Abstract: A display control device includes: a transparent color information storage unit that stores transparent color information; a run-length counter that calculates a run-length specifying the number of consecutive pixels having the same color information; a combination calculation unit that combines the image data for the plurality of display layers; and a combined image display unit that outputs the combined image data to a display device. If the color information for a total of run-length pixels calculated by the run-length counter is a transparent color, the combination calculation unit performs combination by ignoring the image data for the total number run-length of consecutive pixels.

Abstract: A map update data delivery method includes: storing update unit data compiled in correspondence to each set of update data used to update map data in a specific version to map data in another version for a map element by incorporating update data for another map element that must also be updated in coordination with a change made for the map element; searching for base update data needed to update a map data for a map element designated as an update target in a map area specified at a terminal as a map data update target; searching for related update data with a relation to contents of update data included in the base update data searched; and transmitting the base update data and the related update data to the terminal.

Abstract: A display control device includes: a transparent color information storage unit that stores transparent color information; a run-length counter that calculates a run-length specifying the number of consecutive pixels having the same color information; a combination calculation unit that combines the image data for the plurality of display layers; and a combined image display unit that outputs the combined image data to a display device. If the color information for a total of run-length pixels calculated by the run-length counter is a transparent color, the combination calculation unit performs combination by ignoring the image data for the total number run-length of consecutive pixels.

Abstract: A computer system includes a plurality of processors, a shared resource being used by the processors, and a storage unit in which management information corresponding to the shared resource is stored. The management information includes a semaphore for each OS managing a task which runs on the processors, a queue in which information for specifying a processor which has requested acquisition of the shared resource is stored in series, and a resource counter indicating a remaining number of the shared resources which can be acquired. Each of the processors includes a counter obtaining section that obtains a value of the resource counter, an acquisition decision-making section that makes a decision as to whether or not the shared resource can be acquired, and a resource acquiring section that stores information for specifying the processor in the queue if decided that it can not be acquired.

Abstract: A map update data delivery method includes: storing update unit data compiled in correspondence to each set of update data used to update map data in a specific version to map data in another version for a map element by incorporating update data for another map element that must also be updated in coordination with a change made for the map element; searching for base update data needed to update a map data for a map element designated as an update target in a map area specified at a terminal as a map data update target; searching for related update data with a relation to contents of update data included in the base update data searched; and transmitting the base update data and the related update data to the terminal.

Abstract: A computer system having a plurality of operating systems and a module for switching the operating systems in view of priorities of tasks to be performed by each of the operating systems. Each of the operating systems performing a plurality of processes or threads in accordance with the priorities assigned to these processes or threads has a module for notifying the computer system of the priority of the currently executing process or thread. The computer system includes a module for translating the priorities sent from each operating system into priorities (normalized priorities) common-throughout the computer system, and a module for comparing the normalized priorities obtained by the priority translation module in order to select and execute preferentially the operating system having a common priority higher than that of any other operating system.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes a receiving section for receiving program via a communication unit, a driving determining section for determining whether a vehicle equipped with the navigation apparatus is running or not if receiving a start request for the program, and an execution control section for activating the program if it is determined that the vehicle is running by the driving determining section and also if the program received by the receiving section is authorized. The executing control section cancels executing the program if it is determined that the vehicle is running by the driving determining section and also if the program received by the receiving section is not authorized.

Abstract: In an on-vehicle terminal system operating a plurality of operating systems, control of peripheral devices connected to the on-vehicle terminal system can be continued even if one of the operating systems is stopped. A second operating system monitors an operating status of a first operating system using an OS status monitoring function. When the first operating system stops, a list recording allocation of the peripheral devices is updated to switch the allocation to the second operating system. By doing so, an interrupt signal from a peripheral device is allocated to the second operating system, and accordingly the second operating system can control the peripheral device.

Abstract: A technology for preventing a driver from being distracted even if a navigation operates on an input device in the rear seat. A navigation system, connected to a combination of an output/input devices of a driver and to a combination of an output device and an input device of a fellow passenger, comprises a setting information storage unit storing setting information indicating whether or not information generated is to be output to the output device of the driver and an output processing unit, to the output device of the driver according to the setting information read from the setting information storage unit. When operation information enters from the input device of the fellow passenger, the setting information, stored in the setting information storage unit for the processing, changes to the information indicating that information is not output to the output device of the driver.

Abstract: In order to provide a speech input system for having access from a mobile terminal such as a PDA or a portable phone, or a stationary terminal such as a home telephone, a TV set, or a PC to a network through speech, and receiving a service from a provider for providing map information, music information, broadcast program information, and telephone information, the speech input system comprises speech input terminals 10, 30 provided with a speech input/output mean, and an access status display mean, a speech portal server 50 provided with a speech recognizing mean for receiving a speech to recognize it as a text, a command converting mean for checking the recognized text with a command text dictionary, and separating it into a command text and an object text, and a conversation control mean for having an access to, and receiving a service from a provider which provides different information based on the separated texts, and providing the speech input terminal with the service, and a provider 60 for searching

Abstract: A technology for preventing a driver from being distracted even if a navigation operates on an input device in the rear seat. A navigation system, connected to a combination of an output/input devices of a driver and to a combination of an output device and an input device of a fellow passenger, comprises a setting information storage unit storing setting information indicating whether or not information generated is to be output to the output device of the driver and an output processing unit, to the output device of the driver according to the setting information read from the setting information storage unit. When operation information enters from the input device of the fellow passenger, the setting information, stored in the setting information storage unit for the processing, changes to the information indicating that information is not output to the output device of the driver.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus includes a receiving section for receiving program via a communication unit, a driving determining section for determining whether a vehicle equipped with the navigation apparatus is running or not if receiving a start request for the program, and an execution control section for activating the program if it is determined that the vehicle is running by the driving determining section and also if the program received by the receiving section is authorized. The executing control section cancels executing the program if it is determined that the vehicle is running by the driving determining section and also if the program received by the receiving section is not authorized.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to execute a program installed additionally on an in-vehicle unit, realizing improved visual recognition while the vehicle is driving. A program 7 to be installed additionally is downloaded along with its attribute data 8 from the service center system 10 into the program administrating section 202 of the in-vehicle unit, and they are managed in relation to each other. When the program is executed, the vehicle condition 1 is compared with the attribute data 8 related to the program and the program operation is controlled accordingly. When executing a program installed additionally on an in-vehicle unit, visual recognition of the display screen can be maintained even while the vehicle is driving.

Abstract: The present invention is characterized in that the car navigation system for, at the time of desiring map information, traffic information, and other required information in a car, inquiring an information distribution service provider for distribution the information is composed of a moving terminal device which can be operated by inputting and outputting voice, a communication device, an audio interactive server which can input and output voice and data, is connected to an external device and the Internet on the basis of audio interactions by the voice recognition process and voice synthesis process, and executes information transfer, and one or a plurality of information distribution service providers connected to the Internet for distributing information such as map information and traffic information.

Abstract: In a display apparatus where a plurality of operating systems are operated on a single processor, the plurality of operating systems share one and the same display in different display environments one example of which is a color pallet. In order to implement this configuration, the display apparatus includes the following configuration components: The plurality of operating systems, a display switching processing unit for switching the displays of the plurality of operating systems, graphics-drawing frames corresponding to the plurality of operating systems, and a display environment changing processing unit for changing, in correspondence with the display switching performed by the display switching processing unit, the display environments such as the color pallet, a color mode, and a frame address.

Abstract: If a plurality of operating systems are running in one computer and each of those operating systems has its own managed time, which is different from others, then trace log information items collected by those operating systems and merged in order of their generated times may not be as they are generated actually. In order to avoid such a problem, therefore, the present invention provides an operating system management system with recording means for storing a check point trace in the operation trace information of each of those operating systems, thereby finding the correspondence among those check point traces by searching the operation trace information item of each operating system, then adding such additional information as a time difference, a counter value, etc. to the operation trace information.

Abstract: In order to provide a speech input system for having access from a mobile terminal such as a PDA or a portable phone, or a stationary terminal such as a home telephone, a TV set, or a PC to a network through speech, and receiving a service from a provider for providing map information, music information, broadcast program information, and telephone information, the speech input system comprises speech input terminals 10, 30 provided with a speech input/output mean, and an access status display mean, a speech portal server 50 provided with a speech recognizing mean for receiving a speech to recognize it as a text, a command converting mean for checking the recognized text with a command text dictionary, and separating it into a command text and an object text, and a conversation control mean for having an access to, and receiving a service from a provider which provides different information based on the separated texts, and providing the speech input terminal with the service, and a provider 60 for searching

Abstract: In order to provide a speech input system for having access from a mobile terminal such as a PDA or a portable phone, or a stationary terminal such as a home telephone, a TV set, or a PC to a network through speech, and receiving a service from a provider for providing map information, music information, broadcast program information, and telephone information, the speech input system comprises speech input terminals 10, 30 provided with a speech input/output mean, and an access status display mean, a speech portal server 50 provided with a speech recognizing mean for receiving a speech to recognize it as a text, a command converting mean for checking the recognized text with a command text dictionary, and separating it into a command text and an object text, and a conversation control mean for having an access to, and receiving a service from a provider which provides different information based on the separated texts, and providing the speech input terminal with the service, and a provider 60 for searching

Abstract: A computer system having a plurality of operating systems and a module for switching the operating systems in view of priorities of tasks to be performed by each of the operating systems. Each of the operating systems performing a plurality of processes or threads in accordance with the priorities assigned to these processes or threads has a module for notifying the computer system of the priority of the currently executing process or thread. The computer system includes a module for translating the priorities sent from each operating system into priorities (normalized priorities) common-throughout the computer system, and a module for comparing the normalized priorities obtained by the priority translation module in order to select and execute preferentially the operating system having a common priority higher than that of any other operating system.

Abstract: In order to provide a speech input system for having access from a mobile terminal such as a PDA or a portable phone, or a stationary terminal such as a home telephone, a TV set, or a PC to a network through speech, and receiving a service from a provider for providing map information, music information, broadcast program information, and telephone information, the speech input system comprises speech input terminals 10, 30 provided with a speech input/output mean, and an access status display mean, a speech portal server 50 provided with a speech recognizing mean for receiving a speech to recognize it as a text, a command converting mean for checking the recognized text with a command text dictionary, and separating it into a command text and an object text, and a conversation control mean for having an access to, and receiving a service from a provider which provides different information based on the separated texts, and providing the speech input terminal with the service, and a provider 60 for searching