Display method and apparatus for navigation system

• US 6,859,723 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2002
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yokota, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/218,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/211, 701/212, 701/208, 340/995.14, 340/995.15, 340/995.16, 340/995.23, 340/995.27
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096894 where input is assisted by the navigation device, i.e. the user does not type the complete name of the destination, e.g. using zip codes, telephone numbers, progressively selecting from initial letters

Abstract

A display method and apparatus for navigation system for specifying the destination easily and quickly. The navigation system is designed to enable a user to quickly select a street name and easily specify the address number of the destination through a map image of the selected street. The navigation system includes a menu for changing a keyboard screen or other input screen to a map screen showing the image of the selected street. A user can find a location of the destination on the image of the selected street. Various display methods are provided to promote quick and easy operations for finding the location on the selected street. When there are two or more streets having same street name with different street types or street prefixes, the navigation system displays selection means for a user to select one of the streets.

Claims

1. A display method for a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

displaying a keyboard for inputting a street name of a destination;

displaying a street name selected by a user and a map menu for changing a current screen to a map screen;

changing the current screen to the map screen which displays an image of the street selected by the user and a cursor as a pointing device; and

finding a position on the image of the selected street and pointing the position on the selected street by the cursor, thereby determining an address of the destination;

wherein said step of changing the current screen to said map screen including a step of displaying the image of said selected street in such a way that a start point of said selected street matches a center of the map screen.

2. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein

said step of displaying the street name and the map menu includes a step of, when there are two or more streets having same street name with different street types or street prefixes, displaying selection means for selecting one of the streets.

3. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of changing the current screen to said map screen including a step of highlighting the image of the selected street in the map screen.

4. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of displaying the street name selected by the user including a step of displaying selection means for selecting a range of address numbers of the selected street.

5. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 4, wherein said step of displaying the selection means for selecting the range of address numbers including a step of displaying a numerical range of the address numbers as the selection means.

6. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 4, wherein said step of displaying the selection means for selecting the range of address numbers including a step of displaying an area of specific interest as the selection means.

7. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of changing the current screen to said map screen including a step of selecting a map scale in the map screen based on a type of said selected street.

8. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of changing the current screen to said map screen including a step of selecting a map scale in the map screen based on a range of address numbers of said selected street specified by a user.

9. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of finding and pointing the position on said selected street including a step of at least one of scrolling and zooming said map screen.

10. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of changing the current screen to said map screen including a step of displaying the image of said selected street in such a way that a center of said selected street matches a center of the map screen and wherein the cursor is positioned at the center of the map screen.

11. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the cursor is positioned at the center of the map screen.

12. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of finding and pointing the position on said selected street including a step of displaying an address of a cursor point on said selected street.

13. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of finding and pointing the position on said selected street including a step of moving the cursor on the image of said selected street while maintaining the map screen without change.

14. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of changing the current screen to said map screen including a step of assigning a color to the image of said selected street where two or more colors are assigned for differentiating between a main street and a branch street of said selected street.

15. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of changing the current screen to said map screen including a step of alternating two or more colors of said selected street or blinking a color of said selected street to highlight the image of said selected street.

16. A display method for a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

displaying a keyboard for inputting a street name of a destination;

displaying a street name selected by a user and a map menu for changing a current screen to a map screen;

changing the current screen to the map screen which displays an image of the street selected by the user and a cursor as a pointing device; and

finding a position on the image of the selected street and pointing the position on the selected street by the cursor, thereby determining an address of the destination;

wherein said step of finding and pointing the position on the selected street including a step of displaying means for indicating existence of a further image of said selected street outside of a current map screen.

17. A display method for a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

displaying a keyboard for inputting a street name of a destination;

displaying a street name selected by a user and a map menu for changing a current screen to a map screen;

changing the current screen to the map screen which displays an image of the street selected by the user and a cursor as a pointing device; and

finding a position on the image of the selected street and pointing the position on the selected street by the cursor, thereby determining an address of the destination;

wherein said step of finding and pointing the position on said selected street including a step of jumping from one segment of said selected street to another segment of said selected street when there is a gap in said selected street.

18. A display apparatus for a navigation system, comprising:

means for displaying a keyboard for inputting a street name of a destination;

means for displaying a street name selected by a user and a map menu for changing a current screen to a map screen;

means for changing the current screen to the map screen which displays an image of the street selected by the user and a cursor as a pointing device; and

means for finding a position on the image of the selected street and pointing the position on the selected street by the cursor, thereby determining an address of the destination;

wherein said means for changing the current screen to said map screen including means for displaying the image of said selected street in such a way that a start point of said selected street matches a center of the map screen and wherein the cursor is positioned at the center of the map screen.

19. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein

said means for displaying the street name and the map menu includes means for, when there are two or more streets having the same street name with different street types or street prefixes, displaying selection means for selecting one of the streets.

20. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for changing the current screen to said map screen including means for highlighting the image of the selected street in the map screen.

21. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for displaying the street name selected by the user including means for selecting a range of address numbers of said selected street based on a numerical range of the address numbers or an area of specific interest.

22. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for changing the current screen to said map screen including means for selecting a map scale in the map screen based on a type of said selected street or a range of address numbers of said selected street.

23. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for finding and pointing the position on said selected street including means for at least one of scrolling and zooming said map screen.

24. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for changing the current screen to said map screen including means for displaying the image of said selected street in such a way that a center of said selected street matches a center of the map screen and wherein the cursor is positioned at the center of the map screen.

25. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for finding and pointing the position on said selected street including means for displaying an address of a cursor point on said selected street.

26. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 18, said means for finding and pointing the position on said selected street including means for moving the cursor on the image of said selected street while maintaining the map screen without change.

27. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for changing the current screen to said map screen including means for assigning a color to the image of said selected street where two or more colors are assigned for differentiating between a main street and a branch street of said selected street.

28. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 18, wherein said means for changing the current screen to said map screen including means for alternating two or more colors of said selected street or blinking a color of said selected street to highlight the image of said selected street.

29. A display apparatus for a navigation system, comprising:

means for displaying a keyboard for inputting a street name of a destination;

means for displaying a street name selected by a user and a map menu for changing a current screen to a map screen;

means for changing the current screen to the map screen which displays an image of the street selected by the user and a cursor as a pointing device; and

means for finding a position on the image of the selected street and pointing the position on the selected street by the cursor, thereby determining an address of the destination;

wherein said means for finding and pointing the position on the selected street including means for jumping from one segment of said selected street to another segment of said selected street when there is a gap in said selected street.