JP2016115067A - Image display terminal, image display system, and image display program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operability in displaying a street view image while changing a viewpoint.SOLUTION: An image display terminal 2 forms a viewpoint switching button 201b for street view screens M3 to M6 including a street view image, and when the viewpoint switching button 201b is touched for operation, displays the street view image while changing a viewpoint. Unlike a prior art in which a user performs an operation to trace a street view on a touch panel with a fingertip, a street view can be displayed with a changed viewpoint only with a simple operation by a user to touch the viewpoint switching button 201b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

  The present invention relates to an image display terminal, an image display system, and an image display program.

  Conventionally, street view is provided as one of online map services. In the street view, for example, when a display object (for example, a store) is selected by a user operation, an image display terminal such as a multifunctional mobile phone selects point information (POI (Point Of Interest) name) of the display object. And POI information including the location (latitude and longitude) are transmitted to the server via the communication network. When the server receives the spot information from the image display terminal, the server specifies a viewpoint that is closest to the spot of the received spot information (closest to the spot). Then, the server transmits a street view image in which a direction from the identified viewpoint to the point of the point information is captured to the image display terminal via the communication network. Upon receiving the street view image from the server, the image display terminal displays the received street view image. Thereby, the user can confirm the state around the desired display object from the viewpoint from the road.

  A user who uses such a street view generally wants to acquire a street view image in front of the display object. However, depending on the situation in which the display object is erected, the viewpoint closest to the point of the point information becomes the road (back road) on the back side (back side) or the side road (side road) of the display object. Sometimes. Then, the back and side street view images of the display object are displayed, and a street view image unfavorable for the user is displayed. With respect to such a problem, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for displaying a street view image by changing the viewpoint in an image display terminal.

Special table 2013-534656 gazette

  In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, a user performs an operation (swipe operation) for tracing the touch panel with a fingertip, and changes the viewpoint of the street view image and displays it. In such a configuration in which the user performs the tracing operation with the fingertip, it is possible to acquire a street view image from a desired viewpoint by adjusting the tracing direction and the tracing distance (the moving direction and moving amount of the fingertip). That is, it is useful for a request to acquire a street view image from a desired viewpoint.

  However, for the time being, it is necessary to perform the tracing operation even when there is a request to acquire a street view image from a different viewpoint different from the current viewpoint, and it is necessary to adjust the tracing direction and the tracing distance to some extent. In addition, depending on the tracing distance, there is a possibility that the viewpoint turns once (360 degrees) and returns to the current viewpoint, so it is necessary to watch the screen from the start to the end of the tracing operation. Further, in order to change the viewpoint relatively large, it may be necessary to make the tracing distance relatively large, or in some cases, the tracing operation may be divided into a plurality of times. In particular, in a terminal having a relatively small touch panel size, the change amount of the viewpoint in one tracing operation is limited to a relatively small size, so that there is a high possibility that the tracing operation needs to be divided into a plurality of times. In such a configuration in which the user changes the viewpoint by performing a tracing operation with the fingertip, the operation is performed in response to a request to acquire a street view image from a different viewpoint different from the current viewpoint for the time being. Not enough in terms of sex.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image display terminal, an image display system, and an image display program capable of improving the operability when changing the viewpoint of a street view image and displaying it. Is to provide.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the point information of the display object is set by the point information setting unit, the image acquisition unit captures a street view image in which the direction from the viewpoint to the point of the point information is captured. From the server. When the street view image is acquired by the image acquisition unit, the display control unit displays the acquired street view image. The operation accepting unit accepts a touch operation of the operating unit by the user. Here, the image acquisition means is configured such that a touch operation by the user is performed by the operation accepting means while the street view image before the viewpoint change in which the direction from the viewpoint before the viewpoint change to the point before the viewpoint change is captured is displayed on the display means. When accepted, the viewpoint-changed street view image in which the direction from the viewpoint after the viewpoint change different from the viewpoint before the viewpoint change to the point after the viewpoint change is captured is acquired from the server. Then, when the street view image after the viewpoint change is acquired by the image acquisition unit, the display control unit displays the acquired street view image after the viewpoint change.

  Thus, unlike the conventional case where the user performs an operation of tracing the touch panel with a fingertip, the user simply touches the operation means to change the street view image before the viewpoint change to the street view image after the viewpoint change. And display can be switched. In other words, just by performing a touch operation that is simpler than the tracing operation, the state around the desired display object can be confirmed from a viewpoint from a viewpoint that is different from the viewpoint before the viewpoint is changed. For the time being, it is possible to improve the operability in response to a request for acquiring a street view image from a different viewpoint different from the current viewpoint.

The figure which shows the whole structure of the image display system of 1st Embodiment. Diagram showing the viewpoint Figure showing map screen Figure showing the Street View screen (Part 1) Flow chart showing processing of image display terminal and server (part 1) Figure showing the Street View screen (Part 2) Figure showing the Street View screen (Part 3) Figure showing the Street View screen (Part 4) Figure showing the Street View screen (Part 5) The figure which shows the aspect which determines the viewpoint after a viewpoint change The figure which shows the transition of the street view screen (the 1) Figure showing the transition of the Street View screen (Part 2) Flowchart showing processing of image display terminal and server (part 2) Flow chart showing processing of image display terminal and server (part 3) The figure which shows the aspect which determines the viewpoint after the viewpoint change of 2nd Embodiment. Flowchart showing processing of image display terminal and server (part 4)

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the image display system 1 includes an image display terminal 2 and a server 3, and both are configured to be capable of data communication via a communication network (including the Internet). In the present embodiment, a so-called smartphone (multifunctional mobile phone) is assumed as the image display terminal 2. An unspecified number of image display terminals 2 can access the server 3.

  The image display terminal 2 includes a control unit 21 (corresponding to a control unit), a memory 22, a user interface (UI (User Interface)) unit 23, a display unit 24 (corresponding to a display unit), a communication unit 25, And a camera 26. The control unit 21 includes a microcomputer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an I / O (Input / Output). The memory 22 is composed of, for example, a semiconductor storage element or the like, and stores a computer program. The control unit 21 executes a computer program stored in the memory 22 and controls the overall operation of the image display terminal 2.

  The user interface unit 23 is configured by a touch panel, a mechanical switch, or the like formed on the screen of the display unit 24. When an operation from the user is received, an operation detection signal indicating the operation content is sent to the control unit 21. Output. The display unit 24 is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal display or the like. When a display command signal is input from the control unit 21, the display unit 24 displays (draws) a screen specified by the input display command signal. The communication unit 25 controls data communication with the server 3 via the communication network. The camera 26 includes a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor and a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor, and performs an imaging operation. In addition to these functions, the image display terminal 2 has a function of inputting a voice uttered by a user as a transmitted voice, a function of outputting a voice received from a communication partner via a communication network as a received voice, a telephone directory It has various well-known functions related to the telephone such as a function for storing data.

  The control unit 21 includes a spot information setting unit 21a (corresponding to a spot information setting unit), an image acquisition unit 21b (corresponding to an image acquisition unit), a display control unit 21c (corresponding to a display control unit), and an operation receiving unit 21d. (Corresponding to operation accepting means). The point information setting unit 21a, the image acquisition unit 21b, the display control unit 21c, and the operation reception unit 21d are configured by a computer program (including an image display program) executed by the control unit 21, and are realized by software. .

  When the user performs an operation of selecting a display object (for example, a store) by the user interface unit 23, the spot information setting unit 21a sets the spot information of the display object selected by the user. The point information is POI information including a POI (Point Of Interest) name and a point (latitude and longitude). When the spot information is set by the spot information setting unit 21a, the image acquisition unit 21b transmits the set spot information from the communication unit 25 to the server 3 via the communication network, and changes the viewpoint from the viewpoint to the spot of the spot information. The street view image in which the direction to go is photographed is received from the server 3 by the communication unit 25 and acquired. A viewpoint is a point on a road on which a vehicle (automobile) equipped with an omnidirectional camera travels. The street view image is an image of a landscape along the road taken by an omnidirectional camera mounted on the vehicle.

  The display control unit 21c causes the display unit 24 to display the street view image acquired by the image acquisition unit 21b. The operation receiving unit 21d receives an operation performed on the user interface unit 23 by the user. Operations that the user performs on the touch panel constituting the user interface unit 23 include touch operation (pressing (tapping) the screen once with the fingertip, consenting to the tap operation), double touch operation (pressing the screen twice with the fingertip). Operation), long touch operation (operation that pushes the screen for a long time with the fingertip), flick operation (operation that touches the screen with the fingertip, quickly touches the fingertip in a predetermined direction (up / down / left / right)), swipe operation (touches the screen with the fingertip, (To move the fingertip), pinch-in operation (touch the screen with two fingertips, narrow the distance between the two fingertips), pinch-out operation (touch the screen with two fingertips, part 2 For example, an operation to increase the interval between the fingertips of the book).

  The server 3 includes a control unit 31, a memory 32, a storage unit 33, and a communication unit 34. The control unit 31 includes a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and I / O. The memory 32 is composed of, for example, a semiconductor storage element or the like, and stores a computer program. The control unit 31 executes a computer program stored in the memory 32 and controls the overall operation of the server 3. The storage unit 33 includes a storage medium such as a hard disk, and includes a map database 33a that stores a map and an image database 33b that stores a street view image. The map stored in the map database 33a includes viewpoint points (latitude and longitude) on the road. The communication unit 34 controls data communication with the image display terminal 2 via a communication network.

  The control unit 31 includes a direction specifying unit 31a, an image extracting unit 31b, and an image providing unit 31c. The direction specifying unit 31a, the image extracting unit 31b, and the image providing unit 31c are configured by a computer program executed by the control unit 31, and are realized by software. When the location information is received from the image display terminal 2 by the communication unit 34, the direction identification unit 31a identifies the location of the location information, searches the map database 33a, and is closest to the identified location (from the nearest location to the nearest location). Identify the viewpoint. And the direction specific | specification part 31a determines the relative positional relationship on the map of the specified viewpoint and the point of point information, and specifies the direction which goes to the point of point information from a viewpoint. When the direction is specified by the direction specifying unit 31a, the image extracting unit 31b searches the image database 33b and selects the street in the specified direction from the omnidirectional street view images corresponding to the specified viewpoint. Extract (cut out) the view image. When the street view image is extracted by the image extraction unit 31b, the image providing unit 31c causes the communication unit 34 to transmit the extracted street view image to the image display terminal 2 via the communication network.

  A display object to be a target of street view will be described with reference to FIG. In the illustration of FIG. 2, a front road 51 is laid on the front side (front side) of the site G where the display object D (for example, a store or the like) is erected, and a back road 52 on the back side (back side) of the site G. A side road 53 is laid on the side of the site G. A parking space E is provided in the site G. As a vehicle equipped with an omnidirectional camera travels along the front road 51, the back road 52, and the side road 53, viewpoints 51a to 51j are set on the front road 51, and viewpoints 52a to 52k are set on the back road 52. The side points 53 are set with viewpoints 53a to 53d. These viewpoints 51a to 51j, 52a to 52k, and 53a to 53d are set at substantially equal intervals. In the illustration of FIG. 2, the image database 33b of the server 3 stores street view images corresponding to the viewpoints 51a to 51j, 52a to 52k, and 53a to 53d of the front road 51, the back road 52, and the side road 53, respectively. Yes.

  When the user performs an activation operation of the map application, the image display terminal 2 activates the map application and displays a map screen M1 including a map image of a region designated by the user as shown in FIG. In the map screen M1, a map image display area 101 where a map image is displayed and a selection item display area 102 where a selection item is displayed are lined up and down. The map image display area 101 displays a map image of the surrounding area including the point information (convenience store B in FIG. 3) currently selected by the user in the selection item display area 102, and a map button that can be touch-operated by the user 101a is formed (superimposed display) on the map image. The user can switch the display from the map screen to the street view screen by touching the map button 101a.

  When the user touches the map button 101a, the image display terminal 2 shifts from the map display mode to the street view display mode. When the image display terminal 2 shifts from the map display mode to the street view display mode, the point information being selected is set, and an image request signal including the set point information is transmitted to the server 3 via the communication network. When the server 3 receives the image request signal from the image display terminal 2, the server 3 selects the viewpoint (closest to the point) closest to the point of the point information (point O in FIG. 2) included in the received image request signal. Identify. Then, the server 3 transmits to the image display terminal 2 via the communication network an image response signal including a street view image in which the direction from the identified viewpoint to the point of the point information is captured.

  When receiving the image response signal from the server 3, the image display terminal 2 displays a street view screen M2 including the street view image included in the received image response signal as shown in FIG. On the street view screen M2, a street view image display area 201 in which a street view image is displayed and a selection item display area 202 in which selection items are displayed are lined up and down. The street view image display area 201 displays a street view image of the surrounding area including the point information (convenience store B in FIG. 4) currently selected by the user in the selection item display area 202, and can be touched by the user. A street view button 201a is formed on the street view image. Thus, the user can confirm the state around the desired display object D from the viewpoint from the road by performing an operation of switching the display from the map screen to the street view screen.

  By the way, the point O of the point information is often set to a part of the display object D (for example, a store entrance). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the display object D is erected on the back road 52 side in the site G due to various circumstances such as securing a large number of parking spaces E and entering and leaving the vehicle. The viewpoint closest to the point O of the point information is set as the viewpoint 52e of the back road 52. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, a street view image in which the direction from the view point 52e toward the point O of the point information is captured, that is, a street view image on the back of the display object D is displayed, which is not preferable for the user. A street view image is displayed. Thus, the image display terminal 2 and the server 3 perform the operation | movement shown below with respect to the problem that a street view image undesirable for a user is displayed.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, the user performs an activation operation of the map application. If it determines with the user having performed starting operation of a map application (A1: YES), the control part 21 will start a map application (A2). When the map application is activated, as shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 21 causes the display unit 24 to display a map screen M1 including a map image of a region designated by the user (A3). Subsequently, the user touches the map button 101a. When the control unit 21 determines that an operation for switching the display from the map screen to the street view screen is performed due to the user touching the map button 101a (A4: YES), the control unit 21 shifts from the map display mode to the street view display mode. (A5). When the control unit 21 shifts to the street view display mode, the selected point information is set (A6, first procedure), and an image request signal including the set point information is transmitted from the communication unit 25 via the communication network. The server 3 is transmitted (A7).

  In the server 3, when the control unit 31 receives the image request signal from the image display terminal 2 through the communication unit 34 (B 1), the control unit 31 is closest to the point O of the point information included in the received image request signal (point O The nearest viewpoint is identified (B2). Then, the control unit 31 extracts a street view image in which a direction from the identified view point toward the point O of the point information is captured, and an image response signal including the extracted street view image is transmitted from the communication unit 34 to the communication network. Is transmitted to the image display terminal 2 via (B3). In this case, the control unit 31 sets the viewpoint 52e of the back road 52 as the viewpoint closest to the point O, and a street view image in which the direction from the viewpoint 52e of the back road 52 toward the point O is captured, that is, a display target An image response signal including a street view image on the back of the object D is transmitted.

  In the image display terminal 2, when the control unit 21 receives the image response signal from the server 3 via the communication unit 24 (A8, second procedure), as shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 21 is included in the received image response signal. A street view screen M3 including the existing street view image is displayed on the display unit 24 (A9, third procedure). Here, on the street view screen M3, the control unit 21 forms a viewpoint switching button 201b (corresponding to an operation unit) that can be touch-operated by the user on the street view image in addition to the street view button 201a shown in FIG. (Overlapping display). That is, in the conventional street view screen M2 shown in FIG. 4, only the street view button 201a is formed, but in the street view screen M3 of the present invention shown in FIG. 6, in addition to the street view button 201a, a viewpoint switching button 201b is provided. Is formed. While the street view screen M3 is being displayed, the control unit 21 waits for a touch operation on either the street view button 201a or the viewpoint switching button 201b.

  In this state, when changing the viewpoint of the street view image, the user touches the viewpoint switching button 201b with the fingertip. When the control unit 21 determines that the user has performed a viewpoint change operation by touching the viewpoint switching button 201b (A10: YES, fourth procedure), the control unit 21 specifies a virtual spot based on the spot O of the spot information ( A11). In this case, the point O of the point information is a point before the viewpoint is changed, and the virtual point is a point after the viewpoint is changed. Specifically, with reference to FIG. 10, the control unit 21 specifies the length of the line segment L0 connecting the point O of the point information and the current view point (view point before changing the viewpoint) 52e. Next, the control unit 21 specifies a line segment L1 that is equal to the length of the line segment L0 and forms 90 degrees clockwise with the line segment L0, and uses the end point of the line segment L1 as a virtual point P1. Identify. And the control part 21 transmits the image request signal containing the virtual spot P1 specified in this way to the server 3 via a communication network from the communication part 25 (A12).

  In the server 3, when the control unit 31 receives the image request signal from the image display terminal 2 through the communication unit 34 (B4), the control unit 31 is closest to the virtual point P1 included in the received image request signal (from the virtual point P1). Identify the nearest viewpoint (B5). Then, the control unit 31 extracts a street view image in which the direction from the identified view point toward the virtual point P1 is captured, and an image response signal including the extracted street view image is transmitted from the communication unit 34 via the communication network. To be transmitted to the image display terminal 2 (B6). In this case, the control unit 31 specifies the viewpoint 53c of the side road 53 as the viewpoint closest to the virtual spot P1, and a street view image in which the direction from the viewpoint 53c of the side road 53 toward the virtual spot P1 is captured, that is, An image response signal including a street view image on the front right side of the display object D is transmitted.

  In the image display terminal 2, when the control unit 21 receives the image response signal from the server 3 via the communication unit 24 (A13, fifth procedure), the control unit 21 includes the received image response signal as shown in FIG. A street view screen M4 including the existing street view image is displayed on the display unit 24 (A14, sixth procedure). Again, the control unit 21 forms the viewpoint switching button 201b that can be touch-operated by the user on the street view image. Thereby, when the user performs an operation of switching the display from the map screen M1 to the street view screen M3, immediately after that, the street view image on the back of the display object D is displayed first, but the viewpoint switching button 201b is pressed. By performing a touch operation, the display can be switched from the street view image on the back of the display object D to the street view image on the front right side of the display object D. That is, the user can confirm the state of the front right side of the display object D from the viewpoint from the side road 53.

  Thereafter, the control unit 21 repeats the same procedure every time the user performs a touch operation on the viewpoint switching button 201b. That is, when the control unit 21 determines that the user has touched the viewpoint switching button 201b while the street view screen M4 illustrated in FIG. 7 is being displayed, the control unit 21 is equal to the length of the line segment L0 as illustrated in FIG. A line segment L2 that forms 180 degrees (90 degrees × 2) in the clockwise direction with the line segment L0 is specified, and an end point of the line segment L2 is specified as a virtual point P2. Then, the control unit 21 causes the image request signal including the identified virtual point P2 to be transmitted from the communication unit 25 to the server 3 via the communication network. In this case, in the server 3, the control unit 31 specifies the viewpoint 51e of the front road 51 as the viewpoint closest to the virtual spot P2, and the direction from the viewpoint 51e of the front road 51 toward the virtual spot P2 is photographed. An image response signal including a street view image, that is, a street view image directly in front of the display object D is transmitted. In response to this, when the image response signal is received from the server 3 by the communication unit 24, the control unit 21 displays a street view screen M5 including a street view image directly in front of the display object D as shown in FIG. 24. Accordingly, the user can switch the display to a street view image directly in front of the display object D by touching the viewpoint switching button 201b. That is, the user can confirm the state of the front of the display object D from the viewpoint from the front road 51.

  Furthermore, when the control unit 21 determines that the user has touched the viewpoint switching button 201b while the street view screen M5 shown in FIG. 8 is being displayed, the control unit 21 is equal to the length of the line segment L0 as shown in FIG. A line segment L3 forming 270 degrees (90 degrees × 3) in the clockwise direction with the line segment L0 is specified, and an end point of the line segment L3 is specified as a virtual point P3. Then, the control unit 21 causes the image request signal including the identified virtual point P3 to be transmitted from the communication unit 25 to the server 3 via the communication network. In this case, in the server 3, the control unit 31 specifies the viewpoint 52g of the back road 52 as the viewpoint closest to the virtual point P3, and the street view in which the direction from the view point 52g of the back road 52 toward the virtual point P3 is captured. An image response signal including an image, that is, a street view image of the rear left side surface of the display object D is transmitted. In response to this, when the control unit 21 receives the image response signal from the server 3 via the communication unit 24, the control unit 21 displays a street view screen M6 including a street view image on the rear left side surface of the display object D as shown in FIG. It is displayed on the display unit 24. Accordingly, the user can switch the display to the street view image on the left side of the back surface of the display object D by touching the viewpoint switching button 201b. That is, the user can confirm the state of the left side surface of the display object D from the viewpoint from the back road 52. In the series of processes described above, the street view image displayed on the street view screen M3 is the street view image before the viewpoint change, and the street view images displayed on the street view screens M4 to M6 are the street view image after the viewpoint change. It is.

  If the control unit 21 determines that the user has touched the viewpoint switching button 201b while the street view screen M6 illustrated in FIG. 9 is being displayed, the control unit 21 determines that the viewpoint has circulated, and the first street illustrated in FIG. The view image, that is, the street view screen M3 including the street view image on the back of the display object D is displayed again on the display unit 24 (returns to the initial display).

  The control unit 2 performs the series of processes described above to display the street view image with the viewpoint changed in conjunction with the user touching the viewpoint switching button 201b. At this time, since the user does not need to perform the operation of tracing the touch panel with the fingertip, it is not necessary to adjust the tracing direction and the tracing distance to some extent, and it is not necessary to keep an eye on the screen from the start to the end of the tracing operation. That is, the user can change the viewpoint and display the street view image only by performing a simple operation of touching the viewpoint switching button 201b with the fingertip.

  In the above, by changing the change angle from the state in which the first street view screen M3 is displayed in the order of 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees in the clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. Although the case where the screens are displayed in the order of the screens M3, M4, M5, and M6 has been described, the screens may be displayed in any order. That is, by changing the change angle from the state where the first street view screen M3 is displayed in the order of 180 degrees, 90 degrees, and 270 degrees, as shown in FIG. 12, the street view screens M3, M5, M4, You may display in order of M6. Alternatively, the images may be displayed in a counterclockwise order such as street view screens M3, M6, M5, and M4. Further, the change angle is not limited to three, but may be one or more. If the number of change angles is one, it is desirable that the change amount of the viewpoint is 180 degrees, which is the maximum. Further, if the display object D is, for example, a large store, the state around the display object D can be confirmed from more viewpoints by increasing the change angle. Further, the user may arbitrarily set the magnitude and number of change angles and the change order.

  In addition, the above describes a case where a street view image in which a direction from the viewpoint closest to the virtual spot to the virtual spot is displayed by using the virtual spot as the spot after the viewpoint change is displayed. May be used as the point after the viewpoint change, and a street view image in which the direction from the viewpoint closest to the virtual point toward the point before the viewpoint change is captured may be displayed. In the example of FIG. 10, a street view image in which the direction from the view point 53c of the side road 53, the view point 51e of the front road 51, and the view point 52g of the back road 52 toward the point O of the point information is displayed. good.

  Further, the case where the image display terminal 2 specifies the virtual spot has been described above, but the server 3 may specify the virtual spot. In this case, as shown in FIG. 13, in the image display terminal 2, when the control unit 21 determines that the user has performed a viewpoint change operation by touching the viewpoint switching button 201b (A10: YES), the viewpoint change is performed. The image request signal including the point O of the point information and the current viewpoint as the operation information is transmitted from the communication unit 25 to the server 3 via the communication network (A21).

  In the server 3, when the control unit 31 receives an image request signal from the image display terminal 2 via the communication unit 34 (B 21), the point O of the point information and the current viewpoint included in the received image request signal are displayed. Is used to specify the virtual point P1 in the same manner as described above (B22). Then, the control unit 31 specifies the viewpoint closest to the identified virtual point P1 (closest to the virtual point P1) (B23). An image response signal including a street view image taken in the direction from the identified viewpoint to the virtual point P1 is transmitted from the communication unit 34 to the image display terminal 2 via the communication network (B24).

  In the image display terminal 2, when the control unit 21 receives the image response signal from the server 3 through the communication unit 24 (A22), as shown in FIG. 7, the control unit 21 displays the street view image included in the received image response signal. Including the street view screen M4 is displayed on the display unit 24 (A23). Hereinafter, in the server 3, the control unit 31 specifies the virtual points P2 and P3 by the same procedure.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
In the image display terminal 2, the viewpoint switching button 201b is formed on the street view screens M3 to M6, and when the viewpoint switching button 201b is touch-operated, the street view image is changed and displayed. Thereby, unlike the conventional case where the user performs an operation of tracing the touch panel with a fingertip, the street view image can be changed and displayed only by performing a simple operation in which the user touches the viewpoint switching button 201b. That is, the operability can be improved in response to a request for acquiring a street view image from a different viewpoint different from the current viewpoint.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, description is abbreviate | omitted about the same part as above-mentioned 1st Embodiment, and a different part is demonstrated. The first embodiment is configured to change the viewpoint by specifying a virtual spot, but the second embodiment is configured to change the viewpoint by specifying a reference line.

  In this case, when the control unit 21 determines that the user has performed a viewpoint change operation by touching the viewpoint switching button 201b (A10: YES, fourth procedure), the control unit 21 sets a reference line based on the point O of the point information. Specify (A31). Specifically, with reference to FIG. 15, the control unit 21 rotates clockwise between the line segment L0 connecting the point O of the point information and the current viewpoint (viewpoint before changing viewpoint) 52e. A reference line L11 forming 90 degrees is specified. Then, the control unit 21 causes the communication unit 25 to transmit an image request signal including the reference line L11 thus identified and the predetermined distance r set in advance to the server 3 via the communication network (A32).

  In the server 3, when the control unit 31 receives the image request signal from the image display terminal 2 through the communication unit 34 (B 31), the control unit 31 specifies the predetermined distance r included in the received image request signal, and A viewpoint that is within a predetermined distance r from O and is closest to the reference line L11 is specified (B32). And the control part 31 transmits the image response signal containing the street view image by which the direction which goes to the point O of the point information from the identified viewpoint was image | photographed from the communication part 34 to the image display terminal 2 via a communication network. (B33). In this case, the control unit 31 specifies the viewpoint 53c of the side road 53 as a viewpoint that is within a predetermined distance r from the point O of the point information and is closest to the reference line L11, and from the viewpoint 53c of the side road 53 An image response signal including a street view image in which the direction toward the point O of the point information is captured, that is, a street view image on the front right side of the display object D is transmitted.

  In the image display terminal 2, when the control unit 21 receives the image response signal from the server 3 via the communication unit 24 (A33, fifth procedure), the control unit 21 includes a street including the street view image included in the received image response signal. The view screen is displayed on the display unit 24 (A34, sixth procedure). Again, the control unit 21 forms the viewpoint switching button 201b that can be touch-operated by the user on the street view image. As a result, in this case as well, when the user performs an operation of switching the display from the map screen M1 to the street view screen M3, the street view image on the back of the display object D is displayed first immediately after that. By touching the switching button 201b, the display can be switched from the street view image on the back surface of the display object D to the street view image on the front right side surface of the display object D.

  Thereafter, the control unit 21 repeats the same procedure every time the user performs a touch operation on the viewpoint switching button 201b. That is, when the user touches the viewpoint switching button 201b, the control unit 21 specifies the reference line L12 that forms 180 degrees (90 degrees × 2) in the clockwise direction with the line segment L0. In this case, the control unit 21 causes the display unit 24 to display a street view screen including a street view image in which a direction from the view point 51e of the front road 51 toward the point O of the point information is captured. When the user further touches the viewpoint switching button 201b, the control unit 21 specifies a reference line L13 that forms 270 degrees (90 degrees × 3) in the clockwise direction with the line segment L0. In this case, the control unit 21 causes the display unit 24 to display a street view screen including a street view image in which a direction from the view point 52 i of the back road 52 toward the point O of the point information is captured. In this case as well, the user can arbitrarily set the size and number of change angles and the change order, and can set a predetermined distance.

  Also in this case, the image display terminal 2 is not limited to specifying the reference line, and the server 3 may specify the reference line. In this case, as shown in FIG. 16, in the image display terminal 2, when the control unit 21 determines that the user has performed a viewpoint change operation by touching the viewpoint switching button 201b (A10: YES), the viewpoint change is performed. The image request signal including the point O of the point information, the current viewpoint, and the predetermined distance r as the operation information is transmitted from the communication unit 25 to the server 3 via the communication network (A41). ).

  In the server 3, when the control unit 31 receives the image request signal from the image display terminal 2 by the communication unit 34 (B41), the point O of the point information included in the received image request signal, the current viewpoint, The reference line L11 is specified in the same manner as described above using the predetermined distance r (B42). And the control part 31 pinpoints the viewpoint which exists in the range of the predetermined distance r from the point O of point information, and is the nearest to the reference line L11 (B43), and changes to the point O of point information from the specified viewpoint. An image response signal including a street view image taken in the direction to go is transmitted from the communication unit 34 to the image display terminal 2 via the communication network (B44).

  In the image display terminal 2, when the control unit 21 receives the image response signal from the server 3 through the communication unit 24 (A42), the control unit 21 displays a street view screen including the street view image included in the received image response signal. 24 (A43). Hereinafter, in the server 3, the control unit 31 specifies the reference lines L12 and L13 by the same procedure.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained. That is, the user can display the street view image by changing the viewpoint only by performing a simple operation of touching the viewpoint switching button 201b. For the time being, a street view image from a different viewpoint from the current viewpoint can be displayed. The operability can be improved in response to a request for acquisition.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is not limited to those exemplified in the above-described embodiment, and can be arbitrarily modified or expanded without departing from the scope thereof.
In the present embodiment, a smartphone is exemplified as the image display terminal, but a simple mobile phone having a display area smaller than that of a smartphone or a tablet terminal having a display area larger than that of a smartphone may be used.
In the present embodiment, the configuration in which the display of the street view image is switched by one change angle (90 degrees in FIG. 10) every time a touch operation is performed is illustrated. It may be broken. For example, when a double touch operation is performed, the display of the street view image may be switched by two change angles (180 degrees in FIG. 10). In addition, when a long touch operation is performed, the display of the street view image may be continuously switched while the fingertip is touching the screen. That is, the touch operation as used in the present invention may be any number of times or a period of time when the fingertip touches the screen as long as the movement of the fingertip is different from the tracing operation.

  In the drawings, 1 is an image display system, 2 is an image display terminal, 3 is a server, 21 is a control unit (control unit), 21a is a spot information setting unit (point information setting unit), and 21b is an image acquisition unit (image acquisition unit). ), 21c is a display control unit (display control unit), 21d is an operation reception unit (operation reception unit), 24 is a display unit (display unit), and 201b is a viewpoint switching button (operation unit).

Claims (11)

Point information setting means (21a) for setting point information of the display object;
Image acquisition means (21b) for acquiring, from the server (3), a street view image in which the direction from the viewpoint toward the spot of the spot information set by the spot information setting means is captured;
Display control means (21c) for causing the display means (24) to display the street view image acquired by the image acquisition means;
An operation accepting means (21d) for accepting a touch operation of the operation means (201b) by the user,
The image acquisition means is configured such that the touch operation by the user is displayed on the display means while the street view image before the viewpoint change, in which the direction from the viewpoint before the viewpoint change to the point before the viewpoint change is captured, is displayed on the display means. Is received from the server, the street view image after the viewpoint change in which the direction to the point after the viewpoint change is taken from another viewpoint change point of view different from the viewpoint before the viewpoint change,
The image display terminal (2), wherein the display control means causes the display means to display the street view image after the viewpoint change acquired by the image acquisition means. The image display terminal according to claim 1,
The image acquisition means is a predetermined angle between a line segment connecting the point before the viewpoint change and the viewpoint before the viewpoint change that is a distance equal to the distance from the point before the viewpoint change to the viewpoint before the viewpoint change. By identifying the end point of the line segment that forms the virtual point as the virtual point, and using the identified virtual point as the point after changing the viewpoint, a street view image in which the direction from the viewpoint closest to the virtual point toward the virtual point is captured Is acquired from the server as a street view image after changing the viewpoint. The image display terminal according to claim 1,
The image acquisition means is a predetermined angle between a line segment connecting the point before the viewpoint change and the viewpoint before the viewpoint change that is a distance equal to the distance from the point before the viewpoint change to the viewpoint before the viewpoint change. The end point of the line segment that forms the virtual point is specified as the virtual point, and the viewpoint before the viewpoint change is used as the viewpoint after the viewpoint change, and the viewpoint before the viewpoint change is used as the viewpoint after the viewpoint change. An image display terminal, wherein a street view image in which a direction from the viewpoint closest to the virtual point toward the point before the viewpoint change is captured is acquired from the server as a street view image after the viewpoint change. The image display terminal according to claim 1,
The image acquisition means specifies a reference line that forms a predetermined angle between a line connecting the point before the viewpoint change and the viewpoint before the viewpoint change, and uses the viewpoint before the viewpoint change as it is after the viewpoint change. By making it a viewpoint, a street view image that is located within a predetermined distance from the point before the viewpoint change and the direction from the viewpoint closest to the reference line to the point before the viewpoint change is captured after the viewpoint change. An image display terminal obtained from the server as a street view image. The image display terminal according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
The image display terminal is characterized in that the image acquisition means sets a plurality of the predetermined angles and acquires a plurality of viewpoints after changing the viewpoint from the server. The image display terminal according to claim 5,
The display control means, each time the touch operation by the user is accepted by the operation acceptance means, sequentially switches a plurality of street view images after changing the viewpoint and causes the display means to sequentially display the image display terminal. . The image display terminal according to claim 6,
The display control unit sequentially switches the street view image before the viewpoint change and the street view images after the viewpoint change according to a predetermined rotation direction every time the touch operation by the user is received by the operation reception unit. An image display terminal that is sequentially displayed on the display means. The image display terminal according to claim 5,
The image acquisition means sets 180 degrees as one of the plurality of predetermined angles,
When the first touch operation by the user is accepted by the operation accepting means, the display control means captures a direction from the viewpoint after the viewpoint change satisfying the condition that the predetermined angle satisfies 180 degrees to the point after the viewpoint change. An image display terminal, wherein the display means displays a street view image after changing the viewpoint. The image display terminal according to claim 8,
In the display control unit, when the touch operation after the second time by the user is received by the operation receiving unit, a direction from a view point after changing the viewpoint that satisfies a condition other than a predetermined angle of 180 degrees to a point after changing the viewpoint An image display terminal that causes the display means to display a street view image after a change of viewpoint in which the image is taken. An image display terminal (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
An image display system (1) comprising a server (3) for providing a street view image. In the control means (21) of the image display terminal (2),
A first procedure for setting point information of a display object;
A second procedure for acquiring from the server (3) a street view image in which the direction from the viewpoint toward the point of the point information set by the first procedure is captured;
A third procedure for displaying on the display means (24) the image acquired by the second procedure;
Whether or not the user has accepted the touch operation of the operation means (201b) while displaying the street view image before the viewpoint change captured from the viewpoint before the viewpoint change to the point before the viewpoint change on the display means. A fourth procedure for determining;
If it is determined by the fourth procedure that the touch operation by the user has been received, after the viewpoint change in which the direction from the viewpoint after the viewpoint change different from the viewpoint before the viewpoint change to the point after the viewpoint change is captured A fifth procedure of acquiring the street view image of the server from the server;
And a sixth procedure for causing the display means to display the street view image after the viewpoint change acquired by the fifth procedure.

Images