Computer system, program, and method

Abstract

To appropriately anonymize a travel route of a user.SOLUTION: A computer system includes a processor. The processor generates abstract path data by abstracting original path data indicating a travel path of a user, based on map data that indicates a combination of a map element and an abstraction flag indicating whether to abstract path data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a computer system, a processing method, a program, and / or a data structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 describes an information processing server that acquires an anonymization point on a route identified by movement history information that is close to the end of the route, and performs an anonymization process on the movement history information by excluding the movement history information from the end of the route to the anonymization point. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6316597 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] One aspect of the present disclosure aims to appropriately anonymize a user's travel route. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer system includes a processor. The processor is configured to: , so that a specific individual cannot be identified An abstraction flag indicating whether to abstract route data; 、 Map data showing the combination of The processor sets the abstraction flag included in the map data based on whether a predetermined condition indicating that an individual may be identified from the route data is satisfied. Based on this, original route data indicating the user's travel route is abstracted to generate abstract route data. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an application of an information management system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a computer used in the information management system according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an information management system according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a map network. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of data items of map data. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a transportation hub. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of map data showing transportation nodes. [Figure 8] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for setting an abstraction flag of a map element. [Figure 9] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for setting an abstraction flag of a link. [Figure 10] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for setting an abstraction flag of a link. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a process for setting an abstraction flag for a link. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a process for abstracting route data. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or equivalent elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0008] [System Overview] The information management system 1 according to the embodiment is a computer system that manages route data indicating a user's travel route. A travel route refers to information about travel from one point to another point in the real world, typically information about travel from a departure point to a destination. A departure point refers to a location set as a starting point for searching a travel route, and a destination refers to a location set as an end point for the search. Both the departure point and the destination are locations that can be reference points for route search.

[0009] In one example, the travel route can indicate not only the route from the departure point to the destination, but also the attributes of the route (hereinafter referred to as "route attributes"). The route attributes are any information that indicates the nature, characteristics, and status of the route, or information of the user traveling along the route (age, sex, nationality, physical condition, etc.). For example, the route attributes may include at least one of the following: a means of transportation such as a means of transportation, a date and time of traveling along the route, a time or cost required to travel along the route, a route status (e.g., traffic information), a feature related to the route (i.e., feature information), a business related to the route (i.e., business information), service information related to the route (e.g., advertisement information, coupon information, etc.), information on the user traveling along the route (age, sex, nationality, body temperature, heart rate, sweat rate, blood sugar level, calorie consumption, etc.), and purpose information of the user traveling along the route (business, sightseeing, shopping, health, killing time, etc.). The route data is electronic data that indicates the travel route, and is typically a time-series point sequence coordinate represented by latitude and longitude information, but is not limited to this. In the route data, link IDs and node IDs obtained by matching point sequence coordinates with network data consisting of links and nodes (so-called map matching) may be used. Map matching is a technique for identifying travel routes (nodes, rings) on a network from location information such as latitude and longitude. The route data may include text data indicating the date and time (time) of travel along the route. The text data related to time may be associated with the link ID and node ID. A user is someone who provides his or her own route data to the information management system 1. A user may be an individual or a group consisting of multiple people.

[0010] A means of transportation refers to a method for moving. A means of transportation is not limited to a moving object, and is a concept that includes methods that do not use a moving object. A means of transportation may be a public transportation system, or a moving object operated by a user. A means of transportation may be a ground or underground moving object, an air moving object, or a moving object on or underwater. Examples of means of transportation include walking, bicycles, motorcycles, private cars, buses, taxis, conventional lines, high-speed trains, airplanes, drones, flying cars, and ferries, but of course, means of transportation are not limited to these.

[0011] Public transportation is defined as a transportation system that has a fixed route and time and is used by an unspecified number of general public. Examples of public transportation include railways (including monorails), streetcars, route buses, airplanes, and ferries, but are not limited to these. Taxis are not public transportation.

[0012] The type of travel route indicated by the route data is not limited. The route data may indicate a travel route searched as a candidate, a travel route selected by a user, or a travel route actually used by a user. In the present disclosure, a travel route searched as a candidate is referred to as a "candidate route", a travel route selected by a user from one or more candidate routes is referred to as a "planned route", and a travel route actually used by a user is referred to as an "actual route". One travel route may correspond to two or more of a candidate route, a planned route, and an actual route.

[0013] A feature is any tangible or intangible object that exists on the ground. A feature may be natural or man-made. For example, features may include mountains, farmland, residential areas, vacant lots, rivers, lakes, oceans, tourist sites, roads, railways, buildings, parks, towers, traffic lights, railroad crossings, pedestrian crossings, footbridges, buoys, etc. Examples of intangible features include areas set for any purpose (e.g., no-photography areas, temporary no-entry areas, etc.), areas where events are held, gathering places, photo spots, etc. Naturally, the types of features are not limited to these.

[0014] The route data of one or more users managed by the information management system 1 may be used for any purpose. For example, the route data may be used for various purposes that are useful for maintaining or improving people's lives or the global environment, such as "Mobility as a Service (MaaS)", urban planning, traffic planning, environmental measures, disaster prevention measures, crime prevention measures, demand forecasting, marketing, and people flow analysis. The route data may be used by any business operator and other users. Examples of business operators include various transportation operators such as railways, ropeways, buses, taxis, airplanes, drones, and ships, rental operators of various means of transportation such as automobiles and bicycles, vehicle dispatch service operators, operators that operate various facilities such as shopping, restaurants, and parking lots, operators that provide various information such as advertisements and coupons, payment operators, and various organizations of the country or local government. Business operators may also include sole proprietors.

[0015] However, the route data may contain or indicate personal information of the user. Here, personal information refers to information about a living individual that can identify a specific individual. If route data that can identify an individual is available to an operator, the operator may grasp personal information such as the behavior of a specific individual based on the route data. The information management system 1 abstracts the route data provided by the user so that the user is not identified by the route data, while retaining a degree of specificity that can be used for various purposes that are useful for maintaining or improving people's lives or the global environment as big data regarding the user's movement (i.e., the user's personal information is not identified from the route data, but the analytical utility value as data is retained). "Abstracting route data" refers to a process of discarding some of the concrete information elements contained in the route data and redefining the route data to indicate a more conceptual meaning. In short, "abstracting route data" refers to a process of intentionally obscuring the information elements or meaning contained in the route data. Although an individual cannot be identified from the abstracted route data, the analytical utility value as data remains in the route data. Route data abstraction is a process of converting route data provided for users so that a specific individual cannot be identified, and can therefore also be called "anonymization of route data."

[0016] In the present disclosure, the route data to be abstracted is also referred to as "original route data", and the abstracted route data is also referred to as "abstract route data". In addition, the travel route indicated by the original route data is also referred to as "original travel route", and the travel route indicated by the abstract route data is also referred to as "abstract travel route". For this reason, when the original route data is electronic data in which link IDs and node IDs are associated with the passage times, abstract route data may be generated in which only the passage times are abstracted (i.e., temporal abstraction). Alternatively, only the link IDs and node IDs may be abstracted (i.e., spatial abstraction), or both temporal abstraction and spatial abstraction may be performed.

[0017] In one example, the information management system 1 may serve as a platform that collectively controls or manages route data that may be used for various purposes. In this regard, the manager or operator of the information management system 1 may be a platformer. In one example, the information management system 1 may provide abstract route data to any business operator or other user. The business operator may carry out any business based on the abstract route data. The abstract route data may be shared by multiple business operators or other users.

[0018] [System configuration] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of application of an information management system 1. In one example, the information management system 1 includes a platform server 10 and one or more user terminals 20. The platform server 10 and each user terminal 20 can transmit and receive data to and from each other via a communication network NW. The platform server 10 can access a group of databases 30 via the communication network NW to read and write data. At least a portion of the data stored in the group of databases 30 can be accessed by one or more business server 40 via the communication network NW. The platform server 10 can also access an external system 50 via the communication network NW to obtain required information.

[0019] The platform server 10 is a computer that collects route data. There are no limitations on the computer that functions as the platform server 10. In one example, the platform server 10 is configured by a large computer such as a business server. The platform server 10 may be configured by one or more computers. When multiple computers are used, a single platform server 10 is logically configured by connecting these computers to each other via a communication network.

[0020] The user terminal 20 is a computer operated by a user. In one example, the user terminal 20 can access the abstract route database 32 described later to obtain the abstract route data of other users that have already been prepared. The user terminal 20 may be a fixed terminal or a mobile terminal. Examples of the user terminal 20 include devices such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a wearable terminal, and a personal computer. However, the type of the user terminal 20 is not limited to these. The user terminal 20 may be a device composed of a single housing, or may be composed of multiple devices. For example, the user terminal 20 may be a combination of a wearable terminal and a smartphone. The number of user terminals 20 that access the information management system 1 is not limited.

[0021] The database group 30 is a collection of databases that store data used in the information management system 1. In one example, the database group 30 includes a map database 31 and an abstract route database 32. Each database may be constructed as part of the information management system 1, or may be provided in a computer system separate from the information management system 1. The map database 31 is a non-transitory storage medium or storage device that permanently stores map data indicating map elements that constitute a map. The abstract route database 32 is a non-transitory storage medium or storage device that permanently stores abstract route data.

[0022] The business operator server 40 is a computer managed or operated by a business operator. In one example, the business operator server 40 can access the abstract route database 32 to obtain abstract route data. The computer that functions as the business operator server 40 is not limited. For example, the business operator server 40 may be configured by a large computer such as a business server, or may be configured by a personal computer. The number of business operator servers 40 that access the information management system 1 is not limited.

[0023] The external system 50 is a computer system that exists outside the information management system 1. The specific configuration and functions of the external system 50 are not limited. For example, the external system 50 is a computer system that publishes content posted on a specific website on the Internet. Typically, the website relates to a social networking service (SNS), and the content is photos, videos, text, or a combination of two or more of these. In this disclosure, a person who posts content on a website is referred to as a "contributor."

[0024] In one example, in the information management system 1, the user terminal 20 abstracts the original route data to generate abstract route data. In other words, the user terminal 20 converts the original route data into abstract route data. The user terminal 20 transmits the abstract route data to the platform server 10. The timing of transmission is typically after the user arrives at the destination, but may be before the user arrives at the destination. If the type of the travel route is a candidate route or a planned route, the timing of transmission may be before the user starts traveling from the departure point. Even if the type of the travel route is an actual route, the user terminal 20 may transmit the actual route up to the middle of the way to the destination at that timing. In one example, the platform server 10 registers the abstract route data in the abstract route database 32. Therefore, the user terminal 20 may transmit the abstract route data to the platform server 10 and cause the platform server 10 to register the abstract route data in the abstract route database 32. Since the user terminal 20 does not basically transmit the original route data to the platform server 10 except when based on the user's will, the platform server 10 cannot access the original route data. Therefore, the platform server 10, the business server 40, and other user terminals 20 can use the abstract route data, but cannot refer to or use the original route data. This mechanism prevents the operators of the platform server 10 and the business server 40, or other users who use the user terminal 20, from learning the user's personal information from the route data.

[0025] In another example, in the information management system 1, the platform server 10 abstracts the original route data to generate abstract route data, and registers the abstract route data in the abstract route database 32. In this example, the business operator server 40 and other user terminals 20 can also use the abstract route data, but cannot refer to or use the original route data. Therefore, the operator of the business operator server 40 or other users who use the user terminals 20 cannot ascertain personal information of a certain user from the route data.

[0026] In this way, in the information management system 1, the user terminal 20 may convert the original route data into abstract route data, or the platform server 10 may execute the conversion. That is, in the information management system 1, the computer that abstracts the route data is not limited.

[0027] As yet another example, if based on the user's will, the user terminal 20 may transmit original route data to the platform server 10. In this case, the operators of the platform server 10 and the business entity server 40, or other users using the user terminal 20, can ascertain the user's personal information from the route data and perform useful data analysis in comparison with the case of abstract route data. In this case, a certain economic benefit may be returned to the user who provided the original route data by the operator of the business entity server 40 via the platform server 10.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a computer 110 used in the information management system 1. For example, the computer 110 has a control circuit 100. In one example, the control circuit 100 has one or more processors 101, a memory 102, a storage 103, a communication port 104, and an input / output port 105. The processor 101 executes an operating system and an application program. The storage 103 is composed of a storage medium such as a hard disk, a non-volatile semiconductor memory, or a removable medium (e.g., a magnetic disk, an optical disk, etc.), and stores the operating system and the application program. The memory 102 temporarily stores a program loaded from the storage 103, or a calculation result by the processor 101. The processor 101 functions as an individual functional module by executing a program in cooperation with the memory 102. The communication port 104 performs data communication with other devices via the communication network NW according to instructions from the processor 101. The input / output port 105 performs input / output of electric signals between the input / output device (user interface) such as a keyboard, a mouse, a monitor, and a touch panel according to instructions from the processor 101.

[0029] The installed hardware modules may differ depending on the type of computer. For example, the CPU, memory, network card, and other modules installed in the platform server 10 may be more powerful than those in the user terminal 20. A keyboard and a mouse are generally used as input devices for the platform server 10, and a monitor is used as an output device. When the user terminal 20 is a personal computer, a keyboard and a mouse are generally used as input devices, and a monitor is used as an output device. When the user terminal 20 is a mobile terminal, a touch panel is generally used as an input / output device.

[0030] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the information management system 1. More specifically, Fig. 3 shows an example of the functional configuration of the platform server 10 and the user terminal 20. In this example, the user terminal 20 converts the original route data into abstract route data.

[0031] The platform server 10 comprises the following functional modules: a search unit 11, a map management unit 12, and a registration unit 13. The search unit 11 is a functional module that searches for a travel route in response to a request from a user terminal 20. The map management unit 12 is a functional module that manages map data in a map database 31. The registration unit 13 is a functional module that registers abstract route data in an abstract route database 32.

[0032] The user terminal 20 includes a route acquisition unit 21, a map storage area 22, a map update unit 23, an abstraction unit 24, and a transmission unit 25 as functional modules. The route acquisition unit 21 is a functional module that acquires original route data from a route search function 28 or a route tracing function 29. The route search function 28 cooperates with the search unit 11 of the platform server 10 to display information on a travel route (i.e., a candidate route) that matches a search condition set by a user on the user terminal 20. The route tracing function 29 acquires a history of the current position of the user terminal 20 as a past route. In one example, the route tracing function 29 uses a global positioning system (GPS) function. Alternatively, the route tracing function 29 may acquire the past route by other means such as mobile phone base station data, WiFi (registered trademark) access point data, and transportation IC card data. The map storage area 22 is a functional module (storage area) that permanently stores a copy of at least a part of the master of the map data. The map update unit 23 is a functional module that aligns the copy with the master. The abstraction unit 24 is a functional module that abstracts the original route data to generate abstract route data. The transmission unit 25 is a functional module that transmits the abstract route data to the platform server 10.

[0033] [Map data] The map data is used, for example, for route searches. The data structure of the map data is not limited. The types and representation methods of map elements shown by the map data are not limited and may be designed according to any policy. Examples of map elements include nodes, links, polygon nodes, and POIs (Points of Interest).

[0034] A node refers to a location that characterizes a route, and more specifically, refers to a location where the movement method of a mobile object (e.g., direction, speed, etc.) can be changed, or where the movement method changes (e.g., transfer points such as stations, bus stops, and parking lots, intersections, etc.).

[0035] A link is a virtual line that is set to indicate a route, and connects adjacent nodes. The shape of a link may be straight or curved, or may be a combination of straight and curved lines. On the ground, the shape of a link may depend on the shape of a road or a track such as a railway. There may be multiple links connecting two nodes. For example, two nodes may be connected by both a railway-related link and a road-related link.

[0036] A polygon node is a surface that indicates a specific geographical area that spreads two-dimensionally, and is expressed as a two-dimensional closed space surrounded by multiple links. The shape of a polygon node is not limited in any way. Examples of geographical areas that can be represented by a polygon node include parks, plazas, pedestrian decks, concourses in train stations, the grounds of a facility or building, floors of a facility or building, and underground malls. However, the geographical area is not limited in any way. A polygon node may or may not be divided into multiple small areas.

[0037] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a map network represented by map data. In this example, a map network 150 includes a plurality of nodes 151, a plurality of links 152, and one polygon node 153. The polygon node 153 is made up of three small regions 153a, 153b, and 153c. The positions at which the nodes, links, and polygon nodes are set are not limited, and for example, the nodes, links, and polygon nodes may be set on the ground, underground, in the air, on water, or underwater. Correspondingly, the map network may also be set on the ground, underground, in the air, on water, or underwater.

[0038] A POI is a specific point on a map, typically corresponding to a specific feature. Any point or feature can be a POI, including housing (individual homes and apartment complexes) and public facilities. A residence is a building in which people live. A private residence is a home in which one family lives on a single lot. An apartment complex is a home in which multiple families live, and therefore includes a two-family home. A public facility is a facility that can be used by an unspecified number of people or a specified number of people.

[0039] In one example, the map data includes node data indicating a plurality of nodes, link data indicating a plurality of links, polygon node data indicating at least one polygon node, and POI data indicating a plurality of POIs. The structure of each of these data will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of data items of the map data. In this example, the map data 200 includes node data 201, link data 202, polygon node data 203, and POI data 204.

[0040] In one example, the node data 201 includes a node ID, coordinates, and node attributes as data items. The node ID is an identifier that uniquely identifies each node. The coordinates are values ​​that indicate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional geographical position of the node. The method of setting the coordinates is not limited, and for example, the coordinates may be expressed using latitude and longitude, or may be set according to any other coordinate system. The node attributes are any information that represents the nature, characteristics, or status of the node. For example, the node attributes may include feature information regarding a feature related to the node, or may include business information regarding a business related to the node. The node attributes may include an abstraction flag that indicates whether or not to abstract the node.

[0041] In one example, the link data 202 includes a link ID, a first node ID, a second node ID, and a link attribute as data items. The link ID is an identifier that uniquely identifies each link. The first node ID and the second node ID are both node IDs that identify nodes located at the ends of the link. The link attribute is any information that represents the nature, characteristics, or status of the link. For example, the link attribute may include at least one of a means of transportation such as a transportation facility, a time or cost required to travel the link, a link status (e.g., traffic information), a feature related to the link (i.e., feature information), a business related to the link (i.e., business information), and service information related to the link (e.g., advertisement information, coupon information, etc.). The link attribute may include an abstraction flag that indicates whether to abstract the link.

[0042] In one example, the polygon node data 203 includes a polygon node ID, a group of related node IDs, a group of related link IDs, and polygon node attributes as data items. The polygon node ID is an identifier that uniquely identifies each polygon node. The group of related node IDs is a group of node IDs that indicate a group of nodes located on the outer edge of the polygon node. The group of related link IDs is a group of link IDs that indicate a group of links that form the outer edge of the polygon node. The polygon node attributes are any information that represents the nature, characteristics, or status of the polygon node. For example, the polygon node attributes may include at least one of the representative coordinates of the polygon node, feature information regarding a feature related to the polygon node, and business information regarding a business related to the polygon node. The polygon node attributes may include an abstraction flag that indicates whether or not to abstract the polygon node. When the polygon node is divided into a plurality of small regions, the polygon node data 203 further includes a small region ID and a small region attribute as data items. The small region ID is an identifier that uniquely identifies each small region. The small region attribute is any information that represents the nature, characteristics, or status of the small region. The small area attributes may include at least one of representative coordinates of the small area, boundary information indicating a boundary of the small area, feature information regarding a feature related to the small area, and business information regarding a business related to the small area. The small area attributes may include an abstraction flag indicating whether to abstract the small area.

[0043] In one example, the POI data 204 includes a POI_ID, an arrival point, and a POI attribute as data items. The POI_ID is an identifier that uniquely identifies each POI. The arrival point indicates a link (road) to which the entrance / exit of the POI is connected, and the link ID of the link is set in this data item. When the POI is set as the destination in a route search, for example, the position of the link indicated by this arrival point is processed as the position of the destination. The arrival point is an example of a data item that indicates the connection between the POI and the link. The POI attribute is any information that indicates the nature, characteristics, or status of the POI. In one example, the POI attribute may include a name, a type, feature information, and available time (or unavailable time). The name is the official name or common name of the POI, and is represented by, for example, the name of the head of the household, the house name, the building name, etc. The type refers to the type (category) to which the POI belongs, and indicates, for example, whether it is a private property or a public property. The feature information is any information about the feature related to the POI. The available time (or unavailable time) refers to the time span during which the POI can be used (or unavailable). The length of the available time (or unavailable time) is not limited and may be any length, such as a time period, a date, or a day of the week. The POI attributes may include an abstraction flag that indicates whether the POI is abstracted.

[0044] In one example, the map data further includes data indicating transport nodes and transport facilities, in which case the node attributes may include information regarding the transport nodes or transport facilities.

[0045] A transportation node is a place where a change of transportation mode is implemented (i.e., a place where a transportation mode is changed). More specifically, a transportation node is a place where multiple transportation modes of the same or different types are connected. A transportation node includes multiple transportation facilities.

[0046] "Change of transportation means" refers to changing from one transportation means to another. Since the transportation means are not limited, the change of transportation means is also not limited. Transferring from one transportation means to another transportation means is an example of a change of transportation means. Examples of a change of transportation means include a change from a taxi to a conventional line, a change from one line (railroad line, bus line, etc.) to another line (railroad line, bus line, etc.), a change from a private car to walking, a change from walking to a conventional line, etc.

[0047] A transportation facility is a facility used by a user to change a means of transportation. The transportation facility is processed by the information management system 1 as an element constituting a transportation node. The transportation facility may be a type of node. Examples of transportation facilities include, but are not limited to, stations, bus stops, taxi stands, ports, airports, heliports, rental car offices, bicycle rental ports, parking lots, and bicycle parking lots. One transportation facility may be associated with multiple transportation nodes. Therefore, the transportation nodes and the transportation facilities are in a many-to-many relationship (in other words, an M:N relationship). At each transportation node, one transportation facility is set to represent the transportation node. In this disclosure, the representative transportation facility is referred to as a "representative facility." In this disclosure, transportation facilities other than the representative facility at each transportation node are referred to as "constituent facilities."

[0048] The representative facility may be set by any method. For example, the representative facility may be a transportation node or a facility that plays the most central role in a specific area, a transportation facility with the most users, or a transportation facility that plays a role as a landmark.

[0049] Constituent facilities may also be set according to an arbitrary policy. When a certain transportation facility is to be assigned as a constituent facility to any transportation node, the representative facility closest to the transportation facility may be specified, and the transportation facility may be added as a constituent facility to the same transportation node as the specified representative facility. Alternatively, a transportation node to which a transportation facility is to be assigned may be determined based on the usage history of users who use different transportation means or topographical relationships (for example, constituent facilities may be determined so that a certain transportation facility is not assigned to a representative facility across a river).

[0050] Map data showing transport nodes and transport facilities will be described with reference to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of transport nodes. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of map data showing transport nodes, and corresponds to Fig. 6.

[0051] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a map 300 including a subway 310, a conventional line 320, a road network 330, and a road network 340. In the map 300, white circles represent transportation facilities, and dashed lines represent transportation nodes. Although FIG. 6 illustrates two transportation nodes, hubs Ha and Hb, it should be noted that there may be more transportation nodes in the map 300. In this example, the hub Ha is composed of a subway station A, a conventional line station A, and a bus stop Bx. At the hub Ha, people can change their transportation means in various ways, such as transferring between the subway, conventional line, and bus, or getting off the subway, conventional line, or bus and walking. The hub Hb is composed of a conventional line station B and a bus stop By. At the hub Hb, people can change their transportation means in various ways, such as transferring between the conventional line and the bus, or walking to the station and taking the conventional line or bus.

[0052] 7 shows map data 210 relating to hubs Ha and Hb. The map data 210 includes a transport node table 211, a transport facility table 212, and a transfer table 213.

[0053] The traffic node table 211 is a data table that stores traffic node data that indicates information about traffic nodes. In one example, each record of the traffic node data includes a traffic node ID that uniquely identifies each traffic node, a name of the traffic node (traffic node name), and an abstraction flag. The abstraction flag indicates whether or not the entire traffic node is to be abstracted.

[0054] The transportation facility table 212 is a data table that stores transportation facility data indicating information about transportation facilities. In one example, each record of the transportation facility data includes a transportation facility ID that uniquely identifies each transportation facility, the name of the transportation facility (facility name), a transportation node ID corresponding to the transportation facility, a representative flag, and an abstraction flag. The representative flag is information indicating whether the transportation facility is a representative facility or a constituent facility, and is indicated by a binary value. In one example, the representative flag is either "1" indicating a representative facility or "0" indicating a constituent facility. The example in FIG. 7 indicates that station A on a conventional line is a representative facility of hub Ha, and station B is a representative facility of hub Hb. The abstraction flag indicates whether the transportation facility is abstracted or not.

[0055] The transfer table 213 is a data table that stores transfer data indicating information regarding transfers at transportation nodes. In one example, each record of the transfer data includes a transfer ID that uniquely identifies an individual transfer method, IDs of two transportation facilities used for the transfer (a first transportation facility ID and a second transportation facility ID), and a travel cost. The travel cost is a load imposed on travel, and is expressed, for example, by travel time. The example in FIG. 7 shows that at hub Ha, transfers can be made between conventional lines, subways, and buses at will, and at hub Hb, transfers can be made between conventional lines and buses.

[0056] The transport facility table 212 is associated with the transport node table 211 by the transport node ID, and this relationship allows the transport facilities belonging to the transport node to be specified. The transfer table 213 is associated with the transport facility table 212 by two transport facility IDs, and this relationship allows the transfer methods available at the transport node to be specified.

[0057] In one example, an abstraction flag is associated with any one or more map elements selected from a node, a link, a polygon node, a small area, a POI, a traffic node, and a traffic facility. In this embodiment, the abstraction flag takes one of the values ​​"1" indicating that the route data (latitude and longitude, a node, a link, a polygon node, a small area, a POI, a traffic node, or a traffic facility) to be processed is abstracted, and the value "0" indicating that the route data is not abstracted. However, the method of expressing the abstraction flag is not limited to this example, and may be designed according to any policy. As described above, the node attribute may include information on the traffic node or the traffic facility. Therefore, the abstraction flag of the node data may indicate whether or not the traffic node or the traffic facility is abstracted, and in this case, the traffic node data and the traffic facility data may not include the abstraction flag. In any case, the map data indicates a combination of the map element and the abstraction flag indicating whether or not the route data is abstracted.

[0058] Each data item of the map data may be set statically or dynamically. "Statically set" means that a value is set in advance and the setting will not be changed without human intervention. On the other hand, "dynamically set" means that a value can be changed without human intervention in response to any event. Dynamic setting is realized by executing a program that controls a given data item on a specific computer. Dynamic setting may be executed by the information management system 1 or by another computer system.

[0059] [Route data] The data structure of the route data is not limited. For example, the route data may be represented by a plurality of node IDs and a plurality of link IDs. More specifically, the route data may be represented by node IDs of nodes corresponding to transportation facilities or transportation nodes, and link IDs of links connecting the nodes (i.e., between transportation facilities or between transportation nodes). As described above, a travel route can indicate route attributes, so the route data may include data items corresponding to the route attributes. For example, the route data may indicate the date and time of travel on the route (referred to as "travel date and time" in this disclosure). Examples of travel date and time include departure date and time, passing date and time, transfer date and time, or arrival date and time at each node. However, the types of travel date and time are not limited to these. The travel date and time indicate the scheduled date and time for the candidate route and the planned route, and indicate the actual date and time for the actual route. In another example, the route data may indicate the expected or actual amount of transportation costs on the travel route. This transportation cost may be indicated for each transportation means, or may be indicated as a total amount for the entire travel route.

[0060] At least a portion of the abstract route data may be represented by node IDs corresponding to a plurality of abstracted nodes and link IDs corresponding to a plurality of abstracted links. In another example, the abstract route data may represent abstracted travel dates and times. Each record of the abstract route data stored in the abstract route database 32 includes a route ID, which is an identifier for identifying an individual travel route or a group of travel routes.

[0061] For both the sample route data and the abstract route data, the method of setting the route ID is not limited. For example, one route ID may be set for one candidate route, one planned route, or one actual route. Alternatively, one route ID may be set for a group of travel routes (for example, a set of multiple travel routes extracted in one search process).

[0062] [System processing procedure] (Setting the abstraction flag) FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for setting an abstraction flag for each map element as a process flow S1. In step S11, the map management unit 12 refers to the map database 31 and selects one map element to be processed. For example, the map management unit 12 selects one node, one link, one polygon node, one POI, one traffic hub, or one traffic facility. In step S12, the map management unit 12 sets the abstraction flag for the map element based on a predetermined rule. In this embodiment, the map management unit 12 sets the abstraction flag to either a value of "1" or "0". The rule for setting the abstraction flag is not limited and may be designed according to any policy. As shown in step S13, the map management unit 12 repeats the processes of steps S11 and S12 until the abstraction flag is set for all map elements to be processed.

[0063] Various examples of setting the abstraction flag (step S12) will be described. For example, the map management unit 12 may set the abstraction flags of nodes, polygon nodes, small areas, and POIs corresponding to houses to "1" and set the abstraction flags of nodes, polygon nodes, small areas, and POIs corresponding to public facilities to "0."

[0064] In one example, the map management unit 12 may set the abstraction flag of a link according to the type of the transportation network corresponding to the link. For example, the map management unit 12 may set the abstraction flag of a link corresponding to a major transportation network such as a railway, an expressway, a general national road, a prefectural road, etc. to "0", and set the abstraction flag of a link corresponding to a link that does not constitute a major transportation network (e.g., a municipal road, a private road, etc.) to "1".

[0065] In one example, the map management unit 12 may set an abstraction flag of a link based on the type of POI associated with the link. Here, "a POI associated with a link" and "a link associated with a POI" indicate that a link and an arrival point of the POI are connected to each other. For example, the map management unit 12 may set an abstraction flag of a link that is not associated with a public facility to "1" and an abstraction flag of a link that is associated with at least one public facility to "0". Alternatively, the map management unit 12 may set an abstraction flag of a link based on the number of POIs associated with the link. For example, the map management unit 12 may set an abstraction flag of a link with a number of associated houses less than a threshold Ta to "1" and an abstraction flag of a link with a number of associated houses equal to or greater than the threshold Ta to "0". In one example, the map management unit 12 counts one apartment building as one house. Alternatively, the map management unit 12 may set the abstraction flag of a link with an associated number of households less than a threshold Tb to "1" and may set the abstraction flag of a link with an associated number equal to or greater than the threshold Tb to "0". As the number of households in an apartment building, the map management unit 12 may count the number of households actually residing therein, or may count the number of households available for occupancy. The specific values ​​of the thresholds Ta and Tb are not limited and may be set according to any policy. The map management unit 12 may set the abstraction flag of the node based on the type of POI associated with the node.

[0066] In one example, the map management unit 12 may set an abstraction flag for a link based on the number of people who have passed through the link in a predetermined time span. Specifically, the map management unit 12 may set the abstraction flag for a link whose number of passers is less than a threshold Tc to "1" and may set the abstraction flag for a link whose number of passers is equal to or greater than the threshold Tc to "0". The means of transportation used by passersby is not limited in any way, and may be any mobile object or walking, for example. The method of identifying the number of passers through a link is not limited. The map management unit 12 may identify the number of passers through a link based on content posted on an SNS. For example, the map management unit 12 may identify the number of passers based on at least one of the posted text and the number of posts. Alternatively, the map management unit 12 may identify the number of passers based on location information obtained from a GPS function of a mobile terminal owned by a poster of the SNS. The specific value of the threshold Tc is also not limited, and may be set according to any policy.

[0067] The map management unit 12 may set the abstraction flag for all transport nodes and transport facilities to "0". The reason is that transport nodes and transport facilities are generally places where an unspecified or specified number of people pass through, and therefore cannot be considered places where individuals can be identified. Of course, the map management unit 12 may set the abstraction flag for transport nodes and transport facilities to either "0" or "1" based on data such as the number of people passing through.

[0068] 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for setting the abstraction flag of each link as process flow S2. Process flow S2 can be said to be a more specific example of process flow S1.

[0069] In step S21, the map management unit 12 refers to the map database 31 and selects one link to be processed.

[0070] In step S22, the map management unit 12 identifies the POI associated with the link by referring to the map database 31. Specifically, the map management unit 12 identifies the POI for which the link is set as the destination point by referring to the POI data.

[0071] In step S23, the map management unit 12 determines whether the link is associated with a public facility. For example, the map management unit 12 refers to the attributes (e.g., type or feature information) of the identified POI to determine whether the POI is a public facility. If the link is not associated with a public facility, i.e., if all of the identified POIs are not public facilities (NO in step S23), the process proceeds to step S24. On the other hand, if the link is associated with a public facility, i.e., if at least one of the one or more identified POIs is a public facility (YES in step S23), the process proceeds to step S29. Even if the facility does not belong to an administrative organization such as a national or local government, if it is a facility that is supported by a franchiser's store opening plan and is typically used by an unspecified number of people (e.g., a famous convenience store chain), the map management unit 12 may regard the facility as a public facility and execute the process from step S23 onwards.

[0072] In step S24, the map management unit 12 identifies the number of houses (or households) associated with the link. For example, the map management unit 12 counts the number of houses (or households) by referring to the attributes of the identified POI.

[0073] In step S25, the map management unit 12 determines whether the number of houses associated with the link is less than a threshold value Ta. Alternatively, the map management unit 12 determines whether the number of households associated with the link is less than a threshold value Tb. In the case of the determination based on the number of houses, if the number is less than the threshold value Ta (YES in step S25), the process proceeds to step S26, and if the number is equal to or greater than the threshold value Ta (NO in step S25), the process proceeds to step S29. In the case of the determination based on the number of households, if the number is less than the threshold value Tb (YES in step S25), the process proceeds to step S26, and if the number is equal to or greater than the threshold value Tb (NO in step S25), the process proceeds to step S29.

[0074] In step S26, the map management unit 12 identifies the number of people who have passed through the link. As described above, the map management unit 12 may identify the number of people who have passed through the link based on the content posted on the SNS. Alternatively, the map management unit 12 may identify the number of people who have passed through the link based on location information obtained from a GPS function of a mobile terminal owned by the poster of the SNS.

[0075] In step S27, the map management unit 12 determines whether the number of passers-by is less than the threshold value Tc. If the number of passers-by is less than the threshold value Tc (YES in step S27), the process proceeds to step S28. On the other hand, if the number of passers-by is equal to or greater than the threshold value Tc (NO in step S27), the process proceeds to step S29.

[0076] In step S28, the map management unit 12 sets the abstraction flag of the link to "1." A link that has no public facilities, a relatively small number of existing houses (or households), and little foot traffic is a place where a specific individual is likely to be identified. Taking this into consideration, the map management unit 12 sets the abstraction flag of such a link to "1."

[0077] On the other hand, in step S29, the map management unit 12 sets the abstraction flag to "0." Links associated with public facilities, links with a relatively large number of houses (or households), and links with a lot of pedestrian traffic are all locations where the probability of identifying a specific individual is low. Taking this into consideration, the map management unit 12 sets the abstraction flags of these links to "0."

[0078] As shown in step S30, the map management unit 12 repeats the processes of steps S21 to S29 until the abstraction flag is set for all the links to be processed.

[0079] While changes in the POI associated with a link (e.g., the construction or demolition of a building) do not occur in a short period of time, the number of people passing through a link can change significantly in a specific period of time. For example, a specific location may attract attention in a short period of time due to a post by an influencer who is a person with a high level of information dissemination power on SNS, and many people may visit the location. In this case, the number of people passing through a link that usually has few people may increase in a specific period of time due to its popularity.

[0080] Considering such a change in the number of passers-by in a relatively short period of time, the platform server 10 may execute the process shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing another example of the process of setting the abstraction flag of each link as a process flow S3. In step S31, the map management unit 12 selects one link for updating the abstraction flag. For example, the map management unit 12 may select a link where no public facilities exist and the number of existing houses is less than a threshold value Ta. Alternatively, the map management unit 12 may select a link where no public facilities exist and the number of existing households is less than a threshold value Tb. Thereafter, the map management unit 12 executes steps S32 to S36, which are the same processes as steps S26 to S30. Through such a series of processes, the abstraction flag of the link selected as the update target may change from "1" to "0" or from "0" to "1" depending on the change in the number of passers-by.

[0081] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a process for setting an abstraction flag for a link. In this example, roads 401 and 402 run parallel to each other at a certain distance, and three roads 403 to 405 run parallel to each other and connect the roads 401 and 402. A road 406 runs from the road 401 in the opposite direction to the roads 403 to 405. The roads 401 and 402 are considered to be part of a major transportation network, and the roads 403 to 406 are not considered to be part of a major transportation network. There are ten private homes along the road 403, two private homes along the road 404, and five private homes along the road 405. There is a public facility at the end of the road 406. Links 411 to 415 are set along the road 401, and links 416 to 419 are set along the road 402. A link 420 is set for the road 403, a link 421 is set for the road 404, a link 422 is set for the road 405, and a link 423 is set for the road 406.

[0082] In one example, the map management unit 12 sets the abstraction flags of the links 411 to 419 constituting the roads 401 and 402, which are the main transportation network, to "0". If the threshold Ta for the number of houses is 10, the map management unit 12 sets the abstraction flag of the link 420 (road 403) where 10 houses exist to "0". If the number of people passing through the link 421 (road 404) is equal to or greater than the threshold Tc and the number of people passing through the link 422 (road 405) is less than the threshold Tc, the map management unit 12 sets the abstraction flag of the link 421 to "0" and the abstraction flag of the link 422 to "1". The map management unit 12 sets the abstraction flag of the link 423 (road 406) where a public facility exists to "0". Therefore, in the example of FIG. 11, only the link 422 is abstracted.

[0083] Although FIG. 11 shows an example of processing related to links, the map management unit 12 may execute similar processing for nodes.

[0084] As illustrated by the process flows S1 to S3, the abstraction flag is managed by the map management unit 12 in an integrated manner. The map management unit 12 sets or updates the abstraction flag at any timing and stores the latest master of the map data in the map database 31. The map update unit 23 of the user terminal 20 downloads a copy of at least a part of the latest master from the platform server 10 at any timing and stores the copy in the map storage area 22. The map update unit 23 may download only map data related to a predetermined area including the user's current location, etc., and when the user moves, download map data corresponding to the movement. This process can reduce the processing load of the user terminal 20. The method of downloading the map data is not limited and may be designed based on any policy. For example, the map management unit 12 may transmit a notification indicating that the map data has been updated to the user terminal 20, and the download may be performed in response to this transmission. Specifically, in response to the notification, the map update unit 23 requests the latest map data from the platform server 10 automatically or based on a user input. In response to the request, the map management unit 12 reads a copy of at least a part of the latest master from the map database 31, and transmits the copy to the user terminal 20. The map update unit 23 stores the copy in the map storage area 22.

[0085] (Route Data Abstraction) The process of abstracting route data will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the process as a process flow S4. In this example, the user terminal 20 converts the original route data into abstract route data.

[0086] In step S41, the route acquisition unit 21 of the user terminal 20 acquires original route data. For example, the route acquisition unit 21 may acquire the original route data from the route search function 28 or the route tracing function 29.

[0087] The route acquisition unit 21 may acquire original route data indicating a candidate route or a planned route from the route search function 28. The route search function 28 transmits search conditions to the platform server 10 in response to a predetermined user operation. The search conditions may include data items such as at least one of the departure date and time and the arrival date and time, at least one intermediate stop, the means of transportation to be used, and conditions of a changed route in addition to the departure point and the destination. In the platform server 10, the search unit 11 refers to the map database 31 to search for one or more travel routes that satisfy the search request, and transmits the search results to the user terminal 20. In one example, the route search function 28 receives and displays the search results, so that the user can visually confirm the search results. The route acquisition unit 21 acquires data indicating at least one of the one or more travel routes indicated in the search results as original route data.

[0088] The route acquisition unit 21 may acquire original route data indicating the actual route from the route tracing function 29. The route tracing function 29 can acquire the history of the current position of the user terminal 20 as the actual route in response to a predetermined user operation. The route acquisition unit 21 acquires the data indicating the actual route as original route data.

[0089] In step S42, the abstraction unit 24 of the user terminal 20 abstracts the original route data to generate abstract route data. The abstraction unit 24 abstracts each of the one or more original route data as follows. That is, the abstraction unit 24 refers to the original route data and the map data in the map storage area 22, and determines whether or not a map element whose abstraction flag is "1" exists on the original travel route. If one or more such map elements exist, the abstraction unit 24 abstracts each of the one or more map elements to generate abstract route data. The specific method of abstracting the map elements is not limited. For example, the abstraction unit 24 may delete the map element whose abstraction flag is "1" from the original route data. Alternatively, the abstraction unit 24 may convert a first map element whose abstraction flag is "1" into a second map element whose abstraction flag is "0" and located near the first map element. Assume that the original travel route includes a first small area that belongs to a certain polygon node and whose abstraction flag is "1". Then, the polygon node further includes a second small area whose abstraction flag is "0". In this case, the abstraction unit 24 may convert the first small area into the second small area, or may convert the first small area into the polygon node. When there is no map element to be abstracted for a certain original route data, the abstraction unit 24 may process the original route data as it is as abstract route data.

[0090] In one example, the abstraction unit 24 may calculate the transportation cost, which is the fee for using the transportation means in the original travel route, abstract the original route data while leaving the information of the transportation cost (information that simply indicates the amount) as it is, and generate abstract route data corresponding to the transportation cost. In this case, since the transportation cost is calculated based on the original route data, the accuracy of the amount is guaranteed. When multiple transportation means are used, the transportation cost may be calculated for each transportation means. The abstraction unit 24 may output the calculated transportation cost information to the user by any method such as text or voice, and make the user recognize it. In response to a user operation that makes the output transportation cost information suspicious, the abstraction unit 24 may recalculate the transportation cost.

[0091] The abstraction unit 24 may output a notification to the user by any method, such as text or voice, indicating that the original route data has been abstracted. This notification may indicate at least one of the processed original route data (i.e., the original travel route) and the abstract route data (i.e., the abstract travel route). This notification can convey to the user information such as the fact that the travel route has been abstracted, and details of the travel route before or after abstraction. The abstraction unit 24 may confirm the user's clear intention when transmitting the abstract travel route and transportation costs to the platform manager server 10.

[0092] In step S43, the transmitting unit 25 of the user terminal 20 transmits the abstract route data to the platform server 10. In the platform server 10, the registration unit 13 receives the abstract route data.

[0093] In step S44, the registration unit 13 registers the abstract route data in the abstract route database 32. The registration unit 13 generates a new route ID, associates the route ID with the abstract route data, and then stores the abstract route data in the abstract route database 32. The registered abstract route data can be used by various businesses or other users for various purposes.

[0094] In the process flow S4, the user terminal 20 transmits the abstract route data to the platform server 10 without transmitting the original route data. Therefore, the platform server 10 does not acquire the original route data, and the database group 30 does not store the original route data. As a result, the original route data is not referred to on the server side. The server side is provided with the abstract route data instead of the original route data, and the original route data does not leave the user terminal 20, so that the user's travel route is appropriately anonymized. In addition, the user terminal 20 transmits information on the calculated transportation fee to the platform server 10. Therefore, the platform server 10 can accurately grasp the transportation fee to be charged to the user, and can, for example, settle the transportation fee on behalf of the transportation company. The user terminal 20 may confirm the user's clear intention when transmitting the abstract route data or the transportation fee information to the platform server 10.

[0095] [program] The program for making the computer 110 function as the platform server 10 includes program codes for making the computer 110 function as the search unit 11, the map management unit 12, and the registration unit 13. The program for making the computer 110 function as the user terminal 20 includes program codes for making the computer 110 function as the route acquisition unit 21, the map storage area 22, the map update unit 23, the abstraction unit 24, and the transmission unit 25. Each program may be provided after being permanently recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, or a semiconductor memory. Alternatively, each program may be provided via a communication network as a data signal superimposed on a carrier wave. The provided program is stored in the storage 103. The processor 101 executes the program in cooperation with the memory 102, thereby realizing the corresponding functional module.

[0096] [effect] As described above, a computer system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a processor. The processor generates abstract route data by abstracting original route data indicating a route of travel of a user, based on map data indicating a combination of map elements and an abstraction flag indicating whether to abstract route data.

[0097] A data structure of map data according to an aspect of the present disclosure indicates a combination of map elements and an abstraction flag indicating whether or not to abstract route data.

[0098] A program according to one aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to execute a step of abstracting original route data indicating a user's travel route to generate abstract route data based on map data indicating a combination of map elements and an abstraction flag indicating whether to abstract the route data.

[0099] In this aspect, the original route data is abstracted based on the abstraction flag of the map element, so that the user's travel route can be appropriately anonymized.

[0100] In another aspect of the computer system, the map elements may include links and nodes. The processor may set an abstraction flag corresponding to the link or node based on the number of homes and / or households associated with the link or node. In this manner, the abstraction flag can be set according to the number of residents around the link or node.

[0101] In a computer system according to another aspect, the map elements may include links and nodes. The processor may set an abstraction flag corresponding to the link or node based on an association between the link or node and a facility that is expected to be used by an unspecified number of people. Whether or not a facility is used by an unspecified number of people is related to whether or not an individual can be identified. By setting the abstraction flag in consideration of this association, the user's travel route can be appropriately anonymized.

[0102] In the computer system according to another aspect, the map elements may include links and nodes. The processor may set an abstraction flag corresponding to the link or node based on the number of people passing through the link or node. With this mechanism, the abstraction flag can be set according to the actual traffic situation of the link.

[0103] In a computer system according to another aspect, the map element may include a polygon node including a first small area and a second small area. The map data may indicate that the first small area is to be abstracted and that the second small area is not to be abstracted. When the travel route includes the first small area, the processor may convert the first small area into either the second small area or a polygon node to abstract the original route data. This mechanism allows the user's travel route in a two-dimensional geographical area to be appropriately anonymized.

[0104] [Variations] The present disclosure has been described in detail above based on the embodiments. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. The present disclosure can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0105] In the above embodiment, the abstraction flag for one map element has a value of either "1 (indicating abstraction)" or "0 (indicating no abstraction)", but this abstraction flag may be set for each time factor such as date, time, season, etc. In other words, the abstraction flag may be ambiguous. For example, the abstraction flag for a map element may be set to "0" during the day and "1" at night. By setting the abstraction flag in this way, the need for abstraction can be set in more detail.

[0106] In the above embodiment, the user terminal 20 transmits abstract route data to the platform server 10 in order to have the platform server 10 register the abstract route data in the abstract route database 32. However, the purpose of transmitting abstract route data to the server is not limited to this. The terminal may transmit abstract route data to the server in order to have the server execute other processing.

[0107] Although the above embodiment shows the database group 30, copies of each database may be placed in each of the platform provider and the multiple businesses. In this case, database synchronization is performed between the platform provider and the multiple businesses, thereby ensuring the consistency of various data. In the system that stores the abstract route data, the blockchain technology or the distributed ledger technology may be applied.

[0108] For purposes of this disclosure, a first computer sending data or information "to" a second computer means that the first computer sends the data or information to the second computer either directly or through at least one communications device (i.e., indirectly).

[0109] In this disclosure, the expression "at least one processor executes a first process, executes a second process, ... executes an nth process" or a corresponding expression indicates a concept including a case where the executing entity (i.e., the processor) of n processes from the first process to the nth process changes midway. In other words, this expression indicates a concept including both a case where all n processes are executed by the same processor and a case where the processor changes among the n processes according to an arbitrary policy.

[0110] When comparing the magnitude relationship of two numerical values ​​in a computer system, either of the two criteria "greater than or equal to" and "greater than" may be used, or either of the two criteria "less than or equal to" and "less than" may be used. The selection of such criteria does not change the technical meaning of the process of comparing the magnitude relationship of two numerical values.

[0111] The processing procedure of the method executed by at least one processor is not limited to the example in the above embodiment. For example, some of the steps (processing) described above may be omitted, or each step may be executed in a different order. In addition, any two or more of the steps described above may be combined, or some of the steps may be modified or deleted. Alternatively, other steps may be executed in addition to each of the steps described above.

[0112] The aspects described in all or part of the above embodiments solve any one of the following problems: control of movement paths, improving processing speed, improving processing accuracy, improving usability, improving functions using data or providing appropriate functions, other improving functions or providing appropriate functions, reducing the capacity of data and / or programs, miniaturizing devices and / or systems, providing appropriate data, programs, recording media, devices and / or systems, and optimizing the production and manufacturing of data, programs, recording media, devices and / or systems, such as reducing the production and manufacturing costs of data, programs, devices or systems, facilitating production and manufacturing, and shortening production and manufacturing times. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 1...information management system, 10...platform server, 11...search unit, 12...map management unit, 13...registration unit, 20...user terminal, 21...route acquisition unit, 22...map storage area, 23...map update unit, 24...abstraction unit, 25...transmission unit, 28...route search function, 29...route tracing function, 30...database group, 31...map database, 32...abstract route database, 40...operator server, 50...external system, 150...map network Work, 151...node, 152...link, 153...polygon node, 153a...small area, 153b...small area, 153c...small area, 200...map data, 201...node data, 202...link data, 203...polygon node data, 204...POI data, 210...map data, 211...transportation node table, 212...transportation facility table, 213...transfer table, 401-406...roads, 411-422...links.

Claims

1. A processor is provided. The processor, setting an abstraction flag included in map data indicating a combination of a map element and an abstraction flag indicating whether or not route data is abstracted so that a specific individual cannot be identified, based on whether or not a predetermined condition indicating that an individual may be identified from the route data is satisfied; generating abstract route data by abstracting original route data indicating a route traveled by the user based on the map data; Computer system.

2. A processor is provided. The processor, setting an abstraction flag corresponding to a link or a node, the abstraction flag being included in map data indicating a combination of map elements including links and nodes and an abstraction flag indicating whether route data is to be abstracted, based on the number of homes and / or households associated with the link or the node; generating abstract route data by abstracting original route data indicating a route traveled by the user based on the map data; Computer system.

3. A processor is provided. The processor, setting an abstraction flag corresponding to a link or a node, the abstraction flag being included in map data indicating a combination of map elements including links and nodes and an abstraction flag indicating whether route data is to be abstracted, based on an association between the link or the node and a facility expected to be used by an unspecified number of people; generating abstract route data by abstracting original route data indicating a route traveled by the user based on the map data; Computer system.

4. A processor is provided. The processor, setting an abstraction flag corresponding to a link or a node, the abstraction flag being included in map data indicating a combination of map elements including links and nodes and an abstraction flag indicating whether route data is to be abstracted, based on the number of people passing through the link or the node; generating abstract route data by abstracting original route data indicating a route traveled by the user based on the map data; Computer system.

5. a processor for generating abstract route data by abstracting original route data indicating a route traveled by a user based on map data indicating a combination of map elements and an abstraction flag indicating whether or not to abstract route data; the map element includes a polygon node including a first sub-region and a second sub-region; the map data indicates that the first small area is to be abstracted and indicates that the second small area is not to be abstracted; the processor, when the movement path includes the first small region, converts the first small region into either the second small region or the polygon node, thereby abstracting the original path data; Computer system.

6. setting an abstraction flag included in map data indicating a combination of a map element and an abstraction flag indicating whether or not route data is abstracted so that a specific individual cannot be identified, based on whether or not a predetermined condition indicating that an individual may be identified from the route data is satisfied; generating abstract route data by abstracting original route data indicating a route traveled by a user based on the map data; to cause a computer to execute program.

7. A step in which a computer sets an abstraction flag included in map data indicating a combination of a map element and an abstraction flag indicating whether or not route data is abstracted so that a specific individual cannot be identified, based on whether or not a predetermined condition indicating that an individual may be identified from the route data is satisfied; A step in which a computer generates abstract route data by abstracting original route data indicating a route traveled by a user based on the map data; Including, method.

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