area basis formed in meshes; a positioning section (15) for measuring its own present location; a new road detecting section (19) for deciding that a new road is detected when the present location is determined to be on a road not included in the map information; a new road registration decision section (20) for deciding that the new road is registerable to the map information stored in the map information storage section when the road density in the area including the new road is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and a new road registration section (21) for registering the new road to the map information stored in the map information storage section, when the new road is determined to be registerable.