Providing navigation instructions in a three-dimension map environment having settable object transparency levels

• US 9,214,098 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Group Services Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group Services Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Carlsson, Stefan, Ekstrand, Simon, Alsed, Jesper
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan, Ulka
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US12/799,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20110001751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3638 including 3D objects and buildings three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects G06T17/00; geographic models G06T17/05
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/102 using electrical means

Abstract

A method in a device for providing navigation instructions in a three-dimensional map environment comprises receiving a start and end positions, determining a route, determining graphical two-dimensional map data, generating navigation instructions comprising setting a transparency level and transmitting the navigation instructions to a display. Corresponding device and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. A method performed in a device for providing navigation instructions in a three-dimensional map environment, comprising:

receiving a start position and an end position;

determining a route from said start position to said end position;

determining, for a position on said route, graphical two-dimensional map data related to said position;

retrieving said graphical two-dimensional map data;

generating, for said position of said route, navigation instructions by;

projecting said graphical two-dimensional map data on a plane in a three-dimensional map environment and adding a representation of said route;

adding graphical three-dimensional map objects to said projected graphical two-dimensional map data by utilising data of said graphical three-dimensional map objects;

receiving information pertaining to a current position on the route;

determining object-distance information pertaining to current individual distances between said current position and each one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects;

receiving transportation-mode information pertaining to a mode of transportation for said device;

setting a transparency level of each one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects, wherein the transparency level is set at a level between, and including, an opaque image and an image shown only in outline, and wherein the transparency level of each one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects is dynamically adjusted during travel along the route based on use of both the transportation-mode information and the object-distance information, the object-distance information being used to display a first group of graphical three-dimensional objects with a first transparency level that is different from a second transparency level of a second group of graphical three-dimensional objects different from the first group, and the transportation-mode information being used to display both the first and the second groups of graphical three-dimensional objects at a higher transparency level that corresponds to a first mode of transportation as compared to a lower transparency level that corresponds to a second mode of transportation lower than the first mode of transportation; and

transmitting said navigation instructions to a display.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving transportation-speed information pertaining to a transportation speed for said device;

wherein the transparency level of each one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects is dynamically adjusted during travel along the route based on use of the transportation-speed information, and the transportation-speed information being used to display both the first and the second groups of graphical three-dimensional objects at a higher transparency level that corresponds to a first transportation speed as compared to a lower transparency level that corresponds to a second transportation speed lower than the first transportation speed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein setting the transparency level further comprises:

determining at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects to be located at a position in said three-dimensional map environment such that a rendered surface of said at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects at least partly overlaps said route, and setting the transparency level of said at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects such that said route is visible through said rendered surface.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, for said position of said route, a graphical three-dimensional map objects data related to said position;

retrieving said graphical three-dimensional map objects data; and

adding said graphical three-dimensional map objects data to said three-dimensional map environment.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving transportation-speed information pertaining to transportation speed for said device, and wherein the transparency level adjustment of the first and the second groups based on use of the transportation-speed information changes gradually with the transportation speed.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information input by a user of the device pertaining to adjusting said transparency level, and wherein the transparency level of each one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects is further adjusted based on the information input by the user of the device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first group of graphical three-dimensional map objects are objects within a predefined distance of the current position on the route, and wherein the second group of graphical three-dimensional objects are objects beyond the predefined distance from the current position.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first group of graphical three-dimensional map objects include objects that are on the route, and wherein the second group of graphical three-dimensional map objects include objects that are not on the route.

9. A method performed in a device for providing navigation instructions in a three-dimensional map environment, comprising:

receiving a start position and an end position;

determining a route from the start position to the end position;

determining, for a position on the route, graphical two-dimensional map data related to the position;

retrieving the graphical two-dimensional map data;

generating, for the position of the route, navigation instructions by;

projecting the graphical two-dimensional map data on a plane in a three-dimensional map environment and adding a representation of the route;

adding graphical three-dimensional map objects to the projected graphical two-dimensional map data by utilising data of the graphical three-dimensional map objects, wherein each of the graphical three-dimensional map objects comprise a plurality of layers of displayable graphical information;

receiving information pertaining to a current position on the route;

determining object-distance information pertaining to individual distances between a current position on the route and each one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects; and

setting a transparency level of the graphical three-dimensional map objects, wherein the transparency level is set at a level between, and including, an opaque image and an image shown only in outline, and wherein the transparency level of a particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects increases and rendering of the number of the plurality of layers of displayable graphical information of the particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects decreases as a distance between the current position and the particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects decreases; and

transmitting the navigation instructions to a display.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein setting the transparency level further comprises:

determining at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects to be located at a position in said three-dimensional map environment such that a rendered surface of said at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects at least partly overlaps said route, and setting the transparency level of said at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects such that said route is visible through said rendered surface.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

determining, for said position of said route, a graphical three-dimensional map objects data related to said position;

retrieving said graphical three-dimensional map objects data; and

adding said graphical three-dimensional map objects data to said three-dimensional map environment.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

receiving information input by a user of the device pertaining to adjusting said transparency level, and wherein the transparency level of each one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects is further adjusted based on the information input by the user of the device.

13. A device for providing navigation instructions in a three-dimensional map environment, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a start position and an end position,

a processing unit that;

determines a route from the start position to the end position;

determines, for a position on the route, graphical two-dimensional map data related to the position;

retrieves the graphical two-dimensional map data, and

generates, for the position of the route, navigation instructions by;

projecting the graphical two-dimensional map data on a plane in a three-dimensional map environment and adding a representation of the route;

adding graphical three-dimensional map objects to the projected graphical two-dimensional map data by utilising data of the graphical three-dimensional map objects, wherein each of the graphical three-dimensional map objects comprise a plurality of layers of displayable graphical information;

receiving information pertaining to a current position on the route;

determining object-distance information pertaining to individual distances between a current position on the route and each one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects; and

setting a transparency level of the graphical three-dimensional map objects, wherein the transparency level is set at a level between, and including, an opaque image and an image shown only in outline, and wherein the transparency level of a particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects increases and rendering of the number of the plurality of layers of displayable graphical information of the particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects decreases as a distance between the current position and the particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects decreases; and

a transmitter for transmitting the navigation instructions.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the processing unit further:

determines at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects to be located at a position in said three-dimensional map environment such that a rendered surface of said at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects at least partly overlaps said route, and setting the transparency level of said at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects such that said route is visible through said rendered surface.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein the processing unit further:

determines, for said position of said route, a graphical three-dimensional map objects data related to said position;

retrieves said graphical three-dimensional map objects data; and

adds said graphical three-dimensional map objects data to said three-dimensional map environment.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein the processing unit further:

receives information input by a user of the device pertaining to adjusting said transparency level, and wherein the transparency level of each one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects is further adjusted based on the information input by the user of the device.

17. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code portions, the computer program product comprising:

executable code that receives a start position and an end position;

executable code that determines a route from the start position to the end position;

executable code that determines, for a position on the route, graphical two-dimensional map data related to the position;

executable code that retrieves the graphical two-dimensional map data;

executable code that generates, for the position of the route, navigation instructions by;

projecting the graphical two-dimensional map data on a plane in a three-dimensional map environment and adding a representation of the route;

executable code that adds graphical three-dimensional map objects to the projected graphical two-dimensional map data by utilising data of the graphical three-dimensional map objects, wherein each of the graphical three-dimensional map objects comprise a plurality of layers of displayable graphical information;

executable code that receives information pertaining to a current position on the route;

executable code that determines object-distance information pertaining to individual distances between a current position on the route and each one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects; and

executable code that sets a transparency level of the graphical three-dimensional map objects, wherein the transparency level is set at a level between, and including, an opaque image and an image shown only in outline, and wherein the transparency level of a particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects increases and rendering of the number of the plurality of layers of displayable graphical information of the particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects decreases as a distance between the current position and the particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects decreases; and

executable code that transmits the navigation instructions to a display.

18. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the computer program product further comprises:

executable code that determines at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects to be located at a position in said three-dimensional map environment such that a rendered surface of said at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects at least partly overlaps said route, and setting the transparency level of said at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects such that said route is visible through said rendered surface.

19. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the computer program product further comprises:

executable code that determines, for said position of said route, a graphical three-dimensional map objects data related to said position;

executable code that retrieves said graphical three-dimensional map objects data; and

executable code that adds said graphical three-dimensional map objects data to said three-dimensional map environment.

20. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the computer program product further comprises:

executable code that receives information input by a user of the device pertaining to adjusting said transparency level, and wherein the transparency level of each one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects is further adjusted based on the information input by the user of the device.

21. A method performed in a device for providing navigation instructions in a three-dimensional map environment, comprising:

receiving a start position and an end position;

determining a route from the start position to the end position;

determining, for a position on the route, graphical two-dimensional map data related to the position;

retrieving the graphical two-dimensional map data;

generating, for the position of the route, navigation instructions by;

projecting the graphical two-dimensional map data on a plane in a three-dimensional map environment and adding a representation of the route;

adding graphical three-dimensional map objects to the projected graphical two-dimensional map data by utilising data of the graphical three-dimensional map objects, wherein each of the graphical three-dimensional map objects comprise a plurality of layers of displayable graphical information;

receiving information pertaining to a current position on the route;

determining object-distance information pertaining to individual distances between a current position on the route and each one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects;

setting a transparency level of at least one of said graphical three-dimensional map objects, wherein the transparency level is set at a level between, and including, an opaque image and an image shown only in outline, and wherein the transparency level of a particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects increases and rendering of the number of the plurality of layers of displayable graphical information of the particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects decreases as a distance between the current position and the particular one of the graphical three-dimensional map objects decreases; and

transmitting the navigation instructions to a display.