JP2005201975A - Device and method for controlling display, recording medium, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and rapidly display a map of a desired range. <P>SOLUTION: A navigation module selection section 122 selects, based on the position on a screen of a display section 113 instructed by an input device 111 and the content of an image displayed at the position, one of n navigation modules 141-1 to 141-n as an active navigation module. A renderer 125 outputs, to the display section 113, the image data generated in accordance with image data update information generated by the navigation module 141 selected by the active navigation module, and displays the image. This invention can be applied to a portable navigation device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a display control apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program, and more particularly, to a display control apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program that can display necessary information easily and quickly.

  In recent years, navigation systems that display a map on a screen, guide a route to a destination, and provide local information have become widespread. In these navigation systems, as a method for controlling the display of the map so as to change the display range of the map displayed on the screen, either the drag method or the scroll method described below is often used.

  According to the drag method, the position on the map displayed at the position designated by the pointing device that designates an arbitrary position on the screen by a pointer or the like is moved to another position on the screen designated by the pointing device. The display of the map is controlled as described above.

  With reference to FIG. 1, control of the display position of the map by the drag method will be described. 1A and 1B show a map displayed on the screen 1 of the navigation system and a surrounding map not displayed on the screen 1. As shown in FIG. 1A, after pointing the position A on the screen 1 by the pointing device 2, the pointing device 2 is moved diagonally right upward on the screen 1 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1A. When the position is moved to the position B, the position of the map displayed at the position A in FIG. 1A is moved to the position B in FIG. Therefore, according to the drag method, it is possible to easily move an arbitrary position on the map displayed on the screen 1 to a position where it is desired to be displayed.

  According to the scroll method, after an arbitrary position (reference position) on the screen is designated by the pointing device, the pointer position is moved by moving the pointing device, so that the reference position and the pointer are moved from the reference position to the pointer position. The display of the map is controlled so that the display position of the map is continuously moved by the movement amount according to the distance between the positions.

  With reference to FIG. 2, control of the display position of the map by a scroll system is demonstrated. 2A and 2B show the map displayed on the screen 1 of the navigation system and the surrounding map not displayed on the screen 1 as in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2A, after pointing the position A of the screen 1 with the pointing device 2, the pointing device 2 is positioned on the screen 1 diagonally upward to the right as shown by the arrow in FIG. 2A. When moved to B, the map display position continues in the direction from position A to position B as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2 with the amount of movement corresponding to the distance between position A and position B. Moved. Therefore, according to the scroll, the display position of the map can be quickly moved in the designated direction.

  In addition, navigation systems equipped with a station search function that can quickly display a map of a range including stations that the user wants to see are commercially available.

  As shown in FIG. 3, according to the navigation system equipped with the station search function, when the map is displayed on the screen of the navigation system, the station search function is designated from the operation menu or is not shown. When a predetermined operation such as pressing a button is performed to execute the station search function, the pull-down menu 11 for selecting a prefecture name and the pull-down menu 11 are displayed as shown in FIG. A list menu 12 is displayed that lists the railroad lines running in the prefecture where the vehicle is located. When the user selects a desired prefecture from the pull-down menu 11 and then selects a desired route from the list menu 12, a list that lists stations on the selected route as shown in FIG. A menu 21 is displayed. When the user selects a desired station from the list menu 21, a map of a range including the station is displayed.

  Furthermore, after specifying an arbitrary area on the screen with a rectangular frame, the position displayed at the center of the rectangular area specified earlier is set to an arbitrary position specified later by specifying an arbitrary position on the screen. A method of moving the display position so as to be displayed at the position has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).

  In addition, a list of place names extracted within a predetermined distance from the current location is displayed on the screen from the registered place names, and a map of a range including the place of the place name selected from the list is displayed. A navigation device has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 2).

Furthermore, a navigation device has been proposed in which an operation menu related to a point indicated by a mark is displayed by designating a mark registered on the map (for example, Patent Document 3).
JP 63-229568 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-281384 JP 08-271273 A

  However, when the map display position is controlled by the drag method, it is difficult to quickly move the map display position as in the scroll method.

  Also, when the map display position is controlled by the scroll method, it is difficult to move the map display position to a position that the user wants to display, as in the drag method.

  Furthermore, in a navigation system equipped with a station search function, a predetermined operation is required to execute the station search function, and there is a problem that the map becomes invisible while the station search function is executed.

  In addition, after specifying an arbitrary area on the screen with a rectangular frame, the position displayed at the center of the rectangular area specified earlier can be changed to an arbitrary position indicated later by specifying an arbitrary position on the screen. When the display position is moved so as to be displayed at the position, it is difficult to quickly move the map display position as in the case of controlling the map display by the drag method.

  Furthermore, a list of place names extracted within a predetermined distance from the current location is displayed on the screen from the registered place names, and a map of a range including the place of the place name selected from the list is displayed. In such a case, a predetermined operation is required to display the list, and there is a problem that the map becomes invisible while the list is displayed.

  In addition, when an operation menu related to the point indicated by the mark is displayed by specifying the mark registered on the map, the mark must be registered on the map in advance. Even if an unregistered area is specified, there is a problem that the display position of the map cannot be moved.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and makes it possible to easily and quickly display a map in a range required by a user while displaying a map.

  The display control apparatus according to the present invention includes an acquisition unit that acquires an instructed position on a screen on which a map is displayed, and a plurality of units that control display of a map image based on the position of the screen acquired by the acquisition unit. It is characterized by comprising selection means for selecting one of the display control programs, and display control means for controlling the display of the map image by the display control program selected by the selection means.

  When the first position of the designated screen and the second position of the screen are acquired by the acquisition means, the display control means displays the first position of the map displayed at the first position of the screen, First display control program for controlling display of map image to be displayed at second position on screen, direction from first position on screen to second position on screen, and first position on screen The display of the map image is controlled by a second display control program that controls the display of the map image so as to continuously move the map image based on the distance between the first position and the second position on the screen. Can be.

  The selection means can select the display control program based on at least one of the designated screen position and the content of the image displayed at the designated screen position.

  The acquisition means further acquires current position information indicating the current position, and the selection means indicates the current position indicated by the current position information acquired by the acquisition means so that the position of the map displayed at the indicated screen position is displayed. The display control program can be selected based on whether or not.

  The selection means selects the display control program based on whether or not the position of the map displayed at the indicated position of the screen is registered in the position information including information related to the predetermined position of the map. can do.

  The position information includes related information indicating a relationship between the first position of the registered map and the second position of the map, and any one of the plurality of display control programs includes the position of the designated screen. When the position of the map displayed on the map is the first position of the map registered in the position information, a list of the second position of the map related to the first position of the map based on the related information It is possible to provide a related position display control program for controlling the display of the map image so that the related position list is superimposed and displayed on the map.

  The related position display control program can further control display of the map image so as to display a map including the second position of the previous term map designated from the related position list.

  The selection means executes the display control program based on whether or not the position of the map displayed at the designated position on the screen is on the route from the first position on the map to the second position on the map. Can be selected.

  When one of the plurality of display control programs is on the route, the map image is continuously moved in the direction of the tangent to the route at the position on the designated route. A route display control program for controlling display of a map image can be provided.

  Generation means for generating a map image can be further provided on the basis of display control by the display control means.

  The generation means supplies information related to the generated map image to the selection means, and the selection means selects the display control program based on the information related to the map image in addition to the instructed position of the screen. Can be.

  The display control method of the present invention controls the display of a map image based on an acquisition step of acquiring an instructed position of a screen on which a map is displayed, and the position of the screen acquired by the processing of the acquisition step. It includes a selection step for selecting one of a plurality of display control programs, and a display control step for controlling display of a map image by the display control program selected by the processing of the selection step.

  The program recorded on the recording medium of the present invention is a map image based on an acquisition step of acquiring an instructed position of a screen on which a map is displayed, and the position of the screen acquired by the processing of the acquisition step. A selection step for selecting one of a plurality of display control programs for controlling display of the map, and a display control step for controlling display of the map image by the display control program selected by the processing of the selection step It is characterized by.

  The program according to the present invention includes: an acquisition step for acquiring an instructed position of a screen on which a map is displayed; and a plurality of controls for controlling display of a map image based on the position of the screen acquired by the processing of the acquisition step. A selection step for selecting one of the display control programs, and a display control step for controlling display of a map image by the display control program selected by the processing of the selection step are executed by a computer. .

  In the display control device, the display control method, the program recorded on the recording medium, and the program according to the present invention, the indicated position of the screen on which the map is displayed is acquired, and based on the acquired position of the screen One of a plurality of display control programs for controlling the display of the map image is selected, and the display of the map image is controlled by the selected display control program.

  As described above, according to the present invention, an image including a map can be displayed. Moreover, according to this invention, the image containing the map of the range which a user requires can be displayed easily and rapidly.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The correspondence between the invention described in this specification and the embodiments is illustrated as follows. Although this description is described in this specification, there is an embodiment which is not described here as corresponding to the invention. It does not mean that it does not correspond to. Conversely, even if an embodiment is described herein as corresponding to an invention, that means that the embodiment does not correspond to an invention other than the invention. Absent.

  Further, this description does not mean that all the inventions described in this specification are claimed. In other words, this description is an invention described in the present specification and is not claimed in this application, that is, a future divisional application, appearing by amendment, or added. It does not deny the existence of the invention.

  According to the present invention, a display control apparatus is provided. The display control device (for example, the data processing unit 112 in FIG. 6) is an acquisition unit (for example, the input unit in FIG. 6) that acquires the indicated position (for example, the screen pointer position) on the screen on which the map is displayed. 121) and a plurality of display control programs (for example, navigation modules 141-1 to 141-n in FIG. 6) for controlling the display of the map image based on the position of the screen acquired by the acquisition means. A display control unit (for example, the navigation module selection unit 122 in FIG. 6) for selecting one of them and a display control unit (for example, a display control program for controlling display of the map image by the display control program selected by the selection unit) , And an image display control unit 123) of FIG.

  In this display control device (for example, the data processing unit 212 in FIG. 12), the display control means is the first position (for example, position A in FIG. 14A or FIG. 16A) instructed by the acquisition means. Position A) and a second position on the screen (for example, position B in FIG. 14B or position B in FIG. 16B), the second position of the map displayed at the first position on the screen is acquired. A first display control program (for example, the drag-type navigation module 241 in FIG. 12) for controlling the display of the map image so that the position of 1 is displayed at the second position of the screen; Based on the direction from the first position to the second position of the screen and the distance between the first position of the screen and the second position of the screen, the map images are consecutive. Move The display of the map image can be controlled by a second display control program (for example, the scroll navigation module 242 in FIG. 12) that controls the display of the map image.

  In this display control apparatus (for example, the data processing unit 212 in FIG. 12), the acquisition unit further acquires current position information indicating the current position, and the selection unit is displayed at the position of the designated screen. The display control program is selected based on whether or not the position of the map that is present is the current position (for example, the current position icon 256 in FIG. 17) indicated by the current position information acquired by the acquisition means. can do.

  In the display control device (for example, the data processing unit 312 in FIG. 20), the selection unit is configured such that the position of the map displayed at the designated position on the screen is a predetermined position (for example, a land) of the map. The display control program can be selected based on whether or not it is registered in position information (for example, landmark information) including information related to the mark.

  In the display control device (for example, the data processing unit 312 in FIG. 20), the position information includes the first position (for example, a reference landmark) of the registered map and the second position (for example, the reference landmark). For example, it includes related information (for example, related information) indicating a relationship with a related landmark, and any one of the plurality of display control programs is the position of the map displayed at the position of the designated screen Is the first position of the map registered in the position information, the list of the second position of the map related to the first position of the map based on the related information A related position display control program for controlling the display of the map image so that the related position list (for example, the landmark menu 402 in FIG. 21B) is superimposed on the map and displayed. , It can be made to a landmark navigation module 341) in FIG. 20.

  In the display control apparatus (for example, the data processing unit 512 in FIG. 28), the selection unit is configured such that the position of the map displayed at the designated position on the screen is the first position (for example, the map). The display control is based on whether or not the route is from a starting point A) in FIG. 29A to a second position on the map (for example, destination B in FIG. 29A) (for example, route 601 in FIG. 29A). A program can be selected.

  In this display control apparatus (for example, the data processing unit 512 in FIG. 28), any one of the plurality of display control programs has the indicated position (for example, position O in FIG. 31A, the map image is continuously moved in the direction of the tangent of the route at the position on the route indicated (for example, the tangent 653 of FIG. 31A). A route display control program for controlling the display of the map image (for example, the route navigation module 541 in FIG. 28) may be used.

  The display control device (for example, the data processing unit 112 in FIG. 6) further includes generation means (for example, the renderer 125 in FIG. 6) that generates the map image based on display control by the display control means. Can be.

  In the display control device (for example, the data processing unit 112 in FIG. 6), the generation unit supplies information (for example, display information) related to the generated map image to the selection unit, and the selection unit In addition to the indicated screen position, the display control program can be selected based on information related to the map image.

  According to the present invention, a display control method is provided. This display control method is acquired by an acquisition step (for example, step S31 in FIG. 9) for acquiring an instructed position (for example, a screen pointer position) on the screen on which the map is displayed, and the processing of the acquisition step. A selection step of selecting one of a plurality of display control programs (for example, the navigation modules 141-1 to 141-n in FIG. 6) for controlling the display of the map image based on the position of the screen ( For example, steps S33 to S35 in FIG. 9 and a display control step (for example, step S3 in FIG. 7) for controlling display of the map image by the display control program selected by the processing in the selection step. Including.

  According to the present invention, a program is provided. This program acquires an instructed position (for example, a screen pointer position) on the screen on which the map is displayed (for example, step S31 in FIG. 9) and the acquired in the process of the acquiring step. A selection step (for example, selecting one of a plurality of display control programs (for example, navigation modules 141-1 to 141-n in FIG. 6) for controlling the display of the map image based on the position of the screen (for example, 9 and a display control step (for example, step S3 in FIG. 7) for controlling the display of the map image by the display control program selected by the processing in the selection step.

  This program can be recorded on a recording medium (for example, the removable medium 821 in FIG. 35).

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration example of the map display device 101 to which the present invention is applied. The map display device 101 includes an input device 111, a data processing unit 112, and a display unit 113.

  The user can specify an arbitrary position on the screen of the display unit 113 with the input device 111. For example, the input device 111 is a pointing device that can indicate an arbitrary position on the screen of the display unit 113 with a pointer or the like.

  For example, when the input device 111 is a mouse that is one of pointing devices, a pointer that can indicate an arbitrary position on the screen is displayed on the screen of the display unit 113, and the user can select the pointer as desired. By moving to a position and pressing a mouse button, the position indicated by the pointer can be clearly specified. Further, for example, when the input device 111 is a touch panel and a stylus pen that are one of pointing devices, the user can touch the stylus pen at an arbitrary position on the touch panel provided on the surface of the screen of the display unit 113, thereby Can indicate an arbitrary position on the screen of the display unit 113 corresponding to the position of the touch panel on which the stylus pen is touched.

  When an arbitrary position on the screen of the display unit 113 is instructed by the input device 111, the position on the screen of the display unit 113 actually instructed and the position on the image displayed at the instructed position Two types of positions are designated. Hereinafter, a map is displayed at the screen pointer position of the display unit 113 instructed by the input device 111, the image pointer position at the position displayed on the screen pointer position, and particularly the image pointer position. In this case, the map position is referred to as a map pointer position. That is, when an arbitrary position on the screen of the display unit 113 is designated by the input device 111, two kinds of positions, that is, a screen pointer position and an image pointer position (a map pointer position when a map is displayed at the image pointer position) Is instructed.

  Also, for example, when the input device 111 is a mouse, a state where an arbitrary position (screen pointer position) of the display unit 113 is designated by the pointer and the mouse button is not pressed, that is, the screen is displayed by the pointer. There are two types of states: a state where the pointer position is only indicated and a state where the mouse button is pressed, that is, a state where the screen pointer position indicated by the pointer is clearly specified. In order to distinguish between the two types of states in which the screen pointer position is designated, hereinafter, the former is referred to as a state in which the screen pointer position is designated, and the latter is referred to as a state in which the screen pointer position is designated.

  Therefore, for example, when the input device 111 is a stylus pen and a touch panel, the screen pointer position is designated and designated by bringing the stylus pen into contact with an arbitrary position on the touch panel, and the stylus pen is released from the touch panel. As a result, the screen pointer position is not specified or specified.

  The input device 111 outputs information about the screen pointer position indicated or designated by the input device 111 (hereinafter referred to as pointer information) to the data processing unit 112. In addition to the screen pointer position indicated or designated by the input device 111, the pointer information includes information for identifying whether the screen pointer position is designated or designated.

  Based on the pointer information acquired from the input device 111, the data processing unit 112 generates image data composed of a map and data to be displayed on the map such as icons and menus (hereinafter referred to as superimposed data), The generated image data is output to the display unit 113, and an image is displayed on the display unit 113.

  The display unit 113 includes a screen (not shown) such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display).

  The data processing unit 112 includes an input unit 121, a navigation module selection unit 122, an image display control unit 123, a switcher 124, a renderer 125, and a map data storage unit 126.

  The navigation module selection unit 122 acquires pointer information from the input device 111 via the input unit 121. The navigation module selection unit 122 includes, from the renderer 125, information including the range of the map displayed on the display unit 113 and the display position and content of the superimposed data displayed superimposed on the map (hereinafter referred to as display information). To get. As will be described later with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11, the navigation module selection unit 122 is based on the acquired pointer information and display information, and the navigation modules 141-1 to 141-n (hereinafter referred to as the image display control unit 123). The navigation modules 141-1 to 141-n are simply referred to as the navigation modules 141 when it is not necessary to individually distinguish the navigation modules 141-1 to 141-n, and one navigation module 141 that actually executes the processing is selected.

  Hereinafter, the navigation module 141 selected by the navigation module selection unit 122 is referred to as an active navigation module, and the selection of the navigation module 141 by the navigation module selection unit 122 is expressed as the navigation module 141 being activated.

  The navigation module selection unit 122 transmits the result of selecting the active navigation module to the image display control unit 123 and the switcher 124.

  The image display control unit 123 includes n navigation modules 141-1 to 141-n. Although the details will be described later, the navigation module 141 uses different control methods to obtain information about the display position of the map for generating image data to be displayed on the display unit 113 by the renderer 125, and information regarding the superimposed data to be displayed on the map. The generated image data update information is sequentially generated and supplied to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124, thereby controlling the content of the image displayed on the display unit 113 (hereinafter referred to as image display control).

  The image display control unit 123 causes one navigation module 141 selected as the active navigation module among the n navigation modules 141 to execute the image display control process. The navigation module 141 selected as the active navigation module is based on the pointer information acquired from the input device 111 via the input unit 121 and the switcher 124 and the display information acquired from the renderer 125 via the switcher 124. Image data update information is sequentially generated and supplied to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124.

  Each of the navigation modules 141 manages a process execution flag indicating that the process is being executed. When the process execution flag of the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module is ON, the navigation module selection unit 122 The active navigation module cannot be changed.

  The switcher 124 acquires the active navigation module selection result from the navigation module selection unit 122, and displays the pointer information acquired from the input unit 121 and the display information acquired from the renderer 125 among the navigation modules 141-1 to 141-n. It is supplied only to the navigation module 141 which is an active navigation module. The switcher 124 supplies the image data update information acquired from the navigation module 141 which is an active navigation module to the renderer 125.

  Based on the image data update information acquired from the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module via the switcher 124, the renderer 125 maps data related to the map to be displayed on the display unit 113 (hereinafter referred to as map data). Image data acquired from the data storage unit 126 and superimposed data is generated on the acquired map data is generated and output to the display unit 113. The renderer 125 transmits the display information including the range of the map displayed on the display unit 113 and the display position and content of the superimposed data to the navigation module 141 which is an active navigation module via the navigation module selection unit 122 and the switcher 124. Supply.

  Next, processing executed by the map display device 101 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, a navigation process executed by the map display device 101 will be described with reference to FIG. This process is started when the start of the process is instructed by the user, and is ended when the stop of the process is instructed by the user.

  In step S1, the data processing unit 112 executes an initialization process. Specifically, the renderer 125 displays map data in a range to be displayed at the start of the navigation process, such as a map set in advance to be displayed at the start of the process or a map that was last displayed when the previous navigation process was performed. Is acquired from the map data storage unit 126, and the superimposed data is superimposed thereon to generate image data. The renderer 125 outputs the generated image data to the display unit 113 and causes the display unit 113 to display an image. The renderer 125 supplies display information including the range of the map displayed on the display unit 113 and the display position and content of the superimposed data to the navigation module selection unit 122 and the switcher 124. The navigation module selection unit 122 makes all the navigation modules 141 inactive (a state where there is no navigation module 141 that is an active navigation module). The navigation module 141 turns off its own processing execution flag.

  In step S2, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines whether there is a navigation module 141 that is an active navigation module. In this case, it is determined that all the navigation modules 141 are inactive by the process of step S1, and there is no navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module, and the process proceeds to step S10.

  In step S10, an active navigation module change process is performed. Details will be described later with reference to FIG. 9 to FIG. 11. By this processing, the navigation module selection unit 122 selects an active navigation module from the navigation modules 141 included in the image display control unit 123, and the selection result is displayed. This is transmitted to the image display control unit 123 and the switcher 124. When there is no navigation module 141 that can be an active navigation module, the navigation module selection unit 122 transmits the result to the image display control unit 123 and the switcher 124. Thereafter, the process returns to step S2.

  If it is determined in step S2 after the second time that the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module is present, the process proceeds to step S3, and image display control processing is performed. Although details will be described later with reference to FIG. 8 and the like, when the image displayed on the display unit 113 needs to be updated by this processing, the navigation module 141 as the active navigation module displays the map displayed on the display unit 113. Image data update information including information regarding the display position and superimposed data to be displayed on the map is generated, and supplied to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124.

  In step S4, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines whether or not the active navigation module can be changed. The navigation module selection unit 122 inquires of the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module whether the process is being executed. When the process execution flag indicating whether or not the process is being executed is ON, the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module notifies the navigation module selection unit 122 that the process is being executed, and the process is being executed. When the flag is OFF, the navigation module selection unit 122 is notified that the process is not being executed.

  In step S4, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines that the active navigation module can be changed when it is transmitted from the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module that the process is not being executed, and the process proceeds to step S5.

  In step S5, as in the process of step S10, the active navigation module changing process is performed, and the selection result of the active navigation module is transmitted to the image display control unit 123 and the switcher 124. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S4, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines that the active navigation module cannot be changed when the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module is notified that the process is being executed, and the process of step S5 is skipped. That is, the active navigation module changing process is not executed, and the process proceeds to step S6. This prevents the active navigation module from being changed to another navigation module 141 while the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module is executing a process.

  In step S6, the renderer 125 determines whether image data update information has been acquired. For example, the image display control process in step S3 executes a process that needs to update the image displayed on the display unit 113, and the image data is updated to the renderer 125 from the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module via the switcher 124. If the information is supplied, it is determined in step S6 that image data update information has been acquired, and the process proceeds to step S7.

  In step S7, the renderer 125 generates image data based on the image data update information. The renderer 125 acquires map data in a range to be displayed on the display unit 113 from the map data storage unit 126 based on the image data update information, and generates image data on which superimposed data such as icons and menus are superimposed. .

  In step S <b> 8, the renderer 125 outputs the image data to the display unit 113 and causes the display unit 113 to display the image. Thereby, the image displayed on the display unit 113 is updated to an image displayed by the image data generated based on the image data update information generated by the image display control process of step S3.

  In step S <b> 9, the renderer 125 is an active navigation module through the navigation module selection unit 122 and the switcher 124 for display information including the map range displayed on the display unit 113 and the display position and content of the superimposed data. This is supplied to the navigation module 141. Thereafter, the process returns to step S2, and the subsequent processes are repeated.

  If it is determined in step S6 that the image data update information has not been acquired, the processes in steps S7 to S9 are skipped, that is, the image displayed on the display unit 113 is not updated, and the process proceeds to step S2. Return and the subsequent processing is repeated.

  When it is determined in the second and subsequent steps S2 that the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module does not exist, the processing proceeds to step S10, and the navigation module 141 that is a new active navigation module is obtained by the processing of step S10. Steps S2 and S10 are repeated until is selected.

  Next, the details of the image display control process in step S3 of FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S21, the navigation module 141, which is an active navigation module, generates image data update information. The navigation module 141, which is an active navigation module, acquires pointer information via the input unit 121 and the switcher 124 as necessary, and performs the pointer information and processing in step S9 in FIG. 7 or step S35 in FIG. Based on the acquired display information, image data update information including information regarding the display position of the map for generating image data to be displayed on the display unit 113 by the renderer 125 and the superimposed data to be displayed on the map is generated.

  In step S <b> 22, the navigation module 141 that is an active navigation module outputs the image data update information to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG. 7, and the renderer 125 generates image data in step S7 in FIG. 7 based on the image data update information, and causes the display unit 113 to display an image in step S8. .

  Next, details of the active navigation module changing process in steps S5 and S10 in FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S <b> 31, the input unit 121 acquires pointer information from the input device 111. The pointer information includes a screen pointer position designated or designated by the input device 111, and information for distinguishing whether the screen pointer position is designated or designated.

  In step S32, the input unit 121 determines whether or not the screen pointer position is instructed by the input device 111 based on the pointer information acquired in the process of step S31. If it is determined that the screen pointer position is instructed, the process proceeds to step S33.

  In step S33, an active navigation module candidate selection process is performed. The details of the active navigation module candidate selection process will be described later with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. By this process, one active navigation module candidate that can become an active navigation module is selected from the navigation modules 141. Is selected.

  In step S34, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines whether or not the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module is different from the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module candidate selected in step S33. If it is determined that the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module is different from the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module candidate, the process proceeds to step S35.

  In step S35, the navigation module selection unit 122 changes the active navigation module from the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module to the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module candidate. The navigation module selection unit 122 transmits the change result of the active navigation module to the image display control unit 123 and the switcher 124. The switcher 124 supplies the pointer information acquired from the input device 111 via the input unit 121 and the display information acquired from the renderer 125 to the navigation module 141 selected as the active navigation module. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S2 or S6 in FIG.

  If it is determined in step S34 that the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module is the same as the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module candidate, the process of step S35 is skipped, that is, the active navigation module is changed. Instead, the process proceeds to step S2 or S6 of FIG.

  If it is determined in step S32 that the screen pointer position is not instructed, the process proceeds to step S36.

  In step S36, the navigation module selection unit 122 makes all the navigation modules inactive. That is, when the screen pointer position is not instructed by the input device 111, the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module does not exist. The navigation module selection unit 122 transmits the result of making all the navigation modules inactive to the image display control unit 123 and the switcher 124. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S2 or S6 in FIG.

  Next, details of the active navigation module candidate selection process in step S33 of FIG. 9 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The active navigation module candidate selection process includes a method of selecting an active navigation module candidate based on the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111 (hereinafter referred to as a screen pointer method) and an image displayed at the screen pointer position. Two types of processing methods are used: a method of selecting an active navigation module candidate based on the contents and position (for example, map pointer position) (hereinafter referred to as an image position method).

  In the screen pointer method, the active navigation module candidate is searched based only on the screen pointer position regardless of the content of the image displayed on the display unit 113. The screen pointer method is used, for example, when the active navigation module is switched based on whether or not the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111 is within a predetermined area near the center of the screen of the display unit 113. It is done.

  In the image position method, the active navigation module candidate is selected based on the content and position of the image displayed at the screen pointer position regardless of the screen pointer position. The image position method is used, for example, when the active navigation module is switched based on whether the map pointer position indicated by the input device 111 is within a specific area of the map such as a station or a sightseeing spot.

  First, the details of the active navigation module candidate selection process in the screen pointer method will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S41, the navigation module selection unit 122 searches the navigation module area table held by the navigation module selection unit 122. The navigation module area table shows the relationship between the coordinates on the screen of the display unit 113 and the navigation module 141 that can be activated when the screen pointer position is indicated on the coordinates. Each corresponds to one type of navigation module. The navigation module selection unit 122 searches for the navigation module 141 registered at the coordinates of the currently designated screen pointer position based on the pointer information and the navigation module area table acquired in step S31 of FIG.

  In step S42, the navigation module selection unit 122 selects the searched navigation module 141 as an active navigation module candidate.

  Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S34 in FIG. 9, and when the navigation module 141 that is the selected active navigation module candidate and the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module are different, the active navigation module is determined in step S35. The navigation module 141 is changed to the active navigation module candidate.

  In this way, the active navigation module is changed based on the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111. That is, the user can switch the image display control processing method of the map display device 101 by changing the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111.

  Next, the details of the active navigation module candidate selection process in the image position method will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S61, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines whether or not the activity levels of all the navigation modules 141 included in the image display control unit 123 have been checked. The degree of activity is a numerical value indicating the degree to which the navigation module 141 can become active with respect to the content and position of the image displayed at the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111. is there. The degree of activity of 0 indicates that the navigation module 141 cannot be activated, and the greater the value of the degree of activity, the higher the degree of activation.

  In step S62, the navigation module selection unit 122 supplies pointer information and display information to the navigation module 141 to inquire about the degree of activity.

  In step S63, the navigation module 141 that has received the inquiry from the navigation module selection unit 122 obtains the content and position of the image displayed at the screen pointer position based on the pointer information and the display information, and displays the content and position at the screen pointer position. The self-activity is determined based on the content and position of the image.

  In step S64, the navigation module selection unit 122 acquires the activity level determined in the process of step S63 from the navigation module 141 and stores it. Thereafter, the process returns to step S61.

  In step S61, the processes of steps S61 to S64 are repeated until it is determined that the activity level check has been completed for all navigation modules 141, and the navigation module selection unit 122 determines the activity levels of all navigation modules 141. Get and save.

  If it is determined in step S61 that the activity level check has been completed for all navigation modules 141, the process proceeds to step S65.

  In step S65, the navigation module selection unit 122 compares the activity levels of the navigation modules 141, and selects the navigation module 141 having the highest value of the activity level as an active navigation module candidate.

  Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S34 in FIG. 9, and when the navigation module 141 that is the selected active navigation module candidate and the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module are different, the active navigation module is determined in step S35. The navigation module 141 is changed to the active navigation module candidate.

  In this way, the active navigation module is changed based on the content and position of the image displayed at the screen pointer position designated by the input device 111. That is, the user can switch the image display control processing method of the map display device 101 by changing the content and position of the image designated by the input device 111.

  Next, an embodiment of a map display device using two navigation modules, a drag navigation module and a scroll navigation module, as navigation modules will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The drag-type navigation module is a navigation module that performs image display control processing for controlling the display position and contents of the map by the drag method described above with reference to FIG. 1, and the scroll-type navigation module is described above with reference to FIG. This is a navigation module that performs image display control processing for controlling the display position and contents of a map by the scroll method.

  FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration example of the map display device 201 using two navigation modules, a drag-type navigation module 241 and a scroll-type navigation module 242, as navigation modules. The same parts as those shown in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  Compared with the map display device 101 shown in FIG. 6, the map display device 201 has an image that the image display control unit 123 of the map display device 101 has two navigation modules, a drag type navigation module 241 and a scroll type navigation module 242. The difference is that the display control unit 223 is replaced.

  The image display control unit 223 of the data processing unit 212 has two navigation modules, a drag type navigation module 241 and a scroll type navigation module 242. Although the details will be described later, the navigation module selection unit 122 selects an active navigation module from the drag type navigation module 241 and the scroll type navigation module 242, and the navigation module 141 that is the selected active navigation module stores the image data update information. Is generated to control the content of the image displayed on the display unit 113.

  The navigation processing by the map display device 201 whose configuration is shown in FIG. 12 is the same as the processing described with reference to FIG.

  The process of changing the active navigation module by the map display device 201 shown in the configuration of FIG. 12 is the same as the process described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  Details of the image display control process in step S3 of FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. The flowchart of FIG. 13 shows the image display control process when the drag type navigation module 241 is selected as the active navigation module, and FIG. 14 shows the case where the drag type navigation module 241 is selected as the active navigation module. The example of the range of the map displayed on the screen of the display part 113 is shown. The flowchart in FIG. 15 shows the image display control process when the scroll navigation module 242 is selected as the active navigation module, and FIG. 16 shows the case where the scroll navigation module 242 is selected as the active navigation module. The example of the range of the map displayed on the screen of the display part 113 is shown.

  First, an image display control process when the drag type navigation module 241 is selected as the active navigation module will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14.

  In step S <b> 101, the drag method navigation module 241 acquires pointer information from the input device 111 via the input unit 121 and the switcher 124.

  In step S102, the drag navigation module 241 determines whether the screen pointer position is designated by the input device 111 based on the pointer information. If it is determined that the screen pointer position is designated, the process proceeds to step S103.

  In step S103, the drag navigation module 241 determines whether or not the processing execution flag is OFF. If it is determined that the process execution flag is OFF, that is, if the process of the drag navigation module 241 has not been started, the process proceeds to step S104.

  In step S104, the drag navigation module 241 obtains the map pointer position specified by the input device 111 based on the pointer information and the display information acquired by the process of step S9 of FIG. 7 or step S35 of FIG. The obtained map pointer position is set as a reference map pointer position.

  In step S105, the drag method navigation module 241 turns on the processing execution flag. Thus, the active navigation module is not changed from the drag navigation module 241 to another navigation module 141 (in this case, the scroll navigation module 242), and the drag navigation module 241 is maintained in an active state.

  Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step S4 in FIG. That is, when the screen pointer position is specified by the input device 111 and the process of the drag navigation module 241 is started, the image data update information is not generated, and the image displayed on the display unit 113 is not updated.

  If it is determined in step S103 that the process execution flag is ON, that is, if the process of the drag navigation module 241 has already been executed, the process proceeds to step S106.

  In step S106, the drag method navigation module 241 generates image data update information. The drag-type navigation module 241 uses the input device 111 to determine the reference map pointer position obtained in the process of step S104 based on the pointer information and the display information acquired by the process of step S9 of FIG. The display position of the map displayed at the specified current screen pointer position is obtained. The drag method navigation module 241 generates image data update information based on the obtained map display position.

  For example, the reference map pointer position obtained in step S104 is the position of the map displayed at the position A designated by the input device 111 in FIG. 14A, and the current screen pointer position is indicated by an arrow in FIG. 14A. As shown in FIG. 14B, when the position B is designated by the input device 111 in FIG. 14B moved from the position A diagonally upward to the right, in step S106, the map display position (range) is represented by the square in FIG. 14A. From the position (range) indicated by the enclosed range 251-1, the position of the map (reference map pointer position) displayed at position A in FIG. 14A is displayed at position B (current screen pointer position) in FIG. 14B. A position (range) indicated by a range 251-2 surrounded by a quadrangle that has been moved as described above is obtained.

  In step S <b> 107, the drag navigation module 241 outputs the image data update information to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG. 7, and the renderer 125 generates image data in step S7 in FIG. 7 based on the image data update information, and causes the display unit 113 to display an image in step S8. . Accordingly, as described above with reference to FIG. 14, the map display position is moved so that the reference map pointer position is displayed at the screen pointer position with the movement of the screen pointer position.

  If it is determined in step S102 that the screen pointer position is not designated by the input device 111, the process proceeds to step S108.

  In step S108, the drag method navigation module 241 turns off the processing execution flag. As a result, the active navigation module can be changed from the drag navigation module 241 to another navigation module 141 (in this case, the scroll navigation module 242).

  Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step S4 in FIG. That is, when the screen pointer position is not designated by the input device 111, the image data update information is not generated, and the image displayed on the display unit 113 is not updated.

  Next, image display control processing when the scroll navigation module 242 is selected as the active navigation module will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16.

  In step S 151, the scroll navigation module 242 acquires pointer information from the input device 111 via the input unit 121 and the switcher 124.

  In step S152, the scroll navigation module 242 determines whether a screen pointer position is designated by the input device 111 based on the pointer information. If it is determined that the screen pointer position is designated, the process proceeds to step S153.

  In step S153, the scroll navigation module 242 determines whether or not the processing execution flag is OFF. If it is determined that the process execution flag is OFF, that is, if the process of the scroll navigation module 242 has not been started, the process proceeds to step S154.

  In step S154, the scroll navigation module 242 sets the screen pointer position specified by the input device 111 as the reference screen pointer position based on the pointer information.

  In step S155, the scroll navigation module 242 turns on the processing execution flag. As a result, the active navigation module is not changed from the scroll navigation module 242 to another navigation module 141 (in this case, the drag navigation module 241), and the scroll navigation module 242 is maintained in an active state.

  Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step S4 in FIG. That is, when the screen pointer position is designated by the input device 111 and the processing of the scroll navigation module 242 is started, the image data update information is not generated, and the image displayed on the display unit 113 is not updated.

  If it is determined in step S153 that the process execution flag is ON, that is, if the process of the scroll navigation module 242 has already been executed, the process proceeds to step S156.

  In step S156, the scroll navigation module 242 obtains the direction and size of the vector from the reference screen pointer position obtained in the process of step S154 to the current screen pointer position specified by the input device 111. For example, the reference screen pointer position obtained in step S154 is the position A specified by the input device 111 in FIG. 16A (position A in FIG. 16B), and the current screen pointer position specified by the input device 111 is the current screen pointer position. When the position B designated by the input device 111 in FIG. 16B moved from the position A diagonally upward to the right as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 16A is the position A ( The direction and size of the vector from the reference screen pointer position) to the position B (current screen pointer position) are obtained.

  In step S157, the scroll navigation module 242 generates image data update information. The scroll navigation module 242 obtains the display position of the currently displayed map in the process of step S156 based on the pointer information and the display information acquired by the process of step S9 in FIG. 7 or step S35 in FIG. The display position of the map moved in the direction of the vector by the amount of movement according to the magnitude of the vector is obtained. For example, as in the example of FIG. 16, the display position (range) of the map is the position from the position (range) indicated by the range 251-3 surrounded by the rectangle of FIG. 16A to the position from the position A (reference screen pointer position). A position (range) indicated by a range 251-4 surrounded by a rectangle in FIG. 16B that is moved in the direction of the vector toward B (current screen pointer position) by the amount of movement corresponding to the magnitude of the vector. Is required.

  In step S158, the scroll navigation module 242 outputs the image data update information to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG. 7, and the renderer 125 generates image data in step S7 in FIG. 7 based on the image data update information, and causes the display unit 113 to display an image in step S8. . Accordingly, as described above with reference to FIG. 16, in accordance with the movement of the screen pointer position, in the direction of the screen pointer position moved from the reference screen pointer position, between the reference screen pointer position and the moved screen pointer position. The display position of the map is moved by the amount of movement corresponding to the distance.

  If it is determined in step S152 that the screen pointer position is not designated by the input device 111, the process proceeds to step S159.

  In step S159, the scroll navigation module 242 turns off the processing execution flag. As a result, the active navigation module can be changed from the scroll navigation module 242 to another navigation module 141 (in this case, the drag navigation module 241).

  Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step S4 in FIG. That is, when the screen pointer position is not designated by the input device 111, the image data update information is not generated, and the image displayed on the display unit 113 is not updated.

  Next, the active navigation module candidate selection process in step S33 of FIG. 9 in the map display device 201 will be described more specifically.

  The map display device 201 can apply both the active navigation module candidate selection process by the screen pointer method shown in FIG. 10 and the active navigation module candidate selection process by the image position method shown in FIG.

  When the active navigation module candidate selection processing by the screen pointer method is applied to the map display device 201, for example, the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111 is a position in a predetermined area near the center of the screen of the display unit 113. In this case, the drag type navigation module 241 is selected as an active navigation module candidate, and when the screen pointer position is a position of another area, the scroll type navigation module 242 is selected as an active navigation module candidate. The active navigation module candidate selection process in this case will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S41, the navigation module selection unit 122 searches the navigation module area table. In the navigation module area table, the coordinates in the specific area near the center of the screen of the display unit 113 and the correspondence with the drag type navigation module 241 are described. The coordinates of the other areas and the scroll type navigation module 242 are described. Correspondence with is described. The navigation module selection unit 122 searches the navigation module area table for a description corresponding to the coordinates of the current screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111. As a result, the navigation module 141 corresponding to the screen pointer position is specified.

  In step S42, the navigation module selection unit 122 selects the navigation module 141 specified by the search as an active navigation module candidate.

  Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S34 in FIG. 9, and when the navigation module 141 that is the selected active navigation module candidate and the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module are different, the active navigation module is determined in step S35. The navigation module 141 is changed to the active navigation module candidate.

  As described above, when the processing execution flag of the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module is set to ON, the active navigation module changing process in step S5 in FIG. When the scroll navigation module 242 is in process, the active navigation module is not changed.

  In this way, the user can switch between the image display control process by the drag method and the image display control process by the scroll method by changing the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111.

  Next, processing when the active navigation module candidate selection processing based on the image position method is applied to the map display device 201 will be described.

  When the active navigation module candidate selection process based on the image position method is applied to the map display device 201, the map display device 201 displays the current map on the map in the image displayed on the display unit 113 as shown in FIG. A function for displaying the position icon 256 is provided. The user designates a map pointer position for displaying the current position icon 256 by using the input device 111 in advance. The current position icon 256 is always displayed at the designated map pointer position, and the display position of the current position icon 256 moves as the map display position moves.

  The display information supplied from the renderer 125 includes the position of the current position icon 256 displayed on the display unit 113 on the screen and the position on the map. The display information is supplied from the navigation module selection unit 122 and the active navigation module. A certain navigation module 141 acquires the position of the current current position icon 256 based on the display information.

  When the current position icon 256 is displayed at the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111 (when the map pointer position is on the current position icon 256), the drag type navigation module 241 is selected as an active navigation module candidate. When the current position icon 256 is not displayed at the screen pointer position (when the map pointer position is not on the current position icon 256), the scroll navigation module 242 is selected as an active navigation module candidate. The active navigation module candidate selection process in this case will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S61, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines whether or not the activity levels of all the navigation modules 141 included in the image display control unit 223 have been checked. In this case, the activity level is not checked for any navigation module 141, and the process proceeds to step S62.

  In step S62, the navigation module selection unit 122 supplies pointer information and display information to the navigation module 141 to inquire about the degree of activity. In the following description, it is assumed that the navigation module selection unit 122 inquires about the degree of activity in the order of the drag type navigation module 241 and the scroll type navigation module 242.

  In step S63, when the current position icon 256 is displayed at the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111 based on the pointer information and the display information, the drag navigation module 241 determines its own activity level as the activity level. If the current position icon 256 is not displayed at the screen pointer position, the activity level is determined to be 0.

  In step S64, the navigation module selection unit 122 acquires the activity level determined in step S63 from the drag navigation module 241 and stores it. Thereafter, the process returns to step S61.

  In step S61, since the activity level of the scroll navigation module 242 has not been checked yet, it is determined that the activity levels of all the navigation modules 141 have not been checked, and the process proceeds to step S62.

  In step S62, the navigation module selection unit 122 supplies pointer information and display information to the scroll navigation module 242 to inquire about the degree of activity.

  In step S63, when the current position icon 256 is displayed at the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111 based on the pointer information and the display information, the scroll navigation module 242 determines its own activity level as the activity level. If the current position icon 256 is not displayed at the screen pointer position, the activity level is determined to be 1.

  In step S64, the navigation module selection unit 122 acquires the degree of activity determined in the process of step S63 from the scroll navigation module 242 and stores it. Thereafter, the process returns to step S61.

  In step S61, it is determined that the activity levels of all the navigation modules 141 have been checked, and the process proceeds to step S65.

  In step S65, the navigation module selection unit 122 compares the activity levels of the drag-type navigation module 241 and the scroll-type navigation module 242 and selects the one with the larger value of the activity level as the active navigation module candidate. That is, when the current position icon 256 is displayed at the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111 (when the map pointer position is on the current position icon 256), the drag-type navigation module 241 is selected as an active navigation module candidate. When the current position icon 256 is not displayed at the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111 (when the map pointer position is not on the current position icon 256), the scroll navigation module 242 is selected as an active navigation module candidate. Is done.

  Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S34 in FIG. 9, and when the navigation module 141 that is the selected active navigation module candidate and the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module are different, the active navigation module is determined in step S35. The navigation module 141 is changed to the active navigation module candidate.

  As described above, when the processing execution flag of the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module is set to ON, the active navigation module changing process in step S5 in FIG. When the scroll navigation module 242 is in process, the active navigation module is not changed.

  In this way, the user can switch between the image display control process by the drag method and the image display control process by the scroll method by changing the map pointer position indicated by the input device 111.

  In the above description, the example in which the user registers the current position icon 256 using the input device 111 has been described. However, the map display device 201 in FIG. A (Grobal Positioning System) receiving unit 271 is further provided so that the GPS receiving unit 271 receives radio waves from a geodetic satellite and displays a current position icon 256 on the display unit 113 based on the measured current position. May be. In this case, the measurement result of the GPS receiving unit 271 is supplied to the renderer 125 via the input unit 121 and the switcher 124, and the renderer 125 displays the current position icon 256 on the display unit 113 based on the measurement result of the GPS receiving unit 271. Is superimposed on the image displayed on the screen.

  Further, like the map display device 281 shown in FIG. 19, the map display device 201 of FIG. 12 is further provided with a scheduler 291, and based on the current position instructed based on the schedule information registered in the scheduler 291. The current position icon 256 may be displayed on the display unit 113. In this case, the schedule information includes the time and the location (position information) of the user at that time, and the scheduler 291 estimates the current position of the current user based on the information and inputs the estimation result. This is supplied to the renderer 125 via the unit 121 and the switcher 124. The renderer 125 superimposes the current position icon 256 on the image displayed on the display unit 113 based on the acquired estimation result.

  As described above, the display information supplied from the renderer 125 includes the position on the screen and the position on the map of the current position icon 256 displayed on the display unit 113, and the navigation module selection unit 122, The navigation module 141, which is an active navigation module, acquires the current position of the current position icon 256 based on the measurement result of the GPS receiver 271 or the estimation result of the scheduler 291 based on the display information.

  As described above, the image display control process by the drag method and the image display control process by the scroll method are switched based on the screen pointer position or the map pointer position specified by the input device 111. Accordingly, the user can easily use the drag-type and scroll-type image display control processes while viewing the map, and can easily and quickly display the map in the desired range.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 20 to 27, an embodiment of a map display device using two navigation modules, a drag navigation module and a landmark navigation module, as a navigation module will be described.

  When the landmark navigation module displays landmarks such as stations, bus stops, airports, buildings, etc. at the screen pointer position designated by the input device 111 (the map pointer position is a landmark such as a station, bus stop, airport, buildings, etc.) In the above case, a list (hereinafter referred to as a landmark menu) of landmarks (hereinafter referred to as related landmarks) related to the landmark (hereinafter referred to as a reference landmark) is displayed and the landmark menu is displayed. When an arbitrary related landmark is selected, a landmark-type image display control process for moving the display position of the map so that the selected related landmark is displayed at the center of the screen of the display unit 113. It is a navigation module that performs.

  FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration example of a map display device 301 using two navigation modules, a drag navigation module 241 and a landmark navigation module 341, as navigation modules. The same parts as those shown in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the map display device 301, the image display control unit 123 of the map display device 101 has two navigation modules, a drag navigation module 241 and a landmark navigation module 341, as compared with the map display device 101 shown in FIG. The difference is that the image display control unit 323 is replaced.

  The image display control unit 323 of the data processing unit 312 has two navigation modules, a drag type navigation module 241 and a landmark navigation module 341. Although details will be described later, the navigation module selection unit 122 selects an active navigation module from the drag-type navigation module 241 and the landmark navigation module 341, and the navigation module 141 that is the selected active navigation module stores the image data update information. Is generated to control the content of the image displayed on the display unit 113.

  For example, when the screen pointer position is designated by the input device 111 on the area where the station 401 is displayed as shown in FIG. 21A, the landmark navigation module 341 displays the display unit as shown in FIG. 21B. A landmark menu 402 that lists landmarks related to the station 401, such as other stations on the route including the station 401, is displayed on the image displayed in the step 113 in a superimposed manner. When an arbitrary landmark is selected from the landmark menu 402, a landmark type image display control process for displaying the selected landmark at the center of the screen of the display unit 113 is performed.

  FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration example of the landmark navigation module 341. The landmark navigation module 341 includes a current position determination unit 451, a related point search unit 452, a menu renderer 453, a landmark information storage unit 454, and a landmark data priority information storage unit 455.

  The current position determination unit 451 acquires pointer information from the input device 111 via the input unit 121 and the switcher 124 and acquires display information from the renderer 125 via the switcher 124. The current position determination unit 451 specifies the landmark (reference landmark) displayed at the screen pointer position based on the pointer information, the display information, and the landmark information stored in the landmark information storage unit 454. , To the related point search unit 452.

  In the landmark information stored in the landmark information storage unit 454, the positions of landmarks such as stations, airports, bus stops, buildings, and tourist spots at predetermined positions on the map are registered, and further registered positions ( Information on landmarks is registered. The landmark information includes a landmark number, a landmark name, a landmark type, and a landmark position on the map. The landmark information includes information indicating the relationship between the registered landmarks (hereinafter referred to as related information), for example, information in which stations on the same railway line are associated with each other, This includes information related to landmarks in the vicinity of the station.

  When an arbitrary landmark is selected from the landmark menu 402, the current position determination unit 451 displays the selected landmark on the screen based on the landmark information stored in the landmark information storage unit 454. The position of the map displayed in the center is obtained, image data update information is generated based on the obtained map position, and is output to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124.

  The related point search unit 452 searches the landmark information stored in the landmark information storage unit 454 for landmarks (related landmarks) related to the reference landmark transmitted from the current position determination unit 451. Further, the related point search unit 452 acquires data related to the related landmark from the landmark information and supplies it to the menu renderer 453.

  The menu renderer 453 determines the display content of the landmark menu 402 based on the data regarding the related landmarks supplied by the related point search unit 452. At this time, the menu renderer 453 selects a related landmark to be displayed on the landmark menu 402 based on the setting information and history information stored in the landmark priority information storage unit 455 and determines the display order. Or The menu renderer 453 generates image data update information for superimposing the landmark menu 402 on the currently displayed image, and outputs the image data update information to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124.

  In the landmark priority information storage unit 455, the number of lists displayed on the landmark menu 402, the range (distance) from the reference landmark to search for related landmarks, the display priority based on the type of landmark, etc. Setting information for selecting a related landmark to be displayed on the landmark menu 402 and determining a display order is stored. For each landmark registered in the landmark information, the number of times the landmark has been displayed in the past, the number of times the landmark has been selected and displayed from the landmark menu 402, the landmark displayed immediately before, etc. History information related to the display of landmarks is accumulated.

  The navigation processing by the map display device 301 whose configuration is shown in FIG. 20 is the same as the processing described with reference to FIG.

  The process of changing the active navigation module by the map display device 301 shown in the configuration of FIG. 20 is the same as the process described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The image display control process when the drag navigation module 241 is selected as the active navigation module is the same as the process described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The details of the image display control process in step S3 of FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. The flowcharts of FIGS. 23 and 24 illustrate the image display control process when the landmark navigation module 341 is selected as the active navigation module.

  In step S <b> 201, the current position determination unit 451 acquires pointer information from the input device 111 via the input unit 121 and the switcher 124.

  In step S202, the current position determination unit 451 determines whether the screen pointer position is designated by the input device 111 based on the pointer information. If it is determined that the screen pointer position is designated, the process proceeds to step S203.

  In step S203, the current position determination unit 451 determines whether the landmark menu 402 is displayed at the screen pointer position based on the pointer information and the display information acquired by the process of step S9 in FIG. 7 or step S35 in FIG. Determine whether or not. If it is determined that the landmark menu 402 is not displayed at the screen pointer position, including the case where the landmark menu 402 is not displayed on the display unit 113, the process proceeds to step S204.

  In step S204, the current position determination unit 451 determines whether the processing execution flag is OFF. If it is determined that the process execution flag is OFF, that is, if the process of the landmark navigation module 341 has not been started, the process proceeds to step S205. As will be described later, the processing execution flag is turned ON during a period when the screen pointer position is specified by the input device 111 and is turned OFF during a period when the screen pointer position is not specified by the input device 111. Accordingly, in step S202, it is determined that the screen pointer position is specified, and in step S204, it is determined that the processing execution flag is OFF. The input device 111 starts specifying the screen pointer position. This is the case.

  In step S205, the current position determination unit 451 is displayed at the screen pointer position specified by the input device 111 based on the pointer information, the display information, and the landmark information stored in the landmark storage unit 454. A landmark (reference landmark) that is present (at the map pointer position) is identified and transmitted to the related point search unit 452.

  In step S206, the related point search unit 452 searches for a related landmark related to the reference landmark transmitted from the current position determination unit 451 based on the landmark information, and further stores data related to the related landmark as landmark information. Get from. The related point search unit 452 supplies the data related to the acquired related landmark to the menu renderer 453.

  In step S207, the menu renderer 453 displays the landmark menu 402 based on the data regarding the related landmarks acquired by the processing in step S206 and the setting information and history information stored in the landmark priority information storage unit 455. Select related landmarks to display and determine their display order.

  For example, the menu renderer 453 causes the landmark menu 402 to display only related landmarks within a predetermined radius from the reference landmark based on the setting information and history information, or from the reference landmark by the processing of step S207. The related landmarks are displayed on the landmark menu 402 in the order of closeness, distantness, name, or type. Further, for example, the menu renderer 453 preferentially displays a specific landmark or a specific type of landmark on the landmark menu 402 or displays a specific landmark or a specific type of landmark on the landmark menu 402. Do not display. Further, the menu renderer 453 gives priority to displaying the related landmarks frequently displayed in the past or frequently selected from the landmark menu 402 on the landmark menu 402, or displays the landmark displayed immediately before. Is displayed with priority.

  In step S208, the menu renderer 453 generates image data update information in which the landmark menu 402 determined by the processing in step S207 is superimposed on the image currently displayed on the display unit 113.

  In step S209, the menu renderer 453 outputs the image data update information to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124.

  In step S210, the current position determination unit 451 turns on the processing execution flag. As a result, the active navigation module is not changed from the landmark navigation module 341 to another navigation module 141 (in this case, the drag navigation module 241), and the landmark navigation module 341 is maintained in an active state.

  As will be described later, the processing execution flag turned ON in step S210 is determined until the processing in step S218 is performed after it is determined in step S202 that the screen pointer position is not designated by the input device 111. Not turned off. That is, the processing execution flag is turned on during a period when the screen pointer position is designated by the input device 111 and turned off during a period when the screen pointer position is not designated by the input device 111.

  Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step S4 in FIG. The renderer 125 generates image data in step S7 in FIG. 7 based on the image data update information acquired in step S209, and causes the display unit 113 to display an image in step S8. Accordingly, a landmark menu 402 that lists related landmarks related to the landmark at the map pointer position designated by the input device 111 as shown in FIG. 21B is displayed on the display unit 113. Even when the landmark menu 402 is displayed on the display unit 113, when another landmark on the map is designated by the input device 111, related landmarks related to the designated landmark are listed. A landmark menu 402 is displayed.

  If it is determined in step S204 that the process execution flag is ON, that is, if the process of the landmark navigation module 341 has already been executed, the process proceeds to step S212.

  In step S212, the current position determination unit 451 clears the stored jump destination. The jump destination is a related landmark designated from the landmark menu 402 by the input device 111, and the jump destination is stored in the process of step S211 described later. In step S212, if the landmark menu 402 is not displayed at the screen pointer position designated by the input device 111, including the case where the landmark menu 402 is not displayed on the display unit 113, the stored jump destination Is cleared. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S210.

  In step 210, since the process execution flag is ON in this case, the process is not performed, and then the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG. That is, when the state where the screen pointer position is designated by the input device 111 continues, the image data update information is not generated, and the image displayed on the display unit 113 is not updated.

  If it is determined in step S203 that the landmark menu 402 is displayed at the screen pointer position, the process proceeds to step S211.

  In step S211, the current position determination unit 451 displays the landmark menu 402 displayed at the screen pointer position designated by the input device 111 (designated by the input device 111) based on the pointer information and the display information. The related landmarks are stored as jump destinations.

  As will be described later, the jump destination designated by the input device 111 is actually confirmed (selected), and the map of the range including the related landmark selected as the jump destination is displayed on the display unit 113. In the state where the jump destination is designated by the input device 111 (the related landmark is displayed at the screen pointer position designated by the input device 111), the designation is canceled (the screen pointer position by the input device 111 is changed). When the designation is released). Until the designation of the screen pointer position is canceled, the jump destination designated by the input device 111 is only stored, and the screen pointer position is kept designated while being moved onto another related landmark. The stored jump destination can be changed. Further, by moving the screen pointer position to an area other than the landmark menu 402 while specifying the screen pointer position, the stored jump destination is cleared by the process of step S212 described above.

  Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S210. If the process execution flag is OFF, the process execution flag is turned ON, and the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG. That is, when the related landmark displayed in the landmark menu 402 is designated as the jump destination by the input device 111, the image data update information is not generated, and the image displayed on the display unit 113 is not updated. .

  If it is determined in step S202 that the screen pointer position is not designated by the input device 111, the process proceeds to step S213.

  In step S213, the current position determination unit 451 determines whether the processing execution flag is ON. If it is determined that the process execution flag is ON, that is, if the designation of the screen pointer position by the input device 111 is canceled while the process of the landmark navigation module 341 is being executed, the process proceeds to step S214. Proceed to

  In step S214, the current position determination unit 451 determines whether a jump destination is stored. When it is determined that the jump destination is stored, that is, until the designation of the screen pointer position is cancelled, the related landmark displayed in the landmark menu 402 is designated by the input device 111, If the related landmark is stored as a jump destination, the process proceeds to step S215.

  In step S215, the current position determination unit 451 obtains the display position of the map where the related landmark stored as the jump destination is displayed in the center of the screen, and based on the obtained map display position, the image data update information Is generated.

  In step S <b> 216, the current position determination unit 451 outputs the image data update information to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124.

  In step S217, the current position determination unit 451 clears the stored jump destination.

  In step S218, the current position determination unit 451 turns off the processing execution flag. As a result, the active navigation module can be changed from the landmark navigation module 341 to another navigation module 141 (in this case, the drag navigation module 241). Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step S4 in FIG.

  The renderer 125 generates image data in step S7 of FIG. 7 based on the image data update information acquired in step S216, and causes the display unit 113 to display an image in step S8. As a result, the related landmark selected as the jump destination from the landmark menu 402 is displayed at the center of the screen of the display unit 113.

  If it is determined in step S214 that the jump destination is not stored, that is, immediately before the designation of the screen pointer position is canceled, the related landmark displayed in the landmark menu 402 is designated by the input device 111. If the jump destination is not stored, the processes in steps S214 to S217 are skipped, and the process proceeds to step S218.

  In step S218, the process execution flag is turned OFF, and then the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG.

  That is, when the designation of the screen pointer position is canceled while the related landmark in the landmark menu 402 is not designated by the input device 111, the image data update information is not generated and is displayed on the display unit 113. The image is not updated.

  If it is determined in step S213 that the processing execution flag is OFF, that is, if the state where the screen pointer position is not designated by the input device 111 continues, the processing in steps S214 to S218 is skipped, The image display control process by the landmark navigation module 341 is not executed, and the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG.

  In this way, when a landmark registered in the landmark information is designated by the input device 111, the landmark menu 402 that lists related landmarks related to the landmark is displayed, and the landmark menu is displayed. When the jump destination is selected from 402, the related landmark selected as the jump destination is displayed at the center of the screen of the display unit 113.

  If it is determined in step S203 that the landmark menu 402 is displayed at the screen pointer position designated by the input device 111, after the jump destination is stored in step S211, it is further stored as the jump destination. A landmark menu 402 that lists related landmarks related to the related landmarks may be displayed. As a result, for example, after the landmark menu 402 listing the stations on the route including the station (reference landmark) designated by the input device 111 is displayed, the landmark menu 402 is further selected as a jump destination. A landmark menu 402 that lists stations on different routes that can be transferred at the designated station can be displayed, and the user does not directly relate to the reference landmark without changing the display position of the map. A landmark can be selected as a jump destination.

  Next, the active navigation module candidate selection process in step S33 of FIG. 9 in the map display device 301 will be described more specifically.

  In the map display device 301, the active navigation module candidate selection process based on the image position method shown in FIG. 11 is applied.

  In step S61, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines whether or not the activity levels of all the navigation modules 141 included in the image display control unit 323 have been checked. In this case, the activity level is not checked for any navigation module 141, and the process proceeds to step S62.

  In step S62, the navigation module selection unit 122 supplies pointer information and display information to the navigation module 141 to inquire about the degree of activity. In the following description, it is assumed that the navigation module selection unit 122 inquires about the degree of activity in the order of the drag navigation module 241 and the landmark navigation module 341.

  In step S63, the drag-type navigation module 241 determines the activity level as the activity level 1 regardless of the screen pointer position.

  In step S64, the navigation module selection unit 122 acquires the activity level determined in step S63 from the drag navigation module 241 and stores it. Thereafter, the process returns to step S61.

  In step S61, since the activity level of the landmark navigation module 341 has not been checked yet, it is determined that the activity levels of all the navigation modules 141 have not been checked, and the process proceeds to step S62.

  In step S62, the navigation module selection unit 122 supplies pointer information and display information to the landmark navigation module 341 to inquire about the degree of activity.

  In step S63, the landmark navigation module 341 determines the degree of activity based on the pointer information and the display information. The current position determination unit 451 of the landmark navigation module 341 determines whether or not the landmark menu 402 is displayed at the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111 based on the pointer information and the display information. When it is determined that the landmark menu 402 is displayed at the screen pointer position, the current position determination unit 451 determines the activity level to be the activity level 2.

  In step S63, when it is determined that the landmark menu 402 is not displayed at the screen pointer position, the current position determination unit 451 is based on the landmark information stored in the landmark information storage unit 454, and the input device The landmark registered at the map pointer position indicated by 111 is searched. When the landmark registered at the map pointer position is searched, the current position determination unit 451 determines the activity level to be an activity level of 2, and if not searched, the current position determination unit 451 actively determines the activity level to be an activity level of 0. .

  In step S64, the navigation module selection unit 122 acquires the degree of activity determined in the process of step S63 from the landmark navigation module 341 and stores it. Thereafter, the process returns to step S61.

  In step S61, it is determined that the activity levels of all the navigation modules 141 have been checked, and the process proceeds to step S65.

  In step S65, the navigation module selection unit 122 compares the activity levels of the drag-type navigation module 241 and the scroll navigation module 341, and selects the one with the larger value of the activity level as the active navigation module candidate. That is, when the landmark menu 402 or the landmark registered in the landmark information is displayed at the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111, the landmark navigation module 341 is selected as an active navigation module candidate, When neither the landmark menu 402 nor the landmark registered in the landmark information is displayed at the screen pointer position, the drag-type navigation module 241 is selected as an active navigation module candidate.

  Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S34 in FIG. 9, and when the navigation module 141 that is the selected active navigation module candidate and the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module are different, the active navigation module is determined in step S35. The navigation module 141 is changed to the active navigation module candidate.

  As described above, when the processing execution flag of the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module is set to ON, the active navigation module changing process in step S5 in FIG. When the landmark navigation module 341 is being processed, the active navigation module is not changed.

  In this way, the user switches between the image display control processing by the drag method and the image display control processing by the landmark method by changing the content of the image displayed at the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111. Can do.

  As described above, the user can display the landmark menu 402 by designating a landmark on the map with the input device 111, and the related landmark displayed in the landmark menu 402. By selecting, the selected related landmark can be displayed at the center of the screen of the display unit 113. Further, by designating an area other than the landmark on the map, the image display control process by the drag method can be executed. Therefore, the user can easily use the drag-type and landmark-type image display control processes while viewing the map, and can easily and quickly display a map in a desired range.

  FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration example of the map display device 461 in which the active navigation module is changed based on the current position of the user. The map display device 461 further includes a GPS receiving unit 271 similar to the map display device 261 shown in FIG. 18 in the map display device 301 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 26, the map display device 461 is shown in FIG. 16 on the screen of the display unit 113 based on the measured current position when the GPS receiver 271 receives radio waves from the geodetic satellites. A current position icon 256 similar to that displayed is displayed.

  For example, in the map display device 461, as shown in FIG. 26A, when the current position icon 256 is on the station 401, which is a landmark registered in the landmark information, the map pointer position indicated by the input device 111 The navigation module selection unit 122 selects the landmark navigation module 341 as an active navigation module even if it is not on a landmark such as the station 401. 26B, when the current position icon 256 is on the station 401, the landmark navigation module 341 has the current position icon 256 positioned regardless of the map pointer position specified by the input device 111. Image display control processing is performed so that a landmark menu 402 that lists related landmarks related to the station 401 is displayed. Thereby, the user can display the map of the range including the landmark related to the current position of the user on the display unit 113 easily and quickly.

  Also, like the map display device 481 shown in FIG. 27, a scheduler 291 similar to the map display device 281 shown in FIG. 19 is provided instead of the GPS receiver 271 of the map display device 461 in FIG. The current position icon 256 may be displayed based on the schedule information registered in.

  In these cases, the display information supplied from the renderer 125 includes the display position of the current position icon 256 on the screen of the display unit 113 and the position on the map, and the navigation module selection unit 122 and the active navigation module. The navigation module 141 is based on the display information and acquires the current position of the current position icon 256 based on the measurement result of the GPS receiver 271 or the estimation result of the scheduler 291.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 28 to 34, an embodiment of a map display device using two navigation modules, a drag navigation module and a route navigation module, as a navigation module will be described.

  FIG. 28 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration example of a map display device 501 that uses two navigation modules, ie, a drag-type navigation module 241 and a route navigation module 541 as navigation modules. The same parts as those shown in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  Compared with the map display device 101 shown in FIG. 6, the map display device 501 is replaced with an image display control unit 523 in which the image display control unit 123 has two navigation modules, a drag-type navigation module 241 and a route navigation module 541. The difference is that the route setting unit 527 is provided.

  The image display control unit 523 of the data processing unit 512 has two navigation modules, a drag type navigation module 241 and a route navigation module 541. As will be described in detail later, the navigation module selection unit 122 selects an active navigation module from the drag navigation module 241 and the route navigation module 541, and the navigation module 141 that is the selected active navigation module receives image data update information. By generating, the contents of the image displayed on the display unit 113 are controlled.

  The route setting unit 527 acquires pointer information from the input device 111 and display information from the renderer 125 via the input unit 121 when a departure point and a destination are designated by a predetermined operation. The route setting unit 527 obtains a departure value and a map pointer position of the destination based on the acquired pointer information and display information, and further sets a route from the departure point to the destination. The route setting unit 527 supplies the set route information to the renderer 125, and the renderer 125, in accordance with the route information, renders image data in which the route from the departure point to the destination is superimposed on the image displayed on the display unit 113. The generated image is displayed on the display unit 113 with the route superimposed.

  The display information supplied from the renderer 125 includes the position on the screen and the position on the map of the route set by the route setting unit 527 and displayed on the display unit 113. The navigation module selection unit 122, The navigation module 141, which is an active navigation module, acquires the position of the route based on the display information.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 29A, the route navigation module 541 determines the screen pointer position designated by the input device 111 when the route 601 from the departure point A to the destination B is set by the route setting unit 527. In accordance with the movement, the display position (range) of the map is changed along the route 601 from the position indicated by the range 6021 including the starting point A surrounded by the rectangle in FIG. 29A to the object surrounded by the rectangle in FIG. 29B. A route-type image display control process of moving to a position indicated by a range 6022 including the ground B is performed. Of course, the display position of the map can be moved not only from the departure point A to the destination B but also from the destination A to the departure point B.

  The navigation processing by the map display device 501 whose configuration is shown in FIG. 28 is the same as the processing described with reference to FIG.

  The process of changing the active navigation module by the map display device 501 shown in the configuration of FIG. 28 is the same as the process described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The image display control process when the drag navigation module 241 is selected as the active navigation module is the same as the process described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  Details of the image display control process in step S3 of FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG. The flowchart in FIG. 30 illustrates the image display control process when the route navigation module 541 is selected as the active navigation module.

  In the following description, it is assumed that the route from the departure point to the destination is already set by the route setting unit 527 and the set route is displayed on the display unit 113.

  In step S <b> 251, the route navigation module 541 acquires pointer information from the input device 111 via the input unit 121 and the switcher 124.

  In step S252, the route navigation module 541 determines whether the screen pointer position is designated by the input device 111 based on the pointer information. If it is determined that the screen pointer position is designated, the process proceeds to step S253.

  In step S253, the route navigation module 541 determines whether or not the processing execution flag is OFF. If it is determined that the process execution flag is OFF, that is, if the process of the route navigation module 541 has not been started, the process proceeds to step S254.

  In step S254, the route navigation module 541 sets the screen pointer position designated by the input device 111 as the reference screen pointer position based on the pointer information. As will be described later, the set route is always displayed at the reference screen pointer position.

  In step S255, the route navigation module 541 sets the processing execution flag to ON. As a result, the active navigation module is not changed from the route navigation module 541 to another navigation module 141 (in this case, the drag navigation module 241), and the route navigation module 541 is maintained in an active state.

  Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step S4 in FIG. That is, when the screen pointer position is designated by the input device 111 and the process of the route navigation module 541 is started, the image data update information is not generated, and the image displayed on the display unit 113 is not updated.

  If it is determined in step S253 that the process execution flag is ON, that is, if the process of the route navigation module 541 has already been executed, the process proceeds to step S256.

  In step S256, the route navigation module 541 displays the current screen specified by the input device 111 from the reference screen pointer position obtained in the process of step S254, as in the process of step S156 of FIG. Find the direction and magnitude of the vector to the pointer position.

  In step S257, the route navigation module 541 obtains a vector obtained by orthogonally projecting the vector obtained in step S256 to the vector on the route at the reference screen pointer position.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 31, the details of the processing of step S256 and step S257 will be described. In FIGS. 31A and 31B, it is assumed that ranges 652-1 and 652-2 surrounded by a square among the paths 651 set in the map display device 501 are displayed on the display unit 113. When the position O on the path 651 shown in FIG. 31A is the reference screen pointer position and the current screen pointer position is the position A that is substantially horizontal and rightward from the position O, in step S256, the position O (reference screen pointer) is displayed. The direction and magnitude of a vector (hereinafter referred to as vector OA) from position) to position A (current screen pointer position) are obtained. Assuming that the foot of the perpendicular line 654 descending from the position A to the tangent 653 at the position O on the path 651 is the position P1, in step S257, a vector from the position O to the position P1 (hereinafter referred to as the vector OP1), that is, the vector OA. The direction and magnitude of the vector OP1 obtained by orthogonally projecting the image in the direction of the tangent line 653 is obtained.

  In step S258, the route navigation module 541 generates image data update information. The route navigation module 541 determines the display position of the currently displayed map in the process of step S257 based on the pointer information and the display information acquired by the process of step S9 in FIG. 7 or step S35 in FIG. The display position of the map moved in the direction of the orthogonal projection vector by the amount of movement corresponding to the size of the orthogonal projection vector is obtained. Further, in the obtained map display position, the position on the route displayed at the position closest to the reference screen pointer position is obtained, and the map display in which the position on the route is displayed at the reference screen pointer position Find the position.

  For example, as shown in the example of FIG. 31, the map display position (range) is moved from the position (range) indicated by the range 652-1 in FIG. 31A in the direction of the vector OP1 according to the size of the vector OP1. After the map display position is moved by the amount, the position on the path 651 closest to the position O (reference screen pointer position) (in the example of FIG. 31, the position B in FIG. 31A) is A position (range) indicated by a range 652-2 moved so as to be displayed at the position O (reference screen pointer position) is obtained.

  In step S258, the route navigation module 541 outputs the image data update information to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG. 7, and the renderer 125 generates image data in step S7 in FIG. 7 based on the image data update information, and causes the display unit 113 to display an image in step S8. .

  After the above processing, for example, after the map display position is moved from the position (range) indicated by the range 652-1 in FIG. 31A to the position (range) indicated by the range 652-2 in FIG. 31B. Next, when the processing of steps S256 to S259 is executed, if the foot of the vertical line 656 dropped from the position A in FIG. 31B to the tangent line 655 at the position O (reference screen pointer position) of the path 651, the position P2 is assumed. The image data update information is generated so that the map display position is moved based on the direction and size of a vector from the position O to the position P2 (hereinafter referred to as a vector OP2). Accordingly, the map display position is continuously moved in the tangential direction of the path 651 at the reference screen pointer position (along the path 651).

  If it is determined in step S252 that the screen pointer position is not designated by the input device 111, the process proceeds to step S260.

  In step S260, the route navigation module 541 turns off the processing execution flag. As a result, the active navigation module can be changed from the route navigation module 541 to another navigation module 141 (in this case, the drag-type navigation module 241).

  Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step S4 in FIG. That is, when the screen pointer position is not designated by the input device 111, the image data update information is not generated, and the image displayed on the display unit 113 is not updated.

  Next, the active navigation module candidate selection process in step S33 of FIG. 9 in the map display device 501 will be described more specifically.

  In the map display device 501, the active navigation module candidate selection process by the image position method shown in FIG. 11 is applied.

  In step S61, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines whether the activity levels of all the navigation modules 141 included in the image display control unit 523 are checked. In this case, the activity level is not checked for any navigation module 141, and the process proceeds to step S62.

  In step S62, the navigation module selection unit 122 supplies pointer information and display information to the navigation module 141 to inquire about the degree of activity. In the following description, it is assumed that the navigation module selection unit 122 inquires about the degree of activity in the order of the drag navigation module 241 and the route navigation module 541.

  In step S63, when the route is displayed at the screen pointer position indicated by the input device 111 based on the pointer information and the display information (when the map pointer position is on the route), the drag method navigation module 241 The degree of activity is determined to be 0 and the degree of activity is determined to be 1 when the path is not displayed at the screen pointer position (when the map pointer position is not on the path).

  In step S64, the navigation module selection unit 122 acquires the activity level determined in step S63 from the drag navigation module 241 and stores it. Thereafter, the process returns to step S61.

  In step S61, since the activity level of the route navigation module 541 has not been checked yet, it is determined that the activity levels of all the navigation modules 141 have not been checked, and the process proceeds to step S62.

  In step S62, the navigation module selection unit 122 supplies pointer information and display information to the route navigation module 541 to inquire about the degree of activity.

  In step S63, when the map pointer position indicated by the input device 111 is on the route based on the pointer information and the display information, the route navigation module 541 determines its own activity level as the activity level 1 and determines the map pointer position. If is not on the path, the degree of activity is determined to be zero.

  In step S64, the route navigation module 541 obtains the degree of activity determined in step S63 from the drag navigation module 241 and stores it. Thereafter, the process returns to step S61.

  In step S61, it is determined that the activity levels of all navigation modules have been checked, and the process proceeds to step S65.

  In step S65, the navigation module selection unit 122 compares the activity levels of the drag-type navigation module 241 and the route navigation module 541, and selects the one with the larger value of the activity level as an active navigation module candidate. That is, when the map pointer position indicated by the input device 111 is on the route, the route navigation module 541 is selected as the active navigation module candidate, and when the map pointer position is not on the route, the drag-type navigation module 241 is the active navigation module candidate. Selected.

  Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S34 in FIG. 9, and when the navigation module 141 that is the selected active navigation module candidate and the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module are different, the active navigation module is determined in step S35. The navigation module 141 is changed to the active navigation module candidate.

  As described above, when the processing execution flag of the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module is set to ON, the active navigation module changing process in step S5 in FIG. When the route navigation module 541 is processing, the active navigation module is not changed.

  In this way, the user can switch between the image display control process by the drag method and the image display control process by the route method by changing the map pointer position indicated by the input device 111.

  As described above, based on the map pointer position designated by the input device 111, the image display control process by the drag method and the image display control process by the route method are switched. Accordingly, the user can easily use the drag-type and route-type image display control processes while viewing the map, and can easily and quickly display a map in a desired range.

  FIG. 32 shows a map display device 701 in which an input device 714 is further provided in the map display device 501 of FIG. As will be described later with reference to FIGS. 33 and 34, the map display device 701 switches the active navigation module depending on whether the input device 714 is operated and an input value is input from the input device 714.

  The input device 714 can input two different values, for example, a jog dial. Hereinafter, it is assumed that two different values, plus and minus, are input by the input device 714. The input unit 121 counts the number of times a positive value and a negative value are input from the input device 714 within a predetermined time, and the number of times is input to the navigation module selection unit 122 and the switcher 124 as an input value of the input device 714. Further supplied from the switcher 124 to the navigation module 141 which is an active navigation module.

  The navigation processing by the map display device 701 whose configuration is shown in FIG. 32 is the same as the processing described with reference to FIG.

  The image display control process when the drag navigation module 241 is selected as the active navigation module is the same as the process described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  With reference to FIG. 33, the image display control process in step S3 of FIG. 7 when the route navigation module 541 is selected as the active navigation module in the map display device 701 will be described.

  In step S301, the route navigation module 541 determines whether or not a route is set in the map display device 701. If it is determined that a route is set in the map display device 701, the process proceeds to step S302.

  In step S302, the route navigation module 541 displays the route at the center of the screen of the display unit 113 based on the pointer information and the display information acquired by the process of step S9 in FIG. 7 or step S35 in FIG. Determine whether or not. If it is determined that the route is not displayed at the center of the screen, that is, if the image display control processing by the route method has not yet been performed and it is determined that the route is not displayed at the center of the screen, the process is The process proceeds to S306.

  In step S306, the route navigation module 541 obtains the display position of the map in which the position on the route closest to the position of the map currently displayed at the center of the screen of the display unit 113 is displayed at the center of the screen. The route navigation module 541 generates image data update information based on the obtained map display position. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S305.

  In step S <b> 305, the route navigation module 541 outputs the image data update information to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG. 7, and the renderer 125 generates image data in step S7 in FIG. 7 based on the image data update information, and causes the display unit 113 to display an image in step S8. . Thereby, the route is displayed at the center of the screen of the display unit 113.

  If it is determined in step S302 that a route is displayed at the center of the screen, the process proceeds to step S303.

  In step S <b> 303, the route navigation module 541 acquires the input value input from the input device 714 via the input unit 121 and the switcher 124. Specifically, the number of times a positive value and a negative value are input by the input device 714 is supplied to the route navigation module 541.

  In step S304, the route navigation module 541 generates image data update information. The route navigation module 541 obtains the difference between the number of times the positive value is input by the input device 714 and the number of times the negative value is input based on the input value acquired in the process of step S303. The route navigation module 541, when the number of times a positive value is input from the position on the route displayed at the center of the screen of the display unit 113 is large, from the departure point to the destination direction on the route. If a negative value is entered many times, it will move from the destination to the departure point on the route by the amount of movement corresponding to the difference between the positive value and the negative value entered. The display position of the map in which the position on the route is displayed at the center of the screen of the display unit 113 is obtained. The route navigation module 541 generates image data update information based on the obtained map display position.

  In step S <b> 305, the route navigation module 541 outputs the image data update information to the renderer 125 via the switcher 124. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG. 7, and the renderer 125 generates image data in step S7 in FIG. 7 based on the image data update information, and causes the display unit 113 to display an image in step S8. . As a result, the position on the route displayed at the center of the screen of the display unit 113 is moved along the route based on the input value of the input device 714. That is, based on the input value of the input device 714, the map display position is moved along the route.

  If it is determined in step S301 that a route is not set, the processing in steps S302 to S306 is skipped, no processing is performed, and the processing proceeds to step S4 in FIG.

  Next, the details of the active navigation module changing process in steps S3 and S10 of FIG. 7 by the map display device 701 will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S <b> 321, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines whether there is an input from the input device 714 via the input unit 121. If it is determined that there is an input from the input device 714, the process proceeds to step S322, and the navigation module selection unit 122 sets the route navigation module 541 as an active navigation module candidate. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S323.

  If it is determined in step S321 that there is no input from the input device 714, the process proceeds to step S325, and the navigation module selection unit 122 sets the drag-type navigation module 241 as an active navigation module candidate. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S323.

  In step S323, the navigation module selection unit 122 determines whether or not the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module is different from the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module candidate selected in step S322 or S325. If it is determined that the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module is different from the navigation module 141 that is a candidate for the active navigation module, the process proceeds to step S324.

  In step S324, the navigation module selection unit 122 changes the active navigation module from the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module to the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module candidate. The navigation module selection unit 122 transmits the change result of the active navigation module to the image display control unit 123 and the switcher 124. The switcher 124 supplies the pointer information acquired from the input device 111 via the input unit 121 and the display information acquired from the renderer 125 to the navigation module 141 that is the selected active navigation module. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S2 or S6 in FIG.

  If it is determined in step S323 that the navigation module 141 that is the current active navigation module and the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module candidate are the same, the process of step S324 is skipped, that is, the active navigation module is changed. Instead, the process proceeds to step S2 or S6 of FIG.

  As described above, when the processing execution flag of the navigation module 141 that is the active navigation module is set to ON, the active navigation module changing process in step S5 in FIG. If in process, the active navigation module is not changed. However, as described above with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 30, in the map display device 701, the processing execution flag of the route navigation module 541 is not set and remains OFF, so the input device 714 is operated. The active navigation module can be changed from the route navigation module 541 to the drag-type navigation module 241 except when the input value is input from the input device 714.

  As described above, the user can execute the route-type image display control processing by operating the input device 714. When the user does not operate the input device 714, the user executes the drag-type image display control processing. Can be made. Accordingly, the user can easily use the drag-type and route-type image display control processes while viewing the map, and can easily and quickly display a map in a desired range.

  In this way, the designated position of the screen on which the map is displayed is acquired, and one of a plurality of display control programs for controlling the display of the map image is selected based on the acquired position of the screen. When the display of the map image is controlled by the display control program selected by the selection unit, the image including the map in the range required by the user can be displayed easily and quickly. .

  In the above map display device, an example in which the map data storage unit 126 is provided in the data processing unit has been shown. However, the map data storage unit 126 is not provided in the data processing unit, and map data may be acquired from the outside. Good.

  Also, the landmark navigation module 241 in FIG. 22 does not include the landmark information storage unit 454 and the landmark priority information storage unit 455, and acquires landmark information, setting information, and history information from the outside. Also good.

  Further, in the map display devices 301, 461, 481, 501, and 701, a scroll navigation module 242 and other navigation modules 141 may be used instead of the drag navigation module 241.

  Further, the image display control unit 123 of FIG. 6 may dynamically acquire or update the navigation module 141 from the outside using a network or the like as necessary.

  The present invention can be applied to devices capable of displaying a map, such as a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance), a portable personal computer, and a navigation system.

  The series of processes described above can be executed by hardware or can be executed by software. When a series of processing is executed by software, a program constituting the software may execute various functions by installing a computer incorporated in dedicated hardware or various programs. For example, it is installed from a network or a recording medium into a general-purpose personal computer or the like.

  FIG. 35 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of a general-purpose personal computer 800. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 801 executes various processes according to a program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 802 or a program loaded from a storage unit 808 to a RAM (Random Access Memory) 803. The RAM 803 also appropriately stores data necessary for the CPU 801 to execute various processes.

  The CPU 801, ROM 802, and RAM 803 are connected to each other via a bus 804. An input / output interface 805 is also connected to the bus 804.

  The input / output interface 805 includes an input unit 806 composed of buttons, switches, a keyboard or a mouse, an output unit 807 composed of a display such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and a speaker. A storage unit 808 composed of a hard disk or the like and a communication unit 809 composed of a modem or a terminal adapter are connected. A communication unit 809 performs communication processing via a network including the Internet.

  A drive 810 is connected to the input / output interface 805 as necessary, and a removable medium 811 made of a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like is appropriately mounted, and a computer program read therefrom is read. Are installed in the storage unit 808.

  As shown in FIG. 35, a recording medium that records a program that is installed in a computer and can be executed by the computer is distributed to provide a program to a user separately from the apparatus main body. Recording magnetic disk (including flexible disk), optical disk (including CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)), magneto-optical disk (MD (Mini-Disc) (registered trademark) ), Or included in the ROM 803 or the storage unit 808 in which the program is provided, which is provided to the user in a state of being incorporated in advance in the apparatus main body. Hard disk.

  In the present specification, the step of describing the program stored in the program storage medium is not limited to the processing performed in time series according to the described order, but is not necessarily performed in time series. Or the process performed separately is also included.

  Further, in this specification, the system represents the entire apparatus composed of a plurality of apparatuses.

It is a figure explaining control of the display position of a map by a drag system. It is a figure explaining control of the display position of the map by a scroll method. It is a figure which shows the screen displayed with a station search function. It is a figure which shows the screen displayed with a station search function. It is a figure which shows the screen displayed with a station search function. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the map display apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a flowchart explaining the process in a map display apparatus. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the image display control process of step S3 of FIG. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the active navigation module change process of step S5 and S10 of FIG. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the active navigation module candidate selection process of step S33 of FIG. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the active navigation module candidate selection process of step S33 of FIG. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the map display apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the image display control process of step S3 of FIG. It is a figure explaining the movement of the display position of the map by the image display control process of a drag system navigation module. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the image display control process of step S3 of FIG. It is a figure explaining the movement of the display position of the map by the image display control process of a scroll-type navigation module. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen displayed on a map display apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the map display apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the map display apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the map display apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen displayed by the image display control process of a landmark system. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a landmark navigation module. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the image display control process of step S3 of FIG. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the image display control process of step S3 of FIG. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the map display apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen displayed by the image display control process of a landmark system. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the map display apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the map display apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen displayed by the image display control process of a route system. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the image display control process of step S3 of FIG. It is a figure explaining the movement of the display position of the map by route-type image display control processing. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the map display apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the image display control process of step S3 of FIG. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of the active navigation module candidate selection process of step S33 of FIG. And FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a personal computer.

Explanation of symbols

  101 map display device, 111 input device, 112 data processing unit, 113 display unit, 121 input unit, 122 navigation module selection unit, 123 image display control unit, 124 switcher, 125 renderer, 126 map data storage unit, 141 navigation module, 201 map display device, 212 data processing unit, 223 image display control unit, 241 drag type navigation module, 242 scroll type navigation module, 261 map display device, 271 GPS reception unit, 281 map display device, 291 scheduler, 301 map display device 312 Data processing unit, 323 Image display control unit, 341 Landmark navigation module, 451 Current position determination unit, 452 Point search unit, 453 menu renderer, 454 landmark information storage unit, 455 landmark priority information storage unit, 461 map display device, 481 map display device, 501 map display device, 512 data processing unit, 523 image display control unit, 527 route setting unit, 541 route navigation module, 701 map display device, 714 input device

Claims (14)

In a display control device that controls display of a map image,
Obtaining means for obtaining an indicated position on a screen on which the map is displayed;
Selection means for selecting one of a plurality of display control programs for controlling display of the map image based on the position of the screen acquired by the acquisition means;
A display control device comprising: display control means for controlling display of the map image by the display control program selected by the selection means. The display control means is configured to display the map displayed at the first position on the screen when the first position of the designated screen and the second position on the screen are obtained by the obtaining means. A first display control program for controlling the display of the image of the map so as to display the first position of the screen at the second position of the screen, and the first position of the screen from the first position of the screen Based on the direction to the second position and the distance between the first position on the screen and the second position on the screen, the map image is moved continuously. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein display of the map image is controlled by a second display control program that controls display. The selection means selects the display control program based on at least one of the position of the designated screen and the content of the image displayed at the designated position of the screen. The display control apparatus according to 1. The acquisition means further acquires current position information indicating a current position,
The selection means executes the display control program based on whether or not the position of the map displayed at the indicated screen position is the current position indicated by the current position information acquired by the acquisition means. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control apparatus is selected. The selection means is configured to execute the display control program based on whether or not the position of the map displayed at the designated position of the screen is registered in position information including information related to the predetermined position of the map. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control apparatus is selected. The position information includes related information indicating a relationship between a first position of the registered map and a second position of the map;
If any one of the plurality of display control programs is the first position of the map registered in the position information, the position of the map displayed at the position of the designated screen, Based on the related information, an image of the map so that a related position list that is a list of the second positions of the map related to the first position of the map is superimposed on the map and displayed. The display control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display position control program is a related position display control program for controlling display of. The related position display control program further controls display of the map image so as to display a map including a second position of the previous-term map designated from the related position list. Item 7. The display control device according to Item 6. The selection means is based on whether or not the position of the map displayed at the indicated position on the screen is on the route from the first position of the map to the second position of the map. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control program is selected. When one of the plurality of display control programs is on the route, the map image is continuously displayed in a direction of a tangent to the route at the designated position on the route. The display control device according to claim 8, wherein the display control program controls the display of the map image so as to be moved. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a generation unit that generates an image of the map based on display control by the display control unit. The generation means supplies information relating to the generated map image to the selection means,
The display control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the selection unit selects the display control program based on information on the map image in addition to the designated screen position. In a display control method for controlling display of a map image,
An acquisition step of acquiring an indicated position on a screen on which the map is displayed;
A selection step of selecting one of a plurality of display control programs for controlling display of the image of the map based on the position of the screen acquired by the processing of the acquisition step;
A display control step of controlling display of the image of the map by the display control program selected by the processing of the selection step. A program for executing a display control process for controlling display of a map image,
An acquisition step of acquiring an indicated position on a screen on which the map is displayed;
A selection step of selecting one of a plurality of display control programs for controlling display of the image of the map based on the position of the screen acquired by the processing of the acquisition step;
And a display control step of controlling display of the map image by the display control program selected by the processing of the selection step. A recording medium on which a computer-readable program is recorded. A program for executing a display control process for displaying an image including a map on a screen of a display means,
An acquisition step of acquiring an indicated position on a screen on which the map is displayed;
A selection step of selecting one of a plurality of display control programs for controlling display of the image of the map based on the position of the screen acquired by the processing of the acquisition step;
A program that causes a computer to execute a display control step of controlling display of an image of the map by the display control program selected by the processing of the selection step.

Images