Patent ID: 8364391

Claim:
A navigation device for use with an information center that receives probe information and position data transmitted from the navigation device, the information center configured to store collecting patterns, each stored collecting pattern indicating what type of probe information should be transmitted and having at least one associated seasonal factor and at least one associated regional factor, specify a seasonal factor and a regional factor corresponding to the navigation device, select a stored collection pattern based on the specified seasonal factor and the specified regional factor, and transmit the selected collecting pattern to the navigation device, the navigation device comprising: a memory that stores a history of received collecting patterns corresponding to a receiving condition; and a controller that: collects probe information; based on the stored history, judges whether a same collecting pattern has been received under a same receiving condition for a predefined number of times; if the same collecting pattern has been received under the same receiving condition for the predefined number of times, selects only the probe information specified by the same collecting pattern for transmission to the information center whenever the receiving condition is met; and a transmitter that transmits the selected probe information to the information center.