JPH07134695A - Visual access system in network service - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To arrive at a destination as receiving detail information and also, collecting the next information by moving his other self of a user in a network map, and making proximity access service information from information inputted during movement. CONSTITUTION:A first hierarchy 1 expresses a country, and a second hierarchy a KANTO district, a third hierarchy a city. and a fourth hierarchy a road and a building, respectively. The user enters the second hierarchy 2 by selecting the KANTO district from the first hierarchy 1, and enters the third hierarchy 3 by selecting TOKYO/KANAGAWA, and enters the fourth hierarchy 4 by selecting one city, then, picturizes a part of the city as a space map. When the user moves on the space map on the fourth hierarchy 4 by using a doll 5, the user can acquire the service information nearby from important points such as a street corner, etc., and selects desired information from the service information, and enters a place 6 where service is provided. When the user enters the place 6, the content of the service is shown as a video and a character, and furthermore, the desired service can be selected from it, then, it is determined.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention facilitates moving a user's alter ego within a virtual map space to arbitrarily select a service on a map, exchanging information, and reaching a final point. The present invention relates to a visual access system in a network service that aims to enable visual access.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As human interface research becomes more and more important in recent years, UIMS (Us) has been incorporated into a computer and has the function of managing the interface such as designing, executing, evaluating, and maintaining the interface.
er Interface Management Sy
The system is known. By establishing this UIMS, a common dialog (interface) can be used for a plurality of different applications. Further, if different applications can provide the same operating environment, it is advantageous in that the user does not have to learn different usage methods for each application, and hardware that is easy to use can be obtained.

A GUI (Graphical User Interface) is known as a device for visually and interactively realizing a computer operation. This GU
According to I, the user can execute various application programs that feel like spreading a book or a document on his / her desk. That is, it is possible to visually represent the environment that the user is normally using on a computer and to interactively work on the environment on the computer, so there is not much memory to newly operate the computer. There is an advantage that even a person who is not familiar with a computer can use the computer without being confused.

[0004]

According to the above-mentioned conventional technique, in order to move from one point to another point, it is almost a straight line (at least not to go further), or a keyword is required for the instruction. Therefore, there is a problem that it is not easy for a user who is not a computer operator to fully utilize the functions.

That is, the computer interface which is commonly used at present requires specialized knowledge for its operation,
It is difficult for general users to use because there are problems such as having to learn different operation methods for different applications.

That is, the computer interface currently in common use requires specialized knowledge for its operation,
It is said that it is difficult for general users to use because of problems such as having to learn different operation methods for different applications.

[0007]

Therefore, the present invention constructs a network user interface by introducing the idea of a user interface for a user who uses a computer network (FIG. 1). It has been settled.

In the network user interface, in order to make effective use of shared resources,
It must be able to support not only audio but also video such as still images and moving images, and it must also have the characteristic of being able to flexibly support various additional network functions that will become possible in the future. To summarize the above, the qualities required for the network user interface are as follows.

(1) A simple and simple operation is possible.

(2) There is a unified operating environment.

(3) It must be expandable so that the potential of the network can be maximized.

That is, the present invention has a function of expressing a service in the building by dispersing buildings in each place of a network consisting of the virtual map space, and combining the ghosts of users moving in the virtual map space, It is a visual access system in a network service characterized by expressing the service at the point by moving the alter ego by voice and / or image. Further, another invention is characterized in that a network composed of a virtual map space has a plurality of layers. Next, another invention is to add an information exchange function to the alter ego. In still another invention, the hierarchy constitutes the virtual map space with reference to a preset division such as an administrative division.

The network service in the present invention means a service used through a network.
According to the present invention, a user walks on a "map" representing a virtual map space by manipulating its alter ego (for example, a doll), and enters a "building" corresponding to the service of interest to provide the service. Can receive. In actual use, when you stand at a certain point, the voice or image of the service will be played, or there will be a broadcast such as an advertising car, so you should walk towards the direction you are providing the service you want or receive the service you know by broadcasting. When entering the “building”, all services in the “building” can be known in detail by voice, image or the like. If you do not want such a service, you can pass without stopping.

In such a case, when another person's alter ego comes close to each other, they talk and exchange information based on each other's experience. For example, if the doll of A enters the building of a and receives the service of 1a, and the doll of B enters the building of b and receives the service of 1b, if the dolls A and B meet, A is B The access is to transmit 1a, and the access to B is to transmit 1b. However, it is more rational if both A and B are allowed to have the degree of freedom of access so that A can access B and B can access only the information that the user likes.

The major difference between the network environment represented by the map and the currently used network environment is as follows.

That is, in the currently used network, the movement from the "field" to the "field" is instantaneously performed.
When using a map like this invention, the “map space” becomes the “place” of the large network itself, and the place for each service is installed as an area with an area within it, and space is required for moving the place. It is designed to move.

A feature of the present invention is that it takes more time to select a service on a map by operating a doll that is his own, rather than direct pointing like a mouse used in a computer. is there. It can be said that this point takes time inferior to the conventional interface, but the following advantages can also be considered.

(1) Since the network can be spatially recognized, it is possible to utilize "spatial memory" which is natural to humans.

(2) Since various people can be contacted while moving through the network, chances of encountering by chance increase, and accidental information may enter.

(3) By utilizing spatial memory, the risk of getting lost in the network is reduced.

(4) Since the same interface for moving and moving one's own body is adopted for all the networks, a unified operation environment can be realized no matter what service is selected.

Spatial memory in the above means, for example, if a store is used to when a user wants to obtain an item, "the item is under the front cabinet which is folded to the left of the cash register. You should be able to get the item without any difficulty, whereas in a store that is new to you, you will have a hard time finding the place where the item is located.

What is understood from this is that a person organizes information,
It means that he frequently uses "space" to memorize. This sort of organizing and storing information using a person's space is called "utilization of spatial memory."

Also in this invention, spatial memory is utilized. The user can freely walk around the network space represented by the map metaphor for a certain amount of time to more spatially recognize and memorize the array of services on the map, and utilize it for subsequent service selection. Will be able to.

The above-mentioned chance encounter is important in the network user interface to realize communication with other users who are simultaneously accessing (FIG. 3).

We usually meet unexpected people in unexpected places. We call such encounters "accidental encounters," but the information obtained by chance encounters can often be very valuable.

In the conventional networks, only one user was used and he was not aware of the existence of other users while using the service, but in reality, he was using the network at the same time. The number of users is quite large, and whether or not users who are using the network at the same time can feel the existence of each other depends on whether the network user interface assumes a multi-user simultaneous use environment. It depends. In other words, whether or not an “incidental encounter” can occur when using the network depends on whether or not an environment in which the network user interface can cause an “incidental encounter” can be provided.

If chance encounters can occur on the network while moving from service to service, chances of accidental encounters will increase considerably. With the network user interface so far,
The movement from one service to another in the network is completed almost instantaneously, and it has not been considered to notify the user of some event during the movement.

Therefore, if it takes time to move between services in the network, it is considered that various events including accidental encounters can be caused by using the time.

By adopting a means for selecting a service of "walking" in the map space, an environment in which it takes some time to move between services can be naturally realized. In the meantime, it is possible to meet a doll of another user by chance, and to carry out highly accidental communication such as communication triggered by it (Fig. 3).

The above-mentioned accidental information discovery is another important issue in the network user interface, which is how to inform the user of the existence of a service that the user does not know. Until now, users could only receive services that they knew existed (Fig. 4).

For example, in the current telephone, the user can use only the service in which the user knows the telephone number in advance. Even if a service that matches the purpose of the user is provided, that service cannot be used without knowing the telephone number, and the telephone number of the service must be newly known while using the telephone. I can't.

However, from a user's standpoint, a network environment in which it is desired to use a better service if possible, and a better service can be discovered is not currently in use. It will be a very valuable network environment through the discovery and utilization of shared resources on the network.

In the real world, when I was taking a walk in the town, I suddenly bought something that caught my eye, or found a bargain shop, so I could buy the goods I wanted and cheaper. You may get it or find out that your favorite singer's concert will be held in your neighborhood. In this way, we accidentally find a bargain shop or accidentally obtain various useful information, and we call it “accidental information discovery”.

In the map space, accidental information discovery is realized by allowing the user to encounter various events while walking around the map (FIG. 5).

Since it is difficult to express all the interfaces in the network service of the present invention in one spatial map, the entire network is inevitably expressed as a collection of many hierarchically layered maps. Then, for each map, it is constructed to manage and retain the information of the users who participate in the map.

For example, if the mail address currently used is hierarchically divided into countries, regions, prefectures, cities, towns, buildings, floors, the user can easily select a desired map space, An accurate service can be expected from the subdivided categories.

For example, if the Kanto region is selected from the country, Tokyo is selected, Shinjuku ward is selected, Nishi Shinjuku is selected, and then the A building on the 30th floor is selected, each floor of the A building is selected. Since the service space of is provided, if a floor is designated as necessary, a specific service on the floor can be received.

If the building is used for a different purpose for a certain period of time and provides another service, by replacing the interface every time the event changes, it is possible to accurately receive the current service.

[0040]

According to the present invention, the user's alter ego is moved within the network map, and the information requesting the service is proximity-accessed based on the information that comes into contact with the user during the movement or comes in, so that the information can be obtained. It is possible to obtain detailed information, and then move further to collect the next information, meet another person's alter ego and exchange information, and thus reach the final destination while collecting information.

By hierarchizing the network user interface, a wide range of services can be selectively obtained. For example, if the administrative divisions are hierarchized, accurate and detailed services can be obtained by subdividing the hierarchy from large areas to small areas to buildings or floors.

[0042]

Example First, an interface system for expressing a network using a map metaphor is constructed.

FIG. 6 is a representation of a hierarchical network using a map. For example, in FIG. 6, the first layer 1 represents a country (map of Japan), the second layer 2 represents the Kanto region, the third layer 3 represents a city, and the fourth layer 4 represents roads and buildings. . If the floor is further created, for example, the floor in the building can be the fifth floor.

In the above description, the user selects the Kanto region from the first layer 1 and enters the second layer 2, the second layer 2 selects Tokyo / Kanagawa and enters the third layer 3, and the third layer 3
Then, one city is selected and enters the fourth layer 4, and in the fourth layer 4, a part of the city is visualized as a spatial map.

If the doll 5 is used to move on the space map on the fourth layer 4, the service information in the vicinity is obtained from important points such as street corners, and the desired information is selected from the service information. , Enter the place 6 (for example, a building) where the service is performed. When the user enters the place 6, the contents of the service are shown by the image and the characters, and the desired service is further selected and confirmed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, when the dolls 5 and 5a meet, information about the service A is transmitted through the doll 5,
Regarding the service B, the doll 5a can transmit information and exchange experiences (exchange information) with each other.

In the above embodiment, in the map space, the part for providing the service and the part for controlling the user interface can be separated to some extent.

In this embodiment, a program that provides a service is called a "server" program, and a program that controls a user interface is a "client".
Call it a program. In particular, a server program that controls a map metaphor that represents an interface and manages users who participate in the map is called a "map server" program.

In the general server / client model,
While it is assumed that the programmer will write a program on the client side to use the functions of the server, in the server / client model of map space, the client side program requires one for each hardware. It is considered that the programmer mainly creates the server-side program (that is, the service providing program) because it only needs to exist one by one, and the two are different in this respect.

The map server in the above is a program which is the very core of the map space network user interface.

Therefore, the network is recognized by the user as a "collection of maps provided by the map server".

The map server has at least one piece of map information and, if necessary, more pieces of map information, and at the same time holds information about various services registered on the map.
On the other hand, the user does not have any information about the map in advance. That is, the user can obtain the map information from the map server only after connecting to the map server. For this reason, all users can have the same map information as long as the map server always provides the same map information to the users. In other words, the map server is responsible for ensuring that all users have the same map information.

The map server provides "all" convenience to the services provided on the map provided by itself and the users who use the map. For example, if a user moves a doll and requests a service on the map, he must provide the user with the necessary information to access the service. In the unlikely event that the map server cannot provide the user with access to the service,
The user loses everything he or she should use the service. In addition to managing the service information, the map server should manage the information about the map servers in the upper and lower layers to help the user to smoothly move between the layers.

The client program plays all roles related to the user interface. Therefore, it is a program that runs on the computer operated by the user.

That is, it has a role of appropriately presenting information sent from the server program to the user while reporting various operations of the user to a server program such as a map server.

The server program and the client program communicate with each other according to a predetermined protocol to present the service to the user. This predetermined protocol is referred to as "MR protocol".
(FIG. 7). Since the server exchanges information with the client according to the MR protocol, any computer having a client program compatible with the MR protocol can receive the service provided by the server regardless of the hardware specifications.

For example, the server does not need to know at all whether the computer terminal used by the user has a color display, whether the computer terminal supports only a monochrome display, etc. Should be sent to the client according to the MR protocol. The client program based on the MR protocol presents information to the user to the extent possible by the hardware.

If necessary, however, the information transmitted can be processed. For example, a client program that operates on a terminal having a black and white display may, for example, receive color map information from a server and convert it into a black and white map for display.

By clearly distinguishing the server program that provides the service from the client program that controls the user interface, it is possible to considerably reduce the need to consider the hardware problem on the client side when creating the service. In this respect, it has become possible to produce services using the map space interface very efficiently. At the same time, by making the protocol extensible, it became possible to support various media and services that will be realized by the future development of network technology.

The relationship between the server and the client in the above is as shown in FIG. 8, for example. According to FIG. 8, the service forms a colony centered on the map server. It can be seen that the map server has a hierarchical structure similar to a tree structure. The existence of services that are simultaneously referenced by multiple map servers is also allowed. It can be said that this structure is a kind of hypertext structure in which the server is a node.

The client program supports the user from the earliest stages of connecting the user to the network. The user need only tell the client program which map server to connect to first. Then, the client program makes a connection request to the map server. When the server confirms the connection request from the client, the server notifies the client of the completion of the connection, and then sends the map information and the information of all users currently existing in the server. The client "maps" to the user based on the information sent from the server
To present. The services registered in the map server are represented in some form on the map.

When the user uses a joystick or the like to instruct the direction of movement in order to move the "doll" that is an alter ego on the map, the client sends the state of the joystick to the server. The server uses that information to calculate the user's new location and sends it back to the client along with the other users' existing locations. The client updates the position of the user based on the newly sent position information and reflects it on the map presented to the user. The user sees it and determines whether the doll has moved as he / she desires, and further inputs by using the joystick.

Thus, when a user overlays a doll with a service, it is considered that the user has requested that service. When the map server detects an overlap between a user and a service, it provides the client with the information it needs to access the overlapped service,
Request a connection to that service. When the client receives a connection request for a service from the server, it disconnects the connection with the server and makes a connection request for the specified service.

The above is a typical server-client interaction. All communication between the server and the client is carried out by taking over the MR protocol. Through such interaction, the user can walk around the map server, encounter various services, and receive the services. As is clear from the above example, the map space interface is assumed to be realized on a network environment capable of real-time response.

Specifically, the map space is implemented by using a Sun (SUN) spark station as a target machine for both the server and client programs.
The network environment used is Ethernet.
As a result, the program configuration of the server and client,
The relationship between them is as shown in (Fig. 8 and Fig. 9).

MR library (M
Rlib) is realized as a library function group that operates on UNIX, and the service is one process that uses the MR library. The client uses the MR library for communication with the server, and X window (X-
Windows), but this is also realized as one process. In the current version of the MR library,
Since some MR protocols are not supported, the currently implemented client program and server functions are also limited to that range. Both the client and server processes perform MR protocol-based exchange in a real-time network environment in which reliability is ensured and which is provided by TCP / IP.

Next, FIG. 10 shows the link state of the map server and the service created under the above environment, that is, how the hierarchical structure of the map server is realized and what service is provided to each map server. Indicates whether it is registered.

Among the above map servers existing in the current map space environment, the Keio Town map server (FIG. 10) plays the largest role.

Kanto map server 7 and Tamachi map server 8
Is higher in rank, but so far it is not as important as Keio Town Map Server 9. Since they were created only for confirming the hierarchical structure, they are map servers that do not provide any services that are not registered.

A map of Keio Town is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, there are several buildings on the map of Keio Town, each of which is associated with some service. It is possible for the user to manipulate the doll, which is his own, on the map of Keio Town, to act freely, and to use the service. The services currently registered in Keio Town are as follows.

Keio Station (Fig. 12 KEIO S
(TATION) is a service that connects the Keio Town map server 9 and the Tamachi map server 8 and also provides a train ticket reservation service.

In addition, ski information (see FIG. 1)
3 SKI INFORMATION) is a ski resort A,
This is an example of a service that provides the guide service of B and uses the image data read by the scanner as a map (Fig. 14). Other examples of use are as follows.

(1) Travel Agent (TRAV
EL AGENT) There is a service to demonstrate a travel agency.

(2) MYO Building (MYO BUILD
ING) A service to demonstrate the environment for system developers on MAP & ROOM. You can use the conference room on the 1st floor and Emacs on the 2nd floor.

(3) Go board service (GO) A service that provides a go board. There is a demonstration of a game service that allows Go stones to be placed.

(4) Soccer field (SUCCE
R FIELD) A service that provides a soccer field. There is a demonstration of a multiplayer game service.

(5) Demonstration of a service for providing moving images through a movie theater (THEATER) network. You can watch a short movie.

(6) City Hall (CITY HALL) Demonstration of city hall service. There is a building but the service has not been provided yet.

(7) Information (INFOR
MATTER CENTER) Demonstration of a service that provides various information to users in Keio Town. In a word, it is a “bulletin board”.

Of the services listed above, the two services of Keio station and ski information will be described in detail below.

The Keio station (FIG. 12) is a service for connecting the Keio town map server and the Tamachi map server. At the same time, as a typical example of the interactive service in the map space environment, a ticket reservation service is provided. It is also a service provided (Figs. 5, 7, and 8).

Keio Town has one map as a standard example of a service in the map space. The map shows the view from above with the roof of the station building removed. The upper part is Tamachi map server 8 and the lower part is Keio town map server 9.
Connected to. When the user goes from Keio Town to Tamachi, he has to go through the Keio station 10 without fail, so this Keio station 10 is a service with a high population density, and provides a perfect place for accidental encounters.

Next, the ski information service is a service of providing information on the ski resort around Lake Shirakaba together with a map of the ski resort (FIGS. 13 and 1).
4).

In the map space, the map that the server can send to the client can be roughly divided into two types. One is a “tile map” and the other is an “image map”.

The tile map is a map created by combining "tiles" for which standard patterns are defined in the map space system. In this case, the server simply sends to the client the tile number sequence indicating in what order tiles can be created to create a map, and the client combines the tile image information that the client has to create a map to show to the user. To generate. This method has the advantage that the cost of sending the map information can be kept low, and many servers currently implemented use tile maps.

The image map is a type of map in which the server directly sends the image information of the map to the client. The image map has a problem in that the map information sent from the server to the client becomes quite large, but is very excellent in that the user can be provided with the map as the server desires. from now on,
Computer peripheral technology and network technology have advanced,
We think that this map will become the mainstream if we can secure the capacity to handle videos normally. Eventually, it would even be possible to provide the map in video.

This ski information service was developed as an example of a service using an image map. The image map used is created by scanning the ski information magazine with a scanner. An image map when the user enters this service is shown in FIG.

This service uses a road map to the ski resort as a main map and illustrations of each ski resort as a sub map.
It is also an example of a service with multiple maps. Therefore, this service has a slightly complicated internal structure (Fig. 1
4).

The user can walk around the main map and enter the sub-map which is an image map of the ski resort from the ski resort where the user wants to know the information. Various information about the ski area can be obtained on the sub-map of the ski area.

In this way, the server supports a plurality of image maps, so that information can be more structurally maintained.
It becomes possible to provide. As a result, the user can obtain the information he or she wants to know more easily and in more detail.

[0091]

According to the present invention, a building is provided in each place of a network composed of a virtual map space, and a function of expressing services in the building is provided, and a user moving in the virtual map space is provided with the function. Since the services of the point by moving the ghosts are combined and expressed by voice or image or both, even users who are not familiar with computer operation can easily move the ghosts and accidentally There are various effects such as being able to receive service provided by encounters, or obtain new information through dialogue between altercations.

However, by layering each map,
There is an effect that a specific place (for example, inside a building) and its service can be expressed by narrowing down from a wide range map.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a network, a place of service, and an alter ego.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional chance encounter.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a chance encounter of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of service recognition.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a hierarchical network similarly using a map.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an MR protocol.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a relationship between a server and a client.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a relationship between a server and a client.

FIG. 10 is an overall view showing a map space environment.

FIG. 11 is also an exemplary map of Keio Town.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary view of the Keio station.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of ski information.

FIG. 14 is an exemplary view of ski area information.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 1st layer 2 2nd layer 3 3rd layer 4 4th layer 5 Doll 6 Place 7 Kanto map server 8 Tamachi map server 9 Keio town map server 10 Keio station

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Internal reference number FI Technical display location H04L 12/28 8125-5L G06F 15/62 335 8732-5K H04L 11/20 Z (72) Inventor Kenichi Okada 4-25-12 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Jun Mizunashi 3-14-1, Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Department of Measurement Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Keio University

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A function is provided in which a building is scattered in each place of a network composed of a virtual map space, and services in the building are expressed, and the ghosts of users who move in the virtual map space are combined, A visual access system for a network service, which is characterized by expressing the service at the point of movement by voice and / or image. 2. The visual access system in the network service according to claim 1, wherein the network composed of the virtual map space has a plurality of layers. 3. The information exchange function is added to the alter ego.
Visual access system in the described network service. 4. The visual access system in a network service according to claim 1, wherein the hierarchy constitutes a virtual map space with reference to a preset division such as an administrative division.