Map display terminal and map display method

• US 20040090349A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Iwata, Shinichiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,944,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/995.1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A map display apparatus and a map display method facilitate detection of relationship between the destination (current position) and the peripheral condition even when a detailed map is to be displayed on the narrow display area. The map display terminal displays a particular position, a current position, a destination, on a map by deriving the current position on the basis of a position information from a satellite. The map display apparatus has first means for displaying a wide area map having smaller reduced scale than a detailed map and centered at said current position upon displaying said detailed map centered at said current position.

Claims

1. A map display terminal for displaying a current position on a map by deriving the current position on the basis of a position information from a satellite, comprising:

first means for displaying a wide area map having smaller reduced scale than a detailed map and centered at said current position upon displaying said detailed map centered at said current position.

2. A map display terminal as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises second means for displaying the initially displayed wide area map with expansion in step-by-step manner until said detailed map is displayed.

3. A map display terminal as set forth in claim 2, wherein said second means includes means for downloading detailed map information from a server storing said detailed map information.

4. A map display terminal as set forth in claim 3, which is a portable communication terminal.

5. A map display terminal as set forth in claim 4, wherein a communication between said portable communication terminal and said server is performed through a portable telephone network.

6. A map display terminal as set forth in claim 4, wherein a communication between said portable communication terminal and said server is performed through a packet network.

7. A map display terminal as set forth in claim 3, wherein said second means expands display of said wide area map in step-by-step manner depending upon progress of downloading of said detailed map information.

8. A map display terminal as set forth in claim 4, wherein said second means includes means for calculating an expansion ratio at each display stage on the basis of a ratio of reduced scales of said wide area map and said detailed map, number of display stages, progress of downloading.

9. A map display method for displaying a map of a current position by deriving said current position on the basis of a position information from a satellite, comprising:

first step of displaying a wide area map having smaller reduced scale than a detailed map and centered at said current position upon displaying said detailed map centered at said current position.

10. A map display method as set forth in claim 9, which further comprises second step of displaying the initially displayed wide area map with expansion in step-by-step manner until said detailed map is displayed.

11. A map display method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said second step includes step of downloading detailed map information from a server storing said detailed map information.

12. A map display method as set forth in claim 11, wherein a communication between said portable communication terminal and said server is performed through a portable telephone network.

13. A map display method as set forth in claim 11, wherein a communication between said portable communication terminal and said server is performed through a packet network.

14. A map display method as set forth in claim 11, wherein said second step expands display of said wide area map in step-by-step manner depending upon progress of downloading of said detailed map information.

15. A map display method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said second step includes step for calculating an expansion ratio at each display stage on the basis of a ratio of reduced scales of said wide area map and said detailed map, number of display stages, progress of downloading.

16. A storage medium storing a map display control program for displaying a map of a current position by deriving said current position on the basis of a position information from a satellite, said control program comprising:

first step of displaying a wide area map having smaller reduced scale than a detailed map and centered at said current position upon displaying said detailed map centered at said current position.

17. A storage medium as set forth in claim 16, which further comprises second step of displaying the initially displayed wide area map with expansion in step-by-step manner until said detailed map is displayed.