JP2001004393A - Map generator, map display system, and medium recording map generating program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display a map on a portable telephone and to facilitate alteration of setting of map display by performing an arranging processing for outputting a course guide map and a guide message to a terminal with reference to external data of means for generating the course guide map and the guide message. SOLUTION: A map server 200 comprises a guide message generating section 205, a map generating section 206, and a map data 212. Upon receiving an information request, a request receiving section 201 interprets a map request from a request terminal, e.g. a portable telephone, and the type of destination terminal, delivers interpretation results to a control section 202 and accumulates the request content at a request memory section 203. The control section 202 informs the map request to a course searching section 204. The course searching section 204 executes course search upon request with reference to a map data 212 and informs the results to the guide message generating section 205 and the map generating section 206. The guide message generating section 205 and the map generating section 206 accumulate the guide message and map in an information accumulating section 207 and informs end of generation to the control section 202.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to mobile communication technology, and more particularly to a system, apparatus and method for displaying map information on a mobile phone or terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, services for displaying a map on a notebook computer or the like and providing various information have become widespread. For example, there is a service in which a map of the vicinity of the current location is displayed on a notebook computer connected to a mobile phone or the like to acquire information on nearby stores. FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a system for displaying a map according to the related art. As shown in the figure, a configuration is adopted in which map information is transmitted from a map server connected to the Internet to a notebook computer via the Internet and a network of a company.

[0003]

However, according to the above-mentioned prior art, when referring to map information while going out, a user must carry a terminal such as a notebook personal computer, which is not convenient. Further, in the conventional map server, the program itself must be changed in order to change the output configuration of the map information, and the change is not easy.

Further, when the map server generates an image to be displayed on the terminal, the same image is generated uniformly regardless of the display size of the terminal. . The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can display a map on a mobile phone, easily change the setting of the map display, and perform output suitable for the mobile phone or terminal. It is intended to provide a possible system, device and method.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows. A map generation device that generates and outputs a route guidance map and a guidance sentence in response to a request from a terminal, and performs an arrangement process for outputting the route guidance map and the guidance sentence to the terminal, the route guidance map and the guidance sentence. With reference to data external to the means for generating

According to the present invention, a setting environment relating to the arrangement of elements (map image, text guide text, setting of access key, control code, etc.) constituting the result output of the route guidance is externally provided as a file or a memory, for example. It is possible to easily change the layout of the output configuration (map image, text guidance, access key setting, control code, etc.) related to the route guidance result by simply rewriting the file or memory without changing the program. Becomes possible.

According to the present invention, in the above configuration, a request content is interpreted from input data from the terminal, a route search is performed from the request content, and the route guide map and the guide text are generated from the result of the route search. It may be that. In order to achieve the above object, the present invention may be configured as follows. The present invention is a map generation device that generates and outputs a route guidance map in response to a request from a terminal, interprets a request content and an output terminal type from input data, and generates a map from the request content. The map size is set with reference to the output destination terminal type and data outside the map generating means.

According to the present invention, the map size to be output is set according to the terminal type, so that it is possible to provide route guidance information using the display of the terminal efficiently. Further, when the number of terminal types that can be connected to the map generation device increases, it can be dealt with only by changing the above data. In order to achieve the above object, the present invention may be configured as follows.

The present invention is a map generating apparatus for generating and outputting a route guidance map and a guidance sentence in response to a request from a terminal, interpreting the request content and output destination terminal type from input data, and , A route guidance map and a guidance text are generated, and the route guidance map and the guidance text are converted into media suitable for the output destination terminal type and output. According to the present invention, route guidance information can be generated and displayed using information media (voice guidance text, text guidance text, image) that is optimal for the terminal, so that it is not necessary to construct a system for each terminal to be provided. In addition, the inefficiency that the content cannot be provided when the terminals are not compatible is reduced.

In the present invention, the terminal may be a mobile phone. According to the present invention, if the mobile phone displays a map generated by the map generating apparatus of the present invention, the mobile phone can provide route guidance based on a route map and guidance text, and it is necessary to carry a notebook computer or the like. Disappears. Further, even a mobile phone that outputs only voice can provide route guidance by voice.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention may be configured as follows. The present invention is a map display system, comprising: the map generation device described above; and a mobile phone for displaying a map generated by the map generation device, wherein the map generation device is connected to a mobile phone network. Be composed. Also,
The present invention is a recording medium that stores a map generation program that causes a computer to execute a process of generating a route guidance map and a guidance sentence in response to a request from a terminal, and outputting the route guidance map and the guidance sentence to a terminal. Is arranged to refer to external data that is not included in the procedure for generating the route guidance map and the guidance sentence.

Further, in the above configuration, a procedure for interpreting the request content from the input data from the terminal, a procedure for performing a route search based on the request content, and the step of converting the route guide map and the guide text from the result of the route search. And a generation procedure. Further, the present invention is a recording medium that records a map generation program for causing a computer to execute a process of generating and outputting a route guidance map in response to a request from a terminal, wherein the content of the request and the type of output destination terminal are determined from input data. And a procedure for setting a map size by referring to the output destination terminal type and external data not included in the procedure for generating a map when generating a map from the request contents. It is configured to have.

Further, the present invention is a recording medium for recording a map generation program for causing a computer to execute a process of generating and outputting a route guidance map and a guidance sentence in response to a request from a terminal. A procedure for interpreting the contents and the output terminal type, a procedure for generating a route guidance map and guidance text from the request content, and converting the route guidance map and guidance text into media suitable for the output terminal type and outputting the media And a step of performing

According to these inventions, it is possible to obtain the same effect as described above.

[0015]

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which a map is displayed on a portable telephone and route guidance is performed. In the figure, the screens displayed on the mobile phone are (a) to (d) according to the key input by the operator.
And the route guidance is performed. (A) shows the first screen of route guidance starting from JR Kamakura Station and going to Kamakura Police as a destination. As shown in the figure, the distance from the start point to the destination is indicated, and a building or the like (hereinafter, referred to as a landmark) serving as a mark is indicated by a numeral or character icon on the map. A route guidance sentence is shown at the bottom of the screen. An icon corresponding to the icon on the map is displayed in the route guidance message, and when the icon is input by a key, a transition is made to a guidance message around the landmark corresponding to the icon.

In FIG. 2, when 1 is input on the screen of (a), the screen of (b) is displayed, and when 2 is input on the screen of (b), the screen of (c) is displayed. The screen shown in FIG. As described above, since an appropriate guide text and map are displayed along the process, operability is good even with a small-screen mobile phone. FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a map display system for realizing the above-described map display. As shown in FIG. 1, the map display system includes a mobile phone network 100, the Internet 103, and information providing servers 101 and 102. The mobile phone network 100 includes a mobile phone 111, a mobile network 109, a mobile network 110, and a gateway server 1 (10
8), gateway server 2 (107), customer DB 10
6. It has an information providing server 105 and a map server 104.

The gateway server 1 (108) is a gateway for performing communication with the mobile phone, assigns a terminal ID to a request from the mobile phone, and sends the request to the mobile phone to which the specified terminal ID has been assigned. Is transmitted to the mobile phone. Gateway 2 (1
07) identifies the address to which the request from the mobile phone or the like is directed, and determines whether or not to permit access to the address with reference to the customer DB 106. When the access is not permitted, the access is rejected. When the access is permitted, the relay to the address is performed. The response refers to the gateway accommodating the destination terminal (mobile phone) from the customer DB and accesses the gateway. The gateway server 1 (10
7) is one of such gateways.

The customer DB 106 is a database having server information that can be accessed by the mobile phone (address for providing a service, etc.) and gateway information currently accommodated. The information providing servers 101 and 102 are connected to the gateway server 2 (107) via a dedicated line or the Internet, and generate and distribute information according to a request from the gateway server 2 (107).

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a command sequence in the present system. The command sequence will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the mobile phone transmits destination information and a requested map type to the gateway server 1 (108) via the mobile network 109 as an information request. The gateway server 1 (108) adds the current location information and the terminal ID of the mobile phone. Note that the current location information may be included when the mobile phone makes an information request.

The mobile phone can transmit longitude and latitude, address, telephone number, shop name, and the like as information on the current position. When the current position of the mobile phone is blank, the gateway server 1 (108) sets, for example, the nearest station to the destination as the current position. The destination information is a longitude / latitude, an address, a telephone number, a store name, and the like. As the requested map type, a simple route map or a route map to which peripheral information is added can be designated. The terminal ID is an ID number of a terminal accommodated in the mobile phone network.

Subsequently, the gateway server 1 (108)
Is current location information, destination information, requested map type and terminal ID
To the gateway server 2 (107). The gateway server 2 (107) checks the terminal ID with reference to the customer DB 106. Here, the terminal ID is customer D
If it is not in B or there is no terminal ID, the access is denied. If the result of checking the terminal ID is good, an information request is transmitted to the map server 104.

The map server 104 generates a guide map and a guide text. The map server 104 transmits the result product, the guide map, and the guide text as the processing result notification to the gateway server 2.
(107). The above result product is composed of the number of map files, the distance to the destination, the number of route landmarks, the number of neighboring landmarks, the number of route guidance sentences, and the like. The guidance map is a map file, and the guidance text is route landmark information (name, address, telephone number), surrounding landmark information (name, address, telephone number), route guidance text, and the like. The result product can be, for example, one HTML document composed of the above information.

Subsequently, the gateway server 2 (107)
Refers to the gateway accommodating the mobile phone of the transmission destination from the customer DB 106, and transmits a processing result notification to the gateway, for example, the gateway server 1 (108). Then, the gateway server 1 transmits the processing result notification to the mobile phone, so that the route guidance information can be viewed on the mobile phone.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the map server 200. As shown in the figure, the map server 200 includes a request receiving unit 201, a control unit 202, a request storage unit 203, a route search unit 204, a guidance sentence generation unit 205, a map generation unit 206,
Output information storage unit 207, output information editing unit 208, output environment unit 209, output information media conversion unit 210, output unit 2
11. It has map data 212. Next, map server 2
00 will be described.

Upon receiving the information request, the request receiving unit 201
Interprets the map request from the request terminal such as a mobile phone and the type of the output destination terminal, transmits the interpreted result to the control unit 202, and accumulates the contents of the request in the request storage unit 203. The control unit 202 notifies the route search unit 204 of a request for a map (a starting point, a destination, a terminal type, and the like). Route search unit 204
Then, a route search according to the request is executed with reference to the map data 212, and the result is notified to the guidance sentence generation unit 205 and the map generation unit 206. Various methods are possible for the above route search.

Guide text generator 205 and map generator 206
Generates a guide text and a map based on the search result, stores the guide text and the map in the output information storage unit 207, and notifies the control unit 202 that the generation is completed. At the time of map generation, the map generation unit 206 sets a map size to be output by referring to a terminal type screen control file described in an output environment unit 209 described later based on the terminal type information included in the information request.

When the generation of the map and the guidance message is completed, the control unit 202 informs the output information editing unit 20 that output processing is to be performed.
Notify 8. In the output information editing unit 208, the output environment unit 2
Based on the information described in 09, a map, a guide text, an icon description, and the like are arranged and edited in the output information. When the editing is completed, the output information media conversion unit 210 sends the request storage unit 2
03, refer to the output terminal information stored in the server, and in the case of output to a WWW server, output as an HTML file,
In the case of output to e-mail, an HTML file is sent as an attached file by e-mail, in the case of FAX transmission, it is converted to a FAX code and transmitted, and in the case of output to a telephone, a guidance sentence is read aloud. To the output unit. The output unit transmits the information to a designated output destination. In the case of output to the mobile phone shown in FIG. 3, data in an HTML-based language that can be displayed on the mobile phone is transmitted to the gateway server 2 (107).

FIG. 6 shows an example of data in an HTML-based language generated by the map server for transmission to the mobile phone, and corresponds to the screen display shown in FIG. This H
The mobile phone interprets the TML document and displays a map. The HTML-based language shown in FIG. 6 is a subset version of the HTML language, and is a compact HTML (C-HTM
L), which is close to the specification of the language, and tags and the like for inputting with a numeric keypad and interlocking with a call function are defined for mobile phones. In FIG. 6, for example, a screen in which 1 is input at accesskey = 1 corresponds to FIG. 2B.

The map server 200 uses the HTML shown in FIG.
The procedure for generating the data is as follows. The output information editing unit 208 refers to the output setting data setting data file stored in the output environment unit 209 and
05, determine the attributes of the various information generated by the map generation unit 206. The output setting data setting data file describes the meaning of various types of information generated by the guidance sentence generating unit 205 and the map generating unit 206 and stored in a memory or the like. FIG. 7 shows an example of the output setting data setting data file. And
While referring to the output setting data, the data corresponding to the attribute of each parameter is referenced and edited from the memory. FIG. 8 shows an example of the output setting data. Thereby, data as shown in FIG. 6 is generated.

FIG. 9 is an example of a terminal type screen control file which is referred to when dynamically changing the output medium according to the terminal type. As shown in the figure, a map size, a template file number, and the like corresponding to the terminal model are described, and output data is determined with reference to these information. This file can be used, for example, by storing it in the output environment unit or by placing it on a memory.

The map server is not limited to the above example, but can be made to function as a map server by constructing each component requirement by software (program) and causing a computer system to execute the program. . FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the computer system. The computer system includes a CPU 301 for executing processing, a memory 302 for storing programs and data, an external storage device 303 for storing programs and data used by the memory 302 or the CPU 301, a display 304 for displaying data, and inputting data or instructions. Keyboard 30
5. It comprises a communication processing device 306 for communicating with another computer system or the like via a network. The above program is executed by the CPU 301.

The recording medium of the present invention corresponds to the memory 302 or the external storage device 303. A program for executing the above-described processing is stored in the memory 302 or the external storage device 303, and the above-described processing is performed when the CPU executes the program. Further, the recording medium of the present invention can be implemented by a portable recording medium such as an electronic memory, a hard disk, or a floppy disk, a magneto-optical disk, and a magnetic tape. By loading the system, it can be used as the map server of the present invention. Further, the program recorded on the recording medium of the present invention can be preinstalled in a computer system.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof. For example, in the above description, a mobile phone is used as an example of a terminal. However, even when a computer such as a PC is used as a terminal, the present invention can be applied to output a screen having an optimal screen size suitable for the terminal. is there. In the above description, the map server 200 includes the map data and the output environment unit. However, for example, each of the map data and the output environment unit may be located on another server connected to a network.

[0034]

According to the present invention, in a map server,
Since the setting environment for the layout of the elements (map image, text guide text, access key setting, control code, etc.) that constitute the route guidance result output is provided externally as a file or memory, the program must be changed. Instead, it is possible to easily change the arrangement of the output configuration (map image, text guidance, access key setting, control code, etc.) related to the route guidance result only by rewriting the file or the memory.

According to the present invention, a display (screen) size specific to a mobile phone or a terminal is obtained from a terminal type, a display size, or a browser type of the mobile phone, and an optimum guide map is generated according to the screen size. And display. Therefore, by dynamically generating and displaying the largest image dynamically corresponding to the screen size, it is possible to efficiently display the route guidance information on the display of a small mobile phone. In addition, by dynamically generating and displaying the maximum image according to the map image size dynamically according to the display capacity, it is possible to display route guidance information using a display efficiently on a personal computer, a mobile terminal, or the like. .

Further, according to the present invention, the most suitable information medium (voice guidance text,
The system generates and displays route guidance information using text guidance sentences and images. For example, for a mobile phone without a screen display function, route guidance can be performed only by voice and only a text sentence can be displayed. For example, only a text guide text can be displayed on a pager or the like. Therefore, it is not necessary to construct a system for each terminal to be provided, and the inefficiency that contents cannot be provided when terminals are not compatible is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a map display system according to a conventional technique.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen display of a mobile phone.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a map display system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a command sequence of the map display system in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a map generation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of data output by a map generation device for a mobile phone.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an output setting data setting data file.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of output setting data.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of terminal type screen control data.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a computer system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 mobile phone network 101, 102 information providing server 103 internet 104 map server 105 information providing server 106 customer DB 107 gateway server 2 108 gateway server 1 109 mobile network 110 mobile network 111 mobile phone 200 map server 201 request receiving unit 202 control unit 203 Request storage unit 204 Route search unit 205 Guidance sentence generation unit 206 Map generation unit 207 Output information storage unit 208 Output information editing unit 209 Output environment unit 210 Output information media conversion unit 211 Output unit 212 Map data 301 CPU 302 Memory 303 External storage device 304 display 305 keyboard 306 communication processing device

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G09B 29/00 G09B 29/00 A 5K067 29/10 A 5K101 29/10 H04M 11/08 H04Q 7/38 G06F 15/40 310F H04M 11/08 310G 370C H04B 7/26 109T 109M (72) Inventor Norio Nakamura 2-10-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Inside NTT Mobile Communication Network Corporation (72) Inventor Toshiaki Sugimura 2-10-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo NTT Mobile Communications Network Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kensaku Fujii 3-2-1-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation ( 72) Inventor Tomoaki Ogawa 3-19-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Naoko Honko 192-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Sugiyama 3-9-1-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo F-term in Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (reference) 2C032 HB06 HB25 HC11 HC24 HC27 HC30 HD13 2F029 AA07 AB13 AC02 AC09 AC11 AC16 AC18 AC20 5B075 ND06 PP02 PQ02 PQ04 PQ05 UU14 5B089 GA11 GA25 GB01 GB03 HA13 JB01 JB03 KA02 KB10 KC14 KH04 AFB13 BB14 FF13 BB14 FF13 BB14 FF13 BB14 FF13 BB14 FF13 BB14 AA44 BB04 BB21 DD52 DD53 EE02 EE16 FF23 GG01 GG11 HH23 KK15 5K101 KK03 KK16 LL12 MM07 NN13 NN18

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A map generating apparatus for generating and outputting a route guidance map and a guidance sentence in response to a request from a terminal, comprising: A map generating apparatus characterized in that the map generating apparatus performs the processing by referring to data outside a means for generating a guide map and a guide sentence. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request content is interpreted from input data from the terminal, a route search is performed from the request content, and the route guide map and the guide text are generated from the result of the route search. 2. The map generation device according to 1. 3. A map generation device for generating and outputting a route guidance map in response to a request from a terminal, interpreting a request content and an output destination terminal type from input data,
When generating a map from the request contents, a map size is set by referring to the output destination terminal type and data external to the map generating means. 4. A map generation device for generating and outputting a route guidance map and a guidance sentence in response to a request from a terminal, interpreting a request content and an output destination terminal type from input data,
A map generating apparatus which generates a route guidance map and a guidance text from the request contents, converts the route guidance map and the guidance text into media suitable for the type of the output destination terminal, and outputs the converted media. 5. The map generation device according to claim 1, wherein the terminal is a mobile phone. 6. A map generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a mobile phone for displaying a map generated by the map generating apparatus, wherein the map generating apparatus includes a mobile phone network. A map display system, which is connected to a computer. 7. A recording medium storing a map generation program for causing a computer to execute a process of generating and outputting a route guidance map and a guidance sentence in response to a request from a terminal, the terminal comprising: A recording medium storing a map generation program, characterized by having a procedure for performing an arrangement process for outputting to a route by referring to external data that is not included in a procedure for generating a route guidance map and a guidance sentence. 8. A procedure for interpreting a request content from input data from the terminal, a procedure for performing a route search from the request content, and a procedure for generating the route guide map and the guide text from a result of the route search. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein
A recording medium recording the map generation program according to 1. 9. A recording medium for recording a map generation program for causing a computer to execute a process of generating and outputting a route guidance map in response to a request from a terminal, wherein the request content and the output destination terminal type are determined from input data. Interpreting, and, when generating a map from the request contents, setting the map size by referring to the output destination terminal type and external data not included in the map generating procedure. A recording medium on which a map generation program is recorded. 10. A recording medium storing a map generation program for causing a computer to execute a process of generating and outputting a route guidance map and a guidance sentence in response to a request from a terminal. A step of interpreting the terminal type, a step of generating a route guidance map and a guidance sentence from the request content, and a step of converting the route guidance map and the guidance sentence to a medium suitable for the output destination terminal type and outputting the same. A recording medium on which a map generation program is recorded.