Navigation System with Animated Intersection View

• US 20070192020A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Brulle-Drews, Christian, Grabs, Volker
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams

Abstract

A vehicle navigation system helps guide a driver to a destination by enhancing visualization of upcoming intersections. The navigation system stores animation data that depicts the intersection as it will appear to the driver. The animation data may be a sequence of images (e.g., digital camera images) taken at intervals before and after the intersection. The navigation system may show the images in synchronism with the progress of the vehicle to provide an animated display of the intersection for the driver. The animated display aids the driver with following a recommended navigation route to the destination.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a location system operable to determine a vehicle location;

a database comprising intersection animation data for an intersection and static image data for the intersection; and

a processor coupled to the location system and the animation database, the processor operable to determine when the intersection is in view, responsively initiate play of the animation data on a first display layer, and render the static image data on a second display layer.

2. The navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

synchronization logic which synchronizes play of the animation data with the vehicle location.

3. The navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

a map database comprising a digital map, and where the processor initiates play of the animation data mixed with the digital map.

4. The navigation system of claim 3, further comprising:

an intersection view database comprising a point-of-interest bitmap, and where the processor initiates play of the animation data mixed with the point-of-interest bitmap.

5. The navigation system of claim 1, further comprising:

an intersection view database comprising an intersection bitmap of the intersection and a database reference which links the intersection bitmap to the animation data.

6. A method for navigating, the method comprising:

determining a vehicle location;

determining an upcoming intersection based on the vehicle location;

retrieving data for the intersection, where the data includes video data and static image data based on the intersection;

initiating play of the video data for the intersection on a first display layer; and

rendering the static image data on a second display layer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

synchronizing play of the animation data with the vehicle location.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

synchronizing play of the animation data with the vehicle location based on a distance between views of the intersection represented in frames of the animation data.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

retrieving a point-of-interest bitmap based on the vehicle location; and

mixing the point-of-interest bitmap with the animation data.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

placing the animation data in a first display layer;

placing the point-of-interest bitmap on a second display layer; and

combining the first and second display layers for presentation.

11. A computer program product comprising:

a computer useable medium having computer readable code embodied in the medium, the computer readable code comprising;

computer readable code executable to determine a vehicle location;

computer readable code executable to determine an upcoming intersection based on the vehicle location;

computer readable code executable to retrieve data for the intersection, where the animation data includes video data and static image data based on the intersection;

computer readable code executable to initiate play of the video data for the intersection on a first display layer; and

computer readable code executable to render the static image data on a second display layer.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising computer readable code executable to synchronize play of the animation data with the vehicle location.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising computer readable code executable to synchronize play of the animation data with the vehicle location based on a distance between views of the intersection represented in frames of the animation data.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

computer readable code executable to retrieve a point-of-interest bitmap based on the vehicle location; and

computer readable code executable to mix the point-of-interest bitmap with the animation data.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

computer readable code executable to placing the animation data in a first display layer;

computer readable code executable to place the point-of-interest bitmap on a second display layer; and

computer readable code executable to combine the first and second display layers for presentation.

16. A navigation apparatus comprising:

means for determining a vehicle location;

means for determining an upcoming intersection based on the vehicle location;

means for retrieving data for the intersection, where the data includes video data and static image data based on the intersection; and

means for initiating play of the data for the intersection initiating play of the video data for the intersection on a first display layer and rendering the static image data on a second display layer.

17. The navigation apparatus of claim 16 further comprising means for synchronizing play of the animation data with the vehicle location.

18. The navigation apparatus of claim 16 further comprising means for synchronizing play of the animation data with the vehicle location based on a distance between views of the intersection represented in frames of the animation data.

19. The navigation apparatus of claim 16 further comprising means for retrieving a point-of-interest bitmap based on the vehicle location;

and means for mixing the point-of-interest bitmap with the animation data.

20. The navigation apparatus of claim 19 further comprising means for placing the animation data in a first display layer;

means for placing the point-of-interest bitmap on a second display layer; and

means for combining the first and second display layers for presentation.