Display apparatus

• US 20080136841A1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Oshitani, Yasuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,973,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/636
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/343 for systems having a character code-mapped display memory
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/40 characterised by the way in which both a pattern determined by character code and another pattern are displayed simultaneously, or either pattern is displayed selectively, e.g. with character code memory and APA, i.e. all-points-addressable, memory

Abstract

A map display apparatus includes a display unit, a data access unit accessible to map data, which includes a map image and character strings, and a control unit that allows the display unit to display the map data on a screen in such a manner that each character string is overlaid on a corresponding position on the map image. The control unit interprets the character string having characters, the number of which exceeding a predetermined maximum number of characters, as a scroll character string. The control unit creates a scroll display field in the corresponding position to the scroll character string and causes the scroll character string to scroll within the scroll display field.

Claims

1. A map display apparatus comprising:

a display unit;

a data access unit accessible to map data, the map data including a map image and a plurality of character strings; and

control means that allows the display unit to display the map data on a screen in such a manner that each character string is overlaid on a corresponding position on the map image,

wherein the control means interprets the character string having characters, the number of which exceeding a predetermined maximum number of characters, as a scroll character string, and

wherein the control means creates a scroll display field in the corresponding position to the scroll character string and causes the scroll character string to scroll within the scroll display field.

2. The map display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of character strings includes at least one of a road name, a region name, and a facility name.

3. The map display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein size of the scroll display field is set so that the predetermined maximum number of characters is displayed at a time within the scroll display field.

4. The map display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control means causes the scroll character string to scroll by one character within the scroll display field.

5. The map display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control means causes the scroll character string to repeatedly scroll within the scroll display field.

6. The map display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control means causes the scroll character string to horizontally scroll within the scroll display field.

7. The map display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein when there is a plurality of scroll character strings, the control means creates a plurality of scroll display fields,

wherein the control means causes each scroll character string to scroll within a corresponding scroll display field, and

wherein after a scroll of one scroll character string is completed, a scroll of an other scroll character string is started.

8. The map display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection unit that detects a current location of an user and a heading direction of the user,

wherein the map image displayed on the screen of the display unit indicates an area around the detected current location,

wherein the control means determines whether the scroll display field is located on a front side of the screen with respect to the current location in the heading direction, and

wherein the control means causes only the scroll character string corresponding to the scroll display field located on the front side to scroll.

9. The map display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a navigation unit that sets a route path of an user and guides the user along the route path,

wherein when the navigation unit determines that the user must turn right at an upcoming intersection, the control means causes the scroll character string to scroll from left to right at a first scroll speed,

wherein when the navigation unit determines that the user must go straight at the upcoming intersection, the control means causes the scroll character string to scroll from right to left at the first scroll speed, and

wherein when the navigation unit determines that the user must turn left at the upcoming intersection, the control means causes the scroll character string to scroll from right to left at a second scroll speed different from the first scroll speed.

10. The map display apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the second scroll speed is greater than the first scroll speed.