JP2006023193A - Navigation system and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce worry of a user that one cannot buy a desired article when visiting a shop displayed in an navigation system indicating a route to a kind of shop by accepting an input of specific kinds of shops. <P>SOLUTION: The navigation system for a car accepts an input of kinds of shops (110), specifies the nearest shop from the present position as a target shop (120), specifies a tentative route from the present position to the target shop (130), indicates a shop belonging to the accepted kinds of shops on a display as course candidate shops (140). It also accepts operation of selecting the displayed course candidate shops (150), specifies the course shop among the course candidate shops based on the accepted selection operation (160), and indicates on the display, the guide route to the target shop from the present position by passing the course shop together with the course shope and the target shop (170). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation apparatus that displays a facility belonging to an input facility type or a route to the facility.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a navigation device has been proposed that receives a facility type input and reads out the facility belonging to that type from the facility data in the storage medium (see Patent Document 1). A vehicle navigation device is disclosed that, upon receiving an input of a type such as a stand or a convenience store, searches for a facility of the input type from the vicinity of the predicted route of the host vehicle and displays the facility found as a result of the search. Yes.
JP 2004-4029 A

  However, such a navigation device does not display a store based on information on the assortment of the store. Therefore, if the user wants to purchase a rare toy or book, the user entered the type of store that sells the item, and the navigation device displayed the store belonging to that type, but those were displayed. The store does not always sell the goods.

  As described above, the conventional technique may give the user an anxiety that a desired article may not be purchased even when the displayed store is visited.

  In view of the above points, in the navigation device that accepts an input of a specific facility type and displays the facility or the route to the facility, the desired result may not be obtained even if the displayed facility is visited. The purpose is to reduce the user's anxiety that there is not.

  In order to achieve the above object, the inventor is very likely that facilities such as large stores have a wide selection of goods and the desired items are handled, even if they are not handled. Since there are many cases where the above procedure can be performed, attention was paid to the fact that the user has a high expectation for achieving the desired purpose.

  In order to achieve the above object, the first feature of the present invention is that the navigation device receives an input of a facility type, specifies a large facility belonging to the received facility type as a target facility, and uses the specified target facility as a display device. Further, it is possible to display on the display device a facility that is easy to pass from the current position to the specified target facility and that belongs to the accepted facility type.

  In this way, the navigation device causes the display device to display the large facility belonging to the input type and the facility belonging to the accepted facility type that is easy to pass from the current position to the target facility. Can stop at a nearby facility and go to a large facility while searching for a desired article. Such a navigation device can give the user a sense of security that the desired purpose will be achieved if the user finally goes to a large store. That is, it is possible to reduce the user's anxiety that the desired purpose may not be achieved even if the displayed facility is visited.

  Further, in addition to the target facility and the easily accessible route, a guide route from the current position to the target facility via the easily accessible facility may be displayed on the display device.

  In this way, the user can search for a desired article or the like while traveling along the route, thereby improving the convenience of the navigation device.

  Further, the navigation device displays the facilities belonging to the received facility type on the display device as route candidate facilities on the display device, and further allows the user to easily reach the identified target facility from the current position. Based on the received selection operation, a route facility is identified from the displayed route candidate facilities, and a guide route from the current position to the target facility via the identified route facility is determined. The display device may be displayed together with the transit facility and the target facility.

  In this way, since the facility through which the user passes can be selected, the degree of freedom in selecting a facility that stops at a large facility is increased.

  In addition, the navigation device identifies a provisional route from the current position to the target facility, and makes facilities near the identified provisional route easy to travel from the current position to the target facility. May be.

  More specifically, the navigation device accepts the input of the facility type, identifies the facility closest to the current position among the large facilities belonging to the received facility type as the target facility, and from the current position to the target facility. The provisional route is identified, the facility that is near the provisional route and belongs to the accepted facility type is displayed on the display device as a route candidate facility, and the selection operation of the displayed route candidate facility is accepted and accepted. Based on the selection operation, the transit facility is identified from the transit candidate facilities, and the guide route from the current location to the target facility via the transit facility is displayed on the display device together with the transit facility and the target facility. It may be.

  A second feature of the present invention is that the navigation device receives an input of a facility type, specifies a large facility belonging to the received facility type as a target facility, and displays a guidance route from the current position to the target facility. Is to be displayed.

  In this way, the navigation device displays the guide route from the current position to the large-sized facility belonging to the input type on the table device, so that the user can achieve the desired purpose by going to the large store. It can give you a sense of security. That is, it is possible to reduce the user's anxiety that the desired purpose may not be achieved even if the displayed facility is visited.

  In the first and second features described above, whether or not a certain facility is a large facility is determined based on the fact that the storage medium includes a logo mark dedicated to the facility group. The facility belonging to the group may be a large facility.

  Further, the facility may be a large-scale facility based on the fact that the number of owned parking lots of a certain facility included in the storage medium is a predetermined number or more.

  In addition, the facility may be a large facility based on the fact that the size information of a facility included in the storage medium is equal to or greater than a predetermined size standard.

  The above-described features of the present invention can also be realized as a program that causes a computer to realize the functions of such features.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a hardware configuration of a vehicle navigation apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.

  The in-vehicle navigation device 1 includes a position detector 11, an operation switch group 12, an image display device 13, a speaker 14, a RAM 16, a ROM 17, an external storage medium 18, and a control circuit 19.

  The position detector 11 includes a well-known sensor (not shown) such as a geomagnetic sensor, a gyroscope, a vehicle speed sensor, and a GPS receiver. The current position and direction of the vehicle based on the characteristics of each of these sensors. Is output to the control circuit 19.

  The operation switch group 12 includes a plurality of mechanical switches provided in the vehicle navigation device 1 and an input device such as a touch panel provided on the display surface of the image display device 13. The user presses the mechanical switch and touches the touch panel. Is output to the control circuit 19.

  The image display device 13 displays a video based on the video signal output from the control circuit 19 to the user. Examples of the display image include a map centering on the current location.

  The external storage medium 18 is a non-volatile storage medium such as an HDD, and stores a program read and executed by the control circuit 19, map data for route guidance, and the like.

  The map data includes facility data in addition to road data such as position information of road segments (links) and intersections (nodes), and connection relationship information between intersections and road segments. The facility data includes a plurality of entries for each facility, and each entry includes data indicating name information, location information, type information, logo mark information, and the like of the target facility.

  The type information is information indicating the type of business to which the target facility belongs, such as a bookstore, a toy store, and a daily necessities store.

  The logo mark information is information for designating a logo mark used when displaying a target facility on a map. A plurality of types of image data indicating logo marks are stored in the external storage medium 18. The logo mark stored in the external storage medium 18 includes a logo mark that is generally used for a certain industry such as a toy store, a ramen store, a department store, and a logo mark that is used exclusively for a specific trader.

  The logo mark information indicates whether the target facility uses a general-purpose logo mark or a dedicated logo mark. As a specific trader, for example, there is a group that conducts business using a unified brand, such as a chain store or a franchise group.

  A trader with a dedicated logo mark in the external storage medium 18 is a large store. For example, in the case of a unified brand group, when the number of stores in the group is greater than or equal to a reference number (for example, 100), a dedicated logo mark for the group is recorded in advance on the external storage medium 18. Therefore, whether or not a certain store is a large store can be determined based on whether or not the external storage medium 18 includes a logo for exclusive use of the store.

  A control circuit (corresponding to a computer) 19 executes a program for the operation of the vehicle navigation apparatus 1 read from the ROM 17 and the external storage medium 18, and in executing the program, from the RAM 16, the ROM 17, and the external storage medium 18. Information is read, information is written to the RAM 16 and the external storage medium 18, and signals are exchanged with the position detector 11, operation switch group 12, image display device 13 and speaker 14.

  Specific processing performed by the control circuit 19 executing the program includes current position specifying processing, guidance route search processing, route guidance processing, and the like.

  The current position specifying process is a process for specifying the current position and direction of the vehicle using a known technique such as map matching based on the signal from the position detector 11.

  The guide route search process is a process of receiving an input of a destination by the user from the input device and calculating an optimum guide route from the current position to the destination.

  The route guidance process reads map data from the external storage medium 18, outputs an image in which the calculated guidance route, destination facility, transit facility, current position, etc. are superimposed on this map to the image display device 13, and guides the intersection. This is a process for outputting a guidance voice signal for instructing a right turn, a left turn, etc. to the speaker 14 when necessary, for example, when the host vehicle reaches the front.

  Here, the guidance route search process will be described in detail. The guide route search process has a mode for receiving an input of a target facility and a mode for receiving an input of a facility type as variations for receiving an input from a user. Further, there is a variation in the mode for accepting the input of the facility type, and a search object search mode is provided as one mode of the variation.

  When executing the guidance route search process, the control circuit 19 specifies in which mode the input is accepted based on the operation of the operation switch group 12 by the user, and starts processing for the specified mode.

  FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the search object search program 100 for causing the control circuit 19 to implement the process for the search object search mode.

  First, in step 110, an input of a type is accepted. Specifically, a screen that prompts the user to input a type, such as a type list, is displayed on the image display device 13, and the input of the type using the operation switch group 12 by the user is awaited.

  If there is an input of the type by the user, subsequently, in step 120, among the large stores belonging to the input store type, the store closest to the current position is specified as the target store. Whether or not a certain store belongs to the store type is determined based on the type information of the store in the facility data. Further, as described above, whether or not a certain store is a large store is determined based on whether or not the logo mark information of the store in the facility data designates a dedicated logo mark. Whether or not it is closest to the current position is determined based on the result of the current position determination process and the location information of the store in the facility data.

  Subsequently, in step 130, a provisional route from the current position to the target store is specified using a known Dijkstra method or the like based on the road data.

  Subsequently, in step 140, a store near the provisional route specified as described above is specified from the stores belonging to the received store type (hereinafter referred to as the same type store), and the specified store is set as a candidate via store. The image is displayed on the image display device 13. Whether or not a store is near the provisional route is compared with the location information of the store in the facility data and the position of the provisional route in the road data, and lowered from the store location to the provisional route. The determination is based on whether the length of the perpendicular is equal to or less than a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance is, for example, 50 meters, 100 meters, or the like.

  The via-candidate stores to be displayed may be all the same-type stores near the provisional route, or the maximum number of the same-type stores to be displayed may be determined. If the maximum number of displays is determined and the number of similar stores close to the provisional route is greater than or equal to the maximum number, the five closest to the provisional route may be displayed. Five items selected at random may be displayed.

  In the display, in addition to the via-candidate stores, the provisional route and the target store are also displayed on the image display device 13. FIG. 3 shows a display example of the route candidate store, provisional route, and target store.

  In FIG. 3, a current location mark 30, a target store logo mark 31, a provisional route 32, and via candidate store logo marks 33 to 36 are displayed on the map in an arrangement corresponding to the location of the store. Near each logo mark, via candidate store explanation sections 37 to 40 showing the name of the store and the distance from the current position are displayed.

  Furthermore, a title display unit 41 for explaining the current mode, a map direction and a direction indicating a scale, a scale display unit 42, a predicted arrival time at the target store, and a distance display unit 43 for displaying a distance from the current location to the target store, A road type display unit 44 that displays the road type of the road piece in the provisional route 32 and the total distance of the journey is displayed.

  Further, as buttons that can be pressed by the user using the touch panel, a detail button 45 for switching the map to the detailed mode, a five-route display button 46 for simultaneously displaying five guide routes, and a route for changing the guide route A change button 47, a search start button 48, and a wide area button 49 for switching the map to the wide area mode are displayed.

  Subsequently, in step 150, an operation for selecting the displayed via-candidate store is accepted. In the example of FIG. 3, when a touch of a position corresponding to the position of the via candidate store logo marks 33 to 36 on the touch panel of the operation switch group 12 is detected, the RAM 16 is used to select and set the via candidate store corresponding to that position. Toggles the selection flag secured above on and off. The logo mark whose selection flag is turned on from off is highlighted by surrounding it with a frame. For example, the route candidate store logo marks 34 and 36 are surrounded by frames 50 and 51, respectively. For the logo mark whose selection flag is turned from on to off, the frame surrounding it is deleted. When it is detected that a position corresponding to the search start button 48 on the touch panel is touched, step 160 is subsequently executed.

  In step 160, a transit store is identified from among the transit candidate stores based on the accepted selection operation. Specifically, among the via candidate stores, those whose selection flag is on are identified as via stores.

  Subsequently, in step 170, a guide route from the current position to the target store is searched via the specified via store, and the guide route of the search result is displayed on the display device together with the via store and the target store. As a display example, for example, in FIG. 3, a candidate store that has not become a transit store is deleted, the provisional route 32 is deleted, a guidance route is newly displayed, and the search start button 48 is changed to a guidance start button. Let it be replaced. If a touch at the position of the guidance start button using the touch panel is detected, step 180 is subsequently executed.

  In step 180, the route guidance process described above is started, and then the execution of the search object searching program 100 is ended. Thereby, the control circuit 19 starts the above-described route guidance process based on the guidance route specified as a result of the search.

  Thus, when the control circuit 19 executes the search object search program 100, the vehicle navigation device 1 accepts an input of the store type (see step 110), and among the large stores belonging to the accepted store type, The store closest to the current location is identified as the target store (see step 120), the provisional route from the current location to the target store is identified (see step 130), and the type of store that is near and accepted by the provisional route Stores on the display device as transit candidate stores (see step 140), accepts an operation of selecting the displayed transit candidate store (see step 150), and based on the accepted selection operation, transit candidate store A via store is identified from among them (see step 160), and the target store is reached from the current location via the via store. An inner path, is displayed on the display device together with via the store and target store (step 170). Then, route guidance processing is performed along the guidance route.

  As described above, the vehicle navigation device 1 displays a large store belonging to the input type and a store and a guide route that easily pass through from the current position to the target store and belong to the received store type. Therefore, the user can go to a large store while searching for a desired article by stopping at a nearby store along the guide route. Therefore, the vehicular navigation device 1 can give the user a sense of security that a desired article will be purchased if the user finally goes to a large store.

  In addition, since the store through which the user passes can be selected, the user has a high degree of freedom in selecting a store to stop by to a large store.

  In the above-described embodiment, the control circuit 19 functions as a type receiving unit by executing step 110 of the search object searching program 100.

  Further, the control circuit 19 functions as a target facility specifying unit by executing step 120 of the search object searching program 100.

  Moreover, the control circuit 19 functions as a facility display control means by performing steps 130 to 170 of the search object search program 100.

  Further, the control circuit 19 functions as a route candidate facility display control unit by executing steps 130 and 140 of the search object search program 100.

  Further, the control circuit 19 executes step 150 of the search object search program 100 to function as a transit facility selection receiving unit.

  Moreover, the control circuit 19 functions as a route facility specifying unit by executing step 160 of the search object searching program 100.

  Further, the control circuit 19 executes step 130 of the search object searching program 100, thereby functioning as a temporary route specifying unit.

  Further, the control circuit 19 functions as a display control unit by performing steps 130 to 170 of the search object search program 100.

  Further, in step 120 of the above-described search object search program 100, it is determined that the store belonging to the store is a large store based on the fact that the external storage medium 18 includes a logo mark dedicated to the store. This is not necessarily the case.

  For example, if each entry in the facility data includes information on the number of parking lots owned by the store in advance, the number of parking lots owned is based on the fact that the number of owned parking lots indicates a predetermined number or more (for example, 100). The store may be determined to be a large store.

  Also, for example, if the size information of the store is included in each entry in the facility data in advance, the store is determined to be a large store based on the fact that the size information is equal to or greater than a predetermined size standard. May be. The size information may be, for example, information on the area and height of the facility used when the facility is displayed in polygons, or the total number of floors occupied by the facility in the building. For each of these size information, if the area is larger than a predetermined area, the height is larger than a predetermined height, or the total number of floors is larger than a predetermined number of floors, it is determined that the store is a large store. That's fine.

  In addition, for example, if each entry in the facility data includes a flag indicating whether or not the store is a large store in advance, it is determined whether or not the store is a large store based on the flag. can do.

  Further, for example, when image data of a dedicated logo mark is described in the external storage medium 18 even if it is not a large store, the logo mark is used for a large store in addition to the image data of the logo mark. If the data indicating whether or not the store is included, it can be determined whether or not the store is a large store based on the additional data.

  In addition, you may determine whether a shop is large sized based on the criteria which combined the above-mentioned criteria arbitrarily. For example, when a dedicated logo mark is stored in the external storage medium 18, the information on the number of parking lots is larger than a predetermined number, and the store size information is greater than or equal to a predetermined size standard As long as the store is a large store, it may be determined.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, whether or not the store is easy to go from the current position to the target store is determined by whether or not the store is within a predetermined distance from the provisional route, This is not necessarily the case.

  For example, if the vertical line drawn from a store is less than or equal to a predetermined length with respect to the line segment with the current location and the target store as endpoints, the store is easy to go from the current location to the target store It may be.

  Moreover, it is good also as a store which is easy to go through the store in the predetermined geographical area | region which makes the present location and a target store an endpoint from the present position to a target store. Specifically, within a rectangular area with a predetermined short side-long side ratio with the current position and the target store facing two vertices, or with a predetermined flatness rate with the current position and the target store as an edge in the major axis direction It is good also as a store which is easy to go through from the current position to the target store.

  In other words, because the store is close to both the current location and the target store, the store is close to both the current location and the target store, etc. It is only necessary to satisfy the predetermined criteria.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the via candidate stores are displayed at step 140, and further, the selection of the via stores is received at step 150, and the via stores are specified by this selection. However, the via-store is not necessarily determined by the user's selection. For example, steps 140 and 150 may not be executed, and in step 160, all stores that are easy to pass from the current position to the target store (or a specific number of the stores) may be specified as transit stores.

  In the above-described embodiment, the large store belonging to the accepted store type or the route to the large store is displayed. However, the store is not necessarily limited to a large store and may be a large facility. . For example, when the navigation device accepts an input of the kind of movie theater, the movie theater closest to the current position is specified as a target facility among large movie theaters, and a provisional route from the current position to the target facility is specified. The movie theater near the provisional route is displayed on the display device as a route candidate facility, the selection operation of the displayed route candidate facility is accepted, and based on the received selection operation, from among the route candidate facilities The transit facility may be specified, and a guide route from the current position to the target facility via the transit facility may be displayed on the display device together with the transit facility and the target facility. Further, as a facility type that is not a store, for example, a post office or the like can be considered.

  Moreover, in the above-described embodiment, the vehicle navigation device is cited as an example of the navigation device of the present invention. However, the navigation system of the present invention is not limited to the vehicle navigation device, and can be carried by a person, for example. Such a portable navigation device can also be realized.

  In the above-described embodiment, the navigation device displays a route such that the large facility is the final destination, but it is not always necessary to do so. That is, a route to the large store is displayed, and a route that ends at the large store and a route that reaches the large store and further extends to the large store may be displayed.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the route to the large facility and the route that passes only through the non-large facility may be displayed in a format that can be selected by the user. For example, the large facility of the type of facility that was accepted is isolated far away (that is, there is no similar store that is more than a predetermined first distance away from the current position and is easy to reach through to the large store), If there are multiple non-large facilities of the same type in the vicinity (that is, more than a predetermined second distance (shorter than the first distance) from the current position), the route to the large facility and the non-large facilities nearby Two of the routes may be displayed on the image display device at the same time, and one of them may be guided based on the detection of the selection operation by the user.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the vehicle navigation apparatus 1 in embodiment of this invention. 3 is a flowchart of a search object search program 100; It is a figure which shows the example of a display of a route candidate store, a provisional route, and a target store.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle navigation apparatus, 11 ... Position detector, 12 ... Operation switch group,
13 ... Image display device, 14 ... Speaker, 15 ... CPU, 16 ... RAM, 17 ... ROM,
18 ... External storage medium, 19 ... Control circuit, 30 ... Current location mark,
31 ... Target store logo mark, 32 ... Temporary route, 33-36 ... Via candidate store logo mark,
37-40 ... Via candidate store explanation part, 41 ... Title display part, 42 ... Direction, scale display part,
43 ... Expected arrival time, distance display section, 44 ... guide road type display section, 45 ... detailed button,
46 ... 5 route display button, 47 ... route change button, 48 ... search start button,
49 ... Wide area button, 100 ... Search program.

Claims (13)

Type acceptance means for accepting facility type input;
Target facility specifying means for specifying a large facility belonging to the facility type received by the type receiving means as a target facility;
Facility display control for displaying on the display device the target facility specified by the target facility specifying unit and the facility belonging to the facility type that is easy to pass from the current position to the target facility and received by the type receiving unit. A navigation device. The facility display control means includes a target facility specified by the target facility specifying means, a facility that easily passes from the current position to the target facility, and that belongs to the facility type received by the type receiving means, and a current The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein a guide route from a position to the target facility via the facility is displayed on a display device. The facility display control unit is configured to display, as a route candidate facility, a facility that easily passes from the current position to the target facility specified by the target facility specifying unit and that belongs to the facility type received by the type receiving unit. Via route candidate facility display control means to be displayed on
A transit facility selection accepting means for accepting an operation of selecting a transit candidate facility displayed by the transit candidate facility display control means;
Based on the selection operation accepted by the transit facility selection accepting unit, the transit facility specifying unit that identifies the transit facility from the facilities displayed by the transit candidate facility display control unit, and
A guide route from the current position via the transit facility identified by the transit facility specifying means to the target facility specified by the target facility specifying means is displayed together with the transit facility and the target facility on a display device. The navigation device according to claim 2. The facility display control means includes provisional route specifying means for specifying a provisional route from a current position to the target facility specified by the target facility specifying means,
4. The facility near the provisional route specified by the provisional route specifying means is a facility that is easy to pass from the current position to the target facility specified by the target facility specifying means. The navigation device according to any one of the above. Type acceptance means for accepting facility type input;
A target facility identifying means for identifying a facility closest to the current position among large facilities belonging to the received facility type as a target facility;
Means for identifying a provisional route from the current position to the target facility;
Means for causing a display device to display a facility that is near the provisional route and that belongs to the received facility type as a route candidate facility;
Means for accepting an operation of selecting the displayed route candidate facility;
Based on the received selection operation, means for specifying a transit facility from the displayed transit candidate facilities;
A navigation device comprising: a display device that displays a guidance route from the current position to the target facility via the identified transit facility together with the transit facility and the target facility. Type acceptance means for accepting facility type input;
Target facility specifying means for specifying a large facility belonging to the facility type received by the type receiving means as a target facility;
A navigation device comprising: display control means for displaying a guide route from a current position to the target facility specified by the target facility specifying means on a display device. 7. The target facility specifying means, based on the fact that a storage medium includes a logo mark dedicated to a facility group, the facility belonging to the group is a large facility. The navigation device according to any one of the above. The target facility specifying means determines that the facility is a large-scale facility based on the fact that the number of owned parking lots of a certain facility included in the storage medium is a predetermined number or more. The navigation device according to any one of 1 to 7. 9. The target facility specifying means determines that the facility is a large facility based on the fact that the size information of a facility included in the storage medium is equal to or larger than a predetermined size standard. The navigation device according to any one of the above. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the navigation device is for in-vehicle use. Type acceptance means for accepting facility type input,
A target facility specifying means for specifying a large facility belonging to the facility type received by the type receiving means as a target facility; a target facility specified by the target facility specifying means; and a route from the current position to the target facility. A program that causes a computer to function as a facility display control unit that easily displays a facility belonging to the facility type received by the type receiving unit on a display device. Type acceptance means for accepting facility type input,
Target facility identification means for identifying the facility closest to the current position among the large facilities belonging to the accepted facility type as the target facility,
Means for identifying a provisional route from the current position to the target facility;
Means for causing a display device to display a facility that is near the provisional route and that belongs to the received facility type as a route candidate facility;
Means for accepting an operation of selecting the displayed route candidate facility;
Based on the received selection operation, a means for identifying a transit facility from the displayed transit candidate facilities, and a guide route from the current position to the target facility via the identified transit facility, A program that causes a computer to function as a means for displaying on a display device together with a transit facility and the target facility. Type acceptance means for accepting facility type input,
Target facility specifying means for specifying a large facility belonging to the facility type received by the type receiving means as a target facility, and display control for displaying on the display device a guide route from the current position to the target facility specified by the target facility specifying means A program that causes a computer to function as a means.

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