Method of displaying landmark in navigation device

• US 20030105585A1
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Ukita, Tomohiko
• Granted Patent: US 6,694,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

Additional marks made up of figures, marks or symbols representing a state in which the disposed state of a facility and/or the supplementary conditions thereof are displayed in combination with a landmark which is peculiar to the facility.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a landmark in a navigation apparatus in which map information, a present position of a motor vehicle, a destination, a driving route, a position of a facility, a landmark of the facility or the like are displayed on a screen of a monitor display, said method comprising the steps of:

storing an additional mark made up of a figure, a mark and a symbol representing at least one of an installed state and a supplementary condition of the facility in a storage device as a data base;

determining, when the landmark is to be displayed on a map of the monitor display, as to whether the facility has at least one of the installed state and the supplementary condition;

calling up a corresponding additional mark, if the facility has at least one of the installed state and the supplementary condition, from the data base for displaying in combination with a peculiar landmark of the facility; and

displaying the peculiar landmark of the facility as a single landmark, if the facility does not have at least one of the installed state and the supplementary condition.

2. The method of displaying a landmark in a navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the size of the peculiar landmark is smaller when displayed in combination with the additional mark than when displayed independently.

3. The method of displaying a landmark in a navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of different additional marks are simultaneously displayed in combination with the peculiar landmark.

4. The method of displaying a landmark in a navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional mark is one of a pictorial representation and a figure, both having an image inclusive of a building, an underground market, a supermarket, a park and so on.

5. The method of displaying a landmark in a navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional mark is a mark having an image inclusive of a parking lot, a drive-through or the like.

6. The method of displaying a landmark in a navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional mark is a figure such as a mesh, a frame, or the like to enclose the peculiar landmark.