Apparatus, method and medium for providing map image information along with self-reproduction control information

• US 6,081,609 A
• Filed: 11/04/1997
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Narioka, Hiroto
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Application Number:
  US08/963,697
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 382/113, 382/284, 382/305, 382/306, 701/24, 701/25, 701/28, 701/201, 701/202, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/212, 340/995
• US Class Current: 382/113
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem

Abstract

The present invention enables to provide a route information obtained by a search, even in a personal computer not provided with the same application software.

The present invention includes: a route calculation module for creating a predetermined sequence of image information representing a route connecting at least two points of a starting point and a destination; a navigation guidance creation module; and a self-reproduction file creation module for creating a reproduction control data for reproducing the predetermined sequence of image information and filing the image information and the reproduction control data.

Claims

1. A map information providing apparatus comprising:

image information fetch means for fetching, from map information, image information of passing points along a route connecting at least two points;

reproduction image creating means for creating reproduction image information along the route from said image information; and

filing means for filing only said reproduction image information and reproduction control information for reproducing said reproduction image information, filing occurring in the absence of filing route search application software.

2. A map information providing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image information fetch means fetches an enlarged intersection image information as an image information of at least said passing points.

3. A map information providing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said image information fetch means also fetches a guidance information required for guidance of said intersections.

4. A map information providing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image information fetch means fetches a map image information for every predetermined route interval as an image information of at least said passing points.

5. A map information providing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said reproduction image creating means creates as a reproduction image information a difference image information consisting of differences between an image information of a predetermined position on a map data and a map image information of said every predetermined route interval.

6. A map information providing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image information fetch means fetches at least as an image information of said passing points an enlarged intersection information and a map image information for every predetermined route interval between said intersections.

7. A map information providing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reproduction control information includes control data to at least start and stop reproduction of said reproduction image information.

8. A map information providing method comprising:

an image information fetch step for fetching, from map information, image information at passing points on a route connecting at least two points;

a reproduction image creation step for creating reproduction image information along the route from said image information; and

a filing step for filing only said reproduction image information and reproduction control information for reproducing said reproduction image information, said filing occurring in the absence of filing route search application software.

9. A map information providing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said image information fetch step fetches as the image information of at least said passing points an enlarged intersection image information.

10. A map information providing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said image information fetch step also fetches a guidance information required for guidance of said intersections.

11. a map information providing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said image information fetch step fetches at least as the image information of the passing points a map image information for every predetermined route interval.

12. A map information providing method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said reproduction image creation step creates as a reproduction image information a difference image information consisting of differences between an image information of a predetermined position on the map data and a map image information of said every predetermined route interval.

13. A map information providing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said image information fetch step fetches as the image information of at least said passing points, an enlarged intersection image information and a map image information for every predetermined interval between said intersections.

14. A recording medium which contains control instructions to control:

processing for fetching, from map information, image information of passing points on a route connecting at least two points;

processing for creating reproduction image information along the route from the image information;

processing for filing only the reproduction image information and reproduction control information for reproducing said reproduction image, said filing occurring in the absence of filing route search application software.

15. A recording medium containing:

reproduction image information created along a route connecting at least two points created according to an image information of passing points on the route, the reproduction image information fetched from map information; and

reproduction control data for reproducing said reproduction image information in absence of route search application software.