JP3773705B2 - Map information system and map distribution method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to mobile communication technology, and more particularly, to a system and method for displaying map information on a mobile phone.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, services that display a map on a notebook computer or the like and provide various information have become widespread. For example, there is a service in which a map around the current position is displayed on a notebook computer connected to a mobile phone or the like to obtain information on nearby stores.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a system for displaying a map in the prior art. As shown in the figure, map information is transmitted from a map server connected to the Internet to a notebook computer via the Internet and a network of business operators.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, according to the above conventional technique, since the map server is connected to the Internet, the map server cannot be accessed from a general mobile phone. Therefore, when referring to the map information while going out, a terminal such as a notebook personal computer has to be carried, which is not convenient.
[0004]
In the conventional technology, distribution of map information via a network is a pull system based on a request, and push-type map distribution capable of providing various services is desired.
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a map information system that can access a map server from a mobile phone without going through the Internet, obtain a map, and perform route guidance. Objective. It is another object of the present invention to provide a map distribution system capable of distributing a map to a mobile phone in a push type.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows.
The present invention is a map information system having a map server and a mobile phone, wherein the map server is connected to a mobile phone network, and the map server sends a route guidance map and route guide to the mobile phone based on a request from the mobile phone. Sends a sentence and provides route guidance.
[0006]
The map information system of the present invention is connected to a mobile phone, a first gateway connected to the mobile phone network, a second gateway connected to the first gateway, and the second gateway. A map server, the mobile phone requests information, the first gateway adds a terminal ID, the second gateway checks the terminal ID, and the map server routes based on the request. It is also possible to generate a guidance map and route guidance text, and the map server can transmit the result to the mobile phone.
[0007]
According to the above invention, since the map server is connected to the mobile phone network and the mobile phone connected to the mobile phone network receives the map information service, the map service can be received from a general mobile phone. Services such as display of a map for surrounding guidance and display of a route guidance map on a cellular phone are possible. Therefore, it is not necessary to carry a small PC or the like as in the prior art.
[0008]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention can be configured as follows.
The present invention is a map information system having a map server and a mobile phone, wherein the map server is connected to a mobile phone network, and the map server automatically sends a route guidance map and a route to a mobile phone based on predetermined information. Send guidance text.
The present invention is also a map information system having a map server and a mobile phone, wherein the map server is connected to a mobile phone network, and the map server performs a route search based on predetermined information inputted in advance. The route guidance text and the route guidance map are generated from the result of the route search, the route guidance text and the route guidance map data are converted into a format according to the output destination based on the predetermined information, and the converted Data is transmitted to a predetermined mobile phone at a predetermined time.
[0009]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention may be configured as follows.
The present invention is a map distribution method for distributing map information from a map server to a mobile phone, wherein the map server automatically transmits a route guidance map and a route guidance sentence to the mobile phone based on predetermined information. .
The present invention is also a map distribution method for distributing map information from a map server to a mobile phone, wherein the map server performs a route search based on predetermined information inputted in advance, and a route is obtained from a result of the route search. A guidance sentence and a route guidance map are generated, the route guidance sentence and the route guidance map data are converted into a format according to the output destination based on the predetermined information, and the converted data is determined at a predetermined time at a predetermined time. It can also be configured to transmit to a mobile phone.
[0010]
According to the above invention, the map information is automatically distributed to the mobile phone based on the predetermined information, so that it is possible to provide various services such as dispatching with the map information attached.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a map display system that realizes map display. As shown in the figure, this map display system includes a mobile phone network 100, the Internet 103, and information providing servers 101 and 102. The cellular phone network 100 includes a cellular phone 111, a cellular network 109, a cellular network 110, a gateway server 1 (108), a gateway server 2 (107), a customer DB 106, an information providing server 105, and a map server 104.
[0012]
Gateway server 1 (108) is a gateway for communicating with a mobile phone, and assigns a terminal ID to a request from the mobile phone, and sends a response to the mobile phone to which the designated terminal ID is assigned. Control to transmit to the mobile phone.
The gateway 2 (107) identifies which address the request from the mobile phone or the like is directed to, and determines whether access to the address is permitted or not with reference to the customer DB 106. When access is not permitted, access is denied, and when access is permitted, relay to the address is performed. The response refers to the gateway in which the destination terminal (mobile phone) is accommodated from the customer DB and accesses the gateway. Gateway server 1 (107) in FIG. 2 is one such gateway.
[0013]
The customer DB 106 is a database having server information (such as an address for providing a service) accessible to the mobile phone and gateway information currently stored. The information providing servers 101 and 102 are connected to the gateway server 2 (107) via a dedicated line or the Internet, and generate and distribute information according to a request from the gateway server 2 (107).
[0014]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a command sequence in this system. A command sequence will be described with reference to FIG. First, the mobile phone transmits the destination information and the requested map type as an information request to the gateway server 1 (108) via the mobile network 109. Gateway server 1 (108) adds the current location information and terminal ID of the mobile phone. Note that the current location information may be included when the mobile phone makes an information request.
[0015]
The mobile phone can transmit longitude / latitude, address, telephone number, store name, and the like as current position information. When the mobile phone sets the current position blank, the gateway server 1 (108) sets, for example, the nearest station of the destination as the current position. The destination information includes longitude / latitude, address, telephone number, store name, and the like. As the requested map type, a simple route map or a route map to which peripheral information is added can be designated. The terminal ID is an ID number of a terminal accommodated in the mobile phone network.
[0016]
Subsequently, the gateway server 1 (108) transmits the current location information, destination information, requested map type, and terminal ID to the gateway server 2 (107). The gateway server 2 (107) refers to the customer DB 106 and checks the terminal ID. Here, if the terminal ID is not in the customer DB, or if there is no terminal ID, access is denied. If the check result of the terminal ID is good, an information request is transmitted to the map server 104.
[0017]
The map server 104 generates a guide map and a guide sentence. The map server 104 transmits a result product, a guidance map, and a guidance sentence to the gateway server 2 (107) as a processing result notification.
The result product includes the number of map files, the distance to the destination, the number of route landmarks, the number of surrounding landmarks, the number of route guidance sentences, and the like. The guidance map is a map file, and the guidance text is route landmark information (name, address, phone number), peripheral landmark information (name, address, phone number), route guidance text, and the like. The result product can be, for example, one HTML document composed of the above information.
[0018]
Subsequently, the gateway server 2 (107) refers to the gateway in which the destination mobile phone is accommodated from the customer DB 106, and transmits a processing result notification to the gateway, for example, the gateway server 1 (108). The gateway server 1 transmits the processing result notification to the mobile phone, so that the route guidance information can be viewed on the mobile phone.
[0019]
FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing an example of a case where a map is displayed on a mobile phone in the map information system and route guidance is performed. In the figure, the screen displayed on the mobile phone is changed as shown in (a) to (d) by the operator's key input to provide route guidance.
(A) represents the first screen of route guidance starting from JR Kamakura Station and destined for the Kamakura police. As shown in the figure, the distance from the start point to the destination is shown, and a building or the like (hereinafter referred to as a landmark) as a mark is indicated by a numerical or character icon on the map. A route guidance sentence is shown at the bottom of the screen. In the route guidance sentence, an icon corresponding to the icon on the map is displayed, and when the icon is keyed, a transition to the guidance sentence around the landmark corresponding to the icon is made.
[0020]
In FIG. 4, when (access key) 1 is entered on the screen (a), the screen (b) appears. When 2 is entered on the screen (b), the screen (c) appears. (D) is displayed. Thus, since an appropriate guidance sentence and a map are displayed along the process, the operability is good even with a small-screen mobile phone.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the map server 200. As shown in the figure, the map server 200 includes a request receiving unit 201, a control unit 202, a request storage unit 203, a route search unit 204, a guidance sentence generation unit 205, a map generation unit 206, an output information storage unit 207, and output information. An editing unit 208, an output environment unit 209, an output information media conversion unit 210, an output unit 211, and map data 212 are included. Next, the operation of the map server 200 will be described.
[0021]
Upon receipt of the information request, the request receiving unit 201 interprets the map request from the requesting terminal such as a mobile phone and the output destination terminal type, conveys the interpretation result to the control unit 202, and stores the request content in the request storage unit 203. To do. The control unit 202 notifies the route search unit 204 of a map request (starting point and destination, terminal type, etc.). The route search unit 204 executes a route search according to the request with reference to the map data 212 and notifies the result to the guide sentence generation unit 205 and the map generation unit 206. Various methods are possible for the above route search.
[0022]
The guide sentence generation unit 205 and the map generation unit 206 generate a guide sentence and a map based on the search result, accumulate them in the output information storage unit 207, and notify the control unit 202 that the generation has been completed. Note that the map generation unit 206 sets a map size to be output by referring to a terminal type screen control file described in the output environment unit 209 described later based on the terminal type information included in the information request at the time of map generation.
[0023]
When the generation of the map and the guidance sentence is completed, the control unit 202 notifies the output information editing unit 208 that output processing is to be performed. Based on the information described in the output environment unit 209, the output information editing unit 208 arranges and edits a map, a guidance sentence, an icon description, and the like in the output information. When the editing is completed, the output information media conversion unit 210 refers to the output terminal information stored in the request storage unit 203. In the case of output to the WWW server, the output information media conversion unit 210 outputs the HTML file as it is, and the output to e-mail. In this case, the HTML file is transmitted as an attached file by e-mail. In the case of FAX transmission, it is converted into a FAX code and transmitted. In the case of output to a telephone, the guidance text is read out and transmitted to the output unit. The output unit transmits the information to the designated output destination. In the case of output to the mobile phone shown in FIG. 3, data in an HTML-based language that can be displayed on the mobile phone is transmitted to the gateway server 2 (107).
[0024]
FIG. 6 shows an example of HTML-based language data generated by the map server for transmission to the mobile phone, and corresponds to the screen display shown in FIG. The mobile phone interprets this HTML document and displays a map.
The HTML-based language shown in FIG. 6 is a subset version of the HTML language and is close to the specification of a language called compact HTML (C-HTML), such as a tag linked with a numeric keypad or a call function. Is defined for mobile phones. In FIG. 6, for example, a screen in which 1 is entered at accesskey = 1 corresponds to FIG.
[0025]
The procedure for the map server 200 to generate the HTML data shown in FIG. 6 is as follows. The output information editing unit 208 refers to the output setting data setting data file stored in the output environment unit 209 and determines attributes of various information information generated by the guide sentence generation unit 205 and the map generation unit 206. In the output setting data setting data file, the meaning of various information generated by the guidance sentence generation unit 205 and the map generation unit 206 and stored in the memory or the like is described. FIG. 7 shows an example of the output setting data setting data file. Then, referring to the output setting data, the data corresponding to the attribute of each parameter is referenced from the memory and edited. An example of output setting data is shown in FIG. Thereby, data as shown in FIG. 6 is generated.
[0026]
In the above system, the map server sends map information and the like to the terminal based on a request from the terminal (pull type), but the map server does not have a request from the terminal based on a certain trigger. It is possible to adopt a configuration in which map information is transmitted to the terminal (push type). Next, such a push type map distribution system will be described.
[0027]
The overall system configuration of the push-type map distribution system in the embodiment of the present invention is the same as that described in FIG. The map distribution system distributes a map to a mobile terminal in response to a request from a person who has registered a request in advance or a third party.
FIG. 9 shows a functional configuration of the map server 250 having a function of performing push-type map distribution. The map server includes a map server basic function unit 251 and a push type map distribution processing unit 252. The map server basic function unit 251 has basic functions of the map server such as route search. The push type map distribution processing unit 252 includes an input unit 253, a basic function I / F unit 254, an input information interpretation unit 255, a control unit 256, an output information processing unit 257, and an output unit 258. The operation is as follows.
[0028]
First, a request regarding information to be output in advance is input to the map server 250. Based on the request input to the input unit 253, the map server basic function unit 251 activates execution of a route search via the basic function unit I / F 254. The basic function unit 251 converts the obtained route search result into an HTML file composed of a text as a route guidance sentence and an image as a route guidance map, and uses the HTML file as output information for a push type map distribution processing unit. It outputs to 252. The request input to the input unit 253 is passed to the input information interpretation unit, and output terminal information is obtained.
[0029]
The HTML file is input to the output information processing unit 257. The output information processing unit 257 converts the HTML file into a format according to the output destination while referring to the output terminal information, and sends the information to the output unit 258. . For example, in the case of output to a WWW server, the obtained HTML file is sent to the output unit 258 as it is, and in the case of output to an e-mail, the HTML file is converted into an e-mail as an attached file, In this case, it is converted into a FAX code, and in the case of output to the telephone, the guidance text is converted into voice. When the predetermined time comes, the output unit 258 transmits the information to the output destination designated at the time of request input. Various triggers can be output besides time. For example, information can be distributed when a terminal arrives at a specific location, or information can be distributed when a call is made to a specific call destination.
[0030]
By using this push-type distribution function, it is possible to receive dispatch maps and staff assignment information attached with map information, location information, or contact information maps such as telephone calls during or after a call. It becomes.
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, in the above description, the map server 200 includes the map data and the output environment unit. However, each of the map data and the output environment unit may be in another server connected to the network.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since the map server is connected to the mobile phone network, and the mobile phone connected to the mobile phone network receives the map distribution service, the map service can be received from a general mobile phone. Services such as a map display for surrounding guidance by telephone and a route guidance map display can be provided.
[0032]
In addition, according to the present invention, a map can be distributed to a predetermined mobile phone in a push type according to a request from a person who has registered a request in advance or from a third party. Alternatively, a push distribution service is possible during or after a call with location information or a contact information map such as a call.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a map display system in the prior art.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a map display system in an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a command sequence of the map display system in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display of a mobile phone.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a map server in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of data output by a map server for a mobile phone.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an output setting data setting data file.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of output setting data.
FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a map server that performs push-type distribution.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Mobile telephone network 101, 102 Information provision server 103 Internet 104 Map server 105 Information provision server 106 Customer DB
107 Gateway server 2
108 Gateway server 1
109 cellular network 110 cellular network 111 cellular phone 200 map server 201 request receiving unit 202 control unit 203 request storage unit 204 route search unit 205 guide sentence generation unit 206 map generation unit 207 output information storage unit 208 output information editing unit 209 output environment unit 210 Output information media conversion unit 211 Output unit 212 Map data 250 Map server 251 Map server basic function unit 252 Push type map distribution processing unit 253 Input unit 254 Basic function I / F unit 255 Input information interpretation unit 256 Control unit 257 Output information processing Part 258 output part

Claims (6)

In a map information system comprising a mobile phone, a first gateway connected to a mobile phone network, a second gateway connected to the first gateway, and a map server connected to the second gateway A map display method,
  The mobile phone requests information, the first gateway adds a terminal ID, the second gateway checks the terminal ID, the map server generates a route guidance map and route guidance text based on the request, A map display method, wherein the map server transmits the result to the mobile phone, and the mobile phone displays the result on a screen of the mobile phone. A mobile phone; a first gateway connected to the mobile phone network; a second gateway connected to the first gateway; and a map server connected to the second gateway;
The mobile phone requests information, the first gateway adds a terminal ID, the second gateway checks the terminal ID, and the map server provides a route guidance map and route guidance text based on the request. A map information system characterized in that the map server generates and transmits the result to the mobile phone. A map information system having a map server and a mobile phone,
A map information system, wherein the map server is connected to a mobile phone network, and the map server automatically transmits a route guidance map and route guidance text to the mobile phone based on predetermined information. A map information system having a map server and a mobile phone,
The map server is connected to a mobile phone network, the map server performs a route search based on predetermined information inputted in advance, generates a route guidance sentence and a route guidance map from the result of the route search, the predetermined server A map information system characterized in that the route guidance text and route guidance map data are converted into a format corresponding to the output destination based on the information, and the converted data is transmitted to a predetermined mobile phone at a predetermined time. . A map distribution method for distributing map information from a map server to a mobile phone,
A map distribution method, wherein the map server automatically transmits a route guidance map and a route guidance sentence to the mobile phone based on predetermined information. A map distribution method for distributing map information from a map server to a mobile phone,
The map server performs a route search based on predetermined information inputted in advance, generates a route guidance sentence and a route guidance map from the result of the route search, and the route guidance sentence and route guidance based on the predetermined information. A map distribution method comprising: converting map data into a format corresponding to an output destination; and transmitting the converted data to a predetermined mobile phone at a predetermined time.

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