JP2008232900A - Navigation device, control method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a necessary map information part from being overlapped so as to disappear by a VICS parking lot icon which is desired by a user, while assuring the display of the VICS parking lot icon in a map screen of a car navigation system. <P>SOLUTION: In a parked car, the VICS parking lot icon 30 is displayed in the range of the whole area on the map screen. Meanwhile, while a car travels, although the VICS parking lot icon 30 close to a destination icon 28 is displayed, the VICS parking lot icon 30 is not displayed in the range except above area. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device, a control method, and a program that improve the display of information marks such as landmarks on a display device.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a car navigation device that displays a landmark such as a gas station on a display device together with a map (FIGS. 5 and 6 of Patent Document 1). The car navigation device is configured to automatically switch the display device to display or non-display based on the vehicle information (the flowchart of FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1), and the user can display or hide the landmark. It is possible to save the trouble of operating the switching one by one. In Specific Example 1 of Patent Document 1 (paragraph 0020 of Patent Document 1), the landmark of the gas station is in a display state when the remaining fuel amount becomes a predetermined value or less, and when the remaining fuel amount becomes a predetermined value or more, it is not displayed. Display.

Patent Document 2 discloses a car navigation device that displays a road traffic information mark at a corresponding point on a map on the screen (FIG. 7 of Patent Document 2). In the car navigation device, priority is given to display marks, and when the display marks overlap on the map, only the display mark with the higher priority is displayed (FIG. 7 (b) of Patent Document 2). )).
JP 2006-275663 A Japanese Patent No. 3696073

  In the car navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the user can save the trouble of switching between display and non-display of the landmark, but in the landmark display mode, the landmark is displayed in the entire range of the map screen. Will be. The user cannot stare at the screen while driving, and for a part of the area on the map, the user wants to know the map information rather than the landmark information and must look at it instantaneously There is. In the car navigation device of Patent Document 1, even if there is an area where the user wants to place more importance on the map information than the landmark, if the landmark is displayed at that time, the map information of the area is displayed. May be partially or totally hidden under the landmark, and the map information may not be known instantaneously.

  In the car navigation device of Patent Document 2, when the marks related to road traffic information are displayed with overlapping each other, the display of the lower priority mark is stopped. In such a case, as in the car navigation device of Patent Document 1, the map information of the area that the user wants to see on the map screen is partially or entirely marked. Hidden and unintelligible or momentarily unknown.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device and a control method capable of ensuring the display of necessary information marks while avoiding that the map information of the area portion required by the user is hidden by the information marks on the map screen. And providing a program.

  According to the present invention, the information mark is displayed on the map according to a predetermined criterion, for example, according to the criterion of the distance relationship between each point on the map and the current location, the destination or the guidance route. Divide into mark display category and display limitation category. In the display section, an information mark is displayed, and in the display restriction section, the display of the information mark is restricted.

The navigation device of the present invention comprises the following means.
Map display means for displaying a map on a display device;
Information mark display means for displaying information marks at corresponding points on the map displayed on the display device, and the map being displayed is divided into information mark display categories and display restriction categories, and the information mark display means displays and displays the information marks. Display control means for controlling the information mark display means to display or restrict display of the information mark according to the restriction classification.

The navigation device control method of the present invention includes the following steps.
Displaying a map on the display device;
Dividing the displayed map into information mark display categories and display restriction categories;
A step of displaying an information mark having a corresponding point in the display section at the corresponding point on the displayed map, and an information mark having a corresponding point in the display restriction section being displayed at the corresponding point on the displayed map Step to limit what to do.

  The program of the present invention causes a computer to function as each means of the navigation device of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, the map being displayed is divided into information marks, the information mark is displayed in the information mark display section, and the information mark display is restricted in the display restriction section. Accordingly, the user can view the map information without being disturbed by the information mark in the display restriction category, and can ensure the display of the predetermined information mark.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the car navigation apparatus 10. The car navigation device 10 includes a display determination processing unit 11, a map information storage device 12, a display device 13, a VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) reception device 14, a landmark position information storage device 15, a guidance route storage device 16, and a host vehicle. A position detection device 17 and a traveling state determination processing unit 18 are included.

  The map information storage device 12 is composed of a DVD or a hard disk device, and stores map information. The display device 13 is composed of a color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The VICS receiver 14 receives radio waves from beacons and FM multiplex broadcasts installed on the road, and information on the location of the parking lot and vacancy information (hereinafter referred to as road traffic information on traffic conditions, required time, construction / traffic regulations, etc.). The road traffic information and parking space availability information are collectively referred to as “VICS information”).

  The landmark position information storage device 15 stores position information about landmarks such as parking lots, gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants. The guide route storage device 16 stores a guide route from the departure place to the destination. The guide route storage device 16 can store not only the current guide route but also past guide routes that have already been guided. The landmark position information storage device 15 and the guide route storage device 16 also serve as a hard disk device as the map information storage device 12.

  The own vehicle position detection device 17 detects the own vehicle position (current location) of a car equipped with the car navigation device 10 based on GPS radio waves received from GPS satellites. The traveling state determination processing unit 18 obtains own vehicle position information from the own vehicle position detection device 17 and determines a traveling state whether the own vehicle is traveling or stopped.

  The display determination processing unit 11 displays a map on the display device 13 based on the map data from the map information storage device 12. The display determination processing unit 11 also obtains information on the current location and the traveling state from the traveling state determination processing unit 18, displays the current location on the map screen of the display device 13, and whether or not the VICS icon is displayed on the map screen. Judging. The display determination processing unit 11 determines whether or not a predetermined landmark is displayed on the map screen of the display device 13 in the same manner as in the case of the VICS icon. Obtain the position information of the mark and display it at the corresponding point on the map screen. The display determination processing unit 11 displays the current guidance route stored in the guidance route storage device 16 on the map screen of the display device 13.

  FIG. 2 is a display screen example of the display device 13 during the traveling period of the host vehicle. In the screens after FIG. 2, the VICS parking lot icon 30 is to be displayed on the map screen. The VICS parking lot icon 30 is displayed at a point on the map screen calculated from the VICS information from the VICS receiver 14. In the map screens of FIG. 2 and subsequent figures, 27 is a current location icon displayed at a location corresponding to the current location, and 28 is a destination icon displayed at a location corresponding to the destination.

  During the travel period of the vehicle, only the VICS parking icon 30 in which the corresponding point exists in the area range less than the predetermined distance from the destination is displayed on the map screen, and the VICS parking icon in which the corresponding point exists in the other area range. 30 is hidden. Since the current location is at least a predetermined distance from the destination, the current location belongs to the area range where the VICS parking lot icon 30 is not displayed on the screen of FIG.

  While traveling, the user can see a map of the area range including the current location without being hidden by the VICS parking lot icon 30. Further, since the VICS parking lot icon 30 near the destination is displayed even during traveling, it is possible to grasp in advance the parking lot to be parked after arriving at the destination and cope with it.

  Note that when the current location approaches less than a predetermined distance from the destination, non-display priority may be given priority or display priority may be given. That is, in display priority, the VICS parking lot icon 30 in the vicinity of the current location icon 27 is displayed as a location whose corresponding point is less than a predetermined distance from the destination. In non-display priority, a parking lot that is in a region less than a predetermined distance from the current location, even if the parking lot is less than a predetermined distance from the destination, the VICS parking icon 30 is hidden, The map part of appears.

  FIG. 3 is a display screen example of the display device 13 during the stop period of the host vehicle. The user's car is temporarily stopped due to a red light or a break. In the stop state, as shown in FIG. 3, a VICS parking lot icon 30 existing in the entire range of the map screen is displayed. The user (in this case, the driver is a driver) cannot stare at the map screen while traveling, but can stare at the map screen while stopped. Even if the symbol (alternative in the illustrated example) is partially hidden by the VICS parking lot icon 30 being displayed, the hidden portion can be understood.

  FIG. 4 shows another display screen example of the display device 13 during the traveling period of the host vehicle. In the display screen of FIG. 2, the VICS parking lot icon 30 in the non-display area range on the map is displayed translucently in the display screen of FIG. 4. Therefore, the user can know the position of the VICS parking icon 30 in the entire area on the map screen, and can also know the place name display and map symbol under the semitransparent VICS parking icon 30. .

  FIG. 5 is a display screen example of the display device 13 when all the VICS parking lot icons 30 are hidden from the map screen. In the car navigation device 10, all VICS parking lot icons 30 can be hidden from the map screen by a user's pre-setting operation or a user operation of display switching while the vehicle is stopped or traveling. .

  The display screen examples of FIGS. 2 to 5 explain the display and display restriction of the VICS parking icon 30, but the VICS icon other than the VICS parking icon 30 and the non-VICS icon that stores the landmark position information. Landmarks such as gas stations, convenience stores and restaurants whose locations are stored in the device 15 can be processed in the same manner as the VICS parking icon 30.

  2 to 5, the VICS parking icon 30 near the current location icon 27 is hidden and the VICS icon near the destination icon 28 is displayed, but the VICS icon or landmark is not displayed. Depending on the situation, those in the vicinity of the current location icon 27 may be displayed, and those in the vicinity of the destination icon 28 may be hidden. Further, the landmarks of the gas stations in the vicinity of the current location icon 27 and along the guidance route can be displayed on the map screen, and the landmarks of the gas stations in other area ranges can be hidden.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an icon display control method executed in the car navigation device 10. The program of the icon display control method is executed at regular time intervals during the power-on period of the car navigation device 10. The icon is, for example, the VICS parking icon 30.

  In S41, it is determined whether or not the traveling state has changed. There are two types of changes in the running state: a change from running to stop and a change from running to running. If the determination in S41 is positive, the process proceeds to S42, and if not, the icon display control method is terminated.

  In S42, it is determined whether the current running state is running or stopped. If the vehicle is traveling, the process proceeds to S45, and if the vehicle is stopped, the process proceeds to S49.

  In S45, it is determined whether or not there is an icon for switching from display to non-display on the map screen of the display device 13. If the determination is positive, the process proceeds to S46, and if not, the icon display control method ends. In S46, the icon determined to be switched to non-display on the map screen of the display device 13 is hidden.

  In S49, it is determined whether or not there is an icon for switching from non-display to display on the map screen of the display device 13. If the determination is positive, the process proceeds to S50, and if not, the icon display control method is terminated. In S50, the icon determined to be displayed on the map screen of the display device 13 is displayed.

  Thus, when the car equipped with the car navigation device 10 changes from the stopped state to the running state, the display screen of the display device 13 is switched from the one shown in FIG. 3 to that shown in FIG. When the automobile changes from the running state to the stopped state, the display screen of the display device 13 is switched from the one shown in FIG. 2 or 4 to the one shown in FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the navigation device 60. A specific example of the navigation device 60 is the car navigation device 10 described above. The navigation device 60 is not limited to a car navigation device. It may be a user portable navigation device, a mobile phone, a PDA (Private Digital Assistant) or other mobile information processing device. The navigation device 60 includes map display means 61, information mark display means 62, and display control means 63.

  The map display means 61 displays a map on the display device 69. The information mark display means 62 displays information marks at corresponding points on the map displayed on the display device 69. The display control means 63 divides the displayed map into information mark display sections and display restriction sections, and the information mark display means 62 displays or restricts display of information marks according to the display sections and display restriction sections. The information mark display means 62 is controlled.

  The concept of information marks includes VICS icons such as the VICS parking icon 30 and landmarks such as gas stations, convenience stores and restaurants. Information marks that can be appropriately displayed on the map screen, such as place names and menu buttons, can also be included. The display mode for each icon information mark is not only detected automatically when the vehicle is traveling, but is also performed automatically by the user by performing a predetermined manual operation. It may be. A specific example of the display device 69 is the display device 13.

  Typically, the display restriction of the information mark by the information mark display means 62 is whether the information mark is not displayed (example: FIG. 2) or the information mark is displayed semi-transparent (example: FIG. 4). It is.

  The display control unit 63 classifies the information mark display category and the display restriction category based on, for example, the distance relationship between the point in the category and the current location, the destination, or the guidance route. In the above-described screen examples of FIGS. 2 and 4, the area range within a predetermined distance from the destination is set as the display category, and the other area ranges are set as the display restriction category. However, depending on the type and nature of the entity of the information mark (for example, in the case of a restaurant, the entity is not serving as a mark but serving as its contents), the area range within a predetermined distance from the destination is limited in display. It is assumed that another region range may be set as the display category.

  In addition, an area range within a predetermined distance from the current location or the guide route may be set as a display category, and another region range may be set as a display restriction category. Conversely, an area range within a predetermined distance from the current location or the guide route may be set. May be set as the display restriction category, and other area ranges may be set as the display category. Furthermore, paying attention to only one factor, such as only the current location, only the destination, or only the guidance route, rather than dividing the information mark display category from the display restriction category based on the distance to the factor, If any of the above factors are combined and within a predetermined distance from any one of the factors, they can be classified into display categories or display limitation categories.

  In consideration of factors such as time and day of the week, in a certain time zone and day of the week, the landmarks of restaurants near the destination icon 28 are displayed, and other region ranges are limited. In other time zones and days of the week, The present location icon 27 and landmarks of restaurants near the guidance route can be displayed, and the display of other area ranges can be restricted.

  Furthermore, when multiple types of information marks (eg parking lot landmarks and restaurant landmarks) are displayed on the map screen at the same time, the first information mark (eg parking lot landmark) For the second information mark (e.g., restaurant) only for the vicinity of the ground, the type of information mark to be displayed can be made different for each section, with only the vicinity of the current location as the display classification.

  The navigation device 60 preferably includes vehicle state detection means 67 for detecting the vehicle state. Accordingly, the display control means 63 sets the entire displayed map as a display category in a predetermined vehicle state. In the car navigation device 10 as a specific example of the navigation device 60, the predetermined vehicle state is a stopped state, and in the stopped state, as described with reference to FIG. Thus, the VICS parking lot icon 30 is displayed for the entire area of the map screen.

  As a result, the user can grasp the necessary information mark point from the screen of the display device 69 and can grasp the map information of the necessary part without being hidden by the information mark.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the navigation device control method 75. The navigation device control method 75 is applied to the navigation device 60.

  In S76, a map is displayed on the display device 69. In S77, the displayed map is divided into information mark display categories and display restriction categories. In S78, an information mark having a corresponding point in the display section is displayed at the corresponding point on the displayed map. In S79, display of information marks having corresponding points in the display restriction category at the corresponding points on the displayed map is restricted.

  The process of S76 corresponds to the function of the map display means 61 of the navigation device 60. The process of S77 corresponds to the function of the display control means 63. The processing of S78 and S79 corresponds to the function of the information mark display means 62 controlled by the display control means 63. The processes of S78 and S79 may be performed by changing the order, or may be performed in parallel. As a specific aspect of the processing of each step, a specific aspect of the function of the means corresponding to the navigation apparatus 60 can be applied. In S77, processing corresponding to the function of the vehicle state detection means 67 can be added, that is, classification can be performed based on the detected vehicle state.

  The program to which the present invention is applied causes a computer to function as each unit of the navigation device 60. Another program to which the present invention is applied causes a computer to execute each step of the navigation device control method 75.

  Although the present invention has been described with respect to the best mode, the present invention is not limited to this, and each constituent element in the best mode can be modified and embodied without departing from the gist of the invention. Various inventions can be formed by a convenient combination of a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the best mode. The invention disclosed in this specification includes those obtained by deleting some constituent elements from all the constituent elements shown in the best mode or combining the constituent elements according to different best modes.

It is a block diagram of a car navigation apparatus. It is an example of a display screen of the display device during the traveling period of the host vehicle. It is an example of a display screen of the display device during a stop period of the own vehicle. It is another example of a display screen of the display device during the traveling period of the host vehicle. It is an example of a display screen of a display device when all the VICS parking lot icons are hidden from the map screen. It is a flowchart of the icon display control method performed in a car navigation apparatus. It is a block diagram of a navigation apparatus. It is a flowchart of a navigation apparatus control method.

Explanation of symbols

60: Navigation device 61: Map display means 62: Information mark display means 63: Display control means 67: Vehicle state detection means 69: Display device 75: Navigation device control method

Claims (6)

Map display means for displaying a map on a display device;
An information mark display means for displaying an information mark at a corresponding point of the map displayed on the display device, and a map being displayed is divided into an information mark display category and a display restriction category, and the information mark display means is a display category. And display control means for controlling the information mark display means so as to display or restrict display of the information mark according to the display restriction classification.
A navigation device comprising:   2. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information mark display restriction by the information mark display means is to hide the information mark or to make the information mark semi-transparent.   3. The display control unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display control means performs the classification of the information mark display category and the display restriction category based on a distance relationship between the point in the category and the current location, the destination, or the guidance route. Navigation device. Vehicle state detection means for detecting a vehicle state, and in the predetermined vehicle state, the display control means for setting the entire displayed map as a display category,
The navigation device according to claim 1, comprising: Displaying a map on the display device;
Dividing the displayed map into information mark display categories and display restriction categories;
A step of displaying an information mark having a corresponding point in the display section at the corresponding point on the displayed map, and an information mark having a corresponding point in the display restriction section being displayed at the corresponding point on the displayed map Step to restrict,
A navigation device control method comprising:   The program for functioning a computer as each means of the navigation apparatus in any one of Claims 1-4.

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