Method and system for generating map data and information delivery apparatus

• US 7,751,968 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ogasawara, Akihiro, Yamada, Wako
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US11/498,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20070032947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3811 Point data, e.g. Point of Interest [POI]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/006 Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes

Abstract

A system for generating map data acquires, from a map database, map data to include a route from a departure place to a destination specified by a user. The system acquires, from a POI database, information to suit a purpose or taste of the user. The system generates specified map data, in which the information to suit the purpose or taste of the user is added over a map including the route specified by the user.

Claims

1. A method for generating map data, the method comprising:

acquiring certain map data, which is relating to a specified area, from a map database;

acquiring certain information, which suits a user'"'"'s intention relating to generating map data, from an additional information database;

generating specified map data by adding addition information, which is included in the certain information and related to the certain map data, to the certain map data;

computing a price of the specified map data using a cost table;

adding the computed price to the specified map data;

computing the price reduction based on the discounting advertisement cost corresponding to sponsored symbolized information added to the specified map data; and

discounting the computed price reduction from the computed price of the specified map data,

wherein the additional information database contains sponsored symbolized information, addition of which allows map data to receive a price reduction provided by a corresponding sponsor, and

wherein the cost table includes a discounting advertisement cost for providing the price reduction with respect to the sponsored symbolized information.

2. The method for generating map data according to claim 1,

wherein the user'"'"'s intention relating to generating map data includes at least one of (i) a user'"'"'s purpose of use of map data and (ii) a user'"'"'s taste.

3. The method for generating map data according to claim 1,

wherein the specified area includes a route from a departure place to a destination, both of which are specified by the user.

4. The method for generating map data according to claim 1,

wherein the user'"'"'s intention is specified by the user, and

wherein the certain information, which suits the user'"'"'s intention specified by the user, is acquired from the additional information database.

5. The method for generating map data according to claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring information to suit the user'"'"'s intention from a customer database in which a use history of the user is stored,

wherein, based on the information acquired from the customer database, the certain information, which suits the user'"'"'s intention relating to generating map data, is acquired from the additional information database.

6. The method for generating map data according to claim 1, further comprising:

adding authentication information for authenticating the user to the specified map data.

7. The method for generating map data according to claim 1, further comprising:

adding expiry date information for limiting use of the specified map data to the specified map data.

8. An information delivery apparatus for providing a specified map data provided by an outside,

the specified map data being generated by the method according to claim 1,

the information delivery apparatus comprising:

a map data obtaining unit that obtains from the outside the specified map data, which the addition information is added to;

a user information specifying unit that specifies the user'"'"'s intention; and

an information providing unit that provides the obtained specified map data and the obtained addition information.

9. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the user'"'"'s intention relating to generating map data includes at least one of (i) a user'"'"'s purpose of use of map data and (ii) a user'"'"'s taste.

10. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a time managing unit that detects a date and an hour,

wherein the addition information includes a time parameter indicating a time including a date and an hour, and

wherein the information providing unit provides the obtained addition information at the time indicated by the time parameter.

11. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a position detector that detects a position of the apparatus,

wherein the addition information includes a position parameter indicating a position, and

wherein the information providing unit provides the obtained addition information when the apparatus exits at the position indicated by the position parameter.

12. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a time managing unit that detects a date and an hour; and

a position detector that detects a position of the apparatus,

wherein the addition information includes a position-time parameter indicating a position and a time including a date and an hour, and

wherein the information providing unit provides the obtained addition information in a case where the apparatus exists at the position indicated by the position-time parameter at the time indicated by the position-time parameter.

13. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a time managing unit that detects a date;

an expiry date determining unit that determines whether a current date exceeds an expiry date, wherein the expiry date is included in the specified map data; and

a use prohibiting unit that prohibits use of the specified map data when the current date is determined to exceed the expiry date.

14. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

an authentication unit that authenticates the user by checking authentication information included in the specified map data against authentication information, which is obtained based on information inputted by the user; and

a use prohibiting unit that prohibits use of the specified map data when the user is not authenticated by the authentication unit.

15. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the specified map data includes information indicating a medical facility, and

wherein the information providing unit provides the information indicating the medical facility included in the specified map data.

16. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a command transmitting unit that transmits a command, which is associated with the addition information and causes an audio apparatus to play a music tune that suites the user'"'"'s intention.

17. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the specified map data is provided from the outside via wireless communication that communicates the specified map data.

18. The information delivery apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the specified map data is provided from the outside via a storage medium that stores the specified map data.

19. A system for generating map data, the system comprising:

a map data acquiring unit that acquires certain map data, which is relating to a specified area, from a map database;

an information acquiring unit that acquires certain information, which suits a user'"'"'s intention relating to generating map data, from an additional information database; and

a generating unit that generates specified map data by adding addition information, which is included in the certain information and related to the certain map data, to the certain map data; and

a computing unit that computes a price of the specified map data using a cost table, the computed price being added to the specific map data,

wherein the additional information database contains sponsored symbolized information, addition of which allows map data to receive a price reduction provided by a corresponding sponsor, and

wherein the cost table includes a discounting advertisement cost for providing the price reduction with respect to the sponsored symbolized information,

the computed unit being further configured, when computing the price of the specified map data, to

(i) compute the price reduction based on the discounting advertisement cost corresponding to sponsored symbolized information added to the specified map data; and

(ii) discount the computed price reduction from the computed price of the specified map data.

20. The system for generating map data according to claim 19,

wherein the user'"'"'s intention relating to generating map data includes at least one of (i) a user'"'"'s purpose of use of map data and (ii) a user'"'"'s taste.