JP2001349743A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively issue an alarm when a user moves to an incorrect direction, and to exactly conduct guiding to a destination when the user comes within a service area including the destination. SOLUTION: A center system 2 is provided with a memory 12 for storing a map data base, base station information and a moving history of the user, and is connected to each PHS base station 4. A storage part for the base station information stores an identification number of the base station for controlling the service area including the destination set by the user and a service area in the periphery thereof respectively to correspond to the arrangement of the base stations, and a storage part for the moving history stores a history of the identification number of the base station in the service area wherein a PHS of a guiding object is included. A control part 10 provides guiding information to the PHS of the guiding object based on the base station information and the moving history.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a navigation system using a simplified portable telephone terminal (PHS).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As this kind of navigation system, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-319991,
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-215542. In the navigation system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-319991, a user holding a mobile phone is
The question is transmitted by voice or the like, and the current position of the user is grasped by the response from the user to the question. Then, navigation is performed by transmitting the route from the current position to the destination to the user's mobile phone by voice or the like.

In the navigation system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-215542, a mobile phone in which a user has an identification number of a base station that controls a service area including a destination and a service area around the service area is provided. To be stored. Then, the mobile phone constantly compares the identification number of the base station in charge of the service area to which the user currently belongs with the identification number, and the user enters the service area including the destination or a service area around the destination. Is notified to the user. Thus, the user is notified that the user has approached the destination.

[0004]

However, the system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-319991 requires a user to make a telephone call and answer a question for specifying the current position in order to receive navigation. No effective warning could be obtained unless the user was aware that he had lost his way.

[0005] Further, in this technique, since the above-mentioned question and the response to the question are required, the user is troubled.

[0006] Further, since questions and responses for specifying the current position are performed by voice communication between base stations, these processes require a considerable amount of time, are complicated, and increase communication costs. Will do. On the other hand, the system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-215542 is informed that the user has entered a service area including a destination, but may be notified of navigation ahead of the vehicle or a warning when the vehicle goes in the wrong direction. Can not.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and when a user is moving in the wrong direction, an effective warning is given and a service area including a destination is provided. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a navigation system that can appropriately guide the user to the destination when entering.

[0008]

A navigation system using a simplified portable telephone terminal according to the present invention has the following arrangement to solve the above-mentioned problems.

(1) In a navigation system for guiding to a preset destination by using a PHS system having a plurality of base stations, a center device that manages the navigation system includes a service area including the destination and a service area including the destination. Base station information storage means for storing the identification numbers of the base stations that respectively control the service areas in association with the arrangement of the base stations, and a history of the identification numbers of the base stations in the service area containing the PHS to be guided. The guidance information is provided to the guidance target PHS based on the movement history storage means and the base station information and the movement history.

According to the present invention, appropriate guidance information is provided to a PHS user based on base station information and movement history. As is well known, a PHS system divides a service area into cells, and uniquely associates a base station with each cell. Therefore, the position where the PHS exists can be grasped by the base station using the size of the cell as the resolution. Therefore, a number is assigned to each of such cells and used as the identification number of the base station where the PHS is located. According to the present invention, when a destination is set, an identification number of a base station that controls a service area including the destination and a service area in the vicinity of the destination is stored in the base station information storage means in association with the arrangement of the base station. Remember. Also, the history of the identification number of the base station in the service area containing the PHS to be guided is stored in the movement history storage means. The movement history is a record of the identification number of the cell in which the PHS is located continuously as the PHS moves.

[0011] The guidance information is an instruction (direction, direction, direction, nearest station of transportation) selected so that the user can make an optimal decision to reach the destination from the current position. Information from).

Based on the above base station information and movement history, it is possible to provide appropriate guidance information in a situation where guidance information is required for the PHS to be guided. (2) The center device further includes a determination unit that determines whether or not the movement is appropriate based on the base station information and the movement history, and a warning notification unit to the PHS, and determines that the movement of the PHS to be guided is not appropriate. When it is determined, a warning is notified to the PHS.

According to the present invention, unnecessary notification is not performed while the user is satisfactorily approaching the service area including the destination. Give an appropriate warning if you move away from your destination. Therefore, a necessary and sufficient warning can be notified.

(3) The time when the user entered the service area is added to the movement history. If the PHS to be guided does not approach the destination after a predetermined time or more, the PHS is added to the PHS. To notify the approximate direction of the destination.

If the PHS to be guided does not approach the destination even after a predetermined time has elapsed, it is considered that the user is lost. Therefore, according to the present invention, when it is considered that the user is lost, appropriate information is provided.

(4) Based on base station information and movement history,
It is characterized in that the approximate direction of the destination is notified in the direction.

With the base station information and the movement history, it is possible to know the approximate direction of the destination in the direction. Therefore,
According to the present invention, the approximate direction of the destination is notified by the direction.

(5) The general direction of the destination is notified forward, backward, left and right based on the base station information and the movement history.

According to the present invention, even when the user cannot grasp the azimuth, it is possible to instruct which direction the destination is in the traveling direction, and the traveling direction can be corrected.

(6) The center device further includes guidance information to the destination for each movement history to the service area of the destination or the surrounding service area, and the PHS to be guided enters the service area. In this case, the guidance information corresponding to the guidance history of the PHS to be guided is selected and provided to the PHS.

According to the present invention, appropriate guidance information to the destination can be provided without the user having to notify the current position.

(7) If the travel time between service areas is short, it is determined that transportation is used, and guidance information from the nearest exit of the nearest station (stop) is provided.

When using a bus or a train, there is no need to guide because the moving route is fixed. Thus, in the present invention, guidance information from the nearest exit of the nearest station (stop) is provided.

[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The navigation system includes a center device 2, a plurality of base stations 4, and a PHS terminal 6. The base station 4 is a PHS base station that covers a relatively narrow service area.

The center device 2 includes a control unit 10 and a storage device 12. The storage device 12 stores a map data.
, Base station information and user movement history.

Here, in the map database, information on a map (including transportation) of the service area under the control of each base station 4 is stored, and the user sets the information as a destination. The information includes information on the possible buildings and stores (including telephone numbers, etc.), particularly information on the base station 4 that controls the service area to which the buildings and stores belong. The base station information includes information on the position of each base station 4 and the positional relationship / azimuth relationship between each base station 4 and the like. In the movement history of the user, the user's P
When there is a request for navigation from the HS terminal 6,
After that, the base station 4 that controls the service area that the PHS terminal 6 passes by moving is stored.

The control unit 10 of the center device 2 controls the storage device 12 and each base station 4, and controls each process in the navigation system.

The base station 4 can recognize the PHS terminal 6 within the service area as needed by communicating with the PHS terminal 6 by radio waves. When any of the base stations recognizes the PHS terminal 6, it is known that the PHS terminal 6 exists in the service area of the base station. Since the center apparatus 2 is connected to the base station 4, the center apparatus 2 can recognize the movement of the PHS terminal 6 after all.

Next, FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG.
A method of navigation by the present navigation system will be described with reference to (a) and FIG. 3 (b).

FIGS. 2 (a) and 3 (a) show a service area which is controlled by each base station 4 on the map, a starting point で station, a passing point ○ station, and a destination. ○
-It is a schematic diagram which shows a store.

Note that the eight-digit numbers in FIGS. 2A and 3A indicate the identification numbers of the respective base stations 4, and the circles surrounding the numbers indicate the services that are controlled by the base stations 4. −
Shows the service area.

FIGS. 2 (b) and 3 (b) show information extracted from information stored in the storage device 12 which is used for navigation when a destination is set (hereinafter, referred to as "data"). FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an extraction table).

FIGS. 2 (a) and 3 (a) show the same contents, and FIGS. 2 (b) and 3 (b)
Respectively shows an example of the extraction table.

Here, the user near the station △△ is
It is assumed that a request for navigation for going to the store is set from the PHS terminal 6 to the present navigation system. At this time, a table as shown in FIG. 2B or FIG. 3B is formed as an extraction table.

The table shown in FIG. 2 (b) includes a base station (00010112) in charge of the service area where the destination XX shop is located, and base stations (0 to 0) from the surrounding base stations.
0010112) direction and distance division, and the service where the nearest station (000101113) of the base station is located.
There is information on each base station that controls the service area. The distance along the horizontal axis increases as going to the right. The azimuth described in the cell indicates the azimuth from the area of the base station to the base station having the destination.

In the table shown in FIG. 3 (b), the direction from the peripheral base station to the base station (00010112) having the destination in FIG. 2 (b) is extracted from each base station. It is represented by the above sequence, where the south,
West, north, east. For example, in a base station within a range of a distance 1, a base station having a destination (00010111)
The base station (00010111) with 2) as the south direction is shown first, followed by the base station (000 with the southwest direction).
11111) is represented.

As described above, since the destinations are arranged clockwise around the base station where the destination is located, the destination is on the right when moving in the order of the arrangement, and the destination is located in the opposite direction. Indicates that the destination is on the left.

Here, the destination is far from the departure point, and it is more convenient to use a railroad to XX station in order to head to the destination. Therefore, in this case,
It is preferable to present to the user's PHS terminal that the user is going to the nearest station XX station by rail by using the railway system.

The user uses the railway to access the service area where the nearest station XX station is located, that is, the base station (00).
When it is recognized that the vehicle has entered (010113), information on the nearest station (information on an exit near the destination) is presented to the user's PHS terminal.

Thereafter, the user will walk to the destination on foot. From here, recording of the user's movement history between service areas is started in the user's movement history in the storage device 12. Then, the movement of the user is monitored with reference to the extraction table.

Specifically, when the user is away from the destination (for example, the base station (00010113) →
Base station (00011113) → base station (0001211)
3)) or around the destination (for example, base station (00010113) →
Base station (00011112) → base station (0001111)
In the case where the user is following the route of 1)) and the user does not approach the destination after a predetermined time, the user's PHS
The terminal is notified of information for warning and guidance.

When the navigation system confirms that the user has entered the service area where the destination is located, the navigation system refers to the recorded movement history of the user and starts from any direction. It recognizes whether the user has entered the service area. For example, if the user is the base station (0010113)
→ Base station (00011112) → Base station (000101)
If the destination enters the service area where the destination is located in the route of 12), it means that the user has entered the service area from the southeast direction of the destination. Then, the navigation system provides detailed information (guidance information) related to guidance to the destination in the service area based on the direction recognized above.
Is provided to the user's PHS terminal.

The guidance information provided to the user's PHS terminal includes voice (eg, information such as directions and landmarks).
And information such as images (such as maps).

Here, FIG. 4 shows an example of the guidance information based on a map. The map in FIG. 4A and the map in FIG.
They are rotated 180 degrees from each other.

For example, when the user operates the base station (000101)
13) When the user enters the service area where the destination is located along the route of the base station (00010112), that is, when the user enters the service area from the south with respect to the destination, FIG.
The map shown in (a) is sent to the user's PHS terminal. On the other hand, when the user enters the service area where the destination is located on the route from the base station (00010111) to the base station (00010112), that is, when the user enters the service area from the north with respect to the destination. 4B, the map shown in FIG. 4B is sent to the user's PHS terminal.

The above processing will be described in more detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 5 shows the overall flow of the navigation processing, and FIG.
5 shows the flow of the "guidance processing by the center device" (step S2) in FIG.

When using the navigation system, first, in step S1, a destination is registered by the PHS terminal. As this registration method, in addition to a method of specifying a building name or a store name, specification by a telephone number or the like is also possible. Then, guidance processing by the center device in step S2 is performed.

When the guidance processing by the center device is started,
First, in step S3, a flag is initialized. Here, the flag T is a flag (T = T) indicating whether or not the user has moved by means of transportation such as a railway (T = 1).
0), and the flag S is a flag indicating whether the nearest station is presented to the user's PHS terminal (S = 1) or not (S = 0). By this initialization, the flag TS is set to 0
Is substituted.

Also, the base station which controls the service area where the destination is located is initialized (distance is set to 0), and FIG.
(B) An extraction table as shown in FIG. 3 (c) is created.

Next, the user is moving at high speed (during railway use).
Is determined, and whether the vehicle is far from the destination is determined (steps S4 and S5). here,
If the vehicle is moving at high speed, 1 is substituted for the flag T in step S6, and the flag S is checked in step S7. Also,
If the vehicle is not moving at high speed but is a long distance, the process directly proceeds to step S7.

If it is determined in step S7 that the flag is 0, that is, if it is determined that the nearest station has not been presented yet, the nearest station is presented in step S8, and 1 is substituted into the flag to proceed to the step. Return. If the flag S is 1 in step S7, that is, if it is determined that the nearest station has already been presented, the process directly returns to step S4.

The steps from step S4 to step S8
When the user stops moving at high speed (gets off the railroad) and recognizes that he / she has approached the destination, the above loop is repeated.
Then, in step S9, recording of the movement history between service areas is started. Then, step S10
In step S11, the flag T is checked, and if the user is using the railway (if the flag T is 1), information on the nearest station to the destination is provided in step S11.

Next, in step S12, it is determined whether or not the user is located in the destination service area. Here, when the user is outside the service area of the destination, the user enters a loop for monitoring the movement of the user.

In this loop, first, in step S13, it is determined whether or not the previously recorded service area is the same as the service area where the user is currently located. Here, if they are the same area, it is determined in step S14 whether or not a certain time has elapsed within the same area. If the fixed time has not elapsed, step S
Returning to step 12, if the predetermined time has elapsed, it is considered that the user is lost, so the process proceeds to step S15 to provide warning and guidance information to the PHS terminal.

If it is determined in step S13 that the area is another area, the area is recorded as a service area movement history in step S16. In step S17, it is determined whether the user is approaching the destination, moving away from the destination, or maintaining the same distance based on the recorded movement history between service areas.

If the user is away from the destination, it is considered that the user is lost, so the process proceeds to step S15 in the same manner as described above, and the direction of the current movement and the direction to the destination are provided as the guidance information. And inform the user of the deviation.
If the vehicle is approaching the destination, the process returns to step S12.

If the same distance is maintained, the number of times of movement between the service areas while maintaining the same distance is checked in step S18. If the number of times exceeds the predetermined number, it is considered that the user has gone around the destination and is lost, so the process proceeds to step S15 in the same manner as described above, and the destination is set as the guidance information. To the left or right of the direction in which the object has moved. If the number is equal to or less than the predetermined number, the process returns to step S12.

Note that after step S15, step S1
Return to step 2 and monitor the movement of the user again.

When the user arrives at the destination service area by repeating this loop and providing guidance information as appropriate, the user is provided based on the movement history between service areas recorded in step S19. Recognize the approach direction to the destination. Then, based on the recognized approach direction,
The detailed guidance information to the destination (for example, FIG. 4A or FIG. 4B) is selected from the stored data, and the guidance information is transmitted to the PHS terminal in step S20. The guidance process ends.

After the completion of the guidance process, the navigation is canceled in step S21.

As described above, in this navigation system, if the user sets a destination, the system thereafter monitors the movement of the user, and provides appropriate information only when necessary. be able to. Therefore, the user can be relieved of the trouble caused by having to explain the situation. Further, since communication can be minimized, it is possible to suppress an increase in communication cost.

[0062]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a destination is set by the user, the identification numbers of the base stations that respectively control the service area including the destination and the service areas around the destination are set. The base station information is stored in the base station information storage means in association with the location of the base station.
The history of the identification number of the base station in the service area to which S moves is stored in the movement history storage means. By using such base station information and movement history, it becomes possible to provide the PHS to be guided with appropriate guidance information to the destination.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams showing a navigation method.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams showing a navigation method.

4A and 4B are examples of map information displayed on a PHS terminal.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a schematic operation of the system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 center device 4 base station 6 terminal 10 control unit 12 storage device

Continued on front page F term (reference) 2F029 AA07 AB05 AB13 AC02 AC06 AC08 AC09 AC13 AC16 AC18 5H180 AA21 BB05 BB15 CC12 FF05 FF10 FF22 FF32 FF38 5K067 BB04 BB36 DD19 DD28 EE02 EE10 FF03 FF15 FF20 HH23

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A navigation system for guiding to a preset destination by using a PHS system having a plurality of base stations, wherein a center device that manages the navigation system includes a service area including the destination and a service in the vicinity thereof. Base station information storage means for storing the identification numbers of the base stations which respectively control the areas in association with the locations of the base stations, and mobile means for storing the history of the identification numbers of the base stations in the service area containing the PHS to be guided. A navigation system comprising: history storage means; and providing guidance information to a guidance target PHS based on base station information and movement history. 2. A center device further comprising: a determination unit for determining whether or not a movement is appropriate based on base station information and a movement history;
The navigation system according to claim 1, further comprising a warning notification unit that notifies the PHS that the movement of the PHS to be guided is not appropriate. 3. The movement history is added with the time of entering the service area. If the PHS to be guided does not approach the destination even after a predetermined time has elapsed, the PHS is added to the PHS. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the general direction of the destination is notified. 4. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein an approximate direction of the destination is notified in a direction based on the base station information and the movement history. 5. The navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the approximate direction of the destination is notified forward, backward, left and right based on the base station information and the movement history. 6. The center apparatus further comprises guidance information to the destination for each movement history to the service area of the destination or a surrounding service area, and the PHS to be guided is provided.
When the user enters the service area, the PHS to be guided
Of the corresponding guidance information from the travel history of the PHS
The navigation system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the navigation system is provided. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the traveling time between service areas is short, it is determined that transportation is used, and guidance information from the nearest exit of the nearest station is provided. Navigation system according to any of the above.