Electronic guide system, contents server for electronic guide system, portable electronic guide device, and information processing method for electronic guide system

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

circuitry configured to:

acquire point of interest information related to position information;

store the point of interest information associated with a name of an information source;

output the point of interest information based on a plurality of information sources on a same map; and

generate, for display on the same map, layer information including the point of interest information based on user input that selects a display layer,

wherein the point of interest information is provided by a plurality of information providers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the point of interest information is categorized by a category.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein display of the point of interest information corresponding to the selected display layer is narrowed down by the category selected by second user input.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the point of interest information is registered as a favorite.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the favorite is registered by selecting display information indicating registration of favorite information displayed with the map.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the information sources are related to the category of the point of interest information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the point of interest information is represented as an icon indicating a category in which the point of interest indicated by the point of interest information is categorized.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to generate, for display on the same map, display layers including the point of interest information associated respectively with the information sources, wherein each of the display layers is a transparent sheet.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is configured to display at least one selected display layer of the display layers on the same map, based on second user input that selects the at least one information source corresponding thereto.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the circuitry is configured to display the display layers on top of a portion of a display area of a screen display on which the map is displayed.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the point of interest information is represented as an icon on the display layer of the information source corresponding to the point of interest information.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to display first point of interest information corresponding to a first information source with a first icon on a first display layer and second point of interest information corresponding to a second information source with a second icon different from the first icon on a second display layer, according to first layer information and second layer information generated based on second user input that selects the first and second layers, respectively.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to display second information regarding the point of interest information, in which the second information is selectable to be displayed when indicated as a favorite.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second information includes at least one of advertisement information, image information, coupon information or navigation information regarding the point of interest information.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the point of interest information is output on the map based on latitude and longitude information indicated by the position information related thereto.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a given point of interest for the selected display layer is selected for display by a given information provider providing the point of interest information from which the layer information corresponding to the selected display layer is generated.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the selected display layer is displayed on the same map based on selection by the user input of a displayed icon corresponding to the point of interest information for the selected display layer.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the point of interest information in the layer information is selectable based on a second user input that selects a given point of interest information.

19. An information processing method comprising:

acquiring, by a processing device, point of interest information related to position information;

storing, by the processing device, the point of interest information associated with a name of an information source;

outputting, by the processing device, the point of interest information based on a plurality of information sources on a same map; and

generating, for display on the same map, layer information including the point of interest information based on user input that selects a display layer,

wherein the point of interest information is provided by a plurality of information providers.

20. A non-transitory storage medium on which is recorded a program executable by a computer, the program comprising:

acquiring point of interest information related to position information;

storing the point of interest information associated with a name of an information source;

outputting the point of interest information based on a plurality of information sources on a same map; and

generating, for display on the same map, layer information including the point of interest information based on user input that selects a display layer,

wherein the point of interest information is provided by a plurality of information providers.