Patent ID: 7225076

Claim:
A map search system, comprising: a map data storing unit for storing a plurality of stored information items, each of the plurality of stored information items being assigned to one of a plurality of possible search areas; an area-designating information storage unit for storing a plurality of area-designating information items, each of the plurality of stored area-designating information items identifying one of the plurality of search areas; a designating unit for designating a first search area as a target search area for retrieval, the first search area being chosen from the plurality of possible search areas; a retrieving unit configured to search the target search area and retrieve one of the plurality of stored information items assigned to the target search area; an input unit for receiving an input item, the input item including a search area-designating information item; and a switching determination unit for determining whether the search area-designating item identifies the target search area; a search-area switching unit for switching the target search area from the first search area to a second search area associated with, the search area-designating information item, when the switching determination unit determines that the search area-designating item does not identify the target search area, the second search area being chosen from the plurality of possible search areas.