Patent ID: 7577514

Claim:
A running time estimation apparatus installed in a vehicle to estimate a running time between designated positions, comprising: a running data receiver configured to receive running data including a plurality of time and position data having a predetermined time and a vehicle position of different vehicles at the predetermined time by use of a wireless communication system; a running time estimation data generator configured to generate running time estimation data in which the running data received by the running data receiver is associated with road information from which a position and length of a road can be determined; and a running time calculator configured to calculate a running time between the designated positions by using the running time estimation data generated by the running time estimation data generator, wherein, if the designated positions include a gap section which is a section of the road having no association with the running data in the running time estimation data, the running time calculator estimates a running time of the gap section by using the running data placed before and after the gap section.