Patent Publication Number: US-11021112-B2

Title: Display control device and computer-readable storage medium

Description:
The contents of the following Japanese patent application are incorporated herein by reference: 2018-142694 filed in JP on Jul. 30, 2018 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a display control device and a computer-readable storage medium. 
     2. Related Art 
     A technology for switching display of street view images according to a flick operation and the like has been known (for example, see Patent Document 1). 
     PRIOR ART LITERATURE 
     Patent Document 
     [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-115067 
     SUMMARY 
     It is desirable to provide a display technology for enabling a user to intuitively grasp information that is related to a position of a road when displaying an image of the road. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  schematically shows an example of a communication environment of a communication terminal  100 . 
         FIG. 2  schematically shows an example of a configuration of a vehicle  300 . 
         FIG. 3  schematically shows an example of a display data  400  that is displayed by the communication terminal  100 . 
         FIG. 4  schematically shows an example of a functional configuration of the communication terminal  100 . 
         FIG. 5  schematically shows a display example of a traffic sign object  404 . 
         FIG. 6  schematically shows a display example of the traffic sign object  404 . 
         FIG. 7  schematically shows a display example of the traffic sign object  404 . 
         FIG. 8  schematically shows a display example of the traffic sign object  404 . 
         FIG. 9  schematically shows a display example of a spot object  406 . 
         FIG. 10  schematically shows a display example of the spot object  406 . 
         FIG. 11  schematically shows an example of a functional configuration of an image management server  200 . 
         FIG. 12  schematically shows an example of a hardware configuration of a computer  1000  that functions as the communication terminal  100  or the image management server  200 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, (some) embodiment(s) of the present invention will be described. The embodiment(s) do(es) not limit the invention according to the claims, and all the combinations of the features described in the embodiment(s) are not necessarily essential to means provided by aspects of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  schematically shows an example of a communication environment of a communication terminal  100 . The communication terminal  100  according to the present embodiment performs a display processing of displaying a captured image that is captured by a vehicle  300 . The communication terminal  100  may be any terminal, for example, is a personal computer (PC), a tablet terminal, a smart phone and the like. The communication terminal  100  may be an example of a display control device. 
     The communication terminal  100  may receive a captured image from an image management server  200  that manages a plurality of captured images via a network  20  and store the received captured images. The network  20  may be any network. For example, the network  20  may include at least any one of the Internet, a mobile phone network such as a so-called 3rd Generation (3G), Long Term Evolution (LTE), 4th Generation (4G) and 5th Generation (5G) and the like, a public wireless Local Area Network (LAN), and a private network. 
     The image management server  200  receives a captured image from a plurality of vehicles  300  via the network  20 , and manages the received captured image. For example, the vehicle  300  sends, to the image management server  200 , captured images that are captured during a period in which the vehicle  300  is moving on a road, and location information that indicates a position on the road. The vehicle  300  may periodically send the captured images to the image management server  200 . Also, the vehicle  300  may send, to the image management server  200 , the captured images according to a request from the image management server  200 . 
       FIG. 2  schematically shows an example of a configuration of the vehicle  300 . The vehicle  300  includes a manipulation section  310 , a display section  320 , a wireless communication section  330 , an image capturing section  340 , a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiving section  350 , a sensor section  360 , and a control device  302 . At least some of these components may be components included in a so-called car navigation system. 
     The manipulation section  310  accepts a manipulation by a user of the vehicle  300 . The manipulation section  310  may include physical manipulation buttons. The manipulation section  310  and the display section  320  may also be a touch panel display. The manipulation section  310  may also accept an audio manipulation. The manipulation section  310  may include a microphone and a speaker. 
     The wireless communication section  330  performs communication with the image management server  200  and the communication terminal  100  via the network  20 . The wireless communication section  330  may include a communication unit that performs communication with the network  20  via a wireless base station in a mobile phone network. Also, the wireless communication section  330  may include a communication unit that performs communication with the network  20  via a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) access point. 
     The image capturing section  340  includes one or more cameras. The camera may also be a drive recorder. When the image capturing section  340  includes a plurality of cameras, the plurality of cameras are respectively arranged on different positions of the vehicle  300 . Also, the plurality of cameras respectively capture images in different image-capturing directions. 
     The GNSS receiving section  350  receives radio waves transmitted from a GNSS satellite. The GNSS receiving section  350  may also identify a position of the vehicle  300  based on a signal received from a GNSS satellite. 
     The sensor section  360  includes one or more sensors. The sensor section  360  includes, for example, an acceleration sensor. The sensor section  360  includes, for example, an angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor). The sensor section  360  includes, for example, a geomagnetic sensor. The sensor section  360  includes, for example, a vehicle speed sensor. 
     The control device  302  controls the manipulation section  310 , the display section  320 , the wireless communication section  330 , the image capturing section  340 , the GNSS receiving section  350  and the sensor section  360 , and performs various processes. The control device  302  performs a navigation process, for example. The control device  302  may perform a similar navigation process to a navigation process that is performed by a publicly known car navigation system. 
     For example, the control device  302  identifies a current position of the vehicle  300  based on an output from the GNSS receiving section  350  and the sensor section  360 , reads out map data corresponding the current position, and causes the display section  320  to display the map data. Also, the control device  302  accepts an input of a destination via the manipulation section  310 , identifies a recommended route from the current position of the vehicle  300  to the destination, and causes the display section  320  to display the recommended route. When accepting a route selection, the control device  302  performs guidance of a pathway on which the vehicle  300  is to travel via the display section  320  and a speaker according to the selected route. 
     The control device  302  according to the present embodiment performs a sending process of sending a captured image captured by the image capturing section  340  to the image management server  200 . Communication between the control device  302  and the outside of the communication terminal  100  is performed by the wireless communication section  330 . 
     The control device  302  sends, to the image management server  200 , the captured image captured by the image capturing section  340  and location information that indicates an image capturing location. The control device  302  may further send information that is sensed by the sensor section  360 . For example, the control device  302  sends a vehicle speed when the captured image is captured. 
     The vehicle  300  may be a so-called general vehicle. Also, the vehicle  300  may also be a dedicated vehicle for capturing a road of each location. The dedicated vehicle travels while systematically capturing images of a road of each location, for example. The dedicated vehicle may capture, by using one camera, an image of a road of each location from the same view point, and send the captured image to the communication terminal  100 , the image management server  200  and the like. 
       FIG. 3  schematically shows an example of display data  400  displayed by the communication terminal  100 . The display data  400  may include a captured image display region  401  and an object arrangement region  403 . A captured image  402  is arranged on the captured image display region  401 . An object such as a traffic sign object  404  is arranged on the object arrangement region  403 . Note that the display data  400  may not include the object arrangement region  403 , and in this case, the object may be arranged on the captured image  402 . 
     The communication terminal  100  may cause a display that is included in itself to display the display data  400  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Also, the communication terminal  100  may also cause a display apparatus that is outside the communication terminal  100  to display the display data  400  by sending the display data  400  to the display apparatus. 
     The communication terminal  100  may cause a plurality of pieces of display data  400  to be successively displayed based on a user operation. For example, when accepting a flick operation in an upward direction, the communication terminal  100  causes the plurality of pieces of display data  400  corresponding to a direction of travelling forward a road to be successively displayed. Also, for example, when accepting a flick operation in a downward direction, the communication terminal  100  causes the plurality of pieces of display data  400  corresponding to a direction of travelling backward a road to be successively displayed. 
     It is preferable that the captured image  402  included in the plurality of pieces of display data  400  successively displayed in this way is captured by the same in-vehicle camera. That is, it is preferable that the communication terminal  100  does not mixedly use captured images captured by a plurality of vehicles  300  but uses a plurality of captured images captured by one camera that one vehicle  300  has. Accordingly, when the plurality of pieces of display data  400  corresponding to the direction of travelling forward a road are successively displayed, or when the plurality of pieces of display data  400  corresponding to the direction of travelling backward a road are successively displayed, the images can be prevented from being blurred vertically and horizontally. 
     For example, the communication terminal  100  receives a captured image captured by a dedicated vehicle from the image management server  200  and stores the received captured image. Also, for example, the communication terminal  100  receives a captured image captured by one vehicle  300  from the image management server  200  and stores the received captured image. Also, when captured images captured by a plurality of vehicles  300  are received from the image management server  200 , the communication terminal  100  may manage the captured images for each vehicle  300 . Also, the communication terminal  100  may manage the captured images received from the plurality of vehicles  300  for each vehicle  300 . When the vehicles  300  capturing the captured images each have a plurality of cameras, the communication terminal  100  may manage the captured images for each vehicle  300  and for each camera. 
     It is preferable that when mixedly using the captured images captured by the plurality of vehicles  300 , the communication terminal  100  performs image processing on each captured image so as to prevent the captured images from being blurred vertically and horizontally when the captured images are successively displayed. For example, the communication terminal  100  recognizes a lane by performing an image analysis on a captured image to perform alignment based on a position of the lane. Accordingly, the blurring can be corrected. Note that such an image processing may also be performed by the image management server  200 . 
     The communication terminal  100  may arrange the traffic sign object  404  on a position of a display screen that is based on a positional relationship between an image capturing location of a captured image  402  included in the display data  400  and a sign position at which a traffic sign  502  is placed. For example, when causing the captured image  402  to be displayed, the captured image  402  captured at the image capturing location that is closest to the sign position, the communication terminal  100  arranges the traffic sign object  404  on a reference position  405 . 
     When causing the captured image  402  to be displayed, the captured image  402  captured at the image capturing location that is in front of the sign position, the communication terminal  100  may arrange a traffic sign object  404  upper than the reference position  405  as a distance between the image capturing location and the sign position becomes larger. Also, when causing the captured image  402  to be displayed, the captured image  402  captured at the image capturing location that is behind the sign position, the communication terminal  100  may arrange the traffic sign object  404  lower than the reference position  405  as the distance between the image capturing location and the sign position becomes larger. Accordingly, for example, the following display can be realized: when the captured images  402  are sequentially displayed in a direction of travelling forward a road, if the traffic sign  502  is closer, the traffic sign object  404  is gradually closer to the reference position  405  from an upper side, and when the captured image  402  right beside the traffic sign  502  is displayed, the traffic sign object  404  is positioned on the reference position  405 , and when further travelling forward, the traffic sign object  404  moves downward. Accordingly, a viewer can grasp the position of the traffic sign  502  while viewing the captured image. 
       FIG. 4  schematically shows an example of a functional configuration of the communication terminal  100 . The communication terminal  100  includes a storage section  102 , an image collecting section  104 , an image processing section  105 , a manipulation contents accepting section  106  and a display control section  108 . Note that the communication terminal  100  does not necessarily include all of these components. 
     The storage section  102  stores various types of information. The storage section  102  stores a captured image captured by the vehicle  300  and location information that indicates an image capturing location on a road in association with each other. Also, the storage section  102  stores an image that represents an object such as the traffic sign object  404 . 
     The image collecting section  104  collects captured images. The image collecting section  104  may receive a captured image and location information from the image management server  200  and store the captured image and the location information in the storage section  102 . Also, the image collecting section  104  may also receive, from the image management server  200 , information such as a vehicle speed when the vehicle  300  captures the captured image and store the received information in the storage section  102 . The image collecting section  104  may also receive captured images and location information from a plurality of vehicles  300  and store the received captured images and location information in the storage section  102 . 
     The image processing section  105  performs image processing on the captured image that has been stored in the storage section  102 . For example, the image processing section  105  performs image processing such that a plurality of captured images captured on roads that are targets respectively among a plurality of roads approximate images that are captured by the same image capturing section  340  of the same vehicle  300 . For example, the image processing section  105  recognizes a lane by performing an image analysis on captured images and performs alignment based on a position of the lane. 
     Because positions and angles of the image capturing sections  340  with respective to the roads are different, and performances, settings and the like of the image capturing section  340  are different, viewing ways of the captured images captured by different vehicles  300  are different. For example, when successively displaying the captured images along a road, if the captured images captured by different vehicles  300  are mixed, the road looks blurred vertically and horizontally. For this respect, even when the images are captured by one vehicle  300 , if the one vehicle  300  has a plurality of image capturing sections  340 , a similar situation may occur. On the other hand, by performing, by the image processing section  105 , the image processing as described above, such blurring can be suppressed. 
     The manipulation contents accepting section  106  accepts manipulation contents to the manipulation section included in the communication terminal  100 . For example, when the communication terminal  100  has a mouse, the manipulation contents accepting section  106  accepts manipulation contents of a pointing input by a mouse, a flick operation, a steering wheel operation and the like. Also, for example, when the communication terminal  100  has a touch panel display, the manipulation contents accepting section  106  accepts manipulation contents according to a pointing input, a flick operation and the like to the touch panel display. 
     The display control section  108  causes captured images that have been stored in the storage section  102  to be displayed. The display control section  108  may cause a display included in the communication terminal  100  to display the captured images. Also, the display control section  108  may also cause a display apparatus that is outside the communication terminal  100  to display the captured images by sending the captured images to the display apparatus. 
     The display control section  108  may cause a plurality of captured images to be successively displayed according to the flick operation, the steering wheel operation and the like. For example, the display control section  108  causes a plurality of captured images to be successively displayed, the plurality of captured images corresponding to a first direction of a road when accepting a flick operation in an upward direction, and causes the plurality of captured images to be successively displayed, the plurality of captured images corresponding to a second direction that is opposite to the first direction of the road when accepting a flick operation in a downward direction. Also, for example, the display control section  108  causes a plurality of captured images to be successively displayed, the plurality of captured images corresponding to a first direction of a road when accepting a steering wheel operation in a first rotation direction, and causes the plurality of captured images to be successively displayed, the corresponding to a second direction that is opposite to the first direction of the road when accepting a steering wheel operation in a second rotation direction. 
     It is preferable that when the storage section  102  stores a captured image captured by a dedicated vehicle, the display control section  108  sets the captured image captured by the dedicated vehicle only as a displayed object. It is preferable that when the storage section  102  does not store captured images captured by a dedicated vehicle or when the number of the captured images captured by the dedicated vehicle is small, the display control section  108  sets a plurality of captured images captured by one vehicle  300  only as displayed objects among a plurality of captured images that have been stored in the storage section  102 . It is preferable that when the one vehicle  300  has a plurality of image capturing sections  340 , the display control section  108  sets a plurality of captured images captured by the one image capturing section  340  only as the displayed objects. It is preferable that when a plurality of captured images captured by a plurality of vehicles  300  are set as the displayed objects, the display control section  108  sets a plurality of captured images on which image processing is performed by the image processing section  105  as the displayed objects. 
     The display control section  108  causes a captured image and an object that is related to an image capturing location of the captured image to be displayed such that the captured image and the object are arranged on a position of a display screen corresponding to the image capturing location. The object may represent a target that is positioned within a predetermined distance from the image capturing location. The object is a traffic sign object that represents a traffic sign that is placed within a predetermined distance from the image capturing location, for example. Also, the object is a spot object that represents a spot that is positioned within a predetermined distance from the image capturing location, for example. The spot may be any location. As examples of the spot, the followings may be given: an amusement spot such as a zoo and an amusement park, a shopping spot such as a shopping mall and a convenience store, and a traffic spot and the like such as a parking area and a service area. 
     For example, the display control section  108  arranges the object on a position of the display screen that is based on a positional relationship between a position of the target and an image capturing location of the captured image. When causing the captured image to be displayed, the captured image captured at the image capturing location that is closer to the position of the target than another captured image is, the display control section  108  may arrange the object on a reference position of the display screen. For example, when causing the captured image to be displayed, the captured image captured at the image capturing location that is the closest to the position of the target, the display control section  108  arranges the object on the reference position of the display screen. 
     Further, when causing the captured image to be displayed, the captured image captured at the image capturing location that is in front of the position of the target, the display control section  108  may arrange the object upper than the reference position as a distance between the image capturing location and the position of the target becomes larger. Also, when causing the captured image to be displayed, the captured image captured at the image capturing location that is behind the position of the target, the display control section  108  may arrange the object lower than the reference position as the distance between the image capturing location and the position of the target becomes larger. 
     The display control section  108  may also cause the object to be displayed in a display size that is based on the positional relationship between the position of the target and the image capturing location. For example, the display control section  108  causes the object to be displayed in a larger display size as the image capturing location is closer to the position of the target. 
       FIG. 5  schematically shows a display example of the traffic sign object  404 .  FIG. 5  shows a case where among the captured image  410 , the captured image  411 , the captured image  412 , the captured image  413 , the captured image  414  and the captured image  415 , an image capturing location of the captured image  413  is the closest to a sign position of the traffic sign  502  on a road  500 . 
     When causing the captured image  412 , the captured image  411  and the captured image  410  to be displayed, the display control section  108  may arrange the traffic sign object  404  on positions that are upper than the reference position  405  and that are respectively according to a distance  520 , a distance  522  and a distance  524  that are respectively between those image capturing locations and the sign position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The positional relationship between the image capturing location and the sign position may be an example of a positional relationship between the image capturing location and the position of the target. The distance between the image capturing location and the sign position may be an example of the distance between the image capturing location and the target position. 
     Similarly, when causing the captured image  414  and the captured image  415  to be displayed, the display control section  108  may arrange the traffic sign object  404  on positions that are lower than the reference position  405  and that are respectively according to a distance between those image capturing locations and the sign position. 
     Note that although an example in which the traffic sign object  404  is arranged on the position according to a distance between the image capturing location and the sign position is given and described here, the arrangement is not limited to this. The display control section  108  may also arrange the traffic sign object  404  according to a vehicle speed when the captured image is captured. 
     For example, the display control section  108  first determines, as the reference position  405 , to set the display position of the traffic sign object  404  when displaying the captured image  413  captured at an image capturing location that is the closest to the sign position among a plurality of captured images. Further, the display control section  108  determines to set the display position of the traffic sign object  404  when displaying the captured image  412  adjacent to the captured image  413  to be further apart upward from the reference position  405  as the vehicle speed becomes faster. Similarly, the display control section  108  determines the display position of the traffic sign object  404  for the captured image  411  and the captured image  410  as well. 
     Also, the display control section  108  determines to set the display position of the traffic sign object  404  when displaying the captured image  414  adjacent to the captured image  413  to be further apart downward from the reference position  405  as the vehicle speed becomes faster. Similarly, the display control section  108  may determine the display position of the traffic sign object  404  for the captured image  415  as well. 
       FIG. 6  schematically shows a display example of the traffic sign object  404 .  FIG. 6  shows a case where the image capturing location of the captured image  423  is the closest to the sign position of the traffic sign  502  on the road  500  among the captured image  420 , the captured image  421 , the captured image  422 , the captured image  423 , the captured image  424  and the captured image  425 . Here, differences from  FIG. 5  are mainly described. 
     The display control section  108  may arrange the traffic sign object  404  on a position that is closer to a center in a lateral direction on the display screen as a distance between the image capturing location and the sign position becomes larger, as shown in  FIG. 6 . Accordingly, the following display can be provided: the traffic sign object  404  appears from an upper end of the center in the lateral direction of the display screen and moves left downward as the traffic sign object  404  is closer to the traffic sign  502 . A movement amount in the lateral direction may be settable arbitrarily. 
       FIG. 7  schematically shows a display example of the traffic sign object  404 .  FIG. 7  shows a case where among the captured image  430 , the captured image  431 , the captured image  432 , the captured image  433 , the captured image  434  and the captured image  435 , the image capturing location of the captured image  433  is the closest to the sign position of the traffic sign  502  on the road  500 . Here, differences from  FIG. 5  are mainly described. 
     The display control section  108  may set the display size of the traffic sign object  404  to be smaller as the distance between the image capturing location and the sign position becomes larger, as shown in  FIG. 7 . Accordingly, the following display can be provided: the traffic sign object  404  appears from the upper end of the display screen, gradually becomes larger when moving toward the reference position  405 , and gradually becomes smaller when passing by the reference position  405 . 
       FIG. 8  schematically shows a display example of the traffic sign object  404 .  FIG. 8  shows a case where among the captured image  440 , the captured image  441 , the captured image  442 , the captured image  443 , the captured image  444  and the captured image  445 , the image capturing location of the captured image  443  is the closest to the sign position of the traffic sign  502  on the road  500 . Here, differences from  FIG. 5  are mainly described. 
     Although  FIG. 5  shows the case where the reference position  405  is positioned on a center in an up-down direction of the display screen, the reference position  405  may also be positioned lower than the center in the up-down direction on the display screen, as shown in  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 8  shows a case where the reference position  405  is a position that is two-thirds in length from the top of the display screen in the up-down direction. By arranging the reference position  405  lower than the center in the up-down direction on the display screen, a captured image when moving closer to the traffic sign  502  can be displayed more preferentially than a captured image when moving away from the traffic sign  502 . 
       FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10  schematically show a display example of a spot object  406 . Here, differences from  FIG. 5  are mainly described. 
       FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10  show the spot object  406  that represents an amusement park. Also,  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10  show a case where among the captured image  450 , the captured image  451 , the captured image  452 , the captured image  453 , the captured image  454  and the captured image  455 , the image capturing location of the captured image  453  is the closest to a branch  504  that leads to the amusement park and that is on the road  500 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 , when causing the captured image  452 , the captured image  451  and the captured image  450  to be displayed, the display control section  108  may arrange the spot object  406  on positions that are upper than the reference position  405  and that are respectively according to a distance  530 , a distance  532  and a distance  534  respectively between those image capturing locations and the branch  504 . The positional relationship between the respective image capturing location and the branch  504  may be an example of a positional relationship between the respective image capturing location and the position of the target. The distance between the respective image capturing location and the branch  504  may be an example of a distance between the image capturing location and the position of the target. 
     Similarly, when causing the captured image  454  and the captured image  455  to be displayed, the display control section  108  may arrange the spot object  406  on a position that is lower than the reference position  405  and that is according to the distance respectively between those image capturing locations and the branch  504 . 
     Similar to the display example of the traffic sign object  404  shown in  FIG. 6 , the display control section  108  may arrange the spot object  406  on a position that is closer to the center in the lateral direction on the display screen as the distance between the respective image capturing location and the branch  504  becomes larger. Also, similar to the display example of the traffic sign object  404  shown in  FIG. 7 , the display control section  108  may set the display size of the spot object  406  to be smaller as the distance between the respective image capturing location and the branch  504  becomes larger. Also, similar to the display example of the traffic sign object  404  shown in  FIG. 8 , the display control section  108  may arrange the reference position  405  lower than the center in the up-down direction on the display screen. 
     When the position of the amusement park is positioned on the left side of a vehicle that captures the captured image, the display control section  108  may arrange the spot object  406  on the left side of the display screen as shown in  FIG. 9 . When the position of the amusement park is positioned on the right side of a vehicle that captures the captured image, the display control section  108  may arrange the spot object  406  on the right side of the display screen, as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     Although in the above-described embodiment the case where the communication terminal  100  performs the display processing of displaying the captured image captured by the vehicle  300  is described as an example, it is not limited to this. The image management server  200  may also perform the display processing. The image management server  200  may be an example of a display control device. The image management server  200  may cause a display included in itself to display a captured image. Also, the image management server  200  may also cause a destination to which a captured image is sent, such as a communication terminal, to display the captured image by sending the captured image via the network  20 . 
       FIG. 11  schematically shows an example of a functional configuration of the image management server  200 . The image management server  200  includes a storage section  202 , an image collecting section  204 , an image processing section  205 , a manipulation contents accepting section  206  and a display control section  208 . Note that the image management server  200  does not necessarily include all of these components. Here, differences in the processing contents different from the communication terminal  100  shown in  FIG. 4  are mainly described. 
     The storage section  202  stores various types of information. The storage section  202  stores a captured image captured by the vehicle  300  and location information that indicates an image capturing location on a road in association with each other. Also, the storage section  202  stores an image that represents an object such as the traffic sign object  404 . 
     The image collecting section  204  collects captured images. The image collecting section  204  may receive captured images and location information from a plurality of vehicles  300  via the network  20  and store the received captured images and location information in the storage section  202 . The image processing section  205  performs image processing on the captured images that have been stored in the storage section  102 . 
     The manipulation contents accepting section  206  may accept the manipulation contents to a manipulation section included in the image management server  200 . For example, when the image management server  200  has a mouse, the manipulation contents accepting section  206  accepts manipulation contents of a pointing input, a flick operation, a steering wheel operation and the like by the mouse. Also, for example, when the image management server  200  has a touch panel display, the manipulation contents accepting section  206  accepts manipulation contents of a pointing input, a flick operation and the like to the touch panel display. 
     The manipulation contents accepting section  206  may also receive the manipulation contents from a communication party, such as the communication terminal  100 , via the network  20 . For example, when the communication party has a mouse, the manipulation contents accepting section  206  accepts the manipulation contents of a pointing input, a flick operation, a steering wheel operation and the like by the mouse. Also, for example, when the communication party has a touch panel display, the manipulation contents accepting section  206  accepts the manipulation contents of a pointing input, a flick operation and the like to the touch panel display. 
     The display control section  208  performs the display processing of causing captured images that have been stored in the storage section  202  to be displayed. The display control section  208  may cause a display included in the image management server  200  to display the captured images. The display processing by the display control section  208  may be similar to the display control section  108 . 
     Also, the display control section  208  has an image sending section  210 . The image sending section  210  causes a communication party, such as the communication terminal  100 , to display captured images by sending the captured image to the communication party. Specific display contents may be similar to the display by the display control section  108 . 
       FIG. 12  schematically shows an example of the computer  1000  that functions as the communication terminal  100  or the image management server  200 . The computer  1000  according to the present embodiment includes a CPU-surrounding section including a CPU  1010 , a RAM  1030 , and a graphic controller  1085 , which are connected to each other by a host controller  1092 , and an input/output section including a ROM  1020 , a communication I/F  1040 , a hard disk drive  1050 , and an input/output chip  1080 , which are connected to the host controller  1092  by an input/output controller  1094 . 
     The CPU  1010  operates based on programs stored in the ROM  1020  and the RAM  1030  to control each section. The graphic controller  1085  acquires image data generated such as by the CPU  1010  on a frame buffer provided within the RAM  1030 , and causes the image data to be displayed on a display. Instead of this, the graphic controller  1085  may include within itself a frame buffer for storing image data generated by the CPU  1010  and the like. 
     The communication I/F  1040  performs communication with another device via a network. Also, the communication I/F  1040  functions as a hardware that performs communication. The hard disk drive  1050  stores programs and data used by the CPU  1010 . 
     The ROM  1020  stores a boot program executed by the computer  1000  at startup, programs dependent on hardware of the computer  1000 , and the like. The input/output chip  1080  connects various input/output devices to the input/output controller  1094  such as via a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port, and a mouse port, for example. 
     Programs provided to the hard disk drive  1050  via the RAM  1030  are provided by a user in a form stored in a recording medium such as an IC card. The programs are read out from the recording medium, installed onto the hard disk drive  1050  via the RAM  1030 , and executed on the CPU  1010 . 
     The programs installed onto the computer  1000  for causing the computer  1000  to function respectively as the communication terminal  100  or the image management server  200  may instruct the CPU  1010  or the like to cause the computer  1000  to function as each section of the communication terminal  100  or the image management server  200 . The information processing described in these programs functions, by being read by the computer  1000 , as the storage section  102 , the image collecting section  104 , the image processing section  105 , the manipulation contents accepting section  106  and the display control section  108  that are specific means that software and the above-described various hardware resources cooperate with each other. Also, the information processing described in these programs functions, by being read by the computer  1000 , as the storage section  202 , the image collecting section  204 , the image processing section  205 , the manipulation contents accepting section  206  and the display control section  208  that are specific means that software and the above-described various hardware resources cooperate with each other. These specific means implement operations or processing of information according to the purpose of use of the computer  1000  in the present embodiment, and the communication terminal  100  or the image management server  200  that is specific for the purpose of use is thereby constructed. 
     While the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the technical scope of the invention is not limited to the above described embodiments. It is apparent to persons skilled in the art that various alterations and improvements can be added to the above-described embodiments. It is also apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such alterations or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the invention. 
     The operations, procedures, steps, and stages of each process performed by an apparatus, system, program, and method shown in the claims, embodiments, or diagrams can be performed in any order as long as the order is not indicated by “prior to,” “before,” or the like and as long as the output from a previous process is not used in a later process. Even if the process flow is described using phrases such as “first” or “next” in the claims, embodiments, or diagrams, it does not necessarily mean that the process must be performed in this order. 
     EXPLANATION OF REFERENCES 
       20  . . . network;  100  . . . communication terminal;  102  . . . storage section;  104  . . . image collecting section;  105  . . . image processing section;  106  . . . manipulation contents accepting section;  108  . . . display control section;  200  . . . image management server;  202  . . . storage section;  204  . . . image collecting section;  205  . . . image processing section;  206  . . . manipulation contents accepting section;  208  . . . display control section;  210  . . . image sending section;  300  . . . vehicle;  302  . . . control device;  310  . . . manipulation section;  320  . . . display section;  330  . . . wireless communication section;  340  . . . image capturing section;  350  . . . GNSS receiving section;  360  . . . sensor section;  400  display data;  401  . . . captured image display region;  402  . . . captured image;  403  . . . object arrangement region;  404  . . . traffic sign object;  405  . . . reference position;  406  . . . spot object;  410 ,  411 ,  412 ,  413 ,  414 ,  415  . . . captured image;  420 ,  421 ,  422 ,  423 ,  424 ,  425  . . . captured image;  430 ,  431 ,  432 ,  433 ,  434 ,  435  . . . captured image;  440 ,  441 ,  442 ,  443 ,  444 ,  445  . . . captured image;  450 ,  451 ,  452 ,  453 ,  454 ,  455  . . . captured image;  500  . . . road;  502  . . . traffic sign;  504  . . . branch;  520  . . . distance;  522  . . . distance;  524  . . . distance;  530  . . . distance;  532  . . . distance;  534  . . . distance;  1000  . . . computer;  1010  . . . CPU;  1020  . . . ROM;  1030  RAM;  1040  . . . communication I/F;  1050  . . . hard disk drive;  1080  . . . input/output chip;  1085  . . . graphic controller;  1092  . . . host controller;  1094  . . . input/output controller