JPH03168686A - Map information display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the storage of the information on a large map with a small storage capacity by storing the respective elements of the map information as vector information. CONSTITUTION:The vector data 10A to 10N of a user format are converted by format converters 12A to 12N to the vector information of the common format, which is stored in a large-capacity storage means 14. The vector information expresses the shapes of the respective elements of the map, such as roads, rivers, buildings, and pipelines, as vectors. An image processing means 16 reads the vector information of a part of the large map out of the means 14, stores the same into a storage means 18 and converts the same to the bit map information which is then stored into a frame memory 20. The means 16 detects the map elements in accordance with the position information of the means 24 and the vector information stored in the means 18 when the position desired by a user is detected by a position detecting means 24, such as tablet, mouse or light pen. The information of the large map is stored with the small storage capacity by this constitution.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a display device for displaying map information, particularly a display device that stores each element of map information as vector information, and that enables smooth scrolling of the display. Related to display devices.

[Conventional Technology Map information is managed by computer for piping management such as water pipes and gas pipes, navigators, aggregation of rainfall information, etc. In this way, in order to manage map information with a computer, it is necessary to display the map information on a display means such as a cathode ray tube display device.

A conventional map information display device stores map information data as image information from the beginning in a large-capacity storage means such as a hard disk or an optical disk. Then, it is stored in the frame memory and displayed on the display means. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the above-mentioned conventional map information display device, map information is also stored in the mass storage means as image information. Therefore,
When a large map is stored, the amount of information on the map becomes very large, and the large capacity storage means becomes very large and expensive. Furthermore, since the map information is only image information, it is difficult for the position detection means to detect a desired map element displayed on the display means. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to convert each element of the map information into vector information. To provide a map information display device capable of storing large map information with a small storage capacity.

Another object of the present invention is to store map information in a bit map format and also store map information in a vector format in order to display and scroll the map information, thereby facilitating the detection of map elements. The goal is to provide information display devices. [Means for Solving the Problems] The map information display device of the present invention includes a display means, a frame,
a memory, first and second storage means, image processing means,
and position detection means. The frame memory can store more information in bit map form than can be displayed in the display area of the display means. Further, the first storage means stores a plurality of vector information each representing each element of the map and having relationship information with other vectors.

On the other hand, image processing means No. 9 converts the vector information stored in this first storage means into bit map format image information, and converts this bit map format image information into a frame.
store in memory. The second storage means stores vector information corresponding to the image information stored in the frame memory. Further, the position detection means supplies arbitrary position information of the display means to the image processing means.

Then, the image processing means causes the display means to display the map information of the desired position in the frame memory, and makes the map information from the position detection means correspond to the position information from the position detection means. [Operation] According to the present invention, the first storage means acts as a mass storage means. However, since the map information stored in the first storage means is vector information, a large amount of map information can be stored in a small capacity. Frame memory is
Vector information of the map stored in the first storage means is stored as bit map information, and since the storage capacity of the frame memory is wider than the display area of the display means, smooth scrolling is possible. Furthermore, since the second storage means stores vector information corresponding to the map information stored in the frame memory, the position detection means can detect and easily detect the map element corresponding to the position. Furthermore, since the vector information includes relationship information with other map elements, related map elements can also be easily detected.

[Example] The accompanying figure is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Generally, map information is in the form of drawings, so it is converted into vector information using an appropriate vectorization means such as a vectorizer. This converted vector information has various formats, and these differ depending on the method of the vectorization means. These vector data IOA-1ON in various user formats are converted into a common predetermined format by format converters 12A-12N. The first storage means 14, which is a large capacity storage means such as a hard disk or an optical disk, is connected to format converters 12A to 12A.
Stores vector information in a common format from 12N. Each element of these vector information c-t maps, for example,
The shapes of roads, rivers, buildings, pipelines, etc. are expressed as vectors. Each piece of this vector information also includes relationship information with other map elements. Therefore, a very large map can be represented only from the vector information stored in the first storage means.

The image processing means 16 is composed of a microprocessor and a picture processor, and converts vector information into bit map information, performs various image processing, and performs the first
It controls the storage means 14 and the second storage means 18. Therefore, this image processing means 16 reads vector information of a part of a large map required by the user from the first storage means 14, stores it in the second storage means 18, and converts it into bit map information. and stored in the frame memory 20. The second storage means 18 and the frame memory 20 are comprised of memory elements such as random access memory (RAM).

The size of the map information that can be displayed in the display area of the display means 22, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, is smaller than the map information stored in the frame memory 20. Therefore, of the bit map map information in the frame memory 20, only the portion desired by the user is displayed on the display means 22. By arbitrarily moving the display area within the frame memory 20, smooth scrolling can be achieved. Transparent touch screen, tablet, light with mouse
A position detection means 24, such as a pen, detects a user's desired position on the display means 22, and transmits the position information to the image processing means 16. Then, the image processing means 16 compares the position information from the position detection means 24 and the vector information stored in the second storage means, and detects the vector information of the user's desired position, that is, the map element. At this time, related vector information is also detected at the same time from the relationship information of the vector information, if necessary. Therefore, a plurality of pieces of related map information can be detected simultaneously.

To change the map information stored in the frame memory 20, new map information is read from the first storage means and the above-described operations are repeated.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, each element of map information is stored as vector information, so a large amount of map information can be stored with a small storage capacity, and the storage means can be made inexpensive.

Furthermore, since map information obtained by converting vector information into bit map format is also stored, the display of map information can be easily scrolled.

Furthermore, since map information in vector format is also stored in addition to map information in bit map format, map elements can be easily detected. The vector format information for each map element also includes relationship information with other map elements, so related map elements can be detected at the same time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The accompanying figure is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the invention. l4: first storage means 16: Image processing means 18: Second storage means 20; Frame memory 22: Display means 24: Position detection means

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] Display means; a frame memory in a bit map format capable of storing more information than can be displayed in the display area of the display means; a first storage means for storing a plurality of pieces of vector information having relationship information with each other; and an image for converting the vector information stored in the first storage means into image information in a bit map format and storing it in the frame memory. processing means, second storage means for storing vector information corresponding to the image information stored in the frame memory, and position detection means for supplying arbitrary position information of the display means to the image processing means. , the image processing means causes the display means to display map information of a desired position in the frame memory, and detects vector information corresponding to the position information from the position detection means from the second storage means. A map information display device characterized by: