MAP DISPLAY SYSTEM, METHOD OF INPUTTING CONDITIONS FOR SEARCHING FOR POI, METHOD OF DISPLAYING GUIDANCE TO POI, AND TERMINAL DEVICE

• US 20090037101A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Koike, Tadanori, Sakamoto, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,090,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A map display system has a terminal device having display means for displaying a map image and also has a route search server having a POI database. The map display system has operation/input means for performing predetermined operation on an object image including a POI category or POI information, object image operation detection means for detecting operation on the object image, and POI search means for extracting the POI category or the POI information from the operated object image and searching for a POI while referring to the POI database. The display means displays on a map image the POI searched by the POI search means.

Claims

1. A map display system composed of a terminal device having display means for displaying a map image, and a route search server having a POI database, said map display system characterized in that:

said map display system comprises operation and input means for performing a predetermined operation on an object image that includes a POI category or POI information;

object image operation detection means for detecting operation on said object image; and

POI search means for extracting the POI category or POI information from said operated object image, referencing said POI database, and searching for a POI; and

said display means displays a POI searched by said POI search means on the map image.

2. The map display system according to claim 1, characterized in that:

said display means displays as an object image group an object image for each POI category adjacent to a display area in which the map image is displayed;

said operation and input means includes operation means for selecting, as said predetermined operation, said object image for which a search is desired from said object image group, and dropping said object image on the map image displayed on said display means; and

said object image operation detection means detects operation on said object image with the aid of said operation means.

3. The map display system according to claim 2, characterized in that:

the operation means for dropping said object image onto the map image displayed on said display means includes operation means for dragging and dropping the object image for which said search is desired; and

said object image operation detection means detects operation on said object image with the aid of said operation means.

4. The map display system according to claim 2, characterized in that:

said operation means has operation means for clicking said object image in order to set the number of POIs to be searched; and

said object image operation detection means detects the number of clicks of the object image performed by said operation means.

5. The map display system according to claim 4, characterized in that:

said object image is text or a pictograph; and

said operation and input means includes operation means for selecting, as said predetermined operation, said object image for which a search is desired, and dropping said object image on the map image displayed on said display means.

6. The map display system according to claim 5, characterized in that:

the operation means for dropping said object image onto the map image displayed on said display means includes operation means for copying and pasting the object image for which said search is desired; and

said object image operation detection means detects operation on said object image performed by said operation means.

7. A map display system composed of a terminal device having display means for displaying a map image, and a route search server having a POI database, said map display system characterized in that said map display system comprises:

operation and input means for performing a predetermined operation on an object image that includes a POI category or POI information;

object image operation detection means for detecting operation on said object image;

means for setting search starting point for determining the starting point of a route search;

POI search means for extracting the POI category or POI information from said operated object image, referencing said POI database, and searching for a POI; and

route search means for searching for a route from a search starting point determined by the means for setting search starting point to said searched POI, and

said object image on the map image being moved at a predetermined speed along said searched route from said search starting point to said searched POI, and the POI being displayed, in said display means.

8. The map display system according to claim 7, characterized in that:

said display means displays as an object image group an object image for each POI category adjacent to a display area in which the map image is displayed;

said operation and input means includes operation means for selecting, as said predetermined operation, said object image for which a search is desired from said object image group, and dropping said object image on the map image displayed on said display means; and

said object image operation detection means detects operation on said object image with the aid of said operation means.

9. The map display system according to claim 8, characterized in that:

the operation means for dropping said object image onto the map image displayed on said display means includes operation means for dragging and dropping the object image for which said search is desired; and

said object image operation detection means detects operation on said object image with the aid of said operation means.

10. The map display system according to claim 8, characterized in that:

said operation means has operation means for clicking said object image in order to set the number of POIs to be searched; and

said object image operation detection means detects the number of clicks of the object image performed by said operation means.

11. The map display system according to claim 10, characterized in that:

said object image is text or a pictograph; and

said operation and input means includes operation means for selecting, as said predetermined operation, said object image for which a search is desired, and dropping [said object image] on the map image displayed on said display means.

12. The map display system according to claim 11, characterized in that:

the operation means for dropping said object image onto the map image displayed on said display means includes operation means for copying and pasting the object image for which said search is desired; and

said object image operation detection means detects operation on said object image performed by said operation means.

13. The map display system according to claim 8, characterized in that:

said means for setting search starting point determines as the search starting point the coordinate on the map screen where said object image is dropped.

14. The map display system according to claim 7, characterized in that:

said map display system further comprises positioning means for positioning the current location; and

said means for setting search starting point determines as the search starting point the center coordinate of the map image displayed on said display means, or the current location positioned by said positioning means.

15. A method for inputting a POI search condition in a map display system composed of a terminal device having display means for displaying a map image, and a route search server having a POI database;

the method characterized in that;

said map display system has operation and input means for performing a predetermined operation on an object image that includes a POI category or POI information;

object image operation detection means for detecting operation on said object image; and

POI search means for extracting the POI category or POI information from said operated object image, referencing said POI database, and searching for a POI;

the method comprising;

a first step for detecting that said object image operation detection means has performed a predetermined operation on said object image with the aid of said operation and input means;

a second step in which said POI search means extracts a POI category or POI information from said operated object image;

a third step for searching for an applicable POI with reference to said POI database; and

a fourth step for displaying a POI searched by said POI search means on the map image displayed on said display means.

16. The method for inputting a POI search condition according to claim 15, characterized in that:

said display means displays as an object image group an object image for each POI category adjacent to a display area in which the map image is displayed;

said operation and input means includes operation means for selecting, as said predetermined operation, said object image for which a search is desired from said object image group, and dropping said object image on the map image displayed on said display means; and

said first step includes a process for detecting operation on said object image with the aid of said operation means.

17. The method for inputting a POI search condition according to claim 16, characterized in that:

the operation means for dropping said object image onto the map image displayed on said display means includes operation means for dragging and dropping the object image for which said search is desired; and

said first step includes a process for detecting operation on said object image with the aid of said operation means.

18. The method for inputting a POI search condition according to claim 16, characterized in that:

said operation means has operation means for clicking said object image in order to set the number of POIs to be searched; and

said first step includes a process for detecting the number of clicks of the object image performed by said operation means.

19. The method for inputting a POI search condition according to claim 18, characterized in that:

said object image is text or a pictograph;

said operation and input means includes operation means for selecting, as said predetermined operation, said object image for which a search is desired, and dropping said object image on the map image displayed on said display means; and

said first step includes a process for detecting operation on the object image.

20. The method for inputting a POI search condition according to claim 19, characterized in that:

the operation means for dropping said object image onto the map image displayed on said display means includes operation means for copying and pasting the object image for which said search is desired; and

said first step detects operation on said object image performed by said operation means.

21. A method for displaying guidance to a POI in a map display system composed of a terminal device having display means for displaying a map image, and a route search server having a POI database;

the method characterized in that;

said map display system comprises operation and input means for performing a predetermined operation on an object image that includes a POI category or POI information;

object image operation detection means for detecting operation on said object image;

means for setting search starting point for determining a starting point of a route search;

POI search means for extracting the POI category or POI information from said operated object image, referencing said POI database, and searching for a POI; and

route search means for searching for a route from a search starting point determined by the means for setting search starting point to said searched POI;

the method comprising;

a first step for detecting that said object image operation detection means has performed a predetermined operation on said object image with the aid of said operation and input means;

a second step for extracting a POI category or POI information from said operated object image;

a third step for searching for an applicable POI with reference to said POI database;

a fourth step in which said route search means searches for a route from a search starting point determined by said means for setting search starting point to said searched POI; and

a fifth step for moving said object image at a predetermined speed along said searched route from said search starting point to said searched POI on the map image displayed on said display means, and displaying the POI.

22. The method for displaying guidance to a POI according to claim 21, characterized in that:

said display means displays as an object image group an object image for each POI category adjacent to a display area in which the map image is displayed;

said operation and input means includes operation means for selecting, as said predetermined operation, said object image for which a search is desired from said object image group, and dropping said object image on the map image displayed on said display means; and

said first step includes a process for detecting operation on said object image with the aid of said operation means.

23. The map display system according to claim 22, characterized in that:

the operation means for dropping said object image onto the map image displayed on said display means includes operation means for dragging and dropping the object image for which said search is desired; and

said object image operation detection means detects operation on said object image with the aid of said operation means.

24. The method for displaying guidance to a POI according to claim 22, characterized in that:

said operation means has operation means for clicking said object image in order to set the number of POIs to be searched; and

said first step includes a process for detecting operation on said object image with the aid of said operation means.

25. The method for displaying guidance to a POI according to claim 24, characterized in that:

said object image is text or a pictograph;

said operation and input means includes operation means for selecting, as said predetermined operation, said object image for which a search is desired, and dropping [said object image] on the map image displayed on said display means; and

said first step includes a process for detecting operation on the object image.

26. The method for displaying guidance to a POI according to claim 25, characterized in that:

the operation means for dropping said object image onto the map image displayed on said display means includes operation means for copying and pasting the object image for which said search is desired; and

said first step detects operation on said object image performed by said operation means.

27. The method for displaying guidance to a POI according to claim 22, characterized in that:

said method for displaying guidance to a POI further comprises a step in which said means for setting search starting point determines the coordinate on the map screen where said object image is dropped to be the search starting point.

28. The method for displaying guidance to a POI according to claim 21, characterized in that:

said map display system further comprises positioning means for positioning the current location;

said method for displaying guidance to a POI further comprising;

a step in which said means for setting search starting point determines as the search starting point the center coordinate of the map image displayed on said display means, or the current location positioned by said positioning means.

29. A terminal device connected to a route search server for transmitting searched POI information to a terminal device, the device having a POI database and POI search means for extracting a POI category or the POI information from object information transmitted from the terminal device, referencing said POI database, and searching for a POI, said terminal device characterized in comprising:

display means for displaying a map image;

operation and input means for performing a predetermined operation on an object image having a POI category or POI information; and

object image operation detection means for detecting operation on said object image;

wherein

said object image operation detection means transmits information of the object image to said route search server when a predetermined operation performed on said object image is detected by said operation and input means; and

said display means displays the POI on the map image on the basis of POI information received from said route search server.

30. A terminal device connected to a route search server for transmitting to said terminal device searched POI information and route guidance to the POI from said search starting point, the device having a POI database;

POI search means for extracting the POI category or POI information from said object information transmitted from the terminal device, referencing said POI database, and searching for a POI; and

route search means for searching for a route to said searched POI from a search starting point transmitted from the terminal device, said terminal device characterized in comprising;

display means for displaying a map image;

operation and input means for performing a predetermined operation on an object image having a POI category or POI information;

object image operation detection means for detecting operation on said object image; and

means for setting search starting point for determining the starting point of a route search;

wherein

the object image operation detection means detects predetermined operation performed on said object image with the aid of said operation and input means, whereupon information of the object image is transmitted to said route search server as information of the search starting point determined by said means for setting search starting point; and

said display means moves said object image at a predetermined speed along said searched route from said search starting point to said searched POI on the map image on the basis of the route guidance and the POI information received from said route search server, and displays the POI.