JP4693187B2 - Global navigation system and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention provides a navigation system that searches and guides a route from a departure point to a destination, and guides POI related information such as a desired point of interest (POI) point, a map, and a route. The present invention relates to a portable terminal and a program.
In particular, the present invention provides an input conversion module for processing a plurality of input languages and a country-specific activation module corresponding to a plurality of countries in a communication navigation system using a portable terminal such as a cellular phone. The information distribution server has a country database that is referred to corresponding to the country activation module, and can be serviced using multiple languages by using the country database corresponding to the country activation module. the present invention relates to a navigation system you and the program.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a navigation device and a navigation system that guide a user by searching for a route from a desired departure place to a destination using map data and road data are known.
As such a navigation device and navigation system, a car navigation device that is installed in an automobile and guides the route to the driver, a mobile phone is used as a navigation terminal, a route search request is sent to the route search server, and the result is received. Communication-type navigation systems that receive route guidance have been put into practical use.

In particular, the communication-type navigation system is a system that uses a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone as a navigation terminal, and is also used as a navigation system for pedestrians. As a navigation system for pedestrians, it is preferable to add a route guidance function including transportation, and in addition to searching for and guiding automobiles and walking routes using road network data, the route search server includes routes for transportation. And operation time data are stored as traffic network data.
Such a pedestrian navigation system provides a route from the departure station to the destination station (candidate train) in addition to the guidance of the walking route between the departure point and the nearest station and between the destination and the nearest station. Has a function of guiding. There is also a traffic guidance system that receives and displays information such as routes, timetables of transportation facilities, and trains that can be boarded from an information distribution server without searching for walking routes.

There is also known a route search system that searches and guides a route from a departure place to a destination using transportation means such as an airplane, a train, a train, and a bus. Such a route search system generally performs route search based on route search conditions such as departure date and time, departure place, destination, arrival time specified by the user.
In other words, by referring to the traffic network data in which the route data and operation time data of each transportation system are made into a database, the route search is performed by sequentially using each available transportation means connecting the departure point and the destination including the connection as a route. One or more candidate guide routes (transportation means such as trains) that meet the conditions are presented. As route search conditions, it is generally possible to specify conditions such as required time, number of transfers, and fares.

Of the routes from the starting point to the destination obtained by route search using the road network data as described above, the route with the minimum total cost (distance or time) of the route is determined as the optimum guide route. Guide route data is created. The guide route data includes map data and guidance data in addition to the data of the optimum route, and the guide route data is read from the guide data storage unit as necessary and displayed on the display unit.
In general, a guide route and a mark indicating the current position of the navigation device are superimposed on a map of a certain scale and range including the current position of the navigation device measured using the GPS receiver of the navigation device. The current position mark is displayed at the center of the display screen.

Such a navigation system and route search method are disclosed by the present applicant as “traffic network route search method and device” in the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-258184), for example.
This route search navigation system expresses the route from the departure point to the destination point as road network and traffic network data with the point as a node and the link between the points as a link. This is a search for walking section and transportation section.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, mobile terminals such as mobile phones are equipped with browsers and can access the Internet to receive desired information. In such a system, the user operates a mobile terminal, finds a desired site using a search engine provided in the server, downloads the content of the site, and browses the content with a browser. ing. The content includes information belonging to various categories, and includes information on stores and events, provision of timetables on railway lines, and train transfer guidance.

  In providing information on stores and events, a user operates a mobile terminal to input a category of a store or event or an area to be searched, and requests a search from the information distribution server. The information distribution server searches for stores and events that fall into the category specified by the user and in the area, and distributes the information to the mobile terminal device. In providing the timetable, when the user operates the mobile terminal to designate a route, the timetable of the route is presented on the screen of the display device of the mobile terminal. Further, in the transfer guidance, the recommended route is presented by the user specifying the departure place and the destination.

  A user of a mobile phone can obtain various desired information by using the service as described above. For example, it is possible to obtain information such as a map, business content, price, business hours, and the like regarding a location of interest (Point of Interest: hereinafter simply referred to as POI) in which the user is interested. The POI may be any store or facility such as a hotel, restaurant, department store, theme park, convenience store, gas station, exercise facility, or park.

  When a mobile terminal used by a user is a mobile phone, a recent mobile phone includes a GPS receiver and has a positioning function for receiving a signal from a GPS satellite and calculating its current position. If it is a portable terminal that can send the current location to the information distribution server using this function and can receive the navigation service, after obtaining the desired specific POI information, the current location or home, office A route search to the specific POI can be received as a desired starting point.

  Various navigation systems that can provide such POI information have also been proposed. For example, a system disclosed as an “information distribution system” in the following Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-106863) is known.

The information distribution method disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a system including an information distribution computer system and a mobile phone as a terminal device. In this information distribution computer system, when guidance information of a certain POI is requested from an external mobile phone, the POI position information and the optimum route information for route search request to the information distribution computer system are added to the guidance information of the desired POI. A link with URL as link information is attached and sent back to the request source.
When the link displayed together with the POI guidance information is selected on the mobile phone, the information distribution computer system displays a route search condition setting / route search request screen in which the POI position information included in the URL is set as the destination. The mobile phone is configured to use this route search condition setting / route search request screen to set the departure place and to make a route search request accompanied by the route search condition information to the information distribution computer system. ing.

  That is, this information distribution computer system receives a POI search request from a mobile phone, and searches for a specific POI and distributes the POI guide information (map, business guide, etc.) to the mobile phone. The link information is added and distributed, and when the mobile phone selects the link, the optimum route from the current position to the POI is searched for and distributed.

  On the other hand, in-vehicle navigation devices are also being developed for export to foreign countries, and devices are designed for each destination. As such a technique, a recording medium and a reproducing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-117331) are known. The recording medium and the playback device disclosed in Patent Document 3 are a recording medium and a playback device that are not displayed or output by a navigation device for other destinations even if individual data with different destinations are put on the same map disk. Provided.

  In other words, the recording medium and the playback device are associated with the destination identification code file having identification codes for identifying a plurality of navigation devices having different destinations, and are used only in the own device model. The navigation device stores a plurality of destination-specific data such as search data, voice recognition data, and mark data that allow output, and map data as common data that allows output by a plurality of navigation devices on a map disc. The identification code is used to distinguish between the own device model and the other device model. As a result, the number of man-hours for designing the device individually for each destination is reduced.

JP 2000-258184 A (FIG. 4) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-106863 (FIG. 1, Summary [Solution Means]) JP 2004-117331 A (FIGS. 1 and 3)

  Recently, mobile phones tend to be provided with an international roaming function, and an environment in which a mobile phone that a user normally uses in the country can be brought to a foreign country while traveling is being prepared. Therefore, when a mobile phone is used as a terminal device of a navigation system or a POI information providing system, it is very convenient to be able to provide guidance and route search for overseas tourist spots and desired POIs. In this case, as a matter of course, in addition to domestic data (map data, route search network data, POI data, etc.), it is necessary to prepare data covering each overseas country or region on the information distribution server side.

It takes enormous man-hours and cost to create route search network data, map data, and POI data in Japanese for all countries in the navigation system and POI information providing system. For well-known tourist spots and hotels, there are cases where data is stored in Japanese in a database for tourist information for Japanese users, that is, a Japanese database. Results that match).
However, for other data, of course, map data and POI data created in other languages such as English and distributed commercially will be used. Even if this data is searched in Japanese, it will be a hit. do not do. For example, even if “White House” is searched for and input as a tourist spot in the United States, Katakana's “White House” does not exist in the US map database, and the search result is “none”.

  Since it is difficult to fully support Japanese in databases all over the world, data on spots such as POI corresponding to Japanese and data on spots that do not support Japanese are mixed on the database. Since it is very difficult to understand from the user's point of view, if the search result is not obtained in Japanese, it will be misunderstood that there is no information. In addition, in order to search such a database in which data in a plurality of languages are mixed, it is necessary to install an input conversion module that can handle a plurality of languages input on the mobile phone side that is a terminal device. is there.

  In order to avoid such problems, the data for POI search and the like stored in the database can be configured to support searches in a plurality of languages so that the user can be guided to perform appropriate operations. It is preferable to do. For example, if the desired result is not obtained when operating in the native language, the language is then switched based on the language that the database can support and other languages (eg, English) provided in the mobile terminal It is preferable that the user is urged to perform an operation for obtaining a desired result, for example, by performing guidance for operation.

  However, in the recording medium and the playback device disclosed in Patent Document 3, an identification code is set for each destination, prepared separately for common data not depending on the destination and specific data for each destination. Therefore, there is a problem that the terminal device is not intended to be used regardless of whether it is carried domestically or abroad.

  Further, the recording medium and the playback device disclosed in Patent Document 1 are not configured to support language switching according to the country to be used when the terminal device is used domestically or overseas. Therefore, there is a problem that an appropriate search service cannot be provided to the user.

The inventor of the present application has conducted various studies to solve the above-described problems, and as a result, the present invention has been completed by conceiving that the above-described problems can be solved by the following. .
That is, an input conversion module capable of inputting a plurality of languages on a portable terminal and a country-specific activation module corresponding to a plurality of countries are provided, and a country-specific database capable of supporting a plurality of languages is provided on an information distribution server The present invention has been completed by conceiving that the above problem can be solved if a search is made using a country database corresponding to the country activation module.

  The information distribution server switches to the corresponding country database according to the country activation module activated in the mobile terminal, and searches the country database in the first language used for setting the search condition in the mobile terminal. When a corresponding search result is not obtained, a guidance (guidance) is distributed to the portable terminal so as to switch to the second language supported by the country-specific database and the portable terminal. As a result, the portable terminal inputs the search condition again in the second language and makes a search request to the information distribution server.

That is, the present invention enables service corresponding to a plurality of input languages, it is an object to provide a global navigation system Contact and programs to be properly guided the switching input language to a user .

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is
A database, including a national database for search, composed of data for multiple languages,
A country-specific activation module for each target country ,
Use target country detection means for detecting the activated country activation module,
And database switching means you switch to corresponding to the detected country launch module national database,
An input conversion module capable of inputting in a plurality of languages corresponding to at least a first language and a second language;
The desired Enter search criteria POI, first language search means for performing a search by referring to the switched national database using the first language,
Language search requesting means for guiding the search request by switching to a language other than the first language when a search result matching the search condition is not obtained by the first language search means,
The language switching request means is configured to be able to input a search condition again using a language other than the first language when guiding to search by switching to a language other than the first language. To do.

The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is
A computer program constituting a global navigation system comprising a database including a country database for search composed of data corresponding to a plurality of languages, and a country activation module for each target country ,
Use target country detection means for detecting the activated country activation module,
Database switching means you switch the detected country database corresponding to national launch module,
An input conversion module capable of inputting in a plurality of languages corresponding to at least a first language and a second language;
It desired Enter search criteria POI, first language search means for performing a search by referring to the switched national database using the first language,
If the search result that matches the search condition is not obtained by the first language search means, the computer is caused to function as a language switching request means for guiding the search request by switching to a language other than the first language,
The language switching request means, to guide the search request is switched to a language other than the first language, characterized in that none that may enter again search conditions using a language other than the first language It is a program.

In the invention according to claim 1, the global navigation system switches to the corresponding country database according to the activated country activation module, and searches the country database in the first language used for the search condition setting. If the corresponding search result is not obtained, guidance is given to switch to the second language supported by the country-specific database. As a result, the global navigation system again inputs a search condition in the second language and requests a search. Accordingly, appropriate guidance can be provided to the user, and a desired search result can be provided.

In the invention concerning Claim 2, the program for implement | achieving the global navigation system of the invention concerning Claim 1 can be provided now.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples and drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic system configuration diagram showing a concept of a global navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the global navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the following embodiments, a global navigation system in which a mobile phone is a mobile terminal and a navigation system that performs route search and route guidance has a POI information providing function will be described as a specific example. However, the present invention is limited to this embodiment. Alternatively, the system may have a function of providing POI information, map data of the location, and the like.

  The global navigation system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention has a communication type system configuration in which the information distribution server 30 and the mobile terminal 20 communicate via the network 11. The portable terminal 20 is provided with an input conversion module 22, which has a character input conversion function corresponding to a plurality of languages, and uses at least a first language and a second language. Input is possible. The first language is the language of the home country of the communication carrier to which the mobile terminal 20 subscribes (the destination country of the mobile terminal 20), the second language is generally English, and the input conversion module includes the first language and the second language. Has input character conversion function for each language. Of course, the input conversion module 22 may be compatible with the third language.

  Further, the mobile terminal 20 can be used by being carried in any foreign country in addition to the home country of the communication carrier to which the service is subscribed. In FIG. 1, information distribution is performed depending on which country the mobile terminal 20 is used for. The server 30 includes a country activation module 23 for making a service activation request for each country. The country-specific activation module 23 includes a terminal-side application program that provides a navigation function and a POI search function in addition to a function for requesting service activation for each information distribution server 30 country.

  The country-specific activation module 23 is provided for each destination country or use target country used by the user, and can be selected by the input means. In FIG. 1, the country-specific activation module includes a JP module 231, a UK module 232, a US module 233, and an FR module 234 which are activation modules for each country. 20 is used when receiving a service. For example, the JP module 231, the UK module 232, the US module 233, and the FR module 234 are installed in the portable terminal 20 assuming that the destination is Japan and the UK and the United States are used as target countries. Of course, it is also possible to install a country-specific activation module for other countries to be used.

  Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the destination of the portable terminal 20 is Japan, the input conversion module 22 is configured to accept Japanese and English input, and the country-specific activation module 23 includes the JP module 231 and the UK module 232. In the following description, it is assumed that the US module 233 and the FR module 234 are installed. The user activates the JP module 231 when using the mobile terminal 20 in Japan, and activates the UK module 232 when using the mobile terminal 20 in the UK, and requests the information distribution server 30 to activate the global navigation service. It is also possible to use the target country as a UK in Japan. In this case as well, the UK module 232 corresponding to the usage target country is activated to make a global navigation service activation request to the information distribution server 30.

  The country activation module 23 tells the information distribution server 30 in which usage target country the mobile terminal 20 requests the service, and the JP module 231 of the country activation module is activated in the mobile terminal 20. A global navigation activation request for Japan is transmitted to the information distribution server 30, and the information distribution server 30 provides a service for Japan to the mobile terminal 20. Specifically, as will be described later, the database of the information distribution server 30 is switched to a country-specific database that stores data of the corresponding country. Similarly, when the UK module 232, the US module 233, or the like is activated, the country-specific database is switched to the corresponding country. In addition, the mobile terminal 20 provides (distributes) information on the service menu screen and the input screen corresponding to the first language used by the input conversion module 22 in the mobile terminal 20 to the mobile terminal 20.

  On the other hand, the information distribution server 30 includes a data search means 36, a country database 38, and a database switching means 37. The country database 38 includes POI data for POI search and route search, and route search information. Road network data etc. are accumulated. These data are divided into country databases 38 such as JPDB 381, UKDB 382, USDB 383, and FRDB 384, which are each country database, and are operating on the mobile terminal 20 accessing the information distribution server 30. Service is performed by switching to the country database corresponding to the activation module for each country.

  The country database 38 is not limited to the above JPDB 381, UKDB 382, USDB 383, and FRDB 384, but includes a country database classified by country corresponding to all country activation modules installed in each portable terminal 20. When the destination of the information distribution server 30 is Japan (operated by a Japanese communication carrier), the access from the mobile terminal 20 that has Japan as the destination (subscribing to a Japanese communication carrier) Even if the place of transmission is overseas, it is connected to the information distribution server 30 operated in Japan by international roaming processing.

  As described above, when the destination of the information distribution server 30 is Japan (operated by a Japanese communication carrier), the JPDB 381 is a Japanese database composed of Japanese as the first language, but the UKDB 382 and the USDB 383 are , Japanese data configured in Japanese and language of the target country or data configured in the second language. The JPDB 381 may be sufficient if it is essentially Japanese data, but may include second language data configured in a second language for a foreigner residing in Japan. Further, the geographical range of the data stored in the country database is a range including the range of the country or a certain peripheral region.

  As described above, which country database is switched to depends on which country activation module the mobile terminal 20 activates and makes a global navigation activation request to the information distribution server 30.

  Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the destination of the information distribution server 30 is Japan as in the mobile terminal 20, and the country database 38 is classified into the above JPDB381, UKDB382, USDB383, FRDB384, and other country databases not shown. It will be described as being.

The information distribution server 30 is provided with data search means 35, database switching means 37, and database 38, and the database 38 stores data for each country corresponding to the country-specific activation module 23 of the mobile terminal 20. The database is classified into JPDB381 to FRDB384, which are databases by country. For example, JPDB381 is a database that stores data that covers Japan, and the stored data is data that is configured in Japanese as the first language.

  Similarly, UKDB 382, USDB 383, and FRDB 384 are databases in which data for the target countries of the UK, the US, and France are stored, respectively, and the stored data is data composed of Japanese as the first language. It contains data composed of the second language, English. As described above, the JPDB 381 may also include data configured in English as the second language.

  The reason why the country-specific database 38 is divided into the country-specific databases as described above is that if the unified database for all countries and languages is used, the amount of data becomes enormous and the range of POI search and route search is too wide. This is because the response speed decreases and the construction cost of the database becomes enormous, and the service fee for the user of the portable terminal 20 becomes too expensive. In this regard, if the database is classified by country, the database configured in the language of the target country can be constructed by diverting the existing database, and the range of POI search and route search can be reduced and the response speed can be reduced. There is no reduction, the construction cost of the database is suppressed, and the service charge for the user of the portable terminal 20 can be suppressed at a low cost. For example, a database constructed in English of UKDB382 can use a database created in the UK for domestic use.

  The user activates one of the activation modules 231 to 234 for each country depending on the place (country) where the mobile terminal 20 is used, and requests the information distribution server. For example, when the mobile terminal 20 is used in the UK in the travel destination, the UK module 232 is activated. As a result, a global navigation activation request is transmitted from the portable terminal 20 to the information distribution server 30 by the UK module 232. The information distribution server 30 detects that the mobile terminal 20 has made a global navigation service request from the UK module 232, and the database switching unit 37 switches the database 38 to the UKDB 382.

  In many cases, there are many limited data such as well-known sightseeing spots and hotels in the UK, and the POI designated as a search condition is often not searched. When the search result is not obtained, the information distribution server 30 transmits to the portable terminal 20 and displays the guidance (guidance) for switching the input language to the second language included in the UKDB 382. In the case of this embodiment, since the second language is English, guidance is given to input a service request in English.

  Thereby, the user inputs various service requests in the portable terminal 20 in the second language (English), that is, in English characters. For example, the search request can be made by specifying the search condition again in English. As a result, the information distribution server 30 searches the data configured in English in the database of the UKDB 382. If the POI designated as the search condition is searched, the search result is distributed to the mobile terminal 20. As a result, the user can obtain desired search results by switching from Japanese search to English search.

  With this configuration, the information distribution server 30 provides the user with appropriate language switching guidance and provides the user with the search result of the desired search condition without giving a misunderstanding that there is no data that matches the search condition. And a search result with high accuracy can be provided.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the global navigation system 10 shown in FIG. In order to facilitate understanding, the corresponding components in FIGS. 1 and 2 are given the same reference numerals.

  The global navigation system 10 has a communication type system configuration in which the information distribution server 30 and the mobile terminal 20 communicate with each other via the network 11. The information distribution server 30 further collects information about various POIs from various POI information providing servers 40 via the network 12, for example, POI information such as location, surrounding map, access route, business contents, business hours, etc. Can be stored in the national database 38.

  The portable terminal 20 includes a control unit 21, an input conversion module 22, a country activation module 23, a communication unit 24, a positioning unit 25, a display unit 26, an input unit 27, a distribution request editing unit 28, a storage unit 29, and the like. Yes. Although not shown, the control unit 21 is a microprocessor having a RAM, a ROM, and a processor, and controls the operation of each unit by a control program stored in the ROM. The input means 27 includes numbers, alphabet keys, other function keys, and selection keys. By operating these keys or selecting a desired menu from the menu screen displayed on the display means 26, a route search is performed. And the POI search conditions are input. The communication unit 224 is an interface for communicating with the information distribution server 30 via the network 11.

  The positioning means 25 includes a GPS receiver, receives and processes GPS satellite signals, and measures the current position (latitude / longitude) of the portable terminal 20. The storage means 29 stores various distribution data distributed from the information distribution server 30, for example, distribution data such as information on POI, a guide route to a destination, and a map. For service requests such as POI search and route search, the service menu screen distributed from the information distribution server 30 is displayed on the display means 26, and the menu selection is made from the input means 27 to input the POI search and route search conditions. Do by. The distribution request editing unit 28 edits the route search condition and the POI search condition input by operating the input unit 27 into data to be transmitted to the information distribution server 30 and transmits the data to the information distribution server 30.

  Further, in the portable terminal 20, the input conversion module 22 and the country activation module 23 are as described in FIG. In this embodiment, as described above, the configuration corresponds to the input of Japanese and English. The country-specific activation module 23 has a configuration in which a JP module 231, a UK module 232, a US module 233, and an FR module 234 are installed as country-specific activation modules. In FIG. 2, the JP module 231, the US module 233, and the FR module 234 are not shown.

  The information distribution server 30 includes a control unit 31, a communication unit 32, a distribution data editing unit 33, a language / target country detection unit 34, a route search unit 35, a data search unit 36, a database switching unit 37, and a country database 38. Yes. The configuration of the country database 38 is as described in FIG. The country-of-use detection unit 34 determines which country-specific activation module the mobile terminal 20 has activated and transmitted a global navigation activation request, and notifies the database switching unit 37 of it. The database switching unit 37 switches to a country-specific database corresponding to the country-specific activation module identified by the usage target country detection unit 34. For example, when the UK module 232 is activated in the mobile terminal 20 and global navigation activation is requested, the corresponding UKDB 382 is switched.

  Although not shown, the control unit 31 is a microprocessor having a RAM, a ROM, and a processor, and controls the operation of each unit by a control program stored in the ROM. The communication unit 32 is an interface for communicating with the mobile terminal 20 and the POI information providing server 40 via the networks 11 and 12. The distribution data editing means 33 edits data for distributing the guidance route data, map data, and POI related information obtained as a result of the route search or POI search into data for distributing to the mobile terminal 20.

  The data search means 36 searches for the corresponding POI with reference to the country-specific database switched as described above based on the POI search conditions transmitted from the mobile terminal 20. As a POI search condition, for example, a POI category of various POIs such as a sightseeing spot, a hotel, a gas station, a restaurant, a current position, a distance range from a desired destination to the POI, and the like are designated. Based on this search condition, the data search means 36 performs a search with reference to the country-specific database corresponding to the country database 38 to find a POI corresponding to the search condition. The distribution data editing means edits the POI related information such as the searched POI position and map and distributes it to the portable terminal 20.

  The route search means 35 is a multimodal route search engine, and is based on the route search conditions (departure location or current location, destination, travel means, departure time, etc.) transmitted from the mobile terminal 20 as described above. Referring to the country-specific language-corresponding database switched in this way, the optimum route (route that minimizes the distance and required time) from the starting point or the present location to the destination is searched. The searched guide route is edited by the distribution data editing means 33 and distributed to the portable terminal 20. In the route search, when the route search function has a route search function using both automobile and walking, walking and transportation, the route search means 35 uses a multimodal route search engine. Such a route search engine is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-258184. As a route search method, a known method called Dijkstra method is applied.

  The user operates the input means 27 to activate the JP module 231 (see FIG. 1) of the country-specific activation module 23 and use the portable terminal 20 when using the service in Japan. In this case, the input conversion module 22 has Japanese as the first language and English as the second language, and can input data in each language by inputting Japanese characters and English characters. The display of the service menu screen and the like distributed from the information distribution server 30 is a screen display in Japanese which is the first language. Further, the information distribution server 30 switches the country database 38 to the JPDB 381 in response to a global navigation service activation request using the JP module 231 in which the portable terminal 20 is activated, and responds to a service request from the portable terminal 20.

  When the user brings the mobile terminal 20 overseas, for example, the UK, and requests a service from the information distribution server 30, the UK module 232 is activated and the information distribution server 30 is requested to activate the global navigation service. As a result, the information distribution server 30 switches the country database 38 to the UKDB 382 and responds to a service request from the mobile terminal 20. The display of the service menu screen and the like distributed from the information distribution server 30 is a screen display in Japanese which is the first language.

  As a result of the user making a POI search request with Japanese input and the information distribution server 30 searching the UKDB 382 (searching for data stored in Japanese naturally because the input is Japanese), the corresponding POI information is searched. If not, the information distribution server 30 guides the mobile terminal 20 to input the search condition again in the second language. When the user inputs a POI search request in English characters, the information distribution server 30 searches the UKDB 382 (searches data stored in English naturally because the input is English). As a result, when the corresponding POI information is searched, the information distribution server 30 distributes the result to the portable terminal 20.

  Thus, if the information distribution server 30 provides the user with appropriate language switching guidance, it is possible to provide the user with a search result of the desired search condition without giving the user a misunderstanding that there is no data that matches the search condition. And a search result with high accuracy can be provided.

  Note that when the information distribution server 30 provides guidance to the portable terminal 20 to switch the input language, which language is supported by the input conversion module 22 of the portable terminal 20 as the first language and the second language, and further the third language It is necessary to know whether it corresponds to. As described above, since the mobile terminal 20 has a service contract with a communication carrier in a specific country, the model and function of each mobile terminal 20 are known to the information distribution server 30 operated by the communication carrier. Yes, and the language supported by the country-specific databases JPDB381 to FRDB384 and the input language (first language, second language, etc.) supported by the input conversion module 22 provided in the accessed mobile terminal 20 Depending on the conditions, it is possible to determine which language to switch to.

  When the environment is such that the communication carrier provides services across countries and regions, a process for confirming a language that can be used by the input conversion module of the mobile terminal 20 between each mobile terminal 20 and the information distribution server 30 is performed. What is necessary is just to comprise so that the language which the input conversion module 22 of the portable terminal 20 respond | corresponds in the utilization object country detection means 34 grade | etc., In addition to a communication sequence.

  A service menu screen distributed to the mobile terminal 20 is shown in FIG. 3, for example. FIG. 3A shows that when the UK module 232 is activated to receive a service in the UK using the mobile terminal 20 in which the first language is Japanese and the second language is English, the mobile terminal 20 FIG. 3B is a diagram showing the configuration of a service menu screen distributed to the network, and FIG. 3B shows an FR module 234 (FIG. 3) for receiving services in France using the mobile terminal 20 in which the first language is English and the second language is French. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a service menu screen distributed from the information distribution server 30 to the mobile terminal 20 when 1) is activated.

  The service menu screen in Japanese shown in FIG. 3A is configured as follows. That is, the service menu display 311 displaying the function of the service, and a selection display field for setting POI search conditions. The selection display field displays a category display 312 for searching a desired POI from the POI category, and a desired POI. An item display 313 for searching from an address or name, a route guidance type display 314 for requesting a route search, and a process for registering or updating the searched POI information in the memory of the portable terminal 20 It consists of a registration update display 315 and the like. As shown in FIG. 3B, the service menu screen in English is similar to the structure and display contents of the service menu screen in Japanese, and is merely a display screen written in English. The difference between the two is the display related to the country-specific activation module 23 and the display related to the use of the second language, Japanese and French.

  4A to 8B that are transitioned from the service menu screens of FIGS. 3A and 3B will be described. FIGS. 4A and 4B are similar to FIGS. 3A and 3B, respectively. A screen when the UK module 232 (see FIG. 1) is activated to receive a service in the UK using the mobile terminal 20 in which the two languages are English, and the first language is English and the second language is French This is a comparison of the case where the FR module 234 (see FIG. 1) is activated to receive a service in France using a certain portable terminal 20. The same applies to FIGS.

  The user selects a condition for searching for a desired POI from this screen, inputs the search condition in accordance with an input screen that changes as will be described later, and transmits the search condition to the information distribution server 30. For example, when searching for a hotel by specifying a POI category, the hotel is selected from the category display 312 and transmitted to the information distribution server 30. If you know the name or address of the hotel you want to search for, select the appropriate item from the item display 313 from the name (spot name) and address input items, and enter the address or address in the input field displayed in the next screen transition. The search condition is determined by inputting the name and transmitted to the information distribution server 30.

  4 is an input screen that is displayed when a hotel is selected in the category display 312 on the menu screen of FIG. 3 and a search is specified from the spot name (name) of the item display 313. For example, as shown in FIG. A name input field 411, a telephone number input field 412, an area selection input field 413, and a selection field 414 for selecting a process for returning to the service menu in FIG. 3 are displayed, and the name of the hotel that the user wants to search in the first language Japanese. Or a telephone number is input and transmitted to the information distribution server 30. The content of the input screen of FIG. 4B is the same as the content of the input screen of FIG. 4A, and the only difference is that the screen is displayed in English as the first language.

  As a result, when the information distribution server 30 searches the specified hotel with reference to the UKDB 382 and the corresponding hotel is searched, the search response screen shown in FIG. 5A is distributed to the portable terminal 20 and displayed on the display means 26. . On the search result display screen of FIG. 5A, the name, address, etc. of the searched hotel are displayed in the display column 511. If a hotel map or guide map is required, the map distribution display 512 can be clicked to request the information distribution server 30 to distribute the map or guide map data of the hotel. In addition, when the searched hotel is registered in the portable terminal 20 as an overnight hotel, the registration can be registered by clicking the registration selection field 513. When returning to the service menu of FIG. 3, the user can click the selection field 514 to return.

  As a result of the search processing by the information distribution server 30, if the corresponding hotel is not searched, the information distribution server 30 distributes the language switching guidance screen shown in FIG. FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a language switching guidance screen when the UK module 232 is activated to receive a service in the United Kingdom using the mobile terminal 20 in which the first language is Japanese and the second language is English. Yes, a message display 611 for guiding the input to the second language English, a hotel name input field 612, and a selection field 613 for returning to the service menu are displayed.

  FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a language switching guidance screen when the FR module 234 is activated to receive a service in France using the mobile terminal 20 in which the first language is English and the second language is French. In this case, since the second language of the mobile terminal 20 is French, a message 611 for guiding to switch the input to French is displayed. Other display contents are exactly the same as in FIG. 6A.

  When the user switches the input language to English (English characters), inputs the hotel name as the search condition again and requests the information distribution server 30 to perform a search, the information distribution server 30 performs a search with reference to the UKDB 382. Since the input language is switched to English, English data stored in the UKDB 382 is searched. As a result, when the corresponding hotel is searched, the information distribution server 30 distributes the search response screen of FIG.

  In the case of inputting in English, when a search request is made by inputting only a part of a character string of a hotel to be searched for in the input field 612 of FIG. 6A, the information distribution server 30 shows the selection screen of FIG. 7A. Thus, the hotel name list 711 including the corresponding character string can be distributed to the mobile terminal 20 so that the user can select a desired search target hotel.

  In addition, when a hotel name search request is made in the first language (see FIG. 4), or when a hotel name search is made after switching to the second language (see FIG. 6), the corresponding hotel cannot be searched as a result of the search. In this case, the information distribution server 30 can distribute the input screen of FIG. 8 to the portable terminal 20 and prompt a search request from the address. 8A and 8B display an address input field 811 and a selection field 812 for returning to the service menu.

  FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram showing the POI search procedure in the global navigation system 10 described above. The portable terminal 20 selects the country-specific activation module 23 in the usage target country in the process of sequence SQ10. For example, when requesting a service for the UK, the UK module 232 is selected. When the UK module 232 is selected, a global navigation activation request is transmitted from the UK module 232 to the information distribution server 30 in the process of sequence SQ11.

  In the information distribution server 30, the usage target country detection unit 34 detects that the navigation activation request is transmitted from the UK module 232, and the database switching unit 37 corresponds the country database 38 to the UK module 232 in the process of sequence SQ 12. Switch to UKDB382. And the information delivery server 30 delivers the image data of the service menu screen of FIG. 3 to the portable terminal 20 in the process of sequence SQ13. Since the first language of the portable terminal 20 is Japanese, the image data is data configured in Japanese (see FIG. 3B).

  The service menu screen distributed from the information distribution server 30 is displayed on the display means 26 of the mobile terminal 20. In the processing of sequence SQ14, as described with reference to FIG. 3, the service and search condition input items are selected, the search conditions are input using the input screen of FIG. 4, and a search request is transmitted to the information distribution server. The input language in this case is input using Japanese because the first language of the mobile terminal 20 is Japanese.

  In accordance with the transmitted search condition, the information distribution server 30 refers to the UKDB 382 and searches for data that matches the search condition. The data in the UKDB 382 referred to at this time is naturally stored in Japanese because the first language is Japanese and the search condition is input in Japanese. When data corresponding to the search condition is searched, the search response screen of FIG. 5 is delivered to the mobile terminal 20 in the process of sequence SQ15.

  As a result of the above search, when data corresponding to the search condition is not searched, the information distribution server 30 distributes the language switching guidance screen of FIG. 6 to the portable terminal 20 in the process of sequence SQ16. The portable terminal 20 switches the input language, that is, switches to the input language guided on the language switching guidance screen, in this case, the English input that is the second language, inputs the search condition again, and transmits it to the information distribution server 30.

  When the search condition in the second language is received from the portable terminal 20, the data search means 36 in the information distribution server 30 searches the data that matches the search condition with reference to the UKDB 382. The data in the UKDB 382 referred to at this time is naturally stored in English because the search condition is input in English as the second language. When data corresponding to the search condition is searched, the search response screen of FIG. 5 is distributed to the mobile terminal 20 in the process of sequence SQ18.

  The language to be switched in the portable terminal 20 can be determined as described above. In other words, the model and function of each mobile terminal 20 are known to the information distribution server 30 and the first language and the second language (corresponding to the third language) that the input conversion module 22 of the mobile terminal 20 can support can be used. 3rd language) is known. Therefore, the information distribution server 30 can input the language supported by the database 381-384 for each country and the input language (first language, second language, etc.) supported by the input conversion module 22 of the mobile terminal 20 that has accessed. It is possible to determine which language is used as the switching language under the AND condition.

  Next, data stored in each country database 381-384 will be described. These country-specific databases 38 store POI data for POI search and route search, road network data for route search, and the like. As shown in FIG. 10, the POI search data includes information on individual POIs for each POI category, such as the position (latitude / longitude), location, map / guide map, business hours, business guide, and other information. Information is accumulated. These POIs and information related thereto can be collected from the POI information providing server 40 via the network 12 by the route search server 30.

  The user can select a POI category from the portable terminal 20 and request a search for a list of desired POIs from the information distribution server 30, or specify a specific POI and request a search for information on the POI. For example, while traveling in the UK, you can specify a hotel that you plan to stay in the UK and obtain a map or guide map of that hotel, or search for a hotel list and select a desired hotel from the list of hotels distributed from the information distribution server 30 You can select and get a map or guide map of the hotel.

  When the global navigation system 10 has a navigation function for pedestrians, road network data, pedestrian network data, and traffic network data for searching a route for traveling by car, a route using walking or transportation And so on.

  The road network for route search is configured as follows. For example, when the road is composed of roads A, B, and C as shown in FIG. 11, the end points, intersections, and inflection points of the roads A, B, and C are nodes, and the roads connecting the nodes are directed links. Link cost data and configuration, which is expressed as node data (node latitude / longitude), link data (link number), and link cost of each link (link distance or time required to travel the link) Is done.

  That is, in FIG. 11, ◯ and ◎ indicate nodes, and ◎ indicates a road intersection. Directional links connecting the nodes are indicated by arrow lines (solid line, dotted line, two-dot chain line). As for the links, there are links facing in the upward and downward directions of the road, but in FIG. 11, only the links in the direction of the arrows are shown for the sake of simplicity.

  When route search is performed using such road network data as a route search database, links linked from the starting node to the destination node are traced to accumulate the link cost, thereby minimizing the accumulated link cost. Search and guide the route. That is, in FIG. 11, when a route search is performed with the departure point as the node AX and the destination as the node CY, the road travels from the node AX along the road A, turns right at the second intersection, enters the road C, and reaches the node CY. The link cost is accumulated sequentially, and a route that minimizes the accumulated link cost is searched for and guided.

  Although other routes from the node AX to the node CY are not shown in FIG. 11, in reality there are other such routes, so a possible route from the node AX to the node CY is similarly searched. Of these routes, the route with the lowest link cost is determined as the optimum route. This method is performed by, for example, a well-known method called a Dictusula method.

  On the other hand, the traffic network data for route search of the transportation system is configured as follows. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, in the case of traffic routes A, B, and C, each station (each airport on an aircraft route) provided on each traffic route A, B, and C is a node, and the nodes are connected. A section is represented by a directional link, and node data (latitude / longitude) and link data (link number) are network data. In FIG. 12, ◯ and ◎ indicate nodes, ◎ indicates a transit point (such as a transfer station) on a traffic route, and a directional link connecting each node is indicated by an arrow line (solid line, dotted line, two points). This is indicated by a chain line). As links, there are links facing in the upward and downward directions of the traffic route, but in FIG. 12, only the links in the direction of the arrows are shown in order to simplify the illustration.

  However, the traffic network basically has a different link cost compared to the road network. That is, in the road network, the link cost is fixed and static, but in the traffic network, as shown in FIG. 12, trains and airplanes (hereinafter referred to as individual trains and airplanes) that operate the traffic route are used. A plurality of means of transportation). The time of departure from one node and the time of arrival at the next node are determined for each means of transportation (specified by timetable data and operation data), and individual routes do not necessarily link to adjacent nodes. There is a case. This is the case, for example, with express trains and trains that stop at each station. In such a case, a plurality of different links exist on the same traffic route, and the required time between nodes may differ depending on the transportation means.

  In the transportation network illustrated in FIG. 12, a plurality of transportation means (routes) Aa to Ac... Exist on the same link of the transportation route A, and a plurality of transportation means (routes) Ca to Cc. Will do. Therefore, unlike a simple road network, the transportation network of a transportation facility has a data amount proportional to the total number of transportation means (routes such as individual airplanes and trains). For this reason, the data of the traffic network becomes a huge amount of data compared to the data amount of the road network. Accordingly, much time is required for route search accordingly.

In order to search for a route from a certain departure point to a certain destination using such traffic network data, all the means of transportation that can be used (ride) when arriving from the departure point to the destination are searched. It is necessary to specify the means of transportation that matches the search conditions.
For example, in FIG. 12, when performing a route search with the departure point as the node AX of the traffic route A and specifying a certain departure time and using the node CY of the traffic route C as the destination, the route operates on the traffic route A. Of the transportation means Aa to Ac..., All transportation means after the departure time are sequentially selected as the departure route. Based on the arrival time at the transit node on the transit route C, among all the transit means Ca to Cc... Operating on the transit route C, all combinations of transit means after the time that can be boarded at the transit node. The total time required for each route, the number of transfers, and the like are guided.

  When providing a route search function to a POI, the network data for route search is obtained by adding each POI position (latitude / longitude) as a node, and the POI node from a predetermined position from a desired departure point What is necessary is just to comprise so that the route to this may be searched and guided. For example, an optimal route guidance can be received by making a POI search request specifying a specific hotel and requesting a route search from the airport to the POI.

  In the description of the above embodiment, an example in which the portable terminal is capable of supporting the first and second languages ((example in which the first language is Japanese and the second language is English is subscribed to a Japanese communication carrier) (FIG. 3A to FIG. 8A), an example in which a first language is English and a second language is French and a US communication carrier is subscribed (FIGS. 3B to 8B)) is not limited to this. If the language of the country database 38 corresponds to the third language and the input function of the portable terminal 20 also corresponds to the third language, a search service in the third language is also possible.

  In other words, if the first language is Japanese, the second language is English, and you are subscribed to a Japanese communications carrier, if your destination is Thailand and you search in Japanese and English, but the result is not found, you can respond to Thailand If the country-specific database 38 includes data corresponding to Thai language and the mobile terminal 20 also supports Thai language input, the guidance is to search in Japanese, then search in English, and then search in Thai. You can also (The user needs to understand how to input Thai)

  For mobile phones other than Japan, for example, when searching for Japan on a Chinese mobile phone, the first time is Chinese, then English, and Japanese can be entered. I will control it. However, in this case, the country-specific database for Japan needs to include data for Chinese.

  Furthermore, although JPDB381 etc. which are the database of each country were demonstrated as a database containing the data comprised in several languages, JPDB381 was further comprised by the database classified by language and according to the input language which the portable terminal used. It is possible to switch to a language-specific database.

  The global navigation system according to the present invention can provide an environment that is very easy to use when performing global navigation while suppressing the cost of database construction. That is, the data of the use target country exists in the database of the information distribution server corresponding to a plurality of languages (at least the first language and the second language), and the portable terminal has a plurality of languages (at least the first language and the second language). ) In the combination of languages in which the corresponding input conversion module is installed, if there is no corresponding data as a result of searching in the first language in any target country, guide the user to switch to the second language and search again Thus, the target search result can be reached using the second language.

1 is a schematic system configuration diagram showing a concept of a global navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the detailed structure of the global navigation system concerning the Example of this invention. FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a configuration of a service menu screen, and FIG. 3A shows a case where a UK module is activated to receive a service in the UK using a mobile terminal whose first language is Japanese and whose second language is English. FIG. 3B is a diagram showing the configuration of the service menu screen of FIG. 3B. FIG. 3B shows a service when the FR module is activated to receive a service in France using a mobile terminal whose first language is English and whose second language is French. It is a figure which shows the structure of a menu screen. 4A is a diagram showing the configuration of an input screen. FIG. 4A shows a case where a UK module is activated to receive a service in the UK using a mobile terminal whose first language is Japanese and whose second language is English. FIG. 4B shows the configuration of the input screen. FIG. 4B shows the input screen when the FR module is activated to receive a service in France using a mobile terminal whose first language is English and whose second language is French. It is a figure which shows a structure. FIG. 5A is a diagram showing a configuration of a search response screen, and FIG. 5A shows a case where a UK module is activated to receive a service in the UK using a mobile terminal whose first language is Japanese and whose second language is English. FIG. 4B is a diagram showing the configuration of the search response screen of FIG. 4B. When the FR module is activated to receive a service in France using a mobile terminal whose first language is English and whose second language is French, search is performed. It is a figure which shows the structure of an answer screen. FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a configuration of a language switching guidance screen. FIG. 6A shows a case where a UK module is activated to receive a service in the UK using a portable terminal whose first language is Japanese and whose second language is English. FIG. 6B shows the configuration of the language switching guidance screen in the case where the FR module is activated in order to receive a service in France using a mobile terminal whose first language is English and whose second language is French. It is a figure which shows the structure of the language switching guidance screen. FIG. 7A is a diagram showing a configuration of a selection screen for initial search input of a spot name. FIG. 7A is a service in the UK using a mobile terminal whose first language is Japanese and whose second language is English. FIG. 7B is a diagram showing the configuration of the selection screen when the UK module is activated for the purpose, and FIG. 7B shows the FR for receiving services in France using a mobile terminal whose first language is English and whose second language is French. It is a figure which shows the structure of the selection screen when a module is started. FIG. 8A is a diagram showing a configuration of an input screen when searching for a desired POI (spot) from an address as a search condition. FIG. 8A shows a mobile terminal in which the first language is Japanese and the second language is English. FIG. 8B is a diagram showing a configuration of an input screen when a UK module is activated in order to receive a service in the UK. FIG. 8B is a diagram showing a configuration in France using a mobile terminal whose first language is English and whose second language is French. It is a figure which shows the structure of the input screen when FR module is started in order to receive a service. It is a sequence diagram which shows the procedure of the search service in the global navigation system concerning the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of POI data accumulate | stored in a database. It is a schematic diagram which shows the concept of the road network data accumulate | stored in a database. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the traffic network data accumulate | stored in a database.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Global navigation system 11, 12 ... Network 20 ... Portable terminal 21 ... Control means 22 ... Input conversion module 23 ... National activation module 231-234 .. Startup module 24 for each country ... Communication means 25 ... Positioning means 26 ... Display means 27 ... Input means 28 ... Delivery request editing means 29 ... Storage means 30 ... Information distribution server 31 ... Control means 32 ... Communication means 33 ... Distribution data editing means 34 ... Target country detection means 35 ... Route search means 36 ... Data search means 37 ... Database switching means 38 ... Country database 381-384 ... Country database 40 ... POI information providing server

Claims (2)

A database, including a national database for search, composed of data for multiple languages,
A country-specific activation module for each target country ,
Use target country detection means for detecting the activated country activation module,
And database switching means you switch to corresponding to the detected country launch module national database,
An input conversion module capable of inputting in a plurality of languages corresponding to at least a first language and a second language;
The desired Enter search criteria POI, first language search means for performing a search by referring to the switched national database using the first language,
Language search requesting means for guiding the search request by switching to a language other than the first language when a search result matching the search condition is not obtained by the first language search means,
The language switching request means is configured to be able to input a search condition again using a language other than the first language when guiding to search by switching to a language other than the first language. A global navigation system . A computer program constituting a global navigation system comprising a database including a country database for search composed of data corresponding to a plurality of languages, and a country activation module for each target country ,
Use target country detection means for detecting the activated country activation module,
Database switching means you switch the detected country database corresponding to national launch module,
An input conversion module capable of inputting in a plurality of languages corresponding to at least a first language and a second language;
It desired Enter search criteria POI, first language search means for performing a search by referring to the switched national database using the first language,
If the search result that matches the search condition is not obtained by the first language search means, the computer is caused to function as a language switching request means for guiding the search request by switching to a language other than the first language,
The language switching request means, to guide the search request is switched to a language other than the first language, characterized in that none that may enter again search conditions using a language other than the first language program.

Images