JP2008082813A - Navigation apparatus, method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the grasping of a current position and a simple screen constitution at normal times compatible with each other by displaying a wide-area map on part of a screen only while a detail map is being scrolled in a navigation technique. <P>SOLUTION: A display control means 44 displays a map on a display part on the basis of map data read from a disk control part 12 (display control processing). A scroll means 45 scrolls the map displayed on the display part 10 according to operations at an input part 11 (scroll processing). A wide-area map display means 46 displays a wide-area map on a part of the screen during the scroll (wide-area map display processing). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in navigation technology.

  In recent years, with the development of electronic technology, the spread of navigation devices is remarkable. The navigation device is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, and based on the map data, the position and direction of the vehicle specified by GPS or the like are displayed on the surrounding map, or the user designates by facility search or cursor, etc. A route to the destination is calculated by searching and setting, and guidance guidance such as a turn direction and a right / left turn at an intersection is performed on a map display or synthetic voice.

In such a navigation device, there is a scroll function that freely moves the map displayed on the screen in the vertical and horizontal directions from the current position, and the user scrolls the map to the destination point, and the displayed map point It is possible to perform operations such as searching for facilities based on the information and scrolling the map to confirm the actually set route.
JP 2003-75167 A

  However, if you start scrolling as described above on the detailed map and continue scrolling to a distant place, the original point is far from the screen range, so there is a problem that it is difficult to grasp the currently displayed place . In this regard, there are proposals for improving the coordinates of the current location being scrolled and the address to be always displayed, but there is a difficulty in intuitively understanding the characters.

  In addition, there is a proposal to always display different maps of different scales, such as details and wide areas, on a split screen or a sub-screen (for example, Patent Document 1). There was a problem that the area was limited, and there was a need for a better technical solution.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems of the prior art. The purpose of the present invention is to grasp the current position by displaying a wide area map on a part of the screen only during scrolling of the detailed map in the navigation technique. And a simple screen configuration at normal times.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a navigation device that performs navigation using a computer, based on map data storage means, a screen display unit, an operation input unit, and the map data. Display control means for displaying a map on the display section, scroll means for scrolling the map displayed on the display section in response to an operation at the input section, and a part of the screen during the scrolling. And a wide area map display means for displaying the wide area map.

  In this way, by displaying a wide-area map on a part of the screen simultaneously with the start of scrolling, regardless of the scale of the display being scrolled, the user always intuitively displays the current scroll point even during scrolling operations. The approximate position can be grasped, and the display of the wide area map is also terminated at the end of scrolling, so that it is possible to achieve both a simple screen configuration at normal times.

  Another aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the wide area map display means displays the wide area map as a sub-screen in an area near one of the four corners of the screen in the display unit.

  Thus, by displaying the wide area map on the sub-screen close to the screen corner, the scrolling operation and the display of the scroll point are not hindered.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, the wide area map display means displays the wide area map in a simple form by a main road, a mark of the current vehicle position, a destination and a waypoint. It is characterized by that.

  Thus, by making the wide area map a simple display, the display process in the wide area map is simplified, the processing load is reduced, and the position can be easily grasped.

  The same applies to the method and program.

  As described above, according to the present invention, by displaying the wide area map on a part of the screen only during the scrolling of the detailed map, it is possible to achieve both the grasp of the current position and the simple screen configuration at the normal time.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that assumptions common to the explanation in the background art and problems are omitted as appropriate.

[1. Constitution〕
The navigation device in the present embodiment (hereinafter also referred to as “this device”) performs navigation using a computer and can be grasped as a method and a program, but as shown in the configuration diagram of FIG. Direction detection unit 1, relative direction detection unit 2, vehicle speed detection unit 3, main CPU and its peripheral circuit (also referred to as "calculation control unit") 4, ROM 5, DRAM 6, SRAM 7, VRAM 8, user An interface unit 9, a display unit 10, an input unit 11, a disk control unit 12, an FM multiple reception and processing unit 13 for VICS, and an external recording device control unit 14 for removable media access are provided.

  Among them, the absolute position / orientation detection unit 1 is sent from a GPS satellite in order to calculate the absolute position coordinates and direction on the ground surface with respect to the current position of the vehicle on which the apparatus is mounted, that is, the position of the own vehicle. This is a part for receiving GPS radio waves with an antenna or a receiver. The relative orientation detection unit 2 is a part for detecting the relative orientation of the vehicle position using a gyro sensor or the like. Further, the vehicle speed detection unit 3 is a part for processing a vehicle speed pulse obtained from the automobile in order to calculate the speed of the vehicle position.

  The arithmetic control unit (main CPU and its peripheral circuits) 4 is a part that serves as a control circuit for controlling the entire apparatus. The ROM 5 stores a BIOS, a boot program, and the like in advance, and is accessed by the main CPU and its peripheral circuit 4 when the apparatus is activated. The DRAM 6 is used for a work area and the like. The SRAM 7 is a non-volatile memory, and retains the memory contents by being backed up by a battery or the like while the main power source of the apparatus such as an accessory power source of an automobile is turned off. The VRAM 8 is a memory for displaying video on the display unit 10.

  The display unit 10 is a part for displaying various information such as a map and an operation menu on the screen, and the input unit 11 is a part for a user to input commands and operations to the apparatus using a remote controller, a touch panel, or the like. The user interface unit 9 is a user interface that connects the display unit 10 and the input unit 11 to the main CPU and its peripheral circuit 4 using an I / O control circuit, a driver, or the like.

  The disk control unit 12 is a means for storing map data and the like, and uses a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, hard disk, or the like.

  Moreover, each means 41-46 shown in FIG. 1 is implement | achieved by controlling the arithmetic control part 4 by navigation programs, such as incorporation. Each of these means is a processing means for realizing and executing each functional action of the present invention and this embodiment. The destination designation receiving means 41 receives the designation of the destination by facility search, screen scrolling, etc., the route search means 42 searches and sets the route to the designated destination based on the map data, and the set route is set. The point that the guidance and guidance means 43 guides and guides by synthetic voice or screen display is the same as in the past, and the details are omitted.

[2. Action and effect)
In the present embodiment configured as described above, as an overview, the display control unit 44 displays a map on the display unit 10 based on the map data (display control processing), and the scroll unit 45 includes an input unit. 11, the map displayed on the display unit 10 is scrolled (scroll processing), and the wide area map display means 46 displays a wide area map on a part of the screen during the scrolling (wide area). Map display processing).

  As a specific example, FIG. 2 shows an example in which the above-mentioned wide area map is displayed in a rectangular sub-screen in the upper right part of the screen in the scroll of 3D display (3D scroll). An example is shown in FIG. Further, the processing procedure regarding these wide area displays is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  In this processing procedure, when a scroll start request is received, scrolling of the map is started on the main screen with the scale and mode currently displayed (step S01), and a sub screen is displayed on a part of the screen, and the sub screen is displayed. A simplified display of a part of the wide area map is started on the screen (step S02). At this time, the wide area map is displayed as a sub-screen in the vicinity of any of the four corners of the screen, thereby preventing the scroll operation and the display of the scroll point.

  In addition, the wide area map displayed on a part of the screen in this way is a guide for grasping the position of the scroll destination in the map such as the main road, the current vehicle position mark, the destination and the waypoint, etc. Such a simple display. This simplifies the display process in the wide area map, reduces the processing load, and facilitates grasping the position.

  While the scrolling continues (step S05), the display position is also updated for the center of the wide area map in the sub-screen in accordance with the scrolling of the main screen (step S03) (step S04). Thereafter, in accordance with the cancellation (step S06) by the end of scrolling (step S05), the display of the wide area map on the child screen is also ended (step S07).

  As described above, in this embodiment, regardless of the scale of the display scale being scrolled, the user can always intuitively display the wide area map on a part of the screen simultaneously with the start of scrolling, even during the scrolling operation. In addition, the approximate position of the current scroll point can be grasped, and the display of the wide area map is also terminated at the end of scrolling, thereby making it possible to achieve both a simple screen configuration at normal times.

[3. Other embodiments]
In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, The thing illustrated below and other embodiment other than that are included. For example, although the above embodiment has been described mainly with a navigation device in mind, it can also be understood as a navigation device control method, navigation method, and computer program corresponding to such a navigation device. A program such as an update program that is provided as a free download for a device is also an embodiment of the present invention.

The figure which shows the structure of embodiment of this invention. The example of a screen (3D) with the display of the wide area map in embodiment of this invention. The example of a screen (2D) accompanying the display of the wide area map in embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the process sequence in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Absolute position and direction detection part 2 ... Relative direction detection part 3 ... Vehicle speed detection part 4 ... Calculation control part 9 ... User interface part 10 ... Display part 11 ... Input part 12 ... Disk control part 41 ... Destination designation | designated reception means 42 ... route search means 43 ... guidance guide means 44 ... display control means 45 ... scroll means 46 ... wide area map display means

Claims (9)

In a navigation device that performs navigation using a computer,
A map data storage means, a screen display unit, an operation input unit,
Display control means for displaying a map on the display unit based on the map data;
Scroll means for scrolling the map displayed on the display unit in response to an operation on the input unit;
Wide area map display means for displaying a wide area map on a part of the screen during the scrolling;
A navigation device comprising: The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the wide area map display unit displays the wide area map as a sub-screen in an area near one of the four corners of the screen in the display unit. The said wide area map display means displays the said wide area map in the simple aspect by the main road, the mark of the present own vehicle position, the destination, and the waypoint. The navigation device described. In a navigation method in a navigation apparatus having a map data storage means, a screen display unit, and an operation input unit, and performing navigation using a computer,
Display control processing for displaying a map on the display unit based on the map data;
A scroll process for scrolling the map displayed on the display unit in response to an operation on the input unit;
A wide area map display process for displaying a wide area map on a part of the screen during the scroll;
A navigation method comprising: The navigation method according to claim 4, wherein the wide area map display process displays the wide area map as a sub-screen in an area near any one of four corners of the screen in the display unit. The said wide area map display process displays the said wide area map in the simple aspect by the main road, the mark of the present own vehicle position, the destination, and the waypoint. The described navigation method. In a navigation program for controlling a navigation device that has a map data storage means, a screen display unit, and an operation input unit and performs navigation using a computer,
The program controls the arithmetic control unit of the computer,
Display control processing for displaying a map on the display unit based on the map data;
A scroll process for scrolling the map displayed on the display unit in response to an operation on the input unit;
A wide area map display process for displaying a wide area map on a part of the screen during the scroll;
A navigation program characterized by causing The navigation program according to claim 7, wherein the arithmetic control unit causes the wide area map to be displayed as a sub-screen in an area near any one of the four corners of the screen in the display unit in the wide area map display process. In the wide area map display processing, the wide area map is displayed in a simple manner by the main road, a mark of the current vehicle position, a destination, and a waypoint in the arithmetic control unit. The navigation program according to claim 7 or 8.