VWGoA - Ex. 1005
`Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. - Petitioner
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`EP 0 829 704 A2
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`5
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`Description
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates to an information dis-
`play system, especially relates to a navigation system
`providing a course guidance to a predetermined place
`by calculating a car's position and displaying the car's
`position with a map therearound on a display, said nav-
`igation system providing information for a user intelligi-
`bly by obtaining said information from a network like the
`internet from which various kinds of data are provided.
`Navigation system shows a car's calculated posi-
`tion based on various sensor information on a display,
`with a map surrounding the car ’s position, by taking out
`map data stored in a CD-ROM, and by setting a goal
`position, and a course guidance to the goal position is
`shown on the display.
`In the CD-ROM, various information necessary for
`a driving car, such as information about sightseeing
`spot or information of gas service station are inputted
`and indicated on the display according to a request of
`the user.
`
`In this case, necessary information should be
`stored beforehand in the CD-ROM. As the CD-ROM is
`
`used only to be read out, it is not suitable for use as a
`medium to store information changing with time, for
`example, a traffic jam information. Even if it is assumed
`that a rewritable memory is used temporarily, it is trou-
`blesome for the user to input the information.
`In order to solve such problem in the conventional
`navigation system, as shown by Japanese Patent Laid-
`open Nos.
`7-105492(1995),
`7-261661(1995),
`8-
`139193(1996), any communication equipment is pro-
`vided in the car as a navigation equipment, and
`receives any facility data, so as to provide the informa-
`tion which is not provided by CD-ROM.
`In order to communicate with a car, a means of
`mobile communication like a cellular telephone system
`needs to be used. However, data transmission speed of
`the cellular telephone system is slow, and further, when
`it is used by a running car, the channel of the cellular tel-
`ephone system is easy to run out, and it is not suitable
`for sending a large quantity of data. Furthermore, when
`a driver of the car wants to see the information during
`driving, the driver is averted from his driving depending
`on the information display method, and it is dangerous
`for the driver. The information sent by a communication
`means should be capable to be accessed for conven-
`ience of the user, and a good acquisition method of the
`information is needed.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Referring to the above stated problem, an object of
`the present invention is to provide a navigation system,
`by which much information is capable to be accessed so
`as to suitably control the amount of the information to be
`
`communicated and the received information is capable
`to be displayed intelligibly.
`An navigation system is constituted with an infor-
`mation
`display
`equipment
`indicating
`information
`received through a mobile communication system, infor-
`mation offering equipment which obtains the informa-
`tion by connecting to a network and transmits the
`obtained information to the information display equip-
`ment, and a communication equipment.
`The information offering equipment comprises a
`connecting means to be connected to the network and
`a memory means to store the information sent to the
`information display equipment, and obtains the informa-
`tion from information offering servers connected to a
`network and stores it in the memory means.
`The information offering equipment comprises a
`retrieval means to retrieve the information to be pro-
`vided to the user from the memory means furthermore,
`and a communication means to transmit and receive
`
`data with the information display equipment, thereby a
`kind of information demanded bythe user from the infor-
`mation display equipment is received and the informa-
`tion retrieved from the memory means is transmitted to
`the information display equipment.
`In order to suitably
`control the amount of the data to be transmitted with the
`
`communications equipment, a data selection means
`and a data processing means are prepared at need.
`The information display equipment comprises an
`input means to input a kind of the information that the
`user needs, and a communications means to transmit a
`retrieval key word input to the information offering equip-
`ment, or to receive the information provided from the
`information offering equipment. The information display
`equipment further comprises a map memory means to
`store map data, a map display means to retrieve the
`map data from the map memory means and to display
`the map on the display, and an icon display means to
`display an icon to a position where the information pro-
`vided from the information offering equipment is stored,
`on the map displayed by the map display means. The
`information display equipment further comprises an
`icon select means by which a user selects the icon dis-
`played on the display equipment, a retrieval means to
`retrieve the information about the selected icon from the
`information stored in a detailed information store means
`
`storing the information or the detailed information sent
`from the information offering equipment, and a detailed
`information display means to display the information
`retrieved to with the map on which an icon is displayed.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Figure 1 shows a constructive view of the naviga-
`tion equipment to realize the present invention.
`Figure 2 shows a constructive view of the informa-
`tion display equipment to realize the present invention.
`Figure 3 shows a constructive view of the informa-
`tion display equipment to realize the present invention.
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`Figure 4 shows a view of hardware construction of
`the arithmetic processing department to realize the
`information display equipment.
`
`Figure 5 shows a functional construction figure of
`the arithmetic processing department to realize the
`information display equipment.
`Figure 6 shows a function construction figure of the
`arithmetic processing department to realize the infor-
`mation display equipment.
`Figure 7 shows a function construction figure of the
`arithmetic processing department to realize the infor-
`mation offering equipment.
`Figure 8 shows a view which shows the retrieve
`screen.
`
`Figure 9 shows a view which retrieves by using a
`phone number.
`Figure 10 shows a view which sets an item
`retrieved with precedence.
`Figure 11 shows a view which displays a retrieval
`range.
`Figure 12 shows a view which shows the range
`retrieved with an acquisition time.
`Figure 13 shows a view which shows a retrieval
`range when retrieving along with a path.
`Figure 14 shows a view which shows an example of
`a fixed form format.
`
`Figure 15 shows a view which shows an example of
`a free format.
`
`Figure 16 shows a view which displays an icon con-
`tained by the information.
`Figure 17 shows a view which shows an operation
`in which icons do not overlap.
`Figure 18 shows a view which shows location of the
`information with an icon on the map top.
`Figure 19 shows a view which shows the individual
`information by changing property of the icon.
`Figure 20 shows a view which displays detailed
`information of an icon selected.
`
`Figure 21 shows a view which displays detailed
`information of an icon selected with the map.
`Figure 22 shows a view which shows that detailed
`information are divided to be displayed into several
`pages.
`Figure 23 shows a view which shows to come back
`to a former screen after offering the information.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`The information provided to the user is sent from an
`information offering server through a network to infor-
`mation offering equipment, and the information that has
`been sent is stored in a memory equipment so as to be
`provided according to request of the user. When the
`user requests to be offered the information, the informa-
`tion is retrieved from this memory equipment by a
`retrieval condition of the user, and is transmitted to the
`information display equipment.
`
`In the information offering equipment, data which
`should be transmitted to the information display equip-
`ment are selected and processed furthermore. The
`information requested by the user and transmitted to the
`information display equipment
`from the information
`offering equipment is displayed with an icon to the posi-
`tion on the map where the information is stored. When
`one of the icon displayed by operation of the user is
`selected, the detailed information which relates to the
`icon is displayed.
`
`Fteferring to following figures, one embodiment of a
`navigation system having information offering equip-
`ment in this invention will be explained.
`A navigation system in this embodiment as shown
`in Fig. 1 has information offering equipment 2 to obtain
`various information from an information offering server
`3 connected through a network 4 such as the internet,
`and to provide it to a user, and an information display
`equipment
`1
`to display a car's position,
`to provide
`course guidance to the car, and to provide a presenta-
`tion of the information from the information offering
`equipment 2 etc. according to the request of the user.
`The information display equipment
`1 will be
`explained using Fig. 2.
`The information display equipment 1 has an arith-
`metic processing department 10, a display unit 11, a
`map memory 12, an internal information memory 13, a
`voice input and output unit 14, an input unit 15, a wheel
`speed sensor 16, a magnetic compass 17, a rate gyro
`18, a GPS receiver 19, an icon image memory 20 and a
`display side communication equipment 21.
`The arithmetic processing department 10 has a
`means to calculate a current position of a moving body
`like the car
`in which the navigation equipment
`is
`installed by using the information output from the above
`sensor 16,17,18 and the GPS receiver 19, and a means
`to select a most suitable road which connects current
`
`position with a goal position directed by the user and to
`notify them by using a sound and graphic display to the
`user
`
`The arithmetic processing department 10 sets a
`display domain according to the calculated current posi-
`tion of the moving body or scroll operation by the user,
`reads out the map data corresponding to the display
`domain from the map memory 12, provides graphic
`information from the map data which are read out, and
`performs a graphical processing so as to display it on
`the display unit 11. When the current position is dis-
`played, the current position of the moving body is dis-
`played by a mark with
`a graphics
`information
`corresponding to the map showing the neighborhood of
`the current position.
`The display unit 11 is a unit to display the graphics
`information formed by the arithmetic processing depart-
`ment 10, and is constructed with a cathode ray tube or
`a liquid crystal display. The arithmetic processing
`department 10 is connected to the display unit with a
`signaling S11 such as Red Green Blue signaling or
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`EP 0 829 704 A2
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`NTSC signaling. The map memory 12 reads out/writes
`in necessary data from a storage media such as a CD-
`ROM or an integrated circuit card by receiving outside
`indication.
`
`The voice input and output unit 14 converts a mes-
`sage to be transmitted to the user, into a voice signal,
`and recognizes a voice generated by the user so as to
`transmit it to the arithmetic processing department.
`The input unit 15 is a unit to accept indication from
`the user, and it is constructed with, for example, a joy
`stick to allow scrolling the map indicated, an electric
`switch such as a button, a touch panel put on the display
`unit etc.
`
`The wheel speed sensor 16 measures the moving
`distance of the moving body from a product of the cir-
`cumference of a wheel of the moving body and revolu-
`tion speed of the wheel, and measures the turning
`angle of the moving body from difference of revolution
`speeds between a pair of wheels. The magnetic com-
`pass 17 detects a geomagnetic field, and measures a
`direction where the moving body faces. The gyro 18 has
`an optical fiber gyro or a vibration gyro, and measures
`the turning angle of the moving body when the moving
`body turns.
`The GPS receiver 19 receives a signaling from
`GPS satellites and calculates a current position, a mov-
`ing angle and a moving direction of the moving body by
`measuring distance and between the moving body and
`satellite and a change rate of the distance relating to
`three or more satellites. These sensors and equipment
`as above are used in order to detect the current position
`of moving body by a navigation processing.
`The icon image memory 20 stores images of icons
`which is used when the information got from the infor-
`mation offering equipment 2 is displayed on the map.
`Said internal
`information memory 13 memorizes
`various kinds of information to offer to the user, and
`most of the information is static information which are
`
`updated with a low frequency, for example, information
`of a sightseeing spot, information of a gas station, guide
`information of the accommodations or leisure facility,
`and tariff information of atoll road . Here, the navigation
`system in the present invention has a function to offer
`the information depended on a map fundamentally in
`addition to above and there is location on a map equiv-
`alent a lot of said information to be offered.
`in other
`
`words, most of them are individual information that have
`location information which respectively correspond with
`the locations on the map, and the individual information
`is offered by appointing the location on the map, and the
`location of selected individual information are indicated
`
`on the map top as explained in the following.
`The display side communication device 21 commu-
`nicates with the information offering device 2, and
`obtains the information from the information offering
`device 2, which mainly changes with time and are
`updated with a high frequency, for example, traffic jam
`information of a road, vacant information of a hotel and
`
`a parking lot, weather information, and sale information
`of a store, as explained in the following. The information
`provided in this way from the information offering device
`2 are individual information having the location informa-
`tion respectively corresponding to locations on the map
`in the same way as the individual information memo-
`rized in the internal information memory 13. The com-
`munication volume which is most suitable for the mobile
`communication that is one of the most distinctive char-
`
`acteristics of the present invention is determined by
`controlling not to send the information which are able to
`be stored by the internal information memory 13 and
`are not updated frequently. As it is possible to select the
`individual information which is related to the individual
`
`information sent by the information offering device 2,
`according to the location on the map, from the individual
`information memorized in the internal information mem-
`
`ory 13, the sufficient information is offered while com-
`munication channel capacity is low, by combining the
`individual
`information to be related according to the
`necessity.
`
`In this embodiment of the present invention, the
`memory is sorted into the map memory, the internal
`information memory, and the icon image memory
`according to the kind of the information to be stored,
`however, it is possible to store plural kinds of the infor-
`mation with one memory.
`in this embodiment of the
`In addition to above,
`present invention,
`the memory consists of the map
`memory, the internal information memory, and the icon
`image memory according to a kind of the information to
`be stored, however one of the memories may store sev-
`eral kinds of the information.
`
`For example, as shown in figure 4 as a hardware
`construction, the arithmetic processing department 10
`is comprised of a central processing unit 31 to control
`the calculation and each device, a random access
`memory 32 to store the map data and calculation data
`temporarily, a read only memory 33 to store the system
`program, a DMA 34 to execute each data transfer
`between one memory and other memory at high speed
`and between the memory and each device, a display
`controller 35 to execute and indicate graphics informa-
`tion generation as to develop vector data in an image at
`high speed, a VRAM 36 to save graphics image data, a
`color pallet 37 to convert the image data into Red Green
`Blue codes, an analog-to-digital converter 3810 convert
`an analog signal into a digital signal, a SCI 39 to convert
`a serial signal into a parallel signal, a programmable
`input-output chip 40 to synchronize with the parallel sig-
`nal and so as to output on the bus 30, a counter 41 to
`count pulse signal, and said bus 30 to connect between
`every devices.
`Construction of the arithmetic processing depart-
`ment 10 will be explained using figure 5, and figure 6.
`As shown in figure 5,
`the arithmetic processing
`department 10 is comprised of a user operation analy-
`sis means 50, a path account means 51, a course guid-
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`EP 0 829 704 A2
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`ance means 52, a present position arithmetic means
`55, a map match processing means 56, and a menu dis-
`play means 58, as a means mainly relating to a naviga-
`tion processing such as car's position calculation and
`course guidance.
`
`The present position arithmetic means 55 respec-
`tively integrates distance pulse data measured with the
`wheel speed sensor 16 and angular acceleration data
`measured with the gyro 18, and calculates a position (X
`’, Y ’) of the moving body moved from an initial position
`(X, Y) by integrating the distance data and the angle
`data during one fixed cycle time obtained by the above
`calculation. Furthermore, in order to set an initial value
`of advance direction of the moving body, a relationship
`of an angle data provided from the gyro 18 and an abso-
`lute direction is set by using the directional data pro-
`vided from the magnetic compass 17.
`Furthermore, the present position arithmetic means
`55 outputs current position information after having
`revised the sensor data with the position data provided
`from the GPS receiver 19 by a predetermined cycle
`time, thereby a sensor error to be accumulated is can-
`celed by integrating the data provided from the sensor
`as stated the above.
`
`Generally speaking, in the present position informa-
`tion provided in this way, error of the sensor may be still
`contained. On this account in order to raise position
`accuracy furthermore, a next map match attention is
`performed by the map match processing means 56.
`The map match processing compares a road data
`contained in the map around the current position read in
`by a data read-in means 57 with a traveling trace
`obtained from the current position arithmetic means 55,
`thereby the current position is processed to match to the
`road where the mutual shape relation becomes highest
`. By applying this map match processing in most case,
`the current position comes to correspond with the
`traveling road and the present position information may
`be output accurately.
`The user operation analysis means 50 receives var-
`ious operations requested from the user with the input
`unit 15, and controls the each unit contained in the arith-
`metic processing department 10 so as to execute the
`processing corresponding to the request of the user.
`For example, when the user requests the course
`guidance to the goal position, a processing to operate a
`path from the current goal position to the goal position is
`requested to a path account means 51, and the informa-
`tion to guide path to course guidance means 52 is
`requested to be shown to the user. When the user
`requests a scroll operation of the map which is dis-
`played through the input unit 15 furthermore, a scroll
`display of the map domain designated is requested to a
`map display means 54.
`The path account means 51 decides an guidance
`path between two spots by retrieving a node connecting
`an interval between two spots (the present position and
`goal position) designated using Dijkstra algorithm.
`
`for example, a path in
`When determining the path,
`which the distance between two spots becomes short-
`est, a course by which it becomes possible to arrive with
`a shortest time, a path by which a cost for it becomes
`the most economical etc., are provided by using differ-
`ent retrieval conditions.
`
`The course guidance means 52 compares a link
`information of guidance path obtained by the path
`account means 51 with the present position information
`obtained by the position arithmetic means 55 and the
`map match processing means 56, and notifies to the
`user whether the car should turn to right or left, or go
`straight with a sound by using the sound input and out-
`put unit 14 before passing an intersections or by dis-
`playing the course for the car on the map on the display
`unit 11.
`
`The menu displaying means 58 receives a com-
`mand output from the user operation analysis means
`50, and the command for displaying various kinds of a
`requested menu is sent to the graphics processing
`means 59.
`
`The arithmetic processing department 10 has a
`data read-in means 57, a graphics processing means
`59, a map display domain setting means 53, and a map
`display means 54 furthermore.
`The map display domain setting means 53 sets a
`map domain that should be displayed according to an
`algorithm determined beforehand from the present posi-
`tion of the moving body output, from the map match
`processing means 56, or from a scroll information about
`a scroll direction corresponding to scroll operation input
`through the user operation analysis means 50.
`The data read-in means 57 selects to read out the
`
`map data of the display domain which is set from the
`map memory 12.
`The map display means 54 sends a command to
`display a designated object for the map data read out,
`with a designated contraction scale, in a state keeping a
`designated direction to an upper direction of the display
`unit 11, to a graphics processing means 59.
`A graphics processing means 59 receives the dis-
`play command formed by the map display means 54
`and the menu displaying means 58, and applies the
`graphics image in the VRAM 36. The graphics image
`applied to the VFlAM is managed with a collar number-
`ing, and after being converted into RGB corresponding
`to the collar numbering with the collar pallet 37, it is dis-
`played by the display unit.
`the arithmetic processing
`As shown in figure 6,
`department 10 comprises a retrieval
`range setting
`means 60, a received data analysis means 61, an icon
`setting means 62, an icon display position setting
`means 63 and an icon display means 64 furthermore,
`as a processing means in a navigation system to opti-
`mize amount of the information to be communicated
`
`and to display the information received intelligibly in this
`invention.
`
`The retrieval range setting means 60 sets one or
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`more items selected by the user from items shown by
`the menu display means 58 as a retrieve object prop-
`erty, and sets a specification spot on the map provided
`from the scroll
`information as a center of the retrieve
`
`information relating to the
`neighborhood, said scroll
`present position of the moving body output from the
`map match processing means 56, the goal position of
`the moving body input through the user operation anal-
`ysis means 50 or the direction of the scroll correspond-
`ing to the scroll operation input
`through the user
`operation analysis means 50, and set a size of the
`retrieve neighborhood in a value decided beforehand
`furthermore. The retrieve object property, the center of
`the retrieve neighborhood and the size of the center set
`in this way are sent to the information offering equip-
`ment 2 by using the display side communication equip-
`ment 21. An example to set the information which is
`retrieved by the user on the menu screen by using figure
`8.
`
`The center of retrieve neighborhood which is set
`may be set by using the information specifying a spot,
`elsewhere it
`is set from a position on the map. For
`example, phone number and a position of the informa-
`tion or an address stored in the internal
`information
`
`memory 13 are used. Input of the addresses is per-
`formed by using a letter input means, a place name
`select means chosen from a place name list, or a sound
`recognition means. An example of a method to set the
`center of the retrieve neighborhood by inputting the
`phone number will be shown in figure 9.
`The retrieve neighborhood that is set may be set
`based on the domain and the contraction scale of the
`
`map displayed on display unit 11. For example, when
`the user is going to obtain the information, the map
`domain displayed by the display unit 11 may be used as
`the retrieve neighborhood.
`In the above embodiment of the present invention,
`the size of the retrieve neighborhood is set by the infor-
`mation display equipment, however it may be set by the
`information offering equipment. For example, referring
`to amount of the information sent to the information dis-
`
`it may be determined to be a range
`play equipment,
`near to the center of the retrieve neighborhood. Further
`by providing a means to set intention by the user, suita-
`ble amount of the information may be set according to
`the user's intention.
`
`In configuration of the above embodiment, area
`size of retrieval neighborhood is set with the information
`display, however, it is possible to set it with the informa-
`tion offering device. For example, considering amount of
`the information to send to the information display, the
`area size is set so that suitable amount of the informa-
`
`tion is obtained by selecting area sequentially near to
`the center of retrieval neighborhood. Furthermore, by
`providing a means for setting taste of the user, it may be
`set so that the amount of the information becomes suit-
`
`in other words, the
`the retrieval entry means 60 sets,
`key word for
`retrieving,
`is
`retrieval object property,
`center of the retrieval neighborhood, or size of retrieval
`neighborhood, however, as it becomes a premise that it
`is on business or it may be utilized when information is
`demanded for the user, business hour information and
`vacant information may be automatically selected as the
`search conditions. When such search conditions are
`
`used, the information provided by the retrieval becomes
`to include the dynamic information that is changed with
`the time. For example, when it is applied to the retrieval
`of a service station, as the service station in business
`becomes retrieval object at retrieval point in time,
`it
`becomes possible to understand whether it is on busi-
`ness or not before going there actually, it becomes good
`beneficial information for the user. Of course, as unnec-
`essary information is not communicated, the communi-
`cation line capacity may be reduced. When hotel and
`ferry information are searched in the same way, date to
`utilize may be set,
`thereby search condition as that
`there is vacant on the date is automatically set. Further-
`more, information of the car which the user uses or taste
`information of the user may be set as the search condi-
`tion. For example, when ferry and parking lot informa-
`tion are searched, size information of the car may be
`stored to be set. When restaurant and service station
`information are searched, credit card information that
`the user may utilize and chain store information that the
`user utilizes willingly may be set.
`In these cases.
`smooth information offering becomes possible for the
`user,
`reduction
`of
`communication
`line
`capacity
`becomes possible simultaneously,
`too. Of course,
`retrieval information described as above may be com-
`bined. These information are set by providing the set-
`ting means whenever the information is going to be
`obtained from the information offering device 2, how-
`ever, they may be set automatically by preparing the
`means which will be registered itself with beforehand.
`An example to set the taste of the user is shown in Fig.
`10.
`
`A retrieval range display means may be prepared in
`order to show the retrieve neighborhood set as the
`above, and By displaying the retrieve neighborhood, it
`becomes possible to easily recognize the range of the
`map on which the information to obtain belongs. infig-
`ure 11, when the goal position neighborhood is the
`retrieve neighborhood, an example that displays the
`retrieve neighborhood with a circle is shown. In addition
`to above, a triangle mark in figure 11 shows the present
`position, and a flag mark shows the goal position, and
`they are shown in the same way in the following figures.
`When the information obtained at the past is pro-
`vided, if a temporary memory means to store it and the
`retrieval range displaying means to display the retrieve
`neighborhood of the information stored are prepared,
`the amount of the communication with the information
`
`able sequentially selecting the tasted information.
`In the above embodiment, the retrieval range that
`
`offering equipment may be reduced, as the information
`is judged to be in the information display equipment
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`even if
`accessed.
`
`the
`
`information
`
`offering
`
`equipment
`
`isn't
`
`When the Information which received at the past is
`displayed, a time when receiving said information in
`said temporary memory means is displayed with
`retrieve area by the retrieval
`range display means,
`whether said information should be obtained from said
`
`information offering equipment may be referred. An
`example of a case that the retrieve area of information
`received at the past is displayed with the time when
`received it is shown in Fig. 12.
`If the information stored
`in said temporary memory means in addition to above is
`constructed to be erasable on a predetermined time
`point when the user ordered it or when a predetermined
`time interval has passed after the power source is
`switched off or the information is obtained, the informa-
`tion which should be stored may be prevented from
`becoming infinitively large.
`the center of retrieve
`In the above embodiment,
`area is one, however, such center may be set to be plu-
`ral. For example, when the several nodes which connect
`the goal position with the present position are set as the
`centers of every retrieve areas, it looks like as that the
`information along a course is referred to. In other words,
`a problem as that the user demands the information
`many times in order to get the information on path, dis-
`appears. When the nodes in the path from the present
`position to goal position shown with a thick line are
`determined to be the centers of the every retrieve areas,
`an example representing the domain that became a
`range to be retrieved actually is shown in Fig. 13.
`A received data analysis means 61 analyzes data
`to be provided through the display side communications
`equipment 21, selects several information contained by
`said data, and takes out information necessary for an
`afterward processing, for example, name, location on a
`map, property,
`affiliated information contained by
`respective information.
`In analysis of data, it is neces-
`sary to know with what kind of form the data stores the
`information. As an example, a case storing the informa-
`tion with an order decided beforehand is shown by Fig.
`14. As an other example, a case that the form of the
`data is contained in the data is shown by Fig. 15. In the
`example shown in Fig. 15 in addition to above, by utiliz-
`ing that the name, the location, the property are stored
`from the top by this order, they are stored with the form
`decided beforehand, the data form may be to be speci-
`fied in the data regarding only the affiliated information.
`An icon setting means 62 takes out a correspond-
`ing icon from the icon memory based on the property
`taken out with the received data analysis means 61 so
`as to set it as an icon showing represence of the infor-
`mation. The icon setting means 62 further has an icon
`presence judgment means which judges whether the
`corresponding icon exists in the icon memory 20, and
`when the corresponding icon does not exist in the icon
`memory 20, the icon setting means 62 may require to
`transmit the corresponding icon to the information offer-
`
`ing equipment 2. Otherwise, a means to add a letter or
`an icon such as an emblem to the information sent from
`
`the information offering equipment 2 are prepared and
`the icon may work may be taken out from the informa-
`tion sent in this way. Then, if an information to show an
`existence of the icon with the information sent is consti-
`
`tuted to be sent simultaneously, it is understood easily
`that the icon corresponding to the information sent is
`contained. Figure 16 shows an example of the equip-
`ment which displays the information containing the icon
`which has been sent from the information offering
`equipment and the icon on a map based on this info