JP2005227295A - Navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent important information on a display screen from being covered and concealed by a window, when displaying the window on the display screen. <P>SOLUTION: This navigation device equipped with a display device for displaying the important information such as a guide route or a destination mark on a map and also displaying the window is provided with a means for applying processing to at least either of the window and the map on the display screen so that the important information can be seen, when the important information on the map is covered and concealed by the window. Processing forms include movement or reduction of the window, scroll or reduction of the map or the like. In addition, the processing may not be applied to the window and the map on the display screen according to the kind of the important information and its position on the map or the like, even when it is covered and concealed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle navigation system that performs guidance to a destination, and in particular, a vehicle including a display device that displays a window while displaying important information such as a guidance route and a destination mark on a map of a display screen. Related to navigation system.

  There is known a vehicle navigation system that records map information on a CD-ROM or the like, reads the map information, displays it on a display device together with the current location of the vehicle, and guides the vehicle to a predetermined destination. In such a navigation system, a driver sets a starting point and a destination, searches for a desired route from map data stored in advance, displays the route to the driver, and guides to the destination. In addition to destinations, target facilities such as schools, post offices, and gas stations along the route to the destination are displayed on the display device together with the route for the convenience of the driver. For example, a desired route including a road near the current location of the vehicle, an intersection, and the like, a landmark that is a symbol of a target existing in the vicinity, a destination mark that indicates a destination, and the like are displayed on the display device.

  In addition to displaying the roads, routes, destination marks, landmarks, etc. on the display device, explanations of target names and symbols, or facilities that include targets such as hotels and hospitals along the route, etc. In order to display detailed information, when necessary, a window is displayed on the display screen and displayed here. However, the size of this window is fixed, and the position on the display screen is a fixed place (FIG. 1).

If the size and position of the window are determined in this way, a mark indicating the current position of the vehicle on the map, a landmark that is a destination mark or a mark of the target object, an intersection on the guidance route, traffic jam information, etc. This window may obscure important information, and this may cause a major obstacle when traveling along the route.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to prevent important information on the display screen from being hidden by the window even when the window is displayed on the display screen.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a navigation device having a display device for displaying important information such as a guide route and a destination mark on a map and displaying a window. In order to make the important information visible, a means for processing at least one of a window on the display screen and a map is provided so that the important information can be seen. Depending on the type and position on the map, there are provided means for preventing processing from being performed on the window of the display screen and the map.

  According to the present invention, even when important information such as the vehicle position mark, the destination mark, the landmark, the guide route, and the traffic jam information on the map on the display screen is obscured by the window, the window on the display screen or the map Since this important information is made visible by adding processing, it is possible to recognize this information and to travel along the guide route without any trouble.

  In addition, if there is no problem in traveling even if important information is obscured by the window, the processing is not added to the window or map on the display screen, so the overall number of processing steps can be reduced. Can do.

A preferred embodiment of a route guidance apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows a basic hardware configuration constituting the vehicle navigation system of the present invention. In FIG. 2, a vehicle includes a distance sensor 1 such as a vehicle speed sensor and an azimuth sensor 2 formed of any one of a geomagnetic sensor, a vibration gyro, an optical fiber gyro, a gas rate sensor, or a combination thereof. The signal is supplied to the microcomputer 3. On the other hand, a GPS (Global Positioning System) 4 receives and demodulates radio waves from GPS satellites, and supplies the demodulated GPS signals to the microcomputer 3. The microcomputer 3 obtains the current position based on the integrated distance data obtained by integrating the detection signal from the distance sensor 1 and the azimuth data from the azimuth sensor 2. Further, map data stored in advance in the storage device 5 such as a CD-ROM, IC card, hard disk or the like is read out and displayed on the display device 6, and the current position of the vehicle is displayed on the map. Alternatively, the microcomputer 3 specifies the range of the current position based on the GPS signal, and displays the map data and the current position of the vehicle only in the specified range. A display device 6 made of color CRT, LDT, etc. displays map data and information based on various data such as the current position of the vehicle output from the microcomputer 3. The operation switch unit 7 is an operation unit for giving various display conditions to the microcomputer 3. Further, the antenna 8 and the transmission / reception device 9 are for communicating with other vehicles, and communicate with each other's vehicle position and display the position of the other vehicle along with the position of the own vehicle on the display screen. .

  FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. When important information such as a guide route and a destination mark is displayed on a map of the display device 6 (FIG. 2), and when a window is displayed, A means for determining whether or not important information on the map is obscured by the window is provided. When it is determined that the important information is obscured, processing is performed on the window so that the important information can be seen. For example, in FIG. 3A, when the window overlaps with a destination mark that is important information, it is determined that the important information is covered and the window is not overlapped with the destination mark by avoiding the destination mark. It has been moved down. FIG. 3B shows a window that is reduced in size so that it does not overlap with the destination mark. In FIG. 3C, the window position is almost the same and the window is tilted so as not to overlap the destination mark. In addition to these, in order to make important information visible, various processes can be added to the window according to the arrangement on the map.

  FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which processing is applied to a map displayed instead of a window so that important information covered by the window can be seen. For example, FIG. 4A shows a case where the destination mark does not overlap the window by scrolling the map screen when the window overlaps the destination mark which is important information. FIG. 4B shows the map screen reduced so that the destination mark does not overlap the window. In addition to these, in order to make important information visible, various processes can be added to the map screen according to the arrangement on the map.

  FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which processing is applied to a window and / or a display map so that important information covered by the window can be seen. For example, (a) moving the window in FIG. 3, (b) reducing the window, (c) defeating the window, (a) scrolling the map screen in FIG. 4, (b) reducing the map screen A combination of a plurality of the above. For example, what is shown in FIG. 5 (a) is that the window is moved and reduced, and what is shown in FIG. 5 (b) is that the window is moved and reduced and the map screen is scrolled. .

3, 4, and 5, the destination mark is described as an example of the important information. However, as shown in FIG. 6, other important vehicle position marks, other vehicle position marks, Includes guidance routes including landmarks, intersections, etc., traffic jam information, and the like.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the fourth embodiment of the present invention, which performs appropriate processing on a window or map according to the type of important information covered by the window and depending on the situation. . In the fourth embodiment, when the important information covered by the window includes information other than the landmark, the guidance route, and the traffic jam information, an appropriate process is added to the window or the map. On the other hand, the landmark, the guidance route, the traffic jam is added. If only the information is in the direction of travel of the vehicle, add appropriate processing to the window or map, and do not add it if it is on the opposite side of the direction of travel of the vehicle. It is to make.

  The operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, a window is displayed on a map on the display screen of the navigation system (S1). At this time, it is determined whether the important information is covered by the window (S2). If No, the process is not performed. If Yes, the hidden important information is only the landmark, the guide route, and the traffic jam information. (S3). If it is No, that is, if the hidden important information includes, for example, a destination mark, a position mark of another vehicle, etc. other than the landmark, the guidance route, and the traffic jam information, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. Appropriate processing is applied to the window or map as shown. On the other hand, if Yes, that is, if the hidden important information is only the landmark, guidance route, and traffic jam information, it is determined whether the position of these important information is on the opposite side of the traveling direction of the vehicle (S4). ). If No, that is, if the position of the important information is in the traveling direction of the host vehicle, an appropriate process is added to the window or map as described above. If it is Yes, that is, if the position of the important information is on the opposite side of the traveling direction of the host vehicle, since it is the position that has already passed, there is no particular problem even if the important information is covered in the window. Do not add.

  FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention, which performs appropriate processing on a window or map according to the type of important information covered by the window and depending on the situation. . In the fifth embodiment, when the important information covered by the window includes information other than the guidance route and traffic jam information, the window or map is appropriately processed, while the information covered by the window is guided. If there is no intersection at the covered part of the information, only the route and traffic information, there is no particular problem even if the information is not displayed. Is. In other words, if there is an intersection in the hidden part of the information, it will be unclear whether the intersection will turn right, left, or go straight on the guidance route, and the relationship between the intersection and the road of traffic information Since it becomes unknown, an appropriate process is added to the window or the map to display the intersection, but if not, the process is not added.

  The operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, a window is displayed on a map on the display screen of the navigation system (S1). At this time, it is determined whether the important information is covered by the window (S2). If No, the process is not performed. If Yes, it is determined whether the hidden important information is only the guidance route and traffic jam information. (S3). If it is No, that is, if the hidden important information includes, for example, a destination mark, a landmark, or a position mark of another vehicle other than the guidance route and traffic jam information, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. Appropriate processing is added to the window or map as shown in. On the other hand, if the answer is Yes, that is, if the hidden important information is only the guidance route and the traffic jam information, it is determined whether or not there is an intersection in the hidden part of these information (S4). If Yes, that is, if there is an intersection in the covered part of the guidance route and traffic jam information, appropriate processing is added to the window or map as described above. If it is No, that is, if there is no intersection in the covered part of the guidance route and traffic jam information, there is no particular problem even if these important information is covered in the window, so no processing is added.

  FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the sixth embodiment of the present invention, in which appropriate processing is added to the window or map depending on the type of important information covered by the window and depending on the situation. . In the sixth embodiment, when the important information covered by the window includes information other than the guidance route, an appropriate process is applied to the window or the map, and on the other hand, only the guidance route is covered, and the information is hidden. If there is an intersection that turns left and right in the area, an appropriate process is added to the window or map to display the intersection, and if not, no process is added.

  The operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, a window is displayed on a map on the display screen of the navigation system (S1). At this time, it is determined whether the important information is covered by the window (S2). If No, the process is not performed. If Yes, it is determined whether the hidden important information is only the guidance route (S3). ). If it is No, that is, if the hidden important information includes, for example, a destination mark, a landmark, or a position mark of another vehicle other than the guidance route, it is shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. Appropriate processing is added to the window or map as shown. On the other hand, if Yes, that is, if the hidden important information is only the guidance route, it is determined whether or not there is an intersection that turns left and right in the covered portion of the important information (S4). If Yes, that is, if there is an intersection that turns left and right in the covered part of the guidance route, appropriate processing is applied to the window or map as described above. If it is No, that is, if there is no intersection that turns left and right in the covered part of the guide route, the guide route may be advanced substantially straight or along the road even if the guide route is covered by the window. There is no particular problem for traveling according to the above, so no processing is added.

It is a figure which shows the prior art example which displayed the window on the display screen. It is a figure which shows the basic composition of the navigation system of this invention. It is a figure which shows the 1st embodiment of this invention which added the process to the screen on which the window was displayed. It is a figure which shows the 2nd embodiment of this invention which added the process to the screen on which the window was displayed. It is a figure which shows the 3rd embodiment of this invention which added the process to the screen on which the window was displayed. It is a figure which shows the example of the important information displayed on the map. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the 4th embodiment of this invention which added the process to the screen where the window was displayed. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the 5th embodiment of this invention which added the process to the screen where the window was displayed. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the 6th embodiment of this invention which added the process to the screen where the window was displayed.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Distance sensor 2 Direction sensor 3 Microcomputer part 4 GPS (global positioning system)
5 Storage Device 6 Display Device 7 Operation Switch 8 Antenna 9 Transceiver

Claims (6)

  In a navigation apparatus having a function of displaying a window on a map, when the window is displayed at a predetermined position on the screen, the map is scrolled and displayed so that the vehicle position mark on the map does not overlap the window. A navigation device comprising display control means.   In a navigation device having a function of displaying a window on a map, when the window is displayed at a predetermined position on the screen, the map is scrolled and displayed so that the destination mark on the map and the window do not overlap. A navigation device comprising display control means.   In a navigation device having a function of displaying a window on a map, when the window is displayed at a predetermined position on the screen, a display that scrolls and displays the map so that the congestion information on the map does not overlap the window A navigation device comprising control means.   In a navigation device having a function of displaying a window on a map, when displaying the window at a predetermined position on the screen, a display that scrolls and displays the map so that the landmark on the map and the window do not overlap with each other A navigation device comprising control means.   In a navigation device having a function of displaying a window on a map, when the window is displayed at a predetermined position on the screen, the map is displayed so that the vehicle position mark and the destination mark on the map do not overlap the window. A navigation apparatus comprising display control means for scrolling and displaying.   A navigation device having a function of displaying a window on a map, wherein the window is displayed so that an intersection near a guidance route or a traffic jam location on the map is not hidden.

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