JP2001067370A - Retrieval method and system for facility inforamtion - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method by which information on a facility that satisfies a desired condition in a displayed map image is easily retrieved. SOLUTION: Map information on a required region is obtained from a data base where map information is stored, an arbitrary position of a map picture G displayed on the basis of this acquired map information is specified as a sort center position P and a required facility is specified. A required sort condition with respect to a relation between the specified facility and the sort center position P is set, a specified facility in the map picture is sorted on the basis of the set sort condition, and a sort result about the specified facility is displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and a system for sorting required facilities in a map image read out from a database and displayed, on a required condition.

[0002]

In recent years, with the spread of information retrieval devices such as microcomputers and the rapid expansion of information providing services provided via the Internet,
Map information retrieval and display systems have been expanded.

For example, electronic dictionaries of map information developed for information retrieval devices and map information providing servers connected to the Internet have been provided.

The above-described map information search and display system is provided with a map information providing server connected via an electronic dictionary or the Internet set up in an information search device by inputting a landmark such as an address or a facility name. The database is used by searching map data of a desired area from a database, and displaying or printing a map image of the map data on a display unit.

The above-described map information search and display system displays a map of a region within a required range or a facility included in the region based on a user's setting input. As a user, for example,
There is a case where the user wants to know information of a specific facility within a required range from an arbitrary position on the map (for example, the position of the home) or the like, and a route to the facility.

[0006] However, the conventional map information retrieval and display system has not been able to adequately meet such user demands.

[0007] The present invention has been made to meet the needs of users for the above-described map information search and display system. That is, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily search for information on facilities satisfying desired conditions in a displayed map image.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for retrieving facility information, comprising the steps of: acquiring map information on a required area from a database in which map information is stored; An arbitrary position on the map screen displayed based on the obtained map information is designated as a sort center position, a required facility is designated, and a required sort condition relating to a relationship between the designated facility and the sort center position is designated. Is set, the specified facilities in the map screen are sorted based on the set sorting conditions, and the sorting result for the specified facilities is displayed.

In the facility information search method according to the first aspect of the present invention, various facilities such as public facilities and shops near a home are searched to obtain information on the distance to the facility and the required time. First, a user obtains a map image of a region to receive the provision of facility information by using a terminal connected to the Internet or by searching a map electronic dictionary using an information search device.

Then, on the map screen displayed based on the acquired map information, a center position at which facility information is to be acquired, for example, a home position is set.

Next, for example, a convenience store, a hospital,
Among the facilities such as supermarkets, the facility for which information is to be obtained is designated, and further, the relationship between the designated facility and the sort center position set above, for example, between the sort center position and the designated facility. Is set as a sort condition.

Thereafter, the designated facilities are sorted around the sort center position according to the sort conditions, and the sorting result, for example, the order of the facilities having a short required time from the sort center position is displayed.

As described above, according to the first aspect,
It is possible to easily retrieve and display facility information on desired conditions centering on a desired position on a map.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of retrieving facility information.
In order to achieve the above object, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, after the sorting, after searching for a route connecting the sort center position and the designated facility, the sort center position is determined for the searched route. And the required time or distance between the facilities is performed as the sorting condition.

In the facility information search method according to the second invention, when searching for facility information, first, a search for a route connecting the sort center position designated on the map screen and the facility to be sorted is performed. Then, based on the searched route, sorting is performed using the sorting center position and the required time or distance between facilities as sorting conditions.

According to the second aspect, it is possible to easily perform a sorting process such as displaying the facilities to be sorted in ascending order of required time and distance from the sort center position.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for retrieving facility information.
In order to achieve the above object, in addition to the configuration of the second invention, a shortest path connecting the sorting center position and the facility that has been sorted is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other paths. I have.

According to the facility information search method of the third aspect, for example, as a result of sorting, if a desired facility is designated from among the facilities to be sorted, from the sort center position to that facility is designated. Is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other routes by color change or the like.

Thus, the shortest distance from the sort center position to the desired facility can be easily identified.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facility information search system for searching a map data of a required area from a database and displaying a map image based on the searched map data. A sort center position designating means for designating an arbitrary position in the map image displayed by the map display means, a facility designating means for designating required facilities, the facility designated by the facility designating means, and the sorting Sort condition setting means for setting necessary sort conditions relating to the relationship with the sort center position designated by the center position designation means; and designation by the facility designation means based on the sort conditions set by the sort condition setting means. A sorting unit for sorting the facilities in the map screen, and a sorting result by the sorting unit are displayed. It is characterized by comprising a that sort result display unit.

The facility information search system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention searches various facilities such as public facilities and shops near a home, and obtains information on the distance to the facility and the required time. The user first obtains map information of a desired area by searching a map electronic dictionary or a database provided on an Internet site using an information search device or a map display means such as a terminal connected to the Internet. .

Then, on the map screen displayed based on the acquired map information, a center position at which facility information is to be acquired, for example, a home position, is set by the sort center position designation means.

Next, among the facilities, for example, convenience stores, hospitals, supermarkets, etc., the facilities for which information is to be obtained are designated by the facility designation means, and the facilities designated by the facility designation means are designated by the sort condition setting means. And the sort center position set above, for example, the required time and distance between the sort center position and the designated facility are set as sort conditions.

Thereafter, the designated facility is sorted by the sorting means with the sort condition set by the sort condition setting means centered on the sort center position, and the sort result display means, for example, from the sort center position. The order of the facilities with the shortest required time is displayed.

As described above, according to the fourth aspect,
Centering on a desired position on the map, facility information about desired conditions can be easily searched and displayed from this position.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facility information search system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the sort center position set by the sort center position specifying means and the facility designation are provided. Route searching means for searching for a route connecting to the facility designated by the means, wherein the sorting means determines the route searched by the route searching means according to the sort condition set by the sort condition setting means. It is characterized in that sorting is performed based on a certain sort center position and a required time or distance between facilities.

In the facility information search system according to the fifth aspect of the invention, when searching for facility information, first, the route search means determines between the sort center position specified on the map screen and the facility to be sorted. A route to be connected is searched for, and then, based on the route searched by the route searching means, the sorting means sorts using the sorting center position and the required time or distance between facilities as sorting conditions.

According to the fifth aspect, it is possible to easily perform a sorting process such as displaying the facilities to be sorted in ascending order of the required time and distance from the sort center position.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facility information search system according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, further comprising the shortest link between the sorting center position and the sorting target facility. It is characterized by further comprising a route identification display means for displaying a route so as to be distinguishable from other routes.

According to the facility information search system according to the sixth aspect, for example, as a result of sorting, if a facility having desired conditions is designated among the facilities to be sorted, the route identification display By means, the shortest route from the sort center position to the facility is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other routes by color change or the like.

Thus, the shortest distance from the sort center position to the desired facility can be easily identified.

[0032]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a map information search system according to the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a terminal T is connected to an Internet I via a public telephone line network and an access server (not shown). The Internet I has a map information providing site S1 and a map information database site S2, and facility information. Sort sites S3 are connected to each other.

The map information providing site S1 includes a WWW server S1a and a landmark database S1b in which landmarks such as addresses and facilities and data indicating their positional information are stored.

The map information database site S2 is a site that provides a search and display service of map information on the Internet. The map server S2a reads out map data and transmits the map data to the terminal T, and position information indicating coordinates by latitude and longitude. , A map information database S2b in which map display information such as scale, map size, and the like, and map image data corresponding to the information are stored.

The facility information sort site S3 sorts facilities satisfying set conditions from a designated position on the map image, a kind of facility and an arbitrary position on the map, and is included in the map. A sort database S3b in which various sort data (vector data indicating roads on a map, etc.) indicating the relationship with the facility (distance and time required for movement) are stored.

The terminal T is a user terminal, and can receive WWW services by using an application program called a WWW browser.

Next, a method of searching for facility information about desired sort conditions by the facility information providing system will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, a user who intends to receive provision of facility information by the facility information provision system firstly obtains a map image of a region to which provision of facility information is to be provided on the terminal T.
Through the Internet I.

That is, the acquisition of the map information is as follows.
The terminal T is connected to the Internet I via a public telephone line network and an access server, and a WWW browser set up in the terminal T specifies a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the local information providing site S1, HTM sent from the local information site S1
An image of a homepage providing map information is displayed in L (Hyper Text Markup Language) text (step s1).

Then, on the home page displayed on the terminal T, the region where the map information is to be obtained is specified (step s2).

Based on the location information corresponding to the designated area sent from the area information providing site S1 according to the designation of the area, the terminal T receives the area information database site S2.
, The map data of the designated area stored in the area information database is acquired and the image is displayed (step s3).

Next, at the terminal T, the user can select a facility on an arbitrary position on the displayed map, such as a home or a station, for desired conditions (for example, distance or required time) around the position. A desired position for obtaining information is specified (step s4).

The position on the map is designated, for example, by clicking a desired position on the map screen with a pointing cursor or by inputting a specific landmark on the map, such as a station name.

By the operation of specifying the center position, the terminal T obtains the position information corresponding to the specified center position from the map information providing site S1, and further obtains the map information database site S2 based on the position information. And obtains map data centered on the center position and displays the map image. Therefore, a map centering on the center position specified in step s4 is displayed on the terminal device T.

Next, in the terminal T, a landmark to be searched, for example, a convenience store, a hospital, a supermarket, or the like, is selected from options set on the homepage or designated by key input (step s5).

Based on the designation of the landmark, the map information database site S2 transmits the position information of the designated landmark to the terminal T, and displays the landmark on the map screen displayed on the terminal T. Display mark.

Next, on the terminal T, the user sets desired sort conditions for sorting the displayed landmarks, such as required time and distance from the center position, on the home page. Set by selecting from the set options or key input (step s
6).

By inputting this sort condition, the WWW server S1a of the map information providing site S1 transmits the sort condition information received from the terminal T to the facility information sort site S3.
Transfer to

The facility information sort site S3 uses the sort server S3a based on the sort condition information received from the WWW server S1a of the map information providing site S1 and the sort data stored in the sort database S3b. The landmarks displayed on the map screen are sorted (step s7).

The sorting of the landmarks at the facility information sorting site S3 is performed as follows.

That is, first, the sort server S3a
The center position on the map screen of the terminal device T specified in step s4 and the landmark specified in step s5 by a known method used in a car navigation system, map viewer software used on a personal computer, or the like. Search for a route connecting to each location.

Then, based on the route connecting the center position and the landmark searched as described above,
Regarding the sort condition set in step s6,
The sort data is retrieved from the sort database S3b and sorted, and the sorted result is transmitted to the terminal T.

The terminal T transmits the received sorting result to
The information is displayed in the designated display column of the home page displayed by the HTML text previously received from the map information providing site S1 (step s8).

FIG. 3 shows an example of a map screen displaying the result of the sorting performed as described above.

In the example of FIG. 3, in the map screen G,
For example, the home is designated as the center position P, the cleaning shop is designated as a landmark, the cleaning shops a to d are displayed around the center position P, and then the displayed cleaning shops a to d are displayed at the center position P. Are sorted on the basis of the required time on foot from, and the results are displayed in the display column H in ascending order of the required time from the center position P.

In this example, when an arbitrary cleaning shop displayed on the map screen G is further clicked, the shortest path from the designated position P to the clicked cleaning shop becomes the center position in the sort server S3a described above. It is displayed in a different color based on a search result of a route connecting P and each landmark (cleaning shop).

For example, when the cleaning shop d is clicked, the shortest route R from the designated position P to this cleaning shop d is displayed in a color different from other road displays.

In the above example, as a result of sorting on the condition of the required time on foot, only the cleaning shops within a predetermined time (for example, within 30 minutes) are displayed on the map screen G.
The display color may be displayed on the top, or the display color of the laundry that satisfies the condition may be changed from the display color of another laundry so that the identification can be made.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of an embodiment of a map information search system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of an embodiment of a map information search method according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen displaying a sorting result according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 I: Internet T: Terminal S1: Map information providing site S1a: WWW server S1b: Landmark database S2: Map database site S2a: Map server S2b: Map information database S3: Facility information sort site S3a: Sort server S3b: Sort database G: Map screen P: Center position ad: Cleaning shop (facility) R: Shortest route

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat II (Reference) G06F 15/403 320A F-term (Reference) 2C032 HB06 HC22 HC27 HD16 5B075 ND08 NR15 PP03 PP13 PQ02 UU13 UU14 5H180 AA01 AA21 BB05 FF01 FF22 FF22 FF05 32FF FF35 FF38

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A map information on a required area is acquired from a database in which map information is stored, and an arbitrary position on a map screen displayed based on the acquired map information is designated as a sort center position. Of the designated facility, and set necessary sort conditions for a relationship between the designated facility and the sort center position. Based on the set sort conditions, the designated facilities in the map screen are sorted. And displaying a sort result of the designated facility. 2. In the sorting, after a route connecting the sort center position and the designated facility is searched, a required time or distance between the sort center position and the facility for the searched route is set as the sort condition. 2. The method for searching for facility information according to claim 1, which is performed. 3. The facility information search method according to claim 2, wherein a shortest path connecting the sorting center position and the sorting target facility is displayed so as to be distinguishable from other routes. 4. A map display means for searching a map data of a required area from a database and displaying a map image based on the searched map data, and an arbitrary position in the map image displayed by the map display means. A sort center position designating means to be designated; a facility designating means to designate a required facility; and a requirement relating to a relationship between the facility designated by the facility designating means and the sort center position designated by the sort center position designating means. Sort condition setting means for setting a sort condition of: a sort means for sorting the facilities in the map screen designated by the facility designation means based on the sort condition set by the sort condition setting means; And a sort result display means for displaying a sort result by Search system. 5. A route search means for searching for a route connecting the sort center position set by the sort center position designating means and the facility designated by the facility designating means, wherein the route search means performs a search. 5. The facility information search according to claim 4, wherein the sorting unit sorts the route based on a sorting center position and a required time or distance between facilities, which are sorting conditions set by the sorting condition setting unit. system. 6. A route identification display means for displaying a shortest route connecting the sorting center position and the facility to be sorted so as to be distinguishable from other routes.
The facility information search system described in.