Electronic guide system, contents server for electronic guide system, portable electronic guide device, and information processing method for electronic guide system

• US 7,130,742 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Hiroshi, Masano, Toru, Itako, Motoya, Kobuya, Naoshi, Noda, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/634,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20040078813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.13, 342/357.1, 342/357.15, 455/456.1, 455/12.1, 455/566, 455/414, 455/419, 455/456.3, 455/426.16, 455/539.19, 348/14.02, 348/231.3, 348/211.3, 701/200, 701/208, 701/207, 701/214, 340/995.1, 340/988, 340/990, 707/104.1, 382/152, 345/419, 709/203, 709/219
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/008 Touring maps or guides to public transport networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Tour guide contents utilized by a user at a travel destination consist of guide information including POI information, map data and the like, and user information including memoranda written by the user. The user can access a contents server from a user terminal, and is able to customize at the contents server the tour guide contents to be utilized at a travel destination. Customized tour guide contents are stored into a memory medium at a business terminal, and the memory medium is installed in an electronic guide apparatus, such as at an airport counter. The user receives the electronic guide apparatus and a GPS on a rental basis at the airport counter, and takes them to the travel destination. Then, the user is able to utilize the tour guide contents customized for the user at the travel destination.

Claims

1. A content server, comprising:

guide information transmitting means for transmitting guide information to a terminal through a network, the guide information including site information and map data, the site information including site positional information for specifying a position of a site, the map data including positional information on a map for each site;

user information receiving means for receiving user information generated by a user and for correlating the user information to the guide information;

guide content generating means for generating guide content that includes the guide information, the user information, and a utility program, the utility program for causing a portable device to utilize the guide information by relating the guide information with the user information and to display the site information on the map by matching the site positional information to the site information on the map;

utilizing information receiving means for receiving utilizing information for the utility program from the terminal;

driving means for executing the utility program in accordance with the utilizing information to obtain an execution result;

execution result transmitting means for transmitting the execution result to the terminal;

position and time acquisition means for acquiring a plurality of measured positions and a measured time associated with each of the measured positions;

image data acquisition means for acquiring image data of an object and a taking time at which the image data of the object is obtained; and

image taking position specifying means for specifying a taking position of the acquired image data by matching the taking time of the acquired image data with the measured times and the measured positions acquired by said position and time acquisition means.

2. The contents server according to claim 1, further comprising:

map data acquisition means for acquiring map data including positional information for specifying a position of a site on a map;

plotting means for plotting the acquired image data at the taking position on the map by coinciding the acquired positional information with the taking position on the map; and

output means for outputting the map on which the acquired image data is plotted.

3. An information processing method, comprising:

transmitting guide information to a terminal through a network, the guide information including site information and map data, the site information including site positional information for specifying a position of a site, the map data including positional information on a map for each site;

receiving user information generated by a user;

correlating the user information to the guide information;

generating guide content based on the transmitted guide information and the received user information, the guide content including the guide information, the user information, and a utility program, the utility program for causing a portable device to utilize the guide information by relating the guide information with the user information and to display the site information on the map by matching the site positional information to the site information on the map;

receiving utilizing information for the utility program from the terminal;

executing the utility program in accordance with the received utilizing information to obtain an execution result;

transmitting the execution result to the terminal;

acquiring a plurality of measured positions and a measured time associated with each of the measured positions;

acquiring image data of an object and a taking time at which the image data of the object is obtained; and

specifying a taking position of the acquired image data by matching the taking time of the acquired image data with the acquired measured times and the acquired measured positions.

4. The information processing method according to claim 3, further comprising:

acquiring map data including positional information for specifying a position of a site on a map;

plotting the acquired image data at the taking position on the map by coinciding the acquired positional information with the taking position on the map; and

outputting the map on which the acquired image data is plotted.