System and Apparatus for Processing Information, Image Display Apparatus, Control Method and Computer Program

• US 20080183382A1
• Filed: 01/18/2008
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: SUZUNO, Satoshi, ASAI, Atsushi, OSADA, Takeki, ITO, Junpei
• Granted Patent: US 8,903,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3638 including 3D objects and buildings three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects G06T17/00; geographic models G06T17/05
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/21 Collision detection, intersection

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a three-dimensional map data storage unit for storing three-dimensional map data for use in projecting a three-dimensional space on a map onto a plane, a location information storage unit for storing location information including a type of geographical objects at points spaced at predetermined intervals on the map, a present position storage unit for storing a present position on the map, an operation input receiving unit for receiving an operation input, a collision determination unit for determining the possibility of occurrence of collision in a course from the present position to an end point, a correction unit for correcting the end point based on the determined possibility of occurrence of collision and shifting the present position to the corrected end point, and a drawing unit for drawing a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image produced by projecting onto the plane the three-dimensional space on the map.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

three-dimensional map data storage means for storing three-dimensional map data for use in projecting a three-dimensional space on a map onto a plane;

location information storage means for storing location information including a type of geographical objects at points spaced at predetermined intervals on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means with the location information in association with the respective point;

present position storage means for storing a present position on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means;

operation input receiving means for receiving an operation input;

collision determination means for determining the possibility of occurrence of collision in a course from the present position to an end position based on the end point, the present position stored on the present position storage means and a type of a geographical object contained in the location information stored on the location information storage means if the operation input receiving means has received an operation input to proceed from the present position on the map stored on the present position storage means to the end point on the map;

correction means for correcting the end point based on the possibility of occurrence of collision determined by the collision determination means and shifting the present position stored on the present position storage means to the corrected end point; and

drawing means for drawing a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image produced by projecting onto the plane the three-dimensional space on the map corresponding to the present position stored on the present position storage means based on the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction means shifts the end point toward the present position stored on the present position storage means if the collision determination means determines that a collision is likely to occur.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the location information comprises information at each of points arranged in a grid-like configuration on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collision determination means determines the possibility of occurrence of collision depending on whether the type of the geographical object contained in the location information at the end point is a predetermined type.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein upon determining that the type of the geographical object contained in the location information is the predetermined type, the collision determination means shifts the end point toward the present position and determines whether the type of the geographical object contained in the location information at the shifted end point is the predetermined type, and

wherein the correction means corrects the end point received by the operation input receiving means to an end point farthest from the present position from among the shifted end points corresponding to the location information that the collision determination means has determined as containing the predetermined type.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined type is a road on the map,

wherein the location information includes information related to a direction of movement on the road of the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means, and

wherein the correction means corrects a direction of course from the present position stored on the present position storage means to the end point received by the operation input receiving means based on the direction of movement contained in the location information at the corrected end point.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the location information comprises altitude data at the points at the predetermined intervals on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means, and

wherein the correction means corrects a position of a viewpoint in the direction of course based on the altitude data contained in the location information present at a position closest to the present position in the direction of course from the present position stored on the present position storage means to the end point received by the operation input receiving means.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the location information comprises altitude data at the points at the predetermined intervals on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means, and

wherein if a plurality of pieces of altitude data are contained in the location information present at a position closest to the present position in the direction of course from the present position stored on the present position storage means to the end point received by the operation input receiving means, the correction means corrects a position of a viewpoint in the direction of course based on altitude data indicating an altitude closest to an altitude of the present position of the plurality of pieces of the altitude data.

9. An image display apparatus, comprising:

three-dimensional map data storage means for storing three-dimensional map data for use in projecting a three-dimensional space on a map onto a plane;

location information storage means for storing location information including a type of geographical objects at points spaced at predetermined intervals on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means with the location information in association with the respective point;

present position storage means for storing a present position on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means;

operation input receiving means for receiving an operation input;

collision determination means for determining the possibility of occurrence of collision in a course from the present position to an end position based on the end point, the present position stored on the present position storage means and a type of a geographical object contained in the location information stored on the location information storage means if the operation input receiving means has received an operation input to proceed from the present position on the map stored on the present position storage means to the end point on the map;

correction means for correcting the end point based on the possibility of occurrence of collision determined by the collision determination means and updating the present position stored on the present position storage means;

drawing means for drawing a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image produced by projecting onto the plane the three-dimensional space on the map corresponding to the present position stored on the present position storage means based on the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means; and

display means for displaying the three-dimensional image drawn by the drawing means.

10. An information processing system, comprising a map information data storage apparatus and an information processing apparatus communicating with each other via a predetermined communication line,

the map information data storage apparatus including:

three-dimensional map data storage means for storing three-dimensional map data for use in projecting a three-dimensional space on a map onto a plane; and

location information storage means for storing location information including a type of geographical objects at points spaced at predetermined intervals on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means with the location information in association with the respective point; and

the information processing apparatus including;

present position storage means for storing a present position on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means;

operation input receiving means for receiving an operation input;

collision determination means for determining the possibility of occurrence of collision in a course from the present position to an end position based on the end point, the present position stored on the present position storage means and a type of a geographical object contained in the location information stored on the location information storage means if the operation input receiving means has received an operation input to proceed from the present position on the map stored on the present position storage means to the end point on the map;

correction means for correcting the end point based on the possibility of occurrence of collision determined by the collision determination means and updating the present position stored on the present position storage means; and

drawing means for drawing a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image produced by projecting onto the plane the three-dimensional space on the map corresponding to the present position stored on the present position storage means based on the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage means.

11. A control method of an information processing apparatus including a three-dimensional map data storage unit storing three-dimensional map data for use in projecting a three-dimensional space on a map onto a plane, a location information storage unit storing location information including a type of geographical objects at points spaced at predetermined intervals on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit with the location information in association with the respective point and a present position storage unit storing a present position on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit, the control method comprising steps of:

receiving an operation input;

determining the possibility of occurrence of collision in a course from the present position to an end position based on the end point, the present position stored on the present position storage unit and a type of a geographical object contained in the location information stored on the location information storage unit if an operation input to proceed from the present position on the map stored on the present position storage unit to the end point on the map has been received;

correcting the end point based on the determined possibility of occurrence of collision and updating the present position stored on the present position storage unit; and

drawing a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image produced by projecting onto the plane the three-dimensional space on the map corresponding to the present position stored on the present position storage unit based on the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit.

12. A computer program for causing a computer to perform a control method of an information processing apparatus including a three-dimensional map data storage unit storing three-dimensional map data for use in projecting a three-dimensional space on a map onto a plane, a location information storage unit storing location information including a type of geographical objects at points spaced at predetermined intervals on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit with the location information in association with the respective point and a present position storage unit storing a present position on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit, the computer program comprising steps of:

receiving an operation input;

determining the possibility of occurrence of collision in a course from the present position to an end position based on the end point, the present position stored on the present position storage unit and a type of a geographical object contained in the location information stored on the location information storage unit if an operation input to proceed from the present position on the map stored on the present position storage unit to the end point on the map has been received;

correcting the end point based on the determined possibility of occurrence of collision and updating the present position stored on the present position storage unit; and

drawing a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image produced by projecting onto the plane the three-dimensional space on the map corresponding to the present position stored on the present position storage unit based on the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit.

13. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a three-dimensional map data storage unit storing three-dimensional map data for use in projecting a three-dimensional space on a map onto a plane;

a location information storage unit storing location information including a type of geographical objects at points spaced at predetermined intervals on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit with the location information in association with the respective point;

a present position storage unit storing a present position on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit;

an operation input receiving unit receiving an operation input;

a collision determination unit determining the possibility of occurrence of collision in a course from the present position to an end position based on the end point, the present position stored on the present position storage unit and a type of a geographical object contained in the location information stored on the location information storage unit if the operation input receiving unit has received an operation input to proceed from the present position on the map stored on the present position storage unit to the end point on the map;

a correction unit correcting the end point based on the possibility of occurrence of collision determined by the collision determination unit and shifting the present position stored on the present position storage unit to the corrected end point; and

a drawing unit drawing a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image produced by projecting onto the plane the three-dimensional space on the map corresponding to the present position stored on the present position storage unit based on the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit.

14. An image display apparatus, comprising:

a three-dimensional map data storage unit storing three-dimensional map data for use in projecting a three-dimensional space on a map onto a plane;

a location information storage unit storing location information including a type of geographical objects at points spaced at predetermined intervals on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit with the location information in association with the respective point;

a present position storage unit storing a present position on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit;

an operation input receiving unit receiving an operation input;

a collision determination unit determining the possibility of occurrence of collision in a course from the present position to an end position based on the end point, the present position stored on the present position storage unit and a type of a geographical object contained in the location information stored on the location information storage unit if the operation input receiving unit has received an operation input to proceed from the present position on the map stored on the present position storage unit to the end point on the map;

a correction unit correcting the end point based on the possibility of occurrence of collision determined by the collision determination unit and updating the present position stored on the present position storage unit;

a drawing unit drawing a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image produced by projecting onto the plane the three-dimensional space on the map corresponding to the present position stored on the present position storage unit based on the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit; and

a display unit displaying the three-dimensional image drawn by the drawing unit.

15. An information processing system, comprising a map information data storage apparatus and an information processing apparatus communicating with each other via a predetermined communication line,

the map information data storage apparatus including:

a three-dimensional map data storage unit storing three-dimensional map data for use in projecting a three-dimensional space on a map onto a plane; and

a location information storage unit storing location information including a type of geographical objects at points spaced at predetermined intervals on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit with the location information in association with the respective point; and

the information processing apparatus including;

a present position storage unit storing a present position on the map corresponding to the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit;

an operation input receiving unit receiving an operation input;

a collision determination unit determining the possibility of occurrence of collision in a course from the present position to an end position based on the end point, the present position stored on the present position storage unit and a type of a geographical object contained in the location information stored on the location information storage unit if the operation input receiving unit has received an operation input to proceed from the present position on the map stored on the present position storage unit to the end point on the map;

a correction unit correcting the end point based on the possibility of occurrence of collision determined by the collision determination unit and updating the present position stored on the present position storage unit; and

a drawing unit drawing a three-dimensional image, the three-dimensional image produced by projecting onto the plane the three-dimensional space on the map corresponding to the present position stored on the present position storage unit based on the three-dimensional map data stored on the three-dimensional map data storage unit.