NAVIGATION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR EMPHASISING A MAP ROUTE

• US 20110029227A1
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Van Hemert, Jasper-Michiel, Geelen, Pieter, Tebbutt, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,534,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• 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

Abstract

A method, a device and a computer readable medium are disclosed for navigation. The method includes determining map information for display on an integrated input and display device of a navigation device, based upon a determined route of travel of the navigation device; and differentiating at least a portion of the map information within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel, from other map information, to thereby emphasize the determined route of travel. The navigation device includes a processor to determine map information for subsequent display, based upon a determined route of travel of the navigation device, the processor further being useable to control display of at least a portion of the map information, determined to be within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel, in a manner differentiated from display of other map information, to thereby emphasize the determined route of travel.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining map information for display on an integrated input and display device of a navigation device, based upon a determined route of travel of the navigation device; and

differentiating at least a portion of the map information within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel, from other map information, to thereby emphasize the determined route of travel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the differentiating includes highlighting at least a portion of the map information within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the differentiating includes displaying at least a portion of the map information, within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel, in at least one of a same color and same color shade.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the map information includes building footprints, and wherein the differentiating includes highlighting building footprints within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the map information includes building footprints, and wherein the differentiating includes displaying building footprints, within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel, in at least one of the same color and same color shade.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the differentiating includes highlighting at least a portion of the map information within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the differentiating includes highlighting building footprints within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, prior to display on the integrated input and display device of the navigation device, whether or not the determined map information includes at least one pattern within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel, the differentiating including differentiating the determined at least one pattern within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel, from other map information, to thereby emphasize the determined route of travel.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying the determined map information, including the differentiated at least one pattern determined to be within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel, in three dimensions on the integrated input and display device of the navigation device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the determined map information, including the differentiated at least one portion determined to be within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel, in three dimensions on the integrated input and display device of the navigation device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wherein the map information includes building footprints, and wherein the determining includes scanning the determined map information to detect an edge of a building footprint and wherein the differentiating includes differentiating a building footprint when an edge of the building footprint is within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the wherein the map information includes building footprints, and wherein the determining includes scanning the determined map information to detect an edge of a building footprint and wherein the differentiating includes differentiating a building footprint by increasing a number of pixels representing at least a portion of the building footprint when an edge of the building footprint is within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

13. A computer readable medium including program segments for, when executed on a processor of a navigation device, causing the navigation device to implement the method of claim 1.

14. navigation device, comprising:

a processor to determine map information for subsequent display, based upon a determined route of travel of the navigation device, the processor further being useable to control display of at least a portion of the map information, determined to be within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel, in a manner differentiated from display of other map information, to thereby emphasize the determined route of travel.

15. The navigation device of claim 14, further comprising:

an integrated input and display device to display the determined map information, including display of at least a portion of the map information determined to be within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel in a differentiated manner, in three dimensions.

16. The navigation device of claim 14, wherein the control of display of at least a portion of the map information in a differentiated manner, by the processor, includes at least one of controlling highlighting, controlling displaying in a same color and controlling displaying in a same color shade, of at least the portion of the map information determined to be within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

17. The navigation device of claim 14, wherein the map information includes building footprints, and wherein the control of display of at least a portion of the map information in a differentiated manner, by the processor, includes at least one of controlling highlighting, displaying in a same color and displaying in a same color shade, building footprints determined to be within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

18. The navigation device of claim 14, wherein the map information includes building footprints, and wherein the determining, by the processor, includes scanning the determined map information to detect an edge of a building footprint and wherein the control of display of at least a portion of the map information in a differentiated manner, by the processor, includes controlling display of a building footprint in a differentiated manner when an edge of the building footprint is within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

19. The navigation device of claim 18, wherein the control of display of at least a portion of the map information in a differentiated manner, by the processor, includes at least one of controlling highlighting, controlling display in a same color and controlling display in a same color shade, building footprints whose edge is determined to be within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

20. The navigation device of claim 15, wherein the map information includes building footprints, and wherein the determining, by the processor, includes scanning the determined map information to detect an edge of a building footprint and wherein the display of at least a portion of the map information in a differentiated manner, by the integrated input and display device, includes displaying a building footprint in a differentiated manner when an edge of the building footprint is within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

21. The navigation device of claim 20, wherein the display of at least a portion of the map information in a differentiated manner, by the integrated input and display device, includes at least one of highlighting, displaying in a same color and displaying in a same color shade, building footprints whose edge is determined to be within a threshold distance of the determined route of travel.

22. The navigation device of claim 14, wherein the navigation device is a portable navigation device.

23. The navigation device of claim 15, wherein the navigation device is a portable navigation device.

24. The navigation device of claim 14, wherein the navigation device is integrated into a vehicle.

25. The navigation device of claim 15, wherein the navigation device is integrated into a vehicle.