Information processing device

Abstract

To enable users to confirm the landscape or external appearance of a desired place by image data.SOLUTION: In an information processing device, a control unit acquires request information including information about an imaging object and an imaging position on map data designated by a first user. Further, the control unit notifies one or more second users of the request information. In addition, the control unit acquires image data corresponding to the request information, which has been captured by at least one of the one or more second users. The control unit then provides the first user with the image data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology related to an image processing system. In the image processing system disclosed in Patent Document 1, image data of a real-scene photograph taken at a specified location and image data prepared by a user are acquired. Then, by synthesizing both sets of image data, image data of a composite photograph resembling a commemorative photograph is generated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-72853 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique for enabling a user to check the scenery or appearance of a desired location using image data. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The information processing device according to the present disclosure includes a control unit that executes the following operations: acquiring request information including information about a subject to be photographed and a photographing location specified on map data by a first user; notifying one or more second users of the request information; acquiring image data corresponding to the request information and photographed by at least one of the one or more second users; and providing the image data to the first user. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, a user can check the scenery or appearance of a desired location using image data. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image providing system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of map data displayed on the first user terminal. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table configuration of the request information. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the management server. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of information and data in the image providing system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] The information processing device according to the present disclosure includes a control unit. The control unit acquires request information. The request information is information for a first user to request image data. The request information is information indicating which location the first user wishes to confirm the landscape or appearance of when viewed from where. Specifically, the request information includes information on the subject to be photographed and the photographing position designated by the first user on the map data. In other words, the first user requests the provision of image data showing the landscape or appearance of the desired subject to be photographed (location) when viewed from the desired photographing position.

[0009] When the control unit acquires the request information of the first user, the control unit transmits the request information to one or more second users. The control unit notifies the first user of the request information. Here, the second user is a user different from the first user. Furthermore, the control unit acquires image data corresponding to the request information, which is photographed by at least one of one or a plurality of second users. That is, the control unit acquires image data of the subject included in the request information photographed from the photographing position included in the request information from the second user. Then, the control unit provides the image data acquired from the second user to the first user.

[0010] According to the information processing device as described above, it is possible to provide the first user with image data showing the scenery or appearance of the desired place as seen from the desired position, so that the first user can check the scenery or appearance of the desired place through the image data.

[0011] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in the present embodiments are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present disclosure unless otherwise specified.

[0012] <Embodiment> (System Overview) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image providing system according to this embodiment. The image providing system is a system for providing image data to a user. The image data may be still image data or may be video data. The image providing system 1 includes a plurality of user terminals 100, 200 and a management server 300. Here, a user who requests the provision of image data is defined as a first user. A user who provides image data is defined as a second user. A user terminal associated with the first user is defined as a first user terminal 100. A user terminal associated with the second user is defined as a second user terminal 200.

[0013] In the image providing system 1, the first user terminal 100, each second user terminal 200, and the management server 300 are mutually connected by a network N1. As the network N1, for example, a WAN (Wide Area Network) which is a global public communication network such as the Internet, or a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone may be adopted. Note that in this embodiment, the image providing system 1 includes a plurality of second user terminals 200. In other words, it is assumed that there are a plurality of second users who can provide image data to the first user. However, it is not necessary that there are a plurality of second users.

[0014] The first user terminal 100 is a terminal owned or operated by a first user. The second user terminal 200 is a terminal owned or operated by a second user. Examples of the first user terminal 100 and the second user terminal 200 include a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet computer, and a wearable terminal. The first user terminal 100 and the second user terminal 200 are provided with a display for displaying information to the first user or the second user.

[0015] The management server 300 is a server device for providing image data to the first user. The management server 300 includes a general computer. The computer that constitutes the management server 300 includes a processor 301, a main memory unit 302, an auxiliary memory unit 303, and a communication interface (communication I / F) 304.

[0016] Here, the processor 301 may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a D The main memory unit 302 is, for example, a random access memory (RAM). The auxiliary storage unit 303 is, for example, a read only memory (ROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), or a flash memory. The storage medium may include a removable medium. The media is, for example, a USB memory, an SD card, or a disk recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD disk, or a Blu-ray disk. The communication I / F 304 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) interface board, or a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication.

[0017] The auxiliary storage unit 303 stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various information tables, and the like. The processor 301 loads the programs stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303 into the main storage unit 302 and executes them to realize a process for providing image data to the first user, as described below. However, some or all of the functions of the management server 300 may be realized by a hardware circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA. The management server 300 does not necessarily have to be realized by a single physical configuration, and may be configured by a plurality of computers that cooperate with each other. In this embodiment, the management server 300 corresponds to the "information processing device" according to the present disclosure.

[0018] In the image providing system 1, the first user inputs information for requesting image data into the first user terminal 100. Specifically, a predetermined application for the first user to use the image providing system 1 is executed in the first user terminal 100, and map data is displayed. Then, the first user specifies the subject to be photographed and the photographing position on the map data displayed on the first user terminal 100. Here, the subject to be photographed is a place where the first user wishes to confirm the scenery or appearance using image data. Specifically, examples of the subject to be photographed include natural spots, buildings, and facilities. In addition, the photographing position is a position corresponding to a viewpoint from which the first user wishes to confirm the scenery or appearance of the subject to be photographed. In other words, the photographing position indicates from which position the first user wishes to confirm the scenery or appearance of the subject to be photographed.

[0019] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of map data displayed on the first user terminal 100. On the map data shown in Fig. 2, TP represents a subject to be photographed designated by the first user. Also, on the map data shown in Fig. 2, SP represents a photographing position designated by the first user. In other words, Fig. 2 shows that the first user requests the provision of image data showing the scenery when the subject to be photographed TP is viewed from the photographing position SP (i.e., image data obtained by photographing the subject to be photographed TP from the photographing position SP in the direction of the white arrow).

[0020] In the first user terminal 100, request information is generated based on the information input by the first user as described above. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a table configuration of the request information generated in the first user terminal 100. As shown in FIG. 3, the request information has a user ID field, a shooting object field, and a shooting position field. A user ID, which is identification information for identifying the first user, is input in the user ID field. Data for identifying the shooting object designated by the first user is input in the shooting object field. Data for identifying the shooting position designated by the first user is input in the shooting position field. Then, the request information is transmitted from the first user terminal 100 to the management server 300 via the network N1.

[0021] When the management server 300 receives the request information from the first user terminal 100, it transmits the request information to each second user terminal 200 via the network N1. As a result, the request information of the first user is notified to each second user. When each second user is notified of the request information of the first user, they can attempt to acquire image data according to the request information. At this time, for example, if the second user is present near the shooting position included in the request information, the second user can photograph the subject included in the request information from the shooting position. In this case, the second user can photograph the subject included in the request information from the shooting position included in the request information. The second user may acquire image data corresponding to the request information by searching image data corresponding to the request information from image data captured by the second user in the past.

[0022] Then, when at least one of the multiple second users acquires image data corresponding to the request information of the first user, the image data is transmitted from the second user terminal 200 of the second user to the management server 300 via the network N1. When the management server 300 receives the image data from the second user terminal 200, it transmits the image data to the first user terminal 100 via the network N1. As a result, the image data corresponding to the request information is provided to the first user. Note that when the management server 300 receives image data from the second user terminals 200 of multiple second users, the multiple image data transmitted from each second user terminal 200 may be provided to the first user.

[0023] According to the image providing system 1 as described above, image data showing the scenery or appearance of a desired place as seen from a desired position can be provided from the second user to the first user via the management server 300. Therefore, the first user can remotely check the scenery or appearance of a desired place as seen from a desired position without moving himself / herself.

[0024] (Functional configuration) Next, the functional configuration of the management server 300 constituting the image providing system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the management server 300 according to this embodiment.

[0025] The management server 300 has a communication unit 310, a control unit 320, and an image database (image DB) 330. The communication unit 310 has a function of connecting the management server 300 to a network N1. The communication unit 310 can be realized by a communication I / F 304. The control unit 320 has a function of performing arithmetic processing for controlling the management server 300. The control unit 320 can be realized by a processor 301.

[0026] The control unit 320 includes a notification unit 321 and a provision unit 322 as functional units. The control unit 320 performs a process of receiving the request information transmitted from the first user terminal 100 using the communication unit 310. In this way, the control unit 320 acquires the request information of the first user. The control unit 320 also performs a process of storing the request information received from the first user terminal 100 in the image DB 330. Furthermore, in the control unit 320, the notification unit 321 performs a process of transmitting the request information of the first user to each second user terminal 200 using the communication unit 310.

[0027] Furthermore, the control unit 320 performs a process of receiving image data transmitted from the second user terminal 200 using the communication unit 310. As a result, the control unit 320 acquires image data corresponding to the request information of the first user. Furthermore, the control unit 320 performs a process of storing the image data received from the second user terminal 200 in the image DB 330. At this time, the request information of the first user and the image data corresponding to the request information are stored in the image DB 330 in a linked state. Furthermore, in the control unit 320, the provision unit 322 performs a process of transmitting image data corresponding to the request information to the first user terminal 100 using the communication unit 310.

[0028] (Information and data flows) Next, the flow of information and data in the image providing system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of information and data in the image providing system 1.

[0029] First, in the first user terminal 100, a message is displayed on the display by the first user. The subject to be photographed and the photographing position are input onto the map data (S101). Furthermore, in the first user terminal 100, request information is generated based on the subject to be photographed and the photographing position input in S101 (S102). Next, the request information is transmitted from the first user terminal 100 to the management server 300 (S103).

[0030] In the management server 300, the request information received from the first user terminal 100 is stored in the image DB 330 (S104). Furthermore, the request information received from the first user terminal 100 is transmitted from the management server 300 to the second user terminal 200 (S105).

[0031] In the second user terminal 200, image data corresponding to the request information received from the first user terminal 100 is acquired (S106). As described above, the image data acquired here is image data photographed by the second user. Furthermore, the image data acquired in S106 is transmitted from the second user terminal 200 to the management server 300 (S107).

[0032] In the management server 300, the image data received from the second user terminal 200 is stored in the image DB 330 (S108). Furthermore, the image data received from the second user terminal 200 is transmitted from the management server 300 to the first user terminal 100 (S109). Then, in the first user terminal 100, the image data received from the management server 300 is output to a display (S110).

[0033] (Modification) In the image providing system 1, the request information transmitted from the first user terminal 100 to the management server 300 may include information on the time of shooting in addition to the subject and the shooting position. In this case, the shooting time included in the request information indicates the time (e.g., time of day or season) at which the first user wants to confirm the landscape or appearance when the subject is viewed. By including the shooting time in the request information, it becomes possible for the first user to confirm the landscape or appearance when the desired location is viewed at the desired time based on the image data.

[0034] In addition, the shooting subject and shooting positions included in the request information are not limited to one location each. For example, the shooting positions may be specified as a shooting route for shooting the shooting subject continuously or intermittently.

[0035] In addition, in the image providing system 1, an incentive may be given to a second user who provides image data corresponding to the request information of the first user. In this case, the first user may evaluate the image data provided by the second user. Then, the content of the incentive to be given to the second user may be determined based on the evaluation result of the image data by the first user.

[0036] <Other embodiments> The above embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the processes and means described in the present disclosure may be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0037] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by one device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is realized can be flexibly changed.

[0038] The present disclosure provides a method for providing a computer program that implements the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and for causing one or more processors in the computer to read the program. The computer program may also be implemented by executing the program on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the system bus of the computer, or may be provided to the computer via a network. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions, such as, for example, a magnetic disk (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (e.g., a CD-ROM, a DVD disk, a Blu-ray disk, etc.), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, or an optical card. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1. Image provision system 100: First user terminal 200: Second user terminal 300 Management Server 310 Communications Department 320 Control section 321·Notification Department 322·Providing Department 330··Image Database

Claims

[Claim 1] Acquiring request information including information on a subject and a photographing position designated by a first user on map data and information on a photographing time period, which is a time period or a season, designated by the first user; notifying one or more second users of the request information; acquiring image data corresponding to the request information, the image data including past image data captured by at least one of the one or more second users; providing the image data to the first user; An information processing device comprising a control unit that executes the above.

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