Display method and apparatus for navigation system

• US 7,668,649 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Onishi, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/686,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,322 Days
• Field of Search: 701/211, 701/208, 701/209, 701/201, 701/212, 701/213, 345/837, 345/855, 345/968, 235/384, 340/995.4, 340/995, 715/837
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

A display method and apparatus for a navigation system which is capable of easily and quickly showing the existence of a large structure within which a specific point of interest (“POI”) is located. The navigation system searches a desired point of interest as specified by a user, examines whether the point of interest is located within a large structure, searches an icon representing a type of the large compound in which the point of interest is located, and when a particular point of interest is located within a large structure, displays the icon of the large structure and the POI name on a monitor of the navigation system. Upon selection of the icon by the user, the navigation system displays detailed information on the large structure.

Claims

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

receiving map data from a map data storage and retrieving information on points of interest specified by a user;

examining whether the point of interest specified by the user in the retrieved information is located within a structure;

retrieving an icon representing a business type of the structure in which the point of interest is located; and

displaying a list of names of points of interest specified by the user;

wherein, when the specified point of interest is located within the structure, the list includes the icon representing the structure next to the name of the specified point of interest.

2. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of examining whether the point of interest is located within a structure includes a step of checking point coordinate data in the map data representing a location of the point of interest and polygon data in the map data representing an area of a land or a structure to see whether or not the location of the point of interest is included within the area of the land or structure.

3. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of examining whether the point of interest is located within a structure includes a step of comparing point coordinate data in the map data representing a location of the point of interest and polygon data in the map data representing an area of a land or a structure, and a step of determining whether or not the location of the point of interest is within a boundary of the structure defined by the polygon data.

4. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying detailed information on the structure when the user specifies the icon representing the structure.

5. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 4, wherein said detailed information on the structure displayed on the navigation system includes a name and an address of the structure.

6. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 4, wherein said step of displaying the detailed information on the structure includes a step of producing a pop-up screen showing the detailed information on the monitor screen.

7. A display apparatus for a navigation system, comprising:

means for selecting a method for searching point of interest information;

a map data storage which stores map data including point of interest information and structure information;

a point of interest display control unit which examines the map data from the map data storage and determines whether a point of interest specified by a user is located within a structure;

a memory which stores icons where each icon represents the structure expressed by the structure information in the map data; and

a monitor which displays information associated with the navigation system including a list of points of interest;

wherein said point of interest display control unit controls said monitor to display a list of names of points of interest specified by a user, and when the point of interest specified by the user is located within the structure, the list includes the icon representing the structure next to the name of the specified point of interest.

8. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein said point of interest display control unit checks point coordinate data in the map data representing a location of the point of interest and polygon data in the map data representing an area of a land or a structure to see whether or not the location of the point of interest is included within the area of the land or structure.

9. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein said point of interest display control unit compares point coordinate data in the map data representing a location of the point of interest and polygon data in the map data representing an area of a land or a structure, and determines whether or not the location of the point of interest is within a boundary of the structure defined by the polygon data.

10. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 7, wherein said point of interest display control unit causes said monitor to display detailed information on the structure when the user specifies the icon representing the structure.

11. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 10, wherein said detailed information on the structure displayed on the navigation system includes a name and an address of the structure.

12. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 10, wherein said point of interest display control unit causes said monitor to display a pop-up screen showing the detailed information on said structure.

13. A display apparatus for a navigation system, comprising:

means for receiving map data from a map data storage and retrieving information on points of interest specified by a user;

means for examining whether or not the point of interest specified by the user in the retrieved information is located within a structure;

means for retrieving an icon representing the structure in which the point of interest is located; and

means for displaying a list of names of points of interest specified by the user;

wherein, when the point of interest is located within the structure, the list includes the icon representing the structure adjacent to the name of the specified point of interest.

14. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 13, wherein said means for examining whether the point of interest is located within a structure includes means for checking point coordinate data in the map data representing a location of the point of interest and polygon data in the map data representing an area of a land or a structure to see whether or not the location of the point of interest is included within the area of the land or structure.

15. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 13, wherein said means for examining whether the point of interest is located within a structure includes a step of comparing point coordinate data in the map data representing a location of the point of interest and polygon data in the map data representing an area of a land or a structure, and means for determining whether or not the location of the point of interest is within a boundary of the structure defined by the polygon data.

16. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 13, further comprising means for displaying detailed information on the structure when the user specifies the icon representing the structure.

17. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 16, wherein said detailed information on the structure displayed on the navigation system includes a name and an address of the structure.

18. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 16, wherein said means for displaying the detailed information on the structure includes means for producing a pop-up screen showing the detailed information on the monitor screen.