JP3484078B2 - Map database updating device and recording medium recording map database updating program - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention recognizes a character string written on a signboard, a nameplate or the like (hereinafter collectively referred to as a signboard) and adds / deletes data to / from a map database, and a map database updating device for updating the map database. The present invention relates to a recording medium recording a program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, large-scale maps such as residential maps have been digitized and are being used as map databases. In such a map database, it is necessary to constantly update the description contents so that it matches the actual situation, and conventionally, the resident name in the map printed on paper by the investigator and the residence written on the actual signboard After confirming each person's name one by one and making a memo of the change situation, the data of the corresponding resident in the map database was corrected.

Incidentally, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-181411 discloses that the map information in the map database is updated by collating a newly obtained map image with a past map image. It does not mention automatic updating of resident data in the database. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-143640 discloses that a map database is created by using a live-action image taken by a digital camera. However, it is not possible to update the contents of the map database after the creation. I haven't touched it.

[0004]

In a large-scale map such as a residential map, the number of residents and the like described is large, and manual correction work of the resident data requires a long update period, It was a cause of cost increase. In particular,
The work of selecting the data about the resident described in the change situation memo from the huge amount of resident data in the map database is mainly manual work, and it has been desired to improve efficiency.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to automate the work of associating an actual resident with the data in the map database, and efficiently update the data of the resident. (EN) Provided is a map database updating device and a recording medium storing the map database updating program.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention automatically recognizes a character string written on a signboard in a photographed landscape image, and recognizes the signboard character recognition result and a map database. The main feature is the correspondence with the resident data in. Here, the signboard means a display of a nameplate or a store / business office that is installed in a building or the like and has a one-to-one correspondence with the resident name / store name / business office name of the building. That is, it does not include a commercial advertisement in which the signboard installation location does not match the resident's whereabouts written on the signboard, or a display for the purpose of advertisement such as a product name.

Specifically, the map database updating device of the present invention inputs a map database including a resident's name and position coordinate data on the map of the resident, and a landscape image taken by using a video camera or the like. The landscape image input unit, the signboard image extraction unit that extracts the signboard image from the landscape image, the character recognition unit that recognizes the characters in the signboard image and outputs the recognition result character code string, and the shooting of the landscape image A shooting position input unit that measures the latitude and longitude of the position and inputs the shooting position coordinates converted into coordinates on the map, a shooting direction input unit that inputs the value of the shooting direction of the landscape image, and a signboard in the landscape image A shooting distance input unit for inputting the shooting distance up to, a sign position estimating unit that estimates the area where the sign exists on the map based on the shooting position coordinates or the shooting direction and shooting distance, and information about the area where the sign exists For Search the map database and output a list of all the resident names included in the area, the recognition result character code string output by the character recognition section, and the resident search section in the area. A signboard character string collating unit that collates with the output resident name list in the area and outputs a list of candidate residents similar to the recognition result character code string, landscape image, signboard image, resident name list, candidate
When the display unit that displays the resident name list and the like and the resident corresponding to the signboard image are not present in the candidate resident name list,
The data addition section that adds resident data to the map database according to the operator's instructions, and the operator's instructions as well.
In addition, the landscape image is configured by a data deleting unit or the like that deletes the resident data having no corresponding signboard from the map database.

Another map database updating device of the present invention is a map database including a resident name, a landscape image input unit for inputting a landscape image, and a signboard image extracting unit for extracting a signboard image from the landscape image. And a character recognition unit that recognizes the characters in the signboard image and outputs the recognition result character code string, a resident search unit that searches the map database and outputs a resident name list, and a character recognition unit. And a signboard character string collating unit that collates the recognition result character code string with the resident name list output by the resident search unit and outputs a resident name list similar to the recognition result character code as a candidate resident name list. , Landscape image, signboard image, resident name squirrel
When the resident corresponding to the signboard image does not exist in the candidate resident name list, the display unit for displaying the candidate resident name list, etc. , and the resident data is added to the map database according to the operator's instruction. Same operation as the data addition section
According to the person's instruction, it is configured by a data deleting unit or the like that deletes, from the map database, resident data of a resident name for which no corresponding signboard image exists in the landscape image.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a map database updating device of the present invention. This map database updating device includes a landscape image input unit 1, a signboard image extraction unit 2, a character recognition unit 3, a map database 4, a shooting position input unit 5, a shooting direction input unit 6, a shooting distance input unit 7, and a signboard position estimation unit. 8, an area resident search unit 9, a signboard character string collation unit 10, a display unit 11, a data addition unit 12, and a data deletion unit 13. In practice, they are constructed using so-called computer system hardware and software.

The landscape image input unit 1 inputs a landscape image of a building taken by a small video camera or the like. The input landscape image is displayed on the display unit 11 described later, and the operator, while watching the landscape image displayed on the display unit 11, captures a still image when the building with the signboard enters the field of view. And so on.

In the signboard image extraction unit 2, the landscape image input unit 1
The signboard image is extracted from the landscape image input in. The character recognition unit 3 recognizes the characters in each signboard image extracted by the signboard image extraction unit 2 and outputs the recognition result character code string.

As the technique used in the signboard image extracting section 2 and the character recognizing section 3, for example, a character line and its background have a high density contrast, and the circumscribed rectangle of the character is often close to a square. A method has been proposed for extracting and recognizing characters from landscape images that are noisy and subject to drastic changes in conditions by utilizing universal properties (“Character pattern extraction and recognition from scene images”, Atsushi Otani, Shio. Akio, IEICE Transactions D Vol. J71-D No.
6 pp. 1037-1047).

The map database 4 stores a residential map and the like including a resident name and position coordinate data on the map of the resident.

In the photographing position input section 5, the GPS is previously set.
(Global Positioning System)
The latitude / longitude of the shooting position is measured using the radio waves from the satellite, and the shooting position coordinate data obtained by converting this into coordinate values on the map is input. The shooting direction input unit 6 inputs shooting direction data obtained by measuring the shooting direction in advance by a direction measuring device using a gyroscope or the like. In the shooting distance input unit 7, shooting distance data obtained by previously measuring the distance from the shooting position to the signboard in the landscape image using a laser with a range sensor or the like is input.

In the signboard position estimation unit 8, the photographing position input unit 5
On the map using the shooting position coordinates input from the camera, or using the shooting position coordinates, the shooting direction input from the shooting direction input unit 6, and the distance to the signboard input from the shooting distance input unit 7. Estimate the area where the signboard exists.

The local resident search unit 9 searches for position coordinate data on the map of the resident in the map database 4,
A list of resident names existing in the range estimated by the signboard position estimation unit 8 (regional resident name list) is output.

In the signboard character string collating unit 10, the character recognizing unit 3
The recognition result character code string output from the above is collated with the local resident name list output by the local resident search unit 9, and the resident name having a large number of matching characters with the recognition result character code string is a candidate resident. Output as a list of.

The display unit 11 displays the landscape image and the still image captured landscape image input from the landscape image input unit 1, displays the signboard image extracted by the signboard image extraction unit 2, and searches the residents in the area. The resident name list in the area output by 9 and the candidate resident name list output by the signboard character string collating unit 10 are displayed.

The operator refers to the signboard image displayed on the display unit 11 and the candidate resident name list, and when the resident corresponding to the signboard image is not present in the candidate resident name list, the resident data is stored. Instruct the data addition unit 12 to add,
By referring to the landscape image and the list of resident names in the area, it is instructed to delete the resident data for which the corresponding signboard image does not exist in the landscape image. The data adding unit 12 adds the resident data designated by the operator to the map database 4.
The data deletion unit 13 deletes the resident data designated by the operator from the map database 4.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the overall processing flow of the map database updating apparatus shown in FIG. Note that (S1) to (S13) indicate each step.

First, in step (S1), when the landscape image is photographed, the photographing position coordinates measured in advance,
Enter the shooting direction and shooting distance data. Here, for the shooting position, the latitude and longitude of the shooting position are obtained using radio waves from a plurality of GPS satellites, and the coordinates and coordinates (x, y) on the map are obtained.
It is obtained by converting to. Taking advantage of the fact that the gyroscope always shows the same direction, the shooting direction θ (0 ° ≦ θ <3
60 °) is obtained. The shooting distance can be obtained by measuring the distance d from the shooting position to the signboard in the landscape image using a laser range sensor or the like.

Next, in step (S2), the signboard position (X, Y) is estimated using the shooting position coordinates (x, y), the shooting direction θ, and the shooting distance d input in the sub (S1). To do. As shown in FIG. 3, the signboard position (X, Y) is
From the geometrical relationship of x, y, θ, d, X = x + dcos θ Y = y + d sin θ is given. However, since x, y, θ, and d each have an error, the estimated range of the signboard is (X, Y ) Centered within a circle with an error radius ε. Even if the information on the shooting direction θ and the shooting distance d is missing, it is possible to estimate the signboard only from the shooting position coordinates by increasing the value of ε.

Subsequently, in step (S3), the map database 4 is searched using the estimated area of the signboard obtained in step (S4), and the resident name and the position coordinate data on the map of the resident name are searched. , A list of all resident names included in the estimated area (area resident name list) is output. At this time, in the search, the inequality (u−X) ² + (between the position coordinate data (u, v) for each resident and the estimated signboard position (X, Y) stored in the map database 4 is used. v−Y) ² ≦ ε ² is determined, and the resident data that is satisfied is output as a resident name list in the area.

Next, in step (S4), a landscape image is input by a still image capture operation. continue,
The signboard image is extracted in step (S5), the characters in the signboard image are recognized in step (S6), and the recognition result character code string is output.

In step (S7), the resident name list output in step (S3) is compared with the recognition result character code string output in step (S6), and the resident with a large number of matching characters Output first name as a list of candidate residents.

Subsequently, in the determination in step (S8), if the resident corresponding to the signboard image is not in the candidate resident name list, in step (S9), the resident data is added to the map database. To do. Here, the resident name uses the character code string recognized in step (S6),
As the position coordinate data, the signboard position estimated in step (S2) is used. The position coordinate data of the occupant may be the shooting position coordinate input in step (S1).

Next, in step (S10), it is determined whether or not other signboards are present in the input landscape image, and if they are found, steps (S5) to step are executed until the processing of all signboards is completed. The operation of (S9) is repeated. Thus, when there is no other signboard, it is further determined in step (S11) whether another landscape image exists, and if there is another landscape image that needs to be processed, steps (S1) to step (S1) The operation of (S10) is repeated.

When the above processing is completed, step (S1
In 2), check if there is resident data that does not correspond to any signboard in the map database,
If it exists, the operator deletes the data from the map database as needed in step (S13), and the process ends.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the map database updating device of the present invention. The map database updating device includes a landscape image input unit 1, a signboard image extraction unit 2, a character recognition unit 3, a map database 41, a resident search unit 41, a signboard character string collation unit 43, a display unit 11, a data addition unit 12, and It is composed of the data deleting unit 13.

The operations of the landscape image input unit 1, the signboard image extraction unit 2 and the character recognition unit 3 are the same as in FIG. The map database 41 stores a house map including the resident name, and the position coordinate data on the map of the resident does not necessarily have to be stored as in the map database 4 of FIG.

The resident search unit 42 searches the map database 41 and outputs a list of all resident names or a list of resident names in the area designated by the operator. In the signboard character string collating unit 43, the recognition result character code string output from the character recognizing unit 3 is collated with the resident name list output by the resident searching unit 42, and the recognition result character code string and the number of matching characters are compared. Output the names of many residents as a list of candidate residents.

On the display unit 11, a landscape image and a still image captured landscape image input from the landscape image input unit 1, a billboard image extracted by the billboard image extraction unit 2, and a resident search unit 42 are output. The resident name list and the candidate resident name list output from the signboard character string matching unit 10 are displayed.

The data adding unit 2 adds the resident data to the map database 41 when the resident corresponding to the signboard image does not exist in the candidate resident name list. In the data deletion unit 13, the resident data of the resident name in which the corresponding signboard image does not exist in the landscape image is stored in the map database 41.
Remove from. This data addition unit 12 and data deletion unit 1
The operation of No. 3 is similar to that of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a processing flow of the map database updating apparatus shown in FIG. This is basically the same as FIG. 2 except that steps (S1) and (S2) of FIG. 2 are omitted, and the resident search within the area of step (S3) is replaced with the resident search specified by the operator. The description is omitted.

The process flow shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 is a computer-readable recording medium such as a floppy disk, a memory card, a compact disk (CD-ROM) as a map database update program.
It is possible to provide it by recording it in the.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By using the recognition result character code of the character in the signboard in the photographed landscape image, or by using the recognition result code and the signboard position estimated by the shooting position, shooting direction, shooting distance, etc. The resident data can be efficiently extracted from the huge amount of resident data in the map database, and the work amount can be significantly reduced as compared with the conventional map database updating work.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a map database updating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the map database updating device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the principle of a signboard position estimating method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a map database updating device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the map database updating device of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Landscape image input section 2 Signboard image extraction section 3 Character recognition part 4,41 map database 5 Shooting position input section 6 Shooting direction input section 7 Shooting distance input section 8 Signboard position estimation unit 9 Resident Search Department in the area 10,43 Signboard character string collation unit 11 Display 12 Data addition section 13 Data deletion section 42 Resident Search Section

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Mai Araki 3-19-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Inside Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Motohiro Machida 3-19-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Japan Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Toshiaki Sugimura 3-19-3 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Japan Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Kazuhiro Sugiyama 3-chome Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 19-2 Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Hirotaka Nakano 3-19-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (56) Reference JP-A-9-178497 (JP , A) Nobuo Miyamoto, Teruo Akiyama, Kenji Ogura, "Recognition of Signboard Characters Including Corporate Marks", "Proceedings of IEICE General Conference", Electronic Information Society Society, March 6, 1998, information system (2), p. 235 (D-12-36) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06T 1/00-17/50 G06F 17/30 G09B 23/00-29/14 G06K 9/00-9 / 82

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A map database including a resident name and position coordinate data on a map of the resident, a landscape image input section for inputting a landscape image, and a signboard image for extracting a signboard image from the landscape image. An extraction unit, a character recognition unit that recognizes the characters in the signboard image and outputs a recognition result character code string, and measures the latitude and longitude of the shooting position of the landscape image and converts them into coordinates on the map. A shooting position input unit for inputting shooting position coordinates, a signboard position estimation unit for estimating a region where a signboard exists on a map based on the shooting position coordinates, and a search for the map database using the signboard existing region Then, the area resident search unit that outputs the resident name list included in the signboard existence area, the recognition result character code string output by the character recognition unit, and the area resident search unit output by the area resident search unit. area Collating the resident name list, and signboard string matching unit for outputting a resident name that is similar to the recognition result character code string as a candidate resident name list, the landscape image, signboard image, resident name list, candidate resident Person
A display unit for displaying the name list and the resident data designated by the operator when the resident name corresponding to the signboard image does not exist in the candidate resident name list by referring to the display on the display unit . A data addition unit for adding the resident data to the map database in response to an addition instruction , and the operator referring to the display on the display unit to refer to the resident name for which the corresponding signboard image does not exist in the landscape image. Is the above residence
Delete resident data to be instructed when existing in the name list
A map database updating device comprising: a data deleting unit that deletes the resident data from the map database according to a removal instruction . 2. The map database updating device according to claim 1, wherein a shooting direction input section for inputting a measurement value of a shooting direction of a landscape image and a shooting distance for inputting a measurement value of a shooting distance to a signboard in the landscape image. A map database updating device comprising an input unit, wherein the signboard position estimation unit estimates the area where the signboard exists on the map based on the shooting position coordinates, the shooting direction, and the shooting distance of the landscape image. 3. A map database including a name of a resident, a landscape image input section for inputting a landscape image, a signboard image extraction section for extracting a signboard image in the landscape image, and a character in the signboard image. A character recognition unit that recognizes and outputs a recognition result character code string, a resident search unit that searches the map database and outputs a resident name list, and a recognition result character code string that is output by the character recognition unit. A signboard character string collating unit that collates the resident name list output by the resident search unit and outputs a resident name list similar to the recognition result character code string as a candidate resident name list, and the landscape image, Signboard image, resident name list, candidate resident
A display unit for displaying the name list and the resident data designated by the operator when the resident name corresponding to the signboard image does not exist in the candidate resident name list by referring to the display on the display unit . A data addition unit for adding the resident data to the map database in response to an addition instruction , and the operator referring to the display on the display unit to refer to the resident name for which the corresponding signboard image does not exist in the landscape image. Is the above residence
Delete resident data to be instructed when existing in the name list
A map database updating device comprising: a data deleting unit that deletes the resident data from the map database according to a removal instruction . 4. A computer, a resident's name and the resident of a computer-readable recording medium recording a program for updating the map database that contains the location coordinate data on the map, the computer
Input the landscape image by the landscape image input unit , extract the signboard image in the landscape image, recognize the characters in the signboard image and output the recognition result character code string, and the shooting position. By inputting the photographing position coordinates on the map of the landscape image by the input unit and using the photographing position coordinates to estimate the area where the signboard exists on the map, the estimated signboard existence area is used. A process for searching the map database and outputting a resident name list included in the signboard existing area is collated with the recognition result character code string and the resident name list in the area to obtain a recognition result character code string. A process of outputting a resident name similar to the above as a candidate resident name list, and the above landscape image, signboard image, resident name list, candidate resident
A treatment process for displaying a name list on the display unit, the operator by referring to the display of the display unit, resident name corresponding to the signboard image is instructed in the absence in said candidate resident name list resident Process for adding the resident data to the map database in response to an instruction to add the resident data, and the operator refers to the display on the display unit to refer to the resident where the corresponding signboard image does not exist in the landscape image. Name of person is the residence
Delete resident data to be instructed when existing in the name list
A recording medium recording a map database update program for executing the processing process of deleting the resident data from the map database by a removal instruction . 5. A recording medium in which the map database update program according to claim 4 is recorded, wherein a shooting direction input unit is provided.
The process of inputting the shooting direction of the landscape image and the shooting distance to the signboard in the landscape image by the shooting distance input unit
Further , in the area estimation processing process in which the signboard is present, the area in which the signboard is present on the map is estimated based on the shooting position coordinates, the shooting direction, and the shooting distance of the landscape image. A recording medium recording a map database update program. 6. A computer, a computer-readable recording medium recording a program for updating a map database including a resident name, the co
A process of inputting a landscape image by a landscape image input unit to a computer, extracting a signboard image in the landscape image, recognizing characters in the signboard image, and outputting a recognition result character code string, The process of searching the map database and outputting the resident name list is collated with the recognition result character code string and the resident name list, and the resident name similar to the recognition result character code string is used as the candidate resident name. Processing process to output as a list and the landscape image, signboard image, resident name list, candidate resident
Residents instructing when the resident corresponding to the signboard image does not exist in the candidate resident name list by referring to the display process of the name list on the display unit and the display on the display unit A process for adding the resident data to the map database in response to a data addition instruction , and the operator refers to the display on the display unit to refer to the resident in which the corresponding signboard image does not exist in the landscape image. First name is above residence
Delete resident data to be instructed when existing in the name list
A recording medium recording a map database update program for executing the processing process of deleting the resident data from the map database by a removal instruction .