EP2167918A2

EP2167918A2 - Method for operating a navigation system

Info

Publication number: EP2167918A2
Application number: EP08784208A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Steffen Joachim
Original assignee: Navigon AG
Current assignee: Garmin Wurzburg GmbH
Priority date: 2007-07-24
Filing date: 2008-06-20
Publication date: 2010-03-31
Also published as: WO2009012739A3; DE102007034931A1; WO2009012739A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a navigation system, having the following method steps: a) a route is calculated from a starting point to a destination, the route being selected using a routing calculation method from a database in which a geographical area is described, b) a map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) is calculated and displayed on a display device (01), wherein the map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) shows at least one detail from the geographical area, and wherein the roads in the detail are shown graphically in schematic form as road lanes (03), c) a route track (04, 11, 14, 16) showing the course of the route graphically in schematic form is calculated and displayed, wherein the route track (04, 11, 14, 16) is displayed in the map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) on the display device (01) such that the route track (04, 11, 14, 16) covers the road lanes (03a, 03b) of roads which are part of the route, wherein the route track (04, 11, 14, 16) in the map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) is at least slightly narrower than the road lane (03a, 03b) running beneath it.

Description

Method for operating a navigation system

The invention relates to a method for operating a navigation system according to the preamble of claim 1.

In known navigation systems, which are used for example in the form of mobile navigation devices or as Internet applications, it is generically provided that a route is calculated by means of a route calculation method using the location data in a database, which guides the user from the starting point to a destination point , The database describes in digitized form a specific geographical area, for example, the road network of Germany.

In order to inform the driver while driving as intuitively and easily as possible about the calculated route, the known navigation systems have the ability to calculate a map view and then display this map view on a display device. The map view represents in graphical form at least a section of the geographic area stored in the database. The roads present in this section of the geographical area are schematized in the manner of road tracks in the map view shown graphically. As road lanes, for example, lines of a certain width or double lines of a certain width can be used, these lines indicating the course of the road shown in the illustrated geographical area.

In order to enable the user to navigate using the map view, it is also common to calculate a route trail and display it on the display device in the map view. This route track, which may also be shown in the manner of a line or double line, thereby runs along the road lanes of displayed in the map view streets that are part of the route. In other words, this means that the roads belonging to the route in the map view are highlighted by the fact that the corresponding road lanes are provided with the route lane.

When displaying the route track on the assigned road lanes, there are two display variants according to the state of the art used hitherto. According to the first display variant, the route track is displayed running below the road lane, so that only the edges of the route lane overhang the road lane. This representation variant is disadvantageous in that the route track is displayed only relatively weak and difficult to recognize. In addition, in the representation of certain traffic situations, for example at larger intersections, there is the problem that the route represented by the route lane can no longer be represented as being wider than the street above it, for example a broad intersection.

According to the second known representation variant, the route trace is displayed running above the assigned road lane and completely covers the road lane of the roads belonging to the route. As a result, the road signature is largely covered and the visibility of the road course is greatly reduced. Road types of the roads involved in the routes are no longer or only very limited recognizable. Based on this prior art, it is an object of the present invention to propose a new method for operating a navigation system, in which the intuitive recognizability of the road lanes and route lanes is improved.

This object is achieved by a method according to the teaching of claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The inventive method is based on the idea that the route track is displayed while running above the road lane, but the route lane is at least slightly narrower than the road lane running underneath. Depending on the width of the route track relative to the width of the road lane, the road signature is easily recognizable in this way. In addition, street names, such as street names, can be easily faded into the uncovered area of the road lane. At the same time it is also ensured that in all road situations, especially at wide intersections or at multi-lane roads, the route trace can be easily displayed in the road lane.

In order to increase the visibility of the road signatures and the readability of road markings even further, the route track can be displayed semi-transparent. The transparency of the route trace should allow the recognizability of other display components of the map view, which are covered by the route trace.

The narrower representation of the route track also makes it possible to symbolize additional components graphically in the road lane. According to a preferred variant, it is therefore provided that road markings are displayed on the road lanes in the map view. The orientation of the driver based on the map view is thereby significantly improved, especially in multi-lane roads with multiple lanes separated by the lane markings. Also lane markings for marking turn lanes in the map view can be displayed well in this way. The insertion of the road markings in basically all road lanes is often not useful. The best recognizability arises when the lane markings are only displayed on the road lanes that represent roads that belong to the route.

As far as lane markings are displayed in the map view, the representation of the route lane should be at least slightly narrower than a lane marked by the lane markings. Thus, the lane markings are not covered by the route lane and the driver has an intuitive impression of the actual road situation.

Depending on the number of roads displayed on the display device, for example, a 4-inch LCD screen, the display of the lane mark is not always meaningful. If, for example, a larger area is displayed with a road network of several hundred streets, then the recognizability of road markings in the individual road lanes is no longer guaranteed, since each individual road lane is only shown very small. It is therefore particularly advantageous if the display of the lane markings is carried out as a function of the magnification factor of the map view. When displaying the map view on a very large scale, the lane marking should not be displayed. On the other hand, it is particularly advantageous if, in the case of illustrations of the map view, the lane markings are displayed in the vicinity, since this considerably improves the orientation of the driver along the route.

The width ratios between the width of the route track and the width of the road lane are basically arbitrary as long as the route lane is at least slightly narrower than the road lane. However, it is particularly advantageous for the display of most road situations when the route track is narrower than half of the road lane shown in the map view. Because most roads contain two Roadways, each occupying half the width of the road. It thus corresponds to the intuitive feeling of the user that the route trace, which schematically represents the vehicle movement along a roadway in a specific direction of the road, covers just about half of the road lane. The representation on the display device thus corresponds to the intuitive feeling of the user.

Depending on different traditions, there are different traffic directions in different countries. Most continental European countries and the USA have legal relations, i. the vehicles each move in the right lane, and the driver sits with the steering wheel on the left side of the vehicle. In England, Japan, India and other countries on the other hand there is left-hand traffic, so that the vehicles each move in the left lane and the driver sits on the right side of the vehicle. Depending on whether there is left-hand traffic or right-hand traffic in the area in question, through which the route to be represented, the laterally offset display of the route track must also be changed. It is therefore particularly advantageous if, depending on the current position, the database for describing the geographical conditions is queried as to whether the geographical area shown in the map view has right-hand traffic or left-hand traffic. As far as right-hand traffic prevails, the route lane is displayed on the right-hand side of the road lane, which corresponds to the actual vehicle movement on the right-hand lane of the road. If, on the other hand, left-hand traffic applies, the route lane is displayed on the left-hand side of the road lane.

In addition to the illustration of the route track according to the invention, which runs above the road lane, the route lane can also be displayed at least in sections laterally offset from the road lane.

This lateral offset between the road lane and the route lane is particularly useful if parts of the route lane are to be displayed which run essentially horizontally on the display device. In particular, this prevents the street names from being covered by roads that are to be inserted along the route. Usually, the route track is displayed by a line of a certain width. However, the line itself does not say anything directly about the direction of travel required for the route. In order to inform the driver in a simple manner about the necessary direction of travel along the route lane, it is therefore particularly advantageous if the direction of travel of the route is symbolized by a directional signature on the route lane. For this purpose, for example, arrow symbols can be attached to the route track whose arrow direction corresponds to the necessary direction of travel.

The representation of the route track according to the invention results in possibilities of presenting additional information for the driver in a wide range of variations. In particular, predefined criteria, such as the radius of curvature and / or set speed of the roads that are part of the route, can be queried from a database and taken into account in the representation of the route trace. This happens because the representation of the route track is changed depending on the requested information.

In which way the change of the representation of the route trace takes place is fundamentally arbitrary. It is particularly easy and intuitive to perceive the change of the route track in a change in the width of the route track and / or a change in the coloring of the route track and / or a change in the design or arrangement of symbols on the route track. Of course, the different possibilities for changing the representation of the route track can also be combined with one another

According to a first variant of the method, it is provided that radii of curvature in the route are retrieved from the database and this additional information is symbolized by a curvature signature on the route track. As a result, the driver can be made aware in particular of sharp turns to warn him against too fast driving. If a direction signature is present at the route track by the insertion of corresponding symbols, in particular arrow symbols, the curvature signature can be represented by arranging these symbols of the direction signature or by changing the design of these symbols of the direction signature. According to a preferred embodiment, it is therefore provided that the curvature signature is represented by the distance between the symbols of the direction signature. The distance between the symbols of the direction signature should be the smaller, the larger the radius of curvature shown, since this type of representation corresponds to the intuitive feeling of the user.

Alternatively or in addition thereto, the curvature signature can also be represented by the different size of the symbols of the direction signature. Thus, it is particularly advantageous if the size of the symbols of the direction signature is greater, the greater the radius of curvature illustrated.

Alternatively, the curvature signature may also be represented by a changing color gradient of the route trace. It is conceivable, for example, that the route track is shown in green in straight sections, yellow in sections with smaller radii of curvature and red in sections with high radii of curvature. Even continuous color transitions are conceivable in such color gradients.

According to a further variant, a recommended target speed for the roads of the route can be queried from the database and symbolized with a speed signature on the route lane.

As a speed signature, it is particularly suitable that the route track is displayed with different widths. The width of the route track should be greater, the lower the target speed shown. Thus, for example, curves should be displayed wider than straight route sections because of the lower setpoint speed to be recommended in the route track. Alternatively or in addition thereto, the speed signature can also be represented by a changing color gradient of the route track.

The representation of the route trace according to the invention can be used both in 2D representation variants and in 3D representation variants.

Various variants of the method are illustrated schematically in the drawings and are explained below by way of example.

Show it:

1 shows the representation of a route trace in a map view according to a first variant of the method;

FIG. 2 shows the representation of a route trace in a map view according to a second variant of the method; FIG.

3 shows the representation of a route trace in a map view according to a third variant of the method;

4 shows the representation of a route trace in a map view according to a fourth variant of the method;

5 shows the illustration of a route trace in a map view according to a fifth variant of the method.

1 shows a schematic view of a display device 01 of a navigation system, for example the LCD screen of a mobile navigation device, on which a map view 02 is displayed electronically. The map view 02 schematically represents a specific section of a geographical area with the streets therein as street tracks 03.

The route calculated by the navigation system, which guides the user from the starting point to the destination point, is symbolized in the map view 02 by a route track 04. In the map section shown, the calculated route runs along two roads, with a left turn Operation is also required as a turning maneuver. The two streets are shown in map view 02 by the road lanes 03 a and 03 b. The route trace 04 is superimposed according to the method according to the invention in the map view 02 in the road tracks 03a and 03b belonging to the route, ie the route trace 04 runs above the road tracks 03a and 03b. The current position of the user is symbolized by an arrow symbol 05 in the map view 02.

The route trace 04 is shown in semi-transparent manner in the map view 02, so that, for example, the street name "Neusser Strasse" on the road lane 03a is not unreadable covered, thereby significantly improving the recognizability of street names.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a map view 06 in the display device 01, which largely corresponds to the map view 02. In addition, a road marking 07 is still displayed on the road track 03b in the map view 06. Since the route lane 04 is narrower than half of the road lane 03b shown in the map view 06, the lane marking 07 is not covered. Instead, the route track 04 corresponds in its width just the road 08 marked by the road marking 07 on the road track 03b. The opposite lane 09 on the road lane 03b can be used to represent the street name of the corresponding road, in the example shown, "Haroldstrasse." The arrow symbol 05 is preferably likewise offset correspondingly to the right-hand side Area in which there is not, as in the example shown, right-hand traffic but left-hand traffic, the route track 04 would run on the left side, ie on the carriageway 09.

FIG. 3 shows the display device 01 when a map view 10 is displayed. The route track 1 1 used in the map view 10 is narrower and, in addition to the actual route track, has a direction signature which is represented by arrow symbols 12. The arrow direction of the arrow symbols 12 symbolizes the necessary direction of travel on the route lane 11. As additional information, the radius of curvature of the route lane 1 1 is indicated by the arrow symbols 12, namely by the distance between the respective adjacent arrow symbols 12. As can be seen in the example shown, the distance between the individual arrow symbols 12 in the curve between the two road tracks 03a and 03b is smaller than the distance in the straight sections.

In the map view 10, the route lane 1 1 runs along the road lane 03a substantially horizontally over the display device 01. Accordingly, the route lane 1 1 is shown laterally offset in this section I I a and runs next to the associated road lane 03a.

4 shows a map view 13 on the display device 01 with a route trace 14. The route trace 14 corresponds in principle to the route trace 11, but the curve radius of the route is not represented by the directional arrow symbols 12 but by a changing color gradient becomes. In straight-running sections, the route track 14 is brightly colored, whereas the coloring of the route track 14 becomes increasingly darker as the radius of curvature increases. The highest darkness has the route trace 14 in the curve between the two road sections 03a and 03b.

The section 14a of the route lane 14 is again displayed laterally offset from the road lane 03a.

Fig. 5 shows a further imple mentation form 15 of a map view on the display device 01. The route trace 16 displayed there is used in addition to the display of the route to be traveled along the road lanes 03a and 03b also the display of a recommended target speed. This setpoint speed along the route is queried from the database and encoded into a speed signature. The coding takes place via the variation of the width of the route trace 16. The route trace 16 is the wider the lower the recommended target velocity. It can be seen that in the curve where the target speed is naturally the lowest, the route trace 16 is its largest Has width. The section 16a of the route lane again runs laterally offset from the road lane 03a.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

Display device Map view Road lane Route lane Arrow icon (current location) Map view Lane marker Right lane Left lane Map view Route lane Arrow icon (direction of travel) Map view Route lane Map view Route lane

Claims

claims

1. A method for operating a navigation system with the following driving steps: a) calculating a route from a starting point to a destination point, the route being selected using a routing procedure from a database in which a geographical area is described , b) calculating and displaying a map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) on a display device (01), wherein the map view (02, 06,

10, 13, 15) represents at least a section of the geographical area, and wherein the roads present in the cut are schematically represented as road tracks (03), c) calculation and display of a route track (04, 11, 14, 16) graphically illustrates the course of the route graphically, with the

Route trace (04, 1 1, 14, 16) in the map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) on the display device (01) is displayed such that the route lane (04, 1 1, 14, 16) the road lanes (03a, 03b) of roads that are part of the route, covered, characterized in that the route trace (04, 1 1, 14, 16) in the map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) is at least slightly narrower as the underlying road lane (03a, 03b).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the route track (04, 1 1, 14, 16) is displayed semi-transparent, wherein the transparency of the route track (04, 1 1, 14, 16) the recognizability of other representation components of the map view ( 02, 06, 10, 13, 15) which are covered by the route track (04, 11, 14, 16).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) road markings (07) at least on a part of the road lanes (03) are displayed, in particular at the road lanes ( 03a, 03b), which are part of the route.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the route track (04, 1 1, 14, 16) is at least slightly narrower than a by the lane markings (07) marked lane.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the display of road markings (07) in dependence of the magnification factor of the map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15), in particular that the display of the road markings (07) only in the vicinity of the Map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) takes place.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the route track (04, 1 1, 14, 16) narrower than half in the map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) shown road lane (03 ).

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is queried from a database, whether in the geographic area represented by the map view (02, 06, 10, 13, 15) right traffic or left-hand traffic prevails, wherein in legal traffic the Route trace (04, 1 1, 14, 16) on the right side of the road lane (03) is shown, and wherein in left-hand traffic, the route lane (04, 1 1, 14, 16) on the left side of the road lane (03) is shown ,

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the route track (04, 1 1, 14, 16) at least partially offset from the road lane (03 a) is displayed, wherein the route lane does not cover the road lane.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that substantially horizontally on the display device (01) shown parts (I I a, 14 a, 16 a) of the route track (1 1, 14, 16) offset from the road lane (03 a) are displayed.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the direction of travel of the route with a direction signature on the route track (1 1), in particular by arrow symbols (12), symbolized.

1 1. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that from a database additional information, in particular predefined criteria of the roads that are part of the route are queried, wherein the representation of the route track (1 1, 14, 16) in

Dependence of the requested information is changed.

12. The method of claim 1 1, characterized in that the change in the representation of the route track (1 1, 14, 16) in dependence of the predefined criteria by changing the width of the route track (16) and / or by changing the color of the route track ( 14) and / or by changing the design and / or arrangement of the route track (1 1) displayed symbols (12) is realized.

13. The method of claim 1 1 or 12, characterized in that radii of curvature of the route, in particular sharp curves, symbolized by a curvature signature on the route track (1 1, 14).

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the curvature signature is represented by the distance between symbols (12) of the direction signature.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the distance between the symbols (12) of the direction signature is smaller, the greater the radius of curvature illustrated.

16. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the curvature signature is represented by the different size of the symbols of the direction signature.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the size of the symbols of the direction signature is greater, the greater the radius of curvature illustrated.

18. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the curvature signature is represented by a changing color gradient of the route track (14).

19. The method of claim 1 1, characterized in that a desired speed on the route with a speed signature on the route track (16) is symbolized.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that speed signature is represented by different widths of the route track (16).

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that the width of the route track (16) is greater, the lower the target speed shown is.

2. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that speed signature is represented by a changing color gradient of the route track.