Method of managing map information, navigation system, information terminal, and navigation device

A navigation system comprising an information terminal that makes a route retrieval, a navigation device which executes a navigation process using a result of the route retrieval, and a storage device included in a server connected to the information terminal and the navigation device over a network,

• wherein the information terminal includes
• a non-transitory memory storing a program;
• and
• a hardware processor that executes the program and causes the information terminal to:
• attach a retrieval identifier to map information which is obtained by retrieval based on information inputted to make the route retrieval, the retrieval identifier indicating whether the map information is personal data or public data, and being attached according to the information inputted,
• (i) the map information with the attached retrieval identifier is stored as the personal data into the storage device when the retrieval identifier attached indicates the personal data, and (ii) the map information with the attached retrieval identifier is stored as the public data into the storage device when the retrieval identifier attached indicates the public data,
• the navigation device:
• acquires at least one of the personal data and the public data which are stored in the storage device, and executes the navigation process using the at least one of the personal data and the public data acquired from the storage device, and
• assigns the map information, which is indicated to be the personal data by the retrieval identifier, to a personal data storage which is accessible only from a specific user in the storage device, and assigns the map information, which is indicated to be the public data by the retrieval identifier, to a public data storage which is accessible from unspecified number of users in the storage device, according to the retrieval identifier, and
• the server:
• receives user identification information which allows identification of a user, and a read request for the personal data and the public data which are stored in the storage device;
• and
• permits the public data stored in the public data storage to be read according to the read request for the public data received in the receiving, and only when the personal data storage is present which corresponds to the user identification information received in the receiving, permits the personal data stored in the personal data storage to be read according to the read request for the personal data,
• wherein in the attaching,
• when the information inputted is a marker on a road map or an address, the retrieval identifier indicating the personal data is attached to the map information which is obtained by the retrieval based on the information inputted, and
• when the information inputted is a name, the retrieval identifier indicating the public data is attached to the map information which is obtained by the retrieval based on the information inputted.