Apparatus and method for processing information and apparatus and method for displaying image

• US 6,246,958 B1
• Filed: 03/05/1998
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hirono, Chiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US09/035,611
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412, 455/414, 455/507, 455/510, 455/514, 455/456, 455/457, 340/990, 701/207, 701/202, 701/208, 701/209, 701/210
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A map database server retaining map data grouped by block is connected to an internet and a provider for providing a connection service with the internet is connected between the internet and a public telephone network. A portable telephone base station connects a portable telephone to the public telephone network by a radio wave as the transmission medium. A car navigation system is connected to the portable telephone and communicates with the map database server through the public telephone network, the internet, and the like to receive map data and the like. The car navigation system allows to be automatically updated only map data and date-time data of the blocks, which are included in specific blocks and with respect to which the dates and times according to the date-time data in the map database server are more recent dates and times than the dates and times according to the date-time data in the flash memory incorporated therein.

Claims

1. A car-navigation system, comprising

communication means adapted to communicate with an information processing apparatus having first map data corresponding to specific areas and first date data representing the date on which said first map data of each of said specific areas was registered;

retaining means for retaining second map data corresponding to said specific areas and second date data representing the date on which the second map data of each of said specific areas was registered;

a display for displaying an image corresponding to said second map data; and

control means for transmitting said second date data via said communication means from said retaining means to the information processing apparatus, comparing a date according to said second date data with a date according to said first date data, selecting from said first map data map data of one of said specific areas for which said data according to said first date data is a more recent date than said date according to said second date data, and updating said second map data for said one of said selected areas with said selected map data.

2. A car-navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said communication means handles communication in accordance with an internet protocol.

3. A car-navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said communication means communicates with said information processing apparatus through a telephone line.

4. A car-navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said communication means receives said first map data or said first date data transmitted from said information processing apparatus by means of a radio wave as the transmission medium.

5. A car-navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising setting means for setting an area of said specific areas for which said second map data and said second date data are to be updated when the date according to said first date data is more recent than the date according to said second date data for said area of said specific areas.

6. A car-navigation system to claim 1, wherein said control means, each time a predetermined time period elapses, updates said second map data and said second date data of an area for which the date according to said first date data is a more recent date than the date according to said second date data.

7. A car-navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said control means, each time a predetermined first period of time elapses, updates said second map data and said second date data of a first area within said specific areas, said first area having a date according to said first date data which is a more recent date than a date according to said second date data, and, each time a predetermined second period of time elapses, updates said second map data and said second date data of a second area within said specific areas having a date according to said first date data which is a more recent date than a date according to said second date data.

8. A car-navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

position detection means for detecting a current position;

path retaining means for retaining a plurality of positions detected by said position detection means;

selection means for selecting all of said specific areas which include any of said positions retained by said path retaining means; and

second setting means for setting an area of said specific areas for which said second map data and said second date data are to be updated when the date according to said first date data is a more recent date than the date according to said second date data for said area of said specific areas.

9. A car-navigation system according to claim 1, wherein:

said information processing apparatus retains data representing a date and time at which each first map data was registered as said first date data;

said retaining means retains data representing a date and time at which each second map data was registered as said second date data; and

said control means updates said second map data and said second date data for specific areas having a date and time according to said first date data having a more recent date and time than a date and time of said second date data.

10. A method for displaying image for displaying an image corresponding to map data of an area selected by the user from a data retaining portion retaining specific N pieces of map data and N pieces of date data corresponding to said map data, said method for displaying image comprising the steps of:

demanding said date data from an apparatus for processing information retaining N pieces of map data corresponding to specific N areas and date data each thereof representing the date at which said map data of each area was registered;

receiving said date data transmitted from said apparatus for processing information;

reading out date data from said data retaining portion;

comparing the date according to the date data from said apparatus for processing information and the date according to the date data from said data retaining portion;

demanding, from said apparatus for processing information, map data of an area with respect to which the date according to date data from said apparatus for processing information is more recent than the date according to date data from said data retaining portion;

receiving said map data transmitted from said apparatus for processing information;

updating said map data in said data retaining portion of the area corresponding to the received map data in accordance with the received map data; and

updating said date data in said data retaining portion of the area corresponding to the received map data in accordance with the date data corresponding to the received map data.

11. A method for displaying an image corresponding to an area selected by the user, comprising:

demanding first date data from an information processing apparatus retaining first map data corresponding to specific areas and first date data corresponding to said first map data, said first date data representing the date on which said first map data of said specific areas were registered;

receiving at a data retaining portion said first date data transmitted from said information processing apparatus;

reading out second date data from said data retaining portion;

comparing a date according to said first date data with a date according to said second date data;

demanding from said information processing apparatus first map data of a first specific area having a date according to said first date data which is a more recent date than a date according to said second date data;

receiving said first map data of said first specific area at said data retaining portion transmitted from said information processing apparatus;

updating said second map data of said first specific area; and

updating said second date data of said first specific area.