JP3864713B2 - Information providing apparatus and information providing method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus and an information providing method for searching for a destination that meets a search condition selected by a user and sending position information and content information related to the searched destination to the user side.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When the user goes out, a destination is selected by a guide book or the Internet according to the purpose and the like, and a route to the destination and a stop-off place are determined. Thereafter, the user checks a specific location and a specific route of the destination with a map, sets the destination as a destination in the car navigation system, and actually starts driving toward the destination.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional method, by the time the user arrives at the destination, the user himself / herself examines the contents of the destination, selects the destination, further examines the specific position and route of the selected destination, and the navigation system. There is a problem that it is necessary to set a destination and confirm a route to the destination, which takes time and makes the procedure complicated.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, searches for a destination that meets a search condition selected by a user, and a destination based on position information and content information regarding the searched destination. An object is to provide an information providing apparatus and an information providing method for transmitting information to a user side in real time.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  (1) To achieve the above purpose,BookAccording to the invention, based on the destination search condition input from the user via the communication means, at least the location information of the destination and the content information regarding the contents of the destination are extracted, and this information is transmitted to the communication means. Providing information to the user via the storage means, with respect to a plurality of destinations, the storage means in which the position information and the content information are stored in association with each other, and the input destination search condition Control means for extracting at least the position information and the content information from the information stored in the storage means, and sending destination information based on the extracted position information and content information to the user. An information providing apparatus is provided.
[0006]
  Also,BookAccording to the invention, with respect to a plurality of destinations, the location information of the destination and the content information of the destination are stored in association with each other, the input of the destination search condition is received from the user, and the input destination search condition is Based on this, there is provided an information providing method for extracting at least the position information and the content information from the stored information and sending destination information based on the position information and the content information to the user.
[0007]
In this invention, the destination location information and the destination content information are stored in association with each other, and the destination location information and the content information are stored based on the destination search condition input by the user. Are extracted, and destination information based on these is sent to the user.
[0008]
Thereby, since the user can acquire the searched destination information in real time, for example, when the user terminal is mounted on a vehicle, information with high utility value that can be used in actual driving is distributed. An information providing apparatus and an information providing method can be provided.
[0009]
In the present invention, the position information included in the destination information includes a plurality of information for displaying one or more positions. In other words, the position information is information that includes information for displaying a plurality of waypoints from the current position (input from the user terminal device) to the destination, and can identify the route from the current position to the destination. If the user's search result includes a plurality of destinations, the position information includes information for displaying the plurality of destinations and information for displaying a plurality of waypoints connecting the respective destinations. Identify the route to the destination. The location information of the destination includes longitude / latitude information for displaying the destination on the map, and absolute location information used in a navigation system that receives a radio wave transmitted from a positioning satellite using a GPS antenna. .
[0010]
In the present invention, the content information of the destination included in the destination information refers to all information related to the contents of the tourist destination, restaurant, accommodation facility, theme park, concert hall, museum and other facilities as the destination. . The storage of the content information in the present invention is not limited to the case where the information on the content of the destination is stored as it is in the storage means, but the URL of the information provider's home page is stored in association with the destination, and the link is extended. The case where it is described is also included.
[0011]
  (2) To achieve the above purpose,According to the present inventionThe control means has a function of sending the destination information to the user terminal on the user side having a navigation function, and the sent destination information includes a destination setting command for the navigation function. An information providing apparatus is provided.
[0012]
  Also,According to the present inventionAn information providing method for transmitting the destination information to a user terminal having a navigation function, the information providing method including a destination setting command for the navigation function in the destination information is provided.
  In the present invention, the control means has a function of sending the searched destination information to an in-vehicle user terminal having a navigation function, and this destination information includes a destination setting command in the navigation function. The received position information is set as a destination in the navigation function.
  For this reason, the user can set this search result (destination) as a destination on the navigation function only by performing an operation of acquiring position information and the like of the searched destination. When the destination is set, the navigation function guides the user himself / herself and the vehicle on which the user is boarding to the destination, so that the information provider can expect a high advertising effect on the provided information.
[0013]
  The navigation function of the user terminal in the present invention refers to an operation instruction system for an automobile when the user terminal is a navigation device mounted on a vehicle, for example, a radio navigation such as GPS, or a dead reckoning navigation such as a gyro sensor. This is a function that measures the position of the vehicle using, displays it on the map of the display, and instructs the route to the input destination by image or voice. Further, the user terminal has a function capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from the control unit via the communication unit.
  (3) To achieve the above objective,According to the present inventionThe control means includes a charging unit that charges for providing the destination information, and the destination information sent from the control means to the user terminal indicates the arrival of the user at the destination. An information providing apparatus is provided that includes a return command for notifying the control means, and wherein the charging unit performs a charging process according to the number of arrival notifications to the destination.
  Also,According to the present inventionIn addition, an information providing method is provided in which a return command for notifying the user of arrival at the destination is included in the destination information, and charging is made according to the number of arrivals at the destination.
  In this invention, since the return command is included in the destination information, when the vehicle equipped with the user terminal arrives at the destination, the arrival is notified to the control means of the information providing apparatus via the communication line. The billing unit counts the number of times the user actually went to the destination as the number of arrival notifications based on the provided notification information (including the position information of the position where the vehicle has arrived). Charge processing is performed according to
  As a result, it is possible not only to distribute the location information etc., but also to charge based on the fact that the user went to the destination based on this location information etc. be able to.
Although not particularly limited, it is preferable that the charging process in the charging unit is performed according to the number of times of receiving the arrival notification first notified by the user arriving at the destination.
[0014]
  (4) To achieve the above objective,BookIn the invention, the control means includes a charging unit that charges for providing the destination information, and the charging unit is provided with an information providing apparatus that performs a charging process according to the number of times the destination information is distributed. .
  In this invention, the billing unit of the control means performs the number of times the destination information is distributed.InThe billing process is performed accordingly.
  Thereby, the billing process can be easily performed according to the frequency of use of the destination information (position information and content information).
[0015]
  (5) To achieve the above objective,BookAccording to the invention, the storage unit temporarily stores the position information and the content information extracted by the control unit, and the control unit identifies the user and temporarily stores the user in the storage unit. There is provided an information providing apparatus having a user identification function for transmitting stored information to the identified user.
  In this invention, the user identification function of the control means identifies the user, and sends the extracted position information and content information temporarily stored in the storage means to this user.
  For this reason, even if the user terminal that inputs the search condition is different from the terminal mounted on the vehicle that outputs the search result, the user can be specified and information can be provided. Further, when the user terminal that inputs the search result and the terminal that outputs the search result are the same, the user inputs the search condition via the in-vehicle user terminal while boarding the vehicle, and determines the destination. Thus, it is possible to provide an information providing apparatus capable of acquiring destination information based on the location information and content information of the destination.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
  The present inventionAccording to the present invention, since the user can acquire the searched location information and content information while boarding the vehicle, the information provision that can provide highly useful information for the user who actually drives An apparatus and an information providing method can be provided.
  The present inventionAccording to the above, it is possible to charge based on the fact that the location information etc. is delivered or the fact that the user goes to the destination based on the delivered location information etc.ProperCharges can be made.
[0017]
<Storage means>
The storage unit 5 includes at least an area for storing destination position information regarding the destination, an area 52 for storing destination content information regarding the contents of the destination, and an area 53 for storing a customer database regarding the user including user identification information. An area 54 for storing an information provider file related to an information provider that provides (advertises) destination information (position information and content information) and a user setting information storage file related to the destination searched by the user are temporarily stored. And a region 55 to be used.
[0018]
The destination location information 51 is information regarding the location of one or more destinations, and includes information for displaying the destination and a waypoint to the destination. This position information includes longitude / latitude information on a map and absolute position information used in a navigation system that receives a radio wave transmitted from a positioning satellite using a GPS antenna.
[0019]
The content information of the destination means all information related to the contents of the tourist destination, restaurant, lodging facility, theme park, concert hall, museum and other facilities as the destination. Specifically, in addition to the purpose of use of the facility, the content information includes advertising information such as business hours, menus, price lists, and today's recommended products for restaurants. Includes guidance information such as period and opening hours. In addition, when the content information is created according to the plan of the operation of the information providing apparatus 1, the information provider at each destination can also create it freely. As the destination content information, information regarding the destination content may be stored as it is in the storage means, or the URL of the information provider's homepage of each destination associated with the destination is stored, and the link is extended. It may be in a state of being.
[0020]
<Control means>
Based on the search condition from the user terminal device 6, the control means 2 searches for a destination and provides location information and content information, and performs a billing process related to the provision of this information.
(1) Search part
The search unit 3 includes a destination / route search unit 31, a search result presentation unit 32, a selection information reception unit 33, a position information / content information transmission unit 34, and a command addition function 35.
Upon receiving the search condition from the user terminal device 6, the destination / route search unit 31 refers to the destination position information 51 and the destination content information 52 stored in the storage unit 5 based on the search condition, Search for a route to a place or destination. The destination to be searched may be one place or a plurality of places, and a place (a destination recommended by the search unit) that stops before arrival at the destination can be included. Further, the search unit can search for a route to the destination selected by the user. In this case, the position information includes a plurality of pieces of information indicating the waypoints for specifying the route. Since the control means 2 can also acquire traffic information via the Internet, it can perform destination search and route search in consideration of traffic jam information.
[0021]
The search result presentation unit 32 presents the search result searched by the destination / route search unit 31 to the user terminal device 6. This is because when the search result includes a plurality of destinations, the user can select a destination that is actually requested. The selection information receiving unit 33 receives information related to the user's selection result. The location information / content information sending unit 34 accesses the storage unit 5 or the server 7 indicated by the URL stored in the storage unit 5 to acquire the location information and content information of the destination selected by the user. The position information requested by the user may be temporarily stored in the user setting information storage file 55 of the storage unit 5. The positional information / content information transmitting unit 34 transmits the acquired or temporarily stored positional information or the like to the vehicle terminal device 63.
[0022]
The command addition function 35 adds a destination setting command or a return command to the position information of the destination information to be transmitted. The destination setting command is a command for setting the position information of the destination as the destination on the navigation unit 633. The return command is a command for transferring an arrival signal informing the purpose of the set destination in the car navigation unit 633 to the information providing apparatus 1. Since these commands are determined for each type of navigation unit 633, they are stored in the customer database for each customer (the type of navigation unit used by the customer).
[0023]
(2) Billing Department
The billing unit 4 performs a billing process related to information distribution for an information provider (advertiser) that provides information about a destination. The charging unit 4 includes a usage counting unit 41 having an arrival frequency counting unit 411 and a distribution frequency counting unit 412, a charging processing unit 42, and a charging information output unit 43.
[0024]
The arrival frequency counting unit 411 counts how many vehicles that have received the destination information have reached the destination based on the arrival signal that informs the arrival at the set destination received from the in-vehicle terminal device 63. Even if the destination information is distributed, it is considered that the advertisement of the distributed information was not effective unless the user (vehicle) actually went to the destination. In this embodiment, the number of users (vehicles) actually going to the destination is counted based on the distributed information, and charging is performed according to the number. In order to prevent duplicate billing, only the first arrival of the same user (vehicle) may be counted.
[0025]
The distribution number counting unit 412 counts the number of times that the control unit 2 distributes the position information of the destination to the in-vehicle terminal device 63. This counting can be performed based on the access log stored in the control means 2. Only one of the arrival count section 411 and the distribution count section 412 may be provided, or both count sections 411 and 412 may be provided by setting different charging unit prices.
The billing processing unit 42 performs billing processing for each information provider (advertiser) by multiplying the count number of the usage counting unit 41 by the unit price of billing. The charging information output unit 43 outputs the result of the charging process.
[0026]
User terminal device
The user terminal device 6 includes a mobile terminal device 61, a personal computer 62, and an in-vehicle terminal device 63. The user terminal device 6 has a function of accepting at least input of search information from the user and sending the search information to the control means 2, and is not limited to being mounted on the vehicle. Any user terminal device 6 has communication means such as a mobile communication function and can be connected to the Internet.
[0027]
The in-vehicle terminal device 63 includes a browser 632 and can search and acquire information via the Internet. The in-vehicle terminal device 63 includes a navigation unit 633, and travel route guidance by the navigation function is displayed on the display device 631. The user terminal 63 which is an in-vehicle terminal device having a navigation function receives a destination setting command and a return command from the control means 2.
[0028]
The interface of the user terminal device 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. An example of the destination search file transmitted in response to the search request signal from the user terminal device 6 is shown in FIG. Destination areas are organized by region and prefecture. The search area is narrowed down when the user clicks on a region or prefecture corresponding to the destination to be examined. Further, when a radius of 10 km or less is selected, the navigation function is detected (if the navigation function is not available, the user inputs information related to the position), the current position of the vehicle is sent to the information providing device 1, and based on this current position information The search target area can also be limited. Here, Kanagawa Prefecture is selected.
[0029]
An example of a destination search file whose area is narrowed down to Kanagawa Prefecture is shown in FIG. On this screen, destinations are organized by industry. When a user clicks on a business type corresponding to a destination to be searched, the business type is narrowed down. Here we choose gourmet.
[0030]
An example of a destination search file in which the type of business is narrowed down to gourmet is shown in FIG. In this screen, five search candidates are listed. When the user selects and clicks a destination from the search results, destination selection information for specifying the destination is sent to the information providing apparatus 1. Further, the search hierarchy can be arbitrarily set, and the price and service content may be used as the search items.
[0031]
Operation of information provider
<First operation>
A first operation of the information providing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the user terminal device 6 to which the search condition is input is the in-vehicle terminal device 633, and the information providing device 1 transmits information on the selected destination.
[0032]
First, the in-vehicle terminal device 633 connects to the Internet using a communication means (step 101). After the connection, a search screen file for destination search is requested to the information providing apparatus 1 (step 102). The information providing device 1 transmits the destination search file to the in-vehicle terminal device 63 (step 103). In accordance with the display of the destination search file (see FIGS. 2 to 4), a search request is transmitted to the information providing apparatus 1 by designating an area and a business type as a destination (step 104). The information providing apparatus 1 searches for the destination based on the search condition input by the user and sends the search result to the in-vehicle terminal apparatus 63 (step 105). The user selects a destination from the stores listed in the search result, and requests the information providing apparatus 1 to transmit information regarding the destination (step 106). The location information and content information regarding this destination are transmitted to the in-vehicle terminal device 633 together with the search result, and when the store name is clicked, the location information and content information of the store may be displayed, or a server storing detailed information The location information may be displayed by connecting to the home page, or the location information may be displayed by accessing the home page established by the information provider at each destination. Upon receiving the information request signal from the in-vehicle terminal device 63, the information providing device 1 transmits at least the position information of the selected destination (step 107). The user can use this position information as information for knowing the specific position of the destination. When the destination setting command for setting the position information as the destination in the navigation function is included, the position information of the destination is set as the destination of the navigation unit 633. The in-vehicle terminal device 63 activates the navigation unit and searches for a route to the destination (step 108). The information providing apparatus 1 records the number of times position information and content information are distributed for each provider of information regarding the destination (step 109). The billing unit 4 performs billing processing according to the number of distributions.
[0033]
<Second operation>
A second operation of the information providing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The second operation is characterized in that the information providing apparatus 1 performs route search and billing processing. The connection from the in-vehicle terminal device 63 to the information providing device 1 (step 201) to step 205 is the same as steps 101 to 105 in the first operation. In step 206, a destination (one or more) is selected, and a route search request for the destination and the current set route data (current position and destination data already set) are transmitted.
[0034]
In the second operation, a route search to the destination is performed in the information providing device 1 with the vehicle terminal device 63 in which the navigation unit 633 is mounted. The in-vehicle terminal device 63 makes a route setting request to the information providing device 1 and transmits information on the current position of the vehicle and information on a destination and a relay point when the route has already been set. Further, when there is a route order of the destination, information indicating the setting order is included.
[0035]
When the control unit 2 receives the route setting request from the in-vehicle terminal device 63, the control unit 2 simultaneously receives the current position information, the set destination position information, the relay point information, the route order information, and the traffic jam information (acquired via the Internet). The shortest route is searched based on comprehensive judgment. The control unit 2 transmits the position information and content information regarding the searched route to the in-vehicle terminal device 63. The position information regarding the destination and waypoint is set as the destination or waypoint to the navigation unit 633 of the in-vehicle terminal device 63 (step 208). This setting may be performed by the user himself / herself, or when the command addition function 35 in the inspection unit 3 adds a destination setting command to the position information, the car navigation unit 633 that has received this command automatically sets the destination. Set the ground.
[0036]
The navigation unit 633 in which the route to the destination is set guides the vehicle to the destination. When the vehicle arrives near the destination (the destination for which the advertisement request has been received) by route guidance, the vehicle terminal device 63 notifies arrival at the information providing device 1 (step 209). The arrival notification is performed by transferring an arrival notification signal on the navigation function to the information providing apparatus 1. This notification is performed when the command addition function 35 in the search unit 3 on the information providing apparatus 1 side includes a return command in the position information. When the information providing apparatus 1 receives the arrival signal to the destination from the in-vehicle terminal device 63, the number of arrivals of the vehicle is recorded for each destination or for each information providing requester (advertiser) who provided the destination information. . The billing unit 4 performs billing processing according to the number of arrivals (step 210).
[0037]
<Third operation>
The 3rd operation | movement of the information provision apparatus 1 of this embodiment is demonstrated based on FIG. In the third embodiment, the operation is performed when the user terminal device 68 (PC terminal 62) that searches for a destination is different from the vehicle terminal device 63 that outputs location information of the destination. This is convenient in that information retrieval is efficiently performed with a personal computer having a high processing capacity, and the result can be obtained at the start of driving in the in-vehicle terminal device 63.
[0038]
In this case, the search results are stored for each user in the user setting storage file 55 in the storage unit 5 of the information providing apparatus 1 and temporarily stored. Later, information on this destination is sent to the vehicle terminal device 63 of the same user. In this case, a user identification function (not shown) of the control means 2 identifies the user based on the user identification information stored in the customer database 53.
[0039]
Until the search condition is input from the personal computer 62 and the destination is selected (step 301 to step 306), the process is the same as step 201 to step 206 in the second operation. Position information and the like related to the selected destination are temporarily stored in the user setting information storage file 55 in association with the user identification information (step 307).
[0040]
When the user actually performs driving, the user retrieves the position information of the already searched destination into the in-vehicle terminal device 63. First, the in-vehicle terminal device 63 is connected to the information providing device 1 via the Internet, and user identification information for identifying a user is presented (step 308). The in-vehicle terminal device 63 requests transmission of information stored in the user setting information storage file 55 (step 309). Based on this request, the control means 2 transmits destination position information, content information, a destination setting command, and a return command (step 310). The in-vehicle terminal device 63 sets the received route data (position information) in the navigation unit 633 (step 311). The information providing apparatus 1 records the number of distributions of information about the destination for each information provision requester (advertiser) (step 312). The charging unit 4 performs a charging process based on the number of distributions.
[0041]
The embodiments described above are described for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not described for limiting the present invention. Therefore, each element and each numerical value disclosed in the above embodiments are intended to include all design changes and equivalents belonging to the technical scope of the present invention.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information providing apparatus according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first example of a destination search screen.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a destination search screen.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a destination search screen.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart explaining a first operation of the information providing apparatus and the in-vehicle terminal apparatus in the present embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart explaining a second operation of the information providing apparatus and the in-vehicle terminal apparatus in the present embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a third operation of the information providing apparatus, the in-vehicle terminal apparatus, and the personal computer in the present embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Information providing device, information providing server
2 ... Control means
3 ... Search section
31 ... Destination, route search part
32 ... Search result presentation part
33 ... Selection information reception part
34 ... Position information and content information sending part
35 ... Command addition function
4 ... Billing Department
41 ... Usage count part
411 ... Arrival count section
412: Distribution count section
42 ... Billing processing section
43 ... Billing information output unit
5. Storage means
51 ... Destination location information
52 ... Destination content information
53 ... Customer database
54 ... Information provider file
55 ... User setting information storage file
6 ... User terminal device
61 ... Mobile terminal device
62 ... PC terminal
63 ... In-vehicle terminal device
631... Display device
632 ... Browser
633 ... Car navigation unit
7 ... Server
71 ... Server 1
72: Server 2
73 ... Server 3

Claims (7)

Based on the destination search condition input by the user via the communication means, at least the location information of the destination and the content information regarding the contents of the destination are extracted, and this information is sent to the user via the communication means. An information providing device for sending,
With respect to a plurality of destinations, storage means for storing the position information and the content information in association with each other;
Based on the input destination search condition, at least the position information and the content information are extracted from the information stored in the storage means, and the destination information based on the extracted position information and the content information is extracted from the user. and a control means for sending towards,
The control means sends destination information including a return command for notifying the control means of arrival of the user to the user terminal on the user side having a navigation function, and arrives at the destination An information providing apparatus including a charging unit that performs a charging process according to the number of times the arrival notification notified by the user is received.   The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the billing unit performs billing processing according to the number of times of receiving an arrival notification first notified by a user arriving at the destination. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit has a function of sending destination information including a destination setting command of the navigation function toward a user terminal on the user side having a navigation function. The storage means temporarily stores the position information and the content information extracted by the control means,
The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit has a user identification function for identifying the user and transmitting information temporarily stored in the storage unit to the user. For multiple destinations, store destination location information and destination content information in association with each other,
Accepts destination search criteria from the user,
Based on the input destination search condition, at least the position information and the content information are extracted from stored information, and the destination information based on the position information and the content information has a navigation function. A method for providing information to a user terminal on the user side ,
Number of times that destination information including a return command for notifying the user terminal of arrival at the destination is sent to the user terminal having the navigation function and the arrival notification notified by the user arriving at the destination is received. Information providing method for performing billing processing according to the request.   6. The information providing method according to claim 5, wherein the billing process is performed in accordance with the number of times of receiving the arrival notification first notified by the user arriving at the destination. 7. The information providing method according to claim 5, wherein a destination setting command for the navigation function of the user terminal is included in the destination information transmitted to the user terminal on the user side.

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