Patent ID: 7286931

Claim:
An in-vehicle navigation device that is adapted to be connected in communication with a remote provider offering transmission service of current POI (Point of Interest) information comprising landmarks that designate the locations on a map where points of interest are located, the in-vehicle navigation device comprising: a display unit for providing guidance information to a user; an information input section for entering information to set a destination; a communications section for communicating with said remote provider; and a controller operably connected to said display unit, said information input section, and said communications section; wherein, when a destination is set through said information input section, said controller searches for a guidance route to the destination and accesses the remote provider through the communications section to obtain current POI information included in a predetermined area covering a present position of a vehicle, and then said controller displays said obtained current POI information as landmarks designating POI locations together with said guidance route and a vehicle position mark designating the present vehicle position on a map image on a screen of the display unit, so that the user can recognize landmarks along the actual guidance route during travel; and wherein, in a case where POI information set by the user through said information input section has remained set for a predetermined interval, said controller identifies said set POI information as POI information corresponding to user preference, and then transmits said identified POI information to the remote provider when said guidance route is searched, thereby to obtain the current POI information corresponding to said identified POI information from the remote provider.