Digital map labeling system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for labeling a map element of a digital map, the method comprising:
- displaying the map element on a display device, where the map element is represented by at least one spline comprising a plurality of vertices;
retrieving from a database a label assigned to the map element, where the label comprises a plurality of components including one or more of characters, symbols, and icons;
retrieving from the database stored label coordinate values, where the stored label coordinate values describe positions of the plurality of components in the assigned label, and each of the stored label coordinate values is derived from coordinate values of at least one of the plurality of vertices of the at least one spline and stored in the database prior to displaying the map element; and
determining a portion of the digital map where no labeling shall occur, the portion of the digital map where no labeling shall occur comprising at least a segment of the map element;
displaying on the display device the assigned label in the digital map based on the retrieved stored label coordinate values such that the positions and shapes of the plurality of components in the assigned label are adapted to a geometric form of at least a portion of the map element represented by the at least one spline, and that the determined portion of the digital map where no labeling shall occur is not occupied by any part of the assigned label.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation system may display a map element represented by a spline including a plurality of vertices. Label coordinate values derived from coordinate values of the plurality of vertices may be retrieved from a database. A label assigned to the map element may be displayed based on the stored label coordinate values. The assigned label may be adapted to the geometric form of at least a portion of the map element.
31 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for labeling a map element of a digital map, the method comprising:
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displaying the map element on a display device, where the map element is represented by at least one spline comprising a plurality of vertices; retrieving from a database a label assigned to the map element, where the label comprises a plurality of components including one or more of characters, symbols, and icons; retrieving from the database stored label coordinate values, where the stored label coordinate values describe positions of the plurality of components in the assigned label, and each of the stored label coordinate values is derived from coordinate values of at least one of the plurality of vertices of the at least one spline and stored in the database prior to displaying the map element; and determining a portion of the digital map where no labeling shall occur, the portion of the digital map where no labeling shall occur comprising at least a segment of the map element; displaying on the display device the assigned label in the digital map based on the retrieved stored label coordinate values such that the positions and shapes of the plurality of components in the assigned label are adapted to a geometric form of at least a portion of the map element represented by the at least one spline, and that the determined portion of the digital map where no labeling shall occur is not occupied by any part of the assigned label. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions executable by a processor, the tangible non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
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instructions executable to display a map element, where the map element is represented by at least one spline comprising a plurality of vertices; instructions executable to retrieve stored label coordinate values; instructions executable to retrieve a label assigned to the map element, where the assigned label comprises a plurality of components including at least one of a character, a symbol, and an icon, where the stored label coordinate values describe the position of each of the plurality of components of the assigned label, and the position of each of the components of the assigned label is predetermined based on coordinate values of at least one of the plurality of vertices of the at least one spline prior to retrieving the map element; and instructions executable to display the assigned label in a digital map based on the stored label coordinate values such that the positions and shapes of the plurality of components in the assigned label are adapted to a geometric form of at least a portion of the map element represented by the at least one spline, and that the assigned label is displayed such that the assigned label is excluded from a portion of the digital map, where the portion of the digital map comprises at least a segment of the map element. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A navigation system for use in a vehicle, the navigation system comprising:
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a navigation database comprising data stored on a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the data comprising digital map data comprising data of vertices of at least one spline by which a map element is represented, label data comprising data of a label assigned to the map element, label position data comprising pre-calculated coordinate values related to the vertices, and reference data comprising data of a reference between the label assigned to the map element and the pre-calculated coordinate values related to the vertices; and a display configured to display the map element and the assigned label on a digital map based on data of the navigation database, where the assigned label is positioned based on the pre-calculated coordinate values such that each of a plurality of components of the assigned label comprises a respective geometric shape that substantially corresponds to a geometric shape of the map element and such that the assigned label does not overlap a portion of the digital map where no labeling shall occur, the portion of the digital map comprising at least a segment of the map element, where the plurality of components comprises at least one of a character, a symbol, and an icon, and the pre-calculated coordinate values of the label position data describe a position of each of the plurality of components of the assigned label. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for route guidance for use in a navigation system, the method comprising:
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determining with a positioning device a location of the navigation system; displaying on a display a digital map for an area surrounding the determined location of the navigation system; and providing with an output device guidance information for receipt by a user of the navigation system; where displaying the digital map comprises displaying a map element and displaying an assigned label in the digital map based on stored coordinate values, where the assigned label comprises a plurality of components including at least one of a character, a symbol, and an icon, such that positions and shapes of the plurality of the components in the assigned label are adapted to a geometric form of the map element; and where the assigned label is represented by at least one spline comprising a plurality of vertices, and the stored coordinate values describe a position of each vertex of the spline representing the assigned label and are predetermined based on coordinate values of the map element prior to determining the location of the navigation system. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification