NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM, AS WELL AS METHOD FOR ILLUSTRATING A ROAD MAP WITH ISOLINES

• US 20080086265A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Navigon AG (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Navigon AG (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Heuser, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/860,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086265A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/211
• 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: G09B 29/12 Relief maps relief models G09B25/06

Abstract

The invention pertains to a navigation system, for example, for a motor vehicle, as well as to a method for simultaneously displaying isolines and a road map. The navigation system comprises a processor as well as a display device for displaying a road map. The invention is characterized in that the processor is designed for selecting isoline data and for displaying isolines (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) on the display device, wherein the illustrated road map and the isolines that correspond to the illustrated road map can be superimposed on the display device. The invention allows a much better and intuitive orientation for the user with the aid of the expanded illustration on the monitor of the navigation system. The method and navigation system ensure a technically robust combination of existing road maps and separate isoline data, namely of any arbitrary origin, which can be realized in a cost-efficient fashion.

Claims

1. A navigation system, particularly for a motor vehicle, wherein said navigation system comprises a processor as well as a display device for displaying a road map,

characterized in that

the processor is designed for selecting isoline data and for displaying isolines (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) on the display device, wherein the illustrated road map and the isolines (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) that correspond to the illustrated road map can be superimposed on the display device.

2. The navigation system according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the isoline data comprises elevation data in the form of contour lines of identical elevation (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ).

3. The navigation system according to claim 1,

characterized in that

areas bordered by an isoline (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) are shaded with a different color value or a different gray-scale value in accordance with their numerical value.

4. The navigation system according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the isoline data is stored in at least one separate isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) that is independent of the road map.

5. The navigation system according to claim 4,

characterized in that

the at least one isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) is assigned to a certain limited area (A, B, C, D . . . ) on the road map.

6. The navigation system according to claim 4,

characterized in that

the isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) comprises a multitude of data file segments (I, II, III, IV . . . ), wherein each data file segment contains the isoline data of a certain geographic area tile (I, II, III, IV . . . ).

7. The navigation system according to claim 4,

characterized in that

the isoline data is contained in the isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) in the form of closed polygons (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ).

8. The navigation system according to claim 7,

characterized in that

the polygons (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) are sequentially arranged in the data file segments (I, II, III, IV . . . ) of the isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) in the drawing sequence.

9. The navigation system according to claim 7,

characterized in that

the point coordinates of a polygon (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) are sequentially arranged in the isoline data file in the drawing direction of the polygon (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ).

10. The navigation system according to claim 4,

characterized in that

several isoline data files (File A, B, C, D . . . ) or several sets of isoline data files exist for a geographic region (M) and are respectively assigned to different image scales.

11. A method for simultaneously illustrating isolines (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) and a road map on the display device of a navigation system, wherein the navigation system features a processor, and wherein the method comprises:

a) determining the geographic position (P) of the navigation system;

b) displaying the section of the road map that corresponds to the geographic position (P) on the display device;

c) selecting an isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) that corresponds to the geographic position (P) and to the scale of the displayed road map by means of the processor;

d) reading out the isolines (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) enclosed by the illustrated map section from the isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ), and

e) drawing the isolines (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) on the display device, wherein the isolines (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) and the map are illustrated in a superimposed fashion.

12. The method according to claim 11,

characterized in that

the isoline data is formed of elevation data in the form of contour lines of identical elevation (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ).

13. The method according to claim 11,

characterized in that

the isoline data is contained in at least one separate isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) that is independent of the road map.

14. The method according to claim 13,

characterized in that

the at least one isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) is assigned to a certain limited area (A, B, C, D . . . ) on the road map.

15. The method according to claim 13,

characterized in that

an isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) comprises a multitude of data file segments (I, II, III, IV . . . ), wherein each data file segment contains the isoline data of a certain geographic area tile (I, II, III, IV . . . ).

16. The method according to claim 13,

characterized in that

the isoline data is contained in the isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) in the form of closed polygons (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ).

17. The method according to claim 16,

characterized in that

the polygons (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) are sequentially arranged in the isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) in the drawing sequence.

18. The method according to claim 16,

characterized in that

the point coordinates of a polygon (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) are sequentially arranged in the isoline data file (File A, B, C, D . . . ) in the drawing direction of the polygon (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ).

19. The method according to claim 11,

characterized in that

areas bordered by an isoline (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) are shaded with a different color value or a different gray-scale value in accordance with their numerical value.

20. The method according to claim 11,

characterized in that

the isolines (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) are drawn in accordance with the sequence of their numerical value.

21. The method according to claim 13,

characterized in that

a multitude of isoline data files (File A, B, C, D . . . ) or several sets of isoline data files exist for a geographic region (M) and are respectively used for generating the polygons or isolines (1, 2, 3, 4 . . . ) on the display device in dependence on the instantaneous image scale.