JP2010133913A - Bearing display device and bearing display method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to grasp information of neighboring landmark information and a rough bearing even without a specific destination in addition to a map of a surrounding area and the current position upon access. <P>SOLUTION: A latest current position and bearing based on latest position information and bearing information are displayed by an icon X with a map M on a terminal. A column A showing a nearest area with the current position at the center, and information display columns including outer columns B and C arranged in concentric circles (i.e. disk or donut shape) are displayed. In the column A showing a nearest area, names included in searched landmark information (e.g. "Shinagawa station") are displayed at a position or angle position corresponding to position information thereof. The outer columns are divided to the column B which is an inner ring part, and the column C, which is an outer ring part. In the column B, which is an inner ring part, and the column C, which is an outer ring part, neighboring municipalities (e.g. Chuo ward) and neighboring prefectures (e.g. Chiba prefecture) are displayed at angle positions corresponding to directions of the respective reference points, respectively. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in technology for displaying a map.

  In recent years, with the development of information processing and communication technology, services for accessing a server and browsing a map via a mobile phone network or the Internet from mobile information terminals represented by mobile phone terminals have become widespread. In this type of technology, it is common to use the GPS function of a mobile phone terminal, location information of nearby base stations and radio wave communication status to obtain their current location and display it on a surrounding map. A device for improving usability has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  For example, according to the disclosure of Patent Document 1, based on the position information sent from the user's terminal, the server sends candidates for nearby landmarks to the terminal, and selects nearby landmarks recognized by the user. In response, a map containing the landmark direction is sent from the server, and the user obtains an easy-to-understand map display by matching the orientation of the mobile terminal with the correct orientation based on the landmark direction.

  According to the disclosure of Patent Document 2, the server receives information on the current position and the destination from the user's terminal, calculates the distance, azimuth, and number of steps from the current position to the destination based on the information, and displays the information on the terminal. Let

Further, according to the disclosure of Patent Document 3, in the overhead view display of the car navigation screen, a concentric thin auxiliary line is always displayed on the map within a range that does not hinder the visual recognition of the map display. Support distance grasp.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-232651 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-23511 JP 2006-330745 A

  However, the conventional technology as described above has a problem that even if the current position is known, the direction in which the user is facing cannot be grasped on the map without additional elements such as a destination.

  That is, in the technique of Patent Document 1, the user can determine a landmark near the current position as “that is a building”, and an operation for selecting a landmark from candidates, Since it is also essential to point the terminal in the landmark direction, there are many limitations such as being unsuitable for unguided areas where it is difficult to distinguish landmarks, complicated operations, and time to obtain results.

  Even in the technique of Patent Document 2, since the destination is indispensable, it cannot be used unless a specific destination is clearly determined, and cannot be used for grasping the current situation such as grasping the surrounding geography. there were.

  In the technique of Patent Document 3, it is possible to support the grasp only within the range of the map displayed at the present time and the distance from the vehicle position. It was not useful for understanding the direction and current situation.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems of the prior art. The purpose of the present invention is to provide information on the surrounding landmarks and the rough direction even when there is no clear destination in addition to the surrounding map and the current position at the time of access. It is to be able to grasp.

  Based on the above object, one embodiment of the present invention is realized by a computer including an arithmetic control unit, a storage device, and a communication unit with a communication network, and accesses a mobile information terminal via the communication network. In the azimuth display device that displays the map and the direction according to the map, the map storage means for storing the map data of each region in the storage device, and the landmark information including at least name and position information for the landmarks of each region A landmark storage means that stores information in the storage device, and an administrative boundary storage means that stores in the storage device information representing at least a name and position information of a predetermined reference point for each administrative division. A position information receiving means for receiving position information indicating the position of the terminal from the mobile information terminal, and a direction based on predetermined information from the mobile information terminal. Azimuth estimation means for determining, map search means for searching the map data including the location of the position information received by the position information receiving means from the map storage means, and the position information received by the position information receiving means Peripheral information retrieval means for retrieving the landmark information within a predetermined distance from the position from the landmark storage means, and for each administrative division of the nearest and predetermined unit from the administrative boundary storage means for the distance beyond the predetermined distance Middle and long-distance information search means, and a map using the map data searched by the map search means for the mobile information terminal, the latest current position based on the latest position information and direction information of the mobile information terminal, and Information display means for displaying an azimuth and an information display column in which a column nearest to the current position and a column outside the column are concentrically arranged The information display means displays the name included in the landmark information searched by the peripheral information search means in the nearest field, and displays the name in the outer field. Is characterized in that the name of the administrative division beyond the predetermined distance searched by the medium / long distance information search means is displayed by arranging it at an angular position corresponding to the position information.

  Further, not only the above apparatus but also a similar method and computer program are also aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, the operations and effects of the present invention configured as described above, and the configurations, functions, and effects in other aspects of the present invention are as described later through the embodiments and the like.

  According to the present invention, a concentric interface corresponding to the distance from the central point is displayed on the map indicating the direction facing the current location of the user, and the surrounding landmark information and the information on the middle-distance and long-distance administrative divisions. Even if there is no clear destination, it is not only the map when accessing the map service, but also the surrounding landmark information, the rough direction, and the administration corresponding to the direction. It becomes possible to grasp information about the world.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as “the present embodiment”) will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that assumptions common to those already described in the background art and problems are omitted as appropriate.

[1. Constitution〕
As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1, this embodiment is represented by a cellular phone network as a server system for a mobile information terminal (hereinafter also simply referred to as “terminal”) T represented by a cellular phone terminal device. The present invention relates to a direction display device (hereinafter referred to as “map server”) S that displays a map and a direction in response to access via a communication network N. As a map display method and computer program corresponding to the map server S, Can also be grasped.

  First, as shown in FIG. 1, the map server S includes a calculation control unit 5 such as a CPU, a storage device 6 such as an external storage device (HDD or the like) or a main memory, and a communication means 7 (LAN) with a communication network N. And an adapter). Note that the computer used in the map server S may be general hardware and basic software including input / output devices and the like, and illustrations and details thereof are omitted.

  And the map server S is provided with each element 20-60 shown in FIG. The databases (hereinafter referred to as “DB”) 26, 35, 45, 55 are storage means for storing each information on the storage device 6, but the actual format is not limited to the database, and various files and arrays This is realized in any format such as a variable such as a system setting value.

  Among these, the landmark DB 35 stores, in the storage device 6, landmark information including at least name and position information for landmarks in each region (famous buildings, natural objects, scenic spots, historic sites, etc.). It is. FIG. 2 (1) shows an example of the stored data, and information items such as ID, name, address, telephone number, latitude, and longitude are associated with each other for each landmark.

  The administrative boundary DB 45 is an administrative boundary storage means for storing information representing at least a name and position information of a predetermined reference point in the storage device 6 for each administrative division. As shown in the example of stored data in Fig. 2 (2), corresponding to each municipality name and each prefecture name, as well as the ID and name, as the location information of a predetermined reference point, the range of administrative boundaries That is, position information (latitude, longitude) of a representative position such as a center of gravity determined in advance from an administrative boundary polygon representing a boundary or a prefectural office or a municipal office is stored in advance. The following “latitude / longitude 1”, “latitude / longitude 2”,... Are the coordinates of each vertex of the administrative boundary polygon, but are not essential.

  The administrative divisions stored in the administrative boundary DB 45 are not limited to the original administrative divisions in the narrow sense, but include high-level concepts such as the Tohoku and Kanto regions, as well as other Roppongi areas and Konan areas. Concepts may be added.

  The map DB 55 is a map storage unit that stores map data of each region in the storage device 6. In the example shown in FIG. 2 (3), for example, for each map of a combination of a region and a scale, an ID and The upper left corner, that is, the coordinates of the northwest corner (latitude and longitude 1), the lower right corner, that is, the coordinates of the southeast corner (latitude and longitude 2), and the image file name are associated with each other.

  In addition, the movement history DB 26 stores the movement history stored in the storage device 6 in association with the identification information of the terminal T as the movement history of the position information received from the terminal T by the position information receiving unit 20 serving as the position information receiving means. Although not shown in the figure, for example, position information, that is, position coordinates, is recorded for each predetermined moving distance or time interval, and may be used in combination with behavioral targeting advertisements.

  Further, the map server S receives the position information receiving unit 20 that is position information receiving means from the terminal, the direction information receiving unit 25 that is direction information receiving means from the terminal, and the direction information from the terminal cannot be obtained. It has an azimuth estimating unit 27 which is an azimuth estimating means for estimating the azimuth from predetermined information (particularly movement history) from the terminal, and a transmitting unit 28 for transmitting information to be displayed such as a map to the terminal.

  Further, the map server S is a peripheral information search unit 30 that is a peripheral information search unit that searches for landmarks in the vicinity, and a middle / long distance information search unit that searches for administrative districts and the like that are beyond a predetermined distance. It has an information search unit 40 and a map search unit 50 which is a map search means for searching for map data to be displayed.

  Further, the map server S includes an information providing screen generating unit 58 that generates a concentric (ie, disk-shaped and donut-shaped) information display field as an information providing screen, and an icon generating unit that generates icons representing the position and orientation of the terminal 60. In addition, the information provision screen generation unit 58, the icon generation unit 60, and the transmission unit 28 are connected to the terminal T with a map, the latest current position and orientation, and landmarks and administrative information as peripheral information in a concentric information display column. Since the information display means for displaying the section is configured, the information display means are collectively referred to as “information providing means” (58, 60, 28).

  The above elements 20, 25, 27, 28, 30, 40, 50, 58, 60 are obtained by controlling the arithmetic control unit 5 with a predetermined computer program (not shown) stored (installed) in the storage device 6 in advance. This is a processing means that realizes and executes each function and processing step described below.

  Further, the (mobile phone) terminal T uses the built-in GPS device, the location information obtained from the antenna base station or the parent device such as a mobile phone or a wireless LAN existing in the communication range, and the like to obtain the location information of the current location of the terminal T The azimuth information acquisition unit 15 that acquires the azimuth information indicating the azimuth of the terminal T using the azimuth sensor (electronic compass or the like) and the position information acquisition unit 12 that acquires (latitude, longitude, etc.). And a map screen display unit 17 for displaying information such as a map on a screen of liquid crystal, organic EL (electroluminescence) or the like.

[2. Action)
Hereinafter, the operation of the present apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[2-1. (Acquisition of position information and direction information)
First, in this apparatus, the position information receiving unit 20 receives position information representing the position of the terminal T from the terminal T (position information receiving processing step, step S1), and the direction information receiving unit 25 is connected to the terminal T. From T, orientation information representing the orientation of the terminal T is received (azimuth information reception processing step, step S1).

  The direction information is acquired when it is present, that is, when it is transmitted from the terminal T (step S1), and when it is not present (step S2), the direction of movement is estimated based on the movement history of the user (steps S2 and S3). ). That is, when the azimuth estimating unit 27 receives the azimuth information from the terminal T, the azimuth information receiving unit 25 estimates the azimuth facing the terminal based on the received azimuth information, thereby providing the terminal. It becomes possible to utilize highly accurate azimuth positioning results by an azimuth sensor such as an electronic compass.

  On the other hand, when the direction information cannot be received from the terminal T, the direction estimation unit 27 calculates the movement direction of the terminal T from the movement history of the terminal T stored in the movement history DB 26, and based on the movement direction, The direction in which the terminal T faces is estimated (direction estimation processing step). Note that if there is no movement history for a terminal of a model that does not have a direction sensor, the server side should move a predetermined distance (for example, several steps) to obtain the movement history necessary for estimating the movement direction. A configuration in which an instruction to the user is transmitted to the terminal and displayed is also conceivable.

  The position information is added to the movement history DB 26 every time it moves a predetermined distance, and when moving a predetermined distance from the previously recorded position information (step S3), the azimuth is estimated from the movement locus by calculation (step S4). . For example, when the longitude is unchanged and the latitude (north latitude) increases, the terminal T is moving north, and even when the user operates the front of the body, the top of the terminal T, that is, the upper part of the monitor, faces north. presume.

  In this way, by estimating the orientation that the terminal is facing from the user's movement history, the user usually operates the terminal in the direction of travel, so that the orientation represented by an orientation sensor such as an electronic compass can be obtained. The present invention can be utilized even in a terminal having no function or in a situation where such a function cannot be used for some reason.

[2-2. Search for nearby information)
Subsequently, the peripheral information search unit 30 searches the landmark DB 35 for the landmark information within a predetermined distance (for example, a radius of 100 m) as the peripheral information from the position of the position information received by the position information receiving unit 20 (step S5). Peripheral information search processing step).

  When searching for a landmark, if there are more landmarks within a predetermined distance from the current position than in the specifications to be displayed, attributes such as evaluations previously recorded in the landmark DB 35 for each landmark, Combine one or more criteria such as importance and narrow down to the appropriate one.

  Specific criteria for such narrowing are free, but for example, “Evaluation” shown in FIG. 2 (1) is an example of information items based on a questionnaire or popularity vote by a user, and “Importance” is The number used for keyword search in a predetermined Internet search site and the order used frequently on websites existing on the Internet are quantified by an appropriate conversion algorithm.

  Further, the middle / long distance information search unit 40 searches each administrative division of the nearest and predetermined unit from the administrative boundary DB 45 as the middle / long distance information for the distance beyond the predetermined distance (step S6. Middle / long distance information). Search processing step). In this search, for example, if the administrative boundary DB 45 includes an administrative boundary polygon for each administrative division (FIG. 2 (2)), the neighboring municipalities and prefectures are searched by geometric calculation. However, even if such polygons are not included, a search such as extracting a predetermined number in the order of the closest distance based on the position information of a predetermined reference point such as the center of gravity on the area or the prefectural office. Do.

[2-3. (Search and display map)
Then, the information providing means (58, 60, 28) has the latest current position and direction based on the latest position information and direction information of the terminal T together with the map using the map data searched by the map search unit 50 in the terminal T. And an information display field in which the nearest field centered on the current position and the outer field are arranged concentrically are displayed (information display processing step).

  The information display field may continue to be displayed in a translucent manner through the map, or may be temporarily displayed so as to cover the central portion of the map, and the temporary display is terminated by a predetermined operation. You may make it return to the map display.

  Specifically, in order to display an overlay on the map image, the information providing screen generating unit 58 generates an information providing screen, that is, a concentric information display field in accordance with the current orientation (step S7), and an icon. The generation unit 60 generates a graphic image of an icon such as a doll or a frog that shows the current position and orientation on a map or an information providing screen (step S8).

  Further, the map search unit 50 searches the map DB 55 for the map data including the location of the latest location information received by the location information receiving unit 20 (map search processing step, step S9), and the transmission unit 28 selects the end of the Tue end T. The transmitted map data is transmitted in the graphic display layer structure of the lowermost layer, the information providing screen to the upper layer (front side, visible side), and the icon to the uppermost layer, and the display as shown in FIG. 4 is performed (step S10). .

[2-4. Explanation of display example)
Here, the display example shown in FIG. 4 will be described. In the example of FIG. 4, an information display column D is displayed on the map M, and an icon X representing the current position and orientation is displayed at the center thereof. That is, the information providing means (particularly, the information providing screen generating unit 58) displays the name (for example, “Shinagawa Station”) included in the landmark information searched by the peripheral information searching unit 30 in the nearest field A. It is displayed by arranging it at a position corresponding to the position information or an angular position, and in the column outside it, the name of the administrative division beyond the predetermined distance searched by the middle / long distance information search unit 40 is displayed. It is displayed by arranging at an angular position corresponding to.

[2-5. (Presentation of prefectures and cities)
More specifically, with respect to the display example illustrated in FIG. 4, the medium / long distance information search unit 40 includes the name of each city and reference point adjacent to the city to which the latest current position of the terminal T belongs. And the location information of each prefecture name and each reference point adjacent to the prefecture to which the current location belongs are retrieved from the administrative boundary DB 45.

  Further, the information display means divides the outer column into a column B which is an inner ring portion and a column C which is an outer ring portion. In the column B which is an inner ring portion, the name of each adjacent city ( In the example of FIG. 4, “Chuo Ward”, “Chiyoda Ward”, “Shinjuku Ward”, “Shibuya Ward”, “Shinagawa Ward”) are displayed in the column C which is the outer ring portion, and the name of each adjacent prefecture (in the example of FIG. 4). “Chiba Prefecture”, “Saitama Prefecture”, “Yamanashi Prefecture”, and “Kanagawa Prefecture”) are displayed at angular positions corresponding to the directions of the respective reference points.

  As a whole, for example, in the display example of FIG. 4, as a search result, in the column A, landmarks existing within a radius of 100 m centered on the latest current position of the terminal T are displayed, and in the column B, adjacent In column C, the search result of the adjacent prefecture name is displayed in the angular position corresponding to the direction of each position information, that is, in the direction of the center of gravity of the shape polygon or the direction of the prefectural office or government office.

  In the example of FIG. 4, the characters are tilted according to the direction of the landmark or the administrative division, and the landmark is also displayed at the angular position corresponding to the direction of the positional information according to the administrative division name. Is not essential, and as illustrated in FIG. 5, the landmark is marked at a position corresponding to the actual position on the map in the concentric (ie, disk-shaped) column A corresponding to the predetermined distance (FIG. 5). May be displayed using a black rectangle), and the character of each administrative division name is not necessarily inclined.

  Thus, by displaying the name of the municipality on the inner ring and the name of the prefecture on the outer ring in the outer column that is concentric (ie, donut-shaped), Natural display can be realized according to the proximity and size of the sections, and it is possible to effectively support the user's smooth information grasp.

[3. effect〕
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the direction of the user's current location is shown on the map, and the surrounding landmark information and the information on the intermediate and long-distance administrative divisions are set to the distance from the center point. Even if there is no clear destination by displaying it on the map with the corresponding concentric interface, not only the map but also the surrounding landmark information and rough direction even when there is no clear destination It becomes possible to grasp information.

[4. Second Embodiment]
In the display example of FIG. 4, the ward name is displayed in the column B and the prefecture name is displayed in the column C. However, it is desirable to change the concrete level of the administrative district to be displayed according to the display scale of the map (No. 2 embodiment).

  In this case, the administrative boundary DB (administrative boundary storage means) stores each administrative division as a plurality of multi-level layers from the global to the details, and the middle / long distance information retrieval unit (middle / long distance information retrieval means) And the information display means as a target of search from the administrative boundary DB and display in the column B which is the inner ring part and the column C which is the outer ring part of the information display column which is concentric (ie, donut shape). A set of two upper and lower layers adjacent to each other in the hierarchy is selected and switched to a different two-layer set depending on the display scale of the map.

  For example, during detailed display at a small scale magnification, a town name or chome is displayed in the column B, and a city or a ward is displayed in the column C. Conversely, during global display at a large scale magnification, as shown in FIG. It is also possible to display prefectures in column B and Tohoku and Kanto regions in column C.

  Thus, by changing the combination of the concrete levels of administrative districts displayed concentrically (that is, in a donut shape) for each map display scale, it is possible to avoid the display of administrative districts at a leap level, and the user is conscious. The display suitable for the range is realized, and it is possible to effectively support the user's smooth information grasp.

[5. Third Embodiment]
Further, in each of the above embodiments, an example is shown in which administrative division information is displayed in the outer column for a distance beyond a predetermined distance, but based on a predetermined operation mode and setting, an instruction from the terminal, etc. As illustrated in FIG. 7, an example of displaying landmarks beyond a predetermined distance is also conceivable (third embodiment).

  In this case, the overall configuration may be substantially the same as the first embodiment shown first, but the medium / long distance information retrieval unit 40 retrieves landmark information from the landmark DB 35 for the distance beyond the predetermined distance, The information display means arranges the names included in the landmark information searched by the medium / long distance information search unit 40 in the outer columns B and C at the angular positions corresponding to the directions of the respective position information. To display.

  In this way, even if the distance is greater than a certain distance, by displaying the landmark in the outer column, even if the relationship between the administrative division and the east, west, south, and north is not accurately grasped, it will be familiar to those who are famous. It is easy to grasp the rough direction with practical standards.

  More specifically, the medium / long-distance information search means 40, for the distances beyond the predetermined distance, the second predetermined distance, the second predetermined distance and the third predetermined distance, respectively. The mark information is retrieved from the landmark DB (landmark storage means).

  The information display means divides the outer column into a column B which is an inner ring portion and a column C which is an outer ring portion. A part or all of the landmark information searched for up to is displayed, and in the column C which is the outer ring portion, the landmark information searched for up to a third predetermined distance beyond the second predetermined distance is displayed. Part or all of the information is displayed at angular positions corresponding to the position information.

  In the display example of FIG. 7, specifically, for example, in the column A, landmark search results within a radius of 100 m are displayed. That is, a landmark existing within a radius of 100 m with the current position as the center point is extracted from the landmark DB and arranged at a corresponding position on the map.

  Column B excludes the results displayed in column A from landmark search results within a radius of 500 m, and extracts and displays the main landmarks narrowed down based on the attributes and importance of the landmarks. Similarly, column C excludes the results displayed in column A and column B from the landmark search results within a radius of 1 km, and extracts the main landmarks narrowed down based on the attributes and importance of the landmarks. indicate.

  In this case, when the actual map display range is about 100 m from the center on the map display scale, the landmarks displayed in the columns B and C do not exist in the map display range, so The direction is determined from the latitude and longitude of a certain center point and the latitude and longitude of the corresponding landmark, and is arranged at the corresponding angular position in a concentric (ie, donut-shaped) region.

  As described above, for the landmarks that are more than the predetermined distance, out of the outer columns forming concentric circles (that is, donuts), those that are relatively close to the inner ring portion and those that are relatively far from the outer ring portion are arranged in each direction. By displaying at the corresponding angular position, a natural display reflecting the distance to each landmark can be realized, and the smooth information grasping of the user can be effectively supported.

[6. Other embodiments]
In addition, the said embodiment is only an illustration and this invention includes what is illustrated below and other embodiment other than that. For example, the configuration in FIG. 1, the data example in FIG. 2, the processing procedure in FIG. 3, the screen examples in FIG. 4 and the like are merely examples, and the presence / absence of each element, its order, and specific contents can be changed as appropriate. .

  For example, the movement history storage means is not limited to a configuration that updates the movement history each time the terminal T moves. In other words, the movement history of the terminal T may be held on the terminal T side, and may be transmitted to the server and used for estimating the azimuth when accessing the map server. Further, in each of the screen display examples in FIG. 4 and subsequent figures, the case of the so-called heading-up display setting in which the traveling direction is the top of the screen is shown, but in the case of the so-called north-up display setting in which the north is the top of the screen, The icon X changes its direction according to the latest orientation of the terminal T, and the display content of the map display and the information display column is rotated relative to the display screen around that.

  In addition, searching for and displaying “adjacent” administrative divisions is not intended to exclude searching or displaying the current administrative divisions, and therefore, the current contents of “Minato” are displayed in the display contents of FIG. The aspect to add and the aspect which adds the present "Tochigi prefecture" to the display content of FIG. 6 are also contained in this invention.

The functional block diagram which shows the structure of embodiment of this invention. The figure which illustrates the data in embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the process sequence in embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the map display in embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the map display in embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the map display in 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows an example of the map display in 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

N Internet S Map server T Mobile phone terminal 5 Calculation control unit 6 Storage device 7 Communication means 12 Position information acquisition unit 15 Direction information acquisition unit 17 Map screen display unit 20 Position information reception unit 25 Direction information reception unit 26 Movement history DB
27 Direction estimation unit 28 Transmission unit 30 Peripheral information search unit 35 Landmark DB
40 Middle / Long Distance Information Searching Section 45 Administrative DB
50 Map Search Unit 55 Map DB
58 Information providing screen generator 60 Icon generator M Map X Icon D Information display column A, B, C column

Claims (8)

In a direction display device that is realized by a computer including an arithmetic control unit, a storage device, and a communication means for a communication network, and displays a map and a direction according to access via the communication network to a mobile information terminal ,
Map storage means for storing map data of each region in the storage device;
Landmark storage means for storing landmark information including at least name and position information in the storage device for each regional landmark;
For each administrative division, administrative boundary storage means for storing information representing at least a name and position information of a predetermined reference point in the storage device;
Position information receiving means for receiving position information indicating the position of the terminal from the mobile information terminal;
Direction estimating means for estimating the direction based on predetermined information from the mobile information terminal;
Map search means for searching the map data including the location of the position information received by the position information receiving means from the map storage means;
Peripheral information search means for searching the landmark information within a predetermined distance from the position of the position information received by the position information receiving means from the landmark storage means;
For the distance beyond the predetermined distance, the middle and long distance information search means for searching each administrative division of the nearest and predetermined unit from the administrative boundary storage means,
Along with the map using the map data searched by the map search means in the mobile information terminal, the latest current position and direction based on the latest position information and direction information of the mobile information terminal, and the current position as the center Information display means for displaying an information display field in which the nearest field and the outer field are arranged concentrically,
Is realized by the arithmetic control unit,
The information display means includes
In the nearest field, display the name included in the landmark information searched by the peripheral information search means,
In the outer field, the name of the administrative division beyond the predetermined distance searched by the medium / long distance information search means is displayed by arranging it at an angular position corresponding to the position information. Orientation display device. A movement history storage means for storing the history of the position information received by the position information receiving means as a movement history in the storage device is realized by the arithmetic control unit,
The azimuth estimating means calculates a moving direction of the terminal from the movement history stored in the movement history storage means, and estimates the azimuth facing the terminal based on the moving direction. The direction display device according to claim 1. An azimuth information receiving means for receiving azimuth information representing the azimuth from the mobile information terminal is realized by the arithmetic control unit,
The azimuth display device according to claim 1, wherein the azimuth estimation unit estimates a azimuth facing the terminal based on the azimuth information received by the azimuth information reception unit. The administrative boundary storage means stores location information of a predetermined reference point in advance, corresponding to each city name and each prefecture name,
The medium / long-distance information search means includes the name of each municipality adjacent to the municipality to which the current position belongs and the position information of each reference point, the name of each prefecture adjacent to the prefecture to which the current position belongs, and each Search for the location information of the reference point from the administrative boundary storage means,
The information display means divides the outer field into an inner ring part and an outer ring part, the inner ring part includes the names of the adjacent municipalities, and the outer ring part includes the names of the adjacent prefectures. The azimuth display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display is performed at an angular position corresponding to the direction of each reference point. The medium / long distance information search means searches the landmark information from the landmark storage means for the distance beyond the predetermined distance,
The information display means displays the name included in the landmark information searched by the medium / long distance information search means in the outer column by arranging them at angular positions corresponding to the directions of the respective position information. The direction display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The medium / long-distance information search means stores the landmark information for the second predetermined distance and for the land information for the second predetermined distance and for the third predetermined distance. Search from the mark storage means,
The information display means divides the outer field into an inner ring portion and an outer ring portion, and the inner ring portion includes a part of each landmark information searched for the distance from the predetermined distance to the second predetermined distance or All or part of the landmark information retrieved from the second predetermined distance to the third predetermined distance is displayed on the outer ring portion at the angular position corresponding to the position information. The azimuth display device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The administrative boundary storage means stores the administrative divisions as a plurality of multi-stage layers ranging from the global to details,
The medium / long-distance information search means and the information display means are the multi-stage layers as targets of search from the administrative boundary storage means and display on the inner ring portion and the outer ring portion of the information display column that are concentric. 7. A pair of upper and lower layers adjacent to each other is selected and switched to a different pair of layers according to the scale of the map display scale. The orientation display device described. In an orientation display method that is executed by a computer including an arithmetic control unit, a storage device, and a communication means with a communication network, and displays a map and an orientation according to access via the communication network to a mobile information terminal ,
Map storage means for storing map data of each region in the storage device;
Landmark storage means for storing landmark information including at least name and position information in the storage device for each regional landmark;
For each administrative division, administrative boundary storage means for storing information representing at least a name and position information of a predetermined reference point in the storage device;
Using,
A position information receiving process step of receiving position information representing the position of the terminal from the mobile information terminal;
A direction estimation processing step for estimating a direction based on predetermined information from the mobile information terminal;
A map search processing step for searching the map data including the location of the position information received in the position information reception processing step from the map storage means;
A peripheral information search processing step of searching the landmark storage means for the landmark information within a predetermined distance from the position of the position information received in the position information reception processing step;
Middle / long-distance information search processing step for searching for the nearest administrative division of a predetermined unit from the administrative boundary storage means for the predetermined distance or more,
Along with the map using the map data searched in the map search processing step in the mobile information terminal, the latest current position and direction based on the latest position information and direction information of the mobile information terminal, and the current position as a center An information display processing step for displaying to display an information display column in which the nearest column and the outer column are concentrically arranged, and
Is executed by the arithmetic control unit,
In the information display processing step,
In the nearest field, the name included in the landmark information searched in the peripheral information search processing step is displayed,
In the outer field, the names of the administrative divisions beyond the predetermined distance searched in the middle / long distance information search processing step are displayed by arranging them at angular positions corresponding to the position information. Direction display method to do.

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