JP3428580B2 - Location information providing system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to relates to a system that can provide information about the position against the information processing equipment such as capable of acquiring position information computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Systems have been developed which can detect the position of oneself by receiving radio waves from a plurality of satellites.
GPS (Global Positioning System) is used for car navigation systems of automobiles. This G
The accuracy of the position obtained when the processing terminal equipped with PS measures its own position by itself is 100 m.
It is a degree. As one of the methods for improving the accuracy of position information in a system for detecting such a position, position information obtained by GPS at a reference station whose position is known with high accuracy and known reference position information of the reference station are used. There is a method of correction using the compared error information (difference information), which is called DGPS (differential GPS) in GPS.

[0003]

In order for a terminal equipped with a GPS to accurately obtain its own position information by the DGPS method when its own position is not known, it is necessary to receive data from a satellite and It is necessary to obtain error information at the time point and perform arithmetic processing. The error information used for the arithmetic processing varies depending on the region and time. Therefore, in order for a terminal equipped with a GPS to accurately calculate the position of the location of the terminal, it is necessary to acquire error information obtained near the location at approximately the same time. Since the data from the satellite is the data showing the location, it is obtained from the GPS antenna attached to the terminal. On the other hand, as a means for obtaining the error information, a method of transmitting the error information from a reference station by radio such as an FM wave, or JP-A-8-36
As described in No. 044, a method of transmitting error information using a PHS base station as a reference station is considered.

However, in these methods, it is necessary to arrange base stations so as to transmit error information to all terminals, that is, all areas, and it is necessary to install innumerable base stations all over the world. Therefore, enormous cost is required to improve the environment so that the DGPS can be used anywhere. Even if the environment is improved, the terminal equipped with GPS needs a receiving function for acquiring error information in addition to a function for receiving data from a satellite, and the receiving function is arranged on the ground. Such as selecting the base station that can obtain the most appropriate error information from the innumerable base stations.
It requires more complex systems and processes than PS. Furthermore, if the error information is transmitted via a different communication medium such as FM waves or PHS for each region, D is required unless the error information is obtained by a medium suitable for that region.
GPS cannot be used, and a general-purpose information processing terminal that can be used anywhere cannot be realized.

Therefore, in the present invention, the error information relating to the position information can be used by a system having versatility.
And its object is to provide a position information providing system that. Also, anytime anywhere easily can obtain error information, and its object is to provide a position information providing system that can improve the accuracy of the location information by a system such as DGPS using the error information. Moreover, the cost for environmental improvement necessary for using the error information can be significantly reduced, and its object is to provide a low cost position information providing system that can utilize the position information of high accuracy.

[0006]

Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to access a service system which provides error information related to position information via a computer network. Then, the position information is corrected by the error information obtained through the computer network,
Alternatively, the position information is sent to the service system so that the position information corrected by the appropriate error information can be obtained. That is, this information processing apparatus is connectable via a computer network to a position information acquisition means capable of acquiring its own position information based on data received from a plurality of satellites and a service system for providing error information of position information. It is characterized by having an access means and a position information correction means for transmitting the position information to the service system, receiving error information for correcting the position information, and correcting the position information. It is also possible to send the position information to the service system and receive the corrected position information.

Various means for accessing a computer network are considered, and not only wired public telephone lines but also mobile telephone lines such as PHS and CATV networks are used as media, and currently available communication media. It can be accessed from any of the networks and communication media networks that will be available in the future. In addition, computer networks can handle common data among a wide variety of hardware and software by adopting a common protocol. At present, the Internet adopting the TCP / IP Internet (IP) protocol covers almost the entire world,
By accessing the Internet using some kind of communication medium, anyone can freely use the information opened on the Internet. Therefore, if it is provided a service system for providing error information over a computer network, by means of access information processing device, via any medium available information processing apparatus at the location of the information processing apparatus It can be connected to a computer network and can easily access error information by accessing a service system. Therefore , the information processing device does not need to limit the communication medium in order to acquire the error information, and thus has high versatility. In addition, since a wide variety of communication medium networks such as public telephone networks that have already been prepared for each region or a wide variety of communication medium networks that will be developed in the future can be used as communication mediums that connect to computer networks, There is no need to provide a dedicated communication medium network for transmitting error information to the device, and future expandability is high. Therefore, the cost of environment maintenance required to adopt a system for correcting position information by error information such as DGPS can be very low.

Further, by using a computer network in which data is transmitted and received digitally,
Even if the number of users who acquire the error information increases, it is possible to deal with it. Further, since the error information can be acquired by accessing the computer network from the access point of the communication medium that is the most convenient and closest to the user's location, the communication cost for acquiring the error information is low.

Further, instead of correcting the position information on the side of the information processing device, it is also possible to transmit the data obtained from the satellite to the service system through the computer network to obtain the corrected position information. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the processing load of the information processing apparatus. Therefore, it is suitable for a small and lightweight information processing device that can be mounted on a mobile phone or a vehicle and movable.

[0010] The information processing apparatus having such a function,
An information processing apparatus having a position information acquisition unit capable of acquiring its own position information based on data received from a plurality of satellites and an access unit connectable to a desired service system via a computer network is provided with the following control function. It can be realized by controlling the software provided. 1. The position information is acquired by the position information acquisition means. 2. The access means connects to a service system that provides error information of position information. 3. Send location information to the service system. 4. Error information for correcting the position information or the corrected position information is received from the service system.

Such a control method or software can be provided through a recording medium such as a ROM, a hard disk, an IC card, or a computer network such as the Internet, and information processing including a position information acquisition unit and an access unit. It is also possible to provide the device as an add-on or a plug-in function.

Further, according to the present invention, since the service system is connected to the service system via a bidirectional communication computer network, the position information obtained by the information processing apparatus can be transmitted to the service system. Therefore, the service system side can specify the user who is the destination of the error information and the location of the user. Therefore, the service system side selects or processes error information suitable for the location of the information processing device and sends it to the information processing device, or the service system side performs correction processing by the error information suitable for the position information. It becomes possible to do. Also, the fixed reference station closest to the user's location can be used as a service system. Further, a system is possible in which a fixed reference station serving as a service system acquires the error information by changing the access destination of the information processing device to the next fixed reference station that comes closest to the user as the user moves. Further, it is possible to store information on the user and his / her location in the service system.

As the error information suitable for the location of the information processing apparatus, if there is a fixed reference station near the location of the information processing apparatus, the error information of the fixed reference station may be provided.
Alternatively, it is possible to provide a service by processing appropriate error information from the error information of a plurality of fixed reference stations and providing it.
As described above, the position information providing system of the present invention is provided with a plurality of guards.
Received data indicating location information from the stars and made clear in advance.
By comparing with the reference position of the
Error from multiple fixed reference stations that can provide information
A position information providing system capable of acquiring difference information,
The error information from the fixed reference station is used as the reference error information.
Means of storage and access via computer network
Means for receiving the location information of the user, and searching for the user.
If there is a request to search,
Select or process error information suitable for the user's position information
The position information of the user is corrected and then corrected.
The person who requested the search for the location information of the user
To the computer via the computer network
It has a position information providing means. Well
In addition, the receiving means adds to the position information of the user.
In addition, the user information of the user is stored, and the position information is stored.
In addition to the position information of the user, the providing means
You can also send information.

In such a position information providing system of the present invention, it is not necessary to arrange an innumerable number of base stations having a function of generating error information, such as a system for transmitting error information from a PHS base station. Absent. Also, the information processing device side provides appropriate error information P
Functions such as selecting an HS base station are not required. Thus, by using the position information providing system of the present invention, it is possible to very construct an inexpensive system available high positional information accuracy by correcting the position information.

Further, the service system of the present invention is not limited to the error information for correcting the position information, and the map information and other information in the vicinity of the information processing device can be calculated by the computer based on the corrected position information with high accuracy. It is also possible to provide the information processing apparatus via the network. The map information and the like may be provided from a service system that provides error information, or it is possible to provide map information from a service system different from the service system that provides error information. In the information processing device, by providing a function to connect to the above-mentioned map information service system that provides map information to the access means, the map information of the area related to the accurate position based on the corrected position information. Can be obtained and displayed.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows an example using a measurable terminal 10 self location by receiving radio waves from G PS satellites 1. At least 4 for GPS single positioning
It is possible to simultaneously receive radio waves from one GPS satellite 1 and obtain measured coordinate values of longitude B or b, latitude L or 1 and height H or h as position information. Therefore, the location of the information processing device can be obtained by performing GPS positioning by the mobile information processing terminal 10 which is equipped with the GPS receiving antenna 2 and the GPS positioning function, such as a portable type or a vehicle-mounted type. However, GPS
The position information obtained by positioning contains errors due to error factors such as the ionosphere and troposphere, and its accuracy is
The current open band and code is 100m
It is a degree. As a method of correcting such an error factor, there is a method of calculating error information from the position information obtained for the reference position and correcting other position information. As a method for improving the accuracy of the position information obtained by GPS positioning, a method called differential GPS (DGPS) is known in which correction is performed using error information obtained from a fixed reference station 20 whose coordinates are clear. . For example, the reference coordinate value (B0,
If the measured coordinate value (B, L, H) is obtained from the position information by GPS positioning in the fixed reference station 20a of (L0, H0), the coordinate error is (ΔB, ΔL, ΔH). Since this coordinate error fluctuates depending on the error factor, it fluctuates depending on the place and time when GPS positioning is performed. Therefore, if the information processing terminal 10 obtains the measured coordinate values (b, l, h) in the vicinity of the fixed reference station 20a at approximately the same time, the coordinate error information (ΔB, ΔL, ΔH) can be used for correction. It is possible, and the location of the location can be calculated accurately. In fact, in GPS, such DGPS
By adopting the method, it is possible to obtain accurate coordinates of the location with an error of several meters or less. However, in DGPS, the range to which the error information obtained by the fixed base station 20 can be applied is equal to
It is limited to a range of about 00 km, and a system for transmitting appropriate error information to an information processing terminal whose location is unknown is required.

In the information processing terminal 10 of this example, the Internet 30 which is one of computer networks is used.
It is connected to so that appropriate error information can be obtained at the location. Therefore, based on the error information, DGPS
Using, it is possible to obtain highly accurate position information. Figure 2
The schematic configuration of the information processing terminal 10 of the present example is shown in FIG.
The information processing terminal 10 of this example is a mobile terminal, and is mainly configured by a CPU 11 which is a control unit. CPU1
An internal bus 16 connected to the memory 1 includes a memory 12 as an internal storage device, a display device 13 such as an LCD, an input device 14 capable of keyboard or pen input, a hard disk or a floppy (registered trademark) disk, etc. The external storage device 15 is further connected to the expansion bus interface 17. Further, a data communication device 18 is connected to the internal bus 16, and the data communication terminal 18 allows access to the access point 3 of the nearby Internet via a public telephone line or PHS line network.
0a to connect the information processing terminal 10 to TCP / I
Data can be exchanged with a service server connected to the Internet according to the P protocol.
In this example, the data communication device 18 is an access unit having a function of accessing a predetermined service station via the Internet. Further, a GPS surveying unit 19 is also connected to the internal bus 16, and the GPS surveying unit 19 analyzes the received data with a receiver 19a that receives data from GPS satellites via the GPS receiving antenna 2. The computer 19b is provided to obtain position information such as coordinate position and time information. Information processing terminal 10 of this example
In addition, in addition to the built-in GPS receiving antenna 2, a terminal 3 is provided so that a receiving antenna can be attached.

External storage device 1 of the information processing terminal 10 of this example
5 is provided with an application program for obtaining the location of the information processing terminal 10 by using the GPS function, so that an accurate coordinate value of the location of the information processing terminal 10 can be obtained by a user operation or a request of another application. It has become. FIG. 5 shows an example of the control operation by the application program for finding the location. When there is a request for the location, this external storage device 1
The application program stored in 5 is loaded into the memory, and the CPU 11 starts processing according to the program. First, in step 51, GPS surveying is performed using the GPS surveying unit 19. Next, in step 52, the data communication device 18 is used to access the Internet 30.
Then, in step 53, the connection with the service system is established using the Internet address of the service system 35 that provides the error information for DGPS. The process of establishing the connection with the service system 35 and the process of performing the GPS survey may be performed at the same time, or the GPS after the connection with the service system is established.
Of course, you can start the survey. Next, in step 54, position information including coordinate values and time information obtained by GPS surveying is transmitted to the service system 35 via the Internet 30. The error information with respect to the positional information transmitted in step 55 is received via the Internet, and in step 56, the coordinate values and the like are corrected and displayed on the display device 13. It is also possible to receive the map information together with the error information from the service system 35, display the map information of the location of the information processing terminal on the display device, and show the location on the displayed map.

It is also possible to reduce the processing load on the information processing terminal 10 by acquiring position information such as already corrected coordinate values instead of receiving the error information in step 55. Further, when the GPS survey is periodically repeated, it is possible to obtain the error information via the Internet at a fixed survey interval and perform the independent positioning using the error information, and obtain the error information via the Internet. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the processing time required.

FIG. 3 shows a fixed reference station 2 for measuring error information.
A schematic configuration of 0 is shown. GPS antenna 2 of this example
And a GPS surveying unit 21 that performs GPS surveying. The GPS surveying unit 21 uses the GPS antenna 2
It is provided with a receiver 21a that receives the radio waves of the PS satellites, and a calculation function unit 21b that calculates error information (difference data) by comparing the previously known reference position information with the measured position information obtained from the GPS satellites. . Calculated error information (Δ
B, ΔL, ΔH) are stored in the storage device of the server 23,
It is supplied to the service system 35 by the communication equipment 24 at predetermined time intervals or continuously. In this example,
The fixed reference station 20 also supplies error information to the service system 35 via the Internet, and does not install a dedicated line connecting the fixed reference station 20 and the service system 35 or a specialized radio equipment for transmitting error information. I am good at it. Of course, the fixed reference station 20 and the service system 35 may be connected by a leased line or wireless. Further, since the fixed reference station 20 of this example is connected to the Internet 30, it is also possible to directly connect to the information processing terminal 10 and the Internet 30. Therefore, the information processing terminal 10 can acquire the error information using the fixed reference station 20 as a service system if the Internet address of the fixed reference station 20 suitable for itself is known.

[0021] FIG. 4 shows a service <br/> scan system 35 as one example of the present invention. The service system 35 of this example includes communication equipment 36 connected to the Internet 30 and
A server 36 that manages information of a user who has accessed the service system 35 via the Internet 30 and a service server 37 that provides error information to the user who has accessed the service system 35 are provided. Such a service system 3
The number 5 may be provided in one or several places for each wide area that can be recognized by the user without using GPS survey, for example, for each country. Then, the Internet address of the service system may be prepared in the information processing terminal 10 or the application program for GPS surveying that runs on the information processing terminal 10. The user or application program can access the Internet by designating the Internet address of an appropriate service system to receive the service of the service system 35 in the area. Further, when the information processing terminal 10 accesses the service system 35, GPS-measured position information is also sent. Therefore, when the location of the information processing terminal 10 is outside the range of the accessed service system 35, the accessed service system 35 returns the internet address of the appropriate service system 35 to the information processing terminal side, and Terminal 10
The process such as re-accessing by can be easily performed.

When ordering error information via the Internet, position information including coordinate values and time information obtained by GPS surveying is transmitted to the service system 35 side. Therefore, on the service system 35 side, among the fixed reference stations 20, the fixed reference station 2 closest to the coordinate value of the user is displayed.
It is possible to select a coordinate error of 0, and further, since the time information is added, the error information obtained at that time can be transmitted, or the position information can be corrected using the error information. Therefore, the position information obtained by the GPS survey by the information processing terminal and the service system of this example can be corrected to be more reliable and accurate.

FIG. 5 shows an example of processing in the service system 35. First, in step 61, reference error information is acquired from a plurality of fixed reference stations 20 connected to the service system 35 or within the service range of the service system 35, and stored in the service server 38 together with time information. Then, if there is an access from the user via the Internet in step 62, the position information is received in step 63. Next, the position information is analyzed, and the error information at the same time of an appropriate fixed reference station is selected from the coordinate values measured by the GPS and the time information. Then, in step 64, the error information is transmitted via the Internet. of course,
In step 64, the corrected position information may be transmitted, or the map information related to the position information may be transmitted to the information terminal of the user. And the book
The service server 3 in the position information providing system of the invention
8 stores the information of the accessed user (user identification information and the like) and the position information in step 65, and provides the accessed user and the position information if there is a search request for a lost child, for example. Services such as
It is possible. Further, in this example, the error information of the fixed reference station closest to the location of the user's information processing terminal is provided as the error information, but the error information of the plurality of fixed reference stations is the most appropriate at the location of the user. It is of course possible to provide a service of processing error information that is likely to be lost and providing it to the user. Furthermore, it is possible that the service system first accessed by the user provides the Internet address of the fixed reference station closest to the user so that the fixed reference station can be used as the service system. Further, it is possible to provide a service in which the fixed reference station indicates the next fixed reference station or the Internet address of the service system to the information processing terminal as the user moves.

As described above, in the system using the information processing terminal having the GPS surveying function of this example, the difference information necessary for DGPS, that is, the error information is obtained via the Internet which is a computer network. I am allowed to do so. The Internet itself has already been built on a global scale, and access to the Internet is through wired and wireless telephone networks, PHS, C.
It is possible to use various communication media such as ATV. Furthermore, if an access point connected to the Internet is accessed by any of these communication media, it is possible to establish a connection with a predetermined service system via the Internet. Furthermore, as the information infrastructure is improved, it will be possible to access the Internet easily and cheaply from more access points. Therefore, by supplying error information to individual information processing terminals via the Internet like the system according to the present invention, there is almost no cost for constructing a system for improving the accuracy of position information using error information. No need, DGP is very cheap anywhere
It becomes possible to use S. Further, since the error information can be acquired by an information processing terminal having a function capable of connecting to the Internet, it is not necessary to provide a communication facility such as a dedicated PHS or FM in the information processing terminal, and the error can be obtained by the information processing terminal having high versatility. Information or highly accurate position information can be used. Furthermore, by accessing the service system via the Internet capable of two-way communication, it becomes possible for the service system to have many functions and information as described above, and to use the functions on the information processing terminal side. Therefore, it is possible to obtain many functions and information related to GPS surveying using a small and lightweight information processing terminal such as a portable type and a vehicle-mounted type.

In the above description, an example using a GPS satellite is described as a method for measuring the location of the information processing terminal, but the present invention is not limited to GPS,
Of course, it can be applied to the case where the position is specified by radio waves from other satellites. Furthermore, the Internet is considered to have the highest utility value as a computer network under the present circumstances, but the present invention is not limited to the Internet and may be any computer network that can be generally used in the future. Of course, even if there is, it can be applied.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the position information providing system of the present invention, the user corrected by the error information to improve the accuracy of the position information obtained from the satellite
The location information is acquired via a computer network. Therefore, it was corrected by the error information .
It is not necessary to newly construct a communication system for providing the position information of the user, and it is possible to provide an environment in which highly accurate position information such as DGPS can be used at a very low cost. Further, when the error information is obtained, the position information measured by the GPS or the like can be sent to the service system via the computer network, so that it is possible to receive various services as described above.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a system using an information processing terminal equipped with a GPS surveying function capable of obtaining error information via the Internet of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an information processing terminal shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a fixed reference station shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the service system shown in FIG.

5 is a flowchart showing an outline of processing in the information processing terminal shown in FIG. 2 and the service system shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. GPS satellite 2 GPS antenna 10 information processing terminal 11 CPU 12 memory 13 display device 14 input device 15 external storage device 16 internal bus 18 data communication device ( Internet access part) 19-GPS surveying part 20-Fixed reference station 30-Internet 35-Service system 36-Communication part (Internet access part) 37-User management server 38-Error information Service server

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Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. Data showing position information from a plurality of satellites
Receive and compare with your own pre-defined reference position
By providing the error information of the position information,
Location information that can obtain the error information from the fixed reference station of
In the system, the error information from the fixed reference station is used as reference error information.
And a means for storing the location information of the user via a computer network.
If there is a means to receive information and a request to search for the user,
From the difference information, select error information suitable for the user's position information.
Select or modify to obtain and correct the user's position information
Then, the corrected position information of the user is searched for.
To the person who requested
And a position information providing means for transmitting via
Location information providing system. 2. The means for receiving is the location of the user.
In addition to the position information, the user information of the user is stored, and the position information providing unit adds to the position information of the user.
And transmitting the user information.
The position information providing system according to 1.