Navigation system and method, and computer program product

A navigation method in a navigation system having a navigation apparatus, a server apparatus and a route information transmittance apparatus, which are capable of transferring and receiving information in bidirectional inter-communication via a communication network,

• (i) at said route information transmittance apparatus, said method comprising:
• an input process of inputting route search information which includes destination information and is required for performing a route search;
• and
• a transmittance process of transmitting the inputted route search information to said server apparatus,
• (ii) at said server apparatus, said method comprising:
• a server side communication process of receiving the route search information transmitted at said transmittance process;
• a judgment process of judging whether or not the destination information identifies appropriately the destination position in performing the route search;
• and
• a search process of performing the route search on the basis of the route search information which is judged to identify appropriately the destination position in the case where the destination information is judged to identify appropriately the destination position in performing the route search, wherein at said server communication process, search result information indicating a route searched at said search process is further transmitted to said navigation apparatus, and
• (iii) at said navigation apparatus, said method comprising:
• a terminal side communication process of receiving the search result information;
• and
• a route guidance process of performing a route guidance on the basis of the received search result information.

A computer program product in a computer-readable medium for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer provided for a navigation system having a navigation apparatus, a server apparatus and a route information transmittance apparatus, which are capable of transferring and receiving information in bidirectional inter-communication via a communication network,

• (i) said route information transmittance apparatus comprising:
• an input device for inputting route search information which includes destination information and is required for performing a route search;
• and
• a transmittance device for transmitting the inputted route search information to said server apparatus,
• (ii) said server apparatus comprising:
• a server side communication device for receiving the route search information transmitted from said route information transmittance apparatus;
• a judgment device for judging whether or not the destination information identifies appropriately the destination position in performing the route search;
• and
• a search device for performing the route search on the basis of the route search information which is judged to identify appropriately the destination position in the case where the destination information is judged to identify appropriately the destination position in performing the route search, wherein said server communication device further transmits search result information indicating a route searched by said search device to said navigation apparatus, and
• (iii) said navigation apparatus comprising:
• a terminal side communication device for receiving the search result information;
• and
• a route guidance device for performing a route guidance on the basis of the received search result information, wherein the program of instructions is to make the computer function as at least one of the devices which is comprised in each of said navigation apparatus said server apparatus and said route information transmittance apparatus.