Vehicle Digital Map Updates Through Versioned Dependency Tracking

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for updating digital maps in vehicles face challenges in maintaining consistency while minimizing data transmission, often leading to logical inconsistencies and excessive data transfer due to the high interdependence of map objects.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves assigning version numbers to map objects and documenting changes in a central database, allowing vehicles to request and update only necessary map objects while ensuring consistency by identifying and updating dependent objects iteratively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If only individual map objects are updated to minimize data transmission, then data transfer volume is reduced, but logical inconsistencies occur in the digital map

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transfer volumeVSAvoidmap consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The digital map is divided into individual map objects (roads, intersections, points of interest), each with its own version number. This allows selective updating of only those objects that have changed, rather than updating the entire map, thereby reducing data transfer volume while maintaining the ability to ensure consistency through version tracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Version numbers are assigned to map objects in advance, and changes are documented with version information before transmission. When a vehicle requests an update, the system can determine which objects need updating by comparing version numbers, and can proactively identify and include all dependent objects that require updates to maintain consistency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the entire digital map is updated to ensure consistency, then map consistency is maintained, but data transmission volume increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemap consistencyVSAvoiddata transfer volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Only the specific map objects that have changed (extracted by comparing version numbers) are updated and transmitted to the vehicle, rather than transmitting the entire digital map. This extraction of only necessary updates maintains consistency for changed objects while dramatically reducing data transfer volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Version numbers serve as parameters that track changes in map objects. By monitoring and comparing these version parameters, the system can identify which objects require updates and transmit only those, rather than updating all objects regardless of change status.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If map objects are updated without checking dependencies, then data transfer is minimized, but logical inconsistencies and chain reactions occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transfer volumeVSAvoidupdate process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses version numbers as feedback mechanisms to track which map objects have changed. When a vehicle requests an update, the central system checks version numbers to identify changed objects, determines their dependencies, and automatically includes all necessary dependent objects in the update package, preventing inconsistencies without requiring complex manual analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3472820B1Updating a digital map
Publication Date: 2025.07.30 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
  • EP3472820B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3472820B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(c)

AI summary

The invention relates to an improved method for updating a digital map stored in a vehicle, wherein the updated map is consistent and at the same time the amount of data transferred is small. The map comprises a plurality of map objects, wherein an object identifier and a version number are associated with each map object. The following steps are performed: determining a first map object to be updated, transferring a request data set for updating the first map object from the vehicle to a central computer, wherein the request data set comprises the object identifier and the version number of the first map object, determining a change operation of the first map object with respect to the version of the first map object that is indicated by the sent version number, determining further map objects changed in the change operation, assembling an update data set, comprising: a current version of the first map object, the version number of the current version of the first map object, and the object identifier and the version number of each of the further map objects, transferring the update data set from the central computer to the vehicle.