JP2011066625A - Method for providing location information and location information server - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for providing location information and a location information server which can provide the location information by simple operation while protecting privacy. <P>SOLUTION: In response to a request for the location information from a communication terminal at a location information request side, the location information of a communication terminal at the location information providing side and the location information of a communication terminal at the location information request side are obtained to generate relative position data indicating the relative position of the communication terminal at the location information providing side and the communication terminal at the location information request side based on each piece of the location information, display data indicating the relative position visually are then generated based on the relative position data and transmitted to the communication terminal at the location information request side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a position information providing method and a position information providing server for providing position information to a communication terminal.

  As a position information providing service using a mobile communication network, for example, a user acquires his own position information including latitude and longitude by a GPS (Global Positioning System) function provided in a communication terminal such as a mobile phone, and There are services for obtaining additional information such as neighboring store information based on the position information, and services for obtaining position information of other users by a third party (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In the latter case, in general, when there is a request for providing location information from the location information requester, it is confirmed whether the location information can be provided to the location information provider, and permission is obtained. This is a usage mode for providing location information to a location information requester.

JP 2002-314477 A JP 2003-021534 A

  However, such a usage mode assumes that the location information provider provides its own location information only to a specific location information requester. It is not suitable for services that provide information. That is, when such a use form is adopted when providing the service, it is complicated to confirm with the location information provider whether the location information can be provided every time there is a location information provision request. Inviting and transmitting location information to a location information requester without confirming whether or not the location information provider can provide information is problematic from the viewpoint of privacy protection.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a position information providing method and a position information providing server capable of providing position information with a simple operation while protecting privacy.

  The location information providing method according to the present invention is a location information providing method for providing location information of a location information providing side communication terminal corresponding to the location information providing request in response to a location information providing request from the location information requesting side communication terminal. A position information acquisition step of acquiring position information of the position information providing side communication terminal and position information of the position information requesting side communication terminal according to the position information providing request, and based on each of the position information A relative position data generating step for generating relative position data representing a relative position between the information providing side communication terminal and the information requesting side communication terminal; and display data for visually representing the relative position based on the relative position data. A display data generation step; and a communication step of transmitting the display data to the information requesting communication terminal.

  In addition, the position information providing server according to the present invention provides position information of the position information providing side communication terminal corresponding to the position information providing request in response to the position information providing request from the position information requesting side communication terminal. A position information acquisition unit for acquiring position information of the position information providing side communication terminal and position information of the position information requesting side communication terminal in response to the position information providing request, and based on each of the position information A relative position data generation unit that generates relative position data representing a relative position between the information providing side communication terminal and the information requesting side communication terminal, and display data that visually represents the relative position based on the relative position data. It includes a display data generation unit that generates and a communication unit that transmits the display data to the information requesting communication terminal.

  According to the position information providing method and the position information providing server according to the present invention, position information can be provided by a simple operation while protecting privacy.

It is a block diagram showing a position information provision server with a communication terminal and a communication network. It is a block diagram showing a communication terminal. It is a flowchart showing a position information providing side terminal processing routine. It is a flowchart showing a positional information request side terminal processing routine. It is a block diagram showing a positional information provision server. It is a block diagram showing a calculating part. It is a figure showing a provision level table. It is a figure showing the example of a screen display based on display data. It is a figure showing another example of a screen display based on display data. It is a flowchart showing an application server processing routine. It is a flowchart showing a relative position calculation server processing routine. It is a sequence diagram showing a positional information provision process. It is a sequence diagram showing a positional information provision process. It is a figure showing the example of a screen display based on display data.

  Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a location information providing server 300 according to the present embodiment together with communication terminals 110 and 120 and a communication network 200.

  The position information providing server 300 is constructed by, for example, a computer system for providing communication terminal position information (hereinafter simply referred to as position information) to the communication terminals 100 and / or 120 via the communication network 200 which is a mobile communication network. The server includes an application server 400 and a relative position calculation server 500. For convenience of explanation, the location information providing server 300 is composed of these two servers, but may be a single server having the functions of these two servers.

  Each of communication terminals 110 and 120 is a mobile communication terminal such as a portable telephone terminal. Hereinafter, the communication terminal 110 operates as a location information providing side communication terminal (hereinafter simply referred to as an information providing terminal), and the communication terminal 120 operates as a location information requesting side communication terminal (hereinafter simply referred to as an information requesting terminal). Will be described. For convenience of explanation, only two communication terminals 110 and 120 are shown in FIG. 1, but the location information providing server 300 is connected to other communication terminals (not shown) connected to the communication network 200. However, it is possible to accept a location information provision request and provide location information.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the communication terminal 110. The communication terminal 110 includes a transmission / reception unit 111, an input unit 112, a display unit 113, a position information request unit 114, a position information acquisition unit 115, and a requester information request unit 116.

  The transmission / reception unit 111 transmits / receives data such as position information by a wireless signal via the communication network 200 with a wireless communication function. The input unit 112 is an input device such as a keyboard that accepts various requests from the user. The display unit 113 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display that displays various display screens.

  The position information request unit 114 requests the application server 400 for position information of the information providing terminal, that is, the communication terminal 110, and acquires the position information. Specifically, the position information request unit 114 causes the transmission / reception unit 111 to transmit a position information provision request to the application server 400 in response to a position information request input for the information providing terminal to the input unit 112 by the user. Further, the position information request unit 114 causes the display unit 113 to display a display screen based on display data for the information providing terminal returned in response to the request.

  The location information acquisition unit 115 acquires location information of its own terminal (communication terminal 110) in response to a location information provision request received by the transmission / reception unit 111 via the communication network 200. The position information acquisition unit 115 may receive a GPS signal such as a time from a satellite or a satellite orbit, and calculate the position (for example, latitude and longitude) of its own terminal (communication terminal 110) based on the GPS signal. Then, the position information may be acquired via the communication network 200 from a mobile terminal base station (not shown).

  The requester information request unit 116 requests the location information requester, that is, the location information about the communication terminal 120 (information request terminal) from the application server 400, and acquires the location information. Specifically, the requester information request unit 116 causes the transmission / reception unit 111 to transmit a requester information request to the application server 400 in response to a request input of requester information to the input unit 112 by the user. Further, the requester information request unit 116 causes the display unit 113 to display a display screen based on the display data returned in response to the request.

  The configuration of the communication terminal 120 is the same as that of the communication terminal 110. The communication terminal 110 may be an information requesting terminal, and the communication terminal 120 may be an information providing terminal.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an information provision terminal processing routine when communication terminal 110 operates as an information provision terminal. The information providing terminal process will be described below with reference to FIG.

  The routine starts when the user accesses the application server 400 from the communication terminal 110 and logs in to the location providing service (step S101). By starting the routine, the communication terminal 110 waits for reception of a location information acquisition request and waits for service logout input (step S102). If the service logout input is correct (step S103), the routine is terminated (step S104).

  If the position information acquisition unit 115 determines that the position information acquisition request from the relative position calculation server 500 has been received by the transmission / reception unit 111 (step S105), the position information acquisition unit 115 uses the position information of its own terminal (communication terminal 110) as its own. Is acquired through the communication network 200 by the GPS function included in the mobile terminal or from a mobile terminal base station (not shown) (step S106). Then, the position information acquisition unit 115 transmits the acquired position information to the relative position calculation server 500 via the communication network 200 (step S107).

  When the requester information request unit 116 determines that the acquirer information request from the user is input to the input unit 113 (step S108), the requester information request unit 116 causes the transmission / reception unit 111 to transmit the requester information request to the application server 400. (Step S109). Then, the requester information request unit 116 causes the display unit 113 to display a display screen based on the display data returned in response to the request and received by the transmission / reception unit 111 (step S110). If there is a request other than these, other processes corresponding to the request are executed (step S111).

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an information requesting terminal processing routine when communication terminal 120 operates as an information requesting terminal. Hereinafter, the information requesting terminal process by the communication terminal 120 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The routine starts when the user accesses the application server 400 from the communication terminal 120 and logs in to the location providing service (step S201). If the service logout input is correct (step S202), the routine is terminated (step S203).

  The location information request unit 114 sends a location information provision request to the application server by using the transmission / reception unit 111 in response to a location information request input to the input unit 112 by the user or the arrival of a periodic location information acquisition time. 400 is transmitted (step S204). Then, the position information request unit 114 receives the display data for the information providing terminal returned in response to the request (step S205), and causes the display unit 113 to display a display screen based on the display data (step S206). .

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the location information providing server 300. The location information providing server 300 includes a calculation unit 310, a primary storage unit 320, a secondary storage unit 330, an input unit 340, an output unit 350, and a communication unit 360.

  The arithmetic unit 310 is an arithmetic processing device such as a microprocessor that executes various arithmetic processes. The primary storage unit 320 is a cache memory such as a RAM that temporarily stores data necessary for processing by the arithmetic unit 310. The secondary storage unit 330 is a storage medium such as a hard disk that stores data such as a computer program to be executed by the calculation unit 310. The input unit 340 is an input device such as a keyboard that accepts various requests from the user. The output unit 350 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display that displays various display screens. The communication unit 360 transmits / receives data such as position information via a communication network 200 using a wireless communication function.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the calculation unit 310. The calculation unit 310 includes a position information acquisition unit 311, a relative position data generation unit 312, a display data generation unit 313, and a requester information processing unit 314.

  In response to a location information provision request from the communication terminal 120 (information request terminal), the location information acquisition unit 311 sends the communication terminal 110 that is an information provision terminal corresponding to the request and the communication terminal 120 that is an information request terminal. A location information provision request is issued, and the location information of each of the communication terminals 110 and 120 is acquired. Here, the position information of the communication terminal 110 is the latitude and longitude of the communication terminal 110 acquired by its own GPS function or from the base station. Further, the position information of the communication terminal 120 is the latitude and longitude of the communication terminal 120 acquired from its own GPS function or from the base station.

  The relative position data generation unit 312 generates relative position data representing the relative positions of the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120 based on the position information of each of the communication terminals 110 and 120. Here, the relative position is represented by the distance between the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120, the azimuth angle of the communication terminal 120 viewed from the communication terminal 110, and the azimuth angle of the communication terminal 110 viewed from the communication terminal 120. .

  The relative position data generation unit 312 calculates the relative position, that is, the distance from the latitude and longitude, for example, according to the calculation formula (http://vldb.gsi.go.jp/sokuchi/surveycalc/algorithm/) described in the Geodetic Survey Department homepage. And the azimuth angle is calculated. For example, the latitude of the communication terminal 110 is 35 degrees 00 minutes 00.00 seconds, the longitude is 139 degrees 00 minutes 00.00 seconds, the latitude of the communication terminals 120 is 35 degrees 00 minutes 01.00 seconds, and the longitude is 139 degrees 00. When the minute is 01.00 seconds, the distance between the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120 is 39.909 m, and the azimuth angle of the communication terminal 120 viewed from the communication terminal 110 is 39 degrees 26 minutes 57.66. The azimuth angle of the communication terminal 110 viewed from the communication terminal 120 is 219 degrees 26 minutes 58.23 seconds.

  The relative position data generation unit 312 generates relative position data representing the distance and azimuth obtained by the calculation. The relative position data generation unit 312 includes relative position data that includes a distance and does not include an azimuth, relative position data that includes an azimuth and does not include a distance, distance, and distance according to a provision level set in advance for each position information provider. Either relative position data including an azimuth angle or relative position data including none is generated.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a provision level table. “Provision level” is a level of information provision, and here, five types of 1 to 5 are set. The “relative position range” is a condition for providing position information, and here is a distance between the information providing terminal and the information requesting terminal. For example, in the case of provision level 1, the relative position range is four sections of less than 200 m, 200 m or more and less than 1 km, 1 km or more and less than 10 km, or 10 km or more. “Provided information” is information provided to the information providing terminal. Here, there are four types of distance (excluding azimuth), azimuth (excluding distance), distance and azimuth, and out of the provision range. . For example, when the provision level 1 is set for the communication terminal 120 that is an information requesting terminal, if the distance between the communication terminal 110 that is the information providing terminal and the communication terminal 120 is less than 200 m, the relative The position data generation unit 312 generates relative position data that includes an azimuth angle and does not include a distance.

  The display data generation unit 313 generates display data for displaying the relative positions of the communication terminals 110 and 120 on the screen based on the relative position data generated by the relative position data generation unit 312. The display data generation unit 313 generates display data for displaying, for example, the display screen 610 shown in FIG.

  On the screen, the relative position of these two terminals is two-dimensionally indicated by the providing side mark M110 that represents the position of the communication terminal 110 that is the information providing terminal and the requesting mark M120 that represents the position of the communication terminal 120 that is the information requesting terminal. It is expressed in In order to be able to distinguish between the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120, the providing side mark M110 and the requesting side mark M120 are different from each other in at least one of shape, color, and luminance. In FIG. 8, the providing side mark M110 is represented by X, and the requesting side mark M120 is represented by a triangle. There is no indication of structures such as buildings and roads. When the relative position data includes data representing an azimuth angle and / or data representing a distance, the display data generation unit 313 displays a display 611 indicating the included direction and / or a display indicating a distance scale. Display data including 612 is generated.

  When the display data includes the data indicating the azimuth and does not include the data indicating the distance, the owner of the communication terminal 120 is displayed by the display 611 indicating that the upper direction of the screen is north (N), for example. The information requester, who is, cannot know the actual distance to the communication terminal 110, but can know the direction in which the communication terminal 110 exists. Further, when the display data includes data indicating distance and does not include data indicating azimuth, the information requester can display the communication terminal 110 using the display 612 indicating the distance scale in units of 1 km on the screen. Although it is impossible to know the existing direction, the distance between the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120 can be known. Thus, the privacy of the information provider can be protected by not providing excessive location information to the information requester. Also, since the structure is not displayed, the information requester does not know the facility where the information provider is currently staying. Further, depending on the setting of the provision level, both the distance and the azimuth angle may be provided, or both of them may not be provided.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of another display screen 620 based on display data. A direction mark (arrow) 510 indicating the direction from the position of the communication terminal 120 as the information requesting terminal to the position of the communication terminal 110 as the information providing terminal (shown as “A” in FIG. 9) is displayed on the screen. Yes. The position itself of the communication terminal 110 is not displayed. In addition, on the screen, the surrounding scenery at the position of the communication terminal 120 is displayed in the background of the mark. Here, the background is a building such as a building or a wall. In FIG. 9, the walls 521 to 523 are three-dimensionally displayed as a background, and the direction mark 510 indicates the direction of the passage 530 between the walls 522 and 523. The display data generation unit 313 holds map data including the arrangement of the building in advance, and based on the map data and the position information of the information requesting terminal included in the relative position data, the location of the information requesting terminal Display data including a nearby building display is generated. In this way, since excessive location information other than the direction in which the information provider exists is not provided to the information requester, the privacy of the information provider can be protected.

  In addition, the display data generation unit 313 has a structure such as a shield such as a wall or a structure in the real space between the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120 based on the map data stored in advance. If it is determined that it exists, the providing side mark indicating the position of the communication terminal 110 and the requesting side mark indicating the position of the communication terminal 120 are separated from each other by a distance required to bypass the shield or structure. Data may be generated. For example, when the distance is 130 m, display data in which the providing side mark and the requesting side mark are separated from each other by an amount corresponding to 130 m on the screen is generated.

  Further, when the display data generation unit 313 determines that the information provider (communication terminal 110) is present at a predetermined specific position such as a public toilet based on the map data held in advance by itself, Display data not including the position information of the communication terminal 110 may be generated. In addition, the display data generation unit 313 may generate display data indicating the distance and azimuth between communication terminals with numerical values and characters. The display data is character image data indicating the distance and the azimuth with numerical values and characters, for example, “distance between terminals 200 m, azimuth 220 degrees 20 minutes 20.00 seconds”.

  The requester information processing unit 314 updates the relative position of the communication terminal 120 (information requesting terminal) with respect to the position of the communication terminal 110 (information providing terminal) and stores it in the secondary storage unit 330. For example, if there has already been a location information provision request from an information request terminal (not shown) other than the communication terminal 120, information on the relative position between the information request terminal and the communication terminal 110 (information provision terminal) is stored in the secondary storage unit. The requester information processing unit 314 further stores information obtained by additionally updating the relative position of the communication terminal 120 in the secondary storage unit 330.

  Hereinafter, the position information acquisition unit 311 and the relative position data generation unit 312 of the calculation unit 310 are described as belonging to the relative position calculation server 500, and the display data generation unit 313 and the requester information processing unit 314 are described as belonging to the application server 400. To do.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a location information provision processing routine by the application server 400. Hereinafter, the location information provision processing by the application server 400 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The application server 400 accepts the location information providing service login from the communication terminal 110 and / or the communication terminal 120 (step S301), and accepts the login through a login process such as authentication when there is a login request. After login, the application server 400 waits for a request to be received from the communication terminal 110 and / or the communication terminal 120 (step S302). If there is a logout request (step S303), the logout of the communication terminal that issued the request is accepted (step S304).

  When the display data generation unit 313 determines that the location information provision request has been received by the communication unit 360 (step S305), the communication terminal 110, which is the information provision terminal corresponding to the request, has logged into the location information provision service. Whether or not (step S306). If the display data generation unit 313 determines that the communication terminal 110 has already logged in, the display data generation unit 313 transmits a position information provision request to the relative position calculation server 500 (step S307).

  Subsequently, the display data generation unit 313 displays display data for displaying the relative positions of the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120 on the screen based on the relative position information from the relative position calculation server 500 according to the request. Generate (step S308). Further, the requester information processing unit 314 updates the relative position of the communication terminal 120 with respect to the position of the communication terminal 110 and stores the information in the secondary storage unit 330 (step S309). The display data generation unit 313 transmits the generated display data to the communication terminal 120 (information request terminal) (step S310).

  If the requester information processing unit 314 determines that the requester information provision request is received by the communication unit 360 (step S311), the relative position of each information requesting terminal stored in the secondary storage unit 330 is determined. Information is acquired (step S312). Based on the relative position information, the display data generating unit 313 generates display data for displaying the relative positions of the communication terminal 110 and each information requesting terminal (including the communication terminal 120) on the screen (step S313). . The display data generation unit 313 transmits the generated display data to the communication terminal 120 (information request terminal) (step S314).

  If the request is other than those, the application server 400 executes a process according to the request (step S315).

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a relative position calculation processing routine by the relative position calculation server 500. Hereinafter, the relative position calculation processing by the relative position calculation server 500 will be described with reference to FIG.

  When the position information acquisition unit 311 receives a position information acquisition request from the application server 400 (step S401), the position information acquisition unit 311 issues a request for providing position information of the communication terminal 120 (information request terminal) to the communication terminal 120. The position information is acquired from 120 (step S402). If the position information acquisition unit 311 determines that the position information could not be acquired (step S403), the position information acquisition unit 311 performs a setting for disabling position information provision (step S404).

  If the position information acquisition unit 311 determines that the position information has been acquired (step S403), the position information acquisition unit 311 issues a request for providing position information of the communication terminal 110 (information providing terminal) to the communication terminal 110, and the communication terminal 110 Position information is acquired (step S405). If the position information acquisition unit 311 determines that the position information has not been acquired (step S406), the position information acquisition unit 311 performs a setting for disabling position information provision (step S404).

  When the relative position data generation unit 312 determines that the position information has been acquired (step S406), the relative position data generation unit 312 determines the relative positions of the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120 based on the position information of each of the communication terminals 110 and 120. A relative position to be represented is generated (step S407). When the relative position data generation unit 312 determines that the relative position is not within the preset position information provision range (step S408), the relative position data generation unit 312 performs setting for disabling position information provision (step S404).

  When the relative position data generation unit 312 determines that the relative position is within the position information provision range (step S408), the relative position data is set (step S409), and the relative position information is transmitted to the application server 400. (Step S410). In addition, if the relative position data generation unit 312 performs the setting that the position information cannot be provided in step S404, the relative position data generation unit 312 notifies the application server 400 that the position information cannot be provided (step S410).

  FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram showing position information providing processing by the communication terminals 110 and 120, the application server 400, and the relative position calculation server 500 when there is a position information provision request from the communication terminal 120 (information requesting terminal). Hereinafter, the location information providing process will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the communication terminal 120 transmits a location information provision request to the application server 400 (step S501). The application server 400 receives the location information provision request (step S502), and checks whether the communication terminal 110, which is the information provision terminal corresponding to the request, is logged in to the location information provision service (step S503). If the application server 400 determines that the communication terminal 110 is logged in, the application server 400 transmits a position information provision request to the relative position calculation server 500 (step S504).

  The relative position calculation server 500 receives the position information provision request (step S505), and transmits the position information provision request to the communication terminal 120 (step S506). The communication terminal 120 receives the position information provision request (step S507), and acquires its position information by its own GPS function or from the base station (step S508). The communication terminal 120 transmits the acquired position information to the relative position calculation server 500 (step S509).

  After receiving the position information from the communication terminal 120 (step S510), the relative position calculation server 500 transmits a position information provision request to the communication terminal 110 (step S511). The communication terminal 110 receives the position information provision request (step S512), and acquires its position information by its own GPS function or from the base station (step S513). The communication terminal 110 transmits the acquired position information to the relative position calculation server 500 (step S514).

  After receiving the position information from the communication terminal 110 (step S515), the relative position calculation server 500 represents the relative position between the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120 based on the position information received from each of the communication terminals 110 and 120. Relative position data is generated (step S516). The relative position calculation server 500 transmits the generated relative position data to the application server 400 (step S517).

  The application server 400 receives the relative position data (step S518), and based on this, generates display data for displaying the relative positions of the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120 on the screen (step S519). Further, the application server 400 updates the relative position of the communication terminal 120 with respect to the position of the communication terminal 110 and stores it in the secondary storage unit 330 (step S520).

  Subsequently, the application server 400 transmits display data to the communication terminal 120 (step S521). The communication terminal 120 receives the display data (step S522), and based on this, displays the relative position between the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120 on the screen of the display unit 113 (step S523). For example, the display shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the display unit 113 of the communication terminal 120. On the screen, the relative positions of the communication terminal 110 as an information providing terminal and the communication terminal 120 as an information requesting terminal are two-dimensionally represented. Structures such as buildings and roads are not displayed.

  When the display data includes data representing the azimuth angle on the screen, the information requester who is the owner of the communication terminal 120, for example, by the display 611 indicating that the upper direction of the screen is north (N), Although the actual distance to the communication terminal 110 cannot be known, the direction in which the communication terminal 110 exists can be known. Further, when the display data includes data representing an azimuth angle on the screen, or when the display data includes data representing a distance scale on the screen, a display 612 representing a scale such as 1 km on the screen. Thus, the information requester cannot know the direction in which the communication terminal 110 exists, but can know the distance between the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120. Thus, the privacy of the information provider can be protected by not providing excessive location information to the information requester. Also, since the structure is not displayed, the information requester does not know the facility where the information provider is currently staying.

  Further, according to the display data, a display as shown in FIG. 9 is performed instead of the display shown in FIG. On the screen, a structure such as a building or a wall near the position where the communication terminal 120 serving as the information requesting terminal is three-dimensionally represented, and the position of the communication terminal 110 itself is not displayed, and the communication terminal 110 (FIG. 9). In this case, the direction in which “A” is present is indicated by an arrow. In this way, since excessive location information other than the direction in which the information provider exists is not provided to the information requester, the privacy of the information provider can be protected.

  The above processing is an example when a location information provision request is issued from the communication terminal 120, but the same processing is also performed when a location information provision request is issued from another communication terminal (not shown).

  As described above, the location information providing server according to the present embodiment, when there is a location information provision request from the location information requesting side communication terminal, without confirming information provision to the location information providing side terminal, Information on the relative position between the communication terminal and the position information requesting terminal is provided to the position information requesting communication terminal. Therefore, it is not necessary for the location information provider to perform an input operation about whether or not to provide location information every time there is a location information provision request, and the operation is simple because only a login operation to the location information provision service is required.

  Further, in the conventional location information service, the location information provider server according to the present embodiment provides display data indicating the location of the provider in detail by displaying the location of the location information provider on a map. Since the display data indicating the relative position between the position information provider and the position information requester is provided, the position information requester can grasp only the approximate position of the position information provider. Thus, since excessive information is not provided about the position information of the position information provider, the privacy of the position information provider can be protected. In addition, the location information providing server according to the present embodiment provides location information to the location information requester on the condition that the location information provider is logged in to the location information providing service. If it is not desired to provide the information, it is only necessary not to log in to the location information providing service, and the operation is simple because no separate operation is required.

  FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram illustrating position information provision processing by the communication terminal 110 and the application server 400 when there is a requester information request from the communication terminal 110 (information provision terminal). Hereinafter, the requester information provision process will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the communication terminal 110 transmits a requester information request to the application server 400 (step S601). In response to the request (step S602), the application server 400 acquires the relative position of each information requesting communication terminal (including the communication terminal 120) with respect to the position of the communication terminal 110 updated and stored in the secondary storage unit 330. (Step S603).

  The application server 400 generates display data for displaying the relative positions of the communication terminal 110 and each information requesting terminal (including the communication terminal 120) on the screen at the relative position (step S604), and communicates the display data. It transmits to the terminal 110 (step S605). The communication terminal 110 receives the display data (step S606), and displays the relative position between the communication terminal 110 and the communication terminal 120 based on the display data on the display unit 113 (step S606). A screen as shown in FIG. 14 is displayed on the display unit 113.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen 630 based on display data. On the screen, the providing side mark M110 representing the position of the communication terminal 110 serving as the information providing terminal and the requesting side marks M120 to M160 representing the positions of the communication terminals 120 to 160 serving as the information requesting terminals are relatively represented. By such a screen display, the information provider can grasp the relative position of the information requester. When the display data includes data representing the azimuth angle and / or distance, the azimuth and / or distance scale is also displayed in the same manner as in FIG.

  As described above, the position information providing server according to the present embodiment provides the position information providing side for the relative position information of these terminals in response to the request for the position information of the position information requesting side communication terminals from the position information providing side communication terminals. Provide to communication terminals. As a result, since both the position information provider and the requester can grasp the relative position, an effect of suppressing excessive acquisition of the position information provider position information by the position information requester can be expected.

110 communication terminal 111 transmission / reception unit 112 input unit 113 display unit 114 position information request unit 115 position information acquisition unit 116 requester information request unit 120 communication terminal 200 communication network 300 position information providing server 310 calculation unit 311 position information acquisition unit 312 relative position Data generation unit 313 Display data generation unit 314 Requester information processing unit 320 Primary storage unit 330 Secondary storage unit 340 Input unit 350 Output unit 360 Communication unit 400 Application server 500 Relative position calculation server

Claims (18)

A position information providing method for providing position information of a position information providing side communication terminal corresponding to the position information providing request in response to a position information providing request from a position information requesting side communication terminal,
A position information acquisition step of acquiring position information of the position information providing side communication terminal and position information of the position information requesting side communication terminal in response to the position information providing request;
A relative position data generating step for generating relative position data representing a relative position between the information providing side communication terminal and the information requesting side communication terminal based on each of the position information;
A display data generation step for generating display data for visually representing the relative position based on the relative position data;
And a communication step of transmitting the display data to the information requesting communication terminal.   The display data includes a mark indicating an orientation, a request side mark indicating the position of the position information requesting communication terminal, and a providing side mark different from the requesting mark indicating the position of the position information providing side communication terminal. The position information providing method according to claim 1, wherein the image information includes image data.   The position information providing method according to claim 2, wherein the request side mark and the providing side mark are different from each other in at least one of shape, color, and luminance.   The position information provision according to claim 1, wherein the display data is image data including a mark indicating a direction from the position of the position information requesting communication terminal to the position of the position information providing communication terminal. Method.   5. The position information providing method according to claim 4, wherein the display data is image data including a surrounding scene at the position of the position information requesting communication terminal as a background of the mark.   2. The display data according to claim 1, wherein the display data is character image data indicating a distance and an azimuth between the position information requesting side communication terminal and the position information providing side communication terminal by numerical values and characters. Location information provision method.   2. The position information providing method according to claim 1, wherein, in the relative position data generating step, the relative position data is generated only when each of the relative positions is within a predetermined position providing range.   In the display data generation step, when the position information providing side communication terminal exists at a specific position, data not including the position information of the information providing side communication terminal is generated as the display data. Item 2. The location information providing method according to Item 1. Each of the position information is latitude and longitude information acquired by a GPS function provided in each of the information providing side communication terminal and the information requesting side communication terminal,
The relative position data generation unit generates data representing the relative position in the distance and direction between the information providing communication terminal and the information requesting communication terminal calculated based on the latitude and longitude information. The position information providing method according to claim 1, wherein: A position information providing server that provides position information of a position information providing side communication terminal corresponding to the position information providing request in response to a position information providing request from the position information requesting side communication terminal;
A position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the position information providing side communication terminal and position information of the position information request side communication terminal in response to the position information providing request;
A relative position data generating unit that generates relative position data representing a relative position between the information providing communication terminal and the information requesting communication terminal based on each of the position information;
A display data generation unit that generates display data that visually represents the relative position based on the relative position data;
And a communication unit that transmits the display data to the information requesting communication terminal.   The display data includes a mark indicating an orientation, a request side mark indicating the position of the position information requesting communication terminal, and a providing side mark different from the requesting mark indicating the position of the position information providing side communication terminal. The position information providing server according to claim 10, wherein the position information providing server is image data.   The position information providing server according to claim 11, wherein the requesting side mark and the providing side mark are different from each other in at least one of shape, color, and luminance.   The position information provision according to claim 10, wherein the display data is image data including a mark indicating a direction from the position of the position information requesting communication terminal to the position of the position information providing communication terminal. server.   The position information providing server according to claim 13, wherein the display data is image data including a surrounding scene at the position of the position information requesting communication terminal as a background of the mark.   11. The display data according to claim 10, wherein the display data is character image data indicating a distance and an azimuth angle between the position information requesting communication terminal and the position information providing communication terminal by numerical values and characters. Location information provision method.   The position information providing server according to claim 10, wherein the relative position data generating unit generates the relative position data only when each of the relative positions exists within a predetermined position providing range. Each of the position information is latitude and longitude information acquired by a GPS function provided in each of the information providing side communication terminal and the information requesting side communication terminal,
The relative position data generation unit generates data representing the relative position in the distance and direction between the information providing communication terminal and the information requesting communication terminal calculated based on the latitude and longitude information. The position information providing server according to claim 10, wherein: The display data generation unit generates data not including position information of the information providing side communication terminal as the display data when the position information providing side communication terminal exists at a specific position. 10. The location information providing method according to 10.

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