WO1998009212A1

WO1998009212A1 - Method and apparatus for integrating and displaying space information

Info

Publication number: WO1998009212A1
Application number: PCT/JP1996/002447
Authority: WO
Inventors: Minoru Tokunaga; Chigusa Hamada; Kazunori Nakano; Yoichi Seto; Morimi Kuroda
Original assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.; Hitachi Engineering Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 1996-08-30
Filing date: 1996-08-30
Publication date: 1998-03-05

Abstract

A method of integrating and displaying space informations generated by processings or applications. This method has the following constitution. (1) In an application, processings each of which generates space information, the space informations, an integrating processing of integrating the space informations and generating integrated information, the integrated information, and a displaying processing of outputting the integrated information to an output unit are all managed. Thus the space informations generated by processings are integrated and displayed by one application. (2) As a method of delivering the output results of processing of generating space informations to an integrating processing, inter-process communication, inter-client communication through a window system, or a common memory is used. Alternatively a file is used as a medium. Thus the space informations generated by applications are integrated and displayed. (3) Space information is overlay-displayed in a transparent mode. This enables the space informations generated by processings or applications to be grasped at a glance.

Description

Description Spatial information integrated display method and device

The present invention relates to a method for displaying spatial information such as map data using a computer, and to a spatial information integrated display method for integrating and displaying different spatial information. In particular, the present invention relates to a spatial information integrated display method for integrally displaying output results of multiple processes for generating spatial information such as maps, images, and analysis data. Background art

Japanese Patent Application No. 8-57220, “Method of displaying map simulation results on a digital map”, filed by the present applicant, relates to the integrated display of multiple pieces of spatial information. Here, when displaying on a map the range that can be reached within a specified time from a certain point on the map, a method of obtaining detailed information around the reachable range and grasping the size and shape of the reachable range It also describes how to combine and display the original map information without hiding it.

The use of maps has changed from a paper map base to a digital map base, and needs have emerged such as the display of simulation results on maps, the display of hierarchies of underground shopping centers and high-rise buildings, and the display of highlighted masking on maps. Therefore, an integrated display method for heterogeneous information is needed.

Regarding the integrated display of a plurality of pieces of spatial information, the above-described related art does not describe a processing configuration on how to integrate and display. In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for performing integrated display, that is, a method for acquiring spatial information such as maps, images, and analysis data from a plurality of processes or acquiring from a plurality of applications and displaying the information in an integrated manner. And Disclosure of the invention

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.

(1) Multiple processes that generate spatial information, the respective spatial information generated by those processes, the integration process that integrates the spatial information to generate integrated information, and the integrated process The integrated information to be processed and the display process for outputting the integrated information to the output device are all managed within the same application. This allows integrated display of spatial information generated from multiple processes within the same application.

(2) Interprocess communication is used as a method of passing the output results of multiple processes that generate spatial information to the integration process. Alternatively, client intercommunication is used via a window system. Or use shared memory. Or through a file. This enables integrated display of spatial information generated from a plurality of applications.

(3) A plurality of pieces of spatial information are overlay-displayed in a transparent manner. As a result, spatial information generated from a plurality of processes or a plurality of applications can be grasped at a glance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a city planning planning support system using the present invention. Figure 2 shows a screen image of the city planning support system. Fig. 3 is a processing flow chart of the city planning planning support system. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the interactive transparency processing. Figure 5 shows a single application It is a block diagram of the spatial information integrated display method by a case. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a spatial information integrated display method using inter-process communication. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a spatial information integrated display method using communication between clients. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a spatial information integrated display method using a shared memory. FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a spatial information integrated display method using a file as a medium. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a screen image of the underground shopping mall guidance system. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a screen image of the map editing system. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. This embodiment is a system that simulates the traffic convenience of the facility to be constructed on a map when planning a city plan, and supports the planning of arranging the facility at the optimal position.

FIG. 1 shows a device configuration for realizing this embodiment. In order to realize this embodiment, a computer having a display 102, a storage device 103, a keyboard 104 and a mouse 105 connected to a computer 101 may be used. The storage device] 03 has a sufficient capacity for executing programs and storing map data. For example, in addition to a magnetic storage device, an optical disk or a semiconductor memory may be used. Instead of the keyboard 104 and the mouse 105, another input device such as a digitizer may be used, or a combination of them may be used, or any one of them may be used. That is, a user can input data, a position on the display 102, and the like as an input device. Furthermore, even if this device is a dedicated device manufactured to carry out the present invention, it suffices that the function of the peripheral device as described above is satisfied.

A surface image of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Figure 2 shows the actual In the embodiment, a designated area in the image map stored in the storage device 103 and a range that can be moved by car within the designated time 202 from the planned construction position 201 (hereinafter, reachable range 200) 3) on the display 102. The user inputs the planned construction location 201 of the new facility and the designated time 202 from the input device such as the keyboard 104 and the mouse 105 on the screen shown in Fig. 2 (a). The computer 101 obtains the reachable range 203 by the route simulation and displays it in the window 204. At this time, when the transparency of the reachable range 203 is changed by the transparency adjusting knob 205, the reachable range 203 is transparently displayed as shown in FIG. 2 (b). Hereinafter, the processing flow of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

(1) Construction position

The user inputs the position of the construction facility in the planned construction position 201. The address may be input from the keyboard 104 or the construction position on the window 204 displaying the map may be input with the mouse 105 by clicking. In addition, the designated time 202 is also used manually.

(2) Route simulation processing 3 0 2

The coordinates of a node that can be reached by car within the specified time 202 from the planned construction position 201 or the point coordinates of a contour that describes the reachable position are obtained. Hereinafter, the obtained data is referred to as contour coordinate data 303.

(3) Interactive transparency processing 304

Transparency processing is performed interactively by user input. Hereinafter, the processing flow of the interactive transparency processing 304 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

(3-1) Image map extraction processing 4 0 1

From the image map data 402 stored in the storage device 103, an area centering on the planned construction position 201 is cut out. Image map data cut out The data is cut out to obtain image map data 4003.

(3-2) Conversion to image data 4 04

A curved plane obtained by spline interpolation of the contour coordinate data 303 obtained by the path simulation processing 302 is converted into image data. The image data structure after conversion is, for example, an RGB value described for each pixel. The converted image data is defined as reachable range image data 405.

(3-3) Transparency input processing 4 0 6

The user inputs the transparency 407 using the transparency adjustment knob 205 in FIG. Transparency 4 07 takes a value from 0 to 100. When 0, the reachable range 203 is not displayed. When it is 100, the reachable range 203 is overwritten on the image map. For example, FIG. 2A shows a display example when the transparency 407 is 100, and FIG. 2B shows a display example when the transparency 407 is 50.

(3-4) Image composition 4 0 8

Transparency input processing 404 inputs the cut-out image map data 403 generated in the image map extraction processing 401 and the reachable range image data 405 generated in the conversion processing to the image database 404 Are synthesized according to the determined transparency 407. As a combining method, for example, RGB values of pixels on the same coordinates of the cut-out image map data 403 and the reachable range image 405 are represented by A = (rA, gA, bA) and B =

(rB, gB, bB), and transparency 407 as k, the RGB value C = (r :, gC, bC) of the same coordinates of the synthesized image data is calculated from the following equation. Ask.

r C = ((1 00— k) X r A + k X r B) / 1 0 0

g C = ((1 00-k) X g A + k X g B) / I 0 0

b C = ((100 — k) X b A + k X b B) / 100 The combined image data is referred to as combined image data.

(3-5) Display processing 4 1 0

The composite image data 409 generated in the image compositing process 408 is output to the display 102.

(3-6) End judgment 4 1 1

To display again with a different transparency 407, return to (3-3) and change the transparency 407. If it is not necessary, the interactive clearing processing 304 ends.

The image map in the present embodiment may be a vector map. Alternatively, a composite display of the image map and the vector map may be used. The above is an example of the case where the interactive transparency processing 304 is realized by one application.

In the processing flow of the interactive transparency processing 304, either of the image map clipping processing 410 and the conversion processing to image data 404 may be performed first.

In general, processing for generating two pieces of spatial information to be integrated is referred to as processing A and processing B, and processing for integrating the two pieces of spatial information is referred to as integration processing. The configuration is shown in the block diagram of FIG. In FIG. 5, one of the image map cutout processing 401 and the conversion processing to image data 404 in this embodiment corresponds to the processing A501 and the other corresponds to the processing B502. The cut-out image map data 4 03 corresponds to the result data A 5 03 when the image map cut-out processing 4 0 1 corresponds to the processing Λ 5 0 1, and corresponds to the result data when it corresponds to the processing B 5 0 2 This corresponds to data B504. The reachable range image data 405 corresponds to the result data A503 when the conversion process 104 to image data corresponds to the process A501, and corresponds to the process B502 when the process 104 corresponds to the process A501. Is the result data B Corresponds to 504. The image synthesis processing 408 corresponds to the integration processing 505, the synthesis image data 409 corresponds to the integration data 506, and the display processing 410 corresponds to the display processing 507. The above configuration is realized with only one application, application A508. The integrated display method with this configuration not only has a small development load, but also has a high processing speed.

In this embodiment, the realization of the interactive transparency processing 304 by a single application has been considered. However, the realization can be realized by a plurality of applications using inter-process communication. Figure 6 shows the configuration of the integrated display method in this case. In application A 601, processing Λ 602 generates result data Λ 603, and in application B 604, processing B 605 generates result data B 606. Application C

The integration processing 608 in the 607 uses the inter-process communication 609 to bring the result data A 610 and the result data B 611 to the memory area managed by the application C 607. . The result data A603 and the result data A61.0 have different storage areas in the memory but have the same contents. The same applies to the result data B606 and the result data B611. Subsequently, the integration processing 6 08 integrates the result data A 6 10 and the result data B 6 11 to generate integrated data 6 12.

The integrated data 6 12 generated by the display processing 6 13 is output to the output device. The integrated display method having this configuration has a low degree of dependence between processes.

Also, by interposing a window system, it may be realized by multiple applications using communication between clients. Figure 7 shows an overview of the integrated display method in this case. The result data A 703 generated by the processing A 702 in the application A 701 and the result data B 706 generated by the processing B 705 in the application B 704 are combined with the application C C 70. Integration processing in 7 is integrated in 708. At this time, By using a window system 709 between the application A 701 and the application B 704 and the application C 707, the results can be obtained using the client-to-client communication 710. Data A 703 and result data B 706 are transferred to the memory area managed by application C 707. For example, transferring data through properties in the window system. A property is a data item that can be added to a window. The integration processing 708 generates integrated data 711 from the result data A711 and the result data B712 in the application C707. In the display processing 7 14, the integrated data 7 13 is output to the output device. In the integrated display method having this configuration, the degree of dependence on processing is small. For synchronization, use a selection in the window system, for example. A selection is a single token passed between applications.

Furthermore, it can be realized by multiple applications using a shared memory. Fig. 8 shows the configuration of the integrated display method in this case. First, the shared memory 804 is secured in one of the application A 801, the application B 802, and the application C 803. For example, in the C language, shared memory 804 can be allocated using the shmget function. The shared memory 804 stores the result data A 806 generated by the processing A 805 in the application A 801 and the result data B 808 generated by the processing B 807 in the application B 802. Secure enough space for storage. In application A 801, process A 805 generates result data A 806 and stores it in shared memory 804. In application B 802, process B 807 generates result data B 808 and stores it in shared memory 804. For example, in the C language, shared memory 804 can be accessed using the shmat function. Application C 8 In the integration process 809 in 03, the result data A81 1 and the result data B8111 are extracted from the shared memory 804 to a memory area managed by the application C803. The result data A806 and the result data A810 have different storage areas in the memory but have the same contents. The same applies to result data B 808 and result data B 811. The integration process 809 generates integrated data 812 from the result data A810 and the result data B811. The display processing 8 13 outputs the integrated data 8 1 2 to the output device. The integrated display method with this configuration not only has a small development load, but also has a high processing speed. When synchronizing, for example, use process communication.

Furthermore, it is also possible to realize it with multiple applications by mediating files. Figure 9 shows an overview of the integrated display method in this case. In application A 901, processing A 902 generates result data A 903 and stores it in file A 904. In application B 905, process B 906 generates result data B 907 and stores it in file B 908. In the integration process 910 in the application C 909, the application C 909 manages the result data A 911 and the result data B 912 from the file A 904 and the file B 908, respectively. Read into memory area. The result data A903 and the result data A911 have different storage areas in the memory but have the same contents. The same applies to the result data B 9 07 and the result data B 9 12. The integration process 9110 generates integrated data 913 from the result data A911 and the result data B912. The display process 914 outputs the integrated data 913 to the output device. The above is performed, for example, by batch processing. The integrated display method with this configuration has a small development load and low dependence between processes.

The configuration of the integrated display method shown in Fig. 6 to Fig. 9 considers the case where there are only two types of spatial information to be integrated, but it can basically be extended to more than that. It is.

In this embodiment, when the reachable range is displayed, the reachable range is displayed translucently on the background map. As a result, it is possible to read necessary information such as place names and structures described in the reachable range. Although the above is one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention may be used as a means for displaying an underground shopping mall map or a structure inside a building in a layered manner, or may be used as a means for performing highlighted masking display on a map. Examples of applications include an underground shopping mall information system that can simultaneously display a ground map and an underground shopping mall map and provide underground shopping mall information, and a map editing system that can draw various figures on a map. FIG. 10 shows a screen image of the underground shopping mall planning system. When the target input 1001 is performed, a map centering on the target is searched and displayed in the window 1002. By using the transparency adjustment knob 1003, the ground map shown in Fig. 10 (a) can be displayed transparently as shown in Fig. 10 (b), and the positional relationship between the underground mall and the ground can be grasped at a glance. Figure 11 shows the screen image of the map editing system. Using a menu such as a circle 1101 and a polygon 1102, draw a figure such as a circle 1104 and a polygon 1105 on the map displayed in the window 1103. By using the transparency adjustment knob 1106, the figure shown in Fig. 11 (a) can be displayed transparently as shown in Fig. 11 (b), and the background map can be masked without being hidden.

In addition, the present invention is widely applicable not only to the display of maps and figures, but also to the display of satellite images and analysis results. In addition, it can be used for coexistence of applications that handle CAD drawings, etc., and image map publications. Industrial applicability

According to the present invention, integrated display of spatial information such as maps, images, and analysis data In fields that require, multiple spatial information can be effectively integrated and displayed, and the output results of multiple processes or different applications can be integrated and displayed on the same screen.

As described above, the present invention is capable of superimposing and displaying a plurality of pieces of information in a map information system.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. A generation process of generating a plurality of different spatial information that meets predetermined conditions from information on a position stored in advance, and an integration process of integrating the plurality of generated spatial information to obtain integrated information. A spatial information integrated display method comprising a display process of outputting integrated information to an output device, wherein the generation process, the integration process, and the display process are managed in the same application. .

2. In the spatial information integrated display method according to claim 1,

A spatial information integrated display method, comprising: transmitting a plurality of pieces of spatial information generated in the generation processing by process communication; and integrating the plurality of transmitted spatial information in the integration processing.

3. In the spatial information integrated display method according to claim 1,

Transmitting the plurality of pieces of spatial information generated in the generation processing by communication between clients via a window system; and integrating the plurality of pieces of transmitted spatial information in the integration processing. Display method.

4. In the spatial information integrated display method according to claim 1,

A spatial information integrated display method, comprising temporarily storing a plurality of pieces of spatial information generated in the generating process in a shared memory, and integrating the stored spatial information in the integrating process.

5. In the spatial information integrated display method according to claim 1,

A spatial information integrated display method, comprising temporarily storing a plurality of pieces of spatial information generated in the generation processing in a file, and integrating the stored spatial information in the integration processing.

6. In the spatial information integrated display method according to claim 1, A spatial information integrated display method, wherein the integrated information is generated as perspective overlay information of the spatial information.

7. A storage means for storing at least two types of map information,

An input unit that allows an operator to specify an area related to the map information; and two or more types of map information corresponding to the area specified by the input unit out of the map information stored in the storage unit are each converted into image data. Means for converting the converted image data to match the transparency input by the operator;

A spatial information display device comprising display means for superimposing and displaying the converted two or more types of image data at the same position and size.

8. A range that can be reached within a predetermined time is obtained from the position information input by the operator, a curved surface is obtained by performing spline interpolation on the obtained range, and the obtained curved surface is converted into image data. ,

A section information display method, wherein a previously stored image map and the image data are superimposed and displayed.