JP2010216815A - Navigation system, navigation device, and navigation method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform guidance by efficient navigation by the use of a mobile terminal. <P>SOLUTION: This navigation system includes an information providing device and a navigation device. The information providing device includes various pieces of information on a plurality of objects which are possible landmarks for guidance by navigation, selects objects locatable in places up to a destination appropriately in response to a request by the navigation device, and provides information on the selected objects to the navigation device. Moreover, the navigation device obtains information on objects locatable between the position of its user up to the destination, by detecting the user's position by using a sensor such as a GPS, and outputting the detected position to the information providing device. Based on information on objects photographed with the camera of the navigation device, and information on objects obtained from the information providing device, the navigation device creates information for performing guidance by navigation, and displays the information on a display screen of the navigation device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present application relates to a navigation system, a navigation apparatus and a method using a mobile terminal.

For example, Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose active metalevel systems that dynamically connect devices such as databases and provide specified information to users in real time.
However, Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not disclose or even suggest a navigation system, a navigation apparatus and a method using a mobile terminal.

Shuichi Kurabayashi, Naoki Ishibashi, Yasushi Kiyoki: "Realization of an active multi-database system in mobile computing environments", IPSJ SIG 2000-DBS-122, 2000, 463-470. Shuichi Kurabayashi, Naoki Ishibashi, Yasushi Kiyoki: A Multidatabase System Architecture for Integrating Heterogeneous Databases with Meta-Level Active Rule Primitives.In Proceedings of the 20th IASTED International Conference on Applied Informatics, 2002, 378-387.

  The navigation device disclosed in the present application has been made from the above background, and one embodiment of the navigation device is that the navigation is performed from the start position of navigation by navigation among all images taken within the range to be navigated. A navigation device that performs navigation using first feature information indicating all positions, photographing directions, and image characteristics of these objects that can serve as landmarks for guidance to a destination, the objects existing around Of the first feature information, a second feature information generation logic for generating second feature information indicating the feature of the image obtained by the shooting, and the generated first feature information. 2 based on the first feature information selection logic for selecting one of the closest feature information, the selected first feature information, and the second feature information. The navigation device detects, based on the direction detection logic for detecting the shooting direction of the object indicated by the second feature information by the camera, the selected first feature information, and the detected shooting direction. A guidance direction determination logic that determines a guidance direction indicating a direction to the destination at an existing position; a display device that displays the captured image; and an image indicating the guidance direction.

[summary]
The outline of one embodiment of the navigation system disclosed herein will be described below.
However, the following description is only for the purpose of helping understanding of the present disclosure, and is not intended to limit the technical scope thereof.
The navigation system disclosed herein includes an information providing device and a navigation device, and guides the user to a desired destination.
The information providing apparatus disclosed in the present application has various pieces of information about a plurality of objects such as buildings that can serve as a guide for navigation.
Further, the information providing apparatus disclosed in the present application appropriately selects an object that can exist up to a destination from a plurality of objects in response to a request from the navigation apparatus, and transmits information about the selected object to the navigation apparatus. To provide.
The navigation device disclosed in the present application detects the position of the user using a sensor such as GPS, and outputs the detected position to the information providing device disclosed in the present application. Get information about possible objects.
Further, the navigation device disclosed in the present application generates information for guidance by navigation based on information about an object photographed by the camera of the navigation device and information about an object acquired from the information providing device.
Furthermore, the navigation device disclosed in the present application displays the generated information on the display screen of the navigation device, thereby realizing navigation guidance.

It is a figure which illustrates the structure of the navigation system to which the disclosed matter of this application is applied. It is a figure which illustrates the hardware constitutions of the mobile terminal shown in FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the hardware constitutions of the server apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the terminal program run in the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 1, FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the guidance direction display screen output on the display screen of the output device shown in FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the path | route log | history screen output on the display screen of the output device shown in FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the server program performed in the server apparatus shown in FIG. 1, FIG. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the navigation system shown in FIG.

[Navigation system 1]
Hereinafter, the navigation system 1 to which the present disclosure is applied will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a navigation system 1 to which the disclosed matter of the present application is applied.
As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation system 1 includes base stations 102-1 to 102-1 that perform data transmission via mobile stations 2-1 to 2-n and mobile terminals 2-1 to 2-n. 102-n and the server apparatus 4 are connected and configured through a network 100 that supports both wired and wireless communication.

In addition, although n shows an integer greater than or equal to 1, not all n always shows the same number.
In addition, hereinafter, when one or more of a plurality of constituent parts such as the mobile terminals 2-1 to 2-n are indicated without being specified, they may be simply abbreviated as the mobile terminal 2 or the like.
In addition, components such as the mobile terminal 2, the base station 102, and the server device 4 that can be the subject of information communication and information processing may be collectively referred to as nodes.
In the following, substantially the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings.

[Hardware configuration]
Hereinafter, the hardware configuration of each node of the navigation system 1 will be described.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the mobile terminal 2 illustrated in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal 2 includes a communication device 120, a data processing unit 14, and a GPS device 160 that are connected to the network 100 via a wireless communication line or a wired communication line.
The data processing unit 14 includes a CPU 140, a memory 142, a CPU peripheral device 144 such as a recording medium interface for reading and writing data to and from the recording medium 154, an input device 146 such as a numeric keypad input button, an output device 148 such as a liquid crystal display screen, and the like. The camera 150 and the like.
The GPS device 160 receives a radio signal from the GPS artificial satellite 104 (FIG. 1), and detects the position (latitude / longitude) of the mobile terminal 2.
That is, the mobile terminal 2 has a configuration part as a general computer that can perform position detection, information processing, and information communication.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the server device 4 illustrated in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 3, the server device 4 includes a communication device 120, a CPU 140, a memory 142, an input device 146, an output device 148, and a recording device 152 that records data on a recording medium 154 such as an HDD / CD device. Composed.
That is, the server device 4 has a configuration part as a general computer capable of information processing and information communication.

[software]
Hereinafter, software (program) executed in each node of the navigation system 1 will be described.

[Terminal program 20]
First, the terminal program 20 executed in the mobile terminal 2 will be described.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a terminal program 20 executed in the mobile terminal 2 shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 4, the terminal program 20 includes a user interface (UI) unit 200, a communication processing unit 202, a destination setting unit 204, a map information database (DB) 206, a position detection unit 208, a route history DB 210, and information acquisition. Unit 212, information DB 214, image generation unit 216, image feature extraction unit 218, feature information selection unit 220, direction detection unit 222, guidance direction determination unit 224, route history generation unit 226, display unit 228, additional information reception unit 230 Composed.
The terminal program 20 is stored in the memory 142 (FIG. 2) and supplied to the mobile terminal 2 (FIG. 1), for example, on an OS (not shown) installed in the mobile terminal 2 as necessary. The second hardware resource is specifically used and executed (the same applies to the following programs).
The terminal program 20 uses these components to realize navigation guidance using information on an image captured by the camera 150 (FIG. 2) and information acquired from the server device 4 (FIG. 1).

The UI unit 200 displays, for example, a GUI (Graphical User interface) image (not shown) that prompts an operation necessary for navigation on the display device of the output device 148 (FIG. 2).
Also, the UI unit 200 accepts an operation input by the user for receiving guidance by navigation in accordance with the displayed GUI image from the input device 146, and accepts the accepted operation for each component of the terminal program 20. Output.
In addition, the UI unit 200 accepts a navigation screen generated according to a user operation from the display unit 222 and displays the navigation screen on the display screen of the output device 148.

The communication processing unit 202 performs processing for information communication between the mobile terminal 2 and the server device 4 via the network 100.
The destination setting unit 204 receives the position (latitude / longitude) indicating the destination of navigation guidance input via the UI unit 200, and sends it to the server device 4 (FIG. 1) via the communication processing unit 202. Output.
In addition, the destination setting unit 204 sets a position indicating the input destination as a guidance direction determination unit 224.
And stored so that it can be referred to from the route history generation unit 226.
The map information DB 206 is used for navigation, and stores map information indicating the positions of roads and buildings so that they can be referred to from the guidance direction determination unit 224 and the route history generation unit 226.
Note that the map information DB 206 may acquire map information from the server device 4 (FIG. 1) via the communication processing unit 202.

The position detection unit 208 determines the position of the mobile terminal 2 at the time of shooting according to an operation of shooting a surrounding image with the camera 150 (FIG. 2) for guidance by navigation, and the GPS device 160 (FIG. 2). To detect.
When the GPS device 160 cannot receive a radio wave signal from the GPS artificial satellite 104 (FIG. 1), the position detection unit 208 drives a direction sensor or an acceleration sensor (not shown) to move the mobile terminal 2. The position of can also be detected.
The position detection unit 208 stores the detected position in the route history DB 210 as a shooting position of the image together with the shooting time.
In addition, the position detection unit 208 outputs the shooting position of the image to the information acquisition unit 212, the feature information selection unit 220, and the guidance direction determination unit 224.
Further, the position detection unit 208 periodically detects the position of the mobile terminal 2 and stores the detected position in the route history DB 210 as a route history.

The route history DB 210 stores the shooting position of the image input from the position detection unit 208, the shooting time, and the route history so that the route history generation unit 226 can refer to the shooting history.
The information acquisition unit 212 receives the position of the mobile terminal 2 input from the position detection unit 208, and is present between the received position and the received position to the destination position, and can be one or more guide signs An object feature information selection request is output to the server device 4 (FIG. 1) via the communication processing unit 202 (FIG. 1A).
The object feature information indicates, for example, the position of the object (shop, building, station, etc.) and its additional information, the direction in which the object was photographed, and the image feature information of the object.
The image feature information of the object is obtained, for example, by calculating a change point of the image (an edge indicating the appearance of a building, a window, a door, etc.), an average hue, a saturation, and a luminance histogram.
The additional information of the object indicates, for example, the business hours of the store, the user's comment on the building, and the like.

In addition, the information acquisition unit 212 causes the information DB 214 to store the object feature information up to the destination returned from the server device 4 in response to the selection request.
The information DB 214 stores one or more object feature information returned from the server device 4 so that the feature information selection unit 220 can refer to it.
The image generation unit 216 generates image data of a captured object (hereinafter simply referred to as “captured image”) in response to an operation in which the user captures an image of a surrounding object with the camera 150 (FIG. 2). .
Further, the image generation unit 216 outputs the generated captured image to the image feature extraction unit 218 and the guidance direction determination unit 224.

The image feature extraction unit 218 accepts the captured image input from the image generation unit 216 and extracts feature information of the captured image.
Further, the image feature extraction unit 218 outputs the extracted feature information of the captured image to the feature information selection unit 220 and the direction detection unit 222.
The feature information selection unit 220 has a position of an object included in each piece of object feature information in one or more pieces of object feature information stored in the information DB 214 within a predetermined range from the position input by the position detection unit 208 ( For example, object feature information within a radius of 30 m) (hereinafter referred to as “peripheral object feature information”) is selected.
Further, the feature information selection unit 220 compares each of the surrounding object feature information with the feature information of the photographed image input from the image feature extraction unit 218, and among the feature information of the surrounding object, Choose one that is close.

Specifically, for example, the feature information selection unit 220 calculates a similarity indicating how similar the change point of the image included in each of the peripheral object feature information and the change point of the captured image is, One of the peripheral object feature information having a high similarity is selected.
The feature information selection unit 220 outputs the selected object feature information to the direction detection unit 222 guidance direction determination unit 224 and the additional information reception unit 230.
The direction detection unit 222 accepts the feature information of the photographed image input from the image feature extraction unit 218 and the object feature information input from the feature information selection unit 220, and uses the received information to determine the photographing direction of the photographed image. To detect.

Specifically, for example, the direction detection unit 222 calculates the inclination of the captured image from the difference between the change point of the image included in the object feature information and the change point of the captured image.
Furthermore, the direction detection unit 222 detects the shooting direction of the shot image based on the tilt of the shot image and the shooting direction of the object included in the object feature information.
The shooting direction indicates from which position the user is shooting the shot image, that is, the shooting direction of the user.
In addition, the direction detection unit 222 outputs the detected shooting direction of the user to the guidance direction determination unit 224.

The guidance direction determination unit 224 includes the detection position input from the position detection unit 208, the object feature information input from the feature information selection unit 220, the shooting direction of the user input from the direction detection unit 222, and the destination setting. The guidance direction is determined based on the position of the destination input from the unit 204 and the map information stored in the map information DB 206.
Specifically, for example, the guidance direction determination unit 224 selects the road on which the user should proceed based on the detected position or the position of the object included in the object feature information, the position of the destination, and the map information. To do.
The guidance direction determination unit 224 further determines a guidance direction indicating which direction to follow the next road to be traveled based on the shooting direction of the user and the selected road.

The guide direction determination unit 224 further generates a guide direction display image by adding the determined guide direction to the captured image input from the image generation unit 216 (described later with reference to FIG. 5).
In addition, when the object feature information input from the feature information selection unit 220 includes additional information, the guidance direction determination unit 224 may further indicate the additional information in the guidance direction display image.
In addition, the guidance direction determination unit 224 outputs the generated guidance direction display image to the display unit 228.
The route history generation unit 226 uses the route history image based on the position of the captured image stored in the route history DB 210, the destination input from the destination setting unit 204, and the map information stored in the map information DB 206. Is generated.
Specifically, for example, in response to a request from the user, the route history generation unit 226 obtains the position of the captured image so far, the time when each image was captured, and the route history from the route history DB 210. get.

In addition, the route history generation unit 226 acquires map information that can be used to display the route history from the map information DB 206.
Further, the route history generation unit 226 generates a map image based on the map information.
Further, the route history generation unit 226 adds a shooting position icon and a shooting time to a location corresponding to the shooting position on the map image, adds a destination icon to a location corresponding to the destination, and has followed the route taken so far. Is added to generate a route history image (described later with reference to FIG. 6).
Further, the route history generation unit 226 outputs the generated route history image to the display unit 228.

The display unit 228 receives the guidance direction display image input from the guidance direction determination unit 224, and causes the received image to be output to the display screen of the output device 148 (FIG. 2) via the UI unit (hereinafter referred to as display). The written screen is described as a “guidance direction display screen”).
In addition, the display unit 228 receives the route history image input from the route history generation unit 226 and outputs the received image to the display screen of the output device 148 via the UI unit 200 (hereinafter, the displayed image is displayed). The screen is described as a “route history screen”).
The additional information receiving unit 230 receives additional information of the object corresponding to the object feature information input from the feature information selecting unit 220 from the user via the UI unit 200, and receives the received additional information as the communication processing unit 202. To the server device 4 (FIG. 1).

[Guidance direction display screen]
Hereinafter, the guidance direction display screen output to the display screen of the output device 148 (FIG. 2) will be described.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a guide direction display screen output on the display screen of the output device 148.
As shown in FIG. 5, the guidance direction display screen includes a captured image 300, a guidance direction arrow 302, and additional information 304.
The captured image 300 is generated by the image generation unit 216 for use in navigation guidance.

A guidance direction arrow 302 indicates the guidance direction determined by the guidance direction determination unit 224, and is added to the captured image 300 by the guidance direction determination unit 224.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, when going right from a building included in the captured image, a guidance direction arrow 302 indicating the right direction is added to the captured image 300.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the road on the right side of the building included in the photographed image goes forward, a guidance direction arrow 302 indicating the depth direction is added to the photographed image 300.
When the additional information 304 is included in the object feature information selected by the feature information selection unit 220, the additional information 304 is added to the captured image 300 by the guidance direction determination unit 224.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the additional information 304 is indicated by the guidance direction determination unit 224 in a balloon indicating that “the shop on 5F is open until 24:00” or “waiting in the 1F lobby”. 300.

[Route history screen]
Hereinafter, the route history screen output on the display screen of the output device 148 (FIG. 2) will be described.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a route history screen output on the display screen of the output device 148.
As shown in FIG. 6, the route history screen includes a map image 312, a start position icon 314, a destination icon 316, a shooting position icon 318, a route display 320, and a shooting time 322.
The map image 312 is generated based on the map information by the route history generation unit 226 (FIG. 4).

The start position icon 314 is added by the route history generation unit 226 to a place corresponding to the position taken at the oldest time among the places corresponding to the taken positions on the map image.
The destination icon 316 is added to a place corresponding to the destination on the map image by the route history generation unit 226.
The shooting position icon 318 is added by the route history generation unit 226 to each location corresponding to the shooting position on the map image.
The route display 320 is added by the route history generation unit 226 as a dashed arrow indicating a route traced so far on the map image.
The shooting time 322 is added by the route history generation unit 226 to each location corresponding to the shooting position on the map image.

[Server program 40]
Hereinafter, the server program 40 executed in the server device 4 shown in FIG. 1 will be described.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a server program 40 executed in the server device 4 shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, the server program 40 includes a UI unit 200, a communication processing unit 202, a destination DB 400, an object feature DB 402, a feature information providing unit 404, and a feature information selecting unit 406.
With these components, the server program 40 appropriately selects information that can be used for guidance by navigation in response to a request from the mobile terminal 2 (FIG. 1), and provides the mobile terminal 2 with the information.

The destination DB 400 stores the position indicating the destination input from the mobile terminal 2 via the communication processing unit 202 so that the feature information selection unit 406 can refer to the position.
The object feature DB 402 captures feature information of all objects that are photographed within the entire range to be navigated and can be used for navigation guidance from the outside via the UI unit 200 or the communication processing unit 202, and feature information. The information is stored so that it can be referred to from the selection unit 406.
Further, the object feature DB 402 accepts additional information of an object from an arbitrary mobile terminal 2 (FIG. 1) via the communication processing unit 202, adds the received additional information to the corresponding object feature information, and features The information is stored so that it can be referred to from the information selection unit 406.
The feature information providing unit 404 receives a position input from the mobile terminal 2 via the communication processing unit 202 and a selection request for one or more object feature information that may exist from the position to the destination. The received position and the selection request are output to the feature information selection unit 406.

Also, the feature information providing unit 404 accepts one or more object feature information returned from the feature information selecting unit 406 in response to the selection request, and outputs it to the mobile terminal 2 via the communication processing unit 202. (FIG. 1B).
Since the size of the image feature information included in the object feature information output to the mobile terminal 2 is several bytes to several tens of bytes per image, the server device 4 has several hundred images in the current network environment. Image feature information can be transmitted to the mobile terminal 2.
The feature information selection unit 406 accepts the position and selection request input from the feature information provision unit 404, and refers to the destination stored in the destination DB 400 and the object feature information stored in the object feature DB 402. Then, the object feature information corresponding to the selection request is selected.
Specifically, for example, the feature information selection unit 406 selects feature information of all objects located at latitude / longitude that can be included from the latitude / longitude where the mobile terminal 2 exists to the latitude / longitude of the destination. .

[First Operation Example of Navigation System 1]
Hereinafter, a first operation example of the navigation system 1 will be described.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a first operation of the navigation system 1 shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 8, when the terminal program 20 (FIG. 4) is started in the mobile terminal 2 and the server program 40 (FIG. 7) is started in the server device 4 in step 100 (S100), the terminal program 20 The destination setting unit 204 accepts the position indicating the destination input by the user and stores it in the destination DB 400 of the server program 40 via the communication processing unit 202.

In step 102 (S102), the image generation unit 216 determines whether or not the user has performed an operation of photographing an object existing around the camera 150 (FIG. 2).
The terminal program 20 proceeds to the process of S104 when the operation is performed, and stays in the process of S102 otherwise.
In step 104 (S104), the image generation unit 216 generates an image photographed according to the user's camera operation.
Further, the image generation unit 216 extracts feature information of the generated captured image.

In step 106 (S106), the position detection unit 208 detects the position of the mobile terminal 2 using the GPS device 160 (FIG. 2) or the like.
In step 108 (S108), the information acquisition unit 212 sends, via the communication processing unit 202, a selection request for the position detected in S106 and one or more object feature information that may exist from the position to the destination. And output to the feature providing unit 404 of the server program 40 (FIG. 1A).
Further, the information acquisition unit 212 acquires the object feature information selected by the feature information selection unit 406 in response to this request via the communication processing unit 202 (FIG. 1B).

In step 110 (S110), the information acquisition unit 212 determines whether one or more object feature information received in S108 exists.
The terminal program 20 proceeds to the process of S112 when one or more object feature information exists, and proceeds to the process of S124 otherwise, indicating that there is no object feature information from the position of the mobile terminal 2 to the destination. Processing for displaying an error on the output device 148 (FIG. 2) is performed, and the processing returns to S102.
In step 112 (S112), the feature information selection unit 220 determines that the position included in each object feature information among the one or more pieces of object feature information acquired in S108 is within a predetermined range from the position detected in S106. Certain object feature information is selected.
Further, the feature information selection unit 220 calculates the similarity between each of the selected object feature information and the feature information of the captured image extracted in S104.

In step 114 (S114), the feature information selection unit 220 determines whether or not there is object feature information whose similarity calculated in S112 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.
If the terminal program 20 exists, the process proceeds to S116. Otherwise, the terminal program 20 proceeds to S124, and an error indicating that there is no object feature information similar to the feature information of the photographed image extracted in S104. A process of outputting to the display device 148 (FIG. 2) is performed, and the process returns to S102.
In step 116 (S116), the feature information selection unit 220 selects object feature information having the highest similarity among the similarities calculated in S112.
In step 118 (S118), the additional information receiving unit 230 receives additional information of the object corresponding to the object feature information selected in S116 from the user, and receives the received additional information via the communication processing unit 202. It is stored in the object feature DB 402 of the server program 40 (FIG. 7).

In step 120 (S120), the direction detection unit 222 calculates the inclination of the captured image based on the object feature information selected in S116 and the captured image feature information extracted in S104.
Further, the direction detection unit 222 detects the shooting direction of the shot image generated in S104 based on the calculated tilt of the shot image and the shooting direction included in the object feature information selected in S116.
In step 122 (S122), the guidance direction determination unit 224 determines whether the user has detected the position detected in S106 or the position included in the object feature information selected in S116, the position of the destination, and the map information. Choose the way to go next.
Furthermore, the guidance direction determination unit 224 determines a guidance direction based on the imaging direction detected in S120 and the selected road, adds the guidance direction to the captured image generated in S104, and guides the guidance direction. A display image is generated (FIG. 5).

In step 126 (S126), the display unit 228 outputs the guidance direction display image generated in S122 to the output device 148 (FIG. 2) via the UI unit 200.
In step 128 (S128), the terminal program 20 determines whether or not a request for ending navigation is made by the user due to arrival at the destination or the like via the UI unit 200.
The terminal program 20 ends the process when a request is made, and returns to the process of S102 otherwise.

[Second Operation Example of Navigation System 1]
Hereinafter, a second operation example of the navigation system 1 will be described.
In S104 (FIG. 8), instead of detecting the position of the mobile terminal 2 by the GPS device 160 (FIG. 2), the information acquisition unit 212 (FIG. 4) moves using the feature information of the captured image extracted in S104. The position of the terminal 2 can also be specified.
Specifically, for example, the information acquisition unit 212 acquires all object feature information stored in the object feature DB 402 of the server program 40 via the communication processing unit 202.
Further, the information acquisition unit 212 specifies, as the position of the mobile terminal 2, the position included in the object feature information that is most similar to the feature information of the captured image extracted in S104, among all the acquired object feature information.
Further, in S108, instead of acquiring from the server device 4 one or more pieces of object feature information that may exist up to the destination, the information acquisition unit 212 moves from the position specified as the position of the mobile terminal 2 to the destination. The object feature information that may exist can be selected from all the object feature information acquired from the server device 4.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Navigation system 100 ... Network 102 ... Base station 104 ... GPS artificial satellite 2 ... Mobile terminal 120 ... Communication apparatus 14 ... Data processing part 140 ... CPU
142 ... Memory 144 ... CPU peripheral device 146 ... Input device 148 ... Output device 150 ... Camera 154 ... Recording medium 160 ... GPS device 20 ... Terminal program 200 ... UI unit 202 ... communication processing unit 204 ... destination setting unit 206 ... map information DB
208: Position detection unit 210 ... Path history DB
212 ... Information acquisition unit 214 ... Information DB
216: Image generation unit 218: Image feature extraction unit 220: Feature information selection unit 222 ... Direction detection unit 224 ... Guidance direction determination unit 226 ... Path history generation unit 228 ... Display unit 230 ... Additional information receiving unit 300 ... Captured image 302 ... Guide direction arrow 304 ... Additional information 312 ... Map image 314 ... Start position icon 316 ... Destination icon 318 ... Shooting position icon 320 ... Route display 322 ... Shooting time 4 ... Server device 152 ... Recording device 40 ... Server program 400 ... Destination DB
402 ... Object feature DB
404: Feature information providing unit 406: Feature information selecting unit

Claims (10)

An information providing device;
A navigation system having a navigation device,
The information providing apparatus includes:
From all the images taken within the range of guidance by the navigation system, all positions, photographing directions and additional information of objects that can serve as guides for guidance within this range, and characteristics of the images of these objects are shown. A feature storage logic for storing first feature information;
Based on the first position information indicating the position of the destination guided by the navigation device and the second position information indicating the start position of the guidance by the navigation device, from the position where the guidance by the navigation device is started Feature information selection logic for selecting first feature information of the object that may exist up to the destination;
Information providing logic for providing the selected first feature information to the navigation device;
The navigation device
A camera that captures images of objects in the surroundings;
Second feature information generation logic for generating second feature information indicating the feature of the image obtained by the photographing;
A position detection device for detecting a position where the navigation device exists;
First feature information selection logic for selecting one of the provided first feature information closest to the generated second feature information;
A direction detection logic for detecting a shooting direction of an object indicated by the second feature information by the camera based on the selected first feature information and the second feature information;
Guidance indicating the direction to the destination at the position where the navigation device exists based on the detected position information and the provided first feature information or any of them and the detected shooting direction Guidance direction determination logic to determine the direction;
A navigation system comprising: a display device that displays the captured image and an image indicating the guidance direction. Of all the images captured within the range to be navigated, all the positions of objects that can be a guide for navigation from the navigation start position to the destination of navigation, shooting directions, and images of these objects A navigation device that performs navigation using first feature information indicating a feature,
A camera that captures images of objects in the surroundings;
Second feature information generation logic for generating second feature information indicating the feature of the image obtained by the photographing;
First feature information selection logic for selecting one of the first feature information closest to the generated second feature information;
A direction detection logic for detecting a shooting direction of an object indicated by the second feature information by the camera based on the selected first feature information and the second feature information;
Guidance direction determination logic for determining a guidance direction indicating a direction to the destination at a position where the navigation device exists based on the selected first feature information and the detected shooting direction;
A navigation device comprising: a display device that displays the captured image and an image indicating the guidance direction. A position detecting device for detecting a position where the navigation device exists;
Based on the detected position information and the supplied first feature information or any one of them, and the detected shooting direction, the direction display image generation logic is configured to output the navigation device at the position where the navigation device exists. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein a guidance direction indicating a direction to a destination is determined. The first feature information includes the second feature information generated by the second feature information generation logic from the image of the object around the navigation start position photographed by the camera, and all of the navigation targets. The second feature obtained from the images of the objects around the start position of the navigation among the third feature information indicating the features of the images of all the objects that can be used for navigation guidance. Information indicating a start position of guidance by navigation included in the first feature information selected by the first feature information selection logic as the first feature information using any one closest to the information, and the navigation The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein the navigation device is selected based on information indicating a position of a destination of guidance by the navigation device. The first feature information is supplied from the outside in response to a request including information indicating a navigation start position detected by the position detection device and information indicating a destination position of guidance by the navigation. Item 4. The navigation device according to Item 3. An additional information acceptance logic for accepting additional information to be added to the selected first feature information from outside;
The navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display device further displays additional information added to the first feature information on an image of the object indicated by the selected first feature information. Each time an object is photographed by the camera, position information storage logic for storing information indicating the photographing position in time series,
Path history generation logic for generating an image indicating the history information of the shooting position using the stored information indicating the shooting position; and
The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein the display device displays an image generated by the route history generation logic. Of all the images captured within the range to be navigated, all the positions of objects that can be a guide for navigation from the navigation start position to the destination of navigation, shooting directions, and images of these objects A navigation method for performing navigation using first feature information indicating a feature,
Take an image of an object around you,
Generating second feature information indicating the features of the image obtained by the photographing,
Selecting one of the first feature information closest to the generated second feature information;
Based on the selected first feature information and the second feature information, a shooting direction of the object indicated by the second feature information by the camera is detected,
Based on the selected first feature information or any of these and the detected shooting direction, a guidance direction indicating a direction to the destination at a guidance start position by navigation is determined,
A navigation method for displaying the photographed image and an image indicating the guidance direction. Feature storage for storing first feature information indicating the positions and shooting directions of all objects that can be used for guidance by navigation, and the features of the images of these objects. Logic and
Based on the information indicating the position of the navigation guidance destination and the information indicating the navigation guidance start position, the first of the objects that can exist from the position where navigation guidance is started to the destination. Feature information selection logic for selecting feature information of
An information providing apparatus comprising: information providing logic for providing the selected first feature information to the outside. The information providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first feature information further includes additional information of the object.

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