Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program storage medium

• US 7,425,969 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ogaki, Tadao
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad; Amr
• Assistant Examiner(s): PELLIGRINO, JEFFREY S
• Application Number:
  US11/106,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 701208-212, 701/202, 340/995.12, 340/995.14, 345/427, 345/440, 345/600, 345/660, 345/666, 345/667
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/383 Indoor data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/387 Organisation of map data, e.g. version management or database structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

Map data are managed by use of map file names representing given areas. In each map file name, the first character denotes a map structure code; the second character represents a zoom level for a zoom-in or zoom-out operation of the map on display; and the third through the fifth character stand for an X-direction unit code and the sixth through the eighth character for a Y-direction unit code, indicating where the map in question is located on the same zoom level. The eight-byte file name plus a three-byte extension constitutes each map file name. Furthermore, map data are managed by use of floor file names representing floors in buildings. In each floor file name, the first through the third character denote a building ID code; the fourth and the fifth character represent a floor code for identifying a floor inside the building; the sixth character code stands for a zoom level for a zoom-in or zoom-out operation of the displayed floor map; and the seventh and the eighth character represent an X- and a Y-direction unit code respectively, indicating where the floor map in question is located on the same zoom level. The eight-byte file name plus a three-byte extension constitutes each floor file name.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

creating means for creating file names which represent a map each and which are constituted each by an identification code for identifying a map structure of a given area;

by a level code for denoting a scale level of the map; and

by unit codes for indicating which part of said area is covered by said map;

reading means for reading map data managed in terms of said file names created by said creating means;

display controlling means for controlling display of maps based on said map data read out by said reading means;

zooming means for zooming geographical map data according to said level code in response to user'"'"'s operation; and

switching means for switching from said geographical map data to floor map of a building in response to user'"'"'s designation if said geographical map data is being zoomed in to predetermined level.