JP2001082968A - Navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display a larger amount of information about roads which a vehicle is expected to take by enabling the position of the vehicle on a map displayed on a screen to be moved to a certain position and displayed. SOLUTION: A display range setting part 5 has a means enabling the displayed position of a vehicle position to be set in a certain position. Using as a reference the displayed position of the vehicle position set therein, a display range sensing part 4 calculates a range to be actually displayed on a screen, from map information stored in a display information storage part 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation device for displaying map information such as road information based on current position information, and for guiding a user to a destination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional navigation system, there are only two positions for displaying a vehicle position mark during navigation.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display of a conventional navigation device. FIG. 6 shows the position of the own vehicle (indicated by a black circle) at the center on the display screen.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of a screen display of a conventional navigation device. Fig. 7 shows the position of the vehicle (marked with ●).
, A front wide display that displays more map information ahead of the traveling direction.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a conventional navigation device. Reference numeral 1 denotes a current position detection unit, which is a GPS receiver using a GPS system, an acceleration sensor,
An autonomous navigation device using a gyro sensor or a combination of the above two devices is applicable. 2
Is a map information storage unit, and a CD-ROM driving device that drives the map information and the CD-ROM recorded on the CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, or a hard disk device that stores the map information is applicable. . Reference numeral 3 denotes a display control unit, which develops the map information stored in the map information storage unit into an image and displays the image on the display unit 7. Reference numeral 6 denotes a display information storage unit that develops the map information from the map information storage unit 2 as display information and temporarily stores the map information.
A DRAM or the like is applied. Reference numeral 8 denotes a display range setting unit, which sets a display position of the vehicle position on the screen.
The display range setting unit 8 only needs to store two display ranges based on the two vehicle positions.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a display range of a conventional navigation device. In the figure, the vehicle position mark is displayed at the center of the screen. (0, 0) indicates the position of the vehicle, (X1, Y1), (X2, Y2), (X3, Y
3), (X4, Y4) indicate the range of the map information stored in the display information storage unit 6 by (x1, y1), (x2, y2),
(X3, y3) and (x4, y4) are the display information storage unit 6
2 shows a range displayed on the display unit 7 in the map information stored in the display unit 7. As shown in the figure, the display information storage unit 6 manages map information with the origin (0, 0) of the coordinates as the own vehicle position.

[0007]

When the own vehicle position mark is displayed at the center (center) on the displayed map as shown in FIG. 6, information on surrounding roads, landmarks and the like is widely distributed in all directions. Become recognizable.

[0008] When a large amount of map information relating to the traveling direction is displayed (front wide display) as shown in FIG. 7, the driver needs more information such as roads and landmarks relating to the traveling direction. This is a very effective display method in some cases.

However, if only the two display methods described above are used, it is not possible to satisfy the demands of each driver according to various situations. For example, if the road on which the vehicle is currently running is displayed diagonally to the right on the display screen, displaying the vehicle position mark near the lower left of the screen for the driver gives more information to the traveling direction. Can be obtained.

As described above, the conventional technology has a problem that the position where the vehicle position mark is displayed on the map display screen is not always displayed at the best position for the driver.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a map information storage unit for storing map information, a current position detection unit for measuring a current position, and general control for display. A display control unit that performs map data display, a display unit that displays map information under the control of the display control unit, a display information storage unit that stores map information read from the map information storage unit, and a current position on the screen. A display range setting unit for setting whether to display a position mark, and a display range detection for determining which part in the display information storage unit to display based on the current position information set by the display range setting unit. A navigation device, wherein a display position of a current position mark set by the display range setting unit can be set to an arbitrary position on a display screen under the control of the display range detection unit. It was.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention according to claim 1 of the present invention provides a map information storage unit for storing map information, a current position detection unit for measuring a current position, and a display control for performing overall control on display. Unit, a display unit for displaying map information under the control of the display control unit, a display information storage unit for storing map information read from the map information storage unit, and a current position mark displayed at any position on the screen. A display range setting unit that sets whether to perform, based on the current position information set by the display range setting unit, a display range detection unit that determines which part in the display information storage unit is to be displayed, A navigation device characterized in that the display position of the current position mark set by the display range setting unit can be set to an arbitrary position on the display screen under the control of the display range detection unit. It has become possible to set the display position of the mark to any position in the display screen.

[0013] The invention according to claim 2 of the present invention further comprises a route setting means for presetting a route to a destination and performing route guidance, wherein the display range setting section is set by the route setting means. 2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the current position mark is moved so that the road information of the traveling direction to be displayed is displayed more. Since many images can be displayed on the display device, an efficient and easy-to-see navigation device can be provided.

[0014] The invention according to claim 3 of the present invention further comprises a peripheral information collecting means for collecting peripheral information, wherein the display range setting unit controls to move a current position mark using the peripheral information. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the set peripheral information can be displayed more in the display device, whereby an efficient and easy-to-view navigation device can be provided.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a navigation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a current position detecting unit, which is a GPS receiver using a GPS system, an autonomous navigation device using an acceleration sensor or a gyro sensor, or a combination of the above two devices. It is possible. 2 is a map information storage unit, which is a CD-R
C for driving map information and CD-ROM recorded in OM
A D-ROM drive, a DVD-ROM, a hard disk device storing map information, and the like are applicable. Reference numeral 3 denotes a display control unit, which develops the map information stored in the map information storage unit into an image and displays the image on the display unit 7. Reference numeral 4 denotes a display range detection unit, which calculates a range of a screen to be displayed on the display unit 7 based on the set display position of the current position on the display screen. A display range setting unit 5 sets a display position of a current position on a display screen.
Reference numeral 6 denotes a display information storage unit, which develops the map information from the map information storage unit 2 as display information and temporarily stores the display information, such as a DRAM. Display information storage unit 6
Stores map information in a range wider than the range normally displayed. Reference numeral 7 denotes a display unit on which map information and a mark indicating the current position are displayed, and a liquid crystal display or the like is applied.

The operation of the navigation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

The map information is displayed on the display unit 7 as follows. First, the current position detecting unit 1 obtains (latitude, longitude) coordinate information on the map, which is the position information of the current position, and the map information around the current position is read from the map information storage unit 2 and stored as display information. Stored in the unit 6. Normally, the display information storage unit 6 stores map information in a range wider than the displayed range. The display range detection unit 4 calculates a range to be displayed from the map information stored in the display information storage unit 6 based on the display position of the current position on the display screen set by the display range setting unit 5. I do. The display control unit 3 reads the map information of the range to be displayed from the display information storage unit 6 and displays the map information on the display unit 7.

A method of moving the display position of the vehicle position mark will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a display range of the navigation device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

In the figure, (X1, Y1), (X2, Y
2), (X3, Y3), (X4, Y4) indicate the range of the map information stored in the display information storage unit 6 by (x1, y1),
(X2, y2), (x3, y3), (x4, y4)
The range displayed on the display unit 7 in the map information stored in the display information storage unit 6 is shown. Usually, information several times larger than the map information displayed on the display unit 7 is stored in the display information storage unit 6.

At the time of setting the vehicle position, the user moves the vehicle position mark displayed on the screen using an input device (remote control, cursor key, touch panel, pointing device, etc.) and displays the vehicle position mark. Decide where you want to go. The display range setting unit 5 calculates the position coordinates (x, y) of the vehicle position mark on the display screen, and passes the position coordinates (x, y) to the display range detection unit 4. The display range setting unit 5 considers the center of the screen as the origin of coordinates (0, 0) and calculates the amount of movement (x, y) from the origin. Next, the display range detection unit 4 calculates the range of the map information to be displayed from the position coordinates (x, y) of the own vehicle position mark. The range of map information to be displayed is as shown in FIG.
Using the movement amount (x, y) of the own vehicle position mark, (x1
-X, y1 + y), (x2 + x, y1 + y), (x3-
x, y1-y) and (x4 + x, y4-y). The display control unit 3 displays map information on the display unit 7 using the newly calculated display range.

For example, when a DRAM (Direct Random Access Memory) is used for the map information storage unit 2, the change of the display range corresponds to the change of the read address.

The map information displayed on the display unit 7 is often managed and stored in the display information storage unit 6 according to the content of the information. In that case, each display range is calculated in a similar manner using the movement amount (x, y) of the own vehicle position mark, and a new display range is determined.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display of the navigation device of the present invention. With the above-described method, the mark of the current position can be displayed at a position such as a mark in the figure.

(Embodiment 2) Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a navigation device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the components denoted by the same reference numerals are the same as those described in the first embodiment, and the description is omitted. 10 is a path setting means,
A route to the destination is set.

The operation of the navigation device according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. When a route to the destination is set and route guidance is performed, it is desirable that more road information be displayed on the screen since a road to be passed is already determined. Therefore, this is realized by providing the following means.

In the map information stored in the display information storage unit 6, the current position obtained from the current position detection unit 1
The display range is calculated by the display range detection unit 4 so as to include more roads set as the route guidance roads obtained from the route setting unit 10.

At this time, it is assumed that the display position of the vehicle position mark is displayed at a position where it can be easily recognized.

(Embodiment 3) Next, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a navigation device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the components denoted by the same reference numerals are the same as those described in the first embodiment, and the description is omitted. Reference numeral 11 denotes a peripheral information collecting unit that collects information on a screen currently displayed.

The operation of the navigation device according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. When the side of the traveling road is the sea, it is more effective to display more land side map information than to display the sea map. In this way, the map information around the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling is detected by the surrounding information collecting means 11, and the own vehicle position mark is automatically moved to the optimum position. The map information around the road on which the vehicle is currently traveling is detected using the current position information obtained from the current position detection unit 1 and the map information stored in the display information storage unit 6. The display range is automatically calculated by the display range detection unit 4 using the result.

The present invention is particularly applicable to an in-vehicle navigation system, but is not limited thereto. For example, it may be a portable navigation system carried by a person or a navigation system for a motorcycle.

[0035]

According to the present invention, the display position of the vehicle position mark can be set to an arbitrary position, and more information on the traveling direction can be displayed.

Further, the provision of the means for automatically moving the own vehicle position mark makes it possible to reduce the burden on the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display of a navigation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a navigation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a display range of the navigation device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a navigation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a navigation device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display of a conventional navigation device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of a screen display of a conventional navigation device.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a conventional navigation device.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a display range of a conventional navigation device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Current position detection part 2 Map information storage part 3 Display control part 4 Display range detection part 5 Display range setting part 6 Display information storage part 7 Display part 8 Display range designation part 10 Route setting means 11 Neighboring information collecting means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A map information storage unit for storing map information, a current position detection unit for measuring a current position, a display control unit for performing overall control on display, and display of map information by control of the display control unit. And a display information storage unit that stores the map information read from the map information storage unit,
A display range setting unit for setting at which position on the screen the current position mark is to be displayed, and which part in the display information storage unit is displayed based on the current position information set by the display range setting unit A display range detection unit for determining whether the display position of the current position mark set by the display range setting unit can be set to an arbitrary position on a display screen under the control of the display range detection unit. A featured navigation device. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a route setting means for setting a route to the destination in advance and performing route guidance, wherein said display range setting section has a larger amount of road information in a traveling direction set by said route setting means. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the control is performed so that the current position mark is moved so as to be displayed. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising peripheral information collecting means for collecting peripheral information, wherein said display range setting unit controls to move a current position mark using said peripheral information. A navigation device as described.