JP2003256460A - Navigation device, service device of navigation device, service providing method using navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation device, a service device of a navigation device and a service providing method using the navigation device, which is applied to a car navigation device, for example, whereby significant information can be precisely provided to a user without load on the user. <P>SOLUTION: With reference to a genre of an icon set on a map by a user, the information on shops and facilities obtained through a network is selectively provided to the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation device, a service device for the navigation device, and a service providing method by the navigation device, and can be applied to, for example, a car navigation device. The present invention is
Based on the genre of the icon set by the user on the map, by selectively providing the user with the information related to the stores and facilities obtained through the network, the user can be meaningful without burdening the user. To be able to provide accurate information accurately.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a car navigation system, not only a map is used to guide the user,
By user's operation, for example, a famous restaurant, a tourist resort, etc. near the destination are guided, thereby improving usability.

In the car navigation system,
Various icons can be set on the map by user's operation, and by setting this icon, at home,
You can check the places you visit frequently, the places you have visited in the past, etc. on the map. In the car navigation device, as such an icon, various icons are prepared for each genre of the store and facility, so that by selecting and setting a desired icon from these various icons as necessary, usability is improved. It is designed to be able to improve.

[0004]

By the way, the information on the stores and facilities provided by the car navigation system can be downloaded via a network such as the Internet, so that the latest information can always be provided to the user. it can.

However, such information provided by downloading includes information that is not necessarily required by the user, so that there is a problem in that meaningful information cannot be properly provided to the user. In addition, the user needs to select desired information from a large number of information by complicated operations, which results in a burden on the user.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and a navigation device, a service device of the navigation device, and a navigation device that can provide meaningful information to the user accurately without imposing a burden on the user. It is intended to propose a service providing method by.

[0007]

In order to solve such a problem, the invention of claim 1 is applied to a navigation device which displays a map and guides a user, and stores and / or facilities obtained through a network. Information related to
Information processing means for selectively providing to the user according to the genre of the icon received via the input means is provided.

Further, the invention of claim 5 is applied to a service device of a navigation device for providing information on a store and / or facility via a network to a navigation device for displaying a map to guide a user. Then, via the network, of the information acquisition means for acquiring the information of the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or facility whose setting is accepted by the navigation device, and the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or facility acquired by the information acquisition means. Information notifying means for selectively notifying the navigation device of information related to the store and / or facility based on the information.

Further, according to the invention of claim 7, it is applied to a service providing method by a navigation device which displays a map and guides a user, and accepts setting of an icon indicating a genre of a store and / or facility. Icon indicating the step and the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or facility displayed on the corresponding map, and the information related to the store and / or facility obtained via the network in the icon setting acceptance step The information processing step of selectively providing the information to the user according to the genre of.

According to the structure of claim 1, it is applied to a navigation device for displaying a map to guide the user,
Obtaining information via the network by providing an information processing unit that selectively provides the user with the information about the store and / or facility obtained through the network according to the genre of the icon received through the input unit. A wide variety of information related to stores and / or facilities that can be used is screened according to the genre of the icon set by the user, and only the information meaningful to the user who is interested in the user is provided to the user. This makes it possible to accurately provide meaningful information to the user. In addition, in such a screening standard, since the genre of the icon set by the user is used as a standard, the user does not have to specify the genre etc. separately in order to obtain this kind of information, and it is meaningful. Such information can be acquired accurately, and the burden on the user can be reduced.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a navigation device service device for providing information on a store and / or facility via a network to a navigation device for displaying a map to guide a user. By applying, via a network, an information acquisition unit that acquires information about an icon indicating the genre of a store and / or facility whose setting has been accepted by the navigation device, and an icon indicating the genre of the store and / or facility acquired by the information acquisition unit. By providing an information notification unit that selectively notifies the navigation device of information related to the store and / or facility based on the information of (1), a wide variety of information related to the store and / or facility that can be provided to the navigation device can be stored by the user. Screened according to the icon genre set by Only meaningful information to the user indicating is provided to the user via the navigation device.
This makes it possible to accurately provide meaningful information to the user. In addition, in such a screening standard, since the genre of the icon set by the user is used as a standard, the user does not have to specify the genre etc. separately in order to obtain this kind of information, and it is meaningful. Such information can be acquired accurately, and the burden on the user can be reduced.

According to the seventh aspect of the invention, it is possible to provide a service providing method by the navigation device that can provide meaningful information to the user accurately without imposing a burden on the user.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate.

(1) First Embodiment (1-1) Configuration of the First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a service providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the service providing system 1, the user is provided with information on stores and facilities via the car navigation device 2. Here, the information on the stores and facilities is information that introduces the contents of the stores and facilities. For example, in the stores, general genres such as restaurants, bookstores, hotels, Japanese restaurants, family restaurants, ramen shops In addition to the detailed genres such as, etc., it is made up of information about highlights and recommended products.

In the service providing system 1, the download server 3 is composed of a computer connectable via the Internet 4, and provides the car navigation device 2 with information on these stores and facilities upon request from the car navigation device 2. To do. For this reason, the download server 3 appropriately stores the information about the stores and facilities so that it can be downloaded.

The download server 3 classifies these pieces of information into predetermined categories and records them together with the date and time when each piece of information was stored and the update history information in which the genre of each piece of information was recorded. Here, this division is a division according to the genres of stores and facilities, and in this embodiment, in the car navigation device 2, it corresponds to the genre division of various icons that can be set on the map.

In the car navigation system 2, the GP
An S unit (Global Positioning System) unit 5 detects position information of the current position by receiving and processing radio waves obtained from GPS satellites, and outputs this position information.

The optical disk device 6 accesses the optical disk in response to a request from the image processing unit 8 to read map data in the vicinity of the destination, the vicinity of the current position, etc. from the optical disk and output the map data. The image processing unit 8 generates an image to be displayed by the map data output from the optical disc device 6. Further, the image processing unit 8 generates voice data or the like to be used for route guidance according to a user's instruction, and drives the speaker 9 by this voice data, so that the car navigation device 2 can also perform route guidance or the like by voice. Has been done.

The display unit 10 is composed of a liquid crystal display panel and displays a map, store information and the like. The graphic unit 11 is controlled by the central processing unit 12 to display the display unit 10.
It is composed of a drive circuit for driving. The operation unit 13
The car navigation device 2 includes an operator and a remote commander arranged on the operation panel, and notifies the central processing unit 12 of various operations by the user. The random access memory (RAM) 14 constitutes a work area of the central processing unit 12. The hard disk device (HDD) 15 records and holds a processing program of the central processing unit 12, data of various items set by the user, access records of the download server 3, information on stores and facilities, and the like.

The interface (I / F) 16 is composed of communication means for connecting to the Internet 4 via a mobile telephone line, and an input / output circuit for inputting / outputting various information between this communication means and the central processing unit 12. Then, the operation is switched under the control of the central processing unit 12.

The central processing unit 12 is a controller for controlling the operation of the car navigation system 2 as a whole, and secures a work area in the random access memory 14 and executes a series of processing procedures to display the display section 10.
A map is displayed via and processing such as directions is executed.

That is, in the central processing unit 12, when a destination is input by the user and a search for a route to this destination is instructed, information on the current position obtained from the GPS unit 5 and a map obtained from the optical disk device 6 are obtained. Find a route to your destination based on your data. Further, when the display of the route and the instruction of the route are instructed, the corresponding processing is executed by the control of the image processing unit 8 and the graphic unit 11. In these processes, when the user operates the cursor on the map to instruct the input of the icon while displaying the map near the destination, the vicinity of the current position, etc., the central processing unit 12 is instructed by the cursor. Set the icon specified by the user at the specified position.

Here, this icon is an icon indicating the genre of the store or facility, and is formed by a design that allows the user to grasp the genre at a glance.
That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a ramen shop is formed by displaying symbols indicating ramen donburi, chopsticks, and noodles in a rectangular frame. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the family restaurant is formed by displaying symbols indicating a knife and a fork in a rectangular frame.

The central processing unit 12 stores the position information on the map in which such an icon is set and the identification data indicating the type of the corresponding icon in the hard disk device 15.
When the user instructs to display the icons when recording and holding them on the map and displaying the maps of the respective parts, the hard disk device 15 records the icons to display them on the map. As a result, in the car navigation device 2, by setting this icon,
You can check your home, frequently visited places, and places you have visited in the past on a map.

The central processing unit 12 selectively provides the user with the information on the stores and facilities recorded in the download server 3 based on the genre of the icon set in this way.

That is, the central processing unit 12 starts the processing procedure of FIG. 4 when the user instructs the upload of the information on the store and the facility, and moves from step SP1 to step SP2. Here, the central processing unit 12
Loads the icon data recorded in the hard disk device 15 and, in the following step SP3, totalizes these icons for each genre. As a result, the central processing unit 12 detects the number of icons for each genre of the icons set by the user, as shown in FIG. 5, for example. Here, the number of icons detected in this way reflects the user's hobbies and preferences. Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 5, since the number of registered ramen shop icons is large, this user is interested in ramen shops, so that information related to ramen shops allows users to find out their tastes and preferences. It can be determined that the information is in conformity with, and is meaningful to the user.

As a result, the central processing unit 12 selects a genre with a large number of registrations based on the result of this tabulation and detects the genre preferred by the user. In the determination of the user's favorite genre, for example, when it is determined that a plurality of genres with a large number of registrations are the user's favorite genres, a specific genre with more than half the registered numbers is determined as the user's favorite genre In such cases, various determination methods are possible.

When the user's favorite genre is detected in this way, the central processing unit 12 determines the step SP.
4, the update history of the download server 3 is searched, and by comparing this search result with the access record of the download server 3 recorded in the hard disk device 15, in the following step SP5, the user's favorite detected in step SP3 is selected. Regarding the genre, it is determined whether or not the information on the new store or facility is newly recorded so as to be downloadable.

When a negative result is obtained here, the central processing unit 12 moves from step SP5 to step SP6 and ends this processing procedure. On the other hand, when new data is recorded in the download server 3, the central processing unit 12 displays the display screen of FIG. 6 and notifies the user of the information regarding these new data. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the genres of ramen restaurant, family restaurant, and hotel are detected as the user's favorite genres by the processing in step SP3. , The date and time of the latest update obtained by searching the update history is displayed. In addition, among the information related to the stores and facilities of each genre, it is shown that new data regarding the ramen restaurant is recorded in the download server 3.

When the return menu displayed on this display screen is selected by the operation of the operator by the user, the central processing unit 12 stops the display of this display screen,
The processing moves to step SP6 and the processing procedure is ended. On the other hand, when the update menu is selected by the user, the process moves from step SP5 to step SP7 to download the information on the store and facility related to the new data from the download server 3, and at the subsequent step SP8 the hard disk device 15 Add to the record.

In the subsequent step SP9, the user is notified of the completion of the download, and the downloaded content is introduced by voice or the display of the display unit 10 according to the user's instruction. Further, the central processing unit 12
Updates the access record of the download server 3 recorded in the hard disk device 15 so as to correspond to this download, then moves to step SP6 and ends this processing procedure.

In this way, the central processing unit 12 obtains information about stores and facilities related to new data,
On the corresponding map, these stores and facilities are displayed by a specific icon or by blinking an icon indicating the corresponding genre. In addition, information regarding stores and facilities is introduced to the user according to the user's instructions.

Thus, in this embodiment, the central processing unit 12 and the operation unit 13 constitute an input means for receiving the setting of the display location on the map for the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or facility, and the image processing unit. 8, the central processing unit 12, the graphic unit 11, and the display unit 10 constitute a display unit that displays an icon indicating the genre of the store and / or facility on the corresponding map. Further, the central processing unit 12 is
Together with the image processing unit 8, the graphic unit 11, and the display unit 10, information regarding a store and / or facility obtained via the network is selectively provided to the user according to the genre of the icon received via the input means. The information processing means is configured.

Regarding this information processing means, the central processing unit 12 constitutes a totalizing means for totalizing the icons received through the input means for each genre, and further, together with the interface 16, based on the totaling result by this totalizing means. , An information acquisition means for selectively acquiring information on the store and / or facility obtained via the network.

(1-2) Operation of the First Embodiment In the above-described configuration, in the service providing system 1, for example, a new server, a store for guiding a facility or the like, and information about the facility are appropriately downloaded by the download server. 3, and the record of this accumulation is recorded in the download server 3.

In this service providing system 1, the car navigation device 2 processes map data and the like obtained by reproducing the optical disc by the optical disc device 6 based on the position information of the current position acquired by the GPS unit 5. A map relating to directions to the destination, a map near the current position, a map near the destination, etc. are displayed on the display unit 10. As a result, the car navigation device 2 provides the user with a service such as displaying a map and providing directions.

Further, in the car navigation device 2, for example, for stores and facilities visited in the past, stores and facilities that the user wants to visit, icons indicating the genres of these stores and facilities are displayed at corresponding locations on the map. As shown, the registration of the icon by the user is accepted, and the recording of this icon is recorded in the hard disk device 15. Thereby, in the car navigation device 2,
For example, by displaying a map near the current position and confirming such an icon, it is possible to easily find a favorite restaurant or the like, and the usability can be improved accordingly.

In the car navigation system 2, a user introduces a store that introduces such a store or facility,
Information about the facility is recorded in the hard disk device 15,
By the user's operation, the information on the stores and facilities is provided to the user via the display unit 10 and is also provided to the user via the speaker 9 by voice. As a result, the user can use this car navigation device 2
Is used as a guidebook for various purposes so that you can search for delicious restaurants and so on.

In the car navigation device 2, when an instruction to update the information on such stores and facilities is given by the user's operation, the icons recorded in the hard disk device 15 are aggregated by the central processing unit 12 and the user's operation is performed. A favorite genre is detected. Further, the download server 3 is accessed, and it is determined whether or not there is new data regarding the information on the stores and facilities belonging to this favorite genre. If there is new data, this new information is obtained by the user's approval. Data is downloaded and additionally recorded in the hard disk device 15.

As a result, the car navigation system 2 makes effective use of the information of the icon set by the user to judge the user's hobbies and preferences.
The information on the stores and facilities that match the taste is selectively acquired, and the information on the acquired stores and facilities is provided.

As a result, the user can download the information on the stores and facilities that match his hobbies and tastes without having to input the genre again when updating the information on the stores and facilities by downloading. This makes it possible to accurately provide meaningful information to the user without imposing a burden on the user.

(1-3) Effects of the First Embodiment According to the above configuration, the stores and facilities obtained through the network are related to the genre of the icon set by the user on the map. By selectively providing the information to the user, it is possible to accurately provide the user with meaningful information without imposing a burden on the user.

Further, at this time, in the car navigation device 2, the icons for which registration has been accepted are totaled for each genre, and based on the totalized result, information relating to stores and facilities is selectively acquired and provided to the user. With respect to the download from the download server 3, it is possible to effectively avoid unnecessary information download and operate the system efficiently.

(2) Second Embodiment The service providing system according to the second embodiment is different in that the download server 3 downloads information about stores and facilities and provides the downloaded information to the user. Except for this, the configuration is the same as that of the service providing system according to the first embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, the configuration of FIG.

In this embodiment, when the user instructs the central processing unit 12 to update the information about the store and the facility, the central processing unit 12 downloads new data of the information about the store and the facility for all genres, It is added to the record of the hard disk device 15.

Further, the central processing unit 12 provides the user with the information on the store and the facility recorded in the hard disk device 15 in this way when the user instructs the introduction of the information on the store and the facility. At this time, when the user gives an instruction to introduce information on such stores and facilities by selecting a favorite menu, for example, the icons registered by the user are aggregated for each genre, and thereby the user's hobbies and preferences are calculated. To be judged. Further, based on the thus obtained totalization result, the user is selectively provided with information on stores and facilities for a genre in which a large number of icons matching the user's hobbies and preferences are set.

As a result, in this embodiment, although all the information on the new store and facility prepared in the download server 3 is temporarily downloaded, when the user is provided with the information on this store and facility, It is designed to be selected and provided based on the marking genre.

Thus, in this embodiment, the central processing unit 12 constitutes the interface 16 and the information acquisition means for acquiring the information about the store and / or facility obtained via the network. Further, the central processing unit 12 constitutes a totaling means for totalizing the icons received through the input means for each genre, and further, together with the image processing section 8, the graphic section 11 and the display section 10, the totalizing means by the totalizing means. Based on the result, the providing means for selectively providing the user with the information on the store and / or facility acquired by the information acquiring means is configured.

According to the second embodiment, when the information about the stores and facilities downloaded from the download server 3 is provided to the user, it is selected and provided based on the genre of marking, thereby providing the network. Even if the user is selectively provided with the information about the store and the facility obtained via, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In addition, after all the data is once downloaded in this way, when providing the data to the user, by selecting according to the hobbies and preferences, for example, a third party whose hobbies and preferences are significantly different from the user When the car navigation device 2 is used to search for information relating to stores and facilities, the latest information can be provided, and such use can be flexibly dealt with.

(3) Third Embodiment The service providing system according to the third embodiment is different in that the download server 3 downloads information about stores and facilities and provides the downloaded information to the user. Except for this, the configuration is the same as that of the service providing system 1 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, the configuration of FIG.

In this embodiment, the central processing unit 12 notifies the download server 3 of the recording of the marking recorded on the hard disk device 15 when the user instructs to update the information on the store or facility. In the download server 3, the notifications are totaled to determine the hobbies and preferences of the user of the car navigation device 2, and the new data of the information on the store and the facility for the corresponding genre is stored in the car navigation device 2. Send out.

As a result, in this embodiment, the download server 3 aggregates the icons on the map to determine the user's hobbies and preferences, and based on the result of this determination, the information related to the stores and facilities is selectively car-navigated. It is adapted to be downloaded to the device 2.

Therefore, in the service providing system 1, it is considered that the user prefers not only the genre having a large number of icons but also the genre having a large number of icons, for example, by the setting of the aggregation processing in the download server 3. Information on other genres can also be provided together. Also, car navigation system 2
Information relating to stores and facilities in genres that are not prepared in the above can be appropriately distributed to the genres prepared in the car navigation device 2 and provided to the car navigation device.

With these, this service providing system 1
In the above, the processing in the download server 3 can be variously changed to flexibly operate the system and further expand the system.

Thus, in this embodiment, the central processing unit 12 together with the interface 16 notifies the icon received through the input means to the information providing source of the information relating to the store and / or the facility through the network. The notification means is configured. Further, the interface 16 and the central processing unit 12 constitute an information acquisition means for acquiring information on the store and / or facility selectively provided from the information providing source by such notification, and the central processing unit 12 and the image The processing unit 8, the graphic unit 11, and the display unit 10 constitute a providing unit that provides the user with the information about the store and / or facility acquired by the information acquiring unit.

On the other hand, the download server 3
On the basis of the information acquisition means for acquiring the information of the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or the facility whose setting is accepted by the car navigation device 2, and the information of the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or the facility acquired by this information acquisition means, Information notifying means for selectively notifying the car navigation device 2 of information relating to the store and / or facility is configured.

According to the third embodiment, even if the download server 3 processes the registered markings to selectively provide the user with the information about the store and the facility, It is possible to obtain the same effect as that of the above embodiment.

In addition, by processing the registered markings in the download server 3 in this way, the processing in the download server 3 can be variously changed and the system can be flexibly operated. Further, since the car navigation device 2 side does not need such an icon totaling process, the configuration can be simplified accordingly.

(4) Other Embodiments In the above-described embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to the car navigation device and its download server has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, The present invention can be widely applied to a mobile phone, various devices having a function of a navigation device that displays a map and guides a user such as a server that provides a service to the mobile phone, and related configurations.

[0061]

As described above, according to the present invention, based on the genre of the icon set by the user on the map, the user can be selectively provided with information on the stores and facilities obtained through the network. By doing so, it is possible to accurately provide meaningful information to the user without imposing a burden on the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a service providing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an icon of a ramen shop.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an icon of a family restaurant.

4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in a central processing unit of the car navigation device in the service providing system of FIG.

5 is a chart provided for explaining the processing procedure of FIG. 4. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a display screen in downloading.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Service providing system, 2 ... Car navigation device, 3 ... Download server, 4 ... Internet, 10 ... Display unit, 12 ... Central processing unit

Front page continuation (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G09B 29/00 G09B 29/00 F 29/10 29/10 AF term (reference) 2C032 HB02 HB05 HB22 HB25 HC08 HC13 HC27 HD03 HD17 2F029 AA02 AB07 AC02 AC13 AC14 AC18 5B075 NK07 NR12 UU14 5H180 AA01 BB05 BB13 FF05 FF13 FF22 FF25 FF27 FF32

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A navigation device for displaying a map to guide a user, wherein an icon indicating a genre of a store and / or a facility,
The input means for receiving the setting of the display location on the map, the display means for displaying the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or facility on the corresponding map, and the store and / or facility obtained via the network. An information processing means for selectively providing information to the user according to a genre of an icon received through the input means. 2. The information processing unit, a totaling unit that totals the icons received through the input unit for each genre, the store obtained through the network based on the totalized result by the totaling unit, and Alternatively, an information acquisition unit that selectively acquires information about the facility and a providing unit that provides the user with the information about the store and / or the facility acquired by the information acquisition unit are provided. Navigation device according to. 3. The information processing means includes an information acquisition means for acquiring information on the store and / or facility obtained via the network, and an aggregation for totalizing the icons received via the input means for each genre. A means and a providing means for selectively providing, to the user, information related to the store and / or facility acquired by the information acquiring means based on the result of the totaling by the totalizing means. Navigation device according to. 4. The information processing means, information notification means for notifying an icon received via the input means to a source of information related to the store and / or facility via the network, and the information notification. The information related to the store and / or facility acquired by the information acquisition unit, and the information related to the store and / or facility selectively acquired from the information source by the notification by the means. The navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising: providing means for providing the user. 5. A service device of a navigation device for providing information on a store and / or facility via a network to a navigation device which displays a map and guides a user, wherein the navigation device comprises: By the operation of the user, for the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or facility, the setting of the display location on the map is accepted, the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or facility is displayed on the corresponding map, and the service The device, through the network, the information acquisition unit that acquires information of the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or facility, the setting of which has been accepted by the navigation device, and the store and / or facility acquired by the information acquisition unit. Based on the information of the icon indicating the genre, An information notifying unit for selectively notifying the navigation device of such information, a service device for the navigation device. 6. The information notifying means totals information of icons indicating the genres of the store and / or facility acquired by the information acquiring means for each genre, and based on the totalization result, the store and Alternatively, the service device of the navigation device according to claim 5, wherein the information about the facility is selectively notified to the navigation device. 7. A method of providing a service by a navigation device which displays a map and guides a user, wherein an icon indicating a genre of a store and / or facility is provided.
The step of accepting an icon setting for accepting the setting of the display location on the map, the step of displaying the icon indicating the genre of the store and / or the facility on the corresponding map, and the step of displaying through the network And / or an information processing step of selectively providing information related to the facility to the user according to the genre of the icon received in the icon setting receiving step, by the navigation device. .