Navigation device with a three dimensional display

• US 6,356,840 B2
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kusama, Toshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/402,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20020013659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/211, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance

Abstract

The present invention is adapted to a navigation device which performs 3 dimensional display when approaching an intersection. The navigation device of the present invention comprises a map database which stores a number of vehicle lanes of a road which enters an intersection, a road width display database which decreases each vehicle lane width and increases the width of the total road depending on a number of vehicle lanes on a road, a road width display data extraction portion which extracts a number of vehicle lanes of a road which enters a corresponding intersection from a map database when approaching an intersection and which extracts road width display data corresponding to an extracted number of vehicle lanes from that road with display database a display which carries out display based on said extracted road width display data. In this way, it is easy to directly understand the number of vehicle lanes and such a display is easy to view.

Claims

1. A navigation device which performs 3 dimensional display when approaching an intersection which comprises

a map database which stores a number of vehicle lanes of a road which enters said intersection,

a road width display database which stores road width display data which reduces a width of each vehicle lane and increases the width of the total road depending on a number of vehicle lanes on said road,

a road width display data extraction means which extracts a number of vehicle lanes on a road which enters a subject intersection from said map database when approaching said intersection and which extracts road width display data corresponding to a number of extracted vehicle lanes from said road width display database, and

a display means which performs display based on road width display data extracted by said road width display data extraction means.

2. A navigation device according to claim 1 which further comprises

a lane information storage determination means which determines on approaching an intersection whether or not lane information is stored in said map database, said map database storing lane information of roads which enter each intersection and designation names of roads which exit from each intersection,

an extraction means which extracts corresponding lane information from said map database when it is determined that lane information is stored by said lane information storage determination means and which extracts a corresponding destination name from said map database when it is determined that lane information is not stored,

wherein corresponding lane information is displayed when lane information is extracted by said extraction means and a corresponding destination name is displayed when a destination name is extracted.

3. A navigation device according to claim 1 which further comprises a intersection name extraction means which extracts, from said map database, an intersection name of a subject intersection and of a sub-intersection in the vicinity of said subject intersection when approaching an intersection which should be indicated, said map database storing intersection names of each intersection,

wherein an intersection name of a subject intersection and of a sub-intersection in the vicinity of said subject intersection extracted by said intersection name extraction means are respectively distinguished and displayed.

4. A navigation device according to claim 1 which further comprises a vehicle lane information extraction means which extracts vehicle lane information about a subject intersection from said map database on approaching an intersection which should be guided, said map database storing vehicle lane information about roads which enter each intersection,

wherein after passing a sub-intersection before a subject intersection, vehicle lane information about said subject intersection extracted by said vehicle lane extraction means is displayed.

5. A navigation device which performs 3 dimensional display when approaching an intersection which comprises

a map database which stores vehicle lane data about a road which enters each said intersection,

a vehicle lane information extraction means which extracts vehicle lane information about a road which enters an intersection in question from said map database on approaching said intersection and

a display means which displays only vehicle lane information about entering roads extracted by said vehicle lane information extraction means as vehicle lane information.

6. A navigation device according to claim 5 which further comprises

a lane information storage determination means which determines on approaching an intersection whether or not lane information is stored in said map database, said map database storing lane information of roads which enter each intersection and destination names of roads which exit from each intersection,

an extraction means which extracts corresponding lane information from said map database when it is determined that lane information is stored by said lane information storage determination means and which extracts a corresponding destination name from said map database when it is determined that lane information is not stored,

wherein corresponding lane information is displayed when lane information is extracted by said extraction means and a corresponding destination name is displayed when a destination name is extracted.

7. A navigation device according to claim 5 which further comprises a intersection name extraction means which extracts, from said map database, an intersection name of a subject intersection and of a sub-intersection the vicinity of said subject intersection when approaching an intersection which should be indicated, said map database storing intersection names of each intersection,

wherein an intersection name of a subject intersection and of a sub-intersection in the vicinity of said subject intersection extracted by said intersection name extraction means are respectively distinguished and displayed.

8. A navigation device according to claim 5,

wherein after passing a sub-intersection before a subject intersection, vehicle lane information about said subject intersection extracted by said vehicle lane extraction means is displayed.

9. A navigation device capable of performing three-dimensional display when approaching an intersection comprising:

a map database which stores categories of data which discriminate each vehicle lane of a road which enters said each intersection into at least a straight lane, a right hand lane, a left hand lane, and a branching lane;

a sign designation means which extracts said categories of data from said map database on approaching said intersection and which designates a sign corresponding to categories of data with respect to each vehicle lane based on extracted categories of data; and

a display means which performs display based on sign designated by said sign designation means which further comprises a intersection name extraction means which extracts, from said map database, an intersection name of a subject intersection and of a sub-intersection in the vicinity of said subject intersection when approaching an intersection which should be indicated, said map database storing intersection names of each intersection;

wherein an intersection name of a subject intersection and of a sub-intersection in the vicinity of said subject intersection extracted by said intersection name extraction means are respectively distinguished and displayed.

10. A navigation device capable of performing three-dimensional display when approaching an intersection comprising:

a map database which stores categories of data which discriminate each vehicle lane of a road which enters said each intersection into at least a straight lane, a right hand lane, a left hand lane, and a branching lane;

a sign designation means which extracts said categories of data from said map database on approaching said intersection and which designates a sign corresponding to categories of data with respect to each vehicle lane based on extracted categories of data; and

a display means which performs display based on sign designated by said sign designation means which further comprises a vehicle lane information extraction means which extracts vehicle lane information about a subject intersection from said map database on approaching an intersection which should be guided, said map database storing vehicle lane information about roads which enter each intersection;

wherein after passing a sub-intersection before a subject intersection, vehicle lane information about said subject intersection extracted by said vehicle lane extraction means is displayed.

11. A navigation device comprising:

a map database for storing a number of vehicle lanes of a road entering an intersection;

a road width database for storing road width information including a width associated with each of the number of vehicle lanes and further including a total width associated with the road depending on the number of vehicle lanes of the road;

a road width display data extraction means for extracting the stored road width information including the number of vehicle lanes when approaching the intersection; and

a display for displaying the road according to the extracted road width display data.

12. A navigation device for performing three-dimensional display when approaching an intersection, the navigation device comprising:

a map database for storing information associated with a road entering the intersection according to categories, the categories including one or more of;

a straight lane, a right-hand lane, a left-hand lane, a branching lane, a number of lanes, and a road width;

a sign designation means for extracting the information when approaching the intersection and designating a sign corresponding to the categories; and

a display for displaying the designated sign.

13. A method comprising the steps of:

storing a number of vehicle lanes associated with a road entering an intersection;

storing road width information associated with the road including a width associated with each of the number of vehicle lanes and further including a total width associated with the road depending on the number of vehicle lanes associated with the road;

extracting the stored road width information including the number of vehicle lanes when approaching the intersection; and

displaying the road according to the extracted road width display data.

14. A method for performing three-dimensional display when approaching an intersection, the method comprising the steps of:

storing information associated with a road entering the intersection according to categories, the categories including one or more of;

a straight lane, a right-hand lane, a left-hand lane, a branching lane, a number of lanes, and a road width;

extracting the information when approaching the intersection and designating a sign corresponding to the categories; and

displaying the designated sign.