Method of controlling display of point information on map

• US 20040162669A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nagamasa, Yoshinobu
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers

Abstract

A map of a zoom area to be zoomed is displayed within a display screen while point information excluded from the zoom area is displayed in a position for indicating a direction thereof in a periphery of the map of the zoom area.

Claims

1. A method of controlling display of a map, in which based on a designation of a map display area desired to be displayed on a display screen, a corresponding map and a position of a facility included in the map display area are displayed, the method comprising:

an identifier adding step for, in response to an instruction of zoom display of a map corresponding to a first area that is currently displayed, in order to distinguish point information associated with a first point existing in an area of a map corresponding to a second area to be zoomed from point information associated with a second point excluded from the second area to be zoomed in the map corresponding to the first area, adding to each piece of point information an identifier indicating whether or not a point is in a position in the second area; and

a display step for displaying the map corresponding to the second area to be zoomed within the display screen, the point information associated with the first point in a position for indicating the first point included in the second area, and the point information associated with the second point excluded from the second area in a position for indicating a direction of the second point in a periphery of the map corresponding to the second area.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a process is executed for restraining display of the point information associated with a position existing a predetermined distance apart from a center of the map corresponding to the second area displayed in the display step.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein when a current point of an electronic equipment for implementing the method exists on a zoomed map image displayed in the display step, a process is executed for restraining display of the point information associated with the second position existing a predetermined distance apart from the current point.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a display condition of the point information is changed depending on a distance from a center of the map corresponding to the second area displayed in the display step.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein when a current point of an electronic equipment for implementing the method exists on a zoomed map image displayed in the display step, a display condition of the point information is changed depending on a distance between the current point and the second point.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the display step, the periphery of the map corresponding to the second area on which the point information associated with the second point is superposed is set as an area different from another area of the map.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the display step, the point information associated with the second point is displayed within a range of ±

22.5°

of an actual direction.

8. An electronic equipment for, based on a designation of a map display area desired to be displayed on a display screen, displaying a corresponding map and a position of a facility included in the map display area, the electronic equipment comprising:

an identifier adding device for, in response to an instruction of zoom display of a map corresponding to a first area that is currently displayed, in order to distinguish point information associated with a first point existing in an area of a map corresponding to a second area to be zoomed from point information associated with a second point excluded from the second area to be zoomed in the map corresponding to the first area, adding to each piece of point information an identifier indicating whether or not a point is in a position in the second area; and

a display device for displaying the map corresponding to the second area to be zoomed within the display screen, the point information associated with the first point in a position for indicating the first point included in the second area, and the point information associated with the second point excluded from the second area in a position for indicating a direction of the second point in a periphery of the map corresponding to the second area.

9. The electronic equipment according to claim 8, wherein the display device executes a process for restraining display of the point information associated with a position existing a predetermined distance apart from a center of the map corresponding to the second area displayed.

10. The electronic equipment according to claim 8, wherein when a current point of the electronic equipment exists on a zoomed map image displayed, the display device executes a process for restraining display of the point information associated with the second position existing a predetermined distance apart from the current point.

11. The electronic equipment according to claim 8, wherein the display device changes a display condition of the point information depending on a distance from a center of the map corresponding to the second area displayed.

12. The electronic equipment according to claim 8, wherein when a current point of the electronic equipment exists on a zoomed map image displayed in the display step, the display device changes a display condition of the point information depending on a distance between the current point and the second point.

13. The electronic equipment according to claim 8, wherein the display device sets the periphery of the map corresponding to the second area on which the point information associated with the second point is superposed as an area different from another area of the map.

14. The electronic equipment according to claim 8, wherein the display device displays the point information associated with the second point within a range of ±

22.5 degrees of an actual direction.

15. A storage medium stored with a program for implementing a method of controlling display of a map, in which based on a designation of a map display area desired to be displayed on a display screen, a corresponding map and a position of a facility included in the map display area are displayed, the method comprising:

an identifier adding step for, in response to an instruction of zoom display of a map corresponding to a first area that is currently displayed, in order to distinguish point information associated with a first point existing in an area of a map corresponding to a second area to be zoomed from point information associated with a second point excluded from the second area to be zoomed in the map corresponding to the first area, adding to each piece of point information an identifier indicating whether or not a point is in a position in the second area; and

a display step for displaying the map corresponding to the second area to be zoomed within the display screen, the point information associated with the first point in a position for indicating the first point included in the second area, and the point information associated with the second point excluded from the second area in a position for indicating a direction of the second point in a periphery of the map corresponding to the second area.

16. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein a process is executed for restraining display of the point information associated with a position existing a predetermined distance apart from a center of the map corresponding to the second area displayed in the display step.

17. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein when a current point of an electronic equipment for implementing the method exists on a zoomed map image displayed in the display step, a process is executed for restraining display of the point information associated with the second position existing a predetermined distance apart from the current point.

18. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein a display condition of the point information is changed depending on a distance from a center of the map corresponding to the second area displayed in the display step.

19. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein when a current point of an electronic equipment for implementing the method exists on a zoomed map image displayed in the display step, a display condition of the point information is changed depending on a distance between the current point and the second point.

20. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein in the display step, the periphery of the map corresponding to the second area on which the point information associated with the second point is superposed is set as an area different from another area of the map.

21. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein in the display step, the point information associated with the second point is displayed within a range of ±

22.5 degrees of an actual direction.