JP2011081473A - Information holding image, information retrieval device, information retrieval system and information retrieval program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information holding image, an information retrieval device, an information retrieval system and an information retrieval program, allowing high-accuracy retrieval of a retrieval target realizable by an easy method. <P>SOLUTION: A retrieval server divides a target area, partitioned with a range by geographic coordinates into mesh areas of a prescribed number of pixels, and has the information holding image holding information of whether the retrieval target is present in each of the mesh areas by a pixel value of the prescribed number of pixels constituting the mesh area. A retrieval area setting section 30 of the retrieval server extracts the information holding image including the target area, wherein the retrieval targets are distributed based on retrieval condition. The retrieval area setting section 30 sets a retrieval area on the extracted information holding image, based on the retrieval condition. A pixel value decision part 32 decides whether the pixel value of each mesh area included in the retrieval area becomes a pixel value indicating that there is a retrieval target, and sets the information-holding image decided as having retrieval target present, as a retrieval result candidate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information holding image, an information search device, an information search system, and an information search program.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, techniques for using geographic information held by a plurality of servers existing on an information communication network such as the Internet have been proposed. An example of this is a clearing house established by the Geographical Survey Institute. The geographic information provided by the clearing house is added with range information indicating the range of the target map as metadata. Here, the metadata is additional information representing the location, contents, etc. of geographic information. The user can search for map information including a target search target (for example, a store or other facilities) based on the range information included in the metadata.

  For example, Patent Literature 1 below discloses a technique for searching map data stored in a map data server using metadata including a geographical range (range information) of map data. Here, the geographical range can be represented by, for example, boundary coordinates (for example, latitude and longitude) of east, west, south, and north.

  8 (a), (b), and (c) show conventional map information search examples. Search targets distributed on the map are shown as black circles in FIG. 8A and as white circles in FIG. 8B. Further, the range of the map is defined by the boundary coordinates of the east, west, south, and north included in the metadata, and FIGS. 8A and 8B in this example are maps of the same range. For this reason, for example, when a search target existing in the range α indicated by the broken line in FIG. 8C is searched, based on the range information included in the metadata, as a map including the range α, FIGS. The map of b) is extracted.

JP 2001-344250 A

  However, in the above prior art, the range information defining the range of the map is included in the metadata used for searching the map information, but the distribution state of the search target included in the range is not included. For this reason, there is a problem that the search accuracy decreases when the search target is unevenly distributed on the map in the range defined by the range information.

  For example, in the example of FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, the types of search objects are different, and their distributions (distributed situation) are also different. Here, if the search target in the range α in FIG. 8C is searched, the search target indicated by the black circle in FIG. 8A can be correctly searched, but the search target indicated by the white circle in FIG. Is located in a place other than the range α of the map and does not exist in the range α, the search target (white circle) and the range α are both included in the map of FIG. In addition, there is a disadvantage that the map of FIG. 8B is extracted as a search result.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems. An object of the present invention is to provide an information holding image, an information search device, an information search system, and an information search program that can realize a high-precision search of a search target by a simple method. It is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the information holding image according to claim 1 divides a target area, the range of which is defined by geographical coordinates, into mesh areas for a predetermined number of pixels, and searches each mesh area. Information on whether or not a target exists is held by pixel values of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the mesh region.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the information holding image according to the first aspect, the mesh region is configured by one pixel, and an area of the mesh region represented by the one pixel in real space. Alternatively, the length is standardized in advance.

  The invention of the information search device according to claim 3 divides a target area whose range is defined by geographical coordinates into mesh areas for a predetermined number of pixels, and whether or not a search target exists in each of the mesh areas. Search area setting means for setting a search area on an information holding image that holds information by pixel values of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the mesh area; and a predetermined number of mesh areas included in the search area And a pixel value determining unit that determines whether or not the pixel value of the pixel is a pixel value indicating that a search target exists.

  The invention of the information search system according to claim 4 divides the information on presence / absence of the search target held by the server existing on the network into the mesh area for each predetermined number of pixels. An information holding image providing device that provides information as to whether or not a search target exists in each mesh region as an information holding image held by pixel values of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the mesh region; and A search condition output device for outputting search target search conditions to the information holding image providing device, wherein the information holding image providing device sets a search area on the information holding image based on the search conditions And a determination result indicating whether or not the pixel values of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the mesh area included in the search area are pixel values indicating that a search target exists. Wherein the reply to the search condition output device.

  The invention of the information search program according to claim 5, wherein the computer divides a target area whose range is defined by geographical coordinates into a mesh area for each of a predetermined number of pixels, and whether a search target exists in each of the mesh areas. Search area setting means for setting a search area on an information holding image that holds information on whether or not by a pixel value of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the mesh area, a predetermined that constitutes the mesh area included in the search area It is characterized by functioning as a pixel value determining means for determining whether or not the pixel values of a number of pixels are pixel values indicating that a search target exists.

  According to the first, second, and fifth aspects of the present invention, the search target can be easily and accurately searched based on the pixel value of the information holding image.

  According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, a search target can be easily and accurately searched in a desired region on the information holding image.

It is a figure showing an example of composition of an information retrieval system concerning an embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of the hardware constitutions of the computer which comprises the search server concerning embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of the search server concerning an embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of an information holding image. It is explanatory drawing of normalization of the area or length in the real space of a mesh area | region. It is a figure which shows the example of the information holding image produced based on the search object relevant information which an information provision server provides, and this search object relevant information. It is a flowchart of the operation example of the search server concerning embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a search of the map information in the past.

  Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of an information search system according to the embodiment. In FIG. 1, in the information search system, a search server 100 and an information providing server 102 are connected to a communication network 104 such as the Internet or an intranet. Here, a plurality of information providing servers 102 may be connected to the communication network 104. The communication network 104 is also connected to a search device 106 that outputs a search condition for searching for a desired search target to the search server 100.

  The search server 100 holds metadata for the search target related information related to the search target provided by the information providing server 102, and the user can search the search target using this metadata. Here, examples of the search target include parts storage in a factory, desks in an office, buildings such as stores and buildings, areas such as administrative divisions, and other various sizes, but are not limited thereto. It is not a thing. These search targets are distributed on the target area whose range is defined by geographical coordinates. The search target related information includes identification information such as the name of the search target and position information of the search target in the target area. Further, the metadata is obtained by dividing the target area, the range of which is defined by geographic coordinates, into mesh areas for each predetermined number of pixels, and information on whether or not a search target exists in each mesh area. An information holding image held by pixel values of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the area is included. The distribution state of the search target can be represented by the pixel value of this mesh area. Although the number of pixels constituting the mesh area is not limited, it is preferable to form the mesh area with one pixel because the amount of information that can be included in an image having a certain number of pixels can be increased.

  The information providing server 102 is a server that provides search target related information related to the search target, and position information is associated with each search target. The position information can be geographical coordinates, and the distribution of the search target may be provided together with the map information.

  The search device 106 is not limited as long as it can connect to the communication network 104 such as a computer or a mobile phone.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a hardware configuration of a computer constituting the search server 100 according to the embodiment. In FIG. 2, a search server 100 includes a central processing unit (for example, a CPU such as a microprocessor can be used) 10, a random access memory (RAM) 12, a read only memory (ROM) 14, an input device 16, and a display device. 18 includes a communication device 20 and a storage device 22, and these components are connected to each other by a bus 24. Further, the input device 16, the display device 18, the communication device 20, and the storage device 22 are connected to the bus 24 via the respective input / output interfaces 26.

  The CPU 10 controls the operation of each unit described below based on a control program stored in the RAM 12 or the ROM 14. The RAM 12 mainly functions as a work area for the CPU 10, and the ROM 14 stores a control program such as BIOS and other data used by the CPU 10.

  The input device 16 is composed of a keyboard, a pointing device, and the like, and is used by a user to input operation instructions and the like. The input device 16 may be omitted.

  The display device 18 is configured by a liquid crystal display or the like, and displays a processing result by the CPU 10 and the like. The display device 18 may be omitted.

  The communication device 20 includes a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, a network port, and other appropriate interfaces, and is used by the CPU 10 to exchange data with an external device via communication means such as a network.

  The storage device 22 is a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk, and stores various data necessary for processing to be described later. As the storage device 22, a nonvolatile storage device such as an EEPROM may be used instead of the hard disk.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the search server 100 according to the embodiment. 3, the search server 100 includes an information holding image acquisition unit 28, a search region setting unit 30, a pixel value determination unit 32, a display control unit 34, and a communication unit 36. These functions are, for example, the CPU 10 And a program for controlling the processing operation of the CPU 10.

  The information holding image acquisition unit 28 acquires the above-described information holding image as metadata for search target related information provided by the information providing server 102 via the communication device 20. In this case, the information holding image may be generated by each information providing server 102, or the information holding image acquisition unit 28 collects search target related information from the information providing server 102, and information based on the search target related information is collected. The retained image acquisition unit 28 may generate the stored image. Alternatively, the information holding image generated and provided in advance by the information providing server 102 may be appropriately acquired while the information holding image acquisition unit 28 confirms the update status and provided. The information holding image will be described later.

  The search area setting unit 30 sets a search area on the information holding image based on the search target search condition received from the search apparatus 106 via the communication apparatus 20.

  The pixel value determination unit 32 determines whether or not the pixel values of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the mesh area included in the search area are pixel values indicating that a search target exists. When the mesh region is composed of one pixel, the above determination is performed for each pixel constituting the mesh region.

  The display control unit 34 controls the display device 18 and displays the determination result of the pixel value determination unit 32 and the like. When the display device 18 is omitted, the display control unit 34 is also omitted.

  The communication unit 36 controls the exchange of data with external devices such as the information providing server 102 and the search device 106 by the communication device 20.

  4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams of the information holding image. FIG. 4A is an example of search target related information provided by the information providing server 102, and search targets indicated by white circles are distributed in a target area whose range is defined by geographical coordinates of east, west, south, and north. It shows the state. Each search target is associated with position information in the target area as, for example, geographic coordinates. In FIG. 4A, the mesh area m is indicated by a rectangle, and each search target exists in any mesh area m. The number of pixels constituting each mesh region m is not limited, but it is preferable that one mesh region m is composed of one pixel.

  FIG. 4B is an example of the information holding image generated based on the information regarding the presence / absence of the search target in FIG. In FIG. 4B, information indicating whether or not there is a search target (white circle) in each mesh area m is represented by pixel values of pixels constituting the mesh area m. Indicates that the search target exists. In this case, the number of search targets existing in the mesh area m is not a problem. If there are one or more search targets, it is “present”, and only when there are no search targets, it is “not present”.

As the information holding image, for example, a binary image, a grayscale image (gray image), a color image, or the like can be used. When a binary image is used, each mesh area m can be, for example, one of black and white, and “existence” to be searched can be expressed in white and “non-existence” can be expressed in black. It may be a meaning. It is determined in advance what kind of meaning (“existence” and “absence” of the search target) is given to the white and black colors. Further, when using a grayscale image having 256 gradations as the information holding image, for example, each of 8 bits representing 256 gradations includes independent geographical distribution information (for example, a geographic information system (Geographic).
Information System (GIS) layer) may be assigned, and the “0” or “1” value of each bit may represent “presence” or “non-existence” of the search target in each layer. As a result, information on “existence” or “non-existence” of search targets in the eight types of layers can be simultaneously held by the shades of white and black of each mesh region m. Further, when using, for example, a color image of 256 colors as the information holding image, the “present” or “existing” or It may represent “absence”. Also in this case, as in the case of using a grayscale image, the information of “existence” or “non-existence” of eight types of search objects can be simultaneously held by the color of each mesh region m. Furthermore, if the number of gradations of the grayscale image or the number of colors of the color image is increased, the amount of information of “presence” or “non-existence” that can be expressed simultaneously can be increased. Thus, in the information holding image, it is possible to hold information as to whether or not a search target exists in each mesh area m based on the pixel value of each mesh area m.

  FIG. 5 shows an explanatory diagram of normalization of the area or length in the real space of the mesh region. As described above, the mesh area is an area obtained by dividing the target area, the range of which is defined by geographic coordinates, for each predetermined number of pixels. In the example of FIG. 5, the mesh area is divided for each pixel.

  In FIG. 5, “size” is a classification of the length of a mesh area composed of one pixel in real space (such as the length of one side of a rectangular mesh area). In addition, you may classify | categorize according to the area of a mesh area | region. The “location to be searched” is information on a location where the search target exists. Further, the “location specifying technique” is an example of a technique for specifying a search target location for each size. However, the technique for specifying the search target location is not limited to the example of FIG. The “moving means” is a moving means suitable for moving the mesh area where the search target exists for each size. However, the moving means is not limited to the example of FIG. The “network” is a measure of the scale of the network applied for each size. However, the network standard is not limited to the example of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the “size” is standardized for each predetermined length. Here, normalization means classifying the “location to be searched” or the like for each fixed length or area. In this way, by standardizing the length or area of the mesh area, the size of the mesh area of the information holding image can be unified according to the search target related information provided by the information providing server 102. Thereby, the information holding images including the distribution information of the search target can be classified according to the size, and the information holding image most suitable for the search processing of the desired search target can be selected.

  Here, for example, in an information holding image having a large size, a target area targeted by the information holding image is wide, and when a search target is searched in a narrower area, the information holding image including the wide area is the narrow area. Therefore, it is extracted as a search result and becomes a noise for a search process of a search target in a desired region. On the other hand, in the information holding image having a small size, the target area targeted by the information holding image becomes narrow, and when a search target in a wider area is searched, it cannot be said that an appropriate search result is obtained. This is a noise for the search processing of the search target in the area. Therefore, as described above, by classifying the information holding images according to the size, it is possible to improve the search process of the search target related information of the information providing server 102.

  FIGS. 6A, 6 </ b> B, and 6 </ b> C show search target related information provided by the information providing server 102 and an example of an information holding image created based on the search target related information. FIG. 6A is an example of search target related information, which is distribution information of roads R and stores E in a target area whose range is defined by geographical coordinates. In FIG. 6A, the road R is indicated by a linear region having various widths, and the entrance E of the store is indicated by a black dot.

  FIG. 6B is an example of the information holding image whose mesh size is 30 m described in FIG. 5, and a mesh area composed of one pixel is an area having a side length of 30 m. Yes. FIG. 6B shows an information holding image indicating the distribution information of the road R in FIG. That is, in FIG. 6B, the road R exists in the white mesh area, and the road R does not exist in the black mesh area. FIG. 6C is an example of the information holding image having a mesh size of 10 m described in FIG. 5, and a mesh area configured by one pixel is an area having a side length of 10 m. It has become. FIG. 6C shows an information holding image indicating the distribution information of the store E in FIG. That is, in FIG. 6C, the store E exists in the white mesh area, and the store E does not exist in the black mesh area.

  As shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, an optimal information holding image can be obtained for each type of search target by appropriately selecting the size of the mesh according to the search target to be expressed.

  FIG. 7 shows a flow of an operation example of the search server 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is an example of an operation of searching for search target related information held by the information providing server 102 in response to a request from the search device 106 using an information holding image that is metadata.

  In FIG. 7, the search device 106 constituted by a computer, a mobile phone, etc. outputs a search condition for searching the search target related information to the search server 100 (S1). This search condition includes information such as the size of the mesh area, the search target, the target area where the search target is distributed, and the search area where the search target is searched in the target area.

  When the communication unit 36 of the search server 100 receives the search condition, the search area setting unit 30 extracts an information holding image including a target area in which search targets are distributed based on the search condition (S2). At this time, it is preferable to extract an information holding image in which the standardized size shown in FIG. 5 is the same as the size of the mesh region indicated in the search condition.

  Next, the search area setting unit 30 sets a search area on the information holding image extracted in S2 based on the search condition output by the search device 106, particularly information on the search area (S3). As shown in FIG. 6C, the search area is set as, for example, a rectangular area β on the information holding image using the input device 16. Note that the search area is not limited to the example of FIG.

  Next, the pixel value determination unit 32 determines whether or not the pixel value of each mesh region included in the search region set by the search region setting unit 30 is a pixel value indicating that a search target exists. (S4). Here, the presence / absence of the search target is determined by the meaning of the predetermined pixel value. For example, the information holding image is black and white as illustrated in FIG. 6B or 6C. In the case of an image, it can be meaningful that white pixels represent the presence of the search target and black represents the absence.

  If the pixel value determination unit 32 determines that a search target exists by the process of S4, the search device related information using the information holding image as metadata is set as a search result candidate via the communication unit 36. Reply to 106 (S5).

  Based on the search result candidate returned in S5, the search device 106 determines which information providing server 102 is requested for the search target related information (S6), and sends the information to the determined information providing server 102. The search target related information of the providing server 102 is requested (S7). The information providing server 102 may be determined based on an instruction input from a user who has confirmed a search result candidate. In addition, the search target related information to be requested from the determined information providing server 102 may be determined based on an instruction input from the user.

  The information providing server 102 requested for the search target related information extracts the requested search target related information from the storage area such as its own hard disk (S8), and the extracted search target related information is transmitted to the search device that has transmitted the request. Reply to 106 (S9).

  The search device 106 displays the received search target related information on a display screen or the like (S10). Instead of displaying on the display screen, the search target related information may be printed by a printing apparatus.

  The above-described program for executing the steps of FIG. 7 can be stored in a recording medium, and the program may be provided by communication means. In that case, for example, the above-described program may be regarded as an invention of a “computer-readable recording medium recording a program” or an invention of a “data signal”.

  10 CPU, 12 RAM, 14 ROM, 16 input device, 18 display device, 20 communication device, 22 storage device, 24 bus, 26 I / O interface, 28 information holding image acquisition unit, 30 search area setting unit, 32 pixel value determination 34, display control unit, 36 communication unit, 100 search server, 102 information providing server, 104 communication network, 106 search device.

Claims (5)

  A target area whose range is defined by geographic coordinates is divided into a predetermined number of mesh areas for each pixel, and information on whether or not a search target exists in each of the mesh areas is determined by a predetermined number of the mesh areas. An information holding image, which is held by a pixel value of a pixel.   The information holding image according to claim 1, wherein the mesh region is configured by one pixel, and an area or a length of the mesh region represented by the one pixel in a real space is standardized in advance. An information holding image characterized by A target area whose range is defined by geographical coordinates is divided into a predetermined number of mesh areas for each pixel, and information on whether or not a search target exists in each of the mesh areas is determined by a predetermined number of the mesh areas. Search area setting means for setting a search area on the information holding image held by the pixel value of the pixel;
Pixel value determination means for determining whether or not the pixel value of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the mesh region included in the search region is a pixel value indicating that a search target exists;
An information retrieval apparatus comprising: The search target information held by a server on the network is divided into a predetermined number of pixel mesh areas, and the search target exists in each mesh area. An information holding image providing device that provides information as to whether or not to hold as an information holding image held by pixel values of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the mesh region;
A search condition output device that outputs a search condition for a search target to the information holding image providing device;
With
The information holding image providing device sets a search area on the information holding image based on the search condition, and pixel values of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the mesh area included in the search area are search targets. An information search system characterized by returning a determination result as to whether or not the pixel value indicates the presence of an image to the search condition output device. Computer
A target area whose range is defined by geographical coordinates is divided into a predetermined number of mesh areas for each pixel, and information on whether or not a search target exists in each of the mesh areas is determined by a predetermined number of the mesh areas. Search area setting means for setting a search area on an information holding image held by a pixel value of a pixel;
Pixel value determination means for determining whether or not the pixel value of a predetermined number of pixels constituting the mesh region included in the search region is a pixel value indicating that a search target exists;
Information search program characterized by functioning as

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