Abstract: In map data having link information, each of the links has reference information regarding a start point node of the link, a next link in a series of links, and an upper link. Further, links are memorized in a form of link list, and the position of the link in the link list is not changed in the course of adding/deleting a link, thereby enabling a direct reference to each of the links in the link list by the position of the link. The link information organized in the above-described manner enables the ease of the update of the map data as well as the speed-up of the calculation of, for example, a navigation route.

Abstract: In a vehicular navigation apparatus, when map data of a unit area is updated, it is determined whether a border node contained in an adjoining unit area which adjoins the updated unit area is separated from an opponent border node contained in the updated unit area. The positions of the border node and the opponent border node are moved to target points so as to accord with each other, thereby reducing a possibility to worsen an appearance of a map as a result of the update of the unit area of the map data.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each of which includes a selecting transistor and a memory cell transistor; a column decoder controlling the potential of bit lines; a voltage application circuit controlling the potential of the first word lines; a first row decoder controlling the potential of the second word lines; and a second row decoder controlling the potential of the source line. The column decoder is formed of a circuit whose withstand voltage is lower than the voltage application circuit and the second row decoder.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each of which includes a selecting transistor and a memory cell transistor; a column decoder controlling the potential of bit lines; a voltage application circuit controlling the potential of the first word lines; a first row decoder controlling the potential of the second word lines; and a second row decoder controlling the potential of the source line. The column decoder is formed of a circuit whose withstand voltage is lower than the voltage application circuit and the second row decoder.

Abstract: An in-vehicle navigation apparatus transmits a present position, a destination, and a version number of in-vehicle map data stored in an in-vehicle map storage portion to a map difference data distribution apparatus. The map difference data distribution apparatus calculates a route from the present position and destination received from the in-vehicle navigation apparatus, compares a version number of map data stored in a center map storage portion with the received version number of the in-vehicle map data to prepare map difference data of map elements contained in the route, and distributes the prepared map difference data to the in-vehicle navigation apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a map data storage device, a map update device, a determination device, and a data production device. The storage device stores map data. The update device reflects a first map update to a first version of the map data to produce a second version of the map data when the first map update occurs. The update device reflects a second map update to the second version of the map data to produce a third version of the map data when the second map update occurs after the first map update. The determination device determines whether the first and second map updates depend on each other. The production device produces map differential data from the first and second map updates when the determination device determines that the first and second map updates depend on each other.

Abstract: A storage medium stores map data divided into unit areas. A control circuit indicates a map on an image display unit according to the map data. The map data includes name records, which respectively correspond to names to be indicated in the map. Each of the name records includes information specifying a character string of corresponding one of the names and information specifying an indication range of the character string in the map. An updating unit updates a part of the unit areas of the map data. An extracting unit extracts a pair of the same character strings, which are overlapped and indicated in the map or closely indicated in the map, with reference to the name records, after update of the part of the unit areas of the map data. A prohibiting unit prohibits indication of one of the extracted pair in the map.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each of which includes a selecting transistor and a memory cell transistor; a column decoder controlling the potential of bit lines; a voltage application circuit controlling the potential of the first word lines; a first row decoder controlling the potential of the second word lines; and a second row decoder controlling the potential of the source line. The column decoder is formed of a circuit whose withstand voltage is lower than the voltage application circuit and the second row decoder.

Abstract: A stereoscopic image processing method capable of preventing occurrence of undesirable cutout of image when a stereoscopic combined image is printed out is provided. A stereoscopic combined image can be created and recorded using a digital still camera 1. This stereoscopic combined image is a single image formed by arranging a plurality of view-point images. At first, left view-point image data and right view-point image data are stored in a memory by performing photographing twice. Then, the data of the two images are arranged laterally into a single image. Through this processing, original stereoscopic combined image data is created. Padding areas (dummy areas) are added to the original stereoscopic combined image data at the upper and lower sides thereof. Namely, a processed image containing the original stereoscopic combined image is created.

Abstract: An operation unit switches the operating mode between a 3D display output mode in which the images of the 3D image file are displayed as a stereoscopic images and a 2D display output mode in which one of the images of the 3D image file is displayed as an ordinary planar image. The 3D image file is composed of stereoscopic image data which represents a plurality of monocular images constituting a multi-ocular stereoscopic image and information which is added to the stereoscopic image data and which indicates that the data is stereoscopic data. In the 2D display output mode, a control unit makes an output unit display an image of the 3D image file read from a medium by a media reader and also display a mark on the same screen, indicating that the image displayed in the 2D display output mode is based on the 3D image file.

Abstract: In a road map data generation apparatus, existing primary road map data is subjected to a deletion process according to a deletion rule to delete a portion of the data. Thus, reduced road map data is generated for a storage medium such as a memory card having a data volume smaller than the primary road map data. A navigation apparatus using the reduced road map data stored in the memory card records a restoration rule pairing with the deletion rule. Based on the restoration rule, the reduced road map data can be restored to the primary road map data. Thus, the deletion rule can decrease the data volume of the primary data to thereby generate the reduced data, whereas the restoration rule can restore the reduced data to the primary data in the navigation apparatus. This helps prevent worsening of the quality of the road map data and lowering of the user's satisfaction.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system detects a new road that is not recorded in a map for updating map data during a travel. After exiting from the new road, the increase of the data size of road map data at a time of addition of the new road to the map is estimated, and a collection of the data is transmitted to a server together with positional information and a travel frequency of the new road as a bundle of records of the new roads for facilitating a determination whether a combination of new roads from an updated road map database fits in a storage medium for the sake of user distribution.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each of which includes a selecting transistor and a memory cell transistor; a column decoder controlling the potential of bit lines; a voltage application circuit controlling the potential of the first word lines; a first row decoder controlling the potential of the second word lines; and a second row decoder controlling the potential of the source line. The column decoder is formed of a circuit whose withstand voltage is lower than the voltage application circuit and the second row decoder.

Abstract: When three-dimensional images are displayed on various display apparatuses, the images are displayed in a state that allows for stereoscopic vision even if the size of the display apparatus is large or even if the resolution of the display apparatus is low. The apparatus includes: a decision means for deciding based on the standard information contained in the control information whether the amount of parallax on the display screen when three-dimensional image data is displayed is greater than the amount of parallax on the optimal display apparatus for displaying the three-dimensional image data; and an image processing means for implementing an image process for changing the amount of parallax, and adjusts the amount of parallax of three-dimensional images in accordance with the ratio between the pitch between dots of the standard display apparatus for displaying three-dimensional images and the pitch between dots of an own terminal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an operation apparatus including an operation terminal used for operating a domestic apparatus near a wall surface. An operation host section (20) includes a module of an accessing function element and electric supply function element, which module discharges an operation signal in the air, or includes a member in which such a module is disposed in an array form. Power supply in a non-contact manner and transmission of an operation signal in a wireless manner are carried out between the operation terminal and the operation host section. The operation terminal is easily adhered extremely thin onto the wall and allows providing an operation function without providing any physical wiring. Further, few electricity is wasted, and operation is possible under conserved energy. Hence, an operation system is provided which uses an operation terminal having low security risks while achieving flexibility in its layout.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each of which includes a selecting transistor and a memory cell transistor; a column decoder controlling the potential of bit lines; a voltage application circuit controlling the potential of the first word lines; a first row decoder controlling the potential of the second word lines; and a second row decoder controlling the potential of the source line. The column decoder is formed of a circuit whose withstand voltage is lower than the voltage application circuit and the second row decoder.

Abstract: An image signal composed of sequential frames is input to a 3-dimensional image creating apparatus, frame by frame. A controller (102) designates the presence/absence of reduction, the presence/absence of joining and 2D select. An image converter (101) creates image data in the format designated by the presence/absence of reduction and the presence/absence of joining. A 3D information creator (103) creates 3D information necessary for displaying the image as a 3-dimensional image by formatting the presence/absence of reduction, the presence/absence of joining and 2D select. A multiplexer (104) converts image data and 3D information in a predetermined format and outputs them to the outside. In this way, it is possible to make the image data for 3-dimensional display versatile and select an arbitrary viewpoint image efficiently.

Abstract: An image quality/rate control portion 106 confirms whether a predictive code amount Ci is a target code amount Rt or less. When the predictive code amount Ci is the target code amount Rt or less, the predictive code amount Ci is output to a base layer coding portion 101. Then, a switch 108 is turned off. When the predictive code amount Ci exceeds the target code amount Rt, the target code amount Rt is output to the base layer coding portion 101. Then, the switch 108 is turned on and (predictive code amount Ci?target code amount Rt) is output to an enhancement layer coding portion 103. A buffer 104 stores coded data of the base layer coding portion 101 and the enhancement layer coding portion 103. In this manner, while performing fixed bit rate coding using a single transmission path, image quality of a moving image is made constant so as to prevent deterioration of image quality.

Abstract: A controller 103, based on the positional information of the display image, selects whether the 3-dimensional image data decoded by a decoder 102 is displayed stereoscopically (in 3-dimensional display mode) or planarly (in 2-dimensional display mode) and gives notice of the selected display mode to a display portion 104. Specifically, the input positional information=display address is monitored, and if no temporal change occurs, namely if the displayed position of the image data does not change, 3-dimensional display mode is selected as the display mode. On the other hand, if there is a temporal change, namely if the displayed position of the image data varies by scrolling, 2-dimensional display mode is selected as the display mode. Thus, an image data display apparatus which can efficiently display image data on a display when display of 3-dimensional image data is scrolled is provided.

Abstract: A storage medium stores map data divided into unit areas. A control circuit indicates a map on an image display unit according to the map data. The map data includes name records, which respectively correspond to names to be indicated in the map. Each of the name records includes information specifying a character string of corresponding one of the names and information specifying an indication range of the character string in the map. An updating unit updates a part of the unit areas of the map data. An extracting unit extracts a pair of the same character strings, which are overlapped and indicated in the map or closely indicated in the map, with reference to the name records, after update of the part of the unit areas of the map data. A prohibiting unit prohibits indication of one of the extracted pair in the map.