JP2010078937A - Method, system, device, and program for providing map information - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a two-dimensional map enabling a user to recognize a high building serving as a landmark. <P>SOLUTION: A computer extracts the position and height of buildings from a three-dimensional map database stored information of three-dimensional maps, associates the position and height, and performs height correlation for storing in a two-dimensional map database. The computer receives a browsing request of a two-dimensional map of a specific position, and retrieves a map corresponding to the browsing request from the two-dimensional map database. The computer refers to the two-dimensional map database, ranks the height of buildings within a prescribed range from the specific position and, by providing annotation of the rank for each building in the map found by the retrieval, imparts height information to the map, and outputs a map with the height information imparted therein. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a map providing method, system, apparatus, and program for providing a two-dimensional map with height information.

In recent years, a map information providing site receives a current position from a mobile phone with a GPS function and provides a two-dimensional map showing a route from the current position to a destination.
[Online], S! GPS Navigation, [Search September 3, 2008], Internet <URL: http: // mb. softbank. jp / mb / service / 3G / life / s_gps />

  On the other hand, the user often determines whether or not the traveling direction to the destination is correct with a tall building as a landmark.

  However, the two-dimensional map provided by the above-described conventional map information providing site cannot recognize a tall building as a landmark. This is because building height information cannot be obtained with a two-dimensional map.

  The present invention is proposed in consideration of such circumstances, and by providing height information to a two-dimensional map based on a predetermined rule, it is possible to grasp a tall building as a landmark. It is an object of the present invention to provide a map information providing method, system, apparatus, and program for providing a two-dimensional map.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present inventor has found a mechanism for giving height information to a two-dimensional map according to a predetermined rule, and has come up with the present invention.

  The map information providing method according to the present invention provides a map in which a high building as a landmark can be grasped by annotating the height order of buildings on a two-dimensional map according to a predetermined rule. Is.

  (1) A height associating step in which a computer extracts the height of a building on a map stored in a predetermined database, associates the position and height of the building with each other, and stores them in the map database; A map request accepting step for accepting a request for browsing a three-dimensional map, a map searching step for retrieving a map related to the browse request from the map database, and referring to the map database, and being within a predetermined range from the specific position A height information adding step for giving height information to the map by assigning a rank to the height of the building and annotating the rank for each building in the map found by the search, and giving the height information And a map output step for outputting the map. Here, the predetermined range corresponds to, for example, a range in which the distance from the specific position is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold. In addition, you may make it change the display attribute for every said building in the map found by the said search according to the said order. As a method of changing the display attribute, for example, it is conceivable to increase the brightness of the building or change the color of the building as the rank increases. According to this, it is possible to easily visually recognize a high building as a landmark on the map.

  According to the invention of (1), the order of the heights of buildings within a predetermined range is given, and the order is noted for each of these buildings on a two-dimensional map. A two-dimensional map can be provided.

  (2) The map information providing method according to (1), wherein the height association step is executed after the map request receiving step.

  According to the invention of (2), since the position of the building and the height of the building are extracted from the three-dimensional database every time a map browsing request is received, the latest height information is reflected in the two-dimensional database. Can do.

  (3) The map information providing method according to (1), wherein in the map request receiving step, a current position is measured, and the position is set as the specific position. As a method of measuring the current position, for example, a method of measuring the current position using GPS (Global Positioning System) is applicable.

  According to the invention of (3), since the order of height is noted for a building within a predetermined range from the current position in a two-dimensional map, it is easy to find the high building in front and the position of the building on the map. Can be matched.

  (4) The map information providing method according to (1), wherein, in the map request receiving step, a current position is periodically measured and the position is set as the specific position.

  According to the invention of (4), since the order of the height of the building is periodically updated according to the current position, even if the relative order of the height of the building at hand changes, the building and the building It is possible to easily check the position on the map.

  (5) Height association means for extracting the height of a building on a map stored in a predetermined database and associating the position and height of the building with each other and storing it in the map database, and a map browsing request at a specific position A map request receiving means for receiving a map, a map search means for searching a map according to the browsing request from the map database, and referring to the map database, and rankings for heights of buildings within a predetermined range from the specific position. And a map that outputs the map with the height information added thereto, and the height information adding means for adding the height information to the map by annotating the rank for each building in the map found by the search And a map information providing system comprising an output unit. Here, the map information providing system includes not only a system composed of a plurality of computers but also a system composed of a single computer such as a personal computer.

  (6) Height association means for extracting the height of a building on a map stored in a predetermined database and associating the position and height of the building with each other and storing it in the map database, and a map browsing request at a specific position A map request receiving means for receiving a map, a map search means for searching a map according to the browsing request from the map database, and referring to the map database, and rankings for heights of buildings within a predetermined range from the specific position. And a map for transmitting the map with the height information added thereto, and annotating the rank of each building in the map found by the search, and adding the height information to the map. A map information providing apparatus comprising: a transmission unit;

  (7) A program that causes a computer to execute the method according to (1).

  According to this invention, since the ranks are given to the heights of the buildings within the predetermined range and the ranks are noted for each of these buildings on the two-dimensional map, it is possible to grasp the tall building as a landmark 2 Dimensional maps can be provided.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This is merely an example, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to this.
[Overall configuration of map retrieval device and related elements]

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a map information providing apparatus 1 and related elements according to the present embodiment.

  The map information providing apparatus 1 and the user terminal 2 according to the present embodiment are connected to a communication network N such as the Internet. It does not matter whether the connection with the communication network N is wired or wireless.

  The map information providing apparatus 1 receives a map browsing request from the user terminal 2 and transmits a map related to the browsing request to the user terminal 2.

The user terminal 2 is an information processing apparatus used by a user who browses a map received from the map information providing apparatus 1, and corresponds to a mobile phone with a GPS function. Here, the user terminal 2 includes a GPS receiving unit 21 that receives radio waves from a GPS satellite (not shown), a current position calculating unit 22 that calculates the current position of the user terminal 2 from information included in the received radio waves, Map request transmitting means 23 for transmitting a map browsing request at the current position obtained by calculation to the map information providing apparatus 1, map receiving means 24 for receiving a map related to the browsing request from the map information providing apparatus 1, and reception Map display means 25 for displaying the map. Note that instead of the current position calculation means 22, a current position of the user terminal 2 may be calculated by a predetermined calculation server.
[Functional structure of map information providing device]

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a functional configuration of the map information providing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. The map information providing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a map request accepting unit 11, a map search unit 12, a height information providing unit 13, and a map transmitting unit 14.

  The map request accepting unit 11 accepts a request for browsing a two-dimensional map at the current position of the user terminal 2 from the user terminal 2.

  The map search means 12 searches for a two-dimensional map at the current position of the user terminal 2 related to the browsing request.

  The height information assigning means 13 notes the height order for each building in the map found by the search according to a predetermined rule. Here, the map database 15 constitutes a part of the height information assigning means 13. Details of the map database 15 will be described later.

The map transmission means 14 transmits the map with the note to the user terminal 2 that has made a map browsing request.
[Map database configuration]

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the map database 15.

The map database 15 stores the building ID, the name of the building, the position of the building on the map, and the height of the building in advance as a table diagram in association with each other. Here, as the position of the building on the map, for example, a combination of longitude and latitude (vector value) is applicable. In addition, when the map information provision apparatus 1 is provided with the existing three-dimensional map database, you may produce | generate the map database 15 which concerns on this embodiment from this three-dimensional map database.
[Hardware configuration of map information providing device]

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the map information providing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.

  The map information providing apparatus 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 310 (a plurality of CPUs such as a CPU 320 may be added in a multiprocessor configuration), a bus line 200, a communication I / F (I / F). An interface) 330, a main memory 340, a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) 350, an I / O controller 360, a hard disk 370, an optical disk drive 380, and a semiconductor memory 390. The hard disk 370, the optical disk drive 380, and the semiconductor memory 390 are collectively referred to as a storage device 410.

  The control unit 300 is a part that controls the map information providing apparatus 1 in an integrated manner. By appropriately reading and executing various programs stored in the hard disk 370 (described later), the control unit 300 cooperates with the hardware described above, Various functions according to the invention are realized.

  The communication I / F 330 is a network adapter when the map information providing apparatus 1 transmits / receives information to / from the user terminal 2 (FIG. 1) via the communication network N (FIG. 1). The communication I / F 330 may include a modem, a cable modem, and an Ethernet (registered trademark) adapter.

  The BIOS 350 records a boot program executed by the CPU 310 when the map information providing apparatus 1 is started, a program that the map information providing apparatus 1 depends on hardware, and the like.

  A storage device 410 such as a hard disk 370, an optical disk drive 380, and a semiconductor memory 390 can be connected to the I / O controller 360.

  The hard disk 370 stores various programs for causing the hardware to function as the map information providing apparatus 1 and programs for executing the functions of the present invention. Note that the map information providing apparatus 1 can also use a hard disk (not shown) separately provided as an external storage device.

  As the optical disk drive 380, for example, a DVD-ROM drive, a CD-ROM drive, a DVD-RAM drive, or a CD-RAM drive can be used. In this case, the optical disk 400 corresponding to each drive is used. A program or data can be read from the optical disk 400 by the optical disk drive 380 and provided to the main memory 340 or the hard disk 370 via the I / O controller 360.

  Note that the computer in the present invention refers to an information processing device including a storage device, a control unit, and the like, and the map information providing device 1 includes an information processing device including a storage device 410, a control unit 300, and the like. This information processing apparatus is included in the concept of the computer of the present invention.

In the map information providing apparatus 1, the control unit 300 mainly corresponds to the map search unit 12 and the height information addition unit 13, and the communication I / F 330 mainly corresponds to the map request reception unit 11 and the map transmission unit 14.
[Hardware configuration of user terminal]

The user terminal 22 also has a hardware configuration similar to that of the map information providing device 1 described above, but is different in that it further includes a GPS receiver and a display device.
[Flowchart According to Embodiment of the Present Invention]

  FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the height information adding process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  S1: The map request accepting unit 11 accepts a two-dimensional map browsing request at the current position (X1, Y1) of the user terminal 2 from the user terminal 2. Here, the user terminal 2 may periodically transmit a two-dimensional map browsing request at the current position of the user terminal 2. This is because the user terminal 2 moves with the user and the current position changes.

  S2: The map searching means 12 searches the predetermined storage means for image data of a two-dimensional map including the current position (X1, Y1) of the user terminal 2 related to the browsing request accepted by the map request accepting means 11. Here, the map search means 12 is a map including the current position of the user terminal 2 when the current position (X1, Y1) of the user terminal 2 is included in the display range previously associated with the map image data. to decide. For example, when the display range previously associated with the map image data is {(X, Y) | La1 ≦ X ≦ La2, Lo1 ≦ Y ≦ Lo2} (La1, La2, Lo1, Lo2 are constants), La1 ≦ If X1 ≦ La2 and Lo1 ≦ Y1 ≦ Lo2 are satisfied, it is determined that the map includes the current position (X1, Y1) of the user terminal 2.

  S3: The height information adding unit 13 extracts from the map database 15 records of buildings that are within a predetermined range from the current position (X1, Y1) of the user terminal 2 related to the browsing request received by the map request receiving unit 11. . That is, the height information providing unit 13 determines that the vector value of the “position on the building map” field is within a predetermined range {(X, Y) || X−X1 | ≦ α, | Y−Y1 | ≦ β}. Records included in (α and β are constants) are extracted from the map database 15. In addition, you may employ | adopt the range whose distance from the present position of the user terminal 2 is below a predetermined threshold as a predetermined range.

  S4: The height information assigning means 13 ranks the values in the “building height” field of the extracted records in descending order. The height information assigning means 13 then calculates the vector value of the “position on the building map” field of the record extracted in S3, and the ranking given to the value of the “building height” field of this record. Are stored in a storage device such as a memory.

  S5: The height information assigning means 13 at the position corresponding to the vector value of the “position on the map of the building” field for each record extracted in S3 in the map image data found by the search of the map searching means 12. Height information is given by creating a layer that displays text in a rank associated with this vector value. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a map provided with height information.

  S6: The map transmission means 14 transmits the image data of the map to which the height information is added to the user terminal 2 that made the map browsing request.

  As described above, since the order of height is noted for a building that is within a predetermined range from the current position on a two-dimensional map, it is easy to check the high building in front and the position of the building on the map. be able to. For this reason, the user can arrive at the destination without hesitation using a high building as a landmark. On the other hand, a trader who provides map information can provide a new two-dimensional map that has not existed before.

[Modification]
The map information providing apparatus 1 further extracts the position on the map of the building and the height of the building from the three-dimensional map database that stores the information of the three-dimensional map, associates them, and stores them in the two-dimensional map database. It is also possible to do this (hereinafter referred to as height association processing). The three-dimensional map database stores, for example, a building ID, a position on the map of the building, a height of the building, display information of the building, and the like in association with each other.

  According to this, height information can be given to a two-dimensional map database based on an existing three-dimensional map database.

  Here, the map information providing apparatus 1 may perform height association processing at any time after receiving a map browsing request.

  According to this, since the position of the building and the height of the building are extracted from the three-dimensional database every time a map browsing request is received, the latest height information can be reflected in the two-dimensional database.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not restricted to embodiment mentioned above.

  Furthermore, the effects described in the embodiments of the present invention are merely a list of the most preferable effects resulting from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention. is not.

It is a figure which shows the map information provision apparatus which concerns on this embodiment, and the whole structure of a related element. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the function structure of the map information provision apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of a structure of a map database. It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of the map information provision apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. The flowchart of the height information provision process which concerns on embodiment of this invention is shown. It is a figure which shows an example of the map which provided height information.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Map information provision apparatus 2 User terminal 11 Map request reception means 12 Map search means 13 Height information provision means 14 Map transmission means 15 Map database 21 GPS reception means 22 Current position calculation means 23 Map request transmission means 24 Map reception means 25 Map Display means

Claims (7)

Computer
A height association step of extracting the height of the building on the map stored in the predetermined database, and associating the position and height of the building with each other and storing it in the map database;
A map request receiving step for receiving a request for browsing a two-dimensional map at a specific position;
A map search step of searching the map according to the browsing request from the map database;
By referring to the map database, ranking the heights of buildings within a predetermined range from the specific position, and noting the ranking for each building in the map found by the search, Height information giving step for adding height information;
A map output step for outputting a map with the height information;
A map information providing method characterized by executing at least.   The map information providing method according to claim 1, wherein the height association step is executed after the map request reception step.   The map information providing method according to claim 1, wherein in the map request receiving step, a current position is measured and the position is set as the specific position.   2. The map information providing method according to claim 1, wherein in the map request receiving step, a current position is periodically measured and the position is set as the specific position. A height association means for extracting the height of a building on a map stored in a predetermined database and associating the position and height of the building with each other and storing it in the map database;
Map request accepting means for accepting a map browsing request at a specific position;
Map search means for searching the map according to the browsing request from the map database;
By referring to the map database, ranking the heights of buildings within a predetermined range from the specific position, and noting the ranking for each building in the map found by the search, Height information giving means for giving height information;
Map output means for outputting a map to which the height information is attached;
A map information providing system comprising: A height association means for extracting the height of a building on a map stored in a predetermined database and associating the position and height of the building with each other and storing it in the map database;
Map request accepting means for accepting a map browsing request at a specific position;
Map search means for searching the map according to the browsing request from the map database;
By referring to the map database, ranking the heights of buildings within a predetermined range from the specific position, and noting the ranking for each building in the map found by the search, Height information giving means for giving height information;
Map transmission means for transmitting the map with the height information;
A map information providing device comprising:   A program causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 1.

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