JP2008180642A - Position retrieval system, mobile terminal, and position retrieval method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce current consumption consumed by position retrieval. <P>SOLUTION: Positional information is transmitted from a positioning satellite 102, map information is transmitted via a wireless base station 103 from a map information service server 104. In the mobile terminal 101 having received each piece of information, the distance from the current position of the mobile terminal 101 to the next branch point is calculated based on the positional information and map information, the moving speed of the mobile terminal 101 is calculated, arrival time to the next branch point is calculated based on the calculated distance from the current position to the next branch point, and the positioning of the mobile terminal 101 is performed at the calculated time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a position search system, a mobile terminal, and a position search method for searching for the position of a mobile terminal, and more particularly to a position search system, a mobile terminal, and a position search method for searching for the position of a mobile terminal having a GPS function. .

  In recent years, mobile terminals that have been commercialized are increasingly equipped with a position search function for searching for a position where the mobile terminal exists. By possessing a portable terminal equipped with this position search function, a position (current location) where a person who possesses the position search function (hereinafter referred to as the “owner”) currently exists can be displayed on the portable terminal. Autonomous positioning is required to capture this current location. However, in a mobile terminal, it is difficult to secure a space for mounting an autonomous positioning function (a geomagnetic sensor or a gyro sensor) in order to achieve further miniaturization. For this reason, in many cases, the current location is captured by repeatedly performing a position search by a GPS (Global Positioning System) function at regular intervals.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a position search point using a conventional GPS function. Here, it is assumed that the holder who has the mobile terminal moves at a constant moving speed from the starting place (“Start” in the figure) to the destination (“Goal” in the figure).

  As shown in FIG. 6, the interval between the positioning points before and after the point (positioning point: indicated by a black circle) for searching for the position of the holder of the mobile terminal moving at a constant speed is equal. This is a case where a route having one branch point as shown in the left diagram of FIG. 6 moves even when a route having two branch points as shown in the right diagram of FIG. 6 is moved. Even so, the number of positioning times and the distance to the preceding and following positioning points are the same. Note that this route is a route calculated after the departure point and the destination are input to the mobile terminal.

Also, in a navigation system that is one of the systems for searching for the current location, the travel distance is calculated based on the traveling speed of the positioning target vehicle, and the road distance and travel distance to a predetermined position on the map displayed on the screen A technique for acquiring new information when “and” match is considered (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-014472 A

  However, when a position search by GPS is performed, the current consumed for the search is large, so that the current consumption increases as the number of searches increases. That is, there is a problem that an increase in the number of searches shortens the usage time of the navigation system.

  Moreover, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the timing for acquiring information is changed based on the moving speed, and when the moving speed is uniform, the timing cannot be changed. There is a point.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the conventional techniques as described above, and provides a position search system, a portable terminal, and a position search method capable of reducing current consumption consumed by position search. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
A position search system for positioning a mobile terminal on a route having a branch point,
A positioning satellite that transmits position information of the mobile terminal to the mobile terminal;
The mobile terminal has a map information providing server that transmits map information,
The mobile terminal calculates a distance from a current position where the mobile terminal is currently located to a next branch point based on the position information and the map information, calculates a movement speed of the mobile terminal, and calculates the calculated Based on the distance from the current position to the next branch point and the moving speed, the time to reach the next branch point is calculated, and the mobile terminal is positioned at the calculated time.

  In addition, the portable terminal performs positioning of the portable terminal using a GPS function.

  The mobile terminal calculates a moving speed of the mobile terminal using an acceleration sensor.

The mobile terminal is configured to be communicable with a positioning satellite that transmits position information and a map information providing server that transmits map information, and performs positioning on a route having a branch point,
Based on the position information and the map information, the distance from the current position where the mobile terminal is currently located to the next branch point is calculated, the moving speed of the mobile terminal is calculated, and the next speed is calculated from the calculated current position. A control unit that calculates a time to reach the next branch point based on the distance to the branch point and the moving speed;
A GPS unit that performs positioning of the mobile terminal at the time calculated by the control unit.

  The GPS unit may perform positioning of the mobile terminal using a GPS function.

  In addition, the control unit calculates a moving speed of the mobile terminal using an acceleration sensor.

In addition, a positioning satellite that transmits position information, a map information providing server that transmits map information, and a mobile terminal that is configured to be communicable with the positioning satellite and the map information providing server and performs positioning on a route having a branch point A position search method in a position search system comprising:
The mobile terminal calculates a distance from the current position where the mobile terminal is currently located to the next branch point based on the position information and the map information;
A process in which the mobile terminal calculates a moving speed of the mobile terminal;
A process for calculating a time at which the portable terminal reaches the next branch point based on the calculated distance from the current position to the next branch point and the moving speed;
The portable terminal includes a process of positioning the portable terminal at the calculated time.

  In the present invention configured as described above, the position information is transmitted from the positioning satellite, the map information is transmitted from the map information providing server, and each is received based on the position information and the map information. The distance from the current position of the mobile terminal to the next branch point is calculated, the moving speed of the mobile terminal is calculated, and based on the calculated distance from the current position to the next branch point and the moving speed, The time to reach the next branch point is calculated, and positioning of the mobile terminal is performed at the calculated time.

  For this reason, the number of times of positioning can be reduced in the route guidance on a simple route. As a result, current consumption can be reduced. Further, depending on the route, there may be a case where there are a plurality of branch points within a certain period or a case where there is no branch point, but the positioning interval can be flexibly changed depending on the branch points.

  As described above, in the present invention, the distance from the current position of the mobile terminal to the next branch point is calculated based on the position information transmitted from the positioning satellite and the map information transmitted from the map information providing server. Calculating the moving speed of the mobile terminal, calculating the time to reach the next branch point based on the calculated distance from the current position to the next branch point and the moving speed, and at the calculated time Since the mobile terminal is configured to perform positioning, current consumption consumed by position search can be reduced.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a position search system according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, this embodiment includes a mobile terminal 101, a positioning satellite 102, a radio base station 103, and a map information providing server 104. The radio base station 103 and the map information providing server 104 are connected via a network 105.

  The portable terminal 101 is a mobile terminal having a GPS function for receiving the position information of the portable terminal 101 transmitted from the positioning satellite 102, and is always possessed by the user.

  The positioning satellite 102 is an artificial satellite used in general GPS.

  The wireless base station 103 is wirelessly connected to the mobile terminal 101 and transmits the map information transmitted from the map information providing server 104 to the mobile terminal 101.

  The map information providing server 104 is a server that is connected to the wireless base station 103 via the network 105 and provides map information.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the mobile terminal 101 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal 101 shown in FIG. 1 includes an antenna 110, a radio unit 111, a GPS unit 112, an acceleration sensor 113, a timer 114, an input unit 115, a display unit 116, A control unit 117 for controlling these is provided.

  The antenna 110 performs wireless communication with the wireless base station 103.

  The wireless unit 111 is an interface unit between a signal exchanged inside the mobile terminal 101 and a wireless signal transmitted / received by the antenna 110.

  The GPS unit 112 is a GPS function unit that calculates the current position of the mobile terminal 101.

  The acceleration sensor 113 detects whether acceleration is applied to the mobile terminal 101.

  The timer 114 measures timing and may be a general clock.

  The input unit 115 is an input key or a touch panel for inputting information provided in the mobile terminal 101.

  The display unit 116 is a screen that displays information.

  The position search method in the position search system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described below.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a position search method in the position search system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

  First, when a predetermined command for performing a position search is input from the input unit 115 by the holder of the portable terminal 101, navigation to the destination is started (step S1). Specifically, the command input from the input unit 115 is decoded by the control unit 117, and the GPS unit 112 is activated under the control of the control unit 117. Then, position information is requested from the positioning satellite 102, and map information is inquired to the map information providing server 104 via the radio unit 111 and the antenna 110. This inquiry is made via the radio base station 103 and the network 105. The above-described operation is general GPS positioning.

  The position information transmitted from the positioning satellite 102 is received by the portable terminal 101, and the map information transmitted from the map information providing server 104 is received by the portable terminal 101 via the network 105 and the wireless base station 103. Then, the distance between the current position and the next branch point is calculated by the control unit 117 from the received position information and map information (step S2). In the present invention, positioning is performed at this branch point.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing positioning points where positioning is performed in the position search system of the present invention. Here, it is assumed that the holder who holds the mobile terminal 101 moves along the route at a constant moving speed from the starting place (“Start” in the figure) to the destination (“Goal” in the figure). This route is a route calculated by the present system after the departure point and the destination are input to the mobile terminal 101 before moving.

  When the holder of the portable terminal 101 is moving in one direction, it is considered that positioning is unnecessary at a position where there is no branch. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, in the present invention, the points (positioning points: indicated by black circles) for searching the position of the holder of the portable terminal 101 are only the branch points. Thereby, current consumption due to useless positioning can be reduced.

  Moreover, the moving speed of the holder of the portable terminal 101 is calculated using the acceleration sensor 113 (step S3). This is detected by detecting whether or not acceleration is applied to the portable terminal 101 by a commonly used acceleration sensor 113, thereby detecting movement start and stop. For example, the time from the start of movement to the stop is measured by the timer 114, and the moving speed at that time is divided by the time to calculate the moving speed. Further, the acceleration sensor 113 is used as a pedometer, the length of one step is registered in advance, and the number of steps measured at a predetermined time measured by the timer 114 is multiplied by the length of one step. The moving speed may be calculated by dividing by. For the speed calculation using the acceleration sensor 113, an already realized technique may be used. The calculation process is performed by the control unit 117.

  Thereafter, the time until the holder of the portable terminal 101 reaches the first branch point is calculated by the control unit 117. Specifically, the distance calculated in step S2 is divided by the moving speed calculated in step S3, thereby calculating the time until the first branch point is reached.

  The calculated arrival time is calculated by adding the calculated time to the current time (step S4).

  Here, a specific example of the calculation method from steps S2 to S4 described above will be given.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a specific calculation method from when the distance to the branch point is calculated until the branch point arrival time is calculated.

  First, in step S2, the distance from the current position to the next branch point is calculated. This is based on the position information and map information received by the mobile terminal 101 as described above, and the current position and the next branch point. The distance between the points is calculated. Here, it is assumed that the distance between the current position and the next branch point is calculated to be 1.2 km.

  Thereafter, the moving speed of the holder of the portable terminal 101 is calculated in step S3. The acceleration sensor 113 senses that the time when the owner starts to move is 12:00, then senses that the time when the owner stopped is 12: 1, and the movement distance is 0 by the GPS unit 112. When measured to be 0.1 km, the moving speed is 0.1 km / (12: 01-12: 00) = 6 km / h.

  In step S4, the time when the owner of the mobile terminal 101 reaches the first branch point is calculated. First, the time until the owner of the mobile terminal 101 reaches the first branch point is 117. This is because when the distance from the current position to the first branch point is 1.2 km, as described above, the moving speed of the holder of the mobile terminal 101 is 6 km / h, so 1.2 km ÷ 6 km / h = 12 minutes. Subsequently, the time at which the owner of the mobile terminal 101 reaches the first branch point is calculated. When the current time is 12:10, the owner of the mobile terminal 101 reaches the first branch point. Since the time is 12 minutes, 12: 10 + 12 minutes = 12: 22. Here, it goes without saying that the processing time required for GPS positioning is subtracted.

  After the arrival time of the branch point is calculated, the control unit 117 compares the current time with the branch point arrival time, and determines whether the current time and the branch point arrival time match (step S5). This process is repeated until the control unit 117 determines that the current time matches the branch point arrival time. Here, the current time and the branch point arrival time may be constantly compared, or may be periodically compared at a preset cycle. However, when compared periodically, depending on the cycle, the current time and the branch point arrival time may pass and the current time may exceed the branch point arrival time. It may be determined whether the arrival time matches or the current time exceeds the branch point arrival time.

  If it is determined in step S5 that the current time coincides with the branch point arrival time, the GPS unit 112 is activated again under the control of the control unit 117, and positioning of the current location is performed again as in step S1 (step S6). ). Note that the current location is measured when the difference between the current time and the branch point arrival time reaches a predetermined time, not when it is determined that the current time and the branch point arrival time match. May be. This indicates that a branch point has been approached.

  Thereafter, the control unit 117 displays further guidance for the next branch point on the display unit 116 (step S7), and the process of step S2 is performed.

  As described above, in the present invention, positioning is not performed in places where guidance of the existing position is not necessary, but positioning is performed only near the branch point, so the number of times of GPS positioning is reduced in route guidance on a simple route. Can do. By reducing the number of positioning times, current consumption can be reduced. Also, depending on the route, there may be multiple branch points within a certain period, or there may be no branch points at all. However, the positioning interval can be changed flexibly depending on the branch points, so GPS positioning accuracy can be improved. The positioning cycle can be changed without dropping.

  As another example, in the portable terminal 101 in which the display unit 116 is hidden by folding the casing, when the portable terminal 101 casing is folded at the time of GPS positioning, the map information is always inquired. The operation may be stopped and the map information inquiry operation may be performed simultaneously with the GPS positioning timing.

It is a figure which shows one Embodiment of the position search system of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of an internal structure of the portable terminal shown in FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a position search method in the position search system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is a figure which shows the positioning point in which positioning is performed in the position search system of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the specific calculation method after the distance to a branch point is calculated until a branch point arrival time is calculated. It is a figure which shows an example of the position search point by the conventional GPS function.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Mobile terminal 102 Positioning satellite 103 Wireless base station 104 Map information provision server 105 Network 110 Antenna 111 Wireless part 112 GPS part 113 Acceleration sensor 114 Timer 115 Input part 116 Display part 117 Control part

Claims (7)

A position search system for positioning a mobile terminal on a route having a branch point,
A positioning satellite that transmits position information of the mobile terminal to the mobile terminal;
The mobile terminal has a map information providing server that transmits map information,
The mobile terminal calculates a distance from a current position where the mobile terminal is currently located to a next branch point based on the position information and the map information, calculates a movement speed of the mobile terminal, and calculates the calculated A position search system that calculates a time to reach the next branch point based on a distance from the current position to the next branch point and the moving speed, and performs positioning of the mobile terminal at the calculated time. The position search system according to claim 1,
The mobile terminal performs positioning of the mobile terminal using a GPS function. The position search system according to claim 1 or 2,
The position search system, wherein the portable terminal calculates a moving speed of the portable terminal using an acceleration sensor. A portable terminal configured to communicate with a positioning satellite that transmits position information and a map information providing server that transmits map information, and performs positioning on a route having a branch point,
Based on the position information and the map information, the distance from the current position where the mobile terminal is currently located to the next branch point is calculated, the moving speed of the mobile terminal is calculated, and the next speed is calculated from the calculated current position. A control unit that calculates a time to reach the next branch point based on the distance to the branch point and the moving speed;
A mobile terminal having a GPS unit that performs positioning of the mobile terminal at the time calculated by the control unit. The mobile terminal according to claim 4,
The GPS unit performs positioning of the mobile terminal using a GPS function. In the portable terminal according to claim 4 or 5,
The said control part calculates the moving speed of the said portable terminal using an acceleration sensor, The portable terminal characterized by the above-mentioned. A positioning satellite that transmits position information, a map information providing server that transmits map information, and a portable terminal that is configured to be communicable with the positioning satellite and the map information providing server and performs positioning on a route having a branch point. A position search method in a position search system comprising:
The mobile terminal calculates a distance from the current position where the mobile terminal is currently located to the next branch point based on the position information and the map information;
A process in which the mobile terminal calculates a moving speed of the mobile terminal;
A process for calculating a time at which the portable terminal reaches the next branch point based on the calculated distance from the current position to the next branch point and the moving speed;
A position search method comprising: a process in which the mobile terminal performs positioning of the mobile terminal at the calculated time.

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