JP3518103B2 - Map processing method and map processing device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a map processing method and a map processing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a map stored in a CD-ROM or the like is searched from a map processing device terminal or the like and transmitted to another terminal to output the map, the user (searcher)
The search conditions are set by recalling station names and place names.

Further, conventionally, when a map is output to a map processing device terminal or the like, a user extracts necessary information from the map in consideration of places relevant to the user. .

[0004]

When a user searches for a map around a destination, the search is performed from an address (or part of the address), an individual name or a group name, a telephone number, a building name, and the like. However, there is a problem that it is not easy to quickly search for an appropriate map, because it takes a lot of time to select a related area and it takes time to identify a destination on the map.

Also, after the destination is searched from the map, it takes time for the user to process the map, extract necessary information, and perform processing that does not match the contents of the map. However, there is a problem that it is not easy to perform appropriate map processing quickly.

[0006] A first object of the present invention is to provide a map processing method and a map processing apparatus capable of automatically and quickly searching for a map in a map processing apparatus terminal according to a user's search condition.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a map processing method and a map processing device capable of processing a map quickly and appropriately according to the contents of a map whose destination is retrieved from another map processing device terminal. To provide.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(1) In the present invention, location information in which a building and a location are associated with each other, and building information in which floors constituting the building and names thereof are associated with each other are stored, and the name of the building information is stored. The corresponding location information is acquired, and the map is searched from the location information and the building information.

(2) In the present invention, landmark information in which roads and buildings are associated with each other is stored, and road information corresponding to the coordinates of the destination is selected from the map for which a schematic drawing is to be generated. Is acquired, a landmark is selected from the destination and the road information, a schematic diagram is generated based on the landmark, and the schematic diagram is output. Here, a landmark refers to an object that serves as a mark when a user walks, such as a building, an intersection, or a park.

(3) In the present invention, location information in which a building and a location are associated with each other, building information in which floors and their names constituting the building are associated with each other, and roads and the building are associated with each other. Remember the landmark information that was created,
Acquiring the location information of the building that is the destination of the schematic diagram generation, searching the map from the location information and the building information, in the landmark information and the destination included in the map A landmark is selected from a road around a building, a schematic diagram is generated based on the selected landmark, and the schematic diagram is output.

(4) According to the present invention, the location information storing means stores the location information in which the building is associated with the location, and the building information in which the floors constituting the building and the names thereof are associated with each other. There is provided a map processing device comprising the location information acquisition means corresponding to the name of building information and a map search means for searching the map from the location information and the building information.

(5) The present invention corresponds to the coordinates of the destination from the landmark storage means for storing landmark information in which roads and buildings are associated with each other, and the map from which the schematic drawing is generated. Information acquiring means for acquiring road information, a landmark selecting means for selecting a landmark from a destination building and road information, and a schematic diagram generating means for generating a schematic drawing based on the selected landmark And a schematic diagram output means for outputting the schematic diagram.

In the map processing method according to (1) and the map processing device according to (4), the location information in which the building and the location are associated with each other in advance, and the floor in which the building is constructed and the name thereof are associated with each other. Memorize item information. When searching the map, the location information corresponding to the name of the building information is acquired. Then, a map including the building information is searched. Therefore, it is possible to quickly search for an appropriate map according to the content of the search condition.

In the map processing method according to (2) and the map processing device according to (5), landmark information in which roads and buildings are associated with each other is stored in advance. When you execute a search for a map that includes the building that is the destination, the road information corresponding to the coordinates of the destination from the map, that is,
Get the route to the destination. For example, JP-A-7-27568
Road information can be acquired by using the road search method described in the specification. Then, a landmark corresponding to the destination and road information is selected from the landmark information, and a schematic diagram is generated based on the landmark information and output. Therefore, it is possible to quickly perform appropriate processing according to the contents of the map.

In the map processing method according to (3) above,
The operation is a combination of the map processing method according to (1) and the map processing method according to (2). Therefore, it is possible to quickly search for an appropriate map according to the content of the search condition, and it is possible to quickly perform an appropriate process according to the content of the map.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The present invention is not limited to this.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a map processing system including a map processing device of the present invention. The map processing device T1 is
It is also one user terminal connected to the network,
Input device 101, display device 103, and output device 104
And a CPU 105, a main storage device 106, and a map database 120. The map database 120 may be in the same computer or a separate server may be provided.

The user uses the input device 101 and the display device 103 to perform interactive processing. By this interactive processing,
It is possible to register in the map database 120 and search for a map. In addition, information of various tables described below can be input and edited. The main storage device 106 stores a map roughening program 100. The map roughening program 100 will be described later. The map database 120 stores text and graphic information in the form of character codes or vectorized coordinate data that can be processed by a computer. It also stores such attribute information.
The CPU 105 executes the map roughening program 100, in which the map search process (FIG. 8) and the schematic map generation process (FIG. 9) according to the present invention are executed.

The other user terminals T2, T3, ... Connected to the network may have the same structure as the map processing device T1 or may have a different structure. The network L
It is also possible to adopt a server-client system form via the AN.

As shown in FIG. 2, the map roughening program 100 includes an input analysis unit 210 including a language analysis unit 215.
A map search unit 230, a schematic diagram synthesis unit 240, and a map information management unit 260. Further, a map output unit 220 including a schematic diagram output unit 225, and a line segment cutout unit 255.
And schematic cut-out section 250 including character cut-out section 256
It has and.

As shown in FIG. 3, the map information management unit 260
Is a location table 400 and a building table 500
And a landmark table 600. The information in each of these tables is read from the map database 120.

As shown in FIG. 4, the location table 400 is shown.
Is an address column 401, a building name column 402, and a map ID column 403
X coordinate column 404, Y coordinate column 405, and representative name column 406
And a pointer column 407 to a building table.

In the present specification, simply "name" may be an ID.

As shown in FIG. 5, the building table 500.
Is composed of a type column 501 (personal house / public facility / multi-tenant building, etc.), an owner column 502, a name column 503, floor columns 504 and 505, and a pointer 506 to a tenant table. The tenant table 550 is the floor column 551.
And a name column 552.

As shown in FIG. 6, the landmark table 600 includes a block column 601, a start column 602, an end column 603, a type column 604, a contour column 605 and a name column 60 in the map.
6 and 6. Landmark table 600
The contents of the above represent the coordinates on the map corresponding to the landmarks that can be a clue for the user to reach the destination and the area thereof.

Further, by using the data storage method described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-204481, the location table 40
0, the building table 500, and the tenant table 550 can be substituted.

FIG. 7 is a main flow chart of the map roughening process. When a text, a phrase expressed in voice, or the like is input, this map roughening process 700 is executed.

In this map roughening process 700, a map search process 710 and a schematic diagram generation process 720 are sequentially executed.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the map search process 710. In step 800, the type of input information is determined. If the input information is a character string (text), steps 810 to 855 are executed, and if it is voice, 820 to 855,
If it is a touch input (on the display device), 830 is executed.

In step 810, a destination character string is cut out from the input character string. The case where the character string “CD store XX store” is cut out from the input information of the user will be described as an example.

With reference to the building table 500, a building or equipment having the cut out character string "CD store XX store" as a name is searched. If the character string does not correspond to the building name, the tenant table 550 is referenced to search for the corresponding name.

In step 855, the building table 50
The destination is identified by referring to 0. Specifically, the building name column 503 of the building table is searched for a table that matches the input (or converted) character string. Furthermore, referring to the tenant table 550 as well, the name column 552
Searches for a table that matches the input (or converted) string. When there is a corresponding name in the character string, the pointer is reversed to identify the building table.
In this example, since the character string “CD store XX store” is stored as the name of the tenant table 550, it is the building information required by the building table.

If the input information is voice, step 820
Converts the input voice into a character string. Step 82
In step 5, the destination character string is cut out from the converted character string.

If the input information is touch input, step 8
30 identifies the destination from the position specified by the user (on the display). Specifically, the location table having the coordinate values closest to the coordinates of the designated position in the X coordinate column 404 and the Y coordinate column 405 of the location table is searched.

After processing according to the type of input information,
In step 860, referring to the location table 400,
Search for a map that includes your destination. Then the building table
The location table 400 corresponding to 500 is identified, and map information such as the location is acquired.

In the present embodiment, the description will be made on the premise of the exact matching character string search, but a flexible character string search may be performed.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of the schematic diagram generation processing 720. In the present embodiment, a schematic diagram generation up to the "CD store XX store" searched by the map search processing will be described as an example.

At step 910, map search processing 710 is performed.
Load the map information of the destination searched in. That is, referring to the location table 400, the map "KN # 375591" including the "CD store XX store" is read into the memory.

At step 920, the user's departure point is identified. For example, a method of prompting the user for input may be adopted.

In step 930, the map information of the building or facility that serves as a landmark (landmark) is read. Specifically, the landmark table 600 is referred to, the candidates of landmarks that can be departure points are narrowed down from the landmark information of the map and the adjacent map, and the landmark candidates are presented to the user.

In step 940, the map database 1
Road information is read from 20.

In step 945, a route from the starting point to the destination is searched for and acquired. That is, the map information of the building or facility to be the landmark is searched for in the area on the map including the route from the starting point to the destination. FIG. 6 shows the retrieved landmark information 600. These are landmark information when "OX station" is the starting point.

In step 950, a schematic drawing is generated based on the landmark information. Specifically, of the landmark information, the road information is referenced by referring to the road information to which the adjacent landmark information can be connected, and the adjacent landmarks are connected. By repeating this operation, a schematic diagram can be generated.

At step 955, the type of information to be output to the output device is determined. When outputting the schematic diagram, step 960 is executed.

In step 960, the schematic diagram generated in step 950 is output (printed) to the output device according to the user's request.

As an application of the map roughening program 100, an example of generating a schematic diagram of a Braille map will be shown.

In the map processing system T1 of FIG. 10, a Braille input device (or a device capable of optically reading a document written in Braille) is used as an input device, and a Braille map output device is used as a printing device. A speaker 102 may be included for guidance. The database further includes a Braille database 130 in addition to the map database 120. The Braille database 130 may be in the same computer as the map database 120, or may be provided with a separate server.

The Braille database 130 includes Braille (hereinafter,
It stores a Braille character) and a Braille-character conversion table for converting characters and a dotted-figure conversion table for converting dotted lines and figures.

A Braille character analysis unit 216 is provided in the input analysis unit 210 of the map roughening program (FIG. 11), and a map output unit 22.
By providing the Braille map output unit 226 for each 0, the schematic diagram of the Braille map can be generated.

A case where the map search process 800 is executed will be described. When the user inputs braille characters from the braille input device, the type of information input in step 800 is determined, and steps 840-855 are executed.

In step 840, the Braille database 1
The Braille character input with reference to 30 is converted into a character string. In step 845, the destination character string is cut out from the converted character string.

Then, in step 855, the destination is identified by referring to the building table 500. Next, in step 860, a map including the destination is searched.

Next, a case of executing the schematic diagram generation processing 720 will be described. First, at step 910, the destination information retrieved by the map retrieval process 710 is read. In step 920, the user's departure point is identified. In this case, the system presents audio-based guidance,
It is also possible to adopt a method of obtaining information on the departure point of the user. The description of steps 930 to 950 is omitted.

At step 955, the type of information to be output to the output device is determined. In this case, steps 970 to 980 are executed to output the Braille map.

In step 970, the Braille database 1
Referring to FIG. 30, the character strings and symbols in the schematic diagram are converted into Braille characters.

In step 975, the Braille database 1
Referring to 30, the line segment is converted into a braille line.

In step 980, a Braille map is output according to the information converted in steps 970 and 975.

[0058]

According to the map processing method and the map processing apparatus of the present invention, the map can be searched quickly and appropriately according to the contents of the search condition of the user. Further, it is possible to quickly and appropriately generate and output a schematic diagram according to the contents of the searched map.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a map processing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a map roughening program.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of various tables used in the map processing method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a location table.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a building table and a tenant table.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a landmark table.

FIG. 7 is a main flow diagram of map outline processing.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of map search processing.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a schematic diagram generation process.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a map processing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a map roughening program.

[Explanation of symbols]

T1 ... Map processing device, 100 ... Map sketching program,
101 ... Input device, 103 ... Display device, 104 ... Printing device, 105 ... CPU, 106 ... Main storage device, 120 ... Map database, 400 ... Location table, 500 ... Building table, 550 ... Tenant table, 600 ... Landmark table.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-5-334373 (JP, A) JP-A-4-204811 (JP, A) Niwa et al., Accumulation and search of city map information, IEICE Technical Research Report, Japan, The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, October 24, 1986, Vol. 86, No. 204, p. 39-46 (AI86-27) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 17/30

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A map storage means for storing map information such as roads, a location information storage means for storing location information of a building, and a tenant for storing names of tenants on each floor of the building. Name storage means, building name storage means in which the name of the building is stored, map storage means, location information storage means, tenant name storage means, information stored in the building information storage means, etc. In the map processing device having a search means for searching for and outputting the required map to the display means, the building name storage means is searched based on the name of the tenant input via the input means, and the tenant name When the corresponding building name is found by the search based on the above, the location information associated with the found building name is searched from the location information storage means. However, when the corresponding building name is not found by the search based on the tenant name, the tenant name corresponding to the entered tenant name is searched from the tenant name recording means, and the searched tenant is searched. The building name associated with the name is retrieved from the building name storage means, the location information associated with the retrieved building name is retrieved from the location information storage means, and the retrieved location information is added to the location information. A map processing method characterized by searching the map storage means for corresponding map information and outputting it to the display means. 2. A map storage means for storing map information such as roads, a location information storage means for storing location information of a building, and a name of a tenant existing on each floor of the building. Tenant name storage means, building name storage means for storing the name of the building, information stored in the map storage means, the location information storage means, the tenant name storage means, and the building information storage means, etc. And a search unit that outputs a necessary map to the display unit, the search unit searches the building name storage unit based on the name of the tenant input through the input unit, When the corresponding building name is searched by the search based on the tenant name, the location information corresponding to the searched building name is searched from the location information storage means, When the corresponding building name is not found by the search based on the tenant name, the tenant name corresponding to the input tenant name is searched from the tenant name recording means, and the searched tenant name is added. The building name associated with the building name is retrieved from the building name storage means, the location information associated with the retrieved building name is retrieved from the location information storage means, and associated with the retrieved location information. A map processing apparatus, wherein the map information stored in the map storage means is retrieved and output to the display means. 3. The map processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the tenant name is voice-input via the input means.