System for distributing map information and the like

• US 6,738,711 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Ohmura, Hiroshi, Hirabayashi, Shigefumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/920,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/213, 701/214, 701/202, 701/204
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A map and other information distribution system for distributing map information and information other than map information is disclosed. The map and other information distribution system comprises an information center including a database storing map information and information other than map information, and a transmitter for transmitting at least said map information under a fee-based navigation contract concluded beforehand, and a mobile navigation system including a location detector for detecting the present location of a mobile unit, a receiver for receiving at least the map information from the information center under the fee-based navigation contract concluded beforehand, and a controller for displaying the map information around the present location of the mobile unit on a display device.

Claims

1. A map and other information distribution system for distributing map information and information other than map information, comprising:

an information center including a database storing map information and information other than map information, and a transmitter for transmitting at least said map information under a fee-based navigation contract concluded beforehand; and

a mobile navigation system including a location detector for detecting a present location of a mobile unit, a receiver for receiving at least the map information from the information center under the fee-based navigation contract concluded beforehand, and a controller for displaying the map information around the present location of the mobile unit on a display device;

wherein the information other than map information includes advertisement information, the controller superimposes the advertisement information on the map information around the present location of the mobile unit on the display device, and the fee in the navigation contract is reduced when the advertisement information is selected.

2. A map and other information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile navigation system further comprises a connecting device for connecting with a communication network, and when the mobile navigation system is connected with the information center through the communication network the controller enables conclusion of a navigation contract or change in the selection of various items of information other than map information.

3. A map and other information providing system for transmitting map information and information other than map information to a mobile navigation system, comprising:

a database storing map information and information other than map information; and

a transmitter for transmitting at least said map information to the mobile navigation system under a fee-based navigation contract concluded beforehand;

wherein the information other than map information includes various items, the various items of information other than map information can be specified in the navigation contract for distribution from said system to the navigation system, and the fee specified in the navigation contract is changed based on the selected items of information other than map information

wherein the information other than map information includes advertisement information as one of the various items thereof, and the fee in the navigation contract is reduced when the advertisement information is selected.

4. A mobile navigation system comprising:

a location detector for detecting a present location of a mobile unit;

a receiver for receiving at least map information from a remote information center under a fee-based navigation contract concluded beforehand;

a controller for displaying the map information around the present location of the mobile unit on a display device; and

said receiver further receiving information other than map information that includes various items, the various items of information other than map information being able to be selected in the navigation contract for distribution from the information center to the navigation system, the fee specified in the navigation contract being changed based on the selected items of information on the other than map information.

5. A mobile navigation system according to claim 4, wherein said receiver receives the map information from the information center when setting the destination of a motor vehicle or requesting the map information to the information center.

6. A mobile navigation system according to claim 4, wherein said controller stores the map information or coordinates of a location of the map information received from the information center stored in the map storage device, and displays the stored map information on the display device or displays other map information freshly received from the information center based on the coordinates of the location of the map information on the display device.

7. A mobile navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the system further comprises a connecting device for connecting with a communication network, and when the mobile navigation system is connected with the information center through the communication network the controller enables conclusion of a navigation contract or change in the selection of various items of information other than map information.

8. A mobile navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the advertisement information includes various items that can be further respectively selected in the navigation contract for distribution from the information center to the navigation system, the respectively selected items of the advertisement information are superimposed on the map information around the present location of the mobile unit on the display device, and the fee in the navigation contract is reduced based on the respectively selected items of the advertisement information.

9. A mobile navigation system according to claim 4, wherein various delivery time periods of the advertisement information can be further selected in the navigation contract for distribution from the information center to the navigation system, and the fee in the navigation contract is increased from the reduced fee when the selected delivery time period is relatively short.

10. A mobile navigation system according to claim 4, wherein displaying a superimposed advertisement information when the motor vehicle approaches an object related to the selected item of the advertisement information can be further selected in the navigation contract, and the fee in the navigation contract is less reduced when the displaying a superimposed advertisement information is selected.

11. A mobile navigation system according to claim 4, wherein providing an information about objects related to the advertisement information by a voice announcement can be further selected in the navigation contract, and the fee in the navigation contract is less reduced when the providing an information by a voice announcement is selected.

12. A mobile navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the fee in the navigation contract is more reduced when a delivery time of the advertisement information for distribution from the information center to the navigation system is equal to or more than a predetermined time, and the fee in the navigation contract is increased from the reduced fee when a delivery time of the advertisement information for distribution from the information center to the navigation system is less than the predetermined time.

13. A mobile navigation system comprising:

a location detector for detecting a present location of a mobile unit;

a receiver for receiving at least map information from a remote information center under a fee based navigation contract concluded beforehand;

a controller for displaying the map information around the present location of the mobile unit on a display device;

a map storage device for storing map information; and

said controller displaying the map information stored in the map storage device when the map information is not received from the information center.

14. A mobile navigation system according to claim 13, wherein even when the receiver receives the map information from the information center, said controller does not update the map information stored in the map storage device.

15. A mobile navigation system according to claim 13, wherein when the receiver can not receive the map information from the information center, said controller gives an alarm indicating no reception of information and displays the map information stored in the map storage device.

16. A computer readable storage medium having a navigation program stored thereon representing instructions executable by a mobile navigation system that receives map information from an information center, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for detecting a present location of a mobile unit;

instructions for receiving at least the map information from a remote information center under a fee-based navigation contract concluded beforehand;

instructions for showing the map information around the present location of a mobile unit on a display device;

instructions for further receiving information other than the map information that includes advertisement information from the information center under the navigation contract; and

instructions for superimposing advertisement information on the map information around the present location of the mobile unit on the display device,

wherein the fee in the navigation contract is reduced when the advertisement information is selected.

17. A navigation program representing instructions executable by a mobile navigation system that receives map information from an information center, the navigation program comprising:

instructions for detecting a present location of a mobile unit;

instructions for receiving at least the map information from a remote information center under a fee-based navigation contract concluded beforehand;

instructions for showing the map information around the present location of a mobile unit on a display device;

instructions for further receiving information other than map information that includes advertisement information from the information center under the navigation contract; and

instructions for superimposing advertisement information on the map information around the present location of the mobile unit on the display device,

wherein the fee in the navigation contract is reduced when the advertisement information is selected.