Abstract: A route processor searches for a travel route based on current-position information, destination information and traffic information with use of map information. Predicted required time to arrive at a destination from a current-position of a vehicle is calculated based on the set travel route. Predicted departure time for the vehicle to leave is calculated based on scheduled time to arrive at the destination and the predicted required time. According to departure waiting state of the vehicle, time to notify departure guidance for encouraging the departure of the vehicle is set, and the departure guidance is notified at the set time.

Abstract: A plurality of traveling routes are computed with a traveling route processing section using current position, destination information, and map information. A traveling route is set based on traffic jam estimation information obtained by processing VICS data or traffic conditions in the past with the function of time, and guidance is provided on this traveling route. When any change is recognized in traffic conditions on the traveling route outside a display area currently being displayed, the reduction scale is changed so that a display area including the site of change in traffic conditions is displayed. With the features, a user can easily recognize changes in traffic conditions and determines whether running is to be continued as it is or not, or from where the current or estimated traffic jam should be evaded, so that the user is well informed of traffic conditions and excellent and smooth guidance can be provided.

Abstract: A communication navigation system that performs navigation, using map data stored in a map database site and current position data about navigation terminals, by transmitting the map data to the navigation terminals via a communication network such as the Internet, wherein the map data includes data units respectively corresponding to a plurality of display elements for display on a map, and the data units are given respective priority levels. The map database site is provided with a server for transmitting the data units via the communication network according to the respective priority levels. Each navigation terminal is provided with a transmitter/receiver for sequentially receiving the data units transmitted from the server, and a display subsystem for sequentially displaying the display elements respectively corresponding to the data units received by the transmitter/receiver, on the map.

Abstract: A navigation device (100) includes: a congestion-status recognizer for acquiring map information, traffic information about a traffic condition for a mobile body, and accuracy-level information about reliability of a traffic condition of the traffic information relative to an actual traffic condition; and a display controller for making a terminal display (140) display the map information with the accuracy-level information acquired by the congestion-status recognizer superimposed thereon. Therefore, since the navigation device (100) notifies not only the traffic conditions but also the accuracy-level information containing the reliability of the traffic condition, users can be informed of appropriate traffic conditions.

Abstract: A communication type navigation apparatus can communicate with a server device via a communication path. The navigation apparatus requests route search, and the server device executes route search to produce route information of a searched route. Then, the meshes necessary to travel along the searched route are determined, and the navigation apparatus obtains necessary mesh data from the server device. The navigation apparatus may request newer mesh data to the server device based on the updating information of the mesh data. By appropriately determining the mesh data to be and not to be downloaded from the server device, the communication cost necessary for obtaining the mesh data can be saved.

Abstract: In response to a notification request for a traffic condition at a time when a predetermined period of time preset by an input operation of a user by a terminal input section (130) or at a predetermined predicted time, based on traffic information such as VICS data, current traffic-congestion information, traffic-congestion prediction information related to the traffic condition recognized by a traffic-congestion recognizer, a display controller generates current map information in which a traffic condition of a predetermined area at the current time clocked by a time is superimposed on map information as well as prediction map information in which a predicted traffic condition of the predetermined area when a predetermined period of time has passed as clocked by the timer is superimposed on the map information of the predetermined area.

Abstract: A communication navigation method comprises a first procedure in which a terminal unit requests a server to transmit an information segment necessary for a first current part of guidance via the Internet, a second procedure in which the server transmits to the terminal unit the information segment requested by the first procedure, via the Internet, a third procedure in which after the second procedure, the terminal unit requests the server to transmit an information segment necessary for a second current part of the guidance via the Internet, and a fourth procedure in which the server transmits to the terminal unit the information segment requested by the third procedure, via the Internet. The information segment transmitted by the fourth procedure is an update of the information segment transmitted by the second procedure.

Abstract: A route processor computes a plurality of travel routes using map information on the basis of current-position information and destination information. A travel route is set according to VICS data and traffic-congestion prediction information obtained by statistically processing the past traffic condition based on time factors, and a vehicle is navigated on the travel route. When it is determined that there is a change in travel smoothness such as a congested traffic or a heavy traffic on the travel route, the required time for the travel route and detouring travel routes is computed, and percentage is computed so that travel routes with shorter travel time have higher chances to be selected, thereby generating weighting information. On the basis of the weighting information, one of the travel routes is notified. The required time for the respective travel routes can be substantially equalized and thus preventing the concentration of heavy traffic-congestions only on certain roads.

Abstract: A navigation terminal device includes a map information display unit 771 for displaying, on a screen, the map information containing the location information retrieved by a web server 3, a destination display unit for displaying the destination searched from the map information displayed on the display screen by screen scrolling, a route drawing unit 773 for drawing the route connecting a reference point based on the location information retrieved by the web server 3 to the destination so as to be superimposed on the screen with the map information displayed thereon, and a route searching unit 774 for exchanging the display between the reference point and the destination when the destination is displayed but the reference point disappears from the screen, thereby following the route from the reference point to the destination according to the drawn route information.

Abstract: In a navigation system according to the present invention, a server (400) acquires current position information, customer specifying information, and service request information from a terminal unit (300) via a network (200). In response to this service request information, the acquired customer specifying information is authenticated by verifying the acquired customer specifying information to customer specifying information including the customer specifying information previously stored and specifying the customer. Further in response to the service request information, the server acquires travel-use information to be used when traveling from a current position based on the current position information, and generates customer-oriented information to be provided to the customer based on the current position information, travel-use information, and map information previously stored.

Abstract: A storage section (160) stores a traffic jam prediction table containing a plurality of date classification IDs for classifying data for predetermined dates and time series data obtained by statistically processing past traffic conditions correlated to the date classification IDs in terms of temporal elements of the dates. A memory (170) stores calendar templates, each containing a plurality of pieces of date information and classification ID numbers, each of which is an ID number that corresponds to the date indicated by one of the pieces of date information and is same as one of the date classification IDs of the traffic jam prediction table. A navigation device (100) has a calendar modifier that appropriately modifies any of the classification ID numbers of the calendar templates.

Abstract: A processor acquires VICS data including map information and traffic jam information as well as a traffic jam prediction table prepared by processing past traffic conditions based on temporal elements. As it recognizes a request for displaying the transition of a traffic jam, it computes a traffic jam prediction after the elapse of a predetermined time, e.g., every 30 minutes, using the traffic jam prediction table and a calendar table so as to generate traffic jam prediction information. Then, it superimposes an additional indicators (Jm) near a current traffic jam mark (Jg) produced on the basis of the VICS data. With a simple arrangement of superimposing such additional indicators (Jm), a user can easily recognize the predicted transition of the traffic jam.

Abstract: A processor acquires VICS data that provide map information and traffic jam information of a vehicle. As it recognizes a request for displaying the transition of a traffic jam, if any, it computationally generates traffic jam prediction information after the elapse of a predetermined time, e.g., every 30 minutes, using a traffic jam prediction table and calendar template obtained by statistically processing past data with temporal elements on the basis of the current time and day. Then, it causes a terminal display (140) to display a map corresponding to the map information and superimposed by an icon reflecting the traffic jam prediction information at predetermined time intervals of 0.5 seconds or 1 second for instance, in a switched manner to make the map being displayed appear as if it is animated so that a user can easily recognize the transition of the traffic jam condition.

Abstract: A number of traveling routes are determined by computations, using a route processor and map information on the basis of current position information and destination information. The rating of the current traffic jam or the predicted traffic jam on each of the traveling routes is recognized on the basis of a traffic jam prediction table and a calendar table obtained by statistically processing VICS data and past traffic conditions in terms of temporal elements. The number of traveling routes to which candidate traveling routes are narrowed is increased as the traffic jam rating is raised. Thus, the number of candidate traveling routes from which a user can select the actual traveling route is increased as the traffic jam rating rises in order to accommodate a situation where secondary traffic jams can take place on any candidate traveling route so that it is possible to provide the user with useful traveling route information and appropriate guidance.

Abstract: A communication navigation system includes a server that transmits route guidance information to terminal units via a communication network, and a transmitter/receiver, provided in each terminal unit, for transmitting specification data that specifies a type of necessary route guidance information, to the server via the communication network. The server transmits only the route guidance information of the type specified by the specification data, to the terminal unit.

Abstract: A communication navigation system is provided with a communication center apparatus (3) and a communication navigation terminal (5), which perform two-way communication on a communication network (1, 2). The communication center apparatus is provided with: a search device (74) for searching for an optimum route with respect to the request of route search from the communication navigation terminal on the basis of information for route search and a communication device (73) for wirelessly transmitting coordinates information at a plurality of positions on this optimum route. The communication navigation terminal is provided with a communication device (38) for receiving the coordinates information and a display processing device (43) for displaying the optimum route on the basis of this received coordinates information.

Abstract: A map information providing system for providing map data to a terminal device via a data transmission path, includes: a first server, the first server including a first storage unit for storing map data; and a second server connected with the first server and the terminal device via a network, the second server including a second storage unit for storing the map data. The first server includes: a unit for producing map search table which designates at least one of the first storage unit, the second storage unit and a third storage unit in the terminal device, from which certain map data is to be obtained; and a unit for transmitting the produced map searching table to the terminal device to be stored in the terminal device.

Abstract: A terminal unit (400) acquires navigation electric wave, generates an assumed coordinate information, and transmits the information to a position information processing device (320) over a network (200), so that the position information processing device (320) generates a position information on the current position of the terminal unit (400) and an accuracy information on a positioning accuracy. The terminal unit (400) acquires the position information and the accuracy information from the position information processing device (320) and transmits them to a server unit (500) over the network (200) with information on a display area where a map is displayed. The server unit (500) sets a scale rate of the map based on the accuracy information and calculates a circular area where the terminal unit (400) may be located.

Abstract: A server includes a position estimation section for estimating the current position of a client apparatus based on the already acquired position information when the server cannot acquire position information from the client apparatus and the server requests the client apparatus to transmit position information in response to a search instruction from an information terminal.

Abstract: An information retrieval system which can search for requested information by an easy operation. Together with a plurality of information servers, a search assisting server having list data constructed by a list of identifiers to access each of the information servers is connected to an information network. In response to a designation of a requested item by an information retrieval terminal, the identifier corresponding to the requested item is searched for from the list data held in the search assisting server. An access to the information network is made by the searched identifier, thereby obtaining the requested information page.