JP2000200036A - Device and method for indicating bearing - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to easily understand a bearing. SOLUTION: A navigation device is provided with a regional name data (b) consisting of the administrative division names of the whole country as 'Japan', 'the Tokyo metropolitan area.', 'Kanagawa Pref.' and graphic data (c) imitating the shapes of the regions corresponding to the administrative division names, etc. When a map is displayed on a monitor, a graphic data (c) corresponding to the present place and a graphic data (c) of the region including the point where user's own house is registered are called from a memory, and displayed with a map as a bearing mark indicating the bearing. Moreover, the bearing mark is rotated with respect to the direction (bearing) of the map. Thus, it is possible for a user to intuitively know the heading direction, etc., from the direction of the bearing mark. Moreover, If a similar bearing mark is printed on the face of a bearing magnetic compass, the user can intuitively know the bearing of an arbitrary direction from the shape of the bearing mark.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an azimuth indicating apparatus and an azimuth indicating method for indicating an azimuth, and more particularly to an azimuth indicating apparatus and an azimuth indicating method used together with a map display device or alone.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a vehicle-mounted navigation device, when a map around the position of the vehicle based on map data is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor or the like, the traveling direction of the vehicle is always constant (upper or right on the screen). , Left) to prevent the driver from feeling uncomfortable in the sense of direction. Also, as shown in FIG. 8, a vehicle position mark A and a direction mark B indicating the direction of north (N) imitating a direction magnet are displayed on the map. Such an azimuth mark B is displayed at a place where it does not get in the way when viewing the map, and its direction is adjusted to the direction corresponding to the map. In other words, the direction pointing north is adjusted so that the driver or the like is notified of the direction in which the vehicle is traveling.

[0003]

However, since the conventional azimuth mark B indicates which direction of the displayed map is "north", the azimuth mark B is displayed. However, apart from a user who has particularly good geographical sensation, the general user cannot be instructed to which region or place the vehicle is heading.

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and has as its object to provide an azimuth indicating apparatus and an azimuth indicating method that allow a user to easily understand an azimuth.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a map showing the current location of the user is displayed on the display means based on the self-position information. An orientation indicating device used for a map display device for adjusting the orientation of the map in the direction in which the traveling direction of the user is a constant direction, wherein an orientation mark imitating a shape of a predetermined area is oriented in a direction corresponding to the map. And a control means for displaying on the display means. In such a configuration, the azimuth mark displayed on the display means informs the traveling direction and the azimuth of an arbitrary point on the map by changing the direction of the shape according to the direction of the displayed map. Since the shape imitates the shape of a predetermined area, the user can intuitively know the shape.

In the invention according to claim 2, the azimuth mark represents an area including a home registered by a home registration function for registering an arbitrary point on the map of the map display as a home. It had the shape which was set. In such a configuration, the azimuth mark has a shape imitating an area including the user's home, that is, a familiar shape, so that the user can more intuitively know the traveling direction and the like.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage means for storing a plurality of types of azimuth marks, a determination means for determining an area including a current position of the user based on the self-position information, Setting means for retrieving the azimuth mark imitating the shape of the area determined by the means from the storage means, and setting the azimuth mark as the azimuth mark to be displayed on the display means by the control means. In such a configuration, an azimuth mark having a shape imitating the actual current location area is automatically set.

Further, in the invention according to claim 4, a storage means for storing a plurality of types of direction marks and a plurality of types of direction marks stored in the storage means are selected by a user. Selection setting means for calling the azimuth mark set by the control means and setting the azimuth mark as an azimuth mark to be displayed on the display means. In such a configuration, the user can use an azimuth mark having a shape most suitable for the user's sense and in which the azimuth is most easily understood.

According to the invention of claim 5, when displaying a map showing the current position of the user, the direction of the map is adjusted so that the traveling direction of the user is constant, and the adjustment is performed. At times, the direction of the azimuth mark imitating the shape of a predetermined area displayed together with the map is adjusted to a direction corresponding to the map. In such a method, the azimuth mark can inform the traveling direction and the azimuth of an arbitrary point on the map, and since the shape simulates the shape of a predetermined area, the user can intuitively recognize it. You can know.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the azimuth indicating device for indicating an azimuth by a magnetic needle, an azimuth mark imitating a shape of a predetermined area is provided on one of the magnetic needle and a main body supporting the magnetic needle. For example, provided by printing, attached with a member on which an azimuth mark is printed, or molded as an azimuth mark. In such a configuration, the user can intuitively know the azimuth in any direction from the shape of the azimuth mark provided on either the magnetic needle or the main body.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a home registration function for registering an arbitrary point on a map desired by a user as a home, and adjusting the direction of the map so that the traveling direction of the vehicle is always constant, in addition to the direction indicating device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram showing a vehicle-mounted navigation device having general functions such as functions. The navigation device demodulates and decodes an L1 band C / A code from a satellite received by the GPS antenna 1 and a GPS block 2 for calculating the latitude and longitude of the current position.
The latitude / longitude information determined by the GPS block 2 is taken into the CPU 4 via the bus 3. The CPU 4 is connected via a bus 3 to a ROM 5 storing an operation program of the CPU 4 and a RAM 6 used as a working memory of the CPU 4. Note that the CPU 4 functions as a control unit of the present invention by executing processing according to a flowchart described later. The RAM 6 is capable of retaining the stored contents by a backup power supply, and stores various setting contents set by the user, for example, position information indicating a specific point set as a home using a home registration function.

The bus 3 has a graphic controller 7
And the CPU peripheral circuit G / A8, and the CP
A CD block 9 is connected to the U peripheral circuit G / A8. The CD block 9 is stored in the map CD-ROM 10 in accordance with an instruction of the CPU 4 based on the latitude / longitude information calculated by the GPS block 2, and
The map data at the scale requested at that time is read and output as necessary. The map data is map / road information, intersection information, and the like including road data and place name data. Various data output from the CD block 9 is CP
It is sent to the CPU 4 via the U peripheral circuit G / A8. Further, the data read from the CD-ROM 10 is sent to the monitor 12 by the graphic controller 7 via the video RAM 11 together with other image information stored in the video RAM 11. As a result, on the screen of the monitor 12, the surrounding map of the current location, the vehicle position mark, and the direction mark are displayed.

When a surrounding map of the present location is displayed, the CPU 4 simultaneously displays an azimuth mark on the monitor 12.
Is connected to an azimuth mark memory 13 in which various azimuth marks used for displaying on the screen are stored. The azimuth mark memory 13 is a storage means of the present invention, and as shown in FIG.
b and c are the memories stored correspondingly. "Japan", "Tokyo", "Kanagawa" as the area name data b
And the names of prefectures of the whole country are stored. As the graphic data c, a graphic that imitates the shape of a region such as a prefecture indicated by the region name data b is stored. The CPU peripheral circuit G / A8 includes a mode key, a preset key, and the like, which are provided for operating the navigation device and are used for switching various operation modes such as a map display mode.
A key input unit 14 having various operation keys (not shown) such as a memory key and a cursor key is connected.

In this embodiment, the CPU 4
The operation program is stored in the ROM 5, but the operation program is recorded as compressed data on the map CD-ROM 10, and is expanded on a memory such as the RAM 6 as necessary, or supplied from the outside. It may be. Also, the data of the direction mark memory 13 is
It is stored in the map CD-ROM 10 in advance, and R
AM6 or azimuth mark memory 13
May be configured as a data rewritable nonvolatile memory, and the above-described data may be supplied from the outside.

Next, the procedure of map display processing by the CPU 4 when the navigation mode is selected in the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

That is, when the navigation mode is selected, the CPU 4 detects the current position based on the latitude / longitude information acquired by the GPS block 2 (step SA).
1) Map data around the current location is stored on a map CD-ROM 10
And the direction of the map (the amount of rotation about the current position) is determined so that the traveling direction of the own vehicle is on the upper side of the screen of the monitor 12 (step SA2). Subsequently, the CPU 4 performs the azimuth mark selection processing shown in FIG. 4, and sets any of the figures stored in the azimuth mark memory 13 as the azimuth mark (step SA3, see FIG. 4). This processing will be described separately.
Then, the CPU 4 displays on the monitor 12 a map around the current position adjusted to the direction in which the traveling direction of the own vehicle is upward, the own vehicle position mark, and the azimuth mark (step SA4), and then proceeds to step SA1. Upon returning, the above-described processing is repeated until the navigation mode ends.

Hereinafter, the above-described direction mark selection processing will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, after calling the data of the map to be displayed and determining the direction of the map in the process of the step SA2, the CPU 4 first sets a plurality of types of azimuth marks prepared in advance in the navigation device. It is determined whether or not one of the display modes (in the present embodiment, two types of the current location mode and the home location mode are prepared) is being set (step SB).
1). If none of the modes is set (NO in step SB1), the key input unit 1
It is determined whether or not the user has requested the change of the azimuth mark by operating the predetermined key 4 (step SB2). If there is no change request, a basic figure imitating a compass or a figure selected by a user's later-described selection operation is set as a direction mark (step SB7), and the map of the map determined in step SA2 is set. After determining the amount of rotation of the azimuth mark according to the direction, that is, the amount of rotation to make the east, west, north and south directions of the figure coincide with those of the map (step SB6), the process returns to the main routine shown in FIG. Therefore, when a basic figure is set as an azimuth mark in step SB7, a map screen similar to that shown in FIG. 8 in the related art is displayed on the monitor 12 in step SA4 described above.

On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step SB2 is Y
If it is ES and there is a change request from the user,
Region name data b from azimuth mark memory 13 (see FIG. 2)
, And a list of area names is displayed on the screen of the monitor 12, and the user performs key operations to select a desired area (step SB4). At this time, it is also possible to select the initialization using the above-described basic graphic as an azimuth mark separately from the area name. Subsequently, when the selection operation by the user is completed (YE in step SB4).
S), the graphic data c corresponding to the selected area is called from the azimuth mark memory 13, the figure is set as the azimuth mark, and stored in the RAM 6 (step SB5).
Then, the rotation amount is determined in step SB6, and the process returns to the main routine. Therefore, in step SB4, for example, when “Japan” is selected as the area name, the monitor 12
5, a map screen in which an azimuth mark B imitating the shape of the Japanese archipelago is displayed at a predetermined location together with the vehicle position mark A and the bar scale S is displayed. And
Thereafter, if the traveling direction of the vehicle changes, the direction mark B rotates in conjunction with the direction of the map that changes.

Thus, the driver or the like can know from which direction the vehicle is traveling in the direction of the Japanese archipelago. Moreover, compared to the conventional case where the direction mark B indicating the direction of the map is “north” is displayed, the driver and the like intuitively know the direction of the traveling direction from the direction of the Japanese archipelago. be able to. Therefore, the user can easily understand the traveling direction of the vehicle or the azimuth of an arbitrary point displayed on the map.
Further, the driver or the like can more easily know the traveling direction and the like of the vehicle by selecting and using the direction mark B having the shape that is most easily comprehensible for the sense of the driver and using the direction. .

In addition, separately from the above step SB1
Is YES, the display mode for any of the azimuth marks is set, and it is the current location mode (YES in step SB8),
Based on the current position detected in step SA1, the travel area of the own vehicle is determined (step SB9), and the area name corresponding to the determined travel area is searched from the area name data b in the azimuth mark memory 13 and searched. The figure data c corresponding to the designated area name data b is called, the figure is set as an azimuth mark, and stored in the RAM 6 (step SB10). Then, the rotation amount is determined in step SB6, and the process returns to the main routine. Therefore, while the current location mode is being set, if the vehicle is traveling in Tokyo, for example, the direction mark B having a shape imitating the shape of Tokyo is monitored as shown in FIG. 12 are displayed on the map screen. Therefore, while the current location mode is being set, the azimuth mark B having a shape corresponding to the area where the vehicle is actually traveling is automatically set.
The direction of travel is easy to understand. Further, the driver or the like does not need to select the azimuth mark B according to the area where the vehicle is traveling, and is convenient.

Further, when the home area mode is set as the display mode for the azimuth mark (YES in step SB1 and NO in SB8), the position information of the point set in advance by the user as the home is called from the RAM 6, By the same processing as in step SB10, a figure corresponding to the area including the point is set as an azimuth mark and stored in the RAM 6 (step SB1).
1). Then, the rotation amount is determined in step SB6, and the process returns to the main routine. Therefore, during the setting of the home area mode, the azimuth mark B of a figure imitating the shape of the prefecture where the home is located is displayed on the map screen of the monitor 12 in accordance with the processing of step SA4 described above.
For example, if a home is set in Tokyo, a map screen as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed.

Here, the area where the home is located is the area where the driving frequency is the highest, and the shape of the area is generally familiar to the driver and the like. For this reason, drivers only need to set the home area mode,
It is possible to use the azimuth mark B having a familiar shape immediately, that is, the shape in which the azimuth is most easily understood, without performing the operation of selecting the azimuth mark B, which is convenient. In addition, since the setting is automatically performed, the usability is good.

In the present embodiment, the Japanese archipelago and prefectures are exemplified as the regional shape used as the azimuth mark B. However, in addition to this, the shapes of municipalities having a narrow range, such as geographical regions, etc. Or, a shape of a predetermined area other than the administrative division may be used as the azimuth mark B.
In the above-described direction mark selection process, a mode for setting a different direction mark B according to the scale of the map displayed on the monitor 12 when the current location mode or the home area mode is set may be provided. . For example, when the detailed map is displayed, the azimuth mark B is set to imitate the shape of a municipality, and when the wide area map is displayed, the azimuth mark B is imitated to the shape of a prefecture. May be set. Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described navigation device for in-vehicle use, but may be applied to a hand-held type navigation device. Even in such a case, the same effects can be naturally obtained.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an azimuth indicating device 21 which functions differently from the above-described one. The azimuth indicating device 21 has a plane circular main body 22 like a general azimuth magnet, and a magnetic needle 23 rotatably attached thereto. In addition,
The shape of the magnetic needle 23 is an arrow pointing to the north. At the center of the surface 22a of the main body 22, an azimuth mark 24 having a shape imitating the Japanese archipelago with the center of rotation O of the magnetic needle 23 as the center is printed, and "N" and "S" are printed on the outer peripheral edge of the surface 22a. "
The characters “E” and “W” are printed. Although not shown, a cover glass for protecting the magnetic needle 23 is attached to the main body 22.

When the azimuth indicating device 21 having such a configuration is used, similarly to a normal azimuth magnet, for example, as shown in FIG.
From the state shown in FIG. 7B, the main body 22 is moved so that the magnetic needle 23 points to the character "N" as shown in FIG.
By rotating, the azimuth in any direction can be read. At this time, since the direction mark 24 having a shape imitating the Japanese archipelago that appears to overlap with the magnetic needle 23 is present on the surface 22a, the user can roughly indicate the direction in any direction from the shape of the direction mark 24, You can know intuitively. Therefore, in the direction indicating device 21, the user can easily understand the direction in any direction.

In this embodiment, the main body 22
Although the characters "N", "S", "E", and "W" are printed on the front surface 22a, only the character "N" or a mark instead of the characters may be printed. The magnetic needle 23 may have a function of adjusting (rotating) the direction of the azimuth mark 24 (Japanese archipelago) to a correct azimuth. Any other direction indicating means indicating any direction may be used instead. Further, the shape imitating the Japanese archipelago is illustrated as the azimuth mark 24, but other shapes such as those described in the first embodiment may be used as necessary. For example, the azimuth mark 24 may have a site shape of an amusement park, a zoo, or a theme park having a large site area, or a shape imitating a specific area therein. That is, although the use place is limited, the direction mark 24
If the shape of the amusement park is the shape of the amusement park, by using the direction indicating device 21 together with a general guide map, it is possible to easily search for the target place as compared with the case where only the directions of the guide map are used, It is convenient.

In the present embodiment, the one having a configuration similar to that of a general compass is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The same effect can also be obtained by configuring a liquid crystal display panel to display an azimuth mark using the liquid crystal display panel as a display unit, or conversely, performing a display having the same function as the magnetic needle 23 on the liquid crystal display panel. can get.

Although the azimuth mark 24 is printed on the surface 22a of the main body 22, the azimuth mark 2 is printed on the magnetic needle 23.
Four plates may be attached (or the magnetic needle 23 itself is formed into a shape imitating the Japanese archipelago).

[0029]

As described above, in the azimuth indicating apparatus and the azimuth indicating method of the present invention, the direction of the azimuth mark which imitates the shape of a predetermined area displayed together with the map is changed, so that the heading direction and the direction on the map are changed. The orientation of any point in
The user can be intuitively informed. Therefore, the user can easily understand the direction. Further, since the familiar shape is set as the azimuth mark, the user can know the traveling direction and the like more intuitively. In addition, the direction mark of the shape imitating the area of the actual present location is automatically set,
Since the user can automatically use an orientation mark having a shape most suitable for the user's sense and in which the orientation is most easily understood, the usability is improved.

In another invention, the user can intuitively know the azimuth in any direction from the shape of the azimuth mark provided on either the magnetic needle or the main body. Therefore, the user can easily understand the direction. Moreover, since the structure is simple, it can be provided at low cost.

[0031]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a navigation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a data configuration in an orientation mark memory.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a map display processing procedure in a navigation mode.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an azimuth mark selection processing procedure.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a map screen.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of another map screen.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are plan views of an azimuth indicating device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 7A illustrates a state in which the azimuth is read, and FIG. It is.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a map screen showing a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 GPS block 4 CPU 5 ROM 6 RAM 10 Map CD-ROM 12 Monitor 13 Direction mark memory B Direction mark

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F-term (reference) 2C032 HB08 HC25 HC27 HD03 2F029 AA02 AA07 AB07 AB13 AC02 AC04 AC14 AC16 5H180 AA01 AA21 BB13 FF05 FF22 FF27 FF33 FF40 9A001 BB02 BB03 CC05 DD13 FF03 GG01 GG01 JJH24

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A map for displaying, on a display means, a map on which the user's current position is indicated based on his / her own location information, and adjusting the direction of the map on the display means to a direction in which the traveling direction of the user becomes a fixed direction. An azimuth indicating device for use in a display device, comprising: control means for displaying an azimuth mark imitating a shape of a predetermined area on the display means in an orientation corresponding to the map. 2. The azimuth mark has a shape imitating an area including a home registered by a home registration function for registering an arbitrary point on a map of the map display device as a home. The azimuth indicating device according to claim 1. 3. A storage unit for storing a plurality of types of azimuth marks; a determination unit for determining an area including a current position of the user based on the self-position information; and a model of the area determined by the determination unit. 2. The azimuth indicating device according to claim 1, further comprising: setting means for retrieving said azimuth mark from said storage means and setting said azimuth mark as an azimuth mark to be displayed on said display means. 4. A storage means for storing a plurality of types of direction marks, and a direction mark selected by a user is called from a plurality of types of direction marks stored in the storage means.
4. The azimuth indicating device according to claim 1, further comprising a selection setting unit configured to set the azimuth mark to be displayed on the display unit by the control unit. 5. When displaying a map showing the current position of the user, the direction of the map is adjusted so that the traveling direction of the user is constant, and at the time of the adjustment, a predetermined area displayed together with the map is displayed. A direction of a direction mark imitating the shape of the map is adjusted to a direction corresponding to the map. 6. An azimuth indicating device for indicating an azimuth by a magnetic needle, wherein an azimuth mark imitating a shape of a predetermined area is provided on one of the magnetic needle and a main body supporting the magnetic needle. apparatus.