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: Provided is a navigation system that can realize preferable navigation. A server unit (400) recognizes current position information and destination information sent from a terminal unit (300) over a network (200) and searches for a travel route utilizing matching data in map information. The server unit (400) sends matching mesh information and a travel route to the terminal unit (300), the matching mesh information including nodes and links that represent a road corresponding to the travel route. The terminal unit (300) navigates a vehicle on the basis of the current position information, the matching mesh information, and information on the travel route. When the current position is off the travel route, the terminal unit (300) performs rerouting on the basis of the matching mesh information that has been acquired. If the terminal unit (300) can not perform rerouting, the server unit (400) performs rerouting. Thus, prompt and smooth navigation based on a new travel route can be achieved.

Abstract: A regional information providing method comprises the steps of: retrieving and obtaining regional information on a desired area from a regional information database site S2 stored with the regional information via the Internet, using a terminal unit T; transmitting the regional information on the desired area thus obtained to an electronic mail site S3 together with the electronic mail address of a portable information terminal unit E to be carried into the area as well as preserving the regional information therein; and making the portable information terminal unit carried into the desired area receive the regional information preserved in the electronic mail site S3 and also display regional information images on the display unit of the portable information terminal unit E.

Abstract: A communication navigation system includes a server that transmits items of route guidance information to terminal units via a communication network such as the Internet, a processing subsystem, provided in each terminal unit, for determining whether or not the items of route guidance information from the server are necessary, a display subsystem for performing guidance using only one or more items of route guidance information determined to be necessary by the processing subsystem, and a speech output subsystem.

Abstract: A feature guidance information that provides guidance on a feature has a data structure where a unique information representing a feature position and a guidance position are associated with respective sub-areas so that each sub-area includes at most one of the feature and the guidance position to represent the feature or the guidance position. When it is recognized that a vehicle reaches a position indicated by the unique mesh information of the guidance position with respect to a current position of the vehicle, guidance on the feature corresponding to the guidance position is provided. Thus, an amount of information, load for sending/receiving data and processing can be largely decreased compared to that coordinates are used for representing the feature position and the guidance position of the feature guidance information, thereby providing smooth navigation.

Abstract: A server unit (400) recognizes a travel route search request together with a current position information and a destination information from a terminal unit (300) over a network (200) and searches for a travel route with use of a matching data of a map information. The server unit (400) sends a matching mesh information including a node and link that represent a road corresponding to the travel route and a display mesh information for areas other than the areas represented by the matching mesh information together with the information for the travel route to the terminal unit (300) over the network (200). The terminal unit (300) displays a road based on the matching mesh information and the information excluding the road based on the display mesh information on a terminal display. Thus, the information amount of the map information to be processed can be reduced thereby improving the processing efficiency.

Abstract: In a satellite navigation system, map data stored in a server is partially updateable. The map data is produced so that they are divided into a plurality of sets of map data mutually independent set by set, and stored in the server. The map data can be updated in the server every set of the divided map data, according to necessities. The map data is formed into a layered structure composed of data of layers, blocks, and objects. Only one or more sets of map data that have been updated are transmitted to a navigating terminal. In the navigating terminal, map data for navigation is updated using the received one or more sets of map data. It is sufficient that only one or more sets of map data that has been updated are delivered from the server to each terminal.

Abstract: A map information providing method, a map information providing system, and a recording medium on which the method programed is recorded is provided, wherein a client terminal unit 3 including a display monitor accesses a map information site (a Web-server 1) through a communication line (the Internet 2). An institution or its related information is inputted, and the Web-server 1 calculates azimuth information consisting of a direction and a distance to the institution from an arbitrary position around a present position, decides a surrounding area to be displayed, and transmits a map of the surrounding area along with the azimuth information to the terminal unit to display them.

Abstract: The invention provides an advertisement-data processing system that can easily give advertisement data a customer wants. The system comprises a network (200), a customer terminal (300), a shop terminal (400), and a server apparatus (500). The server apparatus (500) has a customer data storage section that stores customer data representing the size of the customer' family, the ages of family members, customer's address, the place to which the advertisement data should be sent. The shop terminal (400) has a POS register, which generates transaction content data in accordance with transaction data representing the items transacted (goods and service) and charges for the items transacted.

Abstract: A settlement processing apparatus which easily executes a settlement processing is provided. From a customer who desires registration, a database (53) stores in advance customer specific data, which includes device identification data for identifying the customer and specifies the customer. A server communicator (51), which corresponds to a customer identification data attaining section and a purchase data attaining section, attains the device identification data and purchase data concerning the contents of a debt. An authentication section (522) compares the device identification data attained by the server communicator (51) with the customer-specific data stored in the database (53), to authenticate the device identification data. If the authentication section (522) authenticates the device identification data, a settlement processing section (523) performs a processing for settling a debt, based on the customer-specific data corresponding to the device identification data and the attained purchase data.

Abstract: In a satellite navigation system, map data stored in a server is partially updateable. The map data is produced to be divided into a plurality of sets of map data mutually-independent set by set, and stored in the server. The map data is updated every set of the divided map data, according to necessities. Such update operations are addition of a new set of map data, deletion of a certain set of map data, and replacement of a certain set of map data with a new set of map data. The map data is formed into a layered structure composed of data of layers, blocks, and objects. For reloading the map data, it is sufficient that only one or more sets of map data that has been updated are delivered from the server to each terminal. Hence an amount of map data to be downloaded can be reduced.

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: There are provided a CPU (11A) and an ignition key switch (17) detecting that a vehicle stops, and a transmission circuit (11C) and a transmitter (11D) for transmitting a map-image data for displaying a map image on a display (14) of a car navigation system, to a portable terminal (T) when the CPU (11A) and the ignition key switch (17) detects that the vehicle stops.

Abstract: A navigation system for displaying guidance in accordance with map data is provided. The navigation system includes a landmark displaying device for displaying structures corresponding to the map data as landmarks. The landmark displaying device sets reference positions in the landmarks and determines the location and direction of a landmark so that it would face to a road nearby.

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 portable terminal apparatus which can communicate one's current location on a map and an associated message to the party on the other end of a cellular phone line. In the apparatus, a positional information acquiring device acquires positional information. Then, a transmitting device transmits the acquired positional information along with an associated message to other portable terminal apparatuses. Further, a receiving device receives the positional information and message transmitted from other portable terminal apparatuses. Then, a map data acquiring device acquires the map data in a predetermined range including the location shown by the received positional information. A displaying device displays the map data together with a mark that indicates the position shown by the received positional information.

Abstract: A server apparatus divides map data into a plurality of block data to add identification information to each block data, and sends each block data to a terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus identifies data for each block data sent from the server apparatus and, when uncompleted block data is detected, sends retransmission request information, which requests only the uncompleted block data to be sent to the terminal apparatus, to the server apparatus.

Abstract: To provide a system for taking out an insurance policy which uses a communication navigation system utilizing an Internet. A terminal apparatus transmits a destination or a route that is set based on an instruction of a user to a server apparatus via the Internet. The server apparatus retrieves stored insured contents according to a purpose of travel or a traveling state that is received from the terminal apparatus to prepare an insurance list and transmits this insurance list to the terminal apparatus via the Internet.

Abstract: In the information communication system wherein communication is performed between a server and a terminal apparatus via the Internet, the system includes an access server AS for recognizing an access point that has been used for a communication between the server and the terminal apparatus, and a www server that transmits information indicating the recognized access point with respect to the terminal apparatus, and the terminal apparatus includes a processing part for executing a control according to the information indicating the access point which has been transmitted on.

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.