Geographical information distribution system, geographical information distribution method, geographical information distribution server, and user service providing server

• US 6,691,114 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2000
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shobunsha Publications, Inc. (Shobunsha Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Shobunsha Publications, Inc. (Shobunsha Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kotaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): EHICHIOYA, IRETE FRED
• Application Number:
  US09/679,125
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995, 701/208, 701/201, 701/209, 701/202, 701/211, 701/200, 701/300, 707/104.1, 707/3, 707/4, 707/102, 707/10, 707/104, 707/200, 707/203, 705/43, 705/27, 705/16, 705/20, 705/21, 705/22, 705/23, 455/432, 709/217, 709/213, 709/223, 709/236
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A server of a geographical information distributor includes: a map database that stores map data; a search object database that stores data concerning search objects to be displayed on a map; and a search map generation unit that generates a search map using the map data and the search object data, based on a request from the server of a search object publisher that has registered the search object data. The search map generated by the search map generation unit is transmitted to the terminal of a service user, and the ID of a search object selected by the service user is transmitted to the search object publisher.

Claims

1. A geographical information distribution system that is communicable with a service user and a search object publisher offering a service via a communication network, wherein the geographical information distribution system responds to a request of the search object publisher and provides at least geographical information to the service user, the geographical information distribution system comprising:

a map database that stores map data;

a search object database that stores data of search objects registered by the search object publisher via the network, the data of search objects including item IDs representing the search objects;

a search object publisher database that stores server information of the search object publisher registered by the search object publisher via the network;

a search map generation unit that generates a search map using the map data and the search object data based on a request made by the service user through the communication network; and

a distribution coordinator that transmits the search map to the service user through the network to allow the service user to select a desirable search object in the search map, receives the selected search object from the service user, and transmits the item ID of the selected search object to the search object publisher, with reference to the server information of the search object publisher, in order to feed back the user'"'"'s selection to the search object publisher for further processing making use of item ID.

2. A method of distributing geographical information via a network through which a geographical information distributor having a geographical information distribution system, a service user, and a search object publisher are connected with each other, wherein the geographical information distribution system responds to a request of the search object publisher and provides at least geographical information to the service user, said method comprising the steps of:

storing data containing item IDs of search objects registered via the network by the search object publisher;

storing server information of the search object publisher registered via the network by the search object publisher;

allowing the service user to remotely access over the network a page provided by the search object publisher;

allowing the service user to select a button on the page;

notifying the geographical information distributor of the selection of the button by the service user;

generating, at the geographical information distributor, a map exhibiting the search objects offered by the search object publisher;

displaying the generated map on the page, wherein the search objects on the map are selectable by the service user; and

upon selection of any one of the search objects by the user, transmitting the selected search object to the search object publisher, with reference to the server information of the search object publisher, in order to feed back the user'"'"'s selection to the search object publisher for further processing by the search object publisher, making use of the same ID.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of transmitting includes transmitting identification information of the selected search object to the server of the search object publisher.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of registering or making a change to a search object by designating the desired search object on the map transmitted from the server of the geographic information distributor.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of registering or making a change to a search object is carried out by designating a location of the desired search object on the map or designating attribute information of the desired search object.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of collectively registering the search objects using positional information of the search objects to be registered.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of making a change to a display range of the map by the service user performing an enlargement operation, a reduction operation, or a relocating operation on the map that shows the search objects, or performing a designating operation on geographical identification information.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising the step of displaying attribute information on the map, such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the search objects shown on the map.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of selecting a desired search object is carried out by the service user designating one of the search objects on the map or designating a piece of the attribute information displayed on the map.

10. A method of specifying contents of a service selected by a service user via a network, through which the service user, a search object publisher, and a geographical information distributor having a geographical information distribution system are communicable with each other, wherein the geographical information distribution system responds to a request of the search object publisher and provides at least geographical information to the service user, said method comprising the steps of:

storing data containing item IDs representing search objects registered via the network by the search object publisher;

storing server information of the search object publisher registered via the network by the search object publisher;

allowing the service user to access a Web page provided by the search object publisher;

allowing the service user to click a “

search on map”

button on the Web page;

notify the geographical information distributor of the clicking of the “

search on map”

button by a service user;

generating at the geographical information distributor a map exhibiting the search objects offered by the search object publisher and displaying the generated map on the Web page;

allowing the service user to select a desired search object directly on the map;

transmitting the item ID representing the selected search object from the geographical information distributor to the search object publisher, with reference to the server information of the search object publisher, so as to allow the search object publisher to identify the contents of the search object selected by the service user and to advance to the next service making use of the item ID.

11. A server that distributes geographical information, the server being communicable with a service user and a search object publisher offering a service on a Web page accessible from the service user via a network, wherein the server responds to a request of the search object publisher and provides at least geographical information to the service user, the server comprising:

a map database that stores map data;

a search object database that stores item IDs of search objects associated with the service offered by the search object and registered by the search object publisher via the network;

a search object publisher database that stores server information of the search object publisher;

a search map generation unit that generates a search map using the map data and the search object data, based on a request from the service user; and

a transmission unit that transmits the search map generated by the search map generation unit to a terminal of the service user in order to allow the service user to select a desired search object directly on the search map, and transmits the item ID of the search object selected by the service user to the server of the search object publisher, with reference to the server information of the search object publisher, in order to feed back the user'"'"'s selection to the search object publisher for further processing the service by the search object publisher making use of the item ID.

12. The server as claimed in claim 11, wherein the data concerning the search objects is made up of character strings including identification information, positional information, and icon identification information of each of the search objects.

13. The server as claimed in claim 12, wherein the search map generation unit incorporates the search objects as icons into the map data, based on the search object data made up of the character strings, and displays each of the incorporated search objects at each corresponding coordinate location.