JP7165076B2 - DATA GENERATION AND STORAGE DEVICE, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a data generation and storage device, its method and computer program, and is suitable for navigation devices.

In order to operate the navigation device, it is first necessary to specify the destination.
This destination is generally designated by the user by selecting from a list of destinations (addresses, facility names, etc.) registered in advance as part of the map data of the navigation device.
When the name of the destination facility is ambiguous, the user may consult with the guide agent to narrow down the destination. The guide agent here includes not only a human (operator) using T-Connect (registered trademark), but also an agent using AI software. When using a guidance agent, the user often tells the guidance agent the purpose of the activity (meal, leisure, etc.) and the target area, and designates the destination interactively.
When a certain facility is specified as a destination on the navigation system, the user may be guided to a parking lot attached to the facility instead of the facility itself.

In other words, it is difficult for the user to directly specify the destination, which is often specified using a guidance agent. Therefore, even with the help of a guidance agent, it is not possible to make a designation immediately.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to generate data relating to a destination and to reflect the data in map data so that the destination can be specified efficiently.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. That is, a vehicle identification unit for identifying a vehicle parked in the parking area and having communicated with the guidance agent for destination guidance from the time of departure until the vehicle is parked in the parking area;
a communication log storage unit that stores a log of the communication;
a term generating unit that reads a communication log stored in the communication log storing unit for the vehicle identified by the vehicle identifying unit, analyzes the log, and generates a term that characterizes the parking area;
a term storage unit that stores the term in association with a facility to which the parking area relates;
A data generator and storage device for a navigation device.
Here, a term refers to a word or group of two or more words that can characterize a destination.

According to the data generating and storing device of the first aspect of the present invention defined in this way, a log of the communication between the user and the guide agent until the destination is guided is stored. This log is then parsed to generate terms that characterize the parking area. For example, extract the most frequently spoken terms in the communication. The terms generated in this manner are stored in memory in association with the parking area. When the parking area is registered as a destination target facility in the map data used by the navigation device, the generated term is saved as an attribute of the facility. This attribute is used as a search word when searching for a destination.

It should be noted that not only when the parking area itself is a direct destination, but also when the parking area is attached to another facility, the facility and the parking area may be managed together.
An area where a predetermined number of vehicles are parked in close proximity (at a predetermined interval) for a predetermined period of time is likely to be a parking lot (parking area). may not be registered as a target facility for the destination in the map data.
For example, a temporary parking lot for holding an event with low frequency, a parking lot at the trailhead, a scenic spot, a popular spot, etc. may not be registered as a facility. Among the vehicles parked in such a parking area, it is often the case that the approximate position is specified through communication with a guidance agent, and then the user himself/herself searches for the vehicle on site. This is because such a parking area is not registered in the map data in advance as a destination, and thus is not subject to data retrieval even from the viewpoint of the guidance agent.

A predetermined number of vehicles parked in a parking area that is not registered as a destination facility and has communicated with the guidance agent from the time of departure until the time the vehicle is parked in the parking area. When there is more than that, the log of the communication is analyzed, and, for example, the term most frequently spoken in all logs is extracted. The terms extracted in this manner are stored as facility attribute data in association with the coordinates of the parking area. Such terms may also be saved as facility names for parking areas.

As described above, the second aspect of the present invention is defined as follows.
In the data generation and storage device of the first aspect, a probe data storage unit that stores probe data;
An unregistered parking area extraction unit that extracts a parking area, which is a parking area where a predetermined number or more of vehicles are parked and is not registered as a facility, as an unregistered parking area based on the probe data stored in the probe data storage unit. and further comprising
The vehicle identification unit identifies a vehicle parked in the unregistered parking area.

In the above description, the case where the parking area is not registered in advance as a destination target facility has been described. In some cases, the navigation device designates another facility as the destination. In such cases, when there is a parking area that is the original destination (registered as a unique destination on the map data) in the vicinity of a famous facility, the name of the original destination facility is forgotten, but there is a famous facility. The names of other facilities tend to occur when they remember them.
Such parking areas may also employ guidance agents whose communication logs are used to generate terms that characterize them. Save this term as attribute data for this parking area and make it available for navigation. Along with this, when this term is used for searches that match the attribute data of other facilities, and as a result of using this term for searches, when other facilities are specified as destinations, the above Attribute data for that other facility (equivalent to the generated term) can be flagged so that guidance can be provided that suggests the existence of the original destination.

As described above, the third aspect of the present invention is defined as follows.
In the data generating and storing device of the first aspect, the vehicle identifying unit further identifies the vehicle with which the communication has been made and which has not been designated by the navigation device as a destination of a facility related to the parking area. do.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is defined as follows. Namely
In the data generation/storage device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the term generation unit generates a common key term from the read communication log.
Here, a term with the highest frequency in all communication logs can be selected as the key term. In addition, a term that is most frequently used repeatedly in a communication unit or a term that is most frequently used first in a communication unit may be selected.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is defined as follows. Namely
a vehicle identification step of identifying a vehicle parked in the parking area and having communicated with the guidance agent for destination guidance from the time of departure until the time the vehicle is parked in the parking area;
a communication log saving step of saving a log of the communication;
a term generation step of reading a communication log stored in the communication log storage unit for the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification unit, analyzing the log, and generating a term that characterizes the parking area;
a term saving step of saving the term in association with the parking area;
A data generation and storage method for a navigation device.
According to the data generation/storage method of the fifth aspect defined in this manner, an effect equivalent to that of the first aspect can be obtained.

A sixth aspect of the invention is defined as follows:
In the data generation and storage method of the fifth aspect, based on the probe data stored in the probe data storage unit, a parking area in which a predetermined number or more of vehicles are parked and which is not registered as a facility is unregistered parking. An unregistered parking area extraction step for extracting as an area,
The vehicle identifying step identifies a vehicle parked in an unregistered parking area.
According to the data generation/storage method of the sixth aspect defined in this way, an effect equivalent to that of the second aspect can be obtained.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is defined as follows. Namely
In the data generating and storing device according to the fifth aspect, the vehicle for which the navigation device did not designate the facility to which the parking area relates as the destination is further specified.
According to the data generation/storage method described in the seventh aspect defined in this manner, an effect equivalent to that of the third aspect can be obtained.

An eighth aspect of the invention is defined as follows. That is, in the data generation and storage method according to any one of the fifth to seventh aspects, in the term generation step, the term with the highest frequency in the read communication log as a whole and the term with the highest repetition frequency in communication units , or the term that is most frequently used first in a communication unit.
According to the data generation/storage method defined in the eighth aspect as described above, an effect equivalent to that of the fourth aspect can be obtained.

A ninth aspect of the present invention is defined as follows. Namely
A computer program that causes a computer of a data generation and storage device having a vehicle identification unit, a term generation unit, and a term storage unit to operate as follows;
The vehicle specifying unit communicates with a guidance agent for destination guidance using a communication device unique to the vehicle parked in the parking area from departure to parking in the parking area. identify the vehicle that traveled,
causing the term generation unit to read the communication log stored in the communication log storage unit for the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification unit, analyze the log, and generate a term that characterizes the parking area;
The term storage unit stores the term in association with the parking area or the facility related to the parking area.
The invention described in the ninth aspect defined in this way has the same effect as the invention described in the first aspect.

The data generating and storing device defined in the tenth aspect of the present invention is defined as follows. That is, in the program of the ninth aspect,
causing the vehicle identification unit to identify a parking area, which is a parking area where a predetermined number or more of vehicles are parked and which is not registered as a facility, as an unregistered parking area based on the probe data stored in the probe data storage unit;
Furthermore, the vehicle parked in the unregistered parking area is specified.
According to the data generation/storage device described in the tenth aspect defined in this way, functions equivalent to those of the invention described in the second aspect can be obtained.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the functions of a data generation/storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the functions of a data generating and storing device according to another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server device. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the navigation device. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a method of generating terms characterizing a parking area using the data generation and storage device shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method of saving generated terms. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another method of saving generated terms.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a data generation/storage device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, this device 1 is roughly composed of a server device 2 and a navigation device 50 .

The probe data storage unit 3 of the server device 2 accumulates probe data of a plurality of probe cars 30 obtained via the communication interface 20 . In the probe data, at least the position data of the probe car is saved together with the time. Whether or not the vehicle is parked is determined based on the combination of the position data and the time data. That is, when the vehicle has been stopped at the same position for a predetermined time or longer, it is determined that the vehicle is in a stopped state. When the coordinates of the stop position match a pre-registered parking lot (parking area), the parking state of the vehicle is determined.
Even when the parking position of the vehicle does not correspond to the registered parking area, the vehicle is considered to be in the parked state when a plurality of other vehicles are approaching and in the stopped state at the same time. Then, an unregistered parking area is extracted on the map from the parking positions of a plurality of other vehicles.

A log of communication between the user of the probe car 30 and the guide agent is stored in the communication log storage unit 4 of the server device 2 . When the user of the probe car uses the service of the guide agent via the T-Connect (registered trademark) system, for example, the communication log between the user and the guide agent is temporarily stored in the guide agent server 40. . For example, speech from a call is converted into text data by general-purpose speech recognition software and saved. Also, when the guidance agent uses search software, the search history is saved as search terms and output terms. The communication log stored in the guidance agent server 40 is transmitted to the communication log storage section 4 via the communication interface 20 and stored therein.

The parking area extraction unit 11 reads the parking area (parking lot) registered as a facility from the facility data storage unit 22, and also based on the probe data stored in the probe data storage unit 3. Extract parking areas other than parking areas. For example, when a plurality of vehicles are in close proximity at the same time and their engines are off (stopped) for a predetermined period of time or more, the area occupied by the vehicles is recognized as a parking area, and such area is not registered. Extract as a parking area (specify coordinates).

Among the vehicles parked in the parking area extracted by the parking area extraction unit 11 , the vehicle using the service of the guidance agent is specified by the vehicle specifying unit 13 .
The content of the communication between the user of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification unit 13 and the guidance agent is read to the term generation unit 15 where it is analyzed to generate terms that characterize the parking area.
The terms generated by the term generation unit 15 are written in the attribute storage area 24 in the facility data storage unit 22 of the master map data storage unit 21 . Parking areas as facilities are registered in the facility storage area 23 . Terms generated based on communication logs of vehicles parked in the parking area are written and stored as attribute data of the facility as characterizing the parking area.
A term generated based on a communication log of a vehicle parked in an unregistered parking area can be registered as a new facility.

The master map data storage unit 21 stores the latest map data updated daily. A road data storage unit 27 is provided in addition to the facility data storage unit 22 . The road data storage unit 27 stores data on nodes and links defining roads, road attribute data such as speed limits, expressways, and the number of routes, and cost data used for route selection.

The navigation device 50 includes a communication interface 51 , a map data storage section 60 and a route guidance section 70 .
The latest data stored in the master map data storage unit 21 is sequentially transmitted to the map data storage unit 60 of the navigation device 50 via the interfaces 20 and 51 to update its contents.
The route guidance unit 70 includes a destination setting unit 71 and a route search unit 73. A route to the destination set by the destination designation unit 71 is searched by the route search unit 73 using a general-purpose program. be done.
The guidance agent communication section 75 is connected to the guidance agent server 40 for communication, and the user can communicate with the guidance agent via this guidance agent communication section 75 .
Incidentally, when the navigation device 50 has an AI function, a program in the device functions as a guidance agent.

FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of a data generation/storage device 101 according to another embodiment. In FIG. 2, the same elements as in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.
In this data generation and storage device 101 , the server device 102 is provided with a navigation log storage device 105 .
When the user who has communicated with the guide agent in the probe car 30 specifies a destination with the navigation device of the probe car 30 after communication, the facility as the destination is stored in the navigation log storage unit 105. be.
The navigation log is sent from the probe car 30 via the communication interface 20 and stored in the communication log storage unit 105 .

Since the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification unit 13 is a vehicle parked in the parking area extracted by the parking area extraction unit 11, if the parking area is a facility registered in the facility data storage unit 22, the probe A car user generally designates the facility as a destination when using a navigation device.
However, in reality, there are cases where another facility is specified as the destination and the vehicle is parked in the parking area (original parking area) specified by the vehicle specifying unit 13 in that state. For example, if the other facility is well known (while the original parking area is not well known) and the original parking area is close to the other facility. In addition, since the parking areas of other facilities are full, there are cases where the vehicle is forced to park in the original parking area.
In any case, since some kind of communication is made with the guidance agent before specifying another facility, the reason for parking in this original parking area instead of the specified other facility can be found by analyzing the communication log. It is sometimes possible to generate terms that suggest If such terms can be generated, such terms are added to the attribute data of other facilities and flagged. This flag does the following: That is, when the term is searched and the other facility is specified as the destination, the retrieved route to the facility is displayed and guidance suggesting the original parking area is displayed.

In the block diagram of FIG. 2, a flag generator 117 is provided. The flag creation unit 117 attaches a flag to the generated term and writes the term into the attribute data of other facilities. Note that the flag creation unit 117 refers to the navigation log stored in the navigation log storage unit 105 to identify other facilities. For example, when more than half of the vehicles specified by the vehicle specifying unit 13 specify the same other facility as the destination, the other facility is specified.

FIG. 3 shows the hardware configuration of the server device 102 described above. A person skilled in the art can easily understand the hardware configuration of the server apparatus 2 from FIG.
A computing unit 200 includes a CPU 201, a ROM 203 and a RAM 205, and controls the entire system. Along with this, it functions as the parking area extraction unit 5 , the vehicle identification unit 13 , the term generation unit 15 and the flag generation unit 117 . The ROM 203 includes a non-volatile memory (not shown) that stores a control program for controlling the arithmetic unit 200 and the like. The RAM 205 readablely stores various setting values preset by the user through an input device 230 such as a keyboard, and provides a working area for the CPU 201 . A control program for controlling the arithmetic unit 200 may be stored in the RAM 205 , the first storage device 211 and the second storage device 213 , not limited to the ROM 203 .

The first storage device 211 functions as the probe data storage unit 3 , the communication log storage unit 4 and the navigation log storage unit 105 . The second storage device 213 functions as the master map data storage unit 21 .
These first and second storage devices preferably utilize a partial area of the memory device of the server system, such as hard memory or flash memory.
A partial area of the RAM of the computing unit can be used as a so-called buffer memory for temporarily storing data.
The output device 220 is a display or a voice output device, and the input device 230 corresponds to a voice input unit, a touch-panel keyboard or mouse arranged over the display, or the like.
Each device constituting the computer is connected by a system bus 240 .

FIG. 4 shows the hardware configuration of the navigation device 50. As shown in FIG.
A computing unit 500 includes a CPU 501, a ROM 503 and a RAM 505, and controls the entire system. At the same time, it functions as a route guidance section 70 . The ROM 503 includes a non-volatile memory (not shown) that stores a control program for controlling the arithmetic unit 500 and the like. The RAM 505 readablely stores various setting values preset by the user via an input device 530 such as a keyboard, and provides a working area for the CPU 201 . The RAM 505 functions as the selected facility storage unit 733 . A control program for controlling the arithmetic unit may be stored in the RAM 505 , the first storage device 511 and the second storage device 513 , not limited to the ROM 503 .

The first storage device 511 functions as the map data storage unit 60 .
Preferably, the first storage device utilizes a partial area of the memory device of the server system, such as hard memory or flash memory.
A partial area of the RAM of the computing unit can be used as a so-called buffer memory for temporarily storing data.
The output device 520 is a display or a voice output device, and the input device 530 corresponds to a voice input unit, a touch-panel keyboard or mouse arranged over the display, or the like.
Each device constituting the computer is connected by a system bus 540 .

Next, the operation of the data generation/storage device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
In step 1, the parking area extraction unit 11 extracts and identifies facilities registered as parking areas (parking areas are registered as attribute data) from the facility data storage unit 22 .
In step 2, the parking area extractor 11 extracts an unregistered parking area. The unregistered parking area is a parking area in which a predetermined number (for example, 20) or more vehicles are parked and is not registered as a facility. identified based on

In step 3, the vehicle identification unit 13 identifies the vehicles parked in the parking areas in which, for example, there are no more than 20% of the total number of vacant spaces, and among them, the vehicles are parked in the parking areas. A vehicle that has previously communicated with a guidance agent using a communication device specific to that vehicle is identified. For example, when such vehicles exceed a predetermined percentage (eg, 30%) of the total number of parked vehicles (step 4), the term generator 15 reads the communication log from the communication log storage 4 of each vehicle. (Step 5).

In step 7, the term generation unit 15 analyzes the read communication log and searches for terms based on predetermined rules that characterize the parking area. For example, when the same term is used in 80% or more of all communication logs, the term is extracted. The terms generated in this manner are stored in the facility data storage unit 22 .

When storing the generated term, as shown in FIG. 6, when the parking area is an unregistered parking area (step 21: N), the term is set as a new facility (attribute: parking area), and the facility data storage unit 22 is registered in the facility registration area 23.
When the parking area is registered as a facility in the facility data storage unit 22 (step 21: Y) and the term is not registered as a facility name or facility attribute (steps 23, 25: N ), this term is registered in the attribute data storage area 24 as new attribute data of the facility.
As a result, the term will be used for searches in subsequent navigation searches.

FIG. 7 shows the operation of the data generation and storage device 201 of FIG. 2 having the navigation log storage unit 105, particularly the storage operation of generated terms.
Assuming that the identified parking area is registered as a facility in the facility data storage unit 22 (step 31), the navigation history of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification unit 13 (step 4: Y) is verified. That is, the flag generating unit 117 verifies whether or not the facility specified as the destination immediately before the vehicle is parked matches the parking area in light of the navigation log stored in the navigation log storage unit 105. do. When the facility designated as the navigation destination matches the parking area in a predetermined number (for example, 50%) or more of the identified vehicles (step 33: Y), the process proceeds to step 23 (see FIG. 6). is the same process).

On the other hand, when a predetermined number (for example, less than 50%) of the specified destinations do not match the parking area (step 33: N), the process proceeds to step 35. In step 35, the consistency of the designated destinations is determined. For example, when 80% or more of the destinations different from the parking area are concentrated in the same facility (step 35: Y), the process proceeds to step 36, and the generated Verify whether the term matches the registered facility name for the different destination (step 36). When the generated term is different from the facility name (step 36: N), it is further compared with the attribute data of the facility (step 38). When the generated term is equal to the attribute data of the other facility (step 38: Y), the flag generator 117 flags the attribute data.
When this term is used as a search target, facilities having this term as attribute data should be selected as destinations. However, when this term is used in communication with the guidance agent, the final parking position may be the original parking area extracted by the parking area extraction unit 11 instead of the other facility. Therefore, when a term with this flag is used for a navigation destination search, the output of the navigation device is such that a facility having this term as attribute data is set as the destination and the original parking area is also guided. to

The present invention is by no means limited to the description of the above embodiments, examples, and modifications. Various modifications are also included in the present invention within the scope of those skilled in the art without departing from the description of the claims.

Although the above description has been made assuming a car navigation device, navigation operations are also performed on smartphones and tablet terminals. In this case, for the purpose of discussing parking, it is assumed that the terminal is unique to the vehicle and both are bundled.
Expanding on the above explanation, it is possible to supply the facility data storage unit of the navigation device with data relating to gathering places for people with smartphones, tablet terminals, or the like. Namely
Terminals gathered in an area of a predetermined range and having performed communication for destination guidance with a guidance agent using a communication device of the terminal from departure to arrival in the predetermined range are extracted. a terminal extraction unit;
a communication storage unit that stores a log of the communication;
a term generation unit that reads out a communication log stored in the communication storage unit for the terminal extracted by the terminal extraction unit, analyzes the log, and generates a term that characterizes the area;
a term storage unit for storing the term in a memory attached to the area or facility to which the area is associated;
A data generator and storage device for a navigation device.

1, 101 data generation storage device 2, 102 server device 3 probe data storage unit 4 communication log storage unit 11 parking area extraction unit 13 vehicle identification unit 15 term generation unit 22 facility data storage unit 30 probe car 50 navigation device

Claims (6)

a vehicle identification unit for identifying a vehicle parked in a parking area and having communicated with a guidance agent for destination guidance from the time of departure until the vehicle is parked in the parking area;
a communication log storage unit that stores a log of the communication;
a term generating unit that reads a communication log stored in the communication log storing unit for the vehicle identified by the vehicle identifying unit, analyzes the log, and generates a term that characterizes the parking area;
a term storage unit that stores the term in association with the parking area;
A data generator and storage device for a navigation device. a probe data storage unit that stores probe data;
An unregistered parking area extraction unit that extracts a parking area, which is a parking area where a predetermined number or more of vehicles are parked and is not registered as a facility, as an unregistered parking area based on the probe data stored in the probe data storage unit. and further comprising
2. The data generation and storage device according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle identification unit identifies a vehicle parked in said unregistered parking area. 2. The data generation and storage according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle identification unit further identifies the vehicle with which the communication has been made and whose navigation device has not designated a facility related to the parking area as a destination. Device. 4. The data generation and storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein said term generation unit extracts common key terms from said communication logs for a plurality of vehicles identified by said vehicle identification unit . A data generation and storage method for a navigation device using a data generation and storage device comprising a vehicle identification unit, a communication log storage unit, a term generation unit, and a term storage unit,
a vehicle identification step of causing the vehicle identification unit to identify a vehicle that is parked in the parking area and has communicated with a guidance agent for destination guidance from the time of departure until the vehicle is parked in the parking area;
a communication log storage step of storing the communication log in the communication log storage unit ;
A term that causes the term generation unit to read the communication log stored in the communication log storage unit for the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification unit, analyze the log, and generate a term that characterizes the parking area. a generation step;
a term storage step of causing the term storage unit to store the term in association with the parking area ;
A data generation and storage method for a navigation device. A computer program that causes a computer of a data generation and storage device having a vehicle identification unit, a communication log storage unit, a term generation unit, and a term storage unit to operate as follows;
The vehicle specifying unit communicates with a guidance agent for destination guidance using a communication device unique to the vehicle parked in the parking area from departure to parking in the parking area. identify the vehicle that traveled,
cause the term generation unit to read out the communication log stored in the communication log storage unit for the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification unit, analyze the log, and generate a term that characterizes the parking area;
A computer program that causes the term storage unit to store a term in association with the parking area or facility related to the parking area.

Images