Display system in navigation apparatus

• US 5,121,326 A
• Filed: 03/06/1991
• Issued: 06/09/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Kabushiki Kaisha Shinsangyokaihatsu
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Kabushiki Kaisha Shinsangyokaihatsu
• Inventors: Yamada, Takashi, Nimura, Mitsuhiro, Sumiya, Koji, Yokoyama, Shoji, Nanba, Akimasa, Moroto, Shuzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Application Number:
  US07/666,485
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 364/443, 364/444, 364/449, 340/940, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/212
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

A display system in a navigation apparatus according to the invention has course searching means (13) for searching out an optimum course based on position information, node data (21), intersection data (19) and road data (23), and scale ratio setting means (15), wherein the scale ratio of a displayed map is set in conformity with distance between a present position and a destination, and roads are selectively displayed on a display unit (31) in conformity with the scale ratio.

Further, the invention has a data processing controller (46) for performing processing based on a departure intersection entered at an input unit (43), a display unit for displaying, based on the results of processing, an intersection diagram comprising the departure intersection, a peripheral road network and landmarks, and touch keys (35) such as a verification key for displaying direction of travel on the displayed intersection map, and a rotation instruction key for rotating and displaying the intersection diagram.

In addition, the invention includes display means (48) for displaying an intersection diagram, in which direction of travel is pointed upward, and intersection landmark patterns, map data (53) stored as a relationship among roads, intersections and intersection landmarks, and as coordinated, and a data processing controller (46) for reading, from the map data (53), positional coordinates of an intersection landmark to be displayed, rotating and enlarging the positional coordinates and transforming them into coordinates of a display area set on the display means, and sending an output signal to the display means (48) in such a manner that the intersection landmark patterns are displayed on the transformed coordinates.

Claims

1. A navigation apparatus for setting a route from a designated departure point to a destination point and providing guidance along the route, comprising:

input means for inputting the departure point and the destination point,

output means for displaying a route from the departure point to the destination point,

memory means with map data having road data and intersection data,

means for determining the route from the departure point to the destination point based on the map data,

means for calculating a present position on the route,

means for calculating the distance from the present position to the destination point,

means for deciding a scale ratio based on the distance for displaying the route from the present position to the destination point,

means for setting a departure intersection in response to the present position, and

means for rotating the route so that the road, on which the present position is located, is displayed below the set intersection,

said scale ratio being calculated in such a manner that the present position, the destination point and the route fall within the range of the display.

2. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for selecting roads for display in conformity with the scale ratio.

3. A navigation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said road data includes a road width.

4. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said map data also includes node data with information relating to attributes of position information, wherein said intersection data includes information relating to intersections, and wherein said road data includes information relating to roads.

5. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for displaying the explored route in a specific color.

6. A navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for rotating the route includes an operation key, whereby the route is rotated by operating the key.

7. A navigation apparatus according to claim 6 wherein sid rotating means, in response to the operation key, rotates the display so that a next road to the set intersection is displayed below the set intersection.