JP5173321B2 - INFORMATION GENERATION DEVICE AND INFORMATION GENERATION METHOD, INFORMATION DISPLAY DEVICE AND INFORMATION DISPLAY METHOD, DATA STRUCTURE, INFORMATION GENERATION PROGRAM, AND INFORMATION DISPLAY PROGRAM - Google Patents

Description

  The present application belongs to the technical field of information generation device and information generation method, information display device and information display method, data structure, information generation program and information display program, and more specifically a map including searched latitude path Information generation device for generating image information, information generation method and information generation program, data structure in generated map image information, information display device for displaying map image corresponding to generated map image information, information display It belongs to the technical field of methods and information display programs.

In recent years, with the advancement of network technologies such as the Internet, for example, in vehicle-mounted navigation, search information (search information such as information indicating a departure point or information indicating a destination point) used for searching for a movement route is included in the navigation device. Input to the server device, transmit to the server device, search for the necessary travel route in the server device using the transmitted search information, and further to the original navigation device a map displaying the travel route as a result of the search The technology of replying and utilizing is becoming common. Specific examples thereof include those described in Patent Document 1 below.
JP 2003-58981 A

  However, in the prior art exemplified above, search information to be used for a search for a travel route and a map image on which the travel route is displayed are handled completely separately.

  As a result, for example, if only the search information (in other words, route information corresponding to the travel route) is viewed at a glance, it is difficult to imagine what the corresponding travel route is actually. There is a problem that the user cannot determine whether or not the desired value is desired.

  On the other hand, even if only a map image including a movement route can be acquired, search information corresponding to the map image cannot be acquired. As a result, for example, when the acquired movement route is not a desired one, the operation is complicated. There was also the problem of becoming. More specifically, when a different search algorithm is used at the time of the re-search, the search information such as information indicating a destination point that should be the same must be input again from the beginning.

  Therefore, the present application has been made in view of the above problems, and an example of the problem is an information generation apparatus, an information generation method, and information that can more efficiently execute a search for a necessary travel route. An object is to provide a generation program, a data structure in the generated map image information, an information display device that displays a map image corresponding to the generated map image information, an information display method, and an information display program.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the invention according to claim 1 is map image information including route search means such as a processing unit for searching for a movement route, and a map image including the searched movement route in an identifiable manner. Image generating means such as a processing unit for generating a search information including search information used for searching the travel route and information indicating a search condition used for searching the travel route. And an information generation means such as a processing unit for generating search information added map image information in addition to the image information.

In order to solve the above problem, an invention according to claim 8 is an interface unit that acquires the search information additional map image information generated by the information generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. Etc., image information extracting means such as a processing unit for extracting the map image information from the acquired search information additional map image information, and a process of extracting the search information from the acquired search information additional map image information Search information extraction means such as a display section, display control means such as a processing section for displaying the map image corresponding to the extracted map image information on the display means, the display means such as a display, and display of the map image And a re-search means such as a processing unit for performing the re-search using the extracted search information when the travel route is re-searched later.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 10 is generated by the information generating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , and the information display apparatus according to claim 8 or 9. A map image information carrying unit for carrying the map image information, and a map image information carrying unit for carrying the search information. And a map that shows the position of the map image information carrying unit in the data structure, which is a search information carrying unit formed separately from each other, and image information address information used for extraction of the map image information by the image information extracting means Image information address information and search information address information used for extraction of the search information by the search information extraction means, the search information carrying in the data structure Search information address information indicating the position of each of the address information carrying unit, and the address information carrying unit displays the image before the map image information carrying unit and the search information carrying unit. Formed at a location in the data structure that is read by the device.

In order to solve the above problem, an invention according to a twelfth aspect causes a computer to function as the information generating apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention described in claim 13 is characterized in that the computer includes the acquisition unit, the image information extraction unit, the search information extraction unit, and the search information extraction unit in the information display device according to claim 8 or 9. It functions as a display control means and the re-search means.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the invention according to claim 15 is an information generation method executed in an information generation apparatus , wherein a route search step for searching for a movement route and the searched movement route are identified. An image generation process for generating map image information including possible map images, and search information used for searching the travel route, including information indicating a search condition used for searching the travel route. And an information generation step of adding search information added map image information to the map image information.

In order to solve the above problem, an invention according to claim 15 is an information display method executed in an information display device connected to the information generation device according to claim 14 . An acquisition step of acquiring the search information additional map image information generated by using the information generation method, an image information extraction step of extracting the map image information from the acquired search information additional map image information, and the acquired A search information extracting step of extracting the search information from the search information additional map image information, a display control step of displaying the map image corresponding to the extracted map image information on a display means such as a display, A re-search step of performing the re-search using the extracted search information when performing the re-search of the movement route after the display.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present application will be described with reference to FIG. The embodiment described below is an embodiment when the present application is applied to a network system in which a plurality of terminal devices are connected via a network. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the entire network system according to the embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the network system S according to the embodiment is configured by connecting a plurality of terminal devices P1 to Pn each formed of a personal computer or the like via a network NT such as the Internet. And some or all of each terminal device P1 thru | or Pn are comprised so that transmission / reception of information can be mutually performed via network NT. In the following description, when any one of the terminal devices P1 to Pn is generally indicated, it is simply referred to as the terminal device P.

  In the network system S according to the embodiment, when a moving body such as a vehicle or a movement route of a person is searched for in any of the terminal devices P, the search information used for the search and the movement as a result of the search The map image information corresponding to the map image including the route map is used in another terminal device P.

  Specifically, for example, in the terminal device P1 illustrated in FIG. 1, when a departure point, a destination point, a waypoint, a search condition, and the like are input as the search information, the terminal device P1 is used using the input search information. The search for the movement route is executed at.

  Here, the search condition is, for example, displaying search results with distance priority (that is, in the order of shorter moving distance) or displaying search results with time priority (that is, in order of shorter time required for movement). Or a search condition such as whether to display a search result in order of cost priority (that is, in order of less cost required for movement such as tolls on an expressway).

  Then, a map image file in which the search information corresponding to the travel route is added to the map image information corresponding to the map image including the travel route as a result of the search is generated in the terminal device P1. At this time, as the image file format used to generate the map image file, for example, the general-purpose JEIDA (Japanese Electronic Industry Development Association) standard Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format) format is used. . Further, the search information is described in the map image file as a user comment format as the Exif format.

  Next, the generated map image file is transmitted to another terminal device P via the network NT.

  Thereafter, in the other terminal device P that has received the map image file, the map image including the moving route is extracted from the map image file and displayed, and if necessary, the map image file The re-search of the movement route using the search information described in the box is executed. At this time, in the re-search process, the re-search may be performed under the same search condition as the search for the movement route in the original terminal device P1 that generated the map image, or the search condition related to the search may be The re-search process may be performed using a part or all of the search conditions under different search conditions.

  Next, an example of the present application, which further embodies the above embodiment, will be specifically described with reference to FIGS.

  2 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of each terminal device P according to the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing according to the embodiment in each terminal device P, and FIG. 4 is a map according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a data structure of an image file, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an image displayed on another terminal device P to which the map image file is transmitted.

  Further, in the following embodiment, as an example, a map image file including a result searched for in the terminal device P1 shown in FIG. 1 is transmitted to the terminal device P3 shown in FIG. 1, and processing such as display is performed in the terminal device P3. The case where it is provided to will be described.

  First, the detailed configuration of each terminal device P will be described with reference to FIG. Note that each terminal device P according to the embodiment basically has the same configuration.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal device P according to the embodiment is configured by a personal computer or the like as described above. Specifically, the interface unit 10 as an acquisition unit, a volatile area, or a nonvolatile memory A memory 11 having at least one of the storage areas, an HDD (Hard Disc Drive) unit 12 having a hard disk as a non-volatile recording medium, a route searching means comprising a CPU, an image generating means, an information generating means, an image The processing unit 13 as an information extraction unit, a search information extraction unit, a display control unit and a re-search unit, an operation unit 14 including a keyboard and a mouse, and a display 15 as a display unit including a liquid crystal display and the like. ing.

  In this configuration, the interface unit 10 performs input / output processing when exchanging information with other terminal measures P via the network NT.

  Then, the processing unit 13 performs overall control of processing as the terminal device P in addition to processing according to an embodiment to be described later, based on the operation performed by the user performed in the operation unit 14.

  At this time, data and the like necessary for the overall control are temporarily stored in the memory 11 and read from the memory 11 as necessary.

  Further, information necessary for the overall processing including a map image to be described later is visually displayed on the display 15.

  Further, data necessary for the overall control, which needs to be stored even after the power switch of the terminal device P is turned off, is stored in the nonvolatile area of the memory 11 or the hard disk in the HDD unit 12. Remembered.

  Next, the operation according to the embodiment that is mainly executed in the processing unit 13 of each of the terminal devices P1 and P3 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 3, as the operation, first, the search information input operation is executed in the operation unit 14 of the terminal device P1 (step S1). At this time, as the search information, specifically, information indicating the name of the departure point and its latitude / longitude, information indicating the name of the destination point and its latitude / longitude, name of the waypoint, and information indicating the latitude / longitude Information indicating search conditions is input. Note that the information indicating the name of the waypoint and the latitude / longitude thereof is input as needed only when there is the waypoint.

  When the search information is input, a travel route is searched based on a search algorithm preset in the terminal device P1 (the search algorithm is simply referred to as a first algorithm below) (step S2). A map image including the resulting movement route in an identifiable manner is generated in the processing unit 13 of the terminal device P1 (step S3) and displayed on the display 15 (step S4).

  Here, the travel route as the search result starts from the departure point where the latitude / longitude is input in step S1 and similarly arrives at the input destination point (when a transit point is input). Is a travel route via the waypoint). The search information used for the search is temporarily stored in the memory 11 of the terminal device P1.

  Furthermore, as the map image, not a travel route including a detailed map, for example, a map image in which the travel route itself is described in a schematic diagram (details will be described later with reference to FIG. 5) is generated.

  Next, for example, a request that the user who operates the terminal device P3 wants to transfer the travel route search result in the terminal device P1 to the terminal device P3 is transmitted from the terminal device P3 to the terminal device P1. It is confirmed whether or not there is (step S5). As another confirmation item in step S5, for example, it is confirmed whether or not the user of the terminal device P1 has performed an operation to transmit the search result to the terminal device P3 in the operation unit 14. It is also good.

  If it is determined in step S5 that the search result is not to be transmitted to the terminal device P3 (step S5; NO), the processing according to the embodiment is terminated as it is. On the other hand, when it is determined that the search result is to be transmitted to the terminal device P3 (step S5; YES), first, the latitude of the departure point in the search information used for the search for the movement route in the terminal device P1 is described. / Information indicating longitude is extracted from the memory 11 (step S6).

  Next, it is confirmed whether or not a waypoint has been designated in the search in the terminal device P1 (step S7). If even one waypoint has been designated (step S5; YES), it is designated. Information indicating the latitude / longitude of each waypoint is extracted from the memory 11 for each waypoint (step S8).

  When the extraction of the information indicating the latitude / longitude for all the waypoints is completed (step S7; NO), the information indicating the latitude / longitude of the destination point is extracted from the search information (step S9). If the search condition is further specified, the specified search condition is extracted from the memory 11 (step S10).

  Thereafter, the processing unit 13 uses the map image generated in step S3 and the search information extracted in the processes in steps S6 to S10 to transmit the map image file to be transmitted to the terminal device P3. Generate (step S11).

  Here, the structure of the map image file will be described with reference to FIG.

  As described above, as the file format of the map image file according to the embodiment, the Exif format of the JEIDA standard is used as an example, and one map image (one moving image searched in the terminal device P1 is identifiable). One map image file is generated for each (map image).

  More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the map image file 100 according to the embodiment includes header information 101 indicating that the map image file 100 itself is described in the map image file 100 of each information. As the head of the address indicating the position, management information 102 indicating the address of each information included in the map image file 100, private information 107 including the search information according to the embodiment, and GPS ( Global Positioning System) GPS information 111 including position information (for example, position information of a departure point included in the search information) and map image information itself corresponding to a map image including a schematic diagram of the travel route And certain image information 114. At this time, the header information 101 includes the top address of the management information 102 and the like.

  The management information 102 includes an image information pointer 103 indicating the top address of the image information 114, a private information pointer 104 indicating the top address of the private information 107, and a GPS indicating the top address of the GPS information 111. An information pointer 105 and other information 106 as other information as the management information 102 are configured.

  Furthermore, the private information 107 has a meaning as the header information of the private information 107 and indicates the version as the private information 107 and the version in which the address in the map image file 100 is indicated by the private information pointer 104. Information 108, a user comment pointer 109 indicating an address in the map image file 100 at the head of a user comment 110 to be described later, a user comment 110 which is information indicating latitude / longitude such as a departure point as the search information, It is comprised by.

  Here, specifically as the description format as the user comment 110, for example, the position of the departure point (for example, the code is "S") is 12 degrees 34 minutes north latitude, 23 degrees 45 minutes east longitude, The location of the point (eg, the code is “V”) is 12 degrees 45 minutes north latitude and 23 degrees 56 minutes east longitude, and the location of the destination point (eg the code is “D”) is 12 degrees 56 minutes north latitude, east longitude If it is assumed that the shortest path (for example, the code is “EM1”) is searched as 24 ° 18 minutes as a search condition, when these are described as the user comment 110 in accordance with the so-called code argument format, The content is described as a user comment 110 with a character string “S1234, 2345; V1245, 2356; D1256, 2378; EM1”.

  Finally, the GPS information 111 has a meaning as the header information of the GPS information 111, indicates the version as the GPS information 111, and the address in the map image file 100 is indicated by the GPS information pointer 105. It consists of version information 112 and GPS data 113 which is the main body of the GPS information 111.

  And in the process of the said step S11, the map image file 100 provided with the structure illustrated in the above FIG. 4 is produced | generated for every one map image which shows the schematic of a movement path | route. Then, the generated map image file 100 is transmitted to the terminal device P3 via the network NT (step S12), and the processing according to the embodiment as the terminal device P1 is ended.

  Next, operation | movement of the terminal device P3 which receives the map image file 100 transmitted by the process of step S12 in the terminal device P1 is demonstrated using FIG.3 and FIG.5.

  When receiving the map image file 100 from the terminal device P1, the terminal device P3 temporarily stores it in the HDD unit 12 or the like in the terminal device P3 (step S20).

  Next, the map images included in each of the other map image files 100 received in the past including the map image file 100 received in step S20 (that is, the movement paths searched in the other terminal devices P are schematically shown). It is confirmed whether or not an operation for displaying a list of map images included in the operation unit 14 of the terminal device P3 has been executed (step S21).

  And when the said operation is not performed (step S21; NO), operation | movement as the terminal device P3 is complete | finished as it is, and when it is performed (step S21; YES), it is set as display object by the said operation next. A list of the designated map images is displayed, and when any one of the map images is selected (step S22), the selected map image is displayed on the display 15 of the terminal device P3 (step S23). .

  At this time, as the process of step S23, the selected map image is displayed together with the travel route included in the selected map image (step S22). In addition, the map image corresponding to the selected map image is displayed. Information indicating the destination point included in the search information included as the user comment 110 in the map image file 100 where the information is included as the image information 114 is also displayed. More specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the screen relating to the display includes a title field 120 in which a title as the map image is displayed, and a map image in which the movement route 122 is included as a schematic diagram. A displayed map image display field 121, a departure point display field 123 where the name of the departure point is displayed, a waypoint display field 124 corresponding to the number of the waypoints where the name of each waypoint is displayed, and a destination point This is used when selecting whether or not to use the destination point display field 125 in which the name of the destination is displayed and the information indicating the latitude / route of the destination point as the search information in the re-search of the movement route described later. Selection check field 126, a size display field 127 for displaying the size used when designating the display size as the map image, and the text used for selecting the display mode of the map image. Strike (preferences of the display mode, preferences, etc.) and taste display column 128 for displaying, and creating button 129 is operated when performing re-search for a travel route, it is preferable that contains. Note that, in the moving route 122 of the map image illustrated in FIG. 5, the starting point and the destination point are both the same point and are indicated by ●, and the waypoint is indicated by ◎.

  When the map image illustrated in FIG. 5 is displayed by the process of step S23, the travel route is re-searched as a result of confirming the displayed map image by the user of the terminal device P3. Is confirmed in the operation unit 14 of the terminal device P3 (step S24).

  And when the said operation is not performed (step S24; NO), operation | movement as the terminal device P3 is complete | finished as it is, and when it is performed (step S24; YES), the map image file received in said step S20 It is confirmed whether or not the information indicating the latitude / route of the departure point in the search information described as the user comment 110 in 100 is reused in the re-search (step S25). Specifically, in the confirmation processing in step S25, it is confirmed whether or not the selection check column 126 corresponding to the departure point is selected from the selection check column 126 illustrated in FIG. When the selection check field 126 is not selected (step S25; NO), the process proceeds to step S33 described later, and when it is selected (step S25; YES), the received map image file 100 contains The information indicating the latitude / route of the departure point in the search information included in is read from the HDD unit 12 and temporarily stored in the memory 11 in the terminal device P3 (step S26).

  Next, it is confirmed whether or not the information indicating the latitude / route of the destination point among the search information included in the received map image file 100 is reused in the re-search (step S27). Specifically, the confirmation processing in step S27 confirms whether or not the selection check column 126 corresponding to the destination point is selected from the selection check column 126 illustrated in FIG. When the selection check field 126 is not selected (step S27; NO), the process proceeds to step S33 described later, and when it is selected (step S27; YES), the received map image file 100 contains The information indicating the latitude / route of the destination point in the search information included in is read from the HDD unit 12 and temporarily stored in the memory 11 in the terminal device P3 (step S28).

  Next, when the search information included in the received map image file 100 includes information indicating the latitude / route of the waypoint, it is confirmed whether or not the information is reused in the re-search ( Step S29). Specifically, the confirmation processing in step S29 is to confirm whether or not the selection check column 126 corresponding to the waypoint is selected from the selection check column 126 illustrated in FIG. When the selection check field 126 is not selected (step S29; NO), the process proceeds to step S33 described later, and when it is selected (step S29; YES), the received map image file 100 contains The information indicating the latitude / route of the waypoint in the search information included in is read from the HDD unit 12 and temporarily stored in the memory 11 in the terminal device P3 (step S30).

  Finally, when the search information included in the received map image file 100 includes information indicating a search condition, it is confirmed whether or not the information is reused in the re-search (step S31). When the search condition is not reused (step S31; NO), the process proceeds to step S33 described later, and when it is reused (step S31; YES), it is included in the received map image file 100. The information indicating the search condition in the search information is read from the HDD unit 12 and temporarily stored in the memory 11 in the terminal device P3 (step S32).

  Here, if it is determined in any of the above steps S25, S27, S29, or S31 that the respective information is not reused, the corresponding search information (for example, included in the map image file 100 in the confirmation in step S27). When the information indicating the latitude / longitude of the destination point is not reused (step S27; NO), the terminal device P3 newly inputs information indicating the latitude / longitude of the new destination point (step S33). It will transfer to step S34 mentioned later.

  Then, when the creation button 129 is operated, a search algorithm (related to the terminal device P1) set as the terminal device P3 using the search information stored in the memory 11 by the processing of steps S25 to S33. Based on the same search algorithm as the first algorithm or a different search algorithm), a new travel route is re-searched (step 34), and the resulting travel route can be identified. The included map image is generated in the processing unit 13 of the terminal device P3 and displayed on the display 15 of the terminal device P3 (step S35). By performing the above processing, the operation as the terminal device P3 is terminated.

  As described above, according to the travel route search process in the network system S according to the embodiment and the example, it corresponds to a map image including a travel route in accordance with a general-purpose standardized image file format. Since the map image file 100 in which the search information used for the search of the travel route is added to the image information 114 to be generated is generated, for example, the travel route in the other terminal device P under the same search conditions as the search of the travel route. When a search is performed again, the corresponding map image is displayed first, so that the travel route as a result of the search using the search condition is visually confirmed in advance, and then a specific search process is executed. Can do.

  Therefore, compared to, for example, judging only the search condition and determining the presence or absence of a re-search, it is possible to move to the next search process after visually confirming the movement path that is the actual search result, and the necessary movement The route search can be executed more efficiently.

  If the search information includes at least the information indicating the latitude / route of the departure point and the information indicating the latitude / route of the destination point, the information necessary for re-searching the movement route is narrowed down. Thus, the amount of information as the map image file 100 can be minimized.

  Furthermore, when there is a waypoint, information indicating the latitude / longitude of the waypoint is further included as search information, so that the travel route can be re-searched in more detail using the search information.

  Furthermore, when a search condition is specified, the search condition is further included as search information, so that a re-search under the same search condition can be performed in the re-search of the movement route.

  In addition, since the movement route is expressed using a simple route graphic in the map image, the outline of the movement route can be quickly recognized when the map image is displayed.

  Furthermore, since the image file format of the map image file 100 is the Exif format and the search information is added as the user comment 110, the map image file 100 can be generated with high versatility.

  Furthermore, in the terminal device P3, after the map image acquired as the map image file 100 is displayed, the travel route as the search result is visually confirmed by re-searching the travel route using the simultaneously acquired search information. After that, it is possible to easily re-search the travel route using the same search information as the displayed travel route.

  Moreover, since the search information corresponding to the movement route is displayed together with the map image, the validity of the movement route and the details thereof can be quickly recognized.

  Further, in the map image file 100, image information 114 as map image information and a user comment 110 as search information are formed separately, and an image information pointer indicating the addresses of the image information 114 and private information 107, respectively. 103 and the management information 102 including the private information pointer 104 are formed at positions in the map image file 100 that are read before the image information 114 and the user comment 110. By extracting 114 and the user comment 110 (search information), the terminal device P3 can visually check the travel route and then easily re-search the travel route using the same search information.

  Furthermore, since the image file format of the map image file 100 is the JEIDA standard Exif format and the search information is included in the map image file 100 as the user comment 110, a general-purpose terminal device P3 having no special function. Even when using, it is possible to easily confirm and re-search the movement route.

  In the above-described embodiment, the code argument format is used as the description format of the user comment 110. However, in addition to this, the search information can also be described by adopting a description format using only a simple latitude / longitude. In this case, when describing the departure point, the waypoint, and the destination point at the same position as in the above-described embodiment, the contents of the user comment 110 are “R1234, 2345; 1245, 2356; 1256, 2378; M1”. Only such a character string is described.

  Furthermore, when re-searching a movement route such as that according to the embodiment, it is sufficient that at least the position of the departure point and the position of the destination point can be specified. In addition to the description format of the user comment 110 using the latitude / longitude according to the embodiment, In addition, the location of each of the departure point and the destination point is described using an address character string, or the latitude and longitude of a specific location in the map image (for example, the upper left corner of the map image) is determined and then the specific location is used. The position of each of the departure point and the destination point may be described using relative (x, y) position information.

  In the above-described embodiment and examples, the map image file 100 is generated in accordance with the Exif format. In this case, search information is embedded in the portion of the image information 114 of the map image file 100 (specifically, May be embedded using upper and lower lines of the screen as the map image, corner portions irrelevant to the display of the moving route in the map image, and further using a digital watermark or the like). In this case, even if the user comment 110 is destroyed during transmission / reception of the map image file 100 for some reason, the original search information can be extracted if the image information 114 is not damaged.

  Furthermore, in addition to using the Exif format, the path information according to the embodiment and the example may be described in a comment field in a so-called “file property” in a general image file.

  Furthermore, it is also possible to generate other data in a data format that can be processed using different types of map drawing software as the search information and to describe it in the map image file 100 at the same time. .

  When a plurality of movement route candidates are searched by re-searching for a route in the terminal device P3 in the embodiment, the shape of the movement route recorded in the map image file 100 acquired from the terminal device P1 (FIG. 5). The reference numeral 122) is configured to perform image matching processing with each of a plurality of travel routes re-searched in the terminal device P3, and a travel route having the highest degree of matching is adopted as a re-search result in the terminal device P3. It is preferable to do.

  Further, in the above-described embodiments and examples, the case where the present application is applied to the network system S in which the terminal device P composed of a personal computer or the like is connected via the network NT has been described. The present application can also be applied to a network system in which a portable information terminal, a portable wireless telephone (mobile phone), and the like are connected via a network NT.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments and examples, the case where the map image file 100 generated in a certain terminal device P1 is transmitted to another terminal device P3 and reused in the terminal device P3 has been described. For example, the map image file 100 generated in the terminal device P1 is stored in a server (not shown) connected to the network NT, and is acquired and reused by the original terminal device P1 or another terminal device P. It is also possible to adopt a configuration.

  Also, programs corresponding to the respective flowcharts shown in FIG. 3 are recorded in an information recording medium such as a flexible disk or a hard disk, or acquired and recorded via the Internet or the like, and these are recorded on a general-purpose computer. By reading and executing, it is possible to use the computer as the processing unit 13 in the terminal device P1 or P3 according to the embodiment and the examples.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a network system according to an embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the detailed structure form of the terminal device which concerns on an Example. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement in the terminal device which concerns on an Example. It is a figure which illustrates the data structure of the map image file which concerns on an Example. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of the map image which concerns on an Example.

Explanation of symbols

S network system P1, P2, P3, P4, Pn terminal device NT network 10 interface unit 11 memory 12 HDD unit 13 processing unit 14 operation unit 15 display 100 map image file 101 header information 102 management information 107 private information 111 GPS information 114 image Information 103 Image information pointer 104 Private information pointer 105 GPS information pointer 106 Other information 108, 112 Version information 109 User comment pointer 110 User comment 113 GPS data 120 Title field 122 Travel route 121 Map image display field 123 Departure point display field 124 Via point Display column 125 Destination point display column 126 Selection check column 127 Size display column 128 Taste display column 129 Create button Down

Claims (15)

Route search means for searching for a movement route;
Image generating means for generating map image information including a map image including the searched movement route in an identifiable manner;
Search information used for searching for the travel route, which includes information indicating a search condition used for searching the travel route, is added to the map image information, and search information added map image information Information generating means for generating
An information generation device comprising: The information generation device according to claim 1,
The information generation means describes the search information in an area of the image information file defined for additional information added to the image information in the image information file format standardized for general use , An information generation apparatus that generates the search information additional map image information that conforms to the image information file format and includes the map image. In the information generation device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The search information includes
Departure point information indicating a departure point in the travel route;
Destination point information indicating a destination point in the travel route;
Information generating apparatus characterized in that it contains. The information generation device according to claim 3 ,
When the travel route includes a waypoint, the search information further includes waypoint information indicating the waypoint . In the information generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The information generation apparatus , wherein the search information further includes condition information indicating a search condition used for searching the travel route . In the information generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The information generation apparatus , wherein the image generation means generates the map image information by including the movement route in the map image using a simplified route graphic obtained by simplifying the movement route . The information generation device according to claim 2 ,
The image information file format conforms to the Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format) standard of the JEIDA (Japanese Electronic Industry Development Association) standard,
An area of the image information file in which the search information is described is an area that is standardized as an area in which user comments can be described in the Exif standard . An acquisition means for acquiring the search information additional map image information generated by the information generation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
Image information extraction means for extracting the map image information from the acquired search information additional map image information;
Search information extraction means for extracting the search information from the acquired search information additional map image information;
Display control means for displaying on the display means the map image corresponding to the extracted map image information;
The display means;
Re-search means for performing the re-search using the extracted search information when re-searching the movement route after the display of the map image;
Information display apparatus comprising: a. The information display device according to claim 8 ,
The display control unit displays the search information together with the map image on the display unit. A data structure of the search information additional map image information that is generated by the information generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and in which the map image is displayed by the information display device according to claim 8 or 9. Because
A map image information carrying unit carrying the map image information;
A search information carrying unit that carries the search information and is formed separately from the map image information carrying unit;
Image information address information used for extraction of the map image information by the image information extraction means, the map image information address information indicating the position of the map image information carrier in the data structure, and the search information extraction means by the search information extraction means Search information address information used for extraction of search information, and search information address information indicating the position of the search information carrier in the data structure, respectively, an address information carrier,
With
The address information bearing unit, the data structure characterized in that it is formed at a position in the data structure that is read by the image display device earlier than the map image information bearing unit and the search information carrier part. The data structure of claim 10 , wherein
The search information additional map image information is image information conforming to the JEIDA standard Exif standard,
A data structure characterized in that the search information carrying unit corresponds to an area standardized as an area in which user comments can be described in the Exif standard . An information generation program for causing a computer to function as the information generation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . A computer is caused to function as the acquisition unit, the image information extraction unit, the search information extraction unit, the display control unit, and the re-search unit in the information display device according to claim 8 or 9. Information display program. An information generation method executed in an information generation device,
A route search step for searching for a movement route;
An image generation step of generating map image information including a map image including the searched movement route in an identifiable manner;
Search information used for searching for the travel route, which includes information indicating a search condition used for searching the travel route, is added to the map image information, and search information added map image information An information generation process for generating
Information generation method, which comprises a. An information display method executed in an information display device connected to the information generation device according to claim 14,
An acquisition step of acquiring the search information additional map image information generated using the information generation method according to claim 14;
An image information extraction step of extracting the map image information from the acquired search information additional map image information;
A search information extracting step of extracting the search information from the acquired search information additional map image information;
A display control step of displaying on the display means the map image corresponding to the extracted map image information;
When re-searching the travel route after displaying the map image, a re-search step for performing the re-search using the extracted search information;
An information display method comprising:

Images