Abstract: In an information distribution device for supporting an individual-adaptive system, when a car navigation system is employed as an individual-adaptive system, the system includes an individual identification section which can be connected to a portable cellular phone, enables entry of a portable cellular phone number from the portable cellular phone, and determines a setting status of a device in accordance with the input phone number; and an operation control section which controls the setting status of the device in accordance with the setting status determined by the individual identification section.

Abstract: An on-vehicle multimedia device to be operated by software 16 including an application module group 18 having a plurality of application modules 19 that realizes their respective different functions and an application control module 17 for controlling each of the application modules 19, characterized by the device comprising external hardware which inputs and outputs data to be processed by the software.

Abstract: In an information providing system, when a plurality of Java (registered trademark) applications (28 and 29) which can run simultaneously on an extended functional module (27) are installed into the extended functional module (27), application management modules (32 and 34) manage the operations of the plurality of Java applications (28 and 29), respectively. Thereby, the information providing system can make the plurality of Java applications (28 and 29) operate simultaneously without causing a resource conflict.

Abstract: An on-vehicle information processing unit includes a central processing unit; a first device connected to the central processing unit; a device-dependent driver for driving only the first device; an operating-system-standard (OS-standard) driver enabling an application to drive devices different from the first device; a device-dependent application using the first device through the device-dependent driver; and an OS-dependent application for using the first device through the OS-standard driver. The central processing unit can include a switch for enabling the OS-dependent application only when using an Internet function, and for operating the device-dependent application in a normal mode.

Abstract: A vehicular information system developing apparatus has an input section through which graphics-related data are externally input, said graphics-related data including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that are set for respective figures and describe operations of the figures on the screen; a storage section for storing control data to be used for controlling transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command and display control data to be used for displaying figures on the screen in each state based on the operation description data; and a conversion section for incorporating the graphics-related data into the display control data and for generating an execution program based on resulting data and the control data.

Abstract: At least one graphic element includes basic element data of an image, such as a menu, and attributes of the basic element. At least one animation element associated with the graphic element describes a condition and a procedure for dynamically changing an attribute of the graphic element when the condition is fulfilled. The graphic element and the animation element are stored as drawing data. When the condition is fulfilled, the procedure described in the animation element is executed so that an attribute of the graphic element is changed.

Abstract: An on-vehicle multimedia device to be operated by software 16 including an application module group 18 having a plurality of application modules 19 that realizes their respective different functions and an application control module 17 for controlling each of the application modules 19, characterized by the device comprising external hardware which inputs and outputs data to be processed by the software.

Abstract: A vehicle-mounted information processing device includes a platform having vehicle-mounted hardware and one or more basic functions to control the hardware. An application processing unit performs processing using the one or more basic functions of the platform. When transferring information from the platform to the application processing unit, a single interface unit transfers the information in a constant data format. When transferring information from the application processing unit to the platform, the single interface unit transfers the information in a data format corresponding to the platform.

Abstract: A navigation device includes a platform having hardware including at least a user operation unit and a map database, and basic functions to control the hardware. The navigation device also includes an application processing unit for providing navigation services using the basic functions of the platform, and a platform-dependent unit for, when transferring information from the platform to the application processing unit, transferring the information in a constant format, and for, when transferring information from the application processing unit to the platform, transferring it in a certain format which depends on the platform. The map database holds map data in a predetermined recording format. The navigation device can further include a map-database-dependent unit for receiving map data, which is read from the map database by the platform-dependent unit, and for supplying the received map data to the application processing unit in the constant format.

Abstract: In an information distribution device for supporting the individual-adaptive system, when a car navigation system 1 is employed as an individual-adaptive system, the system is constituted of an individual identification section 12 which can be connected to a portable cellular phone 5, enables entry of a portable cellular phone number from the portable cellular phone 5, and determines a setting status of a device in accordance with the input phone number; and an operation control section 11 which controls the setting status of the device in accordance with the setting status determined by the individual identification section 12.

Abstract: An on-vehicle information system includes extended function interface modules responsible for communication between basic function modules, providing basic information services in an on-vehicle information system, and extended function modules.

Abstract: A vehicular information system developing apparatus has an input section through which graphics-related data are externally input, said graphics-related data including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that are set for respective figures and describe operations of the figures on the screen; a storage section for storing control data to be used for controlling transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command and display control data to be used for displaying figures on the screen in each state based on the operation description data; and a conversion section for incorporating the graphics-related data into the display control data and for generating an execution program based on resulting data and the control data.

Abstract: An on-vehicle information processing unit includes a central processing unit; a device connected to the central processing unit; a device-dependent driver for driving only the device; an operating-system-standard (OS-standard) driver enabling an application to drive different devices; a device-dependent application for using the device through the device-dependent driver; and an OS-dependent application for using the device through the OS-standard driver. The central processing unit can include a switch for enabling the OS-dependent application only when using an Internet function, and for operating the device-dependent application in a normal mode.

Abstract: A vehicle-mounted information processing device comprises a platform having vehicle-mounted hardware and one or more basic functions to control the hardware. An application processing unit performs a predetermined processing by using the one or more basic functions of the platform. When transferring information from the platform to the application processing unit, a single interface unit transfers it in a constant data format. When transferring information from the application processing unit to the platform, the single interface unit transfers it in a certain data format corresponding to the platform.

Abstract: A navigation device comprises a platform having hardware including at least a user operation unit and a map database, and basic functions to control the hardware. The navigation device also includes an application processing unit for providing navigation services by using the basic functions of the platform, and a platform-dependent unit for, when transferring information from the platform to the application processing unit, transferring it in a constant format, and for, when transferring information from the application processing unit to the platform, transferring it in a certain format which depends on the platform. The map database holds map data in a predetermined recording format. The navigation device can further comprise a map-database-dependent unit for receiving map data, which is read from the map database by the platform-dependent unit, and for supplying the received map data to the application processing unit in the constant format.

Abstract: Routes from a departure area to a plurality of destination areas are found as a departure-area route network data set and a plurality of such departure-area route network data sets computed for all departure areas are then stored in advance in a road-map storing memory unit 4 and a departure-area route network data storing memory unit 5. At a route-search time, a departure-area determining unit 3 determines the departure area of the vehicle to which a departure position pertains and a route-search processing means 7 uses a departure-area route network data set for the departure area determined by the departure-area determining unit 3 as well as road maps of the departure area and the vicinity of a departure position to search for guidance routes from the departure position to the destination position in a short time, presenting the guidance routes to the driver.