Support app for those unable to return home

Abstract

We provide a mobile app that can operate with low power consumption even in situations where communications are cut off during a disaster, and can assist people in walking home for more than a few days. [Solution] The device has a means for storing the location information of a destination, such as one's home, and targets in advance, and after a disaster occurs, using the GPS and compass functions, displaying the destination and target as icons on the screen according to the direction and distance from the current location to the destination and target.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an application for supporting people who are unable to return home after a disaster. In particular, the present invention relates to a technology for providing information to people who are unable to return home due to communication interruption while saving power. [Background technology]

[0002] During the Great East Japan Earthquake, approximately 5.15 million people were unable to return home in the Tokyo metropolitan area (Cabinet Office estimate). Furthermore, it is estimated that in the event of a capital earthquake, at least 6.4 million people would be unable to return home (see Non-Patent Document 1). Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, many railways were able to resume operations within one or two days, but if an earthquake were to occur directly beneath the capital, important infrastructure such as transportation, power grids, and communications networks would likely suffer significant damage. Furthermore, the government is calling for a three-day wait, prioritizing the rescue of lives. However, if the scale of damage is extensive, it is unlikely that transportation services will be restored in such a short time as three days. In the end, most people commuting to work, school, and shopping will be unable to return home. In other words, approximately 6.4 million people will be forced to return home on foot. Furthermore, due to road damage, large amounts of rubble, and crowds of people, walking distances during a disaster are limited to 10 to 15 km per day. In other words, it will take several days to return home if one travels more than 15 km. A realistic route home would involve passing through multiple evacuation shelters, securing food, water, and places to rest. However, in a situation where communications are cut off, the navigation functions on mobile devices cannot be used. Even if communications are restored, there will be the problem of securing power for devices. For these reasons, there was a need for technology that would help people walk home for several days even in situations where communications were down or there was a power shortage.

[0003] Concerns over communication interruptions due to disasters have led to the creation of numerous inventions. One of these is a well-known technology (see Patent Document 1) that provides evacuation route guidance between any two points even when communication between a mobile terminal and a server is impossible. Specifically, the system searches for evacuation routes between any two locations in advance, downloads them to a mobile device, and records them. This allows the evacuation route data to be used in the event of an unexpected disaster. However, since it is an evacuation route at a stage when the damage situation on the ground cannot be grasped, its usefulness was questioned. Moreover, since it does not take into account power shortages, it cannot be applied to walking home in the event of a disaster. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-147340 A [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] Central Disaster Prevention Council, "Estimated damage and countermeasures for an earthquake directly beneath the capital" p.56 https: / / www.bousai.go.jp / jishin / syuto / taisaku_wg / pdf / syuto_wg_siryo02.pdf [Non-Patent Document 2] (Same as above) p.24-25 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In order to address the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a returning-home support app as a disaster response app that provides information useful for returning home on foot even in situations where communication is cut off and can operate for long periods of time while saving power. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Operates on mobile devices such as smartphones An app to support stranded commuters, By omitting the map display and evacuation route instructions functions, we have created a very simple app configuration. This reduces memory and power consumption on your mobile device, and there is no charge for maps. An app that provides useful information for evacuation even in network outages, It is extremely small in size and extremely inexpensive. And as a means of guidance instead of a map, By storing in advance the location information of a destination such as one's home and landmarks that will serve as landmarks during travel, and activating the device in the event of a disaster, the device uses GPS and compass functions to display the destination as an icon on the screen according to the direction and distance of the destination from the current location, and displays the landmarks as icons on the screen according to the direction and distance of the landmarks from the current location, and the scale on the screen can be changed, with the icon of the destination being displayed regardless of the scale, and the icon of the landmark that can be seen from afar being displayed on the screen even if it is outside the range of the scale display. So, The direction of the destination icon can be recognized based on the direction of the destination icon. Then, the direction of the target icon in which the user should move toward the destination can be recognized based on the direction of the target icon. In addition, if one or more of the target icons that can be seen from a distance are set as landmarks, the direction of the target icon that can be seen from a distance can be recognized as a landmark for moving toward the target icon. Since you can know the direction to go without relying on the display on the screen, If you decide that you are not worried about getting lost and turn off the mobile device, The power consumption of the mobile device will be zero, which will not only enable long-term evacuation, but will also prevent the so-called "smartphone use while driving," which will be effective in preventing accidents during evacuation. Take measures.

[0008] The icons are displayed separately within and outside a circular range corresponding to the scale, and the destination and the distant objects are displayed on the periphery of the circle even if they are outside the icon display range.

[0009] The landmarks handled by this invention include natural objects such as mountains, evacuation sites such as government offices, schools, police stations, fire stations, hospitals, community centers, and parks, public objects such as bridges, transportation hubs such as stations and airports, and public or private buildings with distinctive appearances, and the destinations include one or more of the following: home, workplace, a relative's house, a friend's house, an acquaintance's house, a business partner, etc.

[0010] Additionally, the present invention employs a means for displaying the distance from the current location adjacent to each icon.

[0011] In addition, the present invention employs a means for displaying the movement history.

[0012] In addition, the present invention employs a means for acquiring location information using the GPS function at set intervals or after a set number of steps.

[0013] In addition, the present invention employs a means for storing memo data including anticipated evacuation routes, user-specific landmarks, cautions, etc. in advance and displaying the data on the screen, as well as a means for sharing the data with other devices. Effect of the Invention

[0014] By using the stranded commuter support app of the present invention, it is possible to provide the user with the information necessary to walk home even when communication is cut off. Furthermore, since it minimizes power consumption, it is effective as a disaster response app. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an application screen diagram showing an embodiment of a stranded commuter support application according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an application screen diagram showing the display contents of a stranded commuter support application according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of a stranded commuter support app according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is an application screen diagram showing a modified example of a stranded commuter support application according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a system diagram showing a modified example of a stranded commuter support app according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of using a stranded commuter support app according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The stranded commuter support app of the present invention (hereinafter, this app) can provide information useful for walking home even if communication is interrupted. More specifically, instead of using conventional map-based guidance methods, the system presents limited objects, providing simple and clear information such as "where and which direction to go" and "landmarks that can serve as guides for the user's route." This significantly reduces the operating time of mobile devices, minimizes power consumption, and enables the system to operate for long periods of time. The overall structure of this app and the structure of each part are not limited to the examples described below, but can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, i.e., within the scope of configurations that can achieve the same functional effects.

[0017] (Definition of terms) Destination: Home, work, relatives, friends, acquaintances, or business associates. This includes people who have a public or private relationship with the evacuee or who are related by blood. The user walks toward one of the set destinations. Landmarks: Natural objects such as mountains. Government offices, schools, police stations, fire stations, hospitals, community centers, parks, and other evacuation sites. Public facilities such as bridges. Transportation hubs such as stations and airports. Or public or private buildings with distinctive appearances. Landmark: Among the abovementioned landmarks, those that are particularly high above ground or extremely famous, including special natural objects, public objects, and private objects such as the following: Special natural objects: Conspicuous objects that are far away and serve as landmarks for evacuation. For example, mountains such as Mt. Fuji and celestial bodies such as the sun. Special public objects: They are tall, conspicuous, and serve as landmarks for evacuation. Examples include the Imperial Palace (plaza), Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, and Ueno Park. Special private property: It is tall, conspicuous, and serves as a landmark during evacuation. Examples include Tokyo Tower (registered trademark), Tokyo Skytree (registered trademark), Ushiku Daibutsu (trademark), and Tokyo Disneyland (registered trademark). Whether or not a landmark can be seen from a distance is determined using a known geometric line-of-sight distance formula (approximate value).

number

[0018] The destination is assumed to be the user's home. However, as mentioned above, it can also be the workplace, colleagues, relatives, friends, acquaintances, business partners, etc. Destinations or places that may be destinations are registered in advance by the user in this application. In addition, the user can select the destinations to be displayed. One thing to be careful of when doing this is not to register detailed location information such as your home address. For example, by using Google Maps (trademark), you can easily obtain coordinates with five decimal points. In Tokyo, this equates to an accuracy of about 1m. If a mobile device that has registered your home location with this accuracy is lost or stolen, there is a risk that a malicious third party could identify your home address. For this reason, this app limits destination registration to two decimal points. This doesn't pose a problem when using the app. No matter what kind of navigation app (guidance app) you use, there is no user who requires guidance to the "front door of their home." Generally speaking, it is generally recognized that if you are within a few kilometers to 10 kilometers of your home, you can get home without relying on a navigation app. The landmarks are used as a guide to the direction to go when walking. Information on these landmarks is stored in the mobile device together with the application when the application is installed. The information may also be updated periodically from the server. As mentioned above, users need to register their destination. Meanwhile, landmarks can be provided by the app. In addition, the app also provides a way for users to register their own landmarks. This allows users to use familiar places and buildings as their own landmarks.

[0019] (Detailed explanation) Hereinafter, an embodiment of a stranded commuter support application (hereinafter, this application) according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram of an application screen showing an embodiment of this application, and Fig. 2 is a diagram of an application screen showing the display contents of this application, where (a) shows various examples of screen display changes, and (b) is a power saving setting screen. The stranded commuter support application 1 is an application installed in a mobile terminal 10. The mobile terminal 10 is assumed to be a smartphone or the like. Note that the mobile terminal 10 must have a GPS (Global Positioning System) function and a compass function. The stranded commuter support application 1 is an application that provides information to assist the user of the mobile terminal 10 in returning home when the user is affected by a disaster. In the event of a large-scale disaster, it is unavoidable that important infrastructure such as transportation, power grids, and communication networks will be shut down. In particular, if transportation is seriously damaged, people will be forced to return home on foot, which means that a large number of people will be unable to return home. These people will have to travel to multiple evacuation sites, spending several days securing food, water, and a place to rest, on their way home. During this time, the role of this app is to continue operating with low power consumption without relying on communication, and to continue providing information to users who are unable to return home. The stranded commuter support app 1 pre-stores the positions of landmarks and the destination, and upon request from the user, uses GPS and compass information to display on the screen the relative positions of the landmarks and destination in relation to the user's current location as icons, allowing the user to recognize where they are and know the direction they should go.

[0020] 1 shows a screen 11 of a mobile terminal 10. This is a main screen of a support application 1 for stranded commuters. There is a position display area 20 , below which there is a scale selection bar 24 and a scale display 23 , and below that there is a display selector 25 . The position display area 20 has a plurality of concentric circles 21 extending from a center point, a straight line indicating the north, south, east and west directions extending from the center point, and a direction indicator 22 indicating the north, south, east and west directions beyond that. The scales are discrete and appropriate values ​​such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100 km. The scale can be selected by operating the scale selection bar 24. The scale is then displayed on the scale display 23. In addition, the number of circles 21 can be made two or three to make it easier to see. If the scale is 2 km, two circles 21 is appropriate. A home icon 30 and a landmark icon 31 are displayed within the position display area 20. The center point of the position display area 20 is the location of the user, that is, the current location. The icons of the destination and the object are displayed according to the direction and distance from the current position, and the display or non-display of these icons can be selected. In the example of Fig. 1, the scale of the location display area 20 is 3 km. This means that the largest circle 21 has a radius of 3 km with the current location as its center. In this case, only landmarks within 3 km are displayed as icons. However, distant landmarks such as Mount Fuji, and destinations such as home, will continue to be displayed outside circle 21 even if they are more than 3 km away. These landmarks and destinations continue to be displayed as icons because they play a vital role in determining your course and maintaining your heading. More on this below. A distance display 32 showing the distance to the destination and the object is displayed next to the icon. The user can select whether or not to display the distance display. Display items can be selected by the display selector 25. In the example of FIG. 1, the settings are set to display home, school, police, government office, and station.

[0021] The path of the user's movement can be displayed as a movement history 33 in the position display area 20. By referring to the movement history 33, it is possible to prevent the user from going around in circles (wandering in circles) in the same place. As shown in FIG. 2(a), various messages can be output on the screen 11. Message section 26 displays notifications from the app. For example, if the battery level is low, a warning such as "Please charge the battery" is displayed. In this way, various notifications are displayed depending on the situation. The setting button 27 is a button for setting the application. By tapping the button, various settings can be made, such as power saving settings and help. In this application, battery consumption is reduced by minimizing the use of the GPS function. The GPS function resumes from a stopped state and acquires the user's current location only when the location acquisition button 28 is pressed. In this way, unnecessary use of the GPS function is suppressed, and power saving is achieved.

[0022] FIG. 2(b) shows a power saving setting screen 29 for specifying a power saving method. When users are affected by a disaster and start using this app, the first thing they worry about is the remaining battery life, because it is difficult to secure a power source during a large-scale disaster. For this reason, this application recommends settings that reduce the power consumption of the mobile terminal 10. In the example of the power saving setting screen 29, four power saving modes are assumed: no power saving, timer, pedometer, and ultra power saving. Non-power saving mode: Mode that keeps GPS and compass running at all times. Timer mode: This is a mode in which only the GPS starts at a fixed interval. The compass does not start. Pedometer mode: A mode in which only the GPS is activated at certain steps. The compass is not activated. Ultra power saving mode: A mode that always stops the GPS and compass. It activates the GPS and compass only when necessary. From the perspective of saving electricity, the ultra-power saving mode is the default setting. The remaining estimated operating time is displayed for each mode. When this time reaches a single digit, it is displayed in red. The user can select each mode based on this remaining estimated operating time. In the ultra power saving mode, as mentioned above, power saving is achieved by restricting the use of the GPS function. For this reason, a location acquisition button 28 is provided on the screen 11, and location information can be acquired only when the button is pressed. In addition, the ultra-power saving mode also has a mode that activates the GPS and compass, as well as a mode that activates only the compass for when the battery is really low.

[0023] As described above, the present invention is useful in supporting people who are unable to return home because it can obtain information to return home on foot even when communications are cut off, and it can reduce power consumption and operate for long periods of time.

[0024] (Planning evacuation routes in advance) Another embodiment will now be described. It is possible to return home with just a GPS and compass. However, it would be even better if you had prepared one or more possible evacuation routes, as well as a memo with important points to note and reminders. If you display the prepared information on the screen in the event of a disaster, you can eliminate the anxiety of walking home. Explains the evacuation routes that users should consider in advance. As an example, consider the evacuation route from Tokyo to Utsunomiya. Of course, the quickest way to get home is by train. However, active faults have been confirmed in Hasuda City, Ina Town, and Saitama City. (Reference: AIST "Active Fault Database" https: / / gbank.gsj.jp / activefault / cgi / aist_activefault) If these active faults were to be linked to an earthquake directly beneath the capital, it would be impossible to evacuate by train. However, there is still a possibility that trains may be rerouted in limited areas. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for cases in which trains can and cannot be used. Realistically, there are three possible routes: Plan A: Tokyo → Kurihashi → Koga → Utsunomiya (hoping for the railway section to be restored) Plan B: Tokyo → Goka Town → Sakai Town → Utsunomiya (the shortest route) Plan C: Tokyo → Noda City → Bando City → Utsunomiya (the shortest route) 3(a) shows a route search result 41 for Plan A displayed using a map application 40 such as Google Maps (trademark). Similarly, FIG. 3(b) shows routes for Plans B and C. The evacuation route memo 42 is generated by extracting only the location information from these route search results 41, and has the shape shown in Fig. 3(c). This is an extremely simple and small amount of data. If this evacuation route memo 42 is displayed on the position display area 20, the route home becomes much clearer than if only the GPS and compass were used (FIG. 3(d)).

[0025] In this way, if evacuation routes are prepared in advance, people can choose an evacuation route that suits the disaster situation no matter where they are in Tokyo. For example, if you are in Shibuya, join route A. If you want to go back by train, just continue on. If you can't get to the train, cross the Tone River and join route B. If you are in Akihabara, join route B. If you want to go back by train, cross the Tone River and join route A. If you can't expect to get to the train, just keep going. If you are in Asakusa, you should try to choose route B, since route C is at risk of flooding. As mentioned above, if you plan your evacuation route in advance, you will be able to act calmly and without panicking when a disaster occurs, and you will have a higher chance of returning home safely.

[0026] (Handwritten note) As another embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the user can handwrite routes and comments in the location display area 20. In this way, handwritten notes can be used not only as a memorandum but also for planning evacuation routes. The handwritten memo 43 can be selected to be displayed or not displayed. The contents of the handwritten memo 43 are at the discretion of the user, and the user may create an "evacuation route plan," or may write down anything, such as "a guide to famous places," "ratings of evacuation sites," "good restaurants," etc. In this way, one or more expected evacuation routes, handwritten notes 43 of precautions, etc. can be created before or after the event, thereby preventing important matters from being forgotten.

[0027] (Information sharing) Furthermore, as another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the mobile terminals 10 can share information with each other. The above-mentioned evacuation route memo 42 can be downloaded from a server or sent by email. The "evacuation route plan" on mobile device A can be shared among family members or friends, in other words, among users of this application. As mentioned above, users can create "handwritten notes." These can also be shared among users of this app, just like the above. In addition, in order to keep a record, the data on these "proposed evacuation routes" and "handwritten notes" can be sent to a server or PC, where it can be stored and modified. In this way, data of an individual user regarding destinations, movement history, and memo data can be input and output, can be created and processed on any device, and can be shared by multiple people. With this configuration, information on evacuation routes and disaster prevention can be shared among family members and friends as a form of advance preparation for disasters.

[0028] Examples of data held by the Stranded Return Home Support App 1 include the following: System data includes landmark data, which is data on natural objects, public objects, private property, etc. that is stored in the app from the initial point of time. The individual user data includes destination data and movement history data. There is also user memo data. This data is information about destinations, landmarks, and evacuation route plans, and can be created by the user. The data can be created by hand, or using a server or PC. Users can also set their own landmarks as special user memo data. For example, there is a structure like the "ghost chimney" that once existed in Senju. Although it is a structure that is familiar to local residents, it is not used as a landmark in this app. Users can also register such structures on their own and display them as landmarks in this app. Furthermore, this individual user data can be created on any device, including a server, PC, or mobile terminal, and can be shared among multiple users.

[0029] (How to use this app) The details of this app have been explained above. Next, how to use this app will be explained with reference to Figure 6. Fig. 6(a) shows the mobile device facing north. First, check the distance display 32 next to the home icon 30. Your home is 30km away, which you can determine is too far to get home in one day. Then, focus on the government office icon 60. If so, head to the government office in the direction of your home. Government offices may be designated as evacuation sites, and there you can get information on transportation and road conditions, as well as emergency food and water. Then, hold the mobile device horizontally and rotate it about 40 degrees to the right. This app works with the compass function, and the location display area 20 rotates according to the direction. Figure 6(b) shows the state in which the government office icon 60 is facing 12 o'clock (clock position). At this point, the 12 o'clock direction as seen from the mobile device is the direction in which the government office is located. However, humans do not have the ability to remember directions. Instead, they need some kind of landmark. For this, a landmark is preferable. In other words, it is a "conspicuous target". From the Mt. Fuji icon 61, you can check the direction from which Mt. Fuji can actually be seen. In the state shown in Figure 6(b), Mt. Fuji should be at 6 or 7 o'clock. If you can see Mt. Fuji with your eyes, keep walking while looking at Mt. Fuji at 6 or 7 o'clock. That way, you will reach the government office. Alternatively, you can choose another building in the direction of your travel as a landmark. Once the landmark is decided, turn off the power of the mobile device to save electricity. After a disaster, the roads are usually damaged and it is necessary to be careful of steps and falling objects. Another reason to turn off the power is for safety. If you are approaching the government office, take a good look around. There are many road signs and signboards around the office, so you can easily find it. If you still can't find the office, just ask the locals. The government office is a familiar place to the locals, and it is common knowledge for those who live in the area. When you arrive at the city hall, ask for charging of your mobile device, water and food, and confirm the evacuation site. If the city hall is also a shelter, you can spend the night there. If there is a separate evacuation site, move to that site. The next day and beyond, he repeats the same process of "going from one government office to another" on his way home. When you get close to your home, the scenery will be so familiar that you can return home without using this app.

[0030] It was stated above in paragraph 0020 that "landmarks and destinations continue to be displayed as icons because they play a very important role in determining the course and maintaining the direction of travel." A concrete example of this is explained in paragraph 0029. In other words, the direction of the home icon 30 is the direction to go in overall terms, and the aim of this application is to inform the user that in order to head to the nearest government office from the current location, the user should "walk while looking at Mt. Fuji at the 6 or 7 o'clock direction." However, it is possible to grasp the above-mentioned positional relationship by using other map apps if one takes the time. However, in order to check the positional relationship between Mt. Fuji and the current location, one would have to repeatedly zoom in and out of the map, which would be tedious and difficult to do on a mobile device with a small screen. Moreover, the longer it takes, the greater the battery consumption. However, it would be difficult for ordinary users to come up with this idea in the first place in the event of a disaster. The fact that there are no disaster victim guidance apps based on the same technical concept as the present invention is proof that the present invention is not easily conceived even by those skilled in the art. The present invention does not have a detailed map, but focuses on understanding the location relationship. The above procedure allows the user to intuitively understand the route, so there is no need to look at the screen of the mobile device. Therefore, power can be saved by turning off the device. On the other hand, as long as traditional map apps and navigation apps are used, users are so afraid of deviating from the course that they cannot stop staring at the screen while walking, which is what is known as "using your smartphone while driving." As a result, the battery is wasted and it will run out in about half a day. Moreover, the roads will be littered with rubble, and there will be steps and cracks everywhere. There will probably be many people who fall while using their smartphone while driving, and it may even cause a crowd avalanche. It would be a complete reversal of priorities if an accident were to occur due to an app that is supposed to guide users. In the above example, Mt. Fuji was used as a landmark. If it is raining and you cannot see Mt. Fuji, you can switch to another landmark. This app assumes other landmarks. For example, you can select Tokyo Skytree (registered trademark). However, from the perspective of evacuation strategies, this choice is meaningless. First of all, we should avoid evacuating in the rain and catching a cold. Of course, using a smartphone while driving is also out of the question. We must not waste medical resources on illness and injury. All citizens should keep in mind that the medical system is the most strained during a disaster. Then, in paragraph 0002 at the beginning, it states that "6.4 million people will be unable to return home in the event of an earthquake directly beneath the capital." In addition, according to the Central Disaster Prevention Council's assumptions (see Non-Patent Document 2), power supply capacity after an earthquake directly beneath the capital will be 50%, and will not improve even after one week. In this situation of reduced power supply, it will be difficult to charge the mobile devices of 6.4 million people. Naturally, we should also be prepared for power outages at evacuation sites and convenience stores. In such difficult circumstances, the technology that is essential is how to reduce battery consumption in mobile devices. This invention provides exactly this means.

[0031] Furthermore, to reiterate, the present invention is premised on supporting people to walk home. Traveling on foot is physically and mentally difficult, and is overwhelmingly disadvantageous compared to driving or other means of public transport. However, there are also advantages to walking. For example, even in situations where roads are impassable by vehicle due to collapses, cracks, rubble, etc., it may be possible to pass on foot. In the extreme, even roads that are not on maps can be traversed on foot. Furthermore, walking allows you to closely observe your surroundings, and you can easily talk to people around you to get information and relax. This invention is like a shogi board, and it is up to the player (user) to decide what strategy to use in the game. The user must use their imagination, consider what situations may occur, and prepare in advance. That way, even if a disaster occurs, you will be able to mobilize all of your abilities and return home.

[0032] (summary) In this way, the present invention provides information that is useful for walking home even in a situation where communication is interrupted, and can continue to operate for a long period of time while saving power, making it useful as a disaster response app.

[0033] The present invention does not employ conventional map-based navigation methods. In the present invention, the position information of landmarks that serve as landmarks when walking and destinations such as one's home is stored, and the landmarks and destinations are displayed on the screen as icons based on the GPS and compass position information. The scale of the screen is set, and landmarks that are a certain distance or more from the current location are not displayed, but icons are displayed for exceptionally distant landmarks. On the other hand, the icon display of the destination continues regardless of the scale. This icon display effect makes it easy for the user to grasp the direction, and there is no risk of losing sight of the direction to go. This prevents the user from "using a smartphone while walking" by staring at the screen of a mobile device, which not only reduces battery waste but also prevents falls during evacuation.

[0034] In addition, the present invention can prevent users from going around in circles (wandering in circles) by displaying their movement history.

[0035] In addition, the present invention can reduce battery consumption by acquiring location information at set intervals or after a set number of steps.

[0036] In addition, the present invention can display a variety of information on the screen by displaying user memo data, and can also prepare for disasters by allowing data to be shared between users.

[0037] In addition, the present invention is based on the premise of walking over several days, and consumes extremely low power. Furthermore, because it is a simple application, it does not waste memory on the mobile device. Another advantage is that it does not require equipment costs such as a large-scale server device, and does not require the power costs of performing unnecessary route searches every day. This app allows for long-term operation even in situations where power supply is tight. [Industrial Applicability]

[0038] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The stranded commuter support app according to the present invention can provide assistance for returning home for a long period of time even in a state where communication is interrupted, and has great industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1. App to support stranded commuters 10 Mobile devices 11 Screens 20 Position display area 21 Circular 22 Compass 23 Scale display 24 Scale Selection Bar 25 Display Selector 26 Message section 27 Settings button 28 Location acquisition button 29 Power saving setting screen 30 Home Icon 31 Target Icon 32 Distance display 33 Movement History 40. Map App 41 Route search results 42 Evacuation route memo 43 Handwritten notes 50 Servers 60 Government Icons 61 Mount Fuji Icon

Claims

1. A support app for stranded commuters that operates on a mobile device such as a smartphone, The map display and evacuation route instructions functions have been omitted. By storing in advance the location information of a destination such as one's home and landmarks that will serve as landmarks when moving, and activating the device in the event of a disaster, the device uses a GPS function and a compass function to display the destination as an icon on the screen according to the direction and distance of the destination from the current location, and also displays the landmarks as icons on the screen according to the direction and distance of the landmarks from the current location, the scale on the screen can be changed, the icon of the destination is displayed regardless of the scale, and the icon of the landmark that can be seen from afar is displayed on the screen even if it is outside the range of the scale display. An app to support people who are unable to return home.

2. 2. The support app for stranded commuters according to claim 1, wherein the icons are displayed separately within and outside a circular range corresponding to the scale, and the destination and the telephoto target object are continuously displayed on the periphery of the circle even if they are outside the icon display range.

3. The support app for stranded commuters described in claim 1, characterized in that the landmarks include at least one of natural objects such as mountains, evacuation sites such as government offices, schools, police stations, fire stations, hospitals, community centers, and parks, public objects such as bridges, transportation hubs such as stations and airports, and buildings with distinctive appearances, and the destinations include at least one of home, work, a relative's house, a friend's house, an acquaintance's house, and a business partner.

4. 2. The stranded commuter support app according to claim 1, further comprising a movement history display.

5. 2. The stranded commuter support app according to claim 1, wherein the location information is acquired at a set time or every set number of steps.

6. The support app for stranded commuters described in claim 1, characterized in that memo data containing one or more expected evacuation routes, the user's own landmarks, precautions, etc. can be pre-stored and displayed on the screen, and individual user data regarding the destination, the landmarks, the movement history, and the memo data can be input and output, can be created and processed on any device, and can be shared with other devices on which the support app for stranded commuters is installed.

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