Abstract:
Provided is a navigation technique for aiding a user to develop a plan for traveling around a plurality of destinations. The navigation device causes a display unit to display a first display area and a second display area. The first display area displays icon information for specifying a facility and positional information thereof. The second display area displays a time line of a predetermined period. When the user disposes a plurality of pieces of icon information on the time line, the navigation device retrieves a route for traveling around the disposed facilities in order. As to icon information of a facility at which the user cannot arrive at the time corresponding to a position where the icon information is disposed, the navigation device indicates that the icon information is inappropriate.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a technology of a navigation device. This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-179296, filed on Jul. 31, 2009, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-165964, filed on Jul. 23, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for designated states that accept the incorporation by reference. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    Conventionally, in navigation devices, there have been used a technology in which designation of a destination is received and a route to the destination is searched, to thereby guide a direction. Patent Literature 1 describes a technology relating to such a navigation device. 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
       [0000]    
       
         [PTL 1] JP 2009-2826 A 
       
     
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0004]    However, navigation devices as those described above have difficulties in providing an effective assisting function when a user is drawing up a travel plan that includes visiting a plurality of destinations. To elaborate, a user intending to visit a plurality of destinations draws up in advance a rough travel plan about travel routes, the time required, and others in accordance with estimates that are based on experience or the like, and does not use a navigation device until it is time to input the designation of destinations following the travel plan. This is inconvenient particularly when the user is to travel around an unfamiliar region and in other similar cases where the advance planning of a trip is difficult. 
         [0000]    An object of the present invention is to provide a navigation technology that assists a user in drawing up a travel plan that includes visiting a plurality of destinations. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0005]    In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, according to the present invention, there is provided a navigation device, including: display unit; storage unit adapted to store facility information for identifying a facility, location information of the facility, and icon information of the facility; and event processing unit adapted to configure a display screen in a manner that causes the display unit to display a first display area for displaying the icon information and a second display area for displaying a time line of a given period, in which the event processing unit is configured to: when a plurality of pieces of the icon information displayed in the first display area are placed on the time line displayed in the second display area, use the location information of facilities that are associated with the plurality of pieces of the icon information to search for a route for visiting the facilities in order of the placement of the facilities, and identify a required time necessary to travel through the facilities; and when one of the plurality of pieces of the icon information placed on the time line is of a facility that cannot be reached at a date/time corresponding to a point on the time line where the one of the plurality of pieces of the icon information is placed, display the one of the plurality of pieces of the icon information as “incompatible”. 
         [0006]    Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a program for a navigation device, the navigation device including: control unit; display unit; and storage unit adapted to store facility information for identifying a facility, location information of the facility, and icon information of the facility, the program causing the control unit to execute: a screen configuring step of configuring a display screen in a manner that causes the display unit to display a first display area for displaying the icon information and a second display area for displaying a time line of a given period; a required time identifying step of, when a plurality of pieces of the icon information displayed in the first display area are placed on the time line displayed in the second display area, using the location information of facilities that are associated with the plurality of pieces of the icon information to search for a route for visiting the facilities in order of the placement of the facilities, and identifying a required time necessary to travel through the facilities; and a compatibility displaying step of, when one of the plurality of pieces of the icon information placed on the time line is of a facility that cannot be reached at a date/time corresponding to a point on the time line where the one of the plurality of pieces of the icon information is placed, displaying the one of the plurality of pieces of the icon information as “incompatible”. 
         [0007]    Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a display method for a navigation device, the navigation device including: display unit; storage unit adapted to store facility information for identifying a facility, location information of the facility, and icon information of the facility; and event processing unit adapted to configure a display screen in a manner that causes the display unit to display a first display area for displaying the icon information and a second display area for displaying a time line of a given period, the display method including: when a plurality of pieces of the icon information displayed in the first display area are placed on the time line displayed in the second display area, using, by the event processing unit, the location information of facilities that are associated with the plurality of pieces of the icon information to search for a route for visiting the facilities in order of the placement of the facilities, and identifying a required time necessary to travel through the facilities; and when one of the plurality of pieces of the icon information placed on the time line is of a facility that cannot be reached at a date/time corresponding to a point on the time line where the one of the plurality of pieces of the icon information is placed, displaying, by the event processing unit, the one of the plurality of pieces of the icon information as “incompatible”. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic configuration diagram of a navigation system. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a schematic configuration diagram of a navigation device. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a link table. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a POI card table. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an input information table. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a check result table. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a function configuration diagram of a computing unit. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart of travel plan processing. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a flow chart of plan checking processing. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a screen display example of the travel plan processing. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is another screen display example of the travel plan processing. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 12(   a ) and  12 ( b ) are a display screen example of the travel plan processing for a case where an icon is moved. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 13(   a ) and  13 ( b ) are another display screen example of the travel plan processing for a case where an icon is moved. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 14(   a ) and  14 ( b ) are a display screen example of the travel plan processing for a case where an icon deleting operation is performed. 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is a display screen example of the travel plan processing for a case where an icon is touched. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 16(   a ),  16 ( b ), and  16 ( c ) are another screen display example of the travel plan processing for a case where an icon is touched. 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  is a display screen example of a result of checking a plan of the travel plan processing. 
           [0025]      FIG. 18  is still another screen display example of the travel plan processing. 
           [0026]      FIG. 19  is a flow chart of icon operation receiving processing. 
           [0027]      FIG. 20  is a flow chart of icon touch operation receiving processing. 
           [0028]      FIG. 21  is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a POI card table in a second embodiment. 
           [0029]      FIG. 22  is a flow chart of travel plan modification suggestion processing. 
           [0030]      FIG. 23  is a screen display example of the modification suggestion processing for a case where there is a delay to the plan. 
           [0031]      FIGS. 24(   a ) and  24 ( b ) are a screen display example of the modification suggestion processing for a case where passing points are switched. 
           [0032]      FIGS. 25(   a ) and  25 ( b ) are a screen display example of the modification suggestion processing for a case where the arrival is earlier than scheduled. 
           [0033]      FIG. 26  is a screen display example of the modification suggestion processing for a case where a stop is added. 
           [0034]      FIGS. 27(   a ) and  27 ( b ) are a screen display example of the modification suggestion processing for a case where editing is performed. 
           [0035]      FIG. 28  is a screen display example of the modification suggestion processing for a case where editing is finished. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]    A navigation system at which a first embodiment of the present invention is applied is described below with reference to the drawings. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1  illustrates the overall configuration of a navigation system  1000 . 
         [0038]    The navigation system  1000  is a system that allows a navigation device  100 , a mobile device  510 , a computer  520 , and a point of interest (POI) management server machine  530  to communicate with one another over a network  500 . The navigation system  1000  includes at least one type selected from the navigation device  100 , the mobile device  510 , the computer  520 , and the POI management server  530 , and is provided with one or more of the type. However, the navigation system  1000  does not need to include more than one mobile device  510  and more than one computer  520 . 
         [0039]    The navigation device  100  is a so-called navigator capable of displaying map information and presenting route guidance information about a route from a point that represents the current location of the navigation device  100  to a set destination. The navigation device  100  can communicate with the POI management server machine  530  over the network  500  to transmit a request for POI card data  532  to the POI management server machine  530 , and to receive the transmitted POI card data  532 . Receiving the POI card data  532 , the navigation device  100  performs such operations as using the POI card data  532  and processing the POI card data  532 . The navigation device  100  may include an image pickup device such as a digital camera, or a device similar to an image pickup device, to transmit picked-up image data to the POI management server machine  530  and request the POI management server machine  530  to register the image data as POI card information. 
         [0040]    The mobile device  510  is an information processing device that is easy to carry around, for example, a cellular phone terminal, and can communicate with the POI management server machine  530  and other components over the network  500 . The mobile device  510  includes an image pickup device such as a digital camera, or a device similar to an image pickup device, to transmit a picked-up image to the POI management server machine  530  and request the POI management server machine  530  to register the image as POI card information. 
         [0041]    The computer  520  is an information processing device, for example, a personal computer, and can request the POI management server machine  530  to register POI card information as the mobile device  510  does. The computer  520  includes an image pickup device such as a digital camera, or a device similar to an image pickup device, to transmit a picked-up image to the POI management server machine  530  and request the POI management server machine  530  to register the image as POI card information. 
         [0042]    The POI management server machine  530  is an information processing device capable of receiving over the network  500  a request for the registration of POI card information and storing the POI card information in storage  531  as the POI card data  532 . Receiving a request for the POI card data  532  stored in the storage  531 , the POI management server machine  530  reads the POI card data  532  and transmits the POI card data  532  to the requester over the network  500 . One piece of POI card information is associated with one facility. However, associating a plurality of pieces of POI card information with one facility poses no problems. 
         [0043]    The network  500  is a wide-area communication network that can be connected to the Internet or other open networks, and examples of the network  500  include a cellular phone communication network and a network of an internet provider. The network  500  may also be a communication network available to specific users, such as various local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). 
         [0044]      FIG. 2  illustrates the configuration of the navigation device  100 . 
         [0045]    The navigation device  100  includes a computing unit  1 , a display  2 , a storage  3 , an audio input/output device  4  (which includes a microphone  41  as an audio input device and a speaker  42  as an audio output device), an input device  5 , a ROM device  6 , a vehicle speed sensor  7 , a gyro sensor  8 , a global positioning system (GPS) receiving device  9 , an FM multiplex broadcast receiving device  10 , a beacon receiving device  11 , and a communication device  12 . 
         [0046]    The computing unit  1  is a central unit that handles various types of processing. For example, the computing unit  1  detects the current location based on information output from various sensors including  7  and  8 , the GPS receiving device  9 , the FM multiplex broadcast receiving device  10 , and others. The computing unit  1  also reads map data necessary for display out of the storage  3  or the ROM drive  6  based on the obtained current location information. 
         [0047]    The computing unit  1  develops the read map data into graphics, superimposes a mark that represents the current location on the graphics, and then displays the graphics on the display  2 . The computing unit  1  also uses map data stored in the storage  3  or the ROM drive  6  to search for an optimum route (a recommended route) connecting a departure site (the current location) and a destination (or a passing point or a stop) that are designated by the user. The computing unit  1  also uses the speaker  42  and the display  2  to guide the user. 
         [0048]    The computing unit  1  performs processing of assisting the drawing of a travel plan that involves planning a route by combining a plurality of destinations. For instance, the computing unit  1  searches for a route for a travel between designated destinations, calculates a travel time necessary for the travel, determines whether or not a scheduled arrival time can be kept, and shows the result. 
         [0049]    The computing unit  1  of the navigation device  100  is configured to connect its constituent devices to one another with a bus  25 . The computing unit  1  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  21 , which executes various types of processing such as numerical calculation and control of the constituent devices, a random access memory (RAM)  22 , which stores map data read out of the storage  3 , arithmetic data, and the like, a read only memory (ROM)  23 , which stores a program and data, and an interface (I/F)  24 , which connects various hardware components to the computing unit  1 . 
         [0050]    The display  2  is a unit that displays graphics information generated by the computing unit or others. The display  2  is constituted of a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or the like. 
         [0051]    The storage  3  is constituted of a storage medium capable of at least reading and writing, such as an hard disk drive (HDD) or a non-volatile memory card. 
         [0052]    The storage medium stores a link table  200 , which is map data (including link data of links that constitute roads on a map) necessary for a normal route search device, a POI card table  250 , which stores location information and the like for each POI, an input information table  300 , which temporarily stores information in which POI points are placed on a time line, and a check result table  350 , which stores information for determining for each POI placed on a time line whether or not an arrival time can be kept. 
         [0053]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the link table  200 . For each identification code (mesh ID)  201  of a mesh which is a partitioned area on a map, the link table  200  contains link data  202  of each link that constitutes a road contained in the mesh area. 
         [0054]    For each link ID  211  which is the identifier of a link, the link data  202  contains, among others, coordinate information  222  of two nodes (a start node and an end node) that constitute the link, a road type  223 , which indicates the type of a road that includes the link, a link length  224 , which indicates the length of the link, a link travel time  225 , which is stored in advance, a start connection link/end connection link  226  for identifying a link that is connected to the start node of the link in question and a link that is connected to the end node of the link in question, and a speed limit  227 , which indicates the speed limit of a road that includes the link. 
         [0055]    Two nodes that constitute a link are discriminated here from each other as a start node and an end node in order to manage the up direction and down direction of the same road as separate links. 
         [0056]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the POI card table  250 . The POI card table  250  stores a POI card ID  251 , which is information for identifying each piece of POI card data  532 , a POI card display name  252 , which is information for identifying a POI card display name, POI location information  253  for identifying a POI location, and a display image  254  for identifying an image that is used to display the POI card in the form of an icon. 
         [0057]    Stored as the POI card ID  251  is an identifier for identifying each piece of POI card data  532 . Stored as the POI card display name  252  is information for identifying what name is displayed when the POI card data  532  is displayed on the display  2  or the like. For example, when “Chinese Noodle Place ∘∘” is stored as the POI card display name  252 , it is an instruction that an icon or the like of this POI card be displayed as “Chinese Noodle Place ∘∘”. 
         [0058]    Stored as the POI location information  253  is information for identifying where a POI is located. For example, information for identifying a given point (e.g., in front of the main gate) of a POI, namely, information for identifying the address or the latitude/longitude is stored as the POI location information  253 . Stored as the display image  254  is information for identifying an icon image that is displayed when the POI card data  532  is displayed on the display  2  or the like. 
         [0059]    The information stored in the POI card table  250  may be predetermined information, or information that is maintained by updating as the need arises based on received information which is transmitted from the POI management server machine  530  via the communication device  12 . 
         [0060]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the input information table  300 . The input information table  300  stores a POI card ID  301 , which is an identifier for identifying each piece of POI card data  532 , a placed date/time  302  for identifying a date/time on a time line where the POI card is placed, a lock field point  303  for identifying a display point on the time line where the POI card is placed, an arrival date/time  304  for identifying a scheduled arrival date/time on the time line for this POI, a staying period  305  for identifying a scheduled length of stay at this POI, and a departure date/time  306  for identifying a date/time at which the user leaves this POI for the next destination. 
         [0061]    Stored as the POI card ID  301  is an identifier for identifying each piece of the POI card data  532 . Stored as the placed date/time  302  is information that indicates a time on a time line where this POI card data is placed, for example, information for identifying a time. 
         [0062]    Stored as the lock field point  303  is information that indicates a lateral point on the time line where this POI is placed. For example, information such as “0”, “1”, “2”, or “3” is stored as the lock field point  303 . In this example, the value “0” of the lock field point  203  means that this POI is placed in a free area which is indicated as “Free” on the time line, and the value “1” of the lock field point  203  means that this POI is placed in a left-end area (column) of a lock area which is indicated as “Lock” on the time line. Similarly, the value “2” or “3” of the lock field point  203  means that this POI is placed in the second or third area (column) from the left end of the lock area on the time line. Identifying an area (column) within the lock area prevents an overlap in which a POI and display information incidental to this POI are displayed for other POI points. 
         [0063]    Stored as the arrival date/time  304  is information for identifying a scheduled arrival date/time on the time line for this POI. Stored as the staying period  305  is information for identifying a scheduled length of stay at this POI. Stored as the departure date/time  306  is information for identifying a date/time at which the user leaves this POI for the next destination. 
         [0064]      FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the check result table  350 . The check result table  350  stores a departure site  351 , which is information for identifying a POI card ID that indicates a departure site, a destination  352 , which is information for identifying a POI card ID that indicates a destination, a departure time  353 , which is a time when the user departs from the departure site, a required time  354  required to travel from the departure site to the destination, and an arrival time  355  at which the user arrives at the destination. 
         [0065]    Stored as the departure site  351  is information for identifying one of two successive POI card IDs of POI points placed on a time line that has an earlier placed date/time (a time on a time line) than the other. Stored as the destination  352  is information for identifying one of the POI points placed on the time line that follows the POI stored as the departure site  351  (the next POI in the order of placed date/time). Stored as the departure time  353  is information for identifying a date/time at which the user departs after a stay at the POI stored as the departure site  351 . Stored as the required time  354  is a length of time necessary to travel along a route from the POI stored as the departure site  351  to the POI stored as the destination  352 . Stored as the arrival time  355  is information for identifying a date/time at which the user arrives at the POI stored as the destination  352 . 
         [0066]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , the audio input/output device  4  includes the microphone  41  as an audio input device and the speaker  42  as an audio output device. The microphone  41  picks up sounds outside the navigation device  100 , such as the voice of the user or passengers. 
         [0067]    The speaker  42  outputs in an audio form a message to the user which is generated by the computing unit  1 . The microphone  41  and the speaker  42  are separately disposed in given parts of a vehicle. Alternatively, the microphone  41  and the speaker  42  may be housed in a unitary housing. The navigation device  100  may include a plurality of microphones  41  and a plurality of speakers  42 . 
         [0068]    The input device  5  is a device that receives an instruction from the user when operated by the user. The input device  5  is constituted of a touch panel  51 , a dial switch  52 , and other hardware switches (not shown) such as a scroll key and a scale changing key. 
         [0069]    The touch panel  51  is mounted on the display screen side of the display  2  and the display screen is visible through the touch panel  51 . The touch panel  51  identifies a touch point that corresponds to the X-Y coordinates of an image displayed on the display  2 , converts the touch point into coordinates, and outputs the coordinates. The touch panel  51  is constituted of a pressure-sensitive or electrostatic input sensing device or the like. 
         [0070]    The dial switch  52  is configured in a manner that allows the dial switch  52  to turn clockwise and counterclockwise, generates a pulse signal each time the dial switch  52  turns by a given angle, and outputs the pulse signal to the computing unit  1 . The computing unit  1  obtains the turning angle from the count of pulse signals. 
         [0071]    The ROM drive  6  is constituted of a storage medium capable of at least data read, such as a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, or other read-only memories (ROMs), or an integrated circuit (IC) card. The storage medium stores, for example, video data or audio data. 
         [0072]    The vehicle speed sensor  7 , the gyro sensor  8 , and the GPS receiving device  9  are used by the navigation device  100  to detect the current location (own-vehicle location). 
         [0073]    The vehicle sensor  7  is a sensor that outputs a value used to calculate the vehicle speed. 
         [0074]    The gyro sensor  8  is constituted of a fiber optic gyro, a vibrating structure gyro, or the like, and detects an angular velocity caused by the rotation of a moving object. 
         [0075]    The GPS receiving device  9  receives a signal from a GPS satellite, and measures for each of three or more GPS satellites the distance between a moving object and the GPS satellite and the rate of change in distance, to thereby measure the current location, traveling speed, and traveling direction of the moving object. 
         [0076]    The FM multiplex broadcast receiving device  10  receives an FM multiplex broadcast signal transmitted from an FM multiplex broadcast station. An FM multiplex broadcast includes, among others, summarized current traffic information, traffic control information, service area/parking area (SA/PA) information, parking information, weather forecast information, and the like of vehicle information communication system (VICS: registered trademark) information, and text information provided by a radio station as FM multiplex general information. 
         [0077]    The beacon receiving device  11  receives summarized current traffic information, traffic control information, service area/parking area (SA/PA) information, parking information, weather forecast information, emergency warning information, and the like of VICS information or other sources. For example, the beacon receiving device  11  is a device for receiving an optical beacon which is communicated by way of light or a radio beacon which is communicated by way of radio waves. 
         [0078]    The communication device  12  connects to the network  500 . This communication device  12  is a device that connects to, for example, a cellular phone network to communicate data with other devices over the network  500 . Examples of the communication device  12  include a device that is capable of communication when attached to the user&#39;s cellular phone. 
         [0079]      FIG. 7  is a functional block diagram of the computing unit  1 . As illustrated, the computing unit  1  includes a main control module  101 , an input receiving module  102 , an output processing module  103 , a time line operation processing module  104 , a POI card management module  105 , a POI event processing module  106 , and a check processing module  107 . 
         [0080]    The main control module  101  is a central function module which handles various types of processing, and controls other processing modules in accordance with what processing is to be performed. The main control module  101  also obtains information of various sensors, the GPS receiving device  9 , and others to identify the current location by map matching or the like. As the need arises, the main control module  101  stores for each link a drive history which associates the date and time of a drive with a location in the storage  3 . The main control module  101  further outputs the current time in response to requests from the processing modules. The main control module  101  also searches for an optimum route (recommended route) connecting a departure site (the current location) and a destination that are designated by the user, and guides the user with the speaker  42  and the display  2  to keep the user from straying from the recommended route. 
         [0081]    The input receiving module  102  receives an instruction from the user which is entered via the input device  5  or the microphone  41 , and controls the components of the computing unit  1  so that processing that meets what is requested by the instruction is executed. For example, when the user&#39;s request is to search for a recommended route, the input receiving module  102  requests the output processing module  103  to execute processing of displaying a map on the display  2  in order to set a destination. 
         [0082]    The output processing module  103  receives screen information to be displayed, for example, polygon information, converts the screen information into signals for drawing on the display  2 , and instructs the display  2  to draw. 
         [0083]    The time line operation processing module  104  receives an operation that is made to a time line display area on a screen displayed on the display  2  (e.g., placing POI icons), and then performs various types of processing such as identifying a time that corresponds to the place of a POI icon. 
         [0084]    The POI card management module  105  is configured to request, as the need arises, from the POI management server machine  530 , POI card information that represents destinations to be included in a travel plan drawn up on the navigation device  100 , and to place the received POI card information in the time line display area. 
         [0085]    The POI event processing module  106  receives the input of an operation performed on a POI icon and processes an event for the POI icon. For example, when a touch to a POI icon is detected, processing associated with the touch operation, for example, displaying a handle object for designating a staying period, is performed to reflect the operation entered by the user. 
         [0086]    The check processing module  107  determines for each POI displayed in the time line display area whether or not the scheduled arrival date/time of the POI can be kept when the user travels in the order of the placement of POI points on the time line, and displays the result. 
         [0087]    The function modules of the computing unit  1  described above, namely, the main control module  101 , the input receiving module  102 , the output processing module  103 , the time line operation processing module  104 , the POI card management module  105 , the POI event processing module  106 , and the check processing module  107 , are constructed by the CPU  21  reading and executing a given program. The RAM  22  therefore stores a program for implementing the processing of the respective function modules. 
         [0088]    The components described above are classified by their main processing specifics to make it easy to understand the configuration of the navigation device  100 . Accordingly, how the components are classified or the names of the components do not limit the present invention. The configuration of the navigation device  100  may be broken into more components based on their processing specifics, or into components each of which executes more types of processing. 
         [0089]    The function modules may instead be constructed by hardware (an ASIC, a GPU, and the like). The processing of the respective function modules may be executed by a single hardware component or a plurality of hardware components. 
         [0090]    [Description of Operation] 
         [0091]    The operation of the navigation device  100  is described next. 
         [0092]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart of travel plan processing in which the time line of a travel is edited upon the user&#39;s instruction to start drawing up a travel plan. This flow is executed when a given operation, for example, a start-up instruction on an operation menu, is received while the navigation device  100  is in operation. 
         [0093]    First, the input receiving module  102  receives a travel period entered by the user and the designation of POI points that are destinations (Step S 001 ). Specifically, the input receiving module  102  receives the designation of information for identifying a plurality of destinations and the designation of a travel date. 
         [0094]    Next, the time line operation processing module  104  creates time line display information that corresponds to the designated period (Step S 002 ). Specifically, in the case where the received travel period is one-day long, the time line operation processing module  104  creates time line information that divides a period from 0 o&#39;clock of the day of travel to 0 o&#39;clock of the next day into unit-length (e.g., thirty minutes) segments. The created time line information may be for a given period containing the day of travel (for example, three days including the day before and the day after), instead of just the day of travel. The time line information in this embodiment has a time axis in the longitudinal direction of the screen (the longitudinal direction of the navigation device  100  that is used in a normal manner), and has a free area and a lock area in the lateral direction of the screen. The information in the longitudinal direction of the screen and the information in the lateral direction of the screen may be switched as long as similar elements are provided. In other words, the time line information may have a time axis in the lateral direction and a free area and a lock area in the longitudinal direction of the screen. 
         [0095]    Next, the POI card management module  105  collects pieces of POI card data that correspond to the designated destinations and displays the data as POI icons (Step S 003 ). Specifically, the POI card management module  105  obtains pieces of POI card information stored in the POI card table  250  that are identified by the information for identifying a plurality of destinations designated in Step S 001 . In this step, the POI card management module  105  may obtain latest POI card information by requesting the latest information of the relevant POI card information from the POI card management server machine  530  over the network  500 . For instance, when the information for identifying a plurality of destinations is “one-day drive to and from Hakone”, the POI card management module  105  identifies relevant POI card information from information for identifying a plurality of destinations (not shown) that is associated with the “one-day drive to and from Hakone”, identifies a POI card ID, and requests latest location information, icon-use display image information, and the like for the POI card ID from the POI management server machine  530 . The POI card management module  105  uses the latest POI card data  532  received from the POI management server machine  530  to update information in the POI card table  250 , creates icon information that represents the display image  254  of this POI card, and displays the information in a POI card display area (described later) of a screen displayed on the display  2 . 
         [0096]    Next, the time line operation processing module  104  receives input information of an operation performed on the time line (Step S 004 ). Specifically, the time line operation processing module  104  receives the specifics of an operation performed by the user on the time line information, and executes processing that reflects the operation specifics. For example, as will be described later, the time line operation processing module  104  executes icon moving processing in response to a drag-and-drop operation performed on an icon that is associated with the POI card information. 
         [0097]    The POI event processing module  106  performs, for example, handle processing for designating the staying period in association with an operation in which an icon placed on the time line is touched. Details of this processing, too, are described later. 
         [0098]    Next, the check processing module  107  determines whether or not an instruction to execute plan checking processing has been received (Step S 005 ). Specifically, the check processing module  107  determines whether or not a touch operation has been made in which a check button is touched on a screen  400  described later. The check processing module  107  moves the processing to Step S 006  in the case where the touch operation has been performed on the check button, and, in the case where the touch operation has not been performed, returns the processing to Step S 004  to receive more time line operation inputs. 
         [0099]    In the case where an instruction to execute plan checking processing has been received (“Yes” in Step S 005 ), the check processing module  107  executes plan checking processing described later (Step S 006 ). 
         [0100]    The check processing module  107  next determines whether or not an incompatible part, namely, a POI placement that makes the user late for the arrival time of a locked POI, is found as a result of a check made by the plan checking processing (Step S 007 ). Specifically, if there is an incompatible part on the time line, the check processing module  107  determines that the whole plan is incompatible and returns the processing to the time line operation input receiving processing of Step S 004  in order to prompt an adjustment of the plan. 
         [0101]    When there is no incompatible part, in other words, when there is no problem that affects the time of arrival at a locked POI (“No” in Step S 007 ), the check processing module  107  constructs a screen by superimposing the route on a map and displays the screen to ask the user whether the user approves this plan or not (Step S 008 ). 
         [0102]    The check processing module  107  then determines whether or not an approval has been input as a result of the inquiry about approving the plan (Step S 009 ). The check processing module  107  ends the travel plan processing in the case where the approval input has been received. In the case where the approval input has not been received, the check processing module  107  returns the processing to the time line operation input receiving processing of Step S 004  in order to prompt an adjustment of the plan. 
         [0103]    Specifics of the travel plan processing have been described. Through the travel plan processing described above, the navigation device  100  searches for a specific route and provides an actually needed travel time and other types of reference information for a travel plan which conventionally is drawn up by the user by making a rough calculation on paper or in his/her head. In the travel plan processing, the main control module  101  may set destinations and a recommended route using POI information and route information of a travel plan to which the user has given the final approval, to present route guidance to the user. 
         [0104]      FIG. 9  is a flow chart illustrating processing details of the plan checking processing executed in Step S 006  of the travel plan processing. 
         [0105]    The check processing module  107  first identifies POI points chronologically from the placement of POI icons arranged on the time line (Step S 101 ). 
         [0106]    The check processing module  107  next searches for a route to the next POI for each POI except the last POI, and calculates the time required to travel the route (Step S 102 ). In this route search, the check processing module  107  requests the main control module  101  to perform, for each POI, processing of searching for a route that has the POI as the departure site and the next POI as the destination. The main control module  101  conducts the search by selecting traffic statistics information appropriate for the departure date/time of the POI and using the traffic statistics information for the route search and the calculation of the required time. 
         [0107]    For example, the main control module  101  searches for a route by identifying a link cost that reflects the degree of traffic jam of the date/time of departure from the departure site POI. Alternatively, the main control module  101  searches for a route by identifying a link cost based on the date/time of arrival at a given point along the searched-for route from the departure site POI to the destination POI. In this case, the main control module  101  identifies the degree of traffic jam of, for example, a highway along the route based on a time at which the user gets on the highway, and conducts a route search by Dijkstra&#39;s algorithm or the like in a manner that reflects the degree of traffic jam on the cost of a link that constitutes the highway. A more precise route search is thus conducted and the concreteness of a travel plan is enhanced further. 
         [0108]    The check processing module  107  next sets, as the current POI, a POI at the head of the travel plan laid out along the time line (Step S 103 ). 
         [0109]    The check processing module  107  next determines whether or not a POI next to the current POI is locked (Step S 104 ). Specifically, the check processing module  107  checks whether or not the POI next to the current POI has a value “1” or a larger value as the lock field point on the time line. 
         [0110]    In the case where the next POI is locked (“Yes” in Step S 104 ), the check processing module  107  determines whether or not a date/time obtained by adding a length of time that is required for the travel from the current POI to the next POI to the departure date/time of the current POI falls before or on the arrival date/time of the next POI on the time line. 
         [0111]    In the case where the obtained date/time falls before or on the arrival date/time of the next POI on the time line (“Yes” in Step S 105 ), the check processing module  107  sets the POI next to the current POI as “compatible”, and moves the processing to Step S 108  (Step S 106 ). 
         [0112]    In the case where the obtained date/time falls after the arrival date/time of the next POI on the time line (“No” in Step S 105 ), the check processing module  107  sets the POI next to the current POI as “incompatible” and, if the current POI is the head POI, sets the current POI as “incompatible” as well. The check processing module  107  then moves the processing to Step S 108  (Step S 107 ). 
         [0113]    The check processing module  107  next determines whether or not every POI placed on the time line has been set as one of “compatible” and “incompatible” (Step S 108 ). When every POI has been set, the check processing module  107  ends the plan checking processing. 
         [0114]    When not every POI has been set (“No” in Step S 108 ), the check processing module  107  sets, as the current POI, the last POI that has been set as one of “compatible” and “incompatible”, and returns the control processing to Step S 104  (Step S 109 ). 
         [0115]    In the case where the POI next to the current POI is not locked, the check processing module  107  determines whether or not a date/time obtained by adding the total time required to reach a next locked POI (if there is a plurality of POI points preceding the next locked POI, the total required time includes the staying periods of the plurality of POI points as well) to the departure date/time of the current POI falls before or on the arrival date/time of the next locked POI (Step S 110 ). In the case where the obtained date/time falls before or on the arrival time (“Yes” in Step S 110 ), the check processing module  107  moves the control processing to Step S 106  described above. 
         [0116]    In the case where the obtained date/time falls after the arrival date/time (“No” in Step S 110 ), the check processing module  107  sets the next locked POI and all POI points that are included between the current POI and the next locked POI as “incompatible” and, if the current POI is the head POI, also sets the current POI as “incompatible”. The check processing module  107  then moves the processing to Step S 108  (Step S 111 ). 
         [0117]    Specifics of the plan checking processing have been described. By performing the plan checking processing, the navigation device according to the present invention determines with high precision whether or not a drawn-up plan is executable. The navigation device according to the present invention provides information that is helpful particularly to a user who is unfamiliar with the geography around the destination in determining whether or not the plan is practicable, and the user can therefore check the practicability in the planning stage. 
         [0118]      FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating the screen  400  displayed in Step S 004  of the travel plan processing. Displayed on the screen  400  are a POI icon display area  410 , a time line display area  420 , and a check start instruction input area  430 . 
         [0119]    The POI icon display area  410  displays a plurality of POI icons  411  and display names  412  of POI cards represented by the POI icons  411 . The display images of the POI icons  411  are the display images  254  read out of the POI card table  250 , and names displayed as the display names  412  are the POI card display names  252  read out of the POI card table  250 . The POI icon display area  410  also displays a trash icon  413 . The trash icon  413  is an icon having a function of deleting a POI icon that is dropped on top of the trash icon  413 . The POI icons  411  displayed in the POI icon display area  410  are sorted in advance by the POI event processing module  106 . The POI icons  411  are sorted in, for example, ascending order of distance from the current location of the navigation device. However, once the POI icons  411  are arranged in the time line display area  420 , the displayed POI icons  411  are re-sorted by the POI event processing module  106  in the chronological order of the POI icons&#39; placement on the time line. 
         [0120]    The time line display area  420  displays time markers  421 , which indicate given times that constitute segments of the time line, a free field  422 , and a lock field  423 . The time markers  421  are displayed in association with, for example, horizontal lines provided at one-hour intervals. The free field  422  and the lock field  423  are fields in which the POI icons  411  are arranged. The free field  422  is a field for designating as a destination the POI icon  411  that has no limitations on arrival time and departure time. The lock field  423  is a field for designating as a destination the POI icon  411  that has limitations on arrival time and departure time. Whichever field the POI icon  411  is placed in, if a staying period is designated, staying at this POI for the designated staying period is treated as a given. In other words, a staying period designated for one POI icon  411  is fixed and is not extended or shortened irrespective of which field the POI icon  411  is placed in. The free field  422  and the lock field  423  are displayed side by side in the lateral direction of the screen, and the time markers  421  are arranged in the top-bottom direction of the screen along the passage of time. 
         [0121]    A check button is disposed in the check start instruction input area  430 . The check button is a button for receiving an instruction to start the plan checking processing and, receiving the start instruction, the check processing module  107  starts the plan checking processing. 
         [0122]    The POI icons  411  displayed in the POI icon display area  410  are aligned in ascending order of distance from the current location in the same direction as the direction of the passage of time indicated by the time markers  421  in the time line display area  420 . Displayed in this manner, the POI icons  411  can be arranged in the time line display area by a lateral drag-and-drop operation, which makes it easier to avoid planning a route that is low in travel efficiency, without sacrificing the ease of operation. 
         [0123]      FIG. 11  is a diagram illustrating an operation example of the screen  400  displayed in Step S 004  of the travel plan processing.  FIG. 11  is similar to  FIG. 10  in that the POI icon display area  410 , the time line display area  420 , and the check start instruction input area  430  are displayed on the screen  400 . In the screen  400  of  FIG. 11 , the POI icon  411  that has a display name “HOME” and displayed in the POI icon display area  410  which occupies the left half of the screen  400  in  FIG. 10  is placed at a point “9:30” in the lock field  423  of the time line display area  420 . 
         [0124]    While the POI icon  411  that has a display name “HOME” is placed in the lock field  423 , a reduced POI icon  413  that is a reduction of this POI icon  411  is displayed in the time line display area  420 . A dotted line  414 L links the POI icon  411  and the reduced POI icon  413  to each other to display that “HOME” POI icon  411  and the reduced POI icon  413  are associated with each other. A time at which the POI is placed on the time line (“9:30” in the example above) is further displayed along with the display name of the POI icon  411 . The displayed time is, being associated with a time at which the reduced POI icon  413  is placed, changed when there is a change to the placed time. A plurality of POI icons displayed in the POI icon display area  410  are displayed in the chronological order of the POI icons&#39; placement on the time line in the time line display area  420 . In other words, the displayed POI icons are aligned in ascending order of placed times on the time line to prevent the dotted line  414 L of one POI icon from intersecting with the dotted line  414 L of another POI icon. 
         [0125]      FIGS. 12(   a ) and  12 ( b ) are diagrams illustrating another operation example of the screen  400  displayed in Step S 004  of the travel plan processing.  FIGS. 12(   a ) and  12 ( b ) are similar to  FIG. 10  in that the POI icon display area  410 , the time line display area  420 , and the check start instruction input area  430  are displayed on the screen  400 . 
         [0126]    In the screen  400  of  FIG. 12(   a ), a POI icon  415 A which is displayed in the POI icon display area  410  and has a display name “BBBBB” is being dragged (moving on the screen while selected). The POI icon  415 A is displayed in the same size as that of icons displayed in the POI icon display area  410  while moving through the POI icon display area  410 . 
         [0127]    In the screen  400  of  FIG. 12(   b ), the POI icon  415 A having a display name “BBBBB” which is displayed in the POI icon display area  410  in  FIG. 12(   a ) has been moved and displayed in the time line display area  420 . In this situation, the pre-move POI icon  415 A is reduced and displayed as a reduced POI icon  416 . A POI icon  415  B of  FIG. 12(   b ) is for illustrating the size of the pre-move POI icon as a comparison with the change to the icon, and is not illustrated on the actual screen. Displaying a reduced icon in the time line display area  420  in this manner makes it easy for the user to designate a time to the minute in the time line display area. 
         [0128]    To make it easy for the user to designate a time to the minute in the time line display area as in  FIGS. 12(   a ) and  12 ( b ), a display method illustrated in  FIGS. 13(   a ) and  13 ( b ) may be employed. 
         [0129]      FIGS. 13(   a ) and  13 ( b ) are diagrams illustrating still another operation example of the screen  400  displayed in Step S 004  of the travel plan processing.  FIGS. 13(   a ) and  13 ( b ) are similar to  FIG. 10  in that the POI icon display area  410 , the time line display area  420 , and the check start instruction input area  430  are displayed on the screen  400 . 
         [0130]      FIGS. 13(   a ) and  13 ( b ) illustrate a case in which an operation mode different from the one in  FIGS. 12(   a ) and  12 ( b ) is used. In this embodiment, a choice is made between the display method of  FIGS. 12(   a ) and  12 ( b ) and the display method of  FIGS. 13(   a ) and  13 ( b ). 
         [0131]    In the screen  400  of  FIG. 13(   a ), as in  FIG. 12(   a ), a POI icon  415 A which is displayed in the POI icon display area  410  and has a display name “BBBBB” is being dragged (moving on the screen while selected). The POI icon  415 A is displayed in the same size as that of icons displayed in the POI icon display area  410  while moving through the POI icon display area  410 . 
         [0132]    In the screen  400  of  FIG. 13(   b ), the POI icon  415 A having a display name “BBBBB” which is displayed in the POI icon display area  410  in  FIG. 13(   a ) has been moved and displayed in the time line display area  420 . In this situation, the pre-move POI icon  415 A is displayed without changing the size. Instead, the time axis of the time line display area  420  is displayed enlarged. Placing a POI icon at an objective point in the time line display area is thus made easy without impairing the visibility of the icon. 
         [0133]      FIGS. 14(   a ) and  14 ( b ) illustrate an operation and display in which one of POI icons displayed in the POI icon display area  410  is dropped on top of the trash icon  413 , to thereby delete the icon along with its associated icon which has been placed in the time line display area  420 . 
         [0134]      FIGS. 14(   a ) and  14 ( b ) are diagrams illustrating yet still another operation example of the screen  400  displayed in Step S 004  of the travel plan processing.  FIGS. 14(   a ) and  14 ( b ) are similar to  FIG. 10  in that the POI icon display area  410 , the time line display area  420 , and the check start instruction input area  430  are displayed on the screen  400 . 
         [0135]    In the screen  400  of  FIG. 14(   a ), a POI icon  417 A which is displayed in the POI icon display area  410  and has a display name “HOME” is being dragged (moving on the screen while selected). 
         [0136]    In the screen  400  of  FIG. 14(   b ), the POI icon  417 A having a display name “HOME” which is displayed in the POI icon display area  410  in  FIG. 14(   a ) has been moved and dropped on the trash icon  413 . In this situation, a POI icon  417 B which corresponds to the pre-move POI icon  417 A is no longer displayed (deleted). A reduced icon  417 C which is associated with the POI icon  417 B and which has been displayed in the time line display area  420  is no longer displayed (deleted) as well. An icon is deleted not only when a POI icon displayed in the POI icon display area  410  is dropped on the trash icon  413  but also when a reduced icon displayed in the time line display area  420  is dropped on the trash icon  413 . In this case, however, the POI icon displayed in the POI icon display area  410  is not deleted. 
         [0137]    Described next with reference to  FIG. 15  is an operation and display for receiving the designation of a staying period for a reduced POI icon which is placed in the time line display area  420 . 
         [0138]      FIG. 15  is a diagram illustrating yet still another operation example of the screen  400  displayed in Step S 004  of the travel plan processing.  FIG. 15  is similar to  FIG. 10  in that the POI icon display area  410 , the time line display area  420 , and the check start instruction input area  430  are displayed on the screen  400 . A POI icon that has a display name “AAAAA” is placed at a point “12:45” in the free field  422  of the time line display area  420 . In the lock field  423  of the time line display area  420 , a POI icon that has a display name “HOME” is placed at a point “9:30” and a POI icon that has a display name “BBBBB” is placed at a point “11:30”. The “HOME” POI icon and the “BBBBB” POI icon that are displayed in the time line display area  420  are staggered laterally (with the “HOME” POI icon on one side of a line  418 , which is not displayed on the screen, and the “BBBBB” POI icon on the other side of the line  418 ). This is because the lock field point of the “HOME” POI icon has a value “1” whereas the lock field point of the “BBBBB” POI icon has a value “2” and, consequently, the two POI icons are displayed staggered. 
         [0139]    When a touch input operation made to the reduced POI icon that has a display name “BBBBB” is received in this state, the POI event processing module  106  displays a handle object  419 A for receiving the designation of a staying period, and receives the designation of a staying period. The received designated staying period is displayed in a staying period display area  419 B, which is displayed near a POI icon. 
         [0140]      FIGS. 16(   a ) to  16 ( c ) are diagrams illustrating a handle object operation and display for receiving the designation of a staying period.  FIG. 16(   a ) is a display example for a case where a touch input operation made to the reduced POI icon  415 A is received.  FIG. 16(   b ) is a diagram illustrating a display example of the screen immediately after the touch input operation is received. The POI event processing module  106  displays the handle object  419 A below the reduced POI icon  415 A, displays the staying period display area  419 B, which uses numbers to display a designated staying period, to the left of the reduced POI icon  415 A, and further displays a staying period display bar  419 C, which has a length varied in accordance with the staying period to help the user intuitively grasp the designated length of stay, between the reduced POI icon  415 A and the handle object  419 A. When a drag operation that drags the handle object  419 A downward is received, the POI event processing module  106  identifies the length of the staying period based on the amount of the drag operation, and makes the identified length reflected on the staying period display area  419 B and on the displayed length of the staying period display bar  419 C (by extending the bar length). 
         [0141]    As illustrated in  FIG. 16(   c ), when a touch input of a touch to the reduced POI icon  415 A is received in  FIG. 16(   a ), the POI event processing module  107  displays a handle object  419 E above the reduced POI icon  415 A, and displays a staying period display bar  419 D, which has a length varied in accordance with the staying period to help the user intuitively grasp the designated length of stay, between the reduced POI icon  415 A and the handle object  419 E. When a drag operation that drags the handle object  419 E upward is received, the POI event processing module  106  identifies the length of the staying period based on the amount of the drag operation, and makes the identified length reflected on the staying period display area  419 B and on the displayed length of the staying period display bar  419 D (by extending the bar length). The staying period display area  419 E displays a total staying period which is the sum of the staying period received by way of the handle object  419 A and the staying period received by way of the handle object  419 E. 
         [0142]      FIG. 17  is a diagram illustrating an example of the screen  400  that is displayed when an incompatible POI icon is found as a result of the plan check processing.  FIG. 17  is similar to FIG.  10  in that the POI icon display area  410 , the time line display area  420 , and the check start instruction input area  430  are displayed on the screen  400 . 
         [0143]    In  FIG. 17 , a pop-up message display area  440  for informing the user of the presence of a POI icon determined as “incompatible” is superimposed on the screen  400 . The pop-up message display area  440  displays a message  441 , which points out that there is an incompatible POI icon, and an OK button  442 , which is for receiving a message confirmation operation from the user. The message  441  reads as, for example, “Arriving at the following facility at the set time is not possible. (line feed) “EBBBB” (line feed) Unlock and re-calculate.” In addition, a “x” mark  443  which indicates that a POI icon is incompatible is displayed in association with the incompatible POI icon or the like. 
         [0144]      FIG. 18  is a diagram illustrating an example of a travel plan check screen  450  which is displayed in Step S 008  when a plan is found to be free of problems (i.e., when any of the POI icons arranged on the time line is determined as “compatible”) as a result of the travel plan processing. Route information which high-lights the route on a map is displayed in a route information display area  451  on the right-hand side of the travel plan check screen  450 . The displayed route information includes a “HOME” POI icon  452  and its departure time  461 , a “BBBBB” POI icon  453  and its arrival time  462 , an “AAAAA” POI icon  454  and its arrival time  463 , and a “CCCCC” POI icon  455  and its arrival time  464  which are placed on the time line  420 . 
         [0145]    POI icons  471  are displayed on the left-hand side of the screen as in the POI icon display area  410  of  FIG. 10 . A POI icon description  472  (including a display name, an arrival time, and a staying period) is displayed around each of the POI icons. 
         [0146]      FIG. 19  is a diagram illustrating the flow of processing for receiving a POI icon moving operation when a time line operation input is received in Step S 004  of the travel plan processing. 
         [0147]    First, the POI event processing module  106  determines whether or not the moved POI icon is located in the time line display area (Step S 201 ). In the case where the moved POI icon is not in the time line display area (“No” in Step S 201 ), the POI event processing module  106  moves the processing to Step S 203 . 
         [0148]    In the case where the moved POI icon is in the time line display area (“Yes” in Step S 201 ), the POI event processing module  106  displays the POI icon in a reduced display size (Step S 202 ). Specifically, the POI event processing module  106  displays the POI icon reduced to the same size as that of the reduced POI icon  413  of  FIG. 11 . 
         [0149]    The POI event processing module  106  next determines whether or not the POI icon has been dropped on the time line (Step S 203 ). Specifically, the POI event processing module  106  determines whether or not the moved POI icon has been dropped in the free field  422  or lock field  423  of the time line display area  420 . In the case where the moved POI icon has not been dropped on the time line (“No” in Step S 203 ), the POI event processing module  106  moves the processing to Step S 205 . 
         [0150]    In the case where the moved POI icon has been dropped on the time line (“Yes” in Step S 203 ), the POI event processing module  106  identifies a point in the lock field at which the POI icon has been dropped, and recognizes a date/time that corresponds to the icon point as a placed date/time (Step S 204 ). Specifically, the POI event processing module  106  identifies which of “0” (the free field), “1”, “2”, and “3” is the value of the point in the lock field at which the POI icon has been dropped, recognizes a date/time that corresponds to the icon point as a placed date/time, and stores the icon point and the placed date/time as the lock field point  303  and the placed date/time  302 , respectively, in the input information table  300 . The POI event processing module  106  assigns values “1”, “2”, and “3” to other lock field points than “0” in ascending order of placed dates/times of the POI icons placed in the lock field  423 . If more than three POI icons are placed in the lock field  423 , the value of a lock field point is identified based on the order in which the assigned values are repeated: “1”, “2”, “3”, “2”, “1”, “2”, “3”, “2” . . . . The value of a lock field point may also be identified based on a different repetition order: “1”, “2”, “3”, “1”, “2”, “3”, “1” . . . . The POI event processing module  106  then ends the icon moving operation receiving processing. 
         [0151]    Next, the POI event processing module  106  determines whether or not the POI icon has been dropped on the trash (Step S 205 ). Specifically, the POI event processing module  106  determines whether or not the point at which the moved POI icon has been dropped at least partially overlaps with the trash icon  413 . In the case where the POI icon has not been dropped on the trash (“No” in Step S 205 ), the POI event processing module  106  moves the processing to Step S 207 . 
         [0152]    In the case where the POI icon has been dropped on the trash (“Yes” in Step S 205 ), the POI event processing module  106  erases the POI icon from the screen by deleting the POI icon that is displayed in the POI display area and the POI icon that is displayed in the time line display area as illustrated in  FIGS. 14(   a ) and  14 ( b ) (Step S 206 ). The POI event processing module  106  then ends the icon moving operation receiving processing. 
         [0153]    The POI event processing module  106  next determines whether or not the POI icon has been dropped around its original point (Step S 207 ). Specifically, the POI event processing module  106  determines whether or not the point at which the moved POI icon has been dropped at least partially overlaps with the original POI icon. In the case where the moved POI icon has been dropped on the original POI icon (“Yes” in Step S 207 ), the POI event processing module  106  ends the icon moving operation receiving processing. 
         [0154]    In the case where the moved POI icon has not been dropped on the original POI icon (“No” in Step S 207 ), the POI event processing module  106  deletes the POI icon placed in the time line display area if the moved POI icon is an icon placed on the time line (Step S 208 ). The POI event processing module  106  then ends the icon moving operation receiving processing. 
         [0155]    Specifics of the icon moving operation receiving processing have been described. Through the icon moving operation receiving processing, event editing processing that is suited to where a POI icon is moved to is performed. 
         [0156]      FIG. 20  is a diagram illustrating processing specifics of icon touch operation receiving processing for performing editing processing that is suited to what touch operation is made to a POI icon. 
         [0157]    First, the POI event processing module  106  determines whether or not the touched POI icon is a POI icon placed in the time line display area (Step S 301 ). In the case where the touched POI icon is not a POI icon placed in the time line display area (“No” in Step S 301 ), the POI event processing module  106  ends the icon touch operation receiving processing. 
         [0158]    In the case where the touched POI icon is a POI icon placed in the time line display area (“Yes” in Step S 301 ), the POI event processing module  106  displays the handle objects for designating a staying period as illustrated in  FIGS. 16(   a ) to  16 ( c ), and receives an operation (Step S 302 ). 
         [0159]    The POI event processing module  106  next displays the sum of staying periods that are designated by the operation received in Step S 302  (Step S 303 ). Specifically, the POI event processing module  106  displays, in the staying period display area  419 B of  FIG. 16(   c ), a staying period equivalent to the sum of the amount of a downward handle object operation received in Step S 302  and the amount of an upward handle object operation received in Step S 302 . 
         [0160]    The POI event processing module  106  next determines whether or not a touch input of a touch to this POI icon has been received again (Step S 304 ). In the case where the touch input has been received again (“Yes” in Step S 304 ), the POI event processing module  106  returns the processing to Step S 302 . 
         [0161]    In the case where the touch input has not been received again (“No” in Step S 304 ), the POI event processing module  106  sets, as the time of arrival at this POI, a time corresponding to the upper one of 1) a point for which a staying period has been designated via the upward handle object and 2) a point on the time line at which the POI icon is placed, and stores as the arrival date/time  304  of the input information table  300  (Step S 305 ). 
         [0162]    The POI event processing module  106  next sets, as a departure time at which the user departs this POI, a time corresponding to the lower one of 1) a point for which a staying period has been designated via the downward handle object and 2) a point on the time line at which the POI icon is placed, and stores as the departure date/time  306  of the input information table  300  (Step S 306 ). 
         [0163]    The POI event processing module next sets, as a period in which the user stays at this POI, a length of time equivalent to the difference between the arrival time and the departure time, and stores as the staying period  305  of the input information table  300  (Step S 307 ). The POI event processing module  106  then ends the icon touch operation receiving processing. 
         [0164]    By receiving an icon touch operation in this manner, the designation of detailed settings of a placed POI icon is received interactively. 
         [0165]    The first embodiment of the present invention has now been described. 
         [0166]    According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the navigation device  100  can assist the user in drawing up a travel plan that includes visiting a plurality of destinations. In other words, the user can draw up an adequate plan for traveling around places in an unfamiliar region. 
         [0167]    While the plan check processing of the first embodiment determines whether a plan is adequate or not, the present invention is not limited thereto and the navigation device  100  may instead correct an incompatible part of the plan and advise the user on how to adjust the plan. This includes showing the user how much the departure time should be moved backward and giving the user an indication of how much the arrival time should be moved forward. This way, the navigation device  100  can give the user a hint on what adjustment is to be made to turn an inadequate plan into an adequate plan, and improves the convenience of the user even more. 
         [0168]    The present invention is not limited to the first embodiment described above. Various modifications can be made to the first embodiment within the technical concept of the present invention. For example, while the travel plan processing of the first embodiment uses an algorithm that is included in advance in the navigation device  100  to search for a route and calculate a required time, the navigation device  100  may request a not-shown external organization that provides a route search service to search for a route and calculate a required time. This way, a more precise plan can be drawn up. 
         [0169]    A second embodiment of the present invention is described next. The navigation device  100  in the second embodiment has a configuration that is almost the same as the one in the first embodiment described above but slightly differs, and exerts different functions. The following description focuses on the differences. 
         [0170]    The navigation device  100  in the second embodiment has the POI card table  250  that is substantially the same as the POI card table  250  in the first embodiment, except that the POI card table  250  in the second embodiment has items in addition to those of the POI card table  250  in the first embodiment. Specifically, the POI card table  250  in the second embodiment has an additional item, a staying period  255 , plus the items of the POI card table  250  in the first embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 21 . The POI card stored in the POI card table  250  stores a record for each POI and a length of stay at the POI is stored as the staying period  255 . The length of stay stored as the staying period  255  of a POI card is designated by the creator of this POI card at the time of creation. The staying period  255  therefore is the actual length of stay at the POI in some cases, a scheduled length of stay in other cases, and an estimated length of stay in still other cases. 
         [0171]    The computing unit  1  of the navigation device  100  in the second embodiment further includes a plan adjustment processing module  108 . The plan adjustment processing module  108  is a processing module that manages the predicted progress and the actual progress after the vehicle starts driving following a travel plan and, if an adjustment is needed such as when there is a significant deviation from the plan, performs processing of editing the travel plan. 
         [0172]    The navigation device  100  in the second embodiment performs modification suggestion processing after the vehicle starts driving to suggest a modification to the travel plan based on the vehicle&#39;s location, driving state, and the like. The modification suggestion processing performed by the navigation device  100  in the second embodiment is described with reference to  FIG. 22 . The modification suggestion processing is executed by the plan adjustment processing module  108  by controlling other processing modules. 
         [0173]      FIG. 22  is a diagram illustrating the processing flow of the modification suggestion processing. The modification suggestion processing is started when the vehicle starts driving in accordance with a travel plan planned in the travel plan processing. 
         [0174]    First, the plan adjustment processing module  108  obtains current location information and traffic state information (Step S 401 ). Specifically, the plan adjustment processing module  108  requests the main control module  101  to provide current location information, namely, information for identifying the coordinates of the current location, and traffic state information such as information about a traffic jam along the planned route. The main control module  101  hands over, as the traffic state information, latest traffic information obtained through VICS or the like. 
         [0175]    The plan adjustment processing module  108  next predicts the time of arrival at each passing point and the destination (Step S 402 ). Specifically, the plan adjustment processing module  108  calculates a required time for each passing point with the use of the traffic state information and route information, and predicts the arrival time by adding an accumulation of required times to the current time. The plan adjustment processing module  108  also predicts the time of arrival at the destination via the passing points in the same manner. 
         [0176]    The plan adjustment processing module  108  then determines for each passing point and the destination whether or not there is a given change in the predicted arrival time (Step S 403 ). Specifically, for each time of arrival at a passing point or the destination that is predicted in Step S 402 , the plan adjustment processing module  108  compares the predicted arrival time with a past prediction of the arrival time of the passing point or destination In the case where the predicted arrival time is later or earlier than the previous prediction of arrival time by a given amount of time (for example, thirty minutes) or more, the plan adjustment processing module  108  determines that there is a given change. In the case where there is not a given change, the plan adjustment processing module  108  returns the control processing to Step S 401 . 
         [0177]    In the case where there is a given change (“Yes” in Step S 403 ), the plan adjustment processing module  108  displays the amount of change in the predicted arrival time (Step S 404 ). Specifically, the plan adjustment processing module  108  constructs a screen illustrated in  FIG. 23  and requests the output processing module  103  to output the screen to the display  2 . 
         [0178]      FIG. 23  is an example of a delay display screen  600  which is displayed in Step S 404  when it is determined in Step S 403  that there is a given delay or more. The delay display screen  600  is a screen for displaying information on a delay of a predicted time of arrival at a passing point or the destination from the previous prediction of arrival time. A half map display area  610  and a time line display area  620  are displayed on the delay display screen  600 . 
         [0179]    Displayed in the half map display area  610  are a car mark  611 , which indicates the current location of the navigation device  100 , a guided route  612 , a direction image  613 , which indicates the direction, and a progress check button  614 , which is for receiving an instruction to check the progress. The car mark  611  is superimposed on a map of the surroundings of the current location. The route  612  is a route searched for based on a travel plan. The direction image  613  is an image that shows the north, south, east, and west directions and has an appearance designed after, for example, a compass. The progress check button  614  is for receiving an instruction to output the current delay status in an audio form. When an input from the progress check button  614  is received, the plan adjustment processing module  108  generates audio information based on the amount of delay that is identified in Step S 403 , for example, information indicating the length of delay, and requests the output processing module  103  to output the audio information from the speaker  42 . 
         [0180]    In the time line display area  620 , time markers  624 , which indicate given times that constitute segments of the time line are displayed. The time markers  624  are displayed in association with, for example, horizontal lines provided at one-hour intervals. At the time marker  624  that corresponds to the current time, a car mark icon  625  which indicates the current time is displayed. At the time markers  624  that correspond to given times, marks  622 T and  623 T are placed to give an indication to scheduled or predicted times of arrival at passing points  622  and  623 . The difference between the scheduled time of arrival and the predicted time of arrival at the passing point  622 , namely, the length of delay from the scheduled arrival time, is displayed in a delay amount display area  628 . The time markers  624  are arranged in the top-bottom direction of the screen along the passage of time. An example of the delay display screen  600  has been described. The delay display screen  600  is not limited to this configuration and may instead be a screen  700  of a modification example described later. 
         [0181]    Returning to the description of the flow, the plan adjustment processing module  108  displays an action selection screen to receive a choice of action (Step S 405 ). Specifically, the plan adjustment processing module  108  requests the output processing module  103  to display on the delay display screen  600  a message area  630  for prompting the user to choose how to deal with a delay and receiving the choice as illustrated in  FIG. 24(   a ). Receiving the choice, the plan adjustment processing module  108  determines subsequent processing based on the received choice. 
         [0182]      FIG. 24(   a ) is a display example for displaying selections for how to deal with a delay and receiving a choice on the delay display screen  600 .  FIG. 24(   a ) illustrates an example of the message display area  630  for receiving the input of a chosen action against a delay. A message  631  is displayed in the message display area  630  to inform the user of the amount of delay in reaching the next passing point and to ask the user to determine whether to stick to the plan of stopping at this passing point. Also displayed in the message display area  630  are a “Yes” button  632  for giving a positive response to the message, a “No” button  633  for giving a negative response, and a “suggest a different passing point” button  634  for giving another response which is an instruction to switch to a different passing point. 
         [0183]    When the input receiving module  102  receives an input via the “Yes” button  632 , the plan adjustment processing module  108  determines that the user has chosen to stick to the plan of stopping at the passing point, in other words, stopping at the passing point is not to be changed, and returns the control processing to Step S 401 . 
         [0184]    When the input receiving module  102  receives an input via the “No” button  633 , the plan adjustment processing module  108  determines that the user has chosen not to stick to the plan of stopping at the passing point, in other words, the passing point is to be skipped, and searches for a route anew after removing the next passing point from among the scheduled passing points (Step S 406 ). Specifically, the plan adjustment processing module  108  requests the main control module  101  to search for a route anew and provide route guidance. The plan adjustment processing module  108  then returns the control processing to Step S 401 . 
         [0185]    When the input receiving module  102  receives an input via the “suggest a different passing point” button  634 , the plan adjustment processing module  108  determines that the user has chosen to stop at an alternative passing point, in other words, the passing point is to be replaced, searches for an alternative facility through which the user can arrive at the next passing point in the plan at the scheduled arrival time, and presents the alternative facility in the time line display area  620  as illustrated in  FIG. 24(   b ) (Step S 407 ).  FIG. 24(   b ) illustrates an example in which a first alternative facility  626  and a second alternative facility  627  have been found through the search and are displayed. Each of the alternative facilities  626  and  627  can be designated in a received instruction. An alternative facility is a facility that belongs to the same genre as that of the next passing point and that does not cause a delay for the subsequent plan when 1) the length of drive along a route to this alternative facility, 2) the length of drive along a route from the alternative facility to a passing point that is next to the next passing point, or to the destination, and 3) the length of stay at this alternative facility, namely, information stored as the staying period  255  in the POI card table  250 , are accumulated. 
         [0186]      FIGS. 25(   a ) and  25 ( b ) are an example of an early arrival display screen  600  which is displayed when it is determined in Step S 403  that the arrival is earlier by a given amount or more. The early arrival display screen  600  is a screen for displaying information on an early arrival when the predicted time of arrival at a passing point or the destination is earlier than the previous prediction of arrival time. The half map display area  610  and the time line display area  620  are displayed on the early arrival display screen  600  as on the delay display screen  600 . An example of the early arrival display screen  600  has been described. The early arrival display screen  600  is not limited to this configuration and may instead be the screen  700  of a modification example described later. 
         [0187]      FIG. 25(   a ) is a display example for displaying selections for how to deal with an early arrival and receiving a choice on the early arrival display screen  600 .  FIG. 25(   a ) illustrates an example of a message display area  640  for receiving the input of a chosen action against an early arrival. A message  641  is displayed in the message display area  640  to inform the user of an amount of time that indicates how much the arrival at the next passing point is ahead of the previous prediction of arrival time, and to ask the user to determine whether to stop at another facility on the way to this passing point. Also displayed in the message display area  640  are a “Yes” button  642  for giving a positive response to the message and a “No” button  643  for giving a negative response. 
         [0188]    On the early arrival display screen  600  of the  FIGS. 25(   a ) and  25 ( b ), the time markers  624 , which indicate given times that constitute segments of the time line, are displayed in the time line display area  620 . The time markers  624  are displayed in association with, for example, horizontal lines provided at one-hour intervals. At a point on the time marker  624  that corresponds to the current time, the car mark icon  625  which indicates the current time is displayed. At points on the time markers  624  that correspond to given times, marks  651 T and  652 T are placed to give an indication to scheduled or predicted times of arrival at passing points  651  and  652 . The difference between the scheduled time of arrival and the predicted time of arrival at the passing point  651 , namely, the length of time by which the arrival is ahead of schedule, is displayed in an early arrival amount display area  653 . The half map display area  610  of  FIGS. 25(   a ) and  25 ( b ) has the same display configuration as that of the half map display area illustrated in  FIGS. 24(   a ) and  24 ( b ). 
         [0189]    When the input receiving module  102  receives an input via the “No” button  643 , the plan adjustment processing module  108  determines that the user has chosen to stick to the plan of stopping at the passing point, in other words, stopping at the passing point is not to be changed, and returns control processing to Step S 401 . 
         [0190]    When the input receiving module  102  receives an input via the “Yes” button  642  of  FIG. 25(   a ), the plan adjustment processing module  108  determines that the user has chosen to stop at an additional passing point, in other words, a passing point is to be added, searches for facilities that the user can stop at before the time of arrival at the next passing point in the plan, and presents the facilities in the time line display area  620  as illustrated in  FIG. 25(   b ) (Step S 408 ). The presented facilities, such as a first addition candidate facility  654  and a second addition candidate facility  655  which are illustrated in  FIG. 25(   b ), are placed near their associated time markers in the time line display area  620  as icons that can be selected. Each of the first addition candidate facility  654  and the second addition candidate facility  655  can be designated in a received instruction. An addition candidate facility is a facility that belongs to a different genre from that of the next passing point, and that does not cause a delay to the arrival plan for the next and subsequent passing points when 1) the length of drive along a route to the addition candidate facility, 2) the length of drive along a route from the addition candidate facility to the next passing point, or to the destination, and 3) the length of stay at this addition candidate facility, namely, information stored as the staying period  255  in the POI card table  250  are accumulated. 
         [0191]    Next, the plan adjustment processing module  108  determines whether or not the designation of a presented facility has been received (Step S 409 ). Specifically, if there is a delay to the travel plan, the plan adjustment processing module  108  determines whether or not an instruction to choose one of the alternative facilities to stop at has been received. If there is an arrival earlier than scheduled in the travel plan, the plan adjustment processing module  108  determines whether or not an instruction to choose one of the addition candidate facilities to stop at has been received. In the case where the designation of a presented facility has not been received, the plan adjustment processing module  108  returns the control processing to Step S 401 . 
         [0192]    In the case where the designation of a presented facility has been received and the facility designated in Step S 409  is an alternative facility, the plan adjustment processing module  108  replaces the next passing point with the presented facility designated. In the case where the designated facility in Step S 409  is an addition candidate facility, the plan adjustment processing module  108  inserts the presented facility designated in the plan before the next passing point (Step S 409 ). The plan adjustment processing module  108  then requests the main control module  101  to search for a route once more and returns the control processing to Step S 401 . 
         [0193]    In the case where the designated facility is an addition candidate facility, the plan adjustment processing module  108  instructs the output processing module  103  to output the screen  600  that is illustrated in  FIG. 26  until the control processing is returned to Step S 401 . 
         [0194]      FIG. 26  is a diagram illustrating a screen that is displayed when the input receiving module  102  receives an instruction to choose one of the addition candidate facilities presented in  FIG. 25(   b ). In this screen  600 , an additional facility  662  chosen in the received instruction is placed in the time line display area  620 , and the additional facility  662  is displayed in association with a mark  662 T which corresponds to the time of arrival at the facility. The plan adjustment processing module  108  constructs a screen by displaying a next destination  661  at which the user has been expected to arrive earlier than scheduled in association with a mark  661 T which corresponds to the original arrival time, and by disabling the display of the early arrival amount display area. 
         [0195]    The processing flow of the modification suggestion processing has been described. According to the modification suggestion processing described above, if the prediction of the time of arrival at a passing point or the destination is expected to be changed greatly while the navigation device  100  is giving route guidance information following a travel plan, the navigation device  100  can suggest the user to delete a passing point, to replace a passing point, to add a passing point, or the like. For example, in the case where a large delay to the arrival at a destination is expected due to a traffic jam or the like, the navigation device  100  can omit one of facilities that the user has planned to stop at, and start route guidance of a route that leads to the subsequent passing point or the destination. 
         [0196]    The modification suggestion processing described above uses a screen example in which a modification is suggested on a screen that displays the half map display area and the time line display area. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and the screen display may be as illustrated in  FIGS. 27(   a ) and  27 ( b ) and  FIG. 28 . 
         [0197]      FIG. 27(   a ) is an example of a delay display screen  700  which is displayed in Step S 404  when it is determined in Step S 403  of the modification suggestion processing that there is a given delay or more. The delay display screen  700  is a screen for displaying information on a delay of the predicted time of arrival at a passing point or the destination from the previous prediction of arrival time. An initial travel plan display area  710 , a current travel plan display area  720 , and a current travel plan editing instruction receiving button  730  are displayed on the delay display screen  700 . The plan adjustment processing module  108  constructs the delay display screen  700  in Step S 404  and instructs the output processing module  103  to output. 
         [0198]    An initial travel plan is displayed in the initial travel plan display area  710 . In the initial travel plan display area  710 , a time axis stretching from the left-hand side of the screen to the right-hand side of the screen is displayed, and passing points to stop at in the travel plan and the destination are displayed in the form of icons at corresponding points along the time axis. For example, an icon  711  which represents a passing point BBB (eatery), an icon  712  which represents a passing point AAA (tourist site), and an icon  713  which represents the destination are placed at corresponding points along the time axis to be displayed. 
         [0199]    A current travel plan and a travel plan predicted based on the current situation are displayed in the current travel plan display area  720 . In the current travel plan display area  720 , a time axis stretching from the left-hand side of the screen to the right-hand side of the screen is displayed, and passing points to stop at in the travel plan and the destination are displayed in the form of icons at corresponding points along the time axis. For example, an icon that represents the passing point BBB (eatery), an icon that represents the passing point AAA (tourist site), and an icon that represents the destination are placed at corresponding points along the time axis to be displayed. For each passing point and the destination, the amount of delay, namely, the length of delay, from the scheduled arrival time is predicted and displayed in delay amount display areas  721 ,  722 , and  723  along with the icons of the passing points and the destination placed in the current travel plan display area  720 . In the case where the length of stay at a passing point is prolonged (when there is a delay due to a traffic jam or the like), the icon of this passing point is expanded forward on the time axis by an amount that corresponds to the amount of delay, and the expansion is displayed as an overstay area  724 . 
         [0200]    The editing instruction receiving button  730  is used to receive an instruction to start an editing operation for modifying the current travel plan. When the input processing module  102  receives an instruction via the editing instruction receiving button  730 , the plan adjustment processing module  108  displays buttons for editing a travel plan in the current travel plan display area  720  as illustrated in  FIG. 27(   b ). For example, when an input is made from the editing instruction receiving button  730 , the plan adjustment processing module  108  constructs a screen that displays buttons  731  to  733  for receiving an instruction to add a passing point to stop at between a point in the current travel plan display area  720  that represents the current time and a point in the current travel plan display area  720  that represents the time of arrival at the next passing point, and between every two passing points in the current travel plan display area  720  that are to be visited in succession after the current time. The plan adjustment processing module  108  also displays in a part of the icons of the respective passing points, for example, the upper right corners, delete buttons  734  and  735  for receiving an instruction to delete the passing points from the current travel plan. The plan adjustment processing module  108  also displays an “end editing” button  750  for receiving an instruction to end the editing of the travel plan as illustrated in  FIG. 27(   b ). 
         [0201]    When the input receiving module  102  receives an input via one of the passing point adding instruction receiving buttons  731  to  733 , which are displayed on the editing screen of  FIG. 27(   b ), the plan adjustment processing module  108  searches for and present addition candidate facilities in the same manner as in Step S 408  for a segment to which the button used to receive the input belongs. 
         [0202]    When the input receiving module  102  receives an input via one of the delete buttons  734  and  735 , which are displayed on the editing screen of  FIG. 27(   b ), the plan adjustment processing module  108  deletes from the route a passing point that is associated with the button used to receive the input, and conducts a search again in the same manner as in Step S 406 . 
         [0203]      FIG. 28  is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen that is displayed when an input is received from the “end editing” button  750  of  FIG. 27(   b ). In this screen example, the passing point BBB has been deleted, which makes the arrival at the destination as well as the arrival at the passing point AAA earlier. Amounts of time, namely, lengths of time by which the predicted time of arrival at the passing point AAA and the predicted time of arrival at the destination are ahead of schedule are displayed in early arrival amount display areas  761  and  762  on this screen. The plan adjustment processing module  108  calculates and displays the early arrival amounts. The plan adjustment processing module  108  uses the same processing as in Steps S 401  and S 402  of the modification suggestion processing to calculate the early arrival amounts. 
         [0204]    A different display screen example in the second embodiment has been described. According to this display screen example, the user can intuitively edit a travel plan while comparing the travel plan against an initial travel plan, and can thus adjust the travel plan with ease. In addition, after editing the travel plan, the user can view at a glance changes in predicted arrival times based on the edited travel plan, and can therefore quickly determine whether re-editing is necessary or not. 
         [0205]    The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Further, all or some of the technologies of the invention described above may be used in combination. 
         [0206]    The present invention has now been described through embodiments. 
         [0207]    While the embodiments described above deal with examples in which the present invention is applied to a navigation device, the present invention is applicable to all kinds of mobile device, not just navigation devices. 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0208]      1  . . . computing unit,  2  . . . display,  3  . . . storage,  4  . . . audio input/output device,  5  . . . input device,  6  . . . ROM drive,  7  . . . vehicle speed sensor,  8  . . . gyro sensor,  9  . . . GPS receiving device,  10  . . . FM multiplex broadcast receiving device,  11  . . . beacon receiving device,  12  . . . communication device,  21  . . . CPU,  22  . . . RAM,  23  . . . ROM,  24  . . . I/F,  25  . . . bus,  41  . . . microphone,  42  . . . speaker,  51  . . . touch panel,  52  dial switch,  100  . . . navigation device,  101  . . . main control module,  102  . . . input receiving module,  103  . . . output processing module,  104  . . . time line operation processing module,  105  . . . POI card management module,  106  . . . POI event processing module,  107  . . . check processing module,  200  . . . link table,  250  . . . POI card table,  300  . . . input information table,  350  . . . check result table,  500  . . . network,  510  . . . mobile device,  520  . . . computer,  530  . . . POI management server machine,  531  . . . storage,  532  . . . POI card data