Information providing system capable of providing user with route information and advertisement

• US 20040204842A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Shinozaki, Noboru
• Application Number:
  US10/288,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204842A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

An information providing system is provided for providing both of a map and positional information depicted to be on the map to a communicable terminal connected to the system via a network. In the system, an information provider is allowed to register both of a spot showing a desired position on the map and advertisement for the spot. Date showing a current position of an information user is acquired. Both of the spot and the current position of the information user are displayed on the map. Route information connecting the spot and the current position of the information user is then produced, if the spot is selected by the information user, and on the map, the produced route information is then displayed and the advertisement for the spot is delivered to the terminal for display.

Claims

1. An information providing server for providing a communicable terminal connected to the system via a communication network with both of a map to be displayed on the terminal and positional information depicted to be on the map, the server comprising:

a registration receiving unit configured to receive registration of a spot showing a desired position previously provided by an information provider;

a users'"'"' position acquiring unit configured to acquire information about a current position of an information user;

a first displaying unit configured to display on the map both of the spot registered by the spot registration receiving unit and the current position of the information user acquired by the users'"'"' position acquiring unit;

a route information producing unit configured to produce route information connecting the spot and the current position of the information user, in cases where the spot registered by the spot registration receiving unit is selected by the information user; and

a second displaying unit configured to display the produced route information on the map.

2. The information providing server of claim 1, further comprising a delivering unit configured to deliver to the terminal information related to the spot, the information including advertisement information about the spot,

wherein the registration receiving unit includes a unit configured to receive registration of the information related to the spot, the information being previously provided by the information provider together with the spot.

3. The information providing server of claim 2, where the registration receiving unit configured to allow the information provider to delete the received spot.

4. The information providing server of claim 1, where the registration receiving unit configured to allow the information provider to correct both of the received spot and the received information related to the spot.

5. The information providing server of claim 1, wherein the first displaying unit is configured to display a route display area correspondingly to the spot on the map, the route display area being set by the information provider.

6. The information providing server of claim 1, wherein the users'"'"' position acquiring unit is configured to accept, as the current position of the information user, either a first position acquired by the terminal itself or a second position set in response to a command given by the information user.

7. The information providing server of claim 6, wherein the first position and the second position are selectable by the information provider.

8. The information providing server of claim 1, wherein the delivering unit is configured to deliver the information related to the spot, in cases where the current position is either updated or changed.

9. A method of providing a communicable terminal connected to the system, via a commination network, with both of a map to be displayed on the terminal and positional information to be depicted on the map, comprising the steps of:

receiving registration of a spot showing a desired position previously provided by an information provider;

acquiring information about a current position of an information user;

first displaying on the map both of the registered spot and the acquired current position of the information user;

producing route information connecting the spot and the current position of the information user, in cases where the registered spot is selected by the information user; and

second displaying on the map the produced route information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of delivering to the terminal information related to the spot,

wherein the information is previously provided by the information provider together with the spot, the information including advertisement information about the spot.

11. The method of claim 9, where the information related to the spot is erasable by the information provider.

12. The method of claim 9, where the spot and the information related to the spot are both correctable by the information provider.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a route display area correspondingly to the spot is displayed on the map in the first displaying step, the route display area being set by the information provider.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the acquired current position of the information user is either a first position acquired by the terminal itself or a second position set in response to a command given by the information user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first position and the second position are selectable by the information provider.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the information related to the spot is delivered in the delivering step, in cases where the current position is either updated or changed.

17. A program installed in a computer system incorporated in an information providing server for providing a communicable terminal connected to the system via a communication network with both of a map to be displayed on the terminal and positional information to be depicted on the map, the program enabling the computer system to functionally serve as:

a spot registration receiving unit configured to receive registration of a spot showing a desired position previously provided by an information provider;

a users'"'"' position acquiring unit configured to acquire information about a current position of an information user;

a first displaying unit configured to display on the map both of the spot registered by the spot registration receiving unit and the current position of the information user acquired by the users'"'"' position acquiring unit;

a route information producing unit configured to produce route information connecting the spot and the current position of the information user, in cases where the spot registered by the spot registration receiving unit is selected by the information user; and

a second displaying unit configured to display the produced route information on the map.