Electronic guide system, contents server for electronic guide system, portable electronic guide device, and information processing method for electronic guide system

• US 9,605,973 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kobuya, Naoshi, Masano, Toru, Itako, Motoya, Noda, Atsushi, Nagasawa, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US14/603,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20150134247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/008 Touring maps or guides to public transport networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

Tour guide contents stored in a tour guide apparatus carried by a user at a tour destination are provided with points of interest information and map data. This information includes latitude and longitude information for the site of each point of interest, and information on the providers of the information and the categories of information. The latitude and longitude information is provided for each site in relation to map data. By matching these pieces of latitude and longitude information to the map data, points of interest information can be laid out on the map and displayed. This makes it possible to select interesting site information to be displayed on the map based on the information provider, for example, points of interest information provided by provider A for restaurants and another set of information provided by provider B for hotels.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to;

acquire point of interest information related to position information;

store the point of interest information associated with a name of an information source;

output the point of interest information based on a plurality of information sources on a same map; and

generate, for display on the same map, layer information including the point of interest information based on user input that selects a display layer,

wherein the point of interest information is provided by a plurality of information providers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the point of interest information is categorized by a category.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein display of the point of interest information corresponding to the selected display layer is narrowed down by the category selected by second user input.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the point of interest information is registered as a favorite.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the favorite is registered by selecting display information indicating registration of favorite information displayed with the map.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the information sources are related to the category of the point of interest information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the point of interest information is represented as an icon indicating a category in which the point of interest indicated by the point of interest information is categorized.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate, for display on the same map, display layers including the point of interest information associated respectively with the information sources, wherein each of the display layers is a transparent sheet.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the circuitry is configured to display at least one selected display layer of the display layers on the same map, based on second user input that selects the at least one information source corresponding thereto.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the circuitry is configured to display the display layers on top of a portion of a display area of a screen display on which the map is displayed.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the point of interest information is represented as an icon on the display layer of the information source corresponding to the point of interest information.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to display first point of interest information corresponding to a first information source with a first icon on a first display layer and second point of interest information corresponding to a second information source with a second icon different from the first icon on a second display layer, according to first layer information and second layer information generated based on second user input that selects the first and second layers, respectively.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to display second information regarding the point of interest information, in which the second information is selectable to be displayed when indicated as a favorite.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second information includes at least one of advertisement information, image information, coupon information or navigation information regarding the point of interest information.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the point of interest information is output on the map based on latitude and longitude information indicated by the position information related thereto.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a given point of interest for the selected display layer is selected for display by a given information provider providing the point of interest information from which the layer information corresponding to the selected display layer is generated.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selected display layer is displayed on the same map based on selection by the user input of a displayed icon corresponding to the point of interest information for the selected display layer.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the point of interest information in the layer information is selectable based on a second user input that selects a given point of interest information.

19. An information processing method comprising:

acquiring, by a processing device, point of interest information related to position information;

storing, by the processing device, the point of interest information associated with a name of an information source;

outputting, by the processing device, the point of interest information based on a plurality of information sources on a same map; and

generating, for display on the same map, layer information including the point of interest information based on user input that selects a display layer,

wherein the point of interest information is provided by a plurality of information providers.

20. A non-transitory storage medium on which is recorded a program executable by a computer, the program comprising:

acquiring point of interest information related to position information;

storing the point of interest information associated with a name of an information source;

outputting the point of interest information based on a plurality of information sources on a same map; and

generating, for display on the same map, layer information including the point of interest information based on user input that selects a display layer,

wherein the point of interest information is provided by a plurality of information providers.