Navigation apparatus, and data processing method and computer program used therewith

• US 7,460,952 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ogaki, Tadao, Okuda, Shizue
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/098,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20050234638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 345/420, 345/419, 340/995.1, 340/990, 340/995.11, 340/995.12, 340/995.19
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3638 including 3D objects and buildings three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects G06T17/00; geographic models G06T17/05
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models

Abstract

A navigation apparatus displays navigation information generated based on map information. The apparatus includes a positional information acquiring section for acquiring positional information, a storage section storing two-dimensional map data, three-dimensional graphic data, and node-based altitude data of recorded altitude data of nodes which are set on a link used as a route, a data processor generating and outputting three-dimensional display information for a guidance region by receiving the positional information acquired by the positional information acquiring section, and acquiring data from the storage section based on the received positional information, and a display device displaying the information output from the data processor. The data processor calculates the altitudes of points on the route based on the node-based altitude data, and generates and outputs, to the display device, three-dimensional route information in which data of the calculated altitudes is set as a parameter.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus for displaying navigation information generated based on map information, the navigation apparatus comprising:

positional information acquiring means for acquiring positional information;

storage means for storing two-dimensional map data, three-dimensional graphic data, and node-based altitude data of recorded altitude data of nodes which are set on a link used as a route;

a data processor for;

calculating altitudes of points on the route based on the node-based altitude data;

calculating an altitude of the navigation apparatus based on the positional information and based on the node-based altitude data;

calculating an altitude of a vehicle having the navigation apparatus based on the positional information and the node-based altitude data;

generating three-dimensional route information for a guidance region based on the positional information; and

generating three-dimensional data obtained in observation from a camera viewpoint set within an allowable range for setting the camera viewpoint, the allowable range having altitudes not less than the altitude of the vehicle or the altitude of the navigation apparatus; and

display means for displaying the three dimensional route information and the three-dimensional data, wherein

the storage means;

stores, as interpolation-point-based altitude data, altitude information of interpolation points set between two adjacent nodes, and

excludes one of a first sequential interpolation point and a second sequential interpolation point when a difference between altitude information of the first sequential interpolation point and altitude information of the second sequential interpolation point is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold difference.

2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data processor:

positions a symbol on the display based on the altitude of the vehicle.

3. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the node-based altitude data comprises recorded altitude data for each node included in each of the links, and

sequence information of a link identifier of a particular link to a destination is input to the data processor, and, based on altitude data of nodes in the particular link, three-dimensional route information reflecting altitude information for the route is generated and output to the display means by the data processor.

4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

when three-dimensional data of a guidance point existing in a traveling direction is stored in the storage means, three-dimensional data of the guidance point is generated and output to the display means, and

when the three-dimensional data of the guidance point is not stored in the storage means, the two-dimensional map is acquired from the storage means and is output to the display means.

5. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the data processor calculates the altitudes of points on the route based on the interpolation-point-based altitude data.

6. A data processing method for displaying navigation information generated based on map information, the data processing method comprising:

acquiring positional information;

calculating altitudes of points on a route based on node-based altitude data;

calculating an altitude of a navigation apparatus based on the positional information and based on the node-based altitude data;

calculating an altitude of a vehicle having the navigation apparatus based on the positional information and the node-based altitude data;

calculating altitudes of interpolation points on the route based on interpolation-point-based altitude data comprising interpolation points set between two adjacent nodes;

excluding from the interpolation points one of a first sequential interpolation point and a second sequential interpolation point when a difference between altitude information of the first sequential interpolation point and altitude information of the second sequential interpolation point is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold difference;

generating three-dimensional display information for a guidance region based on the positional information, the three-dimensional display information being obtained in observation from a camera viewpoint set within an allowable range for setting the camera viewpoint, the allowable range having altitudes not less than the altitude of the vehicle or the altitude of the navigation apparatus; and

displaying the three-dimensional display information.

7. The data processing method according to claim 6, wherein a symbol represents the vehicle, the symbol being positioned on the display based on the altitude of the vehicle.

8. The data processing method according to claim 6, wherein the node-based altitude data comprises recorded altitude data for each node included in each of the links, and the method further comprises:

receiving sequence information of a link identifier of a particular link to a destination; and

displaying the three-dimensional route information based on altitude data of nodes included in the particular link, the three-dimensional route information reflecting altitude information for the route.

9. The data processing method according to claim 6, wherein:

when three-dimensional data of a guidance point existing in a traveling direction is stored in the storage means, three-dimensional data of the guidance point is generated and output to the display means, and

when the three-dimensional data of the guidance point is not stored in the storage means, two-dimensional map data is acquired from the storage means and is output to the display means.

10. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for displaying navigation information generated based on map information, the method comprising:

acquiring positional information;

calculating altitudes of points on a route based on node-based altitude data;

calculating an altitude of a navigation apparatus based on the positional information and based on the node-based altitude data;

calculating an altitude of a vehicle having the navigation apparatus based on the positional information and the node-based altitude data;

calculating altitudes of interpolation points on the route based on interpolation-point-based altitude data comprising interpolation points set between two adjacent nodes;

excluding from the interpolation points one of a first sequential interpolation point and a second sequential interpolation point when a difference between altitude information of the first sequential interpolation point and altitude information of the second sequential interpolation point is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold difference;

generating three-dimensional display information for a guidance region based on the positional information, the three-dimensional display information being obtained in observation from a camera viewpoint set within an allowable range for setting the camera viewpoint, the allowable range having altitudes not less than the altitude of the vehicle or the altitude of the navigation apparatus; and

displaying the three-dimensional display information.

11. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

acquiring interpolation-point-based altitude data used as altitude information of the interpolation points which are each set between nodes.

12. A navigation apparatus for displaying navigation information generated based on map information, the navigation apparatus comprising:

an input for acquiring positional information;

a memory that stores two-dimensional map data, three-dimensional graphic data, and node-based altitude data of recorded altitude data of nodes which are set on a link used as a route;

a data processor for;

calculating altitudes of points on the route based on the node-based altitude data;

calculating an altitude of the navigation apparatus based on the positional information and based on the node-based altitude data;

calculating an altitude of a vehicle having the navigation apparatus based on the positional information and the node-based altitude data;

generating three-dimensional route information for a guidance region based on the positional information; and

generating three-dimensional data obtained in observation from a camera viewpoint set within an allowable range for setting the camera viewpoint, the allowable range having altitudes not less than the altitude of the vehicle or the altitude of the navigation apparatus; and

a display device for displaying the three dimensional route information and the three-dimensional data, wherein

the memory;

stores, as interpolation-point-based altitude data, altitude information of interpolation points set between two adjacent nodes, and

excludes one of a first sequential interpolation point and a second sequential interpolation point when a difference between altitude information of the first sequential interpolation point and altitude information of the second sequential interpolation point is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold difference.