GUIDING SERVER, GUIDING METHOD AND RECORDING MEDIUM RECORDING GUIDING PROGRAM

• US 20140288827A1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo Japan Corporation (A Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo Japan Corporation (A Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: IWASAWA, Naoki, HIRAI, Miki, ASAI, Katsufumi, ITOH, Shinsuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,354,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/522
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

A guiding server according to this application includes an image storing unit, a retrieving unit, and a generating unit. The image storing unit stores a signboard image of a signboard. The retrieving unit retrieves, from the image storing unit, a signboard image of a signboard on a way to a destination based on location information and destination information of a user terminal. The generating unit generates guiding information including the signboard image based on the retrieved signboard image, the location information and the destination information and transmits the guiding information to the user terminal.

Claims

1. A guiding server comprising:

an image storing unit configured to store a signboard image of a signboard;

a retrieving unit configured to retrieve, from the image storing unit, the signboard image of the signboard existing on a way to a destination based on location information and destination information of a user terminal; and

a generating unit configured to generate guiding information including the signboard image based on the retrieved signboard image, the location information, and the destination information and transmit the guiding information to the user terminal.

2. The guiding server according to claim 1, wherein

the generating unit transmits the guiding information to the user terminal when it is determined that the user terminal approaches to the signboard based on the location information.

3. The guiding server according to claim 1, wherein

the generating unit generates guiding information in which size of the signboard image is changed according to a distance between the signboard and the user terminal, as the guiding information.

4. The guiding server according to claim 1, wherein

the generating unit generates guiding information in which a plurality of signboard images are included and sizes of the signboard images are changed in different sizes according to the distance between the signboard and the user terminal, as the guiding information.

5. The guiding server according to claim 1, wherein

the image storing unit stores signboard images taken at different distances, as the signboard image;

and

the retrieving unit retrieves a signboard image according to the distance between the signboard and the user terminal, as the signboard image.

6. The guiding server according to claim 1, wherein

when a user of the user terminal passes by the signboard for which the guiding information on the way is generated, the generating unit transmits next guiding information on the way as the guiding information.

7. The guiding server according to claim 1, wherein

the generating unit generates guiding information in which the signboard image is a moving image, as the guiding information.

8. The guiding server according to claim 1, wherein

the image storing unit stores the signboard image as associating with images taken from different directions and the directions of the respective images for the single signboard;

and

the retrieving unit retrieves a signboard image corresponding to the direction from which the user terminal approaches to the signboard, as the signboard image.

9. A guiding method of a computer performing:

storing a signboard image of a signboard in an image storing unit;

retrieving, from the image storing unit, the signboard image of the signboard existing on a way to a destination based on location information and destination information of a user terminal; and

generating guiding information including the signboard image based on the retrieved signboard image, the location information and the destination information and transmitting the guiding information to the user terminal.

10. A non-transitory recording medium recording a guiding program causing a computer to perform:

storing a signboard image of a signboard in an image storing unit;

retrieving, from the image storing unit, the signboard image of the signboard existing on a way to a destination based on location information and destination information of a user terminal; and

generating guiding information including the signboard image based on the retrieved signboard image, the location information and the destination information and transmitting the guiding information to the user terminal.