System for and method of providing map information

A map information providing method performed in a system which provides route information to a user of a user terminal via a network and which comprises a map server including a map database and connected to the network, and a main server connected to the network, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving starting point data and destination data corresponding to a starting point and a destination which a user designates by the user terminal, and calculating a route from the starting point to the destination;
• storing route data of the calculated route together with route identification information associated with the route data;
• transmitting the route identification information to the user terminal via the network;
• at the map server, receiving the route identification information from the user terminal;
• at the map server, obtaining the route data associated with the route identification information, producing route display picture data including map picture on which the calculated route is represented by referring to the map database, and transmitting the route display picture data to the user terminal.

A map information providing method performed in a system which provides route information to a user of a user terminal via a network and which comprises a map server including a map database, a main server and a route calculation server which are connected to the network, the method comprising the steps of:

• at the main server, receiving starting point data and destination data corresponding to a starting point and a destination, which a user designates by the user terminal, via the network;
• transmitting the starting point data and the destination data from the main server to the route calculation server via the network;
• at the route calculation server, calculating a route from the starting point to the destination and storing route data of the calculated route together with route identification information associated with the route data;
• transmitting the route data and the route identification data from the route calculation server to the main server;
• transmitting the route identification information from the main server to the user terminal via the network;
• at the map server, receiving the route identification information from the user terminal;
• at the map server, transmitting the route identification information to the route calculation server and receiving the route data associated with the route identification information from the route calculation server;
• and
• at the map server, producing route display picture data including map picture, on which the calculated route is represented, based on the route data and the map database, transmitting the route display picture data to the user terminal, and controlling the user terminal to display the route display picture data.