JP4959611B2 - Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program, and more particularly, to a technique for storing information on a route by a simpler method so that a user can easily search and acquire the information.

On the Internet, there is a Web site that provides a service for performing a route search when a departure station, an arrival station, and an arrival date and time are input, and presenting a plurality of routes corresponding to the search condition (for example, Patent Documents). 1).
JP 2006-202056 A

  By the way, for example, when it is desired to know the route to the destination, it is convenient to be able to easily know information about the route that the user has used in the past. For example, if the nearest station of the current destination is on the route used when moving to another destination in the past, the current destination or memorized landmarks will be used as keywords in the past. It is useful to be able to know information about the route that was taken.

  However, in order to store the information on the route used in the past by the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to store the information on the railway station on the route, the position information on the road on the route, and the like. And the amount of information to be stored becomes enormous. As a result, there is a possibility that the computer resources required for searching the stored route information become excessive.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. An information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program that store information related to a route in a simpler manner and that can be easily searched and acquired by a user. The purpose is to provide.

One of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is an information processing apparatus, which interpolates the plurality of passage positions with a passage position acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of passage positions when the user moves. A path function generation unit that generates a path function that is a function that can be performed, and a path information management unit that stores information indicating the passage position that is the generation source of the path function in association with the path function as path information; A position designation accepting unit that accepts designation of a position from the user, a route function retrieving unit that retrieves the route function that passes through or near the accepted position, and the route function that is associated with the retrieved route function A route information output unit that outputs route information is provided.

One of the present invention is the information processing apparatus, wherein the passage position acquired by the passage position acquisition unit, the path function generated by the path function generation unit, and the position specification reception unit The position is specified by three-dimensional coordinates, and the path function generation unit interpolates the passing position by a three-dimensional function.

  One of the present invention is the information processing apparatus, wherein the path function generation unit further determines the path function based on geographic information.

  One of the present invention is the information processing apparatus, wherein the geographic information includes route information including a railroad or a road, and the route function generation unit further moves the user based on the route information. The route function is generated based on the route that is estimated to be used.

  Also, one of the present invention is the information processing apparatus, wherein the passage position acquisition unit is based on a use history of a route including a railroad or a road or a use history of a facility including a store or a leisure facility. The position is to be acquired.

  One of the present invention is the information processing apparatus, wherein the passage position acquired by the passage position acquisition unit, the path function generated by the path function generation unit, and the position designation reception unit are received. The position is specified by three-dimensional coordinates.

One of the present invention is an information processing method, in which an information processing device acquires a plurality of passage positions when a user moves, and interpolates the plurality of passage positions with a function. A step of generating a route function that is a route to be obtained; a step of storing information indicating the passage position that is a generation source of the route function in association with the route function as route information; And a step of searching for the path function passing through the received position or in the vicinity thereof, and a step of outputting the path information associated with the searched path function.

Further, one of the present invention is a program, which is a program that obtains a plurality of passage positions when a user moves in an information processing apparatus, and a route obtained by interpolating the plurality of passage positions with a function. A function for generating a path function, a function for storing information indicating the passage position that is a generation source of the path function in association with the path function as path information, and a function for receiving designation of a position from the user. The function of searching for the path function passing through the received position or in the vicinity thereof and the function of outputting the path information associated with the searched path function are realized.

  In addition, the problems disclosed by the present application and the solutions thereof will be clarified by the column of the best mode for carrying out the invention and the drawings.

  According to the present invention, a user can easily search for and acquire information on a route indexed by a function and stored.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an information processing system 1 described as an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, this information processing system 1 includes a route information providing device 10 installed in a data center 2, a communication terminal 20 that is communicably connected to the route information providing device 10 via a first communication network 5, And various server devices 30 that are communicably connected to the route information providing device 10 via the second communication network 6.

  The first communication network 5 and the second communication network 6 are wired or wireless communication means such as the Internet, a dedicated line, a LAN, a WAN, and a telephone line.

  The route information providing apparatus 10 has a function as the Web server 11 and provides a Web page to the communication terminal 20 in response to a request from the communication terminal 20. The route information providing device 10 performs data communication with various server devices 30.

  The communication terminal 20 is a computer used in homes or businesses such as personal computers. The communication terminal 20 is a portable communication device such as a mobile phone or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance). The various server devices 30 are computers operated by various organizations such as railway companies, road operators, supermarkets, department stores, store managers such as net supermarkets, and operators of vacation / entertainment facilities.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a hardware configuration of a computer used as the route information providing device 10, the communication terminal 20, and the various server devices 30. As shown in the figure, the computer 100 includes a CPU 101, a main storage device 102, an external storage device 103, an input device 104, an output device 105, and a communication interface 106. Of these, the main storage device 102 is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory). The external storage device 103 is, for example, a hard disk device, a CD (Compact Disk), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), or the like. The input device 14 is a keyboard, a mouse, or the like. The display device 15 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display or a cathode ray tube monitor, or a printing device such as a printer. The communication interface 106 is, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card) or a wireless LAN interface.

  FIG. 3 shows the main functions of the route information providing apparatus 10. As shown in the figure, the route information providing apparatus 10 includes a passage position acquisition unit 111, a route function generation unit 112, a route information management unit 113, a position designation reception unit 114, a route function search unit 115, a route information output unit 116, and the like. It has the function of. Note that these functions are realized by the hardware of the route information providing device 10 or by the CPU 101 of the route information providing device 10 reading and executing a program stored in the main storage device 102 or the external storage device 103. Is done.

  The passage position acquisition unit 111 shown in the figure acquires a plurality of passage positions on the route when the user has actually moved in the past. In the following description, it is assumed that the passing position includes a starting point and a destination.

  The passage position acquisition unit 111 acquires, for example, by transmitting a web page having a passage position input field and an input function from the Web server 11 to the communication terminal 20. For example, the passage position is input by the user specifying the mouse on the map screen.

4A and 4B show an example of the passing position acquired by the passing position acquisition unit 111. FIG. Although Figure 4A shows a case in which the mobile user from the "○○ Amusement Park" to "home", in this case, passing position acquisition unit 111, example "○○ Amusement Park", "Yurakucho", "Shinjuku Station ”,“ Home nearest station ”, and“ Home ”are acquired as the passing positions. The Figure 4B is a case where the mobile user from "Roppongi Station" to "◇ △ cinema", in this case, passing position acquisition unit 111, for example, "Roppongi Station",及 Beauty "△△ coffee shop" a Obtained as the passing position.

  The passage position acquisition unit 111 acquires the passage position from the various server devices 30. That is, the passing position acquisition unit 111 uses the railway acquired at the ticket gate of the elevator station when the user uses the train or the train card using the card or the commuter pass that can be settled automatically from the server device 30 of the railway company. The passing position is acquired from the history. The passage position acquisition unit 111 acquires the passage position from the road use history acquired at the entrance / exit that has passed through the gate of the ETC (Electronic Toll Collection System) managed by the server device 30 of the road operator. . Furthermore, the passage position acquisition unit 111 acquires the passage position from information on stores and facilities that are managed by the server device 30 of various stores / facility and that the user has purchased or used with a card that can be electronically settled.

  The path function generation unit 112 generates a path function that is a function capable of interpolating the passing position received from the passing position acquisition unit 111. The path function generation unit 112 generates a path function by performing function interpolation (for example, spline interpolation, linear interpolation, Newton interpolation, Lagrange interpolation) on the passing position. As a result of performing the function interpolation, one path function may be represented by a plurality of interpolation functions.

  In addition, the route function generation unit 112 calculates a route function based on the relationship between the passage position received from the passage position acquisition unit 111 and geographic information (for example, route information on railways and roads such as railway maps and road maps). Generate. For example, the route function generation unit 112 generates a route function along a railway line or a road that is grasped from geographic information. For example, the route function generation unit 112 generates a route estimated from geographic information as a route function. For example, when transfer on foot is estimated, the route function generation unit 112 generates a route on foot as a route function. The geographical information may be stored by the route function generation unit 112 itself or may be acquired from the outside.

  The route information management unit 113 associates the route function generated by the route function generation unit 112 with the route information, which is information about the route, and registers it in the route information database 12. For example, the path function generation unit 112 registers the path function, which is the generation source of the path function, in the path information database 12 in association with the path information.

FIG. 5 shows an example of registered contents in the route information database 12. As shown in the figure, route information is registered for each user ID 510. In the figure, the path function 511 includes two contents of a path function ID and a path function, and the movement history 512 includes two contents of a passing point and a passing date and time.

  The position designation receiving unit 114 receives a position designation from the user. The designation of the position is received, for example, by transmitting a web page having a position designation field 611 as shown in FIG. 6 from the web server 11 to the communication terminal 20. The position designation may be received by, for example, displaying the map screen and allowing the user to designate the position with a mouse or the like.

  The route function search unit 115 searches the route information database 12 for a route function that passes through or near the position received by the position designation receiving unit 114 from the user. For example, in FIG. 4A, when “Yotsuya Station” is received from the user as the position, the route function search unit 115 searches for a route function indicated by reference numeral 411 passing “Yotsuya Station” (or in the vicinity of “Yotsuya Station”). In FIG. 4B, when “XX restaurant” is received from the user as the position, the route function search unit 115 searches for a route function passing through “XX restaurant” (or the vicinity of “XX restaurant”) indicated by reference numeral 412. To do. This search is performed for each user ID. That is, the path function search unit 115 receives a user ID from the user at the start of the search, and searches for the registered contents of the path information database 12 associated with the received user ID.

  The route information output unit 116 acquires the route information associated with the route function searched by the route function search unit 115 from the route information database 12, and provides the acquired route information to the user. For example, the route information output unit 116 transmits a web page in which route information 612 as shown in FIG. 6 is described to the communication terminal 20.

  Note that route information provided to the user may be selected (filtered) according to the type and nature of the position received by the position designation receiving unit 114. For example, when a user inputs a service area of an expressway as a position and the route information acquired as a result includes information that does not use the expressway, such route information may not be displayed.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a flow of a series of processes until the route information providing apparatus 10 acquires a passing position, generates a route function, and associates and registers the route information with the generated route function.

  As shown in the figure, first, the passage position acquisition unit 111 of the route information providing apparatus 10 acquires a passage position from the communication terminal 20 and various server devices 30 (S711). Next, the path function generation unit 112 generates a path function based on the accepted passing position (S712). Next, the route information management unit 113 registers the route information in the database in association with the route function (S713).

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a flow of a series of processing until the route information providing apparatus 10 acquires a specified position from the user, searches for a route function, and provides the user with route information associated with the route function. It is.

  As shown in the figure, first, the position designation receiving unit 114 of the route information providing apparatus 10 receives a designated position from the user (S811). Next, the path function search unit 115 searches for a path function that passes through the designated position or the vicinity thereof (S812). Next, the route information output unit 116 acquires the route information associated with the searched route function from the route information database 12 (S813), and outputs (provides to the user) the acquired route information (S814).

  By the way, according to the information processing system 1 described above, when the user designates a position, a path function passing through the position or passing through the position is searched, and path information associated with the path function is output. The For this reason, the user can easily specify route information (for example, a passing position when the user has actually moved in the past) simply by specifying a destination that he or she is going to go out, or an arbitrary position that the user remembers. Can be acquired.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when searching for route information stored in the past by designating an arbitrary position, information on a railway station on the route or position information on a road on the route is not necessary, as in the past. There is no need to memorize a huge amount of information. That is, the route to be searched is stored as a route function (and its vicinity) with a relatively small amount of information, and the route function itself becomes an index of the route information. The user can easily obtain route information simply by specifying a discrete position such as a destination or a place that the user remembers.

  In addition, by generating a route function based on the relationship between the passing position and geographic information (route information of transportation such as railways and roads), significant route information desired by the user can be provided.

  In addition, a passing position is acquired based on the use history of a traffic route such as a railroad or a road, or the use history of a store or a leisure facility, and route information based on the passing position is provided to the user in the form of a web service or the like. The information acquired by the organization such as a company about the user can be returned to the user.

  The above embodiment is for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be changed and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

  For example, when the passage position acquired by the passage position acquisition unit 111, the path function generated by the route function generation unit 112, and the position received by the position designation reception unit 114 from the user are specified by two-dimensional coordinates (latitude, longitude). Not limited to this, it may be specified by three-dimensional coordinates (height, latitude, longitude). That is, the position acquired from the user such as the passing position and the position received from the user is the position of the store or facility in the high-rise building, and the route function is the route in the high-rise building, is not necessarily limited to a planar one, It may be three-dimensional.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an information processing system 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a computer used as a route information providing device 10, a communication terminal 20, and various server devices 30. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating main functions of a route information providing apparatus 10. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the passage position which the passage position acquisition part 111 acquires. It is a figure which shows an example of the passage position which the passage position acquisition part 111 acquires. It is a figure which shows an example of the registration content of the route information database. It is an example of a Web page used when the position designation receiving unit 114 receives a position designation from a user. It is a flowchart explaining a series of processes until the route information providing apparatus 10 acquires a passing position, generates a route function, and associates and registers the route information with the generated route function. It is a flowchart explaining a series of processes until the route information provision apparatus 10 acquires a designated position from a user, searches a route function, and provides the user with the route information matched with the route function.

Explanation of symbols

5 first communication network 6 second communication network 10 route information providing device 11 Web server 12 route information database 20 communication terminal 30 server device 111 passage position acquisition unit 112 route function generation unit 113 route information management unit 114 position designation reception unit 115 route Function search unit 116 Route information output unit

Claims (7)

A passing position acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of passing positions when the user moves;
A path function generation unit that generates a path function that is a function capable of interpolating the plurality of passage positions;
A route information management unit that stores information indicating the passage position that is a generation source of the route function in association with the route function as route information;
A position specification receiving unit that receives a position specification from the user;
A path function search unit that searches for the path function passing through the received position or the vicinity thereof;
An information processing apparatus comprising: a route information output unit that outputs the route information associated with the searched route function. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The passing position acquired by the passing position acquiring unit, the path function generated by the path function generating unit, and the position received by the position designation receiving unit are specified by three-dimensional coordinates, and the path function generating unit is three-dimensional An information processing apparatus characterized by interpolating the passing position by a function. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The path function generation unit further determines the path function based on geographic information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,
The geographical information includes route information including a railway or a road,
The route function generation unit further generates the route function based on a route that the user is assumed to use when moving based on the route information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The information processing apparatus, wherein the passing position acquisition unit acquires the passing position based on a use history of a route including a railroad or a road or a use history of a facility including a store or a leisure facility. Information processing device
Obtaining a plurality of passing positions when the user moves;
Generating a path function that is a path obtained by interpolating the plurality of passing positions with a function;
Associating and storing, as path information, information indicating the passage position that is the generation source of the path function ;
Receiving a location specification from the user;
Retrieving the path function through or near the accepted position;
Outputting the route information associated with the searched route function. An information processing method comprising: In the information processing device,
A function of acquiring a plurality of passing positions when the user moves;
A function of generating a path function that is a path obtained by interpolating the plurality of passing positions with a function;
A function of storing information indicating the passage position that is a generation source of the path function in association with the path function as path information ;
A function that accepts a location specification from the user;
A function to search the path function passing through the received position or the vicinity thereof;
A program for realizing the function of outputting the route information associated with the searched route function.

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