Information presentation device, information presentation method, and program for information presentation

Abstract

To provide an information presentation device and the like that enable a guide to accurately and safely conduct guidance of movement of a weak-sighted person.SOLUTION: An information presentation device comprises: an interface 1 for acquiring user data that is information related to a current position of a guided person's device, from the guided person's terminal moving together with the weak-sighted person; a processing part 2 for acquiring landmark feature data that indicates a landmark feature suitable as a guiding landmark when a weak-sighted person moves, on the basis of the user data; and a landmark feature display controlling part 3 for displaying to a guide, a landmark feature identification image that is identification information generated based on the landmark feature data and that is intended to make the guide identify a landmark feature, wherein the guide guides the movement of a guided person but does not move with the guided person.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical fields of an information presentation device, an information presentation method, and an information presentation program. More specifically, the present application belongs to the technical fields of an information presentation device and an information presentation method, and a program for the information presentation device, which perform processing for presenting information to a visually impaired person whose vision is weaker than that of a normal person or a person accompanying the visually impaired person. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, with the rapid spread of portable terminal devices such as smartphones, the number of users who carry such terminal devices while traveling is also rapidly increasing. Among such users are people who have been issued a disability certificate due to visual impairment, and people who do not have a visual impairment severe enough to require a disability certificate but whose vision is weaker than that of a healthy person due to eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma (including people who are unaware of their weak vision). Hereinafter, the above-mentioned people who have been issued a disability certificate due to visual impairment and people whose vision is weaker than that of a healthy person will be collectively referred to as "visually impaired people."

[0003] In this case, when guiding the movement of the visually impaired person using a terminal device carried by the visually impaired person, it goes without saying that the guidance needs to take into consideration that "the terminal device is carried by a visually impaired person." For example, the following Patent Document 1 is an example of a document showing prior art that meets such a requirement.

[0004] In the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, information indicating features considered recognizable by visually impaired persons is registered in advance in map data, and when a guide request is received from a visually impaired person, a guide route that includes the features considered recognizable by visually impaired persons is selected and guided. Here, the above-mentioned "features considered recognizable by visually impaired persons" include, for example, gravel roads or slopes that can be recognized by the sense of the soles of the feet, or stores that emit a specific odor that can be recognized by the sense of smell. In the following description, such features are referred to as "landmark features." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2022 / 195718 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 uses a terminal device carried by a visually impaired person to directly guide the visually impaired person, but there may be cases where a person with normal vision guides the visually impaired person's movement via wireless communication using the terminal device carried by the visually impaired person. In this regard, the technology described in Patent Document 1 does not take into consideration the convenience of a person with normal vision when guiding the visually impaired person's movement. This may lead to problems such as guidance that is forced upon the visually impaired person receiving the guidance, which may ultimately increase the danger of the movement.

[0007] Therefore, the present application has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned demands and problems, and one example of the object of the application is to provide an information presentation device and an information presentation method, as well as a program for the information presentation device, that enable a guide to accurately and safely guide the movements of visually impaired people. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problem, the invention described in claim 1 comprises a first acquisition means for acquiring first information, which is information related to the current location of a guided person's device, from the guided person's device traveling together with the guided person; a second acquisition means for acquiring second information, based on the acquired first information, which is indicative of landmark features, which are features around the current location suitable as guide landmarks for visually impaired people who have weaker eyesight than healthy people when traveling; and a presentation control means for causing a presentation means to present to a guide, who guides the movement of the guided person and does not travel together with the guided person, identification information generated based on the acquired second information, which allows the guide to identify the landmark features.

[0009] In order to solve the above problem, the invention described in claim 7 is an information presentation method executed in an information presentation device equipped with a first acquisition means, a second acquisition means, and a presentation control means, and includes a first acquisition step in which the first acquisition means acquires first information, which is information related to a current position of a guided person device traveling together with a guided person, from the guided person device traveling together with the guided person; a second acquisition step in which the second acquisition means acquires second information, based on the acquired first information, that is indicative of landmark features, which are features in the vicinity of the current position suitable as guide landmarks when a visually impaired person whose vision is weaker than that of a healthy person travels; and a presentation control step in which the presentation control means causes a guide who guides the movement of the guided person and does not travel together with the guided person to present, via the presentation means, identification information generated based on the acquired second information, which allows the guide to identify the landmark features.

[0010] In order to solve the above problem, the invention described in claim 8 causes a computer included in an information presentation device to function as a first acquisition means for acquiring, from a guided person device traveling together with the guided person, first information related to the current location of the guided person device, a second acquisition means for acquiring, based on the acquired first information, second information indicating landmark features that are features around the current location suitable as guide landmarks for visually impaired people whose vision is weaker than that of healthy people when they travel, and a presentation control means for causing a presentation means to present, to a guide who guides the movement of the guided person and does not travel together with the guided person, identification information generated based on the acquired second information, the identification information allowing the guide to identify the landmark features. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information presentation device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a non-guide terminal constituting the navigation system of the embodiment, in which (a) is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the non-guide terminal, and (b) is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a guide terminal constituting the navigation system of the embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a server device constituting a navigation system of an embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of the contents of landmark feature data of the embodiment. [Diagram 5] 11 is a flowchart showing a guidance process according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating examples of images displayed on a guide terminal in the guidance process of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information presentation device according to the embodiment.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, an information presentation device S according to the embodiment includes a first acquisition unit 1, a second acquisition unit 2, and a presentation control unit 3. The first acquisition unit 1 acquires information about the information presented by the information presentation device S, and the second acquisition unit 2 acquires information about the information presented by the information presentation device S.

[0014] In this configuration, the first acquisition means 1 acquires, from the guided person device T that moves together with the guided person, first information that is information related to the current position of the guided person device T. As a result, the second acquisition means 2 acquires, based on the first information acquired by the first acquisition means, second information that indicates landmark features that are features around the current position suitable as guide landmarks when a visually impaired person who has weaker vision than a normal person moves.

[0015] The presentation control means 3 causes the presentation means DP to present, to the guide, who guides the movement of the guided person and does not travel with the guided person, the identification information generated based on the second information acquired by the second acquisition means 2, for enabling the guide to identify the landmark feature.

[0016] As described above, according to the operation of the information presentation device S of the embodiment, identification information is presented to the guide to enable the guide to identify landmarks used to guide the visually impaired person when traveling, thereby enabling the guide to accurately and safely guide the visually impaired person on his / her travels. EXAMPLES

[0017] Next, specific examples corresponding to the above-mentioned embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 6. The examples described below are examples in which the present application is applied to a navigation system in which a guide guides the walking movement of a visually impaired person (hereinafter referred to as "walking movement") by using, for example, voice, through cooperation of three parties: (i) a guided person terminal of the example carried by a visually impaired person, (ii) a guide terminal of the example carried by a guide who is, for example, an acquaintance or family member of the visually impaired person (i.e., a person who can guide the visually impaired person on his / her movement after knowing the degree of vision of the visually impaired person), and (iii) a server device capable of transmitting and receiving information or data to and from the guided person terminal and the guide terminal via a network or the like.

[0018] (I) Configuration and functions of the navigation system of the embodiment First, the configuration and functions of the navigation system of the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of the navigation system of the embodiment, Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of a guided person terminal constituting the navigation system, and Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of a server device constituting the navigation system. In Figures 3 and 4, the same component numbers as those of the information presentation device S of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 are used for the components of the embodiment.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 2, the navigation system SS of the embodiment is configured to include a guided person terminal T1, a guided person terminal T2, ..., and a guided person terminal Tn (n is a natural number, the same applies below) carried by each of the visually impaired persons (not shown), a guide terminal G1, a guide terminal G2, ..., and a guide terminal Gm (m is a natural number, the same applies below) carried by each of the guides (not shown), and a server device SV that is fixedly installed, for example. The guided person terminal T1, the guided person terminal T2, ..., and the guided person terminal Tn, the guide terminal G1, the guide terminal G2, ..., and the guide terminal Gm, and the server device SV are connected to each other via a network NW such as the Internet so that they can exchange information or data with each other. At this time, for example, the visually impaired person carrying the guided person terminal T1 and the guide carrying the guide terminal G1 have the relationship of the visually impaired person and the guide in the above-mentioned embodiment. In the following description, when describing matters common to the guided user terminal T1, the guided user terminal T2, ..., and the guided user terminal Tn, they will be collectively referred to as "guided user terminal T." Furthermore, when describing matters common to the guide terminal G1, the guide terminal G2, ..., and the guide terminal Gm, they will be collectively referred to as "guide terminal G."

[0020] In the above configuration, the guided person terminal T carried by the visually impaired person who has a relationship with the visually impaired person in the embodiment and the guide terminal G carried by the guide are associated in advance in the navigation system SS of the embodiment, and association information indicating this association is pre-recorded in a non-volatile manner in the server device SV.

[0021] In addition, the server device SV has landmark feature data indicating the landmark features of the embodiment pre-recorded in a non-volatile manner. Here, the landmark features of the embodiment are similar to the conventional landmark features described above, and are features that are considered to be recognizable by visually impaired people, that is, features whose existence and location are considered to be recognizable by visually impaired people using the five senses other than sight. More specifically, the landmark features of the embodiment include, for example, "a ramen shop that emits the smell of pork bone soup to the outside," "a gravel road or slope that can be recognized by the sense of the soles of the feet," "a curry shop that emits the smell of curry to the outside," "a pachinko parlor that emits the sound of pachinko balls to the outside," "a gas station that emits the smell of refueling to the outside," "a braille block laid on the road," "a crosswalk that emits a sound for pedestrians to pedestrianize," and the like, which are aimed at visually impaired people. In addition, landmark features include "white lines, brightly colored signs and stores during the day," "shining features at night (street lights, traffic lights, brightly lit stores during business, etc.), and stores where you can hear the voices of customers calling out," etc. Furthermore, landmark features may include features related to the safety of visually impaired people when they walk (for example, stairs, roadside poles, abandoned bicycles, roadside signs, etc.) As landmark feature data in the embodiment, position data indicating the positions of the landmark features exemplified above by latitude / longitude and data indicating the names and attributes of the landmark features are associated with each other and recorded so as to be mutually identifiable by identification information.

[0022] In the guidance process of the embodiment described later, when an operation to request walking guidance is executed at any of the guided terminals T, user data including current position data indicating the current position of the guided terminal T and destination data indicating the destination of the movement is transmitted from the guided terminal T to the server device SV via the network NW. The server device SV searches for a movement route from the current position to the destination in accordance with the user data by referring to the map data and the landmark data recorded in the server device SV. At this time, the server device SV may search for the shortest route from the current position to the destination as in the conventional case, and may further add landmarks existing along the shortest route to the movement route. In addition to searching for the shortest route as the movement route, the server device SV may search for a movement route that passes through more landmarks even if it is a slightly longer route. Route data indicating the searched movement route is transmitted from the server device SV to the guide terminal G associated with the guided terminal T that transmitted the user data via the network NW.

[0023] Next, the guided person who has started moving transmits surrounding image data obtained by capturing an image of the surroundings of the current location from the guided person terminal T carried by the guided person who has started moving, together with current location data indicating the current location of the guided person terminal T at that time, to the guide terminal G and server device SV associated with the guided person terminal T via the network NW. The server device SV, which has received the surrounding image data and current location data, extracts any landmark features present in the surroundings of the current location indicated by the current location data and included in the surrounding image corresponding to the surrounding image data from the surrounding image. The server device SV then transmits the landmark feature data corresponding to the extracted landmark feature to the guide terminal G to which the surrounding image data has been transmitted.

[0024] As a result, the guide terminal G, which has received the peripheral image data from the associated guided person terminal T, displays a peripheral image corresponding to the received peripheral image data on the display of the guide terminal G, which will be described later. In addition, the guide terminal G displays a landmark feature identification image, which is superimposed on the peripheral image displayed on the display based on the landmark feature data transmitted from the server device SV in response to the peripheral image data, to make the landmark feature corresponding to the landmark feature data distinguishable from other features (features such as roads and buildings other than the landmark feature displayed in the peripheral image) that appear in the peripheral image. The landmark feature identification image is, for example, an image showing the name or characteristics of the landmark feature. After that, between the guide who carries the guide terminal G on which the landmark feature identification image is displayed and the guided person who carries the guided person terminal T that transmitted the peripheral image data, guidance for the walking movement of the visually impaired person using the landmark feature identified by the landmark feature identification image is performed, for example, by voice communication between the visually impaired person and the guide.

[0025] Next, detailed configurations and operations of the guided person terminal T, the guide terminal G, and the server device SV that constitute the navigation system SS of the embodiment will be described.

[0026] 3(a), the guided person terminal T of the embodiment is composed of a processing unit 20 consisting of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., a non-volatile recording unit 21 consisting of an HDD (Hard Disc Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc., an operation unit 22 consisting of operation buttons, etc., a microphone 23, a camera 24 consisting of a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) imaging element, etc., a sensor unit 25 constituting a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) or a self-contained navigation system, etc., a display 26 consisting of a liquid crystal display, etc., a speaker 27, and an interface 28. In this case, the processing unit 20 corresponds to an example of the "notification control means" of the present application.

[0027] In the above configuration, the recording unit 21 non-volatilely records programs and voice data necessary for the processing to be performed by the guided person terminal T as part of the guidance processing of the embodiment executed in the navigation system SS, and the programs and voice data are read out by the processing unit 20 as necessary. The microphone 23, under the control of the processing unit 20, collects the speech of the visually impaired person carrying the guided person terminal T, generates voice data corresponding to the collected voice, and outputs the generated voice data to the processing unit 20. The camera 24, under the control of the processing unit 20, generates the surrounding image data corresponding to the imaging result of the surroundings of the guided person terminal T, and outputs the generated surrounding image data to the processing unit 20. The sensor unit 25, under the control of the processing unit 20, detects the current position of the guided person terminal T using the GNSS or the like, generates the current position data indicating the detection result, and outputs the generated current position data to the processing unit 20. At this time, data indicating the moving speed and traveling direction of the guided person terminal T may be added to the current position data.

[0028] On the other hand, the display 26 displays images or maps, etc., required for the above processing to be performed by the guided person terminal T, under the control of the processing unit 20. The speaker 27 emits sounds, etc., required for the above processing to be performed by the guided person terminal T, under the control of the processing unit 20. Furthermore, the interface 28 controls the exchange of information or data required for the above processing to be performed by the guided person terminal T with the server device SV via the network NW, under the control of the processing unit 20. Furthermore, when an instruction operation is performed on the guided person terminal T by a visually impaired person carrying it, the operation unit 22 generates an operation signal corresponding to the instruction operation and outputs it to the processing unit 20. In response to the operation signal, the processing unit 20 controls each component of the guided person terminal T, such as the microphone 23, camera 24, sensor unit 25, and interface 28, to perform the processing to be performed by the guided person terminal T.

[0029] 3(b), the guide terminal G of the embodiment is composed of a processing unit 30 consisting of a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc., a non-volatile recording unit 31 consisting of an HDD or an SSD, etc., an operation unit 32 consisting of operation buttons, etc., a microphone 33, a display DP consisting of a liquid crystal display, etc., a speaker 34, and an interface 35. In this case, the processing unit 30 corresponds to an example of the "notification control means" of the present application.

[0030] The processing unit 30 also includes a display control unit 30A. In this case, the display control unit 30A may be realized by a hardware logic circuit constituting the processing unit 30, or may be realized by software, for example, by the processing unit 30 reading out from the recording unit 31 and executing a program corresponding to the guidance process of the above embodiment and pre-recorded in the recording unit 31.

[0031] In the above configuration, the recording unit 31 non-volatilely records programs and various data necessary for the processing to be performed by the guide terminal G as part of the guidance processing of the above embodiment, and the programs and various data are read out by the processing unit 30 as necessary. Furthermore, under the control of the processing unit 30, the speaker 34 emits sound necessary for the above processing to be performed by the guide terminal G. Furthermore, under the control of the processing unit 30, the microphone 33 collects the voice of the guide carrying the guide terminal G, generates sound data corresponding to the collected sound, and outputs it to the processing unit 30.

[0032] On the other hand, the display DP, under the control of the processing unit 30, displays the surrounding image or map, etc., required for the above processing to be performed by the guide terminal G. Furthermore, under the control of the processing unit 30, the interface 35 controls the exchange of information or data required for the above processing to be performed by the guide terminal G with the server device SV via the network NW. Furthermore, when an instruction operation is performed on the guide terminal G by the guide who carries it, the operation unit 32 generates an operation signal corresponding to the instruction operation and outputs it to the processing unit 30. In this way, the processing unit 30 executes the processing to be performed by the guide terminal G while controlling each component constituting the guide terminal G, such as the speaker 34 and the interface 35.

[0033] In addition to the configuration shown in Figure 3(b), the guide terminal G may also be equipped with a camera (not shown) consisting of a CCD or CMOS imaging element, etc., which outputs image data corresponding to the imaging results of the surroundings of the guide terminal G, etc., to the processing unit 30 under the control of the processing unit 30, and a sensor unit (not shown) consisting of a GNSS system or a self-contained navigation system, etc., which generates detection data indicating the current position, etc. of the guide terminal G using the GNSS, etc., under the control of the processing unit 30, and outputs the detection data to the processing unit 30.

[0034] Next, the detailed configuration and functions of the server device SV of the above embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 4(a), the server device SV of the embodiment is composed of a processing unit 2 consisting of a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., a non-volatile recording unit 11 consisting of an HDD or SSD, etc., an operation unit 12 consisting of a keyboard, mouse, etc., a display 13 consisting of a liquid crystal display, etc., and an interface 1.

[0035] The processing unit 2 is composed of a landmark feature display control unit 3 and a travel route search unit 10. In this case, the landmark feature control unit 3 and the travel route search unit 10 may be realized by a hardware logic circuit constituting the processing unit 2, or may be realized in software by the processing unit 2 reading out from the recording unit 11 and executing a program corresponding to the guidance processing of the embodiment described later and pre-recorded in the recording unit 11, for example. The interface 1 corresponds to an example of a first acquisition means of the embodiment, the processing unit 2 corresponds to an example of a second acquisition means, and the landmark feature display control unit 3 corresponds to an example of a presentation control means 3 of the embodiment. As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 4(a), the interface 1, the processing unit 2, and the landmark feature display control unit 3 constitute an example of an information presentation device S of the embodiment.

[0036] In the above configuration, the program, map data MP, and the above-mentioned association information required for the processing to be performed by the server device SV as part of the guidance processing of the above-mentioned embodiment are non-volatilely recorded in the recording unit 11, and are read out as necessary by the processing unit 2. The landmark point data PT of the above-mentioned embodiment is recorded as part of this map data MP.

[0037] As the landmark point data PT in the embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 4(b), data indicating the names of landmark features (such as "Tonkotsu Ramen XX," "Pachinko XX," or "Curry Shop □□") and attributes (such as "Gravel road" or "Slope") as the above-mentioned "feature data" for the visually impaired is associated with each position (in the case of a name such as "Tonkotsu Ramen XX") or the positions of each start point and end point (in the case of an attribute such as "Gravel road") and recorded in an identifiable manner using identification information such as "A0."

[0038] On the other hand, the interface 1 controls the exchange of information or data between the guided person terminal T or the guider terminal G via the network NW under the control of the processing unit 2. Then, the movement route search unit 10 of the processing unit 2 searches for the movement route from the current position of the guided person terminal T (in other words, the current position of the visually impaired person carrying the guided person terminal T) to the destination, in response to the user data transmitted from the guided person terminal T, by referring to the map data MP and the landmark feature data PT recorded in the recording unit 11. After that, the landmark point display control unit 3 of the processing unit 2 performs landmark feature display control for displaying the landmark feature identification image on the display DP of the guider terminal G by superimposing it on a surrounding image corresponding to the surrounding image data transmitted from the guided person terminal T, based on the surrounding image data and the landmark feature data PT transmitted from the guided person terminal T, as the guidance processing of the embodiment described later.

[0039] The administrator of the server device SV uses the operation unit 12 to input instructions and the like required for the execution of the processes to be performed by the server device SV. As a result, the operation unit 12 generates an instruction signal corresponding to the instruction and outputs it to the processing unit 2. Thereafter, the processing unit 2 (the travel route search unit 10 and the landmark point display control unit 3) performs overall control of the execution of the above-mentioned processes to be performed by the server device SV based on the instruction signal. At this time, information and the like to be presented to the administrator is presented to the administrator by, for example, image display using the display 13.

[0040] (II) Guidance process of the embodiment Next, the guidance process of the embodiment executed in the navigation system SS having the above-mentioned configuration will be specifically described with reference to Figs. 2 to 6. At this time, Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the guidance process of the embodiment, and Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed on the guide terminal G in the guidance process of the embodiment. Note that the guidance process of the embodiment is premised on the fact that the landmark feature data PT has already been recorded in the recording unit 11 of the server device SV. Also, in Fig. 5, the left side of Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the process to be performed by the guide terminal T as a part of the guidance process of the embodiment, the middle side of Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the process to be performed by the guide terminal G as a part of the guidance process of the embodiment, and the right side of Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the process to be performed by the server device SV as a part of the guidance process of the embodiment. Furthermore, it is assumed that the above-mentioned association corresponding to the association information recorded in the recording unit 11 has been previously performed between the guide terminal T (more specifically, the visually impaired person carrying the guide terminal T) on which the process shown in the left side of Fig. 5 is executed and the guide terminal G (more specifically, the guide carrying the guide terminal G) on which the process shown in Fig. 5 is executed.

[0041] The process to be performed by the guided person terminal T, the guider terminal G, and the server device SV as the guidance process of the embodiment starts, for example, when the power switches of the guided person terminal T, the guider terminal G, and the server device SV are turned on. Then, as shown in the left side of FIG. 5, when the guidance process of the embodiment starts, the processing unit 20 of the guided person terminal T identifies the current position of the guided person terminal T based on the current position data from the sensor unit 25 (step S10). Next, the processing unit 20 monitors whether or not an operation to request, for example, walking guidance from a guide associated with the guided person who has started moving while carrying the guided person terminal T is performed on the operation unit 22 (step S11). If the operation to request is not performed in the monitoring of step 11 (step S11: NO), the processing unit 20 proceeds to step S16 described later. On the other hand, if, during the monitoring of step S11, an operation to make the request is executed (step S11: YES), the processing unit 20 generates the above-mentioned user data UD including current position data indicating the current position of the guided person terminal T at that time and destination data indicating the destination of the walking movement, and transmits this to the server device SV via the interface 28 and the network NW (step S12).

[0042] Next, the processing unit 20 monitors whether or not the operation of taking an image of the surroundings of the guided person terminal T using the camera 24 of the guided person terminal T and the operation of sending the surrounding image data obtained by the image taking have been performed on the operation unit 22 after the transmission of the user data UD in the above step S12 (step S13). If the operations are not performed in the monitoring of step S13 (step S13: NO), the processing unit 20 proceeds to step S16 described later. On the other hand, if the operations are performed in the monitoring of step S13 (step S13: YES), the processing unit 20 transmits the obtained surrounding image data SG and current position data indicating the current position of the guided person terminal T at that time to the guide terminal G and the server device SV via the interface 28 and the network NW (step S14). After that, the processing unit 20 performs the walking movement guidance by the guide's voice using the surrounding image data SG transmitted in step S14, for example, using the speaker 27 while transmitting and receiving the guidance voice data AD via the network NW between the guide terminal G carried by the guide and the guide terminal G carried by the guide (step S15). The contents of the guidance voice data AD will be explained in detail later. After that, the processing unit 20 judges whether or not to end the guidance processing of the embodiment, for example, because a visually impaired person carrying the guided person terminal T has arrived at the destination (step S16). If the judgment in step S16 is to end the guidance processing of the embodiment (step S16: YES), the processing unit 20 ends the guidance processing of the embodiment as it is. On the other hand, if the judgment in step S16 is to continue the guidance processing of the embodiment (step S16: NO), the processing unit 20 returns to the above step S10 and continues the series of processes as the guided person terminal T described above.

[0043] On the other hand, as shown in the right of FIG. 5, when the guidance process of the embodiment is started, the processing unit 2 of the server device SV monitors whether the user data UD is received from any of the guided user terminals T via the network NW (step SV10). If the user data UD is not received from any of the guided user terminals T in the monitoring of step SV10 (step SV10: NO), the processing unit 2 proceeds to step S14 described later. On the other hand, if the user data UD is received from any of the guided user terminals T in the monitoring of step SV10 (step SV10: YES), the moving route searching unit 10 of the processing unit 2 searches for a moving route from the current position of the guided user terminal T to the destination in accordance with the received user data UD, by referring to the map data MP and the landmark object data PT recorded in the recording unit 11. At this time, the moving route searching unit 10 may search for the shortest route as the moving route and may add landmark objects existing along the shortest route to the moving route, or may search for a moving route that passes through more landmark objects. The processing unit 2 then generates route data RD indicating the travel route searched by the travel route search unit 10, and transmits it via the interface 1 and the network NW to the guide terminal G associated with the guided terminal T that transmitted the user data UD (step SV11).

[0044] Next, the processing unit 2 monitors whether or not the surrounding image data SG has been transmitted from the guided person terminal T together with the corresponding current position data in the above step S14 (step SV12). In the monitoring of step SV12, if the surrounding image data SG and the current position data are not transmitted (step SV12: NO), the processing unit 2 proceeds to step SV14, which will be described later. On the other hand, in the monitoring of step SV12, if the surrounding image data SG and the current position data are transmitted from the guided person terminal T (step SV12: YES), the landmark feature display control unit 3 of the processing unit 2 refers to the landmark feature data PT recorded in the recording unit 11, and extracts the landmark feature from the surrounding image, if there is a landmark feature that exists around the current position indicated by the received current position data and is included in the surrounding image corresponding to the surrounding image data SG. Thereafter, the landmark feature display control unit 3 extracts the landmark feature data AP corresponding to the extracted landmark feature from the landmark feature data PT recorded in the recording unit 11, and transmits it to the guide terminal G to which the surrounding image data SG has been transmitted from the guided person terminal T (see step S14 above) via the interface 1 and the network NW (step SV13). Thereafter, the processing unit 2 judges whether or not to end the guidance processing of the embodiment for the same reason as in step S16 above (step SV14). If the guidance processing of the embodiment is to be ended in the judgment of step SV14 (step SV14: YES), the processing unit 2 ends the guidance processing of the embodiment as it is. On the other hand, if the guidance processing of the embodiment is to be continued in the judgment of step SV14 (step SV14: NO), the processing unit 2 returns to step SV10 above and continues the series of processes as the server device SV described above.

[0045] Next, as shown in FIG. 5, when the guidance process of the embodiment is started, the processing unit 30 of the guide terminal G monitors whether or not the route data RD is received from the server device SV via the network NW (step S20). If the route data RD is not received in the monitoring of step S20 (step S20: NO), the processing unit 30 proceeds to step S26, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the route data RD is received in the monitoring of step S20 (step S20: YES), the processing unit 30 records the received route data RD in the recording unit 31 (step S21), and further monitors whether or not the surrounding image data SG is transmitted from the guided person terminal T associated with the guide terminal G (step S22). If the surrounding image data SG is not transmitted in the monitoring of step S22 (step S22: NO), the processing unit 30 proceeds to step S26, which will be described later. On the other hand, if the surrounding image data SG is transmitted in the monitoring of step S22 (step S22: YES), the landmark feature display control unit 3 displays a surrounding image corresponding to the transmitted surrounding image data SG on the display DP (step S23). In addition, the display control unit 30A displays the landmark feature identification image based on the landmark feature data AP (see step SV13) transmitted from the server device SV in response to the surrounding image data SG transmitted in step S22, by superimposing it on the surrounding image displayed on the display DP, so as to make the landmark feature corresponding to the landmark feature data AP identifiable (step S24).

[0046] Here, the surrounding image displayed on the display DP by the above steps S23 and S24 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. More specifically, a surrounding image SGG corresponding to the above surrounding image data SG is exemplified in Fig. 6, and when a visually impaired person is walking toward the depth direction of Fig. 6, and there is a store called "Tonkotsu Ramen XX" emitting the smell of pork bones to the outside in the front left hand, and there is a store called "Pachinko Parlor XX" emitting the sound of pachinko balls being dispensed to the outside in the front right hand, the landmark feature display control unit 3 displays on the display DP a landmark feature identification image M1 (corresponding to the store called "Pachinko Parlor XX") and a landmark feature identification image M2 (corresponding to the store called "Tonkotsu Ramen XX") which indicate the positions of the respective stores and their names and characteristics, by superimposing them on the surrounding image SGG.

[0047] Thereafter, the guidance voice data AD is exchanged between the processing unit 30 of the guide terminal G, in which the surrounding image SGG illustrated in FIG. 6 is displayed together with the landmark feature identification image M1 and the landmark feature identification image M2, and the processing unit 20 of the guided person terminal T, which transmitted the surrounding image data SG, and the walking movement of the visually impaired person carrying the guided person terminal T is guided by the voice of the guide carrying the guide terminal G (step S25 (see step S15 above)).

[0048] Here, the guidance voice emitted toward the microphone 33 of the guide terminal G during the guidance is, for example, a guidance voice such as "There is a ramen shop that smells of pork bones just ahead on your left after identifying "pork bone ramen XX" from the display of the landmark feature identification image M2. Or, for example, a guidance voice such as "There is a pachinko parlor that has the sound of pachinko balls coming out just ahead on your right after identifying "pachinko XX" from the display of the landmark feature identification image M1. Turn right about □□ meters ahead." Guidance voice data AD corresponding to such guidance voice is transmitted from the guide terminal G to the guided person terminal T, and the guidance voice is heard by the visually impaired person via the speaker 27 of the guided person terminal T that receives the data. It is preferable that the guide recognizes the walking direction and the like after the point in time when the surrounding image SGG is displayed by the display of the moving route on the guide terminal G based on the route data RD recorded in the recording unit 31 of the guide terminal G in the above step S21. Thereafter, the processing unit 30 judges whether or not to end the guidance process of the embodiment for the same reason as in step S16 (step S26). If the guidance process of the embodiment is to be ended in the judgment of step S26 (step S26: YES), the processing unit 30 ends the guidance process of the embodiment as it is. On the other hand, if the guidance process of the embodiment is to be continued in the judgment of step S26 (step S26: NO), the processing unit 30 returns to the above step S20 and continues the series of processes as the guide terminal G described above.

[0049] As described above, according to the navigation system SS of the embodiment, a landmark feature identification image M1 or a landmark feature identification image M2 is displayed on the display DP of the guide terminal G to enable a guide carrying a guide terminal G to identify landmark features used to guide a visually impaired person carrying a guided person terminal T when, for example, walking. This enables the guide to accurately and safely guide the visually impaired person on foot.

[0050] In addition, the surrounding image data SG is obtained from the guided person's terminal T, and the landmark feature identification image M1 or the landmark feature identification image M2 is superimposed on the corresponding surrounding image SGG and displayed on the display DP (see Figure 6), so that the identification information can be displayed in a way that is easy for the guide to recognize.

[0051] Furthermore, since the route along which the visually impaired person will travel is predetermined and the landmark features are features that exist on or around the travel route, the guide can accurately recognize the landmark features that are convenient for the visually impaired person traveling on the travel route.

[0052] Furthermore, if the landmark feature can be recognized by the five senses other than sight (for example, a store that can be identified by smell, a road that can be recognized by the sensation of the soles of the feet, or a store that can be identified by sound), the guide can accurately recognize the landmark feature that is more suitable for the visually impaired.

[0053] In addition, when a guide directly guides a visually impaired person, the guide can accurately recognize landmarks suitable for the visually impaired person, and can provide accurate and safe guidance for the visually impaired person's movements. [Variations]

[0054] Next, a modified example of the embodiment described above will be described. In the following description, the same components as those in the navigation system SS of the embodiment will be described using the same component numbers.

[0055] (A) First Modification First, as the first modification, in the above embodiment, the case where the landmark feature data PT indicating the landmark features suitable for guidance to the visually impaired has been described. However, in addition to this, when the landmark feature data PT is not recorded in advance, the server device SV may extract the landmark features on the spot from the surrounding image data SG transmitted from the guided person terminal T using, for example, AI (Artificial Intelligence), and generate a landmark feature identification image for identifying the extracted landmark feature in the server device SV and display it on the guide terminal G. According to the configuration of this first modification, the guided person terminal T only needs to transmit the surrounding image data SG, and the current position data becomes unnecessary, and the landmark feature identification image can be displayed on the guide terminal G in a way that is easy for the guide to recognize while reducing the amount of data in the network NW. Note that, if the method of extracting landmark features using the above AI is used, for example, it is possible to configure the guide to immediately recognize an obstacle such as a bicycle that suddenly appears by displaying a landmark feature identification image indicating the obstacle on the guide terminal G and to inform the visually impaired person of the obstacle.

[0056] (B) Second Modification Next, as a second modification, in the above embodiment, a case where a moving route along which a visually impaired person should move is set in advance has been described. However, even if a moving route is not set in advance, for example, when a visually impaired person becomes uncertain about his / her current location and transmits the above-mentioned surrounding image data SG to the guide terminal G and the server device SV to request guidance from a guide, the server device SV may extract landmark features shown in the surrounding image corresponding to the surrounding image data SG, and a landmark feature identification image for identifying the extracted landmark feature may be displayed on the display DP of the guide terminal G carried by the guide. According to the configuration of the second modification, regardless of the presence or absence of a moving route, guidance on the movement or current location of a visually impaired person may be provided.

[0057] (C) Third Modification Next, as a third modification, in the above embodiment, a landmark feature identification image M1 or a landmark feature identification image M2 for identifying a landmark feature shown in a peripheral image corresponding to the peripheral image data SG is displayed on the display DP of the guide terminal G. However, in addition to this, when a landmark feature is located in a distant position that is not shown in the peripheral image, a landmark feature identification image for identifying the landmark feature may be generated and displayed on the display DP of the guide terminal G. In this case, a landmark feature identification image for identifying a landmark feature that is far away on the travel route may be displayed on the display DP. According to the configuration of the third modification, even if a landmark feature is outside the imaging range of the camera 24 of the guided person terminal T, the guide can clearly recognize the landmark feature and provide guidance to a visually impaired person.

[0058] (D) Fourth Variation Next, as a fourth modification, in the above embodiment, a case where the person carrying the guided person terminal T is a visually impaired person to be guided has been described. However, in addition to this, a configuration may be adopted in which a companion accompanying the visually impaired person carries the guided person terminal T. In this case, it is preferable that the companion uses the guided person terminal T to capture images of the surroundings based on instructions from the visually impaired person to be guided, and generates / transmits the surrounding image data SG. Note that the guidance voice by the guide itself may be configured to be emitted from the speaker 27 of the guided person terminal T carried by the companion, so that the visually impaired person can hear it. According to the configuration of this fourth modification, the present application can also be applied to a case where a companion accompanying a visually impaired person carries a guided person terminal T.

[0059] (E) Other variations Finally, as another modified example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where guidance for a visually impaired person using guidance voice is performed between the guided person terminal T carried by the visually impaired person and the guide terminal G carried by the guide who provides the guidance is described, but the guidance itself by the guidance voice can also be configured to be controlled by the server device SV. Also, the series of processes in the server device SV of the embodiment (see the right side of FIG. 5) can be configured to be performed by the guide terminal G together with the processes of the embodiment (see the center of FIG. 5) that the guide terminal G should perform. Furthermore, each program corresponding to the guidance process of the embodiment (see FIG. 5) can be recorded on a recording medium such as an optical disk or a hard disk, or obtained via a network such as the Internet, and read out and executed by a general-purpose microcomputer or the like, thereby making the microcomputer or the like function as the processing unit 2, processing unit 20, or processing unit 30 of the embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1. First acquisition means (interface) 2. Second acquisition means (processing unit) 3 Presentation control means (landmark feature display control unit) 20, 30 Processing section 27 Speaker 33. Mike S Information presentation device SS Navigation System T, T1, T2, T3, Tn Guided terminal G, G1, G2, G3, Gm Guide terminal SV server device NW Network DP Display AP, PT landmark data M1, M2 Landmark feature identification images SGG surrounding images

Claims

1. a first acquisition means for acquiring, from a guided person device that moves together with the guided person, first information that is information related to a current location of the guided person device; a second acquisition means for acquiring second information indicating landmark features which are features around the current location suitable as guide landmarks for visually impaired people who have weaker vision than normal people when traveling, based on the acquired first information; a presentation control means for controlling a guide, who guides the movement of the guided person but does not move with the guided person, to present the identification information generated based on the acquired second information, the identification information allowing the guide to identify the landmark feature, to the guide by a presentation means; An information presentation device comprising:

2. 2. The information presentation device according to claim 1, the first acquisition means acquires the first information including location information indicating the current location and image information of an area around the current location acquired by the guided device; The second acquisition means acquires the second information including image information of the landmark features in the vicinity based on the position information and the image information included in the acquired first information, The presentation control means is an information presentation device characterized in that it displays to the guide the identification information, which is image information for displaying the landmark feature in a manner that makes it identifiable from other landmarks, based on image information of the landmark feature contained in the acquired second information.

3. 2. The information presentation device according to claim 1, the first acquisition means acquires the first information including image information of an image of the periphery of the current position acquired by the guided device; The second acquisition means acquires the second information including extracted image information obtained by extracting an image of the landmark feature in the vicinity from the image information included in the acquired first information, The information presentation device is characterized in that the presentation control means displays to the guide the identification information, which is image information for displaying the landmark feature in a manner that makes it identifiable from other features, based on the extracted image information contained in the acquired second information.

4. The information presentation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A route along which the guided person will travel is set in advance; The information presentation device is characterized in that the landmark feature is present on the travel route or in the vicinity of the travel route and is a feature suitable as a guide landmark.

5. The information presentation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, This information presentation device is characterized in that the landmark features are features that can be recognized by the five senses of humans other than sight.

6. The information presentation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the person to be guided is visually impaired, The information presentation device further comprises a notification control means for controlling the guided device so as to notify the guided person of the landmark feature identified by the guide based on the identification information by sound.

7. An information presentation method executed in an information presentation device including a first acquisition means, a second acquisition means, and a presentation control means, a first acquisition step in which the first acquisition means acquires, from a guided person device that moves together with the guided person, first information that is information related to a current location of the guided person device; a second acquisition step in which the second acquisition means acquires, based on the acquired first information, second information indicating landmark features that are features around the current location suitable as guide landmarks for visually impaired people who have weaker vision than normal people when traveling; a presentation control step in which the presentation control means causes a guide, who guides the movement of the guided person but does not move together with the guided person, to present, by a presentation means, identification information generated based on the acquired second information, for identifying the landmark feature; An information presentation method comprising:

8. A computer included in the information presentation device, a first acquisition means for acquiring, from a guided person device moving together with the guided person, first information relating to a current location of the guided person device; a second acquisition means for acquiring second information indicating landmark features, which are features around the current location suitable as guide landmarks for visually impaired people who have weaker vision than normal people, based on the acquired first information; and a presentation control means for causing a guide, who guides the movement of the guided person but does not move together with the guided person, to present, by a presentation means, the identification information generated based on the acquired second information, for identifying the landmark feature; An information presentation program characterized by causing the program to function as:

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