Vehicle navigation device and method of displaying POI information using same

Claim 2

An in-vehicle navigation device that is adapted to be connected in communication with a remote provider offering transmission service of current POI (Point of Interest) information comprising landmarks that designate the locations on a map where points of interest are located, the in-vehicle navigation device comprising: a display unit for providing guidance information to a user; an information input section for entering information to set a destination; a communications section for communicating with said remote provider; and a controller operably connected to said display unit, said information input section, and said communications section; wherein, when a destination is set through said information input section, said controller searches for a guidance route to the destination and accesses the remote provider through the communications section to obtain current POI information included in a predetermined area covering a present position of a vehicle, and then said controller displays said obtained current POI information as landmarks designating POI locations together with said guidance route and a vehicle position mark designating the present vehicle position on a map image on a screen of the display unit, so that the user can recognize landmarks along the actual guidance route during travel; and wherein, in a case where POI information set by the user through said information input section has remained set for a predetermined interval, said controller identifies said set POI information as POI information corresponding to user preference, and then transmits said identified POI information to the remote provider when said guidance route is searched, thereby to obtain the current POI information corresponding to said identified POI information from the remote provider.

Claim 3

The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1 , wherein, when the controller displays the obtained current POI information together with the guidance route and the vehicle position mark on the screen of the display unit, said controller displays an updated portion of said current POI information in a different form from the other portions not updated.

Claim 4

The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1 , further comprising an identified POI storage section for storing the POI information identified as that corresponding to the user preference by said controller.

Claim 5

The vehicle navigation device according to claim 3 , wherein the identified POI information stored in said identified POI storage section includes updating-time information which is assigned to the corresponding identified POI information based on the communication between the controller and the remote provider.

Claim 6

The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1 , further comprising a POI drawing section for performing drawing processing of the current POI information obtained from said remote provider through the communications section under control of the controller.

Claim 7

The vehicle navigation device according to claim 1 , further comprising a speaker for providing a notice that, if the current POI information displayed on the screen of the display unit by the controller includes an updated POI information portion, said POI information has been updated.

Claim 8

An in-vehicle navigation device that is adapted to be connected in communication with a remote provider offering transmission service of current POI (Point of Interest) information comprising landmarks that designate the locations on a map where points of interest are located, the in-vehicle navigation device comprising: a display unit for providing guidance information to a user; an information input section for entering information to set a destination; a communications section for communicating with said remote provider; and a controller operably connected to said display unit, said information input section, and said communications section; wherein, when a destination is set through said information input section, said controller searches for a guidance route to the destination and accesses the remote provider through the communications section to obtain the current POI information included in a predetermined area covering a present position of a vehicle; wherein, when displaying said obtained current POI information as landmarks designating POI locations together with said guidance route and a vehicle position mark designating the present vehicle position on a map image on a screen of the display unit so that the user can recognize landmarks along the actual guidance route during travel, said controller displays an updated portion of said current POI information in a different form from the other portions not updated; and wherein, in a case where POI information has been set by the user through said information input section, said controller identifies said set POI information as POI information corresponding to user preference, and then transmits said identified POI information to the remote provider when said guidance route is searched, thereby to obtain the current POI information corresponding to said identified POI information from the remote provider.

Claim 9

An in-vehicle navigation device that is adapted to be connected in communication with a remote provider offering transmission service of current POI (Point of Interest) information comprising landmarks that designate the locations on a map where points of interest are located, the in-vehicle navigation device comprising: a display unit for providing guidance information to a user; an information input section for entering information to set a destination; a communications section for communicating with said remote provider; and a controller operably connected to said display unit, said information input section, and said communications section; wherein, when a destination is set through said information input section, said controller searches for a guidance route to the destination and accesses the remote provider through the communications section to obtain the current POI information included in a predetermined area covering a present position of a vehicle; wherein, when displaying said obtained current POI information as landmarks designating POI locations together with said guidance route and a vehicle position mark designating the present vehicle position on a map image on a screen of the display unit so that the user can recognize landmarks along the actual guidance route during travel, said controller displays an updated portion of said current POI information in a different form from the other portions not updated; and wherein, in a case where POI information has been set by the user through said information input section, said controller identifies said set POI information as POI information corresponding to user preference, and then transmits said identified POI information to the remote provider when said guidance route is searched, thereby to obtain the current POI information corresponding to said identified POI information from the remote provider.

Claim 10

The vehicle navigation device according to claim 7 , further comprising an identified POI storage section for storing the POI information identified as that corresponding to the user preference by said controller.

Claim 11

The vehicle navigation device according to claim 8 , wherein the identified POI information stored in said identified POI storage section includes updating-time information which is assigned to the corresponding identified POI information based on the communication between the controller and the remote provider.

Claim 12

The vehicle navigation device according to claim 7 , further comprising a POI drawing section for performing drawing processing of the current POI information obtained from said remote provider through the communications section under control of the controller.

Claim 13

The vehicle navigation device according to claim 7 , further comprising a speaker for providing notice that, if the current POI information displayed on the screen of the display unit by the controller includes the updated POI information portion, said POI information has been updated.

Claim 16

The method of displaying POI information according to claim 12 , further comprising displaying an updated portion of said current POI information in a different form from the other portions not updated when said obtained current POI information is displayed together with said guidance route and said vehicle position mark.

Claim 17

The method of displaying POI information according to claim 12 , further comprising storing the POI information identified as that corresponding to the user preference.

Claim 18

The method of displaying POI information according to claim 14 , wherein the stored identified POI information includes updating-time information which is assigned to the corresponding identified POI information based on the communication with the remote provider.

Claim 19

The method of displaying POI information according to claim 12 , further comprising performing drawing processing of the current POI information obtained from said remote provider.

Claim 20

The method of displaying POI information according to claim 12 , further comprising providing a notice by a speaker that, if the current POI information displayed to the user includes an updated POI information portion, said POI information has been updated.