Information processing device and navigation method

Abstract

To present information for improving the communication environment of a terminal to a user.SOLUTION: An information processing device according to one embodiment includes a first acquisition unit that acquires communication environment information relating to the communication environment of a terminal, a determination unit that determines whether the communication environment of the terminal satisfies requirements for a good communication environment based on changes in the communication environment information over time as a user using the terminal moves, and a presentation unit that presents to the user directions in which the communication environment of the terminal will improve according to results of the determination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technology of an information processing device and a navigation method. [Background technology]

[0002] There are known techniques for presenting information to improve the communication environment of a mobile terminal. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an invention that presents a direction to a user to improve communication conditions in response to a deterioration in communication quality of a terminal due to its positional relationship with a base station. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6532020 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The invention described in Patent Document 1 merely suggests improvements to the communication environment based on the communication speed of the terminal, and does not suggest improvement instructions based on the user's own direction of travel or activity, or information about the surrounding environment.

[0005] In view of the above background, the present invention provides a technique for presenting information to a user for improving the communication environment of a terminal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure provides an information processing device having a first acquisition unit that acquires communication environment information regarding the communication environment of a terminal, a determination unit that determines whether the communication environment of the terminal satisfies the requirements for being considered good based on changes in the communication environment information over time as a user using the terminal moves, and a presentation unit that presents to the user directions in which the communication environment of the terminal will improve based on the results of the determination.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a navigation method including the steps of acquiring communication environment information regarding the communication environment of a terminal, determining whether the communication environment of the terminal satisfies the requirements for being considered good based on changes in the communication environment information over time as a user using the terminal moves, and presenting to the user a direction in which the communication environment of the terminal will improve based on the result of the determination. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to present to a user information for improving the communication environment of a terminal. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the system configuration of an information processing system 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overview of an information processing system 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of an information processing system 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device 10. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for presenting radio navigation. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a communication environment database 1001. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a navigation presentation screen. [Figure 8] 10 is a sequence chart illustrating a method for estimating a purpose of a behavior. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a behavior database 2001. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for presenting directions to avoid congestion. [Figure 11] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a surrounding environment database 3001. [Figure 12] 3 is a sequence chart illustrating a method for creating and presenting map data in the information processing system 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] 1. Configuration FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the system configuration of an information processing system 1 according to an embodiment. In this example, the information processing system 1 (or simply referred to as the system) is a system that presents navigation information, such as directions to improve the communication environment, to a user of a terminal device carried by the user while the user is moving. The terminal device (or simply referred to as the terminal) is, for example, a mobile communication terminal such as a smartphone. The navigation information is information for presenting the user with the location, direction, or method for improving the communication environment. The state of the communication environment of the terminal is determined from information such as the radio wave strength of the radio waves received by the terminal. The information processing system 1 includes an information processing device 10 and a user terminal 20. In this example, the components of the system are connected via a network 9 as shown in FIG. 1. In this example, the network 9 is a mobile network or a computer network such as the Internet.

[0011] Here, it is assumed that a user operates a terminal while moving around an indoor facility (such as a building, an underground facility, or a crowded train station). In recent years, with the diversification and multi-functionality of applications (or simply "apps") installed on smartphones and other devices, users are increasingly able to use their terminals in a variety of situations. For example, users often use their terminals while moving to check location information using a map app, check their schedule, or watch videos or music. However, in certain environments, such as the indoor facility described above, it can be difficult to maintain a comfortable communication environment due to factors such as radio wave blockage by walls and other structures, radio wave absorption by large numbers of people in crowds, and the communication load of other users. For this reason, there is a demand for navigation to help users find a direction to improve the communication environment so that they can communicate stably. In the following description, the term "communication environment" is used to mean the environment related to communication, including the radio wave environment or radio wave conditions.

[0012] The information processing device 10 is an information processing device or a server device in the information processing system 1. In this example, the information processing device 10 acquires information from a user terminal 20 as information to be used as a criterion for presenting to the user how the communication environment of the terminal can be improved. This information is broadly classified into communication environment information, behavioral data, and surrounding environment information. The communication environment information is information for identifying the current state of the communication environment of the user terminal 20. The communication environment information is, for example, the radio wave intensity of radio waves received by the terminal from a wireless base station. The behavioral data is information for identifying the movement or behavior of the user. Examples of the behavioral data include information on the user's movement speed or movement direction detected by an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) sensor or the like mounted on the user terminal 20, or information acquired from an API (Application Programming Interface) for identifying an app the user is using while moving. The surrounding environment information is information for identifying the environment surrounding the user, for example, the degree of congestion due to crowding. Examples of the surrounding environment information include image or video data captured by a camera mounted on the terminal, or audio data captured by a microphone. The communication environment information, behavioral data, and surrounding environment information will be described in detail later. Using this information, the information processing device 10 determines the state of the communication environment of the user terminal 20 and presents to the user ways in which the communication environment can be improved.

[0013] The user terminal 20 is a terminal operated by a user. The user terminal 20 includes, for example, a smartphone, a tablet, or a personal computer. The user terminal 20 acquires at least one of communication environment information, behavioral data, and surrounding environment information using the method described above, and transmits the data to the information processing device 10. The user terminal 20 also acquires data on the direction in which the communication environment will improve from the information processing device 10, and presents navigation information to the user according to various UIs (User Interfaces). Here, an overview of a method for presenting navigation information to the user in the information processing system 1 will be described.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an overview of an information processing system 1 according to an embodiment. This diagram schematically illustrates the behavior of a user who is presented with navigation information. First, assume that the user's location is set to a location far from access point AP1, and the communication environment of the user terminal 20 used by the user is poor. Access point AP1 is an access point through which the user terminal 20 connects to a wireless LAN. In this state, there is no good communication environment in direction A1, the user's traveling direction. Here, if a direction in which the communication environment improves (the direction of the arrow on the display screen of the user terminal 20) is displayed via the user terminal 20, the user can change their traveling direction to match the direction displayed on the terminal. This allows the user to more easily find a more comfortable communication environment while moving. In the present invention, based on these prerequisites, the information processing system 1 is configured with the following functional elements to navigate the user to an appropriate communication environment. While FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the network is a wireless LAN and the radio wave source is an access point, the network may be a mobile network and the radio wave source may be a base station (indoor base station).

[0015] 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the information processing system 1. In this embodiment, the information processing device 10 has functional blocks (components) including a first acquisition unit 11, a determination unit 12, a presentation unit 13, an estimation unit 14, a second acquisition unit 15, an output unit 16, a storage unit 18, and a control unit 19. In this example, the storage unit 18 stores various types of data including, for example, a database. In this example, the control unit 19 performs various types of control.

[0016] The first acquisition unit 11 acquires communication environment information relating to the communication environment of the terminal. Since the communication environment information changes as the user who uses the terminal moves, the first acquisition unit 11 needs to acquire information from the user terminal 20 at a predetermined frequency. In addition, the communication environment information includes, for example, the proportion of traffic data volume accounted for by applications running on the terminal.

[0017] The determination unit 12 determines whether the requirements for a good communication environment of the terminal are met based on changes over time in communication environment information accompanying the movement of the user using the terminal. The requirements are standards or conditions for determining whether the communication environment is good or bad, which are predetermined in the information processing system 1. For example, a threshold is set for the radio wave intensity of radio waves received by the terminal from a wireless base station, and the information processing system 1 sets whether or not the threshold is reached as a requirement. Details of the requirements will be described later.

[0018] The presentation unit 13 presents to the user a direction in which the communication environment of the terminal will improve, depending on the result of the determination. When the user's moving direction and the direction in which the communication environment will improve coincide, the presentation unit 13 presents to the user that the communication environment of the terminal will improve if the user moves in that moving direction. When the user's moving direction and the direction in which the communication environment will improve do not coincide, the presentation unit 13 presents to the user a direction different from the moving direction. When it is determined that the communication environment satisfies the requirements, the presentation unit 13 presents to the user that the user should stop at the current location. The user's moving direction can be estimated, for example, from behavioral data.

[0019] The estimation unit 14 estimates the user's purpose of behavior based on behavioral data related to the user's movement detected from the terminal. The purpose of behavior is a purpose that supports the user's movement content, or a purpose of an action using the terminal that the user himself / herself performs while moving. The requirements set in the information processing system 1 are defined according to the purpose of behavior. For example, if an app used by the user is identified as being intended for video viewing (i.e., if the amount of communication data is large and communication load may occur), whether or not this app is used can be set as a requirement. This allows the prediction of deterioration of the communication environment due to video viewing using the app, and the presentation unit 13 can present to the user directions for improving the communication environment.

[0020] The second acquisition unit 15 acquires surrounding environment information indicating the state of crowds in the user's direction of travel. If the surrounding environment information indicates that there is a crowd in the user's direction of travel, the presentation unit 13 presents the user with directions to avoid the crowds. If the user uses the terminal in a crowded area, communications may be concentrated at a specific access point, which may cause a deterioration of the communication environment. Therefore, in this system, a place without crowds can be considered a place where the communication environment will be improved. The purpose of presenting the user with directions to avoid the crowds in this way is to improve the communication environment.

[0021] The first acquisition unit 11 acquires communication environment information from multiple terminals, and the output unit 16 outputs map data that depicts the communication environment on a map based on the communication environment information acquired from the multiple terminals. The map data is a map created by aggregating communication environment information corresponding to the location information of multiple terminals belonging to the information processing system 1. The map data includes, for example, a radio wave map (heat map). Here, the presentation unit 13 presents to the user the direction toward an area in the map data that is expected to satisfy the communication environment requirements among areas along the user's traveling direction.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 10. The information processing device 10 is physically configured as a computer including a processor 101, a memory 102, a storage 103, a communication device 104, an input device (not shown), an output device (not shown), and a bus connecting these devices. Each of these devices operates using power supplied from a battery (not shown). In the following description, the term "device" can be interpreted as a circuit, a device, a unit, etc. The hardware configuration of the information processing device 10 may be configured to include one or more of the devices shown in FIG. 3, or may be configured without including some of the devices. Furthermore, the information processing device 10 may be configured by communicating with multiple devices each having a different housing.

[0023] Each function of the information processing device 10 is realized by loading predetermined software (programs) onto hardware such as the processor 101, memory 102, etc., so that the processor 101 performs calculations, controls communication via the communication device 104, and controls at least one of reading and writing of data in the memory 102 and storage 103.

[0024] The processor 101 controls the entire computer by running, for example, an operating system. The processor 101 may be configured as a central processing unit (CPU) including an interface with peripheral devices, a control device, an arithmetic unit, a register, etc. Furthermore, for example, a baseband signal processing unit, a call processing unit, etc. may be realized by the processor 101.

[0025] The processor 101 reads programs (program codes), software modules, data, etc. from at least one of the storage 103 and the communication device 104 into the memory 102, and executes various processes in accordance with these. The programs used are those that cause a computer to execute at least some of the operations described below. The functional blocks of the information processing device 10 may be implemented by a control program stored in the memory 102 and running on the processor 101. Various processes may be executed by one processor 101, or may be executed simultaneously or sequentially by two or more processors 101. The processor 101 may be implemented by one or more chips. The programs may be transmitted to the information processing device 10 via a telecommunications line.

[0026] The memory 102 is a computer-readable recording medium and may be configured by, for example, at least one of a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), a random access memory (RAM), etc. The memory 102 may also be called a register, a cache, a main memory (primary storage device), etc. The memory 102 can store executable programs (program codes), software modules, etc. for implementing the method according to this embodiment.

[0027] Storage 103 is a computer-readable recording medium, and may be composed of at least one of, for example, an optical disk such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), a hard disk drive, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk (e.g., a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a Blu-ray® disk), a smart card, a flash memory (e.g., a card, a stick, a key drive), a floppy disk, a magnetic strip, etc. Storage 103 may also be referred to as an auxiliary storage device.

[0028] The communication device 104 is hardware (transmission / reception device) for performing communication between computers via at least one of a wired network and a wireless network, and is also called, for example, a network device, a network controller, a network card, or a communication module.

[0029] Each device, such as the processor 101 and the memory 102, is connected by a bus for communicating information. The bus may be configured using a single bus, or different buses may be used between each device.

[0030] The information processing device 10 may be configured to include hardware such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and some or all of the functional blocks may be realized by the hardware. For example, the processor 101 may be implemented using at least one of these pieces of hardware.

[0031] In this example, the programs stored in the storage 103 include a program for causing a computer to function as a server of the information processing system 1 (hereinafter referred to as a "navigation server program").

[0032] When the processor 101 is executing the navigation server program, the processor 101, memory 102, storage 103, and communication device 104 are examples of functional blocks for operating the information processing device 10. The processor 101 is an example of a determination unit 12, an estimation unit 14, and a control unit 19. At least one of the memory 102 and the storage 103 is an example of a storage unit 18. The communication device 104 is an example of a first acquisition unit 11, a presentation unit 13, a second acquisition unit 15, and an output unit 16. The configuration of the information processing system 1 has been described above. Next, the operation of the information processing system 1 will be described.

[0033] Although detailed description will be omitted, the user terminal 20 is a computer having a processor, memory, storage, a communication device, an input device, and an output device. The input device is a device that accepts input of information or instructions, and includes, for example, at least one of a touch screen, a keyboard, a button, a pointing device, and a microphone. The output device is a device that presents information to the user, and includes, for example, at least one of a display and a speaker.

[0034] The programs stored in the storage of the user terminal 20 include a program (hereinafter referred to as a "navigation client program") for causing a computer to function as a client of the information processing system 1. When the processor of the user terminal 20 executes the navigation client program, a function for receiving navigation from the information processing device 10 is implemented in the user terminal 20.

[0035] 2.Operation 2-1. How to present radio navigation FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for presenting radio wave navigation in the information processing system 1. Before the start of this flow, a navigation server program is running in the information processing device 10, and a navigation client program is running in the user terminal 20, and the processing described below is implemented by these programs. In step S101, the information processing device 10 acquires various types of information from the user terminal 20. The information acquired by the information processing device 10 from the user terminal 20 is at least one of communication environment information, behavioral data, and surrounding environment information. The acquisition of various types of information is performed periodically (or cyclically). Here, as an example, a process is assumed in which the information processing device 10 presents navigation information to the user based on the communication environment information. Here, the communication environment information will be described.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a communication environment database 1001. In this example, the communication environment database 1001 has multiple records for each user terminal 20. Each record corresponds to a timestamp. Each record includes a timestamp, radio wave strength, a communication standard, a base station ID, and a communication speed. The timestamp is information indicating the date and time when the information processing device 10 acquired communication environment information from the user terminal 20. The radio wave strength is an index representing the communication state of the user terminal 20, and is the strength of radio waves received from a base station (access point), known as RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator). The communication standard is a standard or protocol defined for each network (communication system) used by the user terminal 20 for communication. Examples of communication standards include 3G, LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, and 5G for mobile networks installed by telecommunications carriers, and Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n, etc.) or Bluetooth (BLE) for wireless LANs. The base station (or access point) is identification information, such as a cell ID or SSID, indicating the wireless base station to which the user terminal 20 is connected to use the network. The communication speed (including upload and download) is the speed related to communication data transmitted and received by the user terminal 20 from an access point or the like. This speed represents the amount of data transmitted per fixed time (so-called traffic data volume). Note that the user terminal 20 may be managed using, for example, a MAC address as information for uniquely identifying the user terminal 20 recorded in the communication environment database 1001.

[0037] Returning to FIG. 5, in step S102, the information processing device 10 determines whether the communication environment of the user terminal 20 satisfies predetermined requirements. In this case, the requirements are defined based on the radio wave strength included in the communication environment information acquired from the user terminal 20. For example, if a threshold value set for the radio wave strength (hereinafter referred to as the "radio wave strength threshold") is equal to or greater than a certain value, the information processing device 10 determines that the communication environment of the terminal is good (i.e., satisfies the requirements). On the other hand, if the radio wave strength threshold value is less than the certain value, the information processing device 10 determines that the communication environment of the terminal is not good (i.e., does not satisfy the requirements). Note that the requirements may be defined based on parameters such as the communication speed of the terminal. Alternatively, the requirements may be defined based on behavioral data or surrounding environment information other than the communication environment information.

[0038] If the communication environment of the terminal satisfies the requirements (step S102: YES), the information processing device 10 proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the communication environment of the terminal does not satisfy the requirements (step S102: NO), the information processing device 10 proceeds to step S104.

[0039] In step S103, the information processing device 10 prompts the user to stop at the current location. The fact that the communication environment of the terminal satisfies the requirements indicates that the user's current location has a good communication environment. Therefore, for example, if the user prioritizes using the terminal over moving, pausing at that location increases the possibility that the user can operate the terminal in a comfortable communication environment.

[0040] In step S104, the information processing device 10 determines whether the radio wave strength has improved due to movement. Here, whether the radio wave strength has improved due to movement is determined, for example, from changes over time in communication environment information. More specifically, the latest radio wave strength is compared with the radio wave strength before moving a predetermined distance (for example, 5 m) from the current location, and if the radio wave strength has increased, the information processing device 10 determines that the radio wave strength has improved due to movement. If the comparison shows that the radio wave strength has decreased, the information processing device 10 determines that the radio wave strength has deteriorated due to movement. Note that the user's movement distance is identified or estimated, for example, from behavioral data. Identifying the traveling direction using behavioral data will be described later.

[0041] In this way, the information processing device 10 performs different processes depending on whether or not the radio wave strength has improved due to movement. Here, if it is determined that the radio wave strength has improved due to movement (step S104: YES), the information processing device 10 proceeds to the process at step S105. On the other hand, if it is determined that the radio wave strength has not improved (or worsened) due to movement (step S104: NO), the information processing device 10 proceeds to the process at step S106.

[0042] In step S105, the information processing device 10 notifies the user via the user terminal 20 that the communication environment of the terminal will improve if the user continues moving in the same direction. This indicates that the communication situation has improved as a result of the most recent movement.

[0043] In step S106, the information processing device 10 presents to the user, via the user terminal 20, a direction different from the user's traveling direction. This allows the user to know that the communication situation has not improved (or worsened) as a result of the user's recent travel. When the user is not specifically traveling but is simply walking around in search of better communication conditions, information that can serve as a guide for the user as to which direction to head can be provided. This allows the user to take a flexible approach, such as heading to a destination via a direction different from the original route (i.e., a direction considered to have a good communication environment). Note that the information processing device 10 may not present a direction considered to have a good communication environment if, for example, the direction is more than 90 degrees off the user's traveling direction or is directly opposite (180 degrees) to the user's traveling direction. Here, the navigation information displayed by the user terminal 20 will be described.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a navigation presentation screen. In this example, FIG. 7 shows an example of a display screen displayed by the user terminal 20. In this example, the user can know the direction in which the communication environment of the terminal will improve by the navigation presented on display screens D1 to D3. Display screen D1 (FIG. 7(A)) is a navigation screen presenting that the communication environment has improved as a result of the most recent movement (step S105). In display screen D1, field F11 is an area that displays an indicator pointing to the direction in which the communication environment is considered to be good. Field F12 is an area that displays instructions to the user. The instructions are output, for example, based on a requirement determination of the communication environment. Field F13 is an area that displays the current received radio wave strength of the user terminal 20. A level determined according to the radio wave strength may be displayed here. Display screen D2 (FIG. 7(B)) is a navigation screen presenting that the direction in which the communication environment will improve is in a direction different from the user's traveling direction (step S106). Display screen D3 (FIG. 7(C)) is a navigation screen that indicates that the user's current location is in a good communication environment (step S103). By referring to such a display screen, the user can know the communication environment of the terminal he or she owns and the direction in which the good communication environment is expected to be located.

[0045] As described above, the information processing device 10 can present navigation information to the user based on the communication environment information, thereby enabling the user to travel while searching for a comfortable communication environment.

[0046] 2-2. How to estimate the purpose of a behavior The requirements for the communication environment determined in step S102 may be set according to the user's purpose. Here, an example will be described in which the information processing system 1 estimates the user's purpose and sets the requirements for the communication environment according to the estimated purpose.

[0047] 8 is a sequence chart illustrating a process of estimating a purpose of a behavior in the information processing system 1. In step S201, the user terminal 20 detects the user's movement (for example, a change in acceleration or angular velocity over time) using a sensor (IMU) mounted on the user terminal 20. The user terminal 20 also acquires information such as an app used by the user (for example, an app usage history).

[0048] In step S202, the information processing device 10 acquires behavioral data from the user terminal 20. Here, the behavioral data includes information about the movement of the user detected by a sensor or information about an application acquired by an API, etc. Here, a database for managing the behavioral data will be described.

[0049] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the behavior database 2001. In this example, the behavior database 2001 has multiple records for each user terminal 20. Each record corresponds to a timestamp. Each record includes a timestamp and behavior data. The behavior data includes acceleration, angular velocity, direction of travel, and apps in use. The acceleration or angular velocity is data related to the user's movement, and is information measured by a measuring device such as an IMU provided in the user terminal 20. The direction of travel is information indicating the state of the user identified from the acceleration or angular velocity. The apps in use are apps that the user is using while moving, estimated from the device operation log acquired via an API or the like. The apps in use include information for identifying the apps themselves or category information that classifies the apps.

[0050] Returning to FIG. 8, in step S203, the information processing device 10 identifies the user's traveling direction. The traveling direction is estimated from the acceleration or angular velocity in the behavioral data. Note that, since a moving user may operate the user terminal 20 while tilting the terminal at various angles, the behavioral data may include information indicating the attitude of the terminal itself. The information processing device 10 may correct data regarding the user's traveling direction based on the attitude of the terminal.

[0051] As described above, the information processing device 10 can identify the user's traveling direction based on the behavioral data acquired from the user terminal 20. The user's traveling direction is used when navigating the communication environment described in Section 2-1. Next, processing related to the purpose of the behavior will be described.

[0052] In step S204, the information processing device 10 estimates the user's purpose of activity. More specifically, the information processing device 10 estimates the user's purpose of activity based on the currently used apps recorded in the behavior database 2001. The purpose of activity may be estimated simply from the app name or category name indicated by the currently used app. Candidates for the purpose of activity are defined in the information processing device 10. For example, the candidate purposes of activity are "traveling to a destination," "watching videos," "browsing the web," "listening to music," and "reading an e-book." For each of these candidates, conditions are defined for estimating that the user is performing an activity for that purpose. The information processing device 10 estimates the purpose of activity according to these definitions.

[0053] In step S205, the information processing device 10 identifies the requirements for the communication environment of the user terminal 20 based on the estimated purpose of action. Here, the requirements for the communication environment are defined in advance in a database of the information processing device 10 based on the purpose of action. For example, because a sufficient communication environment (more specifically, communication speed) is required for watching videos, the thresholds for communication speed and signal strength are defined relatively high compared to the requirements for other purposes of action. The information processing device 10 uses this definition to determine whether the communication environment satisfies the requirements (step S102). In another example, if the purpose of the user's purpose of action is to travel to a destination, that is, to travel to the destination for subsequent plans, it is considered that whether communication is possible in this indoor space is not so important. Therefore, for the purpose of the purpose of action of traveling to a destination, the thresholds for communication speed and signal strength are defined relatively low compared to the requirements for other purposes of action.

[0054] According to this example, the information processing system 1 can estimate the purpose of the user's actions and present the user with directions to a better communication environment in accordance with the user's actions.

[0055] 2-3. How to indicate directions to avoid congestion In a situation where the radio wave strength is improving as the user moves (step S104: YES), it is considered that if the user continues moving as is, there is a high possibility that the radio wave strength will improve further if there are no particular obstacles, but if there is a factor (for example, a crowd) that will cause the radio wave strength to deteriorate in the user's direction of travel, it may be preferable to recommend that the user move in a different direction. Therefore, here, an example will be described in which a moving direction that avoids congestion is presented.

[0056] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for presenting directions to avoid congestion in the information processing system 1. In step S301, the information processing device 10 acquires surrounding environment information from the user terminal 20. More specifically, the user terminal 20 periodically transmits image data or audio data acquired from a device such as a camera or a microphone to the information processing device 10. Here, a database for managing the surrounding environment information will be described.

[0057] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a surrounding environment database 3001. In this example, the surrounding environment database 3001 has multiple records for each user terminal 20. Each record corresponds to a timestamp. Each record includes surrounding environment information, behavioral data, and a congestion level. The timestamp is time information when the user terminal 20 acquired the surrounding environment information. The surrounding environment information includes image data and audio data. The behavioral data is an item indicating data content that is common to the behavior database 2001. In particular, the behavioral data includes the acceleration or angular velocity of the terminal. From the behavioral data, the information processing device 10 can identify the user's traveling direction (movement state). The congestion level is a criterion that indicates the degree of congestion due to crowding in the environment around the terminal, estimated based on the surrounding environment information or behavioral data.

[0058] Here, we will explain the degree of crowding. For example, document L1 (Nishimura et al., Crowd Sensing in Indoor Environments Using Smartphones, Multimedia, Distributed, Cooperative and Mobile (DICOMO2013) Symposium, July 2013, Information Processing Society of Japan) discloses a method for sensing the crowd situation caused by a crowd by using a microphone and acceleration sensor built into a smartphone to sense the surrounding sounds and the walking movements of users in crowded situations.

[0059] The congestion level in the present invention is used to determine whether there is a crowd in the user's direction of travel. In a crowded area, various terminals may communicate intensively with a specific access point, which may deteriorate the communication environment of the user terminal 20. In other words, it is important to encourage the user to escape from the crowded area. Therefore, the information processing device 10 aims to acquire surrounding environment information or behavioral data from the user terminal 20 and present navigation information to the user based on the congestion level.

[0060] Returning to FIG. 10 , in step S302, the information processing device 10 determines whether or not there is a crowd in the user's direction of travel. In this case, the information processing device 10 makes the determination based on the congestion level described above. More specifically, if the congestion level recorded in the surrounding environment database 3001 is evaluated using a classification such as high, medium, or low, the information processing device 10 determines that the congestion level is high and that there is a crowd in the user's direction of travel. Note that the congestion level may be standardized by any method and used for the determination. For example, the information processing device 10 may make the determination based on a predetermined threshold (hereinafter referred to as the "congestion level threshold") for congestion levels defined by various methods described in Literature L1. In other words, if the congestion level is equal to or greater than the congestion level threshold, the information processing device 10 determines that there is a crowd in the user's direction of travel. If the congestion level is less than the congestion level threshold, the information processing device 10 determines that there is no crowd.

[0061] If it is determined that there is a crowd in the user's traveling direction (step S302: YES), the information processing device 10 proceeds to step S303. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no crowd in the user's traveling direction (step S302: NO), the information processing device 10 proceeds to step S304.

[0062] In step S303, the information processing device 10 presents to the user a direction to avoid the crowd or a direction to avoid the crowd that takes into account a direction that will improve the communication environment. More specifically, the information processing device 10 randomly presents directions within an angle range of 90 degrees or less with respect to the user's traveling direction, for example. Alternatively, the information processing device 10 may present a direction to avoid the crowd only when the radio wave intensity threshold is below a certain value, regardless of the degree of congestion. In other words, even if there is a crowd in the user's traveling direction, as long as the state of the communication environment meets certain requirements, the information processing device 10 can estimate that a comfortable communication environment will be ensured even if the user continues traveling in the same direction.

[0063] In step S304, the information processing device 10 presents an instruction to the user to move while maintaining the direction of travel.

[0064] As described above, the information processing system 1 can estimate the congestion degree based on information acquired by the user terminal 20, and can present the user with a direction to avoid the congestion (a direction where the communication environment is expected to improve). Note that the congestion degree may be combined with communication environment information or behavioral data and used as a requirement for presenting navigation information (a direction where the communication environment is expected to improve) to the user.

[0065] 3. Variations The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible. Some modifications will be described below. Two or more of the following features may be combined and applied.

[0066] (1) Information Processing System 1 The hardware configuration and network configuration of the information processing system 1 are not limited to those exemplified in the embodiment. The information processing system 1 may have any hardware configuration and network configuration as long as the required functions can be realized. For example, multiple physical devices may cooperate to function as the information processing system 1. For example, at least a portion of the information processing device 10 may be implemented in a user terminal 20, and the user terminal 20 may determine the state of the communication environment and present navigation information to the user. Furthermore, the entities, configuration, or system structure shown in FIG. 1 are merely an example and merely represent an overview of the system. Therefore, the information processing system 1 may be, for example, a network system in which the information processing device 10 and multiple user terminals 20 are interconnected. In this case, the information processing device 10 may acquire communication environment information, behavioral data, or surrounding environment information from each of the multiple user terminals 20.

[0067] (2) Information processing device 10 Some of the functions of the information processing device 10 may be implemented in another server. This server may be, for example, a physical server or a virtual server (including a so-called cloud). Furthermore, the correspondence between functional elements and hardware is not limited to that illustrated in the embodiment. For example, in the embodiment, at least some of the functions described as being implemented in the information processing device 10 may be implemented in another device or system, or conversely, at least some of the functions described as being implemented in another device or system may be implemented in the information processing device 10. In this example, at least some of the functions of the information processing device 10 may be implemented in, for example, the user terminal 20. In this case, a database managed by the information processing device 10 may be implemented in the user terminal 20. This enables the user terminal 20 to determine the state of the communication environment, identify the direction of travel, estimate the purpose of activity, or calculate the congestion level.

[0068] (3) User terminal 20 The user terminal 20 is not limited to the one exemplified in the embodiment. The user terminal 20 may perform the above-described processes using any display screen, input device, or various UIs. The user terminal 20 may be equipped with a function to present navigation information output from the information processing device 10 to the user via an application (or web browser) within the terminal. Alternatively, the user terminal 20 may cooperate with a map application or a scheduler to present directions in which the communication environment will improve in accordance with the user's operation or the operation of the application.

[0069] The user terminal 20 may be equipped with various sensors and may use these sensors to acquire (and output to the information processing device 10) communication environment information, behavioral data, or surrounding environment information. The sensors may include, for example, the above-mentioned IMU (acceleration or angular velocity) sensor, as well as a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) or a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Alternatively, the sensors may be an infrared camera or a motion sensor.

[0070] The user terminal 20 acquires behavioral data of a user who uses an app or the like, and transmits the data to the information processing device 10. In this case, the user terminal 20 may acquire the behavioral data of the user by using, for example, tracking to a website or a cookie, in addition to the above-mentioned API (Application Programming Interface).

[0071] Furthermore, at least some of the functions described in the embodiments as being possessed by the server, i.e., the information processing device 10, may be implemented in the user terminal 20. For example, the navigation client program may acquire communication environment information of its own device and determine whether the requirements indicating a good communication environment are met. Alternatively, the navigation client program may infer the user's purpose of action and set requirements according to the inferred purpose of action.

[0072] (4) Requirements The requirements for a good communication environment are not limited to those exemplified in the embodiments. The requirements may be any requirements set within the system as requirements for a terminal's communication environment to be good. That is, the requirements indicating a good communication environment may be defined using any information (communication environment information, behavioral data, or surrounding environment information) acquired from the user terminal 20. For example, the requirements may be defined based on location information. In this case, the information processing system 1 may have map data in advance that corresponds the location of the terminal (user) to the state of the communication environment. The information processing device 10 may determine, based on the location information acquired from the user terminal 20, whether the location of the terminal belongs to an area with a good communication environment, in accordance with the requirements. Note that the configurations or operations described in the embodiments may be modified as appropriate depending on the type of requirement. Alternatively, the requirements for a good communication environment may be set in accordance with a user's instruction.

[0073] (5) How to present navigation information The flowchart shown in Fig. 5 merely shows one example of the operation, and the operation of the information processing system 1 is not limited to this. Some of the illustrated operations may be changed or omitted, the order may be changed, or new operations may be added. In step S101, the information processing device 10 may acquire communication environment information, behavioral data, or surrounding environment information from the user terminal 20, and then identify the direction of travel, estimate the purpose of the action, or calculate the congestion level. The requirement determination in step S102 may be performed based on the above-mentioned processing.

[0074] In step S102, the information processing device 10 may use various machine learning models for the requirement determination process. In this case, the machine learning model is configured with a function of accepting input of communication environment information, behavioral data, or surrounding environment information as explanatory variables, and a function of outputting a determination of the quality of the communication environment as a target variable. The machine learning model may be, for example, a support vector machine (SVM), a neural network (NN), or a random forest.

[0075] (6) Methods for identifying the direction of travel and estimating the purpose of the action The sequence chart shown in FIG. 8 merely illustrates one example of the operation, and the operation of the information processing system 1 is not limited to this. Some of the illustrated operations may be changed or omitted, the order may be changed, or new operations may be added. In step S203, the user's traveling direction may be identified based on the user's location information, etc. For example, if the current location of the terminal indicates a single road or a narrow passage in an underground station, and the passage has a linear structure, the traveling direction may be estimated from the transition of the user's past location information. In other words, if it is determined that the user is traveling from the entrance to the exit of the passage and there is no room to turn back, it becomes possible to narrow down (predict) the user's traveling direction in advance.

[0076] In step S204, the purpose of the activity may be estimated based on information about apps running in the background of the terminal, in addition to information about apps used by the user, among the above-mentioned behavioral data. For example, when a map app is launched (running in the background) to check a route to a destination while traveling, the information processing device 10 may acquire information about the user's destination, current location, route, or the like from the map app and estimate the purpose of the activity. That is, in this example, the information processing device 10 can present the user with navigation information about a communication environment related to the user's destination.

[0077] (7) How to present directions to avoid congestion The flowchart shown in FIG. 10 merely illustrates one example of the operation, and the operation of the information processing system 1 is not limited to this. Some of the illustrated operations may be changed or omitted, the order may be changed, or new operations may be added. In step S302, the determination of the presence or absence of a crowd may be performed based on, for example, the user's movement speed and communication environment information of the user terminal 20. More specifically, the information processing device 10 may estimate the number of terminals near the access point connected to the user terminal 20 from the number of connections, etc., based on the identification information of the access point to which the user terminal 20 is connected, and determine the presence or absence of a crowd depending on the density of terminals (users) within a predetermined wireless area. As described above, the congestion degree may be defined in any way.

[0078] (8) Methods for creating and presenting map data In step S106, when navigating to advise that it is not advisable to continue in the current direction, it would be better if the navigation system could also provide guidance on which direction to go. To provide guidance on which direction to go, a map of the communication environment is all that is needed. In an indoor space with many people, such as a shopping mall, information on the communication environment can be obtained from many people, and by mapping this information on a map, a map of the communication environment can be created. Here, an example will be described in which this map is used to provide guidance on a location or route where the communication environment meets requirements.

[0079] FIG. 12 is a sequence chart illustrating a method for creating and presenting map data in the information processing system 1. Here, a method for creating a map (an example of map data) reflecting the state of the communication environment based on communication environment information acquired from a plurality of user terminals 20 included in the information processing system 1, each owned by a different user, such as user terminal 20, user terminal 21, ... (hereinafter referred to as "user terminal 20, etc.") will be described. In step S401, the information processing device 10 acquires communication environment information from each of the user terminals 20, etc. The information acquired from the user terminal 20, etc. may include location information. In step S402, the information processing device 10 estimates the location of each of the user terminals 20, etc. based on the communication environment information (or location information). Note that the location of the terminal may be estimated based on a predetermined method, such as a positioning method based on the radio wave intensity of radio waves received from a specific access point (indoor positioning method). In this case, the location of the terminal may be estimated only from the communication environment information without using the location information. In step S403, the information processing device 10 reflects the state of the communication environment of each terminal at a position on the map corresponding to the position of each terminal. The communication environment is preferably reflected, for example, in a radio wave map (not shown) based on the radio wave strength of each terminal. Note that when depicting the state of the communication environment in the map data, it may be depicted in any manner. As described above, the information processing device 10 can create map data based on the communication environment information of multiple terminals.

[0080] Here, a method for presenting navigation information using map data will be described. In step S404, the information processing device 10 acquires behavioral data from the user terminal 20 (a specific terminal). At this time, the information processing device 10 determines the state of the communication environment or estimates the location of the terminal based on the communication environment information acquired from the user terminal 20. In step S405, the information processing device 10 identifies the traveling direction of the user terminal 20 from the behavioral data. The identification of the traveling direction may be performed in the same process as the estimation of the user's purpose. In step S406, the information processing device 10 presents to the user a direction toward an area along the user's traveling direction that is expected to improve the communication environment (satisfy the requirements) in the map data. In other words, if the location of the terminal in the map data is not in an area with a good communication environment, the information processing device 10 can refer to a radio wave map on the map and present to the user the direction of an area with a more comfortable communication environment. Regarding the information to be presented to the user, the information processing device 10 may output map data to the user terminal 20.

[0081] The sequence chart shown in FIG. 12 merely shows one example of the operation, and the operation of the information processing system 1 is not limited to this. Some of the illustrated operations may be changed or omitted, the order may be changed, or new operations may be added. For example, various modifications may be made to the presentation of navigation information using map data. The information processing device 10 may present to the user, in cooperation with a scheduler, a location with the best communication environment related to a preset destination. For example, if a cafe is set as the destination, the information processing device 10 may also provide navigation including determining which seat in the cafe has the best communication environment.

[0082] (9) Communication environment information The communication environment information is not limited to the examples given in the embodiments. The communication environment information may be, for example, information acquired from the user terminal 20, such as the background operation rate of an app or tracking data of past communication situations. Alternatively, the information used to determine the state of the communication environment may be various information such as the altitude information of the terminal, the current location status (information on whether the terminal is indoors or outdoors), the remaining battery level of the terminal, or the frequency of user operation of the terminal (frequency of use).

[0083] (10) Behavioral data The behavioral data is not limited to those exemplified in the embodiments. The behavioral data may be, for example, the type of app that is mainly used (whether the user is watching a video or reading the news). Alternatively, the behavioral data may be biometric information about the user's body. For example, the user's moving speed or purpose of behavior may be estimated taking into account the user's body temperature or heart rate. In this case, the user terminal 20 may be linked to another terminal such as a wearable terminal.

[0084] (11) Surrounding environment information The surrounding environment information is not limited to the examples given in the embodiments. For example, the surrounding environment information may be spatial information about the space around the user. Furthermore, the surrounding environment information does not necessarily have to include image data captured by a camera built into the terminal.

[0085] (12) Congestion level The congestion level is not limited to the example given in the embodiment. The congestion level may be a five-level rating instead of three levels (large, medium, and small). Alternatively, the congestion level may be expressed, for example, as a normalized numerical value. Furthermore, the congestion level is not limited to the information of the terminal alone as described in Document L1, and may be calculated based on information acquired from an external device such as a surveillance camera (microphone) installed in the space where the user is present.

[0086] (13) Database The databases (or the data itself) of the information processing system 1 shown in Figures 6, 9, and 11 are not limited to those exemplified in the embodiments. In this example, any type of data may be registered in the database. For example, location information may be recorded for each record in the database. Furthermore, the layout of the database is not limited to that shown in the figures, and data may be managed in any layout. The communication environment database 1001, the behavior database 2001, or the surrounding environment database 3001 may be managed in the same record. Note that the data output by the information processing device 10 to each device may be any type of data registered in the database.

[0087] (14)Display screen The display screen shown in Fig. 7 is not limited to the example shown in the embodiment. In this example, the layout of each field on the display screen of the user terminal 20 may be defined according to the UI of various display screens. Furthermore, the layout or configuration of the display screen may be set to an optimal display screen according to the UI of a terminal such as a smartphone. In addition to presenting navigation information, map data, a schedule, etc. may be displayed on the display screen of the user terminal 20.

[0088] (15) Other The various programs executed by processor 101 may be provided by downloading via a network such as the Internet, or may be provided in a state recorded on a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as a DVD-ROM. Each processor may be, for example, a CPU, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).

[0089] The block diagrams used to explain the above embodiments show functional blocks. These functional blocks (components) are realized by any combination of at least one of hardware and software. Furthermore, the method for realizing each functional block is not particularly limited. That is, each functional block may be realized using a single device that is physically or logically coupled, or may be realized using two or more physically or logically separated devices that are directly or indirectly connected (for example, using wires, wirelessly, etc.) and these multiple devices. The functional block may also be realized by combining the single device or multiple devices with software.

[0090] Functions include, but are not limited to, judgment, determination, assessment, calculation, computation, processing, derivation, investigation, search, confirmation, reception, transmission, output, access, resolution, selection, election, establishment, comparison, assumption, expectation, consideration, broadcasting, notifying, communicating, forwarding, configuring, reconfiguring, allocating, mapping, and assignment. For example, a functional block (component) that performs transmission is called a transmitting unit or transmitter. As mentioned above, there are no particular limitations on how these functions are implemented.

[0091] For example, the information processing device 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may function as a computer that performs the processing of the present disclosure.

[0092] Each aspect or embodiment described in the present disclosure may be applied to at least one of systems using LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), SUPER 3G, IMT-Advanced, 4G (4th generation mobile communication system), 5G (5th generation mobile communication system), FRA (Future Radio Access), NR (New Radio), W-CDMA (registered trademark), GSM (registered trademark), CDMA2000, UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi (registered trademark)), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX (registered trademark), IEEE 802.20, UWB (Ultra-Wideband), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or other appropriate systems, and next-generation systems extended based on these. Furthermore, a combination of multiple systems (e.g., a combination of at least one of LTE and LTE-A with 5G) may also be applied.

[0093] The order of the procedures, sequences, flowcharts, etc. of each aspect or embodiment described in this disclosure may be changed unless it is inconsistent. For example, the methods described in this disclosure present elements of various steps using an example order, and are not limited to the particular order presented.

[0094] Input and output information may be stored in a specific location (for example, memory) or may be managed using a management table. Input and output information may be overwritten, updated, or added to. Output information may be deleted. Input information may be sent to another device.

[0095] The determination may be made based on a value represented by one bit (0 or 1), a Boolean value (true or false), or a numerical comparison (e.g., comparison with a predetermined value).

[0096] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present disclosure can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description of the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative and does not have any limiting meaning on the present disclosure.

[0097] Software, whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise, shall be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc. Additionally, software, instructions, information, etc. may be transmitted or received over a transmission medium. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using wired technologies (such as coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)), and / or wireless technologies (such as infrared, microwave), then such wired and / or wireless technologies are included within the definition of a transmission medium.

[0098] The information, signals, etc. described in this disclosure may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, chips, etc. that may be referred to throughout the above description may be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, optical fields or photons, or any combination thereof. Note that terms described in this disclosure and terms necessary for understanding this disclosure may be replaced with terms having the same or similar meanings.

[0099] Furthermore, the information, parameters, etc. described in this disclosure may be expressed using absolute values, may be expressed using relative values ​​from a predetermined value, or may be expressed using other corresponding information.

[0100] As used in this disclosure, the phrase "based on" does not mean "based only on," unless expressly stated otherwise. In other words, the phrase "based on" means both "based only on" and "based at least on."

[0101] As used in this disclosure, any reference to an element using a designation such as "first," "second," etc. does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. These designations may be used in this disclosure as a convenient method of distinguishing between two or more elements. Thus, a reference to a first and a second element does not imply that only two elements may be employed or that the first element must in some way precede the second element.

[0102] The "unit" in the configuration of each of the above devices may be replaced with "means," "circuit," "device," or the like.

[0103] When used in this disclosure, the terms "include," "including," and variations thereof are intended to be inclusive, similar to the term "comprising." Furthermore, when used in this disclosure, the term "or" is not intended to be an exclusive or.

[0104] In this disclosure, where articles are added by translation, such as a, an, and the in English, the disclosure may include that the nouns following these articles are in the plural form.

[0105] In the present disclosure, the term "A and B are different" may mean "A and B are different from each other." The term may also mean "A and B are each different from C." Terms such as "separate" and "coupled" may also be interpreted in the same way as "different." [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1...information processing system, 10...information processing device, 20, 21...user terminal, 9...network, 11...first acquisition unit, 12...determination unit, 13...presentation unit, 14...estimation unit, 15...second acquisition unit, 16...output unit, 18...storage unit, 19...control unit, 101...processor, 102...memory, 103...storage, 104...communication device, 1001...communication environment database, 2001...behavior database, 3001...surrounding environment database, A1...direction, AP1, AP2...access points, D1, D2, D3...display screen, F...field

Claims

1. a first acquisition unit that acquires communication environment information related to a communication environment of the terminal; a determination unit that determines whether the communication environment of the terminal satisfies the requirements for being considered good based on a change over time in the communication environment information associated with the movement of the user who uses the terminal; a presentation unit that presents to the user a direction in which the communication environment of the terminal will improve according to the result of the determination; An information processing device having the above.

2. When the moving direction of the user coincides with the direction in which the communication environment will improve, the presenting unit presents a message that the communication environment of the terminal will improve if the user moves in the moving direction. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. When the moving direction of the user does not match the direction in which the communication environment improves, the presenting unit presents the user with a direction different from the moving direction. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. If it is determined that the communication environment satisfies the requirements, the notification unit notifies the user to stop at the current location. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. an estimation unit that estimates the purpose of the user's behavior based on behavior data related to the user's movement detected from the terminal; The requirements are defined according to the purpose of the action. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

6. a second acquisition unit that acquires surrounding environment information indicating a state of a crowd in the user's traveling direction; When the surrounding environment information indicates that there is a crowd in the traveling direction, the presenting unit presents the user with a direction to avoid the crowd. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

7. the first acquisition unit acquires the communication environment information from a plurality of terminals; an output unit that outputs map data that depicts the communication environment on a map based on the communication environment information acquired from the plurality of terminals; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

8. an estimation unit that estimates the purpose of the user's behavior based on behavior data related to the user's movement detected from the terminal; The presenting unit presents to the user a direction toward an area in the map data where the communication environment is expected to satisfy the requirements, among areas along the user's traveling direction. The information processing device according to claim 7 .

9. The communication environment information includes a ratio of a traffic data volume occupied by an application running on the terminal. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

10. acquiring communication environment information relating to the communication environment of the terminal; determining whether the communication environment of the terminal satisfies the requirements for being considered good based on a change over time in the communication environment information associated with the movement of the user who uses the terminal; presenting to the user a direction in which the communication environment of the terminal will improve according to the result of the determination; A navigation method comprising:

Images