Abstract: A navigation device includes a scenic information searching unit for searching for drop-in information about a favorable place for drop-in around a guide route leading from a departing place to a destination based on the drop-in information set in acquired map data. A route searching unit searches for the guide route via a drop-in route running through the favorable place for the drop-in based on the drop-in information searched by the surrounding drop-in information searching unit and calendar information detected by the time computing unit.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying a chart or map such that the area in close proximity to an area of interest is in greater scale than an area that is distant and creating the image dynamically. The method includes a projection function capable of creating or reading reduced scale cache images and displaying those images concurrently with full detail source chart images.

Abstract: There is provided a communications-type car navigation system including a vehicle-mounted terminal and a server. When transferring, to the terminal, the result of a route searching which the server has performed, the server transfers the data that will satisfy the requirements of a route guiding method which the user wishes. Also, the server transfers the route data that has been compressed. Concerning the map data as well, the server transfers only the necessary attributes thereof. Moreover, the following conditions allow the operability to be enhanced: the selection of a map transferring method and the route guiding method where the driving state has been taken into consideration, and the selection of a guiding unit which the user wishes.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system includes a computer-based control unit with a display unit. A group of regions or spots on a given map are designated beforehand as on-map targets. A judgement is made as to whether a predetermined condition for each on-map target, having been set beforehand, is fulfilled or not based on vehicle traveling conditions. The result of judgement is memorized. A user is informed directly or indirectly of the present status as to fulfillment/nonfulfillment of the predetermined condition for each on-map target based on the judgement information.

Abstract: When searching for a route, a version information of a map information stored in a memory of terminal unit (300) is sent to a server unit (400). The server unit (400) searches for a travel route according to a map information stored in a storage thereof. The server unit (400) compares its version information with the version information in the terminal unit (300), and sends the map information when the version information are different. Since the server unit (400) previously updated a display data that can be easily created, the server unit (400) sends a travel route together with at least the display data so that the terminal unit (300) displays roads reflecting most current information. When recognizing that a matching data is updated by comparing the version information at a later date, the matching data is also updated.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system (e.g., GPS) with multi-use display generator that provides for the switching of a displayed image from a navigational based image to a non-navigational image such as a favorite photo. This versatility allows for the user of a vehicle navigation to avoid having to look at a boring display of map images and instead view more desirable non-navigation images such as full 100% displays of a favorite photo shot. Also if the system is in a map image mode and the user does not utilize any portion of the vehicle navigation system for a predetermined period of time an automated switchover system is provided to cause a predetermined or randomly chosen favorite photo to appear on the display.

Abstract: A navigation system for displaying the information on at least the situations of a user in the screen x of a display unit. The entirety of the screen X can be so switched that a plurality of display modes may be automatically displayed at a suitable timing by the setting of the user. The navigation system has a menu mode for making the aforementioned setting, in which thumbnails T1 to T5 for reducing and displaying the individual designs of the display modes other than the menu mode are displayed in the screen X.

Abstract: The present invention provides a navigation apparatus capable of distinguishing characters displayed in a display screen. Names of objects to be displayed on a road map are respectively indicated with the characters of the font types corresponding to categories of the objects such as an administrative district, a facility, a natural feature and so on. Accordingly, a user of the navigation apparatus can readily distinguish and recognize the characters showing the various kinds of the objects.

Abstract: A map data processing apparatus includes: a map data storage unit, a differential data input unit, and a map data multiple update unit. The map data storage unit stores map data. The differential data input unit inputs differential data representing the difference between current map data stored in the map data storage unit and the most recent map data in a script format for each version. The map data multiple update unit updates the map data in the map data storage unit to the most recent map data using the differential data corresponding to the version.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus is provided with: a first storing device for storing original data for a navigation based on a predetermined format and including map data, in such a manner that an empty area exists on the predetermined format in each processing unit for a predetermined kind of navigation processing; a second storing device for storing difference update data representing a data portion for the navigation that is updated with respect to the original data as a standard; and a re-writing device for generating updated data based on the format and including the original data and merge data, by re-writing the merge data at least partially into the empty area corresponding to the merge data. The merge data defines a relationship of the difference update data with respect to the original data. The navigation apparatus is also provided with a processing device performing the navigation processing on the basis of the original data and the difference update data.

Abstract: An apparatus generates difference update data for navigation with respect to a plurality of road data for the navigation. Each of the plurality of road data indicates at least one of an existing road and a junction thereof in a preset road network. The difference update data includes one road data for the navigation. The one road data indicates at least one of a new road and a junction thereof and is updated versus the plurality of road data as a standard.

Abstract: A method for operating a navigation device comprising a central processing unit (100) and a memory medium (130) with a digitized map is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: inputting a route with start and target coordinates that can be selected on the map; receiving traffic jam data via an external source (140); displaying a calculated route and the respective traffic jam data; and editing said traffic jam data. In the case of acceptance of a traffic jam a possible bypass of the corresponding route section is calculated and displayed, and in the case of non-acceptance the calculated route section is maintained.

Abstract: A map display apparatus includes a map data memory which stores map data necessary for plotting a map of a predetermined region; a map display which reads map data out of the map data memory and plots a bird's-eye view display by projecting the map data read out from the map data memory onto a projection plane which makes a projection angle with a plane of the map data read out from the map data memory, the projection angle being greater than 0° and less than 90°, the bird's-eye view display including identifying marks which identify items in the bird's-eye view display; and an identifying mark overlap preventer which prevents identifying marks from overlapping one another in the bird's-eye view display.

Abstract: A map data distribution system includes a navigation apparatus and a map distribution server. The navigation apparatus is connected to the map distribution server through a predetermined network. The navigation apparatus transmits a distribution request to the map distribution server. The distribution request includes distribution conditions relating to the amount of map data to be distributed. The map distribution server transmits area information to the navigation apparatus. The area information shows a geographical area of the map data that is transmittable under the distribution conditions. The navigation apparatus displays, in accordance with the transmitted area information, a map area of the map data transmittable in a single distribution operation under the distribution conditions and superimposes it on the map. The navigation apparatus transmits a downloading instruction in which one or more map areas are specified by a user to the map distribution server.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for updating route data stored in a vehicle navigation device, particularly an offboard vehicle navigation device, the route data being updated in response to the occurrence of at least one predetermined event.

Abstract: There have been problems in the facility information management system arts because when a distance-based facility database is searched for the facility information by specifying the name and distance of a facility, the location and position of a specific facility must be found on a figure such as a map. Such a location is not easily pointed out especially when the facility is damaged. To overcome the above problems, the present invention relates the distance-based facility data with map data and allows a generation of graphical figure data to be overlaid on a map from the numerical data corresponding to the facility parameters stored in the distance-based facility data.

Abstract: A map data reading and processing section acquires map information belonging to a hierarchical structure classified depending on coverage of a road map, a remote controller specifies a bypass region to bypass traffic of a vehicle in response to an input operation, and the route search processing section of a navigating function section searches for a route that detours the bypass region when the bypass region is included within the coverage of the map information belonging to a hierarchy acquired by the map data reading and processing section.

Abstract: A map image display apparatus for displaying a map image with at least one name for entering a command to change the map image, and switching the displayed map image, when accepting the command with the name designated, to a map image in a vicinity of the designated name. The apparatus includes a defined region storage device which stores information of a name-defined region indicated by the name, a center position thereof, and a display scale enabling displaying substantially the whole name-defined region within one screen; and a display target determination device which determines a map image to be displayed at the display scale with the center position of the name-defined region taken as a display center, referring to the stored information.

Abstract: In a road data frame for displaying road maps, each node/link data record describing a link corresponding to a road part includes link identification information identifying an original link, and auxiliary link identification information used for identifying a plurality of alternative links which substitute for any of the original links in the map data. In a route planning data frame for route planning, each connection record describing the interconnection of nodes also includes corresponding link identification information identifying an original link, and corresponding auxiliary link identification information used for identifying a plurality of alternative links which substitute for any of the original links in the map data. By means of identification information of the original link and auxiliary links, it is facilitated to identify the correlation among links in the road data frame and the route planning data frame having different versions.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation apparatus enabling a user to know whether a data item for display is the latest updated one or has old contents, thereby allowing him/her to confidently drive according to a guidance route provided by navigation. The vehicle navigation apparatus is adapted to update a database by receiving difference data. The navigation apparatus displays not only the data item for display but also freshness information on the data, based on the difference data and storage contents in the pre-update database. The freshness information may indicate whether the freshness of the data item for display is guaranteed or not, and may be displayed in a manner according to the freshness of the data item.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes display control means for displaying a map image and a real image on a display screen on the same scale concerning the same region based on map data and real image data. The display control means has a function of superposing on either of the map image and the real image as a background, the other image in a predetermined area and combining the images so that only the other image is seen in the superposition area.

Abstract: In navigation system, method, and program for an automotive vehicle, a travel history of the vehicle which is made correspondent with a road map information is stored, a degree of a user's familiarity with one of predetermined regions for each of the predetermined regions in the road map information is calculated on the basis of the travel history of the vehicle and its corresponding road map information, and the road map information is produced in accordance with the calculated degree of the user's familiarity with the one of the predetermined regions.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system for a motor vehicle comprises a display screen and an input device. A menu having a plurality of menu items is displayable on the display screen and the menu items are selectable by the input device. The menu has a first configuration when the motor vehicle is stationary, has a second configuration when the motor vehicle is moving, and has the first configuration when the motor vehicle is moving but a passenger occupies the motor vehicle. When the menu is in the first configuration, all of the menu items are selectable by the input device. When the menu is in the second configuration, none or only a portion of the menu items are selectable by the input device.

Abstract: A vector block information indicating a plurality of line segment rows is read out from a block map. Each line segment row divides an area of a block from an area of a road in an image drawing region. Each point at which one end of a line segment row contacts with a boundary line of the image drawing region is set as a boundary point. In this case, a road crossing the boundary line of the image drawing region is indicated by a pair of line segment rows having a pair of boundary points close to each other. To determine an area of the road, the pair of boundary points are connected with each other through a connecting line segment. Therefore, a road area in the image drawing region can be automatically extracted from the block map.

Abstract: An information display system including an input device that inputs a scheduled event, a schedule storage in which the schedule is stored, a display device that displays a map, a memory that stores map information and the scheduled event, and a controller that displays a schedule reminder message on the map at a specified time before the scheduled event is to occur.

Abstract: In order to simplify the setting of interchanges for getting on and off, a navigation system has an information retrieval processing unit for obtaining map data and interchanges for getting on and off, a display unit which displays a setup screen for displaying a map including the interchanges for getting on and off and, on the same screen, a simple road chart including neighboring interchanges for getting on and off. When the map is scrolled, the simple road chart is renewed so as to correspond to the area to which the map is scrolled, and the setting of the interchanges for getting on and off is simplified.

Abstract: A navigation device, an information display device, an object creating method, and a storage medium, in which a display unit, which is integrally formed with a touch panel, displays a map together with control buttons, including a mark setting button and a mark erasing button, which have specific processing associated therewith. When coordinates for a desired point on the map and a mark button are specified on the touch panel, a mark creating unit creates a mark object and displays it at a position on a map corresponding to specified coordinates.

Abstract: The navigation apparatus stores map data used to display map to the user as well as use history information of the map data. The use history information of the map data indicates a Frequency of Use of the map data in the past and so on. When the navigation apparatus need to store new map data during its operation, it detects whether or not unoccupied area is in the storage unit. If unoccupied area is present in the storage unit, the new map data can be stored in the unoccupied area. On the contrary, if no unoccupied area is present in the storage unit, the navigation apparatus erases map data in the storage unit to create unoccupied area based on the use history information of the map data. Therefore, new map data may be stored in the unoccupied area thus created. In this way, the navigation apparatus can efficiently use the storage unit having limited storage capacity to store necessary map data.

Abstract: A map is divided into sections of a square of 900″×900″, each of which is further divided into blocks of a square of 30″×30″, each of which is further divided into units of a square of 1″×1″, so that a region on the map can be hierarchically designated. Each section is defined with section codes of three digits; each block is defined with block codes of three digits in accordance with the relative positional relation in the section; and each unit is defined with unit codes of three digits in accordance with the relative positional relation in the block, so that each unit can be completely differentiated with nine digits composed of those three kinds of codes. Furthermore, an area code is added to those three codes to constitute an intrinsic code, so that an area including the certain unit is also designated.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for displaying geo-spatial images. Specifically, the method displays a geo-spatial image by providing a textured region of interest; selecting an arbitrary shaped area within the textured region of interest; and overlaying an image over the arbitrary shaped area.

Abstract: Disclosed is a network accessible tool that is capable of providing map and satellite image data, as well as other photographic image data to locate, identify, measure, view, and communicate information about land over the Internet-to-Internet users. The network accessible tool includes a location tool that allows the user to locate areas on a map using geographic names, township, range and section descriptions, county names, latitude and longitude coordinates or zip codes. Network accessible tool also includes a metes and bounds tool that draws boundaries on the map and image data in response to metes and bounds descriptions that have been entered by the Internet user. The network accessible tool also includes a lat/long drawing tool that draws boundaries on the map and image data based upon latitude and longitude coordinate pairs that have been entered by the Internet user.

Abstract: The navigation apparatus includes a unit for displaying a real image on a display screen on the basis of real image data, and a unit for displaying additional information such as a primary place name or a primary building name in a position where the additional information should be displayed on the real image, on the basis of additional information data corresponding to the additional information and position data showing the position where the additional information should be displayed. Further, the navigation apparatus has a function of limiting the display area of the additional information so as to prevent the additional information from being displayed in an area having a relatively high level of importance. Thus, the real image is prevented from being difficult to see in the area having a high level of importance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for monitoring vehicular traffic flow in a road network 1 in an area served by a mobile telecommunications device network 7 having a call management system 10 provided with a mobile telecommunications device positioning system 11 providing positional data for active mobile telecommunications devices 12. The method comprises capturing geographical positioning data for individual active devices carried aboard vehicles 12 and converting these into probability vectors representing the likelihood of the vehicle having arrived at any of the possible road components 16 of the road network 7 compatible with the geographical positional data. As the vehicle 12 travels along, this process is repeated and new probability vectors constructed based on the probability of any of the available routes between the new probability vector road component position and the immediately preceding probability vector road component position.