Abstract: Provided is an information retrieval method including: retrieving, by a computer, a name including input characters from a database for storing the name, an attribute word associated with the name, and a degree of relevance between the name and the attribute word; outputting the retrieved name as a candidate name; and extracting an attribute word associated with the candidate name, the extracting including: calculating a degree of independency indicating a degree of difference between the extracted attribute words, a degree of coverage indicating an extent to which the combination of the extracted attribute words covers the candidate names, and a degree of equality of a number of corresponding candidate names for each attribute word; and calculating a score of the combination of the attribute words based on at least one of the independency, the coverage and the equality to output the combinations of the attribute words to an output unit.

Abstract: Distribution map data for distributing a map by communication includes road data representing position information on the roads contained in a plurality of compartments and integrating name data for integrating name information for the same roads contained in the plurality of compartments without duplicating them.

Abstract: A vehicle is guided to a lane that the vehicle should run, even if map data do not include lane information of a tollgate. A navigation processing part 100 makes a vehicle running path calculation part 112 calculate a running path of the vehicle from a point of a prescribed distance from the tollgate until an ETC receipt signal receiving part 114 receives an ETC receipt signal. Then, the navigation processing part 100 calculates an approximate position of an ETC lane on the basis of the running path, and accumulates the calculated approximate position in a storage unit. Further, when the vehicle approaches to the tollgate within a prescribed distance from the tollgate, the navigation processing part 100 obtains the approximate position of the ETC lane of the tollgate from the storage unit, and displays the approximate position through a display processing part 106, to guide the user to the ETC lane.

Abstract: A first data product that can be read into a computer or a map data processing apparatus, contains therein map data having map-related information of a map. The map data includes: a structure having the map-related information divided into units of a plurality of divisions into which the map is divided; and a structure having management information for the map-related information divided into units of the divisions, and: the map-related information obtained by the computer or the map data processing apparatus can be updated in units of the individual divisions by using the management information.

Abstract: There is provided a method and a device for accurately estimating traffic information of a link having no traffic information even if different types of roads are mixed. The device finds a parameter characterizing a damping curve of a quantity of change of relative speed based on stored traffic information for links on a city center side on a minimum-time cost route connecting the city center and suburbs, finds a quantity of change of relative speed of the link having no observed traffic information and estimates its traffic information based on the damping curve. The device also calculates a ratio of quantities of change of relative speed of two links whose road types change as a speed change similarity ratio and estimates traffic information of the link of a second road type from known traffic information of the link of a first road type by using that ratio.

Abstract: An information center (5000) for collecting traffic information stores in its memory device the latest map data. Then, it is determined through a terminal device (5030) whether or not history information has been recorded in a data recording medium (800) mounted in a navigation device (1000), and when it is determined that the history information has been recorded, the map data in the data recording medium are updated to the latest map data. The data recording medium (800) is removable from the navigation device (1000). Statistical traffic information may be updated along with the updating of the map data. Further, when history information is directly uploaded to the information center, an identifier is attached to the uploaded information.

Abstract: A navi-server which is provided with information from a traffic information providing center, and presents and provides information made on the information to a terminal is characterized by being equipped with a first storage means storing the information provided from the traffic information providing center; a traffic jam statistical making means which makes traffic jam statistical information including traffic jam information in a predetermined point and a predetermined zone as well as a reliability of the traffic jam information, based on information stored in the first storage means; and a second storage means storing information made by the traffic jam statistical making means, wherein the navi-server presents and provides the information stored in the second storage means to the terminal, based on a request of the terminal and at a predetermined timing.

Abstract: A navigation system includes: a search unit that executes a search for a route from a start point to a destination; a display unit at which the route determined through the search is displayed together with a roadmap; and a specification unit that specifies a range on the roadmap. If an entrance interchange into an express highway, present on the route determined through the search executed by the search unit and the start point are contained within the range specified via the specification unit, the search unit executes a search within the range to determine a first route from the start point to the entrance interchange present within the range and also executes a search for a second route from the entrance interchange to the destination; and the first route and the second route having been searched by the search unit are displayed at the display unit.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes: a map data obtaining unit that obtains map data; a navigation processing unit that executes navigation processing by using the obtained map data; a search data obtaining unit that obtains search data; a specific data detection unit that detects specific data for a specified search target by using the obtained search data; a correspondence table obtaining unit that obtains a correspondence table indicating correspondence between identification information used to identify individual road units into which each road is divided in predetermined units and map data road unit information related to map data road units defined in the map data individually corresponding to the road units; and a map position determining unit that determines a position of the specified search target in the map data based upon the specific data for the specified search target having been detected and the correspondence table having been obtained.

Abstract: This navigation apparatus includes a road setting unit that sets a road to be traversed between a departure point and a destination, the road being constituted by links for each of which a predetermined link cost is set, a replacement unit that replaces the links constituting the road to be traversed that has been set by the road setting unit, with a virtual link whose link cost is set to be smaller than the total of the link costs of the links for the road to be traversed, and a route search unit that searches for a recommended route from the departure point to the destination, based upon link costs set for links that constitute roads other than the road to be traversed, and the link cost set for the virtual link with which the road to be traversed has been replaced by the replacement unit.

Abstract: A navigation device that calculates an expected travel time or an expected arrival time for each retrieved route, using link costs predetermined for calculation of expected travel times regardless of search conditions. As the link costs for the calculation of expected travel times, are used link travel times obtained by statistically processing traffic information collected in the past, for example.

Abstract: A vehicle speed control system includes: a unit for computing a first target velocity based on map information; a unit for computing a second target velocity based on a road profile obtained from other information than the map information (such as lane recognition using a camera); a unit for comparing the first target velocity and the second target velocity; a unit for selecting a lower target velocity therefrom; and a unit for controlling a vehicle velocity in accordance with the selected target velocity.

Abstract: A multilayered module board with mounted high-frequency electronic components such as a CPU and a graphic circuit is mounted on one face of a base board with mounted low-frequency electronic components. The multilayered module board is a squared multilayered board smaller than the base board. The electronic components are wired with an inner layer-wiring pattern. Connector terminals are solder-jointed to four sides of the multilayered module board. The multilayered module board is mounted to the base board via the connector terminal.

Abstract: A map display apparatus that displays a map includes: a display device; a touch panel disposed over a screen at the display device; and a control device that controls display at the display device with a signal input from the touch panel, and: the control device displays at the display device a map and a plurality of buttons used to adjust a scaling factor of the map, makes a decision as to whether or not the touch panel has been pressed at a position corresponding to one of the plurality of buttons, makes a decision as to whether or not a finger having pressed the touch panel has been moved to a specific position and displays, together with the map, a wide-area map at a scaling factor smaller than the scaling factor of the map if the finger having pressed the touch panel is judged to have been moved to the specific position.

Abstract: A map display method whereby the contents of a road map displayed can be easily and clearly grasped regardless of the running conditions of a vehicle. In a summarized map displayed on a display screen 10, an area including a vehicle position 11, a destination 13 and a guide route 12 between them is displayed in simplified fashion. At a position far from the destination, as shown in FIG. 2A, a summarized map of a wide area is displayed and objects including a road 14 and a facility 15 are limited to a greater degree. With the approach of the vehicle position 11 to the destination 13, as shown in FIG. 2B, the contraction scale is decreased and a summarized map of a middle area is displayed, while at the same time increasing the objects displayed. With a further approach of the vehicle position 11 to the destination 13, as shown in FIG.

Abstract: A navigation system comprises an image display unit at which various images including a map are displayed, a touch panel operation detection unit that detects a touch panel operation performed by a user based upon a contact position at which the user has touched the image display unit, a specified road detection unit that detects a road segment specified by the user by tracing a corresponding road portion present in the map, based upon a locus of the contact position resulting from the touch panel operation detected by the touch panel operation detection unit, and a route setting unit that extends the detected road segment along a direction in which the road portion has been traced by the user and sets the extended road segment as a route to follow.

Abstract: A vehicle speed control system includes: a unit for computing a first target velocity based on map information; a unit for computing a second target velocity based on a road profile obtained from other information than the map information (such as lane recognition using a camera); a unit for comparing the first target velocity and the second target velocity; a unit for selecting a lower target velocity therefrom; and a unit for controlling a vehicle velocity in accordance with the selected target velocity.

Abstract: In a navigation system mounted on a moving object, when the current position exists on a road with time-based regulation on map data, route search is retried ignoring the time-based regulation. It is further possible to conduct the route search ignoring only the time-based regulation on the road where the current position is located.

Abstract: A navigation system includes: a detection unit that detects a vehicle to be in a stationary state or in a traveling state; a display monitor at which a roadmap is displayed; and a manual route specification unit that allows a road traced on the display monitor to be specified as a route when the vehicle is detected to be in a stationary state by the detection unit and does not allow the road traced on the display monitor to be specified as the route when the vehicle is detected to be in a traveling state by the detection unit.

Abstract: A traffic information processing apparatus for alleviating the problem of discrepancy between a plurality of traffic information which may be acquired from different sources is disclosed. In the case where a plurality of traffic information are acquired, the information are corrected into reference traffic information selected from the plurality of the traffic information. For example, the traffic information processing apparatus acquires first traffic information (VICS information) used for the navigation process and second traffic information (probe traffic information) having a different source from the first traffic information. From the first and second traffic information, the traffic information for a common object is extracted, and based on the difference between them, the correcting information used for correcting the second traffic information is generated.