SYSTEM WHICH MEDIATES PROVIDING OF MAP INFORMATION, SERVER WHICH MEDIATES PROVIDING OF MAP INFORMATION, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING MAP INFORMATION

• US 20110282579A1
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Uyama, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,359,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/00 Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram star maps G09B27/04; devices for holding or supporting maps A47B97/02; for computing purposes G06G1/14, G09B1/16; display boards G09F
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

When a map acquisition judgment means judges that the acquisition of map information is required, a terminal device transmits spot position information calculated by a spot information calculation means to a server which mediates providing of the map information, via a first map information providing server where the terminal device is positioned. The server causes an area judgment means to judge according to the spot information an area of providing map information including the spot, identifies a map information providing system on the basis of the judgment, and requests providing of the map information including the spot to a second map information providing server in the area according to the spot position information. The terminal device synthesizes map information held by the terminal and map information provided by the second map information providing server by a map synthesis means and displays the synthesized map information on a display means.

Claims

1. A system which mediates providing of map information comprising a plurality of map information providing systems and a server which mediates providing of map information and which is connected to said map information providing systems, the map information providing systems having a map information providing server in which a predetermined area is used as a service-providing area and which is provided with map data storage means for accumulating map data of the area, and a terminal device connected to said map information providing server and provided with display means for displaying a map image on the basis of map information,

the system which mediates providing of map information characterized in that:

said terminal device comprises map acquisition judgment means for judging whether acquisition of map information is required, spot information calculation means for calculating spot position information for specifying map information to be acquired, and map synthesis means; and

, in a case where said map acquisition judgment means has judged that map information must be acquired, transmits spot position information calculated by said map information calculation means to said server which mediates providing of the map information, via a first map information providing server in which the area in which the terminal device is positioned is used as the map information providing service area;

said server which mediates providing of map information comprises area judgment means for judging a service area which provides map information including the spot on the basis of said spot position information, and map information providing system judgment means for judging the map information providing system which will provide map information in the service area judged by the area judgment means; and

requests providing of map information that includes the spot on the basis of said spot position information from a second map information providing server constituting the map information providing system judged by said map information providing system judgment means; and

said terminal device synthesizes the map information held by the terminal device and the map information provided by said second map information providing server using said map synthesis means and displays the synthesized map information on said display means.

2. The system which mediates providing of map information according to claim 1, characterized in that said terminal device is provided with present position acquisition means for acquiring a present position, and displays a map image including the present position on the basis of the present position acquired by said present position acquisition means;

said map acquisition judgment means judges whether the acquisition of map information is required on the basis of whether there exists a portion where the map image is not displayed on the display screen of said display means; and

said spot information calculation means determines a specific spot included in said undisplayed map image, and calculates the position information of the spot.

3. The system which mediates providing of map information according to claim 2, characterized in that said spot information calculation means calculates, on the basis of a display area of a deficient portion of the map image not displayed on the display screen of said display means, a predetermined coordinate position of the deficient portion;

determines a specific spot on the map information on the basis of the coordinate position; and

calculates the position information on the map information of the specific spot.

4. The system which mediates providing of map information according to claim 2, characterized in that said map acquisition judgment means judges whether acquisition of map information is required on the basis of whether there is a portion in which the map image is not displayed on the display screen of said display means;

and said spot information calculation means extracts, on the basis of the map information displayed on said display means, contact point information for connecting the map image displayed on said display screen and the map information that includes the map image not displayed on said display screen, specifies a spot that does not have vector information of a link that corresponds to the contact point, and calculates position information of the spot on the map information.

5. The system which mediates providing of map information according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that

said server which mediates providing of map information comprises user information storage means for storing service usage information that corresponds to user information received from each of the map information providing servers, and distribution permission judgment means for judging whether to permit providing of map information in accordance with the user information stored in the user information storage means, wherein

said terminal device is provided with user identification information storage means, and transmits user identification information stored in said user identification information storage means together with spot information calculated by said spot information calculation means to said server which mediates providing of map information via the first map information providing server in which the area in which the terminal device is positioned is used as the map information providing service area;

said server which mediates providing of map information judges whether there is distribution permission in said second map information providing server on the basis of said user information when the map information including the spot is requested on the basis of said spot position information from the second map information providing server constituting the map information providing system judged by said map information providing system judgment means on the basis of the user information and spot position information received from said first map information providing server, transmits said spot position information to the second map information providing server in the case that there is distribution permission, and transmits information indicating that there is no distribution permission to said first map information distribution server in the case that there is no distribution permission.

6. A server which mediates providing of map information connected to a plurality of map information providing systems, and to the plurality of map information providing systems, said plurality of map information providing systems having a map information providing server in which a predetermined area is used as a service-providing area and which is provided with map data storage means in which map data of the area is accumulated, and a terminal device connected to said map information providing server and provided with display means for displaying a map image on the basis of map information, the server which mediates providing of map information characterized in that:

said terminal device comprises map acquisition judgment means for judging whether map information needs to be acquired, spot information calculation means for calculating spot position information for specifying map information to be acquired, and map synthesis means; and

, in a case where said map acquisition judgment means has judged that map information must be acquired, transmits spot position information calculated by said map information calculation means to said server which mediates providing of the map information, via a first map information providing server in which the area in which the terminal device is positioned is used as the map information providing service area;

said server which mediates providing of map information comprises area judgment means for judging a service area which provides map information including the spot on the basis of said spot position information, and map information providing system judgment means for judging the map information providing system which will provide map information in the service area judged by the area judgment means; and

requests providing of map information that includes the spot on the basis of said spot position information from a second map information providing server constituting the map information providing system judged by said map information providing system judgment means; and

said terminal device synthesizes the map information held by the terminal device and the map information provided by said second map information providing server using said map synthesis means; and

displays the synthesized map information on said display means.

7. The server which mediates providing of map information according to claim 6, characterized in that said terminal device is provided with present position acquisition means for acquiring a present position, and displays on said display means a map image including the present position on the basis of the present position acquired by said present position acquisition means;

said map acquisition judgment means judges whether acquisition of map information is required on the basis of whether there exists a portion where the map image is not displayed on the display screen of said display means; and

said spot information calculation means determines a specific spot included in said undisplayed map image, and calculates the position information of the spot.

8. The server which mediates providing of map information according to claim 7, characterized in that said spot information calculation means calculates, on the basis of a display area of a deficient portion of the map image not displayed on the display screen of said display means, a predetermined coordinate position of the deficient portion, determines a specific spot on the map information on the basis of the coordinate position, and calculates the position information on the map information of the specific spot.

9. The server which mediates providing of map information according to claim 7, characterized in that said map acquisition judgment means judges whether acquisition of map information is required on the basis of whether there exists a portion where the map image is not displayed on the display screen of said display means;

and said spot information calculation means extracts, on the basis of the map information displayed on said display means, contact point information for connecting the map image displayed on said display screen and the map information that includes the map image not displayed on said display screen, specifies a spot that does not have vector information of a link that corresponds to the contact point, and calculates position information of the spot on the map information.

10. The server which mediates providing of map information according to any of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that said server which mediates providing of map information comprises user information storage means for storing service usage information that corresponds to user information received from each of the map information providing servers, and distribution permission judgment means for judging whether to permit providing of map information in accordance with the user information stored in the user information storage means, wherein

said terminal device is provided with user identification information storage means, and transmits user identification information stored in said user identification information storage means together with spot information calculated by said spot information calculation means to said server which mediates providing of map information via the first map information providing server in which the area in which the terminal device is positioned is used as the map information providing service area;

said server which mediates providing of map information judges whether there is distribution permission in said second map information providing server on the basis of said user information when provision of the map information including the spot is requested on the basis of said spot position information from the second map information providing server constituting the map information providing system judged by said map information providing system judgment means on the basis of the user information and spot position information received from said first map information providing server, transmits said spot position information to the second map information providing server in the case that there is distribution permission, and transmits information indicating that there is no distribution permission to said first map information distribution server in the case that there is no distribution permission.

11. A method for providing map information in a system which mediates providing of map information comprising a plurality of map information providing systems and a server which mediates providing of map information and which is connected to said map information providing systems, the map information providing systems having a map information providing server in which a predetermined area is used as a service-providing area and which is provided with map data storage means in which map data of the area is accumulated, and a terminal device connected to said map information providing server and provided with display means for displaying a map image on the basis of map information, the method for providing map information in the system which mediates providing of map information characterized in that:

said terminal device is provided with map acquisition judgment means for judging whether acquisition of map information is required, spot information calculation means for calculating spot position information for specifying map information to be acquired, and map synthesis means; and

the method, in a case where said map acquisition judgment means has judged that map information must be acquired, has a step of transmitting spot position information calculated by said map information calculation means to said server which mediates providing of the map information, via a first map information providing server in which the area in which the terminal device is positioned is used as the map information providing service area;

said server which mediates providing of map information is provided with area judgment means for judging a service area which provides map information including the spot on the basis of said spot position information, and map information providing system judgment means for judging the map information providing system which will provide map information in the service area judged by the area judgment means; and

the method has a step of requesting providing of map information that includes the spot on the basis of said spot position information from a second map information providing server constituting the map information providing system judged by said map information providing system judgment means; and

the method has a step in which said terminal device has a step of synthesizing the map information held by the terminal device and the map information provided by said second map information providing server using said map synthesis means and displaying the synthesized map information on said display means.

12. The method for providing map information according to claim 11, characterized in that said terminal device is provided with present position acquisition means for acquiring a present position, and has a step of having a map image including the present position displayed on said display means on the basis of the present position acquired by said present position acquisition means;

a step of having said map acquisition judgment means judge whether acquisition of map information is required on the basis of whether there exists a portion where the map image is not displayed on the display screen of said display means; and

a step of having said spot information calculation means determine a specific spot included in said undisplayed map image, and calculating the position information of the spot.

13. The method for providing map information according to claim 12, characterized in comprising a step of having said spot information calculation means calculate, on the basis of a display area of a deficient portion of the map image not displayed on the display screen of said display means, a predetermined coordinate position of the deficient portion;

and a step of determining a specific spot on the map information on the basis of the coordinate position, and calculating the position information on the map information of the specific spot.

14. The method for providing map information according to claim 12, characterized in comprising a step of having said map acquisition judgment means judge whether acquisition of map information is required on the basis of whether there exists a portion where the map image is not displayed on the display screen of said display means;

and a step of having said spot information calculation means extract, on the basis of the map information displayed on said display means, contact point information for connecting the map image displayed on said display screen and the map information that includes the map image not displayed on said display screen, specify a spot that does not have vector information of a link that corresponds to the contact point, and calculate position information of the spot on the map information.

15. The method for providing map information according to any of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that:

said server which mediates providing of map information is provided with user information storage means for storing service usage information that corresponds to user information received from each of the map information providing servers, and distribution permission judgment means for judging whether to permit providing of map information in accordance with the user information stored in the user information storage means;

said terminal device is provided with user identification information storage means, and has a step of transmitting user identification information stored in said user identification information storage means together with spot information calculated by said spot information calculation means to said server which mediates providing of map information via the first map information providing server in which the area in which the terminal device is positioned is used as the map information providing service area;

said server which mediates providing of map information has a step of receiving, on the basis of said spot position information, a request to provide the map information including the spot to the second map information providing server, which constitutes the map information providing system judged by said map information providing system judgment means on the basis of the user information and spot position information received from said first map information providing server, whereupon a judgment is made as to whether there is distribution permission in said second map information providing server on the basis of said user information;

a step of transmitting said spot position information to the second map information providing server in the case that there is distribution permission; and

a step of transmitting information indicating that there is no distribution permission to said first map information distribution server in the case that there is no distribution permission.

16. A terminal device in a system which mediates providing of map information comprising a plurality of map information providing systems and a server which mediates providing of map information and which is connected to said map information providing systems, the map information providing systems having a map information providing server in which a predetermined area is used as a service-providing area and which is provided with map data storage means in which map data of the area is accumulated, and a terminal device connected to said map information providing server and provided with display means for displaying a map image on the basis of map information, said terminal device characterized in that:

said server which mediates providing of map information comprises area judgment means for judging a service area which provides map information including the spot on the basis of spot position information calculated by the terminal device, and map information providing system judgment means for judging the map information providing system which will provide map information in the service area judged by the area judgment means; and

requests providing of map information that includes the spot on the basis of said spot position information from a second map information providing server constituting the map information providing system judged by said map information providing system judgment means; and

said terminal device comprises map acquisition judgment means for judging whether acquisition of map information is required, spot information calculation means for calculating spot position information for specifying map information to be acquired, and map synthesis means; and

, in a case where said map acquisition judgment means has judged that map information must be acquired, the terminal device transmits spot position information calculated by said map information calculation means to said server which mediates providing of the map information, via a first map information providing server in which the area in which the terminal device is positioned is used as the map information providing service area;

synthesizes the map information held by the terminal device and the map information provided by said second map information providing server using said map synthesis means; and

displays the synthesized map information on said display means.

17. The terminal device according to claim 16, characterized in that said terminal device is provided with present position acquisition means for acquiring a present position, and displays a map image including the present position on said display means on the basis of the present position acquired by said present position acquisition means;

said map acquisition judgment means judges whether acquisition of map information is required on the basis of whether there exists a portion where the map image is not displayed on the display screen of said display means; and

said spot information calculation means determines a specific spot included in said undisplayed map image, and calculates the position information of the spot.

18. The terminal device according to claim 17, characterized in that said spot information calculation means calculates, on the basis of a display area of a deficient portion of the map image not displayed on the display screen of said display means, a predetermined coordinate position of the deficient portion;

determines a specific spot on the map information on the basis of the coordinate position; and

calculates the position information on the map information of the specific spot.

19. The terminal device according to claim 17, characterized in that said map acquisition judgment means judges whether acquisition of map information is required on the basis of whether there exists a portion where the map image is not displayed on the display screen of said display means;

and said spot information calculation means extracts, on the basis of the map information displayed on said display means, contact point information for connecting the map image displayed on said display screen and the map information that includes the map image not displayed on said display screen, specifies a spot that does not have vector information of a link that corresponds to the contact point, and calculates position information of the spot on the map information.