Map information display controlling device, system, method, and program, and recording medium where the program is recorded

• US 7,996,151 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2005
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Shimamura, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEN, MINGJEN
• Application Number:
  US10/594,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,328 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/929, 701/117, 701/209, 710/207
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

Provided is a navigation device which appropriately notifies a user of information. When traffic information and feature information are acquired, the traffic information and the feature information are associated with an ID number in accordance with time information and a type contained in the traffic information and the feature information to generate guidance having a single data structure. Calculated based on the time information of the guidance is an elapsed time up to a current time counted by a timer. Regarding the guidance having exceeded a predetermined time period, an icon A of such guidance is displayed in a display pattern different from the guidance not having exceeded the predetermined time period, where the icon A is displayed with higher transparency like an icon A1 or A2. Accordingly, the user can easily recognize the reliability of the traffic information and the feature information. The information is thus appropriately notified to the user.

Claims

1. A map information display control device, comprising:

an acquirer which acquires traffic information;

a display that displays information;

a display controller that displays the traffic information on the display together with map information; and

a timer that counts an elapsed time from a time at which the traffic information is acquired to a current time;

wherein

the traffic information includes congestion-related information comprising;

a display component that represents a position of a traffic jam;

a display component that represents a congestion level; and

a display component that represents a temporal change after receiving the traffic information, and

when the elapsed time exceeds a first predetermined time period, the display controller displays the display component that represents the temporal change in a first format different from a previous format of the display component that represents the temporal change before the elapsed time exceeds the first predetermined time period while keeping a display format of the display component that represents the position of the traffic jam and the display component that represents the congestion level.

2. The map information display control device according to claim 1, wherein

when the elapsed time counted by the timer exceeds a second predetermined time period longer than the first predetermined time period, the display controller displays the display component that represents the temporal change in a second format different from the first format displayed when the elapsed time exceeds the first predetermined time.

3. A map information display control method implemented by a map information display control device, the method comprising:

acquiring traffic information; and

controllably displaying the traffic information on a display together with map information;

timing an elapsed time from a time at which the traffic information is acquired to a current time, wherein

the traffic information includes congestion-related information comprising;

a display component that represents a position of a traffic jam;

a display component that represents a congestion level; and

a display component that represents a temporal change after receiving the traffic information, and

in the displaying, when the elapsed time exceeds a first predetermined time period, the display component that represents the temporal change is displayed in a first format different from a previous format of the display component that represents the temporal change before the elapsed time exceeds the first predetermined time period while keeping a display format of the display component that represents the position of the traffic jam and the display component that represents the congestion level.