Method for generating a customized composite map image and electronic apparatus for implementing the same

• US 9,002,142 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2011
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hung, Shun-Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, David H
• Application Number:
  US13/012,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20110181620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/294
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3811 Point data, e.g. Point of Interest [POI]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3856 Data obtained from user input

Abstract

A method is to be implemented by an electronic apparatus having a map database established therein, and includes the steps of: receiving a user-specified input image of an area of interest, and obtaining from the map database a reference map that encompasses the area of interest; selecting a set of feature points in the user-specified input image, and a set of map points in the reference map that correspond in geographical features to the feature points; transforming the user-specified input image according to positional differences between the feature points and the corresponding map points to thereby obtain a to-be-registered image having adjusted feature points corresponding in position to the map points; overlaying the to-be-registered image onto the reference map to thereby obtain a customized composite map image; and outputting the customized composite map image.

Claims

1. A method for generating a customized composite map image, said method to be implemented by a personal navigation device that has a map database established therein and comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, by the personal navigation device, a user-specified input image of an area of interest, the user-specified input image being one of a landmark guide map, an establishment guide map, and a road map;

b) obtaining, by the personal navigation device, from the map database a reference map that encompasses the area of interest;

c) selecting, by the personal navigation device, a set of feature points in the user-specified input image and a set of map points in the reference map that correspond in geographical features to the feature points;

d) automatically transforming, by the personal navigation device, the user-specified input image according to positional differences between said feature points and the corresponding map points so as to obtain a to-be-registered image having adjusted feature points corresponding in position to the map points;

e) automatically overlaying, by the personal navigation device, the to-be-registered image onto the reference map in a manner that the adjusted feature points coincide with the corresponding map points to thereby obtain a customized composite map image; and

f) outputting, by the personal navigation device, the customized composite map image;

wherein, in step c), the feature points and the map points are automatically selected by the personal navigation device through pattern matching of the user-specified input image with the reference map according to a set of pre-defined user-configured selection rules;

wherein the set of pre-defined user-configured selection rules defines at least one of a T-intersection, a Y-intersection, a main road, and a landmark, for pattern matching of the geographical features of the user-specified input image with the reference map.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step b), the reference map is obtained from the map database in response to a user input that specifies a location of the area of interest.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step d), transforming of the user-specified input image includes at least one of rotation transformation and scaling transformation.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step f), the customized composite map image is outputted via a display unit of the personal navigation device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of configuring the personal navigation device for adjusting transparency of the to-be-registered image in accordance with a user setting when the to-be-registered image is overlaid onto the reference map.

6. A program product comprising a machine readable storage medium that comprises program instructions for configuring a personal navigation device having a map database established therein to perform steps of a method for generating a customized composite map image according to claim 1.

7. A personal navigation device comprising:

a memory unit for storing a map database and a user-specified input image of an area of interest, the map database containing a reference map that encompasses the area of interest, the user-specified input image being one of a landmark guide map, an establishment guide map, and a road map, said memory unit further storing information of a set of feature points in the user-specified input image and a set of map points in the reference map that correspond in geographical features to the feature points;

an image processing unit coupled to said memory unit, and including

an image transforming module for transforming the user-specified input image according to positional differences between the feature points and the map points so as to obtain a to-be-registered image having adjusted feature points corresponding in position to the map points, and

an image-overlaying module for overlaying the to-be-registered image onto the reference map in a manner that the adjusted feature points coincide with the corresponding map points to thereby obtain a customized composite map image; and

an image output unit coupled to said image processing unit for receiving the customized composite map image therefrom, and for outputting the customized composite map image;

wherein said image processing unit further includes a pattern matching module for selecting the feature points and the map points through pattern matching of the user-specified input image with the reference map according to a set of pre-defined user-configured selection rules;

wherein the set of pre-defined user-configured selection rules defines at least one of a T-intersection, a Y-intersection, a main road, and a landmark, for pattern matching of the geographical features of the user-specified input image with the reference map.

8. The personal navigation device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a user interface unit coupled to said image processing unit for providing a user input that specifies a location of the area of interest to said image processing unit, said image processing unit being configured to obtain the reference map from said map database in response to the user input from said user interface unit.

9. The personal navigation device as claimed in claim 7, wherein transforming of the user-specified input image by said image transforming module includes at least one of rotation transformation and scaling transformation.

10. The personal navigation device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said image output unit includes a display unit for display of the customized composite map image received from said image processing unit.

11. The personal navigation device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said image processing unit is configured to store the customized composite map image in said memory unit.

12. The personal navigation device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a user interface unit coupled to said image processing unit for providing a user setting thereto, and said image processing unit further includes a transparency processing module for adjusting transparency of the to-be-registered image in accordance with the user setting from said user interface unit when the to-be-registered image is overlaid onto the reference map by said image-overlaying module.