JP4906272B2 - Map display system, information distribution server, map display device, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a map display system, an information distribution server, a map display device, and a program used for a navigation system that searches and guides an optimal route from a departure place to a destination for pedestrians and automobile drivers. is there. The present invention particularly relates to a map display system in which a mobile phone having a plurality of map display modes of a planar map display, a planar bird's-eye view display, and a bird's-eye view display three-dimensionally representing a building is used in a map display device when scrolling by cursor movement. The present invention relates to a map display system, an information distribution server, a map display device, and a program that make it easy to visually recognize a cursor position and control a map display mode.

  Conventionally, when visiting a destination place on an unknown land, the user arrives while checking the transportation, road, landmark and address drawn on the map by using a map book or the like. In a car equipped with a car navigation system (hereinafter simply referred to as a car navigation system), a guidance displayed on a monitor screen or a voice output guidance (navigation) by starting the car navigation system and inputting a destination. Information) was reached.

  The car navigation system uses a GPS (Global Positioning System), receives GPS signals transmitted from a plurality of GPS satellites orbiting the earth with a GPS antenna, and transmits the GPS signals to the GPS signals. The position is specified by analyzing the satellite position and clock information included. At least four GPS satellites are required. The single positioning accuracy of GPS is generally over 10 m, but it is improved to 5 m or less by adopting DGPS (Differential GPS). In particular, positioning units that are currently installed only on some mobile phones, such as GPS receivers that receive and measure signals from GPS satellites, are all installed in third-generation mobile phones. There is a tendency to be mounted on the model of.

  Various technologies have been proposed for using mobile terminals having such a positioning function. For example, a navigation device (car navigation) for automobiles has been developed, and map / route information is obtained using a mobile phone as a terminal. A communication navigation system for pedestrians distributed from an information distribution server (route search server) has been proposed.

  In recent years, the performance of mobile communication terminal devices such as mobile phones and PHS has been dramatically improved, and multi-functionalization has been progressing. In particular, the data communication function is strengthened in addition to the call function, and various data communication services are provided to the user via the Internet. A navigation service is one of them, and a communication navigation system that provides route guidance from a current position to a destination for not only a driver of a car but also a mobile phone user has been put into practical use.

  A general navigation device, a route search device and a route search method used in a communication navigation system are disclosed in, for example, the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-165681). This navigation system is configured to send information on a departure point and a destination from a portable navigation terminal to an information distribution server, and the information distribution server searches and guides a route that matches a search condition from road network and traffic network data. Has been. As the search condition, there are means for moving from the departure place to the destination, for example, walking, automobile, combined use of railroad and walking, and the route is searched as one of the search conditions.

  The information distribution server has roads (routes) of map data as nodes and nodes as the positions of inflection points, links connecting the nodes as links, and cost information (distance and required time) of all links as a database. ing. Then, the information distribution server sequentially searches for a link from the departure node to the destination node with reference to the database, and traces the node and link with the smallest cost information of the link as a guide route. The shortest route can be guided to the portable navigation terminal. As such a route search method, a method called label determination method or Dijkstra method is used. Patent Document 1 also discloses a route search method using this Dijkstra method.

  By the way, a terminal device that has received a guidance route from an information distribution server such as a route search server is provided with a display means such as a liquid crystal display device, and displays a map and a guidance route on the display means as well as the current state of pedestrians and cars. The position (current position of the terminal device) is displayed on the guidance route to guide pedestrians and cars to the destination. In general, the map displayed on the display means is a plan view, but in order to make it easier for the user to visually recognize the nearby landmarks and buildings, it is possible to display as a plane bird's-eye view with a perspective on the display image. There has also been proposed a method of displaying a building as a bird's-eye view that three-dimensionally represents the building.

  For example, the following Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-27534) discloses a map display device that draws a state of a building wall and displays it three-dimensionally. The map display device disclosed in Patent Document 2 is intended to facilitate identification of a building and easy correspondence with an actual landscape in a map display device used in a vehicle navigation device. A building that is displayed three-dimensionally is drawn by setting a window frame shape and wall color according to the type of building. At that time, the number of steps of the window frame is the same as the number of floors of the actual building, and the destination building is colored dark red on the roof. That is, this map display device is a map display device that three-dimensionally displays roads, buildings, etc. on the display means based on the map data stored in the map data storage means, wherein the building is displayed on the display means, It is displayed with a modification according to the characteristics of the building.

  In order to perform the display as described above, in the map display device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the map data storage device includes a large-capacity storage medium such as a DVD-ROM, a hard disk, and a CD-ROM as a storage medium, and this storage. And a reproducing apparatus for reproducing data stored in the medium. The storage medium includes 3D digital data including road map data and 3D data such as various buildings (government offices, banks, schools, station buildings, airports, hotels, buildings, various facilities, etc.). (Road) Map database is recorded.

  In addition, text information for displaying names of intersections, cities, villages, towns, etc. is recorded on the recording medium. Data for three-dimensionally displaying a building in the road map data includes position data, polygon data describing the planar shape and height (floor) data of the building, and the like. The recording medium also stores type data representing the type of building and text information for displaying the name of the building in characters.

  In general, when a bird's-eye view as shown in FIG. 8 is displayed with a pseudo three-dimensional image of a building on a map, processing of a portion observed by overlapping buildings, that is, a building 23 or a building 25 on the rear side. In this image data, a so-called hidden surface erasing process is required to delete the image data of the portion obstructed by the images of the buildings 22 and 24 ahead. For example, the following Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-263102) discloses a map display device that has performed hidden surface removal processing by a technique called a Z buffer method.

  The map display device disclosed in Patent Document 3 creates a three-dimensional map in which map components are arranged based on map storage means. Next, predetermined processing such as affine transformation and perspective transformation processing is performed on the three-dimensional map, and then hidden surface removal processing such as Z-buffer method is performed to obtain the above three-dimensional map when viewed from a certain viewpoint position. Create a projected view. Next, the related information of the map composition displayed on the projection map is read from the information storage means, and then the display area on the projection map of the map composition displayed on the projection map is detected. Based on the detected display area, a display area on the projection map of the related information is set. The setting of the display area of the related information on the projection map is performed for each map component having the related information displayed on the projection map. Moreover, it is performed every time the display area on the projection map of the map constituent changes.

  However, according to the bird's-eye view display methods disclosed in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3, polygon data is converted into a three-dimensional image or hidden surface removal processing is performed. There was a problem that a high-performance image processor or the like was required. The applicant of the present application has already filed a patent application for the invention of the international patent application PCT / JP2005 / 003471 in order to solve this problem.

  The invention disclosed in International Patent Application No. PCT / JP2005 / 003471 (hereinafter referred to as “prior application”) is a calculation process in which a building on a map is converted into a pseudo three-dimensional figure and displayed as a bird's eye view. The present invention relates to a map display device and a map display method. The map display device includes a map display device that displays map data composed of vector data on a display means. The map display device includes a bird's eye view plane figure creating means, a shift amount storage means, and a building. The apparatus comprises a position determining means and a graphic data copying means.

  In the map display apparatus configured as described above, the bird's-eye view plane figure creating means creates a bird's-eye view plane figure for creating a bird's-eye view map data composed of vector data, and the figure data copying means is a building Based on the building position determined by the position determination unit and the shift amount stored in the shift amount storage unit, the plan view of the building is sequentially displayed in the upward direction on the screen in accordance with the shift amount from the distantly located building on the bird's eye view. The bird's eye view plane figure is copied and drawn while shifting, and the bird's eye view is displayed.

  9 and 10 are diagrams showing the concept of the bird's eye view display method disclosed in the prior application. That is, in the bird's-eye view display method of the prior application, first, as shown in FIG. 9, a plane bird's-eye view (first layer) of the building 112 on the map is created. At this time, drawing is performed in order from the back of the screen, that is, from a distant building. Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the plane bird's eye view of FIG. 9 is copied and stacked as many times as necessary according to the number of times (height) of the building 112. The number of stacks does not necessarily depend on the actual number of buildings, but all buildings are expressed at a uniform height. In order to classify the high layer, the middle layer, the low layer, etc., the height may be distinguished in about three stages. With such a display method, it is possible to display a three-dimensional building figure. Also, according to this display method, it is possible to easily display a bird's eye view without performing various conversion processes on the polygon image data.

  On the other hand, in the terminal device, scrolling a map displayed on the display means or operating a scroll cursor or cursor to point to a specific place of interest is performed. In a navigation device for an automatic vehicle, the processing capability of the installed processor is high, and a processing speed for scrolling and drawing a display image according to the operation of the scroll cursor is sufficiently secured. When used as, the processing capability of the processor mounted on the mobile phone is limited, and there is a limit to the drawing capability by scrolling the image. For this reason, there is a problem that it is difficult to visually recognize an image at the time of scrolling, for example, by scrolling.

  In order to solve such a problem, a map display device that improves scroll control of a display image when a mobile phone is used as a terminal is disclosed in Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-208095). The map display device disclosed in Patent Document 4 displays a map image when the map scroll mode is off, and overlays the map image with a current position mark (current position) so that the current position is in the center of the display area. Position icon).

  When the map scroll mode is turned on, the map image and the current position mark are not moved, and the scroll cursor (cursor in the scroll mode) is moved to the initial position (the center of the display area). ), The map image is moved according to the map scroll operation. When the scroll cursor reaches the end of the map image (display area), the control unit uses the map data stored in the first storage area of the storage unit to scroll the map image centered on the scroll cursor position. Then, the current position mark is scroll-displayed on the display unit.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the concept of screen display of the map display device disclosed in Patent Document 4. As shown in FIG. When scrolling a map or the like displayed on the screen, the scroll start position (scroll cursor position) is the center of the screen, and the scroll cursor is moved in the direction in which it is desired to scroll. A straight line is displayed from the start position to the current position of the scroll cursor, and the actual distance (distance on the map) of this straight line is displayed at the bottom of the screen. During this time, images such as map images and current position marks (not shown) do not move. When the scroll cursor reaches the end of the display screen, the map image and the current position mark are scrolled so that the scroll cursor position at the end of the screen is at the center of the display screen. At this time, if the map data distributed to the terminal side is insufficient, the information distribution server side is requested to distribute newly necessary map data.

  That is, the display device disclosed in Patent Document 4 scrolls and displays a map image by the amount the scroll cursor is moved when the scroll cursor is moved to the end of the display area. For this reason, the number of scroll image rendering processes is reduced, and even when a mobile phone with limited processor processing capacity is used as a terminal, sufficient rendering processing capacity can be assigned, and the display image can be visually recognized. Nor. At this time, a line is displayed between the scroll cursor position at the start of scrolling and the scroll cursor position of the movement destination so that the movement status of the cursor position can be visually recognized. Therefore, it can be said that the scroll display method disclosed in Patent Document 4 is a display method suitable for a mobile phone with limited processing capability of the processor.

JP 2001-165681 A (FIGS. 1 and 2) JP-A-2001-27534 (FIGS. 1 and 6, paragraphs [0015] and [0037] to [0045]) JP 2003-263102 A (FIG. 29, paragraphs [0030] to [0034], [0054], [0055]) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-208095 (FIG. 1, paragraphs [0006] and [0038])

  When a mobile phone is used as a map display terminal as described above as a map display system in a navigation system or the like, when the scroll control method disclosed in Patent Document 3 is applied and the scroll cursor position reaches the end of the display area Therefore, it is preferable to perform control so that the map image is scroll-displayed with the scroll cursor position as the center.

  On the other hand, in addition to the map display mode in which the map display device to which the scroll control as described above is applied displays the planar map image as in Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, or Prior Application 1, the image is a plane bird's eye view. If you have a map display mode that displays a map or a map display mode that converts polygon data of a building into a 3D image and displays it as a bird's eye view, if the building is displayed as a 3D figure, the cursor position is displayed in 3D There is a problem that there are many cases where it is not possible to know which point on the displayed map is pointed, which may overlap the image of the displayed building. And in the map display apparatus disclosed by the said patent document 1 and the patent document 2, the disclosure which suggests such a problem and the technique which avoids it are not made at all.

  As a result of various studies to solve the above problems, the inventor of the present application has obtained a map display mode for displaying a building on the map as a three-dimensional image, and a map image when the cursor is moved to the end of the display area. In a map display system having a scroll mode for scrolling, display of a bird's-eye view image is prohibited even when in a bird's-eye view image display mode during scroll mode operation or cursor operation, and a plane bird's-eye view image or a plane map image is displayed. The present invention has been completed by conceiving that the above problems can be solved.

  That is, the present invention has an object to solve the above problems, and has a map display mode for displaying a bird's-eye view as a three-dimensional image of a building on the map, and the cursor position is set during the scroll mode operation or the cursor operation. In the map display system that scrolls the map image when it is moved to the edge of the display area and scrolls the map image so that the current position of the cursor is at the center of the display area, scroll mode under the map display mode that displays the bird's eye view It is an object of the present invention to provide a map display system, an information distribution server, a map display device, and a program capable of easily controlling the display of a cursor position during operation or cursor operation.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is
A map display mode for displaying a bird's eye view of a building on the map as a three-dimensional image on the display means, a map display mode for displaying other map images that do not make the building a three-dimensional image on the display means, and a cursor at the end of the display area A map display system comprising: a map display device having a scroll mode for scrolling a map image when the map is moved; and an information delivery server for delivering map data to the map display device,
The map display device
Display control means for controlling display of an image on the display means;
Operation / input means for moving the cursor for scrolling the screen or pointing to a specific point on the screen;
At least a bird's-eye view data creation means for creating bird's-eye view data in which a building on the map is a stereoscopic display image; and means for creating other map data that does not make the building a three-dimensional image,
When the cursor is operated by the operation / input means, the display control means does not display the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creating means on the display means, and the other map data creating means The present invention is characterized in that control is performed to display the created map image on the display means.

The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is the map display system according to the invention of claim 1,
The operation / input means includes a setting means for setting a scroll mode by operating a cursor, and a release means for releasing the scroll mode.
When the scroll mode is set by the operation / input means, the display control means does not display the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creating means on the display means, and the other map data creating means The present invention is characterized in that control is performed to display the created map image on the display means.

  The invention according to claim 3 of the present application is the map display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the map display device is a mobile phone.

The invention according to claim 4 of the present application is
A map display device that receives distribution of map data from an information distribution server,
A map display mode for displaying a bird's eye view of a building on the map as a three-dimensional image on the display means, a map display mode for displaying other map images that do not make the building a three-dimensional image on the display means, and a cursor at the end of the display area A scroll mode for scrolling the map image when the is moved,
Display control means for controlling display of an image on the display means;
Operation / input means for moving the cursor for scrolling the screen or pointing to a specific point on the screen;
A map display device comprising at least a bird's eye view data creating means for creating a bird's eye view data having a building on a map as a stereoscopic display image, and a means for creating other map data not using the building as a three-dimensional image,
When the cursor is operated by the operation / input means, the display control means does not display the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creating means on the display means, and the other map data creating means A map display device configured to perform control for displaying a map image to be created on a display means.

The invention according to claim 5 of the present application is the map display device of the invention according to claim 4 ,
The operation / input means includes a setting means for setting a scroll mode by operating a cursor, and a release means for releasing the scroll mode.
When the scroll mode is set by the operation / input means, the display control means does not display the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creating means on the display means, and the other map data creating means The present invention is characterized in that control is performed to display the created map image on the display means.

The invention according to claim 6 of the present application is the map display device according to claim 4 or 5 , wherein the map display device is a mobile phone.

The invention according to claim 7 of the present application is
A map display device that receives distribution of map data from an information distribution server,
A map display mode for displaying a bird's eye view of a building on the map as a three-dimensional image on the display means, a map display mode for displaying other map images that do not make the building a three-dimensional image on the display means, and a cursor at the end of the display area A scroll mode for scrolling the map image when the is moved,
Display control means for controlling display of an image on the display means;
Operation / input means for moving the cursor for scrolling the screen or pointing to a specific point on the screen;
A computer constituting a map display device comprising at least bird's-eye view data creating means for creating a bird's-eye view data having a building on the map as a stereoscopic display image, and means for creating other map data not using the building as a three-dimensional image In addition,
When the cursor is operated by the operation / input means, the map image created by the other map data creation means without displaying the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creation means on the display means Is a program for executing a function as display control means for performing control to display the image on the display means.

The invention according to claim 8 of the present application is
The operation and input means further, viewing including setting means for setting a scroll mode by the operation of moving the cursor, and release means that the release operation of the scroll mode, the,
When the scroll mode is set by the operation / input means, the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creating means is not displayed on the display means, but the map image created by the other map data creating means The program according to claim 7, wherein a function as a display control unit that performs control to display a message on a display unit is executed.

In the invention according to claim 1, when the cursor is operated by the operation / input means, the display control means does not display the bird's eye view created by the bird's eye view data creation means on the display means, but other map data creation means creates it. Control is performed to display a map image including a three-dimensional image of the building to be displayed on the display means.
By performing such display control, during the operation of the cursor key, the map display is substantially only in the map display mode other than the bird's eye view display mode, for example, the plane map display mode and the plane bird's eye view display mode, and the cursor During the movement, the position becomes visible on the planar image (ground). Accordingly, the position of the cursor is behind the three-dimensionally displayed building, so that the visibility of the cursor position is not hindered, and the cursor position can be easily viewed.

In the invention according to claim 2, when the scroll mode is set by the operation / input means, the display control means does not display the bird's eye view created by the bird's eye view data creation means on the display means, but other map data creation means creates it. Control is performed to display a map image including a three-dimensional image of the building to be displayed on the display means.
By performing such display control, during the scroll mode, the map display is substantially only other map display modes other than the bird's eye view display mode, for example, the planar map display mode and the planar bird's eye view display mode, and the cursor is moved. Inside, the position becomes visible on the planar image (ground). Accordingly, the position of the cursor is behind the three-dimensionally displayed building, so that the visibility of the cursor position is not hindered, and the cursor position can be easily viewed.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the map display system according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, the map display device is a mobile phone. Therefore, the position of the cursor on the display image can be easily recognized even in the scroll control in the mobile phone in which the processing capability of the processor is limited.

In the invention according to claims 4 to 6 , it is possible to provide a map display device constituting the map display system of the invention according to claims 1 to 3, respectively. Therefore, during the cursor key operation or the scroll mode, the map display is substantially other than the bird's-eye view display mode, for example, the planar map display mode and the planar bird's-eye view display mode only, and the cursor is moving. The position becomes visible on the planar image (ground). Accordingly, the position of the cursor is behind the three-dimensionally displayed building, so that the visibility of the cursor position is not hindered, and the cursor position can be easily viewed.

7. In the invention according to claim 8, respectively claim 4, it is possible to provide a program for realizing the map display device of the invention according to claim 5.

  Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples and drawings. The present invention provides a map display system having a display mode for displaying a building as a three-dimensional image and a scroll mode for scrolling a map image when the cursor is moved to the end of the display area. In the following embodiments, a navigation system including a route search server and a navigation terminal device will be described as a specific example of a map display system. To do. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and it goes without saying that the present invention may be a map display system that does not have a navigation function and includes a map display device and an information distribution server that distributes map information. .

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the concept of map display control according to an embodiment of the present invention. A navigation system, which is a map display system according to an embodiment of the present invention, includes a map display device and a route search server as will be described later, and the map display device has a function as a navigation terminal device. The server constitutes an information distribution server that distributes map information.

  The map display device has three display modes: a plan view display mode for displaying a plan map image, a plan bird's eye view display mode for displaying a plan bird's eye view image, and a bird's eye view image display mode for displaying a bird's eye view image including a three-dimensional display of a building. is doing. In the present invention, the plane bird's-eye view is an image representing a plane map in the perspective of the perspective in the depth direction, and refers to an image as illustrated in FIG. 9. The bird's-eye view is a three-dimensional view of a building on the plane bird's-eye view. This refers to the image illustrated in FIG. 8 or FIG. 10 represented as a dimensional image. The map display mode can be set by the user through the operation / input unit of the navigation terminal device.

Further, the map display device can scroll the map image displayed on the display unit by setting the display unit to the scroll mode or operating a cursor key (hereinafter simply referred to as a cursor). The display of the map image and the control of scrolling are configured as follows in the same manner as the map display device disclosed in Patent Document 4 above.
That is, when the cursor is not operated or the scroll mode is off, the map image is displayed and the current position mark (current position icon) is displayed over the map image so that the current position is in the center of the display area. To do.

  When the cursor is operated or the scroll mode is turned on, the map image and the current position mark are not moved, and the cursor position is set to the current position at the start of the scroll operation as the initial position (center of the display area). The map image is moved according to the scroll operation. When the cursor position reaches the end of the map image (display area), the map image is scrolled so that the map image centered on the cursor position is scroll-displayed on the display unit together with the cursor and the current position mark (see FIG. 11). ).

  In such a map display device, it is assumed that a bird's eye view is displayed on the screen 41 as shown in FIG. In this state, a map image is displayed, and a current position mark (current position icon) is displayed on the map image so that the current position is in the center of the display area (screen 41). In FIG. 1, the current position mark is not shown for simplification of the drawing.

  When scroll mode is turned on or the cursor 42 is operated for scrolling in this state, the map image and the current position mark are not moved, and the current position at the start of the map scroll operation is moved to the initial position (display area). (Center), the cursor position is moved on the map image according to the cursor operation. A straight line 43 is displayed from the start position to the cursor movement position. When the scroll cursor reaches the end of the map image (display area), the map image centered on the cursor position is scroll-displayed on the display unit together with the cursor and the current position mark.

  Here, as is clear from FIG. 1, when the map display mode is the bird's eye view display mode, when the cursor position points to the rear side of the three-dimensionally displayed building, the position of the cursor is It is difficult to see if you are pointing. The same applies to the case where the cursor is moved to perform specific pointing on the map image.

  Therefore, in the navigation system according to the present invention, when the map display device is operating in the bird's eye view display mode, when the scroll mode is designated or the cursor is operated, the bird's eye view display is temporarily prohibited and the bird's eye view is displayed. Instead of displaying a plane bird's eye view, control is performed so that the cursor position can be easily seen. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a map image and a cursor displayed in this way. That is, when the scroll mode is set or the cursor is operated in FIG. 1, the bird's-eye view is temporarily prohibited from being displayed as shown in FIG. Accordingly, the position of the cursor 42 is easily visible.

  Next, the configuration of the navigation system according to the embodiment of the present invention that performs the map display control as described above will be described. As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3, the navigation system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a map display device 20 that communicates via a network 11 such as the Internet, and a route search server 30. Yes.

  The map display device 20 has a function as a navigation terminal device, sets route search conditions such as a departure point and a destination to the route search server 30 and transmits a route search request. The route search server 30 follows the route search conditions. Then, the optimum route is searched with reference to the search network data for route search, the optimum route is edited into guide route data, and distributed to the map display device 20 together with the map data. In addition, the route search server 30 distributes the requested map data to the map display device 20 according to the request from the map display device 20.

  The route search server 30 includes map data (DB) 317, search network data 316 for route search, control means (CPU) 311, communication means 312, route guidance means 313, distribution data creation means 314, route search means 315. It is configured with. The search network data 316 for route search includes road network data 316A for route search for automobiles and pedestrian network data 316B for route search for pedestrians. Furthermore, although not shown for route search when a pedestrian moves together with walking and transportation such as a train, traffic network data based on traffic route data and operation time data can be provided.

The control means 311 is mainly composed of a microprocessor, and is provided with storage means such as RAM and ROM like a general computer device, and controls each part by a program stored in these storage means.
The route guidance unit 313 is for editing data of the optimum route or a plurality of recommended guidance routes searched by the route search unit 315 and distributing the data to the map display device 20. The communication unit 312 is connected to the map display device 20. This is for receiving various requests or distributing various information to the map display device 20.

  Map data for route search in pedestrian navigation systems and car navigation systems is called road network data. For example, when the road is composed of roads A, B, and C as shown in FIG. 4, the road network is configured as follows. That is, the end points, intersections, inflection points, and the like of roads A, B, and C are used as nodes, and roads connecting the nodes are represented by directional links. And the node data (node latitude / longitude) of each node, link data (link number) of each node, link cost (link distance or time required to travel the link) of each link, and data Link cost data.

  In FIG. 4, ◯ and ◎ indicate nodes, and ◎ indicates a road intersection. Directional links connecting the nodes are indicated by arrow lines (solid line, dotted line, two-dot chain line). As for the links, there are links facing in the upward and downward directions of the road, but in FIG. 4, only the links in the direction of the arrows are shown for the sake of simplicity.

  When route search is performed using such road network data as a route search database, links linked from the starting node to the destination node are traced to accumulate the link cost, thereby minimizing the accumulated link cost. Search and guide the route. That is, in FIG. 4, when the route search is performed with the departure point as the node AX and the destination as the node CY, the road travels from the node AX along the road A, turns right at the second intersection, enters the road C, and reaches the node CY. The link cost is accumulated sequentially, and a route that minimizes the accumulated link cost is searched for and guided.

  Although other paths from the node AX to the node CY are not shown in FIG. 4, in reality there are other such paths, so a possible path from the node AX to the node CY is similarly searched. Of these routes, the route with the lowest link cost is determined as the optimum route. This method is performed by, for example, a known method called the Dijkstra method.

  The road network data in the in-vehicle navigation system is composed only of roads where cars can pass, and roads for pedestrians such as roads for exclusive use of pedestrians, parks where the entrance of vehicles is prohibited, and walkways in station squares. Network data is not required. On the other hand, in the navigation system for pedestrians, in addition to the road network through which cars can pass, pedestrian roads such as the above-mentioned pedestrian-only roads and the passages in parks and station squares where vehicles are prohibited from entering. Although it is configured to include network data, it does not require network data for roads that are prohibited from walking, such as expressways.

  Therefore, the search network data 316 includes car road network data 316A and pedestrian network data 316B. When the route search request is a pedestrian route search request, the route search means 315 Performs a route search using the network data 316B for pedestrians. When the route search request is a route search request for an automobile, the route search means 315 performs a route search using the road network data 316A.

  In the search network data 316, common road network data for automobiles and pedestrians, road network data dedicated to automobiles, and road network data dedicated to pedestrians are accumulated, and network data not shown in the figure. The editing unit may be configured to search the route by editing the search network data 316 in response to the route search request.

  That is, in the case of a route search request for pedestrians, the network data editing means can be configured to perform route search by performing editing to add network data dedicated to pedestrians to common network data. When the route search request is a route search request for a vehicle, the network data editing means may perform a route search by editing the network data dedicated to the vehicle to the common network data. A traffic network may be added in the same way when traveling by transportation such as a train is used together.

  The map data stored in the map data (DB) 317 is composed of unit data (mesh data) divided into a predetermined size by latitude and longitude, and the route search server 30 obtains optimum guide route data obtained as a result of route search. Are distributed to the map display device 20, and based on the current position information (latitude / longitude) received from the map display device 20, the map data including the current position, that is, the mesh data including the current position is used as a center for the eight surrounding areas. The mesh data is distributed to the map display device 20.

  When the map display device 20 receives the guide route data and the map data from the route search server 30, the map display device 20 temporarily stores them in the storage means, a current position mark indicating the current position of the map display device 20, and a predetermined range including the current position The map and the guide route are expanded in the VRAM and displayed on the display means. When the current position changes and the map data is insufficient, the map display device 20 requests the map data from the route search server 30 and receives distribution of the insufficient map data. Road network data and map data are accumulated in a database as vector data, and the map display device 20 may perform predetermined calculations on the data as necessary to enlarge or rotate the map or guide route. it can.

  The method of distributing the map and displaying it on the map display device 20 is not limited to a navigation system that performs route search and route guidance, but a map that receives the distribution of map data by transmitting the current position or desired position information. The same applies to the display system. When the map display device 20 displays a map, the map display device 20 simulates a planar map display mode for displaying a planar map, a planar bird's eye view display mode for displaying a planar bird's eye view, and main buildings on the planar bird's eye view. Three map display modes of a bird's eye view display mode for displaying a three-dimensional figure as a bird's eye view are provided.

  On the other hand, the map display device 20 includes a control unit (CPU) 211, a communication unit 212, a data storage unit 213, a VRAM 214, a display unit 215, an operation / input unit 216, a data request unit 217, a plane map data creation unit 218, a plane A bird's eye view data creation unit 219, a bird's eye view data creation unit 220, and a display control unit 221 are provided.

  Although not shown, the control means 211 is a microprocessor having a RAM, a ROM, and a processor, and controls the operation of each unit by a control program stored in the ROM. The operation / input unit 216 includes numeric keys, alphabet keys, other function keys (scroll keys, etc.), selection keys, and the like, and inputs route search conditions by operating the numeric keys and alphabet keys. The display means 215 is composed of a liquid crystal display unit or the like and displays the image data developed in the VRAM 214.

  The display unit 215 also displays a menu screen or the like, and selects a desired menu from the menu screen, or functions as an operation / input unit that performs a desired operation instruction by operating a selection button or the like that is displayed. Have. The communication unit 212 is an interface for communicating with the route search server 30 via the network 11.

  Setting of route search conditions such as departure place, destination, departure date and time, arrival date and time is performed by the operation / input means 216, and a route search request is created by the data request means 217 and transmitted to the route search server 30. The operation / input means 216 also designates mesh data (unit map) when requesting map data from the route search server 30. When the map display device 20 includes means for measuring the current position, such as a GPS receiver, the information on the current position and the request for map data including the current position are based on the information on the current position measured by the GPS receiver. A request for map data is created by the request means 217 and transmitted to the route search server 30.

  The data storage unit 213 temporarily stores the guide route data and map data distributed from the route search server 30, and the VRAM 214 displays the guide route data and map data stored in the data storage unit 213 on the display unit 215. In this case, the guide route data and map data are developed in a bitmap format.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the map display device 20 uses a mobile phone as a terminal device, and includes an operation / input unit 216 and a display unit 215. A scroll key (launcher key), a clear key, and a display mode switching key (number “5” key) are assigned to each key of the operation / input unit 216. The display means 215 shows a map screen 41 displaying a bird's eye view, and is displayed so that the cursor 42 is operated and the start point of the cursor operation and the current position of the cursor are connected by a straight line 43 so that the cursor movement state can be visually recognized. Has been. This display image corresponds to the display image of FIG.

  The scroll mode and the normal display mode are switched by operating the display mode switching key (number “5” key). When the mode is switched to the scroll mode, the cursor 42 is displayed on the screen. The initial display position of the cursor is the center of the screen. When the cursor key is operated, the mode automatically switches to the scroll mode and the cursor 42 is displayed on the display screen. In this case, the scroll mode is continued until the clear key is operated. The initial display position of the cursor 42 is the center of the screen.

  As described above, the map display device 20 includes a planar map display mode for displaying a planar map, a planar bird's eye view display mode for displaying a planar bird's eye view, and a main building on the planar bird's eye view as a pseudo three-dimensional figure. Are provided with three map display modes of a bird's eye view display mode. Which of these map display modes the map display device 20 is operated is set by the operation / input means 216.

  The plane map data creation means 218, the plane bird's eye view data creation means 219, and the bird's eye view data creation means 220 create plane map data, plane bird's eye view data, and bird's eye view data, respectively, based on the map data distributed from the route search server. is there. The display control unit 221 operates one of the planar map data creation unit 218, the planar bird's eye view data creation unit 219, and the bird's eye view data creation unit 220 according to the map display mode set by the operation / input unit 216, and causes the VRAM 214 to perform planar map data. Then, either the plane bird's-eye view data or the bird's-eye view data is expanded and a map in a predetermined format is displayed on the display means 215. The method for creating the plane bird's-eye view and the bird's-eye view may be any of the methods disclosed in Patent Document 2, Patent Document 3, and prior applications.

  Further, the display control unit 211 performs control to display a cursor for scrolling the image displayed on the display unit 215 or pointing to a desired position on the map. This scroll control is the same as that of the map display device disclosed in Patent Document 4, and when scrolling a map or the like displayed on the screen, the scroll start position (cursor position) is the center of the screen and it is desired to scroll. Move the cursor in the direction.

  A straight line is displayed from the scroll start position to the current position of the cursor, and the actual distance (distance on the map) of this straight line is displayed at the bottom of the screen. During this time, images such as map images and current position marks (not shown) do not move. When the cursor reaches the end of the display screen, the map image and the current position mark are scrolled so that the cursor position at the end of the screen is at the center of the display screen. At this time, if the map data distributed to the terminal side is insufficient, the route search server 30 is requested to distribute newly required map data.

  That is, the scroll control described above scrolls and displays the map image by the amount the cursor is moved when the cursor is moved to the end of the display area. For this reason, the number of scroll image rendering processes is reduced, and even when a mobile phone with limited processor processing capacity is used as a terminal, sufficient rendering processing capacity can be assigned, and the display image can be visually recognized. Nor. At this time, a line is displayed between the cursor position at the start of scrolling and the destination cursor position so that the movement status of the cursor position can be visually recognized.

  Here, when the map display device 20 is operating in the bird's eye view display mode for displaying the bird's eye view, the scroll mode is set and the cursor is displayed, and when the cursor is moved, or on the map displayed by operating the cursor. You may point to a specific point. In such a case, as described above with reference to FIG. 1, when the position of the cursor is pointing to the rear side of the three-dimensionally displayed building, it is visually recognized which point on the map is pointing. difficult. For this reason, in the map display device 20 according to the present embodiment, the display control means 221 controls the map display as follows.

  That is, when the map display device 20 is operating in the bird's-eye view display mode, when the scroll mode is designated or the cursor is operated, the bird's-eye view display is temporarily prohibited and the plane bird's-eye view is displayed instead of the bird's-eye view. . By such control, display of the bird's eye view is temporarily prohibited as shown in FIG. 2, and the plane bird's eye view is displayed on the screen 41. Accordingly, the position of the cursor 42 is easily visible.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the map display device 20 that performs the control as described above. First, in the process of step S <b> 10, the display control unit 221 starts drawing on the VRAM 214. In this case, according to the map display mode, any one of the plane map data creation means 218, the plane bird's eye view data creation means 219, and the bird's eye view data creation means 220 is operated, and any one of the plane map data, the plane bird's eye view data, and the bird's eye view data is stored in the VRAM 214. Start the deployment process.

  Next, the display control means 221 determines the map display mode in the process of step S11. The planar map display mode for displaying a planar map, the planar bird's eye view display mode for displaying a planar bird's eye view, and the bird's eye view display mode for displaying a main building on the planar bird's eye view as a pseudo three-dimensional figure as a bird's eye view are shown in the flowchart of FIG. Are expressed as mode A, mode B, and mode C, respectively.

When the map display mode is mode A (planar map display mode) or mode B (planar bird's eye view display mode), the process proceeds to steps S13 and S14, respectively, and planar map data or planar bird's eye view data is developed in the VRAM 214.
If the map display mode is mode C (bird's eye view display mode) in the determination process of step S11, it is determined whether the cursor key is operated in the process of step S12. If the cursor key is not operated, the process proceeds to step S15, and the bird's eye view data is developed in the VRAM 214.

  If the cursor key is operated in the determination process in step S14, the process proceeds to step S14, where the display of the bird's-eye view is prohibited and the plane bird's-eye view data is developed in the VRAM 214 instead.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another operation procedure of the map display device 20 that performs the above control. First, in the process of step S <b> 20, the display control unit 221 starts drawing on the VRAM 214. In this case, according to the map display mode, any one of the planar map data creating unit 218, the planar bird's eye view data creating unit 219, and the bird's eye view data creating unit 220 is operated, and any one of the planar map data, the planar bird's eye view data, and the bird's eye view data is stored in the VRAM 214. Start the deployment process.

  Next, the display control means 221 determines the map display mode in the process of step S21. The planar map display mode for displaying a planar map, the planar bird's eye view display mode for displaying a planar bird's eye view, and the bird's eye view display mode for displaying a main building on the planar bird's eye view as a pseudo three-dimensional figure as a bird's eye view are shown in the flowchart of FIG. Are expressed as mode A, mode B, and mode C, respectively.

When the map display mode is mode A (planar map display mode) or mode B (planar bird's eye view display mode), the process proceeds to steps S23 and S24, respectively, and planar map data or planar bird's eye view data is developed in the VRAM 214.
If the map display mode is mode C (bird's eye view display mode) in the determination process of step S21, it is determined in step S22 whether the display means 215 is operating in the scroll mode. If not operating in the scroll mode, the process proceeds to step S25, and the bird's eye view data is developed in the VRAM 214.

  If it is determined in step S24 that the operation is in the scroll mode, the process proceeds to step S24, where the bird's-eye view display is prohibited and the plane bird's-eye view data is developed in the VRAM 214 instead.

  The procedure of FIG. 7 is an example in which the three-dimensional display of the building is not performed if the scroll mode is on. Similar to the map display device disclosed in Patent Document 4, the scroll mode is a mode in which the cursor is displayed by pressing the scroll key, and the display returns to the display of the current location center by pressing the clear key. If it is determined in this step S22 that this mode is selected, the three-dimensional display of the building is not performed. Thus, when the cursor is displayed, the three-dimensional display of the building is not performed. Even if you take your hand off the cursor key, the cursor is on the ground (even if you are not scrolling), so the location is easy to understand.

  By performing such display control, the map display is substantially only the planar map display mode and the planar bird's eye view display mode during the cursor key operation or the scroll mode, and the position of the map is a plane image during the movement of the cursor. It becomes visible on the ground.

  In the above embodiment, the bird's-eye view is prohibited from being displayed during the scroll mode or the cursor operation, and the plane bird's-eye view is displayed. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the bird's-eye view is replaced. It is obvious that a plane map may be displayed on the screen.

  The present invention can be applied not only to a mobile phone but also to a mobile terminal device (PDA or the like). In addition, the present invention can also be applied to a map display such as a personal computer in which a bird's eye view and a three-dimensional image of a building are displayed.

It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the concept of the conventional map display control. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the concept of the map control concerning the Example of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation system concerning the Example of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the network data for a route search. It is a figure which shows the external appearance of a navigation terminal device. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the map display control concerning the Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the other procedure of the map display control concerning the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the general bird's-eye view which made the building on a map the pseudo | simulation three-dimensional image. It is a figure which shows the example of the display image of the plane bird's-eye view in a prior application. It is a figure for demonstrating the image data production method which produces the image of the bird's-eye view in a prior application. It is a figure for demonstrating the method of the conventional scroll control at the time of using a mobile telephone as a map display apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Navigation system 11 ... Network 20 ... Map display device 211 ... Control means 212 ... Communication means 213 ... Data storage means 214 ... VRAM
215 ... Display means 216 ... Operation / input means 217 ... Data request means 218 ... Planar map data creation means 219 ... Plane bird's eye view data creation means 220 ... Bird's eye view data creation means 221 ... Display control means 30 ... Route search server 311 ... Control means 312 ... Communication means 313 ... Route guidance means 314 ... Distribution data creation means 315 ... Route search means 316 ... Search network data 316A ... Road network data 316B ... Pedestrian network data 317 ... Map data (DB)

Claims (8)

A map display mode for displaying a bird's eye view of a building on the map as a three-dimensional image on the display means, a map display mode for displaying other map images that do not make the building a three-dimensional image on the display means, and a cursor at the end of the display area A map display system comprising: a map display device having a scroll mode for scrolling a map image when the map is moved; and an information delivery server for delivering map data to the map display device,
The map display device
Display control means for controlling display of an image on the display means;
Operation / input means for moving the cursor for scrolling the screen or pointing to a specific point on the screen;
At least a bird's-eye view data creation means for creating bird's-eye view data in which a building on the map is a stereoscopic display image; and means for creating other map data that does not make the building a three-dimensional image,
When the cursor is operated by the operation / input means, the display control means does not display the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creating means on the display means, and the other map data creating means A map display system configured to perform control for displaying a map image to be created on a display means. The operation / input means includes a setting means for setting a scroll mode by operating a cursor, and a release means for releasing the scroll mode.
When the scroll mode is set by the operation / input means, the display control means does not display the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creating means on the display means, and the other map data creating means 2. The map display system according to claim 1, wherein the map display system is configured to perform control for displaying a map image to be created on a display means.   The map display system according to claim 1, wherein the map display device is a mobile phone. A map display device that receives distribution of map data from an information distribution server,
A map display mode for displaying a bird's eye view of a building on the map as a three-dimensional image on the display means, a map display mode for displaying other map images that do not make the building a three-dimensional image on the display means, and a cursor at the end of the display area A scroll mode for scrolling the map image when the is moved,
Display control means for controlling display of an image on the display means;
Operation / input means for moving the cursor for scrolling the screen or pointing to a specific point on the screen;
A map display device comprising at least a bird's eye view data creating means for creating a bird's eye view data having a building on a map as a stereoscopic display image, and a means for creating other map data not using the building as a three-dimensional image,
When the cursor is operated by the operation / input means, the display control means does not display the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creating means on the display means, and the other map data creating means A map display device configured to perform control for displaying a map image to be created on a display means. The operation / input means includes a setting means for setting a scroll mode by operating a cursor, and a release means for releasing the scroll mode.
When the scroll mode is set by the operation / input means, the display control means does not display the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creating means on the display means, and the other map data creating means 5. The map display device according to claim 4 , wherein the map display device is configured to perform control to display a map image to be created on a display means. A map display device according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the map display device characterized in that it is a mobile phone. A map display device that receives distribution of map data from an information distribution server,
A map display mode for displaying a bird's eye view of a building on the map as a three-dimensional image on the display means, a map display mode for displaying other map images that do not make the building a three-dimensional image on the display means, and a cursor at the end of the display area A scroll mode for scrolling the map image when the is moved,
Display control means for controlling display of an image on the display means;
Operation / input means for moving the cursor for scrolling the screen or pointing to a specific point on the screen;
A computer constituting a map display device comprising at least bird's-eye view data creating means for creating a bird's-eye view data having a building on the map as a stereoscopic display image, and means for creating other map data not using the building as a three-dimensional image In addition,
When the cursor is operated by the operation / input means, the map image created by the other map data creation means without displaying the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creation means on the display means A program for executing a function as display control means for performing control for displaying the information on the display means. The operation and input means further, viewing including setting means for setting a scroll mode by the operation of moving the cursor, and release means that the release operation of the scroll mode, the,
When the scroll mode is set by the operation / input means, the bird's eye view including the three-dimensional image of the building created by the bird's eye view data creating means is not displayed on the display means, but the map image created by the other map data creating means the program according to claim 7 to execute the function as a display control means for controlling display on the display means, characterized in Rukoto a.

Images