Method For Generating A Digital Map

• US 20090153563A1
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navigon AG (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Navigon AG (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Tudose, Radu
• Granted Patent: US 8,139,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/467
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

A method for generating a digital map that can be stored on an electronic storage medium and in which a geographic area is described by a multitude of data sets includes the following steps:

• • a) loading a database, in which the geographic area is described by a multitude of data sets, into an electronic analyzer, wherein the data sets contain several text data sets that describe the text messages (03), particularly street names, to be displayed in the map,
  • b) specifying a resolution for the graphic illustration of at least a section of the digital map with assigned text messages (03) to be displayed on a display unit,
  • c) calculating graphic overlaps (07) of the text messages (03) during the display of the section of the digital map on the display unit in dependence on the specified resolution,
  • d) identifying all text messages (03) that cause graphic overlaps (07), and
  • e) storing text display attributes that are assigned to the text data sets, wherein the text display attributes contain information on which text messages (03) are not displayed in the graphic illustration of the digital map at a specified resolution in order to prevent overlaps (07).

Claims

1. A method for generating a digital map that can be stored on an electronic storage medium and in which a geographic area is described by a multitude of data sets, comprising the following steps:

a) loading a database, in which the geographic area is described by a multitude of data sets, into an electronic analyzer, wherein the data sets contain several text data sets that describe text messages (03), particularly street names, to be displayed in the map,

b) specifying a resolution for the graphic illustration of at least one section of the digital map with assigned text messages (03) to be displayed on a display unit,

c) calculating graphic overlaps (07) of the text messages (03) during the display of the section of the digital map on the display unit in dependence on the specified resolution,

d) identifying all text messages (03) that cause graphic overlaps (07), and

e) storing text display attributes that are assigned to the text data sets, wherein the text display attributes contain information on which text messages (03) are not displayed in the graphic illustration of the digital map at a specified resolution in order to prevent overlaps (07).

2. The method according to claim 1, in which steps b) and c) are carried out in succession for several resolutions of the graphic illustration of the digital map, wherein limiting resolution values are stored as text display attributes, and wherein a text message (03) of a text data set is not displayed in the graphic illustration of the digital map if the current resolution of the graphic illustration is lower or lower than or equal to the limiting resolution value stored in the text data set.

3. The method according to claim 2, in which steps b) and c) are carried out in succession for several resolutions of the graphic illustration of the digital map, wherein this process begins with the highest resolution and the resolution is incrementally lowered.

4. The method according to claim 1, in which at least two different text display attributes are calculated and stored for the respective text data sets, wherein the different text display attributes are respectively assigned to one display mode.

5. The method according to claim 4, in which a first text display attribute is assigned to a first display mode for the graphic illustration of the digital map, in which the map is displayed on the display unit with fixed angular orientation, wherein a second text display attribute is assigned to a second display mode for the graphic illustration of the digital map, in which the map is displayed on the display unit with variable angular orientation.

6. The method according to claim 5, in which in the first display mode the digital map is graphically illustrated in such a way that the north-south direction extends from the upper edge to the lower edge of the display unit and the west-east direction extends from the left edge to the right edge of the display unit.

7. The method according to claim 5, in which in the second display mode the digital map is graphically illustrated in such a way that the current driving direction extends from the upper edge to the lower edge of the display unit.

8. The method according to claim 1, in which at least one display field (04) is assigned to each text data set, wherein the size of said display field is defined by the ability to display the text message.

9. The method according to claim 1, in which two display fields (05, 06) are assigned to each text data set, wherein in the second display mode the text messages are displayed in the graphic illustration of the digital map either in the first display field (05) or in the second display field (06) with respectively reversed orientation depending on the current angle of orientation.

10. The method according to claim 8, in which the display fields (04) have a rectangular shape, wherein the length of the display fields (04) is respectively adapted to the length of the text message (03) to be displayed, and wherein the height of the display fields (04) is respectively adapted to the front size of the text message (03) to be displayed.

11. The method according to claim 8, in which the calculation and identification of graphic overlaps (07) between two text messages (03) is realized in steps b) and c) by calculating and identifying the overlaps (07) between the display fields (04) assigned to the two text messages (03).

12. The method according to claim 1, in which in step c) the identification of text messages (03) that are not displayed at a certain resolution in order to prevent graphic overlaps (07) is carried out in dependence on specified prioritization rules.

13. The method according to claim 12, in which a first prioritization rule is provided for the identification of text messages (03), in which the function class of streets the street name or designation of which should be displayed as text message (03) is evaluated.

14. The method according to claim 12, in which a second prioritization rule is provided for the identification of text messages (03), in which the street category of streets within a function class is evaluated.

15. The method according to claim 12, in which a third prioritization rule is provided for the identification of text messages (03), in which the length of the text messages (03), particularly the length of street names, is evaluated.

16. The method according to claim 1, in which the database is stored in a mass memory or main memory.

17. The method according to claim 16, in which the mass memory or main memory forms part of the navigation device, wherein the data sets are analyzed with an analyzer installed in the navigation device.

18. The method according to claim 16, in which the mass memory or main memory is realized in the form of a fixed disk, a CD-ROM or a memory card.

19. The method according to claim 16, in which the mass memory is installed on a server outside the navigation device, wherein the data sets are analyzed with an analyzer installed on the server, and wherein the database of the digital map is transmitted to the navigation device by means of remote data transmission.

20. The method according to claim 1, in which several text data sets of the database of the digital map are read out and additionally processed by an image generator in order to generate a graphic illustration of a map on a display unit of a terminal, particularly a navigation device.

21. A navigation device with a memory, in which a digital map for describing a geographic area is stored, in which a database established with a method according to claim 1 is stored in the memory.