Travel information provided center, travel information provided terminal, and travel information provided system

• US 20010029459A1
• Filed: 04/02/2001
• Published: 10/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Yasuhisa
• Application Number:
  US09/822,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029459A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The invention relates to a travel information center which provides travel information upon a user request. In order to confirm the user is a registered user, a controller will require a search of a memory database, located in the travel information center, and confirm the users identification number entered by the user. Upon confirmation, the member can access the travel information center. The user is now able to input starting and ending locations for their course of travel. The travel information center will then provide information such as the shortest or quickest route to arrive at the desired destination. Other information can be obtained by the user through the travel information center that will be useful to the members along the travel route, such as shopping malls and restaurant locations.

Claims

1. A travel information providing center for providing user terminals with travel information, comprising:

a memory that stores information on registered members;

an input/output interface that receives a member ID from a user terminal; and

a controller coupled to the memory and the interface, and that confirms the registered member based on the received member ID and prepares travel information based on the information regarding the registered member stored in the memory upon confirmation that the member is registered.

2. The center according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the information on the member stored in the memory is the information on a home of the member; and

the home of the member is set as a starting point on a route prepared by the controller as part of the track information.

3. The center according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the input/output interface receives key information for specifying information requested by the member from the user terminal, and the controller prepares the travel information based on the key information.

4. The center according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the key information is information on accommodation facilities; and

the controller selects accommodation facilities as part of the travel information to be provided, based on the member information stored in the memory.

5. The center according to

claim 3

, wherein:

the key information is information on tourist facilities; and

the controller selects tourist facilities as part of the travel information to be provided, based on the member information stored in the memory.

6. The center according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the input/output interface receives a destination of the user input through the user terminal, and the controller prepares information on a route from a starting point to the destination as part of the travel information to be provided.

7. The center according to

claim 6

, wherein:

the information on the route includes at least one of information on the entire route and information on particular areas along the route.

8. The center according to

claim 1

, wherein:

the controller prepares, upon confirmation that the member is registered, the travel information so as to include route information and information on the locations of service providing facilities which are adjacent to the route and which are exclusively available to the member who has been identified based on the member information stored in the memory.

9. The center according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

a terminal that displays the travel information.

10. The center according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

a medium that stores the travel information; and

a terminal that reads the travel information stores on the medium and displays the travel information.

11. A travel information providing center for providing user terminals with travel information, comprising:

a memory that stores information on the locations of information providing terminals installed at various locations;

a input/output interface that receives a member ID; and

a controller coupled to the memory and the interface, and that confirms a registered member based on the received member ID, and provides route information as travel information to be provided to a user upon confirmation that the member is registered and provides information on locations of the information providing terminals which are installed adjacent to the route and which are stored in the memory.

12. The center according to

claim 11

, wherein:

the controller provides information on the location of the information providing terminal that sent the member ID received by the input/output interface.

13. An information providing terminal comprising:

an input device through which a user inputs a member ID of the user; and

a controller that provides detailed information on a vicinity of the information providing terminal upon confirmation that the user is a registered member based on the input member ID.

14. The information providing terminal according to

claim 13

, wherein:

the information provided by the controller includes at least one of information on the location of the information providing terminal and information on the vicinity of the information providing terminal.

15. An information providing terminal comprising:

an input device through which a user inputs a destination;

a controller that provides route information on a route to the destination in response to the input of the destination, and prepares a junction guidance map showing junctions requiring guidance from the route information; and

a printer that prints the prepared junction guidance map.

16. The terminal according to

claim 15

, wherein:

the printer is located in a store and issues receipts when selling articles, the printer also output the junction guidance map.

17. The terminal according to

claim 15

, wherein:

the printer is a roll-paper printer; and

the printer can sequentially print the junction guidance maps in the longitudinal direction of a roll paper.

18. A travel information providing system comprising:

a terminal through which a user inputs a member ID; and

a center having a memory that stores information on registered members and a controller that provides a registered member with travel information based on the member information stored in the memory if it is determined from the member ID input through the terminal that the user is a registered member, wherein;

the terminal displays the travel information provided by the center.

19. A method of providing user terminals with travel information, comprising:

storing information on registered members;

receiving a member ID through an input/output interface from a user terminal;

confirming through a controller that the user is a registered member with a valid member ID; and

preparing travel information based on the information regarding the registered member stored in the memory upon confirmation that the member is registered.

20. A method of providing travel information comprising:

storing information on the locations of information providing terminals installed at various locations;

receiving a member ID through an input/output interface;

confirming a registered member based on the member ID;

providing route information as travel information to a user upon confirmation of the registered member; and

providing information on the locations of the information providing terminals which are installed adjacent to the route.

21. A method of providing travel information comprising:

inputting a member ID through a terminal;

storing information in a center on registered members;

providing a registered member with travel information based on the member information stored in the memory if it is determined from the member ID input through the terminal that the user is a registered member; and

displaying the travel information provided by the center.