Route selection method and apparatus therefor

Claim 2

A route selection method comprising the steps of: storing map data having data representing connection between arbitrary two points on a connection network having a plurality of points and data representing characteristic of a route between two points in a map data memory in advance, designating a first point and a second point in the points stored in said map data memory, storing a predetermined number of route store point representing a route selected on said connection network and data among said route store points in an interpoint route memory in advance, searching a first route between said first point and a first route store point in said map data memory, searching a second route between said second point and a second route store point in said map data memory, retrieving a third route between said first route store point and said second route store point in said interpoint route memory, and constituting a route between said first point and said second point by connecting said first route, second route and third route.

Claim 3

A route selection method comprising the steps of: storing points on a connection network having plural hierarchies of partial connection networks which are different from each other, hierarchy identifiers for representing the hierarchy of said points and data of a transit point representing a connection point among hierarchies, in an interpoint route memory in advance, designating a first point and a second point stored in said interpoint route memory, reading out a first transit point connected to said first point and a second transit point connected to said second point in respective hierarchies to be investigated determined by the respective hierarchy identifiers of said first point and said second point, retrieving a first route between said first point and said first transit point and a second route between said second point and said second transit point, retrieving a third route between said first transit point and said second transit point from data of said interpoint route memory on said hierarchy to be investigated, and deriving the route between said first point and said second point by connecting said first route, said second route and said third route.

Claim 4

A route selection method in accordance with claim 3, wherein a hierarchy to be investigated is changed in the event that said first transit point or said second transit point is not retrieved on said hierarchy to be investigated.

Claim 5

A route selection method in accordance with claim 3 or 4 further comprising the steps of: providing a migration point through which a route is allowed to migrate from a point of a hierarchy to a point of other hierarchy, and retrieving a migration point of a hierarchy in the case that the hierarchy to be investigated is changed.

Claim 6

A route selection method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the data representing characteristic of route between two points is a distance or a standard travel time, and said distance or said standard travel time between said first point and said second point is derived on the basis of said data.

Claim 7

A route selection apparatus comprising: an interpoint route memory for storing data representing routes produced by connecting two points on a connection network having a plurality of points, point input means for designating said two points, route retrieval means for retrieving the route between two points designated by said point input means on the basis of said route corresponding to said two points stored in said interpoint route memory, and output means for outputting route data retrieved by said route retrieval means.

Claim 8

A route selection apparatus comprising: a map data memory for storing data representing connection between arbitrary two points on a connection network having a plurality of points and data representing characteristic of the route between said two points, point input means for designating a first point and a second point in said map data memory, an interpoint route memory for storing a predetermined number of route store point representing a route on said connection network and data of a route between said route store points, search means for searching a first route between said first point and a first route store point stored in said interpoint route memory and a second route between said second point and a second route store point stored in said interpoint route memory, in said map data memory, route retrieval means for retrieving a third route between said first route store point and said second route store point in said interpoint route memory, route constitution means for constituting a route between said first point and said second point by connecting said first route, said second route and said third route, and output means for outputting route data produced by said route constitution means.

Claim 9

A route selection apparatus comprising: an interpoint route memory for storing points on a connection network comprising plural hierarchies of partial connection networks which are different from each other, a hierarchy identifier representing the hierarchy of a point and data of a transit point representing a connection point among said hierarchies, point input means for designating a first point and a second point stored in said interpoint memory, hierarchy setting means for setting hierarchies to derive a first route between said first point and said first transit point and a second route between said second point and said second transit point by reading out a first transit point connected to said first point and a second transit point connected to said second point in said respective hierarchies determined by said hierarchy identifiers of said first point and said second point, route retrieval means for retrieving a third route between said first transit point and said second transit point from data of said interpoint route memory, route constitution means for deriving a route between said first point and said second point by connecting said first route, said second route and said third route, and output means for outputting data of said route produced by said route constitution means.

Claim 10

A route selection apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said route retrieval means retrieves a route between said first point and said second point on the hierarchy set by said hierarchy setting means, and in the event that said route is not retrieved in said hierarchy, retrieval operation of said route is carried out on other hierarchy.

Claim 11

A route selection apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said hierarchy identifier comprises identification data determined on the basis of data of at least one of a width of a road, a kind of the road and the number of road connected to said point.

Claim 12

A route selection apparatus in accordance with claim 9 further comprises migration point setting means for setting a migration point on a hierarchy through which a route is allowed to migrate from a point of a hierarchy to a point of other hierarchy.

Claim 13

A route selection apparatus in accordance with claim 9 further comprises an arrival range data memory for storing data for limiting a range connecting points which are connected to a point in each hierarchy, and in the event that said connecting point does not exist in said range of a hierarchy, said route is migrated to other hierarchy.

Claim 14

A route selection apparatus in accordance with claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein said interpoint route memory comprises data of a distance or a standard travel time of a route.

Claim 15

A route selection apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said hierarchy setting means sets at least two transit points with respect to two points designated by said point input means, respectively, and said route retrieval means retrieves a route between said transit points of said two points and entire routes among said plural transit points.

Claim 16

A route selection apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein in the event that said search means searches a route from said second point to said first point, a route is derived by calculating data representing reverse direction which is added to the data of one-way traffic.

Claim 17

A route selection apparatus in accordance with claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein said interpoint route memory stores at least one transit point between two points on a route.