Network system for serving information to mobile terminal apparatus

Abstract

An information serving system includes a mobile apparatus and a terminal apparatus. The mobile apparatus includes a memory which stores ticket information including departure time data, and a display. The terminal apparatus is installed in a building, and includes a communication device, a database, and a controller. The controller controls the communication device to read the ticket information stored in the memory of the mobile apparatus, calculates a time interval between a current time and a departure time represented by the departure time data, retrieves usable facility information from the database in accordance with a length of the time interval, and pauses the communication device to transmit to the mobile apparatus the retrieved usable facility information together with map information. The mobile apparatus then controls its display to display the transmitted usable facility information on a map based on the transmitted map information.

1 . A vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus comprising: 
 a navigation device which outputs a map of a neighborhood in a current location, and which indicates the current location on the map;    a communication device which communicates data with a service center;    a memory which stores personal information regarding an occupant of a vehicle;    a monitor which monitors at least one of time and mileage of the vehicle;    a controller which: (i) when said monitor detects that a current time corresponds to a predetermined time or that the vehicle has driven a predetermined distance, controls said communication device to transmit the personal information to the service center and a request that the service center supply information associated with the personal information, and (ii) controls said communication device to receive information which is transmitted from the service center in accordance with said request; and    a display which displays the received information on the map of the neighborhood output by said navigation device.    
     
     
         2 . The vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the personal information stored in said memory includes information regarding personal preferences; and    said controller of said vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus requests the service center to search information regarding a restaurant or an amusement facility in accordance with the information regarding personal preferences.    
     
     
         3 . The vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a monitor which monitors a residual quantity of fuel in the vehicle, and wherein said controller controls said display to display a location of a gas station on the map of the neighborhood output by said navigation device when the residual quantity of fuel in the vehicle becomes low.  
     
     
         4 . The vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for acquiring the personal information from an address' book memory of a PDA, and for storing the personal information in said memory.  
     
     
         5 . The vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an input device for inputting a destination;    a monitor which monitors a residual quantity of fuel in the vehicle; and    means for determining before departure whether the vehicle can reach the destination with the residual quantity of fuel in the vehicle.    
     
     
         6 . The vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said input device includes means for acquiring the destination from a schedule data stored in a PDA.  
     
     
         7 . The vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said controller controls said display to display a location of a gas station on the map of the neighborhood output by said navigation device when it is determined that the vehicle cannot reach the destination.  
     
     
         8 . An information serving system comprising a vehicle-mountable electronic apparatus and a service center, wherein: 
 said vehicle-mountable electronic apparatus includes: 
 a navigation device which outputs a map of a neighborhood in a current location, and which indicates the current location on the map;  
 a communication device which communicates data with said service center;  
 a memory which stores personal information regarding an occupant of a vehicle;  
 a monitor which monitors at least one of time and mileage of the vehicle;  
 a controller which: (i) when said monitor detects that a current time corresponds to a predetermined time or that the vehicle has driven a predetermined vehicle;  
 a controller which: (i) when said monitor detects that a current time corresponds to a predetermined time or that the vehicle has driven a predetermined distance, causes said communication device to transmit the personal information to said service center and a request that said service center supply information associated with the personal information, and (ii) controls said communication device to receive information which is transmitted from said service center in accordance with said request; and  
 a display which displays the received information on the map of the neighborhood output by said navigation device, and said service center includes:  
 a communication device which communicates data with said electronic apparatus; and  
 an information searching device which receives a request for searching specific information from said electronic apparatus via said communication device of said service center, and searches a database for the specific information.  
   
     
     
         9 . The information serving system according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the personal information stored in said memory includes information regarding personal preferences; and    said information searching device of said service center searches information regarding a restaurant or an amusement facility in accordance with the information regarding personal preferences.    
     
     
         10 . The information serving system according to  claim 9 , wherein said information searching device of said service center further receives information regarding a destination, and searches information regarding a restaurant or an amusement facility which exists in the destination in accordance with the information regarding personal preferences.  
     
     
         11 . The information serving system according to  claim 10 , wherein said electronic apparatus further includes means for acquiring the information regarding a destination or the information regarding personal preferences from a PDA which stores the personal information and the information regarding a destination.  
     
     
         12 . The information serving system according to  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said electronic apparatus further includes a monitor which monitors a residual quantity of fuel in the vehicle; and    said controller of said electronic apparatus controls said display to display a location of a gas station on the map of the neighborhood output by said navigation device when the residual quantity of fuel in the vehicle becomes low.    
     
     
         13 . An information serving method comprising: 
 a step of preparing a vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus having a navigation function for outputting a map of a neighborhood in a current location and indicating the current location on the map, and a communication function for communicating data with a service center;    a step of storing personal information regarding an occupant of a vehicle in a memory of the vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus;    a monitoring step of monitoring at least one of time and mileage of the vehicle;    a requesting step of controlling, when said monitoring step detects that a current time corresponds to a predetermined time or that the vehicle has driven a predetermined distance, the communication function to transmit the personal information to the service center and a request that the service center supply information associated with the personal information;    a receiving step of controlling the communication function to receive information which is transmitted from the service center in accordance with said request; and    a display step of displaying the received information on the map of the neighborhood output by said navigation function.    
     
     
         14 . The information serving method according to  claim 13 , wherein: 
 the personal information stored in the memory of the vehicle-mountable terminal apparatus includes information regarding personal preferences; and    said requesting step requests the service center to search information regarding a restaurant or an amusement facility in accordance with the information regarding personal preferences.    
     
     
         15 . The information serving method according to  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a step of acquiring information regarding a destination; and    a step of searching the information regarding a restaurant or an amusement facility which exists in the destination in accordance with the information regarding personal preferences.    
     
     
         16 . The information serving method according to  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a step of monitoring a residual quantity of fuel in the vehicle; and    a step of displaying a location of a gas station on the map of the neighborhood output by the navigation function when the residual quantity of fuel in the vehicle becomes low.    
     
     
         17 . The information serving method according to  claim 13 , further comprising a step of acquiring the personal information from a PDA which stores the personal information.  
     
     
         18 . The information serving method according to  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a step of inputting a destination;    a step of monitoring a residual quantity of fuel in the vehicle; and    a step of determining before departure whether the vehicle can reach the destination with the residual quantity of fuel in the vehicle.    
     
     
         19 . The information serving method according to  claim 18 , further comprising a step of displaying a location of a gas station on the map of the neighborhood output by the navigation function when it is determined that the vehicle cannot reach the destination.  
     
     
         20 . The information serving method according to  claim 18 , wherein said step of inputting a destination includes a step of acquiring schedule data from a PDA which stores the schedule data.