Navigation system and map display

• US 20030132862A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,963,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/995.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps

Abstract

In order to intuitively recognize a display relating to a route on a map, data of character strings and figures to be displayed on the map are stored in advance by relating a target designated by a character string or a figure to an associated link or node. When a recommended route is computed, character strings and figures related to a link and node through which the recommended route runs are displayed on the map together with the recommended route with emphasis in comparison to the other character strings and figures.

Claims

1. A navigation system for displaying a route to a destination on a map comprising:

a memory unit for storing road network information indicating a road network and map information defining objects to be displayed on the map;

a map drawing unit for drawing the map including the objects on the basis of the map information;

a route retrieval unit for retrieving a route to the destination on the basis of the road network information; and

a navigation screen displaying unit for displaying a navigation screen expressing the route retrieved by the route retrieval unit on the map drawn by the map drawing unit,

wherein in the map information, at least some of the objects are defined to relate to at least one of a road point and a road interval, and

wherein the map drawing unit draws objects so that the objects defined to relate to a road point or a road interval through which the route runs are displayed on the navigation screen in a configuration to distinguish them from other objects.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the road network information is a road network expressed as an aggregation of links having nodes as ends and joints of the links, and

wherein the relationship in the map information between an object and a road point or a road interval is defined by relating the object to at least one of a link and a node.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein in the map information, an object pertaining to a road is defined to relate to one of a road point corresponding to a point on the road and a road interval corresponding to an interval on the road.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein in the map information, an object facing a road is defined to relate to one of a road point facing the object and a road interval facing the object.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the objects comprise an object that is a character string, and

wherein the map drawing unit draws a character string defined to relate to one of a road point and a road interval through which the route runs so as to be different from other character strings in at least one of a font, a size, and a color.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the objects comprise an object that is a landmark figure, and

wherein the map drawing unit draws a landmark figure defined to relate to one of a road point and a road interval through which the route runs so as to be different from other landmark figures in at least one of a color, brightness, and transparency.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein after the route retrieval unit retrieves a route, the map drawing unit draws an object defined to relate to one of a road point and a road interval through which the route runs so that the object is displayed on the navigation screen in a configuration to distinguish it from other objects.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the route retrieval unit retrieves a plurality of routes to a destination on the basis of the road network information;

the navigation screen displaying unit displays a navigation screen expressing a plurality of routes retrieved by the route retrieval unit on a map drawn by the map drawing unit; and

the map drawing unit draws the objects so that an object defined to relate to one of a road point and a road interval through which one of the plurality of routes runs is displayed on the navigation screen in a configuration to distinguish it from other objects.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the map drawing unit displays each route of the plurality of routes in a different color and displays an object related to each of the routes in the same color as that of the related route.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein one of the objects is a landmark figure such as a facility.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein one of the objects is a landmark figure expressing a road feature such as an interchange.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein one of the objects is a character string expressing a road name or a facility name.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system is for mounting on a vehicle.

14. A navigation system for displaying a route to a destination on a map comprising:

a memory unit for storing road network information indicating a road network and map information defining objects to be displayed on the map;

a map drawing unit for drawing the map including the objects on the basis of the map information;

a route retrieval unit for retrieving a route to the destination on the basis of the road network information; and

a navigation screen displaying unit for displaying a navigation screen expressing the route retrieved by the route retrieval unit on the map drawn by the map drawing unit,

wherein in the map information, at least some of the objects are defined to relate to at least one of a road point and a road interval, and

wherein the map drawing unit draws the objects so that only the objects defined to relate to a road point or a road interval through which the route runs are displayed while the other objects are not displayed.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein with respect to some of the objects, the map drawing unit draws the objects defined to relate to one of a road point and a road interval through which the route runs, while the map drawing unit does not draw the other objects.

16. A navigation system for displaying a map comprising:

a memory unit for storing road network information indicating a road network and map information defining objects to be displayed on the map;

a map drawing unit for drawing the map including the objects on the basis of the map information;

a map displaying unit for producing a map screen having the drawn and displayed map; and

a designation receiving unit for receiving the designation of one of a road and a road interval,

wherein in the map information, at least some of the objects are defined to relate to at least one of a road point and a road interval, and

wherein the map drawing unit draws the objects so that objects defined to relate to a road point or a road interval included in a designated road or designated road interval are displayed on the map screen in a configuration to distinguish them from other objects.

17. A navigation system for displaying a map comprising:

a memory unit for storing road network information indicating a road network and map information defining objects to be displayed on the map;

a map drawing unit for drawing the map including the objects on the basis of the map information;

a map displaying unit for producing a map screen having the drawn and displayed map; and

a designation receiving unit for receiving the designation of one of a road and a road interval,

wherein in the map information, at least some of the objects are defined to relate to at least one of a road point and a road interval, and

wherein with respect to a predetermined kind of the objects, the map drawing unit draws only the objects defined to relate to a road point or a road interval included in the designated road point or the designated road interval.

18. A map displaying method for displaying a map in a navigation system comprising:

drawing the map including an object having a real target to be displayed on the map; and

displaying a map screen for producing the drawn map,

wherein the act of drawing the map is performed to draw the objects so that at least one of an object group corresponding to or located at a road point or a road interval conforming to a predetermined condition, an object group connected to a road point or a road interval conforming to the predetermined condition, and an object group facing a road point or a road interval conforming to the predetermined condition is displayed on the map screen in a configuration distinguished from the other objects.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising retrieving a route to a destination,

wherein the act of displaying a map screen includes displaying a map screen designating the retrieved route on the drawn map, and

wherein the road point or the road interval conforming to the predetermined condition is a road point or a road interval through which the retrieved route runs.

20. A computer program, which is read and executed by a computer, to carry out the acts of:

drawing a map including an object having a real target to be displayed on the map; and

displaying a map screen for producing the drawn map,

wherein the act of drawing the map is performed to draw the objects so that at least one of an object group corresponding to or located at a road point or a road interval conforming to a predetermined condition, an object group connected to a road point or a road interval conforming to the predetermined condition, and an object group facing a road point or a road interval conforming to the predetermined condition is displayed on the map screen in a configuration distinguished from the other objects.