Patent ID: 8660787

Claim:
A map information distribution center for use in a map information updating system to update map information stored in a navigation apparatus, the map information distribution center comprising: a memory that stores: a travel history in which at least one of required time, travel distance and fuel consumption of a route associated with each of a plurality of combinations of departure points and destination points of routes set in the past in the navigation apparatus and received from the navigation apparatus; a newest version of the map information; and a controller that: for each of the combinations of departure points and destination points of the travel history, compares between 1) the required time, the travel distance, and the fuel consumption of a route calculated in the information distribution center using the newest version of the map information and 2) the required time, the travel distance, and the fuel consumption of the travel history; and before updating the map information stored in the navigation apparatus, transmits a message to the navigation apparatus explaining benefits that can be obtained by updating the map information stored in the navigation apparatus with the newest version of the map data, the message being generated based on the comparison results and indicating the benefit that can be obtained by updating the map information by indicating: a departure point and a destination point from among the plurality of the combinations of the departure points and the destination points having a greatest required time reduction as a result of updating the map information; a departure point and a destination point from among the plurality of the combinations of the departure points and the destination points having a greatest travel distance reduction as a result of updating the map information; and a departure point and a destination point from among the plurality of the combinations of the departure points and the destination points having a greatest fuel consumption reduction as a result of updating the map information; and displays the message in such a manner that a user of the navigation apparatus can understand the overall benefit of updating the map information stored in the navigation apparatus with the newest version of the map data.