Operation instruction system, terminal device, and program

Abstract

To cause the terminal device to perform an action at a position more suitable for its intended purpose when it approaches a designated location. [Solution] The operation instruction system 1 comprises an in-vehicle terminal device A mounted on a mobile body M, and a server Z including an intermediate server X and a GIS server Y. The in-vehicle terminal device A includes an acquisition means for acquiring information on a designated center position, which is a specified location, and information on a designated reaction distance, which is the distance from the designated center position, from the intermediate server X, and a determination means for determining whether the in-vehicle terminal device A is located within the designated reaction distance. If the determination means determines that the in-vehicle terminal device A is located within the designated reaction distance, it causes, for example, the imaging unit 22 to take a photograph. The information on the designated center position and the information on the designated reaction distance, which are input to the user terminal device B by a predetermined specified operation, are transmitted to the intermediate server X via the GIS server Y.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to an operation instruction system, a terminal device, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, for example, an imaging device mounted on a moving body that downloads the position information of a requested imaging point registered in an information center via the Internet and performs imaging when the current position matches the position of the requested imaging point is known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the imaging device described in Patent Document 1 above, imaging is performed when the current position matches the position of the requested imaging point, and the position for causing the imaging device to perform the operation of imaging cannot be specified to an optimal position according to the operation purpose (for example, the size of the imaging object, etc.).

[0005] The problem of the disclosed technology is to provide a technology for causing the terminal device to perform an operation at a position more suitable for the operation purpose when the terminal device approaches a specified position.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the disclosed technology is an operation instruction system comprising: a terminal device mounted on a mobile body; and a server capable of communicating with the terminal device, wherein the terminal device includes: an acquisition means for acquiring information of a designated location, which is a specified location, and information of a designated distance, which is the distance from the designated location, from the server; and a determination means for determining whether the terminal device is located within the designated distance, wherein the determination means causes a predetermined operation means to execute a predetermined operation, and the server acquires information of the designated location and information of the designated distance from other information processing devices that have been input to the server and the terminal device by a predetermined designated operation.

[0007] According to this type of operation instruction system, the terminal device obtains information on a specified location and a specified distance from the server, which are input from another information processing device. If the terminal device is located within the specified distance from the specified location, it causes a predetermined operation means to perform a predetermined operation. Therefore, by specifying a distance according to the purpose of the predetermined operation, it becomes possible to ensure that the terminal device operates at a location more suitable for the purpose of the operation.

[0008] The terminal devices included in the above-mentioned operation instruction system, as well as the programs executed by those terminal devices, are novel and useful. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the disclosed technology, when a terminal device approaches a designated location, it is possible to have the terminal device perform an action at a position more suitable for the purpose of the action. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the overall configuration of the operation instruction system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows the configuration of the in-vehicle terminal device and the user terminal device in the operation instruction system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3]This figure shows the configuration of the intermediate server and the GIS server in the operation instruction system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a sequence diagram showing the processing procedure when operating conditions are input from a user terminal device. [Figure 5] This diagram explains the items used to specify the operating conditions. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a map screen used when inputting operating conditions in a GIS application on a user terminal device. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the instruction registration screen on the map screen of the GIS application shown. [Figure 8] This is a sequence diagram showing the processing steps when a specified action execution application is run on an in-vehicle terminal device. [Figure 9] This is a sequence diagram showing the procedure for processing when a viewing request is made from a user terminal device. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a map screen used when checking results in a GIS application on a user terminal device. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an image captured by an in-vehicle terminal device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments of the disclosed technology will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 shows an operation instruction system 1 according to the embodiment. The operation instruction system 1 includes an in-vehicle terminal device A mounted on a mobile body M which is a vehicle, an intermediate server X (an example of a first server), a GIS server Y (an example of a second server), and a user terminal device B, and each of these devices is connected to a network 2 such as the Internet. The in-vehicle terminal device A and the intermediate server X are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via the network 2. The intermediate server X and the GIS server Y are also connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via the network 2. The connection method of the in-vehicle terminal device A is wireless. The connection method of the intermediate server X, GIS server Y, and user terminal device B to the network 2 may be either wired or wireless.

[0012] The operation instruction system 1 can register multiple users (users) who input operating conditions for the in-vehicle terminal device A from the user terminal device B, and can also register multiple in-vehicle terminal devices A that operate according to the operating conditions entered by the users. The operation instruction system 1 is a system for causing the in-vehicle terminal device A to perform an action specified by the user when the mobile object M moves to a location (point) specified by the user.

[0013] User terminal device B is a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as "PC") on which an application is installed that can display an instruction registration screen for inputting the operating conditions of in-vehicle terminal device A, overlaid on the map screen. User terminal device B may be a terminal device other than a PC, such as a smartphone or tablet. User terminal device B transmits the input operating condition information to GIS server Y.

[0014] The GIS server Y accumulates and stores the information on the operating conditions received from the user terminal device B, and transmits it to the intermediate server X. The intermediate server X acquires the information on the operating conditions from the GIS server Y in response to a request from the in-vehicle terminal device A, and transmits it to the in-vehicle terminal device A. The intermediate server X and the GIS server Y are collectively referred to as the server Z. In this embodiment, the intermediate server X and the GIS server Y are separately configured, but one server that performs the functions of the intermediate server X and the GIS server Y may be provided.

[0015] The in-vehicle terminal device A is a smartphone having a photographing function, a display function, a sound output function, etc. The in-vehicle terminal device A may be a terminal device other than a smartphone, such as a drive recorder having the same functions. The in-vehicle terminal device A operates according to the information on the operating conditions received from the intermediate server X.

[0016] Here, an example of the operation performed by the in-vehicle terminal device A will be described. The in-vehicle terminal device A may take a photograph based on the operating conditions input to the user terminal device B. The photographing of the photograph is performed, for example, in view of the following reasons.

[0017] Power suppliers such as power companies carry out regular patrol and monitoring operations by employees and others on power transmission and distribution facilities such as utility poles, power transmission facilities (power transmission lines, towers), and electrical manholes for stable power supply. Examples of abnormalities in utility poles include the formation of bird nests and the entanglement of creepers. Examples of abnormalities in power transmission facilities include situations where the area under a power transmission line is a construction site and there is a risk of a crane vehicle or the like getting caught on the power transmission line. Examples of abnormalities in electrical manholes include situations where cracks have occurred in the road around the manhole.

[0018] In addition to the routine tasks of inspecting and monitoring electrical equipment (transmission and distribution equipment) as described above, power supply companies also have tasks such as employee visits to customer sites. If information on the current state of electrical equipment can be obtained incidentally while performing these other tasks, it would be possible to eliminate the need for separate inspections solely for collecting information on the current state of electrical equipment, thereby improving the efficiency of electrical equipment inspection and monitoring operations.

[0019] Therefore, in this configuration of the operation instruction system 1, input operations on the user terminal device B allow the in-vehicle terminal device A to be instructed to take a photograph at a specified location. As a result, when the in-vehicle terminal device A reaches the specified location due to the movement of the mobile object M (such as a company car of a power supplier), a photograph will be taken. The information related to the photograph taken by the in-vehicle terminal device A is transmitted to the intermediate server X. The intermediate server X then works in conjunction with the GIS server Y to make the information related to the photograph taken by the in-vehicle terminal device A viewable on the user terminal device B, which has the GIS application 36 (described later) installed.

[0020] Furthermore, the in-vehicle terminal device A may display messages such as "Please slow down" based on the operating conditions entered into the user terminal device B. Displaying such messages makes it easy to communicate to the occupants of a mobile vehicle M what they should be careful of when it enters a designated area. In addition, the in-vehicle terminal device A may emit a warning sound such as "beep" based on the operating conditions entered into the user terminal device B. Emitting such a warning sound can give the occupants of a mobile vehicle M some kind of trigger (such as a reminder of work-related precautions) when it enters a designated area. For example, by designating areas where particular attention should be paid to the speed of mobile vehicle M and having the in-vehicle terminal device A display a message or emit a warning sound, it becomes possible to prevent problems from arising between residents of that area and power supply companies.

[0021] Next, the configurations of the in-vehicle terminal device A, user terminal device B, intermediate server X, and GIS server Y will be explained based on Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2(A) shows the configuration of the in-vehicle terminal device A. The in-vehicle terminal device A is a smartphone equipped with camera functions, display functions, sound output functions, GPS functions, etc. In other words, as shown in Figure 2(A), the in-vehicle terminal device A comprises a controller 10 including a CPU 12 and memory 14, a user IF (user interface) 20, a communication IF (communication interface) 21, an imaging unit 22 (an example of an imaging unit), and a GPS receiver 23. The user IF 20, communication IF 21, imaging unit 22, and GPS receiver 23 are electrically connected to the controller 10. Note that the controller 10 is a general term for the hardware and software used to control the in-vehicle terminal device A, and does not necessarily represent a single piece of hardware actually present in the in-vehicle terminal device A.

[0022] The CPU 12 executes various processes according to the program read from memory 14 and based on the operator's input. Memory 14 stores various programs, including various application programs (hereinafter referred to as "apps"), and various data. Memory 14 is also used as a workspace when various processes are executed. The buffer provided by the CPU 12 is also an example of memory. Note that memory 14 is not limited to ROM, RAM, HDD, etc., built into the in-vehicle terminal device A, but may also be a storage medium that the CPU 12 can read and write to.

[0023] The user interface 20 includes hardware that displays a screen for informing the user of information, and hardware (input device) that accepts user operations. Specifically, the user interface 20 of the in-vehicle terminal device A includes a touch panel 20a that has an information display function and an input acceptance function. The touch panel 20a is an example of a display unit. The user interface 20 of the in-vehicle terminal device A also includes a speaker 20b, which is hardware capable of outputting various types of sounds.

[0024] Communication IF21 includes hardware for communicating with external devices such as intermediate server X via network 2. The communication standards for communication IF21 include Wi-Fi®, 4G, 5G, etc. The in-vehicle terminal device A may have multiple communication IF21s that support multiple communication standards.

[0025] The imaging unit 22 includes a camera with a lens and other components, and is capable of capturing still images and videos. In other words, the in-vehicle terminal device A has the function of capturing images in the direction that the lens of the imaging unit 22 is pointed. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the in-vehicle terminal device A is mounted on the dashboard of the vehicle so that the lens of the imaging unit 22 is facing forward in the direction of travel of the vehicle (more specifically, so that the lens is facing approximately 0 degrees when the direction of travel is considered 0 degrees). Note that the direction of the lens of the imaging unit 22 does not matter as long as it is within 30 degrees to the left and right in the direction of travel. If the direction of the lens is within this range, it is considered to be within the range of facing forward in the direction of travel of the vehicle. Furthermore, it is assumed that the touch panel 20a of the in-vehicle terminal device A is facing towards the occupant.

[0026] The GPS receiver 23 receives GPS signals. The in-vehicle terminal device A has the function of acquiring its location information (latitude and longitude information) on Earth based on the analysis results of the GPS signals received by the GPS receiver.

[0027] The memory 14 of the in-vehicle terminal device A stores an operating system (hereinafter referred to as "OS") 15 and a specified operation execution application 16. The memory 14 also includes an operation condition storage unit 17 for storing operation conditions obtained from the intermediate server X, and an operation result storage unit 18 for storing information resulting from operations performed according to the operation conditions (for example, information about photographs taken). Hereafter, the information resulting from operations performed according to the operation conditions will also be referred to as operation result information. The OS 15 is a multitasking OS that can process multiple tasks in parallel by managing and switching between multiple tasks, such as iOS® or Android®.

[0028] The designated action execution application 16 installed on the in-vehicle terminal device A is an application program that includes processes such as obtaining operating conditions from the intermediate server X, determining whether the in-vehicle terminal device A is located at the position indicated by those operating conditions, executing the operation specified by those operating conditions, and transmitting information resulting from the execution of that operation (operation result information) to the intermediate server X. The operation result information includes the location information of the in-vehicle terminal device A at the time the operation specified by the operating conditions was performed (latitude and longitude information based on the GPS receiver). The operation of the designated action execution application 16 will be described later.

[0029] Figure 2(B) shows the configuration of user terminal device B. User terminal device B is a desktop or laptop PC. As shown in Figure 2(B), user terminal device B includes a controller 30 containing a CPU 32 and memory 34, a user interface (IF) 37, and a communication interface (IF) 38. The user interface 37 and communication interface 38 are electrically connected to the controller 30. Note that the controller 30 is a general term for the hardware and software used to control user terminal device B, and does not necessarily represent a single piece of hardware actually present in user terminal device B.

[0030] The CPU 32 executes various processes according to the program read from memory 34 and based on the operator's input. Memory 34 stores various programs, including various applications, and various data. Memory 34 is also used as a workspace when various processes are executed. The buffer provided by the CPU 32 is also an example of memory. Note that memory 34 is not limited to ROM, RAM, HDD, etc., built into the user terminal device B, but may also be a storage medium that the CPU 32 can read and write to.

[0031] User IF37 includes input and output devices. Specifically, User IF37 of user terminal device B includes input devices such as a keyboard and mouse, and a liquid crystal display as a display device capable of displaying images. User IF37 may also be a touch panel equipped with display and input reception functions.

[0032] The communication interface 38 includes hardware for communicating with external devices such as the GIS server Y via network 2. The communication standards for the communication interface 38 include Ethernet® and Wi-Fi®. The user terminal device B may have multiple communication interface 38s supporting multiple communication standards.

[0033] The memory 34 of user terminal device B stores the OS (operating system) 35 and the GIS application 36. The OS 35 is a multitasking OS that can process multiple tasks in parallel by managing and switching between multiple tasks, such as Windows®, macOS®, Linux®, iOS®, and Android®.

[0034] The GIS application 36 installed on user terminal device B is an application program for a map application that utilizes GIS (Geographic Information System). The GIS application 36 works in conjunction with the specified operation execution application 16 installed on in-vehicle terminal device A, and has the function of accepting input operations for the operating conditions of in-vehicle terminal device A, and the function of displaying information (for example, data based on captured images) related to the results of operations performed by in-vehicle terminal device A according to the operating conditions, along with information on the location where the operation was performed, on the map screen. The screen of the GIS application 36 will be described in detail later. The GIS application 36 may also be a web application that is used by accessing a web page provided by the GIS server Y via a browser.

[0035] Figure 3(A) shows the configuration of the intermediate server X. As shown in Figure 3(A), the intermediate server X includes a CPU 40, memory 42, and a communication interface 48. Note that the intermediate server X may be constructed using multiple servers.

[0036] The CPU 40 executes various processes according to the program read from memory 42. Memory 42 stores various programs and various data. Memory 42 is also used as a work area when various processes are executed. The buffer provided by the CPU 40 is also an example of memory. Note that memory 42 is not limited to ROM, RAM, HDD, etc. built into the intermediate server X, but may also be a storage medium that the CPU 40 can read and write to.

[0037] The communication IF48 includes hardware for communicating with external devices such as the in-vehicle terminal device A and the GIS server Y via network 2. The communication standard for the communication IF48 is Ethernet®, Wi-Fi®, etc. The intermediate server X may have multiple communication IF48s that support multiple communication standards.

[0038] The memory 42 of the intermediate server X stores the in-vehicle terminal DB 43, which is a database (DB) that stores data for identifying the in-vehicle terminal device A. The in-vehicle terminal DB 43 stores information such as the terminal ID that is assigned to the in-vehicle terminal device A after it has installed the specified operation execution application 16 and completed its registration.

[0039] Furthermore, the memory 42 of the intermediate server X is equipped with an operation result DB 44, which is a database (DB) for storing operation result information received from the in-vehicle terminal device A. The operation result DB 44 stores operation result information separately for each in-vehicle terminal device A to which a terminal ID has been assigned. In other words, operation result information received from one in-vehicle terminal device A, namely in-vehicle terminal device A1, is stored in the storage area for in-vehicle terminal device A1, and operation result information received from another in-vehicle terminal device A, namely in-vehicle terminal device A2, is stored in the storage area for in-vehicle terminal device A2. Note that the operation result DB 44 may store operation result information without separating it by in-vehicle terminal device A. In addition, the in-vehicle terminal DB 43 and the operation result DB 44 may be provided on an external device (e.g., a database server) that can communicate with the intermediate server X.

[0040] Furthermore, if the operation result information is instructed to take a photograph as the operation of the in-vehicle terminal device A, it includes data based on the captured image and the location information of the in-vehicle terminal device A at the time of shooting (information on its location on Earth based on the GPS receiver 23). The data based on the captured image includes text data indicating the date the image was taken, the direction and speed of movement of the moving object M at the time of shooting, the file name of the image data of the captured image, the save location (path) of the image data of the captured image, etc., as well as the image data of the captured image. The location information of the in-vehicle terminal device A at the time of shooting is text data.

[0041] Furthermore, the intermediate server X sends text data from the operation result information stored in the operation result DB44 to the GIS server Y at a predetermined transmission timing. In this configuration, this transmission timing is when the operation result information is received from the in-vehicle terminal device A. The transmission timing can be changed as appropriate; for example, it may be set to a fixed period, or it may be set to when a request is received from the GIS server Y. In this case, the operation result information for multiple operation results may be sent together.

[0042] Figure 3(B) shows the configuration of GIS server Y. As shown in Figure 3(B), GIS server Y includes a CPU 50, memory 52, and a communication interface 58. GIS server Y may be constructed using multiple servers.

[0043] The CPU 50 executes various processes according to the program read from memory 52. ​​Memory 52 stores various programs and various data. Memory 52 is also used as a workspace when various processes are executed. The buffer provided by the CPU 50 is also an example of memory. Note that memory 52 is not limited to ROM, RAM, HDD, etc., built into the GIS server Y, but may also be a storage medium that the CPU 50 can read and write to.

[0044] Communication IF58 includes hardware for communicating with external devices such as user terminal device B and intermediate server X via network 2. The communication standards for communication IF58 include Ethernet® and Wi-Fi®. GIS server Y may have multiple communication IF58s supporting multiple communication standards.

[0045] The memory 52 of the GIS server Y stores a GIS database 53, which is a database (DB) that stores GIS data. The GIS database 53 stores data representing map elements (for example, cities, rivers, mountains, roads, buildings, etc.), data of map images containing those elements, and data of equipment registered by the user (utility poles, power transmission equipment, electrical manholes, etc.). The GIS server Y uses the data stored in the GIS database 53 to implement functions such as displaying a map screen by the GIS application 36 on the user terminal device B.

[0046] Furthermore, the memory 52 of the GIS server Y stores a user account database 54, which is a DB (database) that stores user account data. The user account database 54 stores information such as user account information assigned to users who have installed the GIS application 36 and completed user registration (for example, a company that has a usage agreement for the GIS application 36). In other words, the memory 52 of the GIS server Y stores information about users who have the authority to use the operation instruction system 1. Users of the GIS application 36 can log in to the GIS application 36 on the user terminal device B they use and utilize the functions of the GIS application 36.

[0047] Furthermore, the memory 52 of the GIS server Y is equipped with an operating condition DB 56, which is a database that stores operating conditions received from user terminal device B. The operating condition DB 56 stores various operating conditions (operating condition 1, operating condition 2, ...) entered by various users. A user can enter multiple operating conditions with a single user account.

[0048] Furthermore, the memory 52 of the GIS server Y is equipped with an operation result DB 57, which is a database (DB) for storing operation result information. The operation result DB 57 stores the operation result information received from the intermediate server X. Note that the information stored in the operation result DB 57 of the GIS server Y and the information stored in the operation result DB 44 of the intermediate server X do not need to be exactly the same.

[0049] Furthermore, when the predetermined transmission conditions are met (in this configuration, in response to a request from user terminal device B), the GIS server Y sends the operation result information stored in the operation result DB 57 to user terminal device B. This allows the user to check the operation result information on the map screen of the GIS application 36 launched on user terminal device B.

[0050] Next, the procedure for specifying operating conditions in the operation instruction system 1 of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the sequence diagram in Figure 4. When the GIS application 36 is launched on the user terminal device B and the user performs an input operation (specification operation) of operating conditions using the user IF 37, the user terminal device B transmits information of the operating conditions corresponding to that input operation to the GIS server Y, as shown in Figure 4 (A). The GIS server Y then stores the received operating condition information in the operating condition DB 56 in memory 52 (B).

[0051] Here, the operating conditions that the user can specify include three items: operation content, center position, and reaction distance. The operation content item specifies the content of the operation to be performed by the in-vehicle terminal device A. As shown in Figure 5, the operation content includes three types: taking a photograph, outputting a warning sound, and displaying a message. Taking a photograph is the operation to have the imaging unit 22 of the in-vehicle terminal device A take a photograph (still image). Outputting a warning sound is the operation to have the speaker 20b of the in-vehicle terminal device A output a warning sound such as "beep". Displaying a message is the operation to display text representing a message such as "Please slow down" on the touch panel 20a. As will be described later, the content of the message to be displayed on the touch panel 20a can be specified by the user.

[0052] The types of operations that can be specified for the in-vehicle terminal device A are not limited to those shown in this embodiment and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the imaging unit 22 may be configured to take video. Alternatively, the speaker 20b may be configured to output voice messages such as "Please slow down" or "You have entered a designated area." The warning sounds output from the speaker 20b can also be changed as appropriate. In this embodiment, the imaging unit 22, speaker 20b, and touch panel 20a are each examples of predetermined operating means, and taking photos, outputting warning sounds, and displaying messages are each examples of predetermined operations.

[0053] Among the user-specified operating conditions, the center position and reaction distance items specify the location from which the in-vehicle terminal device A will perform its operation. The reaction distance is the distance from the center position. In this configuration, when the distance from the specified center position to the in-vehicle terminal device A reaches the specified reaction distance, the in-vehicle terminal device A will perform the specified operation. The specified center position is also called the specified position or specified instruction point, the specified reaction distance is also called the specified distance or instruction reaction distance, and the specified operation is also called the specified operation or instruction operation. As shown in Figure 5, the center position can be specified by clicking on the desired location on the map screen of the GIS application 36 (described later). Alternatively, it can be specified by entering map coordinates in the location input field on the instruction registration screen (described later).

[0054] The reaction distance can also be specified in the instruction registration screen (described later) of the GIS application 36 by selecting any distance from a set of distances determined according to the specified operation. In this configuration, as shown in Figure 5, three reaction distances are available as options for each operation. Specifically, when specifying photography as the operation, you can select any distance from three options: 50m, 20m, and 3m. Similarly, when specifying the output of a warning sound or the display of a message as the operation, you can select any distance from three options: 1000m, 500m, and 100m. Each reaction distance option for each operation is set to be an appropriate distance in light of the type of operation. For example, in the case of photography, the larger the object to be photographed, the further away you should be from the object, and the smaller the object to be photographed, the closer you should be. Therefore, for example, you can specify the optimal shooting distance by selecting 50m for a transmission tower, 20m for a utility pole, and 3m for an electrical manhole. Note that the reaction distance options in this configuration are just examples and can be changed as needed.

[0055] Furthermore, in this configuration, up to three reaction distances can be specified for a single action. That is, for example, if message display is specified as the action, all three reaction distances for message display can be selected: 1000m, 500m, and 100m. By selecting three reaction distances, it is possible to have the in-vehicle terminal A display a message when it reaches a position 1000m away from the center, then again when it reaches a position 500m away from the center, and again when it reaches a position 100m away from the center. By having the in-vehicle terminal A display messages multiple times as the mobile object M moves towards the center, it is possible to effectively alert the occupants of the mobile object M. The same applies to the output of warning sounds. Furthermore, if multiple reaction distances are specified, the system may be configured so that the warning sound at a shorter reaction distance is louder than the warning sound at a longer reaction distance, or so that the message displayed at a shorter reaction distance is displayed in larger characters than the message displayed at a longer reaction distance. With this configuration, it becomes possible to strongly alert the occupant the closer they are to the center position.

[0056] Next, we will describe the map screen displayed by the GIS application 36 installed on user terminal device B. Figure 6 is an example of a map screen displayed by the GIS application 36. The map screen 60 in the example shown in Figure 6 includes the username 62 of the user using the GIS application 36 and a map 64 of the region selected by the user. The user can display a map 64 of any region on the map screen 60 by operating user IF37.

[0057] Furthermore, the GIS application 36 displays a small window screen 70 overlaid on top of the map screen 60. The small window screen 70 allows switching between the instruction registration screen 80 and the results confirmation screen 90 (Figure 10), which will be described later. At the top of the small window screen 70 are the instruction registration tab 72, which displays the words "Instruction Registration," and the results confirmation tab 74, which displays the words "Result Confirmation." The instruction registration tab 72 functions as a button that accepts an instruction to display the instruction registration screen 80. The results confirmation tab 74 functions as a button that accepts an instruction to display the results confirmation screen 90. In other words, by operating user IF37 and clicking the instruction registration tab 72, the instruction registration screen 80 can be displayed as a small window screen 70 on user terminal device B. Also, by operating user IF37 and clicking the results confirmation tab 74, the results confirmation screen 90, which will be described later, can be displayed as a small window screen 70 on user terminal device B. Note that user terminal device B displays the selected tab in a different display manner than the unselected tabs.

[0058] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the instruction registration screen 80. As shown in Figure 7, the instruction registration screen 80 displays the item name "Specify Instruction Point" and a location input field 81. The user specifies the instruction point (center position) by entering map coordinates in the location input field 81, or by clicking on the desired location (a specific point on the map) on the map screen 60 (map 64). Once the instruction point (center position) is specified, a mark 76 indicating that instruction point (center position) is displayed on the map 64, as shown in Figure 6. Alternatively, the location input field 81 may be configured to allow the user to specify the instruction point (center position) by entering a location following the address format (e.g., XX City XX Ward XX △ Chome △ Ban △ Go) or by entering a building name.

[0059] Furthermore, on the instruction registration screen 80, as shown in Figure 7, the item name "Instruction operation content:" and the options 82 of "Photo shooting," "Warning sound," and "Message" are displayed. The user specifies the operation content by clicking on one of the options 82. The selected option 82 is displayed in a different format than the unselected options 82. Note that the "Photo shooting" option 82 is for causing the in-vehicle terminal device A to take a photo, the "Warning sound" option 82 is for causing the in-vehicle terminal device A to output a warning sound, and the "Message" option 82 is for causing the in-vehicle terminal device A to display a message.

[0060] Furthermore, the instruction registration screen 80 displays the item name "Instruction reaction distance (m):" and three reaction distance input fields 83. In other words, the user can specify up to three reaction distances for a single specified action. The reaction distance that can be specified in each reaction distance input field 83 changes depending on the action selected (specified) in the instruction action item. The lengths of the reaction distances that can be specified are as shown in Figure 5. In this configuration, an upward-pointing triangle button and a downward-pointing triangle button are displayed at the right end of the reaction distance input field 83. The user can switch the length of the instruction reaction distance by clicking these buttons.

[0061] The instruction registration screen 80 also displays the item name "Message:" and a message input field 84. The user specifies the message to be displayed on the touch panel 20a of the in-vehicle terminal device A by entering a message in the message input field 84 through the operation of user IF37. In other words, if "Message" is specified (selected) in the specified operation content item, the message entered in this message input field 84 will be the message displayed by the in-vehicle terminal device A.

[0062] The instruction registration screen 80 also displays a confirmation button 85 with the words "Add to instruction data" and a clear button 86 with the words "Clear". When the GIS application 36 receives an operation of the confirmation button 85, it confirms the contents of the instruction registration screen 80 as operating conditions. That is, the user terminal device B sends the operating conditions specified on the instruction registration screen 80 to the GIS server Y. The GIS server Y then stores the received operating conditions in the operating conditions DB 56 as newly specified operating conditions. Furthermore, when the GIS application 36 receives an operation of the clear button 86, it clears all the input contents of each item on the instruction registration screen 80.

[0063] In the above-mentioned instruction registration screen 80, the operation to specify the operation content is called the operation specification operation, the operation to specify the center position (instruction point) is called the position specification operation, and the operation to specify the reaction distance is called the distance specification operation.

[0064] Next, the procedure by which the in-vehicle terminal device A performs the specified operation in the operation instruction system 1 of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the sequence diagram in Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, when the specified operation execution application 16 is launched in the in-vehicle terminal device A, the in-vehicle terminal device A makes a connection request to the intermediate server X (C), and the intermediate server X responds to it. This establishes a connection between the in-vehicle terminal device A and the intermediate server X.

[0065] When the in-vehicle terminal device A establishes a connection with the intermediate server X, it requests the intermediate server X to acquire operating conditions (D). When the intermediate server X receives the request from the in-vehicle terminal device A, it requests the GIS server Y to acquire operating conditions (E). When the GIS server Y receives the request from the intermediate server X, it sends any unsent operating conditions stored in the operating condition DB 56 to the intermediate server X (F). The operating conditions stored in the operating condition DB 56 are the conditions specified by the user using the user terminal device B, as described above. The intermediate server X then sends the operating conditions received from the GIS server Y to the in-vehicle terminal device A, which made the request to acquire operating conditions in the process described in (D) above (G). The in-vehicle terminal device A stores the operating conditions received from the intermediate server X in the operating condition storage unit 17 (H). In this way, the operating conditions specified by the user using the user terminal device B are input to the in-vehicle terminal device A.

[0066] Next, the in-vehicle terminal device A operates based on the operating conditions stored in the operating condition storage unit 17. That is, when the in-vehicle terminal device A determines that the distance to the designated center position (designated instruction point) indicated by the operating conditions has reached the designated reaction distance indicated by those operating conditions (opt: [designated reaction distance reached]), it performs the operation specified by those operating conditions (I). Here, the specified operation is taking a photograph, the designated center position is the location of a specific utility pole (the location of mark 76 shown in Figure 6), and the reaction distance is 3m. In other words, in this example, when the in-vehicle terminal device A reaches a position 3m away from the location of the specific utility pole, it takes a photograph (still image) with the imaging unit 22 (I). The image data of the captured image is stored in the operation result storage unit 18. The file format of the image data of the captured image is, for example, jpeg. Also, when the in-vehicle terminal device A takes a photograph, it acquires information on its position on Earth (latitude and longitude) based on the GPS receiver 23. This location information is associated with the image data of the captured image and stored in the operation result storage unit 18.

[0067] Next, the in-vehicle terminal device A transmits data based on the captured image and location information at the time of capture (latitude and longitude information indicating the location of the in-vehicle terminal device A) to the intermediate server X (J). The data based on the captured image includes not only the image data of the captured image, but also text data indicating the file name, save location (path), and date of capture of the image data. The location information at the time of capture is also in text data format. The data based on the captured image and location information are included in the operation result information.

[0068] When the intermediate server X receives operation result information (data based on captured images, location information) from the in-vehicle terminal device A, it stores this data in the operation result DB 44 of memory 42 (K). Since the storage area of ​​the operation result DB 44 of memory 42 is divided according to the terminal ID of the in-vehicle terminal device A, the data received by the intermediate server X from the in-vehicle terminal device A is stored in the storage area corresponding to the terminal ID of the sending in-vehicle terminal device A. The in-vehicle terminal device A has also sent information about the storage location and file name of the image data to the intermediate server X. In other words, the storage location and file name of the image data are specified. Therefore, the intermediate server X saves the image data in the specified storage location (storage area of ​​the operation result DB 44) with the specified file name.

[0069] Next, the intermediate server X transmits the text data (operation result information excluding image data) from the operation result information (data based on captured images, location information) received from the in-vehicle terminal device A to the GIS server Y (L). When the GIS server Y receives the operation result information excluding image data from the intermediate server X, it stores the information in the operation result DB 57, distinguishing it according to the operation conditions (M).

[0070] In the operation instruction system 1, while the specified operation execution application 16 is running on the in-vehicle terminal device A, the series of processes from the operation condition acquisition request process (D) to the transmission of various data (J) described above are repeatedly performed. Since the in-vehicle terminal device A repeatedly performs the operation condition acquisition request process (D), if the user specifies new operation conditions, it is possible to operate according to those conditions. Furthermore, if one in-vehicle terminal device A acquires multiple operation conditions, that in-vehicle terminal device A will operate based on each of the multiple operation conditions.

[0071] In this configuration, when the operation is set to take a photograph, the in-vehicle terminal device A transmits operation result information, such as data based on the image taken and location information at the time of shooting, to the intermediate server X. Therefore, operation result information is efficiently accumulated in the intermediate server X in accordance with the movement of the mobile body M (vehicle) equipped with the in-vehicle terminal device A. Furthermore, the intermediate server X transmits only the text data from the operation result information received from the in-vehicle terminal device A to the GIS server Y. Thus, operation result information excluding image data can also be efficiently accumulated in the GIS server Y. In addition, compared to a configuration in which the intermediate server X also transmits the image data of the captured image to the GIS server, it is possible to reduce the transmission load from the intermediate server X to the GIS server Y and reduce the possibility of personal information that may be contained in the image based on the image data being leaked to a third party.

[0072] In the above-described explanation of the processing flow of the operation instruction system 1, the example given was that the specified operation is taking a photograph. However, in this embodiment, the specified operation can also be displaying a message or outputting a warning sound. When the specified operation is displaying a message or outputting a warning sound, the processes (J) to (M) in the sequence diagram shown in Figure 8 will not be executed. Alternatively, the system may be configured so that the processes (J) to (M) are performed only for the location information when the in-vehicle terminal device A performs the specified operation.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the operation instruction system 1, the operations that can be performed by a single in-vehicle terminal device A are not limited to those based on a single operating condition; if multiple operating conditions have been acquired, all of those acquired operating conditions will be executed. In other words, the in-vehicle terminal device A can perform operations such as taking photographs at multiple locations. Therefore, by specifying the center position and appropriate reaction distance for all electrical equipment (utility poles, transmission towers, electrical manholes, etc.) along a certain route, and specifying the operation to take photographs, it is possible to have a single in-vehicle terminal device A take photographs of all the electrical equipment along that route. In short, this embodiment of the operation instruction system 1 can be effectively used when it is necessary to efficiently acquire current information about things whose location is known, such as electrical equipment.

[0074] Next, the procedure for accessing operation result information to the user in this operational instruction system 1 will be explained with reference to the sequence diagram in Figure 9. When the GIS application 36 is launched on the user terminal device B and the user inputs an instruction to check the results using the user IF 37, the user terminal device B requests the GIS server Y to allow access to the operation result information, as shown in Figure 9 (N).

[0075] If the GIS server Y receives a request from user terminal device B to view operation result information other than images (alt:[non-image viewing request]), it sends the text data of the operation result information stored in the operation result DB 57 in memory 52 to user terminal device B (O). This allows the user to view operation result information other than image data (such as the location where the image was taken, the date it was taken, the file name and save location of the image) on the map screen 60 of the GIS application 36. Here, since the information that can be viewed is limited to text data, the transmission load on the GIS server Y is lighter and the possibility of personal information leakage is lower compared to a configuration that allows viewing of the image itself.

[0076] Furthermore, if the GIS server Y receives a request from user terminal device B to view operation result information, and that request is for an image (alt:[Image Viewing Request]), it sends an image viewing request to intermediate server X (P). When intermediate server X receives an image viewing request from GIS server Y, it reads the image data corresponding to that request from operation result DB44 and sends it to GIS server Y (Q). GIS server Y then sends the image data received from intermediate server X to user terminal device B (R). As a result, the user can view the captured image that they requested to be viewed on the screen of the GIS application 36. In this configuration, the user can request to view the captured image as needed, and can clearly identify the object being photographed.

[0077] Furthermore, from the perspective of protecting personal information, if the captured images that are visible to the user contain anything that could constitute personal information, such as people, vehicles, or houses, the system may be configured to apply blurring or other blurring processing to these elements. In this case, the blurring processing may be performed by any of the information processing devices: GIS server Y, intermediate server X, or in-vehicle terminal device A.

[0078] Next, we will explain the screen for checking the operation result information (result confirmation screen) in the GIS application 36 installed on user terminal device B. As shown in Figure 10, a small window screen 70 is displayed overlaid on the map screen 60 of the GIS application 36. The instruction registration tab 72 and the result confirmation tab 74 are displayed at the top of the small window screen 70. By operating user IF37 and clicking the result confirmation tab 74, the user can display the result confirmation screen 90 as the small window screen 70 on user terminal device B.

[0079] As shown in Figure 10, while the results confirmation screen 90 is displayed, the user terminal device B displays arrows 65 on the map 64 indicating the location where the in-vehicle terminal device A operated according to the specified operating conditions (in this example, the location where the photograph was taken). In the example of the map screen 60 shown in Figure 10, six arrows 65 are displayed on the map 64. The number of arrows 65 displayed corresponds to the number of locations where the in-vehicle terminal device A took the photograph.

[0080] As shown in Figure 10, the results confirmation screen 90 includes an enlarged map 92 and a detailed information section 94. The enlarged map 92 is a map that magnifies the location of the outlined thick arrow 65a and its surrounding area among the arrows 65 in the map 64. The detailed information section 94 shows the operation result information related to the location of the thick arrow 65a. The user can switch the information displayed on the results confirmation screen 90 to information corresponding to a different arrow 65 by clicking on the arrow 65 in the map 64 using the user IF 37. The arrow 65 corresponding to the content displayed on the results confirmation screen 90 is displayed as the outlined thick arrow 65a. The direction of each arrow 65 indicates the direction of movement of the moving object M when the photograph was taken at the location of that arrow 65. The detection of the direction of movement of the moving object will be described later. In addition, each arrow 65 in the map 64 can be said to function as a button that accepts instructions to display text data of operation result information related to the location of that arrow 65, and the operation of clicking on the arrow 65 in the map 64 using the user IF 37 can be said to be an input operation for result confirmation instructions.

[0081] The items displayed in the detailed information section 94 include, for example, "Key Code," "Photo File Name," "Photo File," "Longitude," "Latitude," "Date Taken," "Direction (degrees)," and "Speed ​​(m / s)." All of these items are displayed as text.

[0082] The "Key Code" field displays the code assigned to access the operation result information corresponding to the thick arrow 65a. The "Photo File Name" field displays the file name of the photo taken by the in-vehicle terminal device A at the location of the thick arrow 65a. The word "Display" is underlined in the "Photo File" field. This "Display" word functions as a button that accepts the instruction to display the photo corresponding to the photo file. In other words, by clicking the "Display" word in the result confirmation screen 90 through the operation of user IF37, the user can display the photo taken at the location of the thick arrow 65a (the photo with the file name listed in the "Photo File Name" field, hereinafter also referred to as the "Target Photo") on user IF37's display. In short, user terminal device B makes a request to GIS server Y to view the image based on the click of the "Display" word in the result confirmation screen 90.

[0083] Figure 11 shows an example of a photograph displayed in response to user operation. The captured image 100 shown in Figure 11 shows the entire utility pole 101, which is the object of the photograph. By reviewing this captured image 100, the user can understand that a bird's nest 102 has been built on the utility pole 101. In other words, this operational instruction system 1 efficiently collects information on the current state of the electrical equipment as the mobile unit M moves and makes it available for the user's use. Note that this captured image 100 includes passersby (people 110) and oncoming vehicles (other vehicles 112). From the perspective of protecting personal information, the people 110 and other vehicles 112 in the captured image 100 may be blurred or otherwise processed.

[0084] As shown in Figure 10, the "Longitude" and "Latitude" fields in the detailed information section 94 of the results confirmation screen 90 display the longitude and latitude of the location information transmitted to the intermediate server X when the in-vehicle terminal device A took a photograph. In other words, the longitude and latitude indicating the position of the in-vehicle terminal device A on Earth at the time the photograph was taken are displayed.

[0085] The "Date Taken" field displays the date the photograph was taken in the Western calendar. The "Direction (degrees)" field displays the direction of movement of the moving object M at the time the photograph was taken. The direction of movement is displayed in degrees, with true north being 0 degrees, true east 90 degrees, true south 180 degrees, and true west 270 degrees. The "Speed ​​(m / s)" field displays the speed of movement of the moving object M at the time the photograph was taken in meters per second. In this example, the "Direction (degrees)" field displays "84.70" and the "Speed ​​(m / s)" field displays "9.90," indicating that the photograph was taken when the moving object M was moving eastward at a speed of 9.9 m / s. Based on this information, the GIS application 36 identifies the direction of the thick arrow 65a.

[0086] The in-vehicle terminal device A mounted on the mobile body M is equipped with a known acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor), and a compass sensor (digital compass), and these sensors are capable of detecting the direction and speed of movement of the mobile body M at the time of photography. Furthermore, these sensors enable the detection of the position of the in-vehicle terminal device A even in locations where GPS signals are difficult to receive, such as inside tunnels. In addition, the text data (operation result information excluding image data) included in the operation result information sent from the in-vehicle terminal device A to the intermediate server X and from the intermediate server X to the GIS server Y includes text data based on the captured image, location information, the date the target photograph was taken, and text data of the direction and speed of movement of the mobile body M at the time the target photograph was taken.

[0087] As described in detail above, the operation instruction system 1 of this embodiment comprises an in-vehicle terminal device A mounted on a mobile body M, and a server Z including an intermediate server X and a GIS server Y (see Figure 1). The in-vehicle terminal device A includes an acquisition means for acquiring information on a designated center position (designated position), which is a specified location, and information on a designated reaction distance (designated distance), which is the distance from the designated center position, from the intermediate server X, and a determination means for determining whether the in-vehicle terminal device A is located within the designated reaction distance. If the determination means determines that the in-vehicle terminal device A is located within the designated reaction distance, it is possible to cause the imaging unit 22 to take a photograph, the touch panel 20a to display a message, or the speaker 20b to output a warning sound (see Figures 5, 7, and 8). The CPU 12 of the in-vehicle terminal device A that executes the processing shown in Figure 8 constitutes the acquisition means and the determination means. Then, GIS server Y acquires information on a specified center position and a specified reaction distance from user terminal device B (an example of another information processing device) that has been input to the user terminal device B through predetermined specification operations (position specification operation, distance specification operation) using user IF37 (see Figure 4). Intermediate server X, in response to a request from in-vehicle terminal device A, acquires the information on the specified center position and the specified reaction distance that GIS server Y has acquired from user terminal device B, and transmits it to in-vehicle terminal device A (see Figure 8).

[0088] According to the operation instruction system 1 of this embodiment, the length of the specified reaction distance (distance from the specified center position) is appropriately specified according to the purpose of the operation to be performed by the in-vehicle terminal device A (such as taking a photograph, displaying a message, or outputting a warning sound) (see Figures 5 and 7), making it possible to have the in-vehicle terminal device A perform the operation at a position suitable for the purpose of the operation.

[0089] Furthermore, according to this operational instruction system 1, since server Z is divided into intermediate server X and GIS server Y, the processing load can be distributed between intermediate server X and the GIS server compared to a configuration where all processing performed by both servers is done on a single server, thereby reducing the processing load on each server. In addition, the maintainability and security of the servers can also be improved.

[0090] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the operation instruction system 1, the specified reaction distance can be selected from multiple options corresponding to multiple distances (for example, 50m, 20m, and 3m in the case of photography) (see Figures 5 and 7). Therefore, specifying the reaction distance does not require much effort from the user.

[0091] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the operation instruction system 1, the user can input the content of the operation to be performed by the in-vehicle terminal device A into the user terminal device B by performing a predetermined operation specification operation using the user IF37 (see Figures 5 and 7). The GIS server Y acquires information on the specified operation content (specified operation) input into the user terminal device B from the user terminal device B (see Figure 4). The in-vehicle terminal device A acquires the information on the specified operation content via the intermediate server X and executes the operation indicated by the information on the specified operation content when the distance from the specified center position falls within the specified reaction distance (see Figure 8). With this embodiment of the operation instruction system 1, since the user can specify the operation to be performed by the in-vehicle terminal device A, it is possible to improve the convenience of the operation instruction system 1 compared to a configuration in which the in-vehicle terminal device A can only perform one predetermined operation.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the operation instruction system 1, the actions to be performed by the in-vehicle terminal device A include the capture of an image by the imaging unit 22. Therefore, by appropriately specifying the length of the designated reaction distance according to the object to be photographed (e.g., a utility pole), it is possible to ensure that the image is taken at a position suitable for the object to be photographed (in other words, the purpose of the photograph). As a result, it is possible to increase the usefulness of the captured image (e.g., the captured image 100 shown in Figure 11).

[0093] Furthermore, in this operational instruction system 1, data based on the captured image taken by the imaging unit 22 and the position information of the in-vehicle terminal device A at the time of capture are transmitted from the in-vehicle terminal device A to the intermediate server X and stored in the operational result DB 44. Therefore, the intermediate server X can manage all the information acquired by the in-vehicle terminal device A. The CPU 12 that performs the processing shown in (J) in Figure 8 constitutes the transmission means.

[0094] According to the operation instruction system 1 of this embodiment, the content of the operation to be performed by the in-vehicle terminal device A includes the display of a message on the touch panel 20a. Therefore, by setting the specified response distance to an appropriate distance, the content of the message can be conveyed to the occupants of the mobile vehicle M equipped with the in-vehicle terminal device A at an effective location in light of the purpose of message display.

[0095] According to the operation instruction system 1 of this embodiment, the content of the operation to be performed by the in-vehicle terminal device A includes the output of a warning sound by speaker 20b. Therefore, by setting the designated reaction distance to an appropriate distance, the warning sound can be heard by the occupants of the mobile vehicle M equipped with the in-vehicle terminal device A at an effective location in light of the purpose of outputting the warning sound.

[0096] This embodiment discloses an in-vehicle terminal device A that can be mounted on a mobile body M, comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring information on a designated center position (designated position), which is a specified location, and information on a designated reaction distance (designated distance), which is the distance from the designated center position, from an intermediate server X; and a determination means for determining whether the in-vehicle terminal device A is located within the designated reaction distance. If the determination means determines that the terminal device A is located within the designated reaction distance, the terminal device A can cause the imaging unit 22 to take a photograph, the touch panel 20a to display a message, or the speaker 20b to output a warning sound.

[0097] Furthermore, this embodiment discloses a program (specified operation execution application 16) that is executed by an in-vehicle terminal device A that can be mounted on a mobile body M, which includes an acquisition process (processes (D) and (G) shown in Figure 8) that acquires information on a specified center position (specified position), which is a specified location, and information on a specified reaction distance (specified distance), which is the distance from the specified center position, from an intermediate server X, a determination process that determines whether the in-vehicle terminal device A is located within the specified reaction distance, and an execution process (process (I) shown in Figure 8) that causes a predetermined operation (in this embodiment, taking a photograph, displaying a message, and outputting a warning sound) to be performed by a predetermined operating means (in this embodiment, an imaging unit 22, a touch panel 20a, and a speaker 20b).

[0098] Although the operation instruction system 1 of the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0099] In the embodiment described above, the user can specify the actions to be performed by the in-vehicle terminal device A using the GIS application 36 on the user terminal device B. Alternatively, the actions to be performed by the in-vehicle terminal device A may be predetermined and unchangeable, while only the location where the in-vehicle terminal device A performs its actions can be specified by specifying the center position and reaction distance. In this case, the actions to be performed when the in-vehicle terminal device A arrives at the destination (a point where the distance from the specified center position is the specified reaction distance) can be set as appropriate, for example, to take a photograph, display a message, or output a warning sound.

[0100] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the method for specifying the reaction distance among the operating conditions is to select from three predetermined distance options for each operation (photo capture, message display, and warning sound output). Alternatively, there may be no selection options for the reaction distance, and the reaction distance may be entered numerically by the user through the operation of IF37.

[0101] In the embodiment described above, three reaction distance options were provided for each operation, but the number of options can be changed arbitrarily.

[0102] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the in-vehicle terminal device A is configured to allow selection of three actions to be performed at the destination (a point where the distance from the designated center position is the designated reaction distance): taking a photograph, displaying a message, and outputting a warning sound. However, it is also possible to configure it to allow selection of any two of these three actions.

[0103] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the user may use the GIS application 36 to specify which in-vehicle terminal device A registered in the operation instruction system 1 should be operated under specified operating conditions. In this case, for example, the instruction registration screen 80 may be configured to allow input of the terminal ID assigned to each in-vehicle terminal device A.

[0104] In the above-described embodiment, when the in-vehicle terminal device A takes a photograph, it is configured to send data based on the photograph, including the image data of the photograph and text data related to the photograph (such as the file name, storage location, and date of photography), to the intermediate server X. However, the data based on the photograph that the in-vehicle terminal device A sends to the intermediate server X may consist of either the image data of the photograph or the text data related to the photograph. Furthermore, the type of text data related to the photograph that is sent to the intermediate server X can be changed as appropriate.

[0105] Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, the type of operation result information transmitted from the in-vehicle terminal device A to the intermediate server X can be changed as appropriate. Specifically, for example, a configuration may be used in which only location information based on the GPS receiver 23 is transmitted.

[0106] In the above-described embodiment, the location of electrical equipment such as utility poles was specified as the central location of the operating conditions, and the in-vehicle terminal device A was instructed to take photographs. However, by specifying the location of communication equipment such as antennas or traffic equipment such as road signs, the present invention can be used as an operation instruction system capable of providing necessary information (such as photographs of communication equipment or road signs) to communication carriers, road management companies, etc. Furthermore, by specifying the location of vacant houses as the central location of the operating conditions, the present invention can be used as an operation instruction system capable of providing necessary information (information on the current state of vacant houses) to local governments that conduct patrols and monitoring of vacant houses.

[0107] In the embodiment described above, the mobile body M was a vehicle such as a company car of a power supply company, but the mobile body may be other vehicles such as buses, taxis, or garbage trucks. Furthermore, the mobile body may be a mobile entity other than a vehicle, such as a drone. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0108] 1…Operation instruction system 12…CPU 14…Memory 16…Specified action execution application 20...User IF 20a...Touch panel 20b...Speaker 22…IMG Department 23…GPS receiver 37...User Interface M...Moving object A... In-vehicle terminal device B...User terminal device X...Intermediate server Y...GIS server Z... Server

Claims

1. Terminal devices mounted on mobile vehicles, A server capable of communicating with the aforementioned terminal device, The aforementioned terminal device is An acquisition means for obtaining information of a specified location, which is a specified position, and information of a specified distance, which is the distance from the specified location, from the server. The system includes a determination means for determining whether the terminal device is located within the specified distance, If the determination means determines that the location is within the specified distance, the predetermined operating means is instructed to perform a predetermined operation. The operation instruction system is characterized in that the server acquires information about the specified location and information about the specified distance from other information processing devices that are input to the server and the terminal device by a predetermined specified operation.

2. An operation instruction system according to claim 1, The operation instruction system is characterized in that the specified distance can be selected from a plurality of options corresponding to a plurality of different distances in the predetermined operation.

3. An operation instruction system according to claim 1 or claim 2, The aforementioned predetermined designation operation includes an operation designation operation that inputs the content of the predetermined operation to the other information processing device. The server obtains information on the specified operation, which is the operation input by the operation specification operation, from the other information processing device. The operation instruction system is characterized in that the terminal device executes the operation indicated by the information of the specified operation obtained from the server when the determination means determines that it is located within the specified distance.

4. The operation instruction system according to claim 3, The aforementioned predetermined operating means includes an image capture unit capable of capturing images, An operation instruction system characterized in that the content of the predetermined operation that can be input by the operation specification operation includes the capture of an image by the shooting unit.

5. The operation instruction system according to claim 4, The operation instruction system is characterized by comprising a terminal device and a transmission means for transmitting data based on captured images taken by the imaging unit to the server.

6. The operation instruction system according to claim 3, The predetermined operating means includes a display unit. An operation instruction system characterized in that the content of the predetermined operation that can be specified by the operation specification operation includes the display of a message by the display unit.

7. The operation instruction system according to claim 3, The aforementioned predetermined operating means includes a speaker. An operation instruction system characterized in that the content of the predetermined operation that can be specified by the operation specification operation includes the output of a warning sound by the speaker.

8. The operation instruction system according to claim 3, The server includes a first server and a second server, An operation instruction system characterized in that the first server, in response to a request from the terminal device, acquires the information of the designated location, the information of the designated distance, and the information of the designated operation obtained by the second server from the other information processing device, and transmits them to the terminal device.

9. A terminal device that can communicate with a designated server and can be mounted on a mobile device, An acquisition means for obtaining information of a specified location, which is a specified position, and information of a specified distance, which is the distance from the specified location, from the server. The system includes a determination means for determining whether the terminal device is located within the specified distance, A terminal device characterized in that, when the determination means determines that the terminal is located within the specified distance, it causes a predetermined operating means to perform a predetermined operation.

10. A program that can communicate with a designated server and is executed by a terminal device that can be mounted on a mobile device, An acquisition process that obtains information about a specified location and information about a specified distance from the specified location from the server, A determination process to determine whether the terminal device is located within the specified distance, A program for causing the terminal device to execute an execution process that causes a predetermined operating means to perform a predetermined operation when it is determined in the determination process that the device is located within the specified distance.

Images