Map display controller for controlling display of facilities and moving images associated therewith

• US 8,300,068 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yamada, Takushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery A
• Application Number:
  US11/593,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,184 Days
• Field of Search: 345/474, 345/636, 345/684, 345/688, 345/681, 340/995.14, 340/995.15, 340/995.16, 340/995.17, 340/995.24, 340/995.27, 715/715
• US Class Current: 345/681
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers

Abstract

A vehicle navigation system is described that includes a map display controller that is able to control display of a map with facilities and moving images, including balloon icons, associated with the facilities. The moving images are controlled to move relative to the various facilities. The map display controller operates such that when a user touches a display screen of the navigation system at a particular position, moving images are controlled to be displayed as moving toward the particular position. In addition, if the user causes the map to be scrolled by an operation unit, the moving images are controlled to be displayed as moving toward a center of the map as displayed according the performed scroll.

Claims

1. A map display controller for controlling an image display apparatus having a display screen that accepts a touch operation, the map display controller comprising:

display control means for controlling displaying of

(i) part of a map,

(ii) a facility, which is fixed at a certain position on the map, and

(iii) a moving image, which is associated with the facility fixed at the certain position on the map; and

movement control means for moving, in response to a touch operation, the moving image in the display screen, relatively to the facility fixed at the certain position on the map, towards the part of the map displayed at a touched position where the touch operation is made in the display screen.

2. The map display controller of claim 1, wherein

the movement control means moves the moving image easily in the display screen as though the moving image is carried on the wind.

3. The map display controller of claim 1, wherein

the movement control means further provides movement control for moving a part of the map, which is displayed in the display screen, based on the touched position where the touch operation is made, along one direction on the map, and wherein

when the facility which is associated with the moving image does not appear in the part of the map which is moved, based on the touched position, along one direction of the map, the movement control means moves the moving image so as to easily enter into the display screen when the part of the map is moved along the one direction.

4. The map display controller of claim 3, wherein

the movement control means provides the movement control and moves the moving image in the one direction relatively to the map.

5. The map display controller of claim 3, wherein,

when the movement control terminates and a base time elapses, the movement control means returns the moving image to a position on the map before initiation of the movement control.

6. The map display controller of claim 1, wherein

the movement control means further provides movement control for moving the part of the map originally displayed where the touch operation is made to the center of the display screen, and wherein

the movement control means moves the moving image so as to approach the center of the display screen.

7. The map display controller of claim 1, wherein,

when a user specifies the moving image displayed in the display screen, the movement control means accordingly varies part of the map to be displayed in the display screen so that the display screen displays the certain position associated with the moving image on the map.

8. The map display controller of claim 1, wherein

the display control means displays a rope-shaped connection image between the facility fixed at the certain position on the map and the moving image thereby visually demonstrating the association of the moving image with the facility fixed at the certain position on the map.

9. The map display controller of claim 1, wherein

the display screen of the image display apparatus includes a touch panel which accepts the touch operation.

10. The map display controller of claim 1, wherein

the moving image includes chronologically changing information about the facility.

11. The map display controller of claim 1, wherein,

when the facility fixed at the certain position is moved outside of a part of the map displayed in the display screen, the moving image is moved so as to remain inside of the part of the map displayed in the display screen.

12. The map display controller of claim 11, wherein

when the facility fixed at the certain position on the map is moved outside the part of the map displayed in the display screen, the moving image, which is moved so as to remain inside the part of the map displayed in the display screen, is displayed with a connection image which indicates a direction to the facility fixed at the certain position on the map.