JP2002296069A - Route information delivery system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To return to the state before interruption, even when a navigation function is interrupted by a portable terminal. SOLUTION: This route information delivery system comprises a portable terminal 3 and a center 1 for communicating with the portable terminal. The portable terminal 3 is equipped with an input means for inputting starting place information and destination information, a display means for displaying the route information transmitted from the center, and an instruction means for instructing route information redisplay after cutting-off of communication or a power source. The center 1 is equipped with a route search means 13 for searching the route based on the starting place information and the destination information from the portable terminal, an information preserving means 5 for preserving the route information searched by the route search means, and a transmission means 14 for transmitting the route information to the portable terminal. The transmission means 14 transmits the route information preserved in the information preserving means to the portable terminal, when receiving instructions for the route information redisplay from the terminal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a route information distribution system including a portable terminal and a center for communicating with the portable terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vehicular navigation system tracks a current position using a GPS, a vehicle speed sensor, or the like, and guides a departure point set or input and a route from the current position to a destination. Although large, heavy, not portable and not accessible to pedestrians.

[0003] Instead of being mounted on such vehicles,
A portable navigation device that is lightweight, small, and convenient to carry has also been proposed. This portable navigation device is generally not for a vehicle, but rather for guiding a walking route for a pedestrian, and a mobile phone is used. For this reason, the guidance screen does not remain until the user arrives at the destination, and the guidance screen is frequently turned off, such as being used for a call or turning off the power to get on a vehicle.

In such a case, when the guidance of the navigation device is reset each time, it is necessary to input the current position and the destination from 1 to return to the state before the guidance screen is cut again, which is troublesome. Problems arise.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to enable the previous route information to be displayed again even after the communication is cut off or the power is turned off at the portable terminal. .

[0006] To this end, the present invention is a route information distribution system comprising a portable terminal and a center for communicating with the portable terminal, wherein the portable terminal comprises input means for inputting departure place information and destination information, Display means for displaying path information transmitted from the mobile terminal, and instructing means for instructing path information redisplay after communication is disconnected or power is turned off, communication is restarted or power is turned on, and the center is the mobile terminal. Route search means for searching for a route based on departure point information and destination information from the vehicle; information storage means for storing the route information searched by the route search means; and transmission means for transmitting the route information to the portable terminal. Wherein the transmission unit transmits the route information stored in the information storage unit to the mobile terminal when an instruction to redisplay the route information is issued from the terminal. Than it is.

[0007] The information storage means stores route information together with a user ID, wherein the route information includes a map including the entire route, a map of a route guide point, or a name of a route guide point. There is provided a current position detecting means for detecting a current position, and the input means inputs the current position information detected by the current position detecting means as departure point information.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a route information distribution system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a front view of a portable terminal, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of guidance data. In the figure, 1 is a navigation center, 2 is a communication line, 3 is a mobile terminal, 4 is guidance information providing means, 5 is user information storage means,
6 is a user specifying means, 7 is map data, 8 is POI data, 9 is road data, 10 is public transportation data, 11
Is a map image generation means, 12 is a POI search means, 13 is a route search means, 14 is an information input / output means, 15 is a communication means,
Reference numeral 1 denotes a display unit, and reference numeral 22 denotes a ten-key input unit.

In FIG. 1, a navigation center 1 is a server that communicates with a user's portable terminal 3 via a communication line 2, searches for a route to a destination according to a user's request, and provides guidance information. Guidance information providing means 4 including a route search means for searching for a route based on departure point information and destination information from the mobile terminal 3 and a transmission means for transmitting the route information to the mobile terminal 3; It has a user information storage unit 5 and a user identification unit 6 as information storage units to be stored.

[0010] The guide information providing means 4 is provided with the map data 7, P
OI data 8, road data 9, public transport data 10
Etc., which has guide data necessary for map drawing, point search, route search, and provision of guide information.
1, a POI search unit 12, a route search unit 13, an information input / output unit 14, and a communication unit 15.

The map data 7 is data for drawing a map image, and is polygon data for drawing a specific area such as a node, a link, a house, an area defined by coordinates, a park for drawing a road, and a park. It has display character data for displaying on a map storing coordinates and names.
The POI data 8 has facility data for searching for points of departure, destination, and guide points, and also includes town page information and the like. The road data 9 is data for searching for a route, and includes information such as a cost and a type of road peculiar to a pedestrian route information distribution system different from an in-vehicle navigation system for determining an optimum route. Or, it has the same data as an in-vehicle navigation system, and changes costs by calculating routes. From the viewpoint for pedestrians, roads that are not suitable for walking, such as toll roads and elevated roads, are not targeted for route search, and regulations such as right / left turn and one-way traffic are not considered. Also, wide roads such as national roads and wide roads with guardrails are easy to pass.
The public transportation data 10 includes, of course, JR and private railways,
It is data of transportation means including air, bus, ship, etc., and is, for example, route data having station information for each route such as JR XX line, Yamanote line, and timetable data.

The map image generating means 11 generates a map image based on the map data 7, and generates a map image displaying characters such as roads, routes, houses, parks, and names. The POI search means 12 uses the POI data 8 to input a point such as a destination or a guide point, for example, by inputting a telephone number to obtain corresponding point information (name, address,
Coordinates, etc.). The route search means 13
A route search is performed using road data 9 and public transportation data 10 in response to a route request based on designation of a departure place, a destination, search conditions, and the like. To find the route. The information input / output means 14 performs a route request and a guidance start request from the portable terminal 3 of the user, a current location input / selection, and outputs a generated map image, a searched point, a search result, and guidance information to the portable terminal 3. The communication means 15 communicates with the user's portable terminal 3 via the communication line 2.

The search method performed by the route search means 13 is, for example, as follows. By specifying the departure place, the nearest station (riding station) from the departure place is set to several stations, for example, three stations.
By specifying only the stations and specifying the destination in the same manner, the nearest station (disembarkation station) from the destination is a few stations, for example, 3 stations.
We narrow down to station and identify. Then, using the road data, the walking route from the departure point to each boarding station, using the public transportation data, the transportation route from each boarding station to each getting off station, and further using the road data, walking from each getting off station to the destination. Search for each route. Further, by combining these walking routes and transportation routes, the total cost from the departure point to the destination is calculated, and the route with the lowest cost is presented. At this time, the cost can be changed by inputting the shortest time, the minimum fare, the minimum number of transfers as the total cost as a search condition.

The user information storage means 5 sequentially stores information such as a departure place, a destination, search information, a current position, and a route search result for each user.
The user is identified by recognizing the ID key of each user.

The portable terminal 3 is provided with a display means 21 for displaying route information transmitted from the center as shown in FIG. Inputting destination information, inputting alphanumeric characters or kana kanji, and inputting screen scrolling instructions, etc. as instruction means for instructing route information redisplay after communication is disconnected or power off, after communication is resumed or power is turned off. For example, it is a mobile phone that has a ten-key input unit 22 and a communication function. By communicating with the navigation center 1 via the communication line 2 and inputting the current location, the departure place and the destination from the ten key input unit 22, the route display to the destination searched by the navigation center 1 is displayed on the display unit 21. Or display an enlarged map of the guide point by inputting the guide point, or operate the previous route return button or screen return button from the numeric keypad input unit 22 to redisplay the previous route information. I do.

The road data 9 is, for example, shown in FIG.
As shown in (A), the road number, its length, and the name of the starting point
The POI data 8 includes information such as coordinates (latitude and longitude), names and coordinates of end points, intersection names and road names, and the POI data 8 includes, for each point, a point name, a point coordinate as shown in FIG. , Address, telephone number, point division, display order, and the like. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 3 (C), a building name, a store name, a facility name, and the like are registered as a point name, section information based on a genre is registered as a point section for search, and displayed for display. The priority may be registered according to the display screen, such as the point “1” displayed in the entire route display, “2”, “3” displayed in the enlarged map display. For example, "2" displayed in an enlarged view,
When the character “3” overlaps, here, the position of the display order of “2” is prioritized.

Next, an example of a communication processing flow between the user's portable terminal and the server in the route information distribution system according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a processing flow for saving a route and restoring a route by resuming communication, and FIG. 5 is an example of a processing flow for saving a screen and restoring a previous screen by resuming communication. It is a figure for explaining.

In the route information distribution system according to the present invention,
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, first, a route request is transmitted from a user's portable terminal to a server by designating a departure place, a destination, and search conditions. In a portable terminal provided with GPS as current position detecting means, when the departure point is the current position, the current position detected by the GPS may be automatically input as departure point information. In this case, the operation of inputting the departure place can be omitted. The destination and the current location are searched by using a POI search means to specify coordinates from input values of a telephone number and a name, for example, and a search result list is presented to the user, and the user selects from the list. On the server side, when receiving a route request from the portable terminal, the information input / output unit stores the destination, the name and coordinates of the departure place, the address and other information in the user information storage unit using the user ID as a key, A route search request is issued to the search means. User I
As D, for example, in EzWeb, terminal-specific information included in an http header from a browser on a mobile phone is used, but a user ID may be input. The information input / output unit, when notified of the route search result from the route search unit, presents the route search result to the portable terminal, and starts guidance in response to a guidance start request from the portable terminal.

If the communication is cut off or the power is turned off at the portable terminal while the guidance is continued, and the communication is restarted or the power is turned on and the previous route return button is selected, the information input / output means stores the user ID in the user information storage means. A route search result return request is issued using the key as a key, the route search result is returned, and the previous route search result is presented to the mobile terminal. On the other hand, when the portable terminal sends a guidance start request to the server, the guidance is restarted.

Further, the disconnection of the communication or the power-off does not occur only during the continuation of the guidance as described above, but may naturally occur during the designation of the current location, the destination, the search conditions, and the route request. It is. In such a case,
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, every time there is any input action from the mobile terminal, the information input / output means in the server stores the user information in the user information storage means using the user ID as a key, and furthermore, displays the screen corresponding to the input on the mobile terminal. Every time it is displayed on the terminal, the screen is stored in the user information storage means using the user ID as a key. As a result, when the communication is cut off or the power is turned off at the mobile terminal, and then the communication is resumed and the previous screen return button is selected by the server, the information input / output means returns the screen to the user information storage means using the user ID as a key. Issue a request to restore the screen and present the previous screen to the mobile terminal. Here, search results, current location, destination, search conditions,
Information necessary for navigation for walking, such as a POI search result, is stored. Therefore, this information storage is executed for necessary items regardless of whether or not the screen returns.

Further, description will be given in accordance with a specific processing flow. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of the whole process and a destination setting process, FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of a route display process from the current location, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of the initialization process, and FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining an example of the user check process.

In the route information distribution system according to the present invention,
As shown in FIG. 6A, a destination is set as a whole (step S11), a route to the destination is searched, and a route from the current location is displayed (step S12).

In the destination setting process of step S11, a destination is input as shown in FIG. 6B (step S21), and the destination is searched (step S22). Is displayed (step S
23), and confirm the displayed destination (step S2)
4).

In the process of displaying the route from the current location in step S12, as shown in FIG. 7, first, the process of setting the current location is performed (step S31), and the route search process from the current location to the destination is performed (step S32). ), Initialization of the time and the like, calculation processing of the estimated arrival time of the destination (step S33), judgment of the guidance status, and user check processing of whether the user is lost or not (step S34). . If you get lost, if there is a request from the user, display a guide map or sentence according to the user's request,
Alternatively, the guide map may be displayed by determining whether or not the user is lost on the basis of the scheduled time.

In the current position setting process of step S31, a current position input screen is displayed as shown in FIG. 8A (step S41), the current position is input (step S42), and the current position is searched. Perform (Step S42),
The current location is determined (step S43).

In the initialization processing of the time and the like in step S33, the counter is reset to "0" as shown in FIG. 8B (step S45), and the timer 1 is set to the current time (step S46). ), The estimated arrival time is calculated (step S47). The estimated arrival time is obtained by calculating, for example, route distance / average speed per pedestrian (for example, 4 km / h).

In the user check process in step S34, a map is displayed as shown in FIG.
51) It is determined whether or not the map has been changed by an instruction from the user (step S52). If there is a map change, the counter is incremented by +1 (step S53), and it is determined whether or not the count value has exceeded a certain value α (step S54). The same processing as the above processing is repeatedly executed. If the count value exceeds a certain value α,
A message "I am lost" is displayed (step S57).

If the result of determination in step S52 is that there is no change in the map, it is determined whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the destination (step S55).
It is determined whether the current time has exceeded the estimated arrival time + the fixed value β (step S56). If the current time has already passed a predetermined time from the estimated time of arrival, that is, if the destination has not arrived at the destination even after elapse of β from the estimated time of arrival, “I am lost” Is displayed (step S57), and if the current time is still within the allowable range, the process returns to step S51, and the same processing as the above processing is repeatedly executed.

As described above, in the route information distribution system according to the present invention, when the map is changed frequently and exceeds a certain value α, or even when a certain time β has passed from the estimated arrival time, the destination is not changed. If you do not arrive, you are determined to be lost. In addition, it may be determined that the map is lost on the condition that the map is not reduced after being enlarged, or that the same part is enlarged many times.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified. For example, in the above embodiment, a system using a server (navigation center) that communicates with a mobile phone via the Internet line has been described.
The present invention can be similarly applied to a system in which a mobile terminal communicates with a navigation center using a wireless communication line to provide route guidance on a small screen. It goes without saying that the present invention may be applied as a device provided.

Although the description has been given of the case where the information is restored after the communication is disconnected or the power is turned off, the same applies to a case where the function is switched and another function is used in the multifunctional portable terminal, and then the navigation function is returned. is there. When the user searches for a route by inputting the current position, destination, and search conditions, and presents a plurality of routes to the user, if the user selects one of the routes, the route search result is used as the user information. It may be saved and recalled.

When the user wants to call the guidance screen again, a previous route return button may be provided on the top page, and by operating the button, the information may be returned from the user information storage means and presented to the user. further,
Not only the past route and setting contents but also the position of the screen hierarchy may be stored as information, so that the interrupted screen may be restored.

[0033]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, there is provided a route information distribution system including a portable terminal and a center for communicating with the portable terminal. Input means for inputting information, display means for displaying the route information transmitted from the center, and instructing means for giving an instruction for redisplaying the route information after the communication is cut off or the power is turned off. Route search means for searching for a route based on the departure point information and the destination information, information storage means for storing the route information searched by the route search means, and transmission means for transmitting the route information to the portable terminal,
The transmission means transmits the route information stored in the information storage means to the portable terminal when the route information is redisplayed from the terminal, and the center stores the route information every time the route is searched. Therefore, even when communication is disconnected or the power is turned off, the previous route information can be easily called by simply instructing the mobile terminal to redisplay the route information, and the departure point information and the destination information are input again. No need.

Since the information storage unit stores the route information together with the user ID, even when the route information of a plurality of users is stored in the center, the route information for each user can be reliably restored. Also, since the route information includes a map including the entire route, a map of the guide point of the route, or the name of the guide point of the route, the entire route, the map of the guide point of the route, and the name of the guide point are re-used as the previous route information. The portable terminal is provided with a current position detecting means for detecting the current position, and the input means inputs the current position information detected by the current position detecting means as the departure point information. Can be automatically entered.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a route information distribution system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a front view of a portable terminal.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of guidance data.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing flow for saving a route and restoring the route by resuming communication.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing flow for saving a screen and restoring a previous screen by restarting communication.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the flow of the entire process and a destination setting process.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a process of displaying a route from a current location.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for describing an example of a current location setting process and an initialization process of time and the like.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user check process.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navi center, 2 ... Communication line, 3 ... Portable terminal, 4 ... Guidance information provision means, 5 ... User information storage means, 6 ... User identification means, 7 ... Map data, 8 ... POI data, 9 ... Road data, 10 ... Public transport data, 11 ... Map image generation means, 12 ... POI search means, 13 ... Route search means,
14 information input / output means, 15 communication means, 21 display display section, 22 numeric key input section

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G09B 29/10 G09B 29/10 A H04B 7/26 H04B 7/26 E (72) Inventor Yasuo Ito Tokyo 2-19-19 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku Equos Research Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Naoki Ushiki 2-19-12 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Equos Research Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yamakawa Hiroyuki 2-19-12 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Equos Research Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Satoshi Kitano 2-19-12 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Equos Research Co., Ltd. (72) Invention Person Takashi Sugawara 2-19-12 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Inside Equos Research Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroki Hayashi 2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo No. 19-12, Equos Research Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuyuki Hirakawa 2-19-12, Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F-term in Equos Research Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C032 HB08 HB22 HB25 HC11 HC27 HD16 HD21 2F029 AA07 AB07 AB13 AC02 AC09 AC13 AC18 5H180 AA21 BB05 CC12 FF05 FF13 FF22 FF33 FF36 5K067 AA34 BB04 BB36 DD17 DD23 DD52 EE02 EE10 EE16 FF03 FF23 HH21 HH23

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A route information distribution system comprising a mobile terminal and a center for communicating with the mobile terminal, wherein the mobile terminal includes input means for inputting departure point information and destination information.
Display means for displaying path information transmitted from the center, and instructing means for instructing path information redisplay after communication is cut off or power off, communication is resumed or power is turned on, and the center is Route search means for searching for a route based on departure point information and destination information from a mobile terminal, information storage means for storing the route information searched by the route search means, and transmission for transmitting the route information to the mobile terminal Means for transmitting the route information stored in the information storage means to the mobile terminal when there is an instruction to redisplay the route information from the mobile terminal. Delivery system. 2. The route information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein said information storage means stores route information together with a user ID. 3. The route information includes a map including an entire route,
The route information distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the route information distribution system includes a map of a route guide point or a name of the route guide point. 4. The portable terminal further comprises a current position detecting means for detecting a current position, and the input means inputs current position information detected by the current position detecting means as departure point information. The route information distribution system according to claim 1.