METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRAJECTORY DISPLAY

• US 20110082637A1
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Green, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 8,630,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096861 where the immediate route instructions are output to the driver, e.g. arrow signs for next turn
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/141 with means giving the indication of available parking spaces

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus including a display device for displaying graphical information; a processor arranged to control the display device to display the graphical information; a store for colour mapping information, the information being representative of a relationship between orientation-related information of a trajectory and colour; and a trajectory-colour module for determining orientation-related information of a trajectory and a colour according to the determined information and the colour mapping information. In at least one embodiment, the processor is responsive to the trajectory-colour module to control the display device to display a graphical element at least partly in the determined colour.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display device to display graphical information;

a processor arranged to control the display device to display the graphical information;

a store for colour mapping information, said colour mapping information being representative of a relationship between orientation-related information of a trajectory and colour; and

a trajectory-colour module to determine orientation-related information of a trajectory and a colour according to the determined information and the colour mapping information, said processor being responsive to the trajectory-colour module to control the display device, to display a graphical element at least partly in the determined colour.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trajectory-colour module is arranged to determine the orientation-related information as an angle between a vector related to the trajectory and a reference vector.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trajectory-colour module is arranged to determine the orientation-related information as a gradient of a vector related to the trajectory.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the colour mapping information comprises a plurality of colours selected to represent a plurality of reference information values, wherein interposing information values are assigned a colour determined as a mixture of the adjoining colours.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the colour mapping information is held in the store as one of a look-up table or one or more equations.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the trajectory-colour module is arranged to determine the orientation-related information of the trajectory based upon a tangent to a point on the trajectory or between at least first and second points on the trajectory.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the points are indicative of geographical locations of an entity.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the graphical element is one of the vector linking the first and second reference points, or a local colour of a trajectory.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a portable navigation device comprising a receiver to receive data from a server, wherein the trajectory-colour module is arranged to determine the orientation-related information of the trajectory from the received data.

10. A graphical display method, comprising:

determining orientation-related information of a trajectory;

determining a colour corresponding to the information; and

displaying a graphical element on a display device at least partly in the determined colour.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the orientation-related information is a direction of the trajectory determined as an angle between the vector related to the trajectory and a reference vector.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the attribute is a gradient of a vector related to the trajectory.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the colour comprises looking-up the colour corresponding to the information in a look-up table stored in a memory, or calculating one or more colour values corresponding to the information.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving information from one or more devices indicative of a location of each device in a coordinate system, wherein the trajectory is determined between successive locations of a device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the trajectory indicates a route of a device, wherein each trajectory is formed by one or more graphical elements in the determined colour.