JP2752607B2 - Navigation device and display method thereof, and map display device and display method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a navigation system installed in a car, and more particularly, to a method of superimposing a current position on map information displayed on a display device. The present invention relates to a navigation device and a display method thereof, and a map display device and a display method thereof, which enable a driver to easily travel from a travel start point to a travel destination point. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in long-distance driving and the like, it has often been the case that a user gets lost in an unfamiliar land. In order to compensate for such a problem, an in-vehicle navigation system has been proposed.
In the navigation system disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 808, a road map is displayed on a screen of an in-vehicle CRT and a current position of the vehicle is displayed thereon, so that it is possible to easily grasp where the vehicle is currently traveling. In this prior art, in order to display the current position in progress on a map, first, a running start point is designated and displayed on the displayed map, and after the vehicle has run, the vehicle speed is displayed. The position on the map is obtained by calculating data obtained from a distance sensor and a direction sensor that generate a pulse corresponding to the distance. [0004] In such a navigation system, a road map having a different scale factor is displayed depending on a place where a car travels. Compared to driving in places where roads are not complicated, such as suburbs,
This is because a more detailed road map is required when traveling in an urban area where roads are complicated. However, when such road maps having different scales are displayed, it is difficult to grasp the sense of distance to each of the displayed road maps. For example, even if a road map of a certain scale is displayed, and the distance and time from an intersection to the next intersection are measured from a meter, a clock, or the like, and a sense of distance to the road map is obtained, the displayed road map is not displayed. If the road map is changed to a different scale, it will not be possible to grasp the distance for a while. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide a navigation device and a display device capable of easily and quickly grasping the sense of distance of a displayed road map even if the scale is different. A method and a map display device and a display method thereof are provided. [0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a map having a first scale and a map having a second scale different from the first scale. The display can be switched and displayed, and a display indicating the relationship between the displayed length on the map and the actual distance corresponding to the length is displayed together with the displayed map. [0008] The display indicating such a relationship includes a line segment and an integer value indicating the actual distance displayed near the line segment. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, wherein 1 is a microcomputer unit, 2 and 3 are direction sensors, 4 is a vehicle speed pulse sensor, 5 is an operation switch unit, and 6 is an external storage device. , 7 are a display unit, 8 is an amplifier, and 9 is a speaker. In FIG. 1, an azimuth sensor 2 is a geomagnetic sensor capable of obtaining an absolute traveling direction, and an azimuth sensor 3 is a sensor such as an optical gyro capable of obtaining a relative azimuth. Although the geomagnetic sensor detects the absolute traveling direction, since the geomagnetism is easily affected by disturbances such as buildings, high-voltage lines, railroad crossings, slopes, and iron bridges, errors in the measurement of the traveling direction are likely to occur. Because of this, it is relative orientation,
An optical gyro having high measurement accuracy is used for correction.
The azimuth sensor 2 outputs the absolute traveling direction as analog X and Y components on the display unit 7. The vehicle speed pulse generator 4 generates a pulse having a repetition frequency corresponding to the vehicle speed. This vehicle speed pulse generator 4
Are accumulated in the microcomputer unit 1 to calculate the travel distance of the vehicle, and the current position of the vehicle is obtained from the travel distance data and the traveling direction data by the direction sensors 2 and 3 based on the current position data. The current position is displayed on the road map displayed on the display unit 7. The operation switch unit 5 is operated by a driver or the like, and is used for designating a road map to be displayed, setting a traveling start point and a traveling destination point on the displayed road map. The operation switch unit 5 has switches 11 to 19 as shown in FIG. Switch 15 ~
Reference numeral 18 is operated to designate a road map to be displayed and to designate a traveling start point and a traveling destination point. Switch 11
Is a set switch for displaying a road map and a driving start point by operating the switches 15 to 18 and then displaying them on the display unit 7 (FIG. 1).
This is a set switch for displaying the destination point on the display unit 7 after designating the travel destination point by operating the switches 15 to 18. The switches 13, 14, and 19 are used to correct the current position displayed on the screen of the display unit 7. The external storage device 6 is, for example, a large-capacity memory such as a tape recorder, and stores various road conditions such as road map information, a scale of the road map, intersections and structures that are used as a guide for driving. Are stored in the storage unit, and these pieces of information are read out to the microcomputer unit 1. The display unit 7 is a television receiver or a liquid crystal display having a color cathode ray tube capable of receiving a television program, and is read from the external storage device 6 under the control of the microcomputer 1. Displays the current road map, current location, travel destination, etc. When the current location approaches an intersection or a building or the like which is a guide, the microcomputer unit 1 forms a voice signal representing the intersection or the building from information on predetermined driving conditions read from the external storage device 6. Output.
This audio signal is amplified by an amplifier 8 and then output to a speaker 9.
To inform the driver that he or she is approaching the target. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a specific example of the microcomputer unit 1 of FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 31 denotes an MPU (microprocessor unit) serving as a core of the microcomputer unit 1, which controls the operation of the microcomputer unit 1. Reference numeral 32 denotes a RAM (random access memory) used for temporarily storing data in the process of the MPU 31 performing arithmetic and control operations. The power supply of this RAM is different from the system power supply. Even in the off state, power is always supplied from a vehicle-mounted battery, and the stored contents are guaranteed. 33 is MP
This is a ROM (read-on memory) in which programs for various control operations and arithmetic processing operations of U31 are stored. 34
Is an input / output control circuit for inputting various data input from the interfaces 36 to 39 to the MPU 31. 36 ~
An interface 39 performs level exchange and waveform shaping of input / output data signals. The interface 36 has the azimuth sensor 2 (FIG. 1), the interface 37 has the azimuth sensor 3 (FIG. 1), and the interface 38 has the vehicle speed. The pulse sensor 4 (FIG. 1) and the operation switch unit 5 are connected to the interface 39, respectively. Reference numeral 35 denotes a small magnetic tape for controlling input / output of control signals and data (road map information, various driving conditions, etc.) between the external storage device 6 and the MPU 31 when the external storage device 6 is a small magnetic tape device. This is a device control circuit (hereinafter abbreviated as CMTC). The interface 40 is
Signal processing for ensuring transmission and reception of information signals between the CMTC 35 and the small magnetic tape device is performed. Reference numeral 41 denotes a display control circuit (hereinafter abbreviated as CRTC) which is the core of a circuit for transmitting various display data to the display 7 (FIG. 1). Is controlled by 42 is CRTC41
, The serial data clock signal sent to the video controller 53, and the multiplexer 4
3 is a timing signal generator for generating a timing signal for controlling the gate opening / closing. Reference numeral 43 denotes a multiplexer having a function of switching between an address signal from the MPU 31 and an address signal from the CRTC 41 in accordance with a timing signal from the timing signal generator 42. Reference numerals 44 to 46 denote respective color elements of the display unit 7, red,
This is a graphic memory for storing blue and green display data.
Read and write operations from both elements of C41 are possible, and color-coded display of eight types of data is possible by combining the three primary color data. Reference numeral 47 denotes a memory dedicated to character data necessary for displaying character information on the display unit 7,
Through the multiplexer 43, the MPU 31 and the CRTC
41, a character memory capable of performing read / write operations from both elements. Reference numeral 48 denotes a character generator that stores character information patterned into characters such as alphanumeric characters, symbols, and katakana. Character information corresponding to the character data read from the character memory 47 is selected and output. 49 ~
Reference numeral 52 denotes a conversion unit that converts parallel data output from the graphic memories 44 to 46 and the character generator 48 into serial data in synchronization with a timing signal generated by the timing signal generation unit 42. Reference numeral 53 denotes a video controller for performing level conversion and waveform shaping processing on output data of the converters 49 to 52 in accordance with required specifications of the display unit 7, and display data is sent from the video controller 53 to the display unit 7. The amplifier 8 (FIG. 1) is connected to the interface 54. Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. For example, it is assumed that the whole of Japan at a predetermined scale is divided into a number of blocks, and a road map (hereinafter referred to as a block map) for each block is given a number. This block number is composed of two digits, and for a block map arranged in the east-west direction, the lower digits of the block number are different from 0, 1, 2, 3, ... from west to east, In the block map arranged in the north-south direction, the numerical value of the upper digit of the block number is different from 0 to 1, 2, 3, 3,. Here, there is an atlas separately representing each block map, and a block map including a driving start point can be found from this atlas before driving. In addition to the information of the block maps and the data of various driving conditions, the external storage device 6 stores, for each of the block maps, road map information having a small scale factor representing an area where roads such as an urban area are complicated. (The road map is hereinafter referred to as an enlarged map) and various traveling conditions for the enlarged map information are also stored. First, when the ignition switch is turned on, when the ignition switch is turned on, the MPU shown in FIG.
31 is started, and an initial operation of the system is performed in accordance with the initialization program stored in the ROM 33. As a result, the system receives a command reception state by operating each of the switches 11 to 18 on the operation switch unit 5. Become. In such a state, the driver or the like
When one of the switches 18 is operated, the switch signal resulting from this operation is input to the MPU 31 via the input / output control circuit 34 after the waveform is shaped by the interface 39. This allows
After the initialization, the MPU 31 first sets the switch 15
18 are provided with a function for designating a block map. At this time, when the switch 15 is operated, the value of the upper digit of the block number decreases by one, and when the switch 17 is operated, the value of the upper digit of the block number increases by one. Thus, the block map to be designated can be changed in the north-south direction. When the switch 16 is operated, the lower digit of the block number is decreased by one,
When the switch 18 is operated, the lower digit of the block number becomes 1
Each time the value increases. Thereby, the block map to be designated can be changed in the east-west direction. Then, after knowing the block number of the block map including the traveling start point from the atlas, and operating the switches 15 to 18 to input this block number in order to designate a desired block map, the switch 11 is turned on. When operated, the block number signal by operating the switches 15 to 18 is taken into the MPU 31 via the interface 39 and the input / output control circuit 34. Thereby, MPU3
1 sends a call command signal for the block map information designated by the switches 15 to 18 to the external storage device 6 via the CRTC 35 and the interface 40. In response to the call command signal, the external storage device 6 stores the corresponding block map information and various driving conditions for the block map information via the interface 40 and the CMTC 35 into the graphic memories 44 to 46 and the character memory 4.
Send each to 7. An address signal is supplied from the MPU 31 to the graphic memories 44 to 46 and the character memory 47 via the multiplexer 43, whereby the red display data of the block map information is stored in the graphic memory 45. Similarly, green display data is stored in the graphic memory 46, and blue display data is stored in the graphic memory 46, and character data of various running conditions is stored in the character memory 47. When the storage of data in the graphic memories 44 to 46 and the character memory 47 is completed, the CRT
By the C41, the graphic memories 44 to 46 and the character memory 47 are set to the read mode, and the block map information is read from the graphic memories 44 to 46 and the character data is read from the character memory 47 by the address signal sent from the CRTC 41 via the multiplexer 43. . The primary color information of the block map information is sent to the conversion units 49 to 51, respectively, and the character information output from the character generator 48 according to the character data read from the character memory 47 is sent to the conversion unit 52. After being sent and subjected to parallel / serial conversion by the timing signal from the timing signal generation section 42, the video controller 53
Is sent to the display unit 7 via the. By the above operation, as shown in FIG. 4, the road of the designated block map is displayed on the display unit 7 by the block map information, and the road names 406 and 4 are displayed.
07, 408, 409, 410, etc. are displayed by data of various driving conditions. In addition, on the displayed road map, an area 403 to be displayed on an enlarged map and intersections 404 and 405 between the area 403 and the road are also displayed, such as an urban area. Also, horizontal and vertical cursors are displayed. When the designated block map is displayed in this manner, the MPU 31 causes the switches 15 to 18 to have a cursor operation function. When the switches 15 and 17 are operated, the horizontal cursor moves vertically on the block map displayed on the display unit 7 and the switches 16 and 1 are moved.
By operating 8, the cursor in the vertical direction moves in the horizontal direction. Then, the driver operates the switches 15 to 18 to adjust the intersection of the cursor to the traveling start point while looking at the displayed road map. When the switch 11 is operated, the accompanying data is supplied to the MPU 31 via the interface 39 and the input / output control circuit 34, and is stored in the RAM 32 as position data representing the position of the map (hereinafter referred to as traveling start point position data). Is stored at a specific address. Then, the position data is read from the RAM 32, supplied to the graphic memories 44 to 46, and written in the block map information in an overlapping manner. As a result, the display section 7 displays the traveling start point 400 on the road map as shown in FIG. At the same time, the cursor disappears. Next, the driver searches for a block map including the travel destination by using an atlas, finds out the block number, sets the block number by operating the switches 15 to 18, and then operates the switch 12. As a result, the MPU 31 reads out the block map information of the designated block number and various running conditions corresponding to the block map information from the external storage device 6 in the same manner as in the case of the block map including the driving start point, and stores them in the graphic memory 44 To 46 and the character memory 47.
Therefore, the block map including the travel destination and the horizontal and vertical cursors are displayed on the display unit 7 as in the previous case. Then, the driver operates the switches 15 to 18 to set the intersection of the cursor to the travel destination point on the displayed road map and operates the switch 11 in the same manner as described above. Thereby, the position data according to the traveling destination point (hereinafter referred to as traveling destination point position data)
Is stored in another specific address of the RAM 32, and this position data is also written in the graphic memories 44 to 46, and the traveling destination point 401 is displayed on the road map as shown in FIG. At the same time, the cursor disappears. As described above, when the position data of the traveling start point and the traveling destination point are stored in the RAM 32,
Again, the MPU 31 reads the block map information including the driving start point and the data of various driving conditions from the external storage device 6, and displays the driving start point on the display unit 7 based on these and the position data of the driving start point read from the RAM 32. And a road map is displayed. Further, the MPU 31 fetches data of a scale factor among various driving conditions read from the external storage device 6 and, based on the data, generates a block map displayed on the display unit 7 based on the data. The actual distance corresponding to the unit length on the display screen is calculated. The obtained distance data is RA
The data is stored in a specific address of M32 and written in the graphic memories 44 to 46 and the character memory 47. As a result, as shown in FIG. The actual distance of the hit is displayed. In this example, the scale is 1 / 1,000,000
The symbol 411 having a length of 1 cm and the number and characters of [10 km] representing the actual distance corresponding thereto are displayed on the block map. FIG. 4 shows that the traveling start point 400 and the traveling destination point 401 are included in the same block map. However, when they are included in different block maps, the traveling start point 400 and the traveling destination point 401 are obviously included. Travel destination point 401
Is not displayed. Even if the block map including the driving start point and the block map including the driving destination point are the same, it goes without saying that the above operation is performed for each point. In order to make a distinction between them, a switch 12 different from the switch 11 is provided for an operation relating to the travel destination point. Thereafter, the reading of the block map information including the driving start point and various driving conditions corresponding thereto from the external storage device 6 and the reading of the position data and the distance data of the driving start point from the RAM 32 are performed at regular intervals. The data is rewritten between the graphic memories 44 to 46 and the character memory 47, and a road map including the driving start point 400 is displayed on the display unit 7 as a distance display symbol 411 per unit. Displayed with When the vehicle starts running, data and pulses from the azimuth sensors 2 and 3 and the vehicle speed pulse sensor 4 are taken into the microcomputer unit 1, and the traveling direction of the vehicle is determined by the traveling direction data from the azimuth sensors 2 and 3. The travel distances are respectively obtained by accumulating the pulses from the vehicle speed pulse sensor 4, and the current position data of the vehicle is calculated from these and the travel start point data stored in the RAM 32. The current position data is stored at a specific address in the RAM 32 (which may be the address where the traveling start point data is stored), and is read out from this and written into the graphic memories 44 to 46. The data of the azimuth sensors 2 and 3 and the pulse output by the vehicle speed pulse sensor 4 are taken into the MPU 31 at the above-mentioned fixed time, and new current position data is obtained each time and stored in the RAM 32. And reading from this and writing to the graphic memories 44 to 46 are repeated. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, the current position 402 of the vehicle is also displayed on the display unit 7, and the current position 402 moves as the vehicle travels. Now, in FIG. 4, assuming that a car is traveling on a road 406, and then the current point 402 reaches a boundary point 404 of the area 403, the MPU
31 detects this, and the external storage device 6 reads out the enlarged map information representing the area 403 and various traveling conditions corresponding to the enlarged map information instead of the displayed block map. As a result, the same processing as in the case of the block map is performed, and the display unit 7 displays the area 4 as shown in FIG.
03 (FIG. 4) is displayed. Also at this time, a symbol 414 representing a unit length and a numeral representing an actual distance corresponding to this length are provided at a predetermined location on the displayed enlarged map, based on the distance data obtained from the scale of this enlarged map. , Characters are displayed. Here, the scale of the enlarged map is 1 / 100,000, and the symbol 414 is displayed as 1 cm so as to represent [1 km]. When the current position 402 reaches the edge on the display screen, the MPU 31 detects this, and when the enlarged map is displayed on the display screen, the original block map is displayed. When the block map is displayed, the reading of the block map information and the data of various driving conditions for the block map adjacent to the displayed block map from the external storage device 6 is started, and so on. In the display unit 7, the current position 40
A block map or an enlarged map including 2 is displayed. As described above, according to the present invention,
Even if a map with a different scale ratio is switched and displayed, a display indicating the relationship between the length of the displayed map and the actual distance corresponding to the length is also provided along with the newly displayed map. It is possible to quickly and easily grasp the feeling of the traveling distance even on the switched road map, and to obtain an excellent effect that the driving labor can be greatly reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a specific example of an operation switch unit in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a specific example of a microcomputer unit in FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing one display example on a display unit in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing another display example on the display unit in FIG. 1; [Description of Signs] 1 Microcomputer unit 2, 3 Orientation sensor 4 Vehicle speed pulse sensor 5 Operation switch unit 6 External storage device 7 Display unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-58-31373 (JP, A) JP-A-61-198268 (JP, A) JP-A-57-158875 (JP, A) JP-A-62 98500 (JP, A) JP-A-62-14686 (JP, A) JP-A-59-191610 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G01C 21/00 G09B 29 /Ten

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] Means for displaying the current position of the moving object moving on the display unit, first display means for displaying a map of the first scale on the display unit, and a part of the first scale on the map A second display means for displaying a map of a second scale different from the first scale on the display unit, the first display means corresponding to a current position of the moving body . The second
Switch and select the display means, and the first and second display means are displayed on the display section.
Switching means for selecting and displaying one of the maps having the scale of 2 ; and a length on the map selected and displayed by the switching means on the display unit and an actual length corresponding to the length. Information indicating the relationship with distance
Distribution and brought to the map simultaneously selected displayed in said changeover switching means to said display unit, a navigation device characterized by comprising a means for displaying on the display unit. 2. 2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the information indicating the relationship includes a line segment and a numerical value indicating the actual distance displayed near the line segment. 3. 2. The map according to claim 1, wherein the map at the first scale is a block road map representing different areas, and the map at the second scale is a part of the block road map set in advance. An enlarged road map representing an enlarged specific area, wherein the switching unit displays the map displayed on the display unit as the enlarged road map, and displays a current position of the moving object on the display unit. When the boundary between the specific area represented by the enlarged road map and the other area is detected, this is detected, and the specific area representing the enlarged road map displayed on the display unit is included. A navigation device for switching to and displaying a block road map of a region. 4. In the display method of a navigation apparatus for displaying a current position of the moving body on the map, and the first scale of the map according to the current position of the moving body, said
A step of displaying a partial area on the map of the first scale and switching and displaying the map of the second scale different from the first scale; and the length of the displayed map and its length. display method of the navigation device, characterized in that it comprises a step of displaying the information indicating the relationship between the actual distance, in the maps simultaneously displayed corresponding to the. 5. The information according to claim 4, wherein the information indicating the relationship includes a step of displaying a line segment, and a step of displaying the actual distance as a numerical value near the line segment. Display method of navigation device. 6. A display; first display means for displaying a map at a first scale on the display; and a second display unit representing a partial area on the map at the first scale and different from the first scale. Second display means for displaying a map of a scale of the first scale on the display, and the first display means according to a position of the map displayed on the display .
Display means and switching to select the second display means, said first to said display, and switching means for selecting and displaying one of the map of the second scaling factor, said changeover switching means to said display display in length on with selection displayed by the map and the information indicating the relationship between the actual distance corresponding to the length, in the maps simultaneously selected <br/> displayed with in said changeover switching means to said display A map display device comprising: 7. 7. The map display device according to claim 6, wherein the information indicating the relationship includes a line segment and a numerical value indicating the actual distance displayed near the line segment. 8. In a map display device provided with a display for displaying a map, a first display is provided according to a position of the map displayed on the display .
And a part of the map on the map of the first scale.
Switching between a map representing a region and a second scale different from the first scale and displaying the map; and determining the relationship between the displayed length on the map and the actual distance corresponding to the length. display method of the map display device characterized by information indicating, and a step of displaying on the map simultaneously displayed. 9. 9. The map according to claim 8, wherein the information indicating the relationship includes a step of displaying a line segment, and a step of displaying the actual distance numerically near the line segment. Display method of the display device.