Method and device for detecting presence or absence of validity in data needed to be updated

A data providing method for providing data comprising the steps of:

• combining data not including data showing a valid period of data and first data including data showing a valid period of data and then providing said data as being combined;
• receiving said data as being combined;
• categorizing said data not including data showing said valid period of data and said first data in accordance with information relating to said valid period of data and then storing said data after being categorized;
• providing second data of the same format as said first data;
• recognizing said second data with respect to information relating to data showing a valid period of said second data;
• and
• replacing said first data with said second data in accordance with results of said recognition.

A data providing device comprising:

• a data provider comprising a data producing section for producing first data having a region including information relating to a valid period of data;
• and
• a data receiver comprising a storage section for categorizing said first data in accordance with said information relating to said valid period, storing said first data being categorized, recognizing second data of the same format as said first data provided by said data provider with respect to information relating to a valid period of said second data and replacing said first data with said second data in accordance with results of said recognition,
• said data provider providing said data therefrom to said data receiver via data transfer means.

A data receiving device for receiving data having an area for information relating to a valid period from a data providing device via a data transfer means, comprising:

• data categorizing means for categorizing first data in accordance with information relating to said valid period;
• data storing means for storing said first data being categorized;
• data recognition means for recognizing second data of the same format as said first data with respect to information relating to said valid period of said second data;
• and
• data replacing means for replacing said first data stored in said data storing means with said second data in accordance with results from said data recognition means.

A data receiving device for receiving data having an area for information relating to a valid period from a data providing device via a data transfer means, comprising:

• a data categorizing section for categorizing data in accordance with information relating to said valid period;
• a data storage section for storing said categorized data;
• and
• a data recognizing section for recognizing said categorized data with respect to information relating to said valid period,
• said data categorizing section categorizing data when said data is provided from said data providing device as a combination of data A including data for which said information relating to said valid period is given as showing that said valid period is limitless and data B including data for which said information is given as showing that said valid period is short, and transmitting said data A to said data storage section and said data B to said data recognizing section on the basis of said information, said data recognizing section recognizing whether or not data to be updated by being replaced with said data B is already stored in said storage section, and said data storage section storing said data B so that said data B is made to correspond to said data A when said data recognizing section recognizes that no data is stored at said storage section.