Determining a display position of road name data and displaying the road name data

• US 8,055,442 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Young In
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith; Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatib; Rami
• Application Number:
  US11/276,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,091 Days
• Field of Search: 715/211, 715221-226, 715243-253, 715/273, 715/716, 715764-867, 382/106, 382/113, 382/278, 345/629, 345/649, 345/442
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A method of determining a display position for road name data including selecting a link representing a road segment with an initial road name display position from stored map data. An angle of the selected link is calculated, and calculating an angle of the selected link, a display reference position is identified to display the road name. Updated road name display position information including the determined display reference position is stored relative to the link.

Claims

1. A method of determining a display position for road name data in a navigation system, comprising:

selecting a link representing a road segment from stored map data of the navigation system, the link having a start point and an end point;

calculating an angle in a direction of the end point of the selected link, clockwise from the start point of the selected link and with reference to a true north direction;

comparing the calculated angle to a threshold angle with respect to the reference true north direction the threshold angle being an angle of 180°

clockwise with respect to the true north direction;

determining whether the calculated angle is less than or greater than the threshold angle;

based on results of determining whether the calculated angle is less than or greater than the threshold angle, setting the start point of the reference link as a display reference position if the calculated angle (θ

) of the link is 0°

≦

θ

<

180°

; and

setting the end point of the reference link as the display reference position if the calculated angle (θ

) of the link is not 0°

≦

θ

<

180°

; and

storing, in memory of the navigation system, road name display position information as including the set display reference position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the road name display position information includes the set display reference position, an angle to display the road name and a length of the road name.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the set display reference position is a start point at which to display the road name.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the reference direction is a true north direction; and

the angle to display the road name is an angle between the end point and the start point of the selected link and the true north direction.

5. A method for determining a display position for road name data in a navigation system, the method comprising:

selecting links representing a road segment in a route, the road segment including a start node, one or more shape points, and an end node;

acquiring information of a start point and an end point for each of the selected links, the start point being defined by one of the start node of the road segment or a shape point of the road segment and the end point being defined by one of a shape point of the road segment or the end node of the road segment;

calculating, based on the acquired information of the start point and the end point for each of the selected links, a length of each of the selected links;

comparing the calculated length of each of the selected links;

selecting, based on the comparison of the calculated length of each of the selected links, a link of the road segment as a reference link;

calculating an angle in a direction of the end point of the reference link, clockwise from the start point of the reference link and with reference to a true north direction;

comparing the calculated angle to a threshold angle with respect to the true north direction the threshold angle being an angle of 180°

clockwise with respect to the true north direction;

determining whether the calculated angle is less than or greater than the threshold angle;

based on results of determining whether the calculated angle is less than or greater than the threshold angle, setting the start point of the reference link as a display reference position if the calculated angle (θ

) of the link is 0°

≦

θ

<

180°

; and

setting the end point of the reference link as the display reference position if the calculated angle (θ

) of the link is not 0°

≦

θ

<

180°

; and

storing, in memory of the navigation system, road name display position information as including the set display reference position.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the road name display position information includes the set display reference position, an angle to display the road name, and a length of the road name.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the set display reference position is a start point at which to display the road name.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the reference direction is a true north direction; and

the angle to display the road name is an angle between the end point and the start point of the reference link and the true north direction.