Abstract:
When an information providing service is carrying out while using utilizing peripheral equipments, it makes clear that which equipment is providing a service to oneself, as keeping anonymity.  
     In a public space, on the occasion of moving in a facility by utilizing a cart  100,  on an output device located the nearest to the cart, guidance information calculated from a destination information and a position information of the cart is out putted by a predetermined color. To the cart  100,  a direction in which the selected output device exists, and a display color of the outputted guidance information are presented.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a service providing technology which utilized positional information, and in particular, relates to a technology which provides guidance information to each user individually, in a public space where a lot of users move in miscellaneous directions, represented by airports, shopping centers, etc.  
           [0002]    In traffic bases such as stations, airports, etc., or in public spaces like shopping centers and amusement parks, destinations (of guests) are miscellaneous. In this connection, for a guest who is unfamiliar with the place, information centers, direction boards, Kiosk terminals, etc., are disposed so that the guidance information is provided.  
           [0003]    However, an equipment which is capable of providing the guidance information exits only at a limited place, and when a guest wishes to have the guidance information, it is necessary for him/her to go to such a limited place. Therefore, there are many cases where the guest can not have the guidance information without going such a limited place, when he/she wishes to obtain it.  
           [0004]    As an item by which the guidance information can be obtained at the place where it is wished, there is a technology of accessing to a Web site of the guidance information from a portable telephone, a PDA with a wireless communication function, etc., and of obtaining the guidance information from there. However, the suchlike technology has such problems of operability that it is troublesome to start up a Web browser or input a URL, etc. in order to access a desired site. Also, even if it could be accessed, in case of map information, it takes time to complete recognition of a current position and a direction of facing, a direction of a destination, and usability is not good. Furthermore, portable telephones, PDAs, etc. have small display screens and have a problem of visibility.  
           [0005]    As an item which solves the problems of operability and usability, for example, there is a navigation system which navigates users up to a selling space of desired foodstuffs, by use of an information output device which is attached to a shopping cart used in a store such as a shopping center, etc. (e.g., see, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2002-284012 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 1)).  
           [0006]    In this technology, information which can be provided to the guest as the guidance information is limited to information in the floor, and therefore, an operation to obtain the guidance information is easier than an operation to obtain general information from a Web site, etc. However, since the guidance information is displayed on an output device attached to a cart, the problem of visibility is not improved.  
           [0007]    On one hand, as an item which improves visibility, there is a system which flexibly realizes various information services desired by users, not only on a specific terminal but also utilizing universally an information equipment as a network resource which exists at a periphery (e.g., see, Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No.H11-73399 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 2)). By utilizing this technology, it is possible to switch a destination of a display output not only on a dedicated terminal but also to an output device such as a desired display, etc. which exist at a periphery according to need.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    However, in case that the guidance information is outputted to an information equipment which exists at a periphery, by utilizing the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, it is difficult for the user to discriminate an information equipment utilized by himself/herself, in such a public space that a plurality of persons come and go. When a targeted person to whom information is provided is made to be specified easily, with respect to each network resource, in turn, also for third parties of unspecified majority, a recipient of the guidance information opened to public is apt to be specified easily.  
           [0009]    In this connection, a first object of the present invention is to provide a technology which provides information with good visibility, by dynamically utilizing a peripheral equipment, and a technology easy to specify the peripheral equipment to which information is provided.  
           [0010]    Also, a second object of the present invention is to provide a technology hard to specify the person to whom the information, being provided to a peripheral equipment, belongs, except the user who requests it.  
           [0011]    In order to solve the above-described problems, a positional information service providing system of the present invention has a means which selects an optimum peripheral equipment, and a means which presents the guidance information on the selected peripheral equipment in a manner that only a user oneself can recognize.  
           [0012]    Concretely, it provides a guidance information providing system which outputs the guidance information to a destination in accordance with an operation from a movable operation device, to any one of a plurality of output devices connected to the operation device through a network, comprising: a position direction obtaining means which obtains a current position and a moving direction of the operation device, a destination information obtaining means which obtains information to the destination, a guidance information generating means which generates the guidance information of the destination from information of the current position and the destination by use of map information possessed in advance, an output device management means which manages information of an installation position of the output device, an output device selecting means which selects one output device from the plurality of the output devices, on the basis of the information of the current position, the moving direction, and the installation position of the output device, a selected output device presenting means which presents information of specifying the selected output device to the operation device, and an information display instructing means which displays the guidance information generated in the selected output device, in accordance with the specified information. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a guidance information providing system to which an embodiment is applied.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of this embodiment.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a portion which relates to destination information of an IC card  900  of this embodiment.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is one example of an output device management table of this embodiment.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a cart  100  of this embodiment.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a view for explaining one example of a ranging system by use of ultrasonic waves.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is one example of a distance information management table in this embodiment.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is one example of an ultrasonic receiver management table in this embodiment.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a method of calculating a position of a cart in this embodiment.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10 is a view for explaining a definition of physical relationship between a moving direction of a cart and a region in which an output device exists, in this embodiment.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 11 is a view showing a processing flow of a guidance service of this embodiment.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 12 is a side view and a top view for explaining an actual guidance information displaying state in this embodiment.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 13 is a processing flow on the occasion of stopping an output of the guidance information in this embodiment.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 14 is a view for explaining another output device use example of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 15 is a view for explaining another display example of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]    Hereinafter, one embodiment of a guidance information providing system to which the present invention is applied will be described by use of a guidance service in an airport as an example. As a matter of course, a place of application is not limited to an inside of an airport, but it is applicable to general public spaces such as hospitals, shopping centers, stations, amusement parks, etc.  
         [0029]    Also, in this embodiment, such a case that a cart is used as an interface with a user will be described as an example. This is because in general a user puts his/her baggage on a cart while moving around an airport. As a matter of course, an interface with a user is not limited to a cart. If it is a device which has each function provided in a cart which will be described later, it is fine even if it is a portable terminal such a portable telephone, a PDA, etc., and is not limited in particular.  
         [0030]    Also, in this embodiment, it is assumed that a user inserts an IC card, which is used also as a ticket of a boarding flight, into a predetermined loading slot, and guidance is carried out in accordance with information recorded in the IC card. It is assumed that, in the IC card, information of a place to which a user should go (destination information) in an airport, such as a reception disk of a boarding flight, a boarding gate, etc., is recorded together with ticket information. As described later, as a user proceeds with procedures on the premises, the destination information in the IC card is updated, in such a manner that prior to reception, a reception desk is set as a destination, and after the reception is completed, a boarding gate is set as a destination, etc. As a matter of course, a method which designates a destination is not limited to this.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a guidance information providing system to which this embodiment is applied. As shown in this figure, the guidance information providing system has one or more carts  100   a - 100   n  as interfaces with users, an information management device  200  which manages various data necessary for providing the guidance information, and one or more output devices  300   a  to  300   n  which provide the guidance information to users. And, they are connected by a wireless network  400 .  
         [0032]    Here, there is no limitation of the number of the carts  100   a  to  100   n  and the output devices  300   a  to  300   n.  Also, in the following explanation, in case where it is not necessary to specify them individually, they are represented by a cart  100 , an output device  300 , respectively.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the cart  100 , the information management device  200 , and the output device  300 , respectively.  
         [0034]    The cart  100  has an interface with a user in a guidance information providing system of this embodiment. Also, the cart  100  has functions to generate the guidance information for users by use of various information managed in the information management device  200 , to select the output device  300  which presents the generated guidance information, and to transmit information to be displayed on the selected output device  300 .  
         [0035]    As external interfaces, the cart  100  has an IC card reader/writer  101 , a button  102  and a display unit  103 , and furthermore, as internal processing functions, the cart  100  has a personal information management unit  110 , a position detection unit  130 , an attitude detection unit  140 , a guidance service unit  150 , a guidance output instruction unit  120 , an output device selection unit  160 , a guidance information output unit  170 , and a control unit  180   a.    
         [0036]    The information management device  200  has an floor map management unit  210  which manages a region which provides the guidance information to users (hereinafter, referred to floor), an output device management unit  220  which manages the output device  300  installed inside the floor, and a distance information providing unit  230  which manages a position of each cart  100 . In accordance with a request from the cart  100 , the information management device  200  provides information managed in these respective management units to the cart  100  as a source of request.  
         [0037]    The output device  300  has an output device control unit  310  and a display device  320 , respectively, to present the guidance information generated in the cart  100  to users in an easily understandable form.  
         [0038]    In addition, the cart  100 , the information management device  200 , and the output device  300  have wireless interfaces, not shown, which exchange information mutually, respectively.  
         [0039]    Next, a function of each unit of the cart  100  will be described.  
         [0040]    The IC card reader/writer  101  reads out information including information of a destination (hereinafter, referred to as destination information) from an inserted IC card  900 .  
         [0041]    Here, one example of the information stored in the IC card  900 , which relates to the destination information, will be described. FIG. 3 is a view for explaining the destination information, out of the information stored in the IC card  900 . As shown in this figure, in the IC card  900 , information of each destination in the order in which a user proceeds with procedures, such as reception desk information, embarkation check desk information, gate information, etc., is stored. Also, in the IC card  900 , a field which stores a flag showing that processing at the destination is completed is set up with respect to each destination. In the personal information management unit  110  which will be described later, the following destination is extracted from the information stored in this IC card  900 .  
         [0042]    The button  102  is an interface which accepts a guidance information output request from a user. The user can instruct to output the guidance information by depressing this button  102 , and can instruct to stop the output by releasing it.  
         [0043]    The guidance output instruction unit  120  instructs start and stop of processing which generates the guidance information in the cart  100  to each unit. When it is accepted that a user depressed the button  102 , the guidance output instruction unit  120  sends out a signal which requests outputting the guidance information to the personal information management unit  110  and the output device selection unit  160 . Also, when it is detected that a user released the button  102 , the guidance output instruction unit  120  regards it as a termination instruction of outputting the guidance information, and stops transmission of the signal which requests outputting the guidance information.  
         [0044]    The display unit  103 , as described later, presents a rough direction to which there exists the output device  300  which displays the guidance information. In this embodiment, the display unit  103  is provided with three display units  103   a,    103   b,    103   c,  each indicates leftward, forward, and rightward output devices  300 , respectively. The three display units  103   a,    103   b,    103   c  light a predetermined color the same as the display color of the guidance information to users of the cart  100 . Thus users can recognize the color and the specific output device  300  of which the guidance information for him/her is presents.  
         [0045]    The personal information management unit  110  manages the destination information, etc. read out through the IC card reader/writer  102 . And, it receives an instruction of the guidance information output start from the guidance output instruction unit  120 , and outputs the destination information to the information guidance service unit  150 , and thereby, requests generation of route information up to a destination.  
         [0046]    The position detection unit  130  detects a current position of the cart  100  by a method which will be described later.  
         [0047]    The attitude detection unit  140  detects a current direction of the cart  100  by a method which will be described later.  
         [0048]    Here, in this embodiment, positions of the cart  100 , the output device  300 , etc. are managed by two-dimensional coordinates (x, y) with a predetermined point as the original point.  
         [0049]    The guidance service unit  150  searches a guidance route up to a destination, and calculates a route up to the destination defined by the searched guidance route. Upon receiving the destination information from the personal information management unit  110 , positional information of the cart  100  from the position detection unit  130 , and attitude information (direction) of the cart  100  from the attitude detection unit  140 , are obtained respectively. And, on the basis of these information, the floor map management unit  210  of the information management device  200  is accessed, and a route up to the destination by a well-known method is calculated.  
         [0050]    The output device selection unit  160  selects the output device  300  which outputs the guidance information. Here, the guidance information in this embodiment is information which shows for example, a direction to which the cart  100  should be moved, and in this embodiment, is shown by an arrow, etc.  
         [0051]    The output device selection unit  160  receives positional information and information of a direction of the cart  100  together with the route information, from the guidance service unit  150 , accesses to the output device management unit  220  of the information management unit  200 , and selects the output device  300  by a method which will be described later. And, the guidance information to the destination is calculated from the selected output device and the received route information.  
         [0052]    The guidance information output unit  170  carries out an instruction of display to the output device  300  selected by the output device selection unit  160  and the display unit  103 . The guidance information output unit  170  instructs to the output control unit  310  of the selected output device  300  to display the guidance information, and instructs to the display unit  103  to display a region where the selected output device  300  exists.  
         [0053]    Next, details of each functional unit of the information management device  200  will be described.  
         [0054]    The floor map management unit  210  has a floor map data base  211  in which floor map information is stored, and manages the floor map information.  
         [0055]    The output device management unit  220  manages installation position information of the output device  300  installed inside the floor and its availability in the output device management table  221 . FIG. 4 shows one example of the output device management table  221 .  
         [0056]    As shown in this figure, the output device management table  211  has a device ID storage unit  801  which stores device IDs allocated to each output device  300  in advance, a device type storage unit  802  which stores types of devices such as a display and a projector, an installation state storage unit  803  which stores the coordinates (X, Y) of an installation position and a direction of installation (a direction vector e (Ex, Ey, Ez) which shows a direction to which a display surface faces), a use state storage unit  804  which stores use states by “vacant” or “in use”, a selected color storage unit  805  which stored such a display color that the output device  300  in use utilizes for display, and an IP address storage unit  806  which stores IP addresses of the output device  300 . The information stored in the output device management table  211  is managed with respect to each output device  300 .  
         [0057]    In addition, in this embodiment, a color is utilized as identification information of the guidance information to be provided to the cart  100  which has requested for the guidance information. Colors are selected for the respective carts  100  as a source of request one by one and the guidance information is indicated in the selected color. In the selected color storage unit  805 , this selected color is stored.  
         [0058]    The distance information providing unit  230  provides distance information to the cart  100  as a source of request. It has a ultrasonic receiver management table  232  which stores positional information of a ultrasonic receiver (described hereinafter), which is disposed in the floor in advance, the ultrasonic receiver, and a distance information management table  231  which stores distance information with the ultrasonic receiver, provided to each cart  100 , and manages them.  
         [0059]    Next, a function of each unit of the output device  300  will be described.  
         [0060]    The output device control unit  310  of the output device  300  controls an output of a display device  320  in accordance with an instruction from the guidance information output unit  170 .  
         [0061]    The display device  320  displays map information, the guidance information, etc. obtained through the guidance information output unit  170 . Here, as the display device  320 , concretely, a projector  321  and a display  322 , etc. are assumed. As the projector  321 , not only a wall surface projection type, but also a type of projecting from a ceiling to a floor surface, are assumed. As the display  322 , not only a wall surface type but also a floor surface embedded type, etc. are assumed. There is no limitation of a display system and a display location.  
         [0062]    The cart  100 , the information management device  200 , and the output device  300 , described above, have memories  180   b,    240   b,    330   b  and central processing units (CPUs)  180   a,    240   a,    330   a,  respectively.  
         [0063]    The personal information management unit  110 , the guidance output instruction unit  120 , the position detection unit  130 , the attitude detection unit  140 , the guidance service unit  150 , the output device selection unit  160 , and the guidance information output unit  170  are functions to be realized by a program which is loaded in the memory  180   b  of the cart  100  and carried out in the CPU  180   a.    
         [0064]    Also, the floor map management unit  210 , the output device management unit  220  and the distance information providing unit  230  are functions to be realized by a program which is loaded in the memory  240   b  on the information management device  200  and carried out in the CPU  240   a.  And, the floor map database  211 , the output device management table  221 , the distance information management table  231 , and the ultrasonic receiver management table  232  are stored in the memory  240   b,  respectively.  
         [0065]    The output device control unit  310  is function to be realized by a program which is loaded in the memory  330   b  on the output device  300  and carried out in the CPU  330   a.    
         [0066]    Also, the cart  100 , the information management device  200 , and the output device  300  have wireless communication interfaces and IP addresses, respectively, and a communication between the devices is carried out through these wireless communication interfaces.  
         [0067]    Here, a schematic diagram of the cart  100  is shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0068]    In this embodiment, at a hand push unit  190  of the cart  100 , the IC card reader/writer  101 , the button  102  and the display units  103   a  to  103   c  are disposed. Also, at a front part and a rear part of the cart  100 , ultrasonic oscillators  701   a  and  701   b  are placed one by one.  
         [0069]    In this embodiment, one of the display units  103   a  to  103   c  is lit to show a rough direction of the output device  300  to which the guidance information to the user is outputted. For example, the display unit  103   a  shows that the output device  300  is located in a right direction, and the display unit  103   b  shows that the output device  300  is located in a front direction, and the display unit  103   c  shows that the output device  300  is located in a right direction, respectively.  
         [0070]    The two ultrasonic oscillators  701   a  and  701   b  are for position detection and attitude detection, and as shown in this figure, they are, for example, disposed at opposite corners of a main body of the cart  100 , etc. In this embodiment, by use of these oscillators, position detection and attitude detection of the cart  100  are carried out by a publicly known method described hereinafter. As a matter of course, the detection of position and attitude is not limited to using two ultrasonic oscillators. An another attitude detection means such as an electronic compass, a gyroscope, etc. may be used. In this case, the ultrasonic oscillator may be one piece, since it carries out only position detection. In addition, in the following explanation, particularly in case where it is not necessary to specify the ultrasonic oscillators  701   a  and  701   b,  respectively, they are described as ultrasonic oscillators  701 .  
         [0071]    In this embodiment, these ultrasonic oscillators  701  are assumed to carry out pulse oscillation of ultrasonic waves on a periodic basis. In this regard, however, a system of the ultrasonic oscillators  701  is not limited to this, and may be configured so as to oscillate ultrasonic waves, in response to any operation, such as, for example, insertion of the IC card  900 , etc.  
         [0072]    Here, a method which detects a position and an attitude of the cart  100  by use of these ultrasonic oscillators  701   a,    701   b  will be described.  
         [0073]    [0073]FIG. 6 shows a schematic configuration of one example of a ranging system by use of ultrasonic waves. By using this figure, firstly, the ranging system by use of ultrasonic waves will be described.  
         [0074]    As shown in this figure, in this embodiment, ultrasonic receivers  702   a  to  702   n  are disposed in advance in a lattice shape in a ceiling unit over a region to be guided. Hereinafter, in case where it is not necessary to specify them, these ultrasonic receivers are represented by ultrasonic receivers  702 .  
         [0075]    The distance information providing unit  230  manages a distance of each ultrasonic oscillator  701  and each ultrasonic receiver  702  measured by a publicly known method, and provides it in accordance with a request from the cart  100 .  
         [0076]    Concretely, the distance information providing unit  230  calculates distances from the ultrasonic oscillators  701  to the ultrasonic receivers  702  by multiplying such time that ultrasonic waves oscillated from the ultrasonic oscillators  701   a  and  701   b  of each cart  100  reach the ultrasonic receivers  702  with aerial propagation speed of sound waves, and manages them. The ultrasonic oscillator  701  as an oscillation source is specified, by such an arrangement that time at which ultrasonic wave is oscillated is defined in advance for each ultrasonic oscillator  702 , or strength of ultrasonic pulses or a pulse rectangular shape is changed for each ultrasonic oscillator  701 , etc.  
         [0077]    The distances measured by the above-described method are stored in the distance information management table  231 . In this embodiment, as the cart  100  moves, the most recent distance data is to be always managed by the distance information management table  231 .  
         [0078]    In addition, in this embodiment, the distance information providing unit  230 , for example, extracts the ultrasonic receiver  702  received ultrasonic waves at the earliest stage, with respect to each ultrasonic oscillator  701 , and stores respective IDs and measured values.  
         [0079]    One example of the distance information management table  231  managed in the distance information providing unit  230  is shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0080]    As shown in this figure, the distance information management table  231  is provided with a serial number  401  for data management, an oscillator ID  402  for specifying the ultrasonic oscillator  701 . The distance information management table  231  is further provided with a receiver ID-A 403 , a measured value A 404 , a receiver ID-B 405 , a measured value B 406 , a receiver ID-C 407 , and a measured value C 408 , for storing an ID and a measured value of the ultrasonic receivers  702  which are received ultrasonic waves oscillated from the ultrasonic oscillator  701 , in sequence from one received on ahead, respectively.  
         [0081]    Also, a position  502  which corresponded to a receiver ID  501  of each ultrasonic receiver  702  is managed in the ultrasonic receiver management table  232  shown in FIG. 8, by position coordinates with a predetermined position as the original position. A position of the ultrasonic receiver  702  for which a distance is measured can be obtained from this table.  
         [0082]    The position detection unit  130  accesses to the distance information providing unit  230 , and obtains three receiver IDs  403 ,  405 ,  407  and respective measured distance information, which correspond to respective oscillator IDs  402  of the ultrasonic oscillators  701   a,    701   b,  incorporated therein, from the distance information management table  231 . Also, obtained positions  502  of three ultrasonic receivers  702  are obtained from the ultrasonic receiver management table  232 .  
         [0083]    It is assumed that obtained position coordinates of the three ultrasonic receivers  702  are (X1, Y1), (X2, Y2), (X3, Y3), respectively. The position detection unit  130  calculates position coordinates (X, Y) and a height H of the ultrasonic oscillator  701  by solving a mathematical formula  1  by a principle of three-point measurement, making use of these values.  
           D 1 2 =( X−X 1) 2 +( Y−Y 1) 2   +H   2    [Mathematical formula 1] 
           D 2 2 =( X−X 2) 2 +( Y−Y 2) 2   +H   2    
           D 3 2 =( X−X 3) 2 +( Y−Y 3) 2   +H   2    
         [0084]    It is assumed that the ultrasonic oscillator  701  is disposed in a horizontal position to the cart  100 , and the ultrasonic receiver  702  is disposed in a horizontal position at the ceiling. Therefore, the height H of the ultrasonic oscillator  701  is to be constant.  
         [0085]    [0085]FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a method which calculates a position of the cart  100 .  
         [0086]    As shown in this figure, a central position O (XO, YO) of the cart  100  is calculated in accordance with a mathematical formula  2  by use of a position A (Xa, Ya) of the ultrasonic oscillator  701   a  and a position B (Xb, Yb) of the ultrasonic oscillator  701   b.   
                   XO   =       Xa   +   Xb     2                 YO   =       Ya   +   Yb     2                   [     Mathematical                 formula                 2     ]                               
 
         [0087]    The attitude detection unit  140  calculates a direction θ of the cart  100  in this coordinate system, by a mathematical formula 3, by use of the position coordinates of the ultrasonic oscillators  201   a  and  201   b,  obtained in the above-described manner.  
             θ   =       arctan          Ya   -   Yb       Xa   -   Xb         -     arctan        L2   L1                 [     Mathematical                 formula                 3     ]                               
 
         [0088]    Here, L1 represents a length in a forward direction of a cart, and L2 represents a width in a left and right direction.  
         [0089]    In addition, the above-described position ranging method and direction calculation method are one example, and they are not limited to these methods.  
         [0090]    Next, methods of output device selection and of its existence region determination by the output device selection unit  160  will be described.  
         [0091]    In this embodiment, the output device selection unit  160  selects the unused output device  300  which is the closest to the cart  100  in a predetermined region around the cart  100 , as a general rule.  
         [0092]    [0092]FIG. 10 is a view for explaining a definition of physical relationship between a moving direction of the cart  100  and a region in which the output device  300  exists.  
         [0093]    The output device selection unit  160 , as shown in this figure, selects the output device  300  among the output devices  300  disposed in any one of a forward region  901 , a rightward region  902 , and a leftward region  903 , around the cart  100 . Here, it is assumed that the forward region  901  is a region which has angles of 45° at left and right from the forward direction, respectively, and which has a distance D from a cart central position O (XO, YO). The rightward region  902  is similarly a region which has angles of 45° at left and right respectively from the rightward direction perpendicular to the forward direction. The leftward region  903  is a region which has angles of 45° at left and right respectively from the leftward direction perpendicular to the forward direction. The output device selection unit  160  decides the region in which the output devices  300  exist based upon a mathematical formula 4 for a distance, and based upon a mathematical formula 5 for an angle φ.  
         ( X−XO ) 2 +( Y−YO ) 2   ≦D   2    [Mathematical formula 4] 
         [0094]    Here, X and Y designate coordinates showing a position of each output device  300 .  
         Rightward −135°≦φ≦−45°   [Mathematical formula 5] 
         Forward −45°&lt;φ&lt;45° 
         Leftward 45°≦φ≦135° 
         [0095]    Here, the angle φ is obtained by a mathematical formula 6 on the assumption that a counterclockwise rotation on the basis of the direction θ of the cart  100  is a positive angle.  
             φ   =       arctan          Y   -   YO       X   -   XO         -   θ             [     Mathematical                 formula                 6     ]                               
 
         [0096]    In addition, since the output device  300  located in a region other than the above, i.e., in a rear region corresponds to a backside of a user of the cart  100 , and is difficult to be seen, it is not adopted in this embodiment. Also, judgment of a region is not limited to this method. For example, it may set up a scope of 30° at both sides around a moving direction as a center, as the forward region, and a scope of 60° from the forward region, as the leftward, rightward regions, respectively.  
         [0097]    In this embodiment, the output device selection unit  160  accesses to the output device management table  221 , and, on the basis of data stored in the use state storage unit  804 , extracts the output devices  300  whose use state are “vacant”, and obtains values of (x, y) coordinates and IDs of the extracted respective output devices  300  from the installation position storage unit  803  and the device ID storage unit  801 . And, by the mathematical formula  4  and the mathematical formula 5 as described above, the distance D and the angle φ with each output device  300  are calculated, and the smallest one of the distance from the output devices  300  which satisfies the conditions is selected. As a matter of course, the order of precedence for selection is not limited to this.  
         [0098]    After that, the output device selection unit  160  notifies a device ID of the selected output device  300  to the output device management unit  220 . The output device management unit  220  updates the use state storage unit  804  of the output device management table  221  of the notified output device  300  to “in use”, and on the basis of the position coordinates of each output device  300 , decides a display color so as not to be overlapped with a display color selected by another output device  300  whose installation position is in the vicinity, and stores the decided display color in the selected color storage unit  805  of the output device  300 . And, the output device management unit  200  notifies the decided display color and an IP address of the output device  300  to the cart  100  as a source of notification. The output device selection unit  160  sends out information of the IP address, the display color of the decided output device  300 , and a region in which the output device  300  exists, to the guidance information output unit  170 .  
         [0099]    Next, by use of a flow chart, an operation of each unit will be described.  
         [0100]    [0100]FIG. 11 shows a processing flow of a guidance service of this embodiment. Here, on the occasion of utilizing the guidance service, it is assumed that a user inserts the IC card  900  into the IC card reader/writer  102 .  
         [0101]    The guidance output instruction unit  120 , when it detects that a user depressed the button  102 , instructs the personal information management unit  110  to read out the destination information from the IC card  900  (step  601 ). The personal information management unit  110  receives the instruction, reads out the destination information from the IC card  900 , sends it to the guidance service unit  150 , and instructs the position detection unit  130  and the attitude detection unit  140  to start processing (step  602 ).  
         [0102]    The position detection unit  130  calculates position coordinates (XO, YO) of the central position O of the cart  100  (step  603 ), and the attitude detection unit  140  calculates the direction θ of the cart  100  (step  604 ).  
         [0103]    Next, the guidance service unit  150 , on the basis of the central position  0  of the cart  100  and the destination information received from the personal information management unit  110 , refers to information of the floor map management unit  210 , and generates route information up to the destination (step  605 ).  
         [0104]    And, the output position selection unit  160  inquires the output device management unit  220 , and selects the output device  300 , and calculates the guidance information of the destination from the installation direction of the selected output device and the route information calculated in the step  605  (step  606 ). At this time, the output position selection unit  160  specifies a region in which the selected output device  300  exists (any one of the forward region  901 , the rightward region  902 , and the leftward region  903 ).  
         [0105]    The output device management unit  220  checks a display color selected by another output device  300  in the vicinity of the selected output device  300 , decides a color not selected by them as a display color in a random order (step  607 ), updates the output device management table  221 , and notifies an IP address and a display color of the selected output device  300  to the output device selection unit  160  (step  608 ).  
         [0106]    The output device selection unit  160  notifies the received IP address, the existence region, the display color, and the guidance information of the output device  300  to the guidance information output unit  170 , and instructs it to output (step  609 ).  
         [0107]    The guidance information output unit  170  lights up the color which is notified as a display color on the display unit  103  which shows a direction of such a region that the output device  300  is located, (step  610 ). In this embodiment, for example, in case that an output device in the leftward region  903  is selected, the display color is lighted on  103   a  located at a left side among the display units  103   a  to  103   c  of FIG. 5.  
         [0108]    Subsequently, the guidance information output unit  170  accesses to the output device  300  having the IP address  806  obtained by the output device selection unit  160 , and sends the guidance information and the display color obtained by the output device selection unit  160  (step  611 ).  
         [0109]    The output device control unit  310  of the output device  300  displays the guidance information on the display device  320  with the selected color (step  612 ).  
         [0110]    Next, the calculation and display of the guidance information will be described taking an example that the guidance information is actually displayed on the output device  300 .  
         [0111]    [0111]FIG. 12 is a side and a top views for explaining such a state that a guidance information  1001   a  is displayed by a projector  321  in front of the cart  100 .  
         [0112]    As shown in this figure, a generated guidance information  1001   a  is sent by wireless communication from the guidance information output unit  170  to the output device control unit  310   a  of the output device  300   a,  and for example, a direction to go for a user towards a destination is projected by a narrow as the guidance information  1001   a,  from a projector  321   a  placed at the ceiling.  
         [0113]    Here, a direction of an arrow to be projected will be obtained by the following procedures.  
         [0114]    In the step  606 , the output device selection unit  160 , on the basis of the route information received from the guidance service unit  150 , obtains “a” direction a to be moved at a current position. Next, it calculates a direction of an arrow in accordance with a mathematical formula  7 , from a relation with the installation direction “e” of the selected output device  300   a  stored in the installation state storage unit  803  of the output device management table  211 . Here, “X” represents cross product of a vector.  
           Z =( e×a )× e    [Mathematical formula 7] 
         [0115]    At this time, since the guidance information  1001   a  is displayed at a forward region to a user of the cart  100 , in the display unit  103  of the cart  100 , the display unit  103   b  showing the forward region is lighted.  
         [0116]    Also, a display color lighted on the display unit  103   b  is the same color as a color of an arrow of the guidance information  1001   a.  And, this display color is a different color from an arrow of the guidance information  1001   b  displayed on another output device  300   b  in the vicinity of the output device  300   a.  In this manner, by changing a display color with respect to each user, it becomes easy for a user to recognize one&#39;s own information easily.  
         [0117]    Next, a processing flow on the occasion of stopping an output of the guidance information in this embodiment will be described by use of FIG. 13. In this embodiment, by releasing the button  102 , a transmission of a signal which instructs to output is stopped and thereby, an output of the guidance information is stopped.  
         [0118]    When the button  102  is released (step  1301 ), the transmission of a signal which instructs to output is stopped, which is sent out to the personal information management unit  110  and the output device selection unit  160  through the guidance output instruction unit  120  (step  1302 ).  
         [0119]    When the output device selection unit  160  does not receive a signal of an output instruction for predetermined time, it assumes that there is a stop instruction, accesses to the output device management unit  220 , and notifies of output stop. When the output device management unit  220  receives it, it sets the use state storage unit  804  of the corresponding output device  300  as “vacant”, and releases a registration content of the selected color storage unit  805  (step  1303 ).  
         [0120]    Also, the output device selection unit  160  sends an instruction to release display to the display unit  103  and the output device  300 , through the guidance information output unit  170 , and terminates the display (step  1304 ).  
         [0121]    In addition, in this embodiment, a display color stored in the selected color storage unit  805  is used as a color of the guidance information  1001  itself shown by an arrow, etc., but it may be used as a color of a background and an outer frame of the guidance information  1001 . Also, in this embodiment, as service identification information, colors are used but, other than to this, it may be provided by signs and patterns, etc. which can be visually confirmed and identified from others.  
         [0122]    Also, in this embodiment, the display device  300  is assigned with respect to each user, but a provision of information to users is not limited to this form. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, it may be configured that a big-size screen display, whose screen can be split up, is used, and the guidance information  1001   p  to  q  are displayed on split screen, respectively, by use of colors, patterns, etc. as service identification information.  
         [0123]    Furthermore, in this embodiment, a method is used, which presents to users an arrow showing a direction to go, as the guidance information, but a form of the guidance information is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, a route may be displayed by an arrow, on a floor map.  
         [0124]    In this display method, using the display colors or the display patterns of the guidance information  1001   r  to  1001   s  to be displayed as identification information with respect to each user, it is possible to provide the guidance information targeted to a plurality of users, on one output device. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, it is configured that, as a user proceeds toward a destination, the nearest output device which exists in a predetermined region is selected, on the basis of a use state of each output device. In this case, the output device can be selected out of the output devices having unused colors or patterns, after checking use states of identification colors.  
         [0125]    Also, in this embodiment, the processings such as the guidance information generation, the output device selection, etc. are carried out on the cart  100 , but it may be configured that they are carried out by an external processing device, e.g., the information management device  200 . In this case, it may be configured that the cart  100  sends out a position of itself, an attitude information, a destination information, etc. obtained by itself to the information management device  200 , and receives information such as the guidance information, an IP address of an output device, an output color, etc., from the information management device  200 .  
         [0126]    Furthermore, in this embodiment, the information of a destination is obtained from an IC card inserted, but the means to obtain the destination information is not limited to this. For example, buttons with respect to each destination are provided on the cart  100 , etc., and the destination information is accepted by depressing the button.  
         [0127]    As described above, this embodiment is characterized in that, a display device which displays the guidance information itself, and is used in an automotive navigation system, etc., is not placed on the cart  100 , and that, an information device placed in the floor, which is neighboring information resource, is utilized with sharing for displaying the guidance information. By this, although a processing device held by a user at hand can be miniaturized, it is still possible to obtain the necessary guidance information with an easily viewable size.  
         [0128]    Also, in this embodiment, on the occasion of obtaining the guidance information, a user simply depresses a button. This embodiment realizes to provide a service of the guidance information to users by the suchlike simple operation.  
         [0129]    Also, in order to specify a device providing information to users, out of a plurality of neighboring information resources, this embodiment has a means which notifies to users a display color of the guidance information displayed on a neighboring information resource. Concretely, a direction of a device which displays the guidance information  1001  and the display color of the guidance information  1001 , etc. are displayed in a way easy to understand, such as a method where a color and a direction are coincided with the indication shown in the display unit  103  of the cart  100  at hand, etc. By the specifying method of a neighboring information resource as described above, in this embodiment, personal guidance information is displayed in a public space, but nonetheless, it is difficult to specify the person to whom the displayed information belongs by any other person than oneself, so that one&#39;s privacy is protected.  
         [0130]    By these configurations, a guidance information providing system of this embodiment realizes that a device at hand can be miniaturized, and necessary information can be displayed by a high visibility method, and furthermore, it becomes easy for only oneself to specify.  
         [0131]    In this manner, according to this embodiment, it becomes possible to provide a guidance service by an operation of one button to a user who is not familiar with that place, such as a public space, working together with neighboring output devices. In particular, in case that there are a lot of output device in the vicinity, it becomes possible for users to visually clarify which output device is providing information to himself/herself, and for users to visually hide to be anonymized to whom that service is provided.  
         [0132]    In this manner, according to this embodiment, in case that a user requires information on moving, while dynamically utilizing a peripheral equipment, only the user can identify a using peripheral equipment.