JP2006125866A - Positioning system, terminal device, information providing device, control method of terminal device, control program of terminal device, and computer-readable recording medium recorded with control program of terminal device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a positioning system and the like capable of shortening a positioning time by generating positional information of precision required for the purpose of positioning. <P>SOLUTION: In this positioning system 10, this information providing device 50 has a required precision range information storage means 250 for storing required precision range information indicating a required precision range of the positional information required for providing position-related service information, this terminal device 20 has a required precision range information acquisition means for acquiring required precision range information 254 (152) from the information providing device 50, a required precision range inside-or-outside judging means for judging whether the precision of the positional information 158 generated by a positioning means is within the required precision range or not, and a position-related service information request means for requesting the position-related service information 252a to the information providing device 50, by the positional information 158 within the required precision range. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a positioning system using a position related signal from a position information satellite, a terminal device, an information providing device, a control method for a terminal device, a control program for the terminal device, and a computer-readable record recording the control program for the terminal device. It relates to the medium.

Conventionally, a positioning system that measures the current position of a GPS receiver by using, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) that is a satellite navigation system has been put into practical use. As for the positioning accuracy by the GPS receiver, a technique for improving the accuracy has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-340591 A

However, positioning with a GPS receiver does not always require highly accurate position information.
Nevertheless, there is a problem that if the highly accurate position information is always generated, the processing time of the GPS receiver may become unnecessarily long.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a positioning system, a terminal device, an information providing device, a terminal device control method, and a terminal device control capable of shortening the positioning time by generating position information with accuracy required for the purpose of positioning. It is an object of the present invention to provide a computer-readable recording medium in which a program and a control program for a terminal device are recorded.

  According to the first aspect, the object is to provide a terminal device having positioning means for positioning the current position based on position-related signals from a plurality of position information satellites, and an information providing device capable of communicating with the terminal device; , Wherein the information providing device indicates location-related service information storage means for storing location-related service information, and a required accuracy range of location information necessary for providing the location-related service information. Based on required accuracy range information storage means for storing required accuracy range information, required accuracy range information providing means for providing the required accuracy range information to the terminal device, and position information within the required accuracy range, Position-related service information selection means for selecting the position-related service information, and the terminal device acquires the required accuracy range information from the information providing device. The required accuracy range information acquisition means, the required accuracy range inside / outside determination means for determining whether the accuracy of the position information generated by the positioning means is within the required accuracy range, and the position information within the required accuracy range, It is achieved by a positioning system comprising: location-related service information requesting means for requesting the location-related service information from the information providing apparatus.

  According to the configuration of the first invention, the terminal device can acquire the required accuracy range information from the information providing device by the required accuracy range information acquisition means. And the said terminal device can judge whether the precision of the positional information produced | generated by the said positioning means is in the said required precision range by the said required system range inside / outside judgment means. Furthermore, since the terminal device has the location related service information requesting means, the location related service information can be requested from the information providing device.

That is, the terminal device performs positioning by the positioning unit with accuracy required to receive the provision of the location-related service information from the information providing device.
For this reason, the terminal device does not perform positioning with high accuracy unnecessarily for the purpose of receiving the provision of the location-related service information from the information providing device.
That is, the terminal device can shorten the positioning time by generating position information with accuracy required for the purpose of positioning.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal device having positioning means for positioning a current position based on position related signals from a plurality of position information satellites, and providing information related to position related service information Required accuracy range information indicating the required accuracy range of the location information necessary for the information providing device to provide the location-related service information from the communication means for communicating with the device and the information providing device The information includes a range information acquisition unit, a required accuracy range inside / outside determination unit that determines whether the accuracy of the position information generated by the positioning unit is within the required accuracy range, and the position information within the required accuracy range. And a location-related service information requesting unit that requests the location-related service information from the providing device.

  According to the structure of 2nd invention, the said terminal device can shorten positioning time by producing | generating the positional information of the precision required for the objective of positioning similarly to the structure of 1st invention.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the second aspect of the invention, allowable error range information storage means for storing allowable error range information indicating an allowable error range of position information for using the position related service information, and the positioning means And an allowable error range inside / outside determination means for determining whether or not the accuracy of the position information generated by is within the allowable error range, and the allowable error range is smaller than the required accuracy range and is within the required accuracy range. A request for the position-related service information to the information providing device when the position information is generated, and the positioning by the positioning means is completed when the position information within the allowable error range is generated. It is characterized by becoming.

According to the configuration of the third invention, the terminal device can determine whether or not the accuracy of the position information generated by the positioning means is within the allowable error range by the allowable error range inside / outside determination means. The positioning unit is configured to complete positioning based on the determination result of the allowable error range inside / outside determining unit.
The positioning means, for example, iteratively calculates the current position based on the position related signal, improves the positioning accuracy as time elapses, and reduces the range of positioning error. Since the allowable error range is smaller than the required accuracy range, the position information generated by the positioning means reaches the required accuracy range first.

Here, with respect to the location-related service information, the terminal device does not send the location information within the allowable error range to the information providing device when the location information is generated within the required accuracy range. The location related service information is requested.
Therefore, the location related service information can be used when the terminal device acquires the location related service information and generates location information within the allowable error range.
That is, after generating the position information within the allowable error range, the information providing apparatus requests the position related service information from the information providing apparatus earlier than when requesting the position related service information. This means that the location-related service information can be acquired earlier. As a result, the location related service information can be used more quickly.

  A fourth invention is characterized in that, in the configuration of the third invention, the allowable error range can be changed according to a method of using the location-related service information.

  For example, when the location-related service information is used to specify the approximate location of the terminal device, the allowable error range is smaller than that used to specify the precise location of the terminal device. It can be large. Nevertheless, if the allowable error range is kept small, highly accurate positioning is performed unnecessarily, positioning time becomes unnecessarily long, and power is unnecessarily consumed.

In this regard, according to the configuration of the fourth invention, since the allowable error range can be changed according to the method of using the location-related service information, the allowable error range may be wide. Can set the allowable error range wide.
As a result, it is possible to prevent the positioning time from becoming unnecessarily long because unnecessary high-precision positioning is not performed. Furthermore, unnecessary consumption of power can be prevented.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information providing apparatus communicable with a terminal apparatus having positioning means for positioning a current position based on position related signals from a plurality of position information satellites. Location related service information storage means for storing service information, required accuracy range information storage means for storing required accuracy range information indicating a required accuracy range of location information necessary for providing the location related service information, and the terminal A required accuracy range information providing means for providing the required accuracy range information to a device; a location related service information selecting means for selecting the location related service information based on the location information within the required accuracy range; It is achieved by an information providing apparatus characterized by comprising:

According to the structure of 5th invention, the said information provision apparatus can provide the said required accuracy range information with respect to the said terminal device by the said required accuracy range information provision means.
For this reason, in order to receive provision of the position related service information, the terminal device only needs to generate the position information within the required accuracy range, and does not need to generate the position information with unnecessarily high accuracy. .
That is, the information providing apparatus can provide the terminal apparatus with information for shortening the positioning time by generating position information with accuracy necessary for the purpose of positioning.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal device having positioning means for positioning a current position based on position related signals from a plurality of position information satellites, from an information providing apparatus that provides position related service information. A required accuracy range information obtaining step for obtaining required accuracy range information indicating a required accuracy range of location information necessary for the information providing device to provide the location-related service information; and the terminal device by the positioning means. The required accuracy range inside / outside determination step for determining whether the accuracy of the generated location information is within the required accuracy range, and the terminal device to the information providing device according to the location information within the required accuracy range And a location-related service information requesting step for requesting the location-related service information.

  According to the configuration of the sixth invention, as in the configuration of the second invention, the positioning time can be shortened by generating the positional information with the accuracy required for the purpose of positioning.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided information that a terminal device having positioning means for positioning a current position based on position related signals from a plurality of position information satellites provides position related service information to a computer. A required accuracy range information obtaining step for obtaining required accuracy range information indicating a required accuracy range of location information necessary for the information providing device to provide the location-related service information from a providing device; and the terminal device, A determination step for determining whether the accuracy of the position information generated by the positioning means is within the required accuracy range; and a step for determining whether the terminal device is within the required accuracy range; And a location-related service information requesting step for requesting the location-related service information. It is achieved by the ram.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided, according to an eighth aspect, information in which a terminal device having positioning means for positioning a current position based on position related signals from a plurality of position information satellites provides position related service information to a computer. A required accuracy range information obtaining step for obtaining required accuracy range information indicating a required accuracy range of location information necessary for the information providing device to provide the location-related service information from a providing device; and the terminal device, A determination step for determining whether the accuracy of the position information generated by the positioning means is within the required accuracy range; and a step for determining whether the terminal device is within the required accuracy range; And a location-related service information requesting step for requesting the location-related service information. It is accomplished by a computer-readable recording medium ram.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention, and thus various technically preferable limitations are given. However, the scope of the present invention is particularly limited in the following description. Unless otherwise stated, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a positioning system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the positioning system 10 includes a server 50. The server 50 is an example of an information providing apparatus that provides location-related service information such as area map information 252a (see FIG. 4).

As shown in FIG. 1, the positioning system 10 has a terminal 20. The terminal 20 includes a terminal GPS device 32 for receiving, for example, signals S1, S2, S3 and S4 which are position related signals from a plurality of position information satellites, for example, GPS satellites 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d. . The terminal 20 also includes, for example, a terminal communication device 30 that is an example of a communication unit for communicating with the server 50. The terminal 20 can communicate with the server 50 by the terminal communication device 30 via the base station 40 which is a communication base station and, for example, the Internet network 45 which is a communication network.
The terminal 20 is a mobile phone, a PHS (Personal Handy-phone System), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance _), or the like, but is not limited thereto.

The positioning system 10 is a system in which the terminal 20 acquires, for example, area map information 252a described later from the server 50, and synthesizes and displays the area map information 252a and position information indicating the current position of the terminal 20.
The current position of the terminal 20 is Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, and the following description will be continued on the assumption that the regional map information corresponding to Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo is the regional map information 252a.

(Main hardware configuration of server 50)
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the main hardware configuration of the server 50.
As shown in FIG. 2, the server 50 has a computer, and the computer has a bus 52.
A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 54, a storage device 56, an external storage device 58, and the like are connected to the bus 52. The storage device 56 is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the external storage device 58 is, for example, an HD (Hard Disk).

The bus 52 is connected to an input device 60 for inputting various information.
In addition, a server communication device 62 for communicating with the terminal 20 and the like, and a display device 64 for displaying various information and the like are connected to the bus 52.

(Main hardware configuration of terminal 20)
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the main hardware configuration of the terminal 20.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the terminal 20 includes a computer, and the computer includes a bus 22.
The bus 22 is connected to a CPU 24, a storage device 26, and the like.

The bus 22 is connected to an input device 28 for inputting various information.
In addition, a terminal communication device 30 and a terminal GPS device 32 for communicating with the server 50 and the like are connected to the bus 22.
Further, a display device 34 for displaying various information and the like is connected to the bus 22.

(Main software configuration of server 50)
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a main software configuration of the server 50.
As shown in FIG. 4, the server 50 includes a server control unit 200 that controls each unit, a server communication unit 202 corresponding to the server communication device 62 in FIG.

  As illustrated in FIG. 4, the server 50 includes a server first storage unit 210 that stores various programs and a server second storage unit 250 that stores various types of information.

As shown in FIG. 4, the server 50 stores map information 252 in the server second storage unit 250. The map information 252 is, for example, a map of Japan. For example, the area map information for each area such as area map information 252a indicating the range of Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, area map information 252b indicating the range of Chuo-ku, Tokyo, The server 50 can be provided to the terminal 20. Note that the server 50 has regional map information 252a and the like for, for example, municipalities across the country.
The map information 252 and the area map information 252a are examples of location-related service information, and the server second storage unit 250 is an example of location-related service information storage means.

As shown in FIG. 4, the server 50 stores server-side required accuracy information 254 in the server second storage unit 250. The server-side required accuracy information 254 is information indicating the accuracy of position information necessary for the server control unit 200 to provide the area map information 252a and the like. The accuracy indicated in the server-side required accuracy information 254 is, for example, 500 meters (m).
The 500 meters (m) is an example of the required accuracy range, and the server-side required accuracy information 254 is an example of the required accuracy range information. The server second storage unit 250 is an example of a required accuracy range information storage unit.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the server 50 stores a required accuracy information transmission program 212 in the server first storage unit 210. The request accuracy information transmission program 212 is information for the server control unit 200 to transmit the server-side request accuracy information 254 to the terminal 20 based on a request from the terminal 20. That is, the required accuracy information transmission program 212 and the server control unit 200 are examples of necessary accuracy range information providing means.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the server 50 stores a map information selection program 214 in the server first storage unit 210. The map information selection program 214 is information for the server control unit 200 to select, for example, the area map information 252a from the map information 252 based on the position information within the accuracy range indicated in the server-side required accuracy information 254. . That is, the map information selection program 214 and the server control unit 200 are examples of location related service information selection means.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the server 50 stores a map information transmission program 216 in the server first storage unit 210. The map information transmission program 216 is information for transmitting, for example, the area map information 252 a selected by the server control unit 200 using the map information selection program 214 to the terminal 20.

As described above, the server 50 can provide the server-side required accuracy information 254 to the terminal 20.
For this reason, for example, the terminal 20 only needs to generate the positioning result information 158 (see FIG. 5) within the required accuracy range in order to receive the provision of the area map information, and the positioning result information 158 needlessly highly accurate. There is no need to generate.
That is, the server 50 can provide the terminal 20 with information for shortening the positioning time by generating the positioning result information 158 with the accuracy required for the positioning purpose.

(About the software configuration of the terminal 20)
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a main software configuration of the terminal 20.
As shown in FIG. 5, the terminal 20 includes a terminal control unit 100 that controls each unit, a terminal communication unit 102 corresponding to the terminal communication device 30 in FIG. 3, a terminal GPS unit 104 corresponding to the terminal GPS device 32 in FIG. Have.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the terminal 20 includes a terminal first storage unit 110 that stores various programs and a terminal second storage unit 150 that stores various types of information.
As shown in FIG. 5, the terminal 20 stores a required accuracy information acquisition program 112 in the terminal first storage unit 110. The required accuracy information acquisition program 112 is information for the terminal control unit 100 to acquire server-side required accuracy information 254 (see FIG. 4) from the server 50. That is, the required accuracy information acquisition program 112 and the terminal control unit 100 are examples of necessary accuracy range information acquisition means.

Specifically, the terminal control unit 100 requests the server 50 to transmit the server-side required accuracy information 254 based on the request accuracy information acquisition program 112, and the terminal communication unit 102 causes the server 50 to Server-side required accuracy information 254 is received.
The terminal control unit 100 stores the server-side request accuracy information 254 acquired from the server 50 in the terminal second storage unit 150 as the terminal-side request accuracy information 152. This terminal-side required accuracy information 152 is also an example of necessary accuracy range information.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the terminal 20 stores a positioning program 114 in the terminal first storage unit 110. In the positioning program 114, the terminal control unit 100 receives the signal S1 and the like from the GPS satellite 12a and the like (see FIG. 1) by the terminal GPS unit 104, and calculates the positioning of the current position of the terminal 20 based on the received signal S1 and the like. Information for generating positioning result information 158. The positioning program 114 and the terminal control unit 100 are examples of positioning means. Note that positioning calculation and positioning are used synonymously.
Specifically, the terminal control unit 100 generates the positioning result information 158 based on the satellite information 154, the initial position information 156, the signal S1, and the like by the positioning program 114. The satellite information 154 is information (Ephemeris) indicating satellite orbit information of each GPS satellite 12a and the like. The initial position information 156 is, for example, the previous positioning result information 158.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of positioning calculation and the like.
6A, 6B and 6C correspond to the positioning program 114 and the terminal control unit 100. The map information request unit corresponds to a map information acquisition program 118 and a terminal control unit 100 described later.
As shown in FIG. 6A and the like, the terminal control unit 100 repeatedly performs the positioning calculation (performs the repeating calculation) by the positioning program 114, and improves the positioning accuracy over time.
That is, the terminal control unit 100 continuously generates the positioning result information 158 and updates it while improving the positioning accuracy.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the terminal 20 stores a required accuracy range inside / outside determination program 116 in the terminal first storage unit 110. The required accuracy range inside / outside determination program 116 determines whether the terminal control unit 100 determines that the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is within, for example, 500 meters (m), which is the accuracy indicated by the terminal-side required accuracy information 152. It is information for. That is,
The required accuracy range inside / outside determination program 116 and the terminal control unit 100 are examples of required accuracy range inside / outside determination means.

As shown in FIG. 5, the terminal 20 stores an area map information request program 118 in the terminal first storage unit 110. As for the area map information request program 118, the terminal control unit 100
This is information for requesting, for example, the area map information 252a from the server 50 with the positioning result information 158 within the accuracy of the terminal-side required accuracy information 152, for example, within 500 meters (m). That is, the area map information request program 118 and the terminal control unit 100 are examples of location-related service information requesting means.

  Specifically, the terminal control unit 100 responds to the positioning position indicated by the positioning result information 158 by transmitting the positioning result information 158 with an accuracy within 500 meters (m) by the area map information request program 118, for example. The local map information to be requested is requested via the terminal communication unit 102. And the terminal 20 receives the area map information 252a which shows the range of Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo by the terminal communication part 102, for example.

As shown in FIG. 6, the positioning accuracy by the terminal 20 is improved with time by iterative calculation, and for example, the positioning accuracy becomes 500 meters (m) at the time t2.
Then, as shown in FIG. 6B, the terminal 20 is the time when the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is first determined to be within 500 meters (m). The area map information 252a is requested.
That is, the terminal 20 continues the iterative calculation to further improve the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 from within 500 meters (m), for example, at time t3 when it is within 10 meters (m). Instead of requesting the map information 252a, the area map information is requested at time t2.

Unlike the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the terminal 20 requests regional map information from the server 50 at time t3, the terminal 20 acquires the regional map information 252a. The time is t5, for example.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6B, the terminal 20 according to the present embodiment requests the area map information at time t2, and therefore the time for acquiring the area map information 252a from the server 50 becomes earlier. For example, it becomes t4.

  The terminal control unit 100 stores, for example, the area map information 252a acquired from the server 50 in the terminal second storage unit 150 as the terminal area map information 160. This terminal area map information 160 is also an example of location related service information.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the terminal 20 stores an allowable error range inside / outside determination program 120 in the terminal first storage unit 110. The allowable error range inside / outside determination program 120 determines whether the terminal control unit 100 determines that the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is within an allowable error range indicated by the allowable error range information 162, for example, within 10 meters (m). It is information for. That is, the allowable error range inside / outside determination program 120 and the terminal control unit 100 are an example of an allowable error range inside / outside determination means.
Here, the allowable error range information 162 is information indicating an allowable error range of the position information for using the terminal area map information 160. That is, the allowable error range information 162 is an example of allowable error range information. The terminal second storage unit 150 is an example of an allowable error range information storage unit.

Then, when the terminal control unit 100 determines that the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is within the allowable error range by the allowable error range internal / external determination program 120, the positioning calculation by the positioning program 114 is completed.
That is, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, the terminal control unit 100 completes positioning at a time point t3 when the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is within an allowable error range, for example, 10 meters (m).

The allowable error range shown in the above-described allowable error range information 162 is the terminal area map information 160.
It can be changed according to the usage method.
For example, the current location of the terminal 20 is displayed on a map of Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo shown in the terminal area map information 160, and the location of the meeting place with a third party other than the user of the terminal 20 is accurately known. In the case of the method, it is necessary that the position of the terminal 20 can be specified by a specific building or a specific road, for example. In this case, the allowable error range indicated in the allowable error range information 162 is, for example, 10 meters (m).

On the other hand, for example, in the case of the usage method of knowing the approximate position of whether it is in the center of Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo or on the east side, the allowable error range indicated by the allowable error range information 162 is, for example, 100 It may be a meter (m).
When the allowable error range is set to 100 meters (m), as shown in FIG.
The terminal control unit 100 completes positioning when the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 reaches 100 meters (m). That is, the positioning is completed at a time earlier than the positioning completion time t3 when the allowable error range is set to 10 meters (m). For this reason, power consumption required for positioning can be reduced.

  As described above, since the allowable error range of the terminal 20 can be changed, it can be set to an appropriate range according to the usage method of the terminal area map information 160.

  The allowable error range indicated in the allowable error range information 162 is smaller than the required accuracy range indicated in the terminal-side required accuracy information 152. The positioning result information 158 of the required accuracy range is used for the purpose of acquiring, from the server 50, the area map information 252a indicating a specific area range, for example, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. It is not necessary to specify the position of the details. On the other hand, since the positioning result information 158 in the allowable error range is used for the purpose of displaying the current position on the area map information 252a indicating Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, for example, any one of Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. This is because it is necessary to specify this point in detail according to the method of using the area map information 252a.

  As illustrated in FIG. 5, the terminal 20 stores a composite information generation program 122 in the terminal first storage unit 110. The composite information generation program 122 is information for the terminal control unit 100 to generate the composite information 164 by combining the terminal-side area map information 160 and the positioning result information 158 within the allowable error range.

  As shown in FIG. 6B, since the terminal 20 requests the area map information when the positioning accuracy is 500 meters (m), the terminal 20 receives the area map information 252a from the server 50, for example, at time t4. be able to. In the example of FIG. 6B, since the positioning result information 158 within the allowable error range has already been generated at the time t3, the terminal 20 generates the composite information 164 at the time t4 when the area map information 252a is received. be able to.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the terminal 20 stores a composite information display program 124 in the terminal first storage unit 110. The composite information display program 124 is information for the terminal control unit 100 to display the composite information 164 on a display screen (not shown) of the display device 34 (see FIG. 3).
Thereby, the user (not shown) of the terminal 20 can see an image obtained by combining the terminal area map information 160 and the current position.

As described above, the terminal 20 performs positioning with an accuracy necessary for receiving provision of the area map information from the server 50.
For this reason, the terminal 20 does not perform positioning with an unnecessarily high accuracy for the purpose of receiving provision of area map information from the server 50.
That is, the terminal 20 can shorten the positioning time by generating position information with accuracy necessary for the purpose of positioning.

Further, the terminal 20 requests the area map information from the server 50 at the time when the position information within the required accuracy range indicated by the terminal-side required accuracy information 152 is generated for the area map information.
That is, after generating position information within the allowable error range, the server 50 is requested for the area map information and the area map information is acquired earlier than when the server 50 requests the area map information. can do. As a result, area map information can be acquired and used more quickly.

Furthermore, since the terminal 20 is configured to be able to change the allowable error range according to the method of using the area map information, if the allowable error range may be wide, the allowable error range can be set wide. it can.
For example, when the area map information is used to specify the approximate position of the terminal 20, the allowable error range may be larger than when it is used to specify the precise position of the terminal 20. Nevertheless, if the allowable error range is kept small, highly accurate positioning is performed unnecessarily, positioning time becomes unnecessarily long, and power is unnecessarily consumed.

  In this respect, since the terminal 20 has a configuration in which the allowable error range can be changed according to the usage method of the area map information, the positioning time is unnecessary because the highly accurate positioning is not performed unnecessarily. Can be prevented from becoming longer. Furthermore, unnecessary consumption of electric power can be prevented.

  The above is the configuration of the positioning system 10 according to the present embodiment. Hereinafter, an example of the operation will be mainly described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart showing an operation example of the positioning system 10 according to the present embodiment.

First, the terminal 20 acquires server-side required accuracy information 254 (see FIG. 4) from the server 50 (step ST1 in FIG. 7). This step ST1 is an example of a necessary accuracy range information acquisition step.
The terminal 20 stores the server-side required accuracy information 254 acquired from the server 50 as the terminal-side required accuracy information 152 in the terminal second storage unit 150 (see FIG. 5).

Subsequently, the terminal 20 starts positioning calculation based on the signal S1 from the GPS satellite 12a or the like (see FIG. 1) (step ST2).
Subsequently, the terminal 20 determines whether or not the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is within a required accuracy range indicated in the terminal-side required accuracy information 152, for example, within 500 meters (m) (step ST3). This step ST3 is an example of a necessary accuracy range inside / outside determination step.

In step ST3, when the terminal 20 determines that the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is within the required accuracy range, for example, within 500 meters (m), the positioning result information 158 within the required accuracy range is stored in the server. 50 and request the area map information (step ST4). This step ST4 is an example of a location related service information requesting step.
In step ST3, if the terminal 20 determines that the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is not within the required accuracy range, the positioning is continued without requesting the area map information from the server 50.

Subsequently, the terminal 20 determines whether or not the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is within an allowable error range indicated by the allowable error range information 162, for example, 10 meters (m) (step ST5). When the terminal 20 determines that the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is within the allowable error range indicated by the allowable error range information 162, for example, within 10 meters (m), the positioning is completed.
If the terminal 20 determines that the positioning accuracy of the positioning result information 158 is other than the allowable error range indicated by the allowable error range information 162, for example, 10 meters (m), the terminal 20 continues the positioning.

  Subsequently, the terminal 20 acquires, for example, the area map information 252a from the server 50 (step ST6). The terminal 20 stores the area map information 252a acquired from the server 50 in the terminal second storage unit 150 (see FIG. 5) as the terminal area map information 160.

  Subsequently, the terminal 20 combines the positioning result information 158 and the terminal area map information 160 to generate combined information 164 (see FIG. 5) and displays it on the display device 34 (see FIG. 3).

As described above, the terminal 20 performs positioning with an accuracy necessary for receiving provision of the area map information from the server 50.
For this reason, the terminal 20 does not perform positioning with an unnecessarily high accuracy for the purpose of receiving provision of area map information from the server 50.
Thereby, time until receiving provision of area map information from the server 50 can be shortened, and as a result, area map information can be utilized earlier.

(About programs and computer-readable recording media)
A control program for a terminal device for causing a computer to execute a necessary accuracy range information acquisition step, a necessary accuracy range inside / outside determination step, a location-related service information request step, and the like in the above-described operation example can be provided.
Moreover, it can also be set as the computer-readable recording medium etc. which recorded the control program etc. of such a terminal device.

  A program storage medium used for installing the control program of the terminal device in the computer and making it executable by the computer is, for example, a floppy disk such as a floppy (registered trademark), a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only). Semiconductor memory in which programs are temporarily or permanently stored as well as package media such as Memory, CD-R (Compact Disc-Recordable), CD-RW (Compact Disc-Rewriterable), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), etc. It can be realized with a magnetic disk or a magneto-optical disk.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments may be combined with each other.

It is the schematic which shows the positioning system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the main hardware constitutions of a server. It is the schematic which shows the main hardware constitutions of a terminal. It is the schematic which shows the main software structures of a server. It is the schematic which shows the main software structures of a terminal. It is a conceptual diagram, such as positioning calculation. It is a schematic flowchart which shows the operation example of a positioning system.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Positioning system, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d ... GPS satellite, 20 ... Terminal, 40 ... Base station, 45 ... Internet network, 112 ... Required accuracy information acquisition program, 114 ... Positioning program, 116 ... Required accuracy range inside / outside judgment program, 118 ... Area map information request program, 120 ... Allowable error range inside / outside judgment program, 122 ... Composite information generation program, 124 ..Synthetic information display program, 212... Required accuracy information transmission program, 214.

Claims (8)

A terminal device having positioning means for positioning the current position based on position-related signals from a plurality of position information satellites;
An information providing device capable of communicating with the terminal device;
A positioning system having
The information providing apparatus includes:
Location-related service information storage means for storing location-related service information;
Required accuracy range information storage means for storing required accuracy range information indicating a required accuracy range of location information necessary for providing the location-related service information;
Necessary accuracy range information providing means for providing the necessary accuracy range information to the terminal device;
Location-related service information selection means for selecting the location-related service information based on location information within the required accuracy range;
Have
The terminal device
Required accuracy range information acquisition means for acquiring the required accuracy range information from the information providing device;
A required accuracy range inside / outside determining means for determining whether the accuracy of the position information generated by the positioning means is within the required accuracy range;
Position-related service information requesting means for requesting the position-related service information to the information providing device according to the position information within the required accuracy range;
A positioning system characterized by comprising: A terminal device having positioning means for positioning a current position based on position-related signals from a plurality of position information satellites,
Communication means for communicating with an information providing device for providing location related service information;
Necessary accuracy range information acquisition means for acquiring necessary accuracy range information indicating a required accuracy range of location information necessary for the information providing device to provide the location-related service information from the information providing device;
A required accuracy range inside / outside determining means for determining whether the accuracy of the position information generated by the positioning means is within the required accuracy range;
Position-related service information requesting means for requesting the position-related service information to the information providing device according to the position information within the required accuracy range;
The terminal device characterized by having. Allowable error range information storage means for storing allowable error range information indicating an allowable error range of position information for using the position related service information;
An allowable error range inside / outside determining means for determining whether the accuracy of the position information generated by the positioning means is within the allowable error range;
Have
The allowable error range is smaller than the required accuracy range,
When the location information within the required accuracy range is generated, request the location related service information to the information providing device,
The terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the positioning by the positioning unit is completed when the position information within the allowable error range is generated.   The terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the allowable error range can be changed according to a method of using the location-related service information. An information providing apparatus capable of communicating with a terminal device having positioning means for positioning a current position based on position-related signals from a plurality of position information satellites,
Location-related service information storage means for storing location-related service information;
Required accuracy range information storage means for storing required accuracy range information indicating a required accuracy range of location information necessary for providing the location-related service information;
Necessary accuracy range information providing means for providing the necessary accuracy range information to the terminal device;
Location-related service information selection means for selecting the location-related service information based on the location information within the required accuracy range;
An information providing apparatus comprising: A terminal apparatus having positioning means for positioning the current position based on position-related signals from a plurality of position information satellites receives information about the position-related service information from an information providing apparatus that provides position-related service information. A required accuracy range information acquisition step for acquiring required accuracy range information indicating a required accuracy range of position information necessary for providing;
A required accuracy range inside / outside determining step for determining whether or not the accuracy of the position information generated by the terminal device is within the required accuracy range;
A location-related service information requesting step in which the terminal device requests the location-related service information from the information providing device based on the location information within the required accuracy range;
A control method for a terminal device, comprising: On the computer,
A terminal apparatus having positioning means for positioning the current position based on position-related signals from a plurality of position information satellites receives information about the position-related service information from an information providing apparatus that provides position-related service information. A required accuracy range information acquisition step for acquiring required accuracy range information indicating a required accuracy range of position information necessary for providing;
A required accuracy range inside / outside determining step for determining whether or not the accuracy of the position information generated by the terminal device is within the required accuracy range;
A location-related service information requesting step in which the terminal device requests the location-related service information from the information providing device based on the location information within the required accuracy range;
A control program for a terminal device, characterized in that On the computer,
A terminal apparatus having positioning means for positioning the current position based on position-related signals from a plurality of position information satellites receives information about the position-related service information from an information providing apparatus that provides position-related service information. A required accuracy range information acquisition step for acquiring required accuracy range information indicating a required accuracy range of position information necessary for providing;
A required accuracy range inside / outside determining step for determining whether or not the accuracy of the position information generated by the terminal device is within the required accuracy range;
A location-related service information requesting step in which the terminal device requests the location-related service information from the information providing device based on the location information within the required accuracy range;
A computer-readable recording medium on which a control program for a terminal device is recorded.

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