JP2005300168A - Navigation system and map display method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide "a navigation system and a map display method" capable of displaying a road name together with a recommended route, with excellent visibility. <P>SOLUTION: The present position mark 601 and a recommended route pattern 602 are displayed on a map image 610. The road name 603 of a route before passing the next left or right turning point, and the road name 604 of the route after passing the next left or right turning point, when traveling according to the recommended route, are also displayed in a section not drawn with the recommended route pattern 602 on road patterns 605, 606 for expressing the respective routes, on the map image 610. As to a character sequence "AB building" 606 overlapped with the recommended route pattern when the character sequence is drawn in an original drawn position as it is, the drawn position is changed to a position not overlapped with the recommended route pattern 602, and the character sequence is displayed in a form of displaying the character sequence in a balloon pattern 607 ballooned from a building pattern 608 of an object for displaying its name. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for presenting map information in a navigation device that is mounted on a vehicle and guides a user's travel.

  As a technology for guiding a user's travel in a navigation device mounted on an automobile, a range including a current location by setting a recommended route between a user and receiving a destination setting from the user is conventionally known. A technique for displaying a recommended route graphic representing a set recommended route on a map together with a mark indicating the current position is widely used.

Further, as a technique related to map display in such a navigation device, a technique for displaying a road name of a road on a road in the map is known (for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, as a technology related to map display in the navigation device, when approaching an intersection that is a left-right turn point on the recommended route, a guide map that simply represents the intersection relationship between the recommended route near the intersection and each road. In addition, a technique for displaying with the road name of each road is also known (for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2002-188929 A JP-A-6-34384

  According to the technique of Patent Document 1, when a recommended route is set, the recommended route graphic displayed on the map and the display of the road name displayed on the map overlap, and the user In some cases, the road name cannot be seen well. Similarly, when facility names, intersection names, etc. are displayed on the map, if the display of these names overlaps with the display of the recommended route figure, the visibility of these names for users deteriorates. To do.

On the other hand, according to the technique of Patent Document 2, since the guide map that simply represents the recommended route near the intersection and the intersection relationship between the roads is used, the user can determine the relationship between the actual road and the guide map. It may be difficult to grasp.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to display a road name or other character string on the map with good visibility while displaying the recommended route on the map.

  In order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a navigation device for displaying a map, a recommended route graphic drawing means for drawing a recommended route graphic representing a recommended route to a destination on the map, and the recommended route. As the road name display area, which is the area on the map that displays the road name of the road via the recommended route that is a road, via the recommended route that does not pass through the recommended route on the figure that represents the road via the recommended route on the map A road name drawing position calculating means for calculating an area corresponding to a section on the road, and a road name of the recommended route via road are drawn on the road name display area calculated by the road name drawing position calculating means on the map. Road name drawing means.

  As described above, in this navigation device, the road name of the road through which the recommended route is routed corresponds to the section of the road where the recommended route graphic of the road is not drawn, that is, the road on the estimated map. Since the recommended route graphic on the graphic is not drawn, it can be displayed in a portion that does not overlap with the recommended route graphic. Here, the road name of the road through which the recommended route passes is a road with a high probability that the user travels. Therefore, the road name is more important information for the user than the road names of other roads. On the other hand, the road name of the road through which the recommended route passes is likely to overlap with the recommended route graphic when displayed randomly on the graphic representing the corresponding road on the map. Therefore, according to such a navigation apparatus, it is possible to display a road name of a road important for the user on the map with good visibility while displaying the recommended route on the map.

  Here, in the navigation device, in the road name drawing position calculation means, an area corresponding to a section on the recommended route passing road on which the recommended route does not pass on the graphic representing the recommended route passing road on the map When there is no area having a size sufficient to display the road name, the area of the side of the recommended route graphic on the graphic representing the recommended route route on the map is the road name. You may comprise so that it may calculate as a display area.

  By doing this, the road name of the road through which the recommended route passes cannot be displayed in the area on the road graphic on the map corresponding to the section where the recommended route graphic of the road is not drawn. Even if it exists, the said road name can be displayed with sufficient visibility so that it may not overlap with a recommended route figure.

Further, in these navigation devices, the recommended route via the recommended route is the road through which the recommended route passes, and when the vehicle travels according to the recommended route, the recommended intersection at which an intersection will turn right or left next. You may make it be the road before and behind on a route.
By doing this, the road name of the road before and after the right or left turn considered to be the most important for the user is displayed at a position with good visibility, and an efficient road name display that reduces the processing amount for road name display is provided. Can be realized.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a navigation device for displaying a map, recommended route graphic drawing means for drawing a recommended route graphic representing a recommended route to a destination on the map, and a map on the map. Character string drawing position calculation means for calculating an area that does not overlap with the recommended route graphic as a character string drawing area that is an area on the map for displaying a character string representing the name of the object, and represents the name of the object on the map Character string drawing means for drawing a character string in a form associated with the object on the map where the character string represents a name in the character string drawing area calculated by the character string drawing position calculation means for the character string It is configured.

  According to such a navigation device, it is possible to immediately grasp the name represented by the name, such as the name of a point such as an intersection, the name of a facility such as a building or a park, etc. at a position with good visibility that does not overlap with the recommended route figure. As described above, it is possible to display in association with the target.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a navigation device for displaying a map, recommended route graphic drawing means for drawing a recommended route graphic representing a recommended route to a destination on the map, and a map on the map in advance. For each character string representing the target name on the map in which the display position is defined, when the character string is displayed at a position according to the definition, the character string does not overlap the recommended route graphic Calculates an area determined according to the position according to the definition as a character string drawing area that is an area on the map for displaying the character string, and the character string is displayed when the character string is displayed at the position according to the definition. When a column overlaps with the recommended root graphic, an area where the character string can be displayed so as not to overlap the recommended root graphic is calculated and calculated as the character string drawing area. Character string drawing position calculation means for setting a display form with a related graphic as a character string display form, and a character string representing the name of an object on the map, calculated by the character string drawing position calculation means for the character string A character string drawing means for drawing in the line drawing area, and for the character string for which the display form with a related graphic is set as the display form in the character string drawing means, The character string is drawn in a form to which a related graphic for associating the display of the object on the map where the character string represents a name is added.

  According to such a navigation device, the name of a point such as an intersection or the name of a facility such as a building or a park that overlaps with the recommended route graphic if it is displayed at a position defined in advance and defined is displayed in the recommended route graphic. It is possible to display the object represented by the name so that it can be immediately grasped by the related graphic at a position with good visibility that does not overlap.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a road name or other character string can be displayed on a map with good visibility while displaying a recommended route on the map.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a navigation device according to the present embodiment.
As shown in the figure, the navigation device includes a control device 1, a recording medium drive 2 for accessing a recording medium 21 such as a DVD-ROM or hard disk storing map data, a GPS receiver 3, an angular acceleration sensor, or a vehicle speed sensor. The vehicle includes a traveling state sensor 4 that detects the traveling state of the vehicle, a remote controller 5 (remote controller) that receives input from the user, and a display device 6.

  The control device 1 also includes a map data buffer 101, a map data read processing unit 102, a current state calculation unit 103, a route search unit 104, a navigation image generation unit 105, a memory 106, a main control unit 107, and a GUI control unit 108. ing. Here, a dotted line 121 inside the control device 1 in FIG. 1 indicates an access path of each part to map data stored in the map data buffer 101, and a thick line 122 indicates a path of control information between each part and each part of various data. A thin line connected to the GUI control unit 108 indicates a route of operation information and image information input / output with the user using the remote controller 5 or the display device 6.

  However, the control device 1 described above may be a CPU circuit having a general configuration including peripheral devices such as a microprocessor, a memory, and other graphic processors and geometric processors in terms of hardware. In this case, each unit of the control device 1 described above may be realized as a process embodied by a microprocessor executing a program prepared in advance. In this case, such a program may be provided to the control device 1 via the recording medium 21 or an appropriate communication path.

Next, the structure of the map data stored in the recording medium 21 is shown.
Here, the map data is managed in units called leaflets for each predetermined geographical area, and each leaf is composed of a plurality of levels according to the degree of detail of the map. Each level map of each leaf consists of one or more units, and each unit corresponds to the geographical area of the leaf to which it belongs or a divided area, and maps the corresponding area. , Expressed at the level to which it belongs.

As shown in FIG. 2, the map data includes the management data describing the relationship between each unit and the leaf, corresponding area and level, production date and time of the map data, basic map data representing the map, and route data. Consists of including.
Here, the basic map data includes the unit data for each unit described above, and unit management data describing the relationship between each unit data and the leaf, corresponding area, and level. Each unit data includes a road unit representing a road network in the unit and a drawing unit for defining a display map in the unit.

The road unit has a node list, a link table, and connection data describing connection and correspondence of nodes and links with other units.
Here, in the road unit, the road is expressed as a set of links that are straight lines, and the end point of each link is a node. Such a node is always provided at a connection point of a road such as an intersection, and is always provided at a boundary between adjacent units. In addition, each link has a direction, and if the road is one-way between two adjacent nodes via the link, only one link in the direction of traffic is provided. In principle, two links in opposite directions are provided.

  The node list includes a node record for each node, and each node record includes a node object number that is an identifier of the node, the coordinates of the node, whether the node is a node corresponding to an intersection or a highway entrance, etc. , A connection link number list that is a list of link numbers of links connected to the node, and an adjacent node object number list that is a list of node object numbers of nodes adjacent to the node via the link are described.

  Next, the link table includes a link record for each link, and each link record includes a link object number that is an identifier of the link, a starting node object number that indicates a node object number of a node that is a starting point of the link, This is the end node object number indicating the node object number of the node that is the end point, the road attribute indicating various information about the section of the road corresponding to the link, the link distance, the link direction, and the route search cost given to the link. The link cost, the route number of the route to which the link belongs, etc. are described. Here, as the road attribute, a road type indicating a type such as a toll road of a road to which the link belongs, a national road, a prefectural road, a road width of the road section corresponding to the link, the number of lanes, and the like are described.

  Next, the drawing unit includes a background unit that represents information about each figure that is a geographical display element of the map, such as a topographic figure, a road figure, and a facility figure, and a map unit such as a facility name, a road name, and an intersection name. A character string unit that represents information about the character information to be displayed, and an icon unit that represents information about an icon that is a mark to be displayed to indicate the presence of a facility such as a gas station on the map.

  The background unit has a graphic record provided for each graphic serving as a geographical display element. Each graphic record includes a graphic object number, which is a graphic identifier, a terrain graphic, a road graphic, A graphic object type representing a type such as a facility graphic, graphic shape data which is graphic shape data, and a graphic display position representing a position on the map where the graphic is displayed are stored.

  The character string unit has a character string record provided for each character string to be displayed on the map. Each character string record includes a character string object number that is an identifier of the character string, and a facility name of the character string object. Character string object type that indicates the type such as road name, road name, intersection name, character string to be displayed, display form attribute that indicates the display color, transparency, and modification of the character string, and related object that represents the object that the character string represents Information and display position attribute information describing the display position of the character string in relation to the related object are stored.

  Here, in the related object information of the character string record, when the character string object type of the character string record is the facility name, the graphic object number of the graphic record corresponding to the facility of the facility name is stored. When the character string object type of the record is a road name, the link object number of the link record that displays the road name in the vicinity of the links that form the road of the road name is stored, and the character of the character string record When the column object type is an intersection name, the node object number of the node record of the node corresponding to the intersection is described. The display position attribute information of the character string record describes the display position of the character string relative to the object (graphic, link, or node) described in the related object information. For example, if the character string is a facility name, an offset of the position with respect to a specific point (for example, the center of the graphic) indicated by the related object information is described. If the character string is a road name, the related object information is An offset of a position with respect to a specific point (for example, a start point node) on the indicated link is described. If the character string is an intersection name, an offset of a position with respect to the node indicated by the related object information is described.

Finally, the route data included in the map data has a route record provided for each road. Each route record includes a route number that is an identifier of a road, a highway of each road, a national road, The type of route such as a prefectural road and the road name of each road are described.
In such a configuration, the current state calculation unit 103 of the control device 1 repeatedly performs the following processing.
That is, the current state calculation unit 103 matches the current position estimated from the output of the traveling state sensor 4 or the GPS receiver 3 with the map around the current position previously determined read from the map data buffer 101. Processing, etc., the most probable coordinates as the current position, the most probable direction as the current traveling direction, and the most probable link as the current traveling link, the current position, current traveling direction, and traveling The link is determined and set in the memory 106.

The main control unit 107 receives a destination setting from the user via the remote controller 5 and the GUI control unit 108 in response to a user destination setting request, and sets the destination setting in the memory 106.
Then, the route search unit 104 is searched for a guidance route to the destination. The route search unit 104 reads the road data of the road unit in the necessary geographical area from the map data buffer 101, and the route of the lowest cost that first follows the traveling link from the current position set in the memory 106 to the destination. Is calculated as a recommended route based on a predetermined cost model using the link cost of the link record and the route data of the calculated recommended route is set in the memory 106.

In addition, the main control unit 107 determines that the destination has arrived when the current position set in the memory 106 is close to the destination, and clears the destination set in the memory 106 and the recommended route. Do.
Then, the navigation image generation unit 105 performs the following navigation image generation processing.
FIG. 3 shows the procedure of the navigation image generation process.
As shown in the figure, in this process, first, it is checked whether or not a recommended route is currently set in the memory 106 (step 302). If it is not set, the process proceeds to step 330. , Referring to the current position and the recommended route set in the memory 106, the distance to the next right / left turn point, which is the intersection that will make the next right / left turn when driving according to the recommended route, is less than the distance Th. If the distance Th is not less than the distance Th, the process proceeds to Step 330. If the distance Th is less than the distance Th, the process proceeds to Step 306.

  In step 330, the display scale is set to a normal scale (for example, a scale set in advance by the user), and a map display area is determined based on the display scale and the current position. This display area is, for example, a range centered on the current position having a geographical size obtained by multiplying the size of the display area of the navigation image of the display device 6 by 1 / display scale, and is currently set in the memory 106. The traveling direction is offset by a distance obtained by subtracting the vertical length of the current position mark indicating the current position from half the vertical length of the display area of the navigation image of the display device 6 by 1 / display scale. As a range.

  Once the display area is obtained in this way, the current traveling direction is displayed on the display scale in accordance with the drawing unit or the drawing unit and the road unit. In addition to drawing as above, icons and character strings are drawn according to the icon unit and character string unit (step 332) to obtain a map image. However, when the display scale is small, the road graphic may be drawn based on the link indicated by the road unit instead of the road graphic indicated by the background unit. Further, the figure, character string, and icon to be drawn may be appropriately selected according to the display scale and the like.

  Then, it is checked whether or not a recommended route is being set (step 334). If the recommended route is not being set, a current position mark representing the current position is drawn at a position corresponding to the current position on the map image ( In step 338), the navigation image is completed and displayed on the display device 6 via the GUI control unit 108 (step 340), and the process returns to step 302.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step 334 that the recommended route is being set, the recommended route graphic representing the recommended route on the map image with reference to the route data of the recommended route set in the memory 106 is displayed on the map image. To draw. If the destination set in the memory 106 is within the display area, a destination mark representing the destination is drawn at a position corresponding to the destination on the map image (step 336). Then, a current position mark representing the current position is drawn at a position corresponding to the current position on the map image (step 338), and the navigation image is completed and displayed on the display device 6 via the GUI control unit 108 (step 338). 340), and returns to step 302.

Here, FIG. 5a shows an example of the navigation image drawn in this way.
As shown in the figure, in this case, the navigation image includes geographical display elements such as a road graphic 501 and a facility graphic 502 that are represented in a normal scale set in advance according to a user operation, a road name 503, an intersection name 504, and the like. The current position mark 506 indicating the current position and the recommended route 507 are displayed on the map image 510 including the character string and the icon 505 indicating a parking lot or the like. In addition, when a destination is included in this display area, a destination mark representing the destination is also displayed.

  Returning to FIG. 3, if it is determined in step 302 that the recommended route is being set, and it is determined in step 304 that the distance to the next right / left turn point is less than the distance Th, first, in step 306, The display scale is set to a predetermined scale for enlargement display, and the display area of the map is determined as described above based on the display scale and the current position. Here, the enlarged display scale is a scale that is enlarged and displayed so that the scale around the intersection is larger than the scale that is estimated to be used by the user for normal map display.

  As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 5b, when the next right / left turn point is an intersection 520, the navigation image displayed as shown in FIG. 5a when approaching the intersection 520 within the distance Th. A part of the range 521 within the geographical range corresponding to is set as the display area.

Returning to FIG. 3, if the display area is set in this way, it is next checked whether or not the drawing position calculation completed is set. If it is set, the process proceeds to step 318. In the initial state, the drawing position calculated has not been set.
On the other hand, if the drawing position calculation has not been set, when driving according to the recommended route, the road name of the road that will be driven before passing the next right / left turn point and when driving according to the recommended route Then, the road name of the road to be traveled after passing the next right / left turn point is acquired (step 310). These road names can be acquired as road names registered in the route record having the route number of the link record of the link on the recommended route before and after the next turn point.

If the road name is acquired, the road name drawing position calculation process is performed for each acquired road name, and the drawing position of each road name and whether to draw each road name vertically or horizontally are determined. (Step 312). This road name drawing position calculation process will be described later.
Next, a character string drawing position calculation process is performed to calculate the drawing position of the character string represented by the character string unit of the drawing unit and to set a balloon figure to the character string (step 314). This character string drawing position calculation process will be described later.
In step 316, the drawing position calculated is set, and the process proceeds to step 318.
In step 318, based on the graphic unit and icon unit of the road unit and the background unit, each graphic that is a geographical display element indicated by the background unit in the display area is displayed in the display scale with the current traveling direction up. draw. However, as for the road graphic, the road graphic may be drawn based on the link indicated by the road unit instead of the road graphic indicated by the background unit.
Then, the character string represented by the character string unit is drawn not at the position defined by the character string record but at the drawing position determined by the character string drawing position calculation processing at step 312 (step 320). At this time, for the character string of the character string record in which the balloon graphic is set in the character string drawing position determination process, the character string is set as the position on the balloon graphic after the balloon graphic is drawn. Then, drawing is performed at the drawing position determined by the character string drawing position determination process.

  Next, the road name acquired in step 3310 is drawn at the drawing position calculated by the road name drawing position calculation process in step 310 (step 322), and the map image is completed. The road name is drawn by vertical writing when vertical writing is determined by the road name drawing position calculation processing, and by horizontal writing when horizontal writing is determined by the road name drawing position calculation processing.

  Then, a recommended route figure representing the recommended route on the map image is drawn on the map image, and a current position mark representing the current position is drawn at a position corresponding to the current position on the map image, and the destination is displayed. If it is within the area, a destination mark representing the destination is further drawn at a position corresponding to the destination on the map image to complete the navigation image and displayed on the display device 6 via the GUI control unit 108. (Step 324).

Then, referring to the current position in the memory 106, it is checked whether or not the next right / left turn point has been passed (step 322). If not, the process returns to step 306. If it has passed, the drawing position has been calculated. Is released, and the process returns to step 302.
Next, the road name drawing position calculation process performed for each road name acquired in step 310 in step 312 of the navigation image generation process will be described.
FIG. 4a shows the procedure of the road name drawing position calculation process.
As shown in the figure, in this process, first, a link in the display area of the route corresponding to the road name is extracted (step 402). This link is obtained as a link of the link record having the route number of the route record corresponding to the road name.
A link that is not on the recommended route is selected from the extracted links (step 404). Also, the character string length of the road name is acquired (step 406).
Next, a continuous section including only the range on the selected link and having a length corresponding to the acquired character string length in the vicinity of the next right / left turn point and not including the next right / left turn point is calculated. (Step 408). That is, a section in which a road name is drawn is set at a position near the next right / left turn point in a portion where a recommended route graphic is not drawn on the road in the route display area corresponding to the road name. The length of the section for drawing the road name is obtained as a value obtained by multiplying the character string length of the road name by the size of one side of a predetermined character and 1 / display scale.

  If the calculation of the section on the selected link is successful (step 410), the calculated link on the calculated selection link is centered on the center of the section on the road graphic corresponding to the calculated section on the selected link. An area extending along the road direction of the section on the road graphic corresponding to the section is calculated as a road name drawing position (step 412). Further, depending on the road direction of the section on the road figure corresponding to the calculated section on the selected link, the vertical writing and horizontal writing of the road name are determined (step 414). That is, if the road direction of the section on the road figure corresponding to the calculated section on the selected link is within a range of plus or minus 45 degrees centered on the direction perpendicular to the current traveling direction, the road name is written horizontally. Set the vertical writing in other cases.

Then, the road name drawing position calculation process ends.
On the other hand, if the calculation of the section on the selected link for drawing the road name fails in step 410, the section is a continuous section including only the range on the link extracted in step 402, and the next turn point A section that does not include the next right / left turn point and has a length corresponding to the length of the acquired character string in the vicinity is calculated. The calculation is based on the position shifted to the right in the direction of travel on the recommended route from the center of the section on the road figure corresponding to the calculated section on the selected link by 1/4 of the road width of the section. The area extending along the road direction of the section on the road graphic corresponding to the section on the selected link is calculated as the road name drawing position (step 416). The recommended route graphic is drawn on the left lane on the road map.

In step 414, vertical writing and horizontal writing of the road name are determined according to the direction of the road portion corresponding to the section on the selected link, and the road name drawing position calculation process is ended.
Next, the character string drawing position calculation process performed in step 314 of FIG. 3 will be described.
FIG. 4b shows the procedure of the character string drawing position calculation process.
As shown in the figure, in this process, first, a character string record having links, nodes, and figures drawn in the display area as related objects is extracted (step 452). However, here, the character string record for the road name of the route to which the link on the recommended route before and after the next right / left turn point belongs may be excluded from the extraction target.

Then, the following processing is performed for each extracted character string record (steps 454, 460, 466).
First, a character string display area obtained from the character string length of the character string record, related object information, and display position attribute information is calculated as a character drawing position (step 456). When a character string is displayed at this display position and a recommended route graphic is drawn, it is checked whether the character string and the recommended route graphic overlap (step 458). Terminates processing for the character string record.

  On the other hand, if they overlap, the display area of this character string is moved away from the recommended route shape to the position where the character string and recommended route shape do not overlap when the character string is displayed, and the display after movement The area is set as a character drawing position (step 462). Then, a balloon graphic that includes the display area after movement in the character display area and that is blown out from the position of the related object in the character string record is set (step 464). And the process about this character string record is complete | finished.

The navigation image generation process performed by the navigation image generation unit 105 has been described above.
According to such a navigation image generation process, the navigation image is displayed as follows, for example.
That is, when the recommended route is set and the next turn point is not approached, the navigation image is displayed at the normal scale as shown in FIG. 5a. Then, as shown in FIG. 5b, when approaching the intersection 520, which becomes the next right / left turn point, the area is a part of the area around the current position in the geographical area corresponding to the navigation image of FIG. 5a. The area 521 in FIG. 5b is set as the display area, and as shown in FIG. 6a, the map image 610 in the display area is enlarged and displayed using the scale for enlargement display. In addition, a current position mark 601 and a recommended route graphic 602 are displayed on the map image 610. When the destination is included in the display area calculated using the enlarged display scale, the destination mark indicating the destination is also displayed on the map image 610.
Further, in this map image 610, roads 603 of the route before passing the next right / left turn point and road names 604 of the route after passing the next right / left turn point when traveling according to the recommended route represent each route In the section where the recommended route figure 602 is not drawn on the figures 605 and 606, it is arranged and displayed in the center in the road width direction. Other character strings are also displayed at positions that do not overlap with the recommended route graphic 602. That is, if the character string is drawn as it is at the original drawing position indicated by the character string record shown in FIG. 6c, the character string that overlaps with the recommended route figure (in the figure, the character string “representing the name of the facility that is the building” For “AB building” 607), the drawing position is changed to a position that does not overlap with the recommended route graphic 602, and the character string indicates the object representing the name, or the object position such as a node or link (the facility graphic representing the building in the figure) 608) is displayed in a form representing the character string in the balloon graphic 608 blown out. In addition, a character string that does not overlap with the recommended route graphic 602 even if the character string is drawn as it is at the original drawing position indicated by the character string record shown in FIG. 6c (the intersection name that is the next right / left turn point in the figure) The character string “XX intersection” 621) is drawn as it is at the original drawing position indicated by the character string record.

  The display of the navigation image at the enlarged display scale is updated as the current position progresses until the next right / left turn point is passed. In addition, when the current position passes through the next right / left turn point at the time of setting the display area with the enlarged display scale, the display scale is returned to the normal scale, and the display of the navigation image at the normal scale shown in FIG. 4a is restored. It will be.

  Further, when displaying at the scale for enlarged display, for example, as shown in FIG. 6b, the road name of the route before passing the next right / left turn point and the road name of the route after passing the next right / left turn point are Because there is no such section in the section where the recommended route figure on the road figure of the road with the road name is not drawn, or because there is no section long enough to display such a character string, If it cannot be displayed (in the case of the road name “Chuo-dori” 603 in the figure), the road name 603 and the recommended route graphic 602 are arranged on the road graphic 605 of the road next to the recommended route graphic 602. It will be displayed so as not to overlap. In the case of FIG. 6b, if the intersection name “XX intersection” 621 of the intersection that is the next right / left turn point is also drawn at the original drawing position indicated by the character string record as shown in FIG. In order to overlap, the character string is displayed in a form representing the character string in a balloon graphic 622 that is blown out from a node (a node corresponding to the intersection) that is a target representing the name.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
By the way, in the above, the road name and the display position of the character string are controlled so as not to overlap with the recommended route figure only in the generation of the navigation image displaying the display area at the enlarged display scale. Also in the generation of the navigation image for displaying the display area, the road name and the character string may be controlled so as not to overlap with the recommended route graphic.

  In the above, in the generation of the navigation image that displays the display area using the enlarged display scale, the road names before and after the recommended route of the next right / left turn point are obtained from the link through the recommended route, and the drawing is performed. Although this is done, instead of such processing, or in conjunction with such processing, when the road name drawing position prepared in advance as a character string record overlaps the recommended route graphic, the display of the road name You may make it perform the process which moves a position to the position on the road figure of the road which the said road name which does not overlap with a recommended route figure shows.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a recommended graphic representing a recommended route is displayed on a map, a character string representing a road name, the name of an object on the map, or the like is represented as a recommended route graphic. It can be displayed in a position that does not overlap. Therefore, the road name or other character string can be displayed with high visibility on the map while displaying the recommended route on the map.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the map data with which the navigation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention is provided. It is a flowchart which shows the navigation image generation process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the road name drawing position calculation process and character string drawing position calculation process which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the process example of the navigation image generation process which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the process example of the navigation image generation process which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Control apparatus, 2 ... Recording medium drive, 3 ... GPS receiver, 4 ... Running state sensor, 5 ... Remote control, 6 ... Display apparatus, 21 ... Recording medium, 101 ... Map data buffer, 102 ... Map data reading process part DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 103 ... Current state calculation part 104 ... Route search part 105 ... Navigation image generation part 106 ... Memory 107 ... Main control part 108 ... GUI control part.

Claims (7)

A navigation device for displaying a map,
A recommended route graphic drawing means for drawing a recommended route graphic representing a recommended route to the destination on the map;
As the road name display area, which is an area on the map for displaying the road name of the recommended route via which the recommended route passes, the recommended route on the graphic representing the recommended route via road on the map Road name drawing position calculating means for calculating an area corresponding to a section on the recommended route via which the route does not pass,
A navigation apparatus comprising road name drawing means for drawing a road name of the recommended route via road in a road name display area calculated by the road name drawing position calculation means on the map. The navigation device according to claim 1,
The road name drawing position calculating means is an area corresponding to a section on the recommended route passing route on which the recommended route does not pass on the graphic representing the recommended route passing route on the map, and the road name is When there is no area having a size sufficient for display, a side area of the recommended route graphic on the graphic representing the recommended route via road is calculated as the road name display area on the map. A navigation device. The navigation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The recommended route passing road is a road through which the recommended route passes, and roads before and after the recommended route at an intersection that will turn left or right next when traveling according to the recommended route. A navigation device. A navigation device for displaying a map,
A recommended route graphic drawing means for drawing a recommended route graphic representing a recommended route to the destination on the map;
Character string drawing position calculating means for calculating an area that does not overlap the recommended route graphic as a character string drawing area that is an area on the map that displays a character string representing the name of the target on the map;
The character string representing the name of the object on the map is associated with the character string drawing area calculated by the character string drawing position calculation means for the character string with the object on the map where the character string represents the name. A navigation device comprising a character string drawing means for drawing. A navigation device for displaying a map,
A recommended route graphic drawing means for drawing a recommended route graphic representing a recommended route to the destination on the map;
For each character string that represents the name of the target on the map for which the display position on the map is defined in advance, when the character string is displayed at a position according to the definition, the character string is the recommended route graphic. If they do not overlap, the area determined according to the position according to the definition is calculated as a character string drawing area that is an area on the map displaying the character string, and the character string is displayed at the position according to the definition. If the character string overlaps with the recommended root graphic, the area where the character string can be displayed so as not to overlap the recommended root graphic is calculated to calculate the character string drawing area and display the character string. A character string drawing position calculating means for setting a display form with a related figure as a form;
A character string drawing means for drawing a character string representing the name of the object on the map in the character string drawing area calculated by the character string drawing position calculating means for the character string;
The character string drawing means associates the display of the character string with the display of the object on the map in which the character string represents the name for the character string for which the display form with a related graphic is set as the display form. A navigation device, wherein a character string is drawn in a form to which a figure is added. A map display method for displaying a map in a navigation device together with a recommended route graphic representing a recommended route to a destination on the map,
Drawing the recommended route graphic on the map;
As the road name display area which is an area on the map for displaying the road name of the recommended route via which the recommended route passes, the recommended route on the figure representing the recommended route via road is displayed on the map. Calculating an area corresponding to a section on the recommended route that does not pass through;
Drawing the road name of the recommended route via road in the road name display area on the map calculated for the road name. A map display method for displaying a map in a navigation device together with a recommended route graphic representing a recommended route to a destination on the map,
Drawing the recommended route graphic on the map;
Calculating a region that does not overlap the recommended route graphic as a character string drawing region that is a region on the map that displays a character string representing the name of the target on the map;
Drawing a character string representing the name of the object on the map in a form associated with the object on the map where the character string represents the name in a character string drawing area calculated for the character string. A featured map display method.

Images