WO2024172201A1

WO2024172201A1 - Method for providing indoor and outdoor recommended routes by using ar content, and smart device using same

Info

Publication number: WO2024172201A1
Application number: PCT/KR2023/003490
Authority: WO
Inventors: 강훈석; 정우석; 김승균; 박재완
Original assignee: 주식회사 맥스트
Priority date: 2023-02-13
Filing date: 2023-03-15
Publication date: 2024-08-22

Abstract

A smart device according to the present invention comprises: a location determination unit for detecting a current location; a storage unit for storing AR content and attribute information of a reward for the AR content; a basic route generation unit for generating a basic route on the basis of starting point information and destination information input by a user; a recommended route generation unit for generating a recommended route on the basis of information on a service provider which provides at least one of the AR content and the reward, and the starting point and destination information; an AR content configuration unit for placing the AR content at one or more points located on the recommended route; a reward providing unit for providing the reward when the AR content is activated; and a touch screen for displaying at least one of the recommended route, information on a region located on the recommended route, AR content information placed on the recommended route, and reward information therefor.

Description

Method for providing indoor/outdoor recommended routes using AR content and smart devices using the same

The present invention relates to a method for providing indoor/outdoor recommended routes using AR content and a smart device using the same, and more specifically, to a method for providing indoor/outdoor recommended routes that guide users to a detour route or a specific route using AR content and rewards and a smart device using the same.

Navigation systems installed in vehicles have brought convenience to users in mid- to long-distance travel, and as navigation technology has been applied to mobile devices such as smartphones, it has become possible to identify the current location and check the route to the destination not only on the road the vehicle is traveling on, but also in alleys, plazas, and indoors. Furthermore, as navigation technology has been incorporated into autonomous vehicles, an era has arrived in which the most efficient route to the destination can be selected and traveled.

Navigation recommends the most efficient route to reach the destination, and the route is automatically searched and displayed on the map based on the user's current location. At this time, the routes recommended by navigation are usually searched based on distance and time.

In addition to vehicle travel, navigation systems or smartphones with navigation functions are used when traveling on foot or by bicycle. In these cases, most recommended routes are usually searched based on distance and time.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2204250 (Title of the invention: Method for providing tourist routes and recording medium using the same) provides recommended tourist routes using big data such as shared mobility and card sales as part of efforts to revitalize the tourism economy. At this time, a method is provided for selecting recommended places among tourist sites and creating a straight route using the recommended places as transit points. However, it is not much different from conventional navigation in that it judges based on distance when reaching the destination via transit points.

Meanwhile, vehicle navigation systems have also evolved, and there are now technological changes taking place in display methods, such as displaying augmented reality overlays on routes. For example, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2204250 (Title: Method for Calculating Augmented Reality Overlay for Displaying Navigation Route on AR Display Unit, Device and Vehicle for Performing Method, and Computer Program) relates to a method for calculating an augmented reality overlay for displaying a navigation route, and proposes a unique display method.

In addition, a technology has emerged that provides not only the user's current location and the route to the destination, but also various information about the area along the route. For example, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0155237 (Title of the invention: Augmented reality content advertisement provision system based on spatial information) provides relevant data and AR content suitable for the situation to the customer by using the GPS and camera of the smartphone held by the customer based on store information data, and users can receive route information for walking/shopping in a more enjoyable way by using this technology.

However, since most of the conventional navigation technologies generate recommended routes based only on time and distance, there was a problem that most users took similar routes, which caused traffic congestion. To supplement this, the degree of traffic congestion was judged and alternative routes were suggested to bypass it, but since alternative routes were also generated based on time and distance, they could not avoid congestion either, so they could not be a fundamental solution.

In addition, there was a problem in which only certain areas developed due to the navigation recommendations, resulting in an imbalance in the development of commercial areas between regions.

[Prior art literature]

[Patent Document]

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2204250 (Registered on July 27, 2022)

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2204250 (Registered on January 12, 2021)

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0155237 (Published on November 22, 2022)

The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems of the prior art described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recommended route providing method that enables diversification of recommended route settings by providing a recommended route together with AR contents (e.g., advertisements) and rewards (e.g., discount coupons). In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a recommended route providing method that can alleviate traffic congestion by attracting users (vehicles, etc.) to a detour route. Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a recommended route providing method that can achieve balanced regional development by inducing traffic to areas with underdeveloped commercial districts by providing a recommended route that connects registered stores (e.g., stores in underdeveloped commercial districts).

According to the present invention for achieving the above object, the method comprises the steps of: receiving a starting point and a destination within a predetermined area from a user terminal; extracting at least one of a shortest path and a minimum time path connecting the starting point and the destination; extracting one or more registration stores located within the predetermined area; determining whether the registration store is located on the path based on attribute information of the registration store; generating a recommended path by modifying the path to include the location of the registration store if the registration store is not located on the path; selecting one or more points on the recommended path where AR content is to be placed; and placing the AR content on the one or more points.

And, the above-mentioned predetermined area may be an indoor or outdoor area in a real space, or an area within a virtual reality online.

In addition, the receiving step can further receive a path attribute corresponding to the movement purpose from the user terminal.

And, the step of generating the recommended path may include extracting one or more recommended stores from among the extracted registered stores based on the attribute information of the registered stores and the path attribute, and modifying the path to include the location of the one or more extracted recommended stores to generate the recommended path.

In addition, the method may further include a step of setting attribute information of a reward for the AR content; and a step of transmitting the reward to the user terminal or a device associated with the user terminal when the AR content is activated.

Additionally, the AR content can be activated when the distance between the user terminal and the point is within a preset distance.

Additionally, at least one of the AR content and the reward for the AR content may be determined based on the industry of the registered store.

And, the method may further include a step of receiving an activation signal of the AR content from a user terminal.

In addition, the method further includes a step of extracting traffic information for the registered store; and a step of selecting a recommended store based on the traffic information; and the step of generating the recommended route may generate the recommended route by modifying the route so that the recommended store with the low traffic volume is preferentially included.

And, the step of generating the recommended route may include a step of calculating a route recommendation score for the registered store by assigning a weight according to the attribute information of the registered store; a step of selecting a recommended store based on the route recommendation score; and a step of generating the recommended route by modifying the route so that the recommended store is included in the route.

In addition, the step of selecting the point may select a location within a predetermined radius based on the location of the registration store as the point.

And, the step of selecting the point may select the midpoint of the locations of two adjacent registered stores as the point.

In addition, the method may further include a step of extracting a map of the predetermined area; a step of displaying the recommended route by overlapping it with the map; a step of selecting a symbol for the AR content based on at least one of attribute information of the AR content and attribute information of a reward for the AR content; and a step of displaying the selected symbol on the map.

Meanwhile, a smartphone according to the present invention may include a recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the recommended route providing method described above.

Meanwhile, the navigation according to the present invention may include a recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the recommended route providing method described above.

Meanwhile, the autonomous vehicle according to the present invention may include a recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the recommended route providing method described above.

The method according to the present invention enables diversification of recommended route settings by providing recommended routes together with AR content (e.g., advertisements) and rewards (e.g., discount coupons). In addition, the method according to the present invention alleviates traffic congestion by attracting users (vehicles, etc.) to detour routes, and provides recommended routes that connect registered stores (e.g., stores in underdeveloped commercial districts) to induce traffic to areas with underdeveloped commercial districts, thereby achieving balanced regional development.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment in which a method according to the present invention is applied to an outdoor space.

Figure 2a is a schematic diagram showing an example in which a smart device according to the present invention is applied to an autonomous vehicle.

FIG. 2b illustrates an embodiment in which a smart device according to the present invention is implemented with navigation.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example in which a method according to the present invention is applied to an indoor space.

Figure 4 illustrates various attribute information used in the method according to the present invention.

Figure 5 is a drawing that specifies AR content information and reward information among attribute information used in the method according to the present invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a method according to the present invention.

Figure 7 is a flow chart showing a first embodiment of a method according to the present invention.

Figure 8 is a flow chart showing a second embodiment of a method according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the determination and provision method of AR content and rewards in the method according to the present invention.

Figure 10 is a flow chart showing a third embodiment of a method according to the present invention.

Figure 11 is a flow chart showing a fourth embodiment of a method according to the present invention.

Figures 12 to 15 are drawings for explaining a method for selecting a point at which AR content is to be placed in a method according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a drawing explaining a method of connecting location information of a point to AR content in a method according to the present invention.

Figure 17 is a flowchart explaining a method of displaying AR content in a method according to the present invention.

Figure 18 is a conceptual diagram showing the on/off cross-use of rewards provided in the method according to the present invention.

Figure 19 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a smart device according to the present invention.

Figure 20 illustrates a menu screen among the display items of a smart device according to the present invention.

Figure 21 illustrates the AR content recommendation path search option setting among the display items of a smart device according to the present invention.

Figure 22 illustrates the setting of the AR content activation method among the display items of a smart device according to the present invention.

Figure 23 illustrates the AR content display method setting among the display items of a smart device according to the present invention.

Figure 24 illustrates a reward option among the display items of a smart device according to the present invention.

Figure 25 illustrates a reward transmission option among the display items of a smart device according to the present invention.

Figure 26 is a flow chart showing another embodiment of a method according to the present invention.

Figure 27 is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of activation of AR content in a method according to the present invention.

Figure 28 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of recommended path generation in a method according to the present invention.

Figure 29 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of recommended path generation in a method according to the present invention.

Figure 30 is a flowchart showing a third embodiment of recommended path generation in a method according to the present invention.

Figures 31 and 32 are conceptual diagrams for explaining an environment in which a method according to the present invention is performed.

Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Regardless of the drawing symbols, identical or similar components will be given the same reference numerals and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

In addition, when describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the attached drawings are only intended to facilitate easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical ideas disclosed in this specification are not limited by the attached drawings, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment in which a method according to the present invention is applied to an outdoor space. As shown in FIG. 1, a recommended route (R) generated by a method according to the present invention can be overlapped and displayed on a map. In addition, one or more AR contents (C) can be placed on the recommended route. The AR contents (C) are linked to a reward, and when a user carries a user terminal (1) and moves along the recommended route (R) to activate the AR contents (C), the server transmits the reward linked to the AR contents (C) to the user terminal (1). The user terminal (1) can be a smartphone, as shown on the right side of FIG. 1, but is not limited thereto. The user terminal (1) can display an entire drawing as shown on the left side of FIG. 1, or a real-time route as shown on the right side. A symbol that can recognize the AR contents (C) is displayed at a point where the AR contents (C) are placed. The symbol of the AR contents (C) can be determined in various ways. The AR content (C) can be automatically activated when the user terminal (1) matches or approaches (e.g., within 5 m) its placement point. For example, if the AR content (C) is an advertisement, etc., the AR advertisement can be displayed on the user terminal (1) only when the user terminal (1) matches (approaches) the placement point of the AR content (C). In another embodiment, the AR content (C) can be manually activated after the user terminal (1) matches or approaches its placement point. For example, when the user terminal (1) matches (approaches) the placement point of the AR content (C) and the user operates the user terminal (1) (e.g., touches a symbol of the AR content (C)), the AR content (e.g., an advertisement) can be activated (e.g., displayed) on the user terminal (1).

Users may be provided with various routes from a starting point to a destination, but if they use the recommended route provided by the method according to the present invention, they can check AR content and obtain rewards accordingly.

FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment in which a method according to the present invention is applied to an autonomous vehicle. An autonomous vehicle drives by recognizing and judging surrounding situations and road information, etc., without driver operation through an autonomous driving system. This is divided into a partial autonomous driving system in which a vehicle is driven under specified conditions but the driver intervenes only when necessary, such as in an operating limit situation, a conditional fully autonomous driving system in which a vehicle is driven without driver intervention under specified conditions, and a fully autonomous driving system in which a vehicle is driven without driver intervention in all situations. An autonomous vehicle requires cognitive technology for receiving information and signals necessary for driving, judgment technology such as software for processing information and signals, and control technology such as steering, braking, and acceleration. However, what must be provided fundamentally for autonomous driving is a path connecting the starting point and the destination.

The recommended route generated according to the present invention can be used as a route for autonomous driving. Fig. 2a illustrates a smart device according to the present invention implemented as a HUD (Head-Up Display), and the recommended route and AR content arranged thereon are displayed on the HUD. In another embodiment, the recommended route and AR content can be displayed on a navigation system equipped in an autonomous vehicle.

In the case of fully autonomous vehicles, AR content can be activated (displayed) and the driver can check it with their eyes or activate the AR content by touching the displayed AR content. However, in the case of partially autonomous vehicles, since there is a risk of operation, it is desirable to set the AR content to be automatically activated when the autonomous vehicle matches (approaches) the location where the AR content is placed. In addition, in that case, rather than displaying it on a screen or HUD, the AR content can be converted into an audio signal and transmitted through the speakers in the vehicle. In this case, a data conversion unit that converts the AR content into an audio signal can be further provided.

To this end, the autonomous vehicle may provide route selection options for not only the shortest route, the shortest time route, but also the AR content recommended route. By selecting the AR content recommended route, the driver may obtain a reward for the AR content while traveling to the destination. The reward may be transmitted to the user terminal owned by the driver of the autonomous vehicle. In addition, the reward may be stored in the storage unit in the autonomous vehicle. If the reward for the AR content is Hi-pass points, the reward for activating the AR content is transmitted to the Hi-pass terminal in the autonomous vehicle, and the driver can use the points as a toll. Here, Hi-pass means a system that automatically makes payments without stopping at highway and toll road tollgates, and Hi-pass points mean points that can be used for the payment.

Meanwhile, the HUD illustrated in FIG. 2 may be an AR HUD using augmented reality. AR HUD provides various information such as routes, signals, AR content, and local information in a see-through manner. See-Through is a method of expressing real images and virtual images by overlapping them. This can be divided into the Optical See-Through method and the Video See-Through method. The Optical See-Through method is a method in which the user sees the outside world with his or her naked eyes through a transparent display and simultaneously sees virtual objects displayed on the transparent display by overlapping them, and the Video See-Through method is a method in which real world images captured by a camera and virtual objects generated with graphics are overlaid and then provided to the user through a monitor. The HUD concept applied to vehicles may belong to the Optical See-Through method. The AR engine that enables AR HUD allows developers to dynamically place arbitrary objects (lanes, signals, routes, AR content, etc.) in a 3D environment related to the driver on a screen or display with a preset size, direction, and location. The details of various objects are sent to the AI system by Lidar, Range, and Camera Vision, and the AI system calculates the location and object type information, and then sends the calculated results to the HMI application that displays the objects in the 3D environment using the AR engine. Typically, the AR engine includes components of the HUD Distortion Layer, Spatial Calibration, and HMI Visualization. The HUD Distortion Layer corrects distortions caused by reflections from lenses, mirrors, windshields, and other elements. If head tracking information is used, the Distortion Layer can operate dynamically depending on the viewing position. The HUD Distortion Layer creates a large virtual screen that seems to float in front of the vehicle. Spatial Calibration determines the matrix transformation for a specific viewer position to a specific 3D position of an object relative to the vehicle. If head tracking information is used, it can be dynamically updated based on the detected head position. If there is no head tracking, a simple calibration sequence for each driver and seat position is sufficient. Spatial Calibration modifies the camera matrix. For example, an object (mark) that should be on the ground 50 feet above ground and 10 feet to the side will appear to the driver as if it were in that location, matching the real object it represents. Assuming head tracking is used, this anchoring provides a solid motion parallax signal for the object’s true location and size. This allows it to appear very stable as the driver moves his head. Data Processing dynamically creates or removes 3D objects in the 3D environment as needed by continuously streaming information about objects and locations. The AR application provides digital data on top of real-world objects. By implementing a neural network (NN), the NN can track and classify the objects it has learned. This location data is passed to the HMI application, which handles view transformation and drawing. HMI Visualization provides the visual objects and effects that are displayed through the AR engine. The HMI uses the AR engine data as input and provides the information to the visual front end to display the preset size, orientation, and location in the 3D environment displayed on the screen. AR content is generated, placed, and oriented based on the input AR engine data. Details on the appearance of AR content may vary depending on the type of AR content, the type of reward for AR content activation, and reward provider information.

The smart device according to the present invention is implemented as an AR HUD as illustrated in FIG. 2a, and can display a recommended route generated in the manner described below, AR content placed on the recommended route, etc. in a see-through manner.

FIG. 2b illustrates an embodiment in which a smart device according to the present invention is implemented as a navigation device. A recommended route generated by the method described below can be displayed on a touch screen of the navigation device. The touch screen of the navigation device displays a basic route, a recommended route, AR content, reward information, reward provider information, and various local information while receiving a user input.

In addition, the navigation may display search options for recommended AR content routes, selection options related to AR content (e.g., selection options for whether to activate or not, selection options for displaying AR content, etc.), selection options related to rewards (options for viewing reward status, reward transfer options, etc.), and receive user selection signals for these.

Fig. 3 illustrates an embodiment in which a smart device according to the present invention is implemented as a smartphone. In particular, Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example in which the generation of a recommended route is applied to an indoor space. A recommended route (R) generated by a method according to the present invention can be overlapped and displayed on an indoor map of a department store, a shopping mall, an indoor plaza, etc. One or more AR contents (C) can be placed on the indoor recommended route. The AR contents (C) are linked to a reward, and when a user carries a user terminal (1) and moves along the recommended route (R) and activates the AR contents (C), the server transmits the reward linked to the AR contents (C) to the user terminal (1). The user terminal (1) may display a floor plan as shown on the left side of Fig. 3, or may display only a plan of the floor on which the user terminal (1) is located. In addition, a real-time recommended route may be displayed as shown on the right side. At the point where the AR content (C) is placed, a symbol that can recognize the AR content (C) can be displayed. As will be described later, the symbol for the AR content (C) may have different icons, colors, sizes, texts, etc. depending on the attribute information of the AR content or the attribute information of the reward corresponding to the AR content. The AR content (C) can be automatically activated when the user terminal (1) matches or approaches its placement point. For example, when the AR content (C) is an advertisement or the like, an AR advertisement can be displayed on the user terminal (1) simply by matching (approaching) the placement point of the AR content (C). In another embodiment, the AR content (C) can be manually activated after the user terminal (1) matches or approaches its placement point. For example, when the user terminal (1) matches (approaches) the placement point of the AR content (C) and the user operates the user terminal (1) (e.g., touches the symbol of the AR content (C)), an AR advertisement may be displayed on the user terminal (1).

When generating a recommended route outdoors, the location of the user terminal can be confirmed using a location signal acquired from a GPS sensor equipped in the user terminal. However, when using a recommended route indoors as in Fig. 3, the GPS signal may not be accurate and it may be difficult to distinguish between floors. Therefore, when using a recommended route indoors, a VPS (Visual Positioning Service) signal can be used. Using VPS, the 3D location of the user terminal can be acquired through 3D spatial map-based vision image recognition.

Figure 4 illustrates various attribute information used in the method according to the present invention. As illustrated in Figure 4, attribute information may include user information (11), local information (12), AR content information (13), reward information (14), and path information (15), but is not limited thereto.

User information (11) may include account information, personal information (corporate information), and grade information of a registered member (natural person, corporation), as well as location information, industry information, and grade information of a registered store. The member and the store may be the same entity. That is, a member may input his or her store information to link account information and various store information. In addition, user information (11) includes group information. Group information may include account information of users belonging to the group, the number of members, and grade information of the group.

Local information (12) includes information on all regions where a route can be generated. The scope of the region is not limited. Local information (12) may include various local information such as national information, latitude/longitude information (GPS information) of a specific point, maps, terrain, geographical characteristics, land designation under the land laws, weather/temperature/humidity information, hourly illuminance information, and vehicle traffic volume. Local information (12) may be obtained from a GIS (Geographic Information System). GIS provides various forms of information such as maps, diagrams, and pictures by comprehensively managing location data, attribute data, and temporal data for objects having geographical locations. Local information (12) may be provided from platforms that provide various geographic information such as maps (e.g., Google Earth, Google Maps, Naver Maps, Daum Maps), various organizations (e.g., National Geographic Information Institute), platforms that provide weather information (e.g., Weather Eye), and various organizations (e.g., Korea Meteorological Administration).

AR content information (13) may include information on the AR content provider, AR content category information, etc. The AR content provider may be an entity that creates, produces, and sells the content. If the AR content is a product advertisement, the AR content provider may be an advertiser, an advertisement producer, etc.

Reward information (14) may include information on a reward provider, information on a reward recipient, information on a reward category, information on where to use the reward, etc. The reward provider may be the same as the provider of the associated AR content. For example, the provider of the AR content may provide a reward in return for activating the AR content (e.g., display, audio transmission, manipulation of the AR content). In addition, the reward provider may be different from the provider of the associated AR content. For example, the entity that benefits by providing a reward to a user and allowing the user to use the reward in his or her store may be the reward provider, and in this case, the reward provider may use AR content provided by another person. The reward recipient may be set to all users who use the route provision service, but may be limited to a specific entity in some cases. For example, among the users who receive the route generated by the method according to the present invention, only a specific entity (e.g., rider, autonomous driving driver) may be limited as the reward recipient. If the reward recipient is a rider, this may be the case for rewards provided by a bicycle repair shop or bicycle accessories store. If the reward recipient is a self-driving driver, rewards such as Hi-pass points can be linked to AR content.

Meanwhile, in the present invention, the provider of AR content and/or the reward provider is referred to as a service provider. The service provider may be a tourism foundation that operates a tourist site, a management organization of various landmarks, or an operator of various stores, but is not limited thereto. Meanwhile, information about the service provider may also be included in the user information (11).

Route information (15) is information related to various route properties that can be input by the user. Route information may include, but is not limited to, means of transportation, travel time (one way/round trip) according to means of transportation, time of using the route, purpose of the route under the Road Traffic Act, slope of the route, terrain, weather, temperature, humidity of the target area including the route, brightness of the route by time, vehicle traffic volume of the route, and use of rewards.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating AR content information and reward information among attribute information used in the method according to the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 5, AR content can be categorized by type. Assuming that AR content is an advertisement using augmented reality, it can be classified into various categories such as fashion, service, and accommodation depending on the advertisement target of the advertisement, and fashion can be subdivided into fashion (clothing), fashion (shoes), fashion (accessories), etc., service can be subdivided into service (cafe), service (food), service (laundry), etc., accommodation can be subdivided into accommodation (hotel), accommodation (pension), accommodation (resort), and automobile can be subdivided into automobile (sedan), automobile (SUV), automobile (truck), etc. In particular, in the present invention, AR content can be categorized into regional tourist destinations such as tourist destination (Seoul), tourist destination (Busan), and tourist destination (Jeju). In addition, AR content can be categorized by tourist destination target such as tourist destination (temple), tourist destination (fortress), and tourist destination (lake).

Rewards can also be categorized by type. For example, they can be categorized by reward type, such as product giveaways, discount coupons, or coupons, or they can be categorized by reward usage. Also, just like AR content, rewards can be classified into various categories such as fashion, service, and accommodation, and fashion rewards can be subdivided into fashion (clothing) related rewards (discount coupons, etc.), fashion (shoes) related rewards, fashion (accessories) related rewards, etc., services can be subdivided into service (cafe) related rewards (groceries giveaways, etc.), service (food) related rewards, service (laundry) related rewards, etc., and accommodation can be subdivided into accommodation (hotel) related rewards (multi-night discount coupons, etc.), accommodation (pension) related rewards, accommodation (resort) related rewards, automobile (points), automobile (car wash coupons), automobile (maintenance coupons), automobile (gas coupons), tourist destination (admission tickets), tourist destination (souvenir coupons), tourist destination (shop discount coupons).

Categorized AR content and rewards can be linked to each other according to their categories. For example, AR content belonging to the fashion (clothing) category can be linked to rewards belonging to the fashion (clothing) category. The fact that AR content and rewards are linked to each other means that when a user activates AR content, the reward associated with it is paid to the user.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a method according to the present invention. The method according to the present invention extracts the shortest path and the minimum time path, similarly to the conventional method. In addition, basic paths such as free priority paths and highway priority paths can be further extracted. FIG. 6 (a) illustrates the shortest path or the minimum time path extracted according to the present invention. The shortest path or the minimum time path can be obtained through an external traffic information providing platform or a path-finding platform, but can also be extracted independently using a path-finding algorithm such as A* (A*). Since most navigations use algorithms that are not significantly different, the basic paths provided to users can be mostly similar.

Unlike Dijkstra's algorithm, which only specifies the starting node and finds the shortest path to all other nodes, the A* algorithm clearly specifies the starting node and the destination node and finds the shortest path between these two nodes. The A* algorithm can be improved through heuristic estimates, and the speed of the shortest path search can be determined depending on the method of providing these heuristic estimates.

Accordingly, since most of the time the same basic route is provided when the starting point and destination are the same, vehicles will flock to that route, which may cause traffic congestion. In particular, the route shown in Fig. 6 (a) is a one-lane road that passes through a mountainous area, and if vehicles flock there, traffic congestion will become very serious, and exhaust fumes may have a negative impact on the environment. Considering this, the method according to the present invention can help alleviate traffic congestion by providing a recommended route including AR content that can obtain rewards, as shown in Fig. 6 (b), and by detouring the user to the recommended route.

From another perspective, if most vehicles use the same route, the commercial districts of other regions may be relatively deteriorated compared to the commercial districts of the region including the route. At this time, the method according to the present invention can be used as a method for activating the commercial districts of other regions. In other words, the method according to the present invention can increase the traffic volume of the region by intensively distributing AR content in an area with a poor commercial district, as shown in Fig. 6 (b), and generating a recommended route for users to pass through the area, which leads to activating the commercial district.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of a method according to the present invention. The recommended route providing method according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 first receives a starting point and a destination within a predetermined area from a user terminal (S100). The predetermined area is not limited to a country, area, etc. The starting point is a point within the predetermined area, meaning a point from which a user departs, and may be location information detected from the user terminal. The destination is a point within the predetermined area, meaning a point to which the user wishes to arrive, and may be input from the user terminal. In addition, the predetermined area may be all or part of an indoor space. In this case, the starting point may be a point within a building, for example, an entrance to the building. The destination may be a point within a building, for example, a movie theater located on the 7th floor of the building.

Afterwards, at least one of the shortest path and the minimum time path connecting the starting point and the destination is extracted (S110). Extraction of the shortest path or the minimum time path can utilize various path search algorithms such as the conventional A* algorithm as described above.

Next, one or more registration stores located within a given area are extracted (S120). One or more registration stores located within a given area mean registration stores included within an area that includes both a starting point and an ending point within the given area. Then, based on the attribute information of the registration store, it is determined whether the registration store is located on a path (shortest path or minimum time path) (S130). The attribute information of the registration store used at this time may be location information.

If the registered store is located on a path (shortest path or minimum time path) (S130-YES), the path is created as a recommended path (S140). Afterwards, a point where AR content is to be placed is selected on the recommended path (S160), and AR content is placed at the selected point (S170).

If the registered store is not located on the path (shortest path or minimum time path) (S130-NO), the path is modified to include the location of the registered store and a recommended path is generated (S150). Thereafter, a point on the recommended path where AR content is to be placed is selected (S160), and the AR content is placed at the selected point (S170).

In the description of the present invention, modifying a path means adding a location of a registration store as a new node among a plurality of nodes extracted to create a path between a starting point and a destination to create a new path. At this time, since existing nodes existing between the starting point and the destination may be included, it is expressed as modifying a path. However, if existing nodes existing between the starting point and the destination are not used at all due to the addition of a new node, it can be expressed as establishing a new path based on the starting point, the destination, and the new nodes. More specifically, in the case of using the A* algorithm, if a basic path (shortest path or minimum time path) is created using a starting node, a destination node, and a plurality of nodes extracted between the starting point and the destination, a node corresponding to the location of a registration store can be added thereto to modify the existing path or establish a new path.

Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing a second embodiment of a method according to the present invention. The recommended route provision method according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 first receives route attribute information from a user terminal together with a starting point and a destination within a predetermined area (S200). The route attribute information may include route movement means (e.g., walking, car, bicycle, etc.), route movement purpose (e.g., shopping, hiking, trekking, etc.), desired travel time (e.g., hiking route within 2 hours round trip), whether it is indoors/outdoors, route terrain (e.g., flat ground, gentle hiking trail, etc.), etc.

Thereafter, at least one of the shortest path and the shortest time path connecting the starting point and the destination is extracted (S210). Next, one or more registered stores located within a predetermined area are extracted (S220).

Afterwards, recommended stores are extracted based on the attribute information and path attribute of the registered store (S230). Recommended stores are selected based on the attribute information of the registered store and the path attribute received from the user terminal. In other words, the grade or industry of the registered store can be checked through the attribute information of the registered store, and only registered stores of a certain grade or higher can be extracted, or only registered stores belonging to a certain industry can be selected as recommended stores according to the user's movement purpose (e.g., clothing shopping).

Thereafter, based on the attribute information of the recommended store, it is determined whether the recommended store is located on a path (shortest path or minimum time path) (S240). The attribute information of the registered store used at this time may be location information.

If the recommended store is located on a path (shortest path or shortest time path) (S240-YES), the path is created as a recommended path (S250). Afterwards, a point on the recommended path where AR content is to be placed is selected (S270), and the AR content is placed at the selected point (S280).

If the recommended store is not located on the path (shortest path or minimum time path) (S240-NO), the path is modified to include the location of the recommended store and a recommended path is generated (S260). Thereafter, a point on the recommended path where AR content is to be placed is selected (S270), and the AR content is placed at the selected point (S280).

Figure 9 is a diagram for explaining the determination and provision method of AR content and rewards in the method according to the present invention. AR content and rewards for the AR content placed on the recommended route can be selected based on the property information (location, industry, grade, etc.) of the registered store and/or the property of the route (travel purpose, etc.). Through this, AR content and rewards suitable for the user's travel purpose can be provided to the user.

Determination of AR content and rewards begins with selecting AR content based on the attribute information of the registered store (S300). Thereafter, attribute information of rewards for AR content is determined based on the attribute information of the registered store (S310).

Accordingly, AR content has reward information. The reward of AR content is a benefit transmitted to the user terminal in return for viewing the AR content when the user activates (e.g., displays) the AR content through the user terminal.

The step of selecting AR content (S300) may include a step of categorizing a plurality of AR contents (not shown), a step of determining one AR content among the plurality of AR contents categorized based on attribute information of the registered store (not shown), and a step of placing the determined one AR content at an arbitrary point on the recommended path (not shown).

In addition, the step (S310) of determining attribute information of a reward may include a step (not shown) of categorizing multiple rewards provided by one or more reward providers, a step (not shown) of determining one reward among the multiple rewards categorized based on attribute information of a registration store, and a step (not shown) of corresponding the determined one reward to AR content.

The AR content and rewards connected in this way are arranged on the recommended path (S320), and the user can check the recommended path and AR content through the user terminal. When the user activates the AR content using the user terminal, the server receives an AR content activation signal (S330) and transmits a reward having the attribute information determined in the manner described above to the user terminal (S340).

Fig. 10 is a flow chart showing a third embodiment of a method according to the present invention. The recommended route provision method according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 10 first receives information on a starting point and a destination within a predetermined area from a user terminal (S400). Then, at least one of the shortest paths and the shortest time paths connecting the starting point and the destination is extracted (S410), and one or more registration stores located within the predetermined area are extracted (S420).

Next, traffic information for the location of each registered store is extracted (S430). Traffic information can be provided from various traffic information provision platforms as traffic information by time zone, day, month, year, and season.

When traffic volume information is extracted, the registered stores are sorted in order of lowest traffic volume, and the top N registered stores are extracted as recommended stores (S440).

Thereafter, based on the attribute information of the recommended store, it is determined whether the recommended store is located on a path (shortest path or minimum time path) (S450). The attribute information of the registered store used at this time may be location information.

If the recommended store is located on a path (shortest path or shortest time path) (S450-YES), the path is created as a recommended path (S460). Afterwards, a point on the recommended path where AR content is to be placed is selected (S480), and the AR content is placed at the selected point (S490).

If the recommended store is not located on the path (shortest path or minimum time path) (S450-NO), the path is modified to include the location of the recommended store and a recommended path is generated (S470). Thereafter, a point on the recommended path where AR content is to be placed is selected (S480), and the AR content is placed at the selected point (S490).

The third embodiment described above has the technical effect of activating commercial areas in areas with low traffic volume or attracting vehicles to bypass congested routes.

Fig. 11 is a flow chart showing a fourth embodiment of a method according to the present invention. The recommended route provision method according to the embodiment shown in Fig. 11 first receives a starting point and a destination within a predetermined area from a user terminal (S500). Then, at least one of the shortest paths and the shortest time paths connecting the starting point and the destination is extracted (S510). Extraction of the shortest path or the shortest time path can utilize various route search algorithms such as the conventional A* algorithm as described above.

Next, one or more registered stores located within a given area are extracted (S520), and a route recommendation score is calculated by assigning weights according to the attribute information of the registered stores (S530).

At this time, the weight may vary depending on the attribute information of the registered store, such as the grade information and industry information. If multiple stores are located in a given area or space, the registered store must first be selected to determine the location (point) for generating the recommended path. At this time, in the process of selecting the registered store (recommended store) to be actually used for extracting the recommended path among the registered stores, the weight according to the grade or industry of the registered store can be used.

The present invention calculates a recommended store based on the route recommendation score (Sc) of the registered store calculated based on the weight. In addition to the weight, road proximity, accessibility between points (adjacency of registered stores), store industry similarity, etc. can be used to calculate the route recommendation score (Sc). Specifically, the route recommendation score (Sc) can be calculated by the following formula.

(Sc: route recommendation score, a, b, c, d: constants, Ms: weight, Ns: road proximity, As: accessibility between points, Ts: store industry similarity)

Weight (Ms) refers to the weight of points according to store level. The higher the store level, the higher the weight is given, and the lower the store level, the lower the weight is given. The constant (a) multiplied by the weight (Ms) can be set in various ways. If you want to apply the same weight regardless of the member level, the constant (a) can be set to 0.

Road adjacency (Ns) indicates the degree of adjacency of a point to a road. The constant (b) multiplied by road adjacency (Ns) can be set in various ways. If the path attribute input by the user is 'indoor', the constant (b) can be set to 0.

Accessibility between points (As) refers to how many points are located around. Accessibility between points (As) can vary depending on the number of points located within a given distance. The more points are located around, the larger it can be, and the smaller it can be when there are fewer points. Accessibility between points (As) can refer to how many stores are included within the same area. The constant (c) multiplied by Accessibility between points (As) can be set in various ways. If the route attribute input by the user is 'walking', the constant (c) is set high so that points with a large number of stores that can be passed through on foot can be included in the recommended route.

The store industry similarity (Ts) refers to the relevance of the path attribute (e.g., clothing shopping path) input by the user and the store. The store industry similarity (Ts) may increase as the relevance between the store industry and 'clothing' increases, and may decrease as the relevance decreases. The constant (d) multiplied by the store industry similarity (Ts) may be set in various ways. If a recommended path is to be generated regardless of the store industry, the constant (d) may be set to 0. In addition, if a path attribute related to the movement purpose is input from the user terminal, the constant (d) may be set high so that a recommended path may be generated based on a point corresponding to a store having a high relevance to the movement purpose (e.g., clothing shopping).

At this time, the store industry similarity (Ts) can be replaced with the service provider industry similarity (Ts'). The service provider industry similarity (Ts') refers to the relevance between the path attribute (e.g., clothing shopping path) input by the user and the service provider. The service provider industry similarity (Ts') can increase as the relevance between the service provider's industry and 'clothing' increases, and can decrease as the relevance decreases. The constant (d) multiplied by the service provider's industry similarity (Ts') can be set in various ways. If it is desired to generate a recommended path regardless of the service provider's industry, the constant (d) can be set to 0. In addition, if a path attribute related to the purpose of movement is input from a smart device, the constant (d) can be set high so that a recommended path can be generated based on a point corresponding to a service provider (e.g., a temple) with a high relevance to the purpose of movement (e.g., tourism).

In the present invention, the weights used in the route recommendation score may include only the variables of the weight (Ms) of [Mathematical Formula 1], or may further include at least one variable among road proximity (Ns), accessibility between points (As), and similarity of service provider industries (Ts).

Thereafter, a recommended store is selected based on the route recommendation score (S540), and it is determined whether the recommended store is located on the route (shortest route or minimum time route) (S550).

If the recommended store is located on a path (shortest path or shortest time path) (S550-YES), the path is created as a recommended path (S560). Afterwards, a point on the recommended path where AR content is to be placed is selected (S570), and the AR content is placed at the selected point (S580).

If the recommended store is not located on the path (shortest path or minimum time path) (S550-NO), the path is modified to include the location of the recommended store and a recommended path is generated (S570). Thereafter, a point on the recommended path where AR content is to be placed is selected (S580), and the AR content is placed at the selected point (S590).

Figures 12 to 15 are drawings for explaining a method for selecting points on a recommended path where AR content is to be placed in a method according to the present invention. As mentioned above, the method according to the present invention selects a plurality of points where AR content is to be placed based on attribute information of a store.

As shown in Fig. 12, a plurality of points may be located within a predetermined radius from the coordinates of the store. Before that, a registration store that serves as a criterion for selecting a plurality of points is selected, which may also be based on the attribute information of the store (e.g., industry, grade, etc.). For example, when a user moves for the purpose of shopping for clothing, a store belonging to the clothing industry may be selected, and then a plurality of points may be selected based on the location of the store. At this time, the plurality of points may be located within a predetermined radius from the coordinates of the store, but the area in which the coordinates may be placed may be limited depending on the user's means of transportation. For example, when the user's means of transportation is a car, the locations of the plurality of points may be limited to within a roadway. When the user's means of transportation is walking, the locations of the plurality of points may be limited to an area excluding a roadway. The user's means of transportation and the purpose of transportation may be determined based on the route attributes input by the user.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, multiple points may be located within a predetermined radius from the coordinates of the store. In FIG. 13, four points (P1 to P4) are selected on a road within a radius of 10 m from the store (S), but the size of the radius and the number of points may be different. Thereafter, a path (R-R') connecting the four points (P1 to P4) is generated, and the path may be overlapped on the map and displayed on the user terminal.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 14, a plurality of points may be located at the middle points of the stores. In FIG. 14, the first point (P5) is illustrated as being selected between the first store (S5) and the second store (S6), the second point (P6) is illustrated as being selected between the second store (S6) and the third store (S7), and the third point (P7) is illustrated as being selected between the third store (S7) and the fourth store (S8), but the number of points may be different. Thereafter, a path (R-R') connecting the three points (P5 to P7) is generated, and the path may be displayed on the user terminal while overlapping on the map. This applies to cases where the grades of a plurality of stores are the same, and when the grades of the stores are different, a point may be selected closer to a store with a higher grade rather than at the middle point.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, the positions of points (P1 to P7) may be included as attribute information of AR content. That is, AR content is placed at the position of the corresponding point, and when the user terminal is adjacent to or coincides with the position of the corresponding point, the AR content is displayed on the user terminal, and a reward for the AR content may be transmitted to the user terminal. In the case of a car driving on a road, the user terminal may be a navigation system, a HUD, or a smartphone mounted in the car.

Meanwhile, in another embodiment, selection of points may be made by comparing attribute information of multiple stores. That is, the step of selecting multiple points may include a step of determining whether two or more stores are located within a given area (not shown), a step of comparing attribute information of two or more stores (not shown), and a step of determining the location of the point based on the result of the comparison of attribute information (not shown). At this time, the attribute information of the store that is mainly used may be grade information. For example, if two or more stores are located within a given area, the grades of the stores may be compared, and points may be selected based on the location of the store with the higher grade. That is, since the location of the point is determined based on the grade of the store, a route may be created that preferentially passes through a store (member) that has paid a high membership fee.

The method according to the present invention can be performed in a virtual world. That is, the predetermined area is a region within an online virtual world, and one or more stores can be virtual stores placed within the virtual world. In a virtual world such as a metaverse, the AR content can be placed at coordinates in a virtual reality where multiple points are located, and the AR content can be displayed along with the generated path.

That is, the method according to the present invention may include the steps of receiving a starting point and a destination within a predetermined area within a virtual world, extracting at least one of a shortest path and a minimum time path connecting the starting point and the destination, extracting one or more virtual registration stores located within the predetermined area, determining whether the virtual registration store is located on the path based on attribute information of the virtual registration store; if the virtual registration store is not located on the path, modifying the path to include the location of the virtual registration store to generate a recommended path, selecting one or more points on the recommended path at which AR content is to be placed, and placing the AR content on the one or more points.

Fig. 16 is a flow chart explaining a method of linking location information of a point to AR content in a method according to the present invention. One or more points located on a map are linked to content to be augmented. Various AR contents may be collected and stored in advance, or may be received in real time from an external server. AR contents may be contents for various purposes, such as contents for advertising purposes, contents for providing information, etc., and encompass all forms of information that can be implemented as augmented reality, such as text, images, videos, and audio.

As shown in (a) of Fig. 16, in order to connect the location information of the point and the AR content, a point where the AR content is to be placed is first selected. The point can be selected based on the attribute information of the registration store. That is, a recommended route is generated based on the attribute information (location) of the registration store, and a point is selected at a predetermined location on the recommended route based on the attribute information (location) of the registration store. The selection of the point is as described with reference to Figs. 12 to 15. Thereafter, as shown in (b) of Fig. 16, the location information of the point is extracted. Although one point is shown in the drawing, two or more points may be selected and the location information for them may be extracted. The location information of the point may be coordinate information (latitude and longitude information) in real space, GPS information, or 3D coordinate information (x, y, z) in virtual space. In the case of 3D coordinate information in virtual space, it may further include information for identifying the virtual space, such as Internet address information (URL). The 3D coordinate information in the virtual space can be configured at various levels depending on the mapping precision. For example, in a high-precision map, it can be subdivided into mm (millimeters) and cm (centimeters). A unique coordinate value is assigned to each subdivided location coordinate of the 3D map (each point to be mapped), and the corresponding location can be utilized as a space (location) to which AR content can be connected. In addition, point clouds can be grouped into preset units and each grouped unit can be assigned a unique coordinate value. For example, mapping points can be grouped into predetermined units (e.g., 1 cm units) and each group can be assigned a unique coordinate value. In addition, in an environment where the actual space is constructed as a 3D map, it is possible to assign a unique coordinate value to each location coordinate in advance and have the user select a specific location on the 3D map to create a virtual space at that location. In this way, AR content can be placed at a specific location in the virtual space, not the actual space. Finally, as shown in (c) of Fig. 16, the location information of the point can be connected to the AR content. In this way, AR content includes attribute information related to the position in which it is placed.

After the AR content is placed at a predetermined location, when the user terminal reaches the location ((d) and (e) of FIG. 16), the AR content can be displayed on the user terminal ((f) of FIG. 16). The location of the user terminal can be detected in real time by a GPS module equipped in the user terminal, and based on the detected location information of the user terminal and the location information included in the AR content, if the location of the user terminal and the AR content is within a predetermined distance, the user can check the AR content through the user terminal. The AR content can be activated in various ways. For example, the AR content can be activated in a way that the AR content is immediately displayed on the user terminal when a predetermined condition (such as when the distance between the user terminal and the AR content is within a preset distance) is satisfied, or the AR content can be activated in a way that the AR content is displayed on the user terminal when the predetermined condition is satisfied and an operation signal of the user terminal (e.g., touching an activation button) is generated.

Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating a method of displaying AR content according to the present invention.

The method according to the present invention can express AR content in various ways. Providing AR content may include a step (S600) of extracting a map of a predetermined area where a recommended route is to be generated, a step (S610) of overlapping the recommended route generated in the above-described manner on the map and displaying it, a step (S620) of selecting a symbol for AR content based on at least one of attribute information of the AR content and attribute information of a reward for the AR content, and a step (S630) of displaying the selected symbol at a corresponding point on the map. That is, AR content may be displayed on a user terminal by varying icons, colors, sizes, texts, etc. depending on the category of the reward or AR content. Accordingly, the attribute information of the AR content and/or the attribute information of the reward may include attribute information related to icons, colors, sizes, texts, etc.

Fig. 18 is a conceptual diagram showing the on/offline cross-use of the reward provided in the method according to the present invention. The recommended route provided to the user in the present invention may be an offline real route, but may also be an online route. That is, it may be a route displayed with a map in a virtual world such as a metaverse. That is, the area where the route is generated corresponds to an offline area or an online virtual reality area, and the store corresponds to an offline real store or an online virtual store.

The attribute information of the reward provided to the user offline may include the owner information of the user terminal and the account information in virtual reality. The reward provided in the present invention may be provided so that it can be cross-used in an offline store and an online virtual store based on the owner information and the account information.

For example, the attribute information of the reward can be used to provide rewards that can be used in the real world (offline), and by performing missions (achieving attribute information change conditions), rewards with attribute information that can be used in the virtual world (online) can be provided, thereby promoting the participation of online users.

The condition for changing the attribute information of the reward may be the activation ratio of the AR contents arranged on the recommended route. That is, the attribute information may be changed according to the activation ratio of the AR contents arranged on the recommended route while the user moves along the recommended route, and a reward having the corresponding attribute information may be provided to the user. For example, if one route (R-R') is displayed on the map and a total of 6 AR contents (AR1 to AR6) are arranged on the route (R-R'), and if the user moves from point R to point R' while carrying the user terminal and activates 5 AR contents (AR1 to AR5), the activation ratio becomes 83%. If the condition for changing the attribute information of the reward is set to 'activation ratio 70% or higher', it is determined that the user's mission has been achieved, that is, the first attribute information change condition of the reward has been satisfied, and a reward having the changed attribute information may be provided to the user. If the activation rate is 60% or higher, the changed attribute information is a 1+1 voucher. If the activation rate is 70% or higher, the changed attribute information is a 1+2 voucher. If the activation rate is 80% or higher, the changed attribute information is a 1+3 voucher. Depending on the activation rate, differentiated rewards can be generated and retransmitted to the user terminal.

The condition for changing the attribute information of the reward may be whether the recommended route has been completed. If the location of the user terminal has moved from the starting point (R) of the route to the destination point (R'), a reward with changed attribute information can be provided to the user.

The condition for changing the attribute information of the reward may be the use status or the use completion ratio of multiple recommended routes. The attribute information of the reward may be changed according to the ratio of the recommended routes used by the user among the multiple recommended routes generated within a given area, and a reward having the changed attribute information may be provided to the user. The use of the recommended route may be determined by tracking the location of the user terminal, or may be determined according to whether the AR content arranged on the recommended route is activated. The server determines the total use ratio of the recommended route based on at least one of the AR content activation signal received from the user terminal or the location information of the user terminal, and if the total use ratio of the recommended route is equal to or greater than a given ratio (e.g., 70%), it may generate a reward having the changed attribute information and transmit it to the user terminal. At this time, the attribute information of the reward may be changed differently based on the use status or the use completion ratio of the multiple recommended routes. For example, in the case of a reward that is a basic 10% discount coupon, if the usage ratio for the total route is 70% or higher, the attribute information can be changed to a 20% discount coupon, if the usage ratio for the total route is 80% or higher, the attribute information can be changed to a 25% discount coupon, and if the usage ratio for the total route is 90% or higher, the attribute information can be changed to a 30% discount coupon. In other words, rewards (big rewards) with different attribute information can be generated and retransmitted to the user terminal depending on the usage ratio for the total recommended route.

The attribute information of the reward may include whether it can be used offline. In the case where rewards that can be used in the metaverse are provided through activities in the real world as described above, online users can perform various activities to obtain rewards in the real world for activities such as purchasing products in the metaverse. Activities in the metaverse may include online product trading, obtaining avatar decoration items, obtaining game money, and purchasing various game items.

A device performing a method according to the present invention may include components such as a processor, a storage unit, and a communication unit.

The processor performs the recommended route providing method described above. That is, the processor performs functions such as extracting the shortest route/least time route of the reward, extracting the registered store, determining whether the registered store is located on the shortest route/least time route, generating the recommended route, determining/changing/updating the attribute information, determining whether the reward change condition is satisfied, setting the reward change condition, extracting the attribute information of the store, extracting the map of the target area, selecting the point, selecting the recommended point, extracting the GPS coordinates of the point, generating the route, generating and arranging AR content, setting the reward, connecting the AR content and the reward, generating the recommended route, and synthesizing the map and the route.

The processor can read a computer program stored in a storage unit and perform a method according to the present invention. The processor (510) can be composed of one or more cores and can be implemented as a central processing unit (CPU), a general purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), etc. of a computing device.

The storage unit stores various attribute information. The various attribute information may be, but is not limited to, user information, region information, AR content information, reward information, and route information. The storage unit may store AR content information and reward information by categorizing them. In addition, the storage unit may record a computer program command for performing a method according to the present invention, which may be read by a processor.

The communication unit is connected to external devices and external servers wirelessly and transmits and receives various signals and data. The communication unit receives various information (starting point, destination, area information, route attribute information, etc.) from the user terminal. Here, the external device can be a smartphone, tablet PC, navigation, smartwatch, etc. In addition, the external device may be implemented as a mobile phone, a video phone, an e-book reader, a laptop personal computer, a netbook computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a wearable device (e.g., smart glasses, a head-mounted-device (HMD), a smart mirror, a kiosk, etc.). The communication unit performs data transmission and reception with a smartphone, a smartwatch, a navigation system, etc. through a wired communication network or a wireless communication network. At this time, the wired communication network may include a wired communication network using a wired cable such as a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) or a universal serial bus (USB), but is not limited thereto. The wireless communication network may include Z-wave, zigbee, wifi, Bluetooth (ble), LTE-M, LoRa (long Range), narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), It may include a short-range wireless communication network such as Infrared Data Association (IrDA). In addition, the wireless communication network may include, but is not limited to, a 2G mobile communication network such as Wireless LAN (WLAN), Wireless Broadband (Wibro), Wifi (wireless fidelity), WiMax (world interoperability for microwave access), GSM (global system for mobile communication) or CDMA (code division multiple access), a 3G mobile communication network such as WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) or CDMA2000, a 3.5G mobile communication network such as HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access) or HSUPA (high speed uplink packet access), and a 4G, 5G, or 6G mobile communication network such as LTE (long term evolution) or LTE-Advanced.

The method according to the present invention may be implemented in the form of program commands that can be executed through various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable recording medium may include program commands, data files, data structures, etc., alone or in combination. The program commands recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and configured for the present invention or may be those known to and usable by those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program commands such as ROMs, RAMs, flash memories, etc. Examples of the program commands include not only machine language codes generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc. The hardware devices described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the present invention, and vice versa.

In addition, the present invention can be implemented in various devices such as a smartphone, a navigation system, an autonomous vehicle, a wearable device, an HMD, etc., which include a recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the above-described method.

Fig. 19 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a smart device according to the present invention. A smart device (1000) according to the present invention includes a controller (1100), a location determination unit (1200), a basic route generation unit (1300), a recommended route generation unit (1400), an AR content setting unit (1500), a reward provision unit (1600), a touch screen (1700), a storage unit (1800), and a communication unit (1900). However, in other embodiments, two or more configurations may be integrated into one configuration, or one configuration may be functionally separated and implemented as two or more configurations. In addition, other configurations not shown in Fig. 19 may be further included.

The controller (1100) controls the overall configuration of the smart device according to the present invention. The controller (1100) may be a processor that reads a computer program stored in a storage unit and performs the information providing method according to the present invention. The controller (1100) may be composed of one or more cores, and may be implemented as a central processing unit (CPU), a general purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), etc. of a computing device, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the controller (1100) may drive the AR engine described above to display various types of information, such as recommended routes and AR contents, on the touch screen (1700) on the smart device.

The location determination unit (1200) measures the current location of the smart device (1000). The location determination unit (1200) may include a GPS (Global Positioning System) module. In addition, the location determination unit (1200) may include a VPS (Visual Positioning Service) module that obtains the three-dimensional location of the user terminal through three-dimensional space map-based vision image recognition. The location determination unit (1200) detects indoor/outdoor location information of the smart device (1000) in real time using the GPS module and/or the VPS module.

The basic route generation unit (1300) generates a basic route based on the starting point and destination information input by the user. The basic route may be a shortest route, a minimum time route, a free priority route, a highway priority route, etc. The basic route generation unit (1300) may be obtained through an external traffic information provision platform, a path finding platform, etc., but may also be extracted independently using a route search algorithm such as A* (A*).

Unlike Dijkstra's algorithm, which only specifies a starting node and finds the shortest path to all other nodes, the A* algorithm clearly specifies a starting node and a destination node and finds the shortest path between these two nodes. The A* algorithm can improve the algorithm through heuristic estimates, and the speed of the shortest path search can be determined depending on the method of providing these heuristic estimates. Free priority routes can be searched using nodes located on toll-free roads, and highway priority routes can be searched using nodes located on highways.

The recommended route generation unit (1400) generates a recommended route based on information on a service provider providing at least one of AR content and rewards, and the departure and destination information. That is, it may be location information, rating information, etc. of the service provider.

The recommended route generation unit (1400) determines whether the location of the service provider is included in the basic route based on the service provider information (location information) for the reward, and if the location of the service provider is not included in the basic route, the location of the service provider is selected as a recommended point, and a route including the recommended point can be generated as a recommended route. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 28.

In addition, the recommended route generation unit (1400) can extract traffic volume information of the area where the service provider is located, select the location of one or more service providers with low traffic volume as a recommended point, and then generate a route including the recommended point as a recommended route. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 29.

In addition, the recommended route generation unit (1400) calculates a route recommendation score by assigning a weight based on at least one of the service provider's grade and industry, selects the location of one or more service providers with high route recommendation scores as a recommendation point, and then generates a route including the recommendation point as the recommended route. This will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 30.

The AR content setting unit (1500) places one or more AR contents on the recommended route generated by the recommended route generation unit (1400). At this time, the AR content setting unit (1500) can select AR contents to be placed on the recommended route based on route properties (e.g., user's movement purpose), service provider information, etc. In addition, the AR content setting unit (1500) can select a symbol for the AR contents based on at least one of property information of the AR contents, property information of a reward for the AR contents, and service provider information. That is, the icon, color, size, text, etc. representing the AR contents can be set differently depending on which category the AR contents belong to, which category the reward belongs to, and who the service provider is.

Meanwhile, with regard to selecting a point on the recommended route where AR content is placed, the AR content setting unit (1500) may select a location within a predetermined radius based on the location of the service provider as a point. In addition, the AR content setting unit (1500) may select a midpoint between the locations of two adjacent service providers as a point. Of course, this may be modified to select an appropriate point among the locations of two adjacent service providers according to the level of the service provider as a point. For example, if a high-level and a low-level service provider are adjacent, the point may be located closer to the high-level service provider.

The reward provision unit (1600) selects a reward to be provided to the user, or in other words, transmitted to the user terminal, when AR content is activated. Then, the corresponding reward can be generated according to the activation signal of the AR content and various attribute information of the reward can be stored in the storage unit (1800).

Here, information about AR content or rewards can be received from an external server. That is, a plurality of AR content and rewards can be received from an external server and stored in the storage (1800). The AR content setting unit (1500) can appropriately arrange a plurality of AR content received from an external server on a recommended path. In addition, a plurality of rewards received from an external server can be stored in the storage (1800) in an inactive state and converted to an active state when the AR content is activated. In another embodiment, the reward providing unit (1600) can transmit an activation signal of the AR content to an external server through the communication unit (1900) when the AR content is activated, receive a reward from the external server, and then store it in the storage (1800).

The touch screen (1700) can function as a display unit that displays various types of information. The touch screen (1700) displays at least one of a basic route, a recommended route, local information located on the recommended route, AR content information placed on the recommended route, and the reward information. At this time, the local information located on the recommended route may be tourist attraction information, landmark information, or store information. That is, a service provider that provides rewards provides rewards in exchange for viewing information that it wants to advertise, and attracts users to a location where an object (e.g., a tourist attraction) that it wants to advertise is located by providing a recommended route that includes AR content.

Additionally, the touch screen (1700) may display navigation options for AR content recommendation paths, selection options related to AR content (e.g., selection options for whether to activate, selection options for AR content display method, etc.), selection options related to rewards (options for viewing reward status, options for sending rewards, etc.).

The touch screen (1700) can function as an input unit that receives user input. The touch screen (1700) receives selection signals for selection options related to AR content (e.g., selection options for whether to activate, selection options for AR content display method, etc.), selection options related to rewards (option to view reward status, option to send reward, etc.).

In another embodiment, the touchscreen (1700) may be configured to be separated into a display unit and an input unit. At this time, the display unit may be a central information display (CID), a cluster, an RSE (Rear Seat Entertainment), a HUD (Head Up Display), a room mirror display, etc., and may be formed of a transparent or opaque OLED panel or LCD panel. The input unit may be a mechanical input device such as a button or a wheel, or an electronic input device such as a touchpad or a touch knob.

The storage unit (1800) can store part or all of the attribute information shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In addition, the storage unit (1800) can store rewards obtained through activation of AR content. The storage unit (1800) can record a program for executing the information provision method described below, and can store an AR engine for displaying AR content on a map. In addition, the storage unit (1800) can store various types of regional information located on a recommended route in the form of AR content, and the regional information can be tourist attraction information, landmark information, store information, etc.

The communication unit (1900) has a function of transmitting and receiving various data with a server that performs an information provision method according to the present invention. In addition, the communication unit (1900) can transmit and receive various data with an external server or platform, for example, a platform that provides various geographical information such as maps, a platform that provides weather information, a traffic information provision platform, a path-finding platform, etc.

The communication unit (1900) performs data transmission and reception through the above-described server or platform and wired/wireless communication networks. At this time, the wired communication network may include a wired communication network using a wired cable such as HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) or USB (universal serial bus), but is not limited thereto. The wireless communication network may include a short-range wireless communication network such as Z-wave, zigbee, wifi, bluetooth (ble), LTE-M, LoRa (long Range), narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), and infrared communication (Infrared Data Association, IrDA). In addition, the wireless communication network may include, but is not limited to, a 2G mobile communication network such as Wireless LAN (WLAN), Wireless Broadband (Wibro), Wifi (wireless fidelity), WiMax (world interoperability for microwave access), GSM (global system for mobile communication) or CDMA (code division multiple access), a 3G mobile communication network such as WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) or CDMA2000, a 3.5G mobile communication network such as HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access) or HSUPA (high speed uplink packet access), or a 4G, 5G, or 6G mobile communication network such as LTE (long term evolution) or LTE-Advanced.

Fig. 20 illustrates a menu screen among the display items of a smart device according to the present invention. As illustrated in Fig. 20, the smart device according to the present invention displays menus such as route search, route cancellation, route re-search, and route information on a touch screen (1700), similar to conventional navigation and route finding applications.

In addition, the smart device according to the present invention displays a navigation option menu, an AR content activation menu, a reward storage menu, etc., which are differentiated from conventional navigation, on the touch screen (1700).

Figure 21 illustrates the AR content recommendation route search option setting among the display items of a smart device according to the present invention. That is, the touch screen (1700) displays the AR content recommendation route search option along with the shortest route, the shortest time route, the lowest cost route, the highway priority route, etc. as search options.

When a user touches an area where an AR content recommendation route is displayed, an AR content recommendation route selection signal is generated, and based on this, a recommendation route is generated based on the service provider information, departure information, and destination information that provide at least one of the AR content and the reward for the AR content as described above, and the AR content recommendation route is displayed on the touch screen (1700). In addition, one or more AR contents may be displayed on the AR content recommendation route.

Fig. 22 illustrates the setting of the AR content activation method among the display items of the smart device according to the present invention. That is, the touch screen (1700) displays an AR content activation menu and can receive a mode selection input from the user regarding whether to automatically activate the AR content (automatic activation mode) or manually activate the AR content (manual activation mode).

Touchscreen operation in a vehicle carries a risk of traffic accidents. Considering this, the present invention provides an automatic activation mode for AR content. In the automatic activation mode, when a smart device in a vehicle matches or approaches (e.g., within 5 m) the placement point of the AR content, the AR content can be automatically activated. At this time, the activation of the AR content can be the display of the AR content on all or part of the touchscreen, the display of the AR content on a separate display (e.g., HUD), or the transmission of the AR content through a speaker. When the AR content is activated, a reward related to the AR content can be generated, received, or activated and stored in the storage unit (1800).

Conversely, when the AR content is set to manual activation mode, the AR content is not immediately activated even if the smart device in the vehicle matches or approaches (e.g., within 5 m) the placement point of the AR content. When a user input (e.g., touching the AR content symbol) is received through an input unit such as a touch screen (1700), the AR content is activated and a reward associated therewith may be generated, received, or activated and stored in the storage unit (1800).

In another embodiment, the moving speed of the smart device can be determined, and if the moving speed is greater than a preset speed (e.g., 30 km/h), the AR content can be converted into an audio signal and transmitted through the speaker. This is in consideration of the risk of accidents caused by the driver's attention being distracted when AR content is displayed.

To this end, the smart device according to the present invention may further include a speed determination unit (not shown) that determines the moving speed of the smart device, a data conversion unit (not shown) that converts AR content into an audio signal if the moving speed is higher than a preset speed, and a speaker unit (not shown) that transmits the audio signal. If the smart device according to the present invention is a smartphone or the like, it is possible to calculate the speed based on GPS information. In addition, if the smart device is a navigation system or HUD installed in a vehicle, the speed determination unit (not shown) may be connected to an ECU (Electric Control Unit) and a CAN (Controller Area Network) to extract speed information.

Fig. 23 illustrates the setting of the AR content display method among the display items of the smart device according to the present invention. If the user selects the AR content display option, the AR content symbol is displayed at the AR content placement point on the recommended route. Conversely, if the user selects the AR content hiding option, the AR content symbol is not displayed at the AR content placement point on the recommended route. This is because the display of the AR content may interfere with the recognition of the recommended route, and if the AR content activation method is selected as the automatic activation mode, there is no need to display the AR content symbol on the map.

When a user activates AR content while using the AR content recommendation route, a corresponding reward can be transmitted to a smart device or a user terminal connected thereto. Rewards transmitted to a smart device, rewards generated on a smart device, or rewards activated on a smart device have the creation date and content as attribute information, as illustrated in FIG. 24, and various rewards are displayed on a touch screen (1700). For example, the reward can be Hi-pass points. Hi-pass points provided as a reward can be transmitted to a Hi-pass terminal and used when driving on a highway.

When a user activates AR content while using the AR content recommendation route, the corresponding reward is stored in the smart device, and the stored reward can be transmitted to a device registered by the user. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 25, when one or more rewards among a plurality of rewards are selected and a transmission button is pressed, the smart device can transmit the selected reward to an external device through the communication unit (1900). The external device may be the user's smartphone, etc. Accordingly, the reward provided in the present invention is not limited to points that can be used on the road, and may be coupons, discount coupons, and products that can be used in various places such as cafes and stores.

Meanwhile, the selection of the point where AR content displayed on the smart device is placed is

As described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 15, but again, as illustrated in FIG. 12, a plurality of points may be located within a predetermined radius from the location (coordinates) of the service provider. Before that, a selection of a service provider that serves as a criterion for selecting a plurality of points may be performed in advance, and this may also be based on attribute information (e.g., industry, level, etc.) of the service provider. For example, when a user moves for the purpose of tourism, a service provider (e.g., tourism foundation) related to a tourist destination may be selected, and then a plurality of points may be selected based on the location of the service provider (in this case, it may correspond to the location of the 'tourist destination'). That is, when the service provider is a store, a recommended route is selected to attract the user to the store, so the location of the service provider may be set to the location of the store, and when the service provider is a tourism foundation, a recommended route is selected to attract the user to the tourist destination it manages, so the location of the service provider may be set to the location of the tourist destination.

At this time, multiple points can be located within a certain radius from the coordinates of the service provider, but the area where the coordinates can be placed can be limited depending on the user's means of transportation. For example, if the user's means of transportation is a car, the locations of multiple points can be limited to within the car road. If the user's means of transportation is walking, the locations of multiple points can be limited to an area excluding the car road. The user's means of transportation and the purpose of transportation can be determined based on the route attribute input by the user.

As shown in Fig. 13, multiple points can be located within a predetermined radius from the coordinates of the service provider. In Fig. 13, four points (P1 to P4) are selected on a road within a 10m radius from the service provider (S), but the size of the radius and the number of points may be different. Thereafter, a route using the four points (P1 to P4) and the starting point and destination as nodes is generated as a recommended route, and the route can be overlapped on the map and displayed on a smart device.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 14, points may be located at intermediate points of multiple adjacent service providers. In FIG. 14, the first point (P5) is illustrated as being selected between the first service provider (S5) and the second second service provider (S6), the second point (P6) is illustrated as being selected between the second service provider (S6) and the third service provider (S7), and the third point (P7) is illustrated as being selected between the third service provider (S7) and the fourth service provider (S8), but the number of points may be different. Thereafter, a route (R-R') with the three points (P5 to P7) and the starting point and the destination as nodes is generated as a recommended route, and the route may be overlapped on the map and displayed on the smart device. This applies to cases where the grades of multiple stores are the same, and when the grades of the stores are different, a point may be selected closer to a store with a higher grade rather than an intermediate point.

As illustrated in Fig. 15, the positions of points (P1 to P7) can be included as attribute information of AR content. That is, AR content is placed at the position of the corresponding point, and when a smart device is adjacent to or coincides with the position of the corresponding point, AR content is automatically or manually displayed on the touch screen, and a reward for the AR content can be generated and received.

Meanwhile, in another embodiment, selection of points may be made by comparing attribute information of multiple service providers. That is, the step of selecting multiple points may include a step of determining whether two or more service providers are located within a given area (not shown), a step of comparing attribute information of two or more service providers (not shown), and a step of determining the location of points based on the result of the comparison of attribute information (not shown). At this time, the attribute information of the service provider that is mainly used may be grade information. For example, when two or more service providers are located within a given area, the grades of the service providers may be compared, and points may be selected based on the location of the service provider with the higher grade. That is, since the location of the point is determined based on the grade of the service provider, a recommended route may be generated that preferentially passes through a service provider (member) that has paid a high membership fee.

Figure 26 is a flow chart showing another embodiment of a method according to the present invention. The information providing method according to the present invention can utilize a smart device. That is, a server providing the information providing method according to the present invention as a service can provide information in the manner described below by linking with a smart device, or can provide information in the manner described below within a smart device.

First, the current location, departure information, and destination information are received from the smart device (S2100). The current location of the smart device can be monitored in real time from a GPS module, VPS module, etc. In addition, the moving speed of the smart device can be calculated based on this.

Thereafter, a basic route is generated based on the departure information and destination information (S2110). The basic route may be provided as information acquired through an external traffic information providing platform, a route finding platform, etc., or information acquired independently using a route search algorithm such as A* (Astar) may be provided.

Thereafter, a recommended route is generated based on the service provider information providing at least one of the AR content and the reward for the AR content, the departure information, and the destination information (S2120). The generation of the recommended route is the same as or similar to the operation method of the recommended route generation unit (1400) of Fig. 19. Here, the service provider information used for the generation of the recommended route may be the location information of the service provider.

Specifically, in the path search algorithm, multiple nodes are set, and a path that optimally connects the nodes is derived as the optimal path. The location of the service provider can be set as a node that the path should include. Accordingly, a path derived based on the node corresponding to the starting point, the node corresponding to the location of the service provider, and the node corresponding to the destination can be provided as a recommended path.

Afterwards, AR content is placed at one or more points located on the recommended route (S2130). At this time, one or more points may be identical to the location of the service provider. Alternatively, the points may be set at a location a certain distance away from the service provider according to the service provider's rating information.

Next, it is determined whether the AR content is activated (S2150). When the AR content is activated by the smart device, an AR content activation signal is generated, and based on this, whether the AR content is activated can be determined.

When AR content is not activated (S2150-NO), AR content symbols, etc. are displayed on the map to ensure that the user is continuously aware of the location of the AR content.

When AR content is activated (S2150-YES), at least one of a recommended route, local information located on the recommended route, AR content information placed on the recommended route, reward information, and service provider information can be displayed on the smart device. In addition, a reward corresponding to the AR content is transmitted to the smart device (S2160).

Although not shown in Fig. 26, a step (not shown) of displaying an activation option for selecting an activation mode of AR content may be further included. At this time, the activation mode may include an automatic activation mode and a manual activation mode. This is as described with respect to Fig. 22.

In addition, a step (not shown) of displaying a display option for selecting whether to display at least one of the recommended route and the AR content on the smart device may be further included. This is as described with respect to FIG. 23. If the automatic activation mode of the AR content is selected, the AR content may be automatically activated when the location of the smart device is located at or close to the point where the AR content is placed. The activation of the AR content includes visual activation and auditory activation. The visual activation of the AR content may be the display of the AR content, the display of information related to the AR content (e.g., reward information, service provider information, local information). The auditory activation of the AR content may be the transmission of an audio signal for the AR content.

First, the current location, departure information, and destination information are received from the smart device (S2200). Then, a basic route is generated based on the departure information and the destination information (S2210), and a recommended route is generated based on the service provider information providing at least one of AR content and a reward for the AR content, the departure information, and the destination information (S2220), and then the AR content is placed on one or more points located on the recommended route (S2230). This is the same as steps S100 to S130 of FIG. 18.

Thereafter, the moving speed of the smart device is determined (S2240). If the moving speed of the smart device is less than a preset speed (e.g. 30 km/h) (S2240-NO), if the smart device matches or approaches the AR content placement point, the AR content is displayed or information related to the AR content (reward information, service provider information, regional information, etc.) is displayed (S2250).

If the moving speed of the smart device is higher than the preset speed (e.g. 30 km/h) (S2240-YES), it is impossible to visually confirm the smart device, so when the smart device matches or approaches the placement point of the AR content, the AR content is converted into an audio signal (S2260) and transmitted through the speaker (S2270). If the AR content is an audio signal, step S2260 is omitted.

That is, the present invention can visually or audibly activate AR content depending on the moving speed of the smart device. Through this, the risk of accidents for drivers can be reduced.

First, the current location, starting point information, and destination information are received from the smart device (S2300). Then, a basic route is generated based on the starting point information and destination information (S2310). The basic route may be, but is not limited to, a shortest route, a minimum time route, a free route, a highway priority route, etc.

Afterwards, it is determined whether the location of the service provider is included in the basic path (S2320). The service provider is an entity that provides rewards as compensation for viewing AR content, etc. If the service provider is a tourism management foundation, the location of the service provider may be the location of the tourism site or the office location of the management foundation. If the service provider is a cafe operator, the location of the service provider may be the location of the cafe. In other words, the location of the service provider may be arbitrarily set by the user when signing up for membership.

If the location of the service provider is included in the basic route (S2320-YES), the basic route can be created as a recommended route. In other words, if the location of the service provider providing the reward is already included in the basic route, there is no need to change the route and create a new recommended route because the user (service recipient) passes through that location.

If the location of the service provider is not included in the basic route (S2320-NO), the location of the service provider is selected as the recommended point (S2340). In this case, the service provider may be multiple entities, and accordingly, multiple recommended points may be selected.

A recommended route is generated based on the departure information, recommended points, and destination information (S2350). That is, the recommended points are reflected in the basic route and modified into a new route. The user (service beneficiary) can move along the recommended route and be lured to the location of the service provider.

When the recommended path is specified, a point on the recommended path where AR content is to be placed is selected (S2360). The point where AR content is to be placed may be the same as the recommended point above. In addition, the point where AR content is to be placed may be selected in various ways based on the locations of multiple service providers. Then, AR content is placed at the location of the selected point (S2370). The location of the point and the link of the AR content are as described above.

First, the current location, departure information, and destination information are received from the smart device (S2400). Then, a basic route is generated based on the departure information and destination information (S2410).

Next, the traffic volume information of the area where the service provider is located is extracted (S2420). The area where the service provider is located means the area within a predetermined radius centered on the location of the service provider. The predetermined radius can be set to various values such as 10m, 50m, and 100m. After that, multiple service providers are sorted based on the traffic volume information (S430). That is, the service providers can be sorted in order of areas with low traffic volume information. Conversely, the service providers can be sorted in order of areas with high traffic volume information.

Afterwards, one or more service providers with low traffic volume are selected, and the locations of the service providers(s) are selected as recommended points (S2440). Afterwards, a recommended route is generated based on the departure information, recommended points, and destination information (S2450). That is, the recommended points are reflected in the basic route and modified into a new route. The user (service beneficiary) can move along the recommended route and be attracted to the location of the service provider. Once the recommended route is specified, a point on the recommended route where AR content will be placed is selected (S2460), and the AR content is placed at the location of the selected point (S2370).

First, the current location, departure information, and destination information are received from the smart device (S2500). Then, a basic route is generated based on the departure information and destination information (S2510).

Next, the route recommendation score is calculated by assigning weights based on at least one of the service provider's grade and industry (S2520). Meanwhile, in addition to the weights, road proximity, accessibility between points (adjacency of registered stores), and similarity of service provider industries can be used to calculate the route recommendation score (Sc). Specifically, the route recommendation score (Sc) can be calculated by the above [Mathematical Formula 1].

Thereafter, a recommendation point is selected based on the route recommendation score (S2530). Specifically, the location of one or more service providers with high route recommendation scores can be selected as a recommendation point. At this time, a step of sorting the service providers in ascending or descending order based on the route recommendation score may be further included.

Afterwards, a recommended route is generated based on the departure information, recommended points, and destination information (S2540). That is, the recommended points are reflected in the basic route and modified into a new route. The user (service beneficiary) can move along the recommended route and be lured to the location of the service provider. Once the recommended route is specified, a point where AR content will be placed is selected on the recommended route (S2550). Then, AR content is placed at the location of the selected point (S2560).

In the above description, the service provider may be a tourism foundation operating a tourist destination, a management organization of various landmarks, or an operator of various stores, and the local information located on the recommended route may be tourist destination information, landmark information, or store information, but is not limited thereto. In addition, the basic route may be any one of the shortest route, the shortest time route, the free priority route, and the highway priority route connecting the starting point and the destination, and the smart device may be a navigation system, a smartphone, a tablet PC, smart glasses, a head-mounted display (HMD), or a head-up display (UHD).

FIGS. 31 and 32 are conceptual diagrams for explaining an environment in which a method according to the present invention is performed. The method according to the present invention can be performed in various devices such as a server or a terminal. For example, the device in which the method according to the present invention is performed may be a digital device having a processor, a memory, and a computing capability such as a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, a web pad, or a mobile phone. In addition, for example, the device in which the method according to the present invention is performed may be a web server that provides various services such as a path creation and provision platform, an AR content creation and provision platform, and a reward creation and provision platform. However, the types of servers above are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

The device performing the method according to the present invention may be a server providing a cloud computing service. More specifically, the device performing the method according to the present invention may be a server providing a cloud computing service, which is a type of Internet-based computing in which information is processed by another computer connected to the Internet rather than the user's computer. The cloud computing service may be a service in which data is stored on the Internet and the user can use it anytime and anywhere through an Internet connection without installing necessary data or programs on his or her computer. Data stored on the Internet can be easily shared and transmitted with simple manipulation and clicks. In addition, the cloud computing service may be a service in which, in addition to simply storing data on a server on the Internet, a desired task can be performed by utilizing the functions of an application program provided on the Web without installing a separate program, and multiple people can simultaneously share documents and proceed with work. In addition, the cloud computing service may be implemented in at least one form among IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), SaaS (Software as a Service), a virtual machine-based cloud server, and a container-based cloud server. In other words, the device performing the method according to the present invention may be implemented in at least one form among the above-described cloud computing services. The specific description of the cloud computing service described above is only an example, and may include any platform that constructs the cloud computing environment of the present invention.

In addition, although the above description has been made with reference to examples, these are merely examples and do not limit the present invention, and those with ordinary knowledge in the field to which the present invention pertains will recognize that various modifications and applications not exemplified above are possible without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. For example, each component specifically shown in the examples can be modified and implemented. And the differences related to such modifications and applications should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims

A step of receiving a starting point and a destination within a predetermined area from a user terminal;

A step of extracting at least one of the shortest path and the minimum time path connecting the above starting point and destination;

A step of extracting one or more registration stores located within the above-mentioned predetermined area;

A step of determining whether the registration store is located on the path based on the attribute information of the registration store;

A step of generating a recommended path by modifying the path to include the location of the registration store if the registration store is not located on the path;

A step of selecting one or more points on the above recommended path where AR content will be placed; and

A method for providing a recommended path, comprising: a step of placing the AR content on one or more of the above points.
In the first paragraph,

A method for providing a recommended route in which the above-mentioned predetermined area is an indoor or outdoor area in a real space, or an area within a virtual reality online.
In the first paragraph,

The above receiving step is a recommended route providing method that further receives route attributes corresponding to the movement purpose from the user terminal.
In the third paragraph,

The steps for generating the above recommended path are:

A method for providing a recommended path, wherein one or more recommended stores are extracted from among the extracted registered stores based on the attribute information of the registered stores and the path attribute, and the path is modified to include the location of one or more of the extracted recommended stores, thereby generating the recommended path.
In the first paragraph,

A step for setting attribute information of a reward for the above AR content; and

A method for providing a recommended path, further comprising: a step of transmitting the reward to the user terminal or a device associated with the user terminal when the AR content is activated.
In paragraph 5,

The above AR content is a recommended route provision method that is activated when the distance between the user terminal and the point is within a preset distance.
In the first paragraph,

A step of extracting traffic information for the above registered store; and

Further comprising a step of selecting a recommended store based on the above traffic information;

The step of generating the above recommended route is a method for providing a recommended route by modifying the route so that recommended stores with low traffic volume are preferentially included.
In the first paragraph,

The steps for generating the above recommended path are:

A step of calculating a path recommendation score for the above-mentioned registered store by assigning weights according to the attribute information of the above-mentioned registered store;

Step of selecting a recommended store based on the route recommendation score; and

A method for providing a recommended route, comprising: a step of generating a recommended route by modifying a route so that a recommended store is included on the route.
A method of providing information using a smart device that displays AR content.

A step of receiving current location, departure information and destination information from the smart device;

A step of generating a basic route based on the above departure information and destination information;

A step of generating a recommended route based on service provider information providing at least one of the AR content and a reward for the AR content, the departure point information, and the destination information;

A step of placing the AR content at one or more points located on the above recommended path; and

A method for providing a recommended path, comprising: a step of transmitting the reward to the smart device when the AR content is activated.
In Article 9,

A method for providing a recommended route, further comprising: a step of displaying a display option on the smart device for selecting whether to display at least one of the recommended route and the AR content;
In Article 9,

Further comprising a step of displaying an activation option for selecting an activation mode of the above AR content;

The above activation mode is a recommended path providing method including an automatic activation mode and a manual activation mode.
In Article 11,

A method for providing a recommended route, wherein when the automatic activation mode of the above AR content is selected, at least one of regional information located on the above recommended route, AR content information arranged on the above recommended route, reward information, and service provider information is automatically displayed on the above smart device when the location of the above smart device is located at the above point.
In Article 9,

A step of determining the movement speed of the above smart device;

A step of converting the AR content into an audio signal if the above moving speed is greater than a preset speed; and

A method for providing a recommended path, further comprising: a step of transmitting the audio signal through a speaker.
In Article 9,

The steps for generating the above recommended path are:

A step of determining whether the location of the service provider is included on the basic route based on the service provider information for the above reward;

If the location of the service provider is not included in the basic route, a step of selecting the location of the service provider as a recommendation point; and

A method for providing a recommended route, comprising: a step of generating the recommended route based on the departure point information, the recommended point, and the destination information.
In Article 9,

The steps for generating the above recommended path are:

A step of extracting traffic information in the area where the above service provider is located;

A step of sorting multiple service providers based on traffic volume information;

A step of selecting the location of one or more service providers with low traffic volume as a recommendation point; and

A method for providing a recommended route, comprising: a step of generating the recommended route based on the departure point information, the recommended point, and the destination information.
In Article 9,

The steps for generating the above recommended path are:

A step of calculating a route recommendation score by assigning weights according to at least one of the grades and industries of the above service providers;

A step of selecting the location of one or more service providers as a recommendation point based on the above route recommendation score; and

A method for providing a recommended route, comprising: a step of generating the recommended route based on the departure point information, the recommended point, and the destination information.
A smart device that provides recommended routes using AR content.

A location determination unit that detects the current location of the above smart device;

A storage unit that stores attribute information of the AR content and rewards for the AR content;

A basic route generation unit that generates a basic route based on departure information and destination information input by the user;

A recommended route generation unit that generates a recommended route based on service provider information providing at least one of the AR contents and rewards and the departure and destination information;

An AR content setting unit that places the AR content at one or more points located on the above recommended path;

A reward providing unit that provides the reward when the above AR content is activated; and

A smart device comprising a touch screen that displays at least one of the recommended route, regional information located on the recommended route, AR content information placed on the recommended route, and reward information.
In Article 17,

A smart device in which the above touchscreen displays a display option for selecting whether to display at least one of the above recommended route and the above AR content, and receives a selection for whether to display from a user.
In Article 17,

The above basic route is a smart device that is at least one of the shortest route, the shortest time route, the free priority route, and the highway priority route connecting the above starting point and destination.
In Article 17,

A smart device wherein the above touch screen displays activation options for selecting an activation mode of the AR content, the activation mode including an automatic activation mode and a manual activation mode.
In Article 20,

A smart device that automatically activates the AR content when the smart device is positioned at the point when a selection signal for automatic activation of the AR content is input to the touch screen.
In Article 17,

A speed judgment unit that judges the movement speed of the above smart device;

A data conversion unit that converts the AR content into an audio signal if the above movement speed is greater than a preset speed; and

A smart device further comprising a speaker unit for transmitting the above audio signal.
In Article 17,

The above recommended path generation unit is,

A smart device that determines whether the location of the service provider is included in the basic route based on the service provider information for the above reward, and if the location of the service provider is not included in the basic route, selects the location of the service provider as a recommendation point and creates a route including the recommendation point as the recommended route.
In Article 17,

The above recommended path generation unit is,

A smart device that extracts traffic volume information in an area where the above service provider is located, selects the locations of one or more service providers with low traffic volume as recommended points, and then creates a route that includes the recommended points as the recommended route.
In Article 17,

A smart device that calculates a route recommendation score by assigning a weight based on at least one of the grades and industries of the service providers, selects the locations of one or more service providers as recommendation points based on the route recommendation score, and then creates a route including the recommendation points as the recommended route.
In any one of Articles 17 to 25,

The above smart device is a smart device that is a navigation device, a smartphone, a tablet PC, a smart glass, a HMD (Head Mounted Display) or a UHD (Head-Up Display).