JP2012137306A - Point search device, point search method and point search program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a point search device, a point search method and a point search program capable of outputting a search result to a user based on the execution of a search application with which the most suitable search result for search conditions from the user can be obtained.SOLUTION: A control apparatus 20 has an EEPROM 222 where multiple search applications for searching for facilities satisfying search conditions by using mutually different databases are stored. The control apparatus 20 executes at least two of search applications capable of searching for facilities in a search area included in the search conditions among all the applications stored in the EEPROM 222 and makes a display device 12 output a search result based on the execution of a search application whose number of searching for facilities is the largest in all the executed search applications.

Description

  The present invention relates to a spot search device, a spot search method, and a spot search program that search for a spot that matches a condition set by a user.

  In general, a navigation device that guides a route from a current position to a destination is known as a point search device that searches for a point that matches a condition set by a user. In such a navigation device, when a keyword is input by a user, a facility (point) that matches the condition indicated by the keyword is searched. Then, a route to the facility selected as the destination by the user is searched from the searched facilities, and navigation processing along the route is performed.

  By the way, in recent years, development of a device that links a navigation device and an external server device to provide various services to a user who uses the navigation device has been progressing (for example, Patent Document 1). In the navigation device described in Patent Document 1, when a keyword is input as a search condition by a user, condition information for specifying the search condition is transmitted to the server device. Then, the server device searches for a facility that matches the search condition indicated by the received condition information, and transmits the search result to the navigation device. As a result, in the navigation device, the received facility is guided to the user.

JP 2005-172524 A

  By the way, in recent years, a technique for installing a plurality of types of search applications for searching for facilities in a navigation apparatus and providing information meaningful to a user using each search application has been developed. In this case, even if the search conditions are the same, there is a difference between a search result based on the execution of one search application and a search result based on the execution of another search application. Therefore, unless the user actually performs a search using each search application, the user cannot know which search application can obtain meaningful information for the user.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to output to a user a search result based on execution of a search application that can obtain an optimal search result for a search condition from the user. It is to provide a point search apparatus, a point search method, and a point search program.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a point search apparatus that guides a point that matches a search condition including at least a search area, and searches for a point that matches the search condition using different databases. Search application storage means for storing a plurality of search applications, and among the search applications stored in the search application storage means, at least a search application capable of performing a point search within a search area included in the search condition Search application execution means for selecting two and executing each search application, and execution of the search application having the largest number of search points in the search area among the search applications executed by the search application execution means Output control means for causing the output means to output search results based on And summarized in that it comprises a.

  According to the above configuration, when a search condition including at least a search area is input, a search application capable of searching for a spot in the search area included in the search condition among the search applications stored in the search application storage unit. At least two are selected. Then, when each search application is executed, a search result based on the execution of the search application having the largest number of search points at the point among the search applications is output to the output unit. Therefore, the search result based on the execution of the search application that can obtain the optimum search result for the search condition from the user can be output to the user.

  In the point search apparatus according to the present invention, at least two of the search applications stored in the search application storage unit are points that match the search condition using an external database provided outside the point search apparatus. Is an external application that searches for

  According to the above configuration, when a plurality of external applications are executed, the external application with the largest number of points searched is selected from the external applications. Then, a search result based on the execution of the selected external application is output. Therefore, more information (number of points) can be provided to the user.

  In the point search device of the present invention, one of the search applications stored in the search application storage unit searches for a point that matches the search condition using an internal database provided in the point search device. It is an internal application, the search application execution means executes at least two external applications and the internal application, and the output control means includes the external applications executed by the search application execution means, The output means outputs the search result based on the execution of the external application having the largest number of search points at the point that could not be searched by the internal application.

  According to the above configuration, when a search condition including a search area is input, at least two external applications are executed and an internal application is executed. And the search result based on the external application with the largest number of search cases of the points that could not be searched by the internal application among the external applications is output to the output means. Therefore, it is possible to provide the user with more information that cannot be obtained by the search using the internal database.

  In the point search apparatus of the present invention, each database stores a plurality of point candidates, attribute information for specifying their attributes, and position information for specifying their positions in association with each other, The search application execution unit selects a search application that can search for a spot having an attribute included in the input search condition from the search applications stored in the search application storage unit.

According to the above configuration, an appropriate search application can be selected based on the attributes included in the search conditions.
The present invention is a point search method for causing a point search device to guide a point that matches a condition input by a user, when a search condition including at least a search area is input. A search application execution step for causing the point search device to execute a search application, and among search applications executed by the point search device in the search application execution step, the search application having the largest number of search points for points in the search area And an output control step for causing the output means to output a search result based on the execution.

  According to the said structure, the effect | action and effect equivalent to the said point search apparatus can be acquired.

The block diagram which shows typically one Embodiment of a navigation apparatus provided with the point search apparatus of this invention. (A) (b) is a schematic diagram explaining the data structure of facility data. The block diagram which shows the function structure of a control apparatus. The table which shows the relationship between an attribute, additional conditions which can be guided, and additional additional conditions. A table showing the characteristics of external applications. The flowchart explaining the process routine performed when searching the plant | facility which meets search conditions (the first half part). The flowchart explaining the process routine performed when searching the plant | facility which meets search conditions (second half part). The schematic diagram which shows an example of the screen which displays a search result. The schematic diagram which shows an example of the screen which displays the relationship between each application, the number of searches, and the number of differences in another embodiment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle navigation device 11 includes a display device 12 as an example of an output unit, and a control device 20 as an example of a point search device that controls the display device 12. The display device 12 is provided with a display 13 that provides various information to a vehicle occupant (user) in a visually recognizable state, and a liquid crystal touch panel (input means) 14 disposed in front of the display 13. . Further, a plurality of types of operation buttons (input means) 15 are provided on the side of the display 13 in the display device 12.

  When the display device 12 accepts the operation of the operation button 15 and the touch panel 14 by the occupant, the display device 12 outputs a signal corresponding to the operation content to the control device 20. When the display device 12 receives image data from the control device 20 as a response to the output signal, an image based on the image data is displayed on the display 13.

  The position detection unit 30 is connected to the control device 20 via the vehicle-side I / F 21 in a state where information can be transmitted. The position detector 30 includes a GPS receiver 31, a vehicle speed sensor 32, and a gyro sensor 33. The control device 20 detects an absolute position such as latitude / longitude by radio navigation based on the received signal received by the GPS receiver 31. Further, the control device 20 calculates a relative position from the reference position using autonomous navigation based on detection signals from the vehicle speed sensor 32 and the gyro sensor 33. And the control apparatus 20 specifies the present location of the own vehicle combining the detected absolute position and the calculated relative position. GPS is an abbreviation for “Global Positioning System”.

  The control device 20 includes a control unit 22, an image processor 23, and an information storage device 24. The control device 20 stores a navigation communication unit 25 that transmits and receives various information to and from the server device 40 provided outside the vehicle, and various information received from the server device 40 via the navigation communication unit 25. A reception information storage unit 26 is provided.

  The control unit 22 includes a CPU 220, a ROM 221, an EEPROM (search application storage unit) 222, which is an example of a nonvolatile memory, a RAM 223, and the like. The ROM 221 stores a program for searching and guiding a route to the destination. The EEPROM 222 stores a plurality of types of facility search (point search) applications (search applications) executed by the CPU 220 when searching for facilities (points) that match the input conditions. Specifically, the EEPROM 222 uses N external applications (N is an integer of 2 or more) for performing facility search using an external database provided outside the vehicle, and the facility data storage unit 242 of the navigation device 11. One internal application that performs facility search is stored. In the RAM 223, a storage area for storing a work area of the CPU 220, a searched route, and the like is formed.

  The image processor 23 generates various image data to be displayed on the display 13 based on the control signal from the control unit 22, and outputs the generated image data to the display device 12. For example, when the control unit 22 searches for a route from the current position of the host vehicle to the destination, the image processing processor 23 displays a searched route and a screen for requesting permission to start guidance along the route. Is generated, and an image based on the image data is displayed on the display 13. When the facility is searched for by the control unit 22, the image processor 23 generates image data for guiding the searched facility (destination) and causes the display 13 to display an image based on the image data. .

  The information storage device 24 is an external storage medium such as a hard disk or an optical disk. In the information storage device 24, a map data storage unit 240, a search data storage unit 241, and a facility data storage unit 242 are formed. The map data storage unit 240 stores map data such as road maps, house maps, and building shape maps. The search data storage unit 241 stores data relating to various road information such as a road between predetermined points, traffic regulation information of the road, a distance of the road, and a toll. The facility data storage unit 242 stores various facilities such as restaurants, gas stations, hospitals, parking lots, and facility data such as addresses and telephone numbers of the various facilities. Therefore, in this embodiment, the facility data storage unit 242 functions as an internal database that stores a plurality of facilities in association with position information for specifying their positions.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the facility data stored in the facility data storage unit 242 includes name information for specifying the name of the facility, position information for specifying the location of the facility, and attributes of the facility. Contains attribute information for identification. The location of the facility indicates the latitude / longitude of the facility, an address, a telephone number, and the like. As an attribute of a facility, for example, a type (genre) of the facility is cited. The type of facility indicates, for example, a restaurant, a gas station, and a convenience store.

  Further, such facility data includes additional information for specifying additional conditions for additionally guiding the vehicle occupant in addition to information (position information, attribute information) essential for facility search. Additional conditions include whether the facility has a parking lot and the business hours of the facility. Such an additional condition is guided together with the name and position of the facility that matches the search condition when a facility search using the facility data storage unit 242 is performed. For example, when a facility search using the facility data storage unit 242 includes business hours (additional conditions) in the search condition, the name, position (address, etc.) of the facility that matches the search condition and the business time are associated with each other. Will be guided.

Next, the server apparatus 40 which transmits / receives various information with the navigation apparatus 11 is demonstrated with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the server device 40 includes a server control unit 41, a server communication unit 42, and N (N is an integer of 2 or more) external databases 43-1, 43-2,. 43-N. Each of these external databases 43-1 to 43-N stores a plurality of facility data relating to the facility.

  Each of the external databases 43-1 to 43-N is a database used for facility search (point search), and the number of registered facilities is different from each other. Further, the external databases 43-1 to 43-N are different from each other in the field of search. For example, most restaurants are registered in the external database 43-1 as facilities. The external databases 43-2 and 43-3 are databases for searching for restaurants as in the case of the external database 43-1. However, the external database 43-1 can be searched throughout Japan, whereas the external database 43-2 can be searched within the first specific search area (for example, XX prefecture) The database 43-3 can be searched within a second specific search area (for example, Δ □ prefecture). Moreover, only in the first specific search area, the number of restaurants registered in the external database 43-2 is larger than the number of restaurants registered in the external database 43-1. In addition, gas stations are registered as facilities in other external databases (for example, external databases 43-5 and 43-6).

  The facility data stored in the external databases 43-1 to 43-N includes name information, position information, attribute information, type information, and additional information as shown in FIG. Such facility data includes additional additional information for specifying additional additional conditions different from the additional conditions. As an additional additional condition included in the facility data of a facility whose attribute is a gas station, for example, prices of various fuels such as gasoline are listed. Moreover, as an additional additional condition included in the facility data of a facility whose attribute is a restaurant, for example, an average budget, a price range, a mouthpiece ranking, and the like can be given. Moreover, as an additional additional condition included in the facility data of a facility whose attribute is an accommodation facility, for example, the presence or absence of a vacant room can be cited. Moreover, as an additional additional condition included in the facility data of the facility whose attribute is a parking lot, for example, whether or not the vehicle is full can be mentioned. The facility search using the external databases 43-1 to 43-N can guide the additional conditions and additional conditions included in the facility data stored in the external database to be used. The additional conditions are contents that are hardly changed, while the additional conditions are contents that are changed regularly or irregularly.

  Next, the control device 20 of the navigation device 11 will be described with reference to FIG. Note that FIG. 3 mainly illustrates a portion for searching for a facility that matches the search condition input by the occupant and guiding the search result.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 22 includes an additional condition specifying unit 50, a search condition acquisition unit 51, an inside / outside determination unit 52, an application execution unit 53, an internal search unit 54, an information reception unit 55, an application selection unit 56, a search A result receiving unit 57 and a search result guiding unit 58 are provided. Each of these functional units 50 to 58 is realized by at least one of hardware and software.

  The additional condition specifying unit 50 is configured to display a condition list in which the additional condition and the additional additional condition corresponding to the attribute are listed on the display 13 when the attribute is specified when the search condition is input by the occupant. Output information.

  The additional condition specifying unit 50 stores a table shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, in this table, additional conditions that can be guided and additional additional conditions are shown for each attribute. For example, when the attribute is a restaurant, as additional conditions and additional conditions, the location, type, business hours, presence / absence of a parking lot, price range, average budget and mouthpiece ranking can be guided, while the availability is guided Can not. In addition, when the attribute is a gas station, as an additional condition and an additional condition, the location, type, business hours, and price range can be guided, but the presence / absence of a parking lot, the average budget, the mouth ranking, and the availability are guided. Can not. When the attribute is an accommodation facility, as additional conditions and additional conditions, the location, type, business hours, presence / absence of parking, price range, mouth ranking and availability (in this case, availability of the room) can be guided. On the other hand, the average budget cannot be provided.

  Returning to FIG. 3, when the search condition acquisition unit 51 completes the input of the search condition by the operation of the touch panel 14 and the operation button 15, condition information for specifying the search condition is input. Then, the search condition acquisition unit 51 outputs the input condition information to the inside / outside determination unit 52. The search conditions include a search area, facility attributes, additional conditions, and the like.

  The inside / outside determination unit 52 determines whether or not to perform a facility search in the navigation device 11 based on the condition information input from the search condition acquisition unit 51. Specifically, the inside / outside determination unit 52 determines whether or not the additional condition and the additional additional condition indicated by the input condition information can be acquired at the time of facility search using the facility data storage unit (internal database) 242. For example, when guidance for business hours (additional conditions) is requested to a vehicle occupant, business hours (additional conditions) can be guided even when searching for facilities using the facility data storage unit 242. 52 determines that the facility search is performed in the navigation device 11. Then, the inside / outside determination unit 52 outputs the input condition information to the internal search unit 54. On the other hand, when the content requested for guidance by the vehicle occupant is the oral ranking (additional additional condition), the oral ranking (additional additional condition) cannot be guided at the time of facility search using the facility data storage unit 242. Therefore, the inside / outside determination unit 52 determines that the facility search is not performed in the navigation device 11.

  Further, the inside / outside determination unit 52 determines which external application is to be activated among the external applications for facility search using the external databases 43-1 to 43-N provided outside the vehicle. The inside / outside determination unit 52 stores a table shown in FIG. 5 used when selecting an external application to be activated. As shown in FIG. 5, the table associates the first to Nth applications, the external databases 43-1 to 43-N used at the facility search, the searchable attribute, and the search area.

  The first application is an application for searching “Restaurant” in “Nationwide” using the external database 43-1. The second application is an application for searching for “restaurant” in “XX prefecture” using the external database 43-2. The third application is an application for searching for “restaurant” in “Δ □ prefecture” using the external database 43-3. The fourth application is an application for searching for “gas station” in “national” using the external database 43-4. The Nth application is an application for searching for “accommodation facilities” in “XX region” using the external database 43-N.

  For example, when “Δ □ prefecture” and “restaurant” are set as search conditions, the inside / outside determination unit 52 selects a first application and a third application from among the applications. Subsequently, the inside / outside determination unit 52 outputs the selection result of the external application based on the input condition information to the application execution unit 53.

  The application execution unit 53 is activated by starting an application stored in the EEPROM 222. The first application activation unit 53-1, the second application activation unit 53-2, the third application activation unit 53-3,. An application activation unit 53-N is included. For example, the first application activation unit 53-1 is a functional unit that is realized by the CPU 220 starting the first application, and the second application activation unit 53-2 is that the CPU 220 activates the second application. This is a functional unit realized by

  Based on the application selected by the inside / outside determination unit 52, the application execution unit 53 selects an application activation unit that causes a facility search from among the application activation units 53-1 to 53-N. For example, when the first application and the third application are selected by the inside / outside determination unit 52, the application execution unit 53 selects the first application activation unit 53-1 and the third application activation unit 53-3. And the selected 1st application starting part 53-1 and the 3rd application starting part 53-3 start the search of the facilities which match the input search conditions. The first application activation unit 53-1 transmits external search information for specifying the search condition and the external database 43-1 used at the time of search to the server device 40. Similarly, the third application activation unit 53-3 transmits the external search information for specifying the search condition and the external database 43-3 used at the time of search to the server device 40.

  When the condition information is input from the inside / outside determination unit 52, the internal search unit 54 uses the facility data storage unit 242 to search for a facility that matches the search condition indicated by the condition information. That is, the internal search unit 54 extracts all facility data including various information (attribute information, position information, additional information, etc.) constituting the condition information from the facility data storage unit 242. Then, the internal search unit 54 transmits internal search result information including each facility data extracted from the facility data storage unit 242 to the server device 40. Therefore, in the present embodiment, among the applications stored in the EEPROM 222 by the inside / outside determination unit 52, the application execution unit 53, and the internal search unit 54, at least an application that can search for a facility within the search area included in the search condition. A search application executing means for selecting two and executing each application is configured.

Here, processing in the server device 40 will be described.
In the server device 40, when the external search information is received from the navigation device 11, the external database used for the facility search is selected from the external databases 43-1 to 43-N. And the facility search using the selected external database (for example, external database 43-1) is performed. When such a facility search is performed, the number of facilities that match the search condition, that is, the number of searches is calculated for each external application. Then, when the internal application is not executed in the navigation device 11, search number information for specifying the search number based on the execution of each external application is transmitted to the navigation device 11.

  On the other hand, in the server device 40, when an internal application is executed in the navigation device 11, the internal search result information is received. Then, the server device 40 collates the search result based on the execution of each external application with the search result based on the execution of the internal application. The number of facilities that are not searched for by executing the internal application among the facilities searched for by executing the external application (hereinafter also referred to as “number of differences”) is calculated for each external application. Then, the search number information for specifying the search number based on the execution of each external application and the difference number information for specifying the difference number based on the execution of each external application are transmitted to the navigation device 11.

  The information receiving unit 55 receives the search number information from the server device 40 when the internal search unit 54 does not transmit the internal search result information to the server device 40. The information receiving unit 55 receives the search number information and the difference number information from the server device 40 when the internal search unit 54 transmits the internal search result information to the server device 40. Then, the information reception unit 55 outputs the received information to the application selection unit 56.

  The application selection unit 56 selects one of the executed external applications based on the information input from the information reception unit 55. Specifically, when the difference count information is not input, the application selection unit 56 acquires the search count for each external application selected by the internal / external determination unit 52 based on the input search count information. Subsequently, the application selection unit 56 selects an external application having the largest number of search cases from the executed external applications. On the other hand, when the difference number information is input, the application selection unit 56 acquires the difference number for each external application selected by the inside / outside determination unit 52 based on the difference number information. Subsequently, the application selection unit 56 selects an external application having the largest number of differences among the executed external applications. Then, the application selection unit 56 requests the server device 40 for a search result based on the execution of the selected external application.

  The search result receiving unit 57 receives search result information for specifying a search result based on the execution of the external application selected by the application selecting unit 56 from the server device 40. Then, the search result receiving unit 57 outputs the received search result information to the search result guiding unit 58. The search result guide unit 58 displays (outputs) the search result indicated by the input search result information on the display 13. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the search result guidance unit 58 functions as an output control unit.

  Next, a processing routine executed when searching for a facility that matches the input search condition and guiding the search result to the occupant will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

  In the navigation device 11, in step S <b> 10, the control device 20 performs display processing that prompts selection of a reference point for specifying the search area. In this display process, the occupant selects whether the reference point is the current position of the host vehicle or a position other than the current position. When the reference point is set to a position other than the current position, the input of the position to be the reference point is prompted. In the next step S11, the control device 20 determines whether or not the reference point has been selected by the occupant. That is, the search condition in this embodiment includes an area to be searched (search area). When the reference point is not selected (step S11: NO), the control device 20 repeatedly executes the determination process of step S11.

  On the other hand, when the reference point is selected (step S11: YES), the control device 20 specifies a search area including the selected reference point in step S12. For example, when the reference point is the current position of the host vehicle (for example, Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture), the control device 20 specifies “Okazaki City” as the search area. When “Nagoya Station” is set as the reference point, the control device 20 specifies an area having a reference radius (for example, 2 km) centered on Nagoya Station as the search area.

  Subsequently, in step S <b> 13, the control device 20 performs display processing that prompts setting of a facility or an attribute. In the next step S <b> 14, the control device 20 determines whether or not the facility or attribute is set for the occupant. That is, the search condition in this embodiment includes an attribute. If the facility or attribute is not set (step S14: NO), the control device 20 repeatedly executes the determination process of step S14.

  On the other hand, when the facility or the attribute is set (step S14: YES), the control device 20 performs a display process for prompting the setting of at least one of the additional condition and the additional additional condition in step S15. When the attribute is set, the control device 20 uses the table shown in FIG. 4 to specify an additional condition and an additional additional condition that can be guided by the set attribute. On the other hand, when a facility is set, the control device 20 estimates an attribute to which the set facility belongs. Subsequently, the control device 20 specifies an additional condition and an additional additional condition that can be guided by the estimated attribute, using the table shown in FIG. Then, the control device 20 lists the specified additional conditions and additional additional conditions, and causes the display 13 to display the list. In the next step S16, the control device 20 determines whether or not at least one of the additional condition and the additional additional condition is set for the occupant. When the additional condition and the additional additional condition are not set (step S16: NO), the control device 20 repeatedly executes the determination process of step S16.

  On the other hand, when at least one of the additional condition and the additional additional condition is set (step S16: YES), the control device 20 determines whether or not the internal application can be searched in step S17. That is, the control device 20 determines whether or not the conditions set as the search conditions can be guided by executing the internal application. When the set condition cannot be guided by the internal application (step S17: NO), the control device 20 shifts the process to step S20 to be described later because the set condition is an additional additional condition.

  On the other hand, when the set condition can be guided by the internal application (step S17: YES), the control device 20 performs an internal search process for executing the internal application in step S18 because the set condition is an additional condition. . In the next step S <b> 19, the control device 20 transmits internal search result information for specifying a search result based on the execution of the internal application to the server device 40. Subsequently, the control device 20 shifts the processing to the next step S20.

  In step S <b> 20, the control device 20 selects at least two external applications that can search for facilities that match the search condition input by the occupant from the first to Nth applications. In step S21, the control device 20 activates each selected external application. Then, the control device 20 transmits external search information for specifying a search condition and an external database used at the time of search to the server device 40. Therefore, in this embodiment, step S21 corresponds to a search application execution step.

  On the other hand, in the server device 40, in step S22, the server control unit 41 receives the internal search result information from the navigation device 11. In the next step S23, the server control unit 41 receives external search information from the navigation device 11, and performs server search processing based on the external search information. For example, when the first external application and the third external application are executed, in the server search process, the facility search using the first external database 43-1 for the first external application is performed, The facility search using the third external database 43-3 for the third external application is performed.

  Subsequently, in step S24, the server control unit 41 performs a search number difference process for calculating the difference number. For example, when the first external application and the third external application are executed by the navigation device 11, the search number difference process calculates the difference number of the first external application and the difference number of the third external application. Is done. When the internal application is not executed in the navigation device 11, the server control unit 41 ends the search number difference process without calculating the difference number. In the next step S25, the server control unit 41 obtains the search number information for specifying the search number based on the execution of each external application and the difference number information for specifying the difference number calculated in step S24. Send to. At this time, when the internal application is not executed in the navigation device 11, the server control unit 41 transmits only the search number information to the navigation device 11.

  In the navigation device 11, the control device 20 receives the search number information and the difference number information from the server device 40 in step S26. In step S27, when the difference count information is not received in step S26, the control device 20 selects an external application with the largest number of search cases from among the external applications to be executed based on the search number information. To do. In addition, when the difference count information is received in step S26, the control device 20 selects the external application having the largest difference count from the respective external applications to be executed based on the difference count information. However, there may be multiple external applications with the largest number of differences. In this case, based on the search number information received together with the difference number information, the control device 20 selects an external application with the largest number of search cases from among the external applications to be executed. Therefore, in this embodiment, step S26 corresponds to a search application selection step. In the next step S28, the control device 20 requests the server device 40 for a search result based on the execution of the external application selected in step S27.

  In the server device 40, in step S29, the server control unit 41 transmits search result information for specifying a search result based on the execution of the selected external application to the navigation device 11.

  In the navigation device 11, the control device 20 receives the search result information from the server device 40 in step S30. In step S31, the control device 20 performs guidance display processing for displaying (outputting) the search result indicated by the received search result information on the display 13, and thereafter ends the processing routine. Therefore, in this embodiment, step S31 corresponds to an output control step.

  Next, an operation of guiding and displaying a facility that matches the input search condition on the display 13 will be described with reference to FIG. It is assumed that the search condition input by the vehicle occupant is “restaurant” in “XX prefecture”, and an average budget is set as an additional condition.

  When such a search condition is input, it is determined whether or not an average budget set as an additional condition for the occupant can be acquired by a facility search using the facility data storage unit 242. When it is determined that acquisition is possible, the internal application is activated, and a facility search using the facility data storage unit 242 is executed. A search result based on the facility search, that is, internal search result information for specifying each searched facility is transmitted to the server device 40.

  Also, an external application that can search for a facility that matches the input search condition is selected from each external application. In this case, the first application and the second application are selected (see FIG. 5). Then, the selected first and second applications are activated. As a result, external search information for specifying the search condition and the external database used in the search (in this case, the external databases 43-1 and 43-2) is transmitted from the navigation device 11 to the server device 40.

  In the server device 40 that has received the external search information, the facility search using the external database 43-1 and the facility search using the external database 43-2 are performed. When such a facility search is performed, the above-described search number difference process is performed. Then, the difference number of the first application and the difference number of the second application are calculated, and the difference number information and the search number information are transmitted to the navigation device 11.

  Then, the navigation device 11 selects the external application (for example, the second application) having the largest number of differences based on the received difference number information, and the search result based on the execution of the second application is sent to the server device 40. Required. Then, a search result based on the execution of the second application is transmitted from the server device 40. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the facility searched by executing the second application is displayed on the display 13 of the navigation device 11. At this time, the facilities are arranged in order from top to bottom in ascending order of the average budget set as the additional condition. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the distance from the current position of the host vehicle to each facility is also displayed on the display 13.

  Then, when any one of the facilities displayed and guided on the display 13 is selected as a destination, a route to the facility is searched. Then, the searched route is guided and displayed on the display 13, and the navigation processing along the route is started.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) When a search condition including a search area is input, at least two external applications that can search for facilities in the search area set as the search condition are selected from the external applications stored in the EEPROM 222. . Then, each selected external application is executed. Then, among the external applications, the external application having the largest number of facility searches that match the search condition is selected. Then, the search result based on the execution of the selected external application is guided to the user. Therefore, the search result based on the execution of the search application that can obtain the optimal search result for the search condition from the vehicle occupant can be guided to the occupant. More specifically, more facilities that match the search conditions can be guided to the occupant.

  (2) In this embodiment, when a search condition is input, an internal application is also executed. Then, among the executed external applications, the external application having the largest number of facility searches that cannot be searched by the internal application, that is, the largest number of difference cases is selected. Then, a search result based on the execution of the selected external application is received from the server device 40. Therefore, many facilities that cannot be guided by the search using the facility data storage unit 242 can be guided to the user.

  (3) The search condition input by the vehicle occupant includes an attribute of a desired facility. Then, an external application that can search for the facility having the attribute included in the search condition is selected from the external applications stored in the EEPROM 222. Therefore, a search result by an external application that is good at searching for a facility having an attribute set for the occupant can be guided to the occupant.

  (4) The search conditions input by the occupant may include additional conditions and additional additional conditions. While additional conditions can be provided by internal applications, additional additional conditions may not be provided by internal applications. Therefore, in the present embodiment, it is determined whether to start the internal application based on the conditions (additional conditions / additional additional conditions) set as the search conditions together with the search area. When the internal application is activated, the external application having the largest number of differences among the external applications is selected, and the search result based on the execution of the external application is guided to the vehicle occupant. On the other hand, when the internal application is not activated, the external application having the largest number of searches is selected from the external applications, and the search result based on the execution of the external application is guided to the vehicle occupant. Therefore, it is possible to select an external application with a large amount of information that can be provided, whether the internal application is executed or not.

  (5) When a plurality of external applications are executed, the search results in each external application are received by the navigation device 11, and the navigation device 11 performs a process corresponding to the search number difference process (step S24). A method is conceivable. In this case, even the information not guided to the vehicle occupant is received by the navigation device 11. In this regard, in the present embodiment, even when a plurality of external applications are executed, the search result of any one of the external applications is received by the navigation device 11. Therefore, the amount of information received by the navigation device 11 can be reduced. Therefore, the search result based on the execution of the selected external application can be promptly guided to the occupant as much as the amount of information to be received can be reduced.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment into another embodiment as follows.
-In embodiment, when the search number information and difference number information from the server apparatus 40 are received, you may make a passenger | crew of a vehicle select the external application which guides a search result. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, each external application started based on the current search condition is displayed on the display 13 as a guide. At this time, each external application, the number of searches based on their execution, and the number of differences between them are displayed as guidance on the display 13. Then, an external application selected by the occupant may be selected from each guided external application, and a search result based on the execution of the external application may be received from the server device 40.

  Further, when the internal application is activated based on the current search condition, the internal application may be displayed in a guide along with each external application. At this time, the number of differences corresponding to the internal application is “0 (zero)”.

  In FIG. 9, the number of searches by the first application (1000) is larger than the number of searches by the second application (800), but the difference from the first application (400). The number of differences (500) of the second application is large. This is because there are many facilities searched by executing the internal application among the facilities searched by executing the first application.

  Further, the number of differences of the fifth application is “0 (zero)”. This means that all facilities searched by executing the fifth application can be searched by executing the internal application.

  -In embodiment, you may make the navigation apparatus 11 receive the search result by each external application performed. In this case, the navigation device 11 executes a process corresponding to the search number difference process (step S24).

In the embodiment, the internal application may be activated regardless of the content of the additional condition included in the input search condition.
-In an embodiment, when starting an internal application, you may make it start any one of each external application stored in EEPROM222. In this case, of the internal application and the external application, the search result based on the execution of the application with the larger number of searches based on the execution may be guided and displayed on the display 13.

  In the embodiment, an internal database other than the facility data storage unit 242 may be separately provided in the control device 20 of the navigation device 11. In this case, the EEPROM 222 of the control device 20 may store an internal application that performs a facility search using the facility data storage unit 242 and an internal application that performs a facility search using another internal database. When a search condition is input, each internal application may be executed, and a search result based on execution of the internal application having the largest number of searches among the internal applications may be guided to the occupant.

  In the embodiment, the server device 40 may execute the process of specifying the application in step S27. In this case, each processing of steps S25, S26, and S28 is omitted. That is, the information receiving unit 55 and the application selecting unit 56 are omitted from the function units 50 to 58 shown in FIG.

  In the embodiment, the contents of the additional information and the additional additional information included in the facility data stored in the external database may be different for each external database 43-1 to 43-N. For example, the additional data for specifying the average budget and the price range is included in the facility data stored in the external database 43-1 for restaurant search. In contrast, the facility data stored in the external database 43-2 for restaurant search includes additional additional information for specifying an average budget, a price range, and a mouthpiece ranking. In this case, in the facility search using the external database 43-2, the ranking of facilities matching the search condition can be guided, while in the facility search using the external database 43-1 the facility search matching the search condition. I can't give you a ranking. Therefore, when the external application is selected by the internal / external determination unit 52, an external application that can guide conditions (additional conditions and additional additional conditions) included in the input search conditions may be selected.

  In the embodiment, the search area may be specified without causing the reference point to be selected. For example, when inputting search conditions, each administrative area (Okazaki City, Anjo City, etc.) may be listed and displayed on the display 13, and the administrative area selected by the vehicle occupant may be specified as the search area.

In the embodiment, the search result guidance based on the execution of the application may be a voice guidance. In this case, a speaker that outputs sound corresponds to the output means.
The point search device of the present invention may be embodied in a portable information terminal such as a cellular phone or a host device such as a personal computer. In the case of a host device, a search result based on execution of an application may be printed (output) on a medium such as paper. In this case, a printing apparatus that performs printing on the medium corresponds to the output unit.

  12 ... Display device as an example of output means, 20 ... Control device as an example of point search device, 222 ... EEPROM as an example of search application storage means, 242 ... Facility data storage unit as an example of internal database, 43- 1 to 43-N: external database, 52: inside / outside determination unit constituting search application execution unit, 53 ... application execution unit constituting search application execution unit, 54 ... internal search unit constituting search application execution unit, 56 ... An application selection unit as an example of a search application selection unit, 58... A guide unit as an example of an output control unit.

Claims (5)

A point search device for guiding a point that matches a search condition including at least a search area,
Search application storage means for storing a plurality of search applications for searching for a point that matches the search condition using different databases;
Execution of a search application that selects at least two search applications that can perform a point search within a search area included in the search condition from the search applications stored in the search application storage unit, and executes the search applications Means,
Output control means for causing the output means to output a search result based on execution of the search application having the largest number of search points in the search area among the search applications executed by the search application executing means. Feature point search device.   At least two of the search applications stored in the search application storage means are external applications that search for points that match the search conditions using an external database provided outside the point search device. The point search device according to claim 1. One of the search applications stored in the search application storage means is an internal application that searches for a point that matches the search condition using an internal database provided in the point search device,
The search application execution means executes at least two of the external application and the internal application,
The output control means outputs, to the output means, a search result based on the execution of the external application having the largest number of search points at points that could not be searched by the internal application among the external applications executed by the search application execution means. The point search device according to claim 2, wherein the point search device is output. Each database stores a plurality of point candidates, attribute information for specifying their attributes, and position information for specifying their positions in association with each other,
The search application execution unit selects a search application that can search for a spot having an attribute included in an input search condition from the search applications stored in the search application storage unit. The point search apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-3. A point search method for causing a point search device to guide a point that matches a condition input by a user,
When a search condition including at least a search area is input, a search application execution step for causing the point search device to execute a plurality of point search search applications;
An output control step for causing the output means to output a search result based on the execution of the search application having the largest number of search points in the search area among the search applications executed by the point search device in the search application execution step; The point search method characterized by having.

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