Patent Publication Number: US-2010121564-A1

Title: Remote guide system, remote guide method and remote guide device

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     The present invention claims priority from Japanese patent application JP 2008-280705 on Oct. 31, 2008, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Different from conventional stand-alone type car navigation systems, thin client type navigation systems have been disclosed in, for instance, JP 2000-383513 (Patent Document 1). That is, while all functions and all information which are required for car navigation are configured on servers, the thin client type navigation systems provide route information and guide information with respect to moving objects in combination with maps, and the like with respect to moving objects by utilizing wireless communication systems such as portable telephones. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the conventional thin client type navigation systems, only necessary data portions of map data where routes are drawn are transmitted in connection with movements of moving objects. As a result, the map data must be continuously received via communications, so that the conventional thin client type navigation systems cannot be utilized at places where communication environments are not properly established. 
     Also, since the map data are received via the communications, there is a risk that communication traffic amounts may be probably increased. 
     Moreover, in the case that moving objects are such apparatuses (for instance, portable telephones) that electric power of power sources is limited, since battery power is consumed by communications, time durations during which transmitting/receiving operations can be carried out are also limited. 
     To solve the above-described problems, a remote guide system of the present invention is provided with the below-mentioned arrangements: That is, the remote guide system is featured by comprising: a server including a route search processing unit for searching a route from a departing place to a target place so as to distribute a search result, and a route guide processing unit for distributing guide information for guiding a user from the departing place to the target place by passing the searched route; and a processing apparatus connected to the server, and including a route search request processing unit for transmitting a request of a route search to the server, and a present position processing unit for guiding the user based upon the guide information acquired from the server. 
     In accordance with the present invention, the navigation functions suitable for the processing apparatus can be provided. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a structural diagram of a remote guide system designed for a moving object. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram for indicating one example of route search result information. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram for representing one example of route information. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram for showing one example of crossing information. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram for indicating one example of guide information. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart of a route search request processing unit, a route search processing unit, and a route guide processing unit. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart of a present position processing unit and the route guide processing unit. 
         FIG. 8  is a flow chart of the present position processing unit. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to drawings, a description is made of an embodiment mode. The present embodiment mode is featured: That is, a moving object corrects positional information by employing map image data held in the moving object based upon the positional information acquired by a position detecting apparatus mounted on the moving object and the moving object transmits both the corrected positional information of the present position and positional information of a target place to a remote guide server; the remote guide server forms route information and guide information from the present position to the target place; and the moving object outputs guide information in response to the formed route information and guide information, and also, the positional information. 
       FIG. 1  is a structural diagram of a remote guide system designed for a moving object. As shown in the drawing, the remote guide system designed for the moving object contains a moving object  10 , a remote guide server  20 , a positional information generating device  30 , a wireless communication base station  40 , and a network  50 . The remote guide server  20  provides route information and guide information with respect to the moving object  10 . The positional information generating device  30  generates information used to detect the own position of a moving object from an external unit as to the moving object. The wireless communication base station  40  corresponds to a connection destination of a wireless communication line connected by the moving object  10 . The network  50  connects the remote guide server  20  to the wireless communication base station  40 . The moving object  10  communicates with the remote guide server  20  via the wireless communication base station  40  and the network  50 . Generally speaking, plural sets of the wireless communication base stations  40  are connected via the network  50  to one set of the remote guide server  20 . Also, the wireless communication base station  40  can simultaneously communicate with a plurality of the moving objects  10  by multiplex communication systems such as time division multiplexing and frequency division multiplexing. 
     The moving object  10  may be realized as, for instance, a car navigation system, a PND (Personal Navigation Device), an Ultra-Mobile PC, a portable telephone, and the like, or vehicles equipped with these wireless communication apparatuses. The remote guide server  20  may be contained as a partial function of a telematics service providing server, or a general-purpose ASP (Application Service Provider) server. The above-described telematics service implies “a combination between telecommunication technique and information service.” More specifically, in Japan, the telematics service implies a merged service between the Internet and on-vehicle information wireless technique. The positional information generating device  30  may be realized as a positional information generating device installed on a roadside area, a GPS (Global Positioning System)-purpose satellite, or an optical beacon. The wireless communication base station  40  may be realized as a base station (access point) for a portable telephone, a PHS, a wireless LAN, or the like. The network  50  may be realized as a portable telephone network, or the Internet network. 
     In this example, the moving object  10  will be described as a vehicle which is equipped with the above-explained communication apparatus, and is connected to the remote guide server  20  by a wireless communication. 
     The moving object  10  is equipped with a position detecting apparatus  120 , a wireless communication apparatus  130 , an output apparatus  140 , a storage apparatus  150 , and a central processing apparatus (CPU)  110 . The position detecting apparatus  120  detects a position of the moving object  10  by an apparatus corresponding to the positional information generating device  30  such as a GPS system and an optical beacon, or by a self-contained navigation apparatus such as a vehicle speed pulse and a gyroscope. The wireless communication apparatus  130  is realized as a portable telephone, a PHS, a wireless LAN, or the like. The output apparatus  140  is realized as a liquid crystal display, a speaker, or the like. The storage apparatus  150  is realized as a hard disk, a flash memory, or the like, which is employed so as to store thereinto map image data  151  and the like. The central processing apparatus (CPU)  110  is connected to the position detecting apparatus  120 , the wireless communication apparatus  130 , the output apparatus  140 , the storage apparatus  150 , and the like in order to request the remote guide server  20  to search a route, and to process information received from the remote guide server  20 . 
     The central processing apparatus  110  contains a route search request processing unit  111  and a present position processing unit  112 . The route search request processing unit  111  transmits positional information about a departing place and a target place to the remote guide server  20 , acquires route search result information  151  from the remote guide server  20 , and stores the acquired route search result information  151  in the storage apparatus  150 . The present position processing unit  112  reads map image data  152  corresponding to the relevant position from the positional information of the moving object  10  acquired from the position detecting apparatus  120 , retrieves a road color list  153  on the map image data  152 , corrects the positional information in such a manner that the corrected positional information may appear on a road, and outputs guide information  154  by utilizing the output apparatus  140  in response to the corrected positional information and guide information  154  acquired from the remote guide server  20 . 
     The remote guide server  20  contains a communication apparatus  230 , a storage apparatus  250 , and a central processing apparatus (CPU)  210 . The communication apparatus  230  is employed in order to be connected to the network  50 . The storage apparatus  250  is realized as a hard disk, or the like so as to store thereinto numeral map  251 , guide information  252 , and the like. The central processing apparatus  210  is connected to the communication apparatus  230  and the storage apparatus  250  so as to execute a route search and the like. 
     The central processing apparatus  210  contains a route search processing unit  211  and a route guide processing unit  212 . The route search processing unit  211  receives positional information of a departing place and positional information of a target place, which are transmitted from the moving object  10 , by employing the communication apparatus  230 , and searches a route by employing the numeral map  251  stored in the storage apparatus  250 . The route guide processing unit  212  forms guide information  252  from the route guide result, and stores the formed guide information  252  in the storage apparatus  250 . In the present embodiment mode, for the sake of easy understandings, although a description is made of one set of the moving object  10  as a subject matter, the guide information  252  is stored in the storage apparatus  250  in such a manner that the guide information  252  can be processed with respect to each of the moving objects  10 . 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram for showing one example of the route search result information  151  which is produced by the remote guide server  20  and is transmitted to the moving object  10 . Items of the route search result information  151  are a route ID  1510 , route information  1511 , crossing information  1512 , a group number  1513 , a group ID  1514 , and a spare flag  1515 . The route ID  1510  identifies a route. The route information  1511  indicates a route from a departing place to a target place. The crossing information  1512  indicates a point on the route where a guidance is required. The group number  1513  represents a number of portions when the route is divided. The group ID  1514  shows a sequential number of a portion when the route is divided. The spare flag  1515  is to judge whether the relevant route corresponds to the route from the departing place to the target place, or a spare route provided when the moving object  10  is deviated from the route. In order to judge two sorts of routes, namely an original route and the spare route, the spare flag  1513  is assumed as “0” in case of the original route, and is assumed as “1” in case of the spare route. In such a case that the route is divided, the relevant ID contained in the route ID  1510  has a plurality of group IDs  1514 . Also, the spare flag  1513  with respect to one ID contained in the route ID  1510  necessarily has only a value of “0”, or values of “0” and “1.” A content of the route information  1511  is indicated in  FIG. 3 . A content of the crossing information  1512  is shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram for indicating one example of the route information  1511  contained in the route search result information  151 . The route information  1511  is indicated by a single line made by connecting a plurality of points with each other. Items of the route information  1511  are a route point number  15110  and route points (1 to “n”: “n” being integer larger than, or equal to 1)  15111 . The route point number  15110  indicates a number “n” of points of a route. The route points  15111  show the points on the route. One route point  15111  for indicating a point on the route is constituted by latitude  15112 , longitude  15113 , a crossing number  15114 , and a guide distance  15115 . The crossing number  15114  represents a number “i” (1 to “n”: “n” being integer larger than, or equal to 1) of a point where a guidance is required when a guiding message is outputted at the relevant point. The guide distance  15115  shows a distance defined from the relevant point up to another point which is indicated by the crossing number  15114  when the guide message is outputted at the relevant point. In other words, a single line where the respective route points  15111  are sequentially connected to each other constitutes the route. The crossing number  15114  and the guide distance  15115  have values only at a point where a guiding message is outputted, and have no value at points other than the above-described point. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram for showing one example of the crossing information  1512  contained in the route search result information  151 . Items of the crossing information  1512  are a crossing number  1512  which indicates a number “n” of crossings, and crossings  15121  (1 to “n”: “n” being integer larger than, or equal to 1) which represent positions of the crossings. One crossing  15121  indicatives of a position of a crossing is constructed by employing latitude  15122  and longitude  15123 . 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram for indicating one example of the guide information  154  which is produced by the remote guide server  20  and is transmitted to the moving object  10 . Items of the guide information  154  are a route ID  1540 , a crossing number  1541 , a crossing name  1542 , a guide direction  1543 , a guide distance  1544 , a guide text  1545 , a target place distance  1546 , and a target place time  1547 . The route ID  1540  identifies a route. The crossing number  1541  shows a number “i” (1 to “n”: “n” being integer larger than, or equal to 1) of a point where a guidance is required on the route of the route ID  1540 . The guide direction  1543  indicates a guiding direction at the relevant point. The guide distance  1544  shows a distance defined from the relevant point at which the guiding message is outputted. The guide text  1545  represents a content of the guiding message at the relevant point. The target place distance  1546  indicates a distance defined from the relevant place up to a target place. The target place time  1547  shows a time which is taken from the relevant place to the target place. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart in which process operations (route search request processing unit  111 ) of the central processing unit (CPU)  110  mounted on the moving object  10 , and process operations (route search processing unit  211  and route guide processing unit  212 ) of the central processing unit (CPU)  210  mounted on the remote guide server  20  search routes. The route search request processing unit  111  is initiated when a user who utilizes the moving object  10  issues a request, and then commences the processing operations thereof. Alternatively, the route search request processing unit  111  may be initiated by that the moving object  10  is deviated from a route and the present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  judges the route deviation, and then may commence the process operations thereof. 
     The route search request processing unit  111  of the moving object  10  accepts the request of the user who utilizes the moving object  10 , and determines latitude and longitude of both a present position and a target place (S 6110 ). As methods for determining the target place, the target place may be designated from a map displayed on the output apparatus  140  of the moving object  10 ; the target place may be designated by retrieving an institution database stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 , while the institution database is constituted by names of institutions, addresses, telephone numbers, latitude, longitude, and the like; and the target place may be retrieved via the Internet so as to be designated. Alternatively, the route search request processing unit  111  of the moving object  10  may determine latitude and longitude of both a present position and a target place by that the present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  judges whether or not a route is deviated. The target place of this alternative case is assumed as a target place determined in such a manner that the user who utilizes the moving object  10  finally issues a request. In the case that the latitude and the longitude of the present position and the target place are not present on a road, the latitude and the longitude may be alternatively corrected in such a manner that the corrected latitude and longitude may appear on the road by employing the present position processing unit  112 . 
     The route search request processing unit  111  of the moving object  10  transmits the latitude and longitude of the present position and the target place determined in S 6110  to the remote guide server  20  by employing the wireless communication apparatus  130  (S 6120 ). Alternatively, the route search request processing unit  111  may transmit the determined latitude and longitude of the present position and the target place in combination with resolution of route information to the remote guide server  20  in response to resolution of a map which is outputted to the user. 
     The route search processing unit  211  of the remote guide server  20  receives the latitude and the longitude of both the present position and the target place, which are transmitted by the moving object  10  (S 6210 ). 
     The route search processing unit  211  of the remote guide server  20  executes a route search by employing the numeral map  251  stored in the storage apparatus  250  of the remote guide server  20  so as to produce route information  1511  shown in  FIG. 3  (S 6220 ). In the case that the moving object  10  has transmitted the resolution of the route information, the route search processing unit  211  adjusts the number of route points of the route information  1511  in response to the transmitted resolution. As methods for adjusting the number of route points, the route search processing unit  211  may adjust the number of route points based upon map data every resolution, which have been previously held by the numeral map  251 ; after detailed route information has been once formed, the route search processing unit  211  may uniformly thin points; and alternatively, the route search processing unit  211  may thin points every interval between crossings. Also, in order to previously secure such a case that a user deviates from a route while the user is guided to a target place, the route search processing unit  211  previously extracts places where the user may easily deviate from the route, searches a route defined from the place where the user has deviated from the route up to the previously produced route, and again produces the route information  1511 . At this time, as to the route ID  1510 , the same ID as that of the previously produced route is set, and the spare flag  1515  is set to “1.” As methods for extracting the place where the user may easily deviate from the route, the route search processing unit  211  may extract all crossings which are located within, for instance, 100 meters from the previously produced route; the route search processing unit  211  may extract a crossing located in front of such a crossing where a guidance is required; and alternatively, the route search processing unit  211  may extract such a preceding crossing through which the user goes straight on without turning the crossing where the guidance is required. 
     The route guide processing unit  212  of the remote guide server  20  extracts such a point that a guidance is required on the route based upon the route information  151  produced in S 6220 , produces both crossing information  1512  shown in  FIG. 4  and guide information indicated in  FIG. 5 , and stores the guide information shown in  FIG. 5  in the storage apparatus  250  of the remote guide server  20  as the guide information  252  (S 6230 ). In order that the previously produced guide information is notified to the user in advance, the route guide processing unit  212  may alternatively set numbers of the relevant crossings to the crossing number  15114  and also may set 600 m, 300 m, and 100 m to the guide distance  15115  with respect to three route points corresponding to points of 600 m, 300 m, 100 m, which are located in front of the crossing where the guidance is required among the route information  1511  produced in S 6220 . Further, the guide text  1545  of the above-described guide information  252  may be alternatively constructed of speech data. 
     The route search processing unit  211  of the remote guide server  20  produces route search result information indicated in  FIG. 2  based upon both the route information  1511  produced in S 6220  and the crossing information  1512  produced in S 6230 , and replies the produced route search result information with respect to the moving object  10  which has transmitted the latitude and the longitude of the present position and the target place (S 6240 ). Alternatively, when the route search result information is replied to the moving object  10 , the route search processing unit  211  may also apply thereto the guide information  252  produced in S 6230 . Further, the route search processing unit  211  may alternatively divide the above-described route search result information in the unit of a group, and may alternatively reply only a portion of the divided information groups. As methods for dividing the above-explained route search result information in the unit of the group, the route search result information may be divided every predetermined data size, may be alternatively divided every a distance of a predetermined route, and further may be alternatively divided every number of predetermined crossings. 
     The route search request processing unit  111  of the moving object  10  receives the route search result information shown in  FIG. 2  from the remote guide server  20 , and stores the received route search result information as the route search result information  151  in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10  (S 6130 ). 
     The route search request processing unit  111  of the moving object  10  displays the route search result information  151  on a map which has been displayed on the output apparatus  140  of the moving object  10 , and accomplishes the route search request process operations (S 6140 ). At this time, in such a case that the latitude and the longitude of the route information  1511  are not present on the road, the route search request processing unit  111  may correct the latitude and the longitude of the route information  1511  in such a manner that these latitude and longitude may appear on the road by employing the present position processing unit  112 . 
     With execution of the above-explained route search request process operations, the moving object  10  can display the route search result by employing the guide information without receiving the map data from the route guide server  20 . 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart in which process operations (present position processing unit  112 ) of the central processing unit (CPU)  110  mounted on the moving object  10 , and process operations (route guide processing unit  212 ) of the central processing unit (CPU)  210  mounted on the remote guide server  20  guide routes. The present position processing unit  111  is initiated by a timer mounted on the moving object  10 , and then commence the process operations thereof. 
     The user who utilizes the moving object  10  previously executes the flow chart of the route search shown in  FIG. 6  (S 7110 ). When the moving object  10  issues a request to the remote guide server  20 , for instance, in such a case that an entire route is wanted to be grasped, the moving object  10  issues the request under the condition that resolution of route information is coarse, and in such a case that the user is guided while the user is moved, the moving object  10  issues the request under the condition that resolution of the route information is high. 
     The present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  measures both latitude and longitude by employing the position detecting apparatus  120 , for example, every time 1 second elapses (S 7120 ). Although the interval for measuring the latitude and the longitude is set to 1 second in this example, the internal may be set to, for instance, 0.5 seconds, or 2 seconds. 
     The present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  corrects the latitude and the longitude measured in S 7120  in such a manner that the corrected latitude and longitude may appear on a road of a map (S 7130 ). A flow chart of a correcting process operation will be discussed later. 
     The present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  diagnoses whether or not the present position corrected in S 7130  is separated from the route by a distance longer than, or equal to, for instance, 200 m (S 7140 ). The route is indicated by the route search result information  151  acquired in S 7110  and stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 . If the corrected present position is separated from the route, the process operation is advanced to S 7145 . If the corrected present position is not separated from the route, the process operation is advanced to S 7150 . A description will now be made of one example of methods for calculating the distance separated from the route. In this example, the present position corrected in S 7130  is assumed as a point “A.” Firstly, a route point “i” which is located at the nearest distance from the point “A” is retrieved from the route points shown in  FIG. 3  contained in the route search result information  151  stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 . When an angle defined by the route point “i”, the point “A”, and one preceding route point “i−1” of the route point “i” is compared with another angle defined by the route point “i”, the point “A”, and one succeeding route point “i+1” of the route point “i”, such a smaller route point (either “i−1” or “i+1”) located adjacent to the route point “i” is assumed as a point “B.” Then, such a point is assumed as a point “C”, which is orthogonally intersected with a vertical line drawn from the point “A” with respect to a line segment for connecting the route point “i” to the point “B.” Since a distance between the point “A” and the point “C” is calculated, a distance between the present position and the route may be obtained. Alternatively, a distance between the point “A” and the route point “i” located at the nearest distance from the point “A” may be simply assumed as the distance between the present position and the route. In this example, although the reference of the distance deviated from the route is set to 200 m, the reference may be alternatively selected to be, for instance, 100 m, or 300 m. 
     In S 7140 , in the case that the present position is separated from the route by a distance longer than, or equal to the reference distance of the deviation distance, the present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  extracts a route containing the present position, in which the value of the spare flag  1515  is “1”, from the route search result information  151  stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 , and the present position processing unit  112  sets the value of the spare flag  1515  of the route from the present position to the target place to “0”, and also sets the values of the spare flags  1515  other than the first-mentioned spare flag  1515  to “1.” When such a route containing the present position, in which the value of the spare flag  1515  is “1”, is not present in the above-described route search result information  151 , the present position processing unit  112  discards the route search result information  151  stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 , executes the flow chart of the route search shown in  FIG. 6 , and stores newly acquired route search result information in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10  (S 7145 ). It should be noted that a departing place at this time is assumed as the present position, and a target place is assumed as the target place which has been selected by the user who utilizes the moving object  10 . 
     In the case that the guide information  154  related to a crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes has not yet been stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 , the present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  diagnoses whether or not the present position corrected in S 7130  is located within, for instance, 5000 m from the crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes contained in the route search result information  151  stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10  (S 7150 ). If the corrected present position is located within the reference range, then the process operation is advanced to S 7152 , whereas if the corrected present position is located outside the reference range, then the process operation is advanced to S 7160 . A description will now be made of one example of a method for calculating the distance up to the crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes. In this method, the present position corrected in S 7130  is assumed as a point “A.” Also, the crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes is assumed as a point “B.” Firstly, the present position processing unit  112  retrieves such a route point “i” which is located at the nearest point from the point “A” within the route points shown in  FIG. 3  contained in the route search result information  151  stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 , and calculates a distance “L 0 ” between the point “A” and the route point “i.” Similarly, the present position processing unit  112  calculates lengths of line segments up to the point “B” in such a manner that a distance “L 1 ” between the route point “i” and the route point “i+1”, and another distance “L 2 ” between the route point “i+1” and the route point “i+2” are calculated. Since these lengths of the line segments are added to each other, the present position processing unit  112  can calculate the distance from the present position up to the crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes. Alternatively, a straight line distance between the point “A” and the point “B” may be simply defined as the distance defined from the present position up to the crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes. In this example, although the reference of the distance up to the crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes is set to 1000 m, the reference distance may be alternatively set to, for example, 1000 m, or 10000 m. Furthermore, the present position processing unit  112  may not diagnose whether or not the distance up to the crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes is present within the reference distance, but may alternatively diagnose whether or not the moving object  10  has passed the crossing. In other words, if the moving object  10  has passed the crossing, then the process operation is advanced to S 7152 , whereas if the moving object  10  has not yet passed the crossing, then the process operation is advanced to S 7160 . 
     When the present position is entered to the range of the reference distance up to the crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes in S 7150 , the present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  transmits both the route ID  1510  contained in the route search result information  151  stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 , and the crossing number of the crossing “B” through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes with respect to the remote guide server  20  by employing the wireless communication apparatus  130  (S 7152 ). 
     The route guide processing unit  212  of the remote guide server  20  receives the route ID  1510  and the crossing number transmitted from the moving object  10  (S 7210 ). 
     The route guide processing unit  212  of the remote guide server  20  extracts guide information which is coincident with the above-described route ID  1510  and the above-explained crossing number from the guide information  252  stored in the storage apparatus  250  of the remote guide server  20  in S 6230 , and replies the extracted guide information with respect to the moving object  10  which has transmitted the route ID  1510  and the crossing number (S 7220 ). 
     The present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  receives the guide information shown in  FIG. 5  from the remote guide server  20 , and stores the received guide information as the guide information  154  in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10  (S 7154 ). 
     In such a case that the guide information  154  related to the crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes has not yet been outputted by the output apparatus  140  of the moving object  10 , the present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  judges whether or not the present position corrected in S 7130  is located within a guide output distance (S 7160 ). If the corrected present position is located within the guide output distance, then the process operation is advanced to S 7165 , whereas if the corrected present position is located outside the guide output distance, then the process operation is advanced to S 7170 . The guide output distance is such a distance between a present position and a crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes, and is acquired from the guide distance  15115  of the route information shown in  FIG. 3 . Alternatively, the guide output distance may be acquired from the guide distance  1544  of the guide information shown in  FIG. 5 . In this case, as a method for calculating the distance from the present position up to the crossing through which the moving object  10  passes, the same calculating method as that described in S 7150  is employed. 
     In the case that the present position is entered to the range of the guide output distance in S 7160 , the present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  outputs guide information  154  by employing the output apparatus  140  of the moving object  10  (S 7165 ). As the guide information  154  to be outputted, there are, for example, the crossing name  1542  and the guide direction  1543  indicated in  FIG. 5 , and the like. Also, for example, the guide text  1545  shown in  FIG. 5  may be outputted as speech by utilizing a TTS (Text to Speech) program. Alternatively, if the guide text  1545  corresponds to speech data, then this speech data may be reproduced. Further, such a distance calculated by adding the distance from the present position up to the crossing through which the moving object  10  subsequently passes to the target place distance  1546  shown in  FIG. 5  may be alternatively outputted in the display mode as the distance from the present position up to the target place. Moreover, a time obtained by multiplying the target place time  1547  shown in  FIG. 5  by such a value may be alternatively outputted in the display mode as a time required from the present position up to the target place, while the above-described value is obtained by dividing the distance from the present position up to the target place by the target distance  1546  shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  diagnoses whether or not the present position corrected in S 7130  is located within a range of, for instance, 10 meters from a last crossing indicative of the target place contained in the route search result information  151  stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 , or a last point of the partial route in the case that the route search result information  151  is divided (S 7170 ). If the corrected present position is located in the range within 10 m from the target point, then the process operation is advanced to S 7180 . When the corrected present position is located within the range of 10 m from the last point of the partial route, if the present position processing unit  112  transmits the route ID  1510  contained in the route search result information  151  stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10  and the next group ID  1514  to the remote guide server  20  by employing the wireless communication apparatus  130 , then the present position processing unit  112  receives next guide information from the remote guide server  20 , and then, stores the received next guide information as new guide information  154  in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 . If the corrected present position is not located within the range of 10 m from either the target place or the last point of the partial route, then the process operation is advanced to S 7120 . A method for calculating the distance up to the last crossing constituting the target place, or the last point of the partial route is identical to the method described in S 7150 . In this example, although the reference of the distance up to the target place and the last point of the partial route is set to 10 m, the reference distance may be alternatively set to, for instance, 20 m, or 5 m. 
     In the case that the distance from the present position up to the target place is located within the reference distance in S 7170 , the present position processing unit  112  discards both the route search result information  151  and the guide information  152  stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 , and then, accomplishes the route guide process operation (S 7180 ). 
       FIG. 8  is a flow chart in which process operations (present position processing unit  112 ) of the central processing unit (CPU)  110  mounted on the moving object  10  corrects an arbitrary point “A.” 
     The present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  previously stores thereinto a plurality of map image data  152 , identification numbers of the map image data  152  and a corresponding table in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10 . The corresponding table causes the map image data  152  to be related to latitude and longitude, while contents of the corresponding table correspond to upper left XY coordinates of the map image data  152 , upper right XY coordinates of the map image data  152 , latitude/longitude corresponding to the lower left XY coordinates of the map data image  152 , and latitude/longitude corresponding to the upper right XY coordinates of the map image data  152 . The plurality of map image data  152  are all rectangles having the same dimensions. 
     The present position processing unit  112  of the map object  10  reads such a map image data  152  corresponding to the point “A” from the corresponding table for causing the latitude/longitude to be related to the map image data  152  stores in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10  (S 8110 ). Alternatively, the present position processing unit  112  may read 8 pieces of map image data  152  which surround the map image data  152  containing the point “A” in combination with the map image data  152  corresponding to the point “A.” 
     While the present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  employs the corresponding table which causes the map image data  152  to be related to the latitude/longitude, the present position processing unit  18  converts the latitude/longitude of the point “A” into XY coordinates, and extracts color information of the point “A” on the map image data  152 , and then, compares to judge whether or not the extracted color information of the point “A” is coincident with any one color of the road color list  153  contained in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10  (S 8120 ). In such a case that the color of the point “A” is not coincident with any one color of the road color list  153 , the process operation is advanced to S 8130 . In such a case that the color of the point “A” is coincident with any one color of the road color list  153 , the process operation is advanced to S 8190 . In order to exclude points other than a road, not only one point of the point “A” may be investigated, but also a check may be made whether or not a total number of points is large which are coincident with the color of the road color list  153  within a range of, for instance, 5 pixels from the point “A.” 
     In such a case that the color of the point “A” is not coincident with any one color of the road color list  153  in S 8120 , the present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  checks whether or not any color of the load color list  153  stored in the storage apparatus  150  of the moving object  10  is present within, for example, 100 pixels from the point “A” (S 8130 ). In the case that any color of the road color list  153  is present within 100 pixels from the point “A”, the process operation is advanced to S 8140 . In the case that any color of the road color list  153  is not present within 100 pixels from the point “A”, the process operation is advanced to S 8190 . In order to exclude points other than the road, the present position processing unit  112  may alternatively check not only one point, but also a total number of points which are coincident with the color of the road color list  153  within a range of, for example, 5 pixels. 
     When any color of the road color list  153  is present within 100 pixels from the point “A” in S 8120 , the present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  acquires coordinates of any color of the road color list  153  which is located at the nearest point from the point “A” (S 8140 ). The acquired coordinates are assumed as a point “B.” Alternatively, in order to exclude points other than the road, such coordinates that a total number of points is large may be alternatively assumed as the point “B”, while these points are located at the nearest point from the point “A” and are coincident with the color of the road color list  153  within a range of, for instance, 5 pixels. 
     The present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  elongates a straight line from the point “B” to the opposite side from the point “A”, acquires not any colors of the road color list  153  on the above-described straight line, but a point located at the nearest point from the point “B”, and then, calculates a length from the point “B” to the acquired point (S 8150 ). The acquired point is assumed as a point “C.” A length defined from the point “B” to the point “C” represents a width of the road. 
     The present position processing unit  112  of the moving object  10  defines a center point of a line segment for connecting the point “B” to the point “C” as a point “A′” after the correction, and accomplishes the process operation for correcting the arbitrary point “A” (S 8160 ). 
     Either when the color of the point “A” is coincident with any color of the road color list  153  in S 8120  or when there is no color of the road color list  153  within 100 pixels from the point “A” in S 8130 , the present position processing unit  112  defines the point “A” as a point “A′” after the correction, and accomplishes the process operation for correcting the arbitrary point “A” (S 8190 ). 
     In accordance with the above-described embodiment mode, since the route search is carried out by the remote guide server and the guidance is performed on the side of the moving object, the communication need not be continuously carried out, but the precision of the route search can be improved and the variation can be readily expended. 
     Also, since the communication between the moving object and the server is mainly carried out when the route search is performed, the moving object can be operated without any adverse influence even when communication environments during movement are deteriorated. 
     Also, since both the route search function and the route guide function are installed in the server, the improvements in the precision of these functions, the addition of variations, and customizing of the variations can be realized without changes on the side of the moving object. 
     Furthermore, if such a map image data capable of identifying roads is available, then the moving object may merely require the above-described map image data, and may not necessarily require a numeral map in which roads are expressed based upon numeral values. 
     It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that although the foregoing description has been made on embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.