JP6204643B2 - Image control apparatus, image control program, and image generation system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image control apparatus that controls map display, an image control program, and an image generation system.

  In a conventional image generation system, a topographic map showing topography and sections such as a map by prefecture, a road map, and a house map is displayed. A method for displaying such a topographic map in an enlarged or reduced manner is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  Each map can be displayed in a color-coded manner on the map according to the statistics of the displayed area. For example, when displaying the population distribution and production of agricultural products for each prefecture or city, the area is displayed in a color corresponding to the population in the area of the prefecture or city. By enlarging / reducing these color-coded areas in accordance with the enlargement / reduction of the map, an area color-coded with a size corresponding to the scale of the map is displayed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-81033 JP 2007-41341 A

  However, when a map is enlarged and displayed, simply by enlarging a color-coded area included in the map, it is not possible to assign a color to each small area that can be displayed by the enlarged display. Therefore, even if, for example, the Tokyo map is enlarged in red and the 23 wards in Tokyo can be displayed, all 23 wards are displayed in red. The problem that it cannot be grasped arises.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of these points, and when the scale of the map is changed, the image granularity for visualizing information at a level of detail suitable for the map after the scale is changed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image control apparatus, an image control program, and an image generation system.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, a range acquisition unit that acquires information indicating a drawing range of a map image, and a granularity that indicates the degree of detail of a plurality of first superimposed images that are drawn over the map image in the drawing range. A granularity information acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of corresponding granularity information, and first granularity information corresponding to a first superimposed image in which the ratio of the area included in the drawing range is larger than a predetermined threshold among the multiple granularity information. An image control apparatus including a selection unit for selection is provided.

  The selection unit selects, for example, first granularity information having the largest granularity from among a plurality of granularity information. When the size of the first superimposed image is smaller than the size of the drawing range, the selection unit selects the first granularity information from among the plurality of second superimposed images drawn in a region where the first superimposed image does not overlap the drawing range. You may select the 2nd particle size information which shows the same particle size as shown by.

  In addition, when the selection unit does not have the same granularity information as the first granularity information among the plurality of second granularity information corresponding to the second superimposed image acquired by the granularity information acquisition unit, the selection unit uses the granularity indicated by the first granularity information. Alternatively, the third particle size information indicating a large particle size may be selected.

  The image control device includes a map image acquisition unit that acquires a map image, a superimposed image acquisition unit that acquires a first superimposed image having first granularity information, and a map image and a first superimposed image that are superimposed and displayed. And an image generation unit that generates a display image to be displayed.

  The image control device also includes a related information acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of related information corresponding to each of a plurality of areas included in the first superimposed image, and which of the plurality of numerical ranges the plurality of related information belongs to. An image processing unit that processes a plurality of areas of the first superimposed image into different drawing modes. For example, when the selection unit reselects the first granularity information, the image processing unit maintains the ratio of the sizes of the plurality of numerical value ranges, and the plurality of first superimposed images of the first granularity information after the change have The boundary value of a plurality of numerical ranges is changed based on the maximum related information in the area.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the computer obtains a range acquisition unit for acquiring information indicating a drawing range of the map image, and details of the plurality of first superimposed images drawn on the map image in the drawing range. A granularity information acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of granularity information corresponding to the granularity to be displayed, and a first corresponding to the first superimposed image in which the ratio of the area included in the drawing range is larger than a predetermined threshold among the plurality of granularity information An image control program for functioning as a selection unit for selecting one granularity information is provided.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, a map image server that stores a map image, a superimposed image server that stores a plurality of superimposed images corresponding to the map image, a map image from the map image server, and a superimposed image Provided is an image control system comprising: the image control device that acquires a superimposed image corresponding to first granularity information from a server; and an image drawing device that draws the superimposed image acquired by the image control device on a map image. .

  According to the present invention, when the scale of the map is changed, there is an effect that an image displayed at a detailed level suitable for the map after the scale is changed can be selected.

1 shows a configuration example of an image control system. The other structural example of an image control system is shown. 1 shows a configuration of an image control apparatus. The concept of a drawing range and a superimposed image is shown. The relationship between the size of the drawing range and the size of the superimposed image is shown. The relationship between the size of the drawing range and the size of the superimposed image is shown. The relationship between the size of the drawing range and the size of the superimposed image is shown. It is an example of the management information table used for designation | designated of the particle size of a superimposed image. The other structural example of an image control apparatus is shown. The communication sequence between an image control apparatus, a map image server, a superimposition image server, and an image drawing apparatus is shown. An example of the operation | movement flowchart of an image control apparatus is shown. An example of the operation | movement flowchart of an image control apparatus is shown. A state in which a superimposed image corresponding to a prefecture is displayed superimposed on a map image is shown. A state where the Kanto region in the superimposed image “Japan” is enlarged and displayed by the conventional method is shown. The superimposed image corresponding to a city is shown in a state where it is displayed superimposed on a map image. The structure of the image control apparatus of 2nd Embodiment is shown. An example of the relationship between the superimposed image group A and the numerical range image A is shown. An example of the relationship between the superimposed image group B and the numerical range image B is shown. 6 shows an operation flowchart of an image control apparatus according to a second embodiment. The superimposed image corresponding to the number of employees by prefecture is shown. The superimposed image corresponding to the number of employees by town in Setagaya-ku is shown. The structure of the image control apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment is shown. A mode that a drawing mode changes according to the change of a drawing range is shown. The structure of the image control apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment is shown. An example of the image which the image control apparatus of 4th Embodiment produces | generates is shown. The structure of the image control apparatus of 5th Embodiment is shown. An example of the 1st display window and the 2nd display window output by the image control apparatus of 5th Embodiment is shown. An example of the change when the second display window for displaying the chart image of FIG. 25 is moved is shown. An example in which a third display window and an instruction image exist separately is shown. An example of a change state when the instruction image of FIG. 27 is moved is shown. An example in the case where there is no instruction image is shown. An example of the hardware configuration of the computer which comprises the image control apparatus which concerns on 6th Embodiment is shown. It is a superimposed image which shows the position of a subway station. It is a superimposition image which has the drawing aspect which consists of a grid | lattice (mesh) -shaped area which consists of a rectangle. It is a superposition image which has a drawing mode which displays a plurality of related information for every section.

<First Embodiment>
[Configuration of Image Control System 10]
FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of the image control system 10. The image control system 10 includes an image control device 100, a map image server 200, and a superimposed image server 300. The image control device 100, the map image server 200, and the superimposed image server 300 mutually transmit and receive data via the network 50. The network 50 is, for example, the Internet or a local area network.

  The map image server 200 and the superimposed image server 300 may be servers that are physically separated from each other, and the map image server 200 and the superimposed image server 300 may be servers that are physically integrated with each other. Good. Further, the image control device 100 may incorporate all or some of the functions of the map image server 200 and the superimposed image server 300.

  The map image server 200 stores a map image. A map image is an image that displays the position of a tangible object. Specifically, the map image is an image showing geographical information such as a country, a prefectural government, a municipality, an administrative boundary, and roads and rivers. The map image may be an image that does not include geographical information. For example, a plan view showing an arrangement in a building such as a store in a store is also included in the map image. The map image server 200 stores data indicating the vertex coordinates of the map image, for example.

  The superimposed image server 300 stores a plurality of superimposed images corresponding to the map image. A superimposed image is information corresponding to an image displayed in a superimposed manner on a map image. For example, the superimposed image is image data including data indicating the vertex coordinates of the closed figure corresponding to the area included in the map image. The superimposed image may include only the vertex coordinates of the closed figure. The superimposed image may include related information indicating the characteristics of the area corresponding to the closed graphic as well as the vertex coordinates of the closed graphic. The superimposed image may have information indicating a drawing mode corresponding to the related information of each area in the map image. The superimposed image server 300 may store the related information in association with the superimposed image.

  Here, the related information is information collected for each point or area according to vertex coordinate data (for example, latitude and longitude) or a boundary line (for example, a prefecture or a municipality) on a map. For example, the related information includes administrative information or private information aggregated by administrative organizations, private organizations, or individuals, such as location information of facilities in the area, population in the area, average income, number of facilities.

  As an example, the superimposed image is an image in which each area of the prefecture is displayed in a different drawing mode based on statistical values such as the population of each prefecture, the production amount and the area of agricultural products in the map image. The superimposed image may be an image indicating the position of a station, a store, or the like in association with the map image. Here, the drawing mode is, for example, the number of colors, patterns, shapes, and displayed figures. Numerical information such as statistical values is visualized by displaying the superimposed image in a drawing mode corresponding to the related information.

  The superimposed image server 300 has a different superimposed image for each area such as a municipality shown in the map image. For example, the superimposed image server 300 includes a superimposed image that indicates a closed figure corresponding to each prefecture. The superimposed image server 300 may have a plurality of types of superimposed images for each of the areas indicated in the map image. For example, the superimposed image server 300 includes a superimposed image that indicates the population of each city in Hokkaido, and a superimposed image that indicates the production amount of agricultural products in each city.

  The image control apparatus 100 acquires a map image from the map image server 200 and acquires a superimposed image from the superimposed image server 300. As an example, the image control apparatus 100 acquires a plurality of vertex coordinates for generating a polyline (continuous straight line) corresponding to the superimposed image on the map image from the superimposed image server 300. The image control apparatus 100 displays a superimposed image on the map image based on the acquired vertex coordinate data.

  The vertex coordinate data is, for example, latitude / longitude information, UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) coordinate information, or a leaf lattice (mesh) number. The image control apparatus 100 generates a boundary line of a closed figure according to the vertex coordinate data acquired from the superimposed image server 300, and a drawing mode according to related information such as a statistical value corresponding to the area indicated by each closed figure A closed figure may be drawn with.

[Another configuration example of the image control system 10]
FIG. 2 shows another configuration example of the image control system 10. The image control system 10 illustrated in FIG. 2 further includes an image drawing device 400. The image drawing apparatus 400 transmits / receives data to / from the image control apparatus 100 via the network 50.

  The image control apparatus 100 may output the acquired map image and vertex coordinate data of the superimposed image to the image drawing apparatus 400. The image drawing device 400 generates a polyline (continuous straight line) based on the vertex coordinate data of the superimposed image acquired from the image control device 100 and draws it together with the map image.

  As an example, the image control device 100, the map image server 200, the superimposed image server 300, and the image drawing device 400 are different computers. When the computer reads and executes the program, the computer functions as the image control device 100, the map image server 200, the superimposed image server 300, and the image drawing device 400. When one computer reads and executes the program, the computer may function as any one of the image control device 100, the map image server 200, the superimposed image server 300, and the image drawing device 400.

  The image control apparatus 100 acquires a map image and a superimposed image from the map image server 200 and the superimposed image server 300 by, for example, HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). The image control apparatus 100 may acquire a file described in a markup language such as XML from the map image server 200 and the superimposed image server 300 and acquire a map image and a superimposed image via the file. The image control apparatus 100 may communicate with the map image server 200 and the superimposed image server 300 using any other communication protocol, and may acquire a file described in a markup language other than XML.

  For example, the image control apparatus 100 acquires an instruction from a user who uses the image control apparatus 100, and transmits and receives data between the map image server 200 and the superimposed image server 300 based on the instruction from the user. The image control apparatus 100 may acquire an instruction from the image drawing apparatus 400 using HTTP, and output a display image to the image drawing apparatus 400 using HTTP. The image drawing apparatus 400 may issue an instruction to the image control apparatus 100 via an API (Application Program Interface) provided by the image control apparatus 100.

[Configuration of Image Control Device 100]
FIG. 3 shows a configuration of the image control apparatus 100. The image control apparatus 100 includes a range acquisition unit 102, a granularity information acquisition unit 104, and a selection unit 106. The range acquisition unit 102 acquires information indicating the drawing range of the map image. Specifically, the range acquisition unit 102 acquires information indicating a range to be drawn by the image drawing device 400 in the map image. As an example, the range acquisition unit 102 acquires coordinate information or latitude / longitude information of the center position of a drawing range and scale information to be drawn from the superimposed image server 300. The range acquisition unit 102 may acquire coordinate information of a position corresponding to a vertex of a polygon corresponding to a drawing range.

  The range acquisition unit 102 may acquire information indicating the drawing range from the image drawing device 400. For example, the image drawing apparatus 400 displays an operation interface image that allows the user to specify a drawing range. Information specified by the user is acquired using the operation interface image, and the acquired information is transmitted to the range acquisition unit 102.

  The granularity information acquisition unit 104 acquires granularity information corresponding to the granularity indicating the level of detail of the superimposed image drawn on the map image in the drawing range. The granularity of the superimposed image is the size of the information unit indicated by the superimposed image. As an example, the granularity of the superimposed image corresponds to the subdivision level of the region indicated by the superimposed image. Specifically, the granularity of the superimposed image corresponds to a prefecture, a municipality, or the like indicated by the superimposed image. The granularity information acquisition unit 104 may acquire the granularity information by reading the granularity information stored in the memory in the image control apparatus 100 or may acquire the granularity information from the superimposed image server 300.

  FIG. 4 shows the concept of the drawing range and the superimposed image. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the entire superimposed image A1 is displayed within the drawing range. The superimposed image A1 includes a superimposed image A2. In such a case, the granularity of the superimposed image A1 is larger than the granularity of the superimposed image A2.

  For example, the superimposed image that shows the population by prefecture that is color-coded for each prefecture according to the population of the prefecture is the overlay that shows the population by city that is color-coded for each city according to the population of the city The information unit is larger than the image. That is, the granularity of the superimposed image showing the population by prefecture is larger than the granularity of the superimposed image showing the population by city.

  In order for the user to appropriately grasp the information provided by the superimposed image, it is preferable that the image control apparatus 100 displays a superimposed image having a granularity suitable for the drawing range of the map image. For example, if a map image drawing range includes the entire country of Japan and a superimposed image that is color-coded for each city is displayed, the user cannot visually recognize the information for each city. Therefore, when the map image displays all over Japan, it is preferable that the superimposed image that is color-coded by prefecture is displayed on the image drawing device 400.

  On the other hand, if the map image drawing range includes only Hokkaido, but a superimposed image that is color-coded for each prefecture is displayed, the user can only obtain information about Hokkaido from the superimposed image. You cannot get information for each municipality. When the drawing range of the map image includes only Hokkaido, the user can recognize each of the municipalities in Hokkaido. Therefore, the image drawing device 400 preferably displays information for each municipality. .

  Therefore, the selection unit 106 selects the granularity information corresponding to the superimposed image in which the ratio of the area included in the drawing range is within the predetermined range from the plurality of granularity information. As an example, the selection unit 106 selects a superimposed image having granularity information corresponding to the largest granularity from among the superimposed images in which an area equal to or larger than the drawing threshold among the areas of the superimposed images overlaps the drawing range of the map image. . Here, the drawing threshold is a threshold used by the selection unit 106 to determine whether or not to select a superimposed image within a designated drawing range.

  Specifically, the selection unit 106 calculates a ratio (hereinafter, referred to as “inclusion rate”) of the region included in the drawing range in the superimposed image region. For example, when the size of the superimposed image matches the drawing range, the inclusion rate is 100%. When a 50% region of the superimposed image is included in the drawing range, the inclusion rate is 50%.

  The selection unit 106 compares the inclusion ratio of the superimposed image in the drawing range acquired by the range acquisition unit 102 with the drawing threshold value of the superimposed image. The selection unit 106 preferentially selects a superimposed image having the largest granularity from among superimposed images in which the inclusion rate is greater than the drawing threshold and the drawing range is not included in the superimposed image.

  5A, 5B, and 5C show the relationship between the size of the drawing range and the size of the superimposed image. The superimposed image shown in FIG. 5A includes a drawing range. In such a case, a single superimposed image occupies the entire drawing range, which is not preferable. As shown in FIG. 5B, even when the inclusion ratio of the superimposed image of the drawing threshold (for example, 80%) is smaller than the drawing threshold, it is not preferable because a small number of superimposed images occupy the area within the drawing range. As shown in FIG. 5C, it is preferable that the inclusion rate of at least one superimposed image is larger than the drawing threshold because there is a high possibility that a large number of superimposed images are included in the drawing range.

  FIG. 6 is an example of a management information table used for designating the granularity of the superimposed image. The image control apparatus 100 may acquire information included in the management information table from the superimposed image server 300 or may store the information in the storage unit in the image control apparatus 100. The management information table includes, for example, an “image ID” for identifying the superimposed image, a “granularity level” indicating the granularity of the superimposed image, a “management code” indicating the hierarchy of the superimposed image, an “image name” indicating the name of the superimposed image, and A “drawing threshold value” corresponding to each superimposed image is included.

  The image control apparatus 100 selects a superimposed image suitable for the drawing range of the map image using the “granularity level” and the “drawing threshold value” included in the management information table. The image control apparatus 100 may notify the superimposed image server 300 of the selected superimposed image using the image ID included in the management information table.

[Configuration Example for Generating Image Combining Map Image and Superimposed Image]
FIG. 7 shows another configuration example of the image control apparatus 100 of the present embodiment. The image control apparatus 100 shown in the figure is different from the image control apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 3 in that it further includes a map image acquisition unit 108, a superimposed image acquisition unit 110, and an image generation unit 112. The image control apparatus 100 selects a superimposed image with a suitable granularity for the drawing range of the map image, and acquires the selected superimposed image from the superimposed image server 300. The image drawing device 400 draws the map image and the superimposed image acquired from the image control device 100.
[Communication sequence between devices]

  FIG. 8 shows a communication sequence among the image control device 100, the map image server 200, the superimposed image server 300, and the image drawing device 400. With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, a procedure in which the image control apparatus 100 displays the map image and the superimposed image on the image drawing apparatus 400 will be described.

  First, when the image drawing device 400 acquires an instruction to display a map from the user, the image drawing device 400 requests the image control device 100 for a map image. The image drawing apparatus 100 requests a map image from the map image server 200 in response to a map image request received from the image drawing apparatus 400. The map image server 200 that has received the request for the map image transmits the map image to the image control apparatus 100. The map image acquisition unit 108 acquires the map image transmitted from the map image server 200. The image control device 100 transmits the acquired map image to the image drawing device 400. The image drawing device 400 displays the received map image on the display unit.

  When the type of information to be displayed is acquired from the user, the image drawing device 400 transmits information indicating the superimposed image type to the image control device 100. Further, when the image drawing apparatus 400 acquires the range to be displayed from the user, the image drawing apparatus 400 transmits information indicating the drawing range to the image control apparatus 100.

  When the image control apparatus 100 acquires information indicating the superimposed image type and the drawing range, the selection unit 106 selects the type and granularity of the superimposed image based on the information. The image control apparatus 100 transmits an image ID corresponding to the type and granularity of the selected superimposed image to the superimposed image server 300.

  The superimposed image server 300 transmits a superimposed image corresponding to the image ID transmitted from the image control apparatus 100 to the image control apparatus 100. The superimposed image acquisition unit 110 in the image control apparatus 100 acquires the superimposed image having the granularity selected by the selection unit 106 from the superimposed image server 300. For example, the superimposed image acquisition unit 110 acquires vertex coordinate data corresponding to the superimposed image.

  Subsequently, the image generation unit 112 generates a display image displayed by superimposing the map image and the superimposed image. The image generation unit 112 transmits the generated display image to the image drawing device 400. The image generation unit 112 may transmit information indicating the vertex coordinates and the drawing mode of the display image to the image drawing apparatus 400 instead of the display image. The image generation unit 112 may display the generated display image on a display unit included in the image control apparatus 100 itself without transmitting the generated display image to the image drawing apparatus 400.

  When the user inputs an instruction for enlarging or reducing the displayed map to the image drawing apparatus 400, the image drawing apparatus 400 requests the image control apparatus 100 for a map image. The image control apparatus 100 requests a map image from the map image server 200 and acquires a map image.

  Subsequently, the image control apparatus 100 calculates the granularity of the superimposed image displayed by the image drawing apparatus 400 based on the drawing range changed by enlargement or reduction, and sends the image ID corresponding to the granularity to the superimposed image server 300. Send. The image control apparatus 100 receives a superimposed image corresponding to the transmitted image ID and outputs an image to be displayed on the image drawing apparatus 400.

[Operation Flowchart of Image Control Device 100]
9 and 10 show an example of an operation flowchart of the image control apparatus 100. FIG. Hereinafter, details of an algorithm by which the selection unit 106 selects the granularity of the superimposed image will be described.

  First, the range acquisition unit 102 acquires a drawing range (S102). Subsequently, the granularity information acquisition unit 104 acquires granularity information of the superimposed image (S104). Specifically, the granularity information acquisition unit 104 acquires a management information table stored in the image control apparatus 100 or the superimposed image server 300. The selection unit 106 refers to the management information table and selects a superimposed image with the largest granularity (S106). In the management information table illustrated in FIG. 6, the selection unit 106 selects the superimposed image “Japan” having the image ID “1”.

  Subsequently, the selection unit 106 compares the acquired superimposed image with the maximum granularity with the drawing range of the map image, and determines whether or not the drawing threshold condition corresponding to the superimposed image selected in S106 is satisfied (S108). . For example, the selection unit 106 determines whether or not the inclusion rate with respect to the drawing range of the superimposed image “Japan” is larger than 50% that is the drawing threshold value of the superimposed image “Japan”. When the inclusion rate of the superimposed image with respect to the drawing range is larger than the drawing threshold, the selection unit 106 adds a selection mark to the management information to select the superimposed image (S110).

  Specifically, the selection unit 106 sets the value of the management mark data assigned to a part of the data area of the management information table to “11”. By indicating the superimposed image selected by the selection unit 106 using the value of the management mark data, the image control apparatus 100 can easily indicate the superimposed image to be drawn.

  For example, the image control apparatus 100 can specify the superimposed image to be acquired only by transmitting management information with management mark data to the superimposed image server 300. When the image control apparatus 100 includes a drawing unit that draws a map image and a superimposed image, the drawing unit easily identifies the superimposed image to be drawn by referring to the management mark data in the management information. Can do.

  When the inclusion rate of the superimposed image with respect to the drawing range is smaller than the drawing threshold, or when the entire drawing range is included in the superimposed image (S112), the selection unit 106 selects the superimposed image as a selection candidate. A temporary mark is attached to the management information (S114). Specifically, the selection unit 106 sets the value of management mark data assigned to a part of the data area of the management information to “10”. If the drawing range and the superimposed image do not overlap at all (S112), the selection unit 106 proceeds to S202 without adding a selection mark or a temporary mark to the management information.

  The selection unit 106, when the size of the first superimposed image with the selection mark in S110 is smaller than the size of the drawing range, a plurality of second superimposed images that are drawn in a region that does not overlap the drawing range. Among the images, second granularity information indicating the same granularity as the first granularity information is selected. For example, when the selection unit 106 selects the first superimposed image “Tokyo” in the above procedure and the size of the superimposed image “Tokyo” is smaller than the drawing range, the Chiba prefecture adjacent to Tokyo , The granularity information of the second superimposed image corresponding to Kanagawa Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, or the like is selected. When the selection unit 106 selects a plurality of superimposed images having the same granularity, there is an effect that it is easy to compare statistical values between a plurality of areas in the drawing range.

  Specifically, the selection unit 106 determines whether there is another superimposed image having the same granularity as the superimposed image that has undergone the processing from S108 to S116 (S202). If there is a superimposed image with the same granularity, the selection unit 106 acquires management information of the superimposed image (S204). The selection unit 106 executes the procedure from S108 to S116 based on the acquired management information.

  If the selection unit 106 determines in S202 that there is no superimposed image with the same granularity, the selection unit 106 determines whether there is a superimposed image with a selection mark in S110 (S206). If there is no superimposed image with a selection mark, the selection unit 106 determines whether there is a next superimposed image with a finer granularity (S208). When there is a superimposed image with the next finer granularity, the selection unit 106 acquires management information of the superimposed image (S210).

  For example, when the superimposed image on which the procedure from S108 to S116 has been executed is “Japan”, the selection unit 106 selects a superimposed image corresponding to a prefecture as the next finer granularity superimposed image, The management information of the superimposed image is acquired. The selection unit 106 repeats the procedure from S108 to S116 for the superimposed image corresponding to the prefecture.

  When the above procedure is completed, the selection unit 106 confirms again whether there is a superimposed image with a selection mark (S212). In S206 and S212, when the selection unit 106 determines that there is a superimposed image with a mark, the selection unit 106 outputs management information with a selection mark (S214). For example, when the image control apparatus 100 includes a drawing unit that draws and displays an image, the selection unit 106 outputs management information with a selection mark to the drawing unit.

  If there is no superimposed image with a selection mark in S212, it means that there is no suitable superimposed image with a finer granularity. Therefore, the selection unit 106 indicates the first granularity information when there is no granularity information identical to the first granularity information among the plurality of second granularity information corresponding to the second superimposed image acquired by the granularity information acquisition unit 104. The third particle size information indicating a particle size larger than the particle size is selected.

  Specifically, the selection unit 106 searches for management information with a larger granularity that has already executed the procedure from S108 to S116 (S216), and selects and outputs the management information of the superimposed image with the provisional mark attached thereto. (S218). By the above procedure, the selection unit 106 can select a superimposed image whose ratio to the size of the drawing range is within a predetermined range and has a granularity suitable for the drawing range.

  FIG. 11 shows a state in which a superimposed image corresponding to a prefecture is displayed superimposed on a map image. FIG. 12 shows a state in which the Kanto region in the superimposed image of FIG. 11 is simply enlarged and displayed by the conventional method. FIG. 13 shows a state in which, in the image control apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the superimposed image displayed to be superimposed on the map image is switched from the prefecture to the municipality as the map image shown in FIG. 11 is enlarged. Show. Specifically, FIG. 13 shows a state where a superimposed image corresponding to a municipality in Tokyo that is output from the image control apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is displayed.

  In FIG. 12, although the drawing range is around Tokyo, the colors are painted in units of prefectures as in FIG. When the drawing range of FIG. 12 is further narrowed and only Tokyo is displayed, the whole is only displayed in the color painted on Tokyo, and useful information can be obtained from the superimposed image. Can not.

  On the other hand, in the superimposed image generated by the image control apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 13, the colors are painted in units of municipalities in Tokyo. Therefore, the user can grasp the statistical value for each municipality in Tokyo.

[Effect in the first embodiment]
As described above, according to the image control apparatus 100 and the image control system 10 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to display a superimposed image with a suitable granularity in accordance with the drawing range of the map image. Therefore, there is an effect that the user of the image control device 100 and the image control system 10 can easily acquire information visualized with an appropriate granularity according to the enlargement and reduction of the map.

<Second Embodiment>
[Change the drawing mode for each area in conjunction with the change in grain size]
FIG. 14 shows a configuration of the image control apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment. The image control apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 14 is different from the image control apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 7 in that it further includes a related information acquisition unit 114 and an image processing unit 116. FIG. 15 shows an example of the relationship between the superimposed image group A and the numerical range image A. FIG. 16 shows an example of the relationship between the superimposed image group B and the numerical range image B. FIG. 17 is an operation flowchart of the image control apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment. Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the image control apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 14, 15, 16, and 17.

  The related information acquisition unit 114 acquires related information corresponding to the area indicated by the superimposed image (S302). For example, the related information acquisition unit 114 acquires information indicating the population in each of the areas A to D from the superimposed image server 300. The related information acquisition unit 114 may acquire related information from an information source other than the superimposed image server 300.

  The image processing unit 116 processes the drawing mode of the superimposed image based on which of the plurality of numerical ranges the related information belongs to. Specifically, the image processing unit 116 selects a numerical range to which related information corresponding to the area indicated by the superimposed image belongs (S304). Subsequently, the image processing unit 116 processes the superimposed image into a drawing mode corresponding to the selected numerical range (S306).

  As illustrated in FIG. 15, the superimposed image group A includes an area A, an area B, an area C, and an area D. The numerical range image A has five numerical ranges. The image processing unit 116 draws each superimposed image in the numerical range image A according to related information such as the population and the number of employees corresponding to the area indicated by each superimposed image included in the superimposed image group A. Process into embodiment.

  With the above configuration, the user can visually grasp to which numerical range the related information of each area belongs. For example, referring to FIG. 15, the user confirms that the population of the area B with the largest population is 1.6 million or more and less than 2 million, and the population of the area D with the smallest population is less than 400,000. It can be easily grasped.

  The superimposed image group B in FIG. 16 corresponds to the area A in the superimposed image group A. The superimposed image belonging to the superimposed image group B is a superimposed image having a smaller granularity than the superimposed image belonging to the superimposed image group A. Of the areas A11 to A44 included in the superimposed image group B, the area with the largest population is the area A11, and the population is 150,000.

  If the relationship between the numerical value range and the drawing mode is not switched even though the granularity of the superimposed image is reduced as shown in FIG. 16, all the superimposed images in the superimposed image group B after the granularity is changed are displayed. Corresponding related information is often considered to be included in the same numerical range. For example, since the population of the area corresponding to the superimposed image included in the superimposed image group B is 150,000 at the maximum, the population of all the areas is included in the white area of the numerical range image A in FIG. As a result, all the superimposed images in the superimposed image group B are displayed in white.

  In order to avoid such a situation, when the selection unit 106 reselects the granularity information, the image processing unit 116 supports the superimposed image of the changed granularity information while maintaining the ratio of the sizes of the plurality of numerical value ranges. The boundary value of a plurality of numerical ranges is changed based on the related information. For example, the image processing unit 116 changes the boundary value based on the maximum related information among the plurality of related information corresponding to the plurality of superimposed images within the drawing range. Specifically, the image processing unit 116 calculates the boundary value of the numerical range in accordance with the change in the granularity as follows.

  Of the plurality of pieces of related information corresponding to the plurality of superimposed images belonging to the superimposed image group A having the granularity before the change, the maximum related information is set as the maximum value A. Among the plurality of pieces of related information corresponding to the plurality of superimposed images belonging to the superimposed image group B having the changed granularity, the maximum related information is set as the maximum value B. The image processing unit 116 multiplies the boundary value of the numerical value range in the numerical value range image A by the maximum value B / maximum value A, which is the ratio of the maximum value A and the maximum value B. Calculate the boundary value. The image processing unit 116 may calculate a suitable boundary value using the minimum value as well as the maximum value.

  FIG. 18 shows a superimposed image corresponding to the number of employees by prefecture. FIG. 19 shows a superimposed image corresponding to the number of employees by town in Setagaya Ward. When the user enlarges the map on which the superimposed image for each prefecture shown in FIG. 18 is displayed, the map is switched to the superimposed image for each town in Setagaya-ku shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 18, (1) 1 million or less, (2) 1 million or more and less than 2 million, (3) 2 million or more and less than 7 million, (4) 7 million or more and less than 8 million, 5) Divided into 5 numerical ranges from 8 million to 9 million. The number of employees in Tokyo with the largest number of employees is 9 million, and the superimposed image of Tokyo is shown in a drawing mode corresponding to a numerical range of 8 million to 9 million.

  In FIG. 19, it is assumed that the number of employees in the town with the largest number of employees is 6,000. In view of this, the image processing unit 116 compares the boundary value of the numerical range in FIG. 17 with the ratio of 9 million employees in Tokyo and 6000 in the town with the most employees in Setagaya Ward. To calculate the boundary value of the numerical range in FIG.

  The image processing unit 116 may suitably change the ratio of the plurality of numerical ranges and the boundary value according to the change in the particle size. For example, in order to prevent the occurrence of a state in which all the areas are drawn in the same drawing mode, the image processing unit 116 is configured so that the related information corresponding to the plurality of areas is divided into at least two numerical ranges. And boundary values may be selected.

[Effects of Second Embodiment]
As described above, according to the image control apparatus 100 and the image control system 10 according to the present embodiment, the drawing mode for each zone changes in conjunction with the change in the granularity of the displayed superimposed image. Therefore, the image control apparatus 100 and the image control system 10 according to the present embodiment have an effect that it is easy to visually grasp a difference in statistical values between displayed areas.

<Third Embodiment>
[Change the drawing mode according to the change of the drawing range]
FIG. 20 shows a configuration of the image control apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment. The image control apparatus 100 according to this embodiment includes a range acquisition unit 102, a map image acquisition unit 108, a superimposed image acquisition unit 110, an image generation unit 112, a related information acquisition unit 114, and an image processing unit 116. The image control apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 20 is different from the image control apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 14 in that the granularity information acquisition unit 104 and the selection unit 106 are not included, and the information generation unit 118 is included.

  The information generation unit 118 generates correspondence information indicating a correspondence between a plurality of numerical ranges to which a plurality of pieces of related information belong and a drawing mode of the superimposed image. For example, the information generation unit 118 generates a table that associates each of a plurality of drawing modes with each of a plurality of numerical ranges. The information generation unit 118 may acquire boundary values and drawing modes of a plurality of numerical ranges in response to an input operation by a user of the image control device 100 or the image drawing device 400, and generate the correspondence information described above. Good.

  When the drawing range changes, the information generation unit 118 changes the boundary values of the plurality of numerical ranges based on the related information corresponding to the superimposed image belonging to the drawing range while maintaining the ratio of the sizes of the plurality of numerical ranges. . For example, the information generation unit 118 changes the boundary value based on the maximum related information among the plurality of pieces of related information corresponding to the plurality of superimposed images. Specifically, the information generation unit 118 calculates the boundary value of the numerical range according to the change in the granularity as follows.

  The maximum related information is defined as the maximum value A among the plurality of related information corresponding to the plurality of superimposed images belonging to the superimposed image group A displayed before the drawing range is changed. Of the plurality of pieces of related information corresponding to the plurality of superimposed images belonging to the superimposed image group B to be displayed after the drawing range is changed, the maximum related information is set as the maximum value B. The information generation unit 118 multiplies the boundary value of the numerical range in the numerical range image A by the maximum value B / maximum value A, which is the ratio of the maximum value A and the maximum value B, to thereby determine the numerical range of the numerical range image B. Calculate the boundary value.

  The information generation unit 118 changes the boundary value of the plurality of numerical ranges in accordance with the change of the drawing range as described above, so that the content of the correspondence information indicating the relationship between the plurality of numerical ranges and the drawing mode of the superimposed image is also obtained. Change. For example, when the information generation unit 118 generates a table that associates each of a plurality of drawing modes with each of a plurality of numerical ranges, the values of the plurality of numerical ranges corresponding to the plurality of drawing modes change.

  The image processing unit 116 processes each drawing mode of the plurality of areas based on the correspondence information generated by the information generation unit 118. Therefore, when the correspondence information generated by the information generation unit 118 changes with the change of the drawing range, the image processing unit 116 processes the drawing mode of each of the plurality of areas to change. As a result, the image control apparatus 100 can automatically change the drawing mode of the plurality of areas as the drawing range changes.

  FIG. 21 shows how the drawing mode changes according to the change of the drawing range. In the drawing range 1 shown in FIG. 21, it is assumed that the population of the area C with the largest population is 2 million. Further, it is assumed that the population of the area E having the largest population in the drawing range 2 is 500,000. In this case, when the drawing range changes from the drawing range 1 to the drawing range 2, the information generation unit 118 changes the boundary values of the plurality of numerical ranges according to the ratio of the population of the area C and the population of the area E.

  For example, in the drawing range 1, the information generation unit 118 draws an area of 0,000 to 800,000 people in white, and in the drawing range 2, an area of 0,000 to 200000 people is drawn in white draw. When the information generation unit 118 changes the drawing mode according to the drawing range as described above, all the areas in the drawing range 2 in which the population of all the areas is less than 800,000 are drawn in white. Can be prevented.

  When a plurality of pieces of related information corresponding to a plurality of superimposed images of a predetermined ratio or more belonging to the drawing range belong to the same numerical value range, the information generation unit 118 divides the numerical value range into a plurality of divided numerical value ranges, a drawing mode, Correspondence relationship information indicating the relationship may be generated. For example, when the population of all the areas in the drawing range 2 in FIG. 21 is 200,000 or more and less than 300,000, the information generation unit 118 sets the numerical range of 200,000 or more and less than 300,000 to 20,000 Divided into numerical ranges of 200,000 to less than 220,000, 220,000 to less than 240,000, 240,000 to less than 260,000, 260,000 to less than 280,000, and 280,000 The drawing mode corresponding to the divided numerical value range of less than 300,000 is determined. The image processing unit 116 changes each drawing mode of the plurality of superimposed images based on the generated correspondence information.

  As described above, the information generation unit 118 generates the correspondence information indicating the relationship between the plurality of divided numerical ranges obtained by dividing the numerical ranges and the drawing mode, so that the corresponding related information between the areas having the same level is generated. There is an effect that it becomes easy to visually recognize the difference in related information.

  The related information acquisition unit 114 may acquire a plurality of related information corresponding to each of the plurality of superimposed images. For example, the related information acquisition unit 114 acquires first related information indicating the male population and second related information indicating the female population for each of the areas corresponding to the plurality of superimposed images.

  The information generation unit 118 generates first correspondence information corresponding to the first related information and second correspondence information corresponding to the second related information. The image processing unit 116 processes each drawing mode of the plurality of superimposed images based on the first correspondence information and the second correspondence information.

  For example, even when the combined population of men and women in a plurality of areas is the same, the information generation unit 118 changes the drawing aspect of each area according to the difference in the ratio of the male and female populations. For example, the information generation unit 118 generates a pie chart or a bar chart including a plurality of related information corresponding to the area. As the information generation unit 118 controls the drawing mode in this way, there is an effect that the user can easily recognize a plurality of feature differences for each area.

[Effect in the third embodiment]
As described above, according to the image control apparatus 100 and the image control system 10 according to the present embodiment, the drawing mode for each zone changes in conjunction with the change in the drawing range. Therefore, even if the tendency of the statistical value changes by moving the drawing range, there is an effect that it is easy to visually grasp the difference in the statistical value between the displayed areas.

<Fourth Embodiment>
[Change the drawing mode according to the size of the graphic image corresponding to the numerical range]
FIG. 22 shows a configuration of the image control apparatus 100 according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 23 shows an example of an image generated by the image control apparatus 100 of the present embodiment. The image control apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is different from the image control apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 20 in that a graphic image generation unit 120 and an instruction acquisition unit 122 are provided.

  The graphic image generation unit 120 generates a plurality of graphic images in a drawing mode corresponding to each of the plurality of numerical ranges and displayed in a size corresponding to the size of the plurality of numerical ranges. For example, as in the graphic image group shown in FIG. 23, the graphic image generation unit 120 has a larger numerical range of 400,000 or more and less than 1.2 million than a numerical range of 100,000 or more and less than 400,000. Generate a rectangular image. As an example, the graphic image generation unit 120 generates a graphic image having an area proportional to the size of the numerical value range. The graphic image generation unit 120 may generate a graphic image having an arbitrary shape other than a rectangle.

  The image processing unit 116 processes the drawing mode of each area according to the numerical range to which the related information corresponding to each area included in the superimposed image belongs. In FIG. 23, the superimposed image corresponding to the drawing range includes area A, area B, area C, and area D. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the population of the area A is 200,000 and the population of the area B is 1 million. In this case, since the population of the area A is 400,000 or less, the image processing unit 116 processes the area A into white. Since the population of the area B is 800,000 or more and less than 1.6 million, the image processing unit 116 processes the area B into a diagonal pattern.

  The instruction acquisition unit 122 acquires an instruction to change the size of a plurality of graphic images. For example, the instruction acquisition unit 122 acquires the boundary value of the numerical range input by the user of the image control device 100 or the image drawing device 400. The instruction acquisition unit 122 may acquire a signal corresponding to a user operation such as a mouse cursor.

  The graphic image generation unit 120 changes the size of the plurality of graphic images based on the instruction acquired by the instruction acquisition unit 122. For example, as shown in FIG. 23, the graphic image generation unit 120 changes a graphic image corresponding to 400,000 or more and less than 800,000 to a graphic image corresponding to 400,000 or more and less than 1.2 million.

  The information generation unit 118 changes the correspondence information based on the sizes of the changed graphic images. Specifically, the information generation unit 118 displays the graphic image corresponding to the numerical range of 400,000 or more and less than 800,000, and the graphic image corresponding to the numerical range of 400,000 or more and less than 1.2 million. Change to the drawing mode.

  The image processing unit 116 changes the drawing mode of each of the plurality of areas based on the changed correspondence information. For example, the image processing unit 116 responds when the numerical range to which the area B having a population of 1 million belongs is switched from a numerical range of 400,000 to less than 800,000 to a numerical range of 400,000 to 1.2 million. The drawing mode of the area B is changed.

  The image processing unit 116 may change the sizes of the plurality of graphic images in accordance with the change in the granularity of the superimposed image and the change in the drawing range. The image processing unit 116 may change the numerical range corresponding to the plurality of graphic images in accordance with the change in the granularity of the superimposed image and the change in the drawing range.

[Effects of the fourth embodiment]
As described above, according to the image control apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the user can easily change the numerical value range, and generate a superimposed image in a drawing mode according to the numerical value range changed by the user. Can do. Therefore, there is an effect that it becomes easy for the user to intuitively grasp the size of the related information corresponding to each of the plurality of superimposed images.

<Fifth Embodiment>
[Reflect related information on chart image of desired display mode in conjunction with change of selection area]
[Configuration of Image Control System 10]
As shown in FIG. 1, the image control system 10 of the fifth embodiment includes an image control device 100, a map image server 200, and a superimposed image server 300 as shown in FIG. The image control system 10 according to the fifth embodiment may further include an image drawing device 400 that draws an image output from the image control device 100 as shown in FIG.

  As described above, the superimposed image server 300 also functions as a related information server that stores related information that is a basis for forming a superimposed image. The superimposed image server 300 stores related information in which a plurality of related information aggregated for each point (for example, facility) or area (for example, city) included in one region (for example, in a prefecture) is stored. . For example, the superimposed image server 300 stores, as related information, the number of public elementary schools in the prefecture, in which the number of public elementary schools collected for each municipality included in the prefecture is aggregated.

  The image control apparatus 100 notifies the superimposed image server 300 of information for designating an area selected by the user (hereinafter, selected area). The superimposed image server 300 transmits related information corresponding to the selection area designated by the image control apparatus 100 to the image control apparatus 100. The image control apparatus 100 displays related information in association with the designated selection area.

[Configuration of Image Control Device 100]
FIG. 24 shows the configuration of the image control apparatus 100 of the fifth embodiment. The image control apparatus 100 of this embodiment includes a map image acquisition unit 108, a superimposed image acquisition unit 110, a related information acquisition unit 114, an image output unit 124, an input unit 126, and a control unit 128. The image output unit 124 includes an image processing unit 116 and an image generation unit 112. The image control apparatus 100 differs from the image control apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 14 and the like in that it further includes an input unit 126 and a control unit 128. Since the configuration other than the input unit 126 and the control unit 128 is the same as that of the image control apparatus 100 of the above-described embodiment, main differences will be described below.

  FIG. 25 shows an example of the first display window W1 and the second display window W2 output by the image control apparatus 100 of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 26 shows an example of a change state when the second display window W2 for displaying the chart image of FIG. 25 is moved. Here, the first display window W1 is a window for displaying a map image and a superimposed image. The second display window W2 is a window that displays related information related to the superimposed image.

  The map image acquisition unit 108 acquires a map image from the map image server. The superimposed image acquisition unit 110 acquires a superimposed image from the superimposed image server 300. The superimposed image acquired by the superimposed image acquisition unit 110 may be a superimposed image that is color-coded based on the statistical information of the area as in the above-described embodiment, and visually recognizes the area divided on the acquired map image. It may be a superimposed image that is simply color-coded for the purpose of top distinction.

  The input unit 126 acquires input information instructing movement of a window in which an area selected on the map or a map image is displayed in accordance with a user operation. The input unit 126 includes, for example, a pointing device such as a mouse or a keyboard.

  The related information acquisition unit 114 acquires, from the superimposed image server 300, related information related to a selected region selected from a plurality of regions displayed on the map image, according to the input information acquired by the input unit 126. . For example, the related information acquisition unit 114 acquires, as related information, an information group in which related information aggregated for each point or area included in the selected region is aggregated for each selected region. As in the other embodiments described above, the related information acquisition unit 114 may acquire related information from an information source other than the superimposed image server 300.

  The image output unit 124 uses the image processing unit 116 and the image generation unit 112 to output a map image and a chart image that visualizes related information using a chart. Specifically, the image processing unit 116 processes the figure or table according to the related information acquired by the related information acquisition unit 114. The image processing unit 116 may process a plurality of figures or tables. The image processing unit 116 may process the diagram or table based on a user instruction input via the input unit 126.

  Further, the image processing unit 116 processes part or all of the input information sent from the input unit 126 into an input image. For example, the input image is an image showing a mouse pointer or characters.

  The image generation unit 112 generates a map image and a chart image. The chart image is an image obtained by visualizing the chart acquired by the image processing unit 116. The image generation unit 112 preferably generates a map image and a chart image individually in the first display window W1 and the second display window W2 in order to facilitate recognition by the user.

  The image generation unit 112 may display a plurality of second display windows W2. For example, the image generation unit 112 displays a plurality of second display windows W2 corresponding to each of a plurality of areas in the map image displayed in the first display window W1. Since the image generation unit 112 displays the plurality of second display windows W2 at the same time, it becomes easy to visually compare the related information of the plurality of areas.

  In addition, the image generation unit 112 generates an instruction image D1 for instructing a selection area. For example, the instruction image D1 extends outward from the window main body of the second display window W2 on which the chart image is displayed.

  The image generation unit 112 may generate a display image in which the map image and the superimposed image are superimposed. As an example, the image generation unit 112 transmits the generated display image to the image drawing device 400. The image generation unit 112 may transmit information indicating the vertex coordinates and the drawing mode of the display image to the image drawing apparatus 400 instead of the display image. The image generation unit 112 may display the generated display image on a display unit included in the image control apparatus 100 itself without transmitting the generated display image to the image drawing apparatus 400.

  As shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, the control unit 128 instructs the balloon-type instruction image D1 connected to the second display window W2 when the user moves the second display window W2 by a drag and drop operation. When the selection area is changed, the related information changed in conjunction with the change of the selection area is reflected in the chart image without changing the chart type.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26, when the figure showing the related information is three bar graphs regarding the total population of the selected region, the population of 20 to 40 years old, and the average income, the control unit 128 The related information is changed in conjunction with the change of the selection area while holding the type of.

[Effects of Fifth Embodiment]
As described above, according to the image control apparatus 100 and the image control system 10 according to the present embodiment, the related information changed in conjunction with the change of the selection region can be converted into a chart image without changing the chart type. To reflect. Therefore, the image control apparatus 100 and the image control system 10 according to the present embodiment have an effect that related information about the map can be output or displayed so that the user can easily use and compare.

[Other Embodiments Regarding Fifth Embodiment]
FIG. 27 shows an example in which the third display window W3 and the instruction image D2 are displayed without overlapping. FIG. 28 shows an example of a change state when the instruction image D2 of FIG. 27 is moved. In the present embodiment, the instruction image D2 is displayed separately from the window body, not the second display window W2 in which the balloon-type instruction image D1 and the window body (for example, the third display window W3) are integrated. 25 and FIG. 26 are different from the embodiment shown in FIG.

  Also in the present embodiment, when the user drags and drops the arrow-shaped instruction image D2, the control unit 128 can recognize the change in the selection area according to the movement of the instruction image D2. As a result, the same effects as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 are obtained. Further, the same effect can be obtained even if the input image (mouse pointer) is substituted without displaying the arrow-shaped instruction image D2.

[Other Embodiments Regarding Fifth Embodiment]
FIG. 29 shows an example when the instruction image D1 and the instruction image D2 do not exist. It differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 25 to 28 in that the instruction image D1 and the instruction image D2 do not exist. In the present embodiment, the image generation unit 112 outputs a selection menu such as a pull-down menu used for determining the selection area. The user can select a selection area from a plurality of areas displayed on the map image by using the selection menu.

<Sixth Embodiment>
[Configuration example using a computer]
FIG. 30 illustrates an example of a hardware configuration of a computer 1000 that configures the image control apparatus 100 according to the sixth embodiment. The computer 1000 includes a CPU 500, a ROM 510, a RAM 520, a graphic controller 530, a display device 540, a communication interface 560, a communication controller 550, a disk controller 570, a hard disk drive 580, and a CD-ROM drive 590. The computer 1000 functions as the image control apparatus 100 when the CPU 500 reads out and executes a program stored in the ROM 510.

  The CPU 500 may function as the image control apparatus 100 by reading and executing a program stored in the hard disk drive 580 via the disk controller 570. The CPU 500 may function as the image control apparatus 100 by reading and executing a program stored in a storage medium other than the hard disk drive 580.

  Specifically, the CPU 500 executes the program to obtain a range acquisition unit 102, a granularity information acquisition unit 104, a selection unit 106, a map image acquisition unit 108, a superimposed image acquisition unit 110, an image generation unit 112, and related information acquisition. Unit 114, image processing unit 116, information generation unit 118, graphic image generation unit 120, instruction acquisition unit 122, and control unit 128.

  For example, the CPU 500 functions as the map image acquisition unit 108 that acquires a map image from the map image server 200 via the communication interface 560 and the communication controller 550 by executing a program. The CPU 500 functions as a superimposed image acquisition unit 110 that acquires a superimposed image from the superimposed image server 300 via the communication interface 560 and the communication controller 550 by executing a program. The CPU 500 functions as the image generation unit 112 that generates an image to be output to the image drawing apparatus 400 via the communication interface 560 and the communication controller 550 by executing a program.

<Seventh Embodiment>
[Other examples of rendering of superimposed images]
The drawing mode of the superimposed image generated by the image control apparatus 100 is not limited to the above embodiment. FIG. 31 is a superimposed image showing the position of a subway station. The image control apparatus 100 may generate an image that displays the positions of all stations when the granularity of the superimposed image is small, and may generate an image that displays only the positions of some stations when the granularity increases. .

  FIG. 32 is a superimposed image having a drawing mode composed of rectangular (mesh) -like areas made up of rectangles. The image control apparatus 100 may change the drawing mode for each area having an arbitrary shape, instead of changing the drawing mode for each administrative boundary such as a municipality. The image control apparatus 100 may change the size of the mesh in accordance with the change in the granularity or the drawing range. For example, the image control apparatus 100 selects one of a primary mesh, a secondary mesh,..., An n-order mesh (where n is a natural number) according to the granularity.

  FIG. 33 is a superimposed image having a drawing mode for displaying a plurality of related information for each section. The image control apparatus 100 can show the age-specific population distribution for each area by using a pie chart as shown in FIG. The image control apparatus 100 may increase or decrease the number of pie charts to be displayed according to changes in the granularity or the drawing range. For example, the image control apparatus 100 displays a pie chart showing the population distribution by age in prefectures in the first granularity, and by age in municipalities in the second granularity smaller than the first granularity. Display a pie chart showing population distribution.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The order of execution of each process in the methods shown in the claims, the description, and the drawings is not clearly indicated as “before”, “prior”, etc., and the output of the previous process is not specified. It should be noted that they can be implemented in any order unless used in later processing. Concerning the operation flow in the claims and the description, even if it is described using “first”, “next”, etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to implement in this order. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image control system, 50 ... Network, 100 ... Image control apparatus, 102 ... Range acquisition part, 104 ... Granularity information acquisition part, 106 ... Selection part, 108 ... Map image acquisition unit 110 ... Superimposed image acquisition unit 112 ... Image generation unit 114 ... Related information acquisition unit 116 ... Image processing unit 118 ... Information generation unit 120 ... Graphic image generation unit 122 ... Instruction acquisition unit 124 ... Image output unit 126 ... Input unit 128 ... Control unit 200 ... Map image server 300 ... Superimposed image Server 400... Image drawing device 530 Graphic controller 540 Display device 550 Communication controller 560 Communication interface 570 Disc controller 580. Hard disk drive, 590 ··· CD-ROM drive, 1000 ... computer, D1~D2 ··· instruction image, W1~W3 ··· display window

Claims (8)

A range acquisition unit that acquires information indicating a drawing range of a map image;
A plurality of granularity information corresponding to a plurality of first superimposed images drawn to overlap the map image in the drawing range, and having a granularity indicating the size of a plurality of areas included in each of the first superimposed images A granularity information acquisition unit for acquiring a plurality of corresponding granularity information;
In response to the change in the drawing range, the first corresponding to the first superimposed image in which the ratio of the area included in the drawing range after the change is larger than a predetermined threshold from the plurality of pieces of granularity information. A selector for selecting granularity information;
A related information acquisition unit that acquires related information corresponding to the area included in the first superimposed image;
An image generation unit that generates a display image displayed by superimposing the map image and the first superimposed image corresponding to the first granularity information selected by the selection unit and indicating related information corresponding to the area. When,
An image processing unit that processes a drawing mode of the first superimposed image based on which of the plurality of numerical values the related information belongs;
An image control apparatus comprising:   The image control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the first granularity information having the largest granularity from the plurality of granularity information.   The selection unit includes a plurality of second superimposed images that are drawn in a region where the first superimposed image does not overlap the drawing range when the size of the first superimposed image is smaller than the size of the drawing range. The image control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein second granularity information indicating the same granularity as the granularity indicated by the first granularity information is selected.   When the selection unit does not have the same granularity information as the first granularity information among the plurality of second granularity information corresponding to the second superimposed image acquired by the granularity information acquisition unit, the first granularity The image control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein third granularity information indicating a granularity larger than the granularity indicated by the information is selected. A map image acquisition unit for acquiring the map image;
A superimposed image acquisition unit that acquires the first superimposed image having the first granularity information;
The image control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: an image generation unit configured to generate a display image displayed by superimposing the map image and the first superimposed image. When the selection unit reselects the first granularity information, the image processing unit maintains the ratio of the sizes of the plurality of numerical ranges, and the first superimposed image of the changed first granularity information the image control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 for changing the boundary value of the plurality of numerical ranges based on the related information corresponding to. Computer
A range acquisition unit for acquiring information indicating a drawing range of a map image;
A plurality of granularity information corresponding to a plurality of first superimposed images drawn to overlap the map image in the drawing range, and having a granularity indicating the size of a plurality of areas included in each of the first superimposed images A granularity information acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of corresponding granularity information,
In response to the change in the drawing range, the first corresponding to the first superimposed image in which the ratio of the area included in the drawing range after the change is larger than a predetermined threshold from the plurality of pieces of granularity information. Selector for selecting granularity information,
A related information acquisition unit that acquires related information corresponding to the area included in the first superimposed image;
An image generation unit that generates a display image displayed by superimposing the map image and the first superimposed image corresponding to the first granularity information selected by the selection unit and indicating related information corresponding to the area. ,as well as
An image control program for functioning as an image processing unit that processes a drawing mode of the first superimposed image based on which of a plurality of numerical ranges the related information belongs to . A map image server for storing map images;
A superimposed image server that stores a plurality of superimposed images corresponding to the map image;
The image control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the map image is acquired from the map image server, and a superimposed image corresponding to the first granularity information is acquired from the superimposed image server;
An image generation system comprising: an image drawing device that draws a superimposed image obtained by the image control device on the map image.