JP2003090731A - Communication type navigation device, information providing device, and method for providing information to communication type navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the amount of data transferred between a communication navigation device and an information providing device. SOLUTION: An information providing center 10, when displaying a map of a vehicle position or the circumference of a point that the user of the communication type navigation device 20 specifies, finds an area to be displayed as the map together with the point while taking the screen size of the display 2008 of the communication type navigation device 20 into consideration. Then map data needed to display the area are sent to the communication type navigation device 20.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication navigation device and an information providing device for providing information to the communication navigation device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A system of a type in which map data and route data are transmitted from an information providing device to a communication type navigation device and the communication type navigation device uses the information to perform navigation is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-55.
It is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 682.

In this system, the communication type navigation device sends a route search request including a departure place and a destination to the information providing device. The information providing device calculates a guide route between two points included in the route search request received from the communication navigation device. Then, the route data of the guide route and the map data around the guide route are transmitted to the communication navigation device. The communication navigation device guides the route using the route data and the map data received from the information providing device.

[0004]

By the way, when it is attempted to provide map data or route data to a communication type navigation device using the information providing device, it is expected that many communication type navigation devices will access the information providing device. It Therefore, it is important to reduce the communication traffic between the communication navigation device and the information providing device. Reducing the communication traffic between the communication navigation device and the information providing device also leads to the saving of the storage capacity of the communication navigation device. However, the above-mentioned prior art does not consider this point.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of data transfer between a communication navigation device and an information providing device. Another object of the present invention is to suppress an increase in storage capacity required for a communication navigation device.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, in the first aspect of the present invention, in consideration of the screen size (resolution etc.) of the display device of the communication navigation device,
When displaying a map near the current location or a location designated by the operator, the area to be displayed together with the location is obtained. Then, the map data necessary for displaying this area is transmitted from the information providing device to the communication navigation device.

Here, the calculation of the area may be performed by a communication navigation device or an information providing device.

When the information providing apparatus is made to calculate the area, for example, in addition to the information on the point to be displayed on the map, the screen size information is added to the map data request transmitted from the communication type navigation apparatus to the information providing apparatus. In addition, the information providing device may be caused to perform the operation based on these pieces of information included in the map data request.

Alternatively, screen size information of each communication navigation device is registered in advance in the information providing device, and the screen size is specified based on the identification information of the communication navigation device included in the map data request. Then
The area may be calculated based on the screen size and the information of the point to be displayed on the map included in the map data request.

By doing so, it is possible to minimize the transmission of map data, which is unlikely to be used for map display, from the information providing device to the communication type navigation device, and to reduce the communication type navigation device and information. The amount of data transferred between the providing devices can be reduced. Further, it is possible to prevent the storage capacity of the communication navigation device from being overwhelmed by the map data that is unlikely to be used for displaying the map.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the second aspect of the present invention, in order to be able to deal with all map scales that can be displayed by the communication type navigation device, a plurality of maps in the same area can be used. Instead of transmitting the map data from the information providing device to the communication navigation device, only the map data that can correspond to the scale factor actually used by the communication navigation device for displaying the map is transmitted from the information providing device to the communication navigation device. I am trying to send it to the device.

For example, a list of map scale factors is displayed on the communication navigation device, and the operator is allowed to select the scale factor used for the map display. At this time, it is preferable to be able to identify which scale ratio the communication navigation device holds for the area to be displayed on the map. Further, it is preferable that the scale factor currently used for the map display can be identified. Then, for the area to be displayed on the map, when the communication navigation device does not hold the map data corresponding to the selected scale, the map data of the area corresponding to the scale is transmitted from the information providing device. Send to the communication navigation device.

By doing so, it is possible to minimize the transmission of map data at a scale ratio that is not planned to be used for map display from the information providing device to the communication navigation device, and The amount of data transferred between the information providing devices can be reduced. Also, with map data at a scale that is not planned to be used for map display,
It is possible to suppress pressure on the storage capacity of the communication navigation device.

In order to solve the above problems, in the third aspect of the present invention, the route data used by the communication navigation device for route guidance is collectively transmitted from the information providing device to the communication navigation device. rather than,
The data is divided into a plurality of section route data, and each section route data is transmitted as needed for route guidance.

For example, when the current position of the communication type navigation device approaches the end of the traveling direction on the section route used for route guidance, the information of the section route following the end of the traveling direction is provided to the information providing device. To the communication navigation device.

By the above, it is possible to suppress the data of the section route which is not immediately used for route guidance from being transmitted from the information providing device to the communication type navigation device,
It is possible to reduce the data transfer amount between the communication type navigation device and the information providing device. In addition, it is possible to prevent the storage capacity of the communication navigation device from being pressed by the data of the section route that is not immediately used for route guidance.

Further, in order to solve the above problems, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, detailed data (for route guidance) of all guidance route candidates detected by the information providing device by route search according to the request of the communication type navigation device. Data that can be used) is not transmitted from the information providing device to the communication navigation device, but first, rough data of all the detected guide route candidates (the operator of the communication navigation device selects a desired guide route candidate). Necessary data) to be transmitted from the information providing device to the communication navigation device to allow the operator of the communication navigation device to select a desired guidance route candidate, and to provide only detailed data of the selected guidance route. The device transmits to the communication type navigation device.

By doing so, it is possible to suppress the detailed data of the route which is not used for the route guidance from being transmitted from the information providing device to the communication type navigation device, and the communication type navigation device and the information providing device. The amount of data transfer between them can be reduced. In addition, detailed data of routes that are not planned to be used for route guidance,
It is possible to suppress pressure on the storage capacity of the communication navigation device.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

As shown in the figure, the communication system of this embodiment includes a communication type navigation device 20 installed in a vehicle, an information terminal 30 installed in a home or the like, map data, route data, and traffic. The information providing center 10 that provides various data related to navigation such as data to the communication navigation device 20 and the information terminal 30 is configured.

Here, the communication type navigation device 20
Is configured to be connectable to a mobile phone 40. The mobile phone 40 enables the mobile phone network 60 and the ISP (Inte
rnet Services Provider) 64, IP (Internet Proto)
col) Communicates with the information providing center 10 via the network 66. In addition, the communication navigation device 20 uses the GPS
The receiver 44 and the vehicle speed sensor 46 are connectable. Further, the communication type navigation device 20 is provided with a slot for mounting a memory card 48 for storing authentication information for accessing the information providing center 10 and various data obtained from the information providing center 10. There is.

The information terminal 30 is constructed so that it can be connected to the fixed telephone 42, and the fixed telephone 32 communicates with the information providing center 10 via the fixed telephone network 62, the ISP 64 and the IP network 66. . As the information terminal 30, a personal computer having a communication function or the like can be used.

Now, in the communication system having the above configuration,
The communication navigation device 20 transmits various requests such as a map data request, a route search request, and a spot registration request to the information providing center 10. Then, using the map data and the route data obtained from the information providing center 10, the map is displayed and the route is guided.

When the information providing center 10 receives a request from the communication navigation device 20, the information providing center 10 performs a process according to the request. For example, in response to a map data request, the map data of the area including the point included in the request is transmitted to the communication navigation device 20. In response to the route search request, the route between the two points included in the request is searched and the route data of this route is transmitted to the communication navigation device 20. In response to the point registration request, the point information is registered in the database in association with the user of the communication navigation device 20.

In the communication system having the above configuration,
Various requests such as a map data request and a spot registration request can also be transmitted from the information terminal 30 to the information providing center 10.

Next, the configurations of the information providing center 10 and the communication type navigation device 20 which constitute the above communication system will be described.

First, the configuration of the information providing center 10 will be described.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the information providing center 10.

In FIG. 2, the communication unit 101 is an IP network 6
6 and the ISP 64 to communicate with the communication navigation device 20 and the information terminal 30. It should be noted that in the following description, for example, when receiving an instruction or information from the user of the communication navigation device 20 or the information terminal 30, C
GI (Common Gate Interface) or the like is used.

The authentication unit 110 performs user authentication using a user information management DB (database) 111 in which authentication information of users who can use the information providing center 10 is registered. That is, whether or not authentication information such as a user name and a password is acquired from a user of the communication navigation device 20 or the information terminal 30 who has accessed the communication unit 101, and whether or not this authentication information is registered in the user information management DB 111. Find out. It should be noted that the authentication unit 110 only receives a request received from the communication-type navigation device 20 or the information terminal 30 for which user authentication has been completed, and each unit 120 described below
The communication unit 101 is controlled so as to notify ~ 160.

The POI (Point Of Interest) information retrieval unit 160 follows the POI information request received from the communication type navigation device 20 or the information terminal 30 via the communication unit 101 and the POI information request from the map editing unit 120 described later. , From the point information (latitude / longitude, name, characteristics, genre (facility type, usage, purpose, etc.), and other comments, image information, audio information, etc. within or near the area specified by the information included in the POI information request Information)
The POI information management DB 161 is searched. Then, the detected point information is transmitted as POI information to the transmission source of the POI information request. In the POI information management DB 161, spot information of main spots is registered for each region.

The point information registration / retrieval unit 150 is the communication unit 1.
According to the spot registration request received from the communication type navigation device 20 or the information terminal 30 via 01, the spot information such as the user's favorite place or the spot visited in the past is stored in the spot information management DB 151 according to the genre (facility). Type, use, purpose, etc.) and register. In addition, the spot information registration / search unit 140 requests the spot information according to the spot information request received from the communication navigation device 20 or the information terminal 30 via the communication unit 101 or the spot information request from the map editing unit 120 described later. Point information registered by the user specified by the information included in the point information management D
Search from B151. Then, the detected point information is transmitted to the source of the point information request.

The traffic information search unit 140 requests the traffic information received from the communication type navigation device 20 and the information terminal 30 via the communication unit 101, and the route search unit 13 described later.
According to the traffic information request from 0, the traffic information management DB 141 is searched for traffic information such as traffic jams and accidents occurring near the point included in the traffic information request or in the area.
Then, the result is transmitted to the transmission source of the traffic information request.

FIG. 3 shows an example of registered contents of the traffic information management DB 141. As shown in the figure, in the traffic information management DB 141, the traffic information 1413 such as an accident or a traffic jam, the road name 1411 of the road on which it occurs, and the location information of the section including the generation section or the generation point (both ends of the section) 1412 corresponding to the coordinate value of the point located at the position). Here, the position information 1412 of the section can specify the traveling direction. For example, between the two points A and B, the position information 1312 of the section from the point A to the point B and the position information 1312 of the section from the point B to the point A are treated as information of different sections. To do. Further, in the traffic information 1413, information such as types such as accidents and traffic congestion and the degree of influence on vehicle traveling is registered together with information for explaining the traffic information such as comments. The traffic information management DB 141 may be configured to periodically access the traffic information providing site via the communication unit 101, obtain the latest traffic information, and be updated based on this information. Alternatively, a plurality of vehicles (called probe cars) for collecting traffic information may be run, and the latest traffic information on each road may be collected from each probe car and updated based on this information. .

The map editing unit 120 reads out necessary map data from the map DB 121 according to the map data request received from the communication type navigation device 20 or the information terminal 30 via the communication unit 101. Then, it is transmitted to the transmission source of the map data request via the communication unit 101.

FIG. 4 shows an example of registered contents in the map DB 121. As shown in the figure, in the map DB 121, for each mesh obtained by dividing the national map into meshes, the map data 1213 includes the mesh number 1211 and the coordinate values of the corresponding mesh (latitude / longitude of two vertices on the diagonal). value)
It is registered in association with 1212. Here, the map data 1213 is a plurality of map data 1213a to 1213a-1.
213d is included. Each of the map data 1213a to 1213d corresponds to a different scale ratio and includes map version information.

First, the map editing unit 120, based on the position information of the point and the display size (resolution) information included in the map data request, the area to be included in the map data to be transmitted to the sender of the map data request. Ask for. For example, centering on the coordinate value specified by the position information of the point, the radius a ×
The area included in r is determined as the area included in the map data transmitted to the transmission source of the map data request. Where r is
The larger value of the horizontal resolution and the vertical resolution of the display screen specified by the display size information, and a
Is a coefficient having a predetermined value.

The display size information may be included in the map data request and sent from the source of the map data request to the information providing center 10. Alternatively, by correlating the display size information with the user authentication information,
It may be registered in the user information management DB 111 in advance. The case where the display size information is included in the map data request will be described below.

Next, the map editing section 120 determines the maximum area to be included in the map data transmitted to the sender of the map data request.
Map DB12 from the minimum latitude value and the maximum / minimum longitude value
Mesh number 1211 of map data to be read from 1
Identify (there may be more than one). Also, check the designation of the scale factor included in the map data request.

Then, the map editing section 120 reads out map data corresponding to the scale factor of the specified mesh number 1211 from the map DB 121, and the communication section 101.
To the sender of the map data request via. here,
The map editing unit 120 uses the P for the area represented by the map data.
The POI information search unit 160 is notified of the OI information request, and the PO
The POI information may be obtained from the I information search unit 160 and transmitted together with the map data. Furthermore, a point information request for the area represented by the map data is transmitted to the point information registration / retrieval section 150, the point information registered by the user is obtained from the point information registration / retrieval section 150, and this is stored together with the map data in the map. You may make it transmit to the transmission source of a data request.

In accordance with the route search request received from the communication type navigation device 20 via the communication unit 101, the route search unit 130 uses the road DB 131 in which the road data used for the route search is registered to make a route search request. Detect multiple included routes between origin and destination. Then, consider the optional information included in the route search request (condition information for route search, such as giving priority to routes with low prices or giving priority to routes with short arrival times at destinations), etc. By utilizing, at least one guide route candidate is detected from the detected plural routes.

At this time, the route search unit 130 causes the latest traffic information registered in the traffic information management DB 141 to be reflected in the arrival time at the destination. That is,
The traffic information request unit 140 is notified of the traffic information request for each road section that constitutes each detected route. Then, the traffic information is obtained from the traffic information search unit 140, and the arrival time to the destination when each detected route is used is calculated in consideration of the influence degree included in the traffic information.

Further, the route search unit 130 has the communication unit 10
According to the detour route search request received from the communication navigation device 20 via 1, the necessity of detour route search is determined. First, the traffic information search unit 140 is notified of the traffic information request for each road section that is identified by the information included in the detour route search request and that constitutes the traveling direction side of the vehicle position of the guide route, and the traffic information search unit 140 is notified. Get traffic information from. When the influence degree included in the traffic information is large, it is determined that the detour route needs to be searched because the situation of the guide route has changed due to the change of the traffic information. Next, if it is determined that it is necessary to search for a detour route, a new guide route candidate to the destination of the guide route is set in the same way as in the above route search request, with the vehicle position as the starting point. Detect at least one.

In addition, the route search unit 130 also provides the outline data of each of the at least one guide route candidates detected as described above (information necessary for the user to select a desired guide route candidate (the outline shape of the route). Data) including information) is created. Then, this is transmitted to the transmission source of the route search request or the detour route search request, and the user is made to select the guide route candidate to be used as the guide route.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the data format of the outline data of each of the guide route candidates.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1341 is a header (all data header) for the outline data of all the guide route candidates. Reference numeral 1342 is schematic data of each of the guide route candidates.

Here, the total data header 1341 is an offset for accessing the management number, the total data size, the screen display range of each guide route candidate, the number of guide route candidates, and the storage position of the outline data 1342 of each guide route candidate. Is stored.

Further, the outline data 134 of the guide route candidates
2 is composed of a guide route candidate header 1343 and schematic data 1344 of each section which constitutes the guide route candidate. In the guide route candidate header 1343, the actual total distance of the guide route candidate, required time, charge, option information (route search condition information prioritized when selecting the guide route candidate), the number of sections constituting the guide route candidate, An offset or the like is stored to access the storage position of the rough data of each section. Further, the section outline data 1344 stores basic coordinate values on the display screen, the number of element point sequences that specify each of the plurality of line segment data representing the section, the coordinate values of each element point sequence, and the like.

Next, the route search unit 130 determines the detailed data of the guide route selected by the user (information necessary for performing route guidance (information on the detailed shape of the route and guidance points such as intersections and branch points). Data) including the guidance information, etc.). Then, this is transmitted to the source of the route search request or the detour route search request.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the data format of the detailed data of the guide route.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 1351 is a header (all data header) for the detailed data of all the sections forming the guide route. Reference numeral 1352 is detailed data of each section.

Here, in the all data header 1351, the management number, the total data size, the display range when the guide route is entirely displayed, the number of sections forming the guide route, and the storage position of the detailed data 1352 of each section are displayed. The offset and the like are stored for access.

The detailed section data 1352 includes a section header 1354 and a plurality of section data 1355 provided for each data type. Section header 1354
Shows the version of the map data representing the vicinity of the section registered in the map DB 121, the actual distance of the section, the required time, the charge, the number of the section data 1355, and the attribute information of each section data 1355 (type, storage location is accessed. Therefore, offset etc. are stored. In addition, a plurality of section data 135
One of the five is data for each induction point in the section. The section data 1355 for each guide point stores the number of guide points in the section, an offset for accessing the storage position of the data of each guide point, the data of each guide point, and the like. The data of each guidance point includes the presence or absence of a detour point setting, the coordinate value of the base point on the display screen, the distance to the next guidance point, an enlarged view near the guidance point, a deformed enlarged view that simplifies this enlarged view, The number of element points up to the next guidance point, the coordinate value of each element point, etc. are stored. Here, the detour point is
This refers to the point that is the timing for determining the necessity of detour route search.

When the detailed data of the guide route is transmitted to the transmission source of the route search request or the detour route search request, if the capacity of the detailed data of the guide route exceeds a predetermined capacity, the route search unit 130 sends it. Detailed data 1 of all data header 1351 and multiple section routes
It is divided into 352 and held by the route holding unit 133.
Then, the entire data header 1351 is transmitted to the transmission source of the route search request or the detour route search request, and the detailed data 1352 of the section route is transmitted in response to the download request from the transmission source. In addition, in the detailed data of the guide route, the part that overlaps with the outline data of each of the guide route candidates transmitted previously may be omitted.

The route search unit 130 also manages the communication area of the mobile telephone network 60 by using the communication area management DB 13
2 is used to check whether the destination included in the route search request is outside the communication area range of the mobile telephone network 60.
If it is outside the communication area range, the transmission source of the route search request confirms whether or not the route from the destination to the departure place, that is, the return route is also searched. Then, when it is confirmed that the return route is also searched, the route included in the route request is set as the starting point and the starting point is set as the destination in the same manner as above.

The information providing center 10 having the above-described configuration is, for example, a CPU 1001 as shown in FIG.
A memory 1002, an external storage device 1003 such as a hard disk device, a reading device 1007 for reading data from a portable storage medium 1009 such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM, and an input device 1 such as a keyboard or a mouse.
005, an output device 1006 such as a monitor, and the IP network 66
A computer system having a general configuration, which includes a communication device 1004 that communicates via a computer and a bus 1008 that connects these devices, or a network configured by connecting a plurality of these computer systems to a network. It can be built on the system.

On the computer system or the network system as described above, the above information providing center 10 is provided.
The program for constructing the
From the storage medium 1 or via the reading device 1007
009, load it on the memory 1002,
You may make it execute 001. Alternatively, the CPU 1001 may be loaded from the IP network 66 onto the memory 1002 via the communication device 1004.

Next, the structure of the communication type navigation device 20 will be described.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration example of the communication type navigation device 20.

As shown in the figure, the communication navigation device 20 includes, for example, a CPU 2001 and a CPU 2001.
RAM 2002 functioning as a work area of the mobile phone, a flash ROM 2003 storing various programs for realizing each function that the communication navigation device 20 can provide to the user, and a mobile phone IF (connecting the mobile phone 40). Interface) 2004 and the memory card 4 mounted on the communication navigation device 20
8 memory card IF2005, GP for communication
A sensor IF 2006 for connecting the S receiver 40 and the vehicle speed sensor 46, an operation panel 2007, a display 2008 such as an LCD, a GPU 2009 for drawing an image to be displayed on the display 2008, and a video R.
It has an AM 2010, an audio device 2011 such as a speaker and a microphone, and a bus 2012 for interconnecting these units 2001 to 2011.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a software configuration example of the communication type navigation device 20. This software configuration is realized by the CPU 2001 loading various programs stored in the flash ROM 2003 onto the RAM 202 and executing the programs when the communication navigation device 20 is powered on. In FIG. 9, the OS (Op
erating System), Win by Microsoft
The case where dows (trademark) is used is illustrated.

In FIG. 9, a device layer 2100 indicates a hardware device, and the operation panel 200 is shown.
7, display 2008, audio device 2011,
It includes a memory card 48, a mobile phone 40, a GPS receiver 40 and a vehicle speed sensor 46.

The driver layer 2200 is the device layer 210.
0 is a software group that drives each hardware device, and an operation panel driver 2201 that drives the operation panel 2007 and a GDI that drives the display 2008.
(Graphic Device Interface) display driver 2202, audio driver 2203 for driving audio device 2011, memory card driver 220 for reading / writing data from / to the memory card 48
4, a communication driver 2205 for performing communication using the mobile phone 40, and a sensor driver 220 for obtaining data from the GPS receiver 44 and the vehicle speed sensor 46.
Including 6.

The middle layer 2300 is the driver layer 2200.
It is a general common software group for driving each driver. Examples of such common software include middleware for graphics and HTTP (Hype
There are middleware for r Text Transfer Protocol, MFC (Microsoft Foundation Class) and DOS (Disk Operating System) -file of Microsoft Corporation.

The tool layer 2400 is a software group of tools essential for navigation. As such a tool, a map drawing tool 2401 for drawing a map according to map data and a GP from the GPS receiver 44
Dead reckoning tool 2402 for calculating the vehicle position based on S information, route determination tool 2403 for determining whether the vehicle position deviates from the guidance route, guidance for providing the user with information necessary for route guidance Information tool 2
404, map management tool 2405, DAL (Data Acces
s Language).

Shared OBJ (object) layer 2500
Contains the data needed for navigation. As such data, vehicle position data 2501, travel locus data 2502, data 250 of each guidance point on the guidance route.
3. Guide route data 2504, time data 250
5 and traffic data 2506. These data can be commonly accessed from each tool of the tool layer 2400. Also, the shared OBJ layer 2500 is the same as the tool layer 240.
0 tools and MMI (Man Machin) of application layer 2500
Various events (display and change of each data, etc.) are issued to the e interface) 2601.

The application layer 2500 is the shared OBJ layer 250.
In response to an event from 0 or an event from the operation panel driver 2201 of the driver layer 2200, the MMI 260
1 to access and refer to necessary data in the shared OBJ layer 2500.

The configurations of the information providing center 10 and the communication type navigation device 20 have been described above.

Next, the operations of the information providing center 10 and the communication type navigation device 20 having the above configurations will be described.

First, the operation of the information providing center 10 will be described.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the information providing center 10.

When the communication type navigation device 20 or the information terminal 30 is accessed via the IP network 66 (S1001), the communication unit 101 obtains authentication information from these devices (hereinafter referred to as an access terminal). (S1002),
Notify the authentication unit 110. The authentication unit 110 performs user authentication by checking whether this authentication information is registered in the user information management DB 111, and notifies the communication unit 101 of the result (S1003). The communication unit 101 is
When the user authentication is not established (N in S1004)
o), notifying the access terminal of error messages,
Access is denied (S1005).

On the other hand, when the user authentication is established (Yes in S1004), the communication unit 101 accepts the request from the access terminal (S1006) and analyzes the request content (S1007). As a result, if the request is a map data request, the map editing unit 120 is notified of the request and the map transmission process is performed (S1008). Route search request,
If the request is a route request or a detour route search request, the route search unit 130 is notified of the request, and route search processing, route transmission processing, or detour route search processing is performed (S1009 to S1011). If it is a spot registration request or spot information request, spot information registration / search unit 15
0 is notified of the request, and the spot registration process or spot information search process is performed (S1012, S1013).
If it is a POI information request, the POI information searching unit 160 is notified of the request and the POI information searching process is performed (S1014). If it is a traffic information request, the traffic information search unit 140 is notified of the request, and traffic information search processing is performed (S1015).

The above processing is continued until the communication with the access terminal is disconnected (S1016).

Next, the operation in S1008 (map transmission processing) of FIG. 10 will be described.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1008 (map transmission processing) of FIG.

When the map editing unit 120 receives a map data request from the access terminal via the communication unit 101, the map editing unit 120 determines the access terminal based on the position information of the spot and the display size (resolution) information included in the request. The area to be included in the map data transmitted to is requested (S1101). Next, the mesh number 1211 of the map data to be read from the map DB 121 is specified from the obtained maximum / minimum latitude value and maximum / minimum longitude value of the area. Then, the map data 1213 of the specified mesh number 1211 that can correspond to the scale factor included in the map data request is converted into the map D.
It is read from B121 (S1102).

Next, if the map data request includes the POI information request, the map editing section 120 (S1103).
Yes), the POI information search unit 16 sends a POI information request including the designation of the area represented by the read map data 1213.
0 is notified, and the POI information search process described later is performed (S1014). Then, the POI information is obtained from the POI information search unit 160. Further, if the map data request includes the spot information request, the map editing unit 120 (S1).
(Yes at 105), the spot information registration / search unit 150 is notified of the spot information request including the designation of the area represented by the read map data 1213 and the designation of the user of the access terminal, and the spot information search processing described later is performed. (S101
6). Then, the spot information registration / search unit 150 obtains spot information registered by the user of the access terminal.

When the map editing section 120 obtains the map data and the POI information and the point information in response to the map data request, the map editing section 120 transmits these to the access terminal via the communication section 101 (S1107).

Next, the operation in S1009 (route search process) of FIG. 10 will be described.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1009 (route search processing) of FIG.

Upon receiving the route search request from the access terminal via the communication unit 101, the route search unit 130 uses the road DB 131 to detect a plurality of routes between the departure place and the destination included in the route search request. To do. Then, considering the option information included in the route search request and the traffic information registered in the traffic information management DB 141, the Dijkstra method or the like is used to detect at least one guide route candidate from the detected multiple routes. Yes (S1201).

Next, the route search unit 130 creates the outline data (see FIG. 5) of each of the at least one guide route candidate detected as described above. Then, this is transmitted to the access terminal via the communication unit 101 (S120
2) The user of the access terminal is made to select a guide route candidate to be used as a guide route (S1203).

Then, the route search unit 130 obtains, from the map DB 121, version information of map data representing the vicinity of each section that constitutes the selected guide route (S1204). Then, detailed data (see FIG. 6) of the selected guide route including this map version information is created (S1205).

Next, the route search unit 130 checks, using the communication area management DB 132, whether the destination included in the route search request is outside the communication area range of the mobile telephone network 60 (S1206). If it is outside the communication area range, the access terminal confirms whether to search for a route from the destination to the departure place, that is, a return route.
Then, when it is confirmed that the return route is also searched (Yes in S1207), the route search in which the destination included in the route request is the starting point and the starting point is the destination is
The operation is performed in the same manner as the above S1201 to S1202 (S
1208).

Then, the route search unit 130 transmits the detailed data of the guide route created as described above to the access terminal via the communication unit 101 (S121).
2).

At this time, the route search section 130 determines that the detailed data of the return guide route is not included in the transmission target and the total data size of the guide route detailed data exceeds the predetermined capacity ( (Yes in S1209), the detailed data is divided into the data header 1351 and the detailed data 1352 of a plurality of sections, and the route holding unit 133 holds the detailed information 1352 in association with the user information of the access terminal (for example, user authentication information) (S1210). ). Then, among them, the entire data header 1351 and the detailed data 1352 of the first section are transmitted to the access terminal via the communication unit 101 (S1211).

Next, the operation in S1010 (route transmission processing) of FIG. 10 will be described.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1010 (route transmission processing) of FIG.

Upon receiving the route request from the access terminal via the communication unit 101, the route search unit 130 causes the route holding unit 133 to associate the section designated by the route request with the user information of the access terminal. The detailed data 1352 of the section to be transmitted to the access terminal is specified by using the divided and held all data header 1351 (S1301). And detailed data 1 of the specified section
352 is read from the route holding unit 133 and is transmitted to the access terminal via the communication unit 101 (S130).
2).

Next, the operation in S1011 (detour route search process) of FIG. 10 will be described.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1011 (detour route search process) of FIG.

When the route search unit 130 receives a detour route search request from the access terminal via the communication unit 101, the route search unit 130 identifies the guide route based on the information included in the detour route search request. Then, the traffic information requesting unit 140 is notified of the traffic information request of each road section (road section toward the destination) that constitutes the traveling direction side of the vehicle position included in the detour route search request of this guide route, and Information search section 1
Traffic information is obtained from 40 (S1401). here,
As the information that can identify the guide route, for example, the outline data 1342 of the guide route may be used. Alternatively, the entire data header 135 of the detailed data of the guide route
The management number included in 1 may be used. In this case, the route search unit 130 is caused to hold the detailed data of the guide route for each user of the access terminal regardless of whether or not the division is appropriate (see S1207 in FIG. 12).

Next, the route search section 130 checks whether or not the traffic information obtained from the traffic information search section 140 has traffic information whose influence on vehicle running is set to "large" (S1402). ). If there is such traffic information, it is determined that the situation of the guide route has changed, and it is necessary to search for a detour route. Then, the vehicle position is set as the departure point, the destination of the guide route is set as the destination (S1403), and the route search process shown in FIG. 12 is performed (S1009).

Next, the operation in S1012 (point registration processing) of FIG. 10 will be described.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1012 (point registration processing) of FIG.

The point information registration / retrieval unit 150 is the communication unit 1
When a point registration request is received from the access terminal via 01, the position information of the point specified in the point registration request,
The name, genre, etc. are registered in the registration point management DB 151 in association with the user information of the access terminal (S150).
1, S1502). At this time, the location information registration / search unit 15
0 requests the POI information search unit 160 to make a POI information search request for the spot specified in the spot registration request,
If there is information, the management number of the POI information is also registered together with the position information, name, genre, etc. of the spot designated by the spot registration request.

The point information registration / retrieval unit 150 requests the POI information retrieval unit 160 to retrieve the POI information of the area designated by the point registration request, and obtains a list of POI information in the area. Then, this may be displayed on the access terminal so that the user can select the POI information to be registered as the point information.

Next, the operation in S1013 (point information search process) of FIG. 10 will be described.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1013 (point information search process) of FIG.

The point information registration / retrieval unit 150 is the communication unit 1
When a point information request is received from the access terminal via 01, the area or point specified by the point information request is selected from the point information registered in the registration point management DB 151 in association with the user information of the access terminal. The point information of the genre designated by the point information request, which is located in the vicinity of, is read and transmitted to the access terminal via the communication unit 101 (S1601, S1602).
Similarly, when a point information request is received from the map editing unit 120, a point information request is made from the point information registered in the registered point management DB 151 in association with the user information of the access terminal included in the point information request. The point information located near the designated area or point is read and transmitted to the map editing unit 120 (S1601,
S1602).

Next, the operation in S1014 (POI information retrieval processing) of FIG. 10 will be described.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1014 (POI information retrieval processing) of FIG.

The POI information retrieving unit 160 is the communication unit 101.
When a POI information request is received from the access terminal via the POI, the POI information registered in the POI information management DB 161
From the information, the POI information of the point of the genre specified by the POI information request, which is located near the area or point specified by the POI information request, is read out, and this is read via the communication unit 101. It transmits to the access terminal (S1701, S1702). Similarly, the map editor 1
When the POI information request is received from 20, the PI information stored in the POI information management DB 161
The POI information of the point located near the area or the point designated by the OI information request is read and transmitted to the map editing unit 120 (S1701, S170).
2).

Next, the operation in S1015 (traffic information search process) of FIG. 10 will be described.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1015 (traffic information search processing) of FIG.

Upon receiving the traffic information request from the access terminal via the communication unit 101, the traffic information search unit 140 first determines the traffic information search range (S1801).

When the traffic information request specifies that the traffic information on the guide route is to be obtained, the guide route is specified by the information included in the traffic information request. Then, each road section (road section toward the destination) forming the guide route, which is located on the traveling direction side of the guide route from the vehicle position included in the traffic information request, and is within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle position. The section is determined as the traffic information search range.

When the traffic information request specifies that the traffic information near the vehicle position is to be obtained, the guide route is specified by the information included in the traffic information request. Then, from the vehicle position to the destination of the guide route, which is each road section located on the traveling direction side of the guide route from the vehicle position included in the traffic information request (including the road section configuring the guide route) A road section that is a road section in the heading direction and is within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle position is determined as a traffic information search range.

When the traffic information search unit 140 determines the traffic information search range as described above, the traffic information search section 140 determines the traffic information of the road section located within this search range as the traffic information management DB.
Search from 141 (S1802). Then, the detected traffic information is transmitted to the access terminal via the communication unit 101 (S1803).

When the traffic information search unit 140 receives the traffic information request from the route search unit 130, the traffic information search unit 140 specifies the guide route based on the guide route specifying information included in the traffic information request. Then, a road section which is located on the traveling direction side of the guide route from the vehicle position included in the traffic information request and which is a road section within the predetermined distance range from the vehicle position is defined as a traffic information search range. (S18
01). Then, the traffic information of the road section located within this search range is searched from the traffic information management DB 141 (S1802). Then, the detected traffic information is transmitted to the route search unit 130 (S1803).

The operation of the information providing center 10 has been described above.

Next, the operation of the communication type navigation device 20 will be described.

FIG. 19 shows a communication type navigation device 20.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of FIG.

First, the dead reckoning tool 2402 controls the sensor driver 2206 to periodically acquire GPS information from the GPS receiver 44. And the GP I got
The vehicle position is calculated based on the S information, and the vehicle position data 2501 and the traveling locus data 2502 are updated.

Further, the application layer 2600 controls the sensor driver 2206 to detect the reception sensitivity of GPS information at the GPS receiver 44. Then, the display driver 2202 is controlled to display a mark indicating the detected reception sensitivity on the display 2008.

Further, the application layer 2600 authenticates the user every time the communication with the information providing center 10 is established. That is, in the following processing, the information providing center 10
When it is necessary to access the first time, the communication driver 2205 is controlled, and the user information stored in advance in the flash ROM 2003 or the like is transmitted to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40.

The application layer 2600 controls the display driver 2202 to display the initial menu on the display 2008 (S1901). Then, the operation panel 2007 is operated via the operation panel driver 2201.
When the user's instruction is further sent (S1902), the content of the instruction is analyzed (S1903).

As a result, if the instruction is a map display instruction,
Map display processing is performed (S1904). If it is a route guidance instruction, route guidance processing is performed (S1905). If it is a point registration instruction, point registration processing is performed (S190).
6). If it is a point information display instruction, point information display processing is performed (S1907). If it is a POI information display instruction, POI information display processing is performed (S1908).

Next, the operation in S1904 (map display processing) of FIG. 19 will be described.

FIG. 20 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1904 (map display processing) of FIG.

The application layer 2600 controls the display driver 2202 to cause the display 2008 to display a designation screen for prompting the user to designate the point or area where the map should be displayed. Then, the operation panel driver 2201 is controlled to accept an instruction from the user of the point or area where the map should be displayed via the operation panel 2007 (S2001).

Here, the point or area to be displayed on the map may be designated by the user directly inputting the place name, the address, or the like, or the flash ROM 20 in advance.
The outline map stored in 03 or the like may be displayed on the display 2008 together with the cursor, and the user may use the cursor to specify the point where the map should be displayed. Furthermore, a point information display process or a POI information display process, which will be described later, may be performed to cause the display 2008 to display a list of the point information and the POI information, and to allow the user to specify the point to be displayed on the map. I don't care.

Next, the application layer 2600 requests the map management tool 2405 to investigate the map data including the point or area designated by the user.

The map management tool 2405 controls the memory card driver 2204 to access the memory card 58 to determine whether or not the map data including the point or area designated by the user is stored, and if so, the map data. Check the scale ratio that can be handled by. Then, the investigation result is notified to the application layer 2600.

From the survey result from the map management tool 2405, the map data including the point or area designated by the user, which corresponds to the scale factor used for the map display, is stored in the memory card 48. If it is found (Yes in S2002), the application layer 2
600 requests the map drawing tool 2401 to draw the point or area designated by the user at the scale used for map display. Map drawing tool 2401
Indicates that the map management tool 2405 causes the map data including the point or area designated by the user to be read out from the memory card 48 and that corresponds to the scale factor used for the map display. Use to draw a map. Then, the display driver 2202 is controlled to display the drawn map on the display 2008 (S2008).

On the other hand, from the survey result from the map management tool 2405, the map data including the point or area designated by the user and corresponding to the scale factor used for the map display is stored in the memory card 48. When it is determined that the scale factor is not stored (No in S2002), the application layer 2600 controls the display driver 2202 to cause the display 2008 to select the scale factor used for the map display by the user. Is displayed (S2003). And the operation panel driver 2
201 is controlled, and the selection of the scale factor used for the map display is accepted from the user via the operation panel 2007 (S2).
004).

FIG. 25 shows an example of the scale selection screen displayed on the display 2008. Here, reference numeral 20081 is a display panel of the display 2008, and reference numeral 20071 is an operation button which constitutes the operation panel 2007. In this scale ratio selection screen, with respect to the map data including the point or region designated by the user, the scale ratio that can be handled by the map data stored in the memory card 48 and the scale factor that can be handled by the unstored map data are displayed. I am trying to identify them. Also, the scale factor being selected is identified. The user
By operating the operation panel 2007, the scale factor being selected can be changed and determined. In FIG. 25, reference numeral 2008
Reference numeral 2 is a mark indicating the reception sensitivity of GPS information at the GPS receiver 44.

If map data including a point or area designated by the user and corresponding to the scale factor selected by the user is not stored in the memory card 58 (No in S2005), the application is executed. Layer 260
0 controls the display driver 2202 to display a map data download confirmation screen on the display 2008. Then, the operation panel driver 2201
When a download instruction is received from the user via the operation panel 2007, a map data request including position information of a point or area designated by the user and scale information selected by the user is created. .

Then, the application layer 2600 controls the communication driver 2205 to send a map data request to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40. At this time, the map data request may include the point information request and the POI information request according to the user setting.

Next, when the application layer 2600 controls the communication driver 2205 and receives map data from the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40, it passes this to the map management tool 2405. At this time, if the POI information and the point information are also received, they are passed to the map management tool 2405 together with the map data. The map management tool 2405 controls the memory card driver 2204 to control the memory card 5
8 to access the map data and store the map data in the memory card 48. If you have received POI information or location information,
These are also stored in the memory card 48 (S2007).

As described above, the map data including the point or area designated by the user, which map data corresponds to the scale factor selected by the user, is stored in the memory card 48.
If the map data is stored in the memory card 58 in advance (S2007) or if the map data is stored in the memory card 58 (S2007).
Yes in 2005), the application layer 2600 requests the map drawing tool 2401 to draw the point or area designated by the user at the scale factor selected by the user.

The map drawing tool 2401 causes the map management tool 2405 to read from the memory card 48 the map data including the point or area designated by the user and which can correspond to the scale factor selected by the user. , Draw a map using this map data. And
The display driver 2202 is controlled to display the drawn map on the display 2008 (S200
8).

Next, the operation in S1906 (route guidance process) of FIG. 19 will be described.

FIG. 21 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1906 (route guidance processing) of FIG.

First, the application layer 2600 controls the display driver 2202 to display the display 2008.
Displays the selection screen of the guide route to be used. Then, the operation panel driver 2201 is controlled to perform the guide route using the detailed data of the guide route previously downloaded from the information providing center 10 by the user via the operation panel 2007, or the information providing center is used. A selection is accepted as to whether to obtain the detailed data of the guide route and perform the guide route (S2101).

When the application layer 2600 receives a selection from the information providing center 10 to use the detailed guide route data downloaded in advance to perform the guide route, the application layer 2600:
The memory card driver 2204 is controlled to access the memory card 48, and the detailed data of the guide route having the vehicle position data 2501 as the departure place is specified. At this time, when the memory card 48 stores a plurality of detailed guide route data starting from the vehicle position data 2501, the user is allowed to select the detailed guide route data to be used.

On the other hand, when the detailed data of the guide route is obtained from the information providing center and the selection for performing the guide route is received, the application layer 2600 causes the display driver 2
By controlling 202, the display 2008 displays a designation screen for allowing the user to designate the destination. Then, the operation panel driver 2201 is controlled to accept the designation of the destination from the user via the operation panel 2007 (S2102).

Here, the destination may be designated by directly inputting the place name, address, etc., or a schematic map stored in advance in the flash ROM 2003 or the like may be displayed on the display 2008 together with the cursor. You may make it display and let a user specify the point which should display a map using a cursor. Further, a point information display process or a POI information display process, which will be described later, may be performed to display a list of the point information and the POI information on the display 2008, and the user may specify the destination from these. Also, at this time, from the user,
It may be acceptable to accept option information which is condition information for route search, such as giving priority to a route with a low price or giving priority to a route having a short arrival time at a destination.

Next, the application layer 2600 creates a route search request including the position information of the destination designated by the user and the vehicle position data 2501. When the user has received the option information, this option information is included in the route search request. Then, the application layer 2600
Controls the communication driver 2205 to transmit a route search request to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40. Then, the outline data (see FIG. 5) of each of the guide route candidates is received from the information providing center 10 (S210).
3).

When the application layer 2600 receives the outline data of each guide route candidate from the information providing center 10, it controls the display driver 2202,
A guide route selection screen for allowing the user to select a guide route to be used for route guidance from the respective guide route candidates is displayed on the display 2008 (S210).
4). Then, the operation panel driver 2201 is controlled,
A user selects a guide route via the operation panel 2007 (S2105).

FIG. 26 shows an example of the guide route selection screen displayed on the display 2008. As shown in the figure, the display panel 20081 displays a description of the guide route candidates according to one of the outline data of the guide route candidates. Here, reference numeral 2008
4 is a schematic shape of the guide route candidate specified by the schematic data 1344 of each section. Flash RO in advance
It is displayed together with the schematic map stored in M2003 or the like. Reference numeral 20085 is an explanatory text of the characteristics of the guide route candidate specified by the guide route candidate header 1343. In this example, the total actual distance, required time and fee are displayed. The user can operate the operation panel 2007 to change the guide route candidate to be displayed and select the guide route candidate to be used as the guide route.

Next, the application layer 2600 controls the communication driver 2205 to transmit the information capable of specifying the guide route candidate selected by the user to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40. Then, all or part of the detailed data (see FIG. 6) of the guide route is received from the information providing center 10, the memory card driver 2204 is controlled, and this is stored in the memory card 48 (S21).
06).

Here, when the application layer 2600 receives the route search confirmation for the return route from the information providing center 10, it controls the display driver 2202,
The display 2008 displays a message indicating that the destination is out of the communication area and a confirmation screen as to whether or not to carry out route search for the return route. Then, when the operation panel driver 2201 is controlled and the user confirms via the operation panel 2007 that the route search for the return route should be performed, the vehicle position is set as the destination and the destination specified by the user is departed. The above steps S2103 to S2106 are performed for the root route. As a result, the detailed data of the return route is also received from the information providing center 10 and stored in the memory card 48.

As described above, when the detailed data of the guide route used for the route guide is fixed, the application layer 2
600 is each tool 2401-24 of the tool layer 2400.
05 and each data 2501-2 of the shared OBJ layer 2500
506 is used to initiate route guidance.

First, the application layer 2600 sets the count value n.
Is set to 0 (S2107). Then, the count value n is incremented by 1 (S2108). Next, the application layer 2600 controls the memory card driver 2204 to give the memory card 48 detailed data 1 of the n-th section of the detailed data of the guidance route used for route guidance.
It is confirmed whether or not 352 is stored (S210).
9). The detailed data 135 of the nth section is stored in the memory card 48.
If No. 2 is not stored, the communication driver 2205 is controlled to send a route request for the detailed data 1352 of the nth section to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40. Then, the detailed data 1352 of the nth section is received from the information providing center 10 and stored in the memory card 48 (S2110).

Next, the application layer 2600 specifies the map version of the map data used for route guidance of the nth section from the information registered in the section header 1354 of the data 1352 of the nth section. Then, the application layer 2600
Is map data of an area representing the n-th section, which is map data that can correspond to the scale factor used for map display, and which has the specified map version (hereinafter referred to as route guidance map data). Call the map management tool 2405 to investigate whether or not it is stored in the memory card 48.

The map management tool 2405 controls the memory card driver 2204 to access the memory card 58, and checks whether or not route guide map data is stored.
Then, the investigation result is notified to the application layer 2600.

When it is found from the survey result from the map management tool 2405 that the route guidance map data is not stored in the memory card 48 (N in S2111).
o), the application layer 2600 controls the communication driver 2205 to transmit a map data request for route guidance map data to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40. Then, the route guidance map data is received from the information providing center 10 and stored in the memory card 48 (S
2112).

As described above, when the detailed data 1352 of the nth section and the route guidance map data are stored in the memory card 48, the application layer 2600 sets the guidance point data 2503 to the detailed data 1352 of the nth section. Guide point information 1355 and guide route data 2
504 is updated to the shape data of the guidance route of the nth section specified by the detailed data 1352 of the nth section, and the route guidance of the nth section is started (S2113).

Specifically, the application layer 2600 requests the map drawing tool 2401 to draw a map near the vehicle position specified by the vehicle position data 2501 at the scale ratio used for map display. . Map drawing tool 2
A map management tool 2405 causes map management tool 2405 to read from the memory card 48 map data including the vehicle position, which corresponds to the scale factor used for the map display, and uses this map data to map the map. To draw.

Also, the application layer 2600, on the map drawn as described above, a mark (vehicle mark) indicating the vehicle position, the guide route shape of the nth section specified by the guide route data 2504, and Driving locus data 2
The shape of the traveling locus specified by 502 is drawn. Then, the display driver 2202 is controlled to display a map (referred to as a route guidance screen) on which the vehicle mark, the guide route shape, and the shape of the traveling locus are drawn.
08 is displayed.

FIG. 27 shows an example of the route guidance screen displayed on the display 2008. As shown, the display panel 20081 has a vehicle mark 2008.
6, guidance route 20087 and traveling locus 20088
Is displayed with a detailed map near the vehicle position.

By the way, the application layer 2600 uses the vehicle position data 2501 and the guidance point data 250 during the route guidance.
3 is used to determine whether or not the vehicle position has approached the guidance point to be reached next by a predetermined distance (S2114). When approaching the guidance point, it is determined whether or not the guidance point is set as the detour point (S2115).

If the approaching guide point is set as the detour point, the application layer 2600 displays the vehicle position data 25.
01 and the information that can identify the guide route (for example, the management number described in the entire data header 1351 of the detailed data of the guide route) are created. Then, the communication driver 2205 is controlled to transmit a bypass route search request to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40 (S2116). Then, the application layer 26
If 00 receives the outline data of each of the guide route candidates from the information providing center 10 as a response to the detour route search request (Yes in S2117), S2104.
Return to and display the guide route selection screen 2008
To display.

On the other hand, as a response to the detour route search request, when the outline data of each guidance route candidate is not received from the information providing center 10 (N in S2117)
o) or, if it is determined that the approaching guide point that has approached is not set as a detour point (No in S2115), the application layer 2600 uses the guide point information 1355 for this guide point in the guide guide tool 2404. Guide point guidance is performed (S2118).

Specifically, the guide and guidance tool 2404 is
Control the display driver 2202, and guide point information 1
An enlarged map near the guidance point represented by the enlarged map information included in 355 or the deformed enlarged map information is displayed on the display 2008 together with the route guidance screen. Also, it controls the audio driver 2203, and guide point information 1355.
The audio device 2011 outputs the voice guidance according to the guidance attribute included in.

FIG. 28 shows an example of an enlarged map near the guidance point displayed on the display 2008. As illustrated, an enlarged map 20089 near the guidance point is displayed on the display panel 20081 together with the route guidance screen.
In addition, from the audio device 2011, the guide point information 13
The voice guidance corresponding to the guidance attribute included in 55 (for example, "go straight at the next XX intersection") is output.

Also, the application layer 2600 determines whether or not the time has reached a predetermined time using the time data 2505 during route guidance (S2119).

The application layer 2600 creates a traffic information request when it comes on time. For the traffic information request, the vehicle position data 2501, the information that can identify the guide route, and the search range of the traffic information (for example, obtain the traffic information on the guide route or obtain the traffic information near the vehicle position). Specify whether to do). Then, it controls the communication driver 2205, transmits a traffic information request to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40, and receives traffic information from the information providing center 10. The application layer 2600 updates the traffic data 2506 using the received traffic information. Along with this, the traffic obstacle section such as traffic jam or accident indicated by this traffic information is written on the route guidance screen (S21).
20).

FIG. 29 shows an example of a route guidance screen on which traffic information is displayed. In this example, the traffic obstacle section 20121 indicated by the traffic information is displayed on the corresponding road section on the route guidance screen. In this example,
The traffic information on the guide route is specified as the search range of the traffic information to be included in the traffic information request. Therefore, on the route guide screen, the traffic obstruction occurring on the guide route on the traveling direction side of the vehicle position is displayed. The road section is displayed.

During the route guidance, the GPS receiver 44
When the reception sensitivity of the GPS information of is lower than the predetermined sensitivity (Yes in S2121), the application layer 2600 determines that the vehicle position calculation accuracy in the dead reckoning tool 2402 deteriorates and the correct vehicle position cannot be calculated. The dead reckoning tool 2402 stops the vehicle position calculation. Further, the updating of the vehicle mark 20086 on the route guidance screen is stopped, and a mark indicating that the vehicle mark 20086 is not updated is displayed. Furthermore, the application layer 2600
Performs the following provisional processing until the reception sensitivity of the GPS information of the GPS receiver 44 is restored to the predetermined sensitivity or higher (No in S2121) (S2122).

That is, the dead reckoning tool 2402
Instead of the vehicle position calculation using the PS information, the vehicle is requested to calculate the traveling distance using the vehicle speed pulse. The dead reckoning tool 2402 controls the sensor driver 2206,
The vehicle speed pulse is obtained from the vehicle speed sensor 46, and the traveling distance is calculated using this vehicle speed pulse. The application layer 2600 is
Using the calculated traveling distance, the vehicle position data 2501 (the vehicle position calculated immediately before the dead reckoning tool 2402 is switched to the temporary processing), and the guide point data 2503, the guide point that the vehicle position should reach next. Calculate the remaining distance to. Then, the display driver 2202 is controlled to display the calculation result on the display 2008.

FIG. 30 shows an example of the temporary processing screen displayed on the display 2008. As shown,
On the display panel 20081, a mark 20182 indicating that the vehicle mark 20086 has not been updated is displayed on the vehicle mark 20086 on the route guidance screen displayed immediately before the tentative processing. Further, a message 20183 indicating that GPS information cannot be received and the remaining distance to the next guidance point to be reached is displayed.

Also, the application layer 2600 requests the route determination tool 2403 to determine whether or not the vehicle position deviates from the guided route during route guidance. In the route determination tool 2403, the point indicated by the vehicle position data 2501 is the guidance point data 2503 and the guidance route data 2504.
It is checked whether or not the vehicle is positioned on the more specified guide route, and the result is notified to the application layer 2600. If the result notified from the route determination tool 2403 indicates that the vehicle position deviates from the guidance route (Yes in S2123), the application layer 2600 returns to S2103 and sets the vehicle position as the departure point and the guidance point. A route search request having the destination of the route as the destination is created and transmitted to the information providing center 10.

Also, in the application layer 2600, the point indicated by the vehicle position data 2501 is the last guidance point, that is, the nth point.
When approaching the final point of the section (Yes in S2124
s), if it is the destination of the guide route (Yes in S2125), the audio driver 2203 is controlled, and a voice guidance to that effect (for example, "the destination is reached").
Is output from the audio device 2011, and the route guidance process is terminated. On the other hand, if the final point of the n-th section is not the destination (No in S2125), the process returns to S2108, n is incremented by one, and the processes from S2109 are continued.

If the communication navigation device 20 is located outside the communication range of the mobile communication network 60, that is, if it cannot communicate with the information providing center 10, S21.
In 01, only when the user selects the guide route using the detailed data of the guide route previously downloaded from the information providing center 10,
Subsequent processing is executed. However, in this case, as a matter of course, the processing that needs to communicate with the information providing center 10 is omitted. As a result, when the route guidance map data is not stored in the memory card 48, instead, the map data corresponding to a scale ratio different from that of the route guidance map data or the flash ROM 200 is stored in advance.
The outline map data stored in 3 or the like is used.

Next, the operation in S1906 (point registration guidance processing) of FIG. 19 will be described.

FIG. 22 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1906 (point registration processing) of FIG.

The application layer 2600 controls the display driver 2202 to cause the display 2008 to display a designation screen for prompting the user to designate a point to be registered. Then, the operation panel driver 2201 is controlled to accept the instruction of the registration point from the user via the operation panel 2007 (S2201).

Here, the designation of the point to be registered is the place name,
You may let the user directly input the address etc.,
Alternatively, a schematic map previously stored in the flash ROM 2003 or the like is displayed together with the cursor on the display 20.
It may be displayed in 08 and the user may be made to specify the point to be displayed on the map by using the cursor. Furthermore, the POI information display processing described below may be performed to display a list of POI information in the area designated by the user and allow the user to designate a point to be registered from these.

Next, the application layer 2600 creates a spot registration request including the position information, name, etc. of the spot designated by the user. At this time, when the user selects a spot to be registered from the POI information displayed in a list, the management number of the selected POI information is included in the spot registration request. Then, the application device 2600 uses the communication driver 2
It controls 205 and transmits a point registration request to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40 (S2202).

Next, the operation in S1907 (point information display processing) of FIG. 19 will be described.

FIG. 23 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1907 (point information display processing) of FIG.

The application layer 2600 controls the display driver 2202 to cause the display 2008 to display a designation screen for allowing the user to designate the search requirement (point, area, genre, etc.) of the registered point information. Then, by controlling the operation panel driver 2201,
The user receives the search condition of the registered spot information via the operation panel 2007 (S2301).

Next, the application layer 2600 controls the memory card driver 2204 to access the memory card 48, and checks whether or not the spot information satisfying the search condition designated by the user is stored (S2302). If it is not stored, the communication driver 2205 is controlled, and the point information request including this search condition is transmitted to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40. When the spot information is received from the information providing center 10, the memory card driver 2204 is controlled and stored in the memory card 48 (S2303).

Then, the application layer 2600 controls the display driver 2202 to display the display 200.
The spot information satisfying the search condition designated by the user is displayed on S8 (S2304). As described above, the user can use the operation panel 2007 to select arbitrary spot information from the spot information displayed on the display 2008 as the destination for route guidance.

Next, the operation in S1908 (POI information display processing) of FIG. 19 will be described.

FIG. 24 is a flow chart for explaining the operation in S1908 (POI information display processing) of FIG.

The application layer 2600 controls the display driver 2202 to cause the display 2008 to display a designation screen for letting the user designate the search requirements (point, region, genre, etc.) of the registered POI information. Then, by controlling the operation panel driver 2201,
The user receives the search condition of the registered spot information via the operation panel 2007 (S2401).

Next, the application layer 2600 creates a POI information request including the search condition specified by the user. Then, the communication driver 2205 is controlled to transmit the POI information request to the information providing center 10 via the mobile phone 40 (S2402).

When the application layer 2600 receives the POI information from the information providing center 10, it controls the display driver 2202 to display the display 2008.
The POI information is displayed on the screen (S2403). As described above, the user can select any point information from the POI information displayed on the display 2008 by using the operation panel 2007 as a destination for route guidance.

The above has described one embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, when a map near the vehicle position or a point designated by the user of the communication type navigation device 20 is displayed in consideration of the screen size (resolution etc.) of the display 2008 of the communication type navigation device 20. We are asking for the area to be displayed on the map along with this point. Then, the map data necessary for displaying this area is transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication navigation device 20.

Therefore, it is possible to suppress the transmission of the map data, which is unlikely to be used for the map display, from the information providing center 10 to the communication type navigation device 20, and to minimize the communication type navigation device 20 and the information providing center 20. The amount of data transfer between them can be reduced. Further, it is possible to prevent the memory card 48 of the communication navigation device 20 from being pressed by the map data that is unlikely to be used for displaying the map.

Further, in this embodiment, in order to be able to deal with the scale ratios of all the maps that can be displayed by the communication-type navigation device 20, a plurality of map data of the same area is transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication-type. Instead of transmitting to the navigation device 20, only the map data that can correspond to the scale factor that the communication navigation device 20 is actually using for displaying the map is transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication navigation device 20. . Specifically, the communication-type navigation device 20 is caused to display a list of map scale factors, and the user of the communication-type navigation device 20 is made to select the scale factor to be used for map display. At this time, in the case where the communication navigation device 20 does not hold the map data corresponding to the selected scale ratio for the area to be displayed on the map, this map data is used as the information providing center 1.
0 to the communication type navigation device 20.

Therefore, it is possible to minimize the transmission of map data of a scale ratio that is not planned to be used for displaying the map from the information providing center 10 to the communication type navigation device 20, and to reduce the communication type navigation device 20 and the information providing center. The amount of data transferred between 10 can be reduced. Further, it is possible to prevent the memory card 48 of the communication type navigation device 20 from being pressed by the map data having a scale factor that is not used for the map display.

Further, in this embodiment, the detailed data of the guide route is divided into the detailed data of a plurality of sections, and each time the data of this section is needed for the route guidance, the information providing center 10 communicates with the navigation device. It is possible to send to 20. Specifically, when the vehicle position of the communication navigation device 20 approaches the end of the section used for route guidance in the direction of travel, detailed data of the section following this end of the direction of travel is provided to the information providing center. 10 can be transmitted to the communication type navigation device 20.

Therefore, it is possible to suppress the detailed data of the section which is not immediately used for route guidance from being transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication type navigation device 20 and to reduce the data transfer amount between the communication type navigation device 20 and the information providing center 10. Can be reduced. In addition, detailed data of sections that are not immediately used for route guidance,
It is possible to suppress pressure on the memory card 48 of the communication navigation device 20.

In the present embodiment, the detailed data of all the guide route candidates detected by the route search are not transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication type navigation device 20, but first, all the detected guide routes are detected. The outline data of the candidates is transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication type navigation device 20 to allow the user of the communication type navigation device 20 to select the guide route, and only the detailed data of the selected guide route is transmitted from the information providing center 10. It is transmitted to the communication navigation device 20.

Therefore, it is possible to suppress the detailed data of the route not planned to be used for the route guidance from being transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication type navigation device 20,
Communication navigation device 20 and information providing center 1
The amount of data transfer between 0s can be reduced. In addition, the memory card 4 of the communication-type navigation device 20 can be used according to the detailed data of the route that is not used for route guidance.
8 can be suppressed from being pressed.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the communication navigation device 20 approaches the detour point on the guidance route during route guidance, the necessity of route re-search is judged based on the traffic information at that time. There is. If it is determined that a route re-search is necessary, a route from the vehicle position of the communication navigation device 20 to the destination of the guide route is searched, and the detected route data is sent from the information providing center 10 to the communication navigation device 20. I am trying to send it to.

Therefore, when a traffic jam or an accident occurs on the guide route used for the route guide, the route guide can be performed using the detour route. That is, it becomes possible to guide the route in consideration of the traffic situation which changes every moment.

Further, in this embodiment, during route guidance, a road section in which a traffic obstacle has occurred near the vehicle position of the communication type navigation device 20 (for example, on a guidance route on the traveling direction side from the vehicle position, or Traffic information representing a guide route on the traveling direction side of the vehicle position and a road section occurring on the road near the guide route is transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication navigation device 20, and the communication navigation device 20 is transmitted. Is displayed together with the vehicle position and the guide route.

Therefore, the communication navigation device 2
It is possible to inform the user of 0 of a traffic obstacle occurring near the vehicle position. Therefore, it becomes possible to guide the route in consideration of the traffic conditions that change every moment.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the destination of the guide route is out of the range of the communication area with the information providing center 10, the route is searched for both the outbound route and the return route between the departure place and the destination, and these routes are searched. The route data is transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication navigation device 20.

Therefore, the route data of the return route between the starting point and the destination can be held in advance in the communication type navigation device 20, whereby the communication type navigation device 20 can be used even if the destination is outside the communicable area.
Can perform route guidance using this destination as the starting point.

Further, in this embodiment, the G
When the PS information cannot be received and then the GPS information can be received, it is confirmed whether or not the communication navigation device 20 deviates from the guide route. If the vehicle deviates from the guide route, the route from the vehicle position to the destination of the guide route is searched for and the route data is used to guide the route.
Therefore, even when the communication navigation device 20 moves to a place where GPS information cannot be received during route guidance, the route guidance can be resumed thereafter.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist thereof.

For example, in the above embodiment, when displaying a map of the vehicle position or the vicinity of a point designated by the user of the communication navigation device 20, the area displayed together with this point is displayed on the information providing center 10 side. Seeking in. However, in this area, communication type navigation device 2
It is also possible to download the map data representing this area from the information providing center 10 by including the information for identifying this area in the map data request sent from the information providing center 10 and sent to the information providing center 10. Further, the communication navigation device 20 is provided with a table including the mesh number 1211 and the coordinate value 1212 of the map DB 121, and the mesh number 1211 of the map data representing the area obtained by the communication navigation device 20 is specified by the communication type. It may be performed on the side of the navigation device 20. Then, by including the specified mesh number 1211 in the map data request transmitted to the information providing center 10, the map data of this mesh number 1211 may be downloaded from the information providing center 10.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, only when the map data of the area displayed on the communication type navigation device 20 is not stored in the memory card 48, this map data is transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication type navigation device. However, even if the map data of this area is stored in the memory card 48,
When map data of a newer map version than this map data is stored in the map DB 121 of the information providing center 10, the map data of the newer map version is
From the information providing center 10 to the communication navigation device 20
May be sent to.

For example, the communication navigation device 20
Then, the map version of the map data of each area stored in the memory card 48 is transmitted to the information providing center 10. The information providing center 10 compares the map version of the map data of each area received from the communication navigation device 20 with the map version of the map data of each area stored in the map DB 121, and the map data of the new map version. Is stored in the map DB 121, the user of the communication navigation device 20 is asked to confirm whether or not to download it. Then, if it is confirmed that the new map version is downloaded, the map data of this new map version is transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication navigation device 20.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the communication type navigation device 20 displays the list of scales of the map so that the presence or absence of the storage in the memory card 48 can be identified, so that the user can use the map display. The scale is selected. However, the information providing center 10 is caused to manage the map data downloaded to the communication navigation device 20 for each user, and the management information can be used to identify the presence or absence of the download on the display screen of the communication navigation device 20. By listing the scale of the map,
The user of the communication navigation device 20 may be allowed to select the scale factor used for the map display. At this time, the information providing center 10 obtains the scale factor information currently in use from the communication navigation device 20,
A list of map scales may be displayed so that the scales currently in use can be identified.

In the above embodiment, when the communication navigation device 20 approaches the detour point on the guide route during route guidance, the communication navigation device 20 sends a detour route search request to the information providing center 10. In response to this, the information providing center 10 determines the necessity of route re-search based on the traffic information at that time. However, the communication navigation device 20 may determine the necessity of route re-search. That is, when approaching the detour point on the guide route,
A traffic information request is transmitted to the information providing center 10, and the traffic information generated on the guidance route on the traveling direction side from the vehicle position of the communication navigation device 20 is obtained from the information providing center 10 and is used as this traffic information. The necessity of route re-search may be determined based on the above. If it is determined that the route re-search is necessary, the communication navigation device 20
However, a route search request from the vehicle position to the destination of the guidance route may be transmitted to the information providing center 10.

[0206] In the above embodiment, the information providing center 10 uses the communication area management DB 132 to determine whether the destination of the guide route is outside the communication area range with the information providing center 10. There is. Then, when it is outside the communication area range, the route is searched for both the outbound route and the inbound route between the departure place and the destination, and these route data are transmitted from the information providing center 10 to the communication navigation device 20. However, by providing the communication area management DB 132 in the communication navigation device 20, the communication navigation device 20 determines whether or not the route search should be requested for both the outbound route and the return route between the departure place and the destination, and it is necessary. When it is determined that the route search request is transmitted to the information providing center 10 for both the outward route and the return route between the departure place and the destination. In this case, it is preferable that the communication navigation device 20 be able to select whether the detailed data of the guide route is collectively downloaded or dividedly downloaded.

Further, in the above embodiment, the information of the enlarged map or the deformed enlarged map near the guide point used for guidance at the guide point is included in the detailed data of the guide route so that the information providing center 10 can communicate with the information. It is transmitted to the navigation device 20. However, the communication-type navigation device 20 uses the map data to create an enlarged map or a deformed enlarged map in the vicinity of the guidance point, and displays it on the display 2
You may make it display on 008.

Further, in the above embodiment, the communication type navigation device 20 is not limited to the on-vehicle navigation device. PDA (Personal Digital Assistanc)
It may be a mobile terminal such as e).

[0209]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The amount of data transfer between the communication navigation device and the information providing device can be reduced. Further, it is possible to suppress an increase in storage capacity required for the communication navigation device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of an information providing center 10 shown in FIG.

3 is a diagram showing an example of registered contents of a traffic information management DB 141 shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of registered contents of a map DB 121 shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a data format example of schematic data of each of the guide route candidates.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a data format example of detailed data of a guide route.

7 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration example of the information providing center 10 shown in FIG.

8 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the communication navigation device 20 shown in FIG.

9 is a diagram showing a software configuration example of the communication navigation device 20 shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the information providing center 10.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of S1008 (map transmission processing) of FIG.

12 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of S1009 (route search processing) of FIG.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of S1010 (route transmission processing) of FIG.

14 is a flowchart of S1011 (detour route search process) of FIG.
6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation in FIG.

15 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of S1012 (point registration processing) of FIG.

16 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of S1013 (point information search process) of FIG.

FIG. 17 is a step S1014 (POI information search process) of FIG.
6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation in FIG.

18 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of S1015 (traffic information search process) of FIG.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the communication navigation device 20.

20 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of S1904 (map display processing) of FIG.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of S1906 (route guidance processing) of FIG.

22 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of S1906 (point registration processing) of FIG.

23 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of S1907 (point information display process) of FIG.

FIG. 24 is a step S1908 of FIG. 19 (POI information display processing).
6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation in FIG.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of a scale ratio selection screen displayed on the display 2008 of the communication navigation device 20.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing an example of a guide route selection screen displayed on the display 2008 of the communication navigation device 20.

27 is a diagram showing an example of a route guidance screen displayed on the display 2008 of the communication navigation device 20. FIG.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing an example of an enlarged map in the vicinity of a guidance point displayed on the display 2008 of the communication navigation device 20.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing an example of a route guidance screen on which traffic information is displayed.

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing an example of a temporary processing screen displayed on the display 2008 of the communication navigation device 20.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Information providing center, 20 ... Communication type navigation device, 30 ... Information terminal, 40 ... Mobile phone, 42 ... Fixed telephone, 44 ... GPS receiver, 46 ... Vehicle speed sensor, 48 ... Memory card, 60 ... Mobile telephone network , 62 ... Fixed telephone network,
64 ... ISP, 66 ... IP network, 101 ... Communication unit, 110
... authentication unit, 111 ... user information management DB, 120 ... map editing unit, 121 ... map DB, 130 ... route search unit, 1
31 ... Road DB, 132 ... Communication area management DB, 133
... Route holding unit, 140 ... Traffic information search unit, 141 ... Traffic information management DB, 150 ... Point information registration / search unit, 15
1 ... Registration point management DB, 160 ... POI information search unit, 1
61 ... POI information management DB, 1001, 2001 ... CP
U, 1002 ... Memory, 1003 ... External information storage unit, 1
004 ... communication device, 1005 ... input device, 1006 ... output device, 1007 ... reading device, 1008,2011 ... bus, 1009 ... storage medium, 2002 ... RAM, 2003
... Flash ROM, 2004 ... Mobile phone IF, 200
5 ... Memory card IF section, 2006 ... Sensor IF, 20
07 ... Operation panel, 2008 ... Display, 2009
... GPU, 2010 ... Video RAM, 2100 ... Device layer, 2200 ... Driver layer, 2201 ... Operation panel driver, 2202 ... Display driver, 2203 ...
Audio driver, 2204 ... Memory card driver, 2205 ... Communication driver, 2206 ... Sensor driver, 2300 ... Middle layer, 2400 ... Tool layer, 240
1 ... Map drawing tool, 2402 ... Dead reckoning tool, 24
03 ... Route determination tool, 2404 ... Guide guidance tool,
2405 ... Map management tool, 2500 ... Shared OBJ layer,
2501 ... Vehicle position data, 2502 ... Travel locus data, 2503 ... Guidance point data, 2504 ... Guidance route data, 2505 ... Time data, 2506 ... Traffic data,
2600 ... App layer, 20081 ... Display panel, 200
71 ... Operation button

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Shigeru Matsuo             7-1-1, Omika-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki Prefecture             Inside the Hitachi Research Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd. (72) Inventor Katsuaki Tanaka             7-1-1, Omika-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki Prefecture             Inside the Hitachi Research Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd. (72) Inventor Teruyuki Ishida             2-6-35 Hironodai, Zama City, Kanagawa Prefecture             In ceremony company Xanavi Informatics (72) Inventor Toru Nakamura             2-6-35 Hironodai, Zama City, Kanagawa Prefecture             In ceremony company Xanavi Informatics F-term (reference) 2C032 HB06 HB22 HB25 HC08 HD03                       HD21 HD23                 2F029 AA02 AB07 AB13 AC02 AC08                       AC13 AC14 AC18 AD07                 5H180 AA01 BB05 BB12 EE10 FF05                       FF12 FF13 FF22 FF25 FF27                       FF32

Claims (27)

[Claims] 1. A communication-type navigation device having a communication function with an information providing device for providing map data, comprising: storing means for storing map data downloaded from the information providing device; Display control means for displaying a map on a display device in accordance with the map data, and map updating means for sending a map data request to the information providing device to download the map data from the information providing device. The means transmits a map data request for an area determined according to a point to be displayed on the display device and a screen size of the display device, and downloads map data for the area from the information providing device. Communication type navigation device. 2. The communication-type navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising: position calculating means for calculating a current position of the communication-type navigation device; and point input means for receiving a point input from an operator. The map updating means sets the current location calculated by the location calculating means or the location accepted by the location inputting means to a location to be displayed on the display device. 3. The communication-type navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the map update means is a map data of an area determined according to a point to be displayed on the display device and a screen size of the display device. Is not stored in the storage means, or is stored in the storage means but newer map data of the area is held in the information providing device, a map data request for the area is issued. A communication-type navigation device, which transmits and downloads map data of the area from the information providing device. 4. The communication-type navigation device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the information providing device manages map data for each mesh obtained by dividing the entire map into meshes, The map updating means transmits a map data request for one or more meshes representing an area determined according to a point to be displayed on the display device and a screen size of the display device, and the information providing device transmits the map data request. A communication type navigation device characterized by downloading mesh map data. 5. An information providing device having a communication function with a communication navigation device, comprising: a map database, information on a point included in a map data request received from the communication navigation device, and the communication. Determining means for determining the area of the map data to be provided to the communication type navigation device according to the screen size of the display device of the navigation device, and the map data of the area determined by the determining means, the map database And a map providing unit that provides the communication navigation device that has read the map data request and transmitted the map data request. 6. The information providing device according to claim 5, wherein the screen size information of the display device is included in the map data request together with the information of the spot. 7. The information providing device according to claim 5, further comprising: a management table in which screen size information of the display device is registered in association with identification information of the communication navigation device, the determination The means specifies the screen size of the display device of the communication navigation device by using the identification information of the communication navigation device that has transmitted the map data request and the management table. 8. The information providing device according to claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein map data is registered in the map database for each mesh obtained by dividing the entire map into meshes. An information providing apparatus, wherein the providing means reads out map data of one or more meshes representing the area determined by the determining means from the map database and provides the communication navigation device with the map data. 9. A method for providing information to a communication navigation device by an information providing device, comprising: receiving a map data request from the communication navigation device; and information on points included in the map data request. Determining a region of map data to be provided to the communication navigation device according to the screen size of the display device of the communication navigation device; reading the map data of the determined region from a map database; Providing the information to the communication navigation device. 10. A communication-type navigation device having a function of communicating with an information providing device that provides map data, comprising: storing means for storing map data downloaded from the information providing device; Display control means for displaying a map on a display device according to the map data, and request means for transmitting a map data request to the information providing device to download the map data from the information providing device. Holds a plurality of map data items each corresponding to at least one map scale factor, and the requesting unit requests a map data item of map data corresponding to a map scale factor to be displayed on the display device. Is transmitted and the map data is downloaded from the information providing device. 11. The communication-type navigation device according to claim 10, wherein a list of map scales is displayed on the display device, and the operator controls the display control means to display a map on the display device. The requesting means stores the map data corresponding to the scale factor selected by the selection accepting means in the storage means, for the map to be displayed on the display device. If not, a communication navigation device characterized by transmitting a map data request for map data corresponding to the scale factor and downloading this map data from the information providing device. 12. The communication-type navigation device according to claim 11, wherein the selection accepting unit stores map data corresponding to each scale factor in the storage unit for a map to be displayed on the display device. A communication-type navigation device, wherein a list of map scales is displayed on the display device so that presence or absence can be identified. 13. The communication type navigation device according to claim 11, wherein the selection accepting unit can identify a scale factor currently used for map display on the display device by the display control unit. Then, the communication type navigation device is characterized in that the display device displays a list of map scales. 14. An information providing device having a function of communicating with a communication type navigation device, wherein a plurality of map data each corresponding to at least one map scale ratio are registered in a map database, and the communication is provided. Map data corresponding to the scale factor of the map included in the map data request received from the navigation device is read from the map database and provided to the communication navigation device that has transmitted the map data request. An information providing apparatus comprising: 15. The information providing device according to claim 14, wherein the map providing unit causes the communication navigation device to display a list of map scale factors, and the operator of the communication navigation device selects the map. An information providing apparatus, which receives a map data request including a scale factor of a completed map. 16. The information providing device according to claim 15, wherein the map providing unit identifies the scale of the map represented by the map data held by the communication navigation device to the communication navigation device. An information providing device characterized by displaying a list of map scales so as to be capable. 17. The communication-type navigation device according to claim 15, wherein the map providing unit indicates to the communication-type navigation device that the scale factor currently used by the communication-type navigation device for displaying a map. An information providing device characterized by displaying a list of map scales so that they can be identified. 18. A method for providing information to a communication navigation device by an information providing device, wherein the communication navigation device is caused to display a list of map scale ratios that can be displayed by the communication navigation device, Receiving a map data request including a scale factor selected by an operator of the communication navigation device, and converting map data corresponding to the map scale factor included in the map data request into at least one scale factor. A method of providing information to a communication navigation device, the method comprising: reading from a map database in which a plurality of corresponding map data are registered and providing the map data to the communication navigation device. 19. A communication-type navigation device having a function of communicating with an information providing device that provides route data obtained by route search, comprising position calculating means for calculating a current position of the communication-type navigation device, and the position. Route guidance means for performing route guidance using the current location calculated by the calculation means and the guidance route represented by the route data downloaded from the information providing device, and a route search request sent to the information providing device to send from the information providing device. Route requesting means for dividing and downloading the route data, wherein the route requesting means is configured such that the current position calculated by the position calculating means is represented by the divided route data used by the route guiding means for route guidance ( (It is called a section route) When approaching the end in the direction of travel, Communication type navigation apparatus characterized by downloading the divided route data representing the bets. 20. An information providing device having a function of communicating with a communication type navigation device for guiding a route, the route search means performing a route search according to a route search request received from the communication type navigation device, and the route. An information providing device, comprising: a holding unit that divides the route data detected by the searching unit into a plurality of section route data, and holds the communication type navigation device so that the data can be downloaded for each section route data. apparatus. 21. A method of providing information to a communication navigation device by an information providing device, comprising: a step of performing a route search according to a route search request received from the communication navigation device; and data of a route detected by the route search. A method of providing information to a communication-type navigation device, comprising: dividing into a plurality of section-route data and holding the communication-type navigation device so that each data of the section route can be downloaded. 22. A communication type navigation device having a communication function with an information providing device that provides route data obtained by route search, comprising position calculating means for calculating a current position of the communication type navigation device, and the position. Route guidance means for performing route guidance using the current location calculated by the calculation means and the guidance route represented by the route data downloaded from the information providing device, and a route search request sent to the information providing device to send from the information providing device. Route requesting means for downloading route data, wherein the route requesting means receives, as a response to the route search request, general data of each of the guide route candidates from the information providing device and displays it on a display device for operation. Let the person choose a guide route candidate,
A communication-type navigation device, wherein route data of a selected guide route candidate is downloaded from the information providing device. 23. The communication navigation device according to claim 22, wherein the route guiding means displays a guidance screen including the current location and the guidance route on a display device, and the current location is on the guidance route. A communication-type navigation device, which displays an enlarged map or a deformation map near the predetermined point on the display device in addition to the guidance screen when approaching the predetermined point. 24. The communication-type navigation device according to claim 23, wherein the route requesting means, together with the route data from the information providing device, is an enlarged map near the predetermined point on the guide route represented by the route data. Alternatively, a communication navigation device characterized by downloading a deformed map. 25. An information providing device having a function of communicating with a communication navigation device for guiding a route, the route searching for at least one guidance route candidate according to a route search request received from the communication navigation device. The search means and the outline data of each of the at least one guide route candidate detected by the route search means are transmitted to the communication navigation device to allow the operator of the communication navigation device to select the guide route candidate. Route data providing means for providing route data of the selected guide route candidates to the communication type navigation device. 26. The information providing device according to claim 25, wherein the route data providing means, together with the route data, provides an enlarged map or a deformed map near a predetermined point on the guide route represented by the route data by the communication. Providing device for providing to a navigation device 27. A method of providing information to a communication navigation device by an information providing device, comprising: searching at least one guide route candidate according to a route search request received from the communication navigation device; Transmitting at least one outline data of each of the guide route candidates to the communication type navigation device to allow the operator of the communication type navigation device to select the guide route candidate; and route data of the selected guide route candidate. A step of providing the communication navigation device, and a method for providing information to the communication navigation device.