Spot searching device, navigation apparatus, spot searching method, spot searching program, and information recording medium having spot searching program

A navigation apparatus having a spot searching device which makes the display apparatus display a map, divides a region of map to be displayed into a predetermined areas, uses the spot search files provided with respect to each of the areas to search a spot existing in a periphery of the spot designated on the map, the navigation apparatus comprising:

• a first recording device having a plurality of spot search files including elements, with respect to a plurality of unit regions obtained by dividing the region of map, of:
• (a) spot information related to various spots which exist inside a first unit region contained in the area, (b) spot information corresponding to various spots belonging to both of the area and an adjacent area thereto, the spots existing inside a second unit region where a border of the area belongs,
• a second recording device that records an administration table with an identification code for identifying the first and second unit regions stored in it, which regions are allocated to the spot search files in correspondence with file information for identifying the above various spot search file;
• an acquisition device which acquires designation information indicating at least the spot on the map;
• a code specifying device which specifies an identification code corresponding to the unit regions where the spot designated by the designated information belongs;
• a file specifying device which specifies the spot search file corresponding to the identification code thus specified on the basis of the administration table;
• a spot extracting device which extracts the spot information of the spot, existing in a periphery of the spot corresponding to the designation information, out of the spot search file thus specified;
• a route setup which sets up a route on the basis of the spot information thus extracted;
• and
• a guide device which guides on the basis of the route thus set up.

A spot searching device in a spot searching method which administrates various data with respect to area obtained by dividing a region of map to be displayed, the spot searching device, with respect to a plurality of unit regions obtained by dividing the region of map, including:

• a first recording device having a plurality of spot search files including elements of:
• (a) spot information related to various spots which exist inside a first unit region contained in the area, (b) spot information corresponding to various spots belonging to both of the area and an adjacent area thereto, the spots existing inside a second unit region where a border of the area belongs;
• and
• a second recording device that records an administration table with an identification code for identifying the first and second unit regions stored in it, which regions are allocated to the spot search files in correspondence with file information for identifying the above various spot search file, wherein the spot searching method comprising:
• a first step by the spot searching device of acquiring designation information for designating at least a spot on the map;
• a second step by the spot searching device of specifying an identification code corresponding to the unit region where the spot indicated by the designation information belongs;
• a third step by the spot searching device of specifying the spot search file corresponding to the identification code thus specified on the basis of the administration table;
• and
• a fourth step by the spot searching device of extracting the spot information of the spot, existing in a periphery of the spot corresponding to the designation information, out of the spot search file thus specified.

An information recording medium having the spot searching program that makes a computer display a map, divides a region of map to be displayed with respect regions, and searches a spot of map existing in a periphery of a spot designated in use of spot search files which are provided with respect to the areas, the spot searching program making the computer function as:

• an acquisition device which acquires at least designation information indicative of the spot on the map;
• a code specifying device which specifies an identification code for identifying a plurality of unit regions, obtained by dividing the region of the map to be displayed, the identification code corresponding to the unit region where the spot indicated by the designation information belongs;
• a file specifying device which specifies (A) a plurality of spot search files having, as these constitutional elements, spot information related to various spots existing inside a first unit region contained in the area and spot information corresponding to various spots which exist inside a second unit region where a border of the area belongs and belong to both of the area and an area adjacent thereto, and (B) the spot search file corresponding to the identification code, which is specified by the code specifying device after reading out an administration table having the identification code corresponding to the first and second unit regions, which are allocated to the spot search file in correspondence with the file information for identifying each of the spot search files, out of the recording medium where the administration table is recorded;
• and
• a spot extracting device which extracts the spot information of the spot existing in a periphery of a spot corresponding to the designation information out of the spot search file thus specified.