Route guide information distributing system
First Claim
1. A route guide information distributing apparatus for distributing route guide information to a terminal, the apparatus comprising:
- communications means for transmitting and receiving data from and to the terminal;
map data storage means for storing map data;
route searching means for searching, by using the map data stored in the map data storage means, for a recommended route between arbitrary points requested by the terminal;
guide point setting means for setting a guide point on the recommended route found by the route searching means; and
route guide information generating means for generating the route guide information related to the recommended route for distribution to the terminal based on the map data stored in the map data storage means, the route guide information including data varying in degree of details depending on a distance from the guide point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A terminal 1 transmits a route guide information request message that specifies the starting point and the destination point to a center station 2. The center station 2 searches for a route based on the received message, and transmits route guide information including a recommended route. On the recommended route, points where the direction of travel is changed more than a predetermined angle or points where the name of the road is changed are set as guide points. The route guide information includes data varying in degree of details depending on areas surrounding the guide points or the other areas. For each area surrounding the guide point, the route guide information includes the direction of travel at that guide point, detailed information about road shapes, road network data including not only the recommended road but also the other roads, etc. For each of the other areas, minimum guide information required is included in the route guide information. Thus, the route guide information can be reduced in amount while being kept in usefulness.
130 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A route guide information distributing apparatus for distributing route guide information to a terminal, the apparatus comprising:
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communications means for transmitting and receiving data from and to the terminal;
map data storage means for storing map data;
route searching means for searching, by using the map data stored in the map data storage means, for a recommended route between arbitrary points requested by the terminal;
guide point setting means for setting a guide point on the recommended route found by the route searching means; and
route guide information generating means for generating the route guide information related to the recommended route for distribution to the terminal based on the map data stored in the map data storage means, the route guide information including data varying in degree of details depending on a distance from the guide point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A route guide information distributing apparatus for distributing route guide information to a terminal, the apparatus comprising:
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communications means for transmitting and receiving data from and to the terminal;
map data storage means for storing map data;
route searching means for searching, by using the map data stored in the map data storage means, for a recommended route between arbitrary points requested by the terminal;
route guide information generating means for generating the route guide information related to the recommended route for distribution to the terminal based on the map data stored in the map data storage means;
map data updating means for updating the map data stored in the map data storage means based on traveled path information received from the terminal; and
billing managing means for carrying out a billing process for distribution of the route guide information by applying different schemes to the terminal depending on whether the terminal allows transmission of the traveled path information or not. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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14. A route guide information receiving apparatus for carrying out route guidance by using route guide information distributed by a server, the route guide information receiving apparatus comprising:
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position detecting means for detecting a current position of the apparatus by using a sensor;
communications means for transmitting and receiving data from and to the server;
route guide information receiving means for requesting the server to distribute the route guide information related to a recommended route between arbitrary points, the route guide information including data varying in degree of details depending on a distance from a guide point set on the recommended route; and
route guiding means for carrying out the route guidance by using the route guide information received by the route guide information receiving means and the current position detected by the position detecting means.
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22. A route guide information receiving apparatus for carrying out route guidance by using route guide information distributed by a server, the route guide information receiving apparatus comprising:
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position detecting means for detecting a current position of the apparatus by using a sensor;
communications means for transmitting and receiving data to and from the server;
route guide information receiving means for requesting the server to distribute the route guide information related to a recommended route between arbitrary points;
route guiding means for carrying out the route guidance by using the route guide information received by the route guide information receiving means and the current position detected by the position detecting means;
traveled path information generating means for generating traveled path information for transmission to the server based on the current position detected by the position detection means; and
transmission switching means for switching whether or not to transmit the traveled path information to the server depending on a selection by a user.
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Specification