Abstract: The map-display-area determining unit determines an area in which a map is to be displayed. The road-information obtaining unit obtains, from map data transmitted from a map-data distributing server, curved-point coordinate information and name information of a traffic route. A map-display-data generating unit determines a display position for each of a character or symbol included in a character/symbol string in the name information so that the character or symbol is positioned along the traffic route without interfering with another character or symbol, and generates map display data for displaying the character or symbol at the determined display position.

Abstract: Guide points can be grasped by use of a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal comprises search condition transmitting means (KC16A) for transmitting data of route searching conditions to a server; searching result receiving means (KC1A) for receiving, from the server, route data produced by the server in accordance with the route searching conditions; map request information transmitting means (KC16B) for transmitting, to the server, map data transmission request information for requesting a transmission of map data; map data receiving means (KC1B) for receiving the map data transmitted from the server; route image producing means (KC7) for producing a route image based on a range in which to display on the information display screen (11) and based on the route data; and guide map image producing means (KC8) for producing a route guidance map image by combining, based on the map data, a map image and the route image.

Abstract: An unoccupied route search system for efficiently searching for a route (transportation means used) to the destination according to presence/absence of an unoccupied set of transportation means. An unoccupied seat route searching system (10) comprises an operation data DB (52) storing operation data on operation of transportation means, a search operation data DB (37) storing operation data for search, reservation information collecting means (35) for collecting reservation information on transportation means, condition input means (22) for inputting route search conditions including a seat condition, route search means (36) for searching transportation means constituting the route according to the reservation information collected by the reservation information collecting means (22) under the route search condition while referencing the search operation data DB (37), and output means (23) for outputting the results of the route search.

Abstract: There are provided a communication type information distribution system, an information distribution server, and a program capable of assuring profitability considering the cost required for creating a content to be provided to a mobile terminal and protecting the copyright. The information distribution server (40) provides a content menu to the mobile terminal (20) and links to a content server (50) by referencing the content link destination database to the content specification from the mobile terminal (20). The content server (50) requests a charging server (60) to perform settlement processing, obtain settlement approval, and distribute download information to the information distribution server. The information distribution server enables download of the specified content data from the content server to the mobile terminal by a download control unit.

Abstract: There is provided an information distribution system capable of distributing a content to a mobile terminal in a predetermined area, distributing content guide information to the mobile terminal, and distributing the content selected by the mobile terminal, within the area. The information distribution system includes an information distribution server, a mobile terminal, and a content DB. The content DB contains content information to be provided to the mobile terminal and information on the area to which the content is provided. The information distribution server distributes the content guide information to the mobile terminal. According to this content guide information, the mobile terminal performs a content distribution request. The information distribution server judges the position of the mobile terminal according to position judgment means. When the mobile terminal is in the distribution area of the content requested, the content is downloaded.

Abstract: A portable navigation device where a map being displayed on a display section is fixed by performing map stop operation at a portable navigation terminal where an appropriate map is selected and displayed so as to correspond to the speed of movement. A portable navigation terminal (10) has speed detecting means (104) for detecting the speed of movement of the terminal, a map data request/acquisition section (105) for requesting, according to the movement speed detected by the speed detecting mean, different kinds of map data to an information distributing server and acquiring the map data, and an operation section (16) having a map stop button for stopping, at a desired time point during the movement, change in the kind of map displayed on display means. The portable navigation terminal (10) further has manual scroll means (164), a zoom-in button (162), and a zoom-out button (163) that have the function of the map stop button.

Abstract: The present invention provides a map providing apparatus (10) that receives, from a portable terminal (30) including at least a display unit (32), a piece of position information that indicates a location point of the portable terminal (30) and transmits, to the portable terminal (30), a map image that corresponds to the received piece of position information.

Abstract: A portable guide device is characterized by comprising a transport facility start judgment means for judging that a transport facility has begun to move if a period where an acceleration detected by an acceleration sensor (SN3) is included continuously in an acceleration range at the time of starting movement is not shorter than the acceleration continuation time; a distance calculation means for calculating the moving distance of the transport facility according to an acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor (SN3) when start of movement of the transport facility is detected; a route information storage means (KC6A) for storing route information including information on a distance between stations of the transport facility and station identifying information for identifying each station; and an announcement device control means (KC1) for controlling an announcement unit (11) which announces guidance of a station to a user of the portable guide device according to the station identification information

Abstract: A navigation device having a function of dealing with a case where a navigation function cannot be executed at the same time as another function, such as a telephone function, because of constraints of the processing capability of a CPU or the memory capacity in a mobile telephone. A navigation device (10), which uses a mobile telephone having GPS means, comprises a navigation control module (123); a telephone communication control module (122) for telephone communicating with another mobile terminal device; and an operation control module (OS) (121) for controlling those modules. When detecting a particular event during operation of the navigation control module, the OS sends a suspension command to the navigation control module, thereby suspending the navigation control module. When detecting a termination of the particular event, the OS sends a resumption command to the navigation control module, thereby resuming the navigation control module.

Abstract: A display unit displays a route search result. A memory unit stores route search criteria including a destination. A route-search-result obtaining unit obtains, when a route search instruction including a designated location is received while the route search result is displayed on the display unit, the route search result with the designated location as a departure point and the destination included in the route search criteria stored in the memory unit as an arrival point.

Abstract: There is provided a route guide data creation device for acquiring travel data transmitted from a vehicle traveling on a road according to a predetermined travel route and travel time and creating route guide data according to the data. The route guide data creation device (10) includes: travel data acquisition means (11) for acquiring the travel data over a predetermined period of time; travel data processing means (12) for receiving data based on a predetermined input format from the travel data and calculating the arrival time and departure time at/from each stop for each travel routes and for each vehicle ID; and a route guide database (20) for storing the route guide data including the departure time and the arrival time of each vehicle from/at each stop outputted from the travel data processing means.

Abstract: An image data transmitting/receiving system for displaying an image having an optimum size in accordance with the resolution of an information display screen (11) of a mobile terminal (1), comprising the mobile terminal (1) and a server (7). The mobile terminal (1) comprises terminal-side symbol image data storing means (KC2) for storing data of symbol image used for producing a displayed image; and symbol image data transmission request information transmitting means (KC10B) for transmitting information related to the resolution of the information display screen (11) to the server (7).

Abstract: Guide points can be grasped by use of a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal comprises search condition transmitting means (KC16A) for transmitting data of route searching conditions to a server; searching result receiving means (KC1A) for receiving, from the server, route data produced by the server in accordance with the route searching conditions; map request information transmitting means (KC16B) for transmitting, to the server, map data transmission request information for requesting a transmission of map data; map data receiving means (KC1B) for receiving the map data transmitted from the server; route image producing means (KC7) for producing a route image based on a range in which to display on the information display screen (11) and based on the route data; and guide map image producing means (KC8) for producing a route guidance map image by combining, based on the map data, a map image and the route image.

Abstract: There is provided an information distribution system capable of distributing a content to a mobile terminal in a predetermined area, distributing content guide information to the mobile terminal, and distributing the content selected by the mobile terminal, within the area. The information distribution system includes an information distribution server, a mobile terminal, and a content DB. The content DB contains content information to be provided to the mobile terminal and information on the area to which the content is provided. The information distribution server distributes the content guide information to the mobile terminal. According to this content guide information, the mobile terminal performs a content distribution request. The information distribution server judges the position of the mobile terminal according to position judgment means. When the mobile terminal is in the distribution area of the content requested, the content is downloaded.

Abstract: The map-display-area determining unit determines an area in which a map is to be displayed. The road-information obtaining unit obtains, from map data transmitted from a map-data distributing server, curved-point coordinate information and name information of a traffic route. A map-display-data generating unit determines a display position for each of a character or symbol included in a character/symbol string in the name information so that the character or symbol is positioned along the traffic route without interfering with another character or symbol, and generates map display data for displaying the character or symbol at the determined display position.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a navigation system which enables searching for an optimum route through a one-time route searching process where several destination or departure locations exist. The navigation system 10 includes a point of interest (POI) attribute information database 40 for accumulating POI attribute information, a network data edit means 38 and a virtual node setup means 39. The navigation system 10 determines whether there is a plurality of POIs in a certain departure location and/or a destination location by making reference to relevant data in the POI attribute information database 40. If there are several POIs, the virtual node setup means 39 sets up a virtual node connected to each node of the plurality of POIs through links having identical link cost. The network data edit means 38 then adds the virtual node to the searching network data, and a route search means 33 functions to search for routes using the searching network data 35 containing the added virtual node.

Abstract: A navigation device, which performs a route guidance based on a route searched by a server, includes: a communication controller that sends a request for searching the route to the server; a guidance-information receiving unit that receives information on the route from the server; and a guidance controller that performs the route guidance based on the information received. The communication controller determines whether to send the request based on a status of the navigation device, such as a status of a travel of the navigation device (travel time, travel distance, etc.), thereby decreasing traffic between the navigation server and reducing communication charges.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes: a route acquiring unit that acquires a route that connects a departure place and a destination, the route including a plurality of section routes for which different kinds of transportations are used; a guiding unit that performs a guidance based on the route acquire by the route acquiring unit; and a guidance controller that receives an instruction whether to perform the guidance for each of the section routes, and controls the guiding unit to perform the guidance for a section route for which an instruction to perform the guidance is received.

Abstract: A navigation device for a route guidance includes: a GPS unit that acquires information about the current location by performing a communication with a global positioning system (GPS); a navigation-information acquiring unit that acquires map data and route data from a navigation server in a network; a guidance controller that performs the route guidance based on the information; a GPS-communication controller that cuts off the communication with the GPS when the information is not acquired; and a server-communication controller that cuts of a communication with the navigation server when the information is not acquired.