JPH11272687A - Browser device for navigation and record medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a browser device for navigation which can make use of a search engine as a site-side retrieving means. SOLUTION: This browser device 1 for navigation acquires a radio wave sent by an artificial satellite by a position measuring means 1b to detect position information including the longitude and latitude. Further, a map data holding means 1c holds map data. A map retrieving means 1d retrieves a peripheral map from the map data according to the position information. A display means 1e displays the position information and peripheral map. Then a transmitting means 1f acquires place name data displayed in the peripheral map, converts it into a character string, and sends the character string to a retrieving means 3a at a side 3 through the Internet 2. The retrieving means 3a retrieves relative information by using the inputted place name data as a retrieval key.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation browser apparatus and a storage medium storing a browser program, and more particularly to a navigation browser apparatus for searching information on the Internet and a navigation browser for searching information on the Internet. The present invention relates to a storage medium on which a program is recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a portable personal computer (hereinafter, collectively referred to as a notebook personal computer) has been brought into a car and used as an in-vehicle navigation system for displaying the current position and the traveling direction of the car on a map to inform the driver of the current position. A way to do that has been proposed. Since a notebook computer is originally provided with a monitor, an input device, a CD-ROM device, and the like, when it is used as a navigation system, the only components that need to be prepared are antennas. That is, when a notebook computer is used as a navigation system, a navigation CD-ROM may be stored in a CD-ROM device, and a navigation program may be started.

[0003] When a portable telephone is connected to a notebook personal computer, data communication becomes possible. When a browser program is started, the notebook personal computer can be connected to the Internet. Generally, a browser program can connect to various search engines of each site on the Internet, and can browse related sites by inputting an appropriate search key.

Therefore, while using the notebook personal computer as a navigation system, it is connected to a search engine via the Internet to search for the names of places and roads around the current position of the car and the names of intersections and buildings in the vicinity. There is a request to browse related sites by entering as a key.

[0005]

However, even if the browser program is started while the navigation program is being started, only a pointing device or the like can be used as an input device. There was a problem that it could not be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a navigation browser apparatus that can use a search engine for a site on the Internet, which is a means for searching for related information.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium recording a navigation browser program which can use a search engine for a site on the Internet, which is a means for searching for related information.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in a navigation browser apparatus for searching for information on the Internet, a search means for searching for related information using input place name data as a search key. Positioning means for detecting position information including latitude and longitude, capturing radio waves transmitted by artificial satellites, map data holding means for holding map data, and searching for a peripheral map from the map data based on the position information. Map searching means, display means for displaying the location information and the surrounding map, and acquiring place name data displayed in the surrounding map, converting the place name data into a character string, And a transmitting means for transmitting. The browser device for navigation is provided.

In the above-mentioned navigation browser apparatus, the positioning means detects radio waves transmitted from the artificial satellite and detects position information including latitude and longitude. Further, the map data holding means holds the map data. The map retrieval means retrieves a peripheral map from the map data based on the position information detected by the positioning means. The display means displays the position information and the surrounding map. The transmitting means acquires the place name data displayed in the surrounding map, converts the data into a character string, and transmits the character string to the search means on the site side. The search means searches for related information using the transmitted place name data as a search key.

As described above, in the navigation browser apparatus of the present invention, the place name data included in the surrounding map is obtained and input to the search means as a search key, so that the search means can be used.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium storing a navigation browser program for searching for information on the Internet.
Search means for searching a computer for related information using input place name data as a search key; positioning means for detecting radio waves transmitted by artificial satellites and detecting positional information including latitude and longitude; holding map data for holding map data Means, a map search means for searching a surrounding map from the map data based on the position information, a display means for displaying the position information and the surrounding map, and obtaining place name data displayed in the surrounding map, A storage medium storing a browser program for navigation characterized by operating as transmission means for converting data into a character string and transmitting the data to a search means on the site side is provided.

In such a recording medium on which a browser program for navigation is recorded, when searching for information on the Internet, the computer is operated as search means for searching for related information using the input place name data as a search key. The computer is operated as positioning means for catching radio waves transmitted by artificial satellites and detecting position information including latitude and longitude. Further, the computer is operated as map data holding means for holding map data, and is operated as a map search means for searching for a peripheral map from the map data based on the position information. In addition, the computer is operated as display means for displaying the position information and the surrounding map, and is operated as transmitting means for acquiring the place name data displayed in the surrounding map and transmitting it to the search means on the site side.

As described above, in the storage medium in which the browser program for navigation according to the present invention is recorded, the computer is operated to acquire the place name data included in the peripheral map and transmit the acquired place name data to the search means as a search key. , Means of searching for sites on the Internet can be used.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle configuration of a navigation browser device according to the present invention.

When searching for information on the Internet 2, the browser device 1 locates the positioning means 1b, the map data holding means 1c, the map searching means 1d, and the display means 1e.
And transmission means 1f.

The positioning means 1b captures radio waves transmitted by the artificial satellite, detects position information including latitude and longitude, and notifies the map search means 1d and the display means 1e. The map data holding means 1c holds map data. Map search means 1d
Searches for a surrounding map from the map data held in the map data holding means 1c based on the position information notified from the positioning means 1b, and notifies the display means 1e.

The display means 1e displays the position information notified from the positioning means 1b and the surrounding map notified from the map search means 1d. The transmitting unit 1f accesses the map data holding unit 1c to obtain the place name data displayed in the surrounding map on the display unit 1e, converts the data into a character string, and searches the site 3 via the Internet 2 for the search unit. 3a. The search unit 3a searches for related information using the transmitted place name data as a search key.

In the navigation browser apparatus 1 of the present invention, the input means 1f acquires the place name data included in the surrounding map, converts it into a character string, and transmits it to the search means 3a as a search key. Search means 3a for searching related information can be used.

Next, the operation of the storage medium storing the browser program of the present invention will be described with reference to a specific application example. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a notebook computer and peripheral devices to which a storage medium storing a navigation browser program according to the present invention is applied.

Notebook personal computer 1 to which a recording medium recording a browser program for navigation according to the present invention is applied.
0 is the CPU 1 including the graphic controller 11a
1, a memory 12, a CD player 13, a GPS antenna 14, a signal demodulation circuit 15, an LCD monitor 16
And a modem 17. In applying the navigation browser program of the present invention, a CD-ROM storing map data for navigation is used.
A ROM 20, a mobile phone 30, and a controller 40 including a joystick are used.

The controller 40 instructs the notebook computer 10 to switch between using the communication function with the Internet and using the navigation function. The storage medium storing the browser program of the present invention is provided on a CD-ROM, an FD, or the like.
It is held in the memory 12.

The CPU 11 receives a command from the controller 40 and controls and operates the notebook personal computer 10 and peripheral devices while accessing the memory 12. The CD player 13 controls the CD-R based on the control from the CPU 11.
The map data is read from the OM 20.

The GPS antenna 14 receives a GPS radio wave transmitted from an artificial satellite and passes it to a signal demodulation circuit 15. The signal demodulation circuit 15 that has received the GPS radio wave,
The radio wave is demodulated and notified to the CPU 11 as position information including latitude and longitude.

The LCD monitor 16 displays position information, a peripheral map, and various data under the control of the CPU 11 and the graphic controller 11a. Modem 17
Modulates and demodulates communication data between the CPU 11 and the mobile phone 30 under the control of the CPU 11.

Here, the notebook computer 10 shown in FIG.
An operation procedure when using peripheral devices will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure for acquiring related information of place name data around the current position using a computer and peripheral devices to which the navigation browser program of the present invention is applied. Hereinafter, description will be made along the step codes. Steps S1 to S
5 and steps S6 to S13 are processed in parallel. [S1] The CPU 11 obtains position information from the signal demodulation circuit 15 that has received a radio wave from the GPS antenna 14. [S2] The CPU 11 controls the CD player 13 based on the position information obtained in step S1, and reads out a peripheral map. [S3] The CPU 11 determines whether the latest command from the controller 40 is to use the navigation function. If the navigation function is used, step S
The process proceeds to step S4, and if the navigation function is not used, the process proceeds to step S1. [S4] CPU 11 and graphic controller 11
a displays the surrounding map and the position information on the LCD monitor 16. [S5] The CPU 11 determines whether or not the position information has been updated. If there is no update in the location information, it waits until there is an update. If there is an update in the position information, the process proceeds to step S1.

FIG. 4A shows that the surrounding map and the position information are L.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example displayed on a CD monitor 16. [S6] The CPU 11 determines whether the use of the communication function is instructed by the controller 40. If the use of the communication function is not instructed, the process waits until instructed. If the use of the communication function is instructed, the process proceeds to step S7. [S7] The CPU 11 controls the modem 17 to connect to the Internet using the mobile phone 30. [S8] The CPU 11 receives an operation input from the controller 40 and browses various data on the Internet. [S9] As a result of the operation input from the controller 40, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the CPU 11 has accessed the search engine (search means 3a) of the site 3 on the Internet 2 via the mobile phone. If the user has not accessed the search engine, the process proceeds to step S8 again. If the search engine has been accessed, the process proceeds to step S10. [S10] The search engine has an input field for a character string used as a search key. The user instructs the CPU 11 of the controller 40 to use the navigation function in order to transmit the place name data converted into the character string to the search engine of the site. [S11] Using the joystick of the controller 40, the user obtains place name data from the surrounding map displayed on the LCD monitor 16. Since the enlargement ratio of the surrounding map can be arbitrarily changed, when acquiring distant place name data, it is sufficient to temporarily increase the enlargement ratio of the surrounding map and then acquire the target place name data.

FIG. 4B shows an example of FIG. 4A.
It is a figure showing signs that place name data is acquired. [S12] The user uses the controller
To use the communication function. [S13] The user converts the place name data acquired in step S11 into a character string, and transmits the character string to a search key input field of a search engine on the Internet.
An operation such as selecting a search button is performed to instruct a search.

FIG. 4C is a diagram showing a state where the place name data obtained in the example of FIG. 4B is input to a search key input field of a search engine. If the related data is found, the process proceeds to step S8 again to browse the data.

As described above, in the navigation browser program according to the present invention, the computer 10 acquires the place name data included in the peripheral map and transmits it to the search means as a search key. Engine available.

The processing functions of the above-described navigation browser device can be recorded in a magnetic recording device or a semiconductor memory as a computer-readable recording medium. For distribution to the market, CD-ROM (Com
(pact Disk Read Only Memory) or a floppy disk or other portable recording medium to store and distribute the program, or store it in a storage device of a computer connected via a network and transfer it to another computer via the network You can also.

[0031]

As described above, in the navigation browser apparatus of the present invention, the transmitting means acquires the place name data included in the peripheral map, converts the data into a character string, and uses the site-side search means as a search key. Is sent to
The search function of the search means for sites on the Internet can be used.

As described above, in the storage medium storing the browser program for navigation according to the present invention, the computer obtains the place name data included in the surrounding map, converts the data into a character string, and uses the data as a search key. Since it is operated to transmit to the search means, the search means of the site on the Internet can be used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle configuration of a navigation browser device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a notebook computer and peripheral devices to which a storage medium storing a navigation browser program according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure for acquiring related information of place name data around a current position using a computer and a peripheral device to which a storage medium storing a navigation browser program according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing an example in which a peripheral map and position information are displayed on an LCD monitor, and FIG. 4B shows the example of FIG. FIG. 4C is a diagram showing a state where the place name data obtained in the example of FIG. 4B is input to a search key input field of a search engine.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Browser apparatus, 1a ... Search means, 1b ... Positioning means, 1c ... Map data holding means, 1d ... Map search means, 1e ... Display means, 1f ... Input means, 2 ... Internet

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FIG06F 15/40 370C

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A navigation browser apparatus for searching for information on the Internet, a search means for searching for related information by using input place name data as a search key, and a radio wave transmitted by an artificial satellite for capturing latitude and longitude. Positioning means for detecting position information including the map information; map data holding means for holding map data; map search means for searching a surrounding map from the map data based on the position information; and displaying the position information and the surrounding map. Display means for acquiring, and transmitting means for acquiring place name data displayed in the surrounding map, converting the place name data into a character string, and transmitting the character string to a search means on the site side. Browser device. 2. A recording medium on which a navigation browser program for searching for information on the Internet is recorded, a computer, a search means for searching for relevant information using input place name data as a search key, a radio wave transmitted by an artificial satellite. Positioning means for detecting position information including latitude and longitude, map data holding means for holding map data, map search means for searching a peripheral map from the map data based on the position information, Display means for displaying a peripheral map, transmitting means for acquiring the place name data displayed in the peripheral map, converting the place name data into a character string, and transmitting the character string to a search means on the site side. A storage medium that stores a browser program for navigation.