Information processing apparatus and method, and providing medium

• US 6,396,498 B1
• Filed: 05/19/1999
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Ryuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Razavi, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Good-Johnson, Motilewa
• Application Number:
  US09/314,653
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 345/443 701/201
• US Class Current: 345/443
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

There is provided an information processing apparatus in which when a route to a destination is searched, a road of the route is displayed with emphasis while a color or shape indicating the type of the road can be checked. When the route to the destination is searched, both sides of the road of the searched route are displayed with emphasis lines. The inside of both the sides of the road is displayed such that the type of the road, such as an expressway or an open load, can be recognized. By this, a user can easily check the searched route, and can check the type of the road of the route. For example, in the route from a current location to a destination, the user can check that a route A is an expressway, and other route B, route C, and route D are open roads.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for drawing a map image corresponding to digitized map information, comprising:

route search means for searching an objective route based on an input operation of a user;

road map drawing means for drawing a road map having at least a plurality of roads including a road of said objective route searched by said route search means in a mode differentiated by a road type; and

emphasis line drawing means for drawing emphasis lines to indicate said objective route at both outer sides of said road of said objective route throughout an overall length of said objective route, without hiding said road type.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

read means for reading out drawing information corresponding to said road type drawn by said road map drawing means; and

drawing condition calculation means for calculating a drawing condition of said emphasis lines based on said drawing information read out by said read means;

wherein said emphasis line drawing means draws said emphasis lines at both said sides a of said road of said objective route based on said drawing condition calculated by said drawing condition calculating means, throughout said overall length of said objective route.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said drawing information is a drawing width of said road.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said drawing information is a drawing color of said road.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said drawing condition is a drawing width of said emphasis lines.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said drawing condition is a drawing color of said emphasis lines.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said drawing condition is a drawing width of said emphasis lines.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said drawing condition is a drawing color of said emphasis lines.

9. An information processing method for drawing a map image corresponding to digitized map information, comprising:

a route search processing step for searching an objective route based on an input operation of a user;

a road map drawing processing step for drawing a road map having at least a plurality of roads including a road of said objective route searched at said route search processing step in a mode differentiated by a road type; and

an emphasis line drawing processing step for drawing emphasis lines to indicate said objective route at both outer sides of said road of said objective route throughout an overall length of said objective route, without biding said road type.

10. An information processing method according to claim 9, further comprising:

a read processing step for reading out drawing information corresponding to said road type drawn at said road map drawing processing step; and

a drawing condition calculation processing step for calculating a drawing condition of said emphasis lines based on said drawing information read out at said read processing step;

wherein said emphasis line drawing processing step is for drawing said emphasis lines at both said sides of said road of said objective route based on said drawing condition calculated at said drawing condition calculating processing step, throughout said overall length of said objective route.

11. A medium for making an information processing apparatus execute a program for drawing a map image corresponding to digitized map information, said program comprising:

a route search processing step for searching an objective route based on an input operation of a user;

a road map drawing processing step for drawing a road map having at least a plurality of roads including a road of said objective route searched at said route search processing step in a mode differentiated by a road type; and

an emphasis line drawing processing step for drawing emphasis lines to indicate said objective route at both outer sides of said road of said objective route throughout an overall length of said objective route, without hiding said road type.

12. A medium for making an information processing apparatus execute a program according to claim 11, wherein said program further comprises:

a read processing step for reading out drawing information corresponding to said road type drawn at said road map drawing processing step; and

a drawing condition calculation processing step for calculating a drawing condition of said emphasis lines based on said drawing information read out at said read processing step;

wherein said emphasis line drawing processing step is for drawing said emphasis lines at both said sides of said road of said objective route based on said drawing condition calculated at said drawing condition calculating processing step, throughout said overall length of said objective route.