Image information display apparatus

• US 20040174387A1
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nonaka, Kaiji
• Application Number:
  US10/761,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20040174387A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/684
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04718 with cardan or gimbal type joint
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04766 providing feel, e.g. indexing means, means to create counterforce
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/03 Means for enhancing the operator's awareness of arrival of the controlling member at a command or datum position; Providing feel, e.g. means for creating a counterforce arrangements for indicating the position of the controlling member G05G1/015
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device

Abstract

An image information display apparatus is provided, which is inexpensive and is capable of easily performing scrolling of image data from a current position to a destination. The image information display apparatus includes a map data storage unit 1, a display unit 2, an input unit 3, a control unit 4, and a communication satellite 5. The input unit includes a manipulation unit 22 manipulated by an operator, position sensors 25, 26 for detecting a manipulation states of the manipulation unit 22, actuators 23, 24 for supplying a force-feedback to the manipulation unit 22, and destination setting switches 27, 28. The control unit 4 calculates an amount and direction of manipulation of the manipulation unit 22 on the basis of positional signals a, b, and performs scrolling of image data 51 on the basis of the calculated amount and direction of manipulation of the manipulation unit 22 obtained. In addition, the control unit calculates the deviation between the direction of a destination B as seen from a reference point A in the road map data 51 and the direction of manipulation of the manipulation unit 22, and controls drive of the actuator 23, 24 to decrease the force-feedback to be supplied to the manipulation unit 22 with a decrease in the calculated deviation.

Claims

1. An image information display apparatus comprising:

a display unit for displaying image data;

an input unit for performing scrolling of the image data displayed on the display unit; and

a control unit for controlling the display unit and the input unit,

wherein the input unit has a manipulation unit manipulated by an operator, a position sensor for detecting a manipulation state of the manipulation unit, and an actuator for supplying force-feedback to the manipulation unit,

wherein the image data includes a prescribed point,

wherein the control unit calculates an amount and direction of manipulation of the manipulation unit on the basis of positional signals output from the position sensor, and performs the scrolling of the image data on the basis of the amount and direction of manipulation of the manipulation unit obtained, and

wherein in the course of scrolling the image data, the control unit calculates the deviation between a direction from a reference point in the display unit to the prescribed point in the image data and the direction of manipulation of the manipulation unit, and controls drive of the actuator to decrease the force-feedback to be supplied to the manipulation unit with a decrease in the calculated deviation.

2. The image information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the course of scrolling the image data, the control unit calculates a distance from a reference point in the image data corresponding to the reference point in the display unit to the prescribed point, and controls the drive of the actuator to supply to the manipulation unit an appropriate force-feedback corresponding to the calculated distance to the prescribed point.

3. The image information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the course of scrolling the image data, the control unit calculates the variation of a distance from a reference point in the image data corresponding to the reference point in the display unit to the prescribed point, and controls the drive of the actuator to supply to the manipulation unit an appropriate force-feedback corresponding to the calculated variation of the distance to the prescribed point.

4. The image information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data is map data, and the prescribed point is a destination specified by the operator.

5. The image information display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the map data is road image data expressed two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally.

6. The image information display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the map data is virtual space data expressed two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally.