Display method and apparatus for navigation system

• US 6,640,185 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2001
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Clark, Micchael, Yokota, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Donnelly, Arthur D.
• Application Number:
  US09/909,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 829 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/208, 701/211, 701/212, 340/990, 340/995, 345/684, 345/472
• US Class Current: 701/208
• 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

Abstract

A display method and apparatus for navigation system for displaying information for guiding a driver of a vehicle. The navigation system designed to achieve an easy and efficient operation by a user for displaying information or changing displayed images with use of a substantially simplified set of control keys. In he navigation system, an enter (selection) key functions not only to set and select a menu but also to switch between a p screen and a map zoom screen. Cursor (scroll) keys function not only to scroll a map image in the map screen but also to adjust a zoom scale of the map image in the ma zoom screen.

Claims

1. A display method of a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

displaying a map screen in which a map image is scrolled by operation of scroll means;

changing the map screen to a map zoom screen by operating a selection key in which a zoom scale of the map image is changed by operation of the scroll means and a cursor marker is displayed at a predetermined position on the map screen; and

returning to he map screen from the map zoom screen by operating the selection key, thereby changing between the map screen and the map zoom screen is conducted by operating only the selection key;

wherein a zoom scale indicator is displayed on the map zoom screen to show a degree of zoom scale, and wherein the zoom scale indicator is disappeared in the map screen, and wherein adjustment of the zoom scale in the map zoom screen and the scroll of the map image are conducted by operating only the scroll means.

2. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the map screen includes a locator map screen in which a current user position is shown on the map image and a map scroll screen in which the cursor marker stays on a predetermined position on the screen while the map image is scrolled in predetermined directions by operation of the scroll means.

3. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein a map scale of the map screen is determined by the zoom scale in the map zoom screen prior to the map screen, and wherein the map screen includes a locator map screen in which a current user position is shown on the map image and a map scroll screen in which the cursor marker stays on a predetermined position on the screen while the map image is scrolled in predetermined directions by operation of the scroll means.

4. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 3, wherein the map scale in the map screen is increased from the zoom scale in the map zoom screen when the zoom scale is smaller than a predetermined scale and when the selection key is operated in the map zoom screen before operating the scroll means.

5. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 3, wherein the map scale in the map screen is set to be equal to the selected zoom scale when the selection key is operated in the map zoom screen after operating the scroll means for specifying the zoom scale.

6. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the map zoom screen includes a balloon image which shows a me sage associated with an area specified by the cursor marker when the zoom scale of the map image is larger than a predetermined scale.

7. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 6, wherein the message shown in the balloon image indicates availability of a name list corresponding to POI (point of interest) icons in the area specified by cursor marker in a name list screen that will e displayed when operating the selection key.

8. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 6, wherein the message shown in the balloon image indicates an address or a street name of a location specified by the cursor marker.

9. A display me hod of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the map screen and the map zoom screen include POI (point of interest) icons each indicating a POI location, wherein the POI icons are displayed when a map scale in the map screen or the zoom scale in the map zoom screen is larger than a predetermined scale.

10. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the zoom scale indicator in the map zoom screen includes a zoom slider which moves in a predetermined direction on the zoom scale indicator in response to the operation of the scroll means.

11. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the zoom scale indicator in the map zoom screen includes balloon icons in a large scale range, thereby indicating that, when operating the selection key to go back to the map screen and again coming back to the map zoom screen, the display will show a balloon indicating that the selection key will act upon the message displayed in the balloon.

12. A display me hod of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the zoom scale indicator in the map zoom screen includes a zoom slider high moves in a predetermined direction on zoom scale indicator in response to the operation of the scroll means and changes an icon thereon depending on the position on the zoom scale indicator or conditions of the zoom slider wherein the icon on the zoom slider indicates a type of next screen that will be displayed when operating the selection key.

13. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 12, herein the icon on the zoom slider is a balloon icon when the zoom slider is at a position on the zoom scale indicator indicating a zoom scale larger than a predetermined scale, wherein the ball on icon on the zoom slider indicates that the selection key will act upon the message displayed in the balloon.

14. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 12, wherein the icon on the zoom slider is a zoom-in icon when the zoom slider is at a position on the zoom scale indicator indicating a zoom scale smaller than a predetermined scale, wherein the zoom-in icon on the zoom slider indicates that a map screen with a map scale increased from the zoom scale in the map zoom screen will be displayed when operating the selection key.

15. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 12, wherein the icon on the zoom slider is a zoom scale icon when the zoom slider is moved in response to the operation of the scroll means, wherein the zoom scale icon indicates that the zoom scale in the map zoom screen is changed from an initial zoom scale set at the start of the map zoom screen.

16. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 12, wherein the icon on the zoom slider is a current user position icon indicating that the map zoom screen is changed to a locator ma screen showing the current user position when operating the selection key.

17. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 12, wherein the icon on the zoom slider is a name list mark when the zoom slider is at a position on the zoom scale indicator indicating a zoom scale larger than a predetermined scale, wherein the name list mark on the zoom slider indicates that a name list screen will be displayed when operating the selection key.

18. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 17, wherein the name list screen displays a list of names and addresses of places and a position of the cursor marker, and wherein a destination is selected through the name list screen and a route to the selected destination is determined by the navigation system.

19. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein a map scale of the map screen is determined by the zoom scale in the map zoom screen when the selection key is operated in the map zoom screen before operating the scroll means, and wherein the map scale in the map screen is increased or decreased based on the results of comparing the zoom scale with one or more threshold scales.

20. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein a map scale of the map screen is determined by the zoom scale in the map zoom screen when the selection key is operated in the map zoom screen before operating the scroll means, and herein the map scale in the map screen is increased when the zoom scale is smaller than a predetermined threshold scale, and wherein the map scale in the map screen is decreased when the zoom scale is larger than the predetermined threshold scale.

21. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein a map scale of the map screen is determined by the zoom scale in the map zoom screen when the selection key is operated in the map zoom screen before operating the scroll means, and wherein the map scale in the map screen is increased to one of large map scales when the zoom scale is smaller than a predetermined large threshold scale but is larger than a predetermined middle threshold scale, and wherein the map scale in the map screen is increased to one of middle map scales when the zoom scale is smaller than the predetermined middle threshold scale.

22. A display method of a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein an initial zoom scale in the map zoom screen when the display is switched from the map screen to the map zoom screen is determined by a map scale in the map screen when the selection key is operated in the map screen, and wherein the initial zoom scale is set to one of large zoom scales when the map scale is larger than a predetermined large threshold scale, and the initial zoom scale is set to one of middle zoom scales when the map scale is smaller than the predetermined large threshold level but is larger than a predetermined middle threshold scale, and the initial zoom scale is set to one of small zoom scales when the map scale is smaller than the predetermined middle threshold scale.

23. A display method of a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

displaying a locator map screen in which a current user position is shown on a map image;

changing the locator map screen to a map scroll screen by operating scroll and in which a map image is scrolled in predetermined directions in response to the operation of the scroll means while a cursor marker is displayed at a predetermined position on the map scroll screen;

changing either from the locator map screen or the map scroll screen to a map zoom screen by operating a selection key in which a zoom scale of the map image is changed by operation of the scroll means and the cursor marker or a user position marker is displayed at a predetermined position on the map zoom screen; and

selecting the zoom scale by operating the selection key after adjusting the zoom scale by operating the scroll means in the map zoom screen, thereby returning to the locator map screen or map scroll screen (“

map screen”

) with the selected zoom scale or moving to a name list screen in which a list of names of POI (point of interest) specified by the cursor marker or an address or street name of a location specified by the cursor marker is displayed;

wherein a zoom scale indicator is displayed on the map zoom screen to show a degree of zoom scale, and wherein the zoom scale indicator is disappeared in the map screen, and wherein switching between the map screen and the map zoom screen is conducted by operating only the selection key, and wherein adjustment of the zoom scale in the map zoom screen and the scroll of the map image are conducted by operating only the scroll means.

24. A display apparatus of a navigation system, comprising:

means for displaying a locator map screen in which a vehicle current position is shown on a map image;

means for changing the locator map screen to a map scroll screen by operating scroll means in which a map image is scrolled in response to the operation of the scroll means while a cursor marker is displayed at a predetermined position on the map scroll screen;

means for displaying a map zoom screen by operating a selection key in high a zoom scale of the map image is changed by operating of the scroll means and the cursor marker is displayed at a predetermined position on the map zoom screen; and

means for returning to the locator map screen or map scroll screen (“

map screen”

) from the map zoom screen by operating the selection key;

wherein a zoom scale indicator is displayed on the map zoom screen to show a degree of zoom scale, and wherein the zoom scale indicator is not displayed in the locator map screen or map scroll screen, and wherein switching between the map zoom screen an the map screen is conducted by operating only the selection key, and wherein adjustments of the zoom scale in the map zoom screen and the scroll of the map image are conducted by operating only the scroll means.

25. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein a map scale of the map screen is determined by the zoom scale in the map zoom screen.

26. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein the map screen (locator map screen, map scroll screen) and the map zoom screen include POI (point of interest) icons each indicating a POI location, wherein the POI icons are displayed when the map scale in the locator map screen and map scroll screen or the zoom scale in the map zoom screen is larger than a predetermined scale.

27. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein the map zoom screen includes a balloon image which shows a message associated with an area specified by the cursor marker when the zoom scale of the map image is larger than a predetermined scale.

28. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, herein the map scale in the map screen (locator map screen or map scroll screen) is increased from the zoom scale in the map zoom screen when the zoom scale is smaller than a predetermined scale and when the selection key is operated in the map zoom screen before operating the scroll means.

29. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein the map scale in the map screen (locator map screen or map scroll screen) is set to be equal to the selected zoom scale when the selection key is operated in the map zoom screen after operating the scroll means for specifying the selected zoom scale.

30. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein the zoom scale indicator in the map zoom screen includes balloon icons in a large scale range, thereby indicating that, when operating the selection key to go back to the map screen and again coming back to the map zoom screen, the display will show a balloon indicating that the selection key will act upon the message displayed in the balloon.

31. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein the zoom scale indicator in the map zoom screen includes a zoom slider high moves in a predetermined direction on the zoom scale indicator in response to the operation of the scroll means and changes an icon thereon depending on the position on the zoom scale indicator or conditions of the zoom slider wherein the icon on the zoom slider indicates a type of next screen that will be displayed when operating the selection key.

32. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein a map scale of the map screen is determined by the zoom scale in the map zoom screen when the selection key is operated in the map zoom screen before operating the scroll means, and herein the map scale in the map screen is increased or decreased based on the results of comparing the zoom scale with one or more threshold scales.

33. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein a map scale of the map screen is determined by the zoom scale in the map zoom screen when the selection key is operated in the map zoom screen before operating the scroll means, and wherein the map scale in the map screen is increased when the zoom scale is smaller than a predetermined threshold scale, and wherein the map scale in the map screen is decreased when the zoom scale is larger than the predetermined threshold scale.

34. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein a map scale of the map screen (locator map screen or map scroll screen) is determined by the zoom scale in the map zoom screen when the selection key is operated in the map zoom screen before operating the scroll means, and wherein the map scale is increased to one of large map scales when the zoom scale is smaller than a predetermined large threshold scale but is larger than a predetermined middle threshold scale, and wherein the map scale is increased to one of middle map scales when the zoom scale is smaller than the predetermined middle threshold scale.

35. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein an initial zoom scale in the map zoom screen when the display is switched from the map screen to the map zoom screen is determined by a map scale in the map screen (locator map screen or map scroll screen) when the selection key is operated in the map screen, and herein the initial zoom scale is set to one of large zoom scales when the map scale is larger than a predetermined large threshold scale, and the initial zoom scale is to one of middle zoom scales when the map scale is smaller than predetermined large threshold scale but is larger than a the predetermined middle threshold scale, and the initial zoom scale is set to one of small zoom scales when the map scale is smaller than the predetermined middle threshold scale.

36. A display apparatus of a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein the message accompanied by the balloon image indicates availability of a name list corresponding to POI (point of interest) in he area specified by the cursor marker on a name list screen that will be displayed when operating the selection key, and wherein the name list screen displays a list of names and addresses of POI and a position of the cursor marker, and wherein a destination is selected through the name list screen and a route to the selected destination is determined by the navigation system.