Input method for selecting destination, navigation system using the same, and information storage medium for use therewith

Claim 2

A destination input method in which points of interest in an input category are listed and displayed, and a destination is input by selecting a destination point of interest from the listed points of interest, the input method comprising: displaying a point of interest belonging to a business chain in the list of points of interest by a representative name of the business chain; displaying a list of the branches of the business chain when the representative name is selected; and selecting a destination point of interest from the list of the branches of the business chain.

Claim 3

A destination input method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing path finding using the selected point of interest as the destination.

Claim 4

A destination input method according to claim 1 , wherein the business chain is one of a hotel and a fast-food restaurant.

Claim 5

A destination input method in which points of interest in an input category are listed and displayed, and a destination is input by selecting a destination point of interest from the listed points of interest, the input method comprising: predetermining whether points of interest are to be displayed in one of the order of distance and language-based order for each category of the point of interest; displaying the list of points of interest in one of the order of distance and language-based order in accordance with an input category; and inputting the destination by selecting the destination point of interest from the list of points of interest; wherein a point of interest belonging to a business chain is displayed in the list of Points of interest by a representative name of the business chain.

Claim 6

A destination input method in which points of interest in an input category are listed and displayed, and a destination is input by selecting a destination point of interest from the listed points of interest, the input method comprising: predetermining whether points of interest are to be displayed in one of the order of distance and language-based order for each category of the point of interest; displaying the list of points of interest in one of the order of distance and language-based order in accordance with an input category; and inputting the destination by selecting the destination point of interest from the list of points of interest; wherein a point of interest belonging to a business chain is displayed in the list of Points of interest by a representative name of the business chain.

Claim 7

A destination input method according to claim 4 , further comprising performing path finding using the selected point of interest as the destination.

Claim 8

A destination input method according to claim 4 , wherein the list of points of interest is displayed in one of the order of distance and language-based order so that the entries therein are scrollable.

Claim 9

A destination input method according to claim 4 , wherein the list of points of interest displayed in language-based order is one of a list of hotels, a list of public facilities, a list of recreation facilities, and a list of golf courses.

Claim 10

A destination input method according to claim 4 , wherein the list of points of interest displayed in the order of distance is one of a list of automatic teller machines, a list of banks, a list of fast-food restaurants, and a list of convenience stores.

Claim 11

A destination input method according to claim 4 , wherein a point of interest belonging to a business chain is displayed in the list of points of interest by a representative name of the business chain, and wherein when said representative name of the business chain is selected, a list of the branches of the business chain is displayed in one of the order of distance and language-based order.

Claim 12

An information storage medium for a navigation system using a destination input method for listing points of interest belonging to an input category on a display, wherein a destination is input by selecting a destination point of interest from the list of points of interest, the input method comprising: predetermining whether the points of interest are to be displayed in one of the order of distance and language-based order for each category of the points of interest; displaying the list of points of interest in one of the order of distance and language-based order in accordance with an input category; and inputting the destination by selecting the destination point of interest from the list of points of interest; wherein a point of interest belonging to a business chain is displayed in the list of points of interest by a representative name of the business chain.

Claim 13

An information storage medium for a navigation system using a destination input method for listing points of interest belonging to an input category on a display, wherein a destination is input by selecting a destination point of interest from the list of points of interest, the input method comprising: predetermining whether the points of interest are to be displayed in one of the order of distance and language-based order for each category of the points of interest; displaying the list of points of interest in one of the order of distance and language-based order in accordance with an input category; and inputting the destination by selecting the destination point of interest from the list of points of interest; wherein a point of interest belonging to a business chain is displayed in the list of points of interest by a representative name of the business chain.

Claim 14

An information storage medium for a navigation system in which a destination input method lists and displays points of interest belonging to an input category, wherein a destination is input by selecting a destination point of interest from the list of points of interest, the input method comprising: displaying a point of interest belonging to a business chain in the list of points of interest by a representative name of the business chain; displaying a list of the branches of the business chain when said representative name is selected; and selecting a destination point of interest from said list of the branches of the business chain.

Claim 15

An information storage medium for a navigation system in which a destination input method lists and displays points of interest belonging to an input category, wherein a destination is input by selecting a destination point of interest from the list of points of interest, the input method comprising: displaying a point of interest belonging to a business chain in the list of points of interest by a representative name of the business chain; displaying a list of the branches of the business chain when said representative name is selected; and selecting a destination point of interest from said list of the branches of the business chain.

Claim 16

An information storage medium for a navigation system according to claim 11 , wherein when the point of interest belonging to the business chain is selected, information about direction, a pointing arrow, and distance to the selected point of interest are displayed.

Claim 17

An information storage medium for a navigation system according to claim 11 , wherein when a point of interest belonging to the business chain is selected, a list of branches corresponding to the selected business chain is displayed so that the entries therein are scrollable.

Claim 18

An information storage medium for a navigation system according to claim 13 , wherein when a point of interest is selected from said list of branches corresponding to the selected business chain, name, address, and category of the selected point of interest are displayed.

Claim 19

A navigation system displaying a list of points of interest in an input category for selecting a destination point of interest from the list of points of interest, the navigation system comprising: a list producing unit displaying a point of interest belonging to a business chain in the list of points of interest by a representative name of the business chain, and displaying a list of the branches of the business chain when said representative name is selected; and an input unit selecting a destination point of interest from said list of the branches of the business chain.

Claim 20

A navigation system displaying a list of points of interest in an input category for selecting a destination point of interest from the list of points of interest, the navigation system comprising: a list producing unit displaying a point of interest belonging to a business chain in the list of points of interest by a representative name of the business chain, and displaying a list of the branches of the business chain when said representative name is selected; and an input unit selecting a destination point of interest from said list of the branches of the business chain.

Claim 21

A navigation system according to claim 15 , further comprising path finding means for performing path finding using the selected point of interest as the destination.

Claim 22

A navigation system displaying a list of points of interest in an input category for selecting a destination point of interest from the list of points of interest, the navigation system comprising: a point of interest database predetermining whether the points of interest are to be displayed in one of the order of distance and language-based order for each category of the point of interest; a list producing unit producing the list of points of interest in one of the order of distance and language-based order in accordance with an input category; and an input unit for inputting the destination by selecting the destination point of interest from the list of points of interest; wherein said list producing unit displays a point of interest belonging to a business chain in the list of points of interest by a representative name of the business chain, and wherein when said representative name is selected, a list of the branches of the business chain is displayed in one of the order of distance and language-based order.

Claim 23

A navigation system displaying a list of points of interest in an input category for selecting a destination point of interest from the list of points of interest, the navigation system comprising: a point of interest database predetermining whether the points of interest are to be displayed in one of the order of distance and language-based order for each category of the point of interest; a list producing unit producing the list of points of interest in one of the order of distance and language-based order in accordance with an input category; and an input unit for inputting the destination by selecting the destination point of interest from the list of points of interest; wherein said list producing unit displays a point of interest belonging to a business chain in the list of points of interest by a representative name of the business chain, and wherein when said representative name is selected, a list of the branches of the business chain is displayed in one of the order of distance and language-based order.

Claim 24

A navigation system according to claim 17 , further comprising path finding means for performing path finding using the selected point of interest as the destination.