METHOD OF AND COMPUTER IMPLEMENTED SYSTEM FOR GENERATING A JUNCTION VIEW IMAGE

• US 20110069087A1
• Filed: 07/30/2008
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teleatlas B.V., Tomtom Global Content B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Chmielewski, Radoslaw, Bialas, Marcin, Rosikiewicz, Michal, Cuprjak, Marcin
• Granted Patent: US 8,773,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/672
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps

Abstract

A method of generating a junction view is disclosed. The method includes, in at least one embodiment: —acquiring a first junction from a map database; —acquiring a second junction from the map database, wherein the first and second junction are connected by way of an intermediate road segment; —determining a characteristic of the intermediate road segment between the first and second junction from the map database; and—if the characteristic of the road segment applies to a predefined condition: —adjusting the road geometry resulting in a shorter intermediate road segment; and—generating the junction view image visualizing the first and second junction using the shorter intermediate road segment. At least one embodiment of the method provides a solution to visualize in one image two decision points which will follow each other in a short time when traveling through the two decision points, i.e. two junctions.

Claims

1. Method of generating a junction view image, the method comprising:

acquiring a first junction from a map database;

acquiring a second junction from the map database, wherein the first and second junction are connected by means of an intermediate road segment;

determining a characteristic of the intermediate road segment between the first and second junction from the map database; and

if the characteristic of the road segment applies to a predefined condition;

adjusting the road geometry resulting in a shorter intermediate road segment; and

generating the junction view image visualizing the first and second junction using the shorter intermediate road segment.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

acquiring the road geometry of the road segments forming the first and second junctions; and

wherein

adjusting the road geometry performs an operation corresponding to moving the second junction and associated outgoing segments towards the first junction to obtain an adjusted road geometry, wherein the generating action is adapted to generate a junction view image corresponding to the adjusted road geometry.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein adjusting the road geometry is arranged to map the road geometry on a first, a second and a third zone each having a corresponding first, second and third zone length respectively, wherein the first junction is mapped at a first borderline between the first and second zone and the second junction is mapped at a second borderline between the second and third zone.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the road geometry comprises an incoming segment ending at the first junction, an intermediate segment between the first and second junction and two or more outgoing segments starting at the second junction, wherein adjusting the road geometry comprises transforming the intermediate segment in a direction parallel to the direction of the incoming section to map the intermediate segment in the second zone.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the adjusting the road geometry further comprises translating the two or more outgoing segments along a vector equivalent to the translation of the second junction due to the transformation of the intermediate segment.

6. Method according to claim 3, wherein adjusting the road geometry further comprises filtering action to smooth the road geometry which is performed after mapping the road geometry in the respective zones.

7. Method according to claim 1, further comprising:

—

generating a maneuver instruction passing through the first and second junctions according the modified geometry; and

wherein generating the junction view image is further arranged to superimpose a view of the maneuver instruction on the visualization of the first and second junctions.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic is the length of the road segment between the first and second junction and the condition is that the length is in a predefined range.

9. Method according to claim 8 wherein the predefined range is 20-300 meters.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic is the traveling time needed to travel from the first junction to the second junction with a defined traveling speed associated with the road segment between the first and second junction or the traveling time needed to travel from the first junction to the second junction with a measured traveling speed associated with the real time speed of the vehicle as measured by the on-board navigation system, and the condition is that the traveling time is shorter then a predefined value.

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the predefined value is 10 seconds.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises outputting the complex junction view on a display unit.

13. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises storing the complex junction view in a database and linking the complex junction view in said database to the first junction in the digital map database.

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

acquiring a third junction from the map database, wherein the second and third junction are connected by means of an intermediate road segment;

determining a characteristic of the intermediate road segment between the second and third junction from the map database; and

if the characteristic of the intermediate road segment between the second and third junction applies to a predefined condition;

adjusting the road geometry resulting in a shorter intermediate road segment between the second and third junction; and

generating is adjusted to generate the junction view image visualizing the first, second and third junction using the shorter intermediate road segments.

15. A computer implemented system for generating a complex junction view, the system comprising a processor and memory connected to the processor, the memory comprising a computer program comprising data and instructions which, when executed, allow said processor to perform the method according to claim 1.

16. A computer program product comprising data and instructions which, when executed by a computer arrangement, allow said computer arrangement to perform the method according to claim 1.

17. A processor readable non-transitory medium provided with a computer program product comprising data and instructions which, when executed by a computer arrangement, allow said computer arrangement to perform the method according claim 1.

18. A database product comprising one or more complex junction views generated by the method according to claim 1.