Video map display
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An information display apparatus comprising:
- video reproduction means, adapted for connection to a storage medium having data recorded thereon representing a plurality of map frames of different scales, for producing first video signals representing a selected one of said plurality of map frames;
graphic generator means for generating, from prestored overlay information in digital form, second video signals representing an overlay image;
means connected to said video reproduction means and said graphic generator means for combining said first and second video signals; and
control means connected to said graphic generator means and including means for storing information representing said overlay image, said control means for selecting, in response to information indicative of the geographical area covered by, and the relative scale of, (a) said selected map frame, overlay image information stored by the overlay information storage means corresponding to said geographical area and for controlling the graphic generator means to display the overlay information at the same scale as the map frame.
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Abstract
Map frames are stored on a video storage medium such as video disc, and a graphics generator stores overlay information such as the location of telephone lines plant. To accommodate maps of different scales covering the same area, the graphics generator applies a corresponding scaling factor to generation of the overlay image, for accurate superimposition of the map. Provision may also be made for correcting inaccuracies in the original process of recording the map frames.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An information display apparatus comprising:
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video reproduction means, adapted for connection to a storage medium having data recorded thereon representing a plurality of map frames of different scales, for producing first video signals representing a selected one of said plurality of map frames; graphic generator means for generating, from prestored overlay information in digital form, second video signals representing an overlay image; means connected to said video reproduction means and said graphic generator means for combining said first and second video signals; and control means connected to said graphic generator means and including means for storing information representing said overlay image, said control means for selecting, in response to information indicative of the geographical area covered by, and the relative scale of, (a) said selected map frame, overlay image information stored by the overlay information storage means corresponding to said geographical area and for controlling the graphic generator means to display the overlay information at the same scale as the map frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A geographical image display apparatus comprising:
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video reproducing means, adapted for connection to a source of video signals representing plural predetermined map images depicting a geographical area at different, fixed levels of resolution, said video reproducing means for;
(a) selecting one of said levels of resolution, and (b) selecting and outputting the video signals corresponding to said selected level of resolution;graphics generator means, electrically connected to said video reproducing means and to said digital signal storing means, for (1) determining a scale factor of the image represented by said selected video signals, (2) producing digital signals representing a predetermined overlay image corresponding to said geographical area, said overlay image including plural features corresponding to geographical locations within said area, (3) processing said digital signals in accordance with said determined scale factor, and (4) generating and outputting video signals representing said overlay image scaled to match the determined scale factor; and video mixing means, connected to receive the video signals outputted by the video reproducing means and the graphics generating means, for mixing said video signals to generate video signals representing a composite video image depicting said geographical area at said selected resolution overlayed by said overlay image, the features of said overlay image corresponding to locations within said geographical area being superimposed, in said composite image, in registry with portions of said map image depicting said locations.
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7. A method of displaying geographical images comprising the steps of:
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(1) selecting, from video signals representing plural predetermined map images depicting a geographical area at different, fixed levels of resolution, video signals representing an image at one of said levels of resolution; (2) producing digital signals representing a predetermined overlay image corresponding to said geographical area, said overlay image including plural features corresponding to geographical locations within said area; (3) determining a scale factor of the image represented by said selected video signals; (4) processing said digital signals produced by said producing step (2) in accordance with said determined scale factor; (5) generating, from said processed digital signals, video signals representing said overlay image scaled to match the determined scale factor; and (6) mixing said video signals selected by said selecting step (1) with said video signals generated by said generating step (5) to generate video signals representing a composite video image depicting said geographical area at said selected resolution overlayed by said overlay image, the features of said overlay image corresponding to locations within said geographical area being superimposed, in said composite image, in registry with portions of said map image depicting said locations.
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8. A geographic image display apparatus comprising:
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video reproduction means, adapted for connection to a storage medium storing video information representing plural predetermined map video images depicting corresponding discrete geographical areas, said predetermined map images having different, fixed scale factors, said video reproduction means for;
(a) selecting one of said plural map images, (b) retrieving, from the storage medium, the image data corresponding to said selected image, and (c) producing first video signals representing said selected map image;graphics generator means electrically connected to said video reproduction means for generating second video signals representing an overlay image corresponding to said selected map image, for determining the scale factor of said selected map image, and for varying the scale of said overlay image to match the determined scale factor; and video mixing means, connected to receive the first and second video signals, for mixing said first and second video signals to generate output video signals representing a composite video image of said map image overlayed by said overlay image. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An information display apparatus comprising:
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information storing means for storing;
(a) signals representing plural discrete map images depicting corresponding discrete geographical areas, (b) data associated with each image identifying the geographical location of the geographical area said image depicts, and (c) data associated with each image specifying the relative scale factor of said image;video reproduction means operatively connected to said storing means for selecting any one of said map images, for retrieving, from said information storing means, the map image signals, location data and scale factor data associated with said selected image, and for converting said retrieved image signals to video signals; graphic generator means connected to receive said retrieved location data and scale factor data for generating video signals representing an overlay image having a scale factor corresponding to said selected map image and depicting features indicative of the geographical location of said selected map image; and video mixing means, connected to receive the video signals generated by said video reproduction means and said graphic generator means, for mixing said video signals to generate video signals representing a composite map and overlay video image. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification