JP2002269677A - Navigation method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation method allowing a user having a portable terminal unit to find destination easily by presenting a target in the vicinity of the destination together with positional relation with the destination for the user. SOLUTION: This navigation method comprises a receipt process for receiving input data inputted by the terminal unit and specifying the destination, a retrieval process for retrieving at least one target in a predetermined retrieval scope from the destination specified by the input data using a map data base to lead the positional relation between the target and the destination, and a transmission process for transmitting the target and the positional relation to the terminal unit so as to display them by the terminal unit.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation method, and more particularly, to a method in which a user who uses a portable communication terminal at a location accesses a server device installed in a remote place and receives a destination position transmitted from the server device. Regarding navigation methods.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a person goes to a destination in a place where there is no intuition of the land, the person uses a map book of a booklet, a sightseeing guidebook, the Internet, an electronic map installed on a portable terminal owned by the user, and the like. They checked the location of the land, and went to the site with reference to the address and map screen.

[0003]

However, it is difficult to know the actual situation around the destination from the map screen, and it is difficult to immediately find the destination even if the vehicle arrives near the destination. Furthermore, even if you try to find landmarks around your destination, it is unclear what to look for,
Furthermore, it was naturally unknown the positional relationship between the landmark and the destination. As a result, even if the user arrives at the vicinity of the destination, the user may come and go around the area where the destination is thought to be and search for the destination.

[0004] In particular, when searching for a destination while using a portable terminal as described above, the user is limited to one because of the limited processing capacity and image display capability of the portable terminal.
There is a limit to the information that can be obtained each time, and it may be more difficult to find a destination.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to present a target around a destination to a user of a portable terminal together with a positional relationship with the destination. The present invention relates to a navigation method that makes it easy to find a destination.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a navigation method for solving the above-mentioned problems, wherein the navigation method is input by a terminal device as described in claim 1 of the claims. A receiving step of receiving input data specifying the destination, searching for at least one target within a predetermined search range from the destination specified by the input data using a map database, and It is characterized in that it includes a search step of deriving a positional relationship with a destination, and a transmitting step of transmitting the target and the positional relationship to the terminal device so that the terminal device can display the target and the positional relationship. Here, the map database is a geographic information system (Geographical Information).
It is a database in which information such as roads, buildings, stores, water pipes, gas pipes, telephone lines, and transmission lines is embedded in a digitalized map, as used in nSystem). Therefore, for the input destination, a building name, a store name, an intersection name, a facility name, an address, etc., whose location can be specified in the map database, can be used.

[0007] A second feature of the navigation method according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is, in addition to the first feature, described in claim 2 of the claims. When there are a plurality of the goals in the search step,
A priority is added to the target according to a predetermined rule, and the target and the positional relationship are transmitted in the transmitting step so that the terminal device can display the target in the order of the priority.

[0008] A third feature of the navigation method according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is, in addition to the second feature, as described in claim 3 of the claims. When there are a plurality of the goals in the search step,
Adding a first priority to one of the goals according to a predetermined rule, further adding a second priority next to the first priority to another one of the goals, The angle between the first line connecting the first priority target and the destination and the second line connecting the second priority target and the destination is close to 180 degrees. It is to add the second priority to another one of the goals.

[0009] A fourth feature of the navigation method according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is, in addition to the second or third feature, described in claim 4 of the claims. And wherein the predetermined rule is a rule for adding the priority to the target according to a distance between the target and the destination.

A fifth feature of the navigation method according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is as described in any one of the first to fourth features as described in claim 5 of the claims. In addition to the configuration, when the number of the targets is equal to or less than a predetermined number in the search step, the search range is expanded and the search step is performed again.

The operation and effect will be described below. According to the first feature configuration of the navigation method according to the present invention,
The position of the received destination is specified in the map database, a target within a predetermined search range is searched from the destination, a positional relationship between the target and the destination is derived, and the search result is transmitted to the terminal device. be able to. Users who use this navigation method using this terminal device should go to the destination referring to the search results, but even if they deviate from the correct route to the destination, they will be sent as search results By searching for a target near the destination, it is possible to correct the traveling direction and head toward the destination. Further, when there are a plurality of the targets, there is an advantage that the opportunity for the user to correct the route to the destination is increased by the number of the targets.

According to a second feature of the navigation method according to the present invention, priorities are added to a plurality of targets in the order of the targets considered to be useful to the user, and the user's terminal is arranged in the order of the priorities. By transmitting the search result so that it can be displayed on the device, the user receiving the search result can efficiently find the target, and as a result, can efficiently reach the destination. In particular, when a mobile phone is used as a terminal device, the display screen is small, so that only limited information can be displayed. However, effective information with a high priority is preferentially seen by the user. Therefore, the user can efficiently find the goal.

According to the third feature of the navigation method of the present invention, the first line connecting the first priority target and the destination is connected to the second priority target and the destination. So that the angle formed by the second line segment is close to 180 degrees,
That is, priority is added so that the first priority target and the second priority target are opposed to each other around the destination, and transmitted as displayed on the user's terminal device. From one goal, it is possible to try to find a destination in a geographically easy-to-understand manner by finding a destination approximately halfway between the goals.

According to the fourth feature configuration of the navigation method according to the present invention, priority is added in ascending order of the distance between the destination and the target, so that it is only necessary to find a target close to the destination. You can easily find the land.

According to a fifth characteristic configuration of the navigation method according to the present invention, when the number of searched destinations is less than a predetermined number, the search range is expanded and the search is performed again. Therefore, the user using the terminal device is always presented with a target exceeding a predetermined number, and as a result, the opportunity for the user to find the target increases, and at the same time, the opportunity for the user to modify the route to the destination is the number of targets. There is an advantage that only increases.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for implementing a navigation method according to the present invention.
This system includes a portable communication terminal 1 (terminal device) used by a user who requests navigation information, and a geographic information system (Geographical Information).
A search server including a map database 7 in which information such as roads, buildings, stores, water pipes, gas pipes, telephone lines, and transmission lines is embedded on a digitalized map, such as used in on-system. 3 is configured to be communicably connected to a network 2 such as the Internet.

The navigation system 4 including the search server 3 and the map database receives input data for specifying the destination of the user transmitted from the portable communication terminal 1 used by the user via the network 2. Receiving means 5 for performing a search for a destination within a predetermined search range from the destination by using a map database 7 to retrieve a target within a predetermined search range, and deriving a positional relationship between the target and the destination. And transmission means 8 for transmitting the search result to the portable communication terminal 1 via the network 2.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, each step of the navigation method according to the present invention in which the user using the portable communication terminal 1 accesses the search server 3 to search for the position of the destination will be described. I do.

First, in step 20, the receiving means 5 receives input data transmitted by the user using the portable communication terminal 1 and capable of specifying a destination (receiving step). As shown in the example of the display screen of the mobile communication terminal 1 shown in FIG. 4A, the user can input a specific address as a destination. Alternatively, a proper noun such as "Tokyo Tower" may be input. Next, the search means 6 specifies the received destination using the map database 7 (an example of which is shown in FIG. 5),
Further, a target to be a landmark located within a predetermined search range from the destination is searched (step 22), and information on the positional relationship between the target and the destination as illustrated in FIG. 4B and FIG. Acquisition (step 28) (search step). Next, the transmitting means 8
Transmits to the mobile communication terminal 1 as a search result a target name and information on the positional relationship between the target and the destination (step 3).
2) (Transmission step), the user can check the information on the display screen of the mobile communication terminal 1.

If a plurality of goals were retrieved in step 22,
In step 30, priorities are added to those targets (priority adding step), and the search results are transmitted in the order of the priorities so as to be displayed on the display screen of the mobile communication terminal 1 (step 32). However, this priority adding step is not always necessary. Various criteria such as the order of distance between the target and the destination, the order of importance of the target, the order of recognition of the target, and the order of the size of the target can be applied to the criteria to which the priority is added.

A target having a higher priority can be said to be a target having the highest utility value as a reference point for reaching a destination, and is located at a position which is most visible to the user on the display screen of the portable communication terminal 1. Sent to be displayed. Generally, the mobile communication terminal 1 such as a mobile phone has only a small display screen, and the most visible position is often the uppermost part of the display screen.

In other words, the priorities are added to the targets according to a certain standard, and the targets are displayed on the portable communication terminal 1 in that order because the first consideration is to prompt the user to find the targets. . For example, when the targets are displayed in order of distance, if the found target is a target with a higher priority, it indicates that the target is closer to the destination, and the possibility that the destination can be reached accordingly increases. Because. Also, when the targets are displayed in order of importance, it is considered that the targets are more easily found by arranging the targets in an order that is likely to be recognized by the user, such as station → intersection → public building. In addition, when the targets are displayed in the order of their names, it is considered that information on the position of the target with a high degree of popularity can be easily obtained from nearby passers-by, and as a result, the user can easily find the targets. When the targets are displayed in order of size, the larger the targets, the higher the possibility that the user can find them.

The example of the display screen of the portable communication terminal 1 shown in FIG. 4B shows that the three targets of “Aaaa station”, “bbb station”, and “ddd east intersection” are first searched. By adding priorities in order of the importance of the goal,
Is placed higher than "intersection", and then the priority is added in order of distance from the target to the destination, so that "aaa station"
Indicates a state that is placed higher than “bbb station”. FIG. 5 shows a destination and three goals on a digital data map provided in the map database 7.
6 shows an example of a search screen by the search means 6.

As described above, the targets are displayed on the mobile communication terminal 1 in the order of priority, so that the user using the targets can display the target displayed at the most prominent position on the small display screen of the mobile communication terminal 1. , And you ’re looking for the highest valued goals with the highest priority,
It can be said that the destination can be reached most easily.

The criterion for assigning a priority to a plurality of targets is not limited to the one described above. In some cases, a priority opposite to the above-described priority may be added. For example, if the user uses an automobile as a means of transportation, it may be more useful for the user to add a higher priority to the “intersection” than to the “station”.

As another priority adding method, first, a first priority is added to one of a plurality of targets by a normal priority adding method as described above, and a second priority is added. Is the first segment connecting the first goal and destination, and the second segment
The angle formed by the second line segment connecting the destination and the destination is 1
It is added to another target located at a position close to 80 degrees, that is, a position opposite to the first target with the destination at the center. Explaining with reference to FIG. 5, the order of importance of targets (“station”
First), the first priority is added to “aaa station”. Next, "aaa"
A second priority is added to “bbb station” located at a position opposite to “station”. Next, the third priority is added to “ddd east intersection”. By using such a method of assigning priorities, it is possible to try to find a destination in a geographically easy-to-understand state in which a destination located approximately halfway between two targets is found. Even if the user moves from "aaa station" toward the destination and passes the destination, if the user continues moving in the same direction, "aaa"
"b" which is located opposite from the "a station"
This is because there is a high possibility that "bb station" can be found, and if it is found, it is only necessary to aim at the destination again based on "bbb station".

In this case, for the three targets, “addition of the first priority in a normal manner” → “addition of the second priority in the positional relationship with the destination and the first target” → “ The third priority was added in the usual way, "priority addition" was performed.
"Adding the 3rd priority by the usual method" → "4th priority by the positional relationship with the destination and the 3rd target" →
A priority can be added, for example, "adding the fifth priority in a normal manner".

As described in the above embodiment, it is preferable that the number of targets transmitted to the user is large. However, the search means 6 sets a search range around the target in advance, and sets the search range within the search range. To take the form of searching for the goal located,
The number of goals increases and decreases with each search. Here, the search range can be freely set on the search server 1 side. If the search area is an urban area, the search area is set narrow, and if the search area is a suburb, the search area is wide. By doing so, it can be adjusted so that an appropriate number of goals are searched. However, even with such adjustments, it is possible that the number of targets will be reduced. For example, FIG.
In the case of the above-described embodiment described with reference to (a), FIG. 4 (b), and FIG. 5, the search unit 6 performs a search with the search range set to 150 (m) from the destination in advance, and as a result, , A target located at a radius of 150 (m) from the destination is searched.

Therefore, when the number of targets is equal to or less than the predetermined number, the search means 6 implements a method of expanding the search range during the search to increase the number of targets. The steps of the method performed by the search means 6 will be described below with reference to FIG.

The process diagram shown in FIG. 6 differs from the process diagram shown in FIG.
b, and that step 26 was inserted between step 22 and step 28. In step 22, a target within a predetermined range from the destination (for example, “50 m” from the destination) is searched. In this case, if the above embodiment is used, FIG.
As is apparent from (b), only "ddd east intersection (15 m from the destination)" is searched as the target. Next, the number of targets retrieved in step 24 is determined. Here, the number of targets is one. Next, step 2
Assuming that the minimum target number specified in 4 is two, the number of searched targets is less than a predetermined number,
The process proceeds from step 24b to step 26. In step 26, the search range is expanded. Here, it is assumed that the search range is expanded to “150 m”. Next, proceed from step 26 to step 22,
The search for the target is performed again with the search range set to “150 m from the target”. There are three targets within 150 m from the target as described in the above embodiment, and the process passes through the steps 24 and 24a and proceeds to the step 28. And FIG.
As described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 4, the target is presented to the mobile communication terminal 1 of the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an arrangement relationship of devices used in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a navigation system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing steps performed in the navigation method.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating examples of display screens in a mobile communication terminal.

FIG. 5 is a screen example of a digital data map provided in a map database.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another step performed by the navigation method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mobile communication terminal 2 Network 3 Search server 4 Navigation system 5 Reception means 6 Search means 7 Map database 8 Transmission means

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A receiving step of receiving input data specifying a destination input by a terminal device, and at least one target within a predetermined search range from the destination specified by the input data is stored in a map database. A search step of searching for a position relationship between the target and the destination, and a transmission step of transmitting the target and the position relation to the terminal device so that the terminal device can display the target position. And a navigation method including: 2. When there are a plurality of targets in the search step, priorities are added to the targets in accordance with a predetermined rule, and in the transmission step, the target and the positional relationship are displayed by the terminal device in the order of the priorities. The navigation method according to claim 1, wherein the transmission is performed as possible. 3. In the search step, when there are a plurality of the targets, a first priority is added to one of the targets according to a predetermined rule, and the first priority is added to another one of the targets. A second line connecting the target of the first priority and the destination and a second line connecting the target of the second priority and the destination; 3. The navigation method according to claim 2, wherein the second priority is added to another one of the targets so that an angle formed by the line segment approaches 180 degrees. 4. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined rule is a rule for adding the priority to the target according to a distance between the target and the destination. Navigation method. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the number of the targets is equal to or less than a predetermined number in the search step, the search range is expanded and the search step is performed again. Crab navigation method.