System, method, and computer program for providing map information from a server to movable terminals

• US 6,334,087 B1
• Filed: 04/30/1998
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ihara, Yasuhiro, Suzuki, Akihiro, Nakano, Nobuyuki, Fukuda, Hisaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US09/069,839
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/209, 342/357.09, 342/357.11, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

An object is to realize a server/client-type map information providing system capable of providing detailed, wide-ranging map related information through telecommunications at low costs, and a server side is provided with databases (9 to 12) storing the map related information. When notified of position information from a mobile terminal side, a processing portion 15 performs a route search referring to map data in the map database 9 based on the position information. The processing portion 15 then extracts Information related to the obtained route (route related information) from the databases (9 to 12) to transmit the information with the route to the mobile terminal side. In this way, since the mobile terminal side needs only the information that is closely related to the route in the map related information, only the route related information is transmitted, thereby reducing the amount of information to be transmitted compared to that when the map related information is downloaded as it is, and as a result it is possible to provide detailed, wide-ranging map related information through telecommunications at low costs.

Claims

1. A map information providing system for providing map information, said system comprising:

a server and one or more movable terminals, wherein the map information is provided from said server to said one or more movable terminals;

said server comprising;

an information storage portion operable to store map related information including the map information;

a route searching portion operable to perform a route search by referring to the map information based on a position information of which said server is notified by said one or more movable terminals;

a route related information extracting portion operable to extract only information about areas surrounding a route obtained by a search performed by said route searching portion from the map related information stored in said information storage portion; and

a communication portion operable to notify said one or more movable terminals of the route related information obtained by an extraction performed by said route related information extracting portion through telecommunications;

wherein the map related information has latitude and longitude coordinates to point a location on the map, and wherein said route related information extracting portion is operable to calculate a linear distance between the latitude and longitude coordinates of each information item and a node constructing the route and extract an information item if the calculated distance is not more than a threshold.

2. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a mobile terminal.

3. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a portable terminal.

4. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said communication portion is operable to notify said one or more movable terminals of the route related information obtained by extraction performed by said route related information extracting portion by converting the information into an identifier capable of identifying the information;

and

wherein each of said one or more movable terminals comprises;

a terminal side information storage portion operable to store map related information equal to the map related information stored in said information storage portion; and

an information reading portion operable to read information corresponding to the identifier of which said one or more movable terminals are notified by said server from the map related information stored in said terminal side information storage portion.

5. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a mobile terminal.

6. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a portable terminal.

7. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said communication portion is operable to notify said one or more movable terminals of the route related information obtained by extraction performed by said route related information extracting portion by converting the information into a group of identifiers capable of identifying one or more elements which construct the map information;

and

wherein each of said one or more movable terminals comprises;

a terminal side information storage portion operable to store elements which construct map related information equal to the map related information stored in said information storage portion; and

an element reading portion operable to read one or more elements corresponding to the group of identifiers of which said one or more movable terminals are notified by said server from the elements stored in said terminal side information storage portion.

8. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a mobile terminal.

9. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a portable terminal.

10. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

an element updating/adding portion operable to update the elements stored in said terminal side information storage portion or to add a new element to the elements stored in said terminal side information storage portion as the map related information stored in said information storage portion is updated or new information is added to the map related information stored in said information storage portion.

11. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals further comprises:

a template storage portion operable to store templates showing a structure of the map related information stored in said information storage portion; and

a restoring portion operable to restore the one or more elements read by said element reading portion to map related information equal to the map related information stored in said information storage portion based on the template stored in said template storage portion.

12. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a mobile terminal.

13. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a portable terminal.

14. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a template updating/adding portion operable to update the templates stored in said template storage portion or to add a new template to the templates stored in said template storage portion as the map related information stored in said information storage portion is updated or new information is added to the map related information stored in said information storage portion.

15. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 7, said server further comprising:

a command storage portion operable to store commands for subjecting the elements stored in said terminal side information storage portion to prescribed processing;

a converting portion operable to convert the command stored in said command storage portion into an identifier capable of identifying the command; and

a portion operable to notify said one or more movable terminals of the identifier obtained by a conversion performed by said converting portion through telecommunications; and

each of said one or more movable terminals further comprises;

a command program storage portion operable to store programs for executing the commands stored in said command storage portion; and

a program reading portion operable to read a program corresponding to the identifier of which said one or more movable terminals are notified by said server from the programs stored in said command program storage portion.

16. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a mobile terminal.

17. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a portable terminal.

18. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a program updating/adding portion operable to update the programs stored in said command program storage portion or to add a new program to the programs stored in said command program storage portion as the commands stored in said command storage portion are updated or a new command is added to the commands stored in said command storage portion.

19. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the map related information comprises traffic information in addition to map information, weather information, and event information.

20. A method for providing map information for one or more movable terminals, said method comprising:

previously storing map related information including the map information;

searching for a route referring to the map information based on position information transmitted from the one or more movable terminals;

extracting only information about areas surrounding the route obtained by said searching from the map related information; and

notifying the one or more movable terminals of the route related information obtained by said extraction through telecommunications;

wherein the map related information has latitude and longitude coordinates to point a location on the map, and said method further comprising calculating a linear distance between the latitude and longitude coordinates of each information item and a node constructing the route, and extracting an information item if the calculated distance is not more than a threshold.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the map related information comprises traffic information in addition to map information, weather information, and event information.

22. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for execution in a server, said computer program for providing map information from the server to one or more movable terminals, and said server having stored therein map related information including the map information, said computer program comprising:

computer readable program code operable to cause the server to search for a route referring to the map information based on position information transmitted from the one or more movable terminals;

computer readable program code operable to cause the server to extract only information about areas surrounding the route obtained by a search from the map related information; and

computer readable program code operable to cause the server to notify the one or more movable terminals of the route related information obtained by extraction through telecommunications;

wherein the map related information has latitude and longitude coordinates to point a location on the map, and said computer program further comprises computer readable program code operable to cause the server to calculate a linear distance between the latitude and longitude coordinates of each information item and a node constructing the route, and computer readable program code operable to cause the server to extract an information item if the calculated distance is not more than a threshold.

23. A computer program as claimed in claim 22, wherein the map related information comprises traffic information in addition to map information, weather information, and event information.

24. A map information providing system for providing map information, said system comprising:

a server and one or more movable terminals, wherein the map information is provided from said server to said one or more movable terminals;

said server comprising;

an information storage portion operable to store map related information including the map information;

a first converting portion operable to convert the information stored in said information storage portion into an identifier capable of identifying the information; and

a portion operable to notify said one or more movable terminals of the identifier obtained by a conversion performed by said first converting portion through telecommunications; and

each of said one or more movable terminals comprises;

a terminal side information storage portion operable to store map related information equal to the map related information stored in said information storage portion; and

an information reading portion operable to read information corresponding to the identifier transmitted from said server from the map related information stored in said terminal side information storage portion.

25. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a mobile terminal.

26. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 24, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a portable terminal.

27. A map information providing system for providing map information, said system comprising:

a server and one or more movable terminals, wherein the map information is provided from said server to said one or more movable terminals;

said server comprising;

an information storage portion operable to store map related information including the map information;

a first converting portion operable to convert the information stored in said information storage portion into a group of identifiers capable of identifying one or more elements which construct the information; and

a portion operable to notify said one or more movable terminals of the group of identifiers obtained by conversion performed by said first converting portion through telecommunications; and

each of said one or more movable terminals comprises;

a terminal side information storage portion operable to store elements which construct map related information equal to the map related information stored in said information storage portion; and

an element reading portion operable to read one or more elements corresponding to the group of identifiers of which the one or more movable terminals are notified by said server from the elements stored in said terminal side information storage portion.

28. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 27, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a mobile terminal.

29. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 27, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a portable terminal.

30. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 27, further comprising:

an element updating/adding portion operable to update the elements stored in said terminal side information storage portion or to add a new element to the elements stored in said terminal side information storage portion as the map related information stored in said information storage portion is updated or new information is added to the map related information stored in said information storage portion.

31. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 27, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals further comprises:

a template storage portion operable to store templates showing a structure of the map related information stored in said information storage portion; and

a restoring portion operable to restore the one or more elements read by said element reading portion to map related information equal to the map related information stored in said information storage portion based on the template stored in said template storage portion.

32. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 31, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a mobile terminal.

33. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 31, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a portable terminal.

34. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 31, further comprising:

a template updating/adding portion operable to update the templates stored in said template storage portion or to add a new template to the templates stored in said template storage portion as the map related information stored in said information storage portion is updated or new information is added to the map related information stored in said information storage portion.

35. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 27, said server further comprising:

a command storage portion operable to store commands for subjecting the elements stored in said terminal side information storage portion to prescribed processing;

a second converting portion operable to convert the command stored in said command storage portion into an identifier capable of identifying the command; and

a portion operable to notify said one or more movable terminals of the identifier obtained by a conversion performed by said converting portion through telecommunications; and

each of said one or more movable terminals further comprises;

a command program storage portion operable to store programs for executing the commands stored in said command storage portion; and

a program reading portion operable to read a program corresponding to the identifier of which said one or more movable terminals are notified by said server from the programs stored in said command program storage portion.

36. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 35, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a mobile terminal.

37. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 35, wherein each of said one or more movable terminals is a portable terminal.

38. A map information providing system as claimed in claim 35, further comprising:

a program updating/adding portion operable to update the programs stored in said command program storage portion or to add a new program to the programs stored in said command program storage portion as the commands stored in said command storage portion are updated or a new command is added to the commands stored in said command storage portion.