JP2012108047A - Vehicle navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation device capable of recognizing a slope of a traveling road.SOLUTION: In a display 20, a detailed map 100 and an instruction drawing 200 are displayed. On a traveling road figure 120 in the detailed map 100, a striped pattern 130 is displayed to show a width direction of the road. The striped pattern 130 shows more number of lines as a slope gets steeper. Also, in a slope representation area 210 of the instruction drawing 200, a lateral band 211 is displayed. The lateral band 211 indicates that the traveling road is an uphill slope by extending from the center of the slope representation area 210 in an upper direction, and also indicates a degree of the slope by becoming thicker as the slope gets steeper.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle navigation device, and more particularly to a screen display in a vehicle navigation device.

  A vehicular navigation device usually includes a display. Various information about roads are displayed on the display. For example, in Patent Document 1, the altitude in the route is displayed on the screen on which the entire route from the starting point to the destination is displayed. This is indicated by the color of the line indicating the route (FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1). Moreover, in the same figure, the part where the gradient is more than the predetermined is shown by partially enclosing the line indicating the route. Further, FIG. 8 of Patent Document 1 shows a diagram showing a change in altitude from the starting point to the destination and a change in gradient due to the change in altitude.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 010-2362

  Although the thing of patent document 1 shows the gradient of the road in the screen where the whole route is displayed, this screen is a screen at the time of route selection, and is not a screen during vehicle travel. Therefore, it is impossible to grasp the slope of the road that is running from the display content.

  In addition, the vehicle navigation device can usually display a road map centered on the current position on the display unit while the vehicle is traveling, and the actual road shape during traveling is curved. The road shape displayed on the display is also displayed in a curve shape corresponding to the actual road curve shape.

  Even when the vehicle is traveling on a mountain road, naturally, the indicator displays a road having a curved shape corresponding to the curved shape of the road that is actually traveling. However, only the curve shape is displayed, and the slope of the running road cannot be recognized from the display.

  The present invention has been made based on this situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device capable of recognizing the gradient of a road that is running.

  In order to achieve the object, the invention according to claim 1 is a state in which a traveling road map that is a map including a traveling road is displayed on the display. Displays gradient information indicating the gradient. Therefore, it is possible to recognize the gradient of the traveling road from this gradient information.

  Here, the gradient information may indicate the gradient by characters, or may indicate the gradient by color. Further, as described in claim 2, a gradient information graphic for graphically displaying the degree of gradient may be displayed as gradient information. In addition, a character is not contained in the figure here. If the grade of the gradient is displayed in a graphic form, the grade of the running road can be recognized in a shorter time than when the grade is indicated by characters.

  As described in claim 3, the gradient information graphic is a striped pattern superimposed on the traveling road in the traveling road map, and the gradient can be indicated by the number of striped patterns or the density of the striped patterns. In this way, it is possible to grasp the gradient of the running road from the running road map.

  In the invention according to claim 4, the vehicle position mark is also displayed on the traveling road map, and the position of the striped pattern with respect to the vehicle position mark does not change even when the vehicle travels. In this way, even when the vehicle travels, the striped pattern is always displayed at the same position with respect to the own vehicle position mark. Therefore, it becomes easy to confirm the position of the striped pattern, and as a result, the gradient of the road can be grasped in a shorter time.

  Further, as described in claim 5, the gradient information graphic may be a gradation pattern superimposed on the traveling road in the traveling road map, and the gradient may be indicated by a change in shading. Even in this way, it is possible to grasp the gradient of the traveling road simultaneously with the confirmation of the current position from the traveling road map.

  The invention according to claim 6 is an invention in which both the stripe pattern and the gradation pattern are superimposed and displayed on the traveling road of the traveling road map. This makes it easier to grasp the gradient of the road that is running.

  It should be noted that the shape of the traveling road in the traveling road map does not necessarily have to be a shape corresponding to the actual curve shape of the road. However, as described in claim 7, in the traveling road map, the traveling road is preferably displayed in a shape corresponding to the actual curve shape of the road. In this way, it is possible to simultaneously grasp the curve shape and the gradient of the traveling road from the traveling road map.

  Further, as in claim 8, the display device may be provided with a gradient display area in which the gradient information is displayed separately from the traveling road map. In this way, it is possible to confirm the gradient of the road that is running by confirming the gradient display area. In this case as well, the gradient information may be displayed on the traveling road map, or the gradient information may not be displayed on the traveling road map.

  In this gradient display area, for example, as shown in claim 9, a gradient figure indicating the direction of the gradient by being displayed upward or downward from the center of the gradient display region and indicating the degree of gradient by the length in the vertical direction Is displayed. In this way, the direction of the gradient and the degree of the gradient can be instantly grasped from the gradient graphic. The gradient graphic may be a non-pattern, but may be a gradation pattern that becomes deeper as the distance from the center increases.

  Further, as described in claim 10, the color of the gradient display area may be changed with respect to a predetermined reference color to indicate the direction and degree of the gradient. For example, the reference color is green, which is the approximate center in the visible light spectrum, the blue color is the color indicating down, the red side is the color indicating up, and the steeper the gradient, the farther from the green May be used. In this way, the direction and degree of the gradient can be grasped only by the color.

  In the invention according to claim 11, the display device is provided with a forward curve display area in which forward curve information related to the forward curve of the traveling road is displayed separately from the traveling road map. In this way, when the user wants to know information related to the forward curve, the curve display area can be viewed. Therefore, when the user wants to know information related to the forward curve, the information desired to know can be acquired in a short time.

  Information on the most recent curve is often the information that the driver wants to know most among the curves existing ahead. Therefore, as in the twelfth aspect, it is preferable that the latest curve information that is information on the latest curve is displayed in the forward curve display area.

  According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, as the latest curve information, the latest curve figure indicating the direction and curvature of the latest curve by the direction of the arrow and the curvature is displayed. In this way, the direction and curvature of the most recent curve can be grasped by one figure called the most recent curve figure, so that the direction and curvature of the most recent curve can be grasped in a short time.

  Further, as in claim 14, the direction of the most recent curve is indicated by being displayed from the center of the display area for displaying the latest curve information to the left or right, and the curvature of the curve is determined by the length in the left-right direction. A second curve figure to be shown may be shown. If it does in this way, the direction of a curve and the curvature of a curve can be grasped in a short time by the 2nd curve figure. Note that the second curve graphic may be a non-pattern, but may be a gradation pattern that becomes darker as the distance from the center of the display area increases.

  Further, as in claim 15, the front curve display area includes a second curve display area separately from the area where the latest curve information is displayed, and the second curve display area includes: A curve direction figure indicating the second or second and third curve directions may be displayed. In this way, the second or second and third curve directions can be grasped from the display content of the second curve display area. Moreover, since the curve direction figure is a figure that does not depend on the curvature, only the necessary information can be transmitted to the driver who wants to know only the curve direction for the second or third curve.

  In the sixteenth aspect of the invention, a wide area road map that includes a road that is running and includes a wider area than the road map that is running is displayed on the display unit, in addition to the road map that is running. If it does in this way, it can check from a self-vehicle position to a comparatively distant place with a wide area road map.

  Furthermore, as in claim 17, it is preferable that the wide area road map can be displayed in the north-up direction while the traveling road map can be displayed in the heading-up display. If the running road is meandering and the running road map is displayed as a heading-up display, the running road map will rotate frequently. It becomes difficult to understand the orientation. However, if the wide-area road map is displayed in a north-up manner in this way, the direction in which the vehicle is heading can be easily recognized from the wide-area road map. In addition, since the running road map has a heading-up display, the correspondence between the road actually visible in the vicinity and the road displayed on the display can be easily grasped.

  Further, in the invention described in claim 18, a road that includes a node indicating an intersection, a branch point, a merge point, and a shape interpolation point arranged between the nodes, and that stores a shape point that indicates the shape of the road as a point. Map data is provided, and gradient information is determined based on the plane coordinates and elevation of the shape points. In this way, it is possible to display gradient information with higher accuracy than determining gradient information based only on node information. Further, by providing shape interpolation points at the start and end points of a curve section on a mountain road or the like, gradient information for each curve section can be obtained and provided.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation apparatus 1 for vehicles to which this invention was applied. It is a flowchart which shows the process which the control apparatus 40 performs in order to switch a normal screen display and a mountain path exclusive screen display. It is a flowchart which shows in detail the process of a mountain road exclusive screen display of step S3 of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the display content of the indicator 20 after step S33-S35 of FIG. 3 was performed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle navigation apparatus 1 to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle navigation device 1 includes a position detector 10, a display device 20, a storage device 30, and a control device 40.

  The position detector 10 is a device that sequentially detects the current position of the vehicle on which the navigation device 1 is mounted. For example, a GPS receiver that receives radio waves from a GPS artificial satellite, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and the like. At least one information acquisition device that acquires information necessary for calculating the current position is provided, and the current position of the vehicle is sequentially calculated based on the information acquired by the information acquisition device. The display device 20 is installed at a predetermined position in the passenger compartment that is visible from the driver's seat, and displays a road map and the like.

  The storage device 30 includes a large-capacity storage medium such as a hard disk, and stores a road map database in the storage medium. The road map database is a database that stores the planar shape and altitude of the road, and the planar shape of the road is expressed by shape points and segments connecting the shape points.

  The shape points include nodes indicating intersections, branch points, and merge points, and shape interpolation points arranged between the nodes. In this embodiment, shape interpolation is performed at the start and end points of a curve section on a mountain road or the like. Dots are provided. The road map database stores the plane coordinates and elevation of each shape point. A link is a combination of segments included between two adjacent nodes, that is, a road shape between nodes.

  Each segment is given a segment ID that identifies the segment, a segment length that represents the length of the segment, a curvature of the segment, shape point IDs at both ends of the segment, and the like. The link includes a unique number (link ID) that identifies the link, a link length that indicates the length of the link, start and end node coordinates (latitude and longitude), road name, road type, road width, and number of lanes. Link data such as the presence / absence of a right / left turn lane, the number of lanes dedicated to it, and a speed limit are given. Node data includes node data such as node ID, node coordinates, node name, connection link ID describing the link ID of the link connected to the node, and intersection type.

  The road map database also stores the locations of facilities around the road (for example, roadside stations (registered trademark), shelters, etc.) and facility graphics for displaying the facilities on the map.

  The control device 40 is a known computer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and the road map around the current position is obtained by the CPU executing a program stored in the ROM while using a temporary storage function of the RAM. Is displayed on the display 20.

  In this road map display control, the current position of the vehicle is sequentially acquired from the position detector 1, and road map data around the current position is acquired from the road map database of the storage device 30 based on the acquired current position. . Then, based on the acquired road map data, a road map around the current position including the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling (hereinafter referred to as a traveling road map) is displayed on the display 20.

  In the present embodiment, two types of display modes, a normal screen display and a mountain road dedicated screen display, are possible as the road road map display mode, and the current position is within a preset mountain road section. Displays a screen dedicated to mountain roads, and displays a normal screen in other sections.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing executed by the control device 40 to switch between normal screen display and mountain road dedicated screen display. The process shown in FIG. 2 is started when the power of the vehicle navigation apparatus 1 is turned on.

  First, in step S1, the road around the current position is displayed on the display 20 on the normal screen. This normal screen is a road map display screen in a section other than a mountain road section, such as an urban area, and in what form the map is displayed is set in advance. For example, information on the gradient of a running road is It is a road map that is not displayed.

  In a succeeding step S2, it is determined whether or not the current position is in a mountain road section. The mountain road section is set in advance as described above, and the mountain road section is set to a section with a large change in slope. If the determination in step S2 is negative, the process returns to step S1.

  On the other hand, if the determination in step S2 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S3, and a mountain road dedicated screen is displayed on the display 20. The process in step S3 is the process shown in FIG. The process of FIG. 3 will be described later.

  If the mountain road dedicated screen is displayed in step S3, the process proceeds to step S4 to determine whether the mountain road continues, that is, whether the current position is in the mountain road section. If this determination is affirmative, the process returns to step S3, and if negative, the process returns to step S1.

  Next, the mountain road dedicated screen display process in step S3 will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step S31, it is determined whether it is a display update timing. The mountain road dedicated screen is updated every time the vehicle travels a predetermined distance, and in this step S31, it is determined whether or not this update timing has come.

  If this determination is negative, the process shown in FIG. 3 is terminated and the process returns to FIG. On the other hand, if a positive determination is made, display data is created. The display data created here is the display data of the image to be displayed after the next step. For the gradient information, the coordinates of the shape points and the elevation are obtained from the road map database, and the plane direction between the adjacent shape points is obtained. Created based on elevation difference with distance.

  In the subsequent step S33, the detailed diagram 100 is displayed on the display device 20, the instruction diagram 200 is displayed on the display device 20 in step S34, and the plan view 300 is displayed on the display device 20 in step S35. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of display contents of the display 20 after Steps S33 to S35 are executed.

  In FIG. 4, what is displayed on the left half of the display screen of the display 20 is a detailed view 100, which is a map corresponding to the traveling road map in the claims. Also, the instruction diagram 200 is displayed vertically in the vicinity of the center of the display screen of the display 20. Displayed on the right side of the instruction map 200 is a plan view 300, which is a map corresponding to the wide-area road map in the claims.

  First, the detailed view 100 will be described. This detailed view 100 is a map including roads on which the vehicle is traveling, and is a map in a state where the road on which the vehicle is traveling is viewed obliquely from above the vehicle. In addition, the heading-up display is such that the upward direction on the screen is always the traveling direction.

  In this detailed view 100, a vehicle position mark 110 indicating the vehicle position is superimposed on a linear traveling road graphic 120 indicating a traveling road. The running road graphic 120 is displayed in a curve shape corresponding to the curve shape of the road that is actually running. Therefore, it is possible to grasp the curve shape of the traveling road from the traveling road graphic 120.

  The traveling road graphic 120 is provided with a gradation pattern that becomes darker as the altitude is higher. Therefore, the altitude of the place can be known from the display color of each place on the traveling road graphic 120, and the gradient can be recognized by the change in the shade of the display color.

  Further, a striped pattern 130 is displayed on the traveling road graphic 120 so as to be in the width direction of the road. The striped pattern 130 indicates a gradient according to the number of lines, and the more the number of lines is displayed, the steeper the gradient. The striped pattern 130 is displayed a little before the vehicle position mark 110, and the actual road gradient corresponding to the display position is displayed by the number of lines. Thus, the stripe pattern 130 allows the driver to recognize the road gradient in front of him.

  Further, the distance on the road between the vehicle position mark 110 and the stripe pattern 130 is fixed, and the position of the stripe pattern 130 with respect to the vehicle position mark 110 does not change even when the vehicle travels. Therefore, the driver can easily confirm the position of the stripe pattern 130, and as a result, the driver can grasp the slope of the road that is traveling instantaneously. As described above, the number of striped patterns 130 changes depending on the gradient. However, the distance between the vehicle position mark 110 and the striped pattern 130 on the road is the largest vehicle position mark among the lines constituting the striped pattern 130. The reference is set in advance on either the side closer to 110 or the side farthest from the vehicle position mark 110.

  Further, in the detailed view 100 of FIG. 4, a shelter graphic 140 indicating the existence of a shelter is displayed. As described above, the detailed map 100 also displays a facility graphic indicating facilities existing around the road being traveled, such as a shelter. By displaying the facility graphic in the detailed view 100, it can be known that the facility exists at a position relatively close to the own vehicle.

  Next, the instruction diagram 200 will be described. The instruction diagram 200 includes a gradient display area 210 that displays only information about the gradient of the road that is running, a latest curve information display area 220 that displays only information related to the latest curve in the traveling direction, and the second and third. It is divided into a second curve information display area 230 that displays only information relating to the first curve. The latest curve information display area 220 and the second curve information display area 230 both correspond to the forward curve display area in the claims.

  The gradient display area 210 is a rectangular area located at the bottom of the instruction map 200, and a numerical value (“7%” in FIG. 4) indicating the gradient of the currently traveling road is shown at the center. When the gradient is a downward gradient, a “−” sign is added before the numerical value, so that the direction of the gradient can be known. In FIG. 4, the “+” sign is not attached, but a “+” sign may be attached in the case of an upward gradient.

  Further, a horizontal band 211 is displayed in the gradient display area 210 of FIG. The horizontal band 211 corresponds to the gradient graphic of the claims, and the horizontal band 211 also indicates the direction and degree of the gradient of the running road. As shown in FIG. 4, when the horizontal band 211 extends upward from the center of the gradient display area 210, it indicates that the road being traveled is an upward gradient. On the other hand, when it extends downward from the center, it indicates that the road that is running has a downward slope. In addition, the horizontal band 211 indicates the degree of gradient according to its thickness (length in the vertical direction), and is displayed thicker as the gradient is larger.

  Thus, by displaying the horizontal band 211 in the gradient display area 210, it is possible to grasp from the horizontal band 211 the direction of the gradient of the road and the degree of gradient in a short time. Moreover, since only the information about the gradient of the road on which the vehicle is traveling is displayed in the gradient display region 210, the driver can view the gradient display region 210 when he / she wants to know the gradient of the traveling road. For example, it is possible to grasp the slope of the running road in a short time. In addition, since the number indicating the gradient is also displayed in the gradient display area 210, when there is a time margin, the specific gradient can be known by reading the number.

  Next, the latest curve information display area 220 will be described. The latest curve information display area 220 is a rectangular area located at the center in the vertical direction of the instruction diagram 200, and shows a latest curve arrow 221 corresponding to the latest curve figure in the claims. The latest curve arrow 221 indicates the direction of the most recent curve depending on the direction of the arrow, and also indicates the curvature of the most recent curve based on the curvature of the arrow. Therefore, the direction and curvature of the most recent curve can be grasped by one figure called the most recent curve arrow 221, so that the direction and curvature of the most recent curve can be grasped in a short time. In addition, since the distance to the most recent curve (here, “300 m”) is shown immediately below the most recent curve arrow 221, the distance to the most recent curve can be easily grasped.

  Further, a vertical band 222 is displayed in the latest curve information display area 220. The vertical band 222 corresponds to the second curve figure in the claims, and the vertical band 222 also indicates the direction and curvature of the latest curve. As shown in FIG. 4, when the vertical band 222 extends leftward from the center of the latest curve display area 220, it indicates that the latest curve is a left curve. On the other hand, when it extends rightward from the center, it indicates that the most recent curve is a right curve. The vertical band 222 indicates the curvature of the curve by its thickness (length in the left-right direction), and is displayed thicker as the curvature is larger. Also from the vertical band 222, the direction of the latest curve and the curvature of the curve can be grasped in a short time.

  Next, the second curve information display area 230 will be described. The second curve information display area 230 is a rectangular area arranged on the latest curve information display area 220. In the second curve information display area 230, a second curve direction arrow 231 indicating the direction of the second curve and a third curve direction arrow 232 indicating the direction of the third curve are displayed. These correspond to the curve direction figures in the claims.

  The curvatures of the second curve direction arrow 231 and the third curve direction arrow 232 are determined regardless of the actual curvatures of the second and third curves. Therefore, the second curve direction arrow 231 and the third curve direction arrow 232 indicate only the directions of the second and third curves, and do not indicate the curvature. Since there are many drivers who want to know only the curve direction for the second and third curves, the curve direction arrows 231 and 232 convey only necessary information (curve direction) to such drivers. Can do.

  Next, the plan view 300 will be described. Similarly to the detailed view 100, the plan view 300 is also a map including a traveling road, and a vehicle position mark 310 indicating the vehicle position is superimposed on the traveling road. However, the scale of the plan view 300 is smaller than that of the detailed view 100, and a wider range than the detailed view 100 is included in the display range. Therefore, a facility graphic 320 (in this case, a graphic indicating a roadside station) present at a position that is not within the display range in the detailed diagram is displayed. Thus, from the plan view 300, it is possible to confirm from the own vehicle position to a relatively distant place.

  Further, while the detailed view 100 is a heading-up display, the plan view 300 is a north-up display in which the screen upper direction is the north direction. Therefore, even if the detailed map 100 rotates frequently due to a change in the vehicle direction, and the azimuth is difficult to understand from the detailed map 100, it is easy to determine the azimuth in which the vehicle is facing from the plan view 300. Can be recognized.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, The following embodiment is also contained in the technical scope of this invention, and also the summary other than the following is also included. Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, only when the current position is the mountain road section, the detailed map 100, the instruction diagram 200, and the plan view 300 as shown in FIG. Was displayed. However, the screen shown in FIG. 4 does not have to be a mountain road dedicated screen, and the screen as shown in FIG. 4 may be displayed at all times. Further, the normal screen and the display screen of FIG. 4 may be switched by a user operation.

  Further, it is not necessary to display all of the detailed diagram 100, the instruction diagram 200, and the plan view 300, and only two of the diagrams may be displayed. Further, only the detailed view 100 may be displayed. Further, the plan view 300 may be displayed with only the plan view 300 by adding a striped pattern 130 and a gradation pattern similar to those in the detailed view 100. The plan view 300 corresponds to the wide-area road map in the claims, but like the detailed view 100, the wide-area road map is a road on which the vehicle is traveling obliquely from the sky behind the own vehicle. It is good also as the map of the state which looked at. The plan view 300 may also be displayed in a heading up manner. Further, in both the detailed view 100 and the plan view 300, heading-up display and north-up display may be selectable.

  Moreover, although the stripe pattern 130 of the above-mentioned embodiment has shown the gradient by the number, you may make it show a gradient by the density of a stripe pattern. Further, only any two of the three display areas 210, 220, and 230 in the instruction diagram 200 may be displayed. Further, as the display of the gradient display area 210, the direction and degree of the gradient of the running road may be indicated by changing the color of the entire gradient display area. More specifically, the reference color when there is no gradient is green, the descending gradient is indicated by the blue color, the ascending gradient is indicated by the red color, and the steeper the gradient, the greener the visible light spectrum. Try to use a distant color. In this way, the direction and degree of the gradient can be grasped only by the color.

  Further, as the display of the latest curve information display area 220, the direction and curvature of the latest curve may be indicated by changing the color of the entire area. More specifically, the reference color when there is no bend is green, the left curve is the blue or red color, the right curve is the color opposite to the color used for the left curve with respect to green, and The larger the curvature, the more distant from green in the visible light spectrum. In this way, the direction and curvature of the latest curve can be grasped only by the color.

  Further, although the latest curve arrow 221 and the vertical band 222 are displayed in the latest curve information display area 220 of the above-described embodiment, only one of them may be displayed. Instead of these, the curve direction and the curvature may be indicated by numerals in the same manner as that displayed in the gradient display area 210.

1: vehicle navigation device, 10: position detector, 20: indicator, 30: storage device, 40: control device, 100: detailed view (traveling road map), 110: own vehicle position mark, 120: traveling Road figure, 130: Stripe pattern (gradient information figure), 140: Shelter figure (facility figure), 200: Instruction figure, 210: Gradient display area, 211: Horizontal band (gradient figure), 220: Latest curve information display area (Front curve information display area), 221: nearest curve arrow (nearest curve figure), 222: vertical band (second curve figure), 230: second curve information display area (front curve information display area), 231: Second curve direction arrow (curve direction figure), 232: third curve direction arrow (curve direction figure), 00: a plan view (wide area road map), 310: vehicle position mark, 320: Property graphic

Claims (18)

A vehicle navigation device having a display,
In a state where a traveling road map, which is a map including a traveling road, is displayed on the display, the vehicle displays gradient information indicating the gradient of the traveling road on the display. Navigation device. In claim 1,
A vehicle navigation apparatus characterized by displaying a gradient information graphic for graphic display of the degree of gradient as the gradient information. In claim 2,
The gradient information graphic is a striped pattern superimposed on a traveling road in the traveling road map, and indicates a gradient based on the number of striped patterns or the density of the striped patterns. Navigation device. In claim 3,
The vehicle navigation device, wherein a vehicle position mark is also displayed on the traveling road map, and the position of the striped pattern with respect to the vehicle position mark does not change even when the vehicle travels. In claim 2,
The vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gradient information graphic is a gradation pattern superimposed on a road that is being traveled in the road map that is being traveled, and indicates a slope by a change in shading. In claim 2,
In the traveling road map, as the gradient information graphic, a striped pattern superimposed on a traveling road and a gradation pattern superimposed on a traveling road are displayed. apparatus. In any one of Claims 3-6,
In the traveling road map, the traveling road is displayed in a shape corresponding to an actual curve shape of the road. In any one of Claims 1-7,
A vehicle navigation apparatus, wherein the display includes a gradient display area in which the gradient information is displayed separately from the traveling road map. In claim 8,
The gradient display area is displayed with a gradient graphic indicating the direction of the gradient by being displayed upward or downward from the center of the gradient display region, and indicating the degree of the gradient according to the length in the vertical direction. A vehicle navigation device. In claim 8,
A vehicular navigation device, wherein the gradient display area changes its color relative to a predetermined reference color to indicate the direction and degree of the gradient. In any one of Claims 1-10,
The vehicle navigation apparatus, wherein the display device includes a forward curve display area in which forward curve information relating to a forward curve of a traveling road is displayed separately from the traveling road map. In claim 11,
The vehicle navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the forward curve display area, the latest curve information that is information related to the latest curve is displayed. In claim 12,
A vehicle navigation apparatus characterized in that, as the latest curve information, a latest curve figure showing the direction and curvature of the latest curve by the direction of the arrow and the curvature is displayed. In claim 12 or 13,
A second curve figure showing the direction of the most recent curve by being displayed from the center of the display area for displaying the latest curve information to the left or right, and the curvature of the curve by the length in the left-right direction is shown. A vehicle navigation device characterized in that the vehicle navigation device is provided. In any one of Claims 12-14,
The front curve display area is provided with a second curve display area separately from the area where the latest curve information is displayed, and the second curve display area includes the second, second and third. A vehicle navigation apparatus characterized in that a curve direction figure having a shape independent of the curvature of the curve is displayed. In any one of Claims 1-15,
In addition to the traveling road map, a wide road map including a traveling road and including a wider range than the traveling road map is displayed on the display. Vehicle navigation device. In claim 16,
A vehicular navigation device characterized in that the wide road map can be displayed in a north-up manner while the traveling road map can be displayed in a heading-up manner. In any one of Claims 1-17,
A road map data including a node indicating an intersection, a branch point, a merge point, and a shape interpolation point arranged between the nodes, and storing a shape point indicating the shape of the road as a point;
As the shape point data of the road map data, the plane coordinates of the shape point, and the elevation of the shape point are included,
The vehicle navigation apparatus, wherein the gradient information is determined based on a plane coordinate and an altitude of the shape point.

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