JP2013152383A - Simplified map generation device, simplified map generation method, simplified map display device and simplified map display method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique that simplifies map data while maintaining consistency among maps and significance for a user.SOLUTION: A simplified map generation device comprises: input means 3 for receiving an input of map data; and arithmetic processing means 1 for forming simplified map data in which given figures of integration objects contained in the map data are integrated. The arithmetic processing means 1 comprises: aggregate integrated figures generation means 5 for causing figure groups positioned within predetermined distances from one another out of the given figures to be an aggregate of integrated figures; figure importance determination means 6 that determines whether or not each of the given figures of the aggregate of integrated figures can be integrated on the basis of importance of the integration objects represented by the given figures and excludes the given figure determined not to be integrated from the aggregate of integrated figures; and figure integration processing means 7 for integrating the given figures of the aggregate of integrated figures after exclusion by the figure importance determination means 6.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for simplifying map data.

  When the drawing performance of hardware that displays map data is limited, it may not be possible to ensure a drawing speed suitable for application use. For example, the case where a map is displayed with a portable terminal or a car navigation system is mentioned. In that case, it is required to generate a simplified map that is reduced from a detailed map to an appropriate amount of data. The building shape data included in the map data does not affect the basic function for an application such as car navigation, and therefore does not require a detailed shape display, but is used as a place identification and landmark. Therefore, there is a need for a simplified technique that reduces the amount of data without damaging the appearance and information required by the user.

  As such a building shape simplification technique, there is a technique for reducing the number of vertices constituting a building (for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, a building figure expressed as a polygon having a vertex number N (N is a natural number of 5 or more) is simplified to a figure having a vertex number M (M is a natural number of 3 or more and less than N). At that time, N sides are classified into M types, one side is extracted for each category, and a polygon is formed by the extracted sides or by extending the extracted sides to generate a simplified shape. To do.

  In addition, a method for reducing the amount of data by integrating a plurality of building figures has also been proposed (for example, Patent Document 2). Specifically, a set of figures at a distance shorter than the threshold is obtained, and an integrated figure is generated for each set.

JP 2007-87331 A JP 2003-141554 A

  When the simplification process is performed by reducing the number of vertices of a building figure as in Patent Document 1, at least three vertices are required for one building figure, and the number of vertices cannot be further reduced. Therefore, the effect of reducing the data amount cannot be expected for map data that includes a large number of buildings with simple shapes and a small number of vertices.

  For such map data, it is possible to further reduce the amount of data by integrating a plurality of buildings as in Patent Document 2. However, when integrating buildings based on distance, there is a problem that important buildings that the user wants to recognize separately are also integrated, and the usefulness of the map is impaired. In addition, if the buildings that are separated by increasing the threshold of the distance to be integrated are integrated, the effect of reducing the amount of data will increase, but there is a problem that the consistency of the map will be lost if the buildings that sandwich the road are integrated. .

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for simplifying map data while maintaining usefulness and consistency.

  The simplified map generation apparatus of the present invention includes an input unit that receives an input of map data, and an arithmetic processing unit that creates simplified map data that integrates a predetermined graphic to be integrated included in the map data. The integrated graphic set generation means that sets the graphic groups located within a predetermined distance among the predetermined graphic as an integrated graphic set, and the importance of the integration object represented by the predetermined graphic indicating whether or not each predetermined graphic of the integrated graphic set can be integrated And a graphic importance degree determining means for excluding a predetermined graphic determined to be not integrated from the integrated graphic set, and a graphic integration processing means for integrating the predetermined graphic of the integrated graphic set after the exclusion by the graphic importance determining means. Prepare.

  The simplified map display device of the present invention includes the simplified map generation device of the present invention and display means for displaying simplified map data.

  The simplified map generation method of the present invention comprises (a) a step of accepting input of map data, and (b) a step of creating simplified map data in which predetermined graphics to be integrated included in the map data are integrated. b) shows (c) a step of making a group of graphics located within a predetermined distance from each other among the predetermined graphics, and (d) whether or not each predetermined graphic of the integrated graphic set can be integrated. A step of determining based on the importance of the integration object and excluding a predetermined graphic determined not to be integrated from the integrated graphic set; and (e) after step (d), the integrated graphic set is integrated to obtain simplified map data. Generating.

  The simplified map display method of the present invention comprises (a) a process of generating simplified map data using the simplified map generation method of the present invention, and (b) a process of displaying simplified map data.

  In the simplified map generating apparatus of the present invention, the arithmetic processing means includes an integrated graphic set generating means that sets graphic groups located within a predetermined distance from each other among the predetermined graphics, and integration of each predetermined graphic of the integrated graphic set. The graphic importance determination means for determining whether or not to determine whether or not the integrated object represented by the predetermined graphic is to be integrated, and excluding the predetermined graphic determined not to be integrated from the integrated graphic set, and the integration after the exclusion by the graphic importance determination means Graphic integration processing means for integrating predetermined graphics of the graphic set. Since the integration of figures is performed while avoiding highly important buildings such as buildings that are meaningful to the user, the map can be simplified without impairing its usefulness as a map.

  Further, the simplified map generation method of the present invention includes (c) a step of making a group of graphics located within a predetermined distance from each other among the predetermined graphics, and (d) whether or not each predetermined graphic of the integrated graphic set can be integrated. Are determined based on the importance of the integration object represented by the predetermined graphic, and the predetermined graphic determined not to be integrated is excluded from the integrated graphic set, and (e) the integrated graphic set is integrated after step (d). And a step of generating simplified map data. Since the integration of figures is performed while avoiding highly important buildings such as buildings that are meaningful to the user, the map can be simplified without impairing its usefulness as a map.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a simple map production | generation apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the simplification process of the map data in the arithmetic processing means. It is a figure which shows the method of producing | generating an integrated figure set using a buffer. It is a figure explaining the judgment method of building importance. It is a figure explaining a mode that an integrated figure set is updated according to building importance. It is a figure which shows building information. It is a figure explaining the integration process of the building figure currently joined. It is a figure explaining the integration process of the building figure which is separated. It is a flowchart of the integration process of the building figure which is separated. It is a figure explaining the integration process of the building figure which is separated. It is a figure explaining a vertex deletion process. It is a figure explaining a vertex deletion process. It is a flowchart of a vertex deletion process. It is a figure explaining the effect of the integration process based on building importance. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the simplified map display apparatus.

<A. Embodiment 1>
<A-1. Configuration>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a simplified map generating apparatus. The simplified map generation device outputs an input unit 3 that receives input of map data, a storage unit 2 that stores map data, an arithmetic processing unit 1 that generates simplified map data obtained by simplifying map data, and outputs simplified map data. Output means 4 is provided.

  In the storage unit 2, the map data acquired by the input unit 3 is stored by the arithmetic processing unit 1. In the map database (DB) 9 of the storage means 2, note information 10, POI (Point of Interest) information 11, road network data 12, background graphics 13, traffic regulation information 14, and the like are acquired from the map data. Stored. Here, POI information is information about landmarks, and note information is name information such as roads and facilities displayed on a map. The background graphic is polygon data representing features such as roads and buildings. Of the background graphics, a building graphic representing a building is a target of simplification processing in the arithmetic processing means 1. The road network data is data including various information about the road such as the regulated speed, width, and traffic volume.

  The arithmetic processing means 1 simplifies the map data while accessing the map DB 9 of the storage means 2 and generates simplified map data. The arithmetic processing unit 1 includes an integrated graphic set generation unit 5, a graphic importance level determination unit 6, a graphic integration processing unit 7, and a graphic simplification processing unit 8. The integrated graphic set generation means 5 sets a building graphic group having a short distance from each building graphic of the map data as an integrated graphic set as a candidate for the integration process. The graphic importance level determination means 6 obtains the importance level of the building represented by the building graphic for each building graphic of the integrated graphic set, and determines whether or not integration is possible based on the importance level. The graphic integration processing unit 7 performs an integration process on the set of building graphics determined to be integrated by the graphic importance determination unit 6 to create an integrated graphic. The graphic simplification processing means 8 reduces the vertices of the integrated graphic and simplifies the shape.

<A-2. Simplification process>
A map data simplification process in the arithmetic processing means 1 will be described below along the flowchart of FIG.

  First, a set of all building figures to be simplified is set as a building figure set A. The integrated graphic set generation means 5 sets a seed flag for each building graphic a in the building graphic set A and sets an initial value to FALSE. Then, each building graphic a whose seed flag is FALSE is selected from the building graphic set A (step S20), and the processes from steps S21 to S27 described below are performed.

  In step S21, the seed flag of the selected building figure a is set to TRUE. Then, the graphic importance determination means 6 determines the importance of the building from the attribute information of the building graphic “a” described later (step S22). The building figure a determined to have high importance here is excluded from the integration targets.

  The building importance determination results are classified into two types, for example, “integrate” or “do not integrate”. Or after classifying into more types, it may be made possible for the user to select the extent of integration according to the desired data reduction amount. For example, the building figure a is classified into four types from level 1 with low importance to level 4 with high importance. When the user wants to leave many building figures a and allows a certain amount of data, it can be set to integrate only level 1 and leave level 2 or higher as it is. On the other hand, if you want to integrate the building figure a as much as possible and reduce the amount of data as much as possible except for those with high importance, you can set all levels 3 and below to be integrated and only level 4 not integrated. .

  Next, the criteria for determining the building importance will be described. The figure importance degree determination means 6 refers to, for example, the map DB 9 to acquire the note information 10 and the POI information 11 and determines the building importance degree of the building figure a based on these. Since the building figure a having the annotation information 10 serves as a mark, it is conceivable to set the importance level high. Further, it is conceivable to increase the importance of the building figure a associated with the landmark included in the POI information 11.

  Further, the graphic importance level determination means 6 refers to the Internet search information 15 (see FIG. 1), and since the buildings that are frequently used as search keywords are the buildings that are attracting attention, the importance level is increased. Also good. Furthermore, with reference to the probe traffic information 16 (see FIG. 1), the importance of the building where the user frequently stops or stays for a long time may be increased. Alternatively, the degree of importance may be determined by combining a plurality of the above-described plurality of determination criteria, determining a score for each determination criterion item, and adding the score of the applicable items. The Internet search information 15 and the probe traffic information 16 may be updated in real time from the server via the network, and the importance of the building may be updated according to the latest information. By making it possible to update the building importance, the visibility of the building can be changed in accordance with the change in attention of the user's building. By constantly acquiring the Internet search information 15 and the probe traffic information 16, the importance of buildings that are attracting new attention or frequently used is increased. The importance can be judged according to the latest situation, for example, by setting the importance of the building whose degree has decreased to a low level.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. 2, if the figure importance level determination means 6 determines in step S22 that the building importance level of the building figure a is low, the building figure a may be integrated with another figure. Therefore, a set of building figures (integrated figure set) to be integrated with the building figure a is generated. Specifically, it is investigated whether there is another building figure within a predetermined range from the building figure a, that is, a distance shorter than the threshold (step S23), and if there is, the building figure is included in the integrated figure set B (step S24). .

  In addition, as a method of investigating the integrated graphic set B, for example, a method of obtaining a distance between buildings or a buffer having a threshold size for the building graphic a and finding an overlap with the buffer are found. There are methods.

  FIG. 3 shows a method of generating an integrated figure set using a buffer. In FIG. 3A, the seed flags are set to the initial value FALSE for the building figures 31, 32, and 33, respectively. In FIG. 3, (F) indicates that the seed flag is FALSE, and (T: 32) indicates that the seed flag is TRUE and the integrated figure set is the building figure 32.

  In FIG.3 (b), the building figure 31 is selected and the seed | species flag is set to TRUE (step S21). Further, when it is determined in step S22 that the building graphic 31 has a low building importance level and may be integrated, the building graphic 31 is examined for a graphic having a distance shorter than the threshold value. A buffer 34 is generated. Since the building graphic 32 overlaps the buffer 34, the building graphic 32 is set as an integrated graphic set of the building graphic 31. Similar processing is performed for the remaining building figures 32 and 33, and an integrated figure set is obtained for all building figures as shown in FIG.

  Thus, when the integrated graphic set B for the building graphic a is generated, the graphic importance determining means 6 selects each building graphic b in the integrated graphic set B (step S25), and performs the processing of steps S26 and 27. . In step S26, the building importance of the building graphic b is determined from the information associated with the building graphic b (step S26). If the building importance is high, the building graphic b is excluded from the integrated graphic set B (step S27).

  4 and 5 will be used to specifically describe the processing in steps S26 and S27. FIG. 4A shows a plurality of adjacent building figures 101 to 105. FIG. 4B shows the criteria for determining the building importance. FIG. 4C shows the attribute information of the buildings 101-105. FIG. 5A shows an integrated graphic set before the building importance level is determined, and FIG. 5B shows an integrated graphic set after the building importance level is determined.

  The distance threshold for generating the integrated figure set is set to zero. That is, it is determined that the buildings in contact with each other may be integrated. Accordingly, the integrated graphic set of the building 101 includes the building 102 adjacent thereto (FIG. 5A). The building importance level of the building 102 is 1 in light of the criterion shown in FIG. Here, if the building importance is less than 3, it may be integrated, and if it is 3 or more, the building 102 becomes a figure that may be integrated and is maintained as an integrated figure set of the building 101 ( FIG. 5B).

  Subsequently, the integrated graphic set of the building 102 includes the buildings 101 and 103 adjacent to the integrated graphic set (FIG. 5A). In step S25, the graphic importance determination means 6 selects the building 101 and the building 103 in order, and determines the building importance in step S26 for each. 4B and 4C, since the building 101 has a building importance of 0, the building 101 may be integrated. On the other hand, the building 103 has a building importance level of 3, and is excluded from the integrated figure set in step S27. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5B, the integrated graphic set of the building 102 is only the building 101.

  Since the building 103 is excluded from the buildings that may be integrated by the building importance determination in step S22, the integrated figure set of the building 103 is not set from the beginning as shown in FIG.

  Note that the building importance degree criterion shown in FIG. 4B is set so that the landmark is regarded as important and the building associated with the landmark is likely to remain unintegrated. This is an example, and other criteria may be used.

The building importance for each building figure obtained in step S22 or step S25 may be stored in the map DB 9 and included in the simplified map data together with each building information when the simplified map data is output from the output means 4. . FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the building information _{1 to n} of the building figures a ₁ to an stored in the simplified map data. The building information is composed of the feature ID, type, height, number of vertices, longitude (X coordinate), latitude (Y coordinate), etc., but it is simplified by storing the building importance here. When displaying a map, it is possible to use highlighting according to the importance of the building.

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. After performing the determination based on the building importance level for the integrated graphic set B of each building graphic a, the graphic integration processing unit 7 integrates the building graphic b included in the integrated graphic set B (step S28). For example, for the joined building figures 61, 62, and 63 shown in FIG. 7A, an integrated figure 64 is generated as shown in FIG. 7B. It is assumed that the building graphics 61 and 63 are included in the integrated graphics set of the building graphics 62, and none of the building graphics has high building importance.

  Next, a method for integrating building figures that are not in contact with each other will be described. FIG. 8A shows adjacent building figures 32 and 33 and a building figure 31 apart from them. The integration process for these building figures will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  The graphic integration processing means 7 extracts an arbitrary building graphic a and an arbitrary building graphic b included in the integrated graphic set B of the building graphic a as an object of the integration processing (step S60), and performs the following integration processing steps. carry out. If the building figure 31 in FIG. 8A is a building figure a, the building figure 32 corresponds to the building figure b included in the integrated figure set B.

  Next, for the sides constituting the building figure a and the building figure b, the distance between the sides (distance between sides) and the angle are compared to find the nearest pair of sides (step S61). . Here, as the distance between sides, for example, the distance between the start point and the end point of each side is calculated, and the shortest distance is adopted. For example, a pair having a shorter side-to-side distance than the distance used as the threshold when generating the integrated figure set B is set as a pair of near sides. Further, since each side has an orientation depending on the arrangement of the vertices constituting the figure, if the angle formed by the vectors of the two sides can take a value of 0 degrees to 180 degrees, for example, 135 degrees to 180 degrees. Consider a pair of sides that are close to the degree. When there are a plurality of pairs of sides that satisfy these conditions, for example, the pair having the shortest distance between sides is regarded as the nearest side.

  In addition, when the pair which satisfy | fills said conditions is not found, the building b is excluded from integration object (step S62), and a process is complete | finished. In the example of FIG. 8, the side 45 and the side 46 shown in FIG. 8B are selected as a pair of the nearest sides of the building figures 31 and 32. When the closest pair of sides is found in this way, the lengths of both sides are compared, and the two sides connected to the short side are extended (step S63). In the example of FIG. 8B, the side of the building figure 32 connected to the side 46 shorter than the side 45 is extended. The two extended sides are shown as sides 47 and 48 in FIG. Then, it is determined whether or not both of the two sides extended in step S63 intersect with the long side of the pair (step S64). If both intersect, the two intersections are added as new vertices (step S65). On the other hand, two vertices that are intersections of the extended two sides and the short side are deleted (step S66). The vertex which comprises the outer periphery ring of an integrated figure was defined above.

  If NO in step S64, it is determined whether one of the extended two sides intersects with the long side of the pair (step S67). When one side intersects, one intersection of the extended side and the long side is added as a new vertex (step S68). Then, of the extended sides, the vertex formed by the side where the intersection is made and the short side is deleted (step S69). Further, two sides connected to the long side are extended, and one intersection that intersects the short side is added as a new vertex (step S70). In addition, of the two sides extended in step S70, the vertex formed by the longer side and the longer side is deleted (step S71).

  Steps S67 to S71 will be described using FIG. 8 as an example. As shown in FIG. 8C, since the side 47 of the sides 47 extending from the short side 46 intersects the long side 45, the intersection 49 is added as a new vertex (FIG. 8D), step S68). In addition, the vertex 50 that is the connection point between the side 47 and the short side 46 that are extended and intersected is deleted (step S69). Next, as shown in FIG. 8E, the two sides 51 and 52 connected to the long side 45 are extended, and one intersection point 53 that intersects the short side is added as a new vertex (step S70, FIG. 8). (F)). And the vertex 54 which is a connection point of the edge | side 52 and the long side 45 is deleted (step S71). The vertex which comprises the outer periphery ring of an integrated figure was obtained above.

  If the vertex which comprises the outer periphery ring of an integrated figure is calculated | required, a vertex will be connected so that the building figure a and the building figure b may be drawn with one stroke (step S72). Thus, in the example of FIG. 8, the building graphic 31 and the building graphic 32 are integrated into a building graphic 55 as shown in FIG. The integrated graphic set of the building graphic 55 inherits the integrated graphic set of the building graphic 31 and 32 and includes the building graphic 33. Further, the integrated graphic set of the building graphic 33 is updated to the building graphic 55.

  Next, the building figure 55 and the building figure 33 are integrated through the same processing to become a building figure 56 (FIG. 8 (h)).

  It should be noted that the graphic integration processing means 7 may check whether or not the building graphic that has been integrated after step S72 intersects with a feature that did not exist before the integration. For example, in FIG. 10A, a road link 35 exists between the building graphic 31 and the building graphic 32. Therefore, when the building figures 31 and 32 are integrated to form the building figure 55 (FIG. 10B), the road link 35 is crossed. In such a case, the graphic integration processing means 7 excludes the building graphic 32 from the integrated graphic set of the building graphic 31 and integrates only the building graphic 32 and the building graphic 33 to generate the building graphic 57.

  When the above integration process is completed, a vertex deletion process is performed (step S29 in FIG. 2).

  First, the vertex deletion method based on the angle between the sides will be described with reference to FIG. Among the sides of the building graphic 71 shown in FIG. 11A, the end point of the side having a length shorter than the threshold is a deletion candidate. If the side 72 is shorter than the threshold value, the end point 73 becomes a deletion candidate. Then, the angle between the side 74 and the side 72 adjacent to the side 72 via the end point 73 is considered. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11B, the vector of the side 72 is a vector 75, the vector of the side 74 is a vector 76, and the angle θ formed by the vectors 75 and 76 is around 0 ° or around 180 °. In this case, the point 73 is deleted. For example, the point 73 is deleted when there is almost no change in angle such as θ = 0 ° to 15 ° and when there is a change in orientation close to 180 ° such as θ = 165 ° to 180 °.

  Another vertex deletion method is shown in FIG. 12, and its flowchart is shown in FIG. This method is performed on the figure after applying the vertex deletion method based on the angle between the sides.

  In the flow of FIG. 13, the loop of step S90 is repeated for each side of the target graphic. In step S91, it is determined whether or not the side selected from the object graphic is shorter than the threshold value. In the example of FIG. 12, a side shorter than the threshold is searched for the building graphic 81, and the side 82 corresponds to the side A. The start point of the side 82 is the vertex 83, the end point of the side 82 is the vertex 84, and the next vertex of the end point 84 of the side 82 is the vertex 85 (FIG. 12A).

  If there is a side A in step S91, both ends of the side having the start point of the side A as an end point are extended to form a straight line B (step S92). In the example of FIG. 12, a straight line 86 obtained by extending both ends of the side having the vertex 83 as an end point becomes a straight line B (FIG. 12B).

  Next, the side starting from the next point after the end point of side A is extended to be a straight line C (step S93). In the example of FIG. 12, a straight line 87 extending from the side starting from the vertex 85 becomes a straight line C (FIG. 12B).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the straight line B and the straight line C intersect (step S94), and when intersecting, the intersection point D is inserted before the start point of the side A (step S95). In the example of FIG. 12, an intersection point 88 between the straight line 86 and the straight line 87 is set as a vertex in front of the vertex 83.

  Thereafter, the start point, end point, and point next to the end point of side A are deleted (step S96). In the example of FIG. 12, the vertex 83, the vertex 84, and the vertex 85 are deleted. Then, the graphic shown in FIG. 12C is generated.

  On the other hand, if the straight line B and the straight line C do not intersect in step S94, the end point of the side A is deleted (step S97). Note that step S97 may also be executed when the straight line B and the straight line C intersect but the intersection is sufficiently away from the side A. In the example of FIG. 12, the vertex 84 is deleted.

  FIG. 14 shows a case where the building graphic set 120 is integrated considering only the distance, and a case where the simplification process of the present embodiment is performed. The set 120 of building figures includes five building figures, one of which is a post office building figure having note information.

  When integrating only considering the distance, if the threshold of the distance is set to 0, the joined building graphics are targeted for integration processing, so that a building graphic 122 in which all the building graphics are integrated is generated ( FIG. 14 (b)). Therefore, the shape of the post office having the note information is lost, and the user cannot grasp which place in the building graphic 122 is the post office.

  On the other hand, in the integration process of the present embodiment, the building graphic having the annotation information is set to a high building importance level, and the graphic integration is performed between the buildings having a low building importance level among the buildings that are joined. Since the building figure 121 generated in this way leaves the building shape of the post office having the note information as it is (FIG. 14A), the user can specify the location. In this way, it is possible to simplify the map data without losing the building information required by the user, that is, without losing the usefulness of the map, by integrating the building figures after determining the importance of the building Become.

<A-3. Effect>
In the simplified map generating apparatus of the present invention, the integrated graphic set generating means 5 sets the graphic groups located within a predetermined distance from each other among the building figures (predetermined graphic to be integrated) as an integrated graphic set, and the graphic importance determining means 6 Excludes the building graphic determined not to be integrated based on the importance of the building (integrated object) from the integrated graphic set, and the graphic integration processing unit 7 performs the building of the integrated graphic set after the exclusion by the graphic importance determining unit 6 Integrate shapes.

  Further, since the graphic integration processing means 7 integrates only building figures that do not cause a new intersection with another graphic by the integration, it is avoided that the graphic integration processing means 7 overlaps with other graphics as a result of the integration. It is done.

  Further, the graphic importance determination means 6 determines the importance of the integration object with reference to the landmark information included in the map data. Therefore, it is determined that the importance of the building graphic representing the landmark is high and is to be integrated. By removing it from the map, the usefulness of the map is maintained.

  Moreover, since the graphic importance determination means 6 determines the importance of the integration object with reference to the note information included in the map data, the graphic importance determination means 6 determines that the importance of the building graphic having the annotation information is high and determines from the integration target. By removing, the usefulness of the map is maintained.

  Moreover, since the figure importance determination means 6 determines the importance of the integration object based on the number of searches on the Internet, it is determined that the importance of the building figure having a high degree of attention is high, and is excluded from the integration target, thereby The usefulness of is maintained. Also, if the number of searches is periodically acquired from the Internet and the importance is updated in real time to reflect the fluctuation, map data suitable for the latest situation can be simplified.

  In addition, since the figure importance level determination means 6 determines the importance level of the integration target object with reference to the probe traffic information, for example, it is determined that the building figure indicating the building that is frequently used by the user has a high importance level, By removing it from the integration target, the usefulness of the map is maintained. Moreover, if the probe traffic information is periodically acquired and the importance is updated accordingly, the map data suitable for the latest situation can be simplified.

<B. Second Embodiment>
<B-1. Configuration, operation>
FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the simplified map display device of the present embodiment. The configuration of the apparatus includes a display unit 17 instead of the output unit 4 in the simplified map generation apparatus of the first embodiment shown in FIG. The configuration other than the display unit 17 is the same as that of the simplified map generation apparatus of the first embodiment.

The map data received by the input means 3 is stored in the map DB 9 of the storage means 2 by the arithmetic processing means 1. When the display means 17 performs map display, the arithmetic processing means 1 acquires map data from the map DB 9, creates simplified map data obtained by performing integration processing and vertex deletion processing on the building graphic, It outputs to the display means 17.
Yeah.

  The details of the building graphic integration processing and the vertex deletion processing have already been described in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted here.

<B-2. Effect>
In the map display device of the present embodiment, the display means 17 displays the simplified map data generated by the arithmetic processing means 1. Since the display means 17 performs map display using simplified map data with a reduced number of building figures and simplified shapes, hardware with limited drawing performance, such as a portable terminal and car navigation, which has a low drawing load. Even when it is used as the display means 17, it is possible to display appropriately.

1 arithmetic processing means, 2 storage means, 3 input means, 4 output means, 5 integrated figure set generation means, 6 figure importance degree determination means, 7 figure integration processing means, 8 figure simplification processing means, 10 note information, 11 POI information , 13 Background graphic, 15 Internet search information, 16 Probe traffic information, 17 Display means.

Claims (16)

An input means for receiving input of map data;
Computation processing means for creating simplified map data obtained by integrating predetermined graphics to be integrated included in the map data,
The arithmetic processing means includes an integrated graphic set generation means that sets a graphic group located within a predetermined distance from each other among the predetermined graphic as an integrated graphic set;
Determining whether or not to integrate each predetermined graphic of the integrated graphic set based on the importance of the integration object represented by the predetermined graphic, and determining the graphic importance to exclude the predetermined graphic determined not to be integrated from the integrated graphic set Means,
Graphic integration processing means for integrating the predetermined graphic of the integrated graphic set after the exclusion by the graphic importance determination means;
Simplified map generator.   The simplified map generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data of the predetermined graphic includes polygon data of a building graphic. The graphic integration processing means integrates only the predetermined graphics that do not cause a new intersection with other graphics by integrating in the integrated graphic set.
The simplified map production | generation apparatus of Claim 1 or 2. The figure importance level determination means determines the importance level of the integration target with reference to landmark information included in the map data.
The simplified map production | generation apparatus in any one of Claims 1-3. The figure importance level determination means determines the importance level of the integration target with reference to the note information included in the map data.
The simple map production | generation apparatus in any one of Claims 1-4. The graphic importance determination means determines the importance of the integration target based on the number of searches on the Internet.
The simple map production | generation apparatus in any one of Claims 1-5. The figure importance determining means determines the importance of the integrated object with reference to probe traffic information.
The simplified map production | generation apparatus in any one of Claims 1-6. The simplified map generation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
Display means for displaying the simplified map data,
Simplified map display device. (A) receiving the input of map data;
(B) creating simplified map data obtained by integrating predetermined graphics to be integrated included in the map data,
The step (b)
(C) a step of making a group of figures located within a predetermined distance from each other among the predetermined figures into an integrated figure set;
(D) Determining whether or not each predetermined graphic of the integrated graphic set can be integrated based on the importance of the integration object represented by the predetermined graphic, and excluding the predetermined graphic determined not to be integrated from the integrated graphic set When,
(E) after the step (d), integrating the integrated figure set to generate the simplified map data,
Simple map generation method. The predetermined figure data includes building figure polygon data,
The simplified map generation method according to claim 9. The step (e) is a step of integrating only the predetermined graphics that do not cause a new intersection with another graphic by integrating them in the integrated graphic set.
The simplified map generation method according to claim 9 or 10. The step (d) is a step of determining the importance of the integration target based on landmark information included in the map data.
The simple map production | generation method in any one of Claims 9-11. The step (d) is a step of determining the importance of the integration object with reference to the note information included in the map data.
The simple map production | generation method in any one of Claims 9-12. The step (d) is a step of determining the importance of the integration target based on the number of searches on the Internet.
The simple map production | generation method in any one of Claims 9-13. The step (d) is a step of determining the importance of the integration object with reference to probe traffic information.
The simple map production | generation method in any one of Claims 9-14. (A) generating simplified map data using the simplified map generating method according to any one of claims 9 to 14;
(B) displaying the simplified map data;
A simplified map display method comprising:

Images