Abstract: An in-vehicle hands-free apparatus includes: a communication unit which is connected with a mobile phone; a storage unit for storing a voice of a party on the other end of a call; a situation analysis unit for analyzing surrounding situations of a car based on information outputted from a group of sensors for detecting the surrounding situations; an action determination unit for determining, based on the result of the analysis of the situation analysis unit, to continue or hold the call between a driver and the party, or cancel the hold; a playback control unit for playing back the voice of the party stored in the storage unit according to a control signal outputted based on the determination by the action determination unit to cancel the hold; and a voice output unit for outputting the voice played back by the playback control unit for the driver.

Abstract: Points accumulated through a customer's purchase from a point service provider are kept track of by customer information databases in corresponding point service provider servers. A user uses user terminals to access a trade service provider, and receives various services, for example, point trading and point cash, offered by the trade service provider. The trade service provider accesses, as appropriate, the point service provider servers, so that the user's accumulated points are checked or updated. In this manner, the user can effectively use his/her points with no waste, and accordingly the point service system can be improved in its effective use.

Abstract: A hands-free device includes a communication unit that obtains a Media Access Control (MAC) address of a portable terminal device from the portable terminal device, and an address storing unit that registers one of the MAC addresses that is obtained by the communication unit into the address storing unit itself in response to a registration trigger signal. The hands-free device also includes a control unit that reads the registered MAC address from the address storing unit and specifies a portable terminal device having the read registered address as a communication target device in response to a search trigger signal.

Abstract: A hands-free telephone conversation system includes a communication device having a microphone that receives a voice from a user, a speaker that outputs the other party's voice, a control unit that detects the status of the wireless communication, and a local wireless communication unit that wirelessly communicates with a relay device. The relay device includes a microphone that receives the voice from the user, a local wireless communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the communication device, a communication control unit that detects the status of the wireless communication, a microphone switch unit that switches the voice input reception of the microphone, and a network communication unit that sends and receives the voice to and from the other party's communication device through a network.

Abstract: A mobile terminal 31 detects its position, speed, and direction, and judges a control requirement based on the detected position, speed, and direction. Based on the judgment, the mobile terminal 31 transmits a message corresponding to the control requirement that has been satisfied to a control terminal 33. The control terminal 33 judges a message requirement based on the received message. Based on the judgment, the control terminal 33 transmits a control command corresponding to the message requirement that has been satisfied to a control target appliance 34. The control target appliance 34 executes an operation by following the received command.

Abstract: In a map display device, a communications part 7 receives various information from an external system, and a map data arranging part 4 arranges in a map space object models each indicating those various information. Such data arrangement is done based on map data stored in a map data storage part 3, information from the communications part 7 and an input part 2, and object model display information stored in an object model display information storage part 6. A display 5 then displays a resultant map image. In such manner, various time-varying information are appropriately arranged for display on the map image so as to make a user intuitively understand what those information mean.

Abstract: A model transforming data generating portion 4 extracts parameter data corresponding to a given road area from two-dimensional map data in a two-dimensional map data storage portion 3. Subsequently, the model transforming data generating portion 4 reads out pattern data corresponding to the specified road area from a pattern model storage portion 5 and generates model transforming data. An image data generating portion 6 transforms a corresponding three-dimensional map display model by using the generated model transforming data to generate three-dimensional image data. The generated three-dimensional image data is given to and displayed in a display 7. The operator operates an input portion 2 on the basis of the contents displayed in the display 7 to correct the generated model transforming data.

Abstract: The present landmark update system enables route guidance through the use of landmark information which remains always the latest for route guidance, and operates as follows: a navigation device 1 communicates with a landmark server 30 so as to receive to-be-updated landmark information 1001 for guiding the user by utilizing landmarks. Information about any landmark displayed is transferred to the landmark server 30 as cumulative information 1002. The landmark server 30 manages the cumulative information 1002 so that compilation data 1003 is generated for transfer to a retailer terminal 40 corresponding to the displayed landmark(s). The retailer terminal 40 refers to the compilation data 1003 so as to generate landmark information which is considered optimum, and transfers it to the landmark server 30 as registering landmark information 1004.

Abstract: An in-vehicle hands-free apparatus 10 includes: a communication unit 15 which is connected with a mobile phone 30; a storage unit 17 for storing a voice of a party on the other end of a call; a situation analysis unit 12 for analyzing surrounding situations of a car based on information outputted from a group of sensors 20 for detecting the surrounding situations; an action determination unit 13 for determining, based on the result of the analysis of the situation analysis unit 12, to continue or hold the call between a driver and the party, or cancel the hold; a playback control unit 14 for playing back the voice of the party stored in the storage unit 17 according to a control signal outputted based on the determination of the action determination unit 13 to cancel the hold; and a voice output unit 16 for outputting the voice played back by the playback control unit 14 for the driver.

Abstract: Based on searched route information and map data, a target intersection for guidance is specified. For the specified target intersection, lane data regarding the number of lanes and lane control of roads being connected thereto is read, and then recommended lane information which indicates which lane to take when entering the target intersection and to exit therefrom is generated. Based on information about the target intersection and the lane data, a simplified intersection image of the target intersection for lane guidance is generated. Based on the recommended lane information, a running path which passes through the recommended lanes for entering into and exiting from the target intersection is generated, and is combined with the intersection image. Then, lane guidance information for displaying the resultant intersection image is outputted with a predetermined timing. As such, guidance can be visually made on a screen indicating which lanes to take to enter into and exit from the intersection.

Abstract: In a navigation device (Unv), a processor 1 reads directional object data (Ddr) from a storage 4 onto a working area 3. The directional object data (Ddr) has a message plane and a plain plane, thereby representing a directional object whose planes are each facing in a different direction. Based on the positional relationship between the user's current position and the directional object, the processor 1 determines whether to render the message plane or the plain plane of the directional object. In the case of the message plane, the processor 1 renders it opaque. On the other hand, the processor 1 renders the plain plane transparent or translucent.

Abstract: An in-vehicle communication device 300 that automatically answers a caller device that sends a call when a telephone device 100 located in a vehicle receives the call comprising: in-vehicle sensors 311˜316 that detect vehicle conditions, a communication interface 340 for the telephone device 100, and a control device 380 that controls the telephone device 100 via the communication interface 340, wherein the control device 380 acquires the vehicle conditions which are detected by the in-vehicle sensors 311˜316, judges whether a driver's answering the call is dangerous or not based on the acquired vehicle conditions when the control device 380 detects the call to the telephone device 100, prepares an answer message including vehicle information that depends upon a running condition of the vehicle at the time when the driver's answering the call is judged to be dangerous, and sends the prepared answer message to the caller device.

Abstract: A model transforming data generating portion 4 extracts parameter data corresponding to a given road area from two-dimensional map data in a two-dimensional map data storage portion 3. Subsequently, the model transforming data generating portion 4 reads out pattern data corresponding to the specified road area from a pattern model storage portion 5 and generates model transforming data. An image data generating portion 6 transforms a corresponding three-dimensional map display model by using the generated model transforming data to generate three-dimensional image data. The generated three-dimensional image data is given to and displayed in a display 7. The operator operates an input portion 2 on the basis of the contents displayed in the display 7 to correct the generated model transforming data.

Abstract: A model transforming data generating portion 4 extracts parameter data corresponding to a given road area from two-dimensional map data in a two-dimensional map data storage portion 3. Subsequently, the model transforming data generating portion 4 reads out pattern data corresponding to the specified road area from a pattern model storage portion 5 and generates model transforming data. An image data generating portion 6 transforms a corresponding three-dimensional map display model by using the generated model transforming data to generate three-dimensional image data. The generated three-dimensional image data is given to and displayed in a display 7. The operator operates an input portion 2 on the basis of the contents displayed in the display 7 to correct the generated model transforming data.

Abstract: A hands-free telephone conversation system comprises the communication device 11 and the relay device 12.

Abstract: In a navigation apparatus, a CPU searches for a plurality of routes from a starting point to a destination. These routes share the same starting point and the destination, but vary in their course along the way. Then for route selection, the CPU refers to position information provided by a locator to determine on which of the routes the user is now moving. In this manner, the navigation apparatus can automatically select one route from several derived through the route search.

Abstract: A hands-free device 130 includes the following units: a communication unit 131 that obtains an MAC address of a portable terminal device 110 from the portable terminal device 110; an address storing unit 133 that registers one of MAC addresses obtained by the communication unit 131 into the address storing unit 133 itself in response to a registration trigger signal; and a control unit 136 that reads the registered MAC address from the address storing unit 133 and specifies a portable terminal device 110, which has the read registered address, as a communication target device in response to a search trigger signal.

Abstract: An in-vehicle communication device 300 that automatically answers a caller device that sends a call when a telephone device 100 located in a vehicle receives the call comprising: in-vehicle sensors 311˜316 that detect vehicle conditions, a communication interface 340 for the telephone device 100, and a control device 380 that controls the telephone device 100 via the communication interface 340, wherein the control device 380 acquires the vehicle conditions which are detected by the in-vehicle sensors 311˜316, judges whether a driver's answering the call is dangerous or not based on the acquired vehicle conditions when the control device 380 detects the call to the telephone device 100, prepares an answer message including vehicle information that depends upon a running condition of the vehicle at the time when the driver's answering the call is judged to be dangerous, and sends the prepared answer message to the caller device.

Abstract: In a navigation apparatus, a CPU searches for a plurality of routes from a starting point to a destination. These routes share the same starting point and the destination, but vary in their course along the way. Then for route selection, the CPU refers to position information provided by a locator to determine on which of the routes the user is now moving. In this manner, the navigation apparatus can automatically select one route from several derived through the route search.

Abstract: In a navigation apparatus Anavil, a CPU 1 searches for a plurality of routes from a starting point to a destination. Those route share the same starting point and the destination, but vary in course on the way. Then for route selection, the CPU 1 refers to position information provided by a locator 9 to determine which route the user is now moving. In this manner, the navigation apparatus can automatically select one route from several others derived through route search.