Map display apparatus

• US 6,603,407 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Endo, Yoshinori, Aikawa, Tetsumori, Shojima, Hiroshi, Hirano, Motoki, Fujiwara, Toshio, Harada, Kaoru
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/932,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 340/990, 340/995, 340/996, 340/988, 340/991, 701/201, 701/202, 701/209, 701/211, 701/212
• US Class Current: 340/995.14
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/005 Map projections or methods associated specifically therewith
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

A map display apparatus includes a map data memory which stores map data necessary for plotting a map of a predetermined region; a map display which reads map data out of the map data memory and plots a bird'"'"'s-eye view display by projecting the map data read out from the map data memory onto a projection plane which makes a projection angle with a plane of the map data read out from the map data memory, the projection angle being greater than 0° and less than 90°, the bird'"'"'s-eye view display including identifying marks which identify items in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display; and an identifying mark overlap preventer which prevents identifying marks from overlapping one another in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

Claims

1. A map display apparatus comprising:

a map data memory which stores map data necessary for drawing a map of a predetermined region;

a map display which reads map data out of the map data memory and draws a bird'"'"'s-eye view display by projecting the map data read out from the map data memory onto a projection plane which makes a projection angle with a plane of the map data read out from the map data memory, the projection angle being greater than 0° and

less than 90°

, the bird'"'"'s-eye view display including identifying marks which identify items in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display; and

an identifying mark overlap preventer which prevents identifying marks from overlapping one another in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

2. A map display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the identifying marks has an attribute selected from a plurality of different attributes having mutually different priorities for display;

and

wherein the identifying mark overlap preventer prevents two identifying marks which have two different attributes having two mutually different priorities for display from overlapping one another in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display by selecting for display in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display only one of the two identifying marks which has an attribute having a higher priority for display than an attribute of another one of the two identifying marks.

3. A map display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the identifying marks include map symbols and character strings;

wherein the map symbols have an attribute which is different from an attribute of the character strings and has a higher priority for display than the attribute of the character strings; and

wherein the identifying mark overlap preventer prevents a map symbol and a character string from overlapping one another in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display by selecting for display in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display only the map symbol which has the attribute having the higher priority for display than the attribute of the character string.

4. A map display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the identifying marks has an attribute selected from a plurality of different attributes having mutually different priorities for display;

and

wherein the identifying mark overlap preventer prevents two identifying marks both having a same attribute from overlapping one another in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display by selecting for display in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display only one of the two identifying marks.

5. A map display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the identifying mark overlap preventer selects for display in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display only one of the two identifying marks which is closer to a selected point in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

6. A map display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the selected point in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display is a present position of a user of the map display apparatus.

7. A map display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the map display displays the identifying marks in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display in a designated size by default;

and

wherein the identifying mark overlap preventer substantially prevents two identifying marks from overlapping one another in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display by controlling the map display to display the two identifying marks in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display in a size which is smaller than the designated size.

8. A map display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the identifying marks include character strings;

wherein the map display displays the character strings in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display in a designated font size by default; and

wherein the identifying mark overlap preventer substantially prevents two character strings from overlapping one another in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display by controlling the map display to display the two character strings in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display in a font size which is smaller than the designated font size.

9. A map display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identifying marks include orbit marks identifying a route in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display;

and

wherein the identifying mark overlap preventer prevents orbit marks from overlapping one another in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display by thinning out orbit marks which overlap one another so that the map display displays only orbit marks which do not overlap one another in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

10. A map display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the route in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display identified by the orbit marks is a route which has been traveled by a user of the map display apparatus.

11. A map display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a duplicate identifying mark display preventer which prevents two identical identifying marks from appearing within a predetermined distance of one another in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display by selecting for display in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display only one of the two identical identifying marks.

12. A map display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the duplicate identifying mark display preventer selects for display in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display only one of the two identifying marks which is closer to a selected point in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

13. A map display apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the selected point in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display is a present position of a user of the map display apparatus.

14. A map display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the map display displays in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display a present position mark indicating a present position of a user of the map display apparatus;

wherein the map display enables the user to change the projection angle which the projection plane makes with the plane of the map data read out from the map data memory; and

wherein the map display changes the present position mark in accordance with a change in the projection angle.

15. A map display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the map display changes a shape of the present position mark in accordance with the change in the projection angle.

16. A map display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the map display displays an artificial sky area in a portion of the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

17. A map display apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the map display displays at least a portion of the artificial sky area in place of some of the map data read out from the map data memory to reduce an amount of map data which is displayed in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

18. A map display apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the map display displays at least a portion of the artificial sky area in place of map data read out from the map data memory corresponding to a region of the bird'"'"'s-eye view display which is furthest from a selected point in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display to reduce an amount of map data which is displayed in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

19. A map display apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the selected point in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display is a present position of a user of the map display apparatus.

20. A map display apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the map display controls an appearance of the artificial sky area to represent a present appearance of an actual sky viewable by a user of the map display apparatus.

21. A map display apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the map display changes a color of the artificial sky area in accordance with an actual time of day experienced by the user of the map display apparatus.

22. A map display apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the map display changes a color of the artificial sky in accordance with a real weather condition experienced by the user of the map display apparatus.

23. A map display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the map display enables a user of the map display apparatus to switch between the bird'"'"'s-eye view display and a plan view display;

and

wherein the map display draws the plan view display by projecting the map data read out from the memory onto a projection plane which is parallel to a plane of the map data read out from the map data memory.

24. A map display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein when the map display displays the bird'"'"'s-eye view display, the map display displays in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display a mark identifying the display as the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

25. A map display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein when the map display displays the plan view display, the map display displays in the plan view display a mark identifying the display as the plan view display.

26. A map display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the map display displays a selected route in the bird'"'"'s-eye view as a line having a width which decreases with increasing distance from a selected point in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

27. A map display apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the selected route in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display is a route to be traveled by a user of the map display apparatus;

and

wherein the selected point in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display is a present position of a user of the map display apparatus.

28. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a map display apparatus according to claim 1; and

a present position detector which detects a present position of the navigation apparatus;

wherein the map display apparatus displays in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display a present position mark indicating the present position detected by present position detector.

29. A navigation apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the navigation apparatus is mounted in a vehicle;

and

wherein the present position detector detects the present position of the vehicle while the vehicle is at rest and in motion.

30. A map display apparatus comprising:

a map data memory which stores map data necessary for drawing a map of a predetermined region; and

a map display which reads map data out of the map data memory and draws a bird'"'"'s-eye view display by projecting the map data read out from the map data memory onto a projection plane which makes a projection angle with a plane of the map data read out from the map data memory, the projection angle being greater than 0° and

less than 90°

;

wherein the map display displays an artificial sky area in a portion of the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

31. A map display apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the map display displays at least a portion of the artificial sky area in place of some of the map data read out from the map data memory to reduce an amount of map data which is displayed in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

32. A map display apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the map display displays at least a portion of the artificial sky area in place of map data read out from the map data memory corresponding to a region of the bird'"'"'s-eye view display which is furthest from a selected point in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display to reduce an amount of map data which is displayed in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display.

33. A map display apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the selected point in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display is a present position of a user of the map display apparatus.

34. A map display apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the map display controls an appearance of the artificial sky area to represent a present appearance of an actual sky viewable by a user of the map display apparatus.

35. A map display apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the map display changes a color of the artificial sky area in accordance with an actual time of day experienced by the user of the map display apparatus.

36. A map display apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the map display changes a color of the artificial sky in accordance with a real weather condition experienced by the user of the map display apparatus.

37. A navigation apparatus comprising:

a map display apparatus according to claim 30; and

a present position detector which detects a present position of the navigation apparatus;

wherein the map display apparatus displays in the bird'"'"'s-eye view display a present position mark indicating the present position detected by present position detector.

38. A navigation apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the navigation apparatus is mounted in a vehicle;

and

wherein the present position detector detects the present position of the vehicle when the vehicle is at rest and in motion.

39. A map display apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing map data necessary for drawing a map of a predetermined region;

map display means for displaying a bird'"'"'s-eye view map by converting a perspective of map data read out from the memory means; and

background display means for displaying an artificial background region including a horizontal line and a sky in an upper region of the bird'"'"'s-eye view map;

wherein the background display means changes at least one of a color and a pattern of the artificial background region in accordance with at least one ON/OFF state signal of equipment of a car.

40. A map display apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the background display means changes the at least one of the color and the pattern of the artificial background region in accordance with at least one ON/OFF state signal of lamps of the car.

41. A map display apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the background display means further changes the at least one of the color and the pattern of the artificial background region in accordance with time.

42. A map display apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the background display means further changes the at least one of the color and the pattern of the artificial background region in accordance with weather.

43. A map display apparatus comprising:

a memory which stores map data necessary for drawing a map of a predetermined region;

a map display which displays a bird'"'"'s-eye view map by converting a perspective of map data read out from the memory; and

a background display which displays an artificial background region including a horizontal line and a sky in an upper region of the bird'"'"'s-eye view map;

wherein the background display changes at least one of a color and a pattern of the artificial background region in accordance with at least one ON/OFF state signal of equipment of a car.

44. A map display apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing map data necessary for drawing a map of a predetermined region;

map display means for displaying a bird'"'"'s-eye view map by converting a perspective of map data read out from the memory means; and

background display means for displaying an artificial background region including a horizontal line and a sky in an upper region of the bird'"'"'s-eye view map;

wherein the background display means changes at least one of a color and a pattern of the artificial background region in accordance with a signal inputted from a car having the map display apparatus mounted thereto or an internal condition of the car.

45. A map display apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the signal inputted from the car is an ON/OFF state signal of equipment of the car or the internal condition of the car is an ON/OFF condition of equipment of the car.

46. A map display apparatus comprising:

a memory which stores map data necessary for drawing a map of a predetermined region;

a map display which displays a bird'"'"'s-eye view map by converting a perspective of map data read out from the memory; and

a background display which displays an artificial background region including a horizontal line and a sky in an upper region of the bird'"'"'s-eye view map;

wherein the background display changes at least one of a color and a pattern of the artificial background region in accordance with a signal inputted from a car having the map display apparatus mounted thereto or an internal condition of the car.

47. A map display apparatus comprising:

a memory which stores map data necessary for drawing a map of a predetermined region;

a map display which displays a bird'"'"'s-eye view map by converting a perspective of map data read out from the memory; and

a background display which displays an artificial background region including a horizontal line and a sky in an upper region of the bird'"'"'s-eye view map display;

wherein the background display changes at least one of a color and a pattern of the artificial background region in accordance with real present time.

48. A map display apparatus comprising:

a memory which stores map data necessary for drawing a map of a predetermined region;

a map display which displays a bird'"'"'s-eye view map by converting a perspective of map data read out from the memory; and

a background display which displays an artificial background region including a horizontal line and a sky in an upper region of the bird'"'"'s-eye view map;

wherein the background display changes at least one of a color and a pattern of the artificial background region in accordance with received weather information about real present weather conditions.

49. A car navigation apparatus comprising:

a map data memory which stores map data;

a present position detector which detects a present position of a car;

a map display which reads out map data for a region including the present position of the car from the map data memory and displays a bird'"'"'s-eye view map by converting a perspective of the map data read out from the map data memory;

a car position display controller which displays the present position of the car detected by the present position detector on the bird'"'"'s-eye view map; and

a background display which displays an artificial background including a sky in an upper region of the bird'"'"'s-eye view map;

wherein the background display displays the sky with at least one of a color and a pattern representative of environmental conditions around the car in accordance with operational information of equipment of the car.