JP2002149876A - Road guide system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a road guide system capable of realizing the providing of an easily understandable and efficient route at a low cost by use of a portable phone or the like using packet communication. SOLUTION: This road guide system comprises a user accessing from a radio terminal using packet communication; a selective input means for selectively inputting registrant information or registrant information and starting point information by the user through a selective input screen displayed on the radio terminal; a database for mutually relating and registering the registrant information for each user, the starting point information and designation information designated by a registrant, and route information for illustrating the route from the starting point to the designation by a plurality of continuous screens and recording the information of each screen in independent records, respectively; an information retrieval means for retrieving the database by the selectively inputted registrant information and starting point information, and detecting the route information to the designation designated by the registrant; and a route transmitting means for successively storing the information of each screen of the continuous screens of the detected route information in communication packets, and successively transmitting the communication packets to the radio terminal of the user according to the input instruction from the radio terminal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a route guidance system using wireless terminals utilizing packet communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a business operator who invites a customer to his / her store or the like and a friend who invites a friend to his / her home or the like, when he / she inquires about the way to a destination such as a store or his home by telephone, etc. The directions from the starting point, such as the current position of the station or the customer, to the destination, such as a store or home, were explained verbally.

[0003] For example, a sales representative who guides the customer to a sales office in Marunouchi asks the customer, "Where are you now?" And the customer answers "Tokyo station." A sales representative says, "First, get out of the Marunouchi Chuo Exit of Tokyo Station. Go straight to the Imperial Palace, and there is the Ko Trust Bank on your right, turn right. On the left side is Otsu Bank, please turn left there.
At the next traffic light, cross the other side of the road and walk right and you will find our building on the left. The reception of my department is on the right hand side, which was lifted up to the 4th floor by elevator. And so on.

[0004]

However, verbal explanation is often not easy for the explaining person. In other words, working hours and labor are often wasted.

[0005] Also, it is often difficult for the person to be explained to understand the explanation only by verbal explanation. That is, there are many cases where a memo is written on the entire process or a telephone call is made to the partner at each checkpoint to confirm the location, and considerable labor and communication costs are required.

[0006] In the above example, it is doubtful that the customer fully understands, despite having explained in considerable detail, and even if he does, every time he gives directions to a new customer, The person in charge needed considerable preparation and time to explain this much information.

[0007] This is not limited to the case where the company explains the directions to the customer as in the above example, but the case where the clerk guides the customer to the location of the store or the exhibitor guides the customer to the exhibition booth at the event venue. The same situation was observed when a friend invited a friend to his / her home and explained the directions to his / her home. Thus, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and is a method which can provide low-cost, easy-to-understand and efficient route information by using a cellular phone or the like using packet communication. The purpose is to realize a guidance system.

A road guidance system according to the present invention is configured as shown in FIG.

That is, a user 12 accessing from a wireless terminal 10 using packet communication, and registrant information or registrant information and origin information are transmitted to the user 12 via a selection input screen displayed on the wireless terminal 10. , The registrant information, the origin information and the destination information designated by the registrant, and the directions from the origin to the destination are described on a plurality of continuous screens. The database 16 in which the information on each screen is registered in association with the route information recorded in separate records, and the database 16 is searched by the selected and input registrant information and the starting point information, and the registrant's information is searched. Information search means 18 for detecting route information to the designated destination;
Each screen information of the continuous screen of the detected route information is sequentially stored in a communication packet, and the wireless terminal 10 of the user 12 is stored.
And a route transmitting means 20 for sequentially transmitting the communication packet to the wireless terminal 10 in response to an input instruction from the wireless terminal 10.

In the above case, the user 22 who wants to register the route information to the destination designated by the user in the database 16 is accessed via a communication line, and Information input means 24 for inputting starting point information and destination information designated by the applicant, and driving direction information for explaining the driving directions from the starting point to the destination on a plurality of continuous screens; And registering the information in the database 16 in association with the information, and dividing the information for each continuous screen for the route information and sequentially registering the divided information in another record.

According to the present invention, route information is provided to a user such as a customer using a wireless terminal such as a mobile phone. Therefore, the user can appropriately hear the directions while traveling.

[0010] Further, since packet communication is used in the present invention, the communication cost is billed based on the amount of information, so that the communication cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional verbal explanation by telephone call.

Further, the route information and the packet screen sequentially correspond to each other, and the route is sequentially indicated by a packet according to the user's instruction input, so that the user can be gradually explained and the understanding of the current position and the target position is promoted. Is done. That is, since the user can receive the necessary minimum route description in a timely manner in accordance with the actual progress, the route guidance is easy for the user to understand.

Then, the user can return the current route display screen to the previous screen on which the previous route information is displayed. Accordingly, even if the user cannot understand the screen and gets lost, the user can return a little and call the known screen again, and can confirm the explanation again from the understanding. Moreover, at that time, the communication cost is not required because the already transmitted packet information is used.

On the other hand, the applicants for registration, such as the store owner,
This system can be accessed via internet browser software or a communication line such as a mobile phone, and the starting point, destination, and directions on the continuous screen can be easily input by the information input means (designated screen), and the directions can be easily set. Information can be registered.

Further, in the system of the present invention, the registration applicant can set a plurality of starting points, and the user selects an appropriate starting point, so that the user can be provided with information on various directions. Becomes

Therefore, it is possible to provide a much easier-to-use and easy-to-understand guide system at a lower cost than in the past.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a road guidance system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show processing at the time of registration of the system of this embodiment.

First, a person (registration applicant) 30 who wishes to register his / her own route information in the route guidance system of the present embodiment is accessed from the homepage of the information provider 32 using his / her personal computer or the like using a Web browser 34 or the like. The code registration subsystem 38 is accessed via the Internet, or the code registration subsystem 38 is accessed via a communication line by a portable terminal 36 such as a mobile phone or PDA. Note that the registration applicant 30 can also send a default format in which predetermined items are entered to the information provider 32 by facsimile or the like, and have the information provider 32 input necessary items to the registration subsystem.

Next, the registration applicant inputs registrant information, starting point and destination information, required time information, route information, settlement information, and the like on a predetermined screen (not shown). That is, the code registration subsystem 38 receives data such as registrant information, starting point and destination information, required time information, route information, and settlement information input by the user from the Web browser 34 or the packet portable terminal 36 (FIG. 3). Step 100).

Then, the code registration subsystem 38 checks and processes necessary data for each of the above-mentioned data (step 102).
0, these data are stored in the registrant table 42,
It is stored in the destination table 44 and the route table 46 (step 104). At this time, the route data is divided for each procedure and stored as separate records (step 104).

The stored data undergoes procedures such as checking by an administrator and confirmation of payment information, and is finally registered, and is used for search processing by a search subsystem 62 (see FIG. 8) for searching for inquiries of general users. Target (step 106).

4 to 7 show screens for registering the homepage of the information provider 32. FIG. Hereinafter, FIG.
The registration procedure will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the registration applicant 30 accesses the application screen 50 of FIG. 4 via the Internet by using browser software or the like installed on his / her personal computer. The applicant 30 selects the "Consent Form" field on the screen 50 to display the "Consent Form" screen, confirms the contents of the contract, and inputs his / her desired identification number into the "ID number". Field. Here, for simplicity, the applicant 30 generally inputs his / her own telephone number. However, this does not apply if the registration applicant 30 desires another number. In addition, the information provider side can set a specific conspicuous number or a number with a small number of digits as a “premium number” or the like, and make it available to the applicant for registration at a special fee.

Next, the registration applicant 30 sequentially inputs his / her name, e-mail address, password and the like in predetermined fields of the screen 50. Further, the applicant for registration 30 may select “ID
In the predetermined field of the screen 50, the user selects and inputs whether or not to display his / her own telephone number input as a "number" to a customer who has inquired of the road guidance system using a mobile phone. Here, when the registration applicant 30 selects and inputs (display) “Yes”, when the customer who is the user of the mobile phone makes an inquiry to the guide system from the mobile phone, the directions displayed on the mobile phone of the customer The guidance screen includes the tag of the above-mentioned telephone number, and the customer dials this number from the mobile phone by selecting the tag. After completing the above input, the registration applicant 30 proceeds to “Next” according to the display on the screen.
When the user selects, the person desiring to register accesses the "registration" screen of FIG.

In the registration screen 52 of FIG. 5, the registration applicant 30 sets the area for requesting the service of providing the route information by a mouse click operation or the like as a “registration area”.
And finally select the "Register" button. By such an operation, the registrant information input by the registration applicant 30 is transmitted to the information provider, and the information provider registers the registrant information in the guide system. That is, the registrant information is recorded in the registrant table of the database of the route guidance system. Further, the access destination of the registration applicant becomes the route registration screens 54 to 55 in FIGS. 6 and 7 by the above operation.

Then, the registration applicant 30 displays "starting point" information, "destination" information, "introduction" information of his / her own by selection, and his / her own " After inputting the "type" information and the "required time" information from the starting point to the destination, the route information from the starting point to the destination is set and input step by step. Each section of the route information is recorded in a separate record and stored in the database. In this embodiment, the input character string of each line of the route information is set to be less than 20 full-width characters due to the relationship with the record length and the design of the database, and the number of stages can be input up to 20 stages. ing.

Therefore, the registration applicant 30 should explain the route step by step with the required number of steps (the number of steps) in accordance with the actual route progress process of the customer, taking into account the convenience of the customer who is a user of the route information system. It will be good. In the screen examples of FIGS. 6 and 7, the directions from the starting point to the destination are described in seven stages.

Furthermore, the registration applicant 30 who has input the route information selects and inputs a registration form on the screen 55 in accordance with his / her purpose and the number of uses.

Then, the registration applicant who has input and selected all necessary items selects and inputs the "Route registration" column in the screen 55. With this operation, the input start point / destination information and route information are transmitted to the information provider, and the information provider registers the information in the guide system. That is, the origin / destination information and the route information are recorded in the origin / destination table and the route table, respectively, in association with the registrant data recorded in the registrant table in the database of the route guidance system. As described above, the description information of each stage of the route information is recorded in a separate frame.

[0029] Regarding the registration fee, after the registration applicant completes the input of each information, before transmitting the information to the information provider, the registration applicant is made to access another screen to request the registration fee. Destination (destination for automatic transfer form at specified bank)
There is a method of having the user input the address and contact information of the user and making a payment at a later date. In addition, for the settlement of the registration fee, there is a method of using a settlement process by packet communication such as an i-mode system of NTT DoCoMo. That is, at the time of registration, the registration applicant 30 is notified of the settlement URL by e-mail or the like, and the registration applicant is made to access the settlement URL from a packet communication device capable of performing the above-mentioned settlement processing, and the registrant code (ID number) and password Is input to authenticate the applicant 30 for registration.

Next, a procedure when a user inquires about a route will be described.

FIG. 8 to FIG. 10 show the processing at the time of the route search of the system of this embodiment.

First, a user such as a cellular phone for packet communication, which inquires a route to a destination using the route guidance system of the present embodiment, uses his or her cellular phone 60 for packet communication.
Information provider 3 using packet communication line service from
The second site is accessed (step 110 in FIG. 9).
Note that the device used by the user is not limited to a mobile phone, but may be a PAD having a packet communication function. In addition, the user referred to here is a person who corresponds to a visitor, a visitor, and the like for the registration applicant 30.

Next, the user inputs the registrant code (ID number) of the registrant 30 from his / her mobile phone 60 (step 112). Then, when this registration code is transmitted from the mobile phone 60 and received by the system of the present embodiment, the search subsystem 62 of the present embodiment system
Is the database engine 40 from the input code information.
Search for the registrant information corresponding to the code information,
The destination information and the required time information are stored in the respective tables 42, 44, 4
6 to detect. Then, the subsystem 62 generates screen data for the mobile phone for displaying the detected information, transmits the screen data to the mobile phone 60 by packet communication, and displays the screen data on the screen of the mobile phone 60 (step 11).
4).

Here, a plurality of pieces of origin information are stored in the database 4
0 is registered in the table 44, the subsystem 62 first generates a screen displaying all the starting information,
It is displayed on the user's mobile phone 60, the user is allowed to select and input a desired starting point, and the selected information is transmitted from the mobile phone 60 by packet communication and acquired (step 11).
6). Then, the subsystem 62 searches the database engine 40 based on the registrant code information and the selected origin information, and finds the corresponding registrant information, origin / destination information,
The required time information is displayed on the screen of the user's mobile phone 60 (step 114).

Next, the subsystem 62 includes the portable telephone 60.
In response to the user's instruction input from, the searched route information is displayed on the screen of the mobile phone 60 step by step (step by step) (steps 118 and 120). That is, with respect to the searched route information, the subsystem 62 obtains the input information by packet communication every time the user selects and inputs the “to next route” field displayed on the mobile phone 60, and In the system 38 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), each record sequentially recorded in the route table 46 as a separate record is read out one record at a time and stored in a communication packet, and the packet is transmitted to the user's mobile phone 60 by packet communication. (Step 118, Step 1)
20).

Accordingly, the route screen is sequentially transmitted to the user's mobile phone 60 according to the user's instruction input in accordance with the user's route progress.

When all the route screens have been transmitted and the user has arrived at the destination, the subsystem 62 transmits an arrival screen to the user's mobile phone 60 and ends a series of route guidance processing (step 122, step). 126).

Here, in this embodiment, after the arrival screen is displayed, the subsystem 62 displays a “route evaluation screen” on the mobile phone 60 so as to obtain the user's evaluation of a series of directions, and provides the user with an understanding. The evaluation of the ease is selected and input on the screen, and the feedback information is obtained through packet communication. This feedback information is used as various kinds of statistical processing and return information to the registrant (step 124).

FIG. 10 illustrates an example (example of a mobile phone screen) 64 displayed on the user's packet communication mobile phone 60 by the subsystem 62.

That is, the user of the present system accesses the subsystem 62 from his / her own packet communication portable telephone 60, and selects and inputs the "use of service" field in the displayed screen. As a result, the screen displayed on the mobile phone 60 changes to the “ID number” input screen. That is, the selection information is transmitted to the subsystem 62 and the subsystem 6
2 causes the mobile phone 60 to display the input screen. Then, when the user inputs an “ID number” such as a telephone number of a destination store and selects and inputs a “search” button, the information is transmitted to the subsystem 62, and the subsystem 62 transmits the information from the “ID number”. The corresponding route information and the like are searched, and “start point”, “destination”, “required time information”, “route 1” (first stage route information) and the like are displayed, but are displayed on the screen of the mobile phone 60. . Then, when the user inputs a “NEXT button” field in the screen displayed on the mobile phone 60, the next route following the currently displayed route is displayed on the screen. Therefore, by sequentially selecting and inputting the “NEXT button” field according to the user's own progress, the user proceeds to the destination while confirming the directions searched by the subsystem 62 in order. Then, the user who has arrived at the destination selects and inputs a series of easy-to-understand directions on the evaluation screen displayed last. This enables the route information provider and the registrant to obtain feedback information from the user on the system and the route description.

According to the route guidance system according to the present invention, it is possible to provide low cost, easy-to-understand and efficient route information by using a cellular phone or the like using packet communication.

That is, since the route information is automatically provided from the information provider, it is not necessary for the clerk or the like of the registrant to explain the route to the customer as a user.

Further, since the present invention uses a mobile phone, the user can acquire route information according to the progress while moving to the destination. Furthermore, since packet communication is used in the present invention, the communication cost is a pay-as-you-go fee based on the amount of information, and the communication cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional oral explanation by telephone call.

Thus, according to the present invention, both the side explaining the directions (stores and the like) and the person who inquires the directions by a mobile phone (customers of the stores and the like) are much different from the conventional system. An easy-to-use and easy-to-understand route guidance system will be realized at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram (part 1) of the embodiment at the time of registration.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram (No. 2) of the embodiment at the time of registration.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an application screen according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a registration screen according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram (part 1) of a route registration screen according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram (part 2) of a route registration screen according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram (part 1) of a route search according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram (No. 2) of the route search in the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen of the mobile phone according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 wireless terminal 12 user 14 selection input means 16 database 18 information search means 20 route transmission means 22 registration applicant 24 information input means 26 registration means 30 registration applicant 32 information provider 34 web browser 36 mobile terminal 38 code registration subsystem 40 Database engine 42 registrant table 44 origin / destination table 46 route table 50 application screen 52 registration screen 54 route registration screen (part 1) 58 route registration screen (part 2) 60 mobile phone for packet communication 62 search subsystem 64 mobile phone Screen example

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A wireless terminal (1) using packet communication.
0) a user (12) who accesses from the wireless terminal (10), and a selection for allowing the user (12) to selectively input registrant information or registrant information and starting point information via a selection input screen displayed on the wireless terminal (10). Input means (14), each registrant information, starting point information and destination information designated by the registrant, and directions from the starting point to the destination are described on a plurality of continuous screens. A database (16) in which information is registered in association with route information recorded in separate records, and the database (16) is searched by the selected and input registrant information and starting point information, and the registrant is searched. An information search means (18) for detecting route information to a destination designated by the user; and sequentially storing each screen information of a continuous screen of the detected route information in a communication packet, Route transmitting means (20) for sequentially transmitting said communication packets to said wireless terminal (10) in response to an input instruction from said wireless terminal (10).
A route guidance system, comprising: 2. A user (22) who wishes to register route information to a destination designated by the user in the database (16) is accessed via a communication line, and the information of the applicant and Information input means (24) for inputting starting point information and destination information specified by the applicant, and driving direction information for explaining a driving direction from the starting point to the destination on a plurality of continuous screens; Registration means (26) for registering the information in the database (16) in association with the information, and for dividing the route information for each continuous screen, and sequentially recording the information in separate records. The route guidance system according to claim 1.