JP2013061510A - Map note processing apparatus and map note processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a map note processing apparatus capable of surely excluding overlap of map notes while leaving a map note with a higher order of priority.SOLUTION: A map note processing apparatus includes: map note data storage means for storing display data of map notes to be displayed on a map, information indicating map positions of respective map notes and information indicating which layer out of a plurality of predetermined layers includes respective map notes; map note layer priority order management means for managing information indicating orders of priority given to the plurality of layers; and overlap discrimination means for discriminating whether or not overlap is generated on the map by using the information indicating map positions of map notes displayed on a map of a target area. Layers to which the map notes discriminated to generate overlap by the overlap discrimination means belong are determined and a map note belonging to a layer with a lower order of priority is deleted from the map notes to be displayed on the map.

Description

  The present invention relates to a processing device and a processing method for map notes made up of characters, numbers, etc. displayed on a map (electronic map) displayed on a display screen, and in particular, processing when map notes are displayed overlapping on a map. About.

  The map (electronic map) displayed on the display screen is a map note indicating the name of a natural object such as a mountain or river, or the name of a building or facility, and the topographic map information (map information) excluding these map notes. It is superimposed. Map annotations reduce the user's readability if the amount displayed is too much or too little, but especially if the map annotation characters overlap on the displayed map, the map will be unreadable. It becomes difficult to do. That is, in general, in the case of a target map with a small scale ratio (map of a narrow area range), map annotations rarely overlap, but when a target map with a large scale ratio (map of a wide area range) is obtained Since the number of map annotations to be displayed on the target map of the size of increases, the probability that map annotations overlap will increase. Therefore, various proposals have been made for improving the problem of overlapping map notes.

  For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-63575), character symbol data constituting a map note is rearranged according to a predetermined priority order, and display positions are determined in order from character symbol data having a higher priority order, It is disclosed that character symbol data whose display position has already been determined and character symbol data that overlaps the display are determined to be undisplayable and are deleted.

  However, in the case of this patent document 1, when the area and scale to be displayed on the map are determined, the character / symbol data of the map note to be displayed on the map is selected, and the character / symbol data of the selected map note is selected. After all of these are rearranged in a predetermined priority order, it is necessary to determine whether or not to display them on the map in the order of the arranged character / symbol data. In other words, in the case of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to assign priorities in advance to all the character symbol data of the map note, and the character symbol data of the map note to be displayed according to the map to be displayed. It is necessary to rearrange according to the predetermined priority order, and the processing becomes complicated.

  Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-227340) discloses a note information display device that does not cause the problems as described in Patent Document 1 above. That is, in the [0151] to [0155] paragraphs of Patent Document 2, when a single layer is used, the map note is displayed on a plurality of layers when the map note cannot be displayed on the map so as not to overlap. Distribute, give priority to these multiple layers, and use the note display area where the area occupied by the note name display is below the allowable limit on the display map, thereby preventing overlapping of map notes It is disclosed.

  That is, in Patent Document 2, the area occupied by the note name display on the display map is set to be less than the allowable limit so that the map notes do not overlap. Therefore, according to Patent Document 2, it is necessary to distribute each of the map annotations in advance to a plurality of layers and to give priority to the plurality of layers, but when displaying a map, The character / symbol data of the map note to be displayed according to the map does not need to be rearranged in the predetermined priority order, and the process is simpler than that of Patent Document 1.

JP-A-8-63575 JP 2005-227340 A

  However, in Patent Document 2, since the area occupied by the note name display on the display map is used up to the layer where the note name display is less than the allowable limit, the area occupied by the note name display exceeds the allowable limit. There is a problem that all the map notes belonging to the lower priority layer are not superimposed on the map.

  Further, in Patent Document 2, in order to display on a map a map note belonging to a layer where the area occupied by the note name display does not exceed the allowable limit regardless of whether or not the map note overlaps on the map, However, there is a problem that map notes may overlap on the display map.

  In view of the above points, the present invention eliminates the problems of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, and reliably eliminates overlapping of map notes while leaving high-priority map notes on the display map. An object of the present invention is to provide a map note processing apparatus and method capable of performing the above.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention of claim 1
Display data for map notes displayed on the map, information indicating the map position of the map notes, and information indicating which of the plurality of predetermined layers each of the map notes belongs to Map note data storage means for storing map note data;
Map note layer priority management means for managing priority information assigned to the plurality of layers;
Overlap occurs when information indicating the map position of the map note to be displayed on the map of the target area to be provided in response to a user request is read from the map note data storage unit and displayed on the map. Overlap determination means for determining whether or not,
The layer to which the map note determined that the overlap is generated by the overlap determining unit is determined, and based on the priority information given to the layer managed by the map note layer priority managing unit Map annotation overlap elimination processing means for processing to delete a map note belonging to the lower priority layer from the map note displayed on the map;
A map annotation processing apparatus is provided.

  In the first aspect of the invention, the overlap determining means displays information on the map of the target area to be provided by using the information indicating the position on the map of the map note stored in the map note data storage means. Detects map notes that overlap.

  Based on the information stored in the map note data storage means, the map note overlap elimination processing means determines a layer to which each of the map notes that are detected to be overlapped by the overlap determination means belongs.

  Then, the map note overlap elimination processing means identifies the priority order of the determined layer of the map note that is assumed to be overlapped based on the layer priority information managed by the map note layer priority management means. However, the map note with high priority is left, and the map note with low priority is deleted from the map note displayed on the target map.

  Thus, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the map notes that are overlapped on the target map are deleted so that only the layer with the higher priority of the layer to which each map note belongs remains, and the target area On the map, the map note is always displayed so as not to overlap. In this case, according to the first aspect of the invention, only the overlap of the map notes is eliminated, and all the map notes belonging to the plurality of layers are displayed on the map of the target area. Therefore, there is no problem that the map note belonging to the lower priority layer is not displayed on the map of the target area.

The invention of claim 2 is the map note processing device according to claim 1,
The map note layer priority management means includes:
As the priority information assigned to the plurality of layers, when using the target area of the map and the map, information on a plurality of priority levels set according to at least one of the usage purposes of the map is used. While preparing and managing,
According to at least one of the target area of the map to be provided, the time to be provided, and the usage of the map specified by the user, the overlapping information is obtained from the plurality of priority information. It is characterized by selecting priority information used for exclusion processing.

  According to the invention of claim 2, the priority order of the plurality of layers of the map annotation is not fixed, but is specified by the user, the target area of the map to be provided, the time to use the map, It is set according to at least one of usages of the map.

  Therefore, according to the invention of claim 2, it is possible to set the priority order of a plurality of layers of the map note according to the regional characteristics of the target area of the map to be provided, such as a commercial area, a tourist area, and an industrial area. It is. Further, it is possible to set the priority order of a plurality of layers of the map note according to the time to use the map, for example, the season (spring, summer, autumn, winter), morning, daytime, night or the like. Furthermore, it is possible to set the priority order of a plurality of layers of map notes according to the usage of the map designated by the user, for example, shopping, sightseeing, and the like. In other words, according to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of map note layers can be dynamically set according to the so-called TPO of the user, and the priority order can be set. Will always remain on the map.

  According to the present invention, since only the overlap of the map notes is eliminated, all other map notes that are not overlapped are displayed on the map of the target area. Therefore, there is no problem that all the map notes belonging to the low priority layer are not displayed on the map of the target area. In addition, it is not necessary to set the priority order in advance for each character string of the map note, and it is not necessary to rearrange the map notes displayed on the map of the target area according to the priority order. And it can be done reliably.

It is a figure for demonstrating the structural example of the map note processing system which is one Embodiment of the map note processing apparatus by this invention. In embodiment of this invention, it is a figure used in order to demonstrate the process which detects the overlap of a map note. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware structural example of the map information provision server in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the map note priority order table used for an overlap removal process in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows another example of the map note priority order table used for an overlap removal process in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows another example of the map note priority order table used for an overlap removal process in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows another example of the map note priority order table used for an overlap removal process in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the list information used in order to set an important facility in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the list information used in order to set an important facility in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of the list information used in order to set an important facility in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows a part of flowchart for demonstrating the example of a processing operation of the map information provision server in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows a part of flowchart for demonstrating the example of a processing operation of the map information provision server in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows a part of flowchart for demonstrating the example of a processing operation of the map information provision server in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows a part of flowchart for demonstrating the example of a processing operation of the map information provision server in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure which shows a part of flowchart for demonstrating the example of a processing operation of the map information provision server in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the other hardware structural example of the map information provision server in the map note processing system of embodiment of FIG. It is a figure used for description of the other example of FIG. It is a figure used for description of the other example of FIG.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a first embodiment of a map note processing apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the map note processing apparatus is configured as a system in which a server and a client terminal are connected through a communication network such as the Internet.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the system as a map note processing apparatus of this embodiment, a map information providing server 1 of a map site (Web site), a personal computer 2 as an example of a client device, a mobile phone terminal 3 and the like. It is configured to be connected through a communication network (including the Internet) 4.

  In this example, the map information providing server 1 includes a map data storage unit 11 and a map note data storage unit 12. In this example, the map data storage unit 11 stores map data of all over Japan. In this case, the map data is data for drawing topographic maps excluding map notes, that is, the arrangement of features distributed on the ground surface, such as land undulations, forms, water systems, roads, railways, and facilities. These are stored in the map data storage unit 11 in association with latitude / longitude information, which is information on the position where each shape is drawn.

  In addition, the map note data storage unit 12 stores map note data for displaying on the map map notes relating to objects on the map such as facilities and places. The map note represents information related to objects on the map such as facilities and places by letters, symbols, numbers, and the like. For example, the map note includes characters that represent names of objects such as administrative divisions, roads, railways, buildings, parks, mountains, and rivers, and that represent altitudes and the like by numbers. The map note includes a case where the name of the object is displayed on a specific icon or represented by a specific mark.

  The map note data includes display data for displaying characters (including numbers) and symbols constituting the map note for each of the objects on the map as described above, and the display position of each map note on the map. It consists of latitude / longitude data for specifying.

  In this embodiment, the map annotation is managed by being divided into a plurality of layers according to the attributes of facilities and places. That is, as will be described later, in this example, the map notes are “cultural facility name”, “natural green area name”, “mountain name”, “water area name”, “public office name”, “commercial facility name”, “religion Like the “facility name”, a group corresponding to the attribute of the facility or place is used as a layer and managed in a plurality of layers. In the map note data storage unit 12, each map note data includes, in addition to the above-described map note display information composed of letters, symbols, and numbers, and the display position information of the map note composed of latitude and longitude. Layer information for identifying whether or not each layer belongs is also stored in association with each other.

  The personal computer 2 constitutes an example of a client device, and includes a personal computer main body 21, a display device 22, a mouse 23 as operation input means, and a keyboard 24. The mobile phone terminal 3 also constitutes an example of a client device. In this example, the mobile phone terminal 3 is an example of a so-called smart phone. For example, a display screen 31 formed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is used as an operation input unit. A touch panel 32 is attached and provided.

  A client device such as the personal computer 2 or the mobile phone terminal 3 receives a support program for supporting the provision of the map information service by accessing the map information providing server 1 through the network 4 and requesting the map information service. The map information service is provided under the support of this support program. That is, first, a client device such as the personal computer 2 or the mobile phone terminal 3 sends a map information request including the designation of the area and scale to be provided to the map information providing server 1 under the support of the support program.

  Upon receiving this map information request, the map information providing server 1 recognizes the target map (map range) to be provided from the designated region and scale, reads out the map data of the target map from the map information database, and the client device The map note data of the map note to be displayed on the target map is read from the map note data storage unit 12 and provided to the client device. In this case, as will be described later, the map information providing server 1 performs the overlap elimination processing for preventing the map notes from overlapping on the target map of the designated area and scale for the map note data provided to the client device. Run.

  The client device such as the personal computer 2 or the mobile phone terminal 3 obtains the map data of the target map and the note data subjected to the overlap elimination process from the map information providing server 1 by the support program, and the terrain state based on the map data The image information of the target map is generated by synthesizing the map note based on the note data on the map showing. Then, the client device such as the personal computer 2 or the mobile phone terminal 3 displays the target map requested by the user on the display screen based on the image information of the target map as a result of the synthesis.

[Overview of map note overlap elimination processing in map information providing server 1]
An outline of the map annotation overlap elimination process in the map information providing server 1 of this embodiment will be described.

  In the map information providing server 1 of this embodiment, first, map note data of all the map notes displayed on the map of the map range to be provided in the target area requested by the client device as the map is provided as map note data. The data is read from the storage unit 12 and stored in the buffer memory. Then, the map information providing server 1 uses the display position information (latitude / longitude) of the map note included in the map note data stored in the buffer memory to display all the information displayed on the map in the map range to be provided. It is determined whether or not there is an overlap for the map note.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a method for determining the overlap of map notes. In the example of FIG. 2, the horizontal axis direction is longitude and the vertical axis direction is latitude, and the map display area 13 of the map range to be provided is indicated by a rectangular frame. The map information providing server 1 displays the display frame (rectangular) of the character string of each map note on the display area 13 of the target map from the display position information (latitude, longitude, etc.) included in the map note data of each map note. Frame) position is calculated. In the example of FIG. 2, the positions of the display frame 14a for the map note “A” and the display frame 14b for the map note “B” are shown.

  As the display position information included in the map note data, in order to specify the rectangular display frame of the character string of the map note, the positions of two diagonal points of the rectangular frame (for example, the upper left corner and the lower right corner) It may consist of information (latitude, longitude). The display position information is not limited to this, and may be composed of position information of one point (for example, upper left corner) and information on the width and length of a rectangular frame for displaying a map note.

  Next, the map information providing server 1 determines whether or not the display frame of each map note whose position has been calculated overlaps with the display frame of other map notes. In this case, since the display frame is a rectangular frame, the latitude and longitude of the four corner vertices are recognized, and one of the four corner vertex positions is the area range of the other map note display frame (the four corner vertices). If it is within the area determined by (5), it is detected that there is an overlap of the map annotation display frames.

  That is, for example, in the map note “A” and the map note “B” in the example of FIG. 2, the vertex Pa at the lower left corner of the display frame 14a of the map note “A” is the display frame 14b of the map note “B”. By detecting that the map note “A” and the map note “B” are overlapped, it is detected. Alternatively, the map note “A” and the map note “B” are detected by detecting that the vertex Pb at the upper right corner of the display frame 14b of the map note “B” is within the display frame 14a of the map note “A”. Are detected as overlapping. It is to be noted that whether or not the map note “A” and the map note “B” are overlapped is detected by detecting the above-described detection of the other map note when the overlap is detected by the detection process for either one of the map notes. No processing is necessary.

  In order to detect whether or not there is an overlap between the map note “A” and the map note “B”, the overlap detection process is performed for either the map note “A” or the map note “B”. Okay, in order to detect how the map note “A” and the map note “B” both overlap, the map note “A” and the map note “B” both Detection processing is required. That is, for example, in the case of the example in FIG. 2, the map note is displayed diagonally to the lower right of the map note “A” from the result of the overlap detection process for each of the map note “A” and the map note “B”. An overlapping relationship between the map note “A” and the map note “B” that “B” is overlapped is also detected.

  Next, when the map information providing server 1 detects the overlap between the map note “A” and the map note “B”, the map note overlap processing is performed. In this embodiment, for this overlap elimination process, the map information providing server 1 uses information assigned with a priority corresponding to the importance level of the map note for a plurality of layers of the map note. In this embodiment, a map note priority table is used as the information assigned with the priority corresponding to the importance of the map note. For this reason, in this embodiment, the map information provision server 1 is provided with the map note priority order table created beforehand.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, which will be described later, the map note priority order table is a table in which priority levels that are important and remain on the map are set for a plurality of map note layers. In this embodiment, the plurality of layers of the map note are divided into a plurality of groups, and a priority order is assigned to each group. In the following description, this group is referred to as a rank group (denoted as rank G in the figure), and in FIG. 4 to FIG. In this embodiment, the group number “1” has the highest priority, and the priority is set to sequentially decrease as the group number increases. And the several layer in the same order group is set as a thing with a high priority, so that the layer described above in FIGS. 4-7.

  Next, in this embodiment, the map information providing server 1 allows the user to select “auto mode” and “TPO setting mode” for the map annotation overlap elimination process. The “trust mode” is a mode in which a standard map note priority order table (hereinafter referred to as a standard table) prepared in advance is used for overlap elimination processing. On the other hand, in the “TPO setting mode”, information of “Time”, “Place”, and “Occasion” designated by the user is determined, and in accordance with the determined TPO, it is determined in advance. In this mode, one TPO-compatible map note priority table (hereinafter referred to as a selection setting table) selected from a plurality of prepared TPO-compatible map note priority tables is used for overlap elimination processing.

  Here, “Time” is the time when the map is used, and usually the time when the map is requested by the user is determined. Further, the “place” is determined and specified by the target area of the map requested by the user. Therefore, “Time” and “Place” can be determined in the map information providing server 1 when the user selects a target area and makes a map request.

  When the target area for which the map is requested to be acquired is an area around the current position, the map information providing server 1 specifies P (location) based on the current position information sent from the client device. In the latter case, the client device is a personal computer fixedly installed at a specific location, and when the installation location is input, the information on the input installation location is received from the client device as current location information. It is sent to the map information providing server 1. Further, when the client device is a portable device such as a mobile phone terminal, for example, information on the current position detected by using the GPS function is sent from the client device to the map information providing server 1 as current location information.

  On the other hand, “Occasion” is the intended use of the map (purpose of use), and, as will be described later, is selected by the user at a different timing from when the user selects a target area and requests a map. It is specified.

  The time when the user uses the map may be separately designated by, for example, a specific time zone such as morning, afternoon, morning, noon, and evening. Also in that case, the user selects and designates at a timing different from when the user selects a target area and requests a map.

  Note that the “delegation mode” and “TPO setting mode”, the standard table, and the selection setting table will be described in detail later.

  When the overlap of map notes is detected, the map information providing server 1 first determines a layer to which each of the overlapped map notes belongs based on information stored in the map note data storage unit 12. Next, the map information providing server 1 determines the priority order of the determined layer with reference to a map note priority order table (standard table or selection setting table) that is used for the overlap elimination process. Then, based on the determination result, the map information providing server 1 keeps the map note having a higher priority among the overlapping map notes, and the map note having the lower priority from the map note displayed on the target map. Eliminate overlapping map notes by deleting them.

  Furthermore, the map information providing server 1 of this embodiment considers the case where the overlap cannot be eliminated only by using the information of the map note priority table because the overlapped map notes belong to the same layer. As described below, there is provided a technique capable of eliminating overlap without using a map note priority order table.

  One of them is that the user registers in advance with the map information providing server 1 the facilities that the user wants to keep important, and among the map notes that have overlapped, the registered important facilities remain. This is a method of performing overlap elimination processing by deleting others.

  The other one is a method of performing overlap elimination processing based on the overlapping relationship between the map note “A” and the map note “B” that are overlapping. In this embodiment, priority is given to the left one in the overlapping positional relationship between the map note “A” and the map note “B” (left priority), and priority is given to the upper one (upward priority). Then, the overlap elimination process is performed by deleting the others on the map.

  In this embodiment, even if it is not possible to eliminate the overlap even when referring to the registered important facilities described above, based on the overlap relationship between the map note “A” and the map note “B” where the overlap occurs. Then, overlap elimination processing is performed.

[Example of hardware configuration of map information providing server 1]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the map information providing server 1. The map information providing server 1 in this example has a configuration including a computer device. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, in the map information providing server 1 of this example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102 for storing programs, etc., a work, A RAM (Random Access Memory) 103 serving as an area, the map data storage unit 11 described above, and the map note data storage unit 12 described above are connected.

  In this example, the system bus 100 further includes a communication interface 104, a received signal processing unit 105, a transmission signal generating unit 106, a POI (Point of Interest) database 107, an important facility setting holding unit 108, a map note priority order. A table storage unit 109, an overlap elimination processing table setting unit 110, a map annotation overlap elimination processing unit 111, and a provided map annotation generation unit 112 are connected.

  The CPU 101 controls the overall operation of the map information providing server 1. The ROM 102 stores a program for executing various control processes in the map information providing server 1. The CPU 101 uses the RAM 103 as a work area memory and executes control processing according to the program of the ROM 102.

  The communication interface 104 is an interface for communicating with the client device through the communication network 4. The received signal processing unit 105 analyzes the received signal received through the communication interface 104 under the control of the CPU 101 and supplies the analysis result to the CPU 101 through the system bus 100, or the overlap elimination processing table setting unit 110 and the map. It is a function processing unit that supplies to the note overlap processing unit 111. The transmission signal generation unit 106 is a function processing unit that generates a transmission signal to be transmitted to the client device through the communication interface 104 under the control of the CPU 101.

  The POI database 107 stores information on a POI table including detailed information of each base (POI (Point of Interest)) displayed on a map of Japan. Here, the base (POI) is, for example, a restaurant such as a restaurant or a department store, a golf course, a facility such as a mountain, a park, a beach, a waterfall, etc. where a representative point is determined. Including natural products. The bases (POI) are not limited to those that can be displayed as points on the map, but also include those defined by polygons (polygons) such as parks and golf courses.

  In the POI table stored in the POI database 107, position information (latitude / longitude) on the map of each base and the name, address, genre, mesh code, introduction sentence, etc. of the base are recorded in association with each other. The The information on each base in the POI database 107 is associated with each map note using the position information (latitude / longitude) as link information.

  The important facility setting holding unit 108 selects, as information for selecting and registering the above-mentioned important facilities, a list of genres of bases stored in the POI database 107 when the user selects “TPO setting mode”. It has a function to provide to the user. The important facility setting holding unit 108 is configured to receive registration information of an important facility selected and set by the user from the genre list of the bases, and hold the registration information.

  The map note priority table storage unit 109 stores the aforementioned standard map note priority table and a plurality of TPO-compatible map note priority tables. As described above, for each of the plurality of TPO-compatible map note priority order tables, the corresponding TPO information is stored in the map note priority order table storage unit 108 in a one-to-one correspondence. .

  When the map requester selects the “automatic mode” for the map annotation overlap elimination processing, the overlap exclusion processing table setting unit 110 reads the standard map annotation priority table from the map annotation priority table storage unit 108. And set for the map annotation overlap elimination process.

  Further, as described above, the overlap elimination processing table setting unit 110, when the map requester selects the “TPO setting mode” for the map annotation overlap elimination processing, stores information on the TPO specified by the user. One TPO-compatible map note priority table associated with the acquired TPO is selected as a selection setting table from a plurality of TPO-compatible map note priority tables stored in the map note priority table storage unit 109. Acquired and set for map annotation overlap elimination processing. The overlap elimination processing table setting unit 110 sends a use purpose list menu to the user for O (case) of the TPO, and acquires information on the map use (case) selected and designated by the user. It also has functions.

  The map note overlap elimination processing unit 111 executes a detection process for detecting whether or not overlap occurs for the map note displayed on the provided map of the designated target area and the designated scale, and when the overlap is detected, With reference to the overlap removal table set in the overlap removal processing table setting unit 110, processing for removing overlap is executed in accordance with the priority order of the map annotation layers in which overlap has occurred.

  Further, the map note overlap removal processing unit 111 is set by the user held in the important facility setting holding unit 108 when the overlap removal processing cannot be performed on the map note where the overlap occurs using the overlap removal table. Referring to important facilities that have been removed, the overlap of map notes is eliminated.

  Further, the map note overlap elimination processing unit 111 overlaps when the important facility is not set by the user in the important facility setting holding unit 108, or when the overlap exclusion process cannot be executed with the set important facility information. The overlapping position relationship between the map annotations being determined is determined, and as described above, the overlap elimination process is executed under the left priority and top priority conditions.

  The provided map note generation unit 112 generates map note information for which the overlap removal processing has been completed by the map note overlap removal processing unit 111 as map note information to be provided to the client device. Then, the map note information generated by the provided map note generation unit 112 is supplied to the transmission signal generation unit 106. The transmission signal generator 106 is also supplied with the map information of the target area requested by the user from the map database 11. Then, the CPU 101 transmits map information and map annotation information from the transmission signal generation unit 106 to the client device via the communication interface 104.

  3, the received signal processing unit 105, the transmission signal generation unit 106, the important facility setting holding unit 108, the overlap exclusion processing table setting unit 110, the map note overlap elimination processing unit 111, Each processing function of the provided map note generation unit 112 can be configured as a software function that the CPU 101 executes according to a software program stored in the ROM 102, but is described as a functional block for convenience. Is.

<Example and setting of map note priority table>
As described above, in this embodiment, the map information providing server 1 prepares two types of overlap elimination tables used for eliminating map annotation overlap, one of which is a general-purpose standard table, The other is a selection setting table that is selected and set according to the TPO of the user who has requested the map.

  The standard table is used when the “request mode” (automatic mode) is selected by the map requester (user) for the map annotation overlap elimination processing. It is preset and stored in the map note priority table storage unit 109. FIG. 4 shows an example of a general-purpose standard map note priority order table. The standard table of FIG. 4 is a table in which the rank group and the layer rank within the rank group are set in advance so that the higher the priority rank is, the higher the priority is given to the map requester.

  On the other hand, the selection setting table is used when “TPO setting mode” (manual selection mode) is selected by the map requester (user) for the map annotation overlap elimination processing. In the map note priority table storage unit 109, a plurality of TPO-compatible map note priority tables corresponding to each of various assumed TPOs are generated and stored in advance. In this TPO-compatible map note priority order table, a rank group and a layer order within the rank group are set in advance so that a layer that is assumed to be more important according to the corresponding TPO has a higher priority. .

  The plurality of candidate TPO-compatible map note priority order tables to be the selection setting table are set as follows, for example. For example, as usage (O (in the case)), sightseeing, leisure, shopping, and the like are assumed. Next, as an area of the place (P), for example, Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki ... or prefectures are assumed. Further, as time (T), for example, spring, summer, autumn and winter, or morning and evening are assumed.

  Then, a TPO correspondence map note priority table that is assumed to be optimal according to the combination of those TPOs is created, and stored in the map note priority table storage unit 109 in association with the combination of TPOs. In this case, the combination of TPO does not need to be three combinations of T, P, and O. Only the usage (O), only the location (P), only the time (T), only the usage (O) ) And time (T), usage (O) and place (P), and time (T) and place (P).

  For example, the TPO-compatible map note priority table in FIG. 5 is a case where the usage (O) is “sightseeing” and the place (P) is designated, for example, “Kyoto” or “Nara”. As the “priority for temples”, the note type “religious facility name” is assigned as the highest priority layer of the ranking group 1 with the highest priority.

  Further, even if the usage (O) is the same “sightseeing” in the TPO-compatible map note priority table of FIG. 6, the place (P) is designated as “Yakushima”, for example. As “mountain and waterfall emphasis”, note type “mountain name” and “water area name” are the highest ranking group.

  In the TPO-compatible map note priority table of FIG. 7, since the usage (O) is “shopping” and the designated time (T) is noon, the highest priority ranking group. The note type “commercial facility name” is set at the top of 1, and the “restaurant name” for lunch is set second.

  Each TPO-compatible map note priority table generated as described above is stored in the map note priority table storage unit 109 in a one-to-one correspondence with the designated TPO information, as described above. Has been.

  As described above, the map information providing server 1 determines the TPO designated by the user when the “TPO setting mode” is selected by the user. Then, the map information providing server 1 selects a selection setting table corresponding to the TPO designated by the user from the plurality of TPO-compatible map note priority order tables in the map note priority order table storage unit 109, and overlaps them. It is stored in the exclusion processing table setting unit 110 and selected and set.

  In this case, as described above, the place (P) and time (T) are determined in the map information providing server 1 when the user selects a target area and makes a map request to the map information providing server 1. be able to. However, the information for specifying the usage (O) is not included in the information at the time of the map request from the client device. . That is, first, the map information providing server 1 sends a list of usage purpose menus for allowing the user who has requested the map to select or specify the usage purpose of the provided map to the client device. Then, the user selects and designates the use purpose of the map from the use list menu in the client device, and transmits it to the map information providing server 1. The map information providing server 1 receives the information on the intended use of the selected map, and specifies the intended use (O).

  As described above, the overlap elimination processing table setting unit 110 of the map information providing server 1 can select the client from the plurality of TPO-compatible map note priority order tables stored in the map note priority order table storage unit 109. A map note priority table corresponding to the TPO acquired and specified from the apparatus is selected as a selection setting table and used for the map note overlap elimination process.

  Therefore, when the user uses “sightseeing” and the target area of the map is “Kyoto or Nara”, the TPO-compatible map note priority order table shown in FIG. 5 is used as the selection setting table. It is stored and set in the overlap removal processing table storage unit 110. Further, when the user designates the usage as “sightseeing” and the target area of the map as “Yakushima”, the TPO-compatible map note priority table shown in FIG. 6 is used as a selection setting table to eliminate overlap. It is stored and set in the processing table storage unit 110.

  Further, when the usage is “shopping” by the user and the map request is “near noon”, the TPO-compatible map note priority table shown in FIG. 7 is used as the selection setting table. Are stored and set in the overlap removal processing table storage unit 110.

  In the above description, in the case where the usage is “sightseeing”, the lower usages “emphasis on temples” and “focus on mountains and waterfalls” are estimated from the place (P). In addition, these “emphasis on temples”, “mountain emphasis on mountains and waterfalls”, etc. may be displayed as lower selection items so that the user can accept designation as selection items for usage (O). good.

<Examples of important facilities and their settings>
FIG. 8 shows an example of a list of locations (POIs) that the important facility setting holding unit 108 presents to the user of the client device when the user selects the “TPO setting mode”. As shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the list of the bases (POI) has a hierarchical structure, and a plurality of facility types and names are associated with each genre. In the example of FIG. 9, the user selects a genre of “shopping”, displays the facility type and name below it, and selects and sets “department” as an important facility, as indicated by a check mark. Shows the state. Further, in the example of FIG. 10, the user selects the genre of “leisure / tourism”, displays the facility type and name below it, and among them, as indicated by a check mark, “tourist spot” and “ It shows a state in which “100 Famous Waterfalls” is selected and set as an important facility.

  When the user selects and sets the important facility in this way, the selection setting information of the selected important facility is sent to the map information providing server 1, and as described above, the important facility setting holding unit 108 selects the important facility. Stored as setting information. The map information providing server 1 uses the important facility setting information for the map annotation overlap elimination process.

  That is, the map note overlap removal processing unit 111 of the map information providing server 1 detects the position information (latitude, longitude) of the map note where the overlap occurs, and searches the POI database 107 for the POI in the position information. Then, the map note overlap elimination processing unit 111 of the map information providing server 1 determines whether the facility obtained as a result of the search is a facility set in the important facility setting holding unit 108. When it is determined that one of the overlapping map notes is an important facility and the other is not an important facility, the map note overlap elimination processing unit 111 leaves the map note of the important facility and the other map notes. Is deleted from the map note to be displayed.

[Map note providing processing operation in the map information providing server 1]
Next, referring to the flowcharts of FIGS. 11 to 15, when the map information providing server 1 requests a map from the client device, the map data of the target area to be provided in response to the request is generated. In addition, a processing operation for generating map annotation data to be displayed on the map of the target area and sending it to the client device will be described below.

  FIGS. 11 to 15 mainly describe processing for generating map note data to be displayed on a map of a target area to be provided in response to a request from a client device. Is generated in parallel with the map annotation providing processing operation in the map information providing server 1. The process of generating the map data of the target area may be performed separately from the map annotation providing process operation.

  11 to 15 described below is executed by the CPU 101 of the map information providing server 1 using the RAM 103 as a work area in accordance with the processing program stored in the ROM 102. To do. In the following description, the CPU 101 receives the reception signal processing unit 105, the transmission signal generation unit 106, the important facility setting holding unit 108, the overlap removal processing table setting unit 110, the map note overlap removal processing unit 111, and the provided map note. Each processing function of the generation unit 112 is configured as a software function that is executed according to a software program stored in the ROM 102.

  First, the CPU 101 determines whether or not a map information request access from a client device such as the personal computer 2 or the mobile phone terminal 3 has been received via the communication network 4 (step S101). If it is determined in step S101 that the map information request access has not been received, the CPU 101 executes another process, ends the other process, and then returns the process to step S101.

  When it is determined in step S101 that the requested access for map information from the client device has been received, the CPU 101 detects the target area of the requested map from the information included in the received requested access (step S103). Next, the CPU 101 detects the scale of the designated map from the information included in the received request access, specifies the map range to be created in response to the request, and stores the map data of the specified map range in the map database 11. Are read out from the map note data storage unit 12 and stored in the buffer memory (step S104).

  Next, as described above, the CPU 101 calculates the display frame of the character string of each map note using the map note data stored in the buffer memory, and executes the process for detecting the overlap of the map notes (step S105). . Next, the CPU 101 determines whether or not there is a map note whose character string display frames overlap as a result of the map note overlap detection process in step S105 (step S106).

  If it is determined in this step S106 that there is no map note overlapping the character string display frames, the CPU 101 sends the map note data stored in the buffer memory and the map data stored in the buffer memory to the client via the communication network 4. Transmit to the device (step S107).

  Upon receiving the map note data and the map data, the client device uses the map display support application program provided from the map information providing server 1 to display the map image on the map image generated based on the map data. The map on which the map note based on the map note data is superimposed is displayed.

  The client device can accept the scale of the displayed map and the change of the target area. In the client device, if it is necessary to acquire new map data and map note data from the map information providing server 1 according to the changed scale or target area, the scale change request and the target area change are required. Send a request.

  Therefore, the CPU 101 of the map information providing server 1 determines whether or not a scale change request has been received from the client device after step S107 (step S108). If it is determined in step S108 that a scale change request has been received, the CPU 101 returns the process to step S104 and repeats the processes after step S104 described above.

  If it is determined in step S108 that a scale change request has not been received, the CPU 101 determines whether a target area change request has been received (step S109). If it is determined in step S109 that a request for changing the target area has been received, the CPU 101 returns the process to step S103, and repeats the processes after step S103 described above.

  If it is determined in step S109 that a change request for the target area has not been received, the CPU 101 has detected the end of the map information providing process based on a disconnection notification of map request access from the client device or the like. (Step S110). If it is determined in step S110 that the end of the map information providing process has not been detected, the CPU 101 returns the process to step S108 and repeats the processes after step S108. If it is determined in step S110 that the end of the map information providing process has been detected, the CPU 101 ends the process routine.

  Next, when it is determined in step S106 that there is a map note with overlapping character string display frames, the CPU 101 allows the user of the client device to execute “auto mode” and “ A request is made to select one of “TPO setting mode” (step S121 in FIG. 12).

  Next, in response to the request in step S121, the CPU 101 determines which one of the “reliable mode” and “TPO setting mode” has been selected by the user of the client device (step S122).

  When it is determined in this step S122 that “TPO setting mode” has been selected, the CPU 101 sends a message to the client device inquiring about the intended use of the map, prompts the user to make a selection, and sends it from the client terminal accordingly. The user selection designation information is received (step S123).

  As described above, since the location and time are already selected and specified by the user based on the information at the time of the map request operation, in step S123, the user is not inquired about the location and time. As for the usage of the map, in this example, a list menu of assumed usage such as “sightseeing”, “shopping”, “date”, etc. is presented to the user, and the user selects from the list menu. I am trying to get it.

  Next, in step S123, the CPU 101 uses the use information selected and specified received from the client apparatus in response to the inquiry, the map target area (location) already specified by the user, and the time information. Then, a selection setting table is selected from the plurality of TPO-compatible map note priority order tables in the map note priority order table storage unit 109, and is set as an overlap removal table in the overlap removal table setting part (step S124). ).

  Next, the CPU 101 determines whether or not an important facility setting request by the user has been received from the client device (step S125). When it is determined that the important facility setting request has not been received, the CPU 101 sets it in step S124. It is determined that only the selection setting table is used for the overlap elimination process, and the process proceeds to step S131 in FIG.

  When it is determined that the important facility setting request has been received, the CPU 101 provides the client device with a list of bases (POI) (step S126). The CPU 101 waits for reception of important facility setting information from the client device (step S127). When it is determined in step S127 that important facility setting information has been received from the client device, the important facility setting holding unit 108 The received important facility setting information is temporarily stored (step S128). Then, the CPU 101 decides to use the selection setting table and the important facility setting information for the overlap elimination process, and advances the process to step S131 in FIG.

  Further, when it is determined in step S122 that the “auto mode” has been selected, as described above, the CPU 101 reads the standard table from the map note priority table storage unit 109 and uses it as an overlap elimination processing table. Is set in the overlap elimination table setting unit 110 (step S129), and then the process proceeds to step S131 in FIG.

  In step S131 of FIG. 13, the CPU 101 specifies one of the set of the map note A and the map note B detected as being overlapped and displayed in step S105 (step S131). Next, the CPU 101 determines the map note layer to which the map note A belongs and the map note layer to which the map note B belongs (step S132). Next, it is determined whether or not the determined map note layer to which the map note A belongs and the map note layer to which the map note B belongs are in the same rank group (step S133).

  When it is determined in step S133 that the map note layer to which the map note A belongs and the map note layer to which the map note B belongs are not in the same rank group, the CPU 101 determines that the rank group of the map note A layer is the map note layer. It is determined whether or not the priority order is higher than the order group of the layer B (step S134).

  When it is determined in step S134 that the layer of the map note A is a higher priority group, the CPU 101 stores the map note stored in the buffer memory to be displayed on the map to be provided. The data of the map note B is deleted from the inside, the overlap between the map notes A and B is eliminated, and only the data of the map note A is left (step S135). If it is determined in step S134 that the layer of the map note A is not a high priority group, the CPU 101 deletes the data of the map note A from the map note stored in the buffer memory, The overlap between the map notes A and B is eliminated, and only the map note B is left (step S136).

  Then, after step S135 or step S136, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the overlap of the map notes has disappeared by executing the above-described overlap removal processing for all of the map note overlap sets detected in step S105. If it is determined that the map annotation overlap has not disappeared (step S137), the process returns to step S131, and the above-described overlap elimination process after step S131 is repeated.

  If it is determined in step S137 that all of the map annotation overlap pairs have disappeared, the CPU 101 stores map overlap data stored in the buffer memory together with the map data in the client device together with the map data. Transmit (step S138). After step S138, the CPU 101 returns the processing to step S108 in FIG. 11, and repeats the processing after step S108 described above.

  If it is determined in step S133 that the map note layer to which the map note A belongs and the map note layer to which the map note B belongs are in the same rank group, the CPU 101 determines that the map note layer to which the map note A belongs, It is determined whether or not the map note layer to which the note B belongs has the same priority (step S141 in FIG. 14).

  If it is determined in step S141 that the map note layer to which the map note A belongs and the map note layer to which the map note B belongs do not have the same priority, the CPU 101 determines that the layer of the map note A is the layer of the map note B. It is determined whether the priority is higher than (step S142).

  If it is determined in step S142 that the priority of the layer of the map note A is higher, the CPU 101 advances the process to step S135, and the map note B data from the map notes stored in the buffer memory. Is deleted, the overlap between the map notes A and B is eliminated, and only the data of the map note A is left. If it is determined in step S142 that the priority of the layer of map note A is lower, the CPU 101 advances the process to step S136, and the map note A data is selected from the map notes stored in the buffer memory. Is deleted, the overlap between the map notes A and B is eliminated, and only the map note B is left.

  If it is determined in step S141 that the map note layer to which the map note A belongs and the map note layer to which the map note B belongs have the same priority, the CPU 101 determines that the important facility setting information is the important facility setting holding unit. It is determined whether or not it is held at 108 (step S143). If it is determined in this step S143 that the important facility setting information is held in the important facility setting holding unit 108, the important facility setting information is referred to (step S144), and the map note A and the map note B are compared. It is determined whether or not both are set as important facilities (step S145).

  If it is determined in step S145 that not one of the map note A and the map note B is set as an important facility, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the map note A is set as an important facility ( Step S146). If it is determined in this step S146 that the map note A is set as an important facility, the CPU 101 advances the process to step S135 and deletes the data of the map note B from the map note stored in the buffer memory. Then, the overlap between the map notes A and B is eliminated, and only the data of the map note A is left. If it is determined in step S142 that not the map note A but the map note B is set as an important facility, the CPU 101 advances the process to step S136, and from among the map notes stored in the buffer memory. The data of map note A is deleted, the overlap between map notes A and B is eliminated, and only map note B is left.

  Further, when it is determined in step S143 that the important facility setting information is not held, or in step S145, it is determined that both are set as important facilities or both are not set as important facilities. Sometimes, the CPU 101 determines the left-right positional relationship between the character string display frame positions of the map note A and the map note B, and the left coordinate La of the character string display frame of the map note A and the character string display frame of the map note B. Are compared with the left coordinate Lb (step S151 in FIG. 15).

  Then, the CPU 101 determines whether or not La = Lb (step S152). If it is determined that La = Lb is not satisfied, whether or not the left coordinate La of the character string display frame of the map note A is left is determined. (Step S153). When it is determined in step S153 that the left coordinate La of the character string display frame of the map note A is to the left, the CPU 101 advances the process to step S135 and stores the map note stored in the buffer memory. The map note B data is deleted from the map note A, the overlap between the map notes A and B is eliminated, and only the map note A data is left. If it is determined in step S153 that the left coordinate La of the character string display frame of the map note A is not left, the CPU 101 advances the process to step S136 to store the map note in the map memory. The map note A data is deleted from the map note, the overlap between the map notes A and B is eliminated, and only the map note B is left.

  When it is determined in step S152 that La = Lb, the upper coordinates of the character string display frame of the map note A are determined in order to determine the vertical relationship between the character string display frame positions of the map note A and the map note B. Ta is compared with the upper coordinate Tb of the character string display frame of the map note B (step S154).

  Then, the CPU 101 determines whether Ta ≧ Tb, that is, whether the character string display frame of the map note A is above or the same as the character string display frame of the map note B (step S155). ). If it is determined in step S155 that Ta ≧ Tb, the CPU 101 advances the processing to step S135, deletes the data of the map note B from the map note stored in the buffer memory, and maps the map note A. And B are removed, and only the data of the map note A is left. If it is determined in step S155 that Ta ≧ Tb is not satisfied, the CPU 101 advances the process to step S136, deletes the data of the map note A from the map note stored in the buffer memory, and maps the map note A. And the overlap between B and B, leaving only map note B.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, it is possible to eliminate the overlap of map notes based on the priority order for the layer to which each map note belongs. And in patent document 1 mentioned above, since priority is given to the character-symbol data of each map note, once a priority is determined, it is difficult to change a priority dynamically. However, in the first embodiment, in addition to the standard table, the map note priority table can be dynamically changed according to the TPO designated by the user, and is important according to the TPO of the user. It is possible to eliminate the overlap so that the map note is always left on the map.

[Second Embodiment]
In the above-described first embodiment, in the “reliable mode”, the user does not need to perform an input operation for selection setting such as usage, but a general-purpose standard table that is fixedly set in advance is The table was used for the overlap elimination process. For this reason, the overlap elimination process according to the user's TPO is difficult. On the other hand, in the “TPO setting mode”, it is possible to perform overlap elimination processing according to the user's TPO, but at least the usage (O) requires the user to perform a selection setting input operation. Setting input work may be troublesome.

  In the second embodiment, a “recommended mode” that avoids the above-described problem is provided in addition to the above “automatic mode” and “TPO setting mode”. This “recommended mode” does not require the user to select and set the intended use, but the location and time specified by the user, that is, the location specified from the target area requested for the map and the time requested for the map. From the above, the intended use is estimated. The TPO-compatible map note priority table corresponding to the estimated usage and the location and time designated by the user is stored in a plurality of TPO-compatible map notes stored in the map note priority table storage unit 109. It is automatically selected from the priority order table so that it can be set in the overlap elimination processing table storage unit 110. In the second embodiment, the map note priority table set as the overlap removal table in the recommendation mode is referred to as a recommendation table.

  A hardware configuration example of the map information providing server 1 in the case of the second embodiment is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 16, in the second embodiment, a recommended table setting information storage unit 113 is connected to the overlap elimination table setting unit 110 of the map information providing server 1. Further, in the map note priority table storage unit 109, a plurality of recommended table candidate tables are associated with identification information (recommended table IDs) in advance as part of a plurality of TPO correspondence tables. Stored. Others are configured similarly to the map information providing server 1 in the case of the first embodiment.

  FIG. 17 shows a part of an example of recommended table setting information stored in the recommended table setting information storage unit 113. As shown in FIG. 17, “target area”, “time”, “estimated usage”, and “recommended table ID” are stored in association with each other in the recommended table setting information. In FIG. 17, “estimated usage” is also stored for easy understanding of the explanation. However, since the “estimated usage” information is not necessary for searching the recommended table, in practice, It is not necessary to store the information in the recommended table setting information storage unit 113.

  Here, the “target area” is the target area of the map specified at the time of the map request from the user of the client device. “Time” is the time when a map request is received from the user of the client device, or the time when the map specified by the user is used.

  The “estimated usage” is a usage estimated from “target area” and “time”. For example, if the target area of the map is a sightseeing area such as “Kyoto” or “Nara”, when the time is “Spring, Summer, Winter”, “Temple-oriented tourism” is estimated as the usage, When the time is “autumn”, “sightseeing with autumn leaves” is estimated as the usage.

  Further, for example, when the target area of the map is a tourist spot such as “Yakushima” or “Shiretoko”, “nature-oriented tourism” is estimated as a use application regardless of time. Furthermore, for example, when the target area of the map is downtown such as “Harajuku”, “Shibuya”, and “Shinjuku”, when the time is “daytime”, “shopping” is estimated as the intended use. Is “after evening”, “meal” is estimated as the intended use.

  The “recommended table ID” is created corresponding to the above “target area”, “time”, and “estimated usage” and stored in the map note priority order table storage unit 109. Identification information (ID).

  For example, if the target area of the map is “Kyoto” or “Nara” and the time is “Spring, Summer, Winter”, the estimated usage is “Temple-oriented tourism”, so the corresponding recommended table is The TPO corresponding map note priority order table shown in FIG. 5 is obtained, and the identification information (ID) is stored in the recommended table setting information storage unit 113 as the recommended table ID.

  Further, when the target area of the map is “Kyoto” or “Nara” and the time is “autumn”, the estimated usage is “tourism with emphasis on autumn leaves”, so the corresponding recommended table is as shown in FIG. In addition, the “mountain name” and the “water area name” are the TPO-compatible map note priority table in which the first priority ranking group is set, and the identification information (ID) is used as a recommended table ID, and a recommended table setting information storage unit. 113.

  Further, when the target area of the map is “Yakushima” or “Shiretoko”, the estimated usage is “nature-oriented tourism”, so the corresponding recommendation table is the TPO-compatible map note priority shown in FIG. 6 described above. It becomes a table, and its identification information (ID) is stored in the recommended table setting information storage unit 113 as a recommended table ID.

  Further, when the target area of the map is “Harajuku”, “Shibuya”, “Shinjuku” and the time is “daytime”, the estimated usage is “shopping”, and the corresponding recommended table is shown in FIG. And the identification information (ID) is stored in the recommended table setting information storage unit 113 as a recommended table ID.

  In addition, when the target area of the map is “Harajuku”, “Shibuya”, “Shinjuku”, and the time is “after evening”, the estimated usage is “meal”, so the corresponding recommended table is the figure above. In the TPO-compatible map note priority order table shown in FIG. 7, the priority order of “commercial facility name” and “restaurant name” is switched, and the identification information (ID) is used as a recommended table ID for setting a recommended table. It is stored in the information storage unit 113.

  In the second embodiment, when the “recommended mode” is selected by the user, the overlap elimination table setting unit 110 uses the target area and time of the map specified by the user when the map is requested. Referring to the recommended table setting information storage unit 113, the corresponding recommended table ID is acquired. Then, the overlap exclusion table setting unit 110 uses the recommended table ID acquired from the recommended table setting information storage unit 113, and uses a plurality of TPO-compatible map notes stored in the map note priority order table storage unit 109. An overlap elimination table is selected from the priority order table and set.

  In the second embodiment, the other processes are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  According to the second embodiment, in the “recommended mode”, the user simply designates the target area of the map from the client device and sends an acquisition request for the map to the map information providing server 1. It is possible to acquire map information that has been subjected to map note overlap elimination processing according to the intended use. That is, the user can acquire the map information that has been subjected to the map annotation overlap elimination process according to the TPO at that time, without performing the selection setting input operation for the intended use.

  In the above description, the recommended table ID is used to obtain the recommended table from the map note priority order table storage unit 109, but the map note in which the recommended table is written instead of the recommended table ID. The address of the priority order table storage unit 109 may be stored in the recommended table setting information storage unit 113 for use. Similarly to the selection setting table described in the first embodiment, the corresponding recommendation table is stored in the map note priority order table using the “target area”, “time”, and “estimated usage”. Of course, it is possible to read from the unit 109.

[Other Embodiments or Modifications]
In the above-described embodiment, only one standard table is prepared in the map note priority table storage unit 109. However, for example, morning, afternoon, morning, noon, evening, or spring, summer, It is also possible to prepare a plurality according to the time difference, such as autumn and winter, and select the corresponding standard table based on the map request time. Also, prepare multiple standard tables according to areas such as Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Kinki, etc., and select the corresponding standard table based on the target area of the requested map. May be.

  In the above description of the flowchart, when a map annotation overlap is found in the map to be provided, the user in the mode for removing the map annotation overlap is selected, but a map request is received from the user. Of course, it is of course possible to inquire the user about the processing in the case where overlapping map annotations occur in advance and receive the selection designation.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the important facility setting information is used when the overlap cannot be eliminated only by using the map note priority order table. However, when the overlap of the map note is detected, first, the important facility setting information is used. The overlap elimination process is performed with reference to the above, and as a result, if the overlap elimination process cannot be performed, the overlap elimination process using the map note priority table may be executed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the map annotation display frame is rectangular. However, the map note display frame is not limited to the rectangular frame, and may be circular or other shapes.

  In the above description, a plurality of map note priority order tables corresponding to TPO are created and stored in advance. For example, a standard table is used as a reference table, and T, P, A function for determining the priority order using each of O as a variable is prepared, and the priority order is determined by substituting T, P, and O specified or estimated by the user into the function, thereby overlapping. An exclusion table may be generated and set.

  In the above-described embodiment, the map annotation processing device has a system configuration including a server and a client device connected through the communication network 4, but the function of the map information providing server 1, the function of the client device, It can also be set as the structure of the stand-alone map note processing apparatus provided with.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Map information provision server, 2 ... Personal computer, 3 ... Mobile telephone terminal, 11 ... Map data storage part, 12 ... Map note data storage part, 108 ... Important facility setting holding part, 109 ... Map note priority order table storage part , 110 ... overlap elimination table storage unit, 111 ... map note overlap elimination processing unit, 113 ... recommended table setting information storage unit

Claims (8)

Display data for map notes displayed on the map, information indicating the map position of the map notes, and information indicating which of the plurality of predetermined layers each of the map notes belongs to Map note data storage means for storing map note data;
Map note layer priority management means for managing priority information assigned to the plurality of layers;
Does the overlap occur when information indicating the map position of the map note to be displayed on the map of the target area to be provided in response to the user's request is read from the map note data storage unit and displayed on the map? Overlap determination means for determining whether or not,
The layer to which the map note determined that the overlap is generated by the overlap determining unit is determined, and based on the priority information given to the layer managed by the map note layer priority managing unit Map annotation overlap elimination processing means for processing to delete a map note belonging to the lower priority layer from the map note displayed on the map;
A map annotation processing apparatus comprising: The map note layer priority management means includes:
As the priority information assigned to the plurality of layers, when using the target area of the map and the map, information on a plurality of priority levels set according to at least one of the usage purposes of the map is used. While preparing and managing,
According to at least one of the target area of the map to be provided, the time to be provided, and the usage of the map specified by the user, the overlapping information is obtained from the plurality of priority information. The map note processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein priority order information used for exclusion processing is selected. The map annotation layer priority management means manages information including a plurality of priority information set according to the usage of the map as the priority information given to the plurality of layers.
Means for providing the user with a list of usages that can be selectively specified;
Accepting means for accepting the intended use selected by the user from the list information;
A selection means for selecting priority information used for the overlap elimination process from the plurality of priority information according to the usage selected by the user received by the reception means;
The map note processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: In the map note processing device according to claim 3,
The map note layer priority management means includes:
As priority information given to the plurality of layers, in addition to the use application of the map, a plurality of priority orders set according to at least one of the target area or map when using the map Manage with information,
The selecting means receives at least one of the target area of the map to be provided or the time to be provided, designated by the user, in addition to the intended use selected by the user and accepted by the accepting means. The map note processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein priority order information used for the overlap elimination process is selected from the plurality of priority order information. Providing the user with list information regarding objects on the map on which map notes are displayed, and including important object setting receiving means for receiving settings of the objects on the map regarded as important from the user,
The map note overlap elimination processing means is configured to set the important object among the map notes determined to have the overlap when the layers of the map note determined to have the overlap have the same priority. The map note of the object on the map for which the setting has been accepted by the accepting means is left, and other map notes are processed so as to be deleted from the map note displayed on the map. The map note processing device according to any one of the above. The map note overlap elimination processing means determines the positional relationship of the map notes determined to cause the overlap by the overlap determination means when the layers of the map note determined to cause the overlap have the same priority. A map note in a predetermined positional relationship is left based on the map note, and the other map note is processed so as to be deleted from the map note displayed on the map. The map note processing device described. Display data for map notes displayed on the map, information indicating the map position of the map notes, and information indicating which of the plurality of predetermined layers each of the map notes belongs to A map note processing method in a map note processing device comprising note data storage means for storing map note data,
Managing information on priorities assigned to the plurality of layers;
Does the overlap occur when information indicating the map position of the map note to be displayed on the map of the target area to be provided in response to the user's request is read from the map note data storage unit and displayed on the map? Determine whether or not
The layer to which the map note determined to cause the overlap belongs is determined, and the priority is determined based on the priority information assigned to the layer managed by the map note layer priority management means. A map note processing method, wherein a map note belonging to a lower layer is processed to be deleted from the map note displayed on the map. To eliminate the overlap of map notes displayed on the map,
Stores map note data including data for displaying the map note, information indicating the position of the map note on the map, and information indicating which of the plurality of predetermined layers each of the map notes belongs to When the information indicating the position on the map of the map note to be displayed on the map of the target area to be provided in response to the user's request is read from the map note data storage means and displayed on the map, the overlap occurs. Overlap determination means for determining whether or not it occurs,
Map note layer priority management means for managing priority information assigned to the plurality of layers;
The layer to which the map note determined that the overlap is generated by the overlap determining unit is determined, and based on the priority information given to the layer managed by the map note layer priority managing unit A map note overlap elimination processing means for processing to delete a map note belonging to the lower priority layer from the map note displayed on the map;
Map annotation processing program to function as.

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