JP2012098939A - Level difference information acquisition system and level difference information acquisition method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a level difference information acquisition system and a level difference information acquisition method which can realize information collection of each level difference on a road surface inexpensively and simply.SOLUTION: The level difference information acquisition system is provided with a portable terminal comprising: position detecting means which detects a position on a road; level difference detecting means which detects the level difference present on the road surface; and transmitting means which transmits position information detected by the position detecting means and level difference information detected by the level difference detecting means, and a center comprising: receiving means which receives the information transmitted from the transmitting means of the portable terminal; level difference position specifying means which specifies a position of the level difference where the level difference occurs on the road surface based on the information received by the receiving means; and a database which stores data on the position of the level difference specified by the level difference position specifying means.

Description

  The present invention relates to a step information acquisition system and a step information acquisition method, and more particularly to a step information acquisition system and a step information acquisition method that are suitable for effectively acquiring information on steps present at random on a road surface.

  Conventionally, based on a map database that stores information on obstacles and facilities provided at the center, information on obstacles in the direction of travel is provided to people with visual impairments. There is known a system that guides to (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In such a system, information on obstacles such as steps on a road surface and a position is linked and stored in advance in a map database.

Japanese Patent No. 4190843

  By the way, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, it is described that the step information stored in the map database should be updated to the latest information sequentially, but it is not described at all how to obtain the latest step information. Has not been made. In general, in order to store the latest step information in the map database, it is conceivable that a person who actually walks on the road shows the latest step information with his / her eyes and manually inputs the latest step information. However, this method takes time and effort for human work, and requires a lot of work time. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain a step cost and to put it to practical use.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a step information acquisition system and a step information acquisition method that can inexpensively and easily collect information on each step on a road surface. .

  The object is to detect a position on the road, a step detecting means for detecting a step existing on the road surface, the position information by the position detecting means, and the step information by the step detecting means. On the road surface based on the information received by the receiving means, the receiving means for receiving the information transmitted from the transmitting means of the portable terminal, and the receiving means for transmitting the transmitting means for transmitting information Achieved by a step information acquisition system comprising a step position specifying means for specifying a step position where a step is generated, and a center having a database for storing data of the step position specified by the step position specifying means. The

  In addition, the above objects are a position detection step in which the mobile terminal detects a position on the road, a step detection step in which the mobile terminal detects a step existing on the road surface, and the mobile terminal in the position detection step. A transmitting step for transmitting the detected position information and the step information detected in the step detecting step; a receiving step in which the center receives information transmitted in the transmitting step; and the center in the receiving step. The step position specifying step for specifying the step position where the step is generated on the road surface based on the information received in the step, and the center stores the step position data specified in the step position specifying step in the database And a step position storing step.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily and inexpensively collect information on each level difference on the road surface.

It is a whole block diagram of the level | step difference information acquisition system which is one Example of this invention. It is a flowchart of an example of the routine for acquiring the information of the level | step difference on the road surface performed in the level | step difference information acquisition system of a present Example.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of a step information acquisition system and a step information acquisition method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a step information acquisition system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The step information acquisition system 10 of the present embodiment is a system for acquiring information on steps existing on the road surface. A “step” is a point where it is difficult for a person on a wheelchair to go up or down by himself / herself on a road surface, and one walking surface and the next walking surface are separated by a predetermined height or more. Or a place where one walking surface and the next walking surface are connected by a slope having a predetermined angle or more.

  The step information acquisition system 10 includes a mobile terminal 12 carried by each user and a center 14 for managing information. The user who carries the portable terminal 12 can raise or lower the step by himself / herself, not only a person or an elderly person who needs a wheelchair that is difficult to raise or lower the step on the road. Includes healthy individuals. The mobile terminal 12 is a mobile phone or the like that can make a two-way call or communicate via a wireless station.

  The mobile terminal 12 includes a computer 20 and a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 22. The GPS receiver 22 constantly receives a signal transmitted from a GPS satellite, and transmits the received signal to the computer 20. The computer 20 detects a position (longitude / latitude coordinate) on the earth where the mobile terminal 12 is located based on a reception signal from the GPS receiver 22.

  The portable terminal 12 also includes an angular velocity sensor 24 and a data storage unit 26 that is a nonvolatile memory. The angular velocity sensor 24 is, for example, a triaxial gyro sensor, and outputs a signal corresponding to the angular velocity around the axis generated in the mobile terminal 12. An output signal of the angular velocity sensor 24 is supplied to the computer 20. The computer 20 detects the angular velocity generated in the mobile terminal 12 based on the output signal of the angular velocity sensor 24. The computer 20 uses the detected angular velocity generated in the mobile terminal 12 for position detection in an area where position detection using the GPS receiver 22 is difficult (for example, indoors, tunnels, underground malls, etc.). Also good.

  In the data storage unit 26, at least the angular velocity generated in the portable terminal 12 when the user carrying the portable terminal 12 walks or runs on a flat road, or the user carrying the portable terminal 12 climbs the stairs. Or the characteristic data of the angular velocity which arises in the portable terminal 12 when it falls are stored. Note that characteristic data such as angular velocity stored in the data storage unit 26 may be different for each user, and corresponds to the user who carries the mobile terminal 12. In addition, characteristic data such as angular velocity stored in the data storage unit 26 may be updated to data learned when the user carries the mobile terminal 12.

  When the computer 20 detects the angular velocity generated in the portable terminal 12 using the angular velocity sensor 24, the detected angular velocity is compared with the angular velocity data stored in the data storage unit 26, as will be described in detail later. Based on the comparison result, it is determined whether or not there is a step on the road surface on which the user is located.

  The portable terminal 12 also has a transmission / reception unit 28 necessary for wireless communication with the center 14 via the communication network. The computer 20 wirelessly transmits information on the position of the mobile terminal 12 detected using the GPS receiver 22 and information on the step on the road surface detected using the angular velocity sensor 24 toward the center 14. A command is sent to the transceiver 28. The transmission / reception unit 28 wirelessly transmits the above information according to a command from the computer 20.

  The portable terminal 12 further has a display 30 that can be visually recognized by the user. The display 30 can display a road map. The transmission / reception unit 28 can receive navigation information including at least information on the position of the step on the road surface to be provided to the user transmitted from the center 14. The display 30 can display the navigation information received by the transmission / reception unit 28 so as to overlap the road map.

  The center 14 includes a computer 40, a transmission / reception unit 42, and a database 44. The transmission / reception unit 42 is a device necessary for wireless communication with each mobile terminal 12 via a communication network. The transmission / reception unit 42 can receive the position information and the step information transmitted from each mobile terminal 12. Based on the information received by the transmission / reception unit 42, the computer 40 identifies the position where the step is generated on the road surface, as will be described in detail later.

  When the computer 40 specifies the position where the step is generated on the road surface, the computer 40 stores the data of the position in the database 44. When the computer 40 stores the data of the position where the step is generated on the road surface in the database 44, the computer 40 thereafter instructs the transmission / reception unit 42 to wirelessly transmit the navigation information to the target mobile terminal 12. In this case, it is possible to include information on the position where the step is generated on the road surface in the navigation information. The transmission / reception unit 42 wirelessly transmits the navigation information according to a command from the computer 40.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 2, the operation of the level difference information acquisition system 10 of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of an example of a routine for acquiring information on a step on the road surface, which is executed in the step information acquisition system 10 of the present embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, each mobile terminal 12 constituting the step information acquisition system 10 executes the following processing. That is, the computer 20 of the portable terminal 12 detects the angular velocity generated in the portable terminal 12 using the angular velocity sensor 24 when the power is turned on (step 100).

  When the computer 20 detects the angular velocity generated in the mobile terminal 12 as described above, it next reads characteristic data of the angular velocity on a flat road, stairs, etc. stored in the data storage unit 26, and determines the detected angular velocity as the angular velocity. The read angular velocity data is compared (step 102). Then, the computer 20 determines whether or not the detected angular velocity matches the angular velocity data on a flat road (step 104). This determination may be made based on whether or not the angular velocity data on a road having a flat detected angular velocity has similarity according to a predetermined rule.

  As a result of the comparison, if the computer 20 determines that the detected angular velocity matches the angular velocity data on a flat road, the computer 20 determines that the road on which the mobile user is located is a flat road, and proceeds with any processing thereafter. Exit the routine without On the other hand, if it is determined that the detected angular velocity does not match the angular velocity data on the flat road, it is determined that the road on which the mobile user is located is a stepped staircase, and then the detected angular velocity and the flat road The degree of similarity with the angular velocity data, whether or not the display on the mobile terminal 12 is turned off, and whether or not the mobile terminal 12 is placed in a dark state using a brightness sensor or the like Based on the above, a reliability (confidence) J for determining that there is a step on the road surface is calculated (step 106). For example, the lower the similarity of the angular velocities is, the higher the reliability J of the determination is set, and the display of the mobile terminal 12 is turned off or the mobile terminal 12 is darker using a brightness sensor or the like. Is detected, the reliability J of the determination is set to a high value.

  If the computer 20 determines that the detected angular velocity does not coincide with the angular velocity data on the flat road and determines that the road on which the mobile user is located is a step with a step, the computer 20 further includes a predetermined time in the past. The number M of steps including the current step is calculated and counted based on the change in the detected angular velocity with time.

  Further, the computer 20 constantly detects the position on the earth where the portable terminal 12 is located by using the GPS receiver 22 (step 108). The computer 20 determines that the road where the mobile user is located is a staircase with a step as described above, detects a step existing on the road surface, and determines that there is a step on the road surface. After calculating the confidence J, information indicating that there is a possibility that there is a step on the road surface, information indicating the number M of stairs including the step and the reliability J of the determination of presence of the step, and A command is sent to the transmitter / receiver 28 so that the information on the position on the earth where the portable terminal 12 is located is wirelessly transmitted to the center 14 at the time of determination that there is a step (step 110). The transmission unit 28 wirelessly transmits the various types of information to the center 14 in accordance with a command from the computer 20.

  In addition, the center 14 receives the above information wirelessly transmitted from the portable terminal 12 by the transmission / reception unit 42. The computer 40 of the center 14 stores the information received by the transmission / reception unit 42 in the database 44. This information is stored every time information is received. The computer 40 performs statistical processing of the step information for each position of the mobile terminal 12 (step 120). Specifically, it is determined that there is a possibility that the position of the mobile terminal 12 detected when it is determined that there is a step on the road surface may be a step on the same or different mobile terminal 12. Coincident with the position detected as the position of the mobile terminal 12 and stored in the database 44 (specifically, the position within an area within a predetermined distance from the position), and the number of matches is a predetermined number. It is determined whether or not the number is N or more. That is, there is a possibility that the position of the mobile terminal 12 detected when it is determined that there is a possibility of a step on the road surface may have a step over a predetermined number of times N or more at the same or different mobile terminal 12. Is detected (specifically, a position within an area within a predetermined distance from the position).

  As a result of the statistical processing of the step information, the computer 40 determines that the position of the mobile terminal 12 detected when it is determined that there is a step on the road surface is the position stored in the database 44. If they do not match or the number of matches is less than a predetermined number N even if they match, the routine is terminated without any further processing. On the other hand, the position of the mobile terminal 12 detected when it is determined that there is a possibility that there is a step on the road surface coincides with the above-mentioned position stored in the database 44, and the number of matches is a predetermined number. When it is N or more, the position is determined as the step position where the step exists, and the position information is stored in the database 44 (step 122).

  Thus, in the step information acquisition system 10 of the present embodiment, each portable terminal 12 is caused to detect a step existing on the road surface based on the angular velocity, and to detect the position at the time of detecting the step, The position information is transmitted to the center 14. Further, the center 14 is caused to acquire the position information transmitted from each mobile terminal 12 to determine whether or not a step has been detected on the road surface for a predetermined number of times N at the same position, and a predetermined number of times. The position where the step is detected on the road surface over N is determined as the step position where the step exists, and the position information is stored in the database 44.

  According to this configuration, when the user carries the mobile terminal 12 having the angular velocity sensor 24 and travels on the road, information on a position where there is a possibility of a step on the road surface can be collected in the center 14. it can. Then, the information on the step position where the step exists on the road surface determined based on the collected statistical result of the step information can be stored in the database 44 of the center 14.

  As described above, the user of the mobile terminal 12 is not limited to a person or an elderly person who needs a wheelchair that is difficult to raise or lower the level difference on the road surface by himself / herself. Includes possible healthy individuals. For this reason, even if a wheelchair user or the like cannot pass through, a person who can pass through the location carries the portable terminal 12 and passes through the information on the position where there may be a step. 14 can be collected. Further, in the above configuration, when collecting information on a position where there is a step in the center 14, a person manually inputs to the portable terminal 12 or the like for each step existing on the road surface. Is unnecessary. Therefore, according to the system of the present embodiment, it is possible to easily and inexpensively collect information on a position where there is a step, without forcing a lot of work, and there is a step on the road surface. It is possible to accurately detect the existing step position over a wide range.

  Further, in the system of the present embodiment, in order to determine the step position where the step exists on the road surface, it is necessary to detect the step on the road surface with the mobile terminal 12 at the same position for a predetermined number of times N. It is. For this reason, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection of a step position where a step exists on the road surface. In order to prevent erroneous detection of the step position, not only when a step on the road surface is detected for a plurality of predetermined times N by the same portable terminal 12, but also for a plurality of predetermined times by a plurality of different portable terminals 12. When a step on the road surface is detected over N, the step position determination process may be performed.

  In the system of the present embodiment, after the information on the step position where the step exists on the road surface is stored in the database 44 of the center 14, the center 14 provides the navigation information of the road to the user. As the provision information, it is possible to include road information indicating that there is a step or route information avoiding a route including the step. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide road information indicating that there is a step to a person who is difficult to move up and down the stairs such as a bicycle occupant or a wheelchair user who carries the mobile terminal 12. It is possible to grasp where the level difference on the road surface is, and by providing route information that avoids the route including the level difference, it is possible to guide to the destination that gets stuck at the level difference. is there.

  In the above embodiment, the computer 20 of the portable terminal 12 executes the process of step 108 in the routine shown in FIG. The step 20 is executed to determine whether or not there is a step on the road surface. In the “step detecting means” described in the claims, the transmitter / receiver 28 includes the computer 20 in the “transmitting means” described in the claims. The processing of step 100 corresponds to the “angular velocity detecting means” described in the claims, and the data storage unit 26 corresponds to the “data storage unit” described in the claims.

  In addition, the transmission / reception unit 42 of the center 14 executes the processing of step 122 in the “reception unit” described in the claims, and the “step position specifying unit” described in the claims indicates that the computer 40 executes the process of step 122. 44 corresponds to the “database” described in the claims.

  In the above-described embodiment, the angular velocity detected by the computer 20 of the mobile terminal 12 is not limited to the detection always performed when the power is turned on, and the angular velocity generated on a flat road is distinguished from the angular velocity generated on a road with a step. It is good also as what is performed only in the condition where it is easy to do. The angular velocity generated on a flat road and the angular velocity generated on a road with a step are easily distinguished when the mobile terminal 12 is in a pocket or bag of clothes. When it is detected that the display of the mobile terminal 12 is turned off or when the mobile terminal 12 is placed in a dark state using a brightness sensor, etc. Etc. are preferably performed. According to such a modification, it is possible to accurately determine the presence or absence of a step on the road surface based on the angular velocity at the mobile terminal 12, and to detect the position of the step on the road surface with high accuracy.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, when the portable terminal 12 detects a step on the road surface, the reliability J for determining that there is a step is calculated, and information on the reliability J is transmitted to the center 14. However, the computer 40 of the center 14 uses the angular velocity sensor 24 on the road surface at the same position necessary for determining the step position where the step exists on the road surface according to the reliability J. It is good also as changing the frequency | count N which should be detected as a position with a level | step difference. Specifically, the higher the reliability J for determining that there is a step, the smaller the number N, and the lower the reliability J, the greater the number N. It should be noted that the set number of times N only needs to be changed according to the reliability J every time the information of the reliability J is received, and is not limited to a natural number but may be a rational number of “1” or more. When the reliability J for determining that there is a step is high, the accuracy of the step position can be ensured even if the number N is small. On the other hand, when the reliability J for determining that there is a step is low, the number N If there is not much, accuracy of a level difference cannot be secured. Therefore, according to this modification, it is possible to always accurately determine the step position without erroneously determining the step position where the step exists on the road surface.

  In this case, the computer 20 of the mobile terminal 12 uses the degree of similarity between the detected angular speed and the angular speed data on a flat road, whether the display display of the mobile terminal 12 is turned off, a brightness sensor, and the like. Based on whether or not it is detected that the mobile terminal 12 is placed in a dark state, calculating the reliability J for determining that there is a step on the road surface is “Reliability” described in the claims. The “degree calculating means” corresponds to the “number changing means” recited in the claims, in which the computer 40 of the center 14 changes the number N as described above based on the reliability J.

  In the above embodiment, when a step on the road surface is detected by the mobile terminal 12, the number M of steps including the step is further counted, and information on the number of steps M is transmitted to the center 14. However, the computer 40 of the center 14 uses the angular velocity sensor 24 in the portable terminal 12 at the same position necessary to determine the step position where the step exists on the road surface according to the number of steps M. It is good also as changing the frequency | count N which should be detected as a position where there exists. Specifically, the number N is decreased as the number of steps M is increased, and the number N is increased as the number M of steps is decreased. The set number of times N only needs to be changed according to the number of stages M every time information of the number of stages M is received, and is not limited to a natural number but may be a rational number of “1” or more. When the number of steps M is large, the position is detected as a step on the road surface with the same mobile terminal 12 over the number M of steps, so even if the number N of position matches counted by the center 14 is small, While the accuracy of the step position can be ensured, when the number M of steps is small, the accuracy of the step position cannot be ensured unless the number N of position coincidences counted by the center 14 is large. Therefore, according to this modification, it is possible to always accurately determine the step position without erroneously determining the step position where the step exists on the road surface.

  In this case, the computer 20 of the portable terminal 12 calculates the step number M of the staircase based on the temporal change in the detected angular velocity within the past predetermined time. The 14 computers 40 change the number of times N as described above based on the number of stages M, which corresponds to the “number of times changing means” recited in the claims.

  In the above-described embodiment, the angular velocity data generated when the mobile terminal 12 is flat on the road stored in the data storage unit 26 is used to determine whether or not there is a step on the road surface based on the angular velocity. However, it is also possible to determine whether or not the detected angular velocity matches the angular velocity data generated when the stairs pass.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, when a step on the road surface is detected based on the angular velocity by the mobile terminal 12, the position of the mobile terminal 12 at that time is detected, and then there may be a step on the road surface. The information indicating that the mobile terminal 12 and the position information of the mobile terminal 12 are transmitted toward the center 14, but the information transmission from the mobile terminal 12 to the center 14 is performed immediately after the step detection and after the position detection. Not limited to, after the step detection and the position detection, the detected step information and the position information are linked to each other and temporarily stored in the data storage unit 26, etc. The total number of information temporarily stored in the data storage unit 26 or the like may reach a predetermined number). If a plurality of pieces of information are collectively transmitted from the portable terminal 12 to the center 14, the information can be transmitted efficiently.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Level information acquisition system 12 Portable terminal 14 Center 20 Computer 22 GPS receiver 24 Angular velocity sensor 26 Data storage part 28 Transmission / reception part 40 Computer 42 Transmission / reception part 44 Database

Claims (10)

A position detecting means for detecting a position on the road, a step detecting means for detecting a step existing on the road surface, a transmission for transmitting the position information by the position detecting means and the step information by the step detecting means. A portable terminal equipped with means,
Receiving means for receiving information transmitted from the transmitting means of the mobile terminal; and step position specifying means for specifying a step position where a step is generated on a road surface based on information received by the receiving means; A center for storing data of the step position specified by the step position specifying means,
A step information acquisition system comprising:   When the step is detected by the step detection unit, the transmission unit of the portable terminal includes information indicating the step and information on the position detected by the position detection unit when the step is detected. The step information acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the step information is transmitted toward the center.   The step position specifying means of the center is the same or different when the position detected by the position detecting means when the step is detected by the step detecting means based on information received by the receiving means. 3. The step information acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein the position is set as the step position when the terminal matches the position detected as the position over a predetermined number of times. The portable terminal further includes an angular velocity detection unit that detects an angular velocity generated in the portable terminal, and a data storage unit that stores data of angular velocity according to the presence or absence of a step on the road surface of the terminal user. ,
The step detecting means determines the presence or absence of the step based on a result of comparing the angular velocity generated in the portable terminal detected by the angular velocity detecting means with the angular velocity data stored in the data storage unit. The level | step difference information acquisition system as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3 characterized by these. The portable terminal further includes reliability calculation means for calculating the reliability of the step presence determination when the step detection means determines that the step is present.
5. The step information acquisition system according to claim 4, wherein the transmission unit also transmits the reliability information calculated by the reliability calculation unit. The step position specifying means of the center is the same or different when the position detected by the position detecting means when the step is detected by the step detecting means based on information received by the receiving means. When the terminal matches the position detected as the position over a predetermined number of times, the position is set as the step position,
The center further includes frequency changing means for reducing the predetermined number of times as the reliability is higher, based on the reliability information transmitted from the transmission means of the mobile terminal. 5. The step information acquisition system according to 5. The portable terminal further includes a step number calculating means for calculating the number of steps including the step when the step detecting means determines that the step is present.
5. The step information acquisition system according to claim 4, wherein the transmission unit also transmits information on the number of steps calculated by the step number calculation unit. The step position specifying means of the center is the same or different when the position detected by the position detecting means when the step is detected by the step detecting means based on information received by the receiving means. When the terminal matches the position detected as the position over a predetermined number of times, the position is set as the step position,
8. The center according to claim 7, further comprising frequency changing means for decreasing the predetermined number as the number of stages increases based on the information on the number of stages transmitted from the transmitting means of the portable terminal. Level information acquisition system.   The step information acquisition system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the step detection unit detects the step in a situation where the detection by the step detection unit can be appropriately performed. A position detecting step in which the mobile terminal detects a position on the road;
A step detecting step for detecting a step present on the road surface of the mobile terminal;
A transmitting step in which the portable terminal transmits information on the position detected in the position detecting step and information on the step detected in the step detecting step;
A reception step in which the center receives information transmitted in the transmission step;
A step position specifying step for specifying a step position on the road surface based on the information received by the center in the receiving step;
A step position storing step in which the center stores data of the step position specified in the step position specifying step in a database;
A step information acquisition method comprising:

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