JP3921080B2 - Map display device and navigation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002]
The present invention relates to a map display technique in a navigation device or the like that provides route guidance to a user.
[0003]
[Prior art]
[0004]
Conventionally, as a map display technique in a navigation device or the like that provides route guidance to the user, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, the existence of facilities such as a gas station or a post office is displayed on the map for each type of facility. A technique for displaying an icon graphic represented by a graphic symbol provided is known.
[0005]
Displaying various facilities on a map using such icon graphics is an extremely excellent map display technique that can notify the user of the existence of the facility at a glance.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
[0007]
However, in order not to impair the visibility of the user's icon graphic and map, the icon graphic is displayed with a certain size or larger regardless of the map scale, or the icon graphic is upright regardless of the map display direction. It is necessary to display the icon shape at a position that does not overlap with other map elements such as roads.
[0008]
For this reason, when the position and range of the icon figure display position and range on the map corresponding to the facility represented by the icon figure must be greatly distorted, or when many icon figures must be displayed in a narrow range There is.
[0009]
In such a case, it is difficult for the user to perform map display so that the user can grasp the road facing the facility, the road connected to the entrance of the facility, and the like from the map display. For this reason, the user can only grasp the location of the facility from the map display regarding the facility indicated by the icon graphic, and which road should be taken to reach the facility from the map display. You cannot know or select a facility facing the road from the map display and use it as a landmark.
[0010]
Then, this invention makes it a subject to perform map display so that a user can grasp | ascertain easily the relationship between the icon figure and the road relevant to the facility which the said icon figure represents.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
[0012]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention draws a map based on map information, a map display device that displays a map including an icon graphic that is a graphic symbol representing a facility, storage means for storing map information, and map information The map information includes a map drawing means, a map display means for outputting a map screen displaying the drawn map, and an icon designation receiving means for accepting designation of an icon figure on the map screen. The icon graphic shown above is defined, and the relationship between the icon graphic and the road section is defined. In the map drawing unit, the relationship between the icon graphic received by the icon designation receiving unit is defined by the map information. The existing road section is drawn so as to be displayed in a form that is distinguished from other road sections on the map.
[0013]
According to such a map display device, the user simply designates an icon graphic on the map screen, and immediately, the road section related to the facility represented by the icon graphic is changed from the display form to other road sections. Discrimination can be grasped. Therefore, for example, the association between the icon graphic and the road section is connected between the icon graphic and the road section facing the facility represented by the icon graphic, or the entrance of the facility represented by the icon graphic and the icon graphic. If it is defined between the road sections to be used, the user can easily grasp which road section to go in order to reach the target facility.
[0014]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention draws a map on the map display device that displays a map including an icon graphic that is a graphic symbol representing a facility, based on the map information and storage means for storing the map information. A map drawing means, a map display means for outputting a map screen displaying the drawn map, and a road designation receiving means for accepting designation of a road section on the map screen from the user. An icon graphic represented on a map, and an association between the icon graphic and a road section, and in the map drawing means, each road belonging to a road section or a road including the road section received by the road designation receiving means Each icon graphic whose relationship with the section is defined by the map information is displayed in a form that is distinguished from other icon graphics on the map. In which it was to be drawn as.
[0015]
According to such a map display device, the user simply designates a road section on the map screen, and immediately displays the icon figure of the facility related to the road to which the road section belongs by using other icons than the display form. It becomes possible to grasp it by distinguishing it from figures.
[0023]
The storage means in the above navigation device and map display device may temporarily store road network information and map information received via a communication path, for example.
[0024]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
[0026]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described taking application to an in-vehicle navigation device mounted and used in an automobile as an example.
[0027]
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a navigation device according to the present embodiment.
[0028]
As shown in the figure, the navigation device includes a control device 1, a storage medium drive 2 for accessing a removable storage medium 21 such as a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM storing road maps, and a GPS (Global Positioning System). Receiver 3, angular acceleration sensor 4 such as a gyro device, vehicle speed sensor 5 such as a rotation pulse generator, VICS receiver 7 that receives traffic information broadcasts such as traffic jam, a remote controller (remote controller) 8 that accepts input from the user, display A device 9 is provided.
[0029]
Further, the control device 1 includes a map data buffer 101, a map data read processing unit 102, a temporary current position / orientation calculation unit 103, a map matching processing unit 104, a route search unit 105, a route drawing unit 106, a map drawing unit 107, and a VICS. An interface 108, a remote control interface 109, a main controller 110, a parameter memory 111, a navigation screen generator 112, and a window controller 113 are provided. Here, a dotted line 121 in the control device 1 in FIG. 1 indicates an access path of each part to map data stored in the map data buffer 101, and a thick line 122 indicates a path of control information between the main control part 110 and each part. A white line 123 indicates an access path of each unit to various data stored in the parameter memory 111, and a thin line connected to the window control unit 113 and the navigation screen generation unit 112 indicates a path of display information to the display device 9. Show.
[0030]
However, the above control device 1 may be a CPU circuit having a general configuration including peripheral devices such as a microprocessor, a memory, and other graphic processors and geometric processors in terms of hardware. In this case, each unit of the control device 1 described above may be realized as a process embodied by a microprocessor executing a program prepared in advance. In this case, such a program may be provided to the control device 1 via a storage medium or a communication path.
[0031]
Next, the structure of the map data stored in the storage medium is shown.
[0032]
Here, the map data is managed in units called leaflets for each predetermined geographical area, and each leaf is composed of a plurality of levels according to the degree of detail of the map. Each level map of each leaf consists of one or a plurality of units, and each unit corresponds to the geographical area of the leaf to which it belongs or a divided area, and maps the corresponding area to itself. It is expressed at the level to which the belongs.
[0033]
As shown in FIG. 2a, the map data includes management information that describes the relationship between each unit and a leaf, corresponding area, and level, and icon graphic data that stores various icon graphic data to be displayed on the map. In this embodiment, additional graphic data storing additional graphic data to be added to the icon graphic in order to represent a road related to the icon graphic, and for performing additional services such as a point search from a facility name or telephone number Information service data, basic map data representing a map, and route data for managing the correspondence between each road and each road and the map represented by the basic map data.
[0034]
The basic map data includes unit data for each unit as described above, and unit management information describing the relationship between each unit data and the leaf, corresponding area, and level. Each unit data includes a road unit representing a road network, And a drawing unit representing a map.
[0035]
The route data has a route data record for each route, and each route data record includes a route number, a route type indicating a route type such as an expressway, a national road, and a prefectural road, and a road name of the route. A road character string representing is described.
[0036]
The icon graphic data has an icon graphic record for each icon graphic type, and each icon graphic record has an icon code indicating the icon graphic type and an icon image defining the icon graphic itself. Have data.
[0037]
Here, the icon image data defines a symbol image indicating the type of facility, for example, an icon figure for a facility of the type “post office” shown in FIG. 4A.
[0038]
The additional graphic data has additional graphic records provided for each predetermined direction, and each additional graphic record has a direction code indicating the direction and additional graphic image data defining the additional graphic itself.
[0039]
Here, the additional figure is, for example, a figure added to the icon figure as shown in FIG. 4A. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. , Down, left diagonally down, left, diagonally up and left, corresponding additional figures are defined respectively. That is, for the up, down, left, and right directions, an image having a rectangular non-transparent region added to the direction of the icon figure is defined as the additional figure, and the upper right side, the lower right side, the lower left side, and the left side. With respect to the diagonally upward direction, an image having a non-transparent region with a “<” shape added to the outside of the direction angle of the icon graphic is defined as the additional graphic. Note that the regions other than the rectangular non-transparent region and the “<”-shaped non-transparent region in each additional figure are defined as transparent regions. In addition, the “post office” icon figure shown by a broken line in FIG. 4B is shown to show the positional relationship between the icon figure and the additional figure, and the broken line icon figure itself is not included in the additional image. .
[0040]
Next, as shown in FIG. 2b, the road unit includes a node list, a link table, connection data describing connection and correspondence of nodes and links with other units, links and roads specified by VICS broadcasting. It has a VICS conversion table that describes the relationship with the links on the unit.
[0041]
Here, in the road unit, the road is expressed as a set of links that are straight lines, and the end point of each link is a node. Such a node is always provided at a connection point of a road such as an intersection, and is always provided at a boundary between adjacent units. Also, each link has a direction, and if the road is one-way between node a and node b, only one link in the direction of traffic is provided, but if the road is bidirectional Are provided with two links opposite to each other.
[0042]
Now, the node list includes a node record for each node. Each node record is connected to a node attribute, a node attribute, a node attribute indicating whether the node corresponds to an intersection, etc. The connection link number indicating the link number of the link to be written is described.
[0043]
The link table includes a link record for each link. Each link record includes a link attribute indicating the link number, the number of lanes, the node number 1 of the node that is the start point of the link, and the node that is the end point of the link. The node number 2, the link distance, the route search cost given to the link, the route number of the route to which the link belongs are described.
[0044]
Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the drawing unit includes a background unit, a background road unit, a character string unit, and an icon unit. The background unit has a background unit record that is provided for each graphic drawing object corresponding to terrain, facilities, and the like and stores information about the drawing object. Further, the background road unit has a background road unit record provided for each road portion, in which information on a drawing object of a road graphic representing the road shape is stored. The character string unit has a character string unit record that is provided for each drawing object of a character string corresponding to a place name, a road name, or a facility name and stores information about the drawing object. Further, the icon unit has an icon unit record provided for each drawing object of an icon graphic such as a gas station, a restaurant, or a post office, in which information about the drawing object is stored.
[0045]
The background unit record includes a line drawing of a drawing object, a figure type indicating a type of polygon, a drawing parameter for specifying a drawing parameter of the figure, and an element point coordinate list representing the figure shape by coordinates of a plurality of element points on the contour. Have
[0046]
In addition, the background road unit record is a line drawing of a drawn object, a graphic type representing a type such as a polygon, a road attribute representing a road type such as a highway or a national road, and an element representing a road shape by coordinates of a plurality of element points on the contour. The point coordinate list has a corresponding link number that is a link number of a link in which the road graphic represents a shape.
[0047]
In addition, the character string unit record includes character attributes that indicate the vertical writing and horizontal writing inclination of the character string, drawing parameters that specify drawing parameters such as the drawing color of the character string, and display coordinates that indicate the display reference position of the character string and character string. Have.
[0048]
Next, the icon unit record faces the icon ID that is the identifier of the drawing object that is the icon figure, the icon code that specifies the icon figure type, the display coordinates of the center of the icon figure, and the facility indicated by the icon figure. 1 or a plurality of face-to-face link information provided for each link. Each face-to-face link information includes the orientation of the face-to-face link (the center of the icon figure) as viewed from the display coordinates of the center of the icon figure of the face-link ID indicating the face-to-face link that is the link that the facility indicated by the icon figure faces. The orientation of the perpendicular line drawn from the display coordinates to the facing link), and the facing position coordinates representing the position on the facing link facing the facility indicated by the icon graphic.
[0049]
Here, as shown in FIG. 4c, the actual post office faces the road portion corresponding to the link L as indicated by a broken line 350, and the display coordinates of the center of the icon graphic 351 representing this post office are set to X0. Is set, the link ID of the link L is described in the face-to-face link ID of the face-to-face link information, and the angle θ from the true north of the perpendicular line X0-X1 dropped from the display coordinates X0 to the link L is described in the bearing. The coordinate X2 of the center of the portion facing the link L of the post office 350 is described in the facing position coordinates.
[0050]
The map data stored in the storage medium has been described above.
[0051]
Next, parameters stored in the parameter memory 111 of FIG. 1 and the control device 1 will be described.
[0052]
As shown in FIG. 5, the parameter memory 111 includes current position data 401, current traveling direction data 402, destination data 403, route data 404, display range data 405, display direction data 406, display mode data 407, and a guidance flag. 408, a user-specified icon ID 409 for storing an icon ID of an icon figure designated by the user on the map, and a user-specified route number 410 for storing the route number of the route to which the link of the link specified by the user belongs are stored as parameters. Is done.
[0053]
The current position data 401 is a parameter representing the current position coordinates of the vehicle, the current traveling direction data 402 is a parameter representing the current traveling direction of the vehicle, and the destination data 403 is a parameter representing the destination coordinates. . Each route data represents a route, a route link list 4041 describing the link numbers of the links through which the route passes, and a route node list 4042 describing the node numbers of the nodes through which the route passes. Have The display range data 405 is data that specifies the range of the map to be displayed on the navigation screen, and the display direction data 406 is data that specifies which direction is to be displayed on the upper side, and display mode data Reference numeral 407 denotes data indicating the display mode of the navigation screen. The guiding flag 408 is a flag indicating whether route guidance is being performed. Here, in this embodiment, three modes, a face-to-face link display mode, a route icon display mode, and a user confirmation mode, are provided as display modes.
[0054]
Now, referring back to FIG. 1, in such a configuration, the map data read processing unit 102 reads the required range of map data from the storage medium via the storage media drive 2 under the control of the main control unit 110, and the map data buffer. 101.
[0055]
Further, the temporary current position / orientation calculating unit 103 repeats the process of calculating the current position and the current traveling direction obtained from the history of each information of the angular acceleration sensor 4 and the vehicle speed sensor 5 and supplying the calculated current position and current traveling direction to the map matching processing unit 104. The map matching processing unit 104 considers the current position supplied from the temporary current position / orientation calculating unit 103, the current travel direction, and the travel history obtained from the current position, the current position supplied from the GPS receiver 3, and the current travel. Match the direction, the travel history obtained from these, and the link represented by the road unit that corresponds to the area around the current position determined from the previous time read from the map data buffer 101, and on the most likely link as the current position The position and the most likely link direction as the current traveling direction are determined as the current position coordinates and the current traveling direction, and the current position data 401 and current traveling direction data in the parameter memory 111 are determined with the determined current position coordinates and current traveling direction. The process of updating 402 is repeated.
[0056]
Hereinafter, details of the operation of such a navigation device will be described.
[0057]
FIG. 6 shows a processing procedure performed by the main control unit 110.
[0058]
First, when the process is started, the main control unit 110 sets the face-to-face link display mode in the display mode data 407 of the parameter memory 111 and sets the guidance flag to non-guidance (step 600), and the current position data 401 of the parameter memory 111. A predetermined range around the current position read from is set in the display range data 405 as a display range, a direction corresponding to the travel direction indicated by the travel direction data 401 is set in the display direction data 406 (step 602), and a map drawing unit A map image is generated in 107, and a navigation screen generation unit 112 is instructed to generate a navigation screen (step 604).
[0059]
Upon receiving the map image generation instruction from the main control unit 110, the map drawing unit 107 reads out map data at an appropriate level corresponding to the display range corresponding to the geographical range indicated by the display range data 405 of the parameter memory 111. Then, the map is drawn in a form corresponding to the display mode at that time, and a map image is generated. Here, the display mode is indicated in each part by the display mode data 407 in the parameter memory 111.
[0060]
Details of the map image generation by the map drawing unit 107 will be described later.
[0061]
On the other hand, when the display mode is the standard mode, the navigation screen generation unit 112 that has received an instruction to generate the navigation screen from the main control unit 110 displays the parameters on the map image generated by the map drawing unit 107. A navigation screen is generated by drawing a current position mark facing a direction corresponding to the direction indicated by the current traveling direction data 402 at a position corresponding to the current position indicated by the current position data 401 of the memory 111, and the window control unit 113 The sending and window control unit 113 displays the received navigation screen on the display device 6 in a predetermined navigation screen window.
[0062]
Now, the main control unit 110 performs the processing from step 602 described above from the user while changing the display range data 405 according to the change of the current position data 401 of the parameter memory 111 or the change of the map scale of the user. Until there is a request for a route search (step 620), it is periodically repeated. During this time, the input of the display mode switching instruction from the user is monitored (step 606), and if there is an input, the user instructs The display mode data 407 in the parameter memory 111 is updated to the displayed display mode (step 608). When the updated display mode is the user confirmation mode (step 610), the target object setting process is started (step 610). 612). If the display mode before the update is the user confirmation mode (step 614), the activated target object setting process is terminated (step 616), and the user-specified icon ID 409 and the user-specified route in the parameter memory 111 are terminated. The number 410 is cleared (step 618).
[0063]
As described above, in the target object setting process activated in step 612 when the display mode is switched to the user confirmation mode, as shown in FIG. 7, coordinates are input on the map image displayed by the user using the remote controller 8 and the remote controller. If the received coordinates are coordinates on the icon graphic (step 704), the icon graphic ID of the icon graphic is set in the user specified icon ID 409 of the parameter memory 111 (step 706). ). If the received coordinates are coordinates on the road graphic (step 712), the route number described in the link record of the link indicated by the corresponding link ID of the background road unit record of the road graphic is obtained, and this is obtained by the user. The designated route number 410 is set (step 714).
[0064]
Then, if the confirmation is instructed by the user via the remote control 8 or the remote control interface 109 (step 708), the user-specified icon ID data and the user-specified route number data are cleared (step 710), and the process returns to step 702 to newly Wait for input of correct coordinates.
[0065]
Returning to FIG. 6, when there is a route search request from the user via the remote control 8 and the remote control interface 109 (step 620), the main control unit 110 uses the remote control 8 from the user via the remote control interface 109. The destination setting is accepted (step 622). If the destination setting is accepted, the coordinates of the accepted destination are stored in the destination data 403 of the parameter memory 111, and the route search unit 105 is instructed to calculate a recommended route (step 624).
[0066]
The route search unit 105 that has received an instruction to calculate the recommended route reads road data in the necessary geographical range from the map data buffer 101, and uses the current position coordinates indicated by the current position data 401 in the parameter memory 111 to determine the destination in the parameter memory 111. Based on a predetermined cost model, the recommended route to the destination coordinates indicated by the data 403 is referred to the traffic information obtained from the VICS receiver 7 and the link cost and link distance of each link described in the link table. To calculate. Then, a list of nodes and links through which the calculated recommended route passes is stored in the route node list 4042 and the route link list 4041 of the route data 404 in the parameter memory 111, and the main control unit 110 is notified of the completion of the recommended route calculation.
[0067]
The main control unit 110 notified of the completion of the recommended route calculation sets guidance in the guidance flag 408 of the parameter memory 111, sets an appropriate display range in the display range data 405 of the parameter memory 111, and the traveling direction data is The travel direction shown is set in the display direction data, the route drawing unit 106 is instructed to draw a route, the map drawing unit 107 is instructed to draw a map, and the navigation screen generating unit 112 is instructed to generate a navigation screen. .
[0068]
Upon receiving an instruction for generating a map image from the main control unit 110, the map drawing unit 107 reads map data at an appropriate level corresponding to the display range corresponding to the geographical range indicated by the display range, and the display mode at that time A map is drawn in a form corresponding to the map, and a map image is generated. Details of the map image generation by the map drawing unit 107 will be described later.
[0069]
On the other hand, the route drawing unit 106 instructed to draw the route from the current position indicated by the current position data 401 of the parameter table to the destination indicated by the destination data 403 in the display range indicated by the display range data 405 of the parameter table. A route image in which the route between them is drawn with reference to the route link list 4041 and the route node list 4042 of the parameter table is generated.
[0070]
Then, the navigation screen generation unit 112 adds the route image generated by the route drawing unit 106 on the map image generated by the map drawing unit 107 to the map image received from the map drawing unit 107, and the current value in the parameter memory 111. A navigation screen is generated by drawing a current position mark at a position corresponding to the current position indicated by the position data 401 and generating a navigation screen, which is sent to the window control unit 113. The window control unit 113 displays the received navigation screen. Is displayed on the display device 6.
[0071]
Hereinafter, the main control unit 110 performs the above-described processing from step 630 while changing the display range data 405 according to the change of the current position data 401 of the parameter memory 111 or the user's map scale change instruction. Repeat until the destination reaches the destination or the current route is canceled. During this time, the display mode switching instruction from the user is monitored (step 634). The display mode data 407 in the parameter memory 111 is updated to the displayed display mode (step 636). When the updated display mode is the user confirmation mode (step 638), the above-described target object setting process is started. (Step 640). If the display mode before the update is the user confirmation mode (step 642), the activated target object setting process is terminated (step 644), and the user specified icon ID 409 and the user specified route in the parameter memory 111 are terminated. The number 410 is cleared.
[0072]
If the current position reaches the destination or the current route is canceled (step 648), the guidance flag 408 is reset to non-guidance (step 650), and the process returns to step 602.
[0073]
Hereinafter, the map image generation processing of the map drawing unit 107 described above will be described.
[0074]
The map drawing unit instructed by the main control unit 110 to generate a map image performs the map image generation process shown in FIG.
[0075]
That is, first, a unit record of each drawing object whose display position is included in the display range is extracted (step 802), and the graphic drawing object described in the extracted background unit record is extracted with respect to the display range and the display orientation. Is drawn at a position relatively determined by the element point coordinates (step 804), and then the road graphic drawing process shown in FIG. 8b is called to draw the road graphic drawing object described in the extracted background road unit record. Then, drawing is performed at a position relatively determined by the element point coordinates with respect to the display range and the display orientation (step 806). When a drawing completion report is received from the road graphic drawing process (step 808), the icon drawing process shown in FIG. 9 is called, and the icon graphic drawing object described in the extracted icon unit record is set as the display range. Drawing is performed at a position relatively determined by display coordinates with respect to the display orientation (step 810). If a drawing completion report is received from the icon drawing process (step 812), finally, the drawing object of the character string described in the extracted character string unit record is displayed in the display coordinates with respect to the display range and the display orientation. (Step 814), and the map image generation process is terminated. However, in order to generate the map image with the display orientation indicated by the display orientation data 402 of the parameter memory 111 at that time upward, the drawing direction of each of the drawing objects is appropriately operated. For example, a drawing object of a character string or an icon figure is drawn so that the upward direction of the drawing object matches the upward direction of the map image.
[0076]
Here, in the road graphic drawing process activated in the above step 806, the process shown in FIG. 8b is performed.
[0077]
The drawing objects of the road figure to be drawn are sequentially selected (step 852), and if the display mode is not the user confirmation mode (step 854), the road figure is left as it is in the display range and display direction according to the description of the background road unit record. On the other hand, drawing is performed at a position relatively determined by the element point coordinates (step 858).
[0078]
On the other hand, when the display mode is the user confirmation mode (step 852), it is checked whether the user designation icon ID 409 is set in the parameter memory 111 (step 856). If the face-to-face link ID of the icon unit record indicated by the user-specified icon ID 409 in the parameter memory 111 and the corresponding link ID of the background road unit record of the road figure do not match (step 864, step 866), the road figure is also used as the background. In accordance with the description of the road unit record, the image is drawn as it is at a position relatively determined by the element point coordinates with respect to the display range and the display orientation (step 858).
[0079]
On the other hand, the user specified icon ID 409 is set in the parameter memory 111 (step 856), and the facing link ID of the icon unit record indicated by the user specified icon ID 409 matches the corresponding link ID of the background road unit record of the road figure. When doing so (step 864, step 866), the road figure whose shape is indicated by the background road unit record is emphasized and drawn using predetermined drawing parameters for emphasis.
[0080]
When the drawing of all road graphic drawing target objects is completed (step 860), a drawing completion report is sent to the map image generation process of FIG. 8a (step 863), and the process ends.
[0081]
By the above drawing process, during the period when the display mode is set to the user confirmation mode by the user, the icon graphic of the user specified icon ID 409 set by the target object setting process of FIG. Only the road graphic corresponding to the linked link is highlighted and displayed. That is, during the period when the display mode is set to the user confirmation mode by the user, as shown in FIG. 10a-1, the link facing the facility represented by the icon graphic 1002 pointed by the cursor 1001 on the map screen is displayed. A navigation screen on which the corresponding road portion 1003 is highlighted as shown in FIG. 10B-1 is output from the display device.
[0082]
Therefore, the user can immediately recognize the road facing the facility corresponding to the designated icon graphic from this screen.
[0083]
Next, the icon figure drawing process called from step 810 of the map drawing process of FIG. 8a will be described using FIG. 9A.
[0084]
As shown in FIG. 9a, in the icon graphic drawing process, drawing objects of the icon graphic to be drawn are sequentially selected (step 902).
[0085]
When the display mode is the face-to-face link display mode (step 904), the display range and the display orientation are determined based on the icon image data of the icon image record indicated by the icon code of the icon unit record of the target icon figure. On the other hand, at the position relatively determined by the display coordinates, the upper direction of the icon graphic is made to coincide with the upper direction of the map image (step 926). Then, an additional figure drawing process is called (step 928), and an additional image for the icon figure is drawn.
[0086]
Here, in the additional figure drawing process called in step 928, as shown in FIG. 9b, first, one piece of face link information of the icon unit record of the target icon figure is extracted (step 950), and the display orientation data in the parameter memory 111 is displayed. An orientation difference between 402 and the facing link orientation of the retrieved facing link information is obtained (step 952). Then, the azimuth difference is classified into one of eight directions, up, right up, right, right down, down, left down, left, left up (step 954).
[0087]
In this classification, the difference in orientation measured in the clockwise direction is defined as dθ, and when −π / 8 <dθ ≦ π / 8, the upper right when π / 8 <dθ ≦ 3π / 8, and the upper right when 3π / 8 < Right when dθ ≦ 5π / 8, diagonally lower right when 5π / 8 <dθ ≦ 7π / 8, lower when 7π / 8 <dθ ≦ 9π / 8, and 9π / 8 <dθ ≦ 11π / 8. In the case of 11π / 8 <dθ ≦ 13π / 8, and in the case of 13π / 8 <dθ ≦ 15π / 8.
[0088]
Then, the additional graphic represented by the additional graphic image data is drawn from the additional graphic record having the direction code corresponding to the classified direction so that the center and the direction coincide with the target icon graphic (step 956). 4B is transparent except for the non-transparent region of the additional figure rectangle and the “<” character, the icon figure below it is not hidden by the drawing of the additional figure.
[0089]
If the processes in steps 952 to 956 are performed for each face-to-face link information of the icon unit record of the target icon graphic (step 958), the additional graphic drawing process is terminated.
[0090]
In addition, in the above processing, when a plurality of face-to-face link information is registered in the icon unit record of the icon figure, a figure made up of the sum of non-transparent areas of a plurality of additional figures drawn for each face-to-face link information Is finally generated by the additional graphic processing for this icon graphic.
[0091]
For example, as shown in FIG. 4d-1, for an icon graphic 361 having face-to-face link information for a link L1 whose direction is classified to the right and a link L2 which is lower, two icons corresponding to the right and lower directions are displayed. As the sum of the non-transparent areas of the additional figures 362 and 363, a figure that is visually recognized as two figures, a rectangular figure on the right side of the icon figure and a rectangular figure on the lower side, is drawn on the map image. Further, as shown in FIG. 4D-2, for the icon graphic 355 having face-to-face link information for the link L3 whose direction is classified to the right and the link L4 which is diagonally downward to the right, as shown in FIG. As a sum of the non-transparent areas of the two corresponding additional figures, an additional figure 366 is obtained, which is a combination of the figure-shaped figures opened in the diagonally upper left direction facing the right and lower right halves of the icon figure. .
[0092]
Even if the display coordinates of the center of the link and the icon figure are in the relationship as shown in FIG. 4d-1, the orientation of the icon figure to be drawn and the figure generated by the additional figure drawing process are different from each other in the display orientation. That is, it differs depending on the direction of the generated map image. For example, when the dir direction in Fig. 4d-1 changes to the upper direction of the map image, the orientation of the icon figure and the addition will not change even if the relative relationship between the link and the display coordinates of the center of the icon figure does not change. The figure 367 generated by the figure generation process is different from that shown in FIG. 4d-1 as shown in FIG. 4d-3.
[0093]
With the above drawing process, during the period when the display mode is set to the face-to-face link display mode by the user, each icon figure is an additional figure indicating the direction of the link related to the icon figure as face-to-face link information or its icon figure. It is drawn in a form with a figure as a sum added. In other words, during the period when the display mode is set to the face-to-face link display mode by the user, as shown in FIG. 11a, a graphic representing the road direction facing the facility indicated by the icon graphic is added to each icon graphic. Will be displayed. Therefore, the user can immediately recognize the road facing the facility represented by each icon graphic from the icon graphic to which the graphic is added. In addition, the broken line in FIG. 11a shows the correspondence between the icon graphic and the link facing the facility indicated by the icon graphic, and is not included in the map image.
[0094]
Now, returning to FIG. 9a, in the icon graphic drawing process, as described above, the drawing objects of the icon graphic to be drawn are sequentially selected (step 902). When the display mode is the on-route icon display mode (step 906) and the guiding flag 408 of the parameter memory 111 is guiding (step 906), the icon unit record of the target icon graphic is displayed. It is checked whether or not the face-to-face link ID is included in the route link list 4041 of the parameter table 111 (step 916). If not included, the icon indicated by the icon code of the icon unit record of the target icon shape is displayed. Based on the icon image data of the image record, drawing is performed with the upper direction of the icon graphic coincident with the upper direction of the map image at a position relatively determined by the display coordinates with respect to the display range and the display orientation (step 910). On the other hand, when the face-to-face link ID is included in the root link list, the icon figure is drawn with the same coordinates and orientation using a predetermined highlight drawing parameter (step 924).
[0095]
If the above processing is performed for all the target icon figures (step 912), a drawing completion report is sent to the map image generation processing of FIG. 6a (step 914), and the processing is terminated.
[0096]
As a result of the above drawing process, when the display mode is the on-route icon display mode and the guiding flag 408 is guiding, an icon graphic representing a facility facing the recommended route 1201 as shown in FIG. Only 1202 is highlighted and displayed on the navigation screen. Therefore, in traveling along the recommended route, the user can immediately grasp the facility facing the recommended route from the navigation screen and use this as a mark for traveling.
[0097]
Next, in the icon graphic drawing process of FIG. 9A, when the display mode is the user confirmation mode (step 908), the drawing objects of the icon graphic to be drawn are sequentially selected (step 902), and then stored in the parameter memory 111. It is checked whether or not the user-specified route number 410 is set (step 918). If not, based on the icon image data of the icon image record indicated by the icon code of the icon unit record of the target icon figure. Then, the icon graphic is drawn with the upper direction of the icon image coincident with the upper direction of the map image at a position relatively determined by the display coordinates with respect to the display range and the display orientation (step 910). Even if the user-specified route number 410 is set in the parameter memory 111, the link record corresponding to one of the facing link IDs acquired from the facing link information of the icon unit record of the target icon graphic is displayed. When the described route number does not match the user-specified route number 410 (step 920, step 922), an icon figure is similarly drawn (step 910).
[0098]
On the other hand, the user-specified route number 410 is set in the parameter memory 111 (step 918), and is described in the link record corresponding to one of the facing link IDs acquired from the facing link information of the icon unit record of the target icon graphic. When the route number thus set matches the user-specified route number 410 (steps 920 and 922), the icon figure is drawn with the same coordinates and orientation with emphasis using predetermined emphasis drawing parameters (step). 924).
[0099]
If the above processing is performed for all the target icon figures (step 912), a drawing completion report is sent to the map image generation processing of FIG. 6a (step 914), and the processing is terminated.
[0100]
As a result of the above drawing process, during the period when the display mode is set to the user confirmation mode by the user, the link included in the route of the user-specified route number 410 set by the target object setting process of FIG. Only the associated icon graphic will be highlighted. That is, during the period when the display mode is set to the user confirmation mode by the user, the user moves the cursor 1001 on the map screen as shown in FIG.ByA navigation screen in which only the icon graphic 1012 facing the route 1011 including the pointed link 1010 is highlighted as shown in FIG. 10B-2 is output from the display device.
[0101]
Therefore, the user can immediately recognize the facility corresponding to the designated road from this screen.
[0102]
The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
[0103]
By the way, in the above embodiment, in the face-to-face link display mode, the link facing the facility indicated by each icon graphic is shown in the map image by adding the additional graphic shown in FIG. However, you may make it show the link which faces the plant | facility which each icon figure shows in a map image with forms other than this.
[0104]
For example, as shown in FIG. 12a, an arrow connecting each icon graphic and a link facing the facility indicated by the icon graphic may be displayed. In this case, as the coordinates of the end point of the arrow on the link side, the facing position coordinates in the facing link information of the icon unit record can be used.
[0105]
Further, for example, when generating and displaying a bird's-eye view map image, a three-dimensional additional figure imitating an entrance and a fence surrounding the icon figure as shown in FIG. 12b-1 is used. As shown, a link facing the facility indicated by each icon graphic may be shown. In this map image, the additional graphic indicates that the direction of the entrance of the bag imitated by the additional graphic is the direction of the link facing the facility indicated by the icon graphic surrounded by the bag. In this case, the additional figure added to the icon figure representing the facility facing a plurality of links may be a figure imitating a bag having a plurality of entrances for each facing link direction.
[0106]
Further, as shown in FIG. 12c, the link facing the facility indicated by each icon graphic may be displayed by adding an additional graphic to the road graphic side. In FIG. 12c, the cut of the additional figure 1310 imitating the curb provided on the side of the road is such that the facility 1311 indicated by the icon figure arranged immediately after the additional figure with respect to the viewpoint faces the link 1312 to which the additional figure is added. It represents that.
[0107]
In addition, when each route is drawn in a different color, each icon shape is displayed in the same color as the route to which the link that the facility indicated by each icon shape belongs and by displaying a frame of each icon shape. A link facing the facility to be shown may be represented in the map image.
[0108]
Also, instead of using the additional figure, the icon figure itself is deformed, and the direction is indicated by the deformed shape, so that the icon figure itself indicates the direction of the link facing the facility indicated by the icon figure. It doesn't matter.
[0109]
In the above embodiment, the link facing the facility indicated by the icon graphic is displayed by adding an additional graphic, etc., but this may be changed to display a link connected to the entrance of the facility indicated by the icon graphic. It doesn't matter. In this case, the face-to-face link information of the icon unit record only needs to describe information about the link connected to the entrance of the facility indicated by the icon graphic.
[0110]
In the above, in the icon display mode on the route and the user confirmation mode, the icon graphic and the road graphic are emphasized and drawn so as to be displayed on the map image. Any of these highlighted icon graphics and road graphics may be displayed as long as they are displayed so as to be distinguished from other elements on the map image. That is, for example, the brightness of the icon or road graphic to be emphasized is increased, or the brightness of the other icon or road graphic is decreased, or the border of the icon or road graphic to be emphasized is increased. In the form of drawing with a thick line, changing the display color of the highlighted icon shape or road shape itself and its frame, and so that the highlighted icon shape or road shape blinks on the display It does not matter.
[0111]
In the above, switching between the face-to-face link display mode, the on-route link mode, and the user confirmation mode is performed according to the user's designation. However, this may be automatically performed depending on whether the route is being guided or not. good. For example, depending on the value of the guiding flag 408, the face-to-face link display mode or the user confirmation mode is automatically set as the display mode during non-guidance, and the on-route link display mode is automatically set during guidance. Anyway. Alternatively, the user confirmation mode may be automatically set as the display mode during non-guidance and the face-to-face link display mode may be automatically set during guidance according to the value of the guidance flag 408.
[0112]
The display form with the additional figure in the face-to-face link display mode and the icon graphic highlight display in the route link display mode and the user confirmation mode may be used in combination. In other words, in the link display mode on the route and the user confirmation mode, an additional figure is added to each icon figure.AttachedYou may make it emphasize the icon figure which should be emphasized with a state.
[0113]
In the above description, the application to an in-vehicle navigation device has been described as an example. However, the present embodiment can be similarly applied to a portable navigation device, a personal computer, and a route search system operating on a Web server. It is. The same applies to a navigation device that does not have a storage medium that stores map data locally, and that receives the necessary map data from the map data server device via a communication path such as the Internet. Can be.
[0114]
【The invention's effect】
[0115]
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to display a map so that the user can easily grasp the relationship between the icon graphic and the road related to the facility represented by the icon graphic.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the contents of map data according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of map data according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an application example of an additional figure used in the embodiment of the present invention and an additional figure to an icon figure.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the contents of a navigation device parameter memory according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main control unit of the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main control unit of the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation of a map drawing unit of the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an operation of a map drawing unit of the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a navigation screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a navigation screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a navigation screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional map display.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: control device, 2: storage media drive, 3: GPS receiver, 4: angular acceleration sensor, 5: vehicle speed sensor, 6: display device, 7: VICS receiver, 8: remote control (remote controller), 21: storage Medium: 101: Map data buffer, 102: Map data read processing unit, 103: Temporary current position / orientation calculation unit, 104: Map matching processing unit, 105: Route search unit, 106: Route drawing unit, 107: Map drawing unit 108: VICS interface 109: Remote control interface 110: Main control unit 111: Parameter memory 112: Navigation screen generation unit 113: Window control unit

Claims (4)

A map display device for displaying a map including an icon graphic which is a graphic symbol representing a facility, the storage means storing map information representing the map, the map drawing means for drawing a map based on the map information, and the drawing Map display means for outputting a map screen displaying the map displayed,
Icon designation accepting means for accepting designation of an icon figure on the map screen;
The map information includes a definition of an icon graphic to be displayed on a map and a definition of an association between the icon graphic and a road section, and the map drawing means includes: A map display device, wherein a road section whose relation is defined by the map information is drawn so as to be displayed in a form that is distinguished from other road sections on the map. A map display device for displaying a map including an icon graphic which is a graphic symbol representing a facility, the storage means storing map information representing the map, the map drawing means for drawing a map based on the map information, and the drawing Map display means for outputting a map screen displaying the map displayed,
From the user, having a road designation accepting means for accepting designation of a road section on the map screen,
The map information includes a definition of an icon graphic represented on a map and a definition of a relationship between the icon graphic and a road section, and the map drawing means includes a road including a road section that has been designated by the road designation receiving means. A map display characterized in that each icon graphic whose relation to each road section belonging to is defined by the map information is displayed on the map so as to be distinguished from other icon graphics. Equipment . The map display device according to claim 1 or 2,
In the map information, the icon graphic and the road section are associated with each other between the icon graphic and the road section facing the facility represented by the icon graphic, or at the entrance of the facility represented by the icon graphic and the icon graphic. A map display device characterized in that it is defined between a road section to be connected. A navigation device comprising the map display device according to claim 1 or 2,
A current position calculating means for obtaining a current position;
A traveling direction calculation means for obtaining the current traveling direction,
The map drawing means is a mark representing the current position in the range determined with respect to the current position calculated by the current position calculating means, with the direction determined with respect to the moving direction calculated by the moving direction calculating means as the upward direction And drawing each icon graphic so that the upward direction of the graphic symbol represented by the icon graphic coincides with the upward direction of the map screen.

Images