JP3454811B2 - Registration device for user information - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a map display device using a computer, and more particularly to a map display device having a function of using a communication network such as the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A computer-based map display device is known in which map data of a region desired by a user is read from a map database and displayed on a display. Many of these types of devices unilaterally provide a user with a map prepared in a database, and the user is solely passive in viewing or reading the provided map.

[0003]

Although the use of the map is extremely wide, the conventional map display device merely provides the user with geographical and road information, and can flexibly respond to various uses of the user. It is not something that can be done.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a map display device which enables maps to be used for various purposes.

Another object of the present invention is to link arbitrary user information (for example, a sign of a home or a friend's house, an introduction document or URL of a favorite store, directions information, etc.) to an arbitrary place on a map. The goal is to allow individual users to freely customize the map.

Another object of the present invention is to transmit user information linked to a map by one map display device to another map display device so that the user information can be similarly linked to a map of another map display device. Thereby, the user information can be exchanged between the users.

It is another object of the present invention to allow user information to be communicated using the universal data format of the Internet, thereby making maps available to many people.

Still another object of the present invention is to expand or diversify the usage of maps by utilizing a computer.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problem and Its Action / Effect To solve at least a part of the above problem, the present invention is a user information registration device for registering user information of a user, which is predetermined from a map database. And a map display means for reading the information of the map to display a map, a correlating means for correlating a predetermined position on the map displayed by the map display means with a user graphic arbitrarily selected by the user, and the user graphic. It comprises a position information and a scale necessary for redisplaying the map, and a registration means for registering the user graphic as user information.

Further, the user information registration device of the present invention is
The registration unit may include a name setting unit that sets the name of the user information.

Further, the user information registration device of the present invention is
The registration unit may include an action setting unit that sets an action such as opening a home page on the Internet.

In order to solve at least a part of the above problems, the present invention is a map display device for displaying a map by processing user information, and selecting arbitrary user information from a plurality of the user information. Based on the selection means and the position information and scale of the user information selected by the selection means, predetermined information is read from the map database,
It comprises map redisplay means for redisplaying the map, and user graphic display means for displaying the user graphic at the predetermined position on the map displayed by the map redisplay means.

Further, the map display device of the present invention may have a search means for searching the user information by using the name of the user information as a search key.

In order to solve at least a part of the above problems, the present invention is a user information registration method for registering arbitrary user information of a user, wherein predetermined information is read from a map database and a map is displayed. A display step, an associating step for associating a predetermined position on the map displayed in the map displaying step with a user's arbitrary user graphic, and position information and scale necessary for redisplaying the map including the user graphic. And a registration step of registering the user graphic as user information.

In order to solve at least a part of the above problems, the present invention is a map display method for displaying a map by processing user information, wherein arbitrary user information is selected from a plurality of the user information. Based on the selection step, the position information and scale of the user information selected in the selection step, predetermined information is read from the map database and the map redisplay step for redisplaying the map and the map redisplay step are displayed. And a user graphic display step of displaying the user graphic at the predetermined position on the map.

In order to solve at least a part of the above problems, the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium in which a program for causing a computer to execute registration of user information for registering arbitrary user information of a user is recorded. And a predetermined step on the map displayed in the map display step, and a predetermined step on the map displayed in the map display step, and a correlating step for correlating the user's arbitrary user graphic with each other. , And a registration step of registering the user graphic as the user information, and the position information and scale necessary for redisplaying the map including the user graphic.

In order to solve at least some of the above problems, the present invention provides a computer-readable recording medium in which a program for causing a computer to display a map by processing user information is recorded. A step of selecting arbitrary user information from the plurality of user information, and reading out predetermined information from the map database based on the position information and scale of the user information selected in the selecting step to redisplay the map. A map redisplay step and a user graphic display step of displaying the user graphic at the predetermined position on the map displayed by the map redisplay step.

The present invention can be typically implemented by a computer, but a computer program therefor can be installed or loaded in the computer through various media such as a disk type storage, a semiconductor memory and a communication network.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of an embodiment of a map use network system according to the present invention.

A large number of computers (hereinafter referred to as user terminals) 1A, 1B, ... Used by users are servers for exchanging and providing information on the Internet 3 (hereinafter referred to as “information server”, typically, “information server”). Although it is a WWW server,
Other types such as an FTP server may be used) 5. A map application 11 for displaying a map, editing various user information linked to the map, searching a place, etc. is installed as an application program in each user terminal 1A, 1B, ... Has a WWW browser 9 for communicating with the information server 5. In addition, each user terminal 1A, 1B, ...
The GPS receiver 7 for measuring the latitude can be optionally attached.

The map application 11 of each user terminal 1A, 1B, ... Uploads user information edited by linking to each map to the information server 5 through the browser 9 or various users uploaded by other users. Information can be downloaded from the information server 5 through the browser 9 and linked to its own map. In this way, the information server 5 functions as a relay base for transmitting and receiving user information between users. Furthermore, the information server 5 accumulates various useful information provided by various conventional information magazines and travel guidebooks as well as the user information, and these information is also stored in the same manner as the user information. Each user terminal 1A, 1B, ... Can download and link to each map. In the following description, all information that can be downloaded from and linked to a map is called "user information". When the user information is transmitted and received between the user terminals 1A, 1B, ... And the information server 5, an HTML file and a JPEG linked to it are used.
It is a general-purpose link file such as an image file.
Further, when the e-mail application is installed in the user terminals 1A, 1B, ...
The map application 11 for A, 1B, ... Can also pass the user information as an attached document of a mail to another user terminal through the electronic mail application.

The map application 11 of each user terminal 1A, 1B, ... As described above, the function of displaying a map, the function of editing user information linked to the map, the function of searching a place on the map, the user information. It has a function to communicate through the Internet. Hereinafter, the function and operation of the map application 11 will be described in detail.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a graphic user interface (GUI) displayed on the display screen of the computer by the map application 11.

This GUI has a map window 21 for displaying a map in a wide screen area, a guide window 23 for displaying a map in a small screen area, and a search window 25 for displaying a search menu. There is a scale slider bar 27 on the right side of the map window 21, and by operating this, the scale of the map displayed in the map window 21 can be changed. In the guide window 23, a map having the same center coordinates as the map displayed in the map window 21 is displayed, and a frame-shaped range guide 29 showing the range of the map displayed in the map window 21 is also displayed. To be done. By grasping the corner of this range guide 29 with a cursor and enlarging or reducing it, the scale of the map displayed in the map window 21 can be changed. On the right side of the guide window 23, there is a scale slider bar 31 for changing the scale of the map of the guide window 23. The scale of the guide window 23 can be changed independently of the scale of the map window 21. The map can be scrolled by moving the cursor (for example, by right-clicking the mouse) on the map window 21 or the guide window 23, and the maps in both windows 21 and 23 are interlocked and scrolled. By successfully using the map window 21 and the guide window 23 together, it becomes easy to grasp the map and move the map to a desired place.

The search window 25 displays a search menu 33 for searching a place on the map using a place name, a telephone number, a zip code, a facility name, a user information name, etc. as a search key. When an arbitrary item is specified on the search menu 33, the maps in the map window 21 and the guide window 23 are automatically moved so that the position of the specified item is located at the center coordinates.

At the top of this GUI, a plurality of toolbars 3 for performing the operations of "edit", "Internet", "route search", "measurement", "map output" and "GPS".
5 to 45 are arranged in an overlapping manner. These toolbars 3
By clicking the tabs 5-45, the toolbar can be displayed in the foreground. In the illustrated example, the editing toolbar 35 is displayed in front.

The edit toolbar 35 is used when creating and editing user information linked to a map. There, a figure selection tool 47 for selecting a user figure drawn on the map (the following icons, line segments, rectangles, polygons, ellipses, characters, etc.), an icon for pasting the icon on the map Tool 49, line segment tool 51 for drawing a line segment on the map, quadrangle tool 53 for drawing a quadrangle on the map, polygon tool 5 for drawing a polygon on the map
5, an ellipse tool 57 for drawing a circle or an ellipse on the map, a character tool 59 for drawing a character on the map, etc. are prepared. Further, an action tool for allowing the user to give an arbitrary name to the user graphic on the map and to link an arbitrary action (for example, opening an HTML document, opening an image, opening a map, executing a program, etc.). 61
Is also available. User information is constructed from a set of user graphics and linked action information drawn on a map using these tools.

The Internet toolbar 37 is used when user information is uploaded to the information server 5, downloaded from the information server 5, or attached to an electronic mail for transmission and reception. The route search toolbar 39 is used when automatically searching for a route from a start point arbitrarily specified by the user on the map to an end point via a waypoint. The measurement toolbar 41 is used when measuring the size, distance, required time, etc. of the user graphic. The map output toolbar 43 is used when printing the map of the selected range or outputting it as a file to the external storage device. The GPS toolbar 45 can be used when the GPS receiver 7 is attached, and is used when receiving the latitude and longitude of the current position from the GPS receiver 7 and displaying the current position on the map. Although not shown, these toolbars 37 to 45 are provided with various tools for each work.

The route search toolbar 39 is also provided with a tool for registering the searched route as a user graphic of a line segment on the map. The GPS toolbar 45 is also provided with a tool for registering the current position as a user graphic of an icon, and a route for connecting a current position at each point in time as a user graphic of a line segment on the map. There is. By registering as a user figure, the search route, the current position, and the transit route can be freely edited, uploaded / downloaded, or attached to an e-mail by the user.

The user information editing operation using the editing toolbar 35 will be described in detail below.

When the editing tool bar 35 is displayed in front and the icon tool 49 is clicked, an icon box 63 pops up on the map window 21 as shown in FIG. By selecting an arbitrary icon from the icon box 63 and dragging and copying it to an arbitrary position on the map in the map window 21, the icon can be pasted to that position. By this method, in the example of FIG. 2, the heart-shaped icon 65 is attached to the location of the patent office on the map. Also, paste the icon is G
This is also performed when the current position is measured and saved using the PS toolbar 45. According to this method, in the example of FIG. 2, the current position is measured by the GPS at the location of the Hotel Okura and the result is stored, and as a result, the GPS icon (for example, flag type) 67
Is affixed to the location of Hotel Okura.

When the line segment tool 49 in the edit toolbar 35 is clicked, an auxiliary tool box for drawing a line segment pops up, though not shown. In that state, if a plurality of arbitrary points on the map in the map window 21 are clicked and designated, a polygonal line segment connecting these designated points with a straight line is drawn on the map. In this way, in the example of FIG.
A line segment 69 showing the route from the intersection in front of the Prime Minister's Office to the Hotel Okura via the front of the Patent Office is drawn. The process of placing the user graphic of the line segment on the map is also performed when the route is searched and saved using the route search toolbar 39. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 2, when a route search is performed with the intersection in front of the Prime Minister's residence as the starting point, the JPO as the transit point, and the hotel Okura as the end point, a route such as line segment 69 is searched, and when this is saved, the line is saved. Minute 69 is line segment tool 49
It is registered as a user graphic as in the case of drawing with.

Rectangle tool 5 in the editing toolbar 35
Clicking 1, the polygon tool 53, the ellipse tool 57, or the character tool 59 pops up an auxiliary tool box (not shown) for drawing a rectangle, a polygon, a circle / ellipse, or a character. In that state, the map window 21
If you click on an arbitrary point on the map to specify it, adjust the figure size by dragging it, or enter characters, a rectangle, polygon, circle / oval, or character will be drawn at the specified point. With this method, in the example of FIG. 2, a polygon 71 is drawn in a block diagonally opposite the patent office.

As described above, an arbitrary user graphic can be drawn at an arbitrary place on the map. As will be apparent from the description below, these user graphics are not directly added to the map data, but are defined and managed as graphic data separate from the map data, and the location on the map (longitude / longitude) is managed. ) Is displayed logically linked to and overlaid on the map. Therefore, it is possible to add, delete, or modify the user graphic without making any changes to the map itself.

After arranging the user graphic on the map in this way, when the graphic selection tool 47 in the editing toolbar 35 is clicked, the user graphic on the map can be selected. In this state, when a desired user graphic on the map is clicked to select it and then the action tool 61 is clicked, a name / action registration box 81 as shown in FIG. 3 pops up. In this box 81, it is possible to add a genre or a name to the selected graphic data or link an arbitrary action.

That is, the box 81 has a genre registration field 83 and a name registration field 85. Initially, the genre registration field 83 has a default genre of "undefined", and the name registration field 85 has a default name as a default name. Place name (address) of the user graphic
Has been entered. These fields 83, 8
In 5, the user can enter any genre and name. For example, in the case of the heart icon 65 shown in FIG. 2, the default genre “undefined” and the default name “near Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo” are initially entered as shown in FIG. Any genre and name such as genre "public office" and name "patent office" can be entered. The name registered here can be used for identifying the user graphic, and the genre can be used for classifying and organizing the user graphic.

Further, in the name / action registration box 81 shown in FIG. 3, "action selection", "image",
Setting panels 91 to 97 for "address", "comment", "detailed setting" and "confirmation of contents" are arranged in an overlapping manner.
By clicking the tab of each panel 91 to 97, the panel can be displayed in front. In the example of FIG. 3, the action selection panel 91 is displayed on the front. In this action selection panel 87, the action linked to the user graphic can be selectively set. As shown in FIG. 3, there are three types of actions that can be selected: “no action” (field 99), “open viewer” (field 101), and “execute program” (field 103). Initially, the default action “no action” is selected, but the user can select any action in the action field 9
It can be selected by turning on a radio button in 9, 101 or 103. If you select the action "Open Viewer", then as a detailed action,
"Open newly created HTML", "Open map",
Select either "Open image" or "Open Internet home page". here,
When “Open Internet homepage” is selected, the URL of the homepage is also registered in the URL field 107. When the action “execute a program” is selected, the directory + file name of the program and, if necessary, the argument are also registered in the fields 109 and 111. further,
Apart from these actions, "automatic scroll execution"
Check box 105
Select by putting a check mark in, and the scrolling required time can be registered in the field 113.

The action set here designates the operation automatically executed by the map application 11 when the user graphic is clicked on the map window 21. That is, "no action" specifies that nothing is executed. "Open the newly created HTML"
Specifies to open an HTML document created by the method described later, "Open map" means to open the map specified by the method described later on the map window 21, and "Open image" means the method described later. Specifies to open the image specified in. "Open Internet home page" specifies to open the URL registered in the field 107, and "executes program" specifies to start the program registered in the field 109 using the argument of the field 111. For example, clicking the heart icon 65 of the JPO shown in FIG. 2 automatically opens an HTML document introducing the JPO, opens a map of the district centered on the JPO, opens a photo image of the JPO, It is possible to specify an action such as opening the homepage of the JPO or starting an online electronic application program.

Furthermore, particularly when the user graphic is a line segment, if a check mark is put in "execute automatic scroll", when the line segment is clicked on the map window 21, the map window 21 and the guide window 23 are displayed.
However, by tracing the line segment from the start point to the end point at the center point of each window, the map is scrolled over the registered scroll time. For example, if this subaction is set for line segment 69 shown in FIG. 2, when this line segment 65 is clicked, the route from the intersection in front of the Prime Minister's Office to the Hotel Okura via the Patent Office is automatically guided by map scrolling. It This function can be used to confirm directions.

When "Open Viewer" is selected on the action selection panel 87 shown in FIG. 3, the tab of the image panel 89 is then clicked to display the image panel 89 on the front surface as shown in FIG. You can

On the image panel 89, an image file can be designated and a map can be set. That is, the image file can be designated by registering the directory of the image file + file name in the field 115. Further, the map can be set by scrolling or adjusting the scale of the map setting window 119 in the same manner as the map window 21 shown in FIG. And with the radio button,
Either the specified image or the set map can be selectively enabled. Here, when the specified image file is set to be valid, in the case of the action of "Open a newly created HTML", the specified image file is linked to the HTML document to be opened, and the action of "Open an image" is also performed. In the case of, the image image to be opened becomes the specified image file. On the other hand, if the set map is set to be valid, in the case of the action of "Open a newly created HTML", the image file of the set map is linked to the HTML document to be opened, and in the case of the action of "Open map" , The opened map becomes the set map.

In the action selection panel 87 shown in FIG. 3, "Open viewer", particularly "Newly created HTM" is selected.
When "Open L" is selected, in addition to the image panel 89, the address panel 91, the comment panel 93, the detailed setting panel 95, and the content confirmation panel 97 can be displayed in front.

FIG. 5 shows the address panel 91 displayed on the front surface, in which any address (typically, a place or facility on the map where the user graphic is placed) to be described in the HTML document is shown. You can register your postal code, address, telephone number, fax number, homepage URL and email address. FIG. 6 shows the comment panel 93 displayed on the front surface, in which any comment (typically, regarding a place or facility on the map where the user graphic is placed) that is desired to be described in the HTML document, and this HTML. It is possible to register the name, email address, and homepage URL of the creator of the document. FIG. 7 shows the detailed setting panel 95 displayed on the front.
The settings relating to the color arrangement of the HTML document, the designation of the external editor when the HTML document is created using the external HTML editor, and the like can be registered here.

After registering the genre, name and action for the user graphic in the name / action registration box 81 as described above, clicking the "OK" button 115 at the bottom of the name / action registration box The action registration box 81 is closed, and the registered contents are confirmed. At this time, "Newly created HT
When the action of "Open ML" is selected, the registered content is confirmed and the HTML is based on the confirmed registered content.
The document is automatically generated by the map application.
After this, select the same user figure again and then
When the action registration box 81 is opened again and the tab of the content confirmation panel 97 is clicked to open the content confirmation panel 97, the display image of the HTML document can be confirmed. As shown in FIG. 8, the registered name, genre, designated image or setting map that has been validated, registered comment such as registered zip code and address, registered creator information, and update (creation) It includes displays such as date and time.

As described above, the user graphic can be arranged at an arbitrary place on the map, and an arbitrary name, genre, action, etc. can be attached to it. After this editing work is finished, when an arbitrary user graphic is clicked on the map window 21, the registered action is automatically executed as already described. If the action is "Open a newly created HTML", for example,
The HTML document as shown in FIG. 8 is displayed.

The processing operation of the map application 11 for realizing the above functions is shown in FIGS. Figure 9
Indicates a processing flow when editing user information.

As shown in FIG. 9, the map application 11 includes a file (icon file) 131 for a large number of icon pictures prepared in advance, a graphic file 133 for registering various user graphic information, and those users. It has an action file 135 for registering the name, genre, and action given to the figure.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the user performs an operation of drawing a user graphic on the map using the tools 47 to 59 shown in FIG. 2 (step S1), the map application defines the user graphic. Information is created and registered in the graphic file 133 (S2), the user graphic is displayed in the map window 21 (S3), default action information for the user graphic is generated and registered in the action file 135 (S4). . Graphic file 133
In the user graphic definition information registered in, the unique graphic ID in the world assigned to the user graphic (this can be generated by a known predetermined method), the type of the user graphic (for example, icon, line segment, (Eg, a rectangle), the state of whether or not the user graphic is selected, the ID (action ID) of the action information attached to the user graphic, the longitude and latitude of the location where the user graphic is located (for example, the location of the icon, the line segment). Start point, longitude and latitude such as the center point of the circle), control point information that defines the shape and size of the user graphic (for example, the longitude and latitude of each vertex of the polygon, the radius of the circle, etc.), in the case of an icon Includes the file name of the icon file 131 and the like. The action information registered in the action file 135 includes the action ID, the name and genre of the user graphic, the zip code, the address, the telephone number, the comment, and the like described in the HTML when "Open a newly created HTML". Type number (for example, 0: "No action", 1: "Open newly created HTML", 2: "Open map", 3: "Open image", 4: "Open Internet home page"",
5: “Execute program”, action file name (that is, HTML or image file to be opened, file name of program or URL of home page), scroll flag indicating whether or not to perform automatic scrolling,
Open mode that specifies how to open the "Open map" (for example, whether it is a 2D map or a 3D map, whether to reproduce the same scale as at registration, whether to open in a separate window, etc.),
It includes map open information that specifies the latitude / longitude and scale of the center position of the map in the case of "open map".

When the user clicks the figure selection tool 47 shown in FIG. 2 and then selects a user figure (S5), the map application 11 enters a state in which the selected user figure can be edited. To In this state, if the user performs an operation to modify the user graphic (S6), the map application 11 updates the user graphic definition information in the graphic file 133 according to the modification result (S6), and the modified user Map window 2
No. 1 is displayed (S8).

When the user selects the user graphic and then clicks the action tool shown in FIG. 2, the map application 11 pops up the name / action setting box 81 shown in FIG. 3 and inputs the name / genre. The user is allowed to perform (S9), define an action (S10), set an image / map (S11), and input various other action-related information described above (S12). When the user performs these input operations, the map application 11 updates the action information in the action file 135 according to the input content (S13).
In addition to this, when the set action is "open a newly created HTML", the map application 1
1 creates and saves the HTML file 137 according to the registered action information (S14). Further, when linking an image image or a map image to this HTML file 137, a file 139 of the image image or map image to be linked is also created and saved, and link information to the file 139 is stored in the HTML file 137. Put it in.

When the user selects the user graphic for which the action "Open newly created HTML" is selected and then clicks the content confirmation panel 97 in the name / action setting box 81 (S15), the map is displayed. The application 11 performs the above-described step S14 to create the HTML file 137 linked to the user graphic as an action, and then the HTML file 1
37 is opened and displayed on the content confirmation panel 97 (S1
6).

FIG. 10 shows a processing flow when the map application 11 performs a route search.

First, the user designates a start point, a waypoint (it may be omitted or a plurality of points may be present) and an end point of the route on the map window 21 and instructs the search execution (S2).
1), the map application 11 searches for a route of a road from the start point to the end point via the waypoints based on the map data, generates polygonal line segment information indicating the searched route, and generates this line segment information. Is displayed on the map (S22, S23). Next, when the user gives an instruction to save the route (S24), the map application 11 registers the definition information of the polygonal line segment in the graphic file 133 as a user graphic, and the default action information (for example, genre is route search, name is The address of the starting point, automatic scroll-on, etc. are registered in the action file 135 (S25).

In FIG. 11, the map application 11 is G
The processing flow when detecting the current position by PS is shown.

The map application 11 acquires the longitude / latitude information of the current position from the GPS receiver 7 (S3
1) Display the map of the map window 21 so that the current position is the center position of the map window 21 (S3).
2). When the user gives an instruction to save the current position (S3
3), the map application 11 pastes a predetermined default icon at the current position, registers the user graphic definition information of the icon in the graphic file 133, and sets the default action information (for example, genre is GP.
S, name is current position, etc.) action file 135
(S34).

Once the search route and the current position have been registered as a user graphic in this way, the editing process from step S5 shown in FIG. 9 can be performed on this user graphic.

FIG. 12 shows the map window 2 when the map application 11 is in a normal state (that is, a state where the processing using the task bars 35 to 45 shown in FIG. 2 is not performed).
1 shows a processing flow when a map is displayed.

The map application 11 displays the map window 2 from the map database 141 prepared in advance.
The map data of the designated area to be displayed in No. 1 is acquired and displayed in the map window 21 at the designated scale (S41). At this time, it is confirmed whether the user graphic exists in the map range displayed in the map window 21 by referring to the graphic file 133. If the user graphic exists, the user graphic is also overlaid on the map. Display in the map window 21.

When the user clicks on one of the user figures in the map window 21 (S43), the map application 11 reads the action ID corresponding to the clicked user figure from the figure file 133,
The action information having the action ID is read from the action file 135 and analyzed (S44).

When the action set in the action information is "Open a newly created HTML" or "Open Internet home page", the map application 11 determines that the local HTML set in the action information is used. Specify the directory + file name of the file 137 or the URL of the Internet set in the action information as an argument,
The browser 9 is activated (S45). As a result, the browser 9 opens and displays the local HTML file 137, or the HT of the home page is displayed from the URL.
Download the ML file and open it for viewing.

If the set action is "open image", the map application 1
In step 1, the image viewer is started by specifying the directory + file name of the set local image file 143 with an argument (S45). As a result, the image viewer opens and displays the image file 143.

When the set action is "open map", the map application 11 uses the information such as the longitude / latitude and scale of the center point of the set map to extract the map from the map database 141. The data of the map to be opened is read and displayed on the map window 21 (S47). If the action set is "execute program", the map application 1
1 starts the set program 145 by specifying the set arguments (S48).

Further, when the automatic scroll is set to ON, the map of the map window 21 is automatically scrolled along the line segment of the user graphic with the set required time (S49).

In this way, when a user figure is clicked on the map, various preset actions are automatically executed. Therefore, by making good use of this function, it is possible to match the purpose of use of each user. It is possible to create a very convenient map. For example, maps can be used for a wide variety of purposes such as town information magazines, travel guides, travel memory albums, address books, directions boards, and are much more flexible, dynamic, and interesting than conventional paper-based ones. It can be used with certain

Next, regarding the processing operation when the user information edited as described above and linked to the map is uploaded to the information server 5 or the user information uploaded by another person is downloaded from the information server 5. A detailed description will be given with reference to FIGS. These processes are performed by the Internet tool panel 3 shown in FIG.
7 is performed with the front display.

FIG. 13 shows the flow of processing when the map application 11 uploads user information to the information server 5.

First, when the user selects an arbitrary number of user graphics to be uploaded on the map window 21 (S51), the map application 11 reads the graphic definition information of the selected user graphic from the graphic file 133 (S52). , Action I in the graphic definition information
Relying on D, the action information of the user graphic is found from the action file 135 and is read (S5
3).

Next, the map application 11 performs a process of creating an HTML file for upload (S5).
4 to S56). First, in step S54, the HTML file 137 that is the original form of the upload HTML document.
(That is, it is a file created by the map application 11 in the above-described user information editing process, and its display image is as illustrated in FIG. 8). This HTML file 137 is shown in FIG. 15 described later.
The special comment tag pair <;!-MAP AP->; is pre-written at the time of its creation. This special comment / tag pair is a tag that the WWW browser 9 ignores as a mere comment on the display, but the map application 11 recognizes this as a tag for its own use (hereinafter, this tag is referred to as a map-specific tag). . Then step S
At 55, the map application 11 inserts the graphic definition information and the action information read previously between the pair of map-dedicated tags of the HTML file 137. This completes the HTML file for uploading.

As already described with reference to FIG. 7,
In the process of editing the user information, the user can use the external HTML editor instead of the map application 11 to create a unique HTML file. This HTML file originally created by the user is designated by reference numeral 1 in FIG.
It is shown at 47. HTML1 created by this user
For the user graphic having 47, the map application 11 newly creates an HTML file as a prototype of the upload HTML file in step S54,
In step S55, the graphic definition information and the action information are inserted between the map-dedicated tag pairs in the original HTML file to create an upload HTML file. Further, the process proceeds to step S56, and the map application 1
In No. 1, the user-created HTML file 147 is added to the upload HTML file.

After the above processing, the map application 1
1 further includes an image file 143 such as a map or a photo linked to the HTML file for uploading,
If the user graphic is an icon, the icon file 131 is also added, a set of those files is created, and this set of files is transmitted to the information server 5 (S57). FIG. 14 shows an example of this set of files (hereinafter referred to as a work file set). The work file set 151 includes the upload HTML file 155, the icon file 131, the link image file 143, and the like, as described above. When uploading to the information server 5, the start message 153 is first followed by the work file set 1
51, and finally an end message 157 is sent to the information server 5.

FIG. 15 shows a description example of the upload HTML file 147.

<;Html.>;,<; / Html>;, <;head>;,<; / head
Document structure tag pairs such as>;, <;body>;,<; / body>; are described, but various contents to be displayed are described. Within this structure, <;!-MAP AP There is a pair of map-dedicated tags called->;, and information 161 dedicated to the map application is described between the pair of map-dedicated tags.

This map application dedicated information 161
One or more pieces of user graphic information 165 and 167 are included in each of them, and each user graphic information 165 and 167 is composed of graphic definition information 169 and action information 171 as described above. Those user graphic information 165, 16
7 is included in the special comment tag <;!-FIG OBJECT ......... FIG OBJECT->;. Furthermore, the common information 163 describing the content ID 170, the genre 172, the work name 174, etc. for the entire work file set is also a special comment tag <;!-CORE ......... CORE->; And is inserted in the map application dedicated information 161. This common information 16
3 is given by the user at the time of uploading.

FIG. 16 shows the work file set 1 described above.
51 shows the configuration and processing operation of the information server 5 receiving the upload 51.

The information server 5 is, as a functional module, a client communication unit 171 for communicating with the map application 11, a user management unit 173 for managing uploaded user information for each user, and uploaded user information for each genre. It has a genre management unit 175 for managing and a genre page editing unit 177 for editing a work list page for each genre. The user transfer area 18 in which the uploaded user information is first written is stored in the storage device 179 of the information server 5.
1. A user management file 183 in which the information of the user who is given the upload right is registered, a user content management file 185 in which the content ID of the uploaded user information is stored for each user, and the uploaded user information is for each user The user public area 187 that is stored, the genre content management file 189 that stores the content ID of the uploaded user information by genre, the work list page 191 by genre, and the home page 193 that displays a list of genres. Have.

When an upload request comes from the map application 11 of a certain user, the client communication unit 171 refers to the user management file 183 and permits the upload only to the user registered in the file 183. Subsequently, the client communication unit 171 receives the work file set 151 uploaded from the map application 11, temporarily stores the work file set 151 in the user transfer area 181, and then the user corresponding to the user (for example, “user 1”). The management unit 173 is notified of the upload.

Upon receiving the notification, the user management section 173
First, the upload HT from the user transfer area 181
The ML file 155 is read, the map application dedicated information 161 therein is analyzed, and the content ID
(Eg, “A00001”), genre (eg, “genre 1”), work name (eg, “work 1”), and the like are grasped (S61). Subsequently, the user management unit 173 writes the grasped content ID “A00001” in the content management file 170 corresponding to the user “user 1” (S62), and writes the work file set 151 from the user transfer area 181 to the user “user”. The content ID “A000” in the public area 187 corresponding to “1”
It moves to the area 188 for "01" (S63). Then, the user management unit 173 notifies the genre management unit 175 that manages the recognized genre "genre 1" of the content ID 1 "A00001", the user name "user 1", the work name "work 1", and the like (S64). .

The genre management unit 175 that received the notification
Writes the content ID "A00001" in the content management file 189 of the genre "Genre 1" (S65), and then writes the content ID "A00001" to the genre page editing unit 177 of the genre "Genre 1". The user name "user 1", the work name "work 1", and the like are notified (S66).

The genre page editing section 1 that received the notification
77 is a description 195 indicating the work based on the notified user name “user 1”, work name “work 1”, and the like,
A link 197 is created from the work description 195 to the work file set 151 in the user public area 187, and the work list page 1 of the genre “genre 1” is created.
Add to 91 (S67).

This completes the registration of the uploaded user information in the information server 5. The home page 193 of the information server 5 has a list of genre name descriptions 199 and 201, and each genre name description 199 and 201 is a link 20 to a work list page 191 of the corresponding genre.
3, 204. Therefore, the user first opens the home page 193, and clicks the description 199 of the desired genre (for example, "genre 1") in the home page 193, thereby following the link 203 and displaying the work list page 191 of the desired genre "genre 1". Can be opened. In the work list page 191, descriptions 195 and 2 of various works belonging to the genre are displayed as shown in FIG.
05, ..., and by clicking the description 195 of the desired work (for example, “work 1”) therein, the work file set 151 of the desired work “work 1” is traced by following the link 197 shown in FIG. It can be downloaded.

FIG. 18 shows the operations of the map application 11 and the WWW browser 9 in the user terminal 1 when the user information is downloaded from the information server 5.

At the time of downloading, the map application 11 first specifies the URL of the information server 5 and sets WWW.
Since the browser 9 is started, the browser 9 opens the home page 198 of the information server 5 and follows the link from there according to the user's operation to set the work file set 1 desired by the user.
The upload HTML file 147 in 51 is downloaded (S71). The browser 9 opens and displays the upload HTML file 147 (S7).
2) closes this immediately after the display. Subsequently, the map application 11 opens the upload HTML file 147, extracts the map-dedicated information 161 from the HTML file 147 (S73), analyzes the action information 171 of each user graphic therein (S74), and then takes that action. Information 17
The contents of No. 1 are converted into contents that can be used in the user terminal 1 (S75, S76, S77, S78, S79). That is, when the action type in the action information 171 is "open program", this is "no action".
(S75) (this may be done by the map application 11 on the upload side or the information server 5). When the action type is “open Internet home page”, the URL described in the action file name in the action information 171 is left unchanged (S76). When the action type is “Open a newly created HTML”, the directory of the HTML file described in the action file name (this is a local directory in the uploading user terminal) The HT in the information server 5
The URL of the ML file is rewritten (S77). Also,
When the action type is “open image image”, the target image file is downloaded from the information server 5 through the browser 9, and is saved in a predetermined directory in the user terminal 1, and the action file name is set to the predetermined value. The directory and the image file name are rewritten (S78). If the action type is "open map", the description of the information for opening the map is left unchanged (S79).

Next, the map application 11 adds the graphic definition information and action information of each user graphic described in the map dedicated information 161, to the graphic file 133 and the action file 135, respectively (S8).
0). Then, the graphic file 133 is read (S81),
If the downloaded user graphic is an icon that the user does not know, the icon file of the icon is also downloaded from the information server 5 and saved as a new icon file (S83). Then, the map window 21 is scrolled so that the longitude / latitude of the downloaded user graphic is at the center of the map window 21, and the user graphic is displayed on the map window 21 (S84).

As described above, it is possible to download a user graphic edited by another user from the information server 5, arrange it at the same place on the map, and link substantially the same action. It is possible to notify various useful user information (user guide map, recommended restaurant information, travel guide, current position, etc.) among users.

19 and 20 show the operations of the map application 11 and the electronic mail application when transmitting and receiving the user information by electronic mail.

As shown in FIG. 19, at the time of transmission, the map application 11 creates a work file set as in the case of uploading (S91), creates a transmission document with the work file set as an attached document, and sends it to the e-mail application. To send the transmitted document to the electronic mail application (S92). When the electronic mail application receives a transmission command from the user (S93),
The transmission document is transmitted (S93).

As shown in FIG. 20, at the time of reception, the electronic mail application displays the received mail together with the symbol of the attached document (S102). When the user performs a predetermined operation for opening the attached document in the map application (S103), the map application opens the attached document and restores the work file set (S10).
3) Store this work file set in a predetermined directory (S104), and rewrite the directory of the sending terminal described in the action file name in the upload HTML file in the file set to the above predetermined directory of the own terminal. The action information is converted (S105), the graphic definition information and the action information are added to the graphic file and the action file in a procedure similar to that at the time of downloading, and the received user graphic is displayed on the map window (S106).

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
This embodiment is merely an example for explaining the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention only to these embodiments. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented in various forms other than the above embodiment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of a map use network system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a GUI of a map application.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a pop-up name / action registration box 81.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a name / action registration box 81 in which an image panel 89 is displayed on the front surface.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an address panel 91 displayed on the front surface.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a comment panel 93 displayed on the front surface.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a detailed setting panel 95 displayed on the front surface.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display image example of an HTML document generated by a map application.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the map application when editing user information.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the map application when performing a route search.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the map application when detecting the current position by GPS.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the map application when a map is normally displayed.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the map application when uploading user information to the information server 5.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a work file set.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a description example of an upload HTML file 147.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing the configuration and processing operation of the information server 5 that receives uploading a work file set.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a work list page for each genre.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing the operation of the map application and WWW browser when user information is downloaded.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing operations of the map application and the email application when transmitting user information by email.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the operations of the map application and the email application when receiving user information by email.

[Explanation of symbols]

1A, 1B ... User terminal 3 ... Internet 5 ... Information server 7 ... GPS receiver 9 ... WWW browser 11 ... Map application 21 ... Map window 23 ... Guide window 25 ... Search window 65, 67 ... Icon 69 ... Line segment 71 ... Polygon 133 ... Graphic file 135 ... action file 137 ... HTML file 141 ... Map database 151 ... Work file set 155 ... HTML file for upload 161 ... Information dedicated to the map application

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Daisuke Tabuchi, 3-14-10 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Sofmap Future Design Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ichiro Nakajima 3--14, Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo No. 10 Sofmap Future Design Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yuki Ito 3-14-10 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Sofmap Future Design Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-9-229694 (JP, A) ) JP-A-10-63182 (JP, A) JP-A-10-207352 (JP, A) JP-A-11-15839 (JP, A) JP-A-9-34902 (JP, A) GPS ", PC WAVE, December 1997 issue, Japan, Russell Publishing Co., December 1, 1997, Volume 5, No. 13, p1 27-132 (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G09B 29/00-29/14

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A user information registration device for registering user information of any user, wherein the user information refers to a predetermined map database and
For a given display device that displays the figure,
Position and scale, and figures to be displayed on the map
Control information for controlling the user graphic set by the user
The registration device refers to a map database to register the user information.
And a map display means for displaying a map of the map, a predetermined position on the map displayed by the map display means, and an input for designating a user graphic arbitrary by the user.
A relational means for associating the two , position information and scale necessary for redisplaying the map including the user graphic on the display device based on the input, and a format corresponding to the user graphic for the user graphic. so
A user information registration device, comprising: an information setting unit for setting; and a registration unit for registering the set information as user information. 2. The user information registration device according to claim 1, wherein the registration unit has a name setting unit that sets a name of the user information. 3. The user information registration device according to claim 1, wherein the registration means controls the display device to perform an action such as opening an Internet home page.
Registration device of the user information having the action setting section for setting information. 4. A map display device for displaying a map by processing the user information according to claim 1, wherein any one of the user information is selected from a plurality of the user information. The selecting means for selecting, the map redisplaying means for redisplaying the map by reading out predetermined information from the map database based on the position information and scale of the user information selected by the selecting means, and the map redisplaying means. A map display device comprising user graphic display means for displaying the user graphic at the predetermined position on the displayed map. 5. The map display device according to claim 4, further comprising a search unit that searches the user information by using the name of the user information as a search key. 6. A method of registering user information for registering user information of any user, the user information referring to a predetermined map database,
For a given display device that displays the figure,
Position and scale, and figures to be displayed on the map
Control information for controlling the user graphic set by the user
The computer refers to the map database to
A map display step for displaying a map for registering user information, and an input for the computer to specify a predetermined position on the map displayed in the map display step and a user graphic arbitrarily selected by the user.
A linking step of receiving the force and associating the two with each other , and the computer stores in the display device based on the input.
Position information and scale and required re-map display including the user figure, and the user figure corresponding to the display device that
A method of registering user information, comprising: an information setting step of setting in a different format ; and a registration step of causing the computer to register the set information as user information. 7. A map display method for displaying a map by processing the user information according to claim 6, wherein the computer selects any one of the user information from a plurality of the user information. a selecting step of the computer, on the basis of the position information and scale of the user information selected by said selecting step, by reading the predetermined information from the map database, the map again display step of re-displaying the map, the computer, the A user graphic display step of displaying the user graphic at the predetermined position on the map displayed in the map redisplay step. 8. A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for causing a computer to register user information for registering user information of any user, the user information referring to a predetermined map database. Then the ground
For a given display device that displays the figure,
Position and scale, and figures to be displayed on the map
Control information for controlling the user graphic set by the user
It is a report and refers to the map database to register the user information.
A map display step of displaying the map of the above on the computer, and a predetermined position on the map displayed in the map display step,
When the user accepts the input to specify any user shape
Both are related in the memory of the computer
The storing step, the position information and scale necessary for redisplaying the map including the user graphic on the display device based on the input , and the user graphic in a format corresponding to the display device.
A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for causing a computer to perform an information setting step of setting, and a registration step of registering the set information as user information in the memory . 9. A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for causing a computer to display a map by processing the user information according to claim 8 is recorded. A selection step of selecting any user information, and a map redisplay step of redisplaying a map by reading out predetermined information from the map database based on the position information and scale of the user information selected in the selection step, A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute the user graphic displaying step of displaying the user graphic at the predetermined position on the map displayed by the map redisplaying step.