Mark delivery system, center apparatus, terminal, map data delivery system, center apparatus, and terminal

• US 7,161,503 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takayanagi, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/485,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.12, 340/539.1, 701/200, 701/208, 701/210, 707/1, 707/10, 707/3, 707/6, 705/5, 705/6, 705/13
• US Class Current: 340/995.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A distribution system, in which a user of a terminal can change a mark freely on mark data or map data distributed by a center system, includes a center system and a terminal. The system comprises a map database 1 for storing map data, a traffic control center 3 for controlling traffic restriction and congestion information, a communication unit 4 for transmitting and receiving the mark data to and from the terminal, a mark database 5 for storing the mark data, and a center server 2 for controlling configurations of the center system. When there is a request to distribute the mark data from the terminal, the center server 2 picks up the mark data from the mark database 5 and distributes it to the terminal, and the mark data transmitted from the terminal is stored in the mark database 5.

Claims

1. A center system, comprising:

a mark database f or storing a mark data;

communication means for transmitting and receiving the mark data to and from a terminal; and

control means for picking up the mark data to be distributed from said mark database and for distributing it to said terminal, and for updating the mark data in said mark database based on the mark data transmitted from said terminal,

wherein the mark data transmitted from said terminal is a data of a mark created by a user at said terminal.

2. The center system according to claim 1, wherein, when the mark data changed or created has been transmitted, it is designed in such manner that communication fee is not imposed on the user.

3. The center system according to claim 1, wherein, when the transmitted mark data is downloaded by another user, a predetermined amount of money is paid to said user who transmitted the mark data.

4. The center system according to claim 1, wherein said control means receives traffic restriction and congestion information from a traffic control center, and the mark data corresponding to said traffic restriction and congestion information can be downloaded by the user at the terminal.

5. The center system according to claim 4, wherein the mark data corresponding to said traffic restriction and congestion information is accompanied with audio guide.

6. The center system according to claim 1, wherein an attribute is given to the mark data distributed by the control means, and audio guide is provided when said mark data is reproduced according to said attribute.

7. The center system according to claim 6, wherein, when the mark data based on said attribute is reproduced, animated reproduction is carried out.

8. The center system according to claim 7, wherein, when said terminal is arranged on a vehicle, said animated reproduction is changed in association with moving speed of said vehicle.

9. A terminal, comprising:

format selection means for selecting a format of the mark data;

communication means for transmitting and receiving the mark data to and from a center system;

mark display means for displaying the mark;

interface means for giving and taking the mark data to and from an external device; and

control means for performing various types of control for the terminal and for changing said mark,

wherein said control means downloads said mark data from said center system via said communication means, changes the mark obtained from said downloaded mark data and uploads the changed mark to said center system by turning the mark to a predetermined format.

10. The terminal according to claim 9, wherein, when the changed mark data is uploaded to said center system, and said control means adds an identifier to specify the selected format.

11. The terminal according to claim 10, wherein, when the changed mark data is uploaded to said center system, said control means adds to said format a header for making the communication fee free.

12. The terminal according to claim 9, wherein, when the distributed mark data is changed, a mark number associated with said mark data can be changed by key input.

13. The terminal according to claim 9, wherein, when the distributed mark data is changed, a mark number of the mark data prepared by a user in advance is inputted to exchange with any mark data as desired.

14. The terminal according to claim 9, wherein, when the distributed mark data is reproduced, a mark display and audio information associated therewith are reproduced.

15. A mark distribution system having a center system and a terminal, whereby said center system comprises:

a mark database for storing a mark data;

communication means for transmitting and receiving the mark data to and from the terminal; and

control means for picking up the mark data to be distributed from said mark database and for distributing it to said terminal, and for updating a mark data of said mark database according to the mark data transmitted from said terminal; and

said terminal comprises;

format selection means for selecting a format of the mark data;

communication means for transmitting and receiving the mark data to and from a center system;

mark display means for displaying the mark;

mark information storage means for storing said mark data;

interface means for giving and taking the mark data to and from an external device; and

control means for performing various types of control for the terminal and for changing said mark,

wherein said control means downloads said mark data from said center system via said communication means, changes the mark obtained from said downloaded mark data and uploads the changed mark to said center system by turning the mark to a predetermined format.

16. A center system, comprising:

a map database for storing a map data;

communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from a terminal;

data mode setting means for changing a data mode to be distributed to said terminal depending on time zone; and

control means for processing the map data to be distributed from said map database according to setting of said data mode setting means and for distributing the data said terminal.

17. The center system according to claim 16, wherein the data mode in the time zone preset by said data mode setting means is one of three data modes of morning, afternoon, and night.

18. The center system according to claim 16, wherein said control means is designed to process the map data to be distributed from said map database according to the data mode in the time zone preset by said data mode setting means and to distribute the data to the terminal.

19. The center system according to claim 18, wherein said map data to be distributed contains information on stores and facilities in operation during the time zone.

20. The center system according to claim 18, wherein said map data to be distributed contains information on railway in operation during the time zone.

21. The center system according to claim 16, wherein there is further provided display mode setting means for setting a display mode of a map to be displayed, and said control means is designed to process the map data to be distributed from said map database depending on the data mode in the time zone preset by said data mode setting means and on the display mode preset by said display mode setting means, and to distribute the data to the terminal.

22. The center system according to claim 21, wherein the display mode preset by said display mode setting means is designed to set a background color of the map to be displayed.

23. The center system according to claim 16, wherein there is further provided a weather information server for controlling weather information, said control means is designed to process the map data to be distributed from said map database depending on the weather information obtained from said weather information server and on the display mode preset by said display mode setting means, and to distribute the data to the terminal.

24. The center system according to claim 23, wherein the display mode preset by said display mode setting means is designed to set a background color of a map in association with said weather information obtained from said weather information server.

25. The center system according to claim 23, wherein said control means is designed to process the map data to be processed from said map database depending on the weather information obtained from said weather information server and on the data mode in the time zone preset by said data mode setting means, and to distribute the data to the terminal.

26. The center system according to claim 16, wherein there is further provided a traffic control center for controlling traffic restriction and congestion information, said control means receives traffic restriction and congestion information from said traffic control center and transfers said map data to the terminal together with said traffic restriction and congestion information.

27. The center system according to claim 26, wherein said control means is designed to receive signal light information with signal light procedure changing according to the time zone from said traffic control center, and to transfer the map data to the terminal together with said signal light information.

28. The center system according to claim 16, wherein there is further provided a route server for controlling a sightseeing guide information, said control means is designed to receive the sightseeing guide information from said route server and to transfer the map data to the terminal together with said sightseeing guide information.

29. A terminal, comprising:

input means for inputting information;

communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from a center system;

map data storage means for storing a map data;

display means for displaying the map data;

display mode setting means for setting a display mode of said map data display means; and

control means for performing various types of control for the terminal,

wherein said control means is designed to receive and display the map data selected according to at least one of the weather information from said center system via said communication means or the data mode in the time zone, and to display the map data in the display mode preset by said display mode setting means.

30. The terminal according to claim 29, wherein said display mode setting means can set the display mode of the map data displaying means based on the preference of a user.

31. A map data distribution system, having a center system and a terminal, wherein said center system comprises:

a map database for storing a map data;

communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from a terminal;

data mode setting means for changing a data mode to be distributed to said terminal depending on time zone; and

control means f or processing the map data to be distributed from said map database according to setting of said data mode setting means and for distributing the data to said terminal, and

said terminal comprises;

input means for inputting information;

communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from a center system;

map data storage means for storing a map data;

display means for displaying the map data;

display mode setting means for setting a display mode of said map data display means; and

control means for performing various types of control for the terminal,

wherein said control means is designed to receive and display the map data selected according to at least one of the weather information from said center system via said communication means or the data mode in the time zone, and to display the map data in the display mode preset by said display mode setting means.

32. A center system, comprising:

a map database for storing a map data;

communication means for transmitting and receiving the map data to and from a terminal; and

control means for picking up the map data to be distributed from said map database and for distributing the data to said terminal and for updating the map data in said map database according to the map data transmitted from said terminal.

33. The center system according to claim 32, wherein the map data transmitted from said terminal is the map data edited by the user at said terminal.

34. The center system according to claim 33, wherein said edited map data is plotted by points on a map displayed on a terminal screen and data is controlled under differential mode as dot series information of vector.

35. The center system according to claim 34, wherein, when said edited map data has been transmitted, it is designed not to impose communication fee to the user.

36. The center system according to claim 32, wherein there is further provided a traffic control center for controlling traffic restriction and congestion information, said control means is designed to receive said traffic restriction and congestion information from said traffic control center, and to transfer said map data to said terminal together with said traffic restriction and congestion information.

37. The center system according to claim 32, wherein there is further provided monitoring means for monitoring communication status of said communication means, said control means is designed to change an amount of transfer of the map data to be distributed to said terminal according to the communication status monitored by said monitoring means.

38. The center system according to claim 37, wherein, when communication status is poor according to said monitoring means, the control means is designed to intermittently transfer the map data information to be distributed.

39. The center system according to claim 37, wherein, when the communication status is poor according to said monitoring means, the control means switches over the map to be distributed to a map for wider area or to transfer the data by deleting traffic restriction and congestion information.

40. A terminal, comprising:

input means for inputting information,

communication means for transmitting and receiving map data to and from a center system,

map data storage means for storing the map data;

format storage means for storing a format for editing and delivery of said map data; and

control means for controlling said input means, said communication means, said map data storage means, and said format storage means,

wherein said control means is designed to receive the map data from said center system via said communication means, to edit said received map data, and to transmit the edited map data by turning it to a predetermined format and to transmit it to said center system.

41. The terminal according to claim 40, wherein said map data is edited in the format selected from the format stored in said format storage means, and if it is a vector information, plotting is performed with points on a map displayed on the terminal screen by using said input means, and the data is managed in differential mode using the plotted information as dot series information of vector.

42. The terminal according to claim 40, wherein, when the edited map data is transmitted to said center system, said control means adds an identifier to specify the selected format.

43. The terminal according to claim 40, wherein, when the edited map data is transmitted to said center system, said control means can add a header for making the communication fee free.

44. A map data distribution system, having a center system and a terminal, wherein said center system comprises:

a map database for storing a map data;

communication means for transmitting arid receiving the map data to and from a terminal; and

control means for picking up the map data to be distributed from said map database and for distributing the data to said terminal and for updating the map data in said map database according to the map data transmitted from said terminal; and

said terminal comprises;

input means for inputting information,

communication means for transmitting and receiving map data to and from a center system,

map data storage means for storing the map data;

format storage means f or storing a format for editing and delivery of said map data; and

control means for controlling said input means, said communication means, said map data storage means, and said format storage means,

wherein said control means is designed to receive the map data from said center system via said communication means, to edit said received map data, and to transmit the edited map data by turning it to a predetermined format and to transmit it to said center system.