Vehicle travel control assistance system having map update function, map update server apparatus, and assistance server apparatus

1 . A vehicle travel control assistance system having a map update function, the vehicle travel control assistance system comprising:

assistance server apparatuses that include respective server storages holding map data, the assistance server apparatuses being configured to generate data that assists in a travel control of a vehicle, based on respective pieces of the map data and transmit the data to the vehicle; and

a map update server apparatus that includes a server communication unit configured to be coupled to the assistance server apparatuses, the map update server apparatus being configured to update the respective pieces of the map data held in the assistance server apparatuses, wherein

the respective pieces of the map data held in the assistance server apparatuses include narrow-area map data and wide-area map data regarding a wide area including an area for the narrow-area map data, the narrow-area map data being held in a low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses, and the wide-area map data being held in a high-order one of the assistance server apparatuses, and

the map update server apparatus is configured to:

acquire update data for map updating;

update the wide-area map data held in the high-order one of the assistance server apparatuses by copying the wide-area map data held in the high-order one of the assistance server apparatuses, updating the copied wide-area map data based on the update data to generate the updated wide-area map data, and switching the updated wide-area map data to active in the high-order one of the assistance server apparatuses; and

update the narrow-area map data held in the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses by copying the narrow-area map data held in the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses, updating the copied narrow-area map data based on at least a portion of the updated wide-area map data or corresponding data extracted from the updated wide-area map data to generate updated narrow-area map data, and switching the updated narrow-area map data to active in the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses,

the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses comprises:

a vehicle communication unit configured to communicate with the vehicle and receive actual detection data by a vehicle sensor of the vehicle;

a recognition unit configured to generate recognition data including a travel route of the vehicle and surrounding objects of the vehicle corresponding to actual travel environment of the vehicle, based on the detection data by the vehicle received by the vehicle communication unit by direct communication;

an interpolation controller configured to:

generate interpolation data based on the recognition data of a surrounding object recognized as present in the actual travel environment, the interpolation data complementing a difference between the narrow-area map data and the actual travel environment; and

generate and register unserviceability setting data based on a surrounding object included in the narrow-area map data but not recognized as present in the actual travel environment, the unserviceability setting data being data that identifies a portion of the narrow-area map data corresponding to the surrounding object and sets the identified portion as unserviceable; and

a low-order assistance unit configured to assist in the travel control of the vehicle,

the low-order assistance unit is configured to generate low-order assistance data that assists in the travel control of the vehicle, with preferential use of the interpolation data and the unserviceability setting data relative to the narrow-area map data,

the preferential use of the interpolation data causes the low-order assistance unit to include, in the low-order assistance data, data corresponding to the surrounding object recognized as present in the actual travel environment when the narrow-area map data does not include the data corresponding to the surrounding object, and

the preferential use of the unserviceable setting data causes the low-order assistance unit to exclude, from use in generating the low-order assistance data, data in the narrow-area map data that corresponds to the surrounding object that is included in the narrow-area map data but not recognized as present in the actual travel environment.

2 . The vehicle travel control assistance system having the map update function according to claim 1 , wherein

the map update server apparatus is configured to update the wide-area map data out of the narrow-area map data and the wide-area map data, and afterwards, update the narrow-area map data with use of the updated wide-area map data or equivalent map data.

3 . The vehicle travel control assistance system having the map update function according to claim 1 , wherein the low-order assistance unit is configured to, on a condition that corresponding data to the interpolation data or corresponding data to the unserviceability setting data is included in the narrow-area map data generate the low-order assistance data that assists in the travel control of the vehicle, with use of the interpolation data or the unserviceability setting data instead of the corresponding data in the narrow-area map data.

4 . The vehicle travel control assistance system having the map update function according to claim 1 , wherein

the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses is configured to communicate, from the vehicle communication unit to the vehicle, the low-order assistance data generated by the low-order assistance unit in the low-order assistance server apparatus to assist in the travel control of the vehicle,

the high-order one of the assistance server apparatuses is configured to generate high-order assistance data different from the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses or high-order assistance data regarding a longer distance than the low-order assistance data, to assist in the travel control of the vehicle, and transmits the high-order assistance data to the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses,

the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses comprises

a relay controller configured to control relay transmission to the vehicle with respect to the high-order assistance data received from the high-order one of the assistance server apparatuses, and

the relay controller is configured to make an evaluation of the high-order assistance data by the narrow-area map data and at least one of the interpolation data and the unserviceability setting data to be used in the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses, and perform relay transmission of the high-order assistance data as it is to the vehicle on a condition that the evaluation is favorable.

5 . The vehicle travel control assistance system having the map update function according to claim 1 , wherein the interpolation controller is configured to:

compare the generated at least one of interpolation data and unserviceability setting data with the updated narrow-area map data on a condition that the narrow-area map data is updated by the map update server apparatus; and

delete the at least one of interpolation data and unserviceability setting data on a condition that corresponding data to the at least one of interpolation data and unserviceability setting data is included in the updated narrow-area map data.

6 . The vehicle travel control assistance system having the map update function according to claim 1 , wherein, solely in the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses out of the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses and the high-order one of the assistance server apparatuses,

the interpolation controller is configured to record minute-area map data corresponding to a portion of the narrow-area map data, and

the low-order assistance unit is configured to generate the low-order assistance data that assists in the travel control of the vehicle, with preferential use of at least one of the minute-area map data, the interpolation data, and the unserviceability setting data to the narrow-area map data.

7 . The vehicle travel control assistance system having the map update function according to claim 3 , wherein

the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses is configured to communicate, from the vehicle communication unit to the vehicle, the low-order assistance data generated by the low-order assistance unit in the low-order assistance server apparatus to assist in the travel control of the vehicle,

the high-order one of the assistance server apparatuses is configured to generate high-order assistance data different from the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses or high-order assistance data regarding a longer distance than the low-order assistance data, to assist in the travel control of the vehicle, and transmits the high-order assistance data to the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses,

the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses comprises

a relay controller configured to control relay transmission to the vehicle with respect to the high-order assistance data received from the high-order one of the assistance server apparatuses, and

the relay controller is configured to make an evaluation of the high-order assistance data by the narrow-area map data and at least one of the interpolation data and the unserviceability setting data to be used in the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses, and perform relay transmission of the high-order assistance data as it is to the vehicle on a condition that the evaluation is favorable.

8 . The vehicle travel control assistance system having the map update function according to claim 3 , wherein the interpolation controller is configured to:

compare the generated at least one of interpolation data and unserviceability setting data with the updated narrow-area map data on a condition that the narrow-area map data is updated by the map update server apparatus; and

delete the at least one of interpolation data and unserviceability setting data on a condition that corresponding data to the at least one of interpolation data and unserviceability setting data is included in the updated narrow-area map data.

9 . The vehicle travel control assistance system having the map update function according to claim 3 , wherein, solely in the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses out of the low-order one of the assistance server apparatuses and the high-order one of the assistance server apparatuses,

the interpolation controller is configured to record minute-area map data corresponding to a portion of the narrow-area map data, and

the low-order assistance unit is configured to generate the low-order assistance data that assists in the travel control of the vehicle, with preferential use of at least one of the minute-area map data, the interpolation data, and the unserviceability setting data to the narrow-area map data.

10 . An assistance server apparatus that generates assistance data configured to assist in a travel control of a vehicle and transmit the assistance data to the vehicle, in a vehicle travel control assistance system configured to assist in the travel control of the vehicle, the assistance server apparatus comprising:

a server storage that holds map data, to allow the map data to be updatable by a map update server apparatus provided in the vehicle travel control assistance system; and

a controller configured to generate the assistance data that assists in the travel control of the vehicle, with use of the map data held in the server storage, wherein

the server storage holds, together with the map data that is updatable by the map update server apparatus,

interpolation data that is generated based on recognition data of a surrounding object recognized as present in an actual travel environment, the interpolation data complementing a difference between the map data and the actual travel environment,

unserviceability setting data that renders unserviceable a portion of the map data, the unserviceability setting data being generated based on the surrounding object included in the map data but not recognized as present in the actual travel environment, the unserviceability setting data being data that identifies a portion of the map data corresponding to the surrounding object and sets the identified portion as unserviceable, and

minute-area map data regarding a minute area as a portion of an area for the map data, the minute-area map data corresponding to a portion of the map data and being used, instead of the map data, to assist in the travel control of the vehicle when the vehicle is in the minute area,

the controller is configured to generate the assistance data that assists in the travel control of the vehicle, with preferential use of the interpolation data, the unserviceability setting data, and the minute-area map data held in the server storage, to the updatable map data, the updatable map data including the map data,

the preferential use of the interpolation data causes the controller to include, in the assistance data, data corresponding to the surrounding object recognized as present in the actual travel environment when the map data does not include the data corresponding to the surrounding object,

the preferential use of the unserviceable setting data causes the controller to exclude, from use in generating the assistance data, data in the map data that corresponds to the surrounding object that is included in the map data but not recognized as present in the actual travel environment, and

the preferential use of the minute-area map data causes the controller to use, instead of the map data, the minute-area map data for a minute area as a portion of an area for the map data, when a vehicle position is in the minute area.