Map data distribution apparatus, electronic apparatus, and map update system

An electronic apparatus that stores map data representing a road network using a plurality of road elements, the electronic apparatus performing a map utilization process using the map data, the electronic apparatus cooperating with a server that wirelessly distributes update information contained in the map data, the electronic apparatus comprising:

• a process information transmission device that wirelessly transmits process execution information to the server when performing the map utilization process, the process execution information representing the map utilization process to be performed;
• a difference data reception device that wirelessly receives a difference data item categorized into an extracted type of update information from the server,
• the difference data item categorized into the extracted type of update information being extracted out of difference data items categorized into a plurality of different types of update information with respect to a specified road element by the server in response to the process execution information transmitted by the process information transmission device;
• and
• a process device that performs the map utilization process using map data on which the difference data item categorized into the extracted type of update information is reflected.

A map update system comprising:

• an electronic apparatus that stores map data representing a road network using a plurality of road elements, the electronic apparatus performing a map utilization process using the map data;
• and
• a server that wirelessly distributes distributed difference data representing update information contained in the map data,
• the electronic apparatus being further configured to include:
• a process information transmission device that wirelessly transmits, when performing the map utilization process, process execution information representing the map utilization process to the server;
• a difference data reception device that wirelessly receives the distributed difference data from the server as a response to the process execution information transmitted by the process information transmission device;
• and
• a process device that performs the map utilization process using map data on which the distributed difference data received by the difference data reception device is reflected,
• the server being further configured to include:
• a difference storage device that stores difference data items as update information about a specified road element, each of the difference data items being stored to be categorized into one of a plurality of different types of update information;
• a process information reception device that receives the process execution information from the electronic apparatus;
• an extraction device that extracts, when the process information reception device receives the process execution information from the electronic apparatus, a difference data item categorized into an extracted type of update information out of the difference data items categorized into the plurality of different types of update information stored in the difference storage device, the difference data item categorized into the extracted type of update information being to be used in the map utilization process indicated by the process execution information transmitted from the electronic apparatus;
• and
• a distribution device that wirelessly distributes as the distributed difference data the difference data item categorized into the extracted type of update information, which is extracted by the extraction device, to the electronic apparatus.