U.S. patent number 7,096,233 [Application Number 09/892,721] was granted by the patent office on 2006-08-22 for server, user terminal, information providing service system and information providing service method for providing information in conjunction with a geographical mapping application.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Fujitsu Limited. Invention is credited to Yukio Hirokawa, Shinichiro Mori.
United States Patent |
7,096,233 |
Mori , et al. |
August 22, 2006 |
Server, user terminal, information providing service system and
information providing service method for providing information in
conjunction with a geographical mapping application
Abstract
An information providing service method comprising the steps of
selecting an object displayed on a map in a user terminal,
transmitting coordinate information relating to an object selected
in the terminal and display object attribute information
representing attributes of service information to be provided by
the object to a server connected to the terminal over a network,
transmitting spatial range information, attribute information and a
URL based on the transmitted coordinate information and display
object attribute information from the server to the terminal, and
displaying an information bubble along with the object at a
position indicated by the transmitted spatial range information on
a display unit of the terminal, whereby the service information is
provided such that the service information is linked with map
information of the terminal to the user, and the information bubble
is displayed in an appropriate size on the map information.
Inventors: |
Mori; Shinichiro (Kawasaki,
JP), Hirokawa; Yukio (Kawasaki, JP) |
Assignee: |
Fujitsu Limited (Kawasaki,
JP)
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Family
ID: |
18889942 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/892,721 |
Filed: |
June 27, 2001 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20020103781 A1 |
Aug 1, 2002 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jan 31, 2001 [JP] |
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2001-024852 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1; 707/999.104;
707/E17.11; 707/999.01; 707/999.107 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
16/9537 (20190101); Y10S 707/99945 (20130101); Y10S
707/99948 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
17/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;707/1,3,4,104.1
;701/200,201,206,208 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Imielinski et al. "GPS-Based Geographic Addressing, Routing, and
Resource Discovery." Communications of the ACM. vol. 42, No. 4, pp.
86-92. Apr. 1999. ACM Press. cited by examiner .
Leichsenring et al. "A Location-Aware Graphical BBS for Mobile
Environments." Proceedings of the Eight ACM International Symposium
on Advances in Geographic Information Systems. pp. 141-146. Nov.
2000. ACM Press. cited by examiner .
H. Tarumi, et al. "Space Tag: An Overland Virtual System and its
Applications" IEEE International Conference on Multimedia Computing
& Systems (ICMCS'99), vol. 1, Italy, pp. 207-212, Jun. 1999.
cited by other .
H. Tarumi, et al. "Communications Through Virtual Active Objects
Overlaid onto the Real World" Third International Conference on
Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVE 2000), ACM, USA, pp.
155-164, Sep. 2000. cited by other.
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Primary Examiner: Gaffin; Jeffrey
Assistant Examiner: Goddard; Brian
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A server in a system providing information to a user terminal
being able to display a map comprising: a database for holding a
specific information document as bubble data, being able to (i)
change a size or a shape of itself, (ii) operate a generation, a
disappearance and limit times of access, and (iii) detect a moving
object, the specific information document (a) having index
information composed of a plurality of elements, (b) being from out
of information documents having attribute information representing
attributes of service information to be provided, (c) in which
spatial range information in three-dimensional space is associated
with retrieval information for obtaining said service information;
a retrieving unit for retrieving, by using the index information of
the specific information document, (d) specific bubble data
including (d1) coordinate information, and (d2) display object
attribute information (e) on the basis of a mapping request
including an address, a range desired to be displayed, an altitude,
an angle of a viewpoint, (e1) having said coordinate information on
an object displayed on said map and said display object attribute
information representing attributes of service information to be
provided by said object, (e2) said mapping request being
transmitted from said user terminal, said user terminal being able
to display an information bubble which represents an image of
spatial range information of the bubble data, overlapped on said
map which represents the object in the three-dimensional space; and
a notifying unit for notifying said user terminal of a mapping
response having (f) said spatial range information, (g) said
attribute information, and (h) said retrieval information, wherein
(f) said spatial range information, (g) said attribute information
and (h) said retrieval information being included in said specific
bubble data which is retrieved in said retrieving unit.
2. The server according to claim 1, wherein said notifying unit
notifies of said mapping response having spatial range information
including a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according to
a scale of a map displayed on said user terminal and address
information.
3. The server according to claim 1, wherein said database
correlates said bubble data with a unique number by which contents
of service information of said bubble data can be identified, and
holds said bubble data and said unique number.
4. A server in a system providing information to a user terminal
being able to display a map comprising: a database for holding a
specific information page as bubble data, the bubble data being
able to (i) change a size or a shape of itself, (ii) operate a
generation, a disappearance and limit times of access, and (iii)
detect a moving object. the specific information page (a) having
index information, as a DTD (Document Type Definition) information
for robot retrieving, which includes a complement data that holds
data relating to an access management or an access limitation of
the user who complements the index information, which is written
with a markup language, composed of a plurality of elements
relating to attribute information, (b) being from out of
information pages having attribute information representing
attributes of various information relating to an object or service
information relating to said various information, and (c) in which
spatial range information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude
and a bubble diameter of said object in a three-dimensional space
is associated with address information for obtaining said service
information; a retrieving unit for retrieving, by using the index
information of the specific home page, (d) specific bubble data
including (d1) coordinate information, and (d2) display object
attribute information (e) on the basis of a mapping request
including an address, a range desired to be displayed, an altitude,
an angle of a viewpoint, (e1) having said coordinate information in
the three-dimensional spare composed of latitude, longitude and
altitude of an object displayed on said map and said display object
attribute information representing attributes of various
information relating to said object, (e2) said mapping request
being transmitted from said user terminal, said user terminal being
able to display an information bubble which represents an image of
spatial range information of the bubble data, overlapped on said
map which represents the object in the three-dimensional space; and
a notifying unit for notifying said user terminal of a mapping
response having (f) said spatial range information, (g) said
attribute information and (h) said address information, wherein (f)
said spatial range information, (g) said attribute information and
(h) said retrieval information being included in said specific
bubble data which is retrieved in said retrieving unit.
5. The server according to claim 4, wherein said notifying unit
notifies of said mapping response having spatial range information
including a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according to
a scale of a map displayed on said user terminal and address
information.
6. The server according to claim 4, wherein said retrieving unit
retrieves said specific bubble data in another database connected
to a network on the basis of said mapping request.
7. The server according to claim 4 further comprising: a Web
information outputting unit for holding user information; and an
address generating unit for generating an address at which said
user information held in said Web information outputting unit is
held.
8. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds an
animation element to be displayed on said user terminal in document
type definition information.
9. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds an
application program element for displaying said map in document
type definition information.
10. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds a
communication partner information element relating to a specific
communication partner in document type definition information.
11. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database
classifies document type definition information according to a
plurality of elements, and holds said document type definition
information.
12. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database
correlates said bubble data with a unique number by which contents
of service information of said bubble data can be identified, and
holds said bubble data and said unique number.
13. The server according to claim 12, wherein said database holds
monitoring bubble data for detecting a moving object and a bubble
diameter of said monitoring bubble data based on position
information on said moving object, and records a moving object
element by which said moving object can be specified in a file held
in said database.
14. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database records
data relating to a similar bubble diameter having a diameter
according to a scale of a map displayed on said user terminal in a
file.
15. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds at
least either one of history information of address information
caused by an access of said user terminal and identifier
information by which said user terminal can be identified in a
file.
16. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds
data relating to a counter whose count value can be changed in a
file.
17. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds
data relating to an accessible time in a file.
18. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database holds
data relating to an application program for displaying a map on
said user terminal in a file.
19. The server according to claim 4, wherein said database handles
address information based on said spatial range information as an
electronic mail address, and holds said spatial range information
correspondingly to said electronic mail address.
20. A server in a system providing information to a user terminal
being able to display a map comprising: a database for holding a
specific home page as bubble data, the bubble data being able to
(i) change a size or a shape of itself, (ii) operate a generation,
a disappearance and limit times of access, and (iii) detect a
moving object, the specific home page (a) having DTD (document type
definition) information, for robot retrieving, which includes a
complement data that holds data relating to an access management or
an access limitation of the user who complements the DTD
information, which is written with a markup language, composed of a
plurality of tags relating to attribute information. (b) being from
out of home pages having said attribute information representing
attributes of facility information relating to a building or
service information of said facility information, and (c) in which
spatial range information composed of latitude, longitude, and
altitude and a bubble diameter of said building in a
three-dimensional space is associated with a uniform resource
locator for obtaining said service information; a retrieving unit
for retrieving, by using the index information of the specific
information document. (d) specific bubble data including (d1)
coordinate information, and (d2) display object attribute
information (e) on the basis of a mapping request including an
address, a range desired to be displayed, an altitude, an angle of
a viewpoint. (e1) having said coordinate information in the
three-dimensional space composed of latitude, longitude and
altitude of a building displayed on said map and said display
object attribute information representing attributes of facility
information relating to a building displayed on said map or service
information of said facility information, (e2) said mapping request
being transmitted from said user terminal, said user terminal being
able to display an information bubble which represents an image of
spatial range information of the bubble data, overlapped on said
map which represents the building in the three-dimensional space;
and a notifying unit for notifying said user terminal of a mapping
response having (f) said spatial range information, (g) said
attribute information and (h) said uniform resource locator of said
specific bubble data.
21. The server according to claim 20, wherein said notifying unit
notifies of said mapping response having spatial range information
including a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according to
a scale of a map displayed on said user terminal and address
information based on said coordinate information included in said
mapping request.
22. The server according to claim 20, wherein said database
correlates said bubble data with a unique number by which contents
of service information of said bubble data can be identified, and
holds said bubble data and said unique number.
23. A user terminal in a system providing information to said user
terminal, said user terminal being able to display a map, said user
terminal comprising: a map information outputting unit for
outputting map information installed beforehand; a display unit for
displaying an image of an object on the basis of said map
information outputted from said map information outputting unit; a
transmitting unit for transmitting (i) a mapping request to a
server connected to said user terminal over a network, said mapping
request having (a) coordinate information in the three-dimensional
space on said object displayed on said display unit, and (b)
display object attribute information representing attributes of
service information to be provided by said object; and (ii) data
including an address, a range, an altitude of a viewpoint or an
angle of the viewpoint, which is desired to be displayed on said
display unit according to instructions; a receiving unit for
receiving a mapping response having (c1) spatial range information
in the three-dimensional space corresponding to said coordinate
information, (c2) attribute information representing attribute
information of service information to be provided by said object,
and (c3) retrieval information for obtaining said service
information notified from said server in response to said mapping
request; a mapping unit for displaying (d1) an image geometry and
(d2) said map, said image geometry overlapped on said map at a
position indicated by said spatial range information included in
said mapping response on said display unit, said mapping unit
representing the object in the three-dimensional space and
displaying service information on said displaying unit, the service
information being linked with the object; and a mapping data
holding unit for holding (e1) said image geometry and (e2) said
retrieval information, said image geometry displayed by said
mapping unit being correlated with said retrieval information
included in said mapping response, wherein said server holding a
bubble data, being able to (i) change a size or a shape of itself,
(ii) operate a generation, a disappearance and limit times of
access, and (iii) detect a moving object.
24. A user terminal in a system providing information to said user
terminal, said user terminal being able to display a map, said user
terminal comprising: a map information outputting unit for
outputting map information on an object in the three-dimensional
space installed beforehand; a display unit for displaying an image
of said object on a screen on the basis of said map information
outputted from said map information outputting unit; a transmitting
unit for transmitting (i) a mapping request to a server connected
to said user terminal over a network, said server holding a bubble
data being able to (i) change a size or a shape of itself, (ii)
operate a generation, a disappearance and limit times of access,
and (iii) detect a moving object, said mapping request having (a)
coordinate information in the three-dimensional space composed of
latitude, longitude and altitude of said object displayed on said
display unit, and (b) display object attribute information
representing attributes of various information relating to said
object or service information relating to said various information;
and, (ii) data including an address, a range, an altitude of a
viewpoint or an angle of the viewpoint, which is desired to be
displayed on said display unit according to instructions to the
server connected to said user terminal over a network; a receiving
unit for receiving a mapping response having (c1) spatial range
information composed of latitude, longitude, (c2) altitude and a
bubble diameter of said object in the three-dimensional space
corresponding to said coordinate information, and (c3) address
information for obtaining said service information notified from
said server in response to said mapping request; a mapping unit for
displaying (d1) an image geometry and (d2) an image of said object,
at a position indicated by said spatial range information included
in said mapping response on said display unit, on said map which
represents the object in the three-dimensional space, and
displaying service information on said displaying unit, the service
information being linked to the object; and a mapping data holding
unit for holding (e1) said image geometry and (e2) said address
information said image geometry displayed by said mapping unit
being correlated with said address information included in said
mapping response.
25. A user terminal in a system providing information to said user
terminal, said user terminal being able to display a map, said user
terminal comprising: a map information outputting unit for
outputting map information on a building in the three-dimensional
space installed beforehand; a display unit for displaying an image
of said building on a screen on the basis of said map information
outputted from said map information outputting unit; a transmitting
unit for transmitting a mapping request to a server over a network,
said server including bubble data being able to (i) change a size
or a shape of itself, (ii) operate a generation, a disappearance
and limit times of access, and (iii) detect a moving object, said
mapping request having (a) coordinate information composed of
latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter in the
three-dimensional space of said building displayed on said display
unit, and (b) display object attribute information representing
attributes of facility information relating to said building or
service information of said facility information; (ii) data
including an address, a range, an altitude of a viewpoint or an
angle of the viewpoint, which is desired to be displayed on said
display unit according to instructions to the server; a receiving
unit for receiving a mapping response having (c1) spatial range
information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble
diameter of said building in the three-dimensional space
corresponding to said coordinate information, and (c2) a uniform
resource locator for obtaining said service information notified
from said server in response to said mapping request; a mapping
unit for displaying (d1) an image geometry and an image of said
building, at a position indicated by said spatial range information
included in said mapping response, on said displaying unit, on said
map which represents the object in three-dimensional space, and
displaying service information, the service information being
linked to the building on said display unit; and a mapping data
holding unit for holding (e1) said image geometry and (e2) said
uniform resource locator, said image geometry displayed by said
mapping unit being correlated with said uniform resource locator
included in said mapping response.
26. The user terminal according to claim 25, wherein said receiving
unit receives said mapping response having spatial range
information including a similar bubble diameter having a diameter
according to a scale of said map displayed on said display unit and
address information based on said coordinate information included
in said mapping request.
27. The user terminal according to claim 25 further comprising a
detecting unit for detecting position information including a
latitude of an object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof, a
direction thereof, and an inclination angle thereof in the three
dimensional space.
28. The user terminal according to claim 27, wherein said detecting
unit comprises at least any one of a direction sensor being able to
measure the direction, a satellite information receiving unit being
able to receive satellite information through the use of a global
positioning system, and an inclination sensor being able to measure
an inclination angle of said user terminal with respect to the
horizontal line.
29. The user terminal according to claim 25, wherein said
transmitting unit transmits said mapping request using an
electronic mail address generated on the basis of said coordinate
information.
30. An information providing service system providing information
to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising: a server
for holding a specific information page as bubble data, the
specific information page (a) having document type definition
information, (b) being from out of information pages having
attribute information representing attributes of various
information relating to an object or service information relating
to said various information and said document type definition
information composed of a plurality of elements, and (c) in which
spatial range information composed of a latitude of said object a
longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter
thereof in three-dimensional space is associated with address
information far obtaining said service information, said bubble
data being able to (i) change size or shape of itself, (ii) operate
a generation, a disappearance and limit times of access, and (iii)
detect a moving object; said user terminal connected to said server
over a network to display said various information retrieved using
said bubble data; said server comprising: a database for holding
said bubble data; a retrieving unit for retrieving, by using the
index information of the specific information document, specific
bubble data including coordinate information, and display object
attribute information wherein said retrieving is performed on the
basis of a mapping request transmitted from said user terminal,
said mapping request having said coordinate information in the
three-dimensional space composed of a latitude of said object, a
longitude thereof, and an altitude thereof displayed on said map
and having said display object attribute information representing
attributes of various information relating to said object or
service information relating to said various information, said user
terminal being able to display an information bubble which
represents an image of spatial range information of the bubble
data, overlapped on said map which represents the object in the
three-dimensional space, viewpoint; and a notifying unit for
notifying said user terminal of a mapping response, said mapping
response having said space region information, said attribute
information, and said address information, wherein said space
region information, said attribute information, and said address
information included in said specific bubble data which is
retrieved by said retrieving unit; said user terminal comprising: a
map information outputting unit for outputting map information on
an object in the three-dimensional space; a display unit for
displaying an image of an object on a screen on the basis of said
map information outputted from said map information outputting
unit; a transmitting unit for transmitting a mapping request to
said server connected to said user terminal over a network, said
mapping request having space region information composed of a
latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof,
and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space of an
image of said object displayed on said display unit, and attribute
information representing attributes of various information relating
to said object or service information relating to said various
information; a receiving unit for receiving a mapping response
having spatial range information composed of a latitude of said
object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof, and a bubble
diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space corresponding to
said space region information, and address information for
obtaining said service information notified from said server in
response to said mapping request; a mapping unit for displaying an
image geometry and an image of said object at a position indicated
by said space region information included in said mapping response,
on said map which represents the object in the three-dimensional
space, and displaying service information on said displaying unit,
the service information being linked to the object of said map; and
a mapping data holding unit for holding said image geometry and
said retrieval information, said image geometry displayed by said
mapping unit being correlated with said address information
included in said mapping response.
31. An information providing service system providing information
to a user terminal being able to display a map comprising: a
database for holding a specific information page as bubble data,
the specific information page (a) having document type definition
information, (b) being from out of information pages having
attribute information representing attributes of various
information relating to an object or service information relating
to said various information and said document type definition
information composed of a plurality of elements, and (c) in which
spatial range information composed of a latitude of said object, a
longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter
thereof in three-dimensional space is associated with address
information for obtaining said service information, said bubble
data being able to (i) change size or shape of itself, (ii) operate
a generation, a disappearance and limit times of access, and (iii)
detect a moving object; a user terminal connected to said database
over a network to display said various information retrieved using
said bubble data; a retrieving unit for retrieving by using the
index information of the specific information document, specific
bubble data including coordinate information, and display object
attribute information said retrieving performed on the basis of a
mapping request, said mapping request having said coordinate
information in the three-dimensional space composed of a latitude
of said object, a longitude thereof and an altitude thereof
displayed on said map, and having said display object attribute
information representing attributes of various information relating
to said object or service information relating to said various
information transmitted from said user terminal, said user terminal
being able to display an information bubble which represents an
image of spatial range information of the bubble data, overlapped
on said map which represents the object in the three-dimensional
space, viewpoint; and a notifying unit for notifying said user
terminal of a mapping response having said spatial range
information, said attribute information and said address
information of said specific bubble data; said user terminal
comprising: a map information outputting unit for outputting map
information on an object in the three-dimensional space; a display
unit for displaying an image of said object on a screen on the
basis of said map information outputted from said map information
outputting unit; a transmitting unit for transmitting a mapping
request to a server connected to said user terminal over a network,
said mapping request having coordinate information composed of a
latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof
and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space
displayed on said display unit and attribute information
representing attributes of various information relating to said
object or service information relating to said various information
to said server; a receiving unit for receiving a mapping response
notified from said server in response to said mapping requests,
said mapping response having spatial range information composed of
a latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof
and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space
corresponding to said spatial range information, and having address
information for obtaining said service information; a mapping unit
for displaying an image geometry along with an image of said object
at a position indicated by said spatial range information included
in said mapping response on said display unit, on said map which
represents the object in the three-dimensional space, and
displaying service information on said displaying unit, the service
information being linked to the object of said map and said mapping
request being transmitted from said user terminal; and a mapping
data holding unit for holding said image geometry and said
retrieval information, said image geometry displayed by said
mapping unit being correlated with said address information
included in said mapping response.
32. An information providing service method in a system providing
information to a user terminal being able to display a map
comprising the steps of: selecting an object displayed on a map,
said map displayed by said user terminal; transmitting from said
user terminal to a server connected to said user terminal over a
network coordinate information relating to said selected object and
display object attribute information representing attributes of
service information to be provided by said object, said user
terminal being able to display an information bubble which
represents an image of spatial range information of the bubble
data, overlapped on said map which represents the object in
three-dimensional space, the bubble data being able to (i) change a
size or a shape of itself, (ii) operate a generation, a
disappearance and limit times of access, and (iii) detect a moving
object; transmitting spatial range information, attribute
information, and address information to said user terminal from
said server on the basis of said transmitted coordinate information
and display object attribute information; and displaying, on a
display unit of said user terminal, an image geometry along with
said object at a position indicated by said transmitted spatial
range information.
33. An information providing service method in a system providing
information to a user terminal being able to display a map
comprising the steps of: displaying a map on a display unit
displaying an image in said user terminal; selecting an object from
map information displayed at said displaying step in said user
terminal; transmitting a mapping request to a server connected to
said user terminal over a network, said mapping request having
coordinate information in three-dimensional space relating to said
selected object, and display object attribute information
representing attributes of service information to be provided from
said user terminal, said mapping request including an address, a
range desired to be displayed, an altitude, an angle of a
viewpoint; retrieving by said server specific bubble data including
coordinate information and display object attribute information, by
using the index information of the specific information document,
in which spatial range information composed of a latitude of said
selected object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof and a
bubble diameter thereof in three-dimensional space is associated
with address information for obtaining service information provided
by said abject on the basis of said transmitted mapping request,
the bubble data being able to (i) change a size or a shape of
itself, (ii) operate a generation, a disappearance and limit times
of access, and (iii) detect a moving object; notifying to said user
terminal from said server a mapping response having said spatial
range information and said address information of said retrieved
specific bubble data; displaying an image geometry along with said
object at a position indicated by said spatial range information
included in said mapping response on said display unit in said user
terminal; and providing said image geometry and said map displayed
to said user terminal.
34. The information providing service method according to claim 33,
wherein at said map displaying step, said user terminal displays
said map on said screen on the basis of at least either one of the
latitude or the longitude obtained.
35. The information providing service method according to claim 33,
wherein said notifying step comprises the steps of: a changing step
of outputting a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according
to a scale of said map displayed on said display unit of said user
terminal from said server an the basis of said coordinate
information included in said mapping request transmitted at said
transmitting step; and an inserting step of inserting said similar
bubble diameter outputted at said changing step into said mapping
response in said user terminal.
36. The information providing service method according to claim 35,
wherein at said changing step, said server changes said similar
bubble diameter on the basis of at least any one of the number of
accesses, an accessible time and an accessible season.
37. The information providing service method according to claim 33,
wherein at said notifying step, said server notifies of information
relating to an application program for displaying a map on said
user terminal.
38. The information providing service method according to claim 33,
wherein at said retrieving step, said server retrieves using a
counter whose count value can be changed by an access.
39. The information providing service method according to claim 38,
wherein at said retrieving step, said server nullifies a
predetermined file when said count is stopped.
40. The information providing service method according to claim 33,
wherein at said retrieving step, retrieval is performed on the
basis of the number of accesses that said server can receive
concurrently.
41. The information providing service method according to claim 33,
wherein at said retrieving step, retrieval is performed on the
basis of communication partner information relating to a specific
communication partner.
42. The information service providing method according to claim 33,
wherein said retrieving step comprises the steps of: a reading step
of reading communication partner bubble data agreeing with
information set beforehand relating to said communication partner
in said server; a present position information receiving step of
receiving present position information on said user terminal by
said server; and an approach detecting step of detecting approach
of said user terminal and said communication partner to each other
by said server on the basis of said communication partner bubble
data and said present position information.
43. An information service providing method in a system providing
information to a user terminal being able to display a map
comprising the steps of: displaying a map on a display unit
displaying an image in said user terminal; selecting an object from
map information displayed at said displaying step in said user
terminal; transmitting a mapping request to a server connected to
said user terminal over a network, said mapping request, including
an address, a range desired to be displayed, an altitude, an angle
of a viewpoint having (a) coordinate information of said selected
object composed of a latitude, a longitude, an altitude and a
bubble diameter in three-dimensional space, and (b) display object
attribute information representing attributes of various
information relating to said selected object or service information
relating to said various information from said user terminal, said
user terminal being able to display an information bubble which
represents an image of spatial range information of the bubble
data, overlapped on said map which represents the object in the
three-dimensional space; retrieving by said server specific bubble
data including said coordinate information and said display object
attribute information, by using the index information of the
specific information document, in which spatial range information
composed of a latitude of said selected object, a longitude
thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the
three-dimensional space is associated with address information for
obtaining various information relating to said object or service
information relating to said various information on the basis of
said transmitted mapping request, the babble data being able to (i)
change a size or a shape of itself, (ii) operate a generation, a
disappearance and limit times of access, and (iii) detect a moving
object; notifying to said user terminal from said server a mapping
response having said spatial range information and said address
information of said retrieved specific bubble data; and displaying
an image geometry along with said object at a position indicated by
said spatial range information included in said mapping response on
said display unit of said user terminal on the basis of said
notified specific bubble data.
44. An information providing service method in a system providing
information to a user terminal being able to display a map
comprising the steps of: recording a specific information page
composed of a plurality of elements relating to attribute
information, said specific information page from information pages
having said attribute information representing attributes of
various information relating to an object or service information
relating to said various information in a database by said user
terminal, said user terminal being able to display an information
bubble which represents an image of spatial range information of
the bubble data, overlapped on said map which represents the object
in three-dimensional space, said bubble data being able to (i)
change a size or a shape of itself, (ii) operate a generation, a
disappearance and limit times of access, and (iii) detect a moving
object; registering by a server, bubble data in which spatial range
information composed of a latitude of said object, a longitude
thereof, an altitude thereof and a bubble diameter thereof in the
three-dimensional space is associated with address information for
obtaining said service information on the basis of said information
page recorded at said information page recording step; and
providing information generated from said registered bubble data
from said server to said user terminal.
45. The information providing service method according to claim 44,
wherein said bubble data registering step comprises the steps of; a
specific document type definition information extracting step of
extracting by said server plural pieces of specific document type
definition information having a predetermined element out of said
document type definition information of said information pages
recorded at said information page recording step; and a first
registering step of registering by said server said plural pieces
of specific document type definition information as said bubble
data.
46. The information providing service method according to claim 44,
wherein said bubble data registering step comprises the steps of: a
recording step of recording by said server said information page
recorded at said information page recording step in another
database; and a second registering step of registering by said
server said information page recorded at said recording step as
bubble data in which spatial range information composed of a
latitude of said object, a longitude thereof, an altitude thereof
and a bubble diameter thereof in the three-dimensional space is
associated with address information for obtaining said service
information on said database.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a server, a user terminal, an
information providing service system and an information providing
service method suitable for use in a position information service
using, for example, a portable terminal.
(2) Description of Related Art
When electronic data is stored, an user (company, individual)
generally uses a processing apparatus such as a keyboard, a mouse
or the like. In order to express his/her intention, the user
converts the data into another hardware, direct the processing
apparatus to retrieve or store the data in conformity with contents
to be processed.
Recent spread of portable terminals allows the mobile environment
to be well prepared, small-sized GPS (Global Positioning System)
modules that can measure positions of person to be widely used, and
various services to be provided. A part of them is used as a
guidance service to measure a position of a user and notify the
user of his/her position.
However, the user needs to temporarily convert his/her intention
into data in another form when retrieving or storing the data. In
such method, the data needs to be digitally processed. Accordingly,
the user cannot directly process the data in such a way as the user
puts things that come into his/her view in a shelf. Namely, the
user cannot retrieve data in so-called analog way such as "advance
in the north direction", "relatively right/left", or "a little
rightward/forward/backward", which does not fit to human sensation,
so that the user feels difficulty in use.
For this, the user needs to digitally process data when retrieving
or storing the data, although it is more convenient for the user to
operate in an analog way. Additionally, the digital processing
requires special knowledge and experience.
The service using the portable terminal is mainly by means of
voice, which is not adapted to display a position of the user since
the display of the portable terminal is of a small size.
In a guidance (navigation) service by voice, the user can grasp
his/her position using a GPS module internally or externally
equipped to the portable terminal. The system can guide the user in
such a way as "advance in the north direction" as an absolute
expression in the navigation service.
However, the system cannot grasp a direction in which the user
faces, so that the system cannot guide the user in such a way as
"go straight" as a relative expression in consideration of the
user's position. Therefore, the service has a disadvantage that the
user has a difficulty in being guided when the user does not grasp
the four cardinal points.
When a moving speed is high as a vehicle, it is possible to grasp a
direction in which the user moves using Doppler effect generating
between the GPS satellite and the portable terminal. When a moving
speed is low as when the user is walking or stopping, it is
impossible to grasp a direction in which the user or vehicle
moves.
It is very difficult for the system administrator to actually
invest money in expensive installations in order to grasp movement
of the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the light of the above problems, a first object of the present
invention is to provide a server, a user terminal, an information
providing service system and an information providing service
method, by which information on a building falling within a
predetermined range from a position of a user's terminal or service
information or on a shop in a specific building that comes into
user's view, can be obtained, or a direction in which the user
moves can be appropriately grasped, when information service is
provided.
When the system administrator provides the service information, it
is necessary to improve the user interface. However, it is
difficult to efficiently retrieve information including service
contents that the user desires among a number of pieces of service
information, and transmit the information to the user.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a server, a
user terminal, an information providing service system and an
information providing service method, by which service information
is displayed in a form that the service information is linked to
map information of a user terminal to the user, and an information
bubble is displayed in an optimum size on the map information on
the screen, when the service information is provided to the user
terminal.
A service that the user is accurately guided to the destination
when the user drives a vehicle becomes popular in recent years. In
order to provide this service, the service administrator needs to
dispose costly vehicle detectors and the like. In order to track
movement of the vehicle, it is necessary to invest a lot of money,
which is practically difficult.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a server, a
user terminal, an information providing service system and an
information providing service method, by which movement of a
vehicle can be tracked without disposing costly vehicle detectors
and the like by the system administrator.
The present invention therefore provides a server in a system
providing information to a user terminal being able to display a
map comprising a database for holding a specific information
document having index information composed of a plurality of
elements out of information documents having attribute information
representing attributes of service information to be provided as
bubble data in which spatial range information in the
three-dimensional space is associated with retrieval information
for obtaining the service information, a retrieving unit for
retrieving specific bubble data including coordinate information
and display object attribute information in the bubble data on the
basis of a mapping request, transmitted from the user terminal,
having the coordinate information on an object displayed on the map
and the display object attribute information representing
attributes of service information to be provided by the object, and
a notifying unit for notifying the user terminal of a mapping
response having the spatial range information, the attribute
information and the retrieval information included in the specific
bubble data.
Accordingly, information on a shop or a company is registered, so
that the user can obtain the latest information in an excellent
visualized state.
The present invention further provides A server in a system
providing information to a user terminal being able to display a
map comprising a database for holding a specific information page
having index information composed of a plurality of elements
relating to attribute information out of information pages having
attribute information representing attributes of various
information relating to an object or service information relating
to the various information as bubble data in which spatial range
information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble
diameter of the object in the three-dimensional space is associated
with address information for obtaining the service information, a
retrieving unit for retrieving specific bubble data including
coordinate information and display object attribute information in
the bubble data on the basis of a mapping request, transmitted from
the user terminal, having the coordinate information in the
three-dimensional space composed of latitude, longitude and
altitude of an object displayed on the map and the display object
attribute information representing attributes of various
information relating to the object displayed on the map or service
information relating to the various information, and a notifying
unit for notifying the user terminal of a mapping response having
the spatial range information, the attribute information and the
address information of the specific bubble data.
As above, a company, for example, can provide the latest
information of its own to the users using the map application.
The present invention still further provides a server in a system
providing information to a user terminal being able to display a
map comprising a database for holding a specific home page having
document type definition information composed of a plurality of
tags relating to attribute information out of home pages having the
attribute information representing attributes of facility
information relating to a building or service information of the
facility information as bubble data in which spatial range
information composed of latitude, longitude, and altitude and a
bubble diameter of the building in the three-dimensional space is
associated with a uniform resource locator for obtaining the
service information, a retrieving unit for retrieving specific
bubble data including coordinate information and display object
attribute information in the bubble data on the basis of a mapping
request, transmitted from the user terminal, having the coordinate
information in the three-dimensional space composed of latitude,
longitude and altitude of a building displayed on the map and the
display object attribute information representing attributes of
facility information relating to a building displayed on the map or
service information of the facility information, and a notifying
unit for notifying the user terminal of a mapping response having
the spatial range information, the attribute information and the
uniform resource locator of the specific bubble data. Accordingly,
the system administrator can provide a high-quality service to the
users, and can provide a great effectiveness of advertising to a
customer such as a company or the like.
The notifying unit may notify of the mapping response having
spatial range information including a similar bubble diameter
having a diameter according to a scale of a map displayed on the
user terminal and address information.
Whereby, a position information/URL link database beforehand held
is mapped on the map.
The retrieving unit may retrieve the specific bubble data in
another database connected to a network on the basis of the mapping
request. The user can thereby retrieve necessary information in a
database created in each area or country, so that the user can
receive a higher quality service.
The server may further comprise a Web information outputting unit
for holding user information, and an address generating unit for
generating an address at which the user information held in the Web
information outputting unit is held. The service center can thereby
manage a list of URLs to appropriately provide service information
corresponding to an object of retrieval.
The database may hold an animation element to be displayed on the
user terminal in document type definition information. The user can
thereby obtain more visualized information.
The database may hold an application program element for displaying
the map in document type definition information. The user can
thereby obtain contents using a visualized map.
The database may hold a communication partner information element
relating to a specific communication partner in document type
definition information. Each user can thereby communicate with only
partners whom the user desires.
The database may classify document type definition information
according to a plurality of elements, and hold the document type
definition information. Whereby, it becomes unnecessary to retrieve
all the files in the directory in retrieval, so that desired
information can be extracted efficiently and at a high speed.
The database may correlate the bubble data with a unique number by
which contents of service information of the bubble data can be
identified, and hold the bubble data and the unique number. It is
thereby possible to specify spatial occupancy information, a URL
and service information, separately and certainly.
The database may hold monitoring bubble data for detecting a moving
object and a bubble diameter of the monitoring bubble data based on
position information on the moving object, and record a moving
object element by which the moving object can be specified in a
file held in the database. The service center can thereby
accurately track a vehicle, thus appropriately guide the
driver.
The database may record data relating to a similar bubble diameter
having a diameter according to a scale of a map displayed on the
user terminal in a file. It is thereby possible to visualize
information mapped on the map, so that the user can obtain an
information bubble of a size according to a scale of the map
displayed by him/her.
The database may hold at least either one of history information of
address information caused by an access of the user terminal and
identifier information by which the user terminal can be identified
in a file. It is thereby possible to accurately track a moving
object using a passage history, so that the user can be
appropriately guided.
The database may hold data relating to a counter whose count value
can be changed, or hold data relating to an accessible time in a
file, thereby performing a process on the basis of data or the like
transmitted from the user, and limiting an access according to a
result of the process.
The database may hold data relating to an application program for
displaying a map on the user terminal in a file, thereby executing
the displaying process adapting to the user terminal. The user can
thereby obtain visualized data.
The database may handle address information based on the spatial
range information as an electronic mail address, and hold the
spatial range information correspondingly to the electronic mail
address. Whereby, registration becomes very simple, thus use of the
service is promoted.
The present invention still further provides a user terminal in a
system providing information to the user terminal being able to
display a map comprising a map information outputting unit for
outputting map information, a display unit for displaying an image
of an object on the basis of the map information outputted from the
map information outputting unit, a transmitting unit for
transmitting a mapping request having coordinate information in the
three-dimensional space on the object displayed on the display unit
and display object attribute information representing attributes of
service information to be provided by the object to a server
connected to the user terminal over a network, a receiving unit for
receiving a mapping response having spatial range information in
the three-dimensional space corresponding to the coordinate
information, attribute information representing attribute
information of service information to be provided by the object,
and retrieval information for obtaining the service information
notified from the server in response to the mapping request, a
mapping unit for displaying an image geometry along with the map at
a position indicated by the spatial range information included in
the mapping response on the display unit, and a mapping data
holding unit for correlating the image geometry displayed by the
mapping unit with the retrieval information included in the mapping
response, and holding the image geometry and the retrieval
information. Accordingly, the user can obtain desired service
information only by clicking an information bubble displayed in an
image in which a size or arrangement of a building is reproduced in
order to obtain various information.
The present invention still further provides a user terminal in a
system providing information to the user terminal being able to
display a map comprising a map information outputting unit for
outputting map information on an object in the three-dimensional
space, a display unit for displaying an image of the object on a
screen on the basis of the map information outputted from the map
information outputting unit, a transmitting unit for transmitting a
mapping request having coordinate information in the
three-dimensional space composed of latitude, longitude and
altitude of the object displayed on the display unit and display
object attribute information representing attributes of various
information relating to the object or service information relating
to the various information to a server connected to the user
terminal over a network, a receiving unit for receiving a mapping
response having spatial range information composed of latitude,
longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of the object in the
three-dimensional space corresponding to the coordinate information
and address information for obtaining the service information
notified from the server in response to the mapping request, a
mapping unit for displaying an image geometry along with an image
of the object at a position indicated by the spatial range
information included in the mapping response on said display unit,
and a mapping data holding unit for correlating the image geometry
displayed by the mapping unit with the address information included
in the mapping response, and for holding the image geometry and the
address information.
Accordingly, the user can readily obtain information.
The present invention still further provides a user terminal in a
system providing information to the user terminal being able to
display a map comprising a map information outputting unit for
outputting map information on a building in the three-dimensional
space, a display unit for displaying an image of the building on a
screen on the basis of the map information outputted from the map
information outputting unit, a transmitting unit for transmitting a
mapping request having coordinate information composed of latitude,
longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter in the three-dimensional
space of the building displayed on the display unit and display
object attribute information representing attributes of facility
information relating to the building or service information of the
facility information to a server connected to the user terminal
over a network, a receiving unit for receiving a mapping response
having spatial range information composed of latitude, longitude,
altitude and a bubble diameter of the building in the
three-dimensional space corresponding to the coordinate information
and a uniform resource locator for obtaining the service
information notified from the server in response to the mapping
request, a mapping unit for displaying an image geometry along with
an image of the building at a position indicated by the spatial
range information included in the mapping response on the display
unit, and a mapping data holding unit for correlating the image
geometry displayed by the mapping unit with the uniform resource
locator included in the mapping response, and holding the image
geometry and the uniform resource locator. The user can thereby
appropriately display an information bubble, whereas the system
administrator can prompt the user to subscribe for the
communication carrier.
The receiving unit may receive the mapping response having spatial
range information including a similar bubble diameter having a
diameter according to a scale of the map displayed on the display
unit and address information based on the coordinate information
included in the mapping request. The user can thereby obtain bubble
data in a visualized state.
The user terminal may further comprise a detecting unit for
detecting position information having latitude, longitude,
altitude, direction, and an inclination angle of an object in three
dimensions. The detecting unit may comprise at least any one of a
direction sensor being able to measure the direction, a satellite
information receiving unit being able to receive satellite
information through the use of a global positioning system, and an
inclination sensor being able to measure an inclination angle of
the user terminal with respect to the horizontal line. The user can
thereby obtain visualized information.
The transmitting unit may transmit the mapping request using an
electronic mail address generated on the basis of the coordinate
information. Whereby, a quantity of transmitted/received data is
decreased, which decreases the power consumption in total.
The present invention still further provides an information
providing system comprising a server and a user terminal, the
server including a database, a retrieving unit and a notifying
unit, the user terminal including a map information outputting
unit, a display unit, a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, a
mapping unit and a mapping data holding unit. The user can obtain
the latest information using a map application.
The present invention still further provides an information
providing service system providing information to a user terminal
being able to display a map comprising a database for holding a
specific information page having document type definition
information among information pages having attribute information
representing attributes of various information relating to an
object or service information relating to the various information
and the document type definition information composed of a
plurality of elements as bubble data in which spatial range
information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble
diameter of the object in the three-dimensional space is associated
with address information for obtaining the service information, a
user terminal connected to the database over a network to display
the various information retrieved using the bubble data, a
retrieving unit for retrieving specific bubble data including
coordinate information and display object attribute information in
the bubble data on the basis of a mapping request having the
coordinate information in the three-dimensional space composed of
latitude, longitude and altitude of the object displayed on the map
and the display object attribute information representing
attributes of various information relating to the object or service
information relating to the various information, a notifying unit
for notifying the user terminal of a mapping response having the
spatial range information, the attribute information and the
address information of the specific bubble data, the user terminal
comprising a map information outputting unit for outputting map
information on an object in the three-dimensional space, a display
unit for displaying an image of the object on a screen on the basis
of the map information outputted from the map information
outputting unit, a transmitting unit for transmitting a mapping
request having coordinate information composed of latitude,
longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter in the three-dimensional
space of the object displayed on the display unit and attribute
information representing attributes of various information relating
to the object or service information relating to the various
information to the server connected to the user terminal over a
network, a receiving unit for receiving a mapping response having
spatial range information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude
and a bubble diameter of the object in the three-dimensional space
corresponding to the spatial range information and address
information for obtaining the service information notified from the
server in response to said mapping request, a mapping unit for
displaying an image geometry along with an image of the object at a
position indicated by the spatial range information included in the
mapping response on the display unit, and a mapping data holding
unit for correlating the image geometry displayed by the mapping
unit with the address information included in the mapping response,
and holding the image geometry and the address information.
The user can thereby obtain information in an excellently
visualized state.
The present invention still further provides an information
providing service method in a system providing information to a
user terminal being able to display a map comprising the steps of a
selecting step of selecting an object displayed on a map by the
user terminal, a user terminal transmitting step of transmitting
coordinate information relating to the object selected at the
selecting step and display object attribute information
representing attributes of service information to be provided by
the object from the user terminal to a server connected to the user
terminal over a network, a server transmitting step of transmitting
space range information, attribute information and address
information to the user terminal from the server on the basis of
the coordinate information and the display object attribute
information transmitted at the user terminal transmitting step, and
a mapping step of displaying an image geometry along with the
object at a position indicated by the spatial range information
transmitted at the server transmitting step on a display unit of
the user terminal. A company, for example, can provide the latest
information on itself to the users using the map application.
The present invention still further provides an information
providing service method in a system providing information to a
user terminal being able to display a map comprising the steps of a
map displaying step of displaying a map on a display unit
displaying an image in the user terminal, a selecting step of
selecting an object from map information displayed at the map
displaying step in the user terminal, a transmitting step of
transmitting a mapping request having coordinate information in the
three-dimensional space relating to the object selected at the
selecting step and display object attribute information
representing attributes of service information to be provided from
the user terminal to a server connected to the user terminal over a
network, a retrieving step of retrieving by the server specific
bubble data including coordinate information and display object
attribute information in bubble data in which spatial range
information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble
diameter of the object in the three-dimensional space is associated
with address information for obtaining service information provided
by the object on the basis of the mapping request at the
transmitting step, a notifying step of notifying the user terminal
from the server of a mapping response having the spatial range
information and the address information of the specific bubble data
retrieved at the retrieving step, a mapping step of displaying an
image geometry along with the object at a position indicated by the
spatial range information included in the mapping response notified
at the notifying step on the display unit in the user terminal, and
a providing step of providing the image geometry displayed at the
mapping step to the user terminal.
The administrator can provide a high-quality service to the users,
besides providing a great effectiveness of advertising to a
customer such as a company or the like.
The present invention still further provides an information service
providing method in a system providing information to a user
terminal being able to display a map comprising the steps of a map
displaying step of displaying a map on a display unit displaying an
image in the user terminal, a selecting step of selecting an object
from map information displayed at the map displaying step in the
user terminal, a transmitting step of transmitting a mapping
request having coordinate information composed of latitude,
longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter in the three-dimensional
space relating to the object selected at the selecting step and
display object attribute information representing attributes of
various information relating to the object or service information
relating to the various information from the user terminal to a
server connected to the user terminal over a network, a retrieving
step of retrieving by the server specific bubble data including the
coordinate information and the display object attribute information
in bubble data in which spatial range information composed of
latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of an object in
the three-dimensional space is associated with address information
for obtaining various information relating to the object or service
information relating to the various information on the basis of the
mapping request at the transmitting step, a notifying step of
notifying the user terminal from the server of a mapping response
having the spatial range information and the address information of
the specific bubble data retrieved at the retrieving step, and a
mapping step of displaying an image geometry along with the object
at a position indicated by the spatial range information included
in the mapping response on the display unit of the user terminal on
the basis of the specific bubble data notified at the notifying
step.
The service center can provide service information on an advertiser
registered in a range that the user desires, so that the use of the
service of the advertiser is promoted.
At the map displaying step, the user terminal may display the map
on the screen on the basis of at least either one of the latitude
or the longitude obtained. In any place, the user can obtain an
information bubble.
The notifying step may comprise the steps of a changing step of
outputting a similar bubble diameter having a diameter according to
a scale of the map displayed on the display unit of the user
terminal from the server on the basis of the coordinate information
included in the mapping request transmitted at the transmitting
step, and an inserting step of inserting the similar bubble
diameter outputted at the changing step into the mapping response
in the user terminal. The user can thereby obtain an information
bubble of an accurate size.
At the changing step, the server may change the similar bubble
diameter on the basis of at least any one of the number of
accesses, an accessible time and an accessible season. The service
center can thereby limit an access, thus provide various
services.
At the notifying step, the server may notify of information
relating to an application program for displaying a map on the user
terminal. The service center can thereby limit an access, thus
provide various services.
At the retrieving step, the server may retrieve using a counter
whose count value can be changed by an access, or the server may
nullify a predetermined file when the count is stopped, or
retrieval may be performed on the basis of the number of accesses
that the server can receive concurrently, or retrieval may be
performed on the basis of communication partner information
relating to a specific communication partner. The retrieving step
may comprise the steps of a reading step of reading communication
partner bubble data agreeing with information set beforehand
relating to the communication partner in the server, a present
position information receiving step of receiving present position
information on the user terminal by the server, and an approach
detecting step of detecting approach of the user terminal and the
communication partner to each other by the server on the basis of
the communication partner bubble data and the present position
information. The service center can thereby readily provide various
visualized services.
The present invention still further provides an information
providing service method in a system providing information to a
user terminal being able to display a map comprising the steps of
an information page recording step of recording a specific
information page composed of a plurality of elements relating to
attribute information out of information pages having the attribute
information representing attributes of various information relating
to an object or service information relating to the various
information in a database by the user terminal, a bubble data
registering step of registering by the server bubble data in which
spatial range information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude
and a bubble diameter of the object in the three-dimensional space
is associated with address information for obtaining the service
information on the basis of the information page recorded at the
information page recording step, and a providing step of providing
information generated from the bubble data registered at the bubble
data registering step from the server to the user terminal.
The user can thereby obtain the latest information using the map
application.
The bubble data registering step may comprise the steps of a
specific document type definition information extracting step of
extracting by the server plural pieces of specific document type
definition information having a predetermined element out of the
document type definition information of the information pages
recorded at the information page recording step, and a first
registering step of registering by the server the plural pieces of
specific document type definition information as the bubble data.
Whereby, a user interface by which the user obtains service
information can be improved.
The bubble data registering step may comprise the steps of a
recording step of recording by the server the information page
recorded at the information page recording step in another
database, and a second registering step of registering by the
server the information page recorded at the recording step as
bubble data in which spatial range information composed of
latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of the object
in the three-dimensional space is associated with address
information for obtaining the service information on the database.
It is thereby possible to visualize data defined by the system, and
filter the data using the attribute information. Thus necessary
information can be readily retrieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of an information providing
service system according to a first embodiment of this
invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a service center according to the
first embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another service center according to
the first embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a portable terminal according to the
first embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing an arrangement of
buildings according to the first embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an image of spatial occupancy
information of bubble data according to the first embodiment of
this invention;
FIG. 7 is a diagram for illustrating the bubble data according to
the first embodiment;
FIG. 8 is a diagram for illustrating another bubble data according
to the first embodiment of this invention;
FIGS. 9(a) to 9(h) are diagrams showing an example of building data
according to the first embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a sequence for illustrating
registration on the information providing service system according
to the first embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 11 is a diagram for illustrating a charge system for bubble
data according to the first embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a sequence for illustrating
registration on the information providing service system using a
personal computer according to the first embodiment of this
invention;
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a sequence for illustrating
registration on the information providing service system using a
mail according to the first embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a structure of an information
providing service system according to a second embodiment of this
invention;
FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a personal computer according to the
second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a service center according to the
second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram of a PDA according to the
second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a transmit/receive
sequence for illustrating a map information mapping method
according to the second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of an image according to
the second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of a mapped image according
to the second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 21 is a diagram showing another example of a display of bubble
data according to the second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 22 is a diagram for illustrating DTD information according to
the second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 23(a) is a diagram for illustrating the DTD information
according to the second embodiment;
FIG. 23(b) is a diagram for illustrating a state file according to
the second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 24 is a diagram for illustrating a mapping method according to
the first embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 25 is a diagram for illustrating a map display according to
the second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 26 is a diagram for illustrating retrieval of an information
bubble according to the second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an image display at the time of
overlapping according to the second embodiment of this
invention;
FIG. 28 is a diagram for illustrating access limitation to a home
page according to the second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 29 is a diagram for illustrating a service at the time that
two kinds of bubble data approach to each other according to the
second embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 30 is a diagram for illustrating a car navigation system
according to a third embodiment of this invention; and
FIG. 31 is a diagram for illustrating the car navigation system
according to the third embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, description will be made of embodiments of this
invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(A) Description of First Embodiment
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of an information providing
service system according to a first embodiment of this invention.
The information providing service system (hereinafter, simply
referred to as a system occasionally) 9 shown in FIG. 9 is a system
providing information to a user terminal. The information providing
service system 9 comprises a service center 19, a plurality of
portable terminals 11, a plurality of personal digital assistants
(PDA; hereinafter, referred to as PDAs occasionally) 32, to which a
radio base station (radio tower) 10a, a radio network 10, a gateway
server 13a, the Internet 12, a Web server 13a, a DNS (Domain Name
System) server 13c and the like are connected.
The system 9 provides two kinds of services (1) and (2) below along
with a telephone service and the like.
(1) Service that displays, on the portable terminal 11 or the PDA
32, information about a plurality of buildings falling within a
predetermined distance range in a direction to which the portable
telephone 11 or the PDA 32 is aimed (hereinafter, referred to as
service 1 occasionally). For instance, the user can use this
service by aiming the portable device 11 or the PDA 32 in a desired
direction to obtain information about buildings within a 100-meter
range from a position of the portable device 11 or the PDA 32.
(2) Service that displays, on the portable device 11 or the PDA 32,
information about a specific building designated by the portable
device 11 or the PDA 32 (hereinafter, referred to as service 2,
occasionally). For instance, the user can use this service by
aiming the portable device 11 or the PDA 32 toward a building in
front to obtain information about, for example, goods sold in a
shop in the building.
By the service 1, the user can obtain information on buildings
within a 100 m range from a position of the user. By the service 2,
the user can obtain information on a building that first comes into
user's view.
In FIG. 1, the radio network 10 is of a mobile communication system
operated by a communication carrier (hereinafter, abbreviated as a
carrier occasionally). Incidentally, the administrator of this
system 9 (hereinafter referred to as a system administrator) is
that carrier, or an independent enterprise, for example.
The service center 19 includes a server that holds bubble data in
which spatial occupancy information (spatial range information or
spatial area information) composed of latitude, longitude, altitude
and a bubble diameter of an object (for example, a building, each
floor of the building, a signboard or the like actually existing,
or an object moving in a space) in the three-dimensional space, or
a desired space is associated with various information relating to
the object or a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) relating to the
various information. Further, this server can include bubble data
in which spatial occupancy information on a desired space is
associated with various information desired to be correlated with
the desired space or a URL relating to the various information. The
aforesaid spatial occupancy information signifies a specified space
in a three-dimensional space. Bubble signifies the specified space
in a three dimensional space, which is like a bubble floating in
the three-dimensional space. With this, a real building is
reproduced. Generally, a bubble reminds of a spherical shape, but
is not limited specifically to a spherical shape, here.
The server can control a method of linking spatial occupancy
information to a URL, and readiness of retrieval with a bubble
diameter. This bubble diameter represents a radius when an
information bubble is spherical, it represents a major axis and a
minor axis when the information bubble is an ellipse, where values
corresponding to the respective axes are required to be set, or
representing a width or the like of a quadrangular prism when the
information bubble is of a geometry of quadrangular prism in
conformity with a volume of a building. The user can express
spatial occupancy information configured on a server with not only
a mobile terminal such as the portable terminal 11 but also a
personal computer.
Meanwhile, the first embodiment is mainly in a mode where the
portable terminal 11 obtains a position of itself using the
portable terminal 11, and transmits data relating to the position
to the service center 19. A second embodiment (described later)
relates to a method of generating an image (information bubble) of
spatial occupancy information of bubble data on a personal computer
of the user. The second embodiment is in a mode where the user
overlaps bubble data from the service center 19 on a map beforehand
installed in the computer, and displays it using the personal
computer.
The portable terminal 11 has a telephone and communication
function. Additionally, the portable terminal 11 is connected to
the service center 19 over the Internet 12 to be able to display
various information retrieved using the bubble data. The portable
terminal 11 is, for example, a portable telephone. As will be
described later with reference to FIG. 4, the portable terminal 11
comprises a radio transmitting/receiving circuit, a
modulating/demodulating circuit, a voice processing circuit, a
display for display (window), etc.
The PDA 32 has a communication function. The PDA 32 is connected to
the service center 19 over the Internet 12 to display various
information retrieved using the bubble data. The PDA 32 is, for
example, a portable information display equipment, which comprises
a radio transmitting/receiving circuit, a modulating/demodulating
circuit, and a display for display (referring to FIG. 17 to be
described later).
The displays of the portable terminal 11 and the PDA 32 can display
a map.
Both the portable terminal 11 and the PDA 32 function as user
terminals, which are subscriber terminals of the radio network 10.
The portable terminal 11 and the PDA 32 can freely access to the
service center 19 via the radio base station 10a. The user operates
a ten-key pad of the portable terminal 11 or a touch panel of the
PDA 32 to access to the service center 19. Therefore, the PDA 32
can access to the service center 19, just as the portable terminal
11 accesses to the service center 19. Hereinafter, description will
be made by way of the portable terminal 11. The PDA 32 is almost
similar to the portable terminal 11, description of which is thus
omitted.
The ratio base station 10a is connected to the portable terminal 11
and the radio network 10 to transmit/receive a radio signal. The
gateway server 13a allows only a signal outputted from a server
having a desired URL to pass therethrough.
The Internet 12 is a network that can use WWW (World Wide Web)
protocol, to which a number of servers using Hyper Text Transfer
Protocol (http) are connected. The Web server 13b holds a home page
file in which contents of an individual, a company or the like are
described. The DNS server 13c outputs an IP (Internet protocol)
address corresponding to a host name.
Other than the Web server 13b, a number of Web servers (Web sites,
not shown) are connected to the Internet 12. These Web servers
holds source files (hereinafter referred to as home page files) of
a number of home pages, which are accessed from all over the world.
Namely, the user transfers a home page file created by
himself/herself to the Web server 13b in order to hold (register)
the home page file therein, whereas the user himself/herself, or
the other designates a URL of the Web server 13b to see the created
home page.
Instead of URL, URI (Uniform Resource identifier) or URN (Uniform
Resource Name) may be used as address information. In URL, a
protocol applied to a resource is described before URI representing
the resource of the Internet 12. Its format is represented by
"protocol: URI", which is, for example, "http://130.***",
"ftp://130.***", "gopher//130.***", or the like. URI is a name
uniformly given to a resource of the Internet 12 using http, which
is an IP address representing a computer name that is a resource of
the Internet 12. URN represents a sole address.
In many cases, the user uses a personal computer to connect it to
the Internet 12. The user can also use the portable terminal 11 to
connect it to the Internet 12. In the case of a personal computer,
the user directly connects the personal computer to the Internet 12
over LAN (Local Area Network) from a company or the like using a
communication function of the personal computer, or connects it to
the Internet 12 through an Internet provider using a modem or a DSU
(Digital Service Unit). In the case of the portable terminal 11,
the user accesses to a carrier for which the user subscribes, and
connects the portable terminal 11 to the Internet 12 through a
server (not shown) for protocol conversion disposed in the
carrier.
A data transmission rate of the portable terminal 11 is limited
since the data is transmitted via the radio network 10. For this,
contents of a home page file held in the Web server 13b is of two
kinds in many cases; one for a case where the user has an access
using a personal computer, and the other for a case where the user
has an access using the portable terminal 11.
Meanwhile, the structure of the system 9 shown in FIG. 1 is similar
in a second embodiment and a third embodiment to be described
later.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the service center 19 according
to the first embodiment of this invention. The first embodiment
will be described by way of example where one server having units
described below configures the service center 19. The service
center 19 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a database 15, a first
receiving unit 16, a first transmitting unit 17, an extracting unit
40, a providing unit 41, a Web information outputting unit (Web)
18b, a gateway unit (GW: Gate Way) 18a, a DNS (Domain Name Server)
unit 18c, and a mail transmitting/receiving unit 18d.
The database (spatial occupancy information/URL database) 15 holds
bubble data in which spatial occupancy information composed of
latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of an object in
a three-dimensional space is associated with various information on
the object or a URL for obtaining service information relating to
the various information.
The database 15 has three dimensional geographical data in order to
process spatial occupancy information. Incidentally, the database
15 is not always required to be disposed in the service center 19,
but may be held in a server in a different place connected to the
Internet 12. The database function is accomplished by a hard disk,
a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc.,
although not shown.
Various information on an object represents facility information
relating to a building, which is information on a building, Tokyo
Tower or a shop in the building, information on a station of a
public transportation system, or the like, for example. Service
information relating to the various information represents service
information of the facility information, which is information on
products of a company in its own building, information on the
opening hour (business hour) of Tokyo Tower, information on a menu
of a restaurant or an eat and drink shop in the building,
information on a time table of the station, etc., for example.
Here, URL functions as an address for obtaining service
information. In the following description, the above terms will
have similar meanings unless otherwise provided. When considering
readiness of configuring the database 15, it is more efficient to
configure the database 15 by correlating spatial occupancy
information with a URL than directly correlating spatial occupancy
information with various information but not by directly
associating spatial occupancy information with the various
information regarding the facility.
In the second embodiment to be described later, database is created
as follows. Among home pages having attribute information
representing attributes of facility information relating to a
building (for example, an Italian restaurant, hospital) or service
information (for example, providing Italian dishes, medical
treatment) of the facility in formation, a home page written in
SGML (Structured Generalized Markup Language) or XML (Extensible
Markup Language) having DTD information (Document Type Definition)
composed of a plurality of tags with respect to the attribute
information is held as bubble data in which spatial occupancy
information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble
diameter of a building in the three-dimensional space is associated
with a Uniform Resource Locator for obtaining service
information.
FIG. 7 is a diagram for illustrating bubble data according to the
first embodiment of this invention. Spatial occupancy information
shown in FIG. 7 is information on an object such as a building
beforehand registered by an owner of the building, a company, a
restaurant or the like. In bubble data, latitude, longitude,
altitude and bubble diameter are represented as A/X/0/3.
With each URL, it is possible to readily retrieve a home page in
which information on a service to be provided is written. In other
words, a Web site displaying service information relating to an
object is held in relation with a URL.
Attribute information (attribute information element) represents
information on a service to be provided, which shows a type of
business of a building or the like. Bubble data relating to a
specific school or a government and municipal office is beforehand
registered by the system administrator, and the registered bubble
data is inhibited from being written in order to prevent the bubble
data from being overwritten thereafter. Namely, each piece of
attribute information has an attribute representing "write
permit/inhibit." Accordingly, the system administrator can inhibit
the user from registering bubble data of a specific zone or
building as user's private possession.
Bubble number (bubble ID: bubble Identification) shown in FIG. 7 is
a unique number to identify each bubble data. For example, a
hospital of bubble numbers 2 to 5 shown in FIG. 5 has the same
spatial occupancy information and URLs, but has a plurality of
departments. With the bubble numbers, it is possible to uniquely
identify each department. In consequence, bubble data is held with
a unique number that can be identified, correlated with contents of
service information of the bubble data.
When the user transmits data to the service center 19 using, for
example, the portable terminal 11, the user designates a bubble
number to input the data. For example, when the user has an
impression that dishes provided by an Italian restaurant of a
bubble number 10 retrieved in the service 1 or service 2 are good,
or when the user desires to teach the Italian restaurant to other
person, the user can specify the bubble data. When the user again
desires to know service information on the Italian restaurant, or
when a third person having learned from the other desires to know
service information on the Italian restaurant, the user or the
third person can access to the service center 19, and input the
bubble number 10 to obtain the service information (menu, opening
hour), the place, etc.
In order to obtain the service information, the user inputs and
transmits the bubble number 10, and the service center 19 transmits
either one of spatial occupancy information (B/X/2/1) or a URL
(http://www.xxx.201), or the both to the portable terminal 11, the
PDA 32 or the personal computer. These pieces of information are
displayed on the display. The user can thereby store specific
service information with the bubble number.
On the other hand, in response to a request for the service 1 or
service 2 from the user, the service center 19 retrieves using
either one of spatial occupancy information or the URL, and
transmits a result of the retrieval along with a plurality of
bubble numbers to the portable terminal By giving a bubble number
to unique service information, both the user and the service center
19 can specify spatial occupancy information, a URL and service
information, separately and certainly.
In providing the above service 1, the service center 19 retrieves
bubble data corresponding to a building designated by the user
using position information when receiving the position information
and a retrieval distance region transmitted from the portable
terminal 11. The service center 19 retrieves a plurality of
buildings 100 m away from the position of the portable terminal 11
in the north direction, for example, obtains a plurality of URLs
corresponding to the respective plural buildings, and transmits
contents held at the plural URLs to the portable terminal 11.
As this, the service center 19 can provide service information on
buildings within a not-larger-than-100 m range from the user.
In more detail, the service center 19 retrieves bubble data using a
retrieval vector V on the basis of the position information. The
retrieval vector V is a vector from the position of the portable
terminal 11 toward an object of retrieval such as a structure, a
building, a shop, a temple or the like on the basis of the position
information transmitted from the portable terminal 11. The
retrieval vector V is generated by the service center 19 on the
basis of the position information transmitted from the portable
terminal 11. The service center 19 outputs a plurality of
information bubbles (images of spatial occupancy information of
bubble data) intersecting the retrieval vector V toward an object
of retrieval as results of the retrieval. Incidentally, the service
center 19 may select service information on a shop inside a
building within a predetermined distance range, and transmit it to
the portable terminal 11.
In providing the above the service 2, the service center 19
generates a retrieval vector V similar to the above from a position
and direction of the portable terminal 11 when receiving position
information transmitted from the portable terminal 11, retrieves an
information bubble first intersecting the retrieval vector V, and
transmits contents such as a lunch menu of a restaurant, for
example, designated by the user to the portable terminal 11. The
service center 19 can thereby provide service information on a shop
or the like designated by the user.
A geometry of an image of spatial occupancy information is a
sphere, an elliptic sphere, or a quadrangular prism in conformity
with a volume of a building, as will be described later with
reference to FIGS. 9(a) through 9(h) and the like. This geometry
can be variously modified, and registered. The image may be set to
not only a closed space (occupied space) but also a part of a
predetermined range in the space or an infinite range on one
side.
When bubble data is written in the database 15, an image
(information bubble) of spatial occupancy information of the bubble
data is generated. When the bubble data is erased from the database
15, the same effect as the information bubble disappears is
provided.
Next, the service center 19 will be described with reference to
FIG. 2. The first receiving unit 16 shown in FIG. 2 receives
position information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude,
direction and an inclination angle transmitted from the portable
terminal 11. This function is accomplished by an input port, a CPU
(Central Processing Unit: not shown), a ROM, a RAM, etc. of a
personal computer or a workstation.
The extracting unit 40 extracts a specific URL (signifying a
specific address or specific retrieval information) corresponding
to specific spatial occupancy information (intersecting the above
retrieval vector) including position information out of spatial
occupancy information held by the database 15 on the basis of the
position information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude,
direction and an inclination angle of the portable terminal 11
transmitted from the portable terminal 11.
The providing unit 41 provides specific service information
corresponding to the specific URL extracted by the extracting unit
40 to the portable terminal 11. The providing unit 41 can provide
(transmit) a URL or a content name corresponding to the URL to the
portable terminal 11. This will be described later. Whereby, the
user can obtain information on a desired object of retrieval, so
that complicated retrieval becomes unnecessary.
The first transmitting unit 17 selects bubble data/a URL
corresponding to the position information among plural kinds of
bubble data/URLs held in the database 15 on the basis of the
position information from the portable terminal 11 received by the
first receiving unit 16, and transmits service information
displayed on the Web server (Web site) corresponding to the URL to
the portable terminal 11. This function is accomplished by an
output port, a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. of a personal computer or a
work station.
The Web information outputting unit 18b holds user information
(contents of an individual, a restaurant, a company, etc.), which
comprises a URL generating unit (address generating unit) 55 and a
message storing unit 56. The URL generating unit 55 generates a URL
for holding service information on an individual, a company, etc.
held in the Web information outputting unit 18b. The service center
19 can manage a list of URLs owing to the URL generating unit 55,
and appropriately provide service information corresponding to an
object of retrieval.
The message storing unit 56 holds a message inputted from the user,
which configured with, for example, a memory. The message is
associated with spatial occupancy information of bubble data (in
which spatial occupancy information is associated with a URL to
obtain service information), and written in the message storing
unit 56.
In associating a message with spatial occupancy information, a
plurality of messages are assigned to a plurality of small
information bubbles set inside the spatial occupancy information,
and an individual URL is given to each of the plural small
information bubbles. At each of the URLs, a message is held.
The service center 19 can thereby manage a list of URLs, and
appropriately provide service information corresponding to an
object of retrieval.
The DNS unit 18c has a conversion table for host names and IP
addresses, and outputs an IP address corresponding to a received
host name. The mail transmitting/receiving unit 18d
transmits/receives an electronic mail (hereinafter abbreviated as a
mail, occasionally). As will be described later, the mail
transmitting/receiving unit 18d has a function of correlating four
kinds of information, that is, latitude, longitude, altitude and a
bubble diameter, with a mail address. The gateway unit 18a has a
known gateway function.
Each of these functions is accomplished by a CPU, a ROM, a RAM,
etc. in cooperation.
Each function of the service center 19 may be distributed.
FIG. 3 is another block diagram of the service center 19 according
to the first embodiment of this invention. In the service center 19
shown in FIG. 3, respective functions of the service center 19
configured with one server shown in FIG. 2 are distributed to
plural servers. The service center 19 shown in FIG. 3 comprises a
gateway server 13a, a Web server 13b, a DNS server 13c, a mail
server 13d, a retrieval server 13e and a database 15.
The gateway server 13a has a similar function to the gateway unit
18a. The Web server 13b is similar to the Web information
outputting unit 18b, the DNS server 13c is similar to the DNS unit
18c, the mail server 13d is similar to the mail
transmitting/receiving unit 18d, and the retrieval server 13e is
similar to the providing unit 41.
Incidentally, like reference characters have the same or similar
functions of those described above, duplicated descriptions of
which are thus omitted. The distributed arrangement is common in
the second and third embodiments.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the portable terminal 11 according to
the first embodiment of this invention. The portable terminal 11
shown in FIG. 4 comprises antennas 11d and 11e, a detecting unit
21, a radio module 11f, a control module 11g, a display unit 11h, a
speaker 11i and a microphone 11j.
The antenna lid is a GPS antenna receiving a radio signal
transmitted from a satellite. The antenna 11e transmits and
receives a radio signal to and from the radio network 10.
The detecting unit 21 detects position information composed of
latitude, longitude, altitude, direction and an inclination angle
of the terminal, which comprises a GPS module (satellite
information receiving unit) 11c, an earth magnetism sensor (a
geomagnetism sensor or direction sensor or azimuth sensor) 11b, and
an inclination sensor (gyro sensor) 11a.
The GPS module can receive satellite information using the global
positioning system. The satellite information is information
composed of latitude, longitude and altitude of the portable
terminal 11. The GPS module 11c can control a direction of the
antenna 11d.
The geomagnetism sensor 11b can detect the geomagnetism to measure
the azimuth. Here, a reference of azimuth represents a direction in
which the antenna lie is extended, for example. The geomagnetism
sensor 11b has a coil (not shown) to measure the geomagnetism
according to a magnitude of the magnetic flux through the coil.
This measuring method is known, thus detailed description of which
is omitted.
The inclination sensor 11a can measure an angle of inclination to
the horizon of the portable terminal 11. The inclination sensor 11a
cooperates with a gyro module to detect an attitude of the portable
terminal 11.
The radio module 11f transmits and receives a radio signal, which
comprises a second transmitting unit 22a and a second receiving
unit 22b.
The second transmitting unit 22a transmits position information on
the portable terminal 11 detected by the detecting unit 21 to the
service center 19. The second receiving unit 22b receives specific
service information corresponding to specific spatial occupancy
information including the position information transmitted from the
second transmitting unit 22a out of spatial occupancy information
composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of
an object in the three-dimensional space transmitted from the
service center 19. Each of the second transmitting unit 22a and the
second receiving unit 22b is formed with a radio frequency
circuit.
The control module 11g controls operations of respective parts of
the portable terminal 11, besides processing a data format for
transmission/reception on the basis of a predetermined protocol.
This function is accomplished by a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The
display unit 11h displays specific service information received by
the second receiving unit 22b. This function is accomplished by a
window display. The speaker 11i is used to output voice. The
microphone 11j is used to input voice. Both the outputted and
inputted voices are amplified by amplifiers (not shown). The
portable terminal 11 thus has a displaying function, a GPS
receiving function, an azimuth detecting function, and a radio
frequency signal transmitting/receiving function.
A mapping unit 58f and a map information holding unit 58c shown in
FIG. 4 will be described later in the second and third
embodiments.
When desiring to receive the service 1, the user aims the portable
terminal 11 in a predetermined direction, and inputs, for example,
"100 m" as a distance range to be retrieved. The portable terminal
11 obtains position information on the portable terminal 11,
transmits the position information and the distance range to the
service center 19, and receives service information from the
service center 19. The user may select service information on a
shop in a certain building within a predetermined-distance range,
and request the service center 19 to transmit the service
information on it. The user may beforehand set the distance range
to, for example, 100 m in the portable terminal 11, instead of
inputting a distance range. Alternatively, the service center 19
may beforehand set such as to retrieve objects within a 100 m
range.
The user can thereby obtain information about three buildings, A
building, B building and C building, in a direction of user's eyes
and information relating thereto.
When desiring to receive the service 2, the user aims the portable
terminal 11 toward the ninth floor of D building on which there is
a restaurant. The portable terminal 11 transmits obtained position
information to the service center 19, and obtains service
information on the restaurant from the service center 19. The user
can thereby obtain service information on the specific
building.
Next, description will be made of a such service that the service
center 19 obtains desired service information from position
information on the portable terminal 11 and provides the service
information to the user, with reference to FIGS. 5 through
9(h).
FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing an arrangement of
buildings according to the first embodiment of this invention.
Positions of four buildings shown in FIG. 5 are at the same
longitude but different latitude. For example, A building is
located in a latitude range from A-1 to A+1. Center positions of B
building, C stadium and D tower are at latitudes B, C and D. Unit
of both latitude and longitude is ".degree." (degree), "'"
(minute), and "''" (second). This is the same in the following
description.
The user on the third floor of A building obtains position
information using the portable terminal 11, and transmits it in
order to receive, for example, the service 1.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing images (information bubbles) of spatial
occupancy information of bubble data according to the first
embodiment of this invention. Information bubbles 1 to 17 shown in
FIG. 6 represent images corresponding to the buildings A to D shown
in FIG. 5. In each of these information bubbles 1 to 17, spatial
occupancy information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and
a bubble diameter of an object is associated with various
information relating to the object or information on a URL or the
like relating to the various information.
The information bubbles 1, 5, 8 and 9 represent A building, B
building, C stadium and D tower, respectively. According to spatial
occupancy information including a size of the building, the
information bubble is generated. The information bubble 1 has
information bubbles 2, 3 and 4 inside it. These information bubbles
2, 3 and 4 represent images corresponding to respective floors of A
building.
Numbers shown in FIG. 7 are identification numbers given to the
information bubbles shown in FIG. 6. Spatial occupancy information
composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter is
expressed as A/X/0/3. Here, A to D (degrees) are lattitudes.
Altitude 0 represents that the building contacts with the ground.
Altitudes 1, 2 and 3 represent values corresponding to true values
(for example, 15 m, 30 m and 45 m). An altitude of a shop in the
basement is represented by a minus value.
FIG. 8 is a diagram for illustrating another bubble data according
to the first embodiment of this invention. As shown in FIG. 8,
spatial occupancy information can be true values. A URL or contents
name (for example, A building, C stadium) corresponding to the URL
is transmitted to the portable terminal 11. When the user clicks
the URL or the content name, the contents are displayed. In order
to display the contents name, it is necessary to beforehand
associate the contents name with the URL, and register the contents
name.
In FIG. 8, each service information can be uniquely identified with
a bubble number.
A bubble diameter (refer to FIGS. 7 and 8) represents a diameter
when the information bubble is a sphere as mentioned above. When
the information bubble is an elliptic sphere, the bubble diameter
represents a long axis and a short axis, it is thus necessary to
set a value corresponding to each of them. When the information
bubble is a quadrangular prism in conformity with a volume of the
building, the bubble diameter represents, for example, a width of
the quadrangular prism. Incidentally, the bubble radiuses 1, 2 and
3 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 represent values corresponding to true
values. The information bubble may be a circular cylinder.
FIGS. 9(a) through 9(h) are diagrams showing examples of building
data according to the first embodiment of this invention. (A, B, C)
shown in these drawings are center positions of respective
information bubbles. At which position the center position of an
information bubble is set can be arbitrarily determined and set,
and uniformly used.
FIG. 9(a) is a quadrangular prism, the center position of which is
a center on the bottom surface. D, E and F shown in FIG. 9(a)
represent a latitude width, a longitude width, and an altitude
width, which are, for example, 20 m, 20 m and 10 m, respectively.
These widths are beforehand held in the database 15, and considered
when an information bubble is generated.
A retrieval vector V passing through the origin (0, 0, 0) is
represented as (x, y, z)=(0, 0, 0)+(V.sub.1, V.sub.2, V.sub.3) in,
for example, (x, y, z) coordinates, where V.sub.1, V.sub.2, V.sub.3
are respective x, y and z components of a direction vector. Whether
the retrieval vector V intersects within the above width of the
solid or not is calculated.
FIG. 9(b) shows a sphere, the center position of which is the
center of the sphere. When an information bubble is retrieved,
presence of an intersection is detected using an equation
expressing the sphere and a formula expressing the retrieval vector
V with latitude, longitude and altitude of the portable terminal 11
being as an origin of the coordinates.
For example, a sphere having a diameter R with the origin (0, 0, 0)
being the center position is expressed as
x.sup.2+y.sup.2+z.sup.2=R.sup.2. Using the formulae of the
retrieval vector V and the expression of the sphere, an
intersecting point is calculated.
FIG. 9(c) shows an elliptic sphere, the center position of which is
the center of the elliptic sphere. The elliptic sphere having a
long axis a and a short axis b with the origin (0, 0, 0) being the
center position is expressed as
(x/b).sup.2+(y/b).sup.2+(z/a).sup.2=1.
In the example shown in FIG. 9(d), the lowest point of a sphere is
the center position. In the example shown in FIG. 9(e), the lowest
position of an elliptic sphere is the center position. In the
example shown in FIG. 9(f), the highest position of a sphere is the
center position. In the example shown in FIG. 9(g), the highest
point of an elliptic sphere is the center position.
FIG. 9(h) shows a circular cylinder, the center position of which
is the center on the bottom surface. The circular cylinder having a
diameter R and a height H with the origin (0, 0, 0) being the
center position is expressed as x.sup.2+y.sup.2=R.sup.2 and
(0.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.H).
A range of an information bubble to be displayed by the service
center 19 can be variously changed according to a contract fee or
the like. When an individual makes a contract, the range of an
information bubble is basically within a diameter 5 m.
In concrete, a diameter of the sphere, or a long axis and a short
axis of the elliptic sphere shown in FIGS. 9(b) to 9(g) are
changed. Further, spatial occupancy information of the quadrangular
prism shown in FIG. 9(a) may be set to not only a closed region but
also a wider region in parallel to a side denoted by latitude E,
for example. Additionally, spatial occupancy information of the
circular cylinder shown in FIG. 9(h) may be set to an infinite
region extending upward from the center position in the z
direction.
A company in A building (refer to FIGS. 5 and 6) correlates a URL
of its own home page for introducing contents of its service with
spatial occupancy information on its own building, for example, and
registers it in the bubble data. Namely, the whole A building is
registered as an information bubble 1. Three shops on the first
floor of A building, two shops on the second floor, and one shop on
the third floor are registered as information bubbles 10 to 15.
Accordingly, an advertisement of a company, a menu or reputation of
a restaurant, etc., are beforehand registered as bubble data, and
the user transmits position information using the portable terminal
11 as a retrieval tag.
The user can thereby readily obtain a menu of a restaurant far
away. The user can also readily learn service information on a shop
in a building even from the outside of the building.
The user can receive the service 1 and obtain various service
information from plural kinds of bubble data only by aiming the
portable terminal 11.
In relation with the service 2, the user can obtain service
information on a registered restaurant in designated B
building.
The user can retrieve in an analogue way based on human sensation
without digital processing such as in the retrieval service in the
Internet 12. The user can therefore readily obtain information on a
shop within a range that he/she can see. Namely, the user can
obtain desired service information in an analogue manner such as
"in this place" or "in that place".
An owner of a restaurant, for instance, registers spatial occupancy
information on and a URL of the shop as bubble data in the service
center 19 instead of placing an advertisement on a magazine or the
like so as to directly provide service information on his/her own
shop to the user.
Since information is opened as this, the user can take out
information on an object that the user can see, very easily and
quickly.
Next, description will be made of a bubble data registering
operation in the information providing service system according to
this invention with reference to FIGS. 10 through 13.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a sequence for illustrating
registration in the information providing service system according
to the first embodiment of this invention, in which data
transmitted and received between the portable terminal 11 and the
service center 19 is schematically shown. This is an example where
the user registers data using position information on the portable
terminal 11.
At step P1 shown in FIG. 10, the user selects (4) in a plurality of
menus displayed on the portable terminal 11, and starts position
registration (message position registration). The portable terminal
11 measures position information composed of latitude, longitude
and altitude of the terminal using the above sensor group.
At step P2, the portable terminal 11 transmits measured position
information and terminal identification information to the service
center 19.
When receiving the data (step P3), the service center 19 transmits
use agreement or the like to the portable terminal 11 (step P4).
This agreement is to make the user select whether the user receives
a charged service or a free service. For example, the user selects
a large bubble diameter (for example, not less than 5 m) or a small
bubble diameter (not larger than 5 m).
When the user selects the large bubble in expectation of an effect
of advertisement at step P5, the procedure proceeds through a route
denoted by (2), so that parameters necessary in actual registration
are displayed on the portable terminal 11 (step P9). On the
contrary, when the user selects the small bubble, the procedure
proceeds through a route denoted by (1), so that the portable
terminal 11 is prompted to input a message (step P6).
When the user completes the inputting at step P7, the message is
transmitted to the service center 19. The service center 19 writes
the transmitted position information and information on an object
of retrieval in the database 15. The service center 19 then
converts spatial occupancy information composed of latitude,
longitude and altitude of the object in the three-dimensional space
into a URL, and writes the URL in the URL generating unit 55 of the
Web server 13b. The service center 19 also writes a home page URL
desired to be linked in the database 15.
Registration termination is then displayed on the portable terminal
11 (step P8). Incidentally, an exclusive application is used for
this registration.
By registration by a company or an individual, bubble data is
generated.
The user may access to the service center 19 over the Internet 12
using a personal computer (not shown) to register bubble data.
FIG. 11 is a diagram for illustrating a charge system for bubble
data according to the first embodiment of this invention. The
charge system shown in FIG. 11 is contracted between the system
administrator and a person who uses the system to advertise. In
concrete, the small bubble diameter (5 m) is set to a lower charge,
whereas the large bubble diameter (100 m) is set to a higher
charge. Alternatively, the charge may be set according to a term of
notification.
When the user desires to register service information on Tokyo
tower, for example, registration can be done from not the portable
terminal 11 but a personal computer.
With respect to a famous building such as Tokyo tower, or a public
facility, the system administrator may beforehand set an
information bubble having a size in conformity with a size of the
building and basic information, for the sake of user's
convenience.
As above, the user can easily retrieve an object that the user has
an interest in an analogue manner based on human sensation in
relation with buildings that the user can see. The user can
therefore obtain information on a building (structure, natural
object) locating in a direction designated by the user.
By aiming the portable terminal 11 to a desired direction, the user
can obtain information on buildings within a 100 m range from the
position of the terminal. By aiming the portable terminal 11 to a
building in front, the user can obtain information on goods sold in
a shop in the building.
A sponsor can advertise to a user having the portable terminal 11.
The administrator of the service center 19 can earn an
advertisement fee by providing the service. The user can obtain
service information, freely and easily.
As this, every one of the sponsor, service administrator and user
can enjoy profit.
Meanwhile, as a modified service of the above information providing
service, data may be transmitted and received by mail between the
service center 19 and the portable terminal 11 or the personal
computer. In such case, each of the mail server 13d (refer to FIG.
3) and the mail transmitting/receiving unit 18d (refer to FIG. 2)
has a function (GPS mapping coping function) of correlating
latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter with a mail
address.
In other words, a destination of a link represents mail data.
The owner of a restaurant can link service information on, for
example, foods to bubble data, and register it, thereby to
advertise the restaurant to general users. The company shows a mail
address as a destination of opinions and the like to users, so that
bubble data corresponding to the mail address is used.
Next, description will be made of an information providing service
method using a mail in the system according to the first embodiment
of this invention with references to FIGS. 12 and 13.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a sequence for illustrating
registration in the information providing system according to the
first embodiment of this invention, in which an example of
registration using a mail is shown.
The portable terminal 11 displays an input screen (step A1). When
the user selects "address" on the screen, the screen is changed to
an input screen for the address (step A2). When the user selects
"map a message in the space" at step A3, the portable terminal 11
obtains position information, and converts it to a mail
address.
The user inputs a message (step A4), and transmits the mail to the
service center 19. When the service center 19 receives the mail
data (step A5), the service center 19 selects a minimum value of
the bubble diameter (step A6), and writes it in the database 15 of
the Web server (GPSWEB server) 13b or of the Web information
outputting unit 18b (step A7).
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a sequence for illustrating the
information providing service according to the first embodiment of
this invention, in which data transmission/reception among the
portable terminal 11, the mail server (mail server compatible with
GPS mapping) 13d, and the Web server (GPSWEB server) 13b is
shown.
At step A10, the user (for example, a person in charge in a
company) sets bubble data of a company profile of F company in
front of the main office of F company in Tokyo. A position at which
this bubble data is set is at 139.degree. 46'01.4'' east longitude,
35.degree. 40'46.1'' north latitude, an attitude of 15 m, and the
bubble diameter is set to 100 m. The user sets a mail address
corresponding to the company profile. This address is
E13946014N3540461H1500B10000@gps.nifty.ne.jp, for example. The user
mails retrieval conditions and the company profile to the
address.
At step A11, the mail server 13d receives the above retrieval
conditions and the company profile, initiates retrieval, and
registers the appended file as a company profile in the Web server
13b (WEB).
Bubble data whose bubble diameter is set large can be easily
retrieved, but bubble data whose bubble diameter is set small is
difficult to be retrieved. For this, a bubble diameter of bubble
data including information desired to be hidden may be set small,
whereas a bubble diameter of bubble data including information
desired to be advertised to as many users as possible as a company
profile or the like may be set large.
The user transmits a value showing a predetermined range as a mail
address, so that bubble data including spatial occupancy
information within the range is retrieved.
The user can obtain information easily and quickly using a
retrieval tag that is a position.
(B) Description of Second Embodiment of the Invention
The first embodiment is in a mode that the user retrieves bubble
data while moving, using mainly the portable terminal 11, to obtain
information on a building. The second embodiment is in a mode that
the user receives a (overlapping, mapping) service of overlapping
an information bubble on a map of a layout of buildings and the
like in a town displayed on a personal computer of a user using the
personal computer while moving or at home.
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a structure of an information
providing system according to the second embodiment of this
invention. The system 9a shown in FIG. 14 is a system providing
information to a user terminal such as the personal computer 58,
the portable terminal 11 or the PDA 32, which can display a map.
The information providing system 9a comprises a service center
(server) 19a, a plurality of portable terminals 11, a plurality of
PDAs 32, a plurality of personal computers (PCs) 58. To the
information providing system 9a, a radio station 10a, a radio
network 10, a gateway server 13a, the Internet 12, a Web server
13b, a DNS server 13c, etc. are connected. The same reference
characters as those described above have the same or similar
functions, further descriptions of which are thus omitted.
The service center 19a holds a home page described in SGML or XML
having DTD information out of home pages (information documents)
having attribute information representing attributes of various
information relating to objects or service information relating to
the various information and DTD information composed of a plurality
of tags, as bubble data in which spatial occupancy information
(space region information or space area information composed of
latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of an object)
in the three-dimensional space is associated with retrieval
information (address information, a URL) for obtaining service
information.
An object is an object that actually exists such as a building,
each floor of the building, a signboard, etc., or an object that
moves in the space. DTD (document type definition) information
corresponds to a tag described in a home page file when described
in SGML, which functions as an index to make the Web server 13b
recognize that the home page is contents as bubble data. Retrieval
information is address information used by a user when the user
retrieves desired bubble data. The retrieval information is
practically a URL.
Each of the portable terminal 11, the PDA 32 and the personal
computer 58 is connected to the service center 19a over the
Internet 12 to display various information retrieved using bubble
data. These function as user terminals.
The system 9a can provide the following services (3) to (7) as
services accompanying the mapping service.
(3) Service that dynamically changes a bubble diameter of an
information bubble displayed on the personal computer of a user
according to the number of accesses to the bubble data, a time or a
season to provide a dynamic bubble diameter (similar bubble
diameter) having a diameter according to a scale of the map to the
user terminal.
(4) Service that deletes a home page of specific bubble data or
limit (inhibit, for example) access to the home page when the
bubble data is accessed predetermined times.
(5) Service that activates an application such as JAVA program
(trade name) instead of URL. Namely, a service that the service
center 19a filters position information on the user and attribute
information accompanying it to retrieve.
(6) Service that sets such limitation that only the first one
hundred arrivals accessing to the home page are permitted to access
to bubble data of a company, for example.
(7) Service that a user beforehand registers conditions of a
partner whom the user desires to communicate with such as "female,"
"under age of . . . ," etc., and when the service center 19 detects
that bubble data in conformity with the conditions set to each
other approaches, the service center 19 notifies of it the user of
the bubble data.
The services (3) to (7) will be hereinafter referred to as services
3 to 7, occasionally. In providing these services, the service
center 19a may make the user designate a specific bubble number
(refer to FIGS. 7 and 8), and display it.
The personal computer 58 is equipped with a keyboard and a mouse
(not shown). The personal computer 58 has a communication function
in the Internet 12 and a map displaying function of displaying a
map, along with a function of executing various application
programs (hereinafter abbreviated as applications, occasionally)
for word processing, chart creation and the like. The personal
computer 58 is of a desktop type or a note type, for example, which
can be used in both a fixed environment and a mobile
environment.
If the communication function is used as a fixed equipment, the
personal computer 58 is connected to the Internet 12 over LAN when
the personal computer 58 is disposed in, for example, a company.
When the personal computer 58 is disposed in a private place such
as home, the personal computer is dial-up-connected to an Internet
provider using a modem or a DSU not shown to be able to transmit
and receive data to and from the Internet 12.
FIG. 15 is a block diagram of the personal computer 58 according to
the second embodiment of this invention. The personal computer 58
shown in FIG. 15 is used in the system 9a providing information to
user terminals that can display maps. The personal computer 58
comprises a receiving unit 58a, a RAM 58b, a map information
holding unit (map information outputting unit) 58c, a transmitting
unit 58d, a hard disk (mapping data holding unit) 58e, a mapping
unit 58f, and a display unit 58g. The personal computer 58 is
connected to an interface unit 59 to be able to transmit and
receive data to and from the Internet 12.
The interface unit 59 is a modem or LAN. An individual user at home
connects the personal computer 58 to an access provider (not shown)
through the interface unit 59 (modem) using a dial-up connection to
connect it to the Internet 12. A user in, for example, a company
connects the personal computer 58 to the Internet 12 through the
interface unit 59 (LAN) and a proxy server (not shown) disposed in
the company.
The map information holding unit 58c outputs map information. This
function is accomplished by a hard disk. This map information is
about objects (buildings and natural objects such as mountains and
the like) in the three-dimensional space, which shows buildings in
three dimensions, or shows simplified buildings. The map
information includes characters, signs and the like representing
information on the buildings. The map information is read from a
library (in concrete, digital data for displaying a map), which is
stored in a hard disk or the like by installing a map application.
The user uses bubble data with a map application beforehand
installed in the personal computer 58.
The map information holding unit 58c can output image files, vector
files in various forms as image data. For example, the map
information holding unit 58c can output a file in GIF (Graphics
Interchange Format) form. The system 9a can thus map visual data
supported by GIF on a map to visualize an information bubble.
Accordingly, the user can map bubble data received from the service
center 59 on map information displayed by him/her, as the above
mapping service. Additionally, a shortage of the portable terminal
11 that display thereof is limited when the user uses the portable
terminal 11 is overcome, so that the user can see the image on a
fine screen. With respect to the communication function at the time
that the personal computer 58 is used as a mobile equipment, a
portable telephone, a PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) telephone
or the like is connected to the personal computer 58 to be able to
transmit and receive in radio.
The map application can display or reproduce an arrangement of
building and the like in the three-dimensional space on the display
unit 58g. The user inputs an address, a range and the like desired
to be displayed according to instructions displayed on the display
unit 58g. The user can also input an altitude, an angle and the
like of a viewpoint.
The system administrator can appropriately display an information
bubble even when the user uses any map application, thereby
prompting the user to subscribe for the communication carrier. The
service center 19a can such hold bubble data having the same URL as
the spatial occupancy information as to identify the bubble data
with a bubble number, and transmit the data to the user by
designating the identified specific bubble number. The user can
display data by designating a specific bubble number on the
personal computer 58.
Instead of using the map information holding unit 58c, it is
possible to display map information held in another database
connected to the Internet 12. In such case, the map information is
once held in the RAM 58b, then outputted. Instead of connecting the
map information holding unit 58c to the personal computer 58, the
user can down-load data corresponding to the map information from
the Internet 12, and hold the down-loaded data in a hard disk, a
floppy disk, a CD-R, a CD-RW, an MO or the like to use it.
The display unit 58g displays an image of an object on the screen
on the basis of the map information outputted from the map
information holding unit 58c. This function is accomplished by a
display. The object image is an image of an object. Other than
buildings, images of natural objects are also displayed. Namely,
the display unit 58g displays information bubbles on the screen
other than various objects such as a building, a gymnasium, a
tower, etc.
The transmitting unit 58d transmits a mapping request including
coordinate information in the three-dimensional space on an object
displayed on the display unit 58g and display object attribute
information representing attributes of service information to be
provided by the object to the service center (server) 19a connected
to the personal computer 58 over the Internet 12. This function is
accomplished by a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a modem, a LAN card, LAN, etc.
Coordinate information in the three-dimensional space on an object
is composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter
in the three dimensional space of the object (building, natural
object, or the like). Display object attribute information is
information representing attributes of facility information
relating to the object (building, natural object) or service
information on the facility information.
The receiving unit 58a receives a mapping response including
spatial occupancy information in the three-dimensional space
(spatial range information or space area information composed of
latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of a building
or a natural object) corresponding to the coordinate information
and a URL for obtaining service information notified from the
service center 19a in response to the mapping request. The
functions of the receiving unit 58a and the transmitting unit 58b
are accomplished by a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a modem, a LAN card, LAN,
etc.
The receiving unit 58a also receives a mapping response having
spatial occupancy information including a dynamic bubble diameter
having a diameter according to a scale of the map displayed by the
display unit 58g and a URL on the basis of the coordinate
information included in the mapping request. Namely, the receiving
unit 58a can obtain information from the Internet 12.
An occupancy area of the information bubble to be displayed on the
display unit 58g of the personal computer 58 is determined on the
basis of a bubble diameter and a scale of the map. The user can
therefore obtain bubble data in a visualized state.
The mapping unit 58g reads an image geometry held in the hard disk
58e and a URL included in the mapping response, and displays the
contents thereof on the display unit 58g. This function is
accomplished by a display driver along with a CPU, a ROM, a
RAM.
The hard disk 58e correlates the image geometry (image geometry of
the information bubble) displayed by the mapping unit 58 with the
URL included in the mapping response, and holds them, which
functions as a mapping data holding unit.
The information bubble is displayed on the display unit 58g by the
mapping unit 58f and the map information holding unit 58c. Since a
quantity of data necessary for transmission/reception between the
service center 19a and the portable terminal 11 or the personal
computer 58 is decreased owing to the map information holding unit
58c, the user can see the map without stress. The system
administrator can continue the business without decreasing the
number of subscribers.
FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of image according to the
second embodiment of this invention. In concrete, the diagram shows
an image immediately after the user starts the map application. In
this initial screen, there is displayed a map of buildings in the
vicinity of the user's home, or a map of buildings in the vicinity
of the user's office, which can be changed according to a setting.
The display unit 58g shown in FIG. 19 displays an image 100 and an
icon group 57. The image 100 represents buildings in the three
dimension, which is displayed by reading graphic data (map data)
beforehand registered in the map application by the personal
computer 58.
The icon group 57 are icons for operation on a display of the image
100, which comprises a plurality of icons 57a to 57c. The icon 57a
is used by the user to transmit a retrieval request to a search
robot (search engine) connected to the Internet 12 from the
personal computer 58. The icons 57b and 57c are used by the user to
input concrete conditions relating to a retrieval region. For
example, the icon 57b is for a region of retrieval, whereas the
icon 57c is for inputting conditions other than the above. These
cons are assigned to input a bubble number (refer to FIGS. 7 and
8).
When a predetermined region in the image is displayed, the user
designates a region in the vertical direction and a region in the
horizontal direction on the screen using the icon group 57 on the
basis of a reference point (refer to FIG. 25 to be described later)
in the predetermined region. The designated image region (a region
along the latitude and a region along the longitude) is calculated
on the basis of a scale and a size of the screen by the map
application, and the calculated data is transmitted to the service
center 59a from the personal computer 58.
The service center 19a retrieves a home page file in which a tag
<bubble>representing bubble data is described as DTD
information among a number of home page files held in the database
15a on the basis of the data relating to the transmitted image
region. Only a home page file hit in the retrieval is selected, and
a URL of the selected home page is transmitted to the user.
Whereby, an information bubble is overlapped on the arrangement of
the buildings, and displayed. Namely, the information bubble is
mapped on the map of only the buildings, and a link is created
among the buildings on the map. The user can obtain present
contents by clicking the linked portion. Therefore, the user can
obtain information on what kinds of shops/facilities are
accommodated in the building displayed on the map.
FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of the mapped image
according to the second embodiment of this invention. The image 100
shown in FIG. 20 shows information bubbles (spheres) 1 to 11 along
with the buildings displayed by the map application. The
information bubbles 1 to 11 are displayed, overlapped on the
display of the buildings originally displayed. The system
administrator can therefore provide service information in a form
that service information is linked with map information to the
user.
The size of the display of the image 100 can be freely changed
according to a setting by the user. Each of the information bubbles
1 to 11 is obtained by correlating spatial occupancy information
composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of
an object with various information relating to the object or a URL
relating to the various information. In concrete, each of the
information bubbles 1 to 11 represents a bubble image corresponding
to a building mapped by the map application. The user can designate
a specific bubble number to display its image on the personal
computer 58.
Whereby, an owner of a restaurant, for example, can register a home
page describing contents of his/her own shop on the Web server 13b,
whereas a user can see all bubble data hit in retrieval as
information bubbles. The bubble data having the contents is equally
displayed on the screen, so that the user can obtain all the bubble
data.
Data transmitted from the service center 19a is created by a Web
robot 61a (refer to FIG. 16), but not created by the system
administrator by linking the bubble data with map information.
Namely, each of the information bubbles 1 to 11 is created from
bubble data extracted by retrieving a tag <bubble> among tags
described in home page files in the database 15a (refer to FIG.
16).
The size of the information bubble is changed on the basis of the
size on the screen and position information succeeded from bubble
data. When the user increases the size of display of the image 100
using, for example, the icon 57a, the bubble diameter of the
information bubble is increased according to that scale, and is set
such that the information bubble is of an appropriate size when the
information bubble is overlapped on the image of the building.
A shape of the information bubble can be not only a circle, but
also an ellipse. The scale is realized by a state file to be
described later.
When the user clicks any one of the information bubbles 1 to 11
using a mouse (not shown) or the like, a browser program is
activated on the basis of a URL simultaneously received from the
service center 19a by the personal computer 58, and a home page of
the information bubble 1, 2, . . . or 11 is displayed. The user can
obtain various information and the like only by clicking an
information bubble displayed in an image in which a size or an
arrangement of the building is reproduced, thereby obtaining
desired service information.
In FIGS. 19 and 20, each of the information bubbles is overlapped
on the building. However, it is alternatively possible to display
the information bubble such that the information bubble is not
overlapped on another information bubble or the building. Namely,
the information bubble may be displayed outside the building, and
connected to a shop in the building by a balloon. Accordingly, the
information bubble can be displayed, as not concealing a shape of
the building. When the user down-loads desired information from the
service center 19a, the user can change the designated image 100
according to the bubble diameter, and display the image 100 instead
of displaying it using the bubble diameter.
When an information bubble is overlapped on a shape of a building,
it is possible to display a bubble behind a balloon or the like
when the upper bubble is selected. It is also possible to
dynamically display the bubble by GIF animation or the like.
FIG. 21 is a diagram showing another example of display of the
bubble data according to the second embodiment of this invention.
In the image 100 displayed in FIG. 21, information bubbles 21 to 25
are shown. Each of these information bubbles 21 to 25 is displayed
with a logotype or trademark that can specify a company. As the
logotype, it is possible to use moving animation.
Incidentally, like reference characters in FIG. 21 have the same or
similar functions of those in FIG. 20, descriptions of which are
thus omitted.
Spatial occupancy information including a size of a building is
represented by a bubble diameter of an information bubble. Since a
size of the bubble diameter is associated with a scale of the map,
the user can obtain an image display in an appropriate size.
The company can provide a visually excellent service to users. In
other words, bubble data is visually displayed to the users.
Additionally, the company can advertise more efficiently.
With respect to fees, a company providing only map information can
charge against a user only if service information of the user is
displayed in the image 100, for example. Namely, the system
administrator can collect fees for notifying service information of
a user in the image 100.
In consequence, the system administrator overlaps all information
hit in retrieval by the Web robot 61a on the image 100, so that the
user can display the service information in the image 100 at
free.
As above, the user can visually obtain map information. In
consequence, the user does not need to purchase, for example, a
magazine to search for information on shops in each shopping area,
or retrieve the information using the Internet 12.
This mapping method will be next described with reference to FIG.
18.
FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of transmit/receive
sequence for illustrating a map information mapping method
according to the second embodiment of this invention. The
information providing service method according to this invention is
performed in the system 9a providing information to the personal
computer 58 that can display a map.
First, a map application starts to run in the personal computer 58
(step W1). A map of buildings and the like in the vicinity of the
user's home, for instance, is displayed on the initial screen. On
the screen, the icon group 57 and a dialogue box (not shown) for
inputting numeral values are also displayed. The user inputs a
specific bubble number, which represents an area that the user
desires to retrieve, to the icon group 57 and the like. The user
can thereby see an information bubble of service information on the
desired area or the building.
The user then clicks a predetermined icon or the like for an area
that the user desires to display. At step W2, the personal computer
58 selects an object from the displayed map information (selecting
step). In concrete, the personal computer 58 extracts coordinate
information and region information on an object selected by the
user.
As a mapping request (denoted by W3), the personal computer 58
transmits the coordinate information on the object selected at the
selecting step and display object attribute information
representing attributes of service information to be provided by
the object to a server connected to the personal computer 58 over
the Internet 12 (user terminal transmitting step).
The retrieval server 61a retrieves a <bubble> tag on the
basis of the transmitted data, and extracts plural kinds of bubble
data.
As a mapping response (denoted by W4), the service center 19a
transmits spatial occupancy information, attribute information and
a URL based on the coordinate information and the display object
attribute information transmitted at the user terminal transmitting
step to the personal computer 58 (server transmitting step).
Following that, the personal computer 58 displays an information
bubble (image shape) along with the object at a position indicated
by the spatial occupancy information transmitted at the service
center transmitting step on the display unit 58g (mapping
step).
Finally, the image geometry displayed at the mapping step and the
map are provided to the personal computer 58 (providing step).
Namely, the personal computer 58 maps the information bubble on the
map information (step W5).
Accordingly, the user can obtain the latest information, and obtain
the information in a visually excellent state, using the map
application. The system administrator (communication carrier) can
provide a high-quality service to the users, besides providing a
great effectiveness of advertising profitable to the customer such
as a company.
The user can overlap bubble data held in the service center 19a on
a map beforehand displayed on the personal computer 58 using the
database 15a holding position information and URLs linked to each
other.
The system 9a according to the second embodiment has a server
structure similar to that of the system 9 according to the first
embodiment to provide the service using additional data. Namely,
the system 9a displays bubble data on a map on the personal
computer 58 of a user, besides providing the telephone service and
the services 1 and 2.
FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a service center according to the
second embodiment of this invention. The service center 19a shown
in FIG. 16 is disposed in the system 9a providing information to
the personal computer 58 that can display a map. The service center
19a comprises a database 15a, a Web robot (retrieving unit) 61a, a
notifying unit 61b (first transmitting unit 17), and an updating
unit 61c. In FIG. 16, like reference characters have the same or
similar functions to those described above, further descriptions of
which are thus omitted.
The database 15a holds a specific home page having DTD information
composed of a plurality of tags relating to attribute information
out of home pages having attribute information representing
attributes of facility information relating to buildings and
service information of the facility information, as bubble data in
which spatial occupancy information composed of latitude,
longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of a building in the
three-dimensional space is associated with a URL for obtaining
service information.
The database 15a can provide the above service 1 and service 2 in
cooperation with the Web robot 61a and the notifying unit 61b.
Since bubbled at a is held, the user can easily obtain information
on an object of retrieval such as a building, each floor of the
building, a signboard, etc., and can obtain service information
without investing his/her money in a costly equipment.
The database 15a is equipped with the updating unit 61c. The
updating unit 61c updates bubble data held in the database 15a. The
updating unit 61c records a tag relating with one tag included in a
plurality of tags as a rewritable file in the database 15a.
The database 15a holds monitoring bubble data for detecting a
moving object and a bubble diameter of the monitoring bubble data
based on position information of the moving object. In a state file
held in the database 15a, a moving object element that can specify
the moving object is recorded.
Namely, the database 15a holds bubble data, and functions as a
position/URL converting database 15a (database server). This
function is accomplished by a personal computer or a workstation
(both not shown). This function may be accomplished by a hard disk,
solely. Whereby, new information is updated on demand, so that both
the user and the owner of a restaurant, for example, can obtain and
provide visualized information.
In response to a mapping request including coordinate information
composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of
an object (building, natural object) displayed on a map, and
display object attribute information representing attributes of
various information relating to the object displayed on the map or
service information relating to the various information transmitted
from the personal computer 58, the Web robot 61a retrieves specific
bubble data including the coordinate information and the display
object attribute information in bubble data. Namely, the retrieval
robot 61 retrieves bubble data (refer to FIGS. 7 and 8) having a
<bubble> tag on the basis of data from the personal computer
58, and outputs specific bubble data.
Further, the Web robot 61a retrieves specific bubble data in
another database (for example, another Web server) connected to the
Internet 12 on the basis of the mapping request. Accordingly, the
user can retrieve in the database 15a created in each area or
country according to information that the user requires, and
receive a higher service.
The Web robot 61a is a search engine of a robot type, having a high
speed and being able to periodically collect contents. The user can
thereby collect the latest and a large amount of information. This
function is accomplished by a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. in
cooperation.
A number of Web servers are connected to the Internet 12. In order
to search for only necessary contents in the contents held in the
number of Web servers, the user accesses to a home page of a
company providing a retrieval service to retrieve a home page in
which the contents are described. When the user inputs a key word
of contents that the user desires to retrieve, a list of links of
home pages including the key word is displayed by the search
engine.
The contents (information page) are often written in HTML. In HTML,
kinds of tags are relatively limited. For this, the user can write
contents in a higher degree by increasing the kinds of tags. The
user may write the contents in SGML or XML, instead of HTML.
HTML is a kind of tag sets defined in SGML which is a higher
concept of HTML. SGML signifies a rule to determine names of tags
and a document structure, which is composed of DTD information,
SGML declaration to designate a character code system to be used in
the document, and a document instance described according to a tag
set defined by the DTD information using the character code
set.
The DTD information is practically tags (elements) appearing in a
home page. The user describes the DTD information in the home page
file, and registers the home page file on the database 15a. The Web
robot 61a extracts only a home page in which the DTD information is
described out of a plurality of home pages held in the database
15a.
The DTD information enables the Web robot 61a to recognize that the
contents are bubble data.
XML has a simplified rule of SGML to describe a document. In other
words, unnecessary functions of SGML are removed in XML to improve
the processing performance.
The user describes a home page file in SGML or XML. The Web robot
61a reads the home page file, extracts a key word appearing in the
document according to a tag therein, and creates a database. Since
an index file is created on the basis of a character string in the
home page, it is possible to retrieve detailed information in the
home page.
The notifying unit 61b shown in FIG. 16 notifies the personal
computer 58 of a mapping response having spatial occupancy
information, attribute information and a URL about specific bubble
data. The function of the notifying unit is accomplished by a CPU,
a ROM, a RAM, etc. in cooperation. The notifying unit 61b is
disposed in a part of the first transmitting unit 17. However, the
notifying unit 61b may be disposed separately from the first
transmitting unit 17.
The notifying unit 61b notifies of a mapping response having
spatial occupancy information including a dynamic bubble diameter
having a diameter according to a scale of a map displayed on the
personal computer 58 and a URL based on coordinate information
included in the mapping request. Additionally, the database 15a
holds bubble data in which contents of service information on
bubble data are correlated with a unique number that can identify
the contents.
The user can thereby display the map on the screen according to a
volume of the bubble data to be displayed by him/her. The user can
thus improve the user interface for obtaining service
information.
The system administrator can visually map in registration as a
premise of service information.
Next, description will be made of a practical retrieving method
using DTD information with reference to FIGS. 22, 23(a) and
23(b).
FIG. 22 is a diagram for illustrating DTD information according to
the second embodiment of this invention. An image of DTD
information (hereinafter abbreviated as an image, occasionally)
shown in FIG. 22 is composed of a plurality of tags with respect to
attribute information. <bubble>, <latitude>, etc. are
tags. A tag <bubble> functions as a tag for retrieval.
Namely, the Web robot 61a extracts a title described at the head of
each home page, extracts about 300 bytes at the head of information
described between the tags <body> and </body>, then
extracts <bubble>. Incidentally, <body> and
</body> are tags described at the head and the tail of a home
page, respectively.
The image 63 shown in FIG. 22 contains a plurality of child
elements nested between <bubble> and </bubble>. Each of
<latitude>, <longitude> <altitude> and
<size> functions as a location tag to determine a position at
which an information bubble, as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, is to be
displayed. On the right side of the image 63, meanings of these
tags are shown.
Each user creates a home page of his/her own, or a company by
himself/herself, or using a commercially available application, and
registers the created home page on the Web server 13b. When the
user creates a home page file, the user adds a "bubble" tag along
with a part corresponding to contents, and describes the
information shown in FIG. 22. When the user creates a home page
file using the personal computer 58, the user may click the right
button of the mouse on the map displayed on the display unit 58g to
transmit it to the provider.
The system administrator beforehand sets the Web robot 61a such
that the Web robot 61a recognizes that the "bubble" tag is a
retrieval tag.
The Web robot 61a reads a number of home pages, retrieves the
<bubble> tag, registers a home page file attached the
<bubble> tag on an index for retrieval, and displays it as a
result of retrieval. Namely, only home pages attached the
<bubble> tag are collected from a number of home pages, and a
database is separately created on the basis of attribute
information therein. In concrete, the Web robot 61a retrieves a
location tag, extracts position information (latitude, longitude,
altitude), a bubble diameter and parameters other than these of
child elements, links them to a URL, and registers them on the
database 15a.
Since creation of a database is executed by the Web robot 61a, a
quantity of information that can be collected is large.
Additionally, since the collection of information is frequent, the
system administrator can provide fine (detailed) information to the
users.
The searching Web robot 61a and the searched Web information
outputting unit 18b may be possessed by the same system
administrator, or by different system administrators.
As this, an owner of a restaurant or a company can register
information on his/her shop or own company on the Web server 13b in
the service center 19a such that the information can be found as
bubble data.
FIG. 23(a) is a diagram for illustrating DTD information according
to the second embodiment of this invention. An image 63 shown in
FIG. 23(a) has seven kinds of child elements, that is, tags of
latitude, longitude, altitude and bubble diameter, display
animation, attribute information, startup application, state file
name, URL, etc. A method of dynamically updating the bubble
diameter will be described in the third embodiment to be described
later.
The latitude, longitude, altitude and bubble diameter require
accuracy in such a degree that an image can be displayed on the
display unit 58g of the personal computer 58. The user can thereby
notify the Web robot 61a of his/her own spatial occupancy
information.
The display animation is moving animation appearing on the screen
of a browser program. The display animation represents a name of a
file in which a character such as a vehicle or an airplane moves
from left to right in a page of a home page, for example. The
database 15a holds an animation tag (display animation) to be
displayed on the personal computer 58 in the DTD information. The
user can obtain bubble data in a more visualized state.
The attribute information represents attributes (for example, a
kind of business) of service information such as a restaurant, a
hospital, a gasoline station, a school, etc. The attribute
information is managed in a plurality of layers corresponding to
respective kinds of business. In other words, the database 15a
classifies the DTD information according to a plurality of tags,
and holds the DTD information. Namely, when attribute information
transmitted from the user is on a restaurant or a hospital, the Web
robot 61a extracts only restaurants or hospitals to create a
restaurant layer or a hospital layer, and displays the contents.
The Web robot 61a may designate a specific bubble number, and
transmit a result of it to the user.
In consequence, the service center 19a can transmit, to the user,
attribute information corresponding to attribute information
included in an access from the user. The service center 19a does
not need to retrieve each of all files held in each directory in
the database 15a in order to retrieve a restaurant, thereby
extracting desired information efficiently and at high speed.
In this method, the Web robot 61a extracts data described in DTD
information out of data temporarily held in the Web information
outputting unit 18b when creating the database 15a. Alternatively,
the system administrator may make the user directly describe a home
page file with DTD information being attached, and makes the user
transfer the home page file, when creating the database 15a.
When a home page file attached DTD information thereto is
transferred from the user, the Web robot 61a reads the DTD
information, as standard specification. It is thereby possible to
change display contents according to a case of an access from the
portable terminal 11 or a case of an access from the personal
computer 58. When the user registers a home page file from the
portable terminal 11, an unnecessary display character and the like
is omitted and a database is created, whereby a quantity of data is
decreased. In consequence, a person who has an access from the
portable terminal 11 or the PDA 32 can comfortably change a page of
the home page.
As a method for creating bubble data (refer to FIGS. 7 and 8) in
the database 15a, there are two kinds of methods; a method in which
the Web robot 61a retrieves in the Web information outputting unit
18b, and extracts only home page files attached DTD information
thereto, and a method in which the user describes a home page file
with DTD information attached thereto and transfers it, and the Web
robot 61a reads the DTD information from the home page file and
creates the database 15a.
As above, a number of home page files are filtered according to DTD
information, and bubble data shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is created.
The service center 19a correlates the bubble data 15a shown in FIG.
7 with a unique number (bubble number) by which contents of service
information on the bubble data 15a can be identified, and holds
them. For example, a home electric equipment shop has a plurality
of floors.
If a user has purchased a product on a certain floor of the shop,
the user can give information on the floor to the others. The user
can also designate a specific bubble number to display the
information on the personal computer 58.
The startup application shown in FIG. 23(a) is a name of an
application program for displaying map information on the personal
computer 58, which is used by a user when the map is displayed. The
database 15a holds, in a state file, data relating to the
application program for displaying a map on the personal computer
58. The startup application is activated by JAVA (trade name)
program received by the portable terminal 11. Namely, the startup
application is translated such as to adapt to the personal computer
58 possessed by the user, and executed displaying process suitably
to the user terminal, so that the user can obtain visualized
data.
The user often moves display animation visually effective or
acoustically effective on the other's screen when the other
accesses to his home page. Accordingly, the database 15a is such
configured as to hold an application program tag for displaying the
map in DTD information. The user can thereby obtain contents using
the visualized map.
The URL represents an address shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In the image
63, contents relating to a signature may be held. Additionally, the
image 63 can contain information about a size of characters, a
font, or emphasized characters. Therefore, the image 63 contains
control information on display of a home page.
In the database 15a of the service center 19a, home page
information and control information are held in a related
state.
In the database 15a, there is set a tag showing conditions of
communication that the user desires. For example, in order that
only a person that the user desires can access to DTD information,
the user inputs "female" as a partner that the user desires, inputs
a telephone number or the like of the user, inputs "ten minutes" as
time intervals at which retrieval is performed, the user then
transmits the above conditions to the service center 19a. Whereby,
the database 15a holds a communication partner information tag
about a specific communication partner in the DTD information. For
example, a certain user A registers "female" as a partner that the
user desires, whereas another user B registers "male" as a partner
that the user desires, so that the Web server 13b sets partners in
agreement with profile tags set to each other. Each user can
thereby communicate with a desired partner.
The DTD information is written by the user, which cannot be
rewritten. For this, there is set a rewritable state file in order
to complement the DTD information. The state file is a file for
holding preservative parameters and the like, in which data
relating to access management or access limitation of the user is
held. The state file may be set for each user, or may be generated
at each access. Functions of the state file are accomplished by
what is described in, for example, script language. Namely, DTD
information to be managed or desired tags among tags contained in
the DTD information are selected in the state file.
FIG. 23(b) is a diagram for illustrating the state file according
to the second embodiment of this invention. An image 64 of the
state file shown in FIG. 23(b) is rewritten by, for example, UNIX
(representing one kind of operation systems), in which a counter
(life counter), an accessible term (life date), a startup file
name, a dynamic bubble diameter, an access history (access log),
etc. are described.
The counter is, for example a down counter. When anyone accesses to
the DTD information after the program of the service center 19a
sets "100" to the initial value, the count value of the counter is
subtracted each time an access occurs. When the counter value
becomes zero, the count is nullified. Thus, the database 15a holds
data relating to a counter whose count value can be changed in the
state file. The database 15a therefore holds data relating to an
accessible term in the state file.
This counter function is accomplished by CGI (Common Gateway
interface) program (hereinafter abbreviated as CGI, occasionally)
and a counter file in cooperation with each other. The CGI program
is a main body for operating a home page, which devotes
(accompanies) to the home page file, which is a program of UNIX,
for example. The counter file is a file performing a counting
operation each time of access, which is provided separately from
the state file. The counter file is used as a counter file showing
how many times the home page is accessed, or as a notice board to
which contents are added by writing from the user, for example. The
counter file is provided in a directory in which the top file of
the home page exists.
When the home page is accessed from the outside, the CGI starts and
reads the counter file. When the CGI hands an argument showing a
count value, an argument containing the count value is sent back.
The CGI sends back the count value as a UNIX response to the user
having had an access, thereby changing the counter value.
In the case of a service that a company or the like presents
premiums to the first one hundred customers accessing to the home
page, the company describes new information contents of "one
hundreds customers" in the home page file, and registers the source
file on the Web information outputting unit 18b.
Next, the Web robot 61a, the Web information outputting unit 18b or
the updating unit 61c retrieves in the home page file to extract
the information about "one hundred customers", and writes the
information in the state file. After "one hundred customers" is
written as an initial value in the state file, the count value is
subtracted each time the customer accesses. When the number of
accesses exceeds one hundred, the CGI receives an argument "0" from
the counter file, sends back "access inhibited" to the user or
delete the counter file, for instance, to stop the operation,
thereby limiting the access.
The counter is processed on the basis of data sent back from the
user or the like, so that accesses can be limited according to a
result of the process.
The counter can be accomplished in another counting method. For
example, the Web server 13b sets twenty as the number of users who
can concurrently access, and always monitors the number of entering
users and the number of leaving users to monitor that the number of
present users is not more than twenty.
The accessible term is data for limiting a term during which the
user can access. As the accessible term, March to May, June to
August, September to November, or December to February is set
correspondingly to spring, summer, autumn and winter, for example.
The accessible term may be used when charged news is distributed
only in a predetermined term. Namely, the Web server 13b monitors
the accessible term to prevent a user past his/her term from
accessing.
The startup file name represents a file name corresponding to a
startup application for the DTD information. The user writes the
startup application included in the DTD information as a JAVA
program, for example. When the file name of the JAVA program is
updated due to version-up of the JAVA program, the written JAVA
program is not displayed on the personal computer 58 or the like of
the user.
Therefore, the user does not at all need to change it to a new name
of the JAVA program whose version has been updated, so that the
startup application is dynamically changed to an accurate startup
file.
The dynamic bubble diameter is a bubble diameter of an information
bubble to be displayed on the personal computer 58 of the user. The
database 15a stores data relating to a dynamic bubble diameter
having a diameter according to a scale of the map displayed on the
personal computer 58 in the state file. The bubble diameter to be
displayed on the personal computer 58 is managed by the server. The
service center 19a can adaptively change the bubble diameter on the
basis of coordinates in displayed map information and spatial
occupancy information transmitted from the user. The user thereby
can visualize information mapped on the map so as to obtain an
information bubble of a size according to a scale of the map
displayed by him/her.
The access history is information for identifying a person
accessing to the home page. An IP address of a specific proxy
server (not shown) is described in the URL in the image 63 shown in
FIG. 23(a), whereas an identification (ID; hereinafter referred to
as an ID, occasionally) of a person having accessed to the home
page is recorded in the access history shown in FIG. 23(b).
The ID is used to identify each user, stacked in the state file.
The service center 19a can identify each user using the IP address
and the ID. The database 15a holds, in the state file, history
information on an IP address caused by an access by the personal
computer 58, and ID information by which the personal computer 58
can be identified.
The system administrator sets an information bubble at an
intersection or on a road in a town, for example. When a walking
user or a vehicle passes through the information bubble, a history
of a time or the like when the user or the vehicle passes is
recorded. Since a transit history of even a moving object can be
appropriately tracked, the user can receive accurate guidance.
Similarly, a transit history of a vehicle or the like can be
recorded. This will be described later in the third embodiment.
Meanwhile, it is necessary to change the state file (preservative
parameters) shown in FIG. 23(b) or give expandability thereto. The
user may describe a holding place for animation data of displayed
animation as a child element, or attribute information on bubble
data. In such case, a lot of services become possible.
As above, DTD information beforehand written by the user and whose
contents cannot be changed and a state file whose contents can be
changed by CGI cooperate with each other to transmit an image of
bubble data that the user requires.
All tag information is linked to a bubble diameter and displayed.
Since the information is mapped on a map in the initial screen
displayed on the display unit 58g, the information is visualized to
the user, so that the visuality is improved. In visualization, an
occupied area of bubble data on the display unit 58g is determined
on the basis of a bubble diameter and a scale of the map.
The personal computer 58 activates a map displaying application
program (hereinafter abbreviated as a map application) of its own,
and displays a map thereon. The user can then overlap bubble data
held in the position information/URL link database 15a on the
map.
The user may use the portable terminal 11 or the PDA 32 as a user
terminal.
FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram of the PDA 32 according to the
second embodiment of this invention. In FIG. 17, like reference
characters have the same or similar functions of those described
above, further descriptions of which are thus omitted.
The PDA 32 shown in FIG. 17 comprises a detecting unit 21 for
detecting position information composed of latitude, longitude,
altitude, direction and an inclination angle of an object in the
three dimension. The detecting unit 21 comprises an earth magnetism
sensor 11b that can measure a direction, a satellite information
receiving unit (GPS module) 11c that can receive satellite
information using the global positioning system, and an inclination
sensor that can measure an inclination angle to the horizon of the
personal computer 58.
The user obtains a latitude A, a longitude B and an altitude 0, a
direction measured by the geomagnetism sensor 11b, and an
inclination angle .theta., and transmits these pieces of position
information to the service center 19a. The service center 19a
extracts a URL corresponding to specific spatial occupancy
information including the position information out of spatial
occupancy information held in the database 15a, and transmits
contents corresponding to the URL to the PDA 32.
The user can obtain bubble data using the PDA 32, map the bubble
data on a map using a map application beforehand installed in the
PDA 32, thereby obtaining visualized information.
In the PDA 32, the second transmitting unit 22a transmits a mapping
request using an electronic mail address generated on the basis of
coordinate information. The coordinate information is composed of
latitude, longitude and altitude in the three-dimensional
space.
The portable terminal 11 additionally comprises the mapping unit
58f and the map information holding unit 58c (refer to FIG. 17), as
shown in FIG. 4.
In considering a small data transmission rate in a radio line, the
data transmission rate is decreased as compared with that of the
personal computer 58. It is therefore possible to decrease the
power consumption in total.
When the user searches for an Italian restaurant using the portable
terminal 11, the user inputs a diameter 10 m as the bubble diameter
to the child element of DTD information in order to select a
restaurant within a 10 m diameter around him/her, inputs an Italian
restaurant as the attribute information, and transmits them to the
service center 19a. The portable terminal 11 keeps transmitting
periodically position information on the portable terminal 11 to
the service center 19a. When the service center 19a finds an
Italian restaurant within a 10 m diameter around the user, the
service center 19a notifies the user of the search result by
incoming tone or the like.
According to the second embodiment, the functions of the service
center 19a accomplished by one server (refer to FIG. 1) may be
distributed to a plurality of servers, as shown in FIG. 2. Namely,
the functions may be distributed in different places on the
Internet 12.
The service information providing system 9a according to this
invention is the system 9a providing information to the personal
computer 58 that can display a map. The system 9a comprises a
database 15a holding a home page described in SGML or XML having
DTD information out of home pages having attribute information
representing attributes of various information on objects or
service information relating to the various information and DTD
information composed of a plurality of tags, as bubble data in
which spatial occupancy information composed of latitude,
longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter of the object in the
three-dimensional space is associated with a URL for obtaining the
service information, the personal computer 58 connected to the
database 15a over the Internet 12 to display the various
information retrieved using the bubble data, the Web robot 61a
retrieving specific bubble data including coordinate information
and display object attribute information in the bubble data on the
basis of a mapping request transmitted from the personal computer
58 having the coordinate information in the three-dimensional space
composed of latitude, longitude and altitude of an object displayed
on a map and display object attribute information representing
attributes of various information on the object or service
information relating to the various information, and the notifying
unit 61b notifying the personal computer 58 of a mapping response
having spatial occupancy information, attribute information and a
URL of the specific bubble data.
The personal computer 58 comprises the map information holding unit
58c outputting map information on an object in the
three-dimensional space, the displaying unit 58g displaying an
image of the object on the screen on the basis of the map
information outputted from the map information holding unit 58c,
the transmitting unit 58d transmitting a mapping request having
coordinate information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude
and a bubble diameter in the three-dimensional space of the object
displayed on the display unit 58g and attribute information
representing attributes of various information on the object or
service information relating to the various information to a server
connected to the personal computer 58 over the Internet 12, the
receiving unit 58a receiving a mapping response having spatial
occupancy information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and
a bubble diameter in the three-dimensional space of the object
corresponding to the spatial occupancy information and a URL for
obtaining service information notified from the service center 19a
in response to the mapping request, the mapping unit 58f displaying
an image geometry along with an image of the object at a position
indicated by the spatial occupancy information included in the
mapping response on the display unit 58g, and the mapping data
holding unit 58e correlating the image geometry displayed by the
mapping unit 58g with the URL included in the mapping response and
holding them.
According to the second embodiment, data can be transmitted by mail
between the service center 19a and the portable terminal 11, the
PDA 32 or the personal computer 58, just like the service according
to the first embodiment. Namely, the database 15a sets a URL based
on spatial occupancy information as a mail address, and holds the
spatial occupancy information correspondingly to the mail address.
In other words, a destination of a link shown by the URL represents
mail data.
For example, an owner of a restaurant can link service information
on foods and drinks and the like to bubble data, and register them.
The owner can thereby advertise his/her shop to the users.
Additionally, registration can be done very easily, which promote
use of the service. A company can show its mail address as a
destination of opinions and the like to the users, so that bubble
data corresponding to the mail address is used.
The service center 19a in the above structure provides the service
1 and the service 2 according to the first embodiment to the users.
The service center 19a also provides a mapping service of bubble
data to users installing the map application, along with the
services 3 to 7. mapping of bubble data will be first described
with reference to FIG. 24, then the services 3 to 7 will be
secondary described with reference to FIGS. 25 to 29.
FIG. 24 is a diagram for illustrating a mapping method according to
the second embodiment of this invention. The information providing
method according to this invention is used in the system 9a
providing information to the personal computer 58 that can display
a map.
The personal computer 58 displays a map on the display unit 58g
displaying an image (map displaying step). When receiving the
service 1, the user starts the map application of the personal
computer 58 (step T1) to display a map (step T2). When displaying
the map (map displaying step), the personal computer 58 displays
the map on the screen on the basis of the obtained latitude or
longitude. Therefore, the user can obtain an information bubble in
any place.
The personal computer 58 selects an object in the map information
displayed at the map displaying step (selecting step).
Following that, the personal computer 58 transmits a mapping
request having coordinate information in the three-dimensional
space on the object selected at the selecting step and display
object attribute information representing an attributes of service
information to be provided to the service center (server) 19a
connected to the personal computer 58 over the Internet 12
(transmitting step).
In more detail, the personal computer 58 transmits a mapping
request having coordinate information composed of latitude,
longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter in the three-dimensional
space of the object selected at the selecting step, and display
object attribute information representing attributes of various
information relating to the object or service information relating
to the various information to the service center (server) 19a
connected to the personal computer 58 over the Internet 12
(transmitting step). Namely, the personal computer 58 requests the
service center 19a to overlap (overlapping) bubble data
(overlapping), and transmits spatial occupancy information composed
of latitude, longitude, altitude and a bubble diameter, and
attribute information (step T3).
When receiving this notification, the service center 19a retrieves
specific bubble data including the coordinate information and the
display object attribute information in bubble data in which
spatial occupancy information composed of latitude, longitude,
altitude and a bubble diameter of an object in the
three-dimensional space is associated with a URL for obtaining
various information relating to an object or service information
relating to the various information on the basis of the mapping
request at the transmitting step (retrieving step). Namely, the
service center 19a retrieves tags of coordinates and data at step
T4, and selects an object that the user desires to map on the basis
of the latitude, longitude, altitude and the bubble diameter.
In retrieving (retrieving step), the service center 19a retrieves
using a counter whose count value is changed according to the
number of accesses. When the count is stopped, a predetermined file
is nullified.
In retrieving (retrieving step), the service center 19a may
retrieve on the basis of the number of accesses that the users can
simultaneously access to the server, or retrieve on the basis of
communication partner information on a specific communication
partner.
In retrieving (retrieving step), the service center 19a reads
bubble data of a communication partner in agreement with the
information on a communication partner beforehand set (reading
step), receives present position information on the personal
computer 58 (present position information receiving step), detects
that the personal computer 58 and the communication partner
approach to each other (approach detecting step), and notifies the
personal computer 58 of the approach (approach notifying step).
As this, the service center 19a can readily provide various
visualized services.
The service center 19a notifies the personal computer 58 of a
mapping response having spatial occupancy information and a URL of
the specific bubble data retrieved at the retrieving step
(notifying step). Namely, the service center 19a narrows down the
retrieval using filter information (step T5), and notifies of DTD
information (step T6). The service center 19a transmits it to the
personal computer 58.
In notifying (notifying step), the service center 19a outputs a
dynamic bubble diameter having a diameter according to a scale of
the map displayed on the display unit 58g of the personal computer
58 on the basis of the coordinate information included in the
mapping request transmitted at the transmitting step (changing
step), and inserts the dynamic bubble diameter outputted at the
changing step into the mapping response (inserting step). The user
can obtain an information bubble of an accurate size.
In outputting a diameter according to a scale of the map (changing
step), the service center 19a changes the dynamic bubble diameter
on the basis of the number of accesses, an accessible time or an
accessible season. When the counter indicates zero at step T5, the
service center 19a deletes a home page whose counter indicates
zero. The service center 19a can limit the access, thereby
providing various services.
In notifying (notifying step), the service center 19a notifies of
information (startup application name) on an application program
for displaying a map on the personal computer 58 [refer to FIG.
23(a) and the like]. The personal computer 58 displays an image
geometry along with the object at a position indicated by the
spatial occupancy information in the mapping response on the
display unit 58g on the basis of the specific bubble data notified
at the notifying step (mapping step). Namely, the personal computer
58 maps an information bubble on the map on the basis of notified
DTD information, and displays bubble animation or an moving image
(step T7), further displays attribute information such as a menu of
Italian dishes, for example (step T8).
When the user clicks the menu portion (step T9), a browser program
is activated (step T10). The user jumps to a URL accompanying an
icon of the information bubble or the bubble animation to obtain
contents (a file of the URL) of a home page held at the URL (step
T11).
The user can receive the mapping service by not only the personal
computer 58 but also a mobile terminal such as the portable
terminal 11, the PDA 32 or the like. Namely, when the service
center 19a provides the mapping service, the service center 19a
receives information on a position of the portable terminal 11 and
the south direction (position information), a 50 m range therefrom
(retrieval distance range), and a restaurant (attribute
information). The Web robot 61a retrieves DTD information having a
"bubble" tag on the basis of the position information, the
retrieval distance range and the attribute information, extracts a
hit information, and transmits the hit information to the portable
terminal 11.
The service center 19a can provide service information of a
registered advertiser within a range that the user desires, which
promotes the use.
Next, the bubble data mapping method according to the second
embodiment of this invention will be described with reference to
FIGS. 25 to 29.
FIG. 25 is a diagram for illustrating map display according to the
second embodiment of this invention. An image 100 shown in FIG. 25
is a range that can be displayed, with a start point (denoted as
SP) being a reference. The map application calculates a latitude
range and a longitude range on the basis of scale information and a
size of the screen. Here, the longitude range is set in the
vertical direction, whereas the latitude range is set in the
horizontal direction.
The personal computer 58 notifies the service center 19a of the
retrieval range information. The service center 19a retrieves
information bubbles within the retrieval range.
FIG. 26 is a diagram for illustrating retrieval of information
bubbles according to the second embodiment of this invention. In a
retrieval range 100Z shown in FIG. 26, five sphere information
bubbles (image of spatial occupancy information of bubble data) are
hit. The service center 19a transmits a result of this retrieval to
the personal computer 58.
FIG. 27 is a diagram showing image display at the time of
overlapping according to the second embodiment of this invention.
In an image 100, information bubbles are overlapped on the map.
In this manner, the user can readily obtain information and the
information bubbles visualized and displayed in an appropriate
scale.
The service center 19a can dynamically change a bubble diameter
according to the number of accesses to the bubble data, time,
season, etc.
Next, the service 4 will be described with reference to FIG.
28.
FIG. 28 is a diagram for illustrating access limitation to a home
page according to the second embodiment of this invention, showing
a sequence among the user, the CGI (CGI program) and the counter
file (life counter file).
When the user accesses to a file such as a home page (step B1), the
CGI hands an argument to the counter file, thereby reading the
count value (step B2). The CGI then determines whether the counter
value is greater than zero or not (step B3). When the counter value
is smaller than zero, the procedure proceeds through N route, and
the CGI notifies the user that access is terminated, thus this
notice is displayed (step B4).
When the count value is greater than zero at step B3, the procedure
proceeds through Y route, then the CGI subtracts the count value
(step B5), puts the subtracted count value into the argument, and
hands it to the counter file to write the count value therein (step
B6). The CGI proceeds to the next process (step B7), and the
control returns to the server (step B8).
When the service 4 is executed as above and the bubble data is
accessed one hundred times, for example, the home page of the
bubble data disappears or an access to the home page is
inhibited.
In the case of the service 5, an application such as JAVA is
activated, instead of a URL, as stated above. The service center
19a filters position information on the user and an attribute
accompanying thereto, and notifies the user of results thereof to
the user.
The service 6 is accomplished by a counting function of the CGI and
the counter file, similarly to the service 4. Namely, the service
center 19a sets the number of accesses to bubble data of a company
or the like, and monitors the number of accesses. When the number
of access to a specific home page exceeds one hundred, after "100"
is set to the number of persons who can access to the specific home
page, for example, the service center 19a can inhibit the access
from the user.
The service 7 will be next described with reference to FIG. 29. The
contents of the service 7 is that when bubble data agreeing with
conditions set to each other approaches, the service center 19a
notifies the user of approach of the bubble data agreeing with the
conditions. The user carries the portable terminal 11 or the PDA 32
as a user terminal, and the service 7 is executed on the basis of
position information on the terminal.
FIG. 29 is a diagram for illustrating the service executed when two
sorts of bubble data approach to each other according to the second
embodiment of this invention. FIG. 29 shows a sequence among a user
1 (20-year-old male), the service center 19a, and a user 2
(21-year-old female). Incidentally, "user 1" represents not only "a
20 year-old male" but also "the portable terminal 11 or the PDA 32"
used by the user 1. Similarly, "user 2" represents not only "a
21-year-old female" but also "the portable terminal 11 or the PDA
32" used by the user 2.
First, the user 1 transmits retrieval conditions to the service
center 19a (step C1). At this time, the user 1 transmits "a female
under 25 years old" as retrieval conditions. Similarly, the user 2
transmits "a male under 25 years old" as the retrieval conditions
to the service center 19a (step C2). The service center 19a
beforehand sets such conditions that when a distance between the
user 1 and the user 2 is equal to or smaller than 100 m, the
retrieval is hit, as determination on agreement of the retrieval
conditions.
Meanwhile, the service center 19a receives retrieval conditions
from a number of users, although not shown, other than the user 1
or the user 2, and processes them.
Next, the user 1 keeps transmitting his/her position (information
on his position) to the service center 19a (steps C3, C5, C7 and
C11). When the service center 19a receives his/her own position
data from the user 1 or the user 2, the service center 19a
retrieves whether there is a user (target) in agreement with the
conditions transmitted from the user within a 100 m range around
the user having transmitted his/her own position (steps C4, C6 and
C8).
When the user 1 transmits his position (step C7) and the service
center 19a retrieves (step C8) and finds a target in agreement with
the conditions (step C9), the service center 19a transmits mails to
both of the user 1 and the user 2 (step C10). Namely, the service
center 19a notifies the user 1 and the user 2 of latitudes,
longitudes and altitudes of the user 1 and the user 2.
The user 1 again transmits his position to the service center 19a
(step C11). On the other hand, the user 2 moves while retrieving an
information bubble designated by the service center 19a (step C12),
and retrieves with the portable terminal 11 (or the PDA 32) aimed
toward the information bubble (step C15). The service center 19a
grasps a position of the target even while the target is conducting
retrieving (step C13).
When the user 2 recognizes the target (step C16), the user 2
requests the service center 19a to transmits a proxy mail (step
C17). When the service center 19a transmits a proxy mail to the
user 1 (step C14), the user land the user 2 can recognize each
other (step C18).
When two sorts of bubble data in agreement with conditions set to
each other approach to each other, the service center 19a can
notify the owner of the bubble data.
Another method of the service 7 is that the user inputs desired
information in the attribute information as retrieval conditions,
and transmits it to the service center 19a.
For instance, the user inputs "an Italian restaurant" as the
retrieval conditions, "one minute" as the retrieval interval, and
"50 m" as the retrieval region, and transmits (registers) them to
the service center 19a. The user keeps detecting position
information using the portable terminal 11, and transmits at random
the position information to the service center 19a.
The service center 19a retrieves bubble data whose attribute
information is an Italian restaurant in a 50 m region around the
bubble data representing the user at intervals of one minute. When
the service center 19a finds an Italian restaurant, the service
center 19a transmits information on a name, a location, a menu,
etc. of the restaurant to the user. The user thus knows the
presence of the Italian restaurant by beep of the portable terminal
11 or the PDA 32.
According to the information providing service method of this
invention, the personal computer 58 records a home page (specific
information page) in which DTD information composed of a plurality
of tags with respect to attribute information is described among
home pages (information pages) having attribute information
representing attributes of facility information relating to a
building (object) or service information relating to the facility
information (various information or various information) in the
database 15a (information page recording step).
The service center 19a registers bubble data in which spatial
occupancy information composed of latitude, longitude, altitude and
a bubble diameter of the object in the three-dimensional space is
associated with a URL for obtaining service information on the
basis of the information page recorded at the information page
recording step (bubble data registering step). In registering the
bubble data (bubble data registering step), the service center 19a
records contents recorded at the information page recording step in
another database 15a (recording step). The server registers the
contents recorded at the recording step, as bubble data in which
spatial occupancy information composed of latitude, longitude,
altitude and a bubble diameter of an object in the
three-dimensional space is associated with a URL for obtaining
service information, in the database 15a (second registering
step).
The service center 19a provides information generated from the
bubble data registered at the bubble data registering step to the
personal computer 58 (providing step).
When the server registers the bubble data (bubble data registering
step), the service center 19a extracts plural pieces of DTD
information (specific DTD information) having a "bubble" tag out of
DTD information having contents recorded at the information
recording step (specific DTD information extracting step).
The service center 19a registers the plural pieces of DTD
information (specific DTD information) as bubble data (first
registering step).
When the system 9a provides the information providing service, it
is possible to improve the user interface by which the user obtains
service information. Namely, the system administrator can visualize
mapping when service information is registered.
As above, the system 9a can display service information to users in
a form that the service information is linked with map information,
and display the map information according to a size of bubble data
to be displayed by the user.
(C) Description of Third Embodiment
In the third embodiment, there will be described a method using
bubble data in a car navigation system.
FIG. 30 is a diagram for illustrating a car navigation system
according to the third embodiment of this invention. A car
navigation system 99 shown in FIG. 30 is a system for providing a
guidance service to a driver of a vehicle 52. The car navigation
system 99 provides a service guiding the driver (signifying a user)
being driving a car in real time so that the driver can reach a
destination. According to the third embodiment, the service center
19a disposes a number of information bubbles for monitoring at
intersections or the like on the roads, thereby detecting the
vehicle 52.
The DTD information shown in FIG. 23(a) includes a bubble diameter.
The updating unit 61c holds monitoring bubble data for detecting a
moving object, and updates a bubble diameter of the monitoring
bubble data on the basis of position information of the moving
object. The updating unit 61c records a state file held in the
database 15a and a moving object tag that can specify the moving
object. The bubble diameter can be adjusted with a precision
sufficient to map. The service center 19a can thereby track the
vehicle 52 with a good precision so as to accurately guide the
driver.
The car navigation system 99 provides information bubbles at
intersections P1 to P11 on the road so that the service center 19a
can detect in which direction the vehicle 52 heads after entering
from the intersection P2 The service center 19a keeps notifying the
driver of information necessary for the driver to reach the
destination. The vehicle 52 receives notification from the service
center 19a using the portable terminal 11 or the PDA 32, and the
driver obtains the information using a hand-free apparatus (not
shown) or the like.
For this purpose, the database 15a of the service center 19a holds
an ID in the state file. The database 15a holds a state file,
history information on a URL caused by an access from the personal
computer 58, and identifier information by which the personal
computer can be identified.
In concrete, the service center 19a records an IP address of the
vehicle 52 passing through an information bubble disposed at the
intersection P1 as a person who has an access. The service center
19a records not only an IP address but also an ID for identifying
each user. With both the access history and the ID, the vehicle 52
can be specified. The information bubbles disposed at respective
intersections record an access history of the vehicle 52 or the
like, and the recorded information is collected in the service
center 19a.
Whereby, guidance becomes possible without disposing a number of
sensors or the like for detecting the vehicle 52 on the road or
buildings, and without a large amount of investment. The car
navigation system 99 can monitor a moving state of each
vehicle.
The others are similar to those described in the first and second
embodiments, further descriptions of which are thus omitted.
In such structure, the service center 19a manages movement of the
vehicle 52 using information bubbles.
FIG. 31 is a diagram for illustrating the car navigation system 99
according to the third embodiment of this invention. Seven
rectangles shown in FIG. 31 represent city blocks. The vehicle 52
enters from the left side in FIG. 31 is guided until the vehicle 52
leaves from the right side. Encircled numbers 1 to 9, and
characters A to E represent information bubbles, which show a
management history of the vehicle 52 from when the vehicle 52
enters the city area to when the vehicle 52 leaves from the city
area by receiving the guidance.
When the vehicle 52 at the start point requests for guidance to the
goal point, the server (service center 19a) arranges information
bubbles up to the goal point. The vehicle 52 successively transmits
its position to the server. The server retrieves an information
bubble at that position. When there is an information bubble in
agreement with a position of the vehicle 52, the server notifies
the vehicle 52 of information.
The information bubble 3 notifies of "turn right at the next
intersection." The information bubble 2 notifies of "identify the
vehicle 52 entering the intersection." The information bubble 5
notifies of "go straight on." The information bubbles 1 and 4
notify of "the course is changed, retrieve again." The information
bubble 6 notifies of "identifying the vehicle entering the
intersection." The information bubble 9 notifies of "turn left at
the next intersection." The information bubbles 7 and 8 notify of
"the course is changed, retrieve again." The information Bubble C,
D and E notify of "go straight on." The information bubble A
notifies of "the course changed, retrieve again."
In this manner, the user can be appropriately guided to the
destination. The system administrator can grasp movement of the
vehicle 52 without disposing an expensive vehicle detector, and can
easily track each of the vehicles even if the vehicles move to
different places.
(D) Others
Note that this invention is not limited to the above examples, but
may be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of
the invention.
For example, the system administrator can conduct a questionnaire
on users using SGML or XML, totalize a result thereof, thereby
conducting a market research.
The Web robot 61a can extract only useful contents according to use
of the users from an enormous number of home pages to obtain a
useful trend of the users. As the index (index information), there
have been shown a several kinds of indexes such as
<bubble>and the like in the above examples. Alternatively, it
is possible to create a customized index tag other than the above.
Items of the index tag are a type of business, a type of occupancy,
a duty place along with an age, a sex, an occupancy, a family
make-up, etc. of a person who makes a document.
In the second embodiment, the information documents include
documents specialized to a specific purpose or business such as
user manuals, internal documents, etc. Namely, it is possible to
define a tag set that can be readily retrieved to these specialized
documents, and use the tag set.
The above spatial occupancy information may be used in two
dimension or in one dimension. Namely, the above database 15a may
hold two-dimensional bubble data in which plane range information
in the two-dimensional space is associated with retrieval
information for obtaining service information. Alternatively, the
above database 15a may hold one-dimensional bubble data in which
line distance information is associated with retrieval information
for obtaining service information. The database 15a records the
two-dimensional or one-dimensional information, whereby a quantity
of data to be held is decreased, which leads to speed-up of
retrieval.
With respect to the above bubble numbers, the service center 19,
19a selects a specific bubble number. Alternatively, the user may
transmit data relating to a bubble number to the service center 19,
19a.
In a service such as i-mode (trade name), contents of a home page
are simplified to be displayed in order to decrease a data quantity
to be transmitted and received.
In the first embodiment, the system administrator has both the Web
robot 61a and bubble data. However, relationship between the system
administrator of the Web robot 61a and a user who registers bubble
data is not limited to the above example. This invention may be
executed in another relationship.
In the second embodiment, a form of a file for displaying a map may
be another file such as BMP, JPG (Exit JPEG 24), TIF (Tagged
Interchange Format) or the like other than GIF.
The image 64 of the state file shown in FIG. 23(b) may hold data
relating to a signature key along with the above.
The personal computer 58, the portable terminal 11 or the PDA 32 in
the second embodiment may not only map an image but also generate
voice appropriately and effectively.
A geometry of an information bubble displayed on the personal
computer 58 may be any of various kinds of geometry other than a
sphere or an ellipse. Instead of the information bubble, it is
possible to display an icon created by the user.
In the third embodiment, the service may be provided to not only
the vehicle 52 on the road but also a moving object such as a ship,
an airplane or the like. Namely, the moving object transmits
position information at that time at predetermined time intervals
or at predetermined spaces. The database 15a successively updates a
bubble diameter in the spatial occupancy information of bubble data
on the basis of the position information transmitted from the
moving object. The user can thereby obtain information (for
example, an advertisement) that the moving object has by directly
aiming the portable terminal 11 or the PDA 32 toward the moving
object. Since the contents are updated very frequently, the user
can obtain detailed information.
In the third embodiment, this invention may be applied to
management of users who enter a building (facility), instead of the
vehicle 52. Here, the facility information signifies shop
information or the like on a building or a shop in the building, as
stated above.
For instance, a temple or shrine manages an access history of a
user who has entered a building in which exhibits are displayed.
The temple or shrine may charge on a user when the user obtains
information such as historical explanation or the like.
In FIGS. 22 and 24, <latitude>, <longitude>,
<altitude>, <size>, <animation> and <life
date> represent latitude, longitude, altitude, bubble diameter,
display animation and life date, respectively. For example, the
longitude is 139.degree. 46'1.3'' east, the latitude is 35.degree.
40'45.7'' north, the latitude is 50 m, the bubble diameter is 50 m
and dynamic, the display character (character to be displayed as
display animation) is "honsha.gif", and the displayable date is up
to Apr. 27, 2001.
In FIG. 24, steps T1 to T3 and steps T7 to T11 are processed by the
personal computer 58. Steps T4 to T6 are processed by the service
center 19a. The bubble animation at step T7 represents display
animation. A displayed bubble at step T8 represents an information
bubble displayed on the screen.
In FIG. 31, the display of buildings does not represent a display
of map information, but signifies buildings in a town.
* * * * *
References