NAVIGATION SYSTEM, TERMINAL APPARATUS, NAVIGATION SERVER, NAVIGATION APPARATUS, NAVIGATION METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20130090849A1
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Uetake, Kosuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,587,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/522
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0045 Destination indicators, identification panels or distinguishing signs on the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/38 Electronic maps specially adapted for navigation; Updating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/422 Technical drawings; Geographical maps

Abstract

A navigation device presenting guide information based on a photographed image of a boarding guide display item, such as a station name signboard, a roll sign, or a route map, that can be photographed in a station yard. The device acquires a photographed image of a boarding guide display item by controlling the photographing unit, identifies display content from the photographed image of the boarding guide display item of a transportation device acquired and specifying a route, station name, and traveling direction of a current position based on the identified display content and traffic network data stored in the storage unit, extracts station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, station name, and traveling direction of the current position, and generates guide information including at least part of the extracted station names, and outputs at least part of the generated guide information.

Claims

1. A navigation system comprising:

a navigation server and a terminal apparatus that are connected to each other in a communicable manner, wherein the navigation server includes;

a control unit; and

a storage unit, and

the terminal apparatus includes;

a photographing unit;

an output unit; and

a control unit,

the storage unit of the navigation server includes;

a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation,

the control unit of the navigation server includes;

a display content receiving unit that receives a display content of a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of the means of transportation that is transmitted from the terminal apparatus;

an image identifying unit that specifies the route, the station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the display content received by the display content receiving unit and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit;

a guide information generating unit that extracts the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified by the image identifying unit and generates guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names; and

a guide information transmitting unit that transmits the guide information generated by the guide information generating unit to the terminal apparatus,

the control unit of the terminal apparatus includes;

a photographed image acquiring unit that acquires the photographed image of the boarding guide display item by controlling the photographing unit;

a display content extracting unit that extracts the display content from the photographed image acquired by the photographed image acquiring unit;

a display content transmitting unit that transmits the display content extracted by the display content extracting unit to the navigation server;

a guide information receiving unit that receives the guide information transmitted from the navigation server; and

a guide information output unit that outputs at least a part of the guide information received by the guide information receiving unit through the output unit.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the traffic network data storage unit further stores station code information that represents station codes unique to the station names of each route of the means of transportation in association with the station name information, and

the image identifying unit specifies the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position based on the traffic network data that includes the station code information corresponding to the station code included in the display content.

3. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the image identifying unit specifies at least one of the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position by specifying at least one of the route, the station name, the traveling direction, and an operation type of the means of transportation based on at least one of characters, an arrangement of a character string, a color scheme, and symbols included in the display content.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the storage unit further includes:

a character string arrangement information storage unit that stores character string arrangement information relating to an arrangement of a character string that includes character information of characters of the boarding guide display item and at least one of the route, the station name, the traveling direction, and the operation type of the means of transportation in association with each other, and

the image identifying unit specifies at least one of the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position by extracting the character string arrangement information corresponding to at least one of the characters and the arrangement of the character string included in the display content from the character string arrangement information storage unit and specifying at least one of the route, the station name, the traveling direction, and the operation type of the means of transportation based on the extracted character string arrangement information.

5. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the storage unit further includes:

a color scheme information storage unit that stores color scheme information relating to a color scheme that includes a combination of colors of the boarding guide display item or arrangement positions of the colors and at least one of the route, the station name, the traveling direction, and the operation type of the means of transportation in association with each other, and

the image identifying unit specifies at least one of the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position by extracting the color scheme information corresponding to the color scheme included in the display content from the color scheme information storage unit and specifying at least one of the route, the station name, the traveling direction, and the operation type of the means of transportation based on the extracted color scheme information.

6. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the storage unit further includes:

a symbol information storage unit that stores symbol information relating to symbols used in the boarding guide display item and at least one of the route, the station name, the traveling direction, and the operation type of the means of transportation in association with each other, and

the image identifying unit specifies at least one of the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position by extracting the symbol information corresponding to the symbol included in the display content from the symbol information storage unit and specifying at least one of the route, the station name, the traveling direction, and the operation type of the means of transportation based on the extracted symbol information.

7. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the storage unit further includes:

a platform information storage unit that stores platform information including position information of the boarding guide display item disposed at a platform of the station of the means of transportation and at least one of the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position in association with each other,

the control unit of the terminal apparatus further includes;

a current position information acquiring unit that acquires current position information of a user using the terminal apparatus and transmits the current position information to the navigation server, and

the image identifying unit specifies at least one of the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position by searching for the platform information of the position information corresponding to the current position information from the platform information storage unit based on the current position information that is transmitted from the terminal apparatus by the current position information acquiring unit.

8. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the guide information generating unit extracts the station names of stops present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position specified by the image identifying unit and generates the guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names.

9. The navigation system according to claim 8,

wherein the guide information generating unit further generates the guide information that includes at least a part of the photographed image.

10. The navigation system according to claim 8,

wherein the control unit of the navigation server includes:

a guide information generating unit that searches for a guide route formed from a point of departure to a destination that satisfies a route search condition, which is transmitted from the terminal apparatus, at least including the point of departure and the destination using the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit and generates guide route data, and

the guide information generating unit compares the stop information generated by the guide information generating unit with the guide route data generated by the guide route searching unit, extracts the station names up to the stop that corresponds to a transit station or a destination station from the stop information, and generates the guide information that includes the stop information including the extracted station name.

11. The navigation system according to claim 10,

wherein the guide information output unit outputs the station name of the transit station or the destination station included in the stop information that is included in the guide information being highlighted.

12. The navigation system according to claim 10,

wherein the guide information generating unit compares the stop information generated by the guide information generating unit with the guide route data generated by the guide route searching unit and, when the station name of the stop that corresponds to the transit station or the destination station is not present in the stop information, generates the guide information that includes improper information that represents that the photographed boarding guide display item does not coincide with the guide route.

13. The navigation system according to claim 10,

wherein the guide information generating unit compares the station name corresponding to the current position specified by the image identifying unit and the stop information generated by the guide information generating unit with the guide route data generated by the guide route searching unit and, when the station name corresponds to the departure station and the station name of the stop that corresponds to the transit station or the destination station is present in the stop information, generates the guide information that includes proper information that represents that the photographed boarding guide display item coincides with the guide route.

14. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the storage unit of the navigation server further includes:

a traffic information storage unit that stores traffic information of the means of transportation, and

the guide information generating unit extracts the traffic information that corresponds to the route specified by the image identifying unit from the traffic information storage unit and generates the guide information that includes the extracted traffic information.

15. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the guide information generating unit, when the image identifying unit is incapable of identifying the photographed image, generates the guide information that includes unidentifiable information that represents that the image identifying unit is incapable of identifying the photographed image.

16. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the output unit includes a display unit, and

the guide information output unit, when a scrolling operation is performed using the display unit through the input unit, scrolls the guide information displayed on the display unit in accordance with the scrolling operation.

17. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the input unit is a touch panel.

18. The navigation system according to claim 1,

wherein the photographed image includes a still image and a moving image.

19. A terminal apparatus that is connected to a navigation server in a communicable manner, comprising:

a photographing unit;

an output unit; and

a control unit,

wherein the control unit includes;

a photographed image acquiring unit that acquires a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of means of transportation by controlling the photographing unit;

a display content extracting unit that extracts a display content from the photographed image acquired by the photographed image acquiring unit;

a display content transmitting unit that transmits the display content extracted by the display content extracting unit to the navigation server;

a guide information receiving unit that receives guide information transmitted from the navigation server; and

a guide information output unit that outputs at least a part of the guide information received by the guide information receiving unit through the output unit, and

wherein, in the navigation server, a route, a station name, and a traveling direction of a current position are specified based on the display content of the photographed image of the boarding guide display item and traffic network data including at least station names of each route of the means of transportation, which are transmitted from the terminal apparatus, the station names present in the traveling direction are extracted from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified, and the guide information is generated so as to include at least a part of the extracted station names.

20. A navigation server that is connected to a terminal apparatus in a communicable manner comprising:

a control unit; and

a storage unit,

wherein the storage unit includes a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation, and

the control unit includes;

a display content receiving unit that receives a display content of a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of the means of transportation that is transmitted from the terminal apparatus;

an image identifying unit that specifies the route, the station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the display content received by the display content receiving unit and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit;

a guide information generating unit that extracts the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified by the image identifying unit and generates guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names; and

a guide information transmitting unit that transmits the guide information generated by the guide information generating unit to the terminal apparatus.

21. A navigation server that is connected to a terminal apparatus that includes at least an output unit in a communicable manner comprising:

a control unit; and

a storage unit,

wherein the storage unit includes a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation, and

the control unit includes;

an image identifying unit that identifies a display content from a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of the means of transportation that is transmitted from the terminal apparatus and specifies a route, a station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the identified display content and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit;

a guide information generating unit that extracts the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified by the image identifying unit and generates guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names;

a display screen generating unit that generates a display screen that is based on the guide information generated by the guide information generating unit; and

an output controlling unit that transmits output control information that includes a display screen generated by the display screen generating unit to the terminal apparatus and outputs the output control information through the output unit of the terminal apparatus.

22. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a photographing unit;

an output unit;

a control unit; and

a storage unit,

wherein the storage unit includes a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation,

the control unit includes;

a photographed image acquiring unit that acquires a photographed image of a boarding guide display item by controlling the photographing unit;

an image identifying unit that identifies a display content from the photographed image of the boarding guide display item of the means of transportation acquired by the photographed image acquiring unit and specifies a route, a station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the identified display content and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit;

a guide information generating unit that extracts the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified by the image identifying unit and generates guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names; and

a guide information output unit that outputs at least a part of the guide information generated by the guide information generating unit through the output unit.

23. A navigation method that is performed in a navigation system that connects a navigation server including a control unit and a storage unit and a terminal apparatus including a photographing unit, an output unit, and a control unit to each other in a communicable manner,

wherein the storage unit of the navigation server includes:

a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation,

the method comprising;

a photographed image acquiring step of acquiring the photographed image of the boarding guide display item by controlling the photographing unit that is performed by the control unit of the terminal apparatus;

a display content extracting step of extracting the display content from the photographed image acquired at the photographed image acquiring step that is performed by the control unit of the terminal apparatus;

a display content transmitting step of transmitting the display content extracted at the display content extracting step to the navigation server that is performed by the control unit of the terminal apparatus;

a display content receiving step of receiving a display content of a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of the means of transportation that is transmitted at the display content transmitting step from the terminal apparatus that is performed by the control unit of the navigation server;

an image identifying step of specifying the route, the station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the display content received at the display content receiving step and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit that is performed by the control unit of the navigation server;

a guide information generating step of extracting the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified at the image identifying step and generating guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names that is performed by the control unit of the navigation server;

a guide information transmitting step of transmitting the guide information generated at the guide information generating step to the terminal apparatus that is performed by the control unit of the navigation server,

a guide information receiving step of receiving the guide information transmitted at the guide information transmitting step from the navigation server that is performed by the control unit of the terminal apparatus;

a guide information output step of outputting at least a part of the guide information received at the guide information receiving step through the output unit that is performed by the control unit of the terminal apparatus.

24. A navigation method executed by a terminal apparatus that is connected to a navigation server in a communicable manner, including a photographing unit, an output unit, and a control unit,

the method executed by the control unit comprising:

a photographed image acquiring step of acquiring a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of means of transportation by controlling the photographing unit;

a display content extracting step of extracting a display content from the photographed image acquired at the photographed image acquiring step;

a display content transmitting step of transmitting the display content extracted at the display content extracting step to the navigation server;

a guide information receiving step of receiving guide information transmitted from the navigation server; and

a guide information output step of outputting at least a part of the guide information received at the guide information receiving step through the output unit, and

wherein, in the navigation server, a route, a station name, and a traveling direction of a current position are specified based on the display content of the photographed image of the boarding guide display item and traffic network data including at least station names of each route of the means of transportation, which are transmitted from the terminal apparatus, the station names present in the traveling direction are extracted from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified, and the guide information is generated so as to include at least a part of the extracted station names.

25. A navigation method executed by a navigation server that is connected to a terminal apparatus in a communicable manner including a control unit, and a storage unit,

wherein the storage unit includes a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation,

the method executed by the control unit comprising:

a display content receiving step of receiving a display content of a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of the means of transportation that is transmitted from the terminal apparatus;

an image identifying step of specifying the route, the station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the display content received at the display content receiving step and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit;

a guide information generating step of extracting the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified at the image identifying step and generating guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names; and

a guide information transmitting step of transmitting the guide information generated at the guide information generating step to the terminal apparatus.

26. A navigation method executed by a navigation server that is connected to a terminal apparatus that includes at least an output unit in a communicable manner including a control unit, and a storage unit,

wherein the storage unit includes a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation,

the method executed by the control unit comprising:

an image identifying step of identifying a display content from a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of the means of transportation that is transmitted from the terminal apparatus and specifying a route, a station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the identified display content and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit;

a guide information generating step of extracting the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified at the image identifying step and generating guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names;

a display screen generating step of generating a display screen that is based on the guide information generated at the guide information generating step; and

an output controlling step of transmitting output control information that includes a display screen generated at the display screen generating step to the terminal apparatus and outputting the output control information through the output unit of the terminal apparatus.

27. A navigation method executed by a navigation apparatus including a photographing unit, an output unit, a control unit, and a storage unit,

wherein the storage unit includes a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation,

the method executed by the control unit comprising:

a photographed image acquiring step of acquiring a photographed image of a boarding guide display item by controlling the photographing unit;

an image identifying step of identifying a display content from the photographed image of the boarding guide display item of the means of transportation acquired at the photographed image acquiring step and specifying a route, a station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the identified display content and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit;

a guide information generating step of extracting the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified at the image identifying step and generating guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names; and

a guide information output step of outputting at least a part of the guide information generated at the guide information generating step through the output unit.

28. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable mediums including programmed instructions for a navigation method executed by a terminal apparatus that is connected to a navigation server in a communicable manner, including a photographing unit, an output unit, and a control unit,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the control unit, cause the control unit to execute:

a photographed image acquiring step of acquiring a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of means of transportation by controlling the photographing unit;

a display content extracting step of extracting a display content from the photographed image acquired at the photographed image acquiring step;

a display content transmitting step of transmitting the display content extracted at the display content extracting step to the navigation server;

a guide information receiving step of receiving guide information transmitted from the navigation server; and

a guide information output step of outputting at least a part of the guide information received at the guide information receiving step through the output unit, and

wherein, in the navigation server, a route, a station name, and a traveling direction of a current position are specified based on the display content of the photographed image of the boarding guide display item and traffic network data including at least station names of each route of the means of transportation, which are transmitted from the terminal apparatus, the station names present in the traveling direction are extracted from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified, and the guide information is generated so as to include at least a part of the extracted station names.

29. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable mediums including programmed instructions for a navigation method executed by a navigation server that is connected to a terminal apparatus in a communicable manner including a control unit, and a storage unit,

wherein the storage unit includes a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the control unit, cause the control unit to execute:

a display content receiving step of receiving a display content of a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of the means of transportation that is transmitted from the terminal apparatus;

an image identifying step of specifying the route, the station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the display content received at the display content receiving step and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit;

a guide information generating step of extracting the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified at the image identifying step and generating guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names; and

a guide information transmitting step of transmitting the guide information generated at the guide information generating step to the terminal apparatus.

30. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable mediums including programmed instructions for a navigation method executed by a navigation server that is connected to a terminal apparatus that includes at least an output unit in a communicable manner including a control unit, and a storage unit,

wherein the storage unit includes a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the control unit, cause the control unit to execute:

an image identifying step of identifying a display content from a photographed image of a boarding guide display item of the means of transportation that is transmitted from the terminal apparatus and specifying a route, a station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the identified display content and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit;

a guide information generating step of extracting the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified at the image identifying step and generating guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names;

a display screen generating step of generating a display screen that is based on the guide information generated at the guide information generating step; and

an output controlling step of transmitting output control information that includes a display screen generated at the display screen generating step to the terminal apparatus and outputting the output control information through the output unit of the terminal apparatus.

31. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable mediums including programmed instructions for a navigation method executed by a navigation apparatus including a photographing unit, an output unit, a control unit, and a storage unit,

wherein the storage unit includes a traffic network data storage unit that stores traffic network data including station name information that represents station names of each route of means of transportation,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the control unit, cause the control unit to execute:

a photographed image acquiring step of acquiring a photographed image of a boarding guide display item by controlling the photographing unit;

an image identifying step of identifying a display content from the photographed image of the boarding guide display item of the means of transportation acquired at the photographed image acquiring step and specifying a route, a station name, and a traveling direction of a current position based on the identified display content and the traffic network data stored in the traffic network data storage unit;

a guide information generating step of extracting the station names present in the traveling direction from the traffic network data based on the route, the station name, and the traveling direction of the current position that are specified at the image identifying step and generating guide information that includes at least a part of the extracted station names; and

a guide information output step of outputting at least a part of the guide information generated at the guide information generating step through the output unit.