JP2002175301A - Map information retrieving device and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve user's convenience for use of map information retrieval. SOLUTION: A profile management part 13 records user's retrieval history information in a profile database 10 and analyzes the tendency of retrieval for each user. A map information changing part 15 changes map information for an initial screen to map information for an area of high retrieval frequency on the basis of the analytical result. A retrieving menu changing part 14 changes a retrieval menu, so that items of high retrieval frequency are previously written down.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a map information search apparatus which provides a search result of map information in accordance with a search request of a user, and more particularly to a technique which enables a user to easily search for map information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a search service for map information using a network environment such as the Internet has become widespread. This is because a user accesses a map information search device via a network using a client terminal, makes a search request using a search menu displayed at that time, and obtains map information as a search result by the map information search device. Is to get.

[0003]

However, in the conventional map information search service, a uniform search menu is provided to all users, and submenus in which information is narrowed down from a fixed main menu are sequentially provided. Since the menu is only displayed, the menu does not correspond to each user, and the user is not always easy to use.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a map information retrieval apparatus and method capable of improving the convenience of use for a user.

[0005]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a map information search apparatus for providing a search result of map information to a terminal connected via a network. A database for storing past search history information for each user, analysis means for analyzing the search tendency of the user from the search history information, and a search menu for each user based on the result of the analysis. A search menu changing means for changing items and a display means for displaying the changed search menu on a terminal are provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a map information search apparatus for providing a search result of map information to a terminal connected via a network, wherein past search history information is stored for each user of the terminal. A database to be stored and analysis means for analyzing a user's search tendency from the search history information;
It is characterized by having changing means for changing the initial screen of the map information for each user based on the result of the analysis, and display means for displaying the changed map information for the initial screen on the terminal.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a map information search method for providing a search result of map information to a terminal connected via a network, wherein past search history information is stored for each user of the terminal. Setting, analyzing the user's search tendency from the search history information, changing the items described in the search menu for each user based on the result of the analysis, and setting the changed search menu Displaying on a terminal.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a map information search method for providing search results of map information to a terminal connected via a network, wherein past search history information is stored for each user of the terminal. Setting, analyzing the search tendency of the user from the search history information, changing the map information for the initial screen for each user based on the result of the analysis, Displaying an initial screen on a terminal.

According to the present invention as set forth in claims 1 to 4,
The past search history information is stored for each user of the terminal, and based on the analysis result when the search tendency of the user is analyzed from the search history information, items described in the search menu for each user, or By changing the map information for the initial screen, it is no longer necessary for the user to perform the same search work again, so that the convenience of using the map information search for the user is improved. .

[0010] The search menu here includes not only a menu displayed when a search request is accepted, but also a menu displayed when a list of search results is displayed.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an overall system using a map information search device according to an embodiment. The map information search device 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a WWW server 6 that runs a main program, a user authentication database 7 connected to the WWW server 6, a map information database 8, an attribute information database 9, a profile database 10, It is a structure which has. Further, the WWW server 6 is connected to the user's client terminal 2 via the IP network 3. This map information search device 1
Is operated by a provider of a map information search service.

The user authentication database 7 stores information such as name, address, user ID, and password for each user, and performs user authentication processing.

The map information database 8 stores map information based on image data and text data.

The attribute information database 9 stores search menus and search information corresponding to search methods such as a telephone number search, a free segment search, an address search, a station name search, and a zip code search. Is grasped as attribute information, and search information is searched.

The profile database 10 stores, as a profile, search history information such as area information and search item information searched for.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the WWW server 6. The WWW server 6 of FIG.
Search unit 12, profile management unit 13, search menu change unit 14, map information change unit 15, transmission unit 1
6 is provided.

The receiving unit 11 is for receiving a search request from a user.

The search unit 12 provides a search menu together with map information for an initial screen when a user accesses. Further, it searches the map information database 8 based on a search request from the user, and provides a list of the search results and map information as the search results.

The profile management unit 13 records search history information in the profile database 10 and analyzes a user's search tendency from the search history information.

The search menu change unit 14 writes items having a high search frequency in the search menu in advance or in the upper part of the search result list based on the analysis result by the profile management unit 13.

The map information change unit 15 changes the map information for the initial screen into the map information of the area where the search frequency is high based on the analysis result by the profile management unit 13.

The transmission unit 16 includes a search menu, search results,
The map information and the like are transmitted to the client terminal 2 of the user.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an outline of the processing in the map information search device 1. Here, the processing in each step will be briefly described, and details thereof will be described later.

In step 1, when an access is made from the user's client terminal 2, the user authentication database 7 performs the authentication.

In step 2, the search unit 12 causes the client terminal 2 to display map information for the initial screen and a search menu.

In step 3, the search section 12 searches the map information database 8 in accordance with the search request specified by the user using the search menu, and returns a list of the search results or map information as the search results.

In step 4, the profile management unit 13
Records in the profile database 10 the search history information obtained when the user performs the search operation as a profile.

In step 5, the profile management unit 13
Analyzes the search tendency for each user from the search history information.

In step 2, if the user has accessed for the second time or later, the profile management unit 13
The map information change unit 15 changes the map information for the initial screen into the map information of the frequently searched area based on the analysis result by the search menu, and the search menu change unit 14 previously describes the frequently searched items in the search menu. Or put it in the upper row of the search result list.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the detailed processing of the user authentication in step 1 of FIG.

When the user accesses the client terminal 2 by specifying the URL address of the map information search device 1 in step 11, a start page is displayed on the screen of the client terminal 2 in step 12.

At step 13, the user inputs on this screen whether or not user registration has been completed. If the user registration has not yet been performed, registration is performed in step S14, and if the user registration has been completed, the user ID and password are input in step S15. In the case of a guest user, a guest user ID and password are input.

In step 16, when the user is registered in step 14, the input items are confirmed, and in step 17, the user information such as the user's ID, password, name, address, and telephone number is authenticated. Register in the database 7.

At step 18, it is confirmed whether or not the user registration is successful. If the user registration is not successful, the process returns to step 12.

In step 19, when a user ID or the like is input in step 15, the information of the user stored in the user authentication database 7 is read and collated.

In step 20, if the user is not a registered user, the process proceeds to step 21 to display an error. If the user is a registered user, the process proceeds to step 22. In step 22,
The process proceeds to the map information display processing in step 2 of FIG.

In the process of step 2 in FIG. 3, an initial screen as shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the screen of the client terminal 2. This initial screen includes an initial map information 81 and a search button 8
2 is provided. This initial map information 81 is displayed when a user accesses for the first time or when a guest user accesses, and is an image showing an image of Japan as a whole. The search button 82 displays attribute information such as "phone number search", "free sentence search", "address search", "store search", "station name search", and "zip code search", and can be selected.

For example, when "free sentence search" is selected,
A search menu screen as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the screen of the client terminal 2. On this search menu screen, a free sentence input field 91 is displayed, and the search button 82 is displayed as it is.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing detailed processing of the search in step 3 of FIG. 3 and the profile recording in step 4. Here, as an example, a process when “free sentence search” is selected will be described.

At step 31, the user enters the free sentence input field 9
When the user inputs a free sentence such as "convenience store near home" in step 1, in step 32, the search unit 12 searches the attribute information database 9 to list a search result in which the name, address, and the like of the corresponding store are described. To get.

In step 33, the profile management unit 13
Grasps all search operations performed by the user and records the search history information in the profile database 10 as a profile.

In step 34, the search unit 12 displays a list of the search results obtained in step 31 on the screen of the client terminal 2.

In step 35, when the user selects a specific store from the list, in step 36, the search unit 1
2, the map information database 8 is searched for the store concerned, and in step 38, image data of map information of a certain range including the store is displayed on the screen of the client terminal 2 as shown in FIG.

In step 37, the profile management unit 13
Records the search history information of the store selected by the user in step 35 in the profile database 10 as a profile, and proceeds to the profile analysis process in step 38.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing detailed processing when the profile management unit 13 performs a profile analysis in step 5 of FIG.

In step 41, the profile management unit 13
Analyzes the search tendency for each user by statistical processing based on the profile information recorded in the profile database 10. This is performed, for example, by counting the search frequency for a search area or a search item.

In step 42, it is determined whether or not the search area is biased. If there is this bias, that is, if the count value of the search frequency is high, in step 43, the area information indicating the address and the like of the area is stored in the profile database 1
After recording to 0, the process proceeds to step 44. If there is no deviation, the process immediately proceeds to step 44.

In step 44, it is determined whether or not the search items are biased. If there is this bias, the search item information is stored in the profile database 1 in step 45.
After recording to 0, the process ends, and if there is no deviation, the process ends immediately.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a detailed process of changing the map information for the initial screen and changing the search menu performed when the user accesses at the second time or later in step 2 of FIG.

After the above-described user authentication has been performed in step 1, the map information changing unit 15 checks whether or not area information is recorded in the profile database 10 in step 52. If the area information is recorded, the process proceeds to step 53, and if not, the process proceeds to step 56.

In step 53, the search menu changing unit 14
Confirms whether search item information is recorded in the profile database 10 or not. If the search item information has been recorded, the process proceeds to step 54; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 55.

In step 54, the map information changing unit 15
Reads out the map information for the initial screen from the map information database 8 and changes the map information to the map information of the frequently searched area based on the recorded area information. Further, the search menu change unit 14 reads out each search menu for “address search”, “store search”, etc. from the attribute information database 9, and describes a frequently searched item based on the search item information in the search menu in advance. Keep it.

In step 55, the map information for the initial screen is changed in the same manner as in step 54. As for the search menu, a default (initial setting) is read from the attribute information database 9.

In step 56, default map information for both the initial screen map information and the search menu are stored in the map information database 8 and attribute information database 9 respectively.
Read from

In step 57, the map information for the initial screen obtained in this manner is displayed on the screen of the client terminal 2. Also, the display menu is prepared for display.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the initial screen when the map information is changed. Here, a screen displayed when it is determined that the local information is near the home and the search item is a convenience store or a family restaurant when the search is repeated for a convenience store or a family restaurant near the home is repeated.

On the map shown in FIG. 6, a mark 112 indicating "home" is displayed as an icon for a building indicating a home, and similarly, a mark 11 is displayed for a convenience store and a family restaurant.
3, 114 are shown. When the user clicks these icons 112 to 114 with a mouse, relevant information such as the store name, telephone number, address, etc. is displayed.

When the user selects "search for store" of the search button 82, a changed search menu as shown in FIG. 12 is displayed. Here, the character of "convenience store", which is the most frequently searched, is entered in the business entry field 122, which was blank before the change.

The list of search results displayed in step 34 of FIG. 5 is also changed, and the one with the highest search frequency is preferentially displayed in the upper part.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the search history information by the user is stored in the profile database 10.
In the search history information, the search tendency is analyzed from the search history information, and based on the analysis result, items having a high search frequency are described in advance in a search menu and at the top of the search result list. By changing the map information for the screen to the map information of a frequently searched area, the user does not need to perform the same search operation again, so the convenience of using the map information search for the user Performance can be improved.

As a provider of the map information search service, it is possible to analyze the behavior of the user by using the search history information of the user, so that the map information is promptly provided in accordance with the behavior of the user. It will be possible to provide services.

Further, it is possible to find out user needs by using the search history information of the user.

[0064]

As described above, according to the present invention, the past search history information is stored for each user of the terminal, and the user is searched from the search history information. Based on the analysis result when analyzing the trend, the items described in the search menu for each user or the map information for the initial screen were changed, so that similar search work was again performed as a user. Since there is no need to perform this, it is possible to improve the convenience of using the map information search for the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an overall system using a map information search device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a WWW server 6.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an outline of processing in the map information search device 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a detailed process of user authentication in step 1 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5: Search in step 3 of FIG. 3, and step 4
6 is a flowchart showing a detailed process of profile recording in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a detailed process of profile analysis in step 5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a detailed process of changing map information for an initial screen and changing a search menu in step 2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an initial screen before map information is changed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a free sentence search screen.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen when map information is displayed as a search result.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an initial screen when map information is changed.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a store search screen when a search menu is changed.

[Description of Signs] 1 Map information search device 2 Client terminal 3 IP network 6 WWW server 7 User authentication database 8 Map information database 9 Attribute concession database 10 Profile database 11 Receiving unit 12 Search unit 13 Profile management unit 14 Search menu change unit 15 Map information changer 16 Transmitter

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G09B 29/00 G09B 29/00 A (72) Inventor Joji Minamibashi 3-19-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. Tohoku Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation F-term (reference) UU14

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A map information search apparatus for providing a search result of map information to a terminal connected via a network, comprising: a database for storing past search history information for each terminal user; Analysis means for analyzing the search tendency of the user from the information; search menu change means for changing the items described in the search menu for each user based on the result of the analysis; and displaying the changed search menu on the terminal. And a display means for causing the map information to be retrieved. 2. A map information search apparatus for providing a search result of map information to a terminal connected via a network, comprising: a database storing past search history information for each terminal user; Analysis means for analyzing a user's search tendency from the information; changing means for changing map information for an initial screen for each user based on a result of the analysis; and terminal for transmitting the changed map information for an initial screen to a terminal. A map information search device, comprising: display means for displaying on a map. 3. A map information search method for providing a search result of map information to a terminal connected via a network, wherein a step of storing past search history information for each user of the terminal; Analyzing the search tendency of the user from the information, changing the items described in the search menu for each user based on the result of the analysis, displaying the changed search menu on the terminal; A map information search method comprising: 4. A map information search method for providing a search result of map information to a terminal connected via a network, wherein past search history information is stored for each user of the terminal; Analyzing the search tendency of the user from the information, changing the map information for the initial screen for each user based on the result of the analysis, and displaying the changed map information for the initial screen on the terminal Causing the map information to be retrieved.