JPH08305281A - Map display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a map display device which facilitates visually checking the contents of a symbol and a designated point while avoiding interference with other map portions as to mark registering and which does not use wastefully memory capacity, etc. CONSTITUTION: This map display device includes a CD block 5 in which a CD storing map data involving road information is mounted; a ROM 7 storing data about the character of a symbolized registered mark and that of a balloon mark which designates a point on a map by being combined with the registered mark; a remote-control unit 20 having keys for designating a certain point on the map data; a mark-data storage area in a RAM 8 that stores data about the position of the point designated by key inputs from the remote-control unit 20; and a CPU 9 which, when the map data are read out of the CD and displayed in a monitor block 6, causes the data about the character of the symbolized mark and that of the balloon mark, read out of the ROM 7, to be displayed in combination in a position on the map data that is indicated by the position data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a map display device applied to, for example, a car navigation system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, GPS (Global Posi)
2. Description of the Related Art Navigation devices for automobiles, which utilize the Tioning System), have become widespread. In this type of navigation device, latitude information and longitude information of the current position are calculated based on signals from a plurality of artificial satellites received by a GPS antenna, and road information and place name information read from a recording medium such as a CD-ROM. The map data consisting of etc. is displayed on the display together with the current position.

And, in general, in a navigation device,
By locating an arbitrary point on the map and selecting the mark, the symbolized registration mark (symbol mark) that has been previously set at the same position on the map, such as flags and hearts, gas stations, restaurants Most of them have a so-called mark registration function for displaying a knife and a fork representing "," a coffee cup, and the like.

FIG. 7 exemplifies a map display screen on which marks are registered. In the figure, the map display screen MP shows a current vehicle position mark PP according to the traveling direction of the vehicle.
Is displayed and the locus mark T accompanying the locus of the vehicle is displayed.
Since R is displayed, it is possible to easily visually recognize which road the vehicle is passing through, where it is currently located, and in which direction the vehicle is going.

In the figure, MK is a registration mark using the above-mentioned mark registration function, and here, a character pattern that symbolizes a coffee cup is used. By the display of the registration mark MK, for example, it is possible to visually recognize a point where there is a break point such as a coffee shop that has been entered before, and also it is possible to easily visually recognize the route to the point.

[0006]

However, in the mark registration function as described above, the registration mark displayed on the map is simply a symbol of the contents of the point,
It does not point to one point on the map. Therefore, for example, in FIG. 7 described above, it is not possible to know from the screen which side of which road the accurate position of the registration mark MK faces.

Therefore, it is conceivable to match the registration mark itself with a shape pointing to one point on the map. Specifically, this is a method of forming one mark by adding a shape having a sharp convex portion, which is so-called “blowout”, to a basic symbol.

[0008] FIG. 8 shows an example thereof, and here, by adding a “speech” to the basic symbol “heart”, 1
One registration mark MK is formed, and it is possible to point one point on the map.

However, when the registration mark MK is expressed as one character in a shape including the balloon portion as shown in FIG. 8, the basic symbol portion is naturally small, and therefore it is visually recognized. It becomes difficult.

This is the case in the mainstream navigation devices that currently use a liquid crystal display panel having a size of 4 to 6 inches as a monitor, and a person who operates an automatic driver can display an image on the display screen within a very short time. Since it is necessary to visually check the content of the registration mark, that is, the symbol portion, considering that the symbol portion also needs to have a certain size, the entire registration mark has to be unnecessarily large, which is not realistic. .

Further, although the registration mark MK in FIG. 8 indicates that the blowout is directed downward, the direction in which the blowout is added is fixed, so that the one having the blowout directed in another direction is displayed. If desired, a plurality of registration marks must be prepared for the same symbol, which is very wasteful in terms of memory capacity and the like.

The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and an object thereof is to easily recognize the contents of a symbol of a mark and a point pointed on the map with respect to another mark on the map. An object of the present invention is to provide a map display device that suppresses interference with data to a low level and does not wastefully use a memory capacity or the like for registering a mark.

[0013]

Means for Solving the Problems That is, the present invention is as follows: (1) Map data storage means in which map data including road information is stored, character data of a symbol mark, and a point on a map in combination with this character data. Mark character storage means for storing the character data of the blow-out mark for specifying, a point input means for designating and inputting an arbitrary point on the map data stored in the map data storage means, and this point input means for inputting. When the map data is read out from the point storage means for storing the position data of the point and the map data storage means and displayed,
Display control means for reading the position data from the point storage means and displaying the combination of the character data of the symbol mark and the blowing mark read from the mark character storage means at the position indicated by the position data on the map data. It was done like this.

(2) A map data storage means for storing map data including road information, character data for a plurality of symbol marks, and a mark character for designating a point on the map in combination with any one of these character data. Storage means, spot input means for designating and inputting an arbitrary spot on the map data stored in the map data storage means, and a plurality of mark character storage means stored in the mark character storage means in accordance with the input by the spot input means. A mark selecting means for selecting one from the character data of the symbol mark, a spot storing means for storing the position data of the spot inputted by the spot inputting means and the mark selected by the mark selecting means, and the map. When the map data is read from the data storage means and displayed, the position data and the selection data are selected from the location storage means. Display control means for reading the selected mark and displaying the combined character data of the selected symbol mark and blowout mark read from the mark character storage means at the position indicated by the position data on the map data. It was done like this.

(3) In the above item (1) or (2), the mark character storage means stores character data of a plurality of blowing marks having different blowing directions,
The blowout selection means for selecting one from the character data of the plurality of blowout marks stored in the mark character storage means is further provided.

(4) In the above item (3), the blowing selection means selects one of a plurality of blowing marks having different blowing directions corresponding to a position on the map data read from the map data storage means. The selection is made automatically.

[0017]

According to the configuration described in the above item (1), the symbol mark and the blowing mark for designating a point on the map can be combined and displayed as a registration mark at an arbitrary point on the map. It is easy to visually recognize the contents of the above and the pointed point on the map, and the memory capacity is not wastefully used for registering the mark.

According to the configuration described in the above item (2), a registration mark can be registered at an arbitrary point on the map in combination with a blowing mark for selecting one from the plurality of symbol marks and designating the point on the map. Can be displayed as
It is easy to visually recognize the contents of the symbol and the pointed point on the map, and the memory capacity is not wastefully used for registering the mark.

According to the structure described in the above item (3), in addition to the operation of the above item (1) or (2), the blowout mark can be selected from a plurality of blowout directions. It is possible to avoid the registration mark from interfering with roads and the like around the map by selecting the blowing mark in correspondence with the display position on the map.

According to the configuration described in the above item (4), in addition to the operation of the above item (3), the operation of selecting the blowing mark corresponding to the display position on the map can be omitted, and the mark can be omitted. The labor required for registration can be simplified.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an automobile navigation system utilizing GPS will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a circuit configuration of the entire apparatus, which includes a GPS antenna 1 installed on the roof of a vehicle body and an L1 from the satellite received by the GPS antenna 1.
It has a GPS block 2 for calculating the latitude, longitude, height, time, etc. of the current location by demodulating and decoding the C / A code in the band (1.57542 GHz) by a despreading LSI.

The GPS block 2 is connected to a graphic block 3, and the graphic block 3 records map data consisting of a KEY block 4 mainly composed of a remote control unit 20 described later in detail, road information and place name information. A CD block 5 in which a CD-ROM as a recording medium is mounted and a monitor block 6 having a display device including a CRT or an LCD panel are connected to each other.

The graphic block 3 is provided with a CPU 9 for controlling the entire apparatus on the basis of an operation program stored in the ROM 7 and various data stored in the RAM 8.

The CPU 9 has a built-in clock circuit for clocking the current date and time. When the vehicle is traveling on the road, the latitude / longitude data of the current location from the GPS block 2, that is, the position data is at another height and time. When the data is sent together with data representing the CPU etc., the CPU peripheral circuit gate array (G
/ A) 10 to call the map data around the present location from the CD block 5 and send it to the monitor block 6 as a video signal via the graphic controller 12 to which the video RAM 11 is connected. As a result, a map or the like including roads, place names, and marks indicating the current position is displayed on the display screen of the monitor block 6.

Further, in the ROM 7, character data of a plurality of symbolized marks, which will be described later, and character data of a plurality of blowing marks having different blowing directions for designating points on the map in combination with the character data are fixed in advance. Remembered

Correspondingly to this, the RAM 8 has a mark data storage area 8a for storing the data about the marks registered by the mark registration processing together with the position information, which will be described later in detail. .

FIG. 2 shows an external structure of a remote control unit 20 which mainly comprises the KEY block 4.
2A is a left side view and FIG. 2B is a top view. The remote control unit 20 is a wired remote controller in which a remote control body case 21 is connected to the KEY block 4 by a cable. As shown in FIG. 2A, a power switch is turned on / off by a slide switch on the left side surface of the remote control body case 21. A power switch 22 is provided for performing.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the power source LED 23, NAVI /
CD key 24, TV key 25, FM DATA key 2
6, MENU key 27, cursor key 28, ENTER
A key 29, a position (shown as "POS" in the figure) key 30, a scale change / tuning key 31, a MARK key 32, a POINT key 33, a HOME key 34 and a VI.
A DEO key 35 and the like are provided.

The power LED 23 is the power switch 22.
Lights in red when the power is turned on by the operation. NA
The VI / CD key 24 is a CD when the navigation operation is performed by this device or the description thereof is omitted in the present embodiment.
These keys are operated when a music CD is mounted on the block 5 to listen to music.

Although not described in this embodiment, the TV key 25 is a key to be operated when a TV tuner (not shown) is connected to the graphic block 3 to watch TV on the monitor block 6, and an FM DATA key. Similarly, although not described in this embodiment, reference numeral 26 is a key to be operated when an FM multiple tuner (not shown) is connected to the graphic block 3 to display character data or the like by the FM data multiplex broadcast on the monitor block 6. .

The MENU key 27 is a key for instructing the display of the menu screen, and the cursor key 28 is for moving the cursor displayed on the display screen of the monitor block 6 in the up, down, left, and right directions on the menu screen, and for moving the map up, down, left, and right. Enter key 2 which is a ring-shaped key to instruct scrolling in the direction
Reference numeral 9 is a key for selecting and instructing an icon or the like pointed by the cursor on the display screen of the monitor block 6 by moving the cursor key 28.

The position key 30 is a key for displaying the latitude, longitude, etc. of the current position indexed by the GPS antenna 1 and the GPS block 2, and the scale changing / tuning key 31 is for the map displayed during the navigation operation. This is a key for instructing up / down tuning at the time of television or radio reception operation while giving a scale change instruction.

Further, a MARK key 32 is a key for marking an arbitrary point on the map data with a mark registration function to register a desired mark, and a POINT key 33 is a destination key when the route guidance function is operating. And a HOME key 34 is a key for setting the current location and scrolling the screen to the current location side when the route guidance function is operating.

Although not described in this embodiment, the VIDEO key 35 is a key to be operated when a video camera (not shown) is connected to the graphic block 3 and the video is viewed on the monitor block 6.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the mark data storage area 8a provided in a part of the RAM 8. As shown in the figure, a plurality of sets of mark data are stored in the mark data storage area 8a with one set of latitude data, longitude data, mark type data, and blowout mark type data.

Of these, the mark type data is stored in the ROM 7
This is data for selecting one from the character pattern data of a plurality of symbolized registration marks stored in.

The blowout mark type data is stored in the ROM.
This is data for selecting one from the character pattern data of a plurality of, for example, four blowing marks stored in 7, and in actuality, one of the up, down, left, and right directions to which the blowing data for the registration mark is added. Shows.

Next, the operation when the mark registration function is executed during the navigation operation according to the above embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 mainly shows a series of control processing from the CPU 9 receiving the latitude / longitude data of the current position from the GPS block 2 to displaying the mark registered by the mark registration function.

First, the latitude / longitude data of the current position is received from the GPS block 2 via the CPU peripheral circuit G / A10 based on the radio wave received by the GPS antenna 1 at the beginning of the processing (step S1), and the predetermined position of the RAM 8 is received. Then, the display area for developing the map is calculated from the received latitude and longitude data with a preset value (step S2).

Then, based on the calculated latitude and longitude range indicating the display area, it is judged whether or not there is a change from the display area that has been displayed until then (step S3), and only when there is a change, the latitude of the calculated display area is determined. CD depending on the longitude range
The block 5 is accessed, all road data and place name data in the corresponding display area are read out from the map data of the CD-ROM mounted on the CD block 5, and the video R is read.
The image is developed on the AM 11 and a part of the area is displayed and output on the monitor block 6 (step S4).

Then, the MARK of the remote control unit 20
It is determined whether or not the mode for performing the mark registration processing based on the mark registration function is selected by operating the key 32 (step S5).

If the mode is not selected, the process from step S1 is repeated again to receive the current position and update the map display. A cursor with an arrow is displayed at the position of the car position mark PP, and at the bottom of the screen, for example, "Specify the position to be marked with the cursor key, and enter.
Please operate the R key. ”When the ENTER key 29 is operated thereafter, the position pointed by the cursor is detected as the mark position (step S6).

In this case, when the cursor is displayed at the position of the vehicle position mark PP, the ENT
When the R key 29 is operated, the G key is pressed in step S1.
The latitude / longitude data of the current position received from the PS block 2 is detected as it is as a mark position, but if the cursor key 28 is operated and the cursor is moved before the operation of the ENTER key 29, the screen is scrolled if necessary. Then, along with the movement, finally the movement longitude data of the position pointed by the cursor is detected as the mark position.

After detecting the mark position, this time, the character pattern data of a plurality of marks that can be registered is read from the ROM 7 and displayed as a list at the bottom of the display screen of the monitor block 6. Specify and enter
Please operate the R key ”and wait until the mark is selected by operating the ENTER key 29 (step S).
5).

When a mark is selected by operating the cursor key 28 and the ENTER key 29, the mark is combined with the selected mark depending on the positions of the road data and the place name data in the up, down, left and right directions around the mark position on the map data. At the same time, the blowing mark having the blowing direction with the least degree of interference with the map is automatically selected (step S8).

With the above, the selection process relating to the mark registration is completed, and one set of each data of the selected mark type, the blowing mark type, and the moving longitude representing the mark position is newly stored in the mark data storage area 8a of the RAM 8. While being set (step S9), corresponding character pattern data is read from the ROM 7 in accordance with the selected mark type data and the blowout mark type data (step S10) and corresponds to the mark position of the video RAM 11. Are combined and developed, and displayed on the screen of the monitor block 6 (step S11), the series of processes are once ended, and the process returns from step S1. .

FIG. 5 exemplifies the character pattern data of the registration mark MK1 and the character pattern data of the blowing mark MK2 read from the ROM 7 at this time.

FIG. 5A shows the dot pattern size common to each of these character pattern data.
(2) is the character pattern data of the registration mark MK1 symbolizing the coffee cup similar to that of FIG. 7, and FIG. 5 (3) is the character pattern data of the downward blowing mark MK2 combined with the registration mark MK1. .

FIG. 6 shows the registration mark MK1 shown in FIG.
And a display example of a mark registration function using each character pattern data of the blowout mark MK2. The character pattern data of the registration mark MK1 and the blowout mark MK2 are combined and integrated with the mark position P on the map display screen MP. Is displayed.

In this case, the blowing mark MK2 indicating the downward point is automatically selected by the processing in step S8, but if the other upper, left,
It can be seen that when the blowing mark pointing to each of the right directions is selected and displayed in combination with the registration mark MK1 at the mark position P, any of them will interfere with the road data.

In particular, when the blowing mark pointing to the right is selected and displayed in combination with the registration mark,
The intersection on the left side of the mark position P completely interferes with and is hidden by the registration mark and the blowing mark, so it is necessary to see how the two roads RD1 and RD2 intersect. There will be a problem that it will not be possible.

In the process of FIG. 4, a series of control processes from receiving the latitude / longitude data of the current position from the GPS block 2 to the mark registration by the mark registration function and displaying the registered mark have been described. However, if other data has already been written by the mark registration in the mark data storage area 8a, the above step S
When changing the display area of No. 4, the mark data storage area 8a is searched by the calculated latitude and longitude range of the display area, and after confirming that the mode for displaying the registration mark is set, the map data is stored in the video RAM 11 The character pattern data of the corresponding registration mark and blow-out mark are read out from the ROM 7 at the same time when the data is developed, and the character pattern data is developed at that position and displayed on the monitor block 6.

Further, the shape of the blowing mark according to the present invention is not limited to that shown in the above-mentioned embodiment, and in short, by combining with the symbolized registration mark, the position on the map can be specified without any discomfort. As long as it is a thing, various shapes can be considered.

Further, in the above embodiment, as the means for obtaining the current position, only the absolute position by GPS using the artificial satellite is used as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The relative position is calculated by calculating the moving direction and its distance using the vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed and the piezoelectric vibration gyro, and the current position even after the GPS cannot be positioned due to an obstacle such as a tunnel or a building. You may make it use the means called autonomous navigation which estimates a position.

In addition, a method called map matching for determining the position on the map by judging the road that has passed by comparing the traveling locus obtained by this autonomous navigation with the road shape on the map is incorporated. As a result, when the current position is displayed, the display content can be accurately displayed according to the road position.

[0056]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, regarding the mark registration, it is easy to visually recognize the contents of the symbol of the mark and the pointed point on the map, and the interference with other map data can be suppressed to a low level, and the mark can be suppressed. It is possible to provide a map display device that does not wastefully use the memory capacity or the like for registration of.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall circuit configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an external configuration of a remote control unit included in the KEY block of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a mark data storage area provided in the RAM of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the operation according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a view exemplifying character patterns of registration marks and blowing marks according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram exemplifying a map display screen during operation according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a general map display screen.

FIG. 8 is a diagram exemplifying a character pattern that can be considered as a registration mark that also specifies a position.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Antenna 2 ... GPS block 3 ... Graphic block 4 ... KEY block 5 ... CD block 6 ... Monitor block 7 ... ROM 8 ... RAM 8a ... Mark data storage area 9 ... CPU 10 ... CPU peripheral circuit Gate array (G / A) 11 ... Video RAM 12 ... Graphic controller 20 ... Remote control unit 28 ... Cursor keys 29 ... ENTER key 32 ... MARK key MP ... Map display screen PP ... Own vehicle position mark TR ... Track mark P ... Mark position MK, MK1 ... Registration mark MK2 ... Blowout mark RD1, RD2 ... Road

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A map data storage means in which map data including road information is stored, character data of a symbol mark, and character data of a blowing mark for designating a point on a map in combination with the character data. Mark character storage means, spot input means for designating and inputting an arbitrary spot on the map data stored in the map data storage means, and spot storage means for storing position data of the spot input by the spot input means When the map data is read from the map data storage means and displayed, the position data is read from the spot storage means,
A map display device comprising: display control means for displaying a combination of character data of a symbol mark and a blowing mark read from the mark character storage means at a position indicated by position data on the map data. 2. A map data storage means for storing map data including road information, character data for a plurality of symbol marks, and mark character storage for specifying a point on a map in combination with any one of these character data. Means, point input means for designating and inputting an arbitrary point on the map data stored in the map data storage means, and a plurality of symbols stored in the mark character storage means in response to the input by the point input means. Mark selecting means for selecting one from the character data of the mark; spot storing means for storing the position data of the spot inputted by the spot inputting means and the mark selected by the mark selecting means; and the map data When the map data is read out from the storage means and displayed, the position data and selection are made from the location storage means. Display control means for reading the selected mark and displaying the combined character data of the selected symbol mark and blowout mark read from the mark character storage means at the position indicated by the position data on the map data. A map display device characterized by the above. 3. The mark character storage means stores character data of a plurality of blowing marks having different blowing directions, and one is selected from the character data of a plurality of blowing marks stored in the mark character storing means. 3. The map display device according to claim 1, further comprising a balloon selection unit. 4. The blowing selection means automatically selects one of a plurality of blowing marks having different blowing directions corresponding to a position on the map data read from the map data storage means. The map display device according to claim 3.