Vehicular information system developing apparatus, vehicular information system developing tool, vehicular information system developing method, and navigation system developing method

• US 6,658,347 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Ideno, Hiroaki, Itoh, Hisatsugu, Shimotani, Mitsuo, Noguchi, Masahiro, Uekawa, Akio, Ozaki, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US09/898,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 345/156, 345/353, 345/333, 340/990, 340/995, 340/988, 342/451
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A vehicular information system developing apparatus has an input section through which graphics-related data are externally input, said graphics-related data including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that are set for respective figures and describe operations of the figures on the screen; a storage section for storing control data to be used for controlling transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command and display control data to be used for displaying figures on the screen in each state based on the operation description data; and a conversion section for incorporating the graphics-related data into the display control data and for generating an execution program based on resulting data and the control data.

Claims

1. A program developing apparatus for a vehicular information system comprising:

an input section that receives graphics-related data from an external entity, said graphics-related data including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that are set for respective figures and describe operations of the figures on the screen;

a storage section for storing control data to be used for controlling a transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command and display control data to be used for displaying figures on the screen in each state based on the operation description data; and

a conversion section for incorporating the graphics-related data into the display control data and for generating a vehicular information system execution program based on the display control data resulting from the incorporation of the graphics-related data and the control data to be used for controlling a transition between display states.

2. The program developing apparatus for a vehicular information system according to claim 1, wherein the operation description data includes a plurality of operation descriptions that are set for respective prescribed conditions, and wherein when a prescribed condition is satisfied a figure operation corresponding to the prescribed condition is performed.

3. The program developing apparatus for a vehicular information system according to claim 1, wherein the control data includes transition control data to be used for controlling the transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command and function control data to be used for controlling execution of application functions, and wherein the transition control data is input externally through the input section.

4. A program developing system for a vehicular information system, comprising

the program developing apparatus for the vehicular information system of claim 1; and

a program developing tool for the vehicular information system comprising;

a generation section for generating the graphics-related data including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on screen and operation description data that are set for respective figures and describe operations of the figures on the screen;

a display control section for displaying the figures on the screen based on the operation description data; and

an output section for outputting the graphics-related data to the program developing apparatus for the vehicular information system.

5. The program developing apparatus for a vehicular information developing system according to claim 4, wherein the generation section of the program developing tool for the vehicular information system is further adapted to generate transition control data to be used for controlling transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command, and the display control section is adapted to display, based on the transition control data, figures that are based on the graphics-related data.

6. A program developing method for a vehicular information system by which a developer develops, in response to an order from an external entity, a vehicular information system desired by the entity, comprising the steps of:

a) providing, by the developer to the entity, a program developing tool for the vehicular information system;

b) generating, by the entity, using the program developing tool for the vehicular information system, graphics-related data including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that describe operations of figures on the screen,

c) providing, by the entity, the generated graphics-related data to the developer;

d) receiving, by the developer, the graphics-related data;

e) incorporating, by the developer, the graphics-related data into display control data to be used for displaying figures on the screen in each display state based on the operation description data, and

f) generating, by the developer, a vehicular information system execution program based on the display control data resulting from the incorporation of the graphics-related data and control data that is used to control a transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command;

wherein the program developing tool for the vehicular information system displays figures on the screen based on the operation description data.

7. A program developing method for a vehicular information system by which an external entity places an order for developing a vehicular information system execution program, comprising the steps of:

a) generating, by the entity, using a program developing tool for the vehicular information system, graphics-related data including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that describe operations of figures on the screen, and

b) providing, by the entity, the generated graphics-related data to a developer;

wherein the program developing tool for the vehicular information system displays figures on the screen based on the operation description data.

8. A program developing method for a vehicular information system by which a developer develops, in response to an order from an external entity, a vehicular information system execution program, comprising the steps of:

a) providing, by the developer, a program developing tool for the vehicular information system; and

b) receiving, by the developer, graphics-related data that have been generated using the program developing tool for the vehicular information system, including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that are set for respective figures and describe operations of the figures on the screen;

wherein the program developing tool for the vehicular information system displays figures on the screen based on the operation description data.

9. The program developing method for a vehicular information system according to claim 8, wherein the program developing tool for the vehicular information system is used to generate transition control data to be used for controlling transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command.

10. The program developing method for a vehicular information system according to claim 9, wherein the program developing tool for the vehicular information system displays figures on the screen in each display state based on the operation description data.

11. A program developing method for a vehicular information system by which a developer develops, in response to an order from an external entity, a vehicular information system desired by the entity, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, by the developer, graphics-related data that have been generated using a program developing tool for the vehicular information system, and including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that describe operations of figures on the screen,

b) incorporating, by the developer, the graphics-related data into display control data to be used for displaying figures on the screen in each display state based on the operation description data, and

c) generating, by the developer, a vehicular information system execution program based on the display control data resulting from the incorporation of the graphics-related data and control data control data to be used for controlling transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command;

wherein the program developing tool for the vehicular information system displays figures on the screen based on the operation description data.

12. The program developing method for a vehicular information system according to claim 11, wherein the control data includes transition control data to be used for controlling transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command and function control data to be used for controlling execution of application functions, wherein the transition control data is generated by the external entity.

13. A program developing method for a navigation system by which a developer develops, in response to an order from an external entity, a navigation system desired by the entity, comprising the steps of:

a) providing, by the developer to the entity, a program developing tool for the navigation system;

b) generating, by the entity, using the program developing tool for the navigation system, graphics-related data including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that describe operations of figures on the screen,

c) providing, by the entity, the generated graphics-related data to the developer;

d) receiving, by the developer, the graphics-related data,

e) incorporating the graphics-related data into display control data to be used for displaying figures on the screen in each display state based on the operation description data, and

f) generating, by the developer, a navigation system execution program based on the display control data resulting from the incorporation of the graphics-related data and control data that is used to control a transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command;

wherein the program developing tool for the navigation system displays figures on a screen based on the operation description data.

14. A program developing method for a navigation system by which an external entity places an order for developing a navigation system execution program, comprising the steps of

a) generating, by the entity, using a program developing tool for the navigation system, graphics-related data including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that describe operations of figures on the screen, and

b) providing, by the entity, the generated graphics-related data to a developer;

wherein the program developing tool for the navigation system displays figures on the screen based on the operation description data.

15. A program developing method for a navigation system by which a developer develops, in response to an order from an external entity, a navigation system execution program, comprising the steps of:

a) providing, by the developer, a program developing tool for the navigation system;

b) receiving, by the developer, graphics-related data that have been generated using the program developing tool for the navigation system including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that are set for respective figures and describe operations of the figures on the screen;

wherein the program developing tool for the navigation system displays figures on the screen based on the operation description data.

16. The program developing method for a navigation system according to claim 15, wherein the program developing tool for the navigation system is used to generate transition control data to be used for controlling transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command.

17. The program developing method for a navigation system according to claim 16, wherein the program developing tool for the navigation system displays figures on the screen in each display state based on the operation description data.

18. A program developing method for a navigation system by which a developer develops, in response to an order from an external entity, a navigation system desired by the entity, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, by the developer, graphics-related data that have been generated using a program developing tool for a navigation system and including graphics data relating to figures to be displayed on a screen and operation description data that describe operations of figures on the screen,

b) incorporating, by the developer, the graphics-related data into display control data to be used for displaying figures on the screen in each display state based on the operation description data, and

c) generating, by the developer, a navigation system execution program based on display control data resulting from the incorporation of the graphics-related data and control data to be used for controlling a transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command;

wherein the program developing tool for the navigation system displays figures on the screen based on the operation description data.

19. The program developing method for a navigation system according to claim 18, wherein the control data includes transition control data to be used for controlling transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command and function control data to be used for controlling execution of application functions, and wherein the transition control data is generated by the entity.

20. A program developing tool for a vehicular information system, comprising:

a generation section for generating the graphics-related data including graphics data relating to figures displayed on a screen and operation description data that are set for respective figures and describe operations of the figures on the screen;

a display control section for displaying the figures on the screen based on the operation description data; and

an output section for outputting the graphics-related data to an output.

21. The program developing tool for a vehicular information system according to claim 20, wherein the generation section of the vehicular information system developing tool is further adapted to generate transition control data to be used for controlling a transition between display states in accordance with a prescribed command, and the display control section is adapted to display, based on the transition control data, figures that are based on the graphics-related data.