JP7520376B2 - Information retrieval program and information retrieval device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information search program and an information search device.

Various technologies have been proposed for searching for travel routes using public transportation including trains. For example, when there are multiple routes that satisfy specified search conditions, a method is known in which a priority order is determined based on a predetermined evaluation criterion, and the routes to be displayed are narrowed down according to that order (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2016-151548 A

By combining the above-mentioned search for travel routes (hereinafter also referred to as "route search") with a search for facilities where users can carry out activities (hereinafter also referred to as "facility search"), more useful information can be provided to users of the search service. This "activity" refers to common events for users, such as lodging, meals, massages, and meetings, for example.

For example, when route searches and facility searches are performed in this order, the search results tend to present the optimal route from the departure point to the destination along with activity facilities in the vicinity of the destination. This results in fewer options for activities for the user to experience.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide an information search program and an information search device that can obtain search results with a wider range of choices for the user when performing a combination of route search and facility search.

The information search program of the first invention causes a computer capable of communicating with a user's terminal device to function as: a storage means configured to be able to construct a route database relating to travel routes using public transportation means and a map database relating to stops for the public transportation means and the user's activity facilities; an acquisition means for acquiring from the terminal device search conditions relating to the user's starting point and destination, and activities the user will experience on the way from the starting point to the destination; a stop search for searching the map database for stops associated with activity facilities where the activity can be experienced; and a route search for searching the route database for travel routes from the starting point to the destination via stops extracted by the stop search, using the search conditions acquired by the acquisition means; and an output instruction means for instructing the terminal device to output the search results by the search means.

The search means may further perform a facility search in the map database to search for activity facilities in the vicinity of the stops extracted by the stop search, and the output instruction means may instruct the output of one or more action plans identified from a combination of search results from the stop search, the route search, and the facility search.

The output instruction means may also instruct the output of multiple action plans each having a different travel route from the departure point to the destination.

The search means may perform the stop search prior to the route search and the facility search, and in the stop search, extract a plurality of stop candidates that are different from each other in at least one of the travel route from the departure point and the travel route to the destination from a group of stops associated with an activity facility where the activity can be experienced.

The search means may also sequentially perform a combination search that combines the boarding/alighting station search and the route search, and the facility search based on the search results of the combination search.

The output instruction means may instruct the search means to output a plurality of candidate travel routes extracted by the combination search, the acquisition means may acquire selection information from the terminal device indicating a travel route selected by a user from among the plurality of candidate travel routes, and the search means may perform the facility search for activity facilities located in the vicinity of a boarding/alighting station corresponding to the travel route identified by the selection information.

The output instruction means may instruct the search means to output a plurality of candidate stops extracted by the combination search, the acquisition means may acquire selection information from the terminal device indicating a stop selected by the user from among the plurality of candidate stops, and the search means may perform the facility search for activity facilities located in the vicinity of the stop identified by the selection information.

The search means may also sequentially perform a combination search that combines the boarding/alighting station search and the facility search, and the route search based on the search results of the combination search.

The output instruction means may instruct the search means to output a plurality of candidate activity facilities extracted by the combination search, the acquisition means may acquire selection information from the terminal device indicating an activity facility selected by a user from the plurality of candidate activity facilities, and the search means may perform the route search for a travel route that passes through a stop corresponding to the activity facility identified by the selection information.

The output instruction means may instruct the search means to output a plurality of candidate boarding and alighting stations extracted by the combination search performed by the search means, the acquisition means may acquire selection information from the terminal device indicating a boarding and alighting station selected by the user from among the plurality of candidate boarding and alighting stations, and the search means may perform the route search for a travel route that passes through the boarding and alighting station identified by the selection information.

The search means may also perform the stop search for a stop that has an activity facility that satisfies an access condition for a means of transportation other than the public transportation means and that corresponds to the type of activity included in the search conditions.

The search means may also perform the stop search or the route search so that a travel route that passes through the departure point or the destination once is included in the search results.

The search means may also perform the stop search or the route search so that the search results include travel routes that travel to and from some sections.

The information search device in the second aspect of the present invention is a device capable of communicating with a user's terminal device, and includes a storage means configured to be able to construct a route database relating to travel routes using public transportation means, a map database relating to stops for the public transportation means and user activity facilities, an acquisition means for acquiring from the terminal device search conditions relating to the user's starting point and destination, and activities the user will experience on the way from the starting point to the destination, a stop search for searching the map database for stops associated with activity facilities where the activity can be experienced, and a route search for searching the route database for travel routes from the starting point to the destination via stops extracted by the stop search, using the search conditions acquired by the acquisition means, and an output instruction means for instructing the terminal device to output the search results by the search means.

According to the present invention, when route search and facility search are performed in combination, search results with a wider range of choices for the user can be obtained.

1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an information retrieval system incorporating a server device as an information retrieval device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a server device and a terminal device appearing in FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of functional blocks of a server device appearing in FIGS. 1 and 2 . 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow between a server device and a terminal device. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a search input screen displayed on a terminal device. Fig. 6(a) is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of the stop information in Fig. 3. Fig. 6(b) is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of the facility information in Fig. 3. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a search output screen displayed on a terminal device. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the positional relationship between lines, stations, and hotels. 11 is a flowchart relating to a federated search in the first example. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a search result screen in the federated search of the first example. 13 is a flowchart relating to a federated search in a second example. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a selection request screen in the federated search of the second example. 13 is a flowchart relating to a federated search in a third example. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a selection request screen in the federated search of the third example.

The information search program of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred embodiment in relation to an information search device. To facilitate understanding of the description, the same components and steps in each drawing will be given the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicate descriptions may be omitted.

[Configuration of information retrieval system 10]
<Overall composition>
1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an information search system 10 incorporating a server device 12 as an information search device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information search system 10 is configured to be able to provide an "information search service" that presents search results relating to various information including public transportation routes and user activity facilities in response to a search request from a user.

Here, "public transportation" refers to transportation that is available for public use and has boarding and disembarking stations. Examples of public transportation include trains, buses, airplanes, and ships. Furthermore, "activity facilities" are facilities where users can experience activities. The "activity" referred to here does not refer to rare events such as tourism, but to relatively common events such as lodging, meals, massages, and meetings.

Specifically, the information search system 10 includes a server device 12 and one or more terminal devices 14. Each terminal device 14 is capable of communicating with the server device 12 via the network NT.

The server device 12 is a server computer that performs various controls related to the information search service described above. In the example of FIG. 1, the server device 12 is shown as a single computer, but instead, the server device 12 may be a group of computers that configure a distributed system. In addition, the server device 12 may be a cloud-type server (a so-called cloud server) or an on-premise type server.

The terminal device 14 is a stationary or portable computer terminal owned by the user. The terminal device 14 is, for example, a personal computer, a tablet, a smartphone, a wearable device, etc.

<Hardware Configuration>
Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the server device 12 and the terminal device 14 in Fig. 1. The terminal device 14 shown in the lower part of the drawing is configured to include a communication I/F 21, an input device 22, an output device 23, a processor 24, a memory 25, and a storage device 26. On the other hand, the server device 12 shown in the upper part of the drawing is configured to include a communication I/F 31, a processor 34, a memory 35, and a storage device 36.

The communication I/Fs 21 and 31 are interfaces that transmit and receive electrical signals to and from external devices. This allows the terminal device 14 to transmit search conditions 66 (FIG. 3) to the server device 12 and receive result information 68 (FIG. 3) from the server device 12.

The input device 22 is a device including a mouse, keyboard, touch sensor, and microphone. The output device 23 is a device including a display and speaker. The terminal device 14 combines the input function of the input device 22 and the display function of the output device 23 to create a graphical user interface (GUI).

The processors 24, 34 may be general-purpose processors including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or dedicated processors including a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The memories 25, 35 are non-transient storage media that store programs and data required for the processors 24, 34 to control each component. The storage devices 26, 36 are non-transient storage media that include, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD: Hard Disk Drive) or a solid state drive (SSD: Solid State Drive).

<Function block>
Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of functional blocks of the server device 12 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The server device 12 functions as an acquisition means 40, a search means 42, an output instruction means 44, a reservation processing means 46, and a storage means 48 by reading and executing an information search program. The acquisition means 40 is realized by the communication I/F 31 and the processor 34 in Fig. 2. The search means 42 is realized by the processor 34 in Fig. 2. The output instruction means 44 and the reservation processing means 46 are respectively realized by the communication I/F 31 and the processor 34 in Fig. 2. The storage means 48 is realized by the storage device 36 in Fig. 2.

The acquisition means 40 acquires search conditions 66 necessary for the search process by the search means 42 through communication with the terminal device 14. In addition, the acquisition means 40 acquires selection information including the results selected by the user from multiple candidate conditions (e.g., stops, travel routes, activity facilities) during the above-mentioned search process, as necessary.

The search means 42 performs the desired search processing on the route DB 58 and the map DB 64, all of which will be described later. The search means 42 is configured to include a stop search unit 50 that searches the map DB 64 for stops (hereinafter also referred to as "stop search"), a route search unit 52 that searches the route DB 58 for travel routes (hereinafter also referred to as "route search"), and a facility search unit 54 that searches the map DB 64 for activity facilities (hereinafter also referred to as "facility search"). The search means 42 executes the stop search, route search, and facility search described above in a coordinated manner.

The output instruction means 44 instructs the terminal device 14 to output the search results by the search means 42. Specifically, the output instruction means 44 instructs the output of one or more action plans identified from a combination of the search results from the stop search, route search, and facility search. Here, "action plan" means a plan regarding the user's actions from the departure point to arriving at the destination. The action plan includes a travel process from the departure point to a waypoint, a travel process from a waypoint to an activity facility, an experience process at an activity facility, a travel process from one activity facility to another activity facility, a travel process from an activity facility to a waypoint, and a travel process from a waypoint to a destination.

The reservation processing means 46 processes reservations for activity facilities in response to user requests. For example, the reservation processing means 46 identifies the relevant reservation server using reservation information acquired from the terminal device 14, and then arranges the reservation on behalf of the user with the reservation server. Alternatively, the reservation processing means 46 performs processing to mediate a connection between the terminal device 14 that is attempting to arrange a reservation and the reservation server described above.

The storage means 48 is a database related to travel routes using public transportation, and a route database (hereinafter, route DB 58) that accumulates route information 56 is constructed. The storage means 48 is also a database related to public transportation stops and user activity facilities, and a map database (hereinafter, map DB 64) that accumulates stop information 60 and facility information 62 is constructed. The storage means 48 also temporarily stores search conditions 66 and result information 68 when a search is performed by the search means 42. Here, the search conditions 66 are conditions related to the user's departure point and destination, and the activities the user experiences on the way from the departure point to the destination. The result information 68 is information indicating the search results (e.g., final results or intermediate results) by the search means 42.

[Operation of Information Retrieval System 10]
The information retrieval system 10 incorporating the server device 12 as an information retrieval device is configured as described above. Next, the flow of processing between the server device 12 and the terminal device 14 will be described with reference mainly to the flowchart in Fig. 4. Steps SP16, 18, 20, and 28 of this flowchart are executed by the server device 12, while the remaining steps are executed by the terminal device 14.

<Overall flow>
In step SP10 of FIG. 4, the terminal device 14 displays on the display of the output device 23 a screen for inputting search criteria 66 to be used in a search (hereinafter, search input screen 80) while the information search application is running.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a search input screen 80 displayed by the output device 23 of Figure 1. Specifically, the search input screen 80 is provided with a route input field 82, an activity input field 84, and a button 86 labeled "Search."

The route input field 82 includes a first user control group 88 configured to allow input of departure point information related to the departure point, and a second user control group 90 configured to allow input of destination information related to the destination. The first user control group 88 is a collection of user controls for inputting location information (e.g., station name) indicating the departure point and time information (e.g., date and time) indicating the departure point. The second user control group 90 is a collection of user controls for inputting location information (e.g., station name) indicating the destination and time information (here, date, time, or time zone) indicating the arrival point.

The activity input field 84 includes at least one set of user controls 92 and a button 94, and a pair of buttons 96. The user control group 92 is a collection of user controls for inputting the type of activity and time information (here, the date and reservation time). The button 94 is a user control for popping up a window in which additional search criteria 66 related to the activity can be input. The pair of buttons 96 are user controls for adding or deleting the user control group 92.

In step SP12 of FIG. 4, the terminal device 14 checks whether or not a search request has been made by the user. In the example of FIG. 5, the terminal device 14 checks whether or not an operation to click the [Search] button 86 on the search input screen 80 has been accepted. If no search request has been made (step SP12: NO), the process returns to step SP10 and steps SP10 and SP12 are repeated in sequence until a predetermined request operation is accepted. On the other hand, if a search request has been made (step SP12: YES), the process proceeds to the next step SP14.

In step SP14, the terminal device 14 acquires the search conditions 66 specified via the search input screen 80 at the time of the request in step SP12, and then transmits the search conditions 66 to the server device 12 in association with the identification information of the terminal device 14 (i.e., the terminal ID).

In step SP16, the acquisition means 40 of the server device 12 acquires search conditions 66 used for the collaborative search described below through reception from the terminal device 14.

In step SP18, the search means 42 of the server device 12 performs a federated search based on the search criteria 66 acquired in step SP16. Here, "federated search" refers to a process that performs a federated search of [1] a "station search" by the boarding/alighting station search unit 50, [2] a "route search" by the route search unit 52, and [3] a "facility search" by the facility search unit 54. Note that the server device 12 may exchange data with the terminal device 14 as necessary while the federated search is being performed.

The route information 56 in FIG. 3 includes, for example, route information having a data structure that combines nodes and links, timetables for each route, operation information showing operation conditions, and traffic flow information showing changes in traffic flow over time.

Figure 6 (a) is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the stop information 60 in Figure 3. This stop information 60 is data in a table format showing the correspondence between [1] a "station ID" which is identification information for a train station (or simply "station"), [2] a "station name" which indicates the name of the station, and [3] "location information" which indicates the location of the station. Here, the location information is information which indicates a location on a map, and includes, for example, the district name, latitude, longitude, line name, and address.

Fig. 6(b) is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the facility information 62 in Fig. 3. This facility information 62 is data in a table format showing the correspondence between [1] a "facility ID" which is identification information of the activity facility, [2] a "facility name" which indicates the name of the activity facility, [3] a "type" which indicates the classification of the activity facility, and [4] "location information" which indicates the location of the activity facility.

In step SP20 of FIG. 4, the output instruction means 44 of the server device 12 transmits result information 68 including the search results obtained by the collaborative search in step SP18 to the terminal device 14 having the terminal ID linked to the search criteria 66.

In step SP22, the terminal device 14 obtains result information 68 corresponding to the search criteria 66 through reception from the server device 12.

In step SP24, the terminal device 14 uses the search criteria 66 received in step SP22 to display a screen showing the search results (hereinafter, search output screen 100) on the display of the output device 23.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of a search output screen 100 displayed by the output device 23 of Figure 1. Specifically, the search output screen 100 is provided with step columns 101-107 showing each step of the action plan, a button 110 labeled "Search again," and a button 112 labeled "Search."

The first process column 101 shows a schedule for traveling by train from the destination (Station A) to the waypoint (Station P3). The second process column 102 shows a schedule for traveling by foot from the waypoint (Station P3) to the first activity facility (massage parlor). The third process column 103 shows an action (massage treatment) at the first activity facility. The fourth process column 104 shows a schedule for traveling by foot from the first activity facility (massage parlor) to the second activity facility (hotel). The fifth process column 105 shows an action (lodging) at the second activity facility. The sixth process column 106 shows a schedule for traveling by foot from the second activity facility (hotel) to the waypoint (Station P3). The seventh process column 107 shows a schedule for traveling by train from the waypoint (Station P3) to the destination (Station B).

The third step field 103 is provided with a button 114 for popping up a window in which massage parlor reservation information can be entered, and a confirmation field 115 showing the contents of the reservation information that has already been entered. The fifth step field 105 is provided with a button 116 for popping up a window in which hotel reservation information can be entered, and a confirmation field 117 showing the contents of the reservation information that has already been entered.

For example, when the user of the terminal device 14 clicks the [Search again] button 110, the search input screen 80 of FIG. 5 is displayed again on the display of the output device 23. On the other hand, when the user clicks the [Reserve] button 112, the process proceeds to the next step SP26.

In step SP26 of FIG. 4, the terminal device 14 makes a request to the server device 12 to make a reservation for an activity facility. Specifically, the terminal device 14 acquires the reservation information input via the search output screen 100 at the time the [Reserve] button 112 (FIG. 7) is clicked, and then transmits this reservation information to the server device 12 in association with the terminal ID of the terminal device 14.

In step SP28, the reservation processing means 46 of the server device 12 performs reservation processing for the activity facility. Specifically, the reservation processing means 46 may identify the relevant reservation server (not shown) using the reservation information acquired from the terminal device 14, and then arrange a reservation with the reservation server, or may perform processing to mediate a connection between the terminal device 14 and the reservation server.

[Examples of federated search]
In this manner, a series of operations by the information search system 10 is completed. Next, a specific example of the federated search by the search means 42 (step SP18 in FIG. 4) will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 14. The following description is based on the assumption that the public transportation means is "railroad", the departure point is "Station A", the destination is "Station B", the type of activity is "lodging/massage treatment", and the activity facility is "hotel/massage parlor".

Figure 8 is a diagram showing the schematic positional relationship between lines, stations, and hotels. Three solid lines indicate the railway "lines" (lines X, Y, Z), and circles on the solid lines indicate the "stations" (stations A, B, P1-P5). Square marks marked with an "H" indicate the location of hotels. Of the two filled-in circles, the one on the top right of the drawing corresponds to the "departure station" (station A), and the one on the bottom left of the drawing corresponds to the "arrival station" (station B). To make it easier to understand, this diagram omits explanation of whether there are massage parlors or not, and only shows one hotel per station.

Now, let's assume that a user searches for an action plan that involves staying the night before traveling from Station A to Station B. For example, in areas such as downtown areas, there is a high probability that there are accommodations such as business hotels near the destination Station B. In this case, if a route search and a facility search are performed in that order, the search results tend to present both the optimal travel route from Station A to Station B and hotels near Station B. This leaves the user with less room to select an action plan. Therefore, by performing the "linked search" described above, search results with a wider range of choices are obtained for the user.

Specifically, by further including intermediate stations in the search, in addition to Station B, [1] intermediate stations on Line X, which is the shortest route (Station P1, Station P2, Station P3), [2] a station outside the shortest section (Station P4), and [3] a station on another Line Y or Z (Station P5) can be extracted as intermediate station candidates. In this way, by allowing travel routes that pass through Station A or Station B once, or travel routes that go back and forth within a certain section, the user can, for example, select an action plan that avoids using trains during peak hours.

<First Example>
First, the first example of federated search (step SP18A) will be described with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 9 and the example screen in FIG.

In step SP40 of FIG. 9, the search means 42 performs a "station search" to search for stations associated with the activity facility in the map DB 64. This "association" may be a relationship directly described in the data table, or may be a relationship obtained using location information associated with the facility ID and station ID. In the latter example, the search means 42 searches for a station that simultaneously satisfies: [1] it is located within an elliptical area Ar (FIG. 8) with the locations of Stations A and B as its focal points; [2] there is an activity facility that satisfies a predetermined access condition; and [3] the relevant activity facility corresponds to the type of activity included in the search condition 66 (here, lodging or massage treatment).

The "access condition" refers to one or more conditions related to travel using means other than rail (e.g., walking, bus, bicycle, etc.), and one example is "being able to arrive within a 5-minute walk from the relevant station." The access condition is determined based on various evaluation items including, for example, the straight-line distance from the relevant station, the route distance, the required time, the fare, and the frequency of service. The access condition may be a uniform condition that is not dependent on the user, or may be a condition customized for each user. This customization may be performed based on, for example, a specified operation by the user, or past search history, browsing history, or usage history. In addition, if a recommendation level for the user is set for an activity facility, for example, the judgment of the access condition for an activity facility with a recommendation level higher than a threshold value may be relaxed to make it easier to extract the relevant station and activity facility.

In step SP42, the search means 42 narrows down the station groups extracted by the station search in step SP40 to extract multiple intermediate station candidates. For example, the search means 42 may extract intermediate station candidates according to a priority order specified by the contents of the search conditions 66, or may extract intermediate station candidates randomly. In this way, multiple intermediate station candidates are extracted from the station groups described above such that at least one of the travel route from the departure station and the travel route to the destination station is different.

In step SP44, the search means 42 starts loop control on the loop variable (i). The loop variable i is incremented by 1 from the start value i=1 until the end value i=N. Here, N (N≧2) corresponds to the number of candidate intermediate stations extracted in step SP42.

In step SP46, the search means 42 searches for a route in the route DB 58 that uses the currently specified i-th candidate intermediate station as a route point. For example, the search means 42 determines one travel route that combines [1] a first route from the departure station to the candidate intermediate station and [2] a second route from the candidate intermediate station to the destination station, according to evaluation criteria related to travel time, fare, number of transfers, etc.

In step SP48, the search means 42 searches the map DB 64 for facilities in the vicinity of the currently specified i-th candidate intermediate station. For example, the search means 42 determines a set of activity facilities (here, a massage parlour and a hotel) that match or are similar to the search criteria 66 according to evaluation criteria related to charges, facilities, convenience of services, availability, etc. Then, the loop variable is counted up (i = i + 1), and this loop control continues.

In step SP50, the search means 42 ends the loop control for the loop variable i. This ends the first example of the linked search by the search means 42. After that, the result information 68 is displayed on the display of the output device 23 through an instruction from the output instruction means 44.

Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of a search output screen 120 in the first example of a federated search. On this search output screen 120, there are provided result columns 122, 124, and 126 that show a portion of the search results, a button 128 labeled "Search again," and three buttons 130 labeled "Details."

Result column 122 shows the travel route, massage parlor name, and hotel name when "P3 Station" is the stop station. Result column 124 shows the travel route, massage parlor name, and hotel name when "P4 Station" is the stop station. Result column 126 shows the travel route, massage parlor name, and hotel name when "P5 Station" is the stop station.

After comparing the contents of the result columns 122, 124, and 126, if the user does not find an action plan that interests them, they click on the "Search again" button 128. This causes the display of the output device 23 to display again the search input screen 80 (Fig. 5) prompting the user to re-enter information. On the other hand, if an action plan that interests them is found, the user clicks on the corresponding "Details" button 130. This causes the display of the output device 23 to display the search output screen 100 (Fig. 7) showing each specific step in the action plan.

<Second Example>
Next, the second example of the federated search (step SP18B) will be described with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 11 and the example screen in FIG.

In step SP60 of FIG. 11, the search means 42 performs a "combination search" to search the route DB 58 and the map DB 64 for a combination of intermediate stations and travel routes that match the search criteria 66. Here, the search means 42 searches for stations and travel routes that pass through the stations that simultaneously satisfy the following: [1] they are located within an elliptical area Ar (FIG. 8) with the positions of stations A and B as their focal points, [2] there is an activity facility that satisfies predetermined access conditions, and [3] the relevant activity facility corresponds to the type of activity included in the search criteria 66 (here, lodging or massage treatment).

In step SP62, the search means 42 narrows down the travel route groups extracted by the combination search in step SP60 to extract multiple route candidates. For example, the search means 42 may extract route candidates according to a priority order specified by the contents of the search conditions 66, or may extract route candidates randomly.

In step SP64, the output instruction means 44 transmits result information 68 including the route candidates extracted by the narrowing down in step SP62 to the terminal device 14 having the terminal ID linked to the search condition 66. Then, this result information 68 is displayed on the display of the output device 23.

Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of a selection request screen 140 in the second example of a federated search. On this selection request screen 140, there are provided result columns 142, 144, and 146 that show a portion of the search results, a button 148 labeled "Search again," a button 150 labeled "Search again," and three check boxes 152.

Result column 142 shows the travel route and its usage conditions (fare, time, line name, etc.) when "P3 Station" is an intermediate station. Result column 144 shows the travel route and its usage conditions when "P4 Station" is an intermediate station. Result column 142 shows the travel route and its usage conditions when "P5 Station" is an intermediate station.

After comparing the contents of the result columns 142, 144, and 146, if the user does not find a travel route that interests him/her, he/she clicks the [Search again] button 148. This causes the search input screen 80 (FIG. 5) to be displayed again on the display of the output device 23, prompting the user to re-enter information. On the other hand, if a travel route that interests him/her is found, the user selects one or more corresponding check boxes 152 and then clicks the [Select] button 150. The terminal device 14 then transmits selection information, including the operation status of the check boxes 152 on the selection request screen 140, to the server device 12 in association with the terminal ID.

In step SP66, the search means 42 checks whether or not it has received selection information from the terminal device 14. If the search means 42 has not yet received selection information (step SP66: NO), it remains in step SP66 until it receives this selection information. On the other hand, if the search means 42 has received selection information (step SP66: YES), it proceeds to the next step SP68.

In step SP68, the search means 42 searches the map DB 64 for facilities related to intermediate stations that correspond to the travel route selected by the selection information received in step SP66. As in the first example, the search means 42 extracts multiple activity facilities that match or are similar to the search criteria 66 according to evaluation criteria related to charges, facilities, convenience of services, availability, etc.

In this way, the second example of the linked search by the search means 42 is completed. After that, through steps SP20, SP22, and SP24 in FIG. 4, the result information 68 is displayed on the display of the output device 23 (more specifically, on the search output screen 100 in FIG. 7).

<Third Example>
Next, the third example of the linked search (step SP18C) will be described with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 13 and the example screen in FIG.

In step SP80, the search means 42 performs a "combination search" to search the map DB 64 for a combination of intermediate stations and activity facilities that match the search criteria 66. Here, the search means 42 searches for stations and activity facilities in the vicinity of the stations that simultaneously satisfy the following: [1] they are located within an elliptical area Ar (FIG. 8) with the positions of stations A and B as their focal points, [2] there is an activity facility that satisfies predetermined access conditions, and [3] the relevant activity facility corresponds to the type of activity included in the search criteria 66 (here, lodging or massage treatment).

In step SP82, the search means 42 narrows down the activity facility groups extracted by the combination search in step SP80 to extract multiple facility candidates. For example, the search means 42 may extract facility candidates according to a priority order specified by the contents of the search conditions 66, or may extract facility candidates randomly.

In step SP84, the output instruction means 44 transmits result information 68, including the facility candidates extracted by the narrowing down in step SP82, to the terminal device 14 having the terminal ID linked to the search criteria 66. This result information 68 is then displayed on the display of the output device 23.

Figure 14 is a diagram showing an example of a selection request screen 160 in the third example of a federated search. On this selection request screen 160, there are provided result columns 162, 164, and 166 that show a portion of the search results, a button 168 labeled "Search again," a button 170 labeled "Search again," and three check boxes 172.

Result column 162 shows the hotel names and related information (intermediate station names, line names, service overviews, etc.) when "P3 Station" is the intermediate station. Result column 164 shows the hotel names and related information when "P4 Station" is the intermediate station. Result column 166 shows the hotel names and related information when "P5 Station" is the intermediate station.

After comparing the contents of the result columns 162, 164, and 166, if the user does not find a hotel of high interest, he or she clicks the [Search Again] button 168. This causes the display of the output device 23 to display the search input screen 80 (FIG. 5) again, prompting the user to re-enter information. On the other hand, if a hotel of high interest is found, the user selects one or more corresponding check boxes 172 and then clicks the [Select] button 170. The terminal device 14 then transmits selection information, including the operation status of the check boxes 172 on the selection request screen 160, to the server device 12 in association with the terminal ID.

In step SP86, the search means 42 checks whether or not it has received selection information from the terminal device 14. If the search means 42 has not yet received selection information (step SP86: NO), it remains in step SP86 until it receives this selection information. On the other hand, if the search means 42 has received selection information (step SP86: YES), it proceeds to the next step SP88.

In step SP88, the search means 42 searches the route DB 58 for a route related to the intermediate station corresponding to the hotel selected by the selection information received in step SP86. As in the first example, the search means 42 determines multiple travel routes that combine a first route from the departure station to the intermediate station and a second route from the intermediate station to the destination station according to evaluation criteria related to travel time, fare, number of transfers, etc.

In this way, the third example of the linked search by the search means 42 is completed. After that, through steps SP20, SP22, and SP24 in FIG. 4, the result information 68 is displayed on the display of the output device 23 (more specifically, on the search output screen 100 in FIG. 7).

[Effects of the embodiment]
As described above, the server device 12 as an information search device comprises a route DB 58 related to travel routes using public transportation, a storage means 48 configured to be able to construct a map DB 64 related to public transportation stops and the user's activity facilities, an acquisition means 40 that acquires from the terminal device 14 search conditions 66 related to the user's starting point and destination, and activities that the user will experience on the way from the starting point to the destination, a search means 42 that performs a stop search that searches the map DB 64 for stops associated with activity facilities where the activity can be experienced, and a route search that searches the route DB 58 for travel routes from the starting point to the destination that pass through the stops extracted by the stop search, using the search conditions 66 acquired by the acquisition means 40, and an output instruction means 44 that instructs the terminal device 14 to output the search results by the search means 42.

The information search method and information search program are executed by one or more computers, and include steps of constructing a route DB58 related to travel routes using public transportation means and a map DB64 related to public transportation stops and user activity facilities, step SP16 of acquiring search conditions 66 related to the user's starting point and destination, and activities the user will experience on the way from the starting point to the destination, step SP18 of performing a stop search using the acquired search conditions 66 to search the map DB64 for stops associated with activity facilities where the activity can be experienced, and step SP18 of performing a route search using the acquired search conditions 66 to search the route DB58 for travel routes from the starting point to the destination via the stops extracted by the stop search, and step SP20 of instructing the terminal device 14 to output the search results from step SP18.

In this way, by searching for stops associated with activity facilities where an activity can be experienced, it is possible to increase the options for stops that can be potential intermediate stops compared to when a stop is selected from search results for a travel route from a departure point to a destination. This allows a user to obtain search results with a wider range of choices when performing a combination of route search and facility search.

The search means 42 may further perform a facility search in the map DB 64 to search for activity facilities in the vicinity of the stops extracted by the stop search, and the output instruction means 44 may instruct the output of one or more action plans identified from a combination of the search results from the stop search, route search, and facility search.

The search means 42 may also perform a stop search for stops that satisfy access conditions for a means of transportation other than public transportation and have activity facilities that correspond to the type of activity included in the search conditions 66.

The search means 42 may also perform a stop search so that a travel route that passes through the departure point or destination once is included in the search results. The search means 42 may also perform a stop search so that a travel route that goes round trip through a portion of the route is included in the search results. This increases the number of stops included in the search results, thereby broadening the range of choices available to the user.

In the first example of the collaborative search (FIGS. 9 and 10), the output instruction means 44 may instruct the output of multiple action plans with different travel routes from the departure point to the destination. This makes it possible to present the user with multiple action plans with different travel routes, expanding the range of choices for the user.

For example, the search means 42 may perform a stop search prior to a route search and a facility search, and in the stop search, extract from a stop group associated with an activity facility that can be experienced, a plurality of candidate stops in which at least one of the travel route from the departure point and the travel route to the destination is different from each other. This allows a plurality of different travel routes to be selected regardless of the method of the route search that is executed later.

In the second example of the linked search (FIGS. 11 and 12), the search means 42 may sequentially perform a combination search that combines a stop search and a route search, and a facility search based on the search results of the combination search.

For example, the output instruction means 44 may instruct the search means 42 to output a plurality of candidate travel routes extracted by a combination search, the acquisition means 40 may acquire selection information indicating a travel route selected by the user from the plurality of candidate travel routes from the terminal device 14, and the search means 42 may perform a facility search for activity facilities in the vicinity of a boarding/alighting station corresponding to the travel route identified by the selection information. This allows the user's intention regarding the travel route to be reflected in the search results.

The search means 42 in the third example of the linked search (FIGS. 13 and 14) may sequentially perform a combination search that combines a stop search and a facility search, and a route search based on the search results of the combination search.

Specifically, the output instruction means 44 instructs the search means 42 to output a plurality of candidate activity facilities extracted by the combination search, the acquisition means 40 acquires selection information indicating an activity facility selected by the user from the plurality of candidate activity facilities from the terminal device 14, and the search means 42 may perform a route search for a travel route that passes through a stop corresponding to the activity facility identified by the selection information. This allows the user's intention regarding the activity facility to be reflected in the search results.

[Modification]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be freely modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Alternatively, the respective configurations may be arbitrarily combined without causing any technical contradiction.

In the above embodiment, multiple travel route candidates are presented in the result fields 142, 144, and 146 on the selection request screen 140 (FIG. 12), but multiple intermediate station candidates may be presented in addition to or separately from these. In this case, in step SP68 of FIG. 11, the search means 42 may perform a facility search for activity facilities in the vicinity of the boarding and alighting station identified by the selection information from the terminal device 14.

In the embodiment described above, multiple candidate activity facilities are presented in the result fields 162, 164, and 166 on the selection request screen 160 (FIG. 14), but multiple candidate intermediate stations may also be presented in addition to or separately from these. In this case, in step SP88 of FIG. 13, the search means 42 may perform a facility search for activity facilities located in the vicinity of the stop identified by the selection information from the terminal device 14.

In the above embodiment, the route DB 58 and the map DB 64 (FIG. 3) are constructed as separate databases, but instead, they may be constructed as an integrated database. Also, the number of activities included in the user's action plan is not limited to two, but may be one or three or more. Also, an action plan may be created in which the user experiences two or more activities sequentially or simultaneously in one activity facility.

10...information retrieval system, 12...server device (information retrieval device), 14...terminal device, 40...acquisition means, 42...retrieval means, 44...output instruction means, 48...storage means, 56...route information, 58...route DB (route database), 60...boarding and alighting station information, 62...facility information, 64...facility DB (facility database), 66...search conditions, 68...result information, 80...search input screen, 100, 120...search output screen, 140, 160...selection request screen

Claims (13)

A computer capable of communicating with a user's terminal device,
A storage means configured to be able to construct a route database relating to travel routes using public transportation means and a map database relating to boarding and alighting stations of the public transportation means and user activity facilities;
an acquisition means for acquiring from the terminal device search conditions related to a starting point and a destination of the user, and an activity that the user will experience while traveling from the starting point to the destination;
a search means for performing a stop search for searching, from the map database, a stop associated with an activity facility where the activity can be experienced, and a route search for searching, from the route database, a travel route from the departure point to the destination via the stop extracted by the stop search, using the search conditions acquired by the acquisition means, and performing the route search after the stop search;
an output instruction means for instructing the terminal device to output a search result by the search means;
An information retrieval program to function as a. The search means further performs a facility search to search the map database for activity facilities located in the vicinity of the bus stop extracted by the bus stop search,
the output instruction means instructs output of one or more action plans identified from a combination of search results from the station search, the route search, and the facility search;
2. The information retrieval program according to claim 1. The information search program according to claim 2, wherein the output instruction means instructs output of a plurality of action plans each having a different travel route from the departure point to the destination. the search means sequentially performs a combination search by combining the boarding/alighting station search and the route search, and the facility search based on a search result of the combination search.
3. The information retrieval program according to claim 2. the output instruction means instructs the search means to output a plurality of travel route candidates extracted by the combination search;
the acquiring means acquires, from the terminal device, selection information indicating a travel route selected by a user from among the plurality of travel route candidates;
the search means performs the facility search for activity facilities located in the vicinity of a boarding/deboarding station corresponding to the travel route specified by the selection information;
5. The information retrieval program according to claim 4 . The output instruction means instructs the search means to output a plurality of candidate boarding and alighting stations extracted by the combination search,
The acquisition means acquires, from the terminal device, selection information indicating a boarding/alighting station selected by the user from the plurality of candidate boarding/alighting stations;
The search means performs the facility search for activity facilities located in the vicinity of the boarding/deboarding station identified by the selection information.
5. The information retrieval program according to claim 4 . the search means sequentially performs a combination search by combining the boarding/alighting station search and the facility search, and the route search based on a search result of the combination search.
3. The information retrieval program according to claim 2. the output instruction means instructs output of a plurality of activity facility candidates extracted by the combination search performed by the search means;
the acquiring means acquires, from the terminal device, selection information indicating an activity facility selected by a user from the plurality of activity facility candidates;
The search means performs the route search for a travel route that passes through a stop corresponding to the activity facility specified by the selection information.
8. An information retrieval program according to claim 7 . The output instruction means instructs the search means to output a plurality of candidate boarding and alighting stations extracted by the combination search,
The acquisition means acquires, from the terminal device, selection information indicating a boarding/alighting station selected by the user from the plurality of candidate boarding/alighting stations;
The search means performs the route search for a travel route that passes through the boarding/alighting station specified by the selection information.
8. An information retrieval program according to claim 7 . The search means performs the stop search for a stop that satisfies an access condition for a means of transportation other than the public transportation means and has an activity facility corresponding to the type of activity included in the search conditions.
2. The information retrieval program according to claim 1. The information search program according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the search means performs the search for stops such that a travel route that passes through the departure point or the destination once is included in the search result. The information search program according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the search means performs the search for stops such that a travel route that goes round trip through a part of the section is included in the search result. An information search device capable of communicating with a user's terminal device,
A storage means configured to be able to construct a route database relating to travel routes using public transportation means and a map database relating to boarding and alighting stations of the public transportation means and user activity facilities;
An acquisition means for acquiring search conditions related to a starting point and a destination of a user, and an activity that the user will experience while moving from the starting point to the destination from the terminal device;
a search means for performing a stop search to search for a stop associated with an activity facility where the activity can be experienced from the map database, and a route search to search for a travel route from the departure point to the destination via the stop extracted by the stop search from the route database, using the search conditions acquired by the acquisition means, and performing the route search after the stop search;
an output instruction means for instructing the terminal device to output a search result by the search means;
An information retrieval device comprising:

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