Method and apparatus for navigation system for selecting icons and application area by hand drawing on map image

• US 20100318573A1
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoshikoshi, Tetsutaro
• Granted Patent: US 9,477,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying desired icons on an applicable area on a screen of a navigation system by a character and symbol drawing that is hand-written by a user on the screen. The method includes the steps of: evaluating a character & symbol drawing that is hand-written by the user to determine a category of the icons intended by the user; determining an applicable area on the map image for applying an icon display operation based on the character & symbol drawing; checking a prescribed data table based on the category of the icons and the applicable area selected by the character & symbol; and changing the manner of displaying the icons with respect to the category and applicable area determined by the foregoing process.

Claims

1. A method for displaying icons representing a type of places of interest for a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

checking whether a map image is displayed on a monitor screen of a navigation system;

detecting an activity of hand-writing a character &

symbol drawing on the map image by a user;

evaluating the character &

symbol drawing that is hand-written by the user to determine a category of the icons intended by the user with respect the map image;

determining an applicable area on the map image for applying an icon display operation based on the character &

symbol drawing specified by the user;

checking a prescribed data table based on the category of the icons and the applicable area selected by the character &

symbol by the user in the foregoing steps; and

changing the manner of displaying the icons on the map image with respect to the category and applicable area determined by the character &

symbol drawing.

2. A method for displaying icons as defined in claim 1, further comprising a step of creating the data table listing information regarding relationships between predefined character &

symbols and categories of icons so that the category of icons intended by the user is determined by comparing the character &

symbol that is hand-written by the user with the information in the data table.

3. A method for displaying icons as defined in claim 1, further comprising a step of determining whether the navigation system is in a drawing reception condition when the user has hand-written the character &

symbol on the map image where the drawing reception condition includes a condition where a map scale is appropriate for displaying icons on the monitor screen.

4. A method for displaying icons as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of changing the manner of displaying the icons on the map image includes a step of either displaying the selected category of icons or avoiding from displaying the selected category of icons on the applicable area on the map image.

5. A method for displaying icons as defined in claim 4, wherein said step of avoiding from displaying the selected category of icons includes a step of hand-writing a cross-out mark over the character &

symbol drawing on the map image on the monitor screen.

6. A method for displaying icons as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of changing the manner of displaying the icons on the map image includes a step of displaying the selected category of icons on the applicable area on the map image where no icons are previously displayed.

7. A method for displaying icons as defined in claim 1, wherein said character &

symbol drawing is an alphabetical letter associated with a category of icons or a symbol figure related to a function of a particular place and is interpreted by the information listed in the prescribed data table.

8. A method for displaying icons as defined in claim 1, wherein said applicable area for applying the icon display operation is determined based on an outer size or shape of the character &

symbol drawing that is hand-written by the user.

9. A method for displaying icons as defined in claim 1, wherein said applicable area for applying the icon display operation is determined based on an outer size or shape of the hand-written character &

symbol drawing and a center point of the character &

symbol drawing by producing a circle or a rectangle shape with reference to the center point that is larger than the outer size or shape of the character &

symbol drawing.

10. A method for displaying icons as defined in claim 1, wherein said applicable area for applying the icon display operation is determined based on an outer size of the character &

symbol drawing that is hand-written by the user and is adjusted by the user by dragging a corner point of the applicable area.

11. An apparatus for displaying icons representing a type of places of interest for a navigation system, comprising:

means for checking whether a map image is displayed on a monitor screen of a navigation system;

means for detecting an activity of hand-writing a character &

symbol drawing on the map image by a user;

means for evaluating the character &

symbol drawing that is hand-written by the user to determine a category of the icons intended by the user with respect the map image;

means for determining an applicable area on the map image for applying an icon display operation based on the character &

symbol drawing specified by the user;

means for checking a prescribed data table based on the category of the icons and the applicable area selected by the character &

symbol by the user in the foregoing steps; and

means for changing the manner of displaying the icons on the map image with respect to the category and applicable area determined by the character &

symbol drawing.

12. An apparatus for displaying icons as defined in claim 11, further comprising means for creating the data table listing information regarding relationships between predefined character &

symbols and categories of icons so that the category of icons intended by the user is determined by comparing the character &

symbol that is hand-written by the user with the information in the data table.

13. An apparatus for displaying icons as defined in claim 11, further comprising means for determining whether the navigation system is in a drawing reception condition when the user has hand-written the character &

symbol on the map image where the drawing reception condition includes a condition where a map scale is appropriate for displaying icons on the monitor screen.

14. An apparatus for displaying icons as defined in claim 11, wherein said means for changing the manner of displaying the icons on the map image includes means for either displaying the selected category of icons or avoiding from displaying the selected category of icons on the applicable area on the map image.

15. An apparatus for displaying icons as defined in claim 14, wherein said means for avoiding from displaying the selected category of icons includes means for hand-writing a cross-out mark over the character &

symbol drawing on the map image on the monitor screen.

16. An apparatus for displaying icons as defined in claim 11, wherein said means for changing the manner of displaying the icons on the map image includes means for displaying the selected category of icons on the applicable area on the map image where no icons are previously displayed.

17. An apparatus for displaying icons as defined in claim 11, wherein said character &

symbol drawing is an alphabetical letter associated with a category of icons or a symbol figure related to a function of a particular place and is interpreted by the information listed in the prescribed data table.

18. An apparatus for displaying icons as defined in claim 11, wherein said applicable area for applying the icon display operation is determined based on an outer size or shape of the character &

symbol drawing that is hand-written by the user.

19. An apparatus for displaying icons as defined in claim 11, wherein said applicable area for applying the icon display operation is determined based on an outer size or shape of the hand-written character &

symbol drawing and a center point of the character &

symbol drawing by producing a circle or a rectangle shape with reference to the center point that is larger than the outer size or shape of the character &

symbol drawing.

20. An apparatus for displaying icons as defined in claim 11, wherein said applicable area for applying the icon display operation is determined based on an outer size of the character &

symbol drawing that is hand-written by the user and is adjusted by the user by dragging a corner point of the applicable area.