JP4184616B2 - Search support device and search support system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a search support device and a search support system that support searching for a deaf person, a lost child, and the like, and more particularly, to an improvement in display of position information of a search target person.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, a position detection system using a GPS (Global Positioning System) or a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) system has been developed and used. Specifically, a system using PHS estimates the approximate position of a PHS possessed by a searched person such as a lost child depending on which base station PHS currently establishes communication with. Generally, since the communicable range of a PHS base station is about 150 m, a search is made for about 150 m around a base station that has established communication. On the other hand, in GPS, since longitude and latitude information can be acquired, the position of the search target can be specified more accurately.
[0003]
For example, in PHS or the like, by using a map information server on FAX or the Internet, information indicating the position of the search person is synthesized and displayed on a map prepared in advance, thereby indicating the position of the search person. .
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional method of displaying the position information of the search target person, the relative relationship with the search person in charge of the search is not clear, and the search person checks the current position on the map one by one. Therefore, the visibility is low.
[0005]
In addition, depending on the scale of the map, there is a problem in that it is impossible to quickly grasp which direction to go without the position of the person in charge of the search and the searched person being displayed on the same map.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a search support device, a search support system, and a search support method capable of improving visibility and supporting a quick and effective search.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention for solving the problems of the conventional example is a search support device connected to a map database for managing a plurality of scale map information, and means for acquiring current position information of a searcher, Means for acquiring current position information of a search person, and map information of a region selected based on the current position information of the search person and the search person, and a plurality of pieces of map information having different scales from each other Means for acquiring and recording from a database; means for displaying a map of a scale based on a user's selection from the recorded map information; and a relative positional relationship between the person in charge of search and the person to be searched on the displayed map. And a means for combining and displaying. Thus, visibility can be improved by acquiring and recording a plurality of scale maps and selecting a map on a scale that is easy for the searcher to see.
[0008]
Further, here, when either the searcher or the searchee deviates from the displayed map, the means for displaying the map is the searcher and the searchee from the recorded map information. It is also preferable to select a map on a scale that can be displayed by both the person in charge of search and the person to be searched based on the information on the current position of the searcher, and display the selected map. In addition, it is preferable to further include means for calculating a relative distance of the current position between the person in charge of searching and the person to be searched, and displaying the relative distance as the relative positional relationship.
[0009]
In addition, the present invention for solving the problems of the above-mentioned conventional example is attached to the searcher, and transmits the location information of the searchee and the location information of the searchee from the transmission terminal. In a search support system including a center side device that provides the position information and a search terminal possessed by a searcher, the center side device has means for managing map information of a plurality of scales, The search terminal obtains information on the current position of the search terminal, a means for inquiring the center side device about the position information of the search person, a means for receiving the position information provided in response to the inquiry A means for acquiring and recording a plurality of scale maps based on the received position information of the searched person and the current position information of the search terminal; and At the specified scale It displays an figure, on the map, and characterized by comprising means for displaying the relative positional relationship between the search terminal and the seeker, the.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[Embodiment 1]
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the search support system according to the embodiment of the present invention has a transmitting terminal 1 attached to the search target, a center side device 2 arranged in the search center, and each search person. And a search terminal 3 (this search terminal also corresponds to the search support device of the present invention) 3. The transmission terminal 1 and the search terminal 3 each have a GPS reception function and a mobile phone communication function, can receive position information from the GPS satellite 5 and can communicate with the mobile phone base station 4. Further, since the position information obtained from the GPS satellite 5 includes an error, the position information is transmitted to a positioning server (not shown) via the network 6, and the position information corrected by the positioning server is received and corrected. The received position information is transmitted to the center side device 2.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 2, the center side device 2 includes a location information management unit 11 and a control unit 12. The location information management unit 11 is a communication unit 21 connected to each other via a local area network (LAN). The control unit 12 includes a communication unit 25, a control console 26, and an instruction server 27 that are similarly LAN-connected.
[0012]
In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the search terminal 3 receives position information from the GPS satellite 5 and communicates with the center side device 2 via the mobile phone base station 4 and an operation unit. 32, a geomagnetic sensor 33 as a means for detecting the direction of the search terminal 3, a storage unit 34, a display unit 35, a control unit 36 for controlling each unit, and map information for recording received map information And a storage unit 37. Note that the overall configuration includes a power source for driving each unit, but this is omitted here for the sake of explanation. The search terminal 3 is set with an identifier (person-in-charge identifier) unique to each terminal.
[0013]
Next, the calling terminal 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The transmitting terminal 1 receives position information from the GPS satellite 5 and encounters an accident or incident with an RF unit 41 for communicating with the mobile phone base station 4 and a power switch 42 for turning on / off the power. In this case, the emergency button 43 is operated for the purpose of transmitting its own position information, and a logic unit 44 for controlling each unit. In addition, the power supply which drives each part is abbreviate | omitting illustration.
[0014]
When the transmission terminal 1 receives the position request signal from the center side device 2 or when the emergency button 43 is operated, the transmission terminal 1 obtains the position information together with the transmission terminal identifier set in advance to the nearest mobile phone base. The data is transmitted to the center side device 2 via the station 4 and the network 6. Since this transmitting terminal 1 can use a known one, its specific description is omitted.
[0015]
The location information management unit 11 of the center side device 2 receives the transmission terminal identifier and current location information transmitted from the transmission terminal 1 by the communication unit 21 via the network 6, and the communication unit 21 receives the received transmission. The terminal identifier and current position information are output to the position management server 23. The communication unit 21 provides information on the current position of the transmission terminal 1 managed by the position management server 23 in response to an inquiry from the search terminal 3. In addition, although the case where the transmission terminal 1 notifies its current position using GPS is described here as an example, for example, when the terminal attached to the searcher is PHS or the like, the current The communication unit 21 acquires position information from each PHS provider side. At that time, description of design matters such as setting the communication means of the transmission terminal 1 to PHS is omitted.
[0016]
The map server 22 corresponds to the map database of the present invention, and stores a plurality of pieces of map information having different scales. Specifically, the map server 22 stores map image data and vector data of various scales. Here, the map information based on the vector data may be the same as that used in a known car navigation system. Further, the map server 22 receives a request for map data of a specific area and a specific scale from the search terminal 3, and maps at a plurality of scales including those of the specified scale in relation to the corresponding area. The information is transmitted to the requesting search terminal 3. Thus, what is characteristic in the present embodiment is that in response to a request for map information specifying the area and scale received from the search terminal 3, map information of a plurality of scales related to the area is transmitted. . Here, as a plurality of scales, for example, a designated scale, a scale that is finer by one level, and a scale that is coarser by one level than the designated scale are transmitted.
[0017]
The location management server 23 receives the input of the transmitting terminal identifier and the current location information from the communication unit 21 and adds the current location information to the history of the current location corresponding to the transmitting terminal identifier and accumulates it. Further, in response to an inquiry input from the communication unit 21, the location management server 23 provides information on the current location of the inquired target transmission terminal 1 to the inquiry terminal search terminal 3 via the communication unit 21 ( (Location information provision processing).
[0018]
The communication unit 25 of the control unit 12 is connected to be communicable with the position information management unit 11. The control console 26 receives the operation of the person in charge at the center and transmits a search command to the search terminal 3 possessed by the predetermined person in charge of search. The instruction server 27 stores in advance relevant information such as an identifier, a telephone number, and the name of an attendant for each transmission terminal 1 and search terminal 3. In addition, the instruction server 27 associates and manages the contents of the search command (command identifier) for each person identifier at the time of the search command and the transmission terminal identifier attached to the searched person related to the search command. The instruction server 27 further provides information on a transmission terminal identifier associated with a specific person identifier and command identifier in response to an inquiry from the position information management unit 11.
[0019]
The control unit 36 of the search terminal 3 receives the search command including the command identifier from the control unit 12 of the center side device 2, accumulates the content of the command in the storage unit 34, and stores the content of the command in the display unit 35. Display to notify the reception of the command. Further, the control unit 36 performs a search support information display process as shown in FIG. In other words, the control unit 36 receives an instruction for acquiring the position information of the searched person from the searcher via the operation unit 32 and starts this process, together with the set person identifier and the received command identifier. Then, a signal for inquiring about the current position of the search person corresponding to the command identifier is transmitted (S1), and information on the current position of the search person received in response to this request is stored in the storage unit 34 (S2). . Further, the control unit 36 acquires its current position based on a signal from a GPS satellite received by the RF unit 31, and transmits its own position information to the positioning server via the mobile phone base station 4, The position information corrected by the positioning server is acquired again (S3).
[0020]
And the control part 36 calculates the distance from the information on the current position of the search person stored in the process S2 and the information on the current position of the self acquired in the process S3 (S4), and according to the position and the distance. The map server 22 of the location information management unit 11 is requested for the map information of the area and scale, and a plurality of scale maps relating to the area are downloaded as a response (S5). And the control part 36 memorize | stores this downloaded several map information in the map information storage part 37 (S6). Then, information of the map at a predetermined scale is taken out from the map information storage unit 37 and displayed on the display unit 35 (S7), and a mark indicating the current position of the searched person is synthesized and displayed on this map ( Further, on the same map, a mark indicating the current position of the person in charge of the search (that is, the current position acquired in step S3) is also displayed in combination (S9). At this time, the current position of the searcher is displayed so as to be at the center of the display unit 35, and map information at a predetermined scale so that the front of the searcher is located at the top of the display unit 35 from the orientation information of the geomagnetic sensor 33. May be displayed. In this process S7, the map information of the requested scale is initially selected as a map of a predetermined scale, but when there is an instruction from the searcher, the map of the indicated scale is selected. indicate.
[0021]
The control unit 36 synthesizes and displays search guidance such as a vector diagram (arrow) from the mark indicating the current position of the searcher to the mark indicating the current position of the searchee on the map (S10), and further Information on the distance calculated in step S4 is displayed as further search guidance in the vicinity (S11), and is superimposed on a mark indicating its current position. And it waits for the instruction | indication which should be updated (S12), and if there is an instruction | indication to update, it will repeatedly perform from process S1 (A). When there is no instruction to update, the geomagnetic sensor 33 is referred to and information on the direction in which the user is currently facing is displayed with an arrow or the like (S13).
[0022]
It should be noted that it is also preferable not to display the distance information and the direction information in the processes S11 and S13 by an instruction from the operation unit. That is, if the distance between the searcher and the searcher is large, only the distance information is displayed to show only the approximate distance and direction, the searcher is close to the searcher, and a detailed map is displayed. When it is done, it becomes easier to search by clearly indicating the direction in which it is heading by displaying its direction.
[0023]
Further, in the process S10, when the current position of either the person in charge of search or the person to be searched cannot be displayed on the map that is currently displayed (Some have gone out of the area on the map). Time), map information having a larger scale (wider range) than the currently displayed map information is read from the map information storage unit 37 and replaced with the currently displayed map for display. Here, when map information having a scale larger than that currently displayed is not stored in the map information storage unit 37, the map information of the scale that has become necessary is newly stored in the map server 22 of the location information management unit 11. Request and download.
[0024]
By this processing, the display as shown in FIG. 6A is displayed on the display unit 35. In FIG. 6A, the position information (A) of the searched person, the position information (B) of the person in charge of the search, the vector diagram (C) indicating the relative positional relationship, and the distance information (D ) And the direction (E) of the person in charge of search are displayed in a composite manner on the map. In addition, map information of an appropriate scale is selectively read out from the previously downloaded map information so that both the searcher and the search target can be displayed by the process of the control unit 36, and for example, When you want to refer to a detailed map, you can display a map with a scale that suits the searcher's convenience, so smooth search is effectively supported. When a map with a large scale is displayed instead of a map with a small scale, it is also preferable to display the display range of the map with a small scale that was previously displayed with a broken line or the like (FIG. 6B). Further, it is also preferable that the broken line display (F) is deleted after a predetermined time has elapsed or by a predetermined operation.
[0025]
Further, in order to improve the visibility of the relative positional relationship, the map image is such that the direction of the search terminal 3 and the direction of the vector diagram indicating the relative positional relationship between the searched person and the person in charge of the search match. It is also preferable to rotate and display. As a result, the direction of the search target can be intuitively grasped, and the convenience is further improved. Further, the mark (A) indicating the position information of the sought person may be a figure (for example, a circle) having an area related to the error range based on the error information associated with the method for checking the current position of the sought person. preferable. For example, if the method of measuring the current position of the search subject is always GPS, the error of the GPS may be stored on the search terminal 3 side and used. In the present embodiment, the position information is acquired by using the GPS and the mobile phone base station 4 and the error is corrected by a positioning server (not shown). Information may be managed, and this error information may be transmitted to the search terminal 3 side.
[0026]
In addition, the search terminal 3 according to the present embodiment is configured such that a touch panel is overlapped on the display unit 35, and the touch panel is touched with a pen or the like (tapping the surface lightly) to perform a scroll display of the map. Also good. For example, touching a location from the center of the display unit 35 to the right scrolls the map image to the right, and touching a location from the center to the upper right of the display unit 35 scrolls to the upper right. When the center of the display unit 35 is touched, for example, the map is scrolled so that the current position of the searched person is in the center. Furthermore, in the explanation so far, the map is selected so that the current positions of both the searcher and the searcher are displayed on the same map. The scale of the map to be displayed may be changed. Moreover, it is preferable to cache the map information once downloaded in the storage unit 34. In this case, before downloading the map information from the map server 22, the storage unit 34 is searched, and whether the map information downloaded and cached up to the previous time is reusable (cached). Whether the area and scale represented by the map information are appropriate or not is determined. When the map information can be reused, the download process is interrupted and the cached map information is used.
[0027]
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the searched person also moves, it is preferable that the destination can be estimated to some extent. In order to achieve this object, the search terminal 3 according to the present embodiment acquires the history information of the current position of the transmission terminal 1 stored in the center side device 2, and uses this history information to search for the search target person. Displays the travel route of.
[0028]
In this case, the location management server 23 of the center side device 2 includes a clock (not shown), and when adding the history of the current location of the transmission terminal 1 specifically using the time information counted by this clock, The time information at the time of the additional writing is associated. And the search terminal 3 requests | requires the positional information on a search person | subject person with the information (information of time conditions) of how much history information for the past is required.
[0029]
In response to this request, the position management server 23 selects information matching the time condition information from the current position information history, and transmits it to the search terminal 3. The search terminal 3 receives this information and displays the travel route (A) of the searched person as shown in FIG. In this display, a mark (B) indicating its current position, a mark indicating a movement route, and a diagram (X) are combined and displayed on the map. Here, it is preferable that the mark indicating the movement route is highlighted and displayed by a method such as color coding so that it can be easily understood which is the latest information on the current position.
[0030]
FIG. 7 shows an example in which the vector line segment from the current position of the searcher to the current position of the searched person is not displayed. However, this may be displayed, and the distance or self You may also display the direction which is facing.
[0031]
In the description so far, the position management server 23 receives the position information inquiry when performing the position information providing process, and provides the position information of the searched person as it is. By using the received person-in-charge identifier and command identifier, an inquiry is made to the instruction server 27 of the control unit 12 to obtain the transmission terminal identifier of the transmission terminal 1 attached to the searched person associated with the search person. By providing information on the current location related to this calling terminal identifier, it is possible to avoid responding to inquiries from unrelated search personnel, and to consider the privacy of the search target, for example, search It becomes possible to cope with the case where the terminal 3 is stolen.
[0032]
Furthermore, when the transmission terminal 1 has a function of ringing a ringing tone such as a general PHS, the search terminal 3 may call the PHS according to an instruction from a searcher. Thereby, the transmission terminal 1 rings a ringing tone, and it becomes possible to specify a search target reliably. That is, even if it is not PHS, the transmission terminal 1 includes a voice output unit that rings a specific voice in response to the received signal, and is responded to a signal from the center side apparatus 2 by an operator such as a telephone office. It is preferable to sound the sound. In this case, the search terminal 3 transmits a signal for instructing the sound to be transmitted to the telephone station or the center side device 2 in accordance with the operation of the searcher. When the center side device 2 receives this signal, the center side device 2 transmits an instruction to ring a sound to the corresponding transmission terminal 1.
[0033]
When the search support system according to the present embodiment is used, the transmission terminal 1 is attached in advance to the candidate of the search target (such as an infant or a patient with a habit of fear of getting lost), and the center side device 2 The location management server 23 accumulates information on the current location that is intermittently received from the transmission terminal 1. Once an incident such as a lost child occurs, the center side grasps it, and a person in charge on the center side operates the control console 26 to identify a person in charge of the search who has the search terminal 3 via the instruction server 27. Select and give search instructions to the searcher. Then, on the control unit 12 side, the person-in-charge identifier and command identifier set in the search terminal 3 of the selected person in charge of search, and the terminal identifier of the transmission terminal 1 attached to the person to be searched for the search instruction, Are associated.
[0034]
The person in charge of the search operates the search terminal 3 to inquire about the current position information of the search target person related to the instruction, and examines his current position. And the search terminal 3 downloads the map information suitable for the display of these position information from the map server 22, and synthesize | combines and displays each information. As a result, a screen as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the display unit 35 of the search terminal 3, and the current position of the user and the current position of the searched person are displayed on one map.
[0035]
Further, when another operation is performed, information on the travel route of the searched person is acquired and displayed on the display unit 35 as shown in FIG. This travel route information is received based on conditions such as “travel route within the past hour”, for example. This condition may be not only a temporal condition but also a geographical condition such as “a travel route within 5 km”.
[0036]
[Embodiment 2]
Next, a search support system according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The search support system of the present embodiment has the same configuration as the search support system of the first embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, but in the first embodiment, the search support system Whereas the terminal 3 has requested or displayed a map of an appropriate scale so that the search can be effectively supported, the center side device 2 here relates to the area and scale of the map information provided to the search terminal 3. The position management server 23 of this point is different.
[0037]
That is, in the present embodiment, when a search request for a searcher who accompanies the transmission terminal 1 is received at the center, a command identifier is sent from the control unit 12 of the center side device 2 to the search terminal 3 incidental to the searcher. A search response command containing is sent. Then, a signal for inquiring the current position of the searcher corresponding to the command identifier is received from the control unit 36, and the current position of the searcher obtained by the position information management unit 11 based on the information of the GPS satellite 5 and the positioning server is received. Information is transmitted to the search terminal 3. Similarly, the location information management unit 11 acquires the current location of the search terminal 3 and outputs it to the location management server 23. Then, the position management server 23 determines from which information of the current positions of the person in charge of search and the person to be searched which scale map can be displayed at the same time. The one with a smaller scale (the most detailed map information that can be displayed on both sides, hereinafter referred to as the “optimum scale map”) is selected, and together with the selected map information, the one with a scale one step larger than the scale (one Map information indicating a wide range of steps) and one having a scale smaller than the selected scale (map information indicating a narrow range) are transmitted to the search terminal 3. In addition, about the selected optimal reduced scale map, it is also preferable to transmit together with the attribute information which shows that it is an optimal reduced scale map.
[0038]
As a result, the control unit 36 of the search terminal 3 stores the transmitted plurality of map information in the map information storage unit 37, displays the optimum scale map on the position management server 23, and searches for the map on the map. The display showing the relative positional relationship between the person and the searched person can be performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
[0039]
In this case, it is preferable that the search terminal 3 and the center side device 2 communicate with each other at any time to display the relative positional relationship between the current position of the searcher and the current position of the searched person. This supports smooth search activities.
[0040]
In the present embodiment, since the position management server 23 acquires and manages information on the relative current positions of the person in charge of search and the person to be searched even after downloading to the search terminal 3 once. While the map information is being displayed, it is determined at every predetermined timing which map information is suitable for display, and when the search terminal 3 should change the scale, the location information management unit 11 issues a change instruction. You may do it. In that case, the search terminal 3 selects the map information of the scale to be displayed (optimum scale map) and provides the map information of the insufficient scale.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the current position information of the searcher and the current position information of the searcher are acquired, and the searcher and the searcher are displayed on the map based on the current position information of the searcher and the searcher. As a search support device that composites and displays the relative positional relationship with the display, it is possible to improve visibility and support quick search.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a search support system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram of a center side device 2;
FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram of the search terminal 3;
FIG. 4 is a configuration block diagram of a transmission terminal 1;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the search terminal 3;
6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of display on the search terminal 3. FIG.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of display on the search terminal 3;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Transmission terminal, 2 Center side apparatus, 3 Search terminal, 4 Mobile phone base station, 5 GPS satellite, 6 Network, 11 Location information management part, 12 Control part, 21, 25 Communication part, 22 Map server, 23 Location management server , 26 control console, 27 instruction server, 31 RF unit, 32 operation unit, 33 geomagnetic sensor, 34 storage unit, 35 display unit, 36 control unit, 37 map information storage unit.

Claims (4)

A search support device connected to a map database for managing map information of a plurality of scales,
Means for obtaining current location information of the searcher;
Means for obtaining current location information of the sought person;
The map information of the area selected based on the current position information of the searcher and the search person, and acquiring and recording a plurality of map information different in scale from the map database;
Means for displaying a map of a predetermined scale from the recorded map information;
Means for synthesizing and displaying the relative positional relationship between the person in charge of search and the person to be searched on the displayed map;
A search support device characterized by comprising: The search support device according to claim 1,
When either the search person or the search person deviates from the displayed map, the means for displaying the map is the current position of the search person and the search person from the recorded map information. A search support apparatus, wherein a map on a scale that can be displayed by both the person in charge of search and the person to be searched is selected on the basis of the information and the selected map is displayed. In the search support device according to claim 1 or 2,
Means for selecting a map of a scale instructed by the searcher;
A search support apparatus characterized by displaying the map. A sending terminal that accompanies the searcher and sends the searchee's location information;
The center side device that receives the location information of the searchee from the transmission terminal and provides the location information;
A search terminal possessed by the searcher, and
The center side device has means for managing map information of a plurality of scales,
The search terminal is
Means for inquiring the position information of the sought person to the center side device;
Means for receiving location information provided in response to the inquiry;
Means for obtaining information on the current location of the search terminal;
Based on the received position information of the search target person and the current position information of the search terminal, means for acquiring and recording a plurality of scale maps;
A means for displaying a map of a scale designated by a searcher among the recorded maps and displaying a relative positional relationship between the search target and the search terminal on the map. Search support system.

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