Method and apparatus for information processing, and medium for information processing

• US 6,725,155 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yoshikazu, Kato, Yasuhiko, Kobayashi, Kenichiro, Omote, Masanori, Kato, Ai
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/673,112
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 701/213, 342/357.01, 342/357.03, 342/357.06, 342/357.1, 342/357.12, 342/357.13, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 340/90, 731/78.R, 455/456
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

When an user inputs route search conditions such as place where the user is now, destination, and moving purpose, the route search conditions are transmitted to a navegation server. In the navegation server, map data corresponding to the route search conditions is detected and provided to a portable terminal.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus which is connectable to a predetermined server through a network, comprising:

detecting means for detecting positional information, said detecting means being operable to detect said positional information in any one of three different modes in which each mode utilizes a different one of (i) global positioning satellite (GPS) information, (ii) position input data supplied by a user, and (iii) information from a reference base station;

first transmitting means for transmitting the positional information detected by the detecting means to the server;

inputting means for inputting a desired route search condition from among a number of predetermined route search conditions;

second transmitting means for transmitting the route search conditions input by the inputting means to the server;

receiving means for receiving guidance data transmitted from the server, the guidance data corresponding to the positional information transmitted by the first transmitting means and corresponding to the route search conditions transmitted by the second transmitting means; and

output controlling means for controlling the output of the guidance data received by the receiving means.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

map data receiving means for receiving map data transmitted from the server, the map data corresponding to the positional information transmitted by the first transmitting means and corresponding to the route search conditions transmitted by the second transmitting means; and

display controlling means for controlling the display of the map data received by the map data receiving means.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

when the route search conditions are input by voice, the inputting means performs sound analysis on the voice; and

the second transmitting means transmits the result of sound analysis by the inputting means to the server.

4. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus which is connectable to a predetermined server through a network, comprising:

detecting step of detecting positional information, said detecting step being operable to detect said positional information in any one of three different modes in which each mode utilizes a different one of (i) global positioning satellite (GPS) information, (ii) position input data supplied by a user, and (iii) information from a reference base station;

first transmitting step of transmitting the positional information detected at the detecting step to the server;

inputting step of inputting a desired route search condition from among a number of predetermined route search conditions;

second transmitting step of transmitting the route search conditions input at the inputting step to the server;

receiving step of receiving guidance data transmitted from the server, the guidance data corresponding to the positional information transmitted at the first transmitting step and corresponding to the route search conditions transmitted at the second transmitting step; and

output controlling step of controlling the output of the guidance data received at the receiving step.

5. The information processing method according to claim 4, further comprising:

map data receiving step of receiving map data transmitted from the server, the map data corresponding to the positional information transmitted at the first transmitting step and corresponding to the route search conditions transmitted at the second transmitting step; and

display controlling step of controlling the display of the map data received at the map data receiving step.

6. The information processing method according to claim 4, wherein:

when the route search conditions are input by voice, sound analysis is performed on the voice at the inputting step; and

at the second transmitting step, the result of sound analysis at the inputting step is transmitted to the server.

7. A providing medium for providing a program readable by a computer, which makes an information processing apparatus which is connectable to a predetermined server through a network to execute processings including:

detecting step of detecting positional information, said detecting step being operable to detect said positional information in any one of three different modes in which each mode utilizes a different one of (i) global positioning satellite (GPS) information, (ii) position input data supplied by a user, and (iii) information from a reference base station;

first transmitting step of transmitting the positional information detected at the detecting step to the server;

inputting step of inputting a desired route search condition from among a number of predetermined route search conditions;

second transmitting step of transmitting the route search conditions input at the inputting step to the server;

receiving step of receiving guidance data transmitted from the server, the guidance data corresponding to the positional information transmitted at the first transmitting step and corresponding to the route search conditions transmitted at the second transmitting step; and

output controlling step of controlling the output of the guidance data received at the receiving step.

8. The providing medium according to claim 7, further comprising:

map data receiving step of receiving map data transmitted from the server, the map data corresponding to the positional information transmitted at the first transmitting step and corresponding to the route search conditions transmitted at the second transmitting step; and

display controlling step of controlling the display of the map data received at the map data receiving step.

9. The providing medium according to claim 7, wherein:

when the route search conditions are input by voice, sound analysis is performed on the voice at the inputting step; and

at the second transmitting step, the result of sound analysis at the inputting step is transmitted to the server.

10. An information processing apparatus which is connectable to a predetermined terminal through a network, comprising:

acquiring means for acquiring positional information transmitted from the terminal, said positional information being obtainable at the terminal by use of any one of three different modes in which each mode utilizes a different one of (i) global positioning satellite (GPS) information, (ii) position input data supplied by a user, and (iii) information from a reference base station;

receiving means for receiving a desired route search condition from among a number of predetermined route search conditions transmitted from the terminal;

detecting means for detecting map data corresponding to the route search conditions received by the receiving means;

setting means for setting guide point corresponding to the route search conditions received by the receiving means to the map data detected by the detecting means;

generating means for generating guidance data to guide the guide point set by the setting means, correspondingly to the positional information acquired by the acquiring means; and

transmitting means for transmitting the guidance data generated by the generating means.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

when the route search conditions a re transmitted from the terminal voice signal, the receiving means selects language data corresponding to the positional information acquired by the acquiring means so as to voice-recognize them on the basis of the selected language data.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

when the route search conditions are transmitted from the terminal by analyzed data of voice, the receiving means selects language data corresponding to the positional information acquired by the acquiring means so as to voice-recognize them on the basis of the selected language data.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

when the guidance data is text data, the generating means selects language data corresponding to the positional information acquired by the acquiring means so as to translate the text data on the basis of the selected language data.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising

map data transmitting means for transmitting the map data in which the guide point is set by the setting means.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

the guide point is sight spot, place or object for user'"'"'s interest, or another terminal managed by the server.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising

managing means for managing the transmittance number of time of the guidance data, on the basis of the provision history of the guidance data.

17. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus which is connectable to a predetermined terminal through a network, comprising:

acquiring step of acquiring positional information transmitted from the terminal, said positional information being obtainable at the terminal by use of any one of three different modes in which each mode utilizes a different one of (i) global positioning satellite (GPS) information, (ii) position input data supplied by a user, and (iii) information from a reference base station;

receiving step of receiving a desired route search condition from among a number of predetermined route search conditions transmitted from the terminal;

detecting step of detecting map data corresponding to the route search conditions received at the receiving step;

setting step of setting guide point corresponding to the route search conditions received at the receiving step to the map data detected at the detecting step;

generating step of generating guidance data to guide the guide point set at the setting step, correspondingly to the positional information acquired at the acquiring step; and

transmitting step of transmitting the guidance data generated at the generating step.

18. The information processing method according to claim 17, wherein

when the route search conditions are transmitted from the terminal by voice signal, at the receiving step, language data corresponding to the positional information acquired at the acquiring step is selected so as to voice-recognize them on the basis of the selected language data.

19. The information processing method according to claim 17, wherein

when the route search conditions are transmitted from the terminal by analyzed data of voice, at the receiving step, language data corresponding to the positional information acquired at the acquiring step is selected so as to voice-recognize them on the basis of the selected language data.

20. The information processing method according to claim 17, further comprising

map data transmitting step for transmitting the map data in which the guide point is set at the setting step.

21. The information processing method according to claim 17, wherein

the route search conditions contains at least one of shortest route, shortest-duration course, sightseeing duration route for user'"'"'s interest, and safety in route.

22. The information processing method according to claim 17, wherein

the guide point is sight spot, place or object for user'"'"'s interest, or another terminal managed by the server.

23. The information processing method according to claim 17, further comprising

at the transmitting step, the transmittance number of time of the guidance data is managed on the basis of the provision history of the guidance data.

24. A providing medium for providing a program readable by a computer which makes an information processing apparatus which is connectable to a predetermined terminal through a network to execute processings including:

acquiring step of acquiring positional information transmitted from the terminal, said positional information being obtainable at the terminal by use of any one of three different modes in which each mode utilizes a different one of (i) global positioning satellite (GPS) information, (ii) position input data supplied by a user, and (iii) information from a reference base station;

receiving step of receiving a desired route search condition from among a number of predetermined route search conditions transmitted from the terminal;

detecting step of detecting map data corresponding to the route search conditions received at the receiving step;

setting step of setting guide point corresponding to the route search conditions received at the receiving step to the map data detected at the detecting step;

generating step of generating guidance data to guide the guide point set at the setting step, correspondingly to the positional information acquired at the acquiring step; and

transmitting step of transmitting the guidance data generated at the generating step.

25. The providing medium according to claim 24, wherein

when the route search conditions are transmitted from the terminal by voice signal, at the receiving step, language data corresponding to positional information acquired at the acquiring step is selected so as to voice-recognize them on the basis of the selected language data.

26. The providing medium according to claim 24, wherein

when the route search conditions are transmitted from the terminal by analyzed data of voice, at the receiving step, language data corresponding to the positional information acquired at the acquiring step is selected so as to voice-recognize them on the basis of the selected language data.

27. The providing medium according claim 24, wherein

when the guidance data is text, at the generating means, language data corresponding to the positional information acquired at the acquiring step is selected so as to translate the text data on the basis of the selected language data.

28. The providing medium according to claim 24, further comprising

map data transmitting step of transmitting the map data in which the guide point is set at the setting step.

29. The providing medium according to claim 24, wherein the guide point is sight spot, place or object for user'"'"'s interest, or another terminal managed by the server.

30. The providing medium according to claim 24, further comprising

at the transmitting step, the transmittance number of time of the guidance data is managed on the basis of the provision history of the guidance data.