Point searching apparatus and method of searching

• US 20060265422A1
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Arie, Takumi, Amano, Hiroshi, Watanabe, Isao, Ando, Yuichi, Ota, Takeshi
• Application Number:
  US11/370,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20060265422A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

A point searching apparatus configured to search through a point information database that manage point information for different areas and allows a search to be carried out for each area includes a searching unit configured to select at least one area to be searched on the basis of information on the position of the point searching apparatus and area border information obtained from map information and for retrieving predetermined point information corresponding to the area to be searched from the point information database and a display controlling unit configured to display point information retrieved by the searching unit.

Claims

1. A point searching apparatus configured to search through a point information database, the point information database managing point information for different areas and allowing a search to be carried out for each area, the point searching apparatus comprising:

searching means for selecting at least one area to be searched on the basis of information on the position of the point searching apparatus and area border information obtained from map information and for retrieving predetermined point information corresponding to the area to be searched from the point information database; and

display controlling means for displaying point information retrieved by the searching means.

2. The point searching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

a selection range for the searching means is a predetermined range set on the basis of the information on the position of the point searching apparatus, and

areas to be searched by the searching means are selected from the selection range.

3. The point searching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the searching means changes the selection conditions for selecting the areas to be searched in accordance with an input history of input operations carried out by a user to a display corresponding to the point information.

4. A method of searching point information included in a point information database managing point information for different areas and allowing a search to be carried out for each area, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a user'"'"'s own position;

selecting at least one area to be searched on the basis of the user'"'"'s own position and area border information obtained from map information; and

searching predetermined point information from the point information database corresponding to the area to be searched.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein,

a selection range in the searching step is a predetermined range set on the basis of the user'"'"'s own position, and

areas to be searched in the searching step are selected from the selection range.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein, in the searching step, the selection conditions for selecting the areas to be searched is changed in accordance with an input history of input operations carried out by a user to a display corresponding to the point information.

7. A point searching apparatus configured to search through a point information database, the point information database managing point information for different areas and allowing a search to be carried out for each area, the point searching apparatus comprising:

a searching unit configured to select at least one area to be searched on the basis of information on the position of the point searching apparatus and area border information obtained from map information and to retrieve predetermined point information corresponding to the area to be searched from the point information database; and

a display controlling unit configured to display point information retrieved by the searching unit.