JP7580337B2 - Information processing device, information processing method, program, and information processing system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, a program, and an information processing system that estimate a user's means of transportation.

A technology has been disclosed that estimates a user's means of transportation using a movement trajectory including the position and time of positioning measured by the user's terminal, and a movement speed calculated from the movement trajectory (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2018-55461 A

The above-mentioned conventional technology can estimate the means of transportation, such as trains and buses. However, the speed of these means of transportation can fluctuate from moment to moment due to accidents, traffic jams, and the like. In this way, when the speed of a means of transportation fluctuates, it becomes difficult to properly estimate the means of transportation.

The present invention aims to accurately estimate the means of transportation used by a user.

One aspect of the present invention is an information processing device that estimates the means of transportation used by a target user using a travel history database that manages travel history information of multiple users for each user, and a route guidance database that manages route guidance information for each user, which is a route search result including a route from a departure point to a destination, one or more means of transportation used when traveling the route, and a time period during which the means of transportation are used, and is provided to the multiple users. This information processing device includes a selection unit that acquires travel history information of other users around the target user from the travel history database and selects a user to be compared from among the other users as a comparison target user based on the travel history information, a route guidance information extraction unit that extracts route guidance information provided to the comparison target user from the route guidance database, and an estimation unit that estimates the means of transportation used by the target user at a specified time based on the means of transportation for each comparison target user corresponding to the specified time from among the means of transportation included in the extracted route guidance information.

The present invention makes it possible to properly estimate the means of transportation used by a user.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a simplified example of the system configuration of an information processing system. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the electronic device and the server. FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram showing the contents of a movement history DB stored in the storage unit. FIG. 4 is a simplified diagram showing the contents of the route guidance DB stored in the storage unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of selection when selecting other users who are presumed to be traveling by the same means of transportation as the user. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of selection when selecting other users who are presumed to be traveling by the same means of transportation as the user. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an estimation process in which the estimation unit estimates the user's means of transportation. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a route guidance screen display including the estimated results of the means of transportation. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a route guidance screen display including the estimated results of the means of transportation. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a route guidance screen display including the estimated results of the means of transportation. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a transportation means estimation process in the server. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a route guidance screen display including the estimated results of the means of transportation.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

[Example of configuration of information processing system]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a simplified example of the system configuration of an information processing system 1. As shown in FIG.

The information processing system 1 is a communication system that provides route guidance information regarding a user's travel route, and includes a network 10, electronic devices 20, 41 to 44, and a server 100. FIG. 1 shows an example in which five electronic devices 20, 41 to 44 exist, but the number of electronic devices is not limited to this. FIG. 1 shows trains 31, buses 32, and taxis 33 as examples of means of transportation, but the types and numbers of means of transportation (e.g., transportation facilities) are not limited to these. The information processing system 1 may include multiple trains, buses, and taxis, or may include other types of means of transportation (e.g., regular ships). The information processing system 1 may also be referred to as a route guidance system, a means of transportation estimation system, a travel situation estimation system, or a route search system. The server 100 may also be referred to as a route guidance device, a means of transportation estimation device, a travel situation estimation device, or a route search device.

Movement means in this embodiment refers to various types of transportation used when the user moves around. The movement means in this embodiment also includes vehicles (e.g., bicycles) driven by the user as vehicles used by the user. The movement means in this embodiment also includes walking, which is the way the user moves around. The movement means can also be referred to as transportation means, transportation facilities, etc.

The route guidance shown in this embodiment includes a route from a departure point to a destination, one or more means of transportation to be used when traveling along the route, and the time period during which the means of transportation will be used. The route guidance may also include the expected travel history of the user. The route guidance shown in this embodiment also includes transfer guidance that provides information on transfers at stations, etc. In other words, route guidance can also be called a transfer plan, travel plan, route plan, or route design that includes the means of transportation from a departure point to a destination.

The information processing system 1 can be realized, for example, by using MaaS (Mobility as a Service). MaaS means a mechanism for making various transportation facilities and various means of transportation available on one service, and for making it easier for each user to move. As a mechanism for realizing MaaS, for example, a mechanism is assumed in which various information related to various transportation facilities and various means of transportation (e.g., operation information, delay information, reservation information) and various information related to user movement (e.g., movement history, reservation information) are aggregated and stored, and each authorized user can use the accumulated information. For example, it is realized by aggregating and storing each piece of information in the storage unit 110 of the server 100. It is also realized by aggregating and storing each piece of information in another storage device on the network, and acquiring the necessary information from the storage device. In this way, in MaaS, each piece of information related to the use of various transportation facilities and various means of transportation can be commonly accumulated and used.

For example, by using Maas, it is possible to know how other users other than oneself are moving, such as the location information of each user and other users who are being guided by the same route guidance app. Therefore, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which, by using Maas, when moving according to route guidance provided by the server 100, it is possible to easily check whether the means of transportation according to the route guidance is actually being used.

The network 10 is a network such as a public line network or the Internet. Furthermore, each device constituting the information processing system 1 is connected to the network 10 by a communication method using wireless communication or a communication method using wired communication, or by both methods.

The electronic device 20 is a portable device that the user U0 can carry with him/her, and is capable of communicating with other devices using wireless or wired communication. As the electronic device 20, various electronic devices and information processing devices, such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a portable personal computer, a tablet terminal, or a wearable terminal, can be used. Note that a wearable terminal is a device that can be used while attached to the clothes or body of the user U0, and examples of such devices include wristwatch-type devices and headphone-type devices. Note that the electronic devices 41 to 44 are similar to the electronic device 20, so the following description will mainly focus on the electronic device 20, and some of the descriptions of the electronic devices 41 to 44 will be omitted.

In addition, a route guidance application (route guidance app) that uses route guidance to provide guidance on a route from a starting point to a destination specified by user U0 is installed in electronic device 20. User U0 can then use the route guidance app to specify a destination (starting point can also be specified) and have electronic device 20 display route guidance from user U0's current location (or starting point) to the destination.

The server 100 is an information processing device used to estimate the means of transportation used by the user U0, and executes various processes related to route guidance. The server 100 also communicates with the electronic devices 20, 41 to 44 via the network 10. The location where the server 100 is installed is not particularly limited, but for example, the server 100 is installed in the management center of a business that provides a route guidance service.

For example, when user U0 specifies a destination (or specifies a starting point and a destination) using a route guidance app on electronic device 20, server 100 accepts information related to the specifying operation (the destination and user U0's current location, or the starting point and the destination). Then, server 100 executes a route guidance providing process related to the specifying operation. Server 100 also executes a process of estimating the mode of transportation at a predetermined timing (for example, estimated timing L1 shown in FIG. 7).

[Example of functional configuration of electronic device and server]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the electronic device 20 and the server 100. As shown in FIG.

The server 100 includes a memory unit 110, a communication unit 120, and a control unit 130. In the server 100, these components are electrically connected via a bus (not shown) or the like. Note that a general-purpose computer or a dedicated computer can be used as the server 100.

The memory unit 110 is a storage medium that stores various types of information. For example, the memory unit 110 stores various types of information (e.g., a control program, a map DB (database), a customer DB, a travel history DB 200 (see FIG. 3), a route guidance DB 300 (see FIG. 4), an operation status DB 400, and a transfer DB 500) that are necessary for the control unit 130 to perform various processes. The memory unit 110 also stores various types of information acquired via the communication unit 120. As the memory unit 110, for example, various types of storage media such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and a SSD (Solid State Drive) can be used.

The map DB stores map information required for route guidance, such as road information and facility information. The map information includes road gradients, road intersections, the number of lanes on a road, road width information, and road undulation information. The map information also includes road signs indicating speed limits and one-way streets, as well as road markings indicating crosswalks and dividing lines. The map information may also include facility information such as road structures (e.g., traffic lights and telephone poles) and buildings.

The customer DB stores account information of users who use the route guidance service of the information processing system 1, the usage history of each user for the route guidance service, attributes of each user, etc. The account information is, for example, a user ID.

The travel history DB 200 stores travel history information of each user who uses the route guidance service of the information processing system 1. The travel history DB 200 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

The route guidance DB 300 stores information including a route from a departure point to a destination specified by a user who uses the route guidance service of the information processing system 1, one or more means of transportation to be used when traveling along the route, and a time period during which the means of transportation will be used. The route guidance DB 300 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4.

Operation status DB400 stores operation information related to various transportation facilities. For example, operation information is sequentially provided from various transportation facilities to server 100, and the operation information is sequentially stored and updated in operation status DB400. In other words, operation status DB400 makes it possible to provide real-time operation information. For example, if a train or bus is delayed, information such as the delay time of the delayed train or bus can be obtained in real time. The operation status DB can also be called a traffic DB.

The transfer DB500 stores information about transfers between various modes of transport.

At least one of the travel history DB200, route guidance DB300, operation status DB400, and transfer DB500 can be realized, for example, by using MaaS. Also, at least one of the travel history DB200, route guidance DB300, operation status DB400, and transfer DB500 may be provided in an external device, and each piece of information may be sequentially acquired from the external device and used.

The communication unit 120 exchanges various types of information with other devices using at least one of wired communication and wireless communication under the control of the control unit 130. In this way, the communication unit 120 functions as an input unit and an output unit for transmitting and receiving data. Note that at least one of the input units and output units other than the communication unit 120 may be provided in the server 100, and the server 100 may input and output various types of information (e.g., display, audio output). The communication unit 120 may be hardware such as a network adapter, various types of communication software, or a combination of these.

The control unit 130 controls each unit based on various programs stored in the storage unit 110. The control unit 130 is realized by a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

The control unit 130 has a route guidance processing unit 131, a travel history information acquisition unit 132, a route search unit 133, and a means of transportation estimation unit 140 as functional components related to route guidance processing.

When the route guidance processing unit 131 receives a route guidance request transmitted from the electronic device 20 in response to a route guidance request operation by the user U0, it executes various route guidance processes in response to the route guidance request. This route guidance request includes location information for identifying the current location or starting point of the user U0, location information for identifying the destination, and a user ID. Each piece of location information includes, for example, latitude, longitude, and altitude.

The route guidance processing unit 131 also outputs each piece of location information included in the route guidance request (location information for identifying the current location of the user U0, and location information for identifying the destination) to the route search unit 133. The route guidance processing unit 131 also transmits the result of the route search by the route search unit 133 (route guidance information) to the electronic device 20 via the communication unit 120.

The route guidance processing unit 131 also selects a target user whose mode of transportation is to be estimated from among the users who use the route guidance service of the information processing system 1, and outputs information about the target user (user ID) to the travel history information acquisition unit 132. For example, the target user is selected at the estimation timing L1 shown in FIG. 7.

The movement history information acquisition unit 132 acquires the movement history information of the target user and the movement history information of other users around the target user from the movement history DB 200 based on the user ID output from the route guidance processing unit 131. Then, the movement history information acquisition unit 132 outputs each piece of acquired movement history information to the selection unit 141 of the transportation means estimation unit 140. The surroundings of the target user will be described in detail with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

The route search unit 133 executes a route search process in response to the route guidance request of the user U0 based on each piece of location information included in the route guidance request, and outputs the result of the route search to the route guidance processing unit 131 as route guidance information. In addition, when an operation to change the destination, arrival time, etc., or an operation to request a re-search (reroute) is performed in the electronic device 20, the route search unit 133 executes a re-search in response to each operation. In addition, when the re-search changes the drop-off point of the taxi 33, the route search unit 133 outputs a drop-off point request to the route guidance processing unit 131. In this way, when various changes occur due to the re-search by the route search unit 133, the route guidance processing unit 131 executes a route guidance process in response to the change. In addition, the route search unit 133 executes a re-search based on the result of the estimation of the means of transportation by the means of transportation estimation unit 140. In addition, the route search can also be called a route search.

The transportation mode estimation unit 140 estimates the transportation mode used by each user who uses the route guidance service of the information processing system 1, and includes a selection unit 141, a route guidance information extraction unit 142, and an estimation unit 143. The transportation mode estimation process performed by the transportation mode estimation unit 140 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 5 to 7.

The selection unit 141 selects a user (a comparison user) who moves along approximately the same route as the target user within a predetermined time from among other users around the target user, based on each piece of movement history information output from the movement history information acquisition unit 132. The selection unit 141 then outputs the selected comparison user and information about the target user (user ID) to the route guidance information extraction unit 142. The method of selecting a comparison user will be described in detail with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

The route guidance information extraction unit 142 acquires route guidance information of the target user and route guidance information of the comparison target user from the route guidance DB 300 based on the user ID output from the selection unit 141. Then, the route guidance information extraction unit 142 outputs each of the acquired route guidance information to the estimation unit 143.

The estimation unit 143 estimates the means of transportation used by the target user at the estimated timing based on the means of transportation for each comparison target user that corresponds to the estimated timing, among the means of transportation included in the route guidance information output from the route guidance information extraction unit 142. The estimation unit 143 then outputs the estimation result to the route search unit 133.

The electronic device 20 includes a memory unit 21, a communication unit 22, a location information acquisition unit 23, an input unit 24, a control unit 25, and an output unit 26. Note that each of the memory unit 21, the communication unit 22, the location information acquisition unit 23, the input unit 24, and the output unit 26 may be built into the electronic device 20, or may be a separate component that can be removed from the electronic device 20.

The storage unit 21 is a storage medium that stores various types of information. For example, the storage unit 21 stores various types of information (e.g., a control program, a route guidance application) that is required for the control unit 25 to perform various processes. The storage unit 21 also stores various types of information acquired via the communication unit 22. As the storage unit 21, for example, various storage media such as a ROM, a RAM, a HDD, or an SSD can be used.

The communication unit 22 exchanges various information with other devices using at least one of wired communication and wireless communication under the control of the control unit 25. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the communication unit 22 communicates with the server 100 via the network 10. The configuration of the communication unit 22 can be the same as that of the communication unit 120 of the server 100.

The location information acquisition unit 23 acquires location information on the location where the electronic device 20 is located, and outputs the acquired location information to the control unit 25. The location information acquisition unit 23 can be realized, for example, by a GNSS receiver that acquires location information using a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The location information includes data on the location such as latitude, longitude, and altitude at the time of receiving the GNSS signal. The location information may also be acquired by other location information acquisition methods. For example, the location information may be derived using information from access points or base stations in the vicinity. For example, the location information may be derived using a location estimation technique by a navigation device. The location information of the electronic device 20 acquired by the location information acquisition unit 23 may be transmitted to the server 100 at any timing, or may be included in a route guidance request when the route guidance request is transmitted to the server 100.

The input unit 24 accepts operational inputs for operating the electronic device 20. For example, the input unit 24 can be a user interface such as various operating members (e.g., switches, buttons) or a touch panel.

The control unit 25 controls each unit based on various programs stored in the memory unit 21. The control unit 25 is realized, for example, by a processing device such as a CPU.

The output unit 26 outputs various information based on the control of the control unit 25. For example, the output unit 26 may be a display panel such as an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) panel or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel, or an audio output unit (e.g., a speaker) that outputs various sounds. The input unit 24 and the output unit 26 may be integrated using a user interface such as an input/output panel that allows the user to input operations by touching or approaching the display surface with their finger. Figures 8 to 10 and 12 show an example in which the input unit 24 and the output unit 26 are integrated into the input/output unit 27.

[Example of storage contents of movement history DB]
FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram showing the stored contents of the movement history DB 200 stored in the storage unit 110. As shown in FIG.

The movement history DB 200 is a database that manages movement history information related to the movement history of users who can use the route guidance service. Specifically, a user ID 201 and movement history information 202 are associated and stored in the movement history DB 200. Note that "U0" to "U4" of the user ID 201 correspond to users U0 to U4 (see FIG. 1).

The movement history information 202 is information in which the position information (including latitude and longitude) acquired by the electronic device possessed by each user is associated with the time of acquisition (positioning time). Based on this movement history information, it is possible to acquire the current location, movement speed, and movement trajectory of each user. Note that, for ease of explanation, FIG. 3 shows only a portion of the information in which the position information acquired by the electronic devices 20, 41 to 44 possessed by users U1 to U4 is associated with the time of acquisition. Also, for ease of explanation, FIG. 3 shows an example in which the electronic devices 20, 41 to 44 acquire position information periodically (for example, at one-minute intervals) and transmit the position information sequentially to the server 100.

For example, the control unit 25 of the electronic device 20 owned by the user U1 transmits the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 23, the acquisition time, and the user ID to the server 100 at a predetermined timing in association with each other. Upon receiving the location information, the route guidance processing unit 131 of the server 100 associates the received location information and acquisition time with the user ID 201 "U1" and stores them in the movement history DB 200. Similarly, the location information and acquisition time acquired by the electronic devices 41 to 44 are also stored sequentially in the movement history DB 200. In this way, the server 100 periodically or irregularly acquires the location information and acquisition time transmitted from the electronic devices owned by each user. The server 100 then sequentially records the acquired location information and acquisition time in the movement history DB 200 of the storage unit 110 in association with the user ID.

[Example of contents stored in route guidance DB]
FIG. 4 is a simplified diagram showing the contents of the route guidance DB 300 stored in the storage unit 110. As shown in FIG.

The route guidance DB300 is a database that manages route guidance information related to route guidance provided to a user who has sent a route guidance request. Specifically, a user ID301 and route guidance information 302 are stored in association with each other in the route guidance DB300. Note that "U0" to "U4" in the user ID301 correspond to users U0 to U4 (see Figures 1 and 3). Note that the route guidance DB300 can also be called an on-time guidance status DB, since it is capable of providing route guidance status to each user at the current time.

Route guidance information 302 is information related to route guidance provided in response to a route guidance request from a user. This route guidance information is based on the user's current location (starting point) and a destination specified by the user, and includes a route from the starting point to the destination, the means of transportation on that route, and transfer times. Note that in Figure 4, the horizontal direction is the time axis, and the contents of the route guidance information for users U0 to U4 are shown simplified within rectangles. Also, the upper left side of the strip-shaped rectangle shows the departure time from the starting point, and the scheduled arrival time at the destination is shown on the right side. Also, the upper side of each rectangle shows the start time and end time for using the corresponding means of transportation.

For example, assume that user U0 has been provided with route guidance information indicating that the route from the location where the route search was requested to the destination is to walk → take train A → walk. This route guidance information indicates that the departure time from the departure point is 10:15, and the arrival time at the destination is 10:55. The route guidance information also indicates that the user should walk from the departure point until 10:25, board train A at 10:25, travel on train A until 10:40, get off train A at 10:40, and travel on foot until 10:55. Note that information regarding transfer stations and the like has been omitted in FIG. 4 to facilitate explanation.

[Example of selection of other users who are traveling by the same means of transportation as the target user]
5 and 6 are diagrams showing examples of selection when selecting other users who are estimated to be traveling by the same transportation means as the user U0. FIG. 5 shows an example in which the user U0 is on a bus 32, and FIG. 6 shows an example in which the user U0 is on a train 31. In the following, the current location of the user U0 is also meant to refer to the current location of the electronic device 20. In addition, the current location of the electronic device 20 is also meant to refer to the current location of the user U0. In addition, in this embodiment, a user whose transportation means is to be estimated is described as a target user.

Figure 5 shows a simplified diagram of a bus 32 traveling in the direction of arrow RT1 stopped at an intersection to wait for the traffic light to change. Assume that users U0, U11, and U12 are aboard the bus 32. Assume also that users U13 to U18 are present near the intersection. For example, users U13 to U16 are waiting for the traffic light to change direction on the pedestrian crossing.

First, the route guidance processing unit 131 executes a process for estimating the means of transportation of each user using the route guidance service at an estimation timing. This estimation timing can be, for example, regular timing (e.g., every 30 minutes), the timing when a new route guidance request is made from a user, or the timing when a means of transportation estimation request is made from a user. When the estimation timing arrives, the route guidance processing unit 131 outputs the user ID of the user (target user) whose means of transportation is to be estimated to the travel history information acquisition unit 132. In Figures 5 and 6, the explanation will be given assuming that user U0 is the target user.

The movement history information acquisition unit 132 acquires the movement history information of the target user and the movement history information of other users around the target user for the target user whose user ID is output from the route guidance processing unit 131. Specifically, the movement history information acquisition unit 132 acquires the movement history information corresponding to the user ID output from the route guidance processing unit 131 from the movement history DB 200 (see FIG. 3). The movement history information acquisition unit 132 also acquires the movement history information of other users around the target user based on the location information included in the movement history information corresponding to the user ID. Note that in this embodiment, only the movement history information from a predetermined time ago to the current time is extracted from the movement history information of the target user and the movement history information of other users around the target user. The movement history information acquisition unit 132 may also acquire movement history information only from other users who use the same route guidance service as the route guidance service used by the target user.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the target user is user U0, so the movement history information acquisition unit 132 acquires the movement history information of user U0 and the movement history information of other users around user U0 from the movement history DB 200.

Here, the surroundings of user U0 refers to a predetermined range including the current location of user U0, based on the current location of user U0. This predetermined range can be, for example, a circular range centered on the current location of user U0. FIG. 5 shows an example in which the predetermined range R11 is a circle with a radius R1 centered on the current location of user U0. In addition, the movement history information acquisition unit 132 extracts other users present around user U0 based on the latest position information among the position information stored in the movement history DB 200, and acquires the movement history information of the extracted users.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, users U11 to U16 are included within the specified range R11, and therefore are extracted as other users existing around user U0. On the other hand, users U17 and U18 are outside the specified range R11, and therefore are not extracted as other users existing around user U0.

Then, the movement history information acquisition unit 132 outputs the movement history information and user IDs of the extracted users U11 to U16 to the selection unit 141.

Next, the selection unit 141 selects a user who is presumed to be using the same means of transportation as user U0 from among the users extracted by the movement history information acquisition unit 132. In other words, the selection unit 141 selects a user who is presumed to be traveling along the same route (including approximately the same route) as user U0 at the same speed (including approximately the same speed) as user U0 as a comparison user. In this way, the selection unit 141 further selects a user who is traveling at the same speed from among other users present around user U0, based on the movement history information.

Specifically, the selection unit 141 selects a comparison target user based on each piece of location information included in the movement history information from a predetermined time before to the current time. The predetermined time can be several seconds to several tens of seconds. The predetermined time can be set by the user or can be set on the server 100 side. If the predetermined time is set long, the selection accuracy can be improved, but the amount of calculation processing will increase. On the other hand, if the predetermined time is set short, the selection accuracy will decrease, but the load of calculation processing can be reduced.

For example, the selection unit 141 selects users whose location information from a predetermined time ago to the current location information is included in a predetermined range R11 as comparison target users. For example, users U11 and U12 who are on the bus 32 are assumed to be included in the predetermined range R11 based on the current location of user U0 who is on the bus 32 from a predetermined time ago to the present. In this case, users U11 and U12 are selected as comparison target users. On the other hand, users U13 to U16 who are not on the bus 32 are assumed to be included in the predetermined range R11 at the current time but not included in the predetermined range R11 a predetermined time ago when the bus 32 was moving. In this case, users U13 to U16 are not selected as comparison target users.

For example, the selection unit 141 selects a user whose movement history, specified by each piece of location information from the location information a predetermined time ago to the current location information, matches or approximates (including similarity and approximately matches) the movement history of the user U0 as a comparison target user. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when location information is acquired at a predetermined timing (for example, at one-minute intervals) by an electronic device possessed by each user and the location information is stored in the movement history DB 200, a comparison target user can be selected using the difference value of the location information. Specifically, the selection unit 141 sequentially calculates the difference value between the location information of the user U0 acquired at the same time and the location information of other users from a predetermined time ago to the present. Then, if the total value of the calculated difference values is within a predetermined range, the selection unit 141 selects the user as a comparison target user. On the other hand, if the total value of the calculated difference values is not within the predetermined range, the selection unit 141 does not select the user as a comparison target user.

Also, for example, the selection unit 141 may estimate the movement speed of each user based on the position information of user U0 and the position information of the other users acquired at the same interval, and select a comparison user based on whether the movement speeds match or are close to each other (including similar and roughly match).Also, for example, the selection unit 141 may create a movement trajectory of each user based on the position information of user U0 and the position information of the other users, and select a comparison user based on whether the movement trajectories match or are close to each other (including similar and roughly match).

In this way, by selecting users U11 and U12 who are presumed to be using the same means of transportation as user U0, it is possible to distinguish between users U11 and U12 who are aboard bus 32 waiting at a traffic light at an intersection and users U13 to U16 who are waiting at a traffic light at an intersection.

Then, the selection unit 141 outputs the user IDs of users U11, U12, and user U0 selected as comparison users to the route guidance information extraction unit 142.

Figure 6 shows a simplified view of a train 31 traveling in the direction of the arrow RT2. It is assumed that users U0 to U4 are aboard the train 31. It is also assumed that users U21 to U25 are present near the train 31.

In this case, similar to the example shown in FIG. 5, the selection unit 141 selects users U0 to U4 who are presumed to use the same means of transportation as user U0. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 6, users U1 to U4, U21, and U22 are included in the predetermined range R12, so they are extracted as other users around user U0. On the other hand, users U23 to U25 are outside the predetermined range R12, so they are not extracted as other users around user U0. In addition, the selection unit 141 selects users U1 to U4 who are presumed to use the same means of transportation as user U0 from the extracted users U1 to U4, U21, and U22 as comparison target users. In this way, an example of the estimation of the means of transportation of user U0 when users U1 to U4 are selected as comparison target users by the selection unit 141 is shown in FIG. 7.

[Example of estimated means of transportation]
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an estimation process in which the estimation unit 143 estimates the means of transportation of the user U0.

In FIG. 7, route guidance information DT0 to DT4 for users U0 to U4 stored in route guidance information 302 of route guidance DB 300 (see FIG. 4) is shown arranged vertically in the order of users U0 to U4. Note that, for ease of explanation, FIG. 7 shows route guidance information DT0 to DT4 in the same format as the route guidance information for users U0 to U4 shown in FIG. 4.

The route guidance information DT0 to DT4 shown in FIG. 7 is information provided to users U0 to U4 by server 100. Therefore, it is assumed that while there are users who move according to the provided route guidance information, there are also users who do not move according to the provided route guidance information.

Also, in FIG. 7, the estimated timing L1 for estimating the transportation mode of user U0 is shown by a straight line. The estimated timing L1 means the time (e.g., the current time) at which the transportation mode of user U0 is estimated. In this way, the server 100 estimates the transportation mode for one or more users whose user IDs are registered in the route guidance service at estimated timings (e.g., regular timings). Note that the server 100 may estimate the transportation mode of the user who made a request in response to a request from each user whose user ID is registered in the route guidance service.

As shown in FIG. 7, the route guidance information extraction unit 142 extracts route guidance information DT1 to DT4 related to users U1 to U4 selected by the selection unit 141 as comparison target users from the route guidance DB 300. Note that in FIG. 7, the route guidance information DT1 to DT4 extracted by the route guidance information extraction unit 142 is shown surrounded by a dotted rectangle DT10. The route guidance information extraction unit 142 also extracts route guidance information DT0 related to user U0 from the route guidance DB 300. Specifically, the route guidance information extraction unit 142 extracts route guidance information DT0 to DT4 based on the user ID output from the selection unit 141.

In FIG. 7, for ease of explanation, the route guidance information DT1 to DT4 are shown in the same format as the route guidance information shown in FIG. 4, but the route guidance information extraction unit 142 may extract only the route guidance information corresponding to the estimated timing L1. That is, for user U1, information on "Train A" is obtained from the route guidance information DT1, and for user U2, information on "Train A" is obtained from the route guidance information DT2. Furthermore, for user U3, information on "Train A" is obtained from the route guidance information DT3, and for user U4, information on "Train B" is obtained from the route guidance information DT4.

Then, the route guidance information extraction unit 142 outputs each piece of route guidance information DT0 to DT4 that corresponds to the estimation timing L1 to the estimation unit 143. In this case, the route guidance information extraction unit 142 may output other information (e.g., departure point, destination) related to the route guidance information DT0 to DT4 to the estimation unit 143.

Here, for example, if user U0 is moving according to route guidance information DT0 provided by server 100, it is assumed that user U0 is using train A as a means of transportation at estimated timing L1. However, it is also assumed that train A is delayed for some reason. In this case, it is also assumed that user U0 is not on train A. It is also assumed that user U0 is using a means of transportation other than train A on a different route without following route guidance information DT0 provided by server 100.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the mode of transportation of user U0 is estimated using route guidance information DT1 to DT4 of users U1 to U4 who are around user U0 and move at the same speed as user U0. That is, the route guidance information DT1 to DT4 of users U1 to U4 corresponding to the estimation timing L1 is compared, and the mode of transportation used by user U0 is estimated based on the comparison result.

Specifically, the estimation unit 143 compares the route guidance information DT1 to DT4 corresponding to the estimated timing L1 extracted by the route guidance information extraction unit 142. Then, based on the ratio of common means of transportation among the means of transportation in the route guidance information DT1 to DT4 corresponding to the estimated timing L1, the means of transportation used by the user U0 is estimated based on the ratio of common means of transportation among the means of transportation corresponding to the estimated timing L1. For example, if the common means of transportation among the means of transportation corresponding to the estimated timing L1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio, the means of transportation having the predetermined ratio or greater is estimated as the means of transportation used by the user U0. That is, the means of transportation used by the user U0 can be estimated based on a majority vote. In other words, the ratio of common means of transportation among the means of transportation corresponding to the estimated timing L1 in the route guidance information of other users is compared, and if the ratio is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is estimated that the target user uses the common means of transportation. The predetermined ratio is a value set to increase the accuracy of estimation of the means of transportation, and can be, for example, about 50% to 80%. This predetermined ratio may be set by the user or may be set on the server 100 side.

Here, let us assume that the specified ratio is set to 60%. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 7, the means of transportation in route guidance information DT1 to DT3 corresponding to estimated timing L1 is "Train A," and the means of transportation in route guidance information DT4 is "Train B." Therefore, of the four means of transportation for users U1 to U4 corresponding to estimated timing L1, the common "Train A" accounts for 75% (=3/4), which is more than 50%. In this case, "Train A" is estimated to be the means of transportation used by user U0.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, the means of transportation for users U1 to U3 corresponding to estimated timing L1 is "train A," so it is estimated that users U1 to U3 are traveling to their destinations using train A in accordance with the route guidance information provided by server 100. On the other hand, the means of transportation for user U4 corresponding to estimated timing L1 is "train B," so it is estimated that user U4 is traveling to his destination using train A without following the route guidance information (train B) provided by server 100.

Note that in the above, an example of estimating public transport as a means of transportation has been shown. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, if "walking" is a common means of transportation of the comparison users corresponding to the estimated timing and a predetermined percentage or more of the common means of transportation is used by user U0, "walking" is estimated. Also, for example, if "automobile on a highway" is a common means of transportation of the comparison users corresponding to the estimated timing and a predetermined percentage or more of the common means of transportation is used by user U0, "automobile on a highway" is estimated.

In the above, an example of estimating the means of transportation used by user U0 based on majority vote has been shown, but other estimation methods may be used. For example, estimation may be performed taking into account route guidance information DT0 of user U0 corresponding to estimated timing L1. For example, among the means of transportation corresponding to estimated timing L1, if the number of common means of transportation is a predetermined percentage or more, and if the common means of transportation is the same as that of user U0, the common means of transportation that is a predetermined percentage or more can be estimated to be the means of transportation used by user U0. In this case, operation information of the surrounding transportation facilities including the location of user U0 is obtained from operation status DB 400, and a condition may be that there is no delay in the transportation facilities in the vicinity of user U0.

The means of transportation used by user U0 may also be estimated based on the similarity between the route guidance information of user U0 and the route guidance information of the comparison user. For example, for a comparison user who is provided with route guidance information for the same departure point or destination as the target user, the reliability of the route guidance information can be considered to be high. In other words, for a comparison user who is provided with route guidance that is the same as or similar to the target user, the reliability of the route guidance information can be considered to be high. Therefore, route guidance information for the same departure point or destination as the target user is weighted highly to calculate the evaluation value. In other words, different weights are assigned for each comparison user. The departure point and destination can be identified based on the route guidance information.

For example, for route guidance information that has the same starting point or destination as at least one of the starting point and destination of the route guidance information of user U0, an evaluation value for each route guidance information is calculated by a calculation that assigns a high weight to each. Then, the evaluation values for each comparison target user may be compared to estimate the means of transportation used by user U0. In other words, for route guidance information of comparison target users that has at least one common starting point and destination, a high priority is assigned to the estimation.

For example, the weighting value is set to 1 for route guidance information with a departure point and destination that are both different from the departure point and destination of the route guidance information of user U0. The weighting value is set to 1.2 for route guidance information with a departure point or destination that is the same as one of the departure point and destination of the route guidance information of user U0. The weighting value is set to 1.5 for route guidance information with a departure point and destination that are both the same as the departure point and destination of the route guidance information of user U0. The above-mentioned ratio is multiplied by the above-mentioned weighting value to obtain an evaluation value for each common means of transportation, and the means of transportation used by user U0 can be estimated based on the comparison of the evaluation values.

Assume that the route guidance information DT2 of the comparison target user U2 shown in FIG. 7 has the same starting point and destination as the route guidance information DT0 of the target user U0. Assume also that the route guidance information DT1, DT3, and DT4 of the other comparison target users U1, U3, and U4 have different starting points and destinations from the route guidance information of user U0. In this case, the weighting value for the route guidance information DT2 is set to 1.5, and the weighting value for the route guidance information DT1, DT3, and DT4 is set to 1. Also, as described above, among the route guidance information DT1 to DT4 corresponding to the estimated timing L1, the proportion of the common transportation means "Train A" is 0.75 (= 3/4), and the proportion of the transportation means "Train B" is 0.25 (= 1/4). Therefore, the proportion of the common transportation means "Train A" (0.75) is multiplied by the weighting value of 1.5 in the route guidance information DT2 to obtain an evaluation value of 1.125. Note that since the weighting value of the route guidance information DT4 is 1, the evaluation value of the transportation means "Train B" is the proportion of the transportation means "Train B" (0.25). In this case, by comparing the evaluation value of the common transportation means "Train A" (1.125) with the evaluation value of the transportation means "Train B" (0.25), "Train A" with the higher evaluation value is estimated to be the transportation means used by user U0.

In this way, the means of transportation used by user U0 can be estimated based on an evaluation value that increases the weighting of the means of transportation corresponding to the estimated timing of a comparison target user who has at least one of the departure point and destination included in the route guidance information in common with user U0. Note that the means of transportation used by user U0 may also be estimated based on an evaluation value that increases the weighting of the means of transportation corresponding to the estimated timing of a comparison target user who has at least one of the pieces of information (e.g., means of transportation, travel route) included in the route guidance information in common with user U0.

For example, for a comparison user who is provided with route guidance information that includes one or more of the same means of transportation as the target user, the reliability of the route guidance information can be considered to be high. In other words, for a comparison user who is provided with the same or similar route guidance as the target user, the reliability of the route guidance information can be considered to be high. Therefore, even in this case, route guidance information that includes one or more of the same means of transportation as the target user may be weighted highly to calculate an evaluation value. In other words, among the comparison users, the means of transportation of users whose means of transportation set in the route guidance information are the same or similar can be used preferentially in the estimation results.

In addition, based on the operation information of the transportation facilities that can be obtained from the operation status DB 400, the delay of each transportation facility corresponding to the estimated timing may be determined, and the means of transportation of the target user corresponding to the estimated timing may be estimated taking into account the delay of each transportation facility. For example, if there is no delay in each transportation facility around the target user, the reliability of the means of transportation in the route guidance information of the target user corresponding to the estimated timing may be considered high. Therefore, in this case, the means of transportation in the route guidance information of the target user corresponding to the estimated timing may be highly weighted to calculate the evaluation value. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 7, the means of transportation in the route guidance information DT0 of the target user U0 corresponding to the estimated timing L1 is "train A", so "train A" is highly weighted to calculate and use the evaluation value.

The above shows an example of the case where the means of transportation of the comparison target user corresponding to the estimated timing satisfies the estimation condition. In addition, when the estimation condition is satisfied, it means that there is a means of transportation of the comparison target user corresponding to the estimated timing where the ratio of common means of transportation is equal to or greater than a threshold value. However, it is also assumed that the means of transportation of the comparison target user corresponding to the estimated timing does not satisfy the estimation condition. For example, when a train or bus is significantly delayed, it is also assumed that the scheduled times in the route guidance of both the target user and the comparison target user are significantly delayed. In this case, it is also assumed that both the target user and the comparison target user are behaving differently from the route guidance. Therefore, it is also assumed that there is no means of transportation of the comparison target user corresponding to the estimated timing where the ratio of common means of transportation is equal to or greater than a threshold value. For example, when a significant train delay occurs, it is also assumed that the ratio of common means of transportation is 10% to 30% among the means of transportation of the comparison target user. In this case, it is also assumed that it is difficult to appropriately estimate the means of transportation of the target user.

In such a case, the estimation unit 143 acquires the movement history information of the target user from the movement history DB 200 of the storage unit 110, and acquires map information of the surroundings of the target user from the map DB of the storage unit 110, and estimates the target user's means of transportation corresponding to the estimated timing based on the movement history of the target user and the map information. In other words, if there is no means of transportation of the comparison target user corresponding to the estimated timing with a ratio of common means of transportation equal to or greater than a threshold, it is determined that the timetables of each transportation facility are significantly disrupted, and estimation using the route guidance information of the comparison target user is not performed. Then, based on the movement history and map information of the target user, the route on which the target user is expected to travel is estimated, and based on real-time operation information, the estimation unit 143 estimates the means of transportation of the target user.

For example, the estimation unit 143 identifies the route on which the target user is traveling based on the movement history and map information of the target user, and determines whether the target user is using a means of transportation on that route based on the movement speed of the target user on that route. For example, when the target user is traveling on a train line, if the movement speed of the target user matches or approximates the movement speed of the train, it can be estimated that the target user is using a train. Also, for example, when the target user is traveling on a bus line, if the movement speed of the target user matches or approximates the movement speed of the bus, it can be estimated that the target user is using a bus. In this way, the amount of calculation can be reduced by narrowing down the route and time period to be searched based on the location information of the target user. Note that when it is determined that the target user is not traveling on any transportation route, or when it is determined that the target user is traveling on a transportation route but the movement speed of the target user is significantly different from the movement speed of the transportation, it can be estimated that the target user is traveling on foot.

In addition, the movement history of each means of transportation may be identified based on the operation information of the transportation means that can be obtained from the operation status DB 400, and the movement history of each means of transportation may be used to estimate the means of transportation of the target user corresponding to the estimated timing. For example, the estimation unit 143 calculates the similarity between the movement history of the target user a predetermined time before the estimated timing and the movement history of each means of transportation identified based on the operation information of the transportation means (movement history a predetermined time before the estimated timing). For example, the movement trajectory of the target user from a predetermined time before the estimated timing to the present and the movement trajectory of each means of transportation from a predetermined time before the estimated timing to the present are obtained, and if the two movement trajectories match or are close to each other, it can be determined that the similarity between the two is high. On the other hand, if there is no movement trajectory of a means of transportation that matches or is close to the movement trajectory of the target user, it can be determined that the similarity between the two is low. Then, the means of transportation that is determined to have the highest similarity to the movement history of the target user can be estimated as the means of transportation of the target user that corresponds to the estimated timing.

In addition, when the number of users to be compared is relatively large, the reliability of the estimation of the means of transportation using the route guidance information of the users to be compared is considered to be high. On the other hand, when the number of users to be compared is relatively small, the reliability of the estimation of the means of transportation using the route guidance information of the users to be compared is considered to be low. Therefore, when the number of users to be compared is less than a predetermined value, the estimation unit 143 may estimate the means of transportation of the target user corresponding to the estimation timing based on the above-mentioned movement history of the target user, map information, operation information of transportation facilities that can be obtained from the operation status DB 400, etc. Note that the predetermined value is a value that allows an appropriate means of transportation to be estimated, and it is preferable to set an appropriate value based on experimental data, etc.

[Example of estimated means of transportation]
8 and 9 are diagrams showing examples of display of route guidance screens 60 and 70 including the estimation result of the means of transportation. The route guidance screens 60 and 70 are displayed on the input/output unit 27 of the electronic device 20 based on the route guidance information from the server 100. The route guidance screens 60 and 70 are displayed on the input/output unit 27 after a predetermined time has elapsed (i.e., at the estimation timing) after the user U0 performs a route search using the route guidance service on the electronic device 20 and the route guidance screen including the search result is displayed on the input/output unit 27. Note that in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, some of the various displays related to route guidance (e.g., transfer time, transfer station, train departure time, train arrival time) are omitted. Also, in FIG. 8 to FIG. 10 and FIG. 12, examples of displaying the estimation result of the means of transportation on the input/output unit 27 of the electronic device 20 are shown, but the estimation result of the means of transportation may be notified to the user by voice output. Also, the estimation result of the means of transportation may be notified to the user by using other notification means (e.g., blinking of a lamp, vibration of the electronic device 20, etc.).

The route guidance screens 60, 70 display a map including track TL1 on which train A runs, track TL2 on which train B runs, track TL3 on which train C runs, and track TL4 on which train D runs, as well as display areas 61, 71 for displaying estimated results of means of transportation and a current location indicator 62.

The example shown in FIG. 8 shows a case where user U0 travels from a departure point to a destination by walking → train A, following a search result (route guidance) provided using a route guidance service. FIG. 8 shows an example in which a transportation mode estimation process is executed when user U0 is on train A, and the estimation result is displayed.

The example shown in FIG. 9 shows a case where user U0 does not follow the search results (route guidance) provided by the route guidance service, but travels from the departure point to the destination by walking → train B. FIG. 9 shows an example in which a transportation mode estimation process is executed when user U0 is on train B, and the estimation result is displayed.

As shown in FIG. 9, when it is estimated that user U0 is using a means of transportation different from the route guidance, the route search unit 133 executes a route search to the destination already specified by user U0 based on the estimated means of transportation and the current location of user U0. Then, the route guidance processing unit 131 displays the newly searched route guidance on the input/output unit 27 of the electronic device 20. For example, a message is displayed in the estimated result display area 71 of the means of transportation to encourage user U0, who is riding on train B, to change the route required to travel to the specified destination. In addition, an arrow 72 indicating the route to travel to the specified destination, signs 73 to 75 notifying transfer stations and walking between them, and the like are displayed as appropriate.

Figure 9 shows an example in which the server 100 automatically executes a new route search when it is estimated that the user U0 is using a different mode of transportation than the route guidance. However, it is assumed that some users may have changed the original destination from which the route search was performed. It is also assumed that some users travel to their destination via a longer route than the route guidance. Thus, Figure 10 shows an example in which the server 100 executes a new route search, provided that the server 100 has obtained the approval of the user U0, when it is estimated that the user U0 is using a different mode of transportation than the route guidance.

[Display example when re-search is performed manually by the user]
10 is a diagram showing a display example of a route guidance screen 80 including an estimated result of a means of transportation. The route guidance screen 80 is displayed on the input/output unit 27 of the electronic device 20 based on route guidance information from the server 100.

As with the example shown in FIG. 9, the route guidance screen 80 is displayed when it is estimated that user U0 is using a means of transportation different from the route guidance. Specifically, the route guidance screen 80 displays an estimated means of transportation result display area 81 and a current location indicator 62. In addition, the estimated means of transportation result display area 81 displays an execute button 82 and a not execute button 83 along with a message encouraging user U0, who is on train B, to search again in order to travel to the specified destination. The execute button 82 is a button that is pressed when searching again. In addition, the not execute button 83 is a button that is pressed when searching again is not to be performed.

When the execute button 82 is pressed, the route search unit 133 executes a re-search for user U0. In this case, the route search unit 133 searches for a route to the destination specified by user U0 based on the current location of user U0 (the current location of the electronic device 20), taking into account that user U0 is using the means of transportation estimated by the estimation unit 143. The search result is then transmitted to the electronic device 20 and displayed on the input/output unit 27 of the electronic device 20. On the other hand, when the not execute button 83 is pressed, the route search unit 133 does not execute a re-search.

[Server operation example]
Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a transportation mode estimation process in the server 100. In this processing example, an example is shown in which the estimation timing occurs after the server 100 provides route guidance information to the electronic device 20. This processing example is executed by the control unit 130 based on a program stored in the storage unit 110. In Fig. 11, the examples shown in Figs. 1 to 10 are appropriately referred to for explanation.

In step S601, the movement history information acquisition unit 132 acquires the movement history information of the target user from the movement history DB 200 (see FIG. 3) based on the user ID output from the route guidance processing unit 131. In this case, movement history information of the target user within a predetermined time period is acquired.

In step S602, the movement history information acquisition unit 132 acquires movement history information of other users around the target user from the movement history DB 200 (see FIG. 3) based on the current location information included in the movement history information of the target user. In this case, movement history information of other users within a predetermined time period is acquired.

For example, FIG. 6 shows an example in which users U1 to U4, U21, and U22 who are present within a predetermined range R12 based on the current location of user U0 (target user) are considered to be other users present around the target user. In this case, the movement history information acquisition unit 132 acquires the movement history information of users U1 to U4, U21, and U22 from the movement history DB 200 (see FIG. 3).

In step S603, the selection unit 141 selects, from among other users around the target user, a user who moves along approximately the same route as the target user within a specified time period as a comparison target user. A user who moves along approximately the same route as the target user within a specified time period is, for example, a user who moves along the same route at the same speed. In the example shown in FIG. 6, from among users U1 to U4, U21, and U22 that are present within the specified range R12, users U1 to U4 are selected as comparison target users.

In step S604, the selection unit 141 determines whether the number of users to be compared selected in step S603 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. For example, if the number of users to be compared is extremely small (e.g., one or two), it is expected that the estimation accuracy of the means of transportation will be low. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 11, the estimation process using route guidance information is performed only when there are a certain number of users to be compared. However, even if the number of users to be compared is less than the predetermined value, the estimation process of the means of transportation may be performed. If the number of users to be compared is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S605. On the other hand, if the number of users to be compared is less than the predetermined value, the selection unit 141 notifies the estimation unit 143 of this fact via the route guidance information extraction unit 142, and proceeds to step S609.

In step S605, the route guidance information extraction unit 142 extracts route guidance information of the comparison target user selected in step S603 from the route guidance DB 300 (see FIG. 4). In this case, route guidance information of the target user is also extracted. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when users U1 to U4 are selected as comparison target users, route guidance information DT0 to DT4 of users U0 to U4 is extracted from the route guidance DB 300 as shown in FIG. 7. Note that only information corresponding to estimated timing L1 may be extracted from the route guidance information DT0 to DT4 of users U0 to U4. In the example shown in FIG. 7, only information corresponding to estimated timing L1 (four items "Train A" and "Train B") may be extracted.

In step S606, the estimation unit 143 compares the means of transportation of the comparison target users corresponding to the estimated timing based on the route guidance information extracted in step S605. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the means of transportation of the comparison target users U1 to U3 corresponding to the estimated timing L1 is "train A," and the means of transportation of the comparison target user U4 corresponding to the estimated timing L1 is "train B."

In step S607, the estimation unit 143 determines whether or not there are more than a predetermined percentage of common means of transportation at the estimated timing. In the example shown in FIG. 7, of the four means of transportation corresponding to the estimated timing L1, "Train A" is numbered 3, so the percentage of "Train A" is 75%. If there are more than a predetermined percentage of common means of transportation at the estimated timing, the process proceeds to step S608. On the other hand, if there are no more than a predetermined percentage of common means of transportation at the estimated timing, the process proceeds to step S609.

In step S608, the estimation unit 143 estimates that the means of transportation used by the target user are those that are in common with the comparison users at a predetermined rate or more among the means of transportation corresponding to the estimated timing. In the example shown in FIG. 7, as described above, the rate of "Train A" is 75%, so "Train A" is estimated to be the means of transportation used by the target user.

In step S609, the estimation unit 143 estimates the means of transportation used by the target user using another estimation method. For example, as described above, the means of transportation used by the target user can be estimated based on the target user's travel history, map information, transportation operation information that can be obtained from the operation status DB 400, etc.

In step S610, the estimation unit 143 outputs information about the mode of transportation estimated to be used by the target user to the route search unit 133.

In step S611, the route search unit 133 determines whether or not the target user's guide route needs to be changed. Specifically, the route search unit 133 extracts the target user's route guidance information from the route guidance DB 300 (see FIG. 4), and determines whether or not the target user's guide route needs to be changed based on the target user's route guidance information and the means of transportation estimated by the estimation unit 143. That is, the route search unit 133 compares the means of transportation in the route guidance information of the target user corresponding to the estimated timing with the estimated means of transportation, and if they are different, it determines that the target user's guide route needs to be changed. On the other hand, if the means of transportation are the same, it determines that the target user's guide route does not need to be changed. If the target user's guide route needs to be changed, the process proceeds to step S613. On the other hand, if the target user's guide route does not need to be changed, the route search unit 133 outputs that fact and information on the means of transportation output in step S610 to the route guidance processing unit 131, and proceeds to step S612.

In step S612, the route guidance processing unit 131 transmits the information related to the means of transportation output in step S610 to the electronic device 20 via the communication unit 120. Furthermore, when the control unit 25 of the electronic device 20 receives the information, it causes the input/output unit 27 to display the estimated results of the means of transportation based on the information. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a route guidance screen 60 including the estimated results of the means of transportation is displayed on the input/output unit 27.

In step S613, the route search unit 133 re-searches for a guidance route for the target user. In this case, since the route search unit 133 is aware of the means of transportation used by the target user, it can re-search for a travel route from the target user's current location, taking into account that the target user is traveling by the estimated means of transportation. The route search unit 133 then outputs the re-search result and the information related to the means of transportation output in step S610 to the route guidance processing unit 131.

In step S614, the route guidance processing unit 131 transmits the information related to the means of transportation output in step S610 and the information related to the route guidance re-searched in step S613 (route guidance information) to the electronic device 20 via the communication unit 120. Furthermore, when the control unit 25 of the electronic device 20 receives this information, it causes the input/output unit 27 to display the estimated results of the means of transportation and the re-search results based on this information. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a route guidance screen 70 including the estimated results of the means of transportation is displayed on the input/output unit 27.

[Example of displaying information about the comparison target user]
In the above, an example of providing the estimation result of the travel means by the estimation unit 143 to the target user has been shown. Here, in the estimation process of the travel means by the estimation unit 143, other users (comparison target users) who are estimated to be traveling by the same travel means as the target user are extracted, and the estimation process is performed using the route guidance information of the comparison target users. That is, the estimation process is performed using the route guidance information of the comparison target users whose travel is highly correlated with the travel of the target user. Therefore, it is considered to provide the target user with information that is beneficial to the target user among each piece of information related to the comparison target users whose travel is highly correlated with the travel of the target user, taking into account the personal information of the comparison target users. Therefore, below, an example of providing the target user with information that is beneficial to the target user among each piece of information related to the comparison target users.

Figure 12 is a diagram showing a display example of a route guidance screen 90 including the estimated result of the means of transportation. The route guidance screen 90 is displayed on the input/output unit 27 of the electronic device 20 based on route guidance information from the server 100. Note that Figure 12 shows a display example in the case where the proportion of re-searches by comparison users used in the estimation process of the means of transportation of user U0 exceeds a predetermined value due to some cause.

The route guidance screen 90 is displayed when it is estimated that the user U0 is using the same transportation means as the route guidance, as in the example shown in FIG. 8. Specifically, the route guidance screen 90 displays a transportation means estimation result display area 91 and a current location indicator 62. Also, as described above, if the proportion of re-searches by the comparison user used in the estimation process of the transportation means of user U0 exceeds a predetermined value due to some reason, a message to that effect is displayed in the transportation means estimation result display area 91. Also, in the transportation means estimation result display area 91, an execute button 92 and a non-execute button 93 are displayed together with a message for confirming whether or not to execute a re-search because the proportion of re-searches by the comparison user has exceeded a predetermined value. Note that the execute button 92 corresponds to the execute button 82 shown in FIG. 10, and the non-execute button 93 corresponds to the non-execute button 83 shown in FIG. 10.

Note that because the route search unit 133 executes a re-search for each user, the timing of the re-search is associated with each user and recorded in the route guidance DB 300 each time a re-search is executed, and can be used in the display process described above. Note that, in the above, an example has been shown in which a message is displayed when the proportion of re-searches by the comparison user used in the estimation process of the means of transportation of user U0 exceeds a predetermined value, but even if the proportion of re-searches does not exceed the predetermined value, a message may be displayed.

Of the various pieces of information related to the comparison users, other information that is beneficial to the target user may be provided to the target user. For example, information that is helpful when the target user decides whether or not to accept a re-search by the route search unit 133 may be provided. For example, information related to comparison users who accepted a re-search by the route search unit 133 (for example, the percentage of comparison users who accepted a re-search) may be provided.

In this embodiment, the target user's means of transportation is estimated using route guidance information of other users around the target user, but the route guidance information of other users is used in a process that is completed within the server 100. In other words, the route guidance information of other users is used only as a comparison target or statistical information, and the route guidance information of other users is not provided to the target user. In the example shown in Figures 6 and 7, the target user U0 can recognize that he is on "Train A," but cannot recognize that other users U1 to U4 are on "Train A." Therefore, it is possible to appropriately handle the personal information of other users around the target user.

If a user on a train wants to change their destination, or if the train they are on is delayed and they want to travel by a different route, the user may request a re-search. In such a re-search, it is important to determine where the user is and what form of transportation they are using.

As a comparative example, consider a case where a user on a train performs a re-search for route guidance that has already been provided. In this case, in a route search device that cannot determine that the user is on a train, even if the user is traveling by train, there is a possibility that the user will walk from the re-search operation point to the nearest station and perform a re-search for a route based on the estimated arrival time at that station. In addition, if the nearest station is far away, there is a possibility that the search result will be provided as walking from the re-search operation point to the nearest bus stop and then taking a bus from that bus stop. In this way, in a route search device that cannot determine that the user is on a train, a re-search is performed for a route connecting the points from the user's current location to the destination. In such a case, it is assumed that it is difficult to perform an appropriate route search.

In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the vehicle on which the user performing the re-search is riding can be estimated, and the re-search can be performed taking into consideration that the user is riding on that vehicle. For example, if it is estimated that user U0 is riding on train A, a travel route from train A is searched for based on the state of riding on train A. That is, in this embodiment, since it can be determined that user U0 is riding on train A, a search can be performed for an appropriate route from train A on which user U0 is riding to the destination, rather than searching for a route connecting points from user U0's current location to the destination. This allows an appropriate route search to be performed.

In addition, in this embodiment, the target user moves according to route guidance provided by the server 100, but even if the target user does not move as planned, the server 100 can properly grasp the target user's means of transportation. As a result, even if a re-search for the target user is required, the route search can be performed with the target user's means of transportation at the time of the re-search properly grasped, so that appropriate route guidance information can be provided to the target user.

In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the estimation process of the means of transportation to be provided to the electronic device 20 is executed by the server 100, but all or part of the estimation process of the means of transportation may be executed by other devices. In this case, an information processing system is configured by each device that executes part of the estimation process of the means of transportation. In addition, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which each DB (map DB, travel history DB 200, route guidance DB 300, operation status DB 400, transfer DB 500) used when executing the estimation process of the means of transportation to be provided to the electronic device 20 is managed by the server 100. However, all or part of these DBs may be managed by one or more devices other than the server 100, and the server 100 may obtain and use the necessary information from the DBs managed by the other devices.

Furthermore, a part (or all) of the information processing system 1 including the functions of the server 100 may be provided by an application that can be provided via the network 10. This application is, for example, SaaS (Software as a Service).

The electronic device 20 may also execute all or part of the transportation mode estimation process. In this case, the control unit 25 of the electronic device 20 executes all or part of the processes of the route guidance processing unit 131, the travel history information acquisition unit 132, the route search unit 133, and the transportation mode estimation unit 140 provided in the control unit 130 of the server 100. The storage unit 110 of the electronic device 20 may also store some of the above-mentioned DBs (map DB, travel history DB 200, route guidance DB 300, operation status DB 400, transfer DB 500). When using these DBs, the electronic device 20 may acquire them from an external device.

For example, personal information of user U0 may be managed in electronic device 20 rather than in server 100, and the transportation mode estimation process may be performed in electronic device 20. When all or part of the processes of server 100 are performed in electronic device 20 in this manner, electronic device 20 functions as an information processing device.

For example, the electronic device 20 may access a server 100 that provides the functions of a route guidance app, receive the functions, and display the results of the execution of the functions sent from the server 100 on a browser.

Note that each process shown in this embodiment is executed based on a program for causing a computer to execute each processing procedure. Therefore, this embodiment can also be understood as an embodiment of a program that realizes the function of executing each of these processes, and a recording medium that stores the program. For example, the program can be stored in the storage device of the information processing device by an update process for adding a new function to the information processing device. This makes it possible to cause the updated information processing device to execute each of the processes shown in this embodiment.

[Configuration and Effects of the Present Embodiment]
The server 100 (an example of an information processing device) according to this embodiment is an information processing device that estimates the means of transportation used by a target user using a travel history DB 200 (an example of a travel history database) that manages travel history information of multiple users for each user, and a route guidance DB 300 (an example of a route guidance database) that manages route guidance information for each user, which is a route search result including a route from a departure point to a destination, one or more means of transportation used when traveling the route, and a time period in which the means of transportation will be used, and is provided to the multiple users. The server 100 includes a selection unit 141 that acquires movement history information of other users around the target user U0 from the movement history DB 200 and selects the comparison target users U1 to U4 as users to be compared from among the other users based on the movement history information, a route guidance information extraction unit 142 that extracts route guidance information DT1 to DT4 provided to the comparison target users U1 to U4 from the route guidance DB 300, and an estimation unit 143 that estimates the transportation means used by the target user U0 at the estimated timing L1 based on the transportation means for each of the comparison target users U1 to U4 corresponding to the estimated timing L1 (an example of a predetermined time) among the transportation means included in the extracted route guidance information DT1 to DT4. Note that the information processing device according to this embodiment may be realized by the electronic device 20 or each device constituting the information processing system 1.

With such a server 100, the means of transportation of the target user U0 can be appropriately estimated using the route guidance information DT1 to DT4 provided to the comparison target users U1 to U4.

In addition, in the server 100 according to this embodiment, the estimation unit 143 estimates the means of transportation used by the target user U0 at the estimated timing L1 (an example of a specified time) based on the number of comparison target users U1 to U4 and the number of common means of transportation among the means of transportation of each of the comparison target users U1 to U4 corresponding to the estimated timing L1 (an example of a specified time).

With such a server 100, the means of transportation can be estimated based on the results of calculation processing based on the number of comparison target users U1 to U4 and the number of common means of transportation. This can improve the accuracy of estimating the means of transportation.

In addition, in the server 100 according to this embodiment, if there is a means of transportation where the ratio between the number of comparison target users U1 to U4 and the number of the above-mentioned common means of transportation is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the estimation unit 143 estimates the means of transportation with the highest ratio as the means of transportation used by the target user U0 at the estimated timing L1 (an example of a specified time), and if there is no means of transportation where the ratio is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the estimation unit 143 estimates the means of transportation used by the target user U0 at the estimated timing L1 based on the similarity between the movement history of the target user U0 and the movement history of each means of transportation identified based on the operation information of the transportation facility.

According to such a server 100, if there is a means of transportation for which the above-mentioned ratio is equal to or greater than a threshold, the means of transportation for the target user U0 can be estimated by estimating the means of transportation for which the ratio is the highest as the means of transportation with the highest reliability. On the other hand, even if there is no means of transportation for which the above-mentioned ratio is equal to or greater than a threshold, the means of transportation for the target user U0 can be estimated based on the travel history of the target user U0, transportation operation information, etc.

In addition, in the server 100 according to this embodiment, the estimation unit 143 estimates the means of transportation used by the target user U0 at the estimated timing L1 (an example of a specified time) of a comparison target user who shares at least one of the departure point and destination included in the route guidance information with the target user U0, based on an evaluation value that gives a high weighting to the means of transportation corresponding to the estimated timing L1 (an example of a specified time).

With such a server 100, the means of transportation of the target user U0 can be estimated based on an evaluation value that increases the weighting of the means of transportation of route guidance information estimated to be highly reliable from among the route guidance information of the comparison target users. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of estimating the means of transportation.

In addition, in the server 100 according to this embodiment, when the number of users to be compared is less than a predetermined value, the estimation unit 143 estimates the means of transportation used by the target user U0 at the estimated timing L1 (an example of a predetermined time) based on the similarity between the movement history of the target user U0 and the movement history of each means of transportation identified based on the operation information of the transportation facility.

According to such a server 100, if the number of comparison target users is less than a predetermined value, it is assumed that the reliability of the comparison target users is low, and the comparison target users are not used, and the transportation means of the target user U0 is estimated based on the movement history of the target user U0, transportation operation information, etc. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of estimating the transportation means.

In addition, in the server 100 according to this embodiment, the selection unit 141 selects, from among the other users, users who move approximately the same route as the target user U0 at approximately the same speed within a specified time period as the comparison target users U1 to U4, based on the movement history information of the target user U0 and the movement history information of the other users.

With such a server 100, it is possible to select the optimal user to use for estimating the mode of transportation.

In addition, the server 100 according to this embodiment further includes a route search unit 133 that re-searches for route guidance information to be provided to the target user U0 when the means of travel included in the route guidance information DT0 provided to the target user U0 and the means of travel estimated by the estimation unit 143 differ based on the estimation timing L1 (an example of a specified time), and a route guidance processing unit 131 (an example of an output control unit) that performs output control to output the means of travel estimated by the estimation unit 143 and the route guidance information found by the re-search by the route search unit 133 from the input/output unit 27 (an example of an output unit) of the electronic device 20.

According to such a server 100, if the means of transportation included in the route guidance information DT0 provided to the target user U0 differs from the estimated means of transportation, the server 100 can automatically re-search for route guidance information and provide the re-search results to the target user U0. This allows the target user U0 to know the route to the destination at the appropriate time.

In addition, the server 100 according to this embodiment further includes a route guidance processing unit 131 (an example of an output control unit) that performs output control to output a message from the input/output unit 27 (an example of an output unit) of the electronic device 20 when the means of transportation included in the route guidance information provided to the target user U0 and the means of transportation estimated by the estimation unit 143 differ based on the estimated timing L1 (an example of a specified time).

With such a server 100, if the means of transportation included in the route guidance information DT0 provided to the target user U0 differs from the estimated means of transportation, the target user U0 can be notified of this fact. This allows the target user U0 to appropriately decide whether or not to re-search for a route to the destination.

The server 100 according to this embodiment further includes a route guidance processing unit 131 (an example of an output control unit) that performs output control to output, from the input/output unit 27 (an example of an output unit) of the electronic device 20, the re-search status of the comparison user prior to the estimated timing L1 (an example of a specified time) along with the means of travel estimated by the estimation unit 143.

With such a server 100, the target user U0 can easily grasp the re-search status of the comparison user, and can appropriately decide whether or not to re-search for a route to the destination.

In addition, the information processing method according to this embodiment is an information processing method that estimates the means of transportation used by a target user U0 using a travel history DB200 (an example of a travel history database) that manages travel history information of multiple users for each user, and a route guidance DB300 (an example of a route guidance database) that manages route guidance information for each user, which is a route search result including a route from a departure point to a destination, one or more means of transportation used when traveling the route, and a time period in which the means of transportation will be used, and is provided to the multiple users. This information processing method includes a selection step (step S603) of acquiring movement history information of other users around the target user U0 from the movement history DB200 and selecting the comparison target users U1 to U4 as users to be compared from among the other users based on the movement history information, an extraction step (step S605) of extracting route guidance information provided to the comparison target users U1 to U4 from the route guidance DB300, and an estimation step (steps S607, S608) of estimating the transportation means used by the target user U0 at the estimated timing L1 (an example of a predetermined time) based on the transportation means for each of the comparison target users U1 to U4 corresponding to the estimated timing L1 (an example of a predetermined time) among the transportation means included in the extracted route guidance information. The program according to this embodiment is a program for causing a computer to realize a transportation means estimation function for realizing such an information processing method, and is a program for causing a computer to execute each of the processing procedures (steps S603, S605, S607, S608).

With this information processing method and program, the means of transportation of the target user U0 can be appropriately estimated using the route guidance information DT1 to DT4 provided to the comparison target users U1 to U4.

The information processing system 1 according to the present embodiment is an information processing system that includes an electronic device 20 (an example of a first device) that requests route guidance from a departure point to a destination using wireless communication, and a server 100 (an example of a second device) that transmits route search results including a route from a departure point to a destination, one or more means of transportation to be used when traveling along the route, and a time period in which the means of transportation will be used to the electronic device 20 as route guidance information in response to the request, and estimates the means of transportation used by the target user U0 using a travel history DB 200 (an example of a travel history database) that manages the travel history information of multiple users including the target user U0 who owns the electronic device 20 for each user, and a route guidance DB 300 (an example of a route guidance database) that manages the route guidance information provided to the multiple users for each user. The electronic device 20 includes an input/output unit 27 (an example of a display unit) that displays the route guidance information transmitted from the server 100. The server 100 is equipped with a selection unit 141 that acquires movement history information of other users around the target user U0 from the movement history DB 200, and selects comparison target users U1 to U4 from among the other users as users to be compared based on the movement history information and the movement history information of the electronic device 20; a route guidance information extraction unit 142 that extracts route guidance information provided to the comparison target users U1 to U4 from the route guidance DB 300; an estimation unit 143 that estimates the means of transportation used by the target user U0 at the estimated timing L1 (an example of a specified time) based on the means of transportation for each of the comparison target users U1 to U4 corresponding to the estimated timing L1 (an example of a specified time) from the means of transportation included in the extracted route guidance information; and a communication unit 120 that transmits information regarding the means of transportation estimated by the estimation unit 143 to the electronic device 20. In addition, the electronic device 20 displays information about the means of transportation transmitted from the server 100 on the input/output unit 27, and if the means of transportation included in the route guidance information transmitted from the server 100 differs from the means of transportation estimated by the estimation unit 143 based on the estimation timing L1, the electronic device 20 displays this fact on the input/output unit 27.

According to such an information processing system 1, the means of transportation of the target user U0 can be appropriately estimated using the route guidance information DT1 to DT4 provided to the comparison target users U1 to U4. Furthermore, if the means of transportation included in the route guidance information DT0 provided to the target user U0 differs from the estimated means of transportation, the target user U0 can be notified of this fact. This allows the target user U0 to appropriately decide whether or not to re-search for a route to the destination.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments merely show some of the application examples of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the specific configurations of the above embodiments.

1 Information processing system 10 Network, 20, 41-44 Electronic device, 21 Memory unit, 22 Communication unit, 23 Location information acquisition unit, 24 Input unit, 25 Control unit, 26 Output unit, 27 Input/output unit, 100 Server, 110 Memory unit, 120 Communication unit, 130 Control unit, 131 Route guidance processing unit, 132 Movement history information acquisition unit, 133 Route search unit, 140 Transportation means estimation unit, 141 Selection unit, 142 Route guidance information extraction unit, 143 Estimation unit, 200 Movement history DB, 300 Route guidance DB, 400 Operation status DB, 500 Transfer DB

Claims (12)

An information processing device that estimates a means of transportation used by a target user using a travel history database that manages travel history information of a plurality of users for each user, and a route guidance database that manages route guidance information for each user, which is a route search result including a route from a departure point to a destination, one or more means of transportation used when traveling the route, and a time period in which the means of transportation is used and is provided to the plurality of users,
a selection unit that acquires movement history information of other users around the target user from the movement history database, and selects a user to be compared as a comparison target user from among the other users based on the movement history information;
a route guidance information extraction unit that extracts route guidance information provided to the comparison target user from the route guidance database;
and an estimation unit that estimates a means of transportation used by the target user at a predetermined time based on a means of transportation for each of the comparison target users corresponding to the predetermined time among the means of transportation included in the extracted route guidance information.
Information processing device. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1,
The estimation unit estimates the means of transportation used by the target user at the specified time based on the number of the target users and the number of common means of transportation among the means of transportation for each of the target users corresponding to the specified time.
Information processing device. 3. The information processing device according to claim 2,
the estimation unit, when there is a means of transportation for which the ratio between the number of the compared users and the number of the common means of transportation is equal to or greater than a threshold, estimates the means of transportation for which the ratio is the highest as the means of transportation used by the target user at the specified time, and, when there is no means of transportation for which the ratio is equal to or greater than a threshold, estimates the means of transportation used by the target user at the specified time based on the similarity between the travel history of the target user and the travel history of each means of transportation identified based on operation information of a transportation facility;
Information processing device. 3. The information processing device according to claim 2,
the estimation unit estimates the means of transportation used by the target user at the specified time based on an evaluation value that increases a weighting for a means of transportation corresponding to the specified time of the comparison target user who has at least one of the departure point and the destination included in the route guidance information in common with the target user;
Information processing device. 5. An information processing device according to claim 1,
When the number of the comparison target users is less than a predetermined value, the estimation unit estimates the transportation means used by the target user at the predetermined time based on a similarity between a movement history of the target user and a movement history of each transportation means identified based on operation information of a transportation facility.
Information processing device. 6. An information processing device according to claim 1,
the selection unit selects, as the comparison user, from among the other users, a user who moves approximately the same route as the target user at approximately the same speed as the target user within a predetermined time, based on movement history information of the target user and movement history information of the other users;
Information processing device. 7. An information processing device according to claim 1,
a route search unit that re-searches for route guidance information to be provided to the target user when the means of transportation included in the route guidance information provided to the target user and the means of transportation estimated by the estimation unit differ from each other based on the predetermined time;
and an output control unit that performs output control to output, from an output unit, the means of transportation estimated by the estimation unit and route guidance information obtained by re-searching by the route search unit.
Information processing device. 7. An information processing device according to claim 1,
and an output control unit that performs output control to cause an output unit to output a message indicating that a means of transportation included in the route guidance information provided to the target user and the means of transportation estimated by the estimation unit are different from each other based on the predetermined time.
Information processing device. 7. An information processing device according to claim 1,
an output control unit that performs output control to output, from an output unit, the re-search status of the comparison target user before the predetermined time together with the means of travel estimated by the estimation unit;
Information processing device. An information processing method for estimating a means of transportation used by a target user using a travel history database that manages travel history information of a plurality of users for each user, and a route guidance database that manages route guidance information for each user, which is a route search result including a route from a departure point to a destination, one or more means of transportation used when traveling the route, and a time period in which the means of transportation is used and is provided to the plurality of users, comprising:
a selection step of acquiring movement history information of other users around the target user from the movement history database, and selecting a user to be compared as a comparison target user from among the other users based on the movement history information;
an extraction step of extracting route guidance information provided to the comparison target user from the route guidance database;
and an estimation step of estimating a means of transportation used by the target user at a predetermined time based on a means of transportation for each of the comparison target users corresponding to the predetermined time among the means of transportation included in the extracted route guidance information.
Information processing methods. A program for causing a computer to realize a transportation means estimation function that estimates a transportation means used by a target user by using a travel history database that manages travel history information of a plurality of users for each user, and a route guidance database that manages route guidance information for each user, which is a route search result including a route from a departure point to a destination, one or more transportation means used when traveling the route, and a time period in which the transportation means are used and is provided to the plurality of users, the program comprising:
a selection step of acquiring movement history information of other users around the target user from the movement history database, and selecting a user to be compared as a comparison target user from among the other users based on the movement history information;
an extraction step of extracting route guidance information provided to the comparison target user from the route guidance database;
an estimation step of estimating a means of transportation used by the target user at a predetermined time based on a means of transportation for each of the comparison target users corresponding to the predetermined time among the means of transportation included in the extracted route guidance information;
A program that causes a computer to execute the following. An information processing system comprising: a first device that requests route guidance from a departure point to a destination using wireless communication; and a second device that, in response to the request, transmits to the first device a route search result including a route from the departure point to the destination, one or more means of transportation to be used when traveling along the route, and a time period in which the means of transportation will be used, and estimates the means of transportation used by the target user using a travel history database that manages travel history information of multiple users including a target user who owns the first device for each user, and a route guidance database that manages route guidance information provided to the multiple users for each user,
The first device is
a display unit that displays the route guidance information transmitted from the second device;
The second device is
a selection unit that acquires movement history information of other users around the target user from the movement history database, and selects a user to be compared as a comparison target user from among the other users based on the movement history information and the movement history information of the first device;
a route guidance information extraction unit that extracts route guidance information provided to the comparison target user from the route guidance database;
an estimation unit that estimates a means of transportation used by the target user at a predetermined time based on a means of transportation for each of the comparison target users corresponding to a predetermined time among the means of transportation included in the extracted route guidance information;
a communication unit that transmits information about the transportation means estimated by the estimation unit to the first device;
The first device is
displaying information on the means of transportation transmitted from the second device on the display unit, and, when the means of transportation included in the route guidance information transmitted from the second device and the means of transportation estimated by the estimation unit are different from each other with respect to the predetermined time, displaying such a fact on the display unit;
Information processing system.

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