US 7,617,047 B2
Map information system and map information processing method and program
Hiroko Sakamoto, Saitama (Japan); Yosuke Nitta, Narashino (Japan); Masumi Sato, Tokyo (Japan); and Keisuke Otsuka, Tokyo (Japan)
Assigned to Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on May 25, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/440,036.
Claims priority of application No. 2005-347445 (JP), filed on Dec. 01, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2007/0129887 A1, Jun. 07, 2007
Int. Cl. G01C 21/30 (2006.01); G01C 21/32 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 701—211  [701/208; 340/990; 707/E17.111; 707/E17.18] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A map information system comprising:
an electronic pen which reads a dot pattern recorded as position information in a form where one or more map images are shown, to output a trace of a pen tip as handwriting information;
a processing unit; and
a storage unit, wherein
the processing unit comprises:
an association module which associates the handwriting information output by the electronic pen with one of the map images where the handwriting information is written and stores the associated handwriting information and map image in the storage unit;
a search module which searches the storage unit to retrieve the associated handwriting information and map image using information to specify the map image as a search key;
a pattern assignment module which when acquiring print request information including information to specify one or more map images to be printed, newly assigns a dot pattern to the acquired print request information; and
an output instruction module which issues an output instruction so as to cause an output unit to visually output data including the associated handwriting information and map image retrieved by the search module and the dot pattern assigned by the pattern assignment module.