JP2000242165A - Electronic map device, and recording medium recording processing program for electronic map - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic map device which stores maps in a fixed range and is capable of fetching map information from a different external information source when this device is requested to display map information which are not stored in this device and is capable of displaying the map information and to provide a recording medium on which the processing program of electronic map is recorded. SOLUTION: The presence or absence of the storage of map information succeeding to the displayed map on the screen of an input-output part is displayed at the peripheral part of a map. When a marker 21 indicating that the storage of map information is not present in this device is touched, the device displays a message 22 which clearly indicates that the map is not stored and with which fetching methods of the said map can be selected. For example, when an internet 22-1 is selected, the device is changed over to an internet mode and the device waits for a user to perform the connection to an internet. When the device completes a preparation, communications are started by outputting a signal to a modular control part by a map fetching part and an HTML browser screen is automatically displayed. Simultaneously, an URL providing map information is automatically set, the device is connected to a resource. In the displayed home page, when the retrieval is performed by inputting a residence corresponding to the map wanted to be displayed, pertinent map information are displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for displaying map information, and more particularly to a device for displaying map information on a device having a limited storage capacity, such as a portable information terminal, and a recording device for recording a processing program therefor. It is about media.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-94132, it is determined whether or not map information can be displayed on a display screen of an LCD display device. When the LCD display device displays an image that cannot be displayed on the display screen, the LCD display device indicates in which direction of the display screen the leaked part is located, and the image that is leaked on the display by scrolling means is displayed. There is a technique for moving a part to a display screen (hereinafter, referred to as a first conventional technique). In addition, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-246641, position information measured by a GPS device and position information input by an input device are transmitted to a network base station via a telephone line using a communication modem. Based on the transmitted location information, the map data in the vicinity and various information related to the map are received from a network base station via a telephone line using a communication modem, and stored in a storage device. Is displayed on a display device together with position information measured by a GPS device (hereinafter referred to as a second conventional technology).

[0003]

However, in the first prior art (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-94132), a map image that cannot be displayed on the display unit is located within the range of the stored map image. Can be displayed by scrolling, but it is only possible to refer to the stored map information. Devices with a small storage area have a limited amount of map information that can be stored, so that the user can be satisfied. Could not provide map information. In the second prior art (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-246641), position information measured by a GPS device and position information input by an input device are transmitted by a communication modem, and corresponding map information is transmitted from a telephone line. Although it is possible to receive, it is only necessary to take in a map around the location measured by GPS, and it is necessary to transmit the current location information every time the current location moves and to acquire the map information. There was a problem. Therefore, the present invention stores a map of a certain range, and when a display of map information that is not stored is requested, the map information is fetched from another external information source,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic map device capable of displaying and a recording medium recording an electronic map processing program.

[0004]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including a storage unit for storing an electronic map, a control unit for controlling display of the electronic map, and a display unit for displaying the electronic map. If there is a map range that does not exist in the storage unit, a map range no suggestion means indicating that the map range does not exist in the storage unit, and a map range suggested by the suggestion means from an external information source, Means for loading into the storage unit;
The present invention relates to an electronic map device having means for displaying a map fetched by the map fetching means on the display unit.

[0005] (Invention of claim 2) In the electronic map device according to claim 1, the map in the range following the displayed map is provided near the inside and outside of the outer periphery of the currently displayed map. When the map range is not present in the storage unit, a marker display means for displaying a marker indicating the range is provided.

(3) The electronic map apparatus according to the above (1), wherein when a wider area is displayed than the map area currently displayed, a map which does not exist in the storage unit is displayed. It is provided with means for indicating a range.

(4) The electronic map device according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein when an attempt is made to display a range of a map that does not exist in the storage unit, an external information source is used. And a means for notifying that it is necessary to take in map information.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic map apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the external information source is an information source on a communication network connected by a communication line, and the external information source is transmitted from the information source to the storage unit. It is provided with a means for capturing map information that does not exist.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic map device according to the fourth aspect, the external information source is in an information processing device different from the information processing device, and the external information source is stored in the storage device from the other information processing device. And means for taking in map information that does not exist in the section.

(Invention of claim 7) In the electronic map apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, the information of the map range in an external information source on a communication network connected by a communication line is downloaded to the storage unit. It is provided with a map information download means.

(Invention of Claim 8) When the computer has a map range that does not exist in the storage unit, a function for indicating that the map range does not exist in the storage unit, and a suggested map range Is a recording medium that records a program for executing a function of loading the stored map from an external information source into a storage unit and a function of displaying the captured map on a display unit.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the electronic map device of the present invention. In the drawing, a main body cabinet unit 1 has an input / output unit 2 in which a display unit and a transparent tablet are integrated, an infrared communication unit, a pen holding unit (not shown), and the like. A power supply unit for supplying power to necessary parts such as a control circuit for controlling an infrared communication unit, an interface, and the like is built in. The lid 3 is connected to the back of the main body cabinet 1 by a hinge and can rotate so as to cover the input / output unit 2.
Serves to protect

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the input / output unit 2 of FIG. The liquid crystal display unit 2-1 is of a thin matrix type capable of displaying characters, and a backlight made of an EL panel or the like may be provided on the back surface as necessary. The transparent tablet unit 2-2 has a size to cover the liquid crystal display unit 2-1. For example, a transparent electrode is provided on the inner surface of two transparent sheets so that each electrode does not contact in a normal state. The protruding spacers are regularly printed, and when a finger or a pen presses and instructs the transparent electrodes to come into contact, the selected position is detected. The film 2-3 on which the fixed keys are displayed is inserted between the liquid crystal display unit 2-1 and the transparent tablet unit 2-2, and the fixed keys are printed with easy-to-understand symbols for frequently used functions. ing. Also, by synchronizing the display contents displayed on the liquid crystal display section 2-1 with the position information of the transparent tablet section 2-2, the liquid crystal display section 2-1 selected by the user is obtained.
Can be detected.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the electronic map device of the present invention. The liquid crystal display unit 2-1 and the transparent tablet unit 2-2 are the same as those described with reference to FIG. The tablet control unit 4 is for extracting coordinate information from the transparent tablet unit 2-2. The tablet control unit 4 is connected to the transparent electrode provided on each transparent sheet of the transparent tablet unit 2-2, and is connected to a finger or a finger. The coordinates of the position instructed to be pressed by the pen are detected by contact between the transparent electrodes. The liquid crystal display circuit unit 5
The dot position for turning on the liquid crystal is stored as a bit map, and a signal is sent to the common circuit 6 and the segment circuit 7 as necessary. The central control unit 8 controls input information or output information according to various commands. RTC9
, Measures the time by a clock signal from an oscillator (not shown) and outputs the current date and time.

The ROM 10 has a font information area 10-in which stores fonts of characters to be displayed on the liquid crystal display section 2-1.
1, a program area 10-2 storing a program showing the operation of the central control unit 8, a dictionary area 10-3 storing a dictionary for character conversion, and coordinates detected by the tablet control unit 4 as display positions. It has a coordinate information area 10-4 in which conversion information for performing conversion to the corresponding coordinates is stored. The RAM 11 is a data storage unit 1 for storing various data such as texts and figures input by the user from the input / output unit 2.
1-1, a program storage section 11-2 for holding a program of the program medium 15 when a program medium 15 described later is installed in the main body by using a program media access (reading) device 15 ', a map information memory for storing map information 11-3, an upper flag 11-4 indicating whether map information located above the display map is stored, a lower flag 11-5 indicating whether map information located below the display map is stored, It has a right flag 11-6 that indicates whether map information located on the right side of the display map is stored, and a left flag 11-7 that indicates whether map information located on the left side of the display map is stored. . In the above description, it is described that the program of the program medium 15 is installed in the RAM 11. However, the present invention is not limited to this. If the ROM 10 is an electrically rewritable nonvolatile EEPROM or flash ROM, a program storage unit is provided there. It may be configured. In either the RAM 11 or the ROM 10, a program for installing the ROM
It is assumed that it is stored in M10. In addition, the program of the program medium 15 is described as being installed in the main body using the program medium access (reading) device 15 ', but is not limited thereto, and is downloaded from an external communication network via a modular unit 12 described later. It may be.

The modular unit 12 is connected to a communication line, and performs transmission and reception of electronic mails and input / output of data with the Internet via a modular control unit 13. The main body power switch 14 turns on / off the main body power.
Switch. The program medium 15 is a recording medium configured to be separable from the main body, such as a tape system such as a magnetic tape or a cassette tape, a magnetic disk such as a floppy disk or a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an MO,
Disk system of optical disk such as MD, DVD, etc., card system such as IC card, optical card, or mask ROM, E
A fixed medium including a semiconductor memory such as a PROM, an EEPROM, a flash ROM, or the like may be used as the medium. Further, in the present invention, since the system configuration can be connected to a communication network including the Internet, the medium may carry a program in a fluid manner so that the program is downloaded from the communication network. When the program is downloaded from the communication network as described above, the download program may be stored in the apparatus main body in advance, or may be installed from another recording medium. Note that the content stored in the recording medium is not limited to a program, but may be data. In the program medium 15, an executable program read into the main body and executed, a source program capable of constructing the executable program, and an intermediate program are recorded. If a program has not been installed in the main body cabinet 1 in advance, each program and data necessary for causing the present invention to function are read from the program medium 15 using a program medium access (reading) device 15 '. Data is RAM
The program code of the execution program is stored in the data storage unit 11-2 of the RAM 11 in the data storage unit 11-1 of the RAM 11.
Are stored respectively.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a map display screen according to the present embodiment. When the user activates the map display mode and selects a map to be displayed, the map is displayed as shown in FIG. At this time, it is checked whether or not the map information following the displayed map up, down, left and right is stored. If the map information is stored, an effective scroll button 1 is provided around the inside and outside of the outer periphery of the map.
8. A marker 19 indicating that there is a map is displayed. If the map information following the displayed map up, down, left, and right is not stored, an invalid scroak button 20 and a marker 21 indicating that there is no map are displayed near the inside and outside of the outer periphery of the map. Here, since the map of the upper and lower sides and the left side is stored, the effective scroak button 18 and the marker 19 indicating that there is a map are provided near the upper and lower sides and the inner and outer sides of the outer periphery of the map.
Is displayed, and the map on the right side is not stored.
0 and a marker 21 indicating that there is no map are displayed.

Here, the scroll buttons and markers are displayed outside the outer periphery of the map, but they may be displayed inside the outer periphery of the map. Here, when the lower scroll button 18 is touched, a map following the map displayed in FIG. 4A is displayed as shown in FIG. 4B. At this time, the lower part of the map displayed in FIG. 4 (A) is somewhat overlapped in the state of FIG. 4 (B), and the user can continuously view the map. ing. When the user touches the right scroll button 20 in which no map is stored in the state of FIG. 5A, the corresponding map-less message 2 is displayed as shown in FIG. 5B.
2 is displayed. The corresponding map-less message 22 indicates that no map is stored, and a method for acquiring the corresponding map can be selected. Then, when the user touches the Internet button 22-1, a mode is set in which the corresponding map information is taken in via the Internet. When the PC button 22-2 is touched, a mode is set in which corresponding map information is taken in from a PC (personal computer). Here, a PC is used as an external information source, but a server machine connected to a network may be used. If you touch the cancel button 22-3,
The mapless message 22 is closed.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show examples of display screens at the time of importing a map via the Internet in this embodiment. FIG.
When the user touches the Internet button 22-1 in (B), an Internet connection preparation confirmation message 23 shown in FIG. 6A is displayed. Here, in order to connect to the Internet, the user makes preparations such as connecting a telephone line, and touches the OK button 23-1 to automatically display an HTML browser screen shown in FIG. 6B. Here, a URL that provides map information while connecting to the Internet (http://www.mapxxx.or.jp/mainma
p.html) is automatically set in the URL input section 25, a search is performed, and the home page is displayed on the HTML display section 26. If you touch the end button 24, HTML
The browser exits. Note that this URL is fictitious, and a map information providing provider corresponding to the present apparatus may be used in practice. Further, even if the map providing homepage does not support the map information, the map information may be downloaded in a file format for images and used. In the home page displayed on the HTML display unit 26 shown in FIG. 6B, an address corresponding to a map to be displayed in the address input unit 26-1 is input, and a search button 26-2 is touched. The corresponding map information is displayed on the HTML display unit 26 as shown in FIG. Here, the scroll bar 26-
By touching 3, the user can check the top, bottom, left, and right map information. Here, when the desired map information is displayed and the capture button 26-4 is touched, the map information displayed on the HTML display unit 26 is stored in the apparatus,
The map on the right side of the map displayed in FIG. 5A is shown in FIG.
Can be displayed as shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is an example of a display screen when a map is taken in by the PC of the present embodiment. FIG.
In (B), when the PC button 22-2 is touched,
A PC connection preparation confirmation message 27 shown in FIG. 8A is displayed. Here, in order to connect to the PC, the user makes preparations such as connecting a cable, and touches the OK button 27-1 to automatically start the map providing application shown in FIG. 8B. In this map providing application, desired map information can be acquired from the map information stored in the connected PC. End button 28
Touching quits the map providing application. In the map providing application, the address input unit 3
When an address corresponding to the map to be displayed at 0 is input and the search button 31 is touched, corresponding map information is searched from the storage unit of the connected PC based on the input address, and FIG.
The corresponding map information is displayed on the data display unit 3 as shown in FIG.
2 is displayed. Here, by touching the scroll bar 32-1, up, down, left, and right map information can be confirmed.

Here, when desired map information is displayed and the capture button 29 is touched, the map information displayed on the data display section 32 is stored in the apparatus, and the map information displayed in FIG. 8B can be displayed as shown in FIG. 8B. In the above embodiment, in the case of importing a map from the Internet or a PC, in both cases, an address corresponding to the map is input and a map range that is not stored is acquired. A map in a range following this map may be automatically acquired from the latitude and longitude at the upper right and lower ends of the right end of the map in FIG. FIG. 9 is an example of a display screen at the time of wide area display according to the present embodiment. When the wide area display button 16 is touched in the map display mode shown in FIG. 4A, a wide area map can be displayed centering on the map displayed in FIG. 4A as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, since the map on the right side is not stored in the storage unit of the apparatus, the map area that is not stored is blank displayed here. By displaying blank, there is no map of this area on the device,
It indicates to the user that if they want to refer to them, they need to retrieve them from an external source. FIG. 10 is a detailed block diagram of the circuit configuration of the electronic map device of the present invention. The operation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The user activates the map display mode, selects and displays a map to be displayed. At this time, if map information following up, down, left and right of the displayed map is stored, an effective scroll button and a marker indicating that there is a map are displayed near the inside and outside of the outer periphery of the map, and the RA is displayed.
The upper, lower, left and right flags "1" of M11 are set. If the map information following the displayed map up, down, left, and right is not stored, an invalid scroll button and a marker indicating that there is no map are displayed near the inside and outside of the outer periphery of the map. Set “0”. Here, if the user touches the lower scroll button indicating that the map information is stored, the pointing direction detection unit 34 detects the pointing direction, and if the pointing direction is detected, the map range is detected. Presence determination unit 35
By checking that the lower flag 11-5 of the RAM 11 is "1", it detects that a downward map is stored, and outputs a signal to the display buffer 38. In the display buffer 38, the map information memory 11-3 of the RAM 11
Then, the corresponding map information is read out and held, and a signal is output to the liquid crystal display circuit section 5 to display the corresponding map information on the input / output section 2. When the right scroll button 20 indicating that the map information is not stored is touched, the pointing direction detection unit 34 detects the direction instructed, and when it detects the right direction, the map range presence / absence determination unit By 35
By checking that the right flag 11-6 of the RAM 11 is "0", it is detected that a map in the right direction is not stored, and a signal is output to the liquid crystal display circuit section 5 to display a message indicating that there is no corresponding map. .

The corresponding map-less message clearly indicates that no map is stored, and allows the user to select a method for loading the map. If the user selects the Internet as the method for acquiring the corresponding map, the mode is switched to a mode for acquiring the corresponding map information via the Internet, and the user waits for preparations such as connecting a telephone line to connect to the Internet. When the user has completed the preparation, the map control section 1 controls the modular control section 1.
3 to start communication, and an HTML browser screen is automatically displayed. Here, a URL for providing map information is automatically set at the same time as connection to the Internet, a search is performed, and the display is connected to the homepage. On the displayed homepage, when an address corresponding to the map to be displayed is input and searched, the corresponding map information is displayed. Here, when the desired map information is displayed and the capture is instructed, the map information displayed by the map capture unit 36 is stored in the present device and can be displayed. When a PC is selected as a method for capturing the corresponding map, the mode is switched to a mode for capturing the relevant map information from the PC, and the user waits for preparations such as connecting a cable to connect to the PC. When the user has completed the preparation, the map capturing unit 36 outputs a signal to the modular control unit 13 to start communication, and the map providing application is automatically started. In this map providing application, desired map information can be acquired from the map information stored in the connected PC. In the map providing application, enter the address corresponding to the map you want to display, and when you search, the connected P
The corresponding map information is searched from the storage unit of C, and the corresponding map information is displayed. Here, the desired map information is displayed,
When a capture instruction is issued, the map information displayed on the data display unit 32 by the map capture unit 36 is stored in the apparatus and can be displayed.

In FIG. 4A, when the wide area display button 16 is touched, map information in eight directions around the currently displayed map information held in the display buffer 38 is stored in the map information memory 11- of the RAM 11. Read from 3,
It is stored in the wide area display buffer 37. Wide area display buffer 3
7, the upper, lower, left and right flags of the RAM 11 are checked, and the map information in the direction of the flag of "1" is read from the map information memory 11-3 of the RAM 11, and the direction of the flag of "0" is read. In the map information of, blank data is held. With respect to map information in oblique directions such as upper left, upper right, lower left, lower right, etc., it is possible to check presence / absence of storage from map information of up, down, left and right. When all data is held in the wide area display buffer 37, a signal is output to the liquid crystal display circuit section 5,
As shown in FIG. 9, a wide area display of a map can be performed.

Next, the operation procedure of the electronic map device of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 11 and 12 are flowcharts showing the overall operation procedure of the present embodiment. First, in step S1, the apparatus is activated in the map display mode. In the next step S2, map information desired by the user is selected from the stored map information, and the map information selected in step S3 is displayed. In step S4, a peripheral map located above, below, right and left of the currently displayed map is searched from the map information memory 11-3 of the RAM 11. In step S5, it is determined whether there is a peripheral map in the map information memory 11-3 as a result of the search in step S4. Map information memory 11-
If there is no surrounding map data in FIG.
As shown in (A), a blank scroll button 20 and a marker 21 indicating that there is no map are displayed near the inside and outside of the outer periphery of the display map, the corresponding flag of the RAM 11 is set to "0" in step S7, and the step S10 is executed. Proceed to.

If there is peripheral map data in the map information memory 11-3, in step S8, as shown in FIG.
A marker 19 indicating that there is a map is displayed, the corresponding flag in the RAM 11 is set to "1" in step S9, and the process proceeds to step S10. In step S10, it is determined whether or not a map presence / absence search has been performed for all of the upper, lower, left and right surroundings. If the map presence / absence search has not been performed for all the surroundings, the process returns to step S4. If the map presence / absence search has been performed for all the surroundings, the process proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the process waits until the input / output unit 2 is touched by the pen. In step S12, the touch position is read, and in step S13, it is determined where the touch position is. If the touch position is the wide area display button 16 shown in FIG. 4A, the wide area display processing is performed in step S14, and the process returns to step S4. The wide area display processing will be described later in detail with reference to FIG.

If the touch position is a scroll button such as 18 or 20 shown in FIG. 4A, the designated direction is detected from the position of the scroll button designated in step S15. In step S16, a flag corresponding to the detected direction is checked from among the upper, lower, left, and right flags of the RAM 11 in order to check whether or not there is a map in the detected indicated direction. In step S17, as a result of the check in step S16, depending on whether the pointing direction flag is "1" or "0",
It is determined whether or not the designated direction map exists in the map information memory 11-3. When the pointing direction flag is “1” and the pointing direction map is in the map information memory 11-3,
In step S18, the information of the designated direction map is read from the map information memory 11-3 of the RAM 11. In step S19, the map information read in step S18 is displayed,
It returns to step S4.

If the designated direction flag is "0" and the designated direction map does not exist in the map information memory 11-3, the corresponding map absence message 22 is sent at step S20 as shown in FIG. indicate. In step S21, the process waits until the input / output unit 2 is touched by a pen.
The touch position is read in 2 and it is determined in step S23 where the touch position is. Here, if the cancel button 22-3 shown in FIG. 5B is touched, the corresponding map-less message 22 is closed in step S24, and the process returns to step S11. If the Internet button 22-1 is touched, a map fetching process via the Internet is performed in step S25, and the process returns to step S4. The details of the map import processing via the Internet will be described later with reference to FIGS.

Further, when the PC button 22-2 is touched, the map is taken in by the PC in step S26.
It returns to step S4. The map fetching process by the PC will be described later in detail with reference to FIGS. Further, according to the determination in step S13, the touch position is determined as shown in FIG.
If it is the end button 17 shown in FIG.
To end the map display mode and end the processing.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when displaying a wide area map according to the present embodiment. First, step S1
In 4-1, a peripheral map located above, below, left and right of the currently displayed map is stored in a map information memory 11-3 of the RAM 11.
Search from. In step S14-2, in step S1
As a result of the search in 4-1, it is determined whether or not there is a peripheral map in the map information memory 11-3. Also, map information memory 1
If there is peripheral map data in 1-3, step S14-3
The corresponding map data in the map information memory 1 of the RAM 11
The map data read from 1-3 is set in the wide area display buffer 37 in step S14-4, and the process proceeds to step S14-6. If there is no peripheral map data in the map information memory 11-3, blank data is set in the wide area display buffer 37 in step S14-5, and the process proceeds to step S14-5.
Proceed to 6.

In step S14-6, it is determined whether or not a map presence / absence search has been performed for all the surroundings, up, down, left, and right. If the map presence / absence search has not been performed for all the surroundings, the process returns to step S14-1. If the map presence / absence search has been performed for all the surroundings, the process proceeds to step S14-7. In step S14-7, a wide area map is displayed based on the contents of the wide area display buffer 37. In step S14-8, the process waits until the input / output unit 2 is touched by the pen. In step S14-9, the touch position is read, and in step S14-10, it is determined where the touch position is. If the touch position is the point display button 33 shown in FIG. 9, the map data displayed at the center in FIG. 9 is displayed as shown in FIG. 4A based on the contents of the display buffer 38 in step S14-11. Then, the wide area display processing ends. If the touch position is the end button 17 shown in FIG. 9, the map display mode is ended in step S14-12, and the entire process is ended.

FIGS. 14 and 15 are flow charts showing the procedure of a map fetching process via the Internet according to this embodiment. First, in step S25-1, a connection preparation confirmation message 23 shown in FIG. 6A is displayed. Step S25
In step S2-3, the process waits until the input / output unit 2 is touched by the pen. In step S25-3, the touch position is read.
In 5-4, it is determined where the touch position is. If the touched position is the cancel button 23-2 shown in FIG. 6A, the connection preparation confirmation message 23 is closed in step S25-5, and the map import processing via the Internet is ended.

Here, the user prepares for connection to a telephone line in order to connect to the Internet.
If the user touches the OK button 23-1 shown in (A), the connection preparation confirmation message 23 is closed in step S25-6,
In step S25-7, the HTML browser is started. In step S25-8, the terminal is connected to the Internet, and in step S25-9, it is determined whether or not the connection is normally established. If the connection has not been made normally, the process returns to step S25-1, and if the connection has been made normally, the homepage of the map information is connected in step S25-10. Here, the URL for providing map information (http://www.mapxxx.or.jp/mainmap.html) is automatically set in the URL input unit 25, connected,
The home page is displayed on the HTML display unit 26. In step S25-11, on the home page displayed on the HTML display unit 26 shown in FIG. 6B, an address corresponding to the map to be displayed on the address input unit 26-1 is input,
By touching the search button 26-2, the corresponding map information is displayed on the HTML display unit 26 as shown in FIG. Next, it waits until the input / output unit 2 is touched by the pen in step S25-12, reads the touch position in step S25-13, and determines where the touch position is in step S25-14. Fig. 7
If it is the end button 24 shown in (A), step S25
At -15, the HTML browser is terminated, and the map import processing via the Internet is terminated. If the touched position is any other key, other processing is performed in step S25-16, and the map import processing via the Internet ends. As other processing, by touching the scroll bar 26-3 shown in FIG. 7A, it is possible to check the top, bottom, left, and right map information. If the touch position is the capture button 26-4 shown in FIG.
In step S25-17, the map information displayed on the HTML display unit 26 is stored in the device, and in step S25-18
FIG. 7 shows the map on the right side of the map displayed in FIG.
The screen is displayed as shown in (B), and the map import processing via the Internet is terminated.

FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 are flowcharts showing the map fetching procedure by the PC of this embodiment. First, in step S26-1, a connection preparation confirmation message 27 shown in FIG. 8A is displayed. In step S26-2, the process waits until the input / output unit 2 is touched by a pen.
In step S26-4, it is determined where the touch position is. If the touch position is the cancel button 27-2 shown in FIG. 8A, the connection preparation confirmation message 23 is closed in step S26-5, and the map import processing by the PC ends. Here, in order to connect to the PC, the user makes preparations such as connecting a cable and touches an OK button 27-1 shown in FIG. 8A, and a connection preparation confirmation message 27 is displayed in step S26-6. Then, the map providing application is started in step S26-7. In step S26-8, connection to the PC is made, and in step S26-9, it is determined whether the connection has been made normally. If the connection has not been made normally, step S26-1
Return to step S26-10 if the connection has been established normally.
To search and display the desired map. As a desired map search process, by inputting an address corresponding to a map to be displayed in the address input unit 30 shown in FIG. 8B and touching a search button 31, corresponding map information is displayed in the data display unit 32. Is displayed. Next, it waits until the input / output unit 2 is touched by the pen in step S26-11, reads the touch position in step S26-12, and determines where the touch position is in step S26-13. Fig. 8
If it is the end button 28 shown in FIG.
At -14, the map providing application is terminated, and the map import processing by the PC is terminated. Also, scroll bar 32
By touching -1, it is possible to check the top, bottom, left and right map information. If the touch position is the capture button 29, the data display unit 3 is selected in step S26-15.
2 is stored in the present apparatus, and the map on the right side of the map displayed in FIG. 5A is displayed in step S26-16 as shown in FIG. End the import process.

[0033]

According to the present invention, when it is necessary to display map information that is not stored in the information processing apparatus, the map information is fetched from an external information source and displayed. When unneeded map information is needed, it can be imported from an external information source, and the desired map can be displayed easily and continuously. And save memory capacity. Currently, the range that you do not have is displayed at a glance by displaying a marker on the map, and if you want to see the subsequent map range, you can get it continuously by obtaining it from an external information source It is. Also, when a map other than the map range currently owned becomes necessary, the user can connect to the communication network and obtain the necessary map range from anywhere at any time. It is also possible to prevent an increase in cost due to having a larger storage capacity.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an electronic map device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid crystal display unit of the electronic map device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the electronic map device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a map display screen of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of the map display screen of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen when a map is fetched via the Internet according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display screen following FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen when a map is taken in by the PC of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen at the time of wide area display according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a more detailed block diagram of a circuit configuration of the electronic map device of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the electronic map device of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart following FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for displaying a wide area map according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a procedure of map import processing by the Internet according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart continued from FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a map fetching procedure by the PC of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart following FIG. 16;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Main body cabinet part, 2 ... Input / output part, 3 ... Lid part, 4
... Tablet control unit, 5 ... Liquid crystal display circuit unit, 6 ... Common circuit, 7 ... Segment circuit, 8 ... Central control unit, 9 ... RT
C, 10 ROM, 11 RAM, 12 modular unit, 13 modular control unit, 14 main unit power switch, 15 program media, 15 'program media access device, 16 wide area display button, 17 end button , 18: valid scroll button, 19: marker indicating that there is a map, 20: invalid scroll button, 21: marker indicating that there is no map, 22: no corresponding map message, 23: connection preparation confirmation message, 24 ... end button, 25 ... URL input section, 26 ... H
TML display section, 27 ... Connection preparation confirmation message, 28 ...
End button, 29: Import button, 30: Address input section, 3
1 Search button, 32 Data display unit, 33 Point display button, 34 Direction detection unit, 35 Map range presence / absence determination unit, 36 Map capture unit, 37 Wide area display buffer, 38 Display buffer.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G08G 1/0969 G06F 15/62 335 9A001 F term (Reference) 2C032 HB05 HB31 HC05 HC14 HC25 HC27 2F029 AA07 AC14 5B050 AA10 BA17 CA05 FA02 FA08 FA14 GA08 5B075 ND06 PP10 PQ02 PQ66 UU13 5H180 AA21 BB05 BB12 BB13 FF13 FF22 FF27 FF33 FF36 9A001 BB03 CC05 DD13 FZ03 JJ11 JJ25 KK62

Claims (8)

[Claims] An information processing apparatus comprising: a storage unit that stores an electronic map; a control unit that controls display of the electronic map; and a display unit that displays the electronic map. If there is a range, means for indicating no map range indicating that the range of the map does not exist in the storage unit; means for reading the map range indicated by the suggestion means from an external information source into the storage unit; An electronic map apparatus, comprising: means for displaying a map captured by means on the display unit. 2. The electronic map device according to claim 1, wherein a map in a range following the displayed map is present in the storage unit near the inside and outside of the outer periphery of the currently displayed map. An electronic map device, comprising: a marker display unit that displays a marker indicating a range of a map that is not displayed. 3. The electronic map apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for indicating a map range that does not exist in the storage unit when a wider area is displayed than a map range currently displayed. An electronic map device characterized by the above-mentioned. 4. The electronic map device according to claim 1, wherein when an attempt is made to display a map range that does not exist in the storage unit, map information is fetched from an external information source. An electronic map device, comprising: means for notifying that it is necessary. 5. The electronic map device according to claim 4, wherein the external information source is an information source on a communication network connected by a communication line, and the map does not exist in the storage unit from the information source. An electronic map device, comprising: means for capturing information of a range. 6. The electronic map device according to claim 4, wherein the external information source is in a different information processing device from the information processing device, and is present in the storage unit from the different information processing device. An electronic map device, comprising: means for capturing information on a range of a map that does not exist. 7. The electronic map device according to claim 5, further comprising: a map information download unit that downloads map information from the external information source to the storage unit. 8. When the computer has a map range that does not exist in the storage unit, a function that indicates that the map range does not exist in the storage unit is provided. A recording medium on which a program for executing a function to be loaded into the storage unit and a function to display the loaded map on the display unit is recorded.