Method and apparatus of displaying three-dimensional arrival screen for navigation system

• US 7,590,487 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: De Silva, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/502,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20080040024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/201, 701/209, 340/995.1
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps

Abstract

A method and apparatus of displaying a three-dimensional arrival screen allows the user to more easily and accurately identify the actual location of the destination by displaying the three-dimensional arrival screen which shows the relationship among the location of the destination, the locations of the neighboring addresses, and the current vehicle position. The method includes the steps of receiving a street address number of a destination, retrieving data indicating a road segment which includes the specified street address number, estimating positions of the destination and neighboring addresses based on street numbers of the destination, neighboring addresses, and position data of the road segment, and displaying a three-dimensional arrival screen when the user comes within the predetermined distance range from the destination.

Claims

1. A method for displaying an arrival screen for a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

receiving a street address number of a destination specified by a user;

retrieving data indicating a road segment which includes the specified street address number thereon from a map information storage;

estimating positions of the destination and neighboring addresses based on street numbers of the destination, neighboring addresses, and position data of the road segment by interpolating between at least two absolute positions on the road segment and assigning an interpolated location to the destination;

detecting whether the user comes within a predetermined distance range from the destination; and

displaying a three-dimensional arrival screen when the user comes within the predetermined distance range from the destination;

wherein the three-dimensional arrival screen includes the estimated position of the destination, a current position of the user, a road on which the user is moving, all of which are displayed in a three-dimensional manner on the screen, and street address numbers of the destination and the neighboring addresses.

2. A method for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of estimating the positions of the destination and neighboring addresses includes a step of interpolating between two street address numbers on the road segment when the absolute positions of the two street address numbers are known.

3. A method for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional arrival screen further includes position marks showing the positions of the destination and the neighboring addresses.

4. A method for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

checking whether any footprint data exist adjacent to the road segment which includes the specified street address of the destination; and

estimating positions of the destination and neighboring addresses by incorporating position information included in the footprint data;

wherein the footprint data of a building includes the position information which is expressed by latitude and longitude data indicating a shape, size and location of the building.

5. A method for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 4, wherein said step of estimating the positions by incorporating the position information included in the footprint data includes a step of interpolating between a street address number on the road segment and a selected point on the road segment corresponding to the latitude and longitude data of the building retrieved from the footprint data.

6. A method for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 4, wherein said three-dimensional arrival screen further includes an image showing a topological shape of the building derived from the footprint data.

7. A method for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 3, wherein said position marks and street address numbers are provided on one side of the road on which the user is moving toward the destination where the destination is located on said one side.

8. A method for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 3, wherein said position marks and street address numbers are provided on both sides of the road on which the user is moving toward the destination without regard to which side of the road the destination is located.

9. A method for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of switching between a two dimensional screen and the three-dimensional screen at any desired time by operating a switch-over key.

10. A method for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 3, wherein said three-dimensional arrival screen further includes an image of an intersection when the intersection is located close to the destination.

11. An apparatus for displaying an arrival screen for a navigation system, comprising:

means for receiving a street address number of a destination specified by a user;

means for retrieving data indicating a road segment which includes the specified street address number thereon from a map information storage;

means for estimating positions of the destination and neighboring addresses based on street numbers of the destination, neighboring addresses, and position data of the road segment by interpolating between at least two absolute positions on the road segment and assigning an interpolated location to the destination; and

means for detecting whether the user comes within a predetermined distance range from the destination;

means for displaying a three-dimensional arrival screen when the user comes within the predetermined distance range from the destination;

wherein the three-dimensional arrival screen includes a position of the destination, a current position of the user, a road on which the user is moving, all of which are displayed in a three-dimensional manner on the screen, and street address numbers of the destination and the neighboring addresses.

12. An apparatus for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 11, wherein said means for estimating the positions of the destination and neighboring addresses includes means for interpolating between two street address numbers on the road segment when absolute positions of the two street address numbers are known.

13. An apparatus for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 11, wherein said three-dimensional arrival screen further includes position marks showing the positions of the destination and the neighboring addresses.

14. An apparatus for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

means for checking whether any footprint data exist adjacent to the road segment which includes the specified street address of the destination; and

means for estimating positions of the destination and neighboring addresses by incorporating position information included in the footprint data;

wherein the footprint data of a building includes the position information which is expressed by latitude and longitude data indicating a shape, size and location of the building.

15. An apparatus for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 14, wherein said means for estimating the positions by incorporating the position information included in the footprint data includes means for interpolating between a street address number on the road segment and a selected point on the road segment corresponding to the latitude and longitude data of the building retrieved from the footprint data.

16. An apparatus for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 14, wherein said three-dimensional arrival screen further includes an image showing a topological shape of the building derived from the footprint data.

17. An apparatus for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 13, wherein said position marks and street address numbers are provided on one side of the road on which the user is moving toward the destination where the destination is located on said one side.

18. An apparatus for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 13, wherein said position marks and street address numbers are provided on both sides of the road on which the user is moving toward the destination without regard to which side of the road the destination is located.

19. An apparatus for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 11, further comprising means for switching between a two dimensional screen and the three-dimensional screen at any desired time by operating a switch-over key.

20. An apparatus for displaying an arrival screen as defined in claim 13, wherein said three-dimensional arrival screen further includes an image of an intersection when the intersection is located close to the destination.