Patent ID: 6401031
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: G01C,G06Q

Abstract:
A travel time obtaining system comprising a wide area map data server, and a plurality of local map data servers, a travel time obtaining server, and a terminal, which are being connected to each other via a computer network, wherein,(a) said wide area map data server: accepts an enquiry indicating a nearby point and a via point; and responds to said accepted enquiry by transmitting information representing travel time between said nearby point and said via point if the information is registered on said wide area map data server, (b) each of said plurality of said local map data servers: accepts an enquiry indicating destination; and responds to said accepted enquiry by transmitting information representing said via point and travel time between said via point and said destination, if information representing said destination, said via point registered on said wide area map data server, and travel time between said via point and said destination is registered on said local map data server concerned, (c) said travel time obtaining server: accepts an enquiry indicating a nearby point and destination; selects one of said plurality of the local map data server, on which said destination is registered; transmits an enquiry indicating said destination to said selected local map data server, to obtain information representing a via point and travel time between said via point and said destination; transmits an enquiry indicating said nearby point and said via point to said wide area map data server, to obtain information representing travel time between said nearby point and said via point; and responds to said accepted enquiry by transmitting information representing the sum of the obtained travel times between said nearby point and said via point and between said via point and said destination, as travel time between said nearby point and said destination, and (d) said terminal: transmits an enquiry indicating a nearby point and destination to said travel time obtaining server, and obtains information representing travel time between said nearby point and said destination from said travel time obtaining server.