Map display device and map display method

• US 8,040,343 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2005
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Navitime Japan Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Hiroshi, Kikuchi, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): BROOME, SAID A
• Application Number:
  US11/817,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20090046093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,421 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/419
• 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: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

A map display device and a map display method, in which a building in a map is formed as a pseudo three-dimensional figure and arithmetic processing to display the figure as a bird'"'"'s-eye view is simplified. The map display device 20 for displaying map data, formed from vector data, on a display means has a plane figure-for-bird'"'"'s-eye-view creation means 218, a shift amount storage means 219, a building position determination means 220, and a figure data copying means 221. The plane-figure-for-bird'"'"'s-eye-view creation means 218 creates, from the map data formed from vector data, a plane figure for creating a bird'"'"'s-eye view. The figure data copying means 221 copies and draws the plane figure to display a bird'"'"'s-eye view. This is performed based on the positions of buildings determined by the building determination means 220 and on the shift amounts stored in the shift amount storage means 219, and in this process, the plane figures are shifted upward on a display screen according to the shift amounts, and the copying and drawing are made one by one from a building positioned on the far side in the bird'"'"'s-eye view.

Claims

1. A map display device for displaying map data that are composed of vector data in a display means, said map display device comprising:

means for creating a plane figure for a bird'"'"'s-eye view, shift amount storage means, building position determination means, and figure data duplication means;

the means for creating a plane figure for a bird'"'"'s-eye view creates bird'"'"'s-eye-view plane figures of buildings in sequence from the building positioned farthest away in a bird'"'"'s-eye view on the basis of a building position determined by the building position determination means, and draws a first layer of plane data; and

said figure data duplication means duplicates and draws said first layer of plane data while shifting the first layer of plane data upward on a screen according to said shift amount on the basis of the shift amount stored by said shift amount storage means, and displays said bird'"'"'s-eye view,

characterized in that said map data composed of vector data include building data to which height information relating to a height of a building is added,

a bird'"'"'s-eye-view plane figure is duplicated and drawn a number of times that is in accordance with said height information while being shifted upward on said screen by said shift amount,

said buildings are divided into a plurality of groups having different heights on the basis of the height information,

a number of times in accordance with said height information is determined for each group,

bird'"'"'s-eye-view plane figures of buildings that have portions at a common height among buildings in a bird'"'"'s-eye view are grouped, and

said grouped bird'"'"'s-eye view plane figures are duplicated and drawn while said grouped bird'"'"'s-eye-view plane figures are shifted in sequence from said first layer said determined number of times upward on said screen according to a shift amount.

2. A map display method in a map display device for displaying map data that are composed of vector data in a display means, wherein said map display device comprises means for creating a plane figure for a bird'"'"'s-eye view, shift amount storage means, building position determination means, and figure data duplication means, said map display method comprising:

a step in which the means for creating a plane figure for a bird'"'"'s-eye view creates bird'"'"'s-eye-view plane figures of buildings in sequence from the building positioned farthest away in a bird'"'"'s-eye view on the basis of a building position determined by the building position determination means, and draws a first layer of plane data; and

a step in which said figure data duplication means duplicates and draws said first layer of plane data while shifting the first layer of plane data upward on a screen according to said shift amount on the basis of the shift amount stored by said shift amount storage means; and

a step in which said bird'"'"'s-eye view is displayed,

characterized in comprising a step in which

said map data composed of vector data include building data to which height information relating to a height of a building is added; and

a bird'"'"'s-eye-view plane figure is duplicated and drawn a number of times that is in accordance with said height information while being shifted upward on said screen by said shift amount, and

characterized in comprising a step in which

said buildings are divided into a plurality of groups having different heights on the basis of the height information;

a number of times in accordance with said height information is determined for each group;

bird'"'"'s-eye-view plane figures of buildings that have portions at a common height among buildings in a bird'"'"'s-eye view are grouped; and

said grouped bird'"'"'s eye view plane figures are duplicated and drawn while said grouped bird'"'"'s-eye-view plane figures are shifted in sequence from said first layer said determined number of times upward on said screen according to a shift amount.