Guidance system, guidance method, and guidance program

Abstract

Provided is a guidance system comprising first to third navigation units which are worn by a user and that allow the user to know a guidance direction via auditory or tactile perception, said guidance system having: a reception unit that receives information relating to a guidance point to which the user is to be guided and information of content to be played back; a storage unit that stores the information relating to the guidance point and the information of the content to be played back; a control unit that calculates the angle by which the guidance point is offset from the front direction the user is facing on the basis of the information relating to the guidance point, and that selects content to play back on the basis of the calculation result; and an output unit that, on the basis of the calculated angle, uses the first to third navigation units to output, via character expression, a guidance expression which indicates the direction in which the user should proceed.

Description

Guidance system, guidance method, and guidance program

[0001] The present invention relates to a guidance system, a guidance method, and a guidance program, and is a system that promotes independent movement, particularly by using hearing or touch, so that people who have difficulty with spatial cognition (such as those with visual-spatial cognition disorders) can concentrate on the scenery, move without getting lost while being considerate of their surroundings, and arrive at their destination.

[0002] There are many navigation systems and map apps that guide pedestrians to their destinations. In particular, there is a navigation system for visually impaired people, such as that shown in Non-Patent Document 1. The navigation system shown in Non-Patent Document 1 uses image analysis using AI (artificial intelligence) instead of vision to realize automatic driving in place of human eyes.

[0003] However, although visually impaired people have issues with visual information such as not being able to see, they tend to have high spatial awareness. Therefore, people with visual impairments are not considered to be getting lost, and measures to prevent accidents caused by not being able to see are often required.

[0004] On the other hand, people with poor spatial cognition (such as those with visuospatial cognitive impairment) have difficulty recognizing maps, perceiving space, and processing spatial relationships in their brains. Furthermore, they have difficulty aligning the direction of a map with their physical orientation, making it difficult to remember scenery and easily getting lost. Some people also struggle with multiple tasks, such as operating a smartphone while being considerate of others and simultaneously judging left and right based on their hearing alone. Traditionally, the only solution for these people to reach a destination they have never been to before, or even a destination they have not yet remembered, has been direct human assistance. However, while this approach is easy to understand, it tends to hinder the individual's independence. Furthermore, psychological compatibility between people, effort, and cost considerations pose some unsolvable challenges. To enable individuals to navigate independently without human assistance, a means to promote their independence is needed. To address this issue, a system is needed to promote independent mobility, allowing them to focus on the scenery and reach their destination while being considerate of their surroundings. By using this system, people who have difficulty with spatial cognition (such as those with visuospatial cognitive impairment) can reach their destinations, whether they are new to the place or have forgotten about it, without getting lost and with reduced anxiety. While symptoms of visuospatial cognitive impairment are relatively common in people with developmental disorders, similar symptoms can also be seen in people with milder symptoms such as higher brain dysfunction and mild cognitive impairment, making this solution effective for people who have a strong desire to go out.

[0005] Furthermore, Non-Patent Document 2 discloses a navigation device that can be attached to shoes. However, this navigation device is intended for the visually impaired, and does not directly address the needs of people with poor spatial cognition (such as those with visual-spatial cognitive impairment). This is because people with poor spatial cognition (such as those with visual-spatial cognitive impairment) need solutions to problems that make it easy for them to get lost, but there is no apparent need for a navigation function that requires them to focus their attention on their feet, and the purpose is different.

[0006] Patent Literature 1 also discloses a smart necklace that includes a body defining at least one cavity, the body having a neck portion and first and second side portions, a pair of stereoscopic cameras configured to detect image data including depth information corresponding to an ambient environment of the smart necklace, a positioning sensor configured to detect position data corresponding to a position of the smart necklace, a persistent memory located within the at least one cavity, the persistent memory configured to store map data and object data, and a processor located within the at least one cavity, coupled to the pair of stereoscopic cameras, the positioning sensor, and the persistent memory, and configured to determine output data based on the image data, position data, map data, and object data.

[0007] However, the smart necklace disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not have a functional unit that has the function of calculating the angle at which the guidance point is shifted with respect to the front facing the user.

[0008] Patent No. 6599877

[0009] https: / / www.gizmodo.jp / 2022 / 01 / biped.htmlhttps: / / www.ashirase.com /

[0010] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a system, guidance method, and guidance program that independently guides people who have difficulty with spatial cognition (such as those with visual-spatial cognitive disorders) to their destination without getting lost, allowing them to focus more on the scenery through their hearing or touch, without having to focus excessively on the map on their smartphone, and while being considerate of their surroundings.

[0011] In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention is a guidance system that includes first to third navigation units worn by a user and that allows the user to know the direction of guidance through hearing or touch, and is characterized by having a receiving unit that receives information about the guidance point to which the user should be guided and information about the content to be played, a memory unit that stores information about the guidance point and information about the content to be played, a control unit that calculates the angle at which the guidance point is offset from the front facing the user based on the information about the guidance point and selects the content to be played based on the calculation result, and an output unit that uses the first to third navigation units to output a guidance expression that indicates the direction the user should go in a character representation based on the calculated angle.

[0012] The guidance system comprises a mobile terminal and a guidance device unit attached to the back of the user's neck and shoulder, and communicating with the mobile terminal remotely or by wearing the mobile terminal. The guidance device unit may have a main body unit having a first navigation unit and attached to the back of the user's neck, arms extending from the main body unit to the user's left and right shoulders, a second navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arms and in contact with the user's left shoulder, and a third navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arms and in contact with the user's right shoulder.

[0013] The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit may indicate the direction in which the user should go by sound based on control of the main body unit.

[0014] The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit may indicate the direction in which the user should go by using clavicle bone conduction sound based on the control of the main body unit.

[0015] The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit may indicate the direction in which the user should go by haptic vibration based on control of the main body unit.

[0016] The guidance may include going, turning, and stopping.

[0017] The user may be guided in the direction in which to proceed by a character representation of a predetermined character.

[0018] The predetermined characters may include real or fictional characters.

[0019] The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, or the third navigation unit may guide the user so that the direction of guidance is known using a sensor attached to the guidance device unit, based on input of the direction of the line segment guided by the first route transmitted from the mobile terminal and the distance between the point of the user's location information acquired by GPS and the nearest point of the line segment formed by the second route.

[0020] When the distance between the point in the user's location information acquired by GPS transmitted from the mobile device and the nearest point on the line segment formed by the first route is greater than an arbitrary radius, the first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, or the third navigation unit may guide the user so that the guidance direction is known using a sensor attached to the guidance device unit based on input of the distance between the point in the user's location information acquired by GPS transmitted from the mobile device and the nearest point on the line segment formed by the first route and the angle of the nearest point on the first route as seen from the point.

[0021] The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, or the third navigation unit may guide the user so that the user knows the direction of guidance based on input of the direction of the line segment guided by the first route transmitted from the mobile terminal and the point of the user's location information acquired by GPS.

[0022] The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, or the third navigation unit may guide the user so that the direction of guidance is known using a sensor attached to the guidance device unit, based on input of the distance between the point in the user's location information obtained by GPS transmitted from the mobile terminal and the final destination, and the angle of the final destination as seen from the point.

[0023] In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention provides a guidance method that includes first to third navigation units worn by a user and that allows the user to know the direction of guidance through hearing or touch, and is characterized by having a receiving step of receiving information about a guidance point to which the user should be guided and information about the content to be played, a storage step of storing information about the guidance point and information about the content to be played, a control step of calculating the angle at which the guidance point is offset from the front facing the user based on the information about the guidance point and selecting the content to be played based on the calculation result, and an output step of using the first to third navigation units to output, using a character representation, a guidance expression that indicates the direction the user should go based on the calculated angle.

[0024] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a guidance program having first to third navigation units worn by a user, which allows the user to know the direction of guidance through hearing or touch, and is characterized in that it implements in a computer a receiving function for receiving information about the guidance point to which the user should be guided and information about the content to be played, a memory function for storing information about the guidance point and information about the content to be played, a control function for calculating the angle at which the guidance point is offset from the front facing the user based on the information about the guidance point and selecting the content to be played based on the calculation result, and an output function for outputting a guidance expression indicating the direction the user should go using a character expression using the first to third navigation units based on the calculated angle.

[0025] A guidance system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises first to third navigation units worn by a user, which can determine the direction in which the user is to be guided by hearing or touch, a receiving unit that receives information about the guidance point to which the user should be guided and information about the content to be played, a memory unit that stores information about the guidance point and information about the content to be played, a control unit that calculates the angle at which the guidance point is offset from the front facing the user based on the information about the guidance point, and selects the content to be played based on the calculation result, and an output unit that uses the first to third navigation units to output a guidance expression that indicates the direction in which the user should proceed based on the calculated angle, using a character representation.This makes it possible to guide people who have difficulty with spatial cognition (such as those with visual-spatial cognitive impairment) to their destination without getting lost by hearing or touch rather than relying on their vision.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a portable terminal and a guidance device unit are separated in a guidance system according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a portable terminal in a guidance system according to the present invention is fixed to the guidance device unit. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a guidance device unit in a guidance system according to the present invention is attached to a user's neck and above the collarbone. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing each functional unit of a main body of the guidance device unit in an embodiment in which a portable terminal in a guidance system according to the present invention is separated from the guidance device unit. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing each functional unit of a portable terminal in an embodiment in which a portable terminal in a guidance system according to the present invention is fixed to the guidance device unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a reason why a destination cannot be reached when a user's location information obtained by GPS is used as a starting point in the guidance system according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a reason why a destination cannot be reached when a user's location information obtained by GPS is used as a starting point in the guidance system according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a reason why a destination cannot be reached when a user's location information obtained by GPS is used as a starting point in the guidance system according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a reason why a destination cannot be reached when a user's location information obtained by GPS is used as a starting point in the guidance system according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing guidance for going straight on a route currently being guided in the guidance system according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing guidance for going straight on a route currently being guided in the guidance system according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing guidance for going around a corner in a route currently being guided in the guidance system according to the present invention. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing presenting only a final destination in a guidance system according to the present invention. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a guidance method according to the present invention. 1 is a flowchart showing a guidance method according to the present invention.

[0027] [Guidance System] A guidance system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the flow of information transmission from a mobile terminal 10 to a guidance device 20 in a guidance system 1. The guidance system 1 includes a mobile terminal 10 and a guidance device 20, and guides a user (wearer) to their destination without getting lost through the guidance device 20. The guidance system 1 is also a system in which the guidance device 20 conveys information about guidance points to the user through audible or tactile input. Furthermore, the guidance system 1 may also include a system in which the guidance device 20 calculates the angle at which a guidance point is offset from the front facing the user in response to input from the mobile terminal 10. The mobile terminal 10 is configured as a general-purpose information processing terminal such as a smartphone, tablet, or PC (personal computer), and accesses the guidance system 1 via a web browser or dedicated application (not shown). By calculating the angle at which a guidance point is offset from the front facing the user in this way, the user can reach their destination without getting lost.

[0029] The guidance device unit 20 has a first navigation unit, a main body unit 21 in contact with the cervical vertebrae of the user's neck, an arm unit 22 extending from the main body unit 21 to the user's left and right clavicles, a second navigation unit 23 connected to the main body unit 21 by the arm unit 22 and in contact with the user's left clavicle, and a third navigation unit 24 connected to the main body unit 21 by the arm unit 22 and in contact with the user's right clavicle. The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit 23, the third navigation unit 24, and the main body unit 21 are speakers and bone conduction speakers. Vibration-generating vibrators, motors, etc. are provided as actuators. When the main body unit 21 receives information about the guidance point from the mobile terminal 10, it calculates the angle at which the guidance point is offset from the front facing the user, and outputs sound, clavicle bone conduction sound, and tactile vibration based on the calculation result from its own first navigation unit. The main body 21 also transmits the calculation results to the second navigation unit 23 and the third navigation unit 24 via the arm 22, and the second navigation unit 23 and the third navigation unit 24 output sound, clavicle bone conduction sound, and tactile vibration. The sound may be a human voice, and may have a frequency of approximately 200 Hz to 400 Hz or more. For example, the sound may be played as a file such as a WAV or MP3 file. This will be described in detail in the description of FIG. 4. The navigation units may be four in total, two on the left and right rear sides and two on the left and right front sides, or five in total, including one in the center rear side, two on the left and right front sides, and two on the left and right between the rear and front sides.

[0030] Fig. 2 shows a case where the mobile terminal 10 is fixed to the guidance device unit 20 in the guidance system 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the mobile terminal 10 is fixed to the main body unit 21 of the guidance device unit 20, and performs the role that the guidance device unit 20 performed in Fig. 1. This will be described in detail in the description of Fig. 5. The guidance device unit 20 is appropriately provided with a fixture (not shown) for fixing the mobile terminal 10.

[0031] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the state in which the guidance device unit 20 in the guidance system 1 is attached above the neck and collarbone of the user. The guidance device unit 20 is a wide-area vibration actuator that can present tactile vibration, clavicle bone conduction sound, and sound by itself. As shown in Fig. 3, at least three wide-area vibration actuators are arranged in contact with the torso or neck area so as to surround the user's head or neck. Obviously, the contact between the guidance device unit 20 and the neck and collarbone side of the user is indirect contact through the skin or clothing.

[0032] 4, the functional units of the main body 21 of the guidance device 20 in the embodiment in which the portable terminal 10 and the guidance device 20 are separate in the guidance system 1 will be described. The main body 21 has a receiving unit 30, a storage unit 40, a control unit 50, and an output unit 60.

[0033] The receiving unit 30 receives information about the guidance points and information about the content to be played from the mobile terminal 10 via wired or wireless communication. Information about the guidance points includes, for example, the direction to the guidance point, the distance, the angle of the corner, the number of guidance points to the goal, and the number of guidance points currently being guided. The receiving unit 30 receives these as input values. The guidance points set by the mobile terminal 10 are set according to the situation, such as the next corner or the final destination. Guidance points may be set for each corner, a gentle and large curve, or only for the final destination. The content is audio information rather than visual information, and may be audio or bone-conducted sound. As will be described later, the direction to go is indicated by a voice that sounds like the voice of a mother or a robot.

[0034] The storage unit 40 stores information about the guidance points and information about the content to be played. Information about the guidance points includes, for example, the direction to the guidance point, the distance, the angle of the corner, the number of guidance points to the goal, and the number of guidance points currently being guided. The content is not visual information but audio information, and may be audio or bone-conducted sound. As will be described later, the content instructs the direction to go using a voice that sounds like the voice of a mother or a robot.

[0035] The control unit 50 has an I / O 51, a ROM 52, a RAM 53, and a CPU 54. Based on the information received by the receiving unit 30, the control unit 50 calculates the angle by which the guidance point is offset from the front facing the user. The value of the desired guidance direction transmitted from the mobile terminal 10 is set to, for example, 0° to 359° clockwise, with 0° being north. The direction in which the user is facing can be determined by the guidance device unit 20 alone using a 9-axis sensor or the like attached to the main body 21 of the guidance device unit 20. Therefore, based on the input value from the mobile terminal 10, the control unit 50 calculates the angle by which the guidance point is offset from the front facing the user. Information such as the distance to the desired guidance point and the point number is also used as input values ​​for determining the output.

[0036] The output unit 60 plays files stored in the storage unit 40 based on the results of calculations performed by the control unit 50. Alternatively, the output unit 60 communicates with the mobile terminal 10 or the cloud, and plays files stored on the mobile terminal 10 or the cloud based on the results of calculations performed by the control unit 50 using the first navigation unit 23, the second navigation unit 24, and the third navigation unit 24. These playbacks are performed continuously at a frequency that provides an interactive experience. For example, every 10 ms, 100 ms, or 1 s is realistic.

[0037] The file derived by calculation in the control unit 50 is played at the navigation unit's position derived by calculation. Sound, clavicle bone conduction sound, and tactile vibration can be played simultaneously or separately from a single file. For example, the main elements of a human voice are composed of frequencies of approximately 200 Hz to 400 Hz or higher. When this is played on the navigation unit as a WAV or MP3 file, the stimulus is presented as sound that travels through the air and reaches the ears. Therefore, by creating a WAV or MP3 file of a person's voice or a sound effect using sounds with frequencies of approximately 200 Hz to 400 Hz or higher and playing it on the device, it can be used as selective auditory stimulation.

[0038] By adjusting the position and volume of the navigation unit that plays the sound, it is possible to explicitly output the direction from which the sound is perceived. For example, if the third navigation unit 24 and the first navigation unit play sounds at the same volume, the sound will clearly seem to be coming from the right rather than the left. This property can be utilized to devise content to be played and used for guidance and signals. This applies not only to the right, but also to front, back, left, right, and diagonal directions. Furthermore, when the same sound is output from each navigation unit, delaying the playback timing of each navigation unit by several milliseconds to several tens of milliseconds can produce a sound with a unique surround effect around the head, so this property can be used in distinctive scenes such as the finish line or the start.

[0039] The guidance expression may include moving forward, turning, and stopping. The user may also be guided in the direction to move by a character representation of a predetermined character. The predetermined character may include a real character or a fictional character. The character referred to here refers to an expression mode characterized by a predetermined consistency in the voice and vibration included in the guidance expression. When representing an arbitrary woman, the voice may be female and the haptic vibrations may be presented with a gentle tone at 1-second intervals, and when representing an arbitrary man, the voice may be male and the haptic vibrations may be presented with a strong tone at 2-second intervals.

[0040] Incidentally, when problems arise with guidance, the guidance device unit 20 of the guidance system 1 may play directional sounds, such as verbal sounds (e.g., words), non-verbal sounds (e.g., animal cries or robot signal sounds), or sound effects. However, for users with the above-mentioned challenges, whether the voice or sound is familiar is a key factor. For example, some users may not follow strangers. Therefore, to successfully achieve the intended use of the guidance device unit 20 of the guidance system 1, it is important to consciously create a character that is expressed in the sound. For example, the voice of the user's mother, recorded in advance from the right side, may be played back saying "It's this way." Furthermore, it is important to consciously create not only sounds but also clavicle bone conduction sounds (e.g., clavicle bone conduction sounds designed to simulate a robot) and tactile vibrations (e.g., tactile vibrations designed to simulate a mother tapping the right shoulder).

[0041] As explained in the calculation method in the control unit 50, the files and data to be played are determined, but the files played by computer processing are generated from files and data stored in the device, or by computer processing or computer processing linked to a cloud service, so that the user can individually identify the character and recognize the character's emotions.

[0042] Specific details that lead to the individual identification of the characters being played include, for example, sounds such as "a mother's gentle voice," "a mother's urging voice," "the voice of a familiar helper," "the voice of an official robot," "the bark of a favorite breed of dog," "a sound that can only produce musical notes but sounds like a nostalgic robot talking," "the voice of another version of yourself that exists in a digital world such as the Metaverse," or sound effects.

[0043] For example, clavicle bone conduction sound, like sound, plays files and data related to character individual identification and emotional recognition based on "voice" and "scale." Haptic vibration also plays files and data related to character individual identification and emotional recognition, such as "feeling like a mother gently tapping you on the shoulder," "feeling like a mother tapping you on the shoulder to urge you," "feeling like a robot clumsily tapping your shoulder," and "feeling like a robot clumsily massaging your shoulders."

[0044] The playback that leads to the individual identification and emotional recognition of characters as described above can be from files stored or created by the user, or it can be a sound waveform generated by computer processing using conventional methods, or it can be an artificial voice generated using conventional machine learning, etc.

[0045] The character playback is output as described above, allowing the user to "identify the individual character" and "recognize the character's emotions." While characters are usually presented with visual information, the guidance device unit 20 encourages the individual character's identification and emotional recognition through sound, clavicle bone conduction sound, and tactile vibrations without presenting visual information. This significantly reduces psychological anxiety for those targeted by the "mobility support" problem that the guidance system 1 aims to solve, motivating them to move around and becoming more independent.

[0046] For example, automated voice guidance on telephones can encourage "individual character identification" and "recognition of character emotions," but this differs significantly from the above in terms of the form of the calculation and device that presents a sense of direction for the purpose of guidance support, as well as the presentation method and presentation device that allows the user to recognize direction, distance, timing, and the presence of landmarks.

[0047] Next, the functional units of the mobile terminal 10 when the mobile terminal 10 is fixed to the guidance device unit 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The mobile terminal 10 has a receiving unit 130, a storage unit 140, a control unit 150, and an output unit 160.

[0048] The storage unit 140 stores information about the guidance points, such as the direction to the guidance point, the distance, the angle of the corner, the number of guidance points to the goal, and the number of guidance points currently being guided.

[0049] The control unit 150 has an I / O 151, a ROM 152, a RAM 153, and a CPU 154. Based on the information received by the receiving unit 130, the control unit 150 calculates the angle by which the guidance point is offset from the front facing the user. The value of the direction to which the user is to be guided is set to, for example, 0° to 359° clockwise, with 0° being north. Using a 9-axis sensor or the like attached to the mobile terminal 10, the control unit 150 calculates the angle by which the guidance point is offset from the front facing the user. Information such as the distance to the desired guidance point and the point number is also used as input values ​​for determining the output.

[0050] The output unit 160 plays files stored in the storage unit 140 based on the results of calculations performed by the control unit 150. Alternatively, the output unit 160 communicates with the cloud, and plays files stored in the cloud based on the results of calculations performed by the control unit 150 using the first navigation unit 23, the second navigation unit 24, and the third navigation unit 24. These playbacks are performed continuously at a frequency that provides an interactive experience. For example, every 10 ms, 100 ms, or 1 s is realistic.

[0051] The file derived by calculation in the control unit 150 is played at the navigation unit's position derived by calculation. Sound, clavicle bone conduction sound, and tactile vibration can be played simultaneously or separately from a single file. For example, the main elements of a human voice are composed of frequencies of approximately 200 Hz to 400 Hz or higher. When this is played on the navigation unit as a WAV or MP3 file, the stimulus is presented as sound that travels through the air and reaches the ear. Therefore, by creating a WAV or MP3 file of a person's voice or a sound effect using sounds with frequencies of approximately 200 Hz to 400 Hz or higher and playing it on the device, it can be used as selective auditory stimulation.

[0052] By adjusting the position and volume of the navigation unit that plays the sound, it is possible to explicitly output the direction from which the sound is perceived. For example, if the third navigation unit 24 and the first navigation unit play sounds at the same volume, the sound will clearly seem to be coming from the right rather than the left. This property can be utilized to devise content to be played and used for guidance and signals. This applies not only to the right, but also to front, back, left, right, and diagonal directions. Furthermore, when the same sound is output from each navigation unit, delaying the playback timing of each navigation unit by several milliseconds to several tens of milliseconds can produce a sound with a unique surround effect around the head, so this property can be used in distinctive scenes such as the finish line or the start.

[0053] Next, the background of the navigation method required for the guidance system 1 will be explained. When moving while checking a map with one's eyes, a person looks at the map and compares the information with their current location and the surrounding circumstances to understand the relationship between the world and their own position. In contrast, people who have difficulty understanding the relationship between the map information they see and their own position are not sure of the relationship between their own position and the outside world. They may walk without looking ahead when looking at a map in hand. Also, while the error of GPS is said to be 20 meters, there are times when the error can be as much as 100 meters due to the influence of nearby buildings, etc. For people who are not familiar with the location or who have impaired spatial awareness, it is not easy to know how accurate the location of their position on the map indicated by GPS is.

[0054] Furthermore, when guidance is provided through hearing and touch rather than visual information, unless the user is already familiar with the location, the user's position relative to the outside world is unknown. Therefore, the guidance system 1 provides auditory or tactile information on how to move or how much to rotate the body based on the user's current location and facing direction. For example, "Go right," "Turn left," or tap the user on the right shoulder. When the user moves or rotates their body based on the provided information, the presented information changes interactively to help the user reach the destination. In addition to providing information related to the above actions, information related to distance and position may also be provided. For example, "The next corner is 200 meters away" or "The final destination is 1 km to the right."

[0055] Problems can arise when presenting operation information as described above to guide the user from the location information obtained by GPS to an arbitrary location, such as the following three examples.

[0056] Figure 6 shows an example of why a user cannot reach a destination when using GPS location information as the base point. R1 represents the road the user is currently traveling on, and R2 represents the road the user is about to travel. P1 represents the user's actual current location and direction, and P2 represents the location that has shifted due to a GPS error. P is the guidance point. In this case, the user's location is behind the guidance point B (south S), but the GPS location has shifted due to an error and is now forward F (north N), so the user is guided in the opposite direction, saying "Go backward B (south S)," even though they should be going forward F (north N).

[0057] Figure 7 shows another example of why a user cannot reach a destination when using GPS location information as the base point. R1 represents the road the user is currently traveling, R2 represents the road that has shifted due to a GPS error, and R3 represents the road the user is about to travel. P1 represents the user's actual current location and direction, and P2 represents the position that has shifted due to a GPS error. P is the guidance point. In this case, the user's location is to the left L (west W) of the guidance point, but the GPS location has shifted due to an error and is now to the right R (east E). Therefore, the user is prompted to "go forward F (north N)," and instead of going to the right R (east E), the user is guided to the wall in front F (north N).

[0058] Figure 8 shows yet another example of why a user cannot reach a destination when using GPS location information as the base point. R2 represents the road the user is currently traveling, R1 represents the road that has shifted due to a GPS error, and R3 represents the road the user is about to travel. P2 represents the user's actual current location and direction, and P1 represents the position that has shifted due to a GPS error. P is the guidance point. In this case, the user's location is below the guidance point B (south S), but the GPS location has shifted due to an error and is now left L (west W). Therefore, the user is told to "go right R (east E)," and is guided to right R (east E), which is off the route, even though they should turn left L (west W).

[0059] Therefore, in addition to using a navigation system that guides the user from the location information obtained by GPS to any desired location, the system also uses information such as the "direction of the line segment formed by the route currently being guided," the "distance between the location information obtained by GPS of the user and the nearest point of the line segment formed by the next guided route," and the "angle of the corner."

[0060] 9 shows a specific example of a navigation algorithm by the guidance system 1, "Straight-line guidance on the route being guided (1)." R1 represents the road the user is currently traveling, P1 represents the user's actual current location and direction, and P2 represents a position that has shifted due to a GPS error. P represents the guidance point. The inputs are the "direction [θ] of the line segment guided by the route L1 being guided" and the "distance [α] between point P2 in the user's location information acquired by GPS and the nearest point of the line segment formed by the next guide route L2," both of which are sent from the mobile terminal 10. θ is set to a value ranging from 0° to 359° clockwise, with 0° being north.

[0061] The guidance device unit 20 can determine the direction it is facing by itself using a nine-axis sensor or the like attached to the guidance device unit 20. Regardless of GPS error, the angle θ that corresponds to the front is determined and used for guidance. For example, if θ is 30° and the device orientation (the user's body orientation) is 135° (southeast), it is determined that rotating the body 105° to the left will result in the direction of θ being the front. The file to be output and the position of the main unit 21 are determined based on the body rotation angle to be guided and the distance α. Once the guidance direction that corresponds to the front is known, information is presented, allowing the user to choose what action to take. For example, guidance can be provided in either the "Proceed to the right" direction or the "Next guidance point is 100 meters to the right."

[0062] The output is made as described in the description of the output unit 60.

[0063] FIG. 10 shows a specific example of a guidance algorithm by the guidance system 1, "Straight-line guidance on the route being guided (2)." R1 represents the road the user is currently traveling, R2 represents the road the user will travel next, and R3 represents the road the user intends to travel next. P1 represents the user's actual location and direction, and P2 represents a position shifted due to GPS error. P represents the guidance point. If the "distance [β] between point P2 in the user's location information acquired by GPS and the nearest point on the line segment formed by the route L1 being guided" transmitted from the mobile device 10 becomes larger than an arbitrary radius r, the "distance [β] between point P2 in the user's location information acquired by GPS and the nearest point on the line segment formed by the route L1 being guided" and the "angle [γ] of the nearest point on L1 as seen from P2" are input. γ is set to a value ranging from 0° to 359° clockwise, with 0° representing north.

[0064] The direction in which the guidance device unit 20 is facing can be determined by the guidance device unit 20 itself using a 9-axis sensor or the like attached to the guidance device unit 20. Regardless of GPS error, guidance is always provided so that the direction γ is directly ahead. For example, if γ is 120° and the orientation of the guidance device unit 20 (the orientation of the user's body) is 315° (northwest), it is understood that if the body is rotated 165° to the right R, the direction γ will be directly ahead. The file to be output and the position of the main unit 21 are determined based on the rotation angle of the body to be guided and the distance β.

[0065] The output is made as described in the description of the output unit 60.

[0066] Figure 11 shows a specific example of the algorithm for the navigation method of the guidance system 1, "guidance at a corner." "Guidance at a corner" occurs when α in "guidance for going straight along the route being guided (1)" falls below a certain value. R1 represents the road the user is currently traveling, R2 represents the road the user will travel next, and R3 represents the road the user intends to travel next. P1 represents the user's actual current location and direction, and P2 represents the location determined by GPS. k represents the corner. The "direction [θ] of the line segment guided by the route L1 being guided" and the "distance [β] between point P2 in the user's location information acquired by GPS and the nearest point of the line segment formed by the route L1 being guided" sent from the mobile terminal 10 are input.

[0067] The guidance device 20 itself can determine the direction it is facing using a 9-axis sensor or other device. Regardless of GPS error, it can present a positional relationship in which the direction θ is directly ahead for the user. For example, if θ is 330° and the direction of the guidance device 20 (the user's body orientation) is 45° (northeast), rotating the body 75° to the left (L) will reveal that the direction θ will be directly ahead. (The turning mode ends when the body is approximately facing forward.) The file to be output and the position of the main unit 21 are determined based on the body rotation angle to be guided and β. "Guidance around a turning point" ends when the body is approximately facing forward or when β reaches or exceeds a specified value. When β reaches or exceeds a specified value, the system switches to straight-ahead guidance (2) on the route being guided, or performs a reroute on the mobile device.

[0068] The output is made as described in the description of the output unit 60.

[0069] FIG. 12 shows a specific example of a navigation algorithm by the guidance system 1, "presenting only the final destination." P1 represents the user's actual current position and orientation, and P2 represents a position that is displaced due to GPS error. P is the guidance point. The "distance [b] between point P2 in the user's position information acquired by GPS and the final destination" and the "angle [a] of the final destination as seen from P2" sent from the mobile terminal 10 are input. a is set to 0° to 359° clockwise, with 0° being north. The user can reach the final destination by moving freely based on the position information of the final destination that is always provided. For example, R1, R2, R3, R4, etc.

[0070] A nine-axis sensor or the like attached to the guidance device unit 20 allows the guidance device unit 20 itself to determine the direction in which it is facing. The guidance is provided so that the guidance direction is clear regardless of GPS error. For example, if a is 330° and the direction of the guidance device unit 20 (the direction of the user's body) is facing 45° (northeast), it is clear that if the body is rotated 75° to the left (L), the direction of a will be directly ahead. The file to be output and the position of the main unit 21 are determined based on the rotation angle of the body to be guided and the distance b.

[0071] The output is made as described in the description of the output unit 60.

[0072] [Guidance Method and Guidance Program] Next, the guidance method and guidance program of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. The guidance method is executed by the CPU 54 of the control unit 50 based on the guidance program. The guidance program causes the control unit 50 to perform each of the functions of reception, control, output, and storage. These functions are executed in the order shown in the figure. Note that each function overlaps with the description of the guidance system 1 described above, so details will be omitted.

[0073] As can be seen from the flowchart of Fig. 13, the processing of the control unit 50 includes a receiving step (S11), a control step (S12), and an output step (S13). Also, as can be seen from the flowchart of Fig. 14, the processing includes a storing step (S21), a control step (S22), and an output step (S23). Of course, the various steps necessary for the operation of the control unit 50 itself are naturally included.

[0074] The receiving function is that the main body 21 receives information about the guidance point input from the mobile terminal 10, such as the direction to the guidance point, the distance, the angle of the corner, the number of guidance points to the goal, and the number of guidance points currently being guided (S10: Reception step).

[0075] In the control function, the main body 21 calculates the angle at which the guidance point is shifted with respect to the front facing the user, based on the information received in the receiving step (S12: control step).

[0076] The output function is such that the main body unit 21 outputs guidance expressions indicating the direction the user should go based on the calculation results in the control step to the first navigation unit, the second navigation unit 23, and the third navigation unit 24 (S13: output step).

[0077] The memory function allows the mobile terminal 10 to store information about the guidance point, such as the direction to the guidance point, the distance, the angle of the corner, the number of guidance points to the goal, and the number of guidance points currently being guided (S21: memory step).

[0078] The control function is to have the mobile terminal 10 calculate the angle by which the guidance point is displaced from the front facing the user, based on the information about the guidance point stored in the storage step (S22: control step).

[0079] The output function is that the mobile terminal 10 outputs guidance expressions indicating the direction the user should go based on the calculation results in the control step to the first navigation unit, the second navigation unit 23, and the third navigation unit 24 (S23: output step).

[0080] The computer program of the present invention described above may be recorded on a processor-readable recording medium, and the recording medium may be a "non-transitory tangible medium" such as a tape, disk, card, semiconductor memory, programmable logic circuit, etc.

[0081] The computer program can be implemented using, for example, a scripting language such as ActionScript or JavaScript (registered trademark), an object-oriented programming language such as Objective-C or Java (registered trademark), or a markup language such as HTML5.

[0082] According to such an embodiment, people who have difficulty with spatial cognition (such as those with visual-spatial cognition disorders) can be guided to their destination without getting lost by hearing or touching rather than relying on sight.

[0083] Finally, a table is added that lists the output expression modes, which collectively show the "sound," "vibration," and "bone conduction sound" output from the first navigation unit 23, second navigation unit 24, and third navigation unit 24 of the main body unit 21 when the user moves forward, turns right, turns left, or moves backward. The following table is merely an example of the output expression modes.

[0084]

[0085] [Other Embodiments] In the present embodiment, an embodiment has been described in which the mobile terminal 10 is separated from the guidance device unit 20 and the guidance device unit 20 performs calculations and other processing, and an embodiment in which the mobile terminal 10 is fixed to the guidance device unit 20 and the mobile terminal 10 performs calculations and other processing. However, the cloud service may also be an embodiment in which the mobile terminal 10 is separated from the guidance device unit 20 and the guidance device unit 20 performs calculations and other processing.

[0086] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Guidance system 10 Portable terminal 20 Guidance device section 21 Main body section 22 Arm section 23 Second navigation section 24 Third navigation section 30 Receiving section 40 Storage section 50 Control section 60 Output section

Claims

1. A guidance system including first to third navigation units worn by a user, the navigation unit enabling the user to know a guidance direction by hearing or touch, a receiving unit for receiving information regarding a guide point to which the user should be guided and information regarding a content to be played; a storage unit that stores the guiding point, information about the guiding point, and information about the content to be reproduced; a control unit that calculates an angle at which the guidance point is shifted from the front facing the user based on information about the guidance point, and selects content to be played based on a calculation result; an output unit that outputs, by using the first to third navigation units, a guiding expression indicating a direction in which the user should move based on the calculated angle, using a character representation; A mobile device; A guidance device unit that is attached to the back of the neck and shoulders of the user and communicates with the mobile terminal remotely or by wearing the mobile terminal; Equipped with The guidance device unit includes: a main body portion having a first navigation portion and attached to a rear portion of the user's neck; an arm portion extending from the main body portion to the left and right shoulders of the user; a second navigation unit connected to the main body by the arm unit and in contact with the left shoulder of the user; a third navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arm unit and in contact with the user's right shoulder; having a guidance system, characterized in that the first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit guide the user so that the user knows the guidance direction using a sensor attached to the guidance device unit, based on input of a direction of a line segment guided by a first route transmitted from the mobile device and a distance between a point of the user's location information acquired by GPS and a nearest point of the line segment formed by the second route.

2. A guidance system comprising first to third navigation units worn by a user, the navigation unit being capable of determining the direction in which the user is guided by hearing or touch, a receiving unit for receiving information regarding a guide point to which the user should be guided and information regarding a content to be played; a storage unit that stores the guiding point, information about the guiding point, and information about the content to be reproduced; a control unit that calculates an angle at which the guidance point is shifted from the front facing the user based on information about the guidance point, and selects content to be played based on a calculation result; an output unit that outputs, by using the first to third navigation units, a guiding expression indicating a direction in which the user should move based on the calculated angle, using a character representation; A mobile device; A guidance device unit that is attached to the back of the neck and shoulders of the user and communicates with the mobile terminal remotely or by wearing the mobile terminal; Equipped with The guidance device unit includes: a main body portion having a first navigation portion and attached to a rear portion of the user's neck; an arm portion extending from the main body portion to the left and right shoulders of the user; a second navigation unit connected to the main body by the arm unit and in contact with the left shoulder of the user; a third navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arm unit and in contact with the user's right shoulder; having a first navigation unit that guides the user to a direction to be guided by a sensor attached to the guidance device unit based on an input of a distance between a point in the user's position information acquired by the GPS transmitted from the mobile device and a nearest point of a line segment formed by the first route and an angle of the nearest point of the first route as seen from the point, when the distance between the point in the user's position information acquired by the GPS transmitted from the mobile device and a nearest point of a line segment formed by the first route is greater than an arbitrary radius,

3. A guidance system comprising first to third navigation units worn by a user, the navigation unit being capable of determining the direction in which the user is guided by hearing or touch, a receiving unit for receiving information regarding a guide point to which the user should be guided and information regarding a content to be played; a storage unit that stores the guiding point, information about the guiding point, and information about the content to be reproduced; a control unit that calculates an angle at which the guidance point is shifted from the front facing the user based on information about the guidance point, and selects content to be played based on a calculation result; an output unit that outputs, by using the first to third navigation units, a guiding expression indicating a direction in which the user should move based on the calculated angle, using a character representation; A mobile device; A guidance device unit that is attached to the back of the neck and shoulders of the user and communicates with the mobile terminal remotely or by wearing the mobile terminal; Equipped with The guidance device unit includes: a main body portion having a first navigation portion and attached to a rear portion of the user's neck; an arm portion extending from the main body portion to the left and right shoulders of the user; a second navigation unit connected to the main body by the arm unit and in contact with the left shoulder of the user; a third navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arm unit and in contact with the user's right shoulder; having a guidance system, characterized in that the first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit guide the user so that the user knows the guidance direction based on input of a direction of a line segment guided by a first route transmitted from the mobile device and a point of the user's location information acquired by GPS.

4. The guidance system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit indicate the direction in which the user should proceed by sound based on the control of the main body unit.

5. The guidance system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit indicate the direction in which the user should proceed by clavicle bone conduction sound based on the control of the main body unit.

6. The guidance system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit indicate the direction in which the user should proceed by haptic vibration based on the control of the main body unit.

7. The guidance system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the guidance expressions include moving forward, turning, and stopping.

8. 4. The guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the user is guided in the direction in which to proceed by a character representation of a predetermined character.

9. The guidance system according to claim 8 , wherein the predetermined character includes a real character or a fictional character.

10. The guidance system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit guide the user so that the user knows the guidance direction by a sensor attached to the guidance device unit, based on an input of a distance between a point of the user's position information acquired by GPS transmitted from the mobile device and a final destination, and an angle of the final destination as seen from the point.

11. A guidance method for use in a guidance system including first to third navigation units worn by a user, the navigation unit being capable of detecting a guidance direction of the user through hearing or touch, the method comprising: The guidance system comprises: A mobile device; A guidance device unit that is attached to the back of the neck and shoulders of the user and communicates with the mobile terminal remotely or by wearing the mobile terminal; Equipped with The guidance device unit includes: a main body portion having a first navigation portion and attached to a rear portion of the user's neck; an arm portion extending from the main body portion to the left and right shoulders of the user; a second navigation unit connected to the main body by the arm unit and in contact with the left shoulder of the user; a third navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arm unit and in contact with the user's right shoulder; having a receiving step of receiving information about a guide point to which the user should be guided and information about content to be played; a storage step of storing information about the guiding point and information about the content to be played; a control step of calculating an angle at which the guiding point is shifted with respect to the front facing the user based on information about the guiding point, and selecting content to be played based on a calculation result; an output step of outputting, by using the first to third navigation units, a guiding expression indicating a direction in which the user should move based on the calculated angle, using a character representation; having The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit guide the user so that the user knows the guidance direction using a sensor attached to the guidance device unit, based on input of the direction of a line segment guided by a first route transmitted from the mobile terminal and the distance between a point of the user's location information acquired by GPS and the nearest point of the line segment formed by the second route.

12. A guidance method for use in a guidance system having first to third navigation units worn by a user, the navigation unit being capable of determining the direction in which the user is guided by hearing or touch, comprising: The guidance system comprises: A mobile device; A guidance device unit that is attached to the back of the neck and shoulders of the user and communicates with the mobile terminal remotely or by wearing the mobile terminal; Equipped with The guidance device unit includes: a main body portion having a first navigation portion and attached to a rear portion of the user's neck; an arm portion extending from the main body portion to the left and right shoulders of the user; a second navigation unit connected to the main body by the arm unit and in contact with the left shoulder of the user; a third navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arm unit and in contact with the user's right shoulder; having a receiving step of receiving information about a guide point to which the user should be guided and information about content to be played; a storage step of storing information about the guiding point and information about the content to be played; a control step of calculating an angle at which the guiding point is shifted with respect to the front facing the user based on information about the guiding point, and selecting content to be played based on a calculation result; an output step of outputting, by using the first to third navigation units, a guiding expression indicating a direction in which the user should move based on the calculated angle, using a character representation; having The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit guide the user so that the guidance direction is known by a sensor attached to the guidance device unit, based on input of the distance between the point in the user's position information acquired by the GPS transmitted from the mobile terminal and the nearest point of the line segment formed by the first route and the angle of the nearest point of the first route as seen from the point, when the distance between the point in the user's position information acquired by the GPS transmitted from the mobile terminal and the nearest point of the line segment formed by the first route is greater than an arbitrary radius.

13. A guidance method for use in a guidance system having first to third navigation units worn by a user, the navigation unit being capable of determining the direction in which the user is guided by hearing or touch, comprising: The guidance system comprises: A mobile device; A guidance device unit that is attached to the back of the neck and shoulders of the user and communicates with the mobile terminal remotely or by wearing the mobile terminal; Equipped with The guidance device unit includes: a main body portion having a first navigation portion and attached to a rear portion of the user's neck; an arm portion extending from the main body portion to the left and right shoulders of the user; a second navigation unit connected to the main body by the arm unit and in contact with the left shoulder of the user; a third navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arm unit and in contact with the user's right shoulder; having a receiving step of receiving information about a guide point to which the user should be guided and information about content to be played; a storage step of storing information about the guiding point and information about the content to be played; a control step of calculating an angle at which the guiding point is shifted with respect to the front facing the user based on information about the guiding point, and selecting content to be played based on a calculation result; an output step of outputting, by using the first to third navigation units, a guiding expression indicating a direction in which the user should move based on the calculated angle, using a character representation; having The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit guide the user so that the user knows the direction to be guided based on input of the direction of a line segment guided by a first route transmitted from the mobile terminal and a point in the user's location information acquired by GPS.

14. A guidance program for use in a guidance system including first to third navigation units worn by a user, the navigation unit being capable of detecting a guidance direction for the user through hearing or touch, the navigation program comprising: The guidance system comprises: A mobile device; A guidance device unit that is attached to the back of the neck and shoulders of the user and communicates with the mobile terminal remotely or by wearing the mobile terminal; Equipped with The guidance device unit includes: a main body portion having a first navigation portion and attached to a rear portion of the user's neck; an arm portion extending from the main body portion to the left and right shoulders of the user; a second navigation unit connected to the main body by the arm unit and in contact with the left shoulder of the user; a third navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arm unit and in contact with the user's right shoulder; having On the computer, A receiving function for receiving information regarding a guide point to which the user should be guided and information regarding a content to be played; A storage function for storing the guiding point, information about the guiding point, and information about the content to be reproduced; A control function for calculating an angle at which the guiding point is shifted with respect to the front facing the user based on information about the guiding point, and selecting content to be played based on the calculation result; an output function of outputting, by using the first to third navigation units, a guiding expression indicating a direction in which the user should move based on the calculated angle, using a character representation; Realize this, The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit guide the user so that the user knows the direction to be guided using a sensor attached to the guidance device unit, based on input of the direction of the line segment guided by the first route transmitted from the mobile terminal and the distance between the point of the user's location information acquired by GPS and the nearest point of the line segment formed by the second route.

15. A guidance program for use in a guidance system having first to third navigation units worn by a user, the navigation unit being capable of determining the direction in which the user is guided by hearing or touch, comprising: The guidance system comprises: A mobile device; A guidance device unit that is attached to the back of the neck and shoulders of the user and communicates with the mobile terminal remotely or by wearing the mobile terminal; Equipped with The guidance device unit includes: a main body portion having a first navigation portion and attached to a rear portion of the user's neck; an arm portion extending from the main body portion to the left and right shoulders of the user; a second navigation unit connected to the main body by the arm unit and in contact with the left shoulder of the user; a third navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arm unit and in contact with the user's right shoulder; having On the computer, A receiving function for receiving information regarding a guide point to which the user should be guided and information regarding a content to be played; A storage function for storing the guiding point, information about the guiding point, and information about the content to be reproduced; A control function for calculating an angle at which the guiding point is shifted with respect to the front facing the user based on information about the guiding point, and selecting content to be played based on the calculation result; an output function of outputting, by using the first to third navigation units, a guiding expression indicating a direction in which the user should move based on the calculated angle, using a character representation; Realize this, The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit, when a distance between a point in the user's location information acquired by GPS and transmitted from the mobile terminal and a nearest point of a line segment formed by the first route is greater than an arbitrary radius, guide the user so that the user knows the guidance direction using a sensor attached to the guidance device unit based on input of the distance between the point in the user's location information acquired by GPS and transmitted from the mobile terminal and the nearest point of a line segment formed by the first route and the angle of the nearest point of the first route as seen from the point.

16. A guidance program for use in a guidance system having first to third navigation units worn by a user, the navigation unit being capable of determining the direction in which the user is guided by hearing or touch, comprising: The guidance system comprises: A mobile device; A guidance device unit that is attached to the back of the neck and shoulders of the user and communicates with the mobile terminal remotely or by wearing the mobile terminal; Equipped with The guidance device unit includes: a main body portion having a first navigation portion and attached to a rear portion of the user's neck; an arm portion extending from the main body portion to the left and right shoulders of the user; a second navigation unit connected to the main body by the arm unit and in contact with the left shoulder of the user; a third navigation unit connected to the main body unit by the arm unit and in contact with the user's right shoulder; having On the computer, A receiving function for receiving information regarding a guide point to which the user should be guided and information regarding a content to be played; A storage function for storing the guiding point, information about the guiding point, and information about the content to be reproduced; A control function for calculating an angle at which the guiding point is shifted with respect to the front facing the user based on information about the guiding point, and selecting content to be played based on the calculation result; an output function of outputting, by using the first to third navigation units, a guiding expression indicating a direction in which the user should move based on the calculated angle, using a character representation; Realize this, The first navigation unit, the second navigation unit, and the third navigation unit guide the user so that the user knows the direction to be guided based on input of the direction of a line segment guided by a first route transmitted from the mobile terminal and a point of the user's location information acquired by GPS.