U.S. patent application number 12/787012 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-16 for electronic map apparatus and electronic map display method.
This patent application is currently assigned to SONY CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Emi Arakawa, Hiroshi MAEDA, Nobuhiro Ozu, Ippei Tanbata.
Application Number | 20100235779 12/787012 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 14610869 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100235779 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MAEDA; Hiroshi ; et
al. |
September 16, 2010 |
ELECTRONIC MAP APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC MAP DISPLAY METHOD
Abstract
In an electronic map apparatus, an electronic map is displayed
in accordance with map data read out from a DVD-ROM. Then, distance
display circles which have a common center located at a point on
the electronic map and each interconnect points on the electronic
map at equal geographical distances from the point are drawn. As a
result, it is possible to know an approximate geographical distance
to a destination intuitively and easily in the electronic map
apparatus which is typically used for car navigation.
Inventors: |
MAEDA; Hiroshi; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Ozu; Nobuhiro; (Tokyo, JP) ; Tanbata;
Ippei; (Kanagawa, JP) ; Arakawa; Emi; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT & DUNNER;LLP
901 NEW YORK AVENUE, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-4413
US
|
Assignee: |
SONY CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
14610869 |
Appl. No.: |
12/787012 |
Filed: |
May 25, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09553530 |
Apr 20, 2000 |
7743337 |
|
|
12787012 |
|
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/781 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C 21/3667 20130101;
G01C 21/3682 20130101; G09B 29/106 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/781 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/048 20060101
G06F003/048 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 21, 1999 |
JP |
P11-113381 |
Claims
1. An electronic map apparatus comprising: data fetching means for
fetching map data from media for storing said map data to be
displayed as a map; a display device for displaying said map in
accordance with said map data; and a microcomputer for processing,
to display said map in a perspective view, data of a circle or an
arc which has a center at a specified point on said map and links
points on said map at equal geographical distances from said
center.
2. An electronic map apparatus comprising: data fetching means for
fetching map data from media for storing said map data to be
displayed as a map; a display device for displaying said map in
accordance with said map data; and a microcomputer for processing
data of a circle or an arc which has a center at a specified point
on said map and links points on said map at equal geographical
distances from said center, wherein said circle or said arc is
displayed on said map displayed on said display device in a
perspective view in accordance with said data processed by said
microcomputer when said map is displayed on said display
device.
3. An electronic map apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
microcomputer processes data of a plurality of said circles or said
arcs representing different geographical distances from said center
and said circles or said arcs are each superposed on said map
displayed in a perspective view.
4. An electronic map apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said
microcomputer outputs numbers each indicating a geographical
distance from said center to one of said circles or said arcs and
displays each of said numbers at a location in close proximity to
the circumference of said circle or said arc with a geographical
distance thereof indicated by said number.
5. An electronic map apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said
microcomputer changes contraction of a map displayed on said
display device in a perspective view and modifies said geographical
distances from said center to said circles or said arcs and the
number of said circles or said arcs in accordance with a degree of
contraction of said map.
6. An electronic map apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: said
electronic map apparatus is a navigation apparatus mounted on a
vehicle; said specified point is the position of said vehicle; map
data of a map including said position of said vehicle is read out
from said media; and said map is displayed in a perspective view in
accordance with said map data read out from said media.
7. An electronic map apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
specified point is a point on a map specified by a user.
8. An electronic map apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
map is displayed in a perspective view, and a character or a symbol
representing a direction is displayed at said specified point.
9. An electronic map display method comprising the steps of:
fetching map data from predetermined media for storing said map
data to be displayed as a map; displaying said map on a display
device in a perspective view in accordance with said map data; and
displaying a circle or an arc, which has a center at a specified
point on said map and links points on said map at equal
geographical distances from said center, on said map displayed on a
display device in a perspective view.
10. An electronic map display method according to claim 9, wherein
a plurality of said circles or said arcs representing different
geographical distances from said center each displayed on said map
displayed in a perspective view.
11. An electronic map display method according to claim 10, wherein
numbers each indicating a geographical distance from said center to
one of said circles or said arcs are displayed at a location in
close proximity to the circumference of said circle or said
arc.
12. An electronic map display method according to claim 10, wherein
said geographical distances from said center to said circles or
said arcs and the number of said circles or said arcs are changed
in accordance with a degree of contraction of said map.
13. An electronic map display method according to claim 9, wherein:
the position of a vehicle on which a navigation apparatus is
mounted is specified as said specified point; map data of a map
including said position of said vehicle is read out from said
media; and said map is displayed in a perspective view in
accordance with said map data read out from said media.
14. An electronic map display method according to claim 9, wherein
a point on a map is specified by a user as said specified
point.
15. An electronic map display method according to claim 9, wherein
said map is displayed in a perspective view, and a character or a
symbol representing a direction is displayed at said specified
point.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic map apparatus
and a method of displaying an electronic map.
[0002] In an onboard navigation apparatus mounted on a vehicle, a
map is displayed on a display unit in accordance with map data read
out from a memory such as a CD-ROM. Typically, there is provided a
function to draw lines along longitude and latitude lines,
superposing the lines on the map at predetermined intervals to form
a shape resembling a checkerboard as shown in FIG. 6A.
[0003] Thus, by using this drawing function, for example, it is
possible to know an approximate geographical distance between the
present position of the vehicle and a destination of the vehicle
such as a location or a building.
[0004] In addition, electronic map viewer application software
executed on a personal computer, for example, includes a function
for displaying a scale showing a geographical distance outside the
frame of a displayed map. By using this distance scale, a
geographical distance can also be determined.
[0005] In the case of such a display method, however, in an attempt
to know the approximate geographical distance between the present
position of the vehicle and the destination of the vehicle such as
a location or a building while driving the vehicle, it is difficult
to know the geographical distance instantaneously. Particularly, it
is more difficult to know a geographical distance in a direction
slanting with respect to a longitude or latitude line.
[0006] FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a map in a top view. In
general, however, an onboard navigation apparatus mounted on a
vehicle also includes a function to convert original map data into
a map displayed in a perspective view as shown in FIG. 6B.
[0007] On a map displayed in a perspective view, a unit-length
distance varies from position to position as well as from direction
to direction. It is thus much more difficult to intuitively and
speedily know an actual geographical distance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention addresses such problems.
[0009] In order to solve the problems described above, the present
invention provides an electronic map apparatus comprising: data
fetching means for fetching map data from media for storing the map
data to be displayed as a map; a display device for displaying the
map in accordance with the map data; and a microcomputer for
processing data of a circle or an arc which has a center at a
specified point on the map and links points on the map at equal
geographical distances from the center, wherein the circle or the
arc is displayed on the map displayed on the display device in
accordance with the data processed by the microcomputer.
[0010] Thus, a circle or an arc representing a geographical
distance is drawn on an electronic map.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0012] FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views each showing a display
example provided by the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a display example
provided by the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a display example
provided by the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a top view showing a display example provided by
the present invention; and
[0016] FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory diagrams used for describing
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] An onboard navigation apparatus mounted on a vehicle is
normally provided with a function to display the position of the
vehicle on an electronic map appearing on a display unit.
[0018] In addition, with an onboard navigation apparatus mounted on
a vehicle or electronic map viewer application software, the user
is allowed to scroll an electronic map appearing on a display unit
by operating components such as a cursor key and a mouse. In order
to clearly indicate a location serving as an object of operation
after the scroll processing, normally, the application software
displays a cross-shaped cursor or a finger mark as a scroll center
mark at a position in close proximity to the center of the map.
[0019] The present invention allows the user to know a geographical
distance on an electronic map speedily and intuitively by focusing
on these points.
[0020] In the following description, the present invention is
exemplified by an embodiment as applied to an onboard navigation
apparatus mounted on a vehicle by referring to FIG. 1.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a navigation apparatus employing
a microcomputer 10 used as a control circuit for controlling the
apparatus. As shown in the figure, the microcomputer 10 comprises a
CPU 11 for executing a variety of programs, a ROM 12 for storing
these programs, a RAM 13 used as a work area and a non-volatile
memory 14 for holding various kinds of data. The CPU 11, the ROM
12, the RAM 13 and the non-volatile memory 14 are connected to each
other by a system bus 19.
[0022] In addition, the system bus 19 is also connected to a
variety of operation keys 15 through a key interface circuit 16 and
connected to a color LCD 18 serving as a display device through an
LCD controller circuit 17.
[0023] The navigation apparatus shown in FIG. 1 employs a DVD-ROM
30 as media with a large capacity for storing various kinds of map
data required for navigation. The map data includes data used as a
base for displaying a map and data of roads for map matching. The
navigation apparatus thus includes a DVD-ROM drive 21 for reading
out data from the DVD-ROM 30. The DVD-ROM drive 21 is also
connected to the system bus 19.
[0024] The navigation apparatus also includes a gyro 22 serving as
a self-contained navigation unit. The gyro 22 generates data such
as its own movement speed, supplying the data to the microcomputer
10. In addition, the navigation apparatus has a vehicle-speed
sensor 23 for detecting the running speed of the vehicle. A
detection signal generated by the vehicle-speed sensor 23 is also
supplied to the microcomputer 10.
[0025] Furthermore, a wave transmitted by a navigation satellite
such as a GPS satellite is received by a GPS antenna 24 and a
signal generated by the GPS antenna 24 to represent the received
wave is supplied to a GPS unit (reception circuit) 25. The GPS unit
25 generates data such as the position of the vehicle, supplying
the data to the microcomputer 10.
[0026] In such a configuration, the signals output by the gyro 22,
the vehicle-speed sensor 23 and the GPS unit 25 are processed by
the CPU 11 to determine the position of the vehicle. Then, data of
a map including the position of the vehicle is read out from the
DVD-ROM 30. Subsequently, an electronic map 40 centered at the
vicinity of the vehicle position is displayed on the LCD 18
typically as shown in FIG. 2A. In addition, a mark 41 typically
resembling an inverted V-character for representing the vehicle is
displayed at the position of the vehicle. It should be noted that
FIG. 2A is a diagram showing the electronic map 40 in a perspective
view.
[0027] Then, when a predetermined key among the keys 15 is
operated, concentric distance display circles 42, 43 and 44
centered at the vehicle mark 41 or with a center located at the
position of the vehicle are displayed on the electronic map 40 as
shown in FIG. 2B. The concentric distance display circles 42 to 44
which are centered at the vehicle mark 41 are each an equidistant
curve interconnecting points on the electronic map 40 at equal
geographical distances to the vehicle mark 41. In the case of the
example shown in FIG. 2B, since the electronic map 40 is displayed
in a perspective view, the distance display circles 42 to 44 each
appear approximately as an ellipse.
[0028] The distance display circles 42 to 44 shown in FIG. 2B are
equidistant curves interconnecting points at distances of 200 m,
400 m and 800 m respectively which form a geometrical series. The
distance display circles 42 to 44 are each marked with a number 45
indicating the geographical distance from the vehicle mark 41 at a
location in close proximity to the curve.
[0029] It should be noted that the geographical distances for the
distance display circles 42 to 44 and the marking numbers 45 are
set at values such as 50 m, 100 m, 200 m and 400 m which correspond
to the degree of contraction of the displayed electronic map 40.
The distance display circles 42 to 44 are displayed by execution of
a program to draw the circles 42 to 44 by the CPU 11. The program
is stored in the ROM 12 in advance. In the case of the distance
display circle 44, only an arc thereof or a partial equidistant
curve of the circle 44 is displayed on the electronic map 40 shown
in FIG. 2B.
[0030] As described above, the navigation apparatus displays the
electronic map 40 on the LCD 18 and the distance display circles 42
to 44 which have a center at the vehicle mark 41 and connect points
at equal geographical distances from the center. Thus, an
approximate geographical distance to a destination such as a
location or a building can be intuitively and speedily known.
[0031] In addition, in this case, the geographical distance can be
known without a problem even if the electronic map 40 is displayed
in a perspective view and, moreover, even if the destination is
located in a slanting direction.
[0032] Furthermore, since an approximate geographical distance from
the position of the vehicle to a destination can be known
intuitively and speedily from the electronic map 40, the map 40 can
be used as a reference of a drive plan with ease. Additionally,
since the electronic map 40 is displayed in a perspective view, the
distance display circles 42 to 44 provide an improved
three-dimensional effect. Moreover, by merely adding a program for
displaying the distance display circles 42 to 44 to a drawing
driver (or a drawing software program), the effect described above
can be obtained.
[0033] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a cross-shaped cursor 46
indicating a scroll center at a location in close proximity to the
center of the electronic map 40 which is displayed in a perspective
view. The figure also shows the distance display circles 42, 43 and
44 which have a common center at the cross-shaped cursor 46 and
connect points at equal geographical distances of 200 m, 400 m and
800 m respectively from the center.
[0034] FIG. 4 is a diagram which shows the electronic map 40 in a
perspective view after shifting the electronic map 40 in the
direction of the vehicle movement so that the vehicle mark 41 is
located below the center of the electronic map 40 in order to
display more information on locations on the electronic map 40 in
the direction of the vehicle movement. In such a case, the whole
circumferences or partial arcs of the distance display circles 42
to 44 and distance display circles on the outer side of the circles
42 to 44 can each be displayed as an equidistant curve.
[0035] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the electronic map 40 in a top
view. In this form, the distance display circles 42 to 44 are each
displayed almost as a true circle.
[0036] Also in the case of these electronic maps 40, a geographical
distance can be known intuitively and speedily from the distance
display circles 42 to 44.
[0037] It should be noted that, by displaying the distance display
circles 42 to 44 each as a shadowed figure or as a highlighted
figure, or by providing a ground color such as a supplementary
color of a drawn portion to the distance display circles 42 to 44,
the circles 42 to 44 can be made more clearly visible.
[0038] In addition, by displaying a character or a symbol to
represent a direction on the circumference of a circle with the
center thereof located at the vehicle mark 41 on the electronic map
40 appearing in a perspective view, is possible to easily and
instantly know the running direction, of the vehicle, which is
difficult to recognize in a perspective view.
[0039] Furthermore, it is also possible to display lines radiately
from the position of the vehicle or the center of the electronic
map 40 and display a scale representing the geographical distance
from the position of the vehicle or the center of the electronic
map 40 on each of the lines.
[0040] Moreover, in place of the distance display circles 42 to 44,
the electronic map 40 can also be displayed as areas having
different colors with the circles 42 to 44 each serving as a border
between two adjacent colors. Assuming that the display processing
hardware comprises two or more layers, the electronic map 40 is
drawn at the lower layer whereas the upper layer is made a
semi-transparent layer, and colors are provided with the circles 42
to 44 each serving as a border between two adjacent colors.
[0041] Additionally, while the present invention is exemplified by
an onboard navigation apparatus mounted on a vehicle in the above
description, the invention can also be applied to a case in which a
map is displayed in accordance with map data on a FDA or a personal
computer. Furthermore, media with a large storage capacity such as
a CD-ROM can also be employed in place of the DVD-ROM 30. Moreover,
the format of map data used as a base for displaying the electronic
map 40 on the display apparatus does not matter.
* * * * *