JP2005031481A - Image display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a user from losing sight of a part being displayed even if a display scale is changed. <P>SOLUTION: A control circuit 18 outputs a signal synthesized with respective color tones of a real image and a virtual image when displaying the real image and the virtual image by varying the drawing methods for these images according to the display scale inputted from an operation switch group 17 or a remote control sensor 21. Also, a display device 20 displays the image corresponding to the signal outputted from the control circuit 18. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image display device that displays a real image and a virtual image.

  Conventionally, there is known a navigation device that detects a current position by GPS or the like, sets a route from the current position to a destination, displays the set route on a map, and guides by voice. .

  A display map of a navigation device is generally composed of virtual images made up of lines, polygons, characters, and the like. In recent years, it has become possible to provide real images such as aerial photographs and satellite photographs taken from high places as a map screen of a navigation device by improving CPU processing speed and multimedia software technology. And the navigation apparatus which provides a real image as a map screen is actually commercialized.

  Real images captured by such photos and cameras are effective for the user to intuitively imagine where the place is, so it is often used to grasp the positional relationship of the entire map. Valid on maps. On the other hand, a virtual image using lines, polygons, characters, and the like is effective for selectively displaying important information, and is therefore effective for a detailed map for specifying a detailed road or a facility.

Therefore, there is an apparatus (for example, refer to Patent Document 1) that can switch display of a real image and a virtual image by a user operation.
JP 2000-201349 A

  In the apparatus of Patent Document 1, the display of the real image and the virtual image can be switched by a user operation. However, since the display of the real image and the virtual image cannot be combined and displayed, the real image and the virtual image are not displayed. Will be switched and displayed at once. As described above, if the display of the real image and the virtual image is switched and displayed at a time, the following problem occurs. For example, in a navigation device, if the map scale that displays a detailed map is set to display a virtual image and the map scale that displays a wide area map is set to display a real image, the detailed map is changed to the wide area map by a user operation. When the map scale is changed, the display is switched at a time from the virtual image display to the real image display together with the map scale. For this reason, for example, a mark mark or a character is not displayed suddenly, and there is a problem that the user loses sight of where the mark is displayed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to prevent the user from losing sight of what is displayed even when the display scale is changed.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image display device for displaying a real image and a virtual image, wherein the real image and the virtual image are inputted from a storage medium storing the real image and the virtual image. First input means (16) for inputting, second input means (17, 21) for inputting a display scale, and second images based on real images and virtual images inputted by the first input means (16). Control means (18) for outputting an image signal corresponding to the display scale input from the input means, and display means (20) for performing image display corresponding to the image signal output from the control means (18). And the control means (18) displays the real image and the imaginary image when the drawing methods of the real image and the imaginary image are displayed differently according to the display scale input from the second input means (17, 21). Output an image signal that combines the tones of It is a symptom.

  As described above, when the control means (18) displays the real image and the virtual image with different drawing methods according to the display scale input from the second input means (17, 21), Since an image signal obtained by combining each color tone of the virtual image is output, an image corresponding to this image signal is displayed on the display means (20), and an image obtained by combining each color tone of the real image and the virtual image is displayed. Even if the display scale is changed, it is possible to prevent losing sight of where the user is displaying.

  In the invention according to claim 2, the control means (18) displays the real image and the imaginary image in different drawing methods according to the display scale input from the second input means (17, 21). In this case, an image signal in which the ratio of composition of each tone of the real image and the virtual image is gradually changed is output.

  As described above, when the control means (18) displays the real image and the imaginary image with different drawing methods according to the display scale input from the second input means (17, 21), the real image and the imaginary image are displayed. Since the image signal is generated by gradually changing the composition ratio of each color tone of the image, the composition ratio of the actual image color tone and the imaginary image color tone is gradually changed and displayed on the display screen. You can keep track of where you are viewing.

  In addition, the code | symbol in the bracket | parenthesis of each said means shows the correspondence with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an in-vehicle navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The in-vehicle navigation device 1 includes a position detector 11, a map data input device 16, an operation switch group 17, an external memory 19, a display device 20, a remote control sensor 21, a communication device 23, and a control circuit 18 connected thereto. Yes.

  The position detector 11 includes a well-known geomagnetic sensor 12, a gyroscope 13, a distance sensor 14, and a GPS receiver 15 for GPS that detects the position of the vehicle based on radio waves from a satellite. The current position information based on the signals detected by Eqs. 12-15 is output to the control circuit 18. Since these sensors 12 to 15 have errors of different properties, a plurality of sensors are used in an auxiliary manner. Depending on the accuracy, it may be configured by a part of the above-described components, and may further include a wheel sensor for each driving wheel of a steering rotation sensor (not shown). The distance sensor 14 measures the wheel speed from a vehicle speed pulse signal corresponding to the rotation of the wheel, and detects the travel distance based on the rotation speed.

  The map data input device 16 is a device for inputting various data including so-called map matching data and map data for improving the position detection accuracy. As a storage medium for storing these various data, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a hard disk drive, or the like is generally used based on the data amount, but other media such as a memory card may be used. In addition, the map data stored in these storage media includes lines, polygons, characters, and the like as virtual image data, and aerial photographs and satellite photographs taken from high places as real image data.

  The external memory 19 is a storage unit provided separately from the inside of the control circuit 18, and is configured from a ROM, a RAM, or the like, and stores various data, programs, and the like.

  The display device 20 includes a color display device and a speaker, displays the video on a display screen such as a liquid crystal display in accordance with a video signal input from the control circuit 18, and an audio signal input from the control circuit 18. In response to this, the speaker outputs the sound. As the color display device, for example, a CRT, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, or the like can be used.

  The operation switch group 17 includes input devices such as a plurality of push button switches (mechanical switches) provided around the display screen of the display device 20 and a touch panel provided so as to overlap the display screen. And a signal based on the touch panel operation is output to the control circuit 18.

  The remote control sensor 21 outputs a signal received from the remote control 22 that transmits a radio signal by infrared rays or the like based on a user operation to the control circuit 18.

  The communication device 23 is a device that receives a signal transmitted from the outside and transmits a signal to the outside. The communication device 23 receives a signal including traffic information provided from an information center for VICS (Vehicle Information Communication System), for example, and outputs the signal to the control device 18.

  The control circuit 18 is configured as a normal computer, and includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, image memories A1, B1, and C1, and a bus line that connects these configurations. The CPU of the control circuit 18 executes a program for the operation of the in-vehicle navigation device 1 read from the ROM and the external memory control device 19, and in executing the program, the ROM, the RAM, the image memories A1, B1, and C1. The information is written in and the signals are exchanged with the position detector 11, the operation switch group 17, the external memory control device 19, the display device 20, and the remote control sensor 21 via the I / O.

  More specifically, the CPU of the control circuit 18 reads and executes a boot program, an operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) from the ROM, and operates on the OS when the in-vehicle navigation device 1 is activated. The process includes a menu program, a map display program, a setup program, and other programs.

  The menu program hierarchically displays various programs operating on the OS according to the function and purpose of the program, and starts execution of the program selected by the user from the menu displayed. The menu is displayed by outputting image data of the menu on the display screen of the display device 20, and the user selects the remote control terminal (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller) 22 via the remote control sensor 21 or an operation. Detection is performed based on a signal input to the control circuit 18 by a selection operation (cursor movement, pressing a confirmation button, etc.) on the switch group 17.

  The map display program superimposes the vehicle current position mark based on the current position information input from the position detector 11 and the map data read from the external memory control device 19 and displays them on the display screen.

  The setup program performs various basic settings using the remote controller 22 or the operation switch group 17. For example, in the display settings when changing the map scale, the normal program for switching the image before and after the change of the map scale at the same time is used. Either a setting or a setting for performing an image transition process for gradually changing the color tone of the real image and the virtual image is set. The user performs various basic settings described above in advance according to the setup program.

  In the above configuration, the control circuit 18 of the navigation device 1 displays the vehicle current position mark superimposed on the map based on the map data read from the external memory control device 19 and the current position information input from the position detector 11. A map display function to be displayed on the display screen of the device 20 is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the map scale of the map displayed on the display screen has 13 levels of 1 / 5,000, 1/10000, 1/2000,. The map scale can be set. In addition, in the display setting when changing the map scale of the basic settings, the normal setting for switching the image before and after the change of the map scale at one time, the virtual image is displayed in 1 / 5,000 to 1/320000 On the other hand, the actual image is displayed in the range of 1 / 640,000 to 1 / 20480,000. In addition, in the setting for performing image transition processing for gradually changing the color tone of the image before and after the change of the map scale, the actual image is displayed on the map scale of 1 / 5,000 and the map scale of 1 / 20480,000. In the map scale between 1 / 5,000 and 1 / 20480,000, the color tone before the change of the map scale, the color tone after the change of the map scale, α blend described later Based on the rate and the inverse α blend rate, a process of interpolating the color tone between the virtual image and the real image is performed.

  Next, the transition process between the real image and the virtual image of the control circuit 18 of the navigation device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 are flowcharts showing a part of the transition process between the real image and the virtual image of the control circuit 18, respectively.

  When the navigation apparatus 1 is turned on, the control circuit 18 determines whether there is a request to change the map scale periodically after performing predetermined initial settings (step S10). Whether or not there is a request to change the map scale is determined based on whether or not a signal indicating the change of the map scale is input via the remote control sensor 21 or the operation switch group 17. Here, when there is no request to change the map scale by the user's operation of the remote controller 22 or the operation switch group 17, and a signal indicating a map scale change request is not input via the remote control sensor 21 or the operation switch group 17, It is determined that there is no map scale change request (NO in step S10), and the determination in step S10 is repeated until a signal indicating a map scale change request is input.

  Further, when there is a request for changing the map scale by the user's operation of the remote controller 22 or the operation switch group 17 and a signal indicating the request for changing the map scale is input, it is determined that there is a request for changing the map scale ( (Determined as YES in step S10). Then, in the display settings when changing the map scale, the normal setting to switch the image before and after changing the map scale at once, and the image transition that gradually changes the color tone of the image before and after changing the map scale It is determined whether or not the image transition process is permitted based on which of the settings for performing the process. Here, when it is a normal setting to switch the image before and after the change of the map scale at once, it is determined that the image transition process is not permitted (NO in step S20), and the map scale is changed. Drawing is performed by a normal drawing method for switching between the previous and changed images at once (step S50), and this process is terminated.

  In step S20, if the display setting at the time of changing the map scale is set to perform an image transition process for gradually changing the color tone of the image before and after the map scale change, the image transition process is permitted. (The determination is YES in step S20), and the map drawing method of the transition source which is the map drawing method before the change of the map scale and the map drawing method of the transition destination which is the map drawing method after the change of the map scale are determined. It acquires (step S30), and it is determined based on the acquired map drawing method whether each map drawing method of a transition source and a transition destination is the same (step S40). Here, if both the acquired transition source and destination map drawing methods are real images, or if the acquired transition source and destination map drawing methods are both virtual images, the transition source and transition destination It is determined that each map drawing method is the same (YES in step S40), and drawing is performed by a normal drawing method that switches images before and after changing the map scale at once (step S50). Exit.

  Further, when the map drawing methods of the transition source and the transition destination acquired in step 30 are different, it is determined that the map drawing methods of the transition source and the transition destination are different (determined as NO in step S40), and the transition destination and the transition source are determined. The map scale is acquired (step S60). Here, when a change in the map scale is requested by the user's operation of the remote controller 22 or the operation switch group 17, the map scale is acquired based on the map scale input via the remote control sensor 21 or the operation switch group 17. (Step S70). Then, the interpolation scale stage number N between the transition source and the transition destination is acquired. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when the map scale of the transition source is 1 / 512,000 and the map scale of the transition destination is 1 / 40,000, this means that the display scale of 7 steps is straddled. In this case, the interpolation scale stage number N = 7.

  Thereafter, the transition paragraph number n is set to 1 as shown in FIG. Specifically, the control circuit 18 has an increment counter, and sets the value of the increment counter to 1 (step S80). In step S90, it is determined whether or not the transition paragraph number n is smaller than the interpolation scale step number N (step S90), and the processing in steps S90 to S140 is performed until the transition paragraph number n becomes equal to the interpolation scale step number N. repeat.

  Here, the process of step S90-step S140 is demonstrated. If it is determined in step S90 that the transition paragraph number n is smaller than the interpolation scale stage number N (YES in step S90), the transition source map is stored in the image memory A1 with the interpolation scale corresponding to the transition paragraph number n. (Step S100). For example, the interpolation scale in FIG. 2 is 1 / 2.56 million when n = 1, 1 / 1.28 million when n = 2, 1 / 640,000 when n = 3,..., 1 when n = 7 / A map scale map of 40,000 is stored in the image memory A1. Similarly, the transition destination map is stored in the image memory B1 with the interpolation scale corresponding to the transition paragraph number n (step S110), and the process proceeds to step 120.

  In step 120, the color tone of each map of the transition source map stored in the image memory A1 and the transition destination map stored in the memory B1 is synthesized according to the α blend ratio, and the synthesized image is stored in the image memory C1. I do.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 5, the synthesis by the α blend will be described. FIG. 5 shows a description in C language related to synthesis by α blending. As shown in the float AlphaVal in the figure, the α blend rate AlphaVal is defined as a variable of a fixed point, and this α blend rate AlphaVal is represented by a ratio n / N between the transition paragraph number n and the interpolation scale stage number N. Further, as shown in float AlphaRev, the inverse α blend rate AlphaRev is defined as a variable of a fixed point, and the inverse α blend rate AlphaRev is expressed by (1.0−AlphaVal). Further, the transition source color tone, the transition destination color tone, and the color tone after the synthesis by α blending are defined as variables A, B, and C, respectively, and these variables A, B, and C have tone gradations of 0 to 255, respectively. In order to express up to 256 tone data, it is defined as a 1-byte or 8-bit variable. Then, the color tone C after the synthesis by the α blend is obtained by a function represented by C = (BYTE) ((float) A * AlphaVal + (float) B * AlphaRev). Note that the description shown in FIG. 5 is for a predetermined color tone, and the control circuit 18 determines the color tone for each of three different colors (R: red, G: green, B: blue) for color display. Synthesis is performed by the α blend shown in FIG. Hereinafter, a combination of RGB colors is described as a pixel.

  That is, in step 130, based on the transition source pixel A stored in the image memory A1, the transition destination pixel B stored in the memory B1, the α blend rate AlphaVal and the inverse α blend rate AlphaRev, the color tone after the synthesis by α blending is performed. C is calculated, and a process of storing the pixel C after synthesis by the calculated α blend in the image memory C1 is performed.

  Thereafter, the pixel C stored in the image memory C1 is displayed on the display screen of the display device 20 (step S120). Then, as indicated by n = n + 1, the transition paragraph number n is increased by 1, that is, the value of the increment counter is incremented by 1 (step S140), and the process returns to the determination of step S90. In this way, when the transition paragraph number n is smaller than the interpolation scale step number N in step S90, the processing of step S90 to step S140 is repeated, and when the transition paragraph number n becomes equal to the interpolation scale step number N, this processing is terminated. .

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the map scale of the transition source is 1 / 512,000, the map scale of the transition destination is 1/40000, and the interpolation scale stage number N is 7, the processing of steps S90 to S140 is performed. Each time it is done, the transition paragraph number n increases, and the map scale gradually changes like 1 / 2.56 million, 1 / 1.28 million, 1 / 640,000,. The alpha blend ratio n / N increases to 1/7, 2/7, 3/7,..., 7/7, and the pixel C stored in the memory C1 has a constant color tone change from the transition source pixel. The pixel gradually changes to a transition destination pixel at a rate.

  As described above, when the control circuit 18 displays the real image and the imaginary image with different drawing methods according to the display scale input by the remote control sensor 21 or the operation switch group 17, the real image and the imaginary image are displayed. Since a signal in which each color tone is combined is output, it is possible to prevent the user from losing sight of where the user is displaying even if the display scale is changed.

  Further, when the control circuit 18 displays the real image and the imaginary image with different drawing methods according to the display scale input by the remote control sensor 21 or the operation switch group 17, the composition of the respective colors of the real image and the imaginary image is combined. Since the image signal with gradually changing the ratio is output, the display screen displays the composition ratio of the color tone of the real image and the imaginary image gradually changing. You can avoid losing sight.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Based on the meaning of this invention, it can implement with a various form.

  For example, in the above embodiment, an example is shown in which a real image is displayed on a wide-area map such as 1 / 5,000 and a virtual image is displayed on a detailed map such as 1 / 2.48 million. A virtual image may be displayed on a wide area map such as the figure, and a real image may be displayed on a detailed map such as a 1 / 2.48 million figure.

  In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a virtual image is displayed on a map scale of 1 / 5,000, and a real image is displayed on a map scale of 1 / 2048,000. In the map scale between 1 / 5,000 and 1 / 2048,000, the example of performing the process of interpolating the color tone of the virtual image and the real image has been shown. For example, as shown in FIG. In 10,000 to 1 / 640,000 images, a real image is displayed, in 1 / 320,000 to 1 / 5,000 images, an imaginary image is displayed. You may make it perform the process which interpolates the color tone of an image and a real image.

  In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, when the map scale of the transition source is 1 / 512,000, the map scale of the transition destination is 1/4000, and the interpolation scale stage number N is 7, In the above example, interpolation is performed with the interpolation scale of 5 and the pixels of the transition source map and the transition destination map are interpolated in 7 stages. For example, the interpolation scale stage number N is 7 × 4 = 28, and the transition source map and transition You may make it interpolate with a seven steps interpolation scale between previous maps.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the synthesis by the α blend has been described, but the synthesis is not limited to the synthesis by the α blend. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the real image and the imaginary image are each divided into rectangles such as strips, The divided real image and virtual image rectangles may be alternately arranged to synthesize the real image and the virtual image. In this case, by gradually changing the ratio of the rectangle width of the divided real image and the rectangle width of the divided virtual image, the real image gradually transitions from the real image to the virtual image. It is possible to gradually transition to a virtual image. Also, instead of dividing the real image and the imaginary image into rectangles like strips, the real image and the imaginary image are divided like square checkers like checker flags, and the divided real image and imaginary image These squares may be alternately arranged to synthesize a real image and an imaginary image.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing about the image transition of the real image at the time of change of a map scale, and a virtual image. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a part of a transition process between a real image and a virtual image of the control circuit 18; 7 is a flowchart illustrating a part of a transition process between a real image and a virtual image of the control circuit 18; It is explanatory drawing regarding calculation of (alpha) blend rate. It is explanatory drawing about the image transition of the real image at the time of the change of the map scale which concerns on other embodiment, and a virtual image. It is explanatory drawing about the synthesis | combination of the real image and virtual image which concern on other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle-mounted navigation apparatus, 11 ... Position detector, 12 ... Geomagnetic sensor,
13 ... Gyroscope, 14 ... Distance sensor, 15 ... GPS receiver,
16 ... Map data input device, 17 ... Operation switch group, 19 ... External memory,
20 ... display device, 21 ... remote control sensor, 22 ... remote control, 23 ... communication device.

Claims (2)

An image display device that displays a real image and a virtual image,
First input means (16) for inputting the real image and the virtual image from a storage medium in which the real image and the virtual image are stored;
A second input means (17, 21) for inputting a display scale;
Control means (18) for outputting an image signal corresponding to the display scale inputted from the second input means based on the real image and the imaginary image inputted by the first input means (16);
Display means (20) for performing image display according to the image signal output from the control means (18),
When the control means (18) displays the real image and the virtual image with different drawing methods according to the display scale input from the second input means (17, 21), the real image is displayed. An image display device that outputs the image signal obtained by combining the ratios of the respective color tones of the virtual image and the virtual image. When the control means (18) displays the real image and the virtual image with different drawing methods according to the display scale input from the second input means (17, 21), The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image signal in which each color tone of the virtual image is gradually changed is output.

Images