Patent ID: 7164987

Claim:
A map image display apparatus for displaying a map image of the vicinity corresponding to a name designated by a user, wherein the designated name is superimposed on the displayed map image, the apparatus comprising: a defined region storage device configured to store information of a name-defined region defined as a map region corresponding to the designated name, wherein the name-defined region is to be redefined to change a geographical scope thereof based on history information indicating any of an operation history of the map image display apparatus, which is a history of operations thereon by the user, and a driving history of a vehicle on which the map image display apparatus is mounted, information of a center position of the name-defined region, and information of a display scale at which substantially the name-defined region is displayed in full screen; and a display target determination device configured to set the map image corresponding to the designated name to be displayed at the display scale, and set the center position of the name-defined region as the center of the displayed map image, based on the information stored in the defined region storage device, in response to the designated name being entered.